The Editor's Notepod, Tues., May 31, 2011

The decline in Social Studies – that’s always been a dreadful lumpish term – noted in Wallingford schools. The Superintendent is up front: “It’s not an area of interest,” it isn’t a part of the district’s strategic plan, and that the district is focusing on CMT and CAPT scores and other areas of need.

Congratulations to the winners of the Walter Deptula Public Speaking and Essay Contest held earlier this month at Washington Middle School in Meriden. Good thoughts, good words, good sounds.

It is good that survivors of other Connecticut murder victims have been heard from on the subject of capital punishment. One compliant for many years is that murders in and among inner city non-affluent folk get little attention, a complaint which appears to be consistent with the attention we are willing to give affluent murder victims’ loved ones.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., May 30, 2011

Greenway Commons, the Meridian Development project in Southington, has begun phase one of demolition. Town residents as well as the investors have been waiting for this moment and are generally excited to see the process of transformation of the former Ideal Forging industrial site get under way toward a new and creative function within the town.

The Rose Farm of North Branford has been owned and operated by the same family since 1646. A 365-year tenure sounds really long, and it is, but then there are places in the world where centuries roll by with little effect.

The use of the per-student allotment in setting reimbursement rates, as Meriden must do for computations of state contributions to the high school renovation project, has some pitfalls. Many thousands of dollars can flow one way or another depending on gain or loss of just a few students, which rather distorts the process.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., May 29, 2011

The “new and improved” Chamberlain Heights in Meriden is well-appointed and attractive, while the overall management plan marks off new territories on the public/private boundaries. We have great hopes for the new system and we hope it works well for tenants and managers.

“Be the Change” program at Meriden’s Boys and Girls Clubs helps high school students, many of whom may be the first in their families to attend college, to achieve their goals. This includes advice on high school courses to take, what sorts of things to expect, and how the college application process works.

Congratulations are in order for Southington Recreation Director William Masci, retiring after an incredible 40 years on the job. He has played an important role in building town programs and facilities, changing enormously over the decades.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., May 28, 2011

Clearly, the peril of asking Southington voters to consider an artificial turf field at the same time they are considering middle school funding has occurred to others. We need say no more.

Congratulations to the Wallingford Fireworks Fund, which has managed to raise the cash needed (and just in the nick of time) to fund the annual celebration. Supporters are to be credited with grit and determination.

This year’s graduating class is a tribute to the need for and effectiveness of Alta, the alternative high school for kids who fit in in a different way and are finding regular high school impermeable. Southington and especially the 60 young people in this program are lucky to have this option.

Connecticut may have experienced a retiree health care windfall, but, as Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo says, that does not mean we can afford to short next year’s allocations.

The Meriden Humane Society will be the beneficiary of some Roger Sherman students who decided to hold a charity dinner to raise money to support the non-profit agency which is always short of cash. This sort of generous impulse is great to see in kids and we hope the community will support in kind.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., May 27, 2011

Wallingford schools are reforming the academic calendar by eliminating the February vacation and substituting a 3½ day weekend instead. There seem to be several reasons, some bad some good.

Cheshire experiments with privatizing the bulky waste transfer station. We’ll see how the public reaction progresses and how it reacts to the different fee schedule.

The Meriden Boys and Girls Club has an indoor, ceiling-suspended retractable batting cage and baseball and golfing equipment, thanks to a grant from the LeBron James Family Foundation. The cage was installed in February and includes a pitching machine for both baseball and softball, a one-of athletic asset for the benefit of kids in town.

Congratulations to all those Meriden students honored at the Scholars’ Banquet last week. The surprise thanks offered by students was a fine gesture to those who had helped them along the way.

Southington’s Board of Education is considering adding an artificial turf playing field as part of the middle school renovation project. Given today’s economy, members might want to proceed cautiously with the marriage of these two projects.

The Connecticut legislature seems on the way to approving a bill creating a quasi-public authority to run Bradley Field and other state-owned airports. While there are undoubtedly better ways of running any airport, it is by no means clear that a business model would run it better than a public model, while a quasi-public agency lacks accountability of a fully public operation and the responsiveness of a fully private one (see Amtrak and the USPS).

The discussion over a proposed Connecticut law preventing employers from requiring employee attendance at meetings and discussions seems so unnecessary. Why would any employer really want to force attendance at any meeting? Why should not an employee be permitted to proceed in blissful ignorance (or not) by staying away from a meeting at which information is to be dispensed?

One of the reasons for open spaces in Southington and anywhere else is that memories many folks cherish of outdoor recreation took place on private properties which owners today would not permit because of liability fears. When the town buys such properties, they remain open.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., May 26, 2011

Southington officials are applying for a “Safe Routes to School” grant which could both create more sidewalk connections with parks and destinations and improve existing walkways. This should be a fine and healthy addition to the town.

Notions of including the Coe property and mansion in plans for Platt are extremely interesting but there won’t be too many ready to jump on this Meriden horse until it’s been weighed and measured a good deal more.

There were apparently around twenty African-Americans from Wallingford (of which Meriden was then a part) who fought in the Revolutionary War. It would be fine to support the project to honor their memory on a national basis.

A bill is now on its way to the governor’s office prohibiting first responders from taking photos at accident scenes in Connecticut and distributing them informally. While such a practice is extremely distasteful, passing a law of this kind seems to brim with unforeseen consequences for public information.

One more step has been taken in Middlefield to revive prospects for the former Powder Ridge ski area. We are happy to see this project moving forward.

New Life Church and Pastor Rev. Will Marotti deserve a fine round of thanks for offering a matching grant for Wallingford fireworks display on Independence Day weekend. The deadline for a rather large sum is tomorrow, and we hope they make it.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., May 25, 2011

The former president of F&S Oil Co. Inc., pled guilty to bank fraud charges, which will give many former customers of his defunct oil company and his biodiesel plant in Cheshire at least as much satisfaction as it gives the bank he defrauded.

Connecticut legislators approved a bill calling on the Connecticut Siting Council to adopt rules for construction of wind power projects. If you’ve had a chance to compare aesthetics of a wind power field with those of a large coal or nuclear power plant, you’ll appreciate why many believe Connecticut to be extremely tardy in moving in this direction.

Meriden will be “on the hook” for the legal fees related to City Councilor George McGoldrick’s defense against an ethics complaint. Don’t blame the lawyer: it’s in the City Code.

Demolition of two unfinished duplex houses along Meriden Avenue in Southington, necessitated by two years exposure to the elements after a developer ran out of cash. Too bad it took so long to bring the matter to a conclusion, as we hate to see work wasted.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., May 24, 2011

Wallingford’s Ordinance Committee is considering adding a provision which would allow local bidders to reduce their bids to match low bidders on local contracts if they were within 5 percent originally. This change would add Wallingford to the list of towns (which includes Southington and Meriden) where this “leg-up for locals” has been allowed.

Gov. Dannel Malloy is going to push forward with completion of CT Route 11 from the middle of Salem on to its original destination, an intersection with I-95 and I-395. Billed as a connection necessary for growth of Southeast Connecticut, we can only hope the estimated $1 billion total cost returns its investment.

Meriden police, carrying out a “Click It or Ticket “campaign this week, are finding that compliance rates for seat belt use in the city is 90.5 percent. A $92 fine is evidently proving an incentive, at least for those drivers and passengers for whom remaining alive is not sufficient reason.

Loss of the Southington Chamber of Commerce as a sponsor of the Italian-American Festival coming up in July. They’ll be missed, for sure, but the festival has plenty of support.

The Meriden Housing Authority is pleased with units of the Chamberlain Heights public housing development which have been finished, 16 of which are now occupied. We hope remaining phases of this renovation project continue on track.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., May 15, 2011

Meriden’s high school projects really need to move forward. There’s consensus on the necessity for renovations despite the terrifying expense and it’s important to agree on that; details can be adjusted later.

The headmaster of Shelton High School has found a way to allow that senior who stuck his information on the high school wall to go the prom with his date. We are glad the subtleties of the administrative mind were equal to the challenge.

Fourteen out of 15 of Connecticut’s public employee unions and 80 percent of the voting members must ratify the health and retirement changes worked out with Gov. Malloy. Each of the 34 bargaining units must approve any wage changes

Cheshire’s Senior Center featured a Safety Fashion Show with police, firefighters and government workers along with employees of utilities and communication companies. It can’t hurt and it sounds as if everyone had some fun.

Southington’s Youth Services department is reaching out to teenagers to provide them with fun and entertaining activities, beginning with “Cardone the Ultimate Vaudeville Magician” who will present a classic magic show on June 3.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., May 14, 2011

Governor Malloy and the state employee unions reached a deal. There will be a lot of relief among state employees as this news gets about.

The controversy over the senior in Shelton who taped large cut-out cardboard letters to the outside of the school. Here’s the problem with too many rules too rigidly enforced.

Lisa Nordgren of Wallingford is closing Helping Hands Thrift Store on May 31 due to her deteriorating health; the store had been helping victims of domestic violence. We hope some other way of meeting this need can be found.

It could be that Sen. Markley (who represents Southington and part of Cheshire in the legislature) was correct in his assessment and argument over the distinction between a fee and a tax. But the Connecticut court raised sovereign immunity as an issue and sent Markley back to the political arena which is where this sort of a problem should be resolved.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., May 13, 2011

The mother-made documentary shown to Cheshire students about school stress, critical of the rat-race and leading, as her film suggested, nowhere. This is a discussion that schools and their students should be having together.

Congratulations to Patrice McCarthy who has been named the first Connecticut lawyer to head the National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys.

In Southington, some improvements are being made at baseball fields, including in particular at Memorial Park where covers are being installed on dugouts to protect against foul balls. These are wise moves.

Residents of the Atrium off East Main Street in Meriden are finally able to return to their condos as the electrical repair work has been completed. We hope all steps to out the tenants back into good shape are worked out as well.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., May 12, 2011

The new contract Proton Energy – now Proton OnSite -- has won from the Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, or TARDEC. Located in Hawaii, the Wallingford-based company will build a hydrogen refueling station and increase output of future stations.

Southington’s budget process is now complete with a new spending plan and a new revenue plan which calls for only a 1.08 percent increase in taxes. That’s about $52 a year for the average residential taxpayer.

Meriden’s Planning Commission tabled a proposal to amend ridgeline zoning on a 13-acre hill at Sams Road. This is a property already involved in litigation over this particular issue and both the city and Carabetta (Summerhill LLC) submitted maps; the word here is “stay the course.”

The University of Connecticut did itself no favors by nickel-and-diming the Journal-Inquirer when it asked, per Freedom of Information rules, for a list of highly paid UConn employees. It makes news that 919 employees earn over $100,000 a lot harder to defend.

Senator Edith Prague, after consultations with Dr. William Petit of Cheshire, has decided not to support efforts to repeal Connecticut death penalty laws, out of concern for pending cases. This is a good decision, as, apart from any pending cases, Connecticut appears to want capital punishment on the books and to use it sparingly.

Armed robbery up-tick in Wallingford. Such statistics are good for provoking discussion, but actually prove very little.

Word about Governor Malloy’s plan B is enough to scare anyone, but all guesses are merest speculation. Could plan B close Wilcox in Meriden and other vo-tech schools? All sorts of things are possible, but wait until it happens before giving way to panic.

Southington’s Parking Authority is going to discuss overnight parking downtown, but unless the idea has a strong advocate, there seems to be little to be gained by revisiting the issue.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., May 11, 2011

Wallingford passed next year’s budget without making any changes in what the Mayor proposed. A $69 per homeowner increase, on the average, is not huge, especially considering the decline in the grand list.

Coping with gasoline prices are you? The best advice is probably simple: don’t drive. But what about the train and the new commuter rail service under consideration?

Meriden’s school system is working out details of conforming its budget to funds actually available. There will be a loss of some teaching positions and a consequent rise in some class sizes: one doesn’t deal in fractions of teachers or students, and numbers, in practice, are “bumpy.”

Cheshire reaching accommodation with its insurer over replacement costs of the Community Pool Bubble, but the long term solution remains elusive and divisive.

Salvia Divinorum, a drug which a lot of authorities seem unfamiliar with, is nevertheless on its way onto the prohibited list in Connecticut’s legislature. Why is it that people are so determined to ingest substances which alter their consciousness?

Congratulations to Anna Wasescha, the new president of Middlesex Community College, who comes to Connecticut from the Minnesota State Community and Technical College System at Fergus Falls.

It sounds as if progress is being made in the repair of the electrical system at Atrium complex in Meriden. It won’t be too soon for residents.

Community Garden, Southington, will be taking on a new location – behind Town Hall – and some new rules designed to reduce some visual issues which had developed at the old East Street site. And how does your garden grow?

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., May 10, 2011

Southington Council fails to add piddling amounts for skate park and bathroom repair. These really minor expense somehow became controversial in a partisan sense.

Wallingford’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved shelter expansion plans to house families with children. This increase, regarded appropriately as a philanthropic use by the planning staff, will allow the shelter to move toward a highly desirable goal for its facility.

The films to be shown at the Drive-in this summer in Southington (beginning June 18) include “Back to the Future 2,” “The Karate Kid,” “American Graffiti,” “Grease,” “Finding Nemo” and “Ghostbusters.” It’s interesting just what features the copyright owners permit to be shown and which they restrict.

The Norwalk mother arrested for sending her child to Norwalk schools – the only person so arrested out of a couple of dozen similar cases in that town – is asking, through her lawyer, to have the chance to work out the issue administratively with the schools, as everyone else has done. She should receive this opportunity.

Problems with Cheshire High School’s air continue. This really needs to be fixed.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., May 9, 2011

They’re calling it a “tax,” and it functions as one, but a reduction in hospital reimbursement rates is not a tax. Lower Medicare payments mean less income and more stretching of the revenue dollar. But hospitals in Connecticut, which are all non-profits to begin with, pay certain taxes, which seems a rather counter-intuitive situation.

The proof of Gov. Malloy’s budget will be in whether Connecticut's state employees in general wind up supporting whatever plans are worked out. It’s going to hurt a lot.

Removal of the old Ideal Forge factory in Southington to make way for Meridian Development’s Greenway Commons is expected to begin May 24. It’s going to take a while and more funding is needed, but it will be a start.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., May 8, 2011

There are some good ideas from consumer protection regarding possible identify theft situations, such as that MidState hard drive stolen and “disappeared” earlier this year.

A proposed measure in Connecticut’s legislature would have barred police departments from vetting and otherwise background-checking officers transferring from one force to another. This is a good law to stop.

Meriden had a clean-up day on Saturday, led by the mayor. Volunteers had fun and got fed a simple lunch afterwards.

Meriden High Schools are receiving projectors from 3M Co., following a nomination for the grant. Cool! It should give a productive boost to teaching.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., May 7, 2011

Plan B, as described by Connecticut Gov. Malloy, essentially laying off 4,700 state workers, would not really solve the budget problem. This is going to be a tough call.

The renovated High Schools in Meriden are acquiring their “paper” shape, as architects submit ideas. It’s also a demonstration of how trends in school design evolve, such as, for instance, the segregation of 9th graders away from the other three years.

Good decision on Meriden’s administration to front the cash for repairs to the Sprenkel Firehouse and to let the various claims over cost and insurance sort themselves out afterwards.

It was good to have an astronaut visiting and speaking to Wallingford’s Rotary Club. The hook is Wallingford Education Foundation’s project, this year, which is a restoration and update of the Planetarium at Sheehan High School.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., May 6, 2011

That electrical fire at Atrium off of East Main Street in Meriden has displaced 94 families, which is a lot of people. It’s now been a week: if the condo association has liability beyond insurance, and if there’s no money to pay for repairs, a serious problem is revealed for the residents and for the way this property-owning method is permitted to operate.

Architectural firms have presented preliminary plans for Platt and Maloney, as Meriden undertakes the colossal expense of high school renovations. One doesn’t expect details at this stage, but there’s a lot to be understood in the plans about just what these plans include and why they do so.

No surprise that it is Proton Sciences and Choate Rosemary (and the one-time gilt-edged Mortgage Lenders) which opted for green energy systems in Wallingford, and no surprise either that most other firms have been slow to opt in. So far, most of these systems seem to be offering high expense and long-term payback; the United States needs to do better.

Who knew that Meriden actually had a curfew for kids under 15? Unlike various efforts to impose such restrictions on 17- and 18-year-olds, there aren’t too many folks who will argue that 14-year-olds should have the “freedom” to be out and about after 9 pm.

We wish that Sen. Suzio and others in the legislature would lay off Planned Parenthood. There are way too many important issues facing the state, the city of Meriden and the world to waste time debating the culture wars.

It is worth noting that Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s oldest son is being deployed to Afghanistan, pursuant to a choice he made to defer law school and serve his country. Critics of government could make a point of remembering this fact.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., May 5, 2011

Those Meriden students responsible for phoning in a bomb threat and causing all school activities at Platt, Wilcox, Lincoln and Franklin to halt until the necessary precautions and investigations were complete should suffer some appropriate punishment. But then, perhaps they’ve got issues no one knows.

Seniors First: Uniting the Generations Day at Maloney High School, Meriden, where students helped senior citizens become familiar with computers and, more important, got to have some good interaction.

Prospects that the Broad Brook Bridge on Route 70 near the Cheshire-Meriden line will be under construction and reduced to one lane through November of next year. We know, “dig we must,” and all that, but non-functioning bridges are no picnic.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., May 4, 2011

While state senators have passed a budget, the state representatives have yet to act, as the minority party ran through its own un-passable approach. Everything that moves in Connecticut will wind up being taxed a little more, but the alternative involves shutting down some significant parts of the state.

With the Meriden police union’s chief steward filing a complaint, the whole imbroglio over police conduct and favoritism becomes yet more complex. It’s a very sad business.

It is shocking that it took personal intervention by a US Senator and Connecticut’s Governor to get the attention of the Homeland Security people to halt an absurd deportation. On the other hand, it is positive that intervention still works; if only it worked for everyone.

Wallingford’s Public Works department is coping with a smaller budget and the effects of overtime and snow last winter. One hopes that residents will understand why it could take longer for the plows to come by the house next winter, and similar details in other DPW areas.

It’s good that the Quinnipiac River’s Southington section is clean enough so there’s no need for participation in the Source to Sound clean-up this Saturday. Will the other communities along the rover – Cheshire, Meriden, Wallingford, North Haven – soon catch up to this level?

The plan to design improvements to Meriden's City and Brookside Parks remained on the city’s bonding list this week, and that is a good decision. Money sometimes needs to be invested in amenities.

It is good that MidState is cooperating with the Attorney General in investigation of the data breach earlier this year. But we suspect everyone in Meriden would rest easier if the full details of how and why the hard drive involved was taken and how it disappeared were made known.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., May 3, 2011

Those local students from Wallingford and North Haven had a chance to be up close and personal with some of those tornados which savaged Alabama last week. It’s a good object lesson on why it’s hard to figure why anyone lives in a place where tornados occur with such alarming regularity.

Meriden’s City Council voted for a budget which hikes local taxes by 1 percent. All things considered, this is modest and prudent.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., May 2, 2011

“Let the Sun Shine, It’s Apple Time” is the motto for this year’s Southington Apple Harvest Festival. The name should give participants much to play with as they plan fun for the event.

Funny that the gas tax increase will be dropped. It’s a tiny amount out of $4 gas, but it seems to rub Connecticut folks the wrong way.

Congratulations to teacher Lori Farkash, of Moses Y. Beach School in Wallingford. She has been named as a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Another death following use of a Taser by police (this time in Waterbury) will no doubt raise the issue of the safety of this weapon once again. That’s okay: it is good to continue to examine what’s in use.

Wallingford is seeing the growth and solidification of a tenant council for the Housing Authority. This is a positive move and should be heralded by all.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., May 1, 2011

Fasano’s non-profit company has been set up to accept donations of unused cash from his campaign for the 34th Senate district (which includes Wallingford). This is as good a use as any, providing all the rules are followed.

Three cents on top of the 25 cent per gallon gas excise tax is a ridiculous thing to worry about, compared to the $4+ price. But this is one which will draw a lot of fire from Connecticut residents.

Southington High School students spent spring break in China. What a splendid opportunity for these young scholars!