Enfield Council Republicans Give Cold Shoulder To Warming Center, Drawing Rebuke: “Shame on You”

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Enfield Town Council via YouTube Sept. 15 2025 The Town Council Republican majority blocked an effort to restore funding to the Enfield Safe Harbor Warming Center, which provides overnight stays for the homeless during the cold months. At the Sept. 15 meeting, Councilwoman Cindy Mangini (D) asked the council to reinstate a $13,000 town grant to Enfield People for People Inc. (EPFP), which operates the warming center at St. Patrick's Church. Funding for the center is usually included among the town's grants to other service organizations, such as Enfield Food Shelf. But the funding was removed in the 2026 budget that took effect July 1.  Enfield People for People, which operates the Safe Harbor Warming Center says the loss of a $13,000 town grant will strain its ability to serve the homeless this winter. What the Loss Means for the Warming Center "EPFP will continue to operate as planned," said Deacon Paul Robert, the group's treasurer, in an email. "Some on ...

Ban gun purchases for people under 21


Ban gun purchases for people under 21 is something Congress should act on. That's one big step since teens are responsible for a disproportionate share of school shootings. Until then, any 18 year who buys an AR-15 and a load of ammunition ought to be an automatic red flag. Unfortunately, the median age of school shooters is 16. That might make a case for requiring gun owners to store their weapons securely. The U.S. Secret Service studied school shootings and what it found in 25 attacks that involved firearms:

"Nineteen attackers (76%) acquired a firearm from the home of a parent or another close relative. In half of the firearms cases (n = 12, 48%), evidence indicates the firearm was either readily accessible, or it was not secured in a meaningful way."
You combine immature and mentally ill kids who have easy access to firearms, and you have a problem. Requiring secure storage, and raising the purchase age, might help. Responsible gun owners already secure their weapons, but the gun lobby opposes any laws that mandate secure storage. They see it as an infringement on their rights. But who should have greater rights? The safety of children ought to come first.

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