Omicron hits Connecticut
Overall Covid-19 cases on the rise in the State
News and notes from the State Capitol
News and notes from around the state
CRMA Leadership in place for 2022
- Governor Lamont announced this week that two Connecticut residents have the new COVID-19 variant – Omicron. Both appear to be recovering.
- CT joins more than two dozen states in having residents infected with the new variant, according to the latest news reports. You can go here to read Lamont’s announcement. In making the announcement Lamont once again urged Connecticut residents to get vaccinated and if eligible, to get a booster shoot.
- Connecticut’s COVD numbers are on the rise, with our infection rate reaching close to 8% earlier this week. Hospitalization – now more than 500 – have also risen over the last month.
- You can go here to see the lates CT’s Covid Numbers.
- CRMA remains in close contact with the Lamont Administration and have not received any indication that they are planning to reinstate the safe store guidelines or mask mandates that they had in place previously.
- We will stay on top of this issue and notify you if we hear anything from the Lamont administration.
- Some communities are re-imposing mask mandates, including Hamden. NBC Connecticut has that story, here. And some are reinstituting mask mandates only for town buildings, such as in East Hartford and Trumbull. The Journal Inquirer has that story here; Connecticut Post here.
News and notes from the State Capitol
- Comptroller Kevin Lembo announced last week that he will resign his position at the end of the year due to ongoing health issues. Governor Lamont today announced that he is appointing Natalie Braswell, a Bloomfield resident who previously worked in the Comptroller’s Office, to succeed Lembo. That announcement is here.
- Prior to his announcement, there was a general sense that Lembo would not seek re-election in the fall, but his health-related announcement did catch people by surprise. It now makes clear that the race for Comptroller on the Democratic side will be a furious race for the nomination.
- Like other states, Connecticut has to redraw its Legislative and Congressional districts. They had a plan, then didn’t have a plan, and now the State Supreme Court is telling them they must come up with a plan that includes Congressional redistricting. You can go here to read that story.
- There are likely to be many candidates seeking the office of Secretary of the State in 2022, since incumbent Denise Merrill is not running for re-election. The first to file officially is State Rep. Stephanie Thomas, D-Norwalk, in her first term at the Capitol. CT Mirror has the details here.
- Lamont has scheduled for January 25 a special election to fill the vacancy for State Representative created when Caroline Simmons was elected Mayor of Stamford and resigned the legislative seat. The elections plans can be seen here.
News and notes from around the state
- New Haven reports an increasing number of business openings in the city, included among the latest is Warby Parker. New Haven BIZ has the story here.
- Drivers are travelling Connecticut’s highways at increasing rate of speed, according to state data. The Courant’s Chris Keating has the story here.
- The median sales price of single-family homes in the Greater Hartford region shot up 7.1% in October, according to the Greater Hartford Association of Realtors, rising to $300,000. Hartford Business Journal has the numbers, here.
- The state’s new paid family and medical leave program launched with $300 million in its trust fund and 123,735 businesses registered. New Haven BIZ reports on the announcement here.
New CRMA leadership team for 2022
- We are pleased to announce that the following individuals will lead the CRMA Board of Directors for 2022:
- Chair of the Board, Abby Jewett, AT&T
- Vice Chair, Charles Miller, Macy’s East
- Secretary Treasurer Corey Whitley, Ethan Allen
- Immediate Past Chair, Tom Wholley, CT Mattress.
- Those folks, along with the entire Board of Directors give their time and talents to making CRMA the Voice of Retail in Connecticut
- We are grateful for their service. Thank you!