On February 27, 2024, William Banks, a 27-year-old resident of Brooklyn, NY, was arrested by the Westport Police on charges of Larceny 6th. The arrest stemmed from a larceny investigation initiated by the Westport Police on December 30, 2023. The investigation was prompted by a complaint regarding the theft of Israel Flag yard signs in the Colony Road neighborhood.
During the investigation, the officer in charge witnessed William Banks, who was driving a white vehicle, stealing another yard sign and fleeing the area while speaking with the complainant. Subsequent inquiries revealed that a total of five (5) Israel Flag yard signs were stolen. With the assistance of law enforcement sharing, the suspect was identified as William Banks, leading to the issuance of a warrant.
On February 27, 2024, William Banks voluntarily turned himself into the Westport Police Department, where he was charged with Larceny 6th. Following his arrest, Banks posted a bond of $500.00 and was released. His court date is scheduled for March 19, 2024, at Stamford Superior Court.
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong submitted testimony and will testify today before the Banking Committee in support of expanded authority to investigate and bring civil enforcement actions regarding bank consumer financial protection failures.
Attorney General Tong will testify remotely at the Banking Committee hearing taking place at 11 a.m. today, February 27 in Room 1B of the Legislative Office Building.
The legislation would empower the Office of the Attorney General to enforce critical provisions of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 (CFPA), also known as title X of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act. The bill would authorize the Attorney General to conduct investigations of alleged deceptive and anti-consumer practices. Federal authorities and other state attorneys general have used this authority to investigate and bring civil enforcement actions to hold accountable payday lenders, debt collectors, cash advance companies, for-profit colleges, tribal lending entities, and purported law firms operating mortgage relief schemes. The bill would give the Office of the Attorney General the investigatory tools necessary to enforce CFPA protections against banks chartered in other states.
Federal authorities and other state attorneys general who already have this authority have investigated and brought civil enforcement actions to hold accountable payday lenders, debt collectors, cash advance companies, for-profit colleges, tribal lending entities, and purported law firms operating mortgage relief schemes.
The legislation was first introduced in 2022, and reintroduced last year following the fraught merger between People’s United and M&T banks. To date, the Office of the Attorney General has received over 425 complaints regarding the merger. While the bulk of those complaints were received in the immediate months following the takeover, issues remain. The Office of the Attorney General received 25 new complaints in the past year, including complaints from individuals with challenges related to power of attorney and principal payments on home equity loans.
“We cannot wait for another fiasco to protect Connecticut consumers and strengthen our laws,” said Attorney General Tong. “More than a year after the disastrous M&T takeover, we continue to receive complaints from customers. Connecticut consumers deserve the same protections already in place in nearly every other state nationwide.”
Report of a motor vehicle accident with entrapment at the corner of North Ridgefield Ave and Boston Ave. There is a report that a motorcyclist is stuck under a box truck. Firefighters are on scene and are currently extricating the motorcyclist.
Bridgeport police arrested 35-year-old Cecil Mills after a four-hour crime spree on Saturday morning, during which he attacked and robbed multiple women. The arrest followed a vehicle pursuit, crash, and foot chase ending near the intersection of North Ave. and Madison Ave. Mills was charged with sexually assaulting one of the three women he allegedly robbed, and she was transported to Bridgeport Hospital with minor injuries. The victims reported being followed by a stolen Toyota Camry before being robbed and assaulted. Mills faces over a dozen charges, including Assault in the Second Degree, Sexual Assault in the Third Degree, Robbery in the Third Degree (3 counts), Possession of Narcotics with Intent to Sell, Evading Responsibility, and Interfering with a Police Officer. The arrest was the result of a well-coordinated effort between the Bridgeport Police Department’s Patrol Division and Detective Bureau.
On February 23, 2024, at around 3:36pm, Bridgeport Police responded to a report of 12 rounds fired on Karen Court. Four suspects fled the scene in a Nissan Altima, spotted by an officer on Reservoir Ave, then south on RT 8. Exiting RT 8 at Madison Avenue, the suspects fled the vehicle, resulting in the apprehension of two.
At the original incident location, Karen Court #103, fifteen spent 9mm shell casings and one live round were found. A juvenile suspect, apprehended with a black 9mm ghost gun, faces charges including carrying a pistol without a permit, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, violation of a large capacity magazine, illegal discharge of a firearm, and interfering with an officer. Another individual, Zhameir Andrews-Williams, was charged with interfering with an officer. The Bridgeport Police Department appreciates community assistance and remains committed to public safety, swiftly addressing violent crimes in the city. For additional information, contact the Bridgeport Police TIPS line at (203) 576-TIPS.
CTDOT alerts customers of upcoming three-week closure of the East Norwalk Train Station to accommodate construction activities related to the WALK Bridge Replacement Project
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is alerting customers of the upcoming temporary closure of the East Norwalk train station from Monday, March 11 to Sunday, March 31, 2024. This closure is due to construction related activities for the WALK Bridge Replacement Project. CTDOT is replacing the 128-year-old swing bridge to strengthen commuter rail safety, enhance commuting reliability and increase operational efficiency along the New Haven Line and Northeast Corridor.
Upcoming work includes installing a new underdrain system under the existing East Norwalk station northern parking lot. The train station and parking lot must be closed to accommodate construction to ensure the safety of workers. No trains will serve East Norwalk Station during this period. Full regular train service remains available at the South Norwalk station at 29 Monroe Street, 1.5 miles west, and at the Westport station at 1 Railroad Place in Westport, 2.2 miles east.
The Norwalk Transit District is providing a free shuttle service, starting March 11, that will operate Monday-Friday during the three-week closure. The shuttle will travel between the East Norwalk and South Norwalk train stations six times in the morning and eight times in the late afternoon/evening during the three-week closure. The shuttle departures and arrivals are timed with the Metro-North schedule. For more information, please contact the Norwalk Transit District at (203) 850-0000 or info@norwalktransit.com.
Additionally, East Norwalk station parking permit holders can access the South Norwalk Train Station Garage at no additional cost during the three-week closure. Parking permits will not be honored at the Westport station.
“To ensure the safety of the workers, the East Norwalk train station will be temporarily closed for three weeks. We encourage customers to utilize the South Norwalk and Westport stations while construction activities are underway,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Bureau Chief of Public Transportation Benjamin Limmer. “We appreciate the continued patience as the WALK Bridge project continues moving forward.”
All rail customers are encouraged to pre-purchase their rail tickets before boarding. Customers may use the MTA TrainTime app or ticket vending machines conveniently located at most New Haven Line stations. For information on how to use the app, visit new.mta.info/traintime.
Altice USA experienced a notable 36% surge in its shares on Monday, spurred by reports indicating that Charter Communications is contemplating the acquisition of the broadband company. Charter is reportedly in talks with financial advisors to assess the viability of such an acquisition, according to sources familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg. Despite the spike in Altice USA’s shares, it remains uncertain whether Charter has initiated formal discussions about the potential transaction, and as of now, Altice USA has not been approached by Charter for talks, as reported by CNBC.
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Amid the speculation surrounding the possible acquisition, the larger company, Charter, saw a 2% drop in its shares on Monday. Both Charter and Altice USA have faced stock declines of about 25% and over 40%, respectively, earlier this year, reflecting broader challenges in the industry as major communication companies struggle to retain broadband and cable subscribers. The reported deal would bring substantial consolidation at a time when companies in the sector are grappling with subscriber retention issues. As of now, neither Charter nor Altice USA has officially commented on the reported acquisition discussions.
Stratford author Elisabeth Breslav Is Speaker for March 3 Program The Stratford Library will continue 2024’s “Sunday Afternoon Talks”, its series of informative and entertaining talks featuring prominent local guest speakers, on Sunday, March 3 at 2 pm. Guest speaker Elisabeth Breslav will discuss her stirring memoir, Five Years Under Nazi Occupation. The talk, special for “Women’s History Month”, is free and open to the public. The story of a Dutch girl’s will to survive Word War II, Elisabeth Breslav was 12 years old when Hitler’s troops marched into the Netherlands and 17 when the country was finally liberated. At a time when young people normally develop their outlook on life and their moral/ethnical values, Breslav witnessed death and destruction all around her, was in constant fear of bombs, and lived without heat or food. Her memoir tells how, from a frightened child, she gradually turned into a tough teenager, ready to hustle taking dangerous chances to just stay alive. Following her talk, autographed copies of Breslav’s book will be available for purchase (credit cards only). All proceeds benefit the American Red Cross. The “Sunday Afternoon Talks” series, hosted by Charles Lautier of Stratford, is held from 2-3:30 pm in the Stratford Library Lovell Room, 2203 Main Street in Stratford. For further information visit: www.stratfordlibrary.org or call the Library at: 203.385-4162.
The Stratford Library is hosting “Welcome Week” February 25 to March 2, 2024 to welcome all new individuals and families in Stratford. The Library wants all of Stratford’s newest citizens to be aware of its various programs, resources and activities.
All events are free and open to the public According to Library Director Sheri Szymanski, “Welcome Week is a warm welcome for everyone who is new to town, new to the Library or a returning regular!”
Among the special events planned are: Children: Stop by the Children’s Department for a Welcome Kit (while supplies last), play Connecticut Landmarks I Spy game and share your favorites in our Best of CT Surveys.
Events through the week include storytimes, crocheting, Read to Therapy Dogs, Kids Coding, Piano with Friends and more.
Adults: Visit the Reference Desk for a Welcome Week grab & go kit (while supplies last), enter the Stratford landmarks scavenger hunt and share your favorites in our Best of CT Surveys. A variety of events include “Sunday Afternoon Talks”, Square One Theatre Sneak-Peek, Books on Tap and Books over Coffee, Escape Room and more.
Teen: Stop by the Teen Department for a Welcome Week grab & go kit (while supplies last) and share your favorites in our Best of CT Surveys. Resume Prep and Anime Club are among special events during the week.
uCreate: Stop by the uCreate Space for a Welcome Week button and hands-on learning, creating, and sharing for ALL ages! Ask about Ozobot & Sphero robotics, video games & tabletop games, 3D doodling and 3D printing and Meta Quest VR headsets among other offerings.
