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Connecticut cruises past Taurasi and Phoenix before a sellout crowd – The Collinsville Press

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Connecticut cruises past Taurasi and Phoenix before a sellout crowd – The Collinsville Press


Phoenix’s Diana Taurasi drives to the basket during Sunday’s WNBA game in Uncasville. The Sun won, 96-69.

UNCASVILLE, July 14, 2024 – Diana Taurasi first came to Connecticut in 2000 to share her basketball talents with the University of Connecticut. After three national championships in four years, she moved on to the WNBA where she was the No. 1 draft pick of the 2004 draft by the Phoenix Mercury.

Taurasi has been yearly visits back to Connecticut for the past 20 years, always getting a warm ovation from the crowd at the Mohegan Sun Arena, home of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.

The oldest current player in the WNBA at the age of 42, Taurasi made what may be her final appearance on the hardwood in Uncasville on Sunday. She returned to the floor after missing three games with a lower back injury.

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It wasn’t her finest hour nor was it for the Mercury (12-12), who were rolled by Connecticut, 96-69 in front of a sellout crowd of 8,910.

Rachel Banham came off the bench for the Sun (18-5) and tied a season-high with 24 points, sinking eight of 11 shots from beyond the three-point line – the most three-point shots in WNBA history in a single game from a player off the bench.

DeWanna Bonner had 17 points for Connecticut while Brionna Jones added 16. DiJonai Carrington scored 12, pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds and had four assists.

Kahleah Cooper had 17 points for Phoenix including 10 in the first quarter. But she had just seven points in the final three quarters. Brittney Griner had 16 points and nine rebounds with Taurasi finishing with six points on 2-of-6 shooting. The three-time WNBA champion and six-time U.S. Olympian had six rebounds and two blocked shots.

Taurasi is preparing for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris with her record sixth invitation to play with Team USA. “It’s an honor to play for your country. You should never take it for granted, whether it is your first trip or your sixth one,” she said. “I’ve always said if I am willing and able and I can still bring something to the team, I will put that (USA) jersey on.”

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Taurasi, Cooper and Phoenix Britney Griner will be on Team USA along with Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas, who scored just six points in a season-low 22 minutes. But that was OK with Banham leading the way for the Sun bench that contributed 37 points.

“I’ve been waiting for this,” said Banham, who rejoined the Sun last spring after four years in Minnesota. “I am confident, ready. I knew my time was coming, I was wishing it was sooner. But it just felt really good to feel like myself and get into rhythm and get to stay out there (on the floor).”

Banham tied the Sun record for most three-point shots in a game with Shekinna Stricklen, who sank eight in a 2017 game against Dallas.

 

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Sun coach Stephanie White once saw Banham score 63 points in a college game at Northwestern. “In the W, she’s mostly a volume shooter as opposed to always being a playmaker. She hunts for the right shots. She has a quick release, her feet are always and she is always ready.

“I am happy she able to come in and have such a big game,” White said. “We needed it. We needed that production from her.”

Banham’s ability to hit three-point shots was one of the reasons that the Sun signed her as a free agent. Connecticut will need that outside threat to give Bonner, Thomas and Brionna Jones a bit of relief inside from defenses that would pack the lane without the threat of an outside shooter.

The game was tied 20-20 after one quarter with Cooper getting 10 points by several uncontested drives to the basket.

Connecticut’s Brionna Jones (42) scored 16 points in Sunday’s win over Phoenix.

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Carrington bore down defensively. She looked up at the scoreboard to see what Cooper had done.

“All right, it’s time to lock in,” Carrington said of her mindset after the first 10 minutes. “I take that stuff personally As a person who cares about defense and considers themselves a defensive player, you care about that type of stuff. (Cooper) hit some tough shots but I have to make them tougher. She can’t get straight line drives down the left side. I focused.”

Banham hit four three-point shots and had 12 points in the second quarter. The game was tied at 29-29 before the Sun went on a 12-4 to take command. Jones had six points in the run with Banham getting three points.

Connecticut led by six at the half, 48-42, but held Phoenix to just nine points in the third quarter, the lowest scoring quarter of the year for a Sun opponent.

“We were just moving and playing off each other,” Carrington said. “We were making them make an extra pass, make an extra pass, (commit) shot clock violations and deflections. We were just active and we were having fun. You could tell.”

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Added Banham, “We did a good job of being active there were a good amount of deflections that led to steals. We were transitioning out of it. When we are playing well on the defensive end, we’re flying around.”

The Sun scored a season-high 96 points, made a season-high 37 field goals, dished out a season-high 26 assists and tallied a season-high 37 bench points. The team also tied its season-highs for three-pointers made (10) and offensive rebounds (16).

Only 10 players in WNBA history have recorded a game with eight or more three-point makes. The last player to achieve the feat prior to Banham was New York’s Sabrina Ionescu on June 9, 2023 with eight triples against the Atlanta Dream.

Connecticut moves to 10-3 at home this season heading into the Olympic break where Taurasi will join the U.S. Olympic team.

Retirement? Good question.

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“I love everything about it,” Taurasi said referring to playing basketball. “We tend to ask that (retirement) question lightly.

She turned to one of the half dozen of Connecticut-based reporters chatting with her before the game. “It’s your profession. You’ve done it all your life. Journalism,” she said. “Well on this side, it is all I’ve known since I was five and I am not going to make a rash decision on when to give it all up. That is something that will be (a) very personal (decision) with me and my family.”

Connecticut 96, Phoenix 69
At Uncasville
Phoenix (69)
Allen 2-7 0-0 6, Copper 8-17 0-0 17, Griner 7-15 2-3 16, Taurasi 2-6 0-0 6, Cloud 4-10 1-2 10, Mack 2-3 0-0 4, Cunningham 2-8 2-2 7, Taylor 1-1 0-0 2, Harrigan 0-2 1-3 1. Totals 28-69 6-10 69
Connecticut (96) Bonner 8-15 1-1 17, Thomas 3-5 0-2 6, Jones 6-14 3-4 16, Carrington 3-11 5-8 12, Harris 3-11 2-4 8, Mitchell 2-5 0-0 4, Nelson Ododa 4-4 0-0 8, Banham 8-11 0-0 24, Burton 0-2 1-2 1, Ndour-Fall 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-48 12-21 96
Phoenix (12-12)           20  22    9  18  — 69
Connecticut (18-5)    20  28  19  29  — 96
Three-point goals: Phoenix 7-25 (Allen 2-5, Copper 1-4, Taurasi 2-5, Cloud 1-5, Cunningham 1-5, Harrigan 0-1); Connecticut 10-26 (Bonner 0-3, Jones 1-3, Carrington 1-4, Harris 0-2, Mitchell 0-1, Banham 8-11, Burton 0-2); Att: 8,910 (sellout)



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Connecticut

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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