Month: December 2016 - Page 2

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Antonio Rodriguez, 74

Antonio “Tony” Rodriguez of Key Biscayne, Florida, a former Westport resident, died Nov. 10 in Miami. He was 74.

Antonio Rodriguez: former Westporter. Contributed photo

He was born Aug. 12, 1942 in Camaguey, Cuba and left that country with his parents, brother and beloved pet dog seeking political asylum in 1961. The family relocated to Miami briefly before moving again to Denver, Colorado in 1962.

He completed his B.S. and M.S. in mathematics at the University of Denver. He met his first wife in Denver and went to work in business. The majority of his career was spent working for Xerox Corp. in the Latin American Division which allowed him to travel throughout Latin and South America as well as Europe and Asia.

His work also allowed the family to live in several states as well as for two years in Mexico City, Mexico. The family lived for the longest period of time in Westport, where their two children attended school.

Kicking Off First Night

The Westport Center for Senior Activities today for the first time hosted the opening event of the 23rd annual edition of First Night Westport Weston. The Survivors band played the big band sounds to an enthusiastic audience. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Lynn Backalenick, 65

Lynn Backalenick, who grew up in Westport, died Dec. 26 at Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York City. She was 65.

Lynn Backalenick: art director. Contributed photo

She graduated from Staples High School and attended Goddard College, moving on to a career in the graphic arts. She gained recognition as an art director in the audio-visual field.

Her vast array of friends will remember her warmth, her quick smile, her ready wit, and her loving nature. She touched the lives of many and will be missed greatly.

She is survived by her husband James Kendrick, her siblings Paul, Lisa, Kim, and her mother Irene of Bridgeport, a former longtime Westport resident and noted journalist, theater critic, and most recently, poet.

Fatal I-95 Crash, Police Arrest 3 Who Fled Scene

By Gordon Joseloff

UPDATE A Bronx, N.Y. man was killed and at least three other persons injured early today in two separate but related accidents on I-95 northbound in Westport that shut the highway for seven hours, state police said.

A heavy duty wrecker today hauls away the cab of a tractor-trailer involved in a fatal accident on I-95 in Westport. A car involved sits in the middle of the roadway at rear. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Gordon Joseloff for WestportNow.com

State police said in the first accident, a car rear-ended a van with four occupants. It veered off the road, went down an embankment, hit several trees, and rolled over.

A rear seat passenger not wearing a seatbelt was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. State police identified him as Muhamad Bahaga, 32, of the Bronx, N.Y. The three others suffered less serious injuries and were transported by Westport EMS to Norwalk Hospital.

Moments later, possibly as a result of the first accident, a car rear-ended a tractor-trailer. Three occupants of the car fled the scene, running across the southbound lanes. They were eventually found and arrested in a neighborhood off of Greens Farms Road, officials said.

New Year’s Eve at the Market

Today’s New Year’s Eve edition of the Westport Winter Farmers Market attracted a modest crowd, but several vendors said they did brisk business, selling out of popular items. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Out of the Woods After Fatal Crash

UPDATE A van involved in an early morning crash on I-95 in Westport was hauled out of the woods and up an embankment just before mid-day today. State police said a rear passenger not wearing a seat belt was killed when he was ejected from the van—later identified as Muhamad Bahaga, 32, of the Bronx, NY,—and three others were injured in the 5:15 a.m. accident. Three persons involved in a second accident with a tractor-trailer fled the scene. They were found and arrested on Westport streets off of Greens Farms Road a short time later. State police reopened the northbound lanes at 12:20 p.m. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Gordon Joseloff for WestportNow.com

Greens Farms Road Backup

Traffic eastbound on Greens Farms Road today was backed up because of the closure of I-95 at Exit 17 in Westport following an early morning accident in which one person was killed. Traffic was heavy in the Saugatuck area around the exit as traffic sought alternate routes. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

I-95 Northbound Reopened After Fatal Crash

UPDATE I-95 northbound between Exits 17 and 18 in Westport was shut down today following a fatal crash between Hales Road and Hillspoint Road. A rear seat passenger in a van not wearing a seat belt was killed when he was ejected from the vehicle after it was rear-ended, went down an embankment, and rolled over, state police said. Three persons in the van were injured. Police said a second accident a short distance away involved a car (in middle lane above) which rear-ended a tractor-trailer. State and Westport police apprehended three persons who fled from the car on foot across the roadway into a Greens Farms neighborhood. Just before noon, a tow truck hauled the van out of the woods and up an embankment. State police reopened the roadway at 12:20 p.m., seven hours after the crash. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Compo Sunset

Friday’s sunset as seen from Westport’s Compo Beach. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Mark Molesworth for WestportNow.com

Saturday, December 31, 2016 – First Night

10 a.m. – Westport Library – HTC Vive Virtual Reality Demo
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Gilbertie’s (7 Sylvan Lane) – Westport Winter Farmers Market
Noon – 4 p.m. – Westport Historical Society – “Art to the Max”
3 p.m. – 10 p.m. – Various venues – 23rd annual First Night Westport Weston – Click here for detailed schedule