Maria Horn

After a brutal week (and more, for many residents of the Northwest Corner), the conversations I’m having with constituents are shifting.  They’re shifting from Eversource (and concerns about electrical power) to other utilities that provide telephone, cable, or internet (Comcast/Xfinity, Frontier, and Optimum/Altice, for example), as the fragility of this infrastructure has been laid bare, and I work to make sure individual problems get attention. 

But they’re also shifting toward the future, and how to apply the lessons from Tropical Storm Isaias in ways that will make our communities more resilient and better supported by our utilities in the inevitable event of another storm.  Several constituents reached out in the last couple of days with creative and pragmatic suggestions about how to better align the interests of the utilities with those of their ratepayers.  Accountability is a part of this, and will be a focus of hearings (beginning on August 24 ) and of legislation that is already under discussion.  But it is broader than that, and involves ways to improve the communication between Eversource and our towns, and to ensure that the resources they will certainly deploy to repair their reputation get spent in ways that will help our communities.
 
These conversations about building community resilience will also involve community nonprofits.  I had the opportunity this week to be part of several such conversations, including one at the Warner Theater in Torrington.  US Senator Richard Blumenthal visited the theater on Thursday, as part of his advocacy for the federal “Save Our Stages” Act, that would provide grants to performing arts venues to help protect them from permanent closure during the pandemic.  These institutions were among the first to close, and will likely be the last to open, as small theaters like the Warner cannot make the economics work until they are able to safely and fully reopen.  The Warner is an anchor for downtown Torrington, and the success of many local businesses and restaurants are dependent upon it for their own survival, but it’s also important for our social and emotional health.  One of the costs of the pandemic, exacerbated by the recent storm, has been our social isolation. The Warner’s Executive Director Rufus de Rham spoke to me about the practice of “social prescribing” now getting traction in other countries: instead of a pharmaceutical, a medical profession might just suggest you go to a play.  I look forward to more conversations about that.

 

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”
 
Updated data on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes and assisted living facilities
 
The following documents contain updated data regarding each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Connecticut that have reported positive cases of COVID-19 among their residents. The data is presented as it was reported to the state by each of the facilities. If a facility is not listed, that means it is reporting that it does not have any residents who have tested positive. These data reports are updated weekly.
 

**Download: Data on nursing homes in Connecticut as of August 11, 2020 **Download: Data on assisted living facilities in Connecticut as of August 11, 2020

 
Participating in PURA hearing re Eversource on August 24
 
PURA has scheduled a formal hearing with Eversource for Monday, August 24 starting at 10:00am. During the hearing – which will be conducted via ZOOM – Eversource will respond to questions posed by PURA. It will be carried 'live' on CT-N and anyone wishing to follow or participate must first register online.

After registering, a confirmation will be sent with a direct link to the online proceedings. PURA will begin with comments from elected officials before conducting the evidentiary portion will include the opportunity for public comment. Written testimony from the public can be emailed anytime to pura.information@ct.gov prior to the conclusion of the hearing.
 
                     Mail written testimony as follows:
                     PURA
                     10 Franklin Square
                     New Britain, CT 06051
 
The legislature's Energy and Technology Committee is also planning a public hearing and has invited Eversource CEO James Judge to participate. PURA will also investigate Eversource's preparedness and response to Tropical Storm Isaias which left hundreds of thousands of customers without power – some for up to a week or longer. I will keep you informed on these issues as details become available.
 
 
Update from Optimum/Altice
 
Optimum will be providing credits proactively to customers whose Optimum’s services were impacted by the storm once commercial power was restored.  
 
The following message will be shared with customers:
 
“We know how important your Optimum service is to you. Tropical Storm Isaias was one of the most powerful storms to strike the Northeast in years and our crews have been working around the clock to repair damage and restore your service as power returns. We appreciate your patience and will be providing a credit for the time that your Optimum services were not available when power was restored. There is no need to request this credit, we will simply apply it to your account in the next several weeks.” 
 
 
CT Tax Free Week
 
Connecticut Tax Free Week begins today! During this one-week sales tax holiday, retail purchases of most clothing and footwear items priced under $100 are exempt from Connecticut sales and use tax. This exemption applies to each eligible item under $100, regardless of how many of those items are sold to a customer on the same invoice. Adherence to the state’s reopening rules for retail establishments — which includes the wearing of face coverings, configuring of indoor spaces to maintain social distancing, and frequent hand washing and sanitizing of surfaces, among other best practices — will continue to help limit the potential spread of COVID-19.
 
For more information, click here: https://portal.ct.gov/DRS/Sales-Tax/Sales-Tax-Free-Week

CT Farm-to-Chef Week
 
Next week is CT Farm-to-Chef Week. Starting August 16^th, culinary professionals will be encouraged to use Connecticut Grown ingredients in new ways on their menus while educating residents and visitors about the diversity of farm products grown and raised in Connecticut. This is a fantastic way to simultaneously support our local farmers and restaurants.
 
To find a participating restaurant near you, click here: http://www.ctfarmtochef.com/cat/restaurants/
 
Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system
 
Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.
 
Providing information to Connecticut residents
 
For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.
 

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Relay services can be accessed by calling 7-1-1. Anyone who is out-of-state or using Relay can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 toll free by dialing 1-800-203-1234. The hotline is intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.