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Connecticut Celebrates Immigrants At 25th Annual Ceremony | CT News Junkie

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Connecticut Celebrates Immigrants At 25th Annual Ceremony | CT News Junkie


Eastern CT State President Karim Ismaili delivers the keynote at the 25th annual Immigration Day celebration in the State Capitol on May 7, 2025. Credit: Screen capture / CT-N

HARTFORD, CT – Connecticut’s political leaders and activists joined immigrants and their families to celebrate the contributions of foreign-born residents at the state Capitol Wednesday.

The 25th annual Immigrant Day celebration was hosted by the Connecticut Immigrant & Refugee Coalition (CIRC), a network of organizations committed to protecting the rights and economic development of refugee and immigrant communities in Connecticut. As part of the ceremony, eight immigrants received Immigrant of the Year, which honors individuals whose contributions have uplifted their communities and enrich the fabric of Connecticut.

“Today we acknowledge the contributions of immigrants in every sector of life: healthcare, business, education, culture, arts, refugee resettlement services, and more,” said Dana Bucin, CIRC board member and an immigration attorney. “But, at the same time, while we celebrate, we also have to acknowledge the dire need for immigration reform in this country, the dire need of helping immigrants achieve the American dream, whether they came here legally or in unfortunate circumstances that made them undocumented. Becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States is something that we need to help immigrants achieve and that is not easy, especially these days.”

Man wearing a blue "Environmental Rights" sash speaking into a microphone
Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, discusses amending the state Constitution to include environmental rights during a news conference in Legislative Office Building on Tuesday March 18, 2025. Credit: Coral Aponte / CTNewsJunkie

State Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, who immigrated to the United States with his parents from Taiwan, said Connecticut must remain welcoming and engaged with immigrant populations who are facing serious challenges.

“We as immigrants, who love and risk coming into this country, are very much in the midst of a very tumultuous time,” he said. “And I think it’s really important to remind all of us in this State Capitol of Connecticut, the people’s building, that this country and this state were built by immigrants. It is important for us to recognize the passion, the commitment and the sacrifices that have been made by immigrants that have made this country.”

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Gov. Ned Lamont also addressed the gathering, saying the United States has not always lived up to its ideals and citing the country’s history of laws targeting immigrants. He also referenced the voyage of the St. Louis, a ship carrying hundreds of Jews fleeing Nazi Germany which was denied entry to the United States. The ship returned to Europe, where over 250 of the ship’s 937 passengers were killed in the Holocaust.

“That story is just a reminder to me what it means for America to be a home for refugees, and to be a beacon of hope for immigrants around the world,” he said. “Come to this country. We want you here. We need you here.” 

The keynote for the event was delivered by Karim Ismaili, president of Eastern Connecticut State University and a first generation immigrant himself. Born to a Pakistani father and a Kenyan mother, his family fled Kenya to the United Kingdom in the 1970’s due to political unrest and anti-South Asian prejudice. His family also faced harassment and danger in London, and eventually received a humanitarian visa to settle in Canada.

“One day, we were in London. The next, we were in Vancouver, unable to know if we would ever go back,” he said. “Canada became our refuge, and through it all, my mother instilled in us the values that shaped who we are: respect for others, compassion, a commitment to hard work, and a deep belief in the power of education.”

Ismaili, like many Eastern CT students, is a first-generation college student.

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“And like many of them, my journey has profoundly shaped the person I’ve become,” he said.


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A Character-Rich Family Home in Connecticut That Bridges Past and Present

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A Character-Rich Family Home in Connecticut That Bridges Past and Present


When a house has been loved for generations, its walls tend to hold stories. In the case of one family residence in Darien, Connecticut, that sentiment was taken quite literally. On the casement between the living room and kitchen are ticks that denote decades of growth, a quiet record of childhoods unfolding in real time. Several of those measurements belong to the home’s newest steward—the original owners’ daughter—who was ready to put her own mark on the property.

Eager to see what she could make of the 1930s structure, she and her husband tapped British-born designer Becca Casey of Connecticut-based Becca Interiors to breathe new life—and old soul—into the interior. For Casey, being entrusted with that kind of emotional patina was a privilege she didn’t take lightly. “The greatest challenge was ensuring that the new extension had synergy with the original house while bringing together the couple’s different tastes and honoring the home’s history,” Casey says of the 2,400-square-foot space.

There was a strong desire to preserve the home’s character and the memories it holds.

That delicate balance shows up everywhere, from tailored silhouettes and clean lines for him to pattern and color for her. Nowhere is that nuance more evident than in the property’s oldest room, a long, beam-lined living space that once sat largely unused. Casey swathed it in an atmospheric mural, transforming it into a multi-zone haven centered on the fireplace, with moments of repose throughout where the family can gather to play a game or enjoy a book.

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Around the home, Casey’s eye for nuance is unmistakable. She wields color, pattern, and shape with equal aplomb, expertly marrying form with function in a way that’s both timeless and fresh. A hidden television disappears behind drapery-lined cabinetry, the inner skeleton of an armchair is displayed like a work of art, a vintage dining table reveals a plaque from the husband’s hometown (a serendipitous discovery that made the piece instantly meaningful). In the end, reviving the dwelling wasn’t about reinvention for Casey—it was about the possibility that a new chapter can bring. The result is a space that, according to Casey, feels “quietly refined and effortlessly lived-in”—an elegant meeting point between memory and modern family life.

FAST FACTS:

Designer: Becca Casey, Becca Interiors

Location: Darien, Connecticut

The Space: A 1930s colonial with six bedrooms, across 2,400 square feet.


LIVING ROOM

Bare windows and a transportive wallpaper nod to the pastoral landscape.

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Kate S Jordan

Chandelier: Lostine. Rug: Stanton. Wallpaper: House of Hackney. Coffee table: Jefferson West. Rug: Stanton Carpet.

The living room is the oldest space in the house, so Casey wanted to honor its bones while streamlining the layout for modern functionality. Custom Dmitriy & Co. sofas—linen on the top, patterned French mattress tufting at the base—typify the union between “his” and “her” tastes.

Cozy sitting area with an armchair and footrest next to a window.
Kate S Jordan

Sconce: Woven Shop. Lamp: Visual Comfort & Co. Chair: custom.

Dining area with a round table and wooden chairs.
Kate S Jordan

Table: custom, Becca Interiors. Chairs: Pottery Barn.

A traditional English roll armchair was tucked into a corner at the request of the husband, whose wish list included a spot to read. Aiming for a “layered floor plan,” with distinct areas for the family’s many needs, Casey added a game table as a visual anchor with a direct sight line to the main entryway of the home.

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DEN

An original stone fireplace anchors the family-ready space.

den
Kate S Jordan

Pendant: Woka. Coffee table: LF Collection. Sconce: Hector Finch.

Cozy living room featuring a stone fireplace and vintage decor.
Kate S Jordan

Coffee table: LF Collection. Rug: Woodard Weave. Chik blinds: Joss Graham.

Drenched in French Gray paint by Farrow & Ball and grounded by the original stone fireplace, the den is carefully choreographed to support togetherness, with a custom sectional and hidden TV.


DINING ROOM

The sun-drenched space looks out to the backyard pond.

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dining room
Kate S Jordan

Paint: School House White, Farrow & Ball. Chairs: Maison Louis Drucker. Table: antique. Tablecloths: Zara Home, Cabana Home. Pedants: Lightology.

Part of the new addition, the serene dining room is flooded with light, thanks to expansive floor to (almost) ceiling windows. Layered textiles keep the antique table—a happy find, originally made in the husband’s hometown—geared toward casual meals.


PRIMARY BEDROOM

Salvaged beams mimic the look of the originals in the living room.

bedroom
Kate S Jordan

Paint: Shaded White, Farrow & Ball. Rug: Lulu and Georgia. Bedding: The Company Store. Dresser: English Farmhouse Furniture.

Inspired by Belgian interiors, the elevated placement of the fireplace isn’t just a design flex—it’s an experiential choice that puts the flames right at eye level when lounging in bed. Beside it, two vintage English armchairs stun with their exposed interior, a Becca Interiors signature touch.

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PRIMARY BATH

Natural materials were chosen for their ability to patina over time.

bathroom
Kate S Jordan

Mirror: Rejuvenation. Floor tile: Arto. Wall paint: Slipper Statin, Farrow & Ball. Sconces: O’lampia.

In the primary bathroom, wellness comes through atmosphere rather than gadgets. A Drummonds soaking tub is positioned for prime pond views, with a gray-green base (Drop Cloth, Farrow & Ball) that reinforces the room’s soothing palette.


WORKSTATION

Smart features make family management a cinch.

desk
Kate S Jordan

Roman shade: Hunter Douglas. Desk paint: Studio Green, Farrow & Ball. Chair: Soho Home. Rug: Merribrook Collection. Flushmount: RW Guild.

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To make the most of a hall nook, Casey crafted a compact desk where the wife, a teacher, can grade papers. Labeled drawers store art supplies, while a floor-to-ceiling cabinet (at side) acts as a hub for deliveries.


About the Designer

Becca Casey is the Principal Director and founder of Becca Interiors. Raised in the countryside of Southwest England, her earliest influences were rooted in history, nature, and the quiet beauty of rural life. These foundations continue to shape her design philosophy today, one that blends heritage with modern sensibility while honoring craftsmanship and the beauty of daily life at home.



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Hartford community grieves men killed in police shootings

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Hartford community grieves men killed in police shootings


The Hartford community is grappling with two police shootings that happened within eight days of each other. Both started off as mental health calls about someone in distress.

People came together to remember one of the men killed at a vigil on Wednesday evening.

With hands joined, a prayer for peace and comfort was spoken for the family of Everard Walker. He was having a mental health crisis when a family member called 211 on Feb.19.

Two mental health professionals from the state-operated Capitol Regional Mental Health Center requested Hartford police come with them to Walker’s apartment on Capitol Avenue.

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A scuffle ensued, and police said it looked like Walker was going to stab an officer. The brief fight ended with an officer shooting and killing Walker.

The family is planning to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the city.

“All I will have now is a tombstone and the voicemails he left on my phone that I listen over and over again at night just so I can fall asleep,” Menan Walker, one of Walker’s daughters, said.

City councilman Josh Michtom (WF) is asking whether police could have acted differently.

“To me, the really concerning thing is why the police were there at all, why they went into that apartment in the way that they did, in the numbers that they did,” he said.

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The president of Hartford’s police union, James Rutkauski, asked the community to hold their judgment and wait for a full investigation by the Inspector General’s office to be completed.

A different tone was taken in a statement released about another police shooting on Blue Hills Avenue on Feb. 27.

Rutkauski said the union fully supports the officer who fired at 55-year-old Steven Jones, who was holding a knife during a mental health crisis.

In part, the union’s statement says that Jones “deliberately advanced on the officer in a manner that created an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury. This was a 100% justified use of deadly force.”

The Inspector General’s office will determine if the officer was justified following an investigation.

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The officer who shot Jones was the fourth to arrive on the scene. Three others tried to get him to drop the knife, even using a taser, before the shooting.

“It just feels like beyond the conduct of any one officer, we have this problem, which is that we send cops for every problem,” Michtom said. “I don’t know how you can de-escalate at the point of a gun.”

Jones died from his injuries on Tuesday.  

The union’s statement went on to say that officers should not be society’s default for mental health professionals. The statement said in part, “We ask for renewed commitment from our legislators to remove police from being the vanguard of what should be a mental health professional response.”

The officers involved in both shootings are on administrative leave.

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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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