ConnecticutEast

22/12/2023

State Rep. Greg Howard sums this up perfectly, as a current serving police officer and former K9 handler.

As Ranking Member of the Public Safety and Security Committee, and a former K-9 handler, I express my deepest condolences to the CT State Police on the loss of K-9 Broko. Shana and I know well the bond between a Police K-9 and his handler, as well as the handler's family. As K-9 Broko goes to serve a greater master in a safer jurisdiction, we are forever grateful for his selfless service; and we say a special prayer for CSP and K-9 Broko's family. 🇺🇸 🐕 🙏

22/12/2023

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OUR LISTENERS!

22/12/2023

In this podcast episode ...

Gone too soon, but never forgotten!

We talk to as they remember their , lost in the to them and the nation at the annual ceremony in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.

Plus we take a look at other stories from across the region.

This podcast is supported by EASTCONN Nutmeg Pharmacy Moodus Nutmeg Pharmacy Higganum Nutmeg Pharmacy Taftville Nutmeg Pharmacy Centerbrook Healing Therapies Thru Sharing .ct

APK Charities Corporation CT Veterans Affairs Veterans Rally Point CTVets The Kate - Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center

21/12/2023

IT'S OFFICIALLY WINTER TODAY - DECEMBER 21ST 2023
A reminder to make sure you get your seasonal flu shot and any other vaccinations.
Have a safe winter season and don't forget to wrap up - it's cold out there!

21/12/2023

Can you help Waterford Police Department with this
Any information might help in their continued investigation.

On December 21, 2012, a local family was destroyed by the senseless murder of Kyle Seidel. Kyle, who had sustained a single gunshot, was found lying in the parking lot of the Halftime Lounge and Bowling Alley in Waterford, Connecticut. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. In the 11-years since his death the Waterford Police Department, State of Connecticut’s Office of the Chief’s State’s Attorney - Cold Case Unit, and many area police departments continue the investigation.

The evidence and information developed thus far have focused the investigation. Detectives have active leads, have located new witnesses, and re-interviewed previous witnesses. The case has a direction with small pieces that are still needed. We know that there are people out there that have information. We need these people to step up and share it with us.

Those who may have information or details about this homicide or may have witnessed either the victim or the suspects, are urged to call the Waterford Police Department at 860-442-9451 or call the detectives directly at 860-442-0645. People can also email [email protected], call the Cold Case Tip Line at 1 (866) 623-8058 or the Waterford Police Anonymous Tip Line at (860) 437-8080. The state cold case unit based in Rocky Hill is leading the probe into Seidel's death. Waterford Police and the New London County States Attorney's Office are also involved in the effort. All calls will be kept confidential.

In 2014, former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy authorized a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the death of Seidel at the request of Michael L. Regan, then the New London County State's Attorney for the Judicial District of New London. The reward is still available.

21/12/2023

ON THIS WEEKS PODCAST - DROPPING FRIDAY 22ND DECEMBER
A time for remembering as we attend the lighting of the 'Hero Tree' by the Gold Star Mothers, as they remember their children lost to military service.

20/12/2023

CONNECTICUT'S FIRST TESLA SHOWROOM OPENS AT MOHEGAN SUN

PRESS RELEASE STORY

Mohegan Sun and Tesla today celebrated the Grand Opening of the Tesla that comes equipped with a full Sales & Delivery Center.

The new sales and delivery center is the first-of-its-kind in Connecticut.

The Mohegan Tribe is a sovereign nation with its own laws, ordinances and governing services which allows for this addition of vehicle sales to join the Shops at Mohegan Sun.

Other jurisdictions which allow manufacturers to sell zero-emission vehicles directly to consumers have seen an increase in electric vehicle adoption which comes with cleaner air and better health outcomes for residents.

The partnership will also lead to the expansion of charging infrastructure at Mohegan Sun.

The special occasion on Wednesday, December 20th also showcased some of the very first Tesla buyers taking delivery on their new Tesla at Mohegan Sun.

“Opening the Tesla EV Showroom here in our Shops at Mohegan Sun, with a full sales, service and delivery operation, is the next chapter in our constant goal of creating unrivaled experiences across our 5.5 million square foot destination,”-said Jeff Hamilton, President & GM of Mohegan Sun. “This new partnership allows for a significant upgrade to our existing charging spaces as well, creating an enhanced amenity and more convenience for our guests and travelers throughout the region.”

The Tesla EV Showroom in The Shops at Mohegan Sun is open daily from 10:00am – 7:00pm Sunday through Thursday, and it is open from 10:00am – 10:00pm on Friday and Saturday.

Visitors can now experience all of Tesla’s products and take test drives too.

20/12/2023

THREE SIGNIFICANT TAX MEASURES IN CONNECTICUT FOR 2024

PRESS RELEASE STORY

Office of Governor Ned Lamont announced December 20th, 2023 that three significant tax relief measures will take effect in Connecticut at the start of 2024, and among them are the largest reduction ever enacted in state history, an increase in a targeting the lowest-income workers, and an expansion of exemptions on certain and to benefit .

They are the result of the fiscal year 2024-2025 that the Connecticut General Assembly approved and Governor Lamont signed into law this summer.

In total, the three measures will reduce taxes for Connecticut taxpayers by approximately $460.3 million.

Due to the fiscal guardrails and smart management of the state budget, nonpartisan analysts anticipate that revenue growth will exceed growth in fixed costs for the next several years.

For example, General Fund revenue is expected to increase by $393.4 million from fiscal year 2025 to 2026 and fixed costs by $254.6 million for the same period.

“We enacted these tax relief measures to provide broad-based tax relief to those who need it, specifically middle-income workers, low-income workers, and seniors,” Governor Lamont said. “These tax cuts are possible due to the fiscal discipline that we’ve implemented over the last five years, which has stabilized the state’s fiscal house and ended a trend of too many years of deficits and uncertainty.”

Beginning on January 1, 2024, a reduction in Connecticut’s income tax rates will take effect, making this the first time that rates have been reduced in the state since the mid-1990s.

It is also the largest income tax cut enacted in state history.

READ THE FULL RELEASE AND EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOU MIGHT SAVE IN THE LINK IN THIS POSTING

Governor Ned Lamont today announced that three significant tax relief measures will take effect in Connecticut at the start of 2024, and among them are the largest income tax reduction ever enacted in state history, an increase in a tax credit targeting the lowest-income workers, and an expansion of...

20/12/2023

Can you help Montville CT Police Department sell out of these great Christmas patches to help a local family in need? Details in their posting.

Ut-oh Santa, what did you do? We are selling these amazing patches for a $10 dollar donation. Thank you very much, once again to Town Councilor Robert Yuchniuk and the Montville Police Union for donating all 100 of the patches that we will be selling. We found an amazing family in town that has fallen on hard times and the money from this event will be given to them. ❤️ Come in any time to pick yours up!

19/12/2023

COAST GUARD LEADERSHIP TOLD TO HANDOVER DOCUMENTS WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY

The US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations chaired by Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal has issued a letter today, Tuesday 19th December 2023, to the U.S. Coast Guard leadership demanding they turn over documents and information relating to historic and in the agency.

Last week the subcommittee heard testimony from former and current serving members of the US Coast Guard about their personal stories of , , and while at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London.

Senator Richard Blumenthal said at last week’s hearing they have asked the Coast Guard for documentation, but little has been forthcoming.

“While we’re encouraged that the Coast Guard has produced some records. We have yet to receive a single internal email related to the decision of whether or not to disclose the report on . Not one internal email disclosed so far. These critical documents must be provided without further delay.”

Subcommittee Ranking Member Republican Senator Ron Johnson from Wisconsin, said at the recent hearing there was no excuse for the Coast Guard to delay any longer.

“There’s no reason they cannot start a rolling production of documents. I mean this is not that hard to go into emails, do searches and start producing some of these documents in terms of what was the communication that resulted in this three and half year cover up? So, I guess what I’m saying is. If they do not produce those documents or at least begin the production of those critical emails on the date we’ve given them. I want and I will support you in issuing a subpoena.”

The letter addressed to Admiral Linda Fagan the of the US Coast Guard requests all relevant documentation no later than January 19th of 2024 to allow the subcommittee to continue its enquiry without delay.

The hearing was brought about after the news organization CNN revealed the Coast Guard had buried a report for more than three years about findings of sexual assault over a number of years.

19/12/2023

STATE PIER IN NEW LONDON - ALMOST COMPLETE

The Connecticut Port Authority held its final meeting of 2023 in the city of New Haven today, Tuesday 19th December 2023, to provide updates on various projects.

State Pier in the city of New London was one of the agenda items.

Ulysses Hammond, the Authority’s Interim Executive Director said the pier was now almost complete and ready to be turned over apart from some punch-list items that cannot be completed until the weather and water warms up in early 2024.

Hammond said they expect the pier to be handed over from the contractors during the second quarter of next year. State Pier’s final construction costing the state and taxpayers over $300 million.

In the meantime, the pier is being used to construct wind turbines for the project for the state of New York.

Hammond said that four of the projects twelve have been delivered.

Three have been installed and two of those are currently generating clean power.

Once the pier is completed next year it will be able to start construction of turbines for another wind project called , a sixty-five-turbine wind farm that will provide clean energy for Connecticut and Rhode Island.

It’s expected turbines for this project will begin being constructed and installed in Spring of 2024.

The Port Authority also reported a clean audit of their financial year 2023 operations with no findings. The audit was conducted by accountancy firm CohnReznick

18/12/2023

LOW LEVEL CONVICTIONS - GIVEN A CLEAN SLATE

Office of Governor Ned Lamont announced recently that more than 80,000 people in Connecticut are expected to have for certain old, low-level offenses automatically cleared from their over the next month as the state nears full implementation of the recently enacted .

Approved by the Connecticut General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor in 2021, the Clean Slate Law was adopted to remove barriers to jobs, education, and housing that people who have been convicted of low-level offenses often faced, provided that they have completed their sentences and have remained crime-free for a specified number of years.

The goal is to empower people to advance their careers, obtain stable housing, and experience the successful second chance they’ve earned.

To implement the law and provide for the automated erasure of criminal records, staff from Connecticut’s judicial branch and executive branch state agencies along with criminal justice system stakeholders have worked over the last two and a half years to perform intensive information technology system upgrades that allow criminal justice agencies to identify eligible convictions and then erase them in an automated manner pursuant to the Clean Slate Law.

It is expected that the system will initially identify for erasure approximately 178,499 offenses from more than 80,000 people.

Record erasure does not mean deletion or destruction; instead, erasure causes a record to be flagged for nondisclosure to anyone other than the clerk holding the records.

The process to erase the vast majority of eligible records is expected to be completed by the end of January 2024.

18/12/2023

EASTERN CONNECTICUT TOWNS RECEIVE BROWNFIELD REMEDIATION GRANTS

Four communities in Eastern Connecticut are set to receive $630,000 between them to help with projects after the State released grants totaling $7.2 million recently for the remediation and assessment of in nine municipalities across the state.

The grants, are being released through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and Development Program, will leverage $228,981,747 in private investments and are expected to create approximately 853 jobs.

The overwhelming majority of the funds – 94% – are being directed to distressed municipalities, where developable land is often scarce and economic revitalization efforts take on added importance.

In Eastern Connecticut

will receive $110,000 to conduct investigations of the former repair garage and gas station located on Voluntown Road to determine the type and extent of subsurface contaminants on the site.

gets $120,000 to conduct assessments of the former Lisbon Textile Prints company and will allow the town to rezone the property and enable future mixed-use and commercial uses.

will use $200,000 to update and complete the environmental assessment of the former Putnam Foundry site and the John M. Dean Company to determine a remediation plan that will accommodate future mixed-use housing and commercial space.

And gets $200,000 to conduct additional site investigations of the former Paper Manufacturing site located in Baltic. The assessments will determine the extent of subsurface contaminants on the site to allow for future remediation and current waste treatment expansion and other potential uses.

15/12/2023

PFIZER BUYS CANCER COMPANY FOR $43 BILLION, PAYS STOCKHOLDERS AN INCREASED DIVIDEND, BUT STILL NEEDS TO SAVE $4 BILLION

giant Pfizer , which has facilities in Connecticut and New York, has concluded the acquisition of a cancer drug company for $43 billion.

The final agreement to purchase Seagen, based in Seattle in Washington, was announced by Pfizer on Thursday 14th December as one of their largest investments in the company’s history.

As part of the deal Pfizer has chosen to irrevocably donate part of their US royalties from sales of the cancer drug which they co-developed with pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)

However, Pfizer has refused to state how much this equates to on a yearly basis in dollars they will hand over to the AACR.

Pfizer also announced the same day that its board of directors had agreed an increase in the quarterly cash on the company’s of 42 cents for the first quarter of 2024 to be paid to in early 2024 which Pfizer said in a statement equates to around $2.4 billion in cash based on current outstanding shares.

The company also recently announced a worldwide cost cutting effort initially put at $3.5 billion and amended in the last few days to $4 billion it wants to save due to a decrease in world-wide sales of certain Covid related drugs.

Pfizer says they will be making at facilities in the US and abroad and have filed redundancy notices in the states of California, Illinois, Colorado and New Jersey but have refused to state how many layoffs will occur at their biggest R&D Center in Groton Connecticut, which they say will be affected by the company realignment over the next year.

15/12/2023

Eastern community engagement awarded $65K grant for youth development

PRESS RELEASE STORY

The ECSU Center for Community Engagement at Eastern Connecticut State University will receive $65,000 for advancing as part of a state pilot program to reinvest in that were hardest hit by the .

The grant comes through the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut and is from the , a state agency that is charged with ensuring equity in the program and in reinvesting funds in communities most negatively affected by the war on drugs, which began in 1971 in the Nixon administration.

The CCE will use the grant to enhance its current after-school enrichment programs in Windham Public Schools and to develop new ones.

The Community Foundation for Eastern Connecticut is one of six intermediaries around the state that received the state reinvestment funds to re-grant to local communities.

It made 18 grants; seven to agencies that provide services to formerly incarcerated residents in New London, Norwich and Willimantic/Windham and 11 in support of youth development.

Overall, $1 million in cannabis reinvestment funds were distributed through the Community Foundation to programs in the three eastern Connecticut towns.

Statewide, $6 million in reinvestment funds were given in grants through six third-party grant managers, including the Community Foundation, two United Ways and three other organizations.

15/12/2023

Quinebaug Middle College magnet high school recruiting students for 2024-2025

PRESS RELEASE STORY

EASTCONN ’s Quinebaug Middle College (QMC), a regional, public , is currently recruiting academically motivated students for the 2024-2025 school year.

Students who seek a more independent learning environment tailored to their academic and career goals are encouraged to apply.

Located in Danielson, QMC offers high school students a middle experience that enables them to earn a while also earning free, transferable college credits from QV.

Our scholars select from one of our six learning pathways: Liberal Arts and Humanities, Education, Business/Leadership, STEM Engineering, STEM Manufacturing, and STEM Health Sciences.

Core academic and elective courses and mentorship opportunities are aligned to the individual learning pathways.

Housed in a $24-million, state-of-the-art facility, QMC offers other advantages that include small classes; a personalized, competency-based approach; a rigorous curriculum; and a collaborative school governance model.

Once enrolled at QMC, students have access to high-tech laboratories, career and vocational resources, public service options and other unique learning opportunities.

In addition, our scholars gain real-world experience in project management, public communications, and community organization and leadership.

QMC enrolls about 160 students, grades 9-12, from 18 towns across northeastern Connecticut.

The school is administered by EASTCONN through a partnership that includes EASTCONN, CTSC-QV and seven northeastern Connecticut towns.

Enrollment is not limited to students in northeastern Connecticut.

For more information about QMC and to enroll, students can visit www.eastconn.org/qmc for an application.

15/12/2023

In this podcast episode ...

It’s the and time to imbibe in some good to celebrate

We visit Stone Row Kitchen + Bar in to talk holiday , and for the season.

Plus we take a look at other stories from across the region.

This podcast is supported by - EASTCONN Nutmeg Pharmacy Moodus Nutmeg Pharmacy Higganum Nutmeg Pharmacy Taftville Nutmeg Pharmacy Centerbrook Healing Therapies Thru Sharing .ct

14/12/2023

NEW I95 EAST LYME OFF RAMP OPENS EARLY FOR CHRISTMAS

READ THE DAY'S FULL ARTICLE ABOUT THIS MILESTONE MOMENT FOR THE MAJOR ROAD PROJECT

OFF RAMP SHOULD OPEN FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER AT 6AM ACCORDING TO Connecticut Department of Transportation

East Lyme ― Almost a quarter of the way into a four year, $148 million reconstruction of the Interstate 95 Exit 74 interchange, crews on Wednesday were preparing to meet the project’s first major mile...

14/12/2023

TODAY - DECEMBER 14TH 2023 - WE REMEMBER - 11 YEARS ON

Charlotte Bacon, 6
Daniel Barden, 7
Olivia Engel, 6
Josephine Gay, 7
Dylan Hockley, 6
Madeleine Hsu, 6
Catherine Hubbard, 6
Chase Kowalski, 7
Jesse Lewis, 6
Ana Márquez-Greene, 6
James Mattioli, 6
Grace McDonnell, 7
Emilie Parker, 6
Jack Pinto, 6
Noah Pozner, 6
Caroline Previdi, 6
Jessica Rekos, 6
Avielle Richman, 6
Benjamin Wheeler, 6
Allison Wyatt, 6
Rachel D'Avino, 29 (behavior therapist)
Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, 47 (principal)
Anne Marie Murphy, 52 (special education teacher)
Lauren Rousseau, 30 (teacher)
Mary Sherlach, 56 (school psychologist)
Victoria Leigh Soto, 27 (teacher)

14/12/2023

ON THIS WEEKS PODCAST - DROPPING FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER
We visit Stone Row Kitchen + Bar in Willimantic to get some holiday season drinks inspiration from cocktails, mocktails to wine.

13/12/2023

Let’s help those in our community. Please consider giving to this amazing organization that helps so many.
The No Freeze Project

We have just launched our annual appeal for financial support. If you have not yet received your letter, keep an eye on your mailbox or your email inbox, or use the QR code below. Please consider contributing to support our program during the 2023-24 shelter season and throughout the year. Thank you!

13/12/2023

Congratulations to Waterford Police Department Officer Lane on receiving his award and recognition for his exceptional service to not only the local community but his PD as well.

13/12/2023

This caught our eye and we wanted to share it too.
Thank you for your service to the community Waterford Professional Firefighters Association Local 4629 and the creativity and patriotism.

Check this out!!!!!! One of our members, firefighter Kevin Dougherty made this American Flag out of retired fire hose. He brought this to company 1 and it is currently hanging in the apparatus bay. Thank you Kevin, this looks great. You did an amazing job!!!!

13/12/2023

SCAM ALERT NOTICE FROM Norwich Police Department PLEASE READ AND TAKE NOTICE

13/12/2023

Recognition for Montville CT Police Department Officer Hagios on his recent training achievement and his service to the local community.

13/12/2023

NEW COMMISSIONER FOR DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

PRESS RELEASE STORY

Office of Governor Ned Lamont announced 13th December 2023 that he will be nominating Jodi Hill-Lilly to serve as commissioner of the CT Department of Children and Families when the 2024 regular session of the Connecticut General Assembly begins in February.

She will succeed Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes, who is planning to leave state service in January to pursue a new opportunity in the private sector.

Hill-Lilly has worked at DCF since 1988. She is currently the agency’s deputy commissioner of administration in a role that she has held since 2019 and that requires her to oversee several of its administrative functions, including fiscal services, human resources, workforce development, information systems, multicultural affairs, and systems development.

She also leads the department’s initiative on racial justice and is responsible for assisting with the development and implementation of policy, training, and coaching on issues related to race and culture throughout the agency and with community partners.

Prior to her current role, Hill-Lilly was DCF’s director of training, in which she was responsible for delivering and providing a multi-faceted training program for employees statewide. She also worked for the agency as a child welfare trainer, an investigations supervisor, and a case management social worker.

When Dorantes departs DCF in January, Hill-Lilly will immediately begin serving as the agency’s interim commissioner until her confirmation by the legislature as commissioner.

13/12/2023

Killingly Board of Education final mental health services hearing underway

SEE NBC CONNECTICUT'S REPORT IN THIS POST

The Connecticut Department of Education is questioning the Killingly Board of Education about the mental health services they’ve provided for students. This is the third meeting and they are hoping it’s the last. The meeting started at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Dr. Susan Nash-Ditzel is being cross-e...

13/12/2023

Amtrak Promises ‘Clean Sheet,’ But Seeks Viable Off-Corridor Route From New Haven to Providence

READ THE FULL CT Examiner STORY IN THIS POSTING

In a phone call on Thursday, Rep. Joe Courtney told CT Examiner that he had met with Amtrak officials for a briefing that focused on on-corridor investments and a “clean sheet” for the agency’s reboot of high-speed rail planning between New Haven and Providence. “‘Clean sheet,’ they must...

13/12/2023

RESCHEDULED PUBLIC MEETING FOR PROPOSED MOUNT DECATUR QUARRY PROJECT

A new public meeting of the Ledyard Planning & Zoning Commission will hear and Gales Ferry Intermodal's request for special permitting for quarrying and processing of aggregate on their property in Gales Ferry, the former Dow Chemical site.

The meeting will be held on Thursday December 14th at 6pm at Ledyard Middle School auditorium.

The previous public meeting was cancelled after attendees outnumbered the fire capacity of the meeting building.

Those unable to attend in person can join the meeting via ZOOM using the following details

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83255176604?pwd=qCYAfLfu27vTg4gxl9rfk12NzsQQDL.1
Meeting ID: 832 5517 6604
Passcode: 566212

12/12/2023

REVEAL DETAILS OF DECADES OF SEXUAL ABUSE AT COAST GUARD ACADEMY

Three former and one current member of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy have been giving personal and damning testimony Tuesday to a Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations regarding and they and others suffered while in the service.

US Senator Richard Blumenthal is the chairman of the subcommittee and said the sad reality is these situations are still happening now.

“An estimated 51 percent of cadet women have had an experience that met criteria for sexual harassment just the past year. 28.3 percent of female cadets said they’ve experienced unwanted sexual contact since entering the academy. 15 percent who experienced unwanted sexual conduct in the last year reported it and half of them have experienced retaliation. This is not ancient history. This is a 2022 survey.”

The investigation has come about after the news organization CNN revealed a report in July of this year called that had been undertaken by the U.S. Coast Guard about sexual assault matters and subsequently withheld from and the .

First Class Kyra Holmstrup is a current cadet at the academy and a member of the class of 2024 and recounted her assault that happened just two weeks into her .

“I’d gotten close to a classmate in the same training platoon during swab summer. What I thought was an innocent ice-cream date on campus, turned in to a sexual assault that has haunted me ever since. We are always told that you just have to say no, but no to him was an invitation to try again. I was 19.”

Other testimony from the whistleblower victims dated back almost 20 years ago.

The Investigation committee intends to issue subpoenas for the release of records from the Coast Guard which have been withheld and to interview present and past leadership of the agency to bring about accountability for the years of mishandling of cases of this nature.

12/12/2023

NEW GRANTS FOR YOUNG FARMERS

The New London County Farm Bureau is starting a new program to encourage to become .

Matt Staebner is the President of the New London Bureau and a farmer himself and said with an aging farm industry in the state they need younger people to come into the industry.

“We’re going to be starting a new program in New London County, but we’ll also take youth from all over the state of Connecticut, who are interested in agriculture and want to get a start. And this is kind of a steppingstone to help them develop if they want to get chickens, get a chicken coup built or get a couple of chickens, maybe get some fencing for a beef cow, or a sheep or a goat. So, it’s kind of getting youth interested in agriculture, because if you don’t have the youth coming along then you’re not going to have farming in Connecticut into the future.”

Staebner says the current average age of farmers in the State is between 57 to 60 years old.

The grants have been funded by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture and applicants can apply for up to $1500 as long as they are under the age of 19.

Christopher Sarnik is a young 18-year-old farmer who inherited his farm from his grandmother and says if you don’t get a farm that way then you need other means to get you into the industry.

“They may not, you know, have grown up on a farm but I know that part of the point of the grant was to have young kids be able to like lease an animal or buy a new animal and then board it somewhere else. And then just to be able to have that piece of agriculture, if they may have not been grown into it or if you did grow into it you can expand from it. I know from my project if I go for the grant, I’m definitely going be able to expand my sheep flock and everything with that.”