Connecticut
Advocates highlight services available after an overdose spike in Hartford
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.
DANBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — Danbury drivers can expect hours-long closures on Sugar Hollow Road early Monday morning after a “serious” crash, according to local police.
Police said the morning crash has caused closures in both directions at the Ridgefield Line (Bennetts Farm Road) and at Miry Brook Road.
The road is expected to close for approximately three to four hours, police said.
Drivers are asked to seek alternate routes, including George Washington Highway and Route 53.
There are no words on injuries.
Additional information was not immediately available.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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ROCKY HILL, Conn. (WFSB) – People like Dena Pizzoferrato are changing what they put in their grocery carts after hearing about a cyclosporiasis outbreak.
“I’m kind of a little nervous so I’m looking to see what I buy right now,” Pizzoferrato said. “Today I didn’t buy any lettuce. I said I’m OK for now.”
Doctors say the illness is spread through parasites that make their way onto fresh produce. There have been 23 reported cases in Connecticut since May, but the CDC says the number is likely higher. Across the country, more than 840 cases and 86 hospitalizations have been reported in 31 states.
Symptoms include diarrhea and nausea that can last days to weeks. Doctors have not identified a source for the outbreak.
Dr. Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare, said a range of produce could be contaminated.
“Typical things you would think are vegetables or fruits. In the past, it’s been raspberries, basil, cilantro. You may find it in lettuces, bagged salads. So it’s a variety of things that can be contaminated, but they have not found it at this time,” said Wu.
Wu said residents should take precautions with their produce. “Take precautions with your fruit and your produce. We give the same advice when people go overseas that you should always peel something. You should always boil something,” he said.
Doctors also recommend washing produce thoroughly if boiling is not an option, and washing hands regularly.
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Chip Rubenstein, owner of Chip’s Auto Sales of Milford, says he’s honored to celebrate the dealership’s 50th anniversary alongside America’s 250th birthday.
“I opened Chip’s Auto Sales in 1976, during a chaotic time for our nation in the world,” said Rubenstein, “50 years later, I am so proud of the legacy I’ve created as somebody who always tried his best to do right, and to serve my community proudly.”
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