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Monday Open Thread And Round Up


by turfgrrl


May 14th, 2007 · 56 Comments

Other things to note around town include the looming problem that gargabge disposal is turning out to be. Apparently political leaders signed a contract in 1985 that turned over a garbage disposal plant over to a private contractor. Seems like a pretty sweet deal. More here.

Then there’s David Park, recently appointed to the Historical Commission, seeking a council seat. Park will be running as a Republican in District C, currently represented by Democrat Fred Bondi and Republican Nick Kydes. At Large Council member Joanne Romano is also from District C. Also serving At Large is Democrat Kevin Poruban, who was appointed to replace Jay Olmstead Sawyer, is from District C and also chairs the Democratic District C committee. Poruban said he plans to run as well. Laurel Lindstrom earlier this year declared she is running for Common Council. According to the Hour article.

Herb Grant thinks his one day Jazz Festival will draw up to 20,000 people. He did not indicate how many tickets have been sold.

Sono restuarants are promoting outdoor dining. New restaurants to the mix this year include Porterhouse and The Bulldog Bar and Grill. With the Gingerman opening, another outdoor patio is operating again. I should note that the Gingerman does not have 700 beers available daily, but they do offer a wide selection worth checking out.

Tags: In the News · Norwalk

56 Responses so far ↓ “Monday Open Thread And Round Up”


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  • 1 Anonymous // May 14, 2007 at 9:19 am

    Surprised to see Galen praising ENNA, a group she normally holds in contempt.

  • 2 Anonymous // May 14, 2007 at 11:00 am

    Laurel Lindstrom was described by the Hour political editorial (John Reily) and I quote “Her reputation as a gadfly is legandary” I looked up gadfly in the dictionary, it says “an irratating and bothersome individual” Since day one of her neighborhood assoc., she has been against everything and everybody and managed to alienate everybody at city hall. Lately it seems someone has been giving her political advise, such as “pretend you don’t have to win everything at all costs, pretend you actually listen to people, pretend you have one ounce of leadership ability” Lets elect someone to the common council who wants to make Norwalk a better place not someone like Lindstrom who’s only goal is to see her name in the paper.

  • 3 dismayed // May 14, 2007 at 11:10 am

    The Mayor appoints David Park to the historical commission and we’re now supposed to think he’s qualified to be a council member? I’ve heard him speak, his grasp of the issues is questionable. He’s a mirror image of Laurel Lindstrom. He’s agaisnt everything, development, traffic, business, mass transportation, taxes, permits, contracts, council initiatives and just about everything else. Well, just being against something doesn’t mean you have any ideas of your own. Could we please have candidates that want to do something to make Norwalk better instead of hold back in favor of a past that never existed?

  • 4 tactics and lies // May 14, 2007 at 11:13 am

    The ridiculous PR-puff piece about David Park in the Hour and this sort of attack on Lindstrom is encouraging — it means that the good old boys see her as enough of a threat to start throwing mud. Toss away; Laurel is the strongest candidate on anybody’s slate. David Park couldn’t even spell “traffic calming” before working with Laurel. And without Laurel’s watchdog attention to what the neighbors were saying, y’all would be looking at plastic pirate ships in Vet’s Park…and she did it without confrontation. Simple sunshine, folks, simple sunshine.

  • 5 republican for park and kydes // May 14, 2007 at 11:19 am

    Laurel is strong ? Who are you kidding ? She is so strange that Alex Knopp knew better than to appoint her to anything other than the tree advisory committee.

    Mr. Park is a much stronger candidate than her.
    Also, he is much stronger than Kevin Poruban and Fred Bondi.

    Dave Park and Nicholas Kydes will win their district hands down.

  • 6 Republican Against Parks // May 14, 2007 at 11:36 am

    I think we can do better than add yet another “townie” to the mix. There are plenty of people in our party that think its contributing to write a check and that’s about it. Let’s have some more participation.

  • 7 Jen // May 14, 2007 at 11:46 am

    Oh, Boy looks like dist. C is heating up!

  • 8 Anonymous // May 14, 2007 at 11:53 am

    C is for Crony! This district needs new blood. Laurel is one person who won’t play the “Good old boy” game.

  • 9 anon // May 14, 2007 at 11:58 am

    Laurel means well, but she is kind of polarizing. So let’s sum up what we know about who is running:

    Bondi: Crony but means well
    Kydes: Crony and doesn’t think for himself
    Romano: Outsider and means well
    Poruban: Crony and doesn’t think for himself
    Park: Crony and doesn’t think for himself
    Lindstrom: Outsider and means well but extreme views on most anything

    Do we have anyone else to pick from?

  • 10 intheknow // May 14, 2007 at 12:09 pm

    Oh why not take it further

    Bondi: Wins
    Kydes: Wins
    Romano: Wins
    Poruban: Loses
    Park: Loses
    Lindstrom: Loses

    Incumbents win because these votes are nothing more than a popularity contest.

  • 11 anonymous // May 14, 2007 at 12:14 pm

    Does Vets park hold 20,0000 people? Is there a fire code against it? That sounds like too many people. Anyone know?

  • 12 Anonymous // May 14, 2007 at 12:18 pm

    I can see East Norwalk dealing with the traffic from 20,000 people (if the event draws that many). A crowd like that would gridlock everything east of the river and south of I-95. Not only that, where do all those people park? You think they’re going to take shuttle buses?

  • 13 Anonymous // May 14, 2007 at 12:36 pm

    #10 - Like I said, C is for Crony.

  • 14 tactics and lies // May 14, 2007 at 12:50 pm

    hey annon 2, “gadfly” puts Laurel in some pretty heavy company. A learned man like Reilly must have been heaping praise on Laurel for her dedication to Norwalk. This from Wikipedia…

    The term “gadfly” was used by Plato to describe Socrates’ relationship of uncomfortable goad to the Athenian politician scene, which he compared to a slow and dimwitted horse. It was used earlier by the prophet Jeremiah in chapter 46 of his book. The term has been used to describe many politicians and social commentators.

    During his defense when on trial for his life, Socrates, according to Plato’s writings, pointed out that dissent, like the tiny (relative to the size of a horse) gadfly, was easy to swat, but the cost to society of silencing individuals who were irritating could be very high. “If you kill a man like me, you will injure yourselves more than you will injure me,” because his role was that of a gadfly, “to sting people and whip them into a fury, all in the service of truth.”

  • 15 anon // May 14, 2007 at 12:56 pm

    I guess writing a Sunday column describing the local political scene is outside the realm of “gadfly”, more like “gossip”.

    I will take someone who stirs things up as my local rep over a brown-nosing crony any day.

  • 16 RepublicanDefender // May 14, 2007 at 12:59 pm

    I think that David Park would be a great choice. He is somewhat new to the GOP in Norwalk and has certainly been active in the neighborhood of East Norwalk. The neighborhood groups are really showing up as candidates this election. Laurel will never win if now that they have Park. FYI: I heard that neighborhood candidate Diane Paladino is not running. She has a blinding disease or something like that and can no longer see. No one has seen or heard from her in months because of it. Heard that she is in real bad condition and announced that she will not run. Told they are going to run Carole Andreolli, the fire commissioner in her place. Not sure how well she will do though, she’s run before and lost. Well who ever wins in C or A; let’s all just hope it is a republican, dems have proved they are worthless.

  • 17 gadfly // May 14, 2007 at 1:05 pm

    Stirring things up and being against change are two very different things. Does Lidstrom stir or obstruct? A reasoned person would be capable of both. Laurel does not seem reasoned, nor does she seem informed on many issues. That is why Alex did not want her on his administration and that is why he will not support her now.

  • 18 God Bless Diane // May 14, 2007 at 1:09 pm

    That is sad news about Diane. My prayers are with her.

  • 19 tactics and lies // May 14, 2007 at 1:20 pm

    Truly. Diana Palladino would have been another excellent, excellent candidate. What a shame…

  • 20 sad republican // May 14, 2007 at 1:37 pm

    Diane Palladino would have made a great council member. It will be a loss that she is not running.
    She fights hard for residents regardless of their party.

    Carole Andreoli is a worthless political hack.
    She is a shill for firefighters and works as a secretary by day for a taxing district. Conflict of interest ????

  • 21 AnonymousDem // May 14, 2007 at 1:39 pm

    That is sad news about Diane Palladino. But the excellent candidates ususally are on the Democratic side of the aisle. There are some excellent Republicans, but I think most of them hold seats already. We have some exciting new candidates as well as solid incumbents. Let’s all hope that that the election turns on what a better place we can all make Norwalk instead of mud slinging.

  • 22 anon // May 14, 2007 at 1:51 pm

    I hear that Krummel is running for mayor on the Dems side. Can’t they convince Coffey to run?

  • 23 curious // May 14, 2007 at 5:29 pm

    OK, lets do a little polling. cast your vote , lets see who comes up winning. I’ll start:

    Bondi: yes
    Kydes: no
    Romano: yes
    Poruban: no
    Park: ? don’t know enough yet
    Lindstrom: no

  • 24 Anonymous // May 14, 2007 at 8:18 pm

    Where is the great Republican bias on this site? TG’s poll is enlightening.

  • 25 Anonymous // May 15, 2007 at 10:41 am

    District A has not yet announced their candidates for Council yet. I believe that Diana Paladino still might be running. The names I’ve heard for At-Large and District seats are Rick McQuaid, Diana Paladino, Andrew Mattielo, and Richard Bonenfant.

  • 26 LisaR // May 15, 2007 at 9:10 pm

    If anyone wants to know if Diane Paladino is running, ask her! My little cousin does have an issue with her eyes and she has been seeking medical attention. No, she is not blind. Her night vision has been affected and this prevents her from attending the evening meetings. If Diana doesn’t run now, believe me, I can promise she will run in the future. I admire the fact that this young lady had a desire to serve on the council and I know she truly cares about Norwalk.

    Diane, good luck finding the right treatment and please get yourself out there so people stop thinking you are hiding some terrible medical secret.

  • 27 itsridiculous // May 15, 2007 at 11:20 pm

    The gender adjective comparisons will now begin in the local races, including the latest Lindstrom/Park.
    Here’s a little of what to expect:
    The men are assertive. The women aggressive.
    The men are persistant. The women are “gadflies”.
    The men are wise. The women are know-it-alls.
    The men are debaters. The women argumentative.
    The men seek the truth. The women are confrontational.
    The men are passionate. The women are extreme.
    The men are leaders. The women are instigators.
    The men have ideas. The women have notions.
    The men have vision. The women idealistic.
    The men work hard. The women have “other” demands.
    The men manage. The women handle.
    The men are strong. The women are defiant.

    Don’t believe this is still happening in the year 2007? Just read the local newspapers and watch for the campaign flyers this election season!
    To be fair, I’ll do a similar list soon comparing adjective for Repubs vs Dems and Moccia vs Knopp but I venture to say it may look a lot like the list above!
    I’m not too smart of a person myself, but I tend to think that most folks see through these stupid “spin” games and are sick of them. I’d like to see a campaign, just one, in my lifetime, that is run on the issues at hand, with real answers to real problems and real ideas with actionable plans for the future. Before the races even begin, let me say as one unaffiliated voter: skip the rhetoric b.s., on BOTH sides.

  • 28 anonymous // May 15, 2007 at 11:23 pm

    Luarel Lindstrom is still a weirdo and strange.

  • 29 itsridiculous // May 15, 2007 at 11:42 pm

    Okay, anon28,I’ll bite. I guess the P.R. machine will describe David Park as “exceptional and surprising” while calling Laurel Lindstrom “weird & strange”.
    See what I mean?
    How about David is pensive, Laurel is aloof.
    How about David is analytical, Laurel is indecisive.
    How about David is investigative, Laurel is nosey.

    Get a grip. Besides, look at this way. Weird and Strange may be attributes at this point, and just may be a blessing to the district & council compared to say Predictable and Compliant.

  • 30 FCM // May 15, 2007 at 11:53 pm

    I hope that Diane Palidino runs. She is a caring and compassionate person and will not be swayed by the good old boys grift party. Run Diane Run!

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