Making Hay

Saturday was a special day for hay farmers in Middletown, as it was the first day in weeks without a rainy forecast. So while the rest of us celebrated Independence Day with Brats and Beer, they took advantage of the break in the weather to get into their fields to cut hay in the morning, and to turn it in the afternoon. Sunday was for baling.

It was the first cut for the fields on Higby Road, shown below.

Dodd Visits New Emergency Department at Middlesex Hospital

Bright and early Monday morning before hopping a plane back to D.C. to work on health care legislation, Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd stopped in Middletown for a tour of Middlesex Hospital's new Emergency Department.

Dodd was greeted by Middlesex CEO, Robert Kiely, Dr. Bud McDowell, VP of Clinical Affairs and staff from the Emergency Department. After his tour, Dodd held a brief press conference to talk about his work on new health care legislation.

Dodd was introduced by Tom Swan, executive director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group. Swan was effusive in his praise of Dodd's effort for a health bill which he described as important and significant.

"I don't know what you've been eating for breakfast," Swan said, turning toward Dodd. "But you're having one helluva year. The bill that Senator Dodd has put forth, on behalf of Senator Kennedy, is a very good, if not excellent piece of legislation. It wouldn't have been done without Senator Dodd's leadership."

Swan praised Dodd's efforts to include provisions for shared responsiblity for small business owners and a public option. He indicated that with his experience trying to get universal health care legislation passed during the Clinton era, his hopes for success during the Obama administration was restrained.

"I thought there was a 50-60% chance of it being passed," he said. "But with the most recent announcements, I think there's an 80% chance of legislation being passed."

Dodd, who, at Kennedy's request, recently took a leadership position on healthcare on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, himself expressed a certain skepticism that health care legislation could pass.

"I thought there was a 50% chance," he said. "I think we have a heightened chance to pass it now. But it's not going to solve every problem."

Dodd also addressed the provisions for shared responsibility, which will require small businesses of over 25 employees to contribute $750 a year for full-time, non-covered employees, and $350 a year for part-time, non-covered employees. He also noted that the much-debated public option is essential to healthcare coverage for all Americans.

"A public option which provides an alternative choice to private insurance is a a safety net for people who don't have a private option," Dodd said.

Dodd ended by noting he has the support of the Obama administration.

"The president said, 'I'm going to prepare to squander every cent of political capital I have to pass health care legislation during my term,'" Dodd noted.

I asked Dodd what he would do to give a voice to individuals, especially less powerful individuals, when lobbying firms are spending $1.4 million a day to represent the needs of powerful healthcare clients, pharaceutical companies and insurance companies.

Dodd did not answer the question directly, but noted that he would give voice to the plight of the uninsured, or underinsured individual, and that he is pushing options which not always popular with the lobbyists, or the groups they represent.

To Swann's comment about Dodd's flurry of activity this year, it should be noted that Dodd is involved in a campaign in which he is being challenged by Republican and Democratic opponents. He is working diligently to win over voters who have been critical of Dodd's involvement in questionable real estate dealings, and his acceptance of campaign donations from large financial firms.

Shooting on Ferry Street Sunday Night

From the Middletown Police Department

On Sunday, July 5, 2009, at 10:53 p.m., Middletown Officers responded to the area of Ferry Street for reported multiple gunshots fired. Responding Officers located three adult victims that were injured during the incident from apparent gunshot wounds. Two of three were transported to an area hospital for their non-life threatening injuries. The third victim was treated on scene and released. Middletown Detectives are currently investigating the incident. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Middletown Police Detective Bureau at (860) 344-3240.

Clergy News

After an exhausting and exhaustive search, Congregation Adath Israel has a new Rabbi. Rabbi Seth Haaz begins his work on August 1 and a formal installation will take place in the fall.

Here's more information about Rabbi Haaz:

Rabbi Haaz has been the Rabbinic Intern at Congregation Sons of Israel in Amsterdam, NY from the summer of 2008 to the spring of 2009 where he delivered sermons, chanted Torah and Haftarah, and led Shabbat and holiday services. He also counseled families through life-cycle events. Rabbi Haaz was a Rabbinic Intern from the fall of 2007 to the spring of 2008 at Town and Village Synagogue in New York City. He also led High Holy Day services in the fall of 2007 and 2006 at Dix Hills Jewish Center, Dix Hills, NY and Congregation Ahavat Shalom in Jeffersonville, NY, respectively. His pastoral experience at Abington Memorial Hospital in Abington, PA and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in NYC includes completing 800 hours of Clinical Pastoral Education, serving as Chaplain for the Heart Failure, Oncology, Intensive Care, and In-patient Rehabilitation Units. The Rabbi has also served in the US Navy as Chaplain Candidate Program Officer Lt. Jr. Grade since the summer of 2006. His experience in Youth and Young Adult programs includes Camp Ramah, Tribeca Hebrew in New York City and the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Rabbi Haaz received his Rabbinic Ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City this past May. He has an MA in Interdepartmental Studies from JTS and a BA in Economics from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.

What"s Happening This Week (Part 1)

Monday July 6:
The Buttonwood Tree presents the "Anything Goes"Open Mic hosted by J-Cherry at 7:30 p.m. Poets, writers, musicians and singers are welcome to sign up and perform.

Tuesday:
The Center for the Arts at Wesleyan welcomes artist Dana Ellyn to the CFA "Days" series. She'll deliver a talk at 12:10 p.m. in the CFA Cinema titled "From Creative Youth to Creative Woman." She attended the Center for Creative Youth's (CCY) Visual Arts Program ay Wesleyan in the summer of 1987 and went on to earn her degree in Fine Arts and Art History from George Washington University. Her talk will also include examples of her art (that's her "Girl with Curls (Mary Pickford)", acrylic on canvas on the left.) The event is free and open to the public.

The Summer Sounds Series, held every Tuesday evening in Union Park (South Green), presents Party Boyz at 7 p.m. The group plays "pop" and "rock"tunes from the 1950s and 60s. In case of rain, the fun moves indoors to South Congregational Church.

Wednesday:
The Music at the Mansion Series, held on the expansive back lawn of the Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate, got off to a soggy start last week with the Eight to the Bar show canceled for fear of storms (that show will be held July 29.) This week, the focus is on traditional jazz from New Orleans, Dixieland and swing when the Galvanized Jazz Band comes to town. Joining the quintet (led by cornetist Fred Vigorito) will be trombonist Jim Fryer and vocalist Cynthia Fabian. The grounds open at 5:30 p.m. for those wishing to picnic. The music commences at 6:30. A splendid time is guaranteed for all. For more information, call 347-1064.

Thursday & Friday:
Tickets are still available for the 2 performances by Doug Varone and Dancers to take place at 8 p.m. in the CFA Theater at Wesleyan. Varone is one of the busiest choreographers and directors in modern dance. His commissions include works for Limon Company, Dancemakers (Canada), Batsheva Dance Company (Israel) and many others. His company has been in existence since 1986 and has performed throughout the world. The ensemble's residency programs bring dance and other activities to people of all ages, reaching out beyond dance to include math, science, literature, philosophy and more.

Varone's program in Middletown features 4 works, including the world premiere of "Egalité", a piece for 2 dancers featuring music by the American composer John Adams. For ticket information, call 685-3355 or go online to www.wesleyan.edu/cfa. To watch the troupe in action, go to www.dougvaroneanddancers.org/video.php.

Kleckowski Switches Parties, Makes Bid to Run For Council

After a contentious, year-long attempt to unseat the former chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission, and elect a new chair, P&Z member Deborah Kleckowski has switched parties from Democratic to Republican, and has announced her intention to run for the Common Council.

"I am a nominated candidate," Kleckowski said Sunday. "But the consideration for the slate is not complete. The slate will be announced officially on July 27."

Asked about the party switch Kleckowski admitted to a great degree of frustration with the leadership of the town's Democratic party.

"I was asked to join the Republican Party," Kleckowski said. "And it was a good opportunity given the circumstances of leadership. I didn't receive any support to oppose the chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission in the matter of her attendance."

Kleckowski, and former P&Z chair, Barbara Plumb, were in the same party, but Kleckowski was active in an effort to unseat Plumb who was absent from P&Z meetings for most of the winter. Kleckowski found herself voting with Republicans on the issue. A regular series of votes has never produced the necessary majority to elect a new chair, and for seven months, the Planning and Zoning Commission has operated without an elected chair. Richard Pelletier, P&Z vice chair, who in recent months placed his own name in the running to serve as chair, has been running meetings.

Speaking with regret about her need to switch parties to achieve "opportunities for leadership values and to move forward with my sense of vision," Kleckowski spoke of a need for continuity and commitment.

"There should be a continuum between municipal boards, the Common Council, state Representatives and our Representatives in the U.S. Congress," Kleckowsky said. "Right now, we don't have people who will talk with one another. Not once since I've been on Planning and Zoning has a Common Council member attended a meeting to build support for a point of view about an issue."

Kleckowski expressed disappointment with the Democratic Town Committee for failing to react to her plans to build such a coalition.

"I have presented it to the Democrats for the past six years, and there was no interest," she said. "By the simple fact that they have volunteered to serve the city, they should be inclusive. I don't find that sense of inclusion. Instead I've experienced a sense of exclusion. There are good people who want to progress, yet I know several who are not supported."

Kleckowski feels that as Middletown changes, elected officials need to reflect those changes, and the diversity in town, and not live by old rules and relationships.

"Deb has made her own decisions, based on her perspective" said Dan Russo, chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, Sunday. "She effectively switched parties almost two years ago. She stopped communicating with the party. She chose to stop communicating."

"One of the strengths of the Democratic Party," Russo said. "Is that we have a larger number of qualified and interested candidates for positions than there are available positions. We have brought many young, women and minority members into the party in the last several years."

As for progress within the Democratic ranks, Russo indicated that the party was not interested in fixing what wasn't broken.

"We have eight council Democrats working well together," Russo said. "And I don't see a need to change that."

"We need to look forward, not back," Kleckowski said. "We have new people who have chosen Middletown, who have moved here because it's such a vibrant and diverse community, and they want to be involved, and should have that opportunity."

Kleckowski said she has been informed that she will retain her status on the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Al Fresco Additions

Two more restaurants have joined the sidewalk table trend on Main Street. Esca debuted their outdoor seating on Friday, and Fiore's is constructing a planters into their barriers, with tables soon to follow.

Now if it would only stop raining!

From 1909: Antiques and Horribles

This is from the July 5th, 1909 Hartford Courant.  

The phrase Antiques and Horribles appears in a wonderful essay about Town Clerks in Ways to Do Things, by Sarah Orne Jewett, in which she talks about what is important to write down for history, if you were to become a Town Clerk, "You won't care to know that the Fourth of July, 1884, was a pleasant day, but you will care to remind yourself that you were this figure or that in the Antiques and Horribles."

From Notes on Jewett's writing, by Terry Heller:

The Antiques and Horribles was once a common part of the celebration of the American Independence Day on July 4.  It consisted of a procession of masked and costumed figures, often including Uncle Sam, the Yankee cartoon figure dressed in top-hat, stars and stripes often used to graphically represent the United States.  Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910) observes in her essay, "How to Celebrate the Fourth of July":  "Removing to Boston some ten years later, I found the night of the third of July rendered almost sleepless by the shrill gamut of gunpowder discharges. The ringing of bells and the booming of cannon destroyed the last chance of an early morning nap, and in self-defense most people left their beds and went forth to see what could be seen. This was some-times a mock procession of the Antiques and Horribles, so called in parody of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery, so well known in and about Boston." 

More Beautiful Than Fireworks, and Cheaper

After swimming through a downpour from porch to minivan packing food for a family birthday party we got on the road just as the sun broke through the storm clouds. Between the thunder, lightning and eventual rainbow, this was a natural aerial sky display that was well-worth the money spent on it.

Music & Stories on the Radio (Promotional Message)

My guest this Sunday on "N'Shoma" is singer-songwriter-guitarist Lara Herscovitch. Her new CD, "Through a Frozen Midnight Sky", has just been released on her La Rama Records label. Produced by John Jennings (Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tracey Grammer, John Gorka, Janis Ian, Ricky Skaggs), the disc features 12 new original songs plus a lovely take on "Here Comes the Sun."

Currently the Connecticut State Troubadour, Lara performs throughout the country, her songs laced with commentary on social issues, community, and civil rights as well as meditations on personal relationships.

The show airs July 5 from 11 a.m. - 12 noon on WMRD-AM 1150 (Middletown) and WLIS-AM 1420 (Old Saybrook - sorry, no streaming audio.) To learn more about Lara Herscovitch, go to www.laraherscovitch.com.

Wet Friday

Friday brought a torrent of rain onto our city, causing some mild flooding along streets and small streams.  A total of 1.07 inches fell on Friday, and so far in the month of July we have had 2.22 inches.  The average monthly rainfall in July is 2.91 inches, so the rest of July will be dry, right?

When we went outside yesterday evening, to see what havoc the rain had wrought, we found grapes and fruit trees under 6 inches of rapidly flowing water, tomato plants washed away, and some of our precious topsoil eroded.  

But we also found bright sunshine, and irresistible splashing opportunities. 

 

Lost Bird

Click on the photo to read all the details.