“In my 30 years in the transit business I never thought I’d be asking people NOT to take the bus,” says Doug Holcomb, CEO of Greater Bridgeport Transit, the operator of 57 buses carrying 5 million passengers a year. But not this year. Like most transit agencies, GBT is asking people to stay home and to ride their buses only if it is essential. So ridership on those buses has dropped 65%. On Metro-North the ridership is down 90 to 95%.
The biggest names in comedy are coming together to help health workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic with a special virtual comedy fest on Friday, May 1. The Covid Is No Joke comedy show will be a night of levity, laughter and community in support of frontline health workers—the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic. — an announcement from Americares
The show will air LIVE on covidisnojoke.org and Americares YouTube channel at 8 p.m. EDT, benefitting Americares COVID-19 response. The star-studded event will feature a mix of sketches, stand-up comedy and heart-felt messages from:
Elizabeth Banks, Ike Barinholtz, Jack Black and Tenacious D, Wayne Brady, D’Arcy Carden, Kristin Chenoweth, Tom Cotter, Mackenzie Davis, Mark Duplass, Will Ferrell, Gal Gadot, Kyle Gass, Linda Hamilton, Chelsea Handler, Mindy Kaling, Kerri Louise, Jonathan Mangum, Patton Oswalt, Natalia Reyes, Adam Scott, Finn Straley, Paige Weldon, Jenny Yang and more. Americares board member and actor, director, producer Tony Goldwyn will host the one-hour event.
As a community Darien has proudly committed to the education of our children time and time again. We debate issues, we research new initiatives and techniques, and we talk about metrics, outcomes and mental health, all with the guiding principle that our children are best served to participate in our society when they are healthy, and have a strong educational framework. In this moment in time, when traditional education models have been re-invented, flipped and reimagined, with an immediacy that no one ever imagined, what has become most clear is that it is our human touch — our teachers, administrators, and support staff who truly play a vital and important role in our children’s education. The importance of their daily interactions with our children, can not be underestimated. And the way in which our staff has stepped up to work to meet the needs of our children is to be commended.
In an email to parents on Sunday, Schools Superintendent Alan Addley told parents that “Free lunches are available to any Darien student in need starting tomorrow, Monday, April 20.” Addley also wrote that the Board of Education meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday can be accessed through Google Meet. The home page of the school district website will have a link to follow. “The administration will present its Grading and Reporting Procedures” at the board meeting. “Members of the public may still comment on the Grading and Reporting Procedures agenda item by emailing Dr. Alan Addley aaddley@darienps.org or Tara Ochman tochman@darienps.org by 4 p.m. tomorrow, Monday, April 20,” he added.
News and links on the COVID-19 pandemic for Darien:
LATEST UPDATES: Town-by-town COVID-19 positive-test cases; Governor’s daily briefing for Sunday; Aid upped for Connecticut nursing homes; Seven Northeast governors appoint multi-state council to advise on reopening economy. See also:
“LATEST DARIEN COVID-19 NEWS: Continual Updates: March 30 to April 5”
“LATEST DARIEN COVID-19 NEWS: Continual Updates: April 5 to 12”
SUNDAY State Statistics on COVID-19 Cases in Lower Fairfield County
Sunday, April 19 — As of Sunday, the state reports 139 Darienites were identified with COVID-19, the same as the day before and the day before that, according to information released by state authorities. (Reminders: Many people are thought to have the COVID-19 virus who aren’t identified; the state says “all figures are preliminary and subject to change.”)
Here’s the number of identified cases in nearby communities, according to the state government Coronavirus statistics updates Web page:
Stamford — 1,758 cases (10 more than the 1,748 on Saturday)
Norwalk — 858 (one more than the 857 on Saturday)
New Canaan — 102 (one more than the 101 on Saturday)
Greenwich — 372 (the same as on Saturday; no new cases)
Westport — 184 (the same as on Saturday; no new cases)
Wilton — 103 (the same as on Saturday; no new cases)
Weston — 44 (the same as on Saturday; no new cases)
Ridgefield — 137 (the same as on Saturday; no new cases)
Fairfield — 261 (four more than the 257 on Saturday)
Bridgeport — 1,230 (231 more than the 1,199 on Saturday)
TEN WORST HIT CONNECTICUT MUNICIPALITIES (with total cases): 1. Stamford (1,758), 2. Bridgeport (1,230), 3.
Marinas, boatyards and marine manufacturers in the tristate area will be allowed to open for personal use as long as strict social distancing and sanitization protocols are followed, Gov. Ned Lamont, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in an announcement on Saturday. — an announcement from Governor Ned Lamont’s Office
Chartered watercraft services or rentals will not be allowed, and restaurant activity at these sites must be limited to take-out or delivery only, like anywhere else in the three states. This announcement aligns the policies of the three states on this particular service. Governor Lamont explained that in Connecticut, this multi-state alignment is an affirmation of the state’s current policy, and marinas and marina repair remain on the essential business list. Governor Lamont said, “Our states share workforces, resources, public transit, and we all have share a connection on the water.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday that, in coordination with Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, he is ordering Connecticut’s 2020 presidential primary election to be postponed to Tuesday, Aug. 11, due to the ongoing public health crisis caused by COVID-19. — an announcement from the Governor’s Office
This is the second time the governor has rescheduled the presidential preference primary due to the pandemic. It was originally scheduled to be held April 28 and then ordered last month to be rescheduled to June 2. The state is already scheduled to hold primaries for other federal, state, and local offices on Aug.
Update, Friday, April 17 — Figure skating legend Dorothy Hamill and two-time Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan are joining the biggest names in figure skating this Friday, April 17, for a livestream benefit event supporting Americares response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Japanese champions Miki Ando, Shizuka Arakawa, Yuka Sato and Fumie Suguri have also joined the roster of skating stars raising funds for Americares COVID-19 relief, along with three-time Olympian Todd Eldredge and World Champion pairs skating team Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner. The special one-hour “Blades for the Brave” livestream hosted by Jason Brown and Gracie Gold, will air on BladesForTheBrave.org, Americares Facebook and Twitter feeds and on its YouTube channel at 8 p.m. EDT/5 p.m. PT. Viewers can support Americares COVID-19 response by making a donation on americares.org or by texting “BRAVE” to 80100 to make a $25 donation. Original article, April 7:
Olympic and World Champion figure skaters are coming together to help health workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic with a special fundraising event on Friday, April 17.
Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the State of Connecticut has formed a partnership with CVS Health in an initiative that will make free, rapid COVID-19 tests available to eligible Connecticut residents. This includes the opening today of the state’s first rapid testing site at the former Gateway Community College campus at Long Wharf in New Haven. The tests are said to get results in 30 minutes. — an announcement from the Governor’s Office
Using the new Abbott ID NOW test for COVID-19, CVS Health is planning to conduct up to 750 tests per day, seven days a week. All patients seeking to be tested will be required to pre-register in advance online.
Americares is delivering more than 1.4 million protective masks for health workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The masks will help to alleviate shortages at hospitals and primary care facilities in 11 states and Puerto Rico. — an announcement from Americares
The city of New York has already received 300,000 masks and the state of Connecticut and Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts have each received 100,000. In Puerto Rico, 40,000 masks will be distributed among 11 of Americares partner health centers on the island. The rest of the masks are headed to California, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Tennessee and Washington where state and city officials will oversee the distribution and allocation of supplies to medical facilities based on need.
When it comes to transportation, Joe McGee is often the smartest guy in the room. If I want a vision of our state’s mobility future, he’s the first man I turn to. McGee served as then Gov. Lowell Weicker’s commissioner of economic development. For years I worked with him on the Connecticut Metro-North Rail Commuter Council. And until recently he was the Fairfield Business Council’s vice president for public policy, specializing in the intertwined issues of transportation and economic development.
At 12 noon today, Thursday, April 16, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz will host a Virtual-Town Hall regarding some of the health and safety resources available to support Connecticut children and families. Registration in advance is required. The Virtual-Town Hall will feature the Tri-Chairs of the Council on Women and Girls Health & Safety Subcommittee:
—Department of Children and Families, Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes
—Office of Early Childhood, Commissioner Beth Bye
—Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, Commissioner Miriam Delphin-Rittmon
Register online here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Editor’s note: This information was passed on to Darienite.com and other news organizations in town by First Selectman Jayme Stevenson.
Following a long and proud history of leading in times of crisis and need, Scouts in Darien are activating to help alleviate the personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage that many healthcare systems are facing with a face shield drive in partnership with the Andrew Shaw Memorial Trust. — an announcement from Darien Boy Scouting
“I’m proud of our Scouting families across Darien who are stepping up to support our hospitals and healthcare workers. Our Scouts have always stepped up to help the community in times of need,” said Grant Evans, Scoutmaster, Troop 53. “These face shields will help our healthcare workers by giving them critical protection from the COVID-19 virus, yet are simple to make. It is a fun project for the family to work on together, so let’s all join together and make masks.”
Evans shared that the Scouts were inspired after seeing an instructional video posted by Stamford doctor on YouTube.
This past Saturday’s bell-ringing event in Darien is being repeated, the First Selectman’s Office just announced, for the next five Saturdays, through May 16. “Ring Your Bells, Loud and Proud,” the announcement says, during the repeats of Saturday’s five-minute event, where people around town were encouraged to ring a bell, bang a pot or otherwise make a noise for several minutes to give a loud “Thank you!” to healthcare workers and first responders on the frontlines of the COVID-19 battle. As with the event last Saturday, the noise-making is scheduled for five minutes, starting at 7 p.m. The ringing, gonging, honking and yelling takes place rain or shine, right from your own window, door or, as the announcement suggests, “your front lawn or front steps.” “From 7 to 7:05, come stand on your front lawn or front steps and ring cowbells, shake holiday bells, bang a pot and pan or simply clap hands,” the announcement says.
Kids at the India Cultural Center in Greenwich recently raised $1,900 on a GoFundMe page to provide relief supplies to area healthcare workers at Stamford and Greenwich hospitals, along with Greenwich Emergency Medical Service during the COVID-19 crisis. — an announcement from the India Cultural Center
The “India Cultural Center Kids Love You” fund provided drinks and energy snacks for local healthcare providers at both hospitals and at the ambulance service. As medical professionals and first responders continue to work tirelessly providing round the clock care to keep our communities safe, putting their own lives at stake, the kids of ICC knew there was more they could do themselves. “We were thrilled when we heard from a group of ICC kids who wanted to give back to local doctors and nurses,” said Margie French, executive director of ICC. “The fund was entirely driven off of their desire to do more and is proof that kids do great things.”
In between virtual classes and homework, the kids (ranging in age from 5 to 13) carved out time from their day to set up home production lines to assemble care packages.
