May 8th

     Welcome to the Kelseytown Gazette.  If  you want to know what we’re all about, you’re in on the ground floor.  This is our first issue and we’re feeling our way too. 

    I know what I want  to do, and that’s to give the people of Clinton a hometown newspaper again, similar to the Shore Line Times weekly  that I worked for in the 70-80’s decade.  And now with the internet, and a website costing 99 cents plus 19 cents for something else, I can now afford it.  But, in the spirit of total disclosure, (which I intend the Gazette’s policy to be) I’m still in debt for the $1.18 cents to my partner, David Burghardt..  I asked him if he would take it in stamps, and he said no so he’ll have to wait until I can get to the bank. 

     I could not be undertaking this venture without David who literally plays the role of publisher,  graphic  designer, photographer and transposing my words on the website.   He gets the work, and to be the financier  and I get all the fun.  I say, it’s about time this modern gender thing got back on track to good old days of my mother and father. 

      I love Clinton,  and I love its people, and I want you to appreciate it too.  Our town historian, the late Ernie Burnham once describe Clinton’s founders to be simple, down to earth farmers, tight as a tick, and that’s why we have an extraordinary number of benefactors---town hall, library, school,  firehouse,  historic buildings, park, a classical concert series.   He said the donors  were natives of the town who moved away to become rich and gave the gifts because they knew we were to cheap to build them  ourselves. 

    He further said we were a shortsighted people, citing as an example that the town could have purchased Clinton's shoreline for a song after the 1938 hurricane. However,  people said "why would we ever want to spend money on a pile of sand?"

    But foremost, we are a town of the friendliest, good hearted people.  No airs like some of our neighboring towns.  In fact, there's a saying  many of you have problably heard, "Guilford has culture, Madison has class and Clinton has clams."  Some of us consider that to be a compliment.  I ask you,  have you ever been out on the flats at low tide, on a brilliant summer day, with warm water lapping at your feet, and a parcel of kids and a spouse at your side,  with a bucket and rake  bringing in the supper?  Us neither, around here we go to Lenny & Joe's. 
 
     There's so much more I want to tell you about our town, and what's going on.  Like Ernie, everyone's favorite waiter, buying Aqua Restaurant, but that has to wait until after the week-end because I have a garbage can to decorate for the Clinton Taxation Tea Party at the Town Hall on Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  I added the "Taxation" to "Tea Party" which our committee didn't think we'd need, but I've run into two women who thought I was inviting them to a ladies' "Tea Party"--which proves, we got people of class in our town too.  

      David will be taking pictures of the Tea Party,  and I will be manning the Drive-Thru with the garbage can for people in a hurry who want to  deposit a tea bags, sign a petition and scoot.  For those who want to party, wave signs, hear music and speakers, there will be a Rally on the front steps of the Town Hall. 
 
    If you saw the signs and read this in time, come on down and join in our sending a message to our Washington representatives to cool it with the spending. We want no debt passed on to our children and grandchildren.  Look who's calling the kettle black when she hasn't paid her $1.18 cents to her partner for the website.

    Please come back.  We'll have David's pictures of the Tea Party  and I will tell you all that happened, and lots more.  Thanks for coming.    JoAnn