Jason Rojas

Dear Neighbor,

I hope this email finds you well. Below, you'll find updates on district resources and news. Please feel free to reach out to my office if you have any questions or concerns.

The topics covered in this e-newsletter are as follows:

• State Update
• Today In Connecticut History
• Manchester Community Events and Information
• East Hartford Community Events and Information

Hot days, cool drinks, baseball, and barbecues are popular staples during the summer but Connecticut, from one end of the state to the other, offers so much more.

Connecticut is home to 110 state parks, 32 state forests, 29 state campgrounds, 117 state boat launches, and 4 coastal state beaches that provide any number of recreational opportunities, along with many other attractions and nationally ranked restaurants.

Two new trails guide visitors on some of the more unique experiences the state has to offer, including the Connecticut Oyster Trail, and the Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail. Later this year the state will officially launch the Connecticut Pizza Trail to celebrate its designation as the Pizza Capital of the United States.

The best way to explore tourism destinations and find activities to do in the state is by visiting the official Connecticut Tourism website HERE.

There's more.

Litchfield County was ranked as one of the best places to go in 2025 and Mystic Seaport Museum was the “#2 Best Open-Air Museum” for the second consecutive year.

Hungry?

Several CT chefs and restaurants have gained national recognition, including chef David Standridge of The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic capturing the world-renowned James Beard Award for best chef in the northeast, and several others named semifinalists, including Renee Touponce of Oyster Club and The Port of Call in Mystic who was nominated in the outstanding chef category, and Coracora in West Hartford nominated for outstanding restaurant.

Seasons change quickly. With all that it has to offer, summertime in Connecticut is one you don't want to miss.

Today in 1922, Bridgeport’s Central Labor Union issued a formal call to all its 12,000 members to support the striking trolleymen who worked for the Connecticut Railway and Lighting Company, triggering months of labor unrest in one of Connecticut’s largest cities.

The Connecticut Railway and Lighting Company was the primary operator of electric trains, street trolleys, and buses in the heavily populated shoreline corridor surrounding Bridgeport. Two weeks earlier, on May 15, all 225 employees had decided to strike for better pay and working conditions. This noticeably disrupted the rhythm of Fairfield County by limiting — and occasionally halting altogether — the region’s trolley service. As days stretched into weeks without a resolution to the labor dispute, tensions between company management and striking workers increased. To show solidarity with the striking workers, the Central Labor Union voted on May 31 to assess each of its 12,000 members a small fee to be used to support the striking workers’ families .

Following the Central Labor Union’s vote, newspapers ominously warned that “it is predicted by union men that the City of Bridgeport will become the center of labor troubles in Connecticut.” They weren’t wrong: over the next several weeks, numerous groups of agitated employees throughout the city submitted demands to their bosses calling for better pay and shorter hours — and, at the very least, a fixed workday schedule. These new demands came from Bridgeport’s machinists, iron molders, bakers, and brewery workers, and heralded a wave of labor tensions that would continue to bring unrest to Connecticut — one of the most heavily industrialized states in the country — in one form or another throughout the early decades of the 20th century.

Further Reading

Cecelia Bucki, “The Labor Movement in Connecticut,” Connecticut Explored

https://www.easthartfordct.gov/residents
 
Town Newsletters
Pulse of East Hartford     
East Hartford Public Schools
East Hartford Works

The Town of Manchester is excited to officially unveil Manchester Now, the new program guide publication for the Department of Leisure, Family and Recreation, the Manchester Public Library, the Manchester Senior Center & Manchester Public Schools.

Kicking off Celebrate Manchester is the 50th Art in the Park festival, filled with unique crafts, live entertainment & food trucks.

Rain or shine on Sunday, June 1st, from 10 am-4 pm at Center Memorial Park.

50 Days of Art Online Countdown, Artist Pop-ups in May, Interactive Art Projects, Awards, Prizes & Competitions. 

www.openstudiohartford.com/art-in-the-park

The Town of East Hartford Commission on Aging and Department of Health & Human Services are inviting East Hartford senior residents who qualify, to participate in the Spring Senior Yard Support Program. The purpose of this program is to assist East Hartford seniors, who are experiencing financial and / or physical barriers with front and/or back yard clean-up.

Volunteers will do general yard clean-up, such as raking, weeding, and clearing debris from the yard.  The targeted population for this program are East Hartford senior residents who may be physically unable to perform Spring yard clean-up activities, may not have the financial means to hire yard service companies, and do not have family in the area that are able to assist with yard clean-up.
Volunteer teams will be comprised of at least one adult who will oversee the safety and clean-up assignment of assigned youth. Senior residents who are selected for the program will complete a waiver that permits volunteers on the property.  All volunteers will be required to complete an East Hartford volunteer form and liability waiver.

Eligible residents can sign-up for this program by completing the PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION LINK. Residents can also contact Senior Services at (860) 291-7460 or Youth & Social Services at (860) 291-7248 for assistance with completing the registration form.
Residents who are interested in participating as volunteers for yard clean-up can register by completing the VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION LINK. A Town of East Hartford will contact you regarding upcoming volunteer dates and locations.  

Eligibility criteria:

• Persons 55+ years of age and older;
• Currently resides in East Hartford and owns the property where a front and / or back yard is in need of clean-up; and
• Experience barriers that limit the ability to receive assistance for yard clean-up and maintenance, including:
• Underlying health conditions or disability that limits mobility and ability to perform yard clean-up activities;
• Social isolation (lives alone, no family in the area that can assist with yard clean-up);
• Low-income, financial limitations, and barriers to hiring yard clean-up services (Limited financial supports, such as food assistance, social security, or disability benefits)