North End District
Crown Brook Neighborhood
​March 23, 2025
Firefighters Respond to Early Morning Structure Fire in Waterbury
Emergency crews were dispatched to Burton Street this morning, responding to reports of a structure fire.  The fire required a response from local firefighters, who worked to extinguish the blaze and secure the scene.  The cause of the fire remains under investigation by local authorities.

City Wide; Out East District, Pierpont Neighborhood
March 22, 2025
Young Girl Charged with Hate Crime After Attacking Muslim Students

In a disturbing incident at a local middle school, a 12-year-old girl has been charged with a hate crime for allegedly attacking two Muslim students.

The incident occurred earlier this month at Michael Wallace Middle School, 3465 East Main Street, where the 12-year-old is accused of beating and ripping off the hijabs of two 13-year-old Muslim girls.

According to authorities, an investigation determined that the altercation was "motivated by religion and/or ethnicity, meeting the legal definition of a hate crime." The 12-year-old girl has been charged with intimidation based on bigotry and bias.

A second student involved has been referred to a youth diversionary program rather than facing arrest.

"The students who instigated the incident will be properly disciplined by the school district and face appropriate consequences in the judicial system," said Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned the attack, stating that "schools must be safe spaces for all students, regardless of their religion or ethnicity." CAIR has called for mandatory anti-bullying training focused on racial and religious discrimination.
Interim Superintendent Dr. Darren Schwartz acknowledged that while this was an "isolated incident," it represents an opportunity to "reaffirm our commitment to ensure our students are safe and respectful of one another."

The investigation into the incident remains ongoing. School officials say they have taken disciplinary action and implemented enhanced safety measures in response.

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2023

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West Side Hill District
West End Neighborhood
March 14, 2025
Waterbury Man Held Captive by Stepmother for Over 20 Years, Police Say

South End District
Washington Hill Neighborhood
March 1, 2025
Waterbury Celebrates Annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade
     The Brass City kicked off March with its annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, with over 400 people in attendance to celebrate Irish heritage.
     The event, organized by the Waterbury Friends of the Hibernians, began with a flag raising ceremony and the singing of the Irish national anthem at the Washington Park House. At 1 p.m., the parade stepped off, with participants marching down Sylvan Avenue, Keefe Street, Baldwin Street, Baldwin Avenue, Piedmont Street, and Edgewood Avenue before finishing at the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) Club on Golden Street.
     This year's Grand Marshal was Ruth Grey, the vice president and longtime member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the AOH. Grey, who grew up in Waterbury's Irish Washington Hill neighborhood, reflected on the event's uncertain past, recalling how the parade barely squeezed in before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.
     "We got the parade in that year because our event is always held so early in March," Grey said. "Right after that, the pandemic hit and everything shut down. There was no parade in 2021 because large gatherings weren't allowed, but we still held a food collection and donated everything to the St. Vincent dePaul (Mission) shelter."
     Despite rainy weather hampering the parade in recent years, Saturday's event enjoyed partly sunny skies and 50-degree temperatures, drawing a crowd of at least 500 people, including 30 local groups and 180 children.
     "You needed some grit to walk in the last few parades, but the weather is cooperating today," Grey said. "We have more groups participating, and a lot of people want to be involved."
     The parade featured a variety of participants, including the Waterbury Police and Fire Honor Guards, the Police Pipes and Drums, the Mattatuck Fife and Drum Core, and youth groups like the Waterbury Young Marines and Boy Scouts. Floats from the Elks and the Friends of the Hibernians Castle, hosting the Little Miss Shamrock group, also joined the celebration.
     Following the parade, the AOH Club hosted a family-friendly open house with live music, corned beef sandwiches, and hot dogs.
     "Our mayors have been wonderful, helpful and always encouraging us," said Nicole Kendall, the 2025 Irish Mayor for the Day and LAOH president. "We're all proud of what's going on in the city, and we're very proud of our Irish heritage."
​

Bucks Hill District
Bucks Hill Neighborhood
​February 27, 2025
Multiple Injuries After Double Crash
     A series of crashes involving three vehicles on Thursday night has resulted in several people being transported to local hospitals, according to police.
     The incident began around 9:40 p.m. when officers responded to a two-car collision at the intersection of Chase Avenue and Hill Street. As the drivers of those initial vehicles had exited their cars, a third vehicle struck the rear of one of the cars involved in the original crash, hitting one of the drivers.
     "Several of the people in the vehicles involved were transported to area hospitals for what was described as non-life-threatening injuries," said Waterbury Police Lieutenant Ryan Bessette.
     The crashes remain under investigation by authorities. No further details on the victims or the circumstances leading up to the incident have been released at this time.
     This marks the second major multi-vehicle accident in Waterbury this month, highlighting the need for increased safety measures and driver awareness in the city.
     Local officials have pledged to review the intersection where Thursday's crashes occurred to determine if any engineering changes or enhanced traffic controls could help prevent similar incidents in the future.
​​

City Wide
Sports; Health
February 27, 2025
Waterbury Student Becomes Voice for Heart Health After Cardiac Arrest
​     A Waterbury high school student is using his recent health scare to raise awareness about the importance of youth cardiac screenings.
     Tylon Lott, a 16-year-old student at Holy Cross High School, experienced cardiac arrest following a basketball game on January 7th. Lott was rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital, where he was placed in a medically induced coma before eventually being released.
     The incident inspired a free youth cardiac screening event held on Thursday at the Greater Waterbury YMCA, organized by the nonprofit organization In a Heartbeat.
     "The goal of this program is to try to detect heart disease before a kid is in a situation where they need emergency care," said Mike Papele, president and founder of In a Heartbeat.
     Lott expressed his gratitude for the screenings, stating, "I'm happy they did this and they're raising awareness for this and that a lot of kids signed up to get their heart checked."
     In a Heartbeat is a Connecticut-based nonprofit with a mission to prevent deaths from sudden cardiac arrests. Papele emphasized that many people do not associate young people with heart conditions, making these types of proactive screenings crucial.
     "Ty's life was saved. Unfortunately, we hear a lot of stories where it doesn't go that way and this test today again is a way to detect something before a kid is in that situation," Papele said.
     The event in Waterbury comes just weeks after a similar cardiac incident involving a Holy Cross High School basketball player during a game against Kennedy High School. That student remains hospitalized as the community continues to rally around the importance of youth heart health.

National, State, City Wide
Waterbury Named 8th Most Attractive Place to Buy a Home - Nationally - and 4th in Connecticut, for 2 consecutive years
​2025.01.04

City Wide
Health
February 27, 2025
Waterbury Students Receive Free Cardiac Screenings After Local Student's Collapse
     Waterbury students are getting the chance to receive free cardiac screenings at the Greater Waterbury Young Men's Catholic Association (YMCA) on Thursday evening, February 27, 2025, in the wake of a recent incident involving a local high school basketball player.
     In January, 16-year-old Tylon Lott, a student at Holy Cross High School, collapsed after a basketball game. Lott was rushed to the hospital, where he was placed in a medically induced coma before eventually being released.
     The scare has prompted advocates to push for increased heart screenings for young athletes. While schools in Connecticut require pre-participation physicals, they do not currently mandate electrocardiogram (EKG) tests to identify potential heart issues.
     "A lot of these conditions are hereditary. They don't really have a lot of signs or symptoms and young kids don't really get their hearts checked so they might be living with something they don't know and what a quick simple painless EKG can do is detect a heart disease that might end in a cardiac arrest," said Mike Papale, the president and founder of the nonprofit organization In a Heartbeat.
     Papale, who experienced cardiac arrest himself at age 17, said the screenings can be a lifesaver. Over the past two years, two student-athletes in Connecticut have died due to heart-related issues during practices.
     The free heart screenings at the Waterbury YMCA on Thursday are open to children, teens, and young adults up to age 25. The event, which runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., was inspired by Lott's experience.
     Lott, who will be at Thursday's Holy Cross game against Wilby, sitting on the bench to support his teammates, said he's glad the community is taking action.
     "I think just to know ahead of time so no one else has to go through this is important," said Tasha Lott, Tylon's mother.
     The screening process takes only about 5 minutes and can potentially identify underlying heart conditions that may go unnoticed. Advocates hope events like these will lead to changes in state policies, requiring EKG testing for all student-athletes.
     "Survival rates for cardiac arrest is low so we want to detect it before they are in that emergency situation," Papale said.

Out East District
Pierpont Neighborhood
​February 27, 2025
Waterbury Resident Hospitalized After Apartment Fire on East Main Street
     A fire broke out in a multi-family apartment building on East Main Street in Waterbury on Thursday, February 27, 2025, sending one resident to the hospital.
     Waterbury Fire Deputy Chief John Perugini reported that dispatch received a call around 2:13 p.m. about a fire with a person trapped on the second floor of the building located in the 3200 block of East Main Street.
     Multiple fire companies responded to the scene and were able to rescue the occupant, who was then transported to Saint Mary's Hospital by Trinity Ambulance personnel. The extent of the individual's injuries is currently unknown.
     According to Perugini, the fire was contained to the living room of the affected apartment, though the home suffered significant damage. The blaze did not spread to the units above nor below, but the first-floor apartment did sustain some water damage.
     All other occupants of the building were allowed to return to their homes. Perugini noted that the last fire units cleared the scene around 4 p.m.
     The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Perugini indicated that an oxygen tank may have sparked the initial flames. No additional details have been released at this time.

Centre District
Down Town Neighborhood
February 25, 2025
Waterbury Man Arrested in August Hit-and-Run that Injured Pedestrian
     Police have arrested a 23-year-old Waterbury man in connection with a hit-and-run accident last August that seriously injured a pedestrian.
     Nathan Medina was identified as the driver responsible for the crash that occurred on August 18 around 6:28 p.m. in the area of 97 Cherry Street, according to the Waterbury Police Department.
     Officers responding to the scene found a 22-year-old male pedestrian in the roadway with serious injuries. The victim was transported to Saint Mary's Hospital in critical but stable condition.
     Investigators determined the striking vehicle, described as a four-door beige or gold Chevy Cruze, fled the scene with damage to the front passenger-side fender.
     A warrant was subsequently issued for Medina's arrest following an investigation by the department's Crash Reconstruction Unit.
     Medina was taken into custody on February 23 by Connecticut State Police in connection with a separate incident. However, the charges he now faces are related to the Waterbury hit-and-run.
     Medina has been charged with reckless driving, improper use of a marker plate, operating an unregistered vehicle, operating a motor vehicle without a license, evading responsibility resulting in serious injury, and illegal operation of a motor vehicle without insurance.
     The victim has since been discharged from the hospital, police said.
​

Tid-Bits

• Brass industry
  Waterbury was once known as the "Brass Capital of the World" because of its important role in the American brass industry. The city's skilled workers made a variety of brass and copper goods, including screws, washers, buttons, showerheads, alarm clocks, toy airplanes, lipstick holders, and cocktail shakers. 

• Italian-American population
  Waterbury is the most heavily populated Italian-American city in Connecticut, with over 18% of its residents being of 100% Italian heritage, and another 30,000 being of at least 50% Italian heritage.  (When surveyed, these Italian-Americans indicated that they can trace their Italian roots back between 6 and 13 generations.)

• Orthodox Jewish population
  Waterbury has a growing Orthodox Jewish population, which has experienced a renaissance since 2000. ​

• Standard time
  Charles Ferdinand Dowd, the Waterbury Superintendent of Schools from 1859–1860, originated the system of "standard time". 

• Revolving turret
  Theodore R. Timby, a Waterbury resident, invented a revolving turret that was used on the "Monitor" during its battle with the "Merrimack". 

 

• St. Patrick's Day Parade
  Waterbury's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade is held in the Washington Hill section, but is rarely held on St. Patrick's Day itself. 

​

• Holy Land USA
  Waterbury is home to Holy Land USA, a religious-themed park that replicates Bethlehem and Jerusalem from the Biblical era. 

This article was written by artificial intelligence; Saturday, November 23, 2024

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