Praying for Schenectady

It’s certainly been a crazy year for those of us with children in the Schenectady School District. There are two things that keep me from totally giving up on this city altogether. One is, as a person of faith I know how prayer changes things. And two,

after seeing how much the Obama administration is train wrecking everything in sight it just goes to show our city government isn’t so bad after all.

What Goes Around

Local Albany area terrorist and union hit man, Steven Raucci has gone to jail. And the man who may have been pulling his strings, or at least, KNEW who really was pulling his string, Schenectady school superintendent Eric Ely was able to walk away from his job and get away Scott free. In fact he received an awesome severance package from the school board after resigning.

HT YNN

But those of us who believe in “The Law of sin and death”, (Aka Karma) know better.  It’s a law more sure than gravity.  Or to put it another way.

What goes around comes around.

In this life or the one to follow.

How About a Tea Party on Schools, New York?

I came as close as I hope to get this time around to NOT VOTING AT ALL in the latest round of the school budget fiasco.

“What’s the point?” I asked. It’s all a big joke.

Everyone knows when a budget gets shot down (For a gazillion good reasons) eventually they go to an awful contingency budget (Like they’re doing in Troy NY) that’s often the worst case scenario for voters.

What a crock of poo!!!

I decided to vote for two reasons.

1) Too many men and woman fought and died to preserve my right to vote.  So in honor of them, (As well as all of those maimed for life) no matter how ticked off I get, I’ll vote.

2)  We had a great new crop of school board members to vote in.  Perhaps the four that won, (Who were endorsed by a new citizens group) can bring a breath of fresh air to the foul stench overhanging Schenectady School politics.

But here’s the thing that burns me up.  All this lottery money being poured in everyday (Many from those that are poverty stricken) for education.

WHERE IS IT?

Services continue to get cut while taxes are raised.

It’s enough to make everyone want to throw their tax bills into The Mohawk River!

The Trial of the Century Begins

It’s the trial of the century as far as the City of Schenectady is concerned. The jury selection process has begun in the case of Steve Raucci former Bulding Services Director of the Schenectady School District. He’s facing 26 charges of arson and even terrorism.

(Hat Tip Daily Gazette)

From left, School Superintendent, Eric Ely, School District Lawyer Shari Greenleaf and former

School Board President, Jeff Janiszewski.

Today the list of witnesses was red and it’s a who’s who of people working for the school district, former and current.  The most interesting name is Superintendent Eric Ely who  according to The Daily Gazette is looking for another position anywhere in the country.  That’s not a good sign for him is it?

Not a Knee Jerk, Conservative Jerk, Reaction

A few weeks back I blogged about an after hours drug rehab program in Puerto Rico that gives away needles to their clients after hours from a vending machine.  With tongue in cheek I asked, “When will we see this in Schenectady?

While there aren’t any vending machines just yet right down the road from Schenectady, in neighboring Albany NY, Catholic Charities is giving away clean needles from a mobile van unit.

Catholic Charities giving clean needles to drug users – HT_CapitalNews9.com.

There are people raising all kinds of objections to this program, in spite of the fact that it’s already up and running in 17 communities around the state.  They say it encourages more drug use.  Of course proponents of the plan insist they’ve reduced the spread of AIDS where the program is in place.

The knee jerk conservative reaction would be to agree with the law enforcement people who believe we’re just going to be stuck with allot more lazy addicts to deal with.  And who says a real addict gives a darn about a clean needle anyway.

But I’m not a knee jerk conservative.  There’s something else to consider here as well.  Besides handing out needles shouldn’t Catholic Charities be handing out hope as well?

The last time I checked Catholics were still considered to be Christians.

YOU KNOW!

Jesus,God,redemption,salvation,  THE BIBLE!

Helllllo!

We’re supposed to be all about hope.

Anything to reduce the spread of AIDS is a good thing.  But wouldn’t getting people  off drugs and into rehab be even better?

It’s the same thing when it comes to handing out free condoms to teenagers.  I’m not a knee jerk conservative here either.  Condoms can also prevent the spread of STD’s, reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and reduce the need for abortions. So I’m for the whole condom idea as long people also talk about taking pride in one’s body.

Oh No!  It’s the dreaded “A” word!

Abstinence!

Hey!  It’s your body and your time.

Who says you have to lose your virginity by 16 anyway?

Therefore I believe anything out to prevent the spread of HIV is a good thing.

I just think it would be better to try and reach out to people’s souls as well.

-What say you?

Feel free to comment pro or con.

Just don’t be too snarky OK?  ;-)

Schenectady-The Reality Show

Sometimes I think they ought to travel around the city of Schenectady following the police and other city officials with a camera.  It would make for an interesting reality show.

The problem is that no one would believe it.  They’d say it was way too far fetched to be reality.  Like the saying goes truth is far stranger than fiction.  How ironic.

Daily Gazette pundit Carl Strock would be the main producer for the show.  One of his latest pieces talks about a bizarre coincidence regarding two recent arrests made on the same night.

Folks, you just can’t make this stuff up!

Recently Schenectady Police Officer John W. Lewis was arrested for drunk driving and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.  This was Lewis’ 6th arrest in just under two years.  The fact that he’s just being suspended and not being terminated is unbelievable enough, but we’re just getting started with this tale!

It turns out the scene of this accident was at the Ellis Hospital Emergency room parking lot.  That’s where Officer Lewis was getting his drunk on!

It makes you wonder.  Was Lewis on duty while at the ER?  Was he really hitting the old sauce and no one noticed?  Or was this just another night for him drinking on the job?

But wouldn’t you just know it!  Of all the rotten luck!  Lewis goes and whacks a car in the parking lot on the way home.

“DOH!”

Unbelievable enough for you?

But wait!

There’s more!

While John Lewis was under arrest for hitting a parked car and DWI just six blocks away there was another arrest was taking place.  Sheri Greenleaf was under arrest for driving with a suspended license and operating an unregistered vehicle.

Ms. Greenleaf just happens to be the attorney for the embattled city school district.  The same district where a member just resigned for conduct after hours.  It seems he and his wife held a wild drinking party with plenty of underage teens present.  We know this because they put the whole thing up on facebook.

And of course there’s the whole matter of having a known domestic terrorist on your pay role working for the school district as a glorified janitor.

They must be smoking crack!

There’s certainly enough to keep attorney Sheri Greenleaf busy.  So busy she even forgot to renew her license.

Sometimes real life is wilder even than the TV series NCIS

or even a reality show called

Schenectady.

Let the Games Begin!

Nintendo via last.fm

As Mario of Nintendo fame would say,

“HERE WE GO!”

The Daily Gazette and The Albany Times Union Newspapers have filed a joint lawsuit against The Schenectady School District for withholding information regarding the investigation of former school facilities manager Steven Raucci and his alleged terrorist activities.  HT Daily Gazette.

When the school district released the report most of it was blacked out.  So now the papers are suing the district to get the full report.  Clearly the district and superintendent Eric Ely have something to hide.  They’re covering their own backsides and perhaps some others as well.

So now that the suit’s been filed, “Let the games begin!”

A Big Step In The Right Direction!!!

Image via Wikipedia

A new citizens group has formed in Schenectady to recruit new members to the school board.  (HT Daily Gazette)

And as anyone who follows this blog knows

THE SCHENECTADY SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS HELP!!!

So mega kudos to  Schenectady Citizens for Openness in Public Education

(aka SCOPE)

“One of the group’s founders, Marjorie Karowe, said the idea started from a letter to the editor she wrote, seeking a citizens’ coalition to improve the schools. She said the group, which has about 15 members currently, is looking for people who will bring transparency and integrity to the board to improve its “tarnished” reputation.

Karowe said among the issues are the arrest of former facilities director Steven Raucci in September. Raucci faces a 26-count indictment charging him with arson and terrorism for allegedly planting explosive devices at the homes of people he viewed as his enemies. Authorities say the acts were part of a pattern of intimidation. Allegations have been made that Raucci curried favor with school officials to consolidate his power in the district.

“We have to turn around what has been a downhill slide of the perception of the school board,” she said.”

You can tell she’s understating her case to be be diplomatic.  It’s more like a runaway train to perdition, but hey!  Whatever they can do to help is fine with me.

If Only I Were More Like Bill

Image by futureatlas.com via Flickr

If only I were more like Bill…

Bill O’Reilly that is.

Even if I could only get a show on the public access channel I’d do it.

Just so I could get pinheads like Schenectady County Court Judge Polly Hoye to come on my show.

(Dream sequence)

Hello everyone and and welcome to “The Larry Factor” here on SACC Channel 16 in beautiful downtown Schenectady.

With me tonight in the no stupid zone is Schenectady County Court Judge Polly Hoye who recently ruled that an estimated $120,000 in cash seized from former city schools facilities director Steve Raucci’s Niskayuna home should be returned to him claiming there has been nothing to show it is connected to any of the crimes alleged.

(HT Daily Gazette-)

Judge with all due respect Raucci was a glorified janitor and yet he had over 120K in cash at his house.  Don’t you find that a little odd?

Judge Hoye :  “Well you know, legalese speak etc etc etc.”

Me:  JUDGE JUDGE!  THE MAN HAS A 26 COUNT INDICTMENT AGAIN HIM

Judge Hoye: If you’d just let me . .

Me: HE’S PLANTED FOUR BOMBS!!!!   TWO OF THEM WENT OFF  (THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT)  BUT SOMEHOW YOU CAN’T CONNECT THE DOTS

Judge Hoye: The law states . .

ME:  LAW SHMAW    THE MAN’S A MENACE!!!

Judge Hoye : Well gee I dunno!

ME:  Alright judge thank you for coming on   Next as the factor moves along we’ll have Steve and Jackie from WROW along with Uncle Vito from PYX 106 and of course veiwer mail.

(And then the alarm went off)  SIGH!

Where’s Elliot Ness When You Need Him?

Image via Wikipedia

Things are piling up in the case of Steve Raucci and the Schenectady School District.  Now we know how much overtime he was getting.

HT Daily Gazette-and Carl Strock

Seems this guy was set for life.  He could claim all the overtime he wanted and not provide proof.  Since his position was supervisory he should have been on a salary not hourly.  And it’s one that requires a civil service test.  So to get around this they invented a working supervisor’s position just for Raucci.

Since pension is based on the last year worked the man is set for life even in prison.  Seems like quite the deal to me.  All for a man who’s accused of 26 acts of terrorism.

So who’s pulling Raucci’s strings?  Is it just the school board and Eric Ely the superintendent?  Or does it go farther than that?  This has mob and union markings all over it.

Who knows who got the proverbial “offer they couldn’t refuse?”  Unless someone goes into a witness protection program we may never know.

Where’s Elliot Ness when you need him!