Senior Fair set for today at Warsaw Park in Ansonia

 

Lawmakers to host senior fair Sept. 24 at Warsaw Park in Ansonia

 

Area legislators to hold virtual office hours for community Monday, Saturday

 

Sharing from Rep. Rochelle: 

"I will be continuing my twice-monthly legislative office hours next week. If you have thoughts or questions about the 2021 legislative session that you want to share with me or other state elected officials in our community, join us for Community Office Hours on either Monday, March 15 at 5:30 p.m. or Saturday, March 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

"Derby residents can meet with members of their legislative delegation during the Monday, March 15 Office Hours. 

"Ansonia residents can meet with their legislative delegation during the Saturday, March 20 Office Hours event.

"Please email Liam.ODonnell@cga.ct.gov for the event link and please state which event you would like to attend."

TEAM, lawmakers, Friendly Hands Food Bank partner to distribute food in Seymour

SEYMOUR - Free fresh food boxes will be available to Greater Valley households Monday, Aug. 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Seymour Community Center, 20 Pine St. 
Residents may drive up and get a box of fresh produce.

TEAM, Inc. is partnering with state Representatives Themis Klarides, Nicole Klarides-Ditria, First Selectman Kurt Miller, the region's mayors, first selectmen and lawmakers, and Friendly Hands Food Bank of Torrington to benefit people who need help during this difficult time. 

“This program has been so well received at a time when we all find ourselves in a healthcare crisis and many are out of work," state lawmakers said in a prepared statement.

"The Farmers to Family initiative is making a huge difference for thousands of families in Connecticut." They will distribute 800 boxes of fresh foods.

Logan, Klarides invite public to Woodbridge Legislators' Night Out

Rochelle to host panel at Doyle Senior Center in Ansonia on drug costs

State Rep. Kara Rochelle

HARTFORD - State Rep. Kara Rochelle (D- Ansonia/Derby) will hold a legislative update on initiatives affecting seniors followed by a panel discussion on prescription drug costs from 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 9) at the Joseph A. Doyle Senior Center in Ansonia.

The panel discussing prescription drug costs includes: state Rep. Sean Scanlon (Branford/Guilford), Co-Chair, Insurance Committee, Nathan Tinker, Ph.D and CEO, Connecticut Pharmacists Association, Ken Ferrucci, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the Connecticut State Medical Society, and Anna Doroghazi, Associate State Director, AARP.

The event is open to the public. The senior center is at 153 Main St., Ansonia.

This is a press release from Rochelle's office.

State lawmakers collect donations for homeless veterans

The “Stuff-a-Humvee” event is an annual tradition at the State Capitol to collect donations to benefit Connecticut’s homeless veterans and their families.  
Donations received from Wednesday's event included clothing, health care, and hygiene items for men and women.  
The collections will benefit the South Park Inn in Hartford and the Homes for the Brave in Bridgeport. 

Among participants in the initiative were, from left, House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, Rep. Stephanie Cummings, Rep. Rosa Rebimbas, Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, Rep. David Labriola, and Sen. George S. Logan.


This is a press release from Connecticut State Republicans.

Klarides, Klarides-Ditria take part in 'Women Who Lead' panel in Hartford

State Rep. Themis Klarides, seated at left, and her sister, Nicole Klarides-Ditria, were invited to speak Friday at a Women Who Lead panel in Hartford./ Contributed photo

HARTFORD - State Representatives Themis Klarides, R-Derby, and Nicole Klarides-Ditria, R-Seymour, spoke Friday on the “Women Who Lead” Panel by the Commission on Equity and Opportunity and the Commission on Women, Children and Seniors.

The topic was “The Multigenerational Impact of Women.”

Klarides, Klarides-Ditria and the other panelists spoke to young women about their experiences and how they became leaders.

“The active role that these young women are taking in both their education and community reaffirms my faith in our youth. 
These future leaders will be role models for generations to come as they continue to discover their voices and passions in life and public service. 
It is imperative we have leaders that reflect our communities and everyone has representation.

Thank you to the members and organizers of Women Who Lead, the Commission on Equity and Opportunity and the Commission on Women, Children and Seniors.”

Klarides-Ditria said, "Be yourself, work hard, and don’t let anyone push you around. This is something my mother taught us at an early age and are values we follow today. 
"I never thought I was going to be where I am today but having good women role models in your life and being confident in yourself will help you achieve anything you want in this world.”

Following the statewide elections in 2014, Klarides was unanimously chosen by her colleagues in the House Republican Caucus to be the Caucus Leader - the first woman to hold the position. 

Klarides is also the only female caucus leader in the House and Senate.

In 2016, Rep. Klarides-Ditria ran for state representative in the 105th 
District. She won the election and joined her sister at the state Capitol. Klarides and

Klarides-Ditria became the first sisters to ever serve in the General Assembly.

The other panelists were:

Jestina Gilbert, founder, “I Am Not Afraid”

Cheri Phoenix-Sharpe, General Counsel, Office of the Lieutenant Governor

Marsha McCurdy Adell, firefighter, Town of West Hartford

This is a release from Spencer Rubin, press secretary.

Gentile, colleagues seek cost-saving report from education department

Request update on special ed improvements passed in 2015

HARTFORD - State Reps. Linda M. Gentile, D-Ansonia, Michelle Cook, D-Torrington, and Michael D’Agostino, D-Hamden, recently sent a letter to the state Department of Education requesting a progress report on implementation of cost-saving measures related to special education.

Legislation passed in 2015 directed the department to create a new Individualized Education Program form that is easier for parents and students to understand and implement an online IEP system to be made available to public school districts at no cost. 

IEPs are documents created by the school system for each special education student outlining their educational plans.

The letter states, “We are specifically concerned that the implementation of a digital IEP system allowing districts to share information online with authorized State Department of Education personnel for audit purposes, negating the need for certain site-visits, may never have been implemented.”

The letter requests a progress report specifically on the implementation of Sections 264 to 285 of Public Act 15-5.

“We pushed for the passage of this bill because we knew implementing the new digital IEP form would improve Connecticut’s special education system,” Gentile said. 

“It’s important that we start this cost saving measure as soon as possible and hope that our inquiry to the Department of Education will give us a better understanding as to why certain provisions in the bill have yet to be implemented.”

“We passed these proposals in order to improve the special education system for families and schools while containing costs. IEPs are integral to meeting special education students’ needs, but the lack of a streamlined process can create headaches for everyone involved,” Cook said. “Given the state’s current fiscal situation, it’s particularly concerning that we have not seen the implementation of a digital IEP system. The current system is not cost-efficient for the state or for school districts.”

“The legislation that was signed into law in 2015 sought to strengthen our state’s special education system by putting our students first and ensuring their individual educational needs were met. This bill sought to implement a digital IEP system and develop a new form that was easier for parents and students to understand - at no cost to public schools. Some of these provisions, however, have not yet been implemented. It is vital for us to better understand why these efforts to improve our education system have been stalled so we can identify a way to bring this measure to fruition for the improvement of our children’s schooling,” said D’Agostino.

This is a press release from Gentile's office.

Lawmakers to ring bell for Salvation Army at Stop and Shop in Seymour

State lawmakers slate meeting at Seymour High School

Logan, Gentile to host coffee hour Friday at Valley Diner in Derby

Work on Rt. 34 bridge planned in Derby this weekend

Dear Valley readers,

I'm sure most local folks know by now the Department of Transportation will be working this weekend on the heavily-traversed Route 34 span over the Naugatuck River in Derby.

But I'm sharing this information anyway, since it is a big deal for all of us who daily drive around these parts. 

Part of a press release follows:

"Lawmakers and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) are advising motorists to be aware of some much-needed work this weekend on the Route 34 bridge carrying traffic over the Naugatuck River in Derby.

"State Representatives Linda M. Gentile (D-Ansonia/Derby), Theresa Conroy (D-Beacon Falls/Derby/Seymour), and  Themis Klarides (R-Woodbridge/Orange/Derby, and State Senator Joseph J. Crisco, Jr. (D-Woodbridge) have been advised by the DOT that, weather permitting, crews will close the Route 34 bridge between Friday, Sept. 9 at 10 p.m. and Monday, Sept. 12 at 5 a.m.  

"The closure will allow placement of a new concrete bridge deck. The bridge project is due to be completed in November."

Opinion: Lawmaker opposes state mileage tax idea

By State Rep. Linda M. Gentile

HARTFORD - Recently, there has been a lot of talk about a mileage tax – the idea of taxing drivers based on the distance they drive their vehicles.  

Let me be clear. 

I am absolutely against any consideration of a mileage tax! 

Talk about the tax is a political ploy aimed at getting voters riled up.  

Leadership in both the House and Senate chambers of the General Assembly insist that they have no interest or plans to institute a mileage tax.  

Let me just say, I have no interest or plans to institute a mileage tax, as well.  

In fact, I believe it is a half-baked, crazy idea and I think using this idea as a political ploy to rile up voters is shameless!

Unnecessary burden 

I am against a mileage tax for many reasons. 

First and foremost, I believe it would be an unnecessary burden on motorists and taxpayers.  

It is unclear to me how such a tax would be implemented and it is certainly unclear how much it would cost to implement.  

I have heard suggestions of a tracking-type device being attached to cars to record the number of miles driven.  I firmly believe such a device would be an infringement on personal privacy.  

Furthermore, any device or computer chip attached to a vehicle could probably be circumvented or hacked, creating opportunity for vandalism and fraud.  

And, what if a motorist travels out of state for personal business or vacation? Would it be fair to tax the driver for miles driven on non-state roads? I don’t think so!  

I do not believe a mileage tax is fair nor do I think it should ever be considered as an option to raise funds for any transportation project!  

I want to assure you that I am absolutely not in favor of a mileage tax and I will work to defeat any attempt to implement any such proposal.  

Talk of mileage tax began last year when the Governor’s Transportation Finance Panel recommended studying its potential implementation.  

ConnDOT applied for a federal grant ($300,000) to pay for the study, joining with Vermont, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.  

I did not support the idea then, and I most certainly do not support the idea now. 

DOT officials say the mileage tax could be an option to raise revenues. I think not!  

The mileage tax proposal is simply an idea that is under consideration by the state Department of Transportation as a means to raise funds to pay for the maintenance of our highways, roads and bridges.  

But it is nothing more than that - an idea. An idea that I can’t and simply won’t support.

Gentile represents Ansonia and Derby in the General Assembly. This column was sent by Gentile's office.

Lawmakers announce $2.9M grant to protect Valley children from lead poisoning

HARTFORD - U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, along with U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro, Jim Himes, and Elizabeth Esty, all Democrats, Wednesday announced $2.9 million in federal grants to protect families from lead paint and other home health hazards in Naugatuck Valley Health District.

"Lead poisoning can cause devastating and irreversible damage, especially to our nation’s children,” Blumenthal said. 
"By addressing lead hazards head-on, this critical federal grant will help ensure that Naugatuck Valley children and their families are growing, playing, and learning in safe, lead-free homes."

“Lead can cause serious damage for children and families, and unfortunately the risk of lead poising spikes in the summer,” said Murphy. “Now is the time to remove old pipes and lead paint so families can feel safe in their homes. This almost $3 million federal grant will go a long way for the Naugatuck Valley.”

“Connecticut’s homes are some of the oldest in the nation and are at an alarmingly high risk for having lead paint. With this funding, we can ensure that more of our children and families can live in a safe, healthy environment,” said DeLauro. 
“There is no ‘healthy’ level of lead for the human body and we must act to address this issue. Congress should build on this funding and enact the Healthy Homes Tax Credit Act to help ensure that homeowners can raise their children in a place where they do not have to worry about toxic substances.”

“We spend a lot of time and energy worrying about threats from outside,” said Himes. 
“But, sometimes, the threats from inside are the most insidious. Directing federal resources toward combatting lead poisoning and other health hazards is a priority statement. We are saying loud and clear that the health of our families and children deserves more attention.”

“Parents shouldn’t have to worry about their kids being poisoned by pipes or paint in their own home, and they certainly shouldn’t have to go into debt to protect their children,” Esty said. 
“These grant funds will help protect potentially hundreds of Connecticut families from the lifelong health impacts of lead exposure. But Congress still needs to do its part and pass the Healthy Homes Tax Credit Act, so that homeowners in Connecticut and across the country have the resources they need to keep their families safe.”

The Naugatuck Valley Health District will be awarded $2,500,000 in Lead Based Paint Hazard Control grant program funding and $400,000 in Healthy Homes Supplemental funding to address lead hazards in 118 housing units and provide safer homes for low-income families with children. 

Naugatuck will partner with Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Connecticut Citizen Research Group, the Hartford and the Yale-New Haven Regional Lead Treatment Centers as well as various local governmental agencies and community organizations to implement the program. 


This is a press release from the House Democrats' office.