Eleni Kavros DeGraw

Here we are on the first day of Fall already! I'm dreaming of more cool mornings and evenings and I'm excited to see pumpkins starting to pop up at stores, at farms, and at yards near us each day.

This weekend, the Farmington River Watershed Association is having it's 34th annual clean up at points along the river. In addition to providing a great opportunity to be out in nature, helping to keep our waterways pristine is a great way to give back to the community. If you'd like to sign up for the clean-up, you'll find the sign up sheet and information here.

We will be in session this coming Monday, September 27th and I plan to send out another update on Monday with more information.

Have a great rest of your week!

Youth Car Theft in CT: Trends and Steps to Improve Public Safety Free Webinar Thursday

The UConn Department of Public Policy will host a webinar panel on: Youth Car Theft in CT: Trends and Steps to Improve Public Safety on Thursday September 23. The webinar is directed at establishing the facts of youth car thefts, steps recently taken, and possible next steps to address the issue.

The webinar is free. You can register by clicking on the image below:

Child Passenger Safety Week

While sometimes it feels like I was installing car seats back in the dark ages, I can remember wanting to get the rear-facing seat installed correctly to ensure our precious cargo was as safe as possible.

This week is Child Passenger Safety Week! Car crashes are a the leading cause of death for children. On average, two children under 13 were killed and an estimated 374 were injured every day in 2019 while riding in cars, SUVs, pickups, and vans!

In Connecticut, children under age two or under 30 lbs. must be in a rear-facing car seat with a five-point harness. Children age two to four and 30 to 39 lbs. must be in a forward-facing car seat. Help increase child passenger safety with facts, tips and resources by clicking on the image below:

World Alzheimer's Day Was Tuesday But...

Tuesday was indeed World Alzheimer's Day but it's a topic worth of discussion every day because it affects so many people.

Since 1983, the amount of people with Alzheimer's disease has more than doubled. It is often called a family disease because the chronic stress of watching a loved one slowly decline affects everyone.

Gain a better understanding of Alzheimer's, help and support those with the disease, and get involved by clicking on the image below.

Upcoming SBA Webinars

I wanted to loop you in on a couple of Small Business Association webinars coming up that you may be interested in, including one hosted by the Women's Business Development Council (WBDC) on September 30th and another in October, in which details how the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) can still help your business. Please see below for more information on both:

Join WBDC Business Advisory Sherry Konwerski with Catherine Marx, SBA District Director and Sylina Jacobs, SBA Outreach and Marketing Specialist for a panel discussion and Q&A session. Topics will include:

• The latest information on Federal COVID Relief programs,
• PPP Forgiveness, and
• Women Owned Small Business Certification – What is it, how can it benefit your small business, what you need to do to become certified.

Date: September 30, 2021
Time: 2:00PM - 3:00PM (EDT)
Point of Contact: WBDC (203) 353-1750

Click on the image to register.

The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program has undergone major updates that have provided the agency more capacity to process loans with greater speed, and for business owners many new beneficial aspects.
For instance:

• Higher loan amounts are available for new applications or requests for increases.
• Increased flexibility for use of funds.
• Automatic payment deferrals for 24 months from loan origination.
• Simplified affiliation rules for all industries.
• Additional accommodations for industries that continue to experience significant economic hardships.

You’ll learn about the terms of the loans and requirements including:

• Minimum credit score
• Collateral requirements
• Personal guarantee requirements
• Required documentation

Presenters from the Connecticut SBA District Office
-- Catherine Marx, CT District Director, SBA
-- Julio Casiano, CT Deputy District Director, SBA

Date: Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (EDT)

Click on the image below to register.

Count Me In

Nearly 900 state legislators from 45 states, including me, asked the Supreme Court on Monday to uphold Roe v. Wade and reject Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban, a direct attack on the landmark decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

September is Hispanic Heritage Month

Flags are an important part of Latino culture and pride. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’ll be highlighting #FlagFacts and sharing the meaning behind the flags of Latin America.
 
Did you know that Connecticut has the largest percentage of Puerto Rican residents of any state—more than half of our state’s Latino population is Puerto Rican. Today, let's explore the meaning behind the Puerto Rican flag.