Text of Mayor Ken Cockayne's Inaugural Address

As prepared for delivery on Monday, Nov. 11 at Chippens Hill Middle School in Bristol, Conn.:
Today marks the day of the year that Americans from all walks of life come together to honor the brave men and women who have served our nation in military service.   These soldiers have dedicated their lives to protecting the freedoms we enjoy as Americans – including the freedom to vote which we are here to celebrate tonight. I would like every Veteran or active member of our military in the audience tonight to please sta

Mayor Cockayne prepares to deliver speech.

nd and I ask that you join me in a round of applause for their service to our nation. Speaking of Veterans I would be remiss if I didn’t pay my respects to the man who preceded me in this job.   Art Ward has spent the last 28 years in city government working to make our community a better place.   We may not have always agreed on policy issues; however after serving with him for six years on the City Council I have grown to respect him as a person.  I believe that our city owes him as well as his wife Pat; and their family a huge debt of gratitude. Thank you - Mayor Ward for your service.
I would also like to thank Senator Jason Welch for agreeing to be the Master of Ceremonies for tonight’s festivities.    Senator Welch has been an advocate for the taxpayer on the state level and along with the other members of our local legislative delegation will be working diligently together to move Bristol’s Legislative priorities forward. One of the greatest strength’s we have in Bristol is that we put the emphasis on family and as I mentioned during the campaign I am a fourth generation Bristolite.  My parents Bruce and Marion Cockayne instilled in my siblings and me from our early years, the importance of family, faith and community. I would like to recognize my parents, Bruce and Marion as well as my brother and sisters, Chuck, Carrie and Cindy. During the course of my life I have had many titles and there has been no title more rewarding than the title of Dad. My son, Kenny Jr. is a middle school student at West Bristol. He has had to endure and bear the brunt of my political involvement over the past six years.  Kenny is the reason I jumped into politics; because I was concerned about the future of our city and his future as well. I have said many times that I want my son to go to college and then come home to Bristol to live, work and raise his family.  Far too many grandparents are visiting their children and grandchildren either out of state or on Skype because they have left Bristol. Kenny I am proud of the young man you have become.  Last Tuesday night, the voters of Bristol gave me not only the opportunity to serve them, but gave me a new title as well: Mayor.   I pledge to be the type of Mayor that my son and all of you can be proud of.
Speaking of titles I have another one that I wouldn’t dream of forgetting and that is Fiancé.  10 years ago, I met a woman who swept me away, and after 10 years nothing has changed.  While the wedding date hasn’t been decided… yet, I owe Brenda not only my love but my heartfelt gratitude for standing by my side during my political career. I can’t wait until the day I call you my wife.
To the members of my administration I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to your posts in city government.   I recently penned an opinion piece in the newspaper thanking the people of Bristol for entrusting our city to me and I pledged to them that we will work diligently to get something done for the taxpayers of this city. We will accomplish this as a legislative body and not as a political party.   We are no longer Republicans or Democrats; rather we are elected officials; elected to govern and I hope that you will join me in working together for the betterment of Bristol.
The phrase “Bristol is at a crossroads” has been used in many political campaigns.   It seems like every two years a candidate for public office adopts this slogan. I choose not to use such a negative slogan; instead I wanted to focus on the positive things that are happening in our community. Downtown Revitalization is a key component to the future economic development of Bristol.  
For the past six years, I have served as a member of the Bristol Downtown Development Corporation which is charged with developing the 17 acre parcel formally known as the Bristol Centre Mall. After much consideration, the BDDC has chosen a group called Renaissance Downtowns to lead this effort and soon will be breaking ground on phase one of the downtown project. I share everyone’s frustration that it has taken almost nine years to see this project begin, but a lot has happened in those nine years and we are now ready to proceed with its development. The biggest success so far with the downtown project has been the birth of an organization called: Bristol Rising.   I love their orange shirts. These community volunteers embody what Bristol is all about and that is summed up in one word: Community. They have been active over the past few years in pop-up piazzas and cash mobs all designed to promote our community and our local businesses.   Their active involvement in our community needs to be recognized because it has shed a positive light on Bristol and its economy. A major component of my goal to hold the line on taxes relies not only on downtown redevelopment, but the success of our new marketing task force as well as the development of the Southeast Industrial Park.
I welcome the input of any member of my administration, as well as the public, in order to meet this goal and help increase our grand list by bringing businesses and jobs to our community.
We should be working together to promote Bristol and I extend my hand tonight to the people of Bristol who may not have supported me for Mayor and I pledge to work across party lines to get things done for Bristol
We are a community that was built on faith, family and volunteerism.  I am asking any Bristol resident who has an interest to serve on a Board or Commission to please supply my office with your resume or summary of your background and a letter expressing; in which area you would like to serve; and I will do my best to accommodate your request.   We are always seeking residents who would like to give back to their community and volunteer.
On the subject of volunteering, during the course of the campaign, I proposed two ordinance changes aimed at helping our elderly residents. The first was a $500 tax credit to those residents 62 and older who volunteer in a specified entity.   This proposal doesn’t “force” any senior to volunteer; instead it rewards those who do. I hope that the committee will take up the proposal as soon as they meet. The second proposal was an Elderly Tax Freeze for residents 65 and older.  
The narrative of this tax freeze is to provide our elderly homeowners, who are struggling, that may mean they can stay in their homes. This program will be administered by the City of Bristol and not the state of Connecticut and it would freeze their property taxes at current levels. These two proposals have been adopted in other Connecticut communities as well as other states.  If they can work in other communities than why can’t they work here in Bristol? I believe that these creative ideas can work right here in Bristol During my door to door campaign for this office, I talked with several elderly residents, some with tears in their eyes worried about what the future holds for them; if they will be able to afford to live in the same home where they raised their children.
I believe as an elected official and now as your Mayor, I have a responsibility to do everything in my power to try to give the people of our community; who made our city the great city it is - the peace of mind of knowing that we care. I will be asking the members of the new Ordinance Committee to give these proposals consideration and I ask the members of the public who may have an idea which might make them better to come forward and offer your input. Each proposal doesn’t have to be adopted the way I proposed them and I am open to comprise in order to make them the law of the land.
Much has been said about blight in Bristol.   Numbers have been thrown around and debated over the past few months.  In the end we can agree on one thing:  “We still have work to do.” The West End Association a group that I was active in forming; came before the City Council and presented a proposal to help revitalize the West End of Bristol. I pledge to them that my administration will give that proposal a fair hearing and I invite any other group to do the same thing.   I have already asked for a meeting of our legislative delegation to discuss the re-alignment of the Route 72 intersection in the West End and how we can secure funding for this project. I am ready to hit the ground running on this issue because it is near and dear to me and our community.   As we discuss the West End we also need to bear in mind and keep our focus on the historic agreement that was made with other communities to preserve the Pequabuck River which has to be a vital part of our plans. The West End Study Committee calls for bike and walking trails along the Pequabuck and I wholeheartedly support establishing them. These issues I have mentioned are but a few we will face. The one fact that we can agree on is that there is much work to do and the time for talking has ended.  It is now time to roll up our sleeves and get to it.   The voters of Bristol have spoken and have elected the men and women on this stage to lead them for the next two years. It is my hope that we will do this as individuals dedicated to the belief that we all want what is best for Bristol.  My goal is to leave this place a better place than I found it. I want our community to be a place where people flock to work, live and raise their families.   I hope that there will be more families that will soon call themselves a fourth generation Bristolite. I am humbled by the support the voters have given me.   I pledge to do the best job I can as your Mayor by being honest, forthright and transparent.
As with my six years as a member of your City Council, you may not always agree with my position on an issue, however; you will always know where I stand on that issue. Public service is a noble cause; it should not be a profession.  I will use this opportunity to bring Bristol to new heights and I am hopeful that we, the people on stage with me tonight,   those of you who took the time to come here tonight  as well as everyone that calls Bristol home  will join me in this endeavor. May God bless you, your family and the place we call home: The City of Bristol. Thank you and good night.
Copyright 2013 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Opening Day in Hartford

State Sens. Joe Markley and Jason Welch

Despite the inevitability of partisan bickering and budget battles to come, Inauguration Day at the Capitol provided a jolt of hope for a state mired in economic misery.
“It’s exciting. Everybody’s starting a new page,” said Steve Casey, a former state senator from Bristol.
With the opening of the General Assembly session and the swearing-in of Gov. Dannel Malloy as the state’s 88th governor, politicians on both sides of the aisle talked about the necessity of facing Connecticut’s woes head on.
“There’s a little bit of a dreamlike aspect to all of this,” said state Sen. Joe Markley, R-Southington, who was thinking back to his first term in the legislature a quarter century ago.
For state Rep. Frank Nicastro, D-Bristol, the start of the new session is “very exciting” in large part because Malloy is taking hold of the helm.
“We’re going to turn the state around and bring it back,” Nicastro said.
“There’s a lot of enthusiasm here,” said state Rep. Betty Boukus, D-Plainville, because of “a blend of old and new” officials and the swearing-in of Malloy and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman.
State Rep. Whit Betts, R-Bristol, said he is also excited at the possibilities.
“I hope we can meet on common ground,” Betts said.
State Sen. Jason Welch, R-Bristol, said that a lot of serious work lies ahead to repair the state’s fortunes and that Republicans and Democrats “disagree on how to fix it.”
But, he said, the Democrats in the Senate have been “very welcoming” and he hopes everyone can settle on a course that will get the economy flowing again and create much-needed jobs.
Malloy said the state has reached “a crossroads of crisis and opportunity” and that if its leaders show strength and compassion, they can fix the state’s finances and economy.
“We will need to solve our problems together – by pursuing with great urgency not Republican ideas or Democratic ideas, but good ideas that know no political master or agenda," Malloy said in his address.
State Rep. Chris Wright, D-Bristol, said the first day is always fun, but he’s sure a long and difficult session lies ahead.
“There’s going to be no easy answers,” Wright said, because every spending cut creates howls from whoever is hurt but somehow the state has to fill a multi-billion hole in its budget.
Sacrifices are going to be required, Wright said, and the need to slice spending and raise taxes is “going to upset people, but that’s what we were elected to do.”
Casey, who works for the state’s information technology department, said it helps “to have a new governor who has a lot of hope and vitality and who is willing to take on the massive challenges we have.”
“We’re ready,” Boukus said.
[And here is the New Britain version of this story, which is actually quite different.]

Two new Bristol lawmakers

Bristol’s two new GOP legislators took office Wednesday morning at the Capitol amidst many family and friends.

The weight of responsibility that comes with the office “hit me for the first time today,” said state Rep. Whit Betts. “It was a very serious moment.”

State Sen. Jason Welch said he’d been so busy that the enormity of the job didn’t really sink in until he stood in the Senate chamber.

As the names of each senator were called one by one, he felt thankful for the opportunity to serve.

“We made it. We’re here,” Welch recalled thinking.

Betts said, “It’s now time to face the music.”

Betts won the open 78^th District seat representing northwestern Bristol and Plymouth that longtime GOP lawmaker Bill Hamzy of Terryville gave up when he opted not to seek reelection.

Betts and Welch, who unseated a longtime incumbent to win the 31^st District seat, joined three Democratic veterans to make up the city’s legislative delegation. The others are state Reps. Frank Nicastro, Chris Wright and Betty Boukus.  Click here for the rest of the story.

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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

'A day that I will remember the rest of my life'

Just got this note from Bruce Lydem, a union official and former City Council candidate who's in Washington this week:

As you know, yesterday was a big day of celebration here in D.C.  A day that I will remember the rest of my life.  To be a part of the more than one million people who watched our new president take the oath of office was overwhelming.

 

Today, however, there was a different mood as I visited  members of Congress and their staffs to discuss President Obama’s infrastructure Renewal plan.  Our delegation  and their staffs are already working with the new administration to jumpstart  America’s economy.  The proposed legislation, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill, is designed to create and save 3 to 4 million jobs.

 

Hopefully this proposed bill, which cuts taxes and increases spending on targeted investments, will put Bristol and America back to work.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Happy and cold in Washington

As President Barack Obama took the oath of office in Washington, Bristol resident Laura Minor cried, danced, sang and cheered from the middle of the massive crowd splayed out in front of the U.S. Capitol.
She said she felt “the most amazing spirit that you could ever imagine” all around her as Obama spoke for the first time as the 44th president of the United States.
Both Laura Minor and her husband, city Councilor Craig Minor, spent the past few days in the nation’s capital to celebrate the passage of power to the country’s first black president, a Democrat who promised change.
Craig Minor said the crowds were so “incredibly dense” that even though they arrived on the Capitol grounds before 6 a.m., they nearly didn’t make it into the section in front of the stage for which they held tickets.
Around them were people from across America – a minister from Texas, Native Americans in headdresses, singer Mariah Carey, Georgetown basketball coach John Thompson and many more.
“There were all these people from all walks of life,” Craig Minor said.
Laura Minor said they took turns taking photographs of each other, caught up in the joy of the moment.
When the band played Stars and Stripes Forever, she said she joined three strangers as they started swinging each other around in giddy dance.
“America was on its best behavior,” she said, despite the crush and the cold.
When Obama addressed the crowd after taking oath of office, Laura Minor said, “I was so moved. I cried. I cheered.”
“It was just magnificent,” she said.
When the ceremony came to a close at the Capitol, the crowds left quickly and quietly, Laura Minor said.
When former President George W. Bush’s helicopter lifted off from the Capitol grounds to whisk him off to the airport for his flight home to Texas, Laura Minor looked up.
“We waved goodbye at his helicopter,” she said.
Feeling quite cold and hungry, Laura Minor said they were “going to get some food and go home” to Connecticut, skipping the parade and leaving aside any fancy balls.
“We were here,” she said through a fading cell phone. “And that’s what counts.”
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

The long view of history

As the owner of one of Bristol’s oldest homes, the William Jerome 2d house at 441 Jerome Ave., Mike Uchalid said Tuesday he “felt the need to watch” the inauguration from a house that had seen so much history.
“I found myself proud to watch an African American be sworn into office in a home that was built by slaves and toiled by slaves,” said Uchalid, a former Board of Education member.
“I wonder how the Jerome family would feel,” Uchalid added.“I was also proud to be living in this time and was able to be the first person in my old history-filled house to be a small part of Bristol's history and our country’s,” Uchalid said.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Larson hails Obama's inauguration

Press release from U.S. Rep. John Larson. the East Hartford Democrat whose 1st District includes Bristol:

STATEMENT FROM CONGRESSMAN LARSON ON THE INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01), Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus made the following statement about the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama.
"Today, we celebrate the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama. Mr. Obama's inauguration as our country's first African-American president reminds us that in America anyone can achieve their dreams. Mr. Obama has brought hope and a sense of urgency about the difficulties we face.
“The legacy this new administration has been left is nothing short of catastrophic - an economy in turmoil and a war on two fronts. It will take years of effort in the halls of Washington, DC and on the streets of communities across this nation to repair the damage that has been done. But, in the faces of the crowds that stood on our national mall today, I saw the perseverance and the strength to make our country great. So, tomorrow we get back to the hard work of solving some of the greatest challenges our country has faced. “As we move forth from this day, it is tempting to put the past behind us -- to not look back and ask how we got here. What caused this economic crisis? But, that is too easy and makes it too likely that generations to come will repeat some of the mistakes that have been made. I believe that knowledge can give us the tools to revive our economy responsibly, and for the long-term.“My family and I wish strength, success and safety to our new president and the entire Obama family. There is nothing short of our country's future riding on his shoulders."
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Inauguration Day

Somewhere in that massive crowd in Washington are a handful of Bristol diehards, happy to have the chance to share a moment of history with the next president of the United States. For the rest of us, we'll be watching on TV or just getting on with the day.
I'll update this thread with any comments I get from anyone in Washington -- any Bristol folks who are there are encouraged to tell me what it's like ASAP at majerus-collins@comcast.net or by phone -- but I encourage others to leave their impressions as comments.
One rule heading in, though: Be nice to a reasonable degree. Let's leave the wild-eyed political slurs for another day. We can all hope, after all, that this beginning will lead to better things.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Tattoo project features young peoples' views on Obama

A new issue of The Tattoo International Teen Newspaper details the hopes and concerns of more than 30 young people on five continents about President-elect Barack Obama.
The project took the reporting of 13 students from Youth Journalism International and the writing of three, including Associate Editor Rachel Glogowski, a senior at Bristol Eastern High School.
Glogowski, who wrote two of the six news stories in the project, said she enjoyed working with teens in in other countries to shape hundreds of quotes into stories.
“It was a challenge to put together,” she said.
Glogowski said her favorite part was working with so many teens to shape stories on the single topic of Obama’s inauguration.
The students asked their peers in countries ranging from Afghanistan to Australia what they expected from an Obama administration and what it meant to see a change in the leadership of the United States.
Many shared the view of Cyrilla Mulindi, a 19-year-old Kenyan living in South Africa, who said that Obama’s election means that “anything is possible!”
While many young people shared that hope, the student writers also found worries about the economy and concern that Obama cannot live up to the hype.
The entire issue is online at ReadTheTattoo.com, which has been publishing young writers under the volunteer guidance of veteran Bristol Press reporters Jackie Majerus and Steve Collins for more than 15 years.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Obama action figures?

As city Councilor Craig Minor stood in line at the Cannon House Office Building in the nation's capital this afternoon, he gave me a phone call.
He said there were abut 200 people waiting to get their tickets to the Inauguration from U.S. Rep. John Larson, the East Hartford Democrat whose 1st District includes Bristol. They were all in good spirits, Minor reported.
Of course they were. Why wouldn't they be? There are a couple of million people descending on the Mall on Tuesday to see Barack Obama's swearing-in ceremony and only a lucky handful are going to have those precious tickets to be up close.
Of course, for the rest, there are Jumbotrons.
Minor said that he and his wife, Laura Minor, watched most of the Inaugural kick-off Sunday on the big screens.
From the Washington Monument grounds, they were a long way from Obama and the parade of at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday.
"We could barely see the figures on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial," Minor said.
But they were able to eyeball some of the big TVs installed so the distant crowd could see what was going on.
Laura Minor was most enchanted by folk singer Pete Seeger, who was invited to join rocker Bruce Springsteen for a stirring rendition of "This Land Is Your Land."
But Craig Minor said they both enjoyed country star Garth Brooks, backed by a youth chorus, who turned to the rock staple "Shout" and had everyone raising their hands in unison in the time-honored tradition.
"That part was so cool," Craig Minor said
On their way to the Capitol this morning to get their tickets for Tuesday's big event, the Minors picked up "a bunch of tacky Obama souvenirs," including an Obama action figure.
What does an Obama action figure actually do?
Minor said it points its finger at the sky or maybe at whoever's holding it.
Laura Minor said it is "an amazing, amazing time to be in town" because of the massive, happy crowds and the joy of the moment.
"I'm just so glad to be here," Laura Minor said.
And with all those crowds and all those people, she said, there aren't even lines at the portable toilets - yet.
"They seem to be OK," she said, even though The Washington Post has expressed concern about them.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Bristolites ready to party as Obama takes charge

When President-elect Barack Obama gave his speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver last summer, 25-year-old Marcus Mrowka was watching.
On Election Night, the Bristol native stood in the crowd in Chicago listening to Obama address his historic victory.
And Tuesday, when Obama takes the oath of office in the nation’s capital, Mrowka will again be among the throng.
“It continues this ride,” said the 2001 Bristol Eastern High School graduate. “That’s why I came to D.C. and got involved in politics.”
Mrowka is just one of a number of Bristol residents and natives who plan to be on hand to witness Obama’s Inauguration. Though he lives there, most of the others are heading south this weekend to join the festivities.
“It’s the place to be,” said Democratic city Councilor Craig Minor, who’s taking the train with his wife, Laura Minor. “This is the most historic event I’ll ever see, probably.”
“I have to agree with you,” interjected city Councilor Mike Rimcoski, a Republican who’s going to watch on television.
Breeann Redman, a 16-year-old junior at Eastern, is also going to Washington for the festivities.
“I’m very excited, just to see this history even happen is so exciting,” she said.
Auctioneer Tim Chapulis said he knows what it’s like.
He said he stood in “an ocean of people” to see President Bill Clinton’s Inauguration. He liked it so much he returned in 1997 to see the start of Clinton’s second term.
The crowds were packed in “all around the Capitol,” Chapulis said. “There’s not a car in sight. Just people.”
He said he attended one of the inaugural balls at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts where he got to see the Clintons. But he also eyeballed many other famous faces, even O.J. Simpson’s defense attorney, Johnny Cochran.
“It was great. It’s so full of history there,” Chapulis said.
Bruce Lydem, a former City Council candidate, said he’s heading to Washington, too, hoping to stand there “at the crossroads of history.”
Lydem, a union official, said that Obama’s status as the nation’s first black president makes the change so special. It’s “a part of history,” he said, and he’s excited to have the chance to participate.
Mrowka, who works for a union, said he used to listen to the stories of great leaders that his parents and grandparents remembered. He said he thought “maybe we’re not going to get one” in this generation.
But now, he said, he sees hope.
“We definitely have someone who fits the times,” Mrowka said.
He said that after seeing and hearing Obama a number of times, including some campaign rallies last year, he knows how inspiring the next president can be.
Obama has a remarkable ability to “move people” with his words. “It’s inspiring,” Mrowka said.
“For him to light up a crowd, I’ve just never seen anything like it,” Mrowka said.
Minor said he wound up with two coveted tickets to get up close during the Inauguration thanks to U.S. Rep. John Larson, the East Hartford Democrat who represents Bristol.
Minor said that he mentioned his plans to go to the event to Mayor Art Ward during a municipal conference in Cheshire one day. The mayor told Minor he’d just turned down the tickets from the congressman and “without breaking a beat” offered to try to land them for Minor.
It worked out.
“It helps to have friends in high places,” Minor said.
It’s also good to have friends who live in Washington, he said, so he and his wife have somewhere to stay.
Redman is staying at the Hilton Hotel as part of the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference, a five-day educational event that includes attendance at the Inauguration and one of the balls. She’ll also get a chance to hear from such political leaders as former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Vice President Al Gore.
Redman said she’s eager to meet some “important people” and to see history unfold in front of her.
Mrowka said he’s got his tuxedo and he’s ready to have a good time at the ball, which will be his first.
He said he’d like to see Barack and Michelle Obama at the ball, one of a handful the new president will attend during the evening following the swearing-in.
That’s why he’s going, Mrowka said.
“It’s not for the cheese cubes,” he added.

PS: I'd love to hear from anyone with Bristol ties who is in Washington or has some connection to the festivities during the next few days.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Taking a backseat to Obama

Just got a phone call from city Councilor Craig Minor, who boarded an Amtrak train this morning in New Haven with his wife, Laura Minor, to head south to Washington for the Inauguration.
They didn't get all that far.
It seems that taking the last train out of New Haven put them directly behind the train that President-elect Barack Obama is traveling on today as he does some sort of whistle stop along the rail line from Philadelphia to D.C.
Minor said the train he's on is "right behind" Obama's, which is pulling into Wilmington, Delaware to pick up Vice President-elect Joe Biden (who's been taking the train to and from Washington every workday for years).
There's at least one more stop in Baltimore, too, to address a crowd.
But it's OK. Minor is ready.
"We're about to start a game of Travel Boggle while we're sitting here," Minor said.
And if they're lucky, maybe they'll pull into Union Station in the nation's capital in time to catch a glimpse of the next president debarking ahead of them.
In any case, travel's always an adventure. You just never know when a president is going to take precedence over your train.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Anybody going to the Inaugural? Any thoughts on Obama?

Besides the one happy couple who already know I'm aware of their good fortune, is anybody else going to make the trek down to Washington for the Inauguration of our next president? If you are going and are willing to talk with me about it for a story, please drop me a line at majerus-collins@comcast.net with your name, phone number and the best times to call.

For that matter, if you've been to one or more in the past and are willing to talk about what it's like to be there, I'd love to talk with you as well.

I saw Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan get sworn in many years ago. It was pretty interesting. Maybe I'll dig up a few pictures and write something about that, too. We'll see.

While we're at it, I think I'll probably write a story soon about ideas people have about what President Obama can do for Bristol, if anything. As long as you're willing to give your name for a story, I'd be thrilled to get your thoughts on that. You can send them in an email -- with your name and phone number, please -- or simply send me a note telling me your name, number and best times to catch you.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com