Connecticut
Connecticut man bitten by rare rattlesnake he tried to help ends up in coma
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — When Joseph Ricciardella saw the snake in the road, he stopped his car and tried to help it avoid getting run over.
The attempted good deed landed him in a Connecticut hospital in a medically induced coma after the timber rattlesnake, which is rare in the Northeast, bit his hand when he threw a shirt over it and tried to pick it up, said Brittany Hilmeyer, his former girlfriend and the mother of his daughter.
Hilmeyer said Ricciardella called her on Sunday to say he had just been bitten and was driving to the hospital. His voice sounded odd, like Donald Duck, she said. She said it happened as Ricciardella was driving from a park in upstate New York to his home in Torrington, Connecticut, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Hartford.
It isn’t clear exactly where the encounter happened because he hasn’t been able to speak in detail yet to family and friends, she said.
Ricciardella, 45, a father of four who runs a landscaping business and has no medical insurance, went into cardiac arrest, was resuscitated and was later placed into a medically induced coma after being flown from a hospital in Torrington one in Hartford, Hilmeyer said. Doctors brought him out of the coma on Tuesday, but he remained intubated and sedated because of swelling from the venom, she said.
“It was surprising that, like, anybody would try to pick up a rattlesnake,” Hilmeyer said by phone Thursday. “But it doesn’t surprise me in the same sense because he kind of always did that. If he saw an animal on the side of the road or in the road, he would try to stop and get them out of the road. Or, if he was in his Facebook groups and he’d see they have animals that need help, he would take those animals.”
“It’s crazy. It’s something you would never think is going to happen,” she said.
The timber rattlesnake is one of two venomous snakes found in Connecticut — the other being the northern copperhead — and is extremely rare, according to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The snake is listed as endangered and is illegal to kill or collect. Rattlesnake bites are also extremely rare in the state, the agency said.
Ricciardella’s brother, Robert Ricciardella, said they grew up in Waterbury, Connecticut, and spent weekends in upstate New York, where they used to play in the woods and catch snakes, lizards and other critters — but never a rattlesnake. He said he was surprised that his brother tried to help one and was bitten.
“He does quite know better,” he said.
Joseph Ricciardella’s family has set up a GoFundMe page that has raised more than $5,000 so far to pay his medical bills.
According to Love Food, the best bowl of ramen in Connecticut isn’t tucked away in one of the state’s larger cities. Instead, you’ll have to make your way to Granby, where Tiger Belly Noodle Bar has earned national recognition for serving what the publication says is Connecticut’s top ramen.
If you’re expecting a massive menu with dozens of choices, that’s not what you’ll find here. Tiger Belly keeps things relatively simple, focusing on a handful of carefully crafted noodle dishes that have developed a loyal following. The standout, according to Love Food, is the restaurant’s aptly named Darkness Ramen.
This isn’t your average bowl of noodles. The star of the dish is a rich tonkotsu broth that’s simmered for more than 25 hours to develop its deep, savory flavor. It’s then topped with tender pork belly, enoki mushrooms, plenty of garlic, and finished with black garlic oil for an extra layer of richness. The result is a bowl that’s hearty, comforting, and packed with bold flavors.
Ramen has exploded in popularity across the United States over the past decade, with restaurants putting their own spin on the classic Japanese comfort food. Whether you prefer a traditional pork-based broth, spicy variations, seafood, or vegetarian options, there’s no shortage of great places to grab a bowl these days. But when it came to picking just one restaurant in Connecticut, Love Food says Tiger Belly Noodle Bar stands above the rest.
So, if you’re the type of person who’s willing to take a road trip for great food, Granby might deserve a spot on your list. A slow-simmered broth, fresh ingredients, and a little black garlic magic were apparently enough to earn this Connecticut restaurant some well-deserved national bragging rights.
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If you’re looking for the best barbecue restaurant in the state, you may have to drive to the state’s capital.
Business Insider identified the most beloved barbecue spot in each state, including Connecticut.
“Our list includes barbecue destinations with historical or regional significance and devoted national or local followings,” Business Insider said. “Many of the spots or their pitmasters have won major accolades, and some have appeared on mainstream TV shows.”
Business Insider’s choice for the most iconic place for barbecue in Connecticut is a specific location of a chain restaurant that has multiple stores in the Constitution State.
Here’s what Business Insider had to say about Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue, and why it might be worth the extra trip to Hartford, Connecticut.
Bear’s Smokehouse — Hartford, Connecticut
Business Insider said the Hartford location is the most iconic Bear’s Smokehouse in Connecticut. However, Bear’s has locations in Windsor, New Haven, South Windsor, and Storrs (although that one is in a University of Connecticut Student Union).
“Local outlet Hartford Courant named Bear’s Smokehouse the best ribs and best food truck in the state,” Business Insider said. “USA Today also named it one of the best restaurants in the country in 2026 (albeit, one of the North Carolina locations).”
Chain restaurant or not, this location’s menu appears to have all the goods that make a barbecue restaurant great: beef brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, and turkey breast, all done up in a Kansas-City style of barbecue that would make Ted Lasso proud.
They also offer some innovative takes on hearty dishes like poutine with Bear Style Poutine, which comes with fries, spicy cheese curds, brisket gravy, and your choice of meat.
You can find Bear’s Smokehouse at 25 Front St, Hartford, Connecticut.
They open at 11 a.m. on weekdays and weekends but their closing hours vary depending on the day.
Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@usatodayco.com.
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