From the monthly archives:

November 2009

Communication And Schools

by turfgrrl on November 30, 2009 9:20 pm · 3 comments

Lauren Mylo has an article in the Hour about the communication issues facing Norwalk. There’s some interesting comments about poverty, and non english speaking parents. I pause for a moment to wonder, when in history as there ever been rich immigrants landing ashore the American Dream Inc. It’s like there’s a collective brain freeze when it comes to communication.

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Hartford’s Adamowski Delivers Results

by turfgrrl on November 30, 2009 12:57 pm · 1 comment

Rick Green had an interesting article about the Hartford School System. The opening salvo:

In Hartford, student test scores are up. More children are learning to read. New schools and innovative programs have opened across the city.

Why is Hartford’s cranky superintendent of schools fighting with so many people?

Steve Adamowski hit the trifecta the other day, sticking a finger in the eyes of top legislators, Commissioner of Education Mark McQuillan and other superintendents with his threat to abruptly shut down transportation for suburban children attending city schools unless he got more funding.

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A Story About Busting a Drug Ring In Washington Village

November 29, 2009

Today’s Advocate has a stellar John Nickerson story on the FBI investigation of Washington Village’s drug dealers.

But after the 18-month operation by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force snared 22 men and women, each later convicted for drug dealing, and seized several kilograms of narcotics, eight guns and more than $20,000 in cash, Detective Terry Blake, an 11-year department veteran, said the public housing complex on Water Street is a much safer place to live.

Standing inside Washington Village about 10 days ago just before school let out, Blake, 34, looked over an empty playground.

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Winter Farmers Market In Norwalk

November 27, 2009

Starting tomorrow 61 Wall Street will be the home of a farmers market every Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm. The market is being run by Lexi Gazy, of Gazy Bros. Farm of Oxford who has run farmer’s markets in Westport and New Canaan.

norwalk_farmers_4x6

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Black Friday Why Is It So?

November 27, 2009

Today is known as black friday, which is a fairly recent name according to the WIKI:

The term “Black Friday” originated in Philadelphia in reference to the heavy traffic on that day (see Origin of the name “Black Friday” below). More recently, merchants and the media have used it instead to refer to the beginning of the period in which retailers go from being in the red (i.e., posting a loss on the books) to being in the black (i.e., turning a profit).

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Happy Thanksgiving!

November 26, 2009

Hope you enjoy the day, the company, the football and do that thankful thing. There’s much to be thankful for including this rare bit of Americana. Enjoy and share your stories in the comments.

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Duff Encourages Donations To Food Bank

November 25, 2009

State Senator Bob Duff is encouraging people to help out the local food bank. He forwarded this message:

Please join me in helping The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Inc. There is so much need this year and I know that none of you want to see a family go without this Thanksgiving. After speaking with the executive director, I asked her to send me an email, which is below.

Thank you,
Bob

From: Kate Lombardo [mailto:klombardo@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Wed 11/18/2009 11:40 AM
To: Sen. Duff, Bob
Subject: Your community needs your help…please

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Common Council Meeting 11/24/09

November 25, 2009

Common Council MTG 11/24/09

Attending: Romano, Mount, Bonenfant, Tobin, Kydes, Straniti, Moccia, Beltz-Jacobsen, Hempstead, Bondi, , Conroy, Jaeger, King, Simms, Lindstrom

Approval of the minutes November 10: They approve after Lindtrom’s comments are corrected to the minutes. Tobin abstains on the corrections.

Approval of the minutes November 17: They approve after Lindstrom’s comments are corrected to the minutes. There’s some discussion about whether the minutes should reflect what the recess purpose was. Then there’s some discussion on whether there should be a summary or verbatim on what words. They finally make a motion to accept the minutes as corrected with a review to the tape for what Lindstrom had said.  The Mayor says that revised minutes will be available for Lindstrom to review. Romano makes a correction. Vote is unanimous.

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Legal Fees Incurred By The BOE

November 25, 2009

Who is Sullivan, Schoen, Campane & Connon and why have they billed the Norwalk Public School system $238, 341.84 in legal fees?  About half of the fees can be answered for in contract negotiations. The supporting documentation released by the BOE finance committee provides a glimpse in what the breakdown is. There are line times for litigation as well, which is sort of interesting because where was the discussion of how many times NPS has been sued? Before we leap to the obvious special education morass, there’s a whole other law firm handling that, Berchem, Moses & Devlin to a total of $243,942.24.

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BOE Enters 21st Century

November 25, 2009

Right from the start, this BOE is heaving that cloak of secrecy out the window and embracing open communication in a 21st century sort of way. Posted yesterday on the Norwalk Public School web site is the list of board members and their committee assignments. Maybe someone will pick up the phone and call Migdalia Rivas to let he know what they are. For the rest of us:

2009-2010
Board of Education Committees

Finance

Steve Colarossi,
Chair

Jack Chiaramonte

Glenn Iannaccone

Susan Hamilton

Negotiations

Jack
Chiaramonte, Chair

Jody
Bishop-Pullan

Sue
Haynie

Policy

Steve
Colarossi, Chair

Erin
Halsey

Migdalia
Rivas

Susan
Hamilton

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