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| Dear Friend,
This is my State Capitol update for the week of September 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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September has arrived, kids have returned to school, and the calendar is filling up with a different flavor of events. It does not feel like September, however, as temperatures and humidity remain high. The state’s extreme heat protocol remains in effect through Friday evening, and as there are also possible storms on the horizon, keep an eye on the weather as you make your weekend plans.
Most of my schedule over the last week has been dominated by my second round of daughter-travel: this one being a cross-country trip through 11 states to get my daughter Maude (and her car) to Arizona. It was an interesting contrast to my Appalachian Trail hike with my daughter Abby: the first a slow and physically demanding 54-mile walk through towns and spaces that I spend most of my life in and around; the second a speedier 2,500-mile drive through vast, new, and diverse landscapes, including a few states neither of us had ever been to. We also travelled back in time, as the first leg of the trip included visits to cemeteries in New Castle, PA and Fort Wayne, IN where generations of my Scanlon and Hogan forbears (all on my mother’s side) are buried. Though we were both very glad to get out of the car, that kind of time with my daughter felt precious. |
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My travels (and a late departure after the good news of the state’s denial of Nuvance’s application to close labor and delivery at Sharon Hospital)) made me miss the Goshen Fair, so I really don’t feel as if Labor Day weekend took place at all this year. But I was able to get back in time for some events this week, including a visit with The Equus Effect in Sharon, which provides veterans and others in high-stress environments with essential tools to manage relationships through engagement with horses. Thank you to Jane Strong and her crew for inviting me to participate, and to Doc and Tango for being my equine partners!
And I kicked off the preamble to the 2024 legislative session with a brainstorming session with the nonpartisan staff of the Finance Committee to talk about what lies ahead this year – the new year will come faster than we think.
There are a few upcoming events this weekend, including:
- Saturday, 9/9:
- 9am: Climate, Coffee and Conversation in Kent at 45 on Main (please RSVP if you plan on attending– see details below)
- 10am to 4pm: Cornwall Ag Fair on the Cornwall Town Green
- Sunday, 9/10, from 7 to 11am: Sharon Ambulance pancakes at the firehouse in Sharon
- Monday, 9/11:
- Washington: at 9:30 am at BeeBrook Firehouse
- North Canaan: all day, at The Church of St. Joseph
Here’s a list of today’s topics:
- Extreme Heat Protocol in Effect. Click here.
- CT Energy Assistance Program Application Period Open. Click here
- September is National Preparedness Month. Click here.
- CT Receives Federal Agriculture Disaster Declaration. Click here.
- Round 8 of Nonprofit Grant Program Request. Click here.
- Interview on Nutmeg TV. Click here.
- Commission on Human Rights - Disparity Study Public Hearings. Click here.
- Scam Alert. Click here.
- Health Care Assistance for Paraeducators. Click here.
- Free Concert from Crescendo. Click here.
- Northwest Corner Events. Click here.
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| September is off to a hot start! Temperatures could reach the 90s with humidity over the next few days. Anyone vulnerable to the heat is advised to take precautions. Cooling centers are open throughout Connecticut and can be located by calling 2-1-1 or visiting 211ct.org. |
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| CT Energy Assistance Program Application Period Open!
The application period for the 2023-2024 winter season of the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) is open. CEAP provides vulnerable state homeowners and renters with crucial support for the associated costs with heating their homes.
Applications for the 2023-2024 winter season must be received by May 31, 2024. If you are interested, there are several ways to apply:
• Visit ct.gov/heatinghelp
• Call your local community action agency and request application assistance or schedule an in-person appointment (Click here for the list of phone numbers)
• Download and complete the CEAP application. Mail the completed application and required documents to your local community action agency. (Click here for the list of mailing addresses)
Additional information on the application process can be obtained by visiting ct.gov/heatinghelp or calling 2-1-1.
Basic benefits toward heating bills range from $180 to $530 depending on income, size of household, and need. Benefits are available for households with incomes up to 60% of the state median income, which equates to roughly $79,910 for a family of four. These benefits are usually paid directly to the utility company or fuel supplier. Households that heat with deliverable fuels like oil or propane may be eligible for multiple free tank refills.
I want to spread the word that this resource is available to our most vulnerable community members. |
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| September is National Preparedness Month. As we are at the height of hurricane season, it's important to make sure you're prepared to respond.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs each year from June 1 to November 30, with the principal threat period for Connecticut occurring between mid-August and mid-October.
Here are some things you can do to make sure you're ready at a moment's notice:
- Download the state's CTPrepares app on your mobile device. It's free on Apple iTunes or Google Play stores. This app provides Connecticut residents with information that is useful in emergency situations and also gives preparedness tips in advance of an emergency. Additional preparedness tips can be found online at ct.gov/ctprepares.
- Follow the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security’s social media pages for weekly preparedness tips throughout the preparedness month.
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Connecticut was approved this week to receive a federal agriculture disaster declaration due to the heavy rainfall that occurred in early July and caused significant flood damage to farms and crops statewide.
This declaration means that farmers in all eight of Connecticut’s counties can apply for federal disaster assistance from the Farm Service Agency, such as emergency loans, to cover production losses they experienced as a result of the severe weather event, provided that certain eligibility requirements are met.
Farmers who have experienced losses may be eligible for additional USDA programs, with increased flexibilities, to help offset the losses. The Connecticut Department of Agriculture also offers any farmers the opportunity for one-on-one consultative services to help them find the right program for their farm. Interested farmers should contact the Connecticut Department of Agriculture at 860-713-2500 or agr.disaster@ct.gov. Additional resources are available online at portal.ct.gov/disaster to assist producers as they navigate the recovery process.
Farmers will have eight months from the date of this disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. The Farm Service Agency considers each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses on the farm and the security and repayment ability of the operator. Farmers interested in applying for assistance must contact their local Farm Service Agency office.
This is the second agriculture disaster declaration that Secretary Vilsack has approved for Connecticut this year. In July, the secretary approved an agriculture disaster declaration for the state due to the impact of the abnormal, sub-freezing weather event that occurred in the early morning hours of May 18, 2023, which also caused significant crop losses. |
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| The Office of Policy and Management (OPM) is now accepting applications for the Nonprofit Grant Program (NGP). The purpose of the NGP is to provide grants-in-aid to private, nonprofit health and human service organizations that are exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
Organizations who receive funding for for alterations, renovations, improvements, additions and new construction, including health, safety, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and energy conservation improvements, information technology systems, technology for independence, purchase of vehicles and acquisition of property are also eligible.
If you have any questions, please check out the CTSource Bid Board Users Guide or send an email to the following address - OPM.NPGrantProgramApplications@ct.gov |
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| A couple of weeks ago, I appeared on Up Close and Personal, a program on Nutmeg TV. The interview is available on their YouTube page. |
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| Yesterday, CTDOL was made aware of a new and unique phishing scheme, by criminals posing as CTDOL staff, to obtain detailed information from employers who participate in CT's Registered Apprenticeship Programs. Below is an example of one of these emails. If you have received one of these emails, do not respond. |
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| Paraeducators provide critical and direct support to teachers and students, which makes them an integral part of the school ecosystem. That is why I am happy to share that the Paraeducator Healthcare Subsidy Program will provide $5 million in financial assistance and increase access to quality health care.
This program was created during the 2023 Legislative Session and signed into law as part of the bipartisan biennium budget. It will help paraeducators enrolled in high-deductible health plans with a health savings account and employed by a local or regional school district with a one-time stipend to reduce out-of-pocket costs. Payments are expected to go out in September to more than 4,000 paraeducators.
Legislative leadership made appropriating these funds a priority in budget negotiations to help bridge the painful gap between high-deductible health plans and low wages for paraeducators, who are critical to our classrooms. We must continue efforts that ensure that paraeducators receive proper compensation and benefits. |
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| Crescendo is kicking off its 20th Anniversary Season with a FREE CONCERT on Saturday, September 23 at 5pm at Trinity Church in Lakeville, CT. The concert will feature a fusion of Baroque classics and Latin American folk music and instruments. Following the concert, the audience will have the opportunity to meet the performers and see the Trinity Gallery Juried Art Show. Attached please find the full press release and images. |
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| Northwest Corner Events
Housatonic Habitat for Humanity Blueprints & Blue Jeans Fall Fundraiser
The Housatonic Habitat for Humanity will host a fundraising event called Blueprints & Blue Jeans on October 4th at the Ridgefield Playhouse. Click here to learn more.
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| 2023 Walk in the Woods for Parkinson's
The 12th annual walk is scheduled for Sunday, September 17th, 2023 at White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield, CT. |
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| Cornwall Agricultural Fair |
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| CT League of Conservation Voters – Coffee, Climate & Conversation in Kent |
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| If you plan on attending please RSVP here! |
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| Sustainable CT 2023 Awards Celebration to be held at American Mural Project Site
Sustainable CT, a statewide, voluntary certification program that supports sustainability best practices in Connecticut municipalities, announced that their 2023 Awards Celebration will be held at the site of the American Mural Project in Winsted (Winchester) Connecticut on October 17th from 4-7 p.m.
The largest indoor collaborative piece of artwork in the world, the American Mural Project is a three-dimensional mural spanning 120 feet in length and five stories in height. Serving as a pictorial chronicle, the mural portrays a diverse spectrum of laborers who have enriched American society and culture over the past century, and is a celebration of ingenuity, productivity, and inclusiveness. |
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Outdoor Movie Night
The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens has another movie night this Friday, September 8.
This event is free and open to the public. BYO blankets, chairs, food and beverages. Movies roll at dusk. Leashed pets only.
Movie will happen rain or shine! In case of inclement weather, the movie will take place inside the building.
For more information visit their website!
Norfolk Land Trust – Haystack Mountain Challenge
Registration is now open for the 10th Annual Haystack Mountain Challenge
Sunday, October 1
Race lengths: half-marathon, 10k, and 5k
More information can be found on their website: https://www.norfolklandtrust.org/events
CT Antique Machinery Fall Festival
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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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