|
|
|
|
| Dear Neighbor,
I want to wish you a safe and Happy Halloween! You may know there is currently a burn ban on all public lands in Connecticut. I have included orders from the Governor's office and the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP).
CT residents have responded very well to early voting. You can still take advantage of the process through Sunday.
High school seniors can apply to the state's public universities for free on Friday. Please see below for more details.
The following topics are included in this week's newsletter:
- Gov. Lamont, DEEP Commissioner Dykes Respond to Fires, Drought
- Access Health CT Open Enrollment Begins Friday
- Early Voting doing well in CT, ends Sunday @ 6 p.m.
- Congrats to the CT National Guard 103rd Airlift Wing
- Apply to CT Public Universities for Free Friday
- CHET Dream Big! Competition Deadline is Monday
- Mini-grants Available to Support Youth Engagement
- Daylight Saving Time Ends Sunday Morning
- Happy Halloween!
Have a great weekend,
Travis
|
|
| In response to critical fire weather conditions and the state’s continued drought, both Governor Ned Lamont and Commissioner Katie Dykes have issued guidance on outdoor burns. The DEEP response, a Burn ban for all CT state parks, forests, and wildlife management areas can be found HERE. Gov. Lamont declared a state of emergency last week. You can read more about it by clicking on the image below. |
|
| An Access Health CT Open Enrollment period begins Friday, November 1, and ends January 15, 2025. Connecticut residents can shop, compare, and enroll in health insurance plans or renew their coverage. Customers may also enroll in dental insurance through AHCT.
When you enroll affects when your coverage starts. If customers enroll on or before December 15, coverage will start on January 1, 2025. If they enroll between December 16 and January 15, 2025, coverage will start on February 1, 2025.
AHCT is the only place Connecticut residents can get financial help to pay for their health insurance. Nearly 90% of AHCT customers enrolled in a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) receive assistance. Some customers might also qualify for the Covered CT Program. This program provides no-cost insurance for eligible residents. |
|
| There are 22 Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) available for customers to choose from this year. Plans are available from three insurance carriers, including Anthem, ConnectiCare Benefits Inc., and ConnectiCare Insurance Company Inc.
People who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program and live in Connecticut can sign up for health and dental insurance through AHCT.
Free help to sign up is available online, in person and over the phone. For a list of enrollment fairs and to register, visit the Enrollment Events webpage on the AHCT website. Information about enrollment locations and Navigator locations are also listed. Customers can also get help from a certified broker or enrollment specialist in their community. Go to AccessHealthCT.com and click "Get Help" or call 1-855-805-4325. Help is available in over 100 languages. Customers who are deaf or hearing impaired may use TTY at 1-855-789-2428 or call a relay operator. People can also chat live with a customer service representative by clicking the “Live Chat” icon on the website. |
|
| Early voting in Connecticut is open until 6 p.m. on Sunday, November 3rd for the November 5th election. |
|
| The Community Room at City Hall, 125 East Avenue, is the early voting location in Norwalk. |
|
| (Photo credit: Photorecon)
The Connecticut National Guard’s 103rd Airlift Wing has been named the best airlift unit in the Air National Guard by the Airlift/Tanker Association, a group of aviation professionals dedicated to the support of military airlift.
The organization is set to honor the unit with its Major General Stanley F.H. Newman Award during its upcoming annual convention in Grapevine, Texas, which is being held from October 31 to November 3, 2024. The award is a prestigious, national accolade that is presented annually to recognize the most outstanding Air National Guard wing contributing to the overall success of the Mobility Air Forces mission. |
|
| High school seniors in Connecticut can apply to our state’s public universities for free on Friday, November 1. This one-day initiative aims to make higher education more accessible, encouraging students who may be deterred by application costs to consider applying to college. |
|
| This move is part of a broader push to support college access for all students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, as they take a significant step toward higher education. |
|
| The Chet Dream Big! Competition offers students in grades K-12 an amazing opportunity to enter and win up to $20,000 toward their future education.
To enter, students answer a question through artwork, an essay, or a video. Younger students focus on what they want to do when they grow up, and older students are asked to describe a lesson they’ve learned or a person who has impacted their lives. The competition closes at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, November 4th! |
|
| Please take a moment to visit the website to learn more, and then encourage your child to take part. More than 250 students will receive monetary prizes to be deposited into a CHET account. For more details, please click HERE. Good luck! |
|
| Mini-grants are available to support the engagement of youth ages 5-25 in meaningful youth-led service or service-learning projects or programs benefiting the community during the grant term of January 1, 2025 – September 30, 2025. |
|
Eligible applicants include schools, out-of-school time programs (after school or summer), municipalities, agencies, and/or youth-serving organizations. Youth-led groups are welcome to apply with the sponsorship of an eligible applicant listed above.
To qualify for funding, proposed youth-led service initiatives may be new or existing, must prioritize engaging youth that are underrepresented in youth service in our state, and must actively engage youth in the development and implementation of the proposed service project or initiative.
Mini-grant funding requests of up to $8,000 will be considered. Funding may be used to support youth-led service project development and implementation costs and/or to remove barriers to youth participation in youth-led service projects and programs. To learn more please click HERE. |
|
| Daylight saving time comes to an end at 2 a.m. on Sunday. Remember to 'Fall Back'! This simple action ensures you’re in sync with the new schedule. |
|
| Have a fun, spooky, and safe Halloween, everyone! 🎃👻
As always, feel free to call me at 1-800-842-8267 or email me at Travis.Simms@cga.ct.gov if you have any questions or concerns. Also, please like my official Facebook Page for regular updates.
Sincerely,
Travis Simms
State Representative |
|
|
|
|
|
|
