I think I need a month to digest the Labor Day weekend grub.
How was your cookout? Let me guess, you had other things on your mind like some stray bulldozer knocking down your house without a permit. Hey, if they can do that on Pleasure Beach, where else?
Okay, enough of that. Can you believe it? One week away from four primaries for City Council. Today we’ll focus on the two candidates who are running solo in their respective districts.
Is it lonely running alone? Isa Mujahid and Mark Trojanowski don’t think so. City Council seats are broken down into 10 districts with 2 members per district.
Mujahid, who works in the city’s Health Department, has been involved in city politics for several years. The 135th District includes Whiskey Hill and part of the North End. Chris Caruso represented this area on the City Council before he was elected to the State House of Representatives nearly 20 years ago.
Incumbents Warren Blunt and Richard Bonney are being challenged by Peter Clarke and Mary McBride-Lee, a member of the Democratic Town Committee. Muhajid is hoping he can slip in on his own, not an easy task when the other two lines have twice the candidate power. But Isa is undeterred as he wrote to OIB a few days ago:
I have no reason to think that this campaign will not be successful on the 15th and moving on to Nov. 3rd.
I have people I never anticipated helping me door knock and make phone calls. I received a call from a community organization earlier today pledging 6 people to help me reach voters. And I received a phone call yesterday informing me of three people willing to stand outside of polling stations with literature on election day.
I feel and appreciate the love of the supporters and enthusiasm of the voters. It will all be worth the work when we can start to change the face of politics here.
Keep ’em honest.
In the 136th District veteran party hand Mark Trojanowski says he’s not happy with the current leadership. He’s taking on incumbents Carlos Silva and Angel DePara on the home turf of Democratic Vice Chair Dottie Guman who’s friends with all three candidates. The district covers the East Side, the Hollow and a small portion of the North End. Troj’s family has deep connections with the city. His dad was a city police officer. Mark earned a BS degree in business/finance from Sacred Heart and is a licensed real estate and insurance broker. Troj wrote to OIB:
The economy of the previous six years had brought potential opportunity for Bridgeport and its residences. Sadly most of that opportunity has been stalled or passed by. Your council person needs to be aggressive, knowledgeable and experienced to take advantage of ever present opportunity and look for new ways to strengthen the city’s tax base while preserving its hometown character. Your council person should do a constant review for potential savings that benefit taxpayers and to help local businesses get stronger and remain in the City. Your council person should set short term timelines to achieve progress in City wide projects such as DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION and HARBOR POINT (started in 1987).
Improving infrastructure and traffic flow around town is an example of a relative small budget investment that can benefit everyone and attract larger taxpaying businesses to designated areas.
Bridgeport Bombers
News release from Mayor Bill Finch
World War II Bombers Visit Sikorsky Memorial Airport
Mayor Finch, Council President Tom McCarthy Will Take Ride in B-24
WHAT: Mayor Finch and City Council President Tom McCarthy will take a ride in the B-24 Liberator, a WWII-era heavy bomber which will be visiting Bridgeport as part of the nationwide Wings of Freedom Tour presented by The Collings Foundation.
WHO: Mayor Bill Finch, Council President Tom McCarthy, Three Wing Aviation, The Collings Foundation
WHERE: Three Wing Aviation, Sikorsky Memorial Airport , 400 Great Meadow Drive, Stratford, CT
WHEN: Tuesday, September 8, 11:30 a.m.
Please note: Flight takes off at 11:50 a.m.
ABOUT:
Mayor Finch and City Council President Tom McCarthy will take a spin in the WW2-era B-24 bomber for its first flight in Bridgeport as part of the Wings of Freedom Tour, a living aviation museum presented by The Collings Foundation, and hosted locally by Three Wing Aviation. The heavy bomber will arrive at Sikorsky Memorial Airport at 11:30 a.m. along with two other WWII aircraft. At 11:50 a.m., the B-24 will take off with the Mayor, Council President, and press on board for a 20-minute flight.
“I’m very honored to take a ride in this living piece of history, which served our fighting troops so well during our country’s time of greatest need,” said Mayor Bill Finch. He and Council President McCarthy urge all Bridgeport-area veterans to “take advantage of the opportunity to see these magnificent planes up close.”
The Wings of Freedom Tour will be at the airport in Stratford from September 8 – 10. The annual tour brings fully functional WWII-era aircraft and professional pilots to 110 cities every year, and lets the general public ride as passengers for a donation. “It’s a living, breathing museum. There’s really nothing else like it out there,” says Jerry O’Neill of Three Wing Aviation. The tour’s B-24 Liberator is the only functioning aircraft of its type in the world today.
News release from Jodi Rell
Governor Rell: Statewide Summit to Address H1N1 Preparedness for Municipalities
Municipal CEOs, First Responders to Attend September 10 Event at Connecticut Convention Center
Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that a statewide summit to give municipal officials and medical professionals an update on the upcoming influenza season and the risks of the H1N1 or “swine” flu is set for September 10.
“It is essential that we keep local leaders and medical professionals up-to-date on the risks of the coming flu season so that they know what to expect and how to help us keep people safe,” Governor Rell said. “This comprehensive summit will provide municipalities with guidance on how to effectively communicate with residents, how to keep emergency personnel healthy and an update on the state’s plan is to distribute the H1N1 vaccine once it becomes available.”
The session for city and town leaders, local health officials and emergency medical services personnel will be held from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.
The summit, sponsored by the Department of Public Health and the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, will address issues such as protective equipment for emergency personnel and crisis communication. Seating is limited and participants who are not yet registered can do so on-line at ct.train.org.
Under Governor Rell’s leadership, Connecticut has worked for several years to refine and update its plans for dealing with pandemic illness. In July, the Governor today joined the Governors of Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Vermont and Wisconsin and members of the Obama Administration for a teleconference to discuss the lessons learned from the initial outbreak of H1N1 influenza and planning for the fall flu season.
Since then, state agencies have held planning sessions with school superintendents in the state to discuss how to handle potential outbreaks of H1N1 and other illnesses this fall. The state has also begun coordinating physicians, visiting nurse associations and other medical agencies willing to participate in a statewide vaccination effort once the federal government makes the medication available.
I had the pleasure to meet Isa Mujahid just before I went to Jamaica. I don’t know if he remembers but I was walking downtown to get my hair done and I was on my phone wind blowing through my long hair and I said hi to him.
Finch and McCarthy to star in re-make of 60 Seconds Over Pleasure Beach!
Walsh and TC bunkering down in bumper car ruins holding the Piper Plovers hostage.
What will Environmental Bill do?
Stay Terned!
I forgot!
I wonder if they got a permit for this newest Demolition Derby. This really Burns me up!
Permit? No problem. Charlie says it’s OK. No permit necessary.
Tom McCarthy will be joining Mayor Finch today on a B-24 bomber at 11:30 a.m. Isn’t McCarthy on City time? I guess he is taking an early lunch. Who’s minding the store? Not to worry, Larry Osborne is in charge. God help us all.
Lennie’s P-Day clock is running.
Polls open at 6:00 a.m. next Tuesday. Trojanowski is the lone Pole running in the 136th.
If he wins, the headline will read “Trojanowski wins in Poll Vault!” Good luck to all.
yahooy is 100% correct. Why are Republicans getting mad over Obama’s school speech!!! What is wrong with these people? I am convinced that Republicans do not want what is best for our country. Obama is doing a good job and kudos to Obama for giving this speech. This is why people vote Democrat. I will never vote Republican! At least Laura Bush is telling the truth. I was never a fan of W but I always said I find Laura to be very classy.
Gossip of The Rialto!
This Just In!!!
New State song commissioned on Merritt Parkway this morning. “Lettuce Entertain You!”
Produce truck shuts Parkway at state line
Staff reports
Updated: 09/08/2009 07:09:33 AM EDT
BRIDGEPORT – State Police at Troop G say that Route 15, just south of the Connecticut/New York line, is closed in both directions because of a produce truck that struck an overpass.
The accident, in Rye Brook, N.Y., has spilled lettuce all of the roadway, troopers said. The truck, which was northbound on the Hutchinson River Parkway, shouldn’t have been on that route in the first place.
The Hutchinson River Parkway is called the Merritt Parkway when it crosses into Connecticut.
Troop G personnel are assisting New York State Police in the cleanup.
Fish eatery owner charged with pot sales
By Daniel Tepfer
Staff writer
BRIDGEPORT — Police say something was fishy at a local takeout restaurant — and it wasn’t the food.
Officers in the Police Department’s Tactical Narcotics Team raided Southern Slam Fish Fry on Stratford Avenue last Friday after learning the restaurant was allegedly offering a special — marijuana and chips.
Officers allegedly seized several bags of marijuana from the restaurant’s kitchen and from customers.
The restaurant owner, Raymond Baker, 33, had just been released from prison and was wearing a monitor on his ankle as he dished out drugs from behind the counter, police said.
Baker, of Wolcott, was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He is being held in lieu of $50,000 bond.
A restaurant employee, Michael Lovelace, 19, of Camp Street, Norwalk, was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell within 1,500 of a school, police said.
All of the negative comments I’ve heard concerning President Obama’s education speech are more than a little … strange. One man sound-bited on WCBS 880 AM told the reporter that he would not permit his children to be “indoctrinated” into Obama’s “socialist” agenda. (This was a man taking his child to school in Suffolk County; judging by the unnamed man’s lack of double negatives, he sounded like an intelligent person.) There’s a noticeable element of racism in what many of the objectionists are saying. The old campaign slogan “Change is coming” simply doesn’t apply to the United States of America any more. Change is already here, d-d-d-dude. An African-American man has been elected president. The Great White Fear that an African-American president would show favoritism toward the welfare classes is behind much of the resistance to Obama’s education speech. There weren’t that many objections to Bush Lite making a speech to school children encouraging them to pursue an education and stay away from drugs. (Many public elementary schools chose to not call assemblies for the students to listen to Bush Lite, but that was due mostly to apathy.)
President Obama is an African American. More important than Mr. Obama’s racial background is that he is a man with the self-belief, the sheer chutzpah, to think that he could be and is President of the United States of America. The GOP is the political party of wealthy, bigoted elderly white men, the old geezers that belong to exclusive, honkies-only country clubs, the fossilizing remains of a paternal order that was on the way to the glue factory long before Pat Buchanan started ranting and raving about a “cultural holy war in this country.” To these balding, cranky old men, politics is more of a parlor game, something to discuss while sipping overpriced single-malt scotch whiskey in the Men’s Grill of the Golf Club of Fairfield. To men like these, and their spawn, their minions, their tadpoles, preserving and protecting at any cost the obsolete social orders and maintaining a quickly eroding social caste system, that is the priority. Social welfare programs are a terrible waste of tax dollars. There is no tactic beneath them, nothing the GOP (Grand Old Party, but could also mean “Get Offa da Pot”) wouldn’t stoop to in order to sabotage the nation’s rapidly changing social order.
Enlightened, BTW,
Dick Cheney shoots quail, in addition to his friends. My game of choice is rabbit, or pheasant.
Hopefully, the B-24 Liberator can open those bomb bay doors and jettison some of its JETSAM over the water and liberate Bridgeport Taxpayers from a couple of political hacks!
I’m still lobbying for the Wicker Man to solve Bridgeport’s political problems.
Riddle me this; on next Tuesday, who will be the weepers and who will be the reapers???
To follow up on what Lennie wrote about the upcoming primaries, in the 135th where you have two slates competing against a third slate with only one candidate, the numbers have to break very kindly for that one to succeed.
I cannot recall if the names line up alphabetically or the order is chosen by lot. Isa’s best chance is if the weakest names appear first on the two slates. Even though the voters can select any two candidates, logically and illustratively it appears more like selecting one from column A and one from column B.
If it is alphabetically then it would appear:
Blunt Bonney
Clarke Lee
Mujahid
If you believe that Blunt and Clarke are the weaker candidates on the slate then Isa has a better shot at getting the votes from the first column.
If both slates are working as one it will be difficult for Isa. If they are acting as every man/woman for themselves then his chances improve dramatically.
In Blunt’s/Bonney’s favor is the fact that Blunt has been a solid vote for Finch and Mario so the party should be working for him. Although Bonney is much more independent, I think they will assume they are better off with the devil they know than one of the other three.
Big edge to the incumbent endorsed slate.
Bottom line is who does the best job ID’ing votes and pulling them out.
Insofar as voters really do choose one from column A and one from column B, the advantage would have to go to the line A and line B candidates appearing in Column B.
If the field were evenly matched, and appeared as you suggested on the ballot, Blunt, Clarke and Mujahid would each come in with 30-something percent, and Bonney and Lee would take the two nominations with 45-55% of the vote each.
That ballot reads more like a Pu-Pu Platter for Two!
What if we had a Winnie on the ballot? Would it then be a pooh pooh platter? (I must have too much time on my hands today.)
Me too! That’s why I always take a hands-on approach to my postings.
I hear Yahooy is more of a Ramses Man.
Lennie, do you think we could get a list of all the Republican town committee members? Thank you in advance.
What if we had Eyore and Piglet and Tigger on the ballot? That would really be something!
Is Bonney any relation to Billy The Kid?
Very introspective post by the Reaper. He was being perfectly blunt in his analysis.
By the way Row B has always done well in the city for some reason and I don’t know why and that is a fact. Even when Row B loses it still has a good showing. I would rather be on Row B if I were running in this city. Auden, Moore, Obama; and even Lee Whitnum did better than expected when she was on Row B.
I’m wondering what’s happening in the 130th. Brian Crowe retired from the City Council, opening a seat in that council district. (Susan Brannelly is the incumbent.) Will the local branch of the GOP’s temperance society and sewing circle be fielding a pair of candidates to “challenge” the preponderant influence of the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee in Black Rock, or have they simply given up?
The Bridgeport Kid
I am wondering the same thing but I’m not voting for any of the Republicans.
“Im not voting for none of the republicans.” Where’d you learn to read and write English, dude, from a hillbilly?
Tighten that shit up.
He has a job. What about you? Or do you work at the Yahooy School of Insults?
Go chase yourself, Anna. Go shave your head, while you’re at it.
I have a job.
I think words like “execrable” and “wretched” are appropriate descriptive terms when discussing Bridgeport politics.
“Execrable” could describe the current occupant of the mayor’s office. Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines the word as “deserving to be execrated,” meaning deserving to be shat out. “Wretched” is defined as “extremely or deplorably bad or distressing.”
In other words, it just plain sucks.
donj:
Welcome back from Jamaica! Sounds like you had a good time … anyway, you were asking last night for an update on the Library question … if you’re interested in supporting the referendum effort or just curious, there’s a meeting tomorrow at the North End Library Branch at 7pm. that’s open to all interested parties. Supporters are most welcomed and encouraged to attend and help us with the campaign to the Nov. 3 elections.
Oh sly one, riddle me this, “is the Library Board officially supporting this question?”
I’m a regular patron of the newly re-opened Black Rock Branch of the Bridgeport Public Library. It’s a fine place. One of the librarians actually goes out to water the plants. Such dedication. A little more money for the library system will only be a good thing. If the libraries were able to offer more programming for children and youngsters it would only stimulate the minds exposed. Give ’em more post-high school options, options other than drug sales, burglary …
A 44% increase with guaranteed increases down the road. This is not a little money. $2 million is a lot of money in a city like Bridgeport.
I know we’re talking about $2,000,000.00. The city would have more money to spread around if the city didn’t own more than 40% of the the taxable property.
And the Fabulous One couldn’t wait for the money that Keeley had set aside up in Hartford in the bond package so he used city money to fix the BR Library. Does the Library Board repay the city these monies when they get their obscene increase?
Mayoral quality has been spiraling downward ever since Joe Ganim was indicted. Not that it was all that marvelous before …
I’ve concluded that the Republican Party (GOP=Grand Old Party, or Gave Out, Probably) cannot muster even token resistance to the “corrupt political machine” currently running Bridgeport. How much longer will the rank-and-file voters allow themselves to be hoodwinked into voting for mayoral candidates that turn out to be foul, grossly offensive in the moral sense of the word?
Mutiny on the City Council is the best place to start. Pack the council with as many free-thinking candidates as possible. Safety in numbers, no? With enough common ground none of ’em will be afraid to tell Hizzoner the Pepsodent guy, “Hey, Birdman! Fuck off! Eat shit and bark at the moon!” and not fear any reprisals.
So why isn’t The Bridgeport Kid running?
Run with the Working Families Party. They are looking for candidates. They will help you get the petition signatures. You and donj for City Council in Black Rock.
Go for it!!!
Holding elective office in this town is a dangerous thing. Some previous members of the City Council developed serious drinking problems while in office. Couldn’t bear up under the intense boredom. Having one’s legs and arms yanked about by the puppeteer’s hands causes a painful condition, don’cha know …
Oh grin one, you know … I really cannot recall with 100% certainty that a board vote was actually called on the issue and if all board members voted in the affirmative, so I will have to defer to the board meeting minutes to get the absolutely correct answer … if it’s that important to you, let me know, because it would be important for me that it’s important for you to know. On an informal, off-the-cuff basis, I believe all board members are supportive of the idea and concept, but you never really know because “you get what you inspect, not what you expect.” Riddle me some more …
B’port kid:
If you like the Black Rock Branch and the branch staff’s dedication … then with 1 mil of funding for the BPL city-wide, the same facilities and level of service should/could be available for the East Side (my neighborhood) and the East End, too … but to date, I don’t hear or see a lot of screaming and yelling (of visible/vocal support) from community leaders (elected or self-appointed) or from residents of those neighborhoods … so, if we stay at the current level of funding … I personally have been planning for Plan B already (why wait for Nov. 3?) in my way of thinking (… the right way, the wrong way and the Navy way … or my way is the Navy way … Capt Queeg … The Caine Mutiny … the Navy way says you always have a plan B!!!) My Plan Bravo: I would take Mojo’s recommendation earlier and go with one super-sized, central library that’s updated, clean, painted, new roof, new lights (with new technology), fully stocked and fully staffed at 6 days per week 12 hours per day, 9am to 9pm for $4.8 million. Why not? You tell me … otherwise. Without 1 mil of funding, politically and morally, you cannot close down the East Side and East End (storefront rentals) and keep the Black Rock and North End. I don’t see it. Why continue to try to run five sites with the same amount of money from 20 years ago, with only 57 of 110 staff members from 20 years ago and expect great things … you can’t and you won’t. But share your great ideas and your plan B … I’m listening … unless everyone’s voting for Plan Alpha (1 mil) with me on Nov. 3, then this discussion is over.
It ain’t over yet …
The Liberate Libraries Committee is an AGENT OF HIGHER TAXES.
The Liberate Libraries Committee seeks to circumvent, bypass and sidestep the political process en route to guaranteed funding. Shakespeare would be outraged!
What’s GOOD for Liberate Libraries is BAD for Bridgeport.
OIB Rumor Mill:
Filming of the upcoming documentary, “Library Bloggers” is complete. In it, The BPL is seen as a haven for those who get password-protected computers and a comfy place to escape life’s hardships while showing support for the November 3 referendum.
DEFEAT IT!
I’m a big fan of books and computers but just because a statute exists doesn’t mean it should be triggered.
The BPL look like Luddites in the face of the internet.
That’s it, LIBRARY LUDDITES!