Eleni Kavros DeGraw

I hope you enjoyed the magic and the wonder of the eclipse on Monday whether you were in your own backyard or at a local watch party. While we may not have been in the path of totality, we certainly saw quite an astronomical show.
 
Tomorrow at the Cap, the Women’s Business Development Council Day is hosting Women-Owned Business Day. I’m looking forward to popping in between meetings to meet some of the amazing women business owners from across the state.
 
We will be in session two days next week and as you may have seen the Senate has already passed a few bills we hope to take up in the House as well. We also will have the 3^rd annual CGA Bipartisan Kickball Tournament on Monday afternoon and we would love to see you and your families join us. I’m so grateful to have been a founding member and a continuing co-chair of the kickball caucus because one of the best outcomes of this event, in addition to all the money we have raised for charities, are the relationships we have built across the aisle.
 
Exciting news today in Canton as the Governor announced two large grants going to two of our non-profits. I’ve heard from many of you that you would like us to continue prioritizing funding to our non-profits and I’m grateful we have been able to provide over $300 million in the past few years to them after years of cuts of flat funding.

And finally, to our Muslim friends, I hope you had a prayerful Ramadan and I’m wishing you a joyous Eid-al-Fitr.
 
Have a great week,

Eleni

Remember - Dunkin' Park is CASHLESS!

Also, the parking lot directly across from the stadium is no longer accessible, but there is plenty of parking around Dunkin' Park. You can find parking options HERE. Make sure you have cash on you for parking.

You’ve probably noticed in your backyards and neighborhoods (or at least on your social media feeds), that our large, lumbering, furry bears are awake from their torpor. It’s a good time to take in your birdfeeders for the season (if you had them out) and it’s a good reminder that your feathered friends don’t need your seed for the majority of the year. And, it’s a bad idea to have them out while the bears are looking for food you are putting not just yourself, but your neighbors at risk for an unwanted visitor.

"But, Eleni, I love having the birds in my yard..."

Well, to be fair, so do I. It might surprise you to know, the birds are there whether you feed them or not. I say this because I’ve been using an app from the Cornell Lab called Merlin Bird ID. You pick the part of the country you’re in, and once you’ve set your location, you can start listening. Below you can see the results from a recent early morning on my back porch having a quiet cup of tea and a listen. I believe you can also use the app for photo ID, but it’s wonderful to know that even without our birdfeeders, you can enjoy the birds in your backyard, and without the interference of the bears. The best part of the app is it’s free so you can try it today Merlin Bird ID!

Please visit the Avon Free Public Library, 281 Country Club Road, on Tuesday, April 16th, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and find out which items should be placed into your recycling bin (What’s IN) and which items belong elsewhere (What’s OUT)! Guest speaker Emma MacDonald from the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) will provide an overview of acceptable materials in CT’s mixed recycling program. They will answer questions about recycling and trash. Please come learn with us. For more information please contact the Adult Services Reference  Desk avonref@avonctlibrary.info 860-673-9712 x 7203. To register for the event, please click HERE.

• Avon Free Public Library, 281 Country Club Road
• Canton Public Library, 40 Dyer Ave.

For a full list of participating libraries, please CLICK HERE.