Other than the military personnel who are armed to the teeth with coffee and junkfood from Dunkin Donuts, I rarely see significant foot traffic near the Legislative Office Building. Mostly, people drive to the parking garage and enter the building through the pedestrian entrance, never needing to come into contact with sunlight. Yet, there are large, well-marked warnings painted on the driveway, warning motorists to slow down. There are stop signs posted in places that make them more noticeable. There are even neon yellow signs telling motorists to stop for pedestrians — the signs are posted right in the crosswalks. I do appreciate this, as I use the area as a safer passage to downtown, given that the alternative of continuing along Capitol Avenue means having to cross the I-84 on/off ramp. Even with the stoplights all working and with the pedestrian walk signal on, the cars do not stop. Last week I saw a noticeably pregnant woman pushing a stroller across and the cars were not even obeying the law for her. It seems strange that few such safety features exist along a major street, but within a parking lot, traffic is managed quite well.
Sunday morning, when I read about the volunteer crossing guard who was threatened with arrest for keeping children safe, my heart sank. I read the article a few more times, trying to find a hidden clue that would make this story make sense. In a nutshell, a grandfather, who happens to be a disabled Vietnam Vet, decided to contribute to society by helping children safely get across the street to the Achievement First Academy in the Blue Hills neighborhood. He began this back in September. He had been honored by the school in the school newsletter and by being given a vest and stop sign. That sounds like his actions had been more than merely approved of by those he was interacting with directly.
Why threaten a man with arrest for helping society? Continue reading 'Whose Interests Are We Guarding?'»
Blue Hills, Crime & Justice, Education, Hartford, commentary, gutless officials, hpd, political b.s., quality of life, system, tax money in action, transportation
The final community listening session for the Planning & Zoning Commission will be Tuesday evening at Rawson School. So far, there have been sessions at the Pope Park Rec Center, United Methodist Church, and Metzner Rec Center. Each session has focused on proposed land use for nearby neighborhoods.
Continue reading 'Proposed Land Use for Hartford’s Neighborhoods'»
Asylum Hill, Barry Square, Behind the Rocks, Blue Hills, Clay Arsenal, Economics, Environment, Frog Hollow, Hartford, POCD, Parkville, South End, Urban Renewal, West End, architecture/design, blight, class, commentary, community, downtown, housing, library, neighborhoods, north end, parks, photos, quality of life, south green, tax money in action, transportation
Two days ago Cityline published a letter that Rich Wareing sent to numerous individuals regarding the plan to house a “no freeze” shelter at the Center Church downtown. He wrote:
Indeed, that Mr. McGovern would seriously consider locating a facilty which the City estimates will be 50% utilized by registered sex offenders across the street from two apartment buildings, three blocks from a magnet high school, and right in the middle of the most signficant business and entertainment district in the city, speaks volumes about the City’s disregard for the welfare of its voters, taxpayers, visitors, and children.
While keeping sex offenders away from youth sounds like an altruistic goal, I believe this argument is deceptive. Here’s why:
In the past, Hartford has had a no freeze shelter. This is not a brand new creation. The previous one was housed at 255 Washington Street, but a mile — if walking – from the new one. I even created a map to show this:
View homeless shelters in a larger map
What do you notice about the location of the old shelter on Washington Street? For someone with no familiarity with Hartford, the only two things that really should grab his attention would be that it was located in a very residential area, as one can see a number of houses nearby, and that it was very close to the Connecticut Childrens Medical Center.
Continue reading 'No Homeless: The Special Just-in-time-for-Thanksgiving Edition'»
Barry Square, Crime & Justice, Frog Hollow, Hartford, access, class, commentary, parks, political b.s., privilege, quality of life, social programs, south green, weather
Some people I have spoken with in the past few days were totally unaware that there was an election on Tuesday.
Others, however, are sharply aware. Check out the latest posts on Live in Hartford and IonHartford.
When my friend David told me he’d secured a reservation for a trip to the top of the Travelers’ Tower, I had no choice but to invite myself along. This would bring me downtown in the late morning, and since I had plans to be less than a block from there later in the afternoon, I figured I would just spend the time in between downtown.
At eleven we zoomed to the 21st floor. I did not think about the logistics of this. After having walked 2.5 miles to get downtown, the three flights of stairs did not seem so fun. The view was worth the panting. From the street, the tower does not look like it can hold more than two people. We had six people up there, and there was plenty of room for more. I had no luck locating my apartment.
Continue reading 'Staycation 2009'»
Art, Frog Hollow, Hartford, Raving Diva Post, architecture/design, commentary, downtown, film, food, fun, hpd, library, media, myth busting, parks, perception bias, photos, self-indulgence, shopping, tax money in action
A few weeks ago I realized that the City of Hartford had not sent me my tax bill. I had received one at this address before, as well as at my previous residence in the city. I investigated my problem on the City’s website and found it to be the very first question on the page:
Q: What if I never received a tax bill?
A: Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) Section 12-130 states “…failure to send out any… tax bill shall not invalidate the tax….” You are not exempt from payment of all taxes and all interest charges. If you do not receive a bill for which you are responsible, call the Tax Collectors Office at (860) 757-9630
Personally, I don’t agree with that policy, but there’s nothing I can do about it, so I called the number to find out what was up with my lack of bill. Continue reading 'Taxes Shouldn’t Have to Hurt'»
It’s been reported that the Guardian Angels had been contacted after a series of murders; on Sunday, a group of the Guardian Angels walked the Garden Street area. This “patrol” was designed to assess the situation. The Hartford Courant reports that Guardian Angels will begin weekly patrols, and that the group’s founder wants there to be a Hartford chapter; an earlier attempt to do just that failed in the 80s. For those who do not remember, there was controversy about the group then. Recent news about the GA’s visit to Hartford reference controversy, without really spelling out what the issues are.
According to their own website, they have won presidential praise, are global, and are a way for people to do community service.
In the recent Courant article, someone questioning the group was described as a thug:
“That’s for show,” said one bystander, a young man with a mouthful of gold-capped teeth and dressed in a matching yellow shirt that read “Born Killers.” “They can’t stop nothing. We’re out there every day. When they leave, there’s gonna be a shooting.” The man would not give his name.
His comments — which might have been construed differently had he been described as an elderly man or a shop owner — only echo a critique of the Guardian Angels that has been made elsewhere. In a discussion about the GA’s presence in New Bedford, one person commented:
They came to Brockton, and are hardly seen… ** ONLY ** when a news camera is around, they come out!
Continue reading 'Whose Guardians?'»
My intentions to write a thorough report on last night’s budget hearing got blown to hell by my inability to intently listen to four hours’ worth of whining, threatening, and begging. Here are a few of the highlights from the event and isweartogod I can’t make this stuff up:
-the largest group to speak were those on behalf of Youth Services, many of whom were minors. The cuteness of elementary school students reading messages clearly penned or heavily coached by adults lost its charm before it even got started. Cityline tweeted:
Kids are apparently here as an early strike against a suggestion on the council to merge a couple of youth offices.
I would have liked more of the variety of comments unleashed by the young lasses who testified that Youth Services is what stopped them from “smokin’ and drinkin’ and fightin’ in the streets.”
As with every other public hearing, the “rules” were not enforced, which allowed many people representing a single organization to speak, rather than have one representative. Manipulating children and wasting time wouldn’t win me over; guess it’s good that I’m not a politician.
-a man stood up at random and bellowed about how no taxpayers had spoke out yet, about half a dozen speakers into the evening. Nobody gave him the memo, apparently, that explained that “public meeting” does not mean “taxpayer meeting.
Continue reading 'Hear This!'»
Every evening at precisely 5:01 I crawl into my coffin. This shields me from the spates of gunfire, and to be honest, I might as well. When the actuaries, bankers, lawyers, and IT professionals hit the on-ramps, the entire city loses its raison d’être. My coffin protects me from the tumbleweeds that blow through here.
Continue reading 'Ghost Town'»
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