Westport Cumulative COVID-19 Cases Up 19; Deaths Unchanged
The Westport-Weston Health District reports that Westport has added 19 positive or probable COVID-19 cases, and has added 0 new deaths.
Westport total positive or probable cases: 925 cases. Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 25 deaths.
Breaking: Car Accident Ties Up Traffic on I-95 Southbound
CT DOT Traffic Camera.
A multi vehicle car accident was reported just after 9:00 PM tonight on I-95 Southbound between exits 17 and 18. The right and center lanes are both shut down. No word on injuries.
Ending 2020 with Hope: EMS Personnel Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine administered to Westport First Responders yesterday at the Westport-Weston Health District.
According to a Westport Emergency Medical Service Press Release:
“EMTs and Paramedics serving on Westport’s ambulances have begun to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as part of the national roll-out to front line medical personnel. The vaccines are a sign of hope for the local EMS volunteers and staff after ten months of treating the community’s COVID-19 patients.
Westport Emergency Medical Service Deputy Director/Paramedic Marc Hartog.
Yesterday, several Westport EMS members, along with other 1st responders from the Police and Fire Departments, received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the Westport-Weston Health District - making history for the essential service as it begins to protect its front line volunteers and staff members against the coronavirus as it heads into the new year.
Volunteer EMT Lynette Pineda, Volunteer EMT / Westport Volunteer EMS President Mike Burns, and Paramedic / Westport EMS Deputy Director Marc Hartog were the first ones to receive the vaccine at the health district, whose nurses were able to administer the shots after a small shipment of the vaccine was received.
1st responders have been authorized by the CDC to go to any certified vaccine clinic in the State, allowing personnel who live outside of Westport to find a clinic closer to their own home. However, having the ability to administer vaccinations in-town will make it easier and more efficient for the emergency medical service providers to receive their shots, keeping them protected as COVID-19 case numbers rise in the region.
Volunteer EMT/Westport Volunteer EMS President Mike Burns.
“We encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as it is available to you. In the meantime, we'll continue to wear masks, wash our hands frequently, and practice social distancing, and ask all of you to do the same.” said Deputy Director Hartog.
Only one member of Westport Emergency Medical Service has been diagnosed with COVID-19 throughout the pandemic, a monumental feat for the nearly 75 members which can be attributed to strict infection control and PPE protocols that keep them, and patients, safe.
A majority of the service’s volunteers and staff members have said they’ll get the vaccine as soon as it's available to them, with many receiving their first dose just this week.
Volunteer EMT/Westporter Lynette Pineda.
Westport Emergency Medical Service, a division of the Westport Police Department, provides pre-hospital emergency medical care to the Westport community with its team of nearly 75 volunteers and seven staff members aboard its fleet of state-of-the-art ambulances. More information on the service can be found at westportems.org.”
New Road for 2021: “Authors Way”, Re-Subdivision Planned for Hillandale Road
Screengrab from Apple Maps showing the current property location, and proposed location for Authors Way and four new lots.
According to a Planning & Zoning application, the current property at 14 Hillandale Road may soon become four properties on a newly constructed private road, Authors Way.
The plans call to demolish the 1928-built home on the current 4.56 acre plot and re-subdivide the land into four 1 acre plots, all connected to Authors Way, accessible from Hillandale Road. The property is between Hillandale Road and West Parish Road, and is in the area of Wakeman Road and Ellery Lane.
Person Riding Bicycle on I-95 Overnight Gathers First Responders
Reports of a person riding a bicycle on I-95 Northbound between Westport and Norwalk caused State Police, as well as local fire and EMS to respond to the area just before 2:15 AM. No word on the outcome for the bicyclist, although no injuries were reported.
Soundview Sunset
The Compo Beach neighborhood was active this evening as the sun set behind it.
Westport Cumulative COVID-19 Cases Up 10; Deaths Unchanged
The Westport-Weston Health District reports that Westport has added 10 positive or probable COVID-19 cases, and has added 0 new deaths.
Westport total positive or probable cases: 916 cases. Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 25 deaths.
County, Red & White Charity Balls Cancelled for High Schoolers
According to the Board of Directors for the County Assemblies, Inc.: the Red & White Charity Ball for high school seniors, and the County Assembly Charity Ball for high school juniors, are both cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The charity ball tradition began in 1938 with a Christmas dance at the Red Barn for Westport teens. Since then, the non-profit organization welcomes high school juniors and seniors from Easton, Fairfield, Redding, Weston, Westport and Wilton to register for their grade’s dance at the Stamford Marriott - formerly held at The Inn at Longshore. The Junior and Senior dances are split into tri-town areas: Westport, Weston, Wilton as one group, and Easton, Redding, and Fairfield as the other group.
Tradition made it mandatory that the girls-asked-boys to the dances, and paid the $150 per-couple registration fee for the black tie event. It was not until 2018 that the Board of Directors announced that they would welcome ”…as an exception for the LGBTQ community, boys bringing a male escort” to the typically female-only registration system.
All money collected goes towards area charities benefiting children and teens. This year they were able to donate more than $60,000 to area food pantries throughout the region.
From the County Assemblies Board of Directors:
“The County Assemblies is taking a break for our 2021 events and we look forward to resuming our Charity Balls in 2022.
As a result of your generous support of our 2020 events, we awarded grants in excess of $60,000 to non-profit organizations that help children and teens in Fairfield County. Due to the additional needs of families during the pandemic, we supported food pantries in Easton, Redding, Fairfield, Norwalk, Weston, Westport and Wilton.”
Lines Return to Trader Joes
With a possible holiday rush of customers planning to remain home this New Year - the outdoor, socially distant queues that became a symbol of life during the pandemic returned to Trader Joe’s today as the maximum indoor capacity for the grocery store had been reached.