Slightly Positive-Sounding Article About Whitnum

This article actually portrays Whitnum really positively, probably because the article gives very little background on her and includes quotes from a lot of other people who are only talking about the debate aspect.

Newcomer Whitnum makes bid for debate with Himes
By Neil Vigdor, Staff Writer, Stamford Advocate, 06/24/2008
Now that she's on the ballot for a congressional primary, Greenwich Democrat Lee Whitnum is trying to turn up the heat on Jim Himes, the party-endorsed candidate, to accept a head-to-head debate.

Whitnum contacted the League of Women Voters of Norwalk yesterday about organizing a debate before the Aug. 12 contest, the first congressional primary in the 4th District since 1987. The winner will face U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays of Bridgeport, New England's lone Republican House member, in November.

"This party needs to be shaken up," said Whitnum, 48, a former software engineer who is a substitute teacher in Stamford.

Himes, who is also a Greenwich resident, was unanimously endorsed at a party convention last month. He has yet to decide whether he will accept a debate with Whitnum. A spokesman for his campaign said Himes was attending a Connecticut AFL-CIO union convention in Hartford yesterday and was unavailable for comment. The campaign released a statement that made no mention of Whitnum.

"We're considering requests from a number of organizations to debate Chris Shays in the fall, and we will give the same consideration to any request from a reputable organization for a debate this summer," said Maura Keaney, Himes' campaign manager.

Whitnum qualified Thursday for the primary, collecting signatures from 2,459, or 2 percent, of the registered Democrats in the district, which includes 17 municipalities in Fairfield County and a sliver of New Haven County.

State Democratic Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo said Whitnum would benefit from any debate.

"I am sure that Lee Whitnum would like to debate Jim Himes because I guess she would feel that it would give her some publicity," DiNardo said. "However, Jim Himes has been out there talking about the issues since he started this campaign. So I don't think his campaign would feel there is any advantage to him debating her."

A number of Himes' supporters have questioned Whitnum's viability as a candidate and said the upcoming primary is a major distraction from trying to defeat Shays in November.

"She's a ridiculous candidate. She has no support. It wastes his time. It wastes his money," said Ann Galloway, 66, of Stamford, one of the convention delegates who backed Himes.

Galloway, a retiree, added that debating Whitnum could be a double-edged sword for Himes.

"On one hand, I think that if they had a debate, it would be very embarrassing for her, and anyone who came would be very impressed by Jim Himes," Galloway said. "On the other hand, he's running a race against a money machine and a very powerful Republican establishment that knows they're going to lose seats, and this is their last hurrah in Connecticut."

Whitnum blasted those questioning the substance of her campaign, saying she has taken stands on tough issues, such as immigration, the war in Iraq, health care expansion and education.

Tom Shannon, a Shelton Democrat who signed Whitnum's petition to force the primary, said the competition is healthy for democracy.

"I don't see why there shouldn't be a debate," said Shannon, 22, who works in marketing and sales. "I do like Lee Whitnum as a candidate. I feel that she's just more in touch with the working class than Jim Himes is."

Diane Lauricella, president of the League of Women Voters of Norwalk, said the nonpartisan group is considering Whitnum's request, in consultation with its other Fairfield County chapters and league officials at the state level.

"We haven't had that kind of primary in a while," Lauricella said.

Jara Burnett, who is the president of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut and an officer in the Greenwich chapter, said lining up a moderator and getting people to attend a debate could be difficult during the summer.

"It's not that we're opposed, but it comes at a difficult time," Burnett said.

Burnett said she could see why Whitnum, a self-described underdog, wants a debate, however.

"The thing is, the challenger always wants a debate. The other person is often not so anxious," Burnett said. "Part of me thinks it would be a good thing to do." Click here to read more.

Danger of Bikes and Motorcycles on the Roads

Yay, a sensible, positive editorial from the Advocate staff. I like to think my enraged response to the recent, less well thought-out editorial on school closings had something to do with this.

Pursuit of lower mpg has dangers 6/25/08
In congested Fairfield County, the concept of "sharing the road" isn't exactly a foreign one. But if gasoline prices remain where they are or climb even higher, the nature of who's doing the sharing will evolve - a process that has already begun.

There are more motorcycles and two-wheeled scooters on our roads now that [sic] ever before, which means all drivers, those sitting atop four wheels and those on two, will need to take more care out there.

Drivers of cars and, especially, SUVs, which have poorer sight lines, need to keep a particular eye out for bike and scooter riders. For obvious reasons, they are harder to see, and much more likely to get caught in blind spots. Not only could that produce a greater number of collisions, but more disastrous ones as well. A bump between two cars that would result in a bent fender can be a whole other beast if one of those vehicles is a motorcycle or scooter.

But traffic safety is a two-way street. Motorcycle and scooter riders need to be aware that they are the minority out there, and the ones in greatest danger. Strict adherence to traffic rules and hyper vigilance are called for - especially on the part of older bikers/scooter riders, who might not have much experience on the machines. A report in The Baltimore Sun several years ago found a sharp increase in fatalities among motorcycle riders ages 40 and older.

According to a story last Saturday by our reporter Chris Gosier, there currently are 87,588 motorcycles registered in Connecticut, up 40 percent from June 2003. That is a remarkable rise, if not very surprising. The lure of two-wheelers, both motorcycles and scooters, is obvious as local pumps inch toward $5 a gallon.

Greenwich psychotherapist Kevin Root told reporter Hoa Nguyen that his Toyota Highlander sits largely idle these days as he's out on his recently purchased Honda scooter, which he only has to fill up once every couple of weeks. Stamford resident Dominick Bria's Yamaha Vino gets more than 70 miles to the gallon. With gas prices being what they are, he could recoup the scooter's $3,000 price tag in less than a year.

But four-wheel and two-wheel motorists have often had an uneasy relationship. Many bike riders say car and truck drivers don't respect them as much as they do their four-wheel brethren. Car and truck drivers, on the other hand, complain about motorcyclists hot dogging it.

The truth is no one holds the deed on dangerous and, at times, downright foolish driving. Many of us need to improve on that count in general, regardless of with whom we're sharing the road. The fact that there will be more motorcycles and scooters out there just ups the urgency.

On that note, we defer to Fritz Blau, owner of Fritz's Harley-Davidson in Stamford, who recently took exception to the headline we had put on a story about this issue.

"Instead of ('Cars vs. cycles')," he wrote in a letter to the editor, "the article should have been titled 'Cars with cycles.' "

He's right. Cars with cycles is the situation now more than ever, and in all likelihood, it'll keep on growing. It's up to all of us to make sure that more road fatalities doesn't join the long list of consequences of the high gas prices. Click here to read more.

Younger Workers: Getting the Hell Out of the FC

Seriously. This area can stink for young people. It costs too much to do fun things (50 bucks for concerts at the Palace? WHAT?) and there are very few free fun things that don't revolve around children. (Is there any decent music on a regular basis around here? I think the only place is Monster B's. I do not mean cover bands, people.) I'm glad the Advocate covered this topic, but I'm not glad their news stories disappear after two weeks, causing me to have to waste my time reposting them here. If they try to get me in trouble for this, I am going to stand out in front of their building with a mean sign. I'm giving proper credit, so I think it should be OK.

Area economy at risk as younger workers leave state
By Richard Lee Business Editor 06/13/2008

Fairfield County prides itself on its educated work force, but that status may be in jeopardy with an exodus of younger college-educated residents and the retirement of baby boomers.

Christopher Bruhl, president and chief executive officer of The Business Council of Fairfield County, yesterday told an audience of more than 50 area executives that southwestern Connecticut's economy could be affected by the flight of educated workers.

"We (Connecticut) are leading the nation in exporting our 25- to 34-year-olds. The work force has a growing number of under-educated people," said Bruhl. Forty percent of Fairfield County, however, have college degrees, compared with the national average of 27 percent.

Bruhl referred to 2004 figures showing that the county experienced a 21 percent decrease in the 25-to 34-year-old population from 141,437 in 1990 to 111,849 in 2004.

Connecticut had a 30 percent decrease in the same demographic during the same period, placing the state last in U.S. rankings.

Education of immigrants and inner-city children remains the key driver in developing an educated work force to replace retirees and those who are leaving the state, he said, as the state contends with a widening income gap among its residents.

"More people are leaving Connecticut than being replaced by international immigration. We're looking at an absolute labor scarcity, as well as a skills mismatch," Bruhl said.

Fairfield County, however, continues to benefit from its proximity to New York City's thriving business center, Bruhl said, as many of the region's residents commute to the city for their jobs, and companies move from the city to the county.

Despite being an integral part of Connecticut's economy, Fairfield County looks to its neighbor to the west for its economic stability, he said.

One of the newest corporate arrivals in Stamford takes a different view.

"We've had terrific cooperation from the mayor (Dannel Malloy) and the state in moving the project forward," said RBS spokesman Christopher Riley, referring to the 12-story, 500,000 square-foot-building expected to open in early 2009 and employ 1,850.

The education and transportation challenges mentioned by Bruhl should be everyone's concern, he said.

The region continues to face clogged highways and crowded commuter trains, but he credited the state for its effort to increase commuter cars on Metro-North Railroad.

"New rail cars are coming, and there's a trend to better access to the railroad," Bruhl said, noting plans to increase parking at train stations.

Health care also is a challenge, he said, contending that the cost and availability of health care are reaching breaking points.

"We're getting to the point where society will have to talk about rationing health care," Bruhl said. Click here to read more.

I Like the Day Laborer Clinic!

Stamford Advocate article: Group marks a year of assisting day laborers
By Stephen P. Clark 6/17/2008

STAMFORD - A group that helps day laborers collect unpaid wages is celebrating its first anniversary this week.

The Stamford Day Laborer Wage Clinic was created to provide free legal assistance to low-income day laborers and other workers who claim employers denied them earned wages.

The clinic, a project of Connecticut Legal Services, aims to help laborers overcome their fears and enforce their employment rights.

"This project has become very important for the community of day laborers in Stamford," clinic co-founder and Legal Services attorney Megan McLeod said in a statement. "By focusing on education, we hope to empower day laborers, making them less fearful of the system and more likely to challenge their employers' employment practices."

McCarter & English LLP is sponsoring the reception for volunteers, which will be held 6 to 8 p.m tomorrow at SBC Restaurant and Brewery on Summer Street.

Ninety-four volunteers - 36 attorneys, 20 paralegals and law students, and 38 residents - work at the clinic.

It "provides some of the most vulnerable members of our community with an opportunity to achieve justice," McCarter & English attorney and Legal Services board member Amy Haberman said in a statement.

McLeod conceived the idea for the clinic in 2006 after she helped two day laborers collect $7,000 in back wages and more laborers started visiting her for help.

One month before opening the clinic, McLeod and another Legal Services attorney, Jennifer Mellon,
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won a temporary injunction in U.S. District Court against Dorian Ambrosi, owner of Fambro Home Repair, for threatening and harassing two day laborers when they tried to collect their wages for 100 hours of work.

In its first year, the clinic helped 176 day laborers and other workers collect more than $45,000 in unpaid wages, with an additional $56,000 in outstanding judgments and settlements.

The biggest judgment came in October for $44,000 against Ambrosi. But the clinic attorneys have not been able to collect the money.

The clinic is open 6 to 8 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at the Connecticut Legal Services Stamford office, 20 Summer St.

The clinic moved there in September after leaving the original office in St. Mary's Church on Elm Street.

Clinic co-founder and Legal Services attorney Nadine Nevins said it moved because the church wasn't comfortable or safe - the clinic operated on different floors that required volunteers and laborers to use the stairs often. The number of day laborers did not decrease since the move, she said.

"A few years from now, we hope most employers will realize that they cannot exploit immigrant day laborers and get away with it," Nevins said.

In the next year, the clinic wants to represent more female laborers who are not being paid for cleaning houses or providing day care, she said.

"We haven't reached that population," Nevins said. Click here to read more.

ANOTHER Falling Object at Trump Parc Hits a Car

Object falls at the site of Trump Parc
By Monica Potts, Stamford Advocate, 06/07/2008

STAMFORD - 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.

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."

Malloy said the city notified the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. He said he would review what actions the city could take this weekend.

Construction of the 34-story, 170-unit tower on Washington Boulevard and Broad Street began last year. The building is to be completed next summer.

Cooney said the Police Department will work with the other agencies to ensure safety measures were taken.

"It's a very busy street, and it's a very large building," he said. "The building itself is very close to the street. There's quite a lot of vehicular traffic, and there's quite a lot of pedestrian traffic."

Paul Slaney, chief operating officer of George A. Fuller Co., the tower's builder, said the reason the object fell has not been determined.

On May 23, a 10-pound piece of metal fell 25 stories, hitting a Crystal Rock water delivery truck, injuring its 34-year-old driver.

The metal went through the truck's cab and struck the driver in his right shoulder.

Robert Kowalski, the area director of OSHA's office in Bridgeport, said the investigation into that incident remained open. Click here to read more.

Traffic Calming Sessions Coming Up June 08

Comment sought on traffic woes
By Angela Carella Stamford Advocate 05/31/2008

STAMFORD - Residents concerned about traffic in their neighborhoods may talk about it with city engineers in meetings that begin Monday.

Engineers have been meeting with residents for help in creating a master plan for solving traffic problems citywide. City Traffic Engineer Mani Poola said they have been working on the plan for about 18 months.

They divided Stamford into 16 areas and scheduled opening and closing meetings in each to discuss how traffic-calming devices could alleviate problems, Poola said.

The opening meeting for North Stamford residents is Monday; the closing meeting for Newfield is Tuesday; the closing meeting for Roxbury, Cedar Heights and Castlewood is Wednesday; and the closing meeting for downtown residents is Thursday.

The following week, Bull's Head residents meet Tuesday, June 10; Hubbard Heights and West Side residents meet Wednesday, June 11; and the closing meeting for North Stamford is Thursday, June 12.

Few people are attending the meetings, even though many are concerned about speeding and other problems, Poola said.

"We have had some good responses, but we would like to see greater participation. Some meetings have only 15 or 20 people," Poola said. "If we get a large crowd, we will get a lot of input, and that will help us work it out properly."

After engineers hear from residents at the meetings, they go into the neighborhoods to observe traffic and determine what type of traffic-calming device will help, Poola said. Devices include roundabouts, bump-outs, striping, curb extensions and textured pavement. But the most common is speed humps.

"We have been trying to do traffic calming for six or seven years," Poola said. "Most of the devices we installed are speed humps. There are more than 100" citywide.

As the devices were installed in one area, however, new traffic problems developed in adjoining areas, he said.

"Instead of doing it piecemeal, we decided to go for a larger-scale program" and create a master plan, Poola said.

The June 12 meeting is the last. After that, engineers will finish the master plan, which will set project priorities in each neighborhood. Then, depending on how much money is budgeted, "we will leave it to city representatives and the neighborhoods to decide which ones to do," Poola said. "We want to make sure it's done in a democratic way."

The meetings are called charrettes, or interactive neighborhood gatherings, and begin with a slideshow to introduce the types of traffic-calming devices, followed by a discussion of problems in the neighborhood. Residents then are asked to vote for the most urgent problems.

After that, participants break into groups to come up with solutions, and the ones that are mentioned most are investigated by engineers to see if they will work. Engineers then recommend final projects and present them to residents before they are incorporated into the master plan.

At last year's meeting in Westover, for example, residents identified their most pressing problems: blind spots and speeding on Skyview Drive; young drivers and bus traffic around Westhill High School; motorists running stop signs at Skyview Drive and Westwood Road; motorists using Brodwood Drive and Bartina Lanes as short-cuts; and speeding on Westover and Roxbury roads.

Residents suggested installing roundabouts, road stripes, sidewalks and signs, and raising the pavement at intersections where motorists often run stop signs.

"A lot of citizens don't participate in the process, then when it's implemented, they protest," Poola said. "This is a time to participate."

Car talk

City engineers will meet with the following neighborhoods in the next two weeks to hear traffic problems:

* North Stamford (opening meeting): 7 p.m. Monday, June 2, in the cafeteria of Scofield Magnet Middle School, 641 Scofieldtown Road.

* Newfield (closing meeting): 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 3 in the media center at Turn of River Middle School, 117 Vine Road.

* Roxbury-Cedar Heights-Castlewood (closing): 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 4 in the faculty cafeteria at Westhill High School, 125 Roxbury Road.

* Downtown (closing): 7 p.m. Thursday, June 5 in the fourth-floor cafeteria of the Stamford Government Center, 888 Washington Blvd.

* Bulls Head (closing): 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 10 at Cloonan Middle School, 11 W. North St.

Hubbard Heights-West Side (closing): 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 11 in the media center at Westover Elementary School, 412 Stillwater Ave.

North Stamford (closing meeting): 7 p.m. Thursday, June 12 in the cafeteria of Scofield Magnet Middle School, 641 Scofieldtown Road.

For information, visit www.stamfordtrafficcalming.com. Click here to read more.