In 2020, like so many other Summer programs, 125-year-old Camp Courant was forced to hold their activities virtually.,FARMINGTON, Conn. — Camp Courant is the oldest free Summer camp in the country, offering the chance for more than 700 Hartford kids a day to come to enjoy an outdoor experience on more than 30 acres by Batterson Park.,In 2020, like so many other Summer programs, 125-year-old Camp Courant was forced to hold their activities virtually.,“We’re not just thinking about Summer, we are planning for Summer,” said Corrianne Chipello, Camp Courant’s new executive director.,In West Hartford, Steve Boyle, the co-director of 2-4-1 Sports says he plans to have his camps open not just in Connecticut but also with Summer programs happening in the Philadelphia area, Boulder, Colorado, and Vancouver, British Colombia.

News 8’s Dennis House sat down with the founder to talk about how his company has helped businesses across the nation and right here in Connecticut.,RELATED: Founder of Barstool Sports wants everyone to know: New Haven is the pizza capital of the U.S.,All across the state, restaurants like the Red Rock are going through tough times due to the pandemic and Dave Portnoy, the founder of lifestyle brand Barstool Sports, wants to help.,RELATED: Elmer’s Place in New Britain latest CT restaurant to get help from Barstool amid pandemic crisis

Portnoy explained what he is looking for in a restaurant looking to get help from the Barstool Fund: “Red Rock is a perfect example of the two things we look for: a long track record of success…The second thing we look for is that the business owner still paid their employees.”,At the Red Rock, they are grateful for Barstool and Portnoy: “We can’t thank him enough. read more

Futures Inc., which has been in business for 30 years, has had a location in West Hartford for 16 years, but recently has become much more physically visible in the community.,In West Hartford, The Kitchen at Futures Inc. operates a teaching kitchen that shares space with the offices on South Quaker Lane, and in August 2020, they opened the organization’s third brick and mortar retail location, Good Cause Gifts, which shares space with Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union at 973 Farmington Ave.

Good Cause Gifts also has stores in Berlin and at the Hospital for Special Care in New Britain – and the Kitchen at Futures Inc. also runs the cafe at the hospital.,“One of our biggest goals to opening a store in West Hartford Center was to get our name into the community and share what Futures Inc. and Good Cause Gifts is doing – while also providing another great shopping option for our town,” said DonAroma.,“In addition to shifting to a stronger online presence, simultaneous to opening our West Hartford Good Cause Gifts location, we also built an online store (goodcausegifts.org).,One of the key goals for opening the West Hartford Center store and launching the online store was working with more local vendors and businesses, and Futures Inc. has succeeded on that front as well. read more

Being No. 1 in the Associated Press poll is old hat for the UConn women’s basketball team.,UConn moved to the top spot in the AP poll released Monday following a 3-0 week that included an overtime victory over last week’s No. 1 South Carolina.,Juniors Christyn Williams and Olivia Nelson-Ododa have been part of two top-ranked teams with the Huskies, while sophomores Aubrey Griffin and Anna Makurat were also part of last year’s UConn club that spent three weeks at No. 1 a year ago before losing to Baylor at the XL Center in Hartford on Jan. 8, 2020.,They have been the top-ranked team at some point nine consecutive years and 22 of the last 27 seasons.,The Huskies improved to 22-3 in games featuring the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the AP poll with their win over South Carolina and followed up with victories over Seton Hall and Georgetown.

HARTFORD, Conn — Roads near the state capitol reopened after being closed for four hours In light of a recent FBI bulletin to all 50 states warning about the potential for armed protests in the days leading up to the inauguration of Joe Biden, 

There continues to be an increased law enforcement presence at the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford.,State Capitol Police are in talks with multiple agencies in beefing up security and said their officers will be stationed all around the building.,On Saturday, barriers closed off the driveway and parking lots next to the Capitol building in Hartford.,"We’re increasing our patrols with our K-9 officer who’s a bomb-detecting dog, we’re checking those areas and we’re also working very closely with a lot of other agencies - Hartford police, state police and FBI for additional possible manpower," said Driscoll.,Heavy police, National Guard presence in Hartford to secure State Capitol read more

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — A home on Cipolla Drive in East Hartford was heavily damaged by fire Saturday evening.,Fire officials say that they were called to the home at 6:22 p.m. for a report of a fire at the single-story wood home, and soon called a second alarm.,No one was home at the time, and no firefighters were injured.,The cause of the fire is under investigation; we'll have more details as they become available.

Many providers can be accessed through the VAMS scheduling system including:

Trinity Health of New England (hospitals and other locations) Griffin Hospital Nuvance Health Stamford Hospital Bristol Hospital Local Health Departments Federally Qualified Health Centers read more