Try regionalization at the beach: See below

Yesterday, Len's Lens had a day off. We had the pleasure of taking grandchildren to the Children's Museum in West Hartford. You need to be a little angry when you write a blog such as this, and after spending the afternoon with grandchildren, that is not possible.

Please note that a memorial service for Norman Rubin will take place Sunday night at about 8, after evening prayers, at Cong. Bikur Cholim Sheveth Achim, corner West Elm Street and Marvel Road in the Westville section of New Haven. If you don't know what I'm talking about, read Monday's post a little farther down.

One of those who left a comment in the post about Mr. Rubin's death called himself Roger Sherman, and said the Orthodox community in New Haven had been weakened by Mr. Rubin's passing. That, of course, is true. He also mentioned that two kosher bakeries had closed. That's also true, although he didn't mention that Edge of the Woods on Whalley Avenue and Stop & Shop on the Westville-Amity line, as well as the kosher meat market near Amity Liquor, still sell kosher baked goods.

In his remarks, Roger Sherman also talked about the fortunes of Young Israel synagogue and said the Westville Synagogue was not the powerhouse it once was. He didn't mention Bikur Cholim, however, the synagogue Mr. Rubin served for so many years. Bikur Cholim is a place for modern Orthodox Jews in New Haven. Try it.

Page 2: A regionalization suggestion

Connecticut has 169 cities and towns. Residents of most of those towns act as if Connecticut had 169 separate universes.

There have been attempts at regionalization. Councils of governments exist, but each community still worries about its own turf. Tweed New Haven Airport is a prime example, with East Haven and New Haven at odds about attempts to bring the airport into the modern age.

New Haven bears an unfair burden for care of the homeless and the stateless. I'm not going to get into that here
But what I will suggest is an easy and quick way for the three communities that share Long Island Sound to try cooperation.

Let's do it at the beach.

At present, people in New Haven cannot park for free in municipal beaches and boat launches in East Haven and West Haven. East Haven just announced a $150 fee for out-of-towners parking by its beaches. In West Haven, you can park at Chick's Drive-In and walk across the busy street to the beach, but not in the city lots. That'll cost you $75 a year.

In New Haven, it's $10 a day, or $50 a year, to park at Lighthouse Point Park for out-of-towners.

They all say that the fee isn't for using the beach; it's for parking. But many streets near Long Island Sound in West Haven, for example, are no-parking zones during beach season.

So, let's try something easy. It takes no time, costs nothing.

Let's let people with resident beach stickers from East Haven, New Haven and West Haven park free at beaches in any of those communities. For example, if you have a New Haven sticker on our car, you can park free at West Haven or East Haven beaches. Get it? Regionalization.

If it works this year, maybe folks in Madison and Guilford and Branford can join the party. We're talking about town beaches, not state parks.

Why not give it a try?

I've sent a note to each town's public relations person. I'll let you know what, if anything, comes of this.

Page 3

Starting tonight, the Boston Red Sox, who just lost three games to the Tampa Bay Rays, invade Yankee Stadium to play the hated New York Yankees.

The Yanks last night did what the Sox could not do: They rallied to win.

I wonder if Sox Manager Terry (Tito) Francona was looking past the Rays last night when he sat there, contemplating the pink wad of gum he seemed to be concentrating on, as pitcher after pitcher couldn't find home plate with a map. That wasn't Tito's fault. It was a complete bullpen meltdown.

But, in the 9th inning, after getting to within one run of the Rays, he sat there while catcher Jason Varitek, who cannot buy a hit for the past many games, came to bat. Why didn't Tito pinch-hit for Tek? Why did he send third-baseman Mike Lowell on a suicide mission the steal second? Lowell is a lot of marvelous things in the game, but a sprinter he's not.

So, instead of emulating the Yankees and coming from behind, the Sox went down with a swish of Tek's bat as he struck out yet again to end the game..

Yes, I know Tek is probably the best catcher in the business, but he's not hitting and when you have the chance of a win, especially going into a series with the Yankees... Oh, well.

And about those Rays. Every year, they are at or near the bottom of the standings. This year, they have the best record in baseball. What gives?

I have a theory. Shakespeare said "What's in a name?" At lot, says me. Last year, they were the Devil Rays. This year, they're the Rays.

They got the devil out of their name and look what happened.

Just a theory.

Until next time...