Sunday Photo-‘Toons 1.19

Ken O’Brien

Without a town council or school committee meeting it’s been a pretty quiet week in dear old Southbridge. As the saying goes, these are the times that try a critic’s soul.

A couple of subcommittee developments have provided some saving fodder for the foolish.

In addition we always have the endless well of silliness provided by races for national office. 

Sunday Photo-‘Toons 1.5

Ken O’Brien

Another week has passed with ample reasons to run for the Prozac, Zoloft or Paxil.

Being old school myself, I prefer to resort to the Reader’s Digest remedy – Laughter is the Best Medicine.

Last week we welcomed the contributions of an O’Zone reader, I. M. Townie.

This week we have a contribution from another reader who identifies herself as Cathy.

As in all cases I reserve the right to exercise editorial discretion, but without censorship based on personal opinion (I hope). If I think it’s funny and/or creative I’ll give it an airing.

That having been said, let’s have at it.

Breaking News: More on Investigation of Town Council Chair’s Trash Ticket “Fix”

James Sottile

I was interviewed by a Southbridge Detective today who also requested all of the raw video of the 5/15/12 EHS subcommittee meeting, which I had in my possession. I gladly surrendered all the evidence in my possession. It is my understanding that the “trash ticket fix affair” will be investigated further by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In my opinion I believe our police department performed their duties in a professional fashion despite the unlawful interference by several politicians including the town manager. The draconian application and enforcement ($250.00 without warning) of a town by-law was a mistake by overzealous and arrogant politicians. It is ironic that an individual can get a lesser fine for possession of a small amount of marijuana. How about the fact that it takes a second (not a first) offense of the town’s sex offender by-law to get a $300 fine? Anyone who pulls a lever (so-to-speak) for the present incumbents is putting the future of our town at risk We need intelligent and mature replacements. That should start with this election cycle!

Breaking News - Southbridge Council Chair’s Trash Ticket “Fixing” Being Investigated

Ken O’Brien

Multiple sources have now confirmed that the statements made by town council Chairman Catherine Nickolla at Tuesday, May 15^th’s meeting of the subcommittee on Education and Human  Services are being investigated.

The matter at issue is her intervention in the disposition of a ticket issued for violation of the town’s trash collection bylaw (page 104). At that meeting she stated (substantiated by this video of the meeting) that she made a call and had it taken care of.

According to these sources, local police are looking into the matter and have been offered a copy of the video of the meeting.

In addition, at least one private citizen has raised the matter with the State Ethics Commission.

The particular matter of state law that such an action may have violated is Chapter 40, Section 21D of Massachusetts General Law.

It is also reasonable to ask whether the Massachusetts “no fix” law should have broader application to non-traffic related matters.

Sunday Photo-'Toons 1.4

Ken O'Brien

This week's venture into the re-interpretation of reality to reveal underlying truth (hopefully with a chuckle thrown in) welcomes a new participant.

Frequent O'Zone commenter I. M. Townie has donated a couple of  Photo-'Toons of his own. I welcome his contributions, and I hope that O'Zone readers will enjoy them.

It's been a busy week in local and national politics, and there was much more grist for the humor mill. Regrettably, time only allows so much in the world of satire manufacturing.

Exploiting The Victims

Ken O'Brien

Dan Butler, who has gained prominence as a voice of Southbridge tornado victims, posted the following on the Southbridge Tornado Relief FaceBook page on May 8.

UPDATE on the "Rebuild Western Mass" rebate crooks: about 3 weeks before the 1 year anniversary of the tornado and we have STILL yet to see a dime from this ripoff program and they just continue to give us excuse after excuse. today i got a phone call from them, and the guy told me that he received a call from Peter Durant's office claiming that we had issues with the program....

Bravo Butch!

Ken O'Brien

Monday's Southbridge Town Council meeting was a combination of laughable incompetence, amusing non-sequiturs and sinister despotism.

The incompetence was the repeated emergence of failures to proof read official town documents rife with typographical errors.

The agenda contained at least three. 

More Sunday Photo-‘toons

Ken O’Brien

Last week’s experiment in a virtual “Sunday funnies” was so well received (at least by some), that I decided to try it again.

As John Barrymore reportedly said to one of his grieving relatives on his deathbed, “Dying is easy, comedy is hard.” 

Sunday Photo-'toons: Southbridge's Next Election

Ken O'Brien

Readers of the papyrus Sunday newspapers are treated to a variety of editorial opinions expressed in imagery.

The tradition gained mass popularity in the days of the Condé-Nast publications, but it has a far longer and more colorful history. I encourage anyone who thinks our current political landscape is populated by commentators who lack restraint to examine the past record of visual depictions of partisan opinion.