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HARTFORD — President Barack Obama authorized Hartford's Colt Park to become a national historic park in 2014, but the designation hasn't formally been established because of the lengthy, technical deed process involved. 

In Hartford’s historic 106-acre Colt Park, two long-vacant buildings formally owned by wealthy industrialist Samuel Colt are about to get a major boost from $1 million in federal money.

In an effort to gather information and disseminate it to those affected, U.S. Rep. John Larson held a roundtable discussion at the Glastonbury Town Hall, on July 31, about what the state and federal government is doing to aid farms affected by the recent flooding, and what could be done better.

Several business people, town leaders, and farmers from several towns were in attendance.

According to a 2022 report by the National Assessment of Education Progress, only 22% of eighth graders nationwide were considered proficient in civics.

“How can that not hurt every single American?” said Democratic U.S. Rep. John Larson. "We never get to the heart of who we are as a people and as a nation, and the only way we can get there is through education.”

Over the last two years, drought, frost and now flooding have hit Connecticut farms, and as weather-related disasters become more common, the farmers are pushing Congress to fix a crop insurance program they say hasn’t worked for them.

With the federal farm bill, an omnibus package of farm programs and funding passed by Congress every five years, up for renewal this year, the legislation could offer an avenue for changes to the insurance program.