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Even an upcoming blizzard doesn’t deter fires. In the course of one hour, from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., Bridgeport firefighters have been called to two fires, according to dispatch.
The first fire was at 1255 Madison Ave. It is a small, one-story commercial building holding a convenience store. Then, firefighters were called to the scene of a Black Rock laundromat at 2615 Fairfield Ave. The department was also called out to several car fires.
Fire officials said all were minor fires with no injuries.
Bridgeport Democratic state Rep. Jack Hennessy’s push to put an end to the practice of allowing city employees to also serve on the city council has gained a bit of momentum.
His bill’s got a page on Facebook and a date for a public hearing – March February 13, 10 a.m. in Hartford.
It’s also got the attention of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, and not in a good way.
CCM head Jim Finley told me tonight the group plans to testify against Hennessy’s proposal.
Finley said it is not uncommon for municipal employees to hold elected positions and Hennessy’s bill would further limit the already shallow pool of folks who want to enter local politics.
I noted that Hennessy’s bill as written appears narrowly tailored to Bridgeport. The city’s charter actually prevents employees from being elected to the council but they get away with it using a loophole in state law.
Hennessy wants to close that loophole IF a municipal charter is intended to keep public workers off the council. Bridgeport, that means you!
So, I asked Finley, why does CCM care?
“We work closely with the current Bridgeport City Council and have always had a great relationship,” Finley said. “It seems odd to have a state legislator target one municipality.”
But Hennessy argues the potential conflicts-of-interest and cronyism that can arise from Bridgeport’s situation are what have held the Democrat-dominated city back for so long.
FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY
FORECAST CONFIDENCE –INCREASING from 50-80+ PERCENT, Blizzard Watches for most of southern CT and Suffolk County, NY; Winter Storm Watches rest of area, Coastal Flood Watch for portions of the area.
PRECIPITATION – Heavy Snow with Blizzard conditions possible, and/or Sleet and Freezing Rain
WINDS – Speeds increasing to 25-35 with Gusts to 50 mph…higher gusts possible eastern LI and southeast CT
COASTAL FLOODING – Minor to Moderate. Tidal departures of 3 to 5 feet with battering wave action on northeast facing shorelines.
TEMPERATURES – 30s Friday; 20s Friday Night; 30 Saturday
TIMING – Precipitation develops from SW to NE after 1 am Friday Potential Increasing for High Impacts
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS – Blowing and drifting snow, making roads impassable. All modes of Travel will be seriously impacted, especially Friday afternoon through early Saturday.
POWER OUTAGES – Likely due to heavy wet snow, icing and high wind gusts
FLOODING – Widespread flooding of vulnerable shore roads and/or basements due to height of storm tide and heavy wave action.
HAMDEN — Quinnipiac University will conduct a program to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation on Monday Feb. 18 (President’s Day) beginning at 7 p.m.. in the Buckman Theater on campus, 275 Mount Carmel Ave.
Panel members will include:
— William Dunlap, professor of law and expert on the Emancipation Proclamation and 13th Amendment
— Marilyn Ford, professor of law, Quinnipiac University
— The Rev. Robert Perry Pastor of Union Baptist Church, Stamford and former president of the Connecticut Convention of Baptist Churches
— James Rawlings – President NAACP, New Haven chapter
The event is free and open to the public.
The state Department of Public Health is warning residents of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning if power is lost and alternative heating sources are used.
The department said the potential for deep snow, loss of power and improper use of heating devices could cause dangerous levels of carbon monoxide to build up.
DPH is urging residents to use portable generators safely and not to bring outdoor grills inside the home for cooking and warmth. Exhaust from portable generators and grills can release dangerous levels of CO.
When using a generator or grill make sure you do so outside and not in the home.
Always run a generator outdoors far from your home and your neighbor’s, at least 20 feet, and away from doors, windows and air intakes.
Deep snow can also increase the risk of CO poisoning in homes and cars.
Make sure inlets and outlets for your furnace are free of snow. Some furnaces have exhaust vents that can be blocked by snow, causing ventilation problems.
After a snowst0rm, make sure your vehicle’s exhaust pipe is clear of snow.
After Superstorm Sandy there were numerous cases of carbon monoxcide poisonings from people improperly using generators and outdoor grills.
Last week a man house-watching an Oxford home was killed by CO fumes along with three dogs in the house.
Brad Field, the meteorologist at NBC 30, WVIT in Hartford, said that the National Weather Service now predicts that 80 percent of the state will receive at least a foot of snow.
“I can’t remember if I’ve ever seen that before,” Field said.
The storm that’s coming is unusually widespread, agreed Kevin Nursick of the state DOT. “That’s what’s different here, the size of the area affected.”
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