Ridgefield student will help Chornobyl orphans

Written by The Ridgefield Press
Thursday, 18 March 2010 05:27

Tatiana Palylyk, a long time Ridgefield residents and a 2008 graduate of Ridgefield High School, will be going on a mission trip to Ukraine in June, sponsored by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. and the Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund.

“I will be visiting two orphanages that were adopted by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. — they are in the cities of Puhachiv and Znamianka,” Ms. Palylyk said.

“The children that live at these orphanages are living with the after effects of the Chornobyl Nuclear Accident of 1986.

In this week's Ridgefield Press

Written by Jack Sanders
Thursday, 18 March 2010 06:59

Here are some of the stories and features in this week's Ridgefield Press, out today:

• The Ridgefield Library says its rebuilding plans may cost $20 million.
• Being beaned by a Branchville baseball is a hazard the town addresses with $12,000 in fence work.
• What happened to the three homeowners whose houses the town auctioned off last fall to cover their unpaid taxes?
• It was a wild weather weekend in Ridgefield, as some photos demonstrate.
• The “netbooks” purchased for the Ridgefield High School library are a waste of money, says columnist Anna Blum.
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Ridgefield gets $188,000 in road aid from state

Written by The Ridgefield Press
Thursday, 18 March 2010 06:05

Governor M. Jodi Rell reports $30 million to fund local paving projects and road repairs and an additional $10 million for local capital improvement projects was approved Tuesday when the state Bond Commission met.

Ridgefield will receive receive $188,204.

“We figured around there,” said highway chief Pete Hill said of the amount.

However, Mr. Hill pointed out that the town usually receives state highway aid checks in July and January — and neither payment came in this year because of the state’s budget crisis.

Want your house to have 'curb appeal'?

Written by The Ridgefield Press
Thursday, 18 March 2010 06:10

Curb Appeal is a one-evening Ridgefield Continuing Education lecture that focuses on improving the immediate impression of a house.

Participants will learn how to economically update their landscape or to spruce up their home for sale.

Disabled and elderly are eligible for tax help, says assessor

Written by The Ridgefield Press
Thursday, 18 March 2010 06:09

The Ridgefield Assessor’s office is accepting applications from qualified homeowners for the “Totally Disabled and Elderly Homeowners State Program” through May 15.

Tax breaks are given on a sliding scale, depending on income.

Financiers set two hearings on budget; breakdown in this week's Press

Written by Kate Czaplinski, Press Staff
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 05:34

The Board of Finance will hold public hearings on next year’s proposed budgets on Monday, March 29 and Monday, April 5, with identical presentations, to accommodate individuals unable to attend due to the Passover observance.

Both public hearings will provide presentations on Ridgefield’s overall proposed budget of $122.68 million, an 1.56% increase in spending and the capital budget of $3.70 million capital budget.

A comprehensive breakdown of the budgets is in a legal notice on pages 6C to 9C of Thursday’s Ridgefield Press.

Women's Campaign School will be topic for talk

Written by The Ridgefield Press
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 06:18

Patricia Russo of the Women’s Campaign School will discuss the school’s program aimed at increasing the number and influence of women in elected and appointed governmental and political positions Thursday, March 18, at 7 p.m. at the Ridgefield Community Center.

The program is sponsored by The Ridgefield League of Women Voters, in celebration of Women’s History Month.

Jesse Lee Day School plans benefit, including online auction

Written by The Ridgefield Press
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 06:14

“The Talk of the Town,” Jesse Lee Day School’s sixth annual Silent Auction event, will take place on Friday, March 26, at 7 p.m. at the Ridgefield Community Center. Ciao! Catering and Events and Two Steps Downtown Grille will provide food, with dancing to the music of DJ James Daniel.

Live auction highlights will include a flight in an L-39 jet trainer fighter out of Westchester Airport, use of a three-bedroom lake house in Vermont, a chance to own a 2010 Vespa LX 150, hot air balloon rides, and a personal tour of the U.S. Capitol Building including lunch with Congressman Jim Himes in the Members Dining Room.

The silent auction includes Red Sox tickets, a children’s tea party for 10 in the bride’s room at the community center, golf outings at local clubs, and photography sessions.

Himes offers consumer protection Web site

Written by The Ridgefield Press
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 06:10

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (D-4) launched a new consumer protection Web site as part of the 12th Annual National Consumer Protection Week — March 7-13.

The site provides constituents with tools to follow recall campaigns, protect themselves against identity theft, and register for the Do Not Call List, along with links to information on other consumer protection topics.

The page can be found in the How Can I Help You? section of the congressman’s Web site.

Fuel, contract spark police increases, though department is down four officers

Written by Kate Czaplinski, Press Staff
Tuesday, 16 March 2010 05:20

The police department presented its budget to the Board of Selectmen during budget presentations Feb. 24, proposing $4.62 million, with increases attributed largely to contractual obligations and fuel.

Selectmen did not cut further into Chief John Roche’s operating budget last week, though the board dropped two marked cars out of the department’s capital requests before sending the budgets to the Board of Finance.

Police Chief John Roche presented a budget that Police Commissioner Tom Reynolds called “bare-bones.” “We went several rounds on this,” Mr. Reynolds said. “What you have here is bare bones — outside of contractual increases.”