Wednesday, April 04, 2012
Stripping Down Chase
Not much left to this building now. Seeing more of it disappear every week is a powerful experience.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Trayvon Martin
I know this isn't a Waterbury topic, but it is on the minds of many people in Waterbury, and I suspect it will shape legislation and actions around the country.
There are a lot of terrible things that happen every day for no good reason. That's how life is. For me, what stands out most about the Trayvon Martin case is that his killer was not arrested, that the police believed his action was protected by law. That terrifies me.
I've listened to the available 911 tapes, and I've read the accounts of the night given by Martin's girlfriend, the boy walking his dog, and the nearby neighbors. It seems clear to me that George Zimmerman is a vigilante, that he did not trust the police to do their jobs, that he felt it was necessary to take the law into his own hands.
The story resonates deeply for me. As a woman, I am always hyper-aware of my surroundings when I am walking alone, especially after dark. Women in this country get assaulted far too frequently. When I hear footsteps behind me, I tense up. If the footsteps get closer and closer, I brace myself for an attack. This is the reality of being a woman. I've had friends who have panicked when they found out I walk by myself after dark. I've had acquaintances practically beg me to let them drive me home, because they're certain I will be assaulted if I walk by myself. This is the reality of being a woman in the United States, of having grown up in a time when men argued that a woman was "asking" to be raped because she wore a short skirt, of having attended college at a time when women needed to hold rallies to take back the night, of living in an era in which a woman who has been raped can be treated like a criminal when she seeks help.
When I hear about Trayvon Martin, I imagine myself in his place. I imagine myself walking home in the dark and realizing that a man is following me, I imagine that I start walking faster in an attempt to get home safely, only to end up being cornered by the man following me. I imagine being frightened and assuming this man following me intends to harm me. I imagine the police deciding, because I fought back against my pursuer, that he was acting in self defense when he killed me, that he did nothing wrong.
When Geraldo Rivera, and now Bill O'Reilly, claimed that Martin would still be alive if only he hadn't worn a hoodie, how is that any different than saying a woman wouldn't have been raped if only her skirt had been longer? This adds to the repulsion and fear that is being generated for me by this ongoing story. What direction is our country headed in?
As a nation, now is a critical time. Are we going to decide it's okay to hunt someone down, kill them, then get away with it because the victim fought back, or because the victim was dressed a certain way? I certainly hope not.
The captain of a neighborhood watch should be armed with a camera, not with a gun. That's why it's called "neighborhood watch" not "neighborhood vigilantes." When the police decided to let Zimmerman go, stating that they believed he acted in self-defense, they gave him the green light to kill again. They endorsed vigilante behavior, and they endorsed murder. As a nation, we must condemn their decision, or find ourselves living in a country where we have no legal protection from vigilantes, stalkers, and even serial killers who claim self-defense when they kill.
There are a lot of terrible things that happen every day for no good reason. That's how life is. For me, what stands out most about the Trayvon Martin case is that his killer was not arrested, that the police believed his action was protected by law. That terrifies me.
I've listened to the available 911 tapes, and I've read the accounts of the night given by Martin's girlfriend, the boy walking his dog, and the nearby neighbors. It seems clear to me that George Zimmerman is a vigilante, that he did not trust the police to do their jobs, that he felt it was necessary to take the law into his own hands.
The story resonates deeply for me. As a woman, I am always hyper-aware of my surroundings when I am walking alone, especially after dark. Women in this country get assaulted far too frequently. When I hear footsteps behind me, I tense up. If the footsteps get closer and closer, I brace myself for an attack. This is the reality of being a woman. I've had friends who have panicked when they found out I walk by myself after dark. I've had acquaintances practically beg me to let them drive me home, because they're certain I will be assaulted if I walk by myself. This is the reality of being a woman in the United States, of having grown up in a time when men argued that a woman was "asking" to be raped because she wore a short skirt, of having attended college at a time when women needed to hold rallies to take back the night, of living in an era in which a woman who has been raped can be treated like a criminal when she seeks help.
When I hear about Trayvon Martin, I imagine myself in his place. I imagine myself walking home in the dark and realizing that a man is following me, I imagine that I start walking faster in an attempt to get home safely, only to end up being cornered by the man following me. I imagine being frightened and assuming this man following me intends to harm me. I imagine the police deciding, because I fought back against my pursuer, that he was acting in self defense when he killed me, that he did nothing wrong.
When Geraldo Rivera, and now Bill O'Reilly, claimed that Martin would still be alive if only he hadn't worn a hoodie, how is that any different than saying a woman wouldn't have been raped if only her skirt had been longer? This adds to the repulsion and fear that is being generated for me by this ongoing story. What direction is our country headed in?
As a nation, now is a critical time. Are we going to decide it's okay to hunt someone down, kill them, then get away with it because the victim fought back, or because the victim was dressed a certain way? I certainly hope not.
The captain of a neighborhood watch should be armed with a camera, not with a gun. That's why it's called "neighborhood watch" not "neighborhood vigilantes." When the police decided to let Zimmerman go, stating that they believed he acted in self-defense, they gave him the green light to kill again. They endorsed vigilante behavior, and they endorsed murder. As a nation, we must condemn their decision, or find ourselves living in a country where we have no legal protection from vigilantes, stalkers, and even serial killers who claim self-defense when they kill.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Freight Street Gallery: That's Women's Work Too!
Here are some shots of last night's reception for That's Women's Work Too! at the Freight Street Gallery. I took the photos early on, before it got crowded.
The Freight Street Gallery is currently the only art gallery in Waterbury. I'm hoping that will change very soon (stay tuned!).
The Freight Street Gallery is currently the only art gallery in Waterbury. I'm hoping that will change very soon (stay tuned!).
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Freight Street Gallery Art Show
This Saturday night! I'll be there, and so will one of my paintings, along with approximately 50 other women artists who are participating in the show, and a bevy of musicians. For the latest info on the event, visit the Freight Street Gallery page on Facebook or visit their regular website.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Flea Market Find
Apothecaries Hall Co., Oil Citronella. Five bucks at the flea market. The cork is saturated with citronella, so I can tell it's still good!
The label has the name of Clark H. W. Newton as the manager, which means it dates from no earlier than July 1903, when Newton became the manager of Apothecaries Hall.
The company name changed to The Hubbard-Hall Chemical Co. in 1959 and Hubbard-Hall Inc. in 1986. The Hubbard-Hall headquarters is located on South Leonard Street in Waterbury. Their former downtown building, constructed in 1894 and bearing the name Apothecaries Hall, is currently being renovated for market-rate apartments.
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
The Never-Ending Blight Next Door
The saga of blight at 76 Oak Street continues...
Two weeks ago, we saw a man walk to the back of the property next door. He looked at the mess with dismay. The property owner has hired him to be the property manager. In addition to cleaning up the yard, he has to evict the third floor tenant.
While I'm glad that the owner has hired someone to manage the property, I'm impatient in waiting for results. So far, the only change is that the mess has gotten worse. Most noticeable was the addition of a dozen or so oranges to the pile a few days after the property manager stopped by, as well as less visible garbage.
Meanwhile, the Connecticut Legislature is considering toughening the laws on blight, raising the fines from "not less than ten or more than one hundred dollars for each day" to
The proposed bill is online at www.cga.ct.gov/2012/TOB/H/2012HB-05319-R00-HB.htm
Two weeks ago, we saw a man walk to the back of the property next door. He looked at the mess with dismay. The property owner has hired him to be the property manager. In addition to cleaning up the yard, he has to evict the third floor tenant.
While I'm glad that the owner has hired someone to manage the property, I'm impatient in waiting for results. So far, the only change is that the mess has gotten worse. Most noticeable was the addition of a dozen or so oranges to the pile a few days after the property manager stopped by, as well as less visible garbage.
Meanwhile, the Connecticut Legislature is considering toughening the laws on blight, raising the fines from "not less than ten or more than one hundred dollars for each day" to
"(I) For the period from the first day to the thirtieth day during which such violation exists, one hundred dollars for each day that such violation continues; (II) for the period from the thirty-first day to the sixtieth day during which such violation exists, two hundred fifty dollars for each day that such violation continues; and (III) for the period from the sixty-first day to the day the violation is corrected, five hundred dollars for each day that such violation continues..."
The proposed bill is online at www.cga.ct.gov/2012/TOB/H/2012HB-05319-R00-HB.htm
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Mile Long No More
Driving down Thomaston Avenue yesterday, I had to stop and take photos. The old Chase Metal Works is disappearing rapidly.
Roger Freeman, MIT graduate, was the construction engineer for the Chase Companies. He put together a construction team of about a dozen assistant engineers and four hundred laborers. The engineers included another six graduates of MIT; the others were from Dartmouth, Rensselaer and Yale. In a report to his alumni newsletter, Freeman reported that they designed and built reinforced concrete and structural steel factory buildings for the Metal Works and for Chase Rolling Mills and Waterbury Manufacturing over two years’ time during WWI. The last concrete building was a six-story flat slab structure, 200 feet by 60 feet, constructed at a pace of six days per floor.
Seeing it being torn down, I felt like it was the end of an era. But what era? Chase shut down the Metal Works factory in 1976. The only thing ending now is the era of abandoned factory buildings. However, without those visual relics, the past will seem more distant and unrelated to our present.
The Metal Works factory complex was built starting in 1910 (expansion was constant for years, partly because the company's production increased during World War I). The entire Chase complex of buildings sprawled over 211 acres in two towns. The bed of the Naugatuck River was re-routed to make room for the factory. By the 1940s, the plant was nearly a mile long, rivaling Scovill’s mile-long mill (now the Brass Mill Mall).
 |
| A portion of Chase Metal Works in the 1930s. The section currently being torn down is in the upper center and right of center in this photo. (Collection of Mattatuck Museum) |
Roger Freeman, MIT graduate, was the construction engineer for the Chase Companies. He put together a construction team of about a dozen assistant engineers and four hundred laborers. The engineers included another six graduates of MIT; the others were from Dartmouth, Rensselaer and Yale. In a report to his alumni newsletter, Freeman reported that they designed and built reinforced concrete and structural steel factory buildings for the Metal Works and for Chase Rolling Mills and Waterbury Manufacturing over two years’ time during WWI. The last concrete building was a six-story flat slab structure, 200 feet by 60 feet, constructed at a pace of six days per floor.
The factory building with the sawtooth roof was constructed in 1916 and was considered very modern at the time. It was a challenge for the Metal Works’ Chief Engineer, John E. Williams, to heat the building. He wrote in 1928 that “the amount of glass used in its roof of modern saw-tooth construction and its huge rooms, make the heating a serious question for consideration by the modern engineer.” He solved the problem by installing a then-unique heating system connecting over 78 miles of hot water pipe directly onto the condensers in the power house.
In October 1915, Chase Metal Works reported that they had begun work on several additions to its facilities: a one-story brick and steel factory building, 140 x 180 feet; three two-story additions, 60 x 260 feet, 60 x 320 feet, and 60 x 120 feet; two two-story brick additions, 60 x 160 feet and 60 x 200 feet; and two other additions, 60 x 80 feet and 60 x 120 feet.
Seeing it being torn down, I felt like it was the end of an era. But what era? Chase shut down the Metal Works factory in 1976. The only thing ending now is the era of abandoned factory buildings. However, without those visual relics, the past will seem more distant and unrelated to our present.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Birth Control: Some History
The current national debate over whether or not women can have their birth control covered by medical insurance regardless of their employers' religious beliefs has had me wondering what year it is. In Waterbury, debate over birth control is usually associated with 1939, not 2012.
First, let me clarify (for those who are confused about this) that birth control is not the same thing as abortion. Most methods of birth control prevent conception from ever happening. The sperm and the egg never meet. A new life is never begun.
Now for the history:
Contraception became illegal in Connecticut in 1879, part of a movement against "obscenity" led by Anthony Comstock. The federal Comstock Act of 1873 made it illegal to send anything "obscene, lewd, and/or lascivious" through the mail. Birth control devices were considered obscene by Comstock.
A movement to legalize contraception was started by Margaret Sanger, who opened a birth control clinic in 1916. Sanger's dedication to promoting birth control was partly influenced by the experience of her mother, who had 18 pregnancies (11 of which resulted in live births) in 22 years, dying of tuberculosis and cervical cancer at age 50.
The Connecticut League of Women Voters began debating the issue of contraception during the 1920s. They finally voted in favor of promoting the legalization of birth control in 1933, although Catholic members of the League were strongly opposed to legalizing birth control.
Catholics were not the only opponents to birth control. Swedish Lutherans declared at their 1931 New England Conference of the Augustana Synod that birth control would destroy families and the "entire social structure."
Dr. Robbins W. Barstow, president of the Hartford Seminary Foundation (established by Congregationalists), was also president of the Connecticut Birth Control League. The League reported in 1939 that the maternal mortality rate in the U.S. was much worse than in countries where birth control was available for women of all income levels.
In 1934, Barstow's wife came to Waterbury and addressed the First Congregational Church Woman's Guild, stating that "Most of our social problems... are due to the number of unwanted, handicapped and degenerate children annually brought into the world because mothers don't know how to prevent their coming." (Hartford Courant, 19 Jan 1934).
Four years later, in January 1938, a field worker and organizer for the Connecticut Birth Control League, Leah Tapper Cadbury, began meeting with Waterbury residents to establish a birth control clinic. Her first meeting was with Anne Chase Hart, daughter of industrialist Henry Sabin Chase, and two physicians, Dr. Joseph L. Hetzel and J. Harold Root. Anne Hart recommended her sisters Edith and Mildred Chase and her sister-in-law Florence Chase as potential sponsors for the new clinic. Subsequent meetings were held at the homes of Mildred Chase Ely and Ruth Northrop.
There were some Waterbury physicians who gave birth control advice to their patients, but this was done covertly. Two Waterbury ministers who attended the early meetings were pleasantly surprised to learn about this. They had never approached any doctors about the issue, worried they might be offended.
During a meeting at the end of February 1938, former nurse Clara Lee McTernan (wife of the founder of McTernan School) volunteered to organize a transportation service to an existing clinic in Hartford. Milicent Pond, employment supervisor at Scovill Manufacturing, offered to be the driver.
Birth control at this time consisted of diaphragms and a contraceptive jelly.
Clara McTernan, after getting the transportation to Hartford established, began working on establishing the Waterbury Maternal Health Center, which opened in the Chase Memorial Dispensary across the street from City Hall on October 11, 1938.
Dr. William A. Goodrich, a Waterbury native who had opened his OB/GYN practice a year earlier, was recruited by McTernan to be the lead doctor. He was joined by obstetrician Dr. Roger B. Nelson, who was studying with Waterbury's Dr. Charles L. Larkin, chief of gynecology at the Chase Dispensary.
Additional staff consisted of nurse Kathryn Jennings, treasurer Harriet Griggs, and record-keeper Virginia Goss (mother of future CIA Director Porter Goss).
Clinic hours were held every Tuesday morning. The clinic was very specifically intended for poor, married women living with their husbands. There was an average of about one new patient each week. They included a woman who had given birth annually four years in a row, and another who had four children born within five years.
The Waterbury clinic had significantly fewer patients than clinics in Hartford and New Haven, largely because the other clinics no longer required that the patients have specific health problems that would make pregnancy dangerous for them. New Haven reported 214 new patients who were Catholic, 163 who were Protestants, and 20 who were Jewish.
By June 1939, the Waterbury clinic was targeted by the local Catholic Clergy Association, which called upon public prosecutors to take action. The physicians at the clinic insisted that birth control advice was given only to women whose health would be endangered by pregnancy, but the Catholic Clergy Association continued to demand that the clinic be shut down.
Clinic records were seized, and patients were interviewed by prosecutor William Fitzgerald. Charges were pressed against McTernan, Goodrich and Nelson, who were defended by J. Warren Upson.
The case dragged on until April 2, 1940, with the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors ruling on March 20, 1940 that the 1879 statute could be interpreted to apply to the distribution of contraceptives. The defendants, however, were not convicted. Fitzgerald declared that there was no criminal intent.
All birth control clinics in Connecticut closed their doors following the March 20th ruling. New clinics did not open until 1965, when the U.S. Supreme Court voided the 1879 legislation. During the decades in between, there were numerous attempts to at least modify the law to allow doctors to prescribe contraceptive devices when the married woman's life would be at risk from pregnancy.
In 1947, three Waterbury physicians were banned from St. Mary's Hospital because they supported the Alsop Birth Control bill, which would have permitted physicians to prescribe contraceptives to save their patients lives. All three doctors were Protestants. A group of 17 Protestant ministers, two Rabbis and a social worker, all in Waterbury, signed a declaration that the three doctors were exercising their Constitutional right and should be respected for standing up for their principles.
Seven decades later, some Catholic pro-life activists continue to celebrate the action that was taken by Catholic priests against the Waterbury clinic. What makes it especially interesting is that the clinic trial is usually regarded as an important foundation for Roe v. Wade. I guess the significance of historic events is all about interpretation.
For more on the Chase clinic story, read David J. Garrow's Liberty and Sexuality: The Right to Privacy and the Making of Roe v. Wade. If you are interested in serious research, the Mattatuck Museum has J. Warren Upson's papers in their archives.
First, let me clarify (for those who are confused about this) that birth control is not the same thing as abortion. Most methods of birth control prevent conception from ever happening. The sperm and the egg never meet. A new life is never begun.
Now for the history:
Contraception became illegal in Connecticut in 1879, part of a movement against "obscenity" led by Anthony Comstock. The federal Comstock Act of 1873 made it illegal to send anything "obscene, lewd, and/or lascivious" through the mail. Birth control devices were considered obscene by Comstock.
A movement to legalize contraception was started by Margaret Sanger, who opened a birth control clinic in 1916. Sanger's dedication to promoting birth control was partly influenced by the experience of her mother, who had 18 pregnancies (11 of which resulted in live births) in 22 years, dying of tuberculosis and cervical cancer at age 50.
The Connecticut League of Women Voters began debating the issue of contraception during the 1920s. They finally voted in favor of promoting the legalization of birth control in 1933, although Catholic members of the League were strongly opposed to legalizing birth control.
Catholics were not the only opponents to birth control. Swedish Lutherans declared at their 1931 New England Conference of the Augustana Synod that birth control would destroy families and the "entire social structure."
Dr. Robbins W. Barstow, president of the Hartford Seminary Foundation (established by Congregationalists), was also president of the Connecticut Birth Control League. The League reported in 1939 that the maternal mortality rate in the U.S. was much worse than in countries where birth control was available for women of all income levels.
In 1934, Barstow's wife came to Waterbury and addressed the First Congregational Church Woman's Guild, stating that "Most of our social problems... are due to the number of unwanted, handicapped and degenerate children annually brought into the world because mothers don't know how to prevent their coming." (Hartford Courant, 19 Jan 1934).
Four years later, in January 1938, a field worker and organizer for the Connecticut Birth Control League, Leah Tapper Cadbury, began meeting with Waterbury residents to establish a birth control clinic. Her first meeting was with Anne Chase Hart, daughter of industrialist Henry Sabin Chase, and two physicians, Dr. Joseph L. Hetzel and J. Harold Root. Anne Hart recommended her sisters Edith and Mildred Chase and her sister-in-law Florence Chase as potential sponsors for the new clinic. Subsequent meetings were held at the homes of Mildred Chase Ely and Ruth Northrop.
There were some Waterbury physicians who gave birth control advice to their patients, but this was done covertly. Two Waterbury ministers who attended the early meetings were pleasantly surprised to learn about this. They had never approached any doctors about the issue, worried they might be offended.
During a meeting at the end of February 1938, former nurse Clara Lee McTernan (wife of the founder of McTernan School) volunteered to organize a transportation service to an existing clinic in Hartford. Milicent Pond, employment supervisor at Scovill Manufacturing, offered to be the driver.
Birth control at this time consisted of diaphragms and a contraceptive jelly.
Clara McTernan, after getting the transportation to Hartford established, began working on establishing the Waterbury Maternal Health Center, which opened in the Chase Memorial Dispensary across the street from City Hall on October 11, 1938.
 |
| Chase Memorial Dispensary, Field Street |
Dr. William A. Goodrich, a Waterbury native who had opened his OB/GYN practice a year earlier, was recruited by McTernan to be the lead doctor. He was joined by obstetrician Dr. Roger B. Nelson, who was studying with Waterbury's Dr. Charles L. Larkin, chief of gynecology at the Chase Dispensary.
Additional staff consisted of nurse Kathryn Jennings, treasurer Harriet Griggs, and record-keeper Virginia Goss (mother of future CIA Director Porter Goss).
Clinic hours were held every Tuesday morning. The clinic was very specifically intended for poor, married women living with their husbands. There was an average of about one new patient each week. They included a woman who had given birth annually four years in a row, and another who had four children born within five years.
The Waterbury clinic had significantly fewer patients than clinics in Hartford and New Haven, largely because the other clinics no longer required that the patients have specific health problems that would make pregnancy dangerous for them. New Haven reported 214 new patients who were Catholic, 163 who were Protestants, and 20 who were Jewish.
By June 1939, the Waterbury clinic was targeted by the local Catholic Clergy Association, which called upon public prosecutors to take action. The physicians at the clinic insisted that birth control advice was given only to women whose health would be endangered by pregnancy, but the Catholic Clergy Association continued to demand that the clinic be shut down.
Clinic records were seized, and patients were interviewed by prosecutor William Fitzgerald. Charges were pressed against McTernan, Goodrich and Nelson, who were defended by J. Warren Upson.
The case dragged on until April 2, 1940, with the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors ruling on March 20, 1940 that the 1879 statute could be interpreted to apply to the distribution of contraceptives. The defendants, however, were not convicted. Fitzgerald declared that there was no criminal intent.
All birth control clinics in Connecticut closed their doors following the March 20th ruling. New clinics did not open until 1965, when the U.S. Supreme Court voided the 1879 legislation. During the decades in between, there were numerous attempts to at least modify the law to allow doctors to prescribe contraceptive devices when the married woman's life would be at risk from pregnancy.
In 1947, three Waterbury physicians were banned from St. Mary's Hospital because they supported the Alsop Birth Control bill, which would have permitted physicians to prescribe contraceptives to save their patients lives. All three doctors were Protestants. A group of 17 Protestant ministers, two Rabbis and a social worker, all in Waterbury, signed a declaration that the three doctors were exercising their Constitutional right and should be respected for standing up for their principles.
Seven decades later, some Catholic pro-life activists continue to celebrate the action that was taken by Catholic priests against the Waterbury clinic. What makes it especially interesting is that the clinic trial is usually regarded as an important foundation for Roe v. Wade. I guess the significance of historic events is all about interpretation.
For more on the Chase clinic story, read David J. Garrow's Liberty and Sexuality: The Right to Privacy and the Making of Roe v. Wade. If you are interested in serious research, the Mattatuck Museum has J. Warren Upson's papers in their archives.
Thursday, February 02, 2012
Movie Time!
After posting about Waterbury architect Robert Wakeman Hill, I was contacted by a historian researching Torrington's Yankee Pedlar Inn. It turns out the Inn is another one of Hill's buildings. It is great fun to visit, as it retains much of its Victorian charm despite having been modified at different times. In fact, it retains so much character that it has become the setting of a scary movie. This is not to say that the Inn is a scary place to visit. It has that old-fashioned charm that makes you feel like you are stepping back in time, which does lend itself well to scary movies.
The Innkeepers hits the theaters this weekend. I don't know if it's any good, but it might be good spooky fun to go see the movie, then go to the Inn for dinner (or even rent a room for the night).
The Innkeepers hits the theaters this weekend. I don't know if it's any good, but it might be good spooky fun to go see the movie, then go to the Inn for dinner (or even rent a room for the night).
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Blight Meeting
Things are heating up! The Mayor convened a public meeting last night at Walsh School to share with area residents the new anti-blight and litter initiative he has launched. It was the best-attended event in the WOW neighborhood in a long time. The Walsh gym was packed. There were, of course, city officials and several community activists present, but they were far outnumbered by neighborhood residents. There was a buzz of excitement and a renewal of hope.
The format was largely one in which the different city departments involved in the new anti-blight initiative explained what they are doing. Although one audience member later accused them of merely patting themselves on the back, they really were reporting to the public and much of what they had to say was very warmly received.
As the Mayor pointed out, he has been in office for less than two months. I think there has been more progress in fighting blight in that time than there has been in years. Two of the most important steps are the formation of the Waterbury Blight Enforcement & Control Division and the formation of the Blight Task Force. Instead of farming out blight control to WDC, which has very limited enforcement ability, a division of the police department is now in charge of enforcement. Instead of every city department working on their own, their efforts are unified by the task force.
There seemed to be two basic areas of concern for residents and landlords.
The first concern is that the city is not actually going to follow through on its new promise to help the neighborhood. I think everyone who has lived in the WOW neighborhood for more than 15 years can quickly point back to broken promises and empty promises of the Giordano and Jarjura administrations. All I can say in response to that concern is that the past is the past. Learn from the past, hold the city accountable for its promises, but don't slow things down by dwelling on past wrongs.
The other area of concern is that property owners will be treated unfairly. The city is absolutely getting tough on blight. Property owners are going to be held fully accountable for the condition of their properties. The possibility of jail time for property owners who refuse to comply with anti-blight regulations is being looked into. The city, however, does recognize that not all situations are the same. I know they are very sympathetic towards landlords who are stuck with destructive tenants and are working on finding solutions.
The city is very willing to help anyone who needs help. One audience member last night talked about the difficulty she is having with her rental property. She can no longer afford to maintain it, can't sell it, and was unable to get any assistance from HUD. As soon as she finished speaking, someone from the Health Department sat down with her, got her contact information, and started the process of finding a solution. Mayoral Aide Geraldo Reyes sat down with her next to talk about how he can help.
There was one new initiative announced that received a vigorous round of applause. As most everyone in Waterbury has noticed, the Republican-American has started posting the names and addresses of property owners cited for blight violations by the Health Department. The majority of the property owners live outside Waterbury. This is a huge frustration for those of us who live in the WOW neighborhood. We get blamed for the blighted conditions here, but many of the problems are caused by absentee landlords. What makes it particularly frustrating is that we in the neighborhood have no way of reaching those out-of-town property owners, no way to talk to them about doing a better job of maintaining their property, no way to tell them to clean up, but we are still blamed by the rest of the city for their blight no matter how clean our own properties might be (and, as Bonnie Orintas noted, the WOW neighborhood has some of the city's most beautiful and best-maintained properties).
At last night's meeting, Roseann Wright, Director of the Health Department, announced that they are now sending press releases about out-of-town owners of blighted properties to their local newspapers. This was loudly applauded. Here is a sample press release that was distributed last night:
Paul Guidone presented a Facility Improvement Plan for Walsh School. The plan includes a long list of short-term renovations to be completed before the new school year starts in the fall, including recaulking windows and building exterior joints, reconstructing the front entrance sidewalk, installing security cameras and a new fence, and cutting back overgrown trees and shrubs. The long-term plan is short, but is mainly major renovations and expansions. The Walsh School Facility Improvement Plan is a perfect example of where we are: everything on the list should have been done already, which is frustrating; but I am so pleased that is going to happen now. Waterbury is finally moving in the right direction.
Last, but not least, a delicious pasta dinner was served at the end of the meeting by the PAL organization.
The format was largely one in which the different city departments involved in the new anti-blight initiative explained what they are doing. Although one audience member later accused them of merely patting themselves on the back, they really were reporting to the public and much of what they had to say was very warmly received.
As the Mayor pointed out, he has been in office for less than two months. I think there has been more progress in fighting blight in that time than there has been in years. Two of the most important steps are the formation of the Waterbury Blight Enforcement & Control Division and the formation of the Blight Task Force. Instead of farming out blight control to WDC, which has very limited enforcement ability, a division of the police department is now in charge of enforcement. Instead of every city department working on their own, their efforts are unified by the task force.
There seemed to be two basic areas of concern for residents and landlords.
The first concern is that the city is not actually going to follow through on its new promise to help the neighborhood. I think everyone who has lived in the WOW neighborhood for more than 15 years can quickly point back to broken promises and empty promises of the Giordano and Jarjura administrations. All I can say in response to that concern is that the past is the past. Learn from the past, hold the city accountable for its promises, but don't slow things down by dwelling on past wrongs.
The other area of concern is that property owners will be treated unfairly. The city is absolutely getting tough on blight. Property owners are going to be held fully accountable for the condition of their properties. The possibility of jail time for property owners who refuse to comply with anti-blight regulations is being looked into. The city, however, does recognize that not all situations are the same. I know they are very sympathetic towards landlords who are stuck with destructive tenants and are working on finding solutions.
The city is very willing to help anyone who needs help. One audience member last night talked about the difficulty she is having with her rental property. She can no longer afford to maintain it, can't sell it, and was unable to get any assistance from HUD. As soon as she finished speaking, someone from the Health Department sat down with her, got her contact information, and started the process of finding a solution. Mayoral Aide Geraldo Reyes sat down with her next to talk about how he can help.
There was one new initiative announced that received a vigorous round of applause. As most everyone in Waterbury has noticed, the Republican-American has started posting the names and addresses of property owners cited for blight violations by the Health Department. The majority of the property owners live outside Waterbury. This is a huge frustration for those of us who live in the WOW neighborhood. We get blamed for the blighted conditions here, but many of the problems are caused by absentee landlords. What makes it particularly frustrating is that we in the neighborhood have no way of reaching those out-of-town property owners, no way to talk to them about doing a better job of maintaining their property, no way to tell them to clean up, but we are still blamed by the rest of the city for their blight no matter how clean our own properties might be (and, as Bonnie Orintas noted, the WOW neighborhood has some of the city's most beautiful and best-maintained properties).
At last night's meeting, Roseann Wright, Director of the Health Department, announced that they are now sending press releases about out-of-town owners of blighted properties to their local newspapers. This was loudly applauded. Here is a sample press release that was distributed last night:
Paul Guidone presented a Facility Improvement Plan for Walsh School. The plan includes a long list of short-term renovations to be completed before the new school year starts in the fall, including recaulking windows and building exterior joints, reconstructing the front entrance sidewalk, installing security cameras and a new fence, and cutting back overgrown trees and shrubs. The long-term plan is short, but is mainly major renovations and expansions. The Walsh School Facility Improvement Plan is a perfect example of where we are: everything on the list should have been done already, which is frustrating; but I am so pleased that is going to happen now. Waterbury is finally moving in the right direction.
Last, but not least, a delicious pasta dinner was served at the end of the meeting by the PAL organization.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Snow Monsters Return!
I was hoping the snow would lead to some more creativity at MD Auto on North Main Street, and it has. Yay!
Here are this year's first snow creatures.
I have not yet met the artist (MD Auto was closed when I went by today), but the Rep-Am reported last year that Harold Figueroa is the inspired genius.
Here's a couple of the snow/paint sculptures from last winter: late December, mid January and late January. Each one is more complex and "finished" than the last.
Here are this year's first snow creatures.
 |
| This one is, sadly, damaged. Someone kicked him in the jaw. |
I have not yet met the artist (MD Auto was closed when I went by today), but the Rep-Am reported last year that Harold Figueroa is the inspired genius.
Here's a couple of the snow/paint sculptures from last winter: late December, mid January and late January. Each one is more complex and "finished" than the last.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Winter Critters
So much for not having anything to blog about. The snow day must be inspiring me.
The birds are all busy at the feeders. Same crowd as usual. Sparrows, chickadees, cardinals, nuthatches, woodpeckers, and juncos.
Then there are the cats. For some reason, we've been invaded by stray cats. First there was the Cute Black Cat (CBC).
He's adorable. Started showing up at the window when we called for the cat who is supposed to come when called. CBC didn't care that we weren't calling him, he wanted in on the action. Normally I don't feed stray cats, but this one was very persistent. After a couple days of food and water, he started looking better. He figured out how to get into the garage and has been sleeping on the soft top of my car.
CBC hasn't been on the front porch asking for food in several days. He has been replaced by Straggly Kitten. Straggly is a mess. He looks awful. He has trouble using his mouth for eating and drinking. He has a large bald spot on his tail. The first night he appeared, his belly looked unnaturally swollen. His fur was messy, sticking out in all different directions, and filthy. He looks better now.
He keeps trying to run inside the house, but I already have five indoor cats and I'm not going to allow an unneutered, potentially diseased cat inside (especially since one of my older cats is suffering with a bad tooth problem right now).
Luckily for Straggly K, there is a cat shelter on the front porch. I have lined the sides with blankets and made a cozy nest for him. He's been guzzling down all the warm water we bring him, and filling his stomach with food. I picked him up yesterday and realized he is nothing but skin and bones--his belly no longer looks distended, so it may have been just from starvation, not disease. The missing fur could be from flea-related over grooming.
I can't afford to take stray cats to a regular vet (can't afford to take my indoor cats to the regular vet!), but the H.O.P.E. Spay/Neuter Clinic has very affordable rates for neutering and vaccinating. Even better would be if one of my readers wants to adopt him (hint, hint).
The birds are all busy at the feeders. Same crowd as usual. Sparrows, chickadees, cardinals, nuthatches, woodpeckers, and juncos.
Then there are the cats. For some reason, we've been invaded by stray cats. First there was the Cute Black Cat (CBC).
He's adorable. Started showing up at the window when we called for the cat who is supposed to come when called. CBC didn't care that we weren't calling him, he wanted in on the action. Normally I don't feed stray cats, but this one was very persistent. After a couple days of food and water, he started looking better. He figured out how to get into the garage and has been sleeping on the soft top of my car.
CBC hasn't been on the front porch asking for food in several days. He has been replaced by Straggly Kitten. Straggly is a mess. He looks awful. He has trouble using his mouth for eating and drinking. He has a large bald spot on his tail. The first night he appeared, his belly looked unnaturally swollen. His fur was messy, sticking out in all different directions, and filthy. He looks better now.
He keeps trying to run inside the house, but I already have five indoor cats and I'm not going to allow an unneutered, potentially diseased cat inside (especially since one of my older cats is suffering with a bad tooth problem right now).
Luckily for Straggly K, there is a cat shelter on the front porch. I have lined the sides with blankets and made a cozy nest for him. He's been guzzling down all the warm water we bring him, and filling his stomach with food. I picked him up yesterday and realized he is nothing but skin and bones--his belly no longer looks distended, so it may have been just from starvation, not disease. The missing fur could be from flea-related over grooming.
I can't afford to take stray cats to a regular vet (can't afford to take my indoor cats to the regular vet!), but the H.O.P.E. Spay/Neuter Clinic has very affordable rates for neutering and vaccinating. Even better would be if one of my readers wants to adopt him (hint, hint).
Friday, January 20, 2012
Upcoming Events
I have not been doing much blogging lately, probably because it's winter and I'd prefer to hibernate or relocate to someplace warm and sunny. I've tried to think of interesting topics to write about, but nothing has really gripped me--and been a quick write. I've been busy with a backlog of freelance work which I still haven't caught up on (ye editor of The Observer has begun to nag), so there's not much time for blogging.
While I still don't have anything interesting and quick for the blog, I figured I could do a filler post listing a few upcoming events that are likely to be blog subjects.
WOW Community Meeting
Tuesday, January 24, 6:30 p.m. at Walsh School
Held at the request of Mayor O'Leary, the meeting will inform students and parents in the WOW (Walnut-Orange-Walsh) neighborhood, as well as the school's faculty and staff, of the status of improvements completed and planned for the school and the surrounding neighborhood. The public is encouraged to attend.
"The Future of Our Downtown Green" Community Forum
Wednesday, January 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Mattatuck Museum
A public meeting to discuss ideas for the Green, part of a grant-funded study.
WOW/NRZ Youth Council's 9th Annual Black History Celebration
Wednesday, February 1, 6:00 p.m. at the WOW/NRZ Community Learning Center
This year's theme is "Celebrating a Rich Heritage" and features a host of distinguished speakers and guests.
While I still don't have anything interesting and quick for the blog, I figured I could do a filler post listing a few upcoming events that are likely to be blog subjects.
WOW Community Meeting
Tuesday, January 24, 6:30 p.m. at Walsh School
Held at the request of Mayor O'Leary, the meeting will inform students and parents in the WOW (Walnut-Orange-Walsh) neighborhood, as well as the school's faculty and staff, of the status of improvements completed and planned for the school and the surrounding neighborhood. The public is encouraged to attend.
"The Future of Our Downtown Green" Community Forum
Wednesday, January 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Mattatuck Museum
A public meeting to discuss ideas for the Green, part of a grant-funded study.
WOW/NRZ Youth Council's 9th Annual Black History Celebration
Wednesday, February 1, 6:00 p.m. at the WOW/NRZ Community Learning Center
This year's theme is "Celebrating a Rich Heritage" and features a host of distinguished speakers and guests.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Blight Update
I attended a meeting this morning at City Hall convened by Mayor O'Leary with representatives from key city departments, Board of Education, Board of Aldermen, WDC and community leaders. The topic: Blight.
When the Republican-American first reported that there was interest in relocating the Walsh School students to the new Jonathan Reed School, I was not happy. While I absolutely agreed that the Walsh students should have the best educational facilities, I was horrified at the concept of abandoning the school. If a neighborhood is blighted and the city decides to give up on it, the neighborhood will become a war zone/slum/ghetto/whatever you want to call it. Closing the school will make the neighborhood worse. Yes, the students would be attending school in a new building, but they would still be living in the old, blighted neighborhood, which would disintegrate rapidly. If the neighborhood blight is a problem for the school and the students, the only solution is to clean up the blight. If the school building needs repairs and upgrades, make that happen too.
I was very happy to read yesterday's article, in which the Mayor and the School Superintendent both supported improving the neighborhood and the school, rather than giving up on them.
The meeting this morning was the first of many. I wasn't sure what to expect. I've grown accustomed to city meetings in which everyone sits around debating what to do, complains about the problems, and then nothing ever gets done. This was not that sort of meeting. This is not that sort of Mayor.
Mayor O'Leary made it very clear that it is time for change, time to change the culture, time to change the tactics, time to change the attitude. He expects everyone, city employees and city residents, to roll up their sleeves and work their hardest to turn this city around. As he said, when you walk through neighborhoods like the one surrounding Walsh School, you can feel overwhelmed by the problems and not know where to start. I'd say, based on today's meeting, he's going to take on all the problems at once, building a strong team of people to make it happen.
He has encouraged everyone to be creative with their solutions and to be willing to try new things. He wants to end the culture of negativity, of people saying things can't be done, that problems can't be solved. He asked each department head present to come up with some specifics on improving the city's response to the blight problem, and he asked the community leaders present to make sure the residents do their part as well. He made it pretty clear that he expects everyone to work hard, find positive solutions, and give it all they've got. Leadership in action!
I don't want to sound like I'm back in campaign mode (I'm not), but this was a great meeting. During the campaign, every so often someone would ask me if O'Leary really was going to follow through on his promises to clean up blight, etc. It's not going to happen overnight, but it's pretty obvious to me that this city is about to get a whole lot better.
When the Republican-American first reported that there was interest in relocating the Walsh School students to the new Jonathan Reed School, I was not happy. While I absolutely agreed that the Walsh students should have the best educational facilities, I was horrified at the concept of abandoning the school. If a neighborhood is blighted and the city decides to give up on it, the neighborhood will become a war zone/slum/ghetto/whatever you want to call it. Closing the school will make the neighborhood worse. Yes, the students would be attending school in a new building, but they would still be living in the old, blighted neighborhood, which would disintegrate rapidly. If the neighborhood blight is a problem for the school and the students, the only solution is to clean up the blight. If the school building needs repairs and upgrades, make that happen too.
I was very happy to read yesterday's article, in which the Mayor and the School Superintendent both supported improving the neighborhood and the school, rather than giving up on them.
The meeting this morning was the first of many. I wasn't sure what to expect. I've grown accustomed to city meetings in which everyone sits around debating what to do, complains about the problems, and then nothing ever gets done. This was not that sort of meeting. This is not that sort of Mayor.
Mayor O'Leary made it very clear that it is time for change, time to change the culture, time to change the tactics, time to change the attitude. He expects everyone, city employees and city residents, to roll up their sleeves and work their hardest to turn this city around. As he said, when you walk through neighborhoods like the one surrounding Walsh School, you can feel overwhelmed by the problems and not know where to start. I'd say, based on today's meeting, he's going to take on all the problems at once, building a strong team of people to make it happen.
He has encouraged everyone to be creative with their solutions and to be willing to try new things. He wants to end the culture of negativity, of people saying things can't be done, that problems can't be solved. He asked each department head present to come up with some specifics on improving the city's response to the blight problem, and he asked the community leaders present to make sure the residents do their part as well. He made it pretty clear that he expects everyone to work hard, find positive solutions, and give it all they've got. Leadership in action!
I don't want to sound like I'm back in campaign mode (I'm not), but this was a great meeting. During the campaign, every so often someone would ask me if O'Leary really was going to follow through on his promises to clean up blight, etc. It's not going to happen overnight, but it's pretty obvious to me that this city is about to get a whole lot better.
Thursday, December 01, 2011
Midnight Oath of Office
Although the public, full Inauguration will be held on Friday, our new Mayor took the Oath of Office at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, December 1 to ensure a seamless transition of power for the new administration. Also sworn in tonight were the Town Clerk, City Clerk and Corporation Counsel.
There's been some confusion about the two swearing-in ceremonies. Tonight's was held for practical reasons. For example, if the Town Clerk had not been sworn in tonight, it is conceivable that the validity of any birth certificates or other documents she is responsible for could be called into question.
Friday night's Inauguration is a full-length event, held at a time that will be vastly more convenient for the general public.
There were a fair number of people invited to tonight's event who were able to stay up that late (I'm starting to feel old, getting tired so early!). The Waterbury Observer took photographs, and the Republican-American took photographs and video. Here's a few of the photos I took.
First up, everyone waiting for midnight.... It reminded me of when I was a little girl and thought that staying up until midnight was incredibly momentous. I wonder how the Mayor's daughter will remember this night.
The Mayor's swearing-in was conducted in the Aldermanic Chambers. The Oath of Office was administered by Senior Justice William J. "Taco" Sullivan.
There's been some confusion about the two swearing-in ceremonies. Tonight's was held for practical reasons. For example, if the Town Clerk had not been sworn in tonight, it is conceivable that the validity of any birth certificates or other documents she is responsible for could be called into question.
Friday night's Inauguration is a full-length event, held at a time that will be vastly more convenient for the general public.
There were a fair number of people invited to tonight's event who were able to stay up that late (I'm starting to feel old, getting tired so early!). The Waterbury Observer took photographs, and the Republican-American took photographs and video. Here's a few of the photos I took.
First up, everyone waiting for midnight.... It reminded me of when I was a little girl and thought that staying up until midnight was incredibly momentous. I wonder how the Mayor's daughter will remember this night.
 |
| Mayor-Elect O'Leary being greeted by his daughter. |
 |
| Mayor Bergin, who has shared some amazing stories of past campaigns. |
 |
The Mayor's swearing-in was conducted in the Aldermanic Chambers. The Oath of Office was administered by Senior Justice William J. "Taco" Sullivan.
 |
| Mayor O'Leary! |
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Inauguration on Friday
For the first time in a decade, a new Mayor will be inaugurated in Waterbury this week. The public ceremony will be held on Friday, December 2. The event is free and open to the public. After the ceremony is over, I recommend trying one of our great downtown restaurants. I've includes links to most of them below the invitation (I couldn't find websites for all of them, and I've left out eateries that are not open for dinner).
East Main Street
City Hall Cafe
Golden Wok II
Louie's Pizza House
Zachary's Pizza House
South Main Street
El Americano Restaurant
Bank Street
Churrascaria Braza Brazilian Bar & Grill
Diorio's Restaurant & Bar
Leavenworth Street
Drescher's Restaurant
Signature's Restaurant
West Main Street
La Cazuela Restaurant & Lounge
East Main Street
City Hall Cafe
Golden Wok II
Louie's Pizza House
Zachary's Pizza House
South Main Street
El Americano Restaurant
Bank Street
Churrascaria Braza Brazilian Bar & Grill
Diorio's Restaurant & Bar
Leavenworth Street
Drescher's Restaurant
Signature's Restaurant
West Main Street
La Cazuela Restaurant & Lounge
Friday, November 18, 2011
Robert Wakeman Hill
In the years that I have been working with Waterbury's history, I have repeatedly come across references to an architect named Robert Wakeman Hill. He usually is overshadowed by later Waterbury architects, and I haven't felt like I was very familiar with his work. Some of his better-known buildings were destroyed long ago, while many others simply aren't recognized as being his work.
Earlier this year, I started researching Hill for the Waterbury Hall of Fame. I also put together a slideshow of his buildings for the Induction Ceremony which was held recently. Since then, I have been working on putting together this blog post and have found a few more buildings which I believe he designed. I have included buildings outside Waterbury as well.
Hill was active in Waterbury beginning during the Civil War and continued working until the early 20th century. For a time, he was one of only two architects in Waterbury. He designed buildings when Waterbury was first growing into a city. His buildings were located in what was then the core of the city, primarily downtown, the South End, Brooklyn, North Square and Hillside. As the city development spread outward in the 20th century, the older neighborhoods were neglected. Several of the R.W. Hill buildings that survive in Waterbury are in poor condition. Others have been demolished or drastically modified. I have including historic images when possible to show what has been lost.
Earlier this year, I started researching Hill for the Waterbury Hall of Fame. I also put together a slideshow of his buildings for the Induction Ceremony which was held recently. Since then, I have been working on putting together this blog post and have found a few more buildings which I believe he designed. I have included buildings outside Waterbury as well.
Hill was active in Waterbury beginning during the Civil War and continued working until the early 20th century. For a time, he was one of only two architects in Waterbury. He designed buildings when Waterbury was first growing into a city. His buildings were located in what was then the core of the city, primarily downtown, the South End, Brooklyn, North Square and Hillside. As the city development spread outward in the 20th century, the older neighborhoods were neglected. Several of the R.W. Hill buildings that survive in Waterbury are in poor condition. Others have been demolished or drastically modified. I have including historic images when possible to show what has been lost.
 |
| Robert Wakeman Hill, in Anderson's History of Waterbury |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)