Submitted by Valeka Clarke
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Friday, October 25, 2019
Conservation District to Hold 72nd Annual Meeting at Lyman Orchards, Saturday, November 2
We
invite you to join the Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District on November 2, 2019 at 1pm for our 72nd Annual Meeting at Lyman Orchards in Middlefield. The meeting will feature a
talk and tour about our project, Landscaping for Water Quality at Apple Barrel Pond,
led by Kathy Connolly of Speaking of Landscapes. Learn about the
waterside buffer gardens, upland plantings, water plantings, and
pervious paving designed to protect the pond.
Lyman Orchards is a family owned and operated orchard offering a variety of seasonal pick-your-own fruits, a farm market and bakery, a corn maze, and other family friendly activities and events. Founded on a commitment to preserve the land for future generations, it has been in operation for over 275 years. The farm had its beginnings in 1741 as a 37-acre parcel of land and now includes more than 1,100 acres of scenic farmland.
Lyman Orchards is a family owned and operated orchard offering a variety of seasonal pick-your-own fruits, a farm market and bakery, a corn maze, and other family friendly activities and events. Founded on a commitment to preserve the land for future generations, it has been in operation for over 275 years. The farm had its beginnings in 1741 as a 37-acre parcel of land and now includes more than 1,100 acres of scenic farmland.
Prior
to the talk and tour, we'll hold a brief business meeting, a review of
the past year’s activities and accomplishments, and a ceremony to honor
our conservation award winners. After the tour, there will be time to
enjoy refreshments and conversation, as well as other activities at
Lyman Orchards. Bring your family and go apple picking, try your hand
at the apple cannon, or navigate the corn maze, which will be open for
its final weekend of the year!
Help us congratulate our 2019 Conservation Award Winners!
Denise Savageau, CT Association of Conservation Districts
John Lyman, Lyman Orchards
Rhode van Gessel, Rhode van Gessel Design
Westbrook Outlets
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For more information, go to "What's New" on the homepage of our website.
RSVP to Sandy Weiss at 860.346.3282 or ctrivercoastal@conservect.org.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Self-described Giuliano "District 1 Captain" Makes Facebook Post Falsely Accusing Florsheim Treasurer for the Second Time
 |
| (click to enlarge) . |
Diana Martinez is Ben Florsheim's campaign treasurer. She has no criminal record.
The owner of the Facebook page where Perkins posted the meme immediately deleted the first post, only to have Perkins post it again, and have it deleted once more by the page owner.
Perkins has been posting dozens of negative, derogatory memes about the Florsheim campaign on Facebook for weeks.
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| Perkins claims he is a Giuliano District Captain on Facebook. (click to enlarge) |
D'Ambrose posed a rhetorical question in the Facebook post suggesting Martinez had been arrested for Criminal Mischief and included a docket number for the arrest and case.
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| Original D'Ambrose post. (click to enlarge) |
D'Ambrose's company has been paid more than $11,000 for work done on behalf of the the Republican candidate Guiliano's campaign for mayor, and for the Republican slate's campaign.
D'Ambrose has claimed that he is a volunteer and has not been paid for work done on behalf of the campaign.
Following the original post, Ben Florsheim's campaign demanded an apology from D'Ambrose and Giuliano.
In a Middletown Press article, D'Ambrose dismissed charges that he had defamed Martinez.
'“I commented as a private citizen. That’s obvious. It’s a nonissue. As a voting citizen of Middletown, I asked a question about Diana. She’s in a public position. There were no accusations made,” he said.'
Unlike candidates themselves and elected officials, campaign treasurers are not typically considered "public figures" and have more legal protection against libel.
According to the Middletown Press, Giuliano dismissed the original post saying that D'Ambrose posted as an individual and that, though he was hired by the Giuliano campaign, he had not surrendered his individual free speech rights.
Neither D'Ambrose, nor Giuliano have apologized to Martinez or to the Florsheim campaign.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Opinion: Let’s Create More Interesting & Useful Forums
Submitted by Catherine Johnson, she is an architect and is trained as a town planner. Johnson is a 2019 Democratic candidate for Planning and Zoning.
--------------------
I personally want to thank the 4 candidates who weren’t able to come to last Thursday night’s candidate forum, for sparing us additional torture. Stephen’s summary (Oct 18) was kind, but note his efficiency in summarizing 16 people’s responses from almost 2 hours into 3 sentences. The answers were repetitive and so dull, I wanted to chew my arm off and knock myself unconscious. Save for one candidate who delighted throughout, I felt trapped in a reoccurring loop of “education, taxes, and riverfront.”
I ask the 4 missing candidates to send me their would-be answers and, if found interesting, they’ll each have my vote.
I would take this Forum of Dullness as a danger sign. In two hours, no one mentioned even a single syllable of any other aspect of town outside of the riverfront and the lights on the highway - one mentioned Main St, but barely. One did say something about how some residents wanted stores. Though hosted by school groups, the questions were really more for P&Z candidates: why ask candidates for common council how to remove a traffic light? I think a better format than everyone answering the same question would have helped.
No candidate suggested any strategies that left an impression. For all the mentions of taxes, no one gave a solid example of where, how, or what type of development brings in the biggest bang for our infrastructure buck. It made me realize the reason we’ve languished is that we -both our leaders and citizens - don’t have a picture of what sustainable development looks like or where it should go. It’s time we educated ourselves about what kind of development we should be encouraging and how we can build these places ourselves. No magical developer is going to swoop into town and make it happen. Small incremental development is how we turn trouble spots around. I would love to see a city-wide discussion about how we can start investing ourselves and also ways we can capture and build on our local economy by starting new businesses.
Regarding the highway, the lights aren’t really the issue. Stop talking about lights. The real question is, how to mend the damage from putting a highway between our city and the river? We must develop the vision ourselves. The DOT has no Michelangelo they’re keeping hidden. And enough with “pedestrian bridge” over Route 9 already. Let’s not perpetuate bad ideas any longer. This idea was fleshed out during the riverfront study (2013) and found to be both unnecessary and undesirable. There are far more elegant ways to connect to the river. How this idea continues to live on, I don’t know. Perhaps I need to sharpen the silver stake I keep handy this time of year?
What I found deeply strange was that no one talked about making Middletown more livable: improving neighborhoods, encouraging local retail, expanding transit. Why aren’t we taking advantage of our ideal position within the state by linking up to everything around us? Middletown is a very affordable place to live. What we need is connecting ourselves to the larger employment centers around us. If we don’t start to build a broader transit network, we’ll lose another generation of kids who come back from college and have to move elsewhere.
Making room for new people and new ideas
The last thing the forum got me thinking about was, how can we involve more people in making decisions about how to make life better in Middletown? Is the common council the only way to serve? Why aren’t we preparing more people for civic service? Notice that I didn’t say “politics.”
If you have served on a committee or the council for 10 years, perhaps you can give another person a chance and steward someone younger than you? Are people not useful unless they have a title? One exception: professionals who serve. Accountants on budget committees and engineers on public works commissions are good people to have.
How about we start by showing people what is done on committees and think about ways to innovate? Could we make the municipal process more efficient by having shorter meetings? The Queen has people stand at meetings just for this reason - she stands too. Can we connect to citizens better? How about shopping new ideas by having presentations at pop-up beer gardens instead of in Room 208? Can we brainstorm about growing commerce by giving away free use of a storefront for a year? Maybe we can revive the newspaper by paying the salary of a journalist to report on city meetings? We aren’t able to having robust conversations because we don’t have a common set of information. How about turning around a part of the city with experimental zones and moveable structures to inject activity?
Highlight comments
Pick a question out of a hat. My three would be:
Let’s follow the classic boy/girl mixed seating at dinner parties, by alternating Dem-Repub-Dem-Repub. No sitting next to your buddy.
If someone has already given your answer, say something else. The goal is to get the most ideas out in the air.
If you don't actually answer the question, you have to leave the stage. Bombasts will get special punishment after the event. I suggest the pillory.
Describe 3 ideas citizens mentioned when you went door-to-door, that no else has mentioned.
Brief personal credentials will be listed on a group handout and projected on the screen at beginning and end. Let’s use the time together instead to hear ideas.
Dare to give one radical idea for growing commerce, turning around a part of the city, or connecting more citizens with civic service (etc).
Bravo
Finally, I must commend one candidate, Jon Pulino, for an absolutely delightful set of responses. He both informed and entertained. Most memorable was his description of the importance of a master plan for everything, including your house - which your wife may not know about. I only wish I had some idea of where he worked
--------------------
I personally want to thank the 4 candidates who weren’t able to come to last Thursday night’s candidate forum, for sparing us additional torture. Stephen’s summary (Oct 18) was kind, but note his efficiency in summarizing 16 people’s responses from almost 2 hours into 3 sentences. The answers were repetitive and so dull, I wanted to chew my arm off and knock myself unconscious. Save for one candidate who delighted throughout, I felt trapped in a reoccurring loop of “education, taxes, and riverfront.”
I ask the 4 missing candidates to send me their would-be answers and, if found interesting, they’ll each have my vote.
I would take this Forum of Dullness as a danger sign. In two hours, no one mentioned even a single syllable of any other aspect of town outside of the riverfront and the lights on the highway - one mentioned Main St, but barely. One did say something about how some residents wanted stores. Though hosted by school groups, the questions were really more for P&Z candidates: why ask candidates for common council how to remove a traffic light? I think a better format than everyone answering the same question would have helped.
No candidate suggested any strategies that left an impression. For all the mentions of taxes, no one gave a solid example of where, how, or what type of development brings in the biggest bang for our infrastructure buck. It made me realize the reason we’ve languished is that we -both our leaders and citizens - don’t have a picture of what sustainable development looks like or where it should go. It’s time we educated ourselves about what kind of development we should be encouraging and how we can build these places ourselves. No magical developer is going to swoop into town and make it happen. Small incremental development is how we turn trouble spots around. I would love to see a city-wide discussion about how we can start investing ourselves and also ways we can capture and build on our local economy by starting new businesses.
Regarding the highway, the lights aren’t really the issue. Stop talking about lights. The real question is, how to mend the damage from putting a highway between our city and the river? We must develop the vision ourselves. The DOT has no Michelangelo they’re keeping hidden. And enough with “pedestrian bridge” over Route 9 already. Let’s not perpetuate bad ideas any longer. This idea was fleshed out during the riverfront study (2013) and found to be both unnecessary and undesirable. There are far more elegant ways to connect to the river. How this idea continues to live on, I don’t know. Perhaps I need to sharpen the silver stake I keep handy this time of year?
What I found deeply strange was that no one talked about making Middletown more livable: improving neighborhoods, encouraging local retail, expanding transit. Why aren’t we taking advantage of our ideal position within the state by linking up to everything around us? Middletown is a very affordable place to live. What we need is connecting ourselves to the larger employment centers around us. If we don’t start to build a broader transit network, we’ll lose another generation of kids who come back from college and have to move elsewhere.
Making room for new people and new ideas
The last thing the forum got me thinking about was, how can we involve more people in making decisions about how to make life better in Middletown? Is the common council the only way to serve? Why aren’t we preparing more people for civic service? Notice that I didn’t say “politics.”
If you have served on a committee or the council for 10 years, perhaps you can give another person a chance and steward someone younger than you? Are people not useful unless they have a title? One exception: professionals who serve. Accountants on budget committees and engineers on public works commissions are good people to have.
How about we start by showing people what is done on committees and think about ways to innovate? Could we make the municipal process more efficient by having shorter meetings? The Queen has people stand at meetings just for this reason - she stands too. Can we connect to citizens better? How about shopping new ideas by having presentations at pop-up beer gardens instead of in Room 208? Can we brainstorm about growing commerce by giving away free use of a storefront for a year? Maybe we can revive the newspaper by paying the salary of a journalist to report on city meetings? We aren’t able to having robust conversations because we don’t have a common set of information. How about turning around a part of the city with experimental zones and moveable structures to inject activity?
Highlight comments
- Vinny: The lights on Route 9 are there because we wanted them. It made people stop and notice our downtown. We may want something different now, but they are there because we made that happen.
- Gene: I’m wondering if the restaurant on the riverfront the best use of that property now?
- Hope: Let’s educate people for all kinds of skills.
- Phil: On summer weekends, there were beach umbrellas all over the Portland side of the river.
- Jon: People mention a [big box store], but they don’t understand the land use implications.
- Matt: I see new buildings going up around town, but the tax rate is not affected.
Pick a question out of a hat. My three would be:
- Have you ever gotten to work without your own car?
- Describe a place you’ve lived and loved, and why.
- How would you mentor someone for a city committee?
Let’s follow the classic boy/girl mixed seating at dinner parties, by alternating Dem-Repub-Dem-Repub. No sitting next to your buddy.
If someone has already given your answer, say something else. The goal is to get the most ideas out in the air.
If you don't actually answer the question, you have to leave the stage. Bombasts will get special punishment after the event. I suggest the pillory.
Describe 3 ideas citizens mentioned when you went door-to-door, that no else has mentioned.
Brief personal credentials will be listed on a group handout and projected on the screen at beginning and end. Let’s use the time together instead to hear ideas.
Dare to give one radical idea for growing commerce, turning around a part of the city, or connecting more citizens with civic service (etc).
Bravo
Finally, I must commend one candidate, Jon Pulino, for an absolutely delightful set of responses. He both informed and entertained. Most memorable was his description of the importance of a master plan for everything, including your house - which your wife may not know about. I only wish I had some idea of where he worked
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Home Energy Solutions (HES) program fee reduction!
The long-standing HES program is currently offering a reduced fee for the service. Normally $149, the current fee through the end of the year, first come, first served, is $75.
Here is a link to a description of the program that
comes through the state energy efficiency fund: https://www.energizect.com/your-home/solutions-list/home-energy-solutions-core-services
You can also access HES and HES-Income Eligible services through the City's CHEER Program.
To
Request a Home Energy Audit through CHEER – fill out the form here:
- Income eligible homes, use this form:
http://eesgogreen.com/hes-income-eligible/
- Or call 860-580-9076
Now is a great time to take another step at energy
efficiency for your home! If you have had this service in the past, you may be
eligible for another visit. Please check for details on the website or call 860-580-9076.
Posted by Michael Harris, PE, City of Middletown Energy
Coordinator.”
A VOTE FOR BI-PARTISANSHIP (NO, REALLY!!!)
OPINION by Brian Kaskel, a Husband, Father, and RINO who writes what he
thinks and thinks what he writes! The opinions expressed here do not
necessarily reflect the opinions of The Middletown Eye, its contributors, or
the friends of the author, some of whom happen to contribute to The Middletown
Eye.
A couple of years ago, I was called a rhino, which I later
found out was actually an acronym - R.I.N.O. (Republican in Name Only) It was
an obvious attempt by this individual to put me down, but I quickly learned to
embrace the title and wear it as a badge of honor. First, it meant I was recognized as a
registered Republican. (KEEP READING) It
also acknowledged, more importantly, the fact that I was not your typical Republican,
who toes the party line, but one who would buck the system and speak out
against the status quo when necessary.
It also meant that I would not be associated on a national or a local level with “The Party”.
[SIDE BAR] Let me
state that I did not vote for, nor do I support President Trump. I respect the office, not the man –but he is
our President, and we have to deal with that.
Let me also state that just because I did not vote for Trump does not
mean I voted for or supported Secretary Clinton. I did vote; and for whom, it does not matter –
they didn’t win. What matters is, for
the sake of context – like many in the U.S.A., I have been very put off by
politicians and politics in general. A
gentleman who I have a lot of respect for, put it to me this way: “Trump is doing and saying what every ‘real
politician’ wants to do and say – but they don’t have the courage or the
conviction to go through with it.” And
while I agree, with the sentiment, I think it’s fair to say that I hope it isn’t
100% accurate. There is a certain
professional standard we hold our politicians to, we want them to be
“presidential”, for lack of a better word, and we are taken off guard when they
are not. Deep down I am not sure many of
us trust that our politicians are out for anyone else but themselves.
On a local level, I would love to say things are different.
In all actuality I believe they have become more
polarizing. The local town committees? I categorically cannot relate to either one of
them and will not associate with the one affiliated with the party in which I
am registered.
It is easy to get on an anti-trump tirade, it’s only the
extreme right will hate you for it. It
is harder however to stand up to your state and local politicians when we
are the ones who have created an “us vs. them” mentality. I don’t know when we started electing people
who would prefer to fight with their colleagues across the aisle rather than
work with them. Some will say it started
with Obama, others will say it was George W’s second term. All I know is that since I have been paying
attention, I have seen more moments of polarity than clarity. In my opinion, this is unacceptable at the
city level.
Why all this background, grandstanding and professing of
opinions? Because Middletown has a
choice in two weeks and it is not easy one for those of us with strong opinions
and nowhere to place them. We have all
heard the term “lesser of two evils”. What
do we do, when the two people running for Mayor are both rumored and perceived
to be polar opposites? The “far-right”
good ol’ boy with old school/old country connections and a track record that
has either been spun or forgotten, but has a legacy (good or bad), experience
and support of the old guard. Or the
“far-left” progressive kid, wet behind his ears, groomed by a U.S. Senator, with
grand ideas that are fine in theory but may be impossible in practice, supported
by a town committee that ousted a sitting Mayor. (WHICH WAS AWESOME) Those of us who toe the constantly moving
center line are left with…. No one. And
that’s just for Mayor! We have two full
slates of candidates for other seats that need our time, thoughts, and
consideration.
As well as a RINO, I consider myself a “Classical
Conservative” which in today’s landscape would probably be looked at as
slightly left of center. My pride would
want me to say I have been, historically, slightly right of center – but recent
events and current opinions would prove that it’s just not true. I was raised
as a Republican (which is weird to say) but I am also admittedly, much to his
chagrin, not my Father’s Republican. (I prefer CNN to Fox News) That being said
there are certain values that I still favor about the Republican Party. I am a believer in being fiscally responsible,
lowering taxes, reallocating existing funds before increasing budgets, prioritizing
spending on what we can afford, keeping the government small and out of my
wallet, and damn it, they should not tax
my eating and drinking habits! For
the most part I am a big supporter of our military, our police, and our judicial
system. I am ok with your right to own a
firearm but I think we need to adapt the 2nd amendment to today’s
world.
All that said I have a tremendous amount of support for
public education, a woman’s right to govern her own body, a person’s right to
choose how they identify and who they identify with, without the risk of public
opinion. I want the government out of
your bedroom as much as I want them out of mine. I want plastic out of our
rivers and oceans (but I hate paper straws). I understand the needs for hand-ups, while not
being a supporter of handouts. I do not
want $15/hr. minimum wage, but a wage commensurate with the job at hand and
experience of the person (male or female) doing it – and a society that allows for a livable wage
to afford someone to live. This doesn’t
mean a higher wages as much as it means a more affordable cost of living.
You might say, I am a RINO.
You may say I am a classical
conservative.
You may say I am Republican light.
You may say I am conservative “Dem”
or a liberal “R”.
You may say I am a Libertarian.
(“You may say I’m a dreamer” ~ J.
Lennon) Hey! How’d that get in there?
At the end of the day I am a person looking to law makers
and politicians alike, asking for a reason to believe; a reason to think I am
being represented properly. More
importantly I am looking to my fellow voters to vote for the person they truly
feel will represent them and their beliefs whatever they are. Forget party lines. Forget Town Committees. Forget what you read in social media (except
this opinion of course) Forget young or old.
Forget experience or none. Think
about what will affect you the most – who lines up with your true beliefs, the
ones you are too afraid to share with anyone – and vote your conscious. The opposite of “lesser of two evils” is the
person that matches up the best with more of your pros and fewer of your cons.
This opinion is not meant to support any particular candidate,
because quite honestly I haven’t made up my mind yet. (Save a few council votes) This opinion is
meant to implore you, the voter, to think before you vote. There are good people on both sides of the
aisle. Maybe we as a community can see
it within ourselves to bullet vote for people in both parties. Left, Right and Center. And then maybe, just maybe we can actually
get something accomplished for a change.
No one candidate is perfect.
Once the candidates and voters alike realize that, we will be ok.
Middletown Federation of Teachers Hosts Forum for Board of Education Candidates, Thursday October 24
Candidates from both parties have been invited, and audience members can submit questions in advance here.
Other candidate forums include a meet and greet with mayoral candidates Friday, October 25 at 2 PM at the Middletown Senior Center. 61 Durrant Terrace.
Also, the Westfied Residents Association forum will feature all candidates at the Keigwin Middle School Auditorium on Monday, October 28 at 7:30 PM. All 46 candidates for office have been invited to appear.
And the MHS Student Forum, featuring Democratic mayoral candidate Ben Florsheim and Republican mayoral candidate Seb Giuliano, Tuesday October 29, 7:00 PM at the Keigwin Middle School Auditorium.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Senator Chris Murphy Endorses Ben Florsheim and the Democratic Slate
Senator Chris Murphy appeared in Middletown on Friday, October 18 to endorse Ben Florsheim for mayor. Murphy indicated that after working with Florsheim for years, he feels he has the ability and experience needed to fill the position. He also said that a vote for Florsheim and the entire slate, is a vote for preservation of democracy in the face of the attack on our democracy that is being lead by the Trump White House.
Comcast Public Access TV Studio Open House Friday
Submitted by Jessica Forrest, Comcast Public Relations Specialist
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Comcast is opening the doors of its local Public Access TV Studio, located at 199 Shunpike Rd, Cromwell, to residents of Cromwell, East Hampton, Portland, Middlefield and Middletown on Friday, October 25th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm for the studio’s annual open house. Refreshments will be served.
At the open house, residents will be given a tour of the state-of-the-art video production studio, which includes three cameras, an audio console and a character generator for graphics. The equipment will be set up for demonstrations and guests will leave with a basic understanding of television production
During the year, Comcast hosts workshops at the Middletown studio for community residents, local non-profit groups and municipal employees, allowing them to learn the various aspects of television production, including the operation of cameras and other equipment, directing and hosting programs and covering local events and public meetings. Training is also provided on an individual or group basis.
Through the workshops and trainings, attendees will learn to produce, write and tape their own local television programs for local access channel 15. Public access television runs the gamut from government meetings and educational programming to talk shows and youth group activities and sports.
Community members interested in becoming public access television volunteers can register for the workshops at the open house or by calling the studio directly at 860-613-3035.
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Comcast is opening the doors of its local Public Access TV Studio, located at 199 Shunpike Rd, Cromwell, to residents of Cromwell, East Hampton, Portland, Middlefield and Middletown on Friday, October 25th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm for the studio’s annual open house. Refreshments will be served.
At the open house, residents will be given a tour of the state-of-the-art video production studio, which includes three cameras, an audio console and a character generator for graphics. The equipment will be set up for demonstrations and guests will leave with a basic understanding of television production
During the year, Comcast hosts workshops at the Middletown studio for community residents, local non-profit groups and municipal employees, allowing them to learn the various aspects of television production, including the operation of cameras and other equipment, directing and hosting programs and covering local events and public meetings. Training is also provided on an individual or group basis.
Through the workshops and trainings, attendees will learn to produce, write and tape their own local television programs for local access channel 15. Public access television runs the gamut from government meetings and educational programming to talk shows and youth group activities and sports.
Community members interested in becoming public access television volunteers can register for the workshops at the open house or by calling the studio directly at 860-613-3035.
Opinion: Giuliano Not Responsible For Paid Vendor's Work On His Behalf
Submitted by Delice Ferrara
----------------
It is most disheartening when a campaign for public office resorts to accusations of alleged petty wrongdoing. For example, an individual who happens to be designing and supplying campaign materials for Seb Giuliano, queried, on the Middletown Eye, as a private citizen, a question about a Florsheim campaign worker. It appears that the question asked was based on a case of mistaken identity and did not pertain to the individual working for Florsheim. Immediately after this Facebook comment was posted, however, the Florsheim campaign, without proof, accused the Giuliano campaign of orchestrating an effort to defame a political opponent.
Regardless of whether the individual who posted the comment volunteered or acted as a vendor for the Giuliano campaign, they are also a private citizen who has the freedom of speech to post whatever they want on social media at their own discretion. In no way does this prove that this was done at the behest of the Giuliano campaign, in reality, it is just another accusation with no evidence designed to defame an individual, in this case, Mr. Giuliano. Stretching the facts to fit a political narrative moves us down a dangerous path where we will accomplish nothing except for eroding the trust of the voting public.
By promoting this as a news story and publicly demanding an apology, the Florsheim campaign is attempting to have Giuliano apologize for something that was done by a third party acting as a private citizen, and out of his control. For the record, Mr. Giuliano has denied any knowledge of this incident and the individual who posted the comment has also said for the record that this was done at his own sole discretion.
After this entire debacle played out over social media, and also in our local news publications, I found it truly ironic that what the Florsheim campaign is accusing Giuliano’s team of is also happening on social media pages run by Florsheim. An individual posted a comment on a video post published on Florshiem’s Facebook page that accused Seb Giuliano of being a “crook”. Not only is there no factual basis for calling Seb a crook, it appears to rise to the level of slander and is another low blow in the mold of the comment Florsheim’s campaign is crying foul over. Seb has not lowered himself to call out Florsheim’s campaign for this patently false post. He is above engaging in mudslinging and simply wants to focus on the issues that matter for Middletown residents. I find it sad that politics has gotten to this point where, instead of focusing on real issues, we focus on “gotcha” statements and pettiness. They say “if you live in a glass house, don’t throw stones” and it appears the Florsheim’s glass may be cracking a bit if this is what he and his supporters are resorting to less than 3 weeks before the election.
----------------
It is most disheartening when a campaign for public office resorts to accusations of alleged petty wrongdoing. For example, an individual who happens to be designing and supplying campaign materials for Seb Giuliano, queried, on the Middletown Eye, as a private citizen, a question about a Florsheim campaign worker. It appears that the question asked was based on a case of mistaken identity and did not pertain to the individual working for Florsheim. Immediately after this Facebook comment was posted, however, the Florsheim campaign, without proof, accused the Giuliano campaign of orchestrating an effort to defame a political opponent.
Regardless of whether the individual who posted the comment volunteered or acted as a vendor for the Giuliano campaign, they are also a private citizen who has the freedom of speech to post whatever they want on social media at their own discretion. In no way does this prove that this was done at the behest of the Giuliano campaign, in reality, it is just another accusation with no evidence designed to defame an individual, in this case, Mr. Giuliano. Stretching the facts to fit a political narrative moves us down a dangerous path where we will accomplish nothing except for eroding the trust of the voting public.
By promoting this as a news story and publicly demanding an apology, the Florsheim campaign is attempting to have Giuliano apologize for something that was done by a third party acting as a private citizen, and out of his control. For the record, Mr. Giuliano has denied any knowledge of this incident and the individual who posted the comment has also said for the record that this was done at his own sole discretion.
After this entire debacle played out over social media, and also in our local news publications, I found it truly ironic that what the Florsheim campaign is accusing Giuliano’s team of is also happening on social media pages run by Florsheim. An individual posted a comment on a video post published on Florshiem’s Facebook page that accused Seb Giuliano of being a “crook”. Not only is there no factual basis for calling Seb a crook, it appears to rise to the level of slander and is another low blow in the mold of the comment Florsheim’s campaign is crying foul over. Seb has not lowered himself to call out Florsheim’s campaign for this patently false post. He is above engaging in mudslinging and simply wants to focus on the issues that matter for Middletown residents. I find it sad that politics has gotten to this point where, instead of focusing on real issues, we focus on “gotcha” statements and pettiness. They say “if you live in a glass house, don’t throw stones” and it appears the Florsheim’s glass may be cracking a bit if this is what he and his supporters are resorting to less than 3 weeks before the election.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Hike With Middlesex Land Trust Saturday
Submitted by Kathy Blachowski---------------
Join John LeShane at Lower Pine Brook Preserve in East Hampton for a hike on Saturday, October 26th from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Coming from the west, take Route 151 (Moodus Road) past Haddam Neck Road and make a left onto Sexton Hill Road (Please note, this is NOT the Sexton Hill Road off of Young Street ). Parking is on the left."
The Lower Pine Brook Preserve is a 62.29-acre preserve that was acquired by the Middlesex Land Trust in 2010 and 2014, and consists of three adjacent parcels. The property is densely wooded with its namesake, Pine Brook, flowing along the southwestern boundary of the Preserve.
Please wear sturdy boots or sneakers, and bring snacks and water as desired. Kids are welcome, as are dogs on leash. Downpours or storms will cancel the hike – check our Facebook page or website for updates. Please call the Middlesex Land Trust at (860) 343-7537 or send an email to info@middlesexlandtrust.org for more information, or to let us know that you plan on attending – although you are welcome to attend without advance notice.
One more hike is planned in 2019 at our Brainerd Quarry Preserve in Haddam Neck. Check our website again soon for more details.
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