Friday, December 21, 2012
In a press conference held Friday morning, the head of the NRA called for armed police officers to guard our nations schools
During its first press conference since the Sandy Hook School shooting last Friday, the National Rifle Association (NRA) called for schools to be armed with police officers. "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," said NRA executive Wayne LaPierre. He said school children defenseless "and the predators of the world know it and exploit it." LaPierre urged Congress ”to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every school in this nation. At least one Patch reader does not agree. "We can't even afford teachers," said Mike Barbas on the Middletown Patch Facebook page. "Good guys with guns is not the answer." What do you think about the NRA's call for armed police officers in our …
Saturday, December 1, 2012
What to love and loathe about living in East Greenwich this week.
RAVE: I just read that a school bus company used by the East Greenwich school district was fined for idling. In case you didn’t know, idling is limited to five minutes in Rhode Island (it’s only three minutes in Connecticut – though with the parking lot that I 95 seems to morph into in the Nutmeg State, I can’t believe they can get away with less than a 60-minute idle prohibition). The companies will pay a $35,000 penalty and perform environmental “projects” valued at $131,000. I am not sure what the latter means and don’t want to even hazard a guess, though a sugarplum image of bus monitors pirouetting down the streets picking up road litter is making me smile right now. Frankly, I can’t say I am all that shocked about this whole idle …
Saturday, November 24, 2012
What to love and hate about living in East Greenwich this week.
RANT: With so much to be grateful for this season – a warm home and food on the table (knowing many have lost it all), the election finally over (well, abated for at least one year) the kids’ cats are on sabbatical from peeing on our beds (gross), narwhals (because if they exist, maybe unicorns do too), the return of the East Greenwich Hill and Harbor Turkey Trot, video games (because you can’t, scratch that, shouldn’t shoot stupid people in real life), the return of Jiggers, the opening of Silver Spoon Bakery (though my thighs aren’t quite as appreciative of that one), the survival of The Village Café, the reopening of the Odeum, our troops and anyone in any job that puts their life on the line, my dishwasher (or, more to the point, …
Saturday, November 17, 2012
What to love and hate about living in East Greenwich this week.
RANT: One question – who knows what the Town Moderator does? Hopefully, about 7,319 of you will be able to answer because you voted last Tuesday (I’ll let the other 3,414 registered voters who did not show up at the ballots on November 6 off the hook). I have to admit, I had no idea. But I did know that I didn’t like the fact that he was running unopposed. (Apparently, one of his opponents was unable to scare up the required 50 signatures to get on the ballot and the other withdrew.) So I didn’t vote for him. The “him,” in case you’re wondering, is Mr. James W. Patti (Republican), who won by a landslide with 98.3% of the vote. Apologies, Mr. Patti. I have now done a little research and realize yours is a thankless task. The Town Moderator…
Saturday, November 10, 2012
What to love and hate about living in East Greenwich this week.
Finally. You may be disappointed, elated or indifferent to the outcome (and I know I am all three in varying degrees) but Election Day has, thankfully, come and gone. This year, I decided (or, more accurately, was coerced by a neighbor – thanks, Jeff) to take the final leap and work as a canvasser at Swift Gym. Here are some of the things I discovered, thought or saw in the 14 some hours I spent at the polling station in no particular order of a rant or rave because frankly, the whole day was a rave for me – even things I normally rant about (like long lines or bad manners) seemed bearable: That last point, which is truly a rave, is what I am going to try and keep with me over the next four years.
Monday, November 5, 2012
EG Town Manager Bill Sequino outlines how the referenda for $20 million for clean water, $20 million for environmental and recreational purposes, and $25 million for affordable housing, would impact East Greenwich.
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Monday, November 5, 2012
There are several proposed bond issues on the November ballot of interest to East Greenwich. Question 5 would authorize the issuance of $20,000,000 for the Clean Water Finance Agency. We have utilized this agency to finance our sewer line extension program east of Route 2 as well as improvements to our wastewater treatment plant. A recent example is the nitrogen removal facility to improveconditions in Greenwich Cove. We rank first among the state’s wastewater plants for nitrogen removal. We anticipate future projects to ensure the maintenance of our treatment plant. The plant went operational in 1988 and is over 24 years old, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Notwithstanding its age, our facility ranks among the best in …
Bill Daly chairs the EG Fire District Board of Commissioners.
On Nov. 6 the voters of East Greenwich, in a non-binding referendum, will be asked the question of whether they want the East Greenwich Fire District to cease to exist and become a Fire Department within the Town. The answer to this question should be NO for the following reasons. It is universally agreed that the East Greenwich Fire District has been providing excellent service to the East Greenwich community since 1797, 215 years. The firefighters have performed admirably over the years and are highly regarded in our Town. There is no need to change. The Fire District is financially well managed by the Board of Fire Commissioners and does not have one penny of debt. All the independent financial audits have been excellent. The Fire …
Saturday, November 3, 2012
What to love and hate about living in East Greenwich this week.
RAVE: The election is almost here. Finally. Never before have I been so thoroughly sick of a campaign – or should we just call it like it is? – drawn-out attack and counter-attack? How long has it been – a decade? I am usually a news yeller. I yell when a report on the war comes out. I yell when a piece on factories in India is broadcast. I yell at celebrity stories. I yell at weather forecasts. Heck, I even yell at movie reviews. So you can imagine the noise I have been making lately. Even my cats are concerned. I don’t think I am alone when I say: I am sick and tired of the mudslinging between the candidates. I am sick and tired of the nonstop nasty mailers and ads. I am sick and tired of the bad behavior all around. Our politicians, …
Saturday, October 27, 2012
What to love and hate about living in East Greenwich this week.
RAVE: Hands up – who learned something new from the House District 30 Debates that took place last Wednesday? Seriously, I really want to know because I couldn’t make it. Darn school meetings. But my kids went and they certainly came back with a clearer sense of whom they would vote for – that is, if they were old enough to vote. I, on the other hand, read the follow up of the debate published on this site and now have a clearer sense of whom I will indeed vote for – because I am most certainly old enough to vote. So, did we really need to corral all of the candidates in one place to help us make an informed choice on November 6? Well, that’s debatable. If we are talking about the presidential debates, I would have to say no. However, …
Saturday, October 20, 2012
What to love and heat about living in East Greenwich this week.
RAVE: Let’s talk about grinding for a minute. Not the daily grind (that’s just too depressing to discuss), but the style of dancing (please note that I am making air quotes around the word dancing) that has been banned from many schools, including our own high school. If you haven’t seen this kind of action before, use your imagination. Actually, scratch that. Just think vertical lap dance. I’m happy to say I haven’t had to deal with this too much since my kids, despite being newly minted teenagers, still don’t seem to have reached a point where they differentiate between the sexes. In fact, I think they might be even more grossed out than I am by the concept of grinding. For now. Because living with a teenager is like living with a pod …
Carl Pallister
6:26 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012
Good offense is best defense. Retired cops ideal. Or ex military already with a pension. Screened and trained. Get rid of ridiculous bus monitors to help pay. Reduce teacher"s union dues also to help pay. Concealed carry for a least one other. more ›