Community Conversations

Common Council member Ron Klattenberg is using the inauguration of Barack Obama as an occasion upon which to engage community members in the changes we'd like to see happen in Middletown. Here's the information he's sent along.  If people are interested, NEAT could host an event...

Where are “We the People”? The answer is in Middletown, according to a group of citizens invited to come together by Councilman Ronald Klattenberg. On Tuesday January 20, 2009, the country will pause to Inaugurate the 44th President of the United States, President-elect Barack Obama, and this informal group feels that may be the best time for the people of Middletown to come together and focus, as a community, on the questions most important to the greater Middletown area in this time of great change and opportunity. 

The group (currently acting as a planning committee) has secured Russell Library for 12 noon and at 6:00 pm on Inauguration Day for the public to watch President Obama address the nation together and participate in a facilitated community conversation. This is a not a political event but rather a grassroots initiative to identify the needs of our community in these difficult times. We will record reactions and prioritize ideas that will help Middletown proactively contribute to and take advantage of the inevitable change which is coming. Obviously, the Library has limited space, so the Community Conversations group is asking any and all community organizations in the Middletown area to join this effort and host focused conversations at other sites including homes, thus creating a true community event with the largest possible representation of needs and concerns. 

Community organizations are asked to contact the planning committee to contribute additional sites, obtain assistance, distribute information or help in any way to make this an engaging and exciting community success. There will be a second planning meeting on December 20th, 10:00 am, in the Library’s Hubbard Room, to develop a general Community Conversations format, assess resources needed and prepare for a facilitators training meeting scheduled for January 3. 

This effort will need volunteer facilitators, sites and of course the people of our diverse community. In the end, we will record and collect results that will culminate in an unprecedented document of what the people of Middletown feel are the priorities for our City. This is the first step toward effective change. 

Any organization or group of individuals interested in supporting this effort in any way is asked to immediately contact Councilman Grady Faulkner at GFaulk1484@aol.com or 860-344-9395 in order to begin organizing and identifying host sites to publish for the general public. If individuals are having private celebrations, it is important to have those discussion results included as well.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Friend of NEAT:

I’m a real home-town boy.

Liberty Street was my childhood home and now here I am, back in my old neighborhood — a homeowner, parent of twins, Macdonough School PTA member, soccer coach, Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) graduate, and the newly elected president of NEAT.

The North End is special in so many ways. I am one of its biggest cheerleaders and one of its sharpest critics. The neighborhood is unique in Middletown with its rich histories of the immigrant and newcomer experiences, its tapestry of backgrounds, its village-like character.

The neighborhood’s problems are not unique; they are those that impact dense urban neighborhoods throughout the world. They are problems that can be solved by linking arms, joining hearts and minds, and building the neighborhood’s self-esteem and reputation one small, positive step at a time.

I made a conscious decision to raise my family in the neighborhood in which I grew up; I have made a conscious decision to make it a better neighborhood.

NEAT has, in its12 years, restored both the heart and the will of the North End. First in the deteriorated neighborhood east of Main Street, now in every corner of the North End, the organization has reached out, identified common concerns, and helped the neighborhood focus its attention. The North End is on the move, connecting its resident leaders to each other, welcoming newcomers, and like me, helping old timers know it’s a new and better day in the neighborhood. NEAT’s office is on Main Street but its true presence is in its people.

This neighborhood needs NEAT and it needs you. Your generous donation will help NEAT continue its work. Your dollars are spent frugally. Investing in NEAT is a way to reduce the dollars spent upon municipal expenses that are incurred in a neighborhood that is marginalized. A healthy neighborhood is cheaper to operate and we need your help to restore the neighborhood’s health.

I choose to live in the North End and I’m going to make the neighborhood better. Please join me and all of us at NEAT who are fighting the good fight for a noble neighborhood.

Sincerely yours,

Ed Corvo

NEAT President

Half Price Tickets Tonight ONLY!

Hi Everyone,

Oddfellows Playhouse is offering NEAT members half off tickets to
tonight's performance of the Threepenny Opera. The show starts at the
Playhouse on Washington St. at 7:30, but they recommend that you call
to reserve a seat and arrive a half hour early. You can read more
about it below.

This is a great chance to see a show at the North End's own youth
theater. Mention NEAT to get your discounted tickets.

Happy Holidays!

Izzi Greenberg

Director, NEAT

ps. if you couldn't make it to last nigth's holiday party, you were
missed! It was a really fun event. Thanks to the Green Street Arts
Center for allowing NEAT to use its space!

Oddfellows Playhouse Teen Repertory Company presents a mainstage
production of The Threepenny Opera, Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's
ground-breaking work of musical theater on December 4-20. Directed by
Missy Burmeister, a cast of 20 talented teens from throughout central
Connecticut tells the legendary tale of the notorious criminal and
gentleman, Mack the Knife. A pit band under the direction of Joseph
Getter recreates Weill's innovative music and memorable songs.

A milestone of 20th-century musical theater, /The Threepenny Opera/
was
first presented in Berlin in 1928 and transformed old-fashioned
operetta forms with a sharp political perspective and the sound of Berlin
cabarets. Oddfellows Teen Repertory Company skillfully interprets
Bertolt Brecht's biting text and Kurt Weill's acid harmonies in this
opera "by and for beggars" that captures the contradictions of man's
existence--love, treachery, betrayal, redemption and improbable
forgiveness.

The show has completed one successful weekend and additional
performances are on December 12 & 13, and 19 & 20 at 7:30 pm.
All performances are at Oddfellows Playhouse, 128 Washington Street,
in Middletown, CT. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and
seniors. For more information or reservations, please call (860)
347-6143.

NEAT's Schools Committee Meeting

NEAT's Schools Committee had its third monthly meeting Wednesday night with great participation from parents and community members from different areas of the neighborhood and with different stakes in the success of our schools. After having guests at our last two meetings, (Shiela Daniels from the Board Of Education in October and Moody's Principal Yolande Eldridge in November) we structured the meeting around creating goals for the group, both short and long term. One common goal of the group is to gather and share current information about school policy, especially special education policy. With that goal in mind, many members plan to attend a special education workshop in January that is open to the public (more information will follow soon). Another goal is to give a collective voice to families and children to better advocate for improvements in the public school experience for all North End families. The group also felt that keeping current on Middletown Board of Education policies and ensuring that the North End's interests are met was an important goal. To that end, representatives from the school's committee will attend Board of Education monthly meetings and report on Middletown policies that will directly effect the North End, such as the district improvement plan and redistricting efforts.
The school's committee meets monthly and is open to all NEAT members with an interest in having good schools for the children in our neighborhood. The next meeting will be Jan 7th at 7pm at the NEAT office. Please call Alicia at the NEAT office if you have any questions, 346-4845.

Come to the Book Fair!

If you're looking for children's books and educational toys for the young ones on your shopping list, come on down to the Holiday Book Fair at Macdonough School.

While you're picking up the newest "If you give a Cat a Cupcake", you will also be paying for field trips for Macdonough students. Our goal is to raise enough money pay for one field trip per child.

As a member of the PTA, I was thrilled when the executive board decided to abandon the traditional fundraising methods this year -- no catalogs of gift wrap, no cookie dough order forms. We voted against sending our kids out to selling door-to-door or pressuring friends and family to buy stuff they didn't want or need. But that means that this Book Fair is our main fundraiser this year.

We know that three-fourths of our families at Macdonough fall into the lowest-income category of qualifying for free or reduced lunch for their kids -- and our school typically lags behind the other Middletown elementary schools in raising funds for the extras that a PTA can provide. I'm hoping that Middletown Eye readers will help us reach our goal!

The Book Fair has hardcovers and softcovers in all price ranges, for preschoolers up to middle school age. We've also got stocking stuffers like fuzzy markers, Pokemon pencils and giant pointer fingers, which are currently our top seller.

The Book Fair is open from 9 to 3:30 or so, every day through Friday, December 5th, and the public is welcome. We take cash, check and charge cards. If you haven't been there before, Macdonough is at the intersection of Spring Street and Pearl Street. Thanks for supporting the North End!

UPDATE **

We had a celebrity sighting this morning at the book fair! Here's State Senator Paul Doyle coming through with our PTA President Marilyn Dunkley, after he visited the Family Resource Center playgroup!

Community Policing Meeting

Next meeting is on December 3rd at noon in the Green Street Arts Center

Please don't forget about Community Policing Code Enforcement. You are a part of keeping the neighborhood safe.

If you have any crime or code enforcement or health issues that you wish to report anonymously and/or are uncomfortable calling it in, simply call the office or email izzi@neatmiddletown.org.

Numbers to remember:

NEAT 346.4845

Middletown Police Department

• Routine Calls- 347.2541

• Tipline- 344.3216

School Committee Meeting

Tuesday, December 3rd at 7 pm in the NEAT office is the next School Committee meeting.

With Parent Teacher conferences for this semester over*, a meeting with the Moody principal fulfilled, two Board of Education regular meetings coming up on December 9th and 16th at 7pm, there is a lot to talk about.

Please come tell us your experiences with Public Schools and work to make things better.

*Parent Teacher Conferences:
For Parents of 6-8th grade students are being held from November 21st- 25th.
For Parents of K-5th grade students are being held from December 1st-3rd.

Interim Reports for 6-12 grade students are due on December 12th.

Teen Dream Society Meeting!

The next Teen Dream Society meeting is December 2nd at 5:30 pm in the NEAT office on 668 Main St.

We are restructuring the group a bit so all new members and more are welcome to join us.
In this meeting we are going to focus on making a documentary, civic involvement on issue affecting Middletown's youth and mentoring.

If you have any questions call Alicia or Izzi @ 860.704.8533 or email neat@neatmiddletown.org

NEAT's Holiday Party Save the Date!

Please click the image to see it bigger.

Cool Events at the Russell LIbrary

Green Children
Join the Middletown Area Green Children at Russell Library, 123 Broad Street , Middletown . We focus on appreciating, protecting and learning from the outdoors and nature. On Wednesday, December 10 at 4:00 pm the topic will be “Flowers in December.” A member of Middletown ’s Garden Club will show us how to create a touch of spring a few months early by forcing daffodil bulbs into bloom. Everyone will receive a container and a number of bulbs along with instructions on how to plant and care for them. With a little bit of luck, a few weeks later we will have daffodils on our window sills.

Help Launch Teen Advisory Council at Russell Library
If you are in grades 6 through 11 and interested in your public library, join us for our first meeting on Wednesday, December 17, 4pm in Meeting Room 3 at Russell Library, 123 Broad Street , Middletown . Please bring ideas of what you would like to do at the library. These suggestion may include activities such as poetry slams, creating a facebook page for our Totally Teen section, movie series, a writing club, book talks and more. Bring your friends. Refreshments will be served.

Morning in the North End

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Though they've been open for the past several weeks, the new It's Only Natural Market in the North End is holding their Grand Opening today.

My family and I were there for the ribbon cutting this morning -- what followed was a celebration of North End culture.



Dancers from the Green Street Arts Center got ooh's and aah's from the crowd, shoppers milled around the store tasting samples from local producers, and neighbors in coversation clogged up the aisles.





We even got to see the third floor, which has a great view of Main Street (unfortunately, the foggy weather this morning doesn't do it justice.)



Some of the performers were from the B-Boy class at Green Street. Wow!
(Posted by Jen Alexander)

Voters from Middletown's North End Exercise Their Right to Vote

Here is a pretty cool slide show featuring Middletown residents from the city's north end neighborhood who took part in yesterday's election. I received these images from Izzi Greenberg, executive director of the North End Action Team (NEAT), which was very instrumental in registering many Middletown voters in time for this year's election, and also operated an informational booth outside the polls at Macdonough School yesterday.

Please take a minute to view the slide show, the people featured seem so excited and proud to be participating in this year's election!

When I visted Macdonough yesterday to talk with voters, Izzi told me that the NEAT table, which provided information on how to use the voting machines, a list of the candidates that were runnning and explanations on Questions 1 and 2 regarding the Constitutional Convention and 17-year-old voters, was well visited throughout the day.

"We wanted to make sure the neighborhood has an educated vote," Izzi said yesterday. "So we set up this table and it has been amazing!"

Right up to election day, Middletown voters, many of them first-timer voters, were calling NEAT headquarters with all kinds of election-related questions, said Izzi.

I'm so glad there are organizations out there like NEAT, who are available to help people to become part of this important process. So many of us take voting for granted. I hope all these new voters will continue to use their new-found voting power at every election, so they can really have a say in who makes the decisions in Middletown.

Obama’s victory electrifies North End

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 10:07 PM EST
By SLOAN BREWSTER, Press staff


MIDDLETOWN — Word on the street in the North End of town Wednesday was all happiness and downright pride in the election of Barack Obama.

"He showed that he’s not just there for black people," Middletown resident Judy Rollins said. "He’s here for everyone."

While she believes the president elect will be there for people of all races, Rollins also thinks he will cut through racial divides and bring the country a step closer to ending racism. She was not comfortable discussing her personal battles, but said all African Americans deal with bigotry.

"As a black person, we all experience it," Rollins said.

George Guiont, 59, remembers when civil rights changed life in the country, specifically in the south. In 1965, he was one of the first black children transferred to an all-white school in North Carolina.

He remained there only three weeks.

"I just got tired of the cranks, the ignorance," Guiont said. "I was full of hatred then."

Guiont lost his parents at a young age; his mother died when he was 7 and his father passed when he was 13. Their deaths left him angry and made it even more difficult to deal with racial tensions at school. He ended up dropping out.

But the man does not pass blame or expect the government, Obama or otherwise, to solve his problems.

"My life’s not going to change," he said. "I have to make a change."

Still, Giuont believes Obama will bring change to the country as a whole. He is particularly interested in seeing an end come to the war in Iraq.

Dorothy Goss, 73, also remembers the civil rights movement, though she experienced it in a different manner. The Westbrook resident lived in Essex in 1958 and was a landlord who rented to a black family — a decision many of her neighbors did not appreciate. They did not look too fondly upon her for her political actions either, especially when she participated in a civil rights march on Washington in 1968.

"I’ve been called the n-word-lover I don’t know how many times," Goss said.

During a telephone call to The Press Wednesday, Goss expressed excitement about Obama’s election.

"In my lifetime, I’ve never expected this to happen," she said. "I believe Obama will be great not because he’s a man of color, but because of who he is. He stands up for all people no matter who they are. To me, you have to love people for who they are and not what they take from society, but what they give society. Thank God I lived long enough to see a person of color become our president."

Between moments of elation and exclamations of glee, folks walking in the North End took a few moments to share ideas on which of Obama’s policies they most anticipate.

Rollins looks forward to seeing life improve for the middle class. "He’s starting with the middle," she said. "I think everyone else started out with the upper class. I’m very proud."

Rohanna Powells, an 18-year-old who voted for the first time Tuesday, believes Obama’s economic policies will benefit the country and is pleased with his plans for early childhood education.

Marsha Jean-Charles shares her co-workers thoughts on education — both young women work at the North End Action Team office.

"It’s about making sure schools are adequately funded and higher quality teachers," Jean-Charles said.

Jean-Charles, a student at Wesleyan University, said the campus grew loud with cheer when Obama was declared victorious.

"I personally was crying," she said.

NEAT Executive Director Izzi Greenberg said she was inspired by the number of people who came to Macdonough School Tuesday to learn about Obama and McCain. The organization set up a table and passed on information about both candidates. Greenberg was surprised and impressed by the number of people who came.

"The people who showed up, the wide variety of people who came, really blew me away," Greenberg said. "People were pumped."

While Greenberg said NEAT does not endorse any candidate, she said people in the North End seemed optimistic Obama would work on issues to benefit inner-city areas.

"A lot of people in the neighborhood are really excited," she said. "People of color are feeling really empowered."

Guiont shares the hopefulness.

"When you start talking about helping people, I’m down with that," he said. "When you start talking about lifting them up, everybody’s down with that."

URL: http://www.middletownpress.com/articles/2008/11/05/news/doc49125d7304d67949361402.prt

© 2008 middletownpress.com, a Journal Register Property

Working the Polls at City Hall

My name is Rohanna Powell, and I work at the North End Action Team. This election was my first time voting, It had to be one of the most exciting things I have ever did.

I knew this election is going to bring a lot of change about, not just the fact that Barack Obama is the first African-American president. I did an absentee ballot and I was in a room by myself and I was still really excited.

I worked at City Hall yesterday to help with the absentee ballots, and I thought it would go by really slow, that I wouldn't have much to do. But we had our work cut out for us. There were so many people who came in the minute the doors opened at 6:00am and there were people there until 8:00pm.

It was really amazing and it made me feel really special that I help out at the polls and helped to get people's vote out.

MacDonough students get technical through donor generosity

By 

Melissa Pionzio

 on November 6, 2008 12:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

He's not doing it in this photo, but when I sat down next to 8-year-old Elvis Lozada last night, during a session of the MacDonough School computer club, he was drumming his fingers and bopping around in his chair to the music he had created on an XO mini laptop computer.

"I also get to chat and you can do "Tan Tan Jam" and use instruments, where you press numbers and letters and they turn into songs," said Elvis, who also often takes the laptop home to use. "I show my sister how to use it too, so probably when she is a third grader, whe can sign up for the computer club."

So not only can Elvis make his own music, connect to the Internet (for free with supervision), chat with his fellow computer club members via email and play all kinds of educational games, he also serves as teacher to his family members and is trusted to take care of the computer when he takes it home.

That's in addition to his regular day at school. Unique way to learn no?

Elvis and fellow computer club members' ability to use this compact, little green marvel of technology was made possible by the North End Action Team (NEAT), through a program called "Give One Get One."

Here's how it works. When you purchase one of these XO laptops, either through NEAT or at  http://wiki.laptop.org/go/North_End_Childrens_Project, one laptop is sent to a child in Nigeria and the other to you, the buyer. You can either keep the XO for your own use, or turn around and donate it to a child like Zionique Walker-Elson and Josh Zona pictured above, right here in in Middletown. So far, MacDonough students have 17 XO laptops to use, which they do a good job of sharing during their bi-weekly afterschool computer club.

Here's hansome little Marc Torres, who was learning French with the help of his XO. He told me he wants to go to France some day, so he needs to learn French to communicate. Great goal Marc!  "I learned ensemble means together and la banque means bank," he said.

"I like teaching the kids how to use the computer, things they will use in the older grades, this gets them set for it," said MacDonough third grade teather Teresa Morello, chatting via computer in this photo with Nichoals Deren and Jonathan Shaw. "This thing is about creativity, with writing programs, they are doing their own thing." 

                                                                                                    NEAT executive director Izzi Greenburg is very excited about this grassroots program. It is her goal to provide all of the children at MacDonough with an XO computer. She is also talking with Wesleyan University students to come work with the kids on the computers, either during classtime or the computer club, so the teachers will have more time to work with the students.

"We want this to be a whole new way of learning," she said. "I want to create programs that are exclusive to this neighborhood, that will be incentive for people to come here and decrease the transiency."

Engaging, fun, community-based programmin in a safe environment - what neighborhood doesn't need that?

Categories:

 

• Middletown

Tags:

 

• Macdonough School,
 
• middletown.,
 
• North End Action Team,
 
• XO Computers

Reprinted with permission by the Hartford Courant

North End Voters

District 1 Raw Data

1228/1735 registered voters voted- way more than ANY of the poll workers could remember.
70.8% of registered voters (turn out in this district is sometimes as low as 20%)
Referenda
1 Yes: 355 NO: 719
2. YES 768 NO: 292
3. YES 603 NO: 327
4. YES 773 NO 193
5. YES 760 NO 325
PresidentMcCain 207 Obama 986 Nader 30
3rd CongressionalDeLauro 944 Itshaky 119 Ferrucci 56
9th State SenateCapenera 279 Doyle 816
33rd State Leg.Serra 831 Johnson 280
RegistrarGionfriddo 217 Faracci 815

Great Day at the Polls

It was an amazing day at District 1's only polling place, Macdonough School. The entire North End votes here, and the turn out was awesome. Many groups, including NEAT's own youth leadership group, the Teen Dreams Society were registering North End voters and apparently voter registrations were up this year from 1200 to over 1700. At 5:00pm when I left, over 1000 people had voted, with three hours to go!

I was helping to man a table for NEAT that offered info about how to vote, and who the candidates are, among other things. It was so inspiring to see the number of people that were first time voters, coming out to make their voice heard.

People were leaving the school with tears in their eyes, moved by this election and the possibilites that lie ahead.
I'll keep you posted at 8:00 and we'll see what happens here....May the best man win!

NEAT provides students with free laptops

By SLOAN BREWSTER, Press staff

(reprinted with permission from the Middletown Press)

MIDDLETOWN — It may sound like a dream, but a delivery of free XO laptops for Macdonough School was actually quite real.

Now, children can delightfully study, learn and play on the dust-, wind- and water-proof computers with rubber keyboards. They even get to bring them home.

Wednesday afternoon, students in an after-school computer club took advantage of the laptops, which they came by via the One Laptop Per Child program and the kind heart of North End Action Team Executive Director Izzi Greenberg.

Most folks who know Greenberg speak of how she can’t avoid doing whatever it takes to improve the North End and, specifically, its school — Macdonough. That’s why when she came upon the opportunity to get laptops for the school, she jumped on it.

The story of how the idea was born was a bit convoluted and involved a woman whom Greenberg said has "disappeared." Ultimately, the woman helped Greenberg get connected with One Laptop Per Child and laptop.org. After some footwork, the mail just started coming.

"We just started getting donations," Greenberg said. "We just started getting computers sent to us … people just started sending us computers."

In truth, the computers Greenberg and NEAT supplied to the school are gently used.

XOs are not available for individual sale. They must be purchased in pairs — one for the buyer and one for a child in a third world country — but people who no longer need the XOs can sell them on eBay or donate them to children in need.

Between donations, which allowed NEAT to buy laptops on eBay, and donated computers that have arrived through the mail, the elementary school has been given 15. Greenberg wants more, however.

"The goal ultimately is to have one of these for every kid in the school," she said.

At this time, 24 children are divided into two groups and alternate weeks they use the laptops in their after-school program. Once a week, a child may take one home.

"The sense I’ve gotten is these things are such a good learning tool," Greenberg said.

Children can go online or chat computer to computer. They can create their own programs, read books, make videos and enjoy a variety of uses for the computers.

Fourth-grader Kimberly Chambers likes the program TamTam, which allows children to write music. "You can make music on there," she said happily. "That’s my favorite."

"If you had 10 kids with their computers you could have each one of them program their unique sound," Greenberg said. "And they’d be an orchestra."

Since the XOs are available mostly for children in third world countries, they have not been used in many communities in the United States. In fact, Middletown is one of two cities in the country to get them, Greenberg said. Birmingham, Ala., is purchasing the laptops for all children in its school district.

"So the cool thing is we are one of the first communities to get these," Greenberg said.

While that makes for good news, it also means there is no model to follow, and Greenberg and the school are basically winging it and learning as they go.

Fourth-grade teacher Sarah Claffey and third-grade teacher Teresa Morallo run the computer club and help students figure out how to use the laptops.

"We’re still learning," Claffey said.

Children write stories in a journal on the laptop, learn vocabulary through a Web site called freerice.com and have access to multiple books they can read on the small computer screen, Claffey said.

"I think that the fact that it’s a computer and it’s technology … its motivation," she said. "It gets them motivated to read. I have kids that tell me they don’t have books at home … This changes that."

Morello taught a group of students during a meeting of the computer club.

"Now you need to find a circle," she advised students following her lead. "There is a green circle and you’re going to click on it … "

After some guidance, students wandered off to sit alone or in groups to work. There was laughter and seeming creativity going around the classroom where students talked of making videos and teased one another on their performances.

Greenberg hopes the rest of the city will want to follow Macdonough’s lead.

Students from the "generally under-served" neighborhoods of the North End are now bringing home computers and therefore can teach their parents about technology.

"The kid comes home and says, look I learned how to make a program,," Greenberg said.

"And you’ve changed that whole dynamic from insecurity to empowerment."

Nov. 4th...Get Out And VOTE!!

Next week is a very important election. We will be deciding who is our next president and who represents us in State Senate and the State House of Representatives. Nationally, this is a historic election and locally, we are chosing people who will really affect our day to day life. I urge you all to get out and vote!! IF you have any questions about candidates, how to use the voting machines, reforendum questions or anything else, please contact the NEAT office. I'll send this out again next week as the election draws nearer.

As part of the North End votes campaign, we need volunteers this week to help out. If you can help with any of the following activities, please contact the NEAT office to sign up. A neighborhood that votes is empowered!!

We need people to:

1) Make phone calls to registered North End voters reminding them to vote. NEAT has a phone list and you could make calls from your home or from the NEAT office. You could do as many or as few as you are able

2) take a shift at Macdonough School (the North End's only polling place) to hand out "North End Votes" stickers and to answer questions (don't worry, we'll give you cheat sheets!)

3) offer to walk or drive your neighbors to the polls, or call NEAT if you know of a neighbor who needs a ride.

PLEASE SIGN UP TO HELP. THIS ELECTION IS CRITICAL.

Also on the ballot are important reforendum questions. They are confusing, I know, so please contact NEAT if you do not understand the question or its implications, or if you need more information.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT QUESTIONS

• Shall there be a Constitutional Convention to amend or revise the Constitution of the State?

• Shall the constitution of the state be amended to permit any person who will have attained the age of eighteen years on or before the day of a regular election to vote in the primary for such regular election?

MIDDLETOWN

• Shall the revisions to the City Charter be approved?

• Shall the proposed corrections to the Charter regarding grammar, spelling, terminology, consistency, and other corrections of a technical nature, be approved?

• Shall the $4.5 million appropriation and bond issuance authorization for city water and sewer improvements consisting of 1) Westfield Service Area Water Pressure Enhancement, 2) Route 66 Water and Sewer installation, 3) Well Field Planning, 4) Equipment and Material Purchases, as adopted by the Common Council, be approved?

Presidential Candidates on the CT Ballot
*John S. McCain, III - President
(Republican, Conservative Party of New York , Independence Party of New York)
*Ralph Nader - President
(No Party Affiliation, Independent, Write-In, Natural Law Party, Alaskan Independence, Ecology Party of
Florida, New Mexico Independent Party, Nominated by Petition, Nomination by other than Primary, Peace, Populist)
*Barack H. Obama, Jr. - President
(Democratic, Democratic/Farmer/Labor, Democratic-NPL, Working Families Party of New York)

Congressional
Rosa L. DeLauro - U.S. House
District 3 (Democratic, Working Families)
Ralph A. Ferrucci - U.S. House
District 3 (Green Party)
Bo Itshaky - U.S. House
District 3 (Republican)

State Legislative
Catherine M. Johnson - State House
District 33 (Republican)
Joseph C. Serra - State House
District 33 (Democratic, Working Families)
Ralph Capenera - State Senate
District 9 (Republican)
Paul R. Doyle - State Senate
District 9 (Democratic)

YMCA Scholarships for North End Kids

The Middlesex YMCA has offered NEAT scholarships for swim classes for kids 6 mos. to 12 years. If your child would enjoy participating, please call NEAT for more details. 860-346-4845.

NEAT Elections

NEAT held elections on October 8th and we now have 10 new board members and some new officers. Congratulations to Ed Corvo, NEAT's new president and Mandy Sickle-Smith, NEAT's new Vice President. 50% of the board was also elected. Congratulations to the Newly elected Advisory Board including: Deirdre Lanham, Tyechea Hunden, Cynthia Spivey, Tina Brown, Marilyn Dunkley, Bobbye Knoll, Steven Kovach, Dominick Grant and Lydia Brewster.

Letter to NEAT Members from Councilman Faulkner

Ms. Greenberg,

I'd like to thank you and the members of NEAT for inviting me to participate in the panel discussion. As a Councilman, I rely on the citizens for input on a wide range of issues I am called upon to vote on and make decisions. Feel free to contact me anytime for your events and especially in the area of Youth development where I have years of experience in programming.

Since we spent a lot of time on Politics, I want to at share my recommendations on opportunities for citizen participation.

* Finding and Contacting political leadership - Email or Snail mail, an elected official is always available for contact. DON'T use it to gripe, but OFFER your ideas for solutions on issues or to Alert them to things that may not be visible to them. THERE ARE public computers available in the Library!
* Write Letters to Newspapers - Every news outlet (including Blogs online) accepts letters to be published by citizens. Some even have Awards for most effective writers. Use this access to constructively highlight issues of concern so others can see and join your cause; maybe even find you're not alone. You can also propose solutions there as well as ask questions.
* Participate in Boards & Commissions - you can join these as members or ATTEND them (their meetings are open to the public). The Public is allowed to speak on a limited basis, but the opportunity is there.
* Join a Political Party - the US uses a Party system, joining a Party (or visiting their monthly meetings) can give you an idea how things work at the grass roots level. You can also gain (informal) access to elected officials.

Just a few ideas to pass along, but to be honest, you have good leadership in NEAT who implore these options and can reinforce them. Thanks again for the honor and I look forward to seeing you all, often!

Grady Faulkner Jr.

New Laptops at Macdonough School

A few weeks ago a bunch of new laptop computers were delivered to Macdonough School. The laptops are spillproof, dustproof and drop-proof. They weigh just three pounds and have an incredible assortment of capabilities. And they were free.

Thanks to the North End Action Team (NEAT), Macdonough School's students have access to one of the newest and hottest educational tools on the market, the XO laptop computer. It’s an effort by One Laptop Per Child to develop a low-cost, high-potential computer for educationally underserved children.

For those who may be fooled by their appearance, be assured that these computers are no toys! They have a built in video camera, word processor, calculator, PDF textbook reader, a few games, music programs, a painting application, a chat program, and yes, they can access the internet too!

Two of Macdonough's teachers have taken on the challenge of introducing the XO laptops in an after school program for the school's third, four, and fifth grade students. Sarah Claffey and Teresa Morello have been providing an overview of the laptops to get children started. Once oriented, the students have the option of taking the computers home for a few days to share new learning with their families. The laptops are also making their way into classrooms to support a variety of learning activities.

About two dozen computers have been donated to NEAT to date, although Izzi Greenberg, NEAT’s Executive Director, is actively seeking donations through the One Laptop Per Child Foundation. For more information, please contact NEAT at 346-4845.

New Computers at Macdonough!

A few weeks ago a bunch of new laptop computers were delivered to Macdonough School. The laptops are spillproof, dustproof and drop-proof. They weigh just three pounds and have an incredible assortment of capabilities. And they were free.
Thanks to the North End Action Team (NEAT), Macdonough School's students have access to one of the newest and hottest educational tools on the market, the XO laptop computer. It’s an effort by One Laptop Per Child to develop a low-cost, high-potential computer for educationally underserved children.
For those who may be fooled by their appearance, be assured that these computers are no toys! They have a built in video camera, word processor, calculator, PDF textbook reader, a few games, music programs, a painting application, a chat program, and yes, they can access the internet too!
Two of Macdonough's teachers have taken on the challenge of introducing the XO laptops in an after school program for the school's third, four, and fifth grade students. Sarah Claffey and Teresa Morello have been providing an overview of the laptops to get children started. Once oriented, the students have the option of taking the computers home for a few days to share new learning with their families. The laptops are also making their way into classrooms to support a variety of learning activities.
About two dozen computers have been donated to NEAT to date, although Izzi Greenberg, NEAT’s Executive Director, is actively seeking donations through the One Laptop Per Child Foundation. For more information, please contact NEAT at 346-4845.

North End Vintage

MIDDLETOWN - Sandy Fernandes was cruising Craigslist one day when she came across a sales listing for a wardrobe's worth of vintage clothing. Inspired, she called her sister Debbie, a former fashion merchandising student living in New York.

After looking at the items on the online-classifieds site, the sisters went to see the clothing in person.

"We took a look at it and loved it," Sandy said. "We said, 'Why don't we open up a store?'"

Fast forward one year.

Sisters and business partners Sandy, 25, and Debbie Fernandes, 23, opened the doors Tuesday to Desa Vintage.

"I think we had the entrepreneurial gene," Sandy said.

Desa Vintage specializes in women's apparel and accessories as well as some men's apparel. Blouses start at $8, the average dress is about $24 and jackets run $54 and up.

Debby and Sandy select the pieces at estate sales, flea markets, antique stores, thrift stores and consignment shops, sifting through for "keepers," Sandy said.

"We try to ask ourselves if we would wear it," she said.

The Main Street boutique sells unique pieces in good condition, Sandy and Debbie said.

"You're going to be the only one wearing it," Debbie said. "You won't find it anywhere around here."

Everything is dry cleaned before it is put in the store.

"Being from New York, I have shopped at a lot of vintage clothing stores," Debbie said. "I wanted something that didn't smell like it was grandma's basement."

Sandy also wanted to make sure Desa Vintage had a boutique feel.

"We didn't want to be considered a more upscale Salvation Army."

When Debby and Sandy decided to go into business together, they were looking at retail space in towns such as West Hartford and Avon, but Middletown had more of the downtown appeal they were looking for.

"We were looking for something that was more up and coming," Sandy said.

"The other towns we were looking at were more cookie-cutter," Debbie said. "You need a more eclectic mix of people."

A more liberal demographic that includes the student population at Wesleyan University seemed like a fit.

"I think Wesleyan students are our target market," Debbie said. "They want something different - not something everyone is wearing.

Desa Vintage is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. The boutique is closed Mondays.

Sandy and Debbie decided to stay open Sundays because of the student foot traffic downtown.

"Through the renovations, we noticed that a lot of students would walk by to go to the diner," Debbie said. "I think because students aren't in class, they're walking around."

Sandy and Debbie have had a great deal of support from their families as they got the store ready for Tuesday's opening.

Their brother, Brian, built the fitting room, and their father hung clothing racks and made a radiator cover that doubles as a display area for jewelry.

"We have a lot of help from our family," Debbie said. "Everything in here is thanks to one of them."

Desa Vintage is at 534 Main St. in Middletown. For information, call (860) 704-0870.
Printed with permission by the Middletown Press.

Macdonough School's Free Book Fridays

Thanks to the generous donations of area residents, "Free Book Friday" is back again this year at Macdonough School.

A few Fridays each month, every student at Macdonough School has the opportunity to select a gently used book to bring home to read. The books are theirs to keep! The Free Book Friday program is part of a school-wide initiative to promote literacy at home.

Anyone looking to make a donation of gently used children’s books for the Free Book Friday program, can contact the school at 347-8553.

League of Women Voters Candidates Forum

The Greater Middletown League of Women Voters is sponsoring a candidates forum on Tuesday, October 21st, at 7:00 PM, in the Council Chambers of Middletown City Hall. Members of the audience can submit written questions to the candidates, on index cards available that night. Candidates will each give two minutes of remarks and then have a minute to answer each question from the audience. Candidates include:

State Senate Districts (incumbents first):
9 - Paul Doyle (D), Ralph Capenera (R)
13 - Thomas Gaffey (D), Tim Lenox (R)

State Representative Districts (Incumbents first):
32 - James O'Rourke (D), Scott Adamsons (R)
33 - Joseph Serra (D), Catherine Johnson (R)
34 - Gail Hamm (D), David Bauer (R)
100 - Raymond Kalinowski (R), Matthew Lesser (D)

This is a good chance to get informed!

Democracy Forum in ITowns

Upcoming events offer info on political peeps and process
By
Melissa Pionzio
on October 2, 2008 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you are unsure of what politicians represent you in the Middletown area or what their political views and platforms are, let me tell you about two upcoming events that will enable you to meet those individuals who are running for office in the upcoming election, hear first-hand what they have to say, ask them a question or two and maybe learn a few useful things about the political process.

The first is a Political Forum hosted by the North End Action Team on Oct. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Green Street Arts Center on Green Street. The event is part of NEAT's voter registration campaign.

Izzi Greenburg, executive director of NEAT, told me the featured panelists will include State Senator Paul Doyle, Common Counselor, Grady Faulkner, Rich Lion,of the CT Libertarian Party and Ken Hiscoe, former district director for Nancy Johnson. Mayor Giuliano will give opening remarks.

"The goal is to educate people about the political process and help them understand why civic engagement is important for everyday people,"Izzi said. "It is important that residents know who they are voting for and why."

The forum, she said, will not be a debate, but a conversation about civic engagement and the political process. But the part I like the most is the way NEAT is getting local kids involved. Their Teen Dreams Society, which is a youth leadership program, will be doing voter registration and help to moderate.

Perhaps there are a few future politicians or civic leaders in the making here?

North End Businesses in ITowns

Middletown's north end biz looking good
By
Melissa Pionzio

on October 1, 2008 5:53 PM |

It is nice to see the sprucing up that has been going on around Main Street and Rapallo Avenue in Middletown.

The North End Action Team (NEAT) headquarters, located in storefront space on the corner of Main in Rapallo, looks impressive with a new sign and bright blue paint job, and just today I watched as Middletown resident Pedro Barrio, a self-employed painter and carpenter, put a few final strokes of paint on the front of the Realto Cafe.

Here too, the color is bright blue with white trim. Is there a theme catching on in the north end with this bold blue color? On the door of the cafe, a hand written sign read, neat attire only and included a posting of coming events being offered there.

Pedro, who paused to admire his work every now and then, told me he has been working on a few improvements to the building, which has apartments upstairs. That portion of the building also looks as though it has had a face lift with mod looking, creamy stucco-like finish.

"I try to help him out," Pedro said of the Realto's permittee Carlton McCalla. "I did some painting inside, put up some sheet rock and did a porch in back."

Keep up the good work northenders!

ODDFELLOWS PLAYHOUSE NEIGHBORHOOD TROUPES

Oddfellows Playhouse Troupes Program is a FREE arts-based after school program for neighborhood families. Our bus will provide pick-up and drop-off to most locations in the North End.

North End Junior Troupe: (10-14 years) Wednesdays and Fridays 4:30-5:45

North End Tiny Troupe: (5-9 years)Mondays and Fridays 4:30-5:45

To register for the North End Troupe or for more information- Contact Bobbye at Oddfellows 347-6143

Visit www.oddfellows.org for additional information, or simple call 860-347-6143.  Transportation is available to and from the Playhouse.                         

NEAT Slate for Elections

For your information, this is the list of people that will be presented for the advisory board and will be voted upon at NEAT's Democracy Forum:
Ed Corvo
Mandy Sickle- Smith
Deirdre Lanham
Tyechea Hunden
Cynthia Spivey
Tina Brown
Marilyn Dunkley
Bobbye Knoll
Steven Kovach
Dominick Grant
Lydia Brewster

BUILDING COMPUTER BASICS Classes

Thursdays in October, NEAT will be hosting another Building Computer Basics class, this time, with an emphasis on the types of programs that are common for home and office use.  If you want to make a family budget, make a resume, write a thank you note, but are unsure how, this is a great class to get you started on using the very common Microsoft Office programs.  These classes run Thursdays in October. 

All classes are free and open to everyone. Childcare will be provided, but please let us know in advance if you need it.  Please call the NEAT office (346-4845) to register or email to neat@neatmiddletown.org

All classes will be held at the Green Street Arts Center.  These "Art of Living" classes are run in partnership with the Green Street Arts Center, with Support from Liberty Bank and funding from the Bank of America. 

NEAT Democracy Forum Tomorrow

On Wednesday, October 8th at 6:30pm at the Green Street Arts Center, The North End Action Team and its youth leadership group, the Teen Dreams Society, will be hosting a Democracy Forum, featuring panelists State Senator Paul Doyle, Common Counselor, Grady Faulkner, Rich Lion,of the CT Libertarian Party and Ken Hiscoe, who was the District Director for Nancy Johnson. The forum is open to the public, and the goal is to educate you about the political process and understand why civic engagement is important for everyday people. This is part of NEAT's broader voter registration campaign, and hope to not only increase voter registration and participation, but also help people understand their role in the political process and demystify the roles of politicians. It is important that residents know who they are voting for and why. That said, this is not a debate. It is a conversation about civic engagement and the political process. Save the Date!!

Also, NEAT will be holding elections at this monthly meeting. It is time to elect new officers and a new advisory board. Please come and VOTE!

Childcare will be provided and there will be pizza for the kids.

"Help is Here Express" Perscription Bus Tuesday

DO YOU NEED HELP PAYING FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS?

If you are uninsured or struggling, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance may be able to help. Come find out if you may qualify for one or more of 475 patient assistance programs, many of which offer free or nearly free prescription medicines for those in need. There's a fast, free and convenient way to see if you may qualify… The "Help Is Here Express” is Coming! Tuesday, October 7th 10:00 am to 12:00 pm In front of the North End Action Team’s Office 668 Main Street, Middletown.

The “Help is Here Express” is equipped with computer terminals and phones so people can find out (for free) if they may be eligible for help. Trained specialists will be on board to make sure the process is quick and easy.

Call NEAT for more information at 346-4845 neat@neatmiddletown.org

*Bring a list of your prescriptions with you Sponsored by America’s Pharmaceutical Research Companies and the North End Action Team

SCHOOLS SUPPORT COMMITTEE

The Schools Committee is a place where we can work together to make positive changes for North End families with in Middletown Schools. Come discuss any problems that you and your family may have with your school and the school experience with other families just like you.

As a committee we will:
• Create a place to share your experiences and find out what the education issues are for North End families
• Attend Middletown Board of Education Meetings to be sure we are up to date about BOE issues and show that we want to be involved with policy decisions
• Support local allies with in the schools, including teachers, community advocates, and Board of Education members who advocate for positive policies for North End parents
• Work to find real solutions to these issues and advocate for ourselves, our families, and our neighborhood so necessary changes are made and our solution can be successful
• Join and support your school’s PTA.

If you are interested in better education and better school experiences for North End families, please sign up for this committee. For more information or to sign up, call the NEAT office at 346-4845 or email Alicia at alicia.mcavay@neatmiddletown.or

MENTORING PROGRAM

NEAT's Mentoring program is up and running again and we have spaces for new kids to join the program.  If you have a child ages 7-13, please give me a call.  Your child would meet with her/her mentee for one hour a week.  This program has been amazing for many North End kids and students alike.  Please call NEAT if you're interested.  346-4845

Oct Board of Education Meeting

The October Board of Education Meeting will now be on October 21st, rescheduled from October 14th, at 7pm at Middletown High School. NEAT's Schools Committee will be attending and we are looking for others to join us. It is important that the Board of Education see our commitment to ensuring a positive public education experience for North End Families. We will set up a car pool for those that are interested that will leave from the NEAT office (668 Main St) at 6:45pm. Please call Alicia at the NEAT office (346-4845) with any interests or questions.