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Higher prices at the grocery store are causing major problems across the entire nation. 90,000 more people in Connecticut are food insecure since 2022. I'll dig deeper into some of the staggering statistics and how my colleagues and I are trying to address this crisis.
It does not come as a surprise that more neighbors are spotting bears on trails, in backyards, and on roads in town. And, tragically, a hungry curious bear had to be euthanized last month here in town when it broke into a home through an open window. The best way for us to co-exist with these majestic animals is to learn as much as we can about them and their habits. To see what they’re up to in the month of June, keep scrolling to get a breakdown below.
Saturday is CT Open House Day where more than 200 attractions are offering free or discounted entry including a pair of locations in Simsbury, and lots of activities nearby, including dinosaurs, trolleys, carousels and nature. Please keep reading to learn more about this fun event for the whole family.
Here are the sections in this week's email:
- Food Insecurity Crisis Getting Worse
- What Bears Do in June
- Happy Pride Month!
- CT Open House Weekend
- Local Police Carry Special Olympics Torch
- Congrats to Our Simsbury State Champs!
- Simsbury Duck Race Winners
- Rhythm & Brews Juneteenth Celebration
- Community Events
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| Food Insecurity Crisis Getting Worse |
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According to Feeding America, 468,150 people in Connecticut are food insecure, which is 90,000 more people since the last study in 2022. The most alarming data shows there is a 34% spike in the number of children who are food insecure.
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Feeding America’s “Map the Meal Gap” shows a disturbing trend in Connecticut:
- 1 in 8 residents is food insecure, compared to 1 in 10 last year
- 1 in 6 children is food insecure
- 1 in 4 Black persons is food insecure
- 1 in 4 Hispanic persons is food insecure
- 1 in 11 White non-Hispanic persons is food insecure
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| The Connecticut General Assembly is trying to tackle this issue head on. This year, I co-sponsored House Bill 5011, which would have contributed more state funding for nutrition assistance. The measure would have provided $10 million to Connecticut Foodshare for the Connecticut Nutrition Assistance Program (CT-NAP) and 15% of that would have gone to farmers in Connecticut for the food they grow. CT-NAP directly affects the well-being of countless individuals, families, and businesses in our state. My colleagues and I plan to file the bill again during the next legislative session, which starts in January. Our residents deserve nothing less. |
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| Courtesy: Bearwise |
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It’s the start of June and many of you have seen bears roaming around our neighborhoods. These animals are active right now for a variety of reasons. Please use caution and common sense when you spot a bear either in Simsbury or surrounding communities.
CLICK HERE to learn more about what bears do in June.
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| Happy Pride Month! 🏳️🏳️⚧️ |
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Happy Pride Month each and every day. We celebrate pride and continue to be inspired by the courage and contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community!
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You’re invited to join the community for the Simsbury pride flag raising ceremony on June 11 at 5:00 PM at Simsbury Town Hall.
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Connecticut Open House Day, now in its 20th year, is an annual event held on the second Saturday of June to give residents an opportunity to learn and experience what our state has to offer.
More than 200 tourism attractions across the state, including museums, arts and cultural venues, historical sites, farms and restaurants, will welcome visitors with free or discounted admission or special offers.
The following Simsbury properties will be open for free on Saturday, June 8:
- Simsbury Historical Society (12 P.M. - 4 P.M.)
- Simsbury Free Library (10 A.M. - 2 P.M.)
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Simsbury Free Library will have free family tree printables (while supplies last) and a genealogist to guide folks, sharing insights and unraveling mysteries of your ancestry.
Guests can also tour the library, browse the eclectic furniture collection, and visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. The library is also home to some unpublished books chronicling Simsbury's history and yearbooks brimming with nostalgia.
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| Local Police Carry Special Olympics Torch |
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The Simsbury and Avon Police Departments carried the Connecticut Special Olympics torch last week. Known honorably as Guardians of the Flame, law enforcement members and Special Olympics athletes carry the Flame of Hope into the Opening Ceremony of local competitions. This run shows the love, respect, and commitment between law enforcement officers and Special Olympic athletes in Connecticut and around the country.
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| Congrats to Our Simsbury State Champs! |
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Simsbury is the home of champions!
Congratulations to the Simsbury High School Girls Rugby Team and the Boys Volleyball Team for each winning a state championship!
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The entire community is proud of you! Let’s go Trojans!
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| Simsbury Duck Race Winners |
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It was another great year for the Simsbury Duck Race. Although we all missed the usual launch from the Flower Bridge this year, the Boat House was a great new spot which provided some much-welcome shade and hosted a bunch of fun activities.
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Please look below at some of the winners!
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Best Decorated School Duck goes to the Myers Family!
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Winner of the School Duck Race goes to the Basora Family!
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Best Decorated Business Duck goes to KapsCafe Simsbury
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| Best Business Duck Race goes to Fairways to Heaven Golf Travel |
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| Rhythm & Brews Juneteenth Celebration |
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The Towns of Avon, Canton, Farmington, Granby, and Simsbury are collaborating on a fun and educational event called the “Rhythm & Brews Juneteenth Celebration.” It promises to bring together the best in Black food, beer, and live music on Saturday, June 15 from 1 P.M. – 5 P.M. at Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center.
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Visitors can learn more about the freedom of the last enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. Federal troops arrived there two-and-a-half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. The Juneteenth celebration will also feature an onsite history tent with more on black enslavement and freedom in the Farmington Valley.
Kids will get to play on the largest LEGO Black Brick Play Zone and full-sized Lego Black Panther Photo Zone. The adults will have the opportunity to sample beer from Rhythm Brewing Company while getting a brief salsa lesson. The very best Black cuisine will be on full display with food trucks from Southern Bell Soul Food, Soulfully Vegan, and Ice Cream Dream.
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Simsbury Public Library is hosting an afternoon of music unity on Saturday, June 8 at 2:00 P.M. in the Friends of the Library Program Room. CLICK HERE to register.
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The Simsbury Historical society is pleased to present the Bushy Hill Historic District House Tour on Sunday, June 9 from 1:00 - 5:00 P.M. You will get to visit six historic homes and two contemporaries along Canton, Wildwood, and Notch Roads.
I’ve taken this tour in the past, and it’s a treat to take a peek into Simsbury’s past. Much gratitude to the Simsbury residents who have taken such painstaking care of these important historic properties and have opened their homes for us all to enjoy.
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