Gregory MentiGregory Menti

Haskell to challenge Boucher for state Senate

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Will Haskell believes Connecticut’s 26th state Senate District is in need of a major shakeup. Haskell, a 21-year-old Democrat from Westport, announced today that he will challenge Republican incumbent state Sen. Toni Boucher for her seat in Connecticut’s General Assembly. Boucher, a Wilton native, has held the seat in the 26th District since 2009. “We’re living in an incredibly political moment,” said Haskell. “My generation is not satisfied with what is happening in our government on both a national and local level.” A senior at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Haskell is moving back to Connecticut as soon as he … Read more

Weston dog park vote is set for March 10

Westonites will vote on whether a dog park should be constructed on the town-owned Moore property on Saturday, March 10. The vote will take place by machine vote in the Meeting Room at Weston Town from noon until 8 p.m. First Selectman Chris Spaulding and Selectman Brian Gordon voted on Thursday, Feb. 22 to establish a referendum for the dog park in response to a petition the town received from Weston Dog Park Inc. on Tuesday, Feb. 20. The town will vote yes or no on the following question: “Shall the town of Weston establish an enclosed, approximately 3.5 acre … Read more

Weston school resource officer launches website

A new website for Weston parents has been started by school resource officer Joe Mogollon.

Weston’s school resource officer (SRO), Joe Mogollon, has started a website to help inform Weston parents of his duties and to share helpful resources designed to keep students safe. “I attend a lot of PTO meetings and talk to parents pretty often,” said Mogollon. “A lot of times parents can’t make meetings or don’t have the chance to talk, so this website is to help them see what I’m doing at the schools.” With the guidance of Weston High administrators, Mogollon launched the website in December. There are links to resources on drug and alcohol safety, cyberbullying, and traffic safety … Read more

Sustainability committee hopes to make Weston greener

— Flickr.com photo

Following years of dormancy, Weston’s sustainability committee is working hard to gain traction. “We’re trying to get some momentum,” said Natalie Terrill, chair of the committee. “We started meeting last year, and one of the first things we did was brainstorming some possible initiatives; we’ve been working on getting some of those accomplished.” Re-formed in early 2017, five years after it was originally formed, the sustainability committee features seven Westonites with interests in making the town greener. Terrill is joined on the committee by co-chair Marc de Mul, Scott Licamele, Amy Kalafa, Kirby Brendsel, Ken Coulson, and Jens Buettner. “We’re … Read more

BREAKING NEWS: Petition submitted to send Weston dog park proposal to vote

Weston Dog Park Inc, a group of residents in support of creating a dog park in Weston, submitted a petition on Tuesday, Feb. 20 that, if validated, will force a vote at a special town meeting within 30 days. The petition requests that a yes or no vote be had at a special town meeting on the following question: “Shall the town of Weston establish an enclosed, approximately 3.5 acre dog park on the town owned 36-acre parcel on Davis Hill Road as depicted in the visualization map and in accordance with the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the … Read more

Weston school superintendent discusses safety after Florida shooting

In the wake of the school shooting that left 17 people dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Weston Superintendent William McKersie released a five-page memorandum outlining the district’s safety and security measures. The memorandum, released on Monday, Feb. 19, lays out the district’s specific safety resources and discusses how to address the “root causes” of the issue with students. “Let me state in the clearest and simplest terms that the Weston Public Schools are among the safest in the region and nation,” said McKersie. “The safety and security of Weston students and staff has been the … Read more

Weston Dog Park public hearing is this Thursday

The Weston Planning and Zoning Commission has rejected an approval for a dog park.

Weston’s Conservation Commission is holding a public hearing, Thursday, Feb. 22, about a proposed dog park at the town-owned Moore property. The hearing begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Meeting Room. The proposed dog park would be built on a 3.6-acre parcel located in the 36-acre Moore property off Davis Hill Road and Lords Highway East. The entrance to the dog park would be a 1,280-foot gravel driveway that is accessible from Lords Highway East. The hearing will give residents a chance to express their opinions on the proposed dog park. This will not be the last chance … Read more

Weston first selectman proposes 2.65% town budget increase

First Selectman Chris Spaulding is proposing a $13,103,891 operating budget for the town of Weston, a 2.64% increase over the current year. The proposed budget is $337,026 more than the current fiscal year budget. The mill, or tax, rate is expected to increase .84 points, a 2.91% increase. The mill rate in the proposed budget is 29.75, up from 28.91 this fiscal year. The increase in the mill rate is due to both the school budget and the town budget. According to the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, a mill is equal to $1 of tax for each $1,000 … Read more

Weston, Easton, Redding see drop in state-issued school district grades

Weston, Easton and Redding public school districts each saw dropping grades on the state’s annual assessment of school performance, according to data released Friday, Feb. 9. The data comes from an annual report put out by Connecticut’s Department of Education. Each district earned worse grades in the 2016-17 school year than the 2015-16 school year. The Weston school district scored 82.1, down from last year, when it scored 85.4. Easton’s districtwide score is 75.8, down from 83.5 last year. Redding scored 76.6, down from 81.5 a year ago. According to the Connecticut Department of Education, the state uses a zero-to-100 … Read more

Easton Democrat to run for state representative

The battle for Connecticut’s 135th Congressional District has a new participant. Easton Democrat Anne Hughes plans to challenge incumbent Adam Dunsby to represent the 135th Congressional District, which consists of Easton, Weston and part of Redding. Hughes, 52, grew up in Fairfield, where civic engagement was an important part of her life from the early years. “I’m from a very engaged family,” said Hughes. “We started a recycling initiative in my neighborhood when I very young. We would go around the neighborhood and pick up people’s newspapers and bottles, load them into our van and bring them to the recycling … Read more

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