🌱Chamber Meeting This Week + New Absentee Ballot Voting Bill

Good morning, neighbors! It's me again, Karena Garrity, your host of the Essex-Chester-Deep River Daily.

First, today's weather:

Windy and colder. High: 32 Low: 22.(Zip06)

Here are the top four stories in Essex-Chester-Deep River today:

1. The down county meeting for the Chester, Deep River and Essex Division of the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce will be held Friday at Marker 37 in Chester. The meeting, which will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. will include a discussion about local businesses and chamber updates. (Middletown Press)
2. Valley Regional High School Senior Simon Partyka, the boy's basketball team captain earned All-Shoreline Conference Second Team honors this season. Playing as a guard, Partyka averaged 12.4 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.4 per game. (Zip06)
3. Connecticut legislators approved a bill that would expand absentee ballot voting and allow greater flexibility for commuters. Current state law only permits absentee ballot voting if a person is fully out of town from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the day of an election. (Patch)
4. Foodies take note, New Haven Restaurant "week" returns for a two-week run now through Saturday, April 9. Financial support from Yale University, Yale New Haven Hospital and the City of New Haven makes this celebration of the culinary arts possible. (New Haven Independent)

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Today in Essex-Chester-Deep River:

From my notebook:

• Essex Library: "Only one week to go to the Friends of the Essex Library's Spring Book Sale! Taking place on Saturday, April 2, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and again on Monday, April 4, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. with the Bag of Books sale for $10. Get ready to shop!" (Facebook)
• Essex Library: "The CT State Library, in partnership with Hartford HealthCare, is starting two new Youth Mental Health Virtual Series, made possible by John P. Webster Library at First Church West Hartford and the CT State Library." (Facebook)
  
• Essex Library: "Register for SCORE's free webinar, The ABCs of a Business Plan and Understanding a SWOT Analysis on Tuesday, March 29, at 10 a.m." (Facebook)
  

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You're all caught up for today. I'll see you soon!

— Karena Garrity

About me: I am a native of Connecticut, who currently resides in the Tri-Town community of Chester, Deep River and Essex. I have been a community reporter for the better part of the past 20 years. I love my small town community and I am honored to be a part of Patch.com. You can reach me at; karena.garrity@patch.com.