Maria Horn

Back at the end of October, Representative Jahana Hayes sent me a challenge, which I immediately and publicly accepted, making an appointment to give blood at Trinity Retreat Center in West Cornwall through the American Red Cross.  As it turned out, as Rep. Hayes told me later, she only meant to challenge me to #MaskUp and spread the word about the importance and effectiveness of wearing masks, but I like a good challenge, so I was glad to take on both!
 
Today I completed that challenge, donating blood and getting to snack on a few Mini-Oreos guilt-free afterward (they are my junk food of choice, and they were just sitting there waiting to be munched on).  I ran into some old friends and made a few new ones.  It was especially fun to run into Lauren Frankenbach, who told me she’d made the appointment because she’d seen my post accepting the challenge, restoring my faith in social media!
 
Thank you to beautiful Trinity Retreat Center and the American Red Cross CT for the convenient location and skilled technicians. I encourage any of you who can to do the same.  It’s easy: click here to find the closest location for you.  You can also save time and pre-register before your appointment with their Rapid Pass system here.

 

Here’s a list of today’s topics:

• Governor Lamont signed Executive Order No. 9. Click here.
• Connecticut CARES Small Business Grant Program. Click here.
• State issues updated sports guidance, recommendations, and sector rules for the winter season. Click here.
• New grant program from Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation to bridge divides and heal communities. Click here.
• Access Health CT Healthy Chat Calendar for November. Click here.
• Weekly update to Connecticut’s travel advisory. Click here.

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.”
 
Governor Lamont signed Executive Order No. 9L enacting the following provisions:
 

• Extension of COVID-19 executive orders to February 9, 2021: Extends to February 9, 2021 all previously issued executive orders related to COVID-19 that are in effect as of today.
• Extension of agency and municipality orders of concurrent duration with public health and civil preparedness emergencies: Extends to February 9, 2021 any unexpired order, rule regulation, directive, or guidance issued by any official, agency department, municipality, or entity pursuant to an unexpired COVID-19 order, unless earlier modified or terminated by the issuing authority.

Connecticut CARES Small Business Grant Program  
 
In the coming days, small businesses and nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to apply for a one-time $5,000 grant through the Connecticut CARES Small Business Grant Program.

Eligible businesses include:

• No more than $1.5 million in annual payroll
• 20 or fewer employees
• Home-based businesses
• For-profit businesses using any type of incorporation, and 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(6), 501(c)(7), and 501(c)(19) nonprofits
• Sole proprietorships

 
Funds can be used for payroll, rent/mortgage, utilities, inventory, equipment purchases, and more. Approved applicants are expected to receive funds by the end of the year.
 
The goal of the CT CARES grant application is to be straightforward and easy. It is not a loan that needs to be paid back. All applicants will receive funding by December 30, 2020.

Minimally applicants will need, if applicable: 

• Social Security number
• Federal EIN number
• State TAX ID number
• Bank Routing Number 

Answers to frequently asked questions are available here.

For additional information about the program, including funding priorities, full eligibility guidelines, and office hours for applicants to access assistance with the application process click here.
 
 
State issues updated sports guidance, recommendations, and sector rules for the winter season
 
The Connecticut Department of Public Health released updated comprehensive sports guidance incorporating sports to be played in the winter season for both interscholastic leagues, recreational, and private leagues for youth and adults.
 
The department’s recommendations will be codified as part of the updated sector rules on sports from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, and do not apply to college level or professional athletics. This revision updates comprehensive sports guidance released on September 25 and is intended to guide local health departments, municipalities, and league organizers in assessing the risk of play, and offer suggestions to reduce risk of COVID-19 infection to players, coaches, parents and spectators.

This guidance is based on a risk assessment for COVID-19 conducted by the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee of the National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS), a national organization governing high school athletics. The guidance includes a description of the risk categories for sports, breaks down the risks of different activity associated with those sports, and makes recommendations for each of those activities.
 
The full sports guidance document can be found online and is meant to be used as a tool to help organizers of athletic leagues for both children and adults.
 
 
New grant program from Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation to bridge divides and heal communities
 
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation (BTCF) has launched a new grant program to support community-building efforts that can bridge differences and drive positive change at the local level.
 
Bridging Divides, Healing Communities will support activities by organizations and groups that are embedded in their communities and that bring together residents to build and strengthen relationships, especially among people who may hold different views or come from different backgrounds.
 
The foundation will award grants between $500 and $2,500 to support small-scale, community-based actions such as virtual forums, service projects, and artistic and cultural activities.

Applicants should consider how their projects will create new or strengthen existing relationships among people of different backgrounds, experiences or beliefs; forge connections around a shared experience through which participants can explore different points of view; and bring residents together to pursue a common goal. Berkshire Bank is providing funding support for these grants. 
 
Eligible applicants include nonprofits, schools, municipalities and local government, and faith-based organizations (for non-religious activities) located in northwest Litchfield County as well as neighboring counties in New York and Massachusetts n Connecticut. Community groups may also apply through a fiscal sponsorship with an eligible organization.
 
The first deadline for applications is Tuesday, December 1. You can apply here.

Access Health CT to continue “Healthy Chats” in November
 
 Throughout November, Access Health CT (AHCT) is continuing to host a series of free virtual educational sessions known as “Healthy Chats” to help residents become familiar with the marketplace, and the available tools to get coverage during the Annual Open Enrollment Period that ends on December 15, 2020, for coverage starting on January 1, 2021.  
 
Access Health CT Healthy Chat Calendar for November
·       Thursday, November 12 at 6:00 p.m. **Spanish Only**
·       Wednesday, November 18 at 3:00 p.m.
·       Thursday, November 19 at 6:00 p.m.
Important: Healthy Chats are free, held virtually via Zoom, and no enrollments will be processed.
Join a Healthy Chat here or at Learn.AccessHealthCT.com/FindUs

Ways to Get FREE Enrollment Help
·       Online: AccessHealthCT.com (Live chat: AccessHealthCT.com click “Live Chat” icon)
·       Phone: 1-855-805-4325, Mon. – Fri.  8 AM - 8 PM, Sat. 9 AM-3 PM
·       With Certified Brokers or Enrollment Specialists in your community
·       At a time that works for you at a Virtual Enrollment Fair*, more information here
·       In-Person at an Enrollment Location* in Groton, Bridgeport, New Haven, New Britain, Stamford, or Hartford. For more information click here.
 
Weekly update to Connecticut’s travel advisory: Maine and New Hampshire added to list, no locations removed
 
The State of Connecticut’s travel advisory – which directs incoming travelers from states with a significant community spread of COVID-19 to self-quarantine for a 14-day period – was updated today and now includes the states of Maine and New Hampshire on the list of impacted locations. No locations were removed from the list this week. The list is updated once per week every Tuesday.
 
The requirement to quarantine applies to any person traveling into Connecticut from one of the impacted locations. Impacted locations include those other than the neighboring states of New York, New Jersey, or Rhode Island that have a positive case rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or higher than a 10 percent test positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average, and countries for which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice.
 
Anyone arriving to Connecticut from any of the impacted locations is required to complete a travel health form upon their arrival. The form can be filled out online at ct.gov/travelform.
 
For the most up-to-date information on the regional travel advisory, including an extensive list of frequently asked questions, visit ct.gov/Coronavirus/travel.
 
 
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.