Friday, July 23, 2021
www.towntimes.com
Volume 27, Number 30
Premium bath products company backs whale conservation efforts By Nadya Korytnikova Town Times
What can be better than soaking in the bathtub with essential oils and bubbles while also helping marine life?
Employees Hayden Repeta, center, and Jack Otis, right, assist a rider onto a lift at Powder Ridge Mountain Park and Resort. Faith Williams, Record-Journal
Mountain bikers are rolling into Powder Ridge By Faith Williams Record-Journal staff
During the pandemic, people have taken up new hobbies and a local mountain park has noticed more interest for mountain biking. “I think the key to mountain biking was COVID,” said Chris Hayes, CEO and president of Powder Ridge Mountain Park and Resort in Middlefield. “Because of the travel restrictions, people wanted to rediscover the outdoors, mountain biking became the thing to do.”
Beluga Bath Co. is a handcrafted premium bath products brand that supports whale conservation efforts. It donates 10 percent of its profits to Ocean Alliance — a whale research and conservation organization. Customers of the e-commerce business can also choose to make a donation directly to Ocean Alliance. Beluga Bath delivers its products all across the country. The shipping costs are omitted for residents of Durham, Middlefield, and Middletown. The company was founded by Chris and Kelly Orts, a married couple from Middlefield. Both their families own businesses and they've always wanted to become entrepreneurs. During the pandemic, they brainstormed ideas. “We always wanted to start a business and we wanted something that would promote good mental health, motivate people to relax and take care of themselves, and support the environment while doing so,” said Kelly Orts. The company offers a selection of bath bombs, shower bombs, and bath salts.
Middlefield residents Chris and Kelly Orts opened a bath products business that supports whale conservation efforts.
See Company, A5
Photo courtesy of Beluga Bath Co.
See Bikers, A9
Republicans united against emergency powers extension The General Assembly voted last week for a 44-word resolution extending Gov. Ned Lamont’s emergency powers through Sept. 30, making Connecticut among the last in the northeast under a COVID-19 state of emergency. Lamont has lifted nearly all restrictions imposed under his emergency authority since March 9, 2020, with the most visible and contentious ex-
ception being a requirement for mask wearing by the unvaccinated in schools and other indoor public places.
House Minority Leader Vincent J. Candelora indicated that Lamont views the emergency powers as all or nothing.
“In this case, we think the governor has gone too far,” said Rep. David Yaccarino, one of the Republicans who praised Lamont’s overall management of the pandemic. “Governor, you did a good job. Put the brakes on.”
“It’s been treated like a light switch — it’s either on or off. And we would have liked some kind of a medium throughout this process, a dimmer switch,” Candelora said. “Because I don’t believe that we are in a state of emergency, such that the governor
should have these extraordinary powers.” Rep. William Petit joined his Republican colleagues in voting no on the emergency powers extension. "There is no longer a public health emergency related to the pandemic that warrants the continuation of See Powers, A13