07/25/08 Greenwich Citizen News Links

TOP STORY

HEADLINE:

Greenwich Citizen Reporter PATRICIA McCORMACK pours on the sticky syrup.

Police Chief David Ridberg used a "comforting tone of voice" and "a sympathetic manner and demeanor" as his officers made sure that Wiffle ball players did not chain themselves to the outfield fence.

First Selectman Peter Tesei faced "the darkest of my administration"

Reporters were "drawn like bees to clover"

DPW workers were "handling great fragile treasure"

Teenagers were "civil on the outside but sobbing on the inside"

STORY:

Solemn Signs of the Times

The woman appeared saddened that Town workers had just taken out the controversial Wiffle ball field, as ordered by First Selectman Peter Tesei.

"I understand both sides of this," Ridberg, using a comforting tone of voice, told the woman who exhibited the deep sorrow of one returning from the funeral of a loved one.

The Chief's demeanor - a sympathetic manner - mirrored that of other uniformed police officers and Town workers on the scene from around 7 a.m. to carry out Tesei's order.

When he issued it, Tesei related that the day was "the darkest of my administration."...

...Only an American flag was left.

"That belongs to the players," the foreman said. "It's their property.

We won't touch it."

"That belongs to the players," the foreman said. "It's their property.

We won't touch it."

Here Is Some More Sugar Coated Very Old

News Reports From The Greenwich Citizen:

Ham Ave. Parents Plead for Timely Finish

The hard working-through-summer school administrators and members of the Board of Education were confronted by an angry parent body of two western Greenwich elementary schools Tuesday night at an emergency meeting of the board in the Greenwich High School Auditorium....

Shoreline Pools' Lionetti Charged in Child's Drowning

The name of Shoreline Pools has been synonymous for elegantly laid out swimming pools across Greenwich, often with fieldstone surrounds, or artful waterfall features.

But Monday, Shoreline President David Lionetti, 53, of Stamford, stood accused of manslaughter in the second degree for, according to Greenwich police, "having recklessly caused the death of six-year-old Zachary Cohn." With the charge comes a possible prison term of 10 years...

Fresh Back from Israel, Himes Hones in on Issues

Congressional candidate Jim Himes, displaying a smoother oratorical style than in the past, spent two hours updating a packed Town Hall crowd on campaign issues July 16...

Dreams, Democracy Demolished

So the Big Bad Wolf decided to go and blow the house down. Nice. When the powers that be in Town Dysfunction decided in the name of "Holy Liability" that a Wiffle ball stadium built by teens....

Letters To The Greenwich Citizen Editor

About Letters In The Greenwich Time:

To the Greenwich Citizen Editor:

The July 16 issue of the Greenwich Time carried a letter, written by the chairman of the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee, regarding increased drilling for domestic oil and natural gas - which he opposes.

The letter is predictably snide and nasty in its tone. More important, however, is that it unintentionally illustrates the danger to the country from political policies and politicians driven by ideology rather than common sense. Try as it might, the left wing of the Democratic Party cannot repeal the law of supply and demand; it is thus willing to repeat the failed energy policies of the Clinton administration.

The left wing (i.e., the Obama, Pelosi, Reid and Himes wing) of the Democratic Party is apparently so beholden to radical environmentalists that it will not or cannot adapt to changing economic circumstances.

Most Americans, however, want a common sense solution to the nation's current energy problems. That solution will be found in a combination of policies: greater conservation right now and, we assume, the development of economically and environmentally viable alternative energy sources in the longer term.

At the same time, it is absolutely essential, for both national security and economic reasons, that we take immediate action to increase our domestic energy resources. To pretend otherwise is to continue to live in an ideological fantasy land.

Voters should note which political party is likely to be willing and able going forward to support rational policies in the vital and rapidly changing energy sector.

John R. Raben Jr.

Chairman, Greenwich Republican Town Committee

Riverside

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07/20/08 More On Senate Banking Chairman Dodd

THE KINGDOM OF DODD

Chris Fountain covers "Our man in Washington" at his excellent news and commentary website called," For What It's Worth " the web address is Greenwichrealestate.blogspot.com.

Our man in Washington

There's an interesting discussion going on in the comments section of the previous post concerning Wall Street, Washington and in general, pigs at the trough. In the meantime, the question of Senator Chris Dodd coming up, I thought to confirm my suspicion that his "presidential nomination campaign" served as nothing more than a sop to his ego and a sponge for the campaign contributions he could solicit (or extort) because of his position as Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. As for ego, there's no doubt that every boy and girl serving in the Senate believes, deep down, that he's qualified to be President. But it takes an ego of truly gargantuan dimensions to act on that belief when polls list you at 1% voter recognition. That didn't stop Dodd, of course, particularly when he could indulge his aspirations at the expense of the financial community he regulates. Sure enough, the senator put the touch on his new best friends. Try this or, for a general overview from years past (I believe this latter doesn't include his presidential campaign contributions, which are tabulated separately) this.

Dodd learned from his father, of course, that direct solicitation of bribes leads to trouble, but squeezing folks you can choose to put out of business, well that's just Washington politics. Years ago, William F. Buckley pointed out that our Senator from New London regularly voted against every single defense appropriation except those supporting new nuclear submarines. It's certainly possible, as Buckley posited, that the senator truly believed that the only weapon that could protect our nation from its enemies was the nuclear sub. On the other hand, cynics might be forgiven for suspecting that the man was just a hollow, greedy shill who looked out for his interests and his interests only. I was one of those cynics oh so long ago and I've never changed my opinion.

Previous Posts From For What It's Worth.

• Mea Culpa There's a nice post in the comments sect...
• Pricing There were 26 price reductions reported ye...
• HoJo's Thanks to two intrepid readers, Pam, who re...
• Price reductions The condos on South Water Street...
• Fun with numbers The Greenwich MLS has just issued...
• Needless Tragedy Greenwich Time reports that the h...
• Statistics We have 626 single family homes current...
• The market is going down I've complained before ab...
• The glaciers are melting! The glaciers are melting...

If you are relively new to Greenwich you spend a few hours on a Sunday afternoon and read all or most of Mr. Fountain's Previous Columns.

Note To Greenwich Roundup Readers:

I have been thinking about starting a blog roll of local blogs for along time, but I have just been too lazy. However, I am going to officially start a blog roll today with the very insightful and informative blog - For What It's Worth.

Any Greenwich single family home-owner and taxpayer that fails to read For What It's Worth is truly uninformed about what is really going on in town.

Mr. Fountains excellent reporting got him relived of his duties at a local weekly newspaper, that could not handle the heat that the truth sometimes brings to an editor or publisher.

Please also see yesterday's article on Christopher Dodd:

07/24/08 John Dyment Of Cos Cob Can't Talk About How His Hedge Fund Is Helping To Bail Out The Senate Banking Chairman

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07/25/08 Greenwich Time News Links For Friday

TOP STORY

HEADLINE:

CT State Attorney Valdes Argues That His Case Against The Dinner Time Bandit Is So Weak That He Needs AP Reporter Christoffersen Testimony To Save The Day

QUOTES:

"The defendant made incriminating admissions to Mr. Christoffersen," State Attorney Joseph Valdes' motion said. "The state is requesting that the court order Mr. Christoffersen to testify to the relevant and admissible admissions by the defendant."

"It is a very strong law from the media's standpoint and demands the party seeking the testimony or demanding documents to make a showing that they need it in order to make their case," Dave Tomlin, associate general counsel for the Associated Press said. " I don't think they meet that."

"I liked the planning," alleged Dinnertime Bandit Alan Golder said in the interview. "I liked the execution. I liked the reward."

STORY:

Reporter ordered to testify

By Martin B. Cassidy Staff Writer

In a challenge to a 2006 law expanding protection of journalist's sources and other information, prosecutors want to subpoena a reporter to testify about what they say are incriminating statements made by alleged Dinnertime Bandit Alan Golder during a February prison interview.

In the motion filed earlier this week in state Superior Court in Stamford, Assistant State Attorney Joseph Valdes requested that Associated Press reporter John Christoffersen be ordered to testify about his conversations with Golder for a Feb. 10 article.

In the motion, Valdes argues that Christoffersen's testimony is "critical" to the prosecution of the 53-year-old Golder and not available by other means...

...Christoffersen interviewed Golder at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Facility in Suffield earlier this year about his time spent on the run in Europe after Greenwich issued a warrant for his arrest in 1998...

...Gary Farrugia, publisher of the New London Day and the current president of the Connecticut Daily Newspaper Association, said Valdes' motion is the first challenge to the 2006 law's protections he has heard of.

Farrugia said he believes the law puts a high burden of proof on the prosecutor to show they have exhausted other avenues to obtain the information they seek from Christoffersen.

"It pretty much flies in the face and the intent of the shield law," Farrugia said. "The way I read it this AP reporter is comfortably under its protection."

A hearing on the motion has been scheduled for Aug. 1
Greenwich Roundup Predicts That Assistant State Attorney Joseph Valdes Will Soon Be Reading The Following Associated Press Headline:

Judge Declines To Order Reporter To Testify In Dinner Time Bandit Case

Please Read The Full Greenwich Time Story

More Greenwich Time News Links:

West Nile virus found in town

Mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus have been found at a location near the Greenwich Civic Center.

Bruce to receive $750,000

The Bruce Museum is set to receive $750,000 from the state for its expansion plans. Gov. Jodi Rell announced the state funding yesterday.

Police blotter

Loire A. Squillini, 40, of 411 East 88th St., New York, N.Y., was arrested by warrant Wednesday afternoon and charged with second-degree harassment and second-degree threatening, according to a police report.

Squillini allegedly made harassing phone calls to her former boyfriend, according to the report.

She turned herself in at the Greenwich Police Department after being notified about the warrant, according to the report.

She was released on $250 bond, and is scheduled to appear Wednesday in state Superior Court in Stamford, according to the report.

********************************************************

Lorna J. Williams, 35, of 30-31 Armstrong Court, was arrested Wednesday night and was charged with second-degree breach of peace in connection with a verbal argument with her son, according to a police report.

Upon arrival, police were told that Williams had argued loudly in the roadway in front of 47 South Water St. with her 17-year-old son, according to the report.

The 17-year-old also was charged with second-degree breach of peace, according to the report. Police withheld his name because of his age.

Both were released on promises to appear Thursday in state Superior Court in Stamford, according to the report.

Technology keeps hospital a step ahead

Digital wristbands, wireless Internet and voice activated communication devices are just some of the technology that has enabled Greenwich Hospital to be recognized as one of the "Most Wired" hospitals in the country.

The art of a gallery owner

There are brightly colored paintings of athletes evoking American painter Leroy Neiman. Amidst those paintings are more luminescent works reminiscent of the great masters.

This unique blend of antique and contemporary is what Mark Blechman says draws collectors to Galerie Zama, his latest effort in the local arts and antiques scene. The 62-year-old Blechman has been on the local scene for about two decades. He established the International Fiduciary Inc. (IFI), an auction house in the Shippan section of Stamford, in 1986. It also was there that for many years he operated the Shippan Center for Arts & Antiques. Last year he closed the antiques center where dealers rented booths to display and sell their wares.

The aftereffects of a brutal crime

It was a crime shocking not just for its brutality, but for the way it diminished our sense of safety. No one is immune to violence, but residents of well-to-do suburbs like Cheshire probably thought they'd put some distance between themselves and the worst of the danger. However, the killings of three people in that town one year ago contradicted that notion.

Last July 23, Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters, Hayley Elizabeth and Michaela Rose, were slain in a home invasion. In the year since, state residents have struggled to cope with the idea of crime being so random and unanticipated, and the realization that we can never be protected from every danger.

The critics of school projects will not go away

To the Greenwich Time editor:

How embarrassing for the town of Greenwich. Here we are in the spotlight again, not down one school building but two!

To the members of the Board of Education and our first selectman: Do not think we, the parents of Hamilton Avenue and Glenville schools, will accept your continued nonsense.

Our children will not be victims any longer. We will not be dispersed nor will we go into the already-deemed-unsafe Glenville School building. It is time for officials to get their acts together and get our schools done. Stop the games!

How many millions of dollars has this incompetence already cost the taxpayers of Greenwich? Every Greenwich resident should be as outraged as I am.

The town can install pretty brick crosswalks and demolish Wiffle ball fields, but can't get its schools done. Something is terribly wrong.

Kerry Dunn

Greenwich

The writer is a Hamilton Avenue School parent.

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07/24/08 Postal Services is taking a look at options to turn its fleet green, even though, the town of Greenwich abandoned plans to go green

Postal Service Wants To Green 90% Of Fleet

Environmental Leader

The U.S. Postal Service is participating in Project Driveway to identify new technologies in hopes of replacing almost 90 percent, or 195,000 of its delivery fleet with non-petroleum fueled vehicles. General Motors presented a Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicle to the Postal Service for testing in a mail-delivery environment.

The move comes as fuel price are skyrocketing; since a one-cent increase in a gallon of fuel adds $8 million annually to the company’s expenses. Last year, fuel costs were $1.7 billion and are expected to increase by $600 million this year.

An alternative could be hydrogen fuel cells, which are touted as being twice as efficient as an internal combustion engine, emits only water vapor and uses fuel that can be made from traditional and renewable energy sources.

The Postal Service currently has over 43,000 alternative fuel vehicles that can operate on hybrid-electric, compressed natural gas, liquid propane gas, ethanol (E-85), biodiesel and hydrogen fuel cell.

The Postal Service did well in a recent report that looked at the sustainability of shipping companies.

on the While the Postal Services is taking a look at options to turn its fleet green, the Town of Greenwich, Connecticut, recently abandoned plans to run half of its fleet on soy-based biodiesel fuel.

But, for now, it seems the green fleet trend is still strong, with AT&T, UPS and Nike all adding more green vehicles to their fleets.

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07/24/08 Greenwich Roundup Might Have Been Wrong About The New Greenwich Time Editor

Greenwich Time Editor David Warner Has His Reporters Updating The News Website Throughout The Day

Fifty households lose water service

07/24/2008 01:31:07 PM

Workers are on the scene of a water main break on Ritch Avenue doing repairs.

About 50 households are affected by the outage, according to Lorraine Bukowski, spokeswoman for Aquarion Water Co. The outage in the 8-inch water main was reported at 12:45 p.m., she said.....

Benefit set for Corinne Lantz

07/24/2008 01:39:56 PM

The family and friends of Corinne Lantz, 17, a Greenwich High School honor student who was severely injured in a Feb. 21 accident on the Post Road in Cos Cob, will host a charitable softball tournament and raffle Aug. 17 for her benefit.

Organizers are seeking help in sponsoring the benefit from those who will volunteer to supply food, beverages, tee-shirts and raffle items....

State funding expected for Bruce

07/24/2008 01:53:53 PM

Gov. M. Jodi Rell said Thursday that $750,000 for the Bruce Museum is expected to be approved at the Aug 4 meeting of the State Bond Commission.

"The Bruce Museum promotes the understanding and appreciation of art and science to enrich the lives of all people,"Rell said in a press release. "These funds will help the Bruce Museum maintain and expand the artistic, cultural and historical programs it has provided to the people of Greenwich and other Fairfield County communities for so many years."

The museum was built as a private home in 1853. Robert Moffat Bruce....

Some $750,000 in funding for the Bruce Museum is expected to win approval Aug. 4 from the State Bond Commission....

Congratulations To

The Greenwich Time Editor And Staff

For The Frequent News Updates

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07/24/08 John Dyment Of Cos Cob Can't Talk About His Hedge Fund Bailing Out The Senate Banking Chairman

Defunct Dodd Campaign Continues To Pull In Money

Hartford Courant

By JESSE A. HAMILTON

Washington Bureau Chief

WASHINGTON — - The Dodd for President campaign has been defunct for almost seven months, but it's still hauling in money at a brisk pace — $77,851 in May, for instance. The campaign is still looking for cash because, in the modern political tradition, it spent more than it took in.

But for a veteran senator like Dodd, who holds a chairmanship and senior positions on major committees...

So, what makes a person give to a campaign that has long since given up?

The same reason, experts say, that people have long been generous with Dodd. Many of his post-campaign contributors are finance professionals, clustered in the southwestern corner of Connecticut. Dodd is the chairman of the Senate banking committee, and so oversees the lawmaking and agencies that affect U.S. financial businesses.

"In the case of somebody like Sen. Dodd, he's still a senator and a chairman," said Jan Baran, a Washington attorney who specializes in election law. "He might be able to collect some money from folks he'll have an ongoing relationship with."...

...In the financial realm, the executives of Shumway Capital Partners, a Greenwich-based hedge fund, have been among Dodd's chief recent contributors. From CEO Chris Shumway on down, 16 employees gave $32,900, plus another $2,300 from the Shumway household.

Reached at home in Cos Cob, Shumway President John Dyment said, "I'm not interested in commenting." He explained that it's company policy. "I'm not allowed to talk to the press."....

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07/24/08 Former Greenwich Police Officer Jack Stein II amazed doctors three years ago with his return to the rink after hip replacement surgery.

Formerly resilient spirit hit his limit

By Rick Badie The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 07/24/08

He amazed doctors three years ago with his return to the rink so quickly after double-hip replacement surgery.

Five months, to be exact.

John William "Jack" Stein II's post-surgical recovery was so remarkable doctors at Resurgens Orthopedics at St. Joseph's brought him on board to advise hip surgery patients. To tell how he'd learned to walk —- and skate —- again.

"I've been playing hockey for 44 years," Stein told me in February 2005. "I wasn't going to give it up. . . . I slowly worked up to walking two miles a day, but I'd have tears in my eyes. The pain was brutal."

I wrote about Stein when he played forward in an ice hockey game to benefit Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. He played on the metro Atlanta police team. The cops lost 7-6 to the firefighters. Stein —- a bear of a man at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds —- scored two goals.

In recent years, Stein's health soured. It caused him to retire from his job as a bike patrol officer with the Gwinnett County Police Department. He had been a cop 21 years, three of them in Greenwich, Conn., his hometown.

Last year, he had his feet operated on, but the surgery wasn't successful. Another surgery was required, something that didn't sit well with this former narcotics detective. Then, in January, he had a back operation, followed in April by hemorrhoid surgery.

"That one did him in," Becky Stein, his wife, told me. "It was an excruciatingly hard surgery, and he still wasn't recovered from it."

His cheerfulness, needless to say, nose-dived. He was sad because he had to quit police work. Sad because he had to quit skating. Becky Stein said the last time he skated was eight or nine months ago.

"We were just talking the other day, and I said, 'Jack, you can play hockey again,' " she said. " 'Just go back to public skating and try to build the muscles back up.' I knew he was depressed. Well, not depressed. Down is a better word."

He suffered from insomnia and took to sleeping in the basement. It was darker there, and the morning light didn't crack through so early. It's where he retired Friday night.

Saturday morning, Becky Stein woke up first. She tip-toed around their Lawrenceville house so as not to wake Jack. Time passed. The former high school All-American and semi-pro, 51, still hadn't come upstairs.

So Becky Stein went downstairs. Her husband of 16 years had committed suicide.

On Wednesday, a funeral Mass was held at the Catholic Church of Saint Monica in Duluth. Attendance was huge, what you'd expect for someone who loved police work, pets and playing sports. Local police officers, as well as those from nearby communities, paid their respects alongside family and friends. So did the Badie Tour.

Johan Moeller Jensen of Suwanee couldn't attend his friend's funeral because he's on vacation in Denmark. He used to play forward alongside Jack for a Duluth hockey team.

"Jack was our oldest player, but what he didn't have in his legs anymore, he had in his understanding of the game," Jensen wrote in an e-mail. "We would often joke with the younger players that they should look for Jack out on the ice, then just sit back and watch and learn.

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07/24/08 Greenwich Post News Links For Thursday

Shopping around

Cocoon employee Gary Davla makes sure everything is in order at the start of Saturday’s sidewalk sales on Greenwich Avenue. Despite the heat, the avenue was packed with shoppers during the final day of the three-day event.
(David Ames / Greenwich Post photo)

• Police arrest head of Shoreline Pools

“Those who knowingly violate pool safety codes designed to protect children should be held accountable for their actions.”

...the Town of Greenwich, which, the lawsuit says, ignored “multiple obvious code violations” when it approved the pool for use. The suit also lists other defendants, including the engineer who designed the pool.

According to the arrest warrant, Mr. Lionetti, president of Shoreline Pools, failed to have his company install mandated safety devices in the pool. It is alleged that the safety devices would have prevented Zachary’s death...

• Program puts brakes on reckless driving

While the private neighborhoods of Greenwich were able to install fences and speed bumps to reduce speeding and divert traffic, the homes on the town’s public roads were previously left unprotected... until now.

The town’s traffic calming program, which started last summer, will begin its first construction project. This program is the town’s attempt to give all Greenwich residents a fair chance to install traffic calming devices in their neighborhood.

The initial qualification is straightforward: The neighborhood must receive signatures from half of its residences. Once the town approves the application, Kevin Conroy, a project manager from Fuss and O’Neill, collects data concerning the traffic of the street to determine the severity of the situation...

• Washed up? Neighbors object to subdivision

....According to professional engineer Craig Flaherty of Redniss and Mead, Inc., even at peak flood times, the 20-acre property would flood at a lesser rate than it does now. In addition, the volume at those spots will decrease with the proposed subdivision, he said, except near Nutmeg Drive.

John Maxwell, a resident of Alec Templeton Lane, warned the agency not to approve the proposal because he said it would add to the runoff on his property that is under water during flooding season. Agency members said, though, that his land would be left unchanged, for better or worse.

Besides the fears of flooding, some residents mentioned the possible safety hazards that could come from too much runoff.

Neighbor Karl Schultz discussed the danger of water levels rising dramatically even within a few hours, and that small children playing outside could drown in such a flood...

• Town plan aims for best use of resources

The town’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) released last week emphasizes environmental planning and making maximum use of town resources.

Town Planner Diane Fox unveiled the plan, which is updated every 10 years by state law, at a press conference last Wednesday with Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Donald Heller and commission member Frank Farricker. The plan contains about 250 recommendations, covering topics from downtown and neighborhood development to the Cos Cob Power Plant, and is designed to organize and set priorities for the town over the next decade while providing a vision for growth and change.

To that end, Ms. Fox said concentration on environmental management and energy conservation was critical.

“We had a considerable number of meetings while forming this draft and the biggest issue was the environment,” she said. “We need to protect the environment and create standards and regulations that will help us do that.”...

• Widow says Smith mixed pills, liquor on honeymoon

The widow of George Smith, the Greenwich man who went missing from his honeymoon cruise, claimed Friday that Mr. Smith mixed prescription drugs with alcohol when he disappeared on July 5, 2005. Jennifer Hagel Smith, in a press release, said that Mr. Smith’s “intoxication from the combined effects of alcohol and prescription drugs may have contributed to his disappearance.”

Ms. Hagel Smith, whose $1.1-million settlement with Royal Caribbean International is being challenged in Stamford Superior Court by the Smith family, said that she has “sought to keep this private,” but “is now required to make public this information to defend against the Smith family’s attack on both the settlement agreement and her personally.”

In an e-mail to the Post, Ms. Hagel Smith said, “I have sat back for over three years and allowed the Smith family and their representatives to endlessly attack my character and I have refused to respond in kind because of my loyalty to George.”...

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07/24/08 Should Town Building Department Employees Be Charged With Manslaughter In The Death Of 6 Year Old Zachary Archer Cohn?

Will All Who Caused Little Zachary's Death Be Held Accountable?

Town Of Greenwich Building Department employees issued a permit for the pool in June 2005 and a certificate of occupancy for it in August 2006, according to a Greenwich Police Department affidavit.

Will the Greenwich Police Department charge Town Building Inspectors with second-degree manslaughter in connection with the drowning death of a 6-year-old Greenwich boy?

Town Of Greenwich Building Department employees gave a certificate of occupancy to the swimming pool that did not have a state required device to help prevent the six year olds entrapment in the pool drain.

It is clear that Town Of Greenwich Building Department employees "illegally" issued a Certificate Of Occupancy for a swimming pool that failed to meet state building codes.

A town hall insider says that a search of town records indicates that Town Building Department Personnel knew about the new building code that required all new pools to be outfitted with safety vacuum release devices on each drain.

This device would have shut down the suction of a pump when little Zachary Archer Cohn's arm blocked the drain.

On Monday, the Greenwich Police Department arrested David Lionetti, of Shoreline Pools, with second-degree manslaughter in connection with little Zachary's death.

Zachary's arm became stuck in an intake valve in the backyard pool of his family's Taconic Road home last July 28th.

Mr. Lionetti's company is accused of failing to install the vacuum release system and failing to design an appropriate dual drain system that would have lessened the suction force of the drain that trapped Zachary.

However, the Town Of Greenwich employees violated state building codes when they failed to require an appropriate dual drain system that would have lessened the suction force of the drain issued a permit for the pool in June 2005.

Further Town Of Greenwich Building Department Employees once again violated state building codes when they issued a certificate of occupancy for a pool without the install the vacuum release system and the appropriate dual drain setup.

For some bizarre reason, State Attorney David Cohen, the prosecutor in the case, is telling the press that " The Greenwich Police Department is not currently considering charging additional people in six year old Zachary's death.

Perhaps prosecutors will need more information to prove that Town Building Department Employees "illegally" issued a certificate of occupancy for a swimming pool that created an unjustifiable risk.

The facts clearly show that if Town Building Department Employees had not "illegally" issued a certificate of occupancy little Zachary would be getting ready to enter the second grade.

However, Zachery Cohen's family members have told friends and confidants that they believe that many people were responsible for little Zachary's death and they will deal with these responsible persons as more information comes to light.

Currently, Zachary's parents, Brian and Karen Cohn, are sueing Shoreline Pools, as well as, the Town Of Greenwich in connection with Zachary's death.

Perhaps Town Building Employees should start saving up for that $25,000 bond that they will need when they are also arrested for with second-degree manslaughter in connection with Zachary's death last July 28.

Also, on this Monday July 28th of this year please say a prayer for the family that lost a little boy, because contractors and town inspectors cut corners and allowed an illegal and unsafe structure to be built.

Please See Yesterdays Greenwich Roundup Articles:

07/23/08 Insiders Say Lionetti Got Email Alerts About New Laws Covering The Safety Vacuum Release System Required For Pool Construction

AND:

07/23/08 Is Frank Mazza A Nut Case? The School's Building Committee Wants Town Employees To Approve 112 Inspections In Less Than 4 Business Days

Please See Today's Greenwich Time Article

07/24/08 Affidavit says pool prez knew law

By Martin B. Cassidy
Greenwich Time Staff Writer

A swimming pool company president charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection with the drowning death of a 6-year-old Greenwich boy knew installing a specialized device to help prevent drain entrapment was legally required, but failed to do so, according to an arrest affidavit....

MANSLAUGHTER IN THE SECOND DEGREE

Manslaughter in the second degree is defined as the unlawful killing of a human being without malice either express or implied, and without intent to kill or to inflict the injury causing death, committed accidentally in the commission of some unlawful act not felonious, or in the improper performance of an act lawful in itself. Manslaughter in the second degree may be committed by the doing of an unlawful act, or the doing of a lawful act in an unlawful manner, although at the time the defendant did not actually know that the act would result in homicide, and this notwithstanding, after the act was done, or while in progress the defendant used ordinary care to prevent the taking of human life; nor is the intention to take life necessary in a prosecution for this offense.

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07/24/08 Greenwich Time Reporter Neil Vigdor Updates & Relaunches His Story About A Juvenile Police Report That Was Circulated By Wiffleball Opponents

Police Commissioner Gordon charges Robin with the task of fighting juvenile delinquency. Being the genius he is, Robin convinces the Greenwich Whiffle Ball Boys that stealing from the little guy is wrong.

However, convincing one Whiffle Ball Boy that stealing "illegal fireworks" from the rich is wrong takes a little more effort, but they don't call him the Boy Wonder for nothing.

Police: leak not from within

By Neil Vigdor
Staff Writer

Article Launched: 07/24/2008 02:30:55 AM

Police Chief David Ridberg said yesterday that it was unlikely that a police officer or a civilian employee of his department was the source of a criminal report circulating in Riverside on a teen who helped build a controversial Wiffle ball field there.

The criminal report related to an alleged May 2008 burglary of fireworks from a local resident by the teen, who is under 18.....

Please Read Today's Full "Relaunched" Greenwich Time Story

Please see yesterday's Greenwich Roundup Article:

07/23/08 Will Lindy Urso Seek Police Department Computer Forensic Records Showing Who Modified Or Downloaded A Certain Police File

Please See Last Tuesday's Greenwich Roundup Article:

07/22/08 Police Chief David Ridberg said that disciplinary action and possible criminal charges may be filed if a Greenwich Police Officer Is Involved.

07/24/08 Greenwich Time News Links For Thursday

America II captain Chris Upton fixes the American flag on the yacht. The boat is docked at the Delamar in Greenwich Harbor.
(Bob Luckey Jr./Greenwich Time photo)

America's Cup boat docks at Delamar

For Ben Millard, 17, the opportunity to sail an historic 12-meter yacht is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

"This is a dream come true," he said.

Millard, a competitive sailor since the age of 7, is spending the summer as an intern aboard the America II US 42, a 70-foot America's Cup yacht that recently docked at the Delamar Hotel in Greenwich Harbor.

The historic vessel helped the United States regain the sport's most prestigious honor, the America's Cup trophy, from Australiain 1987, after losing it in 1983, according Patrick Sikorski, trustee of the 12m Yacht Development Foundation, a Greenwich-based nonprofit group dedicated to the acquisition, restoration and preservation of these boats.

"It's a national historic treasure," he said...

Teens charged in theft of club's TVs

STAMFORD - Four Greenwich teenagers were arrested early yesterday after officers found two stolen flat-screen televisions in two cars, city police said.

Seniors' bus service gets extra $50G to cover gas expenses

The Transportation Association of Greenwich has barely made it through the past six months.

Firefighters test out new sonar scanner

Splashing slowly through Greenwich Harbor, Sound Beach volunteer firefighters yesterday took turns checking out a luminous red, blue and yellow image of the seabed of the channel on-screen.

13-year old All-Stars reach state final

TRUMBULL - Greenwich's 13-year-old Babe Ruth team moved to within one win of capturing the state title and moving on to the regional tournament with an impressive 7-0 win over Newtown under the lights at Unity Field on Tuesday night.

A lesson in state budget cutting

There's at least one pretty obvious conclusion we can draw from the bit of good news announced by Gov.

Board trims Ham Ave. options

The Board of Education has whittled down its options from six to three this week, as it races to find the most viable contingency plan if the Hamilton Avenue School reconstruction project doesn't finish on time.

School officials confirmed yesterday that they were giving strongest consideration to two options that would place uprooted students into temporary modular units and Glenville School...

....school officials are considering shifting Hamilton Avenue students to Glenville School, while Glenville students would take the temporary modulars from which Hamilton Avenue students were evacuated last school year after mold was discovered in the ceiling panels....

Please see related Greenwich Roundup articles:

07/02/08 The Greenwich BOE Is A Total Mess !!!

07/08/08 Hamilton Avenue School has passed only one inspection of 18 final inspections - Only Sprinkers In The Garage Get A Thumbs Up - Maybe Frank Mazza Can Set Up Temporary Classroom Partitions In The Garage, Because The Rest Of The School Has No Fire Coverage

07/08/08 - Hamilton Avenue Project Manager Gerard Adam,"Let's not keep repeating the same mistakes

07/09/08 Surprise!!! - "A lot of it wasn't ready," Town Building Official Bill Marr said, "Most of these areas will need a re-inspection."

07/09/08 Reader Submitted Comments About Glenville School -

07/10/08 You Wont See This In The Greenwich Time - Failed Board Of Education Gives Our Children Facilities Like This - Glenville School Pics

07/10/08 Parents are sending e-mails and letters. They are organizing and trying to get community leaders to stop the failed Board Of Educations latest plan.

07/11/08 Reader Submitted Comments - The BOE Needs To Be More Transparent - They Should Either Confirm Or Deny The Hamilton Avenue School Rumors

Dear Members of the Board, etc.

There is a very solid rumor circulating that under current consideration is moving Hamilton Avenue School students to the Glenville School and moving Glenville School students to the modulars because the construction will not be complete on the new Hamilton Avenue School building.

To remind everyone,

Glenville School has been found to be educationally unsound with poor air quality by TWO Boards of Education and TWO superintendents;

At a meeting of the current Board of Education, this option was removed from the list of options devised by the "facilities" committee that was formed to look into options;

At a meeting of the Board of Education, a member stated that it would be unfair to have Glenville staff move more than once in a given year, yet for the second year in a row, it is again an "option" for Hamilton Avenue Staff.

This Board needs to listen to the community, in total, not just those that will agree with them. There are many parents of Hamilton Avenue students that DO NOT AGREE with this option.

Not only is Glenville School educationally unsound, it has leaked, unchecked, for years, thereby a virtual petri dish for mold. Our children and staff and parents have had to contend with mold for far too long. It is criminal to expect them to do so yet again.

Put more effort into getting our new school completed and Glenville construction started. Do WHATEVER it takes to get this done, but DO NOT put our children in a building that has been deemed educationally unsound.

Laura J. DiBella

MORE WARNINGS ABOUT THE GREENWICH BOE:

06/10/08 Sue Wallerstein's Poor Planning And Mismanagement Is Rewarded With A Gift Of Over One Million Dollars From The Representative Town Meeting

06/05/08 Are Hamilton Avenue School Parents Getting Screwed By The Greenwich Board Of Education

06/05/08 Are Glenville Parents Going To Be Screwed By The Greenwich Board Of Education? Parents Better Start Connecting The Dots.

06/05/08 Reader Submitted Comments -When Is The Greenwich Board Of Education Going To Get Rid Of High Paid And Failed Administrators Like Susan Wallerstein

06/17/08 The Greenwich Building Inspector Had Better Not Illegally Issue A TEMPORARY Certificate Of Occupancy For Hamilton Avenue School

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07/24/08 Joe "Lock Them Up" Jordan: "Why Aren't Wiffle Ball Dads Who Brought A Tractor And Power Saw And Helped Destroy Town Property Being Prosecuted

Those involved in ball field got special treatment

To the Greenwich Time editor:

Let me get this straight. Last year, in a well-publicized case, a small group of women wanted to hold periodic exercise classes on town property at Tod's Point (zoned parkland). The town took immediate, firm and final action and prevented them from doing so.

Yet this summer, a small group of young people, after being told "no" on several occasions, took over a small parcel of town property (zoned utility) that is a crucial drainage system for an entire neighborhood. Then, along with some of their parents, they commenced to clear-cut and haul away needed underbrush, cut down trees, rip off limbs overhanging their ball field, denude the grass that was there to stem the erosion of sand and soil into the drain, erect a replica of Fenway Park and otherwise occupy their new ball field unimpeded for over two months until First Selectman Peter Tesei finally brought some adult sanity to the situation.

It is a sad commentary on our town that so many of our residents support and applaud the young people for their illegal trespassing and destruction and, at the same time condemn the women trying to do what seems to be a good and proper use of park property. Just where was the groundswell of support for the women? What a peculiar bias that loudly favors blatant trespassing by the young people and some of their parents, and harshly condemns the women for a much lesser offense.

In the case of the Wiffle ball field saga, after learning the facts, Mr. Tesei, as chief law enforcer, could not let the defiance continue, and he really had no other reasonable alternative but to close down the field. It was the illegal takeover, alteration and occupation of the town parcel which doomed the tell field, not the opposing residents.

Finally, why is it that the fathers who brought a tractor and power saw and helped destroy town property are not being prosecuted?

Joseph Jordan

Riverside

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07/23/08 Insiders Say Lionetti Got Email Alerts About New Laws Covering Safety Vacuum Release Systems Required For Pools Constuction

Lionetti May Learn That Emails Lasts Forever

Just Ask The Executives At Enron

GREENWICH ROUNDUP EXCLUSIVE:

WILL LIONETTI GET UP TO TEN YEARS IN PRISON,

BECAUSE A POOL ASSOCIATION EMAILS WERE SENT TO

SHORELINE POOLS?

Yesterday David Lionetti, Shoreline Pool's president, was charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection with the drowning of a 6-year-old Greenwich boy

According to the Greenwich Police Department, Mr. Lionetti, had apparently been informed about a new state law requiring a pool safety device according to a Greenwich Police Department arrest affidavit.

Greenwich Police said yesterday that Shoreline Pools President David Lionetti "recklessly caused the death" of little Zachary Cohn last summer by not installing state mandated safety equipment in a pool.

Insiders have further said that a non-profit pool and spa association conducted an "electronic" information and notification campaign via computer in the fall of 2005.

This pool and spa association also sent out emails concerning the new law and offered continuing education classes in both 2006 and 2007.

Mr. Lionetti's company, Shoreline Pools, received the emails about the new state law that was designed to protect small children like little Zachary.

More to come....

See also:

Affidavit says pool president knew of safety law
Newsday, NY
Police in Greenwich said Monday that Shoreline Pools President David Lionetti "recklessly caused the death" of Zachary Cohn last summer by not having his ...

Shoreline Pools president in deep water
WTNH

Police arrest head of Shoreline Pools
Greenwich Post

Child's drowning leads to manslaughter charges against pool builder
Consumer reports
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07/23/08 Will Lindy Urso Seek Police Department Computer Forensic Records Showing Who Has Modified Or Downloaded A Certain Police Department File?

If Sherlock Holmes were alive today, he would surely be a master of computer forensics. Just as he sometimes used his chemistry set in the 19th Century to analyze clues, today he would using computer logs and forensics.

HEADLINES:

20 employees of the department who might have been in a position to print the report have been interviewed.

Ridberg says police are still conducting an internal investigation of the matter and are waiting to interview officers who have been on vacation.

QUOTES:

"Right now, all indications are that the report was obtained through the court system," Greenwich Police Cheif David Ridberg said. "It appears that a co-defendant or family member received a copy of the report and that, in turn, ended up being available in the public forum."

STORY:

Chief: Teen report "probably" obtained legitimately

Neil Vigdor

Article Launched: 07/23/2008 02:32:11 PM

Police Chief David Ridberg said Wednesday that it was "unlikely" that a cop or a civilian employee of his department was the source of a criminal report circulating in Riverside on a teen who helped build a controversial Wiffle ball field there.

The criminal report related to alleged May 2008 burglaries of fireworks from a local resident by the teen, who is under 18.

While the law prohibits the police department from releasing information on juvenile cases, Ridberg said victims and defendants in crimes involving those under age 18 can request access to such reports through the courts....

...Ridberg declined to elaborate further on how copies of the report would have gotten into the hands of residents in the Riverside neighborhood where the teen and several friends built the field on a municipal-owned lot that the town shut down on Friday...

...The family of the teen named in the report has retained local attorney Lindy Urso to represent them in the matter, saying they were advised by the police to seek legal advice regarding the civil ramification's of the report's release.

"Obviously, the family is outraged," Urso said.

The parents, who Greenwich Time is not naming because that would reveal the identity of the juvenile, have said that the burglary charges against their son were pleaded down to a trespassing charge.

"Our law protects the identity of children so that they're no permanently scarred by a single youthful indiscretion," Urso said. "If the police do not get to the bottom of this, we certainly will."

Asked whether his clients accept the initial findings of the police, Urso said, "I have confidence that this police chief will do all that he can to get to the bottom of this."

Please Read The Full Greenwich Time Story

Comment From Greenwich Roundup:

The police department seems to be failing to do a proper internal investigation.

It only take minutes to search police department computer logs from May 2008 until today.

Police investigators should almost instantly know if the juvenile police file was downloaded and who would have downloaded any report.

Please see:

07/22/08 Police Chief David Ridberg said that discplinary actions and possible criminal charges may be filed if a Greenwich Police Officer is involved

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07/23/08 Rock Star Diary Exposes Greenwich Roundup's Ameturish Attempt At Reporting The Facts

Fancy Nancy "Rockstar Diary" Uses An iPhone To Correct Greenwich Roundup Mistakes

Dear Greenwich Roundup,

Not total out of towners. I grew up in Greenwich and my parents &
younger siblings still live there. Relax. I don't want the beaches in
Greenwich over run with out of towners either.

Xoxo,

Jocelyn

Sent from my iPhone

Please see:

07/22/08 Blog Spotlight - Rock Star Diary - Out Of Towners Say They Took Control Of BBQ Grills And Are Coming Baaaaack!!!

Update at 5:01pm:

Rockstar Diary writes:

Off to Los Angeles. Hope I don't get called out for using the beaches
there.

"Girl from Greenwich invades Malibu. She carries an iPhone and scares
the locals with her whitebreadedness........"

Sent from my iPhone

Comment from Greenwich Roundup:

Officially if anybody asks I don't like the iPhone, because of privacy concerns.

Officially, I also won't do business with AT&T, the company is a defendant in a class-action lawsuit for selling out their customers to the NSA.

I also, officially don't trust the super secretive Steve Jobs and the crew at Apple.

Here is what riactant discovered when he installed MobileFinder.app, a third-party, native iPhone application that allows browsing of the iPhone’s file system. While he was poking around the iPhone file system he noticed a file called sms.db under the ~/Library/SMS directory. He opened the file in MobileTextEdit.app and saw that it was a SQLLite database file.

He was surprised that every text message He had ever sent or received since he bought his iPhone was stored in sms.db, despite the fact that he “deleted” these text messages long ago.

Here is a book you might want to read about iPhone privacy:

This book shows the reader how to recover and extract such information as typing caches, Google map searches, deleted images, email, voicemail and other sensitive data retained by the iPhone.

iPhone Forensics gives IT professionals, security personnel, and law enforcement the knowledge needed to conduct forensic analysis of an iPhone. This book shows the reader how to recover sensitive information from the device and perform disaster recovery, and walks the reader through various scenarios for recovering different types of information. With this guide, the reader will be able to effectively recover live, lost, or deleted email, photos, voicemail, Google Maps searches, typing cache, and other sensitive data retained by the iPhone. The reader will learn advanced techniques including data recovery, properly preserving and preparing evidence, and technical techniques such as bypassing basic passcode security or recovering data even after a full restore (by say, a disgruntled employee).

Full Description of Book

Please also read:

Before you activate your iPhone, Read this!

However, the real reason that I don't like the iPhone is that my wife will not let me get one.

She really doesn't care that the new 3G iPhone can spy on me twice as fast at only half the cost of the old iPhone.

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Please send your comments and corrections to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com and I will post it on a discarded laptop running free Linux operating system called Ubuntu.

07/23/08 Greenwich Time Reporters Are Kicking Butts And Taking Names - 4 Breaking News Stories Posted In Less Than 30 Minutes

This Just In From The Greenwich Time News Room.....

Flash flood watch issued

Article Launched: 07/23/2008 01:07:14 PM

A flash flood watch is in effect from noon Wednesday through Thursday evening.

The National Weather Service has issued an advisory that torrential rainfall of one to two inches an hour is possible in some spots as showers and thunderstorms repeatedly move over the same areas.

As much as three to four inches of rain is expected and some areas could see more than six inches of rainfall.

4 Greenwich teens arrested in theft of TVs

Jeff Morganteen

Staff Writer

Article Launched: 07/23/2008 01:01:58 PM

STAMFORD - Four Greenwich teenagers were arrested last night after officers found flat-screen televisions in two different cars, both allegedly robbed from Sportsplex, a fitness club on Brownhouse Road, city police said.

Officers were looking for suspects in an unrelated robbery on Fairfield Avenue when Officer Frank Forbes pulled into Rosa Hartman Park on Selleck Street and found two teenagers in a parked car with a large flat-screen TV in the back seat, police spokesman Lt. Sean Cooney said.

No damage in lightning strike

Article Launched: 07/23/2008 12:45:45 PM

A house was struck by lightning in Milbrook Wednesday morning, according to a fire dispatcher.

The owner heard a loud explosion and immediately contacted the fire department, who arrived in minutes.

The house was not damaged and no one was injured, the dispatcher said.

Thunderstorms began early this morning and will likely linger throughout the day and into tomorrow, according to the National Weather Service.

Multi-car accident blocks traffic

Article Launched: 07/23/2008 12:41:53 PM

A five car accident on North Street tied up the road for more than one hour, according to Sgt. John Thorme.

There were no life-threatening injuries. It was a minor accident, he said.

One individual received advance life support and was transported to Greenwich Hospital. And six others were transported to Stamford Hospital, according to Charlee Tuftscq, executive director of Greenwich Emergency Services.

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GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com

07/23/08 Is Frank Mazza A Nut Case? The school's building committee wants 112 inspections approved in less than 4 business days!!!!

Hardworking Hamilton Avenue Parents Will Document Any Inspections That Are Illegally Approved By Town Employees

Any Illegally Approved School Inspections Can Be Used In The Soon To Come Department Of Justice Lawsuit Concerning The Unequal Educational Access That Western Greenwich School Children Are Currently Receiving

HEADLINES:

TOWN OFFICIALS WILL HAVE TO COMPLETE AND APPROVE AN INSPECTION EVERY 17 MINUTES TO MEET FRANK MAZZA"S UNREALISTIC TIME TABLE.

WILL TOWN OFFICIALS WORK NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS TO PUSH OUT INSPECTIONS?

WILL HAMILTON AVENUE CHILDREN BE PLACED IN AN UNSAFE BUILDING SO THAT FRANK MAZZA CAN SAVE FACE?

QUOTE:

"It's prudent for us to plan for what we can only hope is an unlikely scenario," said Clueless Board of Education Chairwoman Nancy Weissler, who still does not realize that she and Mazza are not getting a temporary certificate of occupancy this month.

STORY:

School board members asked Frank Mazza what could they do to help expedite the approval process. Incompetent Building Committee Chairman Mazza could only come up with, "Pray !!!"

Of the school's 140 inspection "zones," such as elevators and sprinkler systems only 28 have received approval so far.

Incompetent and over paid school administrator Susan Wallerstein says the building would have to receive a temporary certificate of occupancy no later than Monday if there is to be enough time to complete Hamilton Avenue School in the four weeks before classes.

Only a moron like School Building Chairman Frank Mazza would still be expressing optimism that Hamilton Avenue School will be done on time,

Mr. Mazza actually thinks that Hamilton Avenue School Building can somehow miraculously gets on some kind of tight timetable after three years of delays.

Would someone please tell the delusional Mr. Mazza that the start of school just weeks away.

The Board Of Education incorrectly estimates that it needs only 31 days to get the substandard Glenville School back in shape for Hamilton Avenue student and staff use.

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