As OIB reviews some top stories from 2013, the month of January was not short of revelations. Some highlights:
Graphic footage was released of city police officers stomping a suspect in Beardsley Park after he had been felled by a stun gun in May 2011. NAACP officials call for the arrest of cops.
Monsignor Kevin Wallin, the ex-pastor of St. Augustine Cathedral in Bridgeport and a long-time member of the Sacred Heart University Board of Trustees, was indicted by a federal grand jury with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
Former Congressman Chris Shays takes teaching position at University of New Haven.
Zoning gaffe paves way for controversial developer to build shopping center on Upper East Side.
City graduates 19 new police recruits.
Police conduct sweep of unlicensed city massage parlors.
School board conducts evaluation of Superintendent of School Paul Vallas.
The daughter of an influential city Democrat placed on paid leave after officials learned she pretended to shoot people with a toy gun while on duty as a security guard at the city’s Health Department.
Mayor Bill Finch announces education listening tour offering the public an opportunity to share input on the state of all Bridgeport schools.
Gun enthusiasts flocked to the state Capitol to encourage lawmakers not to pass any laws restricting what they described as their “God given” right to carry a gun.
Twenty-one new Bridgeport firefighters sworn in.
City initiates largest gun buyback program in history.
Former State Senator Ernie Newton enters not guilty plea involving state charges that accuse him of manipulating $500 in campaign contributions to qualify for roughly $80,000 in public financing for his attempt to regain his old state senate seat.
Ethics watchdog says city’s Ethics Commission is a toothless tiger.
POKO Partners LLC announce applications for its latest affordable housing project‐-Clinton Commons Apartments‐-located at 91 Clinton Avenue.
Bob Curwen, long-time city councilman, announces his resignation.
Controversial State Rep. Christina Ayala calls her swearing in “breathtaking.”
Kevin Reynolds, election law guru, becomes city lobbyist.
Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey appoints State Rep. Auden Grogins deputy majority leader.
Secretary of the State Denise Merrill announces Bridgeport has highest active Hispanic voter registration. Andres Ayala takes oath of office as one of the first two Hispanic state senators in Connecticut history.
Cops find naked woman inside massage parlor with 76-year-old naked Westport man.
The city’s former legislative liaison Tom White files federal lawsuit against the city claiming the city violated his First Amendment rights as the victim of retaliation because he “acted as the conscience and moral compass for the City Council.”
Godiva2011 sending me a gift should be among one of the top stories.
And Ethics will be the City story of next year, according to the Mayor’s office this morning? Reaction time is equally slow as the SNOW REPORT! Do the people in the Mayor’s office know any more about ethics than they did about snow removal, because the drifts are even deeper in moral hazard relative to righteous governance! Time will tell.
*** 2013 winter storm, $400,000 private airport driveway, BOE and Supt. debacle, P/D accidental weapons discharge, city crime and gang shootings, citizen marches against violence, city and state politicians brush with the law, BOE and City Council embarrassing moments during meetings, Bpt. political elections, and so on! ***
*** WHAT THIS CITY NEEDS IS AN ENEMA! *** “NO SHIT” ***