HARTFORD- State Rep. Pamela Sawyer (R-55) along with Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, and other elected officials from across the state, recognizes fifth graders at the Secretary of the State’s 18th Annual Essay and newly added PowerPoint Contest.

Hebron Elementary School student Jacqueline Lage came in 2nd Place in the 2nd Congressional District for her PowerPoint presentation.

Connecticut’s Elementary School Essayists were asked to write about the challenging question “Discuss an important event or invention from Connecticut that has significantly affected the history of our state. How is the impact of this event or invention still felt today?”

“I was impressed with the creativity of Jacqueline’s presentation. She really embraced the spirit of the competition,” said Rep. Sawyer.

HARTFORD- State Rep. Pamela Sawyer (R-55) supported a measure in the House of Representatives today to alert the public when a law enforcement officer has been killed, injured or missing and when law enforcement agencies are searching for a suspect who is considered an imminent threat.

The proposed law, (HB 6007) An Act Concerning Blue Alerts, would create a system to be activated for alerting the public and seeking its assistance in apprehending suspects when a law enforcement officer has been seriously injured, killed or is missing.

“Law enforcement and the public can only benefit from this increased safety measure, said Sawyer.
The state may activate the Blue Alert system only if it determines, after consulting with the law enforcement agency requesting activation, that:

1. A peace officer (a) was assaulted and killed by someone or suffered serious physical injury or was assaulted with a deadly weapon by a suspect who has not been apprehended and poses an imminent threat to the public or other peace officers or (b) is missing while performing his or her duties under circumstances warranting concern for his or her safety;

2. Sufficient descriptive information is available to disseminate to the public about the (a) suspect or his or her vehicle or other means of escape or (b) circumstances of the peace officer’s disappearance; and

3. Disseminating the information to the public could help apprehend the suspect, locate the missing officer, or avert injury to any other person.
Blue Alerts are similar to Amber Alerts, which are broadcast on television to find missing or endangered children. At least 15 states have passed some form of the Blue Alert legislation.

The bill now awaits the governor’s signature.

State Rep. Pamela Sawyer with Scouts Kevin MacDonald and Tyler Neary who were working at Boy Scout Troop 39′s can-drive to raise money for their sibs to be able to go Seabase in Florida.

“GOT PAINT CANS?”

HARTFORD- State Rep. Pamela Sawyer (R-55) announced that due to legislation passed last year a paint recycling program is set to begin May 1st.

By July, some private paint and hardware stores will begin accepting partly used cans of paint and stain from homeowners and building contractors.

According to a state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection survey, 90 percent of the people had old paint in the cellar or garage, and the vast majority of them have more than five containers. The paint industry has estimated that in Connecticut alone 320,000 gallons of partially used paint are added to the underground collection each year.

PaintCare, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit set up by the American Coatings Association, will run the program in Connecticut. Consumers in the state will pay a small extra fee when they buy paint with the fees running from 35 cents for a pint to 75 cents for a gallon. The fee will pay for managing the program.

People will be able to bring unused paint to collection points whenever they are open, either hardware and paint stores or town recycling centers. PaintCare will collect the paint, recycle what it can and safely discard the rest.

The state already has a similar program for electronic devices that lets the manufacturers take responsibility for collecting and recycling them, rather than letting people accumulate roomfuls of outdated personal computers, tablets and phones.

For more details visit the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection website: http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2708&q=449248&deepNav_GID=1763

HARTFORD- State Rep. Pamela Sawyer (R-55) attended a ceremony honoring Bolton High School student Catherine Allegretti for being one of the winners of the Leaders and Achievers Scholarship sponsored by Comcast.

The Comcast Foundation Leaders and Scholarship Ceremony where 44 students were awarded $1,000 Leaders and Achievers Scholarships to college-bound high school seniors from Comcast communities throughout Connecticut on the basis of community service, leadership skills, positive attitude and academic achievement.

“I want to congratulate Catherine on this wonderful accomplishment, and wish her much success as she heads off to college,” said Rep. Sawyer.

BOLTON- State Rep. Pamela Sawyer (R-55) with the Bolton Women’s Club co-presidents Jen Norris and Julie Begin at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Herrick Park Playground. Originally built in 1991 by the Bolton Women’s Club, the new playground is now fully installed and open for all to enjoy.

BOLTON- State Rep. Pam Sawyer joined other Bolton residents to celebrate the Bolton Conservation Commission’s Earth Day Family Festivities with a 1.5 mile Hike around Notch Pond.

During the Earth Day hike participants learned why the Bolton Notch Valley Falls Watershed is so unique.

Where is Bolton’s only stratified drift aquifer? Where does drinking water come from and where does drinking water go?

Sawyer also joined the Entry Level Fairy House Building Workshop which helped bring imagination, creativity and love of nature to Freja Park.

The activity of building fairy houses is used as a fun, creative way for kids to get to know about nature. It encourages kids to head outside, use their imaginations and enjoy the wonders of nature…all while creating their own fairy habitats!

Free Health Screenings for Women in May

Know someone who has been putting off health screening because they couldn’t afford it?

There will be early detection health screenings free of charge in May through the state and federally funded Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program provided by the Manchester-based Eastern Connecticut Health Network.

The program accepts qualifying women between the ages of 40 and 64 and provides them with free mammograms, clinical breast exams, Pap tests and other services. ECHN said the criteria include income level, family size and factors in insurance.

Uninsured or underinsured people can qualify for this program depending on the qualifiers.

ECHN will be celebrating women’s health month in May. To kick things off they will be giving free early detection screenings to women on April 27 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., whether or not they would normally qualify for the program.

Any woman interested in having a free mammogram or Pap test on April 27 should call 860-872-5368 to make an appointment.

Walk-ins will be accepted for screenings for blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure.

The ECHN Women’s Center for Wellness is at 2600 Tamarack Drive, South Windsor.

The program has been around for 15 years. At ECHN, the program sees between 425 and 550 per year and on average diagnoses seven to 10 cancers.

Spread the word!