The Central Connecticut Labor Council endorsed Councilman Dan Drew for Mayor. The Central Connecticut Labor council is an affiliated group of multiple AFL-CIO member unions. The endorsement came after all three candidates simultaneously interviewed on August 1st.
Ron Frost, president of of the Labor Council, said that Drew sought their endorsement, "We were reached out to by Dan." Frost said that it was very important for his group to get all of the candidates in the same room for a simultaneous interview. Drew was joined by incumbent Sebastian Giuliano, and primary/independent challenger Christine Bourne, in fielding questions from any members of the Labor Council who could attend. He said the questions were selected at random, and focused on issues of importance to labor, such as the city's unused property in Middletown, and the plans for using union labor.
Frost said each candidate was told to take about 5 minutes. Christine Bourne was first, and she used 3-4 minutes. Giuliano fielded similar questions and took over 10 minutes. When Drew spoke, Frost said the mayor was unable to refrain from speaking up with corrections, and he had to remind him that the forum was not a debate.
The vote by the assembled members was unanimously in favor of Drew, and was based solely on the interview, "We went on what was said before us."
"Dan was the one who really backed everything we were looking at."
Drew was very pleased, “I am honored to have earned the Labor Council’s endorsement because they’re interested in improving life for our middle class families. That means working every day on creating well-paying jobs with good benefits and it means working everyday on easing the tax burden.”
Friday, August 26, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Storm's A' Comin'
Someone asked me today if I am prepared for the expected hurricane and if I have my emergency kit ready. I was about to say, well, I know right where my wind-up flashlight is and I think there are a few beers in my fridge, how's that for prepared? And my spouse jumped in saying, "We used up all our emergency supplies in the earthquake." His sarcasm highlighted the idea that it just seems so unlikely that any natural disaster could hit us here in Middletown and have us really pulling out those kits. There is sometimes a fine line between confident preparedness and falling for the hype, working yourself up into a ball of anxiety about "what if." I do my best to strike a healthy balance, and feel like I'm not too concerned about it, and will deal with whatever I need to at the time if anything happens.
The City of Middletown does have something official to say about it. Their statement is below:
Contact: Louis Carta
Phone: 860- 344-3482
August 25, 2011
Cell: 860-398-1824
CITY READIES FOR HURRICANE
Planning Underway To Respond To Storm Damage
Middletown — Mayor Sebastian Giuliano said that the city is gearing up to deal with the impending arrival of Hurricane Irene in the next few days.
The Mayor reported that his office has been working with emergency management services, police, fire, health and other departments on ways to respond to any potential problems that may arise from the storm and its remnants. However, Giuliano suggested that residents take the advice of the American Red Cross and begin making their own storm-preparation plans.
The Red Cross recommends the following
Have a three-day supply of water for every household member (one gallon per person, per day) on-hand along with food which doesn’t require refrigeration, flashlights, a battery-operated radio and a first aid kit.
Have several days of any prescriptions that you or family members are taking.
Have extra food and medications for pets.
Bring items inside which may be carried by the wind.
Turn off propane tanks and unplug small appliances.
Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest settings as the storm approaches so that food will last longer if the power goes out.
Fill your vehicles gas tank.
Close windows, doors and shutters during high winds. Consider boarding windows and doors with plywood.
The police and fire departments warned residents to avoid coming in contact with downed power lines.
Residents affected by the storm are asked not to call 911 unless there is a police, fire, or medical emergency or are in eminent danger.
Mayor Giuliano said that additional information, including possible shelter openings, will be forth-coming and available through the media as well as on the city’s website @
Farmers Market - this Friday!
Hey all! Hope you can make it down to the market this Friday - it should be a great time. Call NEAT for more info (860 346 4845) or visit our website, www.northendfarmersmarket.org.
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Too Dumb To Steal
Fred Carroll just may be the most accessible candidate for political office in Middletown these days. It's easy to find him in Klekolo World Coffee on Court Street, and he's usually ready for conversation. He is known for his cartoons, his advocacy of homelessness, and his loathing of litter. He created and for three years championed a program called Bums With Brooms, which he recently publicly announced his retirement from, for reasons he explains in this Patch article.
Fred has moved onto new endeavors, most notably running for a seat on the City of Middletown's Common Council with the Realistic Balance Party. He explained to me that “we have no budget and I won't be soliciting nor even accepting any campaign contributions, so I have to access all the free media possible if I want to have any chance of getting elected.” I asked Fred a few questions about his candidacy:
KS: Until recently, many people may not have even heard of the Realistic Balance Party. That combined with the fact that you don't look anything like a politician has me asking, do you honestly think that you have a “realistic” chance of getting elected, or is this just yet another, what's it called? “Issue Campaign”?
FC: No, I do not honestly think that I will get elected to the Common Council, but bear in mind that “long shots” do happen, both in sports and in politics. And as far as this being an “issue campaign”, I'd be nothing but flattered to have what I'm doing called an issue campaign as opposed to merely a vanity campaign.
KS: Speaking of vanity, are those women's pants you're wearing?
FC: Good eye Swartz, yes they are.
KS: What's up with that?
FC: To get the fit I like I have to get my pants from the women's department.
KS: Are you wearing any other articles of women's clothing besides pants?
FC: Nope, just the pants.
KS: On a more serious note, what are your campaign issues?
FC: Well, I'm arguably at least half an expert on what I call urban homelessness. And I think that I have some good ideas about how to deal with the indigents, transients, and idiots.
KS: You have a plan for dealing with, as you call them, idiots?
FC: I don't necessarily have a plan for anything. What I do have are some ideas, which I am certain might be valuable. I have a lot to say about any number of issues, and I will not be afraid to bring my ideas to the Council. Isn't this interview just for introductory purposes and not necessarily for spelling out all the details?
KS: No, I think that voters would like some details, but we can leave those for a later time if you prefer. So barring going into the details, let's get right to the point. Why should any Eye reader vote for you or even take your candidacy seriously?
FC: Well, during the time I've been in Middletown, which is some part of ten years now, I've always had people suggesting that I run for office. They would say things like, “Why don't you run for Mayor, Fred?” And I would always say “Because I'm an idiot, and you wouldn't want me as Mayor.” But people kept saying it, so...
KS: Then why are you running for Council and not Mayor?
FC: Well, we want to be at least slightly “realistic” here. And also I mad support the current Mayor Sebastian Giuliano.
KS: When you say 'mad' you mean 'very much', correct?
FC: You got it Swartz.
KS: My final question is, do you have a campaign slogan?
FC: Yes I do. My campaign slogan is “I'm too dumb to do any serious stealing.”
KS: Well, good luck with all that.
FC: Thanks.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Winners of the Kiwanis Scholarship Golf Tournament
The Golf Tournament, held Tuesday at Lyman Orchard Golf Course to benefit the Middletown Kiwanis Scholarship fund. Congratulations to all who participated.
Winners are as follows:
1st Place
Bob Satagaj
Chris Cleland
Jerry Salva
Art Gallant
2nd Place:
Gary Ouellette
Brian Ouellette
Gary Faraci
Frank Kaschak
Bob Satagaj
Chris Cleland
Jerry Salva
Art Gallant
2nd Place:
Gary Ouellette
Brian Ouellette
Gary Faraci
Frank Kaschak
Reduce Home Energy Costs
(You’ve already paid for Home Energy Services through a charge on your utility bill. Now get the benefit!)
This is an excellent time to take advantage of subsidized home energy services offered to residents through the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund. Your participation will save you money (approximately $250 per year), help reduce our whole society’s consumption of fossil fuels, and also help the Jonah Center.
Here is a link to a video describing this service http://www.ctenergyinfo.com/dpuc_home_energy_solutions.htm
To obtain this service through the Jonah Center, just go to our website and send us a message by clicking http://www.thejonahcenter.org/mailform.php Write “home energy” and we’ll get the necessary information from you.
Dunk A Drummer
submitted by Jennifer Hawkins, photos by Jennifer Hawkins
The Middletown High School Music Department presents the first Vendor and Crafts Fair on Saturday August 27 and with it comes the rare opportunity to drop a teacher - or one of this year's five Drum Majors - into a dunking tank.
The first MHS Band booster festival takes place this Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the high school parking lot. Plan for a full day of family fun with carnival games, a moon bounce, spin art, and a special appearance from the Hartford Whalers Mascot. Dozens of vendors and crafters will be participating with great food, crafts, sports and art.
The High School Music Department, under the direction of Marco Gaylord, has boasted a marching band comprised of nearly two hundred students, a jazz band, wind ensemble, chorus, a strings program and concert band. Each year the students have a challenging array of programs and activities including Middletown High School Goes to the Bushnell and the biannual trip to showcase at Disneyland in Orlando or compete in Virginia Beach. The rigorous music programs offered have become shining examples of what can be achieved in the arts in public education as well as being a transformative experience for the student participants. Through events like the festival, the Band Booster volunteers raise money to help keep the music programs vital and growing.
MHS teacher Mr. McKeever will be the first of his peers to risk the dunking chair and others may follow. Drum Major Anthony Kipphut has said he is willing to represent his fellow drum majors with a turn above the tank as well. The 2011- 2012 drum majors, Mike Cho, Francis Moua, Andrew Satterberg, Reba Stanley and Anthony Kupphut, will be joined by other band members who will help run specialty booths including a bottle drive drop-off site for all those willing to bring their returnable cans and bottles to the fair. Other young musicians will be running a car wash at the side of the festival site.
The Middletown High School Jazz Band will perform, Stage Left Dance will be showcasing and there will be chances to enter the raffles for gift bags and more.
Attending vendors include Tastefully Simple, Lyric Hill Farm, Gourmet Cupboard, DeLovelies Bakery, Whey Station, Quilters Haven, Stained Glass Creations, Grand Slam Sports, Madison Handbags, Creative Memories, Custom Hoops by Beth, Celebrating Homes and Dan Kline Wire Sculpture and nearly forty more.
The Vendor and Craft Fair will be held outside the Middletown High School at 200 LaRosa Lane in Middletown from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 27. For more vendor lists and other details, visit FOOD FUN FESTIVITIES! MHS Band Vendor & Craft Fair on Facebook HERE
Senior and Drum Major Reba Stanley has taken the "who me?" approach to the dunk tank. Here she is with Senior and Drum Major Mike Cho.
MHS Seniors and Drum Majors Andrew Satterberg and Francis Moua weigh their options.
MHS Senior and Drum Major Anthony Kipphut is the first to volunteer for Saturday's dunk tank.
The 2011- 2012 Drum Majors, left to right: Andrew Satterberg, Anthony Kipphut, Mike Cho, Reba Stanley and Francis Moua.
Wednesday Food: Hazelnut Biscotti
Perhaps in an attempt to connect with our meager (but still present) Italian roots, or perhaps due to our love of (multiple) oversize cappuchinos every morning, biscotti have long been present in my house; you can always find some tucked away in a tin, where they have usually been residing for several months. Luckily though, properly made biscotti do have a shelf life of "several months" (although with the heat and humidity Middletown has experienced in the past month, I might be a little more than hesitant about biting so eagerly into a June biscotti). Their ability to keep so well may be the reason they have taken root in America and across the world; sailors took them with them wherever they went. Thus the biscotti has spread from its native homeland with such success, you can find them in all shapes and forms from Paris to Eugene, OR. Every coffee shop has their own variation-dipped in chocolate, studded with candied fruit, glazed with a simple syrup-the possibilities are endless. 
This artisanal cookie can be made with minimal work and is sure to bring praise from all whom you share it with. The key is to make sure you let the log cool completely before cutting (to ensure it doesn't crumble) and to not skimp on the cooking time for the actual cookies; they need this time to dry out and harden into dippable pieces of goodness. I found it useful to cook the logs in the evening, let them cool overnight, and slice and cook in the morning; giving you warm, crisp cookies just in time for your coffee. This recipe I found on the wonderful and entertaining food blog Smitten Kitchen, but I went back to the original source (Bon Appétit) and tweaked it a little bit. (see more for recipe)
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The Last from The Pencil?
Disclaimer: This is a commentary. I trust as a reader you should be able to tell, in this post I am bias. But this is my commentary & cartoon, not necessarily an opinion supported by the rest of the bloggers of the Eye.
Today I realized the irony of doing a political cartoon in response Ed McKeon’s blog commentary regarding the underlying fear some citizens might have signing petitions in regards to retribution, which I understand are now on a public record, which were publicized & therefore polarized by the Democratic Town Committee’s recent press release, and then in not signing my name for the fear of the same type of retribution and public ridicule.
I agree with Ed McKeon’s take on the situation 100%. I like Ed, I consider him a friend. Ed is a Democratic candidate for Board of Education, and I am candidate for Planning & Zoning Commission being endorsed by the Middletown Republican Town Committee & The Realistic Balance Party. My mom Linda is running as a Republican for Common Council. I was registered Independent up until 4 months ago, when I decided to run, and chose to join MRTC. I am a social liberal, and a fiscal conservative, and have the education, background, and potential to be a great P&Z Commissioner. All other details about me you can Google on your own or read in my bio.
I chose to join MRTC and endorse its candidates because I like them; I like Mayor Giuliano, I like the other candidates and what they have to say. I 100% support them. Most days, I like my mom too, and what she has to say isn’t all that bad either. She and I do share the same opinions on many issues, but the cord was cut 27 years ago, and we have been two separate individuals with separate viewpoints since. I like the local Republicans more than the local Democrats, and I want to see them all elected. In the future we may disagree & have different opinions, but what I like most about the MRTC candidates is that they listen to others & explain themselves. Should I disagree with them in the future, I know they will afford me time to share my views, and I hear theirs.
I did not ask MRTC or the mayor to do cartoons for the Eye, or vice versus. The cartoons are 100% mine and mine alone. No proofing, no editing. I would not be a part of any political group where I would have to ask permission to be myself and voice my thoughts.
I’ve written tidbits here and there since the inception of the Eye. I wrote for many years under an alias because my mother works for the City and she and I feared retaliation at our jobs & in our personal lives for me voicing an opinion about anything for that matter so publically. We both have experienced retribution. I used an alias to publish all the past cartoons by “The Pencil” as well, for this same fear. Retaliation. Ridicule. My opinions being questioned. Mean comments.
I have 6 years of architectural schooling behind me. In architecture school we are taught that design decisions you make impact real lives. A fundamental principle of good design is that “form follows function.” There is more to this term, ( having to do with superfluous design elements), but one basic crude interpretation is that whatever design decisions you make you better have a reason to back it up. This is to prepare for the real world where you will be presenting to town building committees, fickle clients, and dealing with construction workers who will question every move you make. We are trained to take immense amount of criticism, and endure rigorous self-objectivity. I can honestly say all the writing & cartooning I have done on the Eye I have had a reason for and felt good about it. At the time I wrote or drew whatever I did, I made the best decision I could make, and each instance was done deliberately and I can stand behind it. I make no apologies, I meant not to deceive, but I honestly I felt anonymity added to the thought provoking discussion I was hoping to inspire.
Have I had regrets? I regret my written stance on “Food Not Bombs,” three years later, I understand things better today and see how this is a positive movement, I wrote against this group. I didn’t realize this until I asked the right people the right questions, and made an effort to shut-up, listen to facts, and educate myself before taking a stance.
And now when I take a stance, I remember what I was taught- “form follows function” and I always make sure I have a reasoning behind my decisions & opinions. I ask myself what exactly am I afraid of from now on signing my cartoons? I realize I will encounter the ridicule I fear. I understand that I may offend people, and in turn they will criticize me and offend me. Perhaps down the line these cartoons etched in digital history or running for a political office will cost me career opportunities or friends, I just don’t know.
As a candidate, a cartoonist, a blogger, a citizen, everything I am, I have to be myself. My opinion is just as good as anyone else’s. The cartoons are meant to get Middletown residents thinking and to formulate opinions. They are meant to be a self-critical look at ourselves. The criticism & ridicule will always be there, but blows to my ego and hurt feelings are minuscule sacrifices in comparison to living a life of non-action because of fear. I have seen this apathetic attitude for years in Middletown, displayed by both certain elected officials and citizens alike. Unless people speak up, we will all be stuck in place forever, and Middletown cannot grow.
I can promise as a candidate, if elected, I will educate myself with the relevant information of the issue at hand, I will shut-up and listen to people around me who might know more than me on a particular subject. If my opinions change on a certain issue, the public can rest assured it is not because of weakness, but because it is what turns out to be the right thing to do. I will exercise the best judgment my education has afforded me. I will ask the so-called “stupid” questions others are afraid to ask, and make sure everyone in the room with me, or for that matter the City- understands the implications of our decisions on the generations that will inherit Middletown. I will also respect the interests of the generations whom came before me. I am young, I have a lot to learn no doubt, but my learning will not be at the expense of Middletown’s best interest. I will own my opinions, decisions, and make the best decisions I can. No one is harder on me than myself, because that’s what I was to taught to do. If I do not have enough information to do so, I will not be lazy, subservient, or acquiesce to political pressures, I will get off my ass and get answers because that is what I was trained to do. That being said, I am ready to stand up for Middletown’s needs. I won’t be a bystander in the political arena, I will open my mouth and not shut-up for fear of ridicule, criticism, and retribution; hopefully, in doing so lead by example.
Off Topic
An earthquake is reported to have hit the Virginia / Washington D.C. area just before 2 p.m.and reports of feeling the tremors are coming in from areas near Hartford. Extent of damage and more details are not yet known. Have any Eye readers felt anything around Middletown or have any experiences to share about this?
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