“Mission Control, We Have Liftoff!”

It’s been a busy launch for us here at the Stratford Observer, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. We’ve gotten some fantastic feedback from a rapidly growing readership in our first week, and the word is getting out: there’s a place to go for a well-rounded view of Stratford, Connecticut! The goal of the blog is to provide the citizens of Stratford a clearinghouse of information and analysis of important events in our town outside the traditional umbrella of political party rhetoric. We do not pretend to be journalists, nor is that our responsibility. We offer a place to react to the news that affects us all. Our credibility will rest on our fairness to both sides and our openness to alternative solutions. We truly believe that harnessing the collective wisdom of the members of this town not only keeps our elected leaders accountable, but more importantly, can provide them with new ideas and insights that will help Stratford flourish in the years to come.

We are nothing if not ambitious and optimistic about the future. In addition to tweaking our format and continuing to add pertinent bells & whistles to the site itself, here are some of the observations we have in store for the coming week:

• Relocating the Stratford Animal Control Facility: When and How? (An overview of the current situation and the search for a new location)
• Is Negative Campaigning Hurting Stratford Businesses? (Prospective buyers have gone on record as saying they look online to get a feel for the pulse of the community—are we too negative?)
• The Stratford Beach Observation (a look at or local beaches)
• Introducing the Stratford Observer Brigade (the S.O.B’s): (Various initiatives that we’ll push for the greater good, including better communication between elected officials and their constituents)
• Results & Analysis of Poll Results for Sale of Long Beach West (Poll closes in five days, so vote now if you haven’t already!)
• The Stratford Observer Comment Post FAQ

Of course, we’ll always respond to breaking news quickly, offering the commentary and analysis that our local newspapers can’t seem to offer with a staff of one. We’ll let them report the news, and we’ll field the discussions necessary to move this town forward.

Thank you for helping make this site matter. Please take the time to leave us some thoughtful comments, and help us spread the word!

The Stratford Observer