One of the mroe interesting things to come out of the law suit filed by the Norwalk Federation of Teachers Union is this:

“Over the last year, support for Corda among Norwalk’s teachers evaporated as a result of, among other things, Corda’s refusal to enact policies and practices which the NFT and its members believed were appropriate and in the best interests of Norwalk’s children, his failure to communicate appropriately, openly and respectfully with educational personnel and his perceived lack of knowledge of the day to day operations of Norwalk’s schools,” the suit reads.

Teachers union President Bruce LeVine Mellion said not every teacher would agree that support for Corda has “evaporated,” but most do.

The Hour is reporting on some of the plans that NEON is implementing to provide a friendlier, more inviting and efficient face to the community it serves. Executive director Joe Mann is once again showing a commitment to making the agency operate better for its customers.

The South Main Street community center, which houses NEON’s main offices, will receive a completely new entryway, he said, and a new reception desk that will be located within feet of the new doorway. A new office area for the agency’s caseworkers will also be located near the reception desk, Mann said, enclosed in glass.

In a quick reaction to the growing concerns that Fairfield County was getting ignored by Hartford yet again, Governor Rell announced that the truck inspections will commence at the weight station in Greeniwch. And not a moment too soon. Today I-95 travellers are faced with a beer truck that collided with another truck at 5am between exits 13-14 northbound, and another truck that wedged itself in the Metro North train underpass on the Boston Post Road in Darien.

When the greater Bridgeport area executives, otherwise knowns as the political flunkies who serve as mayors and first selectmen gathered in Trumbull yesterday, economic development was on their minds. But also they were talking about regional cooperation concerning education. Sort of.

Most of the mayors and first selectmen agreed that regional cooperation between their communities could play a role in equalizing the educational opportunities between urban and suburban schools.

The bigger responsibility for educational equity, however, said Trumbull First Selectman Raymond G. Baldwin Jr., lies with the state.

The Maritime Aquarium is about to unveil its master plan.

The plan, scheduled to be unveiled Oct. 17, includes a three-phase, multiyear, multimillion dollar expansion to the Maritime Aquarium’s building, educational programs and environmental outreach initiatives, particularly the conservation of Long Island Sound.

“This began when Jennifer Herring took over as our president and CEO three years ago,” said Tim Gagne, publicist for the Aquarium. “She started to meet with staff, and we all started talking about how we could build from the future, and the plan really grew from there.”

The winds of change are are picking up steam heading into November’s election with the Norwalk Federation of Teachers filing the law suit to end the complacency of the BOE. The details of the suit are worthy of of the kind of charges that Henry Waxman should level at the Bush administration; “context of secrecy”, “without any discussion”, “stifle the plaintiff’s and the public’s right to free speech”, positively scintillating.

Today’s news is filled with stuff to comment on, but I have some other obligations that take precedence, so enjoy the open thread to pick apart the day’s news and I’ll chime in later.

Brian Lockhart has a good report on the latest round of Hartford area flunkies overlooking Fairfield County. He lists four:

The Hour reports that Briggs has an idea about how to preserve historic properties in Norwalk, he would “employ a demolition inspector to prevent illegal demolition like what occurred at 124 East Ave.” What kind of answer to historic preservation is that?

If you want to preserve buildings you kind of need to get started before someone files a demolition permit. To that end, Brigg’s vague statement that he would ““change the status quo” by recommending incentives for developers who preserve historic structures. He would also support local historic districts as a new source of funding” might be headed in the right direction.

It is always disheartening to see government officials playing with “bonding” money as if it has no repercussions to the tax payer. Like all good tales of irrational exuberance, the history of using tax dollars to fund private development for economic development is checkered. The basic law of economic development is that no one knows what the future holds, and today’s bright shinning retailapalooza is tomorrow’s blight of empty store fronts.

So we have Mayor now chasing the queen, following Seligsen’s 3 card logic of how the bonding money will be paid back. Parking revenues? Haven’t we all heard that one before?