Bridgeport Connecticut

National Shooting Sports Foundation donating 2,500 gun safety locks today

The Newtown-based National Shooting Sports Foundation is donating 2,500 gun safety locks to Bridgeport, Stratford, Fairfield and Waterbury to be distributed to residents free of charge.  “We encourage residents to pick up a Project ChildSafe safety kit so that they can learn about the options they have to properly and securely store their firearms at home,” said Steve Sanetti, the CEO of the National Shooting Sports Foundation. “We thank Mayor Finch and Police Chief Gaudett for their leadership in helping to raise awareness about preventing unauthorized access and for distributing these firearm safety kits to gun owners.” WHAT: Police chiefs and mayors and First Selectmen from Bridgeport and Stratford announce free gun locks from the National Shooting Sports Foundation.  WHEN:…

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Bridgeport Police Blotter 3-1-2013

K-9 Convinces Suspect to Lie Down (Bridgeport, CT – Feb. 28, 2013) – A 19-year-old thought better of bailing from a stolen vehicle when confronted by K-9 Trace and his partner Mark Martocchio. On Tuesday, Martocchio was on patrol when he spotted a 2013 Nissan Rogue that was listed on the daily stolen car sheet. The vehicle pulled into a gas station at Park and Wood avenues and the driver exited and walked toward the gas pump. He returned to the sport utility vehicle after seeing police. He tried to drive off but Martocchio blocked him in and exited the squad car with his K-9 Trace. The driver, Phillip Silas, 19, of Kelsey Street, started to bail out of the…

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Whitehead’s Plane Sculpture NOT Hijacked As First Feared

I received calls and e-mails  from a few followers fearing that the sculpture/mobile of aviation pioneer Gustave Whitehead had been hijacked. Everyone feared the wound up in a salvage shop. No one knew exactly when including customers and employees at the McDonald's that is next to it when it disappeared. The foundation proudly showed the corporate sponsor ADKO and I knew they were down the block on State Street. It turns out it was taken down for the winter so it would not receive any damage from storms. The video below shows how active the mobile is in the wind. The video was recorded the day of its dedication May 15, 2012.

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5 Ambulances Abandoned By City During Storm

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…

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Citizens Share Thoughts On Snow Removal In Bridgeport CT

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.

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Fire on Roberts Street Bridgeport With Rescue

[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…

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Citizens Clear City Streets From Blizzard

[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…

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Man With Knife Attacks Police, Man Shot by Police

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,…

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