COVID 4.27

April 27, 2021

I started my morning with my second COVID vaccine shot at Sharon Hospital, an event I have been very much looking forward to.  The group of us with appointments this morning (for either first or second shots) spanned a wide range of different approaches to vaccination. Some, like me, were excited about the prospect of eating out, travel to see family and friends, or just a general lessening of anxiety.  Others were nervous, concerned about underlying conditions, adverse reactions, or news reports they’d read; they asked lots of questions which the medical staff fielded thoroughly, and with knowledge, compassion, and understanding.  Some were impatient about having to take time out of their day to get this done: their concerns were addressed by the smooth efficiency of the operation (my only waiting time was the required 15 minutes after the shot, to make sure I wasn’t have any adverse reactions).  A couple of us had a conversation about family members who, because of challenging work and school schedules, just hadn’t made the time to do this, and shared thoughts about how to motivate them to make the appointment.  
 
There might be many different reasons why you or a family member feel hesitant about the vaccine.  If you have health concerns, contact your medical provider and ask all your questions: there is a lot of good information out there, but make sure you’re getting it from a professional, not just from the internet.  If you have logistical or timing concerns, it is getting much easier now to get access to the vaccine, and the process is getting smoother every day, so, um, give it a shot!
 
Special thanks to Stacy for answering all of my questions this morning, and for her flawless execution of the shot!

Here’s a list of today’s topics:

  • Summer Enrichment Program Funded by the American Rescue Plan. Click here.
  • April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Click here.
  • Food Waste Pilot Program at Salisbury-Sharon Transfer Station. Click here.
  • May 1 is James Mars Day. Click here
  • SNAP Benefits Update. Click here.

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “Data Tracker.”
 

Specific Updates for Our Community

 

Town Total Cases Total Deaths Number of Tests Number of Positive Tests
Canaan 11 0 803 16
Cornwall 47 0 2,203 56
Goshen 151     1     5,241 184
Kent 162 0 12,031 195
Norfolk 66 0 2,341 76
North Canaan 205 8 10,310 230
Salisbury 142 0 11,920 171
Sharon 108 1 5,338     146
Torrington 3,424 140     89,916 4,198

 
AnchorSummer Enrichment Program funded by the American Rescue Plan
 
Connecticut’s summer enrichment program, which came out of discussions organized by the state's AccelerateCT task force, will provide $11 million in grants to various stakeholders to both expand existing summer enrichment programs as well as build out new, innovative programs. The $11 million comes directly from the dedicated funding for summer enrichment in the American Rescue Plan, and will be awarded through a two-pronged approach, with “expansion grants” and “innovation grants.”
 
Expansion Grants will enable program providers to support and scale up existing high-quality programs in order to reach students they wouldn’t otherwise have the capacity to serve. Some ways they can use this funding would be to subsidize enrollment costs for students with free/reduced-price lunch status, hire more staff, rent larger facilities, or expand ages served, among other ways. Grants will largely go to community-based organizations, child care centers, municipal-run programs, and school district-run programs. Grants will fund up to $25,000, and applicants can apply for up to three grants, with a maximum of one grant per site/location an organization operates. 
 
Innovation Grants will help any entity provide students from underserved communities with access to bold, new summer programming. The grants will prioritize programs that can demonstrate the ability to quickly build and operationalize their program for this summer while demonstrating an evidence-based track record of improving student outcomes. Applicants can apply for grants between $50,000 and $250,000, with one application per organization possible. 
 
TimelineExpansion Grants and Innovation Grants applications are due on May 10th at 5pm, with the announcement of awardees on May 24th. Grants can fund programs covering the time period of June 1st-September 3rd, 2021. 

 
AnchorApril is Child Abuse Prevention Month

On Tuesday, before our House Session began, I joined a group of legislators and advocates to mark Child Abuse Prevention month by standing up in support of several House bills combatting child sexual abuse. The conversation was framed by the harrowing statistic that, every hour, a new allegation of child abuse is made in CT, and made powerfully real by a victim of child sexual abuse, who bravely shared her story with us.

HB 6113- An Act Concerning the Provision of Information Concerning Child Sex Abuse. This bill requires information regarding grooming and sex abuse to be part of registration information for childhood sports, camps, youth groups. 
 
HB 6399 - An Act Concerning Center for Disease Control’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey. This bill adds a question to the CDC survey given yearly to middle school and high school students across CT to ascertain the prevalence of adult sexual misconduct towards children. We can’t fix what we don’t know — this is a necessary step in combating the problem.
 
HB 6417 — An Act Concerning Background Check for Certain Employees of Youth Camps — requires Office of Early Childhood licensed youth camps to utilize standard background checks, both in CT and nationwide, for employees over 18.
 
HB 6511 — An Act Concerning Background Checks for Youth Sports Coaches, Trainers, and Instructors.  To require youth sports coaches, instructors, and athletic trainers who are 18 or older to submit to a comprehensive background check -- the same check required under HB 6417.  
 
Take some time this month to learn how protective factors and adverse childhood experiences impact families and communities. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3azJbXT

AnchorFood Waste Pilot Program at Salisbury Sharon Transfer Station 

Food waste comprises more than a quarter of our solid waste: it’s heavy, messy, and expensive for our towns to handle. 

An exciting new pilot program at the Salisbury-Sharon Transfer Station to remove food waste from the general solid waste stream and recycle it into valuable compost will start on May 1st and run through September 30th, thanks to the efforts of Barbara Bettigole (Chair of the Transfer Station Recycling Advisory Committee) and Brian Bartram (Manager of the Transfer Station). 

As of this weekend, 90 people had signed up!  This weekend, I did a video with Barbara and Brian on the program, which you can watch here

Here’s how it works:

  • APRIL 27th – MAY 1st (except for Wednesday):  Stop by the Transfer Station at your convenience to pick up your complimentary countertop bin, yellow bucket, and biobag liners, and to take a look at the collection area.  There will be a table near the swap shop area (sadly not open yet).  If no one is sitting at the table, use the intercom at the Transfer Station office door and ask for Brian Bartram, who will give you your kit.
  • MAY 1st:  First day for bringing your food waste to the collection area at the Transfer Station.
  • MAY 4th: Curbside Compost will make its first pick-up of the food waste collected at the Transfer Station and transport it to a commercial compost facility.
  • Biobags will be required for the drop off of organics at the station, in order to mitigate odors and keep the area clean.  For countertop containers, use BPI-certified compostable bags as liners, then simply knot the bag (no twist ties) when full and store in your yellow bucket until ready to drop off in the collection bins at the Transfer Station. We recommend storing the yellow bucket in a shed, garage, or secure outdoor space (safe from bears).  Here’s a tip from an experienced composter: If you have a large freezer, you can store your organics there (in a biobag) until you are ready to take them to the Transfer Station.
  • For those of you who kindly offered help, there are a few opportunities now and likely some in the future.  Right now:  Shifts at the Transfer Station, giving out the starter kits for program participants.  Soon: Design and assembly of a self-explanatory and permanent recycling help table. All volunteers should wear masks at the station.
  • For questions about the program, contact Barbara Bettigole at foodwastepilot@gmail.com or Transfer Station manager Brian Bartram at transferstation@saliburyct.us, or call the Transfer Station (860-435-5178).

 
Please note that you must be a resident of Salisbury or Sharon and have your Transfer Station sticker on your vehicle’s windshield or a copy of the form showing proof of payment.
 
AnchorMay 1 is officially James Mars Day!
 
On Saturday, May 1, a team of students from Salisbury School, working with the Church of Chris, Congregational UCC of Norfolk, and the Norfolk Historical Society, will present a Witness Stone in honor of one of Norfolk’s most extraordinary citizens, formerly enslaved person James Mars, in recognition of Mars’ dedication to that parish.  At the age of eight, Mars was the last slave sold in Norfolk, and after purchasing his freedom went on to become an esteemed deacon and activist in both Norfolk and Hartford. 
 
The project to shine light on the life of James Mars and other enslaved individuals in Connecticut is part of the Witness Stones Project, which has a mission to learn about “forgotten local history, to rewrite the stories that have been told incorrectly, and to uncover lives that have been ignored or buried. Through research, education, and civic engagement, the (project) seeks to restore the history and to honor the humanity and contributions of the enslaved individuals who helped build our communities,” according to its online mission statement.
 
The Witness Stone ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. at the Norfolk Church of Christ at 12 Village Green, and will include an official proclamation from Governor Lamont declaring May 1 to be “James Mars Day” in recognition of this extraordinary life. For more information, click here.  
 
 
AnchorConnecticut’s SNAP-eligible households to receive additional emergency food benefits April 27 and 28
 
The Connecticut Department of Social Services announced that it will deliver $32 million in Emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to over 220,000 Connecticut households on Tuesday, April 27, and Wednesday, April 28. This is the first time emergency SNAP benefits are going to all enrolled households, resulting from an executive order by President Biden.
 
For additional information about SNAP, visit www.ct.gov/SNAP.
 
Providing information to Connecticut residents
 
For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus. Residents can also subscribe to text message alerts from the state by texting the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.
 
Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Anyone who is out-of-state or requires a toll-free number can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 by dialing 1-800-203-1234. This is intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms are strongly urged to contact their medical provider.