Gov. Rell Announces Design Competition for CT Vets' Memorial

Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced the design competition for Connecticut’s first statewide memorial to honor all state veterans will open for submissions starting today with a deadline for entries slated for Wednesday, April 14, 2010, at 3:00 p.m.

The state veterans’ memorial will be located on a grassy meadow adjacent to the Col. Raymond F. Gates State Veterans Cemetery, which is across from the State Veterans Home on West Street in Rocky Hill. The Connecticut State Veterans Memorial design competition is open to Connecticut residents, artists, architects, landscape architects and resident/non-resident students who are enrolled in Connecticut institutions of higher learning.

All entry rules, instructions and site photos are available at http://www.cthonorsvets.org/ or by e-mailing president@cthonorsvets.org.

Connecticut Day of Caring & Compassion 2009

Governor M. Jodi Rell announced yesterday a statewide “Day of Caring & Compassion” will be held on Saturday, November 7, when 15 fire stations around Connecticut will serve as collection centers for donations of non-perishable food to help replenish the state’s two main food pantries.
“November 7 will be a one-day push to fill – and I mean really fill – the shelves of Foodshare and Connecticut Food Bank ahead of the coming holidays,” Governor Rell said at a news conference at the Torrington Fire Department. “Working with fire departments in every corner of the state, our goal is to collect as much non-perishable food as possible. Foodshare and the Connecticut Food Bank will organize pick-ups from the fire stations later in the day – and from there it will go to food pantries and people in need all across Connecticut.

“It is important to be clear that this is a collection of non-perishable food – things like pasta, peanut butter, canned goods and so on,” the Governor said. “The firefighters will not be collecting cash or non-food items. But our hope is that the generous people of Connecticut will – once again – open their hearts to help feed people in need this fall and winter. The world-wide economic slump continues to take a brutal toll on Connecticut and the effects are deeper than we have seen in years. So I am making a special request for help, because if you are in a position to give, your help is needed more than ever.”

Governor Rell noted that while economists are beginning to see some small signs of improvement, far too many Connecticut families are still feeling the effects of layoffs, salary cutbacks, home foreclosures and other financial stresses.

“As more of our Connecticut neighbors are falling into hard times because of the prolonged recession, it’s incumbent on those of us who can help to do so,” said Nancy L. Carrington, Executive Director of the Connecticut Food Bank. “This Connecticut Day of Caring & Compassion is one way you can help meet the growing need in our communities. Statewide, the demand for food assistance has grown by more than 20 percent from the previous year – and many men, women and children are seeking food assistance for the first time.”

Gloria J. McAdam, President and CEO of Connecticut Foodshare, added: “The number of people seeking help at local food pantries in the Hartford area has increased by 30 percent just over last year. Many are in this position for the first time. Although they were donors in the past, they now find themselves on the other end of spectrum, asking for help, instead of being able to give it.”

Governor Rell said the Connecticut Day of Caring & Compassion is just one of several efforts under way to help provide assistance to families in need. Earlier this week, the Governor announced the start of the annual Operation ELF – an acronym for Embracing Lonely Families – which provides gifts, gift cards and other necessities for families of deployed troops from Connecticut. In the coming weeks the Governor will also launch the annual Governor’s Care & Share drive, a collection among state employees to help needy residents.

“The statewide Day of Caring & Compassion on November 7 is a chance for everyone in the state to make a difference,” Governor Rell said. “It is really a chance for the generous people of our state to shine – and I know they will once again rise to the occasion.”


Connecticut Day of Caring & Compassion 2009

Participating Fire Stations

BERLIN
Kensington Fire House
880 Farmington Avenue

DANBURY
19 New Street

ENFIELD
200 Phoenix Avenue

FAIRFIELD
140 Reef Road

MIDDLETOWN
169 Cross Street

NORTH WINDHAM
603 Boston Post Road

NORWICH
East Great Plain Volunteer Station
488 New London Turnpike

OLD SAYBROOK
310 Main Street

TORRINGTON
111 Water Street

VERNON
720 Hartford Turnpike

WATERBURY
740 Highland Avenue

WEST HARTFORD
20 Brace Road

WEST HAVEN
West Shore Fire District Headquarters
860 Ocean Avenue

WESTPORT
515 Post Road East

WILLIMANTIC
13 Bank Street

Gov. M. Jodi Rell Unveils Budget Plans

"We are Connecticut" stated Gov. M. Jodi Rell as she laid out her Budget plans today. She spoke of "pain and sacrifice," and "long overdue trimming." I don't normally post political items, but I was able to listen to the broadcast this afternoon. So here goes. She talked of families getting by on a lot less, feeling the pinch as it were, and how they were going to have to do the same.

Some of the highlights include:

• No cuts to education aid. No cuts to any state grant program.
• The elimination of 10 state agencies. Therefore eliminating duplications along the way.
  
• The elimination of 70 boards and commissions that have associated staffing, mileage reimbursement and other expenses. "We're reducing the bloat of bureaucracy and making do with less," said Rell.
• The budget cuts the fleet of state cars by 20 percent. If an employee doesn't really need one, he or she won't have one. Families are making do with less - so can we.
• Fewer laws. There are 14,000 pages of state laws in existence. The Governor proposes taking 130 unnecessary laws off the books. "We not only need a leaner government but a less intrusive one as well."
• Canceling state bond authorizations of hundreds of mostly earmark projects, totaling almost $400 million.
• A one year a hold on construction at UConn and state colleges to save debt costs.
• Municipalities can and should cut costs by sharing - sharing equipment, facilities, schools, personnel and more.
• And a new $10 million grant will be available to purchase shared equipment - snow plows, dump trucks, garbage trucks.
• Expansion of food assistance and elderly nutrition programs.
• Doing more to "green up" the state by expanding the bottle bill law to include non-carbonated beverages like water.
  

Those are just a few of the items covered by Governor Rell in the speech. Read the full text of the speech here:
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/ci_11626064

Follow this story on:
http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/

For more Budget detail visit:
http://www.ct.gov/opm/cwp/view.asp?a=2958&Q=432642&PM=1

New Connecticut Teen Driving Laws

In a ceremony at Conard High School in West Hartford this afternoon, Governor M. Jodi Rell signed a bill into law that tightens restrictions on teen drivers and levies tougher penalties for teens who violate the rules of the road. The bill, spearheaded by Governor Rell, toughens restrictions and penalties, rolls back the evening curfew for teen drivers and provides for more on-the-road training of teen drivers.

“We have lost far too many irreplaceable young lives in recent years,” Governor Rell said. “What makes these terrible tragedies on our roads even harder to bear is that every single one is avoidable. This new law will strengthen our legal tools for training and protecting young drivers, and I believe it will help to save lives. Connecticut will now have some of the strongest graduated driving licensing regulations in the country.”


So, what does the new Connecticut Teen Driving Law mean for you?

• Drivers under 18 must be off the road by 11 p.m., one hour earlier than now; exceptions are allowed for jobs, school and religious reasons.
• Parents must attend two hours of instruction on teen-driving laws before a child takes his or her license test.
• Fines are increased for certain moving violations and for violations of the passenger restriction, the curfew restriction and for cell phone violations.
• On-road training is doubled, from 20 hours to 40 hours, for teens getting learner's permits after August 1.
• Penalties are increased for teen drivers' passengers not wearing seat belts.
• Suspension periods are increased for 16- and 17-year-olds for reckless driving and motor vehicle racing. (Suspension of six months for the first offense.)
• License suspensions are established for speeding (60 days) and for use of cell phones (30 days) by 16- and 17-year-olds.
• Teens who violate provisions of the graduated license rules would lose their privileges for 30 days.
• To regain a suspended license, the 16- or 17-year-old and his parent or legal guardian must appear in person at the police department, state police barracks, or other designated location and sign a written acknowledgement of its return.
  

“I thank all the members of my Teen Driving Task Force,” Governor Rell said. “They did the leg work and the research, held the meetings, listened to the public’s ideas and made recommendations. I commend the legislature for this bipartisan effort."

“I also thank the public for providing our task force with valuable input during the statewide forums. You shared stories about your loved ones. You spoke of personal tragedies that could have been prevented. You had a major impact in crafting this law.”

The law, HB-5748, “An Act Concerning Teenage Drivers,” takes effect August 1, 2008.

For more information please visit:
http://www.ct.gov/teendriving/cwp/view.asp?Q=413528&A=3369