2022-03-14@11:37pm–#Bridgeport CT– A person was assaulted on Seaview Avenue at Ogden Street Extension. I was able to drive from Fairfield to the scene and the short-staffed Bridgeport Police Department was not on scene. There was a topless man with a baseball bat over his shoulder as seen in the dashcam photo. I was able to drive back to Fairfield when EMS was allowed to enter the scene (at least half an hour round trip). Currently, the department is short-staffed by over 110 officers and is expected to be short of 150 officers by summer. At best they will have 30 graduate from the academy.
Scott Appleby BPD: “When confirmed reports come in we either place them on social media or we send out a press release if they are of significance. You are certainly under law free to follow the FOI portal for police reports of any incidents you want to report on to the community. So the last incident happened on March 6th according to the Bridgeport Police Twitter page”. FOI? It won’t be news by the time it’s approved.
Do you believe that? If you do, I’ll be happy to sell you the Congress Street Bridge! Only in Bridgeport!
OFFERS 5th CONSECUTIVE BUDGET WITHOUT INCREASING TAXES
STRATFORD – Mayor Laura R. Hoydick officially delivered her proposed operating budget for Fiscal Year 2023 to the Stratford Town Council on Friday. The $252 million budget proposal represents the fifth year in a row the Mayor has proposed a budget without a tax increase, and offers a very slight mill rate reduction for residents of Stratford, lowering it to 39.46.
“While we find ourselves at the beginning of 2022 sincerely hoping we have turned a corner in the COVID-19 pandemic, there are hard pandemic-related realities that we continue to face – both on a human level, and an economic one,” said Mayor Hoydick. “Stratford is resilient on both levels, with a significant increase in grand list growth, and major economic development initiatives coming to the fore, we are continuing Stratford on its positive economic path as a great place to live and work.”
Hoydick said that despite the continuing difficult economic climate in Connecticut, Stratford saw an overall growth of the Grand List of 3.87% (or $197.5 million) over the previous year – a significant rebound following the previous year’s COVID-stunted growth of 1.89%. The budget also includes $5.7 million in revenue recovery from the American Rescue Program. It funds all major departments at requested levels, and funds the town workforce at the same level while adjusting for increases in employee benefits per labor contracts.
The Mayor noted that this budget year presented some significant challenges, as her administration worked to close a $4.7 million hole created when the state failed to fund all communities receiving funds from the distressed community program as was promised. Stratford did not receive the planned-on funds last year, and they are not in the Governor’s proposed state budget this year. Additionally, the budget needed to absorb the current growing 7.5% inflation rate.
The proposed budget represents a 4.24% increase on the town operations side, and a 2.5% increase for the Board of Education. Town services represent 50.4% of the budget, and Education represents 49.4%, with Special EMS Assessment representing 0.2%.
The Town Council will now begin its review of the budget. “I look forward to collaborating with the Town Council as I have in past years, in producing a budget that serves Town residents best,” said the Mayor. The Town Council will now begin deliberations on the Town Budget. The Charter requires them to produce a finished budget by May 12, 2022.
2022-03-14@12:02pm–#Bridgeport CT– #ctfire– Firefighters quick response possibly avoided a major fire at townhouse complex at 75 Stewart Street. The fire that was on the porch began to extend to the eves of the attic. The townhouses share a common roof/attic line which could have extended to the other homes. Right afterwards, firefighters used this as training for both rookies and veterans.
U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) applauded the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s approval of Sara Bronin’s nomination to chair the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. In a bipartisan 12-8 vote, the committee advanced Bronin’s nomination to be considered by the full Senate.
“Today’s bipartisan vote highlights Sara Bronin’s extraordinary expertise and experience as a preservation advocate and steward,” said Blumenthal. “Her commitment to this vital cause is demonstrated convincingly by her championing vulnerable community assets across Connecticut. As chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, she can take this work to a national level.”
“Sara Bronin is a nationally-recognized expert in historic preservation law and policy. I’m proud of the work she’s done in Connecticut, and her work to advance equity in our state will prove invaluable as chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. I look forward to her confirmation by the full Senate,” said Murphy.
If confirmed as chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Bronin will lead the agency in addressing policy issues, directing program initiatives, and making recommendations regarding historic preservation, enhancement, and sustainable use of our nation’s diverse historic resources to the President, Congress, and heads of other federal agencies.
Last September, Blumenthal and Murphy introduced Bronin before her Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing. Video of opening remarks by Blumenthal and Murphy is available for download here.
Sara Bronin is a Mexican-American architect, attorney, professor, and policymaker whose interdisciplinary work focuses on how law and policy can foster more equitable, sustainable, well-designed, and connected places. She is a Professor of the Cornell College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, an Associated Faculty Member of the Cornell Law School, and a Faculty Fellow of the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. Bronin is also an elected member of the American Law Institute and leads the research team behind the groundbreaking Connecticut Zoning Atlas, the first interactive GIS map of all of the zoning regulations in a single state.
Bronin is a board member of Latinos in Heritage Conservation, an advisor for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Sustainable Development Code, and the founder of Desegregate Connecticut, a coalition that successfully advanced the first major statewide zoning reforms in several decades. Previously, she chaired Preservation Connecticut, served on the city of Hartford historic preservation commission, and led Hartford’s nationally-recognized efforts to adopt a climate action plan and city plan, and to overhaul the zoning code. Bronin holds a J.D. from Yale Law School (Harry S Truman Scholarship), M.Sc. from the University of Oxford (Rhodes Scholarship), and B.Architecture/B.A. from the University of Texas. While in law school, she clerked for then-Judge Sonia Sotomayor on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
2022-03-13@10:25pm–#Bridgeport CT– Firefighters were called to 700 Park Avenue for the odor of smoke after a man barricaded himself in an apartment. The firefighters quickly recalled the alarm of fire. Due to the police administration’s unwillingness to update/inform the media we do not know if the man is still barricaded in the apartment.
2022-03-13@2:55pm–#Milford CT– First responders on scene at 400 Boston Post Road where a car has hit the building. Initial reports say there is just superficial damage.
UPDATE: One in custody near the bank at the circle.
2022-03-13@2:50pm–#Fairfield CT– Police are looking for a person who fled on foot towards Howard/Charles Street backyards wanted for stealing a BMW X3 from Newtown according to radio reports. This news report is made possible by:
