Friday, December 31, 2021
www.towntimes.com
Volume 27, Number 53
Library awarded $147K state grant This month, the Durham state legislative delegation announced the approval of a state grant to support renovations to the Durham Public Library. State Sen. Paul Cicarella (R34), House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora (R-84), Sen. Christine Cohen (D-12), and Rep. JohnMichael Parker (D-101) thanked the State Bond Commission for approving the allocation of $147,000 to support library improvements. “The Durham Library is a fixture of our community and this funding enables it to best serve our community as a center of learning and conversations for years to come. I thank the state for recognizing the importance in investing in our libraries to promote literacy, community, and education access,” said Cicarella. The Durham Public Library developed a plan to update
COVID-19 UPDATE
104 local cases reported
the building’s interior. Upgrades will provide new quiet study areas, community gathering spaces and updated technology access. The project will also add automated entry doors and ADAcompliant furnishings to improve access.
The state’s most recent COVID-19 report, which includes two weeks of data, showed 67 positive cases in Durham and 37 in Middlefield, which kept the communities in the coronavirus red zone. The trigger for topof-the-chart red status starts at 15 cases per 100,000 people per day. The previous state report showed 57 positive cases in Durham and 36 in Middlefield.
“We listened to local officials, did our due diligence, and worked together as a team for the benefit of the people of Durham,” said Cohen. “I want to thank my legislative colleagues and Governor Lamont and the State Bond Commission for seeing the value of this public project and for bringing it over the goal line.” Earlier this year, Cicarella, Candelora, Cohen and Parker penned a letter urging state support for the project. “The library is dedicated to providing the residents of Durham with reliable access to books, programming, and other informational re-
Connecticut has seen its positivity rate move over 5 See COVID, A2
Thanks to a bipartisan effort, upgrades are on tap for the Durham Public Library.
See Library, A4
Durham Public Library, Facebook
Middlesex Health will assume ambulance coverage in Durham On Jan. 3, 2022, Middlesex Heath will become the basic life support ambulance provider for the Town of Durham. This means that Middlesex will assume responsibility for all 911 ambulance coverage in the town. “This arrangement is in the best interest of the town,” First Selectman Laura Francis said. “In recent years, our town and Durham Volunteer Ambulance Corps Inc. have faced significant challenges with providing
However, Durham Volunteer Ambulance Corps is currently responsible for providing basic life support level service, and that will change in 2022. 24/7 ambulance service. We approached Middlesex for help and have the utmost confidence in the health system’s ability to care for our residents.” Middlesex Health already provides paramedic level service to Durham.
Earlier this year, Middlesex applied for the basic life support level primary service area agreement with support from both the town of Durham and the Durham Volunteer Ambulance Corps. See Ambulance, A4
SCHOLASTIC SPORTS
Masks are still required Record-Journal staff
With COVID cases continuing to climb, the Connecticut Department of Public Health announced that all high school, recreational and youth athletes in Connecticut must continue to wear masks while competing this winter. The mask requirement was due to end Dec. 23 in CIAC See Masks, A5