James Bairaktaris James Bairaktaris

First Selectwoman: Westport Fire Chief Set to Retire May 15th

WestportLocal.com photo
Press Release

First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker announced today that she has accepted the retirement letter of Fire Chief Michael Kronick, effective May 15, 2023. 

First Selectwoman Tooker stated, “Chief Kronick has accepted a job offer with the State of Connecticut that he will assume after his retirement on May 15. I appreciate that Chief Kronick has provided ample time with this announcement so that we may insure a smooth, seamless and professional transition at the Fire Department. At the appropriate time, an acting Chief will be announced. Additional details will follow at that time.” 

She continued, “The Town of Westport and its residents have been very fortunate to be the beneficiaries of Mike’s expertise and dedication for many years. On behalf of the citizens of Westport, his fellow employees, and his firefighting colleagues, I am grateful for Mike’s longstanding and dedicated service to our community. I wish him much success in his future endeavors.”

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James Bairaktaris James Bairaktaris

Morning Weather Report

Today

Showers likely, mainly between 9am and 3pm. Areas of fog before 3pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. East wind 6 to 9 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tonight

Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. West wind 8 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Partly sunny, with a high near 61. West wind 9 to 13 mph.

Tomorrow Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. West wind 8 to 10 mph.

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James Bairaktaris James Bairaktaris

Finalists Announced for TEAM Westport Teen Diversity Essay Contest; Ceremony this Tuesday

Press Release

The three finalists for the 2023 TEAM Westport Teen Diversity Essay Contest have been announced by TEAM Westport in partnership with the Westport Library. The public is invited to the Essay Awards Ceremony at the Westport Library on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 6 pm. Registration for in-person or livestreamed attendance may be made via this link. 

This is the 10th consecutive year the Contest has been conducted. It is open to any students (Grades 9-12) attending a school located in Westport or any students (Grades 9-12) who live in Westport but attend schools elsewhere. An award of $1,000, $750 or $500 will be made for placement of 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, respectively. This year’s finalists are Savvy Dreas (Greens Farms Academy Junior), Tyler Darden (Staples High School Senior), and Annie Dizon (Greens Farms Academy Senior). The public is invited to attend the ceremony to hear the essays and celebrate the finalists' contributions.

The 2023 Essay Charge is “The Dialogue Challenge: Effective Engagement on Race, Ethnicity, Religion and LGBTQIA+. In 1,000 words or less, reflect on your own interactions with people who have different racial, ethnic, religious,  and/or LGBTQIA+ identities and/or perspectives. What kinds of conversations were particularly helpful in prompting you to rethink your beliefs or opinions, perhaps causing you to change your mind or enabling you to better understand others’ points of view? Based on these experiences, what specific actions would you suggest that individuals, schools, and/or town entities in Westport take to promote good-faith dialogue, reduce bias, and foster understanding?

Team Westport’s mission is to make Westport a more welcoming community with regard to race, religion, ethnicity, and LGBTQIA+.  In order to achieve its mission, one of TEAM Westport’s goals has been to promote opportunities for people to come together in dialogue to better understand each other’s experiences, decrease bias, and learn what we have in common. Meaningful dialogue depends on a good faith effort to set aside preconceived beliefs or what we think we know about other people. www.westportct.gov/teamwestport 

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James Bairaktaris James Bairaktaris

Morning Weather Report

Today

A 20 percent chance of showers before 11am. Areas of fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Calm wind becoming east 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight

A 50 percent chance of showers after 2am. Areas of fog after 2am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. East wind around 8 mph.

Tomorrow

Showers likely, mainly between 8am and 2pm. Areas of fog before 8am. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 64. East wind around 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tomorrow Night

A 30 percent chance of showers before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southwest wind around 9 mph.

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