Rest In Peace Officer Pelletier, Seniors, Early Childhood Care Education Get Boost

June 5, 2024


 
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Dear Neighbor,

Today, as a state, we mourn the passing of State Trooper Aaron Pelletier. While I did not know him, I do know members of his extended family and as you can imagine, it’s been an incredibly shocking and difficult time. 

This week has seen more bills signed into legislation by the Governor as well as the release of some funding for both Avon and Canton for our local trails and I’ve included more information below.
 
As Pride month is now underway, we had a very successful Pups and Pride event last weekend as well as the flag raising and Town Council proclamation in Avon. There is another combined event tomorrow at the West Avon Congregational Church in conjunction with the Avon Free Public Library.
 
It was an honor to celebrate local author and Avon resident, Carrie Firestone, on her recent win of a Nutmeg Award. I hope you’ll check out the photos and details of what the award is and why it’s important.
 
Wishing you a great week ahead,

Eleni
 
REST IN PEACE OFFICER PELLETIER
May his memory be eternal and may his family find peace after the services honoring him. There are multiple ongoing efforts to raise money for the family but the official GoFundMe can be found HERE.
 
HB5001, SUPPORT FOR SENIORS, BECOMES LAW 
To read more about HB5001 and its passage, please click HERE.
 
EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE, EDUCATION BILL SIGNED
To read more about HB 5002, An Act Concerning Early Childhood Care and Education, please click HERE.
 
AVON, CANTON RECEIVE CT RECREATIONAL TRAILS GRANTS 
Avon and Canton will receive funding for projects through the release of $10 million through the CT Recreational Trails Grants Program to support the planning, building, expansion, and improvement of 45 multi-use trails throughout the state. The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail in Avon will receive $114,412 for safety features and amenities.
The New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) will receive $240,000 for the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of the proposed Canton Bike Pump and Skills Park. For more details on the park please click on the image below.
 
GRIN AND BEAR IT
As was reported on the news, a man in Canton shot a bear in self-defense this week. The bear had gotten into the dumpster outside of multiple businesses and it’s my understanding that when he went to clean up the trash around the dumpster, the man felt threatened.
 
The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is conducting an ongoing investigation into the death of the untagged adult male bear. DEEP reminds people that it’s important not to put trash out until collection day, to request from trash haulers bear-resistant trash cans and dumpsters, and to remove bird feeders at their homes.
I was asked for comment on the ongoing story on Monday and you’ll find that clip below.
 
 
OLD FARMS, SCOVILLE ROAD CLOSURES & DETOUR UPDATE
Old Farms Road at the northerly tie-in point will be closed to thru traffic on June 13th, 14th, and possibly the 15th from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  It will be open to traffic between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. during this period.  Please note that this closure is weather-dependent: if it is raining during this period there may be a delay or reschedule of the closing. The closure and detour plan is below.
Scoville Road between the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and Scoville’s intersection with Old Farms Road will be closed to thru traffic from June 17th to August 9th.

So that you know, the Rails to Trails will also be impacted at times during this closure period and trail users will be directed to use special caution in the area. Please see the closure and detour plan below.
 
2024 MIDDLE SCHOOL NUTMEG AWARD WINNER: DRESS CODED
It was my pleasure last Friday to congratulate local author and friend, Carrie Lenarcic Firestone, for winning the 2024 Middle School Grades Nutmeg Award for her book DRESS CODED. I presented a citation to her of congratulations on behalf of myself, State Representative Tammy Exum, and State Senator Lisa Seminara at the reception for the award at the Avon Free Public Library. 
The cash award associated with winning was donated by Carrie to the library to further their Pride month events and offerings. From their website, “The Nutmeg Book Award encourages children in grades 2-12 to read quality literature and to choose their favorite from a list of ten nominated titles. It is jointly sponsored by the Connecticut Library Association (CLA) and the Connecticut Association of School Librarians (CASL), the Nutmeg Committee is comprised of children's librarians and school library media specialists who are members of our sponsoring organizations.” 
 
Congratulations, again. To learn more or see the other categories and winners, please click HERE.
 
PRIDE FOR PRIDE MONTH 
So much wonderful Pride energy across the district on Saturday. Started the day in Canton for Pups and Pride... 
...and finished the day in Avon with the Town Council proclamation.
 
Tomorrow, I will be at the Avon Pride Block party helping hold down the Avon Cares table for a little while. Hope to see you there!
 
EVERY DAY SHOULD BE NATIONAL SAFE DAY 
Firearms are the leading cause of death for American children and teens, so every day should be National SAFE Day, however, it is observed on June 4 every year because it is the anniversary of the accidental shooting of Brooklynn Mae Mohler which took place in 2013. Mohler was only 13 years old when she was visiting a friend and was shot when her friend found a gun in a kitchen cabinet and began playing with it.
Please take a moment today to ensure your firearms are stored properly, and share this message to prevent more preventable tragedies.
 
REMINDER: 21ST ANNUAL TRAINING INSTITUTE 
WEDNESDAY

The 21st Annual Training Institute (ATI) will be held next Wednesday at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

Nichele Carver, Senior Regional Advisor at the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, and keynote speaker Ann Oliva, Chief Executive Officer of the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), will be leading a crucial workshop titled "Sleeping Outside is Not a Crime: Decriminalizing Homelessness"

This year’s ATI is significant because it marks CT Can End Homelessness (CCEH) 40 years of dedicated service in ending homelessness. From keynote addresses to workshops hosted by national experts, CCEH aims to provide the perspective of a national conference in Connecticut.

This event will feature workshops on:

  • Equitable Pathways from Incarceration to Housing
  • Organizing Local Communities to Solve Homelessness
  • Incorporating Voices with Lived Experience
  • Master Leasing for the Affordable Housing Crisis
  • Creating Shared Accountability for Equity
  • And many more

To register for this event, please click on the image below:
Sincerely,

Eleni Kavros DeGraw
State Representative
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