Connecticut
Hartford HealthCare could acquire 2 Prospect hospitals by year end
After years of uncertainty regarding the future of the Connecticut hospitals owned by bankrupt operator Prospect Medical Holdings, two of the three facilities could have a new owner by the end of the year.
On Tuesday, Hartford HealthCare, one of Connecticut’s largest health systems, presented its case to the state’s Office of Health Strategy to purchase Manchester Memorial and Rockville General Hospitals. Under the new expedited approval timeline for hospitals in bankruptcy, state officials must issue a decision by Dec. 30.
During the public hearing, Hartford HealthCare CEO Jeffrey Flaks said the health system plans to bring all its expertise, resources and capabilities to Manchester, Rockville and the surrounding towns.
“The robust apparatus of Hartford HealthCare will be brought to these communities to make health care better. That’s why I’m so confident that we have this very unique opportunity to dramatically improve health care that will be here for generations going forward,” Flaks said.
Hartford HealthCare will spend $86.1 million to purchase the facilities and pledged to invest an additional $225.7 million towards capital improvements, like facility and IT upgrades, over the next three years.
Hartford HealthCare also plans to recruit new physicians to the Manchester and Rockville communities, as well as expand access to specialty care, like oncology, inpatient rehabilitation and vascular and orthopedic surgical services, according to the application submitted to the state.
If approved, the deal would serve as the first step towards concluding a lengthy search to find new buyers for Prospect’s Connecticut hospitals — a process that often seemed on the brink of failure.
In 2022, Prospect signed a deal to sell its three Connecticut hospitals — Manchester Memorial, Rockville General and Waterbury — to Yale New Haven Health for $435 million. But the deal was mired in setbacks and litigation.
In August 2023, a cyberattack crippled operations at Prospect’s facilities around the country. In 2024, Yale New Haven Health and Prospect Medical sued and countersued each other over the true value of the hospitals. In January 2025, Prospect filed for bankruptcy and, by the following month, Yale officials said a deal appeared “impossible.”
In September, Yale agreed to pay $45 million to Prospect to end all disputes over the hospitals’ sale.
Hartford HealthCare stepped in and its acquisitions of the Manchester and Rockville facilities could be finalized by the end of the year. Connecticut’s flagship academic medical institution, UConn Health, seems poised to acquire Waterbury Hospital. A judge for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Northern Texas approved the UConn deal earlier this week, and now the transaction must obtain state approval.
It’s a speedy transition for the three hospitals, whose ownership had languished in uncertainty for years.
While the Yale deal was pending, Lamont and OHS received broad criticism for the lengthy approval process. That led state legislators to approve a measure earlier this year that allows for an expedited timeline for the acquisition of hospitals that have filed for bankruptcy.
Under the emergency certificate of need timeline, OHS must issue a final decision within 60 days from when the application is deemed complete.
In an emailed statement, Lamont’s spokesperson Rob Blanchard said OHS “met all statutory timelines in the Yale-Prospect [certificate of need review]” and that the legal disputes between the two companies illustrate the transaction’s complexity.
“Yale’s decision to file suit against Prospect less than two months after the agreed settlement raised clear concerns about the parties’ readiness to close the deal. The disputes that prolonged the CON process are now evident in the lawsuit, countersuit, and resulting $45 million settlement,” Blanchard stated in emailed comments.
Erosion of services at Rockville
Despite the promise of new ownership for Prospect’s Connecticut hospitals, the formerly private equity-backed operator will leave a lasting imprint on the state’s hospital system — perhaps most notably in the erosion of services at Rockville General.
When Prospect acquired Eastern Connecticut Health Network, which includes Manchester Memorial and Rockville General Hospitals, both facilities were full-service acute care hospitals. Today, Rockville — which serves a geographic region that’s largely rural — functions as a satellite campus of Manchester, with only an emergency room and behavioral health unit.
A spokesperson for Prospect did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
Rep. Tammy Nuccio, R-Tolland, lays the blame for the diminishment of the hospital directly with the state.
“That’s OHS’s failure,” Nuccio said. “They allowed this to happen.”
A 2023 investigation by The Connecticut Mirror found that Prospect began cutting services during the early days of the pandemic, eventually shuttering most of Rockville’s inpatient units without obtaining the required state approvals. Records and employee testimony submitted to the state show that officials were aware of the unauthorized cuts going back as far as 2021.
In February 2022, OHS fined Prospect for some of the service cuts at Rockville, but the operator appealed the penalty. The agency ultimately found it did not have substantial evidence to penalize Prospect, and waived the fine.
In October 2024, OHS launched another investigation into the service cuts. In May of this year, Connecticut officials reached a settlement with Prospect Medical Holdings. OHS fined the operator $300,000, but the agreement also allowed Prospect to shutter all services at Rockville aside from the emergency room and behavioral health, officially making the facility a satellite campus of Manchester.
At the time, then-OHS commissioner Deidre Gifford issued a statement saying the agreement “protects critical resources” for patients and families in the area.
“The agreement also holds the Prospect applicants accountable to the community, requiring public notice of past terminations and development of a strategic plan for the consolidated hospital. The plan must be developed with community input and presented to the community in a public forum,” Gifford’s statement read.
Hartford HealthCare has said as of now they don’t expect service cuts at either Manchester or Rockville. But Nuccio said she’s suspicious based on the company’s history with Windham Hospital, which HHC acquired in 2009.
In 2015, Hartford HealthCare announced the conversion of Windham’s critical care unit to what’s known as a progressive care unit, which can’t handle the same complexity of care. Most recently, the company received strong pushback from the local community over the system’s decision to shutter Windham’s labor and delivery unit, which stopped performing births in 2020.
During the hearing on Tuesday, executives with HHC stated that the system improves the quality of care at all of the hospitals that join its system and that they are proud of the work done with former acquisitions. The company’s certificate of need application states that HHC invested hundreds of millions of dollars in facilities it acquired in the past, resulting in drastically improved quality of care for patients.
Tina Varona, a spokesperson for Hartford HealthCare, declined to make Flaks available for an interview after he testified in Tuesday’s hearing, saying he had to leave immediately.
“We are unable to comment outside of the testimony at this time due to the NDA and pending regulatory review,” Varona stated in an email follow-up after the hearing.
Following Tuesday’s hearing, Attorney General William Tong issued a statement saying he expected Hartford HealthCare to maintain services, including labor and delivery, intensive care and behavioral health. But he called on OHS to hold Hartford HealthCare to its promises.
“Expectations must be matched by accountability: Absent other legal impediments, I would urge the Office of Health Strategy to seek firm commitments to continue these vital services,” Tong said.
Vernon mayor Dan Champagne shared Nuccio’s sentiments in holding the state accountable for what happened to Rockville Hospital, particularly for how long officials took to approve the failed 2022 deal with Yale. But, he said, he’s grateful Rockville has not suffered the same fate as Prospect hospitals in Pennsylvania, which had to close because they couldn’t find a viable buyer.
Champagne said he understands skepticism of what an acquisition by a big hospital system could mean for Manchester and Rockville. But for him, Hartford HealthCare’s bid will guard against the most damaging result: closure of the hospitals and the flight of medical professionals from the communities.
“There are a lot of people who say, ‘big systems can sometimes lead to increased prices or closure of services,’” Champagne said. “We need to go back to what we’re facing here. I’m watching other hospital systems close from Prospect. We have an opportunity to keep this open. That’s the most important thing.”
Connecticut
Are You From a Connecticut Family That Eats Toad in the Hole?
Are you from a Connecticut family that grew up eating Toad in the Hole? If so, you probably know it as a quirky breakfast dish — an egg cooked right in a hole cut out of a slice of bread. Just to be clear, no toads were harmed — I simply couldn’t resist using an actual toad photo. But the story behind the name and the dish is a little stranger than you might think.
The original Toad in the Hole comes from England, where it’s a savory meal of sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding batter. No eggs, no toast, just sausages popping out of golden, fluffy batter — the name supposedly comes from the way the sausages peek out like toads in a pond.
When English families settled in New England, they brought culinary traditions with them, and over time, the dish evolved. In the U.S., particularly in some Connecticut households, Toad in the Hole became the breakfast version we know today: an egg nestled in bread, sometimes cooked in a skillet or baked. It’s a far cry from the original sausages-and-batter dish, but it kept the playful name and sense of whimsy.
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What’s fun is that the U.S. version is sometimes called “egg in a basket” or “egg in a hole” in other parts of the country, but in many Connecticut homes, it proudly keeps the Toad in the Hole moniker. For families with multi-generational ties to the state, this little breakfast dish is a taste of history, a nod to old English roots, and a perfect reminder of just how weird and wonderful Connecticut’s food traditions can be.
Before researching this, I’d never heard of it, but you’d better believe I’m making one of these this weekend — both the UK and U.S. versions.
Sources: Wikipedia & Food Science Institute
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Connecticut
Connecticut Gas Tax Holiday Proposal Stalls – We-Ha | West Hartford News
A spokesperson for the governor said the gas tax holiday remains an option ‘should gas prices continue to climb,’ but Lamont is not actively pursuing it due to lack of support from the legislature.
By Karla Ciaglo, CTNewsJunkie.com
On March 10, Gov. Ned Lamont proposed a temporary gas tax holiday to help Connecticut drivers amid rising fuel costs tied to global conflict, but the plan was met with mixed reviews and now appears to be in limbo.
While top Democrats urged immediate action using emergency authority, other legislative leaders and Republicans expressed concerns over timing, fiscal impact, and whether the savings would actually reach Connecticut residents.
Lamont’s proposal would suspend the state’s 25-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax — and potentially the roughly 49-cent diesel tax — as prices climbed following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and the resulting disruption to global oil markets. Despite the urgency, it lost traction among legislators.
Click here to read the rest of the article on CTNewsJunkie.com.
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Connecticut
Here are 8 Connecticut Easter egg hunts to bring the kids to this year
5 different ways Easter is celebrated around the world
Did you know that Easter isn’t always just celebrated with chocolate? Easter is marked very differently around the globe.
unbranded – Lifestyle
The arrival of spring means Easter is almost here – it falls on Sunday, April 5, this year.
With the holiday only two weeks away, Christians all over New England are preparing to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. However, for children, the holiday is significant for another reason: candy.
All across the country on Easter Sunday, children will hunt for hidden Easter eggs in hopes of finding a sweet treasure inside. Wondering where they can do so in Connecticut?
Here are eight Easter celebrations and egg hunts in Connecticut to bring the kids to this year.
Easter Egg Hunt at Olde Mistick Village
Head to Olde Mistick Village for its annual Easter egg hunt full of springtime fun. After hunting for eggs in the orchard, children can enjoy face painting at the duck pond, a petting zoo at Center Island and a meet-and-greet with the Easter Bunny in the Gazebo. Olde Mistick Village will also host a sensory easter egg handout in the Meeting House.
The entire free event will last from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, with designated egg hunt time slots for each age group. Be sure to check the times on Olde Mistick Village’s website. The outdoor shopping mall is located at 27 Coogan Blvd. in Mystic.
Easter Bunny Express
Looking for a unique way to celebrate Easter? Hop on the Railroad Museum of New England’s Easter Bunny Express for a fun celebration on wheels. Passengers will take a scenic train ride through the Litchfield Hills, stopping at the Bunny Patch for children to meet the Easter Bunny, hunt for rubber ducks and receive a chocolate-filled egg.
The 80-minute excursion aboard the Easter Bunny Express costs $25 for coach seats, $30 for premium coach seats or $39 for Governor’s Lounge seats, which include complementary snacks. Be sure to make reservations online in advance, as tickets usually sell out.
Trains will depart from 242 E Main St. in Thomaston at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on March 28-29 and April 3-4.
Dino Easter Egg Hunt
Nature’s Art Village is back with its 15th annual Dino Easter Egg Hunt at The Dinosaur Place. Children can explore the dinosaur trails as they hunt for colorful dinosaur eggs, which can be exchanged for a special goodie bag. Food trucks and the Easter Bunny will also be onsite.
Tickets, which include all-day access to the Dinosaur Park after the hunt, cost $28 for adults, $36 for children ages 2-12 or $20 for children under 2. The event will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 4, but be sure to check the website for the time slot for your child’s hunt.
Nature’s Art Village is located at 1650 Hartford-New London Tpke. in Montville.
Forest Egg Hunt Adventure
Adventurous children can gather eggs in the woods at Stamford Museum & Nature Center’s Forest Egg Hunt Adventure. Afterwards, kids can exchange their eggs for prizes, meet live animals and make crafts.
Member-only admission costs $22 per child, with free admission for two non-member adults included with the purchase of each ticket. The Forest Egg Hunt Adventure has 19 different sessions across March 27-29 and April 3-4, with a special glow in the dark egg hunt at night on Friday, April 3.
Stamford Museum & Nature Center is located at 39 Scofieldtown Road in Stamford.
Easter Egg-Roll at Roller Magic
Need to get the kids’ energy out? Take them to Roller Magic in Waterbury for a special Easter skate, complete with an Easter egg-roll and pictures with the Easter Bunny. Admission costs $13 per person, with skate rentals available for an additional $5.50.
Roller Magic’s Easter Egg-Roll Skate will take place from 12:30-6 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, and the skating rink will also host a Good Friday skate from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 3. Roller Magic is located at 60 Harvester Road in Waterbury.
Easter Egg Festival at Westbrook Outlets
Westbrook Outlets’ 28th annual Easter Egg Festival will not only include an egg hunt, but also a scavenger hunt, a bounce house, face painting, cake decorating and a wide selection of food and craft vendors. The free event will last from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, with egg hunts at noon for ages 1-3, 1 p.m. for ages 4-6 and 2 p.m. for ages 7-10.
The Easter Egg Festival will happen inside Suite D130 at Westbrook Outlets, located at 314 Flat Rock Place in Westbrook.
Goat Egg Hunt at March Farm
You’ve heard of goat yoga, but what about goat egg hunts? Got Your Goat is hosting its fourth annual “Got Your Goat?” Egg Hunt, this year at Bethlehem’s March Farm. Guests can arrive at any time during the egg hunt window to hunt for eggs alongside goats frolicking through the field. Once the children have collected up to 12 eggs, they can exchange them for prizes and spend quality time with baby goats.
Got Your Goat will host three specialty egg hunts this year: Saturday, March 28 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Sunday, March 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; and Friday, April 3 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The goat egg hunt costs $42 per person, though adults and non-hunting babies enter for free.
March Farm can be found at 160 Munger Lane in Bethlehem.
EverWonder Egg Scramble
Join EverWonder Children’s Museum for a re-imagined egg hunt full of golden eggs, an optional live animal experience, museum play and sensory-friendly options. EverWonder will host three different egg hunts: an Easter Egg Hunt for $10-20 at 9 a.m, 10:30 a.m. and noon on April 4; a flashlight egg hunt for $30 at 6:30 p.m. on March 27; and a sensory egg hunt for $13-15 at 9 a.m. on March 28.
All tickets for the 2026 Egg Scramble can be purchased online. EverWonder Children’s Museum is located at 11 Mile Hill Road Suite 1 in Newtown.
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