Chris Poulos

It was awesome to attend the Southington Public Library’s Take Your Child to the Library Day event on Saturday with Connecticut's Kid Governor, Cristiano Almeida of Southington, and Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz. Special thanks to the Southington Public Library staff for highlighting the incredible impact libraries have in our town and in communities across our state.

It has been an honor to work with and support the state's Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Community, including Southington resident and Connecticut Association of the Deaf President Luisa Gasco-Soboleski. This week, I joined Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, State Representative Jillian Gilchrest, and other advocates at a press conference where we spoke about legislation to establish a Bureau of Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Services that will be charged with coordinating information, resources, assistance, and benefits for Connecticut residents. 

It’s been great (and a bit chilly) to be back out knocking on doors and checking in with residents of the 81st District on the issues that matter most to them. My goal for my Winter Walk Listening Tour is to cross the district before the start of the 2024 Legislative Session, which begins on February 7.

This week, I visited Enterprise Rent-A-Car and met with their leadership team to learn about their operation in Southington. I was impressed to find out that the Connecticut Enterprise group is rated third worldwide for customer service satisfaction based on customer surveys.  We discussed the upcoming legislative session and the company’s legislative priorities.

Significant snow is in the forecast for the weekend, so before the potential storm that could bring as much as 12 inches of snow to the area, please stay informed and prepared during an evolving situation.

When we ring in 2024 next week, some new laws take effect that were passed during the 2023 legislative session addressing key issue areas including early voting, health and mental health, and online privacy and data protection.

As the holiday season wraps us in its warmth, I wanted to take a moment to extend my heartfelt wishes to each and every one of you. Christmas is a time for reflection, gratitude, and togetherness — a moment to cherish the bonds that unite us as a community. 

Last Wednesday was a perfect night in Plantsville. Christmas in the Village was a big success, and it was great to see so many people out and enjoying the activities sponsored by Plantsville’s businesses. Thank you to the organizers for bringing our community together.