AOL seems to be radically changing its plans for Patch, it's network of local news sites. We've heard from insiders that the division is pivoting away from a human editor centric model, toward one where local sites ("Patches") are built to be content-sharing and community-organizing tools for their areas. In other words less editors writing for more sites. Business Insider has the full story here.......
Mayor Bill Finch will join Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra to introduce Vice President Joe Biden at a conference on gun violence to be held on Thursday at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury. “I’m very honored to stand together with First Selectman Llodra to introduce the Vice President at tomorrow’s gun violence conference at WestConn. I want to applaud the bold steps President Obama and Vice President Biden are taking to enact the most sweeping changes in gun legislation in more than 40 years. The tragedy in Newtown touched everyone’s hearts. Now is the time to demand a plan that will make our children – in the suburbs and on the streets of our cities safer. Thank you to…
Branch Manager John Wrobel of Nelson Ambulance on Nobel Avenue tells us that the City of Bridgeport abandoned five ambulances during the storm. John tells us that he made about fifteen to twenty phone calls to have Nobel Avenue cleared so they could resume their services. The ambulance service had to resort to hiring a private contractor . There were five ambulances and five chair cars out of a fleet of nineteen that do one hundred to one hundred and thirty calls a day. They were unable to provide services out of their Bridgeport branch. Nobel Avenue wasn't plowed until Tuesday according to Wrobel, he came out t speak at the city council meeting but time ran out before…
Citizens from all walks of life shared their thoughts on how the city handled the snow removal during the Blizzard of 2013. The meeting ran over the hour allotted time and was extended another half hour. It appears most views were shared as there was no opposition as the city council moved into their meeting without objection after the half hour extension. I've condensed the two and a half hour discussion to under ten minutes. It was very apparent everyone's ideas were very well thought out and worth consideration.
When a young woman accidentally hit a deer with her vehicle on Webb Circle last month, her father asked police if he could take the roadkill home for dinner — a scenario that Monroe Animal Control Officer Edward Risko says is not at all unusual. "It's pretty common," he said. "It's one of the options. We can sign it off to a passing motorist or to the driver who struck the deer." The Monroe Patch has the full story here.....
Editorial–As Fairfield’s Random Act of Kindness program declared by First Selectman Tetreau winds down, I hope our act of kindness is to give the Fairfield Police a half way decent contract. The police in Fairfield have served in TWO hurricanes a blizzard, and were one of the first on scene in Newtown to give support without a contract. I have to ask why is Fairfield anti union? They strung the firefighters out on their contract for a long time, heck even the nurses union. Fairfield has a proven track record of being anti-union, from the First Selectman Tetreau to a lot of members on the RTM. Forget a pay raise, did you know that the Fairfield Police haven’t had a…
On February 14, 2013 at 1:48 PM the Fairfield Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a fire in a room at Congregation Beth El on Fairfield Woods Road. In addition to the initial 911 caller, a police officer on patrol in the area also reported seeing heavy smoke coming from the roof of the building. Initial arriving fire personnel found a natural gas fed HVAC unit on fire on the roof of the building which created a moderate smoke condition inside the building. All students were evacuated from the school and were kept in a safe location along with teachers in accordance with the schools emergency plan prior to the Fire Department’s arrival. Due to the time of…
[caption id="attachment_9255" align="alignleft" width="240"] Looking for escape from the third floor[/caption] [caption id="attachment_9254" align="alignright" width="300"] Firefighters do not hesitate to rescue despite a possibility of shots fired[/caption] Police were called to 158 Roberts Street around 9:30am Wednesday morning for a report of shots fired. A fire also broke out at the as well and first responders tried to sort out what was taking place. Our residential corespondent Miguel Masso was just trying to get to work for the first time since the blizzard hit. The day before he and neighbors dug out Roberts Street by hand. Fortunately a firefighter was also involved with the dig out and instructed everyone to clear the hydrant that was used to put out this…
[caption id="attachment_9221" align="alignleft" width="300"] Salem Street Residents Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands![/caption] After a historic blizzard that dropped over thirty inches of snow over the state cities and towns strained to clear the roads [caption id="attachment_9222" align="alignright" width="300"] Neighbors at Vanguard Street get together and shovel their street from the top of the hill all the way to Main Street[/caption] from such a staggering blanket of snow. Ambulances and firetrucks getting stuck to and from calls were a common site as well as citizens pushing them out. There have been a great number of stories of neighbor helping neighbor and I was proud to give the good citizens an audience on our Facebook page, asking for examples and oh…
Around 9pm Thursday night police were called by University of Bridgeport about a man with knife. When police arrived the man engaged police on a foot pursuit down Atlantic Street. The man ran into an apartment complex at 557 Street where a stand off occurred. The man attacked police with the knife and police tased him 3 three times, the man still did not drop the knife and lunged at police when officers shot him according to our sources. The suspect is alive and at the hospital, the extent of his injuries are not known at this time. One police officer was taken to the hospital as well. I saw him walk to the ambulance with an oxygen mask. Again,…
