West Hartford Receives Community Connectivity Grant, COVID-19 Update
January 22, 2021No matter where you live, Wednesday was a great day for our country. With political and ideological division dominating the past four years, the transition of power indicated an end to the COVID-19 pandemic and our country's path to a more just future.
With the change of administration, many of us in Connecticut are hopeful there will be greater federal coordination with states to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine and more funding dedicated to aiding businesses and residents during these difficult times.
The Governor's office is providing new information concerning updates to Connecticut's COVID-19 Vaccine distribution plan almost daily. The situation continues to evolve, and I am working to keep you up-to-date on the latest developments.
Monday was the start of Phase 1B, which allows residents 75 years and older to make an appointment to receive the vaccine. The state has shifted to a tiered model to distribute the vaccine. More about this is below. Additionally, you will find information on the following:
- COVID-19 Update
- Legislative Business
- State & Community Resources
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Specific Updates for Our Community
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West Hartford is home to a number of manufacturing companies and as a member of the CGA's Manufacturing Caucus, I am proud to help develop legislation that boosts the industry, helps address the challenges it faces, and creates avenues to propel Connecticut's economy forward.
The caucus met Wednesday to generate ideas and better understand how the legislature can support Connecticut's manufacturers to ensure they remain a strong part of our community. During the meeting, representatives from the University of Connecticut, Stanley Black & Decker, CONNSTEP, and the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology joined us for a panel discussion concerning manufacturing technology development and deployment.
Thursday, the Higher Education & Employment Advancement Committee met to raise several bill concepts. On the agenda was a proposal concerning funding for the Debt-free Community College Program, a sales tax exemption for workforce development programs, expanding tax credits for apprenticeship training programs in manufacturing, and establishing the Learn, Work, Pay Program.
If you missed any of the meetings from the week, catch up on them at CT-N.com.
For next week's schedule of events, visit the CGA website at cga.ct.gov.
Many committees are still raising bills, however, once public hearings begin, I will share information about how you can submit written testimony or testify virtually.
If you have ideas for legislation or questions, please reach out to me at 860-240-8585 or email me at Kate.Farrar@cga.ct.gov.
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The State of Connecticut is expecting about 45,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses on a weekly basis from the federal government. We now know that the State will be taking a tiered approach in Phase 1B as we work to vaccinate the nearly 1.4 million people in the recently update Phase 1B category.
The Department of Public Health will prioritize vaccination appointments based on the risk of adverse health outcomes from the virus. Vaccinations will be implemented equitably with distribution focused in areas where residents and communities have barriers to access and care.
More information about the definitions of frontline essential workers and the list of eligible underlying medical conditions will be made available in the next several weeks.
For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 vaccination distribution plans in Connecticut, visit ct.gov/covidvaccine or call 877-918-2224 for assistance if you are 75 or older.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges residents to get tested for COVID-19 even if they are not showing symptoms, especially if they are living in an area with a high number of cases.
Free COVID-19 testing is available without an appointment in West Hartford at the Elmwood Community Center on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call the West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District at 860-561-7900.
Residents can also visit ct.gov/coronavirus to find a test site in their area by entering their zip code in the search box under the "Data Tracker."
Those living in a densely populated area, congregate housing, or a municipality experiencing an outbreak, can visit ct.gov/prioritytesting to locate a site near that offers free testing.
Last Friday, the Women's Bi-Partisan Caucus and Women's Business Development Council teamed up for a Town Hall to teach small business owners more about the resources available to them during the ongoing pandemic. If you missed the Town Hall, you can find the PowerPoint presentation, here.
West Hartford was awarded a $233,200 Community Connectivity Grant last week. The funds will be used to upgrade and install accessible pedestrian signal equipment at 15 intersections. Many of these upgrades will be within the 20th House District! Concrete sidewalk ramps will also be upgraded to provide detectable warning tiles.
The Community Connectivity Grant Program provides financial support for local initiatives that improve safety and accessibility for bicyclists and pedestrians, and encourage more people to use environmentally sustainable modes of transportation.
Read the full announcement here.