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5 Prominent Connecticut Sports Figures Tabbed For Prestigious Gold Key Awards By CSMA

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5 Prominent Connecticut Sports Figures Tabbed For Prestigious Gold Key Awards By CSMA


SOUTHINGTON, CT — Five significant standouts from the Connecticut sporting landscape will be honored this fall with one of the most prestigious awards in state sports, as 2025 recipients of the Gold Key Award from the Connecticut Sports Media Alliance (CSMA).

The honorees are former Masuk High School and Louisiana State University softball pitcher Rachele Fico, former Stratford High School football star and Super Bowl champion Nick Giaquinto, longtime Yale University men’s basketball coach James Jones, World Series champion pitching coach Dave Wallace and NCAA, WNBA and Olympic champion Kara Wolters. They will be feted at the 83rd Gold Key Dinner on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 at the Aqua Turf Club in the Plantsville section of Southington.

Tickets for the Gold Key Dinner are $80, and are available by contacting CSMA president Tim Jensen of Patch Media Corp. at 860-394-5091 or tim.jensen@patch.com. Proceeds support the Bo Kolinsky Memorial Sports Media Scholarship, a $3,000 annual award named in memory of the noted high school sports editor of the Hartford Courant and past CSMA president, who passed away in 2003 at age 49.

Here is a brief look at the Class of 2025:

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(LSU Athletics)

RACHELE FICO – A 2009 graduate of Masuk, the Oxford native had a virtually unparalleled career on the diamond, compiling a 105-3 record with a 0.07 earned-run average and 26 perfect games. She led the Panthers to Class LL championships in 2007 and 2008, and was twice voted the Gatorade state player of the year. After earning first-team All-American honors in high school, she continued to excel at LSU, winning 78 games with a .645 winning percentage, posting a 1.75 ERA and averaging better than a strikeout per inning. She was a 2-time first-team All-American for the Tigers, and was the number one overall draft choice of the Akron Racers of National Pro Fastpitch in 2013.

Nick Giaquinto (30) of the Washington Redskins attempts to elude Los Angeles Rams punter John Misko (6) on a runback in the second quarter of a game on Sunday, Jan. 2, 1983 in Washington. Giaquinto’s 48-yard scamper set up a second John Riggins touchdown. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma)

NICK GIAQUINTO – A 1973 graduate of Stratford, where he made the football All-State and National All-American teams, he went on to play football at UConn, establishing a still-existing single-game record of 277 rushing yards against Holy Cross in 1976. Undrafted out of college, he worked his way to the National Football League with the Miami Dolphins in 1980, then was a member of the Super Bowl XVII champion Washington Redskins. In 1983, he was the first “H-back” in NFL history. Following his retirement from football, he embarked on a 29-year career coaching baseball at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, winning 631 games and participating in the 1992 College World Series.

Yale head coach James Jones celebrates while helping to cut down the net after defeating Cornell in an Ivy League tournament championship NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

JAMES JONES – Since being named the 22nd head coach in Yale men’s basketball history in 1999, Jones has guided the Bulldogs to 418 victories and a .567 winning percentage. The team has captured seven Ivy League regular season titles and four conference tournament championships. Yale has earned five NCAA tournament berths during his tenure, pulling off stunning upsets over Baylor in 2016 and Auburn in 2024. He is a 3-time Ivy League Coach of the Year, and was inducted into the New England College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.

Boston Red Sox starter Curt Schilling, left, throws before game 4 of the ALCS between the New York Yankees and the Sox Boston, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004. Dr. Bill Morgan, center, and pitching coach Dave Wallace look on. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

DAVE WALLACE – A 1965 graduate of Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury, where he was a 3-sport athlete, Wallace continued his success at New Haven College (now the University of New Haven). The right-handed pitcher compiled a 24-6 career record with a 2.18 ERA with the Chargers, then signed with the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization in 1969. He pitched professionally for a dozen seasons, making 13 major league appearances with the Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays. After his playing days, he became a pitching coach, reaching the big leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995. In 2004, he was pitching coach of the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, and earned a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo as pitching coach for Team USA.

Connecticut center Kara Wolters (52) puts up a shot over Tennessee center Vonda Ward in the third quarter of their NCAA Womens Final Four Championship, Sunday, April 2, 1995, Minneapolis, Minn. Connecticut beat Tennessee 70-64. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

KARA WOLTERS – The Somers resident came to UConn from Holliston, Mass. in 1993, and immediately teamed with Rebecca Lobo and Jamelle Elliott to form a devastating front line that would help put women’s college basketball on the map. As a sophomore, she was an integral part of the Huskies’ undefeated run to their first national championship, pouring in 31 points in the national semifinal game against Stanford. In 1997, she was named National Player of the Year and embarked on a 6-year professional career with the New England Blizzard. She was a member of the 1999 WNBA champion Houston Comets and the 2000 U.S. Olympic team, which won the gold medal in Sydney, Australia. She is one of only 12 women to have earned NCAA, WNBA and Olympic championships, and was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.



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National trust in the federal government is low. CT residents agree

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National trust in the federal government is low. CT residents agree


National trust in the federal government is at some of its lowest levels in nearly seven decades, and many Connecticut residents fall in line with that belief, a survey found.

New data from the Pew Research Center found only 17% of Americans believe that what the government does is right either “just about always” or “most of the time,” hitting one of the lowest points Pew has seen since first asking this question in 1958. And according to a DataHaven survey, Connecticut residents trust the federal government less than state or local institutions.

While these are some of the lowest polling numbers seen in American history, national trust in the federal government has been on the decline for decades. Public trust initially dropped in the 1960s and ’70s during the Vietnam War from a near 80% but began rising again in the 1980s into the early ’90s. Trust peaked again after 9/11 before falling.

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The DataHaven survey found that of all Connecticut residents surveyed, only 9% trust the federal government “a great deal” to look out for the best interests of them and their family. About 28% trust the federal government “a fair amount.”

Federal government trust among Connecticut residents was at its highest in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the federal stimulus programs and child tax credit were active.

The DataHaven survey also asked about trust in local and state government. Connecticut residents generally trust these institutions more than they trust the federal government, the survey found.

Trust in the local governments was higher than trust in both state and federal, with 67% of residents surveyed trusting their local government “a great deal” or “a fair amount.”

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And when it came to state government, 61% of residents trust the state “a great deal” or “a fair amount.”



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Was Connecticut State Police short 300 troopers in 2025?

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Was Connecticut State Police short 300 troopers in 2025?


Yes.

As of early 2025, the Connecticut State Police was facing a staffing shortage of roughly 300 troopers compared to the more than 1,200 troopers the department had in its ranks over a decade ago. This is due largely to retirements, resignations and a shrinking applicant pool.

Recent academy classes are helping slowly rebuild staffing, but Gov. Ned Lamont and police leadership say Connecticut still needs substantially more troopers to meet public safety demands. More recently, news outlets reported the department had 938 troopers.

This spring, troopers negotiated a 4.5% wage hike with state officials. Troopers’ base pay is on average about $116,000 per year, but that rises to $175,000 per year once overtime is included. 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

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CT Mirror partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims.

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Reginald David is the Community Engagement Reporter for CT Mirror. He builds relationships across Connecticut to elevate community voices and deepen public dialogue around local issues. Previously, he was a producer at KCUR 89.3, Kansas City’s NPR station, where he created community-centered programming, led live event coverage for major events like the NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Parade, and Royals Opening Day, and launched KC Soundcheck, a music series spotlighting local and national artists. Reginald has also hosted special segments, including an in-depth interview with civil rights leader Alvin Brooks and live community coverage on issues like racial segregation and neighborhood development. He began his public media career as an ‘Integrity in News’ intern at WNPR in Hartford.

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CT Weather: Initial Snow Accumulation Estimates Released: Here’s When, How Much To Expect

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CT Weather: Initial Snow Accumulation Estimates Released: Here’s When, How Much To Expect


Meteorologists are predicting the next storm system in Connecticut could bring a couple inches of snow this weekend.

WTNH reports snow will start late Saturday night and continue into Sunday morning.

“There is pretty good agreement with light snow amounts statewide with up to around 2″ expected,” WTNH says.

Find out what’s happening in Across Connecticutfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

WFSB reports long-range models have been “all over the place with the development of a coastal storm.”

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According to WFSB, some show the system moving to the south of Connecticut, which would make the impact on weekend plans “minimal.” Another model, however, shows a greater impact on Connecticut, which could mean a “coating to an inch” of snow, WFSB reports.

Find out what’s happening in Across Connecticutfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

WFSB as of Thursday also predicts the timing would be late Saturday night through Sunday morning.

The National Weather Service as of Thursday has increased the odds of snow in this weekend timeframe to 50 percent, up from 30 percent.

In the short term, it is going to be very windy today.

The National Weather Service has advisories for northern and southern parts of Connecticut due to high winds, with possible gusts of up to 50 miles per hour.

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Today, Friday and daytime Saturday will be clear and dry, according to the National Weather Service, with high temperatures starting in the low to mid-30s and gradually warming.

“Saturday is the pick of the weekend, as it will be dry and relatively milder,” WFSB reports. “While we could start bright, cloud cover will be on the increase with temps that peak between 35 and 40. Sunday will be colder as temps only reach the upper 20s and lower 30s.”

The National Weather Service indicates the chance for snow begins around midnight Saturday.

Read More:

Here are the forecast details for northern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:

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Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 31. Breezy, with a west wind 18 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 43 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 20. West wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 43 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 32. West wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 16. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southwest in the evening.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 36. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 8 mph in the morning.

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Saturday Night: A chance of snow, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Sunday: A chance of snow before 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. Northwest wind 5 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Here are the forecast details for southern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 34. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. West wind 16 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 43 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 22. Wind chill values between 10 and 15. West wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 41 mph.

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Friday: Sunny, with a high near 34. Wind chill values between 10 and 20. West wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 22. West wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 39. Light west wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Saturday Night: Snow likely after 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 26. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Sunday: A 50 percent chance of snow before 1 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 33.

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