2021-03-17@5:01pm–#Bridgeport CT– The Red Cross is is helping three families – eighteen adults – five children – after a fire today in the 1200 block Noble Avenue. An electrical fire burned insulation but it was the water damage not so much fire damage that caused the most damage. The fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.
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#Westport CT–On February 12, 2020, Westport Police officers responded to a local gas station on a
report that an individual allegedly made a purchase with a counterfeit $100.00 bill. The gas
station’s manager stated that the suspect paid for $10.00 worth of gas with a $100.00 bill and
then left the area. The manager went on to say that after the suspect departed, he marked the bill
with his counterfeit detector pen and realized that the bill was fake.
A short time after this incident, the investigating officer was advised that the Wilton
Police had arrested an individual for attempting to pass $100.00 counterfeit bills. The suspect
was identified as Tevon Johnson. Westport officers went to the Wilton Police Department to
speak with Mr. Johnson and observed that he matched the description of the individual who
committed the alleged crime in Westport. Mr. Johnson declined to be interviewed by the officer.
Based upon the investigation, an arrest warrant was sought and granted for Mr. Johnson’s arrest.
On March 9, 2021, Mr. Johnson was taken into custody by Westport detectives. He was
charged with Forgery in the First Degree and Larceny in the Sixth Degree.
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U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) urged the Connecticut Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA) to reject the three rate hike proposals made by Eversource, and instead impose a fourth option upon the utility – no increase in utility rates for Connecticut’s electricity customers.
Eversource has unconscionably presented PURA with three rate hike options, claiming they under-recovered almost $20 million during 2020, while making over $1.2 billion profits – an increase of 34% over 2019. All three options would result in a 12% increase for Connecticut rate payers.
In a letter to regulators, Blumenthal said, “Eversource is claiming under-recovery in 2020 of their costs from ratepayers, the company announced $1.2 billion in profits for 2020! Of that $1.2 billion, $457.9 million in profit came from Eversource’s Connecticut Light and Power division. The head of Eversource received more than $14 million in compensation.”
Following Tropical Storm Isaias, Blumenthal spoke with customers and local elected leaders across the state regarding Eversource’s response to the storm. Noting to regulators that “PURA should also consider that Eversource set new lows in its egregious performance in preparing Tropical Storm Isaias and then its delayed response. Such flagrantly failed service should not be rewarded by forcing ratepayers to pay more money to a company already reaping substantial profits and highly compensating its executives. For consumers who have suffered deeply from Eversource’s utility malpractice, raising rates piles on insult and injury.”
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2021-03-16@10:22pm–#Fairfield CT– Black Rock Turnpike at Commerce Drive is closed due to a crash. The silver vehicle was t-boned and rolled over and up righted itself and came to a stop near Duka Avenue about a block from the impact.
2021-03-16–#Westport CT– Tonight’s car fire is being hosted by Westport on I-95 northbound a mile north of exit 18. It is fully engulfed and firefighters are putting it out.
2021-03-16@7:11pm–#Seymour CT– A brush fire has extended to a home on Maiden Lane with a propane tank. Fire in the home is out, tank was cooled. Firefighters are now working on putting out the brush fire. Firefighters from surround towns are assisting.
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2021-03-16@4:30pm–#Bridgeport CT–Report of a street fight at Lindley and Summit Street., Approximately eight people in the street fighting.
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2021-03-16@11:50am–#Bridgeport CT– #cttraffic– A two car crash with injuries at South Frontage and Myrtle Avenue. Traffic is getting by.
STRATFORD – Mayor Laura R. Hoydick officially delivered her proposed operating budget for Fiscal Year 2022 to the Stratford Town Council today. The $240.4 million budget proposal represents the fourth year in a row of mill rate decreases for residents of Stratford, lowering it from 39.64 to 39.60.
The Mayor noted that while other regional towns and cities have been forced to increase local taxes, particularly while mounting local responses to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Stratford stands out as a community that has held the line once again without raising taxes on residents.
“We are pleased with our economic and financial successes,” said Mayor Hoydick, “though we cannot separate our economic fortunes from the ongoing pandemic. The human cost of this disease is underscored by the vast economic damage it has wrought – worldwide, and here in Stratford. Despite the State of Connecticut’s continued weak economic growth, Stratford has yielded meaningful growth, which is a credit to our economic development and redevelopment initiatives and the increasing desirability of living and working here in Stratford.”
Hoydick said that despite the difficult overall economic climate in Connecticut, Stratford saw an overall growth of the Grand List of 1.89% over the previous year, with over 145 new businesses opening in town. She added that critical long-term adjustments to funding the town’s pension and bonded debt result in savings of $9.1million over the bond terms while refinancing has created $3 million in budgetary relief in FY 2022, and $2.7 million each in FY 2023, FY 2024, and $560k in FY 2025.
Stratford has been slated to receive roughly $25 million in federal relief plus $21 million for the school district as part of the American Rescue Plan, but it remains to be determined how those funds will be utilized. Provisions of the Act do not allow municipalities to use these federal funds directly for local tax relief.
The proposed budget represents a 3.96% increase on the town operations side, and a 2.25% increase for the Board of Education. Town services represent 49.9% of the budget, and Education represents 50%, with Special EMS Assessment representing 0.1%.
“The Town Council will now begin its review of the budget, and as in past years, I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with them on producing a budget that serves Town residents best,” said Mayor Hoydick. The Town Council will now begin deliberations on the Town Budget. The Charter requires them to produce a budget by May 12, 2020.
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2021-03-15@9:40pm–#Fairfield CT– This vehicle t-boned a jeep in front of the university in the 5000 block of Park Avenue. The driver of the sedan was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.
