It’s requested that people RSVP to Larson’s office: 860.278.8888.

It sounds like the focus of this will be national rather than local.

The drop-off location is at the Hartford Municipal Parking Lot at 141 Sheldon Street. This is for Hartford residents and those in surrounding towns.

Think of no one as “them”: Creating categories based on difference allows individuals to more easily justify the unjustifiable, to excuse the inexcusable. The result? When some kind of crime or wrongdoing occurs in an certain area or to a person who belongs to a different group (race, class, sexuality, ability, gender, religion, political affiliation, you name it…), it is not thought of as something that might concern all in society. Thus, it’s remains to be addressed in a productive way. The “answer” goes something like this: “avoid Hartford,” “bulldoze it and start over,” “more prisons,” “send criminals/undesirables to Springfield.” Those sentiments are not productive by any stretch of the imagination.

Don’t confuse your comfort with your safety: In my walks to work, I have felt discomfort. In my old neighborhood, I would pass a homeless shelter and park where people who were basically up to no good, or had no other place to go, would congregate. Even with the verbal street harassment which made the trip sometimes irritating, I never felt unsafe. (more…)

Tangentially related, there will be a plant sale over the Memorial Day weekend (that’s May 23 and 24th, for those of you who are oblivious to such holidays) at 75 Laurel Street (Knox Parks Foundation). There will be flowers, herbs, and vegetable plants for sale. This is a fundraiser for the Knox Green Crew.

On Saturday (at Wesleyan in Middletown– Exley Science Center) there will be a statewide anti-war student conference and rally. There will be workshops on how to run effective meetings, how to connect with the media (full disclosure: I’m doing this one), how to recruit new members, and more. This will also provide students (from any college, not just Wesleyan) with a chance to network. This runs from 10-5.

Starting on Saturday, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition will open at the Civic Center. There will be hundreds of artifacts on display. The hours: M-Th 9-8 and Fri-Sun 10-9. Tickets are $18 for children and $22 for adults

Their goals by 2015:

all major commute routes to employment concentrations will have appropriate bike
facilities (bike lanes, bike shoulders, wide curb lanes, or parallel multi use paths)

the East Coast Greenway will be completed through the region

all commercial developments will have safe and convenient pedestrian access

all new residential development will provide the option of non-motorized access to
surrounding neighborhood destinations

standards for bicycle and pedestrian facilities will have been adopted throughout the
region

all the region’s towns will have adopted bicycle and pedestrian plans

bicycle commuting in the region will have increased significantly (to 5000 individuals)

one percent of all non-commuting automobile trips will have shifted to bicycling or
walking (a shift of 67,000 vehicle miles of daily travel.)

a robust regional trails fund will insure the ongoing construction of multi use paths.

It seems that they based some of their goals on the results received on the Active Transportation Initiative Survey that was active from November 2007 to January 2008. In their plan, they also compare Hartford to other metro areas in the country. Madison WI is one place that does much better than Hartford CT when it comes to alternative transportation.

Later in the plan, they outline how to make a case for their goals. They explained that about 30% of the population does not drive, though that does not mean that 30% rely on biking or walking alone.

You can read the full plan on the CRCOG website.