The Editor's Notepod

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Feb. 16, 2012

2012-02-16T08:20:00.001-05:00

A reduction – to zero – of the Tunxis Recycling Operating Committee processing plant in Berlin this July 1 and a reduction in the trash tipping fee at the Bristol Resource Recovery Facility of $2 a ton should be an assist to those whose waste is trekked to these facilities. There’s economics in there somewhere that someone is making money.

Wallingford Mayor Dickinson had it right about the latest (this one in Meriden) apparent suicide along the railroad tracks: “I hate to think that someone is in such despair that they feel the need to do that.” There’s not much anyone can do to stop a determined person.

Meriden Police Chief Jeffry Cossette explained the new encryption system, digitally organized, for sending police messages. It’s a big change, but so long as the system remains transparent and available – something we’ll have to see – it should be an improvement.

So Northeast Utilities and NStar, planning their merger, have agreed to buy the other half of the power to be generated by the wind farm long planned but under-financed in Nantucket sound? As with the merger, one hopes that all the questions are asked and answered.

Legislators are going to tinker with rules regarding electric utilities and imposing penalties for not getting power on quick enough after big storms, which is what consumers surely want. But how about changing the rules so that these giant corporations, which supply power to everyone in Connecticut yet are essentially investment tools, are obliged to cooperate in the public interest as well as shareholders?

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Feb. 15, 2012

2012-02-15T09:43:00.000-05:00

Because estimates were so badly wrong, Southington’s town council is considering how to ease impact on property owners along West Street, Williamsburg Drive and some other residential streets. While this may be a good idea, it could also set a precedent for aiding all sewer projects – which is maybe a good idea as well, but is certainly one for discussion.

Wilcox Tech in Meriden is embarking on a “like-new” make-over which will take a good three years plus. We wonder what square footage rules have been applied to Wilcox, considering the issues about Platt’s and Maloney’s auditoriums?

Giorgio Fareira certainly managed to sing for his supper at the right time and place (Wallingford’s Sonic). We hope the Fairfield man’s good luck is amplified into something lasting and good.

Wallingford added $5,000 to its Fuel Crisis Program at Mayor Dickinson’s request, following cuts in federal monies. We hope this will get people through the winter.

Meriden city council’s finance committee has recommended buying and razing two buildings along South Colony St. for the relocation of Harbor Brook in flood control efforts. This would be a sensible step in this long and expensive project.

Connecticut’s Supreme Court has okayed a secret list of UConn donors, in what amounts to a blow at the Freedom of Information Act. This has become standard for the court over the years.

Southington is trying out a Safety Camera Enforcement Pilot Program which will place cameras on school buses to record drivers illegally passing. That should definitely demonstrate whether this is a major problem or not, but it could also be used, one would think, to keep tabs on what goes on inside those school buses, where, from time to time, discipline can be a problem.

Meriden’s new augmented website includes a wealth of information not only about projects in various stages of planning but also with maps and various data sets which can answer just about all your questions.

According to some on the City Council, voting districts in Meriden are to be “slashed,” by which is meant reduced in number from 17 – admittedly a very odd number – to something more in line with what other cities have, with a resulting savings, it is thought, at polling places with election staff. It’s always good to save money, but one does wonder whether such a change would confuse voters and actually save enough to make it worthwhile.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Feb. 14, 2012

2012-02-14T09:42:00.000-05:00

Wallingford’s proposed school budget shows part of the difficulty of receiving grants – regardless of source – in one year, then needing to do without the next. It would have been better if the school board had been permitted to split its federal grant, it would appear.

Southington’s panel has decided on going for an artificial turf field, which has a lot of advantages including fewer football injuries and more potential events. It has been suggested, though, that there are some athletes, particularly those who play soccer, who do not feel the artificial turf is beneficial, and this is a point to clear up.

The state is going to begin charging towns (which are already paying salaries) for training given at the Meriden Police Academy. This surely makes sense to state budgeteers, but just as clearly does not do so for municipal budget-makers.

Cheshire Community Pool is back in operation with a new bubble, replacing that which collapsed last year during the heavy snowfall. Let’s all hope for a continuation of our snowless winter.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Feb. 13, 2012

2012-02-13T12:48:00.001-05:00

It is strange to make such an observation, but the recent homicide on Olive Street, Meriden, seems to underline the city’s low homicide rate during the last decade and under community policing’s influence. With such small numbers, of course, a single death makes a statistical difference as well as an impact on the community.

Twenty hardy souls accompanied wildlife biologist Peter Picone on a tramp through Quinnipiac River State Park along Route 15 on Sunday afternoon. It was blustery and cold, but nature, walkers could attest, persists.

The fact that more men than women are arrested for using cell-phones or texting while driving in Connecticut doesn’t necessarily mean that more men than women use their phones while driving. Whoever uses them, though, we don’t believe they are not distracted and we wish they’d stop.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Feb. 12, 2012

2012-02-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

For someone who spent 20 years in a Connecticut prison for a crime he evidently did not commit in Wallingford, Kenneth Ireland is remarkably calm. It’s hard to understand who the state did not offer him compensation for his wrongful conviction and why he is obliged to sue for his supper.

Meriden councilor Brian Daniels and landlord Ross Gulino make interesting comments on downtown property usage based on census data which reveal that there isn’t enough income among downtown dwellers to support small restaurants and shops. This places proposals by Housing Authority to buy the former “Professional Building” at 137-42 West Main and turn it into permanent housing for the homeless in a different light.

It makes excellent sense that places like the Meriden Humane Society and Best Friends for Life Animal Rescue in Southington ask would-be pet adopters a number of questions. This process can disappoint some people, but shelters need to try and protect the animals in their care from casual adopters who might not treat animals as most of us would like them treated.

Connecticut’s Supreme Court has issued an order adopting congressional redistricting with minor changes from present lines, as Democrats had asked. It is good to get this process done and the state is lucky to have three out of five districts which are potentially competitive.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Feb. 11, 2012

2012-02-11T15:23:00.000-05:00

It might be a great fit for a new Board of Education central office in Wallingford, but the school system hasn’t planned on such a move – involving a considerable outlay – in this lean fiscal climate. Now, if the Town Council wanted to buy that property on South Main and turn it over to the school system, it might be a different thing.

A major component of the teacher evaluation reform in Connecticut seems to be some measure of student academic progress. While there’s a good deal of talk, so far no description of how academic progress is to be defined, and if it rests merely on year-to-year scores on standardized tests, that will be an insufficient method.

It is good to read that Meriden Principal Tom Brown has made some progress medically, and we continue to wish him the very best in his recovery process.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Feb. 10, 2012

2012-02-10T13:41:00.000-05:00

It was good to see Governor Malloy paying another visit to Meriden schools on Thursday. There’s a lot of reform work on tap for this session of the legislature, and he’s working hard to present his ideas.

Warm winds have kept January and February dry and definitely snowless (at least until this weekend, maybe), but as we have seen they’ve not been good for those who plow snow or those who sell oil. Now we see that it’s not good for sports equipment stores (yet Play It Again Sports in Southington is selling golfing gear), either, so tonight and tomorrow may indeed produce an ill wind that brings someone good news.

Approval is moving nearer for a construction recycling transfer operation on Gracey Avenue in Meriden. One positive aspect is its activation of a rail spur so that materials may be brought in and taken out by train.

A resolution of Connecticut trooper staffing laws, now under litigation, by a biennial assessment of needs by an independent commission with input from both union and administration, to be approved by the legislature. An arbitrary number of required troopers, as now exists, momentarily too few or too any, is an absurdity.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Feb. 9, 2012

2012-02-09T08:19:00.000-05:00

Again, regarding its two high schools (and thank goodness there’s no law which says each municipality must have one school no matter how large), Meriden built its schools at the same time, so their similar needs now is no surprise. No matter when improvements are carried out, people will complain about the price, so it makes sense to pick a course and stick to it.

More money for Meriden and anywhere else, as proposed by Governor Malloy, for schools under the Education Cost Sharing system, is wonderful and welcome. But observe that the $1.78 million suggested must be applied to a gap of $4.5 million.

Northeast Utilities owns nearly 15 square miles of Connecticut, larger than several of the state’s municipalities. We are glad for this and other reasons that the Connecticut Fund for the Environment has asked to intervene in the regulatory review of the proposed purchase by NU of NSTAR, the giant holding company which owns Boston electrical operations.

The homeless woman who enrolled her son in Norwalk schools last year using her babysitter’s address instead of in Bridgeport where she could be said to have “lived,” is going to plead guilty to theft of $15,000 of services and the prosecutor is recommending 5 years in prison. Considering what some bank embezzlers receive, many of them people who might be thought to know better, that recommendation seems cruelly excessive.

It will be interesting to learn how Meriden’s new and functioning police communications system can be made accessible for those who want to listen in. It’s an important capability in keeping police activity transparent to the public it serves.

The Wallingford Education Foundation will give town adults – parents, politicians, teachers, professionals – a chance to demonstrate their spelling skills. Or not. The event, which is designed to be fun rather than competitive, is in aid of the Foundation’s project of upgrading the Mahan Planetarium at Sheehan High School, a project of great vision (what else?).

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Feb. 8, 2012

2012-02-08T08:18:00.000-05:00

Concern over the size regulations and reimbursements at Meriden’s high schools is legitimate, especially in regard to costs. Yet it does seem silly if the whole project rises or falls depending on the number of seats in the auditorium, and even sillier that such a standard sets the limit at one-third of the student body: in that regard, note Washington Middle School.

David Ellis, the “barefoot hiker” who is president of Wallingford’s Land Trust, is a great asset to that organization and a devoted hiker, and that’s wonderful. Yet though we are very glad to hear that in a decade of barefooted hiking he has seldom incurred cuts, though our apelike ancestors eschewed shoes, there are articles on even the forest floor we’d not care to step on: he’s welcome to walk au naturel, but we’ll keep our shoes on, thanks.

It would seem that in a terrible economy, the existence of a minimum wage rule might deter some employers from hiring, yet since a minimum already exists, an increase in minimum which amounts to $20 in a 40-hour week wouldn’t seem difficult for a healthy firm. In general, a healthy economy generates jobs, regardless of minimums; minimum wages are but one of a number of costs related to employment in Connecticut's civilized economy.

It is excellent news that the state forensic lab in Meriden has won accreditation back, but of course that hasn’t really helped its caseload. That will take an accretion of trained and experienced workers, a process which Connecticut will accomplish in its own magisterial way.

Southington is changing its report cards again, in response to parental input and anxiety. Sometimes it seems that it would be better to abandon the things altogether, particularly in younger grades where teachers can actually talk with parents and report verbally.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Jan. 7, 2012

2012-02-07T08:21:00.000-05:00

Southington’s library has digitized old newspapers, and these are now available to the public. This is a fine step for the library to have taken.

Glad to read that councilors and Meriden and Wallingford politicians have taken to Twitter to keep in touch with constituents, with news and with each other. The practice should help keep them out of trouble.

Meriden has decided to bill for water and sewer quarterly instead of every six months. It’s hoped that this change will reduce delinquency and keep city cash flow up.

Cheshire had its discussion about Veterans Day holiday at a board of education meeting last night. Nothing became heated, and we guess the idea is still somewhere near the drawing board.

Although there’s clearly more information to come, initial discussion about charter school siphoning off funds from urban school districts doesn’t sound like much of a plan. We’d like to see this notion worked out better before Connecticut goes off on this sort of tangent.

We guess it’s a good thing for everyone’s snow clearing budgets (Meriden and Wallingford and probably Southington and Cheshire, too) that we’ve been having a mild winter, since costs of Irene and Alfred have accounted for most of that money well before the season began.

The new Bubble is up in Cheshire Community Pool at Bartlem Park. The pool isn’t open yet, but this is very welcome progress.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Feb. 6, 2012

2012-02-06T11:51:00.000-05:00

Courts in Connecticut and police departments in Meriden, Southington and no doubt elsewhere, are dealing with the CSI Effect, in which jurors and victims expect regular use of technology to collect evidence. This is actually a good development, though with costs, if you consider earlier expectations of defendant confessions or less reliable evidence.

Colony Street in downtown Meriden needs life and may eventually get it from the revived rail service and the attendant walkways and park. But right now, the key would seem to be to bring in some sort of foot traffic.

Connecticut’s legislature has a lot on its plate when the session opens Wednesday, but that is pretty standard. There should be some interesting debates and there could be some interesting laws made.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Feb. 5, 2012

2012-02-05T14:16:00.000-05:00

It’s interesting to note that the difference between having to fund only an additional $25 million of the cost of the two high school projects which Meriden must complete somehow, and funding an extra $40 million is only about $40 a year per taxpayer. Nobody wants to pay an additional $65 annual or an extra $105 a year, but these are more tolerable costs than one might expect.

Signs of spring include a completed list of performers for Meriden’s Daffodil Festival. It’s great to think of all the music which will greet the crowds who step of the buses.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Feb. 4, 2012

2012-02-04T21:39:00.000-05:00

Wallingford Housing Authority has hired a management firm to run its apartments for low income residents. While one can easily see the attraction of such a plan in light of recent experience, it doesn’t sit very well to make such a decision without notice and debate.

The warm weather, relatively speaking, is producing a curious February after an interesting January, almost without snow. What seems to be bad for skaters, especially at the portable skating rink in downtown Meriden is producing fun for city golfers.

Yet another hospital pairing is taking shape, this one between Backus Hospital in Norwich, and Hartford HeathCare, parent of Hartford Hospital, MidState in Meriden and several others. The increasing size of our health care providers – the other large player is Yale and its affiliates – should at least be cause for debate, just as we should be debating whether the merger of CL&P parent NU and the Boston utility is a good idea.

Governor Malloy’s plan to create a school board which will run Connecticut’s vo-tech schools sounds like a good plan. We’ll see how it fares with solons.

FEMA has awarded a grant to Meriden’s Fire Department for half the cost ($600,000) of a new ladder truck. This will replace a 24-year-old truck and will continue the city’s good record of winning grants for important fire equipment.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Feb. 3, 2012

2012-02-03T21:37:00.000-05:00

The predicted shift in Meriden of the tax burden from residential properties to commercial properties merely reverses what has been going on for the last couple of revaluations. This is, as it were, the down side of regular revaluation; if one had a fixed initial property value which never changed actually or relatively, think of the consequences for fossilized municipalities.

Meriden leaders make good points about the need for space in our high schools to serve the community as well as the schools themselves. That’s fine, but it will be better if we actually know our exposure, since hoping for statutory assistance is a little nervous-making.

In this connection, it will be interesting to see how various efforts to secure waivers for Meriden will play out through our delegation in Hartford.

Those familiar with Meriden Family Zone Promise Neighborhood and those who may benefit from it were out this week at the Augusta Curtis Cultural Center to give the program and Children First executive David Radcliffe, which won a $465,000 Promise Grant from the US Department of Education. This is a triumph for Meriden and could significantly help kids raise reading skills as they enter the school system.

Connecticut must carefully consider on-line betting and how or whether to work our matters with the state’s tribes and their casinos, which have been contributing a substantial amount to the state for years. It’s important to understand the finances of gambling as well as the interests of all the players.

Governor Malloy is asking $12 million additional for Connecticut pre-school programs, which he is making part of his legislative focus this year. We will be watching eagerly to see how the various reforms fare with legislators.

The paternity case decided by Connecticut’s Supreme Court which allows a husband to dispute his paternity of a daughter now 19 years old. Regardless of DNA, we agree with earlier court rulings which held that it was against public policy to let a father disinherit his putative child.

School-provided desktop computers at Sheehan in Wallingford (and at many other schools there and elsewhere) have issues and can result in much wastage of time and effort when computers won’t boot or crash. It s good that the town has come up with $100,000 to resupply some of those with big problems, but a part of the difficulty is that many of these machines are used by more than one person, creating an endemic problem for everyone.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Feb. 2, 2012

2012-02-02T08:11:00.000-05:00

It appears that Meriden’s two high school projects have hit something of a snag regarding reimbursement rates from the state for these $220 million worth of renovations. If the city cannot qualify as a new project – because it isn’t – and cannot qualify as a renovation – because it’s too large, we’d better get ourselves back to the drawing board.

Questions being raised concerning flood control and stream maintenance in downtown Meriden are matters which have had every chance of being raised over the last dozen years. One serious focus of the entire process is and has been to bring the brook out from underground through the Hub and to make an attractive cityscape there

The lateness of Southington’s Grand List is an annoyance or not, depending on one’s point of view, but it’s not cause for serious concern, since there’s quite a while before anyone needs to fix the tax rate. New software is, alas, always a problem.

Chris Donovan’s push for a hike in Connecticut’s minimum wage is something apt to set off shock waves for the Meriden legislator seeking nomination for the 5th Congressional district, particularly if Governor Malloy is less-than-enthusiastic. But the real underlying question is one of cost: how many jobs would such an increase affect and how much would it cost?

It is good to see physical and health education teacher Chris Puzio at Parker Farms School in Wallingford using a Smart Board to good effect. The incorporation of technology into the educational process is essential to health of both gadgets and schooling.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Feb. 1, 2012

2012-02-01T08:36:00.000-05:00

There is a long way to go between the idea of turning the former Professional Building on West Main Street (opposite Cook Avenue, Meriden) into apartments for homeless persons and the reality of such a plan. It’s fair to ask questions and raise issues, so long as such questions include “if not there then where?”

During Super Bowl weekend, Americans will eat 1.25 billion Buffalo wings, a truly mind-boggling statistic. We hope that local patrons at such places as Archie Moore’s in Wallingford, Sliders Sports Bar and Grill, in Plantsville, and all the other places where they’re sold do well by them during this national event.

Another car chase, this one from Hamden into New Haven, resulted in the car being chased winding up on top of a man sleeping in his bedroom, when the vehicle landed up inside. The innocent victim suffered burns and the suspect escaped, raising again a question about when to chase and when not to endanger people’s lives.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Jan. 31, 2012

2012-01-31T08:20:00.000-05:00

Fireworks for Wallingford’s Fourth of July observance seem a chancy thing. Now with both original organizers on the Town Council and busier than ever, it would be a good time for an official intervention by the town budget, but the chances of that happening seem vanishingly small.

Banning electronic devices in schools, in Southington (where a committee is at work on a rule book) or elsewhere, may work momentarily. It’s a better plan, though, to figure out how to incorporate all these devices in the learning process, where they can become integral parts of the system, not just entertainments.

Connecticut’s Bond Commission has approved $291 million in borrowing over a decade to support Jackson Labs’ research lab at the Connecticut Health Center in Farmington. This is a gamble, and we hope a good one.

It makes a certain amount of sense to hold school on some holidays, such as Veterans’ Day, as Cheshire is at least going to consider. It depends whether people, in particular students, see such occasions as vacations or days of remembrance, celebration or whatever.

Wallingford’s Electric Division is considering expanding its incentive program of lowered rates for businesses which locate to Center Street, which costs the town $3,617. This is a fine idea but one does wonder how it differs from the rejected Simpson Court parking plan in its direct aid to businesses.

The mentoring program at Israel Putnam school in Meriden, with one mentor remaining with a student for years. This is a fine way of providing something extra for kids.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Jan. 30, 2012

2012-01-30T08:09:00.001-05:00

Who knew that replacing a traffic light at an intersection where one has been familiar for decades could be so complicated? Yet check out the issues at Pratt and Center Streets in Meriden, where, after a vehicle hit its pole, the sagging equipment was removed and it will take a good nine months to go through approvals, funding, bids and construction to get a new one in place.

The latest talk about downtown development in Meriden includes a good deal of housing to make the city a point of origin rather than a destination. That’s all well and good, but we’d guess that inordinately high buildings might take some selling, since not too many will want such a structure to stand out as does the Middlesex Mutual building in downtown Middletown.

Southington schools are taking on bullying, a persistent issue with children (and adults) everywhere. We hope that serious focus on this behavior will help remediate it.

It was running weather “like Florida” for the Bernard Jurale Memorial Tradition Run Sunday morning in Hubbard Park, Meriden. Good exercise, too, if you’re hardy enough to attempt the uphill endeavor and in good health.

It is sad to read of the financial cares of the group which built the replica of the Amistad, Amistad America. Its vessel, in need of some minor but expensive repairs, is stranded at Mystic and trying to figure out how to find the necessary cash.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Jan. 29, 2012

2012-01-29T14:56:00.000-05:00

Disappearance of men’s clothing stores not only in Southington but most everyplace. Our emphasis on informality, hard to resist, makes it a tough sell for high-end suits and sport jackets.

Towns – Southington, Wallingford, Meriden, Cheshire, or anywhere else – have no business complaining that the state wants us all to remove phosphorus and other substances from waste water to avoid turning Long Island Sound into a dead sea zone. But, while it is highly annoying and expensive to have to face first one nutrient issue and then another and devise separate mediation, that is the nature of how pollutants’ effects have been discovered and that is, after all, how we put pollutants into the water system, one after another.

The Second Chance Ranch program, run by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Correction at Niantic, seems to work both for animals (some of whom were former Meriden “residents”) and for prisoners. As with pets for seniors, animals create valuable bonds for and with human beings, especially those who are in serious need of this sort of companionship.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Jan 28, 2012

2012-01-28T20:08:00.001-05:00

It is a great relief that the Komisarjevsky trial (Cheshire Home Invasion case) has at last been completed and led to the imposition of sentence. Appeals will take the proverbial forever, and no one should expect any rapid conclusion.

A Wallingford property owner’s decision to end public parking on his lot following rejection of an arrangement approved by the council is having an effect upon those who need to reach Holy Trinity School. This is not a good situation.

Fox-a-thon at Plantsville School, Southington, in aid of the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. The $2,359.60 raised by the kids is a tribute to the organization of students, their teacher, and a UConn student.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Jan. 27, 2012

2012-01-27T20:05:00.000-05:00

Reading the comments of Sgt. Wuterich’s parents it is clear that the last six years have been an immense burden on both him and his Meriden family as it has coped with the intensity of a high-profile criminal case. We are glad for them that it is now over.

People will be able to draw their own conclusions from the status of Meriden mayoral candidates’ financial status 2 and a half months after the election. Look at the money and where it came from.

Wallingford Housing Authority members should be extra careful in dotting all I’s and crossing all T’s as it proceeds. Perhaps it would be better, given practices concerning plumbing contractors, to go forward with that full audit so that there are no questions.

The story involving East Haven’s mayor is pretty incredible. That his comment about tacos could be offered by an elected official is a sign of how far our culture has to go.

Meriden Housing Authority’s idea of turning the former “Professional Building” at 137 West Main Street into housing for the homeless makes a good deal of sense. It will take a whole lot of grant money though (around $7 million) so no one’s counting rooms until they’re ready for occupancy.

One has a feeling that the New Haven man who stole $700 worth of baby formula from Target store in Meriden may have acted out of need. We hope that all the facts will e carefully sorted and that we are not witnessing a page out of Les Miserables.

It certainly makes sense for Southington to undertake a study of its sewer system. When it comes to fixing it to whatever standards are set, though, there’s not really much choice for the town.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Jan. 26, 2012

2012-01-26T07:46:00.001-05:00

We are concerned for the illness of Principal Tom Brown of Meriden’s Pulaski School and we wish him and his family the very best. He’s been a very strong member of the school system for two decades.

Wallingford wound up the last fiscal year with a surplus, due to leaving positions unfilled. This holds the budget line, and is probably what taxpayers want, but it’s hard on those who need services as well as on employees who often must cover for unfilled jobs.

Renovation of Southington’s middle schools, a job long in the decision, is clearly not going to be short in the execution, either. But the process is underway and will eventually produce two up-to-date schools.

Possible revival of the Learning Academy in Southington, a program at the high school aimed at freshmen and sophomores who are failing courses at the end of their school year. After school programs, twice a week, may not be everyone’s dream come true, but it offers second chances for some who take advantage of the program.

Meriden looks forward to a concert February 11 from its newly formed Pops Orchestra, which will play at the Curtis Cultural Center. We are very glad to see the return of orchestral music to the community and we wish the group a good success.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Jan. 25, 2012

2012-01-25T09:21:00.001-05:00

That marijuana incident at Hanover School, Meriden, involving a 4-year-old who arrived with packets of the stuff is really unfortunate. It’s too bad when a small child becomes the center of a situation with such characteristics.

Southington is already engaged in a typical budget dilemma: cut sports or teachers. It’s not really a good plan, long run, when one program is pitted against another.

Wallingford is again discussing its long-dormant insurance commission. While it is certainly good to make sure all decisions are made transparently, it is hard to figure why decisions made by a committee of five would be any better than decisions made by one professional employee.

It sounds like a really good idea to switch Meriden water and sewer bills to a quarterly payment basis. Maybe folks could also pay on-line, if that can be done without extra cost, to save postage.

It doesn’t look as if the Gura Building in Southington will be disappearing any time soon. The panel to plan its future met for the first time and talk was not of removal but of finding new uses, public or private.

The Wuterich case is concluded, and the Meriden soldier can go on with his life. International chips will fall where they may.

Let’s keep things in perspective: it was widely reported that state workers filed fraudulent claims for food stamps after Hurricane Irene. As facts emerge, it appears 686 of 800 workers who applied did so eligibly (what does that say about state wages?) and 98 have been forwarded for fraud review, of which 4 have retired and 4 have been fired, hardly a huge scandal when dealing with aid of between $200 and $1,200.

Platt Senior Sammi Barillaro’s efforts to raise money in Meriden for Special Olympics through a Polar Bear Plunge at Hammonnasset on February 11. You don’t have to jump in to help this effort, just pledge.

It’s probably good that Southington schools review homework policy – as in how long per day – since all kids have busy schedules and folks should know what to expect. On the other hand it does reduce the process to a sort of accounting exercise rather than a learning experience, since homework, ideally, helps kids learn something, not just occupy their time.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Jan. 24, 2012

2012-01-24T07:51:00.001-05:00

It is good that Sgt. Wuterich and his attorneys have managed to bring these protracted hearings to an end. We hope the Meriden native may now proceed to whatever is next for him in life, and that the nation can put this incident aside and that harm done to civilians on the other side in that war can be peacefully remedied.

Wild fluctuations in the price of gasoline would be troubling, and it has always been a wonder how events across the world can cause prices to rise at the pump on gas which has already been purchased by retailers or by distributing companies. That said, a 30-cent difference in the price of a gallon amounts to only 10 percent or so and makes little long-range difference to anyone, and as for any windfall to Connecticut coffers, that’s all to the good, considering how desperate the straits it is in.

The Meriden Housing Authority will work with a residents’ committee on issues about affordable housing and the future of public housing, which makes sense to do on several grounds. We hope a way is found to process and respond to input developed by this committee or it will be somewhat pointless.

Lots of people can accept the notion that there will be parking arranged at the Wooding-Caplan property in Wallingford, about which the town is preparing a report for the Council. It is the word “temporary” which causes some concern, as once it’s there, it seems unlikely anyone will continue to find alternative parking, an issue which has left burn marks on many political skins.

It seems that “bait and switch” is a little tough to use on the fact that estimates for sewer installations in Southington were badly off. Sewers are necessary, really, and they’re going to cost what they cost.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Jan. 23, 2012

2012-01-23T11:17:00.001-05:00

So Democrats who want to vote in a Republican primary in Connecticut may do so, and the GOP primary is April 24, 90 days from now. But that’s presidential; voters planning interparty strategy should whether if, by changing affiliations, they could switch back for a Democratic Senatorial primary.

Interesting listing of stipends for various jobs coaching or supervising extracurricular activities in Wallingford schools. The cash is minor, but the principle is of greater concern.

Less evidence makes sense in dealing with Connecticut's forensic lab. Clearly, not every case needs forensic treatment, but we do hope that by setting limits cases which need examination will not have lab work done.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Jan. 22, 2012

2012-01-22T12:53:00.002-05:00

Seems to us that if folks begin comparing Connecticut’s legislative expenses with other states’ (which is essentially comparing apples to oranges) we’re asking for trouble. That notion floated by Sen. Gary LeBeau of eliminating a chamber is worth looking at as long as it’s not merely done to save money, which is merely a way of ensuring we get what we pay for.

Our pat of Connecticut got off easy in Saturday’s storm. We hope that Meriden, Wallingford, Cheshire and Southington have it just as easy in the precipitation set for tonight and tomorrow.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Jan 21, 2012

2012-01-21T11:51:00.000-05:00

Mayor Dickinson delivered his state of the town speech (Wallingford) this week, punctuating his approach with his usual aplomb and drama. Despite the economy, Wallingford, he feels, has “a lot to feel good about” though there’s “no time to relax.”

Meriden’s approach to “time-out” rooms seems sane and measured. Under this system we can see how and why it needs to be.

Following rejection by New London voters of a deal to sell part of an adjacent park to the US Coast Guard Academy, the academy is now attracting offers from neighboring towns who would like to offer a new home.

Moody’s has downgraded Connecticut bonds. Nice of them to do so.

This business of “tuition” wars to lure NY state students to Western or other Connecticut college graduate programs seems a really silly policy to embark upon. Ideally, states should come up with agreements so that tuitions are the same and kids don’t need to go shopping for educational “deals.”

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Jan. 20, 2012

2012-01-20T12:11:00.002-05:00

Meriden schools will see some administrative shifts as retirements open opportunities for savings. It won’t be that $4.75 million needed, but everything helps.

Southington Town Councilors, speaking at a “state of the town” meeting are relatively happy with how the town is situated. Despite a weak economy, economic development is being pursued, there is a solid reserve fund, and town assets are in good shape.

In Wallingford, there is less of a parking lot serving Simpson Court's needs. As promised, one of the owners of the land which would have become town-maintained under an agreement passed by the council and then rejected by voters, the owner has exercised his options.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Jan. 19, 2012

2012-01-19T07:53:00.002-05:00

In Southington, it appears there could be a bitter dispute with a long-serving former town employee over his severance. We are sorry for this state of affairs and wish it were not so.

Residential usage was one area discussed during Wednesday’s meeting on Meriden’s downtown transit district. It’s good to get all the issues out on the table for discussion.

It is good that the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority will review Northeast Utilities merger with NStar which provides electricity for the Boston area. There ought to be some reason for merger which benefits the consumers and customers of this giant utility rather than merely the shareholders.

Southington school buses may be equipped with cameras to catch motorists who ignore the stop signs, eventually resulting in a ticket. Is disregarding bus signals a sufficient problem to call for treatment of this kind?

Another accident – this time a roll-over of a stone-carrying truck – closed I-91 in Wallingford for 5 hours. These highways continue to be traps for unwary motorists.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Jan. 18, 2012

2012-01-18T09:02:00.001-05:00

Meriden schools face a $4.76 million gap, which the board has voted to seek from the city. It’s kind of a pipe dream, but where are the choices?

Different groups are giving input to Meriden’s Downtown plan, which is taking firmer shape. A lot of valid concerns were voiced and several interesting ideas at meetings with officials beginning yesterday and continuing.

Wallingford Superintendent of Schools Menzo has put forth a sabbatical plan to create solutions for school areas of need, and enlisting the business community. It’s not your typical sabbatical, since it’s no vacation, but it could have excellent results.

Another shoe has dropped with planned increases in tuitions and fees at the Connecticut State Universities and Community Colleges system, needed to compensate for about a 9 percent reduction in state support. And the board of regents will approve the measure, just as UConn’s board did, you may be sure.

Congratulations to Lisa Pippa, named as permanent Health Director for the city of Meriden. Serving as interim during the snow storm made a strong favorable impression on her own behalf.

In Norwalk, the federal government is proposing to close a Social Security office because its lease has expired, meaning folks with business would have to travel to Stamford or Bridgeport. If Social Security were willing to move to more computerized communication, this could make sense, but a huge amount of business takes place with people needing to be present.

A truck driver in Meriden displayed good sense when his load of garbage caught fire by stopping, calling for help and dumping the smoldering load. It was fortunate, too, that Les’ Dairy Bar had closed for the winter and that a snowy lot was available.

Connecticut will apply for a waiver of certain as yet unidentified portions of the No Child Left Behind law, since it is effectively impossible to meet deadlines. Frankly, the whole law is a sham and should be scrapped – which is not at all to say that schools should not be reformed.

It should be no surprise that at Lake Compounce in Southington/Bristol, people are busy during the winter season cleaning, fixing, checking and improving all aspects of the park, especially those which operate 10 hours a day during warm weather. This is a chance to make all the checks which can mean a successful and a safe season later in the year.

Controversy over Connecticut state police staffing, based on a 1998 law requiring 1,248 troopers, which the governor is fighting (present staffing is 1,080) and police union is supporting, demonstrates futility of such a law. What earthly good does passing such a mandate do without the legislature simultaneously passing a law funding such positions?

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Jan. 17, 2012

2012-01-17T09:33:00.001-05:00

Blockbuster closings in Southington and Meriden is yet another sign of change in entertainment market as new types of electronic providers take advantage of technology. One thing remains clear: there’s a huge hunger for entertainment of all types.

Meriden Family Zone project, organized and run by Meriden Children First, is helping families in the Roger Sherman school district improving children’s literacy rates, ensuring school readiness, making health care accessible and connecting families. This is a valuable service not only to individual families but also to the community.

Governor Malloy and Secretary of the State Merrill want to make access to ballots easier in Connecticut. This is a voting rights move we appreciate, considering the negative directions some states are taking, and in the absence of voter fraud in this state seems highly justified.

It is good news for Connecticut coffers that revenues at both casinos were up somewhat in December. This reverses a trend downwards which had been noted for some time.

Superintendent Erardi is pleased with progress Southington Schools are making and he has promulgated goals for the year ahead.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Jan. 16, 2012

2012-01-16T09:07:00.001-05:00

Southington School Superintendent Joseph V. Erardi Jr.’s administrator aspirant program, enrolling teachers who want to look for administrative posts and become qualified in a program to move them in that direction. It’s a sensible approach to filling this personnel need.

Meriden City Councilor Brian Daniels is acting on his campaign promise to seek funding for replacing Mills Memorial Apartments with something better for tenants and better for the city. It’s a competitive grant issue, there are – as always – flood plain issues, there must be replacement housing in place; but there has to be an answer.

Republicans vying for Connecticut Senate candidacy this year are going to be having an interesting battle with at least two, so far, McMahon and Shays, getting personal. On the other hand, there seems to be interesting discussion in the Democratic Party as well, so this will be a free-for-all.

Reading what Meriden superintendent of Schools Mark Benigni does during his long days is illuminating. Anyone who thinks that his position is a cushy one has another think coming.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Jan. 15, 2012

2012-01-15T19:59:00.000-05:00

Our sympathy to Melissa Goduti of Wallingford, who won a Mediterranean cruise from her employers and wound up shivering on a small island off Tuscany waiting to come home after the ship gouged a hole in her bottom and heeled over to about 80 degrees. Is it a function of our vastly shrunk world that so many times there’s a major event elsewhere in the world there’s a local connection?

In Southington, it would seem that Town Councilors are getting what they asked for in Town Manager Garry Brumback. If they wanted everything to continue as it had been, they’d have told the new man when he started.

Members of Meriden's Silver City Cadet Squadron, 13 youths from 12 to 21, were out participating in a search and rescue mission in Hurd State Park yesterday morning. It wasn’t a real mission, but it was a function of the Civil Air Patrol to help young people train for real emergencies – such as Hurricane Irene.

Former City Councilor David Salafia is now serving as family-schools liaison for Meriden schools, dealing with attendance and truancy issues. It sounds as if this would be a good role for this popular citizen.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Jan 14, 2012

2012-01-14T19:33:00.000-05:00

Meriden’s YMCA has bought Lil’ Rascals Preschool and Day Care Center on Swain Ave. and expanded its operations in this area of endeavor. Here is an interesting development in the delivery of day care, with the Y becoming a licensing agency for multiple sites.

The special master has submitted his plan for redistricting to the Connecticut Supreme Court, which is said to resemble the Democratic plan and shifting no more voters than necessary. “The Republican proposal shifts more population, land and towns than is reasonably necessary to comply with one person one vote,” said Nathaniel Persily, and that seems to sum it up.

Governor Malloy’s decision to endorse seven-day openings of liquor stores in Connecticut is right and proper, given that we live in so determinedly a 24/7 society. Liquor is one of the last holdouts in this state for Sunday closings, and it’s time to end it.

It was really poor procedure for Friendly’s to lay off folks at its Wallingford store via email. Really, the least any firm can do is give those about to be unemployed a little notice and a little face-to-face interaction.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Jan. 13, 2012

2012-01-13T09:57:00.001-05:00

A review of police pursuit policies is well-worth reading, and not just for officers. It is good to know that state police in situations like that which occurred in Southington on Meriden Waterbury road at the end of December and which resulted in a crash and fire with a tanker, are subject to some careful – if necessarily quick – supervision.

Southington has been setting its school calendar for next year and, because Veteran’s Day is a Sunday, there will be school on the Monday but not on subsequent years, a decision reflecting veterans’ wishes. But Superintendent Irardi’s suggestion, a month or so ago, that kids be in school on that day, actually studying the sacrifices veterans made, makes more sense than staying home in front of the TV.

The Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington has received a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain to enable it to remain in operation for the remainder of this year. We hope some other funding sources can be discovered.

Foreclosure rate in Connecticut and elsewhere seems to be easing, suggesting a turnaround in the economy. We hope this is reason for quiet optimism.

There’s more to be said, one suspects, about “scream rooms” as revealed in a story today from Middletown Public Schools. It is a disturbing concept, but one which may have a place in a student’s Individualized Education Program, which is arrived at by parents, teachers, social workers and other school professionals.

It was a good decision of Meriden’s Public Works and Parks and Recreation Committee to recommend spending $28,000 to restore the path to Nathan Hale School to usable quality. This is a sensible course and we hope the full council approves it.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Jan. 12, 2012

2012-01-12T09:32:00.001-05:00

Wallingford’s Housing Authority is crafting new job descriptions as a step in avoiding any repeats of last year’s employment difficulties with its important employees. We’re not sure it job descriptions were part cause of those issues, but to the extent they were, craft away!

Postal workers and supporters, including members of Congress, turned out to find out the details of a proposed distribution center closing in Wallingford, which would cost, among other things, 281 jobs at least. We hope the effort does some good.

Troubles within the We The People Party can only help the other two Meriden party organizations. One suspects that this type of difficulty is fairly endemic with third parties in American politics.

Meriden’s two new public information officers on the police force seem to be enjoying their jobs and hoping to make a difference through police work. We wish them great success in their new jobs.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Jan. 11, 2012

2012-01-11T12:16:00.001-05:00

Meriden residents now have cause to appreciate traffic lights, since a collision ended the useful life of the one at Center and Pratt Streets. Stop signs have their places, and we hope drivers will remember theirs until a new light, for over $150,000, can be erected.

It’s no surprise that after that 2006 referendum undoing the Wallingford Council’s decision about Wooding-Caplan that today’s Council is wary of proceeding. It’s only been 19 years, after all, so there’s no sense hurrying into anything precipitate.

Meriden’s school board finance committee is starting high with hopes for a 4.78 percent increase next year. This is sure to be modified before it becomes a budget.

Members of CT Finest Riderz who constructed a ramp for a little Meriden girl who needed one for her wheel chair access to her home’s front door. Such acts of kindness help more than anyone can imagine.

We hope the problems over a culvert which needs to be built for Spoon Shop Brook on East Main Street in Meriden at a business there can be resolved. No doubt the economy has played a role in delays, but there has to be a way to resolve the issue.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Jan. 10, 2012

2012-01-10T12:13:00.000-05:00

Apparent success of Connecticut’s Safe Haven law, when a newborn girl was dropped off at MidState Medical Center in Meriden, Monday morning. With the city still remembering a baby boy abandoned 24 years ago early in January to die, this law takes on additional meaning.

A nine percent increase in Wallingford’s education budget seems reasonably unlikely, but one never knows. Superintendent Menzo has done things well during his tenure, and if anyone can convince a town council to open its wallet, it is he.

Further descent of Friendly’s into economic oblivion with the closing of restaurants in Wallingford, Middletown and North Haven, ending a long tradition of familiar foods. Friendly’s will join Howard Johnsons of a former generation, and be in good company.

Southington will be investing its funds with an investment in hopes of increasing yield while the money remains inactive for the town. This bit-by-bit approach seems like the right way to go about accomplishing this.

We are interested and concerned that an alleged “toxic” labor-management relationship at NU/CL&P is in part responsible for how responses lagged in Connecticut during Irene and Alfred. We are more concerned at how such toxicity may be eliminated.

Hunter Ambulance’s move to 1324 East Main for its ambulance storage area has plenty of issues, which developers are working through. Apart from those difficulties, it seems a good move for the Meriden company.

Cytec, as reported by EPA, remains an emitter of a lot of toxic waste. But it needs to be stated that this company, operating in Wallingford since 1941, operates within its permitted boundaries and has greatly reduced emissions over the years, which makes EPA’s release somewhat puzzling.

A dispute in Meriden between Christmas Tree-wielding neighbors over the weekend is one of the stranger arguments we’ve heard of, or at least one of the stranger contexts. We hope to learn more about it as facts develop.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Jan. 9, 2012

2012-01-09T08:56:00.001-05:00

There would seem to be no serious question that turning Meriden's downtown Hub into a park permanently is a good plan. If it is something other than the best, then someone should step forward with something to which it could be compared.

That malpractice restriction law passed in Connecticut in 2005 slipped by a lot of people as a way of protecting doctors and hospitals, which seemed to be suffering from high insurance premiums. While the newly required rule that a medical opinion be obtained would seem sensible (who would file a suit without getting an opinion?) it is being used as a barrier to legal redress.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Jan. 8, 2012

2012-01-08T08:54:00.000-05:00

Apparently, a good argument for maintaining the postal distribution center in Wallingford open exists. It has to do with a huge volume of advertising items sent out by local companies, which would definitely take longer without that center’s work.

It would seem that the Taser is a vast improvement over shooting someone in an appropriate situation in Meriden or anywhere else. It is naturally going to be an issue to what extent police should use Tasers to obtain compliance rather than in self-defense, and training is certainly good – but there will continue to be some gray areas of usage.

Commissioner of Children and Families Joette Katz seems to be doing her best to solve problems at her agency, but still has a long way to go. One suspects that there is a huge systemic problem as yet unidentified or that people cannot deal with at all; one suspects it has something to do with money Connecticut allocates, too.

Beaton & Corbin site in Southington is being evaluated again for clean-up of its long –standing pollution. This is an example of how long this process can take.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Jan 7, 2012

2012-01-07T08:52:00.000-05:00

It would certainly be possible to be critical of the manner in which Southington Town Engineer Tranquillo was retired. We shall wait more details of the circumstances before doing so, however.

There really isn’t much choice about fixing roof on Wallingford’s schools. While there may be some discussion over how much reimbursement may be received from the state, it should certainly be possible to work out how much that would be before any decisions have been cast in concrete.

The story of an ambulance rape of a Hamden woman who was unconscious following a fall at a Christmas party is thoroughly inexcusable on the part of the ambulance company. What sort of procedure would leave a single person in the business end of a vehicle with a single unconscious person?

Indications are, from the court, that congressional districts need to be as similar in population and contiguous and that Democrats in Connecticut are within reason in refusing to modify existing shapes to accomplish anything but that. Republicans want changes to make at least on district more competitive, but that doesn’t seem a requirement.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Jan. 6, 2012

2012-01-06T12:06:00.001-05:00

It seems a rather sad end to a long employment for Southington’s head of Public Works and Engineering, leaving after nearly 40 years. Sometimes this is the only way.

That credit card abuse, source still unidentified, which has left innocent Wallingford customers and merchants as victims is as nasty as any we’ve heard. We hope the perps are apprehended soon.

And so with Cheshire schools’ 2012 budget requests of a 3 percent increase, we’re off and running on another year of this process. We hope it will not be as difficult in the new year as it was in the present year, but we’re not holding our breath.

Architectural plans are being discussed by planners and committees for Platt, and there seem to be some discussions over concept. One item to note is that plans for parking evidently include using the present Meriden skateboard park for parking, and we trust, if such a use transpires, that an alternate location for this well-used facility is in the planning.

No one seems to know why the FBI is investigating Meriden properties owned by Chief Cossette’s wife and son. This is a fairly typical process and probably we shall all know in the fullness of time.

It does appear that many members of Congress, both in House and Senate, are far from indigent. On the other hand, such things as average net worth of around a quarter of a million (as reported for members) should be compared to annual compensation of, say, the CEO of Northeast Utilities in Connecticut, who earned over $8 million in a single year.

Recess Rocks at Strong School, Southington, keeps elementary age kids moving and active when it’s not possible to go outdoors. Community Health Center of Middletown offered a fitness program which fit the needs.

Approval of a space in the former Napier factory by Meriden’s Zoning Board of Appeals for the Victorious House of Prayer, a church with need of larger quarters. This seems to be an appropriate place to authorize a use exception, and the church will join other tenants which include CEI Investment Corp. and New Opportunities for Greater Meriden, a warehouse for Tomassetti Distributors and a fitness and exercise studio.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Jan. 5, 2012

2012-01-05T10:39:00.001-05:00

Community reaction to the request to use the Lewis mansion on East Main as a mosque is mild and generally favorable. We hope this smoothness continues; it’s good for Meriden.

Meriden-Markham Airport is without a management company after the city terminated its contract with Meriden Aviators that had been inked in June of 2010. It’ll be difficult to find the right mix for running an airport and a business correctly.

Cheshire is expecting to receive the new bubble for the Community Pool which has been shipped from its manufacturer. With good weather conditions (keep your fingers crossed), the construction job could be complete by the end of February.

Connecticut is going to begin serious enforcement of the anti-profiling law. This is something which should have been done years ago.

Perhaps sometime Congress will bury its axes (in something other than in each other) and pass a jobs bill which will help fund school renovations for Meriden’s Casimir Pulaski and so many other schools in need of modernization and serious renovation. It’s scandalous that the process has become so polarized.

Southington schools are getting an anonymous tip line for people in the community to report issues. We hope it works as intended and doesn’t become a sort of while line for angry people.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Jan. 4, 2012

2012-01-04T14:32:00.000-05:00

Linda Bush has announced her retirement as town planner of Wallingford after 28 years, which has to be some sort of record, and perhaps the only Wallingford employee with more seniority than the mayor. We thank her for solid accomplishments and professionalism in her job and wish her the best in retirement.

Meriden’s Zoning Board of Appeals has voted 4-0 to approve turning the main floor of 19th century mayor Isaac Lewis’ home into a mosque. This seems a perfectly fine use for this old city residence.

Meriden’s City Council voted, properly, to accept a grant of $25,000 for improvements at City Park at its meeting Tuesday night. It does not make sense during a tough economy to stop spending on things which enrich community life – such as parks – but this is when little things tend to make more of a difference.

We guess it makes sense to commission a study to see if closing a Meriden elementary school would save enough money to close a budget gap, but it is hard to understand why members of the board or of the administration can’t figure such a plan out. Perhaps sending such work “outside” de-politicizes it.

It’s a pity that band uniforms are so expensive and so low priority. Congratulations to Wallingford’s schools which have won a $50,000 grant from Pepsi Refresh Project, which they’ll share and meanwhile Meriden’s Maloney has raised $50,000 – but all will keep on fundraising, because there’s a long way to go.

Connecticut’s teachers union, the CEA, has proposed some interesting education reforms, following an earlier set of ideas produced by superintendents. It was disappointing to read that Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now, or ConnCAN, continues to believe that improving test scores is the basic element in school reform.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Jan. 3, 2012

2012-01-03T14:34:00.000-05:00

Rising costs at UConn and other state universities. We all know the economy is terrible, so how does raising tuitions help kids attend college and how does bringing in a lot of teachers to beef up faculty (who probably don’t teach entry level courses), accomplish that end?

A new fish ladder at the Wallace Dam in Wallingford should help the Quinnipiac. It will be good to have a diversity of wildlife in the river again.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Jan. 2, 2012

2012-01-02T21:56:00.002-05:00

Indications that Connecticut high school graduation rates and college attendance rates, as heretofore largely self-reported, are not as good as they might be. The new board of regents is interested in correcting these numbers.

It’s 2012 and time for the Wallingford Town Council to discuss Wooding-Caplan once again. We hope something comes of it.

Wallingford’s West Dayton Hill Property. This town-owned land is 33 acres of solitude, complete with trails.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Jan. 1, 2012

2012-01-01T21:55:00.000-05:00

New Connecticut laws include required paid sick time for employees of firms with over 50 workers (many definitions apply) and on-line reporting for thousands of corporations, saving reams of paper. There are no doubts some laws which make no sense at all, too, and they’ll be repealed soon enough.

Who knew, as members of Southington High School Class of 2006 have found, that Facebook is ruining class reunions. People who are interested tend to follow each other on the social network and can’t be bothered with meeting them face-to-face.

Southington now has a temporary ice-rink in Memorial Park, arranged by Town Councilor Dawn Miceli and water board Commissioner Mike Domian. Now all we need is a little cold weather.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Dec. 31, 2011

2011-12-31T21:53:00.000-05:00

A new use of the former Isaac Lewis mansion on Meriden’s East Main Street has been proposed: a mosque for the Islamic Association of Southern Connecticut. Considering other buildings in the area – religious, municipal, cultural – the plan sounds ideal and appropriate at first blush, and we hope all zoning and building rules can be met.

We hope the perps of a credit card info theft scheme which has affected over 200 Wallingford residents since Christmas can be found and brought to justice. This is a crime too often committed these days.

A new law takes effect January 1 which will require those convicted of DUI to use a Breathalyzer interlock to start their vehicles. This may cut down on the number of people who drive drunk, but it wouldn’t stop situations like the one reported in Meriden where a man was arrested twice in a single day for the offense: it’s doubtful the law can work that fast.

Wallingford’s Mayor Dickinson isn’t about to authorize extra spending merely because the town wound up with a surplus of $671,000 for fiscal 2010-11. No one would expect him to.

As Meriden police warn, there has been an increase of solicitors canvassing without permits. While this isn’t necessarily a sign of further criminal intent, residents should be sure to check ID and to be aware that such visitors could be casing them out.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Dec. 30, 2011

2011-12-30T12:58:00.000-05:00

There’s a public meeting on January 11 to consider or discuss the possible closing of the Wallingford postal sorting center. Since it is stated that impact on mail service will be minimal, this is going to a tough change to fight.

The game of Musical Chairs continues, With Congressman Murphy trying for the Senate and Representative and House Speaker Donovan trying for Congress, two Meriden Democrats are looking at the state House race. Keith Gordon and Hilda Santiago are both well-known local figures, and we will be curious to se how the cookie crumbles here.

Fire hazards increase in winter, as that tragic blaze in Stamford demonstrated. A Southington family was lucky its ashes were noticed before they caused a conflagration; don’t you be the next number!

Record-Journal cartoonist of Southington, Tony Manning, has donated a major collection of his original cartoons spanning 40 years or more to the Historical Society. This is a treasure trove of local history which the Society is glad to have and will find something interesting to do with them: our congratulations and best wishes to Tony, as well.

Connecticut has hired a consulting group to consider how best to promote state ports. This seems like a reasonable approach to some of the economic doldrums.

It is disappointing that the State Forensic Lab in Meriden has not yet been able to clear up the administrative difficulties which resulted in its loss of accreditation last summer. This is not a task which can be neglected.

Connecticut is increasing its supervision of bail bondsmen. Apparently, according to the head of the Bail Association of Connecticut, the industry has brought this on itself with a “wild west” mentality.

Continuing agenda for energy related legislation from energy industries and others in Connecticut. Make haste slowly is a good rule – but given how these issues move, speed would be welcome.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Dec. 29, 2011

2011-12-29T13:57:00.000-05:00

Reminder: CL&P rebates for losses due to power outage during the late October nor’easter are still available. Connecticut customers need to apply by the end of January, so don’t delay.

The explanations about why Meriden’s public housing received low scores from HUD are mostly cogent, but we’d still like to see the city landlord come out better, whether or not similar behavior is required of private owners. Public ownership does have a higher standard.

Wallingford police are warning against identity thefts, a couple of dozen of which have recently been reported by residents. It isn’t always easy to know where it is safe to use a credit card or debit card, but it is still quite easy to follow bank records on line and to call promptly when anything odd is detected.

Meriden police will be holding a DUI checkpoint this weekend at a point not announced. One more good reason to refrain from drinking before driving.

It’s a shame that a donation of books to the library in Cheshire – or anywhere else – can be regarded as suspicious because it’s not in a transparent package. Please, though, remember to use a package which will not seem suspicious for books or any other donation; and deliver in person if possible.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Dec. 28, 2011

2011-12-28T12:09:00.001-05:00

Generous spirit of Piper Killen of Wallingford, age nine, whose charitable impulse led to a collection of 100 pairs of shoes for those in need. Santa and helpers stepped up to this plate for her.

Congratulations to Meriden Children First Initiative for winning a highly competitive Promise Neighborhood planning grant of $465,000 from the U.S. Department of Education. Children First was the only New England winner and will help expand the Meriden family Zone for healthy families.

Northeast Utilities is planning a merger with NSTAR which provides electricity to Boston, a move almost certain to make Connecticut the tail of the resulting dog. Attorney General George Jepson is rightly urging Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to review this worrisome plan.

Connecticut legislative leaders may continue working on a compromise Congressional reapportionment plan even as the state Supreme Court ponders a special master to do the job. It is not praiseworthy for politicians to have failed to work this matter out themselves.

Varying rates of reimbursements for Connecticut hospitals is an eye-opener, as analysis reveals how and why rates are different. An immediate remedy, to connect payments from the various public, private and governmental agencies which make them, to actual costs of procedures, seems unlikely.

A Small Town Economic Assistance grant will come to Wallingford for repairing North Main Street Extension. This will be a welcome infusion of cash for a job otherwise on taxpayers’ shoulders.

Although it’s behind schedule, and could lag further, depending on weather and whether all custom-mad components fit properly, Cheshire’s new Community Pool bubble is in the works. Residents will be glad to have this job completed.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Dec. 27, 2011

2011-12-27T22:48:00.000-05:00

Meriden’s planners are seriously considering a return to a two-way traffic pattern downtown and making other changes. It will be interesting to see how this ultimately affects the commercial area.

Connecticut could use some greater transparency in revealing costs of medical procedures to consumers. Unfortunately, insured persons probably don’t need to know while uninsured persons generally find medical bills astronomically out of reach, so in the end is there really any point in knowing that an appendectomy actually costs $6,000 or whatever?

Good luck to Lyman Hall and Sheehan High School bands, still competing for a grant from Pepsi. We hope Wallingford schools manage to win.

Connecticut has failed to set aside funds to do maintenance on state-maintained bridges, despite the accident in 1993 which caused a portion of an I-95 span to collapse in Mianus. So, the state is working on the problem.

Congratulations to Wallingford’s Recycling Committee which has received the GreenCircle Award from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection along with four other local businesses or individuals. This is a good path to follow.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Dec. 26, 2011

2011-12-26T22:46:00.000-05:00

Southington is pursuing a Safe Schools, Healthy Students grant from the federal departments of Education, Health and Human Services and Justice. If obtained, the town could receive $1.5 million for each of 4 years to support resource officers in the high school and to install security cameras.

Weather certainly contributed to local ills during 2011. But, as they say, it could always have been worse.

It is highly unseemly – as well as churlish and childish – for Connecticut legislators to be squabbling over whether to hang a portrait of Gov. Jodi Rell in the State Library and who is to pay for it. But then, there’s precedent: They wanted to hang Rowland rather than his portrait, and Lowell Weicker wasn’t particularly dear to either regular party after his term and it took a while.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Dec. 24, 2011

2011-12-24T22:45:00.000-05:00

Meriden, Wallingford, Southington, and Cheshire will be needing to realign their voting precincts following changes in state house and senate districts to keep voters from having to visit different places on Election Day. The process has already begun in a couple of towns.

Southington’s Gimenez family, which has gone caroling together every Christmas for 15 years, bringing music to friends and neighbors. There’s tradition for you!

That 9-year old flying in from Tennessee to visit Danbury grandparents and who had to change planes unexpectedly – and no one informed those who were to meet her. Two things: it is unacceptable for an airline not to call about a child passenger in its care; but why didn’t she have a cell phone?

Southington’s 2011 Apple Harvest Festival is expected to turn a $25,000 net gain when all the books are balance, including having paid for town expenses in extra police and fire coverage. This is an important milestone for the festival and especially welcome in these tough times.

The longish article on origins and policies surrounding American community Christmas trees is one which should be required reading, not only because of the “Christmas Tree” war, either. There is information there that almost no one knows about how and why this became a practice.

Distribution in Meriden of over 500 coats in the first Community Coat Drive. This was an excellent idea and well carried out, too.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Dec. 23, 2011

2011-12-23T22:44:00.000-05:00

It is good that initial reactions to the idea of Meriden’s and Wallingford’s Housing Authorities helping each other out has received some positive feedback. Why should two adjacent communities duplicate the entire work of two relatively small housing agencies merely because they are in different municipalities?

“It’s shameful, unacceptable, that young men and women who have served our country should come back to a jobless society for them,” Senator Richard Blumenthal said during a news conference Thursday, and he’s right. Everyone needs jobs, but in Connecticut, 15.5 percent of post 9/11 vets are unemployed compared to the 9.2 percent rate for everyone else.

People love to talk about government waste, but, considering that Connecticut legislators are paid only $28,000 annually (20th among states – and try living on that, if that happens to be your only income), it doesn’t necessarily mean that eliminating one legislative chamber will save a meaningful amount of money. If Sen. LeBeau wants to cut a house, he should bring the idea forward on its merits, not as a cost saving item.

Wallingford Emergency Shelter has made great progress on its two family town houses, with completion expected by May. This improvement, financed by support from the Trail of Terror, will allow the shelter to offer significantly more services to families in need of shelter.

The reason for Meriden Planning and Zoning Commission rule changes to limit roof heights in residential neighborhoods is to help reduce sun-blocking and to build in more housing variation. We’re not sure yet quite why these changes accomplish their tasks.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Dec. 22, 2011

2011-12-22T14:25:00.001-05:00

Meriden’s Housing Authority has offered to lend assistance to Wallingford’s, as the latter goes through transitions. This seems a potentially desirable suggestion, particularly if it can save both agencies money or improve conditions for tenants, so we hope it works out.

The redistricting committee missed its deadline on Congressional districts for Connecticut, so the matter goes to the court. This is too bad, since it’s better to have an agreed-upon plan than one imposed upon both sides, but that’s how the cookie crumbles.

The possible MountainRidge purchase by New Life Church is apparently a substitute for rebuilding at its Bee Street church in Meriden, which is interesting. This change would have some property tax consequences for Meriden, but it’s too soon to worry about that.

Moran Middle School kids have been participating in a drive to raise funds for operations to repair cleft palates of youngsters in poor countries. This is reasonably standard work in the US but beyond means in some countries and the charity offers Moran kids in Wallingford a chance to think of others.

Donations to Toys for Tots are down in Meriden this year, which means there will be some disappointed youngsters. We hope some last-minute presents will help prevent such an eventuality before Friday’s distribution.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Dec. 21, 2011

2011-12-21T14:23:00.000-05:00

Meriden's New Life Church’s potential deal to purchase MountainRidge, formerly Mountainside, is an interesting proposition and could create a unique facility in town. This plus a downtown food and clothing ministry shows a highly active congregation.

Demolition of Factory H in Meriden has begun, at least in a symbolic way with ribbon cutting and so on. The next few weeks will see work begin, and by the time this job is done, there will be new vistas in this part of the city.

All of Meriden will have full-day kindergarten, thanks to council approval. We’ve come a ways: first time this topic was mentioned, it had almost no support.

Southington school chief Erardi is on the right tack in suggesting that kids spend Veterans’ Day in school working on material which honors vets and the wars in which they fought and the reasons these wars were fought. If all can agree, this would tend to put meaning back into a national day.

Congratulations to Ed “Spaghetti” Siebert, whose new volume on Meriden has just been published. It includes much positive information about the community and is a good read, too.

Well, it’s always nice to know one did the right thing. A testimonial dinner for Wallingford’s mayor was set for winter 2010 raised some concerns and was cancelled, which now the state Elections Commission has determined was the correct decision.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Dec. 20, 2011

2011-12-20T14:21:00.000-05:00

The driver found responsible for an accident which injured former Wallingford Superintendent of Schools Dale Wilson and his wife last December, has been given substantial jail time. It is good to send the message that driving under the influence and reckless driving will earn time in prison.

Hikes totaling 17 percent over three years at UConn are a stiff price to pay for school improvement, considering that the state contribution has been cut. UConn should have been put in the higher education package with the state universities and community colleges and students should not, in this economy, be forced to pay substantially more.

We continue to feel that expansion of Meriden’s Linear Trail is an excellent investment for the city and for the residents. If federal money is received, moreover, the city’s share is only 20 percent of the total and the net cost is small change for a self-respecting city hoping to improve its prospects and self-respect.

Southington’s artificial turf committee is getting to work. It will have a lot of questions to ask and answers to receive.

Bassick High School in Bridgeport shows some excellent results with its education methods. It takes money, as well as willpower, and that’s in short supply not only in Connecticut’s largest city but in the state as well.

The tremendous success of Wallingford’s Trail of Terror has permitted the organization, now in its 17th year, to distribute around $130,000 to deserving charities locally. This is a trail well worth following.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Dec. 19, 2011

2011-12-19T14:19:00.000-05:00

Superintendents Florio, Menzo, Benigni and Erardi (Cheshire, Wallingford, Meriden, Southington respectively) are enthusiastic about proposals to reform Connecticut education. There are suggestions well worth attention but also likely to draw lightning.

Delay in anticipated completion of the renovation of North Central School in Southington. This delay, however, will not alter the need for this project nor postpone positive changes for long in the big picture.

The Quinnipiac Valley Audubon Society, along with other bird-centered groups across the state and the nation, are working on the annual bird count. Information collected on the national Audubon Society website helps us understand bird populations and to anticipate what will happen as a result of changes in environment and climate.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Dec. 18, 2011

2011-12-18T14:17:00.000-05:00

The auction of the old The auction of the old Meriden/Wallingford Hospital was called off. Since city intentions were a little unclear, it’s not altogether clear now whether this was a good or a bad development, but in any case, the postponement of action in law courts is certainly among the expected developments of any court date.

Southington school board is considering going paperless. This would save a considerable number of sheets and printouts of all sorts of things, many of which sit in people’s homes for years without ever being read. Trouble is that people must be reasonably diligent about checking their electronic transmissions.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Dec. 17, 2011

2011-12-17T14:14:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to new appointees in Wallingford’s Law Department, particularly Janice Small who has served as town attorney since 1988 and moves to corporation counsel. There’s good stability in this arrangement.

The best way to avoid thefts from your cars, say local police, is to avoid letting your car be a desirable target. Remove or hide all sorts of gear so that thieves are not attracted.

Southington’s Board of Park Commissioners is working to get all recreational sports leagues on the same page regarding practices, government and financial management. This is a good plan and one which should improve sports in town.

Work has begun at Hanover School’s all-day-kindergarten addition, despite the rough economy. This is said to be the best plan for Meriden’s children, but it must somehow be managed in spite of fiscal challenges.

Interesting redistricting results which has moved potential challenger out of one district into another in Wallingford. However, that potential candidate, Craig Fishbein, may decide to run in any case, just against a different incumbent, Mary Fritz instead of Mary Mushinsky.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Dec. 16, 2011

2011-12-16T14:09:00.000-05:00

An examination of the CL&P and NU experience during storm Albert seems to reveal that there were some unexpected and challenging difficulties. It’s not a surprise, but it is worth observing that the cure may prove more costly than the disease.

There is more on the possibility of a Meriden school closing because of the budget game. This is absolutely one of the worst cost choices one would have to make.

Plainville-Southington Regional Health Director Charles I. Motes Jr. is planning to retire. His career has indeed been an interesting one, and he is has been a valued and competent professional town official

The affordability gap for winter fuel is opening wider, according to a Hartford report. This doesn’t surprise us much as energy continues to cost more.

A windfall state grant for West Main has permitted Meriden City Council’s Finance Committee to reallocate around a million dollars to next year’s street paving account. Because the state has come through with cash for the West Main Street improvement project, the city’s money can go over to a repaving account, moving that process forward.

Gift to Stevens school in Wallingford by local Toyota dealer and Toyota Corp match for technology. This should help this elementary school stay in the fore with science and math.

In Southington, a committee to implement middle school plan has been named and will meet after holiday season.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Dec. 15, 2011

2011-12-15T10:08:00.000-05:00

More changes at Wallingford Housing Authority with the deputy director tendering her resignation and a commissioner resigning. We continue to hope for stabilization.

Texting while driving seems to be the big issue as reported by Southington and state police and by anecdotal evidence from all over. Since, apparently, people, particularly young people, find the idea of a ban on texting ridiculous, other means will have to be found to defuse distracted driving – such as self-defense!

Arrests in Meriden schools – or schools anywhere – are disturbing, even when, as is evidently the case, kids are not treated as adults and get specific aid in many cases from those, including police officers, who intervene. We could perhaps discuss again whether it is always right to treat every action which would be criminal in an adult as worthy of police intervention in a juvenile.

Police Detective Joseph Vitello of Cheshire has won the Connie Wallace Employee of the Year award. He was lead investigator in the Petit case, among other duties, and his professional dedication was highly noteworthy.

Wallingford Grange Hall is featured on the Historic Preservation Trust’s glass holiday ornament this year. This fine ornamental tradition is now 20 years young.

Plans for downtown Meriden’s park are taking shape, highlighted by the “daylighting” of Harbor Brook, buried in a culvert for the last 40 years. There is much funding in place and we look forward to seeing results.

It is reassuring that Wallingford’s council, though by a small margin, decided to apply for a grant to extend the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail to the senior center. It is important to keep the process going, good times or bad.

Connecticut’s two big tribal casinos (and state revenues) are experiencing some inroads as other gambling facilities entice away some of the gambling guests. Quiet discussions are underway to re-tool ideas and approaches, which will be a major job.

Southington officials are promoting a special needs registry where people with such requirements can be on record in the event of a disaster. This way, emergency responders can check the registry to make sure that proper equipment is in the right place as may be necessary.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Dec. 14, 2011

2011-12-14T12:12:00.001-05:00

Meriden’s school board is looking at worst case scenarios and considering how and whgy it might be necessary to close a school or schools to save money. It is a truly daunting prospect, but before anything of that sort happens, citizens might well wonder why it would be more cost-effective to close a whole school (or schools) rather than operate schools with closed and unoccupied rooms which would not be heated below a minimum.

Wallingford’s council, after a good deal of discussion, approved the school administrators’ contract.

Meriden’s industrial past is well-worth investigating, as a pair of researchers, independent of each other, examined firearms production in the city. The scale of some of these contracts was impressive.

A couple of Southington men ordered marijuana which was delivered to the post office and when they picked up the 12-pound package they were arrested. How could anyone believe such a deal would work, and worse, if it actually could, why would it work?

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Dec. 13, 2011

2011-12-13T11:15:00.001-05:00

It’s too bad that Joseph DiNatale will be leaving Wallingford Housing Authority, but when you purchase a golf course, that requires your attention. WHA needs, at this point, people who can afford the time commitment it has needed in recent months.

Michael DeFeo certainly looks like the right man for the job of guiding Southington’s fact-finding committee for artificial turf. With a world of experience and dedication to sports as well as a business background – in energy drinks – and a commitment to activity which fights obesity, he should bring a fine impartiality to the leadership.

We certainly wish restful nights at home for the two members of Wallingford’s school board, Valerie Ford and Thomas Hennessey who have just finished their service. Being on a board of education anywhere in Connecticut is hard work.

Southington Town Councilor Dawn Miceli is chairing a committee to decide what happens next for the Gura Building. This structure has long bee termed inadequate, and it is good to see that opinion seems to be tending toward preserving it.

It is rather amazing that while UConn’s enrollment has increased by 53 percent over 15 years, faculty census has grown by only 16 percent. To increase faculty numbers by upping tuition doesn’t seem the most desirable option, but given, again, this endlessly bad economy, it’s perhaps the only path.

Meriden Lions Club has replaced worn-out planks in Red Bridge, near the start of the Quinnipiac Gorge Linear Trail, a task which earns them the thanks of the many users of that trail. The city is fortunate to have a group which maintains its interest in this old structure, which they brought into usable shape in 2001.

While we’re discussing volunteer work which impacts Meriden’s linear trail, another thank you is due to the unnamed man who, with shovel and push-broom, spent several hours working along that trail on a recent weekend. Storm damage had altered drainage patterns so that several portions of the trail remained covered with moisture, a dangerous situation with icy weather approaching.

So, reading both articles on Connecticut prepared by CT Mirror, it appears that while we still suffer from meager job growth, Connecticut has a healthy number of assets for residents who want the good life. Compared to sop much of the rest of the world, this state is a veritable paradise.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Dec. 12, 2011

2011-12-12T11:15:00.000-05:00

Plans are in the works to continue with development of a plaza on South Colony road in Wallingford. IT is good news that the economy may be at long last permitting such considerations once again.

A task force considering the future of Connecticut’s 16 Vo-tech schools, including Wilcox Tech in Meriden, will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, at 5 p.m. in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. This would be a good one for those concerned about the 11,000-student system to attend.

Dr. Robert Gendler’s astronomical photographs, featured in this morning’s edition of the RJ. Gendler, an interventional radiologist at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, has learned how to use the resources of telescopes and public access to create beautiful shots of the fierce stars, galaxies and nebulae which abound in space.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Dec. 11, 2011

2011-12-11T11:14:00.001-05:00

Southington’s 78-acre Korin property seems to offer hiking peace and quiet for those who’d like to get away, complete with acres along a ridgeline. This is another excellent town resource.

Wallingford’s Electric Division is determining savings from substituting LED light bulbs for those now in use in a pilot project. We hope they take the opportunity to use full cut-off lighting, also, to reduce the amount of light lost upwards and outwards instead of down.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Dec. 10, 2011

2011-12-10T11:13:00.000-05:00

Meriden Board of Education member Scott Hozebin wishes to keep a sharp eye ion expenses for the high school renovation projects, and that’s an idea easy to agree with. There will be plenty of work for any group intending or hoping to watch expenditures.

Connecticut’s income tax revenue, thanks to tax increases, has risen significantly. While that means more of us are paying more, at least that tax increase seems to be having the intended revenue-producing result and not something else.

Meriden’s Parks and Recreation and Public Works Departments are readying that portable skating rink for use this winter. All it will take is a few days of sub-freezing weather.

If Paul Daniels, president of National Association of Letter Carriers Local 20, based in Meriden, is correct, current post office woes are due to unreasonable requirements passed in 2006 requiring funding now for retirement health benefits for 75 years. Such a situation could be easily reversed.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Dec. 9, 2011

2011-12-09T11:12:00.000-05:00

Condo associations in Meriden and West Haven have been struck by a thief or thieves and a North Haven man is charged with the crimes. Condo associations are not too dissimilar to churches or other non-profits, and may be subject to the same sort of fiscal attacks.

The Motor Transport Association of Connecticut is irked that Southington and some other towns are hiring out-of-state contractors to clear brush from the storm. This complaint would get a lot more support from all sorts of folks who would like to hire locally,

Physician Recognition Awards given to deserving doctors at MidState’s annual medical staff meeting, in Meriden Thursday night. Physicians honored were Dr. Charles Kim, Dr. Nirmala Ramadhar-Persaud, and Dr. David Ross-Russell.

Because so many utility poles fell during storm Alfred in Connecticut, the attorney general and the consumer counsel have asked for an independent oversight administrator to maintain inspections on these crucial poles. Three thousand downed poles indicate a considerable amount of trouble.

Anyone who was without power as of noon on November 5 who wishes to apply for compensation for power outages during Alfred should apply now. Eligible Connecticut Light & Power customers will receive between $100 and $200, depending on how many eligible customers apply: call 888-566-9257 or visit www.cl-p.com.

Wallingford schools are selling themselves. A promotional video has been achieving significant success and another is planned.

About 40 Meriden fifth-graders will begin a Saturday enrichment course to develop skills in science and math. Funded by the state, the program will involve critical thinking beyond the curriculum, always a good idea.

Wallingford-based Quinnipiac River Linear Trail Committee is kicking off a fundraiser called “Own a Piece of the Trail” – personalized bricks to be placed at the walkway to the Labyrinth. This is a great way to help further a great and very popular idea.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Dec. 8, 2011

2011-12-08T07:40:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to new Meriden council leadership. The changing of the guard, as it were, always evokes memories.

Meriden, Wallingford, Southington and Cheshire each cleans up the brush from Storm Alfred in its own way, some working more quickly than others, some spending on overtime. We don’t suppose it matters much, eyesores apart, unless somehow a succeeding storm turns accumulations of brush into a problem.

Winners of the Wallingford Rotary Club’s Four-Way Speech Contest are to be admired for their achievement and coherence. Public speaking is a difficult art to master and these young people are leading the curve.

Connecticut’s state Board of Education is reviewing a report with recommended school reforms submitted by a superintendents’ group. Reactions seem positive, but we will see what’s what when it comes to adopting action plans.

If and when Southington has large amounts of cash sitting idle, there are certainly ways of handling investments so that interest is received upon them. If that’s what the Board of Finance wants, it should certainly happen.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Dec. 7, 2011

2011-12-07T09:32:00.000-05:00

Burns & McDonnell, engineering firm, has moved into the campus at Greenhill in Wallingford, making it their New England headquarters. It is a felicitous move and most welcome to the town.

Good news for car dealerships in Meriden and around Connecticut. Sales are up substantially this year, reversing a trend which had followed the recession during the last couple of years.

The former Meriden-Wallingford Hospital has come down to the wire, and owners have run out of options. With a foreclosure sale set for Dec. 17, it looks as if it could wind up belonging to the city for its $600,000 tax bill unless someone shows up with a big plan.

All-day kindergarten is moving closer to reality in Meriden. This is not your traditional kindergarten but one with curriculum value.

It certainly makes sense to bring the pumping station for Southington up out of the Quinnipiac’s flood area. It isn’t a good plan for it to be underwater during high water conditions when it could be damaged.

Let’s not forget that among other proposals last spring was one to place vo-tech schools, such as Meriden’s Wilcox Tech, under local control. While that plan was scotched, a study committee on vo-tech future holds a hearing next week, Dec. 13 at the state Legislative Office Building in Hartford, to get opinions from students, parents and anyone else with an interest in the schools.

The Dodd Middle School kids in Cheshire who watched Rachel’s Challenge and Rachel’s Legacy were mostly infants when the massacre occurred at Columbine High in Littleton, CO. It is good that something good is being made out of that tragedy.

Southington Water Department is closing its books on some missing cash and is of opinion that it was not a theft but a lack of accounting, which we hope is correct. Meanwhile, the forensic audit has made recommendations on how to handle accounts which seem well worth adopting.

Wallingford Housing Authority has received $700,000 for repairs to units at Ulbrich Heights and Southside Terrace complexes. This will be welcome news for tenants.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Dec. 6, 2011

2011-12-06T09:31:00.000-05:00

Train death in Wallingford: It’s hard to keep people off the tracks. You can’t fence the entire line. But it’s traumatic for railroad crews and for riders who happen to catch sight of the results of a suicide or accentual killing.

Connecticut Gas prices are continuing to fluctuate. That gives us all a chance to shop around for the bargains, even if we only save a couple of cents per gallon on a thankful (which will amount to a dollar or two) – it makes us feel good.

New officials were sworn in in Meriden to the city council and to the board of education. It is a reminder of democracy’s virtues that this process works so smoothly year after year, even when times are difficult.

Southington Water board has received some good advice on its practices. We hope it is taken promptly.

The Wallingford sorting USPO service due for a hearing on closing, also Stamford, as post office seeks ways to save $20 billion. A potential job loss of over 600 is not good news at all.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Dec. 5, 2011

2011-12-05T09:29:00.000-05:00

Wallingford’s downtown is to lose another business. Neighbors don’t seem too upset for it also happens that new businesses move in pretty quickly, even though it’s sad to lose old friends.

Redistricting seems not to pose too many issues for Central Connecticut state House and Senate districts, but we will see how it works out. The congressional districts look like a tougher job.

Certainly is a shame that Connecticut power lines weren’t buried in the first place. Remains a possibility where neighborhoods are new.

State's Race to the top is unseemly. What’s more, the pressure of decisions for applications short circuits state debate over the objectives listed, whatever they mean.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Dec. 4, 2011

2011-12-04T09:28:00.000-05:00

Thanks to a pay freeze and a switch to gas heat from oil, Wallingford is not expecting a budget crunch. Superintendent Menzo does not let the grass grow, and that’s a good thing.

Reilley, a Southington girl who thinks about other youngsters. She has developed a toy drive for kids who, like herself, spend time in the hospital, especially over holidays.

Xmas in the Village – South Meriden Village – happened Saturday. The weather was a little warm for the time of year but there weren’t many complaints about that and a jolly good time was enjoyed.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Dec. 3, 2011

2011-12-03T18:02:00.002-05:00

Good news that the State Bond Commission is expected to consider and approve a nice $3.5 million chunk for remediation of the Meriden Hub acres. This will help its conversion, in due course, into a park and into a transportation hub.

Retired teacher Joe Boriello has been named a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, for his service during World War II in the liberation of France. The Meriden veteran will travel to the consulate in NYC next May for formal presentation.

Meriden police are reminding all shoppers in the city and elsewhere to exercise due care during excursions and after they return. It’s a matter of locking cars, of covering small, stealable items, of tearing up packaging discreetly.

Well, it seems as if modest cuts are to be expected by Meriden in the Maloney project as well. It will be good to trim stuff as long as basics aren’t affected.

Another local small business, Canelli’s Jewelry, will be closing in Wallingford, soon, depending upon inventory sales. We much regret the loss of this 94-year-old family concern.

Repair of a persistent cold-water leak at the Southington Public Library. There’s just no telling how these things persist – had how fine it is when they are ended.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Dec. 2, 2011

2011-12-02T17:59:00.002-05:00

Meriden’s financial picture has improved steadily for several years, and the latest report is positive and helpful. Prudent fiscal management isn’t the only factor in the good life, but it’s a good place from which to improve other aspects of city management: Kendzior and the council deserve praise from citizens.

Wallingford Public Housing Authority seems to be moving ahead, seeking how and when to replace the former executive director. It is good to consider all the alternatives.

Cost estimates for the Platt High “do-over” has come down a little for Meriden, but at a total of $212 million for both schools, that’s a drop in the bucket, as is a further suggested reduction to reflect a slight shrinkage of enrollment. This will be schools for many decades and it makes sense to do it well and stick to a plan.

There’s a Connecticut legal case involving a woman who was sexually abused and about which warrant details were released with victims names blacked out – something one victim claims does not go far enough under a constitutional provision protecting them. This will be a case to watch for open records supporters.

Meriden schools’ ratings in Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now have risen from 109th of 162 to 62nd, a significant increase, and potentially much more telling than the statistics produced by standardized testing. Congratulations to Superintendent Benigni and to each school and principal.

Unified Theater presenting in Southington High School, bringing a diverse group, including a number of special students together to offer a Disney-themed show. This is a good and healthy community opportunity to build solid bridges.

Sheehan and Lyman Hall (Wallingford)are both working on new band uniform drives, with fund drives to get the process jump-started. Priorities are what they are, and it’s too bad, but character-building, that this is necessary.

Congratulations to Ronald Perry and Madelon Baranosk, both Meriden residents and both named to the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame this year. Both served during the Vietnam War and both have been active in the years since.

Exchange program with Spanish high school students who are about to visit Southington. The 15-day visit for 10 youngsters will be returned by a visit of Southington students to Madrid in February.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Dec. 1, 2011

2011-12-01T07:57:00.002-05:00

Many well-dressed Wallingford residents will miss Charlie DiFranco’s men’s clothing store. After 47 years, he has decided to retire and close the business, which will leave a gap on Center Street which will be hard to fill.

Southington’s artificial turf committee is beginning its work on the project for the high school, now that election results won’t upset membership. This is a change away from the mud and glop which many schools are making and it also creates a more versatile and resilient playing area for kids to use.

Although his membership on the redistricting committee is fixed by law, along with every other member, and although each other member is also redistricting his or her own district, to avoid sniping, Meriden legislator and Speaker of the House, Chris Donovan, has stepped away from this post. It’s a wise decision and could help this committee resolve the congressional boundary issues.

It’s easy to see how power lines serving Meriden’s Lydale Place could be a problem while they’re bordering Land Trust Property and away from the street. Instead of negotiation for permission to trim, or putting more poles in along the street, why not bury the lines as has been done in other neighborhoods?

Milner’s Café is closing ending a run on Broad Street, Meriden, which began with the repeal of Prohibition in 1937. Can’t complain, but there are many locals, regular patrons, who will miss the exchange of good times which occurred there.

Cheshire police have had a “moh-vember,” growing moustaches to encourage increasing awareness of men’s health issues. While significant others may have harbored qualms about their hirsute friends, the cause is a good one – and the best thing about hair is that it grows back, or, in this case, can be shaved off.

Whatever is done or not anything is done in reaction to the use of Tasers in the Black Friday Southington incident or elsewhere, it does appear that Tasering is an effective way of reducing injury to suspect, police and bystanders when there is a resistance to arrest. This, by itself, is a solid recommendation.

The former American Legion house next to Wallingford’s Town Hall will become a bed & breakfast with an 1870s theme under the latest bid approved by the Town Council. This plan, given the number of visitors to Wallingford who need places to stay, could prove a winner and we hope it does.

Meriden Public Library will get some new and brighter lighting under a proposal expected to be approved soon by the State Bond Commission. This will be much appreciated by patrons and employees alike.

A contract has been awarded to Wiese Construction of Norwich $1,331,180 to raze Meriden’s long-abandoned Factory H. Work is expected to begin within weeks and to be completed by March.

Southington Town Councilor Dawn Miceli and water board Commissioner Mike Domian are working on a plan for a temporary ice rink in town, given the success of such rinks in other communities. It’s low cost, low maintenance, and many components can be reused.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Nov. 23, 2011

2011-11-23T23:22:00.000-05:00

Meriden’s teachers have reached an agreement with the Board of Education in what both sides call a fair contract. It seems quite reasonable under today’s economic conditions.

Meriden’s Planning Commission has voted to change the city’s Plan of Development to preserve single-family housing in several neighborhoods, beginning with an area near Roger Sherman School. Since 53.9 percent of housing in the city was single-family a couple of years ago, it isn’t as if there’s a shortage of multi-family units, and a mix is a good plan.

Turkey dinner at Alta in Southington, served by students and faculty to students, their families, administrators and friends. It’s a thankful occasion.

Wallingford and Meriden Rotary Clubs raised $22,000 between them this year for the Dry Dock, Chrysalis, United Way, Wallingford Emergency Shelter, Wallingford Community Daycare, Master’s Manna, Wallingford Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner and Holiday for Giving in Wallingford and in Meriden to the YMCA. This work, with the help of Liberty Bank, provides a great many meals.

Bids have come in on the Hanover school addition in Meriden to accommodate all-day kindergarten. Classes are now expected to begin a year from January.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Nov. 21, 2011

2011-11-22T23:19:00.000-05:00

Evident determination by Meriden workers to get Hubbard Park into shape for the annual Festival of Silver Lights, expected to begin Tuesday night. We salute the hard work, even as we can scarcely believe that it’s time for this Christmas tradition once again.

A welcome to Kim Carbone-Pandiani who will take Kevin Scarpati’s place on Meriden’s Board of Education as he leaves for his new seat on the City Council. She seems a logical choice for this office, and we wish her the best.

A huge federal contribution -- $275 million -- for a busway linking New Britain and Hartford was announced this week. If this can help unclog I-84, it will do much for Connecticut’s future.

Wallingford Community Women are going to create a new environmental literacy program. It will be a “Nature Corner” with nature-themed exhibits and lectures and will offer hikes on town trails, all aimed at getting youngsters excited about outdoors.

Meriden police officers Jeffrey Selander and Brian Wilkinson, along with the North Meriden Neighborhood Association, dropped off two carloads of food at New Opportunities. This means a lot of families and people of limited means will have a brighter holiday.

A sting operation in Southington netted five liquor stores and three convenience stores for sales of booze and tobacco to underage buyers. As Sgt. Lowell DePalma said, there’s an easy way to avoid trouble: DePalma said there’s an easy way to make sure a store doesn’t get in trouble: “If they look young, card them.”

Students at Cheshire High School are remembering Pearl Harbor. It’s been 70 years since that attack, and their event, called BRAVE, which stands for Bring Remembrance to All Veterans Everywhere, will welcome veterans to enjoy refreshments, music, documentaries and more at the high school on Wednesday, Dec. 7.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Nov. 21, 2011

2011-11-21T18:44:00.002-05:00

Between Nicholas Economopoulos and Craig Fishbein, there should be plenty of political action in Wallingford’s new Town Council. Both men, though, may have their eyes on higher elective office.

Wallingford Public Access Association’s new TV show, Free Speech Square, where anyone interested can be on the air and speak their minds. It is about free speech and should provide entertainment and possibly enlightenment.

Meriden has experienced an unexpected school enrollment drop, about 500 students system wide. Officials, nonetheless, feel that this drop should not impact state reimbursement for Platt and Maloney renovation and that once done, the two schools should draw new students.

Greenwich has a new playground after several years of work, designed specifically to include kids with learning disabilities and developmental disorders, it was costly and is one of a kind in the United States. We hope this sort of playground catches on elsewhere.

Live Strong at the Southington Y helps cancer survivors regain strength, endurance and function. A foundation set up by the late Lance Armstrong provided the grant money for this program.

Meriden is beginning a program in which teachers evaluate each other through peer coaching. Colleagues, mostly from similar teaching positions, observe and then can offer critique and comments to each other.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Nov. 20, 2011

2011-11-20T14:47:00.000-05:00

Plans for Meriden’s downtown include reviving the notion of Pratt Street as a boulevard. If this can be accomplished, it would certainly make more sense than trying to re-ramp I-691.

The Meriden Boys & Girls Club held an electronics recycling drive at Ragozzinos Saturday. The club hopes to raise between $12,000 and $15,000 for its programs.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Nov. 19, 2011

2011-11-19T14:45:00.000-05:00

Wallingford Housing Authority has taken a logical and anticipated step and terminated Executive Director Stephen Nere while offering him a separation package of $130,000. It appears this finalizes a deal (which also ends litigation) worked out between Nere and board members.

With disaster status clarified, Southington will begin collecting debris from Storm Alfred, which is expected to cost around a million dollars. FEMA is expected to reimburse the town for about 75 percent.

An explosion in Cheshire High School gym is no joke and should be dealt with seriously. Investigation must be full and accurate.

A cash loss of $900 from the Southington Water Department is disappointing. It seems certain that the incident will spell trouble for someone.

So Nick Economopoulos wants to run for Mayor of Wallingford and is getting a head start on the effort? It certainly takes determination to set out on such a trek.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Nov. 18, 2011

2011-11-18T09:48:00.000-05:00

It is fairly typical of court proceedings, whether of the complaints or of subpoenas or of any other documents, that issues are not spelled out in layperson’s language. It may yet happen that the public, not to mention the defendants in the case (Meriden’s chief of police and his family), will find out what the latest move really signifies in due course.

Connecticut Light & Power’s president, Jeff Butler, has been given a swift kick (and probably a golden handshake) and removed, as a piece of raw meat for consumers and legislators angry over CL&P’s response during storm Alfred. Interestingly, Butler was not one of those Northeast Utility executives listed among the gigantic salaries a couple of weeks ago, apparently because his compensation doesn’t come from the parent company.

Fire department personnel in Wallingford and Meriden were pushed flat out by dozens of calls Thursday over the smell of gas caused by saturating a new pipeline with the odorant. Fortunately, this was nothing dangerous, but it does raise the “what-if” question.

Congratulations to Aimee L. (Darius) Powers, William C. Piper, Matthew R. Fritz and Remi Torres Borak, all welcomed to Sheehan High School’s Hall of Fame Thursday. These are four individuals who have accomplished a great deal of good in Wallingford and for Wallingford’s reputation.

Wallingford Housing Authority is expected to act today on an agenda item described as “authorizing separation agreement and general release that would provide for an early termination of Executive Director Stephen Nere’s written employment agreement.” Many will be interested to see how this works out and hopeful that WHA will be able to move forward.

You’ve got to give Judge Jon Blue credit for reaching a useful compromise in dealing with testimony of the convicted murderer’s daughter in the penalty phase of the Cheshire home invasion case. As a matter of principle, though, a special showing of this material to members of the press separate from the jury would seem to establish press as separate from the public, which it is not and should not be.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Nov. 17, 2011

2011-11-17T08:21:00.000-05:00

So it’s back to square one for Simpson Court parking issues. It will be interesting to see who in Wallingford blinks first.

Yesterday’s gas leak reports in Meriden and Wallingford – when Yankee Gas was testing its pipes with heavily odorized gas – is a reminder that natural gas doesn’t smell at all. That gas smell is a good thing, because without it, no one would know when there was a leak.

State prosecutorial offices have been criticized by auditors for certain laxness in allowing employees to use sick days and employing key cards and other current technology. Rules are rules, and they apply to all: if we want to change them, we’ll have to legislate.

Southington’s Board of Finance will be considering the benefits of “stand-by” contracts in the event of future emergency situations. This could save money on labor costs if, heaven help us, we have more storms.

Approval to move forward with a bid for demolition of Factory H is expected in Meriden within a week, with demolition to begin shortly thereafter. This will be a solid achievement when it is completed.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Nov. 16, 2011

2011-11-16T09:05:00.000-05:00

Connecticut officials, and folks in other states, are examining laws to see what reporting rules are so that situations such as that Joe Paterno scandal in Pennsylvania could be avoided or averted. We’ll probably pass another set of laws making rules more specific and carrying greater penalties, but the real question is whether we can be trained to see what goes on in front of us and to feel a need to stop it.

Anthem Blue Cross has moved part of its operations into the Wallingford Campus at Greenhill on Leigus Road, bringing this large structure into operation. A building with many green features, it should be a showcase for ecologically sensitive processes.

A tip of the hat goes to Tom Bruenn, former teacher and now former Meriden school board member, and also former Guest Member of the Record-Journal Editorial Board. He has served his community with zeal and skill for many years.

Wallingford teachers, school board and council have reached a formula for a new three-year contract avoiding arbitration and lots of other expenses. This seems like a favorable deal all around.

If there is a serious issue with the condition of sidewalks at a Riverside Drive condominium complex in Southington, it should be fixed, especially if residents are intended to be over 55. Saying that it is a “civil” matter isn’t really an answer, since that involves considerable expense of hiring attorneys and filing lawsuits with procedural pitfalls along the way.

Brush collection continues in Meriden, Wallingford, Southington and Cheshire, as crews work steadily to collect a mountain of debris from that October snowstorm. Patience is necessary, as weeks will probably go by before this task can be completed.

Superior Court Judge Mark T. Gould gave some sentences to Lyman Hall students in Wallingford on how he regards his courtroom from the bench. It was a learning experience for some of his listeners who could have had ideas of the judiciary shaped by Judge Judy and her TV colleagues.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Nov. 15, 2011

2011-11-15T08:25:00.000-05:00

Wallingford voters soundly rejected the parking lot plan. We hope that the results of this rejection will turn out to be as sound as the majority opinion.

It certainly was a civics lesson for kids at Moran Middle School where Wallingford voters went to express their views on the parking lot issue. Alert teachers added the occasion to their curriculum in social studies.

MidState Medical Center in Meriden had a good fiscal year with an operating surplus not quite as significant as in the previous year but sound. This is an encouraging report and there’s a vision for the future as well.

Congratulations to Southington WMCA award-winners: Tony Sheffy, the Person of the Year award for his work with the Southington Education Foundation; Rachel Wache, former American Legion Unit 72 Auxiliary president, the Unsung Hero award; Southington’s Townwide Effort to Promote Success, the Reaching Out award.

Connecticut’s official auditors have looked at the Department of Revenue Services and found it wanting, since in several areas, DRS chose to maximize income tax receipts rather than following every return’s errors to their ultimate resolution. Well, that’s what auditors are supposed to do, but auditors frequently see the errors on the ground without quite understanding the conditions.

Connecticut’s Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor visited Thomas Hooker School in Meriden yesterday because it is an award-winning school and because “this school district is creating a model for the rest of the state.” These are very encouraging words!

Wallingford leases farmland it purchased as open spaces to farmers for agricultural use. This seems a strange but entirely benign use of public land in our highly urbanized part of the world.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Nov. 14, 2011

2011-11-14T08:48:00.001-05:00

Today Wallingford votes on that parking lot referendum. It will be interesting to see, beyond results, just how many voters turn out for the event.

Two very contrasting success stories today, one about the support Police Lt. Sal Nesci of the Meriden force, who underwent tumor removal last summer, the other about new Southington Board of Education member Terry Lombardi who fled Castro’s Cuba as a girl. If you need inspiration for a Monday morning, here is the place for it.

It would seem sensible, all things storm-wise considered, to suspend enforcement of Connecticut’s arborist law, requiring only licensed arborists to trim or remove trees, but if the state wants to permanently end this law, it should be repealed, not suspended.

The DeDominicis property – 180 peaceful acres – is certainly an asset of which Cheshire can be proud. It is good to continue purchases of open land so that future generations can continue to be in direct contact with the natural world.

To celebrate American Education Week, Wallingford Education Foundation is asking graduates of that school system to send in remembrances of their favorite teachers. Submissions will be collected and posted on the school district website through Friday.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Nov. 13, 2011

2011-11-13T14:51:00.000-05:00

The hours report/overtime report of a Meriden police officer under investigation reveals some of the hard realities of police work. Perhaps, without the context of a particular investigation, these conditions and some of the union rules which have become associated with them should be examined with some care.

Reminder to Wallingford residents: Be sure to vote in Monday’s referendum on the parking lot issue.

Meriden real estate appraisals are down for many properties, 17 percent on average for residences, in a switch which pushes the burden slightly toward commercial areas. Appraisal numbers, by themselves, mean little until the city’s next mill rate is set.

Kudos to all volunteers and city employees who worked to clear the linear trail in Meriden so that walkers would not need to wait until spring to stroll. This was a well-thought out decision and will be much appreciated.

Use of the QR app for smart phones and of information on local businesses along the linear trail in Southington may emerge as a compromise to advertising on Kiosks to be located along that path. It should be better than the visual pollution which can develop should the Kiosk solution be opened up to commercial messages.

Cheshire’s “Mile of Hope” — from the school to the town green – was celebrated again on Saturday with thousands of luminaries sold as part of a fundraiser throughout the year. Funds received, over $40,000, will be split among Youth and Social Services Department, the Cheshire Community Food Pantry, and the Petit Family Foundation, with another portion going to a scholarship.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Nov. 12, 2011

2011-11-12T14:48:00.000-05:00

Meriden sets its priority for all-day kindergarten. This may rub some folks the wrong way, but the city lags behind other urban districts in providing this schooling.

The discussions, to put it politely, between Cheshire’s council and board of education over spending issues and authority does highlight one major issue which troubles state schools – or not, depending on your point of view. Historically, town councils make only a lump sum grant to boards of ed, which have authority over how to spend; this is a status suggested for change by the Superintendents of Schools association.

Here’s the other shoe dropping: Connecticut electric customers should prepare for higher rates in reaction to the storm. Everyone expects it, the only question being how much everyone will put up with.

The Editor's Notepod, Fri., Nov. 11, 2011

2011-11-11T09:51:00.000-05:00

Meriden officials have presented a new plan for downtown to an audience at Lincoln. This blueprint will certainly be discussed, argued about and perhaps altered, but it looks exciting and actually doable.

It seems fair enough for state cable, phone and internet providers not to be paid when power which runs them was not available – or is it? Which organization was actually responsible for failure of service? But then, too, this will help spread the financial burden regardless of fault.

Southington’s new school board members were sworn in and promptly had to face decisions on vacations to change because of storm days after Albert. They found two days easily enough, but others will have to wait for January.

It appears a Saturday morning operation to clear up debris along Meriden's Quinnipiac Gorge Linear Trail will go forward with the help of volunteers. Since this is city work, everyone is urged to be extremely careful with chain saws and moving tree trunks.

Congratulations to the Sheehan High School marching band. The Wallingford school organization took home its second straight U.S. Scholastic Band Association state championship at Kennedy Stadium in Bridgeport last Saturday.

Hartford is considering electronic tolls as a way if financing needed work on the I-84 viaduct, built in 1965. So far it’s just a study.

Five students at DePaolo Middle School in Southington are participating in NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. If they can get 50,000 words on paper by the end of the month, they qualify, and these hearty students are making the effort.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Nov. 10, 2011

2011-11-10T09:42:00.000-05:00

Wallingford’s Cook Hill Volunteer Fire Dept. will close: not enough volunteers, not enough fire calls. Chief Struble is confident he can cover town with HQ and Yalesville with fewer but more intensively-trained crews. This decision says a lot about how volunteer firefighting and how society has changed in 30 years.

Meriden’s Quinnipiac Gorge Linear trail took a real beating during the snowstorm, worse than it took in Irene. But Mayor Rohde and consultant caseworker Ed Siebert have decided to round up city and volunteer help to get the trail in usable shape for the winter, a decision for which we have nothing but praise.

Although CL&P has offered $10 million to customers, pretty much without strings, who were damaged by the power outage, it is said that the sum should be greater. We imagine that someone is going to have to figure out how any such money, regardless of total, is allocated.

Plans for improving a part of Route 68 near rte 150 in Yalesville should help alleviate traffic flow. But we do find it hard to believe that merely synchronizing traffic signals would cost millions more.

Wallingford Housing Authority, as advised by its attorney, has hooked smoke alarms up to monitoring systems, a sensible and easy step. One can only wish other issues were so easily resolved, but such things as bookkeeping and employment evolve over time and can only be unraveled with care for legal priorities.

Connecticut superintendents of schools have come up with some plans to improve schools which should at a minimum produce a lot of discussion. Some of them seem like long-hoped-for goals, so pay attention!

A needs survey will be undertaken by MidState and United Way in Meriden and Wallingford beginning this Saturday. It will help shape what services you have available, so if you are called, answer thoughtfully.

Trees and CL&P: Governor Malloy and the utility could trade statistics and claims for years without getting very far. There’s no question that this storm was “different” from all previous in the last 60 years in many ways, since leaves remained on the trees; it’s also undeniable that back in 1998, when CL&P undertook a major tree trimming effort, local officials, including Meriden’s tree warden and Cheshire’s beautification committee, expressed distress at what was being done.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Nov. 9, 2011

2011-11-09T10:16:00.000-05:00

Major theme of the elections is that there has not been much change. Certainly there appears to be no ground swell of feeling for something “different” and, while some of one party and some from another party won, such as Scarpati and Shamock in Meriden, such victories are due more to the attractiveness of the candidates than to any party or philosophical appeal.

Voters approved spending money, quite a lot of it, in Southington (for overdue middle school renovations), in Cheshire (for required water pollution updates). In this context, one can surmise that the political point which was made during the campaign in Meriden about not submitting the high school renovation project to a vote probably didn’t attract too many voters.

Yale casts its first mascot in bronze, and bigger than life. One can only hope the university didn’t overspend on this issue.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Nov. 8, 2011

2011-11-08T07:43:00.000-05:00

NU executive pay is revealed, which is nice timing. State Representatives, including Chris Donovan (D – Meriden) and Vickie Nardello (D – Prospect, Cheshire) are naturally concerned; the situation makes one wonder exactly what sort of work these guys do to merit all this compensation.

Predictions are that voter turnout in Wallingford, Southington, Cheshire, and Meriden will be on the light side, typical of a local election year. It’s odd, since local elections make a lot more immediate difference in the lives of residents.

Wallingford will add a full-time technician to manage and care for the high tech equipment the school system now owns. This seems a reasonable and necessary step.

Whoever had the idea – the super debt reduction committee? – to proceed nationally on the debt by taxing employer-based medical insurance plans had a simply awful idea. How to draw a bead on your own foot and shoot!

Food pantries in the area, including Southington Community Services, Wallingford’s Master’s Manna, and Cheshire Community Food Pantry are short of supplies after helping out during the recent snow emergency. Now is a good time to bring in food supplies to help re-stock these shelves.

Crews are at work trying to restore cable TV lines too, as many were damaged during the storm. It’s not quite as life-and-death as electricity and heat, but it’s very important to lots of people who are dependent on it as a source of information.

Hubbard Park in Meriden is closed as the city attends as a first priority to power lines which supply homes and businesses. Volunteers are at work on trails as well, but this process could take a while both at Hubbard and along the linear trail.

Southington is moving forward with another purchase of open space, this on the 25-acre Primus property. Funds -- $2.3 million – include some from the clean-up costs assessed and paid to the Quinnipiac River Groundwater Natural Resource Damages Fund.

The Editor's Notepod, Mon., Nov. 7, 2011

2011-11-07T08:19:00.000-05:00

CL&P didn’t make its target, but they tried and they came fairly close. That’s no comfort to those who are still darkened in Meriden, Southington or Cheshire.

Southington, we should recall, has a referendum on middle schools tomorrow, which is a major commitment and a major expenditure. We hope it passes.

The state is going to have a hearing in Wallingford on adding a lane to route 68 between Route 5 and 150. This is a major idea, probably long overdue and far in the future. While they’re at it, why not fix the three-way situation so that the Merritt can exit directly onto 68 somehow?

Band demonstrations to help high school band programs with middle schoolers is a good and necessary plan. Southington, Wallingford and Meriden also send kids to band camp in the summer.

The Editor's Notepod, Sun., Nov. 6, 2011

2011-11-06T16:40:00.000-05:00

Will people in our state take any lessons or reach any interesting conclusions from the prolonged outages this storm has caused? There should be conversation, but it’s to be expected that once power is back, folks will sink back into their chairs in front of the TV until the next time.

Bottom line here: Everyone says how wonderful Wallingford Electric has been. So how many are willing to pay to buy transmission lines and production means from CL&P, assuming they’d sell, and how many are willing to accept the alternative of a government takeover of the utility industry?

The story about “Rethinking the grid” By Jan Ellen Spiegel should be required reading, along with Adam Wittenberg’s piece on the New Norm. Both offer plenty of thought-provoking commentary about how a state like Connecticut might proceed with reforms to its electricity distribution.

Good story about David Bowen, Director of Meriden’s Emergency Operations Management Center. We’re not sure he was wise to opine that we’ve had everything but locusts: you never know, but at least probably not until spring!

It is good that Meriden is moving forward with plans for downtown as that commuter line from New Haven to Springfield moves closer to reality. Though it will probably never be “high speed” in any sense of the word – there are far too many grade crossings which cannot be protected or closed – it will have a profound impact on the city.

The Editor's Notepod, Sat., Nov. 5, 2011

2011-11-05T13:03:00.000-04:00

Well, CL&P is making progress on restoring power, with remaining customers without power in Meriden down to 28 percent at press time for Saturday’s edition and 15 percent by late Saturday morning, with fewer than 10 percent in Southington and Cheshire. Compared to the Farmington Valley towns, our area is doing fairly well, but again it is worth reiterating whether rate payers would rather pay ongoing higher rates to encompass aggressive tree-trimming and more crews all the time or consider low rates as the end-all.

An election is still scheduled for Tuesday, regardless of power status (although estimates are seeming pretty firm that all polling places will be supplied by that time). As a matter of interest, had this storm occurred closer to the election date, what remedy for the mess would there have been?

As has been remarked on other occasions when the lights have gone out, local residents do seem able to increase their courtesy factor and navigate without damage or collision the many intersections where traffic signals remained out – even, in the case of several places in Meriden, on Friday.

It’s hard to keep up with technology. Meriden used radio, internet and phone emergency reverse 911 to get word out about where and when shelters were open and where food might be located. Yet there were still people who, without power and without telephone landlines which don’t use power, were left “in the dark” as it were and really needed door-to-door information delivered.

After recognizing that such things as sump pumps don’t work without power and that electrical damage may need to be corrected even when power is restored, a comment was made by Alan Barberino, property manager of Crown Village condominiums in Meriden, that generators may become a more standard item in the future. If correct, we wonder if that suggests a decline in utility service, an increase in power-demanding technology, or a rise in severe weather?

The Editor's Notepod, Fri.,Nov. 4, 2011

2011-11-04T09:39:00.000-04:00

Still the restoration of power seems to lag in Meriden. There are a lot of crews, but the question is raised whether they are being deployed effectively.

Shelters in Meriden are now providing meals, as well as snacks, thanks to National Guard and to churches. One cannot continue driving to fast food places indefinitely.

Area landfills are accepting storm debris, tree limbs and the like. Meriden and Wallingford will begin curbside pick-up on Monday.

Connecticut’s redistricting panel is now at full strength. This is a difficult process under any circumstances, since the temptation to arrange districts to help incumbents or existing party divisions is overwhelming.

Red Cross blood workers are on strike in Connecticut. One can only wonder to what extent current labor difficulties in this charity are related to decisions to close local offices and consolidate to “core” activities a few years back. There’s much to be said for running any charity in a businesslike fashion, but in the end, charities should still be charities, and in the public interest, not for the sake of making money, since there are no shareholders.

One more thing to worry about: this storm has stimulated the use of wood burning stoves and of generators, thus upping the particulate count in the air in Connecticut. Pray for a good wind.

The Editor's Notepod, Thur., Nov. 3, 2011

2011-11-03T08:09:00.001-04:00

Meriden residents should be wary of the personal direction the campaign seems to be taking in its last days. Sources of funds are certainly relevant, but are not necessarily the whole story.

Progress is being made by CL&P in Meriden, Southington and Cheshire, as power is slowly restored. We should all take a careful look at priorities as we assess the damage this snowstorm has done.

It’s to be noted that local cable companies are somewhat behind the power company in restoring service. This raises the question whether it’s better to “chill out” these powerless nights in front of a functioning TV or in front of the silent box.

Once again, generators are great in emergencies, but you cannot run them unventilated without risking death by carbon monoxide as local officials in Meriden and elsewhere continue to stress – and as was sadly demonstrated by a young woman in Bloomfield found dead and presumably killed by fumes from a generator in her cellar.

Westfield Meriden Mall has remained open and powered during the entire outage, which has afforded many families a welcome oasis of comfort and sustenance. Is it worth remarking that there really aren’t a lot of large trees in the mall’s parking lot?

Schools will be closed because of outages in Meriden, Southington and Cheshire. This is going to play havoc not only with school schedules regarding snow days and vacations but also with managing to educate kids during November, which winds up a very short month.

The Editor's Notepod, Wed., Nov. 2, 2011

2011-11-02T18:42:00.000-04:00

Everyone’s a little frustrated by the apparent lack of progress in storm clean-up, but CL&P had 19 crews in Meriden Wednesday working on issues. With that many crews, it can’t possibly take as long as folks seem to fear.

While residents elsewhere made do with cold or visited shelters, those who visited Wallingford could count on hot meals at local restaurants and on entertainment. Not only were there lines at eating places, with school out a lot of people showed up at the Holiday Cinemas to see almost anything being screened, to keep warm, and to eat popcorn, which, after all, is warm.

Governor Malloy has held the first meeting of the Joint Labor-Management Committee, a body seeking to encourage state employees and to encourage them to find ways to streamline and improve services. This, it is hoped, will also lead to savings in many areas.

It was a good thing all around that towns opened shelters for those without power to visit. It creates, of course, a lot of administrative issues, keeping track of who is where, but the good that is accomplished in schools and senior centers goes well beyond merely providing warmth and showers and prepared meals.

Safety tips for power outages are more than timely, as 16 people were sent to hospitals from central Connecticut following carbon monoxide poisoning.

The Editor's Notepod, Tues., Nov. 1, 2011

2011-11-01T11:11:00.000-04:00

A lot of people and businesses remain without power in the Meriden area. CL&P will face questions, and, as another story shows, consumers will face choices as to what they are willing to pay for.

Wallingford Electric Division demonstrates another reason why it has paid to maintain a separate identity for town electric service. But it no doubt comes at the cost of a more aggressive tree trimming program.

With local schools getting snow days off this week in Meriden, Wallingford, Southington and Cheshire, a head start has been made on school calendars and on snow removal expenses. We can hold our breaths as the winter season progresses to see how these and other town concerns fare.

For heaven’s sake, stop at any place where there’s a darkened traffic light.

Meriden’s YMCA has moved Halloween to Friday night and is seeking donations of their candy supplies, which may likely have been unused Monday night, for distribution then.