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Thursday
September 1, 2011
VOLUME XXIII, NO. 35

Of Bridgeports North End & Black Rock

14 PAGES

News Briefs

Chambers holding
mayoral forum

The Bridgeport Chamber of

Commerce, together with the
Caribbean World Chamber
of Commerce, the Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce of
Greater Bridgeport and the
Southern Connecticut Black
Chamber of Commerce, will
host a Mayoral Pre-primary
Forum in Beacon Hall at
Housatonic Community College
on Thursday, Sept. 8, from 8 to
10 a.m.
All four registered candidates
Bill Finch, Mary Jane Foster,
Jeff Kohut and Rick Torres
have been invited and are
expected to attend. The forum
will be moderated by John J.
DeAugustine.
Candidates will be asked questions about their solutions to
local challenges and how they
will shape Bridgeports future. If
time permits, audience members
will be also able to ask the candidates questions.
The forum is free and open to
the public.

Little is left of the Al Bennett Memorial fishing pier that was at the end of West Beach by the lighthouse. The remains of it
were swept over to the rocks by Port 5 on the other side of the harbor from where it officially stood. The lighthouse is visible in the background.
(Photos courtesy of Bridgeport Public Facilities Department)

Preparedness pays off

Dr. Twit to speak

at The Watermark

The Watermark at 3030 Park

will host its monthly Laughter
for Life Club meeting in the
main lounge on Tuesday, Sept. 6,
from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Septembers guest presenter will be Dr. Shan Twit of
Stamford Chiropractic & Rehab
Center. Twit will discuss natural
solutions to weight loss, headaches, digestion and sleeping
disorders.
For more information on
Laughter for Life, call 203-3745611. For more information on
Dr. Twit, visit stamfordchiro.
com.

Junior League
seeks volunteers

The Junior League of Eastern

Fairfield County will host an
open house for prospective
members at Las Vetas Lounge,
27 Unquowa Road, Fairfield on
Sept. 10
Women seeking a volunteer
experience in their community
can learn about the leagues programs, meet current members
and have cocktails or coffee. The
local chapter focuses on literacy,
health and nutrition in an 11town service region that includes
Bridgeport.
For times and details, contact
Erin Hamilton at 917-657-6297
or erinjhamilton@yahoo.com, or
visit jlefc.org.

City escapes Hurricane Irene without any major incidents

By Nancy Doniger
Editor

ridgeports
preparedness
for
Hurricane Irene and ability to evacuate residents in low-lying areas paid
off as residents heeded the order and
stayed safe during the storm.
The city escaped any major incidents, aside
from storm damage and power outages.
The hurricane did, however, cause extensive flooding and damage to Seaside Park,
which has been closed indefinitely, although
public works crews are attempting to repair
West Beach for the Labor Day weekend.
Status updates will be posted on thebridgeportnews.com.
Less than a week earlier, the city also survived an earthquake that rattled most of the
East Coast without little or no damage.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, Mayor
Bill Finch is working closely with United
Illuminating to assist in getting power back
on throughout the city. As of Wednesday
morning, fewer than 4,000 customers were
still without electricity.
Elaine Ficarra, the mayors spokesman,
said public works crews have been out every
day, clearing trees and debris.
Public works and emergency crews have
not stopped since the storm happened, she
said.
A large tree fell over and hit a house on
North Street, blocking the driveway, she
said, but it appeared to be resting on the
house, rather than crashing through it.
Finch is asking all residents to call 203576-1311 and 203-579-3829 to report fallen
trees, downed power lines, power outages and
any non-emergencies related to the storm.
- see Hurricane on page 8A

Hurricane Irene severely damaged sidewalks along Seaside Parks seawall.

Weather service on Irene:

Could have been worse

By David DesRoches
Staff

mergency and municipal personnel continue to assess the damage of

Tropical Storm Irene, the downgraded
hurricane that flooded properties, knocked
out power to more than 700,000 Connecticut
homes and caused the death of more than 20
people on the East Coast.

We knew early last week about the

(hurricanes) potential, what we didnt know
was the intensity, said David Stark, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
The intensity is so difficult to forecast
because of so many variables.
United Illuminating had more than 200
crews working to restore power, which
- see Weather on page 8A

Selfishness vs. heroic virtue in times of trouble

hat has always frightened

me about disasters, beyond
the magnitude of destruction
and the loss of life and property, is
that while they can bring out the best
in us, they often bring out the worst.
They can open the tiny portals
into our souls, and in microscopic
moral detail reveal us to be either
selfless people or selfish people.
Sometimes I shudder when I see
what Im really all about. Instead of
courage, theres cowardice. Instead
of caring for others, Im caring for
me.
A crisis can magnify our character
so much that acts of compassion and
kindness are elevated to what saintwatchers call heroic virtue, while
acts of greed and self-interest are

shown for what they truly are, classical evil.

The examples are many. A store
owner price-gouges because people
are rushing to buy water and food.
After all, he reasons, everyone has
to make a buck.
An old man struggles down the
stairs to escape an office building
during an earthquake, and scores of
people rush by him while one or two
pause to help, but then even they
abandon him to save themselves.
Amid the hysteria and turmoil,
maybe one person makes the sacrifice and stays with him to her own
peril. Meanwhile, the rest of us with
shaky consciences breathe a sigh
of relief because someone is doing
what we know we should have done

I couldnt deny that it illuminated

my selfishness in a very painful
way.
Im reminded of that parable of
By Joe Pisani the Good Samaritan, where two
people walk by the traveler who
joefpisani@yahoo.com.
had been beaten and robbed and
left for dead. To their thinking, they
but were too afraid to do.
had good reasons to keep walking.
As the hurricane approaches, a
However, when youre the one lying
car with a mother and children is
by the side of the road, watching the
stranded on the side of the highway, parade of passersby look the other
and she waves for help, but motorway, it can lead you to despair.
ists pass by because they have their
There were examples like that
own lives to worry about.
during Hurricane Irene, in the superOn the occasions that Ive been
market aisles, at the gas station
the one to pass by someone in need, lines, and in the flooded areas where
Ive thought in a moment of selfpeople were stranded.
deception that it didnt necessarily
And yet, sometimes goodness
make me a bad person, even though still shines through, and it can be

Did I Say That?

an inspiration for all of us most

especially 10 years ago on 9/11,
when terrorists hijacked four jet
airliners and slammed them into the
Twin Towers, the Pentagon and a
field in Pennsylvania.
That day, there were many heroes
who acted with exceptional grace.
Some thwarted the terrorists who
intended to slam a jet plane into the
Capitol, and many more rushed into
the World Trade Center while everyone else was rushing out.
They were ordinary men and
women who found that thing called
heroic virtue inside themselves
when the world needed it most.
Joe Pisani can be reached at
joefpisani@yahoo.com.

THE NEWS, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 2A

Frank Carroll named 2012 Barnum Festival ringmaster

Frank J. Carroll, international vice president of the
International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers and
a Bridgeport native, has
been selected by the Board
of Directors of the Barnum
Festival as the 2012 ringmaster of the annual celebration.
A Shelton resident, Carroll
was selected as the 63rd ringmaster of the organization,
which was created in 1948
to commemorate the life and
times of P.T. Barnum, entrepreneur and former mayor of

Bridgeport. He follows a long

list of regional and community
leaders to hold the position.
The new ringmaster is
no stranger to the Barnum
Festival, having volunteered
in a number of the events over
the years, serving in a variety
of roles.
He is the son of the late
Frank and Irene Carroll and
brother of former ringmasters
William J. Carroll and Charles
Carroll. He succeeds Armando
Goncalves, regional president
of Peoples United Bank, who

served as the 62nd ringmaster and was a member of the

nominating committee headed
by former ringmaster Robert
H. Laska, retired publisher of
The Connecticut Post.
Goncalves said that Carroll
was an easy choice for the
committee because of his
long history of community
involvement and support of
Bridgeport institutions and
organizations. He noted that
Carroll was the grand marshal
of the 2011 St. Patricks Day
Parade and activities.
Franks heart and soul is
committed to the betterment
of Bridgeport and the region,
said Barnum Festival Society
President Rick Porto, adding
that the former ringmasters,
staff and volunteers are looking forward to working with
Frank.
The Festival has become
well known throughout the
Northeast through the more
than 20 annual events that
salute Barnum and the people
and events that made him the
greatest showman on earth.
Those events include the
street parade, drum and bugle
corps competition, concerts
and fireworks extravaganza at
Bridgeports Seaside Park.
Carroll began his careers in
the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers in May
1966, with Local Union 488,
Bridgeport. He became a vice
Frank Carrolls wife, Patricia, was by his side when he president of the local and
was named ringmaster.
was elected president in 1977

Shelton resident Frank Carroll has been named the 2012 Barnum Festival ringmaster.
His brother, Charlie, was the ringmaster in 1999. (Photos by Wayne Ratzenberger)
and then business manager/
financial secretary until his
appointment as international
vice president.
Serving on various committees, Carroll has also represented the International
Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers as a delegate to
the
AFL-CIO
National
Conventions. As a labor activist, he has also served on the

Connecticut State License

Board and was president
of the Bridgeport Building
Trades Council and the State
of Connecticut Electrical
Workers.
As an active member of his
community, Carroll received
the honor of being chosen as one of the Irish Echo
Newspapers Irish Labor 50
honorees for 2011.

Carroll and his wife, Patricia,

have three children, Frank J.
Carroll, III, married to Susan;
Raymond Carroll, married to
Denise; and Amy Lynn, married to Michael DAmico; and
eight grandchildren, Molly
Carroll, Erin Carroll, Frank
J. Carroll IV, Michael Carroll,
Jonathan Carroll, Andrew
Carroll, Alexandria DAmico
and Emma DAmico.

Event to mark 10th anniversary of 9/11 Stand Down will

benet veterans
The Connecticut Fallen
Heroes Foundation will be
teaming up with the band, and
local sensation, Remember
September at Captains Cove
Seaport, 1 Bostwick Ave.,
Bridgeport, on Sunday, Sept.
11. The event is free and open
to the public.
Team members will be setting up tables around 1 p.m.,
on the deck outside to recognize the importance of
this special anniversary that
changed America and the way
we lived forever.
Remember September is set
to perform between 3 and 7

p.m., with a short break around

4 p.m., where U.S. Rep. Jim
Himes and Bridgeport Mayor
Bill Finch will say a few words
and reflect on that fateful day
10 years ago. Lt. Gov. Nancy
Wyman will also try and make
it down.
Captains Cove owners
Jill Williams and David Toth
have been great supporters of
the Connecticut Fallen Heroes
Foundation over the years, as
well as band manager John
Schod, said Mike Mastroni,
foundation chairman.
They donate their time as
well as funding to our cause

and are some of the nicest

folks we have ever come
across, said team member
Linda Hvizdo, who is the
manager of Homewood Suites
in Stratford.
The day is also used as a
stepping stone to the foundations Fallen Heroes Memorial
Tribute, which will take place
at Trumbulls Indian Ledge
Park on Saturday, Sept. 24
The foundation had 300 special 10th anniversary T-shirts
made just for this occasion and
they will be selling them for
$20 each that afternoon.
Wait until you see these,

there is nothing else like it,

we incorporated the firemans
helmet and police officers cap
along with the boot, helmet,
and dog tags of our countrys
fallen, said team member
Kevin Murphy of Sikorsky.
Then we had the eagle and
white dove swinging around
the towers on each end.
The Sikorsky Finance
Womens Forum will also be
helping the Connecticut Fallen
Heroes Foundation that day
with a sports raffle, along with
other items.
For more information, visit
ctfallenheroes.org.

Under water

The
Connecticut
Department of Veterans
Affairs in Rocky Hill is
expecting more than 1,000
homeless and needy veterans to attend Stand Down
2011, an event that provides
free services, assistance and
information from federal and
state agencies, as well as local
businesses and corporations
for Connecticut veterans.
This event will be held
at the State Veterans Home
Campus, 287 West St., Rocky
Hill, on Friday, Sept. 9, from
7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Stand Down has become
a proud Connecticut tradition
and I believe it is our state
at its finest, Commissioner
Linda Schwartz said. Stand
Down is a place where
needy and homeless veterans can receive the help
that they need. Where else
in Connecticut can you go to

court and get a case settled

and your license renewed, get
a hair cut, your teeth cleaned
and an eye examination all in
the same day?
Needy veterans or their
advocates can pre-register
and receive more information
by calling 860-616-3801 or
visitingct.gov/ctva. Pre-registration is not required to
attend the event.
Free transportation for veterans is available from pickup locations around the state.
Key urban areas to be served
include Bridgeport, Danbury,
Hartford, Meriden, New
Britain, New Haven, New
London, Norwich, Stamford,
Torrington and Waterbury.
Organizations and individuals interested in contributing
resources or services to Stand
Down 2011 should contact
the Department of Veterans
Affairs at 860-616-3801.

Goodwill gives 3,500

students backpacks

The rains from Hurricane Irene left Seaside Park underwater. The water rose over the sea wall and flooded the
entire area and up to Marina Circle.
(Photo by Public Works Director Charles Carroll)

When students returned

to eight Connecticut schools
this fall, Goodwill staff
greeted them with brand new
backpacks filled with school
supplies. Each backpack contained essential supplies to
allow students to begin the
year with the tools they need
to succeed.
The
Beardsley
and
Waltersville schools were
among those benefiting from
the backpack giveaway this
year.
In all, 3,500 backpacks
a thousand more than

last year were distributed to students courtesy of

Goodwill. Goodwill believes
that education is a critical
building block in creating
employability options as an
adult and began this community outreach effort in 2009.
Schools are selected based on
the needs of the local community and their proximity to
a Goodwill location.
Goodwill distributed backpacks to the Waltersville
School on Aug. 29 and
Beardsley School on Aug.
31.

Grant will help Hunger Outreach Network

Continuing in their strong
commitment to help address
the growing problem of hunger in Bridgeport, the trustees of the Norma F. Pfriem
Foundation have donated
$45,000 to purchase food for
distribution to people in need
through 37 soup kitchens and
pantries in the Hunger Outreach
Network, a voluntary collaboration of church and community providers coordinated by
The Council of Churches of
Greater Bridgeport.
The grant, the foundations
fourth since 2009, will help
put food on the tables of families at risk of going to bed
hungry.
The grant is all the more
needed because of the reduc-

tion of federal hunger funds

to greater Bridgeport through
the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA).
The Council of Churches of
Greater Bridgeport is the fiduciary for the Hunger Outreach
Network, comprised of 17
soup kitchen programs (serving hot nutritious meals), 25
food pantries and three mobile
kitchens.
More than 2.5 million meals
were served to hungry people
in Bridgeport and the surrounding suburbs (Monroe,
Fairfield, Stratford, Trumbull
and Easton) last year, up from
2.2 million meals the previous year. These programs are
based mostly in churches and
community organizations but

also include several municipal

food pantries.
With the impact of the economic downturn and recent
federal budget tightening,
FEMA funds were reduced
25% in this new budget year.
The grant from the Norma F.
Pfriem Foundation helps fill
that gap. Prior grants from the
foundation doubled food storage capacity, allowing hunger
dollars to go further through
bulk purchasing, especially of
non-perishable food.
To help feed hungry people,
visit ccgb.org and click on the
link to JustGive.org on the
lower left of our home page.
People can specify if they
would like their gift to support
hunger outreach.

THE NEWS, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 3A

Bridgeport man admits to role

in 2005 murder of three people
Azikiwe Aquart, 31, of
Bridgeport, pleaded guilty
Aug. 26 before United
States District Judge Stefan
R. Underhill in Bridgeport
to three counts of murder in
aid of racketeering stemming
from his role in the murder of
three Bridgeport residents in
August 2005.
According to court documents, statements made in
court and evidence introduced during Azibo Aquarts
trial in the spring of 2011,
Azibo Aquart, who is Azikiwe
Aquarts brother, was the
founder and leader of a drug
trafficking group that primarily sold crack cocaine out of
an apartment building located
at 215 Charles St., Bridgeport.
Azibo Aquart and his associates participated in acts of
violence, such as threats and
assaults, to maintain their
control over the groups drug
distribution activities at the
Charles Street Apartments.
In the summer of 2005,
Azibo Aquart and his associates became involved in a
drug trafficking dispute with

Tina Johnson, a resident of

215 Charles St., who sometimes sold smaller quantities
of crack cocaine without the
approval of Azibo Aquart.
On the morning of Aug. 24,
2005, Azibo Aquart, Azikiwe
Aquart and others entered
Apartment 101 at 215 Charles
St., and murdered Tina
Johnson, 43, her boyfriend,
James Reid, 40, and friend,
Basil Williams, 54. The three
victims were bound with duct
tape and brutally beaten to
death with baseball bats.
Azikiwe Aquart specifically admitted that he had
agreed to participate in what
he believed would be a robbery with his brother and
others and, after entering the
apartment he committed the
murder of James Reid, while
other participants in the crime
murdered Tina Johnson and
Basil Williams.
During the trial of Azibo
Aquart, in addition to witness
testimony, the government
offered extensive forensic
evidence gathered from the
apartment, including finger-

prints and evidence that contained DNA from the Aquarts

and others.
Underhill has scheduled
Azikiwe Aquarts sentencing
for Nov. 14, at which time
Aquart faces a mandatory life
term of imprisonment on each
of the three counts of murder
in aid of racketeering.
On May 23, after a monthlong trial, a federal jury in
New Haven found Azibo
Aquart guilty of the murders of Johnson, Reid and
Williams. On June 15, the
jury unanimously determined
that Azibo Aquart should be
sentenced to death for committing both the racketeering murders and drug-related murders of Johnson and
Williams, but could not reach
a unanimous decision as to
an appropriate penalty, life
imprisonment or death, for
the racketeering murder and
drug-related murder of Reid.
United States District Judge
Janet Bond Arterton will
schedule a sentencing date for
Azibo Aquart after the submission of post-trial motions.

Trading drugs for rearms lands

city man in jail for 84 months
Torre Green, 31, of
Bridgeport, was sentenced
Aug. 24 by United States
District Judge Janet C. Hall
in Bridgeport to 84 months
of imprisonment, followed
by five years of supervised
release, for trading crack
cocaine for three firearms.
According to court documents and statements made
in court, on April 28, 2010,
Green, Shawn S. Lehal and
Walter S. Williams were
arrested after they met with
an undercover law enforcement officer in Bridgeport
and distributed approximate-

ly 39 grams of crack cocaine

in exchange for three semiautomatic handguns.
On March 31, 2011, Green
pleaded guilty to one count
of conspiracy to possess
with intent to distribute,
and to distribute, 28 grams
or more of cocaine base
(crack cocaine). Lehal and
Williams, both of Bridgeport,
have pleaded guilty to the
same charge and await sentencing.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms, and
Explosives and the Bridgeport

Police Department. The

case is being prosecuted by
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter
S. Jongbloed.
This
prosecution
is
part of the Project Safe
Neighborhoods Initiative,
a program that is aimed at
reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of guns, and improving the safety of residents
throughout
Connecticut.
Participants in the initiative
include community members
and organizations as well as
state, federal and local law
enforcement agencies.

Dr. Joseph Tiano checks on the progress of Glenn Myers of Stratford in the
Electrophysiology Lab at St. Vincents, where his A-fib ablation procedure was performed in April.
(Submitted photo)

St. Vincents offers comprehensive

treatment for atrial brillation

St. Vincents Medical

Center is the only hospital in
the tri-state area to offer a
comprehensive program with
both medical and surgical
treatments to treat atrial fibrillation, also known as rapid or
irregular heartbeat, thanks to
the newly added technique of
trans-catheter ablation.
Trans-catheter ablation is
a non-surgical technique that
employs a catheter to reach the
heart where radio frequency
energy is then used to disrupt the electrical impulses
that cause and maintain atrial
fibrillation.
St. Vincents has already
gained recognition for being
the only facility in the state
to offer the latest minimally
invasive (mini-maze) surgery
to correct atrial fibrillation,
a rhythm disorder commonly known as A-fib, which
occurs when electrical signals
cause the upper chambers of
the heart, the atria, to beat
rapidly and erratically.
The disease produces lifestyle-damaging symptoms
such as palpitations, fatigue

and shortness of breath, which

not only can prevent people
from participating in activities
they enjoy, but can create fear
and anxiety in those individuals and their families. It can
also lead to stroke or weakening of the heart, called congestive heart failure.
Surgical outcomes have
been highly successful for this
procedure performed at St.
Vincents by Cardiothoracic
Surgery Chief Dr. Rafael
Squitieri and Minimally
Invasive Cardiac Surgery
Medical Director Dr. Albert
DiMeo. Approximately 90%
of people who undergo the
procedure at St. Vincents do
not experience another episode of A-fib, putting it among
the highest in the nation.
Currently, St. Vincents is the
only hospital in the state and
among 10 healthcare organizations nationally providing this
innovative and proven treatment.
We have seen phenomenal results with this surgical
technique, with very fit people
of all ages who had become

debilitated by A-fib, resuming

their often rigorous exercising
and full schedule of family,
career and recreational activities, Squitieri said.
This truly is a great solution for those who have chronic A-fib, particularly those
who are very active, because
it has an extremely high success rate and allows them to
resume more physical activity, DiMeo said.
The latest mini-maze surgery is totally thoracoscopic,
or performed solely through
endoscopes or flexible tubes
inserted into two tiny, onecentimeter keyhole incisions
on each side of the chest. A
tiny camera and video-guided
instruments are then inserted
into the endoscopes to reach
the heart and create a mazelike pattern of scarring or
ablation with radio frequency
energy which interrupts the
electrical impulses that initiate
A-fib.
For more information, contact cardiovascular medicine
at 203-576-5788 or visit stvincents.org.

Himes and community health center

Stratford man to serve jail time for
illegally structuring cash transactions celebrate National Health Center Week
John A. Ortiz, 54, of
Stratford was sentenced by
United States District Judge
Janet C. Hall in Bridgeport
to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by two years
of supervised release, for illegally structuring more than
$943,000 in cash transactions.
Hall also ordered Ortiz
to forfeit approximately
$388,540 to the government
and to pay a fine in the amount
of $75,000.
Federal law requires all
financial institutions to file a
Currency Transaction Report
(CTR) for currency transactions that exceed $10,000. To
evade the filing of a CTR,
individuals will often structure their currency transactions so that no single transaction exceeds $10,000.
Structuring involves the
repeated depositing or withdrawal of amounts of cash
less than the $10,000 limit or
the splitting of a cash transaction that exceeds $10,000

Touch--a-Truck
set for Sept. 18
The Junior Womens Club
of Fairfields Touch-a-Truck
fund-raiser will be held at
Fairfield Ludlowe High
School, 785 Unquowa Road,
on Sunday, Sept. 18, from
noon to 4 p.m. (Rain date is
Sunday, Sept. 25, from noon
to 4 p.m.)
At this family-friendly
event, kids of all ages can hop
into the drivers seat of more
than two dozen vehicles, refuel on pizza, tacos, Italian ice
and baked goodies, then make
a pit-stop for any number of
activities, from an old-fashioned hayride to a spin around
a go-cart racetrack.
Touch-a-Truck proceeds
will benefit the clubs scholarship fund for Fairfield high
school students.
Tickets are $5 per person,
ages 1 and up, with a maximum of $20 per family.

into smaller cash transactions in an effort to avoid

the reporting requirements.
Even if the deposited funds
are derived from a legitimate
means, financial transactions
conducted in this manner are
still in violation of federal
criminal law.
According to court documents and statements made
in court, Ortiz maintained
a money market savings
account at a credit union and
also had a personal line of
credit at a bank. Between
May 2006 and October 2009,
Ortiz made more than 70
large cash deposits into his
savings account and more
than 30 large cash payments
to his personal line of credit
account. The vast majority of
the cash transactions were in
the amount of $9000 and none
exceeded $10,000. In total,
Ortiz structured approximately $943,000 in cash deposits
and line of credit payments.
Ortiz used the deposited

funds to purchase, or to obtain

credit in order to purchase,
properties in Connecticut and
Florida. He also used more
than $270,000 of the structured funds to settle a business dispute with his former
partner.
Ortiz owns and operates
towing and auto repair businesses in Bridgeport and
Stratford.
Ortiz waived his right to
indictment on May 25, and
pleaded guilty to one count of
structuring cash transactions.

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes

recently joined the Southwest
Community Health Center
in Bridgeport to celebrate
National Health Center Week.
This annual event recognizes
the services and contributions
of Americas health centers
in providing affordable, high
quality, cost-effective healthcare to all people. This years
event marks the 46th anniversary of the creation of the
Health Centers Program.
Community
Health
Centers are an absolutely vital

piece of our nations health

system, and are often the only
health entity truly responsive
to their communitys individual needs, Himes said. The
important services provided
by these health centers allow
patients to save money on
health care costs and help to
eliminate health care disparities by race and ethnicity.
The community fair at the
Southwest Community Health
Center showcased the health
centers many services, and
also included activities for

Attorney at Law, LLC

Approved Clo. Atty. for most Banks & Lenders

children and adults to help

bring the community together.
Himes addressed fair attendees on the importance of
Americas community health
centers.
If you are unemployed
or uninsured in Connecticut,
it has gotten more and more
difficult to find affordable,
high-quality health care, he
said. Southwest Community
Health Center has been a lifeline to those in and around
Bridgeport who have lost coverage or are between jobs.

One Trapp Falls Rd. Suite 901

Shelton, CT 06484

203-929-7771

Opinion
Thursday September 1, 2011
Published by Hersam Acorn Newspapers, LLC
Nancy Doniger, Managing Editor........... 203-402-2318
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Circulation Department .......................... 800-372-2790
Classied Department............................. 800-372-2790
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Doug Smith, Editorial Cartoonist
Martin V. Hersam, Chief Operating Ofcer
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Editorial

Is it time to fire Metro-North?

s it time to find another operating

agency for our commuter
Talking
trains?
Consider the last year:
Transportation
Winter service reductions,
By Jim Cameron
jim@camcomm.com
summer strandings in sweltering heat, the M8 cars almost
two years late in delivery,
abusive and incompetent conductors, arrogant and unresponsive management.
You may not realize that Metro-North is hired by the state
of Connecticut to operate our trains. They work for us. Yet
they never seem to be held accountable for their mistakes.
Last week there was a very loud listening session for
Metro-North President Howard Permut, to hear from passengers stranded on July 22, in potentially life-threatening
conditions on the hottest day of the year.
Mr. Permut said he came to listen and learn. Yet, he
squirmed in his seat, his body language screaming discomfort, and hardly took a single note as dozens of good ideas
were presented.
He apologized for what happened. But in a 20-page
Open Letter to Commuters, he acknowledged no fault,
assessing the blame for what happened on old cars and
power-lines.
How does Metro-North keep this job, except for negligence in oversight by the CDOT?
The contract between CDOT and Metro-North selfrenews every five years. Neither side has ever renegotiated
the terms. There are neither penalties for bad service nor
incentives for good. There is no accountability.
The income Metro-North makes from running New
Haven line trains is more than they make from the Hudson
and Harlem lines combined. We in Connecticut are MetroNorths main source of revenue. Yet, they hold all the power
and tell us what to do.
The M8 project was of their design, not Connecticuts.
The new car contracts had set-asides for minority and
women-owned businesses in N.Y., not CT. Through
their parent agency, the MTA, Metro-North determines
capital expenditures with no yea or nay votes from
Connecticut, and then bills us for our share.
Yes, Metro-North has an admirable on-time record. And
certainly many of the issues they struggle with regarding
aging equipment, insufficient repair facilities and centuryold power lines, are not their fault.
But Julys stranding of hundreds of passengers near
Greens Farms on the hottest day of the year shows an area
easily improved upon: staff training.
Why did conductors on that train not communicate with
passengers, leaving them so desperate they called 911 to
be rescued? Why did it take passengers, not conductors, to
open windows and doors to cope with the 100-plus degree
heat? Why did a conductor take off his uniform so as to not
to be bothered by anxious passengers? And when the train
did start moving, why did conductors curse at each other
over the PA system for all to hear?
What consequences did those conductors face? Were they
disciplined? Re-trained? Demoted? Fired? Nobody knows,
or at least the railroad wont tell us.
Maybe its time to tell Metro-North it can be replaced.
Other commuter rail lines have changed operating agencies the MBTA, Virginia Railway Express and passengers found better service at lower cost.
Yes, Connecticut can fire Metro-North and find someone else to run our trains. Just because Metro-North has had
a monopoly on our commuter lines since 1983 doesnt mean
theyre the only game in town.
But first, our governor and the legislature should ask
the CDOT what kind of oversight they conduct on MetroNorth. Why not an annual report card? The CT Rail
Commuter Council issues an annual report. I wonder if
anyone in Hartford reads it. If they did, theyd know these
problems are not new.
Jim Cameron has been a Darien resident for 20 years.
He is chairman of the CT Metro-North/Shore Line East Rail
Commuter Council, and a member of the Coastal Corridor
TIA and the Darien RTM. The opinions expressed in this
column are only his own. You can reach him at CTRailCom
muterCouncil@gmail.com or trainweb.org/ct.

Letters Policy

We welcome letters from our readers. Please limit letters to 500

words and include a daytime phone number in case we have any
questions. We will not publish letters that are libelous or in poor
taste, and we reserve the right to edit letters.
E-mail letters to: bridgeportnews@hersamacorn.com

Deadline is Monday at 9 a.m.; mailing address is 1000 Bridgeport Ave., Shelton, CT 06484.

Column

Remembering the Hurricane of 1938

With all the angst over and
media coverage of Hurricane
Irene this past weekend, it
got me to thinking about the
Great Hurricane of 1938
as it came to be known as it
was long before hurricanes
were known by alphabetical
names.
My memories of Sept. 21,
1938, are vivid to this day.
I was in a class at Stratford
High School that fateful
afternoon.
A lasting image is of looking out the window and
seeing leaves and debris
blowing horizontally. What
was going on? I wondered.
I have never seen a sight like
that before.
Getting home was a problem. There were several of us
who lived in relative proximity, and one of the fathers
came to the school to bring us
home. But at every turn there
were trees blown down that
obstructed one street after
another.
I finally arrived home to
find my mother in a state of
high anxiety. The three other
members of our family were
out and about, and she knew
not where; she was beside
herself with worry.
Eventually, my older sister
made it home, but dad was
the real concern. He was a
food salesman, and, as luck
would have it, he was seeing
his customers in the Hartford
area and did not make it

lay like match sticks across

Main Street.
few months prior to
Reections theAstorm
my parents had
By Ellen Beveridge
purchased an electric stove,
a relatively rare appliance
home until the following day. in those days. My mother
The wind was fierce,
was so proud of her gleamand the rain pelted down in
ing white stove, and it was a
all directions. I especially
great advancement from the
remember watching a large
wood, coal or gas stoves she
maple tree in front of the
had cooked on all her life.
house next door. It had a
But the storm, which came
large trunk that branched off to be known as the Great
into three large sections. As
September Gale because the
the winds increased without
word hurricane was not comlet up, the sections began to
mon in American vernacular
split open, wider with every
at the time, had brought down
gust.
so many trees that electric
Unlike so many trees that
power was out for days.
were felled, this maple was
So my mothers pride and
spared, but at a price. In the
joy was rendered useless. I
end, the owners had it reinremember her trotting next
forced with a heavy wire in a door to cook some of our
triangular formation that con- meals on the gas stove of our
nected the affected branches. neighboring family.
This preserved it for many
Yes, it was a terrible storm,
years, but it was never the
but little did anyone realize
same healthy tree it had been we (but not everyone) had
before it was so viciously
survived what today would
attacked.
be classified as a category 3
Dad made it home success- hurricane, down from what
fully the day after the storm. today would be a monstrous
He had had his camera with
category 5 as it churned its
him and took several storm
way up the Atlantic.
photos; one, I remember,
An unwanted notoriety
showed a demolished autocame to Connecticut when
mobile with a large tree that
landfall was near New Haven
had crashed into its roof.
at about 2:30 p.m. But the
In the following days, dad greatest destruction actually
went about town (Stratford)
occurred eastward where the
taking photos of the devasta- storm ferociously impacted
tion. Several captured the
the towns along the coast.
many stately elm trees that
And perhaps Rhode Island

was hardest hit of all with its

endless ocean coastline and
the water surge that plowed
into Narragansett Bay.
To this day, it is the most
powerful, costliest and deadliest storm ever to hit New
England, exacerbated by the
lack of communication at the
time.
Think of life without
todays minute-to-minute
television coverage of Irene,
for example. No one had
any idea such a monstrous
storm was coming. Wed
had our share of devastating
noreasters, but hurricanes
happened in Florida or the
Caribbean, unheard of in this
area.
All told, between 682
and 800 people lost their
lives; the storm damaged
or destroyed approximately
57,000 homes, and property
losses were estimated at $306
million (equivalent to $4.77
billion in 2011).
It would be months, sometimes years, before things
would get back to normal,
and in some areas, like parts
of Long Island where the
configurations of the land
were changed forever, normal
never returned.
The storm of 1938 is still
known as the worst natural
disaster in Connecticuts 350year history.
Reach Ellen Beveridge at
ellenfb@sbcglobal.net

Letters to the Editor

Foster supporters press on to cross finish line

To the Editor
Kudos to the Connecticut
Post for demanding Santa
Ayalas resignation. Also for
acknowledging that it was not
only Foster that was insulted
and humiliated.
The supporters on the Foster
team have worked hard and
talked to hundreds if not thousands of voters. We support

Mary-Jane and will continue

until we cross the finish line.
Ayalas attempt to squash the
Foster camp has been in vain.
To think that she hasnt ben
advised by Finch and Testo is
ludicrous.
Well, to the chagrin of the
Finch campaign, Mary-Jane
Foster is moving full speed
ahead. She intends to be the

next mayor of Bridgeport, and

it is our intent to make her
desire a reality.
Her camp is as diverse as
you can get. They are the true
mirror of this great city. Thank
you to the Connecticut Post
for making a stand. You are on
the right side of history, and
we, the voters of Bridgeport,
thank the editorial staff for

acknowledging a travesty.
This was definitely the
final straw for the FinchTesto love fest of corruption
and arrogance. The people of
Bridgeport will stand up and
be counted this September.
Steven L. Auerbach
Bridgeport

More than 3,000 pounds of food collected for food drive

Peoples United Bank
branches in greater Bridgeport,
local Stop & Shop supermarkets and food supply company Sodexo collected 3,089
pounds of non-perishable
food last month, augmenting
the 533 pounds collected by
the Bridgeport Rotary Club,
which annually runs a food
drive in conjunction with the
Barnum Festival.
In total, 3,622 pounds of
food were collected for those
in need.
On July 3, Bridgeport
Rotary members walked the
Great Street Parade of the
Barnum Festival to collect

non-perishable food items, as

well as cash donations, from
all attending the event.
The Bridgeport Rotary
Club also held an online virtual food drive during the
Barnum Festival to support
the Ringmasters Family to
Family Food Drive.
Peoples United branches
Ansonia, Bridgeport, Fairfield,
Milford, Monroe, Newton,
Seymour, Shelton, Stratford
and Trumbull participated in
the collection.
To draw attention to the food
drive, Stop & Shop supermarkets collected food in 10 of
its greater Bridgeport stores.

Original Works, a Bridgeport

nonprofit that helps students
aged 8 to 19, partnered with
the bank and Stop & Shop to
provide entertainment in the
10 stores June 24 through 26.
Sodexo, the food company
that operates the banks cafeteria, supported the cause
by selling subsidized items
to employees who wished to
donate.
In addition to sales to
Peoples United employees,
Sodexo contributed 1,719
pounds to the cause.
I am grateful to all organizations that made our successful food drive possible,

said Armando Goncalves, this

years Barnum Festival ringmaster.
In the two years since the
food drive was established,
enough food and money have
been collected to provide more
than 25,000 meals to area
residents. This year, we collected 3,622 pounds of food
and almost $5,000, which will
feed more than 19,000 people
in need, he added.
All food items and cash
donations will be distributed
to local food banks through
the Connecticut Food Bank,
mostly within the greater
Bridgeport area.

THE NEWS, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 5A

Federal funding will provide

boost for job training in Bridgeport
A team of federal agencies
came to Bridgeport Aug. 26
to highlight coordinated work
that is ongoing in Bridgeport
to help train workers and create jobs that will be the foundation for economic recovery
in the city.
Under the Partnership for
Sustainable Communities,
President Obama directed the
Dept. of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), the
Dept. of Transportation (DOT)
and U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to
work closely together to create more livable cities.
In Bridgeport, these three
agencies are working closely with the Dept. of Labor
(DOL), also a key stakeholder
and partner in creating sustainable communities.
Transportation Department

Bridgeport was awarded

an $11 million grant under
the US DOTs TIGER Grant
program
(Transportation
Investment
Generating
Economic Recovery).
This grant will help prepare
the harbor-side of Steel Pointe
for development by funding
infrastructure improvements,
and will be matched by an $18
million contribution by developer Bridgeport Landing.
The project will improve
roadways along Route 130
and Route 127 within the
city and will include roadway reconstruction, traffic
signal upgrades, separation/
reduction of site drainage,
and inclusion of bikeways,
enhanced landscaping, and
pedestrian connections to the
surrounding neighborhoods,
Bridgeports
Downtown
Intermodal Transportation
Center, and the public water
front.
Department of Housing
and Urban Development
The
Department
of
Housing
and
Urban
Development (HUD) has provided Bridgeport with part
of a $3.5 million Sustainable
Communities grant, which
will pay for a feasibility study
into a potential new train station on the East Side and

benefit the New York City to

New Haven corridor.
HUD also coordinates an
ongoing weatherization program underway in Bridgeport
at the Fireside Apartment
complex. This work is being
done by DOL YouthBuild students as apart of their weatherization training program.
The WorkPlace Inc. also has
students involved in this project.
Here in Bridgeport we see
just how powerful partnerships at the federal, state and
local level can be in creating
jobs, saving energy and linking transportation to neighborhoods. HUD is proud to be
a partner in building strong,
sustainable
communities
throughout New England,
said Barbara Fields, HUD
New England regional administrator.
Department of Labor
The Dept. of Labor recently announced $11.3 million in green jobs grants
for Connecticut. The funding is authorized under the
Workforce Investment Act
and awarded as part of the
departments Green Jobs
Innovation Fund.
The department is also
funding and organizing a
connection with Youth Build
which is doing energy efficiency upgrade work at
Fireside, 248-units of single
story, wood frame multi-unit
buildings in Bridgeport.
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA announced a grant of
$300,000 to WorkPlace Inc.,
which is working to train
workers in Bridgeport. The
WorkPlace plans to train 51
students, place 43 graduates
in environmental jobs, and
track graduates for two years.
The training program will
consist of a three-week, 126hour core training and one of
two additional training clusters (either on brownfields
and environmental remediation, including lead and asbestos abatement, or on solid
waste management, including
deconstruction, debris collec-

tion, recycling and leadership

courses).
Green Team
Students will be recruited from unemployed, lowincome, dislocated worker, or in-need residents of
Bridgeport. The WorkPlace
will work with local environmental employers and trade
unions to place graduates in
environmental jobs.
The funding, from EPAs
Brownfields program, is part
of an ongoing EPA effort
to help create good-paying,
skilled green jobs in New
England. EPAs Environmental
Workforce Development and
Job Training Grant Program
helps train skilled workers
in local communities who
can provide ongoing benefits
to their cities and towns by
creating businesses and protecting human health and the
environment.
Promoting green job creation is an important element of a growing economy,
especially in tough economic
times like these, said Curt
Spalding, regional administrator of EPAs New England
office. This EPA Brownfield
Job Training grant will help
Bridgeport build a strong and
sustainable economy.
Id like to thank President
Obama, our Congressional
delegation and all of the federal agencies that have collaborated to bring thousands
of dollars in funding to our
city that will help provide
training and create jobs for
our residents, Mayor Bill
Finch said. With your help,
and our citys commitment to
sustainability, we will drive
Bridgeport forward as a hub
for the new green economy.
This funding will help
ensure that employers have a
trained, local workforce. We
are grateful to the EPA for this
opportunity and look forward
to continued collaboration
with the city of Bridgeport
and community organizations
throughout the region, said
Joe Carbone, president and
chief executive officer of The
WorkPlace.

Supporters rally at Town Hall Annex, where Santa Ayala, Democratic Registrar of
Voters, works.
(Photo by James Passeri)

Supporters rally for Mary-Jane Foster

Mayoral candidate MaryJane Fosters supporters rallied
Aug. 24, at City Hall Annex,
where Democratic Registrar
of Voters Santa Ayala works.
Ayala denied Fosters name
on the Democratic primary

ballot on a technicality that

she had one too many school
board nominees and rejected
the ballots.
The Foster Team is seeking
to overturn the decision in a
motion. If the court does not

accept her appeal, Foster will

not be eligible to run in the
primary against Mayor Bill
Finch.
See
video
at
Thebridgeportnews.com, click
on Campaign 2011.

Sacred Heart professor co-authors book

Dr. Peter A. Maresco, a
clinical associate professor
of marketing at Sacred Heart
Universitys John F. Welch
College of Business, has published a new book.
Part crime novel, part textbook, Dangerous Hoops: A
Forensic Marketing Action
Adventure, combines the
principles of marketing and
sport management into a lively narrative that educates and
entertains.
Set in the world of professional sports, Dangerous
Hoops introduces FBI agent
Bill Douglass as he pursues
a deadly extortionist in order
to save lives and spare the
NBA from a public relations
nightmare. The storyline also
explores aspects of business
and marketing with examples
from the world of pro basketball. Dangerous Hoops

provides real instruction in a

novel form and serves as a
refreshing text for business
majors and MBA students.
Maresco holds a Ph.D.
from Walden University, a
masters degree in corporate
and political communication
from Fairfield University and
a bachelors degree in history from the University of
Charleston, West Virginia. He
is currently pursuing a masters degree in religious studies at Sacred Heart.
Before teaching at Sacred
Heart, Maresco served as vice
president for marketing and corporate and public communications at the former Mechanics
and Farmers Savings Bank
FSB of Bridgeport.
He has been involved with
the Board of Associates at the
University of Bridgeport and
the Visiting Nurses Association

of Fairfield County. He also

served as president of the
Barnum Festival.
Maresco contributed to
Dangerous Hoops in collaboration with Dr. Larry
Crumbley, a KPMG-endowed
professor of accounting at
Louisiana State Universitys
E. J. Ourso College of
Business; Fred H. Campbell,
a retired professor of marketing at the University of
North Carolina, Charlotte, and
former Jefferson-Pilot professor of business and dean
at Pfeiffer University; and
Thomas J. Karam, an instructor of marketing at Louisiana
State Universitys E. J. Ourso
College of Business.
For more information on
Dangerous Hoops, please
contact Funda Alp at 203-3968241 or alpf@sacredheart.
edu.

Golfing for a cause

Beau Ogden of Wilton, Bob Brown of Bridgeport, Buffy Ogden of Wilton, John
Bilski of Fairfield and Bob Mory of Trumbull participated in The Kennedy Centers
20th annual Charity Golf Classic at Shorehaven Country Club in Norwalk. This
years tournament raised $16,000 to benefit the center.
(Submitted photo)

Where to get The News

The following is a list of locations where you can pick up

a complimentary copy of The News

Bridgeport Library, 925 Broad St

Burroughs Community Ctr, 2470 Fairfield Ave
Krauszers, 2579 Fairfield Ave
Black Rock Laundry, 2615 Fairfield Ave
Wines & Liquors, 2669 Fairfield Ave
Black Rock Branch Library, 2705 Fairfield Ave
Mattys Corner, 2816 Fairfield Ave
Subway, 2835 Fairfield Ave
The Gallery at Black Rock, 2861 Fairfield Ave
Black Rock Animal, 2877 Fairfield Ave
Port Coffee House, 2889 Fairfield Ave
Timothys Ice Cream, 2974 Fairfield Ave
Bella Collection, 2980 Fairfield Ave
Home on the Range, 2992 Fairfield Ave
Happy Tails, 3008 Fairfield Ave
A Taste of Italy, 3074 Fairfield Ave
Black Rock Dental, 3080 Fairfield Ave
Framemakers, 3142 Fairfield Ave
Taco Loco, 3170 Fairfield Ave
Center for Green Building, 3380 Fairfield Ave
Harborview Market, 218 Harborview Ave
City Hall, 45 Lyons Terrace
Lous Food, 1255 Madison Ave
Pams Variety Store, 1375 Madison Ave
Golden Empire, 2182 Madison Ave

International Food, 2192 Madison Ave

Crossroads Pizza, 2212 Madison Ave
Family Dentistry, 2240 Madison Ave
North Branch Library, 3455 Madison Ave
Hillview Superette, 3751 Madison Ave
International Farmers Market, 2298 Main St
Nicola Bakery, 124 Beechmont Ave
Main Convenience, 2829 Main St
Lupes Drug Store, 3129 Main St
Bridgeport Education, 3543 Main St
Bagel King, 3550 Main St
Good Cookin, 3837 Main St
Allstate, 3851 Main St
Main News & Variety, 3920 Main St
San Remo Pizza, 3945 Main St
N & S Laundry, 3939 Main St
Cosmetic Family Dentistry, 4131 Main St
Donnas Pizza, 4171 Main St
Seven Stars Chinese Restaurant, 4175 Main St
Drumstick Bar-b-q, 4177 Main St
Uptown News & Variety, 4200 Main St
AA Hearing Aid, 4270 Main St
Jerrys Pizza, 4270 Main St
Park City Hearing, 4348 Main St

THE NEWS, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 6A

Technologys reach: Changing the world as we know it

By Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn
Correspondent
Gone are the days when
people relied upon a telephone
simply to make and receive
calls. Photographing images
and sending them to other
phones, texting messages,
watching movies and connecting to the Internet are just a
few of the uses of cell phones
in todays wired world.
David Pogue, New York
Times and Scientific American

columnist, cited the expanding reach of mobile devices

among the technology trends
that are shaping 21st Century
culture during a recent forum
at the Shelton Marriott.
Sponsored by FSW, a nonprofit organization that provides programs to empower families in the greater
Bridgeport
region,
the
Technology Today Business
Forum & Expo included a
panel discussion led by Joe
Connolly of the Wall Street

Journal, exhibitors and information sessions.

Pogue of Westport is a kind
of modern day Renaissance
man. He graduated summa cum
laude from Yale University in
1985 with distinction in music.
Then for 10 years, he arranged
and conducted Broadway
musicals.
Although he told the audience he is no longer involved
in music on a professional
basis, he still likes to compose
witty lyrics about technology

Workshop helps Nieves nd her future

By Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn
Correspondent
When Carmen Nieves of
Bridgeport needed help starting a business, she turned to
FSWs Workshop in Business
Opportunities. (WIBO) is a
16-week interactive training
program that teaches aspiring
entrepreneurs about managing, financing and marketing
their business.
Utilizing her creative photographic skills, Nieves
is now the proud owner of
Photography Plus Photos. In
fact, Nieves was hired by FSW
as its on-site photographer for
the recent Technology Today
Business Forum & Expo, a
fund-raiser that featured
celebrity guest speakers David
Pogue of the New York Times
and Joe Connolly of the Wall
Street Journal.
FSW is an organization
that addresses social, emotional and economic challenges
facing people in the community, said Bill Hass, FSWs
president and chief executive
officer.
Introducing Nieves as
someone whose life has been
enriched by one of FSWs
programs, Nieves briefly put
down her camera and shared

to share her experience as a

WIBO graduate.
As a former staff member
of Connecticut Works, Nieves
said that she often referred
clients to FSWs WIBO program, which was established
at the Bridgeport organization
in 1999.
I tried to help a lot of people find services to grow their
business, Nieves said. I do
a lot of things-I sit on a lot of
boards-and I have always been
involved in the community.
When she lost her home in
2000, Nieves knew that she
needed to broaden her own
financial base. Like many
hard-working women, Nieves
was more familiar with helping others rather than asking
for help. Nieves dreamed of
starting a photography business but she intuitively knew
that she needed assistance to
turn her plans into a reality.
Nieves deftly captured the
audiences attention with her
enthusiasm and sincerity as
she spoke about her involvement in the WIBO program.
She took the time to thank
those in attendance for being
part of the FSWs fund-raising
event.
When I tell you that youre
doing a great thing by sup-

porting this organization, Im

telling you that youre doing a
great thing by supporting me,
she said.
Nieves candidly recounted
how WIBOs Director Kevin
Ginyard initially questioned
whether she would have the
time to commit to the intensive program. Founded by
Walter Heiser and Mallalieu
Woolfolk in Harlem, N.Y.,
in 1966, WIBO is designed
to teach inner-city residents
the skills needed to own and
operate their own businesses.
According to FSWs Web site,
fswinc.org, WIBOs goal is
to help minorities achieve lasting economic power through
entrepreneurship.
WIBO is taught by business professionals and alumni
of the program. There is an
active Alumni Association
that also sponsors networking events and small business
showcases. Ginyard also helms
FSWs Micro Credit Business
Program.
There is no tuition for the
WIBO program. Students pay
only for their workbooks.
For more information about
participating in WIBO or volunteering as a mentor or financial partner, call Ginyard at
203-368-5547.

to the tunes of popular contemporary songs. He received

a standing ovation after singing some songs at the end of
his talk.
He is also the author of
several books in the For
Dummies series and a howto computer book series called
The Missing Manual.
In the last few decades,
technology has transformed
peoples lives, Pogue said. He
noted the wide reach of app
phones, and online sites, such
as Facebook and Twitter.
He said that few recent college graduates have landlines
installed in their first apartment but rather expect that
they will continue to rely upon
their cell phone.
Although he said he constantly hears how young
people dont watch television
anymore, he disagrees with
that assessment. He said they
watch films and current and
past television shows online
with their phones or laptop
computer.
The immediacy of sending
and receiving information is
paramount for the next generation. Everything is ondemand, he said. Everything
must be done in real time.
Pogue gave the example
of a medical Web site where
doctors and patients could
get together for a consultation. This way even if they
have only 10 minutes during
their lunch hour to speak to
a patient, they can sign onto
the site.
Your medical records
appear on the doctors screen,
he said. Everybody loves it.
You dont have to drive, and
the doctor is making money on
dead time.
He mentioned Skype as
another innovative site that
offers a convenient and inexpensive way to stay in touch
long distance.
He additionally cited Craigs

David Pogue
List, Groupon, DoMyStuff.
com, GoLoco, and Prosper as
increasingly popular sites with
consumers. With regard to
Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia written by anyone who
would like to contribute to a
given topic, he said, Whoever
thought that would fly?
Pogues
entertaining
banter and anecdotes elicited laughter and a positive
response from the audience.
Charles McLaine, 24, a network administrator with the
Koskoff, Koskoff and Bieder
law firm, said he enjoyed listening to it.
However, McLaine, a
Trumbull resident, seemed to
disagree with Pogues assertion that voice mail is no longer used. He said his Android
phone is able to transcribe
voice mail into text, and he
finds this convenient and easy
to use.
He agreed with Pogue that
landlines are becoming obsolete. McLaine said that when
he got his first apartment, he

had a landline installed but

after three weeks decided to
have it disconnected.
McLaine attended the technology forum because he was
interested in learning more
about cloud computing and
smart board technology, which
were covered in the afternoons
breakout session, he said.
We are extremely fortunate
to be able to present these
leaders in their field, said Bill
Hass, FSW president and CEO.
We are especially proud, as a
social services organization,
to play a role in helping area
businesses adapt to technological change. In todays challenging economy, the business
sector and the social services
sector need each other more
than ever.
The sponsors of the
Technology Today Business
Forum & Expo were
Connecticut Business Systems,
Kelser Corporation, Nuance
Communications, Omtool
Ltd, Square 9 Softworks and
Reynolds & Rowella.

Survey shows prolonged unemployment batters jobseekers

A recent survey of more
than 600 jobseekers shows
that many people in the greater
Bridgeport area are facing a

high degree of food insecu- crisis when unemployment

rity, are out of work for longer benefits end.
periods of time and are facing
In March 2011, Career
a cliff of housing and debt Resources partnered with the

Bridgeport Child Advocacy

Coalition (BCAC) to administer a survey as part of its
15th annual job fair. The goal
was to collect information on
the circumstances of jobseekers in the deepening recession
to enable us to better direct
services and advocacy.
The message is clear the
people are in real need of the
safety net for basics like
food and heat, said Scott K.
Wilderman, Career Resources
president and chief executive
officer. This also tells us that
our policy makers need to
invest in our human infrastructure. With so many people out
of work, for longer periods of
time, more and more people
are in need of services they
never thought theyd need.
As
Congress
and
Connecticut lawmakers ponder cuts needed in the face of
budget shortfalls, we need to
remember that the people who
use these safety net services
are already in some form of
crisis and others are accessing
these services for the very first
time, said Mary Pat Healy,
executive director of the
Bridgeport Child Advocacy
Coalition. They need to be
our priority as we get through
another difficult year.
The job fair is a large community event, publicized in
local papers and via dozens
of community partners. The
survey replicated questions
from a similar survey taken
the prior year.
Since 2010:
Unemployment remains
high

Bridgeports unemployment rate was 14.3% in

June 2011, up .8% from the
year before.
This official rate is widely
acknowledged to underrepresent the number of
unemployed people since it
does not count discouraged
workers or those whose
benefits have run out.
According
to
the
Department of Labor,
more than 10,000 people in
southwestern Connecticut
have exhausted 99 weeks
of unemployment insurance
benefits, and between 150
to 200 more people exhaust
their benefits each week.
Approximately half of these
people are 50 or older.
People are unemployed for
long periods of time.
The survey showed the
percentage of people laid
off for more than one year
remained steady at 26%.
Unemployment is an
issue that reaches beyond
Bridgeport.
61% of the jobseekers who
answered the survey came
from Bridgeport.
15% of jobseekers came
from other towns in the
Bridgeport region: Stratford
(9%), Fairfield (4%) and
Trumbull (2%).
24% came from other
towns outside the greater
Bridgeport region.
Basic needs are tenuous.
40% report cutting back on
meals and 16% report using
a soup kitchen.
Nearly half (47%) of people report that their hous-

ing costs more than 30% of

their income.
Nearly half of respondents
(48%) report an income of
$15,000 or less.
16% have moved in with
family and friends in the
last six months.
37% have no health insurance.
Jobseekers are well educated.
6% of respondents in 2010
reported having less than a
high school diploma.
41% have a high school
diploma or GED.
35% have one to four years
of post-secondary education.
12% have a bachelors
degree and 6% have one or
more years post-college
Use of available services is
uneven.
Despite 23% reporting
being behind on utility bills,
only 5% had heating assistance and 6% had energy
assistance.
18% report receiving unemployment.
29% were receiving food
stamps.
34% reached their 99 week
limit and lost their unemployment benefits.
61% reported some food
insecurity used a soup
kitchen or food pantry or
cut back on meals because
of the cost of food.
41% did not have health
insurance.
26% moved in with family
or friends, lost their home
or spent time in a shelter in
the past six months.

Habitat volunteer inspires colleagues

Marc Perrone is inspiring. Recently he was selected
by RBS/Citizens statewide
panel to receive the Be
Inspired award and he designated Habitat for Humanity
of Coastal Fairfield County
as the charity to receive the
accompanying $2,500 charitable gift.
Perrone began volunteering with Habitat for Humanity
more than 15 years ago.
The best thing about volunteering with Habitat is seeing how excited the homeowners are when their home
is completed, Perrone said.
You work side-by-side with
the families for months on

building their home and you

get to really understand how
important the home is to them
and their families.
A business systems analyst for RBS Card Services in
Bridgeport, Perrone has made
Habitat a special focus and
his goal is to get new people
involved in the organizations
work every month. His love
for Habitat extends beyond
the local area. He traveled to
the Gulf Coast for Hurricane
Katrina disaster relief and
also participated in the Jimmy
Carter Project. He said
The hands on construction aspect of Habitat is most
appealing to me because my

Marc Perrone
grandfather was a carpenter,
Perrone said. He taught me
the basics of building as a
child. I think of him whenever
Im building.

THE NEWS, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 7A

Spotlight
Saturday, Sept. 3
Community fun The
Unity in the Community
Family Festival and Carnival
will be held at The Bandshell
at Seaside Park, noon-3 p.m.
Event includes free concert;
food and refreshments will be
on sale all day. Open to the
public.
Thursday, Sept. 8
Mayoral forum The
Bridgeport Regional Business
Council and the Bridgeport
Chamber of Commerce will
host a mayoral candidates
forum with Mayor Bill Finch,
Mary-Jane Foster, Jeff Kohut
and Rick Torres at Housatonic
Community College, Beacon
Hall, 8-10 a.m. Event is free
and open to the public. RSVP:
Gail Solis, solis@brbc.org or
203-335-8000.
History lesson Labor
historian Dr. Cecelia F. Bucki
will discuss Bridgeports labor
history at the Black Rock
Branch Library, 2705 Fairfield
Ave., 6:30 p.m. Information:
203-337-9676.
Ongoing
Electronics recycling
Habitat ReStore and Office
Recycling Solutions of East
Greenwich, R.I., have partnered to provide electronics
recycling. ReStore is now
accepting, free of charge,
electronic waste products for
recycling, including computer
monitors, televisions, printers (and ink cartridges), fax

machines, scanners, VCRs,

CD and DVD players, telephones, digital cameras.
Information: 203-383-4358 or
fairfieldcountyrestore.org.

Crescent, Stratford, CT 06614.

List each person attending. Ladies include maiden
name. Information: Linda
Harrison Sherry, 203-5021128; Elena Berardi Spinelli,
Class reunion Bassick 203-240-3099; or e-mail
High School, Classes of 1971, whhsclassof1969@yahoo.
72, 73 and 74, will hold com.
a reunion at Captain Coves
Seaport on Saturday, Sept.
Art time City Lights
10, 7 p.m. Cost is $20/per- Gallery, 37 Markle Court,
son; includes a DJ, hors Bridgeport, offers figure
doeuvres and a drink token. drawing and open sketch
RSVP: Liz Ratzenberger, classes the last two Saturdays
E a r p 0 5 @ h o t m a i l . of every month, 2:30 to 5
com;
Audrey
Gains, p.m. Participants must bring
Laurendmnd7@optonline.net; art materials; some drawing
Janet McDowell Finch, janet. boards and easels available.
m.finch@gmail.com.
Sessions are $15, $12 for
members and $10 for students.
Class reunion Bassick Information: 203-334-7748.
High School, Class of 1951,
will hold a reunion luncheon
Lunchtime music series
at Smith Richardson Golf University of Bridgeport stuCourse, Fairfield, on Saturday, dent will perform a wide variSept. 17, 2-6 p.m. Cost is ety of musical selections at the
$25/person. Class of 1950 Arcade Mall, 1001 Main St.,
alumni are invited to attend. Bridgeport, every Thursday,
Information: Richard Barrett, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
203-333-4229.
Book sale The Friends
Class reunion Warren of Bridgeport Public Library,
Harding High School, Class 925 Broad St., will hold a
of 1969, will hold a reunion book sale every Thursday in
at Costa Azzura Restaurant, the main lobby, 11 a.m. to 3
Milford, Saturday, Nov. 12, p.m. Books for sale include
7-11 p.m.; classes of 1968 childrens books, novels, textand 1970 welcome. Cost books, biographies, self-help
is $50/person in advance; and parenting. Movies and
includes
dinner/dancing, CDs are also available.
cash bar. No entry without
ticket. Checks payable to
Story time Preschool
Sandy Basile Uliano-WHHS Story Hour for children ages
Class Reunion; send to Sandy 2 to 4 and their caregivers
Basile Uliano, 136 Cupheag is offered at North Branch

Library, 3455 Madison Ave.,

every Monday, 10:30 to 11:15
a.m. No registration required.
Information: 203-576-7821.
Genealogy
roundtable
Genealogist Bill Stansfield
and library patrons interested in researching their own
family histories get together
to discuss problems in their
research, share tips on sources
and methodology; beginners,
longtime researchers welcome;
group meets third Thursday
of each month, 12:30 p.m.,
at Bridgeport Public Library/
Burroughs & Saden branch,
925 Broad St. Information:
Mary Witkowski, 203-5767417.
Game night Play the
Wii at the Newfield Branch
Library, 1230 Stratford Ave.,
Bridgeport, second Wednesday
of every month, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Information: 203-576-7828.
Addiction program
Reformers Unanimous is one
of the fastest growing addiction programs in America . RU
is a faith-based program with a
complete curriculum for those
with addictions. Local chapter
meets every Friday, 7-9 p.m.,
White Oak Baptist Church,
5344 Main St., Stratford.
Information: 203-381-0559.
Bereavement help
VITAS Innovative Hospice
Care of Fairfield will hold a
monthly bereavement support
group, Living Through Loss,

on the second Tuesday of

every month at The Watermark
at 3030 Park, second floor
lounge, 10-11:30 a.m. The
group, which provides support to anyone who has lost a
loved one, is free and open to
the public. Information/registration: Norma Schmidt, 203455-3300; Marlane Argianas,
203-373-6288.
Memoir Writing Class
Bridgeport History Center has
sponsored a Memoir Writing
Class since 2002; class writes
about memories of not only
Bridgeport, but about the stories that have linked our lives;
newcomers welcome; class
meets the second Saturday
of each month at 2 p.m., at
Bridgeport Public Library/
Burroughs & Saden branch,
925 Broad St. Information:
Mary Witkowski, 203-5767417.

Church, 395 Anton St.; 1st,

2nd and 3rd degrees on the
second Monday of the month,
8 p.m.; Assembly #136 holds
4th degree meeting on third
Monday of the month, 7:30
p.m.
All active members urged
to attend, new members welcome; if you are a Catholic
male and over age 18, call
203-374-2268.
Library teen caf
Bridgeport Public Librarys
new space in Popular Library
section, features seating areas
including caf-style tables,
books, magazines, board
games and college-prep materials. Information: 203-5767408.

Rotating exhibit Local

artists works are displayed
on 8 x 8 foot wall, on Broad
Street side of 211 State Street;
part of MainState Ventures
Zoos new animals year-long rotating exhibition
Beardsley Zoo, 1875 Noble of art in public places.
Ave., invites the public to
meet its newest additions;
Tag sale Many differzoo hours Monday through ent items at tag sale at St.
Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; adult Margarets Shrine garage, on
admission (ages 12 and older) Suburban Avenue, Saturdays,
is $11, children (ages 3 to 11) 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; donations
and senior admission (62 and accepted. Information: 203older) $9, and children under 333-3161.
3 years old and zoo members
admitted free. Information:
Planetarium shows
203-394-6565.
Discovery Museum, 4450
Park Ave., Bridgeport, has
Knights of Columbus two daily planetarium shows,
St. Francis Cabrini Council Tuesday through Sunday; cost
#4096 monthly meetings at included with general admisSt. Andrews Roman Catholic sion starting at $8.50, adults.

Health Notes
Health Notes is a weekly feature that highlights
health and wellness news
in the area. Hospitals and
other health related agencies may e-mail items to
scappetta@hersamacorn.com.

Stroke support

Bridgeport Hospitals Ahlbin

Rehabilitation Centers also
hosts a free Stroke Support
Group meeting for recovering stroke patients and their
caregivers Tuesday, Sept. 6,
6-7 p.m., at its Shelton outreach site, 4 Corporate Drive.
Information/registration: 203925-4201.
St.
Vincents
Stroke
Survivors and Caregivers
Support Group meets third
Wednesday of the month,
5:30-7 p.m., Hawley 3A of the
Cancer Center at St. Vincents
Medical Center. Upcoming:
Sept. 21; 203-576-5361; 203576-5608.

Blood pressure
screenings

Screenings offered by
Bridgeport Hospital: Fairfield
Senior Center, 100 Mona
Terrace, Monday, Sept. 19,
9:30-11:30 a.m. and Tuesday,
Sept. 6, 9:30-11:30 a.m.;
Stratford Baldwin Center, 1000
West Broad St., Monday, Sept.
12, 9:30-11:30 a.m.; Shelton
Senior Center, 81 Wheeler St.,
Monday, Sept. 26, noon-2; 1888-357-2396.
Also offered by the South
End Community Center in collaboration with the Stratford
Health Department, first
and third Wednesdays of the
month, 10-noon, South End
Community Center; 385-4058;
377-0689.
The Mario and Irma
DAddario
Hypertension
Program at St. Vincents
Medical Center provides free
blood pressure screenings and
information to the public every

Tuesday, 11:30-3:30, in the

main lobby of St. Vincents
Medical Center, 2800 Main
St., Bridgeport; 1-877-255SVHS (7847).

Bereavement support

Bereavement
support
groups at Griffin Hospital
run Tuesdays, noon-1:30 and
2:30-4 (ongoing); eight week
evening group Wednesday,
6:30-8 p.m. beginning Sept. 7Oct. 26. To register, call 203732-1100.

Foot problems talk

Bridgeport Hospital presents

free two-part lecture, Healthy
Feet, Healthy Toes-One Step
at a Time, Thursdays, Sept.
8 and 15, 7 p.m., Trumbull
Marriott, 180 Hawley Lane.
Reservations required: 1-888357-2396.

Heart Healthy food

Advance registration required

for the Cancer College and the
MetLife presentation. Call 1888-357-2396.

First aid/
safety classes

Bridgeport
Hospitals
Emergency Care Institute
offers the following self-care
classes in the duPont Board
Room at Bridgeport Hospital,
267 Grant St. To register, call
203-384-4497.
American Heart Association
Heartsaver adult, child and
infant CPR two-year certification, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 6-9
p.m., $50; AHA pediatric first
aid and safety and infant and
child CPR two-year certification, Saturdays, Sept. 3 and
17, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., $80
full class; $50 first aid only;
Administration of Medicine
class, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 6-9
p.m., $30 full program with
a three-year certification; $20
injectable medications only;
AHA Heartsaver CPR with
AED (fitness instructors and
trainers), Wednesday, Sept.
21, 6-9 p.m., $50.

Bridgeport Hospital Clinical

Nutrition Manager Andrea
Valenti will discuss Tips
for a Heart-Healthy Plate
Wednesday, Sept. 14, 6:30
p.m., fourth-floor Hollander
Ostomy support
Auditorium,
Bridgeport
Bridgeport
Hospital will
Hospital, 267 Grant St.,
sponsor
a
free
ostomy supBridgeport. Refreshments
port
meeting
Sunday,
Sept.
served 6-6:30 p.m.
18, 1:30 p.m., Visiting Nurse
Services of Connecticut, 40
Cancer College
Lindeman Drive, Trumbull.
Hoda Kotb, co-host of Meeting is open to anyone/sigNBCs TODAY and a breast nificant others who has had/or
cancer survivor, will be the will have an ostomy operakeynote speaker at Bridgeport tion, such as colostomy, urosHospitals One-Day Cancer tomy or ileostomy. Meetings
College, Saturday, Sept. 17, are third Sunday of the month
9-2, Trumbull Marriott, 180 except July and August; 203Hawley Lane. Free event 384-3209.
includes lectures on a variety of cancer-related topics by
nearly 20 Bridgeport Hospital
physicians and other clinical
experts. Post-event opportunities include a book signing by
Kotb at 2; and the MetLife
presentation, Coping with
Cancer Finances, 2:30-3:30.

Look Good
Feel Better

Free American Cancer

Society program that helps
women with cancer improve
their appearance and selfimage through hands-on beauty techniques, will be offered
Monday, Sept. 19, 10-noon,
Operations Conference Room,
first floor of Bridgeport
Hospital; and Tuesday, Sept.
27, 2-4 p.m., Norma F. Pfriem
Breast Care Center, 111 Beach
Road, Fairfield. To register for
the Bridgeport Hospital location, call 1-888-357-2396. To
register for the Fairfield location, call 203-255-5300.

Diabetes support

and Friday, 9:15 a.m., Norma

F. Pfriem Breast Care Center,
111 Beach Road, Fairfield.
Class size limited to six students. Payment by cash or
check $18/class; $15 students.
Advance registration requested; 203-255-5300; bridgeporthospital.org.

Health insurance
counseling

St. Vincents Medical Center

is offering a free program of
individual health insurance
and Medicare counseling to
the public every Wednesday,
10-noon, in the main lobby of
the hospital. No appointment
is necessary; 203-576-5111.

Pilates

Weekly, Monday, 11:30

a.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.,
Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care
Center, 111 Beach Road,
Fairfield. Class size limited
to six students. Payment by
cash or check $17/class; $14
students.
Advance
registration
requested; 203-255-5300.

Fitness classes

Bridgeport
Hospitals
Ahlbin Rehabilitation Centers
offers fitness classes throughout the year at its Shelton site,
4 Corporate Drive. Classes
include shoulder conditioning
for the overhead athlete, low
back reconditioning, special
populations fitness/wellness,
womens strength training,
golf fitness and personal training.
For information about times
and costs, call 203-925-4201.

The Better Breathing Club

meets Friday, Sept. 23, 1:30
p.m., first-floor Operations
Conference Room, Bridgeport
Hospital, 267 Grant St. Support
group meeting is open to anyone with chronic respiratory
disease. To register, call 203336-7375.

St. Vincents Medical Center

and Animas Corporation, a
Johnson & Johnson Company,
are co-sponsoring a new
monthly diabetes support
group at the hospital. Meetings
will be held Wednesdays, 67:30 p.m., St. Vincents Level
3 South Conference Room. To
Cancer survivors
register, contact Kristi Young
support
at Animas, 1-877-937-7867,
Bridgeport Hospitals Norma ext. 1790 or kyoung1@its.jnj.
F. Pfriem Cancer Institute and com.
the American Cancer Society
will sponsor meetings in the
Free exercise video
free Moving Forward supprogram
port and educational series for
cancer survivors, Wednesday,
A new online video program
Sept. 21, 5-7:30 p.m., 5520 called A-B-E (Activity Bursts
Park Ave., Trumbull. The Everywhere) for Fitness,
topic for September is Eat designed specifically to help
Well, Stay Well. Light supper adults meet those recomserved. Registration required: mendations for daily physical
203-563-1523.
activity, is available at abeforfitness.com.
Hip/knee pain lecture The program offers a library
of more than 50 videos of
A panel of experts from guided physical activity rouBridgeport Hospitals Joint tines, each of which may be
Reconstruction Center and done in 3 to 5 minutes. It
Ahlbin Rehabilitation Centers offers a variety of options
will discuss the causes of based on users time, interests,
and treatments for hip and needs, and fitness levels.
knee pain during a free lecture Wednesday, Sept. 21,
1-3 p.m., Wesley Heights at
Kripalu yoga
Wesley Village, 580 Long Hill
Beginner and intermediate
Road, Shelton. Registration level, runs weekly, Tuesday
required: 1-888-357-2396.

Better Breathing Club

Primary Care Associates, P.C.

James P. Ralabate, MD
Sarah A. Mullane, APRN
Erin K. Flynn, APRN
Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics

A Family Practice For You

Now Accepting New Patients
Accepting Most Insurances
2890 Main St, Stratford, CT (203) 378-3696

THE NEWS, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 8A

City escapes Hurricane Irene without any major incidents

Continued from page one
Meals and water are being provided by the National Guard to nursing
homes and senior housing facilities
at Rentschler Field.
Transfer station hours have been
extended from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. now
through Saturday for residents to
dispose of debris.
Finch and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes
joined city officials, public safety,
and emergency management officials at the Bridgeport Emergency
Operations Center on Monday afternoon to discuss how the city and
region is coping.
We are very fortunate, Irene
couldve been much worse than what
we experienced, Finch said. The
people of Bridgeport rose to the
occasion. We took the warnings of
this storm seriously, we acted accordingly and we were able to avoid any
major incidents.
The damage, however, has been
severe, Finch said, Especially along
our coastline, and at our most precious asset in Seaside Park. The current conditions at Seaside Park are
not safe. I know that residents may
be curious about how the park looks
following the impact of Irene, but I
urge everyone to avoid Seaside until
further notice.
The storm hit at astronomical high
tide on Sunday, leaving Seaside Park
and much of the South End under
several feet of water after dropping
6.5 inches of rain on the city and
clocking top winds of 60 mph at
Sikorsky Memorial Airport.
At the height of the storm, 48
incidents of trees down and 14
wires down were reported by the
Bridgeport Police.
Himes offered words of support
for the first responders throughout
the district.
I, along with our senators, will
be working closely with the federal and state government to ensure
that the people of Bridgeport who
were affected by this storm are properly reimbursed for the damages by
FEMA, Himes said. Id like to
compliment the city of Bridgeport,
Mayor Finch and all emergency personnel and first responders for a
tremendous job in preparing for and
dealing with Hurricane Irene and its
aftermath.
On Saturday, members of the
police department, fire department,
city officials, Bridgeport Housing
Authority and a team of volunteers,
along with Finch, went door-to-door
urging residents in low-lying areas
to evacuate their homes and seek
shelter on higher ground in advance

Bridgeport Public Works crews clear a large tree Sunday along Eames Boulevard in Black Rock. Thats the road that runs along St.
Marys by the Sea.
(Photos courtesy of Bridgeport Public Facilities Department)

of the storm.
Bassick and Harding high schools
were open for shelter and housed a
total of 700 people at the height of
the storm. By late afternoon Sunday,
the Harding shelter was closed, and
evacuees at Bassick had the option to
go home if they chose.
On Monday, the city was working
with 30 people who had been housed
at the Bassick shelter, and whose
homes had water damage, to help
them find either alternate shelter, or
allow them to return to their homes
after to allow them to return to their
homes if they were deemed safe.
Residents are reminded not to
touch any downed utility lines and
stay away from fallen trees.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy visited
Bridgeport and Fairfield on Tuesday

as part of a statewide tour. From

Fairfield, he was headed to Stamford
and Hartford.`He said Lt. Gov. Nancy
Wyman was touring the Eastern part
of the state.
Malloy said that far more homes
and businesses lost power during
Hurricane Irene` about 800,000
statewide than during Hurricane
Gloria 485,000 in 1985.
He said it didnt much matter if
a storm was labeled a hurricane or
tropical storm; either one could cause
immense damage as Hurricane Irene,
which was downgraded to a tropical
storm, demonstrated.
Malloy said Northeast Utilities has
brought in repairmen from as far
away as the state of Washington.
Massachusetts and New Hampshire
are also supplying workers, since

they were not as hard hit as the rest

of New England.
The storm damage extends from
North Carolina into Canada. Malloy
urged patience as crews clear roads
of trees and power lines, and the
utilities restore power.
Malloy said the states priorities
in terms of power restoration are
hospitals, power substations, nursing
homes and schools.
Rare earthquake
Meanwhile, Bridgeport and most
of the East Coast experienced a rare
5.9 magnitude earthquake on Aug.
24.
Gail M. Solis, Bridgeport Chamber
of Commerce executive director, said
she had never been in an earthquake
before and did not at first know what

was going on.

The blinds started moving, and
my computer chair started moving,
she said.
The fire department evacuated the
downtown building where she works
at 10 Middle St. as part of emergency
orders to evacuate all buildings of
more than five stories.
Solis and co-workers at the
Bridgeport Regional Business
Council had to trudge down 14 flights
of stairs from their offices.
I sat here in the tornado last year,
too, she said. The important thing
was that everyone was safe after the
earthquake, unlike the 2010 tornado
that caused extensive damage, she
said.

Weather service on Irene: Could have been worse

a problem to many coastal
areas, waters are beginning
to recede, Stark said. The
could remain out for days in Stevenson Dam, between
some areas.
Monroe and Oxford, is an indiAlthough flooding is still cation of receding waterways
Continued from page one

and Stark said its high point

has passed and was expected
to drop below moderate stage
by Wednesday.
Irenes eye crossed 10
miles west of Danbury at 11

a.m. Sunday, Stark said, but

it dropped rain in sporadic
chunks, leaving 2.92 inches
in Stamford but 6 inches in
Greenwich.
That happens often, Stark
said of hurricanes, explaining that sections of hurricanes
and tropical storms carry rain
bands that are saturated with
various amounts of moisture.
Wind damage also varied
from region to region. Igor
Sikorsky Airport recorded wind gusts of 63 miles
an hour, but Danbury only
saw gusts that hit 40 mph.

Sustained winds were between

20 and 40 mph for most areas.
Central Connecticut was hit
the worst, Stark said, although
many towns along the coast
have 100% of its residents
without electricity.
The storm could have
been worse, Stark said. As
Irene made landfall in North
Carolina, its structure changed
slightly. By the time it hit
Connecticut it had downgraded to a tropical storm. But
its reach extended across the
northeast, and before the eye
of the storm hit in western

New York, much of the region

was already soaked and suffering wind damage. This also
helped slow the storm as landmasses take away the storms
energy source, Stark said.
Hurricanes are low-pressure
systems that spin counterclockwise and are categorized
as cyclones, Stark said. These
storms get energy from warm
water, so the cooler water in the
north also helped weaken the
storms intensity. Stark added
that vertical streams of wind
may also have helped slow the
storm, but its unclear.

Bridgewater
New
Fairfield

Lewisboro

Brookfield

Ridgefield

Stamford

Cheshire

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Monroe

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Easton

Wilton

Prospect

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Falls Bethany Hamden

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Weston

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Southbury

Fairfield

Woodbridge
Ansonia

Derby
Shelton

Trumbull
Stratford
Bridgeport

New
Canaan
Norwalk

North
Haven

New Haven
Orange West
Haven

Greenwich

BUSINESS OPP.

THE NEWS, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

PAGE 10A

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PAGE 14A

Museum acquires Chinns Bridgeport Hospital success story: Girl, weighing

Heroes poster series
just over a pound at birth, prepares for preschool

Housatonic Museum of
Art Director Robbin Zella
has announced the selection
of graphic designer Greg
Chinns Heroes poster series
for the museums permanent
collection.
Originally produced for
the Bridgeport Arts and
Cultural Council, the series
of 12 posters focuses on local
Bridgeport heroes.
From prominent figures
like P.T. Barnum and Elias
Howe to lesser known people like lighthouse keeper
Kathleen Moore, the series
instills a sense of pride for the
citizens of Bridgeport and,
most importantly, functions
as an educational tool for the
areas public schools.
With a funky color palette,
layered visual language and
a modernist sensibility, the
series was inspired by psychedelic poster master Victor
Moscoso and artist Robert
Rauschenberg. The 12 collage-styled images were
produced for the Housatonic
Museum of Art as Gicle

Fine Art Prints on 100% cotton rag, velvet (etching like)

surface, 315 gram paper.
Chinns work has been recognized by numerous design
publications and Web sites,
including Core77, ID, Dwell,
Design Within Reach, How,
HGTV, Design Observer and
Print. His graphics have been
highlighted in two Pie Design
Books, as well as featured in
Communication Arts Fresh,
which focuses on innovative
work around the world.
Chinn has also been profiled in Graphic Design
USA on the rebranding of
historic Fairfield County
landmarks. His Modernist
Flash Cards have retailed
internationally as well as in
The Cooper-Hewitt National
Design Museum, Museum
of Design Atlanta, Aldrich
Contemporary Art Museum
and the San Francisco
Museum of Modern Art.
Chinn graduated from Art
Center College of Design and
received a bachelor of fine
arts degree with honors.

DeLuca Foundation accepting

grant applications for projects
The Frederick A. DeLuca
Foundation is accepting grant
proposals for consideration of
projects in the United States,
mainly in Connecticut.
The foundation assists public charities with grants to
help give others a chance in
life. Concentration is on education, job training and the
arts, but is not exclusive to
these types of organizations.
The foundation does not
make grants to individuals.
Proposals are accepted annually from Sept.
1 through Oct. 8 only. To
obtain an application and
guidelines, e-mail requests to
delucafoundation@subway.
com or call Janice Szabo at
203 877-4281, ext. 1960.
Applicants seeking grant
assistance should submit the

application/proposal, and
include a copy of the organizations mission statement,
a copy of the organizations
latest financial statement, a
detailed outline and budget
for the project and a copy
of the IRS 501(c)(3) letter
stating that the applicant is a
509(a)(1) or (2) public charity.
The foundation discourages elaborate proposals, as
they are expensive to prepare.
Gifts range from $1,000 to
$5,000, with decisions to be
made by Dec. 31.
The application and proposals should be mailed
to: Frederick A. DeLuca
Foundation, Attn: Janice
Szabo, 300 Bic Drive,
Milford, CT 06461. The deadline for submittal is Oct. 8.

Three-year-old Isabelle
Marjanovic of Oxford starts
preschool in September and the
neonatal experts at Bridgeport
Hospital played a big part in
preparing her, beginning on
the day she was born, at which
time she weighed one pound,
eight ounces.
When Isabelle was born on
May 21, 2008, her mother,
Irene Garib, was only 24
weeks pregnant. Garibs water
broke on a Sunday. Despite
the efforts of obstetrician
Dr. Joseph Cuteri to delay
Isabelles birth until she had
grown bigger in the womb,
Garib no longer had sufficient
amniotic fluid to sustain the
unborn child. She gave birth
to Isabelle on Wednesday. The
baby was immediately admitted to Bridgeport Hospitals
Newborn Intensive Care Unit.
Babies born at 24 weeks
gestation are close to the
limit of viability, said Dr.
Robert Herzlinger, the hospitals chief of neonatology
and medical director of the
Newborn ICU. Only about
50% of babies born that early
survive, according to National
Institutes of Health data.

We knew the risk, said

Garib, who is a registered
nurse. Her husband, Dr. Stevan
Marjanovic, is an obstetrician in Waterbury and was a
former OB/GYN resident at
Bridgeport Hospital.
The more you know, the
more afraid you are, Garib
said. We worried about
Isabelles weight, but she
was a fighter and she hung in
there.
The success rate for the survival and development of premature infants at Bridgeport
Hospital is equal to or exceeds
the rates at major academic
medical centers in the United
States, Herzlinger said.
Isabelle spent 11 weeks in
the Newborn ICU. During her
time there, the physicians and
staff of the unit used their skill
and the latest medications and
technology available to help
premature babies grow and
develop.
We knew Isabelle was in
very, very competent hands,
Garib said. The staff made
us feel comfortable and
relaxed.
When Isabelle was big
enough and well enough,

Born premature and underweight, Isabelle Marjanovic

is now a regular 3-year-old and preparing for preschool.
(Submitted photo)
she finally went home with
her parents and older brother
Tristan, now 10. But Newborn
ICU experts continued to care
for her through the Follow-Up
Program. Under the direction
of neonatologist Dr. Christine
Butler, the program provides
the necessary care and parental education to ensure that
premature babies can develop

to their full potential.

Now, as Isabelle gets ready
to start preschool, her mother
says she blends right in with
other children her age.
Shes your average 3-yearold, Garib said. And we
have the Newborn ICU to
thank. I would recommend
Bridgeport Hospital to anyone
thinking of having a baby.

Cardiology Diagnostic Center receives accreditation

Cardiovascular diseases are
the No. 1 cause of death in
the United States. On average, one American dies every
38 seconds of cardiovascular
disease disorders of the
heart and blood vessels. The
American Heart Association
estimates that the direct and
indirect cost for cardiovascular disease and stroke in
the U.S. for 2010 is $503.2
billion.
Early detection of life threatening heart disorders and other
diseases is possible through
the use of nuclear cardiology
procedures performed within
hospitals, outpatient centers
and physicians offices. While
these tests are very helpful,
there are many facets that

contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on nuclear cardiology testing. The skill of the
nuclear medicine technologist
performing the examination,
the type of equipment used,
the background and knowledge of the interpreting physician and quality assurance
measures are each critical to
quality patient testing.
Cardiology
Diagnostic
Center of Bridgeport has
been granted a three-year
term of accreditation in
nuclear cardiology by the
Intersocietal Commission for
the Accreditation of Nuclear
Medicine
Laboratories
(ICANL).
Accreditation
by
the
ICANL means that Cardiology

Diagnostic
Center
of
Bridgeport has undergone a
thorough review of its operational and technical components by a panel of experts.
The ICANL grants accreditation only to those facilities
that are found to be providing
quality patient care, in compliance with national standards
through a comprehensive
application process including
detailed case study review.
ICANL accreditation is a
seal of approval that patients
can rely on as an indication
that the facility has been carefully critiqued on all aspects
of its operations considered
relevant by medical experts in
the field of nuclear medicine.
When scheduled for a nuclear

medicine procedure, patients

are encouraged to inquire as
to the accreditation status of
the facility where their examination will be performed and
can learn more by visiting
icanl.org/icanl/main/patients.
htm.
ICANL accreditation is
respected within the medical community. In addition,
several insurance companies require their providers
of nuclear medicine services
to be accredited. However,
patients should remain vigilant in making sure that their
nuclear medicine procedures
are performed within accredited laboratories, because for
many facilities it remains a
voluntary process.