Blogs

A Secret Meeting Led Gayle King & Charles Barkley To Agree To Host “King Charles” On CNN

Collab Spring 2024 Accelerator

Collab is taking applications for its Spring 2024 Business Accelerator Program. This free, 12-week course will provide education, mentoring, and technical assistance to aspiring entrepreneurs who want to build unique businesses to create positive change. For questions, please email Collab, or to apply by the March 10 deadline, please visit Collab New Haven. 

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is establishing a panel of agency heads within his administration that will be known as the Connecticut Interagency Council on Homelessness and will be responsible for collaborating on a multi-agency approach that strengthen the state’s homelessness prevention and response efforts.

The council will consist of leaders of state agencies that are responsible for housing and intervention support services. It will build upon existing efforts already undertaken by several state agencies, including the Department of Housing, the Department of Social Services, and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

“Everyone should have access to a safe, warm place to call home,” Governor Lamont said. “State and local governments, along with our nonprofit partners, need the resources available to them to ensure that fewer people face the possibility of becoming homeless. Between building new housing units, addressing mental health issues, improving access to education and health care, and increasing job support, this issue must be addressed in a holistic manner.”

The governor is tasking the group with focusing its work on three main goals:

1. Strengthening current programs: The council will apply specific knowledge of individual programming to unite policies across state agencies in a way that considers the whole individual – from refining recommendations on improving health and human services for people experiencing homelessness to strengthening housing stability and creating more affordable housing across the state.
2. Improving the effectiveness of the homelessness response system: Perspectives of all state agencies will be considered in sharing and planning new approaches to help connect people experiencing homelessness to services more effectively. This includes immediate assistance for people experiencing homelessness, such as support for emergency shelters and investments in housing stability.
3. Meeting the demands of housing: The council will collaborate on maximizing the use of funding for housing assistance, increasing the supply of permanent supportive housing, improving the effectiveness of rapid rehousing, and evaluating and finding solutions for expanded access to safe and affordable housing for all with an interagency approach of tailoring support to each individual’s specific needs.

Governor Lamont is appointing Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno to serve as the council’s chairperson. Leaders from the following offices will serve as members:

• The Department of Housing
• The Department of Aging and Disability Services
• The Department of Children and Families
• The Department of Correction
• The Department of Labor
• The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
• The Department of Social Services
• The Department of Veterans Affairs
• The Office of Policy and Management
• The Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch
• The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority

Additionally, leaders from the following offices will serve as ad hoc members:

• The Department of Developmental Services
• The Department of Economic and Community Development
• The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection
• The Department of Public Health
• The Office of Early Childhood
• The State Department of Education
• The Department of Transportation
• The Department of Higher Education

Governor Lamont is specifically asking the council’s members to uplift the voices of those closest to the issue of homelessness and consider the personal experiences and recommendations of those facing barriers to housing across the state. Additionally, he is asking the council to establish an advisory committee for practitioners and advocates to provide ongoing feedback to state agencies.

Staff from the Office of the Governor will work with legislators in the Connecticut General Assembly on behalf of the council to ensure that the state’s latest challenges and opportunities are understood and addressed in a coordinated and collaborative manner.

Twitter: @GovNedLamont

Facebook: Office of Governor Ned Lamont

HARTFORD, Connecticut – On Wednesday afternoon, Connecticut’s Investment Advisory Council (IAC) convened their first meeting of 2024 at the State Office Building in Hartford. State Treasurer Erick Russell opened the meeting by announcing more than $1.1 billion in investment commitments in the private credit and real estate portfolios of the Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds (CRPTF). 

In private credit, the Treasurer committed $125 million to ICG North America Credit Partners Fund III LP and $200 million to ICG Liquid Credit Strategies, including ICG Global Loan Fund and ICG Global Total Credit Fund.

Treasurer Russell also announced two European credit investment commitments. He will direct €150 million to ICG Europe Mid-Market Fund II SCSp and €150 million to a customized co-investment program. This equates to approximately $328 million total, at the current exchange rate.

In the state’s real estate portfolio, Treasurer Russell announced his decision to commit $125 million to Penzance DC Real Estate Fund III LP, $200 million to Stonepeak Infrastructure Fund V LP, and $125 million to Homestead Capital USA Farmland Fund IV, LP.

These investment decisions were based on input and feedback the Treasurer received during the November 2023 meeting of the IAC.

“I’m pleased to kick off 2024 with this slate of investment commitments,” said Treasurer Russell. “These European opportunities, in particular, represent prudent diversification of our private credit portfolio. I’m grateful to the IAC for their collaboration and input in these decisions.” 

Also in Wednesday’s meeting, the IAC received several updates from the Treasurer’s investment team. These included an update on Global Equity positioning and outlook, the currency overlay strategy for the Public Markets, a review of the Short-Term Investment Fund (STIF), and a presentation of the CRPTF rebalancing process.

Additionally, Principal Investment Officers Mark Evans and Denise Stake provided an overview of the recommended pacing plans for the Private Equity, Private Credit, Real Estate, and Infrastructure/Natural Resource Asset Classes.

The IAC is comprised of volunteer members who are responsible for providing advice to the State Treasurer on performance benchmarks, investment and shareholder policy, and institutional investment procedures for the CRPTF. It includes both ex-officio members and members who are appointed by the Governor and legislative leaders. To learn more about the IAC, visit portal.ct.gov/OTT/About-the-Treasury/Advisory-Council.

*** 

Governor Ned Lamont today announced the establishment of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) Office of Outdoor Industry and Experiences, which seeks to grow Connecticut’s outdoor recreation economy by creating partnerships with the private sector. Coinciding with establishing this new office, DEEP is launching a request for information (RFI) as an initial step to expand services and amenities in state parks through partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, and other private sector entities.

The first task for this new office will be to facilitate the RFI process to establish partnerships with organizations that share our values for both conservation and outdoor recreation, and ultimately result in enhanced outdoor experiences in state parks.

Governor Lamont and DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes made the announcement at the Mohawk Mountain Ski Area in West Cornwall, a family-operated outdoor recreation business currently operating through a partnership with Connecticut State Parks.

“Connecticut’s state parks are among the best in the country and provide the setting for many memorable outdoor recreation experiences,” Governor Lamont said. “Our private partners help facilitate those experiences, whether it be a great day of skiing at Mohawk, tubing with family and friends on the Farmington River, or taking a ride on the Essex Steam Train. There are so many wonderful ways to experience the outdoors in our state, and with this new office and RFI, we look forward to discovering new ways to play in the outdoors in our beautiful state.”

Demand for outdoor recreation has spiked since the COVID-10 pandemic, with state park visitation increasing from just under 10 million in 2019, to an estimated 17 million in 2022. DEEP has embraced these higher visitor levels and the opportunities to connect park visitors with other Connecticut tourist destinations, with the launch of a new, interactive state parks website, ctparks.com. Connecticut’s $4.6 billion outdoor recreation economy also has demonstrated robust growth each year since the pandemic, expanding by 20% in 2021 and then by another 11% in 2022. This is the second largest in New England, supporting almost 46,000 jobs.

Thanks to the Passport to the Parks program, DEEP is able to maintain parks services and operations without charging Connecticut residents a fee to park at popular park destinations. The recent increase in public demand for outdoor recreation at state parks coincides with a historic investment in state park facilities and services. Since 2022, the Lamont administration and the legislature have committed $80 million in capital investments as part of the Restore CT State Parks initiative. This initiative is funding repairs and improvements at more than 40 park locations, from renovations of Heublein Tower at Talcott Mountain State Park in Simsbury, to site improvements at Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam.

Against this backdrop of increased visitation, a growing outdoor economy, and a once-in-a-generation level of capital investment in park facilities, DEEP is launching a RFI to solicit ideas and concepts from strategic partners – businesses, nonprofits, and other interested stakeholders – about new or expanded partnerships DEEP could pursue to elevate the outdoor recreation experience in state parks, create new tourism destinations, and provide equitable access to the outdoors.

“Through this new office and initiative, we are elevating the outdoor recreation experience in our parks, creating new tourism destinations, and building on the Lamont administration’s commitment to providing equitable access to the outdoors,” Commissioner Dykes said. “I encourage private sector organizations who share our values for both outdoor recreation and conservation to submit partnership concepts. We’re eager to hear ideas from nonprofits and businesses about ways they could partner with us to provide expanded services and amenities for state park visitors, that reflect our values for both outdoor recreation and natural resource conservation. We want to hear from our visitors about the kinds of experiences you’d like to see result from these partnerships.”

“The initial steps established by DEEP’s RFI are bold, smart, and innovative,” Anthony Anthony, Connecticut’s chief marketing officer, said. “These kinds of partnerships with the private sector have long been encouraged by the Lamont administration, and this one in particular will build sustainable development of the tourism industry. More importantly, it will expand access to our state parks, which are some of Connecticut’s finest and most visited tourist destinations. It’s a win-win for everyone — tourists and residents alike, private industry, and our economy.”

This RFI will seek to add to DEEP’s successful partnerships, which includes canoe and kayak rentals through Clarke Outdoors at Burr Pond State Park; the Essex Steam Train, an iconic regional tourism destination in Connecticut Valley Railroad State Park; Farmington River Tubing, which provides a safe, enjoyable experience in Satan’s Kingdom State Park; and the Mohawk Mountain Ski Area.

Businesses, nonprofits, and individuals are invited to apply to the RFI, which can be found on the website for DEEP’s Office of Outdoor Industry and Experiences at portal.ct.gov/DEEP-parks-partnerships.

The RFI seeks to:

• Elevate outdoor recreation and visitor experiences: DEEP is interested in exploring partnerships to provide services that elevate the public’s experience in Connecticut State Parks. Potential services could include boat or bike rentals, events, locally sourced farmers’ markets held in parks, guided experiences, “glamping,” rafting or tubing, skiing, biking, marinas or boat shares, food and beverage, and other outdoor recreation partnerships concepts.
• Expand tourism destinations: State parks are one of Connecticut’s largest tourism attractions, and DEEP seeks to build on our success through partnerships that expand sustainable tourism opportunities and support local economic development.
• Provide equitable and sustainable access to the outdoors: DEEP seeks to establish partnerships that provide all visitors with equitable opportunities to participate in outdoor recreation experiences, such as universal, adaptive, and ADA-compliant equipment rental, experiences, and education.

“With today’s announcement of the new Office of Outdoor Industry and Experiences, Governor Lamont is demonstrating great leadership in recognizing the relationship between outdoor recreation and public health, economic development, and state competitiveness,” Chris Perkins, vice president of programs for Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, said. “Connecticut is joining 20 other states around the country who have created dedicated offices and positions to advance the outdoor recreation economy. At a time when the outdoor recreation economy has reached $1.1 trillion in economic impact nationwide and $4.6 billion in Connecticut, we couldn’t be more excited to support the new office’s work.”

“We’re thrilled to support Governor Lamont’s vision for the future of outdoor recreation here in Connecticut,” Neil Johnson, store manager for REI Co-op in Milford, said. The outdoor retailer has three locations in the state and operates a wide range of educational experiences and programs. “Whether you prefer to explore the waters of the Long Island Sound or traipse our extensive segment of the Appalachian Trail, the $4.6 billion outdoor recreation industry provides health, economic and social benefits to everyone in our state. We look forward to working with this new office as we strive to make time outside more accessible for all.”

“Excited is an understatement,” Mick Ferraro, secretary of the Connecticut Outdoor Recreation Alliance, said. “The new Office of Outdoor Industry and Experiences will be a game-changer for promoting outdoor recreation in Connecticut and embodies Governor Lamont’s initiative to ‘Make It Here.’ With outdoor recreation contributing more than $1 trillion to the U.S. economy, this office is poised to impact the health of our state in a multitude of ways. We look forward to collaborating with the new office to continue increasing outdoor recreation opportunities, supporting economic development, and stewarding Connecticut’s natural resources.”

“I applaud DEEP for their innovation in establishing an office of Outdoor Industry and Experiences to partner with the private sector to enhance outdoor recreation in state parks,” Ryan Snide, president of Friends of Connecticut State Parks, said. “I encourage our various Friends groups to consider and share the RFI with the organizations that they think would be best fit for their local state parks.”

To learn more about the new Office of Outdoor Industry or to submit a proposal through the RFI, visit portal.ct.gov/DEEP-parks-partnerships.

Today my daughter @isabellastrahan joined @robinrobertsgma and myself for an interview about the journey she has been going through on @goodmorningamerica. ❤️❤️❤️

I love you Isabella and I’m always by your side. To all sending love, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!

📸 ABC/Heidi Gutman