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Dear Neighbor,
The severe cold-weather protocol for Connecticut ends today.
It's still going to be cold.
This is the time of year when we pull out the electric portable heaters for a little extra comfort. Are they convenient? Yes. Are they dangerous? They can be if you're not careful.
I've included some safety tips, which you will find helpful and useful if you own one of these heaters.
There is assistance available if you need help with your heating bill. Please see below for more details.
Interested in providing input on the future of early childhood education in Connecticut? You will have an opportunity to do so during the Early Childhood Education Endowment Advisory Board Annual Public Hearing on Wednesday. Keep scrolling for more details.
Lastly, the classic, Moby Dick? Eh.
I share my thoughts about the book, and a few others, in the Biggins Books section.
Have a great weekend,
Sincerely,
Patrick Biggins
State Representative
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| Many of us use electric portable heaters, especially during cold snaps like the one we're experiencing right now. Please see the space heater safety tips below. Half of all home-heating fires happen in the winter months. Please be safe. |
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| If you or someone you know is struggling to keep up with their energy bills, now is the time to get assistance this winter heating season. |
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There is a plan for everyone, including:
Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP):
- Apply to get up to $645 towards your heating bill from CEAP. Apply for CEAP online at CT.gov/heatinghelp or through your local Community Action Agency (CAA). Find your local CAA at 211.ct.org or call 211.
Energy Efficiency:
- Take advantage of Eversource’s energy efficiency programs, incentives, and tips to help you save money and reduce your overall energy use during the colder months. Renters need permission from their landlords to participate.
Winter Protection:
- If you provide proof of qualifying household income or public assistance benefits you receive for at least one household member, your service cannot be shut off between November 1 and May 1.
To find the right options for you, click HERE to learn more about these programs. You can also find your local CAA for assistance at 211ct.org or call 211.
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Here's a great opportunity to provide input regarding the future of early childhood education in the state and share your thoughts with the Early Childhood Education Endowment Advisory Board.
You can make your voice heard either in public or via Zoom this Wednesday, December 10th. Please see the flyer below for more details. |
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The Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS) is accepting applications for students entering grades 9 and 10 in the 2026-2027 school year.
CTECS is a statewide system of 17 diploma-granting, NEASC-accredited technical high schools serving approximately 11,500 high school students.
Students in grades 9-12 attend a full-day program that combines academics with an advanced Career and Technical Education (CTE) curriculum.
Students are served by schools located in Ansonia, Bridgeport, Danbury, Danielson, Groton, Hamden, Hartford, Manchester, Meriden, Middletown, Milford, New Britain, Norwich, Stamford, Torrington, Waterbury, and Windham. |
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Students can choose from 31 programs of study in areas such as these career clusters:
- Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
- Architecture and Construction
- Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, and Communication
- Health Science
- Hospitality and Tourism
- Human Services
- Information Technology
- Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
- Manufacturing
- Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)
- Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
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Graduates are prepared for immediate employment, apprenticeships, or further education at two- or four-year colleges.
There are also opportunities to earn college credit while in high school through College Career Pathways (CCP) partnerships with community colleges and Dual Enrollment Programs with universities. In addition to academics and technical training, schools offer athletics and a variety of extracurricular activities.
The CTECS application closes on January 25, 2026. Applications submitted by this deadline will be included in the lottery for on-time placements. Applications submitted after January 25 will be added to the waitlist in the order determined by the lottery. No new applications for incoming grade 9 students will be accepted after March 1, 2026.
NOTE: This application process does not apply to Regional School Choice Office (RSCO) schools: Cheney Tech (Manchester), Goodwin Tech (New Britain), or Prince Tech (Hartford) current grade 8 students. The on-time RSCO application for Cheney Tech, Goodwin Tech, and Prince Tech for the 2026-2027 school year is now open and closes on February 6, 2026.
Visit ChooseYourSchool.org to apply to these three specific schools. |
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The Office of Fiscal Analysis is required to produce the Fiscal Accountability Report (FAR) every November, which must include, among other things, an update on the expected balances for the current biennium and projections for the next three fiscal years, using consensus revenue estimates.
Please click on the image below for a look at the report. |
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| Are you looking to increase your earning potential? The Mortgage Crisis Job Training Program may be a great fit for you! Apply HERE or call 1-866-683-1682. |
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I love to read!
"Biggins Books" will highlight what I'm currently reading, all via audiobooks, and some highlights and thoughts about what I read. |
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Full disclosure? I hope that you're encouraged to pick up a book, any book, and just read. Reading is a wonderful way to relax, relieve stress, enhance brain activity, and more.
In the last few weeks, I've read:
The Good Lord Bird: A Novel by James McBride
This was a good book about a young man’s adventures in the world as he finds his freedom from slavery and from social pressures. The scenarios and people he encounters in the fictional book are wild, but it keeps you engaged.
The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom by Shari Franke.
This is a book about a spectrum of topics that all lead to this young person's story. It entailed being pressured into being an online presence without the ability to consent to that, and general abuse or maltreatment. Ultimately, the younger siblings were removed from school for homeschooling as the mother was more involved in cult like belief systems. The family survived the experience, but the mother is imprisoned, and they are all seeking their mental health after these experiences.
This was a book that I stumbled into, and it seems like destiny, as we search for the best answer to Connecticut’s values around home education.
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
I do not know why people like this book. I tried my best as I had just visited Mystic Seaport and was inspired by our state’s whaling heritage. I couldn’t get into it, and I really wanted to. I finished the book, but it is at the bottom of my book recommendations.
The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens
This was a great book, kept me engaged the entire time I was very impressed with the authors ability to tie the story together.
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