Advocate Dishing Just the Dirt I Want

I don't mean to be a gossipy jerk, but I kind of like that the Advocate has two gigantic photos of the officer who was just suspended for punching a woman in the face last summer.

I like that they went there.

People want to know who this guy is, and the Advocate is letting us know. I appreciate that, because from many of the earlier newspaper articles, he sounded like an aggressive guy that you'd want to avoid. Thank you, Advocate, for making that easier! If that's not the job of a local paper, I don't know what is. DISH IT.

You know "The Dish" column in the paper, with local celeb sightings? Well, I love that column, but the giant photos of that officer are good dish too.

I don't mean to be mean. No one is perfect, and I hope that officer is getting the help he needs to do a better job in the future. Being a cop is hard, but that's no excuse for lashing out in a tough situation. Click here to read more.

Stamford's Nickname: Who Cares?

Fellow Stamford blogger Kevin McKeever has a great column up in the Advocate about Stamford's quest for a new nickname. As usual, he's got some very funny lines: I could dream up far sillier yet more apt mottos -- "A City Terrified of Big Box Retailers," "Caught Between the Posh and the Poor," etc. -- but I'll refrain. That's because slogans don't reinvigorate a city. You know what does? Kevin then goes on to suggest improvements that our city should be spending time refining: education, housing, and responsible development. Go, Kevin. You struck the perfect balance between humor and opinion about a serious issue.

I am not sure if our dear Stamford needs a nickname. It seems kind of wannabe to have a nickname. Greenwich doesn't have a nickname. ("Hedge Fund Central?") Darien does, but it's the unofficial "Aryan Darien" jab. I know that Danbury is called "Hat City" (I could be wrong, which proves how pointless nicknames are) and I only know that because there's a music venue with that name. Having a nickname seems like a desperate grab for an identity. And really, the identity of a place is always evolving... so let's just chill out about the nickname. Let's officially have NO nickname.

Other cities' nicknames:
Big Apple? That's kind of cool. Like you are a big apple, and I like apples!
Windy City? That's just boring.
Hotlanta. That's a cool nickname, I guess, but it's simple and obvious, which is why it's OK. And being hot is better than being windy. If it's hot, you can go swimming, and drink margaritas poolside in your bikini. If it's windy, it messes your hair up. I do concede, I've never been to Chicago, so maybe I'm not up to speed on the benefits of wind. Click here to read more.

Closing Stamford DMW Would Ruin My Life

I'm not sure what it is about me, but I feel like I go to the Stamford DMV all the time. My registration or driver's license always seem to expire. Plus, my husband tries to make me do his dirty DMV work since my job ends by 3:30. I have professed in a previous blog post my love of the Stamford DMV.
I was horrified when I read yesterday that Gov. Jodi Rell wanted to close the Stamford satellite DMV office, which completes 50,000 transactions a year (compared to the larger full-service DMW in Norwalk, which completes 150,000).
Closing the Stamford DMV would be a nightmare. Rell thinks the hard-working people of Stamford have time to leave work to drive to Norwalk during the day, or fight traffic in the evening after work, to go to Norwalk to complete a series of line waits, forms, and interactions with people with stone cold faces. N-O, we don't. It's a pain enough to find time to make it to the Stamford DMV.

I read in today's Advocate that the Stamford DMV has gotten a reprieve- a mediocre reprieve, if you ask me: Rell said Thursday that instead of closing April 3 as planned, the part-time branch will remain open for limited hours until June 30.
Created in 1994 after the state closed Stamford's full-service DMV office, the branch is in the Stamford Government Center... It now is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays. Rell said the DMV will operate the office two days a week after April 3, but did not specify which days. DMV spokesman William Seymour said the agency should be able to announce more details Friday.

Sigh. I really don't think two days a week is enough, but it's better than nothing.

The initial article in the Advocate points out that there are many other DMV satellite offices that serve much smaller populations; that's another reason it's absurd to close a huge DMV. Even Mayor Malloy agrees: "It makes no sense to close the office in Stamford. The volume that it will cause in Norwalk would make everyone miserable."

By the way, last time I was at the Stamford DMV last week to hand in old plates, the lady was soooooooo rude to me. Still, I wouldn't want to make her move to the Norwalk office just because of one bad interaction; I'd rather have her dismissive attitude right here in Stamford. Click here to read more.

Mayor's Son Arrested (Again)...

Geez. Two quick things about the mayor's son being arrested for allegedly robbing a house during a drug deal, because I really don't think the problems of a 21 year old are my business.
1. I think it's funny that the Advocate published an article simply titled "Benjamin Malloy's rap sheet." That's abrupt, and I'm sure it's meant to be a side bar in the hard copy of the paper, but it sounds overly tough, and that amuses me.
2. I feel bad for this kid's parents. Even though his parent is the mayor and running for governor, his parents are parents, and he's a kid, and addiction and/or bad choices by a child must be a devastating place to find yourself as a parent.
I'm sure most of us know someone in a similar position and therefore know it's a complicated situation that we have no right to judge. I don't know the mayor or his son, so I'm going with the "addiction sucks" angle and leaving it at that.

The Malloy family released a statement: "We have worked very hard as parents to support our son and get him the help he needs to combat his emotional illness. We remain deeply concerned about his well-being, and will continue to support him throughout his treatment and beyond. We are cooperating fully with police and ask the public to respect our privacy as the police do their job."

And, I'm going to try to do that from now on. Sorry, but I did want to mention it on the blog as it is splashed all over the headlines today. Click here to read more.

No More Chimps in Our Neighborhoods

There's an editorial in the Greenwich Time from Thursday called "Ban the possession of wild animals." It's obviously about last week's chimp attack. I totally agree with this line: Keeping a wild animal poses a threat to neighbors, none of whom signed up to share a street with one, and -- as this case showed -- police, who would be the ones called when something goes wrong.

There are many terrible aspects to the chimp situation- I most think about the injured woman, the dead chimp, and his owner who must be devastated- but it's maybe more important to think about the other people who could have been hurt by the chimp who weren't even given the option of avoiding him. The chimp's owner was keeping him in a residential area- an area where children play. When Travis got loose last week, and probably on other days, he could have hurt someone who did not even realize he lived nearby. I heard from a North Stamford parent who had been playing outside with his kids when he saw the cop cars; he'd had no idea a chimp was living a few streets over. That's just scary.

Not only was Travis a wild animal, not made for domestic life, he was huge. At least a dog that gets loose will weigh less than Travis' 200 pounds; a parent would have a chance in pulling it off their child. It's insane that the state let someone keep a large animal that's known to be violent when it hits puberty.

I, like many people I know, am trying not to think about the chimp thing too much- it's overall a very sad situation. I think all we can do is move on and try not to let this happen again; banning exotic pets is a basic step in that. No one in a residential area should own a chimp, a poisonous snake, or any animal that can hurt a person.

And I just have to say, poor Travis. I obviously feel worse for the people involved, but when I look at pictures of the chimp, I feel bad he met such a violent end. He was living in an environment for which he simply was not intended. He was a wild animal, not of a species like dogs or cats whose aggression has been bred out for thousands of years. From what I read, his aggressive behavior was pretty normal for a chimp. I hope people will learn from this and stop keeping animals that are not made to be pets.

Like the Greenwich Time editorial suggests, go to the shelter and get a dog or cat if you want to nurture something. If you're looking for an unusual thrill... go skydiving. Don't get a monkey, or a prairie dog, or an alligator; they probably do not want to be with you, and it's not fair to do that to them.

Added 2/22: Advocate article: State: No primates registered in Connecticut

Connecticut officials said 11 permits have been issued since 2005 to state residents to own non-domestic animals, and none have been requested or issued to own a primate. But neither the state nor municipal animal control officers know how primates may be illegally owned statewide along with pets such as crocodiles, poisonous snakes and other exotic animals, said Edward Parker, chief of the state Department of Environmental Protection's natural resources bureau.

Nine of the state permits since 2005 went to licensed wildlife rehabilitators who wanted to own and care for raptors; one was for a licensed rehabilitator in Winsted who wanted to care for a bat... Connecticut state law prohibits ownership of certain types of exotic animals without permits, including those in the bear and wolf families and large members of the cat family such as tigers and jaguars. "People who possess these animals generally do not request a permit, and that is one of the problems that underscores what we have to deal with," Parker said.

Nope, not an easy job, because careless people are everywhere, and some of them think owning odd animals is a good idea. Click here to read more.

Stamford Recycling Survey via NYU

An NYU grad student contacted me to see if I'd post this survey on recycling in Stamford. I did the survey, and it only took me about 7 minutes. It's simple, straightforward, and the buttons were very satisfying to click. Use the link above to take the survey.

I made the grad student reassure me that the survey is totally confidential. All questions are optional, so if you don't want to answer one, don't. The NYU students won't be sharing any demographic info with the city of Stamford. The location information (address or intersection if you choose to answer that question) will only be used to determine recycling routes.

We don't recycle a ton. We drink a lot of water in this house from our Brita filter. We also have not had any big parties recently. Sigh. Click here to read more.

Police Pensions: I Can't Get That Worked Up

Mr. Stamford posted a rather nasty rant condemning local retired police who want an increase in their pension. His reasoning went something like “I pay taxes, I don’t get a pension, you should have saved money like I’m doing, suck it up and stop complaining.” It’s not just him. Many commenters on the Advocate article about the issue expressed similar contempt.

My initial reaction: I don’t like living in an area where people feel so overworked, stressed and tight on money that they have to blast other people who ask for help.

However, I don’t think the majority of people feel so bitter toward others. Most people I know in this area are generous and sympathetic despite the stress of living in an expensive area. I think it’s just that the vocal people on the internet tend to be negative.

I try to avoid getting sucked into angry internet complaining, but I did want to make the point that we do need civil servants like police and teachers. We need to offer good benefits because that is what attracts the kind of stable people we want in those jobs. I want my children to have experienced teachers, and I want well-compensated policemen to patrol my community. I’m not sure why those people are perceived as lazy suckers of taxpayers’ money.

One big focus of the complainers was that police can retire after 20 years. People were just so pissed off about that. I don’t want to work for 30-35 years, either, but I can certainly see why police work is stressful enough for 20 years to be enough of a career. I think 20 years is early retirement, anyway, and they don’t get a full pension for that, so I’m not sure what all the beeyotching is about.

It’s not outrageous for police to ask for help with their pension. Or… am I just young, and when I hit 40, I’ll get bitter about taxes, too? Or… is it because I don’t own a home yet, so I don’t experience the horror of real estate taxes? If this is what real estate taxes do to people, I’m gonna keep renting. Click here to read more.

Fairfield County Sucks for Young People. And?

I just found a quality blog called Connecticut Local Politics. Politics hurt my head, but I found a post about “Brain Drain” I can relate to. CTLP author Genghis Conn writes about a post from Mayor Malloy’s blog (who knew!?) that referenced an Advocate article about how young people are leaving CT because of the high cost of living.

Me to husband: What should I blog about today? I just found an article about Brain Drain, but aren’t we just bitching about the same old stuff?
Husband: Yeah, but it’s interesting. That’s what people want to talk about.
Me: Should my post be on what we should do about it?
H: There’s nothing you can do about it.

Then I guess my question is, why do we stay?

I stay for a few reasons.
I have a good job.
I like being around smart, educated people.
I was too lazy and torpid to move 5 years ago when I really, really hated this area.
Now that I’ve met my husband, I am happy. I can deal with Stamford. Sure, I’d like to be somewhere where there are more cheap music and art events that I don’t have to drive to (yup, I idealize Charlottesville, VA), but my parents-in-law are in Long Island, and we want to be close to them.

I also like that Stamford is diverse and has interesting issues to talk about. Much as I complain about the area, it’s not boring; frustrating, maybe, but not boring.

I like Stamford, but I can’t say I actively like this area. If I had a house on the water and a boat, I might be more psyched about it. Truth be told, I’d love to move somewhere where people are more into just hanging out. I'm tired of all of my friends (the wonderful coworkers I’ve had for ten years) not being able to hang out because they live in Trumbull or Fairfield and have to put the kids to bed. F that! Why can’t we all just BBQ in the backyard like we did yesterday? Why does that only happen once a year?

I’ll tell ya why: because most people who work down here can’t comfortably afford a house here. I’ll rent for the rest of my life before I commute from Norwalk again (worst year of my impatient life), so I feel pretty certain I’ll be in Stamford for a while. I guess I'm staying here for my job and my family, then.

Well. Turns out bitching about the same old stuff isn’t boring, because that rant was very satisfying. Click here to read more.

Stamford Talk Likes the Day Laborer Clinic

Ha! Ha! Ha! YES!
I beat the crazy people to a post about immigrants!!!!

There was a post- I mean, an article- in the Advocate today about a legal clinic for day laborers in Stamford. Workers can go there to get help in suing employers who have not paid them. I actually knew about this clinic a good six months ago because I randomly ran into an old friend from Virginia who happened to be on her way to volunteer there.

Every post that mentions immigrants in the Advocate generates the most annoying, asinine, xenophobic, stupid, lowest level comments you can imagine. To my delight, I was the first one to comment on the day laborer clinic article. I couldn't resist throwing some dirt in the face of the crazy Advocate commenters. Here is what I wrote:

Before a crazy xenophobe rants about how immigrants should go home, I want to say two things: 1. A friend of mine who I've known since high school is a lawyer in Greenwich and does this program. I'm really proud of her for giving her time and skills for this program even though she lives in Brooklyn. The program is obviously needed if they collected that much money. 2. This program could actually be seen as something to decrease use of day laborers. If a scummy contractor knows he can't cheat people out of hard-earned wages, maybe he will hire someone who is in the country legally. Great article, Stephen P. Clark!

And of course, the commment after mine was a generic "Why should illegals even be here" comment. Why do people say the same dull stuff over and over? Click here to read more.

More Falling Objects in Stamford: Oh No You DI'IN'T, Trump Parc!

WHAT- THE- HECK. One of us is going to get killed by Trump Parc.

Last week, I took this pic of the busy intersection by TP.

Today's Advocate Headline: Object falls at the site of Trump Parc

The article text: For the second time in two weeks, an object fell yesterday from the Trump Parc construction site and struck a vehicle, police said. A 3-foot-long piece of cable about a half-inch in diameter fell from the 29th floor, said Lt. Sean Cooney, a city police spokesman. Cooney said the object hit the back of a VW Jetta occupied by an unidentified Greenwich man at about 2:50 p.m. The driver was not injured, but the car's roof caved in, and its rear and side windows shattered on impact, he said.

CAN YOU IMAGINE? What if there had been a baby in the backseat by those windows? I am PISSED.

Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy said he will speak with the city engineer, the building department and those in charge of construction at the Trump Parc site. "We're going to have to sit down with these folks, maybe close the job, until we get some level of satisfaction about these procedures," he said. "A second incident in a short period of time tells me people are being reckless."

YES, Malloy, you tell those f#&kers. SHUT DOWN TRUMP UNTIL WE HAVE SOME ANSWERS. Stuff falling 20 stories onto cars below is unacceptable!!!

SHUT- DOWN- TRUMP. No "maybe." Shut it down. And invite the public to the meeting.

For your gawking pleasure, here are a four pictures I took of the TP construction site, which looms over the busiest part of the city. You can see how huge the crane is. The last shot is of a concrete truck blocking traffic on May 1; that's my steering wheel in the bottom left corner. I know- I'm an amazing photographer.




























Click here to read more.

What's the Biggest Issue Facing Stamford?

Me, out of the blue to a friend: So, what do you think the biggest issue facing Stamford is?
Friend: The Towers of Death. They're dead space. (Referring to the two round, low-income high rises smack in the middle of town.)
Me: But people live there.
Friend: I know, but think about it. It's valuable space wasted. There's no retail, no public spaces. It's the middle of downtown, but I wouldn't want to park there at night.

I'm not sure if those towers are our biggest problem, but we all think they are hideous. If I wanted to get deep into it, I'd talk about Stamford's crazy extremes of rich and poor and our changing real estate needs, but that's too much for my allergy-riddled brain. We all read the same newspaper articles, but what's your personal take on the subject? What's the biggest issue facing Stamford?

If you vote for taxes or real estate as a big issue, try to make it spicy and dramatic. I find anything related to math boring*, but if you get emotional, or give concrete examples, I can comprehend.

I vote for the issue of schools being OK for young families. Like the two towers, that issue encompasses taxes, housing, and socioeconomics. Good schools reflect a population that wants to invest in a place and stick around to make it the best it can be. In the recent news, the Stamford schools say to prospective home buyers, "Maybe you should buy in Fairfield and just take the train!"

*Off topic: I used to do fine in math, but now it makes me feel nauseous. I took a look at the SAT Math a few months ago and truly felt like throwing up. It looked incomprehensible. I also feel sick when I listen to the Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffett, and a certain a cappella group from my college. It's not rational; it's a physiological reaction to the sound/idea/association. I can't explain it, other than to say I am very attuned to music. For example, my husband can easily tolerate a bad song on the radio, but I instantly freak out and have to change it. Click here to read more.

Non-Latinos Have Problems Too

I expected this Times article to reveal some juicy info. But no.
As Connecticut's largest minority group and the fastest-growing segment of the population here and nationwide, Latinos are an important barometer of the state. According to a comprehensive study... pessimism and concern permeate a population that sees itself as unable to afford the cost of living and are underrepresented in positions of power that lead to change... The biggest concerns among adults were taxes, health insurance, poor public education, and the cost of living.
You didn't need to interview Latinos to find that out. Except for the underrepresented part, they could be talking about me and many other non-Latinos in the FC.

I don't mean to be too flip; I know I don't have the serious problems the study addresses. The survey talks about a 50 percent drop-out rate among Latinos, whereas my concern is having a chance in Hades of buying a house in Stamford. I get that there's a difference, but nothing in this survey was surprising. In fact, everything I'm saying right now is so obvious that I doubt anyone will comment; there's nothing new to say about this!

I hope my post title is not offensive to anyone, but maybe I'll generate some controversy and get press like the guy from the blog I hate.
Click here to read more.

Stamford Dog Park Coming Soon...

I’m semi-excited about the dog park. Parks and Rec approved it and chose a site off exit 9, just at the corner of Courtland Ave and East Main. The Board of Reps needs to approve the building of the site, which will cost $40,000 to build. Friends of Stamford Dog Park is trying to raise money so the city only has to maintain the park. I don’t see any problems with the park, as the kind of people who bring their dogs to a dog park are the kinds of people who police themselves.

I haven’t been to the location, but I like the fact that you can get there by back roads if 95 is trafficky. I think the park will be a good way to meet people, and Lord knows Stamford needs that. Not everyone likes the Hunt complex site; read the Times or Advocate articles for more details.

I don’t think my dog will benefit from the dog park, as she doesn’t know how to play. She’s a coonhound, a rescue from West Virginia, and she has the personality of an 80 year-old woman. On weekends, she and I each take a couch and nap the day away.

Two related stories:

- Currently, many Stamford dog owners take their dogs to the dog park at Waveny in New Canaan, or let them off the leash at Mianus River Park on the border of Greenwich and Stamford. Expect mayhem at Mianus. I took a walk with a friend there last fall, and a little Bichon Frise sprinted past, then, unbeknowst to me, raced back toward me, leapt up feet first, and planted a muddy pawprint on each of my butt cheeks.

- My friend’s French bulldog, a brindle named Gilly, lives in NYC. He’s chill, so when he goes to the park, he sits on the bench with the dog owners. Gilly recently started breaking out in eczema-type patches, so the vet tested him for allergies. Gilly is allergic to pollen and- get this- humans. The dog is allergic to humans. This is a picture of Gilly and his sister Laverne fighting over a flower stem. Those colorful scraps are fabric swatches.

I think the dog park will give us some laughs. Click here to read more.

Illegal Immigrants: Not Job-Stealers, but Subject to Raids and Arrests in Danbury

The biggest complaint I hear about illegal immigrants is that they take jobs from Americans and soak up social services like education and medical care. In fact, studies show that in all cases except for low-skilled work, illegal immigrants are a boon to the economy and, over the long haul, give more than they take. In the fall, I read an awkwardly-worded letter to the editor from a man named Paul Streitz. Of all of his points, this is one of the more coherent:

"If illegal aliens are sending back 5 percent of their earnings to Mexico,
the Mexicans are taking billions out of the pockets of working-class Americans… U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro says, ‘We cannot deport 12 million people.’ Why should Americans deport anybody? Dry up the jobs. With the money that illegal aliens have made, they can all go back to their home countries drinking champagne on a first-class airline ticket."

Under the letter, it said “The writer is co-director of CT Citizen for Immigration Control, an Internet organization of residents throughout the state.” My first thought was, If you are anti-immigration, don’t say you’re from Darien, for goodness’ sake. That doesn’t help your cause. Darien has a certain rep that this man is not helping. My second thought was, you sound like a crazy man.

I was dismayed to find Streitz quoted recently in a Stamford Times article about Danbury’s controversial move to give police authority to enforce federal immigration laws.

"Paul Streitz... believes the measures taken in Danbury are a good thing for Connecticut, and he would like to see Stamford take similar steps.
"It makes the removal of illegal aliens with criminal records or who are subject to deportation orders easier (to pursue)," Streitz said. "But, there is not really any solution to removing illegal aliens that have not committed crimes. (CTCIC) has always recommended attrition through enforcement of employment laws. When the jobs dry up, the illegals will go home."

Quoted in the paper? Oh, no! Maybe this man is more legitimate than I thought! I did some research, and no, he’s as off-the-handle as he seemed in his Advocate letter. Jobs aren’t going to dry up unless the economy tanks. Streitz's energy is disproportionate to reality. If his biggest argument is a weak one about “taking billions out of working-class Americans,” maybe his passion about the subject comes from a different source: xenophobia. “The Mexicans?” Dude, most of the Danbury immigrants are from Ecuador! Streitz should do some reflection and ask himself if he should be saying, “It makes me nervous to see people with brown skin in groups speaking languages I don’t understand. I hear they’re going to be 30 % of the population 2050.”

I concede that Streitz isn’t totally insane. I share part of his opinion: police, ideally, would use their authority to deport immigrants who are wanted by their country of origin and/or lawbreakers here. However, the reality is not so neat, as shown by the Danbury police’s sloppy arrest tactics so far.

In September 2006, a Danbury police officer, posing as a contractor, invited 11 day laborers into a federal Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) van, then drove to a fenced lot and arrested them when they turned out to be undocumented. An Advocate article from Feb. 2008 reports that a federal judge ruled that the arrests were not racial profiling, stating that “’solicitation of day labor in our current culture has a strong correlation to undocumented presence in the United States and lack of employment authorization’ and thus it was not unreasonable for police to question the men, nor was it racial profiling.”

Not racial profiling? Are you joking? I know most day laborers are undocumented… so, the racial profile is that Hispanic day laborers are illegal. That’s racial profiling. I think the judge’s ruling will at some point be overturned, because saying it’s not racial profiling is wishful thinking. By that judge's logic, every Hispanic person looking for work or doing menial labor is fair game.

I don’t think many people would say that they are in favor of people being in this country illegally, but I think the steps taken by police under ICE create more problems than they solve. I’m not wild about people flowing willy-nilly over US borders either, but once people are here, I don’t think Danbury police should be raiding apartments in Danbury and scaring the crap out of little kids. By raiding the apartments of law-abiding illegal immigrants (I know, I know), police are alienating some of the only people who would be able to let police know who should be deported. Streitz is gung-ho about this arrest-o-rama, but we’ve seen that his attitude is based not only on logic. To me, the only logical response is to accept the people that are here. It's just too ugly not to. I can't see Stamford doing what Danbury has done.


Related Stamford Talk posts:

--Feb. 22: Day Laborer = Illegal Immigrant?

--Feb. 24: Stamford Day Laborers = Criminals?

Related articles online:

--articles about Danbury immigrant community and arrests

--articles about immigration and jobs. Click here to read more.

Stamford Day Laborers= Criminals?

Two months ago I got a police survey in the mail. One section put me in a tizzy: Now please rate the Stamford Police Department on how well you feel they resolve each of these community issues. Please X one box for each. Issues ranged from Assault, Robbery, and Gang Violence to Loitering, Traffic Flow, Litter, Homeless/Vagrants, and Computer Fraud. Two of the last “community issues” mentioned were skateboarding in public places and… day laborers.

That progression seemed odd to me. Parking, Litter, Skateboarding, and… Day Laborers? On the survey, I scrawled: How is that an issue? What do they do that is bad? I added, What do they do that is criminal? Are you assuming they are illegal immigrants?

I understand that many—not all-- day laborers are undocumented immigrants. However, Stamford police have no authority to enforce federal immigration laws. Danbury is the only CT city taking part in the program that gives police that authority. (Read this informative yet delightfully understandable article from the Stamford Times.) If the problem is illegal immigration, that’s a national issue, and Stamford Police can’t do much. So... what is the survey asking?

I don’t think it’s asking how well police are resolving issues faced by the day laborers themselves, such as having unsafe working conditions or not getting paid.

I’m left to conclude that the question means what it says: that the day laborers are an issue. These people are a problem. Why? I’ve only seen day laborers standing off exit 9 acting quite pleasant, so explain to me what the problem is. Are they committing crimes? If so, say, “crimes committed by day laborers” or “public urination off exit 9.” This survey question bothers me because it implies that we all have a basic understanding of why day laborers are a problem in Stamford. I see why litter, assault, and credit card fraud are problems, but being a day laborer is not a crime. Not paying a day laborer is a crime, but I don’t think that’s what the survey is talking about.

I think the survey is asking, Are these people bothering you?

The police have to mention day labor because it’s a hot topic in this city, but they only succeed in implying that all day laborers are criminals. Their vague attempt to address the issue reflects the complicated nature of discussing immigration. At heart, most of us are ambivalent. We can all talk about immigration policy in the abstract, but it’s hard to look at a person standing off exit 9 and declare, You should be back in Mexico.

What is our day laborer issue, and is there anything the police should do about it? Click here to read more.

Day Laborer = Illegal Immigrant?

Stamford residents, diverse as we are, have at least one thing in common: we’ve all seen the day laborers standing near exit 9 waiting for work.

I’ve talked to quite a few area residents who have expressed shock at the sight. “Can you believe that?" Uh, yeah, I can. People want cheap labor to build their houses and clean their lawns. The day laborers want to make money. I’m not surprised people are standing by a dirty, smelly highway hoping to be whisked away by a man in an SUV.

Other residents are outraged that illegal immigrants take jobs from Americans. I’m not so sure that the men off exit 9 are taking jobs from good, wholesome citizens, and I’m not even sure they are illegal immigrants. Maybe they’re all legal. Why not?

I don't know, and that’s why over the next week I’ll be doing several posts on issues relating to immigrants in Stamford. I want to learn more.

I don’t have any decisive opinions about the topic yet, but I'm leaning toward the "show some kindness" side. There are some people in this area who do seem fanatical about "illegals," but I need to learn more before I rant- I mean, write- about them.

In the meantime, I'll post this weekend about my indignant reaction to a police survey that mentioned day laborers.

Let me know what you think about the presence of day laborers, and tell me of any interesting experiences you’ve had with (maybe illegal!) immigrants in Stamford. Click here to read more.

I'll Take Some Cheerios with that Cosmo!

Interesting article in the NY Times style section on pros and cons of allowing strollers- and children- in bars. It focuses on Brooklyn but raises the general question of mixing martinis and crayons.

I've never had any issues in Stamford with children in bars. We probably have suburban culture to thank for that. Getting in the minivan after a couple of beers? Maybe some things that work in Brooklyn won't work for Stamford!

My initial reaction is that people should use good sense. If your kid's not bothering anyone, great. If they're crying, running around, falling down the stairs, getting hit by errant pool balls, take them out. I do think the bar's owner should be able to set his or her own rules. Is there room for strollers, is it a safe environment, is the clientele amenable to kids? I do think it's funny that people want to take their toddlers in for a drink, but if you can't afford day care, or don't want to get a babysitter... well, I think we should make room for people who are trying to enjoy life with babies.

Click here to read more.

Stamford Voters: Vulnerable to Bake Sales and Election Fraud

We put a lot of trust in voters. Not only do we let them choose our leaders, we let them enter school buildings full of children. In exchange for that trust, we make them feel guilty if they don't buy muffins.

Stamford schools stayed open Tuesday as voting took place in gyms and cafeterias. I was a little freaked out that I had to wander the halls with middle schoolers to find the polls, but the Advocate headline sounded optimistic: "Classes continue during voting; parking problems reported."

Parking problems, I understand that… but there were other, far more bizarre problems that I’ll gleefully share with you.

The Advocate article says: “Signs and volunteers directed voters to voting, often to school cafeterias or gymnasiums closed to students for the day.”

There weren’t signs where I entered the parking lot. (Were they not expecting any voters to approach from the south?) There were no volunteers, just teachers who didn’t seem phased to see a confused-looking stranger… dressed all in black with a puffy coat perfect for concealing a weapon. Maybe I looked like a student; they were all wearing big coats, too.

I made it through the hallways without incident. It’s a good thing I was at a middle school, where awkward teens don’t give a crap about adults. If I were at an elementary school, I would have had to deal with bake sales and field trips. Listen to these hassles:

“The election also was a good learning opportunity for some students. At K.T. Murphy Elementary School in the Cove, the polling site for District 8, some students got to see voting in action.
"We even had a third-grade class come in for about half an hour," said Chuck Alfini, the site's moderator, pointing to a thank you note the class had left.”

I’m sure those kids were super-cute, but should voters really have to face a bunch of 8 year olds when they’re trying to exercise their mundane basic rights? I don’t see why voters were fair game for the whims of teachers.

The article also mentions that some parents ran a bake sale:

“Voter traffic was good for some enterprising Wolfpit PTO parents, who held a bake sale outside the gym doors yesterday. Parents were ready with breakfast food at 6 a.m. for the opening of polls and had their tables restocked with fruit, yogurt and cupcakes for the afternoon pickup rush.”

I like snacks, but should voters-- the people who bother to register, pay attention to the card in the mail, locate the polling place, and find a time to go before or after work-- have to serve as a captive market for schools wanting to make a quick buck?

If adults can sell cupcakes, can the Girl Scouts show up, or kids selling candy for the basketball team or magazines for school fundraisers, or…. can I pass out my business cards attached to little baggies of M & Ms?

Where’s the limit?

I know Chelsea Clinton can’t chat up voters, but is everyone except campaigners welcome? Who exactly is allowed to peddle their wares or loiter outside the gym doors?

I’m not being sarcastic. I really want to know the rules. If voting is supposed to be like a big carnival, cool. Next time, I’ll bring the lattes, you bring the folding chairs, we’ll buy some muffins and people-watch! I just hope no creepy middle-aged men show up to sit and watch young children.

But you know, maybe we don’t want a party atmosphere at the polls. Maybe voting officials shouldn’t be distracted, because… know what?

I totally could have grabbed a few more ballots and slid them in the box. No one was watching me that closely when I put my ballot in. I know, because I was trying to make conversation, and the voting monitors didn’t meet my eyes. They were looking toward the gym doors. I didn’t see a bake sale, but there was a cute cop. I could have squeezed four ballots really tightly to make them look like one.

This bake sale debacle might be the reminder we need to get serious about voting. Signs should be clear, people should watch me more closely, and voters should get free baked goods. Click here to read more.

Whole Foods Mess Might Benefit Tawa

“Planned market is likely to create a mess for traffic” was the title of my November letter to the editor. I opposed the proposal to build a Whole Foods at the Bull’s Head intersection because I anticipated traffic problems. I’m big fan of some of the Bull’s Head businesses: Tawa, Grunberger Jewelers, Hawley-Lane shoes, Four Corners liquor store. Initially, I wanted to protect them by trashing the Whole Foods proposal. Now, I’m not so sure. Maybe a WF will help local businesses by bringing more “traffic”- uh, shoppers!- to the area. Besides the Super Stop and Shop, I can’t see what other businesses the WF complex would threaten.

My main concern was Tawa, home of the fantastic, spicy, well-priced lunch buffet. I viewed the Whole Foods prepared food section as a threat, but now I believe that WF parking hell will benefit Tawa.

Update 6/5/08: Whole Foods proposal was withdrawn.

Hungry people will drive toward Whole Foods, see traffic spilling out of the poorly-designed turn lanes, and think, What the @&!*?!? What kind of idiot designed this place? Then they’ll spot Tawa, and think, Indian food! I haven’t had Indian food in a while! A $9.95 buffet is worth a try! I think they’ll be pulled toward Tawa, where they can sit and eat with their co-workers. They will realize that a buffet is quick, too, and much more satisfying than eating bland food out of a plastic container.

I have not completely decided if I’m for or against WF, because I know cities need to change and grow. I’m going to the zoning board meeting tomorrow, because I’m pretty sure the proposal will go through, so I want to hear what plan the developers DO have for traffic flow. The meeting is at 7pm, tomorrow, Thursday Jan. 24, at our beloved yet misunderstood 888 Wash. Fourth floor. See the Smart Growth for Bull's Head website for more specific details on the plan.

Oh- for all you shameless Whole Foods proponents? Let me remind you, because all those organic cheese puffs may have gone to your head, that Whole Foods will be accompanied by a parking garage. I may be able to accept the garage IF parking is free. If I have to pay for parking, and that money goes to anyone besides the coffers of my beloved city, I will be a bitter woman. Not only will my evening ride home be fraught with traffic, traffic made up of aggressive people who want artisanal bread, I’ll know that someone who already has money is making more money with their ugly parking garage and irritating retail complex. Click here to read more.

Redistricting: Test Scores, Money, Suspense!

Even if the words “Board of Education” and “redistricting” sound boring to you, keep reading. Stamford’s effort to balance its school population is one of our most important city-wide issues. At tonight’s hearing, parents and residents will have a chance to speak to the Board of Ed about the controversial proposal to close one school. The BOE has yet to choose which school to axe, so you can imagine the tension.

Redistricting involves ensuring schools are balanced in income and ethnicity. That’s cool: complicated, but cool, and in the best interest of the city as a whole. Four Stamford schools scored so poorly that they had to implement government-mandated No Child Left Behind interventions (school choice and tutoring). That’s a problem. Mixing high-achieving and low-achieving students has been shown to work, so let’s go for it.

The meeting also, and more controversially, involves the need to close one of Stamford’s twelve elementary schools. Oops, Stamford committed to building a brand new magnet school in the Cove before realizing our school population was not increasing as predicted. Closing a smaller school will provide kids for the new school, and according to a Jan. 5 Advocate article, save the city $5.4 million.

One of the schools at the top of the "maybe you'll get axed" list is Toquam Magnet Elementary-- one of only four of Stamford Schools that met NCLB standards. (Four out of TWENTY.) Kids apply for magnets in a lottery, and the student body is designed to be racially and socio-economically diverse. It makes sense to ask why the BOE wants to close that school, or any school that is performing well AND is racially balanced. Some Toquam parents suspect the board wants to disband Toquam because it would be easy to send those kids back to their neighborhood schools, and perhaps it wants the Toquam building for something else.

I’ve corresponded with a couple Toquam parents, and their feeling seems quite reasonable: the BOE needs to make a convincing case for whatever school they decide to close. In my opinion, if the BOE disbands Toquam, it needs to explain how the performance of that magnet will be replicated. While test scores aren’t the only indicator of success, it’s one measurement, especially when other Stamford schools are bombing out.

In the end, maybe it all comes down to money. Maybe closing Toquam saves the most money. Public education is always a compromise between cost and the best interests of kids, and choices are never easy. The Board of Finance will meet with the BOE at the end of the week to hear their reasoning and, I assume, decide if they agree with the BOE. Stamford, things are heating up.

School redistricting affects the future of Stamford as a whole. This is a segregated city except for a few areas. Mixing different types of people, again, can only help in Stamford’s quest to become a better city. We want a city whose student population is increasing. We want Stamford to be the place where people want to raise their kids.

I’d like info to be more easily accessible to interested residents. I don’t have kids, but I want to keep up with this issue. I want one place I can go for board notes, newspaper articles, and editorials. I don’t want to have to visit 5 websites (City of Stamford, Stamford Public Schools, Stamford Advocate, Stamford Times, Save Toquam) to find information. I’m not sure if SPS could maintain the site, or if a newspaper could do it, or if an interested resident would do it, but in today’s world, info needs to be online, and we need to be able to find it in less than five places.

I recommend two places for information:
1. At the Board of Ed section of the Stamford Public Schools site, you can read minutes of the 2007 meetings. However, each meeting’s minutes are in a separate PDF. It’s not very user-friendly, but it’s worth clicking around. I stumbled upon October 18 and found some thorough background on the situation.
2. The Save Toquam site is useful because it includes text from old Advocate articles, which DISAPPEAR FROM EXISTENCE after two weeks. The site also has commentary from Toquam parents and letters to the editor. I found Jeff Herz’s "January Situation Update" post helpful. If anyone knows how I can find old Advocate articles, other than keeping stacks of yellowing newspapers around my house, email me.

I’m going to end on a positive note: children are wonderful, children are resilient. We need to do whatever we can to give EACH ONE of them a safe, structured environment and capable, caring teachers. Once we do that, things will work themselves out. Happy, safe kids = good citizens and Stamford residents. Let’s give props to the teachers who work hard every day at a very challenging job.

*Last year the Supreme Court ruled that race can no longer be used as a factor in redistricting, so schools will use socio-economic and first language statistics. Click here to read more.