Maria Horn

Happy Thanksgiving eve to all of you!  We are traveling to New Hampshire this year to spend Thanksgiving with my brothers and their families, so the pies are baked, the soup is cooked, and we are trying to get on the road and limit our exposure to Thanksgiving traffic, which we suspect will be back with force this year.  

We haven’t traveled for this holiday in at least 20 years (our kids do not remember Thanksgiving anywhere other than our house), so we are seriously out of practice, but many families opted to stay home last year and are looking forward to gathering with extended friends and family this year.  I’m grateful that our whole family was able to be vaccinated, and most of us are boosted, so we can protect each other and particularly the more vulnerable members of the group.  For some guidelines on how a few precautions can enable safe gatherings, see the CDC Holiday Safety Guidelines.

It seems like nearly every day of the year has been given at least one #NationalDay  (still waiting for #NationalSpottedDogDay to honor our own favorite pooch), but in addition to Thanksgiving, this coming week has several important ones: 

• National Native American Heritage Day on Friday 11/26 – the story of Thanksgiving is intertwined with native history, some of which needs a refresh. I have a potentially long drive ahead of me today and just downloaded Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War by Nathaniel Philbrick, recommended to me by Rodney Butler, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Chair.  And when I get back to CT, I’m looking forward to visiting the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, CT, which recently received an award from the NW CT Arts Council. 
• Small Business Saturday on 11/27– at a time of global supply chain interruptions, while local businesses are working hard to recover from the pandemic, there is no more important moment than now to shop locally and support these community mainstays.  
• Giving Tuesday on 11/30– the nonprofits in our area do heroic work to heal, inspire, and care for those who need it.  We’ve had a close look at need in the last year, and the importance of taking care of one another, so I hope you’ll join me in supporting our nonprofits. 

 
I hope you have the opportunity to gather with friends near or far this week to give thanks for the many blessings received throughout the year.  I hope your holiday is filled with peace, health, laughter, and gratitude – and if you are traveling, a safe journey. 

Here’s a list of today’s topics:

• COVID Data. Click here.
• Access Health CT Open Enrollment. Click here.
• Connecticut Update Business Registration System. Click here.
• State Officials to Audit Towns on COVID Spending. Click here. 
• School Employee Vaccine Update. Click here. 
• National Small Business Week Award Nominations. Click here. 
• Youth Film Challenge Winners. Click here. 

COVID Data

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, “Data Tracker.”

Access Health CT and accessing financial help with health insurance costs
 
Most people enrolling through Access Health CT get some type of financial help, low-cost or free coverage.

New federal and state programs, including the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Covered Connecticut Program, have changed the way financial help for customers is calculated. That means even people who were not eligible in the past may qualify for new financial help. Please help us make Connecticut residents aware that this help is available.

Check out their updated toolkit that can help identify plans during Open Enrollment (which end January 15, 2022). 
 
They will have special hours of operation during Thanksgiving week.  The call center will be closed on Thursday, November 25 and open on Friday, November 26 from 8am – 6pm.  If you have trouble reaching them by phone, the call center typically has shorter wait times on weekdays between 6pm – 7:30pm.  Call 855-805-4325 or find other ways to get help.
 
 
CT updates business registration system, making it easier for businesses to interact with the state
 
Connecticut’s business registration system has been upgraded and is now fully integrated with Business.CT.gov, the state’s business portal that serves as a one-stop-shop for businesses and entrepreneurs to navigate state government requirements as effectively and quickly as possible.

The integration allows business owners to login to fewer places in order to do business with the state. Instead of logging in to a separate business registration system after creating a checklist at Business.CT.gov, entrepreneurs now have a built-in experience.
  
With the Office of the Secretary of the State’s business division fully integrated into Business.CT.gov, Connecticut business owners now have a seamless end-to-end experience from how to start a business, registering that business, and managing all of their critical compliance needs.
 
CT to audit towns on federal CARES Act COVID spending
 
State officials are set to launch an audit into how Connecticut’s 169 towns and cities spent roughly $60 million in federal relief funding intended to help local governments cover emergency costs during the pandemic. Click here to read more.
 
 
On November 19, the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) notified all 169 municipalities in CT that it had hired private accounting firms had retained independent auditors to regarding use of Coronavirus Relief and other federal funds.  Click here to learn more.
 
More than 90% of K-12 school employees in CT are fully vaccinated against COVID-19
 
Governor Lamont today this week that more than 90% of K-12 school employees in Connecticut are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the results of a one-time survey conducted in public and private school districts by the Connecticut State Department of Education.
 
In total, the findings show that 163 public school districts have employee vaccination rates that are 90% or greater. In 73 of those districts, the rate exceeds 95%.
 

Percentage of K-12 school employees in Connecticut who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19*
	Total number of employees**	Percent fully vaccinated
Public school districts	102,447	93%
Private school districts	12,152	93%
*Pursuant to Governor Lamont’s Executive Order No. 13G, “fully vaccinated” means at least 14 days have elapsed since a person has received the final dose of a vaccine approved for use against COVID-19. All school staff who are not fully vaccinated must submit to COVID-19 testing not less than once per week on an ongoing basis until fully vaccinated.   **Employees include both certified and non-certified staff employed by public school districts. It does not include contractors.

 
**Download: Results of Connecticut State Department of Education survey on COVID-19 vaccination rates among K-12 public and private school employees
 
National Small Business Week Award nominations open

For more than 50 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration has celebrated National Small Business Week (NSBW), which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. The SBA Connecticut District Office is accepting nominations for its 2022 small business awards. These annual awards recognize the achievements of SBA-assisted small businesses and the contributions they have made to their communities and Connecticut’s economy.

Award nominations are open through January 11, 2022 at 3pm EST. The 2022 award guidelines and forms are available at www.sba.gov/nsbw/awards. All nominations must be submitted virtually to the Connecticut District office via the point of contact Box.com accounts located at   www.sba.gov/nsbw.  

For more information about the nominations, and categories of awards, email moraima.gutierrez@sba.gov.

Bridging Divides, Healing Communities Youth Film Challenge Announces $3,500 in Prizes to Three Student Films
 
The partners behind the Bridging Divides, Healing Communities Youth Film Challenge have announced three winning short films highlighting divisions and inequities in society, and how young people are tackling these challenges in their families, schools and communities. 
 
Yonah Sadeh, a student at Bard College at Simon’s Rock from Falls Village, Conn., received first place and $2,000 for his film on affordable housing, “In Our Backyard”; Tommy Tranfaglia, a student at Endicott College from Lenox, Mass., was awarded the $1,000 second place prize for his film on learning and attention disabilities, “Misunderstood”; and Danny Wilkinson, a student at Mount Everett Regional High School from Sheffield, Mass., earned $500 and third place for his film about body image and self-esteem, “Self image.” 
 
Honorable mentions went to: Rachael Bentz, of Arts in Recovery for Youth from Pittsfield, Mass., for “The Story of Indigo Phoenix”; Anna Coon, a student at the University of Miami from Sharon, Conn., for “Hidden Insecurities”; Samantha Hoffman, a student at Chatham High School from East Chatham, N.Y., for “He/She/They”; and Madison Long, a student at Housatonic Valley Regional High School from Canaan, Conn., for “Under Pressure.”
 
The challenge was led by the Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative and the Civic Life Project as part of Berkshire Taconic's Bridging Divides, Healing Communities initiative. This multi-year effort is focused on building greater social cohesion and trust in the face of persistent disparities and increasing polarization.
 
The winning films and a selection of other submissions will be screened at two local venues, to be followed by short panel discussions with the audience. 
 
The Crandell Theatre in Chatham, N.Y., on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 11 a.m. Reserve free tickets
 
Daniel Arts Center, Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, Mass., on Sunday, Dec. 12, at 3 p.m. Reserve free tickets
 

Providing information to Connecticut residents
 
For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus. Residents can also subscribe to text message alerts from the state by texting the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.
 
Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Anyone who is out-of-state or requires a toll-free number can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 by dialing 1-800-203-1234. This 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 are strongly urged to contact their medical provider.