Michelle L. Cook

I can't believe next week is October, which means new laws on the books. Below, you'll find some of the laws effective October 1.

Connecticut's Department of Transportation has released two powerful public service announcements to remind people to slow down and move over. The "Real Lives" campaign aims to educate the public on the key points of Connecticut's Move Over Law. You can watch the videos and learn more about the law below. 

And in case you missed it last week, the Warner Theatre was on the agenda for the September 24 Community Investment Fund meeting, and it was approved for $1.5 million for renovations and upgrades. The next step is approval from the State Bond Commission in the coming months.

I hope you have a good weekend!

• New Laws Effective October 1
• Electric Bill Update
• Slow Down, Move Over PSAs
• Early Voting Information for 2024 Election 
• ICYMI: Warner Theatre Approved for $1.5 Million CIF Grant
• CHET Dream Big! Competition 
• Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest
• Italian-American Street Festival on October 12 
• Volunteers Sought for Parks & Rec Annual Haunted House
• Torrington Library Book Return Gets a Makeover
• It's Not too Early to Think About Donations for Friendly Hands for Thanksgiving
• And More

The internet is a great informational resource, but can also be misused by thieves, bullies, predators, scam artists, and other criminals. To protect privacy, online services will be prohibited from collecting personal data without approval from those under 18, and those 13 years of age and younger only with parental consent.

Animal rights were on the radar with the banning of dog races and gifting of live animals at fairs, and increased penalties for hurting or killing a police dog. Also, the Siberian Husky will officially be the state dog on October 1!

Additionally, to help facilitate voting access for eligible voters, we included a question on the ballot in our next election that will allow voters to choose whether to implement a law for no-excuse absentee ballots.  With that in mind, the integrity of our electoral system is central to voter trust and participation in elections and to help safeguard that confidence we extended the time violations of state election laws can be referred to the State Elections Enforcement Commission for investigation.
 
There are several new laws in addition to the above – please follow the link below for the full list and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
 

I am still hearing from constituents about skyrocketing electric bills and was disappointed that the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) declined to reconsider recent rate adjustments it approved for Eversource and United Illuminating (UI), which caused shock for ratepayers statewide.

It would have been prudent to reopen these proceedings. There must be relief to ratepayers, especially those recovering from any extreme weather costs and unaffordable bill increases, based on the significant impact of affordability for families, and the underestimated public harm.

There was a significant rise in the public benefits portion of electricity bills, 77% of which has to do with a 2017 Republican-led deal that requires Eversource and UI to purchase power from the Millstone nuclear plant. The rate at which the utilities purchase power is set to adjust periodically, and the resulting public benefits charge is reviewed by PURA. Utilities can phase in new charges to reduce the monthly cost to consumers, but they decided to do it over a period of 10 months. The cost spike will remain in place through May 2025 after PURA voted 2-1 to not reconsider any of its recently approved rate adjustments.

The Millstone deal in 2017, the pandemic-era moratorium on power shutoffs, PURA approving restitution of funding related to an electric vehicle infrastructure support program and extremely hot weather in June and July, which pushed up power consumption, combined to make the timing of these rate increases even worse.

Absent any action, this rate shock will have a long-lasting impact on our economy. PURA needs to find relief for ratepayers, and lawmakers need to pass additional policy focused on long-term energy stability and affordability.

There is every intention to evaluate the public benefits charge during the 2025 legislative session that begins in January, and previous action to control electricity costs is just coming online. The Take Back Our Grid Act from 2021 contains some significant reforms, including strengthening PURA's ability to scrutinize and review rate increases and performance-based regulation. In 2023, PA 23-102 became law, and it is robust pro-consumer legislation that provides predictability and transparency for rate payers and prohibits utility companies from using electric rates to pay for their lobbying, marketing, and travel/lodging for company executives.

• Move Over: When approaching a stopped vehicle on the roadside, if you are on a highway with two or more lanes in one direction, safely move over one lane.
• Slow Down: If it is not safe to move over, drivers must slow down to a reasonable speed below the posted limit and proceed with caution.
• All Vehicles: The law applies to any stopped vehicle on the roadside, not just emergency or service vehicles.
• Penalties: Violators of the law may face fines, with penalties increasing significantly if a crash results in injury or death.

The plans include renovating the historic building, lobby, and stage, including HVAC systems, electrical, and accessibility issues. There are also plans to modernize its sound, lighting, lighting control, security, and smoke alarm systems.

I spoke with House Speaker Matthew Ritter, who serves as a co-chair of the CIF Board, and told him how important the Warner is to Torrington and the surrounding area as an economic driver and destination, and I advocated for the funding for this project. He agreed that that the Warner is a legendary destination in the heart of Torrington.

It's really something to behold, when you recognize the reach that the Warner has not only in Torrington, but in the entire Northwest Corner. The stage has hosted some of our youngest talents, to some of the most famous people. We are blessed to have the Warner as a part of Torrington’s Main Street landscape, and it is instrumental in bringing our communities together

"On behalf of the Warner Theatre, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Representative Cook, Governor Lamont, and the members of the Community Investment Fund Board for their commitment to the arts and community development. This funding will allow us to enhance our facilities, ensuring that we continue to provide a welcoming and exceptional experience for our patrons. We are excited about the positive impact these improvements will have on our programs and our ability to attract top entertainment experiences for the residents of northwest Connecticut," said Warner Theatre Co-Executive Directors Stephanie Fried and Patrick Langevin.

“The Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce strongly supports this investment in the Warner Theatre," said Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce President and CEO JoAnn Ryan. "The Warner Theatre is not just a landmark; it is a hub for creativity and engagement that attracts visitors and stimulates local businesses. We applaud the state’s commitment to supporting Torrington's growth and vibrancy."

"We are tremendously grateful for the state’s ongoing investment and support of the City of Torrington and the organizations that make our city so remarkable," said Mayor Elinor Carbone. "The Warner Theatre is a cornerstone of our Main Street and integral to the identity of Torrington.  The capital improvements that can be accomplished through this grant will go a long way to ensuring the continued success of our beloved theatre."

The funding is part of the Community Investment Fund 2030 (CIF). Projects that may have been overlooked now have access to game-changing capital that can uplift entire neighborhoods. CIF will foster economic development in historically underserved communities across the state. CIF will provide a total of up to $875 million to eligible municipalities as well as not-for-profit organizations and community development corporations that operate within them.
 
Grants are available for:

• Capital improvement programs, such as brownfield remediation, affordable housing, infrastructure, clean energy development, and home or public facility rehabilitation.
• Planning for capital projects including activities such as community engagement processes, feasibility studies, development of project plan, and construction budget.

I’m pleased to support State Treasurer Erick Russell’s office and its great annual initiative, the CHET Dream Big! competition. This is an amazing opportunity for students in grades K-12 to enter to win up to $20,000 toward their future education.

To enter, students answer a question in the form of artwork, an essay, or a video. Younger students focus on what they want to do when they grow up, and older students are asked to describe a lesson they’ve learned or a person who has impacted their lives.

The competition is open to all Connecticut K-12 students, and every child has the chance to participate. Please take a moment to visit the website to learn more, and then encourage your child to take part. More than 250 students will receive monetary prizes to be deposited into a CHET account!

Learn more and enter at chetdreambig.com. The competition is open through November 4. Good luck!

Participants can select a person, cultural experience, celebration, or tradition that has touched them in a meaningful way and explain why that connection is important. Optimum and Univision Foundation are sponsoring the competition and will accept essays through October 31. There will be a celebratory event for the winners in December.

The official contest rules can be found HERE. 

The festival is FREE and open to both adults and children. It will feature traditional Italian music by Vinny Avelone and complimented by LIVE performances by Frank Sinatra (Jack Kozlowsky) and Dean Martin (Jack Lynn). Look for Magician Chris Lengeyl walking through the crowd entertaining attendees.

Besides the Italian Automobile exhibition, there will be a Bocce tournament hosted on the grounds of the former Sons of Italy Hall - now Gerald Incandela’s TOHO Center on Center Street.

Let’s not forget the food!

UNICO will be cooking sausage and pepper grinders right off the grill, along with hot dogs, Italian soda and freshly made cannoli!

Robbie Persichino will be offering prosciutto sandwiches, and Brian’s Fabulous FryBreads food truck will be attending as well.

Main Street Torrington will be serving up on the plaza delicious meatball grinders in both adult and kid sizes. They will also be operating an outdoor wine bar featuring authentic Italian wines, Italian beer, and an amazing Italian coffee cocktail featuring Strega!

There will also be some local craft vendors as well.

Sign up by giving the Parks and Rec Department a call at 860-489-2274 or scan the QR code below.

This is the cornerstone of the T.A.F.A. mission for inclusion and T.A.F.A. is thankful for on-going collaborations with KidsPlay to make events like this accessible. If you or your agency/ organization would like to be a part of this magical evening by participating as a candy/treat vendor table, T.A.F.A. would be incredibly grateful. The timing, details, and form to register can be accessed via this LINK

Speaking of overdue things ... did you know that the library went overdue-fines-free in 2022? YUP! We no longer charge fines for materials that are late, as long as they are returned!

The outdoor book boxes are accessible 24/7/365, making it even easier for you to return your library materials (even the late ones) at your convenience!

Learn more about why the library went fines-free HERE:

Click HERE for more information or click the graphic below.

The library will be transformed on October 19 for the event, with two different scare levels so all can enjoy (scary and not scary)! Be sure to come in your costumes and stop at the bake sale and beverage bar.

Grab your tickets HERE.

The WOW Forum is back, and you’re invited! Join the Northwest Connecticut Chamber on October 4, at the Warner Theatre Carole & Ray Neag Performing Arts Center in Torrington for an inspiring and empowering event.

Reserve your spot today - click HERE. 

Tickets are $40 per person and can be purchased HERE. Ticket sales close on October 9 for the October 26 event. 

On Sunday, October 6, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., prepare to haunt the night in style! Enjoy spooktacular deals on all costume rentals, starting at $50. Whether you're a middle schooler or an adult, the Warner Theatre has a fantastic selection of costumes to make you the talk of the town this year. Transform into a witch, ghoul, fairy, wizard, and more - the collection has something for everyone!

***The costume shop is only accessible by stairs. Not all costume pieces are available for rental. Private rental appointments for Halloween costumes can be made during regular shop hours the week of October 7th. For more information, please contact Costume Shop Manager Renee Purdy at rpurdy@warnertheatre.org or 860-489-7180 x1190.

You can "RSVP" HERE. 

Registration is required. For more information and registration links, click HERE. 

Here are some of the requirements:

• 18 years of age or older by program start
• Enrolled in a Connecticut college or university
• Registered for a campus-based course to receive credit for the internship
• Minimum 20 credits completed by program start
• Minimum 2.7 cumulative GPA

The deadline is November 1!