December 23 - Happy Festivus (Video)

                                           Ken O’Brien

Are you feeling a little left out!? Are you put off by the crass commercialism of Christmas?  You don't celebrate Chanukah. Kwanzaa just isn't your thing. And, you don't even know what Divali or Ramadan is.

Then, come and experience the joy and the miracle of Festivus. One might say that the Festivus holiday is a miracle in itself.

Still not sure if Festivus is for you? It's non-denominational. So, everyone can partake. The Festivus slogan is "A Festivus for the rest of us!" And, that means you, too. So........... 

A Tale Of A Table And A (Vice) Chair

Ken O’Brien

Once upon a time there was a railroad depot in downtown Southbridge.

When the railroad no longer came to town somebody said, “That would make a nice central location for our senior citizens to get together.” And so it was. And during the days people got together in the main room and shared their stories. And in another room the men would get together around the pool table for a friendly game.

Sunday Photo-'Toons 1.26

Ken O’Brien

As we enter the season where the leaves turn and begin to fall, we witness similar behavior among some of the denizens of town hall.

Concern as well as questions began to mount regarding the revelation that cell phones as well as police and fire department radios have less than reliable reception at the newly opened Middle/High School.

The town administration conceded a procedural lapse in the adoption of a motion seeking to change the terms of legislation relating to amending the town charter. 

Sunday Photo-‘Toons 1.20

Ken O’Brien

We closed last week looking forward to the week ahead.

Unlike most of you, my untempered anticipation resulted not from looking forward to an upcoming weekend of debauchery marking the traditional end of summer.

It certainly wasn’t marked by the fact that over that weekend I would be a virtual prisoner in my own home, unwilling to risk the prospect of going out and having to try to get home behind a caravan of vehicles heading to the Woodstock Fair given the detours on routes 131 and 169. 

Sunday Photo-‘Toons 1.12

Ken O’Brien

Well, the local elections are over and we are settling into the dog days of summer.

While the new school committee has shown it has a bite, it’s beginning to look like the town council will be just more barking.

While temperatures are tending to moderate after yesterday’s swelter, we may have to crank up the A/C Monday night around 7 pm to stay cool.

But right now it’s Sunday morning. So sit back, relax and unwind. Enjoy those eggs Florentine along with that mimosa or bloody mary. Then you can get to work making enough of those refreshing jello-shots to get you through Monday night’s council meeting.

Sunday Photo-‘Toons 1.11

Ken O’Brien

WOW! What a week!

We had Southbridge Smack Down 2012. We had a decision in Robamneycare. We even had a little local hissy fit.

As always, our crack team of photo elves have been busily crafting a bottoms-up compilation of the week in review.

We hope you can suspend judgment and find humor in our efforts.

So sit back, relax, and put a big dollop of Sambuca in your Sunday morning coffee.

Sunday Photo-'Toons 1.10

Ken O’Brien

UPDATE: June 25, 10:30 am - A late addition by contributor I.M.Townie.

Well, for the residents of Southbridge, it’s all over except for the yawning and recriminations.

On balance the campaign for the key elective offices has been not inspirational, but rather (if I might coin a word) dispirational.

There are enough candidates about who I am enthusiastic enough to have recommended to the voters.

Vecchia Interprets History

Ken O’Brien

Former councilor Albert D. Vecchia, Jr. and "his" road

Former town councilor Albert D. Vecchia, Jr. had an interesting letter in June 22^nd’s Southbridge Evening News. Titled “Vecchia: Clemence ‘best councilor I ever served with’” it read as follows:

Clueless II: The Trailer

Not Appearing Anywhere Soon

A Quebec/Spinjelli Production

Breaking News: EHS Subcommittee Votes In Favor of Reducing Trash Fines

Ken O’Brien

At it’s meeting of Wednesday, June 13, the Education and Human Services Subcommittee voted to request the town council to discuss at its next meeting a reduction of the current trash fines to $25, $50 and $100 for the first, second, third and subsequent offenses. This would be a dramatic reduction from the current level of $250 for a first ticketed offense.

The vote was three to one with the only dissenting vote coming from citizen subcommittee member Holly Christo.

However, there is no guarantee that the item will appear on the Monday agenda. The town charter provides that the agenda is made up by the council chair. 

Clemence Redux

A Film by James Sottile

Sunday Photo –‘Toons 1.7

Ken O’Brien

This week’s edition takes on a musical and movie theme. It wasn’t intentional. It just worked out that way.

We manage to blaze a path from Gone with the Wind to Star Wars with Singin’ in the Rain and a hint of Twister thrown in.

So sit back, ready your morning popcorn and Big Gulp, and enjoy this week’s version of cinema sort of verité.

Tuesday’s Southbridge EHS Subcommittee Agenda – It’s a Doozy

Ken O’Brien

Rarely does the general public get a preview of what goes on in town council subcommittees.

While those in power complain that nobody shows up at these meetings, one has to ask “Why”.

Perhaps it has to do with the fact that, unless you are among the privileged few that are advised in advance to be there, you don’t know when they are happening or what will be discussed. 

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. 

Sunday Photo ‘Toons: The Next Generation

Ken O’Brien

Well, it’s Sunday again.

Once again I’ve taken up the challenge of trying to provide a little levity regarding the dire madness in which we are immersed. Heaven knows, the pressure is becoming intense.

I hope you won’t find the effort too disheartening.

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.

Where’s The Beef?

Ken O’Brien

We’re a little more than two months away from the annual Southbridge town election.

Thus far six people have taken out papers to run for town council; incumbents Denise Clemence, David Livengood and Lawrence Spinelli and newcomers Jean Heid, Shaun Moriarty and Amelia Peloquin.

While few people take an interest in elections until several weeks in advance, it is time to start to demand that candidates offer us more than the vague and pious platitudes that have dominated campaigns in the past. 

Everything Old Is New Again: A Video Essay

Ken O’Brien

Talking by conference call with thousands of Wisconsin voters Wednesday, Mitt Romney told them he had a humorous connection to their state.

Romney’s story involved the time more than 50 years ago that his father, George, an American Motors executive, shut down a factory in Michigan and moved the work to Wisconsin.