Waterbury City Guide

WATERBURY 2023 City Guide

Epic Brownfield Projects

Cleaning toxic industrial sites around the city has been Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary’s intense focus for the past decade. Now, after years of collaborating with state and federal partners, the dominos are beginning to topple. Anamet has been flattened, Anaconda Brass has been bulldozed, Nova Dye has been leveled, and Waterbury Button has a bullseye on it. Sins of the past are being remediated, and now is the time to imagine a new Waterbury. Whether you believe it or not, the process has begun.

January 20th, 2023

January 20th, 2023

Dear Friends,

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

Welcome to the 7th Edition of The Waterbury Observer’s City Guide.

Welcome to the 13th edition of The Waterbury Observer’s City Guide.

Welcome to the 13th edition of The Waterbury Observer’s City Guide.

The City Guide, published annually, is a valuable reference with a wealth of information on City departments, businesses and neighborhood associations.

The City Guide, published annually, is a valuable reference with a wealth of information on City departments, businesses and neighborhood associations.

In addition to services you will also find restaurant and entertainment options available in greater Waterbury.

The City Guide, published annually, is a valuable reference with a wealth of information on City departments, businesses, and neighborhood associations. In addition to services you will also find restaurant and entertainment options available in the greater Waterbury area.

In addition to services you will also find restaurant and entertainment options available in greater Waterbury.

I encourage you to pick up a copy of the City Guide, leaf through it, and discover the variety that Waterbury has to offer.

I encourage you to take a copy of the City Guide, leaf through, and discover the variety that Waterbury has to offer.

I encourage you to pick up a copy of the City Guide, leaf through it, and discover the variety that Waterbury has to offer.

Sincerely,

Neil M. O’Leary Mayor, City of Waterbury

Welcome To Waterbury

In 2020 Waterbury was named the #1 Most Affordable Suburb With a City Feel in the United States

The city of Waterbury, with a population of 113,811 and acreage of 28.96 square miles, is the largest city in the Central Naugatuck Valley Region, the fifth largest city in the state and the ninth largest in New England. Located in the region’s geographic center, the city offers a variety of regional retail, commercial, health, education and social services. The city is also located along the Naugatuck River, Interstate 84 (Yankee Expressway) and Route 8, and has a Metro-North railroad station with connections to Grand Central Terminal and is situated 77 miles (about 90 minutes) away from New York City.

Waterbury lies in the humid continental climate zone, and normally sees cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. Waterbury was once known as the “Brass City” because of its long history as the center of the nation’s brass industry and it is now home to citizens of diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds.

Today Waterbury is taking steps to build a sustainable future that makes the links between transportation, housing and the environment so

that neighborhoods are livable and walkable. With the presence of a skilled and educated regional workforce, affordable real estate, and the convenience and culture of city life balanced by the nearby rural beauty of the country and riverside, Waterbury continues to be known for its advanced technology capabilities, historic architecture and facades, and most importantly, its strong communities, culture and neighborhoods.

Downtown Revitalization

Waterbury offers affordability and oneof-a-kind urban planning. With well over 150 businesses located within its boundaries, which include professional offices, restaurants, entertainment venues, educational facilities, and retail establishments. The central business district offers elegantly refurbished brownstones and turn-of-the-century architecture with affordable housing opportunities, retail and office space.

Main Street Waterbury

The National Main Street Center has

recognized Main Street Waterbury as a National Main Street Community by granting Program Accreditation for “outstanding accomplishments toward the goal of downtown revitalization.” This recognition is presented based on the results of work done and progress made in the preceding year.

Mission Statement: Advocate, educate, and collaborate for downtown revitalization to enhance downtown through the Main Street four point program focus on economic restructuring, promotion, organization and design.

Vision Statement: Easily accessible regional center and downtown neighborhood to learn, live, work and play.

Main Street Waterbury

83 Bank Street Waterbury, CT 06721

Contact: Carl Rosa, Executive Director Phone: 203-757-0701 ext.302

www.mainstreetwaterbury.com www.vibesafterfive.com www.brasscitybrewfest.com

Waterbury Development Corporation

The Waterbury Development Corporation is the premier economic development agency servicing the City of Waterbury. WDC provides direct business financing as well as recommends technical assistance providers, financial counseling and site selection information.

Waterbury Development Corporation

24 Leavenworth Street Waterbury, CT 06702

Phone: 203-346-2607

Downtown Merchants Association

The Downtown Merchants Association is a free forum for all merchants in Waterbury’s central business district to share ideas and work together to improve our mercantile area. The association strives to unite the Waterbury community through updates on upcoming events and opportunities to participate in making downtown more prosperous..

Downtown Merchants Association

158 Grand Street Waterbury, CT 06702

Phone: 203-757-2279

Education

In addition to the public school system Waterbury also has a number of non-public, private, and parochial K-12 schools as well as five institutions of higher education.

UConn Waterbury

The University of Connecticut’s Waterbury campus serves more than 1,000 students annually. In its sixty years of operation, UConn Waterbury has opened the doors to educational access and excellence to thousands of Connecticut residents, many of whom have distinguished themselves in the fields of community service, business, education, law and politics. Today, the campus is located in a modern, state-ofthe art facility in the heart of downtown Waterbury.

University of Connecticut at Waterbury

99 East Main Street Waterbury, CT 06702

Phone 203-236-9800

www.waterbury.uconn.edu

Western Connecticut State University

Waterbury is located on the campus of Naugatuck Valley Community College.

It offers a convenient location for students in the Greater Waterbury area to take the same academic programs for a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in management or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The same classes are offered n Waterbury as those in Danbury, so Western students may take classes at both locations. All courses are conveniently scheduled to accommodate working students, and are taught by Western’s faculty members.

Western Connecticut State University

750 Chase Parkway, Ekstrom Hall 627 Waterbury, CT 06708

Phone: 203-596-8777

www.wcsu.edu/waterbury

Naugatuck Valley Community College

At Naugatuck Valley Community College, students learn in technologically advanced classrooms amid beautiful, safe surroundings that are conveniently located at exit 18 off of I-84 in Waterbury. The College offers more than 100 accredited programs leading to associate degrees

or professional certification and more than 100 non-credit courses to sharpen proficiencies and improve employable skills.

As a member of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (ConnSCU), NVCC offers its students the most affordable prices in higher education and the opportunity to complete their first two years of college right here in Waterbury. Plus, NVCC students receive free unlimited rides on city buses, which makes it easy to get to class day or night. For students looking to complete a bachelor’s degree or beyond, NVCC also offers full credit transfer to Connecticut State Universities, Charter Oak and more.

NVCC is the only Connecticut community college to offer associate degree programs in aviation science, horticulture, and visual and performing arts (dance option). The campus is also home to unique facilities including two theaters, a freestanding greenhouse, an observatory, many teaching and learning gardens and the new Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center. All students have access to the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE ) for tutoring seven days a week, computer use, English as a Second Language help, research assistance,

a specialized Math lab and writing center.

Through NVCC’s Bridge to College programs, the College provides early intervention, mentoring programs and academic support services to at-risk students, ensuring the completion of high school, matriculation and college graduation. We are proud to be the first Connecticut community college to grant more than 1,200 associate degrees and certificates at commencement in May 2014.

NVCC alumni become productive employees, raising families and helping to make the Waterbury community economically stronger to live, work and thrive in. Our students find work through the Job Placement Center where they learn how to write a resume, practice their interview skills, attend job fairs and connect with employers who are actively hiring interns or employees. They continue to give back to their College and their community through volunteerism, civic action and annual giving. To learn more about attending your community college, visit www.nv.edu or call us for a tour.

Naugatuck Valley Community College 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, CT 06708 Phone: 203 575-8000

Holy Land USA looms over the South End of Waterbury. Photograph by John Murray

Post University

Celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2015, Post University provides students with the knowledge, personal skills and experience required to be leaders in their chosen fields. Located on a 58 acre campus in Waterbury, Post University offers a wide array of undergraduate and graduate degree programs for on-campus and online students of all ages, and is known for its quality, career-driven academic programs, small classes, and competitive NCAA Division II athletics.

The University’s full- and parttime resident, commuter, and online students come from the United States and abroad, and are supported by faculty whose mission is to prepare students to compete and succeed in today’s global workplace. To learn more about Post University, call 800.345.2562, or visit www.Post.edu or http://blog. post.edu.

Post University

800 Country Club Road

Waterbury, CT 06723

Phone: (800) 345-2562 www.Post.edu

Waterbury Public Schools

Approximately 17,000 children attend the Waterbury Public Schools which consists of 19 elementary schools, two Interdistrict magnet schools, three middle schools, three high schools, one alternative education school and one learning center.

Waterbury Public Schools

Superintendent’s Office

236 Grand Street Waterbury, CT 203-574-8000

www.waterbury.k12.ct.us

Non-public, private, and parochial K-12 schools can be viewed through the City of Waterbury’s web site - www. waterbury-ct.gov

Al Yaqeen Academy, Alpha&Omega Christian Academy , Blessed Sacrament Catholic Day School, Chase Collegiate School, Childrens Community School, School Of Norwalk/waterbury Site, Holy Cross High School, Lighthouse Christian Academy, Our Lady Of Mount Carmel School, Sacred Heart High School, St Peter & Paul School, St Mary School, St. Francis Xavier School, Stepping Stones School, Waterbury Christian Academy, Wee Care Nursery & Day Care, and Yeshiva K’tana Of Waterbury

Quality of Life

Waterbury is conveniently located at the crossroads of Interstate 84 and Route 8 in one of the most historic and beautiful areas of the country. Approximately one-third of the nation’s total population is within a 500-mile radius. Known as the “Brass City” because of its long history as the center of the nation’s brass industry, With a population of over 113,000

people Waterbury is the metropolitan center of a thirteen-town region known as the Central Naugatuck Valley Region (CNVR).

Centrally located, this Southern New England City is less than two hours away from New York City, Boston and Providence. The region is widely recognized for its abundant and affordable housing and the city’s neighborhoods offer a wide variety of style and price. Housing costs are competitive and currently below the state average. With comfortable twobedroom condominiums and threebedroom homes available in a family neighborhood setting, you’re sure to find accommodations to meet your needs.

For more information, the National Association of Realtors maintains a website known as realtor.com at: www. realtor.com - a comprehensive source for realtors and homes in Connecticut.

One of the unique and interesting aspects of life in Waterbury is its strong sense of community. Waterbury counts as its strengths its ethnic diversity and strong neighborhood associations. Waterbury is proud of the many neighborhood-based community groups that actively promote quality of life for their residents. This type of enthusiasm creates a positive atmosphere in which to live, work and raise a family. Senior Resources are also listed for your reference. Other community resources that provide

activities and programs for local families and youths are available below.

Senior Resources

East End Senior Center

117 Southmayd Road

Waterbury, CT 06705

Phone: 203.757.1307

Meals on Wheels is the most recognized name brand of senior nutrition programs. But other senior meal programs by various names are in many communities in the U.S. and around the world and often go by names other than Meals on Wheels (a generic term generally reserved for home delivered meal programs). While Meals on Wheels programs are delivered to the home, seniors may also find congregate meal programs at local senior centers, churches, or community centers.

Meals on Wheels

232 North Elm Street

Waterbury, CT 06704

Phone: 203-756-5261

South Waterbury Senior Citizens

South Congregational Church

160 Piedmont Street

Waterbury, CT 06706

Phone: 203-754-8154

Transportation provided for Waterbury senior citizens for medical visits, shopping and recreation.

The Chase Municipal Building on Grand Street was once the world headquarters of Chase Brass. Photograph by John Murray

Door-to-door service is offered at no additional cost. Van is lift-equipped for seniors who are disabled. The shuttle transports Waterbury seniors to all Waterbury doctors and medical services, including medical buildings in Prospect and Middlebury.

Waterbury Senior Shuttle

Phone: 203-757-5355

Hours: Reservations: M-F: 9am-12noon

Fees: Donation requested Eligibility Requirements: Resident of Waterbury; Ages 60+; Call in advance

New Opportunities’ Elder Services Division offers older citizens a variety of supportive programs which provide everything from affordable household help on a sliding scale, nutrition services including Meals On Wheels, fuel assistance, subsidized volunteer opportunities and more. Age requirements vary from 55 and above to 65 plus, depending on the individual

program.

Animeals, BRASS (Bringing Resources to Action to Serve Seniors), CHORE, Comprehensive Outreach Project for Elders (COPE), Emergency Response System - VoiceCare, Foster Grandparents Program, InHome Services, Meals On Wheels, MedSmart, Money Management Program, RSVP, Senior Cafe, Senior Companions, Senior Dine, Senior Nutrition Hotline, Tribury Friendly Visitors

NOI Elder Services 232 North Elm St., 3rd Floor Waterbury, CT 06702

T: 203-575-4268

Elder@NewOppInc.org

Community Resources

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Waterbury is one of the oldest Clubs in America, Established in 1888, the Club has been serving Waterbury youth for 125 years. The Club’s goals stem from

Girls Inc. of SWCT offers both summer and after school programs in safe, girlonly empowerment zones. Each girl can learn, explore, create, and interact with their peers and overcome any challenges. Service area spans from the Greater Greenwich to Greater Waterbury area, including cities such as Stamford, Greater Norwalk, Weston, Bridgeport, Watertown, Prospect and Beacon Falls.

Girls Incorporated of Greater Waterbury

35 Park Place

Waterbury, CT 06702

Phone: 203-756-4639

www.girlsincswct.com

Waterbury Youth Service System, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization committed to providing services that promote the overall wellbeing of children, youth and families who reside in Waterbury Connecticut and the 11 surrounding towns.

Waterbury Youth Service has grown to include a wide range of programming and services for children, youth and families and has a diverse client base representative of the demographic makeup of the area. Many services target at risk youth; extensive programming that is non-targeted and open to any youth who desires to participate. Programming and services for children, youth and parents treat the family as a whole.

Waterbury Youth Service System, Inc.

83 Prospect Street, Waterbury CT 06702

Contact: Kathi Crowe, Executive Director Phone: 203-573-0264

www.waterburyyouthservices.org

our Mission and the goals are for all youth to have a positive self-identity, community involvement, health & wellbeing, a well-rounded moral compass and educational, employment, social, emotional and cultural competencies by the age of eighteen. The Club does this by promoting the development of young people by instilling a sense of competence, a sense of usefulness, a sense of belonging and a sense of power or influence.

Boys and Girls Club of Greater Waterbury

1037 East Main Street

Waterbury, CT, 06705

Phone: 203-756-8104

www.bgcgwater.org

Girls Inc. provide girls with strategies to overcome social, intellectual, and economic challenges while helping empower them to be the change agents for the coming generations. Open six days a week during the school year,

The YMCA is a membership organization open to all people; it welcomes women and men, girls and boys of all ages, races, ethnicities, religions, abilities and financial circumstances. YMCA programs and branches embrace diversity, reflecting the needs and composition of the community and embody a commitment to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and fostering responsibility.

YMCA

136 West Main Street Waterbury, CT. 06702

Phone: 203-754-2181

Fax: 203-754-9095

www.waterburyymca.org

Healing

Greater Waterbury has two major teaching hospitals, The Waterbury Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital, with a total of over 600 beds. Both are equipped with Level II trauma centers, have emergency helicopter pads and both are affiliated with Yale University School of Medicine. The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, a partnership between St. Mary’s Hospital and Waterbury Hospital, is home to a collaboration

The Republican-American clock tower is one of the most iconic buidlings in New England and the Pape Family deserves credit for maintaining the structure for the past 60 years. Photograph by John Murray

outpatient cancer services and resources of both hospitals including: outpatient radiation and chemotherapy treatments, oncology consultations and patient and family support services. Services include: education programs, nutrition counseling and pastoral care.

Most recently both hospitals formed their second partnership to create The Heart Center, an advanced cardiac care program, offering patients at St. Mary’s and Waterbury Hospital immediate access to a complete range of cardiac services, including angioplasty and open heart surgery. Approximately 400 licensed physicians in all major health fields serve the region’s hospitals and clinics. Multiple ambulance services with trained paramedical personnel provide emergency services.

Today, more than 3,700 of your neighbors and friends are hard at work caring for you, your family and our community. Both hospitals continue to expand their network of services, forging alliances with other key health care providers and exploring new ways to comfort and cure. The Orthopedics Center for Joint Reconstruction at Waterbury Hospital ranks in the top 5% for orthopedic care, garnering five star ratings for hip and knee replacement, back and neck surgery, including spinal fusion and overall orthopedic care.

St. Mary’s has combined wellness and convenience through a wellness

outpatient facility. The 5,500 sq. foot building is the new home of St. Mary’s Outpatient Physical Therapy Center and includes Sleep Disorder Laboratories.

In addition, the Waterbury Region has numerous licensed residential care homes, nursing centers, assisted living facilities and retirement communities.

St. Mary’s Hospital

56 Franklin Street

Waterbury, CT 06706

Phone: 203-709-6000

Waterbury Hospital

64 Robbins Street

Waterbury, CT 06708

Phone: 203-573-6000

www.waterburyhospital.org

The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center

1075 Chase Parkway

Waterbury, CT. 06708

Phone: 203-575-5555

www.leevercancercenter.org

Heart Center of Greater Waterbury Hospital

1075 Chase Parkway

Waterbury, CT 06708

Phone: 203-575-1992

www.heartcentergw.org

Entertainment

The Palace Theater is a majestic, landmark theater that first opened

in 1922. After hosting all the greatest names in entertainment history for almost sixty years, it closed in the late 1980s, following the fate of many similar theaters of its day. It was saved from the wrecking ball and reopened in 2005 amid great fanfare after undergoing an extensive $30 million restoration transforming it into a state-of- the-art performing arts facility. Boasting a 5,000 square foot stage, a 2,600-seat main hall, an intimate dining space that can accommodate up to 80 for dinner, a grand staircase, and several ornate lobby spaces, this presenting theater offers the national tours of Broadway shows, headline acts and emerging new talent in music and comedy, family and education entertainment. The Palace has become one of the area’s most desirable venues offering outstanding entertainment choices and a unique backdrop for all your special events and receptions.

Palace Theater

100 East Main Street

Waterbury, CT 06702 Phone: 203-346.2000

www.palacetheaterct.org

The Seven Angels Theatre produces a Main stage series of quality professional plays and musicals from fall through spring. Seven Angels also presents a summer theatre series, children’s theatre and cabaret concerts.

In addition, Seven Angels Theatre runs the Stage II Community Theatre, the Seven Angels Youth Company, a Summer Theatre Camp, and a summer program for “at risk” inner city youths. Also offered are workshops, classes and apprenticeships.

Seven Angels Theatre

1 Plank Road, Hamilton Park

P.O. Box 3358, Waterbury, CT 06705 Box Office: 203-757-4676

The Waterbury Symphony Orchestra (WSO) founded in May 1938 under the direction of Maestro Mario DiCecco, has spent the past several decades promoting the understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of symphonic and orchestral music. Originally incorporated as the Waterbury Civic Orchestra (1940), the Symphony and its mission have grown in both vision and artistic merit, expanding from a community orchestra to the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra (1956). By the early 1970s, it became the only fully-professional symphony in Connecticut. The WSO is now led by Leif Bjaland, Musical Director and Conductor since 1994.

The Symphony draws over 100 talented musicians from across New England to perform in our concert series at the Naugatuck Valley Community College Fine Arts Center in Waterbury

Part of the hillside neighborhood in Waterbury as seen from the edge of Town Plot. Photograph by John Murray

and various locations throughout Litchfield County.

Waterbury Symphony Orchestra

110 Bank Street, Waterbury, CT 06720

Phone: 203-574-4283

www.waterburysymphony.org

The Mattatuck Museum, located on the Green in downtown Waterbury, is a treasure house of collections focusing on over three centuries of the heritage of the region and the master artists of Connecticut. The museum houses a 300-seat performing arts center, an art studio classroom, and a research library. The Mattatuck Museum was established as the Mattatuck Historical Society in 1877 to preserve the history of that part of Connecticut “anciently known as Mattatuck” - roughly the ten town region surrounding present-day Waterbury. The Mattatuck Museum

collects, preserves, studies, and exhibits American art and history with a focus on the art and cultural history of Connecticut.

For more than two decades the Mattatuck Museum has been identified as a leader in youth educational programs, services, and outreach, receiving regional recognition and state awards. It also offers an extensive and varied calendar of Gallery Talks, Lectures, Programs, Tours, Trips, and Events.

Mattatuck Museum

144 West Main Street, Waterbury, CT 06702 Phone: 203-753-0381

www.mattatuckmuseum.org

The Waterbury Chorale brings outstanding choral music to the Greater Waterbury area, while providing an opportunity for amateur and semi-

1996 by Emily Mattina and Jeffrey Lapham, with a mission to educate and inspire students, families, and theater professionals through the arts. The nonprofit organization is headquartered on Bank Street in the heart of downtown Waterbury.

Shakesperience Productions

117 Bank Street

Waterbury, CT 06702

Phone: 203-754-2531

Waterbury Movie Theaters: Apple Cinemas

920 Wolcott Street, Waterbury, CT 06705

Phone: 203-295-7777

www.applecinemas.com

Affordable matinee and evening tickets for adults and kids. Interesting film options.

Recreation

Waterbury has a wide variety of outdoor recreational opportunities for you to enjoy. A number of parks, golf courses and other recreation facilities are sure to satisfy even the most discriminating person’s needs.

It’s also recognized as a regional destination for shopping. From the “Magical Retail Mile” on Wolcott Street/Lakewood Road to the first rate Brass Mill Center Mall and Commons to our bustling downtown district you’re sure to find a variety of activities to suit your fancy.

Waterbury is also known for its top quality dining establishments. Whether looking for a quiet dinner for two or family style restaurant you’re sure to satisfy your culinary desires.

professional singers to enjoy the performance of great musical literature. The Chorale, now in its 45th year, performs a wide range of repertoire, from established masterworks to varied programs of contemporary music and music from other cultures. The Waterbury Chorale

Post Office Box 36 Middlebury, CT 06762 Phone: (860) 274-0577

www.waterburychorale.org

Shakesperience is a professional theater company located in Connecticut that reaches a Northeast audience of adults and students alike with outdoor and in-studio performances, Saturday and private acting classes, school & camp tours, and residencies. Shakesperience was founded in

For information on entertainment and tourism destinations contact the Northwest Connecticut Convention & Visitors Bureau located by web at www.northwestct.com, by phone at 203-597-9527.

Approximately 902 acres of municipal park property are located in Waterbury. Included in the many parks and playgrounds are 42 tennis courts, 35 softball and baseball fields, and a public lake with a swimming beach. The City of Waterbury’s Municipal Stadium is the perfect venue to take in a variety of High School, College and professional sporting events.

Waterbury Parks Dept: 203-574-6793

Children’s Programs: 203-574-8292

• Bunker Hill Park, 265 Bunker Hill Avenue • Bucks Hill Park, Montoe Road • Fulton Park, Cooke Street • Hamilton Park, East Main • Lakewood Park, Lakewood Road • Murray Park, Leone Street •

The annual Christmas tree lighting in downtown Waterbury is always a terrific community event. In 2022 ten-year-old Nathanael Riccio was chosen to turn on the lights. On November 18th, 2022 he was adopted by Waterbury teachers Jenna and Timothy Riccio. His nickname is Nate the Great and he rode from City Hall to the Green on a horse and carriage driven by John Allegra, of Allegra Farms. There was authentic holiday magic in downtown Waterbury. Photograph by John Murray

Mission Statement

The mission of the Town Clerk’s Office is to preserve and protect official city records and to provide a wide range of public services professionally and efficiently.

OFFICE OF THE TOWN CLERK

Core Functions

The Office of the Town Clerk is comprised of three departments. The Town Clerk’s Office manages the City’s land records, issues absentee ballots and performs election related duties pursuant to the Connecticut General Statutes, records military discharge records, notary public certificates, liquor permits, justices of the peace, landlord and property registrations, trade name certificates, other notary services, and records various miscellaneous documents. The Vital Statistics Office records and certifies birth, death, and marriage certificates, amends vital records, issues marriage licenses, and issues burial and cremation permits. The Printing and Mail division provides a variety of printing services to all municipal offices including citywide mailings, specialty printing, professional binding, mail sorting and postage management.

Antoinette “Chick” Spinelli Town Clerk

Town Plot Park, Rosemont Avenue • Washington Park, 283 Sylvan Avenue • Waterville Park, 1443 Thomaston

Avenue •Woodtick Recreation Area, Nichols Road, Wolcott

• Municipal Stadium Chase Park, 150 Sunnyside Avenue

•Waterbury East Mountain Park, Route 69

There are two 18-hole municipal courses and a private course located in Waterbury.

Western Hills Golf Course Park Road, Waterbury 203-756-1211

East Mountain Golf Course 171 East Mountain Road, 203-753-1425

Private Golf Course Country Club of Waterbury

Oronoke Road Waterbury, CT 067202 203-756-6644

Recreation Centers: Chase Park House 150 Sunnyside Avenue

Waterbury, CT 06708 203-574-8292

North End Recreation Center 262 North Main Street Waterbury, CT 06702 203-574-8294

River Baldwin Recreation Center

135 East Liberty Street Waterbury, CT 06706 203-574-8342

Washington Park House 283 Sylvan Avenue Waterbury, CT 06706 203-574-8297

Waterville Recreation Center 1433 Thomaston Avenue

Waterbury, CT 06704 203-574-8352

Rail

Metro-North Railroad provides rail service from Waterbury to Grand Central Station and New Haven as well as other locations.

Phone: 800-638-7646 www.mta.nyc.ny.us

Madre Latina Inc.

www.madre-latian.com

Madre Latina Inc., is a 501(c) 3 non profit organization based in Waterbury, Connecticut and surrounding areas. We were founded in November 2011 and attained nonprofit status in 2013. We initially began as a support group for Latina Mothers quickly turned into a philanthropic group. We offer many opportunities to our participants to connect through various networking mixers, professional development workshops, group mentoring activities, health and wellness and much more.

Madre Latina Inc., help Latinas banish insecurities and break barriers. Madre Latina educates, connects and empowers Latinas to rise to their full potential. Our programs and meetings are held monthly, quarterly and yearly, in person and virtually, offering our community the opportunity to build a Network for Latinas.

For more information visit: www.madre-latina. com/ office: 475-235-2044

Afro Caribbean Cultural Center

The Afro Caribbean Cultural Center is regarded as a pioneer in the field and an authentic source of the historic living traditions of Taino/afrodescendent communities in the Greater Waterbury

area. Offering a variety of arts, theater, and cultural arts programming. The Center offers free Arts & Cultural Workshops (Tuesday’s & Thursdays) and Theater plays, film festivals, and musical theatre reviews.

It partners with all of the major arts and cultural institutions in Waterbury, 7 Angels Theatre, Mattatuck Museum, Silas Bronson Library, the Palace Theater and offers enrichment programming at ACEs at Chase Magnet School. Other programs include Restorative Justice: Peace Keeper trainings, and the formation of a Taino Learning Community individuals of Taino descent who want to learn more about their Taino roots, culture and its language. It hosts annually the Taino Remembrance Day / Indigenous Peoples Day, and an annual Arts/Bomba Festival in August. The centers philosophy is all about multigenerational learning youth and adults learning and participating in all of their programs together, a true family environment. This summer they will launch a youth Arts & Cultural Summer Program for Waterbury youth ages 8 - 13 years old.

Afro Caribbean Cultural Center

174 Grand Street

Waterbury, CT 06702

www.taino-nation.org or info@taino-nation.org

(Most classes and workshops are free but require registration.)

The Role Models led a rennovation of Martin Luthur King Park in Waterbury this past summer and New Britain artist Jordan Jones created this stunning mural on a basketball court.

Photograph by Derek Ward

Bureau of Refuse

(203) 574-6857

Roy Thompson, Acting Supervisor

Central Vehicle Maintenance

(203) 574-6965

Mario Ferrucci, Supervisor

Bureau of Streets

(203) 574-8261

Brian O’Donnell, Supervisor

Bureau of Golf

(203) 574-6793

Christian Mauro, Golf Course Superintendent

Bureau of Public Buildings

(203) 574-6860

Bureau of Recreation

(203) 574-6793

Victor Cuevas, Supervisor

Bureau of Parks

(203) 574-6793

John Kollar, Supervisor

Department of Engineering

(203) 574-6851

Roy Cavanaugh, City Engineer

Director of Public Works David B. Simpson

Deputy Director of Public Works Mark Lombardo

Deputy Director of Public Works Pat Mulvehill

Mira

Gisela Medina

Waterbury Senior Center

“Now is the time for you to take advantage of all the resources that our City has to offer!”

The Waterbury Senior Center is a “one stop shop” for Waterbury residents 60 and over. The Senior Center hosts programs like:

 nutrition and wellness seminars

 fitness classes plus a fitness room

 weekly blood pressure screenings

 arts, crafts, and music lessons

 a pool hall

 a weekly lunch program

 and much more!

Participation in these programs and services can help you feel empowered, while improving your mind, body, and spirit. We aim to keep you informed and involved in your community. We can also provide you and your family with information about local agencies and services. The Waterbury Senior Center staff invites you to visit and explore all that the senior center has to offer. If you need transportation to the Center, please call us. We hope to see you soon!

Waterbury Senior Center 1985 East Main Street St., Waterbury, CT 06705

203-574-6746 www.waterburyct.org/seniorservices

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The Transformation

Brownfields Crushed To Make Way For Waterbury’s Future

Story and Photographs

By John Murray

Massive piles of twisted steel, brick and concrete lay along Freight Street, Mill Street and South Main Street in Waterbury. Anyone driving past these heaps of industrial debris can be forgiven for thinking they were cruising through a war zone.

The Waterbury Button factory crumpling in the South End looks like it has been surgically cleaved open by a missile strike.

Despite the unsightly appearance, Waterbury is not a war zone, but is engaged in a battle with its storied industrial past. Gone are the clock and watch factories. The three largest brass factories in the world went dormant four decades ago leaving toxic Brownfields in their wake.

Scovill Brass was leveled and transformed into the Brass Mill Mall in the 1990s, Chase Brass in the Waterville section is now home to new industries that coveted its infrastructure, and Anaconda Brass on Freight Street is now in the final stages of demolition, and entering the remediation phase. What the

Anaconda site can become in the future largely depends on the level of toxins in the ground.

The Anamet site in the heart of the South End has been demolished and is currently out to bid for developers who covet the open space at the intersection of Route 8 and I-84.

The complicated process of transitioning the burnt remnants of Nova Dye on Mill Street into a new park and sports complex has taken a decade, but South End kids will be playing baseball on a new field in a year.

It is not an overstatement to proclaim that Waterbury is currently undergoing its most significant transformation in 50 years.

Yes, it’s an ugly process, and yes, it’s a painfully slow one.

No one knows this better than Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary, a sometimes charming, sometimes bruising old school politician who makes things happen.

Love him or not, and there are plenty of people in both camps, Neil O’Leary has dominated the political process as effectively as any mayor in the city. Originally promising to seek only four

Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary and his wife, Kathy O’Leary, in December 2019.

All but one building on the Anamet property, sandwiched between South Main Street and the Naugatuck River, was flattened to make way for a soon-to-be announced project.

Demolition of the old Anaconda Brass Companyalong Freight Street in Waterbury.

years in office, O’Leary is in the homestretch of his 12th year at the helm of City Hall. He is the longest continuously serving mayor in Waterbury history.

And it’s taken him all of those 12 years to pull the current transformation through the bureaucratic labyrinth of obtaining property titles, and snaring tens of millions of state and federal dollars for demolition and remediation work.

When historians look back on the reign of Neil O’Leary as mayor, it will be his Brownfield remediation work that will shine brightest. He hurled himself into Brownfield issues nearly a year before he was sworn into office. He traveled to Philadelphia to attend a national Brownfield symposium in 2011, worked closely with Atty Gary O’Connor who is Co-Chairman of the Brownfield Working Group (appointed by the General Assembly of CT), and has leveraged relationships with U.S. Senators, Congressmen, Congresswomen, Governors and State Legislators to move the projects forward. It has been a remarkable achievement, yet frustration with the process has been a constant for O’Leary since he took the office on December 1st, 2011.

Everything took much longer than he had hoped.

Under his watch there have been other major projects completed; a renovation of the Green, a renovation of Library Park, an upgrade of East Main Street from the Green to Waterbury Police HQs, the construction of a stunning Public Works Facility on Huntingdon Avenue, purchasing the Rose Hill property and selling it to the Greater Waterbury YMCA, and overhauling all city parks. An enormous development that would result in an Amazon distribution center straddling the Waterbury?Naugatuck town lines continues to wind it’s way through the permitting process.

Other projects underway are the renovation of the Chase Building, obtaining initial funding to demolish the Waterbury Button Company, and beginning the massive remediation process at the old Anaconda Brass on Freight Street.

During a four-hour interview in December 2022, Mayor O’Leary updated the Observer on the status of major projects in the city, and remained excited about the future of the Anamet property which he said has the potential to be a game changer in the South End. The

State Senator Joan Hartley championed the “Transfer Act” which made it easier for municipalities to obtain titles to toxic industrial sites and begin the clean-up.

vision for Freight Street continues to be a mix of business and housing nestled up against the train station. With tens of millions of federal and state dollars invested in upgrading the Waterbury rail corridor, travel in and out of Waterbury via train will become increasingly more attractive.

When he was finished talking about infrastructure projects the conversation turned towards his own political future. O’Leary is up for re-election in November and there is chatter all across the city that he won’t seek another four term in office.

“I haven’t made up my mind yet,” he said, “but there is certainly something to be said about going out on top. The city is in better shape and I’m proud of the projects that we have completed, and the ones that are moving forward.”

O’Leary has been at this juncture before. He announced in July 2015 that he would not seek a third term in office, and then changed his mind a few weeks later and cruised to re-election. Few political pundits thought he would seek a second 4-year term in 2019, but he surprised everyone and clobbered five opponents in a general election victory that snared 68% of the vote.

The mayor is keenly aware about the

talk about his future swirling around the city and named several possible candidates that were already posturing to replace him.

“I am tired,” O’Leary said. “I’ve been a public servant in Waterbury for 42 years, and for most of that time I’ve been on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Every murder, every water main break, and every emergency in the city I get a call, often at 2 or 3 in the morning.”

He said he thinks about working a job that wouldn’t be as demanding, but moments later he said he loves his job.

With the election ten months away O’Leary still has plenty of time to refuel his tank for anoither campaign. And whatever he’s said, to whoever he said it to, know this about Neil O’Leary, if he chooses to run again; he is nearly unbeatable. His most formidable opponents have all moved out of Waterbury.

He might be tired in December 2022, but when the weather breaks, all bets are off.

And long after the election of 2023 has been decided - with or without Neil O’Leary as a candidate - the impact of what he has accomplished in transforming the infrastructure of the city will reverberate for the next century. •

The site of the former Nova Dye factory on Mill Street will become a community gathering spot for residents in the South End with a playground and a baseball field along the Mad River.

Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary

Neighborhood Associations

• • Waterbury Neighboirhood Council

Arthur Denze, President P.O. Box 9310 Waterbury, CT. 06724 Cell (203) 560-4014 aldenze@aol.com

• Arlington Heights / New Pac Arlanda Brantley - Pres. 175 Rumford St. 06704 (203) 296-0451 (cell) arlandabrantley@yahoo.com

• Bouley Manor Neighborhood Association

Bilal Tiildeen - Pres. 12 Donald Terrace 06705 (203) 695-2129 (cell) bial.tajiildeen@gmail.com

• Brooklyn Neighborhood Association

Jerry Covino - Pres. 32 Lawrence St. 06708 (203) 578-0353 cell jerry75@sbcglobal.net

• Bucks Hill Community Club

Steve Allen - Pres. 2851 N. Main St. 06704 (203) 910-2832 (cell) secbhcc@gmail.com

• Bunker Hill Neighborhood Association

Robert Dorr - Pres. 96 Windsor St.

Waterbury CT 06704 (203) 437-7960 cell bobcva4064@aol.com

• Country Club Neighborhood Group

Laura Nesta 124 Maybrook Rd. 06708 (203) 592-4718 (cell) lauranesta64@gmail.com

• Crownbrook Neighborhood Association

Dawn Owens 1660 East Main St. Apt. 3L 06705 F14@snet.net (203) 695-9475

• East Mountain Neighborhood Association

• East End Community Group Keisha Gilliams– Pres. (203) 982-6636 (cell) kg197427@gmail.com

• Gilmartin Community Club

Steve Schrag – Pres. 14 Quentin St. 06706 (203) 910-7661 (cell) stevenschrag@comcast.net

• Historical Hillside Association

Michael Batista - Pres. 54 Hillside Avenue Waterbury CT, 06710 (203) 527-0589 hillsidehdna@gmail.com

• Hopeville Neighborhood Association

Lani Brown - Pres. 68 Laval St. 06706 (203) 927-2295 laniloisb@gmail.com

• Mohawk Civic Club Antoinette Dameida - Pres. 177 Allen St. Watebury, CT 06706 (203) 755-6924 antoinette177@comcast.net

• Historic Overlook Community Club

Deborah Cronin - Pres. 15 Columbia Blvd. 06710 (203) 597-7502 cell Deborah.cronin@raVeis.com

• Saint Margaret/Willow Plaza NRZ Association

Rafael Herrera – Pres. 725 Oronoke Rd. 06708 (203) 982-3885 herrera_rafael@sbcglobal.net

• South End Neighborhood Association

Geraldo Reyes, Jr. - Pres. (203) 695-6776 geraldo.reyes@att.net

• Town Plot Neighborhood Association

Arthur J. Denze, Sr. - Pres. 56 Phyllis Ave. 06708 (203) 755-5761 (203) 560-4014 aldenze@aol.com

• Upper Fulton Park Neighborhood Association

Maria Ciarlo - Executive Officer (203) 206-4561 (cell) mariaciarlo62@gmail.com

• Walnut-Orange/Walsh Neighborhood (WOW) Belinda Weaver - Chairperson 308 Walnut St. 06704 (203) 206-1803 (cell) belinda.weaver@sbcglobal.net

• Washington Park Neighborhood Association

Stephen W. Rice - Pres. 11 Madison Ave. 06706 (203) 982-8878 cell stephenwrice@att.net

• Waterville Community Club Martin Spring - Pres. (203) 757-7479 martinspring258@hotmail.com

• Western Hills Neighborhood Association

Merged with Bunker Hill Neighborhood Association in September 2020. See their contact info above www.westernhillsna.org

For

e Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury, Inc. has been in existence since 1988. e Coalition has three decades of social services experience in the greater Waterbury area and is a principal leader for bilingual services, advocacy, collaboration, education, and policy development in the Latino community.

Bingo

ursday & Friday

9:30am to 11:00am.

Zumba Class

Tuesday @ 11 am

Dominoes

Every day from 9:00am.

Case Management Program - provides assistance with obtaining essential vital records, i.e.; birth certi cates, divorce paperwork, identi cation cards, etc. Also Community advocacy, Family crisis intervention, Translation of documents, Medical Transportation and Immigration Services.

La Casa Bienvenida - Our Adult Day Center ensures that the elders within the Hispanic Community have the necessary nutritional supplements and that their social and medical needs are met. Transportation is provided to and from the Center daily.

Cultural Arts Program - provides middle and high school students with a er-school programming to help advance their knowledge of the Latino Culture through art, music and dance.

L.A.C.E. Youth Development - program seeks to promote youth development via four components: Leadership, Athletics, Community and Education.

135 East Liberty Street, Waterbury CT 06706

Executive Director Victor Lopez

Annual 3 Kings Day Celebration

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Celebrating 45 Years of Business!

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Proudly celebrating over 159 years of serving girls in our community with creative, inspiring & empowering programs, all year long!

Hands-on, minds-on, fun, creative, empowering programs offered all year long, for all girls, at our center! New, expanded programs just for teens!

Afterschool, Friday nights, school holidays, full and half day vacation and summer camp programs offered!

STEAM Academy, Karate, Sewing & Fashion Design, Cooking, Dance, Creative Art, Music, Leadership Academy and so much more!

Girls Inc. Greater Waterbury, 35 Park Place, Waterbury, CT 06702

Proudly recognized as the first Girls Club in the US, celebrating over 159 years of serving girls! Check out all of our programs at www.girlsincswct.org #203-756-4639 membership@girlsincswct.org

Board of Education

Meetings of the Board of Education are held the third Thursday of each month, at the designated time listed on the Agenda, at Waterbury Arts Magnet School, or as otherwise posted.

Workshops are held the first Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at various schools around the District.

• CHAIRMAN EX-OFFICIO

Mayor Neil M. O’Leary (D) 236 Grand Street, 06702 12/01/19 – 11/30/23

203.574.6713

• PRESIDENT

Ann M. Sweeney (D)

259 Oakville Avenue B14, 06708 12/01/19 – 11/30/23

(H) 475.280.7024 asweeney@waterbury.k12.ct.us

• VICE PRESIDENT

Juanita P. Hernandez (D) 84 Bentwood Drive, 06705 12/01/21 – 11/30/25

(H) 203.754.4795 jhernandez@waterbury.k12.ct.us

• SECRETARY

Melissa Serrano-Adorno (D) 228 Fanning Street, 06704 12/01/21 – 11/30/25

(H) 203.755.4737

mserranoadorno@waterbury. k12.ct.us

• Elizabeth C. Brown (D)

225 Alexander Avenue, 06705 12/01/19 – 11/30/23

203.754.7136

ebrown@waterbury.k12.ct.us

• LaToya R. Ireland (D) 169 Clinton Street, 06710 12/01/21 – 11/30/25

203.592.5142

latoya.ireland@waterbury.k12. ct.us

• Amanda K. Nardozzi (R) 283 Maybrook Road, 06708 12/03/20 – 11/30/23

(C) 203.598.1238 amanda.devan@waterbury.k12. ct.us

• Margaret O’Brien (I) 22-4 Malone Drive, 06705 12/01/21 – 11/30/25

(C) 203.558.5977 margaret.obrien@waterbury.k12. ct.us

• Rocco F. Orso (R) 234 Harwood Road, 06706 12/01/19 – 11/30/23

(C) 203.509.1840 rorso@waterbury.k12.ct.us

• Thomas Van Stone, Sr. (R) 234 Heritage Drive, 06708 12/01/21 – 11/30/25

(H) 203.756.1121 tvanstone@waterbury.k12.ct.us

• Hector Navarro (D) 26 Aron Avenue, 06708 09/16/2022-11/30/23

(C) 203.584.3359

hector.navarro@waterbury.k12. ct.us

Office of the City Clerk

Mission Statement

The Office of the City Clerk of the City of Waterbury is committed to providing accurate records of all Municipal Board and Commission meetings of the City of Waterbury in a friendly and expedient manner.

Core Functions

• Receive correspondence and keep records for municipal boards and commissions

• Provide public access to records of all municipal boards and commissions

• Oversee the creation of agendas for municipal boards and commissions

• Post and advertise meeting notices and agendas

• Schedule, staff and record various meetings of municipal boards and commissions

• Oversee and assist the Board of Aldermen in the legislative process, from introduction of proposed legislation to final approval and publication

• File, maintain and store all legislation, minutes and other recorded documents related to the operation of city government

• Provide copies of ordinances, meeting notices and minutes, and other matters of public information to members of the public

• Serve as a document and resource center for the Mayor, Board of Aldermen, City departments and members of the public

• Assist in the research of requested information and/or documents

• Serve as a direct contact for City departments, outside agencies, and the general public on behalf of municipal boards and commissions

• Accept and process claims and suits filed against the City

For any documents that exceed $10 in cost, payment will be required prior to the duplication of the documents.

Hours of operation: Mon-Fri, 8:50 a.m.-4:50 p.m.

City Hall- 235 Grand Street, Waterbury, CT 06702 203-574-6741|Fax: 203-574-6745

Michael J. Dalton, City Clerk

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Fish Farming Might Be City’s Future

Ideal Fish Redefining Sustainable Fish Market

Ideal Fish is an aquaculture company in Waterbury that is the largest saltwater fish facility in the United States. The following interview with Ideal Fish CEO Eric Pedersen was conducted by Grant Copeland from WORX. It was edited for clarity.

Pedersen graduated from Princeton University and left a successful career on Wall Street to put his innovative thinking towards raising Branzino (a species of fish), and launched his business in Waterbury.

Copeland - Eric, tell us about Ideal Fish and your role within the company?

Pedersen - Ideal fish is a an aquaculture company. We grow a species (Branzino) that is not native to the United States. It’s a species found in the Mediterranean. And by growing it here in Waterbury, we’re able to grow a fish that otherwise would take upwards of a week to arrive on a diner’s plate. In Waterbury we have found this fantastic place that is essentially located in the largest seafood market in North America between Boston and Washington DC. This is called in seafood parlance, The Golden Triangle.

Anybody in real estate will tell you that it’s all about location, location, location, and we are right in the middle of the biggest seafood market in this part of the hemisphere. And we’re just delighted to be here. It’s just a great place. It’s a fabulous city. It is a beautiful city. And we’re doing something really special that I think is going to change the way this food is supplied not only in this country, but I think globally, in time, and it’s just been a really exciting process for us to be here.

Copeland - Where are your fish sold?

Pedersen - They’re sold all over. We are sold in the grocery stores, we sell to restaurants, and we are now selling very large amounts of our fish online through our E commerce webstore on our website. You can go to Amazon if you want to buy our fish there. But I think what has been important for us is that we have distribution channels that address all of our customers. And some like to have their fish delivered to their door, which we can do from our facility here in Waterbury using a crowdsourced Uber S type distribution platform. We also use the overnight couriers, FedEx and UPS, and then we drive our box truck or refriger-

ated truck to the large grocery stores and institutional food service providers to deliver that way.

Copeland - Your business has been featured from industry and trade publications to the New York

Times. Is that because you see your business as something more innovative than the typical operation?

Pedersen - Yes, I think that growing fish on land is something that is naturally interesting to people. I’ve heard the expression said, Well, you don’t grow cows in the sea. Tell me how it is you grow fish on land. And what you’re seeing behind me is exactly how we do this. We create in a facility like this a large artificial life support system. And what we do is we grow fish in tanks, but we do it in a way that the fish grow much more healthfully and much more quickly than they would in the wild because we’re able to control our living conditions in a way that optimize that fish’s performance. That’s what it’s called an aquaculture when fish convert feed efficiently into weight and grow in a healthy way and grow more quickly than they would in the wild. This is all the high performance levels you’re seeking to achieve. When you grow fish on land and what you optimize everything. From the temperature of the water to the

Eric Pedersen

Branzino

flow rates the fish swim against in the tanks, to the salinity levels, the hardness of the water, the type of feed you provide the fish, the extent to which the fish are managed or handled or not handled. All of these can be optimized for that particular species of fish. So they grow quickly and economically. And that’s what we’ve been able to achieve here in this facility.

Copeland - You founded Ideal fish in 2013. What was the genesis of that?

Pedersen - It started with an aquarium that was in my house that I bought with the idea of teaching my kids a little bit about fish, and life and death, and how nature works and how complex systems can organize to support life. And that’s really what happens in aquariums, you have all types of microbial colonies that are established to deal with contaminants and fish waste and things like that. And as I should have predicted, the kids had very little interest in any of this. Even the fish were of marginal interest. But I became quite interested to the point where I was commuting to New York City at the time I was working on Wall Street and I would get up at odd hours of the morning just to go do a water change or clean the tank out because that was the only time of day I had to do it. And I learned a lot about how you create an artificial life support system for marine fish through my reef tank,

I was also working providing financing to water filtration companies and I learned a lot about it through my Wall Street experience and it began to occur to me that there was certainly a way that you could take everything that worked well in marine aquariums and use it to grow fish for food. And I happen to put recirculating aquaculture, believing at the time that it was must be an enormous industry. This checks so many boxes that it must be so well established already. And this must be where people buy a lot of fish in this country. And what I discovered is it wasn’t that there were very few facilities like the one that I built here in Waterbury, that do what we do, and there are

a lot of reasons for that. There have been a lot of very valiant attempts made by extremely smart, dedicated, hardworking people. And I come at this with a lot of humility because I don’t presume to have any better skills or know how but what has happened is technology has improved.

And I think even more important the consumer today now is very concerned about where their food comes from. Not just their beef and their pork and their chicken, but their seafood as well. They want to know how is it produced? Where was it caught? How did

it arrive at the grocery store? And how long do they have to eat it before they need to be concerned about safety? And this is what recirculating aquaculture can provide better than any other form of aquaculture. We know exactly when our fish came in, we know where we’ve cultivated them and what they’ve eaten. We know the day that they were harvested and the day they were provided to the customer. So we can provide complete traceability and do it in a way that provides comfort that the fish have been produced in a sustainable fashion.

Branzino are native to the Mediterranean Sea and growing them in indoor saltwater aquariums maximizes their growth potential, cuts off a week of transportation, and delivers them directly into the largest seafood market in this hemisphere. The employees at Ideal Fish are all from Greater Waterbury.

We recover all the waste products of fish production, the food, the uneaten food, the feces and we put those through the composting process to provide alternatives to petrochemical fertilizers to the local vegetable farmers here in Connecticut. So it’s a wonderful closed loop system. Where the waste products of one food production system become the nutrient inputs for another. And I really see this as becoming a large part of the way we produce food globally in time, and it’s starting here in Waterbury.

Copeland - You’re on the avenue of industry here in Waterbury. What was this building prior to Ideal Fish?

Pedersen - The building had been built in the 60s by Waterbury Button Company and metal fabrication finishing facilities here. Waterbury Button was one of them, and for a long time was one of the leading manufacturers of buttons in this country. In fact, Civil War historians and antiquarians will validate Civil War uniforms by looking at the back of the buttons and seeing if it bears the Waterbury button emblem. And this was obviously a later style button that was made here, but it was a big injection molding operation and they were electroplating these plastic buttons with gold and silver and they even have a vault in this facility, which is where they stored the gold and the silver ingot. And the vault was the one thing we couldn’t move. So it’s still here today and we’ve turned it into an employee lounge.

Ideal fish moved in 2015 and is es-

sentially a specialized manufacturer now. I think it’s important to educate consumers that we’re not really a farm, in the sense that we rely on natural environmental meteorological conditions to grow our fish. We are a fish biological production facility, where we take a specific organism, in this case a spe-

cies of marine ocean-going fish that happened to be delicious to eat, and we grow them in a way that optimizes the DNA of that organism so that it grows more quickly, without stress, without disease, and it converts protein more efficiently into bodyweight.

And we do that using an array of very

sophisticated technologies that allow us to measure everything from water chemistry parameters, to how the fish are moving, and how they’re putting on weight. We have scanners in our tanks that the fish swim through and these scanners measure the size of the fish, so we don’t actually have to pull the fish out of the water. We already know how these fish are growing and whether they’re getting bigger and whether they’re performing according to our expectations.

And if they’re not, that’s a big red flag.

And that means we need to pull some fish out, take a look to see if they’re not eating right, and eating in a way that’s producing healthy response to the feed. This is the fascinating part about what we do. It’s the intersection of life and nature and technology, happening right here in Waterbury.

Copeland - You’re Fairfield County guy so how did Waterbury get on your radar?

Pedersen - I’m sorry to say, but to some extent by happenstance. This city is very pro business, very pro entrepreneurship, and very pro taking risks and helping people like me to get on their feet with the kind of support that it takes to do something that’s disruptive.

So I look back on that chance occurrence of finding this building without actually looking deliberately at Waterbury. You have to have that ecosystem of stakeholder supporters, whether they’re elected officials, or they are the department heads that report to the

municipal administration, or it’s just concerned citizens who are interested in seeing you succeed. These are all crucial to to either starting or moving a business to a new location. And that’s what’s been really helpful to me, and I’m very grateful for it.

And there was a fateful meeting with the mayor and his department heads that I’ll never forget, I honestly didn’t know what was going to come out of this.

I had a chance to talk to Mayor O’Leary earlier about my project, and in a very enthusiastic way he had really understood quickly what I was trying to do. And then I got a very cryptic request from him to attend a meeting the next week. He wasted no time, and I had no idea what to expect. I walked into a conference room in City Hall where the entire conference table was lined with people sitting upright with notepads. And I was told to spend no more than 15 minutes outlining my plan and my program, which I did.

And at the end of the meeting, Mayor O’Leary looked at all the department heads, and these were the administrators of all the pieces that function from water treatment, wastewater treatment, buildings, zoning, health, every department head required to permit or to assist me in the construction of my business was there.

The mayor stood up and said, “Okay, you’ve now heard from Eric, and what we’re going to do is we’re going to get Eric and his business established in Waterbury as quickly as we can.”

Then the meeting was over. I walked out and I have to say, it’s just been one of these remarkable experiences where I’ve just gotten support from every governmental agency in the city. This is a new technology, even D.E.E.P. and the state has not had to regulate a company like ours. And so I’ve gotten support and groundbreaking innovation from a regulatory standpoint, to help make this business possible.

And it all started with the snowball that began rolling here in this town.

Copeland - You’ve built quite an impressive facility here for Branzino, what are the other expansion goals of Ideal Fish? Are you contemplating other fish species or even things beyond fish?

Pedersen - Oh, yes, we have very ambitious plans to expand here in the Waterbury area. One of the things that we want to do is to grow additional species. And these will include flounder or turbot, salmon, very possibly arctic char, and red snapper is high in our list. These are all fish that aren’t native to the Northeast. So by growing them here, we can provide the seafood lover in and around Connecticut and Boston and New York City and Philadelphia, a far fresher traceable product. And if we locate our facilities within driving distance of one another, then I can drive all the same scale economies that I would have had if I’d put every-

thing under one roof. And I can create efficiencies and workforce and create a business that has substantial critical mass, even though it may not be in the same building.

Waterbury really allows you to do this because there’s a lot of what I would call robust industrial infrastructure in this city to support an expansion plan like that. We feel like at this point, we’ve cracked the code on how best to raise fish like a Bronzino here in an indoor facility. Now we want to expand the business and grow more fish. We want to centralize our processing and ultimately, our distribution. Being right at the nexus of Route 8 and I-84 provides a great opportunity for us to throw our fish on the on the backs of trucks that are going as far north as Maineand as far south as Washington D.C.

Copeland - What’s the potential for Ideal Fish to create more advanced manufacturing jobs, and particularly for those jobs to be filled by a local workforce?

Pedersen - Well, that’s the great thing about being located here in town is that Waterbury is a richly industrial city. Generations of the workforce have worked in processing lines, and so it runs kind of in the laborer’s DNA in this city about how do you run a production operation. So in addition to all the support services, the electricians, the plumbers, the HVAC service shops, the workforce here has a very strong hereditary base on running industrial processes. My very first employee was a young woman who graduated from college with a degree in marine sciences and aquaculture and she lives

literally within walking distance of my facility. She has gone from being a entry level aquaculture technician in our facility to recently being promoted as our fish health and performance officer. So she is on a fantastic career path.

Copeland - Could Waterbury become a center for sustainable food production and distribution?

Pedersen - I think Waterbury is the kind of location that an industry such as ours would want to have. It’s an area that has all of the required power, wastewater treatment, access to clean water and building space. Again, the location is second to none. There’s no way to overstate the importance of being in the center of this enormous food market and people that need access to healthy fresh food year round.

Eric Pedersen left Wall Street to follow his passion. His vision for Ideal Fish has been realized,

apa’s Convenience Store

Dean apa made his way to Waterbury from the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal. He now owns and operates his own convenience store and is thrilled to be living the American Dream. Stop in for your lotto or scratch tickets, to say hello, or to buy what Dean said is......

“ e Coldest Beer In Town”

704 Watertown Ave, Waterbury (Next to Carvel & Frankies)

Voted Best Grinder Shop!

A Taste of Tradition since 1922

~ Family owned and operated by 3 generations and still going strong!

From their humble beginnings on South Main Street in Waterbury to now multiple locations throughout the state of Connecticut, Nardelli’s Grinder Shoppe continues to satisfy the need for fast and delicious meals. You can count on quality ingredients, huge portions, and the same old school customer service.

THE GRINDER KINGS OF WATERBURY

In 1914 Joseph, Anthony and Fred Nardelli emigrated from Italy to the thriving manufacturing city of Waterbury. They worked long hours in sweatshops and pooled the money they earned. They started working in a grocery store which eventually became Nardelli’s Grocery Store on South Main St. During one of their buying trips to New York, they noticed long lines of customers at one of the stores, and a steady stream of customers emerging with something wrapped in butcher paper: grinders. They started selling grinders at their store. People were coming from all over Waterbury to get a grinder... and the brothers became known as the “Grinder Kings of Waterbury.”

CIRCA 1944 - 1st generation - the three brothers (L to R), Anthony, Fred, and Joseph. 1981 - Everybody works! Rina and Joe, with their 2nd eldest son, Anthony.

FIGHTING FOR BABY BONDS

Program Signed Into Law In 2021 Remains Unfunded

Connecticut Department of Social Services is where it got messy. Despite this momentary setback, I believe we will aggressively work through all of the structural issues and hurdles to create the funding stream needed to fund our most important resources, the children. We cannot afford another delay. Black, Brown and White poor communities, like my own, need the Baby Bonds program to get rolling in order to see the benefits 18 years down the road. In the name of equity and fairness I’m excited about the strong upside of this program

and ability to have a piece of the puzzle in place to address the wealth gap. There are other wrap around services that will compliment this program; the civic engagement piece is essential, along with workforce training.

The immediate plan is to start the program and funding stream for July 1, 2023. I want to express my thanks to incoming Treasurer Erick Russell for picking up the load and working positively towards a final resolution. I want thank new BPRC Chairwoman Senator Pat Miller for entrusting me (the former

BPRC Chairman) to stay involved in working through the Baby Bonds funding issues.

There has been a delay in staring the Baby Bonds program, but I’m not focused on casting blame. Right now I’m laser focused on getting this done up and running. The lines of communication between the Treasurer’s office, leadership in both the House and Senate, the State bonding teams, and Governor Lamont’s office are working collectively to achieve a hand up for vulnerable children born into poverty.

As a child born into poverty, I fully understand what a hand up looks like versus a handout.

From my life experience I stand firmly behind the Baby Bonds Bill, a long-term state initiative that invests money - up to $3500 - for every child whose birth in Connecticut was covered by HUSKY (State Insurance).

It’s an equity program, a bold investment in the future of our most vulnerable youth to address the wealth gap and spread fairness and balance in Connecticut. This won’t resolve all issues and it’s imperative that we continue to expand/support programs while they’re in the development ages. We must nd a way to help in the short and long term, the children’s future depends on it.

The money doesn’t automatically come to the child when they turn 18. They have to qualify for it during the 18-30 year time period in their lives, and there are only four life changing events they can use it for.

• Buying a home in Connecticut.

• Saving for retirement

• Using it for college or training

• Starting or investing in a business

In 2021, Connecticut became the first state in the nation to pass an initiative that invests directly in children born into poverty. U.S. Senator Corey Booker from New Jersey has tried several times to implement a national Baby Bonds program and his efforts so far have been unsuccessful.

The idea for Baby Bonds in Connecticut was driven by former State Treasurer Sean Wooden, and with muscle from the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, and assistance from House Speaker Matt Ritter, and the State Senate, the bill navigated through the legislature and was signed into law by Governor Ned Lamont.

Despite being signed into law, the program was not funded and has not been implemented (yet).

The process of sorting through the work of the Treasurer’s Office and the

CT Baby Bonds is a

FIRST-IN-THE-NA initiative that invests money baby born in Connecticut birth is covered by HU

The funds are invested in a trust managed by the Office of the Treasurer. Between the ages of 18 and 30, the young person can make a claim for the funds to be used for:

Buying a home in Connecticut

Saving for retirement

Paying for post-secondary education or training

Starting

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is eligible?

A LONG TERM INVESTMENT IN CONNECTICUT

An estimated 15,600 children are born into poverty each year in CT –nearly half of all births CT Baby Bonds will give young people a reason to stay in the state, promote homeownership and new business creation, and provide wealthbuilding resources to residents from every city and town.

Babies born on or after July 1, 2023, whose birth was covered by HUSKY will be automatically allocated a share of the CT Baby Bonds Trust

How are the funds claimed?

Between the ages of 18 and 30, beneficiaries may submit a claim for an allowable expense if they are a Connecticut resident and have completed an approved financial literacy course

What's next?

Implementation and formation of the trust is underway. The program calls for $600 million in funding over the next 12 years

Column By State Representative Geraldo Reyes Jr.

Summer Is Time To Play.........

WIFFLE Ball

The Connecticut Store

Waterbury,

Wiffle Ball was invented in David A. Mullaney’s backyard in Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1953. The neighborhood kids used a plastic golf ball and a broom stick handle to keep the action intense, and confined to the Mullaney’s backyard. David’s father, David N. Mullaney, watched the games with curiousity and thought if they could come up with a plastic baseball that curved the kids might like the game even better. Three nights of trial and error resulted in the invention of the original wiffle ball, which is the same design used to this day.

“It took three nights of screwing around with stuff and we got it. After we got the ball designed it was like, viola! It was like Holy Cow!”

The balls are all still made in Connecticut and are sold over the internet throughout the world. Hank Paine, the owner of The Connecticut Store, located in downtown Waterbury, is the man who fulfills most of the Wiffle Ball orders on the internet. Wiffle Ball is the biggest seller at The Connecticut Store.

“We have shipped Connecticut made Wiffle Balls to 52 countries and all fifty states,” Paine said. “We’ve packaged and shipped them to China and Vietnam.”

“Wiffle Ball is played in Waterbury, in the deserts of Saudi Arabia, on the ice in Canada, and under the ice in Antartica.”

.www.theconnecticutstore.com

“Wiffle Ball is played in

in the deserts of Saudi Arabia, on the ice in Canada, and under the ice in Antartica.”

“Wi e Ball is played in Waterbury, in the deserts of Saudi Arabia, on the ice in Canada, and under the ice in Antarctic.”

A new home for theater in the heart of Waterbury!

City Youth Theater (CYT) is a new youth program based in Waterbury, Connecticut, that is open to high school, elementary, and middle school students that emphasizes the process of artistic collaboration and instills a focused work ethic.

CYT is committed to developing theater skills that challenge each student to perform at their highest skill level on and off the stage. The techniques shared during the rehearsal process can be applied productively to most endeavors our students may encounter, whether or not they pursue a theatrical career, and help prepare them for a challenging, exciting world.

City Stage Company (CSC) is a division of City Youth Theater and is committed to the enrichment and education of young adults/adults (16 y/o+) in a professional theater environment that stimulates artistic excellence and personal growth.

City Youth Theater and City Stage Company are proud to announce upcoming shows in April, June, July, and December. Check out www.thecyt.com, or facebook.com/cityyouththeater2019 or InstaGram @ cityyouththeater for more information!

We hope to see you!

With Warm Regards,

Mr. Shelby C. Davis Executive Director City Youth Theater www.thecyt.com

cyttheater2019@gmail.com

Naugatuck River Revival Group

It’s beeen a busy few years for the Naugatuck River Revival Group (NRRG) as the watershed has been battered by sewage and oil spills. After millions of gallons of raw sewage was dumped into the Naugatuck River in 2017, it was the NRRG led by Kevin and Sondra Zak that became the voice of the Naugatuck River. The Zak’s hiked through the damage to document the enviromental disaster, and did so again in January 2018 when thousands of gallons of oil spilled into the river. Despite the environmental impact on the watershed, Kevin Zak was bolstered by the public outcry from the spills. “Thirty years ago no one would have cared,” Zak said, “now it’s statewide news. This is progress and I believe the river will heal itself.”

The mission of the NRRG is to increase awareness of one of the great environmental comeback stories in New England. For two centuries industrial giants used the Naugatuck River as a glorified toilet to wash away toxins, dyes and garbage. Bald Eagles and Great Blue Herons have returned. The factories are gone, but they left behind chunks of iron, steel and brass in the river. Inconsiderate city residents continue to deposit tires, shopping carts and mattresses in the river. In response, the NRRG has declared war on trash in and along the river. NRRG has organized clean-ups with local schools, sponsored Annual River Day celebrations, and is committed to winning the war on trash. If you’d like to get involved cleaning the Naugatuck River please consider contacting the group. It doesn’t matter if it’s for a few hours, or a few days....your help is appreciated.

Dr.

Dr. Jose Altamirano, D.C.

Jennifer Gonzalez-Colon, D.C.

Valuation Realty Group LLC

Dennis Jimenez Broker/Owner

GRI/Notary Public HABLAMOS ESPANOL

1036 Baldwin Street, Waterbury, CT 06706 Cell 203-980-4151 O ce 475-235-4762

dennisjimenez1024@hotmail.com

Altamirano Chiropractic Center, LLC

Specializing in : Motor Vehicle Accidents • Workers Comp Cases • Slip and fall Accidents

195 Grove Street Waterbury, CT 06710

Phone - 1-203-596-0031

18 Downs Street, Danbury, CT, 06810 Phone 1-203-743-4042

622 Clinton Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06604 1-203-362-2381

Culinary Art Training at the Mission

Investing in the Future of our Community

The Merriman Culinary Job Training Program is designed to teach the fundamentals necessary to help prepare individuals for entry -level employment or even self -employment within a broad range of opportunities available in the food service industry.

M

e r r I m a n

Culinary

Job Training Program

HANDS ON TRAINING

• Knife Skills

• Kitchen Safety

• Fruits, Vegetables and Fresh Herbs

• Stocks, Sauces, Soups and Stews

• Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Cookery

• Grains, Pastas, and Starch Cookery

• Breakfast Cookery, Eggs, Dairy, and Cheeses

• Principles of Baking

• Salads and Sandwiches

• Garde Manger, Garnishes and Hors d ’oeuvres

• Basic Nutrition

CERTIFICATION & CAREER READINESS TRAINING

Beyond learning the culinary skill basics, trainees also review the essential elements of Job Readiness and Employment Skills:

• Work Ethic and Professionalism

• Collaboration and Teamwork

• Interpersonal Skills and Customer Service

• Leadership and Critical Thinking

• Unconscious Bias and Respect for Diversity

• Basic Technology and Computer Skills; and

• Workplace Safety

The program’ s assistance with job placement includes the fundamentals of employment search, applications, resume writing, and interviewing.

*All graduates are ServSafe Certified .*

Program is free to students with the help of donations.

For more information or on hiring graduates, contact Frank Parafati, Chef Instruction at chef.parafati@svdpmission.org or Edwin Rodriguez, Director of Operations, edwinr@svdpmission.org

HAPPENINGS

What’s happening in Waterbury in 2023?

February-

• Winter is the Pits- February 11th- 11 AM -5 PM- Free winter festival at the Stone House Pavilion in Hamilton Park. There will be a horse and carriage ride, 12 cozy fire pits, a large community bonfire, marshmallow toasting for S’mores, ice sculpting, music, games, food and drink available for purchase including food trucks and a mobile pub.

May-

• Memorial Day Parade (date TBA)Downtown Waterbury

July

• Waterbury Food truck and Firework Extravaganza- July 2- 3 PM- 11 PMBrass Mill Center

August

• Brass City Jazz Fest- (TBA) Main Street Waterbury, an affiliate of the Waterbury Regional Chamber, and ACT Jams Productions will present the 2023 Brass City Jazz Fest in August at Library Park in downtown Waterbury. The free outdoor eventfeatures a host of acclaimed recording artists. Last year the #1 Billboard Charting saxophonist Paul Taylor, world-renowned jazz bassist David Dyson, performed with Unit 3 Deep featuring internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist Lori Williams, To learn more about sponsorship, contact Chris Caulfield at 203-757-0701 or email Chris Caulfield ccaulfiel@waterburychamber.com For more information, visit: www.brasscityjazzfest.com, email Al Taylor at altaylor@brasscityjazzfest. com, or call Main Street Waterbury at 203-757-0701.

• 2nd Annual Bombazo and Barrio Arts Fest- Sat Aug 12 at 10:00 am- Silas Bronson Library Front Lawn- Puerto Rican folklore music festival with organizations/info vendors, and art vendors and food trucks. The highlight will be the BOMBAZO and the dancing/ drumming from the community.

• SoulFest -(TBA) Over the past 9 years, The Ungroup Society’s Spirit of Unity Arts and Music Festival (*SOUFEST*) has been bringing the best in R&B and Hip Hop music performances to Waterbury CT. Last year’s event was staged at Lakewood Park, 129 Lakewood Road Waterbury, CT.

September

• Waterbury Ole Skool Cookout- (Usually held on Labor day Weekend)Lakewood Park, Waterbury- This event

On

began as a small gathering among friends and has blossomed into an annual event that brings people from near and far to celebrate Waterbury roots. This year marks the 19th consecutive year this event will be held.

• Brass City Brew and ‘Que- September 9th- 1-5 PM- Grand Street at Library Park- One of the Largest brew fests in New England, with over 200 varieties

of craft and specialty brews, as well as international and domestic beers. A must for any beer-aficionado.

• The Gathering- September 16thLibrary Park- After a three year break during the COVID pandemic, The Gathering returns to downtopwn Waterbury. The event begins with an enormus cultural parade showcasing dozens of ethnic groups in full costume,

marching bands and floats. This will be the 8th festival, which has been described as the most cultually diverse festival on the east Coast with 112 countries represented in some form at the last event. This is a community celebration of diversity, and Waterbury comes together to share music, food and dance from around the world. Contact waterburygathering@gmail.com

September 16th, 2023, The Gathering returns to downtown Waterbury, one of the most diverse cities in America. City residents step forward to share their cultural traditions of music, food and dance with their neighbors. In 2019 there were elements of 110 different cultures participating in the festival. The event is free and everyone is invited. Photograph by John Murrsy

October Mardi Gross at the Silas Bronson Library

November/December-

• City of Waterbury Christmas Tree lighting on the Waterbury Green- The Sunday following Thanksgiving if weather permits- Meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, sing holiday carols, enjoy hot chocolate and popcorn balls and much more holiday festivities.

• Upcoming cultural festivals (dates TBA)- Albanian festivals, Waterbury Greek Festival, and Lebanese festival. Check their websites to find out more information throughout the year.

Check out these local cultural venues for upcoming 2023 events:

• The Mattatuck Museum- 144 W Main St, Waterbury, CT 06702- The museum is an art and regional history museum on the Green in downtown Waterbury. The museum collects and exhibits American art and cultural artifacts, with a focus on local history. www.mattmuseum.org

• Waterbury Symphony Orchestrawww.waterburysymphony.org

Some fun seasonal family fun activities:

Apple Picking:

Rogers Orchards- Southington, CT

Bishop Farm- Cheshire, CT March Farm- Bethlehem, CT

Pumpkin Picking and Hay Rides: Rogers Orchards- Southington, CT

Lyman Orchards- Middlefield, CT Castle Hill Farm- Newtown CT March Farm- Bethlehem, CT Bunnell Farm- Litchfield, CT

Ron.Napoli@cga.ct.gov

“It’s an honor to serve the people of the 73rd District”

State Representative Ron Napoli Jr. (D)

State Representative Larry Butler (D)

House Chair of the General Bonding Subcommittee of Finance, Revenue and Bonding

Smolinski Case Triggers Federal Law About Missing Adults

Story By John Murray

For nearly two decades a billboard of Billy Smolinski loomed over Waterbury and became nearly as iconic in the city as the Clock Tower and the Holy Land cross.

Hundreds of thousands of drivers along Route 8 and I-84 drove beneath a billboard that proclaimed Billy a missing and murdered man whose family was trying to bring his body home.

Law enforcement now believe that Billy was murdered on the night of August 24th, 2004 and his body buried somewhere in the lower Naugatuck Valley. A tip line was established by his parents, Bill and Jan Smolinski, and there was a $60,000 reward for information that directly led to his body.

There have been multiple digs, including the latest in November 2021, that attempted to unearth his remains. In 2023 the mystery of where Billy Smolinski is buried remains unsolved, but out of all the police missteps and family horror, something positive has emerged from the investigation and Jan and Bill Smolinski’s resolve to find their son.

As they tried to find Billy they collided with a broken federal system used to find missing adults, and they set out in 2009 to try and do something about it. With the help of Congressman Chris Murphy, legislation was introduced into the House of Representatives that would allow data banks containing information of missing adults to communicate with data banks containing information on the 50,000 unidentified dead across America.

The legislation was called Billy’s Law, and it passed the House of Representatives unanimously in January 2010, only to stall in the United States Senate.

It’s took 13 years, and several failed attempts by now U.S. Senator Chis Murphy to get the legislation through the Senate, but he forged a bi-partisan team and it passed unanimously. Murphy then handed the baton to Congresswoman Jahana Hayes who introduced Billy’s Law in the House of Representatives. Hayes championed Billy’s Law on the floor and tugged on the levers of power to get the legislation called for a vote in early December, and it passed 422-4.

On December 27th, 2022 President Joe Biden signed Billy’s Law, legislation that funds training for law enforcement about the proper use of the federal data banks and allows families of missing adults access to the data

Billy’s Law

banks to conduct their own searches. Billy is dead. This legislation won’t help Jan and Bill Smolinski bring their son home, but Billy’s Law makes the country safer for every American.

And thanks to the Smolinski Family, Senator Chris Murphy, and Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, something powerful and profound has come from the heart wrenching murder of a 31-year-old Waterbury man.

When reached for comment this afternoon Jan Smolinski said, “This is awesome news, now let’s find Billy.”

Congresswoman Jahana Hayes U.S. Senator Chris Murphy

Billy Smolinski was 31 years old when he vanished from his life on August 24th, 2004

An Important Public Safety Message From:

Hon. Neil O’Leary, Mayor Terrence Ballou, Fire Chief

- THE CITY OF WATERBURY F IRE DEPARTMENT -

The Waterbury Fire Department is organized to provide emergency services to the citizens and visitors to the City of Waterbury. These services shall be presented with the highest levels of professionalism, integrity, and compassion.

Safety Tips

• Smoke alarms are a key part of a home fire escape plan. When there is a fire, smoke spreads fast. Working smoke alarms give you early warning so you can get outside quickly.

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom. They should also be outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Install alarms in the basement.

• Test all smoke alarms at least once a month. Press the test button to be sure the alarm is working.

• Today’s smoke alarms will be more technologically advanced to respond to a multitude of fire condition s, yet mitigate false alarms.

• A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall. Keep smoke alarms away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms. They should be at least 10 feet (3 meters) from the stove.

• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old

• Unsure of why your alarm has been activated? Call 911.

• CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where r equired by applicable laws, codes or standards. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.

• If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure everyone inside the ho me is accounted for. Call 911 from a fresh air location .

• If you need to warm a vehicle, r emove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open.

• During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.

• A generator should be used in a well -ventilated location outdoors away from windows, doors and vent openings.

Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Spanish American League of Social Services Soccer, Basketball and Baseball

The S.A.L.S.A. League offers Men’s Softball League Spring/Summer, High School Boys Preseason Basketball League, Men’s Women’s and Youth Indoor Soccer (Fall/ Winter/Spring), Men’s Outdoor Soccer (Spring/Summer/Fall, High School Boy’s Baseball League (Fall)

Pictured here is the league’s 2022 Soccer Champions, La Chachona FC. The team was mostly players from Honduras.

Pictured to the left is Luis Javier Espitia who is celebrating his 25th year of running the league.

Fighting To Open The Process

• $1 Billion in Community Investment 2030

• Baseball Park at 313 Mill Street

• Passed Environmental Justice Law

•Educational Funding Increase

• COVID Recovery Work

• Helped Pass Police Accountability Law

• Brownfield Remediation Projects

• Co-Chair Waterbury Rail Caucus

• Youth Violence Prevention Programs

• Worked on Renters assitance & homeless outreach services for community

State Representative

Geraldo Reyes Jr.

Past Chairman of the Black & Puerto Rican Caucus

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives

Co-Chairman of the Waterbury Rail Line