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Avon's History Podcast Looks At 1955 Flood Disaster

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Avon's History Podcast Looks At 1955 Flood Disaster


AVON, CT — The topic of the “Avon Talks” history podcast takes a look at one of the worst weather events in Connecticut history, the great flood of 1955.

Avon Talks is a monthly podcast about Avon’s history, landmarks, and current events from the Avon Historical Society and Town of Avon.

It is hosted by Ethan Guo, an Avon Resident and current undergraduate at Tufts University.

In August 1955, Connecticut was hit by one of the worst natural disasters in the state’s history.

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Over one week, two hurricanes — Hurricane Connie and Hurricane Diane — collectively dropped more than 2 feet of water and raised the Farmington River by over 18 inches.

These two storms, and the subsequent Flood of 1955 that resulted, ended up causing more than $680 million worth of damage across the Eastern Seaboard, with $350 million of that in Connecticut alone.

In response to these damages, then-Gov. Abraham Ribicoff declared a state of emergency, requested federal assistance from President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and activated the state’s National Guard.

By the end of the Flood of 1955, 87 Connecticut residents had died, 668 dwellings were destroyed, and more than 200 dams suffered partial or total failure.

Avon, located adjacent to the Farmington River, was not able to escape the impact of the hurricane, suffering extreme damage to its public infrastructure, farms, and houses.

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For this episode, the podcast is joined by Janet Carville of The Pickin Patch Farm who, being a lifelong resident of Avon, was able to experience the Flood of 1955 first-hand.

“Avon Talks: is available on: Spotify; Apple Podcasts; YouTube Music; Podcast Index; and
Amazon Music. Find more Avon Talks info at https://avontalks.buzzsprout.com
Those with questions, comments and/or concerns can reach out to avontalksahs@gmail.com.
For more information on the Avon Historical Society, visit www.avonhistoricalsociety.org.



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Connecticut Launches New Era for Community Hospital Care – UConn Today

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Connecticut Launches New Era for Community Hospital Care – UConn Today


Marked by a ceremonial ribbon cutting and attended by Governor Ned Lamont, state legislators, Waterbury officials, and community leaders, UConn Health celebrated the acquisition of Waterbury Hospital which as of today is now the UConn Health Waterbury Hospital.

“This is a defining moment for healthcare in Connecticut,” said Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health Community Network.  “We now have the opportunity to take the award -winning academic quality and service of UConn Health and share it with the wonderful employees, doctors and community of Waterbury.”

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont described the initiative as a forward-looking investment in the future of healthcare access across Connecticut.

“Connecticut is leading with innovation,” said Connecticut Governor Lamont. “The UConn Health Community Network reflects a proactive approach to strengthening community-based care by connecting it directly to the capabilities of our state’s public academic medical center. What begins in Waterbury today, represents a new model designed to expand opportunity, access, and excellence for communities statewide.”

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In addition to UConn Health Waterbury Hospital, the Network includes UConn Health Community Network Medical Group and UConn Health Waterbury Health at Home. The model preserves each member’s local identity and will grow thoughtfully over time to improve quality, expand access, and reduce the total cost of care. 

“This reflects a bold step forward in how we think about healthcare in Connecticut,” said John Driscoll, Chair of the UConn Health Board of Directors. “Today we celebrate the beginning of a new approach to community-based care. We move forward with clarity of purpose and shared commitment to serve our communities better together.”

 Comptroller Sean Scanlon highlighted the significance of the model for the long-term evolution of healthcare delivery in Connecticut. 

“This partnership represents thoughtful leadership at a pivotal time for healthcare,” said Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon. “By aligning community hospitals with academic medicine, Connecticut is building a modern framework that positions our healthcare system to meet the needs of patients today and into the future.”

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“Hosting this celebration on our campus is deeply meaningful for our staff, physicians and the families we serve,” said Deborah Weymouth, President of UConn Health Waterbury Hospital. “Waterbury’s legacy of care continues, and we are tremendously proud to have a strong partner who is deeply committed to our community and help lead this next chapter for healthcare.”

Welcome UConn Health Waterbury Hospital!



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Multiple cars involved in crash on I-84 in Hartford

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Multiple cars involved in crash on I-84 in Hartford


A multi-vehicle crash temporarily close Interstate 84 on Tuesday night.

The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. and involved four cars, according to the Hartford Fire Department.

Fire crews arrived at the scene and helped one of the drivers who was trapped. The driver was then taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment.

Four other people reported minor injuries but declined ambulance treatment at the scene, officials said.

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I-84 East was temporarily shut down as crews responded but has since reopened.

The Connecticut State Police is investigating the crash.



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Sleet, freezing rain leading to treacherous travel in parts of Connecticut

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Sleet, freezing rain leading to treacherous travel in parts of Connecticut


As the snow turns to sleet and freezing rain in parts of the state this afternoon, it is causing some treacherous travel on Connecticut roads.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is reporting several crashes.

There are crashes on both sides of Interstate 691 in Meriden.

A tractor-trailer jackknifed on the eastbound side of I-691 between Exit 5 and 3, closing the left lane. On the westbound side, a single-vehicle crash closed the left lane.

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There is a two-vehicle crash on I-91 North in Middletown between Exits 20 and 21. The left and center lanes are closed.

A multi-vehicle crash has closed lanes of I-84 East in Waterbury between Exits 25 and 25A. There is a second crash on I-84 East in Southington near Exit 30.

In Cromwell, a two-vehicle crash closed the right lane of Route 9 North in Cromwell.

On Route 9 South, a crash closed a lane on the southbound side.

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