Underage Drinking Is Focus of Public Information Initiative

Young drinkers risk putting themselves on the road to addiction – 40% of those who drink before age 15 become alcoholics while only 7% of those who begin drinking at age 21 develop alcohol problems. That is one of the statistics that prompted the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Connecticut (WSWC) to launched www.talktomenow.org, a website developed to discourage underage drinking.  The new website is part of the organization’s Community Relations Program, developed to advance the prevention and reduction of underage consumption of alcohol and the misuse of alcohol in Connecticut through community education.

As part of the initiative, WSWC noted that:

• Brains aren’t finished developing until youth are in their mid-20’s, so young people may not have the judgment or impulse control to make good decisions all the time, especially regarding alcohol use.  Youth who drink are more likely than adults to consume large quantities of alcohol in a sitting.  In fact, it’s not uncommon for young people to drink until blacking out.
• Young minds have an incredible potential to learn, but heavy drinking during the teen years, even just once a month, can permanently damage learning, memory, decision-making and reasoning abilities and can short-circuit the brain “wiring” needed to become a responsible adult.
• A new survey shows that a college student’s GPA correlates directly to the amount of time they spend buzzed—and that students in general are studying less than ever.
• Schools (or parents) that want to predict how certain students will perform academically would do well to look at their drinking habits, according to new research.

The site also includes a list of "mythbusters," including this fact: Only one-third of underage drinking deaths involve auto crashes.  The remaining two-thirds involve alcohol poisoning, homicides, suicides, and unintentional injuries such as burns, drowning, and falls.

WSWC also administers a successful annual video contest for college students on the subject of underage drinking, with winning public service videos being aired on local television stations.

Gas Prices Drop; Fuel Efficiency Standards Would Drive Them Lower

July 4th marks one of the biggest travel holidays of the year, with Americans hitting the road to visit friends and family, go to the beach, or have a picnic and watch fireworks.  Those travels will likely continue this weekend.  All that driving has provided the Pew Environmental Group with an opportunity to highlight that if proposed fuel efficiency standards—which would require cars and light trucks to get 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025—were in place today, drivers would save at least $73.2 million this week. Pew reports that increasing fuel efficiency standards will not only save consumers money at the pump, but they also will reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, decrease pollution, and promote investment in new clean transportation technologies.

Meanwhile, gas prices nationwide and in Connecticut have dropped of late, after steady climbs.  Average retail gasoline prices in Connecticut have fallen 2.7 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.61 per gallon for July 4. This compares with the national average that has fallen 6.6 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.37 per gallon, according to gasoline price website ConnecticutGasPrices.com.

Because of Connecticut's gas tax, state residents have become accustomed in recent years to paying more to fill their tanks than in neighboring states.

Minor League Baseball Attendence Up; Not Yet New Britain

Minor League Baseball™ has announced that its clubs drew 13,939,583 fans through May, a 6.3 percent increase over 2011. The 136 clubs in 11 full-season leagues attracted 824,448 more fans than they did through May last year. "I am encouraged by our clubs' attendance figures, not only in terms of raw numbers, but also in regards to their average crowds," Minor League Baseball president Pat O'Conner said. "Millions of fans continue to visit our ballparks to take advantage of the affordable entertainment and family-friendly events that encompass our Minor League Baseball games.

Eight of the 11 leagues didn't lose as many games to weather through May compared to last year, led by the Midwest League, which had 36 fewer postponements. In all, 62 fewer games were lost due to weather than in 2011.  Five leagues are experiencing bigger crowds on average than in 2011, with three others within one percent of their average 2011 crowds through May.

These Cats Rock

Of local interest, the New Britain Rock Cats of the Eastern League are drawing an average of 4,838 fans per game through their first 39 home games (through June), ranking sixth in the league.   A year ago, they ranked third in attendance in the Eastern League, drawing an average of 5,876 fans per game.  Attendance tends to increase during the summer months, when children are out of school and family vacations provide more opportunities to attend games.

In Norwich, in their first four home games the Connecticut Tigers of the N.Y.-Penn. League drew an average of 2,205 fans.  A year ago, over their full season of 35 games, the team averaged 1,780 fans.

Aerospace Industry Key to CT's Economic Growth

EDAC Technologies Corp. - one of the state's larges aerospace technology companies - has paid $8.2 million for the former Pratt & Whitney plant in Cheshire, and is planning to relocate nearly 400 workers to the factory next year, from current facilities in Farmington and Newington.  The company, which makes aerospace and industrial components, had planned to consolidate operations in Plainville, but changed plans when the Cheshire plant became available. There are 175 aerospace companies in Connecticut, according to data from D&B Sale & Marketing Solutions (2011) as reported in the Connecticut Economic Review, produced by Northeast Utilities.  In 2010, the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC) reported that $6.7 billion of Connecticut gross state product was estimated to originate from the state’s aerospace industry – 5 percent of the state’s total productivity. Connecticut’s 10 largest aerospace companies (alphabetically):

• AIS Global Holdings
• Beacon Group
• EDAC Technologies
• Engine Alliance
• First Aviation Services
• Hexcel
• Kaman Aerospace
• Sikorsky
• Unison Engine Components
• United Technologies

Promoting the industry, the Aerospace Components Manufacturers (ACM) association is a network of independent Connecticut-based aerospace companies; a non-profit partnership that is part of Connecticut's Industry Cluster Initiative. Working together as a network, member companies collectively offer broader capabilities than they could as individuals.

ACM helps capture new business opportunities for Connecticut's aerospace industry. ACM member companies aim to be world leaders in providing customers with aerospace components of unsurpassed quality, competitive prices and on-time delivery.  A video highlights their work. The organization’s convention/trade show is slated for Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at Bradley International Airport.

Connecticut Children's Looks to Expand Into Farmington

Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, located on the campus of Hartford Hospital, is planning to develop a new surgery center in Farmington – a response to physical space limitations in Hartford and increasing demand for pediatric services.  The project, listed as priority #1 in the Connecticut Children's 2013-2017 Strategic Plan, requires approval by the state’s Office of Health Care Access.  Connecticut Children's hopes to gain that approval, begin construction, and commence services at the satellite facility by the end of 2013.  The 127-page application was filed with the state on June 1 (with a $500 filing fee). Connecticut Children's is proposing a $10 million, 18,321 square foot surgical center, the Hartford Business Journal reports.   Spokesperson Kelly Coffey told HBJ that the number of surgeries performed  has grown 48% over the past six years, and the hospital’s market share of outpatient surgery patients up to age 17 grew from 24% in 2006 to 31% in 2011.  Connecticut Children's  performed 10,098 surgical procedures in 2011, and anticipates performing 13,000 in 2012.  There are 89 surgeons on the medical staff, 29 of whom are directly employed by the Connecticut Children’s Specialty Group.

Connecticut Children's Medical Center opened its doors in Hartford in 1996 in a newly constructed facility, coinciding with a move from suburban Newington, where the facility was known as Newington Children’s Hospital since 1967, with previous incarnations in Newington dating back to 1898.

Hartford's Way Forward: Blue, Green and Walkable

Hartford’s status as one of the nation’s most promising triple-threat cities of the 21st century will be on full display in the coming months.  EnvisionFest in September and Riverfront Recapture’s annual Big Mo’ Block Party in  October will celebrate  a city where (1) America’s first National Blueway meets the (2) Greenway of one of the nation’s (3) most walkable cities. First National Blueway

This spring, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar established a National Blueways System and announced that the 410-mile-long Connecticut River and its 7.2 million-acre watershed will be the first National Blueway— covering areas of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut.  In ceremonies at Riverside Park in Hartford, Salazar said that partnerships along the Connecticut River provide an example for the rest of the nation.

"The Connecticut River Watershed is a model for how communities can integrate their land and water stewardship efforts with an emphasis on 'source-to-sea' watershed conservation," he said. "I am pleased to recognize the Connecticut River and its watershed with the first National Blueway designation as we seek to fulfill President Obama's vision for healthy and accessible rivers that are the lifeblood of our communities and power our economies."

The new National Blueways System is part of the America's Great Outdoors Initiative to establish a community-driven conservation and recreation agenda for the 21st century. Establishment of a National Blueways System will help coordinate federal, state, and local partners to promote best practices, share information and resources, and encourage active and collaborative stewardship of rivers and their watersheds across the country.

Walkable City

Earlier this year, Prevention magazine rated Hartford as the #13 most walkable city in the nation, stating that “Car-free recreation is one of the city's selling points—and proof that it's taken full advantage of state funding for safer, better pedestrian access. From wide promenades to intersections that take pedestrians out of the periphery and into easy view, Hartford is more walker-friendly than ever.”

The designation also noted that walkers can “Hop between attractions like the Riverfront and the Arts and Entertainment District, as well as the city's abundant parks—and know that you're never going to ‘run out’ of sidewalk, or safe places to cross.”

First EnvisionFest is September 29

Those features will be on prominent display on September29 during EnvisionFest, Hartford’s newest celebratory event that is being designed to showcase and celebrate the ingenuity of the city’s and state’s industries, artists and people, providing a glimpse of the city’s future by encouraging people to experience the recently developed iQuilt Plan through walking, culture and innovation.

Hartford cultural institutions, Connecticut industries and artists will celebrate their vision of the future through interactive displays, exhibits, performances and activities in open houses and public spaces throughout downtown, all connected through walking and biking routes.

iQuilt Greenway

The iQuilt vision will be displayed on September 29 along the GreenWalk, along with sidewalk activities and prototypes of seating, lighting and signage. Walking throughout downtown will bring you to various Hartford destinations connected with food, drink, music, artists and activities.

Downtown Hartford is an unusually compact historic district packed with more than 45 cultural assets and destinations within a 15-minute walk: museums, performance spaces, historic landmarks, modern architecture, and public art.  The iQuilt Plan links those assets with a vibrant and innovative pedestrian network. Its centerpiece is the GreenWalk, a one-mile chain of parks and plazas connecting the gold-domed Capitol in Bushnell Park to the waterfront of the Connecticut River.

Walk the Walk(s)

Riverfront Recapture is a non-profit organization dedicated for three decades to restoring public access to the riverfront along the Connecticut River in Hartford and East Hartford.  It's annual Big Mo fundraiser on October 12 will mark the 10th anniversary of the Riverfront Boathouse in Hartford.  The organization’s four parks, which cover four miles of pristine shoreline and 148 acres, are connected by a growing network of riverwalks.  In addition to physically constructing the parks, Riverfront Recapture is also responsible for managing, maintaining and programming the parks, producing events and offering activities. In 2010, Riverfront Recapture set an attendance record with more than 960,000 people coming the Riverfront to enjoy the parks and the many festivals, concerts, and sporting events.

CT Targets Convention & Sports Business with New Organization

Connecticut  state government will be dedicating $1.3 million of its tourism budget to create an organization focused on attracting large events to the state.  The Connecticut Convention and Sports Bureau will be a public-private partnership between the Department of Economic and Community Development and what is now the former Greater Hartford Convention & Visitors Bureau. In addition to the $1.3 million, the organization will be funded through dues by member organizations, most of whom were members of the GHCVB, the Hartford Business Journal reported. CTCSB will intensify outreach and marketing efforts previously undertaken by the GHCVB to bring new revenue into the state from meeting planners and sports promoters. The types of events range from televised events such as the USA Gymnastics Championship - held in 2010 and described as the organization's most successful event ever - to lesser notable but equally as important events such as youth soccer and youth hockey tournaments.

Diversity Takes Root in West Hartford

The town of West Hartford, led by the Blue Back Square development, has become a prime go-to destination in the region.  Increasingly, out-of-town guests at conventions centered in Hartford are including West Hartford Center and the adjacent Blue Back Square on their itineraries.  But there's more to the town than its hip and attractive restaurant/shopping district.  And some of the numbers may be surprising to those who continue to view the town as '60's - or even '80's - suburbia. A brief glance at a demographic tool developed by three prominent universities, at http://mixedmetro.us/, clearly reflects the changing demographics of the town and the region over the past two decades.

As pointed out in the new edition of West Hartford LIFE, the "changing face of West Hartford" has paralleled progress and change in other areas:

• Population:  63, 628
• Breakdown:  20.4% white, 9.8% Hispanic/Latino, 7.4% Asian, Black 6.3%
• Residents over age 65: 17%     Residents under age 18:  23%
• Minority population in schools:  37.7% [all-time high]
• Percentage of population (over age 5) that speaks a language other than English at home:  25%
• Number of languages spoken in West Hartford schools:  65

$1 Million for Area Charities from Travelers Championship

The just-concluded 2012 Travelers Championship will generate in excess of $1 million for charity, including commitments from Travelers, bringing the tournament’s total 2012 charitable contribution to an amount on par with champion Mark Leishman’s $1.08 million winnings. The announcement was made by Travelers Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jay Fishman during the final round at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell. Celebrating its 60^th anniversary, the Travelers Championship has surpassed the $30 million mark for money generated for charity since its inception. The tournament contributes 100 percent of net proceeds to more than 100 local charities including The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, which provides an extraordinary camp experience for children suffering from cancer and other serious diseases.

Attendance Up

The tournament is Connecticut’s largest sporting event. There are "strong indications that attendance rose dramatically from last year" for the PGA Tour Travelers Championship. While official figures were not tallied, it was reported that Tournament Director Nathan Grube "figured there was a 15 to 20 percent increase this year" for the week.

Every year, more than 3,500 people donate their time and effort to volunteer for the Travelers Championship. Volunteers spend countless hours throughout the week to help deliver a world-class PGA TOUR experience for players, fans and the media. The tournament offers fundraising programs that allow any charity in the state to use the tournament to raise funds. Additionally, Travelers and its employees annually participate in Birdies for Charity, a program that collects pledges for every birdie made during the Travelers Championship, to raise additional funds for the tournament’s charities.

In 67 Towns, Fewer than Half of 4th Graders Pass All Physical Fitness Tests

What do the towns of Thompson, Preston, Windsor Locks and Chester, have in common?  Less than 20 percent of fourth grade students in those communities meet the standard on all four physical fitness tests – the lowest percentages in the state.  On the upper end of the spectrum, 100% of fourth grade students in only two towns - Union and Caanan - pass all four physical fitness tests, as do more than 80 percent of fourth graders in Cornwall, New Canaan and Sterling. Overall, in only 23 communities did more than two-thirds the fourth grade students pass all four physical fitness tests, and in another 76 communities more than half (but less than two-thirds) of the students did so.  In  67 communities, fewer than half of the fourth graders pass all four tests.  The data, from 2010,  was not available from 3 of Connecticut's 169 towns and cities.

In 2009, only 29 cities and towns had more than half of their 4th graders pass all four physical fitness tests.  In 2010 that number jumped to 99 towns.

The data is available on the web site of the Connecticut Data Collaborative, which is bringing together data from various state agencies, making it more readily available to the public, along with the means to combine data from different agencies and chart the information in data visualization charts that help to illustrate patterns that enhance understanding.

The Connecticut Data Collaborative is a collaborative public-private effort to improve the quality of and access to policy-related data in the state - a central portal where all Connecticut organizations and residents can access a wide range of data from federal, state, local and private sources relating to the health, well-being and economy of the residents of the State of Connecticut. The goals of the Collaborative include:

• Advocacy - Advocating for the public availability of all state data to inform public debate and to drive planning, policy, budgeting and decision making in state government.
• Standards - Promoting and modeling use of data standards around privacy, interoperability, data definitions and quality.
• Access - Meeting demands for public access to data through the Collaborative's data portal, CTData.org, and the associated Connecticut Nonprofit Strategy Platform.
• Building Capacity -- Creating opportunities for Collaborative and peer support in data development and use both online and in person.

On the issue of physical fitness in the schools, Tennessee and Connecticut are the first states in the country to respond to the links between health and exercise, childhood obesity and academic performance with the establishment of School Health Coordinators.  Tennessee's law has brought solid results, and Connecticut's legislature approved a pilot program earlier this year.