IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Connecticut Scientists who study these things are predicting that Connecticut will experience record setting mosquito populations. Good for the birds, but bad for mere mortals. WFSB news reports that the high number of mosquitos can also mean an increase in the incidence of diseases, however so far none of the tested mosquitos have been carriers for the West Nile virus. 

It’s always a good idea to get rid of standing water, which is where mosquitos develop. 

• Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers or turn them upside down.
• Remove all discarded tires. Tires are very significant mosquito breeding sites.

A report is trickling in that a dead person was found under the eastbound South Norwalk Train platform. Details to follow.

UPDATE: The Advocate is reporting that the man was hit by a train.

The engineer reported seeing a man under a train platform at its western point, Metro-North spokesman Dan Brucker said.

A later train reported seeing the man’s body about 50 feet east from where the first engineer saw it, Brucker said. Four trains were sent to Bridgeport after their runs for examinations, and flesh was found under the third car of the train that first reported seeing the man.

With the ink barely dry on Steve Serasis’ paperwork, Andy Garfunkel said today he’s leaning towards a mayoral run. “I’ve been asked to in the last few months and it’s a strong possibility that I’ll file to do it in the next few weeks.” The news comes on the heals of the announcement planned for Tuesday that Mary Roman will be announced as the Republican candidate for Town Clerk, the position Garfunkel currently holds.

What really makes this interesting is the 2007 vote totals:

Moccia-  7763 
Briggs-D   5174

Town Clerk

Romano-R   4909

Garfunkel-D   7799

Reading the Hour’s articles about the search for superintendent is like being in the Twilight Zone. And, no I’m not referencing any vampire action, but boy, Norwalk could sure use some.

We’ll start here:

“He revamped the entire curriculum over time, he led the district through some massive building projects, renegotiated teacher contracts and got concessions from the unions, which in all the years I’ve seen has not happened,” said Vetter. “I was on the board 16 years and in my last five years there was more stuff going on than in the other 10 plus years put together.”

Making it quasi official, Steve Serasis had filed the paperwork to start making his run for Mayor. This enables him to raise money. My only question is will he break into the five figures mark. From a practical standpoint, it’s hard to raise money for municipal elections during the summer. That’s why most serious candidates start at the beginning of the year. Really politically ambitious candidates start the day after the last election. 

Part of the challenge for Serasis will be overcoming the Democratic Mayoral-wannabee candidates, whether they’ve announced or not. This one day I’m going to be a contender status will mean that fundraising help will be few and donor lists hard to tap. 

In my previous post I mention that State Senator John McKinney of Fairfield is the GOP’s presumptive nominee to take on freshman Democratic Congressman Jim Himes in CT04 next year; Turfie admonishes in the comments therewith that it is not a done deal.

I throw down a wager with Turfie here: dinner & drinks at Fat Cat Joe’s says I’m right, McKinney shall be the GOP nominee in CT04.

What say you, Turfgrrl?

In the interregnum, who shall persuasively argue for any other contender for that slot?

Governor Rell’s flip-flop back flip on the Senate vacancy bill – which cans the Governor’s power to appoint the replacement for a Connecticut US Senate seat vacated mid-term in favor of a special election – has exposed the rift the chasm between the occupant of the only major Connecticut office held by a registered Republican and her Party.

Connecticut House minority leader, Norwalk Representative Larry Cafero, after a moment of mum, has been quoted in the press making some rather candid statements of his views on the matter.

”Maybe she completely changed her mind,” Cafero said sarcastically, rattling off a list of potential explanations. “Or her phone broke. Or she forgot that 48 out of 49 members of her own party, at her office’s request, spoke for over five hours in opposition to a bill that we felt was a direct slap to her personally because it took effect during her term.”

”It was clearly a political move,” Cafero said of the Senate vacancy bill. “She said it was. For her to today sign that was a complete about face of which we had no prior notice, so I guess you’d have to ask her why.”

This has sparked renewed speculation about the Cafero’s intentions for next year, bolstered of course by his website:

I am exploring greater opportunities to serve the city I cherish and the state I love. My commitment to Norwalk has never been stronger…our shared efforts on behalf of Connecticut’s future have never been more needed. — Larry Cafero

Where he might be headed may be problematic, since the CT04 Congressional nomination will be going to State Senator John McKinney (Fairfield, Easton, Newtown, Weston), and there is already a knot of Republican aspirants considering a run for Chris Dodd’s seat next year.

But depending on what M. Jodi Rell decides to do (or not) in 2010, and what happens in the under-ticket on the Democratic line, a run statewide may well be in the cards for him. Ironically, any such bid might pit him against Democratic State Rep Spallone (Essex), the vacancy bill’s principal sponsor, who has announced his interest in exploring a run for constitutional office.

One might wonder whom the Republicans and the Democrats might nominate to replace Larry in the House next year?

Source: Explore Cafero.
[h/t tparty]

The Hill reports that, in a joint letter to President Obama, Wal-Mart and nemesis SEIU (the Service Employees International Union) have expressed support for passage of a legal requirement for employer provided health insurance.

Excerpt:

“It is significant that Wal-Mart, one of the country’s largest employers, and SEIU, one of the country’s major unions, have joined together to call for the enactment of health reform that will lower costs and assure quality and affordable healthcare for all Americans,” White House Office of Health Reform Director Nancy-Ann DeParle said in a statement. “The president is committed to signing health reform legislation built on those principles this year.”

This is significant on a number of facets, not the least of which is that SEIU is a principal “Partner Organization” of the advocacy group Wal-Mart Watch and has successfully unionized a number of Wal-Mart stores and forced major concessions from the country’s largest employer.

The Hill article offers a good brief on the debate over health care. The letter itself can be found here courtesy of WSJ.

Both worth reading.

Across the pond, education is treated a bit differently yet some of the same issues transcend countries. The BBC reports on the latest round of Education legislation under consideration. Of note:

There will be plans to allow parents of unruly pupils to be taken to court by schools.

Wouldn’t that be interesting.