Hands-on demonstration provided by Ben Stafford of the Children’s Museum in West Hartford to students at John Barry School in Meriden of how to build a bridge. It wasn’t the Brooklyn Bridge, of course, but perhaps there was a student among them who will mature into a famous structural engineer.
Southington: the new kids on the block – that’s goats, just so there’s no doubt – are pushing the limits for the goat herd in the neighborhood. When the next new arrival comes, the maximum will be reached. Are there residents who are interested in hosting a goat?
Monday, March 1, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Feb. 28, 2010
Meriden: A fine update on the various problems with which the downtown area is faced. Some are more advanced in handling, some have far to go, and others remain sparkle in the eye.
Meriden: Anyone can understand why a judge who has to deal with five DUI-related cases before the morning is an hour into the court’s morning schedule might treat the audience to a piece of his mind without well considering it.
Meriden: the progress on the irrigation system at Hunter golf course seems to be on schedule. Let us hope it may continue to completion speedily.
Wallingford: extension of a hands-on educational program devised by Fire Chief Struble to youngsters in middle school, hoping to win some recruits to fire fighting as a career before pre-emptive decisions are made. It also helps to learn about fire safety for its own sake.
Southington: The town’s Emergency Medical Services Committee is looking at the response times of the company which has the ambulance service contract with the town. It would seem that the matter of simplifying the 911 calling process so that calls do not have to be transferred would be something which could also aid in preventing slow responses.
Meriden: Anyone can understand why a judge who has to deal with five DUI-related cases before the morning is an hour into the court’s morning schedule might treat the audience to a piece of his mind without well considering it.
Meriden: the progress on the irrigation system at Hunter golf course seems to be on schedule. Let us hope it may continue to completion speedily.
Wallingford: extension of a hands-on educational program devised by Fire Chief Struble to youngsters in middle school, hoping to win some recruits to fire fighting as a career before pre-emptive decisions are made. It also helps to learn about fire safety for its own sake.
Southington: The town’s Emergency Medical Services Committee is looking at the response times of the company which has the ambulance service contract with the town. It would seem that the matter of simplifying the 911 calling process so that calls do not have to be transferred would be something which could also aid in preventing slow responses.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Feb. 27, 2010
State: with legislators looking around for previously untaxed activities or property to tax, how about keeping it simple and raising the income tax? It has the advantage of being reasonably fair and across the board so that more individuals aren’t victimized.
Meriden: the new addition to the emergency department at MidState is opening next week and should vastly speed the process of care. The expansion also reflects some of the major changes in the delivery of health care over the last decade or so.
Wallingford: with the retirement of three principals from the school system, there will be some important shoes to fill in the administrative posts.
Meriden: the new addition to the emergency department at MidState is opening next week and should vastly speed the process of care. The expansion also reflects some of the major changes in the delivery of health care over the last decade or so.
Wallingford: with the retirement of three principals from the school system, there will be some important shoes to fill in the administrative posts.
Friday, February 26, 2010
The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Feb. 26, 2010
Meriden: the teaching of animals at the Humane Society’s Shelter to help the denizens become better candidates for adoption is a fine idea. Good luck to them and the critters.
Southington: It would seem that motor vehicle accidents occur in town where you’d pretty much expect them to take place, near the highly developed commercial strips, where through traffic from the interstates meets local traffic to businesses.
Wallingford: the stipends of public officials, though small except for recognized expert assistance, should be watched carefully at all times.
Southington: It would seem that motor vehicle accidents occur in town where you’d pretty much expect them to take place, near the highly developed commercial strips, where through traffic from the interstates meets local traffic to businesses.
Wallingford: the stipends of public officials, though small except for recognized expert assistance, should be watched carefully at all times.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Feb. 25, 2010
Meriden: Progress toward funding Phase II of Meriden’s Linear Trail, planned to extend another 1.2 miles from Dossin Beach to the Platt High School parking lot. While the planned version differs significantly from that already in existence – there’s no gorge along the extension, for example – it’s a fine asset to add to the city’s stock.
Wallingford: Debut of the new Cleaves Agricultural Science and Technology Center at Lyman Hall this week, at last celebrating the official opening. This new facility has made very good first impressions and we look forward to its future flowerings.
Meriden: Mayor Rohde attends session of M.O.R.E. where increasing the hotel tax from 12 to 15 percent is discussed. Since it’s on non-residents, this tax seems to be okay with most people. It does seem inevitable that there will need to be some tax increases to keep state and local heads above water.
Wallingford: Debut of the new Cleaves Agricultural Science and Technology Center at Lyman Hall this week, at last celebrating the official opening. This new facility has made very good first impressions and we look forward to its future flowerings.
Meriden: Mayor Rohde attends session of M.O.R.E. where increasing the hotel tax from 12 to 15 percent is discussed. Since it’s on non-residents, this tax seems to be okay with most people. It does seem inevitable that there will need to be some tax increases to keep state and local heads above water.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Feb. 24, 2010
Meriden: Mold at the fire station. A water problem a decade old. Why doesn’t someone just get it fixed, or at least get a price?
Meriden: discussion of the airport and related conditions seems to have raised some good questions.
Meriden: Dan Brunet’s suggestion about passes for bulky waste instead of waiting in line on a free day would seem to make sense. It deserves a serious consideration.
Wallingford: Valerie Ford’s dilemma and what caused her not to vote on the school budget is apparently her concern over class crowding, which is fair enough. The school board, if it wished, might certainly direct its superintendent to protect class size at the expense of other issues . . . but it isn’t always very easy to do.
State: Well, P&W has certainly stuck its finger in the eye of the union by announcing layoffs.
Cheshire: Republicans should be very careful how they proceed in finding members of the library board. The ice is very thin here.
Meriden: discussion of the airport and related conditions seems to have raised some good questions.
Meriden: Dan Brunet’s suggestion about passes for bulky waste instead of waiting in line on a free day would seem to make sense. It deserves a serious consideration.
Wallingford: Valerie Ford’s dilemma and what caused her not to vote on the school budget is apparently her concern over class crowding, which is fair enough. The school board, if it wished, might certainly direct its superintendent to protect class size at the expense of other issues . . . but it isn’t always very easy to do.
State: Well, P&W has certainly stuck its finger in the eye of the union by announcing layoffs.
Cheshire: Republicans should be very careful how they proceed in finding members of the library board. The ice is very thin here.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Feb. 23, 2010
Wallingford: as anticipated, the school board passed a budget requesting 4.56% increase and with 83.2 layoffs instead of 117, as originally proposed. Hard to think that Dickinson won’t chop the increase at least in half, and create a real challenge for the board.
Business: banks get new rules on credit cards, are a darn good thing. It’s hard to imagine why they haven’t always been the law.
State: the budget reducing options aren’t really so awful if only Democrats and Republicans would stop posturing about each other and get on with making a compromise by splitting the difference.
Cheshire: the report on the police issues between chief and union received. The sooner it’s made public, the sooner everyone can get on with life.
Wallingford: visiting nurses contract setting out to be a big donnybrook. One hopes it can be decided on merits rather than technicalities. Again, it never ceases to amaze how conflicts of interest are not perceived by public officials. Service in two capacities, regardless of compensation, suggests a divided interest and a split in loyalties which should hint to people that they should be very circumspect, regardless of any opinions of the law department or even the board of ethics.
Meriden: surely, meeting future power needs of the state requires both increased capacity and reliability of transmission AND new generating capacity. Is the siting council required to select either NRG or CL&P? Something must someday happen to that unfinished power plant.
Wallingford: the behavior of the Housing Authority is on the disgraceful side, making a political football out of the lives of tenants. Both parties are to blame, and both are way too closely involved.
Business: banks get new rules on credit cards, are a darn good thing. It’s hard to imagine why they haven’t always been the law.
State: the budget reducing options aren’t really so awful if only Democrats and Republicans would stop posturing about each other and get on with making a compromise by splitting the difference.
Cheshire: the report on the police issues between chief and union received. The sooner it’s made public, the sooner everyone can get on with life.
Wallingford: visiting nurses contract setting out to be a big donnybrook. One hopes it can be decided on merits rather than technicalities. Again, it never ceases to amaze how conflicts of interest are not perceived by public officials. Service in two capacities, regardless of compensation, suggests a divided interest and a split in loyalties which should hint to people that they should be very circumspect, regardless of any opinions of the law department or even the board of ethics.
Meriden: surely, meeting future power needs of the state requires both increased capacity and reliability of transmission AND new generating capacity. Is the siting council required to select either NRG or CL&P? Something must someday happen to that unfinished power plant.
Wallingford: the behavior of the Housing Authority is on the disgraceful side, making a political football out of the lives of tenants. Both parties are to blame, and both are way too closely involved.
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