Rebecca Martinez

Happy Friday!

It was an honor to present this citation to the Plainville Congregational Church recognizing their 175th anniversary. This church has been a staple in our community for generations, serving as a place of worship, hosting local events, and bringing the community together, and they deserve all the praise in the world!

If you're insured through the Access Health CT exchange, you may have recently received a postcard in the mail—and it's worth paying attention to.

People who receive tax credits or subsidies for their affordable health care plans could see those benefits change or even disappear. This small piece of mail could be alerting you to major changes coming to your health insurance costs.

It’s important to review your current plan now because what you’re paying this year might not be the same next year.

Visit AccessHealthCT.com/get-help to make sure your information is up to date. You can also sign up for text updates or call Access Health CT directly at 1-855-901-2428.

More information will be coming soon—so keep an eye out and stay informed.

An important reminder that the Helen & Danny Coughlin Memorial Walk is this Saturday, Sept. 20 at Norton Park (1-15 Norton Park Rd., Plainville) from 9am-1pm.

PARC provides family centered services for people with developmental disabilities, supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community, and this yearly event is their largest fundraiser. 

I hope you'll come out to support this important, and FUN, event!

You can read more about the event here.

• Hispanic Heritage Month
• A Boost in Local Infrastructure Project Funding
• COVID-19 Vaccine Access Protected in Connecticut
• Automatic Admission to Some CT Colleges and Universities
• National Voter Registration Day
• Connecticut Receives a Credit Rating Boost
• Plainville Events
• Farmington Events
• Southington Events

The federal government has created uncertainty and confusion around access to the COVID-19 vaccine. In response to these actions, Governor Ned Lamont has implemented several executive actions to ensure that residents who wish to be vaccinated continue to have access to vaccines and that coverage remains uninterrupted under state-regulated health insurance policies. The actions will:

• Permit pharmacists to order, prescribe, and administer the vaccine.
• Establish statewide guidelines for who is eligible to receive the vaccine - Adults of all ages can receive COVID-19 vaccinations at pharmacies and medical practices while children between 6 months and 18 years of age can receive vaccinations through pediatric providers participating in the Connecticut Vaccine Program (CVP).

The accessibility of vaccines should not be determined by partisan politics. These changes will ensure that Connecticut residents and doctors alike have all the tools necessary to keep us healthy.

Click here to learn more.

Governor Ned Lamont is reminding Connecticut high school students that earning good grades can lead to automatic admission to several public and private colleges and universities through a new state initiative that makes applying to college easier.

Launched in 2022, the Connecticut Automatic Admission Program (CAAP) is available to all graduating seniors in the state who have at least:

• A 3.0 weighted GPA or
• A 2.75 unweighted GPA

With just one application, students are automatically admitted to 10 participating colleges and universities, and the program eliminates common barriers by waiving application fees, essays, and recommendation letters. CAAP is administered by the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system in partnership with the nonprofit organization Common App, which helps streamline the college application process for eligible students.

Participating colleges and universities include:

• Central Connecticut State University
• Eastern Connecticut State University
• Southern Connecticut State University
• Western Connecticut State University
• Albertus Magnus College
• Goodwin University
• Mitchell College
• University of Bridgeport
• University of Hartford
• University of New Haven

After students apply through the Common App, eligible applicants will receive acceptance letters notifying them of their admission and encouraging them to enroll in one of the participating schools. The process requires only one application form and has no application fees.

The application period for Connecticut high school seniors planning to start college in the 2026-2027 academic year is currently open and will remain so until May 1, 2026.

All high school students in Connecticut are encouraged to take advantage of this valuable opportunity. Click here for more details and application instructions.

This week was National Voter Registration Day! Your voice matters—make it count!

If you're not already registered to vote, click here to find your voter registration location.

Employees will be there to help you get registered quickly and easily. Take a few minutes today to make a big difference tomorrow!

If you can't make it in person click here to register online.
Register. Vote. Be Heard.

Thanks to sound fiscal management, Connecticut will receive another credit rating boost! Moody's and Fitch attribute the move to strong budgets, aggressive pension liability payments, and strong revenue growth. This is the seventh and eighth credit increases our state has received since the start of the Lamont administration.

So, why does this matter? These ratings upgrades will result in even greater demand for our bonds, creating savings for taxpayers, while freeing up resources for the state to make critical investments in education, housing, social services, and much more.