David Michel

I hope power is restored and crews have reopened roads in your neighborhood after the snow and rain we experienced in the past week.

Looking ahead, the nation will be honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this weekend. Please read below to find out where you can take part in a local event to learn more about his leadership in the civil rights movement.

I hosted an informational forum this week highlighting plans to introduce legislation decriminalizing psilocybin. Keep scrolling to learn more about the bills we are drafting and to watch video from the event. 

And Stamford is receiving more electric vehicle chargers. Where will crews be installing the chargers and how many are coming? I'll have the answer below. 

Here are the sections in today's email:

• Paying Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• Psilocybin Public Forum
• More Electric Vehicle Chargers Coming
• Unemployment Insurance Reminders

As we approach the weekend, let’s take a moment to reflect on and celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His leadership led to the success of the civil rights movement. His actions played a pivotal role in achieving strides toward racial equality.

Dr. King continues to inspire and affect racial progress today. His work paved the way for positive change, fostering a society that values justice, equality, and human rights.

This weekend serves as an opportunity for all of us to commemorate Dr. King’s legacy. We can recommit ourselves to unity and justice while contributing to the ongoing pursuit of civil rights.
 

Please join the community for a rally and march on Monday, January 15 at Bethel AME Church on Fairfield Avenue. 

CLICK HERE for other relevant events in Stamford over the coming days.

Due to my covid diagnosis, I hosted an informational forum virtually with medical experts and advocates to discuss their latest push to decriminalize psilocybin as well as authorize its use for medical and therapeutic treatment. The drug can be used to treat depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other conditions.

Several medical experts, including doctors from Harvard and Yale, family therapists, psilocybin policy experts from other states, and many others testified during Wednesday’s informational forum. Please click on the image below to watch the event.

Thank you to all the panelists who shared their stories, provided their insight, and highlighted how psilocybin can help some patients in Connecticut.

This is a nationwide movement. In the past week, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced new funding for research into the study of certain psychedelic compounds like psilocybin to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in former military personnel. This is the first time the VA has made this decision since the 1960s.

In 2023, the House of Representative passed a bill reducing the penalty for possessing less than half an ounce of psilocybin, the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms, from a crime that carries possible prison time to a $150 fine for a first offense and $200-$500 fine for a subsequent offense. The Senate did not take up the proposal.

My colleagues and I intend to work a more comprehensive bill in the new legislative session that will improve upon last year’s proposal. I’m also emphasizing the decriminalization part as it is the most crucial. We should also discuss how to advance psilocybin use for medical and therapeutic treatment as well as for physical, mental, or behavior health.

24 more electric vehicle charging stations are coming to Stamford! The federal government awarded just over $14.5 million to expand cleaner transportation around the entire state.

You will soon see 12 more chargers at the Bedford Street Parking Garage and another 12 at the Summer Street Parking Garage. These new locations will join 726 other publicly accessible charging locations across Connecticut.

• Filers should write down their username/password combination and store it in a safe location or in a digital password keeper. Passwords must be reset in accordance to federal rules for unemployment benefits.

Filers do not need to make an appointment to talk to a claims agent. They can reset their passwords by submitting the lockout form online. That is faster than scheduling an appointment.

Ten-day processing period:

• Unemployment claims must go through a verification process that includes employer notification as well as identity and fraud prevention checks. This verification period takes a minimum of 10 days. Claims will not be paid out until they are processed in accordance with state and federal law. 

The Connecticut Department of Labor encourages filers to submit a case online rather than calling to make an appointment as it is often results in a more timely response and resolution.