Kelly Gay of Windsor is in long-term recovery from substance use disorder. 

“I was 18 years old, I was using drugs daily, I was homeless, I was in a great deal of trouble,” Gay said. 

She knows first-hand the stigma surrounding the disorder. 

“There is some idea we have some choice in this, there is some idea that we are morally flawed and that we can control this if we wanted to,” she said. 

Gay wants to change the narrative as new data comes out. This week, the Connecticut Department of Public Health released its drug overdose report, showing a 26% decline in overdose deaths across the state in 2024, compared to 2023. During the same time period in Hartford, deaths dropped 33%. Gay said while she is hopeful about the numbers, she is still concerned. 

“Every overdose is a family member, a mother, a child, all things that we all have in our lives, and when you lose someone like that it is never the same,” Gay added. 

In 24 hours, there were seven overdose hospitalizations in Hartford, according to city health officials.

Gay, along with Root Center for Advanced Recovery Senior Counselor Ray Bishop, wants the public to be educated about what resources are available. 

“One death is one too many. I think on a daily basis we do our best to minimize the risk and to cut down on that death rate,” Bishop said. 

The Root Center is the largest methadone provider in the state, serving 5,500 people daily across 14 locations. Bishop said the first step in helping a patient is getting them in the door. 

“So that individual has to want to change for anything to happen,” Bishop added. 

After that, Bishop said it’s about offering a wide range of resources, so the patient knows they are cared for. 

“We have treatment, we have mental health services, we have group support, so it’s not just you come and get the medication, but you have supportive people who are empathic to a situation, with folks who can identify,” Bishop added. 

On June 23, the Root Center is welcoming patients to its new Hartford clinic on Lafayette Street, and next spring, the center will begin accepting patients at its first residential treatment facility in New Britain. 

Patch PM CT brings you the breaking and trending news stories from all across Connecticut each weekday evening. Here are the top headlines. Click on the link to read each story. Thank you for reading.

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Bethenny Frankel has sold her Connecticut home, also known as Applejack Farm, for more than $7.8 million.

The estate, which is located in Greenwich, Connecticut, closed for $7,825,000. The sale was represented by Jeff Jackson, a broker and owner of Corcoran Centric Realty. Martha Z. Jeffrey and Anne Z. Ogilvy of Sotheby’s International Realty represented the buyer.

Applejack Farm is located in a gated area of the Golden Triangle neighborhood, just minutes outside of Greenwich. Frankel, 54, originally purchased Applejack Farm for $4,250,000 in 2021.

The home was first built in 1743 and is considered to be one of the oldest homes in Greenwich. Over the years, the Real Housewives of New York City alum renovated and added on to the property, ultimately increasing its value.

The property boasts five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two half bathrooms, grand historic rooms, a La Cornue-equipped kitchen, a primary suite with dual spa-grade bathrooms, a lower level with a media room, entertainer’s bar, gym and more. The estate also features a guest cottage that includes two bedrooms, two and half bathrooms, a three-bay garage, a standalone studio and a party barn.

Across its buildings, Applejack Farm has numerous architectural details, including beamed ceilings, brick fireplaces, paneled walls, ornate moldings, an antique bar and more.

The grounds of Applejack Farm included a wide array of trees and rolling green lawns. The plush landscape is accentuated with intricate lighting, a luxe stone patio, a storage shed and a covered porch overlooking the stunning view.

Back in April, Frankel announced that she was migrating south to the Sunshine State.

“I am moving to Florida for personal and professional reasons,” she explained in an Instagram video. “Something has arisen that made this the best and healthiest for myself and my daughter.”

That same month, she quietly placed her Connecticut home up for sale for $8 million.

Before making her relocation official, Frankel reportedly purchased a condo in Miami, which serves as her secondary Florida home. She bought the property for about $1.7 million in June 2024.

After settling in, Frankel gave fans an inside look to her home and new life in the Sunshine State.

“The transition and journey has been rough but in a few weeks we will be settled into our Florida home before we head to the Hamptons for an endless summer,” she wrote via Instagram in May alongside moments of her time in Miami so far. “Let the adventure era continue.”