Juan R. Candelaria

February is Black History Month, a time when we celebrate the many achievements and contributions of individuals from the Black diaspora, as well as reckon with the systemic racism from our past that is still prevalent today. The theme for this year's month-long celebration is “African Americans and the Arts,” which spotlights Black Americans who excelled in various fields of creative expression, and the influence they have on our country's culture.

With the legislative session just around the corner on Wednesday, February 7th, I am committed to keeping you informed and engaged in the democratic process.

Connecticut has launched its new jobs portal, jobs.ct.gov, which is aimed at assisting state residents — and those seeking to move here — in the process of finding a job.

If you're struggling to pay utility bills, Operation Fuel may be able to help.

Operation Fuel's energy assistance program opened this week for the Winter/Spring season. Applications will be accepted until March 1 unless available funds run out before that date.

As a result of fiscal responsibility and bipartisanship in 2023, I am pleased to announce that significant relief is on the way for many Connecticut taxpayers in 2024!

As we ring in the new year, there are some laws that become effective on January 1 that were passed during the 2023 legislative session addressing key issue areas including early voting, health and mental health, and online privacy and data protection.

Connecticut is offering a wonderful new program that will make applying for higher education much easier - and less expensive - for graduating high school students. The Connecticut Automatic Admission Program allows students who meet certain criteria to be automatically admitted to several Connecticut colleges and universities by filling out a single application form, free of charge!

The Connecticut Department of Housing is announcing the release of $45.8 million in funding to various programs that assist those in need of emergency shelter and services. This is in addition to the previously announced $5 million for cold weather shelters. Specific locations for cold weather shelters are determined by municipalities and nonprofit providers, with DOH providing funding for operations.