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Wednesday, July 18, 2018

JOIN THE DISCUSSION WITH NBC CONNECTICUT

July 31 • 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm












NBC CONNECTICUT "AT A PRICE "
COMMUNITY FORUM

Tuesday July 31, 2018 @ 7:00PM

The NBC Connecticut Investigates series, “At a Price!”
 took a hard look at the high cost of living in a state
 with 169 towns and cities. Can we afford to have so
 many municipalities and limited regional government?
 Are we getting our money’s worth? Is there a better way?

Join us for a stimulating discussion on what it means to be
 a taxpayer in Connecticut moderated by NBC Connecticut
 Chief Investigative Reporter Len Besthoff.

Panelists include:
Gary LeBeau, Former Connecticut State Senator
Wildaliz Bermúdez, Hartford Councilwoman / Minority Leader
Jonathan Costa, Assistant Executive Director, EdAdvance
NBC Connecticut Investigates Reporters
Other elected officials and community leaders
This is a chance to have your voice heard. We will be sharing your ideas
and issues with local and state leaders.  And portions of the evening will be used
in an upcoming 30-minute special that will air on NBC Connecticut.
The event is free, but please make a reservation so we know you are coming.
Important! Please be advised that this event is being videotaped/recorded 
for NBC Connecticut (WVIT), a division of NBCUniversal Media, LLC 
(collectively “NBC”).  If you attend this event, you may appear,
 and you agree to appear, in this or another production, in any 
manner and/or media, worldwide, in perpetuity, including in
 advertisements and promotions.  
You will not receive any payment for such use and you waive 
any right to bring any action in law or equity for such use. 


NBC Connecticut: “At a Price!” Community Forum
Tuesday July 31, 2018 @ 7:00PM
The NBC Connecticut Investigates series, “At a Price!” took a hard look at the high cost of living in a state with 169 towns and cities.
 Can we afford to have so many municipalities and limited regional government?
 Are we getting our money’s worth?
Is there a better way?
Join us for a stimulating discussion on what it means to be a taxpayer in Connecticut

 Moderated by NBC Connecticut Chief Investigative Reporter Len Besthoff.

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

TIME TO SLAM THE DOOR AND THROW AWAY THE KEY FOR A FEW YEARS

On July 14, 2018, Hartford Police Units were assigned to the city Fireworks show at the Riverfront plaza.

 After the fireworks had concluded officers were assisting with clearing the people from the area. At 2206 hours, Officers heard multiple gun shots ring out on the upper plaza adjacent to 1 Constitution Plaza. Without hesitation all officers in the area moved to the sound of gun fire.
 Officers J. Rowe, C. Palmieri, and E. Donnelly observed a male dressed all in black firing multiple gun shots towards a crowd of people, then attempt to flee the area southbound. Officer Rowe was the first officer to reach the suspect and ordered him at gun point to get on the ground. The suspect still clinching the firearm turned and threw it over the railing of the bridge onto the sidewalk below.

 Officer Rowe then physically took the suspect to the ground and secured him with the assistance of Officer Palmieri.

 The gun was secured by additional units responding to the area.

 A canvass for victims was negative. A check with local Hospitals was negative for shooting victims.

 A canvass was completed in the area for evidence. Located was property damage to the window and building at 1 Constitution Plaza , also the concrete planters in the courtyard were also damaged by gun fire. On the ground, seven (7) spent 9mm shell casings were found. The area was secured and CSD responded to the scene for processing. V.I.N. personnel was also on scene and assisted with the investigation. Detectives debriefed the suspect and then he was transported to HPD booking.

Arrested; Robinson, Michael, DOB 3/6/99, 11 Heritage Drive Windsor CT. Charges; Unlawful Discharge of a firearm (53-203); Reckless Endangerment (53a-63); Carrying a Pistol without a permit (29-35); Criminal Mischief 1st degree (53a-116); Theft of a Firearm (53a-212); Criminal Attempt Assault in the 1st degree (53a-49/53a-59); Breach of Peace 2nd (53a-181); Interfering with the Police (53a-167a)

Two years earlier . Robinson was allegedly the suspected shooter in a shooting incident on Mather Street/ In that incident it is believed that Robinson had mistakenly shot a young man and left him paralyzed for life. Even though a prosecutor and a judge felt that there was probable cause to issue a warrant for Robinson, GA14 in its typical fashion gave Robinson a slap on the wrist and a stern warning and sent him back into the Community to shoot again.

From the HPD wanted flier that led to Robinson\s first arrest
 :
"The Major Crimes Division is seeking assistance in locating Michael Robinson DOB 03/06/1999. Robinson has an active arrest warrant (Stop # 977) for his involvement in the shooting incident that occurred at 154 Mather Street on Wednesday May 04, 2016 (HPD case number 16-12751). Robinson has a last known address of 11 Heritage Drive in Windsor Connecticut but he is known to frequent the Garden Street, Barbour Street, Martin Street, and Judson Street areas. Robinson may be in the company of Antwane Daniels DOB 01/18/2000 who is also wanted for questioning in this incident. Officers are reminded to use caution if contact is made with Robinson as the firearm used in this incident has not been recovered." 

This time he allegedly fired  into a crowd attending a fireworks display.

Some people , such as Michael Robinson clearly do not belong in a civilized community and our City would be better served with Robinson facing a long period of incarceration until he learns how to behave. Robinson has already cau8sed enough pain and suffering , even at his young age.

Maybe this is a perfect incident for the Feds to take over since the Hartford County States Attorney couldn't get the job done the first time.

Here is more about his first alleged victim

DOES HPD HAVE RHYTHM?

Police Departments across the country are issuing a challenge to other Departments.

 The Law Enforcement Lip Sync challenge has produced some great videos by Police Departments, both large and small agencies.

I am confident that HPD has both the talent and skills to produce such a video.

Many of these videos can be viewed on YouTube.com bt searching Law Enforcement Lip Sync Challenge

Here are a couple of samples



Monday, July 9, 2018

TAKE THE TIME TO EDUCATE YOURSELVES


The Hartford Votes~Hartford Vota Coalition 


Presents a Candidate Forum Featuring



Democratic Candidates for


GOVERNOR


AND


LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR




Come meet, hear from, and ask questions of the candidates.  All candidates who will be on the August 14 Primary ballot have confirmed their attendance:  

Governor: Ned Lamont, Joe Ganim

Lt. Governor: Susan Bysiewicz, Eva Bermudez

 Zimmerman


Moderator:  Diane Smith, Emmy Award Winning Journalist


Wednesday, July 18, 2018


Light Refreshments & Meet the Candidates at 5:00 PM

Forum begins at 5:30 PM


Hartford Public Library, 500 Main Street


 If you need Spanish-English translation, child care, bus passes, or other accommodation please contact us by July 16 at 860-201-6510


The Hartford Votes ~ Hartford Vota Coalition is a non-partisan coalition of the organizations listed below working to increase voter engagement in Hartford.


Hartford 2000 - Blue Hills Civic Association - CT Community Nonprofit Alliance - MetroHartford Alliance

Hartford Public Library - League of Women Voters of Greater Hartford - Achieve Hartford!

CT Center for a New Economy - Common Cause in Connecticut - City of Hartford Registrars of Voters

A Better Way Foundation - Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work

Office of the Secretary of the State – Hartford Listens/Community Capacity Builders


NO MENTION OF WHEN THE REPUBLICAN  CANDIDATES FORUM WILL BE HELD




SHEER IGNORANCE, NO OTHER WORDS FOR IT

From HPD:

SUBJECT: False Police Report (Drowning) 697 Windsor Street Recreational Center

Patrol responded to a 911 call of a drowning child at the Willie Ware Center. Upon arrival it was learned  that the call had been made to evaluate the response time of emergency services. 

A cooperating witness gave a written statement, reporting that the suspect sat next to her at the splash pad, complaining to her that the police do not care about the "poor black community" in Hartford.

 Furthermore to prove his point he dialed 911 in her presence, reported a child was drowning, and was met by an exceedingly rapid response from emergency services. A copy of the 911 call was retained as part of this investigation. The suspect was taken into custody and charged accordingly.
City 


Jeremiah Grant (dob 6/10/84) Lka. 44 Warren Street Hartford, CT was charged with Falsely Reporting the Incident

We are fortunate in this City to have many good Police Officers and Firefighters who potentially respond to lay down their own lives everyday , regardless of ethnicity. Enough said.

Sunday, July 8, 2018

TRUTH AND FAIRY TALES IN THE KINGDOM OF LUKE

  A "Video loss" message should have appeared on the video monitors for the pool systems, bust was anyone paying attention?

When we were naive children, many of us believed in Santa Claus.; Then we grew up and started looking at things and eventually realized that Santa Claus was a facade. I think the same might be true of our beliefs in Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. In the beginning I think many of us wanted to believe that Luke was the real deal and was going to make a difference in Hartford. Then, quicker for some of us than others, we realized Luke was a facade,  much like the Santa Claus myth.

Luke has a very hard time deviating from his well rehearsed politician script, and I think many people have realized what you hear from Luke is well scripted and not honest conversation. And I may be overly critical of Bronin, but my "BS" meter is pinning the needle anytime I hear him speak.

I wish that wasn't the case, because we need to trust the people we choose to lead us, or who  at least hopefully looking out for our best interests.

It is almost like it is time to rewrite the old lawyer joke. "How can you tell when a lawyer is lying?|" and the punchline is "when their lips are moving"

Since Luke is also a lawyer, I guess we could kill two birds with one stone with a little rewriting.

How can you tell when Luke is lying? His lips are moving.

Just as an example, take the recent press conference he held on July 4th after the tragic drowning of a child in the Keney Park Pool/

Bronin made it clear that the camera failure at the pool was caused by a modem failing during the recent high heat. I think on July 4th we were on the third or fourth day of the heat wave. Ok, so a modem failed. Tragic, but that happens with electronics. ( I wonder if the vendor that accepted the check for the installation ever advised the City that climate control was necessary for the room the euipment was installed in?)

It also seems odd that no one would have noticed a "video loss " message on the monitors as soon as the video went down, similar to the indication above when I disconnected a camera from my video system. And it is even more unconscionable , some might say the height of incompetence that no one noticed the failure before the pool was ever opened.

This sounds reminiscent of the generator failure at HPD a year or so ago when no was was  astute enough to test the systems before they failed? After a child drowns is probably not the best time to test the systems to prevent such drownings.

It is called management, and that is sadly lacking in the Bronin Administration. Maybe it is time we demand that Bronin stop diluting the skills of already over stressed Department Heads. Is it going to take a tragedy for Bronin to fill the DPW Department head spot after he has had the Fire Chief splitting his efforts between two of Hartford's most demanding department challenges.

Maybe the Director of Youth . Families ,Children and Recreation, Kim Oliver, should be focused on running her Department and not be dividing her efforts as a Bronin appointee to the Board of Education. Maybe, just maybe if Oliver was focused on her tasks as the person in charge of Recreation (and Children) she would have implemented  a basic checklist to make sure that the pools were actually up and running, all systems working and ready to safely be filled and opened.

I think that is called basic management skills. The time to start worrying about correcting inefficiencies is not after a child dies, especially if a little vision and foresight may have quite possibly prevented a child\s death.

Sadly, the strongest skills at City Hall are the ability to react.  Bronin quickly called for a committee to0 review policies and maintenance on systems. Isn't that something that would be better accomplished before a child is found floating dead in a pool.

And just to go off track a little bit here, would it be so wrong , and budget busting to establish a policy that when the air temperature at 5 or 6 pm is over 90 degrees, Hartford's pools will be kept open for extended hours, maybe 11:00 PM?

Then a few sentences later Bronin says that the pool alarms had been down for a few weeks.
Ok, Luke , which was it? A modem failure caused by the heat or  some other issue that went unnoticed for several weeks?

Stick to the script Luke, You don't do well when you deviate from the script.

And then even more questions. If you actually go out to the Keney Park Pool and look for the camera, right above the dome camera you will see a antenna mount with what appears to be an antenna transmitter for a wireless video link. That link would negate the need for any modem or "hardwired" transmission means.

Did Luke just think we would blindly follow and believe what he tells us because he is our modern day Santa Claus? The truth does eventually come out , and I'm sure it will once smart lawyers start building their case.

And as the old saying goes, the cover up is usually worse than the crime. Time will tell.

Dome camera mounted on the Keney Park Pool with what appears to be a radio video-link antenna above it