Three individuals have been arrested in connection with a February 2nd burglary attempt at the Southport Diner in Fairfield, where suspects tried to steal an ATM machine but were ultimately unsuccessful. Fairfield Police responded to the scene and found signs of forced entry and significant damage. The case was turned over to the Detective Bureau for further investigation.
Through an extensive investigation, detectives identified the suspects as Edgar Crespo of Stratford, Donnie James of Bridgeport, and Francisco Ayala of Bridgeport. Investigators linked the group to multiple burglaries across various Connecticut towns. Working with regional task force officers, detectives recovered evidence tying the suspects to the Southport Diner case and obtained arrest warrants.
Crespo and James were each charged with Burglary in the 3rd Degree, Conspiracy to Commit Burglary in the 3rd Degree, Criminal Attempt at Larceny in the 3rd Degree, and Criminal Mischief in the 1st Degree. Both were held on $50,000 bonds and given court dates of April 3 and April 4. Ayala was charged with Larceny in the 3rd Degree and Criminal Attempt at Larceny in the 3rd Degree, also held on a $50,000 bond and given a court date of March 24.
Fairfield Police credited the professionalism of their Detective Bureau and thanked the Bridgeport Auto Theft Task Force and Fusion Center for their support. The case highlights the importance of regional collaboration in solving complex property crimes.
Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Fairfield Police Detective Bureau at (203) 254-4840 or submit an anonymous tip via the Fairfield PD mobile app, by texting “FPDCT” and your message to 847411 (Tip411), or online at fpdct.com/tips.
Fairfield, CT, —First Selectman Bill Gerber announced today that the State of Connecticut Department of Housing (DOH) has determined that the Town of Fairfield has met the requirements under Section 8-30g of the Connecticut General Statutes for a Certificate of Affordable Housing Project Completion and is entitled to a Moratorium of Applicability. The Moratorium of Applicability will begin on the next publication date of the Connecticut Law Journal, expected to be April 1, 2025, and will remain in effect for a four-year period.
The Town has made steady progress on the number of affordable housing units and submitted its application for a Certificate of Affordable Housing Project Completion on December 18, 2024. The application required proof that at least two percent of Fairfield’s 21,982 housing units, as reported in the 2020 Census, be documented as Affordable Housing Unit Equivalents (439.64 HUE). The application documented 462 HUE.
In the last decade, the Town has:
Adopted an inclusionary zoning regulation that requires all developments resulting in ten or more dwelling units to set aside not less than ten percent of those units as affordable to persons or households with incomes at or below eighty percent of the area median income. The set-aside requirement is higher (12%) in the transit-oriented development overlay district.
Established a dedicated Housing Trust Fund, which the Affordable Housing Committee has used to purchase property and make it available for new affordable housing developments.
Enacted an inclusionary zoning fee of .005% on all new construction and building additions that don’t otherwise contribute to the Town’s affordable housing supply.
Passed new zoning regulations making it easier to create accessory dwelling units in all residential districts except the Beach District and allowing detached ADUs.
Utilized CDBG funds to help purchase properties conditioned upon their being affordable for a fixed term.
“Today’s announcement has been a long time in coming and is the culmination of many years of work,” commented Director of Community & Economic Development Mark Barnhart, noting that the Town’s application spanned some 600 pages and included documentation for some two dozen projects.
“While the moratorium represents a significant milestone, we know that it is only temporary, and that our work continues,” Barnhart added. “Further, we know that the need for more attainable housing options has never been greater; but, the good news on both counts is that we have a number of projects already approved or under construction that will allow us to continue to make progress on meeting our housing needs and qualifying for a subsequent moratorium.”
“During the upcoming moratorium, Fairfield can leverage greater control over the size and design of developments,” said First Selectman Bill Gerber. “We have been making steady progress in increasing our affordable housing inventory, mostly by increasing the number of units that are deed-restricted. Our goal is to continue to diversify Fairfield’s housing stock as we recognize the need for more housing choices for Fairfield’s residents.”
Fairfield’s most recent Affordable Housing Plan calls for the Town to explore ways to create “middle housing,” or multi-family developments built on a more modest scale, such as duplexes or triplexes, instead of multi-story apartment buildings. The Town’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity will add more middle housing with two new elevated duplexes at 385 and 402 Quincy Street. This will be the second Habitat project in Fairfield. The first is located at 244 Greenfield Street and is expected to be ready for occupancy in June 2025.
Barnhart noted that a number of pending development applications are considered “grandfathered” and must be considered by Town Plan and Zoning, as they were submitted before the moratorium took effect. Currently, the Town has ten pending applications filed under the State’s Affordable Housing Act. Should any of these applications be constructed, thirty percent of all units would be deed-restricted and available to income-eligible households.
Fairfield, CT – The merchants of Greenfield Hill Commons invite you to their 2nd Annual Egg Hunt, which will take place on Saturday, April 5th, from 10 AM – 11 AM. Bronson the Bunny will kick off the Egg Hunt and be available to take pictures with the kids as well! Additionally, there will be a kid’s craft set-up in the breezeway between Jennifer Butler Designs and BE Chocolat.
Select merchants will also be offering special promotions during and after the egg hunt, including: grab-and-go flowers from Coreen’s Bridge Floral, buy one, get one free off the rack at Jennifer Butler Designs, 20% off your entire purchase from Lexington Home and Garden, and free chocolate and ice cream samples from BE Chocolat.
After the Egg Hunt, beginning at 11:15 AM, BE Chocolat will be offering a kids’ lollipop-making class. Attendees must register in advance; more information is available here.
Greenfield Hill Commons is located at 75 Hillside Road in Fairfield. The Egg Hunt will take place rain or shine.
A swastika sticker was discovered in the back of a Tesla parked at the Black Rock Train Station in Fairfield, Connecticut. The vehicle’s owner reported the incident to the Fairfield Police Department, which has since launched an investigation.
This act of vandalism occurred just after a protest at the Tesla showroom in Milford on March 22, 2025, where approximately 300 individuals gathered to oppose actions taken by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The protest was organized by Indivisible Orange, with participants expressing concerns over mass firings of federal workers and the perceived threats to democracy. At the protest “U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-CT, made brief remarks to the crowd through a bullhorn from the other side of the Boston Post Road, urging protestors to keep up their fight.” Blumenthal said to a reporter “I continue to support Chuck Schumer, as (U.S. Sen.) Chris Murphy and I have said before, but we need to adopt more vigorous tactics and strategies, recognizing we’re in the minority we need to use every possible tool to stop the dismantling of Medicaid and Social Security, which are a real and imminent threat” according to an article in the New Haven Register that can be found here https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/milford-tesla-protest-elon-musk-trump-doge-20233831.php
Federal authorities are considering the swastika vandalism as a potential hate crime, which could lead to charges under federal hate crime statutes. Convictions for such offenses can result in significant prison sentences, depending on the severity and circumstances of the crime.
The vandal may have overlooked that Tesla vehicles are equipped with eight cameras as part of their Autopilot and security systems. These cameras provide a 360-degree view around the car and can record footage when the vehicle is parked, potentially capturing acts of vandalism. This footage could be instrumental in identifying and prosecuting the perpetrator.
Despite ongoing protests and acts of vandalism, Tesla vehicles remain prevalent on American roads. Even if individuals choose to sell their Teslas in protest, the vehicles will continue to be driven by new owners, maintaining the brand’s presence despite opposition efforts.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the March 16 incident or other related acts to contact the Fairfield Police Department. As investigations continue, officials emphasize their commitment to addressing hate-motivated crimes with the utmost seriousness. If you have any information or can identify this individual, please contact the Fairfield Police Department at 203-254-4800.
First Selectman Bill Gerber announced today that the Town of Fairfield will begin a long-planned replacement of the East Trunk sewer line in May 2025 with an expected project duration of approximately 18 months. Aging sewer lines will be replaced to improve the reliability and efficiency of the Town’s wastewater system, reduce maintenance cost, prevent future disruptions and support development in the Town by providing necessary infrastructure for growth. Two public informational meetings will be held to share important details about the project, primarily affecting residents who live on the following streets: Kenard Street, Kenwood Avenue, Dalewood Avenue, Ash Street and Grasmere Avenue. There will be a staggered schedule of project work so that neighborhood impacts will be limited to shorter time periods of one to three months as work progresses. Impacts may include one way traffic and an on-street parking ban during work hours. “This Capital project is estimated at a total cost of $30.8 million, with $13.5 million funded by the Town, $13.5 million funded by the Water Pollution Control Authority, and the final $3.8 million funded through a state grant. This is a long-deferred but critical improvement to the Town wastewater system,” said Gerber. “Replacing aged sewer pipes will improve flow efficiency, reduce our maintenance costs and avoid disruptive repairs. We delayed this project but the time to modernize the East Trunk line is now.” All residents are invited to attend one of the public information sessions, scheduled for March 20 and March 25.
Meeting 1: Date: March 20, 2025 Time: 4:00 PM In Person Location: First Floor Conference Room Independence Hall, 725 Old Post Rd, Fairfield, CT 06824 To Participate on line via Zoom: Via Web Browser
o https://zoom.us/j/7250682401 o Meeting Passcode: 123 From the Zoom app on your computer, phone or tablet: o Meeting ID: 725 068 2401 o Meeting Passcode: 123 Via Phone: o Call (646) 931-3860 o Meeting ID: 725 068 2401 o Meeting Passcode: 123
Meeting 2: Date: March 25, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: First Floor Conference Room, Independence Hall, 725 Old Post Rd, Fairfield, CT 06824 To Participate on line via Zoom: Via Web Browser o https://zoom.us/j/7250682401 o Meeting Passcode: 123 From the Zoom app on your computer, phone or tablet: o Meeting ID: 725 068 2401 o Meeting Passcode: 123 Via Phone: o Call (646) 931-3860 o Meeting ID: 725 068 2401 o Meeting Passcode: 123
The Town of Fairfield is pleased to announce that Emmeline Harrigan has been appointed Director of Town Plan and Zoning, the Town’s land use agency, effective April 1. With Plan and Zoning Director Jim Wendt’s announcement of his retirement, the Town Plan and Zoning Commission (TPZ) appointed Harrigan to serve as Director of Town Plan and Zoning at their meeting on March 11. The appointment was subsequently approved by First Selectman Bill Gerber.
Harrigan has served the Town as assistant planning director for the past eight years. She has more than 25 years of planning experience, with a master’s degree in Urban Planning from UCLA. She is a certified Planner and Floodplain Manager. While in Fairfield, she has worked on the Town’s Transit-Oriented Development Plan, the Post Road Circle Safety Plan, and the Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, as well as coordinating the revisions to the Plan of Conservation and Development. As a Floodplain Administrator for two Connecticut coastal communities, she has ensured continued compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program, increased resiliency through participation in the Community Rating System, and has applied and processed grant applications with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. She is the current president of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Planning Association, as well as a past president of the CT Association of Flood Managers.
First Selectman Bill Gerber said, “Emmeline Harrigan is an excellent choice to lead the Town Plan and Zoning Department as its new director. She has worked closely with Jim Wendt for years and is extremely qualified. Her professional stature and experience will be invaluable to the Town as we grow into the future.”
An alert neighbor spotted flames coming from the front of a home on Bullard Street. Firefighters arrived while the fire was still relatively small and extinguished the fire. The fire marshal was called to investigate the cause of the fire.
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (March 4, 2025) — Fairfield University’s College of Arts and Sciences Master of Fine Arts program will host a lecture by Reverend Lynn Casteel Harper, essayist, minister, and chaplain, on Monday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Quick Center for the Arts. The event is free and open to the public.
Harper’s On Vanishing: Mortality, Dementia, and What it Means to Disappear is a New York Times Book Editors’ Choice selection that weaves together intimate reflections on her own family’s history with dementia. She also draws on her work as a pastor and nursing home chaplain, as well as scientific, medical, and historical perspectives on the disease. During the event, she will converse with National Book Award-winning author and Fairfield Professor Phil Klay.
In addition to being a New York Times Editors’ Choice, On Vanishing was a Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle selection for 2021 and was featured on the Gold Foundation’s 2021 Reading List for Compassionate Clinicians. Harper’s works have appeared in Kenyon Review Online, Salon, The Paris Review, North American Review, The Christian Science Monitor, NPR’s Think, The Sun Magazine, and more. She is a recipient of the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund grant and was awarded the 2017 Orison Anthology Award in Nonfiction.
This evening at Fairfield with Reverend Lynn Casteel Harper is part of the Inspired Writers Series, which serves as a companion to the MFA in Creative Writing program, offering engaging discussions with top authors. Designed to inform, inspire, and entertain, the series provides invaluable insight for writers while welcoming all participants into thought-provoking literary conversations.
Register to attend the March 17 event with Reverend Lynn Casteel Harper at quickcenter.com. This event is free and open to the public.
