Rebecca Martinez

Happy Saturday! I hope you can join me this Tuesday, August 26 at Square Peg Pizzeria (400 New Britain Ave., Plainville) from 4pm-closing for a Scoops for Troops Fundraiser for Firefighter Ray Moreau, who tragically died in the line of duty.

Ray died serving his community, and it is our job to honor his legacy and the impact he made on Plainville. 100% of the funds will got to Ray's family, and you can get a great meal in the process. I hope to see you there!

It's an exciting time of the year for our kids and educators who will head back to the classroom soon! I hope every student has an amazing start to the new school year.

This is also a time to remind drivers that the law requires you to slow down for school buses in your neighborhood. Here is the breakdown for any driver who fails to stop when a school bus is displaying its flashing red signal lights:

First offense: $450 fine
Following offenses: $500 - $1,000 fine, up to 30 days in jail, or both

It’s hard to believe, but we’re just a couple of weeks away from the start of another school year.

Connecticut’s 26th annual Sales Tax-Free Week begins on Sunday, August 17, and runs through Saturday, August 23. It is a great opportunity to tackle your back-to-school shopping without paying sales tax!

Thank you to everyone who attended our Farmington Town Hall this week! It was great to speak with you all and to hear what is on your mind. It is important conversations like these that influence the work I do for you at the Capitol!

Tonight at 6pm at the Plainville High School Auditorium (47 Robert Holcomb Way), the Plainville Town Council will hold a special meeting on basalt manufacturer Tilcon's operations in Plainville.

We can expect to hear from the Town Manager and experts that will be addressing community concerns.

Tonight will be a night to gather information, hear facts, and ask questions about the concerns of blasting, concerns about our wildlife, our aquifer, the new presence of silica and dust that residents are now seeing on their property for the first time, and growing concerns about infrastructure damage and environmental and public health risks.

We're in the full swing of summer and after enduring an extreme heat wave, temperatures remain consistently high.

You can call 2-1-1 to access essential health and human services 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week. Additionally, the Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection has tips on heat preparedness, keeping cool, and staying hydrated, which you will find below.

A reminder to please join me and the Farmington delegation on Monday, July 14 at 6pm at the Farmington Police Department (Yates Room) for a post-session discussion. We will discuss how Farmington fared in the 2025 legislative session, talk about our priorities moving forward, and hear what issues matter most to you. All are welcome and encouraged to attend!

Happy Friday, and happy Independence Day!

I hope you'll join me in taking a moment to reflect on the true meaning of this important holiday. Independence Day is not just about fireworks and cookouts – its' about honoring the ideals of freedom, democracy, and the generations of Americans who have fought to protect them.