Food access? School start times? Time for recess? These were the big issues I heard about from the 6th graders from Martin Kellogg Middle School in Newington this week. Thank you for visiting State Representative Gary Turco and I at the Capitol on Monday!
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If you ever want to visit and learn more about your State Capitol there are daily tours offered by the League of Women Voters and please let me know you stopping by.
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Thank you to everyone who donated at our West Hartford Delegation Food Drive last weekend. Thanks to your generosity and care for our neighbors we collectively donated over 700 items to the West Hartford Food Pantry. Your support will help meet the tremendous need in our community during the upcoming holiday season and beyond. If you were not able to participate, but still want to help, click here to donate to the West Hartford Food Panty.
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On Sunday, as a member of the Transportation Committee, I was honored to speak at the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Across Connecticut and around the world, we paused to honor the lives lost and the family members forever changed. In our state since this day last year, 74 pedestrians and bicyclists were killed and 300 total people killed on our roadways this year. It shouldn’t have to be this way. Road crashes are not accidents — they are preventable tragedies.
In my town of West Hartford we lost Anne Rapkin and her dog Rosie last November while she was walking on Sedgwick Road. I can’t help but personally remember the loss of my dear friend and colleague Rep. Quentin Williams who on January 5th, 2023, he never made it home to his wife Carrissa.
Not only is it about remembrance, it is also about responsibility. We know what works to save lives: slower speeds, safer street design, well-lit crosswalks, protected bike lanes, strong enforcement that targets dangerous behavior, and investments in infrastructure and public transit that give people safe, reliable ways to move.
The Transportation Committee along with the CT DOT focused on new laws for enhanced penalties for dangerous driving, expanding the use of speed safety cameras, and improving work zone safety in the 2025 legislative session. This is following up on several years of work with CT DOT to implement hundreds of wrong way driving systems on our highways, enable municipalities to use speed and red light cameras and increase funding for towns to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety. But, there is much more we must do to save lives.
It was a day of remembrance but we also move forward with a shared commitment to making Connecticut a place where every journey on our roadways ends safely.
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The State of Connecticut awarded nearly $12 million in grants to 17 towns and cities through the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Community Connectivity Grant Program. The funding will support projects aimed at improving transportation safety and mobility.
The town of West Hartford will receive $384,552 for the West Hartford Center to Trout Brook Trail Bicycle Connector. Expanding the very popular Trout Brook Trail to include a connector to West Hartford Center means a safer and more accessible path for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Thank you to Governor Lamont, DOT Commissioner Eucalitto, Mayor Shari Cantor, and the West Hartford Vision Zero Council for working together with us as legislators to improve our road safety and build healthier communities.
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This week, I attended the NewDEAL Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C. with state and local elected officials from across the country to share innovative policies that improve the lives of all Americans. I was honored to speak on a panel about our state's new Early Childhood Education Endowment initiative because it was selected as one of the six winners of the 2025 NewDEAL Forum National Ideas Challenge. Connecticut is leading the way!
The Early Childhood Education Endowment initiative is a transformational child-care and pre-K program that addresses the urgent needs of our children, families, educators, and employers.
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I'm grateful to be a part of the NewDEAL Leaders Network and will continue to bring back valuable ideas for the 20th District and our state.
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| STATE AND LOCAL RESOURCES |
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The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is now accepting applications for the Animal Population Control Program’s (APCP) Low-Income Program. The online portal, apcp.ct.gov, allows eligible Connecticut residents to apply for assistance with spaying or neutering a dog or cat they own.
All applications must be submitted online.
Residents who meet the program’s income eligibility guidelines can apply quickly and easily online. To be eligible for the low-income program, pet owners must reside in Connecticut and receive benefits from one of five programs through the Department of Social Services at the time of application. Those programs include:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Husky A, C, or D (Medicaid)
- State Administered General Assistance (SAGA)
- Temporary Family Assistance (TFA)
- State Supplement
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How to Apply:
- Visit apcp.ct.gov and login or register
- Complete the online application form
- Upload required documents
- Track your application status
- Receive an email notification containing your voucher number
- Redeem at a participating veterinary location
Upon approval, vouchers will be issued electronically for up to two (2) pets on a first-come, first-serve basis of the available funds. The voucher is valid for 60 days and provides two vaccinations and a one-time sterilization benefit of $200 for a female dog, $180 for a male dog, $120 for a female cat, and $80 for a male cat.
Sterilizations and vaccinations must be performed by a Connecticut Licensed Veterinarian participating in the Animal Population Control Program. A list of practices and facilities with participating licensed veterinarians can be found on the APCP program page. If the veterinarians spay/neuter fee exceeds the voucher amount, the eligible pet owner is responsible for the difference. Payment for any additional procedures and/or medications is the responsibility of the pet owner.
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The Department of Social Services (DSS) has successfully launched a new streamlined and user-friendly experience for callers with an upgraded phone system.
The Benefits Center phone number has not changed. Customers still contact DSS at 1-855-6-CONNECT (1-855-626-6632).
The new system includes:
- A simplified phone menu designed to help customers reach the right service
- A self-service experience for checking case status and benefit information
Customers who enter their Client ID when calling will benefit from a customized service and be routed to the correct call queue. Additionally, for those who prefer to self-serve, the system now allows them to:
- Check if DSS has received their documents and when they were reviewed
- View their case status and, if active, access benefit details
Customers now have access to call-back options, allowing them to:
- Save their place in line, or
- Schedule a call at a time that works best for them
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On Sunday, November 23 there will be a Turkey Drive from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. at West Hartford Town Hall (50 South Main Street). A frozen turkey or monetary donations will be accepted.
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