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In this email you'll find updates on district resources and news. Please click the links below to read the section that corresponds with the highlighted headline.
A NOTE: If you're having trouble clicking through the following links, open this email in a browser, use a computer or scroll through this email to the relevant section.
The topics covered are as follows:
On Legislative Business
On Community Resources
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State Bond Commission Approves Critical Funding for East Hartford & Manchester
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On Thursday, the State Bond Commission met to approve funding for several projects across the state. In our own communities, the commission approved $500,000 for Manchester to support critical safety and maintenance improvements at Laurel Marsh Park. And in East Hartford, Intercommunity Healthcare will receive $556,116 to expand their site to improve the quality of care. These are critical investments in the health and wellbeing of not just our communities, but our state.
Additionally, the Bond Commission approved $10,000,000 to support the Social Equity Council’s efforts to provide low-interest loans to individuals looking to start or maintain a cannabis establishment. I’ve continued to remain involved in ensuring that communities disproportionately harmed by cannabis enforcement have access to this space – and I'm proud to see the State Bond Commission prioritize the same commitment.
Thank you to Governor Ned Lamont, the Bond Commission, and the members of our East Hartford and Manchester legislative delegations for working tirelessly to obtain this funding for our communities.
I would like to know, what do you think of this issue?
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Proposal to Address Gun Violence Advances out of Committee
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The Public Health Committee, during Wednesday's meeting, advanced a proposal creating a commission to fund efforts to tackle gun violence. If passed, a Commission on Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention would be created and tasked with studying, funding, and implementing wide-ranging, evidence-based solutions to cut down on homicides.
Tackling gun violence has been a key issue during this session as Connecticut's gun homicides hit a 25-year high in 2021. Governor Ned Lamont’s budget proposal includes $3.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to create a statewide anti-violence strategy.
The proposal to create the Commission on Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention now awaits action in the State Senate.
I would like to know, what do you think of this issue?
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Treasurer Wooden Calls for Automatic Payments of Unclaimed Property
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I joined Treasurer Shawn Wooden on Wednesday to call for passage of a legislative proposal that will further enhance Connecticut’s unclaimed property program and would allow, among other enhancements, for the automatic payment of unclaimed property valued under $2,500 for sole property owners.
I believe that the proposal makes proactive and smart reforms to our state's Unclaimed Property Management System to ensure our hardworking residents and businesses can quickly regain control of their money. With the recommendations included in the proposal, if passed this reform will help address the program's current deficiencies and bring it into the 21st century.
I would like to know, what do you think of this issue?
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Today in CT History: A Political Cartoonist for the 20th-Century Woman
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As the first political cartoonist ever to win a Pulitzer Prize, Clarence Daniel “C. D.” Batchelor thought having been born on April Fool’s Day (in 1888) was appropriate to his calling. The cane-collecting (he died owning more than 500), dapper, Kansas-born, self-styled “character” – “It was just as easy to be a character as not to be one,” he said, “and a hell of a lot more fun!”– used art and irony to speak truth to power throughout a long career. During most of that career, he provided daily editorial cartoons for the New York Daily News.
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Batchelor was a lifelong advocate for women’s rights, and included idealized, romanticized images of confident and capable modern women in much of his work. During his 20s, a majority of his production was created in support of woman suffrage. He produced illustrations and cover art for such publications as the National American Woman Suffrage Association Newsletter, The Woman Citizen, the Woman’s Journal and Suffrage News and The Woman Voter. In a 1920 interview in The Woman Citizen, Batchelor said artists had had to completely recreate the images of women used in magazines over the past 15 years because of the “assurance and confidence born of a changed and changing economic status and her approaching political freedom.” When asked about the ideal of the American girl he tried to draw, he said, “I cannot imagine her but intelligent and of aggressive opinion when the Soviet, industrial democracy, or Ibanez is discussed.”
In later years, Batchelor, like the paper he worked for, took an isolationist stance towards the United States’ possible entry into World War II. His breakthrough 1937 Pulitzer Prize winning cartoon depicting a female skeleton prostitute (War) enticing a young man (“Any European Youth”) with the line, “Come on in, I’ll treat you right, I used to know your daddy,” reflected that anti-war stance.
After Pearl Harbor, and for the rest of his career, Batchelor’s work displayed an earnest wartime patriotism, and later, fervent anti-communism. In 1943, for his then-country-home town of Deep River, he created the artwork that is the centerpiece of the Honor Roll of Deep River citizens who served in war. An admirer and artistic creator of the ideal 20th-century woman, Batchelor seems to have spent his life looking for the real-life incarnation of his artistic creation. A batchelor in name only, when he died in Deep River on September 6, 1977 at 89, he was survived by his fifth wife, Allegra.
Learn more about C.D. Batchlor and other interesting CT history facts by clicking here.
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Traffic Alert: Temporary Closure I-84 Eastbound Off-Ramp
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Please be advised that the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that the I-84 Eastbound off-ramp to the HOV lane in East Hartford will be temporarily closed from Sunday, April 3 to Friday, June 3. The project will consist of removal of wearing surface, full depth deck repairs, membrane and paving associated repair areas on Bridge No. 05844A carrying I-84 Eastbound over Route 15.
Detour Info: The HOV lane can be accessed by the left hand on-ramp approximately one mile further east along I-84 Eastbound between Exit 58 and 59 in East Hartford.
Motorists are advised to maintain a safe speed when driving in this vicinity.
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Renters Relief Program Applications Open Now
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The application period for the annual Renters Rebate Program for residents is open now through October 1. This program is sponsored by the State of Connecticut through the Office of Policy & Management to provide elderly and disabled renters with a limited refund based on the amount of rent and utilities they paid in 2021. You are eligible for the rebate program if:
- 65 years of age or older or 100% disabled, age 18 or older (by 12/31/2021)
- 2021 qualifying income (including all Social Security benefits) must not have exceeded $46,400 for a married couple or $38,100 for a single individual
Additional details regarding eligibility and documentation requirements can be found here. The application process is easy! East Hartford residents can call the Social Services Department at (860) 291-7248 to set up an in-person or phone appointment or request an application be mailed to you – or access the application online and return with signature and required documents. Manchester residents should reach out to the Senior, Adult and Family Services department. Applications will be accepted via phone, email, fax, or in-person. For more information, click here.
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And applications are closing soon for the Elderly and Disabled Homeowner's Tax Relief Program. Now through May 15, in partnership with the Assessor’s Office, the program administers several exemption programs that benefit the elderly, persons with disabilities, and veterans. Eligible individuals may receive a credit ranging from $100 to $700. For details regarding eligibility and documentation requirements, please visit the Assessor Exemption Programs website.
Application assistance for both programs is available at the Raymond Library or the East Hartford Senior Center during the following times:
- Raymond Library, Second Floor Reference Room (840 Main Street): Tuesday, April 12, and April 26, 4:30PM-7PM
- Senior Center, Conference Room (15 Milbrook Drive): Thursday, April 7, 14, 21, and 28, 9:30AM-12PM
Residents are encouraged to contact Social Services at (860) 291-7248 to schedule an appointment at the library to minimize wait time. Walk-ins are also welcome and will be assisted on a first come, first serve basis. Please plan to bring required documentation.
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Increasing Public Awareness of Problem Gambling
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As we close out the month of March – I want to highlight Problem Gambling Awareness Month. Connecticut fully launched online casino gaming and sports betting in October 2021. While gambling may be a form of entertainment for some people, it is a harmful addiction for others.
If you or someone you know has a problem with gambling, please take advantage of the resources below, which are available in Connecticut.
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Resources for Program Gambling
- Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling (CCPG) – Offers a free, online live chat service, Monday through Friday from 5PM-12AM, and weekends from 12PM-12AM.
- Problem Gambling Helplines – call (888) 789-7777 or (800) 346-6238 for confidential assistance 24 hours a day and can answer questions and provide referrals to clinicians across Connecticut with expertise in problem gambling.
- The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) operates the Problem Gambling Services program to offer a comprehensive network of consumer-oriented problem gambling recovery services in Connecticut and fostering an environment that promotes informed choices around gambling behavior.
- Better Choice Programs – Gambling-specific treatment programs funded by the State of Connecticut and offered at more than 16 locations in Connecticut through community agencies. Most programs offer a variety of outpatient services including: individual, group, and budget counseling for both problem gamblers and family members, psychiatric evaluation for both gamblers and family members, and couples and family counseling. To speak with a gambling counselor or find the nearest Bettor Choice Program, call (860) 344-2244 or (866) 440-4375.
- Gamblers Anonymous – A fellowship of individuals who share their experience, strength and hope so that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from a gambling problem.
- Gam-Anon – A self-help organization for the loved ones of problem gamblers.
Self-Exclusion Program
The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) offers a self-exclusion program to help anyone affected by problem gambling to distance themselves from it. Self-exclusion allows people to voluntarily ban themselves from all forms of gambling in the state.
Individuals who enroll in self-exclusion are prohibited from collecting any winnings, recovering any losses, or accepting complimentary gifts or services or any other thing of value from a licensee or operator. Operators in other states or countries may choose to exclude those on the Connecticut self-exclusion list from their services.
You can sign up for the self-exclusion list here.
There are options to remove yourself from the self-exclusion list once you have reached the end of your selected 1- or 5-year exclusion period. If you select the lifetime self-exclusion option, you will not be able to remove yourself from the list.
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Responsible Play
Gambling responsibly means knowing the risks and how to minimize them such as financial trouble, issues with friends and family or in some cases, alcohol and drug abuse while gambling. Strategies like setting a budget, taking breaks, and educating yourself on how games work are just a few tips on being a safer and smarter player.
CCPG offers additional resources on gambling responsibly at responsibleplayct.org, which is done in partnership with CT Lottery, DMHAS, Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Casinos and Sportech.
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Save the Date: National Take Back Day is Saturday, April 30
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With opioid overdose deaths increasing during the pandemic, National Take Back Day is scheduled for Saturday, April 30. On the last Take Back Day in October, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) collected a record-high amount of expired, unwanted, and unused prescription medications, with the public turning in close to 500 tons of unwanted drugs. Over the 10-year span of Take Back Day, DEA has brought in more than 6,800 tons of prescription drugs.
On Take Back Day, East Hartford Police and the East Hartford Health Department will host a Take Back Event at the East Hartford Public Safety Complex (31 School Street) from 10AM-2PM. If you can't make it on that Saturday, a year-round drug disposal location is available at CVS in Hartford (690 Wethersfield). Click here to find additional year-round locations.
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Your Ride's on Us – Free Bus Fare Now Through June 30
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As a result of legislation we passed last week to provide relief to Connecticut residents in response to the rising prices at the gas pump, all CTtransit local, express and CTfastrak routes will offer fare-free transportation through June 30. For information on routes and schedules, click here or call our (860) 525-9181 for assistance in planning your trip.
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COVID-19 Updates & Upcoming Vaccine Clinics
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Based on new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Stealth Omicron, the Omicron subvariant BA.2 is now the dominant strain in the United State. While this subvariant seems less likely to cause sever disease, it is highly transmissible – representing nearly 54.9 percent of all new cases. Vaccines continue to prevent against the worst outcomes, especially in individuals who've received a booster shot.
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for older people and certain immunocompromised individuals on Tuesday. The decision means that tens of millions of Americans are now eligible for what would be their fourth shot. For more information on booster shots in Connecticut, click here.
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The best defense against COVID-19 continues to be a good offense. It's so important that we continue the precautions that have worked: observe social distancing, wear a face mask when social distancing is not possible or indoors, wash your hands thoroughly and regularly, get tested if you were in contact with anyone who's tested positive, etc. But, most importantly – please consider getting vaccinated if you haven't already or getting a booster if it's been six months since you're last COVID vaccine.
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A reminder for those that don't want to carry around their paper CDC cards or who lost them, CT residents can now utilize "SMART Health Cards" to securely show proof of being vaccinated. The digital card can be obtained via a QR code that you can find here. To get more info on SMART Health Cards, or how to access them and download to your smartphone device, click here.
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For more information on receiving the COVID-19 vaccine or to locate an appointment near you, click here or locate a DPH Mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinic by clicking here. Those without access to the internet can call the Connecticut’s Vaccine Appointment Assist Line, available seven days a week from 8 AM to 8 PM, at (877) 918-2224.
For East Hartford-based COVID-19 updates and resources, click here. And, for Manchester-based COVID-19 updates and resources, click here.
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In celebration of National Library Week, the Manchester Community College (MCC) Raymond F. Damato Library will hold a Library Book Sale and Accessories Bazaar on Monday, April 4 and Tuesday, April 5 from 9AM-8PM. Items for sale include textbooks, fiction and non-fiction books, children's and young adult books, CDs and DVDs, and puzzles and games. Accessories on sale during this two-day event include brooches, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings, ties, scarves, handbooks, and other items. For more information, click here or email ppini@manchestercc.edu.
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With the way the world is moving digitally, it’s easy to get lost in all the new things that come out for social media from features, tools, flashy trends, and platforms. It’s a lot. As there are many ways to tackle social media, WORK_SPACE would like to offer a starting point. WORK_SPACE will offer a social media marketing workshop on Saturday, April 9 at 10:30AM designed to help artists learn how to navigate and optimize the ever-changing digital landscape. Register today by clicking here.
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Join Manchester Public Library on Tuesday, April 12 at 10:30AM for a play dough party – the library will provide the dough and the tools, you just need to bring your imagination. Activity is recommended for ages 3 and up, available while supplies last. Call the Children’s Room at (860) 645-0577 for more information.
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Bring the kids to East Hartford Public Library to stretch, sing, dance, and explore music together! Meet outside on the lawn for musical fun on Tuesday, April 5, at 5:15PM. Bring your own shakers or borrow one from the library, activity is best suited for children ages 2 - 6 and their grownups. Siblings are welcome! Register by clicking here – if the program is canceled for inclement weather, registered participants will receive updates via email.
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Would you like to learn more about redevelopment on Silver Lane and contribute your ideas? The Town of East Hartford will host a public informational meeting on Wednesday, April 6 at 6PM in the Welling Conference Room at East Hartford Town Hall to discuss the creation of a Redevelopment Plan for the Silver Lane Revitalization Area. The meeting will include a presentation about redevelopment plans and why one is needed for this area, initial findings by the advisory team, and how the plan will build upon previous studies. There will be an opportunity for residents to provide their feedback and input.
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East Hartford residents are invited to participated in the Parks and Recreation's Annual Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 9 at 12PM at McAuliffe Park (30 Remington Road). The event is intended for children ages 10 and younger (with their accompanying parent/guardian) and will be grouped by age. Please note that safety protocols and social distancing guidelines will be in place – masks will be required for child participants as well as their parents/guardians. Each child should bring their own bag or basket to collect eggs and candy.
In the case of inclement weather, the egg hunt will be postponed to the following Saturday, April 16. Please check the town webpage and the East Hartford Parks and Recreation Facebook page for updates. If you have any questions or require additional information, call (860) 291-7160.
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My office is always open if you or your family are in need of assistance. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email at Jason.Rojas@cga.ct.gov or by phone at 860-240-8541.
Sincerely,
Jason Rojas
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