Bridgeport, CT – The Bridgeport Fire Department welcomed 17 new firefighters during a graduation ceremony on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at the Common Council Chambers, 45 Lyon Terrace. Among the graduates of Recruit Class 03-2024 was one female firefighter, highlighting a step forward for diversity within the department.
The recruits successfully completed a demanding training program that included physical conditioning, tactical operations, and emergency response readiness.
Mayor Joe Ganim, members of the City Council, and fire department leadership attended the event alongside family, friends, and community members. The ceremony drew a large crowd, with attendees offering enthusiastic support for the new firefighters.
Fire Chief Lance Edwards said the department is still short-staffed by 15 firefighters with more recruitment soon. This new class will bolster Bridgeport’s fire department, enhancing public safety and emergency services throughout the city. The ceremony concluded with a standing ovation, as the graduates prepared to begin their assignments across various fire stations, ready to protect and serve the community.
On November 22, 2024, at approximately 6:36PM, the Bridgeport Emergency Operations Center received several calls for a motor vehicle versus a pedestrian collision/evading. The callers reported a pedestrian was struck at the intersection of Fairfield Avenue and State Street Extension. Bridgeport Fire Engine 7, American Medical Response (AMR), and Bridgeport Police Officers were dispatched to the location. Bridgeport Police Officers arrived on scene and observed Bridgeport Firefighters rendering aide to an unconscious male lying on the ground.
AMR arrived shortly after and transported the male to Bridgeport Hospital. After a preliminary investigation, it was determined an unknown vehicle was traveling east on Fairfield Avenue and struck the male pedestrian in the intersection and fled the scene in an unknown direction. The male pedestrian was identified as a 44-year-old Bridgeport resident, and he’s listed in critical condition. The Bridgeport Police Serious Crash Investigation Team is currently trying to obtain video footage of the collision/evading.
Anyone with information about the serious collision/evading can contact Sergeant Darryl Wilson at (203) 576-7640 or the Bridgeport Police TIPS Hotline at (203) 576-TIPS. Sergeant Darryl Wilson can also be reached at Darryl.Wilson@bridgeportct.gov.
DECEMBER 14 AT THE KLEIN MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM IN BRIDGEPORT
WITH COUNTDOWN 1 . . . WADDELL!
SHOW FEATURES SPECIAL GUEST, JAMIE BERNSTEIN, DAUGHTER OF THE LATE LEONARD BERNSTEIN
NARRATING PETER AND THE WOLF AND SIGNING COPIES OF HER NEW BOOK FAMOUS FATHER GIRL
Rachel Waddell
Credit: Graham Richards
BRIDGEPORT, CT (November 21, 2024) – the Greater Bridgeport Symphony (GBS) will finally conclude their search for their next Music Director with Rachel Waddell taking the podium for Countdown 1…Waddell! on Saturday December 14 at The Klein Memorial Auditorium in Bridgeport, CT at 7:30 PM.
After an exhaustive search over two seasons, GBS is down to the wire as the competition to become the next Music Director ends. Maestro Waddell will present a family-friendly “concert of storytelling,” highlighted by some of the greatest stories in music, including Prokofiev’sPeter and the Wolf narrated by special guest Jamie Bernstein, daughter of the late great Leonard Bernstein. GBS is proud to feature photos of Mexican wolves during the narration, provided by Jack Bradley, a photographer for Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo.
Jamie Bernstein will give a talk before the concert about her book Famous Father Girl written about living with the great composer/conductor father. Ms. Bernstein will autograph copies at the concert’s intermission for those bringing a copy of the book to the show. Leonard Bernstein performed with GBS at The Klein in the 1970s. Peter and the Wolf is a light-hearted tale of a boy who cleverly captures a wolf that has been threatening barnyard animals. Each character, Peter, his grandfather, a cat, a duck, a bird, hunters and, of course, the dreaded wolf, all come to life as represented by their own themes, each played by a different instrument, a novel way of introducing children (and many adults) to the sounds of the strings, timpani, flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet and horn.
Other highlights of the evening will include Rimsky-Korsakov’sScheherazade. Like Peter and The Wolf but on a grander scale, this is the story of a beautiful princess, trapped by a wicked sultan, who has her life spared each night by weaving a new tale to soothe her captor, all told though glorious orchestration. Perhaps the most unusual offering of the evening is a Native American composition Chokfi‘ by Jerod Tate, a musical tale, written for children, of a trickster rabbit set to music. Finally, there’s a musical version of one of the most beloved holiday classics, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Clement Clarke Moore’s immortal poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, set to sprightly music by tunesmith Bill Holcombe. This tale will be narrated by a voice well-known to local audiences, Tony Wellman. Each of these pieces is rich in orchestration and fun for all ages, presented in grand style by over 50 musicians.
Rachel Waddell follows conductors Eduardo Leandro (April 2024), Joshua Gersen (October 2024) and Leslie B. Dunner (November 2024) as the fourth candidate to succeed the popular Eric Jacobsen, who held the post for nine seasons. “Each conductor has brought something different to the concert and to the community,” says GBS President Mark Halstead, “and they are certainly a fantastic four – GBS has a tough choice to make!” Concertgoers and musicians alike are asked to fill out surveys after each performance to rate the strengths of each conductor; a decision will be made in January, and the choice of new Music Director will be announced in the spring. The winning conductor will lead GBS at its final concert on May 10.
Through breathtaking collaborations and an untiring dedication to education, mentorship, and community, Rachel Waddell inspires transformative experiences and ensembles. Waddell serves as the Director of Orchestras at Colorado State University. Her contributions to music education were recognized in 2024, when she was named a quarterfinalist for the 2025 Music Educator Award through the GRAMMYs. She frequently acts as a clinician and guest conductor and will guest conduct the Texas Music Educators Association All State Sinfonietta in 2025, along with the Pikes Peak Honors Orchestra in Colorado Springs. Previously she was the Director of Orchestral Activities and Assistant Professor with the Arthur Satz Department of Music at the University of Rochester in New York. She has conducted orchestras around the world including the Orchestre Métropolitain, the Rochester, Las Vegas, and Fort Wayne Philharmonics, the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra and Cleveland’s Suburban Symphony.
Single tickets range from $18.00 to $72.00 and are on sale now at www.GBS.org/tickets or by calling (203) 576-0263. A two-concert discounted subscription for the remaining two shows of the season are also available for 15% off by calling (203) 576-0263. GBS offers further discounts for those who purchased full-price tickets for the October or November concerts to make their purchases into a subscription. Kids under 19 are free (proof of age may be required) and accompanying adults receive 15% off. Phone GBS for these special offers.
This concert is sponsored by GBS’ longtime Chairman of the Board, Doris Harrington, and her husband Herbert, founder of Bridgeport’s Rotair Aerospace Corporation.
Report of a Structure fire on the third and second floors of a home on Seeley Street in Bridgeport. Firefighters quickly knocked down the fire which was contained to the inside of the building. One Guinee Pig was rescued from the fire, and there are no reported injuries at this time.
On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at approximately 12:05 PM, Eliseo Batz Donis, a 27-year-old Stratford resident, was arrested at Milford Superior Court on an active warrant. The warrant was issued following an investigation into a July 2024 incident on I-95 in Bridgeport, where Batz Donis fled a traffic stop after multiple 911 calls reported his erratic driving.
Batz Donis was arrested without incident and charged with several offenses, including reckless driving, disobeying an officer’s signal, engaging police in pursuit, misuse of registration plates, failure to maintain proper lane, improper turns without signaling, failure to renew registration, and operating a motor vehicle without insurance. He was held on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on November 21, 2024. For further details, refer to the attached arrest warrant and criminal information summary.
Report of a fire on Hillcrest Road in Bridgeport. unconfirmed radio reports are of a small fire in the back of the house that has already been extinguished by firefighters. They are currently checking for extensions.
Report of a Motor Vehicle Accident at 2530 Madison Ave, near the intersection of Bankside Street and Madison Avenue. The intersection is closed due to live wires that were downed in the crash.
Bridgeport, CT— Governor Ned Lamont and Mayor Ganim were joined by state and local leaders today to announce that a formal agreement has been reached to transfer ownership of the decommissioned PSEG coal plant in Bridgeport to a private developer, Bridgeport Station Development. As a result, abatement and demolition activities will begin on the site in the coming weeks. This work is expected to be completed within three years. The state, through the Community Investment Fund (CIF), is providing $22.5 million for the demolition and remediation of the plant. This is the fund’s largest award to date.
“This transformational project along the coastline in Bridgeport, the largest city in the state, demonstrates how our community investments continue to successfully leverage private sector investment and unlock new growth opportunities. These efforts help to enhance community vibrancy, clean up the environment, increase our housing supply, and create jobs,” said Governor Lamont.
“For years Bridgeporters have dreamed about what might be possible at the former PSEG site. Now, thanks to Governor Lamont, the Bridgeport delegation and the Community Investment Fund, Bridgeport’s waterfront will see a major transformation and environmental remediation which will pave the way for economic development, job creation, and housing to meet the demands of our city and region.” Said Mayor Ganim.
The plant, previously known as the Bridgeport Harbor Station, features a 500-foot smokestack and is located on a 33-acre parcel of land. It opened in the late 1950s, providing energy to southwestern Connecticut factories and businesses. After subsequent changes in ownership, PSEG Power Connecticut purchased the property in 2002 but the plant ceased operations in 2021. It has sat vacant since and has been a source of blight at a scale and intensity that has stifled investment and depressed property values in the neighborhood.
Bridgeport is an Environmental Justice Community, which is defined as a distressed municipality or a defined census block where 30% of the population is living below 200% of the federal poverty level. These populations are disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards, pollutions and other environmental injustices. Due to the presence of the Bridgeport Habor Station plant, Bridgeport residents have been at a higher risk of experiencing adverse health outcomes. The project addresses this historic environmental injustice and its demolition will reconnect nearby neighborhoods to the harbor, which has been cut off for over 70 years.
“Connecticut’s long-term economic resurgence is largely dependent on our ability to grow equitably. As this project demonstrates, we continue to focus on ways to open up new pathways for growth and improve the quality of life for our underserved and vulnerable populations,” said DECD Commissioner Daniel O’Keefe.
Bridgeport Station Development has extensive experience in demolition, brownfield cleanup and redevelopment of coal-fired power plants, most recently with the demolition of the former B.L. England coal-fired power plant in Beesley’s Point New Jersey. While the specific end use of the property is not known at this time, its redevelopment will be guided by state requirements that it be repurposed for residential, commercial, water-focused access, or recreational purposes. The project is also subject to local and state approval and permitting processes.
“We are grateful to PSEG, the City of Bridgeport, and the State for entrusting us with the opportunity to transform this expansive waterfront property into a thriving community asset. Recognizing that ideas and visions for its reuse have been discussed within the community for years, we are excited to collaborate with local stakeholders to create a redevelopment plan that prioritizes public access, resiliency, and sustainability—all guided by community input,” said Chad Parks of Bridgeport Station Development.
In early September 2024, the Bridgeport Police Department’s (BPD) Special Victim’s Unit (SVU) received information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation – New Haven regarding Possession of Child Pornography (CSAM) Child Sexual Abuse Material. As a result of that communication, BPD SVU Detective Davon Polite opened a case, here at the local level, in Bridgeport, CT.
In early October Detective Polite received additional information from the Connecticut State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) where he received multiple Cyber Tipline reports of numerous uploaded files related to child pornography. Federal Statute 42 USC 13032 mandates that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must register with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and then report any occurrences of child pornography on their systems back to (NCMEC). The reports were generated from an unnamed company that owns a freeware instant messaging mobile app. The company believed child pornography was being saved, shared, or uploaded by one of their users and then contacted NCMEC.
The suspect in the case has been identified as 37-year-old Jose Luis Albino (also known as Jose Albino-Santiago) out of Bridgeport CT.
As a result of the investigation, SVU Detective Polite obtained arrest warrants for Jose Albino-Santiago of Bridgeport Connecticut charging him with Possession of Child Pornography (2 counts), Risk of Injury to a Child, and Enticing a Minor. Total bond was $550,000. A search warrant was obtained for his residence as well.
On November 14, 2024, The U.S Marshal’s Violent Fugitive Task Force took Jose Albino-Santiago into custody. The search warrant was executed immediately thereafter with the assistance of the BPD Forensic Identification Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, the BPD Special Victim’s Unit, and the Connecticut State Police. Multiple items of evidence were recovered. Albino-Santiago was arraigned later that morning.
The Bridgeport Police Department would like to thank all the local, state, and federal agencies that took part in this investigation.
At around 4:35 a.m., the Bridgeport Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 555 Capitol Avenue. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered flames at the rear of the building. During the initial fire attack, a firefighter was struck by falling debris, prompting a mayday alert. The firefighter was evaluated at St. Vincent’s Medical Center and has since been cleared for full duty. Six adults affected by the fire are receiving assistance from the Red Cross, and the Fire Marshal’s Office is currently investigating the incident.
