www.towntimes.com
Volume 26, Number 1
Friday, April 3, 2020
How Central Connecticut towns are responding to COVID-19 By Everett Bishop Town Times
Across the state, communities are responding to coronavirus in a variety of ways in an effort to keep residents safe while maintaining normalcy.
Joe DeFrancesco III prepares a potato field for planting at DeFrancesco Farms in Northford, Thursday, March 26. Dave Zajac, Record-Journal
Local markets, garden centers prepare to open By Bailey Wright Record-Journal staff
restaurants, offer only takeout and pickup.
Businesses across the state are worried about the impact of COVID-19, including ones considered “essential” — like farmers’ markets and garden centers.
Grocery stores are considered essential, as well as farmers’ markets.
Last month Gov. Ned Lamont released a list of essential businesses that could stay open while all others are forced to close, operate remotely, or in the case of
“Farm stores and farmers markets’ offer consumers a retail option that is essential to keeping fresh, local food accessible,” said Connecticut Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt. See Markets, A16
As of Tuesday afternoon, Connecticut had a total of 3,128 confirmed cases of the virus. Of those, nine were in North Haven. Nearby, 11 cases were confirmed in Berlin, seven were in Plainville, one was confirmed in Durham, and there was one in Middlefield. In response to the encroaching threat, North Haven, Durham, Middlefield, Plainville and Berlin have all closed town offices and public buildings. Durham, which confirmed its first case of coronavirus on Thursday, March 26 has been closely coordinating with its health department to monitor the virus in town. "We knew it was only a matter of time before there was a confirmed case in Durham, given that community spread has already been established in our re-
A researcher at Protein Sciences in Meriden moves a vial in a lab on March 12. The biotech company is currently researching a vaccine for COVID-19. AP Photo/Jessica Hill
gion," said First Selectman Laura Francis. "We must assume that there are other cases already in our community at this time, and that the number will increase. If someone is sick with a fever and has a cough, you need to assume they have COVID-19. I strongly urge all Durham residents to heed instructions by public health officials to 'flatten the curve' and slow the spread of the disease by practicing social distancing." In order to smooth the transition into self-isolation, the Durham recre-
ation department has been hosting programs and activities over the video communication service Zoom for residents to enjoy. Durham also continues to host a weekly farmers market with signs reminding people to maintain social distancing. In the neighboring town of Middlefield, First Selectman Edward Bailey is not taking the situation lightly. “The health district has put out a great deal of information on their website that is now available to access See Response, A12
Senate GOP Leader Len Fasano not seeking re-election By Mark Pazniokas The Connecticut Mirror
Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano is not seeking re-election, opening a fight to succeed him in a suburban New Haven district and as leader of the GOP minority in the Connecticut Senate.
Fasano, who filed papers creating a campaign committee in February, could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. But a staff member confirmed that the senator has informed colleagues and supporters of his decision not to seek a 10th term representing the
34th District of Durham, East Haven, North Haven and Wallingford. Fasano, 61, is a centrist Republican lawyer who was elected to the Senate in 2002 and succeeded John P. McKinney as the caucus leader after the 2014 election cycle,
when McKinney ran for governor instead of re-election. Fasano was re-elected in 2018 with 58.5 percent of the vote. Republicans have not controlled the Senate since a two-year run in 1995 and
1996, but they won an 18-18 tie in 2016, forcing a rare power-sharing arrangement with Democrats, who retained nominal control due to the tie-breaking ability of a Democratic lieutenant governor. See Fasano, A8