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Monday, October 12, 2009

10/12/09 Greenwich High School 30th reunion

Hello Greenwich Roundup,
We are trying to get the word out to the Greenwich High School class of 1979 that our 30th reunion is Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich. Could you please post the following?
Thank you.

The Greenwich High School 30th reunion for the class of 1979 is Saturday Oct. 17th at the Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Dress is casual, and dinner (a buffet of assorted hot and cold food), beer and wine will be served. $75 can be sent to the reunion chairwoman, Tucker Baldwin Murphy at 130 Gerrish Lane, New Canaan, CT 06840. Also the clambake area at Tod's Point has been reserved from 12-4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17th for a picnic. For an invitation, please e-mail this address: ghsclassof79@aol.com.
Randy Caravella can answer any other questions at (203) 661-0292
The Facebook page for the reunion site is http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=36928695558.
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10/12/09 Editor And Publisher Notes That Greenwich Rookie Reporter Colin Gustafson And Debra Friedman Scored A Scoop With GPD Documents

Hearst Connecticut Newspapers Score Scoop on Lying Family

GREENWICH, Conn. Police in Connecticut say a family fabricated a story claiming that it rescued three immigrant relatives from a kidnapper when a fight broke out.

The story became known after the melee involving nearly 20 people in a Greenwich shopping center parking lot Aug. 2. Police said then that it involved human smuggling.

The family members, who live 90 miles away in Willimantic, told authorities their relatives were kidnapped in Texas, and they went to pay ransom for them.But police documents obtained by Hearst Connecticut Newspapers show authorities later learned the fight erupted after a driver asked the family for an extra $60 per person to bring the three illegal immigrants to Willimantic.

The immigrants and the driver have been deported to Mexico and Guatemala.

Source: Editor And Publisher

COMMENT:
Greenwich Rookie Reporter Colin Gustafson Byline was origionally on this story.
But it looks like Greenwich Time Editor David McCumber pulled Rookie Cub Reporter Colin Gustafson off of the story and replaced him with staff reporter Debra Friedman.
If you look at the story you will see that Debra Friedman has the byline and the story has a foot note that reads....
"Staff Writer Colin Gustafson contributed to this report."
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10/12/09 The Raw Greenwich News Feed: Afternoon Edition

Conn. police: Kidnapping-ransom story was a lie
The Associated Press
GREENWICH, Conn. — A Connecticut family made up claims that it rescued three immigrant relatives from a kidnapper by showing up with baseball bats at a ...
US Women's Eight rowing world title winners honor Greenwich sports medicine ...
Connectcut Plus
Dr. Hannafin practices at Hospital for Special Surgery's Affiliate Physician Office located at 143 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich, Conn. ...
Fear persists in currency options market
Reuters
... going to be priced into the market," said Andrew Wilkinson, senior market analyst at options market maker Interactive Brokers in Greenwich, Connecticut. ...



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10/12/09 Debra Friedman Takes Over Susie's Non-News Beat

STOP THE PRESSES !!!

Greenwich Time Reporter Debra Friedman Takes A Picture Of Jerry Springer's Rear End

Jerry Springer Sighting at Starbucks
by Debra Friedman


The King of trashy daytime television, Jerry Springer, took a break from filming Monday morning to grab a cup of coffee at Starbucks on Greenwich Avenue. Since moving his show to Stamford, Springer has become a regular at the hub.

Most people in the coffee house didn’t seem phased, but a few could be seen tapping their friends on the shoulder to ask, “Is that Jerry Springer?” Springer also grabbed a New York Times before leaving.....

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10/12/09 Paul Curtis: "Somebody said, 'Oh, he's a Democrat and he edited out the ghetto.' I could care less."

A Rose Mary Woods Falshback:

GCTV producer apologizes for glitch that erased Lavery housing remark

Debate tape skips 'ghetto' comment in Greenwich selectmen's debate - Greenwich Time

The main producer of the town's government-access television station apologized Monday for what he said was the inadvertent omission of a controversial sound bite from a recent selectmen's debate.

A two-minute-13-second clip from the two-hour Oct. 1 Byram Neighborhood Association debate was accidentally cut because of a technical problem with the recording system of Greenwich Community Television, said Paul Curtis, who filmed the event himself at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church.

During the missing segment of the debate, which is posted on GCTV's Web site and was scheduled to air Monday night and twice more this month on Channel 79 for Cablevision customers, Democratic first selectman candidate Lin Lavery used the word "ghetto" during a discussion on affordable housing, a hot-button issue in Byram.....

...."I found it very curious that the debate was presented in its entirety by GCTV, except for this one moment when she referred to the complexes," said Edward Dadakis, a Republican Town Committee member. "I don't believe anyone would stoop low enough to either edit out or request that it be edited out, but it does raise a lot of questions."....

....Lavery, a selectman who came into office two years ago at the same time as Tesei, denied any involvement in the omission of the clip from the debate.

"Good grief, no," Lavery said in an interview. "This is news (to me). I didn't even know this happened."....

Comment About This Greenwich Time Story At The Greenwich Topix Forum


UPDATE:




To the editor:


I would like to put to rest any rumors concerning the Greenwich Community Television coverage of the Byram Neighborhood Association debate recorded on Oct. 1. I did not realize a portion of the debate commentary was missing until this rumor was brought to my attention.

During the recording of the debate, a technical problem occurred that dropped two minutes and thirteen seconds of the debate. This was not intentional, nor was the loss of recorded footage under my control.

Greenwich Community Television always records and presents "gavel-to-gavel" coverage of all public meetings. In the more than 150 town meetings and public events Greenwich Community Television has covered since 2004, this problem has only occurred three times.

I apologize for any missed commentary during the Byram Neighborhood Association debate, and assure the viewing public that Greenwich Community Television's policy of unfettered and transparent coverage of town meetings and events will continue.

Paul Curtis


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10/12/09 Ridberg: "I will be here until November 2011"



On the heels of a state Supreme Court decision that put to rest a lawsuit that had halted police department promotions for years, the police chief announced Monday that he has signed on to lead the department for another two years.

The news comes just weeks before the department's No. 2 command official is set to officially retire under the conditions of a separation agreement worked out with the town last year, a copy of which was obtained by Greenwich Time.

Both agreements aim to turn the tide within the department, which has been plagued with litigation and internal conflict. However, the agreements have also caused rumblings within the rank and file over the fairness of the closed-door deals.....

Ka Chung .... Ka Ching .... Ka Ching .....

The agreement stipulates that Ridberg be paid an annual $36,000 stipend issued monthly on top of his $145,000 base salary through November 2011.

The stipend puts Ridberg at the top end of the salary range for his position, which is capped at $186,000.....

.....The town also entered into an agreement with Captain Michael Pacewicz, the department's second-in-command, in December 2008 stipulating that the department veteran would step down at the end of 2008, but remain on active payroll until Nov. 1, 2009, using accrued vacation and sick time in addition to 25 weeks of severance pay.

The newly obtained separation agreement also stipulates that Pacewicz will receive a lump sum of $17,800 in additional compensation for his years of service. Human resources officials said Pacewicz's final salary was $117,870. He also received a 10 percent bump in his pension enabling him to reach the maximum pension percentage a police officer can receive......

...."We had nothing to do with the agreement and didn't know about it until our attorney asked for a copy from the town," said Bonney. {Sgt. James Bonney, president of the Silver Shield Association police union}

While none agreed to comment on the record, some police officers have voiced concerns about the agreements awarding additional compensation while the rank and file has been forced to pick up much of the slack caused by the injunction.....

Comment About This Greenwich Time Story At The Greenwich Topix Forum
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10/12/09 There's a new Art Meetup Group!

New Art Meetup Group!

Ceramic and pottery artists

Our goal is to build an environment where newcomers to pottery as well as professional artists can learn and come to create in a place with an atmosphere of warmth, sharing and love of clay.

Organized by:
Lakeside Pottery

CHECK OUT THIS MEETUP GROUP

10/12/09 Greenwich Taxpayers To Pay Through The Nose To As The Town Rewards David Ridberg With $181,000 Plus Benefits For Failure After Failure

On the heels of a state Supreme Court decision that put to rest a lawsuit that had halted police department promotions for years, the police chief announced Monday that he has signed on to lead the department for another two years.

The news comes just weeks before the department's No. 2 command official, Michael Pacewitz is set to officially retire under the conditions of a separation agreement worked out with the town last year.

Both agreements aim to turn the tide within the department, which has been plagued with litigation and internal conflict. However, the agreements have also caused rumblings within the rank and file over the fairness of the closed-door deals.

Greenwich Chief David Ridberg will be here until November 2011.

Ridberg who is laughing all the way to the bank has not revealed his plans beyond that date.

The agreement, that is going to make Greenwich taxpayers pay through the nose, stipulates that Ridberg be paid an annual $36,000 stipend issued monthly on top of his $145,000 base salary through November 2011.

The stipend puts Ridberg at the top end of the salary range for his position, which is capped at $186,000.

First Selectman Peter Tesei said the decision to compensate Ridberg was the only viable option he saw to help the department transition into a new era following several tenuous years caused by a police lieutenant's lawsuit that froze promotions to the top four command staff positions.

Since December 2008, all four positions have been vacant.

The cause of the injunction, a lawsuit filed by Lt. Gary Honulik in 2004 over a controversial promotion to captain.

The town also entered into an agreement with Captain Michael Pacewicz, the department's second-in-command, in December 2008 stipulating that the department veteran would step down at the end of 2008, but remain on active payroll until Nov. 1, 2009, using accrued vacation and sick time in addition to 25 weeks of severance pay.

Pacewicz was promoted to captain over Honulik in 2003, a move that led to the lawsuit.

The separation agreement also stipulates that Pacewicz will receive a lump sum of $17,800 in additional compensation for his years of service.

Pacewicz's final salary was $117,870. He also received a 10 percent bump in his pension enabling him to reach the maximum pension percentage a police officer can receive.

First Selectman Peter Tesei said he agreed that removing Pacewicz helped ease tensions in the department.

Sgt. James Bonney, president of the Silver Shield Association police union, has repeatedly declined to comment on Pacewicz's retirement package.

Many front line police officers have voiced concerns about the agreements awarding additional compensation while the rank and file has been forced to pick up much of the slack caused by the injunction.

The department has delegated many tasks typically completed by captains and deputy chiefs to lieutenants as a result of the injunction.

Mr. Tesei is the acting police commissioner of Greenwich.

Tesei said the proposal is pending approval by the Board of Estimate and Taxation, but hopes the promotional process could be complete within 6 months.

Tesei said they were hopeful the department would be able to move forward and make up for lost time.

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