For Nontheists
“The National Day of Reason — or “NDR” in the shorthand of the nontheist community — will also be held May 3, part protest, part celebration and totally godless. To that end, local groups of nontheists will hold blood drives (Groton, Conn.) training in lobbying politicians (Raleigh, N.C.) and voter registration drives (Flagstaff, Ariz.), as well as marches, rallies and social gatherings.
One group in Putnam, Conn., is holding a “science for reason” book exchange — turn in a Bible and receive a free copy of Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species, among other titles.” I’ve already got my copy, but thanks anyway (JL).
See the article in USAToday.
For Woodstock Academy Observers
“The academy in the past few years has added off-campus student housing in either leased or purchased homes for its international students. It is now working to bring that housing in compliance with town zoning, which does not address student housing…
Town Planner Delia Fey and Town Attorney Robert DeCrescenzo instead are recommending that student housing be allowed by special permit.
Fey has recommended a series of other modifications aimed at narrowing where student housing is permitted in town, whether new student housing can be built, and language pertaining to trash removal, the living area required per student and septic system size.
Woodstock Academy has about 50 students enrolled in its international program, and fewer than half of them live in school housing, the rest live with host families. The academy has purchased two homes in the Woodstock Hill section of town and leases a couple of others.”
See the article in the Norwich Bull.
Thanks for posting the NDR event in Putnam. A pleasant surprise. Had a discussion with a religious person yesterday on politics and it ended with her saying that “we should not pay attention to the news but put our faith in God that our great country will do the right thing.” Of course, for her, doing the right thing was electing Mitt Romney. You know, the candidate who will give tax breaks to the rich while cutting our medicare and social security for the rest of us…
http://ecaff.blogspot.com/
Here is a link to the ECAFF blogspot for more information on the Freethinker Bible Exchange which is being held on May 3, 11am-3p in front of the Putnam Post Office…just in case Newcomer wanted more detailed information.
“Had a discussion with a religious person yesterday on politics and it ended…”
And I’m sure you were your usual arrogant, intolerant, obnoxious self there limpdumb. I’m surprised she didn’t call the police and have you arrested for breach of peace.
“Town Planner Delia Fey and Town Attorney Robert DeCrescenzo instead are recommending that student housing be allowed by special permit.”
Nope. That is “spot zoning” which is illegal and every time a municipality tries to do that, they get dragged into court and lose.
Loadstar, this is the name of the zoning game in Wdstk.
Special permit? Spot Zoning? That’s what WE do. With a stellar record I might add.
Who will finally have the cash to call?
I hope to be there when.
ML is right – the town’s only zoning, other than the industrial park, IS the special permit process. And this IS spot zoning. And it IS illegal. And since the town has never denied a special permit, it will be unable to do so when if the rare circumstance should arrive in which it wants too. But like everything else in Woodstock, it’s hard to get the dunderheads running the town to understand this. Unfortunately, as with the Pulpit Rock Road case, it will take a lawsuit, sponsored by a private party, to make the point, and that is likely to be an applicant which has been denied an obnoxious use – perhaps the Academy’s student housing for example.