Firefighters Extinguish Car Fire in Post Road West Driveway
Westport Fire Department: At 11:41 this morning, the Westport Fire Department responded to a report of a pick-up truck on fire behind a restaurant on Post Road West.
The department arrived on-scene with two engines and a shift commander to find an engine compartment fire in an older model pick-up truck.
A 1 ¾ inch hand line was deployed and the fire was quickly extinguished.
No injuries were reported, and the last units left the scene at 12:13 PM.
Supper and Soul Postponed due to COVID-19
Westport – Supper & Soul the Downtown Dinner and Concert featuring Cris Jacobs slated to occur on Saturday May 7th is being postponed due to Covid.
The tour manager for the band informed the Chamber of Commerce this afternoon by phone and then followed up with this statement. “Due to a positive Covid outbreak in the band, we are extremely sorry to have to cancel this weekend’s show in Westport. Sorry to everyone who had planned on coming out. We look forward to seeing you soon as we look for a future date and reschedule.”
“This is quite the bummer, we were all set to go,” said Matthew Mandell, Executive Director of the Chamber. “This was supposed to be the back from Covid show and it just proves this virus has not gone anywhere.”
The last true Supper & Soul show was held in February of 2020 just before the lock down. The Chamber did offer some streaming shows and 10 sold out car drive-in concerts during the pandemic.
The Chamber will be looking at all options to ensure all ticket holders either get to see the rescheduled show or receive a refund. They ask the public to give them a few days to figure this situation out.
In the meantime, those ticket holders who would still like to dine out at their chosen venue should immediately make contact and secure their table. This would be independent of the Chamber and the event and dining would be at their expense. Those tables in many cases should still be available for a short time. All restaurants have already been informed of this situation and would still like to be your host.
The next Supper & Soul will occur in the Fall. Whether that show will feature Cris Jacobs or not has not been determined, but some national touring act will be on stage in the Forum of the Library.
The Chamber would like to remind everyone that the Westport Dog Festival will be held next Sunday May 15th. They look forward to running that event, weather permitting.
Morning Weather Report
Today
Rain, mainly after 2pm. High near 61. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tonight
Rain. Low around 47. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tomorrow
Rain. High near 52. Breezy, with a northeast wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tomorrow Night
Rain likely, mainly before 2am. Cloudy, with a low around 43. Northeast wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
State Highlights Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month
Andrew Ruiz photoState Department of Transportation:
May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and with the unofficial start of travel season here, the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, and Connecticut Police Chiefs Association urge all road users to share the road and be alert.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcyclists are an estimated 29 times more likely than people in cars to die in a traffic crash and 4 times more likely to be injured.
In Connecticut, more than 50 motorcyclists lose their lives on our roadways each year. In 2021, there were 68 motorcycle fatalities in the state, the highest number in over 30 years.
“More people are heading out on the road and they continue to travel too fast. Crashes are up on our roadways and speed continues to be a leading factor,” Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti said. “It’s important for drivers to recognize the safety challenges faced by motorcyclists, such as size and visibility. Stay alert, avoid distractions, allow more follow distance, and look out for motorcycles.”
Safe riding practices and cooperation from all road users will help reduce the number of fatalities and injuries. Here are important tips:
Always check your blind spots. Motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles and can be even more difficult to spot while merging or changing lanes. Take your time before merging and devote several seconds to searching each of your car’s blind spots before proceeding with your intended maneuver.
Be extra cautious when passing. Make sure to signal your intention to pass a motorcyclist by using your turn signal. Always make sure you are several car lengths ahead of the motorcycle before returning to your lane.
Remember that motorcycles react more quickly than cars. Make sure that you maintain an adequate following distance behind motorcycles. Rear-ending a motorcycle can be fatal to the rider.
Be aware of weather. Bad weather has more drastic effects on motorcycle riders than it does on automobile drivers. Also remember that weather conditions often reduce your own visibility and may cause motorcycles to be more difficult to see.
Night-riding. Help riders stay safe after dark by increasing your following distance, ensuring that your high-beams are turned off when you notice an approaching motorcycle, and refraining from passing. If you are driving with your high beams on, you must dim them at least 500 feet from any oncoming vehicle including a motorcycle.
Stay in your lane. Motorcycles are legally entitled to their own lane of traffic. In no situation are you allowed to drive your automobile in the same lane and in close proximity to a motorcycle. No matter how small these vehicles are or how much extra room that there appears to be, sharing a single lane with a motorcycle is a recipe for an accident and illegal.
Inform motorcyclists of your intention to turn. Initiate your turn signal sooner than you normally would when you know there is a motorcycle driving behind you.
Intersections are danger zones. Many vehicle accidents that involve both automobiles and motorcycles occur at intersections. Always follow the safety protocol for intersections every single time that you approach one: come to a complete halt, view and obey posted traffic signs and signals, look both ways for approaching traffic, and proceed slowly.
Watch for turning motorcycles. Self-cancelling turn signals did not become standard on motorcycles until the late 1970s. There are still many motorcycles on the road today that do not have the self-cancelling turn signals that we are now accustomed to. If you notice that a motorcycle is driving with an activated turn signal for an abnormal distance, increase your following distance so that you have time to react whenever the rider does decide to turn.
Take a second look at left-turns. Before you cross a lane or lanes of traffic to turn left, take a second look for approaching motorcycles. Vehicle accidents involving the collision of a left-turning car and an approaching motorcycle can be very severe.
For more information on motorcycle safety, visit nhtsa.gov.