Fairfield County | featured news

STAMFORD-Six men were arrested over the weekend after police seized more than three pounds of marijuana, nearly $5,000 in cash and 87 vaporizer canisters containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

Capt. Richard Conklin said the arrests and seizure came after a Narcotics and Organized Crime officers kept an eye out on what turned out to be a marijuana dealing operation on Raymond Street over several weeks.

When the squad’s officers raided the location at about 7 p.m.

STAMFORD — A woman was struck and killed in a crosswalk near the exit 8 ramp of Interstate 95 Tuesday morning.

Sgt. Andrew Gallagher said the woman, in her early 60s, was crossing Elm Street shortly after 7 a.m. while walking to work at the new Henkel headquarters when she was hit. After stepping off the curb, she was struck by 2016 Dodge Sprinter van that was making a right turn from Elm onto North State Street.

Gallagher said the driver stopped his van and has cooperated with the investigation into Stamford’s first pedestrian death of the year.

STAMFORD-City police report that five vehicles were vandalized on West Washington Avenue early Tuesday morning.

Sgt. Chris Broems said said shortly after 1 a.m., a female resident reported hearing large bangs outside her home, located between Linden Place and North Street, and went out to investigate.

She discovered that her car had one of its windows broken out along with four other vehicles with similar damage.

DANBURY — A fire in the elevator shaft at La Quinta Inn & Suites has been put out without any injuries, officials said.

Firefighters responded to reports of a fire alarm at the Newtown Road hotel around noon Monday, said James Gagliardo, public information officer for the Danbury department. When they arrived, firefighters found smoke in the hallway surrounding a fire in one of the elevator shafts.

The building was evacuated as crews extinguished the fire, which Gagliardo said took less than an hour.

RIDGEFIELD — Evelyn Carr, a freshman at Ridgefield High School, has been chosen as a finalist in the Forte International Music Competition.

Carr will perform as a soloist at Carnegie Hall in the final round concert for the competition in February. The Forte competition is open to musics throughout the world. Other finalists have been selected from countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, Mexico and the United States.

Carr previously won first place this year in the NY Lyric Opera National Vocal Competition, and she has performed at venues from Carnegie Hall to Yankee Stadium.

NEW HAVEN — The right lane on a stretch of Route 15 is temporarily closed as workers repair a fence, likely damaged during an accident early this morning.

The state Department of Transportation reported emergency roadwork between exits 58 and 59 on the northbound side of Route 15 shortly before 7 a.m. The right lane will be closed for two hours or less as workers repair a fence in the area, the report showed.

A dispatcher with state police Troop I said the roadwork was likely the result of an accident that occurred around midnight in the same area.

Connecticut’s two U.S. senators will travel to Puerto Rico this week to learn about the ongoing damage from Hurricane Maria.

“This trip will shine a glaring light on Puerto Rico’s continuing humanitarian and economic crisis,” said U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) in a release. “Since I last visited the island in October, the federal response has been shamefully inadequate. Across Connecticut, I have heard heartbreaking stories from families who have recently arrived and other families still on the island.”

Blumenthal, along with U.S. Sen.

Connecticut’s two U.S. senators will travel to Puerto Rico this week to learn about the ongoing damage from Hurricane Maria.

“This trip will shine a glaring light on Puerto Rico’s continuing humanitarian and economic crisis,” said U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) in a release. “Since I last visited the island in October, the federal response has been shamefully inadequate. Across Connecticut, I have heard heartbreaking stories from families who have recently arrived and other families still on the island.”

Blumenthal, along with U.S. Sen.

WESTPORT - The fireworks display that was to cap off a day of celebrations during the town’s annual First Night festivities has been cancelled.

According to organizers of the event, ice along the Norwalk River has made it impossible for the barge containing the fireworks to make its way up the waterway. The operator has decided not to charge organizers and promised an even better show next year.

The rest of the annual Westport First Night activities will continue as scheduled.

STAMFORD — Kind, generous, supportive and hard-working.

These are the words Kristi Larson, head of the English Language Learner program at Stamford High School, used to describe 18-year-old Erwin Hernandez, a senior who was seriously injured last week when a car crashed into the restaurant where he worked.

Hernandez was working in the kitchen at Table 104, a restaurant on Long Ridge Road, when a vehicle crashed through the kitchen wall on Wednesday, causing serious damage to his right leg.