Dear Friends,

There’s a good chance you have money waiting to be returned to you, and it’s easy to check.

February 1st is National Unclaimed Property Day, and while the official day has passed there has never been a better time to check to see if YOU have money to claim.

Connecticut’s official unclaimed property website – CTBigList.com – allows you to easily search for unclaimed property for free. If you find something, you can instantly file a claim. There is no time limit to claim your funds.

Lost…

New name. Same great opportunity.

The Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) announced that applications for the Ignite grant, formerly known as the Equity Match Grant, are now being accepted!

The deadline to apply is March 14, 2024. The application is also offered in Spanish.

According to the WBDC, the “ignite grant provides a groundbreaking opportunity for Connecticut women-owned businesses. Since 2020, WBDC has provided grants totaling more than $2.5M to 276 women-owned businesses in every…

Dear friends and neighbors,

The cold winter weather combined with rising inflation and higher costs for groceries is exacerbating the issue of food insecurity and hunger right here in our community and across our state.

Many Connecticut residents are struggling to make ends meet, pay bills, and afford costly medications and food. They can use our help.

A small donation can make a HUGE difference, and many pantries or soup kitchens make it easier than ever to provide a positive impact right from your…

I also wanted you to know about a program that may help lower the cost of your prescription drugs. The ArrayRx discount card program launched in recent months and is FREE for residents.

The program works with a partnership of states to leverage their buying power to lower prescription drug costs.

The card is provided to consumers digitally via e-mail and can be downloaded to smartphone wallets. Using the card, you can save up to 80% on generic medications and 20% on brand name prescriptions.

To learn…

Dear Friends,

The 2024 legislative session begins on Wednesday, Feb. 7th, and with the truncated timeline of the “short session” there will surely be a lot to keep track of.

If you want to follow along with legislative business, many meetings, hearings, and news conferences will be livestreamed through the Connecticut Public Affairs Network.

You can track legislation and find out information about the legislature’s committees by visiting the Connecticut General Assembly’s website.

And you can review…

Happy to attend the Litchfield County Farm Bureau annual meeting. Participants included this year’s 4-H leadership team as well as representatives from the VoAg schools and FFA.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The state’s non-partisan Office of Legislative Research (OLR) has issued its annual report on important issues that the General Assembly may face during the 2024 legislative session that begins on February 7th.

You can view or download the report by clicking here.

Friends and neighbors,

Several new laws will take effect January 1st that could have an impact on you, your business, or our community. I have highlighted some of them below. An expanded list of those that will take effect on January 1, along with summaries, can be accessed here.

The new year also brings the start of a new legislative session – the second year of the biennium which is known colloquially as the “short session” – which begins on February 7, 2024. Due to the truncated timeline of the…

Caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other cognitive issues can be difficult, and frightening if contact is lost with them, even temporarily. For many older individuals with cognitive issues or disorientation, wandering is a very dangerous and potentially life-threatening concern.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, wandering can happen at any time of the day or night and individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia have a 6 in 10 chance of wandering.

Fortunately, Connecticut’s…

Dear Friends,

For all local farmers, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture is accepting proposals for 2024 Farm Transition Grants, which assist Connecticut farmers and agricultural cooperatives in diversifying their operations and their other venues where the majority of their Connecticut-grown products are sold.

Applications are due no later than 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 10, 2024.

Applicants can apply for four unique grant categories:

Farmer Micro Grant

Microgrants to support new individuals/partnerships…