Connecticut

Gov. Lamont submits request seeking major disaster declaration after flooding

Published

1 year ago

September 9, 2024

Gov. Lamont submits request seeking major disaster declaration after flooding

Gov. Ned Lamont has formally submitted a request to President Joe Biden seeking a major disaster declaration after historic flooding that impacted Connecticut last month.

The governor’s office said the request comes after towns in Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven counties sustained massive damage after severe flooding on Aug. 18.

In the weeks after the flooding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, conducted a tour of damage in areas hit hard by the storms.

The major disaster declaration which would unlock funding sources specifically for home and business owners.

In his request, Lamont specifically requested approval of the Individual Assistance Program, which reimburses homeowners and businesses for some of the costs of repairing damage to uninsured private property.

The governor also requested funds through the Public Assistance Program, which reimburses state and local governments for some of the eligible costs of repairing damage to public property, including local roads, bridges, rail lines, critical infrastructure sites, schools, parks and other facilities.

In additional to these programs, Lamont also requested the implementation of FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which helps state agencies and local governments take actions that can reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from natural disasters.

Detailed assessments to document damages typically take several weeks to complete in order to calculate whether damage to infrastructure surpasses the required federal threshold. Lamont and his administration started the process immediately after the flooding, according to the governor’s office.

“People who live in the communities impacted by this historic storm are shaken as many of them have experienced significant damage to their homes and businesses and need support to rebuild and recover,” Lamont said. “My administration continues to work with the impacted areas to take the steps we need to ensure a speedy and full recovery.”

In his letter to Biden, Lamont notes that the FEMA preliminary damage assessment determined that the storm destroyed 19 homes.

Additionally, 170 homes suffered major damage, with an additional 133 homes deemed inaccessible, and 615 homes were found to have suffered minor damage per FEMA guidelines, with an additional 1,049 homes affected, the letter states.

The Small Business Administration’s preliminary damage assessment found that 77 businesses suffered major damages and 51 businesses received minor damages.

Connecticut Congressional delegation wrote to the president, asking him to grant the major disaster declaration.

“As the Governor’s disaster declaration request makes clear, the state and affected counties can demonstrate that they meet or exceed cost threshold requirements for a disaster declaration. We therefore urge you to swiftly grant Connecticut’s major disaster declaration request in order to help our state recoup losses and carry out the process of recovering,” the delegation wrote.

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Connecticut

Connecticut Science Center temporarily closed for burst pipe

Published

10 hours ago

January 31, 2026

Press Room

Connecticut Science Center temporarily closed for burst pipe

HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) – The Connecticut Science Center is temporarily closed for a burst pipe in the building.

As a result, the Science Center posted on Facebook saying they will be closed on Sunday, February 1.

“Our team has been working tirelessly to clean and restore the affected areas, but unfortunately, we will not be ready to reopen on Sunday,” they wrote.

The Science Center told anyone who pre-purchased tickets to use them on a future date or contact the office on Monday for a refund.

“We look forward to welcoming you back very soon,” said the Connecticut Science Center.

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Connecticut

Another cold weekend as biting winds gradually return

Published

22 hours ago

January 31, 2026

Press Room

Another cold weekend as biting winds gradually return

Temperatures are well below average again for Saturday with highs in the upper teens and lower 20s.

Winds will start to increase through tonight, eventually gusting up to 35 miles per hour on Sunday.

Temperatures will feel like -10 to -20 through Sunday morning with a biting wind out of the north.

Sunday is cloudy, but Connecticut will stay dry as a strong snowstorm misses us well to the southeast.

High temperatures will lift into the 30s by Monday, and we’ll stay there through next week.

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Connecticut

Connecticut lawmakers looking at reforms to DCF, homeschooling

Published

1 day ago

January 30, 2026

Press Room

Connecticut lawmakers looking at reforms to DCF, homeschooling

Lawmakers say they’re working on reforms to a child welfare agency that’s been in the spotlight for the past 12 months.

Rep. Corey Paris (D-Stamford), who co-chairs the Children’s Committee, said that the reform package could include training, oversight, and even more funding for staffing and resources.

“When the state steps into a family’s life, the bar has to be set extraordinarily high and right now, quite frankly, there are places where we need to do better,” Paris said Friday.

The legislature begins its session on Wednesday.

His comments came as the mother and aunt of Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia had court dates this week, both charged in Connecticut with the death of the 11-year-old girl.

New Britain police found her remains in October, but believe she may have been dead for as long as a year before that.

DCF had been monitoring Torres-Garcia, raising questions about whether it had done enough to protect her.

That incident came roughly eight months after a 32-year-old man named “S” claimed he started a fire in his Waterbury home to bring attention to decades of neglect and abuse.

He and his family also had contact with DCF.

Sen. Jonathan Perillo, (R-Shelton), agrees with Paris that lawmakers need to look at reforms.

He wants to see an end to virtual visits, an issue in Torres-Garcia’s case.

Both lawmakers said they’re talking with DCF about what other changes are needed to avoid similar occurrences.

Paris was vague on details, though, saying he’s still trying to build a consensus with Republicans, advocates, and DCF.

The lawmakers said the problem is deeper than the two high-profile incidents.

A state auditor’s report in June raised concern that DCF lost track of children 3,700 times between fiscal years 2021 and 2023.

Lawmakers could also look at more oversight of homeschool families.

Many states require homeschool families to bring their children for an annual visit to a local school, checking in with a mandatory reporter. Connecticut does not.

Interim Child Advocate Christina Ghio renewed calls in March to change that, saying abusive families can minimize contact with mandatory reporters by claiming they are homeschooling their children.

That’s what happened when Matthew Tirado died in 2017, and that allegedly happened in the case of “S.”

Rep. Jennifer Leeper (D-Fairfield), who co-chairs the Education Committee, said lawmakers are looking into the issue, though no proposal has been drafted yet.

She said she’s trying to find a balance, but she wants to ensure that state laws ensure children are safe and are getting a quality education.

“Almost every other state has a more robust system to ensure children’s both well-being and also educational attainment and that those families, too, are enjoying a really meaningful and flexible and self-directed homeschooling experience,” she said.

Perillo said the legislature should focus on DCF reforms.

“DCF is the authority here, and DCF has been the home of systemic problems for decades,” he said.

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