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What's Our Rep Been Up To?
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The Mystic Aquarium hosted visits from state legislators last week, offering them a firsthand look at the facility and its ongoing initiatives. The Aquarium's mission to inspire ocean protection through research, conservation, and education was a key focus of the visit.
Many of my colleagues learned about the Aquarium's collaboration with experts to advance knowledge about marine life, protect vulnerable species and their vital habitats, and foster public stewardship of the ocean.
The visit also coincided with the heartwarming release of Cranberry, a seal who had been successfully rehabilitated at the Aquarium. Cranberry was found at Block Island with a severe wound and bone infection in her hind flipper.
After receiving emergency stabilization, she underwent surgery to partially amputate the flipper. Her successful recovery and release back into the wild at Shutters Beach, RI, served as a testament to the dedication and expertise of the Aquarium's staff and volunteers.
Echoing President Biden's call for ocean justice, several aquarium team members discussed the importance of advocating for equitable access to healthy marine ecosystems by addressing the disproportionate burdens faced by marginalized and indigenous communities as we wrestle with climate change.
Thank you to the staff and volunteers for their commitment to the institution and for sharing their passion for ocean conservation with us!
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| Thank you to Senator Chris Murphy for visiting the Mystic Seaport Museum this week to learn about the educational programming directly from our students, as well as taking a moment to tour the seaport! Peter Armstrong and his team were awesome tour guides! |
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| A big thank you to Superintendent Johnston and his wife Mrs. Johnston for the invite to their wonderful Holiday Open House at Coast Guard Academy Quarters One. It was an honor to attend alongside my colleague State Representative Anthony Nolan, Mayor Mike Passero, and community members. |
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| Another School-Based Health Center Opened in Area |
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| This month, we’ve celebrated the opening of school-based health centers at Groton Public’s Northeast Academy in Mystic, Grasso Tech in Groton, and now Stonington High School’s School-based Health Center run by Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut! |
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| These SBHCs provide outpatient medical and mental health services directly inside of these schools.
Health services are provided by an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) and a Master’s Level Behavioral Health Clinician who are employed by CFA and are experts in child and adolescent health. We will continue our fight to fund these critical services and will work to expand these services outside of regular school hours. |
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I-95 NB Lane Closure in Stonington Beginning Monday
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Please note that a right lane and right shoulder closure along I-95 NB beginning at Exit 91 and extending for approximately 1.75 miles will be in effect from Monday through Thursday. This right lane and right shoulder closure will be continuously active, except between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Message boards are being utilized. Please drive carefully.
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| Shore Line East Schedule Change Effective Monday |
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The temporary construction schedule needed for the Amtrak Fitter Interlocking Project will end and the new Shore Line East (SLE) schedule will take effect on Monday. You can review the schedule by clicking HERE.
The new SLE schedule maintains 16 daily trains on weekdays and increases to 16 trains on weekends. Both morning and evening train times have been adjusted. The new SLE schedule includes a train arriving at New Haven Union Station at 8:30 a.m. and a train departing New Haven Union Station at 5:35 p.m.
Please be mindful that the additional cross-honor trains provided by Amtrak during the construction project will be discontinued effective Monday. These trains include Amtrak 95, 173, 177, 172, 176, and 178. Amtrak trains 93, 137, 86, and 94 will continue participating in the cross-honor program.
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Wrong-Way Detection System Plan Update
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| The CT Department of Transportation is designing wrong-way detection systems to be installed at 27 limited-access highway off-ramps that are considered high-risk locations for wrong-way drivers, including I-95 Southbound at Exit 89 in Groton and I-95 SB at Exit 91 in Stonington.
The design plans for this project are expected to be completed in March 2024 with a tentative advertising date of May 2024.
A few more important details here: This project will install new equipment to the latest standards, such as pedestals, thermal and CCTV cameras, solar panels, cellular modems, internally illuminated signs, and signage. This equipment will be deployed along off-ramps as the primary detection for wrong-way vehicles. The detection will then activate flashing red LED lights located on the borders of internally illuminated wrong-way signs alerting drivers that they are traveling in the wrong direction and need to take corrective action.
Simultaneously, a notification by cellular modem will be sent to Connecticut State Police and CTDOT’s Highway Operations Center to make them aware of a potential wrong-way driver.
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Qs and As From Annual State Fiscal Accountability Meeting
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| As a member of the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee, I recently sat in on our annual state fiscal accountability meeting, which also included the appropriations and finance committees.
I had questions for the Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) and director Neil Ayers regarding debt service and fringe benefits within the special transportation fund, and whether revenues will align with expenditures in the coming years, and if that was an area we could take a deeper look at for relief on the expenditures side. |
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Kindergarten Age Change Beginning in 2024-25
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Beginning in the 2024 -2025 school year, children will need to turn five (5) years old on or before September 1 to be automatically eligible to enroll in kindergarten. Early entrance will be considered for parents of children who turn 5 years old after September 1st.
Groton Public Schools anticipates releasing guidance for the early entrance process in January 2024.
GPS officials will be sharing the plan for the 2024-2025 school year during its next Board of Education meeting on Monday, December 18th.
Please click on the image below which offers more information on the kindergarten age change. |
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| Please click on the image below or scan the QR code for more information regarding the same in Stonington. |
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Reminder: First Apprenticeship Program for Home-Based Child Care Jobs
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| I included this last week but thought it was worth mentioning this great program again for parents who are struggling to find and pay for high-quality childcare!
CT has created its first home-based childcare apprenticeship program, which will provide a new class of expert instructors. This program will be a guide for those looking for a high-demand job in home-based child care.
The apprenticeship is designed to support everyone including aspiring caregivers and children of different cultures and who speak different languages, especially Spanish. This is vital for our diverse community. The program will also improve the quality of early care and education with coursework in child development.
Don't forget - you can earn while you learn! The workforce training program is federally backed and requires a minimum of 2,000 hours working on the job and hundreds of hours of classroom learning. Once a participant completes the program, that person receives credentials, which in turn raises wages and improves the quality of home-based care. Click on the image below to apply. |
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| Follow Santa's route through the city by clicking on the image below. |
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| Do not hesitate to contact me with any thoughts or concerns you may have at Aundre.Bumgardner@cga.ct.gov or 1-800-842-8267. |
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Sincerely,
Aundré Bumgardner
State Representative |
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