Category Archives: news

CityFest returns to Waterbury, July 24th

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(Video from City Fest 2007)

City Fest 2010 will take place on Saturday, July 24 from 11 am – 7pm at Library Park, 267 Grand Street in Waterbury, CT. Each year some 2500 people attend this completely free event, which is a collaboration of area churches and community services, coming together in a collective outreach effort.

This year City Fest will be giving away 50 free children’s bikes, donated by the Cheshire Correctional Facility, and safety helmets provided by the Waterbury Police Athletic League. There will be 3000 free hot dogs, soda, snow cones, popcorn and free balloons for the kids. Throughout the day there will be music on the main stage, games throughout the park, puppet shows underneath the big tent, face painting and other family related activity. City Fest also serves as a free benefit concert for the Connecticut Food Bank. Non-perishable food donations will be accepted all day. The CFB will have their truck parked there and area residents are invited to fill it up. It’s really for a great cause!

There are over 20 churches involved, with just as many social service agencies, which include, the Waterbury Fire Dept. Safety Vehicle, the Waterbury Health Dept. Lead Screening Van, Waterbury Youth Services, Support Enforcement Agency, Dept. of AIDS Awareness, Salvation Army and many more. They will be setting up tables, tents and booths, to offer practical information and services to the Greater Waterbury community.

On the Friday night before (July 23) underneath the big tent at Library Park, there will be a City Fest Rally with representatives of over 20 churches, civic and city leaders. The night will feature the Naugatuck Valley Community College Choir at 6pm and various guests throughout the evening. For more information, visit www.cityfest.us.

New Haven drops “Lord” from diplomas

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Is He, or isn’t He?  In New Haven, He may be, but not enough to offend anybody.

Superintendent of Schools Reginald Mayo confirmed through a spokeswoman that this year’s diplomas were printed without the phrase “in the year of our Lord.”

“That was a complaint that came in from a parent last year and it was something we decided to address and make the edit,” said schools spokeswoman Michelle Wade.

This is America, 2010. One voice silences every other.

More here from the Middletown Press.

This could be your last chance to get out of debt

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… Before the rocks start falling on your head. I hate to sound like your dad, but this problem is not going away. In fact, it is only just beginning. If we face it, there is hope. If not, prepare for our nation to look like a Third World country, just with bigger buildings.

Even though the U.S. financial system nearly experienced a total meltdown in late 2008, the truth is that most Americans simply have no idea what is happening to the U.S. economy.  Most people seem to think that the nasty little recession that we have just been through is almost over and that we will be experiencing another time of economic growth and prosperity very shortly.

But this time around that is not the case.  The reality is that we are being sucked into an economic black hole from which the U.S. economy will never fully recover.

The problem is debt.  Collectively, the U.S. government, the state governments, corporate America and American consumers have accumulated the biggest mountain of debt in the history of the world.  Our massive debt binge has financed our tremendous growth and prosperity over the last couple of decades, but now the day of reckoning is here.

And it is going to be painful.

Click here for the full article and slideshow.

State unemployment hits highest level yet

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The highest unemployment rate of the recession has been reached: 8.9%.

The good news in November’s numbers — when unemployment fell to 8.2 percent from 8.8 percent the previous month — apparently was a mirage.

Economic forecaster Nick Perna said, “I honestly thought the December rate would look better. And I was wrong.”

Story and scary graphics available here.

Popular mayor says State is “on the brink”

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Danbury mayor and possible gubernatorial candidate Mark Boughton, in his personal blog (which posts also to his widely-distributed Facebook page) says we’re on the brink.

Here is a news flash…the State of Connecticut is broke. Busted. Cleaned out.

Here is another news flash…it is not going to get any better anytime soon.

It is time that we all recognize that we have entered a new economic era, and that we seize this moment to redefine the role of state government, examine the nexus between the state and the municipalities, and look at the services that we should offer, and most importantly, how we fund them.

Property tax reform has to be the first and foremost item on an agenda of reform. It is an unfair tax because it does not measure the ability of the property owner to pay. Many people in Danbury and across Connecticut are land rich and yet cash poor.

It’s refreshing to see this level of candor.

The New London Day, which isn’t exactly Connecticut’s answer to World Net Daily, says the state Democrats may face “well-earned losses” if they can’t muster up some courage here.

Frozen with fear when confronting a monster largely of its own making, the Democratic leadership in the General Assembly is readying to “gavel in and gavel out” when legislators return Tuesday for a special session, ordered by Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell to deal with a budget deficit approaching $500 million.

In other words, the Democrats in control of the legislature may once again ignore the fiscal crisis that confronts the state and instead head home for the holidays.

Alas for the Day and for your wallet, in 2009 State and Federal legislators have become deaf and blind to the angst (and phone calls) of those who merely pay the taxes.

More here: Dithering While Connecticut Sinks In Red Ink

Connecticut Senate race generates nationwide interest

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And according to Rasmussen, Senator Dodd would lose to every Republican, even Peter Schiff, whose financial media stardom hasn’t resulted in any name recognition in Nutmegland.

Former GOP Congressman Rob Simmons is still his toughest opponent, leading Dodd 48% to 35%. Seven percent (7%) prefer some other candidate in this contest, and 11% are undecided. Those figures are a slight improvement for Simmons since September.

The newest Republican in the race, Linda McMahon, the ex-CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, earns 44% of the vote to Dodd’s 38%. Eight percent (8%) opt for another candidate, with nine percent (9%) not sure.

Long-shot candidate Peter Shiff, the widely-known president of Euro Pacific Capital, is essentially even with Dodd and holds a one-point edge, 40% to 39%. In their race, eight percent (8%) like some other candidate, and 14% are undecided.

More interesting stuff here.

Nurse-training program on the block

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red cross

More hard choices coming up. These are only some of the first.

Chantal Kouoh’s voice cracked Tuesday as she said how disappointed she was to be shut out of a state-subsidized nurse-training program because of budget cuts.

“I feel like a part of my life is gone,” she said to an audience of other students, state legislators, journalists and nurse advocates at a press conference at the Legislative Office Building organized by District 1199, New England Health Care Employees Union.

“As a single mother with a very low income, I really can’t afford to go to a private program.”

Read more here.

Passing it down to the towns

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Governor Rell

Governor Rell

Governor Rell is proposing steps to reduce the budget gap:

In an attempt to halt the 2010 budget’s slide into deficit, Gov. M. Jodi Rell released a $337 million package of proposed budget cuts Tuesday afternoon, slashing funding to programs for the poor and sick, local governments and state agencies….

“It is deeply painful even to suggest these cuts – and yet they are unquestionably necessary,” Rell said in a written statement released with her budget plan. “State government cannot afford, literally or figuratively, to allow this budget – which has only been in effect a few short months – to grow any further out of balance.”

Many of Rell’s proposals will require legislative approval, and she said she would call lawmakers back to the Capitol to enact cuts soon. A Senate aide said they anticipated reconvening what has come to seem like an endless budget debate sometime in mid-December.

Democratic leaders did not immediately respond to the substance of Rell’s proposed cuts, saying they would spend the coming days reviewing her plans with their colleagues.

More here at the New London Day.