Local News in Bridgeport, Fairfield, Stratford, Norwalk, and Beyond!
Author: Stephen Krauchick
DoingItLocal is run by Steve Krauchick. Steve has always had interest with breaking news even as an early teen, opting to listen to the Watergate hearings instead of top 40 on the radio. His interest in news spread to become the communities breaking news leader in Connecticut’s Fairfield County. He strongly believes that the public has right to know what is happening in their backyard and that government needs to be transparent. Steve also likes promoting local businesses.
UPDATE: Errol Whyte, age 62, of Stamford, CT was positively identified as the deceased person found this morning. Mr. Whyte had been missing since December 29 th , 2022 and was the subject of a missing person investigation by Stamford Police Department. Westport Police Detective Bureau will now conduct a death investigation to try and determine the circumstances leading to Mr. Whyte’s death. The Westport Police Department extends
(Westport, CT) On April 3rd, 2023, the Westport Police Department responded to the area of 55/57 Greens Farms Rd on a report of a body floating in a retention pond on the property. Responding units located the party and confirmed that they were deceased. The investigation is currently in its infancy and the identification is being withheld pending notification to the next of kin.
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont announced that the Connecticut Department of Correction has closed the Willard Correctional Institution in Enfield as of Saturday, April 1, 2023.
The governor announced his administration’s plans to close the facility in January in a decision that was largely attributed to the significant drop in the state’s incarcerated population. The total population at all correctional facilities statewide currently stands at roughly 10,000 individuals, which is substantially down from the all-time high of 19,894 in February of 2008. Over this same period of time, crime in Connecticut has also substantially decreased. During the last decade, the state’s violent crime rate fell by 43% and its property crime rate declined by 29%. In the most recent year of available data, Connecticut’s violent crime rate was less than half the national rate.
“The closing of the Willard facility fulfills the promise our administration made to close three correctional facilities as part of our larger commitment to reduce the cost structure of state government,” Governor Lamont said. “As both crime and the prison population have significantly decreased over the past decade, this just makes good fiscal sense.”
“Once again, the staff of the Department of Correction has carried out the complex process of shuttering a facility professionally and seamlessly,” Department of Correction Commissioner Angel Quiros said. “Every effort was made to minimize the impact on staff members, as well as to the individuals under our care.”
Willard opened in 1990 as a level 2 facility for sentenced male offenders. When plans to close the facility were announced in January, it housed approximately 260 individuals. All of the individuals who were located at Willard have been transferred to other facilities throughout the state. Approximately two-thirds were relocated to the nearby Cybulski Community Reintegration Center.
On Sunday, April 2nd, 2023 at approximately 8:34 PM, a two-vehicle collision occurred on Interstate 95 northbound on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge (Q-Bridge) in the City of New Haven. A Mazda5, driven by Beth Weinstein had stopped on the right shoulder due to a flat tire, while a tractor-trailer was traveling in the right lane, which is designated as the exit #50 exit-only lane. While passing the car, the tractor-trailer collided with it, causing the tractor-trailer to then hit the concrete traffic barrier on the right shoulder and catch fire. The tractor-trailer then traveled across four lanes of traffic and collided with the concrete traffic barrier in the left median, where it was also engulfed by fire. The driver of the tractor-trailer was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver of the car was transported to Yale Hospital with minor injuries. The identity of driver of the tractor-trailer and next of kin have not been identified at this time, and the investigation into the cause of the collision is ongoing.
2023-04-02@9:11pm–#New Haven CT– #cttraffic– I-95 north and southbound is shut down due to a tractor-trailer crash with fire. No word on any injuries.
2023-04-02@2:36pm–#Ansonia CT — Report of a head-on collision in the 200 block of Wakelee Avenue. Firefighters called to extricate one of the drivers from the vehicle.
#Milford CT–On March 25, 2023, officers responded to a Naugatuck Avenue residence for a dispute. Officers spoke to the victim who said that they got into a verbal argument with Jeffrey Domeracki, 36 of Naugatuck Avenue. During the argument, Domeracki locked them out of the house without a jacket and poured garbage over their head. He was charged with Disorderly Conduct and bond was set at $25,000
On March 25, 2023, officers responded to a theft at Costco. The victim stated that their wallet was stolen from their purse in their shopping cart. The victim was later notified by their bank that a charge had been declined at Walmart. Officers responded to Walmart and detained 2 suspects, later identified as Kristian Narvaez-Vergara
and Jose Luis Diaz-Narvaez. After an investigation, both were charged with the larceny incident. Kristian Narvaez-Vergara also gave a fake name during the investigation. Bond was set at $25,000
2023-04-02@11:48am–#Norwalk CT– #ctfire– Firefighters are on the scene of a 2-alarm condo fire in the 2000 block of Main Avenue. Firefighters have rescued 2 occupants and a couple of pets.
#Milford CT–On March 25, 2023, officers responded to 100 Viscount Drive. Officers spoke to the victim who said that Shelton Brown was yelling and banging on their door. The victim has an active restraining order against Brown. Brown
was located and charged with Violation of a Restraining Order
The Tango Flight program began at Bassick High School in Fall 2020. Students have been building the Vans RV-12iS, a single engine, FAA light sport two-seat airplane, alongside seasoned aviation mentors. As this build is coming to completion, students have already begun build number two.
Tango Flight, a privately funded not-for-profit innovative program, provides students with the tools and skills to build and fly a two-seat airplane over the course of a school year. Students learn about aviation, aerospace engineering, experience stem education, and can even earn college credit.
The key to the program’s success is mentors who are willing to share their time and knowledge. Joy Karageorge, with First Aviation Services Inc., the sponsor of the Bassick program, and coordinator of the mentor onboarding, said “mentors have been aviation enthusiasts with varied backgrounds including airline pilots, helicopter and fixed wing engineers and civil air patrol pilots. Most mentors dedicate one day per week, for about 1 to 2 hours with the students. Some of the mentors have had administrative and management experience and they too, quickly acquire the skills necessary for building a light experimental class aircraft.”
David Paqua, the lead mentor to the Bassick High School program said “the aircraft, a Vans RV-12iS is one of the most popular homebuilts in the world. Safe, reliable, and easy to construct for first time home builders, it still requires meticulous attention to detail. This is a hands-on program, not a theoretical exercise which makes it fun for the students and mentors.” Paqua went on to say, “skills developed include riveting, fabrication, electronics, fiberglass construction. “
