In a perfect world everyone would get free health insurance. Fall River is far from perfect and we cannot afford health insurance for part time employees, more specifically, the city council. When the city is currently cutting the health care (AND DENTAL!) benefits of full time employees, how (and why) can we continue to pay for part timers' insurance? The city spent approximately $25,000 this year on health care for the councilors take advantage of the benefit. While I know it isn't the absolute solution to the city's financial woes, it would help.
I have wanted, for quite some time, to get rid of health benefits for part time city employees. The fatal flaw, in my wish to get rid of health insurance for the part time city council, is that the part time city council would have to propose and/or vote on their benefits being taken away, and I can't see them ever agreeing to that.
I was quite pleased to read a press release from city council candidate, Eric Poulin, yesterday that articulated his desire to save money by getting rid of health insurance for city councilors. I hope some other candidates agree with this idea.
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Finally someone that isn't all about the Cadillacs, pensions and the perks like free health care. When can I vote for him?
I think they should get rid of it for all part time employees including the council.
Do you know the total cost of the benefit if they do not opt for the insurance, are they otherwise compensated??
That is a joke these poeple have jobs there is no way they should get any insurance they get enough "perks"
I don't know this kid at all but I just caught the Hurricane's interview on the radio website and he was coming at Poulin hard on this health care issue and arguing that they deserved it and it seemed like he was saying that councilors and school committee guys should get raises. So we are laying off police, fire, dpw, and teachers and elected officials should get raises? C'mon Hurricane! Were you trying to make yourself sound foolish or did it just kind of happen?
I've never heard anyone try to attack a candidate so hard on an issue but this kid stayed polite and was calm and collected and explained himself. He totally handled an onslaught. I happen to agree on this health care issue but even if I didn't I probably would've been impressed just by the way this guy handled himself in the face of getting venom spit at him.
So what's the deal with WSAR going after him like that, seemed like there was an agenda? Is there some kind of past history of beef or bad blood? I haven't heard anyone on there before where an intereview went like that, when they have the mayor on it is all warm and fuzzy and fluffy. I guess I don't understand the local politics, what am I missing here?
Poulin was doing the attacking,he was attacking bothe the city council and the school commitee members...trying to take thier health care away and saying they get paid too much.Of course that is very tactical and politically savy to do seeing he is running for BOTH jobs.When Eric worked at city hall did he give up any raises or take a cut in his benifits...did he say that city councilors and school members should take less then..both the city and school members have taken 8 percent cuts....they have a huge job with trememdous responsibility..200+million budget,policy, public safety,education,economic development etcc all come before both bodies anyone who thinks its a part time job is mistaken.Anyone who thinks they are the only candidate that can do both jobs is not only arrogant b ut extremely naive.The 2 most significant votes made by both the city council and school committee evert yr are the budget votes 2 votes he wont be able to make because the clear conflict of interest...im glad the hurricane called him out and judging from the public feedback about Poulins decision the Hurricane was right.
There is a reason for Poulin being attacked on WSAR. If you remember he backed Kerri Rodrigues, saying he witnessed Bob Karam verbally abuse her. Kerri also is supposed to have a lawsuit against WSAR and Herren.
You sound like you are repeating word for word everything the Hurricane said. Do you have a mind of your own or are you the Hurricane?
How was Poulin attacking people to say that they shouldn't have health care? They are part time, why should they have it? So if I don't think they should have it I'm attacking them too? That makes no sense.
What makes sense is that people working full time for the city should have health benefits and if economic times are good then city employees that are full time shouldn't have to take pay cuts or cuts to their health care but in tough times yes part time elected officials especially should take cuts, in fact they shouldn't even have those benefits in good times.
And you are a liar commenter at 20:27, I never heard Poulin say they get paid too much, he said their pay was adequate while Hurricane was acting like a lunatic trying to argue that they should get raises. Not in these times and not with the lousy job they are doing.
You also lie when you say Poulin said he was the only person that could do two jobs, Hurricane was trying desperately to get him to say that and Poulin came right out and said that he wouldn't say that, Hurricane kept pressing on this extremely dumb question that he manufactured but Poulin was smart enough not to fall into the trap.
The only one that is arrogant and naive is Hurricane who thinks what he does everyday actually passes for talk radio. I only listened because a friend told me Poulin would be on and quite frankly I don't know why my friend listens, Hurricane sounds like a guy with only a few brain cells left, I think the rest were probably killed or are being killed by alcohol and drugs. And judging by what public feedback? I listened and there were only a few calls and a couple agreed with Hurricane, the rest that were against Hurricane for attacking his ambush of Poulin he quickly spoke over them and dumped their calls. Hurricane was made to look a fool and probably didn't even know it. The guy couldn't argue his way out of a brown paper bag and to answer a previous commenter's question yes WSAR has had it out for Poulin for a while now and it was clear Hurricane had his order to attack, it was too bad it totally backfired and he was left with egg all over his face. Now people are coming on the blogs to lie about his interview. How pathetic!
why is poulin attacking, isn;t he just asking for shared sacrifice like the mayor has been touting all along??
Looks like we have a Keri Rodriques sighting..maybe shes upset Hurricane doesnt fawn all over Eric"lean muscle"Poulin like she did..and by the way Eric and the Hurricane are friendly.Eric was pandering he is better than that.Give me some vision not the same old political pandering in dangerous difficult times.Eric knows that 3 insurances on the school committee and 4 on the council and the 15 thousand the councilors make is small when we are looking down the barrel of 12 million.The council has taken the 8 percent cut and everything else that was asked.I thought Eric was better than that and i think Hurricane probably thought so as well!!
Eric Poulin was absolutely impressive in his interview with Herren. Although it is pretty easy to look impressive near Herren.
While Herren and WSAR is/was condemning the unions for not making wage concessions, Herren had the audacity to suggest the city councilors (who only meet once a month in the summer and twice the rest of the months) deserve a raise.
It isn't common for employers to give full health insurance to their part time employees and Fall River can't afford to be any different. As I recall from his statements, the Karams don't provide Herren insurance. I got a nice laugh when Herren suggested that taking away health care benefits for city councilors would deter good candidates from running. I am quite certain the opposite will occur. I think it will deter terrible, only looking for benefits, candidates from running.
I am not sure if this interview was just stupidity on the part of the interviewer or part of WSAR agenda, either way Poulin came out looking like a phenomenal choice for both offices.
FIRST OF ALL HURRICANE SAID THAT THERE JOBS ARE 24-7AND THAT THERE JOB IS DIFFICULT AND EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND THEY DESERVE EV RYTHING THEY GET.MAYBE IF WE MADE THE JOB A LITTLE MORE ATTRECTIVE YOU WOULDNT HAVE UN EDUCATED COUNCILORS LIKE PAT CASEY AND LEO.MAYBE THE COUNCIL WOULD BE MORE INDEPENDANT AND PROGRESSIVE.RIGHT NOW THEY MAKE HALF AS MUCH AS A GARBAGE MAN AND THEY HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPOSIBILITY LIKE VOTING ON A 200 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET.ERIC SOUNDED LIKE A SELF RIGHTEOUS POMPASS ASS PERIOD.HURRICANE DOESNT NEED ERIC POULIN HIS SHOW WAS ROCKING BEFORE AND AFTER POULIN>REMEMBER WHAT WAS SAID ON THE BLOGS WHEN HURRICANE TOOK OVER..KERI WAS BETTER,HE WONT LAST,HES TOO DUMB,HE CANT HANDLED IT..ANYBODY SAYING THAT NOW???ANYBODY QUESTION HIS SHOW, HIS AUDIENCE ,HIS RELATIVITY,HIS POPULARITY??ERIC WILL REGRET HIS DECISION !!REMEMBER A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH!!!
funny how people are either bashing hurricane or eric poulin because i heard elements during that interview where it sounded like they like each other and got along pretty well. that was the most interesting part to me and i don't know what to make of it.
i thought hurricane's passion came from the fact that he was the son of a politician and i understood where he was coming from and why he was arguing so passionately. did he go over the top suggesting that elected officials should get raises during troubled economic times? maybe. the last commenter called poulin a pompous ass, listening to that interview that was the farthest thing from my mind, he did a pretty good job explaining why he stood where he stood, i will stop short of saying he walks on water like like some of the strong comments in support here seem to be hinting at but he is bright and hurricane although he doesn't speak the same as poulin it is clear he has some brains.
if people started working together instead of bashing each other it might be dangerous, we might actually accomplish something in fall river. shame on any of you who bashed poulin who conducted himself like a gentleman the entire interview under tough questioning and shame on anyone bashing hurricane for the tough questions, he is supposed to do that. maybe wsar doesn't do that with the mayor and other candidates but i sympathize with hurricane on that, we all know the station owners pick their favorites and they get softball interviews and the attack dogs come out on the rest but don't pretend you don't do what your boss tells you to do at work either.
yeah the hurricane was tough but you know what poulin rose to the occasion and that is the kind of radio that will get people to listen and tune in, tough talk about issues and it was entertaining as well because of the moments when the two were joking around about running for office together, it's obvious they don't dislike one another.
leave it to the hurricane to bring the blogs back to life...love him or hate him he is probably the most well known and polarizing figure in fall river.as far as eric being a better talker than hurricane i think thats a stretch.people have indeed underestimated hurricane often on the local blogs but underestimate his intelligence and his magnetism at your own peril!!if we had more like hurricane and eric poulin we would be better off..but let me be clear hurricane is clearly more popular than eric or anyone else. ive seen both of them together at different things and the amount of people that approach the hurricane and want his attention is unbelievable.anyone who has been around him or listens to him knows that.keep rocking hurricane the next cold one is on the zman.
Yes, the Hurricane's show is so damn entertaining. I especially enjoy when he has Grandma repeat a telephone number 5 times. Amazing radio.
Let's get this straight, Mike Herren and Eric Poulin hate each other. Period. I would have to hear one or both of them issue a public statement saying that wasn't true in order to believe otherwise.
Mike Herren does not hate Eric Poulin lets get that straight.I asked him about the interview with Eric and he said he was dissapointed that Eric started talking about taking things away from the council and the school committee he was on the show to talk about his decision to run for both offices.Hurricane didnt think Eric would talk negatively about the other pols who were not given the time to defend themselves he thought he would be talking about the positives in his campaign and why he was running for both offices.If he hated POULIN why would he give him an hour exclusive on his show.
I agree with the previous comment that I don't think Poulin and Hurricane hate each other. I do think it is naive if Hurricane did not expect Poulin to talk about health insurance since Poulin had a press release on the issue just a few days earlier. With a 1 hour exclusive, how could Eric not talk about eliminating health insurance for elected officials? It certainly should be considered as part of the "shared sacrifice" of municipal employees.
UMass CMR adds local news editor to its board
Lisa Strattan, editor-in-chief of The Herald News in Fall River, has recently been added to UMass Dartmouth’s Center for Marketing Research Advisory Board.
“We couldn’t be happier about having this multitalented professional joining the CMR Advisory Board,” said Dr. Nora Ganim Barnes, Director of the UMass Dartmouth Center for Marketing Research. “She’ll bring a remarkable amount of real-world experience and professional achievement to the board; she is a visionary and her enthusiasm is infectious.”
Prior to being appointed editor-in-chief of the Herald News in 2003, Strattan held the position of managing editor, beginning in 1998. She joined their staff in 1991 as editorial page editor, and remained in that role until 1998. Before moving to Massachusetts, Lisa worked at several newspapers in Colorado Springs, Colo.; Hollywood, Fla.; Sarasota, Fla.; and Iowa City, Iowa.
Lisa is a SMILES mentor and incorporator, serves on the executive committee of the Women’s Fund of Southeastern Massachusetts and chairs its marketing committee, is an incorporator of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts, a member of the SouthCoast Education Compact, and sits on the board of Leadership SouthCoast and chairs its marketing committee.
She has two grown children and lives in New Bedford.
Loose Lisa joins the HACKERAMA at
Umass...there won't be any investigatice reporting about UMD hacks or Joan Menard...Joanie Phonies daughter is on the same board
Here's a quote from the Sterile Loser
"He said his daughters are more anxious for him to get out then he is."
It's "than he is," idiots!
What does the editor do down there???? Ooops, too busy hacking it up with Joan Menard's daughter at UMD
ANON 17:43 Same story in sterile snooze
"His advise to others like him who are still on the streets, dealing drugs and creating violence, is simple: Ribeiro said those that have not been caught yet will be."
Shouldn't that be "advice?" Hire a editor, buttclowns!
hurricane should dig into hacks at umass..like evil stepmother
I remember when Joan's daughter was a crackhead... Things must be looking up!
You proved my point it wasnt to discuss his policy or platform everyone running for office would love that free time it was just about the decision to run for two offices at once and the semantics and difficulties of doing both.Hurricane got mad at the low level attacks and the campaign rhetoric..he was surprised.People should also stop the nonsense about the two of them getting along..there not going to have beers every night but there is a level of respect there.Hurricane doesnt hate on anybody his show is the most positive thing in the media.People are creating drama where there is none
But does it really take an hour to explain why he's running for both offices and whether it is legal?
It seems clear that there was ample time to talk about issues as well, God forbid. Also, it is not a low level attack to propose that elected officials not receive health insurance. All municipal employees are being asked to contribute for a shared sacrifice.
My only criticism of all of this is that the interview was wicked premature, why interview someone who had only pulled two sets of papers? I can understand interviewing someone if they had submitted two sets of papers but free air time just because someone is exploring something? Did that guy C.J. Ferry get air time before or after he turned in both sets of papers? That's whay I want to know.
This thing with Poulin hardly seems newsworthy to me so if WSAR doesn't like the guy why did they give him the time? This helped get Poulin's name out there even more when as Hurricane said he is already supposed to be a favorite. I was listening live and it seemed like he got almost an hour and a half to talk about his ideas on education and removing health care which although Hurricane hated it is probably a popular idea with voters. The guy got a bunch of time to demonstrate he was smarter than some politicians we have now and to talk about a popular idea. Either Hurricane must be his campaign manager because he just helped him a ton or this guy is very smart when it comes to dealing with the press and getting his name out there.
I have to say that I ended up being impressed with both guys, every interview should be like this, with a host trying to trap the politician and the politician avoiding the traps. If WSAR came that hard at everyone it would be great radio because I think some people would have a meltdown and fall on their face. Give me more stuff like this and less softball and fluff stuff like when Mayor Correia is on the airwaves. No talk show hosts should be engaged in any butt kissing sessions.
If you think that any part time employee & councilors should get health insurance that is fine. Thia is america you can pay for it we can have a line item on the bottom of your tax bill and divide the cost to the 32 poeple in this city that think it is a good idea. Councilors and school committee members asked for the job no one is forcing them to serve if they cannot afford then they need not apply. But if they get health ins. they should also get food stamps, and a few free packs of green stamps.
I agree with jonnyb, you put your name on the ballot because you want to serve not get health insurance, hurricane can argue all he wants about how hard they work but here in the real world known as the private sector it is very hard to get any benefits for part time work so how can we afford to do it in the city especially when people are getting laid off? It seems to be common sense.
And Hurricane arguing that people should get raises during tough times? That's just dumb. Let me tell you something, the city could be crapping money and I wouldn't want to give one dime more to Leo Pelletier or Pat Casey, they are lucky they get the votes they get.Hurricane should actually run for office himself, he is just like Leo or Pat, exactly in the same mold. Voters like to vote for entertaining people that they can have a beer with and that's why I don't see Poulin winning anything.Sorry Poulin fans.I don't doubt his smarts but he starts talking about the city budget and I'm going to fall asleep in front of my beverage.
I think Hurricane sounded dumb during this interview with the raise argument and his other arguments but I have no doubt he would win a run for office, Fall River politics are about popularity not an IQ test. Anyone that thinks these races are about issues or ideas or brains is going to get a wake up call this election.
This was a total non-story. What about the story on the others that have pulled papers for two offices? Why does Poulin get air time and the other candidates that pulled two sets of papers get nothing?
I forgot to add I'm not blaming Poulin for agreeing to free air time, any candidate would jump at that, I am blaming WSAR for offering him free air time over a non-story and if it is a story they better have the others that have papers for both on Hurricane's show right away.
Morons listen to the interview Hurricane said not in these difficult times should they get raises but he would be willing to support that in a different financial climate..im tired of his words being distorted on forums like this nobody would suggest that raise in these times but during more stable times it should be looked into .Also whoever underestimates the Hurricanes intelligence is nuts comparing him to Leo and Pat Casey thats crazy.Eric Poulin smarter than the Hurricane maybe when talking about certain aspects of city policy but thats it..anything else no shot
What about in these difficult times they give up the health care benefits since they are considered part time employees and in the private sector it is rare for part timers to get that kind of coverage?
As far as Poulin having no shot at being smarter than Hurricane I can't comment since I don't know either and I'm sure Hurricane's supporters will argue that he is the smartest guy in Fall River but as one commenter correctly pointed out running for office in Fall River is not some intelligence test so I agree that Hurricane would probably do as well as a Pat Casey or Leo Pelletier because Hurricane sounds a lot like Leo or Pat when he speaks and that plays well in Fall River.
I think Hurricane did hurt his average joe image with some people I spoke to that are regular listeners over the whole raise issue and health care and cell phones. Hurricane started to sound like an elitist defending his politician buddies instead of a regular guy. That's not good for him if he is modeling himself after a Leo and wants to follow in his footsteps and run for office some day.
you all should stop making comparisons. pat casey is a respected neighborhood leader, something that mike herren will never be. leo pelletier is popular, gets a ton of people to his times and has helped a lot of people over the years. mike herren will never be as popular as leo, only in his wildest dreams and he hasn't helped people like leo, he only tries to help himself and he can't even do that well. if mike herren thinks he is so big and bad and his supporters think so then get behind him and get him to put his name on the ballot. he probably coudn't even get the 50 signatures that he was talking about today to get himself on the ballot, who would sign it? he makes the guy that called into his show today greg meade look good.
Are you serious?Where did you grow up?Do you live in the same city that i do?Mike Herren has helped more people than anyone in this city has.Pat Casey and Leo are you serious?What bubble are you in?Again i have to remember where i am..the blogs the last people who will give him the benifit of the doubt they have always been against him and they have been wrong before..look at the radio show nobody on this blog ever lmagined the popularity people here said he would be a failure.Another joke!
Leo's radio show if he had one would beat Mike Herren's hands down. And the blogs have never been kind to Leo, Pat or Mike but here's the difference, when Leo talks and says things like deez, dem and doze instead of these, them and those or the number tree instead of three it is all part of his act, he is smarter than people give him credit for. When Mike Herren talks like that it isn't part of an act. Leo knows how to talk Fall River and Herren is unwittingly just trying to walk in his shoes.
You people think if you listen to talk radio (crap) it somehow means you are smart, part of Fall River's intellectual elite. These shows are a flat out waste of electric and you all get stupider by the minute for listening to them, these radio shows play you all like a flute. How this population can encouraging this crap is beyond me. This one said "hey" that one said "who" like a bunch of school girls. Get out in the sun and grow your own brain and have a though for yourself.
People are always trying to hammer the Hurricane ..get over it and deal with it .He is the very best ive heard in talk radio smart ,funny,informative, caring etc..Stop Hating listen to the hurricane
YO, LEO IS A 20 YEAR POLITICAL VET ON THE FALL RIVER SCENE. HERREN IS A SNOT-NOSED ROOKIE DJ IN SOMERSET. LEO HAS DONE WELL FOR HIMSELF. HERREN CAN'T GET A JOB UNLESS IT IS HANDED TO HIM BY THE KARAMS AND ALL BECAUSE HE PLAYED BASKETBALL 25 YEARS AGO FOR SKIP KARAM, PATHETIC! LET'S END THIS NOW, LEO IS A MAN AND HERREN IS JUST A BOY.
Mike Herren will never amount to anything meaningful because he's immature, undisciplined, and lacks substance. The previous blogger is correct - the only reason he has a radio show is due to his relationship to the Karam brothers. Herren is poorly compensated at WSAR, which validates each of the points above.
Mike Herren knows these things about himself, but doesn't care. He's willing to accept his low standing because it's easier than putting forth the effort it takes to be successful in life.
how are the depositions going in keris case ?
OMG are we really arguing who is more awesome- Leo Pelletier or Mike Herren?
I agree with the last commenter, if we start having arguments over who is more awesome Leo vs. Mike then we really are scraping the bottom of the barrel in Fall River. It's so sad that these kinds of people represent us as elected officials and as members of the media. It's like a sign that the apocalypse is coming to Fall River.
ok morons if the hurricane is so bad why are you people always vtalking about him.when was the last time this blog had 40+ hits.Are you able to send 40 kids to washington dc.?are you able to raise thousands of dollars to bail out a local food bank in one day?the list goes on and on5thousand for a littl;e league that got its equipment stolen.what else?Mike Herren is the undefeated heavyweight champ on the radio and everywhere else.All the critics out there one question what have you ever done?
Ask the Hurricaine what he knows about arson, and more recently, home invasion?
I saw and heard Marc Dion and Hurricane talking in the St. james Wednesday night...After Jan 1, they're gonna team up for a show that will rip the lid off Fall River
I saw the same post about six months ago about the st james dion and herren.
There is no lid on Fall River to rip off!! Fall River is a old empty cat food can. Stop listening to these radios shows, crawl out of your nuclear bunker and go for a walk, maybe tour the new Art district, be sure to wear your pearls.
Yeah the blog has over 40 comments but 20 or more of them mention Eric Poulin, a number mention something unrelated and the rest mention Hurricane Mike Herren. I don't think it is fair to say that all of the comments mention Herren or that they were all because of him. People seem like they wanted to talk about Poulin or Herren or Poulin and Herren. I know I listened to that show and it sounded like the two of them wanted to kill each other. At least it was interesting radio for once.
IF HURICANE WANTED TO KIL POULIN IT WOULD ALREADY BE TAKEN CARE OF YOU PEOPLE ARE REDICULOUS
Holy crap! That is just the dumbest thing I have heard today, possible longer.
ALL I MENT BY IT IS THAT THE 2 OF THEM DON'T HATE EACH OTHER SO PEOPLE ARE BEING REDICULOUS. I MENT IF THEY REALLY HATED EACH OTHER THEY ALREADY WOULDA HAD IT OUT BY NOW. JUST THINK THEY WERE PROBLY ONLY A FEW FEET AWAY FROM EACH OTHER ALL THE TIMES WHEN THEY DID RADIO INTERVIEWS SO IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM THINGS ALREADY WOULDA BOILED OVER.
Little general must have nothing to do while hurricanes show is on while waiting to drive him to and from work.
At least the state had the good sense to revoke Hurricane's license. The FCC should have the good sense to revoke WSAR's license to broadcast.
This is right out of the Sterile Loser
"the new center will provide fledging businesses with an inexpensive outlet to test their ideas before taking them into development."
I bet the idiot who wrote this doesn't know the word is "fledgling."
Hey we have radio talk show hosts and elected officials who probably couldn't spell or pronounce fledgling so why not the newspaper too?
Herren runs the airwaves and now he runs the blogs....everywhere you go its all Herren all the time.
After reading that last comment I think I just threw up in my mouth a little. Talk about egotistical and arrogant, I think Mr. Herren enjoys delusions of grandeur.
Let's get it straight once again. The Karams run the airways and the big blow hard, oops I meant the Hurricane, does as they tell him to do. Just watch what happens when the elections get serious. It will be Mayor Correia all the time every day. Just like it was two years ago.
where is the city master plan that we paid for? why has the mayor received it but is holding it until after the election?????
I lost all my respect for Mike Herren because I talked to the guy in 2007 during the mayor's race and he was the biggest Correia hater and now 2 years later he gets this gig at WSAR and he is kissing Correia's butt. Complete 360. The guy sold out for cash from the Karams. Disgusting that he has no spine or sac like that. I guess he did what he thought he had to do because he probably can't get any other job since most businesses run CORI checks and want you to have a valid driver's license.
sounds like he could get a job driving the trolley
LOL yea I hear you don't need to be licensed to drive one of mayuh correia's trolleys. Hey Hurricane you should apply. If you aren't on the mayuh's good side by now after having your lips firmly planted on his buttocks then perhaps the karams could put in a good word for ya and get you yet another job. Thank God you played b-ball for Skippy all them years ago or you would be unemployed by now, right?
It was certainly interesting for me to read the blog. Thank author for it. I like such themes and everything that is connected to them. I would like to read a bit more soon.
Alex
Cell blocker
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