HARTFORD — The fallout from House and Senate passage of a $40 billion Republican state budget — and a stunning defeat for the General Assembly’s Democratic majority — poured in Saturday, as both sides of the aisle surveyed the landscape.
A rally is planned for Sunday at the state Capitol from noon to 3 p.m. to show support for the Republican budget, said GOP chairman J.R. Romano. He said the event is not sponsored by Republicans and called it a “citizen rally.”
Connecticut Democratic Party
Connecticut Democratic Party Chairman Nick Balletto released the following statement:
“There have been a lot of questions about what transpired in the legislature in the past day.
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Reactions to state budget pouring in
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City urges Stamford residents to prepare for storm
STAMFORD — The city’s flood protection barrier may be raised ahead of Hurricane Jose, the first storm in an active season to make its way up the Atlantic toward Connecticut.
The barrier — which protects the city from tidal surges and flooding during major storms — was last put in place in March for a winter storm, city officials said. Boats cannot enter Stamford Harbor when the barrier is raised.
The latest in a string of powerful hurricanes, Jose, a Category 1 storm as of Monday night, is not expected to make landfall in the Northeast, nor is it expected to bring weather conditions beyond moderate rain and wind gusts.
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Stamford woman killed in Merritt Parkway crash
STAMFORD - A 31-year-old Stamford woman was killed on the Merritt Parkway Sunday morning after losing control of her car and striking trees off the highway.
The accident happened shortly after 9 a.m. Sunday between Exits 35 and 36.
The victim was identified as Bianca Diaz, of River Place.
According to State Police, Diaz was traveling northbound in the left lane when for unknown reasons lost control of her 1997 Honda Accord.
“Once out of control, the vehicle traveled across the right lane and entered the grass area located along the right-hand shoulder of the highway,” according to the accident summary.
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Police make arrests in two Stamford armed robberies
STAMFORD-Two men are charged with armed robbery following two unrelated street robberies in Stamford Tuesday morning.
Police say the first robbery occurred in Jackie Robinson park while a 29-year-old man was drinking with a couple buddies.
Sgt. Jennifer Lynch said the man said a black male with a red and white shirt came riding up to them on a bicycle and began annoying the small group.
The robbery victim told police that he firmly told the man on the bike to leave. But the man became angry and punched the man who told him to get out.
The man ran away and the bicyclist followed, demanding the man’s wallet.
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Stamford lifeguard pleads not guilty in child’s near drowning
STAMFORD — It started out as a typical summer afternoon at the Splash Zone: a lifeguard alternated between walking the perimeter of the small Chelsea Piers pool and sitting on his perch overlooking the water as children swam during a break from camp.
But below the water’s surface a 5-year-old boy had been submerged for more than four minutes, apparently out of sight of the lifeguard and other children, court documents say.
Details of the Chelsea Piers security video were released Tuesday as the 23-year-old New Canaan lifeguard pleaded not guilty to risk of injury to a child and first-degree reckless endangerment charges.
Zachary Stein, appearing in court for the first time since his Sept.
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Handyman charged with stealing from dying Stamford customer
STAMFORD-Police have charged a Norwalk handyman with stealing two checks worth just over $2,800 from an elderly Stamford customer and cashing them right after the woman died.
Ralph Esposito, 60, of Wolfpit Avenue, was charged with second-degree larceny and is being held on a $25,000 court appearance bond before his arraignment Wednesday at the Stamford courthouse.
Sgt. Jennifer Pinto said police received a complaint from the relatives of a 79-year-old woman who died just before the end of 2016. The complaint was made after the discovery of two checks written from the woman’s account just before she died on Dec. 27, 2016 totaling $2,850.
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Police: Man kidnapped after giving drug dealers fake money
STAMFORD — A city man claims he was abducted and pistol-whipped after his friend paid for drugs with fake money, police said.
Sgt. Jennifer Lynch said officers responded about 9:45 p.m. Tuesday to Barnstable Road near Hope Street for a man who had been assaulted. Lynch said the victim was bleeding from the face and forehead.
The man told officers he and his friend purchased marijuana from three men at the corner of Courtland Avenue and East Main. The victim said he dropped off his friend near Courtland Hill Street and went home where the drug dealers were waiting, Lynch said.
The men were angry about the fake money and demanded the victim take them to his friend’s home, Lynch said.
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SilverSource breakfast to introduce new products for older adults
STAMFORD — New products, services and investment opportunities that can improve the lives of older adults is the focus of a breakfast hosted by Stamford’s SilverSource, an organization that provides resources for the elderly.
Crispin Baynes, co-director of the New York chapter of Aging 2.0, will lead the third annual SilverSource Autumn Breakfast, which this year has added a panel discussion.
“Innovators and investors alike are recognizing the socioeconomic opportunities for products and applications benefiting retirees and the baby boomer generation,” SilverSource Executive Director Kathleen Bordelon said in a press release.
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Police: Woman ditched drugs, ran from cops near Latham Park
STAMFORD - A 36-year-old woman from upstate Connecticut was nabbed in Latham Park Tuesday with 15 bags of marijuana and cocaine, police said.
According to police, the woman - identified as Jennifer Rudek, of Hawington - was seen exiting from the rear passenger door of a vehicle which was parked in an adjacent lot. Sgt. Richard Gasparino, who was monitoring the Bedford Street park, then saw Rudek walk away from the vehicle.
“Sergeant Gasparino, from experience, recognized this is a possible narcotics transaction that occurs from time to time in this area,” Lt. Michael A. Noto posted on Facebook.
“He had a marked police vehicle come into the area.
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Bridgeport man faces drug charges in Stamford
STAMFORD — A Bridgeport man who got off parole last week has been arrested again after police say he was found with a powerful hallucinogen.
Capt. Richard Conklin said officers in the Narcotics and Organized Crime squad were patrolling the Dale Street neighborhood Wednesday night in response to complaints of drug use, dealing and trespassing.
The officers walked up to a group of men smoking marijuana, Conklin said. One of the men was Anthony Mojica, who was smoking a blunt and claimed to have a small amount of marijuana on him, Conklin said. Mojica gave the officers a bag containing 2.2 grams of a green leafy substance, Conklin said.
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Stamford man trying to defend sister charged with burglary
STAMFORD — A city man has been accused of burglary after climbing three stories to break into a West Side apartment to defend his sister, police say.
Sgt. Jennifer Lynch said a police investigation revealed a couple had been arguing in the Taylor Street apartment and another woman intervened early Thursday morning. The man involved in the argument told the woman to mind her own business and she called her brother, Lynch said.
The woman’s brother, Travaris Howard, 28, began banging street signs with a metal bat to intimidate the man involved in the argument, Lynch said. Howard then climbed up the outdoor balconies to the third floor where he tore off the screen door and entered the apartment, Lynch said.
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Three arrested for kidnapping in Stamford drug ripoff
STAMFORD-Three Norwalk men have been arrested on kidnapping charges in a bizarre scheme to retrieve their money after accepting counterfeit bills for a small amount of marijuana earlier this week.
Police reported on Tuesday night that a Barnstable Road man ended up with a broken jaw while allegedly being abducted by three men who claimed the man’s friend passed them phony money for marijuana that same night.
Police say the trio found the man outside his home and punched him in the jaw before pistol whipping him after resisting their demands to take them to his friend’s house where they wanted to get real money for the pot they just sold the friend.
Stamford police investigators Eva Maldonado, Frank Lacona and Sgt.
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Trinity Catholic holds night of unity
Trinity Catholic High School held a Night of Unity and Peace service on Thursday to coincide with the United Nation's International Day of Peace.
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South End fire sends two to the hospital
STAMFORD — Two landscaping employees suffered injuries after a fire broke out at a South End commercial building, fire officials said.
Stamford Fire Department received reports around 2:32 p.m. Friday of a fire with “heavy black smoke” coming from the garage of the commercial building at 95 Elmcroft Road.
Fire officials said that the fire began in the tool room of a landscaping business.
After ensuring the building was evacuated, firefighters worked to contain the fire to the tool room. The fire department eventually extinguished the fire and declared the scene clear around 4:23 p.m., nearly two hours after receiving the initial report.
All fire damage was limited to the tool room, said fire officials.
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Stamford primary race recount ends in tie
STAMFORD — After a primary election for Board of Representatives in District 2 came down to a one-vote margin, a recount Monday ended in a tie, according to the Town Clerk’s office. A new primary election will likely be held on Oct. 10 at the District 2 voting precinct at 198 Selleck St. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Only registered Democrats in District 2 can vote in this closed primary election. Newcomer Ines Saftic, a Democrat running on the Reform Stamford slate, defeated incumbent and Party Majority Leader Elaine Mitchell by a single vote in the first count after the primary election last Tuesday. The narrow margin allowed for a recount.
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Stamford dental office owner sentenced to jail for fraud
STAMFORD — The owner of a city dental practice who used the records of a retired dentist to bill insurance companies for more than 10 years of work that was never performed has been sentenced to a year and one day in jail.
Elena Ilizarov, 45, of Stamford, was facing up to 20 years in jail for bilking the insurance companies of nearly $600,000, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
She was sentenced Friday by U.S. Distict Judge Victor Bolden in Bridgeport and her sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. Bolden will issue a restitution order within 30 days.
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It’s time for flu shots
STAMFORD — It may be close to 90 degrees out, but city officials are reminding residents that it’s not too early to get this year’s flu shot.
The city is offering flu shots at 137 Henry St. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in October from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will give them at the Stamford Government Center’s fourth floor patio every Thursday between Sept. 28 and Oct. 26 from 11: 30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Medicare Part B is the only insurance accepted. The regular vaccine is $26. A high-potency vaccine for those 65 and older is $50.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone 6 months and older receive a flu vaccine by the end of next month.
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32 displaced in West Side fire in Stamford
STAMFORD-Fire officials say 32 people have been burned out of their Alden Street homes during a five-alarm blaze on Stamford’s West Side late Monday afternoon.
Stamford Fire Marshal Charles Spaulding said the two homes at 46 and 50 Alden Street that were badly damaged by fire contained eight living units. Spaulding said the investigation as to what caused the fire is ongoing.
“We have a very good idea where the fire started. So at the very least, we know exactly where the fire started and we are now looking into the area of the origin of the fire to determine exactly what started the fire,” said Spaulding, who was at the fire scene until 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.
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Stamford boy nearly killed in trash compactor
STAMFORD — A runaway teenager sleeping in a Dumpster was nearly crushed when a garbage company emptied the container early Tuesday morning.
Sgt. Robert Shawinsky said the 16-year-old boy was lucky the garbage truck driver heard his cries for help and stopped the compactor. The boy emerged from the hopper with some scrapes and bruises.
Shawinsky said the City Carting driver was emptying a Dumpster on East Main Street at 3 a.m. Tuesday.
“The employees from City Carting garbage company explained that after they picked up the Dumpster and dumped it into the truck and began compacting it, they heard someone screaming from inside the truck’s hopper,” Shawinsky said.
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Stamford police union donates bike helmets to children
STAMFORD — Members of the city’s police union donated 70 bicycle helmets to about a half dozen day cares and other organizations this week.
The helmets were leftovers from the Stamford Police Association’s collection of 900 helmets for its Timothy Coppola helmet giveaway event in 2015.
Timothy Coppola was a second-grader at Roxbury Elementary School when he rode out of his driveway on a new bike without wearing his helmet in 1992. The boy struck a neighbor’s car and hit his head. The boy suffered a brain injury and died nearly two years later at the age of 10.
The boy’s father, retired Stamford Police Officer Glenn Coppola, and the police union have given away bike helmets to city children each year since the child died.
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