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Saturday, August 25, 2007

11/16/06 - Archive - Hertz IPO Debuts at $15 Per Share

HEADLINE:
STORY:
...... shares, worth about $3.9 billion. 'That's not a bad return,' said James DeStefano, a research analyst for Greenwich, Conn.-based Renaissance Capital. Such a quick and highly profitable flip is turning off some investors, analysts say. 'There ......

11/16/06 - Archive - North Castle Partners Invests in Caleel + Hayden, Leading Marketer of Mineral-Based Cosmetics and Premium Skin Care Brands

HEADLINE:
STORY:
North CastlePartners today announced that it has acquired a controlling interest inCaleel + Hayden, Inc. ("C+H"), a developer, marketer and distributor ofmineral-based cosmetics and high-end skincare products ("cosmeceuticals").North Castle is a leading private equity firm focused exclusively oninvestments in consumer-driven product and service businesses that benefitfrom "Healthy Living and Aging" trends. It will fund the new investment,the terms of which were not disclosed, from its North Castle Partners III,L.P. fund.
Denver, CO-based Caleel + Hayden serves more than 5,400 dermatologists,cosmetic surgeons, licensed aestheticians, spas and salons domestically andinternationally and select specialty retailers in the United States. Thecompany's brands include glominerals, glotherapeutics and glospa, whichwere developed by C+H, as well as Cellex-C and Lycon Wax, which are soldunder exclusive distribution agreements in the U.S. and selectinternational markets.
North Castle's investment in Caleel + Hayden builds on the firm'sexpertise in the Aesthetics and Personal Carearena, where it currentlyholds investments in Avalon Natural Products, Inc., a leading natural andorganic personal care company; Red Door Spa Holdings, the world's leadingowner and operator of full-service salons and day spas, and HDS CosmeticsLab, Inc., a leading clinical skin care company operating under the brandname Doctor's Dermatologic Formula (DDF)........
Source: North Casle Partners http://www.northcastlepartners.com/
Reporter: Todd Fogarty, Kekst and Company 212-521-4854 todd-fogarty@kekst.com
Publication Date: November 16, 2007
ALSO:

11/16/06 - Archive - Hunters enter Hemlock Hill to cull population

HEADLINE:
STORY:
... there have been successful controlled hunts in many other areas in Fairfield County. The Devils Den Preserve, the Greenwich Audubon, the towns of Wilton and Darien all have hunts where there have been no reported injuries. Some of those hunts ...
Source: News: TimesLive.com

11/16/06- Archive - Swim Team Breaks 28-Year-Old Record

HEADLINE:
STORY:
... Lopez and Lauren Timmerman broke the 1978 school record time of 3:39.90. The women finished in second place behind Greenwich's 3:34.97. Norwalk/McMahon even took home a first place honor in the 200-yard freestyle relay. "It's really exciting," said ...
Source: Grenwich Citizen
Publication Date: November 16, 2007

Monday, August 20, 2007

8/20/07 Greenwich Police Honor Guard Makes a Comeback

(Greenwich Citizen) - This March, two years after being disbanded, the Greenwich Police Honor Guard reappeared in a new incarnation with throwback uniforms and the same sense of purpose and duty they have always had.

After making their debut at the swearing-in ceremony of new Deputy Chief David Ridberg, the Honor Guard led the town's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. "The guys looked real sharp," said Sgt. James Bonney, president of the GPD Silver Shield Association, which is the Greenwich Police union.

"We're not some meandering group," he continued. "We are trying to look as professional as possible."

People seemed to agree. The Guard is scheduled to lead the Memorial Day parade in Old Greenwich and will appear at the town's Salute to Veterans event - major signs of respect for a group that was disbanded in a cloud of controversy in December 2005.

According to Bonney, Police Chief James Walters disbanded the original Guard after it failed to appear at the second inauguration of First Selectman Jim Lash. Instead, members of the Guard joined Silver Shield members who were protesting outside the ceremony.

Many of the Guard's members, he said, hadn't even been present at the protest, but had been working, taking time off or on military leave.

When the Guard was disbanded, Bonney and other Silver Shield members began their efforts to reform the group as an independent entity funded by the union. They launched a fund-raising effort that eventually yielded nearly $25,000, including $18,000 from one donor, to pay for new uniforms and equipment for the 14-member squad.

The uniforms they purchased are a tribute to the uniforms worn by Greenwich police in the 1940s and '50s. "We wanted it to mean something, to go back to the original GPD look," Bonney said.

The double breasted, high collar uniforms were custom made in Massachusetts and have one particularly special feature - three stripes on the right sleeve that represent the three Greenwich officers who have died in the line of duty.

"The stripes are on the right sleeve because every time we salute, we are saluting them," Bonney explained.

The current Honor Guard attends not only town ceremonies, but also the funerals of area officers killed in the line of duty, something that many Greenwich police did on their own time.

"A lot of us used to go down on our own time, I would take days off to go to funerals," said Bonney, "but now we can go down as a unit."

Most recently, the Guard attended the funeral of one of the New York City auxiliary officers that was shot to death in March.

"When I saw them do that, that's when I really appreciated the Honor Guard the most. It was a really nice thing to do for the family and a nice way to respect the guy," Bonney said.

It is a duty that Greenwich officers take very seriously. "We are dead serious about this," said Bonney.

Now that the Honor Guard is under the control of the Silver Shield, it is an entirely voluntary undertaking. Officers formerly received pay for practicing and appearing at events, but no more.

"Guys do it because they like it," Bonney said. "One of the proudest things I ever did was help get the Honor Guard back together."

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Tuesday, June 19, 2007

06/19/07 PRESS RELEASE


Disaster News
Loans for Homeowners, Renters and Businesses of all Sizes SBA Disaster Assistance – Field Operations Center- East - One Baltimore Place, Suite 300 - Atlanta, GA 30308
____________________________________________________________________________________
Release Date: July 19, 2007 Contact: Mark Ihenacho
Release Number: 07-542, CT 10897/10898 Phone: 404-347-3771


SBA REMAINS AT GREENWICH LOCATION;
Provides Help With Your Disaster Application

HARTFORD, Conn. – The U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces that it will continue to provide assistance to Greenwich area residents who sustained damage from the April 2007 severe storms. The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center will open Friday, July 20 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Western Civic Center, Room 210, 449 Pemberwick Road, Greenwich, Connecticut. It will remain open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday until further notice.

“SBA thought it was important to have staff remain in Greenwich as well as other locations throughout the disaster area to assist those homeowners, renters, business owners and non-profit organizations that received damage from the storms and flooding. We are encouraging those affected by this disaster to visit any of the Centers below and obtain individual assistance with their applications from our representatives,” said Frank Skaggs, Director of SBA Field Operations Center East.

SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers and FEMA/SBA Disaster Recovery Centers are located in the following communities and are open as indicated:
SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers

Fairfield County New Haven County
Western Greenwich Civic Center, Room 210 Gateway Community College (Long Wharf Campus)
449 Pemberwick Road 60 Sargent Drive
Greenwich, CT 06831 New Haven, CT 06511
FEMA Center open: Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Open: Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
SBA Center opens: Friday, July 20 Closing: Thursday, July 19, at the close of business.
Open: Mon. – Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., until further notice

Hartford County New Haven County
Simsbury High School Chase Building
34 Farms Village Road 236 Grand Street – 2nd Floor
Simsbury, CT 06070 Waterbury, CT 06702
Open: Mon. – Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., until further notice Open: Mon. – Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., until further notice

FEMA/SBA Disaster Recovery Centers
Fairfield County
City Hall Norwalk Armory
155 Deer Hill Avenue 290 New Canaan Avenue
Danbury, CT 06810 Norwalk, CT 06850
Open: Mon. – Sat., 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., until further notice Open: Mon. – Sat., 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., until further notice

Litchfield County
Torrington Fire Station (mobile unit)
111 Water Street
Torrington, CT 06790
Open: Thursday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closing: Friday, July 20, at the close of business
-more-

Page 2
SBA REMAINS AT GREENWICH LOCATION;
Provides Help With Your Disaster Application


Anyone who has not registered with FEMA can call the FEMA registration line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Individual with hearing or speech impairment should call (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Disaster victims can also register online at www.fema.gov.

Anyone unable to visit one of the Centers may obtain an application by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT. Business loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Completed applications should be returned to one of the Centers or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX. 76155.

The deadline for returning applications for physical property damage is August 13, 2007; the deadline to return economic injury applications is March 13, 2008.


# # #

For more information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Programs, visit our website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

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Tuesday, May 8, 2007

5/8/07 PRESS RELEASE:

Adult Learners’ Week in Greenwich: 19 -25 May 2007

Most people have something they’d love to be able to do – that ‘if only I could...’ feeling that comes over us all. Adult Learners’ Week is all about turning ‘if only...’ into reality and experiencing the great feeling that comes from learning something new.

Learning is the perfect way to explore some of your untapped abilities. You could study for a qualification that will help you develop or change your career. You could unleash a hidden creative talent, or develop new skills.

Adult Learners’ Week is the UK’s biggest festival of learning and could be your chance to explore your potential. From Saturday 19 to Friday 25 May, Greenwich Lifelong Learning Partnership will be holding the following wide range of free activities across the borough:

Saturday 19 May – Cultural Diversity Day
Hosted by Time FM, Adult Learners’ Week in Greenwich kicks off with an open-air event from 11am until 2pm in General Gordon Square, Woolwich. You can enjoy a wide range of free taster sessions including: Henna Art, Indian Head Massage, Tai Chi and Digital Photography.
Monday 21 May – Extend IT Day
Throughout the Borough Greenwich Online will be holding drop-in workshops and there will be IT taster sessions in a selection of Greenwich Borough libraries. Tuesday 22 May – Power of Learning Day
‘The Power of Learning’ an event highlighting adult education opportunities in the borough is being held from 10am – 1pm at Thamesview Golf Centre in Thamesmead.
Wednesday 23 May – Sport & Leisure DayFrom 12pm – 4pm Charlton Park will be transformed into an army assault course. There is also a wide range of sporting activities which you can also try for free.
Thursday 24 May – Learning to Working DayA range of activities are running across Greenwich including CV makeovers, interview techniques and how to improve your employability.
Friday 25 May – Silvers Surfers Day
Libraries across the borough are running IT sessions for the over 55’s.

Also from Monday to Friday you can visit your nearest Greenwich Online centre for IT taster sessions, whilst a ‘Greenwich Learns’ Exhibition is being held at Woolwich Town Hall, Wellington Street SE18 from 9am-4.30pm. Programmes with full details are available at libraries across the borough. If you would like to receive a copy by post please call 0800 0130 730 and ask for an ‘Adult Learners’ Week Programme’. You can also view a copy on-line at www.gcc.ac.uk

END (404 Words)

Notes for Editors

Greenwich Lifelong Learning Partnership consists of the following education providers and agencies:Greenwich Community College, the University of Greenwich, Greenwich Council, HMP Belmarsh, Greenwich Online, Volunteers Greenwich, Asian Resource Centre, and GRETA.
Adult Learners Week is an annual event run nationally by NIACE. For more information please call Alec Brand, Head of Marketing, Greenwich Community College on 020 8488 4812

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Saturday, May 5, 2007

5/5/07 PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Leora Levy, S.O.S Chairman, leora@kamberllc.com;
Allyson Halm, Greenwich’s Animal Control Officer, 203-622-8299;
Rick Larkin, Director of Development, 203-869-6786 ext. 328; or
York Baker, yorkbaker@sbcglobal.net


S.O.S
‘10 DAYS 10 WAYS’
To Support Building Greenwich’s New Animal Control Shelter

Greenwich, CT: A Paw Run/Tail Walk on Saturday, May 5, 2007 from 10:00 AM to noon kicks off the first event of Shelter Our Strays’ (S.O.S) ‘10 DAYS 10 WAYS’ - an officially declared ten days of awareness building and continued fundraising for Greenwich’s new Animal Control Shelter. The 3k run/walk for adults, children, and their pets will be held in Bruce Park, starting in the Bruce Museum parking lot. Several local firms are supporting the run/walk, including headline sponsor UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES OF GREENWICH, as well as many others such as WEBE 108, PET PANTRY WAREHOUSE, and the AMERICAN PET PRODUCTS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION. Entry fees are $25 in advance ($35 at the door) for each adult, $10 for a child under 16 - and free for pets, of which all manner are welcome! Each entrant will receive a free t-shirt and goody bag, and each participating pet, a bandana. Food and drink will be available. Registration forms will be widely distributed at various stores and animal hospitals and available at the Bruce Museum, Greenwich Town Hall, and on both the Museum’s and Town of Greenwich’s website. This will be a wonderful day for all the family and their honored pets.

The culmination of S.O.S’s ten days of fundraising is a Cocktail Reception and Silent Auction on Tuesday, May 15, 2007, from 6:30-9:00 PM at the Bruce Museum. The event is sponsored by the Board of Trustees of the Bruce Museum and by UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES OF GREENWICH. At this important fundraising event, S.O.S will honor Donna and Fred Nives with the First S.O.S Award. The Nives are co-founders of Adopt-a-Dog and have dedicated the last 25 years to rescuing animals nationwide with an emphasis on the Greenwich community. Tickets are available for this event from the Bruce Museum, 203-869-6789, ext. 328.

During S.O.S’s ‘10 Days 10 Ways,’ there will be various fundraising and awareness events in the Greenwich community, including an Open House at Greenwich Animal Control in partnership with Adopt-a-Dog on May 12, 2007, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.. Come see for yourself why Greenwich needs a new animal shelter, and perhaps one of the lovely animals needing a new home will be just the one for you and your family! For information on this event and all others, please see the Town of Greenwich’s and Bruce Museum’s website.

WHO WE ARE:
S.O.S is a group of committed animal lovers organized under the aegis of the Bruce Museum. Funds raised for the new Shelter are covered under the Museum's not-for-profit status and 501(c)3. The Town of Greenwich has allocated land for the Shelter and will oversee the construction. The Bruce Museum has committed to raising $750,000. S.O.S is in its second year of fundraising and has already raised $370,000.

Greenwich’s Animal Control Shelter is in unacceptable condition with inadequate heating, no air-conditioning, poor ventilation and inadequate storage. It is only because of the dedication of Allyson Halm, Animal Control Officer, and her staff that the Shelter has been held together for so long.

Halm says: “The new Shelter will be more than just a ‘dog pound’ – it will be a humane Shelter for any lost or abandoned animal needing our assistance. Greenwich’s Animal Control has always helped domestic animals – including horses - and all manner of wildlife from swans to mice needing to be rescued. The new building will enable us at last to properly handle the needs of all the animals entrusted to our care.”

Animal Control is state-regulated and is under far stricter guidelines than any non-profit animal shelter. The new Shelter will be built to the latest stringent state and national standards. It will be clean, modern, and have proper storage facilities. It will have 20 cat condos, 12 kennels and runs, as well as an examining and grooming room. It will be a shelter of which Greenwich can be proud!

Donations of all sizes are welcome and private contributions can be used to honor loved ones by sponsoring everything from interior building tiles for $100 to the Adoption Room for $15,000. For $250,000 the Animal Control Shelter could be named for a person, friend, or pet of one’s choice. Contribution forms are on the Town of Greenwich’s website from the Animal Control department, as well as from the Bruce Museum, 203-869-6786 ext. 328. Checks can be sent to S.O.S, Bruce Museum, One Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT 06830-7100.

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Sunday, March 18, 2007

3/18/07 Where To Eat

There are lots of great places in and around Greenwich,
so we’re listing a few that are good and very close by.

BREAKFAST

GLORY DAYS DINER
(aka Greenwich Colonial Diner)
69 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich (203) 661-9067

Directions: Head south on Maher Avenue and go 3/10 of a mile. Turn right on East Putnam Avenue, and the Diner is right there.

LUNCH, PIZZA, PASTA

THE PUTNAM RESTAURANT
373 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich (203) 869-4683

Directions: Head south on Maher Avenue and go 3/10 of a mile. Turn right and go 3/10 of a mile. Turn left onto Greenwich Avenue and go just over ½ mile. Putnam Restaurant will be on your left.

PUBS

THE GINGER MAN
64 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich (203) 861-6400

Directions: Head south on Maher Avenue and go 3/10 of a mile. Turn right onto East Putnam and go another 3/10 of a mile. Turn left onto Greenwich Avenue and go about 1/10 of a mile. Ginger Man is on your right.



THAT-A-WAY CAFÉ
409 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich (203) 622-0947
Website: www.thatawaycafe.com

Directions: Head south on Maher Avenue and go 3/10 of a mile. Turn right onto East Putnam Avenue and go 3/10 of a mile. Turn left onto Greenwich Avenue and go 6/10 of a mile. That-A-Way Café will be on your left, just past Fawcett Place. Highly recommended.

RESTAURANTS

Le FIGARO BISTRO De PARIS $
372 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich (203) 622-0018
Website: www.figarobistro.com

Directions: Head south on Maher Avenue for 3/10 of a mile. Turn right onto East Putnam Avenue and go 3/10 of a mile. Turn left onto Greenwich Avenue and go 6/10 of a mile. Figaro’s will be on your right, at the corner of Grigg Street.


TERRA RISTORANTE ITALIANO
156 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich (203) 629-5222
Website: www.terraofgreenwich.com

This is one of our favorites…Greenwich can be on the snotty side of things, but the folks at Terra Ristorante have always been warm, helpful, and accommodating. Even the most basic of dishes here are wonderful. Highly recommended.


Directions: Head south on Maher Avenue and go 3/10 of a mile. Turn right onto East Putnam Avenue and go 3/10 of a mile. Turn left onto Greenwich Avenue and go 2/10 of a mile. Terra Ristorante is on your right, just after Lewis Street.

ELM STREET OYSTER HOUSE
11 West Elm Street, Greenwich (203) 629-5795
Website: www.elmstoysterhouse.com

Directions: Head south on Maher Avenue and go 3/10 of a mile. Turn right onto East Putnam Avenue and go 3/10 of a mile. Turn left onto Greenwich Avenue and go 3/10 of a mile. Turn right onto West Elm Street and look for a parking spot. The Oyster House is just about 300 feet up, on your right.

HOMESTEAD INN $$
420 Field Point Road, Greenwich (203) 869-7500

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Thursday, January 18, 2007

1/18/07 Greenwich Board Of Education News

WORK SESSION OF GREENWICH BOARD OF EDUCATION







TIME: January 11, 2007, 7:00 p.m.

PLACE: Havemeyer Board Room

PRESENT:
Board: Mrs. Colleen Giambo, Chairman
Mrs. Leslie B. Moriarty, Vice Chairman
Mrs. Nancy Weissler, Secretary
Mr. Steven B. Anderson
Mr. Michael C. Bodson
Dr. Susan S. Ellis
Ms. Virginia L. Gwynn
Mr. William G. Kelly

Administration:
Dr. Betty J. Sternberg, Superintendent of Schools
Mrs. Kathleen Greider, Deputy Superintendent
Mr. John Curtin, Assistant Superintendent
Ms. Mary Forde, Director, Pupil Personnel Services
Dr. Susan Wallerstein, Asst. Supt., Business Services
Ms. Kim Eves, Director, Communications
Mr. Richard Calcavecchio, Director, Budget and Systems

Other: Mrs. Janice Richards, Mrs. Kristen Kratky, PTA Council; Mrs. Wen Hsu, ISD PTA; Mr. Ken Borsuk, Greenwich Post, and a representative from Greenwich Time. An attendance list is on file in the Superintendent’s Office.








The meeting was called to order by Mrs. Giambo, Chairman, at 7:05 p.m.





1. Monitoring Reports

a. E-051 – District Administrative Operations

Dr. Wallerstein began the discussion by informing the Board that the principal sources of data for the report are the Preventative Maintenance Program, the Online Maintenance and Repair Data System, and consultations with Principals and the school community. In addition, as facilities undergo major upgrades and renovations, the capital and maintenance schedules are adjusted accordingly. The Administration has completed the space utilization study for the elementary schools and one of the middle schools; the remaining schools should be completed by mid-year.

· Transportation: The discussion focused on the criteria for granting access to free bus transportation to students even when the distance between home and school is within acceptable walking limits. Dr. Wallerstein explained that students on those routes that are deemed unsafe according to the Police Department and the Safe Routes to Schools study are automatically granted access. However, if a parent is concerned about the safety of a route that does not meet this criteria, he or she may apply to the District for a courtesy pass for their student.
· Facilities: Dr. Wallerstein explained that the online Maintenance and Repair Data System has allowed the District to more efficiently deploy its resources to maintain the buildings. In response to concerns cited in the Harris Survey about the cleanliness of some of the buildings, the District intends to provide some additional training for its custodial staff. In addition, the Administration is looking at staggering hours of the staff to minimize overtime.In response to a question about the rental of school facilities by non-profits, Dr. Wallerstein noted 1) the online rental program is working well, 2) potential users are notified annually of procedures and rental rates, and 3) feedback from non-profits about the process has been positive.
· Food Services: In response to a question about the current level of student satisfaction with the GHS cafeteria, Dr. Wallerstein indicated that the Administration has been working with two student groups to address their concerns about the food and that many of the issues that had resulted from the implementation of the new Food Guidelines in the fall appear to have been resolved.
· Communication: In the Harris Survey, the teachers and staff reported that they were not satisfied with their level of communication with the Board, Superintendent, and Administration. Ms. Eves indicated that the Administration will describe its strategy to address this problem in a monitoring report to be issued later this year.In response to questions about the rollout of the teacher homework pages on the web site, Ms. Eves reported that while most middle schools had posted their class assignments on the web site, many of GHS teachers had been slower to do so.
· Policy Governance Issues: The monitoring report for E-051 included a list of policy governance issues; it was the consensus of the Board that the Policy Governance Committee should review these issues with the Administration and bring back its recommendations to the Board.
· Other Feedback on the E-051 Monitoring Report: Members of the Board commended Dr. Wallerstein and Ms. Eves for doing an excellent job in the report providing the relevant analysis and highlighting the key policy and management issues. However, Board members noted that they would expect to see more detailed analyses and data in a monitoring report that addressed the academic arenas.


2. Success System Arenas: a. Whole Student Development

In discussing the draft report, Mr. Curtin acknowledged that it is inherently difficult to identify indicators for whole student development because progress in this area cannot be readily quantified. Nevertheless, this should become easier as we implement the rubric that has been developed for social emotional learning (SEL) over the next several years. It was also noted that since some of the proposed indicators are based on data from the Harris Survey that this would be available only on a biannual basis. The discussion then turned to a consideration of the indicators proposed in the report:
· Student Satisfaction and Attendance: Regarding student satisfaction measures, Board members thought that while they are important to track, they are not necessarily indicative of progress in whole student development. As a result, it was suggested that these measures be either deemphasized or eliminated. As for attendance measures, Board members thought that elementary and middle school attendance measure were more reflective of parent practices and were, therefore, not reflective of whole student development.
· Disciplinary Offenses and Risky Behavior: Board members indicated that while the goal of whole student development is to promote positive behavior and character development, it is also important to track disciplinary offenses as well as any substantial variation in incidence by subgroup. It was also agreed that the Administration would review the data from the Harris Survey that tracks students’ self reporting of risky behavior (e.g., substance abuse) to develop an indicator for inclusion in this area.
· Extracurricular activities: The Administration indicated that it is working on developing a meaningful indicator for this area. Their efforts to do so have been complicated by: 1) the lack of reliable data on student participation in extracurricular activities and 2) the broad nature of this category, which can be defined to include sports and in-school and out-of-school extracurricular activities. It was also agreed that it would be important to include an indicator that captures differences in participation rates by subgroup.



b. Aligning Adults

· Indicators: The discussion focused on identifying the key indicators that measured the extent to which teachers, staff, and parents were working together to achieve the same goals. One suggestion was to include as an indicator the RTM acceptance of the budget, which would evidence the community’s support for funding the District’s educational programs.


Review Planning/Implementation, January 2006-June 2008

In response to questions, Dr. Sternberg elaborated on some of the existing and proposed initiatives:

· Acquisition of 21st Century Skills: would include both the laptop initiative and assessments of students’ information, communication, and technological skills
· Expanding Secondary Educational Opportunities: would include a review of both the middle schools and Greenwich High School as well as the school start time issue
· Strengthening and Expanding Access to ALP: would begin with an independent evaluation of the current program and best practices
· Restructuring Schedules: is focusing on adjusting schedules so that grade level teachers can meet to share best practices


MOTION: It was moved by Mrs. Weissler and seconded by Mrs. Moriarty
to extend the time of the meeting by 15 minutes.

VOTE: 8 in favor, none opposed MOTION CARRIED


Mrs. Giambo also advised the Board that not only had the First Selectman recommended that the current Senior Center be used for the Havemeyer Staff, but he has also had Gisolfi Architectural firm looking at the building to investigate its feasibility.

In agenda planning, it was decided that the following issues would be added: 1) an update on knowledge and skills based compensation in March, 2) the annual Special Education report in April, and 3) an update from the Greenwich Alliance in June.

MOTION: It was moved by Ms. Gwynn and seconded by Mrs. Moriarty to move into Executive Session to discuss the Superintendent’s Evaluation at 9:20 p.m.

VOTE: 8 in favor, none opposed MOTION CARRIED


Upon motion duly made by Mrs. Moriarty and seconded by Mrs. Weissler, the Board moved back into Public Session at 10:05 p.m.

Upon motion duly made by Ms. Gwynn and seconded by Mr. Anderson, the meeting was adjourned at 10:07 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,



Nancy Weissler
Secretary

Thursday, January 4, 2007

January 4 2007: Greenwich fund sued over mine investments - Greenwich Time

Greenwich fund sued over mine investments - Greenwich Time

When the Airlie Group acquired a struggling
Montana coal mine last year, the intention was
to turn it around and make a handsome return
on investment.

Instead, the Greenwich hedge fund is
embroiled in an emotional federal lawsuit
involving about 350 middle-class investors who
say Airlie owes them $20 million.

The a story goes back to 2001, when the original owners of
the Bull Mountain Mine, a 22,000-acre coal mine just outside
Roundup, Mont., looked to raise capital in hopes of commercially producing
coal, said plaintiff attorney Gregory Bartko of Atlanta.

Three promoters - Webb Financial Group Inc., Franklin Asset Exchange
LLC and Disciples Limited LLC - tried to find the money. They turned
primarily to "middle-class, hard-working, unaccredited investors," Bartko
said.

Investors in hedge funds must be "accredited," or able to prove a high level
of income and assets.

With promises of 12 percent to 15 percent returns a year, the promoters
drew more than $20 million from investors.........

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Sunday, December 31, 2006

12/31/06 Greenwich Newsmaker Of 2006 - Ned Lamont


Edward Miner "Ned" Lamont, Jr. (born January 3, 1954) was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for the United States Senate in the Connecticut United States Senate election held on on November 7, 2006. He faced incumbent Senator Joe Lieberman, who ran as the nominee of the Connecticut for Lieberman party, as well as Republican nominee Alan Schlesinger in a three-way general election in November, having defeated Lieberman 51.8%-48.2% among Democratic voters in a primary election on August 8, 2006. In the election, Lamont lost to Lieberman - Lieberman won 50% of the vote while Lamont won 40%, with 10% voting for Schlesinger and 0.5% voting for Green Party candidate Ralph Ferrucci.

Background

Lamont was born in Washington, D.C. to Camille Helene Buzby and Edward Miner Lamont. He grew up in Syosset, New York, and is an heir to the fortune of his great-grandfather Thomas W. Lamont, who was a partner of the banking and finance firm J. P. Morgan & Co. After graduating from Phillips Exeter Academy (home of the Lamont Infirmary and Lamont Hall named for his great-grandfather) in 1972, Ned Lamont earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard University (home of the Lamont Library, named for his great-grandfather) in 1976, and a master's degree in Public and Private Management from the Yale School of Management in 1980. While at Phillips Exeter, Lamont was the president of the student newspaper, The Exonian, which was published twice a week during the school year. He began his career working for The Black River Tribune, a small newspaper in Ludlow, Vermont. He was an early producer for Vermont Public Radio.

Lamont then entered the cable television industry, managing the startup of Cablevision's operation in Fairfield County, Connecticut. In 1984, he founded, and is currently president and chairman of, Lamont Digital Systems, a builder and operator of advanced telecommunications networks for college campuses and residential gated communities, with over 150,000 subscribers. The company's finances are private, though it currently has 35 employees, down from 100 in 2001. His most recent salary was reported as $546,000 per year.

Before running for the U.S. Senate, Lamont was elected and served as selectman in the town of Greenwich, Connecticut, for eight years (two terms), chaired the state investment advisory council, and served on many civic boards. Lamont unsuccessfully ran for a state Senate seat in 1990, finishing in third place.

Family

Lamont and his wife, the former Ann "Annie" Greenlee Huntress, a venture capitalist, have three teenaged children.Ann Lamont seconded her husband's nomination at the Connecticut Democratic Convention in May 2006.

Lamont is the great-grandson of former J.P. Morgan & Co. Chairman Thomas W. Lamont and the grandnephew (not the grandson, as has been widely reported) of Corliss Lamont (a director of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1932 to 1954). His self-reported net worth lies somewhere between $90 million and $300 million.

His father, Ted (Edward M. Sr.), was an economist who worked with the Marshall Plan which helped reconstruct Europe after World War II. He later served in the Nixon administration in Housing and Urban Development. Ted Lamont is now an unaffiliated voter, having last voted for a Republican in 1988. Since then he has voted Democratic. He told The Hartford Courant that "Eastern Moderates no longer have a place in the GOP." Ned Lamont contributed to one Republican as late as 1998, when he contributed $500 to the re-election effort of Congressman Chris Shays, but since 1999 has contributed over $57,000 to Democrats, including $1,500 to Joe Lieberman.

His mother, Camille Buzby "Buz" Lamont, was born in Puerto Rico, the daughter of an American salesman (a Quaker veteran of World War I) and a Catholic missionary. She is of French and U.S. descent and she studied at the George School in Pennsylvania, Middlebury College in Vermont, and at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. She speaks fluent Spanish but never taught Ned.

2006 U.S. Senate campaign

Lamont began showing signs of considering a run against Lieberman around February 2005. In March 2006, Lamont officially announced his campaign for the United States Senate against Lieberman. As of July 19, 2006, Lamont had spent over $2.5 million of his own personal fortune on his campaign.

It was reported that as of September 11 Lamont had spent another $1.5 million of his own money on the campaign, with two months yet to go.

Lamont continued to pour personal funds into the campaign during September, with reports indicating his total contributions now exceed $12.7 million.

Also, Lamont pledged not to take money from lobbyists.

Lamont's campaign manager, Tom Swan, was, however, a registered lobbyist with the state of Connecticut. In early 2006, Lamont received the backing of former independent Connecticut Governor and Republican U.S. Senator Lowell Weicker, who was unseated by Lieberman in 1988.

Lamont eventually portrayed himself as an anti-war candidate calling for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, in contrast to Lieberman, who supports the continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq and advocated for a troop increase proposed by then-President George W. Bush.

His campaign was partially supported by anti-war activists who oppose the Iraq war and are calling for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq, including MoveOn.org, which donated $251,156 from its contributors to the campaign.

On July 6, 2006, Lamont faced off against Lieberman in a 51-minute televised debate which covered issues ranging from the war in Iraq to energy policy to immigration.

Lieberman argued that he was being subjected to a "litmus test" on the war, insisted that he was a "bread and butter Democrat" and on a number of occasions asked, "Who is Ned Lamont?" Lieberman asked Lamont if he would disclose his income tax returns.

After the debate, Lamont did release his 2005 tax return and financial details about prior years. Lamont focused on Lieberman's supportive relationship with Republicans ("...if you won't challenge President Bush and his failed agenda, I will") and criticized his vote for the "Bush/Cheney/Lieberman energy bill."

Lieberman stated, in response to Lamont's assertion that he supported Republican policies, that he had voted with the Democratic caucus in the Senate 90% of the time. However, Lamont argued that the then three-term incumbent lacked the courage to challenge the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq War.

Lamont began as a "dark-horse" candidate, but was at a statistical dead heat with Lieberman in July, and went on to win the primary in August. Polls taken prior to the primary vote showed Lieberman, if running as an independent, polling better among Republicans and independents in a three-way race, including Republican candidate Alan Schlesinger, who greatly trailed both Lamont and Lieberman. Early August polls, however, showed Lamont increasing his lead significantly[35], and many speculate on the effect of the primary outcome (and expected high Democratic endorsement) on the general election. The initial post primary poll showed Lieberman holding a narrow lead in a general election, however.

On July 30, 2006, the London Sunday Times reported that former president Bill Clinton is believed to have warned Lieberman not to run as an independent if he lost the primary to Lamont. Many Democratic leaders pledged to support the winner of the Connecticut Democratic primary. Most Democratic leaders, however, supported Lieberman's campaign for the Democratic nomination, and some, including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, allegedly asked Lamont not to run.

Lamont resigned his membership in a Greenwich country club shortly before his campaign began, as the club was "too white and too rich and he did not want it to become a campaign issue." It became an issue, however, following the release of a flier from the Lieberman campaign questioning Lamont's record on race.

Lamont criticized Wal-Mart during the campaign and lambasted Lieberman for previously receiving campaign contributions from Wal-Mart, which he later returned.

On August 4, 2006, The Washington Times reported that Ned "Lamont, his wife and a dependent child own as much as $31,000 in Wal-Mart stock. Mr. Lamont and his wife jointly own two accounts containing as much as $16,000 in Wal-Mart stock.


Their Wal-Mart holdings spin off as much as $3,500 in annual dividends. In addition, a trust fund he set up for one of his children contains as much as $15,000 in Wal-Mart stock and spins off as much as $1,000 in dividends." Time magazine reported on August 4, 2006, that Lamont's campaign manager,


Tom Swan, said the candidate was not actively controlling the investment. "He does not own any stock directly, it's not a direct holding," he said. Part of the Wal-Mart stock is held in a Goldman Sachs "Tax Advantaged Core Strategies managed account", according to a letter released by Swan. He said the account is designed to track the S+P 500 index, and that Goldman Sachs makes the investment decisions for the account."

On August 21, Lamont distanced himself from the demands of some supporters that Joe Lieberman be purged from the Democratic voter rolls.

Ned Lamont lost the general election and conceded to Lieberman at approximately 10:30 EST, November 7.

Links About Ned Lamont




NY Times: Lieberman Camp Blames Rivals for Web Site Crash. Patrick Healy and Jennifer Medina.


AP: Key races in Tuesday's primaries. 8 August 2006.


AP: Lieberman Race Tops Primaries. Robert Tanner. 8 August 2006.


Lieberman Prevails Against Lamont in Connecticut. New York Times. November 7 2006



History - Lamont Library: Harvard University Libraries - Lamont Library History.


DFA Link: Ned Lamont for US Senate.




My Left Nutmeg: Lamont Grants MyLeftNutmeg First Blogger Interview.


NY Times: Ann Huntress to Wed E.M. Lamont Jr.


NedLamont.com: Family photo


Historic Humanist Series: Corliss Lamont. .


Hartford Courant: Wealth: Touchy Political Issue; Lieberman Plays Up Lamont's Millions, But Will Voters Care? Mark Pazniokas.. Original URL dead, reprint at NedLamont.com.


The Nation: A Fight for the Party's Soul. John Nichols,


Hartford Courant: Out of the Political Shadows. Mark Pazniokas.






"Camille H. Buzby Becomes Fiancee". New York Times. 1950-11-03. p. 22.





"This campaign has not solicited, and will not accept, Washington lobbyist money" – Lamont campaign email




Congressional Quarterly: The CQ Politics Interview: Ned Lamont.


BBC: Lieberman fights for political life. Matt Wells.


PoliticalMoneyLine: MoveOn.org Political Action Raises $2.6 Million.


NBC30: Lieberman, Lamont Face Off In NBC 30 Debate.


Quinnipiac University: Polling results.


Bloomberg: Lieberman Trails Lamont by 13 Points in Connecticut, Poll Says.


Hartford Courant: Post-Primary Poll Gives Lieberman Narrow Lead


The Sunday Times: The anti-war tycoon splits Democrats. Tony Allen-Mills.


Wall Street Journal: Kos Celeb. Joe Taranto.


New York Times: Lieberman Rival Seeks Support Beyond Iraq Issue. Patrick Healy,


Talking Points Memo: Scan of flier.


The Washington Times: Lieberman rival owns stock in Wal-Mart. Charles Hurt. URL accessed


TIME: An Embarrassment of Riches for Lieberman's Challenger. Massimo Calabresi.


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Thursday, December 28, 2006

December 28, 2006: Town hikes park fees

Golf course, other spots to charge more in 2007

It's going to cost a little more next year to get a round of golf in at the Griffith E. Harris Golf Course after the Board of Selectmen unanimously approved next year's fee schedule for the town's parks and recreation activities. Membership fees at the municipal course will increase from $125 to $140 for adults, from $75 to $85 for seniors and $85 to $95 for juniors. Greens fees will also be going up either one or two dollars, depending on the time of day.

Source: http://www.greenwich-post.com/

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December 28, 2006: Concern grows over potential changes at senior center

As the possibility of losing their building continues to loom, members of the Greenwich Senior Center are also speaking out against a proposed plan that would change the structure of management at the center.

First Selectman James Lash has suggested that management of the senior center would shift from the Department of Parks and Recreation to the Commission on Aging. This would mean expanded powers and responsibility for the seven-member commission, but according to Sam Deibler

Source: http://www.greenwich-post.com/

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Thursday, December 21, 2006

December 21, 2006: School board approves $119M

After a few final nips and tucks, the Board of Education gave its unanimous approval Dec. 14 to the $119 million 2007- 08 schools budget. The board-approved budget was cut from the originally proposed level of $120 million, with reductions in maintenance and from Hamilton Avenue School's preschool and proposed magnet program. Despite the cuts, Superintendent of Schools Betty Sternberg pledged the district is still committed to preschool and the magnet program

Source: http://www.greenwich-post.com/

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December 21, 2006: First Selectman proposes school board move to senior center

The Board of Education's journey to a new office space took another turn last week when First Selectman James Lash suggested that the board not build a new office but rather move across the street into the old Greenwich Avenue Town Hall building. Doing this would pave the way for a proposed arts center to move into the Havemeyer Building, where the board is currently located. The building switch would mean displacing the Greenwich Arts Council and the Greenwich Senior Center.

Source: http://www.greenwich-post.com/

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December 21, 2006:With 'no current plans' to close schools, board considers options

In response to questions over whether any of Greenwich's 11 public elementary schools will be closed because of declining student enrollment, the Board of Education will hold a special meeting next month. The meeting will be held Jan. 18 at a time and location still to be determined. Superintendent of Schools Betty Sternberg said the board would take a long look at declining enrollment, racial imbalances in district schools and the best use of district buildings.

Source: http://www.greenwich-post.com/

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Thursday, December 14, 2006

December 14, 2006:Administrator stays optional

Charter change voted down by town representatives

For those hoping that having the town administrator in the charter would provide "continuity" between selectmen's terms, the future is uncertain following Monday's 91-97 Representative Town Meeting (RTM) vote against the idea. While most said the current town administrator, Ed Gomeau, who came on the job in early 2004, is doing his job well, those opposed said they thought mandating the position creates a second first selectman

Source: http://www.greenwich-post.com/

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Friday, December 8, 2006

12/08/06 - Archive - News Reports

Agents Try New Tricks to Entice Home Buyers

Source: Natl. Relocation & Real Estate

...... the people surrounding the marketing of them to become focused," said Linda Hodge of Preferred Properties' Greenwich, Connecticut office. The slowdown is a particular conundrum within the new-construction and higher-end markets, said Melanie Healey, ......


Bristol-Myers, Sanofi Win a U.S. Court Block on Apotex's Generic Plavix

Source: Bloomberg.com

Sanofi-Aventis SA and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. won an appeals court ruling that prevents Apotex Inc. from selling a generic version of the blood-thinner Plavix until a trial can be held.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington today upheld a lower court ruling that blocks sales of the generic drug until a judge can rule on the validity of a Plavix patent. The trial is set for January.

Prescriptions of brand-name Plavix plunged 32 percent in the third quarter of 2006 after Apotex flooded the market with a six-month supply of the generic drug during three weeks in August. Plavix, which is used to prevent heart attacks and strokes, had global sales of $6.3 billion in 2005, with $3.8 billion in the U.S. last year........

....... never, so it's nice to have the appeal upheld,'' Barbara Ryan, an analyst with Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. in Greenwich, Connecticut, said in a telephone interview. Apotex ``didn't have to remove the supplies that were shipped. Until those are all ......


Global Gold Names Ambassador Harry Gilmore (Ret) to Board

Source: Market Wire

... with mining properties in Chile and Armenia. Global Gold Corporation is located at 45 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. The main phone number is 203-422-2300. More information can be found at www.globalgoldcorp.com . Contact: Van Z. Krikorian ........


WWII Vet Recalls Drop Behind Enemy Lines

Source: Greenwich Citizen

The 65th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, marked Thursday, presented an opportunity for the Greenwich Citizen to interview Chandler Bates, a veteran of Uncle Sam's super-secret Office of .......

UPDATE:

Please search for this article in the: archive search.


Hedge funds: Secretive, lucrative and part of pop culture

Source: International Herald Tribune

Marshall Wace raised €1.5 billion on Friday in the largest initial public offering of a hedge fund, permitting individual investors to buy into a market normally limited to millionaires.

The London-based company sold shares of MW Tops, a closed-end investment company, for €10, or $13.27, each, Marshall Wace said late Thursday. The stock, which began trading Friday on Euronext Amsterdam, rose to a penny to finish at €10.01.

... huge sums of money on fast cars and fancy art, as well as magazine photo spreads of top managers' estates in Greenwich, Connecticut, and on New York's Long Island. Some might point to the fascination with hedge funds as a sign that the business has ...


George W.S. Trow, 63; Writer, cultural critic spent 30 years on New Yorker staff

Source: Los Angeles Times
By: Elaine Woo

George W.S. Trow, a writer and social critic whose dry humor and coruscating intelligence defined a 30-year career at the New Yorker, where he was a favorite of legendary editor William Shawn, died Nov. 24 in Naples, Italy, where he lived for the last five years. He was 63 and died of natural causes.

Trow, who joined the magazine in 1966, was best-known as the author of 'Within the Context of No Context,' a scathing analysis of contemporary American culture.

Originally published in the New Yorker in 1980 and later issued as a book, it was a collage of riffs, each identified with a subhead such as 'History,' 'Gossip' or 'Celebrities,' that wryly displayed Trow's mortification at the ignorance of a generation reared on television.

'Television is the force of no-history, and it holds the archives of the history of no-history,' he wrote. 'No good,' he concluded, 'has come of it.' 'Within the Context of No Context' quickly attained a cult following for its originality and prophetic insights.

'People passed that copy of the New Yorker from hand to hand,' recalled Martin H. Kaplan, a media expert and director of the Norman Lear Center at USC's Annenberg School for Communication, who knew Trow. 'It was one of those early and prescient works of cultural criticism which conveyed how troubling it was to live in the brave new media world.' It was also intensely personal and heavy with yearning for a bygone social order, when adults were adults and trivia were actually viewed as trivial.

His lamentations focused on an idiosyncratic array of what he called 'Mainstream American Cultural Artifacts,' such as People magazine, the 1964 New York World's Fair and the 1970s game show 'Family Feud.'

Civilization had declined to the point where, Trow wrote, 'a man named Richard Dawson, the 'host' of a program called Family Feud, asked contestants to guess what a poll of a hundred people had guessed would be the height of the average American woman.' To Trow, that millions of viewers could be engaged by such puerile entertainment - guessing what others had guessed, with nary a fact in sight - was alarming evidence of cultural anemia. With some disdain, he described this 'important moment in the history of television' under the heading 'No Authority.'

Authority was one quality Trow (pronounced like grow ) possessed in spades. His pronouncements were godlike, as well as abstract, bordering on mystical.
In reference to an America that had gotten too big and impersonal, for instance, he wrote: 'The middle distance fell away .

Two grids remained. The grid of two hundred million and the grid of intimacy.' But, as Trow saw it, the intimacy was a television-induced illusion. Loneliness loomed. 'What made George's piece great was the deadpan minimalism of the style, a freaky-deaky,

I Ching-like idiom that made it seem like a text carved on some future, unearthed Rosetta stone . It was a gag, but a gag about how everything you've ever cared about was just destroyed in a flashfire,' Donald Fagen, the musician and songwriter who met Trow in the 1980s after co-founding the band Steely Dan, wrote on his website this week.

'He was a kind of genius in the way he saw the world,' said author Jamaica Kincaid, who joined the New Yorker staff in the 1970s through Trow's ardent sponsorship.

Born in Greenwich, Conn., Trow was well-grounded in the rituals of the upper class, even though his old New York family was not rich........


'Day of Infamy' remembered

Source: Norwalk Advocate (home page)

... to him died. 'It's a big deal in our family,' said Breen, 52, a commercial insurance broker who lives in Old Greenwich. 'It inspired our son to go into the Naval Academy.' Along with the Breen and his wife, Jane, close to 40 people turned ...


Festive facades vie for prizes

Source: Stamford Advocate
By: Martin B. Cassidy

While more minimalist than competing displays, Sea Cloth on Greenwich Avenue wowed contest judges with its striking concept: green pillows stacked to look like a Christmas tree.

For the second year in a row, the downtown home furnishings business took top prize in the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce's Winter Wonderland holiday window display contest.

'We're very excited and it's a flattering award to get,' said Ann FitzGerald, the manager of Sea Cloth, which designs and manufactures fabrics for upholstery and other household furnishings.
In addition to naming the top three most original displays at local stores, the contest also includes separate awards in recognition of other displays which are the most traditional, festive, or show community spirit.

Greenwich Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mary Ann Morrison said that elaborate and creative holiday window displays are an important part of bringing in foot traffic and wooing shoppers away from malls.

'It's part of the community spirit we have here in Greenwich that keeps people from going to the mall,' Morrison said. 'This type of spirit is what people are longing for.'
While primarily a fabric company, FitzGerald said that during the holidays Sea Cloth stocks up on Christmas tree ornaments and other holiday decorations.

'It's one of the most fun times of year to decorate,' FitzGerald said.

Hoagland's of Greenwich took the best traditional display award with a three-dimensional Advent Calendar, among a diorama of elaborately carved wood figurines of Santa Claus and children, and a glittering set of Nativity figurines that rotate inside a gold box.

Lynn Muscari, a sales associate, said the design and construction of the display was done on nights and weekends over several weeks.......


Puppy -- and kitty -- love

Source: Statesman Journal

... According to a 2005-06 pet owners' survey conducted by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association in Greenwich, Conn., Americans planned to spend $2.6 billion (yes, the 'b' is correct) this holiday season. Katie Beckner, general manager of ...

E-mail: online@statesmanjournal.com


Mortgage lender sparks bid battle

Source: REVIEW-JOURNAL
By JOHN G. EDWARDS

Compass Partners, a New York-based investment company, made the apparent highest and best bid of $67 million Thursday for the assets of a mortgage loan fund managed by USA Capital and a contract to service loans for the bankrupt private lender.

Bankruptcy Judge Linda Riegle conducted a slow-paced auction in her courtroom taking bids from three companies, Desert Capital Real Estate Investment Trust of Henderson, hedge fund Silver Point Capital of Greenwich, Conn., and Compass.

USA Capital solicited investments from about 6,000 individual investors around the country and used the money to make short-term loans to developers, including USA Capital majority owners Tom Hantges and Joe Milanowski.

USA Capital controlled $962 million in assets for investors when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection in April. While USA Capital was making monthly payments to investors, many of its loans were not being repaid.

Some investors bought fractional interests in the loans. Others invested through USA First Trust Deed Fund and USA Diversified Trust Deed Fund, which served like mutual funds for these real estate-backed loans.

An interim management team led by Tom Allison has run USA Capital since the bankruptcy filing.

Silver Point Capital was approved as a "stalking horse," or first bidder, with an offer of $46.5 million to buy out investors in the First Trust Deed Fund. In addition, Silver Point agreed to take over loan servicing from USA Capital for other loans.

The auction started Thursday with that $46.5 million bid.

Compass came next with an offer of $57.5 million. The three bidders took turns usually raising their bid often in $100,000 increments over the previous bid, but sometimes by $1 million or more. Bidders often made higher bids on the spot, but they were allowed to privately confer for 20 minutes before deciding in several instances.

At the end, both Silver Point and Desert Capital passed, leaving Compass as the apparent high bidder at $67 million..........


A new pecking order

Source: Rocky Mountain News
By: Patti Thorn

Weary of reading the same old authors and their formulaic plots?

Today, we welcome some fresh faces.

This year, while big-name authors were busy stealing the spotlight, scores of titles by unknowns were hatched. Many were superb reads. How do we know? Our critics spent 2006 screening nearly 60 debut novels that weren’t reviewed on the regular books pages. They read books of all stripes: futuristic tales, family sagas, suspense stories and more. And when it was all said and done, they had uncovered a wealth of fresh talent — in every genre. Today, we offer 10 of the best, books of all types of plot and style. If you missed these titles when they were first released, here’s a hint: Don’t make the same mistake twice.

And a special thanks... To those who have dedicated countless hours to this annual project. We owe a debt of gratitude to Joan Hinkemeyer, Christine Jacques, Justin Matott, Verna Noel Jones and Vicky Uhland.

.......The Dressmaker

By Elizabeth Birkelund Oberbeck (Henry Holt, 306 pages, $23).

Author’s background: Oberbeck has written for numerous publications, including Cosmopolitan, Travel and Leisure, Glamour and Working Woman. She lives with her husband and four sons in Greenwich, Conn., and was introduced to the world of haute couture through her mother, who worked with Diana Vreeland at Harper’s Bazaar.

Plot in a nutshell: Claude Reynaud is a shy yet skilled dressmaker working in the small town of Senlis outside of Paris. He and his chatty pet parrot Pédan live a contented life, where Claude diligently designs and stitches eye-catching gowns while humoring his nephews with puppet shows. The dressmaker’s life is turned upside down, however, when he becomes smitten at first glance with the lovely Valentine de Verlay, who has come to him to have her wedding dress made. Claude then sets out on a Don Quixote-like quest to lure Valentine away from her fiancé and into his own arms. Along the way, the author composes poetic visual pictures of dresses designed expressly to reflect an individual’s outer and inner beauty.

Sample of prose: "His greatest talent — and what he was becoming renowned for beyond the small town of Senlis — was his ability to match a client’s natural colors with enhancing hues and textures. He obsessed over color classifications and names. Inadequate descriptions frustrated him to the point of fury. He would yell across his studio to Pédant, ‘That is not the color pink! Non! That is the color of dawn reflected on the yellowing marble steps of the Trevi Fountain.’"

Author reminds me of: No one in particular; Oberbeck has a unique voice.

Best reason to read: This is the kind of story that sneaks up on you. It seems simple enough in the first 20 pages or so, but as you continue reading, it quickly develops into a rich fabric of sharply drawn characters with real complications in their lives that aren’t tied up so neatly at novel’s end. You’ll relish the complexity. Verna Noel Jones

Thursday, November 16, 2006

11/16/06 - Archive - Blood And Money




By: CBS News


(CBS) This story originally aired Nov. 18, 2006. It was updated July 12, 2007. Forty-six-year-old Andrew Kissel hoped to make his name in real estate in Greenwich, Conn., but instead, as correspondent Erin Moriarty reports, he earned the dubious distinction as the town’s first murder victim in 2006.


Seven months after the murder, with no one yet in custody, Police Chief James Walters remains optimistic. "Everyone that was in Mr. Kissel’s circle is being is being investigated," he says.


But in this tony town, it’s not easy to get people to talk. "Within a few days after the murder everybody we wanted to talk had a lawyer," the police chief explains. Andrew Kissel’s violent death brought to an end a life once brimming with promise. He grew up in New Jersey, the oldest of three children in an upwardly mobile family. Andrew’s brother, Robert, was four years younger and there was a baby sister, Jane......





More 2 3 4 5 6 7

11/16/06 - Archive - Teens Call for an End to Dating Violence

HEADLINE:
STORY:
...... violence in a number of ways. First, it is awarding a $1,000 challenge grant to a teen dating violence program at Greenwich High School the only other student-led dating violence program in Fairfield County, which adopted the model used at BMHS. If .......
Source: Greenwich Citizen

11/16/06 - Archive -Philadelphia Fed Factory Index Climbs in First Expansion in Three Months

HEADLINE:
STORY:
Manufacturing in the Philadelphia region expanded for the first time in three months in November as costs eased and shipments rose.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's general economic index rose to 5.1 this month from minus 0.7 in October, which was the lowest since April 2003. Readings below zero signal a contraction. The index has averaged 9.4 in the past year.......
...... prove to be a boon to consumers and also to the manufacturing sector,'' Stephen Stanley, chief economist at RBS Greenwich Capital Markets in Greenwich, Connecticut, said before the report. "As consumer spending picks up, manufacturing will .......
Source: Bloomberg
Publication Date: November 16, 2007
Reporter: Bob Willis bwillis@bloomberg.net

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