Westport COVID-19 Cases Up 10; State Positivity Rate 8.67 %
The State Department of Public Health reported 10 more cases in Westport over the past day. The State’s daily test positivity rate was up to 8.67% while State hospitalizations remained at 245 patients.
Westport total positive or probable cases: 5,265 cases.
Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 37 deaths
State Daily Test Positivity: 8.67% [up from 8.13%]
State COVID-19 Hospitalizations: 245 patients
Mary Ann Baldwin, 78, Died; Saugatuck Harbor Yacht Club Member
Mary Ann Baldwin, a fifty-two-year resident of Ridgefield died on June 22, 2022. She passed away comfortably at home with her husband holding her hand.
Mary Ann was born on January 29, 1944, to Michael Sudzina and Elizabeth (Gregus) Sudzina in Perth Amboy, NJ. She grew up in Metuchen, NJ and graduated from Michigan State University and subsequently received a master's degree from Fairfield University. She married Dr. Randall Baldwin in 1966 and had two children: Geoffrey and Matthew. She was the proud grandmother of Sarah, Nathaniel, Lindsey, and Abigail. She is also survived by a brother, Michael R. Sudzina and two favorite nieces: Christine Shutt and Susan Brandon.
Mary Ann loved the Town of Ridgefield and was very active in town affairs. Among her many positions were nine years of service on the Board of Education, including four years as Chairman. In 1991, she took the responsibility of Director of Social Services for the town. She served in that capacity until her retirement in 2010. Mary Ann and Randall were also members of the Saugatuck Harbor Yacht Club for over forty years. She was a faithful member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.
A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, September 9, 2022, at 11:00 AM at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church; 353 Main Street, Ridgefield. Interment will take place privately.
Mary Ann may be remembered with a gift to the Ridgefield Social Services Emergency Fund or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which were her favorite charities. Kane Funeral Home is in care of arrangements.
Morning Weather Report
Today
Sunny, with a high near 80. Northwest wind around 8 mph.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 59. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tomorrow
Sunny, with a high near 84. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
Tomorrow Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 63. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening.
High Tides
11:47 AM / 11:54 PM
Low Tides
5:46 AM / 5:50 PM
Compo Beach Fireworks: How to Navigate the Traffic
stock imageWestport Police Department Press Release: The annual PAL fireworks display is set for Thursday June 30, 2022, with a rain date of Friday July 1, 2022. This is the largest annual Westport event featuring heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic affecting all roads south of Greens Farms Road between Compo Road South and Hillspoint Road. It is recommended that spectators plan to arrive early as traffic delays are inevitable. Daytime Compo Beach visitors are reminded the beach closes at 4:00 PM. Only those vehicles with fireworks passes will be allowed to remain within the beach. We ask those with fireworks passes to be standing by their vehicles at that time so Parks and Recreation staff can collect their pass. The beach should reopen to ticket holders by 5:00 PM, however this determination will be made by Westport Parks and Recreation staff.
Pedestrians attending the fireworks are reminded not to walk on the roads and to use sidewalks when going to and from Compo Beach. It is recommended that pedestrians wear bright clothing and parents please always keep an eye on small children!
For ticket holders:
Access to the PAL Fireworks display will be through South Compo Road only. Hillspoint Road south of Greens Farms Road will be open to residents with residences south of that intersection.
Firework attendees should display the ticket prominently on the dashboard so it can be seen clearly when traveling to the event. They will be collected upon entry into the parking area.
All ticket holders must be inside Compo Beach by 9:00 PM. No vehicular beach traffic will be allowed south of the Minuteman statue after that time.
For those who do not have tickets:
Vehicles without a ticket will not be able to go any further towards Compo Beach than the Minuteman statue.
Those utilizing Uber, Lyft, or Taxi services will be directed straight past the Minuteman Statue on Compo Road South. There, visitors can walk from the area of Compo Road South and Soundview Drive to the beach. NOTE: If you choose to use this method of transportation return service will not be available until after 11pm due to 1 way traffic exiting the beach area.
IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR POST-FIREWORKS TRAFFIC
Just prior to the conclusion of the fireworks display two-way traffic will be suspended on Compo Beach Road and South Compo Road to the intersection of Greens Farms Road. There will be two lanes of northbound traffic on these streets until the beach is cleared. Residents of this area will encounter delays in getting to their homes for approximately one hour or until traffic has cleared from the Compo Beach area and should plan accordingly. Residents who are planning on picking up family members in the beach area should also plan for delays. Motorists are reminded there will be a significant amount of vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the Compo Beach area prior to and after the event and are asked to please exercise extreme caution while traveling through this area.
Westport COVID-19 Cases Up 17; State Positivity Rate Down over Weekend
The State Department of Public Health reported 17 more cases in Westport over the weekend. The State’s daily test positivity rate was down to 8.13%.
Westport total positive or probable cases: 5,255 cases.
Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 37 deaths
State Daily Test Positivity: 8.13% [down from 8.41%]
Norwalk Aquarium Offers Fireworks, other Cruises throughout the Summer
The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk: Enjoy special on-the-water views of the upcoming holiday fireworks display in Norwalk from aboard the research vessel of The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, just one of many memorable cruises onto Long Island Sound offered by the Aquarium this summer.
The Aquarium’s Fireworks Cruise on Sun., July 3 departs at 7:45 p.m. to give participants a unique and beautiful view of the City of Norwalk’s annual pyrotechnics, presented from the water off Calf Pasture Beach park. Plus, the cruise is a great way to avoid the crowds and post-show traffic, with a return to the Aquarium dock at 11:15 p.m.
Other Maritime Aquarium cruises this summer invite participants to discover firsthand the abundant and diverse marine life teeming just off our shores or to enjoy a relaxed evening that builds an appreciation for the Sound, an Estuary of National Significance.
Now through Labor Day, additional opportunities to join the Aquarium on the Sound include:
Marine Life Encounter Cruises1:15 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays
These fun outings present a living, squiggling, splashing snapshot of the Sound’s complex and culturally important marine life. Because each cruise’s samplings of animals is different, each cruise is a little different but participants commonly enjoy hands-on introductions to a variety of creatures ranging from microscopic copepods to prehistoric-looking horseshoe crabs to keeper-sized flounder. Lucky participants may meet a squid, mantis shrimp or even a small shark.
“Marine Life Encounter Cruises are an exciting, hands-on family adventure that goes beyond the experience inside the Aquarium,” said Nicki Rosenfeld, a Senior Education Manager who also is one of the Aquarium’s boat captains. “Participants come away with a new or deeper appreciation for Long Island Sound’s biodiversity and beauty, and thus a new or deeper desire to do their part to protect this important natural resource.”
During the 2.5-hour cruises, Aquarium educators put participants to work in collecting and examining animals from all levels of the water column: tiny wriggly plankton gathered at the surface and viewed on a large monitor via a videomicroscope; small crabs, sponges and worms grabbed from the muddy bottom; and a variety of fish, crabs, mollusks and always a few surprises brought up in a trawl net. All animals are safely returned to the water.
• TGIF Cruises • Saturday Sunset Cruises
6:30 p.m. July 1, 7 p.m. Saturdays and on Fridays in August
Enjoy a relaxing evening boat ride during these pleasurable cruises that celebrate the natural beauty of Long Island Sound, especially as twilight paints the evening sky and reflects on the water. During each 90-minute outing, Aquarium educators are along onboard to point out sights and wildlife, but there’s no structured program.
Maritime Aquarium cruises occur aboard R/V Spirit of the Sound™, a 64-foot catamaran that is the country’s first research vessel with quiet hybrid-electric propulsion, just one of the leadership steps the Aquarium has taken to model reducing its carbon footprint.
Participants for all cruises must be at least 42 inches tall. Guests under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. The boat has a climate-controlled cabin but participants should dress for weather out on deck.
Cruises depart from the dock at North Water and Washington streets, a short walk from the Aquarium’s main entrance. (Use 4 North Water St. on your GPS for the boat dock parking lot.)
For prices, more details and to reserve your tickets now, go to www.maritimeaquarium.org.
Westport Police: Unlocked Doors Allowed Thieves to Steal from Cars Saturday
Westport Police Department Press Release: This past Saturday (6/25/22), the Westport Police Department investigated several motor vehicle burglaries, which occurred during the late afternoon and early evening hours. In all cases of vehicles being entered, which resulted in thefts, the doors were unlocked. Traditionally, this type of crime was committed during the overnight hours. However, Westport and other communities are now seeing this activity at varying times of the day.
The car burglaries that occurred on Saturday are being investigated by the department’s detective bureau. Furthermore, additional patrols will be deployed as a preventative measure.
The Westport Police Department would like to take this opportunity to once again remind everyone to lock your car(s) and bring your keys/fobs inside. It is also important to remember to take valuables out of your car, such as cash, purses, wallets, and electronics.
Should someone witness a person actively burglarizing a car, please call the police immediately and provide as much information as possible. However, under no circumstances should anyone confront the suspect(s).
Rally Opposing Supreme Court Decisions: Large & LOUD
A view of Sunday’s protest rally on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen bridge which was decorated with flags from around the world for Westport’s annual jUNe day.
Sunday's protesters on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Memorial bridge in Westport were quite clear about their feelings on the recent high court decisions on concealed carry gun laws and the reversal of the nearly 50 year old ruling on Roe v. Wade preventing the banning of abortion restrictions nationwide. They are adamant in their opposition to the high court's ruling. They made that very clear with both numbers, estimated to be as high as 400 or more at it's peak and with volume both by protestors and their supporters who crossed the bridge where the din of car horns din was almost non-stop. The crowd cheered when a semi truck with a giant Amercian flag painted on it's side rumbled over the bridge and trumpeted support sounding his air horn.
Story and photos by J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Protest organizer, activist Darcy Hicks, founder of DefenDemocracy of CT Facebook page.revs up the crowd and leads the chants on Sunday.
Ms. Hicks addressed the crowd and also told WestportLocal “Our goal is to raise awareness about how we can actually make an impact. This is a fight for the rights of women everywhere, a fight for safe gun laws, a fight for LGBTQ+ rights, which are next on the chopping block of the courts. If the Republicans get one more Senate seat, Sen Mitch MConnel has promised to ban abortions nationwide - so it won’t matter that we live in CT. We need to give to senators outside CT (Fetterman in PA, Cortez Masto in NV, Warnock in GA, Kelly in AZ). We can turn this around if we get Senate seats.” Ms. Hicks also said “The time for moderate Republicans is over. Theirs is not the party of Lincoln, or even Reagan. It is 2022 and they have shown us that they are a party of nationalism, racism, anti-democracy, destruction and bloodshed. If anyone still aligns with that party, they are complicit in supporting all that is happening to strip us of our dignity.”
Sunday's protesters on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Memorial bridge in Westport were quite clear about their feelings on the recent high court decisions on concealed carry gun laws and the reversal of the nearly 50 year old ruling on Roe v. Wade preventing the banning of abortion restrictions nationwide. They are adamant in their opposition to the high court's ruling. They made that very clear with both numbers, estimated to be as high as 400 or more at it's peak and with volume both by protestors and their supporters who crossed the bridge where the din of car horns din was almost non-stop. The crowd cheered when a semi truck with a giant Amercian flag painted on it's side rumbled over the bridge and trumpeted support sounding his air horn.
Speakers at the event which was covered by local media including WestportLocal.com and News Channel 12 was a who's who of local, state and federal officials including first selectwoman Jen Tooker and third selectwoman Melissa Kane, who is a long time gun safety advocat, is on the board of CTAgainst Gun Violence and has served on the board of Pro Choice CT. Liz Gustafson from ProChoice CT also addressed the crowd. Governor Lamont who has attended previous Westport demonstrations was represented by his wife, CT first lady, venture capitalist and health investor Annie Lamont. Federal officials addressing the crowd included US Senator from CT, Richard Blumenthal and Congressman Jim Himes of the CT 4th district which includes much of Fairfield county including Westport & Weston. Both Blumenthal and HImes have supported the right to choose for many years. Blumenthal has said the the decision "has stripped women of the freedom to make their own healthcare decisions and instead puts that power in the hands of the government. Women across this country no longer have the right to decide when and whether to bear children".
Former state Senator Toni Boucher who is running for her old seat now that Westport's Will Haskell has chosen to go to law school and is not running for re-election was not present at the rally but has released this statement: “I am thankful that Connecticut is a state where a woman's right to choose is already strongly protected and codified in state law. As a result of the bipartisan policies enacted in Connecticut, the Supreme Court's ruling does not and will not change a woman's right to choose here in our state. The Supreme Court ruling does not change anything in Connecticut, but like many of you my concern is with those in other states who are now fearful for what will happen to their right to choose and personal body freedom, as well as their concerns regarding the impact on public health in many regards."
There were some signs protesting the Court's ruling on concealed carry which struck down a NYC law over 100 years old however most of the protestors attention was focused on the reversal of Roe by the scores of very creative signs pictured here and our earlier galleries. Also of note were the broad array of protestors which ranged from highly vocal and motivated teens to a senior citizens, both men and women including one woman in her nineties. Many moms, both younger and older were their with their daughters who the people who may be the most affected by the consequences of this ruling and of other reversals of Supreme Court precedents opined upon by Clarence Thomas in his concurring opinion. Those include Obergerfell v. Hodges where seven years ago to the day the high court ruled in favor of same sex marriage, and Griswold v. Connecticut where in 1965, by a 7-2 majority the court found that Connecticut's ban on the use of contraceptives violated marital privacy. Thomas wrote "In future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell. Because any substantive due process decision is “demonstrably erroneous,” we have a duty to “correct the error” established in those precedents. The language of that opinion has alarmed many concerned about the Supreme Courts increasing tack to the right.
Story and photos by J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Travelers crossing the bridge showed their approval of the protest with thugs up and clenched fists and blaring car horns.
There is a real irony in the fact that Sunday's protest took place amid the waving flags placed to celebrate Westport's annual jUNe day which hosted approximately 100 guests only one day before when opening ceremonies for the event were held. Fifty-five other countries, many with flags flying allow abortion and Mexico's Supreme Court unanimously found "penalizing abortion is unconstitutional" recently. (cnn.com). Canada allows abortion services which are available at hospitals and private clinics. World leaders including US allies in the G7 have criticized the repeal of Roe v. Wade and and European cities are planning protests this weekend. (cnn.com)
Morning Weather Report: Rain
Today
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 9am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. High near 77. Southwest wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of showers before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Light and variable wind becoming north around 6 mph after midnight.
Tomorrow
Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. West wind around 6 mph.
Tomorrow Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Calm wind.
High Tides
11:08 AM / 11:16 PM
Low Tides
5:06 AM / 5:10 PM