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Norwalk/RDA lawsuit accuses Milligan of ‘sham’ property transfers

The view of Wall Street Place from Jason Milligan’s “Phase II” parking lot on June 1.

Updated, 3:35 p.m.: Additional comment from Jason Milligan; 6:15 a.m.: Copy edits

NORWALK, Conn. — Jason Milligan has engaged in unfair trade practices by using sham corporations to white-wash a prohibited transfer of property, the City of Norwalk and the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency allege in their lawsuit dated Friday.

Richard Olson has been unjustly enriched by selling property he was given by the City with the expectation that parking spaces be provided for citizens, the lawsuit alleges.

“This lawsuit is mostly complete nonsense with fancy words and legal mumbo jumbo,” Milligan said Wednesday, when asked by NancyOnNorwalk for a response to the lawsuit’s allegations.

Olson did not reply to a Tuesday email from NoN. Continue reading Norwalk/RDA lawsuit accuses Milligan of ‘sham’ property transfers

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Carver Center led me to where I am, will help others

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Thursday, Sept. 20, is Carver Day. Taylor Hemphill is a Carver alumna. 

Even as a young adult, living in Philadelphia, I still consider myself a Carver Kid. It’s an identity that didn’t leave me once I graduated high school.  My parents were involved with the Carver Center in their youth and my involvement extended to Girls Scout meetings, CASPER program, summer camp, Junior YDP, then Senior YDP. I would later return to the Carver the summer before finishing my undergraduate degree. I had the privilege of giving back in the building that gave to me, as a co-director for Let’s Get Ready!, an SAT prep program for low-income high school students. Continue reading Carver Center led me to where I am, will help others

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Norwalk education roundup: ECS, NHS colors and Adamowski ‘dirt’

Screenshot from a drone video showing Norwalk High School’s exterior paint job. (Trevor Cooper, IG @Photography_by_Trevor)

Updated, 10:09 a.m., 7:01 a.m.: Copy edits

NORWALK, Conn. – Here’s some education news of note:

  • An analysis of ECS funding changes: $400,000 increase this year
  • Norwalk High School’s ‘new colors look amazing’ in drone video
  • What’s that in the Superintendent’s parking space?

 

Drone video of new Norwalk High School exterior, by Trevor Cooper, posted below Continue reading Norwalk education roundup: ECS, NHS colors and Adamowski ‘dirt’

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Forums will talk Wall Street issues, Oak Hills bar; candidates to make pitches

Norwalk Redevelopment Agency Executive Director Tim Sheehan (left) plans to be part of a four-person panel Monday in the Wall Street Theater; Republican Congressional candidate Harry Arora and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (center) are scheduled in a League of Women Voters’ forum, as are other candidates; and Mayor Harry Rilling and the Common Council are seeking your opinion about possible changes at Oak Hills Park, including a sit down bar.

The election is Nov. 6.

Updated, 5:58 p.m.: Added sentence to Smirniotopoulous quote.  4:05 p.m.: Added Smirniotopoulos e-mail, corrected typo; 12:09 p.m.: Added comment from Josh Morgan regarding OHPA payment status;  10:52 a.m.: Copy edit; 6:10 a.m.: Copy edits, information added.

NORWALK, Conn. — Multiple forums will address hot topics in Norwalk or offer chances to hear candidates.  Here are some opportunities for civic engagement:

  • CNNA panel discusses: “What’s Up with Norwalk’s Wall Street?”
  • Common Council seeks input on the Oak Hills Park Authority request for changes, including a sit-down bar in the park’s restaurant
  • League of Women Voters offers legislative candidate forums

Continue reading Forums will talk Wall Street issues, Oak Hills bar; candidates to make pitches

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Opinion: The $27 cup of Connecticut coffee

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The national average price of a cup of coffee is three dollars.  You would not pay $27 for a cup of coffee in Connecticut, would you?  The average price of an iPhone is $728 – does $6,500 sound like a good deal in Connecticut?  Nationally, cars sell for an average of $35,000 –  so that Honda here in Connecticut at $315,000 would be insane, right?

Note my Connecticut estimates above are each nine times the national average.  Why do my analogies use nine times the national average?  Because the amount of money Connecticut spends per mile of road in administrative costs is nine times the national average.   Continue reading Opinion: The $27 cup of Connecticut coffee

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Opinion: Why the 140th needs a competitive race for State Representative

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I recently ran in the Democratic Primary for State Representative of the 140th Legislative District, here in Norwalk. Although I missed securing the nomination by a very close margin, I ended up earning the nomination of the CT Working Families Party, and will still appear on the ballot in November.

Some have asked me whether having two Democrats—my progressive campaign against the political establishment—continue in a race against a Trump-supporting Republican is a wise move. Continue reading Opinion: Why the 140th needs a competitive race for State Representative

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City withdraws court action against Milligan, announces new one

Norwalk real estate broker Jason Milligan, owner of POKO Phase II and III properties, speaks to Common Council members Sept. 4 in City Hall.

Correction, 1:22 p.m.: Story amended to reflect clarification from Jason Milligan regarding a Sept. 7 email exchange. Updated, 6:44 a.m.: Information added; 6:16 a.m.: Copy edits

NORWALK, Conn. — A court action against POKO property owner Jason Milligan and former owner Richard Olson has been withdrawn, and a new one filed, according to Norwalk Corporation Counsel Mario Coppola.

The new lawsuit “alleges that the parties, among other things, breached the LDA by conveying Phase II and Phase III properties in the project at 21, 23 and 31 Isaacs Street and 83 and 97 Wall Street without the consent of the Agency,” according to a press release sent by Norwalk Communications Manager Joshua Morgan late Monday. Continue reading City withdraws court action against Milligan, announces new one

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Norwalk DPW retiree sues City

Updated, 8:41 a.m.: Copy edits

NORWALK, Conn. — The City of Norwalk is being sued by a former employee, who claims he was harassed into resigning his job with the Department of Public Works.

Bela Garrison resigned in March and took early retirement to escape conditions made intolerable by Scott Vetare’s harassment and threats of bodily harm, the Sept. 7 complaint filed by Attorney Steven Jacobs in New Haven Superior Court states.

The City is filing a motion to strike on the basis of governmental immunity, Deputy Corporation Counsel Jeffry Spahr said. Continue reading Norwalk DPW retiree sues City

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7 Forest Hill owners appeal and advertise

A screengrab from the Sunshine Senior Residence website. Last week “September 15th 2018” was changed to “Soon”.

Updated, 12:12 p.m.: Photo added; 8:01 a.m.: Clarification to opening sentence; 6:34 a.m.: Copy edits

NORWALK, Conn. — A business that was denied permission to operate a senior living residence in West Norwalk is appealing the decision in court while requesting permits to continue work on the property.

7 Forest Hill LLC, owner of the single-family residence 7 Forest Hill Road, applied for and was granted a permit earlier this year for five unrelated senior citizens to rent rooms in the home and receive help cooking and cleaning.  Neighbors appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), which unanimously overturned the permit July 12.

Attorney Joseph Capalbo, representing the owner, appealed the decision in an Aug. 1 complaint to Stamford Superior Court.  The complaint argues that the ZBA illegally abused its discretion to reverse the permit as the use is “valid, proper, compliant and permitted.”

Continue reading 7 Forest Hill owners appeal and advertise

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Norwalk responds to China’s plastic ban, asks residents to change habits

From left, – Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling, City Carting Chief Operating Officer Anthony Farina and Norwalk Department of Public Works Director Bruce Chimento. (Contributed)

Updated, 12:10 p.m.: One link repaired, another link added.

NORWALK, Conn. — Worldwide changes in the recycling market are prompting changes to Norwalk’s single-stream recycling list.

“Some items that were previously recyclable will no longer be accepted. For example, plastic bags and thin plastic film (including bubble wrap); Styrofoam; paper and single-use coffee cups; and straws are no longer recyclable,” according to a press release from Norwalk Communications Director Joshua Morgan.

Video by Harold Cobin at end of story Continue reading Norwalk responds to China’s plastic ban, asks residents to change habits

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Opinion: Shout out to All Our Kin

Anthony Allison

Anthony Allison is the executive director of Norwalk ACTS.

Shout Out to ALL OUR KIN on being honored with the 2018 Community Impact Award from Fairfield County’s Community Foundation in partnership with Light a Fire!

All Our Kin trains, supports, and sustains community child care providers to ensure that children and families have the foundation they need to succeed in school and in life. Through their programs, child care professionals succeed as business owners; working parents find stable, high-quality care for their children; and children gain an educational foundation that lays the groundwork for achievement in school and beyond. Continue reading Opinion: Shout out to All Our Kin

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When MSNBC or Fox News airs in public places, how do people react?

Have you been traveling and noticed that all the televisions in an airport terminal were set to CNN? Or grabbed a drink at a bar and realized that Fox News was being broadcast to its customers?

Frank Waddell

You might grouse that you’re being forced to watch something that doesn’t jive with your political views. Or maybe you think it’s no big deal – your views are already fully formed, so you can just tune it out.

However, more than three decades of academic research and eight years of my own work on media suggest that the presence of cable news on television in shared public spaces does influence us – just not in the way you might think. Continue reading When MSNBC or Fox News airs in public places, how do people react?

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Overdose deaths expected to level off

Projected accidental overdose deaths in Connecticut were expected to remain flat in 2018, compared to 2017. That would mark the first year since 2012 without a double-digit percentage increase. Data is from the CT Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. (CTMirror.org graphic)

Connecticut’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Thursday announced a projected overdose death total of 1,030 for 2018 — almost identical to the 2017 total of 1,038. There were 515 overdose deaths in the first six months of 2018, the medical examiner reported.

That 1,030 is still very near the record high death toll of 1,038 set last year, but it’s a welcome change in the deadly trajectory of double-digit percentage increases that have persisted since 2012, when the medical examiner’s office first began breaking out this category of death. Continue reading Overdose deaths expected to level off

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