Public-Access TV Host Returns to the Spotlight


WINSTED — Former candidate for selectman Jay Budahazy, a regular figure on public-access television, has announced he will end a hiatus from hosting shows on Charter Community Television’s cable Channel 13 when he returns to TV screens tonight (Friday, Feb. 29) with his call-in show, "Around Winsted." The show has been scheduled to run every Friday from 8 to 9 p.m.

Budahazy said "Around Winsted" is a decidedly nonpolitical roundup of Winsted events, including recreation programs, parades, sporting events and other positive news. A second show, "Winsted Issues and People," will launch Friday, March 7, at 9 p.m. and will cover more political topics. Budahazy said Laurel City native and presidential candidate Ralph Nader will be his first guest.

"The show will be political but a lot less poltical than it was before," Budahazy said of "Winsted Issues and People," which will also run every week.

Budahazy’s television program, formerly called "Winsted Issues," made news last year when he was sued by former Selectman David Villa for comments Villa said were disparaging to his family. Though Budahazy said he couldn’t make specific comments about the case, he said it is currently being resolved in his favor.

Budahazy said his main concern right now is for children in the Winsted community, who he said are having emotional and behavioral problems, exacerbated by last year’s highly publicized cut of funding to the Recreation Department.

"Cutting [Recreation Director] Alesia Corso’s job to part-time really hurt the town," Budahazy said. "The Board of Selectmen has said that they’re going to put her back in the budget but they should have put her back in right away when they got elected."

Budahazy said he wants to work with the Board of Selectmen and others in town to make Winsted a better place and he is not interested in creating enemies. "I think the new school building committee is doing a great job with [Chairman] Jay Case and the town is moving forward," he said. "This is my town and I care about the town."


—Michael Marciano

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