Posted on September 23, 2020 by admin
The Veterans of Foreign Wars is once again accepting applications for the “Patriot’s Pen” and “Voice of Democracy” scholarship awards!
According to the VFW website, The Patriot’s Pen scholarship essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay and expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief.
The 2020-2021 theme for this scholarship is: “What…
Posted on September 18, 2020 by admin
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Commissioner Saadi from the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) wants everyone to know the DVA will once again be hosting the 2020 Stand Down. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event is being planned in a modified form.
Stand Down 2020, begins on Thursday, September 24th with a kickoff ceremony at 9:00 a.m. at the Rocky Hill Campus which will be broadcast live via social media.
Following the ceremony is a day of online informational sessions including…
Posted on September 14, 2020 by admin
The Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) recently announced that Connecticut has been approved for an additional two weeks of Lost Wages Assistance supplemental benefits funded by $44 billion in federal Stafford Act disaster relief. This program will provide an additional $300 per week for any claimant who has a weekly benefit of at least $100 (including the dependency allowance) and who has become unemployed or partially unemployed due to COVID-19.
Payments are expected to be made starting mid-September…
Posted on September 4, 2020 by admin
August 24th PURA Hearing Roundup
Last week, PURA held an evidentiary hearing on docket 20-01-01 concerning the suspended July rate increases for Eversource.
The majority of the hearing focused on questions from PURA, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Office of Consumer Counsel requesting evidentiary data on various rate components. Prior to this hearing, Eversource submitted written answers to some questions.
Some of the discussions included:
Posted on September 3, 2020 by admin
This week, Governor Lamont re-declared Public Health and Civil Preparedness Emergencies for an additional 6 months. By statute, a small group of legislators can reject his declaration of Public Health Emergency if they act within the first 72 hours following the declaration.
Today, I sent a formal letter to legislative leadership requesting their respective committees take up and ultimately reject the governor’s recent actions to extend the emergency powers.
The letter reads:
Dear Senator Looney,…
Posted on September 3, 2020 by admin
The Connecticut Department of Transportation announced that bridge maintenance will be performed on Bridge #00266 carrying Gallivan Lane over I-395 Southbound and Northbound in the town of Montville. This project is scheduled to occur on Thursday, September 3rd, 2020, through approximately Friday, September 25th, 2020.
LANE CLOSURE INFO
Drivers can expect lane closures on I-395 southbound and northbound in the town of Montville; Southbound between Exit 9 to the Montville Rest Area and northbound…
Posted on August 31, 2020 by admin
The Department of Transportation announced they are developing plans to replace signs and sign supports along Route 2, Route 3, Route 11, Route 17, including associated on-ramps and off-ramps, including revisions to mileage-based exit numbering.
The new signs and sign supports will be installed in accordance with the latest federal and state standards and guidelines. The types of signs that will be replaced include, but are not limited to, large overhead and side mounted Guide signs and smaller signs…
Posted on August 26, 2020 by admin
As the extra $600 in additional federal weekly unemployment benefits was set to expire, Governor Lamont applied for extended funding from the federal government to provide an additional weekly wage supplement for Connecticut’s unemployed.
In response to the pandemic and the extended unemployment across our nation, President Trump signed an Executive Order to provide an additional $44 Billion from the Disaster Relief Fund to provide for lost wages.
The program, overseen by FEMA, will be administered…
Posted on August 15, 2020 by admin
Dear Neighbors,
With our normal routines disrupted by the virus, I want to remind you to take advantage of the upcoming “Tax Free Week” which runs from Sunday, August 16 through Saturday, August 22.
Last year, legislators successfully fought back against attempts by the governor to end the weekly tax break event which benefits so many families.
This one-week event eliminates Connecticut’s 6.35 percent sales tax on clothing and footwear costing less than $100 per item. Since sales tax is calculated…
Posted on August 14, 2020 by admin
At the insistence of my office, and that of my legislative colleagues, the state’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) temporarily suspended Eversource’s recent rate increase while it conducts a full review, the purpose of which is to ensure that Eversource is not over-collecting revenues in the short term at the expense of ratepayers. Likewise, a similar rate increase request from United Illuminating has been suspended indefinitely.
PURA has scheduled a formal hearing process for Monday,…