Things Do Change

This Winter


Today

From the Derby/Shelton Fireworks

For those not in the know, most towns in CT do their Independence-Day-related fireworks before or after the 4th. This way (1) each town has their own day for the event, allowing more people to see fireworks, and (2) each town can schedule the fireworks around their budget. Last night was the night for Derby and Shelton.

Talk about Bad Timing!

This last week, the local high school in Shelton, CT was upbraided by the CT state Fire Marshall for not complying with the fire code. The local Fire Marshall had been dismissive of the non-compliance, first claiming they had a waiver and then saying that no waiver was needed. Overall, the state felt the school was out of compliance because of lack of sprinklers and external exits for many classrooms. The state is expected to order soon that the school be brought into compliance.

Well, before such an order can be given, an explosion and fire has been reported at the high school during a Freshman girl's basketball game.

Updated 9:01 PM: Here is the video of the story.

Shelton closes the path by the Dam

This summer, when we started biking, Archer took us down to the Shelton river and showed us a great little path down by the Hydroelectric Dam. It was a 1/2 mile long gravel-paved walkway and bike path which was great for us as beginners. It ran along the Housatonic River, giving pretty views, but was straight, flat, and simple. It was a wonderful resource to discover and we used it a lot until we had build up our experience and strength to take on longer rides and city streets.

But that option is no more. The developer who owns the area, who has been pushing the city of Shelton to buy the land, has closed the area to public access, for good. The given reason is liability. The area was originally an industrial area, so the only people on that path were people who went out of their way to find it. Now, high density condos are being built nearby, and the developer claims the path could be dangerous when the dam's spillways are in use. To my ears, it sounds more like this is a tactic on the part of the developer to force the town to buy the land.

Either way, it is bad that this is being taken away from the public. And worse that it appears to have been done without giving the public any say in the process.

Moving Fireworks

Short video of that same fireworks show. Well, 91 seconds of it, anyway.

Fireworks!!!

Since the big cities dominate the fireworks displays on the 4th, most of the smaller towns in Connecticut do their fireworks shows before or after Independence Day. Last night was the Fireman's Parade and Fireworks display for Shelton, CT. Nick and Nora went down to watch with CRChair and I, and I thought our Mod-Blog readers might enjoy seeing the photos I got as a way to whet the appetite for Independence Day. Click on the image below for the whole set.

Honestly, I was just ready for ANYTHING but politics

I'm all for "hope" and ready for "change", but I'd rather get started today than wait another year to get started. Let's start making the changes we can today. Don't forget, we don't always need to wait for our leaders.

Christmas traditions are not all productive

Shadowmom hates it when CRChair and I Play This Game

The Smiles of Autumn

My dog doesn't fit this at all, but I still think it's funny

Posted without further comment

Go, Shelton Little League, Go!

Woo-hoo! The Little League team with our landlord's son on it has advanced to the regional semi-finals, and the paper has only good things to say about his performance!

Not only did Shelton National's Nick Petrovich do it with his arm, he also did it with his bat. Petrovich pitched a complete game, giving up just one run on three hits while striking out seven, and hit the go-ahead home run to lead his team to a 3-1 victory over Cranston (R.I.) in the New England Little League Regionals at Breen Field.
Shelton National, which rounds out pool play with a 3-1 record, advances to the semifinals on Thursday. The team will play at either 5 or 8 p.m. "Our kids deserve this. We pitch well, we throw strikes, and we make the plays on defense," Shelton National manager Mark Testani said.

I believe the New England Finals are set for Thursday, which I have am all set up to record on my EyeTV. If they win there, they go to the Nationals!