Memo to me:
- . Thank OIB readers for surpassing 15,000 page views in just two weeks of the new site.
- . Perform Google search for additional information on the decline of the bat population. Remind the bat thriving in my crawl space that he’s not supposed to be alive. Then thank him for keeping down the mosquito population.
- . Tell the woodpecker eating me out of house and home to peck the bat.
- . Ask State Rep. Chris Caruso to critique Mayor Bill Finch’s first four months in office.
- . Ask OIB readers when they think a new mayor is no longer a new mayor.
- . Check in with City Council President Tom McCarthy regarding his plans to challenge Republican State Senator Rob Russo.
- . Remind potential primary candidates that the primary this summer will take place in August, not September.
- . Ask OIB reader Tom Kelly to handicap the potential races.
- . Ask Cougar Rodgerson if he’s running for anything this year.
- . Check in with Democratic Town Chair Mario Testa about the state of his party. Ask him about his candidate for mayor in three years. Why wait for the last minute?
- . Call Airport Manager John Ricci to see if there’s anything new regarding the city selling the municipal airport to Stratford.
- . Ask OIB reader Yahooy if there’s any truth to the rumor that he’s really Envoy5. Also ask him if he wants to start a regular Philistine Of The Week posting.
- . Query bean counters in city hall for an update on the budget deficit.
- . Tell OIB readers if they want to see a hot Beatles’ show to check out the Downtown Cabaret Theatre’s production of “She Loves You.”
Ace Man
I did a guest spot today on WICC with Ace Holleran, filling in for Jim Buchanan. We chatted about state politics, the special-election win of Republican State Sen. Rob Russo who must face voters again in November by virtue of filling out the term vacated by Bill Finch, the city’s tax assessment of Democratic Town Chairman Mario Testa’s restaurant that Mario’s not happy about, college hoops at the Arena at Harbor Yard and the need for the city to promote its destination points. And, of course, I admitted on the air that I’ve been tracking Bridgeport-born Syesha Mercado’s run on American Idol. Don’t tell anyone!
Press release from city schools
Fairfield University announces tuition plan for Bridgeport students with family incomes under $50,000
Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., president of Fairfield University, announced today that beginning with the upcoming academic year (2008-09) all high school students with annual family incomes under $50,000 who graduate from public and diocesan schools located in the City of Bridgeport, and who are admitted to Fairfield University, will qualify for a full tuition scholarship. The Bridgeport Tuition Plan applies to students attending any of the seven high schools in Bridgeport, including Bassick, Harding, Central, Bullard-Havens, Kolbe Cathedral, Bridge Academy and Bridgeport International Academy. Fr. von Arx said the initiative is “not only close to my heart, but, one that lies at the very foundation of Jesuit educational tradition.”
Philistine of the Week? Excellent idea.
This week’s Philistine of the Week is Grimaldi for outing me again!!!
WICC should give Ace Hollerin’ a permanent slot.
Good grief!!!
A new mayor is no longer a new mayor when he has made enough bad calls and flubbed enough opportunities to fill the full four year term of the “average” elected official.
Hello friends and foes ! BRUCE HUBLER is right on track !! Just consider FINCH a one term Mayor !! MARIO already has a “group” working on that !!
I’m still waiting on FINCH ( or shall I say WOOD ) to come up with SOMETHING other than all this green bullshit !! And for the hell of it maybe hire some people for Nancy,George, or Rina postion !! Geez makes you want Fabrizi back !!!!
The U.S. dollar has dropped and some people think it’s gonna stay down; consequently, don’t be surprised if Bridgeport becomes an importer of money and an exporter of a simple, easy-to-make product. Imagine a new part time job so fun, hip and lucrative that area professionals brag about making $40 in 2 hours. Then imagine an investment that, bought in $300 increments, returns 150% in 2 weeks ! Then imagine that this investment leaves a happy worker with the tools needed to complete a job / career.
OPICs or one person internet companies are gaining traction in Bridgeport because of their low risk and fast, high yields.
Local eyes will you please take your OPIC companies to Mexico
How do you think that Bill Cummings got the information on Mario Testa fight with the tax assesor. the attitude he received when questioning his assessment is the same answer that i received when questioning my last assessment’ If you dont like it tough fight it”
Do you think that maybe this was leaked to Cummings after the DTC defeat of Stafstrom. Is it possible Moonbeam and company are trying to take the heat off of themselves by spotlighting a case that has ben in court for over a year. I wonder if the leak originaed iin the city attorney’s office.
Amazing how Cummings always manages to find “leaks.” I find some of his reporting to be somewhat misleading. Local Eyes….what’s up with this one-person internet thing you keep bringing up, I don’t think we are getting the point, or I know I’m missing it….what is this yet to be discovered easy-to-make item that we should be selling and to whom? Why do you think this product has (whatever it is) the propensity to be lucrative??
“Fairfield University announces tuition plan for Bridgeport students with family incomes under $50,000”
Excuse me, Board of Education members. Fairfield University has just done your job. That initiative on the part of the Jesuits is a perfect incentive for some of these kids to stay in school.
Now it’s your turn to figure another way to keep our students in the class room until they graduate with marketable skills.
I understand BC has initiated the same program in Boston. It will be interesting to see the benefit we derive as these students are given an opportunity to get a college education and give back to our community in the form of a better life for their families and providing the local work force with high skills.
BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO
Again, too bad the BBOE didn’t come up with a plan too.
Yahooy great piece of news. The BBOE is only capable of foolishly spending money. They dont care what kind of bang they get for the buck. They have not been able to answer the 68% drop out rate and how to lower it or stop it. They are busy hiring retired administrators back as consultants at $300-$600 a day. They are interested in renting the arena for high school basketball games when each of the local high schools have thier own gyms. They are interested in a parent learning center on Boston ave for which they have invested $100K 4 years ago and the project has sat fallow for 4 years. They are trying to make school repairs (ha!ha!) a black rock school had new stairs installed to replace the broken and dangerous stairs that were there, The catch here is that the work order was put in 10 years ago. They are interested in building new palaces(schools) that are on 8-12 acres of city land.
You want them to take time to figure out how to get more kids into college and more kids to stay in school? There is no Time for that.
Yahooy I thoght you would like the quote from Mayor Moonbeam. I thught i lived in Bridgeport in acertain neighbor hood i did not realize that Bridgeport is one big neighborhhod. Read the comment below from mayor moonbeam and he wonders why Bridgeport gets no rspect.
“Bill Finch called it an incredible opportunity for city students.
“This is bringing Fairfield University right down into the ‘hood and I love it,” he said.”
Never read another mayor from any other town or city use that terminology
stealing a line from LENNIE — Reminder to self Slap Mayor in head for being so stupid !! While at it slap drunk first lady off of bar stool !! Knock some sense into them!!!!
The City Council should look into ways to take control of the City Council Meetings !!! And take power away from this dumb ass at the very least have a vote of no confidence !!! That hopefully would shake his dumb ass up ! And I’d make sure that every t is crossed and every I is dotted the next time the BOND COUNCIL goes out to bid !!!
well LENNIE I’m either 100% right with the shit I come up with OR these bloggers will think you’ll out them OR they just dont have shit to say anymore ?????? What gives ???
geez you think if I put the phrase little boy and the word CARUSO in the same sentence I’d get a response ??
What about FINCH and dipshit ??
Are you F-ing serious!!! “right down into the hood” He’s a FUCKING IDIOT!!! Sorry couldn’t say it any nicer!!! Even MAYOR WOOD wouldn’t have said it like that!!! No wonder why he’ll be a one-term Mayor!!!
Everyone beating the same dead horse and is so f’ing tiresome. There is no debate. I am for moving on to some new topics. What about what is the Hartford Legislative Delegation is doing? Like nothing except picking fights in the cafeteria. Nobody seems to give a damn that we get 50% of our dollars from Hartford and no one holds anyone accountable for sitting on their asses.
That group is more dysfunctional and harmful than our own local gangland wars. The City council, the DTC, the administration isn’t going to be able to manufacture money, pour any more dollars into education, get money for developers, they are just going to raise taxes to be able to keep the traffic lights on and the garbage taken away. What’s Russo going to do? What has Gomes done? What has blowhard Caruso done, other than try to get the law changed to make it easier for courts to overturn the will of the people or to try ban lobbyists from being on their home town library boards. Why don’t you people who only want to bitch, pay attention to what happens to Bridgeport in Hartford. Bridgeport is a joke in Hartford and we keep sending the same court jesters back. Russo better bring back something or he just another joke perpetrated on Bridgeport voters. So, Joel Hater you and your ignorant ilk please shut the hell up. Lennie, don’t let this blog keep up the same dull ranting.
CLICHEBPT I’m all for moving on and talking about the Hartford Delegation but lets be honest in a short couple blogs well be done because none of them have done ANYTHING worth talking about !!! I’m sure not living any better due to anything they have done !!
This is wonderful news from North Benson Road. Would that they extend the offer to any Beeport resident, regardless of the secondary school he/she attended.
And thanks, Charlie Brown.