Month: August 2021

2021-08-05@10:38pm–#Bridgeport News: First responders on scene of a stabbing on Spring Street.

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Hartford, CT) – In a written response to Attorney General William Tong’s August 2 letter, M&T Bank made a commitment to Connecticut jobs and to Bridgeport as its New England regional headquarters.

Attorney General Tong had written to leadership of M&T Bank and People’s United Bank seeking detailed information regarding efforts to mitigate job losses and adverse economic impacts to Connecticut workers and communities. Last month, M&T shocked many when it provided notice to the Connecticut Department of Labor that it anticipated 747 layoffs of Connecticut employees should regulators approve the proposed merger with People’s Bank.

“M&T Bank is making a significant public commitment to Connecticut jobs, and to the City of Bridgeport in this letter. This is an important step forward after weeks of mixed messages and confusion. I appreciate the commitments made by M&T Bank to Bridgeport and to Connecticut in this letter, but my work is not done. I will be watching their actions closely to ensure local jobs are protected and Connecticut communities remain a priority,” said Attorney General Tong. “I look forward to continued discussions with M&T and other stakeholders, including the City of Bridgeport.

Attorney General Tong’s August 2 letter sought comprehensive written responses to a series of questions regarding job retention, mitigation of adverse economic impacts, and corporate responsibility obligations, in addition to a meeting with bank leadership. That meeting took place on August 4, and was attended by leaders from People’s United Bank, M&T Bank, representatives of the Office of the Attorney General and state and local officials.

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2021-08-05@1:22pm–#Bridgeport CT– Bridgeport Police located a vehicle for a suspect allegedly wanted for a homicide and other violent crimes..  Bridgeport Police lost sight of the silver Mercedes traveling southbound near exit 29.  A short time later Connecticut State Police located the car traveling northbound and pursued it according to radio reports.  The car got off exit 32 and parked the vehicle behind 2420 Main Street Stratford and went into a store.  Police located the man and took him into custody (wearing a red jacket was not such a good idea).

1:45PMish– They just came over the hotline that the homicide suspect was taken into custody!

2021-08-05@1:22pm–#Bridgeport CT– #Stratford CT– #cttraffic– Bridgeport Police were in pursuit of a Mercedes wanted for homicide on I-95 southbound but lost the vehicle on near exit 29. State police located the vehicle going northbound, the last known exit they gave was exit 32.

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New Mask Guidance in Town Facilities Due to Delta Variant of COVID-19

Westport, CT –Due to the increasing spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19, new guidance on mask-wearing for both vaccinated and un-vaccinated individuals has been issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the CT Department of Public Health (CT DPH). The Delta variant is highly contagious, and cases are growing globally as well as locally.

As a result, Town Officials have implemented the following safety protocols at Town Hall, the Westport Library and other town facilities effective Thursday, August 5, 2021:

• Staff, visitors and patrons of all town buildings including the Library will be required to wear a mask regardless of individual vaccination status.

• Walk-ins will continue to be allowed in Town Hall. Town Hall Staff are required to check their temperature upon entering work for the day.  Visitors must follow contact tracing, mask requirements, temperature checks and other safety protocols upon entering.  As an alternative, it is recommended that the public consider the town’s online services or other options for in-person meetings.  Town Hall meetings can also be held outside at the picnic table in the rear of the building or in the lobby.

• Town and Library employees will return to weekly testing for COVID for their safety and for the safety of any visitors. 

• First Responders will return to COVID protocols by wearing masks when interacting with the public indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

The public should expect that many businesses and restaurants will return to requiring masks regardless of vaccination status. Although that decision is currently at the discretion of the establishments.

There remain a number of factors about the transmission of the Delta variant that are uncertain. Westporters are urged to remain vigilant and informed as the Delta variant continues to spread and impact even those who are fully vaccinated.

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Those who are eligible and who have not done so already are encouraged to get vaccinated. Please discuss any concerns about the vaccine with your health care provider. 

2021-08-05@12:38pm–#Bridgeport CT– Tonight’s vehicle fire was located in the 500 block of Brooks Street. Firefighters quickly took care of it.

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2021-08-03@7:40pm–#Bridgeport CT– Police say on Monday, 5 individuals in their late 20’s attempted to rob a party of their vehicle on Clearview Drive. The party was successful to get away. No injuries were reported. Bridgeport Police actively investigating this incident.

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2021-08-04@2:05pm–#Fairfield CT– Fairfield firefighters helped rescue a turkey vulture that flew into a grill of a vehicle while on the highway. The driver discovered the trapped bird parked on South Benson Road. The firefighters disassembled the front of the vehicle and removed the bird alive. Animal Control Officer Paul Miler said it was a turkey vulture. Miller said the bird’s injuries were too sever and the bird had to be euthanized.

HARTFORD, CT) – The Lamont administration and leadership of the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC), which represents several Connecticut state employees unions, have reached an agreement resolving disputes related to telework and its role in transitioning state employees back into the workplace following the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the pandemic first emerged in the United States in early 2020, Governor Ned Lamont acted quickly and directed all executive branch state employees who were able to telework to do so. This revised agreement settles some concerns regarding the transition back to the workplace and the role that telework will have in the work of state employees moving forward. The governor maintains discretion to return to higher levels of telework consistent with his emergency powers as set forth in legislation approved by the Connecticut General Assembly.

Highlights of the major provisions included in the revised agreement include:

• For 60 days following the execution of the revised agreement (the reset period) employees who were teleworking prior to Governor Ned Lamont’s May 13 email have the choice of returning to their pre-July 1 schedule (i.e. the one that was in effect during the approximate period of March 2020 through July 1, 2021), or they can continue with whatever is in place today.
• The 60-day period is August 3, 2021 to October 2, 2021.
• This choice to return to the pre-July 1 schedule does not apply to hazardous duty employees, or “those whose consistent presence at the work site or in the field is now required because of the reopening of in-person operations which were suspended during the pre-July 1, 2021, period.”
• If operations have reopened at an employee’s worksite or in the field and those operations can’t be performed by teleworking at a 50% schedule, the employee will only be approved for the amount of telework, if any, that can be performed from the employee’s home.
• Following the 60-day period through December 31, 2021, eligible employees (covered under the “reset period”) will be eligible to apply to telework at as high a percentage of their scheduled hours as they believe is consistent with operational needs and job duties. These applications will be submitted during the reset period so that there will be time for review prior to the expiration of the 60 days.
• A request of 50% of scheduled work hours or less by these employees will be granted. Requests above the 50% cap may be approved “if, in the opinion of the agency head, following review of such request and the input of the employee’s supervisors or managers, job duties and operational needs support such action.”
• Management’s decisions regarding telework greater than 50% during the post-reset period are not subject to challenge.
• COVID-fragile employees (due to their own or a family member’s serious medical condition) may telework up to 100% of the scheduled hours through December 31, 2021.
• The revised agreement incorporates a structure for negotiation, and if necessary, arbitration of a final agreement which we expect to be effective by December 31, 2021. The parties have agreed to immediate implementation of that new agreement or award.
• If a particular provision requires a legislative appropriation and approval, it could not be implemented before mid-March of 2022.
• Unless the parties reach an agreement, the issue of “what, if any, cap shall be imposed on the number of days or percentage of the scheduled work hours, during the biweekly pay period, an eligible employee may telework” is one that will be arbitrated this fall.

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2021-08-02@ 5:41pm SUNDAY– Police said that a delivery driver was robbed by 4 males while on Sunshine Circle. His phone was taken and they tried by failed to take his car.

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