Here's video footage of the most damming public commentary against Gartner's piece from resident Jeffrey Berlant.

Upon request, here's the video highlights...

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Yesterday, hundreds of charter school advocates and supporters from Middletown and Danbury converged on the State Capitol to urge state lawmakers to approve the funding for charter schools in their respective communities and to take to the offense against what they described as a campaign of disinformation from their detractors.

One of Danbury's leading charter school supporters is State Representative Rachel Chaleski. At the rally, she used her speaking opportunity to forcefully counter what the state lawmaker described as misinformation and blatant lies from her political counterparts in the city.

"I also know what it's like to challenge the strong, often irrational, illogical, and sometimes very hurtful opposition to opening a small public school. The misinformation campaign has left our Danubry community divided and bruised, and yet here we are, still fighting to make a difference in the lives of our young people.

Our community deserves better than the political math and fear-mongering against education opportunities that have been successful in all other large cities across the state."

Here's video of State Rep Chaleski's comments in full.

Last night, over one hundred thirty friends and supporters of Michelle Coelho gathered at The Amber Room to kick-off her second attempt to flip the historically conservative-leaning State Senate seat back to the GOP.

The race for the State Senate seat in the 24th district was one of the most competitive races in the 2022 election cycle, with Coehlo coming closer than another Republican in unseating a Democratic incumbent.

Republicans are more enthusiastic about defeating incumbent Julie Kushner than in previous cycles. They describe the three-term incumbent as an out-of-touch lawmaker more interested in union interests, with proposals such as expanding paid sick leave and providing unemployment benefits for striking workers while dismissing opposing viewpoints from residents in the historically conservative-leaning district.

State Republicans have made taking back the historically conservative stronghold 24th State Senate seat their top priority this campaign cycle. Last night, they backed up their stance with several high-profile appearances in support of Coehlo, ranging from GOP Party chairman Ben Proto and GOP Congressional candidate George Logan to State Senate Minority Leader Steve Harding, and a multitude of present and former GOP elected officials from throughout the district.

Here are highlights from last night's event.

Pro-Palestine supporters chanted phrases such as "no more money for Isreal's slaughter, " "Danbury, you can't hide, you are funding genocide," "from the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever,” down Main Street with a stop at Democratic Town Committee Headquarters. The procession then traveled to City Hall, down Elm Street, and concluded on Ives Street.

The march was sponsored by a coalition of pro-Palestine groups, including Students for Justice in Palestine, the Connecticut chapter of American Muslims for Palestine, the Palestinian organization We Will Return, and the Middle East Crisis Committee.

In recent months, Pro-Palestinian activists have increased their vigilance across the state, denouncing what they describe as the genocide of Palestinians and America's complicity in the current siege in Gaza.

Cities such as Hamden and New Haven are currently deliberating cease-fire resolutions, while pressure has been placed on Danbury's Democratic-majority City Council in recent months to do the same.

While there were moments of backlash against the marchers from motorists who yelled profanities at the marchers, overall the rally was peaceful with no major incidents.

Here's my raw video footage of the rally from exiting City Hall and marching until it's conclusion on Ives Street.

From Mayor Alves Facebook page:

Since I took office in December, one of my goals has been not just to deliver on my promises, but to work to address the challenges our city faces whether they are big, small, or long-standing. Today was one of those days.

Since 2005 the City of Danbury has needed to renovate and upgrade the science labs at Danbury High School. This persistent issue has put the high school's accreditation at risk and has added to the complicated challenges our students and schools face.

I'm so happy to announce that today I signed a contract to finally address this 17-year-long problem, and infuse $13 million into Danbury High School for these long overdue upgrades and renovations to be made this summer and conclude the summer of 2025.

Now, 18 science labs and associated prep and storage rooms, and offices will have floors, sinks, plumbing, piping, lighting, ceilings, lab stations, and more replaced. New equipment and furniture will be installed including fume hoods, lab tables, chairs, marker boards, tack boards, and more.

In June 2023, voters approved the Danbury Career Academy Bond (proposed by Mayor Esposito and approved for referendum by the City Council). As outlined and detailed in the bond's text, the allocation of 43.9 million dollars for school repairs included upgrades to the science labs at Danbury High School.

A portion of the allocation for the upgrades comes from a transfer of funds from the SNAPP 2020 bond that voters approved under the Boughton administration.

Of the 21-member City Council, only three members voted against the forwarding the SNAPP 2020 Bond to referendum for public approval. Then At-Large City Councilman Roberto Alves (current Mayor)

Then At-Large City Councilman Frank Salvatore (current Majority Leader)

Fourth Ward City Councilman Farley Santos (current adviser to the Mayor).

Text of the Career Academy Bond that pertains to repairs and upgrades to the science lab is below:

Question 2: District-Wide Facility Improvements Bond $43,900,000 RESOLVED:

AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $43,900,000 FOR THE PLANNING, DESIGN, ACQUISITION, RENOVATION, CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPPING AND FURNISHING OF VARIOUS UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS AT DANBURY HIGH SCHOOL, HAYESTOWN AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND KING STREET PRIMARY SCHOOL, AND CREATING IMPROVED CLASSROOM SPACE TO ACCOMMODATE DISTRICTWIDE OVERCROWDING AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $43,900,000 BONDS OF THE CITY TO MEET SAID APPROPRIATION AND PENDING THE ISSUANCE THEREOF THE MAKING OF TEMPORARY BORROWINGS FOR SUCH PURPOSE RESOLVED:

Section 1. The sum of $43,900,000 ($6,600,000 of which shall be transferred from the SNAPP 2020 School Ordinance and $1,400,000 of which shall be transferred from the Danbury Career Academy Ordinance (which included a $2,400,000 transferred allocation from the SNAPP 2020 School Ordinance), as more particularly set forth in Sections 2(a)-(b), respectively, below) is appropriated for the planning, design, acquisition, renovation, construction, equipping and furnishing of various school updates, renovation and improvement projects to schools within the City of Danbury, Connecticut (the “City”), including but not limited to: (i) the performance of Danbury High School accreditation work, all as more fully set forth in the report prepared by New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc.’s Commission on Public Schools, dated September 15, 2021, as amended from time to time, including, but not limited to, updates, renovations and code compliance improvements to science laboratories, nurse suite, and bathrooms, and HVAC equipment & duct evaluation and related renovation and improvements, supply and condensate pipe abatement & evaluation and related renovation and improvements; (ii) ADA compliance work at Hayestown Avenue Elementary School, including, but not limited to, the installation of a new elevator and other related work at the school; (iii) improvements to ADA accessible routes to the stadium bleachers at Danbury High School; (iv) the repair and replacement of the King Street Primary School roof; and (v) the creation and/or modification of classroom space to accommodate districtwide overcrowding, as determined by the Board of Education and the City of Danbury; and related engineering, architect, permitting, advisory, technical support services, construction administration services, and governmental fees and expenses and printing, legal and financing costs related thereto (collectively, the “Project”). Said appropriation for the Project to be inclusive of any and all State and Federal grants-in-aid thereof.

It's one thing for Mayor Alves, his campaign staff, and his loyalists to talk about transparency, it's another thing to actually be transparent and forthcoming about amtters of importance as opposed to purposely misleading the public for a political sound bite.