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Wildlife Too Close for Comfort in Fairfield County

News

This is the first of a two-part series about the growing wildlife population in Fairfield County, and the intrusion of wildlife in your neighborhood.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. – A Norwalk woman wakes up to find a deer swimming in her pool.

A Wilton man returns home from shopping to spot a bobcat by the side door of his house and grabs an image of the wild animal on his camera before it slowly makes its way down the street.

A 4-year-old Greenwich boy accompanying his mother to the mailbox is bitten by a raccoon.

A mountain lion, ...

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News

Wilton Student Stable After Being Hit by Car

By Richard Weizel

WILTON, Conn. – A 21-year-old Western Connecticut State University student from Wilton who was struck by a car on the school's Danbury campus Thursday was upgraded from fair to stable condition Saturday, according to officials at Danbury Hospital.

Daniel Fitzpatrick, of 24 Springbrook Lane in Wilton, who lives in the campus dormitory during the school year, was struck and injured after departing a shuttle bus at the Sand Road Bus Stop, according to university police.

Fitzpatrick was crossing University Boulevard near Centennial Hall when he was struck by a vehicle ...

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News

Teachers Face Tougher Evals Based on Student Work

By Richard Weizel

HARTFORD, Conn. – Student achievement will play a dramatically larger role in evaluating teachers across Connecticut under new guidelines approved by a panel that represents teachers, school administrators and public school boards.

The state’s 10-member Performance Evaluation Advisory Council agreed this week on a new teacher evaluation process after two years of contentious meetings over how much emphasis should be placed on student performance.

“Connecticut has taken a major step toward a meaningful teacher evaluation system. This is a milestone in what I expect ...

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News

Seized Easton Horses Doing Well Under State Care

By Erin Lynch 01/27/12

EASTON, Conn. – The five horses seized from Pee Wee Horse Farm in an animal cruelty investigation are thriving in their new home in a Niantic facility, said Ray Connors, the supervisor for the state Animal Control Division.

The owner of Pee Wee Horse Farm, Apollonio “Paul” Vittorio, was arrested Thursday by the Easton Police Department and charged with six counts of animal cruelty in a state arrest warrant.

The charges stem from an ongoing investigation by state animal control officers, who say they received several complaints about the condition of the ...

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News

Soundkeeper Sails to Big Win in Court Case

By Luke Lavoie 01/27/12

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - Connecticut Soundkeeper Terry Backer was thrilled that the New York Supreme Court found that the state Department of Environmental Conservation's was too lenient in its management of stormwater runoff into Long Island Sound.

"This is a big win," Backer said. "Stormwater runoff is one of the critical and serious problems facing both the Sound and other area waterways."

The court ruled that the department was too lax in its certification and must "issue revisions" consistent with the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water ...

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Neighbors

Enrollment to Start for Spring Classes at Wilton Y

By Staff Report 01/27/12

WILTON, Conn. — Enrollment for the Wilton Family Y’s Early Spring Session of classes and programs begins on Monday, Feb. 6, for members and non-members. The session runs seven weeks, from Feb. 27 through April 14.

Classes include youth swimming lessons, gymnastics at the Y’s new training center at 644 Danbury Road, youth sports and fitness, martial arts, preschool programs and specialty health and wellness.

For more information on registering for classes or on joining the Y, contact Membership Director Michelle Wishna at 203-762-8384, ext. 222, or ...

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Sports

High School Boys Ice Hockey Standings

By Eric Gendron 01/27/12

Fairfield County Interscholastic Conference Boys Ice Hockey Standings - Through Jan. 26

East Division Conference Record Overall Record

Ridgefield 5-0 10-1

Darien ...

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Neighbors

Civil War Talk Highlights Weekend in Wilton

By Alissa Smith 01/27/12

WILTON, Conn. – Looking for something to do this weekend? Here are some interesting activities around Wilton.

Friday, Jan. 27:

8 p.m. – Rock legends Edgar Winter and Rick Derringer perform an evening of their signature music at the Ridgefield Playhouse. Tickets are $60. For more information, call 203-438-5795 or visit ridgefieldplayhouse.org.

Saturday, Jan. 28:

10 a.m. – Want to learn more about your family history? The Wilton Library is hosting a genealogy workshop led by researcher Jolene Mullen. The workshop is free, though ...

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Neighbors

Speed Reading: Wilton Library Enjoys Drive Through

By Alissa Smith 01/27/12

WILTON, Conn. – The Wilton Library's drive through, a small nook on Godfrey Place, is the fastest way for residents to use the library.

“For the most part, people either drop things off, or they come to pick things up like items on hold,” said Karen Ziebak, the head of circulation at the library.

On average, the library gets 18 to 25 visits a day at the drive-through window. The highest number of visits on record was 54 in January 2011. “It could have been because of the snowy weather or perhaps they couldn’t find a parking space,” Ziebak said.

Ziebak said the ...

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News

Lawmakers Hedge Bets on Online Gambling

By Richard Weizel 01/27/12

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. – Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is betting that online gambling “is inevitable” in Connecticut and would raise significant revenue for state coffers. But Republican state legislators are wagering against him.

“It is clear online gambling will become a reality, given the federal decision, and now (we) must decide how to address it,” Malloy said during a news conference in Hartford earlier this month.

The online gambling debate was fueled after the U.S. Department of Justice released a legal opinion several weeks ago that New York and Illinois ...

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Community Calendar

8:00 am

Wilton Y Wahoos Winter Invitational
9:00 am

Boston Buildup 15K Race
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Wilton's Weir Farm: Junior Ranger
12:30 pm - 6:00 pm

Take a Taste of Ridgefield
1:00 pm

Coaches vs. Cancer Basketball Game
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Get a Whiff of Westport Playhouse's Stinky Che ...

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News

Shelter Struggles to Fit All the Homeless

By Nancy Guenther Chapman 01/27/12

NORWALK, Conn. – Updated, 11:12 a.m., Jan. 27. Bill Okwuosa left work to head home Thursday, his heart hardened and prepared to do the worst – or so he thought.

The director of Norwalk's Open Door Shelter had decided to turn people away because of overcrowding. But he couldn't do it.

"I just got in the car to leave and come home, and I'm noticing there's quite a few people outside the shelter that can't get in because we are beyond our capacity. And I told you I was going to stop letting them come in," Okwuosa said in a voicemail. "I can't do it. I ...

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Schools

Wilton Parents Analyze $74.6M School Budget

By Alissa Smith 01/27/12

WILTON, Conn. – Parents gathered at Wilton’s Middlebrook Middle School on Thursday liked what they heard from Superintendent Gary Richards about the $74.6 million school budget for 2012-13.

“I think they’re trying really hard in a tough environment. I think they were trying to cut it in recognition of the economic situation,” said Allison Cross, a mother of two. "And the impression I had was that if they kept cutting further, we were really going to start being behind." Cross said her hope is that this budget will get Wilton schools back on track.

“I think it’s a pretty ...

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Zack Zeyher is announced the winner. Photo Credit: James Andersen

A look at the Wilton wrestlers in New Jersey Photo Credit: James Andersen

Miller-Driscoll Elementary school Music Teachers Melina Arcano (facing) and Jennifer Theiman, lead the children in a Holiday Sing-A-Long. Photo Credit: Kim Gallagher

State Representatives Terrie Wood and Gail Lavielle joined the Salvation Army greeting customers outside the Norwalk Stop & Shop. Photo Credit: Contributed

Rabbi Levi Stone of the Schneerson Center in Westport lights the second candle of Hanukkah on the Wilton menorah. Photo Credit: Alissa Smith

Grace Hoermann and her friends decorated Gingerbread Houses Friday Dec 9 with the MOMS Club of Wilton at the Wilton Family Y. Photo Credit: Amy Schallop

Liz Riley, Gretchen De Mattia and Dan Riley preparing decorated wreaths for sale at the annual Holiday Greens Sale held at Ambler Farm Photo Credit: Ann McDonald