10/03/11 The Raw Late Night Greenwich News Feed:

News Reports About Greenwich, CT

Greenwich's Backman aims to make mark with Sound Tigers Stamford Advocate Backman, who grew up in Greenwich, signed with the New York Islanders in August. He skated Monday with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for the first time as the team began practice for its 11th season. "Everyone's excited," Backman said. ...

Greenwich Symphony opens new season with program centered on joy Danbury News Times "Tonight we have a joyous evening of music," Music Director and Conductor David Gilbert said as the Greenwich Symphony successfully opened its new season Saturday with a program of music by Dvorák, Copland and Mozart. Gilbert described five movements ...

Greenwich to Consolidate Town, BoE Human Resources Departments? Patch.com Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation looking at ways to consolidate back office operations for cost savings. By Patrick Barnard In order to realize new cost efficiencies, the Town of Greenwich is reportedly looking at ways to consolidate the back ...

Model sailboats fill Old Greenwich's Binney Park for annual regatta Greenwich Time Alex Kosyakov, 10, holds Dragon, a boat he built for the regatta at the Old Greenwich Riverside Community Center's 49th annual Model Sailboat Regatta at Binney Park pond on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011.

Greenwich Board of Ed Goalkeeping Patch.com The Greenwich Board of Education is scheduled to continue its discussion of their goals at their Oct. 6 work session. Previously, these goals were agenda items at the Aug. 25 , Sept. 1 and Sept. 22 board meetings. "The Board shall be devoted to the ...

AQR Launches $100000 Annual Competition for Applied Finance Papers Sacramento Bee By AQR Capital Management, LLC GREENWICH Conn., Oct. 3, 2011 -- /PRNewswire/ -- AQR Capital Management, a $40-billion asset management firm with a particular focus on alternatives, today announced a new award for applied academic papers in finance: The ..

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10/03/11 The Raw Greenwich Blog Feed: This Just In - Three Days After the Fact....

Blog Posts About Greenwich, CT

Greenwich Man Accused of Threatening Family | The Daily Greenwich By Anna Helhoski GREENWICH, Conn.

A man who Greenwich police said threatened to shoot his family and himself during an argument was arrested Friday.

Manuel Gonzalez, 20, of 327 Hamilton Ave., threatened to cut the throat of a family member when she said she was going to call 911, police said. He then threatened to shoot himself and the family if they tried to call 911, police said. Officers surrounded the residence and convinced Gonzalez and his brother to come outside. Police said they tased Gonzalez when he would not cooperate. He was charged, then taken to Greenwich Hospital to be committed for treatment. His brother was detained, then released without charges. A BB gun was found in the house after the arrest.

Gonzalez was charged with using a facsimile firearm, disorderly conduct, interfering with a 911 call, threatening and reckless endangerment. He was held on a $50,000 bond and was due in court Monday.

Also from the Greenwich Police Department:

• Gina Clemente, 28, of 12½ Juhasz Drive in Norwalk was arrested......

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10/03/11 Nancy Lucht Says,"Vote for Marianna Ponns Cohen"

When did our schools start going downhill? They were the best, I thought—then the next thing I knew, Greenwich schools are in 48^th place in the State! With the highest per capita spending to boot! This summer, when I got caught up in the frenzy of the Freund resignation and the controversy over IB, which I voraciously inhaled from the front page headlines to the many letters to the editors, and other articles, one name kept jumping out—Marianna Ponns Cohen. I learned to read between the lines to find out just what was going on, and it turned out that Marianna was right all along about previous Board of Education indiscretions and the inadequate vetting of the expensive global IB program. This is not a partisan political issue; it is about providing the children of Greenwich the best education possible.

Whether Greenwich parents want their children’s education to “go global” or to remain in the hands of the community, leaders such as Marianna Ponns Cohen are crucial. Due diligence and integrity, as exemplified by Ms. Ponns Cohen, are absolutely necessary to keep communications open in the BOE and to minimize costly disruptions. Let’s put Greenwich back on top! Please vote for Marianna Ponns Cohen on Election Day, November 8.

Nancy Lucht

Greenwich

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10/03/11 FIRST SELECTMAN'S OFFICE PRESS RELEASE: GREENWICH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

Recently there has been some commentary regarding the Town of Greenwich’s Emergency Operations Plan. Post September 11, 2001 this plan has been an increasingly important document to determine how our Town will respond to the many possible emergencies that we may face.

It is a guideline that we use to detail how each department and our many community partners will work together to address emergencies. The plan is designed to assist the Town to preplan how we will respond and cooperate to lessen the impact on our citizenry of such disasters. The plan is a requirement under State Law. Under Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 1-210 subparagraph 19(viii) it is also exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. It is exempt because it contains many sensitive public safety plans that could be jeopardized or disrupted if they were made public prior to an event and it is also filled with personal contact data from the many individuals and groups that help keep our citizens safe.

The Town of Greenwich staff review the Emergency Operations Plan regularly to update the information and make it is as current as possible. Our most recent effort is designed to partition the document in such a way that information that is not sensitive is available for public access while those sections that deal with security or personal data is segregated and kept private. This is not to deny the public’s right to know but merely to preserve our legitimate need to protect public safety and personal privacy.

To provide the public with a better understanding of what transpires during an emergency situation I have prepared a short summary of how we respond to emergency conditions.

When a disaster is imminent, I activate the Town’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC). In this room we have representatives from all responding departments and our community partners so that we may address whatever the threat is in a unified fashion. As First Selectman I have the responsibility under the law to lead this effort. Obviously, we have many qualified and experienced people within our organization and our partners who I rely on to assure that no element of the emergency situation is overlooked. The departments and community partners who are regularly included in this effort are: Police, Fire, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, G.I.S., Health, Conservation, Board of Education, Greenwich Emergency Medical Service, Red Cross and depending upon the situation the Greenwich and Perrot Libraries. Other departments and community groups may also be added if conditions warrant. We also coordinate closely with the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection as well as with our state and federal partners. Often our state and federal legislators join us to facilitate our efforts. Of equal importance are the many volunteers and other organizations that based upon the situation work to ensure the resilience of our community.

During Hurricane Irene individuals like teenager Victoria Horton of Cos Cob or youth from the Greenwich Boy Scouts who gave of their time to fill sandbags, or the many volunteer firefighters who hand-delivered evacuation notices to residents, or like Julia Chiappetta who helped to answer the phones in the Emergency Operations Center for countless hours, or like Ross Ogden of the Red Cross who has served our community for the past 40 years by focusing on providing shelter and support services to individuals and families dislocated from their residences. Without the assistance of these and many other individuals Greenwich could never meet the challenges that disasters like Hurricane Irene present.

During 2010 our Town was hit by a nor’easter that caused significant damage to our community. Our coordinated response was touted by then-Commissioner of Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Peter Boynton in remarks after the event as being a best-practice and a model for other Connecticut communities. However, while we were proud of our actions we also identified several areas were we could do better. These included the need to better prepare our residents for disaster situations, improved relations with Connecticut Light and Power and a more coordinated communication plan with the media.

As a result, on September 21^st, 2010 the Town of Greenwich Health Department published a Resident Guide to Hurricane Preparedness, which contained pertinent information about what residents should do in case of a hurricane. This handbook was widely distributed throughout the community and was (and still is) available on the Town’s website. Shortly thereafter, the Town hosted a Hurricane Preparedness symposium at the Cole Auditorium of the Greenwich Library. This event gathered all department heads responsible for responding to an emergency as well as representatives from Connecticut Light and Power and Connecticut Natural Gas to detail how each entity prepares individually and as a part of a coordinated response. It also detailed what departments are responsible for what actions during and after the storm. This symposium was moderated by ABC News 7 Meteorologist Bill Evans and was broadcast live by Channel 79 and WGCH. Channel 79 also recorded and repeatedly rebroadcast this event in the subsequent weeks. The presentation itself was made available (and is still available) on the Town’s website.

As Hurricane Irene approached, we incorporated those lessons learned and invited community radio station WGCH as well as having a dedicated CL&P representative into the EOC. WGCH assisted with getting more and better information out to the public while the CL&P representative assisted with coordinating our joint response to the storm. While many in Town - myself included - were not happy with how long it took to restore power to all residents, this was a function of the resources allotted by CL&P. The inclusion of a CL&P representative in the EOC was very helpful over the course of the restoration period in reopening roads and electric service. I believe their presence made the process better than it would have been if they were not present.

Recently the Town was recognized by the Community and Regional Resilience Institute and asked to participate in a nationwide program to improve emergency response. We were one of only eight communities so recognized and asked to participate in this model program. This program is being managed out of the Oakridge National Laboratories and is designed to develop high-performing emergency response communities. It is both an honor for the Town of Greenwich and recognition of the excellent emergency services that we provide.

No one looks forward to emergencies but when the unexpected occurs and when there are dire circumstances, I know that the Town of Greenwich and our many community volunteer groups are not only well prepared but filled with dedicated people who come forward to face these challenges. The Town is truly blessed and I am extremely pleased to be leading such a fine group of individuals and organizations.

Respectfully,

Peter J. Tesei

First Selectman

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10/03/11 LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE: Tesei And Blankley Face Off In Debate Wednesday Night, Theis And Marzullo Also Square Off, May The Best Man Win!!!

The League of Women Voters of Greenwich invites the public to attend two consecutive debates between candidates for the Board of Selectmen.

The debates will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 5, in the Town Hall Meeting Room at 101 Field Point Road in Greenwich.

The first debate, at 7, will be between Selectmen David Theis (Republican incumbent) and Drew Marzullo (Democrat incumbent). Immediately following, at 7:45, will be a debate between the candidates for first selectman, Peter Tesei (Republican incumbent) and John Blankley (Democrat).

Jean Rabinow of Bridgeport will moderate. The debate will be broadcast on Greenwich cable channel 79.

10/03/11 Laudonia deserves a second term

To the editor:

Tod Laudonia is the rock of Cos Cob. Come what may, he stands firm and confident. He has never lost focus on the job of tax collector -- a 99.65 percent collection rate and a tightly budgeted office.

He has always been a good neighbor and friend. Please join me as I vote for Tod Laudonia's re-election as tax collector.

Chris von Keyserling
Greenwich RTM (Cos Cob District 8)

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10/03/11 CT NEWS ALERT: State To Rehire 56 Rookie State Troopers

State To Rehire 56 Rookie State Troopers

Layoff notices for 56 rookie state troopers have been rescinded, state officials said ....

10/03/11 Greenwich Homeowner Bill Effros: The True Cost of MISA

MISA opened Pandora's box. The $17 million budgeted to date is just the down payment.

No sooner had MISA construction begun than PCBs, as well as other known carcinogens, were exposed on site. PCBs are far and away the most dangerous, even in miniscule quantities. Quoting from the Dioxin Home Page (http://www.ejnet.org/dioxin/):

"What is dioxin? Dioxins and furans are some of the most toxic chemicals known to science...there is no 'safe' level of exposure."

"Dioxin is a general term that describes a group of hundreds of chemicals that are highly persistent in the environment. The most toxic compound is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin or TCDD. The toxicity of other dioxins and chemicals like PCBs that act like dioxin are measured in relation to TCDD... Dioxin was the primary toxic component of Agent Orange, was found at Love Canal in Niagara Falls, NY and was the basis for evacuations at Times Beach, MO and Seveso, Italy."

TCDD is considered a health threat in concentrations of 1 part per billion. PCBs are considered the same health threat in concentrations of 1 part per million. PCBs kill. PCBs cause fatal cancer at 1000 times the rate of those not exposed. PCBs cause birth defects. PCBs accumulate in humans over their lifetimes, and can be found in fetuses carried by young women inadvertently exposed. Once exposed to PCBs, women should never breast-feed their infants.

The high school fields and parking lots rest on 10 to 15 vertical feet of fill spread out over more than 50 acres. The Board of Education has no record of where the fill came from, or what was in it. Less than 1% of the fill has been tested

PCBs at levels exceeding 1 part per million have already been found all over the surface of the high school grounds. PCBs at levels exceeding 1 part per million have already been found 15 feet below the surface. PCBs at levels exceeding 1 part per million have already been found in the drainage ditches surrounding the fields. PCBs at levels exceeding 1 part per million have already been found in the water flushed through the fields onto neighboring properties and into Long Island Sound. PCBs as high as 100 parts per million have already been found in some locations.

Maybe there isn't even a trace of PCBs in the remaining millions of pounds of untested high school fill. It seems unlikely. Are we willing to bet our kids lives on it?

For more detail on the hazards of PCBs go to the following websites to see why entire neighborhoods, even entire towns have been evacuated and abandoned after PCBs were discovered:

Love Canal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Canal);

Times Beach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Beach,_Missouri)

And Seveso (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seveso_disaster)

Start with Love Canal which also involved a school built on toxic waste despite repeated warnings.

No matter what it costs, the high school grounds, including the ground under the buildings themselves, must be properly tested and remediated before our children are irreparably placed in harm's way.

The money can be replaced, our children's lives cannot.

Bill Effros

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10/03/11 The Greenwich Topix News Message Board - (2 stories) - TOP STORY: Greenwich Emergency Response Plan Explained

Greenwich - News October 3, 2011 Greenwich Emergency Response Plan Explained (Patch) Recently there has been some commentary regarding the Town of Greenwich's Emergency Operations Plan. Introducing Fairfield's New High Tech Police Boat (Patch) The Fairfield Police Department introduced its new 33-foot full cabin SAFE Boat during a ceremony held at South Benson Marina on Friday. ... that the town's marine officers must be available to respond to emergencies elsewhere in Long Island Sound, from Greenwich to Stratford, 24/7, if called upon. In addition the town must pay for fuel and maintenance of the vessel. Training to officers ...

10/03/11 The Greenwich First Selectman Report

News Reports About Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei

Greenwich Emergency Response Plan Explained Patch.com By Peter Tesei Submit a letter to the editor of Woodinville Patch by e-mailing ann.archer@patch.com. Patch Recently there has been some commentary regarding ...

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10/03/11 Is Boris Hutorin And The Russian Boys In The Town Hall Basement Technology Department Goofing Off Again? Or Is This Another Greenwich Boris?

Internet Discussions About Greenwich, CT

Greenwich CT Thread - Page 72 - Subaru Impreza WRX STI Forums ... 2 posts - Last post: Oct 2, 2011 Originally Posted by Boris I know a lot of people going to this. also, who's the chick in your avatar? I've been trying to find out her name but I'm..... www.iwsti.com/forums/.../127349-greenwich-ct-thread-72.ht... FLASHBACK: Town investigating employee's erotica postings on Internet By Neil Vigdor, Greenwich Time Published 10:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 8, 2010 A tech support employee for the town is being accused by his own union of using his work computer to pen sordid tales of nymphomania, food fetishes and body piercing for several erotica websites co-workers said he runs. According to documents obtained by Greenwich Time, the employee works for the town's information technology department and is a member of the Laborers' International Union of North America Local 136. One of his so-called erotica narratives is entitled "8-th picture. Isabella, Mexican-nymphomaniac." "Mexican nymphomaniac was tireless," read one passage from the 14-page narrative. "She writhed in front of me like a snake, taking various poses, seen it in dirty magazines. " Approached Wednesday by the newspaper, LIUNA representatives confirmed that the materials, which included a list of Internet sites allegedly run by the employee, were authentic and were turned over to the town last week as part of a formal complaint. "There was concern about a possible violation of town computer policy, that they were being used for non-town business," said Lynn Mason, business manager of LIUNA. "The complaint came from several sources, some of them being town employees." LIUNA represents about 415 middle managers in general government and the schools. "The persons who brought this information forward have requested confidentiality and protection under the town's whistle-blower policy," Mason said. Telephone and e-mail messages seeking comment from the employee, who was said by co-workers to be on vacation this week, were left at his office and through one of his websites on Wednesday. A home telephone number listed for the employee was disconnected and no one answered at another number. Boris Hutorin, the town's information technology director, acknowledged that the employee's writings are the subject of a human resources probe. "I don't want to comment on this. It's under investigation," Hutorin said. Asked whether he stood by the employee in question, who those with knowledge of the matter reported has worked for the town for one to two years, Hutorin said, "I don't want to see any employees who work for me be in violation of any rules and regulations." First Selectman Peter Tesei, the town's chief elected official, also confirmed the allegations. "I'm aware of it," Tesei said. Though he hadn't read the materials himself, Tesei said that the town has a strict policy mandating that its computers only be used for official business that is lawful and meets standards for appropriate conduct. "I think that falls outside what the authorized uses are," Tesei said. Tesei was reluctant to visit one of the websites -- www.doktoralik.fm --for himself. "I don't want to go onto my town computer because then I'll be in violation of the town's policy," Tesei said. Written entirely in Russian, the website contains the images of a woman bent over in garter belts and stockings in the rain under an umbrella, a second covered in red paint and third sucking on a strategically placed lollipop. Accompanying many of the photos were erotica narratives, including an adult version of "Little Red Riding Hood," mentioning her grandmother and a wolf. "He, without hesitation, also got under the blanket to Pashechke and Grandmother, hoping for a quick Menage de trois," read one passage entered in Google Translate. A link to a bizarre Vladimir Putin tribute page showing the Russian prime minister feeding a goat in its stall, swimming with dolphins and holding a fish was also on the website. "Good grief," Tesei said when he was given a description of the materials. Tesei refused to say whether the employee's computer has been confiscated, as some with knowledge of the matter claimed. "I don't want to give out any information that might impede the investigation," Tesei said. Messages seeking comment from Maureen Kast and Alfred Cava, the town's respective human resources and labor relations directors, were left Wednesday at their offices. Read more: http://www.greenwichtime.com/local/article/Town-investigating-employee-s-erotica-postings-on-650406.php#ixzz1ZkBYqC2g

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10/03/11 Capitol Ideas for Connecticut's Legislative Sausage Factory and more from Greenwich Patch

Today 62° 49° Tomorrow 63° 51° October 3, 2011 Your News October 3, 2011 Capitol Ideas for Connecticut's Legislative Sausage Factory Cathryn Prince | Oct 3, 2011 | 0 Comments Proposals, trends, discussions and debates about aging, education, jobs and the economy. Safety, Fares, Service Quality Among Mounting Metro-North Concerns Jamal Powell | Oct 3, 2011 | 0 Comments With pending fare hikes, rail commuters more worried about the quality of the Metro-North service while lamenting lack of transportation alternatives. Greenwich Emergency Response Plan Explained | Oct 3, 2011 | 0 Comments By Peter Tesei Greenwich Board of Ed Goalkeeping Sue Rogers | Oct 3, 2011 | 0 Comments Board to continue discussions on how to improve achievement, superintendent search. Greenwich Scores and Standings: Oct 3 Bob Birge | Oct 3, 2011 | 0 Comments Your interactive, daily digest for all Greenwich scores, schedules and standings — and a place for you to add information and images for all youth sports

10/03/11 Greenwich Woman Is Second Again at Ridgefield Half And More News From The Daily Greenwich

Main Street Connect Your Home Town Online

Greenwich Woman Is Second Again at Ridgefield Half by Jim Gerweck | 10/03/11 RIDGEFIELD, Conn. – There's no doubt the marathon is Sharon Vos' best, and probably favorite, distance. With many age group wins at ... READ MORE

Suburban Dad: There's No Such Thing as a Free Egg
by Marek Fuchs | 10/03/11
	Chickens ate my paycheck. As longtime readers know, I decided to raise chickens. This alone isn't such a big deal. ... READ MORE

'Drop Dead Day' in Norwalk Targets Child Abuse
by Richard Weizel | 10/02/11
	NORWALK, Conn. – It was "Drop Dead Day" on the lawn in front of Norwalk City Hall. Nearly 150 students from Brien McMahon ... READ MORE

10/03/11 Norwalkers Coming To Rescue Food In Greenwich So That The Poor Can Eat

No one likes to talk about food insecurity in wealthy Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Those who will talk about it say that it is a problem with no good reason. It's just a problem of logistics.

Community Plates, an organization that rescues healthy surplus food from Fairfield County restaurants, caterers, grocers, bakers, etc. before it ends up in the dumpster.

Community Plates' 50 plus volunteers began rescuing food in May, and have some 20 donors already, ranging from Match Restaurant in South Norwalk and Fairway Market in Stamford to Trader Joe's, Barcelona, O'Neill's Pub and the SoNo Brewhouse.

They already serve seven agencies in Norwalk -- including Open Door Shelter and Christian Community Action -- Stamford, Darien and Bridgeport, and will be expanding to Greenwich.

Kevin Mullins, a Norwalk resident and former pastor of Northeast Community Church in Norwalk says that the group is rescuing close to 10,000 pounds of desperately needed food each week.

This is part of the local food rescue movement, that says hunger in the Fairfield County really should be solved.

To get another step closer to its goals, Community Plates will hold its first fundraiser Oct. 4 from 6:30-9 p.m. at Stepping Stones Museum in Norwalk.

The gala cocktail party, will include a DJ, passed hors d'oeuvres by Marcia Selden Catering, beer and wine provided by Diageo, and the evening's signature cocktail, a blue kamikaze. Since many volunteers were recruited online, it will be the first time organization leaders and volunteers meet and the first opportunity that Community Plates has had to gather its entire food-rescue community in one place. The event will celebrate the work accomplished since the organization's launch in January of this year.

Funds raised from the gala will primarily cover materials costs, enable further expansion in Fairfield County and finish development of a ground-breaking Web and smart-phone app which Community Plates will unveil in October. The app will streamline the food-rescue process, connecting the three vital streams of donors, volunteers and receiving organizations. The app will be demonstrated for the first time at the gala.

Mullins said going forward he hopes to expand the three prongs that have already made the organization a success -- donors, volunteers and receiving agencies.

Potential Greenwich food donors just need to contact Community Plates and someone will reach out to establish the easiest way to make a donation happen.

Community Plates is also looking for food runners who make everything happen from a transfer standpoint, as well as additional receiving agencies to serve.

Tickets to the gala are $50. For tickets or information about Community Plates, visit www.communityplates.org.