James Sánchez

It's a chilly start to November with rain and even some snow showers in parts Connecticut. It has not been this cold since March! Now is the time to apply for home heating assistance before the mercury drops even further. Please read below to learn more about this valuable resource.

I have an update on the multifaceted plan to transform Hartford and the surrounding area. The Connecticut Department of Transportation is hosting a pair of informational meetings to provide more information on its study. Keep scrolling to find out where you can provide your valuable feedback.

These are the sections in today's email:

• Home Heating Assistance
• Public Information Meeting on Greater Hartford Mobility Study
• Funding for Tutors at CREC Schools
• Veterans Informational Meeting

You have two opportunities to learn more, ask questions, and provide feedback on the state’s plan to transform the Greater Hartford area. There will be two in-person public meetings on the Greater Hartford Mobility Study.

The first will take place on Thursday, November 9 from 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. at the Chrysalis Center at 255 Homestead Avenue in Hartford. The second meting will be on Thursday, November 16 from 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. at the Cultural Community Center at 50 Chapman Place in East Hartford.

• CityLink West addresses safety, reduces the number of ramps in the Study Core, and improves connectivity between neighborhoods and green spaces/parks. Lowering the highway would link neighborhoods currently severed by the highway and create additional developable land while improving rail and bus service that share the corridor.
• CityLink East proposes to mitigate highway congestion in downtown Hartford by relocating the I-84/I-91 interchange and creating a new bridge connecting I-84 and Route 2 in East Hartford. This redesign would separate local and highway traffic and reclaim the historic Bulkeley Bridge for local traffic, including opportunities for dedicated high-capacity transit facilities, separated bike lanes, and improve sidewalks.
• River Gateway connects Hartford’s central business district with the Connecticut River. It allows for equitable access to green space, would mitigate some of the visual and noise impacts of I-91, and create an urban boulevard to strengthen local travel options. In addition, a new bridge would connect the Sheldon/Charter Oak neighborhood with a new, river-oriented, mid-rise neighborhood in East Hartford. The bridge would prioritize bus, bicycle, and pedestrian travel while accommodating automobile traffic.
• Founders Gateway proposes to consolidate the I-84/Route 2 interchange ramps in East Hartford. It would open significant acres of land to potential development and provide opportunities to strengthen the local street grid.

Several early action projects would be implemented within the next five years for the traveling public to reap the benefits of improved mobility and safety while the four major components of the program undergo National and Connecticut Environmental Policy Act reviews.
 
The state’s vision has the power to transform our city and surrounding communities, making the Greater Hartford more attractive for economic development and improved quality of life.

The Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) received $532,500 to build and boost a high-dosage tutoring program for more than 400 students.

This is part of a larger $11.5 million investment to 46 school districts from the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) to address learning loss following the pandemic, ensuring students have intensive, curriculum-aligned support to close academic gaps.

With this grant, CREC schools are taking an important step toward ensuring that all students have access to the individualized support for success. High-dosage tutoring is a proven intervention that can help our youth make significant gains in their academic achievement.

The Connecticut High-Dosage Tutoring program will allocate funding to schools for the 2023-24 academic year and the first half of the 2024-25 academic year.