Despite major progress CL-P falls short of self-imposed deadline

Some CL&P customers will have been without power for nine days once power is restored to all of the utility's customers.

CL&P President Jeff Butler, looking haggard and tense at this evening’s press conference, confirmed what Gov. Dannel P. Malloy had announced earlier in the day – that the company was not going to meet its self-imposed deadline to restore power to 99 percent of customers in all 149 Connecticut cities and towns.

As of 6 p.m., 88,000 customers were still without electricity. Immediately following October snowstorm Albert, there were approximately 831,000 utility customers (CL&P, UI and Northeast Utilities) without power.

Butler said the current 88,000 customers awaiting electricity includes 6,800 outages that are not storm-related, but the result of other issues that normally occur.

“We continue to push… but we have not met our expectations or those of all of you,” Butler said, and apologized to the customers still in the dark and without heat.

Earlier in the press conference Gov. Malloy said about 2,001 residents spent last night in shelters across the state.

Malloy also noted that 496 members of the National Guard and 60 State Department of Transportation crews were out helping CL&P today (Nov. 6).

As of today, about 96 percent of customers had power turned back on, Butler said. By 8 a.m. on Monday, that figure should be up to 97 percent, by midnight it should be 99 percent, and finally by midnight on Tuesday, everyone should be back online, Butler said. But that means 9 days of hardship for many people and businesses.

More crews have been brought on board to help with the remaining work. There were 2,482 working today, which is up 170 crews from yesterday, Butler said.

About 16 towns were only about 60 percent restored as of this evening, including towns in Tolland County – Somers, Stafford, Union, Tolland and Willington.

Asked by a reporter why CL&P didn’t focus its restoration efforts on the hardest hit areas, Butler defended his plan saying that sending the majority of crews to one part of the state would leave other cities and towns without power that much longer.

Another reporter asked if it is true that some crews were “standing around” waiting for instructions today. Butler responded that crews sometimes had to stop work for safety reasons as lines were powered up or switching operations were underway.

He also noted that some homes where power had been restored found themselves without electricity again because as lines were reactivated, in some case, it triggered other problems in the system.

Butler also asked customers who notice power has been restored around their home but they are still without electricity to call CL&P customer service to alert them to the outage.

As of the 6 p.m. press conference, Butler said, CL&P’s online map and outage/restoration list was up to date. As this evening’s data is input, outage numbers will drop significantly, he said.

Gov. Malloy had announced this morning that he didn’t expect CL&P to meet its goal because he wanted to alert municipal officials and customers still without power that they might need to find shelter tonight, and to help towns make decisions about schools and other services.

“The closer we got to CL&P’s self-identified goal of 99 percent restoration in each city and town by midnight tonight, the more skeptical I became of their ability to meet that goal,” Gov. Malloy said in a prepared statement.

“I’m releasing this information because towns and cities need to make preparations based on the reality of the situation – not what CL&P hopes to have happen – and residents need to make individual decisions about what to do over the next few days.”

Posted Nov. 6, 2011

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Former FEMA director hired by Gov. Malloy to review response to power outages

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced Friday (Nov. 4) that Witt Associates, a consulting firm led by former FEMA Director under President Bill Clinton, James Lee Witt, will conduct an independent review of both CL&P and UI and their response to the October Storm Alfred.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced Friday (Nov. 4) that Witt Associates, a consulting firm led by former FEMA Director under President Bill Clinton, James Lee Witt, will conduct an independent review of both CL&P and UI and their response to the October Storm Alfred.

James Lee Witt is the Chief Operating Officer of Witt Associates, a consulting firm that focuses on public safety and crisis management from mitigation to preparedness, response and recovery.

What’s been called Winter Storm Alfred – though it arrived during the time of the year when most people are displaying pumpkins and Halloween decorations, and haven’t begun to think about Thanksgiving dinner, yet – dumped as much as 20 inches of snow on some parts of the state and knocked out power to upwards of 830,000 residents at its peak.

As of Friday, according to an update given by CL&P President Jeff Butler, power has now been restored to 585,000 customers, with approximately 283,000 customers coping with their sixth night without heat or lights.

Butler, speaking at the evening press conference held at the state Emergency Operations Center, said that between 8 a.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, he expects another 100,000 customers to have their power restored.

Butler said CL&P continues to bring in more crews from out-of-state. As of Friday, he said, there were 1,802 line and tree crews at work – this in addition to members of the CT National Guard who are helping clear roads of debris, CT Department of Public Works employees, and towns’ own public works employees.

On Saturday, more than 300 additional crews will be in towns working on trees limbs, clearing roads and reconnecting service, Butler said.

In total, he said, there are approximately 6,000 CL&P employees working on restoring power.

Butler also reaffirmed his promise that 99 percent of customers in all 149 of Connecticut’s towns will have power restored by midnight this Sunday, Nov. 6.

Butler also fielded questions from reporters who challenged his claim that communications between the utility company and towns have been more timely and have been providing accurate information, which he has said is a lesson learned from this August’s Tropical Storm Irene.

One reporter stated that a CL&P employee told him that a CL&P crew that was supposed to work on a specific area in cooperation with Tolland Public Works employees didn’t show up.

Butler said 218 crews were in the Tolland area Friday, and that he was unaware of this snafu, but would investigate.

He also was asked if CL&P has refused help from crews with nonunion workers. Butler replied, “That is absolutely not true.”

Butler also has been repeatedly questioned about CL&P’s reported failure to pay some contractors who were hired to help with recovery after Tropical Storm Irene, which lead to inadequate numbers of crews available to deal with the immediate aftermath of Storm Alfred, which pounded the Northeast on Oct. 29.

Butler responded that invoices need to be reviewed according to a standard procedure and that to his knowledge, all invoices have been paid.

These and many other claims will be examined by Witt Associates, and Gov. Malloy said Friday he expects to have the firm’s report in hand by Dec. 1, 2011 – and at no cost to the state. The company is providing this service pro bono, Gov. Malloy said.

The governor responded to many reporters questions by saying, “As soon as everyone’s lights are back on, we need to have a very timely, thorough review of the power companies’ performances, to identify what went wrong, why it went wrong, and most importantly, identify solutions for the short-term before the next winter storm impacts Connecticut.”

“Witt Associates has a body of experience that is second to none. James and his colleagues have worked on the state and federal level and they understand how critical it is to conduct this review quickly and thoroughly. I appreciate his offer to help us,” Gov. Malloy said.

According to a press release issued Friday by the governor’s office, James Lee Witt has more than 25 years of disaster management experience, culminating in his appointment as the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where he served from 1993-2001.

As FEMA Director, Witt coordinated federal disaster relief on behalf of President Clinton, including the response and recovery activities of 28 federal agencies and departments, the American Red Cross, and other voluntary agencies.

He also oversaw the National Flood Insurance Program, the U.S. Fire Administration, and other pro-active mitigation activities that reduce loss of life and property from all types of hazards, the release states.

Prior to his service at FEMA, Witt led the Arkansas Office of Emergency Services, a position he held for four years, the release states.

Posted Nov. 4, 2011

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Local power restoration figures as of Nov. 3

The hardest hit towns in our readership area include Coventry and Willington. As of 9 p.m., 42 percent of customers in Coventry are still in the dark, or 2,347 of 5,464 customers. And in Willington, 48 percent of customers are still waiting, or 1,412 out of 2,893 customers.

According to the CL&P power outage/restoration map, some towns in the HTNP.com readership area are close to 100 percent restored, while others have substantial numbers of residents still without electricity.

Statewide, as of 6 p.m. on Nov. 3, there were more than 390,000 CL&P customers still without power and some of them are expected to continue to cope with this frustrating situation until sometime on Sunday, according to CL&P President Jeff Butler.

In the HTNP.com readership areas, Columbia, Windham-Willimantic, and Mansfield-Storrs are at or near 100 percent restored.

In Columbia, only one out of CL&P’s 2,400 customers was listed as being without power.

In Windham-Willimantic, where the number affected was relatively small even during and immediately after October Storm Alfred, which dropped as much as a foot and half of snow on some parts of the state, as of 9 p.m. there were only five out of 10,450 customers listed with power out.*

In Storrs-Mansfield, where Mansfield Community Center is still open as a place for food, showers, and overnight shelter, 41 out of 6,566 customers (0.62 percent) were still waiting for electricity.

In Hebron-Amston, 9 percent of customers are without electricity, or 163 out of 3,909 customers.

The hardest hit towns in our readership area include Coventry and Willington.

As of 9 p.m., 42 percent of customers in Coventry were still in the dark, or 2,347 of 5,464 customers.

And in Willington, 48 percent of customers were still waiting, or 1,412 out of 2,893 customers.

East Haddam and East Hampton are beginning to see more lights coming back on.

In East Haddam, 5 percent of customers remain without electricity, or 250 out of 4,823. And in East Hampton, the figure is 9 percent, or 560 our of 6,080 customers.

The CL&P outage map and accompanying town-by-town details link is updated every 30 minutes. Click here to view.

For information about local shelters, call 2-1-1 or online, go to www.211ct.org Your local town office should also have up-to-date information.

Posted Nov. 4, 2011

*Note: Residents in areas where power has been mostly or completely restored may still experience short term outages, as power is turned off temporarily to make repairs to equipment.

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Governor calls in CT National Guard to help with storm recovery

CL&P President Jeff Butler fielded questions from reporters, including one who said restoration crews in Bloomfield were seen “standing around” with nothing to do, for the entire day, and that a source told him CL&P was turning away United Illuminating crews.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has called on the National Guard to help with continued recovery efforts in the aftermath of October Storm Alfred, as more than 330,000 Connecticut residents face another night without electricity.

At Thursday evening’s press conference (N0v. 3) updating the public on the situation, Gov. Malloy said about 100 members of the National Guard are expected to be sent to towns to work with town crews clearing roads that are still blocked by debris and downed wires.

The National Guard also is helping to deliver food, water and other commodities to towns. Gov. Malloy said that “this is one of the lessons we learned from (Tropical Storm) Irene,” meaning that many residents were not able to travel to the emergency center in East Hartford to get supplies.

CL&P President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Butler reported that as of 3 p.m. Thursday, about 500,000 employees and contractors were working to restore power, including 1, 495 line and tree crews.

Power has been restored to about 561,000 CL&P customers as of Thursday, he said, leaving about 391,755 still in the dark.

Butler said more than 200 additional line crews are expected to join the effort on Friday. “I have not put a cap on (the number of crews),” working on restoring power, he said.

He added that he’s heard concerns from towns that there are some areas where the power lines are now energized but there are broken limbs and dangling branches that could fall on these wires, so CL&P will be sending crews to these areas to remove any hazardous limbs.

Butler reiterated his promise that by midnight Sunday, Nov. 6, at least 99 percent of CL&P customers in every town in the state will have their power restored.

He thanked the governor for calling on the National Guard for assistance and said, “We are making progress, but I realize for many of you it’s not fast enough.”

Butler fielded questions from reporters, including one who said restoration crews in Bloomfield were seen “standing around” with nothing to do, for the entire day, and that a source told him CL&P was turning away United Illuminating crews.

Butler responded that he’s told his staff that “I want all available crews,” but that he will investigate the reporter’s questions.

Butler also provided an update on the map and other information provided on CL&P’s restoration page. On Wednesday, Butler was told that of Connecticut’s 149 towns, 100 were shown to have restoration dates of Sunday and that customers calling CL&P were being given the same information.

Butler said that the map is now being kept up to date, has been modified to indicate progress in 10 percent increments, and that residents should be able to get an accurate estimate for their area by entering their zip code.

He reiterated that CL&P will continue to bring in as many crews as possible to meet the Sunday deadline for restoring most if not all Connecticut customers. “If I have to bring in additional crews on Sunday, I will. Our focus is to have (power restored to) 99 percent of every town’s customers by Sunday,” Butler said.

Gov. Malloy responded to questions from reporters about whether the state should have allowed CL&P to budget more money for tree cutting and trimming, in order to avoid such extensive damage from storms.

“Yes, they should spend more money. In the town of Stamford, I was the champion of cutting back trees… as lovely as these trees are, they don’t need to be overhanging wires. I think people are learning that,” he said.

Asked if he thought CL&P has been communicating “squarely” – the term Gov. Malloy has repeatedly used in his press conferences – he said he believes the company is doing its best. “I think there are things they said that they thought was true,” he said, but acknowledged that sometimes the facts have been otherwise, such as the number trucks in a particular town.

He stressed that this kind of analysis must be postponed until the emergency has passed. Once everyone’s power is restored, “then we can have a field day” with analysis, he said.

“You can be sure I am holding everyone’s feet to the fire… I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes if they fail to deliver,” he said, referring to the Sunday midnight deadline.

Posted Nov. 4, 2011

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A reminder…

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Northeastern part of Connecticut may have longest wait for power restoration

As of Monday evening, weather forecasters were predicting a warming trend, with temperatures in most of the state climbing up to the mid- and upper 50s. However, the forecast is for temperatures to begin to drop again as of Friday.

According to restoration projections released this morning by Connecticut Light and Power, many towns in this part of the state may have to until as long as Saturday and Sunday before their lights are turned on.

The projections show the shoreline towns to be in much better shape, with many 99 percent restored as of today.

In the HTNP.com readership area, CL&P has made the following projects for restoring 99 percent of power:

Columbia – Sunday, Nov. 6 by noon

Coventry – no info

East Haddam – Friday, Nov. 4 by 6 p.m.

East Hampton – Saturday, Nov. 5 by 6 p.m.

Hebron – Saturday, Nov. 5 by 6 p.m.

Mansfield/Storrs – Sunday, Nov. 6 by 6 p.m.

Willington – no info

Windham/Willimantic – Tuesday, Nov. 1 by 6 p.m.

To monitor the projections as they are updated daily, click on this link http://www.cl-p.com/stormcenter/estimates

To check the updated outage map (and on the right, there’s a link for outage details by town) click this link http://outage.cl-p.com/outage/outagemap.aspx This list is refreshed every half hour.

Among HTNP.com readership towns, Windham was the least affected by power outages. At its peak, the total was about 14 percent of CL&P customers. As of this morning, CL&P reports 0.79 percent of customers – 83 out of 10,450 – were still without power and according to the restoration projections, they should be taken care of by noon today.

One of the hardest hit in our readership area was the rural town of Willington. There is no projected restoration information for that town, but according to CL&P’s outage map/details, 89 percent of the town is still without electricity, or 2,583 out of a total of 2,893 customers.

As of 9:30 a.m., the following information was listed for HTNP.com readership towns:

Columbia – 14 percent without power; 354 out of 2,440 customers

Coventry – 73 percent without power; 3,990 out of 5,464 customers

East Haddam – 25 percent without power; 1,217 out of 4,823 customers

East Hampton – 34 percent without power; 2,089 out of 6,080 customers

Hebron – 31 percent without power; 1,246 out of 3,909 customers

Mansfield/Storrs – 19 percent without power; 1,266 our of 6,566 customers

Willington – 89 percent without power; 2,583 out of 2,893 customers

Windham/Willimantic – 0.79 percent; 83 out of 10,450

As of Monday evening, weather forecasters were predicting a warming trend, with temperatures in most of the state climbing up to the mid- and upper 50s. However, the forecast is for temperatures to begin to drop again as of Friday.

Information about shelters accepting overnight stays is available by calling 2-1-1 or check online at www.211ct.org

You should also check with your local town offices for information about places where you can shower, recharge your electronics and/or get food and drinking water.

It’s also a good idea to check on the elderly or disabled, particularly those who live alone.

And again, emergency officials are warning residents to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by not using such things are a gas grill or your gas stove to heat your living area.

Likewise, generators must be installed properly not only to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning but to avoid fires such as those that occurred in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene.

Also, if you are using your vehicle to recharge your cell phone, please do not leave it running in the garage – move it outdoors.

Posted Nov. 1, 2011

Have a news item, event or Letter to the Editor you’d like posted on this news site? Simply send your information to editor@htnp.com and include your town in the subject line of your email. Please also include a phone number where you can be reached if there are questions. To keep up-to-date on local news, “like” us (HTNP News) on Facebook and follow us ( @HTNP) on Twitter!

A reminder…

Letters to the Editor concerning candidates for the November 2011 elections can be sent to editor@HTNP.com. Candidates writing on their own behalf are asked to include a JPEG headshot that is at least 500 pixels wide and a resolution of at least 180. The last date to post campaign letters will be Saturday, Nov. 6. Please include your town in the subject line, and provide a phone number where you can be reached by the editor.

Coventry schools hire firm to look for energy savings

The Coventry school board recently appropriated up to $30,000 to be used for an energy audit and associated improvements. The exact cost of the work depends on which of the firm’s suggestions the school board chooses to implement.

Coventry school officials have hired a company to perform an energy audit at the town’s four schools in an attempt to research energy efficiency measures and cut costs.

Strategic Building Solutions of Madison was chosen for this task.

The firm will review Coventry High School, Coventry Grammar School, George H. Robertson Intermediate School and Capt. Nathan Hale Middle School.

Strategic Building Solutions will also review the board of education’s list of capital improvement projects (CIP), provide estimates of how much energy savings can be expected from the projects, and suggest which projects to do first.

The school board recently appropriated up to $30,000 to be used for the review and associated improvements. The exact cost of the work depends on which of the firm’s suggestions the school board chooses to implement.

The dollars come from health insurance savings. School and town officials achieved savings of nearly $750,000 by switching health insurance plans from Anthem Blue Cross to Cigna: $169,000 on the town side and $581,000 on the school side.

The CIP plan includes electrical work at the middle school, heating control modifications at the grammar school and a boiler control upgrade at the grammar school.

Currently, there is $43,000 in the capital improvement budget for the middle school electrical work, $96,200 for the heating control work at the grammar school and $29,300 for the boiler control upgrade at the grammar school.

Coventry School Business Manager Gregg Blackstone said when looking for a company for the energy audit, proposals were evaluated based on their scope of work and their bids.

He said Strategic Building Solutions has done work in Glastonbury, Bloomfield, Hartford and Middletown.

In Glastonbury, the company did “retro-commissioning,” a process that identifies low-cost maintenance improvements that can be made in existing buildings with a focus on energy-efficiency.

According to Blackstone, School Facilities Director Paul Noel spoke with Glastonbury and they had positive feedback about Strategic Building Solutions. “Every opinion was that these guys would be a good fit,” said Blackstone.

Blackstone will get a progress report from the company during the first week of November and another report when the audit is completed, likely at the end of November.

He said the work began immediately after the company was chosen because the school board needs the information in time to put together its CIP plan for the next year’s budget season. The CIP plan is expected to be completed in December.

“There was no time to waste for this,” said Blackstone.

Coventry Board of Education Chair Cheryl Trudon said town and school officials have been discussing an audit for the past few years. “It’s been discussed many times between the schools and the town,” she said.

The primary focus is to look into aging equipment, such as the school freezers, and determine how to replace them, considering cost. “Some of them are past their life expectancies,” she said.

Posted Oct. 26, 2011 as edited by HTNP.com Editor Brenda Sullivan

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UPDATE – CL&P to host public meeting on upgrade project for Eastern CT

Update Nov. 1, 2011:

Connecticut Light & Power has postponed this public open house about the Interstate Reliability Project to focus on restoring customers affected by the weekend Nor’easter storm. Scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011, in the Mansfield Community Center from 6 to 8 p.m., it will be rescheduled at a date to be announced. For more information on the Interstate Reliability Project, please visit www.NEEWSprojects.com, or call 1-866-99NEEWS (1-866-996-3397).

Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) has rescheduled a public open house for residents living in eastern Connecticut to learn more about the proposed transmission upgrade, also known as the Interstate Reliability Project, to Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011. This event was originally scheduled for Sept. 14, 2011.

The public meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Mansfield Community Center, 10 South Eagleville Road (Route 275, off Route 195-Storrs Road) in Storrs-Mansfield, CT 06268.

According to the press release announcing the meeting, the proposed Interstate Reliability Project is designed to improve the reliability of the transmission system serving eastern Connecticut and the southern New England region.

The construction route begins in Lebanon and continues through Columbia, Coventry, Mansfield, Chaplin, Hampton, Brooklyn, Pomfret, Killingly, Putnam and Thompson, and then extends through National Grid’s service areas in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Some of the work will take place in protected areas, such as Mansfield Hollow State Park.

The November open house is the second of two regional events held by CL&P to update residents on the project and receive their meaningful feedback.

The first open house was held in Danielson on Aug. 23, 2011.

At these meetings, members of the CL&P project team are on hand to provide information and answer residents’ questions about the project.

For more details about the Interstate Reliability Project, visit www.NEEWSprojects.com, or call 1-866-99NEEWS (1-866-996-3397).

Posted Oct. 25, 2011

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DMV says you might want to wait to renew that license

Waiting times may be longer as the Department of Motor Vehicles begins to implement a new license renewal program called SelectCT ID. The new identity-checked "verified" driver licenses and ID cards will have a gold star in the upper right corner. Those without verification will be marked "Not for Federal Identification."

If your driver’s license or State ID card expires late in October or shortly thereafter, you might want to avoid going to the Department of Motor Vehicles this week when longer-than-usual lines are expected.

This is because the new SelectCT ID program begins today. (Oct. 4)

This is a new identity-verification system that requires Connecticut residents to decide whether they want a “regular” renewed license or a “verified” renewed license (or ID). It is part of ramping up national security, and it is a step toward making it more difficult for someone to steal your identity.

Those who choose a “regular” or standard license will have the words “Not for Federal Identification” clearly stamped on their license.

If you choose a “verified” license, there are certain documents you must bring with you to the DMV.

The cost of the driver license or I.D. renewals cards is the same for both forms. Regular license renewal for 6 years is $66. Anyone 65 years old and older can renew for two years at $22. Commercial driver’s license renewal is every 4 years and is $60. DMV-issued ID cards are renewed for $22.50 for six years.

If this is a new license

Connecticut currently requires all new applicants for driver licenses or DMV-issued ID cards to be issued a “verified” card, which means you will have to bring the appropriate documents to the DMV or AAA office.

And because all of this will be new to many residents, waiting times may be longer at the DMV as the rules are explained.

This likely also will be true at the AAA offices as well, according to a press release issued Monday by the DMV.

More information about the program is available by doing a search for SelectCT ID on the HTNP.com website to read previous stories, and by visiting www.ct.gov/selectCTid

To help reduce time spent in a DMV or AAA office, DMV advises you to consider waiting if you don’t need to renew your license at the beginning of October.

However, renewals still must be done by the expiration date on the front of the license or you will have to pay a $25 late fee at the time of renewal.

The DMV is also is asking customers to remember they can avoid long lines at the DMV regional service hubs in Bridgeport, Waterbury, Willimantic and Wethersfield by going to other service locations.

Since there has been some confusion about which DMV offices are now open, here is a list provided by the DMV (and AAA):

DMV Offices

Bridgeport – 95 Sylvan Ave.

Danbury – 2 Lee Mac Ave.

Derby – Railroad Station – 12 Main St.

Enfield – 4 Pearson Way

Hamden – 1985 State St.

Middletown – Main Street Market, 386 Main St.

Milford – Parson’s Government Center

New Britain – 85 No. Mountain Rd.

Norwalk – 540 Main Ave.

Norwich – 173 Salem Tpk.

Old Saybrook – 7 Custom Dr.

Putnam – 165 Kennedy Drive

Waterbury – 2210 Thomaston Ave

Wethersfield – 60 State St.

Willimantic – 1557 West Main Street

Winsted – 151 Torrington Rd.

AAA Offices

Avon – 70 East Main Street

Branford – 143 Cedar Street

Cromwell – 34 Shunpike Road

Danbury – 93 Lake Avenue

Enfield – 109 Elm Street

Hamden – 2276 Whitney Avenue

Manchester – 1500 G Pleasant Valley Road

Milford – 827 Bridgeport Avenue

Old Saybrook – 210 Main Street

Plainville – Old Canal Square

Stamford – 1101 High Ridge Road

Waterbury – 720 Wolcott Street

Waterford – Waterford Shopping Plaza

West Hartford – 815 Farmington Avenue

Westport – 419 Post Road East

You can also check for any changes by visiting the DMV Web site at www.ct.gov/dmv

So here are some highlights of the new SelectCT ID program:

• SelectCT ID stems from national security measures and federal identification standards for airports and federal buildings and any commercial transactions that may use them.

• It will be phased in during the next six years (October 2011 through 2017) as all licenses and ID cards are renewed. (Your renewal date is on the front of your driver’s license or ID card.)

• Those who opt for a license or ID card indicating their identity was verified by DMV need to present certain original documents. These include a birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport or other primary documents, also proof of Social Security number, name changes, including as a result of marriage, divorce, etc., as well as proof of current address.

• Anyone who opts out of the verified license or ID can simply ask to renew as a regular license or ID card. (In terms of airports or federal buildings, a valid U.S. passport can serve the same purpose as the verified license or ID card.)

• The new identity-checked “verified” driver licenses and ID cards will have a gold star in the upper right corner. Those without verification will be marked “Not for Federal Identification.”

• Non-U.S. citizens who request the verified license or ID must show various identity documents and proof of legal presence in the U.S. that DMV will verify online. Without legal presence, DMV will not renew the driver’s license or ID card.

Both the verified and the standard renewed licenses are legal when it comes to driving.

Posted Oct. 4, 2011

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Gov. Malloy says Obama’s jobs plan good for Connecticut

President Barak Obama (official White House photo)

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy released the following statement regarding President Barack Obama’s speech concerning his proposed American Jobs Act tonight (Sept. 8 ) before a Joint Session of Congress.

“Tonight, the President made clear that the time for politics is over, and the time for action is now. President Obama proposed a plan to put Americans back to work, cut their taxes and step up the pace of our economic recovery,” Malloy said.

“The President’s proposals will be a direct benefit to Connecticut residents and businesses,” Gov. Malloy said. “For example, by investing in infrastructure his proposal would put people to work; by funding education he will avoid layoffs of teachers and increased class sizes; and by extending unemployment insurance he will keep out of poverty the approximately 78,000 Connecticut workers who will have exhausted their unemployment benefits by the end of this year.”

“Importantly, this plan will not increase our national debt. Indeed, if enacted it will accelerate economic growth and reduce the nation’s long-term deficit. I applaud the President for acting boldly in the face of recent data suggesting that our economic recovery has slowed. Congress should act quickly to pass this plan,” Gov. Malloy said.

Posted Sept. 8, 2011

Related link: Transcript of President Obama’s speech http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/09/08/address-president-joint-session-congress

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Coventry Farmer’s Market is finalist for $80,000 barn giveaway

“We have an excellent chance of winning this beautiful barn, but the voting period is short, just two weeks, and it will be important for us to mobilize our market supporters to vote and help us spread the word,” Caplanson said.

The Coventry Regional Farmer’s Market is one of three finalists that could win an open air, post and beam barn valued at $80,000.

The 24-by-36-foot, open air barn will be awarded to the farmers’ market that receives the most votes in the Great Barn Giveaway.

W.H. Silverstein, Inc., the Farmers Market Coalition and the American Farmland Trust are working together to administer this Great Barn Giveaway.

The link for voting is https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GreatBarnGiveawayVote which begins today, Aug. 1.

The Coventry Farmers Market was selected as one of the three finalists due to a well written entry, the community support for the market and a vision for the future of the market, according to organizers.

The other two farmers markets selected as finalists are in Hemlock, MI and Borough of Chatham, NJ.

If the Coventry Regional Farmer’s Market wins, market organizers plan to use the structure for programs, concerts, storage art space and workshops, said Winter Caplanson.

“We have an excellent chance of winning this beautiful barn, but the voting period is short, just two weeks, and it will be important for us to mobilize our market supporters to vote and help us spread the word,” Caplanson said in a press release issued today.

For more information about the Coventry market, contact Winter Caplanson, Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market at MarketMasters@CoventryFarmersMarket.com or 860-803-5383.

About the Farmers Market Coalition

The Farmers Market Coalition seeks to strengthen farmers markets’ capacity to serve farmers, consumers, and communities by providing the rapidly growing movement with information and representation at state and federal levels. We help build networks, link peers, and connect farmers markets old and new with tools and resources for success. For more information visit: www.farmersmarketcoalition.org

About The American Farmland Trust

The mission of American Farmland Trust is to help farmers and ranchers protect their land, produce a healthier environment and build successful communities.  For more information visit: www.farmland.org

About W.H. Silverstein, Inc.

William Silverstein, a Massachusetts businessman, owns Timberpeg , Real Log Homes and Yankee Barn Homes.

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