Monthly archives: September 2008

 

 

The Mystery Deepens

  • By: Cindy

Above are photos of the cleared out area at the Cheshire Lock 12 Park off Cornwall Avenue. As I stated in the last post “What’s Going On?” The cleared out section which is on the left hand side of the waterway, abutting private properties, begins approximately 150 feet past the wooden bridge.

Now as you look at the photos, you can clearly see the area has been stripped of vegetation and woody brush growth and in fact, the last photo in the slideshow, one can see the brush after it was cleared, was just left behind on the banks.

It was also noticeable that apparently, I want to state that this is how it looked to me, the clearing out of brush and small trees and bushes went up to a certain “line.”

When one enters the Lock Park Trail from Cornwall Avenue, if one looks to their immediate left, one will see a wooden “stake” with red painted on top. This seems to be some sort of boundary marker. It doesn’t appear that the brush clearing goes past that marker, but it is hard to tell.

Now as I stated before, I don’t know who cleared this out. All I know is that the clearing is not confined to one area, it stretches several hundred feet and then abruptly stops. And some of the cleared out area is in back of wooded land, not  just in back of private houses, so that is also strange. All of the brush was just deposited and left in piles as you will see by the photos. I could not get a clear shot of that drainage pipe that looks like the indentation of a backhoe shovel was left where it was cleared out because it was too shady. But maybe, and this is just speculation, there was a problem with that pipe clogging up. But then again, if that were the case, wouldn’t just that immediate area have been cleared out? Not several hundred feet. And it did look like 30 or 40 feet of vegetation on the right hand side near the trail was a little thin in spots also!! HMM!!

I did speak to Suzanne Simone, Environmental Planner for Cheshire Planning and Zoning office on Monday and she did indicate that she did go over to that area and look things over. She told me the Town did not clear the area out. So, WHO DID?

As you can also see by the photos, the mud/silt is spreading and depositing itself into the stream as runoff. The fact that the area was cleared is one thing. There could have been a problem with flooding because of heavy rains we have had over the past few weeks. The issue is: why wasn’t any silt fencing or haybales to control erosion put into place? THAT IS THE CONCERN.

Ms. Simone was not able to elaborate any further on these questions but she did seem concerned. While I was walking at the Lock Park on Monday, I pulled an old reporter trick and it worked. I happened to see a lady walking by. I said “hi, how’s it going? Say, did you see all this area here that has been stripped out”?

She told me that she noticed it because she lives in the area. She told me that she noticed ONE MAN around mid-June clearing the area out. She did not notice any vehicle that the man may have gotten out of. She just saw a man clearing the brush. She said she did not know of anyone in her area that would have been doing that. That sort of made sense because most of the stripped vegetation and brush ended at the edge of the abutting property owners lines.

That puts a whole other spin on this situation. Hopefully, Ms. Simone will be able to determine who actually did the clearing. Because in one of my photos, one can see that part of a tree was cut that obviously hung over the waterway. One can see the sawed off stumps and they look fresh.

So, we will have to wait and see what happens.

 

What's Going On?

  • By: Cindy

I just returned from New Hampshire (unfortunately). I went to the Obama-Biden rally in Manchester, then up to my home in unnamed town, then to the Loudon Race track. Hint: I live about 15 miles north of that race track!!

Don’t worry even if you KNEW the street and town I lived in, you could NEVER find me!!

It is so nice when I am up there. My spouse and I go there, unlock the door, enter the home, work around the property. It is peaceful and quiet. We don’t know anyone up there–we don’t care. We don’t get involved in ANYTHING there at all. It is the exact opposite of what is going on in Cheshire.

In fact,  if you want a hint of where I live in New Hampshire, the last photo in the “Earth Scenes”  featured photos I run from time to time is the view out my front window.

If you were to call the town hall of that town and say our names, they would say “WHO”???

And you know what, that is the WAY I WANT IT TO STAY.

So, I got a few calls from my spies who happened to go to the Fall Festival and what do you think they told me? They saw the Town Manager and the Police Chief going around and meeting and greeting people. GOOD!!! This is their town-they represent Cheshire. They are the two most powerful, (besides myself) people in Cheshire. They make the first impressions.  The Town Manager and the Police Chief make good impressions–they really do.

This is the best public relations any person or any town or company can ever do. People remember this.

I can tell you from first hand experience years ago when I took my family to Hershey Park in Hershey, Pa.

I love amusement parks. I can’t get enough of the roller coasters. There is not ONE that scares me and believe me, I have been on them all from Dorney Park to Dollywood to Six Flags to Disney World and Land, I have been there!!

But you know what I remember from that trip? And it was YEARS AGO!! I remember as I was leaving the park, there was an elderly gentleman standing at the exit to the park. Every person, and I mean every person he could physically go up to, he went up to and said “thank you for coming.” That was it!!

But you know what, that left a lasting impression–a positive impression. This person stood all day in the heat and make it his job to make sure you knew you were appreciated. Even if it were phony–it really stood out. Just the effort alone made it a special act in itself. Because think about it, why should a multi billion dollar company care whether you came to its amusement park or not??

Guess who also does this?? Yep–WALMART!! It does make you feel good when someone acknowledges you, doesn’t it? Sure it does.

I am happy to hear the Town Manager and Police Chief were doing this, going around to people. I know they did not break out in a rash from doing it either. And you know what, people WILL remember that simple act. Looking someone in the eye. Taking time out to shake their hand. Making them feel welcome in their own town. Or, even if they were from out of town, making a good impression for Cheshire. Cheshire welcomes you—We are glad you are here. Not “here is your ticket”!!! Because you know what, sadly, that is the only impression some people have of this town!!

It is OK to act human. It doesn’t make you less of a man or less of a law enforcement officer. It is good to get down one to one with people. Even if it is a quick handshake, smile and small talk. People remember that some town official that wasn’t running in an election, took the time to do this. Well done. Keep it up!!

To change the subject a bit. Last week, I decided to walk in the Lock Park with my spouse. We always go to the Cornwall Avenue entrance because I love to sit on the Gary Walberg bench. Anyway, as I was walking about 200 feet from that wooden bridge, I looked over to my left where the stream is and noticed the vegetation had been stripped!! All that was left were some trees and a noticeable amount of mud and silt.

About another 100 feet down from where I first noticed the clearing, I noticed a concrete drainage pipe and what looked to be an impression of a backhoe shovel that had dug out around that pipe. I could tell that area had been cleared out because dead brush could be seen around the banks. This denuding stretched for at least 4 tenths of a mile. It was quite a large area.

It is really noticeable because where it ends, the growth is lush. And you  know me, my eyes do not miss a thing. I notice when there is a blade of grass bent out of shape. Someone in Town Government can attest to my eyesight, even in the dark in February!!

Now I DON”T know who cleared this out and whether they had permission to do this. But if they had permission, like where is the SILT FENCE or the HAYBALES?? Because this mud (silt) is now draining into the waterway. And my husband noticed that he doesn’t see the wildlife we used to see there, namely the ducks.

I hope to run the photos of this stripped out area  of the Lock Park on Monday.

I am really upset also because they cut down the area that my fiddlehead ferns  grow. I would pick them and fry  them up at home and eat! them ! I hope they grow back for next June.

My husband was so concerned about this that he went to the Planning and Zoning office in Cheshire and spoke to Suzanne Simone, Environmental Planner for the Town of Cheshire who said she was going to look into this. PLEASE SUZANNE!! DOES ONE HAND OF THIS TOWN KNOW WHAT THE OTHER IS DOING??

When my son worked for a week in the Zoning office a few years ago in Bridgeport City Hall, then Mayor Fabrizi did something that should be done in Cheshire. He stopped in every department and spent a few minutes chatting and finding out what was going on. This is another GOOD IDEA!!

Also, once a week, take the Black Pickup Truck with the Town Logo on it, and Town Manager, get into the truck, start the engine and go around the Town. Go to the Public Works, the Police Department, the Parks and see what is going on there. I know the T.M. can’t spend hours doing this every week, but even if it were a half hour a week, drive around and let people see you. Take time out to talk with workers in the field. It is a great morale booster.

Speaking of morale booster, I still think this is a great way, (it is also real cute), of the citizens to get to know their police department. Could you see our Chief posing for a photo like this?

And don’t bother calling up there Chief, they don’t know who I am!!

Gilford, New Hampshire Police Department

Click on “OFFICERS”

 

Back To Business

  • By: Cindy

BREAKING NEWS FROM THE UTH NEWSDESK: Just in from the Centralized Infractions Bureau   regarding my spouses “ticket” you all have been hearing about the past few weeks:

NOLLE PROSEQUI!!! Thank God!!

My husband did a lot of research on this so called “did not stop for the stop sign nonsense at the intersection of Carriage Drive and Rts 68/70 in Cheshire. He submitted a capture from MSN Livemap showing a birdseye of the intersection; he calculated distances; I also submitted photos showing what it looks like from the drivers seat as one attempts to pull out of Carriage Drive onto Rts. 68/70. You all have seen these photos on this site.

We also submitted a series of photos showing the approach to Carriage Drive from Rt. 10 going towards Wallingford. Believe me, I know when the prosecutor saw those photos, he or she knew you cannot even SEE Carriage Drive coming from Cheshire going towards Wallingford, until you are literally RIGHT ONTOP of the street!!

And the other issue, there is NO speed limit sign on the opposite side of Rt. 68/70 going from Wallingford to Cheshire across from Carriage Drive. So, guess what? Do you remember my interview with DOT employee John F. Carey that I ran on Cox Cable a few years ago? Well, if you don’t let me refresh your memory. If there is NO speed limit sign within a certain distance of the last sign, the speed limit is ASSUMED TO BE 25 mph!! Ahem!!

Now the ticket is cleared, but the officer shouldn’t get credit like we did not get credit for a car sale at a certain New Haven Toyota car dealership that I worked for several years ago. Even if you sold the car and the customer drove the car off the lot, which then counted as a “sale.” When the customer took the survey right after the deal was made and all the ink had dried, and the customer was not “completely satisfied” the sale was taken away from you.  P.S. I never had a customer that wasn’t “completely satisfied” But you knew that.

In other words:the sale did NOT COUNT!! Even after all that work you did, the calling, the walking the lot in the rain and the snow, the countless test drives. If the customer really felt you were not professional with them, that sale would be taken away.

This should be applied to the police when they give out tickets. If the ticket gets Nollied, it should not benefit that Officer. Only then would you see the real violaters ticketed and prosecuted. Not everyday Joe and Jane just so someone could satisfy a ticket quota and don’t tell me there isn’t one!!

If any of you ever receive a ticket you believe solidly that you should not have received, feel free to leave a comment (which is private until I release it). We will be glad to help you and give you a copy of my award winning show seen all over the U.S. “How to Fight a Traffic Ticket.” Someone saw this show and applied our techniques and not only got the ticket dropped in Sturbridge, Mass., he received his money back and the town of Sturbridge had to take down three miles of “illegal” speed limit signs.

My message to this police department: Noli me tangere!!

I received so many positive responses to my 9/11 Tribute.  Thank you so much. I will continue to run a few more tribute videos over the next several hours.

Today, as I do every year since 9/11, I went to Ground Zero. I also over the next few weeks will travel to Shanksville, Pa., and the Pentagon to see their new memorial.

Sept. 11th really had an impact my me personally. I really love the United States, and to have had to see innocent people die in the manner in which they did, is deeply upsetting.

I remember when I had the privilege of marching in the New York City St. Patricks Day Parade in 2002. Even though we were 30 blocks away from the World Trade Center, when the wind blew uptown, you could still smell the stench.

It was a VERY emotional experience for me and everyone involved. Seeing Police and Firemen, brave strong men, breaking down and crying-was beyond words. They would just go up to you and start talking about 9/11 and start crying. I will never forget that day. I have photos, and hope to upload them to this site. But I lost track of them when I re-arranged one of my rooms. I know I have them. In fact, a friend who accompanied me on that trip, has copies.

Now we have heard conspiracy theory after theory that the the U.S. Government blew up the World Trade Center and Building 7; Flight 93 never crashed and a missle hit the Pentagon. Believe me, take my word for it, the Government of the U.S. is too incompetent to pull off something that detailed, never mind several events AT THE SAME TIME!!

Even if you do believe this, and there are some convincing arguments on the Internet, mostly thanks to someones expert knowledge in the use of Adobe Photoshop, one needs to remember the victims young and old. Innocent people who are always paying the price for governments who cannot and will not get along with each other; governments who cannot respect other peoples religious and political beliefs (our government included).

So Sept. 11th was a day to remember the office worker, the airline passenger, the fireman and woman, the police man and woman and the emergency rescue people as well. People who get up in the morning and don’t know if that day will be their last day on Earth. We cannot forget the soldier, sailor, Marine and Airforce personnel also.

Some people say this is what they should expect–that is their job. But there are just a few who are called into that line of work. Only special people with bravery of a Hercules and the heart of a giant can answer that call.

Every person in uniform puts their lives at risk. Whether it is New York City or a small town as Cheshire, Connecticut, every day in uniform cannot be taken for granted. It could be their last day.

There are also civilians who have dedicated themselves to our country. They too cannot and should not be forgotten. These are people who devote themselves quietly to the duty of their country. I have been involved doing work for various government agencies, up and down the East Coast, and have seen these people. They preserve the country that has given most of us the good lives we live.

We may criticize these people at times, but THEY are our first line of protection. We can NEVER forget this. WE ALL DEPEND ON THEM. AND IT IS APPRECIATED!!

Speaking of our first responders, I know many of you remember that BobCop article I had posted several weeks ago. Basically, this system allows civilians to e-mail reports of modest crimes to the Police Department on the Police website using certain forms.  This system also allows police officers to file reports from any computer, not just from their squad cars.

Cheshire Police and Fire Departments just received approximately $240,000 to upgrade their communication software systems. Now apparently, New York City has launched a program that allows civilians to report crimes as they happen  via  a special hotline, by taking a photo of the alleged incident with their cell phones or on their computers via e-mail.

This sort of reminds me of the Bobcop system. I would hope Cheshire would take advantage of this type of community interaction, maybe of course on a smaller level because I am well aware that Cheshire does not have the population or crime of New York City!! I just hope people don’t get overzealous and it ends up being like the Stasi in East Germany.

Click here

 

A Good Idea

  • By: Cindy

Where did I take this photo? Not Cheshire. Where? In front of the Southington Town Hall!!

What a great idea!! Now I know Cheshire has the Town Government Channel (14), and has its website: Cheshirect.org and the Herald (on a suggestion from moi), puts a weekly town meeting schedule in their paper, but this to me, is a way of bringing a community together.

I know Woodbridge also does this. If you travel towards Woodbridge on Rt. 63 towards New Haven, you will see signs telling people about a Town Meeting or a Referendum, etc. Bethany, I believe also does this with signs in front of their firehouse.

Some people may think using signs in this age of the Internet and Satellite feeds is archaic, but as I stated before, I really believe it brings back the sense of community and oneness. I suggest Cheshire try this. I believe it would be a change for the better.

Now I am not going to be posting for the next few days. One, because it is near Sept. 11th and two, I hate to say this, but I have a real BAD CASE of the shingles. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy, believe me. I would hope they would get hemorrhoids instead!!
But shingles as you may or may not know, are basically the virus that causes Chicken Pox. You cannot get shingles unless you have had Chicken Pox which I have had. The virus lays dormant. It occurs more frequently with age or stress or both. I have the age and stress factor, so there you go.
Shingles usually occur on one side of the body and look like blisters. I get everything on my left side.

This time the blisters are near my eye, so I am really worried. I have been to the doctors and he is monitoring this closely, because shingles near or in the eye can cause blindness. The shingles usually follow a nerve route. Boy, if I make it past Saturday it will be a miracle. That is how I feel right now.
Shingles are EXTREMELY PAINFUL. I get bad headaches right before an outbreak. But at least this time, I don’t have the shingles where I had them the last time–right where I sit!!
So for all of you that can’t stand me, now you have your comeuppance!!
Ok, that is all for now. I will try to post in a few days. If not, I may have a friend take over depending how I feel.
I will continue to post the videos on Sept. 11th. I know some of them are disturbing, but so was 9-11.
It really is time now to contemplate and reflect on our lives and how good most of us have it here. It is time to stop the petty nonsense talk and wants– isn’t it.
When we feel sorry for ourselves, just think of the people trapped in the WTC, the people on Flight 11, 93 and 77. The relatives who found out the only remains of their loved ones, was a foot or a hand dug out of the ruins or found in buildings BLOCKS AWAY!!

 

Waiting

  • By: Cindy

I am trying to tone it down this week because of the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. But, I did want to update all of you on the ongoing issue with my significant others traffic ticket he received a few weeks ago for “failure to obey a stop sign” at the intersection of Carriage Drive and Rts 68/70 in Cheshire, Ct!! (I have to say Connecticut because I get a lot of hits from out of state).

As many of you know from previous posts, my husband submitted his evidence to the Centralized Infractions Bureau, (CIB), in Hartford, which handles this process. I was informed on Monday, Sept. 8th, that the (CIB) will be making a decision on Tuesday, Sept. 9th. If the CIB finds he is “guilty” my spouse will have to go to court and believe me he and I WILL GO!!

This is unfortunate, because like most of us, we have stress in our lives and do not need an incident as this to complicate matters, especially when anyone with an ounce of brains who resides in Cheshire knows one CANNOT JUST SAIL THROUGH THIS INTERSECTION WITHOUT SERIOUSLY INJURING ONESELF OR SOMEONE ELSE. Ludacris!!! STOP DROP KABOOM BABY!!!

I wanted to post this info now while I am working at home for a client and will be unavailable for the next two days so we all can ponder this miscarriage of justice!!

Now I found this site that explains every and I mean every Motor Vehicle violation and its subsequent fines. Quite interesting reading. But, if you don’t have your own personal PC and are on my blog at the library or a cybercafe and want a copy of these regulations, just stop any Cheshire Police officer, these people know this section of the motor vehicle law BY HEART I am telling you. They rattle it off like no time.

“Section this and that, Section that and this motor vehicle law states this and that and that and this.” REAL IMPRESSIVE!!

I am sure you all feel safer in your homes because my spouse was ticketed for allegedly going through a stop sign. If Cheshire keeps this up, we won’t be getting anymore Federal crime fighting money because all the hardened stop sign violators and Traveling Unreasonably Fast (TUF) violators will be OFF THE STREETS (AND ROADS AND HIGHWAYS).

P.S. Be sure to look for my spouse on MSNBC’s DOC BLOCK!!

And to top it off, it gets even better. Finally, the Town Manager left a message on my spouses voice mail at work telling him that in order to get on the Town Council “agenda” he would have to go to the Ordinance Committee and request it. I thought you could just either request to be put on the agenda by writing or calling the Town Manager’s office. GUESS NOT!!

So, my spouse will have to settle for three minutes under Public Communications at the next Town Council meeting. Three minutes is not a lot of time to address this issue and present evidence. What happened to “we are the Police Commission that is why WE DON’T NEED ONE IN OUR TOWN.”??

That is why I stopped buying things in Cheshire. I just go out of town. I can’t and I am sure all of you who have received tickets and sincerely believed it was unfair, not “oh I got caught doing something wrong so it is unfair” no, really really unfair, can understand how we feel. That is why I will not patronize any business or any event in this town EVER AGAIN!! FORGET IT!!

Ok, here is the link to the CIB. I will be posting a few more videos related to Sept. 11, 2001. Take care.

Centralized Infractions Bureau