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Former State Senator Ernie Newton won the Democratic endorsement on Monday for his old seat. It continues Newton’s quest for “redemption” following corruption charges that sent him to prison and a declaration that he was the Moses of his people. He says he’s remorseful for his past conduct and once again wants to represent Bridgeport and a portion of Stratford in Hartford.

The endorsement does not mean Newton is a lock to win the Aug. 14 primary. He is being challenged by incumbent Ed Gomes and State Rep. Andres Ayala? But the endorsement provides an unlikely campaign launch for Newton in his quest.

What’s your take on Newton’s new journey?

(Check out my daily webzine at www.onlyinbridgeport.com)

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Gregg Dancho, director of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, shares some history as the state’s only zoo celebrated 90 years on Saturday. From the zoo:

Zoo’s 90th Birthday Party to Feature Regional Great Cake Bake Off!

May 19 bakery battle to be judged by hometown celebrities,

the Twice Baked Twins

Birthday bash continues May 20 with Bridgeport Day at the Zoo

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is marking its 90th birthday with its wildest party ever on May 19, 2012 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Visitors can expect to enjoy music, entertainment, and of course, birthday cake! Eight regional bakeries are working feverishly to bake their wildest creations and will take part in a Great Cake Bake Off that will be judged by hometown celebrities, the Twice Baked Twins. Well-known and local favorite radio host, WICC’s Jim Buchanan, will serve as emcee for this fun filled celebration. The birthday party is free with paid admission to the Zoo and will take place rain or shine.

“We are so excited to celebrate our birthday with everyone and having eight cakes to choose from is every little kid’s dream come true,” shared Gregg Dancho, Zoo director. “My recommendation is: don’t come that day if you’re counting calories!”

Local bakeries facing off in the Great Cake Bake Off include Adam’s Bakery of Fairfield, Billy’s Bakery of Fairfield, Del Prete Italian Pastry of Bridgeport, DiSorbo’s Italian Bakery of Hamden, Dorazio Sisters Bakery of Newtown, Lucibello’s Italian Pastry Shop of New Haven, Luigi’s Italian Pastry & Wedding Cake Center of Bridgeport, and Stew Leonard’s of Danbury. Each bakery will create a three tiered, frosted, zoo and birthday themed cake to be judged on taste, look, and theme. Visitors may view the cakes in the Carousel building beginning at 10:00 am and the Twice Baked Twins will announce the winners at 1:00 pm. Guests may sample the cakes after 1:00 pm while supplies last. Prizes will be awarded in the following categories: Best in Show, Best Zoo/Birthday theme, Best Looking, Best Frosting, Best Flavor, Best Cake Texture, People’s Choice, and Kid’s Choice.

The Twice Baked Twins, Joy Paoletti and Judy Vig of Trumbull and Monroe respectively, Connecticut, are identical twins who got their start by turning their love of baking into a delectable dessert business focusing on elaborate displays and presentation. They entered a Bobbly Flay contest called “Grill it with Bobby,” and the network loved them so much they invited them back to do a holiday special called, “Dear Food Network.” Enjoying television so much, they continued to earn a spot on Channel 3’s Better Connecticut, where they share classic recipes with a new twist, called the “Twice Baked 2 Minute Take.”

The birthday bash continues on Sunday, May 20 as the Zoo celebrates Bridgeport Day. All Bridgeport residents are invited to visit to the Zoo for a reduced admission fee of just $5 with proper I.D. WEBE 108 will be on site welcoming visitors who will have the chance to meet and greet with City officials, business and civic leaders, friends, and neighbors during a fun filled day for the whole family. Residents are welcome to spend the day visiting new animals at the zoo and enjoying the great outdoors. This event is presented in partnership with Mayor Bill Finch and the City of Bridgeport. The rain date is June 10.

In honor of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo’s 90th birthday, the Zoo kicks off the ’90 Days of Summer” beginning Memorial Day weekend and ending Labor Day weekend. A list of some of the summer promotions are featured below:

‘90 Days of Summer’ Promotions*

Memorial Day, May 28 – Labor Day, September 3, 2012:

Mondays: Roll Back Monday – all admission prices roll back to only $9!

Tuesdays: $1 carousel rides

Wednesdays: Receive half price admission if you were born in the 90s! MUST SHOW PROOF (Valid photo ID, birth certificate, passport, report card) Hint: If you were born in the 90s, you’d be 12-22 years old.

Thursdays: If it’s a scorcher (over 90 degrees Fahrenheit), receive one free child admission with one paying adult.

Fridays: Be the 90th guest and get in FREE and receive a special gift just for you!

*NOTE: These offers do NOT apply to groups. Cannot be combined with any other discounts or coupons.

Birthday Bonus! As a gift to all Zoo visitors, anyone who comes to Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo on his or her birthday gets in free (Photo ID with birthday required. Valid through 12/31/12).

A complete calendar of events from mid-May through Labor Day may be found at beardsleyzoo.org.

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is closer than you think and is open daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Adult admission (ages 12 & older) is $12.00, children (ages 3 -11) and senior admission (62 and older) is just $10.00, and children under 3 years old are free. Zoo members are also admitted free. Parking at the Zoo is free of charge. For information, call: (203) 394-6565. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is located at 1875 Noble Avenue, Bridgeport, Connecticut.

About Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo celebrates its 90th birthday in 2012 and is closer than you think! Connecticut’s only zoo features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species. Visitors won’t want to miss our Amur (Siberian) tigers, Brazilian ocelots, Red wolves, and Golden Lion tamarins. Other highlights include our South American rainforest with free-flight aviary, the prairie dog exhibit with “pop-up” viewing areas, the New England Farmyard with goats, cows, pigs, sheep, and other barnyard critters, plus the hoofstock trail featuring bison, pronghorn, deer, and more. Visitors can grab a bite at the Peacock Café, eat in the Picnic Grove, and enjoy a ride on our colorful carousel. For more information, visit http://www.beardsleyzoo.org

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A Hearst Newspapers story raised a question — Shays: Did McMahon trade WrestleMania tix for endorsement? The campaign of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Chris Shays claimed, with no credible evidence, that Linda McMahon bought the May endorsement of Bridgeport Republican Town Chairman John Slater who had attended a WrestleMania event in April. Problem with the claim: Slater paid his own way and produced the evidence. Now Shays’ campaign is feeling the heat from GOP delegates just one day before the state party convention to endorse. The McMahon campaign kicked out an eblast and automated phone call from Slater slamming Shays’ campaign tactics. McMahon’s Campaign Manager Corry Bliss fired off this statement to delegates.

Congressman Chris Shays has demonstrated over and over that he will say anything to get elected. But this week the Congressman stooped to his lowest point yet.

Congressman Shays wrongly accused Bridgeport RTC Chair John Slater of selling his endorsement for wrestling tickets. His campaign combed through John’s Facebook page, copied his personal photos, and sent them to a reporter. John had to provide his personal bank records to a newspaper to prove that he purchased the tickets on his own. Can you imagine being personally attacked like this?

Understandably, John is offended and outraged at the Congressman’s behavior. I hope you’ll click here to listen to this message from John to learn first-hand what he’s been through because of the Congressman’s dirty, eleventh-hour, campaign attacks.

As John says, people support Linda because she is a job creator with a plan to get people back to work and turn our economy around. They are NOT supporting Chris Shays because he is a professional politician who will say anything to get elected.

By attacking John, Congressman Shays is personally attacking every single delegate and insinuating that Republicans can be bought. I hope you’ll join John in sending a clear message to the Congressman and stand with Linda tomorrow night in Hartford.

Text of Slater’s audio message:

This is John Slater, and I am the RTC Chairman in Bridgeport. I have been an active, loyal Republican for my entire life. This week, however, has been the lowest I have seen in politics in a long time. Congressman Chris Shays publicly accused me of selling my endorsement to Linda McMahon.

He accused me of trading my vote for wrestling tickets. That’s offensive. It should also be offensive to you that a Washington, DC, politician who has sold us out over the years for higher taxes is accusing Republicans of selling their votes.

In the past, I have supported Chris Shays and voted for him when he was in Congress. I am very disappointed in his recent behavior and the way he has attacked Republicans across Connecticut. Chris Shays has become nothing more than a professional politician that is disrespecting the convention process, the Republican Party, and each and every one of us with his false accusations.

Linda McMahon is an outsider and proven job creator with a plan to cut taxes, cut spending, and create jobs. That’s why I am voting for her. I hope you will join me in supporting Linda McMahon at tomorrow’s state convention in Hartford.

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Former Congressman Christopher Shays lives in Bridgeport. It would appear he’d have most of the city’s Republican political establishment supporting him in his nomination fight for U.S. Senate. He doesn’t have the party chairman. John Slater, a banker from Black Rock, the new young party leader who organized a rally last week protesting the city’s tax increase, announced today he’s supporting Linda McMahon for U.S. Senate.

In a statement released by the McMahon campaign Slater points out his personal endorsement of McMahon, not on behalf of the town committee he represents.

“Linda McMahon has shown a real commitment to Bridgeport by visiting the city on multiple occasions and reaching out to the voters,” Slater said. “Bridgeport needs jobs, and Linda has the right experience and plan to help get the people of Bridgeport back to work. Our current government has created a culture of gridlock brought on by career politicians. Linda’s experience as a proven job creator is critical to turning around our economy, especially in cities like Bridgeport.”

Shays and McMahon are positioning for delegate votes at the party convention May 18. Whatever happens both have vowed an August primary. Slater is trying to reverse the dramatic decline in GOP city relevance. Bridgeport Republicans have relevance in this GOP nomination fight. Primaries are all about identifying your friends and dragging them to the polls.

(Check out my daily webzine www.onlyinbridgeport.com)

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It’s been a long time since Bridgeport has experienced a wave of violence such as the first four months of 2012. It’s been worse, much worse. Hopefully, we’ll not revisit what it was like in the late 1980s and early 1990s when some neighborhoods were war zones. Back then the city averaged a murder a week, sometimes more as drug gangs ripped themselves to pieces and took innocents along with them.

These things run in cycles and generally parallel economic conditions. When the economy tanks violence increases. The trend is eerily similar.

And sometimes a three-year-old girl stopping a bullet shakes residents into action. Politicians respond much quicker when residents are cranked up. Bridgeport’s electorate has gone to sleep the past five years and then residents wonder when elected officials do not respond.

I dare say most of the folks alarmed by the shooting of a three-year-old girl have not voted in recent elections. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t yell and scream. But keep in mind pols respond much quicker when you yell and scream, and you vote regularly. Something to think about when you’re mad at City Hall.