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Business
400+ REI Employees Laid Off, Outdoor Retailer Ends Adventure Travel Program 400+ REI Employees Laid Off, Outdoor Retailer Ends Adventure Travel Program
400+ REI Employees Laid Off, Outdoor Retailer Ends Adventure Travel Program More than 400 employees will lose their jobs as REI closes its Experiences program, ending the adventure travel and outdoor education programs that have been part of the retailer’s identity for 40 years. REI announced the shutdown of its Experiences division in a news release on Wednesday, Jan. 8. The decision will result in 438 layoffs for 180 full-time employees and 248 part-time guides as the company shifts focus to its core business. The retail chain cited ongoing financial challenges as the reason for ending the program. Experiences included adventure travel, day to…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Missing 11-Year-Old Boy Found Safe By Alert CT Resident Missing 11-Year-Old Boy Found Safe By Alert CT Resident
Missing 11-Year-Old Boy Found Safe By Alert CT Resident A concerned citizen has found a Connecticut 11-year-old who had been missing for more than a day. Related: Missing: Southington Boy, 11, Hasn't Been Seen Since Leaving Home Hartford County resident Cody Schrlau, of Southington, went missing from his home on Monday, Sept. 2.  According to Capt. James Armack of the Southington Police, the boy was spotted on a walking trail in New Haven County in Cheshire. The citizen contacted the Cheshire Police who responded and stopped Cody, Armack said. "He is currently being reunited with family members," the captain said. Armack thanked …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Spotted Lanternfly Located In Fairfield County, If You See One Squish It, Officials Say Spotted Lanternfly Located In Fairfield County, If You See One Squish It, Officials Say
Spotted Lanternfly Located In Fairfield County, If You See One Squish It, Officials Say The dreaded spotted lanternfly, which threatens trees, growing spaces, and urban canopies, has been spotted in Fairfield County. The latest sightings have been in Bridgeport parks and the community garden, according to the Bridgeport Sustainability Office and Parks and Recreation Department, which reported that residents spotted lanternflies in these areas. Both departments are asking residents for their assistance in getting rid of the dangerous pest.  City officials said that if you see a spotted lanternfly (SLF), please kill it; they are an invasive pest. "Look for the spotted red…

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by Kathy Reakes
Business
Stop & Shop Announces 32 Store Closings, Including In Stamford, Danbury Stop & Shop Announces 32 Store Closings, Including In Stamford, Danbury
Stop & Shop Announces 32 Store Closings, Including In Stamford, Danbury This story has been updated. Stop & Shop announced they plan to close 32 underperforming stores, including five in Connecticut.  The company said on Friday, July 12, that the closures allowed it to take the next steps in its plans to position the company for growth. Following the closures, Stop & Shop will continue to have a strong presence across its five-state footprint, with more than 350 stores. The impacted stores include:  100 Division St., Ansonia, New Haven County 855 Bridgeport Ave., Milford (1360 East Town Road, Milford will remain open), New Haven County 21…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Arrest Made In Stamford Hit-Run That Killed Local Woman Arrest Made In Stamford Hit-Run That Killed Local Woman
Arrest Made In Stamford Hit-Run That Killed Local Woman A Fairfield County man has been charged in a hit-run crash last year that killed a 74-year-old woman. The crash occurred in Stamford around 6:15 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023, on West Main St., near the junction with Alvord Lane. Stamford Police Sgt. Jeffrey Booth said at the time of the crash, Marie Jean-Charles, a 74-year-old Stamford resident, was crossing West Main Street from north to south.  She was struck in the eastbound travel lanes by a vehicle traveling at what is believed to be a high rate of speed, Booth said. Jean-Charles was pronounced dead at the scene. …

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Jersey Mike's Subs Opening New Location In Fairfield County Jersey Mike's Subs Opening New Location In Fairfield County
Jersey Mike's Subs Opening New Location In Fairfield County Jersey Mike’s Subs is opening a new shop in Fairfield County this week. The shop, located in Shelton at 795 Bridgeport Ave., will hold its grand opening on Wednesday, March 13.  To help add some excitement to the event, the restaurant is also hosting a fundraiser to support Make-A-Wish Connecticut. Customers who receive a special fundraising coupon distributed through a grassroots effort before the opening can make a minimum $3 contribution to Make-A-Wish Connecticut in exchange for a regular sub through Sunday, March 17. Customers must have a coupon to be eligible. Jersey Mike’s fan…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Poll: Crime Numbers Down In Bridgeport, Do You Feel Safer? Poll: Crime Numbers Down In Bridgeport, Do You Feel Safer?
Poll: Crime Numbers Down In Bridgeport, Do You Feel Safer? The Bridgeport Police Department has reported that overall crime statistics throughout Connecticut's most-populated city have been on a decline in comparison to this time last year.  The most notable statistical decrease can be found in shooting incidents throughout Bridgeport, said Mayor Joe Ganim. According to city officials: The number of shooting incidents has dropped by almost 34 percent from this time last year Non-fatal shooting victims at a 40 percent decrease Fatal shooting victims at a 33 percent decrease.  Officials point to the "avid" efforts being put in to boost re…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Deer Rescued In Area After Snout Gets Stuck In Halloween Bucket For Days Deer Rescued In Area After Snout Gets Stuck In Halloween Bucket For Days
Deer Rescued In Area After Snout Gets Stuck In Halloween Bucket For Days A yearling deer with its snout stuck in a Halloween bucket for days was saved thanks to concerned residents and animal control officials. The deer was seen in Putnam Valley by a couple of residents who then called the Putnam County SPCS and state Encon officials who were able to grab the baby and gently work the pumpkin bucket off of its head. Reportedly, the bucket was stuck on the deer for four days, and once it was posted to social media people across the country became concerned about the poor little deer. The community, which sees the yearling and her mother around the area, have name…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Metro-North Railroad Holding Customer Forums In Area Metro-North Railroad Holding Customer Forums In Area
Metro-North Railroad Holding Customer Forums In Area Metro-North Railroad will host a series of open-house style forums to discuss upcoming railroad initiatives. The initiates are focused on improving train service as well as overall customer experience. During the “Connect With Us” forums, daily commuters, leisure travelers, community members and stakeholders are encouraged to engage in constructive dialogue with Metro-North leaders, who will listen to all feedback and answer questions. These forums have already taken place at 10 other stations: North White Plains, Beacon, Brewster, Croton Harmon, Nanuet, Harriman, Mount Vernon East, Bridg…

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by Valerie Musson
News
Middle School Boys Who Shattered Window At Ridgefield's Prospector Theater Get Teachable Moment Middle School Boys Who Shattered Window At Ridgefield's Prospector Theater Get Teachable Moment
Middle School Boys Who Shattered Window At Ridgefield's Prospector Theater Get Teachable Moment The proprietors of the Prospector Theater in Ridgefield are hoping that a recent vandalism incident can serve as a teachable moment for local middle school students who shattered a window in the building. The owners of the theater took to social media to announce that investigators from the Ridgefield Police Department have identified the middle school students from the area that broke a window, though they aren’t looking to throw the book at the two teens, and instead hope they can learn from the experience. On Friday, March 29, officers from the Ridgefield Police Department responded to t…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
HS Students In Fairfield County Plans Stand Up Against Hate Rally HS Students In Fairfield County Plans Stand Up Against Hate Rally
HS Students In Fairfield County Plans Stand Up Against Hate Rally For those looking for a place to stand up against recent incidents of hate and violence across the country, can join a group of high school students this weekend at a rally aimed at ending "hate."  The event, Sunday, June 10 in Ridgefield from 2 to 7 p.m., at Ballard Park, 485 Main St., will feature everyone from Glenda Armstrong, president of the Danbury chapter of the NAACP, to a rabbi, to a Jewish youth leader and educator of the group Stand With Us, to a teacher and student speaker from Ridgefield High School.  Orangzied by students from Ridgefield High School, the "Stand…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Record 13.5K Attend Maker Faire In Westport: Rundown Of Winners Record 13.5K Attend Maker Faire In Westport: Rundown Of Winners
Record 13.5K Attend Maker Faire In Westport: Rundown Of Winners The seventh annual Maker Faire Westport broke most its own records on Saturday including: more than tripling its footprint, nearly doubling its number of makers to 200 (up from just over 100 in 2017) and seeing attendance of 13,500, a 30 percent increase from last spring. “We continue to be impressed with the quality of the innovative and creative people in Connecticut and beyond. As they inspire our attendees to learn and grow, we see the impact in our communities. Schools, libraries and businesses all benefit from the energy that comes from seeing what others have done,” said Mark Mathias,…

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by Jon Craig
Lifestyle
Tickets For 2018 Greenwich Town Party Featuring Eric Clapton Sell Out Tickets For 2018 Greenwich Town Party Featuring Eric Clapton Sell Out
Tickets For 2018 Greenwich Town Party Featuring Eric Clapton Sell Out Tickets to Greenwich's annual Town Party sold out in just minutes Thursday when partygoers found out the headliner for this year's event was iconic Grammy-winning Eric Clapton. "We are thrilled with the overwhelming interest and enthusiasm for the 2018 Greenwich Town Party," said Ray Rivers, the event's co-president, in a statement. "We want to thank everyone who purchased Community tickets this morning." Tickets went live at 10 a.m. and all 5,600 were gone within a few minutes for the May 26 event, Rivers said.   "It worked as a lottery, everyone online at 10 a.m.…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
New Canaan Moms Lead Push For New Playground At Mead Park New Canaan Moms Lead Push For New Playground At Mead Park
New Canaan Moms Lead Push For New Playground At Mead Park When a park’s playground is rusting and sporting patched pieces of equipment or decking, it’s time to replace it. While the Town of New Canaan has put some funding in its budget to replace the aging play structure at Mead Memorial Park, it’s not enough. Long the site of tennis and baseball, Mead Park with its restaurant and playground also provides a place for families and kids of all ages to gather. These include Monica Chimera and Allyson Mahoney, New Canaan moms of young children. “We love Mead Park because of its location,” said Mahoney. “It is close to downtown and the train station.…

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz