Author Archive

Former Huskies celebrate National Championship with the Connecticut Post

Tuesday, April 5, 2011 by:Tom Cleary
Comment
Comments
|
|

What do Charlie Villanueva, Ben Gordon and Richard Hamilton all have in common?

They all played for UConn. They all now play for the Pistons. And they all just took a photo together in Houston holding up the Connecticut Post front page.

The former Huskies trio and current Detroit Pistons teammates  took a trip down to Houston to watch their former team win a third National Championship.

And a few minutes after the game ended, Villanueva tweeted this picture, holding up the commemorative Connecticut Post cover:

Timeline: The search for Isabella Oleschuk

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 by:Tom Cleary
Comment
Comments
|
|

Isabella Oluschek

The dramatic search and eventual rescue of 13-year-old Isabella Oleschuk of Orange captured the attention of the entire state.

The Amity Regional Middle School seventh grader was reported missing Sunday morning and then found Wednesday morning, just as her parents were about to speak to the media for the first time during the four-day saga.

Here is a timeline of the events surrounding Isabella’s story:

Sunday, March 20: Police begin search a for Isabella after her parents report her missing Sunday morning.

Monday, March 21: The search continues as more than 100 people join in, including firefighters, police officers, FBI teams, divers, police dogs and cadets from the Meridan municipal police academy. Police search a lake near Isabella’s house, as well as wooded areas. A vigil was held at night with more than 200 people in attendance and a vow is made by local officials to search for Isabella until she is found.

Monday night, Fairfield police investigate a possible sighting of Isabella at a Duchess restaurant in town. Police pass a video on to Orange authorities and it turns out to be a false sighting.

Tuesday, March 22: Firefighters from surrounding towns are called in to join the search, which focuses on the Racebrook Road area, not far from Isabella’s Derby Avenue home. Police issue a Silver Alert for Isabella as national media attention begins to grow.

Tuesday night, police announce that a press conference will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday and Isabella’s parents planned to meet with the media for the first time.

Wednesday, March 23: As the press conference is about to begin, Orange police Chief Robert Gagne changes the tone of the announcement and tells gathered media and friends of the Oleschuk family that Isabella has been found, alive and safe.

Isabella had been hiding out in a farm stand garage on Indian River Road, alone, with fruit, granola, juice and a blanket. She is healthy, not showing any signs of malnutrition and returned to her parents after briefly being checked by doctors at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

The investigation into her disappearance continues.

Shelton police investigating ‘possible inappropriate conduct’ by high school teacher

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 by:Tom Cleary
Comment
Comments
|
|

Shelton police Lt. Robert Kozlowsky said an investigation is ongoing into a complaint from the city’s school system regarding a teacher at Shelton High School.

Detectives are investigating “possible inappropriate conduct by a teacher,” said Kozlowsky.

The police received the complaint over the weekend and started probing on Monday, Kozlowsky said. Rumors going around school prompted the police to put out the release Wednesday.

The superintendent’s office declined to comment, calling it a police matter. Questions about whether the teacher in question continues to work have not yet been answered.

No charges have been filed in the case and no other details were immediately available, Kozlowsky said.


Early morning garage fire in Stratford

Thursday, March 10, 2011 by:Tom Cleary
Comment
Comments
|
|

For the full story click here.

The Stratford Fire Department put out a garage fire at 3:50 a.m.  in the area of Main Street and King’s College Place. It was a heavily involved fire on a 30 by 30 detached garage. Firefighters from engine 1, engine 5, ladder 1 and command 3 used a 2.5 inch line and a 1.75 inch line to bring the fire under control quickly.

There were no injuries in the blaze, but the garage was completely destroyed.

Photos from the Stratford Fire Union:

The Bridge Academy closed Thursday and Friday

Thursday, February 24, 2011 by:Tom Cleary
Comment
Comments
|
|

The Bridge Academy charter school on Kossuth Street in Bridgeport is closed today and will also be closed on Friday because of busing issues.

School officials had planned to have half-days on what were originally two days of winter break. The half-days were added because of the excessive amount of snow days. But students are now out of class again because buses were not available to take all students to the school.

The Bridge Academy is a public charter school for 260 middle school to high school aged students.

Water main break in Milford

Monday, February 14, 2011 by:Tom Cleary
Comment
Comments
|
|

UPDATE, 4:20 p.m.: The Regional Water Authority sent out a release stating that work is completed on a water main break on Peck Lane between Claudia Roses Mill Road in Milford. Water service will be turned back on. However, there are going to be traffic delays on the road tonight and tomorrow morning as roadwork is completed.

Here is the full release:

Construction crews of the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority are finishing work repairing a split in a 12-inch water main on Peck Lane on the Orange/Milford town line.  The crews had to replace a 15-foot section of the water line. The main has been re-pressurized and water samples were taken to ensure the water has not been contaminated. Water service has been restored. The construction crew will pave a 24’ by 20’ section of Peck Lane late this afternoon in order to reopen the road to traffic, and a contractor will finish the repair of the road Tuesday morning.

Original release:

According to the Regional Water Authority:

Construction crews of the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority are working to isolate and repair a break in a 12-inch water main on Peck Lane between Claudia and Roses Mill Road in Milford.  The main failure caused significant road damage on Peck Lane as well as a change in pressure which resulted in discolored water.

Approximately 46 customers are affected by the shut down while the main is being repaired. Repairs are expected to take six to eight hours.

Inmates to help clear snow from fire hydrants

Thursday, February 3, 2011 by:Tom Cleary
Comment
Comments
|
|

The Conn. Department of Correction sent out a press release today about a unique way to use inmates time:

Inmate work crews from the Connecticut Department of Correction are working with municipal fire departments to clear snow from fire hydrants.

Currently offenders from the Enfield and Willard-Cybulski Correctional Institution are working in the Enfield area, while inmates from the Bergin Correctional Institution in Storrs are assisting the Tolland Fire Department.

Corrections Commissioner Leo C. Arnone had directed the agency’s correctional facilities to make the offer of inmate assistance to their host communities. Additionally, he informed the State’s Emergency Operations Center, that inmates would be available to local municipalities for the clearing of hydrants.

“When it comes to our mission of public safety, there are few things more basic than insuring that hydrants are clear should they be needed to fight a fire,” said Commissioner Arnone. “This gives the inmates an important opportunity to give back to the community,” said the Commissioner.

The inmates are carefully screened, minimum security offenders who are under the supervision of corrections officers.

11 people escape from Fairfield basement blaze

Friday, January 28, 2011 by:Tom Cleary
Comment
Comments
|
|

FAIRFIELD – A basement fire that sparked a little after 8 p.m. on Thursday forced 11 people out of a four-family home on Forest Avenue, according to Assistant Fire Chief Scott Bisson.

There were no injuries in the blaze, but it caused around $1,000 in damage, Bisson said. The fire was caused by discarded materials in the basement. The 11 residents were able to return to their home after an air quality test. There was no structural damage.

When firefighters arrived on the scene at 159-165 Forest Ave., residents reported a fire in the basement and smoke throughout the house.

Firefighters had to dig out the closest fire hydrant to fight the fire, but the blaze was not fast moving and was quickly extinguished despite the extra time it took to clear the snow. Because of the heavy smoke conditions inside the house, firefighters remained on the scene for an additional hour.

Bisson said that residents were alerted to the fire when they smelled smoke coming from the basement and a smoke detector was activated. After calling 911, two of the residents attempted to fight the fire themselves using a fire extinguisher, but could not get into the basement because of the smoke.

Firefighters are again reminding residents to clear out snow from around fire hydrants if they are physically able to.

“Due to record-breaking snow fall accumulations, we are asking residents to assist firefighters by clearing snow from the more than 1,100 fire hydrants located in Fairfield,” Bisson said. “If the hydrant on your street is buried and can’t be found quickly by firefighters, it is like living on a street with no fire hydrants. We thank the public in advance for their assistance.”

Page 4 of 6« First...23456