Women's Equality Day, International Dog Day, Troop 274 Can, Bottle Drive is Saturday

August 26, 2026



 

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Dear Neighbor,

Parents are celebrating, and children are lamenting that it’s back-to-school week! I hope that you were able to take advantage of the expanded tax-free week last week, but as a reminder, you have it throughout the year when it comes to non-electronic school supplies.

That will come in handy when you have that poster board emergency at 7 p.m. on a random night in October for a project due the next day. Have a great year, kids!
 
Today, we celebrated Women’s Equality Day at the Capitol. Created to celebrate the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote 106 years ago. It also honors the ongoing fight for full gender equality, equal pay, and representation.
 
We are also celebrating our four-legged furry family members because it’s International Dog Day. Extra treats for all of them!
 
I wanted to highlight two hearings that took place today. One is the hearing for the double-digit rate increase request by the health insurance companies, and the second is the hearing for the rate increase for Connecticut Water. I sent a letter to both the Connecticut Department of Insurance and PURA to carefully consider these rates before approving them because I have heard from many of you about the pinch you are already feeling, and these rate increases only compound that. It’s important that the commissioners of both departments hear from us so that they know what residents of Connecticut are going through right now.
 
Take note that Generation Power (formerly Operation CT) information on getting electric, gas, and fuel assistance is also included today. Apply early if you need assistance.
 
Have a great week, 
 
 Eleni

Sincerely,

Eleni Kavros DeGraw
State Representative
 

It's Women's Equality Day

When Dolly Parton was asked if she was a feminist, she famously said, “I suppose I am a feminist if I believe that women should be able to do anything they want to.”
 
It comes down to choice. Like the choice I made to stay home to raise children for 15 years and then run for office.

Women may not be able to have it all, yet we continue to fight every day so that every woman has the equality she deserves. 

Representative Hilda Santiago reminded us that what a woman makes per dollar versus what a man makes is dependent on her race: Asian Women, 94 cents on the dollar; White women, 80 cents on the dollar; Black women, 63 cents on the dollar; Latina women, 53 cents on the dollar; and Native American women, 53 cents (and often less) on the dollar. We have a way to go.
 
This year, over 70 women are running for the CT House alone, but currently, 37% of the House is women. We are approximately 50% of the population, and we should be at least 50% of the conversation.
 
We have come far, and we have much further to go to achieve equality.

Please click on the video below to hear some of our women state representatives and commissioners discuss what they do daily in the fight for women's equality.
Talking Women's Equality on Women's Equality Day
 

Happy International Dog Day!
It’s true, we have been a two-dog household ever since our cat Lucy passed away a long time ago. Dakota, almost 12, and Ozzie, five, keep us busy with their antics, and that’s one of the reasons we love them. Hope you have the chance to give your fluffy sidekicks an extra hug today.
 

Troop 274 Can & Bottle Drive

Avon Boy Scout Troop 274 can use your bottles and cans on Saturday...

All profits go towards funding the scouts' high adventure trips during the summer!
 

School Bus Safety

Now that the new school year is underway (or will soon be – depending on your district), drivers need to remember to stop for school buses displaying flashing red lights and slow down in school zones. 

We have strengthened Connecticut’s laws to hold drivers accountable and help keep our children safe.

Under state law, drivers who fail to stop for a school bus displaying its flashing red lights face a $450 fine for the first offense. A second offense carries a $500 to $1,000 fine, up to 30 days in jail, or both.

Beginning October 1, 2026, drivers who violate the school bus stopping law for a third or subsequent time will also face a six-month suspension of their driver’s license.

Reminder: Drivers must stop at least 10 feet from the front or back of a school bus displaying its flashing red lights and remain until the lights are no longer displayed.

Please slow down, pay attention, and give our students the protection they deserve.
 

About that First Day of School Photo

A cute photo can reveal more than you think…

Before you post that adorable first-day-of-school photo, take a closer look at what the sign reveals.

A child’s full name, birthday, age, grade, teacher, interests, friends’ names, and other personal details may seem harmless—but together, they can create a detailed profile that gives strangers far more information than intended.
 
Celebrate the milestone. Just consider cropping or covering the personal details first.
 
See an example of an overshare vs a smart share below.
 

 Emergency Energy Assistance 

Help could be on the way for those struggling to pay for electricity, gas, and fuel costs. Generation Power CT announced its application cycles for the Emergency Energy Assistance Program, and eligible households can apply as soon as next week. The program accepts applications on the following dates:

  • Cycle #1: September 1-15, 2026
  • Cycle #2: December 1-15, 2026
  • Cycle #3: March 1-15, 2027


Generation Power CT offers up to $500 in utility assistance grants to households that meet established program guidelines. Households are eligible for one utility assistance grant every 12 months.
 
Eligibility, application materials Information here
 

Veterans Hall of Fame

Connecticut residents are encouraged to recognize veterans who continue to make lasting contributions in their communities by nominating them for the 2026 Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame. This honor celebrates veterans who, after their military service, have shown exceptional leadership and community service. 

Nominations for the Class of 2026 are now open and must be submitted by September 30th, 2026.

To be eligible, nominees must have been born in Connecticut or resided in the state for a minimum of five years. They must also meet the definition of a “veteran” under Connecticut General Statutes § 27-103 and have received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces.

The submitted nomination package must contain the completed nomination form, the veteran’s discharge documents, and a detailed narrative of the veteran’s community and/or public service at the local, state, and/or national level, and the veteran’s contributions to the community at large. The focus of this honor is on the veteran’s service to their community after leaving the military.

To download the nomination package, visit: portal.ct.gov/dva/pages/ct-veterans-hall-of-fame.

Completed nomination packages must be submitted to the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs by September 30th, 2026. They should be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service to:

Office of the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs
ATTN: CT Veterans Hall of Fame
287 West Street
Rocky Hill, CT 06067

Detailed instructions and information on eligibility criteria can be found within the nomination package.
 

An Informative Visit to the CT Lottery

Yesterday, I had a fun and very informative visit to the Connecticut Lottery in Wallingford. Did you know that the lottery had $1.8 billion in sales last year and over $1.3 billion was paid to players?

They also contribute $3.3 million to the Chronic Gamblers’ Treatment and Rehabilitation Fund, the CT Council on Problem Gambling, and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services annually. Over $362 million is transferred annually into the state’s general fund to fund everything from education to non-profits who care for our loved ones.

Transparency really matters to the CT Lottery, and I learned a lot about what it takes to secure the scratch tickets and make sure that they arrive securely at their retail locations. I also got a quick glimpse of the room where they do drawings for the lottery. And I even got to meet a $50,000 winner while I was there. You can’t win if you don’t play, as a good friend of mine used to say.
 

Purple Alert: A Replay on NPR

One of my Facebook followers kindly alerted me that a portion of an interview I gave about the Purple Alert last year was part of NPR’s “Here and Now” today.

I passed the Purple Alert a few years ago, and its purpose is to get adults with Intellectual or Developmental Disability or Autism Spectrum Disorder home to their loved ones when they go missing.

Now, there is an effort to create a similar system at the federal level. I hope they speak to our Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) because our implementation in Connecticut could be a model. Within the first week or two, over a dozen alerts were sent out.

You can hear more HERE (scroll down to the specific segment). There’s also a beautiful segment on the beloved Dolly Parton. Rest in peace, and power beautiful spirit.
 
 
Higher Education Registry

The Connecticut Office of Higher Education recently launched a new Higher Education Registry, giving students and families a centralized resource to explore post-secondary education and career training opportunities across the state.

The registry features more than 4,200 programs offered by over 130 colleges, universities, and private career schools. Students can explore a wide range of options, including certificate and occupational training programs, associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, as well as graduate and professional degree programs.

Click here to learn more about the registry.

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