The End of Our Week
by Bill Dusty
FITCHET GETS THE NOD:
This past week saw the formal hiring of acting Police Commissioner William Fitchet, who now takes up the Commissioner’s role permanently. The Springfield Finance Control Board selected Fitchet by unanimous vote, 5-0, to take over from departed-but-hardly-forgotten former Police Commissioner Edward “Fast Eddie” Flynn, who moved on to Milwaukee, WI, and who now has to wear a block of cheese on his head every time he goes to a football game.
Some critics of the Police Commissioner selection process (disclosure: The Springfield Intruder was one of them, preferring Fitchet outright) have recently come out saying the process was a phony and fixed gesture, and that the other two finalists for the job were “ducks” lined up for failure. This does a large disservice, however, to at least one of the finalists. For while Chatham, MA, Police Chief Mark Pawlina seemed nervous and overmatched, Waterbury, CT, assistant deputy chief Patrick Ridenhour more than held his own and did a terrific job during his interview. His only obvious weakness happened to be a Fitchet strength: familiarity with the neighborhoods and people of Springfield.
Ridenhour will no doubt make a fine police chief or commissioner in the future.
VILLAMAINO TAKES A PASS:
In East Longmeadow, the race for a selectman’s seat is closing in on the April 8th voting day. At a candidates forum conducted Thursday, it was reported that candidate Enrico Villamaino was apparently a no-show, standing up candidate Ron Cutler. Villamaino reportedly had Hampden County Clerk of Courts and former State Senator Brian Lees acting as a stand-in.
SECRET MEETINGS:
Springfield Intruder editor/blogger/janitor Bill Dusty (hereafter referred to as “me”, “my” or “I”) recently had lunch with Springfield activist and former Mayor Mike Albano antagonist Karen Powell (right).
Dining at The 99 Restaurant, the two talked local politics, personalities, and the apparently rather significant difference between grilled chicken and the fried variety.
To the right is a cellphone image I took of Karen. My cellphone takes decidedly poor photos – especially in the dim lighting of restaurants, and I had blogger Tommy Devine’s admonishment ringing in my ears as I tried to make the best of it: “Take your [digital] camera wherever you go..!”
HOLYOKE ON PARADE:
The Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade is set to kick off at noontime this Sunday. This year’s Grand Marshall is retired judge Ann M. Gibbons. The Springfield Intruder plans to videotape portions of the event, and should have clips available next week. As Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno would say, “Stay Tuned…”
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