It’s not easy being green, from an economic standpoint that is. The world wide media is bludgeoning the senses with foreboding signs of recession predicated on $100/barrel plus oil, faltering housing starts, stagnant wages and the ghosts of inflation. Norwalk, according to the official-domo-arigato-mister-robotos, see, think and speak the mantra; things can only get better–om.
Meanwhile the commentators of gloom dot every post here with the purse snatchings, cell phone grabs and cat stuck up the trees that compile statistically into the fabric of everyville, in every time. In the 1800’s it was the occasional crime wave of chickens being stolen in Norwalk, so let’s all screech to halt and stop everything to acknowledge that since the dawn of civilization someone robbed peter to pay paul. Now that that’s out of the way, we can move on to the other drum beat of commentary.
The battle over Klondike has ended, not with the high court drama, but with both sides claiming victory, or sorts. Must have something to do with the municipal election being over or something. Maybe the legal bill the first taxing district was amassing was going to be one of those awkward discussion points with rate payers. From the Advocate:
The First Taxing District will withdraw a pending lawsuit against Norwalk after city attorneys agreed that a piece of a disputed Wall Street park belongs to the district.
Here’s the day we have all been waiting for only I have been awaiting. This is the 1000th post on the blog. Actually the database says 1031 but there’s some drafts that have to be deducted so this is really it. Since I can’t count in addition to my stellar spelling skills, I bring you the 1000th post inspired youtube clip. Naturally it’s called: 100 Movies, 100 Quotes, 100 Numbers.
Once again I have had to remove comments on some threads that broke the one basic rule here. Please refrain from attacking individuals personally, their families and other commenters. This blog is not a full time job for me, and lately I have been working on other things and have not been policing the comments as carefully as I should. I don’t think it’s in anyones interest to leave libelous statements on here, and it is for this reason that I have removed some comments. If anyone has any concerns over this issue please feel free to contact me.
Architect Santiago Calatrava’s building for the Milwaukee Art Museum is one cool building. The sunscreen evoke the wings of a bird about to take flight which is a nice modernist riff on the institutionalization of art. Check out the video below.
The YMCA is hoping to raise $500k from local businesses and corporations. Renewed efforts have paid off by increasing memberships, and activity enrollments, filling community needs. From the Hour:
In recent months, the YMCA has seen an increase in childcare enrollments, camp registration and memberships. At the end of 2007, the association was granted reallocation of a $350,000 state bond to begin immediate renovations to the pools and locker rooms and for installation of a new boiler and improved lighting. According to board president Glen LeBlanc, “We have launched this corporate giving campaign to build upon this momentum.”
The Hour reports on the political flunkie musings of a four year mayoral term. To kick start such a change, a charter revision commission needs to be created. That in itself will be an interesting political football since once a charter revision commission is created, just about anything can be tossed into play. Naturally the focus will be to limit what the commission examines. Which is a shame because there’s some serious rethinking that Norwalk needs to undergo in determining what kind of government it gets.
Brian Lockhart writes about the relative obscurity of the Lt. Governor in Connecticut government. Bottom line? Fairfield county needs every voice in Hartford it can get.
Freshman state Rep. William Tong, a member of the city’s majority-Democratic state delegation, said having Fedele in Hartford is helpful for addressing local issues. Fedele is also a constituent of Tong’s.
Tong credited Fedele with helping to delay the reconfiguration of J.M. Wright Technical School for a year. Concerned about declining enrollment, the state had proposed changing the school into a career academy serving high school juniors, seniors and graduates.
The Friends of Cranbury Park and Parks and Rec are hooking up to offer outdoor themed instructional classes at Cranbury Park.
The nonprofit Friends of Cranbury Park and the Recreation and Parks Department will offer classes that include dog obedience, Frisbee, yoga, tai chi, watercolor and photography.
“We know there’s a lot of use of the park, between Frisbee golfers, dog walkers and weddings,” Recreation and Parks Director Michael Mocciae said. “We wanted to expand our programming.”
Organizers are seeking residents with talents such as floral design or orienteering to teach.
