The plan to redevelop West ave. still has some hurdles to clear, one of them being the properties that have still not sold out. The Advocate reports that Nancy Esposito, owner of Casey’s Sheet Metal has hung a banner across her building, reading “hell no we won’t go”.

West ave. is by no means a blighted neighborhood. The small businesses that line the streets are one of the few areas in Norwalk that resemble the naturally occurring mix of residences, light industry and retail. It’s a throwback to the time when much of Norwalk looked like this, at least in the urban corridors. The residential houses that line the streets behind West ave, are the types of houses that have fenced backyards, and front porches that overlook the sidewalks that complete the quintessential neighborhood.

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This veto probably caught legislators by surprise, but the Governor found enough flaws with the bill to veto it. From the Courant:

Gov. M. Jodi Rell vetoed legislation Tuesday that would have legalized the medical use of marijuana, saying that the bill was a well-intended, but flawed attempt to alleviate suffering.

“I am not unfamiliar with the incredible pain and heartbreak associated with battling cancer,” said Rell, who was treated for breast cancer 2½ years ago. “I have struggled with the decision about signing or vetoing this bill.”

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Just in from the AP wires,

NEW YORK — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday switched his party status from Republican to unaffiliated, a stunning move certain to be seen as a prelude to an independent presidential bid that would upend the 2008 race.

The billionaire former CEO, who was a lifelong Democrat before he switched to the GOP for his first mayoral run, said the change in voter registration does not mean he is running for president.

Why else would he do it? And do it now? And who else will take the plunge?

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What is it with cats and crimes these days? First, there was an orange cat in the last Soprano’s episode. And in a life imitating art moment, a cat appears in the drug bust coverage of the Hour. But first, the drug bust

The Special Services Division nabbed alleged gang member Eric Frank, 19, of 28 Center Ave., at about 1 p.m. Monday after investigating him for one and a half years. Police said Frank goes by the street name “Ace.”

“He was it. He was the top dog,” said Special Services Officer Mark Suda. “He basically took over and became the leader of the drug side of (the West Side gang).”

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This is a companion post to the earlier one about middle school performance. In this Hour artcile, West Rocks Principal Lynne Moore is reported to have said:

West Rocks Principal Lynne Moore said she did not have data as to whether test scores have improved since the policies have been implemented.

Funny how she says that knowing that West Rocks, as reported in the other article scored the lowest.

But here’s what Norwalk teachers are saying about Corda’s proposed let’s keep them moving through the system promotion policy changes.

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Amanda Pinto writes in the Hour a nice article about middle schools. The lead graf:

As the school year ends today and eighth-graders rush from their classrooms, some will be more prepared for high school than others.

In a trend Irene Sikorski, English department chairman at Norwalk High School, said she has seen grow over the past few years, preparedness seems increasingly dependent on which middle schools students are promoted from.

Shocking isn’t it? In Sal Corda’s centralized so we don’t have to think administration there is a noticeable difference in performance. This must come as a shocker to Corda. Because the only conclusion that can be drawn is that some schools are run by better principals and better teachers than others.

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The Courant is reporting the a budget deal was struck late Monday night. From the sketchy details emerging, and I’ll have mroe later, it seems that the new budget is the same old budget with few tweaks. Details are still under wraps but some were leaked to the Courant:

The deal, which the House and Senate must still ratify, calls for keeping the popular property tax credit at the current maximum of $500, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

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Get your kicks on Route 136, but not if you a “through truck.” So clarification is in order. According to a letter that the Mayor sent to the DOT last November, the DOT is supposed to adopt regulations to prevent truck traffic from driving through Rowayton. This was a deal made in order to build out MLK over environmental and neighborhood issues. Norwalk, as a city, has no jurisdiction over a state road. From the letter:

The letter presented by Duane J. Lovello, Chief of Police of Darien, dated November 6, 2006, clearly expresses the burden on Route 136 caused by excessive truck traffic through Darien.

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You might be thinking that I’m about to launch into movie reviews this morning on account of the Fantastic Four movie opening this weekend. Alas, I did not get to see the movie yet, so I will merely appropriate the title to dress up another post on how the the legislature has not yet reached a budget accord. How can this be? Well, we have the astonishing adventures of the super majority Democratic led house and senate practically falling down in prone positions instead of amassing votes to pass a budget. Spend less, distribute revenue more fairly and votes will pop up like daisies. Why is this so hard for people in Hartford?

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This weekend two links to other web sites offered a treasure trove of information. The first was a link to a side devoted to fire and police news. There I found a 2004 Matt “Mad Max Breslow article on the state of the Norwalk police department. Historical perspective provides an interesting look at current events.

Police Chief Harry Rilling acknowledged last week that the eight city policemen arrested or in serious departmental trouble in the past 17 months is an “unusual situation.”

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