Home Care In Waterbury, CT

WATERBURY — Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski Jr. is heartened Waterbury Hospital could be under new ownership by the end of the year or early next year following news of progress in its court-supervised sale.

A lawyer for Prospect Medical Holdings advised a federal judge overseeing its Chapter 11 bankruptcy Wednesday that the California-based hospital chain is close to launching the auction process to sell Waterbury, Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospitals in Connecticut.

Pernerewski said Thursday the movement toward the anticipated bankruptcy sale is an encouraging development. He said he continues to hear that four bidders are interested in the three Prospect-owned Connecticut hospitals.

"I look forward to it. From what I understand, the bidders are solid folks, so hopefully we'll get this wrapped up by the end of the year," Pernerewski said.

Prospect attorney Anne Wallice told the judge presiding over the Chapter 11 proceeding in the Northern District of Texas during a hearing Wednesday that the company is close to securing a “stalking horse” bidder that will set the minimum price on the hospital assets sold as part of a bankruptcy auction.

Wallice also informed Judge Stacy Jernigan that Prospect intends to meet or beat an Aug. 15 deadline set as part of an emergency loan deal struck earlier in the month.

The loan deal is concerning to city leaders in Waterbury. The city is owed roughly $40 million in property taxes that is tied up in the Chapter 11 case. City officials worry the more emergency debt financing Prospect receives will leave less funds for repaying other debts, including the tax debt to Waterbury.

The city is owed nearly $22 million in real estate taxes and personal property taxes for the 2022 and 2023 tax years. Prospect is contesting the city's 2022 and 2023 tax assessments in state court. A bench trial is scheduled for Aug. 27 in state Superior Court in Waterbury.

The Board of Aldermen earlier this month placed $18.4 million in unpaid 2024 and 2025 taxes on the property tax suspense list because city tax officials deemed the tax bills uncollectible. But the tax debt will remain collectible for 15 years from the due date and interest will accrue at a rate of 18% a year. The placement on the suspense list removes the 2024 and 2025 back taxes as receivables that are included in the city's year-end tax financial statements.

Prospect filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Jan. 11. Initially, Prospect had outlined a plan for a court-supervised auction of its three Connecticut hospitals to take place by early June, but that did not happen.

If Waterbury Hospital is sold next month, Pernerewski said he is hopeful state officials could approve a transfer of ownership by the end of the year or early next year.

In March, Gov. Ned Lamont signed legislation that established an expedited process for the state Office of Health Strategy to approve a transfer of ownership for hospitals in bankruptcy. The new law requires OHS to issue a final decision on an emergency application for a required certificate of need within 60 days after it determines the application is complete.

A lengthy OHS review of a proposed sale of three Prospect-owned hospitals to Yale New Haven Health is widely seen as contributing to the collapse of that deal.

OHS regulators approved a CON 16 months after Yale and Prospect had signed a $435 million purchase agreement in October 2022. During that time, the physical, operating and financial conditions of Waterbury, Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospitals deteriorated, and Yale lost interest and eventually sued in state court to get out the agreement after trying unsuccessfully to get Prospect to lower the sales price to $150 million. Prospect bought the hospitals for a combined $205 million in 2016.

Prospect filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy three months before a scheduled trial on Yale's suit and a counter suit that Prospect filed to compel Yale to complete the sale as negotiated.

Pernerewski said he believes a sale of three Prospect-owned hospitals could be concluded quickly once a winning bidder is selected between the expedited review process and 60-day time limit.

"I think everybody is going to be kind of gun shy about dragging their feet on this one. I think there is going to be a lot of interest," he said.

If the winning bidder already is operating in Connecticut, Pernerewski said he believes that might also help to hasten the regulatory review. In addition to Yale, Hartford HealthCare, Northwell Health, Trinity Health of New England, the University of Connecticut and Griffin Health operate acute-care hospitals in the state.

The mayor said his sense is that OHS regulators are basically going to vet the winning bidder to make sure it has the ability and wherewithal to take over ownership of the three Prospect-owned hospitals.

"I think if you have a bidder and you're moving in that direction, that is a comforting sign that things are going to finally come together," Pernerewski said. "We'll know who they are. I think it will help with morale at the hospitals for the employees as well."

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Renderings of the new Naugatuck train station, which is scheduled to open in summer 2027.

(NAUGATUCK, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto today announced that the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) has begun construction on a new train station in Naugatuck, advancing the Lamont administration’s plan to modernize the entire Waterbury Branch Line and spur downtown redevelopment.

The new station is being relocated approximately 0.3 miles south of the existing station, placing it closer to Naugatuck’s downtown and aligning with the borough’s vision for a vibrant, transit-oriented development near Rubber Avenue and Old Firehouse Road. This project is one of several parts of a larger CTDOT initiative to upgrade all six stations on Metro-North’s Waterbury Branch Line.

“We’re not just building a train station, we’re building more momentum for Naugatuck’s future,” Governor Lamont said. “This new station brings public transportation closer to the heart of downtown, creating new opportunities for economic development, housing, and walkable neighborhoods. It’s an investment in infrastructure that connects people to jobs and strengthens communities.”

Scheduled to open in summer 2027, the new station will feature a 350-foot-long high-level platform with a snow melt system, ADA-compliant access via an elevator and stair tower, real-time arrival and departure displays, and a passenger waiting area equipped with a ticket vending machine. It will also offer 72 on-street parking spaces, including electric vehicle charging stations, energy-efficient LED lighting, and upgraded safety features. The two-story station building will be approximately 2,300 square feet, with a platform area of about 4,400 square feet.

Designed as a multimodal hub, the station will serve as a gateway to a future walkable, mixed-use neighborhood that connects downtown Naugatuck to the east side of the Naugatuck River Greenway. Over the last two years, the Naugatuck train station has served approximately 34,000 riders annually.

“Through this project and others along the Waterbury Branch Line, CTDOT is helping communities like Naugatuck realize their transit-oriented development goals,” Commissioner Eucalitto said. “We’re building modern and accessible stations that align transportation improvements with local plans for growing downtown. I want to thank Metro-North for their continued partnership on this project and others across the Waterbury Line. I’m also grateful to Governor Lamont and the Federal Transit Administration for the critical investments that are making this work possible.”

“The Waterbury Line offers critical rail service to thousands of Valley residents, but the Naugatuck station is in need of urgent revitalization,” U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said. “Over $26 million in federal funding will improve commuters’ travel experience through increased connectivity and accessibility upgrades while bolstering transit-oriented development in Naugatuck. I’m proud to have worked alongside the Connecticut delegation to secure funding for necessary updates to our rail system.”

“When it comes to ridership on the Waterbury Line, I’ve always believed that if we build it, the riders will come,” U.S. Senator Chris Murphy said. “With these state and federal dollars, we will continue to expand its ridership, connecting people to jobs and housing and boosting local economies throughout Western Connecticut. Today’s groundbreaking in Naugatuck is an important step towards a modern transit grid in Connecticut that is faster, more reliable, and more comfortable for commuters and families.”

“The new Naugatuck station will provide a safe and modern customer experience while connecting riders to the best service in Metro-North history,” Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek said. “And moving the station to a more convenient downtown location makes it even easier for riders to access all the amenities downtown Naugatuck has to offer.”

The $33.2 million project is funded by a mix of 80% federal funds and 20% state funds. More than $20 million in federal funds are sourced from the Federal Transit Administration and state bond funds will cover the remainder.

The Naugatuck project is part of a $140 million statewide program to upgrade all stations on the Waterbury Branch Line, including Waterbury, Naugatuck, Beacon Falls, Seymour, Ansonia, and Derby-Shelton. The statewide initiative includes expanded accessibility features, improved platform designs, and renovated passenger facilities to meet the needs of 21^st-century commuters.

Riders will continue to use the current Naugatuck station during construction, with most work scheduled during off-peak hours to minimize disruptions. A temporary shutdown of the Waterbury Line will take place later, with substitute bus service provided. Details will be announced as the date approaches.

Fewer patients are being admitted to all three Connecticut hospitals owned by bankrupt operator Prospect Medical Holdings and fewer babies are being born at Waterbury Hospital this year, according to a new report.

Patient advocate Suzanne Koenig filed her latest report on Waterbury, Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospitals on Tuesday in a North Texas federal court as part of Prospect’s ongoing bankruptcy case.

“Generally, there has been low census across the debtors’ Connecticut hospitals,” Koenig said in the report, referring to the number of admitted patients.

Waterbury Hospital’s birthing unit was delivering between 80 and 90 babies a month as of this summer, down from more than 100 a month in prior years, according to the report.

“Birth volume has dropped significantly at Waterbury compared to last year due to the loss of certain physician groups,” Koenig said. Later in the report, she quoted a veteran nurse at Waterbury Hospital blaming the decline in births on the loss of two physician groups, teams of doctors who are contracted to deliver babies at a certain hospital.

Fewer patients in general have also led to the recent closing of a unit at Manchester Memorial Hospital, according to the report. The hospital’s 1 East unit was temporarily closed as of June due to a drop in patient numbers.

Koenig’s report, which covers patient care for the period from May 31 through July 29, also highlighted ongoing efforts by the three hospitals to retain and hire staff amid the parent company’s financial strain.

Manchester and Waterbury hospitals have hired new nurses and mostly eliminated staffing shortages that impacted patient care, Koenig said.

“Waterbury continues to have RNs call out sick or no-show, but to a much lesser degree than reported previously,” Koenig said. More Waterbury nurses have also resigned since her last report, she added.

Nurses and other staff have cited uncertainty about the hospitals’ future in contributing to staffing challenges.

Delays in selling Prospect’s Connecticut and California hospitals are contributing to a deteriorating financial situation at the company and an urgent need for emergency financing, a lawyer for the company said at a hearing earlier this month. The Texas bankruptcy judge approved a new $30 million loan, with the expectation that Prospect may need $55 million more next month to keep operating through the summer.

Prospect’s financial woes are unlikely to be helped by a new development last week in its ongoing lawsuit against Yale New Haven Health, which scuttled a bid to buy the Connecticut hospitals last year amid allegations of mismanagement.

At stake is the $435 million that Yale New Haven Health agreed to pay Prospect for its three Connecticut hospitals in 2022, before scotching the deal in 2024. Prospect had argued that the soured deal was pivotal to its decision to file for bankruptcy and a favorable outcome in the lawsuit could enable it to pay some of its debts, estimated to be as high as $10 billion.

A Connecticut federal judge ruled last week that the lawsuit should stay in state courts, rather than be moved to bankruptcy court. He stated that the court action concerned events not directly related to the bankruptcy and keeping the case in the state courts would speed a resolution.

“This case is a contract dispute and concerns whether the terms of the contract were or were not honored,” Judge Michael P. Shea wrote in his ruling. “I find that the Connecticut Superior Court is comparatively better suited to address this case.”

“Yale New Haven Health is pleased with the Federal Court’s decision to keep our case against Prospect in Connecticut Superior Court as Prospect’s multiple breaches of its obligations is of great concern to thousands of Connecticut residents,” spokesperson Dana Marnane said in a statement. “Prospect’s mismanagement of its facilities has been well documented.”

Prospect did not respond to requests for comment.

Prospect also filed a new document this week seeking to legally “abandon” two of its shuttered hospitals in Pennsylvania, Delaware County Memorial and Taylor Hospital. The for-profit company had once operated four hospitals in the state, but closed two prior to its bankruptcy filing in January, then closed the remaining two in April.

Prospect said in the filing it has been trying to sell the two hospitals, but the low bids received came nowhere near covering the cost of property taxes and maintenance.

“The debtors believe that it is necessary, appropriate, and in the best interests of their estates to seek approval of a safe and expeditious process for abandoning the burdensome real property,” Prospect argued in its emergency motion. If the judge approves the abandonment, a lender can move to foreclose on the properties.

A hearing on the fate of Prospect’s Pennsylvania hospitals is scheduled for Aug. 4.

Is your water line made out of lead? We can help you find out.

Join CT Mirror journalists, Andrew Brown, Elizabeth Hamilton, and Jenna Carlesso for a conversation on the public water systems in Waterbury, Connecticut and the lead service lines that are still in use.

Location: Silas Bronson Library, 267 Grand St.Date: Thursday, July 31, 2025Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Thunderstorms rolled across the state Friday afternoon and evening, damaging property and causing power outages to homes and businesses along the way, officials said.

A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for all of Connecticut through 9 p.m. on Friday, and storms with potentially damaging winds were expected to progress southeastward across the area during the afternoon and evening, according to reporting from Hearst Connecticut Media meteorologist Dan Amarante.

In Waterbury, a tree fell around 2:50 p.m. because of the storm and caused minor damages to a house on the 140 block of Greenwood Avenue, Deputy Chief John Perugini said by phone.

A single fire company responded to the tree fall, Perugini said.

In Kent, Route 341 was closed at Preston Mountain Road because of a fallen tree. A portion of Route 167 in Avon was also closed because of a fallen trees that had brought down wires Friday, the Connecticut Department of Transportation's website reported.

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The state's largest power company Eversource reported that around 5,000 of its customers were without power as of late Friday afternoon, and Waterbury had the most outages at 900 at the time.

In Lisbon, a lighting strike caused a fire at a home on Ethel Acres Road. Smoke damage from the strike left the home uninhabitable, Lisbon Fire Department Chief David Gifford said by phone.

The homeowner, a past firefighter, heard the lighting hit the ground and went outside to see what had happened. When he turned around, the house was smoking, Gifford said. The fire was contained to the attic and upper floor.

"What we believe happened is lightening hit the ground, traveled to the house," Gifford said. "They believe it might have followed up the service line and got into the attic."

The residents were uninjured and are in "good spirits," he said.

Additionally, a high tension line came down on Interstate 395 north before Exit 19, leaving a fire burning under the highway, Gifford said. The incident was still active as of Friday evening, he said, and the Connecticut Department of Transportation is responding.

Trees also brought down power lines in other areas in Lisbon, he said.

There were also several crashes on state roads during the late afternoon Friday that may have been related to the storm, including a rollover in Salisbury and a crash into a guardrail on Route 8 in Naugatuck.

In Naugatuck, a vehicle crashed into a guardrail on Route 8 south near Exit 26 just before 3 p.m., and, in Salisbury, two cars collided on Route 44, causing minor injuries.

Hana Ikramuddin is a Hearst Fellow in Connecticut. She spent the first part of her fellowship at the Houston Chronicle.

Raised in the Twin Cities, Hana majored in journalism and political science at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

She has held internships with the Star Tribune, APM Reports and Sahan Journal. In her free time, she loves to cook, make chai and take care of her houseplants.