Susan Johnson

I will be speaking at a forum next week to discuss education laws and new proposed legislation affecting our children. Keep scrolling to learn when and where this important event is taking place.

I welcomed the 44th Romantic Willimantic Cupid winners on my weekly radio show. I'll break down why they won the Valentine's Day award and how they're improving our community.

You may have received your W-2s and other forms, which means it's time to start working on your taxes. There are several reputable services offering help for free. I'll take a deep dive in who is eligible.

Here are the sections in today's email:

• Join Me at a Windham Education Forum
• Listening Session on Special Education
• Free Resources to File Your Taxes

We are fortunate to have Rep. Maryan Khan, the Co-Chair of the Select Committee on Special Education, join us to provide a deep dive regarding our special needs student population. We will also discuss how the state funds the education opportunities that are needed to address our students’ different learning styles.

I would like to thank our Windham Board of Education, teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrative staff for their diligence and hard work to help our students. Your work is invaluable!

The 44th Romantic Willimantic Cupid winners joined my weekly radio show to discuss how they’re tirelessly helping our community. It was a pleasure to welcome Jamie and Kit Eves on “Let’s Talk About It."

Jamie and Kit have been pillars of the Windham community for years. Kit is well known for her charity work, regularly giving her time to help the local soup kitchen, shelters, and nonprofits. She is most proud of sewing more than 15,800 masks for the public during the early days of the pandemic.

Jamie is one of our community's most important historians. His work at the Windham Textile and Museum is critical in building a sense of community. He discussed the diverse cultural and ethnic groups that formed Windham. Jamie and Kit went into detail on how more than 20 different ethnic groups have come to the area and helped influence our culture.

Jamie and Kit also gave us some insight into new developments in both their efforts to help others through local shelters and the Mill Museum. Kit broke down how the no-freeze shelter is transitioning to a year-round shelter called Project Hope, which will partner with multiple organizations locally to shelter the unhoused, connect them with counseling services, provide necessities like clothes and toiletries, and help them find long-term housing.

The Mill Museum will dedicate some funding to re-vamp some of its exhibits. Jamie says crews will modernize the opening room of the museum to include new technology. The improvements will help introduce visitors to the industrial revolution and convey how it affected Connecticut while connecting visitors to other museums across CT.

You can listen to the entire show by clicking on the video below.

There are several free resources available this year for anyone who needs to file state and federal taxes.

You can use the IRS Direct File Tool, which is a new option for anyone who lived and earned all their income in Connecticut last year.

The federal government is also offering the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which offers free tax preparation services to eligible taxpayers. Here is some of the eligibility date for VITA:

• Household income less than $68,000
• If self-employed, business expenses should be less than $35,000
• No income from a rental property

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to save money when filing your taxes!