Maria Horn

This is my State Capitol update for the week of October 18.

If you prefer to watch rather than read, click the image below to hear about the issues contained in this newsletter.

We had the first hard frost of the season at our house last night, and I’m relieved that I managed to clean up my tomato plants before they turned to goop. That’s mostly thanks to my neighbors, whose farms and gardens I run past in the morning. One of those vegetable gardens in particular runs an admirably tight ship, and when I see their tomato plants disappear, I know I’d better get my act together. 

This morning I crossed my frosty lawn and pulled in the last of our harvest, including acorn squash, carrots, beets, a few late fairy eggplant and the last of the raspberries. As my daughter Maude is home for a couple of days, and she celebrated a birthday last week, we will celebrate tonight with a dinner that will include roasted squash, beets for the salad, and a carrot cake.

• Connecticut Releases Grant Money to Increase Broadband Access in 88 Towns and Cities. Click here. 
• Upcoming Events. Click here.

This week Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes announced the release of $28 million in grants awarded under the first round of the state’s ConneCTed Communities Grant Program. 

Administered by DEEP, these grants will support the buildout of broadband infrastructure in more than half of Connecticut’s communities. A total of 88 cities and towns in the state will benefit from the grants under this initial round. 

The funding comes from Connecticut’s portion of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Capital Project Fund dollars, which is designed to support access to high-speed internet by funding infrastructure projects to support the goal of universal access to affordable, resilient, and reliable broadband. A total of $40.8 million is available for this program. 

As you can see on this interactive map, there are more than 170 sites in the 64th District covered by the grant to Comcast, and another 148 in Cornwall and Sharon by Frontier/SNET 

The second round of funding under this program is expected to distribute another $12.8 million in grants. The application period for the second round opened on October 1, 2024, and applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are expended in advance of the December 2026 ARPA funding deadline. The second round will continue to support infrastructure buildouts and will also include support service for multi-dwelling units in distressed municipalities. 

In addition to this program, DEEP is also administering the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which is funding the deployment of broadband infrastructure to remaining unserved and underserved locations throughout Connecticut. Approximately $144 million is available for this program. DEEP will begin accepting prequalification applications from potential BEAD applicants later this month. 

To learn more about DEEP’s Office of Telecommunications and Broadband and its broadband deployment efforts, visit portal.ct.gov/deep/energy/broadband-deployment.

Join Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy staff for a short walk through the meadows and wetlands of Cobble Brook Vista to catch a glimpse of the splendor of fall bird migration.

Date: Friday, October 18

Time: 7:30 am to 8:30 am

Location: Cobble Brook Vista, 26 Studio Hill Cir, Kent, CT 06757

Register: events@ctland.org, Bird walks are limited to 15 people.

Ed McGuire Memorial Cannonball Run in Falls Village on November 2 

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Falls Village Fire Department we are looking forward to having 100 participants in our annual road race. 

There is a 5 km run starting at noon and a 2.5 mile walk starting at 11:30 AM. 

Click here to sign up. 

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Maria Horn
State Representative