Cristin McCarthy Vahey

This week brought a number of events both in Hartford and locally, and the weekend and next week include opportunities for many more, including Fairfield’s Sidewalk Sale and a regional Housing Conversation with Senator Chris Murphy. To learn more, click on the links below or scroll through the e-mail.
 

• Shop Local
• Conversation on Housing with U.S. Senator Chris Murphy
• Fairfield Public Schools Redistricting
• Puerto Rican Day Parade
• Transforming Children’s Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee
• Stratfield Four Corners Improvements
• In the News

This week, I joined the Fairfield Chamber of Commercee at Sunrise Senior Living for a Coffee and Conversation event. We heard from event sponsors Sylvie and Benoit from Be Chocolat who brought coffee and chocolate samples for all to enjoy. Sarah Roy spoke about her work at CT Rides, working to help encourage ride sharing and the use of public transportation. And I was thrilled to connect our Fairfield Pollinator Pathway folks with Irene at Sunrise so they can work together with residents on the Pollinator program.

This weekend, you can take advantage of the great deals at the Fairfield Sidewalk Sale and Street Fair. Don’t let a little potential rain keep you from coming out to support our local small businesses and enjoy some music, fun, and time with community members.

On Monday, July 17 at 5:45 Sacred Heart’s Martire Center, we have the opportunity to join Senator Chris Murphy for an important conversation about housing in Connecticut. This is an issue of critical importance to our region and state, from a health, safety, economic, and environmental perspective. Come have your voices heard. Please RSVP to Senator Murphy’s office.

The Board of Education is undergoing a redistricting process this summer. In addition to the online forum on July 25, a hybrid meeting has been added for Thursday, July 20^th at 7:30 PM at the Board of Education office building.

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of joining fellow Bridgeport federal, state, and local elected leaders to march in the 30th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. It was a festive, beautiful celebration of the Puerto Rican community here in the Bridgeport region and throughout the state.

This week, a new statewide committee was formed to address children’s behavioral health issues in Connecticut. As Co-Chair of the Public Health Committee, I am pleased to join a number of my colleagues as a member, along with Michael Patota of The Child & Family Guidance Center, Edith Boye of LifeBridge Community Services, the Commissioners of Education, Social Services, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and Health. This group of stakeholders will help to guide policy and inform implementation so that our children and families are poised for success.

Work is well underway on the improvements at the intersection of Stratfield and Fairifeld Woods Road, affectionately referred to as the Four Corners. Safer sidewalks and ADA ramps are already in place. It is thrilling to see the hard work and tenacity of the Stratfield Village Association, Town of Fairfield, and State Department of Transportation all coming together for these safety improvements. Funds for this project were initially secured through a state grant, and supplemented with town support, Sacred Heart University, and ongoing fundraising by the Stratfield Village Association. Special thanks to Jamie McCusker and Dylan O’Connor and the SVA Board for keeping us all on track.

This week, I had the opportunity to join LT. Governor Bysiewicz at the Beardsley Zoo as she promoted our Summer at the Museum program. Children ages 18 and under and one accompanying adult are free at participating locations from now through September 4th. Read more here for more information. Also don’t forget to check the website of participating venues, as some limitations on timing and availability may apply. The Fairfield Museum, Discovery Museum, Housatonic Art Museum, and Earthplace are just a few of the great places to visit that are on the list.

I also had the chance to join my colleagues Representatives Antonio Felipe and Juan Candelaria to celebrate the passage of a Parents Bill of Rights for English Language Learners. This assures that parents will have the ability to communicate via translator in order to provide support and advocacy for their children. Governor Lamont also lauded the extension of Husky benefits to immigrants up to age 15. For more information on how to access coverage, visit here.