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Saturday, February 28, 2015

COMING THIS WEEK

It was only $2.5 million dollars  but apparently the City of Hartford didn't see it important to be reimbursed for storm damage costs  and allowed it to slip through their fingers by not properly submitting the paperwork. Despite warnings from the State of Connecticut and FEMA  that they had done the paperwork wrong. The e-mails and documents later this week.

Shouldn't a City of Hartford employee that volunteers to represent their country through Military service be able to think that they will be treated fairly if they qualify for a promotion while they are fighting in another Country. Only to find out when they return that they are being passed over again for the same position they qualified for? Add insult to injury when the Department head making the decision is also a military veteran and should know better under Federal Law.

SOME CRIMES NEVER DESERVE PAROLE

I don't often write about issues outside of Hartford, but I think this one needs to be said. I often think the treatment of criminals has lost sight of our victims, The number of convicted felons arrested with guns after shooting or killing another victim is a problem. I think our courts have become far too liberal  and are more concerned for the criminal, even when they are convicted felons and have no problem carrying an illegal weapon and using it to kill or injure their next victim.

But one case has just forced me to speak out.

When felon Gary Castonguay shot and killed his last victim I was still a senior in High School in 1977.  I don't remember that case, but from accounts I have read.Castonguay  shot and killed 33 year old Plainville Police Officer Robert Holcomb as he attempted to flee from a Burglary he had just committed. From accounts, Castonguay shot Holcomb at least three times in the chest at close range, ending his life.

Castonguay has now applied for Parole and for reasons that boggle my mind, the Board initially honored Castonguay's request and granted him a Parole Date for later this year. It appeared there were several bureaucratic screw-ups and now that request is under review and being reconsidered. Two of the major mistakes were that due to the age of the case, some of Officer Holcomb's  who normally showed up at the hearings to oppose parole have passed away and no family members were notified of the upcoming hearing. Apparently the State's Attorney's Office also wasn't notified to oppose the request..

Aside from the mistakes though, I have to wonder what would  run through the mind of any Parole Board member that could have a killer sitting before them knowing that the man had fired several bullets into the chest of a police Officer entrusted to protect or communities, cold blooded killing him and taking him and his life away from his family/. And then making the decision that cold blooded killer sitting before you should get a taste of freedom again. I could care less if he was 80 years old and on a respirator, any convicted cop killer does not deserve to get a taste of freedom again, no matter what.

I know there are issues with the way some communities think of law enforcement, but Police Officers are the basic foundation of order in our communities, and anyone that clearly takes the life of a police officer  deserves life behind bars with no opportunity for parole.  I would further say that Death would be a suitable option for anyone that kills a Police Officer in the commission of a crime, but we all know what our Legislature did with that.

In the meantime, Castonguay needs to be guaranteed that his last breath will be taken from the stale air inside a maximum security prison. His actions demand that  and no panel of  liberal reformists should be able to change that. I am not sure if the DOC keeps a list, but I for one would be willing to volunteer as a pall bearer to carry Castonguay and his casket out of the prison when he takes his last breath. I think that's all we owe to his memory and definitely not one day of freedom.

You can read more on this from Kevin Rennie's column in the Courant

**I Intend to be very tight on comments submitted on this post so please keep it respectful to Officer Holcombs memory

UPDATE- on Sunday a reader posted the following comment, I support sending your thoughts and comments to the Parole Board as well as the Governors Office, and calling also.
.
"The new hearing is set for March 25. Flood the Parole Board with letters opposing the parole decision:
Governor Malloy's Office- 860-566-4840

http://www.ct.gov/bopp/lib/bopp/Castonguay_Notice_3_25_15.pdf "

iS IT TIME FOR MORE MORE INCOMPETENCE HEARINGS?

The Hartford City Council is preparing to head down a dangerous and costly path for the the people they were elected to protect and represent. Over the last several weeks, the Council has explored and started moving toward removing Hartford's 3 Registrars of Voters based on charges of incompetence.. These charges resulted from the handling of the November election where polling places were unprepared to allow voters to cast their ballots when the polls opened at 6 :00am.

I think there are many charges of incompetence to go around, including against Mayor Segarra, and every member of the Hartford City Council, including Council President Shawn Wooden who appears to have been one of the most vocal and indignant critics of the Registrars, especially  when the red light of a TV camera turns on in front of him.

I think some of the blame can also be spread out to Connecticut's Secretary of State Denise Merrill who has also not become a vocal critic of Hartford's Registrars in an attempt to scrap the entire system.

If Segarra and Wooden were doing their jobs, can they honestly say they were blindsided by the actions of the Registrars leading up to and on election Day?  Had they never heard about the fights in the Registrars Office, the cops being called to mediate the battles? The staplers and office supplies being thrown between offices? Are they really that out of touch with what goes on in their own, or should I say our building?

I don't understand the rush to correct this problem immediately with what promises to be a very costly and long protracted court battle at any attempt by the City of Hartford to get rid of the Registrars There still is no clear cut determination whether Segarra and Wooden have the authority to try to get rid of rightfully elected officials.

The Council has apparently reached out to their hand picked attorney that they decided to hire when they lost Confidence in the Choice made by Segarra authorized under the City's Charter, Corporation Council Saundra Kee-Borges. Apparently the Council lost faith in Kee-Borges efforts as an attorney representing them and saw the need for their own representation.

They chose the author of Hartford's revised 2002 City Charter, which switched to a strong Mayor form of government, Allan Taylor. Taylor was  Chair of the Charter Revision Commission and considered by most to be the key author of many of the changes.

 That brings me to my next issue. I am not a lawyer , but I think I get the concept of  "conflict of interest".  The Council has reached out to Taylor for an opinion on whether the Council has the authority to bring charges and remove the Registrars.  I am not sure how someone who was instrumental in authoring a document can now draw an unbiased opinion, that has any validity, as to the propriety of that same document. Could we ask a judge to determine the legality of an opinion they issued from the bench as to whether the decision was proper. Of course they would say yes. Do we think Taylor would issue an opinion that his thoughts on the Charter revisions were improper or contrary to law? Of course not...

Below is an opinion from  Attorney Thomas Murphy, a former Federal Prosecutor, who has been hired by Working Families Party Registar Urania Petit to represent her in any removal hearings.The people of Hartford also are bound to pay both sides of this Court Battle bill. The City has hired attorneys to act as "prosecutors" of their side of the case and the Registrars have hired attorneys to defend them in their  cases and the taxpayers are also legally bound to pay that part of the bill. That will most likely include the original prosecution of the charges as well as any prolonged court battles and appeals, as well as any damages that could potentially be awarded down the road.

 If this restructuring of the Registrar's Office system was so critical and urgent for the people of Hartford, why was nothing done to implement change after the voters of Hartford authorized it over a year and a half ago. The smoothest way to accomplish change would have been to begin talks with the Legislature to change State Law and implement the changes legally, without all the additional expense and Court action.

Now that should bring some charges of incompetence, that our elected officials chose to ignore the will of those same voters that they now seem to be rushing to protect at any cost.

If the Mayor and Council could get their act together, the Legislative fix could possibly be complete by the next election date for Registrars which could mean the issue would be a "non-issue " and cleaned up without the need for any expensive court battles, just eliminate the problem
Taylor 022415

Thursday, February 26, 2015

SOMETHING STINKS

I want to try to be respectful to deceased Hartford Firefighter Kevin Bell, but something stinks. I am sure I am asking the question that many others are asking this morning. Why did it take almost six months for the Medical Examiner  to determine the cause  of Bell's death?

Why were we originally told that the cause of death could not be determined pending toxicology results? Now apparently those toxicology tests have no bearing on the cause of death and asphyxiation has been determined the cause. Wasn't the lack of air obvious during the original autopsy? Aren't there other signs indicative of asphyxiation visible during an autopsy? Damage to the lungs? Wouldn't there have been the presence of smoke in Bell's lungs  if he was in fact breathing in smoky air from a fire? Wouldn't there have been damage to blood vessels in Bell's eyes , I am told that is a good indicator of lack of air caused by asphyxiation.

And since when does the ME wait on someone else's testing to issue their cause of death? Does a police report need to be completed before they call a death a homicide? Of course not, they make their own determination based on their own findings, not what some one else/s report says

The OCME owes it to every Hartford Firefighter to issue a complete and unadulterated report and cause of death to ensure that this type of death never happens again.

Until then something stinks with this report and the time it took for its completion.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

DON'T FORGET

Just a few points to remember during this cold. Feel free to add anything I forget, I'm still not up to full speed after this past week.

Please be sure to check on your neighbors during this cold stretch. Especially the elderly  and disabled, a quick knock on the door to make sure they are OK can mean a lot, as well as potentially avert a weather tragedy.

If you live in a home that may be older and not insulated to newer building codes, open the doors under your kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow your heat to flow more freely to avoid freezing. Know where your main water shut off is located to be able to shut your water off quickly in case  a pipe should freeze and break.

Don't forget the pets in this extreme cold, be sure to provide them proper shelter  as well as plenty of fresh drinking water. Water freezes solid very quickly in these temperatures. If you see a pet in hazardous conditions or being abused , promptly call Animal Control at the Hartford Police Department at 860-757-4000

Do not bring anything inside your home to generate additional heat. No charcoal or gas grills or any unvented heater . Any heater should be UL listed for the use  you are using it for. Electric heaters should have automatic shutoffs to avoid fire if they are accidentally knocked over.

Carbon monoxide kills and you don't normally notice it until it  is too late. Carbon Monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas, If you suspect furnace problems or possible CO poisoning, get everyone outside to fresh air and call 911, the Hartford Fire Department can check and meter for the presence of CO gas.

Do not leave  your car warming unattended in your driveway, it might not be there when  you go out .

Feel free to add any other helpful comments below

DUDE WHERE'S ,MY CAR?

That is what many people were asking after taking Mayor Segarra's parking ban instructions. They followed Segarra's request , parked at the Sigourney Street  Boy's and Girls Club lot, as instructed. Their cars were towed from the lot,

The cars were towed from the lot by Medina's Towing as trespass tow's. The lot was put on the list as a safe lot, apparently by mistake by Mayor's Segarra's staff. You would think this was confirmed before hand, but then again this is Hartford. 

It seems that as soon as the ban began and people began parking, Medina's began hooking. One by one the cars were towed from the lot. Now hooking is nothing new in Asylum Hill, and most residents are accustomed to a different kind of prostitute, not the Medina's kind.

Although Medina's is one of Hartford's predator's when it comes to towing, in this case they were right legally but maybe not morally. You would think that once the mistake was discovered the towing would have stopped, Nope, the dollar signs kept ringing, the cars kept going and the Asylum Hill towing prostitutes were happy.

It seems that the Hartford Schools apparently had a program they previously operated at 170 Sigourney Street. They vacated that location approximately a year ago and it seems that the Mayor's Office doesn't keep up on things like this. After the school program vacated, the Boys and Girls Club signed a contract  with Medina's to grab their neighbors cars for using the lot. Why I am not sure , but that is the very lucrative business of pretty much unregulated trespass tows in Hartford.

The good neighbor policy went out the Window for the Asylum Hill Boy's and Girl's Club, they wanted their lot cleared. even for their good neighbors doing what they were asked to do.

It was only after residents obeying the Mayor's request began looking for their cars  that the error was uncovered. Medina's refuses to return the cars but HPD is apparently stepping up to fix the Mayor's Office screw-up.The Hartford Police Department will cover the costs of the tows for the residents.

Make sure those tow straps are secured.

Friday, February 13, 2015

WHY CAN EVERYONE SEE THE CHIEF'S PROBLEMS EXCEPT THE CHIEF?

Click here to read some of Tom Condon's thought's on the Hartford Fire Department's problems from the pages of the Hartford Courant
   http://www.courant.com/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-hartford-fire-follies-20150213-story.html

LEN BESTHOFF- SUPER JOURNALIST SUPER HERO ?

It is somewhat sad that we have a tendency to paint people in crisis or trouble with a very wide brush. As an example,let me ask what is your impression  of the Hartford Fire Department as you read this? Is it one of drug use and drunk driving and discipline problems. Everything you have read recently about a very few problems in the department, because of media and blog coverage. Actually blogs are really "media" , so I'm being redundant.

Read the stories, and move on. Hopefully the administration will address the situation and begin doing what we as taxpayers have paid them to do....manage the Hartford Fire Department. In the meantime, keep confidence in the men and women of the HFD. When you call the number for help, there is no one other than the men and women of HFD and HPD that you want showing up on your doorstep.

I can attest to this first hand. On Wednesday night I was the victim of a stroke while driving South on I-91from Enfield to Hartford. Yes your read that right, a stroke while driving on 91. And with the assistance of Hartford's great first responders, I am able in my hospital bed at Saint Francis to write this and with the assistance of a great friend, accustomed to thinking quick on his feet, I am able to be here to write this.

My good friend Len Besthoff from NBC Connecticut, on  many days jokes that he seems to talk to me almost as much as he talks to his wife Lindsay. That might be true depending on the story and what we are collaborating on. I know Lindsay does win out though. This past Wednesday was one of those days. Late in the day, Len said he would call me back after the 6PM newscast on his way home once he could get in the car and talk.

He did call back and apparently, immediately realized that something was wrong. I was in the middle of a stroke. My speech was slurred and I guess I wasn't making a lot of sense and yes I know many of you are probably saying "what's new?"

I was almost home and got into my driveway. I have trained Len as one of the best investigative reporters in the area, and he quickly assessed the situation and reacted. (sorry Len, I do need to maintain my humor)

He quickly began making calls trying to get help headed to me. There are quite a few people to thank, and I probably have a couple like the old Dragnet shows... the names have been changed to protect the innocent...but here goes.

Len has a phone full of cops...Hartford Cops. The best way to locate someone is through HPD and that's what he did. First up was Sergeant Sean Spell. If you want to know what's moving in Hartford or where someone is in Hartford....dial Spell.  Lt Rob Allan also got involved from his home to pinpoint my address, it is not an easy location to find. Officer Zweibelson was delivering info by cellphone to responding officers to get to me. The Hartford Fire Department was dispatched as the EMS First Responders. If everything was as usual it was Engine 5, but I don't know that for a fact yet.

More first responders, plenty of red and blue lights. An ambulance arrived and I was quickly ushered into the back. Len offered to drive me the couple blocks to Saint Francis. The EMT's quickly put an end to that thought and said they would transport , due to  the seriousness of the condition. I guess that was why they were there. Apparently you don't usually realize how serious a stroke is when it is happening to you. Leave it to the professionals.

A special thank you to Chief Rovella and other  officers who assisted.

We were only a few blocks from the ER so the quick was trip. I was surprised though that I required lights and siren and I think that might have been the point I realized the seriousness of the situation. The more questions I was asked at the ER, it seemed like the worse my condition got. Luckily Len seemed to get what I was saying and was able to act as my interpreter. I do have to say, whether in the in ER on on my floor ,8th, the staff was very helpful and accommodating.

I hate that MRI though, with technology, there has to be a better way to do that

To all the First responders, including HFD, HPD and AMR ThankYou. To all those that are hearing the rumor I am dead, I am not. It had been suggested that I end the blog to alleviate stress, I think the blog is my stress reliever and I look forward to the positive things it can do.

If nothing else , please try to remember the silent killer that affects out communities. Learn the signs and remember that fast care is the key to survival with the least damage. Remember to resect and thank the vast number of professionals that serve us everyday as residents of Hartford.

For more on St.Francis Hospital and stroke risk, click here

Sunday, February 8, 2015

DOES INTEGRITY MATTER AND FOR HOW LONG?

The comment below was emailed earlier claiming to be from another Mayoral candidate. I don't trust that the name used was legit so I am not posting the name though. I do want to hear your thoughts though. One of the things that concerned me about the Touch of Class posting was the age of the offense. But the more I thought about it and the more I spoke to other people, I was convinced that integrity and character matter for a person today, yesterday and yes , even from 1989. And at the very least, don't we have the right to know what type of person we elect and don't they have an obligation to address our concerns.

Here is the comment posted earlier, minus the posters name as they claimed.

1989? really? You're that desperate that you'll stoop to this?

My campaign doesn't care about what the Mayor might've done in 1989, and quite honestly I don't think the residents of Hartford do either.


I think it is an attempt to deflect attention away from Pedro Segarra, Let me know what you think.

Keep in mind we have just gone through the Catholic Churches pedophile priest scandal and I don't recall anyone saying we shouldn't discipline child abusing priests because their crimes were committed 20 or 30 years ago

Someone that is willing to ignore oaths they take as an attorney or a prosecutor in 1989 will most likely do the same today . The truth is the same in 1950 , 1989 or today.

I'll go back to a Mark Twain quote Segarra seems to be fond of "If you always tell the truth, you never have to remember the lies". So let's see if he remembers the truth.

And I think whoever wrote that comment, I think you are drastically underestimating the people of Hartford. We do care about the truth no matter its age.

DOES INTEGRITY MATTER? A TOUCH OF CLASS ESCORT SERVICE


Does integrity matter in politics? Clearly not to our elected officials. Ernie Newton, John Rowland and the list goes on of elected officials who appear to have no conscience and feel they are above the law. You apparently may be able to add another one to the list , Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra.

Several months ago I was given documents from a source that appeared to indicate that Segarra may have been a client of the Touch of Class Escort Service in 1989. The documents were verified as evidence being held in the West Hartford Police Department's evidence room. The book contained  approximately 450 pages of client names for the Touch of Class, including the dates when they hired prostitutes, the town in which the hotel or location they took the prostitute to conduct their business as well and how long they "occupied" the prostitute and what they paid for the "professional" services
For more info on the Touch of Class , click the link to read more from A Courant story.


 A more detailed article about the illegal prostitution operation can be read here


One of the questions that arose after the investigation was the fate of the client ledger listing all of the Touch of Class clients names. Well the answer to that is that the ledger is safe and secure inside the West Hartford Police Department. It does make for some interesting of the "who's who" of prostitute users in the greater Hartford area. There were educators, high school sport coaches a judge and even apparently the name of a state prosecutor  who appears to have gone on to be the Mayor of Hartford.In the document below, obtained from evidence at the West Hartford Police,   it lists  on line 31 a Pedro Segarra as a client on September 21, 1989 and hiring a prostitute for 1 hour at $150.00 per hour and taking him (or her) to a rendezvous point in Cromwell.


According to the Greater Hartford phonebook for 1989 , it only has one listing for Attorney Pedro Segarra at 1224 Prospect Ave. Hartford





I had held off on using this for several reasons. The number one reason was I wasn't sure people would pay attention to the info. But the more I talk to people in Hartford, the more I was hearing that people felt Mayor Segarra was not trustworthy. It had nothing to do with prostitutes but more with the lies and untruths related to the Stadium deal. When I would ask people if a Mayor allegedly soliciting prostitutes would affect their vote, almost every one said yes. And even more so when I asked if that person was a prosecutor entrusted with enforcing those laws. Enforce the laws by day, go out breaking them at night. The final straw in my decision was a radio interview with one of Segarra's challenger's. Luke Bronin was on the Chaz and AJ radio show last week and he was kind of ambushed with a question..."have you ever smoked marijuana?". Bronin answered quickly and honestly "yes". No hemming and hawing, no mistruths or deflections, just an honest answer without taking time to think about the consequences. Isn't that what we should expect from our elected leaders. I am not sure I could really believe someone Bronin's age if they answered no they never had. Who from that era hasn't?Wouldn't it be refreshing to know that we could trust what they tell us and not be skeptical of everything they say. So let's try the Chaz and Aj Style. Mayor Segarra, have you ever solicited or hired escorts from the Touch of Class or been involved in prostitution ?

Let's see what the answer will be

THE LATEST FASHION APPAREL INSPIRED BY HARTFORD CITY HALL

I guess you can call it truth in advertising. The t-shirt below has the client list printed on it along with the Touch of Class Escort Service. The list , with one line highlighted in red, lists a "Pedro Segarra" as a client of the prostitution service that has since been busted and shut down. I will post an update when and where these shirts can be obtained when that info is available.


Be the first in your neighborhood or at your local community meeting to wear the latest fashion apparel.

Friday, February 6, 2015

LT ORTIZ REMOVED AS HFD PIO

Word out of Chief  Carlos Huerta's  office is that he has removed one of his most recent appointments. Hartford Fire Lt Raul Ortiz who was the Departments Public Information Officer until this afternoon has been reassigned back to the Fire line. No reason was given for the transfer, but it shouldn't be too difficult to figure out. In a department plagued with screw -ups and media disasters like HFD has been recently, being honest and truthful equates to a suicide mission. It is especially bad when the Chief of the Department has created many of the problems through his own actions and isn't happy when people put out the truth instead of covering for him.

The embarrassing situations that Huertas has immersed himself and his department in would be challenging for most seasoned PIO's, never mind someone relatively new to the position and unfamiliar with Media contacts.  Ortiz was making steady progress though and in hi short time was gaining the respect of the media, He came across as honest and trustworthy and not as a propaganda master. This is not easy when you have the severity of the situations facing any PIO for the Hartford Fire Department. A line of duty death of a firefighter under questionable  circumstances to begin with. For whatever reasons, the way the investigation has been handled has many questioning whether the facts will come out or is a cover up underway?

As PIO , Ortiz was able to diffuse much of the rumor mill, but I can almost guarantee that the questions will start rising again. What role did Chief Huertas play in the potential cover up? Why almost months later has no cause of death been determined, not even toxicology results that at the time we were told would be ready in 5 to 6 weeks. A trusted PIO could diffuse suspicion.  I think Chief Huertas will learn that quickly, and most likely the hard way.

With all the DUI and drug abuse issues  facing HFD, who in their right mind would send out an e-mail  warning all of your department how and where to avoid a DUI checkpoint, Wouldn't a leader do something a little more responsible. Maybe something like stay safe this weekend with your family if you should drink, please be responsible, don't drink and drive. Not send out an e-mail where to avoid the cops if you are drunk.

I have no doubt Lt. Ortiz will be an asset to the Hartford Fire Department wherever he is assigned and will make the people of Hartford proud. Chief Huertas could take a lesson as to what pride and integrity is all about.

It is ironic that Ortiz was just returning from Georgia after a weeks  worth of PIO training when he got the call that he was no longer assigned to the Chief's Office. It s an important lesson to remember, "What goes around, comes around"

FORGET SOBRIETY, JUST AVOID THE CHECKPOINTS

That appears to be the message from Hartford's Fire Chief Carlos Huertas. Huertas today sent an e-mail to all HFD personnel warning them of a DUI Checkpoint to be conducted by HPD. No mention of avoiding drinking and driving, just beware of the Hartford Cops. That must be his version of accountability for the actions of his members. It apparently is not illegal if you don't get caught

Sent from my iPhone  Begin
        forwarded message:  From: "Huertas, Carlos M." <HuerC001@hartford.gov<mailto:HuerC001@hartford.gov>> To:
        "Fire Dept" <Fire_Dept@hartford.gov<mailto:Fire_Dept@hartford.gov>>
        Subject: DUI Checkpoint.  FYI,   Subject: DUI Checkpoint.
        Respectfully submitted,    Carlos M. Huertas Fire Chief
        Emergency Management Director Hartford Fire Department Hartford
        Public Safety Complex 253 High  Street Hartford, Connecticut
        06103 Office: (860) 757-4500 Fax: (860) 722-8205 HuerC001@hartford.gov<mailto:HuerC001@hartford.gov> “Be
        impeccable with your word, Don’t take anything personally, Don’t
        make assumptions, and Always do your Best”, By Don Miguel Ruiz

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?



After the heavy  snows of 2013, the Segarra Administration, with much fanfare announced they had purchased a couple of the industrial type snowblowers pictured above.  Where are the now? I have not seen any of them clearing Hartford's streets. Downtown and most major streets in Hartford are still a mess, narrowed to almost impassable widths. These snowthrowers should have been put into service immediately widening streets.

Have the snowthrowers disappeared?  Have they been sold  off like parking garages to pay the caviar bill for the Mayors Office?Or did we not maintain them and allow them to  rust into the scrap heap? Can someone from DPW explain where they are or at least when they are being used so I can get a picture.

And what is the deal with the contractors hired by DPW using the CAT loaders with new York plates on Franklin Avenue when we aren't even using our own equipment.

YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED SOON

Many people have contacted me asking what the references are in the comments here to "A Touch of Class Escort Service".  Well, your questions are about to be answered  As well as the documents to explain it.  You will be able to read about the Prosecutor who was entrusted to enforce Connecticut's prostitution laws by day, and was then out at night breaking those very same laws himself.


Also find out how City Hall has inspired the latest piece of fashion apparel making the rounds with Hartford residents.


You won't want to miss this one.

ROSIE RIDES AGAIN

Well it looks like the Elm city will becoming a regular visitor to the FOI Offices in Hartford. Word is that the City of New  Haven has hired Hartford's former  Corporation John Rose as their acting Corporation Counsel. I hope for New Haven's sake  the acting means as part of a theater group at Yale because in real life the performance isn't too spectacular.


John Rose is fun though , I miss the days of putting him through his paces  and watching him lose his cool. I still can picture the day he lost it with Len Besthoff, all the while a TV camera was capturing every word.   Ahh, the good old days.


Maybe I need to start covering New Haven  occasionally. But then again, maybe not, there is more than enough to focus on here.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

THE STARS MUST BE COMING INTO ALIGNMENT

There is no other explanation. Saundra Kee-Borges is gone from City Hall, the Patriot's won the Super Bowl, and now today the US Attorney for Connecticut, Dierdre Daly has announced the formation of an anti-corruption unit, a new public corruption task force to investigate corrupt public officials, the misuse of public funds and related criminal activity.

This should be relatively easy, set your GPS for 550 Main Street, Hartford City Hall. You might have to make a home visit for SKB since she is gone from City Hall, but  I bet it will be well worth the trip.

Representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the Inspector General’s Offices of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development are part of the group.

For more on the Federal Task Force read about it on the NBC Connecticut website at http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Feds-Announce-Connecticut-Public-Corruption-Task-Force-290806421.html

The hotline number to report corruption is  1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).You can also keep sending your tips here or post comments on the blog

Sorry Pedro, it was fun while it lasted but all good things must come to an end

Sunday, February 1, 2015

NO EXCUSE, MOVE THOSE CARS

 
 
At this point, no one can say thy didn't know Hartford was serious about enforcing their Winter parking bans. A parking ban has been issued for all Hartford public streets in anticipation of tonight's predicted snow storm. The parking bans are necessary to clear Hartford's streets for snow plowing operations.

A Citywide parking ban will be in effect from 11:00PM tonight, (Sunday) until 11:00PM tomorrow (Monday)

During a snow emergency parking ban, all on-street parking is prohibited throughout the City of Hartford. Any vehicles not removed from City streets by the start of the parking ban will be ticketed and towed. Residents without access to off-street parking should move their vehicles to one of the following authorized parking areas before the start of the parking ban:

•       Morgan Street Garage

•       2 Holcomb Street Lot

•       Keney Park Entrance Lot—Ridgefield Street

•       KDA Center Lot—Naugatuck Street

•       Pope Park Center Lot—Park Terrace

•       Metzner Center Lot—Franklin Avenue

•       Colt Park Lot—Wawarme Avenue

•       Elizabeth Park Lots

•       All Hartford Schools Parking Lots beginning today at 3:00pm

Residents should remove their vehicles from the lots promptly following the end of the parking ban. Residents whose vehicles are towed during the parking ban should contact the Hartford Police Department at (860) 757-4000. The cost for retrieving a towed vehicle is $93.59. An additional $99.00 ticket will be issued which owners are responsible for paying before the answer date. Please visit http://www.hartford.gov/snow-parking for a list of snow emergency parking locations, and for information regarding towed vehicles.

Anyone in need of shelter is urged to call 211. As long as the temperatures are below 25 degrees, the following shelters will be open 24 hours:

Be sure to remove your vehicle from school lots  promptly at the end of the ban . Hartford Schools are strict about clearing their lots for school operations and vehicles impeding school use after the ban is over will be towed to clear the lots.

Also, if possible, try to check on your disabled or elderly neighbors during or after the storm