Jeff Currey

Frigid temperatures are in Connecticut's forecast this week, prompting Governor Lamont to activate the state's severe cold weather protocol for the first time this winter which will be in effect through 12 p.m. on Wednesday, January 12, 2022. There are warming centers and resources in our community to help you stay warm.

Are you or do you know an essential worker who was impacted by COVID-19 and had out-of-pocket medical costs and lost wages? They may be eligible for relief through the Connecticut Essential Workers COVID-19 Assistance Fund administered by the Office of the State Comptroller with the assistance of Public Consulting Group. 

Connecticut residents have more time to enroll in a health insurance plan through Access Health CT for coverage starting with the new year! Residents who enroll between December 16 and December 31 can choose between coverage starting on January 1, 2022 or February 1, 2022. Those who enroll between January 1, 2022 and January 15, 2022 will have coverage starting on February 1, 2022.

This past week, Connecticut's landmark Paid Family and Medical Leave Program started accepting applications from Connecticut residents who want to apply for paid leave benefits. Claims are being accepted for qualifying events that are happening on or after January 1, 2022.

They say that when you buy from a small business, an actual person does a little happy dance. So our collective goal for tomorrow’s Small Business Saturday is to get those feet movin’! This holiday season, especially, we hope you will strongly consider shopping to support small, locally owned, businesses in our community.

On Thursday, the bipartisan Connecticut Reapportionment Commission unanimously certified the House of Representatives redistricting plan, which uses data from the 2020 U.S. Census to redraw our state legislative and congressional districts. This process occurs once every decade and is fundamental to the functioning of our democracy.

If you are looking for good, quality, healthcare the annual Access Health CT Open Enrollment Period began on Monday, November 1 and runs through January 15, 2022. Residents can shop, compare, and enroll in health insurance coverage for the 2022 plan year.

Universal mask mandates in Manchester and South Windsor have been lifted. This means residents who are vaccinated will not be required to wear masks in town buildings and businesses. Unvaccinated individuals will still be required to wear a mask. This change comes with decreasing rates of new COVID-19 infections and strong vaccination rates. South Windsor has been categorized in the "orange zone" and Manchester has been categorized in the "yellow zone" for community spread of the virus.