Dominique Johnson

Connecticut was home to several notable moments in Black history. The Canterbury Female Boarding School, the first boarding school for young Black girls in the country, was in Canterbury. Abolitionist John Brown was born in Torrington. The 29th Colored Regiment, an all-Black regiment based out of Fair Haven during the Civil War, were one of the first units to enter Richmond, Virginia after it was abandoned by the Confederate Army. Click here to read more about Black history in our state.
 
Thanks to the tireless work of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus and other colleagues in the General Assembly in 2019, Connecticut became the first state to require public schools to include Black and Latino history in their curriculums. Black history is American history, and this law ensures that the stories and triumphs of Black Americans will be taught throughout the school year. 

I encourage you to take some time to celebrate and learn more about Black history, locally and throughout America. Connecticut is home to several organizations that honor and celebrate the Black experience, such as the Amistad Center for Art & Culture in Hartford, and the Ruby and Calvin Fletcher African American Museum in Stratford.
 
Click here to find more places that honor and support Black history and culture in our state.

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Norwalk 

The City of Norwalk announced that it has teamed up with SimplifyCT and kicked off its annual no-cost, full-service Volunteer Tax Assistance Program. Through IRS-certified volunteers, Norwalk is offering in-person and virtual tax return preparation services at several locations in Norwalk through April 15, 2024. These services are being offered in English and Spanish on Tuesdays through Saturdays. This program is the nation’s largest, free, volunteer-run tax assistance service and is available to all individuals regardless of income or age.

Below is SimplifyCT’s weekly in-person schedule in Norwalk. Appointments are required and can be made by calling the phone numbers below.

• Tuesdays from 1:30 pm – 7:00 pm
  •  Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Avenue
  •  You can make an appointment by calling 860-590-8910  
• Wednesdays from 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
  • South Norwalk Library, 10 Washington Street
  •  You can make an appointment by calling 203-899-2790
•  Thursdays from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
  • Norwalk Library, 1 Belden Avenue
  • You can make an appointment by calling 203-899-2780
•  Fridays from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
  • Norwalk Senior Center, 11 Allen Road
  • You can make an appointment by calling 203-847-3115
• Saturdays from 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
  • Norwalk Library, 1 Belden Avenue and South Norwalk Library, 10 Washington Street
  • You can make an appointment by calling 203-899-2780 for the Norwalk Library and 203- 899-2790 for the South Norwalk Library

Westport

The VITA/IRS Volunteer Tax Assistance Program returns, offering free tax return preparation for residents. The free program is available in many communities. In Westport, services will be offered at Westport Town Hall on Mondays from 1-7 p.m. and the Center for Senior Activities on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Westport residents can register online at https://simplifyct.org while other communities will be able to schedule as times are announced.

Before beginning the process online or in person, taxpayers must have the following information:

February is Heart Month, an annual observance highlighting the importance of cardiovascular health. Heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the United States, causing an estimated 695,000 deaths in 2021, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The CDC’s Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System states that more than 3,000 Norwalk adults reported a heart disease diagnosis.

To commemorate the month, Norwalk Health Department will offer these heart health programs and services in February:

Learn your numbers including blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference-at one of two free Health Department screening events:

• Tuesday Feb. 6 from 2 until 4 p.m. at Norwalk Public Library, 1 Belden Avenue.
• Tuesday Feb. 20 from 9:30 until 11:30 a.m. at Smilow Life Center, 55 Chestnut Street in SoNo.

More Learn Your Numbers info is at  Know Your Numbers | Norwalk, CT – Official Website (norwalkct.gov)

• Get a free HIV test on Wednesday Feb. 14 from 9 a.m. until noon and 1 until 4 p.m. at the Health Department, 137 East Avenue.

Friday, Feb. 2 is Wear Red Day, marking the National Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” campaign. To increase heart disease prevention awareness, wear red on Friday, Feb. 2, take a photo, and share it.

Thursday was National Unclaimed Property Day, a great time to take a moment to see if YOU have money to claim. 

Visit CTBigList.com, Connecticut’s official unclaimed property website, to easily search for your property for free. If you find something, you can instantly file a claim. There is no time limit to claim your funds. 

Lost or forgotten money and other property is handed over to the Connecticut Office of the Treasurer for safekeeping until it can be claimed by its rightful owners. This unclaimed property can include unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts, utility deposits and refunds, annuities, and more. Most unclaimed property owners are individuals, but corporations, municipalities, schools, nonprofits, hospitals, and small businesses are also among those who’ve found they have money owed to them.  

Connecticut has returned more than $1 billion to rightful owners through the unclaimed property program. It’s estimated that one in seven Americans has unclaimed property waiting for them. Visit CTBigList.com today and find out if you have money coming to you, too.

Sincerely,

Dominique Johnson
State Representative