End Of Session Forum Tuesday, MMOA Special Exhibition On Display, Fireworks Safety

July 5, 2024

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Dear Neighbor,

I hope you all had a happy 4th of July! I enjoyed seeing so many of you. The weekend is upon us so keep celebrating our independence, safely, of course. I've included some photos that captured good times from the 4th in Stonington and Groton. There is also some news, information, and happenings in the area that I think you will find useful. Topics include:

Out N' About In The 41st District
End Of Session Forum On Tuesday
Deadly And Damaging Rainstorms Webinar
MMOA Special Exhibition Through October 13th
AARP CT Livable Communities Grant Updates
CT Transportation News
Firework Safety
Community Events And Notices

Have a great weekend,
Aundré

OUT N' ABOUT IN THE 41ST DISTRICT

Groton’s 4th of July parade! Neighbors were out and ready for this fun, annual event!

Every year the Stonington Borough’s 4th of July parade is filled with community, heart, and fun! It was great to see friends.

Thank you to the dozens of volunteers, including sailors and Groton youth, who joined State Representative Christine Conley and me for a community cleanup along Buddington Road and Drozdyk Drive! We could not have done this without our amazing partnership with CT Clean Communities and Boots on the Sound!

We removed more than 425 pounds of trash and debris from these roadways in the Town of Groton, which runs adjacent to the reservoir that serves as our drinking supply. Unsurprisingly, my most frequent finds included cigarette butts, nip bottles, and a lot of food wrappers.

Keeping our streets clear of litter and trash is the best way to protect our waterways and Long Island Sound! Thanks to all who came out to support this effort!

END OF SESSION FORUM ON TUESDAY

Please join us in the Thrive 55 Community Room on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

DEADLY AND DAMAGING RAINSTORMS WEBINAR

(photo credit NOAA)

You can join NOAA Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction, Dr. Michael Morgan, and experts from NOAA and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on Thursday, July 11 at 2:00 a.m. for a NOAA Learning Series on deadly and damaging rainstorms and what NOAA and USACE are doing about it.

This briefing will highlight the national imperative to better forecast precipitation extremes for too much and too little water. This includes a detailed discussion about NOAA’s Precipitation Prediction Grand Challenge initiative, and how the Army Corps’ Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations relies on NOAA’s forecasting to help communities make life-saving and cost-saving decisions in water resource management. It will also provide an overview of how NOAA is improving its precipitation forecasting capabilities, and what’s next for the agency’s efforts. You can register for the webinar HERE.

MMOA SPECIAL EXHIBITION THROUGH OCTOBER 13TH

Artist, master printmaker, and scholar Dr. Curlee Raven Holton curated this exhibition which celebrates the creative practice of African American artists, whose histories and cultures remain largely unrecognized in the US. The summer exhibition entitled: Printmaking and the Unconventional Pathways of African American Artists is underway at the Mystic Museum of Art. The cost is $10. It is free for military veterans, active military and their families, and children under 12. I was proud to attend the opening!

The cost is $10. It is free for military veterans, active military and their families, and children under 12.

AARP CT LIVABLE COMMUNITIES GRANT UPDATES

AARP Connecticut invites nonprofit organizations and municipalities across the state to apply for the 2024 Livable Communities Grant Program. Now in its seventh year, the grant program dedicated to funding “quick-action” projects in Connecticut communities, aims to help the state’s neighborhoods, towns and cities be great places to live for people of all ages. The application deadline is Friday, August 16, at 5 p.m.

Grants can range from small, short-term activities to larger, permanent solutions, but the maximum amount of any single grant will be $5,000. All applications should be for a project of $5,000 or less. They should also be for projects in Connecticut that are focused on improving the lives of those 50+ and make a positive impact within one of the following eight Domains of Livability, including:

Outdoor spaces and buildings
Transportation
Housing
Social Participation
Respect and Social Inclusion
Work and Civic Engagement
Communication and Information
Community and Health Services

Comprehensive details about the program and applications can be found HERE. All proposals must be submitted to CTLivable@aarp.org by 5 p.m. ET, August 16, 2024, and all projects must be completed within 12 months from the day grant funding is received.

CT TRANSPORTATION NEWS

Guiderail Installation on I-95 North and Southbound in Groton and East Lyme

CTDOT is announcing that a guide rail installation will be performed on I-95 north and southbound in Groton and East Lyme starting May 6, 2024.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is announcing that a guide rail installation will be performed on I-95 north and southbound in Groton and East Lyme. This project is scheduled to begin on Monday evening, May 6, through Friday morning, August 30, 2024. Work will end at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, May 24 until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, due to the Memorial Day holiday and from 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 3 until 8:00 p.m. on Monday, July 8, 2024, due to the Independence Day holiday.

FIREWORKS SAFETY

As we gear up for festive celebrations, let's remember the importance of firework safety! Please ensure a fun and safe experience by following guidelines: keep a safe distance, never relight duds, and always have water nearby. Let's celebrate responsibly and protect ourselves and our communities.

COMMUNITY EVENTS AND NOTICES