Fairfield County | featured news

STAMFORD — It was just two days after Christmas 2015 when Yessenia Perez heard the loud knock on the door. She was handed an eviction notice and told she and her family had one week to vacate their second-floor apartment in a Henry Street house. “We were so surprised,” recalled Perez, 41. “What happened?

RIDGEFIELD — The local chapter of the National Charity League will host an informational meeting for prospective members on Jan. 11.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Keeler Tavern. NCL is a mother-daughter philanthropic-based organization committed to community service, leadership development and cultural experiences, according to a release from the chapter.

The chapter seeks qualified candidates of mothers and daughters entering grades seven through 10 in the fall. The chapter is also a certifying organization for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.

DANBURY — State police reported a “string” of accidents along I-84 late Saturday morning as light snow and below-freezing temperatures created slick roadways.

A dispatcher for Troop A said there were nearly 10 accidents between 9:45 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. from exit 20 on I-84 westbound up to the New York state line.

About half were multi-car accidents, though he said there were no major injuries.

RIDGEFIELD — When New York-based artist Xiomaro applied to Weir Farm’s artist-in-residence program six years ago, he didn’t think he would be accepted, let alone write the first book about the national park.

“I didn’t think I was qualified,” Xiomaro said, adding he had started photographing parks as a hobby only a few years earlier. “But, I applied anyway. I thought, ‘I have nothing to lose.’”

The park selected him to live at Weir Farm National Historic site for a month in 2011.

NEWTOWN — First Selectman Dan Rosenthal and the town’s Emergency Management Office are urging residents to prepare for the severe cold weather forecast for the next week.

Officials reminded residents to review preparedness plans, protect pets and check on elderly or frail neighbors. They listed locations in town they can use to seek relief from the cold:

The library is open from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It will be closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

Light snowfall Saturday could hamper the travels of those looking to get out of town for New Year’s Eve, according to the latest National Weather Service forecasts.

The NWS says that there is a 90 percent chance of snow in Southwestern Connecticut today, with the highest amounts expected along the coast.

Snow is expected to start falling around 7 a.m. before kicking up a notch around 1 p.m. Between 1-3 p.m., the NWS predicts one to two inches of snow to accumulate, making for “slippery traveling conditions” around the state.

Light snowfall Saturday could hamper the travels of those looking to get out of town for New Year’s Eve, according to the latest National Weather Service forecasts.

The NWS says that there is a 90 percent chance of snow in Southwestern Connecticut today, with the highest amounts expected along the coast.

Snow is expected to start falling around 7 a.m. before kicking up a notch around 1 p.m. Between 1-3 p.m., the NWS predicts one to two inches of snow to accumulate, making for “slippery traveling conditions” around the state.

Police around the region are stepping up enforcement to prevent dangerous driving on the roads this New Year’s weekend. Newtown began its extra enforcement Thursday evening and will continue through the weekend, with two officers dedicated each evening solely to enforcing speed and driving-while-intoxicated violations, said Lt. Aaron Bahamonde. He said the two violations often go hand in hand. “People under the influence tend to drive very fast or extremely slow, so those are certainly clues our officers look for,” he said.

STAMFORD — A Board of Representatives committee this week backed Mayor David Martin’s request to reappoint all four members of his cabinet. The seven members of the board’s Appointments Committee attending the meeting unanimously approved Director of Legal Affairs Kathryn Emmett and Director of Public Safety, Health & Welfare Ted Jankowski, the minutes show. Director of Administration Michael Handler was approved 6-1, and Director of Operations Ernie Orgera, 3-1 with three abstentions.

STAMFORD — Officers arrested a local man Thursday afternoon after they allegedly found a large quantity of fentanyl in the man’s jacket.

Stamford Police Sgt. Jennifer Pinto said officers were conducting a foot patrol at about 4:45 p.m. near Main and Atlantic streets in response to a recent increase in complaints of drug and alcohol abuse in the area.

During their patrol, Pinto said the officers smelled marijuana and found two men sitting at a bus stop.