BREAKING NEWS–SCAFFOLDING COLLAPSED THURSDAY NIGHT AT CHESHIRE PARK WHERE THE OPEN AIR PERFORMANCE OF “ONCE UPON A MATTRESS” WAS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE. NO SERIOUS INJURIES REPORTED THANK GOD.

Here is the news story from WVIT.

Here is a question to ponder: Is what seems like a continuous series of mishaps over the past three or four years in Cheshire, just a coincidence? Or is it something ELSE???

Also: here is a radio interview with Town Council member Elizabeth Esty’s husband Dan, promoting his new book “Green to Gold.”

Click here

Esty also appeared on the “Colbert Reports” show on Comedy Central this past Sunday. The show aired on Monday.  Esty comes on halfway through the show.

Click here for the Colbert Show

I have a few friends that have been out of work for a long time. And when I say “out of work” I don”t mean they have not worked over the past years, they basically have been “underemployed.”

You  see, the government, or more specifically, the Department of  Labor does not count “underemployed” people in their statistics. They don’t count a person that has exhausted his or her benefits and still can’t find suitable work. The Department of Labor only counts people that are at this moment in time collecting unemployment benefits.  How convenient.

The situation with employment in the country and particularly in Connecticut is getting so bad that the Government has now instituted a 13 week unemployment benefits extension. BIG DEAL!!

As many of you know, I have always looked for work and am very successful at it. When I work I do very very well, but when I don’t my income suffers and I never know when it will pick up. I have to pound that pavement and make phone calls and meet with clients every single day to keep my head above water. And, like many of you, it is getter harder and harder. A few years ago in bad times, the phone maybe didn’t ring for a few weeks. Now its months on end. It is really bad.

So, what is the State of Connecticut or should I say, our elected representatives doing about the job situation in this State? Answer: NOTHING!! Oh, wait, they are doing something, they are putting the blame on each other’s party.

I called Mary Fritz and Al Adinolfi’s office Thursday to try to get a feel on what they think is the answer to the current economic conditions in Connecticut. Well, the conversation started out cordial, but then slowly disintegrated and voices were raised.

My friend got on the phone and told Fritz and Adinolfi’s staff that Connecticut is a disgrace as far as job opportunities go. I mean, she is in a sense right.

Not everyone is cut out to be a teacher or a nurse. Or let me rephrase it, not everyone WANTS to be a teacher or a nurse. And I know for a fact the Universities and Technical schools are taking advantage of the high unemployment rate which has now led to a large amount of people trying to secure a job that pays over $10 an hour and will last more than 45 minutes, by piling on these ridiculous entrance requirements to get into their facilities.

“Oh, you need to maintain a 3.8 average,” was one requirement she was told. Or, “there is a five year wait to get into our school,” or “our tuition is $25,000 for two semesters but don’t worry, try to apply for a Pell Grant.”

Yeah, all well and good, but the maximum Pell Grant is $9,000!!! And as far as student loans go, if you had any sort of decent income, they won’t give you S…T!!! One of my kids colleges was 25,000 and the Government gave him $2,500 A YEAR!!! Wow, that MAY cover books, that is it!!

I remember my son calling me last year from Montreal and telling me students were rioting in the streets because the Universities there raised the cost of a credit hour from $10 to $12!!! Can you imagine.

The Canadian Government subsidizes education–not Iraq. So consequently, college is FREE and all Universities cost $1,800 a YEAR!!!

And back to the sad state of affairs here: Connecticut is like one of the worst states for attracting new businesses. And now, I just read in the Hartford Courant or one of the other papers, that businesses that do bother to come here, are not even registering with the Secretary of State’s office. More tax revenue gone!!

They don’t care.  Isn’t this important. I mean registering a business so taxes can be collected? What are these people doing all day?  Oops, I just remembered, isn’t that what my husband does for a living?

Back to those phone calls: my friend even called Speaker of the House Amann’s office and she let his staff have it. GOOD!! The people who run this state have their priorities mixed up BIG TIME.

And you know what I mean. Amann has or had this $2 million in discretionary income and what did he do with half a million of it?

Open up new job training centers or use it to lure new businesses into the state? NO, give it to Cheshire for Artificial Turf!!!

You know what, that is not even Cheshire’s fault. It is Fritz and Adinolfi. You know why? Because this money was a few years ago, given to Wallingford and Meriden for artificial turf. Cheshire was left out. So, how do you think Cheshire felt? In all honesty, you can’t blame Cheshire. Why shouldn’t they get what their surrounding neighbors that are represented by the same legislators get?  This opened up a proverbial Pandora’s Box didn’t it.

And then the two Reps have an attitude about Bridgeport, like they resent that Bridgeport gets more money than Cheshire. HELLO!! It IS the state’s LARGEST CITY!!. It is a city that both Democrats and Republicans abandoned many years ago by failing year after year, to keep and provide the industry that Bridgeport was known for, up and running. The State allowed factory after factory to close in that city. They abandoned Pleasure Beach and shot down that area’s only chance for revival–a casino, because they listened to the rich influential constituents that live in the suburbs and NOW they resent sending Bridgeport money??

It was your own doing–that is the least the state can do. “Oh Bridgeport gets twice what Cheshire gets–GOOD they should!!

This @@@@ @@@@ @@@@ town  (Cheshire) shouldn’t get anything is what I said. I told Adinolfi’s staffer that I was going to send his office some proud moments in Cheshire’s history. Then I want to see what he says!!

And then you hear some people here grumble about “wasting” taxpayer money by sending it to Bridgeport or Hartford or New Haven. They resent their money being spent to help a small child overcome the trauma of having a parent in prison, which is no fault of their own or resent a battered woman or child being able to seek refuge in a shelter, or maybe even a person who could work years ago, but maybe had a stroke or a motor vehicle accident and needs a place to sleep or eat.

Because see, that money is going to REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL NEED!! That is all I will say.

Bottom line: Fritz and Adinolfi are OUT OF TOUCH with what is really going on in this state. Bottom line: next week, myself and my girlfriend and several other people are going to the Capitol to confront these legislators, especially Amann, and set their spending priorities straight.

Stop wasting money on nonsense. Use it for education, jobs, keeping the Mark Twain House and other cultural icons that are in danger of closing–open!! Because very soon, we might not have this money to spend–AT ALL!!

A few posts ago, when I spoke about academic excellence, and that SOME PEOPLE are confusing academics with sports perks, I told you to look at Region 9 which is Easton and Redding, Joel Barlow High School, SAT and CAPT scores.

Well by some co-incidence, the Hartford Courant came out with the CAPT (Connecticut Academic Performance Test) scores for 2008 and Canton scored very high. You remember Canton, that is where the Lifestyle Center is.

I knew it!! That is the reason the scores are so high among the high school seniors who take the CAPT test. It is that LIFESTYLE CENTER!!  See, I knew that concept was good for something. Build that Lifestyle Center NOW!!!.

All kidding aside, I am sure many of you hit my newsfeed link and read the story, but for those of you who want to get right to the meat of the story, I am providing link to the top CAPT scores in the state and the highest and lowest CAPT scores in the state. Tell me HOW MANY TIMES YOU SEE REGION 9!!! And unfortunately, how many times you see Bridgeport on the other end of the spectrum, (lowest).

Do we all see Cheshire? This town has a good educational system, but you take a look at what towns are scoring the highest. This is who our children have to compete with. These are the best. Now I am not sure about all the towns but I know Region 9 does not have a big big community pool that is costing them over $800,000 a year and climbing and the artificial turf.

And I am SICK and TIRED of hearing some people say that money doesn’t mean good education and test scores. That is partially true. Just pouring money into something doesn’t mean it will be the best, but it helps. Look at what towns are scoring the HIGHEST!!! And look at what towns are the lowest. Enough said.

Region 9 Easton and Redding pour just about all their tax money into education, as does New Canaan. AND IT SHOWS. LOOK AT IT!!

We need to keep ALL of our schools infrastructures at the highest level possible. They do in New Canaan and Region 9. I remember a discussion I attended a few years ago in Bridgeport where there was disagreement whether or not money put into education makes a difference. I mean, in all fairness, the parents have to take an interest in the child’s education. Sometimes that doesn’t make a difference no matter what a parent does.  But it helps. If the child goes to a school that lacks proper and up to date equipment, it does put a damper on learning. Some can rise above this, others can’t.

So, here is the main link to the overall Statewide CAPT scores story. You can click on the left side of the story to view the Statewide scores and the highest and lowest scores.

Click here

On Tuesday, I ran one of the old Perry Mason Shows. Of course you can continue to click on “Fancast.com” and continue to watch some more of the old Perry Mason and other old shows.

Speaking of old shows, I am running and old Password game from 1963. You can tell its from back then because of the sexist attitudes about women. The sponsor was a dish washing soap and they flat out tell you that women do all of the housework.

Then again, women STILL do most of the housework and yard work even today. Progress? Hmm!!

A lot of you think we are having an energy crisis. But guess what? You are wrong. There is no lack of oil, gas or natural gas in this country and in the world. All of this is just a manipulative scare tactic by the powers that run this country and the world.

I found a  few really good articles on this very subject. Hopefully, it will become a talking point.

And now onto other issues, I will be following up on the Muncipal Gas Use for June. I know the Town Government is getting tired of these requests but, that is how it is.  I think it is a good idea to follow up on an issue like this and keep everyone on their toes.

It is summer, so it is sort of dead, I am busy with a project and my son is visiting from Montreal, so I will keep it down to a dull roar. So here are a few articles on the so-called “energy crisis.”

Click here

Click here for “A Crisis of Ignorance”

Also, please enjoy “Scenes of Cheshire.”

I know SOME OF YOU might be bored at work. So here is an OLD episode of my favorite attorney, and believe me, I have had many in my day, PERRY MASON.

From 1957 Perry Mason “Case of the Runaway Corpse.”

Click here

I hate to admit it, but I used to love the old Soviet Union propaganda machine. There was nothing like it in the world. I loved their old symbols, the hammer and sycle, all those statues of these giagantic men and women frozen in some “worklike” or “warlike” stance.

I think a few people in our town government must have taken a trip there back in the day because this town can spin it good!!

The reason I got thinking about the old Soviet Union (no it wasn’t after I saw a copy of our local paper, plus I don’t call it the Soviet News Agency Tass anymore). It was after a friend came to visit over the weekend and I took this person to our pool and she actually called it “the Soviet Water Camp” because it is SO DRAB with that awful concrete wall.

Actually, most of you know I call it the Area 51 pool, but actually when the bubble is down, the concrete part that you look at when you are swimming reminds me of the old Berlin Wall.

Anyway, I know A LOT of you were reading the NewsFeed section of my blog that had two interesting stories.

One was on the Bristol Mall Site, struggling to get tenants. The other story dealt with various municipalities throughout the state that have opted to go with four day workweek.  In Redding, in particular, this plan has amounted to a savings of nearly $50,000 a year. Well, based on the hits I got from the Town, I wonder if Cheshire might adopt this policy. With rising energy prices, it might well be worth looking into.

Now, back to this Bristol Mall issue. As you know, a few posts ago, I ran an article from the Norwich Bulletin on that towns recent referendum in which the residents voted to allow a company to come in and revitalize over 400 acres of the old Norwich State Hospital site into l, hotels, upscale homes, theaters and on and on. If my memory services me correctly, the project was called “Preston Green

Now again, we are hearing of yet another community struggling with their revitalization plans. This time it is Bristol.  And I also have a link to a story on this “Legacy Place” in Dedham, Mass, which is a W/S Development project. This project developers back in 2007 “were hopeful” Legacy Place Lifestyle Center near Boston would have opened a little before Christmas 2008. Now, apparently the project is scheduled to open in the Spring of 2009.

Click here for the Legacy Place story.

Click here for Bristol Centre Mall issue

Click here for Fairfield Metro Center story

It seems to me this state is inundated with retail, retail retail and sales projections are going down down down. Our population is stagnating. Does this make sense?

I really wonder what is going to happen to our (Cheshire) proposed Lifestyle Center? I bet my right ( and it ain’t arm) that we end up with just the housing. I am willing to bet that priceless woman body part that in a few years when I drive past the Interchange Zone, that is all I will see!!

But of course the propaganda artists will never tell us the truth!! We will just have to wait!!

I’ve gotten several calls about the recent Town Council meeting of July 8th and it wasn’t about the Artificial Turf. It was about this note writing and talking amongst some of the members of the Town Council while official business was being conducted and/or while people from the public were speaking.

I noticed it too. I ran several articles about this very subject several months ago. The bottom line–it is illegal, because ALL actions in the course of a public meeting is PUBLIC information.

Now a friend of mine taped the meeting and he is going to try to enhance the audio and video to see if we can hear what was being said. A few times during the meeting, the cameraman, Henry Chase, did show a few Town Council members talking while business was going on. This person, who was a linguist with the Government, might be able to decipher what was being said.

As far as the note writing, that will be impossible to find out what was being written on the paper. But ALL of the Council has been guilty of this from time to time. This past meeting seemed to be two Councilors in particular, DEMOCRATS, who were talking and laughing and note writing. And don’t start that I am picking on the Democrats, I AM a Democrat.

If you are not "interested" in what people are saying or what the doings are in this town and would rather have "private" coffee klatch conversations,then quit the Town Council and meet all you want at Starbucks.

And this nonsense: "Oh we spend THREE HOURS on this one subject." TOO BAD!! You see, when it is something the TOWN wants, you can stand up there all night and no one will care!!

I am going to try to get a few people that used to be affiliated with Freedom of Information to go to the Town Council meetings and see for themselves. Of course, you won’t know who they are or what meeting they will attend, but that is how it will be.

As as far as the Artificial Turf goes, I had a resident call me and say that she didn’t care WHAT TOWN or CITY it was, no high school should have artificial turf unless they raise the money themselves. The state should NOT be giving money for this "perk". After all, she said, it is HIGH SCHOOL, not COLLEGE.

Do you realize how much grass seed we could buy for $525,000? A lot!! If we put that much money into lawn care, we would have stadium turf like a golf course for God’s sake. It is just "they have it, so we should have it too" mentality. Be honest.

I am a big sports fan, especially football, but I don’t think it is necessary to promote good sports. Case in point, I heard from someone who said they moved here for the athletic programs and the school system and that they go hand in hand. Maybe. But I know a town about 30 miles south of here that has one of the best, if not THE BEST football team in the state. But, would you want to send your child to that high school or to Cheshire High School?

When I attended Kansas State University MANY years ago, our football team was HORRIBLE. I remember the Saturday we won A GAME!! The placekicker kicked a last minute field goal and K-State WON!! We nearly had a riot on campus!!. They paraded that placekicker around like he was Julius Caesar!!

But NCAA sports is BIG BUSINESS and K-State started to feel pressure, so to me, they caved in and started working on their sports, especially football. They hired a great coach, Bill Snyder. I am sure even in this part of the country, you all heard of him.

Now when I graduated from K-State in the late 70’s, that school was ranked even higher than it is now (sixth) amongst all universities, public and private. In fact, as far as Rhode Scholars go, (Ms. Esty will be interested in this) it is Harvard, Yale and K-State, yes that is correct, look it up.

But for several years, the school was enthralled with making itself a football dynasty, I believe, academics took a back seat for a while. I remember getting newsletters from the school stating a few colleges within the University being in danger of academic probation. I started to cry because I LOVE K-State. It is a premier University.

I remember when I came back from Kansas and tried to apply for some jobs. I actually had people laugh when I told them I went to K-State. They made jokes, "Oh Dorothy, Toto" Ha Ha. Then about three or four years ago, I went to Stop and Shop in a nearby town. This was after K-State had one several bowl games and was featured on CBS Sports, ESPN, etc. Someone saw my K-State t-shirt, came up to me and said to the effect, "Oh wow, YOU went to K-State? What A GREAT football team."

That is not what I wanted them to say, I wanted people to say "oh what a great school" overall, academically. This school has had over 40 Rhodes Scholars. I bet no-one knows that, but I bet you they can’t name the scholars, but they can name the top football players!!

Another example: Michigan State. When I mention that University or Oklahoma what comes to your mind FIRST??? Both outstanding academic universities.

SAD SAD SAD.

I know the kind of recognition and money and pride sports brings to a community, but I and I know many others would rather see K-State take a back seat to sports and a top seat in academics, anytime. And I also feel this way about Cheshire’s educational system. It has a GOOD reputation on its merits and deservedly so. That is the way it should stay. Put the money as Region 9 (Joel Barlow High School in Redding and Easton does) into ACADEMICS. Look up their SAT scores and compare!!

And as far as the Turf, I just ran that video on Bill Crain discussing the supposed health problems. If you viewed the video you heard him say the jury is OUT on whether there are any long term negative effects with Field Turf. This may be akin to the cellular phones as was cigarettes in the 50’s. We may not find out for YEARS, if and I say again IF, there are any negative effects. You heard the moderator in the video, who was from Montreal, claim that some people there wanted to artificially turf some of their parks.

I talked about this to my son who resides in Montreal and he said he found that hard to believe. In fact, he told me that when they have "pedestrian week" and close off some of the main streets to traffic, the City of Montreal TOTALLY SODS St. Catherine Street!! They do not use artificial turf. They roll out SOD.

Most of the grass in Montreal’s parks die over the winter because of extreme cold. The city replaces the dead grass with SOD!! I guess they feel artificial turf is not an option or I am sure they would have resorted to this by now, don’t you think?

I am sure we will have the Artificial Turf at CHS and it will be nice. But I hope this town takes into consideration that some people CARE about the economic well being of this town. We need to solve the pool problem FIRST and then go with the Artificial Turf. I want the best for our town too. But as Billy Joel once said in one of his songs, "you get more mileage from a cheap pair of sneakers.!!

Some of the BEST high school teams in this country, don’t have Artificial Turf. Some of our best legendary football players, NEVER played on Artificial Turf. Just something to think about. And as always, myself and my family WILL HELP raise money for this Turf if it comes to that. I will be glad to help out. Just say the word.