Farmers market season begins
Business leaders, advocates discuss workforce challenges By Jessica Simms Record-Journal staff
WALLINGFORD — Kevin O’Rourke, owner of Fish Window Cleaning, knows some employees don’t envision themselves working at his business forever. But these days, O’Rourke says, it can be a struggle even getting people to show up.
By Nicole Zappone Town Times
The Durham farmers market returned for its 14th season on April 7. The popular market is always the busiest on opening day, but not this year, due to the thunderstorm that roared by that day. Market Master Jon Scagnelli said he was a bit disappointed at the overall turnout. While more than 30 vendors were expected to show up for opening , but only 13 came that day. However, that did not stop local residents like Simone Howe, who only lives across the street from the town green. “Every year, I always visit the market, and how could I not with it being right across the street?” Howe said. Howe came decked out in her rainbow umbrella checking out all the goodies that ranged from fresh
Friday, April 15, 2022
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Volume 28, Number 15
“I had in the past two weeks four people that I hired, none of them are working for me now,” he said.
O’Rourke was one of 30 business owners, politicians and community advocates who shared a range of perspectives on the challenges companies continue to face attracting and retaining workers during a roundtable event at the HUBCAP on Center Street Friday, April 8. A nonprofit “hybrid-business incubator,” HUBCAP is a collaboration between local schools and the business community designed to inSee Workforce challenges, A2
Simone Howe, of Durham is quite the shopper each year at the farmer’s market on the town green. She is seen at the Market Master’s table on April 7. Nicole Zappone, Town Times
lemonade to pasta, soup to nuts, and more. There was certainly something for everyone at the market. “We still had a decent
turnout and next week will definitely be a busier week with the forecast being around 70 degrees,” Scagnelli said.
State Sen. Paul Cicarella (standing) speaks at a business roundtable discussion with local business, nonprofit and government leaders at HUBCAP Wallingford.
See Farmers market, A7
Contributed photo
Candidate search heats up as parties brace for campaign By Mary Ellen Godin Record-Journal staff
State Sen. Mary Daugherty Abrams’ announcement that she would not be seeking reelection has local party leaders huddling to find candidates who can win in what has become a swing district over the last decade.
Abrams, a two-term Democratic incumbent, has been absent from the legislative session due to an unspecified illness. The 13th Senate district, which covers all of Meriden and Middlefield and parts of Middletown and Cheshire, has been represented by two
Democrats and one Republican since 2011.
elected in 2020 with 52.75 percent.
Republican Len Suzio won the seat in a special election in 2011. Democrat Danté Bartolomeo unseated him in 2012 then lost to him in 2016. Abrams unseated Suzio in 2018 with 52.4 percent of the vote and was re-
The 2020 election increased the Democratic majority in the Senate from 22-14 to 2412 and it now stands at 2313. All 36 seats are up for election in 2022. Abrams is the sixth senate incumbent to opt against a
re-election campaign. Four Republicans and two Democrats are not seeking re-election, most in districts that are competitive, according to The Connecticut Mirror. Before changing hands three times in the last decade, the See Candidate search, A3