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Norwalk: Weekend Round Up


by turfgrrl


June 23rd, 2007 · 22 Comments

The state budget passed late last night after wrangling over language. The vote was 134-5 and happened at 2:35 am.

The lastest bank robbery might be solved rather quickly. Apparently the robber jumped in a taxi cab and there was a good security camera picture.

Teenage boys might have been responsible for fires that raged on Chinon islands off the coast of Norwalk.

Fred Wilms is hosting a municiple finance round table on Monday night (City Hall). Other finance board memebrs of surrounding towns will be attending. Wilms held one last year, and this is an excellent step in starting a regional discussion.

Both the Democrats and Republicans will be  holding their town committee meetings Monday night at city hall. Candidates for office will be discussed/decided.

And the comments are open for anything else you want to chat about.

Tags: In the News · Norwalk

22 Responses so far ↓ “Norwalk: Weekend Round Up”



  • 1 anonymous // Jun 23, 2007 at 10:02 am

    Does anyone know anything about the new superintendant of Milford Public Schools and today we have the Fireman’s Muster at Eisenhower Park…very nice event,family friendly and it won’t burn a hole in your wallet like the Irish Fest did.

  • 2 Concerned Citizen // Jun 23, 2007 at 10:55 am

    Remenicent of that old Saturday Night Live Statire where Chevy Chase would repeat every week on Weekend Update News that “General Francisco Franco is still Dead” , we now have the Modern version:

    “This Just In….Alex Knopp is reported to still not want to run for Mayor of Norwalk…”

    I’m sure Alex will hold ANOTHER press conference in the coming weeks to announce again that he is not running for Mayor.

  • 3 nwlknative // Jun 23, 2007 at 9:54 pm

    Was Knopp ever being considered as a candidate? I haven’t heard any overwhelming support for his running. Maybe by sayng he is not running for mayor, he is hoping someone will come forward and actually nominate him.

  • 4 anonymous // Jun 23, 2007 at 10:09 pm

    Gosh, it is so sad for many of you that Knopp isn’t going to run again…who will you bash and smear all day in your small little lives?

    So much for debating the merits of ideas on this blog…

  • 5 Anonymous // Jun 24, 2007 at 8:52 am

    Looks like Walter Briggs will be taking the place of Knopp for those who need to continue bashing.

    The suggestion that he needs to disavow the racism of his grandfather is no less than an attempt to trash him before his election gets started.

    A disgruntled person of color or a republican weasel posing as one? Either way, pretty pathetic.

    Guess Turfie believes it’s ok to malign the candidate of one party but if someone mentions that Moccia is living somewhere or did something back when, that’s a different story.

  • 6 turfgrrl // Jun 24, 2007 at 9:21 am

    Anonymous 5: Why stop at Briggs? The Norwalk Democratic party as a whole has been accused of racism here, and elsewhere. It’s messy but self policing seems best here so far, but I’ll keep my eye on it.

  • 7 Demo // Jun 24, 2007 at 9:27 am

    African Americans and the majors (baseball) is an important part of American History. Why should Mr. Briggs disavow the racism of the past- one because he and his grandfather have the same name and two it is the right thing to do.

    It is not a democrat or gop issue it is a moral issue.

  • 8 L'arlequino // Jun 24, 2007 at 9:30 am

    Moral issue? I guess I’m guilty too because my grandfather was a racist (he was).

    Sounds more like a political issue to me.

  • 9 Anonymous // Jun 24, 2007 at 10:15 am

    Yes, it is a moral issue- the integration of baseball is an important part of American History. Did you grandfather allow African-Americans to work in a factory but deny them the right to play baseball in the majors? When the press asked Spike Briggs why- he responded with “No jiggs with Briggs” I am sorry not the same. Only politicans would see politics in this statement.

  • 10 high road // Jun 24, 2007 at 10:32 am

    http://kpearson.faculty.tcnj.edu/Dictionary/ghetto.htm

    Please educate yourselves about the term “ghetto”. It’s not a racist term. I believe Bill Krummel well understands what the word means and that it derives from European efforts to segregate the Jews. He uses the word correctly to point out that, unless we actively work for inclusive living situations, we will wind up with de facto segregated enclaves — no matter what the religion, race, or economic condition of those in the enclaves. And that those situations are to be avoided. There is no racism — implied or real — in the term or the context in which it was used.

  • 11 anonymous // Jun 24, 2007 at 10:33 am

    From an article on the web:

    Walter O. Briggs, then co-owner and later sole owner of the Detroit Tigers, allowed blacks to work at his factory, but not on his white ball team. It was reported that Briggs himself made clear his policy against black ballplayers with the slogan “no jigs with Briggs.” He held fast to this attitude until the time of his death in 1952, insisting the team could not find a black player of major league caliber. Indeed, no black player was signed until after his death.

    This, if true, is disgusting.

    I think Mr. Briggs should publicly disavow this family ancestry and some members actions.

  • 12 L'arlequino // Jun 24, 2007 at 10:57 am

    This isn’t moral - it’s a political cheap shot under the false guise of someone who’s out to prove a point. Your motivation is transparent.

    BTW, I’m not a politician. You couldn’t pay me enough to get involved in that game.

  • 13 Anonymous // Jun 24, 2007 at 11:04 am

    Turf it is totally unfair for you to let some posters here smear Democrats with charges of racism.

  • 14 turfgrrl // Jun 24, 2007 at 11:13 am

    anonymous 13: You mean like it was totally unfair that I let some posters accuse Republicans of being racist in earlier threads? There are some people who post here who want to reduce all discussion here to accusations and taunts. This is not a unique problem to this blog either. I hope that cooler heads will steer the conversation back to a real discussion. Otherwise the thread will just devolve into substance-free retorts.

  • 15 Watchdog // Jun 24, 2007 at 11:48 am

    #9 - I think L’arlequino was addressing the point made earlier about the “sins of the father” as a political issue (Walter Briggs’ grandfather was a racist…therefore I am not voting for Walter Briggs)and not referring to the banning of African Americans from baseball as a moral issue. I am further inclined to believe that L’arlequino would agree that it is, in fact, immoral to impose such a ban but placing blame is another issue entirely.

    I, myself, also fail to see how a grandchild is responsible for his grandfather’s actions and I would have to agree with L’arlequino. It is clear to me that the “sins of the father” is a feeble justification to discredit Briggs as a political candidate.

    It doesn’t get much more political than that.

  • 16 anon // Jun 24, 2007 at 12:07 pm

    This is the problem with politics, people just can’t look at the accomplishments of said candidate, they continually need to dig and unearth things that have nothing to do with the questions at hand. If there were not racism by each and every American our history books and classrooms would not have to teach about slavery and the injustices against the black population. Its my belief that if everyone looks into their roots, those who’s ancestors were alive and well in those days, many would find that their great grandparents were in fact part of the problem. Condoning segregation and racism is what you should be looking at. Just because someone’s greatgrandfather was a racist or a slave owner does not mean that this person is one him/herself. If you were brought up in the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s or 70’s you were subjected to the ignorant views of family members and government officials who were openly racists. This is the problem we face. I truly believe thatmany, if not most Americans have evolved since the days of segregation. Delving into ones geological past to discredit them is sickening. We need to look at what and who these people are today and to make educated decisions based on their ability to lead. Look at yourselves in the mirror folks, if you can say you never and I mean never had even one discretion in your lifetime then I think its time for you to run for office on that platform. Delving into a candidates personal background unless they are charged with major crimes or extortion should not be the basis of an election. Their personal lives should be just that because you never know the circumstances behind their lives until you walk in their shoes. So, when looking at a candidate this time, look at them for what they can and have contributed and decide on which one will best serve Norwalk and not at what dirt someone chooses to dig up. Can you just imagine what it would be like if this was the case?

  • 17 anonymous // Jun 24, 2007 at 12:30 pm

    Owners who participated in banning minorities from baseball is a travesty that speaks for itself. Mr. Briggs as a candidate has done nothing that has helped the city, and the democratic council has 10 members who are more worthy of a mayoral nomination. That would include Mrs. Briggs, whom I heard will not be running so that her husband can run from mayor. In addition, there are Norwalk Young Dems such as David Watts that have more vision for the future Norwalk than Briggs does. Mr. Briggs must be overwhelmed with arrogance if he believes he is a good mayoral candidate. I will be supporting David Watts for the nomination. He has done many good things for the city, including working as a zoning commissioner and leader of the summer jobs program, and is more deserving than Briggs. It smacks of an orchestrated fix to read in the paper that Alex Knopp endorses a candidate like Briggs. That is even more reason to vote for David Watts as a candidate of change in the democratic party.

  • 18 Anonymous // Jun 24, 2007 at 1:00 pm

    Anon and Watchdog- Nobody said not to vote for Mr. Briggs. Only the politicans are thinking it is a political issue. I think it is so early in the race- he could make a statement and move on. However, not addressing it a losing cause. This is not digging into a persons past- this is a part of American History.

  • 19 Anonymous // Jun 24, 2007 at 3:14 pm

    He doesn’t need to make a statement because it’s a non-issue. The only person with a losing cause who needs to move on is you.

  • 20 turfgrrl // Jun 24, 2007 at 6:23 pm

    watchdog and anon: Thanks for being the cooler heads on this thread.

  • 21 anonymous // Jun 24, 2007 at 8:52 pm

    I disagree. It is a character issue. Walter Briggs should denounce the racist past of his grandfather. END OF STORY.

  • 22 Anonymous // Jun 26, 2007 at 6:44 am

    Thank God. I’m sick of having to listen to your ranting.