Bobby Gibson

Last week, the U.S. Senate failed to extend federal Affordable Care Act subsidies. As a result, Governor Lamont announced that the state expects to spend roughly $70 million next year to make up for the loss. These funds will come from a $500 million contingency reserve we created during last month’s special session to address potential federal cuts to safety-net programs.

I will hold a press conference tonight at ACA Foods in Hartford to issue a statewide call for donations to support the Hurricane Melissa relief efforts in Haiti and Cuba. Supplies and nonperishable food donations can be dropped off at ACA Foods. The press conference will begin at 6 PM.

The Bloomfield Public Library is conducting a survey to better understand the needs of local residents.

As you may have heard, Hurricane Melissa has been upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane. Meteorologists expect Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti to be greatly impacted by the storm. Please send your thoughts and prayers to the people of these countries, as well as others who are bracing for impact.

Connecticut high school seniors with good grades can now earn automatic admission to several public and private colleges and universities through a new state initiative that makes applying to college easier.

Along with autumn's cooler weather and changing leaves, a number of new state laws are also hitting the books this month.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) will conduct a wrong way detection bi-annual inspection on Monday, September 29 through Thursday, October 2. This work will result in various ramp closures will take place on I-84, I-291 and I-91 in the Greater Hartford area, including West Hartford. The work schedule for this project is from 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

We invite everyone to join us in welcoming our students back to school! Let's come together to show our support and celebrate the start of a new school year. Your presence makes a difference!