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Thursday, February 23, 2012

HPD VIDEOS

WFSB's Len Besthoff had a piece this week regarding the Hartford Shooting task Force that gave viewers an inside look at how the "STF" operates.

The two clips are worth the time to view and show a different angle to reducing Hartford's gun violence. The message seems to be more of preventing the violence before it happens rather than trying to react and solve the crimes after the damage has been done.

The link below will take you to WFSB.com to view Len's reports.

Hopefully sometime in the near future you will be able to learn more about the STF here as I am awaiting for the time to be scheduled to get an inside view of their operations myself.

In the meantime, since I can now post videos longer than 15 minutes on "you tube", I am posting a "ride along" myself and Stan McCauley did a couple years ago to get an inside look at HPD's Vice and Narcotics Division. The Commander has changed, but the piece is still interesting and something that we put a lot of work into. It was aired on Hartford Public Access Television at the time and seemed to be well received by Hartford residents that viewed it.



LEN BESTHOFF, SHOOTING TASK FORCE, PART 1

Monday, February 20, 2012

THIS WEEK'S "WE THE PEOPLE" , FEBRUARY 20, 2012

Still working on getting the new set right and adjusting the lighting, we're getting there little by little.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

YOU WON'T SEE THIS ON "CSI"


Members of Hartford's version of "CSI" , the Hartford Police Evidentiary Services Division, found themselves in an unusual predicament today. The names of those involved are being withheld to protect the innocent, or more accurately to protect them from harsh jokes and criticism.

It seems that the ESD officers were called to the scene of an unfortunate incident that took place today at Hartford Hospital. Upon their arrival, they found it necessary to attempt to gather evidence from the rooftop of the parking garage at the hospital. Everything went well in their quest and they drove their SUV police vehicle to the roof top of the parking garage at 85 Seymour Street.

The ride up in the SUV was uneventful, they performed their tasks and began to leave. Then the problems began. Apparently the angles and the construction of the garage gave them clearance to get up, but the angle on the way down caused them to get stuck with the height of the lightbar and they could not exit the garage.

The lightbar was not easily detachable and requests for wrenches went unanswered. Finally someone creative figured to let air out of the vehicle's tires to lower the height of the SUV enough for the lightbar to clear. That worked and the ESD Officers were on their way.

My requests for pictures of the ESD Officer in question putting air back into the tires were respectfully refused.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

SHORT NOTICE, BUT......

I just received this notice by e-mail and I was asked to post it. The meeting is for tonight and doesn't allow much time to attend, but here goes:

Are you or do you know of Hartford residents who are unemployed/underemployed and trained in the MEP Trades?

The Nelton Court Project Team would like to inform you that an Informational Meeting for the Nelton Court Redevelopment Project (Hartford) on Wednesday (TODAY, February 15, 2012 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Parker Memorial Center, 2621 Main Street Hartford, Connecticut.

Hosts of the Information Meeting:

The Housing Authority of the City of Hartford

Simon Konover Development Corporation

KBE Building Corporation

Nutmeg Planners, LLC

This meeting will address the Project Section 3 and local hiring (City of Hartford resident) participation requirements and scopes of work specific to the construction of the Nelton Court Redevelopment Project located at 2471 Main Street (Hartford, CT). This outreach is specifically intended for those persons interested in matching their respective skills with the appropriate scope of work. Tthe Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 and its amendment by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 implemented by HUD CFR Part 135 requires a minimum of 30% local (Hartford) resident participation and is required of all contractors on this Project. Those individuals who perform work in the following trades are encouraged to attend:

· Carpentry;

· Electrical;

· HVAC;

· Plumbing/Pipefitting;

· Sheetmetal;

Please note attendance shall in no way guarantee or assure any person that a job will be secured with this Project. Interested candidates must have OSHA 10 certification and training in the above referenced trades. This is an open shop (non union) Project.

WEAVER SOFTBALL NEEDS YOUR HELP

The following plea is being put out by Shawn Bell, the new softball coach at Weaver High School:

"I am writing to you all for help. I am the new Head softball coach at Weaver High School and we are in need of softball gloves and any other softball equipment. We have a very small budget. So I am reaching out to you all for your help. So if you have an old glove or any softball equipment around and no need for it. Our program could really use it. Thanks "

If you can be of any assistance, Shawn Bell can be contacted by e-mail at:
BELLS001@hartfordschools.org

Check out those basements and closets and see what you can find.

ARE WE REALLY PAYING FOR THIS ?



According to the Hartford Courant, David Medina, the Hartford School's Director of No Information, is admitting that they made a mistake by banning the media from two recent meetings involving parents and the leadership of Hartford's Schools. You can read the Courant's article by clicking here

But before you start rejoicing and thinking that Medina has seen the light and is actually going to start earning his six figure salary by providing information to the public, think again.

Rather than word the apology that they made a mistake and would open meetings up to actually strive for transparency, the release seemed to say just the opposite. It should have just read, "Sorry. next time we will plan ahead and be even more devious so that we can safely skirt the FOI requirements and legally keep the public in the dark".


According to the Courant, "On Wednesday, the school system released a statement indicating that the "error" was a technicality and that its intent to bar reporters remained."

It's intent to bar reporters remained...are you kidding me? Does Medina realize we are still in the United States or do Hartford's schools not teach geography? Or history for that matter. Does Medina not realize that we live in a free and supposedly open Democracy where his and his colleagues salaries are paid by the public who has every right to know what is going on in these schools?

What does the Superintendent have to hide? I can see asking a reporter to leave if they are being disruptive but "its intent to bar reporters remained" ? Those are Medina's words, not mine.

How is this tolerated by the Board of Education, the Mayor , the City Council and right up the ladder to our legislators and even our Governor. Until Mr. Medina and Dr. Kishimoto begin funding our school system out of their own pockets, we are the ones footing the bill and we have every right to know what is going on, especially in our failing schools like Burns and Milner.

The memo below, obtained through alternative means, seems to show the premeditated nature of their actions. And isn't it shameful that we can spend taxpayers dollars finding ways to break the law without getting caught instead of realizing that they are public officials and why they actually have jobs? I find it hard to believe that parents, or even administrators, in any of our neighboring suburbs would tolerate these stunts.

Medina Kauffman Memo