Jennifer Leeper

Happy Friday! I hope you had a great first week of the new year.

In this week's eblast, you can read about an upcoming visit to the White House, events I'll be hosting before our legislative session begins, and more. You can click on the links below to navigate between sections.

• White House Visit + Feedback
• DOT Event + Road Diet Proposal on Post Road
• Get Your COVID and Flu Shot Today
• 2024 Environmental Summit
• Bottle and Can Collection Drive
• Fairfield Museum's IMAGES Exhibition Submissions
• Creating Community Event
• Experience Fairfield's January Calendar of Events

I'm excited to share with you that I’ve been invited to the White House next Wednesday for the “Communities in Action” forum. I’ve been asked to come prepared to discuss how the Biden/Harris administration's policies have benefitted our community.

Whether it be emergency pandemic funds that helped businesses keep employees on their payrolls, supplement unemployment insurance, or fund air filters for our schools so we could get students back in buildings, the Administration has contributed billions to our state during a historically difficult period. 

Beyond the emergency aid, CT has benefitted from:

• the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investing in our roads, rail, and bridges;
• the Inflation Reduction Act delivering historic investment in green technologies and jobs helping us meet our clean air goals;
• the CHIPS Act bolstering American manufacturing (the backbone of CT’s economy);
• the PACT Act ensuring our veterans can get the care they’ve earned; and
• the Safer Communities Act, the first common sense gun reforms in 30 years.

While the past several years have been historically challenging both domestically and globally, and it’s easy to lose faith in our institutions, positive and meaningful work has been accomplished. 


Before I go on my trip, I would love to hear from you about any specific ways this Administration has delivered for you, even if it’s the $35/month cap on insulin or the $2,000 annual out of pocket cap on drugs. Is there an infrastructure project or climate policy that has felt especially meaningful? Please reply to this email to let me know, and I will take your stories with me to the White House next week.

I hope you'll join me, the Fairfield delegation, First Selectman Bill Gerber, and CT Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto on Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 6pm at Sacred Heart University's theater on West Campus (3135 Eastern Turnpike) to discuss the DOT's Complete Streets Policy. Complete Streets Policies are aimed at creating roadways that work for everyone. By ensuring the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit customers of all ages and abilities, safety is improved, and a stronger transportation network is created. I'm looking forward to having a productive and educational conversation to discuss how these policies apply to our own community!

On that note, I also want to discuss the "road diet" proposal on Fairfield's Post Road. State officials are designing plans to restripe and resurface Post Road between Rennell Drive and Beaumont Street, and reduce the lanes from four to three. The goal is to reduce vehicle speeds and create a new bike lane. 

While it may seem that reducing the number of lanes would increase congestion, research shows the opposite: road diets can actually reduce congestion and provide many safety benefits, like slower speeds, a more secure left-turn lane, and more room for bikers.

I encourage you to read this article from the CT Insider for more information.

With the holiday season freshly behind us and people spending more time indoors, COVID and flu numbers are once again on the rise in the U.S. Fortunately, this wave of infections has been less severe than prior years, but it's still critical to stay on top of your vaccinations.

For more information and to find a vaccine near you, visit https://www.vaccines.gov/. You can get both your flu shot and COVID vaccine at the same time.

On Tuesday, Jan. 23, the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters will host their 2024 Environmental Summit at the Connecticut Science Center (250 Columbus Blvd, Hartford). They will discuss important environmental issues including food waste, energy solutions, and reducing vehicle emissions. Climate issues are only increasing in relevancy, and I hope you'll consider attending this important event.

North Stratfield School will be holding monthly redeemable bottle and can collection drives to raise funds for the PTA while recycling! The first collection drive will be this Sunday, Jan. 7 from 9am-1pm at North Stratfield School. You can find more info in the graphic below.

 

Please save your beverage containers and help spread the word to get these containers out of the single stream, into a redemption center, and to generate funds for our kids. 

There are only a couple days left to get your submissions in for the Fairfield Museum’s annual IMAGES juried photography exhibition! IMAGES celebrates the exceptional work of talented regional photographers. Open to professional, serious amateur, and student photographers from Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, photographs submitted will be of the following categories: Landscape, Portrait, Nature, Abstract, and Architecture.

Artists may submit up to 10 images as either a Professional/Serious Amateur or Student Photographer (active student under 24 years of age). Three jurors will choose photographs to be presented in conjunction with an exhibition of work by Isabel Chenoweth Photography.

The Grand Prize Winner in the Professional/Serious Amateur category will be awarded an exhibition at George Billis Gallery in Fairfield, CT. The Student Photographer winner will receive a portfolio review from the IMAGES Featured Photographer, Isabel Chenoweth.

Submissions will be accepted until 11:59pm on Sunday, Jan. 7. Visit the GoGo Photo Contest page to get your submissions in. I can't wait to see your work!

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, families and friends of all ages are invited to a day celebrating different cultures and communities in Fairfield and Connecticut. Visit the Fairfield Museum on Monday, Jan. 15 from 10am-1pm to explore “Creating Community,” their newly renovated exhibition, and enjoy storytelling with Darlene Kascak from the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation.

Enjoy many hands-on activities like making family memory keepsakes, a tree walk, and more. Visit their website for the full program schedule for this free event.

Experience Fairfield has released their January calendar of events, which includes celebrations of the arts, local sports, and community activites. There's something for everyone in this calendar, so I hope you'll take a look.