Romanacci Pizza Bar, 54 Railroad Place, will expand its business in early March into the adjoining space currently occupied by Winfield Espresso & Panini Bar, which will close at the end of February, according to Maurizio Ricci, Romanacci co-owner with his brother Graziano. Ricci said the newly expanded eatery will offer more seating, a broader menu and project a “European feeling.” He said the expanded enterprise will offer coffee for morning commuters and, in the evening, prepackaged fresh takeout dinners including chicken parmesan, lasagna and other popular Italian cuisine specialties. Winfield Espresso & Panini Bar opened in February 2016 in space occupied by Bonjo Coffee. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
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With Few Options, Lamont Considers Taxing Groceries
By Keith M. Phaneuf and Mark Pazniokas
www.ctmirror.orgGov. Ned Lamont wants to end Connecticut’s cycle of budget deficits, deliver property-tax relief and amass a fiscal bulwark against the next recession. But to do it, he may push wary legislators to extend the sales tax for the first time to groceries, medications and other long-exempt items.
Lamont pledged during the 2018 campaign that he would not raise the income tax or empty the state’s budget reserves to close a shortfall of $1.5 billion projected for the coming fiscal year, saying neither of those measures would bring fiscal stability to a state that has struggled to balance its budget in every year but one from 2007 to 2017.
While removing these exemptions could generate hundreds of millions more a year for the state’s coffers, Lamont would find it extremely difficult to sell lawmakers on the idea of taxing bread, milk, and medicine — even with the lofty goal of fiscal stability.
“In order to build a better budget — one that will attempt to provide the much-needed stability for economic growth through the next two years and through the next decade — we need to explore new and different options,” said Chris McClure, spokesman for the governor’s budget office. “This means leaving no stone unturned, and engaging in all necessary conversations so we can evaluate and analyze ways to achieve and retain balance.”
‘State of the Town’ Addresses Set for Sunday, Feb. 10
Issues facing the town and the Westport Public Schools will be the focus of a “State of the Town” discussion set for Sunday, Feb. 10, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium, it was announced today.
First Selectman Jim Marpe and Mark Mathias, chairman of the Board of Education, are scheduled to speak at the town hall-style meeting.
It will be followed by a question-and-answer period moderated by Jeffrey Wieser, deputy moderator of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) and president of the Westport Rotary, the announcement said.
According to Eileen Lavigne Flug, president of the Westport Sunrise Rotary, the talk is being co-sponsored by both Rotary clubs, and refreshments will follow in the Town Hall lobby.
Comings & Goings: Earth Animal to Old Starbucks
Earth Animal, the animal health care retail store at 606 Post Road East for the past 20 years, will relocate mid-year to 925 Post Road East, according to a sign in the store’s window. Earth Animal’s new space was formerly occupied by Starbucks, which relocated in November 2016 to 1000 Post Road East, the space formerly occupied by Arby’s. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Comings & Goings: Grapevine Opens Next Month
The Grapevine, a wine, spirits and beer shop, opens in February at 345 Main St., according to co-owners Seth Hittman (l) and Joe Annunziata, both Westport residents. Annunziata said the new shop will offer alcohol beverages that “range from big box store brands to small production wines.” Hittman added, “We’ll eventually expand our offerings to different genres of wines.” The 3,000-square foot space was previously occupied by Crossroads Hardware, which closed last summer after 27 years at that location. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Middle-Class Growth Sparks Latest Surge in CT Tax Receipts
By Keith M. Phaneuf
www.ctmirror.orgState income tax revenues surged upward again today, but this time it was the middle class — not the wealthy — behind most of the gains.
A new report from fiscal analysts projects overall revenues this fiscal year will surpass budgeted expectations by $464 million — an improvement of $204 million from a rosy revised forecast issued in mid-November.
The consensus report from Gov. Ned Lamont’s budget staff and from the legislature’s nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis also anticipates nearly $500 million in additional revenue during the upcoming two-year budget cycle — an average of almost $250 million per year — where multi-billion dollar deficits deficits loom.
But it remains unclear whether Lamont and the General Assembly can spend much of this projected windfall, given stringent new spending cap rules enacted in late 2017.
Westport Medical Marijuana Operator Selling Major Stake in $80M Deal
Seven months after winning approval to open a medical marijuana facility in Westport, the Westport operator is selling a major stake in the business and a West Haven manufacturing facility to a Chicago-based cannabis company in a deal valued at roughly $80 million.
The medical marijuana dispensary will open at 1460 Post Road East, former home of Coco Spa. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Green Thumb Industries (GTI), a vertically integrated, multistate company, signed a definitive agreement to acquire Connecticut’s Advanced Grow Labs, (AGL) an announcement said.
AGL, one of only four licensed medical marijuana cultivation and processing companies in the state, owns a 41,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in West Haven and a 46 percent stake in a not-yet-opened dispensary in Westport.
The Westport dispensary facility is licensed to Bluepoint Wellness of Westport, LLC at 1460 Post Road East, the former site of Coco Spa. It received state approval last month. (See WestportNow Dec. 11, 2018)
Tommy Ghianuly, 83, Barber to Generations of Westporters
UPDATE Thomas G. Ghianuly, better known to generations of Westport customers at his Compo Barber Shop, 387 Post Road East, as Tommy, died today at his Bridgeport home after a brief illness. He was 83. In 2011, dozens of his customers—a Who’s Who of Westporters—honored him at the Birchwood Country Club with a surprise party on the 50th anniversary of his business. Funeral services will be held on Friday, Jan. 11 at 11 a.m. directly at St. Dimitrie Orthodox Church, 504 Sport Hill Road, Easton. Calling hours will be held on Thursday, Jan. 10 from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Lesko & Polke Funeral Home, 1209 Post Road, Fairfield with the Trisagion Service at 6:30 p.m. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com
Comings & Goings: Hair Genies to Post Road East
UPDATE Hair Genies, a hair lice treatment center, will open Feb. 1 at 748 Post Road East, according to owner Scott Sharkey of Westport. He acquired the the business in 2018 from operators who had stores in Norwalk and Greenwich for the past four years. He said those locations will be consolidated into the new location in Westport. Sharkey, founder of Sharkey’s Franchising Company, also owns Cuts for Kids, 1568 Post Road East, and Hair It is, a family salon business with 60 locations in 25 states and four countries. Sharkey said Cuts for Kids is currently in 25 states as well as England, Canada and Israel. This caption has been updated to correct the number of locations for the company’s businesses. CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Looking for Post-Christmas Bargains
Additional markdowns added to already low sale prices drew post-Christmas shoppers to Westport’s Main Street area today. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo
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