Monthly archives: August 2008

 

 

Driving "Rules and Regulations"

  • By: Cindy

In light of the recent motor vehicle incident involving my significant other, I found this really funny website entitled “How to Drive Like a Moron.”

It’s strange, but there are people who drive like this, but NO ONE will ever admit it. Did you ever notice that when you speak to people about bad driving, it is never THEM?? It is ALWAYS the other person.

I have to admit it but don’t tell anyone–I ACTUALLY DRIVE LIKE THIS and I know I am NOT A MORON!!

So it makes you wonder who is doing all of this bad driving if everyone says it is someone else?

How to drive like a moron

I also want to thank Councilor Tim White for posting the Police and Town Take Home Vehicles. It is only when this is done on a consistent basis that people in authority learn their place. I have a problem with these “take home vehicles.”

Now I know someone who is a high ranking public official in an undisclosed town. This person took the town vehicle  that he was given by that town to a private function  which occurred on a weekend 40 miles away from his home.

Even though this person is technically “on call” 24 hours a day, seven days a week, there is no way this person could have responded to an emergency in his town the day he was 40 miles away from it.  So, would taking the town vehicle he is assigned make him respond faster? No.

And you can look me straight in the eye and tell me he couldn’t respond to an emergency in HIS OWN VEHICLE when he is off duty on the weekend? That reasoning would be like a volunteer firefighter taking the firetruck home. Give me a break!!

This take home vehicle situation is wrong. It is mis-use as far as I am concerned.  It is a abuse and an unneeded perk. “Oh what about in the winter, the roads may be bad and they need to get on scene.” Then buy a four wheel drive vehicle and drive it to the accident scene or fire scene. USE YOUR OWN VEHICLE WHEN YOU ARE OFF DUTY!!!  AND PAY FOR YOUR OWN GAS!!

Oh I like that memo from the Police Department about the take home cars. You can tell whomever wrote it was “defensive” in plain English. “These people are police officers 24 hours a day”!! NO KIDDING. GUESS WHAT? I AM A PAIN IN THE ASS 24 HOURS A DAY AND I DON’T GET  A TAKE HOME CAR!!

“Oh the gas usage went down” GOOD THEN LET’S SEE HOW MUCH IT WENT DOWN!! Hopefully TIm White will ask for those statistics. It is easier for him to get this info. I have to type out a request and wait until they are good and ready to give it to me, being a private citizen.

Oh wait, I don’ t want to end my post yet until I give you this special recipe. I know you will all love it, especially at the Police Department. Please cook this up and eat as much of it as possible. Thank you.

 

Underage Drinking Grant

  • By: Cindy

I had my rant about my spouses ticket.  So I deleted it and now we move on. When I write it makes me feel good so there you have it. That is the way for me to blow off steam. Time will take care of it. My husband is honest and hard working so he will win out in the end. BTW: Go to Carriage Drive and see if you CAN drive through (don’t stop) at the Stop Sign there without getting KILLED!! Thank you!!

I know you loved my rant–it was good, especially the part about the phone call. Then if you didn’t like it stop LYING! Officer CAT FOOD ! I have news for CPD. Someone was behind my husband that night and saw the entire incident. SEE YOU IN COURT!!

Now I just got an email from the People for Justice who have informed me that they will be having people follow us with VIDEO cameras so the liars can’t get their ticket fix anymore. That is all it is–lying to save their ass. Justifying their existence at other peoples’ expense. When you get a ticket and you can’t get out of it, this effects not only your job, it effects your driving record as well. Employers use any excuse now to weed potential job candidates out of the field because there are so many people looking for work.

It isn’t just pay the ticket, get a few points and that is it. My husband makes his living from driving. He drives in New Haven-no problems, Hamden-no problems-Branford-no problems-Stratford-no problems- the other 168 towns-no problem. What is the problem!! Its Ticketville. That is why W/S Development should DROP their plans for this Lifestyle Center because believe me, people don’t want to come here as it is. You can imagine the opening day!!

So we will work behind the scenes to accomplish our goals. Thanks to the People for Justice for their assistance. All I know is, somebody better get plenty of rest over the weekend, because their record fingers will be doing the walking big time!!

Now I asked the Police Chief about this $15,000 underage drinking grant. I did get a response from Chief Cruess so I will post it here.

This is mainly an enforcement grant.  However I like to mix in some education like a group of Mom’s who have lost children to DUI accidents (!MPACT).  We will have a “task force” for lack of a better word and will assign officers to sporting events, large gatherings, proms, bar checks, package store surveillance,  etc to check for youths consuming alcohol, buying alcohol, or being under the influence of alcohol.  Sometimes we will be in uniform sometimes not.  We will attempt to develop information to find parties especially where adults might be serving youths. The officers would be coming in to specifically work a detail and that costs OT so that is where most of the money will come from.  We also have grant money available through the Youth and Family Services Department that we use in this manner.

I am including a link to this !MPACT site that has stories and information from a group of Mom’s who have lost children to DUI accidents. You know what, the state better get on the stick with this drunk driving nonsense. The one who hit me, the second DUI in a month for that person, still had his driver license believe it or not.

It seems that Due Process applies to those people, i.e., your license is not automatically suspended. But if you are caught with drugs while driving, the police can tow your car–NO THEY CAN NOT. DUE PROCESS IS DUE PROCESS. INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY!!

This is a great website and I thank the Chief for the e-mail.

Click here for !IMPACT

In other news: I also received an email from the Police about the Lancaster Way, Jarvis Street intersection fiasco and am happy to report that within a week or so, the CPD will be putting up a sign alerting people of the intersecting road (Lancaster Way) as they make their way up Jarvis Street hill. Hopefully this will slow people down and make them aware of cars that may be pulling out of Lancaster before there is a bad accident, because eventually there will be one. I am glad the town is practicing prevention instead of waiting for a possible fatal before action is taken.

Now many of you have contacted me about the Cheshire “Then and Now” video that my son and I put together. I will be adding a few more photos and hope to put in more. I am thinking of changing the “now” and replacing it with “2008.” If any of you have old photos I could scan and show, just drop a comment and I will look into it.

 

Be Careful What You Wish For

  • By: Cindy

I wanted to expound a bit on the Town Manager’s approximate 3.7 percent raise that was given to him by the Town Council on Tuesday night.

Now, as many of you know from previous press reports, the vote to award the Town Manager the 3.4 percent raise was not unanimous.The four Republicans voted against that increase. They wanted a slightly less increase of a little over 2 percent, citring tough economic times. Yes, that is probably a reason, but it might have had, (and this is my opinion only) something to do with past occurrences in town, i.e. the Norton boiler issue for one. Yep, I know what happened and so do you!! We don’t get elected to front for our friends–get it!! LEARN and move on!!

Some people I have spoken with go even further. They blame the current administration for not a quick enough response to the home invasion. I don’t know about that. The police DID  respond for God’s sake what more do you want, to blame it on the Town Manager??  Come on. I mean, I think Mr. Milone is very cautious, but believe me, he would  NOT put anyone or this town into jeopardy.  We can armchair all we want, but unless you are in the situation, don’t make a judgement.

But, I will tell you all something right now, I know if that incident had occurred in some of the towns I covered as a reporter, at least a roundtable discussion would have taken place between the elected officials and the police department. But you see, Cheshire is VERY apathetic on most issues. People really don’t care and don’t respond as they should. They really don’t get involved unless it is something that personally affects them or benefits them. Sad to say.

And some Town Council person commented that the Town Manager deserves the 3.7 percent raise because he works 70 hours a week and has taken a lot of flack from the press over the home invasion issue. Michael Milone should thank his lucky stars this incident didn’t happen when I was a reporter way back when. I was TOUGH and so were my colleagues. Not like the wimp outs today, afraid that if they say or write the wrong thing, their advertisers will dry up and go away. TOO BAD!!

Remember the recent murder in Cromwell where I believe three people were killed at a nightclub? Those were the first murders in Cromwell Police Departments 25 year history? Remember what happened to the Police Chief? He got suspended by the First Selectman because he apparently didn’t like the way things were handled!!

According to The Middletown Press, the homicides were the first in the history of the Cromwell Police Department, and the first homicide within the town in at least 25 years (the Cromwell Police Department celebrated its 25th anniversary this year). Despite the Department’s success in promptly arresting a suspect, not everyone congratulated the police department for their work. The day after the murders, First Selectman Shingleton asked 16-year police chief and 32-year Cromwell police officer Anthony Salvatore to demand the resignation of Captain Roy Nelson, a Cromwell police officer of 25 years, when Salvatore refused to do so, Shingleton promptly sent him an e-mail suspending him.

Imagine this happening in Cheshire? NO NO NO!!!

Forget the fascination with the IMAGE!! We can’t pick and CHOOSE what topics we are going to discuss on the Town Council and what we will avoid. Namely the police. You hardly hear anything discussed, good or bad, routine or not routine when it comes to them. It is like anything involving this police department as far as the governing body is concerned–is just not discussed. At least not anything controversial-it is NEVER talked about!! That can be changed too.

We have a good Town Manager. He can be directed to change. He can be more open with public issues. He can be re-directed by our Council at any time. This town has not always had good Town Managers. I think we are spoiled with Michael Milone. He is very good, but needs to relax when people question him or a “controversial” issue arises. That is how life is. Get out there, address it and move on!!

Hopefully I will see the Town Manager writing a column in the Herald soon. That is a start and a step forward in the right direction towards more open government.

I will be asking the Police about this $15,000 underage drinking grant the Council has allowed the department to apply for. The grant is given by the Department of Transportation (Connecticut). I wish the press had elaborated on this. What are we studying? Isn’t most underage drinking the responsibility of the parent or parents? I mean, I am sure we have some “problem” with underage drinking in this town and most cities and towns in our state and our nation, but what prompted this request by the Police Department for additional money? I don’t see hordes of underage kids roaming the streets or lying drunk in the gutter.

I am going to run the photos I took of a “safety” issue I presented to the Public Safety Commission this past Wednesday night; It involves the corner of Lancaster Way and Jarvis Street. If any of you have ever tried to come out of Lancaster Way and turn left onto Jarvis Street, you know what a nightmare it is as far as trying to see traffic coming up Jarvis Street hill from Peck Lane. To make matters worse, there is a slight dip in the hill, so a driver cannot see a vehicle coming up the hill from Lancaster, until that vehicle is literally right on top of the driver.  Then one has to look for traffic coming DOWN Jarvis hill from the right on top of it all.

It is a miracle there have not been more accidents. I wonder how this siteline got approved in the first place? I know how. What’s in a name?

So, I suggested a sign that might state: “Caution-traffic entering from right” or something to that effect to alert drivers coming up Jarvis Street to like sort of slow down. This is a double whammy because not only can a driver not see someone trying to pull out of Lancaster, a driver cannot see another driver coming up Jarvis Street. And with that hill, it is downright dangerous, because people speed up to get up the hill. If you don’t time it right–bam!!

If you look at the slideshow below, the first photo shows the view from the driver’s seat going up Jarvis St towards Lancaster Way. As you can see, it is very hard to see the car pulling out.

The second photo shows what it looks like from the driver seat as one tries to pull out of Lancaster Way, looking to the right (up Jarvis Street hill).

The third photo is the view from Lancaster looking to the left down Jarvis Street hill. Can you see the car coming up the hill?.

[slideshow=36]

As we were leaving the Public Safety Commission meeting, another resident was walking in. I am glad people are using this commission to discuss safety or police issues. I still pray this town eventually gets a Police Commission. I hope to see this happen before I leave town or die, whatever comes first.

 

Man With Cart

  • By: Cindy

On Monday, I was traveling on Rt. 68  in Prospect around 12:30 p.m. when an uncommon site caught my eye: a black man, young, pushing a shopping cart filled with clear plastic bags of cans. I thought it unusual that he was pushing it on Rt 68, but I have seen many people over the years pushing carts full of discarded items in the cities. I thought it a bit out of the ordinary given the locale.

Then, three hour later I was driving down Jarvis Street in Cheshire when my eyes caught a familiar site: the man with the cart AGAIN!!. I saw he was struggling to push it up Jarvis Street hill. I thought to myself, what is going on with this person in his life? Is he without a job and/or a home. I wondered if he would be injured if he slipped going up the hill, which is very steep in sections. I wondered if someone would accidentally hit him seeing there are no sidewalks on Jarvis Street.

Since it was trash pickup day in our area, I wondered how many cans he had found. I did not stop to talk to him because I felt really sad. Of course, I wondered how many people in Cheshire had called about this person. Well, I contacted the police department and stated that I was worried something might happen to this man with the cart because he was, at times, meandering into the middle of the road in his struggle to push his overloaded cart.

The police told me there was little they could do. I told them, that was correct. No law was being broken, but maybe an officer could go by and redirect the man with the cart to a safer street. Boy, what a difference a few years makes!!! There is hope for this town!! Could you imagine this scene 10 or 12 years ago here? I know I would have gotten a different response. I know it.

Living in a community such as Cheshire, one does not see a sight like that hardly ever, if at all. To me, it was a reminder of just how hard of a struggle it is getting for people to make ends meet. And don’t think it can’t happen to you. It can. A stroke, a car accident, a sudden illness, and guess what, it is all over!!

I wondered why things in this state are getting this bad. Connecticut used to be one of the wealthiest states in the country. Not anymore. Even in our home, we are going to have to sell our house to be able to balance out the high cost of sending three children to college at the same time. And, there is still one more in a few years!!

I go out and try to get additional work, and boy is it tough. But at least now, the government has stopped playing the out of control gas and oil price game for a while. You see, the government can’t allow high energy costs, coupled with very few jobs to go on at the same time. They are just asking for trouble. So, the government all of a sudden has dropped energy prices and by some miracle, the dollar is rebounding against the Euro!! This situation the government can control. The government will allow things to happen, push people right to the edge, and then at the last minute, retract. The high energy prices they can control, the job situation, they cannot. So, deal with the “problem” you can “fix.”  Get it?

It is really depressing. And then what makes it worse is this town blowing money on garbage–Artificial turf, this pavement management system that they need to scrap now, Are they kidding. You need a software program to tell you when to pave your roads.

 As I said several posts back when I ran a story on the Pavement Management System–want to see if the road needs paving? Use the two instruments on your face, located to  the left and right of your nose!!! Grow up and stop it!!

And then there was this pathetic comment on someone elses blog about people in prison being “stupid.” Oh, I saw that one. I got a call from a friend who told me to read it.  Well, that is really too bad that someone thinks like that.

 I remember in the early 80′s when I was working at the Bridgeport Post there was a story about a man named “Vic.” Now I knew “Vic” and his family. This man, emigrated from Norway, had five children, all boys. They lived in a nice Fairfield County town. They had a big house and  a big yard.

I used to go over there quite a bit and hang out with the kids. They treated me like I was one of the family and I will never forget it. Things were going well for “Vic” He was a salesman and earned a good living. His wife stayed home with the kids.

Then one day, things fell apart. “Vic” lost his job and had a hard time finding work at the same salary he was making. “Vic” was getting up there–he was in his late 40′s and finding it tough. What made it worse was the “pressure” “Vic” felt to earn a man’s wage. His mother in law did not make it any better. She would belittle him in front of his family.

Well, one day, “Vic” snapped. He took a 38 revolver and robbed a bank in a small Western Connecticut town. “Vic” was the most gentle man I ever met. I wondered what would drive him to do something as desparate as this. That was it–desparation, humiliation, despair. “Vic” was arrested by the bank security guard who was something like 75 years old for God’s sake!! “Vic” wasn’t  a hardened criminal. In fact, “Vic” never even had a parking ticket in the twenty some odd years he had lived in this country!!

It didn’t matter though. The prosecutors had a field day with this poor man. He ended up in Federal Prison in Danbury for several years. His family was devastated. You can’t imagine how bad this tore up this gentle, loving family. I know they NEVER recovered from it–EVER!! To this day.

“Vic” is still alive. His wife and oldest son have long since passed away from cancer. You know, it probably was the stress and humiliation of his prison stay. So one man, torn apart by frustration, anger and humiliation, has a life ruined. Was “Vic” stupid? Or does every person have a breaking point? Getting up every day not knowing how you will make ends meet. Hearing someone you love belittle your manhood. Month after month. Bills mounting. Think about it.

Now I know some of you will say, “oh he just should have gotten any old job.” Ok. Armchair quarterback. Whatever.

I have received some feedback about these YouTube videos on your “Constitutional Rights” when it comes to the Police. This was not meant to be a bashing of the Police at all. These videos are meant for all of you, civilians and police alike, to learn and discuss. We do need the police, they are our first line of protection. All I am saying is use your good judgement when dealing with law enforcement. Take it one step at a time.

And while we are on this subject, someone asked if our state and our government has a constitutional right to provide for our welfare, i.e., jobs, healthcare.

Click here to read a good article on “what the Constitution does not say.”

 

Water Helen, Water!!!

  • By: Cindy

For years now, I have, and probably you have also, been driving down Jarvis Street past the “jail” and have noticed that baseball field that no-one uses (well, the geese use it but they don’t count.)

I never paid much attention to it until several weeks ago when I wondered if the state would allow Cheshire Youth Baseball to use this apparently unused field instead of having to spend $1.8 million to build a new baseball field, literally right around the corner on Jarvis and Route 10.!!!

Make sense? Of course!! That is why it won’t be done.

I really love sports, especially baseball. But, let’s face it, this economy is not the greatest right now, so it might be a tad difficult for the CYB fundraisers to raise several hundred thousand dollars. My guess is what will probably happen is that the town (I mean the taxpayers) will end up funding the rest.

So, why not look into this ready made field, lying unused to help ease the playing field crisis in this town?

I called the Cheshire Correctional Center this Monday and asked what was the status of this field that was built at least 10 years ago. The prison keeps the field in good shape even though it is not being used so maintenance would be low or next to nothing. It even has bleachers and dugouts!!

A friend contacted me after she saw this original post and said the field was put in by the state approximately 15 years ago, but she was not exactly sure of the year. She also said she remembers reading that the chain link fence then, cost nearly $100,000!!!

Well, I was told the field was built when Webster Correctional Center was being constructed for the inmates to use as recreation.  Originally this facility was a “level 2″ (low risk).

But the state in its infinite wisdom decided right after the field was built, to convert Webster to a Level 1, (high risk) so the inmates cannot use it. Now I am not going to tell the Prison how to run itself  (YES I AM, WHO AM I KIDDING)!! but why can’t the low risk inmates, (the ones who mow the grass) be allowed to use this facility instead of it just sitting idle. Talk about a waste of taxpayer money!!!

Now the spokesman at the jail said he never remembers anyone using that field, but if my memory serves me correctly, and it usually does, I remember seeing people using that field years ago. Now, I don’t know if they were from the prison or not, but I remember driving by on Jarvis Street and seeing teams playing games on the field.

So, the bottom line, or the impression I received after speaking to the spokesman, was that the state may allow a team like Cheshire Youth Baseball, to possibly use this facility. The CYB and the town should look into this. Maybe contact one of our state/local representatives to find out.

Click here to see an aerial view of this field

FREE BASEBALL FIELD CHESHIRE!!! FREE BASEBALL FIELD!!!