Home Care In Simsbury, CT

SIMSBURY — Being on "Jeopardy!" has already made Kate Campolieta somewhat of a local celebrity in her small hometown, and now, the 25-year-old Simsbury native is returning to the hit game show for another stab at becoming a champion.

Campolieta first entered to be on "Jeopardy!" on a whim during the COVID-19 pandemic, simply because "there wasn't really much else going on," she said.

“It was just sort of, if it works out it works out, if it doesn't, it doesn't,” she said. “But I would say everything worked out pretty nicely.”

A couple of years after applying, Campolieta was shocked to find herself with an invitation to the Los Angeles studio. And having grown up watching the show, appearing in two episodes in 2023 was nothing short of surreal.

"It was funny, like in the actual gameplay, it really does feel a lot like you're playing at home,” she said. “I was able to sort of let go of the fact that I was actually on the show and sort of pretend that I was just on my couch, like yelling out the answers.”

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She never expected to win her first game, let alone be invited back for another round airing in February. And this time, she's competing against fellow returning champions.

“Everybody here is sort of an expert, because we've all been on before,” she said. “I'm pretty sure that at this event, the champions wildcard, I'm the youngest person here.”

The Season 39 Champions Wildcard competition, kicked off on Jan. 16, and has one- and two-day champions from last season competing for the final two spots in the 2024 Tournament of Champions, and one of two $100,000 grand prizes.

Campolieta's episode will air on Feb. 5, in which she is competing against Mira Hayward, a podcast host from Portland, Oregon, and Jesse Chin, an accounting director from Bayside, New York.

“You almost feel a little bit starstruck, and then you remember that they're just also a person who's good at trivia like you,” she said.

Being invited back came as a complete surprise to her, Campolieta said, and she actually was notified while on vacation with her father in Las Vegas using some of her prize money from last time.

“I was like, ‘Well, I guess we're going back again,’” she said.

Campolieta won in the July 4 episode, and lost the second game a day later, but was still able to walk away with around $12,000, she said.

And she said this time she felt even more prepared.

"I was less nervous because I knew exactly what to expect," Campolieta said. There was also the fact that she remembered from the first time what was most helpful for her to study.

And Campolieta, who works full time as a corporate communications specialist, said her strengths lie in wordplay categories, as well as geography, sports, music, and pop culture.

She said one of the most common questions people ask her is how she prepares for the show, but there's really no good answer to that. “Because, like, it's so hard to study for general knowledge.”

It wasn't even like she was a part of any trivia or jeopardy groups, as the closest thing would be occasionally going to trivia nights at Iron Horse Pub in Simsbury. Instead, most of her knowledge comes from watching documentaries, reading books, and listening to podcasts.

“I feel like I just have a good like memory for that kind of thing,” she said.

Campolieta also said that the majority of her studying included watching John Green’s Crash Course videos on YouTube, because they gave her just enough information on a variety of subjects. “Like I literally used to use in high school to cram for tests,” she laughed.

And getting the opportunity to meet "smart, quirky trivia people" like herself, and be on a show that she grew up with was a win in itself. It was also pretty cool because the set looks exactly like it does on TV, she said. "The floor is very shiny," she said.

More than anything, Campolieta said, she was just excited to be back. "No matter what happens, I'm just going to enjoy it.”

And while she isn’t the first local resident to appear on the show, Campolieta said in a small town, it was easy to feel Simsbury's excitement that one of its around 25,000 residents would be on a show broadcast to millions.

When she first was on the show, a local breakfast spot that she’s been going to since her childhood, Harvest Café, even named a brunch special after her, she said. And that was just one example of her hometown rallying in support.

“The town has been so sweet and so supportive of the whole thing,” Campolieta said. “It's been really fun.”

Jan 23, 2024

The town of Simsbury has banned the smoking of cannabis products on public property. The decision was made Monday night, after a unanimous vote by the town’s Board of Selectmen.

This decision is a compromise. Originally, it was proposed that all types of smoking, including tobacco, would be banned on most parcels of public property. But after hearing what the public had to say, the proposed ordinance was amended.

Since being proposed, the idea has been met with a passionate response and it continued during Monday’s public hearing.

“When I go out for a walk, I want to breathe in fresh air. I don’t want somebody cigarette inhaling into my lungs,” Simsbury resident Lori Boyko said.

The originally proposed ordinance would have banned smoking tobacco, vaping or cannabis products at places including playgrounds, parks, trails and government buildings. Although there was one exception - the Simsbury Farms Golf Course.

Supporting the exemption, Simsbury’s Parks and Recreation Department chairman spoke at the meeting, saying the proposed ordinance could have a negative revenue impact.

“There’s a reason we said we want to have an exemption,” David Bush said. “The golf course is the only revenue, generating piece of public property, or open space if you will, in the town.”

After hearing comments and reading emails from community members, Simsbury’s Board of Selectmen opted to amend the ordinance. Instead of banning all smoking, it only voted on eliminating cannabis.

People will still be able to smoke tobacco and vape in public spaces, but smoking cannabis will not be permitted without no exemptions, including the golf course.

Around town Tuesday, the decision received some support.

“I think it’s an evil thing, and it should be banned,” Chris Christopher said.

Not everyone, though, was in favor.

“I feel like smoking cannabis has a negative stigma,” Kaylaa Krahl said.

Krahl said she was disappointed but not surprised. The decision comes only a week after residents voted in referendum against allowing the retail sale of recreational cannabis in town.

“Economically I thought [that decision] was not smart,” Krahl said. “A lot of people do use and it’s a great way to build your economy and capital growth in the town.”

Once the ordinance goes into effect, the penalty for the infraction is a $100 citation.

UNCASVILLE — Defense got Simsbury to its first-ever state championship game in girls basketball. On Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena, defense won Simsbury the crown.

The No. 2-seeded Trojans utterly stifled topped-seeded Holy Cross to get out to a huge early lead, weathered a comeback, then put the show away 55-40 in the CIAC Class L final.

Amanda Gallagher, whose grandfather won a state title for the Simsbury boys in 1952, led Simsbury with 21 and seven rebounds. Fellow senior Olivia Jarvis, the game's Most Outstanding Player, added 19 points, including the 1,000th of her career. She also pulled down eight rebounds.

It was Simsbury's work on the boards and relentless play on defense — the Trojans came up with 17 steals, led by Gallagher's five — that delivered the title.

"Our coaches prepared us so well and our defense carried," said Jarvis. "I swear, we practiced probably 20 hours this past week, going over Holy Cross, learning everything they do, memorizing their players.

“Defense, defense, defense — and our shots will fall if it’s good.”

Saturday's victory capped an emotional season for Simsbury coach Sam Zullo. His mother, Linda, passed away from cancer in January.

“Coach Zullo is my mentor; I look up to him so much," said Gallagher, who baby-sits for her coach's children. "He’s been through so much this year and it means to much to me and the whole team to be able to win this for him.”

Another Zullo might win a state championship this weekend. Zullo's father, 80-year-old Jim, a New York state Hall of Famer with more than 500 career wins, came out of retirement this year to coach the girls program in Northville, N.Y. Northville plays Hammond for that state's Class D title Sunday.

On Saturday night, the younger Zullo's team led from start to finish. The Trojans bolted to a 16-4 lead in the first quarter and stretched it to 19-4 early in the second quarter behind their trademark zone defense and some terrific passing both in transition and half-court sets. The Trojans connected on several textbook back-door plays.

“Yeah, I wanted to leave at the end of the first quarter," quipped Zullo. "I thought that would be a good time to end the game.”

Holy Cross regrouped with some gritty defense of its own. Applying full-court pressure and double-teaming the ball in the half court, the Crusaders closed to 24-17 by halftime.

Led by junior Shania Howard (17 points, 5 steals), Holy Cross got as close as three, 31-28, late in the third quarter before Jarvis finished a feed from Charlotte Reitz to spark a 6-2 quarter-closing surge.

Thus, the third frame ended where it began, with the teams separated by seven, 37-30.

When the fourth quarter opened with Amanda Gallagher swiping a Holy Cross entry pass and her sister Alexa drilling a 3-pointer from the top of the key, the bell was tolling.

Holy Cross hung tough. Howard twisted for two and Corinne Lomax converted a base line lob from Quinn Barry.

But both girls were playing with four fouls, though, and Lomax wound up fouling out with 3:20 to go and the score at 45-38.

It got no closer. Jarvis and the Gallagher sisters got to the line and they went a combined 8-for-12 to put it away.

In all, the teams went to go the free throw line 56 times, with Simsbury connecting on 21 of 30 attempts.

“Every single person in this entire program for years and years has worked for this moment, and I’m so happy," said Reitz.

“It’s been an amazing progression really," Zullo noted. "First time in the [state] semifinals a couple years ago. First time winning the CCC Tournament last year. Being able to take it all the way this year with this group is a big deal.

"I’m just so proud of all those kids stepping up into roles, stepping above their roles, and taking home a title.”

CLASS L GIRLS BASKETBALL FINAL

SIMSBURY. 16 08 13 18 — 55 HOLY CROSS 04 13 13 10 — 40 Simsbury (22-6) Amanda Gallagher 4 1 10-13 21, Olivia Jarvis 6 0 7-11 19, Addison Girard 3 0 3-4 9, Alexa Gallagher 0 1 1-2 4, Charlotte Reitz 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 14 2 21-30. Holy Cross (23-6) Shania Howard 4 0 9-16 17, Isabella Lombardo 2 1 0-0 7, Corinne Lomax 3 0 0-3, 6, Rachel Heale 1 0 1-1 3, Isabella Oliver 0 0 2-2 2, Quinn Barry 1 0 0-0 2, Madelyn Neibel 0 1 0-2 3, Mia Mattaboni 0 0 0-2 0. Totals: 11 2 12-26 40,

SIMSBURY — After months of back and forth on a massive development proposed at the former site of The Hartford insurance company, the Zoning Commission voted to reject a project that would have included 432 rental units.

The decision on Wednesday comes as a win to the many residents who had passionately voiced their opposition at numerous public hearings, saying that the construction of the project on Hopmeadow Street would ruin the area's rural character and was not needed or wanted in town.

First pitched over last summer by New Jersey-based developer the Silverman Group, the project was scaled down over the course of several meetings, reduced from 580 housing units, and modified to add commercial space and restaurant among other changes based on town and public input.

But commission members said Wednesday that these revisions were still not in line with what they pictured for the site subject to the Hartford-Simsbury Form-Based Code, which outlines specific requirements that the applicant must meet in terms of how they should be developing that parcel of land, and rejected it on that basis.

The purpose of the code is to encourage the reuse of what the town calls the "South Hartford site" for office, technology, health care, and support services with a mix of complementary uses, including housing, retail offices, commercial services, and supporting long-term attractiveness for both employment uses and neighborhood uses. The North Hartford site" has already been developed into a housing complex called The Ridge at Talcott Mountain.

Because the Silverman Group's proposal as revised remains overwhelmingly a residential project, it simply does not go far enough in establishing the integrated mixed-use redevelopment of the South Hartford site and achieving the vibrant community that the town envisioned, according to the draft denial.

“We have a round project trying to be fit into a square space," said alternate commission member David Moore. "It doesn't work."

But commission member Tucker Salls disagreed with the other members and urged them to still consider the proposal.

"I'll remind the commission that we are in a housing crisis," Salls said during the meeting.

He said while most of the concerns brought up, like impact on the environment, schools, and traffic, should be considered, they should be thinking about all of those issues in the context of Simsbury’s need for more housing.

Simsbury’s current affordable housing stock is at 5.1 percent.

But other members said they still couldn’t support the project in its current state.

“I think the developer did make a significant move from the initial application to the revised application. And my hope was that there would be a further revision,” said Vice Chairman Tony Braz.

The commission voted 5-1 to reject the proposal, but the Silverman Group still owns the land on Hopmeadow Street. Commission Chairman Bruce Elliott said Wednesday night he hoped to see them come back with a proposal that was more consistent with the zoning code.

Despite some public opposition, Simsbury is on the verge of settling a lawsuit with a New York-based developer in a deal that would allow 48 “attainably priced” apartments near the center of one of central Connecticut’s wealthiest suburbs.

The compromise would give Vessel Technologies another victory in its fight to expand in the Connecticut market, a campaign it portrays as a way to make modern apartments available to working-class people who are mostly priced out of the new construction market.

Vessel initially wanted to construct 80 units on four floors, but is accepting the compromise that would scale that back by 40% in a building of just three floors.

If a judge approves the agreement, Glastonbury would be left as the only town defending against a Vessel lawsuit centered on Connecticut’s controversial 8-30g affordable housing law. The company was pursuing a similar case against Rocky Hill, but dropped it last year when town planners authorized it to build 96 apartments at a different location.

At the heart of the controversy is 8-30g, the Connecticut law that gives developers of affordable housing enormous leeway in determining what to build and where.

The law restricts most communities’ power to approve or deny low-cost housing plans, particularly for aesthetic reasons. Instead, the town must demonstrate the plan raises a significant health or safety risk before they can reject it.

Advocates see 8-30g as an important step to expanding the supply of affordable homes, especially in wealthier, more exclusive suburbs where market-rate prices historically keep out moderate-income earners, the poor and people of color. Opponents argue that 8-30g wrongly bypasses local control of development, drives down property values, does little to improve housing inequities and mostly benefits the developers.

Vessel in early 2023 cited 8-30g when it proposed building 77 one-bedroom apartments and three two-bedroom units at 446 Hopmeadow St. The company agreed to set aside 24 of them as designated affordable housing, which means capping rents for the next 40 years at a level that could be covered by a family making 80 percent of the median income in town.

Vessel later modified its plan to just 64 units, but residents complained that parking would be insufficient on the 2-acre tract at 466 Hopmeadow St. The zoning commission concluded that tenants and guests would create hazards by parking along busy Route 10, and rejected the application.

Vessel responded by suing, claiming Simsbury didn’t cite legally acceptable grounds for rejecting a plan that meets 8-30g standards. Lawyers for Vessel and the town negotiated the proposed settlement, which allows 46 apartments with a smaller parking lot.

Neighbor Ann McDonald and others told commissioners they were frustrated at having no say in the negotiated agreement.

“There are some key issues that have never been solved. We know everybody is being pressured into this,” she said.

Vessel’s plan would change the grade of the property in a way that would create damaging water runoff to neighbors’ tracts, she said.

“This is our property being destroyed,” she said. “In 10 years when our whole bank is washed away, who do we sue? The town because your engineers allowed it? Vessel? They’re going to have made their money and be long gone.”

A Hartford Superior Court judge is scheduled to review the settlement proposal on Thursday.

If it goes through, Vessel will have just one lawsuit target left: Glastonbury. Planners there rejected its proposal for 48 apartments at 51 Kreiger Lane, and Vessel is claiming that vote violates 8-30g.

In the suit, Vessel said Glastonbury has less than 5.6% of its housing designated as affordable, far below the state’s goal of 10% for each community. Glastonbury’s figure is mostly unchanged since 1994, the company said, claiming “This fact can only be interpreted as lack of attention to, and/or active resistance to, additional affordable housing during the past 33 years.”

But Glastonbury’s attorney denied the town had any animosity toward affordable housing, and instead rejected the Vessel plan because the property is in an industrial zone.

Judge Edward O’Hanlan has indicated a trial could be held as early as mid-March.

Not all of Connecticut has been as difficult for Vessel, which has a business model of choosing very small properties as sites for its easy-to-assemble, partly modular buildings with small apartments, green energy features and modern but stark architecture.

The company has already built a complex in New London, and won relatively swift acceptance for another in Cheshire.