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Entries from July 2007

Norwalk: Bondi and Mocciae To Look Into Colombian Festival

July 18th, 2007 · 53 Comments

Following the complaints levelled against the festival by Seaview ave residents, The Hour is reporting that the festical permitting process will be reviewed. Seaview ave, fronts Vets park, and not only were cars parked along the park, but at least 2 residents filed noise complaints. This prompted:

For East Norwalk residents beleaguered by thumping music and traffic snarls stemming from Sunday’s Colombian Independence Day festival at Veterans Memorial Park, the trouble could be summed up in one word —volume.

The decibel level at the event, which featured salsa bands, dancing, and consistent entertainment throughout the day, was “unreasonable,” Director of Recreation and Parks Michael Mocciae said.

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Tags: In the News · Norwalk

Norwalk: Affordable Housing Plans Leads To Fight

July 18th, 2007 · 45 Comments

Without even reading beyond the first paragraph of the Hour’s report I knew I could guess who were the council members who were involved in the verbal smackdown that stemmed from the banal topic of affordable housing. I guessed Matt Miklave and Mike Coffey were at it again, but it turned out to be Matt Miklave and Nick Kydes, along with a new entrant into the Norwalk Thunderdome, Phylis Bolden. Oh, how I wish I was there (not.) From Robert Koch’s article:

Monday night’s Planning Committee meeting, by some accounts, nearly came to blows, as members disagreed bitterly over the issue of affordable housing within Wall Street redevelopment.

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Tags: In the News · Norwalk

Governor Rell Signed the WiFi Bill

July 17th, 2007 · 1 Comment

Connecticut is one step closer to creating a statewide WIFI zone. Last week, according to a press release from State Rep Chirs Perone-D Norwalk, Governor Rell signed the bill that enables a “Broadband Coordinating Council.” The purpose of the Council is to monitor and then report to the General Assembly on any matters of technology that they are aware of that require immediate attention. According to the press release, state municipalities will receive broadband internet access, which in theory would allow a way to expand WIFI services to any part a town or city.

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Tags: In the News

Douchebag School Administrators Violate Student’s Free Speech

July 17th, 2007 · 3 Comments

In the aftermath of “bong hits 4 Jesus” otherwise known as the supreme court case that set an interesting precedent about the rights of a student’s free speech. The Supremes ruled that school administrators could censure speech even if it was not physically on school property. And thus we get, from the Courant:

A Lewis S. Mills High School student who was barred from running for class office after she called administrators a derogatory term on an Internet blog is accusing top school officials of violating her free speech rights.

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Tags: Education · In the News

State Workers Treated Like Criminals

July 17th, 2007 · 5 Comments

One of the great secrets to effective management of people is the ability to recognize that if you want to increase productivity you have to have a system to measure productivity. That has led to the bastardization of the axiom, lately to mean, measuring every minute of the day of an employee. Especially those that are connected to the, gasp internet via one of those new fangled devices called computers. Which leads to today’s Courant article, headlined: “Amazon? eBay? State Says It Better Be Work-Related: Employee Internet Restrictions Difficult To Enforce; Private Sector Struggles As Well.”

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Tags: In the News

Norwalk: Corda Hasn’t Turned In His Homework

July 16th, 2007 · 10 Comments

I am delighted to report that Superintendent Sal Corda has not turned in his homework. Although, under the grading policies he’s been suggesting that would mean he gets to skip summer school and work on his golf. He may need it, apparently he has a problem with slicing. Let’s look at this startling statute in the Norwalk code book:

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Tags: Education · In the News

Norwalk: Columbian Fest and Stuck Truck

July 16th, 2007 · No Comments

These photos came off my cell phone, so grainy and blurry and bad lighting are the norm. If you look carefully you can see Bigfoot, and Nellie cavorting.

the crowd
the crowd

the lines
the lines

the music
the music

the truck
the truck

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Tags: In the News · Norwalk

Norwalk: GOP Gears Up For Convention

July 16th, 2007 · 12 Comments

Heading into this week, there were still a few spots up in the air as Norwalk Republicans plan on holding their convention on Thursday. The mood is upbeat, Dick Moccia has already raised $25k, and on pace to raise more, and is largely viewed as an effective and popular mayor, except to historical preservationists who warily envision future clashes over preservation issues under another Moccia administration. So the theme that is emerging from the GOP side is accountability. Matt “Mad Max” Breslow reports:

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Tags: In the News · Norwalk

Sunday Open Thread

July 15th, 2007 · 60 Comments

We haven’t had one of these in awhile, so feel free to either go out and enjoy the day, another great weekend day, or comment on anything going on.

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Tags: In the News

Under GAAP, No $1 Billion Budget Surplus

July 15th, 2007 · 1 Comment

When Rell vetoed the GAAP bill, she was essentially prolonging the long history of Connecticut government to ignore fiscal reality and continue talking about the mythical surplus. It seems unlikely that the legislature under the Democratic majority will override the veto. Brian Lockhart’s article digs through the issue:

Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell and the General Assembly’s Democratic majority abandoned proposed income tax increases this legislative session after learning the state’s surplus had reached $1 billion.

But it turns out the state is simultaneously $1 billion in the red.

Connecticut keeps two sets of books - one for budgeting purposes and the other for accounting purposes.

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Tags: Economy · In the News