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| Dear Friend,
This is my State Capitol update for the week of December 8.
If you prefer to watch rather than read, click on the play button to hear about the issues contained in this newsletter. |
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This time of year can be a study in contrasts. Yesterday, for example, was the beginning of the eight nights of Hanukkah, which I hope are filled with love, laughter and light for those who celebrate. It was also National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, “a date which will live in infamy” when we honor the lives tragically lost that day in 1941.
Towns throughout the corner are holding tree lighting ceremonies and parades, including fire trucks strewn with festive lights, beautiful luminarias lighting a town green, and regular appearances of both Santa Claus and the Grinch (who gave me an onion in Kent!). There is a lot of joy, community, and town pride to be found in all of these.
And the calendar includes events like tonight’s Freezin’ for a Reason, organized by regional nonprofits, when community members camp out overnight in East End Park in Winsted to draw attention to those who have no homes to return to at the end of the day as we watch the weather get colder. Housing costs continue to rise in CT and particularly in our region, which has made homelessness a bigger challenge than ever as we continue to search for spaces to provide services over the winter months and take care of some of our most vulnerable residents.
On the state level, a similar dynamic is playing out, as holiday celebrations mix in with meetings that are trying to pack in that last bit of work this year to try to get organized for the upcoming session year.
Mixed in among these events, this week I was able to tour the American School for the Deaf (ASD) in West Hartford for the first time. As many of you know, ASD owns and operates Camp Isola Bella on Twin Lakes in Salisbury. The camp’s tower is a landmark for anyone who has been on the lakes, and the site is beautiful and historic. I’ve had the opportunity to work with Jeff Bravin, ASD’s Executive Director, on local issues affecting the camp and the health of the lake it sits on, and appreciated the opportunity to see him on ASD’s campus in West Hartford, among the students who thrive there. ASD is not only unique in CT in the services it provides to deaf and hearing-impaired students, but also serves students from outside CT, both on campus and remotely, and is renowned nationally for its work. |
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| I hope you’re finding time for both joy and reflection this time of year. And to those who celebrate Hanukkah, Chag Sameach!
Here’s a list of today’s topics:
- National Influenza Vaccination Week. Click here.
- Registered Apprenticeship Program for Home-Base Child Care Jobs. Click here.
- CT Economic Growth. Click here.
- Beware of Phishing Scheme Targeting Job Seekers. Click here.
- Upcoming Events. Click here.
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This week in Hartford state officials announced the formation of a new Registered Apprenticeship Program to encourage jobseekers to enter careers in home-based child care and fill high-demand jobs in this field.
Registered apprentices earn while they learn. The program is a federally backed workforce training program that requires a minimum of 2,000 hours working on the job and hundreds of hours of classroom learning. Currently, there are around 6,500 registered apprentices working with 1,700 employers across nearly every sector of Connecticut’s economy. Upon completion of the Family Child Care Registered Apprenticeship Program, family childcare providers will have the Child Development Associate and National Association for Family Child Care credentials. These credentials raise the wages for providers, improve future earning power, and lift the quality of the home-based early childhood education programs.
Last month, CTDOL reported that center-based childcare payrolls reached employment highs of 15,700 workers employed in the state – higher than pre-pandemic levels. Data from the Office of Early Childhood identifies 1,822 home-based family care centers in Connecticut. There is a high demand for workers in both center-based and home-based childcare facilities.
Due to the success of the registered apprenticeship model, OEC is also piloting workforce approaches that will lead to registered apprenticeships for childcare centers. |
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| Starting Friday off with some great news! The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis says CT’s economy makes the top-two in New England. |
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| If you’re looking for a new job, beware of scammers trying to get your personal information! The Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) says criminals are asking victims for banking, credit card, and social security information while pretending to work at the state’s job bank, CTHires.
If you are in any of the following scenarios while applying for a job, hang up immediately:
- You’re asked to pay a fee to apply or to be considered
- You’re asked for your social security number, bank account number, or credit card details to complete your application
- You’re told to give up valuable information or you’ll lose a job opportunity
Visit the CTDOL fraud watch page if you think you may be a victim of this or other scams. |
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The Kent Singers will present a rose in winter on Saturday, December 9 and Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 3:00 pm at St. Andrew’s Church in Kent, CT. Join us for these festive holiday concerts featuring songs of hope in the bleak midwinter. A gentle and beautiful program of music expressing joy, hope and peace. The favorites you love and some new songs, too! The concerts will be conducted by our Music Director James Knox Sutterfield.
Tickets are $20 in advance at https://kentsingers.com/category/tickets/ or at the door, with children under 12 admitted free; further information available at 860-619-8110 or at https://kentsingers.com/. Support has been provided to Kent Singers from CT Humanities, with funding provided by the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development/Connecticut Office of the Arts from the Connecticut State Legislature. |
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Regional Holiday Markets
Many of the towns in the Northwest Corner hold holiday markets, and here are a few suggestions:
Salisbury Artisan Group’s Holiday Market
Dec. 16 Location: White Hart Inn, 15 Under Mountain Road, Salisbury
The Salisbury Artisan Group’s Holiday Market will take place at the White Hart on Dec. 16. Attendees can expect handmade crafts and artisanal goods.
Institute for American Indian Studies Holiday Market
Dec. 9-10. Location: 38 Curtis Road, Washington
The Institute of American Indian Studies Holiday market celebrates contemporary Native American art and cultures. Guests can purchase items such as gourds, pottery, jewelry, rattles, artworks and flutes, to name a few.
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| December 15 from 5-6pm: Candlelight Vigil to Remember the Victims of Sandy Hook. The event takes place on the green in front of the White Hart. Sophia and Lee deBoer first organized a vigil within days of the Sandy Hook tragedy and have been holding vigils on or near the anniversary in the 11 years since then. The event will include remarks from the Rev. John Nelson and Rep. Maria Horn, as well as some appropriate songs. It will conclude with the ringing of bells to remember those who died at Sandy Hook. Please bring your own candle. |
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Crescendo presents Carols for the Earth on December 16 and 17
Crescendo is excited to follow up on the success of the 20th anniversary concert with Carols for the Earth on December 16 and 17 at 4pm. The concert will present a mixture of old and new holiday music, from both Christian and Jewish traditions, with an earth-conscious message.
Please visit Crescendo’s website, www.crescendomusic.org, for online ticket purchases, more details, and other season concerts, or call 860.435.4866. A limited number of tickets will be sold at the door 45 minutes before each performance.
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Sundays and More at Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss students will make Sunday your favorite day of the week! 3rd-8th graders can begin their Sundays at Hotchkiss' popular Coding Boot Camp from 10-11 am where they'll learn Scratch, Java, Python, explore AI and more.
Children 8-12 years old can then dash to a Basketball clinic on Sunday, November 12 and an Ice Hockey clinic on December 3, 11 am-noon. After the holidays, ultimate frisbee, soccer, and swimming will be offered.
On Sundays from 1-2 pm, Hotchkiss students of color are hosting a mentorship program for local students of color. Together they will enjoy sports, games, and other adventures on the Hotchkis campus.
For more information about any program, including weekly tutoring and reading sessions for children of all ages, please email clburchf@hotchkiss.org. |
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Public Vote for Region 20 High School Nickname
Region 20 High School will hold an in-person public vote December 14, 2023 to determine the name for its high school. It is down to two names – Lakeview High School and Western Hills High School. The meeting will convene at 7:00pm at Litchfield Intermediate School – 362-368 Maple St., Litchfield, CT 06759 – and voting is open to all community members in attendance. |
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| It is my honor to represent our district. I look forward to hearing from you about the issues raised in this newsletter, or any other topics you think I should know about. You can email me at maria.horn@cga.ct.gov or call me at (860)-240-8585. Thanks for reading, and I wish you a safe weekend.
Click here to forward to forward this email to a friend. |
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| Sincerely,
Maria Horn
State Representative |
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