Fires have displaced nearly 3,000 Hartford residents since 2020, about 2.4% of the population — a rate far higher than some other CT cities.
Mariana Navarrete Villegas
Mariana Navarrete Villegas was a Community Engagement Reporter for The Connecticut Mirror, covering Hartford from 2025 to 2026. She graduated from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism with a master’s degree in Bilingual Journalism. Before joining CT Mirror, she was the Community Engagement and Video Assistant at Epicenter-NYC and a Podcast Intern at The Take, Al Jazeera English’s daily news podcast. As a reporter, she has covered stories from New York to Florida, California, Panama, and Mexico, focusing on labor rights, immigration, and community care. She also hosts 'La Chismesita,' a community radio show in New York that archives oral histories through conversations with women community leaders. Originally from Mexico, Mariana spent her teenage years in Panama. She holds a B.A. in Global Studies with a minor in Psychology from Saint Leo University, where she interned at the International Rescue Committee.
Posted inEducation, Hartford
These Hartford moms formed a committee to push for better schools
The group has grown to more than 15 mothers. They’ve advocated for translation services, school improvements, and — importantly — each other.
Posted inBriefs
Did CT Sen. Richard Blumenthal vote to block U.S. arms sale to Israel?
The resolutions voted on by the U.S. Senate in April 2026 would have blocked the sale of bulldozers and bombs to Israel.
Posted inBriefs
Are CT men under 26 always enrolled for selective service when licensed to drive?
Many U.S. states register men ages 18-25 for the Selective Service – or military draft pool – when issuing a driver’s license.
Posted inEvents
Hartford: Community Listening Session
Community Engagement Reporter Mariana Navarrete Villegas is hosting a Listening Session on April 29, 2026, at Hillyer Hall.
Posted inBriefs
Is most of the CT public benefits charge always tied to Millstone deal?
Under a state contract, utilities like Eversource and United Illuminating must buy 50% of Millstone’s output at a fixed price through 2029.
Posted inBriefs
Can Congress invoke the 25th amendment to transfer presidential powers to a vice president?
Once presidential powers are transferred to the VP, POTUS can reclaim his or her duties by notifying Congress they are again able to serve.
Posted inHartford
Hartford’s mayor fired the cop who killed a man. Residents demand more.
The Hartford mayor’s office held a town hall just hours after announcing the police officer who had killed Steven ‘Stevie’ Jones was fired.
Posted inBriefs
Is tick season starting earlier than usual in 2026?
Ticks and other pests can stay protected beneath thick snow layers — like those created by recent snowstorms, experts say.
Posted inBriefs
Are CT restraining orders only issued if there is physical violence?
The law expanding the domestic violence definition is named after women killed by their partners: Jennifer Farber Dulos and Jennifer Magnano.
Posted inHartford
After fatal shootings by police, Hartford community comes together
A week after the latest shooting, the shock remains, Hartford leaders say, and groups are working together to alleviate lingering trauma.
Posted inHartford
Hartford museum exhibition draws on stories from the North End
The Connecticut Museum of Culture and History’s exhibition displays graphic novels that approach the North End history from different angles.
Posted inEvents
Hartford: Community Listening Session
Community Engagement Reporter Mariana Navarrete Villegas is hosting a Listening Session on February 26, 2026, at the Park Street Library.
Posted inBriefs
Are CT residents required to show a photo ID to vote?
There are various forms of identification accepted at Connecticut polling places in order to cast a ballot.
Posted inBriefs
Do pre-COVID students qualify for free CT community college tuition aid?
The “Mary Ann Handley Award” — formerly PACT — covers the gap between grants and community college tuition and fees.
