Structure Fire

https://www.doingitlocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/0-new-copy-5.mp4

Firefighters quickly contained a blaze that spread from the second to the third floor of a building in the 300 block of Cleveland Avenue late Wednesday morning. Everyone made it out safely, and while no injuries were reported, the Fire Marshal is investigating the cause, and the Red Cross is assisting displaced residents.

2025-11-12@11:44am #Bridgeport CT

Westport Police Department Announces Annual “Holiday Toy Drive”

The Westport Police Department, in partnership with the Westport Police Athletic League, and Westport Police Benevolent Association, will be hosting their annual “Holiday Toy Drive”, that provides toys to underprivileged children throughout Fairfield County.

Westport Police Officers will accept new, unopened and unwrapped toys for all ages and genders, as well as cash donations in the parking lot of ASF Sports & Outdoors located at 1560 Post Road East, Westport, CT on the following Saturdays and Sundays between the hours of 9:00am to 4:00pm:

The Toy Post, 180 Post Road East, Westport, CT

We respectfully ask for your support and generosity to help create lasting memories for children in need in our community as we believe that every child deserves to feel the magic and joy of the holidays. We look forward to seeing many of you at ASF Sports & Outdoors. Best wishes to all for a happy, safe and healthy holiday season from the members of the Westport Police Department.

We thank you, our reliably generous donors, in advance for your continued support and look forward to seeing you all at ASF!

Any inquires may be directed to PAL President, Corporal Craig Bergamo, by phone at (203) 810-9559 or via email at CBergamo@westportct.gov.

Saturday, December 6, 2025
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Saturday, December 13, 2025
Sunday, December 14, 2025

Additionally, during business hours, there will be toy collection boxes at the following locations starting December 1, 2025:

Westport Police Department, 50 Jesup Road, Westport, CT
ASF Sports & Outdoors Store, 1560 Post Road East, Westport, CT
Awesome Toys & Gifts, 429 Post Road East, Westport, CT

Bridgeport Man Arrested After Violent Sexual Assault in North End; Third Major SVU Arrest in Recent Weeks

Bridgeport, CT — The Bridgeport Police Department has arrested a 24-year-old city man, Therdy Joseph, just hours after he sexually assaulted an adult woman in the basement bedroom of his North End home late Saturday night. Joseph was charged with Sexual Assault in the First Degree, Strangulation in the Second Degree, Unlawful Restraint in the First Degree, Interfering with an Emergency Call, and Assault in the Third Degree. He was ordered held without bond ahead of his arraignment scheduled for today.

The 19-year-old victim, who is not from Bridgeport, escaped the residence following the assault and drove to a nearby parking lot, where she called 911. A Bridgeport dispatcher quickly pinpointed her approximate location through the cellphone call, allowing officers and medics to respond rapidly. She was transported to St. Vincent’s Hospital, where she received treatment.

Detectives secured the crime scene and worked overnight to obtain an arrest warrant. Members of the Special Victims Unit returned to the home around noon on Sunday, taking Joseph into custody without incident. Investigators say Joseph and the victim had recently connected through an online app and agreed to meet that evening.

The Bridgeport Police Department urges the public to exercise caution when communicating with individuals online and to prioritize personal safety during in-person meetings.

This arrest marks the third major sexual assault case brought by the department in recent weeks. On October 14, Cordero Javier Greaves, 28, was arrested within hours of sexually assaulting a teenage female student on Railroad Avenue. On November 5, Patrick Curry, 44, was arrested on a felony warrant for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old male family member during the department’s domestic violence initiative, Operation Purple Shield.

Chief Roderick Porter Sr. commended the swift deployment of Patrol, Detective Bureau, and Emergency Operations units, reinforcing the department’s commitment to aggressively combat sexual and domestic violence and to bring offenders to justice as quickly as possible.

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SEEKS TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER TO BLOCK TRUMP FROM DEMANDING STATE “UNDO” SNAP BENEFITS

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong shortly after midnight sought a temporary restraining order to block the Trump Administration from demanding that states “undo” Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits already paid out to millions of Americans.

“Donald Trump wants us to take food off the plates of Connecticut families who finally just now got the chance to eat. Undo food stamps? Those funds were out the door on Saturday, and families were in the grocery stores all weekend. We’re fighting this one to the bitter end,” said Attorney General Tong. “Trump’s actions have been unconscionable, unlawful and erratic, and states like Connecticut had a moral imperative and legal right to act quickly to get funds out the door. Trump never had the authority to deny SNAP, and he doesn’t have the authority now to retaliate against states for doing our job.”

Connecticut and 26 states sued the Trump Administration on October 28 in Massachusetts federal court for unlawfully and arbitrarily suspending SNAP benefits for 42 million Americans during the government shutdown. Separately, a coalition of non-profits and municipalities, including the City of New Haven, filed a similar challenge in Rhode Island federal court. In both cases, the courts have ruled against Trump and issued rulings directing payments to resume either in part using contingency funds, or in full. The Trump Administration initially presented a series of unworkable bureaucratic calculations for awarding partial benefits, then later, in response to additional court actions, said they would issue full benefits. Then, after appealing to the Supreme Court and receiving a temporary stay of the lower court orders, the Trump Administration once again reversed course. Guidance has shifted seemingly by the hour, with millions of American families left unsure of how they would afford to eat.

Relying on guidance at the time, Connecticut and other states quickly processed full SNAP benefits. In Connecticut, approximately 366,000 families then received their full November benefits on Saturday, averaging $324 per month and totaling $72 million. Then, late Saturday, the Trump Administration shifted course once again, issuing a memo ordering states not to seek full benefits. For those who already did, the memo stated: “States must immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025.” The memo further threatened that “failure to comply with this memorandum may result in USDA taking various actions, including cancellation of the Federal share of State administrative costs and holding States liable for any overissuances that result from the noncompliance.”

The filing seeks a court order to block the Trump administration from carrying out these threats.

Joining Attorney General Tong in tonight’s filing were the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Minnesota, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, along with the governors of Kansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.

Bridgeport Narcotics Unit Seizes 234 Grams of Cocaine; Carlos Batista Charged in Drug Factory Operation

Bridgeport, CT — On November 6, 2025, at approximately 1:56 p.m., the Bridgeport Police Department’s Narcotics and Vice Division (T.N.T.) executed a court-authorized search and seizure warrant at 3 Armstrong Place as part of an investigation into the illegal sale of narcotics.

During the investigation, detectives learned that Carlos Batista, 65, of Bridgeport, was distributing large quantities of cocaine from a trailer located on his property. Based on evidence developed by investigators, the Narcotics Unit applied for and was granted a search and seizure warrant for the premises.

During the search, officers seized the following items:

  • 234 grams of cocaine
  • $1,366 in U.S. currency
  • One digital scale
  • Packaging materials

Batista was placed under arrest and charged with:

  • C.G.S. 21a-278(b)(1A): Possession with Intent to Sell Narcotic Substances
  • C.G.S. 21a-277(c): Operation of a Drug Factory

His bond was set at $100,000.

The Bridgeport Police Department remains committed to protecting the safety and well-being of all residents. Anyone with information related to narcotics activity is encouraged to contact the Narcotics Tips Line at (203) 576-7903.

Westport Police Department Arrests Two in Connection with Armed Robbery

(Westport, CT) – This afternoon the Westport Police Department arrested two individuals in connection with an armed robbery of an armored car driver that occurred in the parking lot of a Post Road East bank.

At approximately 12:33pm on Thursday, November 6, 2025, Westport Police received a 9-1-1 emergency call reporting an armed robbery that had occurred at the Wells Fargo Bank located at 422 Post Road East. Additional details were provided that two suspects dressed in all black clothing and masks had accosted an armored car driver after he had retrieved a cash deposit from inside the bank. The suspect vehicle had reportedly parked alongside the victim’s van, exiting and approaching as he returned from inside the bank. One of these two suspects allegedly pointed what was described by the victim as a revolver-style weapon at him, while the second took him to the ground to gain control of the bank bag. In the process of the struggle, the victim’s deposit bag, firearm, keys, phone, and a scanner were taken from him.

An eyewitness that had exited the bank observed what was happening, recognized it as a robbery attempt and began to intervene by shouting for help. This apparently panicked the two suspects who dropped the bank bag and victim’s phone, but made off with his firearm, scanner, and keys. The witness reported that the suspects drove at him in what he believed was an attempt to strike him before leaving the parking lot. A description of the individuals and their vehicle was provided to the responding officers.

Multiple units immediately began circling the location of the incident from various directions. The suspect vehicle was located by an officer and was observed to be traveling at a high rate of speed southbound on Compo Road South, making a left turn on to Greens Farms Road. Attempts to signal the vehicle to stop were ignored and the suspects proceeded east on Greens Farms Road, south on Hillspoint Road to Compo Road South. Officers were briefly unable to maintain visual contact due to the excessive speeds and reckless maneuvering of the suspects.

As it approached the intersection with Greens Farms Road, officers were able to successfully deploy stop sticks striking the vehicle’s tires and slowing its pace. Multiple other units were then able to bring the vehicle to a controlled stop on Greens Farms Road just east of the Hales Road overpass where two suspects were quickly taken into custody, one while attempting to flee on foot and a second while still seated inside the car. An initial search of the vehicle yielded neither of the reported stolen items nor firearms.

Believing that these items had been discarded during the pursuit, all available Westport and mutual aid units began a systematic search of the suspects’ known path of travel utilizing several officers and evidence recovery canines. The handgun stolen from the victim was located on Hillspoint Road near the intersection with Hales Road. The stolen set of keys was recovered a short distance south of that item. The stolen scanner was recovered on Compo Road South near the Baron’s property. The reported weapon used during the commission of the robbery has not yet been recovered.

At this time the suspect’s weapon used in the commission of this crime has not been located but is believed to have been discarded in the Hillspoint/Compo Beach/Compo Road South area. This weapon was reported by one of the suspects to be a facsimile firearm, however that has not been definitively confirmed by the investigation. At the time of this writing continuing efforts are being made to locate and recover this evidence, but area residents are cautioned that it may eventually be located on private property. Officers will continue to maintain a heavy presence in these neighborhoods through the night and into the daylight hours in an effort to recover this piece of evidence. We ask that if you should encounter this item that you please do not attempt to handle it and contact the Westport Police Department immediately so that it can be properly and safely collected and removed.

Arrested and charged in connection with this investigation were the following:

Keith Greene, age 32, of Waterbury, Connecticut
• Robbery First Degree
• Conspiracy to Commit Robbery First Degree
• Theft of a Firearm
• Conspiracy to Commit Theft of a Firearm
• Larceny Second Degree
• Conspiracy to Commit Larceny Second Degree
• Illegal Transfer of a Firearm
• Criminal Possession of a Firearm
• Tampering with Evidence
• Interfering with an Officer
• Assault Second Degree with a Firearm
• Conspiracy to Commit Assault Second Degree with a Firearm
• Threatening First Degree
• Criminal Attempt to Commit Assault of a Police Officer
• Engaging Police in Pursuit
• Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle
• Reckless Endangerment First Degree
• Possession of Narcotics

Greene’s bond was set at $500,000.00. He was not immediately able to post it and remains in custody. He is scheduled to be arraigned at Stamford Superior Court on Friday, November 7, 2025.

Davon Younger, age 33, of Bridgeport, Connecticut
• Robbery First Degree
• Conspiracy to Commit Robbery First Degree
• Theft of a Firearm
• Conspiracy to Commit Theft of a Firearm
• Larceny Second Degree
• Conspiracy to Commit Larceny Second Degree
• Illegal Transfer of a Firearm
• Criminal Possession of a Firearm
• Tampering with Evidence
• Interfering with an Officer
• Assault Second Degree with a Firearm
• Conspiracy to Commit Assault Second Degree with a Firearm
• Threatening First Degree

Younger is currently on parole and will be remanded to the custody of the Department of Corrections.

Any additional information will be disseminated in an update to this release.

Shutdown Ends After Bipartisan Senate Breakthrough; Connecticut Senators Vote No

The federal government shutdown is effectively over after seven Senate Democrats crossed party lines late Sunday to join Republicans in voting to reopen the government. The 60–40 vote advances a temporary funding bill that restores federal operations and guarantees back-pay for furloughed workers.

The Democrats who broke ranks — including senators from New Hampshire, Nevada, Illinois, Virginia, and Pennsylvania — said the deal was the only viable path to end the 40-day standoff. Notably, Connecticut’s senators, Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, did not join the crossover vote and remained aligned with party leadership.

The bill now moves to the House, where a final vote is expected soon. Once signed by the president, federal agencies will resume normal operations and workers in Connecticut and across the country will see their pay restored.

Stratford Health Dept. Schedules Preschool Flu Clinics Ahead of January School Return

Stratford, Conn. — The Stratford Health Department will host Preschool Flu Clinics to help families meet the Connecticut Department of Public Health influenza vaccination requirement before children return to school in January.

Clinic Location: Birdseye Municipal Complex, 468 Birdseye Street, 3rd Floor, Stratford
Dates & Times:

  • Monday, December 22, 2025 | 3:00–5:00 PM
  • Monday, December 29, 2025 | 3:00–5:00 PM
  • Friday, January 2, 2026 | 8:00–11:00 AM

Appointments are required. There is no out-of-pocket fee for children’s vaccines; families are asked to bring an insurance card to the appointment.

The Health Department encourages residents, community partners, and local organizations to help spread the word. A flyer with full details is available for distribution.

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