The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Aug. 26, 2009

National: Ted Kennedy dies of brain cancer. The end of an era of devoted public service.

Wallingford: Parking plans behind Simpson Court now ended because, apparently, the ZBA turned down one owner’s variance request to add a floor (part of a consolidation plan and dependant upon more parking) because — there was insufficient parking. And the ZBA vote failed because, although the variance passed 3 to 2, state law requires 4 votes. Onward and upward!

Meriden: School system will tweak bullying rules to reflect state policy changes. Doesn’t sound like too much, though one issue continues to be of concern: while understanding that there must be some protection for a youngster reporting an incident of bullying, if punishments or corrective measures are to be meted out by adult authorities, as is the aim, there is a need for the defendant, as the student must be called, to be confronted with accusers. And, ultimately, should we transform the schools even more into adversarial punishment systems?

Meriden: On the same front, high schools, so as not to discourage students, will no longer assign them to higher/lower performing groups but to “accelerated” and “academic.” Sounds like a new set of euphemisms.

Cheshire: tea parties. All the folks out there demonstrating against “socialized” health care reform, have, naturally, declined their social security benefits and their Medicare coverage, right?

Wallingford: Ballot lottery. Since the executive is a Republican, all Republican candidates appear on top row. The lottery will set the order. Since there’s not even any conventional wisdom concerning placement, because every election is a little different, the whole thing hardly matters, but this is one of those little processes which, once settled and habitual, make democracy function without surprises.