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Westport Bank Robber Pleads Guilty

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Bank surveillance photo of robber. Contributed photo
A New Jersey man who robbed Westport’s Commerce Bank on Main Street in January 2008 dressed as a woman pleaded guilty in a Camden, N.J. federal court today to bank robbery charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Huy Trong Luong, 40, of Jersey City, N.J. admitted to robbing or attempting to rob nine banks in New Jersey and Connecticut over a five-month period in 2008 and getting away with more than $39,000, prosecutors said.

The U.S. Attorney’s office said he specifically pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery associated with the April 20, 2008, robbery of Commerce Bank in Bergenfield, N.J. and the Jan. 11, 2008, robbery of a Wachovia branch in Greenwich.

Luong also admitted committing the other seven robberies, and all of the conduct will be taken into consideration at sentencing, prosecutors said.

Norwalk Community College Head Deals With the Unprepared

By Dave Matlow

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David Levinson: facing 21st century educational dilemma. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Westporter David Levinson knows first hand what happens when schools don’t adequately prepare their students for college.

As president of Norwalk Community College, the “under-prepared student” is a problem he faces every day, he told the Westport Rotary Club today.

“At NCC, 70 percent of those admitted need to take at least one sub-college-level course to prepare them for college level studies,” Levinson said. 

This burdens the taxpayer twice, he explained. The first time is when a resident pays local taxes for high school education.

WestportNow Teardown of the Day: 67 West Parish Road

67 West Parish Road, Westport, CT  06880
An application for a permit is in process to demolish the house at 67 West Parish Road in Westport’s Greens Farms area. Built in 1913, the one-story, vernacular-style home has 888 square feet and is situated on a .35-acre lot. Because it was built more than 50 years ago, the application will be reviewed by the Historic District Commission at its April meeting. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Tuesday, March 31, 2009


8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Westport/Weston Health District (180 Bayberry Lane) – Free training course: Lead-Safe Work Practices for painting, remodeling, maintenance
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Westport Historical Society – “Presidents, Politicians & Popular Heroes”
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Westport Historical Society – “The Art of the Birdhouse”
10 a.m. – Westport Public Library – Jobseekers Resource Seminar
10 a.m. – Town Hall Room 309 – Arts Advisory Committee
7 p.m. – Town Hall Room 104 – Board of Assessment Appeals
7:30 p.m. – Westport Public Library – Authors@the Library: Jimmy Breslin, “The Good Rat: A True Story”
7:45 p.m. – Town Hall Room 309 – RTM Long Range Planning Committee

Ed Board Rejects Superintendent’s Call for Budget Restoration

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The Westport Board of Education tonight by a 5-2 vote rejected a recommendation by Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon (r) that it seek restoration of the $1.4 million cut by the Board of Finance from its proposed 2009-10 budget of $96 million. (LaFleur and Taylor opposed.) Chairman Don O’Day (c), citing a $3 million cost of already negotiated wage increases, for the first time said he would seek to make up some of the cut through union wage concessions. But Ed Huydic, head of the teachers union, said he was “unequivocally opposed” to renegotiating its contract. The union official did reiterate, however, what he said was a “creative cost-saving” offer for a retirement incentive plan which he said the board had previously rejected. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Sprout Closing on Post Road East

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Sprout, a Westport retail store specializing in baby, toddler’s and children’s clothing, is closing after one year in business at 1799 Post Road East in the Garelick and Herbs plaza. The owner, Rebecca Henley, a Fairfield resident, said the store, which opened in March 2008, is closing because of a combination of the slow business climate and a lease dispute. She said the store will close before April 15 and until then everything is 40 to 60 percent off and “we are selling all the fixtures down to the flooring.” Henley, a longtime corporate marketing professional, said she considered opening at another location but “it’s very expensive to do so” in this economic climate. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Westport Police Make Two Prostitution Arrests

Westport police said today they had arrested two women on prostitution charges after they offered their services on the Internet.

Both women were arrested in separate incidents at the Westport Inn, said Lt. David Kassay, commander of the Detective Bureau.

Helen Marks, 30, of Stamford, was arrested Thursday after an undercover officer answered an Internet ad and she offered to perform “an erotic massage,” he said. She was released on $200 bond with a Norwalk Superior Court date set for April 6.

On Friday night, detectives received information that another female involved with a Web site ad for erotic services had checked into the hotel, Kassay said.