Month: February 2014

Petition Forcing Public Hearings on State Common Core & Teacher Evaluations

HARTFORD – State Representatives Gail Lavielle (R-143) and Tom O’Dea (R-125) were among the signatories of petitions filed Wednesday by House Republicans that forced the Chairs of the General Assembly’s Education Committee to hold formal public hearings on two bills related to the controversial Common Core curriculum and the new public school teacher evaluation process. Despite substantial public outcry, the majority party had refused to raise the bills in the Education Committee.

The petitioning process, which is seldom used, allows legislators to overrule decisions by legislative committees on holding public hearings for bills. House Republicans gathered the required 51 signatures from their caucus members under Joint Rule 11 in order to file the petitions that triggered the requirement for the two bills to be raised with a public hearing to follow.

“Because the State Board of Education made the decision to adopt the Common Core standards in Connecticut, the subject never came before the General Assembly,” said Rep. Lavielle. “Hundreds of people have contacted us to express concerns about the content and implementation of the Common Core. The simultaneous implementation of both the Common Core and the new teacher evaluation system has also aroused great concern among educators, who fear that these two processes are taking them away from their primary job in the classroom. These are sweeping statewide changes that affect students and teachers in every school district, and any change of this magnitude should be subjected to proper public scrutiny and review by the legislative body that represents so many concerned constituents. I am pleased that everyone will now have a chance to be heard.”

“Stakeholders have a right to be heard and this should have happened long ago. Those affected will have valuable input and I look forward to hearing from interested parties,” added Rep. O’Dea. One of the Republican bills to be raised codifies the proposals brought forth by the committee created to establish teacher evaluation standards known as the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council.

The second bill, authored by state Rep. Marilyn Giuliano (R-23), would freeze the implementation of the Common Core Standards until all stakeholders have time to examine its potential effects and consider possible changes.

Bridgeport News: Man arrested for Threatening Bus Driver; Man Robbed While Trying to Buy Marijuana

Man Arrested for Threatening Bus Driver

(Bridgeport, CT – Feb. 26, 2014) – A Bridgeport man faces threatening charges after an encounter on a Greater Bridgeport Transit bus with a driver Tuesday.

Officer Kenneth Ruge was dispatched to the intersection of Washington Avenue and James Street on a report of a passenger threatening to kill a bus driver.

The driver, a 54-year-old man, stated that the suspect, Christian Clark, 25, entered the bus and accused the driver of disrespecting Clark’s wife earlier.

Clark then threatened to kill the driver and all other GBT drivers.

Clark was arrested for threatening and given a misdemeanor summons.

(Clark was issued a misdemeanor summons at the scene so no mug shot is available)

 

Man Robbed While Trying to Buy Marijuana

(Bridgeport, CT – Feb. 26, 2014) – A 22-year-old city man told police he was assaulted and robbedTuesday while trying to buy marijuana.

Officer Daniel Orlich responded to the Greene Homes apartment complex on a report of a robbery but could find neither the victim nor the suspects. He was sent back a short time later and found the victim, who stated he was hiding and that is why police could not locate him. He went on to state that he went to the complex to buy marijuana because his own “medical marijuana ran out.”

While he was trying to buy marijuana, he stated he was jumped by several people who stole his sleeping pills and Xanax and $50.

No arrests have been made.

GOV. MALLOY’S SANDY HOOK ADVISORY COMMISSION TO MEETFRIDAY, RECEIVE TESTIMONY FROM STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission is next scheduled to meet on Friday, February 28, at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, where they will receive presentations from state and local law enforcement officials regarding incident management.  The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. in hearing room 1A.

 

Law enforcement scheduled to testify include:

 

  • Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Dora Schriro
  • Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Deputy Commissioner William Shea
  • Newtown Police Chief Michael K. Kehoe
  • Brookfield Police Chief Robin Montgomery
  • Manchester Police Chief Marc Montminy
  • Manchester Assistant Fire Chief David Billings
  • Bristol Police Captain Brian Gould
  • East Hartford Fire Chief John Oats

 

Also scheduled to testify is Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner William Rubenstein, who will speak about donations management.

 

The Sandy Hook Advisory Commission is Governor Malloy’s 16-member panel of experts tasked with reviewing current policies and making specific recommendations in the areas of public safety, with particular attention paid to school safety, mental health, and gun violence prevention.  Information on the group, including details on how to contact its members and documents from each of their meetings, can be found online at www.ct.gov/SHAC.

 

 

**Download: Sandy Hook Advisory Commission meeting agenda for February 28, 2014

CITIES INVEST STIMULUS FUNDS SUCCESSFULLY IN LOCAL ENERGY INITIATIVES 204-CITY SURVEY RESULTS ANNOUNCED ON CONFERENCE CALL –

Thurs, Feb. 27th at 1:15 p.m. EST

 

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) will release the results from a new mayoral energy survey Thursday, February 27 at 1:15 p.m. (EST) during a CONFERENCE CALL featuring key Conference energy and climate leaders. Specifically, the survey reports on the many benefits to cities made possible by the availability of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funding.

 

Five years ago, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), EECBG formula grants were distributed directly to cities by the U.S. Department of Energy. Of the $2.7 billion provided to the program in formula funding, about half of these dollars ($1.3 billion) were distributed directly to cities to support their energy and climate efforts, a commitment that ranked among the largest provided to local governments in the ARRA legislation.

 

For the survey, 204 mayors – representing cities of all population sizes and from all regions of the country – responded to a series of questions designed to document how the EECBG program helped further city initiatives to reduce energy use through greater energy efficiency and conservation, deploy new energy technologies especially renewable energy systems and curb harmful energy emissions, among other local outcomes.

 

This report and its findings provide a broad overview of the EECBG Program, highlighting how cities invested their formula grant funds to further local energy and climate protection efforts.

 

** NOTE: A COPY OF THE REPORT AND RELEASE WILL BE AVAILABLE AT WWW.USMAYORS.ORG **

                                                                                                                        

 

WHO:              Gresham, OR Mayor Shane Bemis

                        Chair, Energy Committee

                        Bridgeport, CT Mayor Bill Finch

                        Co-Chair, Energy Independence and Climate Protection Task Force

                        Carmel, IN Mayor Jim Brainard

                        Co-Chair, Energy Independence and Climate Protection Task Force

WHAT:            NATIONAL CONFERENCE CALL to release the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ survey report, “Successful City Initiatives with Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Funding”

 

WHEN:            Thursday, February 27, 2014 at 1:15 p.m. (EST)

 

WHERE:         Call-In Number: 1-888-539-3612| Passcode: 6169839

City’s Annual Summer Concert Series Seeking Artists

Bridgeport, CT (February, 26, 2014) – Downtown Thursdays Summer Series, a free weekly outdoor summer concert series, is seeking musicians and bands of any genre to perform at the fifth annual series.

 

Downtown Thursdays Summer Series is an all-ages event on McLevy Green in Downtown Bridgeport during the months of June, July, and August.

 

“I encourage everyone to come downtown and experience the flourishing artistic community that Bridgeport has to offer,” said Mayor Bill Finch. “These concerts showcase the heart of our historic downtown neighborhood where you can enjoy a summer evening with exciting music, dancing, and great food at a number of local restaurants.”

 

The concerts take place 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Thursdays: June 19, 26; July 10, 17, 24, 31; and August 7, 14, 21, 28. Each performance consists of two live sets.

 

Applications are due by Friday, March 28 at 5 p.m. Selected performers will be notified by Friday, April 18. The Participant Application is available online at downtownthursdays.com on the ‘Forms’ Page.

 

The Summer Series is organized by the City of Bridgeport and the Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District, as part of Downtown Thursdays.

 

For questions or comments please contact Erin McDonough, (203) 337-2335erin.mcdonough@bridgeportct.gov

Bridgeport News: Ambulance involved in hit and run

1:01am–#Bridgeport CT #Stratford CT–If you own the black 2001 Dodge Neon that struck an AMR ambulance at Main and Wheeler Avenue turn yourself in they got your plate number.  Police know where you live in Stratford.  You just complicated a simple fender bender.  No reported injuries at this time.

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