Dear Neighbor, 

 

In this email, you'll find updates on district resources and news. Please click the links below to read the section that corresponds with the highlighted headline.



A NOTE: If you're having trouble clicking through the following links, open this email in a browser, use a computer, or scroll through this email to the relevant section. 



The topics covered are as follows:

• Legislative Updates
• Today in CT History
• Community Resources
• CT Foodshare
• Manchester Community Events 
• East Hartford Community Events

Workers should never have to choose between their health and their jobs. This legislation signed by Governor Lamont expands this coverage to include more workers in two ways:



Beginning January 1, 2025, these laws will apply to workers of nearly every occupation, not just those in retail and service jobs. (Seasonal employees and other certain temporary workers are exempt.)

 

The threshold for coverage will be lowered in three phases, beginning with employers that have at least 25 employees on January 1, 2025; those with at least 11 employees beginning January 1, 2026; and those with at least one employee beginning January 1, 2027.

Please join us as we recap our legislative session and answer questions from the audience. For more information please email Awet.Tsegai@cga.ct.gov or call 860-240-8541.

To many students of Connecticut history and colonial America, Thomas Hooker is considered the “founding father” of Connecticut. A Puritan minister who journeyed from England to Holland to Massachusetts in search of a place where he could preach his message of reformed Christianity free from persecution, Hooker served with distinction as the first established minister of Cambridge, Massachusetts for two years. Then, after enduring sustained theological disagreements with John Cotton and other Bostonian ministers, Hooker and his congregants decided to head southwest in the spring of 1636 to form a new church in what would become the new settlement of Hartford.

Hooker had a reputation as one of the most moving and eloquent speakers of his day. His ideas concerning suffrage and government were radically democratic, even by Puritan standards. The theological disagreements he had with the Puritans of Boston revolved around universal Christian suffrage — Hooker’s belief that voting rights should be extended to all Christian parishioners, instead of being restricted to full-fledged church members (who made up a much smaller percentage of the community). And on May 31, 1638, Hooker delivered his most famous sermon on authority and government in Hartford, declaring “The foundation of authority is laid firstly in the free consent of the people.”

In the first half of the 17th century, in a world dominated by monarchs and oligarchs where most ordinary people had little to no say in their governments, Hooker’s statement was truly revolutionary. Hooker’s remarks were memorable enough to survive via handwritten notes taken by Henry Wolcott Jr., who was in attendance the day Hooker preached his most famous sermon. Nor did his speech fall on deaf ears: six months later, in January 1639, Connecticut voters ratified the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, the first known written constitution to form a basis of government. 150 years later, historian John Fiske praised the Fundamental Orders as “mark[ing] the beginnings of American democracy, of which Thomas Hooker deserves more than any other man to be called the father.” While recently, some historians have argued that Hooker’s comments were addressing only church governance, and that Hooker’s democratic leanings have been vastly overstated, most still think the seeds were sown for one of America’s earliest political revolutions — today in Connecticut history.

Further Reading

Diana McCain, “The Free Consent of the People: Thomas Hooker and the Fundamental Orders,” connecticuthistory.org

Nancy Finlay, “Thomas Hooker: Connecticut’s Founding Father,” connecticuthistory.org

Walter W. Woodward, “What’s a Puritan, and Why Didn’t They Stay in Massachusetts?” Connecticut Explored

Town Resources

https://www.easthartfordct.gov/residents

 

Town Newsletters

Pulse of East Hartford     

East Hartford Public Schools

East Hartford Works

Manchester

 

Below is the list of locations in Manchester that are open to the public; Bring a sturdy grocery bag! This program is made possible by Foodshare and Winn Residential - Resident Service Program. For more information call 860-646-1280.

 

Get mobile pantry updates in your area by texting the word Foodshare to 85511. 

 

 Link to the statewide map



 https://ctfoodshare.org/get-help/connecticut-food-banks-mobile-pantry-schedule/

 

• Squire Village, 48 Spencer Street, 06040 (1st parking lot off Imperial Drive #78)
• Faith Tabernacle – Manchester 110 Utopia Rd, Manchester, CT 06042
• New River Community Church -314 Woodbridge St, Manchester, CT 06042

 

East Hartford



Below is the list of locations in East Hartford that are open to the public; Bring a sturdy grocery bag! This program is made possible by Foodshare and Winn Residential - Resident Service Program. For more information call (860) 291-7295 or (860) 291-7248

 

• Hockanum Park- 75 Hamilton Park
• Mayberry Village –St. Isaac Jogues Church Parking Lot (41 Home Terrace East Hartford)
• Summerfield Townhouse (66 Plain Drive East Hartford, CT)
• Veterans Terrace -102 Columbus St, East Hartford, CT 06108

https://www.easthartfordct.gov/youth-and-social-services/youth-and-social-services/pages/food-assistance

 

Get mobile pantry updates in your area by texting the word Foodshare to 85511.

The Department of Leisure, Family, and Recreation Summer Program and Event Guide is here! 

Resident registration begins May 8th, at 9 am. Non-resident registration begins on May 10th. 

Read Full Guide Here.

CERT Basic Training Class

Region 3, CRCOG will be hosting a CERT basic training class for anyone interested in becoming a trained CERT member.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may occur where they live. CERT trains volunteers in basic disaster response skills, such as: Fire safety. Light search and rescue. Team organization.

This is a great opportunity to aid your community in a way that you may not have thought about.

Please contact your local team leader or Emergency Management Director for signup or email Koplowitz.s@gmail.com (put CERT class in the memo line); Be sure to include your email and contact phone number. 

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Collections are held from 8 am-1 pm at the Manchester regional center for household hazardous waste collection. Online Appointments are mandatory! Schedule your appointment today.

Please note the following:



Wednesday, July 17, 2024 - special hours of 3 pm to 7 pm (evening event)

Saturday, October 5th, 2024 is a Fall Outreach Collection at Stafford Highway Garage, 210 East St. (Rt.19), Stafford CT from 8 am-1 pm.

 

• Saturday, June 15, 2024 | 08:00 AM - 01:00 PM
• Wednesday, July 17, 2024 | 03:00 PM - 07:00 PM
• Saturday, August 17, 2024 | 08:00 AM - 01:00 PM
• Saturday, September 21, 2024 | 08:00 AM - 01:00 PM

Come enjoy live performances by FriendZWorldMusic, Hartford's Proud & more at the Town of Manchester's Juneteenth Community Celebration on Saturday, June 22 from 11 AM - 2 PM at the Eastside Neighborhood Resource Center, 153 & 163 Spruce Street!



Questions? Contact the Neighborhoods & Families Division at (860)647-3089.

License your dog in June with the

East Hartford Town Clerk's Office

Mayor Connor Martin and the East Hartford Town Clerk’s Office would like to remind all East Hartford residents that June is considered a “DOG LICENSE MONTH.”  All dogs in the State of Connecticut six (6) months or older must be licensed each year in the town where they reside in the month of June by State Statute.

 

The license is in effect from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025. The fee for the license is $8 for a dog that is neutered or spayed. The fee for a dog which is not neutered or spayed is $19. A current rabies certificate is required for all dogs and a neutered/spayed certificate is required for dogs that will be licensed for the first time or if recently neutered or spayed. 



Dog licenses may be obtained from the Town Clerk’s office, located at East Hartford Town Hall at 740 Main Street. To fill out a dog license application form, click here. When submitting the application by mail, please include a check for the proper fee, made payable to the East Hartford Town Clerk, all certificates (rabies, neutered/spayed) and a self-addressed, stamped envelope and mail to: Town Clerk, Town Hall, 740 Main St., East Hartford, CT  06108.  All certificates will be returned with the new license and tag. 



Dogs that are not licensed in the month of June will be charged a penalty of $1 per month thereafter. Unlicensed dogs and roaming dogs will be subject to a $75 fine. 



Any dog or cat over the age of three (3) months must have a current rabies vaccination by Connecticut law or be fined $136. 



The Town Clerk’s Office is also hosting a low-cost rabies clinic on Saturday, June 1, 2024, from 10:00am to 12:00pm at the rear of Firehouse Number 1, located at 726 Main Street, East Hartford, CT. 



If you have any questions, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 860- 291-7230. 

The Town of East Hartford in collaboration with East Hartford Parks and Recreation, the East Hartford Black Caucus, the Commission on Culture and Fine Arts, and the East Hartford Public Library, invites you to attend the town’s third annual Juneteenth Celebration. Juneteenth, officially known as Juneteenth National Independence Day, is also known as Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, and Black Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans.

The event will take place on Saturday, June 15th from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, at Alumni Park. Admission is FREE.

A family-friendly stage lineup will honor Juneteenth through a diverse array of performances. Enjoy music, dance, spoken word, and historical interpretation! Bring a chair or a picnic blanket and stay all afternoon.

The Juneteenth Fest is the perfect family-friendly, community event that offers fun activities for children and adults alike. Among many activities, there will be a variety of vendors, food, entertainment, bounce house, face painting, powerful storytelling and so much more. 

In case of inclement weather, this event will be held inside at Community Cultural Center (50 Chapman Place).

VENDORS AND PARTICIPANTS: 

East Hartford is accepting applications from vendors who wish to participate in the Juneteenth celebration. Vendors who wish to participate must submit the applicable form to East Hartford Parks and Recreation.

*2024 East Hartford Juneteenth Food Vendor Application*

*2024 East Hartford Juneteenth Non-Profit Application*

*2024 East Hartford Juneteenth Vendor and Crafter Application*

Vendors are asked to apply by May 31, 2024. 

For more information, please call Parks and Recreation at 860-291-7160 or visit www.easthartfordct.gov/parks-recreation.

Join East Hartford Parks and Recreation Department in celebrating the 31^st Anniversary of Connecticut Trails Day with two great events! The first event “Unplug and Bike” will take place on Saturday, June 1st at Great River Park (301 East River Drive, East Hartford). And the second event “Unplug and Hike” will take place on Sunday, June 2nd at Nature Park (340 Long Hill Street, East Hartford).



Saturday, June 1st 

East Hartford Great River Park (Unplug and Bike) 

Come on out for a self-guided bike ride along the Connecticut River – Join us at the start for brief bike safety education between 1:00 and 2:00 pm and then ride until 3:00 pm. The “Great River Park” is located at 301 East River Drive in East Hartford. Parking will be available at Goodwin University at 9 Riverside Drive. The 4-mile paved path goes north from Goodwin University through Great River Park and Riverfront Recapture to I-84 and back. The ride will start at Goodwin University with optional safety education and bike check. The ride will showcase the East Hartford Great River Park, CT River, Hartford skyline, and Riverfront Recapture amenities. This ride is sponsored by the Town of East Harford, and East Hartford Parks & Recreation and Health and Human Services Departments. Helmets are required for all participants. if you don’t have a helmet but would like to participate, please contact East Hartford Parks and Recreation at (860) 291-7160



Sunday, June 2^nd 



East Hartford Nature & MJ Williams Parks (Unplug and Hike) 

Get outdoors with a guided hike through East Hartford Nature & MJ Williams Parks beginning at 10 am. Parking is available at the “Nature Park” located at 340 Long Hill Street in East Hartford, adjacent to the East Hartford Golf Course. The 80 plus-acre passive recreation wooded area contains a series of trails through the parks. This year we have partnered with the Manchester Land Trust for a 2 to 2.5 mile hike. 

Pre-registration is preferred but not required.



Register here: Home - Connecticut Trails Day 2024



For more information, please contact East Hartford Parks and Recreation at (860) 291-7160. In case of inclement weather, cancelations will be posted on our website: easthartfordct.gov and on our Facebook page: facebook.com/townofeasthartford

The East Hartford Town Clerk’s Office has partnered with the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association to offer its annual Low-Cost / No-Cost Rabies clinic.

The Low-Cost Rabies Vaccination Clinic will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 (noon) in the rear of Firehouse Number 1, located at 726 Main Street, East Hartford.

Please use the back Town Hall parking lot. Enter through the Saunders Street entrance and walk behind Town Hall to the back of the Fire House.

Dogs must be on leashes and cats must be in carriers. There are no residency requirements.

The fee is $20, cash only.  Pet owners who are on public assistance are permitted to have one pet vaccinated at no charge by showing their State Public Assistance Identification Card to the Clinic Coordinator.

Written proof, either a valid rabies certificate or a dog license showing a prior vaccination, must be presented to qualify for a three-year vaccination.  Otherwise, a one-year vaccination will be given. 

Tags are not sufficient proof for a three-year vaccination.

For further information, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at (860) 291-7230.

Summer reading is for everyone! The East Hartford Public Library has a summer reading incentive programs with prizes for adults, teens, school-aged children and preschoolers. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers can join our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program! Registration begins on Monday, June 10 when participants can start logging their reading into our mobile-friendly online system. The library summer reading program also counts towards the Governor’s Summer Reading challenge, a project of the Connecticut State Library and the CT Department of Education.

Preschoolers, school-aged children, and teens will earn a prize just for signing up! To earn points on ReadSquared, children and teens can set a reading goal and log book titles they've read. Prizes aren’t just for the kids! Our adult summer reading has prizes, too.

To register for summer reading, call us at 860-290-4330, stop by in person, or visit our website (www.easthartfordct.gov/library) and click on the “Summer Reading” menu item on the left side. Click on the link for the relevant program (preschool, children’s, teen, or adult) and enter information as prompted. We’re using ReadSquared software again this summer, which can also be downloaded as an app to easily log activity wherever you are this summer. The ReadSquared app is available in the iTunes and Google Play stores.

Children attending Parks & Recreation camp will be registered at camp. Parents/caregivers will receive a confirmation notice of registration at the e-mail they provide to Parks & Recreation. The confirmation e-mail will include log-in information and instructions for how to participate.

Celebrate the start of summer with us at our Summer Reading Kick-Off Party on Tuesday, June 18 from 5:30-7pm. Join us at Raymond Library to register in-person for summer reading, meet community partners, and enjoy a performance!

Preschoolers, school-aged children, and teens can join us during our programs throughout the summer for opportunities to log more books towards your goal, such as Summer Stories, Pajama Storytime, Book, Art, and Board Game Buddies, and more! For a complete list of our summer events, check out our online calendar: https://easthartfordct.libcal.com (or visit our website and click on “event calendar”). Printed program brochures are also available at both library branches.

The Raymond Library is located at 840 Main St., East Hartford, CT and is open Mondays and Fridays from 9 AM – 5 PM, and Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 AM – 8 PM, and Saturdays 10 AM – 2 PM. Our newly remodeled Wickham Branch is located on 656 Burnside Ave., East Hartford, CT and is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10AM –5PM and Tuesdays, Thursdays from 1PM –8PM. Happy reading!

My office is always open if you or your family are in need of assistance. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email at Jason.Rojas@cga.ct.gov or by phone at 860-240-8541.



Sincerely,



Jason Rojas