WALLINGFORD, Conn. (WFSB) – Hundreds of athletes are competing in the 12th annual Gauntlet 5K on Wednesday morning.

The race features adaptive obstacle courses on the campus of Gaylord Hospital. Many of the athletes participating received treatment or went through rehab at Gaylord Hospital.

Much of the proceeds raised goes back to the hospital’s adaptive sports program and sports association. The program offers 18 adaptive sports at little to no cost to participants. It is the state’s largest adaptive sports program dedicated to improving the lives of anyone with physical disabilities.

Jess Youngblood, a Gauntlet adaptive athlete, said she is committed to giving it her all on the course.

“I was very active before all of this,” Youngblood said. “So being in the wheelchair is definitely a different experience. But I don’t let it slow me down.”

The first race kicks off at 8 a.m. and races will continue through 2 p.m.

Sen. Jan Hochadel (D-Meriden) on Friday welcomed a $581,256 state grant to fund the Middlefield Municipal Campus Connections project, improving pedestrian safety and connectivity around the town’s municipal campus.

The funding comes through the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Community Connectivity Grant Program, announced today by Governor Ned Lamont and Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto.

“Middlefield is a small, tight-knit community, and investments in how residents move through that community matter,” Senator Hochadel said. “Safer connections around the municipal campus make daily life better for the people who live there, and that’s what this program delivers. I’m grateful to Governor Lamont and Commissioner Eucalitto for making sure Middlefield was part of this investment.”

Since the program launched in 2019, 172 grants totaling more than $84 million have been invested in Connecticut communities.

Governor Lamont highlighted the broader impact of the program across Connecticut.

“This program cuts red tape and accelerates local infrastructure projects that make a real difference in people’s daily lives,” Governor Lamont said. “Across Connecticut with the support of this state program, communities are building accessible sidewalks, new bicycle connections, and stronger links to jobs, schools, and local businesses.”

Contact: Hugh McQuaid | Hugh.McQuaid@cga.ct.gov 

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HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — The Connecticut Department of Public Health (CTDPH) is alerting residents on Friday about a recall of Darice Timeless Minis decorative toys that were found to contain lead levels that violate the federal paint ban.

The CTDPH is urging residents to stop using the decorative toy products immediately. The recall applies to the red wagons, watering cans, and chairs, all of which pose a risk for lead poisoning, according to CTDPH officials.

The CTDPH said residents who have one of the recalled products should:

• Stop using the product immediately and dispose of it
• Contact your child’s healthcare provider to discuss whether lead testing is
• appropriate
• Report any injuries or illnesses associated with these products to the CPSC

“Lead poisoning is entirely preventable, and no level of lead exposure is safe for children,” Commissioner Manisha Juthani, M.D., said in a written statement. “We are asking every parent, caregiver, childcare provider, and healthcare professional in Connecticut to take this recall seriously. If you have these products in your home, stop using them immediately and throw them away. If you have any concern that your child may have been exposed, please contact your
healthcare provider and ask about lead testing. Acting quickly makes all the difference.”

The recall was issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).