Home Care In New Britain, CT

The New Britain superintendent is calling it unacceptable after hearing complaints from parents about school buses being late and bringing children to the wrong place.

“I freaked out. I’m not going to lie. I freaked out,” Somers McCray, a parent, said.

McCray knew something was wrong when her 13-year-old son wasn’t dropped off at home in New Britain on Friday.

“He wasn’t here at 3:30. I mean, all last year, he was here at 3:30,” she said.

Her son has autism and attends school in Waterbury with transportation provided by the Consolidated School District of New Britain through First Student.

The company took over the contract this school year to bus special needs students to and from their schools, but McCray feels First Student didn’t live up to their name.

“They’re not putting nobody first. Not our students. They’re not putting no one first,” she said.

That’s because the vehicle was going the wrong direction after leaving Waterbury. Instead of going home to New Britain, her son was taken 30 miles to Danbury, which she tracked on his iPhone.

McCray then coordinated with the driver to bring her son to a gas station in Southington where she picked him up hours after school ended.

“He should not have to go through this going to school,” she said.

New Britain Superintendent Dr. Tony Gasper said he’s heard many parents complain about late transportation and wrong routes. He said about 80% of them are coming from the parents of special needs students. He called the issues unacceptable.

“That means parents are worrying, kids are worrying, teachers are having to stay late, paraeducators, administrators all having to stay late,” Gasper said.

In a statement, First Student said, “We sincerely apologize -- we are experiencing challenges with timely deliveries and driver availability.”

It goes on to say they’re bringing in more bus drivers from out of state and adding incentives to attract more drivers.

Gasper said the district could put financial pressure on First Student and if there’s no improvement, discuss removing routes from them and giving them to other contractors.

“We will continue to push to the degree that we can and use whatever is a legal remedy,” he said.

McCray said she wants the superintendent to hold First Student accountable.

“I just want him to stand firm on it because the safety of our children is the only thing that matters,” she said.

"We recognize the seriousness of yesterday’s situation and understand the concern it caused for students, parents, and the district. We are actively working to resolve the problems and improve performance. Our team is in constant communication with the New Britain Public Schools’ transportation department. Today started off stronger than yesterday, and we’re committed to making continued progress each day," First Student said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.

The ReCONNstruction Center, a nonprofit building materials reuse store in New Britain, is helping to save tens of thousands of pounds of building materials from landfills one piece at a time.

Instead of building materials ending up in landfills, they are offered for sale at The ReCONNstruction Center so they can be “repurposed.” The store sells cabinets, appliances, paint, doors, windows, lighting fixtures, bathroom sinks and vanities at reduced costs. Often times, the reused materials look brand new but are offered for a fraction of the price, according to Charles Paonessa, president of the Board of Directors.

“There is a big social component to this, a lot of our customers are lower income. I love it when we get a lady that comes in and says I want a new sink for my kid but can’t afford a new one. We can give her a beautiful new sink for her bathroom for $25. Folks come in and get really good deals on things. A lot of our inventory is in great condition. Some of it looks brand new,” he said.

The ReCONNstruction Center began in 2003 with a simple mission of helping reduce the waste of natural resources by the re-use of building materials. The center sells the materials at affordable prices to help owners and landlords maintain sustainable construction and housing costs.

For the workers at the store on Burritt Street, it’s not about the money, it’s all about the mission. All six of the nonprofit’s workers are volunteers.

“We’re the last remaining reuse store in Connecticut that specializes in construction materials,” Paonessa said. “Habitat for Humanity has a lot of reuse stores but they’re more aimed at houseware items. Our IRS certification is for building material reuse. So if you donate an item to us, you can deduct the market value of that product. But if you donate to somebody who just raises funds like Habitat, you can only deduct what it sells for. That’s a really big help for a lot of people. We’ve had donations worth over $200,000 in materials. That’s a huge tax reduction.”

Construction and demolition debris represents a significant portion of global and U.S. waste streams, with the U.S. generating over 600 million tons in 2018, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Of that, around 75% of construction and demolition waste, including wood, drywall, and asphalt shingles, is sent to landfills, the EPA said. Paonessa said that construction waste makes up between 30% to 40% of municipal solid waste.

“To me, it makes total sense. People have been recycling building materials for thousands of years. Romans were recycling stones from the coliseum,” Paonessa said. “It’s really about saving these items from landfills and offering them at great prices. We will take it if someone can use it.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the center was hit hard financially and had to let go of its paid employees. Five years later, it continues to run on reduced hours and has had to downsize. But its luck is turning around, as business and inventory have both picked up this year, according to Paonessa.

“We keep it going. We have a handful of really passionate volunteers here,” Paonessa said. “We do this because we really believe in the work and the mission. But ideally we would like to get back to having a paid staff here. That’s the goal for the future. But we’re seeing some real positive signs this year that things are coming back.”

Construction costs have skyrocketed, especially since 2020, due to several factors including broad global inflation, supply chain disruptions, tariffs on materials like lumber and steel, a limited labor force and increased financing costs from higher interest rates. Higher costs means more people are looking for deals on building materials.

“We get people coming in from all over the state,” Paonessa said. “There was a similar reuse store in Springfield, but that closed recently. So we’re now getting folks all the way from Massachusetts. We had someone just recently come up from New Jersey to get some kitchen cabinets.”

The nonprofit said that roughly every dollar spent is equivalent to saving a pound of material from a landfill.

“Anybody can come to our store and donate things and get a tax write-off,” Paonessa said. “If it’s a big enough donation, we’ll come get it with our truck.”

The center is also taking part in a pilot program in Mansfield intended to reduce building waste. The town has become the first community to partner with The ReCONNstruction Center by opening a container at the town’s transfer station for reuse building and construction materials. Paonessa said that the partnership is a huge boost to the center as inventory quickly shuffles in and out.

“The state is finally realizing how important reuse is,” Paonessa said. “We think it’s a fantastic idea because we wouldn’t have to go house to house. We can make a trip to collect materials from the container when it is full. The Capital Region Council of Governments has approached us and would like to make these containers not only areawide but statewide.

“Right now we’re waiting on a possible grant from the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection,” Paonessa added. “Our hope is that there will be drop off containers at transfer stations in towns throughout the state. So things are starting to really look up for us. We see the state starting to get interested in building material reuse.”

The first donation in Mansfield included used and new doors, some still in their original packaging, plus a variety of windows, Paonessa said. The program offers multiple benefits to a contractor who takes the time to carefully extract these materials for reuse, according to town officials. The program was launched in April as part of an initiative promoted by the all-volunteer Mansfield Solid Waste Advisory Committee.

The ReCONNstruction Center is also a collection center for paint and participates in the recycling program PaintCare. If paint is still in good condition, the center resells it at greatly reduced prices. But Paonessa said the Center also takes bad paint as well.

“We’re really looking for volunteers at the moment,” Paoenessa said. “As we get more inventory, we will need more help. At some point the goal will be to get paid employees. And it’s not just lugging around materials. We are looking for several different types of volunteers to help us run the nonprofit.”

The center is looking for several volunteers to fill roles including customer service, cashier, data entry, marketing, accounting, legal and public relations.

The center is open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information on The ReCONNstruction Center, go to reconnstructioncenter.org.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at [email protected].

With hearts full of gratitude, the Parish Council of St. George Greek Orthodox Church extends its deepest thanks to Mr. Thomas (Athanasios) Steven Perakos for his extraordinary generosity and unwavering support of our church and its sacred mission. Through his substantial donation, we are blessed to announce that the remaining loan for the property at 9 Grove Hill Street has been fully paid off. This generous gift was made in loving memory of his dear brother, Peter Perakos, his cherished mother, Uky (Urania) Perakos, and father, Steven Perakos - a family whose devotion to faith, family, and community continues to inspire us all.

In addition to this pivotal contribution, Mr. Perakos has also fully funded the architectural feasibility study (designed & developed by E. Panteliadis & A. Zaharatos of Arxis League Inc.) for the new building we plan to construct on this property. We are pleased to share that the study is now complete, and we are officially launching our fundraising campaign to turn this shared vision into reality.

A Vision for the Future

The new building will feature a unique comprehensive health and wellness multiprogram that aims to redefine the concept of aging. Inspired by the principles of “Blue Zone” living—regions of the world where people live longer, healthier lives—this facility will focus on longevity through diet, exercise, and human connection. This space will not be limited to parish members; it will be open to the wider community, promoting inclusivity, outreach, and shared well-being.

At the core of the design is to provide a residence for individuals aged 55 and older, providing a supportive and enriching environment for independent living. Located directly across from our church, the building will allow elder members of our parish to stay deeply connected to the life of the Church and their fellow parishioners.

This is more than a construction project—it is a mission-driven expression of love and stewardship. It reflects our deep commitment to honor, support, and uplift our senior members, ensuring they remain a vibrant and cherished part of our faith family.

The planned development will include: 15 residential apartments for 55 and older for the parish, as well as office and amenity spaces for the health & wellness multiprogram open to all members of the parish and the greater community.

Join Us in Building the Future – Together

We warmly invite all members and friends of St. George to join in this exciting and meaningful endeavor by supporting the fundraising efforts in any way. Your prayers, donations, and encouragement are invaluable as we begin this new chapter together.

With God’s grace and your help, we will build a place of comfort, community, and continued spiritual growth - a true extension of the Church’s mission to serve.

May God bless Athanasios Perakos for his inspiring generosity. And may He grant eternal rest to Peter, Uky (Urania), and Steven Perakos, whose memory lives on through this extraordinary act of faith and love.

Jolee Iannantuoni, an eighth grade teacher in New Britain, obtained the video of the Aug. 8 incident from her neighbor’s Ring camera.

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — A New Britain teacher shared video Monday of someone allegedly stealing a package off her front door, which she said contained school supplies that she purchased for her classroom.

Jolee Iannantuoni, an eighth grade teacher in New Britain, obtained the video of the Aug. 8 incident from her neighbor’s Ring camera.

"I was so defeated and like, my first instinct was, 'How am I going to get this stuff back before the first day of school,'” Iannantuoni said.

She also asked herself, "What am I going to do if I can't get it back and how am I going to replace it if I need to replace it?"

Iannantuoni said she buys her back-to-school supplies closer to when she can set up her classroom. Last Friday, however, she didn't expect someone to steal a package off her front steps while she was out running errands.

“I got a text from my neighbor who had said, 'Some guy just came up and took some things from the porch, do you happen to know him?' She sent me over the video and it's just some guy who rides on the street on his bike. He just parks it in front of the house and he walks right up to the porch, grabs all the packages on the porch, goes through the mailbox, grabs all the stuff out the mail box, looks in the camera, grabs the stuff and goes down the road."

Iannantuoni, a reading teacher, said the items that were taken have since been replaced but at an expensive cost.

She said what makes it worse is what the thief took.

“The most important things that were taken from me that frustrates me were posters of parts of speech and language needs. How to work through a story through text, how to write a paragraph, posters like that. Those are the most frustrating because I know no one can really do anything with those other than a teacher,” Iannantuoni said.

But she said that's not all that was stolen: decorations and her back-to-school dress were also taken.

In total, she has spent more than $400 on supplies since last Friday.

"Most of it came from different places, different orders, so they all had piled up on the same day, miraculously. To replace everything, I have spent [close to $300] to rush and get it as a fast as I can."

The eighth grade teacher is disappointed that someone would do this when she tries hard to make her classroom inviting for her students.

"I really want them to feel like they are home and they are comfortable,” she said. “So that means having things that might remind them of comfort, bright colors, fun patterns and their own personal items."

Iannantuoni said she has an Amazon wish list for her classroom. Those who would like to help out can click here.

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Protesters emphasized the impact on families and the broader immigrant community.

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — Several local organizations and dozens of residents gathered outside New Britain City Hall Tuesday for what they called an “urgent rally” in response to recent arrests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

The demonstration comes just days after state officials shared new developments in the case of Esdras R., a New Haven high school student who remains in ICE custody.

Community leaders at the rally said the impact of the recent detentions reaches far beyond the individuals taken into custody. They emphasized the impact on families and the broader immigrant community.

“We are heartbroken, but not broken,” the group shouted. “We came to this country not to cause any harm but to build a better life.”

Perla Vanessa Cardoso said she lived through the fear of potential deportation within her own family. She said it was her duty to show up and support the families of the people recently detained. She recalled how her father was nearly deported in 2017 and how that experience continues to affect her.

“I’m still with that anxiety, with that trauma. It gets super real that my dad could be abducted again, even though he just adjusted his status,” she said.

Tuesday’s rally featured speeches and a chorus of voices, many in different languages, all demanding justice and compassion for those affected. Some of the participants were the same individuals who recently rallied in support of Esdras, the student from Wilbur Cross High School.

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro has since confirmed that Esdras’ deportation flight was canceled. Although he remains in ICE detention, DeLauro expressed hope that he may soon be returned to Connecticut to continue his legal proceedings.

Organizers said this is just the beginning of a series of demonstrations aimed at protecting the rights of immigrant families across Connecticut.

“This is our home,” Cardoso said. “We are not criminals. We are just here to work.”

Other recent incidents involving ICE in Connecticut include the cases of an Afghan interpreter for U.S. forces, a Meriden high school senior, a New Haven mother and four employees at a Southington car wash.

Vallery Maravi is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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