Home Care In East Haven, CT

Connecticut is planning to raise fares on Metro-North Railroad and CT Rail transit throughout the state later this year in order to cover the increased cost of operating rail services.

Fares are slated to rise by 5% beginning Sept. 1, and another 5% on July 1, 2026. That means a rush-hour one-way trip between New Haven and Stamford on Metro-North, for example, would rise from $8.75 to $9.50 by July of next year. An off-peak one-way trip between Hartford and New Haven on CT Rail would rise from $8.25 to $8.75, and a one-way trip from Stamford to Grand Central Terminal on Metro-North during peak hours would rise from $16 to $17.75 by this time next year.

Officials with the state Department of Transportation said the fare increase was necessary to keep the trains running.

“The cost to operate the existing level of service has increased year over year,” said Dan Baker, a transportation supervising planner with the department during a public meeting in Stamford on fare increases. “So in order to maintain the current level of trains and rail service and account for rising costs, fares needed to increase to offset a funding gap."

DOT had requested $327 million from the state to cover the cost of rail services in fiscal year 2026, which began July 1, but the legislature’s budget only included $316 million. The increase in fares will make up for that gap, officials said.

Connecticut last increased fares in 2023 when the Hartford line, New Haven line and Shore Line East faced a 4.5% increase. Before that, fares had stayed the same since 2018.

Baker said even with the planned increases this year and next, inflation will still have surpassed rail fare increases. Since 2018, inflation has driven up consumer prices by approximately 28%, whereas by 2026 rail fares will have increased by 14% to 15%, according to DOT data.

Fares account for roughly half of Metro-North’s operating costs, but a far smaller slice — less than 10% — of the Hartford and Shore Line East rail lines’ operating costs. Most of the rest of the funding comes from the state.

Many lines faced service and funding cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ridership has rebounded unevenly across lines since then.

Over that same period, the state has invested in new transportation and development projects, like the WALK rail bridge spanning the Norwalk River, and the Connecticut River bridge connecting Old Saybrook and Old Lyme.

Commuters’ concern

Some commuters expressed opposition to the state’s plan to raise fares, noting problems with the current service, including its delayed restoration after the COVID cutbacks, and general frustration about the rising cost of living throughout the state.

Susan Feaster, a frequent commuter on Shore Line East rail, said riders shouldn’t be on the hook for the state not fully funding rail transit. “Fare increases are never good, and doing a complete 10% by next year is a lot,” said Feaster, who also founded the Shore Line East Riders Advocacy Group in 2018.

Feaster said lawmakers boosted funding for child care and education in the coming biennium budget, which will enable many parents to work. “But you know, they should probably put some of that money into mass transit to help the people trying to get to work to pay those taxes, right?” she said.

Jim Gildea, chairman of the Connecticut Public Transportation Council, said, “While I recognize the necessity of increasing rail rates and the fact it’s been a while since the last increase, I have serious reservations about raising bus and transit fares.” (Currently, bus fares aren’t slated to increase, though the governor proposed bus fare hikes earlier this year.)

“These services are vital for many individuals facing economic challenges, and now may not be the right time to impose additional financial burdens on them,” he said.

DOT officials said they performed a service and fare equity analysis to assess the effects fare increases would have on low-income and minority customers. “We found that the proposed fare increases for 2025 and 2026 for Hartford line, Shoreline east and New Haven line do not have a disparate impact on minority customers, nor a disproportionate burden on low income customers, whether analyzed individually or in aggregate,” Baker said.

DOT held several public meetings to hear concerns from riders about the fare increases, but turnout was low. In Stamford last Monday, two residents attended. In New Haven last Tuesday, only one resident was there. And in Hartford last Thursday, only a small handful of residents were present.

Jon Bonci, a CT Rail passenger who attended the Hartford event, said he wasn’t confident his presence would change the state’s plans. “We’re gonna have to pay it, so what can you do? It doesn’t matter what we say in the public hearing,” he said.

Stamford resident Nicole Howerton expressed concern at the DOT’s public meeting at the Ferguson Public Library there.

“As a resident of Stamford and a sole [commuter] for my family, it plays a major role in being able to get around and enjoy the community,” Howerton said. “When we’re presenting an increase of some nature, we need to look at the schedule and see if and how that’s meeting the community.”

A frequent commuter through the Metro-North’s West Haven station, she added that when rail service is down she has to take Ubers, which is another additional cost.

Chris Irby, the only registered speaker at the New Haven public meeting, pointed to Bridgeport as an urban area that would be significantly affected by the fare hikes. As a Bridgeport resident and a frequent commuter, he said that Bridgeport residents already struggle to find money for the fares.

“Bridgeport is not a business city like New Haven is,” Irby said. “Everybody has to take the train to go to other towns, to go to work.”

Irby also called on DOT to do a better job of advertising the events, stating that he would like to see more of DOT’s presence and advertising in downtown New Haven.

The department held additional public hearings virtually on June 30 and July 1. Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto will consider public comments through July 6, via email to [email protected] or by leaving a voicemail at (860) 594-3612. DOT will take all comments into consideration before finalizing the proposed fare changes, officials said.

Janhavi Munde is a reporter for The Connecticut Mirror (https://ctmirror.org). CT Mirror photojournalist Dana Edwards contributed to this story. Copyright 2025 © The Connecticut Mirror.

WEST HAVEN — A highly anticipated new restaurant that has become emblematic of the city's shoreline revitalization efforts is expected to open this month.

Riva, a beer garden-style restaurant with open views of the city's beach, with a pizza oven and ice cream, lawn games and a stage for live entertainment, is expected to have a soft open this month before a projected Aug. 1 grand opening, owner-developer Chris Marone said.

"I don’t want to define a date," Marone said, "because it's going to take some time to work out the kinks" with a newly hired staff.

The restaurant, located at 183 Beach St., has drawn considerable interest from city residents, who have seen multiple properties on the once-vibrant Beach Street fall into disuse.

Following the completion last summer of a multi-phase project to raise Beach Street to better insulate the area from climate catastrophe.

Riva was among the first new developments to be approved along the shoreline, although more are expected to follow. The former Savin Rock Conference Center is being developed into The Kelsey, a restaurant and banquet facility; an art deco style former bait and tackle shop is due to become a coffee shop with rooftop seating; and the former Debonair Beach Motel site is set to become a condominium complex.

Riva has received much of the attention because of the shoes it seeks to fill; the restaurant is located at the site of the former Chick's Drive-In, famous for its split grilled hot dogs and as an eatery emblematic of the city's Savin Rock Amusement Park history, which closed roughly one decade ago following the death of owner Joseph Celentano per his wishes.

Since May, Riva has shared periodic video updates on social media of its construction as it nears completion, showcasing its stone-tiled patio, tiki bar, rooftop seating for enjoying ice cream and Adirondack chairs.

For years, the oval Chick's sign greeted beach-goers along the city's beach, but it has since been replaced with a black rectangular sign for Riva. Space previously used for parking for Chick's has also been developed into 12 townhouse units.

New Haven native chef Joseph Iannaccone worked at Michelin-rated eateries including The French Laundry, Le Bernardin, Crown Shy, and Vestry.

NEW HAVEN, CT — Yes, it's that Casanova. The restaurant’s namesake is the 18th-century Italian explorer, adventurer, author, intellectual, and amorous Giacomo Casanova.

Yale University Properties announced that Italian-inspired restaurant Casanova New Haven at 278 Park St., in the Broadway District, celebrates its official ribbon-cutting Thursday at 12:30.

Executive chef and co-owner Joseph Iannaccone, general manager and co-owner Giuseppe Passeggio, Mayor Justin Elicker and others will cut the ceremonial ribbon and "enjoy a taste" of Chef Iannaccone’s rustic pizza.

At the heart of the restaurant is Casanova New Haven’s open-hearth, wood-fired pizza oven and pizza bar, where customers can see Iannaccone’s unique recipes come to life.

"What I think will draw people in will be that moment when they look through the windows and see the wood-fired pizza oven and what it is we’re doing," Iannaccone said. "The pizza-bar seating brings customers into the action, where they can watch us making pizza and ask questions. We love that."

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Iannaccone honed his talent working beside celebrated chefs and restaurateurs, including the late James Kent of New York. Between 2016 and 2020, Iannaccone worked at such Michelin-rated restaurants as The French Laundry, in Yountville, CA, and Le Bernardin, Crown Shy, and Vestry, all in New York City.

In 2021, he returned home to Connecticut to work with Passeggio at Goodfella’s, now known as Encore by Goodfellas, the popular New Haven eatery owned by Iannaccone’s father.

Iannaccone said he took some cues from Kent’s concept of imbuing a casual sensibility when putting together Casanova New Haven.

"We want everyone to feel comfortable, have fun, and enjoy themselves," he said.

As a New Haven-area native who hails from a family of successful restaurateurs, Iannaccone said he and Passeggio couldn’t have found a better location for the restaurant, the former home of the celebrated Tarry Lodge.

"The history of this location really excited us," he said. "The bones are here, the pizza oven’s here, the pastalator is here. We have Italian heritage and that’s really what drove us to come to this location, as well as the building’s beautiful architecture. It’s a gem."

The interior’s book-lined shelves and its bar, The Library, are designed with a nod to Casanova. The menu will feature fresh, seasonal dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, with a focus on pizza and pasta. Among Iannaccone’s signature dishes are a truffle pizza made with black truffle slices, and corn agnolotti, made with ricotta-stuffed agnolotti pasta, corn pudding, and corn pieces topped with tiny pops of sorghum.

"The food will be rustic—a creative play on traditional Italian cuisine," Iannaccone was quoted as saying. "I want to bring my own twist and flair to it, and we’re excited to offer something fresh and new to the New Haven dining scene. It’s sophistication at its finest, but not everything on the menu is high-end. It’s going to also be affordable for people who want to come and enjoy a great meal."

HAMDEN — Local java wars are beginning to brew.

Common Grounds Specialty Coffee House, a fixture on Dixwell Avenue for the past eight years, is opening a second location in Hamden's Spring Glen neighborhood following the recent town approval. The new drive-thru shop, which will occupy the former Bank of America building at 1697 Whitney Ave., will be just steps from the popular Cantean Coffee & Tea, stirring competition in an already crowded caffeine marketplace.

Last week, Dena Jara, who co-owns Common Grounds with her husband, Wilson Jara, presented their plans to the Hamden Planning Zoning Commission, which unanimously approved them.

"We’d like to just be a part of the Spring Glen community and just offer a nice space to rest, meet with colleagues, maybe meet with your friend," Jara said.

The business is the brainchild of Wilson Jara, who roasted coffee in his native Ecuador. The couple opened its first Common Grounds in Branford more than 25 years ago.

Common Grounds currently has seven locations: three in New Haven, two in Shelton and one each in Branford and Hamden, according to its website.

The Hamden location opened in 2017 in the Tommy’s Tanning shopping plaza at 2460 Dixwell Ave. For years, Jara said, customers have lobbied for another shop in Spring Glen.

"We feel like now is a good time to do so," she added.

Hamden has been experiencing a coffee boom, with a handful of new shops proposed in recent months, including one planned for the historic James Cooper House on Whitney Avenue. The PZC also received an application for a mixed-use project in Mount Carmel that will feature a drive-thru coffee shop and walk-in bank. A public hearing on that application is scheduled for July 8.

Jara said she was "confident" Common Grounds has enough loyal customers to support a second location in a town teeming with coffee shops. She noted how some of her other locations are near national chains like Starbucks and Dunkin'.

"Everybody has their own niche," she said.

While a second Common Grounds in Hamden means more options for local coffee lovers, not everyone is welcoming the increased competition.

The proposal drew pushback from Cantean regulars, who argued that opening another coffee shop in Spring Glen would over-saturate the market.

"Spring Glen is already pretty well-served by coffee shops and small boutique delis," said Tim Parrish, husband of Cantean's owner, Sarah Borden. "Common Grounds is a chain that is not based in Hamden and already has a location two miles away."

In response, Jara asserted that being a small chain does not mean she cannot relate to the challenges faced by independent business owners.

“We, too, started from the bottom and built our way up,” she said.

Spring Glen resident James Balga told the commission that having Common Grounds so close to Cantean would "almost ruin this established business," which he called an essential part of the community. Losing Spring Glen Hardware, another neighborhood staple, in 2022 after 74 years in business was hard enough, he said.

The commission also received nearly a dozen letters opposing Common Grounds' expansion into Spring Glen.

PZC members were reminded several times throughout the meeting that their role is to enforce the town's zoning regulations, not to judge whether a business is a good fit for a particular area.

"We are not in a position to choose businesses," member Jay Cruickshank said. "That would be economic favoritism, which we’re supposed to avoid."

Hamden's zoning regulations prohibit some businesses, such as package stores and cannabis dispensaries, from operating near one another. But coffee shops, like restaurants, are not on that list.

At one point, PZC member Hannah Leckman asked Jara whether she was "concerned" about the pushback and any "local resentment" that might be building within the Spring Glen community.

"I know my relationship with my existing customers in Hamden and I’m confident that both myself and the Cantean can get along quite well," Jara replied. "I just want to be an addition to the community."

Two people were rescued from a single-engine plane that went down in the Long Island Sound on Sunday morning, officials said.

A spokesperson for Avports, the company that manages Tweed New Haven Airport, said the pilot of aircraft N2242Z, a Piper PA-32 with two people on board, declared an emergency at 10:24 a.m. while in communication with New York Air Traffic Control.

The spokesperson said the plane had departed from Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford bound for an unspecified destination. When the call came in, the plane was about 8 miles from Tweed New Haven Airport, where it had been redirected for an emergency landing, the spokesperson said.

Tweed's air traffic control and ground personnel immediately activated its emergency response protocols, the spokesperson said, adding that local authorities were also notified.

"Shortly thereafter, the aircraft was reported down in Long Island Sound off the coast of Branford," they said.

New Haven Operations Fire Chief Danny Coughlin said first responders rescued the two people aboard about 6 miles off the coast of New Haven, near Branford.

The plane was found submerged at the time of the rescue, Coughlin said. The two rescued were alert and OK at the scene, he said.

"The pilot was able to send his coordinates prior to the plane sinking," Branford Fire Chief Thomas Mahoney said. "The Coast Guard along with Branford Fire Department Marine 5 arrived on location, located the parties in the water, brought them safely aboard."

Mahoney said the parties were brought to Stony Creek dock before being transported to the hospital. Mahoney said both parties had minor injuries.

The Avports spokesperson said the two people are reported in stable condition.

"We are deeply relieved that both individuals were safely recovered and extend our sincere gratitude to all federal, state, and local responders for their swift and coordinated response," they said.