We [Danbury Public Schools] decided on a new initiate, we're going to give middle students two years of history and then you're going to take the high school and pull the first half of US History out of US History. So if you have kids going to Danbury High, they're going to start after reconstruction. That's after civil war, after slavery, after Jacksonian democracy, that's after the tea party…
[…]
…I earned a master degree to make sure in my English class, I'm willing to put more US History. I started teaching about the early America a few weeks ago and one of my student said "what are you a history teacher?" I said "yes if I have to be…"
Picking video clips from Elise Marciano's hate fest is too easy.
From the insanity on display last Saturday United States Citizens for Immigration and Law Enforcement hate-group rally, here's one of the most memorable rants.
This line of insanity comes from an English teacher in the Danbury school system. This bizarre individual brags how about she indoctrinate students her brand of history in ENGLISH class.
This person is spending her time teaching "her" brand of Early US History in English class? If I was a parent of a kid in one of her classes, I'd be concerned...deeply concerned.
If anyone has info on the this person (she goes by the name "Deb") please contact me at hatcityblog@yahoo.com or drop a line in the comments. Better yet, forward this clip to the Superintendent of Schools and ask him how is it that this individual is teaching her brand of HISTORY in ENGLISH class.
Dr. Sal V. Pascarella, Superintendent of School pascas@danbury.k12.ct.us 797-4700
Why would anyone vote for a politician who would embrace people with this type of mentality?
A good dramatization based on Plato's Apology. Trivia quiz question: What famous 60s television show featured Mr. Hugo as an Egyptian? Also, he played a very small part in what is perhaps the most famous movie of the 1940s. Name the movie and the part.
Just as I expected, Danbury Corporation Counsel Robert Yamin's unhinged rant at Elise Marciano's anti-immigrant hate-group rally has caused a bit of backlash.
Several elected officials and members of the public on both sides of the political aisle are quite upset with Yamin's outlandish comments and slurs towards the President...and they're rather pissed off (to say the least).
While chronicling the Obama administration's Afghanistan policy, Mr. Woodward apparently visited Afghanistan only once, traveling with Mr. Jones. His description of the trip is inadvertently hilarious and revealing. He recounts flying "into the heart of the Taliban insurgency in Helmand province." Here, he proclaims, "was the war without the filter of a Situation Room briefing. The cool evening air hit my face as the plane's rear loading ramp was lowered. . . . All that was missing was the haunting and elegiac theme music from Oliver Stone's movie Platoon." The experience, he continues, is "exhilarating and frightening." The camp is "supposedly safe from sniper and mortar fire," but when he makes a midnight head call, he is decidedly nervous, "anticipating a random shot."
You would think that Battlefield Bob had bivouacked in a foxhole a few hundred yards from an enemy position. Actually he is in Camp Leatherneck, a giant Marine base (1,500 acres housing 10,000 personnel) in the middle of nowhere. The greatest danger at Leatherneck is overeating in the chow hall. That Mr. Woodward makes it seem like a frontline position is indicative of how far removed he is from the war.
Battlefield Bob. Heh! This lil' bit of alliteration brings to mind Baghdad Bob. Can you imagine the hilarity that would ensue if Woodward were granted access to Saddam and company during the invasion? That is ripe for Iowahawk style parody.
Here's more from Max the Knife...er...Boot:
He probably deserves credit for getting his hands on what appear to be minutes of those sessions—although by now one supposes that all such documents are routinely cc'd to this Washington institution, Mr. Behind-the-Scenes. As usual, the reader has to take on faith that his reporting is accurate, because the sourcing is so vague ("background interviews" with "firsthand sources"). Faith is strained when Mr. Woodward, like a novelist, tells us what various people were thinking ("McConnell worried that the temptation of covert action might entrance Obama"). But even assuming that his "revelations" are largely accurate, it is hard to know what they amount to.
Mr. Woodward tosses out facts seemingly at random, with no context or analysis. At one point he recounts a dinner conversation in a Georgetown restaurant between Gen. David Petraeus and Richard Holbrooke. Suddenly they are interrupted by White House reporter Helen Thomas, who demands, with her usual subtlety: "What the hell are you doing in Afghanistan? . . . This is Vietnam all over again." Gen. Petraeus tries to explain, but Ms. Thomas "didn't feel reassured." The book then moves on, leaving us to puzzle out why this encounter was included. Does Mr. Woodward transcribe everything in his notebook? Or are we supposed to be disquieted by the fact that Helen Thomas thinks Afghanistan is another Vietnam? No one familiar with her wacky views could possibly take anything she says seriously. Yet Mr. Woodward presents her opinion deadpan, as if she were a sage worth quoting.
One does wonder why it is that successive administrations feel almost duty bound to play along with Woodward. Do they fear the repercussions of just saying "no" to the Saint of the Watergate? Is he so adept at playing the principles, appealing to their desire to paint their own portraits, defend themselves or institutional turf, that people are simply powerless before his Jedi mind tricks?
Now, it is true that there is a use for first drafts of history, but when they amount to little more than dodgily sourced hodge podges, sketch books masquerading as authoritative narrative, giving all appearances of being designed more for purposes of assuring appearances on major television media and the NYT bestseller list, (and when said first drafts are produced at such a prodigious rate as to color mother nature herself green with envy) then one does begin to ask, 'so what?'.
You get the impression that Bob seriously overplayed his hand writing the half dozen or so "insider" books he managed during the GWB years. There tended to be slightly more breathless "didja read it?" reactions back then, but more than a few "no duh, that's the nature of things ain't it?" to counterbalance. I don't recall as many of the latter as are now appearing with this latest sketchbook. But quite a few, along with Max the Knife are asking the 'so what' question, after reading the latest BB Opus. In light of all that, one needs to ask that weighty question, the gorilla in the literary room, that is; whether or not Saint Woodward of Watergate has officially jumped the shark.
Exit observation: I would not be surprised if Woodward takes his notebook everywhere with him, jots down notes on every occasion..
"As I left the dry cleaners having left my shirts to their destiny I could not help but wonder if that waft of breeze that brushed my face foretold the menace of another dangerous crossing of the parking lot to my comfortably urbane Honda Accord."
News Corp. head honcho Rupert Murdoch testified on Capitol Hill today about the need for immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for current illegal immigrants. Sounds good, kangaroo man! Why not explain this to your Fox News?
It didn't take long for one member of the committee to point out that Murdoch's immigration ideas, which are essentially in line with the current Democratic mainstream and much of the Republican party circa 2007, are always being deep-sixed largely because of the huffy, nativist rhetoric on Fox News.
"We do not take any consistent anti-immigrant line," Murdoch said in rejecting charges of hypocrisy coming from Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.). "We are not anti-immigrant on Fox News."
Waters lit up a House Judiciary Committee hearing on immigrants and the economy as she put Murdoch on the spot. In his testimony, Murdoch had lauded the contributions of immigrants to the nation, but Waters said "I don't see that promoted on Fox News - talking about anchor babies and all that."
Waters said she welcomed Murdoch's views but "I'm trying to point out the contradiction."
If she thinks FOXNews is bad, maybe I should send Congressman Waters a copy of some of the anti-immigrant crap that's on Comcast 23...
Yours truly, conservatives Marty Heiser, and David Streit peppered the two candidates with a series of questions regarding topics of interest in their district. The two candidates also took questions from callers...
All in all, IMO both candidates did a good job articulating their positions...but you be the judge.
Hear no racism, see no racism, refuse to acknowledge racism
Over the last couple months, people who desire that the topic of immigration would go away are trying to claim that Danbury doesn't have a racial intolerance problem or that the problem has "toned down".
As indicated by the most recent “reported” hate-crime that made front page news last week, nothing could be further from the truth. Rather, the “reported” crime only vindicates those in the community who have long stated that racial hatred directed at the immigrant community is, for the most part, being ignored by elected-officials who refuse to acknowledge that the problem exist.
And when it comes to ignoring anti-immigrant xenophobia in the city, no one does it better than Danbury's last honest man who occupies the corner office on the third floor of city hall.
As someone who has followed the assault on the immigrant community from its beginnings, Mayor Mark Boughton's refusal to properly address the ever rising level of racism in the city (under his watch) has been well documented over the years.
One of the mayor's most "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" moments happened at a forum on immigration that was held at the library back in February 2006.
In the following video clip, Boughton is confronted by a parent who was alarmed with the racial hatred and xenophobia she and her child experienced in their short time in the city. Boughton's initial response to the mother’s concern spoke volumes that night and has served as a template for the way the mayor has addressed the topic of racism in his city ever since.
As a side note, look at the flippant reaction from anti-immigrant / hate-group leader Elise Marciano and her ilk (a.k.a., the people most responsible for xenophobia in the area that the parent is talking about). They're marked in blue in the photo above...
PARENT: I'm a newcomer to the community and I moved here because of its diversity. I don't want to raise my son in a racist community, and I'm deeply concerned at how this immigration debate has this racist overtones. I have worked for 10 years in many different diverse communities; all of them had similar demographics to Danbury. This is the first time I've ever encountered such racist remarks towards me and I think you can't ignore this issue in your community. I think there needs to be some kind of procedure in place to address the racism that's associated with this debate.
BOUGHTON: Let me thank you for the courage to make those comments, but there is a procedure, if someone makes hateful comments to you, we have hate-crime laws on the books that are clear, you can file a complaint with the police department, we certainly don't condone that type of activity, but what you're suggesting I disagree with in the sense of this. You're suggesting that we can't have this discussion because it just becomes racist.
PARENT: No I'm not sugg...
BOUGHTON: Okay, so if we start with that premise and say this discussion is not about racism, it's not about ethnicity, it's not about the way somebody looks, but it's about a failed policy that does not work, then we should be able to, a progressive community, a rationale community, and a compassionate community, should be able to have this discussion.
PARENT: That's what I'm concerned about. Of course you should be able to have a discussion on immigration, what I am concerned about is that the discussion on immigration has led to racist overtones in the community.
Instead of addressing the parent's concern regarding the racial acts of intimidation she and her child experienced in their brief stay in Danbury, Boughton opts to ignore the point the parent raised as if the problem doesn't exist.
As you saw in that video clip, the issue the parent raised had nothing to do with illegal immigration (which, the last time I checked, was FEDERAL problem) but rather the increased instances of racism members of the immigrant population are experiencing.
The mayor's response to the parent's concern speaks for itself and is just one example of people who would rather turn a blind eye and ignore the real problem of racial hatred towards the immigrant population in Danbury...or even worse, claim that the problem doesn't exist.
From the most recent hate-crime committed in the city, and the lack of leadership in the days after the racist email scandal, to the quickly forgotten suggestion that a committee be established, which would examine racial tensions in the community (similar to what was done after the race riots in the 1970s), the problem, which Boughton and his political party routinely fail to acknowledge, is the rise in xenophobia among a segment of the population who are openly hostile towards the immigrant community.
Although this rant is protected under the First Amendment, as the leading attorney for the city of Danbury, Corporation Counsel Robert Yamin's unhinged rant at Saturday's Elise Marciano's anti-immigration/hate group rally was outrageous.
It's bad enough that Yamin associates himself with one of the most racist/bigoted organizations in the state, but his laundry list of lies and slurs about President Obama was utterly disgusting.
Only in Mark Boughton's Danbury can an attorney for the city is able to get away with this type of nonsense...
That seems to be the message in this quick Q and A with Colonel Charles Allen of the Army War College. He gives voice to what I think is a reasonable response to the mild hand wringing that has accompanied the latest Bob Woodward insider's glimpse into the deliberations of a CIC. (This makes book number 232 in that genre for the patron saint of journos does it?)
The Key section draws lessons from recent history:
The fact that a debate on the strategic direction occurred, allowing for conflicting and dissenting points of view within the Bush administration, is characteristic of healthy civil-military relations. Senior military officers--the theater and operational commanders as well as the Joint Chiefs of Staff--were engaged in discourse with the goal of developing a winning strategy. The military as institution supported the process and the outcome as just. Other key players (i.e., Secretary Rice) provided expert input. Department of Defense advocates of the former strategy had their "voice" heard and the opportunity to exercise "loyalty." Secretary Rumsfeld resigned following the 2006 mid-term elections. General Abizaid retired after a full command tour (and is still held in high regard), and the Multi-National Forces-Iraq commander, General George Casey, was appointed as the Army Chief of Staff. General Casey would later reflect that he suffered from a disconnect from the strategic intent of senior civilian leaders, especially President George W. Bush.
The present situation is a logical evolution from that situation. In 2009-10 the guys who were 'boots on the ground' so to speak, in 05-06 are in the place of the Caseys and Abizaids. They bring with them the now "establishment" belief that COIN is the way to go in Afghanistan, recognize that the strategy is in what amounts to an uneasy shotgun wedding with the Karzai government, but having better success winning trust at local levels, and in need of time to succeed (or at the very least, in need of time for an accurate read as to the likelihood of success).
On the other hand, you have people in Obama's administration, who would like to return to the past, return to something very like the Rumsfeld Abizaid strategy, featuring emphasis on exit, light footprint and counter-terror. This is not surprising given the Obama-Biden campaign rhetoric, and the past positions of both men vis-a-vis Iraq and Afghanistan. What I find interesting is that what appears to the outsider to be intransigence or "in the box" thinking from the military people involved may not have been that at all. It may be that they won a moral argument. The ghost of Vietnam hangs over the proceedings as described by Woodward. I think Petraeus reminded his civilian commanders of the lessons learned from a too hasty withdrawal. We would be morally responsible if something were to occur that was similar to events in Vietnam Laos and Cambodia after the Paris agreement was signed. We were that close to allowing something like those events in Iraq. Thankfully Dubya-the-"decider" decided not to go that route.
You would think someone who's running for state-wide office would make sure all of his skeletons are locked away in his closet...but again we're talking about the most arrogant/dishonest/racist mayor in the history of Danbury.
One thing people haven't talked about is why hasn't Mayor "People over Politics" coughed up the 8,000 in illegal campaign contributions he received from James Galante yet?
Sen. Joe Lieberman is the fourth and most prominent elected official to be tied into the scheme that got local trash tycoon James Galante charged with violating state campaign finance laws. A records review by the Hartford Courant indicates that Galante bundled $14,000, bypassing legal limits, to Lieberman's 2004 presidential bid through the friends and family of employees. (Lieberman hasn't been charged with any wrongdoing.)
Meanwhile, State Sen. Louis DeLuca is under intense pressure to resign due to FBI recordings of him asking Galante to send someone to threaten his grandson-in-law. And Danbury mayor Mark Boughton continues to attest he could not have known a third of his PAC's 2003 intake came from Galante, who was well-connected in the city.
State Sen. David Cappiello looks most likely to emerge from this mess with half a halo.
"About five years ago, one of [Galante's] employees gave me a bunch of checks," says Cappiello, a Republican representing Danbury. "I thought it was strange and went to the authorities and they said it was clear."
Investigators would eventually determine that the $15,000 Galante associates gave to Cappiello's PAC was not "clear." Cappiello says he then split the money between the Red Cross, YMCA, St. Jude's Medical Center, Ability Beyond Disability and Newman's Own. He's washed his hands of Galante's money, but says, "When I met him, he seemed like a nice guy, genuinely concerned about Danbury and I'm not sure all of that was a front... He did give some $3 million to my district."
Politicians have a fickle relationship with the truth, and during an election year, it’s their own records and biographies that get edited. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal at least allowed for some confusion about his military service, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz tried to fudge her history of “active practice” and Sen. Joe Lieberman spent 2006 vowing to fight for everything he is usually trying to derail. Recently, a trio of Connecticut Republicans has delivered some gems that make “I never said I was a maverick” seem like a mild embellishment on a Match.com profile.
Guess which Republican candidate's history of lying to the public received the most attention?
Finally, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, who wants to be your lieutenant governor, seems to melt into truthiness whenever the fragile issue of the city’s surge in immigrants from Latin America comes up. He said the city was not involved in the arrest of the day-laborers who’d come to be known as the “Danbury 11” in 2006. We later found out a Danbury police officer drove the van of ICE agents that tricked them into thinking they were going to a job. Last month, Boughton said he was too busy campaigning to testify in the lawsuit of the 11, but when The New York Times tried to contact him about it, he was at a golf tournament.
The Danbury News-Times recently asked Boughton if the street celebrations following World Cup games fall under the city’s parade ordinance. He said no, “These are spontaneous celebrations and there is nobody really organizing them.” HatCityBLOG has kept up with the mayor for the last five years and noted that, in 2007, he said of the World Cup fiestas, “[T]hose are not impromptu parades.”
It may seem like a small detail about proper paperwork, but a) it shows a marked difference between the local official under pressure to do something about those immigrants and their unfamiliar ways and the state-level campaigner probably trying to soften his image, and b) those statements are as contradicting as “I did not have sexual relations with that woman” and “I did have a relationship with Ms. Lewinsky that was not appropriate.”
The Weekly's conclusion about Danbury's last honest man basically sums things up.
A person running for higher office should be comfortable with his or her past. It shows maturity and perspective. Plus, the realization you’ve done some stupid stuff is an indication you’ll recognize and avoid that kind of thing in the future. But for politicians, ego gets in the way of maturity and ideology in the way of perspective. And anyone seeking elected office is clearly not done doing stupid stuff, so we are left with a sea of distortions, omissions and inconsistencies every two years.
Calling the last honest man in Danbury a serial liar is an understatement...hopefully more media outlets will take the time to document Boughton's trail of misleading statements and dishonesty.
In order to truly understand why just about everyone in the state should be outraged over Mark Boughton's unreported appearance at the United States Citizens for Immigration Enforcement (USCFILE) hate group rally, you need to learn a thing or two about these disgusting group of misfits.
As a primer of what's to come, here's a videoclip of USCFILE hate group leader Elise Marciano showing her racist Islamophobia side. From early this year, here's the anti-immigrant clown along side fellow local access TV wingnut Denise Gallagher spewing out her bigotry in her description of President Obama.
...remember, this is the same person that Boughton and Mike McLachlan embraced with open arms on Saturday.
Why would anyone vote for a politician who embrace and support an anti-immigrant, racist assclown like Marcaino?
I'll break everything that happened at this disgraceful event later. After reading my write-up, I think there will no longer be a question when it comes to the connection between city hall and the bigoted xenophobic activists in the area.
I have a feeling Tom Foley won't be happy with what Boughton did...prepare to be outraged.
I'm writing today's post in memory my dear friend Willow who passed away from cancer earlier this year. This Sunday, a group of us will gather once again in her honour to participate in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure. If you'd like to support us and our goal of working towards a future without breast cancer, please visit my donation page here.
This post is a little more personal, no dust or renos involved, so feel free to skip this one.
******************
Chloe and I reached a milestone of sorts last week but rather than jubilation, this milestone has left me a bit melancholy. After 17 months and 10 days, we've ended our breastfeeding journey.
I don't know how we quite ended up here, so far down this road. Before I was a mom, I knew I would breastfeed but I thought six months for sure, maybe a year, was how long this relationship would last. I just never thought breastfeeding was "my thing", so to speak. Unlike my sister who was a La Leche League advocate and extended breastfed her babies, I never felt that breastfeeding was something that came to me naturally. And now its gone and I feel inexplicably like a small piece of me is gone too.
I was luckier than most. Chloe latched easily, there were no supply issues, and I only had one bout of mastitis. I had no qualms about nursing in public (underneath a cover) and had a circle of friends whose homes I felt comfortable enough to nurse in too. So it has been the perfect supportive environment for this relationship to flourish.
But while I loved looking at Chloe's face, watching her fall off to sleep as she nursed, being able to calm her cries by just bringing her into me, watching her grow and thrive from my milk, it has been long and difficult too. No matter how much you love your child, this particular journey can at times make you feel confined, restricted, claustrophobic. When there is a helpless little one who demands to be fed every 1.5 hours you do it... though your other inclination may be to run, run far away. At those times, I would feel a twinge of guilt. How could I think such things? I was the one who brought helpless little one into the world and I knew full well what that would demand of me.
But there is more in the nature of breastfeeding than just the physical act of feeding your baby. And this is the part I was not prepared for. It literally forces you to give up a piece of your body, your space, your being, to someone else. I have grown accustomed to having ownership of my body so for such a precious baby to lay immediate and total claim to it was difficult. At times, she would own not only my body but my mind too, as I sat or lay there, counting the minutes, my mind filled with the million things I had to do, but not being able to move an inch. "Be in the moment" my sister would tell me. It could be so difficult to enjoy those moments when they ate up the better part of your hour, your day or your week.
Surrender. Sacrifice. That is what breastfeeding has taught me. To give wholly and completely. I guess in my selfish ways I never thought I'd be able to nor want to do that for so long. But I'm so glad I did. I appreciate that my body was able to do that and nourish my baby and give her the best start possible.
So this week, as I reminisce about my friend Willow and other women whose breasts failed them, I am thankful that mine did not fail me nor Chloe. Its time for us to get off this path, little girl, and step into a whole new direction.
The first up, a parody of an Old Spice commercial. That commercial is supplied as a backgrounder:
And now the Mid produced parody.
I'm on a goat....excellent.
Next up, a spot that is itself a response to a USAFA spirit spot, part of which opens the clip. I have no idea who sings the song, nor why it is that our fine young mids and cadets feel compelled to engage in choreographed dance numbers..but the choreography from USNA does look to be an improvement on the Zoomie entrant:
And now, from the vast YouTube archives, some VH1 classics. First up, more merciless Zoomie razzin' having to do with pop-music icons or something' like that..
And from the wayback machine ( two- double aught - five) merciless ribbing of the demanding physical readiness requirements and training out west in the thin Colorado air..along with what appears to be training on less than high tech flight simulators stolen from my kid's PlayStation collection.
Ignored by Republican Tom Foley, the League of Women Voters said today it was pulling the plug on three televised gubernatorial debates planned for Bridgeport, Stamford and Danbury.
[...]
In the governors race, Foley never responded to invitations for the League's debates in Bridgeport, Stamford and Danbury that were to be sponsored by the Hearst Newspapers and broadcast by WABC. Hearst has newspapers in all three cities.
"It's the first time it's the non-response of a major party" that prompted the cancellation of League debates," said Patricia Donovan, the organization's coordinator of voter services.
It's great to see that Foley holds his running mate's city in such high regard that he decided to bail out on the LWV/News-Times debate.
...oh, and Foley's excuse.
"These three debates just didn't fit into Tom's schedule," said Liz Osborn, a spokeswoman for the Foley.
After having lived with an ugly, yellowed radiator, chopped up baseboards, and a severe lack of storage for the last three years, I can tell you that my day has become 1000x more enjoyable now that I have a clean, organized entryway to come home to.
The entry was one of those neglected areas of our home. When we moved in 3 years ago, we tore out the nasty pink carpet and old radiator cover right away, vowing to quickly turn the entry into a bright and welcoming space. But of course, other things got in the way and we learned to live with the non-functional triangular closet and piled our keys on the windowsill. Isn't it amazing how you can just become immune to certain problem areas in your home?
We did make improvements to the space like installing new lighting, getting a yummy striped stair runner, and replacing the front door and storm door. But without a new radiator cover, the space never felt quite right. And now it does.
HandyMan did a great job building the rad cover. The fresh white paint on the cover and repainted baseboards really brightens up the area. The slim design, which HandyMan fitted around the existing door trim, is functional yet visually doesn't take up much space.
Chloe loves the little built-in cubbies. Everyday we find something new stuffed in there... shoes, socks, animal finger puppets! She's now taken to pulling out her shoes and telling us exactly which ones she wants to wear that day.
And I've finally been able to put up my limited edition Catherine Ledner armadillo photograph in the entryway. I bought the photo years ago with the intention to specifically hang it here. Its been in Chloe's room up till now.
I love how the yellow & grey wallpaper background in the photo picks up on the yellow in the dining room walls and in the kitchen.
HandyMan also took some time to repaint the closet door and baseboards and spraypaint the closet door hardware black to go with the hardware in the rest of the house. Now the entryway looks clean, fresh, organized. I literally walk inside the house now and take a deep relaxing breath when I step inside.
Today, the Danbury Superior Court unsealed Joe DaSilva's arrest warrant affidavit and it document gives new details regarding the events leading up to the death of Luis Encalada Bueno, which includes what seems to be an attempted cover-up by an employee of DaSilva.
According to court documents, Danbury PD interviewed several people who were with Encalada hours before the incident.
Here's a summary of what witness number one (CW-1) stated to police (portions of statement redacted):
"On November 5 2009, I met some friends who asked me to go drink with than at an apartment on Town Hill Ave…I stayed overnight with some of the guys. At some point Friday morning (November 6), XXXX had to be taken to the hospital because he drank too much. After he was taken away, some of the guys left and as I woke up, I saw a guy known to be DaSilva grabbing my friend (CW-2) by the neck and shirt yelling stuff in English. I do not understand lot of English but I understood DaSilvsa was saying "Get the fuck out of here!" […] I got out of the apartment before CW-2 was thrown by DaSilva; I was starting to go down the stairs when DaSilva was still yelling and he kicked me in the back, making me slip downtime stairs. […] He yelled something like "If I see you again I'll kill you!" […] CW-2 and I wan towards the courthouse and Walgreens on Main Street, and CW-2 said something to me about Luis still being in the apartment and we should check on him. […] As we were walking towards the apartment, we saw Luis lying on the ground near a dumpster.
In the testimony, witness one stated that he seen DaSilva before because his office building is next to the witness' place of employment
I know DaSilva from where I work. I worked at XXXX for about 3 years and DaSilva owns the building I work in and also has an office near there. I have seen DaSilva come into XXXXX and have seen him around a number of times,
The arrest warrant also states that witness one pointed out DaSilva in a police photograph lineup.
Witness two (CW-2) also gaves his account of what happened to the police. Here's a summary of the statement.
On Friday November 6th, I was with my friends on Town Hill Ave. […] Sometime in the morning, I saw this guy DaSilva come to the apartment. There was also a second guy but I don't know him. DaSilva owns the house and we were not supposed to be in there. Luis was lying on the couch when DaSilva came in, he (DaSilva) was very angry, he was yelling get the fuck out of here, this is private property, he grabbed me and tried to throw me down the stairs, he hit me in the back and as I was falling I was able to grab the rail and stop myself from falling down the stairs. I think he did the same thing to CW-1 who has behind me. […]When CW-1 and I left, Luis Encalada was still in the apartment sleeping on the couch, I did see DaSilva of back into the apartment that Luis was in as I was leaving. CW-1 and I walked around to Main St., by the Walgreens and the old court building. I then received a call on my cell phone from CW-3. CW-3 told me that he/she found Luis Encalada on the ground outside Town Hill Ave.
CW-2 also stated this to the police:
I was with Luis the night before this and most of that morning, I did not see him fall or fight anyone. He did not complain about his stomach or any other illness. In fact, he was even dancing the night before all of this.
CW-2 also pointed out DaSilva in a police photograph line-up.
After verifying that 58 Town Hill Ave is owned by DaSilva, On Nov 6th, detectives for the DPD interview the owner of the Palace Theatre at his home in New Milford CT.
According to court records, here's a summary of what transpired (portions in BOLD were done by yours truly for emphasis).
It was explained to DaSilva that detectives were investigating a complaint by two (2) men that he assaulted when while making them leave his property at 58 Town Hill Ave. DaSilva just smiled and shrugged and said, "What do you want me to say?" He was then asked if it was possible that these men got rough with him and maybe he was defending himself. DaSilva stated "No, I wasn't there at all." DaSilva stated that about a month prior he had forced several Hispanic males from the second floor apartment, but that was the last time he was there at 58 Town Hill Ave. DaSilva stated one or two of his employees may have been at 58 Town Hill Ave. today around lunch time. DaSilva stated that Rolando DaSilva (no relation) was there to turn on the boiler and that maybe Joe Rodrigues was there also, but he was not sure about the Rodrigues. Joseph DaSilva provided his cellular phone number as (XXX)XXX-XXXX, and stated he is the only person to use this phone.DaSilva was asked if he was made aware that there were persons illegally in the second floor apartment, he stated no he had not. DaSilva was asked if he was in phone contact with Rolando DaSilva at all around the time Rolando DaSilva was to be working at 58 Town Hill Ave. He stated "No".
After interviewing DaSilva, on Nov 6th, Danbury detectives interviewed Rolando DaSilva. Here's a summary of what transpired:
Rolando SaSilva was asked if he was at 58 Town Hill Ave., earlier in the day. Rolando DaSilva stated that he was, sometime around lunch time. Rolando DaSilva stated he was only there about 5 minutes and did not see anyone. He stated he parked his white company van out front, entered the building, went to the basement, turned the heating system on, and left. Roland DaSilva stated he did not go to tthe second floor and did not see any Hispanic males. Rolando DaSilva provided his cellular phone number as (XXX)-XXX-XXXX, and stated he alone uses this phone. Rolando DaSilva was asked if he saw Joseph DaSilva at 58 Town Hill Ave., he stated no. When asked if he spoke to him via cell phone just prior to being at 58 Town Hill Ave., while there, or just leaving, Rolando states no.
Detectives then interview Brian Ferguson, the only legal tenant at 58 Town Hill Ave. Here's a summary of what was reported in the warrant:
Ferguson stated that he had called DaSilva's office from his cell phone in the morning to report running water in the basement.
Also on Nov 6th, Danbury PD obtained a search and seizure warrant to conduct the crime scene at 58 Town Hill Ave.
Items were located and collected. These items include what appeared to be a blood stain on the wall of the hallway outside the second floor apartment, what appeared to be blood droplet on the stairs leading from the second floor apartment to the front entrance of 58 Town Hill Ave. Also located and photographed were several blood like stains on the ground outside 58 Town HIll Ave., that appear to on the path Encalada would have traveled from 58 Town Hill Ave., to where he was found 2 driveways away.
As the arrest warrant further states, that on Nov 9th, detectives interviewed Jose Rodrigues.
Rodrigues stated that he was not at 58 Town Hill Ave., at all on 06 November, but he was there earlier that today along with John Doyle and Fausto Costa to empty and clean out the second floor apartment. Rodrigues stated they were sent there by Joseph DaSilva. Rodrigues provided his cellular phone number as (XXX) XXX-XXXX, and stated he is the only one to use his phone.
Upon further investigation, Danbury PD conducted a voluntary second interview with Rolando DaSilva in which they pressed him on his previous statement:
It was explained to DaSilva that information he had told both detectives on 06 November 2009 was found not to be true, on that date DaSilva stated that he had been at 58 Town Hill Ave., around lunch time, that he was there only a short period of time, that he was alone and his boss Joe DaSilva was not present. Rolando DaSilva also stated that he had not seen any men in the second floor apartment and had not communicated by phone with Joe DaSilva around that time. Some evidence to show these facts not to be true was shown to Rolando DaSilva. He was then told that he could possibly face criminal charges if he continued to lie about this information.
[…]
Rolando DaSilva stated that he was afraid and also felt badly about what had happened. Rolando DaSilva then provided the following statement: On Friday Nov. 6, 2009 I went to work at about 7 AM. I work for Joe DaSilva at DaSilva Realty, 288 Main St., Danbury. I do the plumbing and heating for Joe's properties. Sometime before lunch I got a call on my cell phone from Denise Archiere, who is the office manager. She told me that there was water running in the basement of 58 Town Hill Ave. I knew that I also had to turn the heat on. I told Denise that if there was water running in the basement, there had to be someone on the second floor. I drove right over to 58 Town Hill. When I got to 58 Town Hill, Joe DaSilva had just gotten there. Joe said to me, "Do what you gotta do." Joe seemed pissed off. I know that he was pissed off about the guys upstairs. There have been drunk, wasted Mexicans illegally squatting in the 2nd floor apt. I assumed that Joe was going upstairs and I planned on staying in the basement. I didn't want any part of whatever was going to take place.
I went down into the basement to take care of the water and heat. While I was in the basement I heard a commotion on the stairs. I heard footsteps, loud voices, yelling. The footsteps were loud but not fast. I recognized the voice that was yelling. The only person I heard was Joe. He was yelling, "Get the fuck out of my house," and things like that. It sounded to me that Joe was throwing the guys out of the apt. I had the impression that Joe didn't even want me there, so I just stayed in the basement. I came out of the basement after it got quiet. This all took about 10 minutes. When I got outside, Joe was already gone. This statement was read by Rolando DaSilva and his wife Susan. Rolando DaSilva then swore to this statement and signed it as Susan DaSilva also signed this document as a witness. During this interview, Rolando DaSilva stated that Joe DaSilva's white Ford pick up truck was parked in front of his (Rolando's) van on Town Hill Ave.
Shortly after leaving Rolando DaSilva's residence, detectives were contacted via cell phone by Rolando DaSilva, who asked both detectives to return to his home as he had more information to provide.
That upon return to Rolando DaSilva's home, DaSilva stated that he had not been completely honest during the prior statement. DaSilva stated that he is in fear of being fired by Joe DaSilva for cooperating with the investigation. Rolando provided the following in a second statement:
After the detectives left my house, I felt bad because I had not been completely honest. I talked to my wife and told her about the things I hadn't told the police. I then called Det. Trompetta and asked him to come back to my house. Have felt bad about this whole incident and want to get it off my chest. Everything was correct in my first statement up to the point that I got to 58 Town Hill. Joe did get there right before me. He said to me, "Stay out of my way," and went upstairs. I didn't go to the basement. I followed Joe upstairs and I stayed in the hallway outside of the 2nd floor apt. I saw Joe go into the apt., and start throwing people out. Joe was yelling, "Get the fuck out, get out of my house." There were 3 guys in the apt., maybe 4. Joe was grabbing them and pushing them down the stairs. I didn't see him punch or hit anybody, just push them out and try to kick them down the stairs. The first or 2nd guy in the bunch was holding onto the railings and holding everyone up. Joe was trying to get them out of the apt. I just stayed out of the way. Once everyone was out of the apt., I went to the basement. When I came out I saw two guys walking south on Town Hill by # 54. I think they were 2 of the guys that were in the apt. I didn't see anybody lying on the ground out front. Joe had already left. I don't know where the 3rd guy was. This statement was also read by Rolando DaSilva and his wife Susan. DaSilva swore to the truth and then sign the statement, which was witnessed by his wife. Rolando DaSilva was asked about the portion of his statement where he stated he did not see Joe DaSilva punch or hit anyone while in the hallway, he was also asked if he had entered the apartment with Joe. He stated he had not and does not know what happened in the apartment.
After obtaining the revised statement from DaSilva, the Danbury PD obtained a court order instructing various cell phone companies to provide details records for several cell phone numbers provided by DaSilva and other individuals who were interviewed.
Here's a summary of their findings:
That a review of Ferguson's cellular phone (his only phone) records show that on 06 November 2009, Brian Ferguson called (XXX) XXX-XXXX, the office of DaSilva Realty. This was a 27 second call.
[…]
That a review of the cellular phone records for the phones of Rolando DaSilva and Joseph DaSilva show that on 06 November 2009, at approximately 11 :55:41 AM, Rolando DaSilva's. phone received an inbound call from DaSilva Realty, this call lasted 47 seconds. Also the records show that at approximately 11 :58:25 AM Rolando DaSilva's phone received an inbound "direct connect" call from Joseph DaSilva's cellular phone. This call lasted 72.2 seconds.
That a review of Rolando DaSilva's records for 07 November 2009 show an outbound call to the cellular phone of Joseph DaSilva's cellular phone at approximately 8:56:39 AM This call lasted 238 seconds. At approximately 9:14:37 AM Joseph DaSilva places an outbound call to (XXX) XXX-XXXX, the home phone of Attorney Joseph DaSilva. This call lasted 38 seconds. A second call lasting 50 seconds was placed to Attorney DaSilva at 10:41: 12 AM.
After obtaining this information, Danbury PD requested another interview with DaSilva in which he declined.
The warrant concluded with the following:
That the affiant believes based on the sworn statements of cooperating witness # 1, cooperating witness # 2, cooperating witness # 4, Rolando DaSilva as well as the cellular telephone records of Joseph DaSilva, Brian Ferguson and Rolando DaSilva that; during the late morning of 06 November 2009, Luis Encalada was in the second floor apartment of 58 Town Hill Ave., Danbury, Connecticut with CW-1 and CW-2, That Luis Encalada was sleeping on a couch. That at approximately 11: 25 AM, on 06 November 2009, Brian Ferguson, the resident of the first floor of 58 Town Hill Ave., called the office of Joseph DaSilva to report "running water" in the basement of 58 Town Hill Ave.
That at approximately 11 :25 AM on 06 November 2006, Denise Archieri, the office manager of Joseph DaSilva Realty, called Rolando DaSilva, the companies plumber, on his cellular phone dispatching him to 58 Town Hill Ave., to address the" running water" problem. That at approximately 11 :58 AM, Rolando DaSilva was contacted by Joseph DaSilva using the "direct connect" option of his cellular phone. That shortly after 12:00 PM, Rolando DaSilva arrived at 58 Town Hill Ave., observing that Joseph DaSilva had arrived at that location moments prior. That Joseph DaSilva being aware that persons were illegally in the second floor apartment went upstairs to the second floor of 58 Town Hill Ave., entered the apartment, and confronted CW-1 and CW-2. That Joseph DaSilva physically pulled CW-2 from the apartment into the hallway, then struck CW-2 in the back, causing CW-2 to fall down the stairs. CW-2 was able to grab the rail while falling to stop from falling to the bottom of the stairs. CW-1 ran from the apartment and was kicked in the back by Joseph DaSilva at the top of the stairs causing CW-1 to also fall into the stairwell. Joseph DaSilva was then observed by CW-2 to re enter the second floor apartment where Luis Encalada was sleeping. Joseph DaSilva was alone with Encalada for a short period of time',· then observed by Rolando DaSilva pulling a third male (Encalada) from the apartment and push him down the stairwell. That according to Danbury Hospital records Luis Encalada was extremely intoxicated. Encalada was most likely unable to stand, balance or defend himself, tumbled down the stairs. That CW-3, CW-4 along with Angel, while walking on Town Hill Ave.,towards number 58, observed Luis Encalada on the ground in the driveway of 66 Town Hill Ave. apparently injured. That CW-3 separated from CW-4 and Angel to find help. That at 12: 30 PM Angel, using Lu'is Encalada's cellular phone called CW-2 and informed CW-2 of how they found Encalada. That CW-4 asked Encalada what had happened to him and was told by Encalada "Silva hit me." That at 12:54 PM,· CW-1 and CW-2 arrived at 66 Town Hill Ave., and, using Encalada's cellular phone, called 911 for help.
That the affiant believes that on 06 November 2009 at 58 Town Hill Ave., Joseph DaSilva struck CW-1 in the back, pushed CW-1 down a flight of stairs, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes. That on 06 November 2009 Joseph DaSilva struck CW-2 in the back, pushed CW-2 down a flight of stairs in violation of Connecticut General Statutes. That on 06 November 2009 Joseph DaSilva pulled the extremely intoxicated Luis Encalada from a second floor apartment at 58 Town Hill Ave., Danbury and pushed him down a flight of stairs. That the reckless actions of Joseph DaSilva Jr., on 06 November 2009 at 58 Town Hill Ave., Danbury, Connecticut caused blunt force injury to the abdomen of Luis Encalada resulting in the death of Luis Encalada. And that these action are in violation of the Connecticut General Statutes.
Although one is presumed innocent until proven guilty, it will be interesting to hear DaSilva's defense for the alleged inaccuracies in his statement to the police.
DaSilva's attorney, Eugene Riccio, said the documents tell only one side of the story.
"Information in arrest warrants is, by definition, accusatory," he said. "It usually does not include the entire circumstances of the incident."
Riccio declined to comment on why, according to the affadavit, his client apparently lied to police about being at the apartment.
[...]
Contacted by The News-Times on Tuesday, Rolando DaSilva declined comment "on the advice of my attorney," but said he is still employed by Joseph DaSilva.
Rocks and stream along the Million Dollar Highway, Ouray County, Colorado: photo by Russell Lee, October 1940
The golden silence rained
Farmland in the vicinity of Mt. Sneffels, Ouray County, Colorado: photo by Russell Lee, October 1940
The world less ugly, the people less sad
Hay stack and automobiles of peach pickers, Delta County, Colorado: photo by Russell Lee, October 1940
A harvest ascending to the sky
Llano de San Juan, New Mexico, Catholic church: photo by Russell Lee, July or October 1940
Movement of clouds, the beautiful day
Stand of virgin ponderosa pine, Malheur National Forest, Grant County, Oregon: photo by Russell Lee, July 1942
Swept through us there, waiting
Horse breeding ranch, Grant County, Oregon: photo by Russell Lee, July 1942
In the world where we walked where we walked, saw what we saw
Bands of sheep on the Gravelly Range at the foot of Black Butte, Madison County, Montana: photo by Russell Lee, August 1942
A world of the infinitely small
Farmland, cherry orchards and irrigation ditch at Emmett, Idaho: photo by Russell Lee, July 1941
The fullness disguised as bareness, remembering
First snow of the season in the foothills of the Little Belt Mountains, Lewis and Clark National Forest, Meagher County, Montana: photo by Russell Lee, August 1942
Junipers shagged with ice
First snow of the season in the foothills of the Little Belt Mountains, Lewis and Clark National Forest, Meagher County, Montana: photo by Russell Lee, August 1942 Awaiting the sapphire point of a tomorrow
View of Mount Shasta, California: photo by Russell Lee, June 1942
Photos by Russell Lee from Farm SecurityAdministration/Office of War Information Collection, Library of Congress
Signs in the oil town of Hobbs, New Mexico: photo by Russell Lee, March 1940
Main street Hobbs, New Mexico. Hobbs is an oil boom town: photo by Russell Lee, March 1940
Signs in front of theater, Hobbs, New Mexico: photo by Russell Lee, March 1940
Cot house in the oil town of Hobbs, New Mexico. Hobbs is now experiencing a boom and the cot houses are necessary for the swarms of workers who come in. This is typical of all oil boom towns: photo by Russell Lee, March 1940
Boarding house in oil boom town of Hobbs, New Mexico: photo by Russell Lee, March 1940
Houses of oil field workers in Hobbs, New Mexico: photo by Russell Lee, March 1940
Recess time at grade school in Hobbs, New Mexico: photo by Russell Lee, March 1940
Store in Hobbs, New Mexico, oil boom town: photo by Russell Lee, March 1940
Shops on the main street of the oil boom town of Hobbs, New Mexico: photo by Russell Lee, March 1940
Oil well supplies, Hobbs, New Mexico: photo by Russell Lee, March 1940
Photos by Russell Lee from Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Collection, Library of Congress
Finally, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, who wants to be your lieutenant governor, seems to melt into truthiness whenever the fragile issue of the city’s surge in immigrants from Latin America comes up. He said the city was not involved in the arrest of the day-laborers who’d come to be known as the “Danbury 11” in 2006. We later found out a Danbury police officer drove the van of ICE agents that tricked them into thinking they were going to a job. Last month, Boughton said he was too busy campaigning to testify in the lawsuit of the 11, but when The New York Times tried to contact him about it, he was at a golf tournament.
