WTNH.com (WTNH) — East Hartford Public Schools held its first ever ‘Adaptive Field Day’ on Monday catered towards kids in kindergarten to fifth grade living with physical and cognitive impairments East Hartford Public Schools physical therapist Chelsea Apanovitch helped to organize the event “I am doing this event because they don’t get to really get to participate in their regularly scheduled field days so I’d say like 80 to 90 % of the things they aren’t able to do,” she said There were 22 activities for the students to experience More than 130 students were there to participate from seven different schools in the district Special education and physical education teachers with East Hartford Public School partnered with Doctor of Physical Therapy Students at the University of Hartford a clinical applied professor at the university told News 8 “I really believe in experiential learning for our students and to learn about children in general and children with disabilities we have to actually interact with them.” The West Hartford Farmers' Market has returned for the season but in a new location in the Town Hall parking lot and other news about West Hartford businesses and we are very thankful for their support It’s a fun holiday and appropriate for anyone to celebrate – and I love that tacos are involved As I was going through my photos to put this column together I realized just how busy the past week was – and the diversity of events I attended and stories I wrote Also mixed in with work was some grand-parenting since Katie’s maternity leave just ended and she is back to work at PTSMC I especially enjoyed taking “Champ” to gymnastics class at GTC in Simsbury The tacos in the photo below (which I sampled on Saturday morning) are free to the first 55 parties in line on Monday morning I had the Breakfast Street Tacos at the soft opening of The Friendly Toast I also attended the Yard Goats game on Wednesday night (that one was just for fun) and participated in a “Meet the Media” forum on Thursday hosted by the Public Relations Society of America Greater Connecticut chapter WTIC anchor and talk show host Morgan Cunningham and NBC CT producer Chris Ayotte were my fellow panelists and Quinnipiac professor Katie Place was the moderator but it was also very educational – including for the panelists who all have very different backgrounds and perspectives on the current state of the media One of many groundhogs living near Dunkin’ Park My friend and former boss from Patch, Elissa Bass, was at Barnes & Noble on Saturday afternoon for a signing of her debut novel, “Happy Hour,” on Saturday and it was great catching up with her there as well as at our own happy hour at Vinted right afterwards where we were also joined by another fellow Patch colleague I can’t believe it’s been 12 years since we last worked together Ronni Newton celebrating the book signing of “Happy Hour” with happy hour at Vinted Ted and I enjoyed a yummy dinner at Nummy on Saturday night (I honestly didn’t think I would eat again for at least 24 hours after The Friendly Toast brunch but 8 hours later I was finally a bit hungry.) On Sunday I did pig yoga at Westfarms with Breathe2Flow Yoga and Gilbert the Party Pig and friends One of my new friends hanging out on my yoga mat during pig yoga at Westfarms It is our policy that full names be used when commenting directly on the site – with the exception of those commenters who were grandfathered when they commented prior to the policy being updated several years ago Please comply or your comment will not be published If you are a long term, regular advertiser on We-Ha.com and have a 60 to 75 word submission for a future Business Buzz please send to Bob Carr at bobc.weha@gmail.com You can also contact Bob if you are interested in becoming a sponsor of a section of the site If you have information to share about local businesses, please provide details in the comments or email Ronni Newton at editorial@we-ha.com ************************************************** Signage at the former West Hartford Farmers’ Market spot in the Arapahoe parking lot The West Hartford Farmers’ Market has returned for the season One West Hartford is under construction at 950 Trout Brook Drive which is being landscaped is in the foreground with its former home at 950 Trout Brook Drive where a large apartment complex is being constructed in the background Landscaping work is underway around Conny’s tail which is now located between Trout Brook and Whole Foods Jersey Mike’s will open this month at 255 Prospect Avenue in Prospect Plaza Teriyaki Madness looks almost ready to open in Prospect Plaza Chick-fil-A is preparing to open at 2534 Albany Avenue in Bishops Corner Photo credit: Ronni Newton (we-ha.com file photo) Matt Schneider of The Crafted Cocktail at the Kimberly Boutique Fashion Show Hall High School graduate and West Hartford native Talya Smilowitz is returning to Connecticut and has been named Cantor of Temple Beth Hillel at 20 Baker Lane in South Windsor as of July 1 from the time she was a young student at Solomon Schecter Day School in West Hartford the West Hartford native’s passion for music and Judaism led her to the Juilliard School and to singing performances around the world “We are extremely pleased that Cantor Talya Smilowitz will join Temple Beth Hillel this summer and creative and meaningful music to our congregation,” says Jeff Levin President of Temple Beth Hillel’s Board of Trustees “Our congregation looks forward to her leadership and we invite members of the Greater Hartford community to visit our Temple as we enter the next chapter in our history.” The 65-year-old Reform synagogue has been led by Rabbi Leah Benamy since 2023 when longtime Rabbi Jeffrey Glickman retired and became Rabbi Emeritus “I look forward to stepping into this exciting role and witnessing the community grow and thrive,” said Smilowitz my vision is to build a community where we unite and celebrate our differences around the shared beliefs and values that bind us together Music will be an integral part of our Temple community and and elevate us to a higher realm of spirituality and love.” She comes to Temple Beth Hillel from Congregation L’Dor V’Dor in Oyster Bay where she has served as its Cantor since July 2009 she was the Cantorial Soloist for two years at Temple Shaaray Tefila in Bedford Corners bringing dynamic musical programming and innovative worship to that community She is a graduate of the Juilliard School in New York City (Bachelor of Music) the Manhattan School of Music (Master of Music) and the Cantors Assembly’s Cantorial Intern Program The mother of two children enjoys teaching students voice Work is progressing on the west side of LaSalle Road Work is progressing on the eest side of LaSalle Road Remember, if you have any business news to share, add it in the comments section below or email Ronni Newton at editorial@we-ha.com Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" © 2025 • WeHa News • All Rights Reserved • Ezoic Privacy Policy - Created by Roy Web Design Hartford Area Career and Technical Center students arrive for classes on Friday a large portion of the technical center and high school may need to be demolished and replaced. (Valley News-Jennifer Hauck) Valley News photographs — Jennifer Hauck Hartford Area Career and Technical Center culinary arts student Jacob Christian hands a lunch order to Hannah Moore on Friday Due to the presence of PCBs at their school students have set up the school's cafe at the former site of the American Legion Post 26 Hartford Area Career and Technical Center culinary arts instructor Chef Patrick Gobeille helps student Haley Maxham put out lunch orders on Friday Due to contaminants in the school's classroom the culinary arts program has relocated to the old American Legion Post #26 in White River Junction A month was spent setting up the new kitchen (Valley News-Jennifer Hauck) Valley News – Jennifer Hauck Hartford Area Career and Technical Center Director Erica Schneider stands in a section of the school where classrooms have been closed due to the presence of PCBs on Friday (Valley News-Jennifer Hauck) Jennifer Hauck WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — More than half of Hartford High School needs to be razed and rebuilt because of chemical contamination and school officials are scrambling to find funding to begin addressing the problem The contamination comes from polychlorinated biphenyls which were commonly used in construction material prior to 1980 testing has shown the presence of PCBs at the high school and the Hartford Area Career and Technical Center The School Board is considering redirecting a portion of a $21 million voters approved last year for other building repairs Now some of the money might be used to plan for extensive remediation work “We are going to tear down 60 percent of the high school in all likelihood and have to rebuild it in record time,” Hartford School District Facilities Manager Jonathan Garthwaite told the School Board at its April 23 meeting which the Vermont Legislature passed in 2021 requires all districts to test for PCBs in educational facilities constructed prior to 1980 and cleanup of any PCBs that are found according to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation PCBs are burrowed in the cinder block walls at Hartford High School not only are we rolling the dice on air quality we are also kicking a huge expensive liability down the road to someone else,” he said Hartford Memorial Middle School tested negative for PCBs Air testing at the White River School was conducted over April break and the results are expected in the coming weeks Dothan Brook School and Ottaquechee School are exempt from testing because PCBs were banned in 1979 by the federal Toxic Substances Control Act money the state appropriated for testing has run out leaving districts such Hartford to foot the bill for testing there are no state funds available to help with construction or remediation costs None of us in this building chose to have this building built when it was built and we sure as hell didn’t choose to have contaminants used in its building,” Hartford High School Principal Nelson Fogg said at the April 23 meeting So we can’t really dictate what happens to us but we have all the authority in the world to deal with how we respond to what is happening to us.” the district must fund what Garthwaite estimated to be “hundreds of thousands of dollars in soft costs,” which include further testing along with working with architects and engineers to come up with a plan for a temporary kitchen to prepare school meals and relocate the heating plant which is housed in the northeast corner of the gym We have to have performing arts,” Garthwaite said during the meeting “We have to do what we do and all of that has to happen while this chaos is going on around us This is much more than a planned renovation where we have years to consider what we’re doing As much as $6.5 million of the $21 million bond voters approved last year will be used this summer to replace the roofs at the Ottauquechee School and Dothan Brook School complete a drainage project at Ottauquechee School replace the chimney and upgrade the elevator at the middle school as well as repair and replace doors at various district buildings School Board chairwoman Nancy Russell appeared supportive of Garthwaite’s request to put money toward the PCB remediation planning and bulk sampling we did not know that this was going to happen,” she said at the April 23 meeting “I would hope that our public would be understanding enough to say ‘This is a big emergency here and we need to take care of it.’ We need to be putting these kids and our staff first.” But Wilder resident Colin Butler told the School Board he was uncomfortable with using part of the bond to pay for PCB remediation planning costs “The voters voted to spend $21 million on a list of stuff that the board told the public was absolutely critical,” he said during the meeting Garthwaite is currently putting together requests for proposals to do additional bulk sampling at the high school and tech center and for phase one of the abatement project Phase one would include demolishing and rebuilding the culinary arts kitchen and classroom “The thought behind it is we do those spaces first and use them as swing spaces while we address the remainder of the impacted spaces,” Garthwaite said “I would like to start abatement activities removal of toxins as quickly as possible after graduation The school district does not have any money set aside for the full remediation project school officials are hopeful funding for the work will come from the Monsanto Corp — which manufactured PCBs from the 1930s through the 1970s that other companies used for building materials The district has joined about 100 other Vermont school districts — including a dozen in the Upper Valley — in a lawsuit against the company has been settling other lawsuits brought against Monsanto for its manufacturing of PCBs the company agreed to multi-million dollar settlements with the cities of Los Angeles and Seattle “There’s no reason to think that we won’t recover these costs,” Garthwaite said in a phone interview “When we get to the point where we have actual numbers related to abatement that will be the point at which we discuss our funding options.” PCB contamination has already displaced some Hartford students At the beginning of the current school year the technical center’s culinary arts program relocated to a former American Legion hall off Sykes Mountain Avenue because PCB levels were found to be at “immediate action levels” as defined by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Culinary classes will remain at the off-campus site for the next school year as well Two health sciences classrooms also had to be relocated but officials were able to find space for them in district buildings The School Board is scheduled to meet Wednesday and discussions about how to fund the “soft costs” are expected to continue then Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221 which other companies used to make construction materials A previous version of this story incorrectly described Monsanto's role in the production of the construction materials containing the chemicals you agree with our use of cookies to personalize your experience measure ads and monitor how our site works to improve it for our users Details: cache-fra-eddf8230093-FRA 1746494033 2976375543 Community in Concert at Westminster Presbyterian Church in WEst Hartford will feature The Lillibridge Ensemble A truly extraordinary concert is coming to West Hartford internationally celebrated violinist Raphael Ryger and pianist Madeleine Forte are coming to Westminster Presbyterian Church for an unforgettable afternoon of world-class music Admission is free with donations welcome at the door This is not your average community concert These are artists who have graced the world’s great stages praised by critics and audiences alike for performances that stir the soul and ignite the imagination and decades of global experience to the sanctuary of Westminster for an afternoon performance that promises to move and inspire “Westminster Presbyterian Church deeply values the connections we make with our neighbors” we are thrilled to share our annual Community in Concert tradition with two of the foundational members of The Lillibridge Ensemble As we endeavor to bolster support for our exceptional music program we are deeply grateful to this world-renowned duo for sharing their gifts with us.” Music holds a special place in the heart of Westminster the church has supported local university music students and graduates through its Tilton Music Scholar Program integrating their talents into Westminster’s vibrant worship and musical life The Community in Concert series was created to uplift these musicians in a shared celebration of fellowship and music Boone shared “Our first concert in 2022 featured Westminster’s music scholars along with several local professionals We’re thrilled to continue the tradition this year with The Lillibridge Ensemble It will be an amazing afternoon of music and heartfelt community connection.” Whether you’re a longtime lover of classical music or simply looking for a meaningful way to spend your Saturday afternoon Community in Concert offers a rare opportunity to witness musical excellence up close and to celebrate the joy of coming together through the universal language of music A freewill offering will be collected during the concert to support the Tilton Music Scholarship Fund which helps sustain the church’s long-standing tradition of mentoring and supporting emerging musicians was born in Israel and raised in New York City returning to Israel before pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at Yale University He studied with leading violin pedagogues in both countries and has performed extensively as a soloist and concertmaster throughout Israel and Connecticut A longtime member of Orchestra New England Ryger is also a computer scientist and facilitator of a Yale faculty discussion group on science and utopian visions is a Juilliard-trained artist and recipient of the prestigious Josef Lhévinne Memorial Award Known for her breathtaking tone and expressive phrasing she has performed to critical acclaim across five continents Her career as an educator spans over two decades at Boise State University where she championed accessibility through scholarships for students from around the world noting her “gorgeous tone and sensuous line… evoking classic French pianism.” Coronavirus (COVID-19) Being overweight doesn’t just make daily life more challenging — it can also put added strain on your heart what can you do to protect your health and reduce your risk of a heart attack We asked Darren Tishler, MD, chief of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery at Hartford HealthCare, for his expert advice Here’s what you need to know — and how to get started today That’s because being overweight has a close link to major adverse cardiac events (MACE) “These are among the leading causes of death at a young age.” carrying extra weight puts added strain on your heart “The heart has to work and pump harder,” says Dr this extra effort can thicken the heart walls (hypertrophy) increasing the risk of heart problems down the line.” Being overweight also makes it harder to stay active And when reduced mobility combines with the extra strain on your heart the risk of a heart attack goes up even more > Related: Bariatric Surgery Can Help With These 5 Conditions “Obesity is an inflammatory disease,” says Dr a big factor in developing metabolic disease It also keeps your body stuck in fight-or-flight mode Weight loss surgery helps reduce inflammation and calm this response which lowers the risk of heart attacks and protects your heart.” many patients need fewer medications to manage high cholesterol “Studies also show that weight loss surgery significantly reduces the risk of heart attacks “The reduction isn’t small — it’s substantial.” Think you need to wait months to feel better after bariatric surgery “It happens much sooner than most people expect — often before they even need new clothes,” says Dr patients tell us they breathe easier climbing stairs sweat less and no longer feel their heart racing during activity.” These changes aren’t just noticeable — they’re life-changing “This increased activity directly boosts cardiovascular health and reduces the risk of a heart attack.” > Want more health news? Text StartHere to 85209 to sign up for text alerts Your journey to better health starts with a conversation — especially if you have a family history or are at high risk and there are very few cases where we can’t reduce cardiovascular risk in some way Even patients with heart disease — or those who’ve had a heart attack — may still be candidates for bariatric surgery or other obesity treatments.” A team approach is the heart of weight loss psychologists and cardiologists collaborate to find the right treatment for you improving your health now and setting you up for long-term success “Bariatric surgery is so much more than weight loss — it’s about improving your quality of life and helping you live longer,” says Dr “What matters most is that you feel better — and it all starts with that first step today.” 80 Seymour Street Hartford, CT 06102  •  Contact Us   Interpretive Services 2025 Junior League of Hartford Designer Show House A 1902 Tudor revival home at 820 Prospect Avenue has been transformed into the Junior League of Hartford’s 2025 Designer Show House The Junior League of Hartford’s signature fundraiser gives local designers the opportunity to showcase their talents as they transform a notable area home and visitors to this year’s 1902 Tudor revival will be treated to a truly spectacular tour of 17 decorated spaces at 820 Prospect Avenue (on the Hartford side of the street) is the current home of Annie Pascucci and her family – which includes two young children – who have relocated for three months and generously donated the use of their home to support the Junior League’s fundraiser “She loves art and architecture,” said Junior League Board member Kelly Sellew who provided We-Ha.com with a sneak peek tour a few days before the official opening “There was already a lot of color here,” she added This is the second Show House in a row that was donated for use by its current occupants, following in the footsteps of Marsha and Jared Jacobskind who temporarily moved out of their West Hartford home in 2022 so it could be used for the fundraiser Sellew said there were 16 designers this year – several from West Hartford – who transformed a total of 17 separate spaces in the home The 4,900 square foot double-gable Tudor revival home in the Prospect Avenue Historic District features seven bedrooms and a spacious sunroom – along with two separate staircases Many of the original details remain intact – including the heart-shaped baluster and leaded glass windows and doors – and were preserved in the transformational process McCory Interiors of Burlington is the Junior League’s longest-standing Show House designer and this year transformed the expansive living room one of the most prominent spaces on the tour West Hartford-based Grace Galloway Design is a first-year participant in the Designer Show House and incorporated the works of many local artists into the light-filled and colorful sunroom Don’t miss the detail along the crown molding – which appears to be tile but is actually wallpaper The study, designed by Kate Smith Interiors of Farmington is the opposite of a stuffy space – a cozy and retreat done in blues and greens – with some pops of yellow – that creates an inviting refuge West Hartford’s Kathryn Hunt Studio is back for another show house Known for creating her own textile designs don’t miss her custom wallpaper on the dining room’s ceiling Sellew said the striking floral arrangements in the dining room were created by a Junior League member She designed the pattern on the ceiling wallpaper “We don’t always get a full kitchen transformation, but this one was a full makeover,” said Sellew. Although the footprint and layout was not changed, the kitchen and adjacent mudroom were renovated by AMS Kitchens & Interiors of Cheshire and many of the high-end appliances were donated The two spaces are unified through the sage green palette and the wallpaper in the back of the glass-front cabinets also appears in the mudroom Sometimes the rooms of show houses are starkly different styles there’s a “very cohesive color palette” with the use of green in many of the spaces The wallpaper in the back of the cabinets matches the wallpaper in the mudroom by AMS Kitchens Climb the main staircase to the second floor and you will find an enormous closet – with organization that most can only dream of – was created by NEAT Method Hartford The Homemaker CT – aka Ellen Piccolo of West Hartford – is participating in her first show house keeping the original wide-grout blue-green tile on the floor and walls intact The primary bedroom’s design was the work of Kaitlin Smith Interiors of Watch Hill who created a floral-themed retreat that pays homage to English Cottage Garden style Primary bedroom by Kaitlin Smith Interiors In what was previously the homeowner’s daughter’s bedroom, Shelley Dodd of West Hartford-based Mews Designs created a space with enough whimsy for a young girl Among the unique treatments is the gold trim delineating the door panels Camden Grace Interiors Paintings by Connecticut artists line the walls with “Torch Singer” by West Hartford’s Sandy Welch claiming a prominent position and inspiration for the color palette Travel and photography are the dominant themes of the room The theme carries through to the ensuite bathroom Continuing the tour up the back stairs to the third floor, Alison V. Cummings of Newtown added her skills as a muralist with hand-painted walls that highlight scenes from nearby Elizabeth Park the Junior League of Hartford’s 16th show house is dedicated this year to the memory of Mary Lynn Gorman who introduced the concept in 1979 and co-chaired the first event A longtime volunteer for the Junior League as well as other area nonprofits and a 30-year public relations professional which hangs beside a portrait she also painted of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Throughout the third-floor hallway there are framed posters and articles from past show house events Images of previous Show Houses line the third floor hallway A surprise find on the the third floor is a kitchenette, and preserving the use of that space was a requirement of the homeowner.  The owners of Sabin Viehland of Washington freshened up the space with paint and wallpaper and the exposed beams remain a striking fixture of the space The tour descends the back stairs to the first level, and then heads down another flight to the basement, appropriately tabbed “The Hive Speakeasy Bar & Lounge” by Quiver Spirits of East Hartford every square inch,” said Quiver Spirits owner Tomas Nenortas Tastings will be offered at the wet bar during tours who is an ardent preservationist who has compiled much of the history of this home as well as other previous show houses He said that the home was designed by noted Hartford architect Edward T Their daughter was one of the first members of the Junior League of Hartford and their granddaughter plans to attend this year’s show house with crisp blue and white furnishings and a fire pit and volunteer time to a multitude of Connecticut nonprofits.” Funds are raised through the sale of tickets to tour the home as well as special events and sponsorships The Show House will hold an opening night event on Friday “We are so excited to welcome the public to our 16th Designer Show House,” Deirdre Green “The designers have already been hard at work transforming 820 Prospect Avenue This Show House is not just a celebration of design and architecture – it is also a testament to the power of community Thanks to the partnership and support of CTC&G we hope this is our most successful Show House to date.” The heart-shaped baluster is an original detail Pop-up boutiques will be located in the home’s garage Additional special events at the Show House include a Kentucky Derby Party hosted by Quiver Spirits on May 3; “Tea & History” with Sigrid MacRae an author and granddaughter of the home’s original owners Tickets for opening night, house tours, and special events are available online at harford.jl.org/ShowHouse Online presale tickets for Show House tours are $35 until May 2 “CTC&G (Connecticut Cottages & Gardens) is honored to once again present the Junior League of Hartford’s 2025 Designer Show House,”  Carey said in a statement “It is truly inspiring to witness such an exceptional group of designers unite in support of a meaningful cause We look forward to sharing the story of this remarkable home – and the vision and creativity behind it – with our readers throughout the region.” the owners can choose to have the paint and wallpaper remain or have the spaces returned to a neutral palette and they also have first dibs at purchasing the furniture and accessories The following is the list of designers and landscapers that participated in the 2025 Show House: Alison V. Cummings – Newtown AMS Kitchens & Interiors – Cheshire Camden Grace Interiors – West Hartford Grace Galloway Design – West Hartford The Homemaker CT – West Hartford Kaitlin Smith Interiors – Watch Hill Kate Smith Interiors – Farmington Kathryn Hunt Studio – West Hartford McCory Interiors – Burlington Mews Designs – West Hartford Mikel Welch Home – New York NEAT Method Hartford – Hartford Quiver Spirits – East Hartford Sabin Viehland – Washington John Boyle Decorating Centers Hudson Valley Lighting Group  JennAir Ethan Allen Tile America AKDO  ALTA (American Land Title Association) Good Deeds Foundation CATIC Foundation Hoffman Auto Group  Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse | 4/30/2025 11:29:00 PM - The University of Hartford men's lacrosse team ended its season on Wednesday falling in the Conference of New England (CNE) semifinals to Wentworth Institute of Technology by a 15-11 final Thanks for visiting ! The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. CBS13 and FOX23's annual Shred-A-Thon is Friday 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at our studios at 81 Northport Drive in Portland. Body camera video shows what led to deadly police shooting of man in Hartfordby WGME Staff PORTLAND (WGME) – New video obtained by the CBS13 I-Team shows what led police to shoot and kill a man in western Maine the Oxford County Sheriff's Office got a call from an 80-year-old man who said his stepson assaulted him came out of the home with a knife when they arrived Video shows him apparently holding the knife to his neck The video then shows him charging at a deputy before he is shot The Attorney General's Office has until the end of August to report its investigation into the shooting A law passed as a result of the I-Team's reporting requires video of shootings like this to be released within 30 days Details: cache-fra-eddf8230093-FRA 1746494112 2976738441 Queen City News (AP) — About 3,000 labor union members went on strike early Monday at jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut retirement benefits and job security broke down Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers were picketing at manufacturing locations in East Hartford and Middletown after about 77% of nearly 2,100 union members voted to approve their first strike since 2001 “Pratt and Whitney is a powerhouse in military and commercial aerospace products because our membership makes it so,” David Sullivan the union’s eastern territory vice president ”This offer does not address the membership concerns and the membership made their decision — we will continue to fight for a fair contract.” Picketing workers lined and crossed streets near the entrances to the East Hartford and Middletown plants on a rainy Monday morning against Pratt & Whitney,” while some read “Solidarity for Security” and “Together We Rise.” Some workers said they were concerned that the company may move jobs and manufacturing out of the state to its plants in Georgia We need time to be here,” union member Scott Westberg told WFSB-TV They’re trying to deteriorate the middle class called its latest wage and retirement proposal competitive and said its workforce is among the most highly compensated in the region and industry “Our message to union leaders throughout this thoughtful process has been simple: higher pay more days off and more flexibility,” the company said in a statement “We have no immediate plans to resume negotiations at this time and we have contingency plans in place to maintain operations and to meet our customer commitments.” The strike comes as RTX faces a potential $850 million hit on profits this year because of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump if the tariff rates remain the same through the year During its first-quarter earnings call on April 22 the company said its Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace subsidiaries would each shoulder just over $400 million of the potential tariffs hit RTX is predicting $83 billion to $84 billion in adjusted sales companywide in 2025 The company’s first-quarter earnings were $1.5 billion Pratt & Whitney’s adjusted operating profit in the quarter was $590 million The company said its latest contract proposal included an immediate 4% wage increase followed by a 3.5% increase in 2026 and a 3% increase in 2027 It also included a $5,000 contract ratification bonus and enhanced pension and 401k plan benefits Pratt & Whitney makes engines for commercial and military jets including the GTF line for Airbus commercial jets and the F135 for the military’s F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft fleet issued a statement urging the company and union to continue negotiating Members of Connecticut’s all-Democratic congressional delegation and Democratic state lawmakers said they were supporting the union workers Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse | 5/3/2025 7:55:00 PM - The Hawks women's lacrosse team ended its 2025 season on Saturday falling to Endicott College in the Conference of New England (CNE) Championship by a 25-19 final For the latest information on Hartford Athletics follow the Hawks on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Our websites may use cookies to personalize and enhance your experience. By continuing without changing your cookie settings, you agree to this collection. For more information, please see our University Websites Privacy Notice 'UConn Hartford’s new café and its student housing plans are examples of the University’s commitment to partnering with the City of Hartford' UConn Hartford will be able to offer student housing near its downtown campus starting this fall a year ahead of its planned opening of a larger and permanent student housing development nearby UConn’s Board of Trustees recently approved plans to lease studio and one-bedroom apartments in The Donaghue at 525 Main St., to accommodate up to 57 students in the 2025-2026 academic year. That newly renovated building is across the street from the Hartford Public Library and just a few minutes from the campus The University will offer the apartments for student housing through Residential Life acclimating students to the concept of living near the campus so they can easily transition next year to the permanent housing under development at 64 Pratt St The housing complements the planned opening of a new café this fall in the Hartford Times campus headquarters building where food will be available for purchase with UConn meal plans or à la carte by members of the University community and the public Students who live in the apartments in The Donaghue building will be able to opt for a UConn meal plan that includes either five or 10 meals per week UConn’s vice president for student life and enrollment said at a recent Board of Trustees meeting that offering the apartments near UConn Hartford has many benefits both for the students and for the campus itself “The housing option will help students develop a strong sense of community and build momentum moving into the coming year as we prepare to open the housing on Pratt Street,” Fuerst said “We’re very excited to be able to offer a housing opportunity even earlier than we anticipated Providing the option also will help ease some space constraints at UConn Storrs since UConn Hartford students who currently live in Storrs dorms will get first dibs on The Donaghue apartments closer to their home campus “UConn Hartford’s new café and its student housing plans are examples of the University’s commitment to partnering with the City of Hartford and adding to its economic and cultural vibrancy,” said Mark Overmyer-Velázquez UConn Hartford’s dean and chief administrative officer UConn plans to offer about 200 beds of student housing starting in August 2026 in a building called The Annex at the corner of Pratt and Trumbull streets in downtown Hartford UConn has been working for the past several years to deepen its ties with the capital city where the University also recently opened an academic and research facility in a building that fronts the XL Center on Trumbull Street UConn opened the Hartford campus downtown in 2017 and has worked since then to position it as a centerpiece of a thriving capital city by bringing people downtown to learn Interest in student housing has grown along with the campus population UConn Hartford’s undergraduate enrollment has increased steadily since fall 2017 and an increasing number of students are choosing to start their UConn careers there Connecticut lawmakers are vowing to fight President Donald Trump's effort to freeze sources of funding for anti-violence efforts and school mental health services More than a billion dollars in funding nationwide is at stake U.S. Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut played a lead role in getting Congress to approve anti-gun violence legislation called the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act That legislation included some of the funding the Trump administration is now seeking to cut Murphy said the president’s effort to shut down programs midstream is inhumane directed that money flow to these organizations and to school-based mental health,” Murphy said Murphy said he expects lawsuits will be filed in the coming days asking the courts to order the Trump administration to restore the funding Senator Richard Blumenthal called the cuts stupid and cruel “They are also directed against people of color by an administration that regards equity as a dirty word,” Blumenthal said Friday morning, the lawmakers spoke at the nonprofit organization Hartford Communities That Care, which conducts anti-violence efforts Executive director Andrew Woods said his organization does not receive money affected by the latest White House cuts but he is concerned about other federal funding that they receive Woods said the money allows local groups to hire people who intervene to prevent street violence “They would hire additional intervention specialists that can go out and meet individuals at the street level but also to connect them to the kind of services get them involved with workforce development and training to be able to increase their income opportunities to support themselves and their families.” Supporters of the Trump administration say the federal anti-violence and mental health funding is supporting radicals who are pursuing left-wing diversity efforts Receive daily news and talk from Connecticut Public Radio directly to your inbox Zach Whitmore replaces a bin back on a resident's lawn while collecting recyclables on a route in Wilder The Town of Hartford is ending its curbside recycling contract with Casella Justin Luce rides to the next pickup spot on the back of a Cassella recycling truck in Wilder HARTFORD — The Selectboard voted Tuesday night to trash the town’s curbside recycling program starting July 1 was budgeted for $325,000 in the upcoming fiscal year starting July 1 The contract with Casella Waste Management dates back to 2016 and stipulates that the private company will pick up recyclables from residential properties in Hartford at no direct cost to individuals The Selectboard began evaluating the service last spring when the initial contract with Casella expired and the company projected an increased cost Board member Brandon Smith abstained without giving a reason and Michael Hoyt was not at the meeting Erik Krauss and Chairwoman Mary Erdei voted in favor of eliminating the program Krauss said his decision came down to what the town would have to “sacrifice” to make up for the budget shortfall that would result from increases to the program’s costs “Those families that are going to be hurt by not having curbside recycling we don’t know the answer to how they’re going to be hurt” by other possible cuts Less than half of Hartford residents participated in the program according to a presentation included in the board’s April 15 meeting agenda residents will have to bring recyclables to the Hartford Transfer Center or Lebanon Solid Waste facility or contract directly with a hauler to collect curbside according to an email from Town Manager John Haverstock included in the meeting packet Department of Public Works Director Bryan Gazda wrote that eliminating the program would “require price increases” at Hartford’s transfer station the town released a request for proposals for the program Only Casella submitted a bid for three-year and five-year contracts Both exceeded the current $325,000 budgeted amount by more than $240,000 for the next fiscal year It also included price increases each year after that there’s a substantial increase to the taxpayers regardless of how you look at it,” Gazda said in a recording of Tuesday’s meeting Haverstock said he and Finance Director Gail Ostrout would have to make cuts from the 2026 budget from every town department to keep the process “equitable.” Board members Ashley Andreas and Miranda Dupre voted to continue the program Andreas said she does not think eliminating the program will reduce cost for residents who would pay directly for a commercial contract or pay increased costs at the transfer station She added that without the program she “would like to think that I’ll do the right thing and I’ll go to the transfer station Resident Heidi Duto also pointed out that “taxpayers already voted” to keep the program running in the budget approved at Town Meeting in March Town officials have the authority to make budget changes due to changing circumstances A spokesperson for Casella said the company was “disappointed” in the Selectboard vote but will continue to collect recyclables from individual properties and manage Hartford’s transfer station we had hoped to be able to come to an agreement after they put the work out to bid but understand that municipal leaders have to make decisions based on what they believe is best for their residents,” the spokesperson said in an email Wednesday Clare Shanahan can be reached at cshanahan@vnews.com or 603-727-3216 Details: cache-fra-eddf8230093-FRA 1746494136 2976849586 Hartford softball head coach Danielle Tenney during a game in Windsor (Tris Wykes photograph) Tris Wykes photograph WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Hartford High softball was in rough shape when Danielle Tenney was hired as the program’s head coach in 2019 The varsity Hurricanes had gone 14-35 the previous three seasons and it had been seven years since they’d won a playoff game only seven girls total came out for the town recreation department’s teams in fourth The middle school program wasn’t much better off the full success of which has only become evident this spring the first group to play four years under Tenney a former Steven High star and Fairfield (Conn.) University player whose tireless efforts have been rewarded Hartford might not capture its first state title this season but that it’s remained a winner this long speaks to its leader’s devotion The Hurricanes are 43-17 the last four seasons after Thursday night’s 7-2 defeat of Springfield at the Maxfield Sports Complex “When I talked to people in the community that first year I heard that younger kids were getting into track and lacrosse instead of softball,” Tenney said “I just wanted them to get excited about this sport and tell their friends.” The current edition of the Hurricanes (5-1) features three freshmen and a sophomore who were among those recreation-level players so few in number they couldn’t field a team at the time of Tenney’s arrival in town but the coach suspects it’s because that class’ junior high seasons were severely curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic Hartford has five juniors and two sophomores on a 10-player varsity The JV is mostly comprised of eighth-graders and the middle school team is all seventh-graders Lebanon and Hanover also have limited high school numbers but neither program has so many middle schoolers waiting in the wings because no one began this season with an assured position,” Tenney said “That gives them freedom and opportunity to try new positions and skills versus having to blend into a varsity team that already exists.” Tenney recalls happening upon pick-up softball sessions at Maxfield spurred by the parents of elementary school students the first year she was hired She introduced herself and began helping out often stacked one after the other on Sunday mornings The first summer concluded with a lighthearted “community game” under the varsity field’s lights mixing players from the fourth to twelfth grades “The only place you can go at that point is up,” Tenney said “It makes you feel good that the kids you planted that seed with stayed in it It would have been hard to put in all that work and have them not stick around.” The one who’s put in the hardest work might be junior pitcher SereniteeMartel in her second season as the Hurricanes’ lead pitcher allowed six hits and two runs while walking one batter Martel was once a scatter-shot hurler with little confidence Now a relaxed and powerful presence in the circle she’s rewarded her parents’ faith and financial investment playing at the club level during the summers taking pitching lessons nearly year-round and spending hours firing away in her back yard “She deserves her success because she’s put in a ton of work on her own time She clearly loves the sport because she’s still doing it,” Tenney said of a player who also competes in soccer and basketball for the Hurricanes “You can’t just come out and pitch when the season starts Just like building and sustaining a softball program recently finished her sophomore year at NCAA Division III Lasell College in Newton primarily as a substitute fielder and runner Also on Lasell’s roster is former Woodstock standout Emma Tarleton Martel took the circle for the seventh inning fiddling with one shoe “I broke through the toe of my sock,” she commented “Gotta cut those toenails!” hollered her grandmother Martel and Lebanon standout AvaKaercher are club teammates in the summer playing dozens of games around New England TrisWykes can be reached at ctwykes@aol.com Rendering of Vessel Technologies Development April 29 that the company has withdrawn plans for rezoning and creation of a Special Development District at 29 Highland Street in West Hartford Several hours prior to what would have been the fourth installment of a public hearing on Vessel Technologies’ plans to rezone and create a Special Development District in order to build 108 units of multifamily housing at 29 Highland Street the company announced that it has withdrawn its application for the project The project had been submitted pursuant to Connecticut General Statute 8-30g “Vessel Technologies has withdrawn its application for a zone change and designation of a special development district for 29 Highland Street Because the application has been withdrawn no public comment will be received on the application at the public hearing scheduled for this evening,” the town said in an announcement Tuesday afternoon Town Manager Rick Ledwith issued the following statement regarding the withdrawal: “We appreciate Vessel’s responsiveness and their willingness to work in partnership with our Town staff Vessel graciously offered to withdraw its application without prejudice and we agreed to work in collaboration with Vessel in advancing our shared commitment to affordable housing.” Because the application has been withdrawn without prejudice Vessel has not yet indicated what its future plans may be emailed the following statement to Mayor Shari Cantor and the Town Council: “On behalf of Vessel RE Holdings LLC and Vessel Technologies please accept this request to withdraw the above referenced Application without prejudice The public hearing was opened and has been continued to this date This withdrawal is submitted after much deliberation and in respect of valuable insights received from the Town’s administrative staff The Applicant believes the proposed development will benefit from additional time to consider and improve upon certain design elements of its proposal.” including the fire and building departments had been working to understand some of the unique characteristics of Vessel Technologies’ construction methods and materials they use to create their buildings is known for constructing their properties quickly and with minimal disruption The units are modular and prefabricated of materials – including the materials used for the walls and doors of the units – that Vessel states are non-combustible and common areas that are partially open to the air and exposed to the elements had continued to express concern about the ability of Vessel to meet Connecticut’s fire safety and fire prevention codes – particularly with respect to corridors and stairwells – due to the modular and prefabricated construction process that may limit design modifications although Vessel Executive Vice President Josh Levy told We-Ha.com last week that they were “100% committed to making any changes to comply with Connecticut code.” The State Fire Marshal and State Building Official have had also gotten involved in reviewing some of the code-related concerns raised by West Hartford staff and on April 14 provided some guidelines related to several of the issues to building officials and fire marshals in West Hartford as well as other towns where Vessel was pursuing or had projects under development or completed – including Avon Vessel first officially began discussing development of a project in West Hartford last summer, and had an initial study session with the Design Review Advisory Committee (DRAC) in August 2024 presenting a variety of concept plans for one or two buildings with anywhere from 112 to 140 units At its Dec. 10, 2025, meeting, the Town Council received the Vessel application, submitted under Connecticut General Statutes Section 8-30g which requires that 30% of the units must be affordable – and at least 15% of those must be affordable for those with an income of 60% or less than the area median income (AMI) The Council originally set the public hearing date as Jan and as with all Special Development District applications also referred it to the Town Plan and Zoning Commission (TPZ) and DRAC Nearly four hours of testimony was heard at that initial public hearing on Feb. 25 which included a presentation by Vessel as well as robust public comment by more a dozen members of the community Many of the concerns raised related to traffic and the adequacy of parking The hearing was continued until  March 11 “for the limited purpose of presenting an updated plan set to reflect reconfiguration of several units” – which included a reduction in the proposed number of units to 108 – after which the Council had intended to vote on the project The earlier plans had been for 112 units but a request by the Council was made to add another affordable two-bedroom unit which required some reconfiguration of the plans that the Council said needed to be reviewed before the vote to rezone and establish a Special Development District At the March 11 hearing, the Council again moved to continue the discussion, this time to March 20 because “this project presents a unique construction approach something the Council has not seen before,” Mayor Shari Cantor stated on March 11 On March 20, the decision was made to again continue the hearing it was to allow sufficient time to address fire safety and other safety-related concerns that town staff and Town Council members had related to the unique approach Vessel takes in   and additional public testimony had been permitted in-person and via email there were 28 emails submitted as part of public testimony – both for and against the project Some of the individuals who have submitted comments in writing have also spoken at the hearings The purchase and sale agreement for the 29 Highland Street property formerly Hughes Health & Rehabilitation was contingent on approval of the rezoning and the nursing home residents were relocated and the property has been vacant since mid-2023 Former Hughes Health and Rehabilitation at 29 Highland Street Hopefully they are able to make it work out West Hartford could use some more affordable new construction vs the $2,800-$4,000 a month units that have come online and are coming online soon Plus with this near Farmington Ave public transportation and the school across the street it would make it ideal for school staff or renters who don’t have/want a car by Perrin Moore (WCIV) — The Charleston Battery won their fourth straight game Saturday night coming back from a goal behind to beat Hartford Athletic 4-2 at Patriots Point Hartford got on the board early after a miscue at the back led to a corner kick which was converted by Jordan Scarlett to put them 1-0 up in the 5th minute Charleston ramped up the pressure and was given a lifeline in the 22nd minute when MD Myers was hacked down in the box by Hartford's goalscorer Scarlett Cal Jennings buried the penalty and made it 1-1 the Battery pushed for more and finally had a breakthrough in the 38th when Juan David Torres fired a shot from outside the box to beat Hartford keeper Antony Siaha Charleston went into halftime with 70% possession Charleston came out in the second half looking to continue their offensive push and it paid off in the 56th minute when Torres chipped a ball over the top from the edge of the area to find a clean-through Houssou Landry The Ivorian gathered and calmly slotted in the Battery's third goal from the edge of the six-yard box Hartford still had a chance to make things interesting when a harsh penalty shout on Emilio Ycaza brought Michee Ngalina to the spot with a chance to bring Athletic back within striking distance Ngalina converted and it was 3-2 after 61 minutes Cal Jennings forced a smart save that went out for a corner Torres stepped up and swung his corner kick straight into the net - an Olimpico to seal the win for the hosts New man Rubio Rubin made his home debut and looked lively forcing a fine save from Siaha in the 73rd minute Hartford wouldn't register a shot after the penalty until the 89th minute as Charleston defender Joey Akpunonu put in a solid second half shift against his former club Charleston sits at third in the Eastern Conference on 15 points The Battery travel to Washington to take on MLS side DC United in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Tuesday Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHARTFORD CT (WFSB) - A woman was shot in Hartford overnight Officers said they responded to 593 Farmington Ave on Monday following a ShotSpotter notification they found a woman in her 20s who suffered from multiple gunshot wounds the victim was alert and conscious on the scene and transported to a hospital for treatment At least six police cars responded to the scene which remained blocked off for several hours Investigators from the Hartford Police Major Crimes and Crime Scene divisions were observed taking photographs including detailed images of a black shoe left on the sidewalk Authorities asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact Hartford police at 860-722-8477 — The Hartford Union High School District is looking for a new superintendent and is asking the community to weigh in on the process you need to fill out the survey," parent Louise Schrunk said "It is your time to actually tell us what you're looking for." She said parents are excited for a new superintendent to take over "I think transparency is something that has been lacking," she said we need someone who is willing to have the tough conversations with the constituents and the district The previous superintendent resigned in April after notably taking a leave of absence attempting contract renewals that the community pushed back against and during a time when some worried about teacher retention What is going on at the high school?" Schrunk said "I think that was that 'aha' moment where people were finally starting to talk about things they knew were happening but didn't want to say." The district posted a survey online that it wants community members to fill out and values the new superintendent should have "We would like a superintendent who has good communication skills and can bring the community together," parent Ian Gronback said but Joint One and the entire community as a whole." "We are all in this together," Schrunk said "We have to feel that our superintendent is right alongside us." The online survey is due by 5 pm on Tuesday Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more. Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip Report a typo heading to South Carolina to take on two-time Eastern Conference finalists Charleston Battery the Latics have won two on the bounce in all competitions getting a comfortable 2-0 win over Portland Hearts of Pine in the USL Jägermeister Cup on the back of a 1-0 league win over Birmingham Legion as Hartford enters a stretch of three games where it plays three of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference The Battery currently sits fourth on 12 points — albeit with a game in hand on the teams ahead of them in the standings — and the Latics follow this game with visits from Detroit City and Louisville City who are third and second in the Conference at the moment Any results at all across this stretch would be an enormous boon for a club that is struggling to turn its season around Hartford have won only three of its twelve meetings with Charleston the most recent victory coming at the tail end of the 2022 season when it triumphed 6-3 as Andre Lewis recorded the first hat-trick in club history the Latics have lost three and drawn one of the four games they’ve played against the Battery There’s been no shortage of entertainment in those contests with the four games producing a total of 17 goals and three red cards with the Battery twice coming from two goals down to salvage a result and also twice scoring in the 90th minute or later to take all three points the first game in Charleston was decided by an excellent strike from Nick Markanich and the return fixture saw Hartford go two goals to the good before keeper Renan Ribeiro was sent off for two quick yellow cards and the Battery stormed back in the second half to earn a point Charleston no longer have USL single-season goalscoring record holder Markanich who is now applying his trade for Castellón in the Spanish Segunda División the forward scored five goals against Hartford in only four games Louis winger Joaquín Rivas — who scored the only goal to knock the Latics out of the playoffs in 2020 — has scored as many goals in only four games are glad to see Markanich move on to other pastures its second-leading scorer from a year ago with 14 goals and former Tampa Bay Rowdy Cal Jennings who has 70 career goals in the Championship it’s working: Myers has six goals in four games in all competitions while Jennings has five goals in six games Charleston also added well-traveled Guatemala international Rubio Rubin who scored seven goals in five games in his only stint in the USL Championship back in 2020 with the San Diego Loyal Adding in Juan David Torres and Aaron Molloy Charleston have an attack that is not just fearsome on paper the Battery have produced the second-best expected goals in the league and are functionally tied for the league lead in actual goals scored by the same measure All of this presents a significant challenge for a Hartford defense that has been good at limiting chances from open play Leave a comment The Blazing Musket is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Photo Courtesy of Hartford AthleticHartford Athletic returns to action on Saturday getting a comfortable 2-0 win over Portland Hearts of Pine in the USL J\u00E4germeister Cup on the back of a 1-0 league win over Birmingham Legion Subscribe now The Battery currently sits fourth on 12 points \u2014 albeit with a game in hand on the teams ahead of them in the standings \u2014 and the Latics follow this game with visits from Detroit City and Louisville City who are third and second in the Conference at the moment the Latics have lost three and drawn one of the four games they\u2019ve played against the Battery There\u2019s been no shortage of entertainment in those contests with the four games producing a total of 17 goals and three red cards who is now applying his trade for Castell\u00F3n in the Spanish Segunda Divisi\u00F3n Louis winger Joaqu\u00EDn Rivas \u2014 who scored the only goal to knock the Latics out of the playoffs in 2020 \u2014 has scored as many goals in only four games it\u2019s working: Myers has six goals in four games in all competitions Leave a comment things do not look great on paper for the Latics the bad news: while Hartford has to this point fielded possibly the least threatening attack in the league Charleston has had one of the best defenses something that would typically be a recipe for disaster is that they will head into Charleston with two players who have not made significant contributions in the league so far: Samuel Careaga and Jack Panayotou While both players will need time to settle they give the Latics an additional attacking dimension and should help with the connectivity and fluidity of the team both identified as areas of weakness by manager Brendan Burke conceding only one goal at full strength against a team that scored 68 across the entire season The Battery have another high-octane attack it will be a tall order to take something from this game but Brendan Burke\u2019s men need to find some points from somewhere and will hope that their performances in the last two games indicate a reversal of fortune as they try to climb off the bottom of the table in the Eastern Conference consider becoming a free or paid subscriber The Hash Quiche is one of The Friendly Toast signature brunch dishes The Friendly Toast officially opens at 36 LaSalle Road in West Hartford Center on Monday Any restaurant where the door handle is a smiling piece of toast has got to be friendly The Friendly Toast already is renowned throughout New England for its all-day brunch menu and innovative brunchy bar offerings and everything about the West Hartford location is as cheerful and welcoming as that door handle – decór featuring bright colors and vintage signage on the walls The official grand opening of The Friendly Toast’s 14th location – and first in Connecticut – will be celebrated on Monday with the traditional opening “egg smash” at 10 a.m Since that day happens to be Cinco de Mayo The Friendly Toast’s welcoming offer to the first 55 parties to visit that day is a complementary order of Breakfast Street Tacos (French-toasted corn tortillas with scrambled eggs They’re also offering Market Square Mimosas for $5 through May 9 Endless Summer Mimosa flight includes (from left) Tropic Likes It Hot “We’re so excited,” said CEO Staci Pinard, who will preside over the egg smash on Monday morning and was also at the invitation-only soft opening over the weekend. “We’ve wanted to be in Connecticut for a long time,” she said, and already feels welcomed by the community, where excitement about the The Friendly Toast opening has been brewing since they announced their plans a year ago What makes The Friendly Toast unique is the scratch kitchen and we get even more ‘scratch’ as we grow,” she said not cutting any corners even as they expand the number of locations with the focus on breakfast and brunch classics – and plenty of twists on those – as well as “lots of cool new lunch items.” To ease into The Friendly Toast dining experience “Some Like It Tot” (golden fried jumbo cheddar tater tots with house cheese sauce you can opt for a breakfast classic of eggs and toast – also available as a sandwich or as a “monster” with the addition of pancakes or French toast Pinard recommended that newbies choose from the signature items – which include the Hash Quiche (see feature photo) which includes two crispy fried hash brown bowls with scrambled eggs She also suggested the Breakfast Street Tacos (French-toasted corn tortillas with scrambled eggs Sally’s Avocado Toast was another recommendation (7-grain toast with smashed avocado as was the Cinna-Swirl French Toast (cinnamon swirl French toast with cheesecake buttercream The “Friends With Benedicts” section of the menu is another enticement with offerings like the Chicken Cordon Bleu Benny (described as “By Chef Chip Miller English muffin with local NH North Country smoked ham Rice Krispies-breaded fried chicken breast Lunch features include burgers and sandwiches and include the Gochujang Fried Chicken sandwich (Rice Krispies-breaded fried chicken breast and everything bagel aioli on a sesame brioche roll) The bar program is unique for a brunch-focused restaurant with Mimosa flights – available currently in “Classic” or “Endless Summer” assortments – among the most popular choices along with four varieties of “Friendly wake-ups,” aka spiked espresso drinks For those who prefer Bloodies with their brunch including one that includes Grillo’s pickle juice The beverage menu also includes many non-alcoholic offerings like straight coffee and espresso drinks and mocktails such as the rainbow sherbet (orange juice The interior is “all authentically-curated decor,” Pinard said unique and chosen specifically for the West Hartford by a husband and wife team that has designed all of their locations The 3,000-square-foot space is completely transformed from its former occupancy as Division West with the exception of a vintage mural of West Hartford that remains on one of the walls The Friendly Toast has indoor seating for 160 with bar seats as well as tables and booths that can accommodate relatively large parties but Pinard said due to the construction on LaSalle Road this summer as part of the West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan implementation they are going to hold off until next year opening a new location in Connecticut was an obvious next step for us,” Eric Goodwin “We are excited to be a part of the lively West Hartford community and know we are in great company with the beloved local food scene From our Hash Quiche Cups to the Cookie Monster Pancakes there is something on our menu for everyone and it’s a pleasure to finally bring our creative scratch kitchen and bar to Connecticut.” “We are so excited to join the ranks of the West Hartford culinary community and provide a fun new offering to the town,” added Co-owner Scott Pulver Tad Dziemian is a business associate of Goodwin drove down Saturday morning from their home in northern New Hampshire to check out the newest location of The Friendly Toast noting that his favorite menu item is the “Sklarmageddon Omelet” (pork sausage topped with chipotle aioli and spiced pepitas) Monte Madame (Monte Cristo meets Croque Madame A French-toasted croissant stuffed with diced ham & gruyere gouda blend The menu has many gluten-friendly selections The servers are well-versed in asking about allergies and even include a marker when serving tables where there’s a stated food allergy The Friendly Toast has a commitment to giving back to the community and while free meals were offered during the soft opening all beverage sales were to benefit local nonprofit Ball 4 a Cure “a local organization that supports pediatric cancer patients and their families founded in 2015 by seven childhood friends from West Hartford started as a 3v3 basketball tournament on blacktop courts and evolved into a multi-faceted nonprofit organization hosting several annual events across many different communities the Ball 4 a Cure Family Support Fund at Connecticut Children’s Hospital assures families in financial need receive resources so each child in treatment has a safe warm and secure home to return to when they leave the Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders.” “West Hartford Wendy” will change her clothing with the season The Friendly Toast is open daily, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The complete menu can be viewed online and there are links on the website for reservations and to be added to the waitlist The Friendly Toast also has a Brunch Club loyalty program where you can earn one point for every $1 spent in-restaurant and unlock a $10 off offer for every 100 points earned with double points available for weekday dining The Town of West Hartford was honored with the Wellspring Award by Connecticut Age Well Collaborative for ‘Fostering Inclusive Communities for Every Age The Town of West Hartford has received the Connecticut Age Well Collaborative’s 2025 Wellspring Award for fostering community inclusivity for every age and every ability West Hartford was one of Connecticut’s first municipalities to host a “Daring Dialogue.” This Age Well Collaborative-designed community workshop brings together community members and local leaders to challenge assumptions about ageing and disability and explore how our biases influence our thoughts and actions West Hartford is among three Connecticut towns that will be recognized at a celebration in June The Town of West Hartford’s participation in the Daring Dialogue program reflects the town’s values and mission were present to share their lived experiences and discuss ways that we can engage and better serve our aging and disabled community members The session further signaled our commitment to ensuring all our residents feel seen “Being able to host a Daring Dialogue was a meaningful experience for everyone proves that West Hartford is a town for everyone and that our leaders and community members are willing to work together to ensure our town continues to create spaces for dialogue that are solution-driven I’m thankful to work and live in a community that shows up,” said Adrienne Billings-Smith manager of Employee Development and Community Engagement an initiative of Connecticut Community Care (CCC) cross-sector initiative to foster communities for every age and every ability The Collaborative’s Wellspring Awards are framed around the idea that Connecticut is a wellspring of innovation and inspiration “Fostering more inclusive places doesn’t just help Connecticut residents who are already aging or living with a disability equitable communities for everyone,” said Alyssa Norwood director of the Connecticut Age Well Collaborative “This year’s Wellspring Award recipients are incredible thought leaders.” Delegated by the Connecticut legislative Commission on Women the Connecticut Age Well Collaborative leads the state’s livable communities initiative per Section 17b-420a of the Connecticut General Statutes intergenerational places where we all can thrive across the lifespan The Connecticut Age Well Collaborative is strongly supported by the Point32Health Foundation the Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services dedicated to helping people live their best lives at home in the community founded the Connecticut Age Well Collaborative in 2020 with the understanding that thriving at home requires our communities to be prepared to support residents across their lifespan For more information, visit ctagewellcollaborative.org This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.