Officers were dispatched to a report of a crash near the intersection of Long Hill Drive and Burnside Avenue around 7:37 p.m. on Friday, according to Officer Marc Caruso of the East Hartford Police Department.

Arriving officers found an adult man who was seriously injured and learned that the suspected vehicle left the scene, Caruso said.

The East Hartford Fire Department arrived on the scene, and the man was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to Caruso.

The intersection was shut down until around 1 a.m. as the Metro Regional Crash Team conducted the ongoing investigation. A short time later, investigators located the suspect vehicle, a 2001 grey Buick, along with the driver.

The driver, identified as 43-year-old Nana Oppong-Bonsu of East Hartford, was arrested and charged with evading responsibility.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Sgt. Michael Romano at 860-528-4401.

Brandy Kaiser, 40, was recently arrested on two counts of illegal use of a payment card and a single count of first-degree larceny and first-degree identity theft, according to Officer Marc Caruso of the East Hartford Police Department.

Caruso said Kaiser was a former employee at Kia of East Hartford where she had been writing out company checks to herself and using the company’s bank account to pay her rent, electric bill, auto loan and other personal debts. She has been accused of defrauding the company out of about $142,000, according to Caruso.

Kaiser turned herself in following a lengthy investigation.

“The arrest marks a significant step in holding individuals accountable for financial crimes and maintaining the integrity of our community,” Caruso said in a statement.

According to online court records, Kaiser is free on a $75,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned in Manchester Superior Court on Jan. 28.

“The cooperation of our investigative team has been instrumental in bringing this case to a successful conclusion,” Det. Christina Johnston, who served as the lead investigator, said in a statement. “We remain committed to safeguarding our community from fraudulent activities.”

It’s not that the river had suddenly gotten choppy; it’s waves of consternation on the East Hartford side and further, where everyone from local police to a state agency and local river stewardship organization have gotten involved in asking what the heck the sailboat is doing anchored on the river in the middle of the winter.

The sailboat, which looks like it is about 30 feet long, was anchored south of the Founder’s Bridge.

A spokesman for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said the agency, which heard from the East Hartford Harbormaster, initially consulted Department of Motor Vehicles registration records “which indicated that the vessel was currently registered.”

However, also according to the DEEP spokesman, the agency has since “learned in subsequent conversations with the Harbormaster, the boat was sold to a new owner prior to DEEP’s involvement which was not immediately apparent since the DMV does not collect or share information on vessel sales. Because the boat was not re-registered after the sale, the registration ceased to be valid, and as a result, the vessel is now considered unregistered.”

And that, according to DEEP, which cited a state law on the matter, means the “vessel now qualifies as abandoned due to its improper registration and having been left on Connecticut waters for more than 24 hours.”

“As we understand, the Town of East Hartford is in the process of submitting the necessary paperwork to DEEP to initiate the abandoned vessel process. Under the law, once DEEP receives this paperwork, DEEP attempts notification to the vessel owner who then has 45 days to remove the boat,” the DEEP spokesman said. “If the vessel remains unclaimed after that period, it will not be available for general claim by others, but ownership is transferred to the complainant — in this case the Town of East Hartford. At that point they can handle the boat as needed.”

East Hartford Police Department Public Information Officer Marc Caruso confirmed that the department is “in the process of filing the proper paperwork for an abandoned vessel with DEEP.”

Caruso also said that the sailboat had not capsized, and, in fact, was “secure now by ice.” He said there were no water tow companies able to come out and tow the vessel “due to the weather and ice” but that the boat is “not an immediate hazard.”

Caruso declined to name the owner of the boat; DEEP was asked to identify the owner of the vessel but did not. The Courant has requested a copy of the police report on the issue.

Caruso later said that he spoke with the “owner” and “he is going to move the boat as soon as weather and conditions permit.”

The reported owner called WFSB, according to the news station, telling them the boat was there because “the prices of marinas are way too high.” The Courant is not naming the man because he was not named by authorities.

Photos shared with the Courant from people who work nearby show the vessel has moved and that most recently it appeared to be listing to starboard with its keel in the mud. One local river watcher said he has seen the boat “getting bashed by ice floes.”

The DEEP spokesman also said that, once the vessel is “identified as abandoned, which can be documented by filing of a police report or by the submission of the notice of abandoned vessel to DEEP, as noted … the town is indemnified against harm to the vessel in the processing, storage or movement of the boat. Therefore, under (state law) once East Hartford has documented that the boat is abandoned, they may move the boat.”

The spokesman said that “It’s important to note that after the 45-day period, the boat is not listed for general public claim. Rather the vessel becomes the property of the complainant.”

The boat also drew the attention of others familiar with the river.

Michael Zaleski, president & CEO of Riverfront Recapture, Inc., an organization that acts as stewards of the river and manages nearby parks, said the organization is aware of the concerns but does not have authority to do anything about it.

“Riverfront Recapture is aware of the sailboat that has been anchored in the river south of the Founders Bridge for several months,” he said. “We have advised the owner on several occasions that the location is not a safe one, especially during the winter. We have also discussed the presence of the boat with the East Hartford Harbormaster, East Hartford Police Department and state DEEP.”

The East Hartford mayor’s office also was aware of the boat, said Marissa Baum, head of communications for the office of the mayor. Baum said in general that the mayor doesn’t comment on ongoing police matters. She also noted that the police department is working with DEEP to address the situation in ways “that align with their policies and procedures and there will be a resolution as the process allows.”

Regarding anchoring in the Connecticut River, the DEEP spokesman said it is allowed, as long as it is not in a federal navigation channel, it isn’t a navigation hazard, it isn’t impacting a riparian property owner’s right to access and it is not inconsistent with the provisions of a state-approved Harbor Management Plan (East Hartford does not have one).

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that police said they spoke to the owner of the boat and he said he planned to move it.

While New Haven often takes the crown for best pizza in Connecticut (and even the country), there are a bevvy of fantastic choices in Hartford County to enjoy a slice or two for National Pizza Week.

Don’t believe us? We have gone ahead and collected a list of over 100 restaurants in 10 towns and cities that serve pizza. These restaurants all have at least a 4 stars on Google with at least 10 or more ratings.

The list is ordered alphabetically after Hartford, with each town’s restaurants then ordered by rating. This list is not all-inclusive, so let us know if we missed one!

Hartford

• Hartford Pizza Garden on 535 Farmington Ave (4.9 stars)
• Angelina’s Pizzeria on 41 Prospect Ave (4.7 stars)
• Salute on 100 Trumbull St (4.7 stars)
• The Brownstone on 114 Asylum St (4.5 stars)
• George’s Pizza Restaurant on 2027 Park St (4.5 stars)
• First and Last Tavern Hartford on 939 Maple Ave (4.5 stars)
• Al’s Pizza and Deli on 427 Main St (4.5 stars)
• Bro’s Dough Pizzeria on 448 New Britain Ave (4.4 stars)
• Sorella on 901 Main S (4.4 stars)
• Pietro’s Pizza on 942 Main St (4.3 stars)
• Sampizza Bar on 40 John St (4.3 stars)
• Pietro’s Pizza on 942 Main St (4.3 stars)
• City Pizza on 498 Farmington Ave (4.3 stars)
• Mr Pizza on 671 Blue Hills Ave (4.3 stars)
• NY – NY Pizza Restaurant on 547 Franklin Ave (4.3 stars)
• HFC Chicken & Pizza on 271 Farmington Ave (4.3 stars)
• A-1 Pizza on 306 Farmington Ave (4.1 stars)
• Sisson Avenue Pizza&Wings on 495 Farmington Ave (4.0 stars)
• Ranch House Pizza 17 Asylum St #1 (4.0 stars)
• Kinder Pizza and Ranch House on 2543 Main St (4.0 stars)

Bloomfield

• Carbone’s Kitchen on 6 Wintonbury Mall (4.5 stars)
• Bloomfield Village Pizza on 34 Tunxis Ave (4.4 stars)
• Pasticceria Italia on 10 Wintonbury Mall (4.4 stars)
• Gino’s Pizza & Ranch House on 407 Cottage Grove Rd (4.2 stars)
• Michael John’s Pizza on 1393 Blue Hills Ave (4.2 stars)
• Sarah’s On Park on 774 Park Ave (4.2 stars)

East Hartford

• Savvi’s Pizza Restaurant on 1555 Main St (4.6 stars)
• Carmine’s Bar • Grill • Stage on 389 Main St (4.5 stars)
• Queen Pizza on 310 Silver Ln (4.4 stars)
• Charlie’s Pizza on 386 Prospect St (4.3 stars)
• Burnside Roma Restaurant on 358 Burnside Ave (4.3 stars)
• C&E Pizza Restaurant on 1111 Burnside Ave (4.3 stars)
• Anna’s Restaurant & Pizza on 1489 Silver Ln (4.2 stars)
• Cavros Pizzeria on 184 Main St (4.2 stars)
• Villa Milano’s Pizza on 456 Main St (4.1 stars)
• East Hartford Pizza Restaurant on 1160 Burnside Ave (4.0 stars)
• Gino’s Original Pizzeria on 50 Main St (4.0 stars)

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Farmington

• Naples Pizza on 838 Farmington Ave (4.5 stars)
• Farmington Pizza + Kitchen on 1019 Farmington Ave (4.4 stars)
• Galleria Restaurant on 2 Spring Ln (4.4 stars)
• Mama Luke’s on 372 Scott Swamp Rd Route 6 (4.2 stars)
• Olee’s Pizza Farmington on 222 Main St (4.0 stars)

Manchester

• Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana on 221 Buckland Hills Dr (4.6 stars)
• CJ’s Pizza and Giant Grinders on 273 Broad St (4.6 stars)
• Al Madina Restaurant on 246 Broad St (4.6 stars)
• Andi’s Pizzeria on 290 Broad St (4.5 stars)
• Hartford Road Pizza on 250 Hartford Rd (4.5 stars)
• Pepe’s Restaurant & Lounge on 300 Middle Turnpike W (4.5 stars)
• Mulberry Street Pizza on 981 Main St (4.4 stars)
• Pizza Mia Restaurant, And Bar on 55 E Center St (4.3 stars)
• Filomena’s Pizzeria on 775 Main St (4.3 stars)
• Joey Garlics Manchester on 31 Redstone Rd (4.2 stars)
• Mike’s Pizzeria on 267 E Center St (4.2 stars)
• Husky Pizza on 46 W Center St (4.2 stars)
• Manchester Pizza & Grill on 316 Green Rd (4.1 stars)
• Maggie McFly’s | Manchester on 194 Buckland Hills Dr Suite 1023 (4.1 stars)
• Woodbridge Pizza Manchester on 489 Middle Tpke E (4.0 stars)
• Randy’s Wooster Street Pizza on 285 E Center S (4.0 stars)
• BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse on 320 Buckland Hills Dr (4.0 stars)

Newington

• Phoenix Pizzeria on Starbucks’s Plaza, 995 Main St (4.8 stars)
• Elm Hill Pizza on 625 Maple Hill Ave (4.7 stars)
• Turnpike Pizza on 2331 Berlin Tpke (4.7 stars)
• Bella Gourmet Pizzeria on 125 Fenn R (4.6 stars)
• Yannis Pizza Restaurant on 296 Main St (4.5 stars)
• Newington Pizza Restaurant on 75 Market Square (4.5 stars)
• Joey Garlic’s Newington on 150 Kitts Ln (4.5 stars)
• Town Line Pizza & Restaurant on 736 New Britain Ave (4.5 stars)
• TJ’s on Cedar on 14 E Cedar St (4.4 stars)
• Village Pizza & Halal Restaurant on 425 New Britain Ave Unit A (4.3 stars)
• Wood-n-Tap – Newington on 375 Berlin Tpke (4.3 stars)
• Best Pizza on 82 Pane Rd (4.2 stars)
• Nicolas Pizza & Mexican Eatery on 1125 Willard Ave (4.1 stars)

New Britain

• City Pizza Grill & Grocery on 662 East St (4.9 stars)
• South Main Pizzeria on 450 S Main St (4.8 stars)
• BYG DADDY’S PIZZA on 972 W Main St (4.6 stars)
• Marathon Pizza on 850 W Main St (4.6 stars)
• Adinas Pizzeria on 2012 Corbin Ave (4.5 stars)
• Brick Oven Pizza & Restaurant on 427 Osgood Ave (4.5 stars)
• New Britain House of Pizza on 952 Stanley St (4.4 stars)
• Town & Country Pizza Restaurant on 685 Farmington Ave (4.4 stars)
• Pizza Pal Restaurant on 264 S Main St (4.4 stars)
• Peppino’s Pizza on 10 Main St (4.3 stars)
• Express Ranch House & Pizzeria on 389 Allen St (4.3 stars)
• Paradise Pizza & Restaurant on 10 East St (4.2 stars)
• Tony’s Central Pizza on 1523 Stanley St Ste B (4.1 stars)
• Pizza Corner on 36 Broad St (4.1 stars)
• Elmer’s Place & Great Oak’s Restaurant on 1433 East St (4.0 stars)

West Hartford

• Dino’s Pizzeria West Hartford on 439 New Park Av (4.6 stars)
• Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana on 1148 New Britain Ave (4.5 stars)
• Savoy Pizzeria & Craft Bar on 32 LaSalle Rd (4.4 stars)
• Harry’s Bishops Corner Pizza Napoletana on 732 N Main St (4.4 stars)
• Joey’s Pizza Pie on 353 Park Rd (4.4 stars)
• Jimmie’s Pizza West Hartford on 765 Farmington Ave (4.4 stars)
• Bert’s Pizzeria and Mexican Cuisine on 264 Park Rd (4.4 stars)
• Sparrow Pizza Bar on 977 Farmington Ave (4.3 stars)
• Elmwood Pizza & Grinders on 1154 New Britain Ave (4.0 stars)

Wethersfield

• Stella’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant on 620 Silas Deane Hwy (4.8 stars)
• Lenoci’s Italian Kitchen on 285 Main St (4.8 stars)
• Sfizio Italian Kitchen on 70 Wolcott Hill R (4.8 stars)
• Wethersfield Pizza House on 955 Silas Deane Hwy (4.7 stars)
• Village Pizza Restaurant on 233 Main St (4.6 stars)
• Leo’s Pizza on 689 Wolcott Hill Rd (4.5 stars)
• Sora My Way on 446 Silas Deane Hwy (4.5 stars)
• Sofia’s Brick Oven Pizzeria on 1279 Silas Deane Hwy (4.3 stars)
• Vito’s Restaurant and Pizzaria on 673 Silas Deane Hwy (4.3 stars)
• Fratelli Pizzeria on 804 Silas Deane Hwy (4.3 stars)
• Sally’s Apizza on 1178 Silas Deane Hwy (4.2 stars)

Windsor

• Tunxis Grill & Pizzeria on 3 Tunxis St (4.5 stars)
• Wilson Pizza Palace on 340 Windsor Ave (4.4 stars)
• Jim’s Pizza on 124 Poquonock Ave (4.2 stars)
• Family Pizzeria on 181 Broad St (4.1 stars)
• Pizza Rama on 645 Poquonock Ave (4.0 stars)

“He was always about the underdog,” said Kish’s daughter, Stephani, who lives in Hartland. “He came from very meager beginnings, his family owned a very small farm in Canada and his mother saved pennies to buy him his first pair of skates. So he was always about bringing up those underdog stories and making successes where there had been previous failures.”

Kish, born in Welland, Ontario, worked his way onto the team at Providence College, where he was an All-American and captain of the Frozen Four team in 1964. He was later inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.

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Early in his coaching career, he took over the Binghamton Whalers, Hartford’s AHL affiliate, and led the “Baby Whale” to the Calder Cup finals in 1982. Several future Whalers played for Kish there, including Marty Howe, Ray Neufeld and Norm Barnes. In 2018, Kish was inducted into the Binghamton Hockey Hall of Fame.

In June 1982, Kish, age 40, was promoted to the head coaching position in Hartford when Larry Pleau moved to a front office role, but after 49 games, the Whalers were 12-32-5. Kish resigned after a stretch of two wins in 18 games and Pleau returned as coach.

“I know he wished he could have sustained it longer to turn it around,” his daughter said. “I know his passion was about doing that. So even though for him it was a huge accomplishment to be on that stage in that way, he wished he could have had more time to make it a success. And I think he could have done that if he were allowed to grow.”

Kish was known and respected for his preparation and his skillful handling of young players, but never got another chance to coach in the NHL. He joined the Edmonton Oilers as a scout and went on to have a long minor-league coaching career, notably with the AHL’s Nova Scotia Oilers. He earned a Stanley Cup ring when the parent club in Edmonton won titles in the 1980s.Kish later coached Wheeling, W.Va., in the ECHL.

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Kish remained active in his later years, and died in Naples, Fla., after battles with cancer, and heart disease, his daughter said.

“He was reliving his hockey career at the very end with so much pride,” Stephani Kish said. “Even though he was a small guy and that prevented him from being a better player, he was still able to live his life being involved in hockey.”

He is survived by his daughters, Kathleen and Stephani; his grandchildren, Zachariah (Nathan) and Elsa; his siblings, Rick (Mary) and Nancy (Pete); his nephew Rod, and his nieces, Erica, Darlene, and Kristen. The family asks donations in Larry Kish’s name be made to the Providence hockey program.

UConn defeated North Carolina 27-14 in Boston that day, and defensive lineman Pryce Yates had a monster game, making six tackles, three for lost yardage and one sack.

Now, Yates is transferring to North Carolina, according to multiple reports, where Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl champ with the Patriots, will be taking over next year. (Unless he reconsiders with several NFL jobs now open.) Given recent developments, Yates’ route from Storrs to Chapel Hill is bound to raise eyebrows.

Yates entered the transfer portal on Dec. 13, but continued to practice and prepare for the Huskies’ bowl game. On Dec. 21, he withdrew from the portal and said he was coming back to UConn. Then he made a name for himself at Fenway Park.

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“It was a hard process, but I was talking to the coaches a lot, keeping them in the loop and just kind of weighing everything,” Yates told reporters after the game.

Two days later, Yates, who likely increased his name-image-likeness market value with his performance, re-entered the portal. In the meantime, UConn coach Jim Mora spoke out on social media, announcing he would expose programs for tampering with his players, as in contacting them before they entered the portal, which is against the rules. Later, he posted on social media about his belief that Washington State had done so, but hasn’t mentioned what player was involved.

It’s not known when North Carolina contacted Yates. If they did so after he re-entered the portal, then no tampering rules were broken. Mora has not commented on Yates/UNC.

The bottom line is UConn has lost one of its best defensive players. Yates missed much of the season with lingering concussion symptoms, but ended up with 21 tackles, nine solo, and 3 1/2 sacks in seven games. Across his career, he played in 32 games, making 50 tackles, 29 1/3 behind the line of scrimmage, including 12 1/2 sacks and three forced fumbles. Yates, 6 feet for and 265 pounds, from San Antonio, has one year of eligibility left.

UConn has also lost one of its top linebackers, Langston Hardy, who committed to Wake Forest on Jan. 5. Hardy, who was in on 44 tackles, including 3 1/2 sacks, the son of former NFL standout Kevin Hardy, will join his young brother. Camden, at Wake. Hardy scored a touchdown on defense against Duke during the season, and had five tackles in UConn’s loss to Wake Forest on Oct. 19.

Yates has yet to announce his commitment to UNC, but bid farewell to UConn on Tuesday night.

Dear Husky Nation, thank you for your unwavering support and belief in both myself and this team,” Yates posted on X. “This fanbase is loyal, resilient, and filled with love. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to not only play but get my degree from the University of Connecticut. Thank you!”

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So far UConn (9-4), which has its most successful season in more than a decade, has won and lost a few in the portal. Mora has landed more than a dozen transfers, and has kept several of his own top players, including receiver Skyler Bell, who was in the portal and courted by Michigan. But he has lost Yates, running back Durell Robinson (Auburn) and defensive back Malcolm Bell (Michigan State) to power conference programs.

In other portal news, UMass landed two grad transfers from Yale, linebacker Dean Schaeffer, who was captain, and quarterback Grant Jordan. Yale receiver David Pantelis is headed to Stanford to play out his extra eligibility. The Ivy League does not allow grad students to play.

But ask the Hartford Foundation For Public Giving leader about the organization’s Greater Together Community Funds, and he gets truly excited and doesn’t mind sharing why.

Through the Greater Together Community Funds program, which includes all 29 of the towns in the foundation’s area, $2.5 million in grants have been made since 2019, he said. That’s more than 650 grants, and every one of them was decided by a committee made up of volunteers from each of those towns.

Now, as part of marking the foundation’s centennial year in 2025, it will make another $2.9 million investment in the Greater Together Community Funds, Williams said.

In addition to support for all of its communities, the foundation wants all of them to “truly see us as their community foundation,” he said. “We couldn’t be more excited.

“For all of these communities, this is a permanent part of the foundation’s commitment to all 29 of our towns,” Williams said. “They are equally important.”

How it started

The program, Williams said, grew from a 29-town series of listening session during which the foundation learned that “these are needs that may have not been met that were important to these communities.”

So in 2019, the Hartford Foundation launched an initial investment of $2.9 million to create what was dubbed the Greater Together Community Funds.

The key, he said, is that community volunteers in each of the towns make the decisions (with foundation guidance) on how the money is going to be spent. “They know the needs,” he said.

“We heard from … hundreds and hundreds of resident in these towns,” Williams said.

Under this parameter of a committee of local volunteers making the decisions, an example of 2023 grants in Farmington included, among many others, $5,000 to Interval House to support Farmington victims of domestic violence; $4,250 to Services for the Elderly of Farmington to purchase wheelchairs and walkers for the Farmington community to borrow; and $5,000 to Greystone Foundation to provide short-term financial assistance to individuals and families who have unexpected events disruptive to household finances.

In Marlborough, among many others, grants were made to Marlborough Arts Center for $4,600 for a sustainable Art Trail; $4,842 to the Marlborough Education Association to make the Elementary School Library adaptive and inclusive; and $4,500 to the Marlborough Food Bank to establish a fund for a Fuel Bank, according to the foundation.

Williams said the committees in the towns receive support from the foundation staff, but there are also hundreds of volunteers helping when considering all of the communities.

He noted that “many of these towns have decided to collaborate with neighbors in some regional” ventures, and “not only did we say yes, it is ok it exactly what we hoped would come out of it.

“We learned over the past four or five years how to tweak it, how to make it more collaborative,” he said. “We wanted to make is a flexible as possible. …”

Williams said the foundation staff did basic grant training for the committees, which do not include any elected officials and reflect the diversity of the towns. Each town has a different way of soliciting or generating ideas, he said.

“Part of the excitement is actually getting to see, to watch every one of these grants as the towns make them,” Williams said.

“Being a part of the Bolton Greater Together Community Fund effort has been such a rewarding experience,” said Bolton committee member Shandra Scott-Brown.

“It is a way for me to really connect to the community that I live in, and it was an opportunity for me to just get involved and help others. Who doesn’t like having the opportunity to meet with other people in town and give away money to service people that live in your community? It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Avon committee member and Avon High School student Panya Khattar said, “Inspiring people I work alongside dedicate their time and effort because they genuinely believe in the betterment of our community, they show that when larger, more powerful institutions fall short, smaller, passionate groups can step up to create real, meaningful change. It’s truly ‘the people doing for the people.’ As a high school representative, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a dedicated force, one that uplifts and empowers our community in profound ways. “

The initiative created separate funds in each of the towns in the foundation’s region, including Andover, Avon, Bloomfield, Bolton, Canton, East Granby, East Hartford, East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Farmington, Glastonbury, Granby, Hartford, Hebron, Manchester, Marlborough, Newington, Rocky Hill, Simsbury, Somers, South Windsor, Suffield, Tolland, Vernon, West Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor and Windsor Locks.

Williams said the foundation plans more major project during its centennial year, which will be announced as they are launched. “This is the first of several significant announcements that are going to abe associated with our centennial year,” he said.

He said future grants also will go to the Greater Together Community Funds, but the amount hasn’t been determined yet.

“I never fail to appreciate and just smile when you go through that (grants) list,” he said. “To me that means just that much more activity and engagement.”

You may also see it through an eye roll, that the transfer portal swings two ways and Mora’s various social media posts about tampering are what used to be called “a grandstand play,” or sour grapes of a sort.

But you can’t deny there’s a crowd gathering here, popcorn in hand, and you should consider this for a moment: Here we are, right in the middle of the playoffs, and there is a segment of the national community talking about UConn, wait for it, football. You don’t build programs, you don’t overcome the obstacles that still exist here by staying silent and in the background. No noise is bad noise.

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So there’s a lot to be said for a coach who is willing to pick a fight for his program and his players. When Jim Calhoun took over the men’s basketball program in 1986, he was ejected from a game at Pittsburgh and roared in defiance afterward, there would be “no more dumping on Connecticut.”

I tend to see Mora’s tampering posts in that same vein.

First, Mora said, tagging the NCAA: “A simple note to the schools and coaches that have blatantly broken NCAA rules by tampering with our players in the last 24 hours. We do know who you are, we will pursue all avenues to hold you accountable. We are excited that we’ve built a program where coaches have to cheat to beat us and we will protect that program. Think hard before you tamper with our players.”

A couple of days later, Mora crossed the next line, naming a name: “‘I was originally content with my decision with coming to UConn,'” he posted, apparently quoting a player, but not saying which one. “‘feel like I allowed Washington State to get into my head when I could have just ignored them I expressed to them that I was signed but I continued to conversate.’

“… Why do grown men continue to manipulate NCAA football tampering rules and put players in the uncomfortable position this young man was put in(?) I promised to call out those tampering with our players and threatening what our players are working so hard to build. I intend to continue to do so and hope more college coaches will join me in fighting the blatant tampering taking place.”

On Friday, I reached out and offered Mora a chance to conversate a little more, but he chose a pause. “I think I made my point,” he said.

The transfer portal has indeed become the Wild West, literally in this case. If there was ever an unwritten commandment, “Thou shalt not fink on a fellow coach” for it may come back to roost, Mora’s taking his chances. Washington State, which is fairly close to Mora’s place in Idaho, was looking for a new coach and there was speculation here and there connecting Mora with the job. There could not have been serious interest as Mora, 62, signed an extension with UConn on Dec. 28 for considerably more ($2.5 million average annual value) than Washington State paid to get Jimmy Rogers (reports say $1.7 million) from South Dakota State. Rogers, 37 and coming from an FCS powerhouse, had yet to be introduced as the new Cougars’ coach when Mora issued his first social media salvo.

Maybe the Huskies and Cougs are destined to meet next year in a bowl game, a Tampa bowl game. Get it?

UConn football transfer portal updates: Jim Mora calls out Washington State for tampering

The true bump the UConn program will get from its 9-4 season and victory over dispirited North Carolina will not be known for a while. But if we can’t yet tell how seriously UConn is being taken out there, by conferences or by players still in the portal, it’s obvious more people are paying attention.

The Fenway Bowl, in addition to the 27,900 in the stands, was watched by 2.11 million viewers, which seems like a ratings win for an 11 a.m. start on ESPN. That’s about middle of the pack for non-playoff bowl games, and a large increase over Fenway’s attendance (16,200) and ratings (1.48 million) in 2023, albeit a weekday vs. a Saturday. Among bowl games that didn’t have two power conference opponents, only Navy-Oklahoma (2.85 million at noon on Dec. 27) and Toledo-Pitt (2.56 million at noon on Dec. 26) did better than UConn vs. North Carolina.

A year ago, anecdotally, UConn lost its impact tight end, Justin Joly, through the portal to NC State, where he had 43 catches for 661 yards and four TDs. This week, UConn picked up a promising tight end, Juice Vereen (four catches, 65 yards as a sophomore) from NC State through the portal. He was a four-star prospect out of high school.

And what UConn has is a coach willing to make noise, step on toes, shake up the establishment. Mora’s not going anywhere right now, and his program hovers as an uninvited guest in the college football news — a long way from a national power, sure, but a few tweets from becoming a national nuisance. And in case they haven’t gotten the message loud and clear out there: No dumping allowed.

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More for your Sunday Read:

Honor for Windsor’s Alex Inyatkin

Windsor High senior Alex Inyatkin, who is on the cross country and indoor and outdoor track teams, was presented the Michael H. Savage Spirit in Sport Award, which is awarded annually to a student athlete who “examples the ideals of the positive spirit of sport that represent the core mission of education-based athletics.”

Inyatkin, the son of former UConn basketball player Ruslan Inyatkin, was diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis, and experienced as many as 80 seizures a day. To alleviate the seizures, he would undergo two brain surgeries at 18 months old. “Alex has autism, and he is really good with numbers,” his mother, Kerri Scott, said. “He remembers the time for every single race he’s ever run. He knows how much time he’s taken off of each race, he has it all in his head.”

He ran in the Class L championships with his teammates this past season.  A talented musician, Alex also sang the national anthem at a recent Rangers game at Madison Square Garden and has also performed at Radio City. He has been free of seizures since his second surgery, but remains on anti-seizure medication.

He will be honored at the CIAC Scholar-Athlete banquet in May, and as Connecticut’s winner he is a candidate for the National Federation of State High School Associations’ (NFHS) Section and National Spirit of Sport Awards.

“What Alex has overcome physically, emotionally and, in some cases, cognitively defies all barriers,” said Nichole Donzella, Windsor’s cross country coach, via the CIAC’s announcement.

Sunday short takes

*UConn’s Scott Oberg, 34, whose promising major-league career was cut short by injury and illness, has rejoined the Rockies’ organization as pitching coordinator. Perhaps he’ll be around Dunkin’ Park this summer to work with Yard Goats prospects.

*The UConn Name-Image-Likeness collective, “Bleeding Blue for Good,” has stopped taking contributions and will wind down and end its NIL operations in June, as it is anticipated revenue-sharing for collegiate athletes will replace collectives’ revenue at UConn. The group, which has had a key role in UConn’s athletics success the last couple of years, will distribute left over money to charity. Executive director Jared Guy Thomas said, via social media, he will stay in place as the organization continues to produce content via Storrs Central and work with athletes on marketing and endorsement opportunities.

*The world premier screening of “The Whalers,” a 95-minute documentary marking the 50th anniversary of Hartford’s dearly departed hockey team, has already been sold out at Cinestudio in Hartford on Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. The Wolf Pack will be celebrating the Whalers at their home game later that day.

*Now that UConn is playing both Boston College and UMass next season in football, does that mean it can take home the “Southwick Jug” as New England champs if it wins both? Asking for myself.

*Connecticut American Legion Baseball gave out its awards on Friday at the Aqua Turf in Southington. West Hartford Post 96 coach Sean McCann, who won the state title, was the obvious choice for coach of the year in the under-19 division, with Waterford’s Chris Gonet (under-17), Milford’s John Wezenski (U-15) and South Windsor’s Travis Edwards (U-13) also winning coach of the year honors. Long-time major-leaguer Rajai Davis, who played for New London Post 9, was alumnus of the year.

College players Dan Driscoll and JT Gunzy, Sacred Heart coach Pat Egan, umpire Kevin Moreland of the Eastern Board, Stamford coach Kevin Murray and Windsor Locks’ Dave Farr were honored.

*UConn baseball has a hot stove event scheduled for the Aqua Turf in Southington on Feb. 6.

*Since 1961, the NFL regular-season has gone from 12 to 14 games, then 14 to 16 in 1977 and 16 to 17 in 2021, so it should be unreasonable or considered disrespectful for any official record book to note these changes in marking single-season records.

*It was odd to see the Pacers waive UConn two-time champ Tristen Newton after the numbers he was putting up in the G-League, but apparently they wanted to open up a two-way contract slot and he preferred a release to other contractual options. Newton was quickly claimed by Minnesota and offered a new two-way deal.

“(The T-Wolves) are the team that was most high on him going into the draft,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said, “so I think he landed in a good spot. I know they’re excited to have him in their organization.”

Last word

If an NFL team is supposed to lose on purpose in order to get a higher draft pick, why not let them forfeit any game they don’t want to win? Refund the ticket and TV revenue. Would that be any more ridiculous than expecting players to risk their necks while trying to lose?

Chanting union slogans and holding up protest signs in the windy, low-30s weather, workers vowed to remember the day when new contract negotiations begin in May.

“Pratt has $100 billion of back-owed work and here we are standing outside. Our valued airline customers are not happy, the U.S government is not, more importantly, we are not happy,” Wayne McCarthy, president of Local 700 of the International Association of Machinists, told the crowd.

“As this company experiences record orders, our wages have stagnated or declined due to the cost of living. The company is threatening to come after our pensions and they have left a generation of workers with no pension at all,” McCarthy said into a megaphone.

McCarthy’s union represents about 1,400 workers at the Middletown plant, and Local 1746 represents another 1,600 at the East Hartford complex. Howie Huestis, president of the East Hartford local, lambasted company management, saying they had workers on the job at overtime rates during the holiday shutdown but then issued furloughs for the last two days of this week.

“They make their end-of-the year numbers and then give us days off without pay,”  Huestis said, drawing loud boos from the crowd.

On Friday afternoon, a company spokeswoman declined to answer the workers’ specific complaints, but issued a statement saying the production shutdowns were for operational reasons.

“Pratt & Whitney is taking the appropriate steps to maximize production efficiency during two brief windows in 2025. Select sites will see a limited number of employees using paid or unpaid leave aligned to holiday-adjacent workdays,” the statement said.

“We are taking these and related steps across Pratt & Whitney to maintain competitive cost structure and to meet historic customer demand,” it said.

An underlying issue is the company’s decades-long, gradual shift of employment out of the state. In 1980 its Connecticut workforce numbered 38,000; currently it stands at about 11,000.

Contractual job protection clauses for Connecticut employees cover many existing engine models that are sold to airlines and the military, but workers are concerned about where next-generation engines will be produced.

Just a few months ago, Pratt & Whitney opened an 845,000-square plant in Oklahoma for its military engine line, declaring “Oklahoma City is the heart of our global sustainment network for Pratt & Whitney’s Military Engines business and plays a critical role on every single one of our programs.”

A year earlier, it pumped more than $200 million into an expansion of its Columbus, Ohio engine plant.

In Middletown Friday, protestors chanted “retirement with dignity,” signaling that they will want pension improvements in the new contract as well as progress on wages, health insurance and job protection.

Huestis dismissed Pratt & Whitney’s claim that it needs cost reductions, deriding its outlay of more than $650 million for a casting facility in North Carolina.

“Two years later, they still don’t have the machines to do the casting,” he said.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and Mayor Ben Florsheim attended the rally, and Bysiewicz called on Pratt & Whitney to step up.

“We know our families across the state are struggling with inflation, the cost of housing, groceries, energy and health care,” she said. “That’s why when you go to the table to negotiate, Pratt needs to recognize the challenges of inflation and that you are highly skilled people who deserve to be paid what you are worth.”

The total includes $30,000 in contributions from donor-advised funds at the foundation, according to a spokesman.

The programming done by ReadyCT aligns with foundation “priorities to address gaps in college and career programming in the region’s Alliance Districts, which serve significant numbers” of Black and Latino students, according to the foundation.

“Forward looking investors like the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, who provide resources with trust and confidence in the work we do, are critical to creating opportunities for the students we serve,” said Shannon Marimon, executive director at ReadyCT. 

“This particular grant from the Hartford Foundation will support our general operations, enhancing program impact and allowing us to refine, scale and innovate in ways that support youth while also helping the region build a high-quality workforce right out of our area high schools,” Marimon said.

ReadyCT seeks “to bridge the public education system with workforce development, preparing students for successful futures through career-connected learning,” according to a foundation statement.

“The organization is focused on integrating career pathways and work-based learning opportunities within K-12 education, partnering with schools and industries in Greater Hartford and across Connecticut.”

ReadyCT’s engineering and green technology theme at Hartford Public High School, for example, in place since 2019, has expanded to “18 pathways across 12 Greater Hartford area high schools in the 24-25 school year,” according to the foundation, and Ready CT plans “to grow to 27 pathways across the state, covering themes such as manufacturing, healthcare, computer science, business services, and public service.”

It has programs in East Hartford and Hartford Public Schools that bring collaboration with superintendents, district staff, and principals to “implement impactful career-connected programming.”

“The goal is to create a mutually rewarding school-business network – one where the business provides a continuum of work-based learning experiences, and the student provides value and work products to the business,” according to the foundation. “Through this Hartford Foundation grant, ReadyCT will continue to engage students across Greater Hartford in pathways such as Allied Health, Computer Science, Engineering, IT, Insurance, Journalism and Public Service.”

Further, foundation funding will support these programs, it said:

• The ReadyCT Internship Program, which provides income and meaningful career opportunities.
• Student 5.0, a postsecondary planning program for high school seniors and recent graduates, including career readiness training and paid internships.
• G.R.I.T. (Get Ready! Immersive Traineeship) to offer skills development for younger high school students through real-world projects with businesses like Travelers and Hartford HealthCare.
• F.R.Y.A. (First Responders Youth Academy) to offer paid internships offering hands-on exposure to careers in law enforcement and firefighting.

“The Hartford Foundation is pleased to continue supporting ReadyCT,’ said Hartford Foundation Community Impact Officer Johana Rendon Ledesma. “This work reflects the importance of programming and partnership with Alliance Districts to support educational equity and post-secondary success for young people across Greater Hartford.”

According to the foundation, ReadyCT also is active in state-level policy “aimed at strengthening public school systems and career readiness, including an advisory role in the Governor’s Workforce Council, advocating for policy improvements in areas such as educator certification, and contributing to initiatives such as the Lt. Governor’s Computing Challenge and a statewide robotics initiative that brings FIRST Robotics and Vex resources to school districts across the state.

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, which serves Hartford and 28 surrounding towns has awarded grants of more than $998 million since its founding in 1925, according to a spokesman. For more information, visit www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.