The state said today its Westport COVID-19 case count was up one at 388 (372 confirmed and 16 probable) and deaths unchanged at 23.

Westport police today announced the arrest of two persons in the Sept. 27 downtown threatening signs incident.

One was a juvenile, not identified, and other was Max Bernegger, 18, of Westport.

He was charged with He was charged with breach of peace in the second degree. Bond was set at $500.

He was able to post this bond and was subsequently released. He is scheduled to be arraigned at Norwalk Superior Court on Tuesday, Nov. 17.

Lt. Anthony Prezioso said video surveillance by neighborhood cameras was crucial to the investigation.

Storm clouds gathering, a view Wednesday night from Westport’s EMS headquarters on Jesup Road. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Jaime Bairaktaris for WestportNow.com

The state said today its Westport COVID-19 case count was up two at 387 (371 confirmed and 16 probable) and deaths unchanged at 23.

The number of Connecticut residents hospitalized with COVID-19 has nearly doubled in just nine days, official data show, as the state continues to face higher rates of coronavirus transmission.

According to numbers released today, Connecticut currently has 138 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, up from 75 on Sept. 28 and more than triple the state’s total at its mid-August low point.

Though much of Connecticut has seen an increase in coronavirus hospitalizations, the spike has been particularly notable in Hartford County — which leads the state with 44 hospitalized COVID-19 patients — and New London County — which has more patients currently hospitalized (28) than at any time since May 9.

Despite the sharp uptick, Connecticut still has less than 10% as many hospitalized patients as it had in late April, when local hospitals nearly exceeded their capacity. That said, the rise in hospitalizations appears to indicate a significant increase in COVID-19 transmission.

Hospitalizations are considered a useful metric for measuring coronavirus spread because they are not as subject to testing fluctuations as total cases and test positivity rate.

Also today, Gov. Ned Lamont announced 123 positive results out of 7,617 COVID-19 tests, for a rate of 1.6%. The state has now experienced a 1.4% positivity rate over the past seven days, about twice what it recorded at times over the summer.

Still, Lamont said today that the state will proceed with its next phase of reopening, scheduled for Thursday.

The new phase will allow indoor dining at restaurants to increase from 50% to 75% capacity, along with relaxed restrictions on hair salons, barber shops, libraries, places of worship, outdoor concerts and more.

The Westport Woman’s Club is accepting grant proposals for 2020-2021 from Fairfield County nonprofit organizations. Proposals are being accepted through Friday, Oct. 30.

Grant requests for projects that will make a continuing difference in the community may be in the form of funds, or a one-time use of the Westport Woman’s Clubhouse for an event, an announcement said.

Grants are considered each year to deserving organizations in education, health and safety-related programs and in the arts.

This past spring, due to the unexpected arrival of COVID-19, the Westport Woman’s Club awarded community service grants to Fairfield County nonprofit organizations that addressed this urgent health challenge within the community.

The 2020-2021 Grant Application is now available on the Westport Woman’s Club website ~ http://www.westportwomansclub.org.

Community groups should submit their typed proposals by Oct. 30 to the following address: Westport Woman’s Club, Attention: Community Service Grant, 44 Imperial Avenue, Westport, CT 06880. Grant recipients will be notified Spring 2021 by WWC Community Services.

For additional information, contact the WWC Office at 203-227-4240 or visit http://www.westportwomansclub.org