Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz held a press conference together with the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Waterbury elected officials to praise Governor Lamont’s $18 million proposal to fill a gap in victim services and expand emergency housing assistance for survivors of domestic violence.

   Governor Ned Lamont today announced that on the first day of the 2022 regular session of the Connecticut General Assembly, which begins on Wednesday, February 9, he will introduce a comprehensive package of legislative proposals aimed at eliminating gun violence in Connecticut through a series of targeted initiatives, including the enhancement of efforts to stop the illegal flow of guns to the state, providing millions of dollars in additional funding to law enforcement to strengthen their work, and closing loopholes in gun safety laws, among others.

Dr. William “Bill” Pizzuto, the retiring Director Of UConn -Waterbury and longtime public servant in the Greater Waterbury area, has announced that he intends to seek the 71st District House Seat made vacant by the retirement of his long-time friend and political colleague Rep. Anthony D’Amelio during a special election that will be held in early 2022.

Investigation Into Unsolved Murders

Since 1988 eight women have been killed along the Route 8 corridor north of Waterbury. Six remain unsolved, and a seventh is shrouded in unanswered questions. Clockwise from top left is Karen Everett, Mildred Alvarado, Frederica Spinola and Jessica Muskus.

Story By Robert Muldoon

   In April 2020 I was in pandemic-lock down in my Boston apartment and surrounded by unopened boxes, some that had not been peeked into for decades. After my mother had died, we sold our family home of 50 years and I had a lot of boxes to rummage through.

   Buried deep in one box was a folder I hadn’t touched since 1993, the year I left my career in journalism. Printed in faded ink on the tab was the word, “Waterbury”. I had no idea that I still had the files and notes from a huge story I had been working on when I left my job as police reporter at the Register-Citizen newspaper in Torrington, Connecticut. A sudden surge of memories hit—followed by pain, regret and shame that the story was never published.

   I had to call John Murray (the Publisher of The Waterbury Observer) immediately. He’s the only one in the world who could possibly understand.

Governor Ned Lamont today announced plans to distribute three million COVID-19 at-home rapid tests and six million N95 masks in Connecticut in an effort to help curb the spread of COVID-19 during this heavy travel and holiday season.

The first allocation will include the distribution of 500,000 iHealth kits – each containing two tests for a total of one million tests – that will be designated for the general public. Distribution of these kits is scheduled to begin on Thursday, December 30, 2021, and is expected to run through the following week. The Connecticut Department of Public Health, Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and Connecticut National Guard will oversee the distribution of the kits, with support from regional and local emergency management teams. This initiative also will include the distribution of N95 masks. State officials stress that details of the distribution of the kits and N95 masks are still being finalized and are subject to change this week.

Connecticut is now the eighth state in the nation to enact a paid family and medical leave program  Governor Ned Lamont announced yesterday that applications are now being accepted for Connecticut residents who want to participate in the state’s new paid family and medical leave program. Claims are being accepted for qualifying events that are happening on or after January 1, 2022.

KENNY BRAWNER as RAY CHARLES, in RAY ON MY MIND

The Palace Theater in anticipation of re-opening for an exciting 100^th Anniversary season, is offering its E-Pass for sale beginning June 7, ahead of the June 14 general public on-sale date for all concerts booked to date.  E-pass holders can purchase ahead of the general public on-sale date to secure their seats of choice.  The E-Pass 100^th Anniversary price is $50 (regularly $75). To purchase an E-pass call the Box Office at 203.346.2000, go online at www.palacetheaterct.org or visit in-person 100 East Main Street.  Current Box office hours are Monday – Thursday 9:00AM – 3:00PM.

Webster Financial Corporation (NYSE: WBS) ("Webster") and Sterling Bancorp (NYSE: STL) ("Sterling") jointly announced today that their boards of directors have approved by unanimous vote a definitive agreement under which the two companies will combine in an all-stock merger of equals transaction with a total market value of approximately $10.3 billion.

State Senator Joan Hartley (D-15), a former educator, was enthusiastic to see the release of $492.43 million in federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds throughout Connecticut, including over $46 million in funds to Waterbury, Naugatuck, and Middlebury schools.