Six Square

The Kelo Book: The Reviews Are Coming In.

2009-01-05T20:02:05Z

Jeff Benedict's "Little Pink House," which chronicles the protracted property rights melodrama that has forever colored the once and future Fort Trumbull redevelopment, will be released on Jan.26.

It'll no doubt have the Levins, Basilicas, Goebels, Joplins, Percys, Gaudianis and Angelos of the world scurrying to the index.

But the book, named for Susette Kelo's cottage in Fort Trumbull, that is now a tourist attraction on Franklin Street, is available for pre-order from book stores.

On Amazon,"Little Pink House" is available for pre-order and apparently those who have already ordered their copy, have also purchased "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World" by Vicki Myron.

I don't see any connection except that the only inhabitants of Fort Trumbull ten years after the NLDC began buying, taking and demolishing homes in the (ex) neighborhood have been stray cats.

Also, a few reviews have already been published.

Publishers Weekly calls it "a page-turner with a conscience," while Kirkus says Benedict's new book is a " capably presented account of a complex legal case that would have been even more compelling if it were shorter."

The online blog January Magazine praises the book, but wishes it were in fact, longer: "While he succeeds in casting light on dozens of characters, as well as giving them respect and largely steering clear of editorial judgment, Little Pink House falters in the area of providing any level of legal analysis to this case. In fact, the summary of the Supreme Court’s decision takes up barely half a chapter. Benedict is not a legal scholar, and his book isn’t intended as a lawyer’s treatise, but the inclusion of some level of discussion about how the highest court in the land could have found in favor of a development destined for a Fortune 500 company over a small band of determined homeowners would have been welcome."

The Official Six Square Waste of Company Time

2008-12-08T03:21:13Z

http://pythonline.com/

Score One For The Thames River: No Pirates

2008-12-02T18:59:01Z

Say what you will about cruise ships visiting New London, but at least we don't have pirates patroling Long Island Sound and the Thames River.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/02/somali-pirates-fire-on-us_n_147682.html

The New Ceremonials: Hyslop and Maynard

2008-12-01T17:34:58Z

The Cavanagh-Hyslop era on the City Council ends tonight. Deputy Mayor Wade Hyslop will become the new ceremonial mayor of the city, with Councilor John Maynard as his deputy.

The swearing in will take place tonight at 7 p.m.* at City Hall.

Both Hyslop and Maynard were elected in 2007, the former an ex-state representative and the latter a political neophyte.

Maynard, despite his inexperience, has been the more vocal member of the council, receiving plaudits for raising the homelessness issue, and criticism for his sometimes coarse demeanor at meetings.

Hyslop, on the other hand, rarely chimes in and almost never pulls items off the consent agenda for further discussion.

But Hyslop is adept at running meetings. The new mayor kept one of the charter revision commissions -- forgot which one, there have been so many -- on track.

Kevin Cavanagh, the outgoing mayor, will return to the "backbenches" after a year in the big chair.

*Correction added.

Buscetto Bash II To Take Place on Jan. 3

2008-12-01T16:35:45Z

Buscetto's Bash at the Beach might be alliteration overkill, but the charity event raised more than $40,000 last year.

The sophomore edition of City Councilor Michael Buscetto's now annual party is set for Jan. 3 at Ocean Beach Park.

Funds from the party, which featured local bands including NLHS Marching Band, were donated to youth soccer, the senior center and other groups around the city.

Buscetto was on Lee Elci's breakfast program on WXLM this morning to talk about the bash.

Blogging Head

2008-11-24T20:51:57Z

It turns out Williams headmaster Mark Fader has a blog.

Every principal in the area should do this.

New London on Ice

2008-11-24T18:09:27Z

The Education, Parks and Recreation Committee will hold a meeting tonight at City Hall at 6 p.m. to discuss putting an ice skating rink in the Waterfront Park.

If it passes muster with EPR then the full City Council will vote on it at its next meeting on Dec. 2.

Building a rink in New London isn't exactly new, as many people in the city remember ice skating at Bates Woods or in the Arboretum.

It will be interesting to see if the city gets it built before, you know, it gets warm.

Here are some examples of urban rinks that the council could use as models.

http://www.wollmanskatingrink.com/main_wollman.htm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21672530/

http://www.centennialpark.com/events/ice.html

Eau No!

2008-11-20T19:44:25Z

It turns out New London and Waterford share something else beyond a border and homelessness problem.

Both towns are expected to see increases in their water bills.

Waterford's RTM will vote on Dec. 1 on a near $100 hike in the 2009 water bills, while New London's City Council will examine the issue in committee.

Ceremonial Mayor Kevin Cavanagh said today that the city has not raised its rates in 13 years.

Veolia, the French company that manages the waste water treatment facility in Fort Trumbull, is facing higher operation costs. It portends higher rates in New London.

The Payoff: Hygienic Art XXX

2008-11-17T17:05:41Z

When the organizers of sometimes bawdy Hygienic Art Show began using Roman numerals to count off the annual high meets low festival, they must have known that it would pay off, like a mortgage, in 30 years.

Hygienic Art XXX: it just looks great.

Let's hope this year's suffix will inspire some truly, bad, not bad meaning bad but bad meaning good, contributions.

Anyway, the organizing committee for the Hygienic which will take place on Jan.31 will be meeting weekly on Tuesday nights at 7:30pm in the Hygienic Galleries on Bank St. in New London.

They Only Print The Bad News

2008-11-12T16:15:19Z

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=baa0226a-c13f-42c2-85c6-97ac797d580e

Homicide Is The Mother of Invention

2008-11-10T15:51:34Z

This morning most of the houses in my downtown New London neighborhood got our first fliers of the holiday season.

A home security firm in Groton distributed leaflets advertising "a neighborhood promotion," of a new Honeywell Wireless Security System.

I should point out that my apartment is a half a block away from the scene of Thursday's night's murder of Tymelle Robertson.

And people think the free market is going to suffer under President Obama.

Homelessness, nationally.

2008-10-21T17:47:13Z

The City Counicil voted last night to suspend the Breathalyzer test required for admittance to the St. James homeless shelter during cold weather

The St James shelter, however, does not admit families.

Entire families that are homeless might be the next social services challenge for the city.

h/t Huffington Post

Catala gets two union endorsements

2008-10-20T16:03:03Z

Jason Catala, a former GOP city couniclor seeking to unseat State Rep. Ernie Hewett in the 39th district recieved the endorsement of two unions on Friday.

The Protective Services Employees Coalition with more than 900 members cited Catala's "dedication to public service."

The Connecticut State Association of American University Professors also endorsed Catala, citing his "interest in maintaining a viable and quality program of higher education."

Like, Oh. My. Gawd. Stillman was once a Valley Girl.

2008-10-14T20:09:50Z

Well, sort of.

State Sen. Andrea Stillman is a longtime New London business owner, but she went to college in Northridge, Calif, in the San Fernando Valley north of downtown Los Angeles.

But there is some confusion as to where exactly she went to school.

Stillman's bio, says she graduated in 1971 from the University of California at Northridge, with a degree in speech.

Trouble is, there is not and never has been a UC-Northridge.

Stillman attended, according to Project Vote Smart, California State University, Northridge, or CSUN (Go Matadors!) and graduated in 1973, with the aforementioned degree in Speech.

CSUN was founded in 1958 as a north campus for then Los Angeles State University, now called Cal State Los Angeles.

Until 1972, the school was known as San Fernando Valley State University. Given the main industry of the Valley, I won't speculate on a mascot.

The Cal State system is analogous to Connecticut State University System, with its regional campuses, while the UC system is sort of like a massive UConn.

Asked today about the mix-up, Stillman said some of the confusion is because of the word "university" in the name of school. The writer of the bio on her office Web page, must have inverted where "university" occurs in her alma mater's name.

Stillman joked that CSUN has no problem locating her to ask for donations.

Forget it, Andrea. It's Northridge.

For those who really need an election fix

2008-10-13T19:01:57Z

Try Canada