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.

3rd Annual Fairfield Oktoberfest Returns this Fall

The Town of Fairfield’s 3rd annual Fairfield Oktoberfest is just a few weeks away!
The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place, rain or shine, on September 13 from 2PM – 6PM in The Lot at the Fairfield Theatre Company, which is located at 70 Sanford Street in downtown Fairfield. This event is being co-hosted by the Fairfield Office of Community & Economic Development, Fairfield Community Services, and Fairfield Theatre Company. This year’s event will feature live music by the Grammy nominated and the 12x award winning International Polka Band Association of Chicago’s “Favorite Band/Instrumental Group of the Year”, Dennis Polisky & Maestro’s Men. The musical entertainment will continue throughout the afternoon as we welcome local favorite, Dan Tressler & Friends!
Local food trucks with festive food offerings will be on site as well as vendors presenting a curated selection of adult beverages for those 21 and older. In addition to traditional lawn games and axe throwing, we’re thrilled to welcome Dryvebox to this year’s event with the addition of their mobile golf simulator! And the fun doesn’t stop there, we’ve added a 9-hole mini golf course, too! Commemorative Fairfield Oktoberfest t-shirts and steins will be available for purchase.
Community & Economic Development Director Mark Barnhart shared, “We’re pleased to host the 3rd Annual Fairfield Oktoberfest, and to be partnering with so many great local brands and especially FTC, one of the premier live music venues in the State.” In just a short time, Fairfield Oktoberfest has become an annual tradition and one of the can’t miss events of the year.”
A special thanks to those who help to make this annual community event possible: Signature sponsor M&T Bank / Wilmington Trust, Stein sponsor Boca Grille and Raw Bar; Supporting sponsors Elicit Brewing Company, Next Century Spirits, Hi-Ho Motel, and The Circle Inn; and Participating sponsors Northeast Beverage, Zero Gravity Craft Brewery and Vintage Garden.
“M&T Bank is proud to support this incredible event that brings together residents, families and visitors to celebrate the community, rich culture and the very best of what Fairfield County has to offer. As a longstanding partner in the Fairfield County community, we’re honored to contribute to Oktoberfest – an annual celebration that showcases local businesses and the region we’re privileged to serve,“said Frank Micalizzi, M&T Bank’s Regional President in Bridgeport.
Parking for the 3rd annual Fairfield Oktoberfest is FREE and available at the Fairfield Center Train Station on the New York bound side. The parking lot can be accessed via Unquowa or Mill Plain Roads.
To learn more about Fairfield Oktoberfest, check out www.experiencefairfieldct.org/oktoberfest!

Fairfield Police Arrest Bridgeport Man on Suspended License and Warrant

While on routine patrol, a Fairfield police officer observed a gray Nissan traveling on Kings Highway East without a front license plate. A check of the rear plate showed the car’s registration was suspended. When speaking with the driver, the officer determined that his license was also suspended and that he had an active warrant for Failure to Appear in the 2nd Degree stemming from a prior Fairfield case involving a suspended registration.

The driver, Matthew Palmer of Bridgeport, was issued a misdemeanor summons for operating with a suspended registration, driving with a suspended license, and failing to display a front marker plate. He was taken into custody on the active warrant and later released after posting a $10,000 bond. Palmer is scheduled to appear in court on September 22, 2025.

Senator Hwang Urges Siting Council to Reverse Course on UI Transmission Line Project

At a press conference today, State Senator Tony Hwang (R–Fairfield) urged the Connecticut Siting Council (CSC) to reconsider and dismiss its recent straw-vote approval under Docket 516R. He called on United Illuminating (UI) to submit a new application that fully complies with the transparency and due-process standards of Public Act 24-144.

“This isn’t anti-infrastructure—it’s pro-process, pro-community, and pro-solution,” Hwang said. “The Council’s abrupt reversal—without any new public testimony, fact-finding, or record development—undermines confidence in a body that must be above reproach. We need a lawful reset that restores public trust.”

Speakers criticized the project’s impact on municipal, church, and library properties, calling it an “unprecedented taking” of more than 19 acres of land. They also warned of irreversible damage to Southport’s historic district, where 140-foot towers and clear-cutting would alter the viewsheds of three National Historic Landmarks.

Hwang also pushed back against characterizations of the opposition as a “NIMBY” movement. NIMBY—short for Not In My Back Yard—is often used to dismiss community objections to development. “This is not about NIMBY,” Hwang stressed. “This is about protecting communities from an unjust process. Instead of partnering with the communities it serves, UI is fighting against them.”

Democrats and Republicans in Fairfield and Bridgeport stood together at the event, pledging to fight the project in defense of residents, businesses, and historic neighborhoods.

Fairfield Dolan Launches MBA in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Concentration

Organizations are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to make more informed, data-driven decisions. According to recent Gallup data, “in the past two years, the percentage of U.S. employees who say they have used AI in their role a few times a year or more has nearly doubled, from 21% to 40%.” In response to this growing need in the workplace for individuals to both understand and apply AI, Fairfield Dolan has launched an AI concentration in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program (MBA AI).

“An MBA in AI bridges the gap between technical AI knowledge and business acumen. It helps data analytics to support strategic decision-making,” said Mousumi Bose-Godbole, PhD, associate professor of marketing and director of the MBA. The AI concentration will allow students to learn the fundamentals of AI and prepare for management positions overseeing AI projects. According to Dr. Godbole, this concentration will prepare students for both ethical and societal leadership roles in the evolving landscape.

MBA candidate Evan Mansfield will be the first graduate of the MBA-AI specific degree. Mansfield shared that he chose the MBA in AI because it offered the optimal balance between understanding how AI models function from a programming perspective and gaining a strong foundation in applying AI to solve real-world business problems. “I believe an understanding of AI is crucial for students entering the workplace over the next couple of years,” Mansfield said. Upon graduating he plans to leverage what he learned in the program to create impact in his early professional career in an AI-centric way.

Fairfield Dolan’s customizable MBA allows students to tailor their coursework to align with their individual career goals. The MBA AI concentration offers students a distinctive opportunity to be at the forefront of cutting-edge AI technology—an area increasingly leveraged across virtually every industry.

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