Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Old Route 72 Diner Is Gone At the Route 72 Plaza!
As the president of a local laryngectomee group I would meet some of the Laryngectomees at the old diner for breakfast and then it was “closed.”
We had to meet in Berlin and sometimes New Britain. I was told of the new happenings at the old site and waited patiently for the upcoming breakfast meeting.
Amazingly, upon my arrival today I immediately saw the completed renovated diner and couldn't’t believe this has happened during our bad economic times we are currently experiencing.
The New Hometown Grille with its Italian style cuisine and friendly service. The proud new owner, Mr. Michael Vince, is from Prospect Ct. He also acknowledges that this is his 25th. year in the restaurant business.
He completely turned the old diner into a brand new one for much out of pocket expenses during these very hard financial times.
Offering Breakfast and lunches with thoroughly cooked meats, poultry, sea food, shell fish, and eggs all at moderate prices.
Their hours are for weekdays 5:30 A.M. to 3P.M. and on weekends for Saturday and Sunday 6 A.M. to 3 P.M.
Just between Cromwell and Berlin at 869 Mill Street, East Berlin, Ct.
Making it just the ideal friendly spot to stop off on your way by.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
OPEN FORUM NUMBER SEVEN
IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE HAVE HAD AN OPEN FORUM FOR THE RESIDENTS TO VENT THEIR PROBLEMS THEY ARE HAVING WITH OUR CITY GOVERNMENT. IT IS ALSO A PLACE FOR THE RESIDENTS TO TELL THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT CURRENT POLITICAL ISSUES IN OUR CITY.
YOU MAY ALSO POST YOUR COMMENTS ANONYMOUSLY OR MAT USE A TAG.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
How Obama will Destroy America
By Jerry McConnell Monday, February 23, 2009
Newsmax.com published an online article composed by the National Republican Trust PAC on February 20, 2009 titled “Obama’s 3 Big Lies – His Plan to Destroy the GOP. The more I read from it, the more convinced I was that the title, though accurate, didn’t quite go far enough. I also decided that the information in the article needed to be spread to as many different destinations that I could possibly reach. I also reworded the NRT PAC article title as written above, because I felt that it was not just the GOP that would be destroyed, but all of America as we have known it.
There is little doubt or question that liberal Democrats and their leader, Barack Obama, are a product of communistic socialism due to the huge amounts of money funneled into their efforts by individuals and organizations that have knelt at the un-American altar of anti-democracy philosophies such as George Soros, ACLU, Greenpeace, Sierra Club and others that ironically also call themselves Democrats.
These socialist connected donations were not by accident or blind hope; In “Atlas Shrugs” on October 08, 2008, less than a month before the Presidential election, author Pamela Geller wrote: “Barack Obama was a member of an extremist political party established by the Democratic Socialists for America, the Chicago New Party, and they cheered his victory in his uncontested run for his Illinois state senate seat as a step away from American values, towards socialism. The New Party: The New Party is an unabashed Marxist “fusion” party from which Barack Obama actively sought out and received an endorsement for his state senate candidacy (in 1996). He did. The party was a Marxist Political coalition. This was not a guilt by association thing. Senator Obama sought out their nomination.”
Scott Wheeler, Executive Director of the NRTPAC and author of the article referenced above, begins his treatise by explaining that the real reason why Obama, Pelosi and Reid rushed the recent mammoth spending bill, the biggest in history, without debate or Republican input was simply because they want to turn the “United States into a one-party country putting the Republican Party out of business once and for all.”
After all, if you’re going to turn this country into a socialist welfare state, you must first rid yourself of any strong opposition. There are other political parties besides the Republicans, but none with such clout or numbers. The “wannabees” are little more than fringe groups with little to no chance of any significant opposition to either major party.
We all now know more about that massive “stimulus” bill, labeled as “porkulus” by some in the amounts of anywhere from $787 billion to $1.3 trillion of taxpayer dollars which NRTPAC’s Wheeler claims is really a “political war chest for the Democrats.” They will use much of this largesse, he says, not for a quick fix stimulus to solve what they call a “fiscal crisis”, but “to reward their political friends – and have huge amounts of cash to dole out before the 2010 and 2012 elections.”
A very large portion of this appropriated money will not even be spent this year as you probably know after having read it finally when they made it public AFTER congressional and administrative approval. In fact, it could very possibly take up to 10 years to get rid of all of it. And as Wheeler points out, “These billions … will fund the Democratic political machine for many years to come.” And how ironic is that; the party that raised far more campaign money during both the primary and general election races, has to stoop to unethical and unsavory tactics to add to those donated dollars with more and more taxpayer funds?
But we also know, Obama is a product of the corrupt political machine in Chicago as is his recently appointed Chief of Staff, Raum Emanuel, another tax cheater who must think that privileged people like presidential appointees are exempt from paying their taxes. In Chicago it must be some kind of unwritten law as so many of them coming to Washington are astounded by having to pony up. But where you or I would probably get a jail sentence for not paying, all these people get is a tiny bit of bad publicity from the mainstream media, if any at all.
Ironically, in the campaign leading up to the 2006 Congressional elections, Nancy Pelosi, came up with the caustic proclamation of the Republican’s Culture of Corruption. It was based on a couple of wayward congressmen (Cunningham and Foley) and she reveled in the glory of that title for her political enemies. But then, she couldn’t have known (could she?) that Obama would make her glee short-lived as his awfully embarrassing cabinet and administration appointments introduced a new era now called: “Dynasty of Democrat Dishonesty”.
Ever hear that old adage, “Oh what tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive”? It seems that the liberal Democrats have had more practice at it than is customary, which is why they’re so good at it.
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Jerry McConnell is a longtime resident of planet earth with one half century on the seacoast of NH. He is a community activist but promises not to run for President and he feeds ACORN’s to the squirrels. He can be emailed at lethrneck@comcast.net with complaints or the editor at letters@canadafreepress.com with favorables.
Jerry McConnell most recent columns
A Public Notice:
The Common Council meeting is being held tonight at 7 PM.
Any resident that wishes to convey his or her comments to the Common Council Alderpersons may do so at their Public Participation which commences at 7 P. M.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Was our DTC Chairman Out to Lunch?
The Democrats in Washington have placed a sum of $2,650,247,958 into the stimulus package for Connecticut but not one thin dime for New Britain.
All the towns and cities that were remembered were Bridgeport, Danbury, Enfield, Hartford, Meriden, Middletown, Naugatuck, New Haven, Norwalk, Norwich, Stamford, Waterbury, West Hartford, and West Haven.
The mysterious question that must be in all of our minds is what has the New Britain Town Committee Chairman been doing in protecting the interest of New Britain?
What colorful explanation has he to offer that justifies we’re being here in New Britain (Connecticut’s 8th largest city) and we will remain penniless while much smaller towns get a big piece of the pie?
Where was the council Democrats to fight for some of this money being doled out by their party leadership when it is they who love so much to spend our money for us?
Monday, February 23, 2009
Editorial
The Democratic Party Chairman is Out of line.
"On February 18th. the Chairman of the New Britain Democratic Party issued a ballistic statement on his Party Blog, The NB Politicus, attacking former Mayor William McNamara, serving as the chair of the New Britain Ethics Commission, for rendering an affirmative vote supporting the complaint filed by Alderman Louis Salvio against Alderman Paul Catanzaro over the planting of trees at the city hall facility.
The commission recommended to the city common council to censure the alderman.
He continued his charge by stating by all accounts former Mayor McNamara has been a public supporter of Stewart during his re-election bids.
Alderman Salvio complained that Catanzaro’s voting to have the city perform a landscaping job instead of a private contractor created a conflict because as an employee of Parks and Rec “Catanzaro would be benefiting himself by being able to work overtime on the project.”
I find all of this picking at the wrong issue by John McNamara as a smoke screen in avoiding speaking on the true issue that is before all of us residents—the constant illegal behavior of Alderman Paul Catanzaro.
Chairman McNamara’s statement was made exactly one week after the infamous Alderman Catanzaro voted against his own Ethics Commission ruling. By voting on his own issue, Catanzaro violated section 4-7 of the city charter for which the required punishment is expulsion from the council as articulated in the charter.
Due to the timing of the statement made by the DTC Chairman, it was an apparent attempt to hide the true adversity created by their elected Democratic Alderman--Catanzaro. It is a cheap attempt by the Chairman to avoid the true facts that the Alderman should be impeached or face expulsion from serving on city council.
The only way the council could possibly restore public trust and confidence in the council would be for them to follow the law and proceed with the expulsion of Alderman Catanzaro as required by the city charter.
The East Side Restaurant Is Expanding!
Mr. Nickolas Augustino with his family operation has been so successful that they decided to expand this excellent restaurant.
The Construction is currently ongoing with the addition of the Munich Room and the Bier Garden which will be on the second floor level of this establishment and will accommodate and additional 65 patrons in each location of this addition.
Amazing with the ongoing construction for this new addition food is still being served and don’t forget the Bier too!
With all the expected additional patrons the restaurant will be providing valet parking for its customers.
The restaurant offers luncheon entrees and full course dinners by the Burgermeister of many German favorites together with many choices of American delights coupled with a slight German flavoring. Famous for their German Style Braised Short Ribs but they also offer a wide selection of lamb, pork, and fish.
In addition to experiencing the great food you also get to enjoy the entertainment provided by Walter Lawrence a fantastic accordion player who strolls the crowded tables serenading the restaurant’s diners with polkas, waltzes and of course the favorite sing- alongs.
I have friends that claim that they return as often they can just to hear Walter play while enjoying the good food and bier.
When a customer receives the giant bier stein Mr. Augustino is there bellowing ticki tocki, ticki tocki, ticki tocki, hoy hoy hoy, and with the patron’s cheering while holding up their bier mugs.
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Sunday, February 22, 2009
TheDay.com - New Haven Register Owner Seeks Bankruptcy Protection
TheDay.com - New Haven Register Owner Seeks Bankruptcy Protection The JRC was Former Owner of The New Britain Herald.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
EDITORIAL
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In today’s New Britain Herald the COPA president, Ms. Ann Mikulak, stated that former Alderman Francis Ziccardi had violated the conflict of interest of the city charter by the city’s ethics commission.
If my memory serves right the former Alderman Ziccardi was found in violation by the ethics commission because he was president of a union local and that Alderman Paul Catanzaro was also found with the very same violation by that commission.
If you check the NB Politicus dated October 24, 2006 on page two of that document the commission found that both aldermen were members of AFSCME local 1186 and ruled both faced the same conflict.
Conflicts by Alderman Catanzaro never end.
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Friday, February 20, 2009
Did President Obama promises during the campaign to not raise taxes on anyone making $250,000 per year go astray?
---------------------SCHIP funds for health insurance programs for children of poor families.
Unfortunately, this good intent in helping the children of poor families will directly affect their family with the proposed increase in federal excise tax on tobacco to pay for the SCHIP expansion which was signed into law by President Obama.
It will increase crime at retail outlets giving a higher cash return on the cigarettes the criminals steal thus enhancing the tobacco retailers to become the victims of robbery.
The adverse effects the tobacco increases will cause to our poor that this bill is supposed to help are as follows:
1 Cigarettes: 62 cents per pack.
2 Large Cigars up to 40 cents per.
3 Little cigars 96 cents per pack.
4 Pipe tobacco $1.71 per pound.
5 Roll-your own tobacco $23.53 per pound.
6 Chewing Tobacco 30.5 cents per pound.
7 Snuff: 91.5 cents per pound.
Knowing the adverse effects the aforementioned products do to one’s health and to the second hand smoke that is inhaled by friends these increase prices through the federal excise tax targets the poor that these funds collected are to help.
The States are all going to add there increases to the tobacco products for whatever purposes deemed as necessary for their current needs ------The Budget!
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Thursday, February 19, 2009
A Readers Comment's on Alderman Sherwood's Ethics Statement That Should Be Public
Anonymous said...
.........Alderman Phil Sherwood said he was disappointed to hear about the resignation of a person he respected but felt the decision by the council to not accept the recommendation was correct.
“The Ethics Commission plays a very important role in the city, but it’s clear to me this process has been too political, and I hope we can now put this past us and get back to the important work of the taxpayers,” Sherwood said.
He hoped the city would consider revamping how the commission works. “The whole process has been a little too partisan,” he said, adding that by having the mayor appoint the commissioners, there was little chance of objectivity. “I think it’s ridiculous to have cities try to regulate their own ethics. This is something the state should be doing.”
Having local people appointed by local politicians leads to suspicion and mistrust, Sherwood said.
With no ethics violations under investigation, Stewart said he would not appoint a fifth member immediately, but would take time to find a proper candidate ...........
Is this not the most absurd statement yet from Sherriff Sherwood???
Alderman Sherwood of course local politicians and should be making local decisions. The ethics commission is set up per the city charter. You and your merry men had every opportunity to question the appointments made by Mayor Stewart.
Partisan politics is your game. Ned Lamont taught you well.
Please stop with the, I admire and I respect garbage.
It is clear that the democratic town committee has chosen a hostile approach to governing New Britain. You my friend are a political hack. You and your merry men have erected obstacles at every turn.
We should not be changing our charter and ordnances to suit the Democratic Party.
Your friend Alderman Catanzaro is in clear violation of the current ethics rules. He should be reprimanded or expelled.
Though you haven’t run afoul of the letter of the ethics rules in my book you are the most unethical person on the council.
What ever happened to Alderman Trueworthy? Why does he not address these issues? Why is he leaving it to a freshman Alderman to speak for the majority party?
If I were you Alderman Sherwood I would be concerned about the silence. History says that when one of the town committees attack dogs doesn't get result they usually don’t get support.
Wouldn’t that be ironic?
February 19, 2009 11:10 AM
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Ethics Commissioner Resigns!
Sadly to read that our former Mayor of New Britain, William McNamara, resigned from the city’s Ethics Board because the common Council rejected the Ethics Board findings against Aldermen Paul Catanzaro, a current employee of the Park and Recreation Department.
The democratic controlled Common Council refused to sanction their fellow member as recommended by the Ethics Board with a 13-2 vote.
The former mayor, who served six terms, concluded his remarks by saying the work serving this commission was a tedious waste of time. It also should be noted that Mr. McNamara is also a retired New Britain School Teacher and is currently teaching part time at CSSU.
The Ethics czar on the Council, Alderman Phil Sherwood, is trying to implement the city of Hartford’s ethics program for review by his New Britain council members.
With his own democratic council members voted along with him against complying with the existing codes.
Much is to be said about trusting this group of their recommendations for new ethics mandates.
Needless to say it will be hard to find someone with Bill's background to serve on the commission he is leaving.
Algonquin and other Indigenous people take stand against Obama
Ms. Judi McLeod of the Canada Free press Algonquin and other Indigenous people take stand against Obama
Alderman Catanzaro must be Expelled from City Council
At the Wednesday night council meeting, Alderman Paul Catanzaro spoke against, and then voted to reject a recent Ethics Commission ruling calling for Catanzaro to be reprimanded for personally voting on a previous issue that could have resulted in his receiving personal overtime for work that would have otherwise been given to a contractor.
By voting on his own personal reprimand Wednesday night, Catanzaro has again apparently violated section 4-7 of the city charter which states in part: “No member of the Common Council shall be heard to speak upon, nor shall be allowed to vote upon…any matter in which the member has a pecuniary interest.”
Catanzaro reportedly told reporters from both the New Britain Herald and the Hartford Courant that his reason for voting on the matter was because if he was to recues himself, then he wouldn’t be allowed to speak on the matter, but that is precisely what the city charter dictates; that he not be allowed to speak on his own matter of interest.
The punishment dictated by the same charter for violation of this section: “expulsion.”
As stated in the charter: “Any violation of this provision shall be grounds for expulsion of any member violating the same…”
This is the culmination of over 4 years of serious conflicts of interest that have been made public regarding this same alderman. He has ignored warnings from other Aldermen and even the Mayor when planning to vote on other past issues of personal interest. This time the law is crystal clear. It mandates that this member be expelled from the council.
This time, Catanzaro’s actions are similar to a judge hearing his own court case and then declaring himself “NOT GUILTY” at his own trial. This is shocking behavior for any elected official.
The only way to begin to restore public trust in the Common Council is to follow the law and expel this member for the violations he willingly committed. Mayor Stewart needs to act quickly in beginning the impeachment process for this serious violation.
