Henry Genga

Attention students - the 2024 Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge — an annual, statewide program encouraging kindergarten through Grade 12 students to read books during the summer months, kicked off earlier this week.

A few months ago, I had the honor of receiving the Sirius Courage Award. The award highlights an individual who advocates on the behalf of Connecticut’s professional working canines.

June 19 is Juneteenth. Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in our country. This important holiday was unknown to many for several years, but thanks to the tireless work of advocates, it is now rightfully recognized throughout the country.

Great news!

During its meeting on Friday, the State Bond Commission approved a $400,000 grant to North Central CT EMS Council. The funding will be used to upgrade the Public Safety Dispatch Console used for Coordinated Medical Emergency Direction (CMED) in the North Central region. I requested this funding with the support of the North Central CT legislative delegation.

During Monday's session, I had the honor to present K9 Bocci with the Sirius Courage Award. The Sirius award was named after a dog, Sirius, who courageously gave his life while on duty during the terror attack of the World Trade Center September 11, 2001. Bocci and his handler, Officer Jim Giansanti, perform daily inspections of the State Capitol and Legislative Office building.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, street takeovers have become a national issue, including here in Connecticut. This cannot become the new normal. These takeovers by the illegal use of all-terrain and other types of vehicles, pose a significant threat to public safety, endangering participants, innocent bystanders, and law enforcement officials.

With their resounding victory Monday night, our beloved Huskies earned their sixth NCAA men's basketball championship in just the last 25 years.

Along with the UConn women's 11 national titles, there is no doubt that Storrs, CT is truly the "basketball capital of the world!"

Thousands of low-to-moderate income individuals and families in the state are eligible to receive a significant boost in tax credits when they file their personal income tax returns this year due to a newly enacted rate change in the Connecticut Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which has increased from the most recent rate of 30.5% for the 2022 income year to the new rate of 40% for the 2023 income year.