Rachel Khanna

On Monday, there was another mass shooting which took the lives of three young children and three adults. According to an article in Axios, this is the 38th mass shooting in March and the 130th since the start of 2023.

We should all have the right to live our everyday lives without the fear of being shot. This is certainly true for our school children. This is why I’m co-sponsoring the Governor’s bill that seeks to prevent acts of gun violence, including mass shootings, community violence, domestic violence, suicides, and accidental shootings. I commend my colleagues in the Judiciary Committee for moving this bill forward. We urgently need to take decisive action to keep our residents safe by strengthening our gun safety laws.

Last week, I had the privilege of participating in LiveGirl Day at the Capitol. LiveGirl’s mission is to build confident, inclusive leaders. It was a pleasure to meet a group of young women advocating for important legislation affecting women and girls (below you'll find some pictures from the day).

There have also been some bills that have come out of committee and moving on to the next steps in the process on their way to becoming law. Check out my video for details. 

Have a great weekend,
Rachel
 

Did you know that Connecticut’s Department of Transportation maintains 21,556 miles of public roads, 60 major bridges, and 234 miles of passenger rail lines? On Wednesday, the Transportation Committee and the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committees had an Informational Forum with the Commissioner of the DOT to hear about their capital improvement plan. Some of the DOT’s priorities are:

• Traffic Safety, including Vision Zero planning and the implementation of a Highway Safety Improvement Plan
• Keeping the roads, bridges and other transportation amenities in good repair
• Addressing congestion, and rail and bus travel times
• Working on active transportation programs, such as complete streets and community connectivity grants to make roads safer and more accessible to all.

Check out some of the DOT’s active projects map here.

Locally, many of you know that Greenwich Harbor is long overdue for dredging. Greenwich Harbor is a federal channel so it is the government’s responsibility to maintain it. Thanks to Congressman Jim Himes, the federal government has agreed to pay $500,000 for the Army Corps of Engineers to test the sediment in Greenwich Harbor for contamination, which is required before any dredging can start.

The results of this environmental review will dictate how the project can proceed. 

I had so much fun participating in the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus LiveGirl Day at the State Capitol last Friday. I am so impressed with this group of young women who are advocating for important legislation to build an inclusive, equitable future.

Among the day's activities, these confident young women learned more about the legislative process and met with Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas and Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz. 

Founded in 2014, LiveGirl is a nonprofit based in Connecticut that builds confident leaders. LiveGirl's mission is to prepare the next generation of brave females with the skills & connections so that ALL girls can make a positive impact.

Waste Free Greenwich, in partnership with the Greenwich Conservation Commission, is hosting the 2nd annual ReThink Waste Fair on Saturday, April 1st from 11am-3pm at the Christ Church Parish Hall. The fair is an engaging, family-friendly event that explores creative ways to “rethink” our waste through the 6Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle and Rot.

At noon, First Selectman Camillo and town officials will issue an Earth Day Proclamation, and the Greenwich Sustainability Committee will announce the recipients of its newly established Sustainability Award, which recognizes Greenwich residents who embody the principles of the committee.

For further information, visit https://www.wastefreegreenwich.org/events/2023/1/15/rethink-waste-fair 

Sign up for the Live Like Luke Beach Cleanup on Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Greenwich Point Park in memory of Luke Meyers.

Celebrate Earth Day by grabbing a bucket and heading to Greenwich Point to keep our shorelines clean and safe for wildlife and visitors. The event honors the legacy of Luke Meyers, an aspiring environmental activist who inspired so many in our community to action.

Luke was a dedicated environmental advocate who lost his battle with cancer in 2019.

From now until September 3, 2023, the Frank Family Foundation Special Exhibitions Gallery at Greenwich Historical Society is home to “Sports! More Than Just a Game.” This dynamic exhibition on the local history of sporting culture, fandom and celebrity that explores how Greenwich and surrounding communities broke boundaries, tested their limits, and found common ground through athletic achievement.