Danbury, Fairfield County | featured news

DANBURY - People of a certain age will remember the Jesuit activist Daniel Berrigan, buried Friday in New York, as the radical priest who burned draft records with homemade napalm, and who pounded on nuclear warheads with hammers.

[...] as mourners mark the death at 94 of a social justice pioneer, admirers here are recalling one spectacular day in 1972 that Berrigan shared with Danbury, when the rest of the world was transfixed by images of President Nixon at the Great Wall of China.

“He was a very controversial figure because at that time it was a great shock for a priest to take a polit

The longtime volunteer and youth sports coach is running as a Republican for the District 67 state House seat being vacated by Rep.

NEWTOWN — Several cars were broken into or damaged during an overnight string of thefts and vandalism last weekend, police said.

Officers were called to The Boulevard early Saturday morning after an unknown person knocked down a mailbox and got into a garage and a car on the same property, according to the report.

When emergency crews arrived, the victim was lying on the street and his bike was about 20 feet away from the car, Assistant Fire Chief Mark Omasta said.

The cyclist, a man in his 20s, was taken to Danbury Hospital with unknown injuries.

DANBURY — A nanny accused of repeatedly abusing three children rejected a plea deal Wednesday and is now expected to face a jury trial.

After reviewing two weeks’ worth of video from the family’s home security system, authorities concluded Quilligana had repeatedly abused the 3-year-old and her 1-year-old twin siblings.

NEWTOWN — Authorities are investigating the untimely death of a Westport police officer and member of the Newtown police commission.

“On behalf of Chief James Viadero and the Newtown Police Department, this day is a tragic loss for the family, friends and community of Newtown,” police said in a news release.

[...] Myer served as a member of the Southwest Regional Emergency Response Team as a crisis negotiator and was a member of the Westport Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Team, Marine Division, and Honor Guard.

In a news release issued Monday, troopers encouraged bikers to wear boots, gloves, leather pants and a jacket even on warm days for better protection during a fall.

“Connecticut law requires that motorcyclists wear eye protection, so be sure to protect your eyes with a shield on the helmet, goggles or shatterproof eyeglasses,” police said.

— Motorcyclists may need to slow down, stop or adjust their lane position depending on the obstacle in the road.

[...] allow extra maneuvering room in areas with potholes, pavement transitions and railroad crossings.

BROOKFIELD — A motorcyclist was arrested Saturday afternoon after state troopers clocked him driving at 133 mph, authorities said.

Andrzej Szostak, 35, of Ridgewood, N.Y., was seen traveling northbound on Route 7 at an “extreme high speed,” according to the report. The speed limit in that area is 55 mph.

Police said they stopped him about 1 p.m. at the Exit 12 off-ramp in Brookfield and took him into custody without incident.

Szostak was charged with reckless driving and passing vehicles on the right. He was released after posting $1,000 bond.

HARTFORD - After nearly four hours of debate and eight failed Republican amendments that would have changed the state’s medical-marijuana program, the Senate voted 23-11 late Friday to allow seriously ill children to participate.

If signed into law, the legislation will let parents and guardians, with the authorization of two physicians, give their children liquid or edible forms of the drug.

Connecticut is home to some of the greatest minds in the country, and we are fortunate that the Bill included language that would allow research to take place on the use of medical cannabis among chi

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Friday laid out an ambitious timeline for spurring along smart-gun technology and ultimately using federal purchasing power as a marketplace incentive for development of weapons with features that minimize the chances of misuse.

The 16-page report notes that although some smart guns have appeared in the marketplace, much work needs to be done to assure that such weapons are reliable and won’t compromise police officers or federal agents needing quick access in high-stress situations when firearms are needed most.’’

To incentivize gun manufact