HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Governor Rell is asking Connecticut residents to observe a moment of silence at noon Monday in memory of soldiers with state ties who died overseas in 2007.

The managers of churches, office buildings and other structures with bells are also being asked to toll those bells after the moment of silence concludes.

Eight people with Connecticut ties died in Iraq in 2007. Rell says about 100 Connecticut National Guard members are currently deployed in Iraq, and more than 300 are preparing to deploy next year.

People are also being invited to sign message books, which will be sent to Connecticut troops overseas.

They’ll be available Monday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the State Capitol in Hartford; from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Danbury’s First Night headquarters in the Center City office building; and from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport.

AP-ES-12-30-07 1553EST