Saturday, June 20, 2026

A caring sibling project: Connecticut Children’s NICU nurses created A Message to My Sibling, a coloring book comforting brothers and sisters. Now available free for families at Connecticut Children’s and Hartford Hospital -- meet the sibling coloring book.

Community hands at work: Fifty Travelers employees volunteered with Riverfront Recapture at Hartford’s Riverside Park, raking the volleyball pit, weeding overgrown beds, clearing brush, and spreading mulch to ready the riverfront for summer recreation -- see the park cleanup photos.

Food access plans advance: Two North End sites have emerged for a grocery, one at Albany and Main and another near the University of Hartford, with CRDA planning to vote on an $87,800 grant -- see the grocery site options.

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The bill all retirees should double check: Car insurance. If you’ve been on the same plan for years, you might be paying way more than you need to. It’s an easy one to forget about, but switching could save you up to $600 this year. Case in point: I shopped around and ended up cutting my premium in half — this free comparison tool makes it easy.*

Your insurance won't cover a $12,000 HVAC bill: If your furnace quits before it warms up, your homeowners insurance will tell you it's a "maintenance issue" and wish you luck. Insurance covers sudden disasters. It doesn't cover the systems that wear out over time, and those are the expensive ones. A home warranty is built for exactly this. HVAC, water heater, appliances, plumbing, electrical... all covered for less than $1/day with no age restrictions on what's covered. You call, they send a tech, you pay a service fee. They handle the rest -- this one's $150 off right now.*

Weeknight upgrade, unlocked: Slip into Bar Max inside The Goodwin for craft cocktails, curated wines, and elevated small plates in a room that actually makes after-work feel like a treat. It’s a polished, low-key lounge vibe when you want to catch up, look put together, and avoid the usual chaos downtown.

Tune up your swing: Goodwin Park Golf Driving Range is the low-pressure fix for that midweek slice, perfect for sneaking in a focused session without leaving Hartford. Hit a few, groove the tempo, roll some putts, then show up to your weekend round acting like this was your plan all along.

Weeknight flavor upgrade: Skip doomscrolling and treat yourself to Island Fish Head Jamaican Restaurant and Jay’s Smoothie Bar, where steamed red snapper, oxtail, and Seafood Rasta Pasta mingle with cold‑pressed juices and smoothies. It’s the kind of hearty, homey Caribbean comfort that makes a Hartford Tuesday feel like vacation.

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The slower you walk, the more it works: Tai Chi walking is trending online. Turns out it's centuries old — slow deliberate steps, paced breath, attention on the body. Thirty minutes a day burns fat, lifts your mood, and builds balance. No gym, no treadmill, no pounding on the joints. Take the quick quiz to see if it fits, then use code BASELOCAL for a discount on the coaching plan. *See how it works →

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