<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>February 2020 &#8211; Norfolk Now</title>
	<atom:link href="https://nornow.org/category/2020/february-2020/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://nornow.org</link>
	<description></description>
	<lastBuildDate>Sat, 15 Feb 2020 18:52:35 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-US</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2</generator>
	<item>
		<title>Community News &#8212; February 2020</title>
		<link>https://nornow.org/2020/02/15/community-news-february-2020/</link>
					<comments>https://nornow.org/2020/02/15/community-news-february-2020/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin 2]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 15 Feb 2020 18:52:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[February 2020]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nornow.org/?p=10749</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Pamela Harnois Watercolors “Woodlands and Wildflowers,” an exhibit of the watercolors of Pamela Harnois, will be on display at the Norfolk Library during the month of February. An artist specializing in transparent watercolor, Harnois is a member of the New England Watercolor Society, Norfolk Artists and Friends and the Artisans Guild. She is known for her light [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><strong>Pamela Harnois Watercolors </strong><br>“Woodlands and Wildflowers,” an exhibit of the watercolors of Pamela Harnois, will be on display at the Norfolk Library during the month of February. An artist specializing in transparent watercolor, Harnois is a member of the New England Watercolor Society, Norfolk Artists and Friends and the Artisans Guild. She is known for her light and loose style in florals, landscapes, seascapes, trees, animals and still life.</p>



<p><strong>Lecture on Deer and Tick-Borne Diseases</strong><br>As part of Great Mountain Forest’s winter lecture series, Dr. Scott Williams will give a lecture on the connections between white-tailed deer, the blacklegged tick, forest ecology and human health. The lecture will be Saturday, Feb. 9, at 4 p.m. in the Norfolk Library. To register, contact jean@greatmountainforest.org.<br></p>



<p><strong>Pink Tea at Battell Chapel</strong><br>Come to a “Pink Tea” from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 9, in the lower level of Battell Chapel. Bring a pink treat to share and wear pink if you have it! All are welcome. Questions may be directed to Eve Thew at 860-542-5003. </p>



<p><strong>Wellness and Blood Pressure Clinic</strong><br>On Friday, Feb. 14, there will be a free wellness and blood pressure clinic from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Hub.&nbsp; The clinic is offered by the Salisbury Visiting Nurses Association.</p>



<p><strong>Classic Film Night at the Library</strong><br>“Show Boat” (1951) will be shown at the Norfolk Library on Thursday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. The film adaptation of the Broadway musical by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock workers on a Mississippi River showboat over 40 years, from 1887 to 1927. One of MGM’s most popular musicals, it features such classic songs as “Ol’ Man River,” “Make Believe” and “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man.”&nbsp;<br></p>



<p><strong>Reception at Artisans Guild</strong><br>February at the Artisans Guild will feature a theme show “Creatures of the Woodlands,” including artwork, sculptures, knit items and jewelry. A meet-the-artists reception will be held on Feb. 22, during the WIN weekend, from 1 to 4 p.m. Winter hours are Friday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 12 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the show will run through March 22.<br></p>



<p><strong>Saxophone Quartet at the Library</strong><br>The Foundry Saxophone Quartet will perform a variety of music centered on original classical works, as well as a mix of jazz, folk and ragtime, at the Norfolk Library on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 3 p.m. Please call the library at 860-542-5075 to register for this free concert.<br><br><strong>Hubinar on Stone Restoration</strong><br>Martin Johnson, president of the Monument Conservation Collaborative, LLC, an internationally known firm specializing in historic stone restoration, will give a talk on stone restoration on Monday, Feb. 24, from 6 to 7 p.m., at the Hub. Johnson will describe the repairs he made to the Wooldridge Monuments in Mayfield, Ky., and what work he has done in Norfolk. To register, go to the Norfolk Foundation website and look for Hub events.</p>



<p><strong>Roller Skating Documentary</strong><br>Recently released in New York and Los Angeles and shortlisted by the International Documentary Association’s award for top feature in 2018, “United Skates” depicts black roller skating culture “with both elegiac and euphoric beauty” (New York Times), while giving voice to dozens of skaters who tried to skate at unfriendly establishments, facing discrimination, police searches and arbitrary rules. Filled with archival footage, the film will be shown at the Norfolk Library on Saturday, Feb. 29, at 4 p.m.<br></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://nornow.org/2020/02/15/community-news-february-2020/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Beaver and Humans, Can We All Just Get Along?</title>
		<link>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/beaver-and-humans-can-we-all-just-get-along/</link>
					<comments>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/beaver-and-humans-can-we-all-just-get-along/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin 2]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Feb 2020 22:50:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[February 2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slider]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nornow.org/?p=10705</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<div><img width="640" height="420" src="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Beer_Beaver-with-trap72dpiUSM-640x420.jpg" class="attachment-post-feature size-post-feature wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" /></div>Beaver Liberation Text by Dave BeersPhoto by Roger Johnson On Saturday, Dec. 28, at around 4 p.m., Roger Johnson and Katka Hannelova were walking their dog on top of the southerly Wood Creek dry dam when they noticed splashing and thrashing in the dam outlet plunge pool. They headed down to investigate and found a [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img width="640" height="420" src="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Beer_Beaver-with-trap72dpiUSM-640x420.jpg" class="attachment-post-feature size-post-feature wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" /></div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Beaver Liberation</h2>



<p>Text by Dave Beers<br>Photo by Roger Johnson</p>



<p>On Saturday, Dec. 28, at around 4 p.m., Roger Johnson and Katka Hannelova were walking their dog on top of the southerly Wood Creek dry dam when they noticed splashing and thrashing in the dam outlet plunge pool. They headed down to investigate and found a beaver in the process of drowning. Hannelova pulled the beaver out of the water, while Johnson removed the steel leghold trap and kept their dog at a distance with the leash. Hannelova held the beaver while it calmed itself by licking its fur. Once the beaver had calmed down, and after they removed a second trap from the water, Hannelova released the beaver. Johnson took the two traps home and permanently disabled them. (Please do not attempt to handle a beaver or a trap. Doing so can be dangerous.)</p>



<p>During the beaver’s recuperation on shore, neighbors of the dam—Tony and Alyson Thomson—came over to offer their assistance while Johnson called the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and notified them of the trapping and the liberated beaver. The next day, both Johnson and Thomson talked separately to two different DEEP environmental conservation officers in more detail about the incident. Thomson was told that the trapping was being&nbsp; done legally by a professional trapper to get rid of nuisance beavers at the Wood Creek Flood Control site. Johnson was charged with criminal mischief and given a date to appear in court.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Leghold traps are set in shallow water. A scent stick is placed next to the trap to attract a beaver. When the beaver steps into the trap, the jaws of the trap clamp down on its leg. The trap is designed to hold the leg but not break it. The beaver instinctually swims to deep water when alarmed. The trap is connected to a wire that is anchored in the shallows and in deep water. As the beaver swims deeper, the trap slides down the wire toward the deep, which gradually pulls the beaver underwater. The wire is a one-way trip to drowning for the beaver.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Leghold traps are one of many types of traps allowed in Connecticut. Some countries and states, including neighboring Massachusetts, do not allow this kind of trap owing to concern for pets getting caught and for humane reasons. Connecticut regulations are very detailed about the specifics regarding the kind of traps allowed, how traps are set, where trapping is allowed, when trapping is allowed, what animals can be trapped, and how many can be trapped. Trappers must be state licensed and take a basic trapping course. Trappers must acquire annual written permission from landowners to trap, their traps must be labeled with their full name and located at least 10 feet from a beaver lodge, and the trappers must check their traps at least every 24 hours. A variety of furbearing mammals can be trapped, and each has its own trapping season. Beaver season is Dec. 1 to March 31. Trapping is allowed outside of trapping season by licensed nuisance wildlife control operators to remove beavers that are causing property damage from flooding and tree cutting.</p>



<p>It appears that beavers have attempted to block the large concrete and steel box that is the inlet for the large culvert under the Wood Creek dry dam. The piles of beaver-chewed sticks thrown on shore by DEEP staff is a testament to that. The culvert outlet shoots the water into the air at least a foot above a riprap-lined plunge basin. Just downstream from this basin is a beaver pond with two lodges that is on neighboring private land. The traps were set where the plunge basin enters the beaver pond, even though the problem beaver activity appears to be on the other side of the dam.</p>



<p>Thomson is particularly concerned about the welfare of the beavers in his pond. He&nbsp; emphasized that “all of us in the area enjoy our beaver neighbors.” Thomson said that the beaver pond has been active with beavers since he moved there 17 years ago, and he has never seen the beavers make any attempt to block the outlet pipe to the dam. (There were some bundles of beaver-chewed sticks along the shore of the plunge basin.) Even if they tried, he does not think they could block such a large pipe that is up in the air. For this reason, he is baffled why the state wants beavers trapped on his side of the dam.</p>



<p>Before colonization, Connecticut and all of the Northeast was full of beavers and the beaver ponds that allowed beavers to feast on shrubs and trees without getting eaten by predators. Many of our best valley farmland soils are the result of ancient beaver dams collecting rich river sediment. Because of excessive trapping and hunting, Connecticut had no beavers from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s. The beaver has made a great comeback, and now numbers well over 5,000 in Connecticut. The many beaver ponds that have returned to our landscape provide a diverse ecology and an excellent habitat for fish, amphibians, aquatic mammals, birds, invertebrates and reptiles. These ponds alleviate both droughts and floods while filtering out pollution.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Unfortunately, our valuable infrastructure often gets flooded by beavers. Trapping is one of a few tools being used to alleviate beaver damage. Some other tools are dam removal and exclusion fencing. Also, an ingenious combination of pipes and wire fencing (called a beaver deceiver, beaver baffler, or water-level control device) can be used both to control the water level behind beaver dams and to keep culverts from getting blocked.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Roger Johnson said he hopes that safer and more humane alternatives to trapping will always be considered first.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<p><em>I spoke with both the wildlife department and the law enforcement departments of CT DEEP, who refused to answer any questions. I was assured that the DEEP Office of Communications would return my call, but as of the writing of this article, this has not happened.</em><br></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/beaver-and-humans-can-we-all-just-get-along/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Secrets to a Long and Happy Marriage, as Told by Eve and John Thew</title>
		<link>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/the-secrets-to-a-long-and-happy-marriage-as-told-by-eve-and-john-thew/</link>
					<comments>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/the-secrets-to-a-long-and-happy-marriage-as-told-by-eve-and-john-thew/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin 2]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Feb 2020 22:45:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[February 2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slider]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nornow.org/?p=10700</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<div><img width="640" height="420" src="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_20190224_104046Thews72dpiUSM-640x420.jpg" class="attachment-post-feature size-post-feature wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" /></div>Text and Photo by Kelly Kandra Hughes I’m sitting with Eve and John Thew on their screened-in porch. An electric heater is keeping us toasty warm during these subfreezing January temperatures. John is sitting across from me, and Eve is sitting in a chair to my left. “I’ll tell you the secret of marriage,” John [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img width="640" height="420" src="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_20190224_104046Thews72dpiUSM-640x420.jpg" class="attachment-post-feature size-post-feature wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /></div>
<p>Text and Photo by Kelly Kandra Hughes</p>



<p>I’m sitting with Eve and John Thew on their screened-in porch. An electric heater is keeping us toasty warm during these subfreezing January temperatures. John is sitting across from me, and Eve is sitting in a chair to my left. “I’ll tell you the secret of marriage,” John says. “We love each other. What else is there to say?”</p>



<p>What else, indeed. That evening, not too long ago, Eve and John Thew regaled me with dozens of stories from their nearly 69-year marriage. They got married on June 9, 1951. Both were born in 1927, John in Norwalk and Eve in New York City. They met when Eve’s family moved to Westport, Conn., in about 1931. Eve says they met one day when they were seven years old when John went fishing down at the docks in Westport. John claims they were nine. “It’s the argument of our life,” laughs John.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But it wasn’t smooth sailing to marriage from that first meeting. According to Eve, she was slow and fat. “Eve,” I interrupt her, “I don’t believe that for a minute.” Eve tells me she had a thyroid problem, and yes, it was true. “I had to work for a bit of attention from John. I started chasing him in high school. He was very popular and loads of fun and quite good-looking.”</p>



<p>“I thought Eve was a nice girl,” chuckles John. “She wrote me notes during study hall. Things like ‘nice sweater.’<em> </em>I answered back out loud.” John and Eve tell how their study hall teacher wore over-ironed rayon clothes to school every day. Yet, John charmed that teacher with daily compliments and earned enough status that he could talk out loud during study hall.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That charm carried John further into popularity and fun. So Eve had to be smart about how to get his attention. “I entertained all the time, throwing parties so I could invite him,” she says. “They were an excuse for him to come over.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Eve apparently needed all the help she could get, since John was quite the ladies’ man in his youth. He was dating another girl for three years during Eve’s parties. “So you were dating two girls at the same time?” I ask for clarification, meaning Eve and this other girl.&nbsp;</p>



<p>John thinks for a moment. “Oh, it was more than two.”</p>



<p>“My God,” says Eve. “If you only knew.”</p>



<p>The turning point came when John prayed for guidance. He asked God which girl was right for him. “My thoughts instantly turned to Eve,” smiles John.&nbsp;</p>



<p>According to Eve, the next thing she knew John was asking her if she wanted to go to Vermont with him to get his parents’ car. The more time they spent together, the more they realized how each could be a great source of support to the other. “There was understanding,” says Eve. “Growing up, John’s father had calcification of his back and spine. So when we moved in to take care of my father and my brother who was dying of MS, he understood what that kind of care was like. When we realized we could help each other get through these times, that’s the glue that held us together.”</p>



<p>That glue, in part, is made of one ingredient in particular—laughter. “We both have a sense of the ridiculous,” says John. “We laugh all the time.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Eve agrees. “I’ve admired John’s humor all the way through our marriage. I’d get up in the morning and before I knew it, I’d be laughing.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>A perfect example of this truth in their marriage comes toward the end of our interview. John is telling me how much he admires Eve. “When Eve stands up at church to say something, I think, ‘Here’s my gal. Just listen to her. I’m so proud.’<em> </em>I just stand up and say stupid things.” Eve doesn’t miss a beat. “Well, you’re going to have to do better now after this interview.”</p>



<p>Love, laughter, and understanding—can the secrets to a happy marriage really be that simple? John assures me it is. “We always had the words to solve any crisis,” he says. “I love you. That’s why we’ve both been so happy.”<br></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/the-secrets-to-a-long-and-happy-marriage-as-told-by-eve-and-john-thew/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Local Author Writes a Guide to Publishing for Aspiring Writers</title>
		<link>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/local-author-writes-a-guide-to-publishing-for-aspiring-writers/</link>
					<comments>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/local-author-writes-a-guide-to-publishing-for-aspiring-writers/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin 2]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Feb 2020 22:43:02 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[February 2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slider]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nornow.org/?p=10697</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<div><img width="640" height="420" src="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/NN_Book1-640x420.jpg" class="attachment-post-feature size-post-feature wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /></div>NN Book Review Text by Michael SelleckPhoto by Clinton J. Sosna I spent my entire career in the book business, first as a bookseller for eight years followed by 35 years in publishing, and even today I coproduce a podcast, with bookseller Roxanne Coady, called “Just the Right Book.” Inevitably, I am asked on a [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img width="640" height="420" src="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/NN_Book1-640x420.jpg" class="attachment-post-feature size-post-feature wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /></div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">NN Book Review</h2>



<p>Text by Michael Selleck<br>Photo by Clinton J. Sosna</p>



<p>I spent my entire career in the book business, first as a bookseller for eight years followed by 35 years in publishing, and even today I coproduce a podcast, with bookseller Roxanne Coady, called “Just the Right Book.” Inevitably, I am asked on a regular basis if I can help someone get their book published. The queries came from everywhere, my mother’s best friend’s son, my cousin’s first wife, the nephew of a schoolmate from when I was in the sixth grade, waiters, plumbers, friends of friends—everyone, it seems, has written a book. It’s hard to know what to tell them.</p>



<p>Finally, Courtney Maum has written the answer to my prayers: <em>Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book.</em></p>



<p>Courtney is the author of three novels, and I had the pleasure of working on her first book, <em>I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You, </em>at Simon &amp; Schuster. The new book is her first venture into the world of nonfiction, and everything between the covers is a firsthand account of a writer’s experience in getting their book finished and onto the shelves of a bookstore—and into the hands of readers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The book is broken down into two main sections, “Before the Book Deal” and “After the Book Deal.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Although people tend to think that writing a book is easy, in fact the writing process is complicated and layered, as Maum so excellently explains in her book. The first chapter, “Getting It Right,” is chock-full of hands-on advice on the potential difficulties, from overcoming your doubts to finding the time, space and energy to work. She writes honestly about her own experience and brings you right down to where you need to be—in the weeds.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Once you’ve got a manuscript, or part of one, that you’re happy with, the next step is to get others to read it. Its not as easy as just putting it in an envelope and mailing it off to a publisher. If you do that, you’ll get it back! Maum gives you the tools you’ll need for getting the feedback that will move your project to the next step. And the next step is sometimes to withdraw and rewrite. She provides lots of support from an emotional perspective. Rejection is difficult but feedback is important, and it can make your project better.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Next you need to go shopping for an agent to represent you. Finding the right agent is just as important as finding the right publisher. Your agent will become not only the person who represents you to the publishing world but also a friend, ally and confidant. I read a recent interview with Maum where the interviewer said that your agent should be the president of your fan club, to which Maum replied, “They should like you, obviously, but they should make you work.” She compared her agent to a personal trainer.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The publishing world is very connected. Certain agents represent certain types of writers—they specialize in specific genres. For example, many agents represent fiction writers, but some may only handle novelists with a romantic twist or a humorous twist. The editorial departments at publishing houses are similar; editors like certain types of books that usually follow their personal taste and interests.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That’s why finding the right agent is so important. Agents usually know as soon as they read something which publishing houses and editors they think will be interested in that project. They are probably already thinking about a financial range for the acquisition as well. Maum lays all this out and provides an excellent map for the entire process from pitching your story to negotiating it.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The publication of a book is a moment for celebration, but after all the hard work and grand expectations, the actual event can be somewhat disappointing. Most editors will talk to their authors at some point about the reality of publishing. Most books never become bestsellers. In fact, most have very small sales and get little fanfare. Maum writes about success and what constitutes a successful launch. She writes about debut breakout books but notes how uncommon they really are.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If you follow Courtney Maum on social media like I do, you know that she is an avid promoter of her books and fellow authors. She is currently on the first leg of her tour for <em>Before and After the Book Deal </em>and will be heading out on her second leg very soon. As she spells out in her book, the book tour can be a powerful tool to connect with readers, and it provides a platform for the author to promote on social media. Promotion tours are done in conjunction with the publisher and booksellers, so that all are cross-promoting the events.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Throughout her book, Maum includes anecdotes and experiences from other authors, and at the back of the book a range of contributors share their best advice for debut authors. Authors, editors, publicists, poets and agents—it’s a great collection of advice from some of the brightest minds in the industry. Maum concludes with an excellent section on resources and references.&nbsp;</p>



<p>I would strongly recommend this book any writer who is looking to get their work published, and to published authors as well. If I were still actively managing a publishing staff in publishing, I would recommend that they all read this book. Not only is <em>Before and After the Book Deal</em> the perfect master class for writers, but it would provide excellent insight into authors and the challenges they face for the publishing staff as well.&nbsp;<br></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/local-author-writes-a-guide-to-publishing-for-aspiring-writers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>February, Hope</title>
		<link>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/february-hope/</link>
					<comments>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/february-hope/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin 2]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Feb 2020 22:39:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[February 2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Through the Garden Gate]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nornow.org/?p=10694</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Through the Garden Gate Text and Drawing by Leslie Watkins “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” –Hebrews 11:1 One may have the skills, expertise and resources to accomplish tasks, but without the drive fueled by hope it may not be possible to succeed. [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Through the Garden Gate</h2>



<p>Text and Drawing by Leslie Watkins</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Snowdrop-717x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10695" width="241" height="343" srcset="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Snowdrop-717x1024.jpeg 717w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Snowdrop-105x150.jpeg 105w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Snowdrop-210x300.jpeg 210w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Snowdrop-768x1097.jpeg 768w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Snowdrop-315x450.jpeg 315w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Snowdrop.jpeg 1225w" sizes="(max-width: 241px) 100vw, 241px" /></figure></div>



<p><em>“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”</em>  <em>–Hebrews 11:1</em><br><br>One may have the skills, expertise and resources to accomplish tasks, but without the drive fueled by hope it may not be possible to succeed. Hope reinforces our will and our determination to get jobs done, even when we may not see the way ahead clearly. Without hope, failures and setbacks can cause one to quit. People without hope, who don’t believe they can obtain their dreams, don’t try. Life can be tough, disappointing, sometimes heartbreaking and utterly unbearable. When we hit the wall, what turns things around? The answer may be different for each of us, but, as in Pandora’s box, there’s always hope to help us meet the challenges.<br></p>



<p>In the Greek mythology, Pandora is the first woman. Prometheus, the creator of mankind, enraged Zeus by stealing fire from the gods to give to humans for protection, despite being forbidden to do so. In punishment, Prometheus was tortured, but vengeful Zeus wanted to punish humans as well. He asked Hephaestus to create Pandora, who was gifted by the gods with the attributes of beauty, wisdom, kindness and curiosity. Zeus then sent her to Epimetheus, Prometheus’s brother. Zeus gave her a box (actually a <em>pithos</em>, or large jar) to take with her and warned her never to open it, knowing she would not be able to control her curiosity. He filled the box with every misery: hatred, pain, envy, disease, ignorance, greed, poverty, war, death—but also hope. When Pandora opened the box, all the evils escaped into the world, but hope was saved when she slammed the lid shut.<br></p>



<p>One of the best expressions of hope may be found in the actions of a gardener. With no guarantee of success, the gardener labors to clear the land, improve the soil and turn it under. After preparing the plot, the gardener sprinkles seeds, covers them over and adds water in hope of miracles to come.<br></p>



<p>Snowdrops are among the first signs of spring and remind us that winter’s end is drawing near. The genus Galanthus is native to Europe and the Middle East. Snowdrops emerge through frozen soil in February and March and are often found with their flowers poking up through snow. They symbolize hope, optimism and virtue, things we surely could use more of. The deer- and rodent-resistant bulbs are planted in the fall, about four inches deep. When winter days begin to lengthen and temperatures rise, the plants emerge, indicating that spring is coming.<br></p>



<p>Can’t wait for spring? Cut some forsythia branches and force them in warm water. Place them in a bright spot and you’ll have blooms within three weeks.<br></p>



<p><strong>Early Spring</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Snowdrops emerge.</li><li>Hellebores bloom.</li><li>Witch hazels bloom.</li><li>Skunk cabbage emerges.</li><li>Willow buds swell.</li><li>Winter birds begin singing.</li><li>Red-winged blackbirds return.</li><li>Maple sap flows.</li><li>Fruit trees need trimming.</li><li>Grapevines should be cut back.<br></li></ul>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/february-hope/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Things to Do in the Winter Dark</title>
		<link>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/things-to-do-in-the-winter-dark/</link>
					<comments>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/things-to-do-in-the-winter-dark/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin 2]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Feb 2020 22:36:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[February 2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[slider]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nornow.org/?p=10691</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<div><img width="640" height="420" src="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Nornight-spotlight72dpiUSM-640x420.jpg" class="attachment-post-feature size-post-feature wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /></div>Text by Ruth MelvillePhoto by Doug McDevitt Norfolk quiets down in the winter months after the holidays are over, especially once the sun goes down, but several town organizations have activities planned to get people to put on their parkas and get out after dark. The Norfolk Library is offering a Thursday night classic film [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img width="640" height="420" src="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Nornight-spotlight72dpiUSM-640x420.jpg" class="attachment-post-feature size-post-feature wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /></div>
<p>Text by Ruth Melville<br>Photo by Doug McDevitt</p>



<p>Norfolk quiets down in the winter months after the holidays are over, especially once the sun goes down, but several town organizations have activities planned to get people to put on their parkas and get out after dark.</p>



<p>The Norfolk Library is offering a Thursday night classic film series. On Feb. 20, they’re screening one of MGM’s most popular musicals, the 1951 film adaption of the Broadway musical “Show Boat,” about life on a Mississippi River showboat. On March 19 the film will be “My Left Foot,” the story of Christy Brown, an Irishman born with cerebral palsy who became a writer and artist. The movie stars Daniel Day-Lewis, who won his first Academy Award for playing Christy. Both movies start at 7 p.m., and light refreshments will be available.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Holly Kelsey at the Berkshire Country Store has a Ladies Night planned for Saturday, Feb. 22, from 6 to 8. There will be dinner and a group activity (still to be decided). At the Ladies Night in December, the group had dinner and made Christmas table decorations out of wine glasses and candles. For more information, ask at the Berkshire Country Store or check their website.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Infinity Music Hall has concerts on many weekend nights, and the Bistro is open Thursday through Sunday evenings. Go to Infinity’s website to see which acts are scheduled for the next few weeks. Thursdays feature Open Mic Night, at 8 in the Bistro. It’s a great chance to catch a rising talent or a local favorite, and if you want to participate yourself, sign-up is at 7, in the Bistro.</p>



<p>The Woodcreek Bar Grill Restaurant and Bar are open every night of the week except Monday. A highlight of the week is Tuesday Trivia Night, hosted by Bruce Paddock of Berkshire Trivia, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Teams of up to six people compete, and winning teams gets gift certificates for a future visit to Woodcreek. This is a popular event, summer or winter, so reservations are suggested.</p>



<p>The Hub hosts a series of lectures and seminars, or “Hubinars,” on Monday evenings from 6 to 7. This month, on Feb. 24, there will be a talk on historic stone restoration by Martin Johnson, of the Monument Conservation Collaborative, LLC. Hubinars are free, but reservations are suggested (go to the Norfolk Foundation website and look under Hub events).</p>



<p>Finally, one of the best cures for the winter doldrums is to sit by a glowing fire. Every Monday and Thursday evening during the winter, from 4 to 7, the library lights the fireplace in the Great Hall. They urge everyone to come, read a book or a magazine and enjoy one of winter’s special pleasures.&nbsp;<br></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/things-to-do-in-the-winter-dark/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Jane Quintard Clark Byers, 1925-2020</title>
		<link>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/jane-quintard-clark-byers-1925-2020/</link>
					<comments>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/jane-quintard-clark-byers-1925-2020/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin 2]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Feb 2020 22:32:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Departments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[February 2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Milestones]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nornow.org/?p=10687</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Jane Quintard Clark Byers, 94, of Hamden and Norfolk, died Jan. 2 at Yale New Haven Hospital after a brief illness. Jane Byers was born Dec. 19, 1925, in Great Neck, Long Island, the daughter of the late Cyrus Clark II and Jane Hayden Quintard. She was a graduate of Great Neck High School, the [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Photo-Byers72dpiUSM.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10688" width="253" height="287" srcset="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Photo-Byers72dpiUSM.jpg 888w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Photo-Byers72dpiUSM-132x150.jpg 132w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Photo-Byers72dpiUSM-264x300.jpg 264w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Photo-Byers72dpiUSM-768x873.jpg 768w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Photo-Byers72dpiUSM-396x450.jpg 396w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Photo-Byers72dpiUSM-300x341.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px" /></figure></div>



<p>Jane Quintard Clark Byers, 94, of Hamden and Norfolk, died Jan. 2 at Yale New Haven Hospital after a brief illness. Jane Byers was born Dec. 19, 1925, in Great Neck, Long Island, the daughter of the late Cyrus Clark II and Jane Hayden Quintard. She was a graduate of Great Neck High School, the Brearley School and Barnard College, class of 1948.</p>



<p>Growing up, Jane spent many summers at Knollybrook, the summer house in Norfolk which belonged to her great uncle, Dr. Edward Quintard. While in Norfolk, she met G. E. (Ted) Byers Jr., whose family had a farm in the Canaan valley. They married in 1948.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Successfully balancing work and family, Jane served as assistant director of the International Student Center of New Haven for many years, and subsequently became a popular ESOL (English for speakers of another language) teacher there. Her students, from all over the world, kept in touch with her for many years. She served on the executive committees of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, the Foote School Board of Directors, ISIS, and as president of the Whitney Center, as well as being a member of the North End Club, the Fortnightly and the Garden Club of New Haven for over 75 years. An enthusiastic promoter of New Haven, she wrote three editions of the successful book <em>Enjoying New Haven</em>, with her friend Ruth McClure. An avid and graceful tennis player, she was also a member of the New Haven Lawn Club and the Norfolk Country Club.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Jane Byers is survived by her three children, Jeannette Quintard Byers of Hamden, Geb Byers III (Renée), of Bronxville, N.Y., and Mary C. Byers (Mac McCoy), of Conway, Mass., and four grandchildren.</p>



<p>There will be a gathering of friends in Norfolk on May 30, where she will be buried. Memorial contributions may be made to the New Haven Symphony Orchestra (4 Hamilton St., New Haven 06511) or to the Evergreen Woods Scholarship Committee (88 Notch Hill Road, North Branford, Conn.). Arrangements are with the Hawley Lincoln Memorial, 424 Elm St., New Haven. <br></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/jane-quintard-clark-byers-1925-2020/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Charles Lenhart Fidlar</title>
		<link>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/charles-lenhart-fidlar/</link>
					<comments>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/charles-lenhart-fidlar/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin 2]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Feb 2020 22:30:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Departments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[February 2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Milestones]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nornow.org/?p=10684</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Charles L. Fidlar died on Dec. 14, 2019, at his home in Norfolk, Conn. with family by his side.Charles was born in Terre Haute, Ind., and moved to Hartford and Windsor, Conn. as a youth. He lived in the San Francisco Bay area for 17 years before settling in Norfolk. Charles graduated from Loomis School [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Charles-Fidlar-Obit-Photo-1-602x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10685" width="148" height="251" srcset="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Charles-Fidlar-Obit-Photo-1-602x1024.jpg 602w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Charles-Fidlar-Obit-Photo-1-88x150.jpg 88w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Charles-Fidlar-Obit-Photo-1-176x300.jpg 176w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Charles-Fidlar-Obit-Photo-1-768x1307.jpg 768w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Charles-Fidlar-Obit-Photo-1-264x450.jpg 264w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Charles-Fidlar-Obit-Photo-1-294x500.jpg 294w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/Charles-Fidlar-Obit-Photo-1.jpg 1071w" sizes="(max-width: 148px) 100vw, 148px" /></figure></div>



<p>Charles L. Fidlar died on Dec. 14, 2019, at his home in Norfolk, Conn. with family by his side.Charles was born in Terre Haute, Ind., and moved to Hartford and Windsor, Conn. as a youth. He lived in the San Francisco Bay area for 17 years before settling in Norfolk.</p>



<p>Charles graduated from Loomis School in Windsor, Cornell University and the New England Conservatory of Music and pursued a Ph.D. in conducting at Stanford University. He was the founder and director of the West Bank Singers in West Hartford, music director for Gilbert and Sullivan principal comedian Martyn Green, choral director at Brown University, a founding member of the American Bach Soloists in San Francisco and an assistant conductor at the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. He also taught chorus for many years at Northwestern Regional High School in Winsted, imparting his love of music to a new generation of young singers.</p>



<p>In addition to his career in music, an enthusiasm for adventure defined Charles’s spirit. Biking through the western United States to Vancouver at the age of 16 was just the beginning. He soloed Mount Whitney in his 40s, drove solo cross-country a few times, canoed anytime he had the opportunity, rowed crew, was a boxer, loved squash and an intense game of badminton. He instilled that passion for adventure and admiration of persistence into his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.</p>



<p>Aside from his wife, Marylin, he leaves behind a sister, Karyl (Fidlar) Brod; a cousin, Alice (Fidlar) Fienning (Bill); his children, daughter Marilyn (Fidlar) Rodriguez (James), son Will Fidlar and step-daughter Elsa Davidson (Ali Bahrampour); a sister-in-law, Suzanne Sharp (David Giberson); his grandchildren, Karlee Dame, Nava and Giev Bahrampour, and his great-grandchildren, Makhai Santiago and Madison Dame.</p>



<p>A memorial service was held at the Church of Christ Congregational, on Jan. 4 at 2 p.m. Donations to the Music Department at Northwestern Regional School District #7 were requested in lieu of flowers.&nbsp;<br></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/charles-lenhart-fidlar/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Dorothea (Dede) Alford, 1949-2019</title>
		<link>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/dorothea-dede-alford-1949-2019/</link>
					<comments>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/dorothea-dede-alford-1949-2019/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin 2]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Feb 2020 22:27:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Departments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[February 2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Milestones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nornow.org/?p=10680</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Alford Dorothea Blakeslee Alford (Dede) passed away on Dec. 5, 2019, in Cambridge, Mass., after a series of illnesses. She was born on Nov. 9, 1949, in Winsted, Conn., and had a lifelong love for Norfolk, spending many months and years on Doolittle Lake and in Norfolk itself. She also traveled widely, living in Tokyo [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/20191213_dedescans_304-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10681" width="234" height="312" srcset="https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/20191213_dedescans_304-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/20191213_dedescans_304-113x150.jpg 113w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/20191213_dedescans_304-225x300.jpg 225w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/20191213_dedescans_304-338x450.jpg 338w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/20191213_dedescans_304-300x400.jpg 300w, https://nornow.org/wp-content/uploads/20191213_dedescans_304.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 234px) 100vw, 234px" /></figure></div>



<p> Alford Dorothea Blakeslee Alford (Dede) passed away on Dec. 5, 2019, in Cambridge, Mass., after a series of illnesses. She was born on Nov. 9, 1949, in Winsted, Conn., and had a lifelong love for Norfolk, spending many months and years on Doolittle Lake and in Norfolk itself. She also traveled widely, living in Tokyo for several years and in both Florence and Lucignano, Italy, with her parents, Paige and Robertson, in the 1970s and 1980s. She settled in Cambridge in the 1990s. Dede was a graduate of Purnell School in Pottersville, N.J., and had a great facility with languages, speaking both Italian and Japanese. She loved music intensely, particularly the summer concerts at the Norfolk Music Shed, and was a devotee of art, particularly Italian art, wherever she went. Dede leaves three brothers, Edward, Van and Michael. She is particularly remembered by her wide circle of friends in Cambridge, to whom she was a devoted support and resource. Dede was a special light to all who knew her.  </p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/dorothea-dede-alford-1949-2019/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>What&#8217;s New on the Books in Connecticut in the New Year</title>
		<link>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/whats-new-on-the-books-in-connecticut-in-the-new-year/</link>
					<comments>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/whats-new-on-the-books-in-connecticut-in-the-new-year/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin 2]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Feb 2020 22:24:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[February 2020]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nornow.org/?p=10678</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Laws enacted in 2019 and now in effect By Susannah Wood A number of newly minted laws that may be important to Norfolk residents came into effect in 2019 or on Jan. 1 of this year. The following list is by no means exhaustive, however. Also, since space does not allow for an in-depth discussion [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Laws enacted in 2019 and now in effect</h2>



<p>By Susannah Wood</p>



<p>A number of newly minted laws that may be important to Norfolk residents came into effect in 2019 or on Jan. 1<sup> </sup>of this year. The following list is by no means exhaustive, however. Also, since space does not allow for an in-depth discussion of all the details, readers seeking more information may want to contact our local representatives, Representative Maria Horn (Maria.Horn@cga.ct.gov) and State Senator Kevin Witkos (Kevin.Witkos@cga.ct.gov).</p>



<p>&nbsp;A list of all Public Acts passed in 2019 and their texts can be accessed on the Legislative Commissioners website: https://www.cga.ct.gov/lco/statutes-actsno.asp.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Summaries of most of these laws can be found here: https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/aearchives/20191001ActsEffective.asp and https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/aearchives/20200101ActsEffective.asp.<br></p>



<p><strong>Agriculture</strong></p>



<p>&nbsp;Local honey and maple syrup producers will have fewer regulations to follow owing to a law shifting jurisdiction from the Department of Consumer Affairs to the Department of Agriculture, which will be responsible for licensing and inspections (PA 19-18).<br></p>



<p><strong>Breast cancer ultrasound screening</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p>Many individual and group health insurance providers are now required to provide coverage for doctor-recommended breast ultrasounds for women who are 40 and older, or have a family or personal history of breast cancer, or a personal history of benign breast disease. Out-of-pocket expenses for covered ultrasounds, mammograms and MRI’s are prohibited with a few exceptions (PA 19-117, sec 209 &amp; 210). &nbsp;</p>



<p></p>



<p><strong>Drivers’ licenses and vehicle registrations</strong></p>



<p>Drivers will only need to renew licenses every eight years instead of six. Registrations will move toward a three-year system (PA 19-165).<br></p>



<p><strong>Boarding animals</strong></p>



<p>People can now board up to three dogs or three cats without obtaining a license (PA 19-156).<br></p>



<p><strong>Gun safety</strong></p>



<p>“Ethan’s Law” requires that in a household that includes minors under 18, any gun, loaded or unloaded, must be locked away in a container (PA 19-5).</p>



<p>Handguns left in a car have to be locked in the trunk, a gun safe, or locked glove compartment (PA 19-6).</p>



<p>It is illegal to manufacture a gun without obtaining and engraving a unique serial number from the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. It is illegal to make plastic guns, “ghost guns,” that are undetectable by metal detectors (PA 19-7).<br></p>



<p><strong>Hearing aids</strong></p>



<p>Insurance coverage for hearing aids has been expanded to require one new aid per ear over a two-year period, without regard to cost and without regard to age (PA 19-133).<br></p>



<p><strong>Juvenile car theft</strong></p>



<p>A minor with no previous serious criminal record who has been charged in the theft or misuse of a motor vehicle may request and may be eligible for an alternative program of counseling and/or service to address behavioral issues. This program is only available to an individual once (PA 19-110).<br></p>



<p><strong>Immigration</strong></p>



<p>Under the “Trust Act,” law officers, including school officers and security department officers, cannot detain someone without a judicial warrant. Detainees will not be automatically transferred to ICE (Immigration and Customs Inforcement) (PA 19-20).<br></p>



<p><strong>LGBTQ+</strong></p>



<p>It is illegal to claim the “panic defense” for a crime committed against an LGBTQ+ individual, referring to a legal tactic that has been used in hate crimes, essentially holding the victim’s sexual identity responsible for the violence done to them (PA 19-27).&nbsp;<br></p>



<p><strong>Minimum wage</strong></p>



<p>The minimum wage is now $11.00 an hour, up from $10.10 an hour. It will increase over the next three years to $15.00 an hour (PA 19-4).<br></p>



<p><strong>Opioids</strong></p>



<p>Physicians prescribing more that 12 weeks of opioid medication for pain control will have to set up a treatment plan that includes monitoring, counseling and information about non-opioid approaches (PA 19-191).</p>



<p>The existing good Samaritan law has been expanded to cover individuals or institutions that provide naloxone in cabinets for automatic defibrillators, protecting such individuals and institutions from liability (PA 19-169).<br></p>



<p><strong>Plastic bag phase-out</strong></p>



<p>Single-use plastic bags offered at checkout counters now cost 10 cents. After June 30, 2021, such bags will no longer be allowed. This law does not include bags for produce, meat and fish, or any bag used to collect items together before checkout. The law does not prevent municipalities from instituting further bans or restrictions on bags of various types as long as they are at least as restrictive (PA 19-117).<br></p>



<p><strong>Police accountability in use of force incidents</strong></p>



<p>Video cam footage of a use-of-force incident must be released to the public either no more than 48 hours after officers involved have reviewed the video or no later than 96 hours after the incident, whichever comes first. It is also now illegal in most cases for police to shoot at or into a car fleeing the scene or for an officer to stand in front of that car (PA 19-90).<br></p>



<p><strong>Police and emergency responders training for dealing with people on the autism spectrum</strong></p>



<p>Police will be given expanded training on dealing with juveniles and adults on the autism spectrum, and also with nonverbal individuals. The Commission on Fire Prevention and Control is to establish an optional program for training firefighters as well, which would be available at no cost (PA 19-147).<br></p>



<p><strong>Seniors</strong></p>



<p>The state’s “Circuit Breaker Program” (Elderly and Disabled Homeowners’ Tax Relief Program), which gives a property tax reduction to older adults and individuals with significant disabilities, will now include owners of real property that is held in trust for the owner (PA 19-66).</p>



<p>Nursing homes must now post the number of APRN’s, RN’s, LPN’s and nurse’s aides on duty during each shift (PA 19-89).<br></p>



<p><strong>Sexual and domestic violence</strong></p>



<p>When a minor is the victim of sexual abuse, there is no time limit on filing criminal charges. Victims who were 18, 19 or 20 years old at the time of the assault have until they are 51 to press charges. The law expands requirements for employers to provide training on sexual harassment (PA 19-4).</p>



<p>Victims of domestic violence will now have their identities protected and redacted from public records and Freedom of Information requests (PA 19-43).</p>



<p>Spouses now have the same protections under the law as any victim of sexual assault (PA 19-189).</p>



<p>The law against voyeurism is expanded to ban taking a photo or video under or around a person’s clothing, “upskirting,” without their consent in public places where there is an expectation of privacy (PA 19-14).&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Commissioner of Children and Families must now do background checks of prospective adoptive and foster parents who have lived in other states in the past five years by obtaining records from the relevant state registries of child abuse and neglect. Background checks must also be done on anyone 16 years of age or older living in the household of the applicant(s) (PA 19-20).<br></p>



<p><strong>Solar energy</strong></p>



<p>Reversing a law passed in 2018 to end net metering, the state has put off further action until after 2021. Net metering reimburses residential customers for any excess electricity from their photovoltaic systems that is fed back into the grid (PA 19-35).<br></p>



<p><strong>Taxes</strong></p>



<p>The state budget made a number of changes to various taxes. This is only a very partial list.</p>



<p>The sales tax has been extended to include parking, dry cleaning and laundry, digital purchases such as renting movies on line and monthly services like Spotify.</p>



<p>The budget made a number of changes in business taxes. (Consultation with a qualified public accountant is the best way to learn about relevant changes.)The sales tax on prepared meals and sandwiches from supermarkets and restaurants has been raised by 1 percent. Alcoholic beverages other than beer are now subject to a 10 percent increase in the excise tax. Craft beer breweries are eligible for a tax credit.</p>



<p>Short-term rentals (i.e., Airbnb) will be required to collect the state’s room occupancy tax.<br></p>



<p><strong>Tobacco and e-cigarettes</strong></p>



<p>Purchasers of tobacco, e-cigarettes and vaping products must now be 21 years old rather than 18 (PA 19-13).<br></p>



<p><strong>Veterans</strong></p>



<p>Property tax or auto tax exemptions have been increased for disabled veterans under (PA 19-171). Contact the tax assessor’s office for details.</p>



<p>Veterans who served fewer than 90 days during a time of war and are injured or have aggravated an injury in the line of duty, but whose injury is not classified as a service-connected injury, are now eligible for certain state benefits. The law also removes the two-year residency eligibility requirement for funeral and hospital benefits for service members who entered the armed forces while living in another state (PA 19-33).</p>



<p>Spouses and dependents of service members can now retain their in-state tuition status if the service member is transferred out of state (PA 19-172).<br></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://nornow.org/2020/02/09/whats-new-on-the-books-in-connecticut-in-the-new-year/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
	</channel>
</rss>