DANBURY - Comedian John Oliver was mistaken if he thought all he was getting was a run-of-the-mill sewer plant when he agreed in October to to the facility for a laugh and a donation to local charities.The city has broken ground on the nation’s first conversion facility at the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant — a project that promises not only a remedy for the plague of sewer grease that has terrorized Oliver’s native England with airliner-size , but a revenue source for Danbury in the form of biodiesel sales.“We’re so damn excited about this,” said Antonio Iadarola, the city engineer and...…DANBURY - Comedian John Oliver was mistaken if he thought all he was getting was a run-of-the-mill sewer plant when he agreed in October to to the facility for a laugh and a donation to local charities.The city has broken ground on the nation’s first conversion facility at the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant — a project that promises not only a remedy for the plague of sewer grease that has terrorized Oliver’s native England with airliner-size , but a revenue source for Danbury in the form of biodiesel sales.“We’re so damn excited about this,” said Antonio Iadarola, the city engineer and...WW…

In Connecticut, the more your town voted for Joe Biden in 2020, the likelier you and your neighbors are to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, a Hearst Connecticut Media Group review of state data shows.An analysis of all Connecticut municipalities revealed that in the 10 towns that voted the most for Biden, excluding cities with a population over 100,000, an average of 53 percent of their residents have had at least one dose. That compared with 47.6 percent in the 10 towns that voted more for former President Donald Trump.Thomaston, for example, follows that trend. In 2020, 34.9 percent...…In Connecticut, the more your town voted for Joe Biden in 2020, the likelier you and your neighbors are to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, a Hearst Connecticut Media Group review of state data shows.An analysis of all Connecticut municipalities revealed that in the 10 towns that voted the most for Biden, excluding cities with a population over 100,000, an average of 53 percent of their residents have had at least one dose. That compared with 47.6 percent in the 10 towns that voted more for former President Donald Trump.Thomaston, for example, follows that trend. In 2020, 34.9 percent...WW…

MILFORD — During his 25-year career as a flight attendant and chef to celebrities, then corporate executives, Chris Tack once was serenaded on a flight by Luciano Pavarotti for sneaking the famous tenor a watered-down glass of aged scotch.These days Tack’s clients are singing his praises, as well — although not as musically — in his new career as owner of , operating on Long Island Sound.Tack, a Culinary Institute of America-trained private chef with a specialty in French cuisine and a U.S. Coast Guard certified captain, takes people on his 37-foot sailboat for four-hour excursions into...…MILFORD — During his 25-year career as a flight attendant and chef to celebrities, then corporate executives, Chris Tack once was serenaded on a flight by Luciano Pavarotti for sneaking the famous tenor a watered-down glass of aged scotch.These days Tack’s clients are singing his praises, as well — although not as musically — in his new career as owner of , operating on Long Island Sound.Tack, a Culinary Institute of America-trained private chef with a specialty in French cuisine and a U.S. Coast Guard certified captain, takes people on his 37-foot sailboat for four-hour excursions into...WW…

A strict age-based vaccine rollout — like the one in Connecticut — could result in 85 percent fewer deaths, according to a study from researchers at the University of California’s department of demography.The study, due to be released this week, presents a thought experiment, according to lead author Joshua Goldstein.If the vaccine was rolled out using a lottery system, in which everyone had the same chance of being vaccinated regardless of age, 85 percent more people would die than in a system that followed a strict age-based rollout.“We’re talking about enormous effects,” Goldstein said....…A strict age-based vaccine rollout — like the one in Connecticut — could result in 85 percent fewer deaths, according to a study from researchers at the University of California’s department of demography.The study, due to be released this week, presents a thought experiment, according to lead author Joshua Goldstein.If the vaccine was rolled out using a lottery system, in which everyone had the same chance of being vaccinated regardless of age, 85 percent more people would die than in a system that followed a strict age-based rollout.“We’re talking about enormous effects,” Goldstein said....WW…

John and Rebecca Fung headed to the basement of their Newtown home with their three children on the afternoon of Aug. 4. The hot, humid weather took a turn as Tropical Storm Isaias made its way through the area, knocking down trees and limbs, eventually cutting off electricity to hundreds of thousands of Eversource customers around the state.On their street, the storm brought down wires, causing two electrical fires.“You could smell the burning in the air,” John Fung said.Fire department crews put out the fires by smothering the flames and notifying Eversource, according to testimony filed...…John and Rebecca Fung headed to the basement of their Newtown home with their three children on the afternoon of Aug. 4. The hot, humid weather took a turn as Tropical Storm Isaias made its way through the area, knocking down trees and limbs, eventually cutting off electricity to hundreds of thousands of Eversource customers around the state.On their street, the storm brought down wires, causing two electrical fires.“You could smell the burning in the air,” John Fung said.Fire department crews put out the fires by smothering the flames and notifying Eversource, according to testimony filed...WW…

SHELTON — Mayor Mark Lauretti says he’s “dumbfounded” why prosecutors are not pursing criminal charges against two volunteer city firefighters who, according to a police report, have been accused of sexually and physically assaulting a woman.Echo Hose Fire Capt. John Scollin and volunteer firefighter Matthew Perkowski — who is also a Trumbull police sergeant — pending an internal investigation into the alleged assault, which police said occurred on Sept. 6, 2020.Lauretti and other Shelton officials said they were not notified of the incident until last week when Hearst Connecticut Media...…SHELTON — Mayor Mark Lauretti says he’s “dumbfounded” why prosecutors are not pursing criminal charges against two volunteer city firefighters who, according to a police report, have been accused of sexually and physically assaulting a woman.Echo Hose Fire Capt. John Scollin and volunteer firefighter Matthew Perkowski — who is also a Trumbull police sergeant — pending an internal investigation into the alleged assault, which police said occurred on Sept. 6, 2020.Lauretti and other Shelton officials said they were not notified of the incident until last week when Hearst Connecticut Media...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateWASHINGTON — Early one morning in 2014, an Oxford man shot and killed his estranged wife at her parent’s home, a day before he was scheduled to appear in court.Lori Jackson, 32, had a temporary restraining order against her husband Scott Gellatly, that didn’t stop Gellatly from being able to buy the gun he killed her with. Federal law only blocks people subject to permanent restraining orders from buying weapons.Connecticut Democrats Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and Rep. Jim Himes have been pushing for years for...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateWASHINGTON — Early one morning in 2014, an Oxford man shot and killed his estranged wife at her parent’s home, a day before he was scheduled to appear in court.Lori Jackson, 32, had a temporary restraining order against her husband Scott Gellatly, that didn’t stop Gellatly from being able to buy the gun he killed her with. Federal law only blocks people subject to permanent restraining orders from buying weapons.Connecticut Democrats Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and Rep. Jim Himes have been pushing for years for...WW…

The History of the Mafia in ConnecticutFor New Haven gangster Salvatore “Midge Renault” Annunziato (at left), 1950s New Haven was a paradise.When the portly mobster was arrested for assault, New Haven’s sitting congressman Albert Cretella stepped forward to defend him, winning an acquittal.Always a terrible driver, Annunziato was constantly losing his license. Not to worry. The city’s powerful Democratic Town Committee Chairman Arthur T. Barbieri wrote letters to state officials asking them to restore his driving privileges.Article continues below this adA former boxer—Midge Renault was his...…The History of the Mafia in ConnecticutFor New Haven gangster Salvatore “Midge Renault” Annunziato (at left), 1950s New Haven was a paradise.When the portly mobster was arrested for assault, New Haven’s sitting congressman Albert Cretella stepped forward to defend him, winning an acquittal.Always a terrible driver, Annunziato was constantly losing his license. Not to worry. The city’s powerful Democratic Town Committee Chairman Arthur T. Barbieri wrote letters to state officials asking them to restore his driving privileges.Article continues below this adA former boxer—Midge Renault was his...WW…