Happy Friday!
It’s happier for people living near the Post Road, from the Roseville Road (McDonald’s) light to the Southport line.
Their power is back on. Congrats, guys! Let’s hope the rest of us follow soon.
Eversource says that the “vast majority of customers” will have power restored by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11. Customers in isolated areas or those with issues close to individual homes may be without power for longer.
As of 9 p.m. last night (Thursday), Eversource had restored power to 434,919 customers across the state. It was still out for 480,125 customers.
That includes 10,169 Westport customers. That’s still 80.5% of the town without power.
In Weston, meanwhile, the emergency dispatch center — damaged by fire — has been restored to full capacity. Power is out in that town to 93% of customers.
Evesource says crews arrived yesterday from Massachusetts. We saw some here from Pennsylvania. Others are coming — hopefully soon — to Connecticut from New York, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri and Canada.
Drive safely, guys. But quickly!
Valley Forge Road in Weston is still closed. (Photo/Steve Mochel)
This will put a smile on your face — and keep you smiling all day.
Lisa Russ lives in Georgia. Her parents — both in their 90s — live on Rocky Ridge Road, off Valley Road. It’s impassible still, due to a downed tree.
Concerned about ambulance access in case of an emergency, Lisa called Westport’s Department of Human Services. Margaret Pinheiro and Kristen Witt sprang into action.
They worked with the Fire Department to evaluate the situation. They offered to find hotel space, if needed.
Then last night, director of Human Services Elaine Daignault surprised Lisa’s parents with dinner, fruit, water — and toilet paper.
“Their level of care and concern is amazing,” Lisa says. “I can’t thank them enough!”
Rocky Ridge Road is still cut off from the rest of Westport. (Photo/Linda Doyle)
Other Westporters are helping too. The Conservative Synagogue on Hillspoint Road, near the Post Road, now has power and WiFi. Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn says all are welcome!
And Jacques Voris has a generator, which anyone can use to charge devices. Call his cell (203-505-4957) for details.
Some folks have wondered why the Longshore golf course has been closed. Here’s one reason:
(Photo/Tracy Porosoff)
Pippa Bell Ader of Sustainable Westport proudly announced that thousands of food scraps have been recycled since the program began July 6.’
But it’s temporarily suspended. The transfer station employee who oversees the project is helping with other duties after the storm. And not enough volunteers are available to assist either.
The food scraps recycling effort will begin as soon as possible, Pippa promises.
Cynthia Mindell understands this is a First World problem. She empathizes with everyone sitting in a car in a parking lot trying to use WiFi. But, she cautions, please don’t idle! It’s against the law — and it can be harmful to people sitting nearby.
Speaking of free WiFi: Is the Westport Library parking lot, Riverwalk or Jesup too crowded?
Sharon Fiarman reports you can log on at the Imperial Avenue parking lot. That’s where the Farmers’ Market and Remarkable Theater drive-in movies are (in better times).
And speaking of our great (and new) Westport tradition of hanging out on Jesup Green, scarfing up the library’s internet access: With all the folks there, I’m surprised no one has taken it upon him or herself to pick up the many branches and limbs still scattered all over the green.
A big branch lies in the foreground of this peaceful, post-Isaias Jesup Green scene. (Photo/Ted Horowitz)
Need an absentee ballot to vote in Tuesday’s Democratic and Republican primary elections?
They’re available this Saturday (9 a.m. to noon) at the rear entrance to Town Hall (accessible, if Myrtle Avenue is still closed, via St. John Place).
That’s also where you can return completed ballots — in a secure drop box — any time before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Pick up absentee ballots here on Saturday morning; drop them off here before Tuesday at 8 p.m. (Photo/Pippa Bell Ader)
A warning to art lovers: There will be no “06880” Saturday morning art gallery tomorrow. All the great works I planned to run are locked up on my desktop computer, inaccessible for (hopefully) not too much longer.
A blast from the past: “Mid-July Flowers” (Amy Schneider)
And finally … sure, markets are opening up in town. But this is still an appropriate tune:
Thanks Dan but not true. Iâm in Harvest Commons ON Post Road East and half the complex has power; the other half does not and there is no update. From
Fresh Market to/thru TJ NO POWer even to businesses. Day 4 and Westport outage is 82%. Eversource says: most customers will be restored by Tuesday NIGHT!!!
Rosalie J. Wolf
Sorry to hear that, Rosalie. Sounds like there’s an individual issue with part of Harvest Commons. I did note clearly that power was on on the Post Road only from McDonald’s eastward. CVS does have power. And, as you note (and I posted in the story), Eversource is saying Tuesday night for most customers. Stay safe!
10,754 @ 9:34
Going in the wrong direction
at this point I think some sort of explanation as to the extended outage (TJ’s to Fresh Market) is due. If they restore power to those businesses the same day they restore power to most of Westport(residential), then they planned it wrong. I’m not a power grid expert, but I do know that they prioritize where Fire Departments are located. and I’m pretty sure the Westport FD is powered by generator right now. (they are down the street from where I work)
You gotta love the wording from Eversource……power will be back by 11:59 on “TUESDAY” night for most customers. They don’t want to have customers
see the word Wednesday, so they are saying Tuesday, one minute before Wednesday officially arrives. So they are basically saying you’ll have power back in most places by early Wednesday morning.
How is it that the Post Rd is still blocked by an ENORMOUS tree which is supported by the electric lines and blocking a lane ? It is located near Whole Foods and is a hazard and a further accident waiting to happen.
Wow, Really? is that Whole Foods in Norwalk or Westport?.. geez, the whole philosophy of starting restoration at the Post Road and working you way deeper into residential does not apply in Westport.
We grew up next door to Jim and Eva Giambalvo (Lisa’s parents) on Rocky Ridge Road. It is wonderful to see that the town is looking after them, for they are a great family. They are the last of the original group of families to still live on Ricky Ridge Rd / Nappa Dr / Nappa Ln (my parents left in 2015 https://06880danwoog.com/2015/11/10/the-davis-family-signs-out/ ). And we have had our share of downed trees blocking the road – years ago a storm blew thru the night before and took down a tree that blocked Rocky Ridge and took out the power, on the morning my brother Rick was getting married.
Sadly, also no power at the apt. complex at 793 Post Road East – next to Westport Wash and Wax or the other apt. complex on the other side of that. Noticed that Eversource has removed the icon from their map covering our area – indicating that power has been fully restored -even though hundreds of us are still without power. Dishonest/Misleading.
Sigh….
Some have already forgotten that the Compo substation is out of commission.
It will take some time to bring that back online.
Patience is needed folks.
There’s a lot happening out there. I would rather them take their time and not get electrocuted. (Meaning dead)
Wendy, are you referring to the one on Compo Road right by 95 and the railroad? If so, do you know how that happened? That substation had been practically invincible in prior major storms. (Or is it possible it was shut down intentionally to enable work to happen in the immediate area?)
I’m looking for information about the substation as well. I actually drove there and saw no obvious physical damage, but could be an internal issue. I’ve had someone reach out to the First Selectman who said the substation is “intact”. I do think something not normal is happening that is leading the the large section of Post Road East with no power.
Fred and Jordan. You missed Grayson Braun’s comment a couple stories back explaining what happened to the Comp substation
“Are we having fun yet?”
Substation don’t look damaged from the outside but the wires and circuits internally can be ‘fried’
https://06880danwoog.com/2020/08/06/are-we-having-fun-yet/#comments
Scroll down to to find Mr Braun’s comment
thanks for pointing that out… I also noticed I had posted an article about the new substation, you are correct that the compo substation is NOT the new one. thanks for clarifying that. I have seen some good posts, so hopefully progress soon!
And for the record, I still don’t have power in my area. Just one interior street over from me looks like a bomb went off.
Thankfully, the postman is alive who was caught in the middle of all the falling and breaking utility poles (4) when a 2 story tree blew over just as the tornado warning hit at 140pm Tuesday.
Interior and side roads out of sight are in bad shape
No charging at the senior center, generator down
Do not forget us folks on the Red Coat and Hermit
Lane area. We have trees hanging on wires and
Massive amounts of debris in the roadways.
People driving like they are going to afire.
For the record, am in no way expecting anyone to rush and hurt themselves – simply stating that Eversource is making a claim that is untrue. Just walked the dog and many buildings North of McDonald’s are dark.
Any truth to the rumor that Eversource is changing their name to Sometimesexceptinbadweathersource? (Writing this from Hazelnut Rd., where a giant tree is across the road, wires are down all over the place and no one has even come to take a look)
I also noticed that on the outage map several clusters between Roseville and Maple of size 1001-5000 and 251-1000 disappeared, isn’t that great progress or a straight lie?
Just saw a huge convoy (at least 15) of trucks from Asplundh Tree Experts at the Post Road and Hillspoint Intersection. I believe they have come to us from PA and so grateful to have them here.
All you get is doublespeak from these utilities and the town. Cross Hwy. and Half Mile Common is a disaster. When do we hold these people accountable? It’s criminal.
I’ll just leave it that Dan notes that as of last night at 9pm there were 10,169 Westport customers without power. As of today at 4:45pm the number is 10,304. There might be a good reason for that. Would be nice if someone told it to us…
we’re on! just now… power in Old Saugatuck neighborhood ccurry
Sent from my iPhone
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