Greenwich News - June 24, 2010
A Connecticut pastor reportedly staying in town was indicted last week on child pornography charges. Two televised political debates - sponsored by The Hartford Courant, Fox CT, and The Bushnell Center For the Performing Arts - have been set for early October. Larry Corbett of Bridgeport is a suspect in the murder of George A. McPherson, whose body was dumped in backcountry Greenwich. Greenwich High School's Max Margenot adjusts his ascot as he prepares for his role as Pozzo in a recent performance of "Waiting for Godot" at Greenwich Country Day School. Bets that Frontier Communications Corp. will lose more than a third of its value by August boosted bearish options trading on the phone company serving rural U.S. markets to a record. More Greenwich News From Topix:
David Stockman, founder and senior managing director of Heartland Industrial Partners, L.P., sits in his home in Greenwich, Connecticut on July 10, 2007. (greenwichroundup.blogspot)
Only In Bridgeport® http://onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/
If you like your politics conservative, fiscally and socially, Rick Torres fits both.
Rick is a passionate pol who stirs passionate responses. He has qualified for the ballot to challenge GOP-endorsed State Senator Dan Debicella, a Bridgeport native, in an August primary the winner to face Fourth District Democratic Congressman Jim Himes. Rob Merkle, of Norwalk, founder of an executive search firm in Westport, has also qualified for the August primary.Merkle is a favorite of some Tea Party types, such as it is in Fairfield County.
So who's Rick Torres?
Torres lives in Black Rock and operates Harborview Market, a popular neighborhood gathering spot. Rick toiled in Bridgeport Democratic politics for a while as an outsider. He was so outside as an establishment fighter that it was better to become a Republican. In 2003 he almost became mayor, losing the general election to John Fabrizi who had become chief executive following Joe Ganim's resignation following his conviction on corruption charges. The early fall of 2003 was dicey for Democrats. The electorate was angry, Fabrizi had served as city council president while Ganim was mayor, Mario Testa was party leader. Fabrizi survived a tough primary against Caruso and others.
As the general election closed in Republican and Democratic polls showed the race was even.
That's not good for Dems who enjoy a major registration advantage. Testa decided it would be good to resign to take heat off Fabrizi.
The editorial board of the Connecticut Post did not believe Rick had the right temperament to be mayor. A statement Rick made about the minority community lifting themselves up was interpreted as insensitive.
Fabrizi won the election.
Rick did not go away, nor did his controversial swagger.
In the summer of 2007 Rick, as the local GOP chair, endorsed Democratic State Rep. Chris Caruso, the mayoral primary challenger to party-endorsed Bill Finch, arguing the best way to cleanse the city's Democratic political system was to get behind the guy who'd powerwash it into the Pequonnock River. Local Republicans threw a fit over Rick endorsing a Dem and removed Torres as party leader.
The Greenwich Old Timers Athletic Association has announced the recipients of its 2010 scholarship awards.... Federal officials are closing three disaster recovery centers and opening three new temporary centers... ... were affected by severe flooding this spring and, on Wednesday, short-term disaster recovery centers will open in Greenwich, New Haven and Old Saybrook . They will remain open for four days only. The centers are located at: Western Greenwich Civic ... Taxes, spending, education, and Blue Laws took center stage on NBC Connecticut in the first televised debate between the two Democratic candidates vying for Governor.... ... televised debate between the two Democratic candidates vying for Governor. Former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy and Greenwich entrepreneur Ned Lamont agreed on many of the same issues during the hour-long debate. "I understand that it's time to get ... The head of a water buffalo, a blue Marilyn by Andy Warhol, and various polo awards are among the trophies with which Peter Brant has decorated the library in his Greenwich, Conn., mansion..... 
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