The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved an application for five single-family units located at 509 Main Street, across from the Elm’s Inn property, at its meeting Tuesday, July 19.

Zoners discussed the one-acre property that sits in the Multifamily Development District, or “MFDD zone,” Tuesday night before voting as the Inland Wetlands Board and then as the planning commission.

Developer Michael Eppoliti owns the property and first submitted an application in February. A public hearing was held March 22 and was continued four times — April 12, May 10, June 7, and June 28 — before zoners granted a draft resolution for approval.

During that six-month stretch, the application received two separate extensions.

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It could be a cold fall for tax debtors.

Ridgefield’s tax office continues progressing toward a tax sale, the auctioning off of tax-delinquent properties. Tax Collector Jane Berendsen-Hill told the Board of Finance on Tuesday, July 19, that the sale will likely be in “the first part of November.”

The sale will proceed when the attorneys working on it tell her all is ready to go.

“It’s a 12-week process,” she told the finance board.

The number of properties on the list has been whittled down as people pay off back taxes, rather than face the prospect of losing their property.

“There were 42, we’re down into the low 30s,” Berendsen-Hill told the finance board.

But some who owe aren’t doing anything to address the problem.

“There’s been no response to the attorney’s demand on a fairly sizable number,” she said.

The total in outstanding taxes owed is about $1.7 million, she said, though the final number may prove to be more like $1.5 million.

Not McMansions?

Finance board chairman Dave Ulmer wondered if there was a pattern to the price ranges of the properties in trouble.

“Are these across the board?” he asked.

“It varies,” Berendsen-Hill said. “There are some a little higher, some a little lower. It’s all over.”

“It’s not predominantly McMansions?” Ulmer asked.

“Not predominantly,” she replied. “It could be predominantly in the lower end.”

‘Can’t pay, period’

This be the third tax sale Berendsen-Hill has presided over, and she’s not looking forward to it.

“I take no satisfaction in this, but it’s my job,” she said after the meeting.

“I think this may be the most painful tax sale because I’ve heard people say they can’t pay, period.”

Banks and other holders of liens on a property can lose out if it gets sold at a tax auction — existing liens are wiped away — so it is often in their interest to pay up back taxes.

Also, she said, a second mortgage holder who pays off the taxes can move ahead of the first mortgage holder in the pecking order of who gets paid if the property is eventually sold to pay off debts.

Protecting the town’s right

There’s also plenty of self-interested motive for debtors — or their potential heirs — to pay off, since the interest rate on unpaid taxes is 18% a year.

“It’s obscene,” Berendsen-Hill admitted. “By statute, by law. I don’t have any leeway to negotiate a thing.”

The goal, of course, is to see that other taxpayers don’t have to carry the burden for those who don’t pay — at least not indefinitely.

“All of this,” Berendsen-Hill said, “ is just trying to protect the town’s right to get the taxes on the property.”

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With the summer months upon us, Energize Connecticut partners are asking customers to “Wait ‘til 8” to help decrease energy consumption and demand during peak periods, which are weekdays from noon to 8 p.m.

Extreme peak demands occur only 100 hours each year, or about 1 percent of the time, between late May and early September during hot, humid weather. To accommodate demand, additional power plants are on stand-by ready to operate during these hours. These back-up plants often run on dirtier fuels — such as oil — that produce more air pollution and offer power at a price that drives up the cost of electricity.

“By controlling power use and waiting until after 8 p.m. to use larger appliances and equipment that doesn’t impact comfort, like dishwashers and pool pumps, Connecticut residents can help minimize the use of back-up power plants, relieve stress on the electric grid, and have a positive impact on air quality,” says Robert Klee, Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

To reduce energy usage, Energize Connecticut representatives recommend lessening the use of discretionary appliances and electronics during peak hours.

Examples include:

• Running pool pumps earlier in the day or later in the evening
• Using dishwashers and laundry machines and dryers in the morning or later in the day
• Programming thermostats to increase the temperature when a home is not occupied
• Using energy efficient products like ENERGY STAR ® LED lights and  ENERGY STAR  air conditioning

Also, customers in United Illuminating service territory have the option of subscribing to Rate RT, or time-of-day use rate, which provides a customer the opportunity to lower their annual electricity costs by using electricity when it costs less. For more information, visit uinet.com; Time of Day Rate RT.

To learn more about “Wait ‘til 8,” visit energizect.com/events-resources/energy-basics/ct-power-update.

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Things happen, conditions change.

That’s the reality facing the state’s Department of Transportation as it awaits the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to sign off on a special permit revision for a bridge construction project set to take place on Route 7 over the Norwalk River this summer.

But, summer might pass by before the engineers and contractors get the necessary approvals to begin their work.

“July is probably too soon, even if we got the permit tomorrow,” said John Dunham, the district engineer for the state DOT, Tuesday, July 19. “At this point, we’re looking at August to get started.”

Holding up the project, which would close Route 7 over five Saturdays, is a larger-than-expected scour hole that was found during a site visit this spring.

Dunham said that the river “washed away more than we expected during our design phase,” creating a surprise for those trying to push the project through.

“It shouldn’t take more than a couple of days to fill, but we can’t get anywhere near the water without the approval of the permit revision,” Dunham said. “We have calls into the ACOE; we’re really trying to press them on this one because the contractor is anxious …

“We were hoping to have this part done by July 4 — we wanted to start in the summer, but it’s out of our hands,” he said. “Mother Nature did her thing and we’re just dealing with it now.”

Mother Nature has given the engineers behind the Route 7 bridge project some trouble.

Traffic shakeup

Dunham said once the permit gets approved to fill the sinkhole, engineers can get that part of the project done and then move on to the actual bridge — a proposal that was awarded to Baier Construction Co. Inc. at a cost of $2.5 million on July 17, 2015.

As for the weekend traffic plans, Dunham said he expects the project to detour drivers from Route 7 and into the village but not on five consecutive Saturdays.

Rather, he said that the site work will be completed over a period of five weekends, which could drag out the construction phase into the fall.  

“It really depends on the level of work being done on any given day,” Dunham said about the detour traffic schedule.

“Our goal is to finish it up as soon as possible when we’re out there and open the two lanes back up for people who are driving there on the weekends,” he said.

The state engineer said the state has no control over how long the Army Corps of Engineers reviews the permit revision for the project.

He acknowledged it has taken longer than he originally anticipated.

“We’re pushing to get this thing done before the other project [Route 35] starts up again with one-way traffic in the fall,” Dunham said.

With construction on the new Route 35 bridge near the Fox Hill Condominiums set to begin again Monday, July 25, time is of the essence as the possibility of a one-lane Route 35 on weekdays and a closed Route 7 on weekends looms as a possibility for September.

When asked about the possibility of the state closing Route 7 on Sundays or other days of the week at limited hours if needed, Dunham said he believes the contractor can keep the schedule limited for Saturdays.

“The objective of that project [on Route 7] is to have no impact on weekdays,” he said. “We’re not there to hit drivers with detours on both weekends and weekdays.”

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Hear the latest buzz on honeybees from Ann Murray, director of Ridgefield’s Discovery Center, in a two-part seminar at Founders Hall. On Friday, July 29 at 1 p.m., Ann will focus on the biology of bees and their importance in our food supply. “Their biology is fascinating,” says Ann. “They live together as a superorganism where the individual cannot survive alone.”  In recent years, however, honeybee colonies have suffered devastating losses from invasive pests, exposure to pesticides, loss of habitat and climate change. Those losses affect far more than beeswax and honey. American farmers rely on honeybees to pollinate crops, so without them, many of our fruits and vegetables would become endangered. Because of their importance to agriculture and the ecosystem, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been working together to research, restore and increase pollinators’ habitats and populations.

Local residents are taking up the cause through backyard beekeeping. You can learn about this exciting backyard endeavor in part two of the seminar on Friday, Aug. 26 at 1 p.m. Ann will discuss the basics of beekeeping, including how to get bees, types of hives and other necessary equipment, and share strategies for success. She’ll bring along a glass enclosed hive so that you can observe living bees and bee suits that you can try on. This two-part seminar is a great introduction if you’re a beekeeping  ‘wannabee.’

Seminar: How to Avoid Lyme and Still Love the Outdoors, Friday, July 22, 1 p.m.

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Have you tried Zinio yet? This online service gives Ridgefield Library card holders access to several dozen popular magazines in a convenient downloadable format for reading anywhere, any time, on a computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet.

The full content of every page of the magazine is reproduced, in full color and with added interactive navigation features. Once you have downloaded them, there is no due date, so you can continue to enjoy them indefinitely (great for cooking magazines with tempting recipes!).

While not all publications are available for library subscriptions, we have tried to select an appealing and diverse selection. Joining perennial favorites like The New Yorker, Cook’s Illustrated, Newsweek and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance are new selections including Clean Eating, Entrepreneur, ESPN, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Harper’s Bazaar, and Rodale’s Organic Life.

Zinio also has a commercial interface, so make sure you are signing up for Zinio for Libraries for free access courtesy of the Ridgefield Library. Instructions on setting up and using your account are available at the Adult Services desk or on the Library on the Go page at ridgefieldlibrary.org.  Happy reading!

Mary Rindfleisch is Assistant Director of the Ridgefield Library. She can be reached at mfrind@ridgefieldlibrary.org or 203-438-2282 x11009.

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Breakfast service at the Ridgefield Golf Course remains a quagmire for the town after former restaurant operator Dr. Henry Seemann filed a breach of contract lawsuit on June 29 that seeks more than $15,000 in damages.

According to the suit, the town terminated Dr. Seemann’s contract to operate the Snd Trp Restaurant at the course without providing him enough time to resolve a disagreement related to providing early morning breakfast for golfers, and violated his right to extend the term of his contract through Dec. 31, 2020.  

Seemann says he should have been given 45 days “to cure these issues” and after that time period, the town should have informed the restaurant operator “in writing as to whether it intends to terminate this agreement and proceed to issue its termination notice.”

Instead, the Board of Selectmen opted to put the contract out to bid at its Dec. 9 meeting, despite Dr. Seemann’s attempt for contract renewal on Nov. 1. He previously had bought the concession contract from the previous operator for $75,000 in March 2014.

Speaking to The Press Monday, First Selectman Rudy Marconi said Town Attorney Dave Groggins had reviewed the lawsuit and believed the board was in the right when it voted and approved a request for proposal to seek a replacement restaurant operator.

At the time of the vote, the selectmen said that Seemann could re-bid if he wanted.

Before that meeting, the Snd Trp Restaurant had failed to provide early morning breakfast service for golfers, which forced Marconi to have Groggins write a letter to Seemann in August 2015. In that letter, Groggins said Snd Trp would have 15 days to come into compliance or lose its contract with the town.

“The letter went out last Tuesday or Wednesday, and we haven’t heard back from him yet,” Marconi said last summer.

Seemann did not respond with a comment for this story as of presstime yesterday.

He told The Press last summer that  food is available at the appropriate time.

“Coffee is available, we’re putting out breakfast bars in the morning. We have water and Gatorade,” Dr. Seemann said. “Food is available. I can’t be there making oatmeal, but food is available.”

Dr. Seeman added in that conversation that there is little demand for full breakfast service early in the morning.

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SummerFest returns to Ridgefield’s historic Main Street this Saturday. Will you be there?

Sidewalk sales, browsing and bargains, a farmers’ market, a “kids zone” with a bounce house, music, food, fun — it’s SummerFest!

The annual SummerFest street fair organized by the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce will be this Saturday, July 23,  closing Main Street between Bailey Avenue and Prospect Street from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The festival with its sales and activities begins at 10 a.m. and goes until 4 p.m. but the block of Main Street will be closed to traffic longer, to allow for set-up and break-down. SummerFest involves merchants throughout the village as well businesses and organizations that will have booths and tables set up on the closed block of Main Street.

“As always, the festival will feature great sidewalk sales from our local merchants and more than 70 vendors showcasing their products and services,” said Jennifer Zinzi of the Chamber of Commerce. “New this year will be a farmers market where festival goers can pick up beautiful fresh produce and treats for weekend barbeques…”

“We’re having a nice big summer sale with some big reductions. That’s our big event,” said June Sandilands of The Loft at Bissell’s on Governor Street. “…Lots of wonderful things that are very nicely priced.”

Meredith Mulhearn’s Cucumber and Chamomile Tea Shoppe is at 3 Danbury Road, by the intersection of Routes 35 and 116, so she’ll be set up in the block that will be closed to traffic.

“I’m going to have a table up on Main Street as we’ll be doing all sorts of stuff,” she said. “We’ll have iced tea there, and nutrition is the other side of my business — I’m a nutrition therapist — and I’ll answer questions and I’ll have all sorts of wellness products, and tea of course, lots of tea.”

The farmers market will be at the north end of closed Main Street block, by Prospect Street.

It will feature products grown by The Hickories, Simpaug Farms, Hayfields and Veronica’s Garden, as well as fresh cut flowers from The Porch. The Farmer’s Market is sponsored by CorCystems Inc and Fairfield County Bank.

The kids zone will be at Bailey Avenue and the Town Hall parking lot, showcasing child-friendly vendors and a variety of activities including an interactive race track, bounce house, face painting, airbrushed tattoos, archery, and a photo booth. The kids zone is sponsored by the Downtown Ridgefield Association, Kiwi Country Day Camp and Ridgefield Parks and Recreation.

Music will be provided by DJ Sean ‘Big Daddy’ McKee, and there will also be live performances throughout the day by musicians studying at Ridgefield Bach to Rock and School of Rock Ridgefield. Down at the Ridgefield Library, there’ll be music from 1 to 4 with musicians from RMAC entertaining on the lawn from 1 to 4, including Little Tower with RHS/RMAC alumnus Brian Duke.

In addition to the village’s many restaurants, the street fair will have food vendors including Tivoli Pizza in the KidsZone, Zawack Shack, Early Bird Café, Skips Ice Cream and fresh hot popcorn. Festival food is sponsored by Union Savings Bank and Winters Brothers.

Summerfest Saturday will also have Yoga in the Park with Lyn Kehoe, from 8:30-10 in Ballard Park, and a host of events at The Ridgefield Library. The library’s line-up includes a book sale on the lawn by The Friends of the Library from 10 to 4, a drop-in storytime at 10:30, and the RMAC musicians from 1 to 4.

The Chamber of Commerce’s title sponsors for SummerFest are: Corcystems Inc., Fairfield County Bank, Kiwi Country Day Camp, Union Savings Bank and Winters Brothers, as well as supporting sponsors: Abbey Tent & Rental, Bach to Rock, BMW of Ridgefield, Bruce Bennett Nissan, Casey Energy, Early Bird Café, M&T Bank, Mercedes Benz of Danbury, School of Rock, Tivoli Pizza & Trattoria and Westy Self Storage.

More information: 203-438-5992, jzinzi@ridgefieldchamber.org, or destinationridgefield.com

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Not everyone associates thrift shops with fashion, but if you are familiar with the Ridgefield Thrift Shop you know better. We love fashion, and thanks to our well-dressed donors we have quality clothes to offer you.

Desigual is in the shop. Desigual is a high-quality Spanish brand known for its trendy patchwork designs, intense prints, graffiti art and flamboyant splashes of color. We have a knee length coat that fits this description perfectly with red, black, silver and gold (size 42; U.S. size large). We also have a Desigual extra-large blue zipped hoodie with patchwork pockets and design.

Christian Louboutin also made a visit this week. Christian Louboutin is a French luxury footwear and fashion designer whose footwear incorporates shiny, red-lacquered soles that have become his signature. If you wear a size 10, step quickly to the Thrift Shop for a lightly worn pair of black patent-leather pumps.

Make a fashion statement with quality purchases from The Ridgefield Thrift Shop. Visit us Monday through Friday from 12 to 4 and Saturday from 10 to 1 at 15 Catoonah Street. We also welcome your donations during these times.

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Ridgefield police officers are looking into a series of vehicle break-ins that have taken place this week in town. Two at the rec center and another last night at the dog park on Prospect Ridge Road.

Purses, wallets, and glasses have been stolen from vehicles parked at the Ridgefield Parks and Recreation Center and the dog park on Prospect Ridge Road this week.

Ridgefield Police Capt. Jeff Kreitz said in a release that the department is investigating the three larcenies, which were reported to have taken place around the same time of day and all involved a window on the vehicle being smashed in.

The first one occurred at the rec center parking lot between 5:30 and 6:05 p.m. on Sunday, July 17. The second occurred between 6:45 and 7:20 p.m. in the same parking lot, which located at Danbury Road, on Sunday, July 17.

The third and final break took place at the dog park next to Scalzo Field between 6:30 and 7:20 p.m. Thursday, July 21.

“Because the larcenies took place during a certain time frame and the vehicle was entered the same way, with windows being smashed in, we believe there’s a strong possibility these crimes were done by the same person,” Capt. Kreitz told The Press Friday morning.

The Ridgefield Police Department would like to remind everyone to always lock and remove all valuables from their vehicles.

Anyone who has information regarding these incidents or who observes any suspicious activity is encouraged to call the Ridgefield Police Department at 203-438-6531

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Tiger’s Den Sports Bar & Grill will raise money for children’s cancer research next Friday, July 29, when it hosts a special head-shaving fundraiser event for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation from 6 to 9 p.m.

Dapper Den will take care of the shaving, while local musician Jared Marinilli performs live.

There will also be an auction that includes a winter jacket and gift cards.

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-powered charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.

To participate or donate in next Friday’s fundraiser in Ridgefield, go to www.stbaldricks.org/events/tigersden

To volunteer, go to st.bladricks.org/get-involved.

Tiger’s Den is located at 23 Catoonah St.

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Before it takes off for the month of August, the Planning and Zoning Commission will discuss — and more than likely approve — two special permit applications at its meeting Tuesday, July 26

The first is for the construction of an art storage building on the 17-acre property of late author and Ridgefield resident Maurice Sendak, who lived at 200 Chestnut Hill Road.

The second major item on the agenda is repurposing the existing residence at 152 Main Street into a visitor’s center and administrative office to serve the Keeler Tavern.

The property neighbors the museum, which is located at 132 Main Street.

Before the Sendak and Keeler Tavern draft resolutions for approval are heard and voted upon, the zoning commission will discuss a parking lot with 173 spaces for Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals at 900 Ridgebury Road.

At its previous meeting on July 12, the zoners — acting as the town’s Inland Wetlands Board — asked that a resolution of approval be drafted based on a few conditions. In addition to the 173-space parking lot, the special permit application calls for the construction of two wooden bridges and additional ADA compliant handicap spaces.

“We’re moving forward on these but not at the final stage yet,” Meder told The Press following the July 12 meeting.

The Sendak and Keeler Tavern projects are important to Ridgefield cultural life.

On Chestnut Hill Road, the art storage building will allow for guided tours to invited guests — no more than four at a time — to see the work of the artist and author of the children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are.

The Keeler Tavern Museum project will allow offices for the Keeler Tavern to move to the second floor of the residence the museum recently purchased, said land use attorney Robert Jewell, who represented the museum at its public hearing.

The commission is also expected to hear plans for the construction of a lower-level vestibule at the Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association’s headquarters on Governor Street.

Also on the agenda is a special permit request for the placement of two single-sided panels on an existing front-entrance signboard at the Subway restaurant on Ethan Allen Highway. That application also has a proposed rear entrance freestanding sign.

Last on the list is a pre-submission concept meeting to discuss the potential rezoning of 108 Danbury Road, the former location of First Niagara Bank, from a non-retail business to retail zoning.

The Planning and Zoning Commission hosts meetings in the Town Hall Annex on Prospect Street.

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Foodplay

As part of the Ridgefield Library’s summer reading program, Foodplay will perform To Be Fit, a live theater presentation encouraging healthy eating habits and active lifestyles for children. Featuring feats of juggling, music, magic and audience participation, the performance will mix fun with nutrition education. The program, for children going into kindergarten through grade 5, will be held on Wednesday, July 27, from 6 to 6:45 in the Library’s Main Program Room on the Lower Level.

The performance is free of charge with no registration and is sponsored by the Friends of the Ridgefield Library. For more information, go to foodplay.com or call Children’s Services at 203-438-2282 X12002.

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Susan Cocco handled the gavel at town Democratic caucuses during her 16 years as chairwoman of the Ridgefield Democratic Town Committee. She’s excited to be going to Philadelphia next week for her third Democratic National Convention.—Macklin Reid photo

Democrats from all around America will gather in Philadelphia next week to nominate Hillary Clinton for president of the United States. Susan Cocco is all in.

“I am beyond excited,” said Cocco. “It’s a historic occasion, to nominate the first woman to head the ticket for either of the two major parties, and I think we have a major opportunity now before us to bring a new voice and fresh perspective to politics and governing.”

Cocco served as chairwoman of Ridgefield’s Democratic Town Committee for 16 years, before handing off the gavel earlier this year.

“For me, this will be my third convention, I was there in ’08 and 2012,” she said.

Cocco thinks of the coming convention, from July 25 to 28, in the context of history.

“I think it’s amazing,” she said. “I think it’s amazing it’s in Philadelphia where the the Declaration was written and the Constitution was written.”

She also relates the convention that will nominate a woman for president to the Seneca Falls Woman’s Rights Convention, a gathering 168 years ago that helped make the rights of women a cause among the reformers of abolitionist and temperance movements. The “Declaration of Sentiments” that came out of Seneca Falls gave voice to a call for women to have the same rights as men, including “their sacred right to the elective franchise” — a radical notion at the time.

“The Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention was held July 19, 1848,” Cocco said. “It took another 72 years for the 19th amendment to pass.”

The nomination of Hillary Clinton next week will be another step forward, Cocco said, but also an echo.

“I think the coincidences are just breathtaking,” she said.

“This is more than a story about women and politics. It’s really, I think, a story about the future of America,” Cocco said.

“I think there’s two distinct and differentiated visions of the future of America being offered by the political parties. I believe the Democrats’ way forward is the way to provide jobs and national security for our future, which is a future in a diverse America,” Cocco said.

Tom Madden, who succeeded Cocco as chairman of Ridgefield’s Democratic Town Committee, said the local party — including those who were excited by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ campaign — will all get behind the Clinton candidacy.

“We’re really hanging together on this one,” Madden said. “None of us are going to sit this one out, We know it’s important.”

During the Connecticut Presidential Primary in the spring, Clinton got more than 59% of the votes cast by Ridgefield Democrats, with Bernie Sanders collecting under 40%.

Madden said he didn’t think the primary was particularly divisive — in Ridgefield, anyway.

“It really wasn’t,” he said. “There were two points of view and there were issues that were discussed that might not have been discussed if we did not have multiple voices in the primary and I think the process worked the way it was supposed to work.”

Delegates are allocated proportionally in Connecticut, and statewide Clinton won 28 while Sanders is due to get 27 — of course, things could change at the convention, where there’s traditionally a lot of emphasis on party unity.

“We all know that in 2008, Hillary released her delegates and led the voting for Barack Obama,” Cocco said. “I assume that Bernie will do the same.”

There’s no local committee for Hillary in Ridgefield, but former chairwoman Cocco is “on her core team here in Connecticut,” she said.

“There’s a state director for Hillary, who’s a campaign employee, here on the ground already,” Cocco said, “and we’re organizing here in Connecticut already voter and voting-related activities to elect Secretary Clinton the next president of the United States.”

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Fairfield County and the surrounding area will see high temperatures for the next several days, with the high hovering around 90 degrees or more until next Friday, according to the National Weather service.

On Saturday, it will be sunny with a high near 93 degrees and a northwest wind from 9 to 14 mph. Saturday night will  be clear with a low around 72.

Sunday, the high will be around 88 degrees, dropping to 73 Sunday night.

Monday is predicted to have a 20% chance of showers after 1 p.m. Otherwise a high near 89 is predicted. Monday night the percentage of showers increases to 30% with a drop in temperature to 75.

Tuesday’s high is expected to be 91, dropping to 73 at night, and Wednesday’s high is close to 87, dropping to 73 at night.

• Drink more water than usual.
• Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more fluids.
• Drink from two to four cups of water every hour while working or exercising outside.
• Avoid alcohol or liquids containing high amounts of sugar.
• Remind others to drink enough water.

Never leave children in a parked car — especially in extreme heat. When traveling with infants or small children, always check the backseat before leaving the car.

Editorial: Check the backseat

More info: cdc.gov

Pet safety

The Humane Society of the United States offers pet safety tips in heat. They say never to leave a pet in a parked car — not even for a minute. and not even with the car running and air conditioner on.

On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels. On an 85-degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die.

More info: humanesociety.org

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Racial tensions in our country have exposed very real and current distrust and disdain between police and members of communities. Connecticut is not immune. With police officers now being assassinated, we need an emergency response.

Part of the solution to this national emergency is getting law enforcement representatives and community organizers together around the same table. The way to get past distrust and disdain is to be in the same room talking directly about what is happening and why. Better communication and understanding is always a key.

We call on President Barack Obama to urge every single city and town in this country to conduct its own meetings bringing together law enforcement and community members who feel unfairly treated by police. Discussions should cover current behaviors of both sides and why those behaviors are taking place. What will it take for behaviors to change? What use of force by police is justified in different scenarios, and what is not justified?

Better understanding could lead to reduced violence.

Gov. Malloy, let’s not wait for the president. You can take the lead and call for such meetings in every town and city here in Connecticut.

First Selectman Rudy Marconi and Police Chief John Roche, we can start right here, right now. We can lead the way for others to follow.

Bringing together people who distrust each other is one way we can help to overcome the immediate crisis and the long term tragic effects of racial divides.

Ladies and Gentlemen of Ridgefield, it is rare for these pages to dive into national events, but the country needs leadership now. Solving great problems starts with local individuals, face to face.

Column was written by Greg Reilly, editor of The New Canaan Advertiser, and repurposed for The Ridgefield Press.

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What’s the most mass-transit intensive city in the U.S.? By the numbers, New York City. But for a glimpse of the real future of mass-transit, the winner is clearly Portland, Ore.!

Portland has only 632,000 residents, but 2.3 million in its metro area. Yet it has, per capita, what I think is the largest, most extensive and best integrated systems of light rail, streetcars and bike lanes in the nation.

Light rail — It was 1986 when Portland opened its first light-rail line. Today the system covers 60 miles (including the airport, 12 miles from downtown). In 2001, a downtown streetcar system was added. It proved so successful that Portland now manufactures streetcars for other American cities.

Like the city’s extensive bike-rack equipped bus network, all of Portland’s mass transit operates on the honor system: you buy tickets before boarding and only show them if an inspector boards, looking for proof of payment.

To encourage ridership, fares are ridiculously cheap. For $2.50 you can roam the system for two and one-half hours. An unlimited day pass is $5 or $26 a month (about the cost of a round-trip to NYC on Metro-North). “Honored Citizens” (seniors, Medicare or disabled) get a monthly pass for $7.50!

Don’t even think about driving — To further encourage use of the ubiquitous mass transit, driving in downtown is difficult and expensive. The main transit corridors have one lane for streetcars, one lane for bikes and just one lane for cars.

Parking is really expensive, both by meter on the streets and in lots. And yes, the freeways crawl just like in L.A.

Technology — The bus and rail system offers free apps for trip-planning which use GPS to tell you exactly how long you’ll wait for the next trolley, directions by line to your destination and expected travel time. And yes, you can buy and show your ticket using your smartphone.

Bikes are king — The city’s unofficial motto is “Keep Portland Weird”, and the residents work hard to do so. Outside of Europe or Asia I have never seen so many people on two wheels traversing a community.

There are so many dedicated bike lanes that when a new bridge was built crossing the Willamette River, the bridge was built for everything except cars and trucks: a mass transit-only bridge!

When a new medical center was planned on a downtown hill, designers realized it would be foolish to waste land on parking, so they built an aerial tram from unused industrial land on the waterfront. Hospital employees and patients alike take light rail or bike to the base station (where a free 400-space bike-lot is usually full) and are skyward in minutes.

So if you are ever disillusioned by the sorry state of mass-transit in our area, take heart. The future is now in Portland!

Jim Cameron has been a Darien resident for 25 years. He is the founder of the Commuter Action Group and also serves on the Darien RTM. The opinions expressed in this column are only his own. You can reach him at CommuterActionGroup@gmail.com.

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A two-part seminar about honeybees and backyard beekeeping is scheduled at Founders Hall on Friday, July 29, and Friday, Aug. 26, both at 1 p.m.  

Ann Murray, director of Discovery Center or Ridgefield, will discuss the biology of bees, their importance in the food supply, and explain the basics of beekeeping and share tips on beekeeping.

The seminar is free and open to the public. For more information, call 203-431-7000.

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A traffic light at the intersection of Copps Hill and Farmingville Road will be on the selectmen’s radar over the next year. The possible relocation of a cross-walk is also being studied by the state, First Selectman Rudy Marconi said Wednesday night.

Traffic that backs up out of sight on Route 35 at the Copps Hill and Farmingville intersection has the state planning to re-do the lights at the busy intersection.

“There’ll be a box and four sets of lights, for each direction,” First Selectman Rudy Marconi told the selectmen Wednesday night, July 20. “They’ll have greater control over programming.”

Marconi said the state engineers had told him they could program the lights to allow longer times for north-south traffic during the peak morning commuter rush, 7:30 to 9, when southbound traffic has its worst backs-up, and return to a more balanced cycle the rest of the day.

The possible relocation of a cross-walk is also being studied by the state, he said, to have it where there aren’t so many lanes of traffic to cross and the amount of time allowed for people get across could be shortened — allowing more time for cars.

When is all this likely to take place?

“Probably a year,” Marconi said, to the surprise of board members accustomed to seeing state projects linger years in the planning stages.

“This is something they recognize has to get done.”

For more information on this proposal and for more coverage on Wednesday night’s selectmen’s meeting, check back to theridgefieldpress.com next week or check next week’s print edition. 

The post New lights coming at Route 35 and Copps Hill appeared first on The Ridgefield Press.

Both lanes of Route 35 traffic will be open this week.

“The State DOT has notified the Town that both lanes of Rte 35 in front of Fox Hill Condos will be open through Friday, 7/29/16,” First Selectman Rudy Marconi’s office is reporting.

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