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.
Diabetes affects millions, and understanding the risk factors can be the first step in prevention and early action. Here are some major risk factors:
🩺Family history of diabetes
🩺High blood pressure or cholesterol
🩺Being overweight or physically inactive
🩺Being over 45 years old
Connecticut has several resources to help you manage and reduce your risk! Check out local programs through the Department of Public Health, diabetes education centers, digital hubs and more at the links below. Take care, and know you’re not alone on this journey to health!
November is National Family Caregivers Month - a time to honor and support the caregivers who give so much to our families and communities. I'm sharing local resources to help lighten the load, from mental health support to financial assistance programs. Let’s ensure our caregivers get the care they need, too! 💙
Born to Italian immigrants living in Meriden, Connecticut in 1897, Rosa Ponselle (born Rosa Ponzillo) displayed a natural talent for both singing and instrumental music at an early age. Ponselle, who was destined to become a musical celebrity and one of the most famous opera singers in American history, began her musical career as a teenager, singing ballads in local movie theaters to keep audiences entertained while the projectionist changed film reels. She then joined her older sister Carmela on the vaudeville circuit for three years before catching the ear of a renowned New York City agent, who persuaded the legendary tenor Enrico Caruso to come to his studio to hear the famous “Ponzillo sisters” sing a duet.
Caruso was captivated by Rosa’s voice and arranged an audition for her at New York’s Metropolitan Opera. The Met’s opera manager promptly offered Rosa a staggering $150-per-week contract — equal to over $2,500 in today’s dollars — and the 21-year-old songstress suddenly found herself thrust into the national spotlight. Rosa Ponselle made her grand debut on the Metropolitan stage on November 15, 1918 as Leonora in Verdi’s La Forza del Destino, starring opposite Enrico Caruso himself. She was the first American-born and American-trained singer to star at the Metropolitan Opera (although she vehemently denied ever receiving formal vocal training at any point in her career).
Rosa Ponselle as Leonora, fainting into the arms of Enrico Caruso in La Forza del Destino, circa 1918-1919.
For the next 19 years, Ponselle thrilled audiences with her mellifluous soprano voice and dramatic stage presence, starring in the Met’s productions of famous operas, including Carmen, William Tell, Aida, Don Giovanni, and Norma. When the financial pressures of the Great Depression forced the Met to drastically cut Rosa’s salary in 1937, she chose to retire instead and focus on family life, having married the year before.
To this day, Rosa Ponselle is considered by critics and amateur opera fans alike as one of the greatest sopranos to ever grace the stage. Even long after her retirement, opera lovers swooned over her arias, with one New York Times critic reminiscing in 1972 that Ponselle’s “big, pure colorful golden voice would rise effortlessly, hitting the stunned listener in the face, rolling over the body, sliding down the shoulder-blades, making one wiggle with sheer physiological pleasure.” The uniquely American dream of a young, Connecticut-born daughter of Italian immigrants began amid thunderous applause on this day in Connecticut history.
The Annual Emergency of Hunger Food Drive to benefit MACC Charities.
While grocery shopping at Stop & Shop or Highland Park Market, Manchester, pick up a few items off the needs list to donate, and our partners from ASM and the MPD will collect and bring them back to MACC. Your generous donations will directly go to helping the Community
Emergency Food Pantry’s families in need this holiday season.
The food drive will be at Stop and Shop, Manchester.
When:
Saturday, November 16, 2024 | 09:00 AM - 04:00 PM
Sunday, November 17, 2024 | 09:00 AM - 04:00 PM
See you there!
Manchester Road Race
The world-famous race, one of America’s largest and most popular turkey trots, will be held on Thanksgiving Day (November 28, 2024) at 10 a.m. It is run on a 4.737-mile loop course through Manchester’s central streets that starts and finishes on Main Street, in front of St. James Church.
The Committee has also announced that the non-profit Lutz Children’s Museum in Manchester will be the beneficiary this November of the road race’s annual “Honors Club” Program. For more information clickhere.
Leaf Collection Notice
The Town began leaf collection on November 12th . Crews will begin in Area 1. Once Area 1 has been completed, crews will move on to Area 2. Collection schedule is subject to change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Because of this, we cannot determine when the crews will be at a specific location.
Visit the webpage atLeaf Collection Program. As a reminder, each street will be scheduled for only ONE curbside collection. Leaves are particularly dry this year due to the continued drought, so during collection it is likely there will be a lot of dust and leaf particles floating through the air making vehicles dirty. Crews will do their best to mitigate this and appreciate the community’s patience and understanding.
Other Collection Options: Curbside Paper Leaf Bags:
Residents can set out paper leaf bags for curbside collection on the day of their normal refuse | recycling day. Do not mix refuse in with the leaves.
Curbside collection of paper leaf bags will continue from now to the 2nd week in January.
Leaves in barrels, plastic bags, or cardboard containers will NOT be collected.
Paper bags are available for sale at the Transfer Station, the Town Hall and the Senior Center. Leaf bags purchased from retail stores are also acceptable.
Drop off Sites:
Residents may drop loose or bagged leaves at the Transfer Station year-round during regular business hours.
When the Transfer Station is closed, ONLY residents may drop off loose or bagged leaves at the parking lot at 263 Olcott St (Oct 11 -Dec 31). No brush or plastic bags. Contractors are not allowed to use this drop site.
Leaf Fire Safety – A memo from the Fire Marshal’s office
Given the current weather conditions, the Town of Manchester has issued a NO-BURN order for ALL outdoor fires, this includes all normally permissible fires (fire pits, chimineas, etc.).
Please avoid open flames for your festivities. Consider a battery operated light source. Every leaf is potential fuel, so keep your family and neighborhood safe.
Dispose of smoking materials in a secure, fire-safe container or bucket of water. Even something as small as a cigarette can ignite a fire.
Avoid parking in high grass or piles of leaves as the heat from the vehicle exhaust will ignite the leaves and your vehicle.
Use caution while performing yard work, such as mowing / leaf blowing or using power tools that could create sparks. A small spark or contact with a hot muffler is enough to ignite leaves. Try to limit these activities on particularly dry and windy days.
Clear leaves around your home, vehicles, decks, gutters and fences.
The burning of leaves is STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
If you see smoke or signs of fire, don’t wait—report it immediately. Call 9-1-1 as quickly as possible and provide them with the location of the flames. Quick action is essential to prevent a small fire from becoming a larger, more dangerous blaze.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO EXTINGUISH A FIRE BEFORE CALLING 911!
The 2025 Winter/Spring Program & Event Guide is now live! Check out the Department of Leisure, Family & Recreation's slate of upcoming programs, special events, services and much more! To view the guide, please visit: https://bettermanchester.com/.../winterspring-2025.../
Registration opens on Wednesday, December 4th at 9:00 AM for Manchester residents (Friday, December 6th for non-residents). Registration can be completed over-the-phone, in-person at the Community Y, Center Springs Lodge or the Town Hall Customer Service Center, or online by visiting:https://reconline.townofmanchester.org/.../SPLASH.html
Questions? Please contact the Recreation Division at (860)647-3084.
The Town of East Hartford annual curbside leaf collection program began on Monday, November 4, 2024.Leaves will be vacuumed Monday through Saturday continuously through December 14th, 2024.
The program consists of the vacuuming of leaves placed in piles on a tree belt. Leaves will be vacuumed along each street, weather permitting. The leaf collection program will commence on roads in the northwest corner of town in the area of Pitkin Street and then proceed north and east through the Burnham and Goodwin Street areas. Collection will proceed in a clockwise direction around town.
There will be no leaf collection on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2024.
The map will show completed areas as well as the areas where leaf collection is anticipated the following week. Residents should note that the map is tentative and dependent on the weather and the speed of collection and should not be considered a set collection schedule. Progress of the collection is weather-dependent and will be affected by rain or snow. Snowfall before mid-December may cause a suspension or cancelation of leaf collection. The map will be updated with address-specific collection information, such as whether collection has been completed or is anticipated by close of business on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Residents, please look for leaf program lawn signs! Leaf collection lawn signs will be posted in neighborhoods to notify residents that curbside leaf pickup is coming, and to encourage raking to the tree belt and paper leaf bag collection.
Please do not block storm drains and catch basins with leaves to prevent flooding issues.
The Map will show your property- click on it to pull up the anticipated collection week.
To find out if the leaf collection has already been completed in your area, please click on the road centerline, which will indicate if the street has been completed.
Residents also have two (2) additional options for leaf disposal:
OPTION 1: Curbside Brown Bag Collection for six (6) weeks
Town crews will pick up leaves placed in biodegradable brown paper bags through December 14, 2024 on your regular waste collection day, weather permitting. Leaves, in biodegradable brown paper bags only. No grass clippings, branches or other waste items can be placed in the paper bags nor will the Town collect leaves in plastic bags. In the case of any delays, please leave your bagged leaves out on the curb, and they will be picked up as soon as possible. If you bring them back inside, you may be at risk of missing the collection.
OPTION 2: Resident Transport to The Transfer Station for FREE Disposal
Residents may also bring their leaves to the Transfer Station on Ecology Drive between 7:30 AM to 1:45 PM on the following days:
Every Saturday in November
First three Saturdays in December
Please note: The Transfer Station will be open on November 23rd, and 30th for leaves only.
Leaves in plastic bags will not be accepted.
For any additional information, please call Public Works Administration, 860-291-7374.
Community Rebranding
The Town of East Hartford has seen and heard so many great questions about the community branding initiative! Check out this helpful FAQ and join us Wednesday evening for a community listening session. During this session, we will ask YOUR feedback on what makes East Hartford unique, strong, and special.
For this initiative to succeed,Mayor Connor is asking for YOUR input!
Please note, comments and feedback added in response to this post are not guaranteed to be factored into the information gathering portion of this process. We encourage you to please join us tomorrow evening and share with our consultants and your fellow community members.
UConn Away Tailgate on Bissell Street
Can't make it to Syracuse to cheer on the Huskies in their next away game? Join together with other UConn fans right here in East Hartford as we watch the UConn Football team take on the Syracuse Orange.
Food trucks, breweries, distilleries, raffles, lawn games, DJ, and so much more! Party starts at 11:00am, kickoff at 12:00pm
42 Bissell Street East Hartford, CT 06108
3rd Annual Christmas Wish List Program
As the holidays near, we reflect on how much we are thankful for, and think about those in need. We proudly announce our 3rd annual program where you can donate much needed personal items to our fellow East Hartford Seniors staying at Riverside Health Care.
Each resident in the program filled out a “Christmas Tree Wish List” form asking for small items such as socks, pajamas, etc. Your generosity and caring gesture will brighten their Christmas, lift their spirits, and earn their heartfelt thanks to you.
Please drop off all unwrapped items with the participant’s # and first name at Riverside Health Care, 745 Main Street, East Hartford (across from the East Hartford Town Hall). If you wish to donate a random item without sponsoring a particular person, please mark the gift as #50, and it will be given to a needy individual.
We THANK YOU for your donations and kindness to others in need. Have a safe and peaceful holiday season.
My office is always open if you or your family are in need of assistance. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email atJason.Rojas@cga.ct.govor by phone at 860-240-8541.
