Warming Centers Open In Middletown

Warming Centers to Open in Middletown

By Libertatem Orator

Warming Centers will be available in the City of Middletown, at the South Congregational Church beginning tomorrow, and working in conjunction with the Church of The Holy Trinity, at 381 Main Street, and will operate through April 2^nd. The South Congregational Church, at 9 Pleasant Street (opposite of The South Green), will operate from Nov. 29 to Dec. 12; Jan. 10 to Feb. 6; and March 6 to April 2. The Church of The Holy Trinity will operate Dec. 13 to Jan. 9; and Feb. 7 to March 5.

Free breakfast will be provided daily at St. Vincent de Paul, 617 Main St., beginning at 7 a.m. The warming center is sponsored by the Mayor’s Taskforce on Homelessness with funding from the Middletown Health Department and in-kind services donated by River Valley Services. For more information, call 860-344-0097, ext. 11.

It’s been the objective of this writer, to eliminate homelessness in Middletown for quite some time, and while we have made some strides in that direction recently, with the group, The Connection, securing the site of Middletown Manufacturing on Stack Street in Middletown, to build a 19 unit low income housing apartment complex. While that’s a step in the right direction, it’s a far cry from what is truly needed to solve the homelessness issue in the City of Middletown.

I’d like to remind everyone that The Connection also runs The Eddy Shelter at 1 LaBella Circle, located near the grounds of Connecticut Valley Hospital. Their phone number is 860-343-5520. If you are homeless, or you have found yourself in between housing units, however you want to describe it, please call The Connection. These people can work miracles in your life, I have personally seen it. Another option is the Middletown Housing Authority, although not as miraculous, they can help as well. Call them at (860) 346-8671. The final option that may be able to help you is CRT, located on Hamlin Street, call them at (860) 347-4465.

I realize that the last paragraph reads more like a phone book than a news article, but here’s the point: I don’t much care if it helps you in the end. Homelessness is an epidemic in this country, and no, I don’t believe our civic leaders and government do enough to help. So, if I have to list a few phone numbers to help, so be it. Please stay warm this winter season. Please take care of yourselves. And those of us, that can help, let us help. The bell ringers are out there people! Drop a buck to help these people! That is all for now. Until my next diatribe, please be well, and be well to your neighbor. 

Happy Thanksgiving Middletown!

Happy Thanksgiving Middletown!

By Libertatem Orator

Middletown Residents, Happy Thanksgiving! It’s this day where we stop, and pause, and reflect on those things for which we are grateful for. Today, I want to go a different direction, however, and ask God, to help me remember the hungry, when I have food to eat. To remember the unemployed when I have work. To remember the homeless, when I am home. To remember the suffering, when I am in good health. Help me destroy my complacency, and help me show compassion. Help me to help others in any way I can. Help me respond to those who cry out, and meet their needs to the best of my ability.

There was a Holiday season, where I committed myself to blocking out all commercialism, and celebrate the Thanksgiving and Christmas season for exactly what they were meant for. Make no mistake, it was extremely difficult, but enormously rewarding. I’m not saying to do that, but maybe pay attention to the true meaning of the holidays, and maybe just once in a while, stop and reflect on what we were given as the ultimate gift so long ago. That of course relates to Christianity, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be for just Christians. No matter what religion we follow, or what our beliefs are, it’s never a bad idea to reflect, and give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I am thankful for all of you. You make up my home city, and that, is irreplaceable.

Kyron Horman: Missing for Over 5 Years, and Needs Your Help

By Brian E. Clark

Kyron Horman was 7 years old when he went missing from Skyline Elementary School, in Portland Oregon, June 4^th, 2010. He hasn’t been seen since. Why is that important to us here in Middletown, Connecticut? Because if your child went missing, you’d want someone in Portland, Oregon to be just as concerned. I have to admit, I was vaguely familiar with this case, when a new Facebook friend reminded me of it. I am a father myself, and I would be destroyed if my child ever went missing, and with this case, Kyron has been gone so long, that it is entirely possible that he traveled to this side of the country. He could be among us right now, and without knowledge, we wouldn’t know it. It’s a fairly complicated story, but one that needs to be told. Kyron, and his Step-Mother, Terri Moulton Horman, arrive shortly after 8am on June 4^th, 2010 at the Skyline Elementary School, for the school’s science fair. Ay 8:15am Gina Zimmerman, the PTA President arrives, and see’s Kyron and his Step-Mother in front of his exhibit. At 8:45am, Terri Horman leaves, reportedly after seeing Kyron walking towards his classroom. At 9am, another student see’s Kyron near the South Entrance of the school, according to Sheriff Dan Stanton, but later retracts that statement. At 10am, Classes begin, and Kyron’s homeroom teacher, Kristina Porter, reports him absent. It should be noted that this is the first time anyone reports Kyron absent, or missing, and Kyron is never seen again. At 1:21pm Terri Horman posts photos of Kyron at the science fair, on her Facebook Page. At 3:30pm, Terri goes to meet the bus, and discovers for the first time that Kyron was reported absent. It’s later revealed that Kaine Horman, Kyron’s father, is with Terri to meet the bus. At 3:46pm the Skyline School secretary calls 911 to report Kyron missing, and the police arrive simultaneously at the school and at the Horman home. I could continue to go on with the timeline, but needless to say, it is very involved, and rest assured that the alarm is sounded, search parties are formed, and searches of every inch of local land is searched, to no avail. In fact, nothing, no evidence is ever found of Kyron. Facebook pages are created, reward money is raised ($50,000), and a website is made (www.bringkyronhome.org), are all done. Later in June, it seems a huge rift is caused between Kaine, Kyron’s father, and Terri, his step mother. Although Terri was never charged or named as a suspect, she was given a polygraph. She was actually given three, and failed them all. Later, on June 26^th, 1 of 2,  911 calls come from the Horman home. The first was classified as a “threat”, the second a “custody issue”. What’s very clear is Kaine and Terri are done. Kaine takes Kiara, the couples 19 month old daughter, and leaves the house. In the following days, a restraining order is taken out against Terri Horman. There is a point on June 28^th, where People Magazine asks Terri Horman’s Father, whether his daughter will be arrested, and he replies “50/50”. July 8^th, Kaine Horman asks a Multnomah County judge to make Terri Horman vacate his house. On July 12^th, Criminal defense attorney, Stephen Houze,  notifies the court that Terri Horman will not contest her husband's restraining order or his push to force her out of their Portland home. Unfortunately, the timeline from here goes on for much longer that I can write here, but I’ll touch on the highlights. Kaine and Terri divorce. Kaine gets full custody of Kiara, their daughter. At one point, Desiree Young, Kyron’s biological mother, files a civil lawsuit against Terri Horman, seeking $10 Million in damages, and accuses Terri of kidnapping, and compels her to reveal what she did with Kyron. The suit is later dropped. Terri Horman tries on a few different occasions, failing each time, to have her name changed. To date, it’s cost the State of Oregon over a Million dollars to conduct an investigation in to the disappearance of Kyron Horman. No Evidence has ever been found. Perhaps it’s just speculation on my part, but I think the only person who can shed light on what happened to Kyron, is Terri Horman. On September 9^th of this year, Kyron would have turned 13 years old. As Thanksgiving approaches, his family will have yet another holiday without their son. We hold out hope that Kyron is alive out there. With the time that has passed, he could be anywhere. Please look at the picture, and if you think you’ve seen Kyron Horman, please call the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office at 503-261-2847. Help bring this boy home to his family.

15 Turkey Fryer Safety Tips from South Fire District

Everything is better deep-fried, and a Thanksgiving turkey is no exception. But with that delicious cooking method comes a myriad of risks.

According to data from State Farm, more cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. November is the number one month for grease and cooking related fire and December is the second highest month.
https://learningcenter.statefarm.com/safety-2/15-turkey-fryer-safety-tips/

If you plan to deep-fry your holiday bird, be sure you know how to safely use the fryer, and take these precautions to protect yourself, your guests and your home:

 1. Keep outdoor fryers off decks, out of garages and a safe distance away from trees and other structures.

 2. Make sure the turkey is thawed and dry before cooking. Ice or water that mixes into the hot oil can cause flare-ups.

 3. Watch the weather. Never operate a fryer outdoors in the rain or snow.

 4. Place the fryer on a level surface, and avoid moving it once it’s in use.

 5. Leave 2 feet between the tank and the burner when using a propane-powered fryer.

 6. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid overfilling. Oil can ignite when it makes contact with the burner.

 7. Choose a smaller turkey for frying. A bird that's 8 to 10 pounds is best; pass on turkeys over 12 pounds.

 8. Never leave fryers unattended.

 9. Purchase a fryer with temperature controls, and watch the oil temperature carefully. Cooking oil that is heated beyond its smoke point can catch fire. If you notice the oil is smoking, turn the fryer off.

10. Turn off the burner before lowering the turkey into the oil. Once the turkey is submerged, turn the burner on.

11. Wear goggles to shield your eyes, use oven mitts to protect your hands and arms and keep a grease-rated fire extinguisher close by.

12. Skip the stuffing when frying turkey, and avoid water-based marinades.

13. Keep children and pets away from the fryer at all times.

14. Once finished, carefully remove the pot from the burner, place it on a level surface and cover to let the oil cool overnight before disposing.

15. Opt for an oil-less fryer. This uses infrared heat, rather than oil, to cook the turkey.


Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

- South Fire District

The Middletown insider returns!

When we had begun to plan our site out for development, it was a dark time in Middletown Politics. The Democrats had just ran away with the Election, and then suddenly, without warning, the Middletown Insider was shut down, due to mysterious, and conveniently timed complaints. We certainly had no ideas of taking over, but as time went on, things looked bleak. We had been in contact with the Insider’s staff regularly, and we’d approached them with the idea of this site, and frankly, we offered it to them to run as their own. They persevered, however, and there was talk of naming a new editor. We offered up Libertatem Orator, to take the place as the new editor. They made the right decision though, and named William Boylan, as their new editor, allowing us to proceed with our project, while they moved forward with theirs.

We, frankly, didn’t think it would work out for them. They’d had complaints in the past, however unfounded they were. But, it was enough to shut them down, a few different times. What we don’t understand, and it’s a valid point of confusion, is how they were allowed to be shut down. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights, are pretty clear documents. There is no deciphering that must be done. No code to be broken. It’s written in the best English possible, and when it says “free speech”, that’s pretty clear. “Freedom of Press” is another uncomplicated phrase. In fact, let’s just take a look at the First Amendment as a whole:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Yup! Pretty clear, at least to me. I know Google has their own set of rules, but this is a document that trumps all the rules you want to make. I also happen to know that with Google, Facebook, and the like, that if you throw any kind of complaint at them, they’ll act first and ask questions later. It sucks for the guy who didn’t do anything, but it allows people who plainly just don’t like what someone says, to at least, get a temporary win in their column. The way that this process is handled seriously needs to be reviewed, because in the meantime, justice, and freedoms are tossed by the wayside.

We are happy that the Insider is back. And you can bet, if shenanigans happen like this again, we’ll be there to call it out, and I believe they’ll do the same for us. We all have to co-exist peacefully, and we will, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have the right to question our leaders when an issue arises. That’s how this country was founded. We may be getting further and further away from how things used to be, but you can rest assured, that someone is still on watch to protect our most basic freedoms. 

John Fitzgerald Kennedy: A Man We Will Never Forget

By Libertatem Orator

52 Years ago today, around 12:30pm, one of our greatest Presidents, was killed by an assassins bullet. Sure, there’s a hundred conspiracy theories out there on how, and why, it happened. What is not a theory, is a great man was taken from us. Not only our President, but he was a son, a brother, a husband, father, and uncle. Everyone lost on that fateful day.

Little known facts about JFK, that contributed to making him the great man we knew: First being elected to the House of Representatives in 1947, and serving in public office for the next 16 years, Mr. Kennedy never accepted a salary. He donated the salaries he was paid, including the $100K per year as President, to various charities. Another little known fact, is JFK failed his military physical exam, and used his father’s connections to be accepted, and serve in the Navy. Unfortunately, it turns a bit darker from here. As a devout Catholic, he was given last rites 4 times; 3 times before ever taking office. There were 4 other assassination attempts on his life before Dallas. He was, and still is, the only U.S. President awarded the Purple Heart. JFK was the only President to ever be outlived by his Grandmother. And, finally, eerily, the limo in which JFK was assassinated in, was cleaned, and used by other U.S. Presidents until 1977.

If John F. Kennedy was alive today, he would be 98 years old. Certainly not an impossible feat by today’s medical breakthroughs. We are led to believe that Lee Harvey Oswald was the one to kill the president. Maybe we’ll find out differently, maybe we won’t. To this writer, it doesn’t matter very much; a life was taken too soon. I can’t help but wonder how different history would have played out if JFK served out his term. Perhaps it’s just an opinion, but I think this world would have been a better place to live, if John F. Kennedy was allowed to live. 

We Will Not Be Silenced

By Libertatem Orator

November 5^th, 2015, two days after the election, a basic freedom was taken from us. The Middletown Insider, after being around for a long time, and popular enough to have well over 500,000 views, was shut down because of complaints. One can only speculate from who, or for what. The Insider was a fair site, that published mostly everything that was sent them. One of the last letters, written by Brian Clark, the Write In Candidate for Mayor, may have been the straw to break the camel’s back. Clark alleged that the Election was akin to a National Tragedy, such as 9/11. That may have been a little much, but it is true that keeping the Democrats in control of the City of Middletown, is a tragedy in itself. That, however is a story for another time.

The fact that the freedom of speech was taken away from the people of the Middletown Insider was the motivating factor that made us come out with, In Middletown We Trust. We are here to carry on the torch of freedom of speech, mainly for the Conservative movement, but we certainly will not turn anyone away that has a valid story or letter. We will not tolerate hate, violence, or threats. We intend to fully exercise our right of freedom of speech, within the limits of the law.

We can’t do this alone though. We want, and need you to send in your letters and articles on what concerns you about what is going on here in Middletown, and in the State of Connecticut. We have 4 more years of Democratic control here in Middletown, and knowledge is power. The more we expose the truth about what is really going on behind the scenes, the more we can keep our leaders accountable to the citizens of Middletown. It’s In Middletown We Trust, not Dan Drew and the Democratic leadership. Somehow, the word trust doesn’t fit in that sentence.