Lighten' up FRANCIS!

Looks like Ward 3 Councilor Rico Mello struck a nerve with Peabody Fire Inspector Joseph DiFranco!  Making a statement in regards to the way it seemed that the Fire Dept. was treating a business man in the Dark City.  Woods trucking went before the council for a permit to store fuel on their property on Farm Avenue near the site of the Department of Public Services garage.  The way I see it, this gentleman was trying to follow proper protocol by attaining the proper permit to store the flammable liquid, the Peabody Fire Dept. seemed to have a "hidden agenda" by giving him an unusual/unreasonable hard time during the process.  Ward 3 Councilor Rico Mello seemed to better expose the probability of a "hidden agenda" by stating that this was a "public lynching" of a person/businessman.  Mello even had the support of his counterpart Jimmy "the grouch" Liacos and should have just used his prior remarks in a prior similar case which was a "public flogging!"

Who knows?? I for one am not sure that comparing the statement from Mello's mouth to thousands of deaths of African Americans is a bit much!   HERE IS YOUR LINK!

Until Next Time, Let Freedom Ring!
TT

Great PI work by PI!

Great story on The Peabody Roundtable by PI about an exposed undercover land deal by a city official!  Please click on the link to his site located in the left hand sidebar.  Feel free to post comments on both sites if you do not feel comfortable on one or the other.

Out of town for a while, be back soon!
TT

1.2 Million in Fed funds!

As the latest article in the Salem News will tell you http://www.salemnews.com/local/x1858744339/-1-2M-in-federal-money-lands-in-Peabody-schools the Peabody School system has received 1.2 Million dollars from the Fed. Now we all know of the gripes regarding the bus fees, user fees, weekend heating/cooling fees, teacher layoffs, recent try to close a school and re-district, and most recently the astronomical charge to obtain a class yearbook as a senior!  What is next?  Oh, let's not forget about the School Superintendent's latest pay hike and that secret closed door meeting amongst the elite leaders of said School Committee.

Some hilarious comments at the Salem News website suggest that Mayor Schmuck-a-lufagus "plans of building a city-run nursing center", and "that he is planning on building a performing arts center for his buddy Dave and his wife."  Just a couple of comments out there today, something to think about.

Until Next Time, Let Freedom Ring!
TT

Back with the results!

It's been a while since I've checked in, but there hasn't really been anything that I thought was worth throwing out there for discussion!  I have removed the poll from the sidebar and here are the results...

John Goulos  70% to Charlie Bonfanti's 30%.  Because I consider myself to be an "Insider", but not the one with the blog moniker I will fill you in as to "whom is with whom" on this whole special appointment.

I am told that Goulos is Dumbato's guy!  For this reason and this reason only he will not get my vote, so far I am told that Goulos has Dumbato, Paras, Wheatley, Peters, Mello, Athas, Garabedian, and possibly Bettencourt is his corner.

As for the mayor's brother, Charlie Bonfanti, I am told that he has Gravel, Gamache, Manning, Sinewitz, Liacos, Driscoll, and Osborne.  And of course, maybe Bettencourt.  This should be a big decision for the future mayor (Bettencourt) as he will show whom he'd prefer to work with. BTW neither candidate has a super-majority the way I see it.

The latest I am hearing about Zellen is that he could be taking over as the city treasurer?  Let's wait and see!

Until the next BIG story,
TT

Improvements to Main Street...etc

Ya, blow it up and start over again!  This time install proper drainage and maybe even a bridge over the monument.  You can NOT fix Main street until you fix the flooding first!  Here in the dark city we have our priorities ass-backwards, and as for making it into 2 lanes!!  Oh my god, could these buffoons be serious, we have discussed this issue more than once on this and other Peabody blogs, so chime in if you feel worthy!

Other news as of late:

Former Coach Edward "Niz" Nizwantowski is in court battling his age discrimination case, in my humble opinion I hope he wins...which is something that the Peabody High Football team has been unable to do since he left.  Go COACH! Oh, and run for School Committee again please we need a solid voice for the kids in those chambers!

And of course that "test-snooping" leutenent that we all know ALL OF THE DETAILS ABOUT...ha ha ha!  Looks like he tucked it to em' too!  So make sure your wearing your pajamas while snooping!

Now one that I oppose with all of my being...the 24 year leave of absence by a teacher whom still will receive her pension!  Let's all congratulate the powers that be for passing that one!  Now I know why we have bus fees and user fees!

ALL ABOARD!
TT

Much to do about nothing...

For the past several weeks I have been hearing a lot about Tom Zellen stepping down from his post at the Electric Light Dept.!  WHO CARES!!  What do they actually do to earn their $4000.00 and cushy benefit packages as electric light commissioners anyways?  Is it the 9 two hour meetings they attend?  Yup, that must be it.  So the buzz is that Mr. Zellen might actually have already been slotted for another salaried position inside the four walls of City Hall!! How ya like them apples?  But, hey..let's wait this thing out and see if you (once again) heard it here first.

The other piece of this puzzle is, of course his replacement!  Well of course one option would have to be Mayor Bonfanti's brother Charlie, but then there is another candidate by the name of John Goulos whom name is being spread throughout the dark city as an option.  We know that Charlie B will not get the support of any of the current sitting light commissioners, but will Goulos have enough support from the members of the City Council that will also have to vote on this appointment?  This one should go down to the wire folks, let's be sure to notice whom is supporting Goulos, we already know whom will be backing Bonfanti!

Take the new poll!  Until Next Time,
TT

Minutes? WHAT MINUTES??

Can you believe this shit?  Just months ago the brain surgeons on the Peabody School Committee were contemplating closing an elementary school, this mind-buster of an idea proposed by the Chair person of the School Committee...Mayor Skirt-tail rider.  Then...just weeks later all of the administrators were given pay hikes...now, (as reported in the Salem Evening News) the School Superintendent gets a raise too?

All the while the bus fees rise and the teachers fight over pens, paper, chalk, and books!  I could have never imagined such a clear and utter embarrassment when I cast my vote for Rossignoll and Hochman last year!  What the hell are these guys thinking?  And Brandi Carpenter's comment about not having time to prepare minutes and that she is not a great note-taker, OMG!

Would you ever have thought that these well respected, vote mongering elected officials would do what is right and in the best interest of the schools and the kids that attend them?  Me Neither.

Until Next Time, Let Freedom Ring!
TT

Hello Again!

Not too much going on here in the Dark City lately, so I do not want to bore you all with any insignificant postings.  The only thing that comes to mind to write a post on is the continued success of the Peabody West Williamsport team!  They have a game tonight in Norwood against West Newton.

GOOD LUCK BOYS!

Until something new pops!

TT

It's Joyce and Ted on The Twisted Tanner.

Signs are starting pop up all over Tanner City for the local state representative races which will take place this November!  A political new-comer will face off against Joyce Spiliotis for wards 1-5, his name is Martin Scafidi.  His signs and old broken down truck marred with spray paint in the Hannaford Parking lot have certainly caught the eye of local residents and tow trucks!  Spiliotis has recently been out and about getting her campaign signs propped up on people's lawns as well.  Not much of a race in my opinion, Joyce has always stepped up to the plate to represent her constituents very well and is well known for her constituent services.

The other race is between a well- known former Danvers selectman, Dan Bennett and Ted Speliotis whom is well known for his game show host face and advertised hours at the West Peabody branch library. Ted will certainly have to hold his ground in Danvers with this opponent and be very strong in Peabody.  This race will be a lot closer and could pose a re-count, I predict Ted will prevail due his incumbency.

I have placed 2 new polls to the right hand side of the blog, please feel free to let us know whom you support in these races and your reasoning/feedback is always appreciated!

Until Next Time, Let Freedom Ring!
TT

Rules?? What Rules???

I am often very embarrassed about issues that hit the local papers that reflect how incompetent our current elected officials are.  I happen to be the one and only person from Peabody where I am employed, and holy mackerel...do I hear it!  I happen to work in an environment with a few "ex-Peabody-ites" whom now reside in Salem and Beverly, so boy do they all let me have it!  Ya, we can sit here and talk about transvestites going to the bathroom and how the Anti-Education Mayor's brother will be soon sworn in as the person to replace the person that is going to replace...(STAY TUNED!) 

But all of that stuff is gonna happen and neither you nor I can stop it!  So let's talk about the complete embarrassment that happened at last week's City Council meeting... and that would be:

ENFORCING THE SPECIAL PERMIT VIOLATIONS AT A WEST PEABODY / WARD 6 RESTAURANT. WITH FACTUAL EVIDENCE FROM THE PEABODY POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT THEY WERE OPEN WAY PAST THEIR SPECIAL PERMIT HOURS OF OPERATIONS.

Those whom are not already aware; I watch closely what is going on at the meetings and in this case several members of the "Aggregate Neighbors" where there to both support their councilor and support their friends  on Samos Circle that have issues with the restaurant in question are also friends of mine!  So I have all of the details of what transpired that night and MANY of these folks are disgusted! So I strongly encourage any/all Peabody businesses to pay absolutely no attention to their special permits because apparently they do not apply!

Michael Garabedian whom has been coined here in the past as being "The dumbest man in Peabody" has once again out-done himself by totally shitting on the Peabody Police Department (in my opinion) by describing their efforts as "wondered why it took police three weeks to follow up on the March 6 incident and argued that there were no arrests, fights or other crimes committed and that the owners were under no obligation to violate the privacy of whoever made the reservation." As quoted in the Salem Evening News. Perhaps he is too stupid to realize that he just lost probably close to 500 votes?  Just an estimate.

James Liacos whom has been coined here many times as "The Grouch" left his fellow colleagues with: " uncomfortable with the council holding "show-cause hearings" to discuss special permit violations. He called it "tantamount to a public flogging."

"The idea that you drag someone through all of this is totally disgusting to me," he said. Another quote from the Salem Evening News.  So why have rules Jim? Do you not have the testicular fortitude to uphold the special permits that are passed down to the business owners?  Later in the evening councilor Liacos (and I use that title VERY LOOSELY) wanted to impose a violation on another property and used the possibility of a fire as reason for his concern!!!  Oh,  so having NEARLY 100 PEOPLE LOCKED IN A RESTAURANT WITH NO ACCESS IS NOT A FIRE HAZARD???  THE STATION NIGHT CLUB COMES TO MIND!  Jim, maybe you should brush up on your knowledge of fire department access and emergency exit access in public places before you make a complete ass of yourself next time! Should we mention the fact that the lights in the parking lot were all off too?  A real safe scenario!

Dave Gravel takes the time to listen to the owner's view of how he cleaned up the area with the new building and how he is working really hard.... yada yada yada!  But when one of the neighbors has a chance to talk she is told to stick to the violations at hand or she will be escorted out of the room by a police officer! I can spell O U C H for David Gravel whom has been coined here as "The Rat!" 

So...there you have it folks, a complete embarrassment and a large failure / mark against these previous mentioned folks as the 2011 election cycle nears! 

**Hope I didn't miss anything, Until Next Time!

TT

UNEMPLOYMENT, when is enough...ENOUGH?

I can not help but publish a post based on the 10:00 FOX 25 NEWS tonight!  As always, I am looking for your feedback...

UNEMPLOYMENT in the U.S. and more specifically in MA.  Several people came on to tell how they have been out of work and receiving unemployment benefits for 2 years or more!  That is right, 2 years or more! Just the other day I noticed signs in more than one local supermarket looking for help, as well as a local CVS, are these "unemployed people" too proud to collect carriages, bag groceries, or slice deli meats to put food on their own family"s table without bankrupting the whole freakin' United States?

Now we are waiting for the congress's next meeting to make yet another extension to these people!  It all makes me sick, I say stop the madness!  Make it a 3 month maximum benefit and stop payments immediately, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!  I bet they'd find jobs real quick if that was the case, wouldn't they!  Did you all see all of those bright shiny fireworks exploding over your houses Sunday night?  Yet they all blame it on "THE ECONOMY!"  Apparently they can all afford to light off fireworks to help celebrate their free income!

Until Next Time, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
TT

Your Poll Results

An overwhelming amount of support for the need to have better schools over lower taxes, but like I have said in the past "Add those bus fees and user fees to your current tax rate and you could be living in a colonial in Middleton in a nice new culdesac with a better school system for the same rate!"  But let's take a look at the other poll...Hell this is why our school system has crumbled at it's foundation!!  Since the swearing in of Mayor Bonfanti MCAS has dropped, the curriculum has been lost, found, and changed more than a 1 year old's diaper, the school buildings themselves get little or NO attention, and the staffing of the schools have been depleted.  Hence the outcome of the approval rating VERY NEGATIVE!

Perhaps enrollment has dropped due to the lack of great leadership and the ability to run a great public school system!  Enrollment is down because the word is out that Peabody no-longer takes steps to improve it's School system, they take steps to run it lean!  Before you know it, it will be gone!

Until Next Time, Have a great 4th of July!
TT