Dear Neighbor,

 

I want to share some highlights including state and local updates.

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

• Today in CT History

On Legislative Business

• Legislative Business

On Community Resources

• CT Foodshare
• Manchester Community Events 
• East Hartford Community Events

Stephen Malawista and Robert Schoen respond to reporters' questions during a press conference on Lyme Disease, 1998 - Southern Connecticut State University

…that Lyme Disease was discovered in 1975 in Lyme, Connecticut.

In 1975, numerous children and adults around Lyme, Connecticut, began reporting arthritic-like symptoms. It was two mothers, however—Polly Murray and Judith Mensch—who advocated for more investigation after their children’s inadequate diagnoses of juvenile arthritis. Both women contacted state public health officials who directed them to Dr. Allen Steere at Yale University. The unusual clustering of cases—numerous cases within families, occurrence near heavily wooded areas, seasonal distribution, and often an unusual bullseye skin lesion—made doctors and public health officials suspicious. The Connecticut Department of Health and Yale University School of Medicine conducted a joint epidemiologic survey in Lyme and the surrounding towns to find more cases, identify the infectious agent, and describe the new disease.

The similarities between the unknown disease and erythema migrans (EM)—a known disease in Europe sometimes associated with tick bites—made Steere and his colleague, Dr. Stephen Malawista, hypothesize ticks as a source for what they initially named “Lyme arthritis.” By 1978, Steere and Malawista proved the transmission of Lyme Disease by deer ticks and in 1984 Yale School of Medicine hosted the first International Conference on Lyme Disease. Two years earlier, in 1982, an entomologist in Montana, Wilhelm “Willy” Burgdorfer, discovered the bacterium that causes Lyme Disease—Borrelia burgdorferi.

The House of Representatives passed HB 6918 on Tuesday that makes important clarifying and technical changes to the groundbreaking Clean Slate legislation signed into law in 2021, which can now be fully implemented and deliver on the promise of a fresh start for hundreds of thousands of people in education, employment, and housing without the burden of a long-past criminal conviction.



Business organizations and chambers of commerce have lined up behind Clean Slate legislation in Connecticut and throughout the country, recognizing it as an economic driver by enhancing someone's ability to be gainfully employed, start a business and secure housing.



Outdated technology and outstanding legal and policy questions required updating in order to automatically erase criminal records of people seven years after the date of their conviction for a misdemeanor or 10 years after the date of their conviction for certain felonies if they have not been convicted of other crimes. 



No one's future should be limited because of mistakes made years or even decades ago.

HB 6892: Putting teeth in municipal blight laws to increase the tools towns have to deal with abandoned, blighted and unsafe properties.



 HB 6775: Expands protections for seniors by increasing the number of mandated reporters for suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation or when a senior needs protective services.



 HB 6872: Will ensure election officials and presidential electors do their duty as prescribed by law.



 HB 5314: Attention consumers! Under HB 5314 businesses will no longer be able to charge your credit card, debit card, or third-party payment account without your consent for automatic renewal or continuous services.



HB 6746: Sadly, wrong-way crashes and deaths have been on the rise in our state. We took action to help reduce incidents and minimize fatalities.



HB 5902: Food allergies can be life-threatening. H.B. 5902 establishes standards that restaurants must follow to ensure customers alert staff about their allergies. The bill will also require informational posters to be displayed in restaurants to ensure increased safety and awareness.



 HB 6561: Protecting our children is the most important part of youth athletic competition. HB 6561 creates a task force that will study safety measures for all sports.



 HB 6077: Connecticut has a rich history of remarkable stories. HB 6077 establishes a process to add additional statues outside the Capitol that reflect the diversity, character, and accomplishments of the state.



Health care providers shouldn’t face out-of-state repercussions for doing what’s legal in Connecticut. H.B. 6820 protects Connecticut providers performing safe and legal reproductive health care services to those who need it.



The House approved HB 6898, which requires the Attorney General’s Office to submit a report on the settlement agreement with Juul Labs. In April, Juul Labs agreed to a $462 million settlement between six states, including Connecticut, for their role in marketing addictive nicotine products to teens.     



Families who are tasked with taking care of loved ones need a lifeline. HB 6677 will require the Department of Social Services to develop a plan that will increase the number of residents eligible to receive adult day services.

Summer is fast approaching, and the East Hartford Parks and Recreation department will be offering summer camp programs for the 2023 summer season.



East Hartford Parks and Recreation Summer Camps will open Monday, June 19^th, 2023, and will run 7 consecutive weeks, ending on Friday, August 4^th. Camps are open to East Hartford residents only and serve children and teens entering grades 1 – 9 and participants with special needs ages 6 -21.   Enrichment programming continues to be a stimulating part of the programming thanks to our collaboration with East Hartford Public Library and East Hartford Youth Services.



Camps will be held at the same park locations. However, the inclement weather locations are not on site this summer due to school construction. Inclement weather days will be determined the day prior and camps will be held at the offsite designated location.  Parents and caregivers will be notified directly.

Click here for more information

The Department of Leisure, Family, and Recreation Summer Program and Event Guide is here! Resident registration begins May 3. Non-resident registration begins on May 5.

Manchester

Please arrive early to be in line for 9am as the truck leaves promptly at 9:30am. Open to the public; Bring a sturdy grocery bag! This program is made possible by Foodshare and Winn Residential - Resident Service Program. For more information call 860-646-1280.

 

Squire Village, 48 Spencer Street, 06040 (1st parking lot off Imperial Drive #78)



•    Tuesday, May 23, 2023 | 09:00 AM - 09:30 AM

•    Tuesday, June 06, 2023 | 09:00 AM - 09:30 AM

•    Tuesday, June 20, 2023 | 09:00 AM - 09:30 AM

•    Tuesday, July 18, 2023 | 09:00 AM - 09:30 AM

 

East Hartford

The Connecticut Foodshare truck will be in the parking lot to distribute the food. Please bring your own bags and be prepared to possibly wait in line.

 

Mayberry Village –St. Isaac Jogues Church Parking Lot (41 Home Terrace East Hartford).

• Monday June 12^th   | 12:30 pm-1:15 pm
• Monday June 26^th   | 12:30 pm-1:15 pm

The Manchester Land and Conservation Trust’s annual giant fundraising tag sale will take place May 19-27 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the cider barn on 330 Bush Hill Road. There will be mountains of gardening and sports items, books, DVDs, vinyl records, glassware, household goods, toys, jigsaw puzzles, linens, small furniture, etc. Donations may be placed in the small shed to the right of the barn. No encyclopedias, computers, clothing, please. For more information click here.

Manchester Garden Club Plant Sale

The Manchester Garden Club will hold its spring Plant Sale on Saturday, May 20, 2023, in the parking lot of the Church of Pentecost, 585 East Center Street. The sale starts promptly at 8:30 a.m. until the plants are gone.  Plants are from members' gardens, including annuals, perennials, herbs, small trees, ferns, and pollinators.  This event is rain or shine. Garden club members will be there to offer advice on growing tips.  A variety of garden boutique items will also be sold.  For more information, email: info@manchestergardenclubs.org.

To see the complete list of streets click here.

23 Walks at Cheney Railroad

On Saturday, May 20, at 1:00 p.m., we’ll explore the old Cheney railroad, starting on the front steps of Fuss & O’Neill, 146 Hartford Road. Built in 1869 to connect the Cheney silk mills to the main rail line in the North End, the South Manchester Railroad, at 2.5 miles, was the shortest freight-and passenger railroad in the United States. Passenger service ended in 1933, but freight still rolled along these rails into the 1980s. Hikers will have an easy, fairly flat, moderately paced walk along streets leading to the rail trail, over a trestle, then on to the bridge overlooking Center Springs Park and Bigelow Brook, returning the same way, about three miles round trip. Participants will hear about the history of the railroad. Rain or shine. More about the 23 free walks in 2023: 



http://www.manchesterhistory.org/Booklet23WalksWeb.pdf

 

Design your own beautiful henna tattoo art! Grades 8-9. Registration required, supplies limited. Call (860) 645-0821 or email ageary@manchesterct.gov for more info.

 

Play and learn new and classic board games. Trade Pokemon and Magic the Gathering cards or battle against friends and rivals. Meet other gamers just like you! Grades 6-9. Drop in. Call (860) 645-0821 for more info. Meets once a month in the Howroyd Room.

Monday, May 29, 2023 | 09:30 AM to 11:00 AM

The annual Manchester Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday, May 29, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. 

The parade route will begin at the Army and Navy Club, 1090 Main Street, then east on East Center St., and then west at Nate Agostinelli Veterans Memorial Park, and will conclude at the Center Memorial Park for a Memorial Day Program to honor our fallen veterans.

In the event the parade is cancelled due to inclement weather, the Center Memorial Park Program will be held indoors at The Salvation Army, 661 Main St., Manchester, CT 06040 at 11AM (no masks required).

The Garden Club of East Hartford is holding their Annual Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, May 20, 2023, from 9 AM – 1 PM (rain or shine).

This event will take place at Sunset Ridge School, 450 Forbes Street, East Hartford, 06118.

The perfect planting season is right around the corner! Stop by to support your local garden club and stock up on plants for your gardens! 

The Town of East Hartford has partnered with EnviroShred to host a paper-shredding event on Saturday, May 20 from 8 AM to noon at 22 Prestige Park Circle.

This resource gives residents an opportunity to bring any documentation to be shredded for free, including but not limited to medical and financial records, credit card statements, canceled checks, tax returns and all other personal documents. Limit of three boxes/bags per person.

EnviroShred will also accept toner and ink cartridges for recycling.

EnviroShred is a social enterprise of Easter Seals Capital Region & Eastern Connecticut. Visit this page for details.

The MDC collects hazardous waste and disposes of it through safe, environmentally responsible practices which in turn protects the health of our communities and the environment. The MDC will hold ten collection dates in 2023 and residents of any participating towns can partake in any collection date.

Participating towns for 2023 include: Bloomfield, East Granby, East Hartford, Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor, and Windsor Locks. See schedule for dates, times, and locations.

For more information about the HazWaste program, including a downloadable information packet that lists eligibility requirements, types of materials accepted and more, visit here or call the HazWaste hotline at (860) 278-3809.

Mayor Michael P. Walsh and the East Hartford Town Clerk’s Office would like to remind all East Hartford residents that June is considered a “DOG LICENSE MONTH”.  All dogs in the State of Connecticut six (6) months or older must be licensed each year in the Town where they reside in the month of June by State Statute. 

The license is in effect from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. The fee for the license is $8 for a dog that is neutered or spayed. The fee for a dog which is not neutered or spayed is $19. A current rabies certificate is required for all dogs and a neutered/spayed certificate is required for dogs that will be licensed for the first time or if recently neutered or spayed.

1. The Town Clerk’s Office is hosting a low-cost rabies clinic on Saturday, June 3, 2023, from 10:00am to 12:00pm at the rear of Firehouse Number 1, located at 726 Main Street, East Hartford, CT (next to Town Hall that is currently under construction).

Dog licenses may be obtained from the Town Clerk’s office, located in the East Hartford Town Hall at 740 Main Street. To fill out a dog license application form, click here. When submitting the application by mail, please include a check for the proper fee, made payable to the East Hartford Town Clerk, all certificates (rabies, neutered/spayed) and a self-addressed, stamped envelope and mail to:  Town Clerk, Town Hall, 740 Main St., East Hartford, CT  06108.  All certificates will be returned with the new license and tag.

Dogs that are not licensed in the month of June will be charged a penalty of $1 per month thereafter. Unlicensed dogs and roaming dogs will be subject to a $75 fine.

Any dog or cat over the age of three (3) months must have a current rabies vaccination by Connecticut law or be fined $136.

If you have any questions, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 860- 291-7230.

East Hartford Senior Center Memorial Day Picnic

WHO: Anyone who is 55 or older and resides in the Town of East Hartford

WHAT: Memorial Day Picnic

WHEN: Wednesday May 24^th at 12:00 Noon

WHERE: 15 Milbrook Drive, East Hartford



The picnic will take place Wednesday May 24^th at Noon at the East Hartford Senior Center, located at 15 Milbrook Drive. 

The menu will include choice of a hotdog or a hamburger macaroni salad, baked beans and watermelon for dessert.  Those who wish to attend the picnic must purchase tickets in advance and in person.  Seating is limited.  There will be no opportunity to purchase tickets at the door.

After lunch, musical entertainment will be provided by John Paoillo.  John will be performing popular hits from the 1940’s to the 1970’s as well as some patriotic favorites.

Tickets will go on sale from Monday April 24^th. Tickets can be purchased at the East Hartford Senior Center Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 8:30 am to 7:30 pm and Saturdays 9- noon. Tickets are $5. When purchasing your ticket, please indicate if you want a hotdog or a hamburger.

East Hartford Mayor Mike Walsh along with the East Hartford Veterans Commission are excited to announce that the second annual East Hartford’s Memorial Day parade and series of events will take place Monday, May 29, 2023 at 10 AM.  Parking at Goodwin University, 211 Riverside Drive.



CLICK HERE FOR PARADE MAP



The event will consist of three parts, including a parade, program at the Fallen Star Memorial and celebration of East Hartford. The parade will begin promptly at 10 AM, proceeding from 9 Riverside Drive to the Fallen Star Memorial located at Goodwin University.



“Following a several-year hiatus, we brought back the Memorial Day Parade last year to make it an annual tradition again,” said Mayor Mike Walsh. “We are proud to keep our promise and invite the community to honor, commemorate and remember the brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation on May 29, 2023.”

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