Maria Horn

Yesterday we had a real snow day, including some of the largest snowfall we’ve had in some time.  At my house, depending on who did the measuring, it was either 16 or 20 inches of fresh snow. As I listened to my own three kids tumble outside with our dog (who was completely, and gleefully, buried by the snow), wishing I were outside making a snow angel myself, it illustrated the contradictory moment we live in.  For a school-aged child, a snow day can represent pure joy, but to the working parent it is much more complicated, at a time when so many are already carrying a heavy burden of worry about family economics and public health. 
 

We are awaiting two big events in the next couple of days.  One is Winter Storm Gail, which has caused a winter storm watch from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon, and will potentially leave us with a foot or more of snow.

Although my new term doesn’t officially start until we are sworn in on January 6, in many ways it has already begun.  For me that means lots of introductory meetings for the work we will do in the Public Safety & Security Committee, as well as meetings for all committee leadership on how we will do our work in this challenging year.  For a variety of reasons, including the online format, budgetary constraints, and the absence of technical platforms we can securely use for bill drafting, we will have to limit the amount of legislation we propose.

This is an unusual holiday season, to say the least, filled with a mix of highs and lows. 

I am honored and excited to announce the news that I have been asked to chair the Public Safety and Security Committee this term.  The committee has a wide range of responsibilities, but its mission to make all Connecticut residents feel safe in their homes and communities is at the core of what good government should do.  I look forward to the opportunity to bring both my own experience in law enforcement, along with the perspective of our rural community and its traditions of service, to this role, and to collaborate closely with those engaged in this work every day.

I hope you all had safe and happy, if quieter than usual, Thanksgiving holidays.  With fewer food preparation responsibilities, and fewer activities overall, my family had more time for reflection on our own good fortune, and on the needs of others in our community, which ended up tweaking traditions in ways we just might continue. 

This weekend I got out my “Thanksgiving” file – menus from years past, spattered and dog-eared recipes that have become family “must-haves”, and execution plans for what needs to be done when and in what order, so that dinner can be delivered on time to a hungry crowd of family members. 

Today is National Rural Health Day, a chance to bring to light the unique healthcare challenges that rural citizens face. One of those challenges is a lack of access to an array of medical services.