Torrington Republican-American News

03/01/2023

“The arbitrators reviewed the video of the takedown, and observed that Sgt. Peters was protecting Mr. Spetland throughout the takedown and did not drop him to the floor,” the decision states.

TORRINGTON - A state labor arbitration board voted 2-1 to reinstate a longtime city police sergeant fired almost two years ago for violating the police department's use-of-force policy, but the city said it intends to appeal the decision. Sgt. Gerald Peters, 55, was fired in May 2021, after almos

06/24/2022

TORRINGTON -- Police arrested an 84-year-old man from Avon on Thursday in connection with the armed robbery at Litchfield Bancorp the day before. James Thompson was arrested at his home after Torrington police executed a search warrant for his home and car. Thompson told police he had come upo

06/20/2022

TORRINGTON -- A young girl suffered "serious but not life threatening injuries" after she was struck by a hit-and-run driver on Highland Avenue Sunday night. Battalion Fire Chief David Casper said the girl, who was about 12 years old, was conscious and alert when firefighters responded to the sce

06/20/2022

TORRINGTON -- Public Safety Commissioner Darlene Battle is typically reserved, saying little and saying it quietly at board meetings. Typically soft-spoken, it's almost hard to hear what she's saying without a microphone from the dais. Battle's hushed voice wasn't an issue on Sunday when it wa

06/10/2022

Oliver Wolcott Technical High School senior Dominic Samele received the Brian Piccolo Award.

TORRINGTON -- The Torrington chapter of UNICO honored community and school leaders during its annual awards ceremony Wednesday at Coe Memorial Park. Retired Torrington police officer Anthony Pietrafesa was honored with the Italian-American organization's Community Ambassador Award and Oliver Wolc

06/08/2022

TORRINGTON -- The City Council on Monday voted to increase city sewer user fees to $346 as the Water Pollution Control Authority deals with increasing costs for staffing, electricity and sludge removal. The 2022-2023 sewer user fee will be $44 more than the current rate of $302. The water pollutio

06/03/2022

TORRINGTON -- For the first time in the city's history, the rainbow Pride flag was raised in front of City Hall and drew applause during a ceremony to show support for LGBTQ members as part of Pride month. Organizer Audrey Blondin, a local attorney, called Thursday's event one of the "proudest an

05/12/2022

TORRINGTON - Born to Italian immigrant parents and raised in a factory town, the feisty and beloved five-term mayor Delia "Dee" Donne died Tuesday at the age of 91.In 1985, she became the city's first female mayor and served until 1994. Assertive, hardworking and a devout Catholic, Donne made good o

04/05/2022

Logan Wilson is the first Torrington High School student ever to be admitted to Harvard University. Logan, a senior, was one of 1,954 applicants that were admitted to Harvard this year. The acceptance rate at Harvard this year was approximately 3% which made it one of the most competitive admissio

03/29/2022

TORRINGTON -- Edward Bahr has been fixing cars for more than 40 years, but these days, it is all about the honeybees. Two months ago, Bahr transformed his Torrington automotive sales and service shop into a beekeeper's paradise, where he sells every supply you need to start your own beekeeping ho

03/24/2022

TORRINGTON -- State police are investigating a shooting Wednesday that involved a Torrington police officer. Torrington Police Chief William Baldwin declined to say if the individual who was shot died or was still alive. The individual was taken by ambulance to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital and t

02/24/2022

Read Lance Reynolds' story from today about last night's vote by the Board of Education to approve a contract with a company that locks cellphones during school days.
https://www.rep-am.com/post/2022/02/23/torrington-schools-to-stop-use-of-cellphones/

TORRINGTON - Torrington High School has dismissed early Thursday after reports of fire alarms being triggered and students walking out. READ MORE: CELL PHONE POLICY APPROVED This comes after a controversial Board of Education vote Wednesday for the city school district to enter a contract with Yo

02/20/2022

TORRINGTON -- Tucked deep in the woods along Brandy Hill Road near the Goshen town line stands an "old-fashioned, real outdoorsy summer camp" which has drawn thousands of children from near and far over the years. That's how Middlebury resident Chloe Langer describes Camp Moe, New England's first

02/15/2022

“We lost our precious warrior to this battle. Mason has fought an unbelievable fight. His heart muscle weakened too much and he peacefully went,” said Gero’s mother, Danielle Kaczynski, in a statement.

TORRINGTON -- Young Mason Gero, whose 5th birthday on Saturday prompted a massive display of community support with a 400-plus vehicle parade in front of his home, died Monday. Gero was set to head off to Boston next week to prepare for a heart transplant "We're just asking for prayers for the

02/15/2022

TORRINGTON — A majority of officer Tony Pietrafesa's two decades with the Torrington Police Department didn't involve riding a police cruiser around the city or even patrolling the streets. Instead, Pietrafesa made his mark with forging connections with the local youth as the longtime coordinator

02/13/2022

TORRINGTON -- Hundreds of vehicles turned up Saturday to help young Mason Gero celebrate his 5th birthday. State and local police departments joined construction companies, garbage companies, fire departments and other community members in driving by Gero's home on Saturday to wish him well. G

02/11/2022

TORRINGTON -- Danielle Kaczynski was expecting a small parade of vehicles to celebrate the fifth birthday of her son Mason Gero, who is waiting on a heart transplant. Last month, she asked her friend to set up a Facebook event so she could share it with some friends and family members. Now, there

01/31/2022

Torrington police recently filed the following charges: KRISTEN M. ESCHNER, 41, 91 East Albert Road, first floor, Torrington, sixth-degree larceny, Nov. 22. Released on $500 non-surety bond for appearance Jan. 31 in Torrington Superior Court. CHRISTOPHER A. GOODALL, 38, 292 Brightwood Ave., To

01/19/2022

TORRINGTON -- The owners of Cozy Hills Campground in Bantam have a contract to purchase the 365-acre property on Klug Hill Road belonging to former City Council member Gerry Zordan and they hope to turn it into an "upscale RV park." "It won't be a run-of-the-mill RV park. It will be very upscale,

01/19/2022

The man alleged to have committed the stabbing had a blood alcohol level of 0.29, according to police.

TORRINGTON -- Held on a $375,000 bond for stabbing a relative Friday night, Nicholas Perkins claims he was defending himself. The 36-year-old city man had been held on $500,000 over the holiday weekend after police found him bloodied and intoxicated at a family party on Dutton Hill Road at about

01/17/2022

TORRINGTON - Soon, a cup of Starbucks coffee won't involve going to Target or Market 32. A developer is proposing to build the city's first standalone Starbucks at 1166 East Main St., a vacant lot currently used as parking for Webster Bank, 1180 East Main St. Webster Bank recently sold the parking l

01/16/2022

The incident occurred on Dutton Hill Road.

TORRINGTON -- A city man was held on $500,000 bond following a stabbing Friday night that resulted in the victim being taken to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital with serious injuries, police said Saturday. Nicholas Perkins, 35, was detained at the scene on Dutton Hill Road at 7:30 p.m. and also was

01/10/2022

“It’s really solid, given the state it’s in,” said Travis Lipinski, Torrington Historical Preservation Trust board member said of Skee's Diner. “Being stored these years, it’s really has saved it from further deterioration.”

TORRINGTON - It was eight years ago when crews plucked Skee's Diner from its home of almost 70 years and carried it to a warehouse a few miles away. Today, the diner sits like a patient on an operating table, it's metallic skin removed to expose the sturdy bones being tended by a group of volunteer

01/08/2022

The grant money will be "the catalyst for further improvements at the historic property."

TORRINGTON -- Two blighted commercial properties in the city received a combined $3 million in state grants for remediation. The grants were announced Thursday by the governor's office as a way to help move blighted properties into productive use. Almost $18 million in grants to 13 cities and tow

12/21/2021

Torrington will hold a second referendum on Jan. 25 on the Torrington Middle/High School project after cost escalations and an influx of students increased the building’s price by $20 million.
The Board of Finance and City Council on Monday unanimously approved the referendum for residents and property owners that would increase the price of the project to $179.5 million.

TORRINGTON - The city will hold a second referendum on Jan. 25 on the Torrington Middle/High School project after cost escalations and an influx of students increased the building's price by $20 million. The Board of Finance and City Council on Monday unanimously approved the referendum for resid

12/15/2021

TORRINGTON -- Escalating building material costs and an influx of students to the city due to the COVID-19 pandemic likely will mean a second referendum for the Torrington Middle/High School building project. The City Council on Monday will hear a request from the school project building committe

12/10/2021

TORRINGTON -- A judge on Thursday dismissed criminal charges against a former Torrington police officer who was arrested by his department in 2019 on charges of disorderly conduct and criminal lockout. John Lemieux, who has since retired from Torrington Police Department, was arrested on a warran