Orange - Woodbridge Join Forces For Traffic Safety

Holiday Click It Or Ticket Campaign begins May 21.

  The Orange Police Department will once again join state and local law enforcement officials for an aggressive "Click it or Ticket" seat belt and child safety seat enforcement campaign during the Memorial Day holiday.  Click it or Ticket is a national mobilization effort that will crack down on low vehicle restraint use to reduce highway fatalities, especially among children.  Statistics show that nighttime passenger vehicle occupants are among those least likely to wear their seat belts. That's why during this campaign, officers will be cracking down on motorists who fail to wear their seat belts — both day and night. The two-week enforcement wave will run from Monday, May 21 to Sunday, June 3 and include traffic stops, checkpoints, and …

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Video: What Happened At ConnJam? Witnesses Speak

One emergency news wire reported "tent collapses, multiple casualties in Orange" ... That wasn't quite true...

  Boy Scouts do many things, they go camping, cook out, tie knots, do archery, hike, learn first aid, and so much more. ConnJam is a three day event that comes around every three years during which the scouts can do all of these things in one place with other scouts from around the state. Orange has hosted three consecutive ConnJams at the Orange Fairgrounds during the past decade without incident, but this year the boys can go to school with an exciting tale to tell. Saturday, May 12, was family fun day when parents and siblings could join the scouts, watch the activities, and experience the world of boy scouting. At 12:15 p.m. the town green was a flurry of activity with a community tag sale going on. Shoppers browsed through the …

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Amity Student Arrested, Not Once, But Twice

A female from Orange goes before the judge today.

  A 17-year-old Orange teenager whom Woodbridge Police only identify as a female was arrested twice at Amity Regional High School in recent weeks. On April 27 at 1:30 p.m. the teen was brought to the main office at the high school after her teachers told administrators she didn't look right. According to Woodbridge police spokesman Robert Crowther, "After further examination, she was found in possession of a red and white pipe that appeared to have marijuana residue." A field test determined the pipe did contain marijuana. The student was issued a misdemeanor for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. On May 2, the same student was charged again. According to police, at 11:45 that morning, two …

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State Police Request Public's Help in Finding Suspect

Connecticut State Police have a warrant for Edward Taylor, 21, of Bridgeport, on charges of third degree assault, criminal mischief and breach of peace, in connection with an incident that occurred in April at Housatonic Community College.

State Police at Troop G in Bridgeport are asking for the public's help in locating Edward Taylor, 21, whose last known address is 145 Pleasantview Avenue, Bridgeport. Taylor, a black male, is believed to be in the Bridgeport area. State police have a warrant for his arrest on charges of third degree assault, criminal mischief and breach of peace, in connection with an incident that occurred in April at Housatonic Community College. Although you may feel it has nothing to do with Orange, you never know, he could stop anywhere for a bite to eat or to fill his car with gas. Stay alert. Anyone with information is urged to notify State Police Troop G at (203) 696-2500. All calls will be kept confidential.

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BREAKING NEWS: Car Hits Walgreens Store

4:17 p.m. Fire department enroute.

A 54-year-old man accidentally drove his car into the Walgreens store at 54 Boston Post Road around 4:15 p.m today. The driver was not hurt and only minor damage was reported on the building. The car was backed out before firefighters arrived four minutes later. The passenger complained of an elevated heart rate.

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Thank Our Firefighters: International Firefighters Day

International Firefighters’ Day is observed on May 4 across the world to honor the lives lost and dedicated firefighters who risk their lives every day to save life and property.

  Have you thanked an Orange Volunteer Fire Department member today? May 4 is International Firefighters’ Day. The day was instituted after the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a wildfire in Australia in 1999. The date used to be a traditional Firefighters’ Day in many European countries, according to FirefightersDay.org, because it is the day of Saint Florian: patron saint of firefighters. "Sometimes that dedication is in the form of countless hours volunteered over many years, in others it is many selfless years working in the industry. In all cases it risks the ultimate sacrifice of a firefighter’s life," the organization stated in a press release on its website. The organization added that International …

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BREAKING NEWS: Amity High School Lockdown (Updated)

K-9s search school while students attend classes.

Update: School administrators, police, say no drugs found in Amity drug sweep. Original Story: At 9:45 a.m., Amity Regional High School was placed in a lockdown. During the lockdown, canine units from local law enforcement agencies and the Connecticut State Police were used search the building. After the indoor search, the canine units searched cars in the junior and senior parking areas. At 10:30 a.m., the search was completed, and the lockdown ended. Classroom instruction continued throughout the lockdown. "Our appreciation is extended to the canine units who participated in the search, and to School Resource Officer Richard Rizzuti for organizing and coordinating the search," said Principal Charles Britton. This search was one component…

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20-Year-Old Ticketed For Role In Bus Stop Crash

This is a follow up to a story we first posted April 27 at 4:45 a.m.

  The CT Transit bus stop that used to stand in front of Starbucks on the Boston Post Road has been down since Friday, April 27 at 12:13 a.m., and now, police have released some information about the crash that took it down. Police said Talmadge Vick, 20, of New Haven, was driving a Jeep SUV westbound on Route 1 when he pulled past a Chrysler and then pulled in front of it, clipping the front quarter panel and sending it across the opposite travel lanes, over the curb and into the glass and metal bus stop. Vick was issued a ticket for Improper Passing with a fine of $127. The occupants of the Chrystler reportedly were "sore but did not require medical treatment."

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Local Chatter on CT Matters: Orange

Large Pay Raises for State Police Brass

Nearly half a million more dollars are going to the captains and lieutenants in the Connecticut State Police department this fiscal year.

Higher-ups in the State Police Department are slated to get pay raises of up to 56 percent. According to the Associated Press, the deal passed automatically because the state legislature chose not to vote on the contract within 30 days of its filing. It will be their first raise since 2008.    In 2011, 56 state troopers were laid off in order to reduce costs. All were officers who recently graduated from the academy.    The raises will reportedly set the state back $458,000 in the current fiscal year.     

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UPDATED: Car Slams Into Bus Stop

A car took out the bus stop in front of Starbucks this morning.

  Originally posted Apr 27 2012 04:45am A black sedan that had collided with a jeep on the Boston Post Road in front of Mr. Kold Kuts, careened into the metal and glass bus stop in front of Starbuck's showering slivers of glass onto the road and grass around 12:20 a.m. on Friday. The passenger airbag inflated in the sedan, but no one was hurt and the three occupants slowly exited the vehicle and began milling around, according to the witnessed who called 911 (and then Patch). A flatbed was on-scene to take the jeep away at 1 a.m. and the police dispatcher had notified the CT Transit about the demolished bus stop. We have no further information at this time, as officers were still investigating the cause of the accident. UPDATE: The only …

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