Michelle L. Cook

What an incredible week it's been here in Connecticut. If you experienced the eclipse on Monday, along with millions of other people, it was certainly a sight to behold - and we weren't even in "totality," but pretty close to it! It's amazing to think how many millions of people were united in the same event. 

Then...Monday night. The UConn men's basketball team brought home another national championship. And they join an elite group to win the NCAA championship back-to-back. Congratulations to the team and congratulations to Coach Dan Hurley, who was named the 2024 Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year. The governor announced earlier this week that the victory parade will be this Saturday in Hartford. More details on that are below!

Coming up for us here at the Capitol - we'll be in session on Wednesday and Thursday next week. We have less than a month to go until Sine Die.

Have a great weekend, everyone! 

This newsletter includes:

• Celebrating the UConn Men's Basketball Team (parade information for 4/13)
• CGA Kickball Classic on April 15
• Around the Capitol & LOB
• A Morning Without Child Care Rally in Torrington
• Torrington Nonprofit Receives $320,000 for Facility Upgrades, Renovations, and Improvements
• Recording City Views
• WBDC Grant Info Session in Torrington
• CTDOT Project Set to Start in Torrington on April 15
• Torrington Library Needs Your Help
• Torrington Area Model Railroaders Spring Open House on April 13
• Torrington Library TAB Car Wash is April 20
• The Nutmeg Fudge Company Hosts an Afternoon Tea Party with the Princesses
• Torrington Library Blood Drive on May 9
• Be Bear Aware
• And More

And big applause for Coach Dan Hurley, who was named the 2024 Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year!

The UConn Women's Basketball Team, which played with eight healthy players much of the season, made it to the Final Four against Iowa and Caitlin Clark. The game ended in heartbreak, as the Huskies lost by just two points. I'm so proud of this team - no one expected them to make it this far in the tournament this year, and they made it to the Final Four! 

The parade will begin at 11 a.m. and steps off at the State Capitol building at the intersection of Trinity Street and Elm Street. From there, it will proceed north on Trinity Street, go through the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, turn right (east) onto Jewell Street, turn left (north) onto Trumbull Street, and end at the intersection of Asylum Street and Trumbull Street.

The rally will begin at approximately 11:30 a.m. and will be held outside of the main entrance of the XL Center on Trumbull Street, where the players, coaches, and other guests will be invited to give speeches.

Parade and rally organizers rely on private donations and business sponsorships to finance the event. No state or city funding is used.

Proceeds will benefit the Earl E. Exum Memorial Fund, in memory and honor of Representative Tammy Exum's husband, Earl, who passed away unexpectedly in the fall, as well as The Pink Fund, which offers financial assistance in the fight against breast cancer.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the gate or here - https://rb.gy/b1727n

Remember - Dunkin' Park is CASHLESS!

Also, the parking lot directly across from the stadium is no longer accessible, but there is plenty of parking around Dunkin' Park. You can find parking options here - https://www.milb.com/hartford/ballpark/parking-transit.

But make sure you have cash on you for parking.

LiveGirl, Inc. serves thousands of girls in grades 5 through college age annually in free-of-charge innovative leadership development and mentoring programs. The programs are evidence-based and proven to build self-esteem and social-emotional intelligence, the building blocks of a confident leader. LiveGirl also provides girls with authentic opportunities to build bridges to people whose lives are different from their own, the key to becoming an inclusive leader. The organizational lens is centered on the needs and experiences of ALL girls, especially girls of color. The leadership approach is skill-based, anti-racist, healing-centered, and gender inclusive.

I attended the evening rally at Torrington City Hall, along with several child care providers from Torrington. You can click on the solo photo below to listen to my remarks.

Rally attendees are asking Governor Lamont and the Connecticut legislature to invest in long-term transformation of the industry, through a dedicated funding source that ensures sustained investment. This includes approving components to the $2 billion plan recommended by the Governor’s Blue-Ribbon Panel and passing HB 5002, which would establish an early childhood fund to increase compensation for early educators and decrease tuition costs for families across the state.

Important points to share regarding child care in CT:

• Connecticut’s child care system is broken and in need of investment and transformation. Parents are paying too much, and educators are making too little.
• Families are desperate to find affordable, reliable care for their kids. Educators deserve living wages for their work.
• By investing in child care, families will have more money to put back into Connecticut’s economy, and more parents can go back to work.
• No family should have to spend more than 7% of their income on child care - a goal that requires significant federal investment.
• Research shows again and again that giving young children access to high-quality learning experiences sets them up to succeed throughout life.
• Under the current system, early educators are paid poverty-level wages and are leaving the workforce in droves for better-paying jobs.
• We, as lawmakers, need to listen to voters and give the system the support it needs before it collapses.

Locally, the McCall Foundation is receiving $320,000 for facility upgrades, renovations, and improvements at Hotchkiss House Residential Program. 

Established in 2013, this program has provided more than $130 million to the state’s nonprofit organizations, supporting about 750 projects. These recent awards, which support 94 projects, are the program’s eighth round of grants.
 
Over the past four years, the state has provided more than $1 billion in additional funding to strengthen and support nonprofit providers. During the current biennium, additional state support for nonprofits totaled more than $650 million – an increase of more than $206 million over baseline appropriations. There is also $50 million in capital funding for the next round of the Nonprofit Grant Program.

For more information on the Nonprofit Grant Program, visit portal.ct.gov/OPM/Fin-General/About/Nonprofit-Grant-Program-NGP.

The project consists of upgrading existing guide rail systems to current standard systems on Rte. 8 Southbound from Exit 44 to Exit 43 in the right lane. The upgrades are scheduled to begin on or about April 15 and continue to May 1.

LANE CLOSURE INFO
Motorists can expect lane closures on Rte. 8 southbound between Exits 44 and 43. Traffic control personnel and signing patterns will guide motorists through the work zone. The regular work schedule for this project is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday – Friday.

Motorists should be aware that modifications or extensions to this schedule may become necessary due to weather delays or other unforeseen conditions. Motorists are advised to maintain a safe speed when driving in this area.

Send memories and photos of your favorite Torrington stores that have come and gone by email to Jess at jessh@torringtonlibrary.org.

The library wants this to be a fun and interactive program where people can chat and reminisce about Torrington!

Program Description: Stars, Woolworths, Quality Shop, Reibmans, Caldor, Haymarket Square, Mr. Bs…all of these stores bring back retail nostalgia! And all have come and gone throughout the library’s 160 years of service to the community. Join in for an evening of reminiscing. 

Registration will begin May 1.

Artwork credit goes to Emilia P and Anna T from TAB

Click HERE to make your appointment, or find the blood drive through the Blood Donor App.

As bears become more regular residents of Connecticut towns, people must learn to adapt to the presence of bears and take measures to avoid damage and problems. If people do not take precautions, problem behavior by bears can increase, possibly leading to bears being removed or euthanized.

If you see a bear:

• Observe it from a distance. 
• Advertise your presence by shouting and waving your arms or walking slowly away. 
• Never attempt to feed or attract bears. 
• Report bear sightings to the Wildlife Division (or email deep.wildlife@ct.gov).

Bears Near Your Home:

In wilderness settings, bears usually avoid people. But food attractants near homes can cause them to grow habituated to humans and disturbances, such as dogs and other noises. Bears are attracted by bird feeders, garbage, outdoor pet food, compost piles, fruit trees, and berry-producing shrubs.

To avoid attracting bears:

• Never feed bears. Bears that associate food with people may become bold, aggressive, and dangerous. This may lead to personal injury, property damage, and the need to euthanize problem animals.
• Remove bird feeders from late March through November. If a bear visits a bird feeder in winter, remove the feeder.
• Wait until the morning of collection before bringing out trash. Add a few capfuls of ammonia to trash bags and garbage cans to mask food odors. Keep trash bags in a container with a tight lid and store in a garage or shed.
• Do not leave pet food outside overnight. Store livestock food in airtight containers.
• Do not put meats or sweet-smelling fruit rinds in compost piles. Lime can be sprinkled on the compost pile to reduce the smell and discourage bears.
• Thoroughly clean grills after use or store in a garage or shed.
• Encourage your neighbors to take similar precautions.

If you see a bear on your property, you can either leave the bear alone and wait for it to leave or make loud noises from a safe distance to attempt to scare the bear away. After the bear leaves the property, remove anything that may have attracted it to the area.

You can find more information on bears through the DEEP website HERE.