Bills, glorious bills, greet writer on her return home

Back to reality.

I left home on Mother's Day and returned on Father's Day. It was an interesting five weeks away.

The first five nights were spent at Yale New Haven Hospital St. Raphael campus where I had major surgery. After that I was at a short-term rehab getting stronger and learning how to use a walker. It was nice not to have to shop, cook, or clean!

I fell in my kitchen after our Mother's Day dinner and broke my femur, fractured my arm, and got a gash near my eyebrow that required five stitches.

It was a Mother's Day to remember.

Today I've spent several hours going through a pile of mail - mostly bills - and catching up on emails and texts.

I've really missed writing my blog and keeping up with the goings-on in our Valley community. I hope to get back to it tomorrow.

My new theme will be Recuperation Journey: 2.0. 

As the saying goes, expect the unexpected. I know I will from now on.

TEAM in Derby offers assistance with heating, water, sewer bills

 

Rochelle lauds passage of bills to support veterans

State Rep. Kara Rochelle

HARTFORD - State Rep. Kara Rochelle (D-Ansonia, Derby) co-sponsored two pieces of legislation passed this session aimed at assisting veterans’ re-entry into the workforce through access to workforce training and job placement programs. Additionally, Rochelle also co-sponsored a bill to help families of certain members of the Armed Forces obtain in-state student status for the purpose of tuition charges.

“Our veterans and their families deserve our utmost respect and support,” Rochelle said. “We owe them a debt of gratitude and more than just words, we owe them real, tangible support. These pieces of legislation do just that. It is a privilege to serve those who have served our country. I am proud to have co-sponsored all of these bills this session.”

A closer look at the bills:

· SB 968, An Act Establishing A Military To Machinists Program For Veterans - This bill provides a jobs pipeline for our veterans to re-enter the civilian workforce while strengthening Connecticut's manufacturing industry. Veterans have transferable skills that would be a fit in the field of manufacturing and this program bridges gaps in training and provides access to good paying jobs in manufacturing.


· SB 951, An Act Concerning Veteran Enrollment In Certain Alternative Route To Certification Programs - This bill reserves 15 percent of available seats for veterans in certain alternate route to certification programs to help veterans become certified teachers. Our veterans' leadership skills and core values would certainly be beneficial in the classroom.

· HB 7248, An Act Concerning In-State Student Status For Spouses And Children Of Certain Members of The Armed Forces - This bill allows spouses and children of certain members of the armed forces to be considered in-state students for the purpose of tuition charges.

This is a press release from Rochelle's office.

Rochelle lauds legislation to protect environment

HARTFORD - State Rep. Kara Rochelle, D-Ansonia, Derby, has praised critical legislation passed this session that will help combat pollution and spur clean, affordable energy solutions.

Kara Rochelle

Rochelle supported bills that allow for the installation of hundreds of wind turbines off the coast of Bridgeport, New Haven, and New London to help decrease dependency on nuclear power while lowering energy cost; phases out the use of plastic bags, which contribute to the pollution of our water and land; bans fracking waste, which is toxic and poses health and environmental risks if brought in from other states; and a bill that creates a framework for growing green job industries in the state.

“Good environmental policy is about our health, protecting our water, soil, and air from pollution, lowering energy costs, job growth in rapidly growing industries, and remaining regionally competitive," Rochelle said. "These bills are a positive, sound step forward.” 

Here’s a closer look at the bills:

HB House Bill 7156, An Act Concerning The Procurement of Energy Derived From Offshore Wind: This bill provides for the installation of hundreds of wind turbines off the CT coat in areas like Bridgeport, New Haven, and New London to lower Connecticut’s energy costs while decreasing reliance on nuclear power and other forms of electricity.

Phasing out Plastic Bags: Aug. 1 was the first day a $.10 fee was collected for the use of plastic bags. 
Reusable bags are being encouraged now before plastic bags are banned altogether in the summer of 2021, as part of legislation passed this year and included in the budget.

SB Senate Bill 753, An Act Concerning the State-wide Ban on Fracking Waste: This bill bans collecting, storing, handling, applying, disposing of and using hydraulic fracturing waste in Connecticut. Fracking is the injection of high-pressured fracking liquid into subterranean rocks and boreholes to fracture the rocks in order to extract gas or oil. 
The process can cause toxic water, soil and air pollution while also increasing the potential for oil spills and earthquakes. 

Fracking itself isn’t practiced in Connecticut but according to a watch-dog group,   www.foodandwaterwatch.org, fracking waste brought in from other states is still a very real danger – one we eliminate with the passage of this bill.

HB5002, An Act Concerning A Green Economy And Environmental Protection will create a framework for growing our green energy industries and creates a study regarding energy efficiency initiatives for state-owned buildings. It is critical that we work to separate ourselves from pollutant energy sources, while also driving down energy costs and building our economy in growing green job fields.

This is a press release from Rochelle's office.