This from the Secretary of the State:
“Secretary of the State Denise Merrill today announced that the 2013 State Register and Manual, otherwise known as the “Blue Book,” is dedicated to the memory of the 26 children and staff at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown who lost their lives in the tragic shootings one year ago. The 2013 State Register and Manual also contains special sections remembering the life and contributions of former Secretary of the State Julia Tashjian, who died earlier this year at the age of 74, and army captain Andrew M. Pedersen-Keel, who attended Avon Old Farms school and was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan on March 11, 2013. Secretary Merrill also paid tribute to the 2013 NCAA National Champion University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball team, a team that broke many records on its way to winning the University’s 8th national title for Women’s Basketball.
“It is with a heavy heart that I somberly dedicate the 2013 Connecticut State Register and Manual to the victims of the unspeakable horror that took place in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown on Friday December 14, 2012,” wrote Secretary Merrill. “We dedicate this publication to the bravery of their sacrifice, and the flower of their youth. We dedicate it as a permanent memorial to the courageous staff at the school who gave their lives doing everything they could until the last to protect the children in their care. And we dedicate it to forever remember the amazing, bright, beautiful children who were lost – whose energy still brightens all of our days, who walked with us here on this earth for just a short time, but whose lives have touched so many millions and will always carry such meaning. You were taken from us too soon, but not in vain. May your memories forever be a blessing. And, may such a tragedy never happen again.”
The Office of the Secretary of the State publishes the State Register and Manual every year, which is also referred to as the “Blue Book.” This book contains the state and federal constitutions, and is essentially an encyclopedia of demographic and political information on elections in Connecticut and all 169 municipalities. 2013 is the 126th year that the Secretary of the State’s office has published the Blue Book. Each year this official register and guide serves as a valuable reference for everyday citizens, along with lawmakers, reporters, historians, teachers and students.
In 2013 Secretary Merrill’s office has published more than 5,700 of these books and many will be distributed to schools, municipalities, and libraries across the state, as well as lawmakers, government officials and private citizens. Far beyond containing the interesting and trivial, the Blue Book serves an official snap shot of Connecticut.
“Among other things, the Blue Books will inform people when their local taxes are due and help residents learn about the state they live in. For instance, it contains the entire federal and state Constitutions and historical information such as the State Hero (Nathan Hale) and even the state Fish (the American Shad) but also a historical record of who served in various positions in state government dating back to the mid 1600s (for instance, Connecticut’s first Secretary of the State was Edward Hopkins, who served who served from 1639-1641),” said Secretary Merrill. “The Blue Book also contains a list of newspapers, radio and television stations in Connecticut and gives a guide to all branches of state government. It is a valuable resource!”
The online version of the State Register and manual also contains a wealth of political information such as historical election statistics, as well as political district information and maps. It can be found by going online at www.sots.ct.gov and following the link to the “State Register and Manual.
In recent years, the State Register and Manual has been dedicated to the Girl Scouts of America, the women’s suffrage leaders who won passage of the 19th Amendment allowing women to vote, Americares® humanitarian organization, women who represented Connecticut in Congress, pioneers of scientific research in Connecticut, civil rights leaders Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King and Constance Baker Motley, writers Harriet Beecher Stowe and Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), members of the military from Connecticut, victims of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, former Congressman and explorer Hiram Bingham IV, and many others.
For more information about the Blue Book and to order a hard copy, visit the Secretary of the State’s web site www.sots.ct.gov or call 860-509-6200.”