“I’m here in Bridgeport to let the world know Bridgeport, Connecticut beat Kittyhawk by two years on first controlled air flight,” he said, when he introduced himself at the meeting.

Apparently, Ratzenberger is working with the mayor on a way to celebrate and let the world know Gustav Whitehead, German native, was the first in flight — in Bridgeport. A movie maybe? Stay tuned…

The University of Bridgeport Women’s Gymnastics Team was being honored by the council for earning its 5th consecutive National Championship. The mayor’s disdain for his city’s four-year university is a matter of public knowledge.

State senators Andres Ayala, D-Bridgeport, and Anthony Musto, D-Trumbull, meanwhile took the time to send out a statement congratulating the group for its fifth win and announcing that they too presented the students with a citation.

“I could not be more proud of the young women on the University of Bridgeport’s gymnastics team,” Ayala said. “These student athletes have continued the dynasty of victory, and I offer my most sincere congratulations to them for giving their all year after year.”

The University of Bridgeport Purple Knights overcame Texas Women’s University at the championship in Louisiana, setting a school record along the way.

“The Purple Knights gymnastics team should be very proud of what they have accomplished,” said Senator Musto. “Winning the team championship is remarkable enough, but to set a school record and continue this five-year tradition of excellence is an accomplishment that the entire state of Connecticut should applaud.”

Everyone except Finch, apparently, who was eating at an Asian restaurant in the city’s Hollow neighborhood during the council’s presentation in honor of the gymnasts. The mayor was just late enough to emerge from the Democratic Caucus Room at the back of the Council chambers just as the women gymnasts were exciting out the front.

Minister Velma Lovelace signed up in advance to speak at Mayor Bill Finch’s weekly brown bag lunch Wednesday. Unlike other residents, though, she didn’t want to share any problems, concerns or issues with the city’s chief elected official. She just wanted him to meet her niece.

“We always see you on TV,” said Lovelace, who has met the mayor before, “and I wanted her to get a close look at you.”

“And I look just as funny-looking in person,” Finch joked.

“No, you look much nicer than on TV,” Lovelace said. “A lot of people really don’t know you and they don’t know what you do for Bridgeport.”

When Finch looked on expectantly, waiting for her to share any concerns, Lovelace said, “No. That was it. I just wanted her to meet you.”

Her niece, Natalie DeCosta, meanwhile, sat by quietly, laughing along with the half dozen residents waiting to share their city issues with Finch. DeCosta said she didn’t know the mayor made himself available to taxpayers every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m.

“I didn’t know this was available. That you were this accessible,” she said. “I think it needs to be promoted more so people can know…and that you are so cool too.”

That comment made Finch laugh. That’s not what his kids think, he said, noting that his young children think he’s “corny.” He then proceeded to explain why — by singing the riff Rihanna belts out on a commercial about how “Obama’s on fire.”

Photo from Facebook group "Tell Mayor Finch to resign"

Nearly a week after Blizzard Nemo dumped 30 inches of snow in the city — and more in nearby towns — Bridgeport is still digging its way out. In response to the city’s delay in clearing streets, someone has started a Facebook group asking Finch to resign.

In the group’s description someone wrote, “Mayor Finch’s incompetence during Blizzard NEMO has not only hurt the city financially but endangered the health and safety of our city’s residents. HE MUST RESIGN!”

On Thursday evening, the city announced that almost 100 percent of streets were passable, but the snow emergency parking ban remains in place.

That means there is No Parking on marked Snow Emergency streets. No parking on Snow Emergency streets allows our crews to clear the streets of snow so emergency vehicles have safe passage.

Alternate side of the street parking continues in effect on all other streets – odd side on odd-numbered days and even-side on even-numbered days.

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.

In a posting over the weekend, chairman John Slater welcomed visitors to the RTC’s page and announced that a website would be launched soon. “We will use this to update you on upcoming events, fundraisers as well as issues on the local, state and federal levels,” Slater wrote. “Both of these new outlets will help you learn about our candidates as well as our stances on everything Bridgeport.”

The group also posted some reasons why Democrats in the city have to go. A visit to the page shows it was originally launched in 2007, but there was only one post that year — a slideshow of their Lincoln Day Dinner.

The next post, a link to an article about Bridgeport being named one of the worst places for renters, was in 2011. There were four posts in 2012.

Bridgeport’s Democratic Town Committee does not have a website or a Facebook page.

April Robles, daughter of South End District Leader Mitchell Robles, was placed on administrative leave with pay on Jan. 4. City officials acknowledged that Robles is at the center of a Labor Relations investigation but declined to give any details. “I cannot comment further on a personnel matter,” said Elaine Ficarra, Mayor Bill Finch’s spokesperson.

But sources say Robles found a colorful toy gun while on duty at the city’s Health Department on East Main Street and began waving it around in the cafeteria. She also pointed the toy at several people, pretended to shoot and said, “Bang bang.”

The incident came just weeks after the Newtown school massacre. Around the same time, the city, which has been struggling to curb gun violence here for years, began a gun buyback program.

Robles did not return a Connecticut Post reporter’s calls. She also declined to speak to News 12, but her father told the TV station that his daughter found the gun at work and meant no harm. “I raised my daughter right, she’s an adult, and we’ll accept whatever decision the city makes,” Mitch Robles, who is also a city sheriff, told News 12.

The vacant lot at 77-127 Garden St., behind the parking lots for the Homes for the Brave and Mercy Learning Center on Park Avenue, will be turned into a park and community garden using a $171,500 Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition grant.

“Preserving open space in Bridgeport is critical to ensuring a healthy, pleasant atmosphere in this urban neighborhood,” said state Sen. Anthony Musto, D-Trumbull, whose district includes a part of Bridgeport. “This grant will transform an existing eyesore into an attractive park and community maintained garden, making the neighborhood an even better place to live and raise a family.”

The open space grants are part of a program administered by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection that uses state bonds and funding from the 2005 Community Investment Act to support 35 communities in purchasing 2,732 acres across Connecticut and as part of a goal to protect 673,210 acres of land by 2023.

“Land conservation is an important investment in our future, and moves us closer to meeting our goal of protecting 21 percent of Connecticut’s land as open space in the next ten years,” said Malloy. “These preservation projects are key to maintaining our high quality of life and making Connecticut a great place to live, work and raise a family.”

The lot at 127 Garden St. is owned by the Bridgeport Housing Authority. In 2009, the BHA was awarded a $200,000 EPA grant to remediate the site, which lies across the street from the authority’s renovated Eleanor and Franklin housing complex. The site was contaminated with arsenic, metals, mercury, and inorganic contaminants.

“Bringing Bridgeport residents closer to their natural environment through the expansion of parks, recapturing our waterfront and creating community gardens has been one of the highest priorities for our BGreen 2020 initiative,” said Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch. “Enhancing this open space with a new community garden will be a great addition to the neighborhood.”