Maria Horn

I hope you are all finding respite from this week’s heat.  I’ve definitely adjusted (and limited) my morning run, kept lots of water on hand, and sought out shade where possible.  Overall, slowing down a bit where you can, and looking out for neighbors and co-workers, will help us all make it through this (and the next) heat wave. 
 
The physical heat has got me thinking about ways to turn the emotional temperature of conversations so that we can all hear each other better.  I had a conversation this morning with a local police officer about how the physical heat affects people’s behavior.  With tempers already frayed by the pandemic, things can escalate quickly.
 
One simple, personal, recommendation is the road trip: traveling to New Hampshire last week, I got to have several long conversations in the car with my kids.  There’s something about being in the car, next to each other but not facing each other, with nowhere else to go, that lets a conversation be a little looser, less judgmental, and more free ranging.  Another suggestion came from a friend who told me this afternoon that she’s trying to count to 10 rather than immediately reacting when someone says something hurtful or just disagreeable. 
 
We’ve certainly had some negative examples recently of people reacting with inappropriate and destructive aggression (or worse) when confronted by claims that challenge their position: New York Governor Cuomo’s inner circle working reflexively to destroy the reputation and careers of women alleging sexual harassment or assault, as well as those of independent investigators looking at public corruption;  elected officials attacking the character and honesty of the Capitol and DC police officers who protected Congress during the violent insurrection on January 6. That these attacks were carried out by people who are in positions of leadership and trust make them even more reprehensible. 
 
I’ll close with an article about how local residents, police officers, and EMTS saved a life recently, when Cornwall resident and CBS News Correspondent Richard Schlesinger’s morning walk was brutally interrupted by cardiac arrest.  What followed was a string of actions by local residents that collectively saved his life.   

Click here for the full story. 
 
Here’s a list of today’s topics:

• COVID Data. Click here.
• Heat Advisory. Click here. 
• Update for SNAP Eligible Households. Click here.
• "Pandemic EBT' for Schoolchildren. Click here. 
• Access Health Extends Deadline for Special Enrollment Period. Click here.
• The Strength of Vaccines. Click here.
• Vaccination Clinic at HVRHS. Click here.
• Sales Tax Free Week runs August 15 to 21. Click here.
• Funding for Special Education Services. Click here. 
• Thank You, Chief Towery! Click here. 
• What the  Infrastructure Bill Means for CT. Click here. 
• Event With Noble Horizons. Click here.
• Five Points Hosts New Exhibit. Click here.
• Exquisite Choral Music From Crescendo. Click here.
• Upcoming DOT Projects. Click here. 

COVID Data

For graphs and tables containing data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “Data Tracker.”
 
Heat advisory remains in effect
 
High temperatures have been plaguing the region most of this week, and will continue through today, and all Connecticut residents, but partly the most vulnerable, are urged to take precautions. 
 
To provide protection from the extreme conditions, cooling centers are opening across Connecticut. Anyone in need of a place to get out of the heat can locate their nearest cooling center by calling 2-1-1.  You can also reach out to your town hall, as several in the region have created cooling centers. 
 
Although anyone can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others:
 

• Infants and young children are sensitive to the effects of high temperatures and rely on others to regulate their environments and provide adequate liquids.
• People 65 years of age or older may not compensate for heat stress efficiently and are less likely to sense and respond to change in temperature.
• People who are overweight may be prone to heat sickness because of their tendency to retain more body heat.
• People who overexert during work or exercise may become dehydrated and susceptible to heat sickness.
• People who are physically ill, especially those with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation, may be affected by extreme heat.

 
Some prevention tips to stay safe in extreme heat include:
 

• Stay cool: Keep your body temperature cool to avoid heat-related illness
• Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible. If you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdoor activity to the morning and evening. Try to rest often in shady areas so that your body has a chance to cool off.
• Find an air-conditioned shelter. (Call 2-1-1 for a list of cooling centers). Do not rely on a fan as your primary cooling device.
• Avoid direct sunlight.
• Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.
• Take cool showers or baths.
• Check on those most at-risk several times a day.
• Pets that cannot be brought indoors should be provided ready access to water and shade to keep them cool.

 
Stay Hydrated: Because your body loses fluids through sweat, you can become dehydrated during times of extreme heat.
 

• Drink more water than usual.
• Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more fluids.
• Drink from two to four cups of water every hour while working or exercising outside.
• Avoid alcohol or liquids containing high amounts of sugar.
• Remind others to drink enough water.

 
Connecticut’s SNAP-eligible households to receive additional emergency food benefits August 18
 
The Connecticut Department of Social Services announced that it will deliver $32.1 million in Emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to over 209,100 Connecticut households on Wednesday, August 18, 2021. Monthly allocations of emergency SNAP benefits are going to all enrolled households, based on continuance of a declared public health emergency related to COVID-19 in Connecticut.
 
Authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, this federal allocation will provide a minimum of $95 in extra food aid to all enrolled families and individuals, raising the state’s total emergency SNAP funding to over $405.3 million since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
 
For additional information about SNAP, visit www.ct.gov/snap.
 
Next distribution of ‘Pandemic EBT’ food benefits going to 193,000 schoolchildren August 22
 
The Connecticut Department of Social Services, in collaboration with the Connecticut State Department of Education, announced that $61 million in special food assistance benefits will be distributed Sunday, August 22, 2021, to the families of more than 193,000 schoolchildren who are enrolled in the free or reduced-price meals program and who receive services from the Department of Social Services.
 
This is the first distribution in the second round of food benefits that will go to a total of approximately 271,480 schoolchildren through the federal Pandemic EBT: Children in School program. This distribution of Pandemic EBT provides SNAP benefits to families of children who were learning remotely for at least part of month during the period of February 2021 through the end of the school year. An additional distribution for children who do not receive services from DSS is anticipated in September.
 
Families do not need to apply for Pandemic EBT benefits, as the Department of Social Services and the State Department of Education use attendance information provided by schools to determine if children are eligible for the special food assistance.
 
For more information, visit https://portal.ct.gov/DSS/SNAP/Pandemic-EBT
 
 
Access Health CT extends Special Enrollment Period deadline to October 31^st, 2021
 
Access Health CT (AHCT) has extended the deadline for its Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to October 31st, making it easier and more convenient than ever for Connecticut residents to obtain a good, quality, affordable health insurance plan.

Nearly half of all Access Health CT customers are paying less than $50 per enrollee per month for their health insurance plan thanks to newly available financial help made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
 
Additionally, some Connecticut residents may be eligible to pay $0 for health insurance through AHCT's new Covered Connecticut Program. Those who qualify can continue to enroll after October 31^st. To enroll in Covered Connecticut, call the Access Health CT Call Center at 1-855-805-4325, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
 
For more information, Access Health CT will continue to offer free help: 

• Online: AccessHealthCT.com (Live chat: AccessHealthCT.com click “Live Chat” icon).
• Phone: 1-855-805-4325, Mon. – Fri., 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. If you are deaf or hearing impaired, you may use TTY at 1-855-789-2428 or call with a relay operator.
• In-person help at either of AHCT’s Navigator partner locations*:  
  • Project Access New Haven located at 63 York Street in New Haven 
  • Community Renewal Team located at 330 Market Street in Hartford

*Please note: In-person locations are by appointment only with strict safety protocols (mask-wearing, hand sanitizing, temperature checks, social distancing, and standard health questionnaire).
 
How vaccination have protected residents in recent COVID-19 outbreaks
 
As the Delta variant spreads through other parts of the state, getting closer to us in Litchfield County, the Department of Public Health (DPH) provided some examples of recent outbreaks, and how vaccination provided protection, both from infection and from serious health effects requiring hospitalization.
 

• A birthday party took place in June with about 50 attendees, resulting in 16 cases of COVID-19 in the subsequent week. The birthday party started outdoors and then moved indoors. Unvaccinated attendees at this party were four times as likely to test positive than those who were vaccinated, with a total of 6 cases among 33 fully or partially vaccinated attendees and 10 cases among 13 unvaccinated attendees. Four cases were hospitalized as a result.
• A total of 28 Connecticut residents have been identified as COVID-19 cases associated with an outbreak in Massachusetts, having traveled to Provincetown (26) or having had contact with a case that traveled two Provincetown (2) in July. A total of 26 (93%) of the cases were fully vaccinated. None of the cases were hospitalized.

 
DPH reminds Connecticut residents that social gatherings with a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated persons should be outdoors. Indoor gatherings should include masks. Unvaccinated children are susceptible to COVID-19 and should get vaccinated before school starts.
 
Vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals at high risk for complications from COVID-19 – including those with compromised immune systems, diabetes, asthma, other lung diseases, pregnancy, or obesity – should avoid large, indoor gatherings that may include a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.
 
Vaccination remains the most important defense against illness and hospitalization from COVID-19. So-called “vaccine breakthrough” cases have occurred in Connecticut, but they remain rare. Most hospitalizations and deaths in Connecticut and around the country are in unvaccinated individuals. The Department of Public Health strongly recommends that unvaccinated individuals get vaccinated as soon as possible to help stop the ongoing spread of the Delta variant.
 
To find a vaccination site in Connecticut, visit ct.gov/covidvaccine.
 
Vaccination Clinic at Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) on August 19

Due to the robust participation in yesterday's (8/12) COVID Vaccination Clinic, we have scheduled another clinic for next Thursday, August 19th, 3:00 - 7:00 p.m., at HVRHS.  All three vaccines will be available - Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson.  Please see the flier below for details.
Region 1 Vaccination Clinic at HVRHS 081921.docx (2).pdf 

Sales Tax Free Week runs August 15 to 21
 
Connecticut’s annual Sales Tax Free Week begins Sunday, August 15, 2021, and runs through Saturday, August 21, 2021.
 
During this one-week sales tax holiday, retail purchases of most clothing and footwear items priced under $100 are exempt from the Connecticut sales and use tax. The exemption during Sales Tax Free Week applies to each eligible item costing under $100, regardless of how many of those items are sold to a customer on the same invoice.
 
Connecticut’s Sales Tax Free Week was included as part of the biennial state budget passed by the legislature and signed into law this summer.
  
Many retailers in Connecticut offer additional clothing and footwear discounts during Sales Tax Free Week, resulting in even more savings for shoppers.
  
Specific information on Connecticut’s Sales Tax Free Week, including a listing of individual items that are exempt or taxable, can be found by visiting the Department of Revenue Services website at ct.gov/drs.

Funding for Special Education Services

This week, more than $16 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief II (ESSER II) funds was made available to 170 school districts across Connecticut. This relief money will allow schools throughout our state to provide special education services to more than 80,000 students during the upcoming school year.
 
The ESSER II funding is critical to supporting equitable learning opportunities for students with varying educational needs. The more than $16 million in funds was set aside by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) to supplement local special education COVID-19 recovery efforts through several initiatives piloted last school year by some of the recipient districts.

Where the money will go:
 
Addressing Delayed, Interrupted, Suspended or Inaccessible Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Supports and Services: Up to $13 million in funds will assist districts with addressing delayed, interrupted, suspended, or inaccessible IEP supports and services for students with IEPs in each school district.
 
Special Education Evaluations: Up to $1 million in funds will increase the capacity of state’s six Regional Educational Service Centers (RESC) to assist school districts in conducting special education evaluations, which will benefit approximately 240 students, as well as planning and placement teams.
 
Supplementary Tutoring and Reading Instruction: Up to $2 million in funds will assist 170 districts with supporting supplementary tutoring and reading instruction to address the needs of 3,092 students with an IEP and a primary disability category of SLD/dyslexia in alignment with the reading goals in the student’s current IEP.
 
Individualized In-Home Support for High Needs Students: Up to $272,000 in funds will provide for 8,000 hours of individualized in-home support through partnership with the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services to provide 1:1 in-home assistance and support for up to 200 students.
 
More than 50,000 students in Connecticut have already been impacted by these grants, with an emphasis and commitment on children and communities most impacted by the pandemic. I will remain committed to fighting for accessible enrichment programs and funding for all students throughout our state.

Thank you, Torrington Fire Chief Peter Towey!
 
Today marks the last day that Chief Peter Towey will lead the Torrington Fire Department, having accepted a position in New Britain.  Chief Towey has led the department for the last three years, which have provided more challenge than anyone could have expected. This morning Torrington held a thank you event for Chief Towey, in which countless stories were shared about his steady leadership, responsiveness at all hours, and dedication to the job and the Torrington Community.  Thank you, Chief Towey, for all you have done for us during your time in Torrington.

Senate passes bipartisan infrastructure bill: what it means for Connecticut
 
This week President Joe Biden, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Senator Chris Murphy, and a bipartisan coalition of the United States Senate passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The historic legislation will make the largest investment in United States infrastructure in decades.
 
The comprehensive package includes new funding for Connecticut’s roads, bridges, airports, transit, and rail systems – including significant new funding to repair and improve the Northeast Corridor – as well as the state’s ports and inland waterways. In addition, it includes funding to close the digital divide and make high-speed internet access available and affordable for Connecticut families.
 
The bill addresses climate change and improves the environment by enhancing the reliability of the energy grid, accelerating the transition to cleaner forms of power generation, funding coastal resiliency and flood mitigation projects and buildout of EV charging infrastructure, as well as remediating contaminated brownfield and superfund sites in Connecticut. As the number and severity of cyber and ransomware attacks increase, the bill will provide new resources to defend networks.
 
Under the bill, Connecticut will receive more than $5.38 billion to improve the state’s transportation system, in addition to being eligible for more than $100 billion in competitive federal transportation grants. In anticipation of a major federal investment in infrastructure and recognizing the need for additional state funds to match new federal funds, Governor Lamont signed into law a fresh revenue stream that will collect highway use fees from heavy trucks that are responsible for the most damage on Connecticut’s highways. This policy is the first effort in a generation to provide more investment in the state’s highway infrastructure, and will ensure Connecticut has the resources to leverage federal dollars and rebuild its roads, bridges, transit, and rail systems.
  
The funding will allow the Connecticut Department of Transportation to implement its top priorities, which include rebuilding and reducing congestion, reconnecting communities, developing smarter and safer streets, electrifying transit and rail, improving passenger experience, increasing rail reliability and resiliency, transforming transit, and upgrading the state’s urban transit system. It will also help Connecticut increase its ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure pedestrians have safe passageways.
 
The $5.38 billion Connecticut will receive over the next five years is a $1.63 billion increase over the most recent transportation bill enacted in 2015. Its investments include:
 

• $3.29 billion to tackle major corridor congestion and safety, accelerate construction projects, and crease smarter and safer roads/streets for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists
• $1.3 billion to enhance public transit (bus and rail)
• $561 million to bring Connecticut’s aging bridges into a state of good repair
• $90 million to make Connecticut’s transportation assets more resilient to weather and natural disasters
• $79 million to reduce transportation carbon emissions
• $52.5 million to build out Connecticut’s publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations

 
In addition to $30 billion in competitive grants that will be given to the Northeast Corridor Commission to improve rail performance across the Northeast, a total of $100 billion in national competitive grants will be made available. Those include:
 

• $5 billion in Safe Streets for All grants for local governments to reduce crashes and fatalities in communities, especially for cyclists and pedestrians
• $500 million in SMART grants for innovative transportation technologies (like drones) or use of data to improve transportation efficiency and safety
• $500 million in Reconnecting Communities grants for planning, design, demolition, and reconstruction of street grids/parks divided by transportation infrastructure
• $9.24 billion in Bridge grants to repair, replace and rehab bridges
• $7.5 billion in RAISE grants for projects of local or regional significance
• $5 billion in Megaproject grants for multi-modal, multi-jurisdictional projects of national or regional significance
• $3.2 billion in INFRA grants for highway/rail projects of regional and national economic significance
• $8 billion in Capital Investment grants for new and expanded high-capacity rail and bus service
• $8 billion in CRISI Grants to improve safety, efficiency, and reliability of intercity passenger rail
• $3 billion in Railroad Crossing Elimination grants to eliminate railway-highway crossing hazards
• $1.75 billion in ADA Upgrades to Rail Transit grants to eliminate access barriers
• $5.25 billion in Low-No Emissions Bus grants for low and no emissions buses and the facilities that support them
• $1 billion in Culvert grants to remove/replace/restore culverts and address the flow of water through roads, bridges, railroads, tracks, and trails

 
In addition to the new investments in surface transportation, the bill will help close the digital gap and connect all Connecticut households to reliable high-speed internet. If the infrastructure bill becomes law, Connecticut will receive a minimum of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state and many low-income Connecticut families will be eligible for discounted broadband service.
 

Noble Horizons Hosts Dr. Scott A. Small, Director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Columbia University, August 17 
 
On Tuesday, August 17 at 12:00 noon, Noble Horizons will host via Zoom Dr. Scott A. Small, the award-winning Director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Columbia University.  A specialist in aging, memory, and dementia, Dr. Small has run a National Institutes of Health funded laboratory for nearly twenty years, published more than 140 studies on memory function and malfunction, co-founded a biotechnology company focused on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurologic disorders, and has been awarded seven patents for his neuroimaging and molecular work. Dr. Small, a part-time resident of Millerton, NY, has been featured in The New York Times, CBS, The New Yorker, and Time magazine among others, and published his first book in July 2021.  
 
Dr. Small and his lab's breakthrough discovery that Alzheimer’s progresses on a pathway, moving from one region of the brain to another, garnered international acclaim.   He has also confirmed that age-related memory loss is a distinct condition from pre-Alzheimer's, suggesting that what is deemed the normal forgetfulness of old age might eventually be treatable.  
 
Small's new book, “Forgetting: The Benefits of Not Remembering,” was published on July 21 and explains how forgetting actually benefits our brains.  Dr. Small will discuss his book as well as advances in Alzheimer’s research and the ongoing efforts to find a cure.
 
More information and registration for Dr. Small’s program are at www.noblehorizons.org or 860-435-9851, ext. 190.

Exquisite choral music from Crescendo

Crescendo, based at Trinity Lime Rock in Lakeville, is a family of music lovers that bring exquisite choral music to audiences throughout New England.  If you’d like to treat your soul, check out one of their upcoming performances, which are now moving to outdoor venues.

 Tonight’s production will be at Sharon Playhouse (starting at 5:30pm), followed by one at Veteran’s Field in Sharon on September 3 at 5pm.  For more information and the full schedule, see https://www.worldclassmusic.org/now.

Upcoming Department of Transportation projects in the region
  

• Guiderail upgrade on Route 63 in Canaan starting August 16

A metal beam guiderail upgrade will be performed on Route 63 in Canaan starting on August 16. The project consists of upgrading existing wood pole guiderail systems to current standard systems on Route 63 at various intersections between Route 43 and Route 7. Work will occur from Monday, August 16, 2021, through Thursday, September 16, 2021. No work performed on the day before or the day after Labor Day Holiday.

Motorists can expect lane closures on Routes 63. Traffic control personnel and signing patterns will be utilized to guide motorists through the work zone. The regular work schedule for this project is 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Monday – Friday).

• Milling and Resurfacing on Route 202 in Torrington starting August 29

 
A milling and resurfacing project will be performed on Route 202 in Torrington, including a temporary closure of the Park and Ride Commuter Lot on Christopher Road, starting on August 29.
 
The project consists of milling and resurfacing a 1.89-mile segment of Route 202 from 0.06 miles west of Walnut Street, to Fern Drive. The milling portion of the project is scheduled to occur from Sunday, August 29, 2021, to Wednesday, September 1, 2021. The resurfacing portion of the project is scheduled to occur from Wednesday, September 8, 2021, to Monday, September 13, 2021. No work will be performed on the day before or the day after the Labor Day Holiday. 
 
The commuter lot on Christopher Road will be closed for resurfacing and line painting in conjunction with this project from Saturday, August 28, 2021, at 11 PM, through Monday, September 13, 2021, at 5 AM. Any vehicles left in the lot after 11:00 PM on Saturday, August 28, 2021, will be towed at the owner's expense. Alternate parking will be at the commuter lots located at  St. Paul’s Church or Kinney Street in Torrington. Questions or inquiries concerning the lot closure may be made to dot.ParkAndRide@ct.gov or call (860) 594-2141.