The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Grand opening this week for Middletown eatery
MIDDLETOWN — This week, we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Middlesex County and throughout our great country.
MLK Day is a special day, one that celebrates not only his birthday, but the huge impact that the civil rights leader had on the United States of America.
There are many celebrations around Middlesex County this week that will honor Dr. King’s life and legacy. I am proud that chamber Workforce Development Director Lorenzo Marshall will represent our organization at the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Committee of Greater Middletown event Monday, which will be virtual this year.
The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce also has a longtime and enduring partnership with the Middlesex County Chapter of the NAACP, which is led by President Faith Jackson.
I would like to take a moment to recognize all of those who volunteer their time in the service of others. We are all in this together, and it is in that spirit that we honor Dr. King’s legacy, not just on Monday, but every day of the year.
Chamber calendar
This week is another busy one for the chamber team as it features a number of important meetings and community events. On Wednesday afternoon, the chamber’s Affordable Housing Committee, led by Chairman Bob Fusari, will host a special presentation which will focus on the affordable housing landscape in Connecticut as we enter 2022.
Presenters include state Department of Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno, Dawn Parker, director of UniteCT; Greg Ugalde, who formerly served as chairman of the National Association of Home Builders; and RiverCOG Executive Director Sam Gold.
We look forward to this important discussion, which will include everything from available incentives and tax credits from the state level, landlord and tenant relations, national issues impacting Connecticut, such as supply chain and labor issues, and an update on the regional plan of conservation and development.
On the chamber meeting front, this week will feature virtual meetings of our Human Resource Council Steering Committee, Killingworth Division, Recovery Employment Program Steering Committee, Board of Directors, Legislative Committee, and Cruise Night on Main Committee.
Our Board of Directors meeting, scheduled for Thursday at 11:30 a.m., will feature reports from chamber committee chairs and key staff on the many important ways in which we work to support the business community in Middlesex County.
In addition to these important updates, the meeting will feature remarks from Patrick Flaherty, director of research and information for the Connecticut Department of Labor’s Office of Research. We look forward to hearing from Patrick on the current health of the state’s economy as we embark on what we hope is a full year of positive economic news.
Finally, in addition to these meetings that are specific to our chamber, I also look forward to attending a virtual meeting of the Workforce Alliance Racial Equity & Accountability Initiative on Friday.
As you can see, the chamber continues to be on the move.
Grand opening
On the business development front, I look forward to joining Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim and other local dignitaries for the grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration in honor of Fresh Greens & Proteins on Main Street.
Fresh Greens and Proteins’ mission is to create healthy options so you can eat better, which allows you to feel better, so you can live better.
I would like to wish AJ Cooney, Mack Cianciolo, Zakary Cianciolo and the entire team great success on Main Street, and we look forward to supporting their business moving forward.
Public policy agenda
Before closing, I would like to thank the chamber’s Executive Committee, which formally adopted our 2022 public policy agenda at its meeting Jan. 3. This year, the chamber is once again urging the General Assembly to focus its efforts on providing meaningful support to the businesses in the state, and helping them as they work to recover from the economic impact of the pandemic.
Legislative breakfast
The chamber’s 2022 legislative event series kicks off Feb. 4, when we welcome Speaker of the House Matt Ritter to a special meeting at the Inn at Middletown, and continues Feb. 25 with our annual legislative breakfast at the Courtyard by Marriott in Cromwell.
I will have much more to share on these important events as we approach the legislative session, which begins Feb. 9.
Lighting Barn of Durham
I am afraid I must close this week’s column on a sad note after the recent passing of Carolyn Adams, a well-known and well-respected local businesswoman, and friend to many in the Middlesex County community. Carolyn opened the Lighting Barn of Durham, which later became Carolyn Adams Country Barn, in the mid 1970s.
She operated this local staple for over 40 years until her retirement in 2017. Carolyn Adams Country Barn offered couches, chairs, tables, home decor items, seasonal decorations and much more. She served her customers with a personal touch that made a lasting impression, and the business was a key part of Main Street in Durham for decades.
Carolyn was kind, generous and loyal, and is someone who will be missed dearly by all who knew her. I am grateful for her many years of chamber membership and her support of many community-based causes. Our thoughts and prayers are with her entire family who adored her, and for good reason.
Carolyn Adams made quite an impact, and she will certainly be missed.