Connecticut
Hartford HealthCare could acquire 2 Prospect hospitals by year end
After years of uncertainty regarding the future of the Connecticut hospitals owned by bankrupt operator Prospect Medical Holdings, two of the three facilities could have a new owner by the end of the year.
On Tuesday, Hartford HealthCare, one of Connecticut’s largest health systems, presented its case to the state’s Office of Health Strategy to purchase Manchester Memorial and Rockville General Hospitals. Under the new expedited approval timeline for hospitals in bankruptcy, state officials must issue a decision by Dec. 30.
During the public hearing, Hartford HealthCare CEO Jeffrey Flaks said the health system plans to bring all its expertise, resources and capabilities to Manchester, Rockville and the surrounding towns.
“The robust apparatus of Hartford HealthCare will be brought to these communities to make health care better. That’s why I’m so confident that we have this very unique opportunity to dramatically improve health care that will be here for generations going forward,” Flaks said.
Hartford HealthCare will spend $86.1 million to purchase the facilities and pledged to invest an additional $225.7 million towards capital improvements, like facility and IT upgrades, over the next three years.
Hartford HealthCare also plans to recruit new physicians to the Manchester and Rockville communities, as well as expand access to specialty care, like oncology, inpatient rehabilitation and vascular and orthopedic surgical services, according to the application submitted to the state.
If approved, the deal would serve as the first step towards concluding a lengthy search to find new buyers for Prospect’s Connecticut hospitals — a process that often seemed on the brink of failure.
In 2022, Prospect signed a deal to sell its three Connecticut hospitals — Manchester Memorial, Rockville General and Waterbury — to Yale New Haven Health for $435 million. But the deal was mired in setbacks and litigation.
In August 2023, a cyberattack crippled operations at Prospect’s facilities around the country. In 2024, Yale New Haven Health and Prospect Medical sued and countersued each other over the true value of the hospitals. In January 2025, Prospect filed for bankruptcy and, by the following month, Yale officials said a deal appeared “impossible.”
In September, Yale agreed to pay $45 million to Prospect to end all disputes over the hospitals’ sale.
Hartford HealthCare stepped in and its acquisitions of the Manchester and Rockville facilities could be finalized by the end of the year. Connecticut’s flagship academic medical institution, UConn Health, seems poised to acquire Waterbury Hospital. A judge for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Northern Texas approved the UConn deal earlier this week, and now the transaction must obtain state approval.
It’s a speedy transition for the three hospitals, whose ownership had languished in uncertainty for years.
While the Yale deal was pending, Lamont and OHS received broad criticism for the lengthy approval process. That led state legislators to approve a measure earlier this year that allows for an expedited timeline for the acquisition of hospitals that have filed for bankruptcy.
Under the emergency certificate of need timeline, OHS must issue a final decision within 60 days from when the application is deemed complete.
In an emailed statement, Lamont’s spokesperson Rob Blanchard said OHS “met all statutory timelines in the Yale-Prospect [certificate of need review]” and that the legal disputes between the two companies illustrate the transaction’s complexity.
“Yale’s decision to file suit against Prospect less than two months after the agreed settlement raised clear concerns about the parties’ readiness to close the deal. The disputes that prolonged the CON process are now evident in the lawsuit, countersuit, and resulting $45 million settlement,” Blanchard stated in emailed comments.
Erosion of services at Rockville
Despite the promise of new ownership for Prospect’s Connecticut hospitals, the formerly private equity-backed operator will leave a lasting imprint on the state’s hospital system — perhaps most notably in the erosion of services at Rockville General.
When Prospect acquired Eastern Connecticut Health Network, which includes Manchester Memorial and Rockville General Hospitals, both facilities were full-service acute care hospitals. Today, Rockville — which serves a geographic region that’s largely rural — functions as a satellite campus of Manchester, with only an emergency room and behavioral health unit.
A spokesperson for Prospect did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
Rep. Tammy Nuccio, R-Tolland, lays the blame for the diminishment of the hospital directly with the state.
“That’s OHS’s failure,” Nuccio said. “They allowed this to happen.”
A 2023 investigation by The Connecticut Mirror found that Prospect began cutting services during the early days of the pandemic, eventually shuttering most of Rockville’s inpatient units without obtaining the required state approvals. Records and employee testimony submitted to the state show that officials were aware of the unauthorized cuts going back as far as 2021.
In February 2022, OHS fined Prospect for some of the service cuts at Rockville, but the operator appealed the penalty. The agency ultimately found it did not have substantial evidence to penalize Prospect, and waived the fine.
In October 2024, OHS launched another investigation into the service cuts. In May of this year, Connecticut officials reached a settlement with Prospect Medical Holdings. OHS fined the operator $300,000, but the agreement also allowed Prospect to shutter all services at Rockville aside from the emergency room and behavioral health, officially making the facility a satellite campus of Manchester.
At the time, then-OHS commissioner Deidre Gifford issued a statement saying the agreement “protects critical resources” for patients and families in the area.
“The agreement also holds the Prospect applicants accountable to the community, requiring public notice of past terminations and development of a strategic plan for the consolidated hospital. The plan must be developed with community input and presented to the community in a public forum,” Gifford’s statement read.
Hartford HealthCare has said as of now they don’t expect service cuts at either Manchester or Rockville. But Nuccio said she’s suspicious based on the company’s history with Windham Hospital, which HHC acquired in 2009.
In 2015, Hartford HealthCare announced the conversion of Windham’s critical care unit to what’s known as a progressive care unit, which can’t handle the same complexity of care. Most recently, the company received strong pushback from the local community over the system’s decision to shutter Windham’s labor and delivery unit, which stopped performing births in 2020.
During the hearing on Tuesday, executives with HHC stated that the system improves the quality of care at all of the hospitals that join its system and that they are proud of the work done with former acquisitions. The company’s certificate of need application states that HHC invested hundreds of millions of dollars in facilities it acquired in the past, resulting in drastically improved quality of care for patients.
Tina Varona, a spokesperson for Hartford HealthCare, declined to make Flaks available for an interview after he testified in Tuesday’s hearing, saying he had to leave immediately.
“We are unable to comment outside of the testimony at this time due to the NDA and pending regulatory review,” Varona stated in an email follow-up after the hearing.
Following Tuesday’s hearing, Attorney General William Tong issued a statement saying he expected Hartford HealthCare to maintain services, including labor and delivery, intensive care and behavioral health. But he called on OHS to hold Hartford HealthCare to its promises.
“Expectations must be matched by accountability: Absent other legal impediments, I would urge the Office of Health Strategy to seek firm commitments to continue these vital services,” Tong said.
Vernon mayor Dan Champagne shared Nuccio’s sentiments in holding the state accountable for what happened to Rockville Hospital, particularly for how long officials took to approve the failed 2022 deal with Yale. But, he said, he’s grateful Rockville has not suffered the same fate as Prospect hospitals in Pennsylvania, which had to close because they couldn’t find a viable buyer.
Champagne said he understands skepticism of what an acquisition by a big hospital system could mean for Manchester and Rockville. But for him, Hartford HealthCare’s bid will guard against the most damaging result: closure of the hospitals and the flight of medical professionals from the communities.
“There are a lot of people who say, ‘big systems can sometimes lead to increased prices or closure of services,’” Champagne said. “We need to go back to what we’re facing here. I’m watching other hospital systems close from Prospect. We have an opportunity to keep this open. That’s the most important thing.”
HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) – Thousands of Connecticut families with ties to Iran are watching and waiting as their home country undergoes a historic change.
Among them is Ramin Ahmadi, a Yale doctor, human rights activist and founder of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. He has spent decades advocating for freedom in Iran from his home in Connecticut.
Ahmadi moved to the United States when he was 18. On Saturday morning, he learned of military strikes in Iran and the death of the country’s supreme leader.
Ahmadi said protests for democracy and human rights in Iran intensified in December, drawing millions of participants — including his own family and friends.
“The situation in Iran was a humanitarian emergency and it needed an intervention,” Ahmadi said.
He said he celebrated when he heard the news Saturday morning.
“I was celebrating along with all other Iranians inside and outside the country,” Ahmadi said. “I do regret that we cannot bring him to a trial for crimes that he has committed against humanity.”
Ahmadi said he spoke with his sister in Iran after she celebrated in the streets. She was later told to return home for her safety.
He shared a message she relayed from those around her.
“They said do not let our death be exploited because worse than that is having to live with the criminals who have done this to us for the rest of our lives,” Ahmadi said. “We do not want to do that.”
For those questioning whether the conflict was America’s to engage in, Ahmadi offered a direct response.
“We will all be affected,” he said. “And to those that tell you that the U.S. and Israel are beating the drums of war in Iran, one has to remind them that it was not like before this Iranian people were listening to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor. We had a war already declared on us by this regime. We were being slaughtered on a daily basis.”
Ahmadi said he believes the path forward begins with young military officers forcing out what remains of the regime, followed by free elections.
“Everyone’s life will be safer in the future and not just Iranians,” Ahmadi said.
Connecticut lawmakers are also responding to the U.S. strikes on Iran.
Copyright 2026 WFSB. All rights reserved.
New Haven police say two people were shot at a restaurant on Grand Avenue Saturday evening.
One of the victims was a 22-year-old male from East Haven who was shot in the leg and was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital for treatment.
According to police, the second victim was a 17-year-old male and arrived shortly after.
While on scene, police confirmed one of the possible shooters was still inside the restaurant.
According to police, the victims were both inside the restaurant when the teen was approached by Naguea Bratton and another suspect.
They say a fight occurred which resulted in both victims being shot.
Police detained Bratton who was charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, two counts of illegal possession of a high-capacity magazine and larceny of a motor vehicle.
Bratton is being held on a $200,000 bond.
Both victims have non-life-threatening injuries police say.
They say additional arrests are expected to be completed by warrant.
Connecticut
27 Wrestlers Named State Open Wrestling Champions In Connecticut Over Weekend; Xavier Dominates Tournament
Over the weekend, the two-day CIAC State Open wrestling championships took place at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven, Connecticut.
Twenty-seven wrestlers (14 boys, 13 girls) were named champions in their respective weight classes, displaying intense wrestling featuring the best wrestlers across the state.
Championship bouts started around 4:15 p.m. on Saturday and lasted about two hours.
Below are the results from both the boys’ and girls’ state open championships.
106 lbs.: Xavier’s Josh Perez def. Stafford’s John Bean 17-2 (technical fall)
113 lbs.: Ridgefield’s Cole Desiano def. Suffield/Windsor Locks’ Peter Annis 8-0 (decision)
120 lbs.: Xavier’s Zack Dixon def. Somers’ Will Acorsi 12-0 (majority decision)
126 lbs.: Windham’s Delmazio Despard def. Xavier’s Alexander Depratti 4-3 (decision)
132 lbs.: Fairfield Warde’s Jude Grammatico def. Xavier’s Zaphyr Musshorn 2-1 (decision)
138 lbs.: Ledyard’s Lukas Boxley def. Terryville’s Ethan Bochman Rodriguez (pin)
144 lbs.: Xavier’s Braylon Gonzalez def. Ridgefield’s John Carrozza 3-1 (decision)
150 lbs.: Bristol Central’s Alex Lamarre def. Middletown’s Isaiah McDaniel 1-0 (decision)
157 lbs.: Newtown’s Antonio Arguello def. Notre Dame-West Haven’s Riley Storozuk 8-4 (decision)
165 lbs.: Gilbert/Torrington/Wolcott def. Trumbull’s Hubert Szymko 2-0 (decision)
175 lbs.: Xavier’s Vincent Rivera def. Fairfield Prep’s Jack Lilly 14-10 (decision)
190 lbs.: Xavier’s Chase Catalano def. Fairfield Warde’s Dylan O’Brien 2-1 (decision)
215 lbs.: Lyme-Old Lyme’s Taiyo Gemme def. Staples’ Julian Rousseau (pin)
285 lbs.: Shelton’s Chase Galke def. Ellington’s Jacob Palermo 3-0 (decision)
100 lbs.: South Windsor’s Sophia Gordon def. West Haven’s Isha Khanna (pin)
107 lbs.: RHAM’s Brooke Heffernan def. New Milford’s Clara Reynolds 9-2 (decision)
114 lbs.: Branford’s Ava Gambardella def. Jonathan Law’s Selena Batres 6-0 (decision)
120 lbs.: Trumbull’s Jillian Blake def. Fairfield Warde’s Monica Flores Romero 17-1 (technical fall)
126 lbs.: Ellis Tech’s Adelina Tate def. Fairfield Ludlowe’s Ashlynn Cummings (pin)
132 lbs: Amity’s Eliana Selaris def. Daniel Hand’s Evely Lavigne (pin)
138 lbs.: Stratford’s Winner Tshibombi def. Greenwich’s Gaby Aliaga 22-8 (majority decision)
145 lbs.: Stratford’s Gabriella Kiely def. New Milford’s Josephina Piel (pin)
152 lbs: Bunnell’s Matilda Tote def. Shelton’s Ella Piccirillo (pin)
165 lbs: Trumbull ‘s Marangelie Teixeira def. New Britain’s Kaydence Atkinson (pin)
185 lbs.: Platt’s Kayli Morris def. Bristol Central’s Shyann Bryan (pin)
235 lbs.: Norwalk’s Jeily Euceda def. Maloney’s Arianna Bellamy (pin)
Xavier High School (Middletown, CT) has been the most dominant wrestling program in the state in recent memory. Once again, they stole the show in the state opens, winning its fifth-straight state open title.
The Falcons had seven wrestlers compete out of the 14 state open titles in the boys’ division and had five winners with two runner-ups. As a team, they totaled 218.5 points, which was 72 more points than any other team.
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