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CT Asian community condemns former New Britain mayor's Facebook comment

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CT Asian community condemns former New Britain mayor's Facebook comment


A former new Britain mayor’s comment on social media is drawing criticism for allegedly being offensive to the Asian community.

Politicians on both sides of the aisle are already condemning former mayor Tim Stewart’s words.

“This constant racist commentary is one that I’ve heard over and over again in my life,” Jenny Heikkila Díaz, co-chair of the Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC), said.

Díaz was angered by Facebook comments made by Stewart. In a screenshot provided by New Britain Democrats, the former mayor responds to a post about the Trump campaign’s allegations of Haitian immigrants eating house pets in Ohio.

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After the original poster writes, “So far they are leaving the dogs alone,” Stewart replies, “Need to bring in some Asians for that” with a laughing emoji.

Díaz said this only reinforces a harmful stereotype of Asian-Americans being seen as perpetual foreigners.

“It’s part of this continuous history of us being othered, marginalized, excluded, dehumanized,” she said.

Mike Keo, of West Hartford, said this rhetoric cuts deep for so many in the Asian community with bullying at school.

“I was called a dog eater. This is a reality that many of us have grown up with,” he said.

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A number of local and state Democrats condemned the comment, calling for him to apologize and step down from the city’s school building committee.

“As a representative of New Britain’s diverse community, I am appalled by the racist rhetoric expressed by Mr. Stewart. His behavior is unacceptable, and he must take responsibility for his actions. He should step down from his role on the School Building Committee immediately,” Rep. Manny Sanchez (D-New Britain) said in a statement.

Republican Senator Tony Hwang (R-Fairfield) said the comment was offensive to Asian-Americans and marginalized groups.

“Particularly dangerous and impactful are the potential proliferation of demeaning stereotypes and baiting in this day and age of misinformation, social media and fake news. It sets a dangerous and repugnant path towards danger and harmful behavior,” he said.

Stewart responded to NBC Connecticut saying he had “no comment” on the Facebook post.

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This isn’t the first time the former mayor got backlash for his Facebook comments. In 2019, while replying to a photo of women in Congress wearing white, he wrote a comment criticized as misogynistic. Mayor Erin Stewart called out her father at the time tweeting, “To all of those asking; I’m embarrassed and mortified.”

Díaz said aside from the ex-mayor’s post, the allegations about Haitian immigrants eating pets are equally as offensive and harmful.

Mayor Erin Stewart and the New Britain GOP town committee did not respond to requests for comment.



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Connecticut

Man shot while riding a moped in North Haven

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Man shot while riding a moped in North Haven


The North Haven Police Department is continuing to investigate after a male was shot while riding a moped on Sunday night.

According to police, a 20-year-old male was shot in the area of Whitney Avenue near the Hamden town line.

The victim sustained non-life-threatening serious injuries and was transported to the hospital.

No other information has been released.

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Police are continuing to investigate, and say that there will be a heavy police presence in the area of Whitney Avenue and Skiff Street.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the North Haven Police Department.



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Man arrested after stealing from Connecticut Children’s Hospital donation bin

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Man arrested after stealing from Connecticut Children’s Hospital donation bin


ENFIELD, Conn. (WFSB) – Police arrested a Connecticut man on Sunday morning after he allegedly stole bottles and cans from a Connecticut Children’s Hospital donation bin.

Officers received a call at around 8 a.m. for a report of a larceny from a “Cans For Kids” donation bin at located on Raffia Road, according to the police department.

Police said they used used local surveillance cameras and municipal license plate readers to identify a vehicle and suspect.

Officials identified the individual as Joshua Wilcox of Broad Brook

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With the help of Wethersfield police officers, Wilcox was found and detained. Enfield police arrested Wilcox and charged him with sixth-degree larceny and first-degree criminal trespass.

It was also revealed that this is the second incident involving Wilcox at the same location, police said.

No further details were released.

Eyewitness News will provide more details as soon as they become available.

Copyright 2026 WFSB. All rights reserved.

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Danbury OKs expanded building plans for west side cancer center

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Danbury OKs expanded building plans for west side cancer center


“(T)he applicant is proposing a minor building addition of 1,300 square feet to the basement level because the specialized proton equipment required a slightly larger support space,” said Allie Smith, an associate planner with the city’s professional planning and zoning department.

Smith is referring to what would be the second proton therapy cancer treatment center between New York City and Boston, after the Connecticut Proton center in Wallingford, which is scheduled to open later this year.

Proton therapy is considered advanced radiation treatment because it uses the positively charged particles to “target cancer with exceptional precision,” reducing damage to nearby healthy tissue.

The expanded building plans for Danbury Proton are the latest development in a prolonged effort to serve western Connecticut and nearby New York residents with the novel cancer treatment.

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The project, which was set to break ground on a 3-acre site overlooking Danbury Municipal Airport this spring, is “very busy marketing and selling the bonds,” a spokesman said.

“We’re ready to break ground as soon as we close on the bonds,” said Drew Crandall on Friday. “We are in conversation with investors every day and we are making good progress.”

In March, Danbury’s City Council agreed to use its bonding power to help Danbury Proton get low-cost financing under a “conduit issuer” agreement. Around the same time, the city’s Planning Commission extended approvals for the project, which were scheduled to expire in July.

All that means that Danbury Proton expects to open its 17,000-square-foot facility at 85 Wooster Heights Road in late 2027 or early 2028.

“The day is coming when we will be treating patients with revolutionary proton therapy cancer treatment,” Crandall said in a newsletter to supporters last week. “Countless patients and their families will benefit from proton therapy.”

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