An all-star lineup of state and local government officials attended a March 19 event at a Newtown winery to boast of how small businesses have continued to thrive and to promote the easing of several Covid restrictions.
Gov. Ned Lamont, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner David Lehman, and Newtown First Selectman Dan Rosenthal were among the speakers at the event, held at Aquila”™s Nest Vineyards, a 41-acre space at 56 Pole Bridge Road in Newtown.
Bysiewicz served as informal emcee, applauding vineyard owners and husband-and-wife team Ardian Llomi and Neviana Zhgaba for exemplifying the type of “very courageous business owners (to) step forward in a time of challenge to open up a new business.”
The lieutenant governor noted that Aquila”™s Nest had received $125,000 in equipment loans and another $3,000 in PPP loans and grants from the U.S. Small Business Administration, and that it is eligible for additional funding from the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund, part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which also is being administered by the SBA.
Zhgaba said that the vineyard, which opened last fall, has already been visited by “thousands of customers ”¦. We never expected it to grow so quickly.”
As of March 19, capacity limits were eliminated at restaurants, retail stores, offices, libraries, and houses of worship, among others, with gathering sizes of up to 100 allowed at indoor venues and up to 200 at outdoor facilities.
Blumenthal credited Lamont and his team with being “at the forefront of reopening in this country,” noting that Connecticut”™s vaccination program has resulted in the administration of more vaccines than “almost” any other state.
According to the state Department of Public Health, as of March 15, nearly 3 million state residents had received at least one dose, with 17.3% of residents being fully vaccinated.
The senator also praised President Joe Biden for reaching his goal of administering 100 million vaccinations by his 100th day in just 58 days.
However, he added, “We won”™t be safe until everybody is safe. We need everybody to get the vaccine ”¦. We have no reason to be complacent.”
“Vaccination is key to reopening our economy,” added Lehman, who separately told the Business Journal that he expected to announce “a couple of big companies” relocating to Fairfield County from Westchester and New York City in the coming few weeks.
Lamont, citing the cold wind blowing through the crowd, kept his remarks brief but said that “More new businesses started last year than in many previous years.”
Also in attendance were state Reps. Raghib Allie-Brennan and Mitch Bolinsky; state Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt; Rosemary Bove, industrial regional outreach manager, Connecticut Department of Tourism; Andrea Gartner, board member of the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut; Briggs Tobin, board chair of Fairfield County”™s Community Foundation; and Charles Mallory, founder and CEO of the Greenwich Hospitality Group.
