Veteran’s Day: "They Didn’t Give Their Lives. Their Lives Were Taken From Them."

New Britain's tradition of honoring veterans of all wars occurs twice a year on Memorial Day (the real one not the Monday national holiday) and on Veteran's Day this month. On Wednesday there will be a full round of remembrances put on by the Parks and Recreation Commission. With soldiers' deaths being recorded almost daily … Continue reading Veteran’s Day: "They Didn’t Give Their Lives. Their Lives Were Taken From Them."

New Britain’s Newest Newspaper: Hardware City Journal Hits The Streets

New Britain's "October surprise" has nothing to do with the upcoming municipal election and everything to do with what may be a revival of community journalism in town.The first edition of Hardware City Journal (HCJ), a 16-page free circulation paper, began circulating Friday (Oct. 16th) packed full of local news and information. The paper, with … Continue reading New Britain’s Newest Newspaper: Hardware City Journal Hits The Streets

Remembering Ted Kennedy

http://newbritaindemocrat.blogspot.comTed Kennedy’s five-decade Senate career spanned 10 presidencies, starting with his brother’s 1,000 days in office through Barack Obama’s first year.That longevity – which counts for a lot in the U.S. Senate –allowed Kennedy to leave a lasting mark on shaping landmark laws on civil rights, health and education, from the passage of voting rights … Continue reading Remembering Ted Kennedy

Courant Drops Gombossy and Its Editorial Integrity

Achieving distinction for editorial page leadership and substantial news presentation were the Providence Journal and Bulletin and the Hartford Courant.....The Hartford Courant, begun as the weekly Connecticut Courant in 1764 and claimant to the longest publishing record in America, was kept at a high level by publisher John B.Reitemeyer and editor Herbert Brucker.from author Edwin … Continue reading Courant Drops Gombossy and Its Editorial Integrity

Funds Coming For New Haven To Hartford Rail: Does This Mean They’ll Get The Hole In the Train’s Roof Fixed?

Measured against the hundreds of millions invested in the 11-mile New Britain-Hartford bus way, a $4 million appropriation to start "preliminary work" on high-speed rail on the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Amtrak line doesn't seem like much.The FY 2010 federal appropriation that surfaced last week is, according to Sen. Chris Dodd, a "down payment" toward improving an … Continue reading Funds Coming For New Haven To Hartford Rail: Does This Mean They’ll Get The Hole In the Train’s Roof Fixed?

State Rep. O’Brien Poised To Take Mayoral Plunge

State Rep. Tim O’Brien (D-24) is set to make an announcement on his political plans this year at an announcement on July 17th to be held at the Pulaski Democratic Club, 89 Grove Street, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.O’Brien formed an exploratory committee earlier this year to consider running for Mayor and he has since … Continue reading State Rep. O’Brien Poised To Take Mayoral Plunge

State Budget: The Sunset Solution

The July 4th holiday will come and go without a state budget in place for the fiscal year that began last Wednesday. The state House and Senate finally hammered out a plan that didn't muster a veto proof majority in either chamber. A disengaged Governor suddenly got engaged in the last week of the 2009 … Continue reading State Budget: The Sunset Solution

State Marshals: It’s Not What You Know But…….?

A recent Courant story on the hiring of state marshals suggests that a little cronyism and political backscratching may be creeping back into a relatively new system for the hiring of marshals -- the individuals who serve the legal papers on behalf of lawyers and courts. At issue is whether more reform would be appropriate … Continue reading State Marshals: It’s Not What You Know But…….?

Think Globally, Buy Locally: New Movement Says Buy From Local Merchants

What to do about our hard economic times is a part of the national conversation and plenty of federal action in the first five months of the Obama Administration. The media gas bags on cable news won't let us forget it. We rightly expect the solutions to come from Washington (the stimulus) and a more … Continue reading Think Globally, Buy Locally: New Movement Says Buy From Local Merchants

Revenue Gap Threatens New Britain Municipal Budget

It's a year when local and state governments are struggling with falling tax revenues and a severe economic downturn. New Britain is facing all of those struggles plus one more potential hole that could break the city budget in the new fiscal year.The problem? Mayor Stewart's proposed $216.3 million estimate, now getting scrutiny by the … Continue reading Revenue Gap Threatens New Britain Municipal Budget