Update

Friday, May 06, 2011
Time: 1:43 PM



Yeah, I know...I didn't report on the budget.

Yeah, I know...I didn't report on the Main Street Post Office public hearing

Yeah, I know...I didn't report on Planning Commission approval of the Union Savings Bank project on Main Street.

Yeah, I know...I didn't report on the recent rash of outrageous (and highly misleading) statements from our laughable mayor and his ilk.

Yeah, I know...I didn't talk about the Board of Education lack of spine in wake of Boughton's outrageous budget allocation to the schools.

Yeah, I know, I know...


I'm still knee deep in writing my senior thesis so ALL bloggging has come to a standstill. Reporting on the zoo-like atmosphere in Danbury (where politicians get away with just about anything) is never-ending and will be around after I finish writing my project. Thankfully there's light at the end of the tunnel and I should be back to full speed in about a week (give or take).

The poll that State Senator Mike McLachlan doesn't want you to see


Time: 11:56 AM



I guess this news won't make Danbury's birther State Senator Mike McLachlan happy...

The number of Americans saying President Obama was born in another country has been sliced in half, according to a new Washington Post poll.

In interviews following the public release the president’s “long-form” birth certificate last week, fully 70 percent of Americans say Obama was born in Hawaii, a big bump-up from the 48 percent who said so a year ago. Even more say he was U.S.-born, or call that their best guess, for a total of 86 percent.

Overall, 10 percent of Americans say Obama was likely born abroad, down from 20 percent in an April 2010 Post-ABC poll. Almost all those who now say Obama was born in a foreign country say that it’s only their “suspicion;” just 1 percent claim “solid evidence” that the president was born elsewhere (9 percent said so last year).




Compromise reached on Army reserve center

Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Time: 7:23 PM

Press Release from Congressman Chris Murphy's office:
DANBURY – Today, Congressman Chris Murphy, Danbury Mayor Mark D. Boughton, Senator Joe Lieberman and Senator Richard Blumenthal announced that a compromise has been reached to build an Armed Forces Reserve Center in Danbury. The agreement will ensure that the Reserve Center is built with minimal impact on town open space.

The compromise includes three major changes from the Army's original plan. First, over 500 vehicles and trailers were removed from the project, which allowed the vehicle maintenance center and military parking to be dramatically reduced. This halves the project's overall size, removing the bulk of the truck traffic that had caused concerns among residents. Second, the remaining footprint of the training facility will be built only on the south side of Wooster Heights Road, preserving the landmark northern meadow of the Lee Farm property. This property will be available for a future open space purchase. Third, the Army has agreed that bids containing project labor agreements (PLA's) will be given additional consideration, thereby dramatically increasing the chances that local workers will be hired for the project.

But, most importantly, Danbury-area reservists and guardsmen – who are currently using outdated facilities across the state – will experience a significant upgrade. And the $45 million project will create hundreds of construction jobs in the short run, and many more in the local hospitality and retail sectors in the long run.

Since the Army announced their intention to site the facility in Danbury that would combine Reserve units from Fairfield, Waterbury and Danbury and Connecticut National Guard units from Naugatuck and Norwalk, Murphy, Lieberman, Blumenthal and Boughton have been working with the Army to modify the original proposal so that the final project made the most sense for both the local community and the Reservists and Guardsmen who will utilize it. The new scaled-down project represents a 40 percent reduction in acreage and a 52 percent reduction in the military personnel who will be drilling at the location on weekends.

Senator Joseph I. Lieberman
“This is great news for our National Guard and Reservists, as well as Danbury. Having successfully amended the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) law after years of being unable to find an adequate site based on restrictive requirements, I am extremely pleased to see such significant progress on this worthwhile project. Our men and women who are continually preparing to serve in harm’s way deserve this state of the art center replacing the obsolete facilities closed by BRAC.”

Senator Richard Blumenthal
“Today's compromise moves the Army a crucial step closer to the facility it needs and deserves for Reservists patriotic service our nation. Community concerns were heard and addressed, but this compromise also reflects the community's patriotism and public spirit in heeding our military's significant responsibilities. Both sides yielded, as happens in any good agreement. My hope is that this critical compromise will prevent any additional delay for the Army to construct a project important to national security - along with job creation and economic vitality in the region.”

Congressman Chris Murphy
“This is a compromise that weighs the needs of the Army with the goals of the community. It was not easy to pull everyone together on this, but after listening to everyone involved, we all worked together and got it done. Now we can look forward to better facilities for our reservists and hundreds of new jobs for our community.”

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army
for Installations, Housing, and Partnerships Joseph Calcara
“This is the right solution at the right location. The Army has worked extremely hard in partnership with Rep. Murphy, Senator Lieberman, and Senator Blumenthal to sort through a variety of land use and siting issues. This is a great example of everyone working together to meet the needs of our soldiers through collaboration with the local residents and their elected officials.”

Danbury Mayor Mark D. Boughton
“This has been a lengthy, challenging process. Today I am more satisfied with the Army's plan than I was at the outset. Am I perfectly satisfied? Probably not. But the Army has reduced the scope of its original plan and has listened to our overall comments. They have worked with us on reducing their impact on the neighborhood. This is most important.

“Certainly their building will look fine. The landscaping will be attractive. And, our traffic flow concerns will be addressed. It is my sense that they genuinely do want to be good neighbors.

“Additionally, we are pleased to hear that they anticipate conducting a public meeting where residents can hear their plan directly.”

Danbury City Council Minority Leader Thomas Saadi
“I commend Congressman Murphy for his successful efforts in this matter and fully support this compromise which is a win for all involved. The Army has responded to the concerns of residents and local officials by downsizing the project. This compromise will leave the upper parcel of Lee Farm in pristine condition, reduce noise and traffic while allowing the construction of a much needed new Army Reserve center in Danbury which will generate much needed local jobs and support area restaurants, hotels and stores.”

Danbury City Council President Joe Cavo
“I want to thank Congressman Murphy, Mayor Boughton, and the entire site selection term for this project. This will be a terrific addition to our city and will provide jobs for our residents. I look forward to a positive relationship with the Army and with the federal government.”

There will be a public information session on the project on Monday, May 9, 2011 at 11 am at the Catholic War Veterans Hall located at 2 Shalvoys Lane to address further details of the project.

Sixth ward city council members Paul Rotello and Ben Chianese released the following statement:
Sixth Ward Councilmen Paul Rotello and Benjamin Chianese are pleased Congressman Chris Murphy has responded to their concerns and those of their constituents, and successfully petitioned the U.S. Army to remove from consideration large scale industrial type development in sensitive sixth ward areas.

The councilmen spent over a year on this important issue, working with local, state and federal officials and area groups concerned with the impact such development would have on Danbury’s dwindling open space, overall city finances and residential neighborhoods in their ward.

Councilmen Rotello and Chianese also looked at sites throughout Danbury, including those in the sixth, ultimately proposing several alternatives they felt were better suited to the needs of the Army.

“From the very beginning the parties were clear in their opposition to any project that would damage the north meadows,” Rotello said, “and we proceeded with that in mind, placing before officials additional sites and proposals.”

That work has culminated in today’s announcement of a vastly scaled down project that ends the threat of construction on the open fields above Fry’s corner in the sixth ward.

“We look forward to welcoming the U.S. Army into our city and their transition into our community,” Chianese said, adding, “now that the proposed reserve center has been scaled down, we need to continue working on the plan to protect the Lee Farm meadows from over development.”

In addition to Congressman Murphy and his staff, Rotello and Chianese went on to thank the Friends of Lee Farm, the residents of Wooster Heights and the members of the Tri-Community Homeowner’s Association, all based in and around Danbury’s sixth ward, for their “invaluable insight and support.”

Memories

Monday, May 02, 2011
Time: 1:24 PM


HatCityBLOG Music Club: Samantha Benderoth

Sunday, May 01, 2011
Time: 7:46 PM



Since I'm still in writing mode, I decided dig into my video vault and to show off some of my latest stuff I shot with new Canon 7D camera.

From Monday night Open Mic night at 1Bar, here's Samantha Benderoth's debut to the mic.



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Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

INDEPENDENT PARTY OF DANBNRY
DATABASE COMING SOON


“Facebook”“Twitter”“Email”

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CITY OF DANBURY VIDEO ARCHIVE (Dec 2012-present)

The Mercurial (RIP)
Danbury News Times
Danbury Patch
Danbury Hamlet Hub
Danbury Daily Voice
Tribuna Newspaper
CT News Junkie
CT Capitol Report

10.03.18 (PDF):
"Approval of Danbury Prospect Charter School"

10.30.20 (HatCityBLOG VID): Charter School discussion during 2020 interview with Julie Kushner

2018 (RADIO): WLAD
"State Board of Ed signs off on Danbury charter school proposal"

08.20 (VID): CT-LEAD
"Stand up for Education Justice" Rally

08.20.20 (OP-ED): KUSHNER: "Charter schools are not ‘magic bullet’ to improving Danbury schools"

09.13.20 (OP-ED): CHAPMAN
Candidate for state Senate supports charter school for Danbury

01.15.21 (VID): CT-LEAD
Danbury Prospect Charter School press conference

03.19.21 (OP-ED): CT MIRROR
"Danbury leaders do not want a charter school"

04.01.21 (OP-ED): CT-LEAD:
"Why did Sen. Kushner vote against us?"

05.06.21 (VID): Danbury rally to fully fund public schools

10.07.21 (VID): Danbury City-Wide PTO "Meet the Candidates" education forum

10.07.21 NEWSTIMES
Danbury candidates quarrel over charter school, education funding

01.10.22 NEWSTIMES
"New operator named for Danbury charter school: ‘I’m a huge advocate for parent choice’"

01.10.22 NEWSTIMES
"Some Danbury Democrats ‘open minded’ about charter school after new, CT operator named"

01.21.22 (OP-ED): CT MIRROR
"Lessons from Danbury: Ending the dual process for charter school approval"

02.09.22 NEWSTIMES
"Proposed Danbury charter school won’t open in 2022, governor leaves funding out of budget"

02.18.22 NEWSTIMES:
Danbury residents plead for charter school funds in 9-hour state budget hearing: ‘Just exhausted’

03.05.22 (LTE):
Time has come for Danbury charter school

03.12.22 (OP-ED): TAYLOR
"Why I am excited about the Danbury Charter School"

03.16.22 (LTE):
"Why a Danbury Charter School?"

04.02.22 CT EXAMINER:
"Crowding and a Lack of Options for Danbury Students, But No Agreement on Solutions"

04.04.22 (OP-ED): DCS
"Danbury Charter School plans debut"

04.07.22 (PODCAST): (CEA)
"SENATOR KUSHNER DISCUSSES POINTS OF OPTIMISM FOR DANBURY PUBLIC SCHOOLS"

04.18.22 (VID): CT-LEAD
Protest press conference

04.25.22 (RADIO): WSHU
Latino group call on Connecticut lawmakers to open a Danbury charter school

06.03.22 (OP-ED): KUSHNER:
"Career Academy ‘a great deal for Danbury"

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On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.

The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.

Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.

Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.

CLICK HERE TO READ/DOWNLOAD MAYOR BOUGHTON'S DEPOSITION

CLICK HERE TO READ/DOWNLOAD MIKE McLACHLAN (then MAYOR CHIEF OF STAFF) DEPOSITION

Danbury Area Coalition for the Rights of Immigrants v.
U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security
3:06-cv-01992-RNC ( D. Conn. )

(02.25.08) Court docket

(10.24.07) Memorandum in Opposition to Defendant's Emergency Motion for Protective Order

(09.26.07) Press Release

(12.14.06) Complaint


Barrera v. Boughton, No. 07-01436
(D. Conn. filed Sept. 26, 2007)

(02.25.08) Court Docket

Amended complaint

Defendants' Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Subject Matter Jurisdiction

Defendants' Motion to Dismiss State Law Claims

Plaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to Dismiss

Order on Motion to Dismiss

Defendants' Answer to Amended Complaint

NEW HAVEN REGISTER: Immigrant's 2006 arrest was flawed Danbury mayor testifies

(10.05.07 (VIDEO) Boughton mislead the public about Danbury's involvement in raid

(09.18.07) Yale Law Students expose Danbury involvement in raid

(12.14.06) VIDEO: Interview with Yale Law Students at FOI presser

(12.14.06) VIDEO: Danbury 11 FOI complaint media roundup

City Clerk Jean Natale standing next to skinhead sparks outrage

(10.03.06) VIDEO: Danbury 11 rally

(09.29.06) VIDEO: Danbury 11 case deepens

Word of raid spread across the country

(09/29/06) VIDEO: Danbury 11 protest news conference

(09/29/06) Immigrant newspaper "El Canillita" gives best account of ICE day labor raid at Kennedy Park


trans_button Santos Family Story
VIDEO: Tereza Pereira's ordeal with ICE agents

VIDEO: Danbury Peace Coalition Immigration Forum (April 2006)
featuring Mayor Boughton and Immigration attorney Philip Berns

VIDEO: 2007 Stop the Raids immigration forum at WCSU

2007: Community protest anti-immigration forum

A tribute to Hispanic Center Director and immigrant activist Maria Cinta Lowe

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2023 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Results:
11.15.23 Recanvass return
(Head Moderator Return Format)

11.07.23: Election night returns
(Head Moderator Return Format)

11.07.23: Initial returns


ESPOSITO FINANCE REPORTS:
Oct 10 2022
Jan 10 2023
Apr 10 2023
Jul 10 2023
Oct 10 2023

ALVES FINANCE REPORTS:
Apr 10 2023
Jul 10 2023
Oct 10 2023

CAMPAIGN SLATE DATABASE
Dem/GOP slate/ballot position

VIDEO: DRTC convention
VIDEO: DDTC conveniton


2021 (ALVES/ESPOSITO)

TOWN COMMITTEES
(VID) DDTC nomination convention
(PDF) DDTC campaign slate flyer

(VID) DRTC nomination convention
(PDF) DRTC campaign slate flyer

FORUMS/DEBATES
(VID) 2021 Danbury City-Wide PTO educational forum

CAMPAIGN FINANCE
First quarter
Alves Apr 10th SEEC filing

Second quarter
Alves Jul 10th SEEC filing
Esposito Jul 10th SEEC filing

Third quarter
Alves Oct 12th SEEC report
Esposito Oct 12th SEEC report

CAMPAIGN MAILERS
Alves "Jan 6th" attack mailer 10.21.21
Esposito "you can't trust Alves" attack mailer 10.20.21
Alves mailer 10.20.21
Alves mailer 09.30.21
Esposito mailer 09.28.21
Alves mailer 09.27.21
Esposito mailer 09.27.21


PAST CAMPAIGN COVERAGE

2005 (BOUGHTON/ESPOSITO)
Danbury 2005 election results
Newstimes Dean Esposito profile (10.25.05)

2007 (BOUGHTON/ABRANTES)
Danbury 2007 election results
(VID) Helana Abrantes TV ad
(VID) BRT tax deferral presser
(VID) Helena Abrantes "Community Forum" interview

2009 (BOUGHTON/GONCALVES)
Danbury 2009 election results
(VID) 2009 Danbury City-Wide PTO educational forum
(VID) 2009 Danbury Chamber of Commerce mayoral debate
(VID) 2009 DDTC nomination convention

2011 (BOUGHTON/TABORSAK)
Danbury 2011 election results
(VID) Saadi/Nero campaign kickoff

2013 (BOUGHTON/NO DTC ENDORSED CANDIDATE/MCALLISTER)
Danbury 2013 election results
(VID) 2013 DDTC nominaiton convention

2015 (BOUGHTON UNCHALLENGED)
Danbury 2015 election results

2017 (BOUGHTON/ALMEIDA)
Danbury 2017 election results
(VID) Al Almeida concession speech
(VID) 2017 Danbury City-Wide PTO educational forum
(VID) Al Almeida nomination acceptance speech

2019 (BOUGHTON/SETARO)
Danbury 2019 election results
(VID) 2019 NewsTimes Editorial Board interview with Mark Boughton and Chris Setaro
(VID) 2019 Danbury City-Wide PTO educational forum
(VID) 2019 Danbury Chamber of Commerce mayoral debate
(VID) 2019 convention endorsement speeches from Mark Boughton and Chris Setaro