Read This: Finalists Announced for 2018 CT Book Awards

Connecticut Center for the Book, a Connecticut Humanities program, has announced the finalists for its 2018 Connecticut Book Awards. The awards recognize and honor authors and illustrators who have created the best books in or about our state in the past year.  A total of 140 books were submitted this year, up 28 percent over last year, as the returning awards program gains momentum. The annual awards returned last year after a multi-year hiatus, to solid reviews. Between three and five finalists have been selected in each of five categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Young Readers – Young Adult, and Young Readers – Juvenile. Five distinguished judges per category read each entry and reviewed works using rigorous criteria.

Winners will be announced at the 2018 Connecticut Book Awards ceremony on Sun., Oct. 14, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. at Staples High School in Westport.  Okey Ndibe, the 2017 Connecticut Book Award winner for nonfiction, will deliver the keynote speech. He has taught at Brown University, Connecticut College, Simon’s Rock College, Trinity College, and the University of Lagos (as a Fulbright scholar). He is the author of two novels, Arrows of Rain and Foreign Gods, Inc., and a memoir, Never Look An American In the Eye, for which he won the 2017 Connecticut Book Award for nonfiction.

A reception and book signing with this year’s winners, finalists, and Mr. Ndibe will immediately follow from 3:00-4:00; all finalists’ and winners’ books will be available for purchase.  Connecticut Humanities (CTH) is the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and administers the Connecticut Center for the Book.  Established by Congress in 1977 to “stimulate public interest in books and reading,” the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress is a national force for reading and literacy promotion.

The finalists:

Fiction

• Abby Fabiaschi, of West Hartford, Conn., “I Liked My Life”
• Jane Green, of Westport, Conn., “The Sunshine Sisters”
• Georgia Hunter, of Rowayton, Conn., “We Were the Lucky Ones”
• Rene Denfeld, of Portland, Oregon, “The Child Finder”
• Courtney Maum, of Norfolk, Conn., “Touch”

Nonfiction

• Virginia DeJohn Anderson, of Boulder, Colo., “The Martyr and the Traitor – Nathan Hale, Moses Dunbar, and the American Revolution”
• Duo Dickinson, of Madison, Conn., and Steve Culpepper, of New Haven, Conn., “A Home Called New England”
• David Hays, of Chester, Conn., “Setting the Stage: What We Do, How We Do It, and Why”
• James C. Scott, of Durham, Conn., “Against the Grain: A Deep History of the Earliest States”

Poetry

• Gina Athena Ulysse, of Middletown, Conn., “Because When God is too Busy”
• Jose B. Gonzalez, of Quaker Hill, Conn., “When Love was Reels”
• John Surowiecki, of Amston, Conn., “Martha Playing Wiffle Ball in Her Wedding Dress”
• Charles Rafferty, of Sandy Hook, Conn., “The Smoke of Horses”

Young Readers – Young Adult

• Jake Burt, of Hamden, Conn., “Greetings from Witness Protection!”
• Karen Romano Young, of Bethel, Conn., “Whale Quest”
• Sarah Albee, of Watertown, Conn., “Poison”

Young Readers – Juvenile (includes authors and illustrators)

• Gigi Priebe, of New Canaan, Conn., “The Adventures of Henry Whiskers”
• Lauren Baratz-Logsted, of Danbury, Conn., “I Love You, Michael Collins”
• Susan Hood, of Southport, Conn., “Double Take! A New Look at Opposites”
• Deborah Freedman, of Hamden, Conn., “This House, Once”
• Andrea Wisnewski, of Storrs, Conn., “Trio, The Tale of a Three-legged Cat”

The awards ceremony and reception are open to the public, and conclude Saugatuck StoryFest, a three-day literary festival and writers’ conference. Tickets purchased online before Sept. 15 are $20; then $25 through Oct. 11. Tickets will also be available at the door for $30.

Fairfield University Seen as "Transformative" Institution, Analysis Shows

When Money magazine ranked the 727 “Best Colleges For Your Money,” 2018 edition, Fairfield University ranked number 160.  But when the focus narrowed to the nation’s “most transformative” schools, Fairfield rose into the top 10, landing at number seven. Fairfield’s ranking as among the most transformative institutions, which is “when a college helps students do far better than would be expected from their academic and economic backgrounds,” recognizes the institution’s commitment to holistic formation and places it as the highest ranking Jesuit university in that category, according to school officials.

In the “most transformative” category, the list is led by Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) in Boston, Babson College in Wellesley, MA, Bentley University in Waltham, MA, San Jose State University, Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles, and Manhattan College. 

Money magazine indicates that Fairfield “stands out for its comparatively high graduation rate. The school admits students of all faiths, but the curriculum does require some religious studies for all of the roughly 4,000 undergrads.”

“Of the school's 44 majors, the most popular courses of study include accounting, business, marketing, and the social sciences. The university also places an emphasis on community service and social justice.”

According to the magazine, full price tuition is $65,900; the estimated price with the average grant is $41,400. More than 8 in 10 students with need receive grants.  Early career earnings are estimated at $57,100, and average student debt at graduation is $27,000.

Money’s annual “Best Colleges for Your Money” ranking places Fairfield among the Top 100 private universities in the country.

In the magazine’s overall rankings, Yale University was #15, University of Connecticut ranked #50, Wesleyan University was #111, Connecticut College placed at #245 and Quinnipiac University was #341 on the list of Best Colleges for Your Money.

CT's Blockchain Working Group Strives to Drive State Policy in Emerging Field

It was established in the final hours of the 2018 legislative session, and held its first meeting the following month, back in June.  Special Act 18-8 created Connecticut’s Blockchain Working Group, with little fanfare and less notice.  The objective:  make recommendations to the incoming 2019 legislature that will “help promote innovation and economic growth by reducing barriers to and expediting the expansion of the state's blockchain industry.” While the Task Force was getting started, another blockchain initiative was grabbing headlines.  Seven Stars Cloud announced in early  July that it was planning to purchase the former University of Connecticut campus in West Hartford to develop a $283 million financial technology hub that would attract more than 50 companies, along with a research institute and training center, with blockchain technology being the centerpiece.

Local zoning approvals are pending, and the state has agreed to loan the company $10 million for renovations to the 58-acre property, and to forgive the loan if the company employs 330 people there over five years. In late August, the company changed its name to Ideanomics.

The legislation calls for the leaders of the legislature’s Commerce Committee – Republicans and Democrats – to  jointly appoint and convene a working group to develop a master plan for fostering the expansion of the blockchain industry in the state and recommend policies and state investments to make Connecticut a leader in blockchain technology. It calls for the “master plan” to:

• Identify the economic growth and development opportunities presented by blockchain technology;
• assess the existing blockchain industry in the state;
• review workforce needs and academic programs required to build blockchain expertise across all relevant industries; and
• make legislative recommendations that will help promote innovation and economic growth by reducing barriers to and expediting the expansion of the state's blockchain industry.

A final report and recommendations is due on January 1, 2019.

The Working Group, which met initially on June 28 in Stamford, is chaired by Nick Kammerman of Westport-based Chateaux.  Members include David Noble (UConn Business School), Don Tirea (Checkmate Inc.), Jamil Hasan (Blockchain Consultant), Kevin Hart (Green Check Verified), Emily Goodman Binick (Blockchain Consultant), Margaret Feeney (Nat West Markets), Bryant Eisenbach (DappDevs), Spencer Curry (Trifecta Ecosystems), Philip Bradford (UConn Engineering School) and Stephen Ehrlich (Crypto Trading Technologies).  Legislators participating in the Working Group are Senators Joan Hartley and L. Scott Frantz and Representatives Caroline Simmons and Dave Yaccarino.  State Economic and Community Development Commissioner Catherine Smith serves as an ex-officio member.

Among the tax treatments the Working Group discussed preliminarily at the meeting, according to the  official Minutes,  were creating “tax incentives for companies that create blockchain products or use them who are currently in the state or coming to the state,” “changing laws to give blockchain industries access to banks in order to pay taxes,” and “figuring out how the state of Connecticut can implement a system to help blockchain/cryptocurrency companies and individuals pay taxes and fees.”

Testifying in support of the legislature this spring, Spencer Curry, CEO and co-founder of Trifecta Ecosystems, explained that “blockchain stands to revolutionize global industries by creating new revenue models and driving costs down on existing revenue models, automating processes with smart contracts, increasing traceability/visibility, and hardening security to malicious attackers.”

Supriyo B. Chatterjee of West Hartford noted that “blockchain has arrived in the Connecticut industries andwith it brings high-vbalue jobs that will contribute significantly to the Connecticut economy.” He pointed out that blockchain will have a “profound effect on the health sciences industry,” as well as the insurance industry and STEM jobs, and will “fundamentally change the distribution of goods and services worldwide.”

Curry went on to suggest that “supporting this technology will benefit Connecticut’s workforce through an infusion of excellent talent from around the world.  If the State does not embrace blockchain technology, it … will only hasten the corporate flight from our state.”  He said that “if the State chooses to empower companies exploring blockchain technologies, then a new wave of prosperity and success awaits these tried and true Connecticut industries,” such as insurance, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial, agriculture and military supply chain.

Commissioner Smith, one of the seven people to submit testimony on the bill, told the Commerce Committee at the March public hearing that the department lacks “the in-house expertise to conduct an informed analysis” of “all facets of blockchain technology.” The original version of the bill included $200,000 allocation for the Department of Economic and Community Development to conduct the study.  The Senate amendment eliminated the funding allocation.

Don Tirea of DappDevs indicated that a blockchain initiative that “incentivizes research and development for enterprises and startups, coupled with a highly skilled tech talent pipeline is a recipe for economic revitalization across Connecticut’s historic industries.  He added that embracing blockchain technology would create a “shift in our nation’s perspective of Connecticut’s ability to innovate”

Co-sponsors of the original legislation (Senate Bill 443), which was later amended in the Senate, included Senators Michael McLachlan, Heather Somers, Scott Frantz, and George Logan.  House co-sponsors included Caroline Simons, Michael Winkler, Livvy Floren, Laura Devlin and Linda Orange.

PERSPECTIVE: CT's Small Towns Receptive to Regional Resource-Sharing

by Leo Paul Connecticut’s small towns and cities support initiatives to encourage voluntary regional cooperation to provide programs and services to meet the needs of local residents in a more efficient, cost-effective manner. As Connecticut’s small towns and cities struggle to do more with less, many communities are exploring new opportunities to share resources to meet these growing needs.

Connecticut’s Regional Councils of Government (COGs) have been instrumental in developing programs to assist towns in delivering services more cost effectively through shared services agreements and regional partnerships. These programs include a wide range of services and functions, including:

• Regional Dispatch Centers
• Regional Animal Control Facilities
• Consolidation of Back Office Functions, i.e. IT, human resources, accounting
• Regional Transfer Stations/Solid Waste Management
• Regional School Districts
• Regional Health Districts
• Group Purchasing of Goods and Services
• Shared Back Office Functions
• Regional online permitting, GIS mapping, and property revaluation.

Programs such as the Regional Performance Incentive Program and Intertown Capital Equipment (ICE) Sharing program have been successful in encouraging communities to utilize regional approaches to delivering services and purchasing equipment to stretch limited municipal dollars. The ICE program, for example, provided state support for the shared purchase of capital equipment, an initiative that allowed towns to share the cost of new/replacement equipment needed to perform critical town services, such as plowing, mowing and fire trucks, etc.

Several years ago, town leaders in Litchfield County implemented a program to share heavy equipment. Ten towns in the area benefit from this program, the Litchfield Hills Public Works Equipment Cooperative, which allows the towns to share major equipment for road maintenance. Two street sweepers and one catch basin cleaner were purchased through the program, which was made possible by a $700,000 grant the council received from the state’s Regional Performance Incentive Program.

Unfortunately, funding for RPIP has been significantly reduced over the years and the ICE program has been eliminated. This is unfortunate because regional sharing programs that allow towns to reduce costs without undermining efficiency are certainly a win-win for the towns and taxpayers.

Regionalism is no Silver Bullet

COGs have been successful in fostering collaborate shared service programs because they work with member towns to identify needs and perform feasibility studies to determine how regional approaches will impact costs and service delivery. This approach recognizes that regional approaches don’t always save money or ensure that services will be delivered more efficiently. According to a 2008 study by Dr. Steve Lanza, editor of The Connecticut Economy, “Municipal consolidation or other service-sharing plans offer no silver bullet for the problem of costly, local public services.”

Too often, legislation promoting regionalism is proposed without fully analyzing whether regionalizing certain programs or services makes sense from an economic and/or service delivery standpoint. A prime example of this is the proposal from the state Department of Public Health to consolidate health districts. This was a top down approach to regionalism that failed because it would have consolidated health districts without regard for cost or for the impact on service delivery to residents. COST attended meetings along with representatives from towns, cities, health districts and health professionals and not one person in the room supported the consolidation proposal.

Unless it can be demonstrated through a thoughtful and comprehensive policy analysis that regional proposals will provide significant benefit or savings, the state should not push towns to rush headlong into such arrangements. Fortunately, COGs are actively working with member towns to determine when regionalism and shared service programs make sense and what it takes to get there.

Successful State/Local Partnerships

In promoting regionalization of services, policymakers should recognize the value of strong state/local partnerships in providing critical services to residents in a cost-effective, value added manner. For more than 60 years, the Resident State Trooper program has been a successful model of a strong state/local partnership that allows towns to share resources and provide critical public safety services to our communities. Not only does the program assist small towns in maintaining a public safety presence, resident state troopers are routinely dispatched from their towns to respond to state police matters outside of their community. The program is a win-win for the state and our small towns and residents.

Unfortunately, towns have had to pay an increasing amount to continue to participate in the program and we are concerned that any additional increases in costs will make it too costly for municipalities to maintain their resident troopers. Towns have explored options to create stand-alone police departments or regional police departments, but these programs are much more costly than the resident trooper program. The towns of Roxbury and Bridgewater have entered into an arrangement to share a resident trooper, which has proven beneficial for both communities, which are very small.

In addition to regional and shared service models, towns have been exploring opportunities to consolidate non-educational expenditures and functions within their communities. For example, the Town of Canton recently entered into an agreement with its Board of Education to share a Finance Director. Other towns have consolidated back office functions under the state’s Nutmeg Network, consolidated maintenance, Human Resource, and other functions. COST supports efforts to assist towns and boards of education in consolidating non-educational expenditures and functions.

Barriers to Regionalism

COGs have worked with towns to successfully identify and support municipal opportunities to regionalize services and improve efficiencies and, as mentioned, there are a number of success stories. However, consolidating services can be difficult and towns often require assistance in 1) undertaking feasibility studies to determine whether consolidation is cost-effective; 2) addressing liability issues that may arise due to sharing arrangements; 3) negotiating contracts for shared services; and 4) addressing collective bargaining/union issues that may undermine savings associated with regional efforts.

COST stands ready to work with lawmakers to develop and support common sense proposals that facilitate the ability of municipalities to

• regionalize certain programs and functions in ways that make sense for the communities involved and for our property taxpayers;
• maintain strong state/local partnership approaches to the delivery of services, such as the Resident Trooper program;
• support the consolidation of non-educational expenditures and functions to improve municipal efficiencies;
• enhance the management of regional school districts; and 5) address barriers to regionalization, including collective bargaining agreements and statutory requirements.

_______________________________

Leo Paul is First Selectman of the Town of Litchfield, and President, Connecticut Council of Small Towns.  This is an excerpt of testimony submitted to the Connecticut state legislature’s Planning and Development Committee at an Informational Forum on Shared Services and Regional Efficiencies held during the legislative session, earlier this year.

DataHaven to Launch Innovation Awards to Recognize Data-based Initiatives in CT

In conjunction with its 25th anniversary celebration this year, New Haven-based DataHaven has announced plan to launch the DataHaven Innovation Awards, which will be open to nominees from throughout the state. Winners will be selected in a number of education and community impact categories. Nomination will be accepted through October 1, and the award recipients will be announced at DataHaven’s 25th Anniversary Celebration on November 19, 2018. DataHaven is a non-profit organization with a history of public service to Greater New Haven and Connecticut. The organization’s mission is to improve quality of life by collecting, sharing, and interpreting public data for effective decision making.

“We are proud to highlight the creativity and ingenuity of those who employ data to make Connecticut a better place,” explained DataHaven Executive Director Mark Abraham. The awards will recognize organizations, groups and individuals who have demonstrated the ability to use data to improve the well-being of Connecticut communities.

The inaugural Data in Education Awards will recognize the outstanding use of data for projects developed within a classroom or educational setting. Nominations will be accepted in two categories, University and Graduate Level and K-12 Level.  Nominees can include teachers, students, school-based organizations, and non-profits working with youth.

The Data for Community Impact Awards will recognize the outstanding use of data to make a positive difference in one or more Connecticut communities. Nominations will be accepted in two categories: Large Organization, with more than 20 employees, and Small Organization, with less than 20 employees.  Nominees can include nonprofits, for-profits, funders, unincorporated groups, and municipal/state agencies.

Liberty Bank Foundation is underwriting the DataHaven Innovation Awards.

DataHaven maintains extensive economic, social, and health data, including information collected through the DataHaven Community Wellbeing Surveys in 2012 and 2015. DataHaven is a formal partner of the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership of the Urban Institute in Washington, DC.

“We believe that data is a powerful force, uniting our state and helping make life better in Connecticut communities,” says Abraham. “Our statewide survey provides neighborhood-level data in key areas such as health, education, civic engagement and economic opportunity, so that programs and resources can be deployed to change lives for the better. Our goal is still to make life better for our neighbors.”

Presenting sponsors for the organization’s 25^th anniversary year are the City of New Haven, Yale University, Yale New Haven Health and The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.  Nomination forms for the DataHaven Innovation Awards can be found at http://www.ctdatahaven.org/anniversary and are due by October 1, 2018.

Norwalk Joins Sustainable CT Effort

Norwalk is the latest Connecticut municipality to join Sustainable CT, a statewide initiative that offers detailed array of sustainability best practices, tools and resources, peer learning, and opportunities for recognition.The Sustainable CT platform supports a broad range of actions, such as improving watershed management, supporting arts and creative culture, reducing energy use and increasing renewable energy, implementing “complete streets” (streets that meet the needs of walkers and bikers as well as cars), improving recycling programs, assessing climate vulnerability, supporting local businesses, and providing efficient and diverse housing options.   “I am delighted the city has joined Sustainable CT in our latest efforts to develop and implement sustainability and renewable energy initiatives in Norwalk,” said Mayor Harry Rilling. “Being energy conscience is the right thing to do as we all have a moral obligation to lessen our environmental impact. I am glad the city has taken a leadership role and joined this important sustainability initiative.”  Norwalk’s Council approved the resolution to join Sustainable CT in mid-August and designated the Common Council Planning Committee as the “Sustainability Team” for the program. Norwalk was officially registered with Sustainable CT on August 24.

The Sustainable CT initiative was developed under the leadership of the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University in partnership with the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.

There is no cost to participate and communities voluntarily select actions that meet their unique, local character and long-term vision. After successful implementation of a variety of actions, municipalities will be eligible for Sustainable CT certification. According to the organization’s vision statement, “Sustainable CT communities strive to be thriving, resilient, collaborative, and forward-looking. They build community and local economy. They equitably promote the health and well-being of current and future residents, and they respect the finite capacity of the natural environment.”

“We are thrilled that Norwalk has passed a resolution to join Sustainable CT. The program builds on many current success stories in our communities to create and support more great places to live, work, and play,” said Lynn Stoddard, Director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy. “We are looking forward to working with the city as they pursue Sustainable CT certification."

The town of Thomaston joined the initiative in July. Three Connecticut philanthropies - The Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, the Hampshire Foundation, and the Common Sense Fund – have supported the program's development and launch.

Report: Medicaid's Impact Goes Beyond Health Care to Economy

Medicaid is, at its core, a health insurance program that provides coverage to low-income Connecticut residents.  A new report in Connecticut finds that the program also plays a key role in the state’s economy, budget, and ability to weather economic challenges. The report was developed for, and released by, the Connecticut Health Foundation. In Connecticut, Medicaid is known as HUSKY and covers approximately one in five state residents – close to 800,000 people. HUSKY covers more than one third of Connecticut children, nearly 47 percent of non-elderly adults with disabilities, 15 percent of seniors, and 70 percent of nursing home residents.

The report, developed by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, finds that the program is deeply woven into Connecticut’s health care system and plays a major role in a sector of the economy that has been central to job growth in the state. Health care makes up nearly 15 percent of the state’s gross domestic product. Medicaid finances about 20 percent of health care expenditures in Connecticut.

“It is important for policymakers to understand the full impact of Medicaid in the state, particularly as they face difficult budget decisions,” said the report’s author, Edwin Park, research professor at the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. “Medicaid plays a key role in the state’s economy and is linked to long-term positive outcomes for children like better health, obtaining a college degree, and higher earnings.”

Among the report’s other key findings:

• Research has linked Medicaid coverage of children and pregnant women to long-term health and economic benefits when children reach adulthood: better health outcomes, greater educational attainment such as completing high school and obtaining a college degree, and higher employment and earnings.
• Medicaid can help states cope with recessions and economic downturns because it automatically increases federal funding in response to higher state costs, such as those resulting from enrollment increases as people lose their jobs and health insurance.
• Medicaid contributes the majority of the federal funding spent through Connecticut’s state budget – 58 percent in the 2016 fiscal year. The federal government pays more than half of the state’s Medicaid costs. For every $10 spent on Medicaid in Connecticut, approximately $5.92 comes from the federal government.

“Connecticut invests significant resources in HUSKY and the findings of this report underscore the impact of this investment,” said Patricia Baker, president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation.

The report also indicted that “research has found that Medicaid eligibility during childhood is tied to higher wages and cumulative higher tax payments made as young adults. It also increases employment and reduces the need for public assistance, especially assistance needed due to disability. According to the report, in 2016 Medicaid covered:

• 4 percent of the nearly 400,000 hospital discharges and 12.9 percent of hospital payments.
• 63 percent of the 373,200 patients who received care at community health centers.

The Connecticut Health Foundation is the state’s largest independent health philanthropy dedicated to improving health outcomes for people of color. Since its creation in 1999, the foundation has awarded more than $62 million to nonprofit organizations and public entities to expand health equity, reduce health disparities, expand health coverage, and improve the health of all Connecticut residents.

Occupational Illnesses Remain High in Connecticut, Report Finds

Occupational illnesses remain a serious and under-reported issue in Connecticut, with a rate 6 percent higher than the national average, according to a new report issued by UConn Health.  The latest data shows a reporting of over 7,500 occupational illnesses, with up to an estimated 25,000 cases going unreported. The highest number of cases reported were in Farmington, Hartford and Cromwell. The newly published Occupational Disease in Connecticut, 2018 report examined the latest 1997-2016 data, based on reports of individuals filing for workers’ compensation, physician reports to the Occupational Injury and Illness Surveillance System, and the ConnOSHA/BLS survey of employers.

Connecticut’s illness rate ranked 15th highest out of 41 states with publishable data (fourteen states had higher rates and 26 had lower rates). Maine had the highest rate of 38.8 and Texas had the lowest at 9.8. Private sector rates for occupational illness were 15.0 in Connecticut and 14.1 nationally. Connecticut’s public sector rate was 35.7; the U.S. public sector rate was 31.6, according to the report.

The Connecticut data revealed reports of 7,675 unique occupational illnesses.  Most frequent were 3,430 musculoskeletal cases (such as sprains, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and tendonitis), and 2,408 infectious diseases (such as bloodborne diseases and exposures, meningitis, and Lyme Disease).  In addition, the data indicated there were 431 respiratory illnesses (such as chemical exposures, asthma, and poisonings), 313 skin disorders (such as poison ivy and chemical dermatitis), 115 cases of hearing loss, and 978 “other illnesses” (such as heart conditions, stress, and dizziness).

The OSHA/BLS survey shows a rate of 17.4 cases per 10,000 workers in Connecticut, 6 percent higher than the national rate of 16.4. The report focuses on chronic job-related illnesses, and does not include acute traumatic injuries. Overall, approximately 49% were for women, but this varied by type of case, with women accounting for 66% of infectious cases. Based on workers’ compensation reports of occupational illnesses, there were similar proportions (between 20%-25%) for workers in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.

Rates of occupational illnesses varied widely across Connecticut towns and cities. Based on workers’ compensation reports from towns with at least 25 cases, the 10 highest rates were found in Farmington (126 cases per 10,000 workers - almost 4 times the rate as the state average), Hartford (89), Cromwell (89), Groton (85), Westbrook (84), Windsor Locks (73), East Windsor (63), Cheshire (61), Stratford (60), and Middletown (58). The town average across the state was 33 cases per 10,000 workers.

These higher town rates often reflect the locations of large employers in higher hazard industries, and may also reflect better reporting of cases, since cases of occupational illness are often not reported, the study points out.

Based on workers’ compensation reports, the highest rates of occupational illnesses were found in the industries of beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (170 cases per 10,000 workers), computer and electronic product manufacturing (131), primary metal manufacturing (112), state government (103), local government (81), transportation equipment manufacturing (59), electrical equipment manufacturing (57), miscellaneous retail stores (51), fabricated metal product manufacturing (49), and hospitals (46).

The highest specific sector rate, according to the report, was State Government with 41.8, with the highest rates for skin conditions (17.7) and lung conditions (7.9).  Local Government was second with 32.1, and Utilities third highest rate with 31.8.

Each year the report is prepared for the Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Commission by occupational and environmental health expert Tim Morse, professor emeritus at UConn Health. The 53-page report is part of the Occupational Injury and Illness Surveillance System, a cooperative effort of the Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Commission, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and the Connecticut Labor Department.

The system is designed to track occurrences of work-related disease, with an eye to understanding patterns and developing approaches to prevent occupational illness.

“We must take stronger actions to improve the employee work safety experience and environment, with improvements in ergonomics, safe needle devices in health care, reducing mold and increasing fresh air flow in indoor environments, providing education on toxic chemicals, and increasing the recognition of such hazards as poison ivy,” Morse told UConn Today.

Morse and UConn Health researchers analyze survey responses and occupational illness reports from the State Labor Department/Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) survey; the first reports of injury to the Connecticut Workers Compensation Commission; and health provider reports to the Connecticut Departments of Labor and Public Health under the Occupational Illnesses and Injury Surveillance System.

PERSPECTIVE - Discovering Common Ground, Developing Friendships and Creating Impact: A Teenage Sisterhood Driven by Faith

by Olivia Rotter and Layan Alnajjar Around the time of the presidential election of 2016, we embarked on a journey to find peace and unity amidst high tension in our society and government. Coming from moderately conservative Jewish and Muslim homes, we were encouraged to raise our voices during this time of bigotry.

We have been friends throughout high school and were both passionate about social justice issues. Specifically, we were concerned about the hate speech and discriminatory language that was being used to target faith groups - including our own.

With this knowledge, we decided to form the first official teen chapter of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, an international organization that aims to eliminate stereotypes and celebrate the power of friendship and compassion between Muslim and Jewish women. Historically, these two religions have had turmoil in reference to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, this empowering sisterhood distances themselves from any opinionated topics and instead focuses on the similarities of the Jewish and Muslim practice.

The nonprofit organization Civil Politics conducted a study of participants in the Sisterhood. They concluded that “having more in common with members of each faith, more improvement in their comfort with others, and greater commitment to speaking out against divisive rhetoric,” is an extremely powerful agent for change. In correlation with our chapter’s success, this Civil Politics study proved that friendship and acceptance can overcome misunderstanding and misconceptions.

After a lot of hard work in recruitment and creating lesson plans, we had our first meeting in September of 2017. We were both excited and anxious that this day had finally arrived and that our hard work had paid off.

The excitement stemmed from our curiosity and hope that this one chapter could change our local community’s outlook. Our angst was in regards to the possibility that these fourteen high school girls - seven Jewish and seven Muslim - might not get along. To our pleasant surprise, the first meeting went exceptionally well and early friendships quickly began to form. Despite our previous concerns, the girls truly found comfort and confidence as they identified common ground with each other.

Since then, these friendships have taken flight and evolved through the process of giving back to our community. Our first charitable act was around the holiday season when we collected food cans, toiletries, and books for a local family shelter in Hartford. We unloaded and stocked hundreds of supplies that would be given to various families in need. This experience was a gateway to many more acts of service that brought us even closer as a sisterhood.

Soon after, we partnered with the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut to serve those in need of a healthy meal and a place to relax at Mercy Shelter in Hartford. Some of us were in charge of plating the food, while others waitressed. The facilitator for Mercy Shelter was so happy to have us all there and commented that we had the best teamwork he had ever seen. We look forward to going back this year and to gaining even more perspective.

The highlight of our year was teaching our own curriculum to 5th grade students at Beth El Hebrew School in West Hartford. For months our group spent time together creating an intricate lesson plan to teach these young students. The curriculum had a few different components, beginning with a Venn diagram activity that demonstrated the ways that Muslims and Jews are alike. The students soon caught on that every element was a part of both religions, falling into the center section of the diagram.

After many insightful discussions with the students, we then moved on to passing out a coloring page with the Jerusalem skyline on it. During that time, we played music in both Arabic and Hebrew. Lastly, we had each student write on a poster what they thought before versus what they know now, after the activity.

One student wrote on the before side of the poster that they feared “we might not be able to get along.” However, after our lesson they wrote on the after side of the poster that now they know “we are so similar and can be close friends.” It was truly inspiring to see how much new knowledge they acquired regarding the similarities between the two religions in just one short hour. The kids were so excited to learn this material and fascinated by the common ground.

A few weeks ago we were contacted by the coordinator of the Hebrew school and asked to officially be a part of the curriculum for 5th grade students. We feel so fortunate that we will be able to make an even greater impact this year.

In just a few short weeks our chapter will reunite for the first meeting of this new school year! We look forward to another successful year full of friendship, knowledge, and service.

Next year, we are beginning another chapter in our lives as we head off to college. We both plan on bringing all we have learned to our universities, and hopefully starting the first Salaam Shalom college chapter! We urge you to begin making an impact by starting a new chapter of the sisterhood in your own community.  For us, this has been the most rewarding and empowering experience of our entire lives; we hope that you will join us on our journey towards peace and acceptance!

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Olivia Rotter and Layan Alnajjar are seniors at William H. Hall High School in West Hartford; dedicated students and active leaders within their community. This year, they will continue helping to start new chapters across Northern America and will mentor future teen leaders, giving them advice and ideas for meetings. They will be honored for their hard work and devotion to the Sisterhood at the organization’s annual conference in November.

 For more information about the sisterhood, visit https://sosspeace.org, follow the organization on facebook at the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, and follow their new teen-run instagram@sossteens.

Want to Live at the Mall? It Could Happen – in Trumbull

The Westfield Trumbull mall’s unusual request for a zoning change that would allow it to build 290 apartments on its 76-acre site may be the harbinger of things to come for suburban malls.  The plan was the subject last month of a Trumbull Planning & Zoning Commission hearing; a final decision is pending. The 290 units are planned to be one or two-bedroom apartments, with the opportunity to rent a garage and/or a storage space. The buildings will be on slabs, four stories high, with elevator access. Developers are hoping for a clubhouse, with a gym and common meeting room, and a pool.

The units would be marketed to professionals, young couples and older couples looking to stay in Trumbull, but not in a single-family home.  The plan is a trimmed down version of a proposal floated in the spring that would have developed 580 units.

Mall housing?  Nina Fuhrman, head of retail strategy at global design company IDEO, noted that “As we see the lines blurring between where you work and where you play and where you live, we’re going to see more residences and office spaces attached to malls.”

Trumbull may provide a glimpse into a trend gaining traction.  In a feature article last May in Business of Fashion, Westfield’s development of mall-adjacent residential properties was described as “a no-brainer because doing so will not only create a revenue stream from rent, but will also increase foot traffic to stores.” Already, Chief Operating Officer Bill Hecht told the publication, “the residential buildings in close proximity to our malls can charge slightly above market rent, because they have access to all our amenities close by.”

Trumbull First Selectman Vicki Tesoro has expressed reservations, encouraged public comment, and kept an open mind. In a public statement, she “expressed an understanding that malls throughout the country are reinventing themselves out of necessity. We, as a town, should work with them to the extent possible in that process. The mall is our largest taxpayer, and its success is a shared goal.”

In Bethesda, Maryland, Westfield plans to close a Sears store at the Westfield Montgomery Mall within the next year and is looking to launch a major mixed-use development on its piece of the property. The first phase, according to a report published by Bisnow, is expected to be completed by 2022, and would create 170K SF of new retail space with 350 to 360 apartments above, plus a health club. After that, Westfield would build an additional 300 units and 130K SF of retail and hotel space.

Jim Agliata, Westfield’s vice president of development, told Bethesda magazine earlier this year that the project represents the next phase of Westfield Montgomery’s emergence as a “lifestyle destination.”