R.I.P. Andrew Roach

AITE Edge article written by Hannah Cerasoli:
 
On Friday, the second of November, tragedy struck the small town of Darien when Andrew Roach, 19, took his life. Behind him, he left a family and a short-lived lifetime of youth and friendships. He graduated from AITE in June, unable to complete the last year of his life.

Andrew was born on August 6th, 1993. He was introduced to the concept of death at the age of 7, when his mother died, leaving him with his father and two sisters.

He grew up in Darien, and attended high school here at AITE. Andrew was a volunteer fireman at the Round Hill Fire Company in Greenwich, which he began working at on December 7th of last year. After graduating from AITE in June 2012, he also graduated from the Stamford Regional Fire School. His life seemed to be more or less on track.

Andrew was a boy with a life and with friends just like any other teen. A hobby of his was sailing, which he did at the Cedar Point Yacht Club, and at Camp Sloane. His inspiration for becoming a firefighter was the tragedy of 9/11, in which his father was involved. He looked up to his father ever since then, when he helped get victims of the attack out of the rubble via setting up an enormous tool stand. After that, he attended more than one memorial for the event, and was inspired to do good for people. The Daily Voice quoted him as being “optimistic about the future.”

Like other unlucky teenagers nationwide, Andrew Roach suffered from depression for years. His family noticed a lack of interest to do anything. It came with much grief and little surprise when they discovered his fate.

Andrew Roach was just another face in these hallways last year, and just another boy in the town of Darien. Yet to some people, he was a son, a grandson, a brother, a nephew, a cousin, and a best friend. They choose to remember how he lived, not how he died.

Rest in peace, Andrew Roach.

Man Hit by Train in Greenwich, Dies

Greenwich Time- Alexander Bertrand, 21, of Lawrence Court in North Woodmere, N.Y. has been identified as the man who died Wednesday night after he was struck by a train.

Metro North Railroad Police are handling the investigation, and Bertrand's identity was released by railroad spokeswoman Marjorie Anders.

Bertand died at Stamford Hospital Wednesday night after he was struck by a southbound Metro-North Railroad train in Greenwich around 6:45 p.m., officials said.

"We received an emergency call from MTA of a subject possibly hit by a train in the vicinity of the Greenwich train station," Greenwich Police Chief James Heavey said from the scene near the Davis Avenue overpass and Bruce Park Avenue Extension. "We located an individual who was in cardiac arrest who appeared to be hit by a train."

Bertand also suffered other traumatic injuries, said Heavey, who didn't know the extent of those injuries.

Metro-North spokesman Salvatore Arena said the man was hit by an eastbound train heading to New Haven. All four tracks had to be shut down, causing significant delays. At 8:45 p.m., Arena said two tracks had been reopened, but delays remained up to 45 minutes on the New Haven Line in both directions.

Police, fire and Greenwich Emergency Medical Service personnel flooded the area of the train station in search of the individual before finding him about 1,000 feet east of the Davis Avenue overpass on the Metro-North Railroad tracks, Heavey said.

The area where Bertrand was found is just under a half-mile east of the Greenwich train station. The man was between tracks 1 and 3, Heavey said.

"The train that apparently struck him was empty at the time," Heavey said.
MTA police are conducting the investigation of the incident, Heavey said. He didn't know if the incident was a suicide attempt.

"The conductor is being interviewed by MTA police," said Heavey, who was joined at the scene by First Selectman Peter Tesei.

Police closed the Davis Avenue intersection with Bruce Park Avenue to traffic as the investigation continued.

Metro-North service was restored shortly before 10 p.m.

Connecticut Man Identified as Newburgh-Beacon Bridge Jumper

NEWBURGH — Police have identified the man who jumped from the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge last week as Frank D. Rende of Bridgeport, Conn. after remains were sighted floating in the Hudson River near the City of Newburgh waterfront area around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
According to state police, Rende, 34, leaped to his death after he broke away from a Troop F state trooper while threatening to jump from the bridge around 6:55 p.m.

Police said he jumped off the north side of the westbound span of the Newburgh-Beacon bridge.

Rende had recently been accused of committing a sex crime in the state of Connecticut, said state police Sergeant Joseph Lutz.

His body was recovered on Sunday morning from the Hudson River and turned over to the Orange County Medical Examiner's Office. An autopsy is scheduled for today.

Assisting with the recovery of Rende's body was the New York State Police Aviation Unit and Scuba Units along with the City of Newburgh Police and Fire Department, Middlehope Fire Department, West Point Fire Department, Dutchess County Sheriff’s Boat Patrol, Orange County Fire Command, Mobil Life and Town of Newburgh Emergency Medical Services.

Former Greenwich Man ID'd as Hudson River Jumper

Stamford Advocate- The man who committed suicide last week by jumping off a Hudson River bridge was a 1996 graduate of Greenwich High School.

New York State Police say the body subsequently recovered from the river near the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge last weekend was that of 34-year-old Frank D. Rende, most recently of Bridgeport.

Police say Rende jumped from the westbound side of the bridge around 7 p.m. on Sept. 20.

Troopers were called to the bridge for a report of an abandoned vehicle midway across the bridge in the westbound lanes. State police say a pedestrian on the bridge spotted the body floating in the middle of the river Sunday morning. Firefighters from Newburgh recovered Rende's body.

Suicide Adds to History of Kennedy Misfortunes

BEDFORD, N.Y. (AP) -- Every family has its share of pain and triumph. And then there are the Kennedys.



America's great political dynasty is grieving again after Mary Richardson Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert Kennedy Jr., hanged herself Wednesday at the family's 10-acre estate in suburban New York.



Her death, at age 52, came as a shock to some friends and family, even though the past two years had been undeniably tough ones. The couple was going through a divorce, and Mary had been charged twice with driving while intoxicated in 2010.



But Victoria Michaelis, a friend since Mary's college days, said she hadn't seemed suicidal, or crippled by the alcohol problems that briefly landed her in the headlines two springs ago.



"She was definitely suffering, but she was very, very spiritual and a resolute Catholic," Michaelis said. "I'd say she was depressed the last two years since the divorce. But she would put that aside and ask you how you were. I saw her a couple of weeks ago, and she was fine."



Her death resonated, too, with a public that has watched tragedy march through the ranks of the Kennedy clan again and again.



"I think every family has its tragedies. But this is too much," said Kim O'Connell, who dropped off a bouquet of Calla lilies at the family's home in Bedford on Thursday morning. She had met Robert and Mary only a few times, while working at their health club, but felt a connection anyway. "I just thought she was just a lady. I woke up this morning, and I wanted to do something."



Mary Kennedy had lived much her life at the edge of the spotlight that shines on the Kennedy family. An architectural designer with New Jersey roots, she met her estranged husband's sister, Kerry, in boarding school when they were still teenagers and had stayed close to the clan through the decades before marrying Robert in 1994.



Robert is the son of Robert F. Kennedy, the former U.S. attorney general who was slain in 1968 while running for the Democratic presidential nomination, and the nephew of assassinated President John F. Kennedy and the late Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts.



Mary was RFK Jr.'s second wife, and she entered the family in less than storybook circumstances.



When they married, she was already pregnant with their first child, and Kennedy was only weeks removed from the divorce of his first wife.



Yet the wedding had the usual Kennedy touch of romance and politics. The ceremony was held aboard an environmental research vessel on the Hudson River, which Robert had been fighting to protect as an attorney with the environmental group, Riverkeeper.



The couple's fourth child -- Robert's sixth overall -- was born while he was serving a 30-day jail sentence for trespassing on U.S. Navy property to protest bombing exercises on the Puerto Rican island Vieques.



She had been with the family long enough to become a partner in its rituals of grief.



She was there when the clan buried Michael Kennedy, killed in a New Year's Eve skiing accident in 1997, and John F. Kennedy Jr., who died in a plane crash in 1999.



"Mary married into the family. But, believe me, the Kennedys don't marry into your family, you marry into their family. So you're transformed when you marry into their family," said Laurence Leamer, author of the book "The Kennedy Women."



"And she was truly a Kennedy," he added. "She was a Kennedy in her interests. Her husband is one of America's leading environmentalists. So was she."



In recent years, police in Bedford had been called several times to the family's home. Twice in 2007, Robert told police that he was afraid his wife would try to hurt herself, according to records obtained by The Journal News for a 2010 report about the series of disturbances.



Police have said almost nothing about the circumstances of the death, but the Westchester County medical examiner's office said after an autopsy Thursday that she died of asphyxiation due to hanging.



A person familiar with the investigation into her death says that authorities have concluded that her death was a suicide. The person was not authorized to release the information and spoke on condition of anonymity.



Neither side of her family has discussed her manner of death publicly, but released statements noting her "gentle soul and generous spirit," her work advocating environmentally responsible building designs, and her deep love for her children.



"It's a terrible and tragic time for Mary, her family, and, perhaps most importantly, for Bobby and Mary's children, Conor, Finny, Kyra, and Aidan, and for all of us who loved her," said a brother-in-law, former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II. "We appreciate the expressions of condolence and ask for privacy during this difficult time."



Political historian Thomas J. Whalen said he thinks the whole notion of the Kennedys being cursed is largely created by the media, but said that is the perception many Americans have of the family.



"There's no curse. It's just foiled family ambition, risk taking and bad luck," he said. "It's a large family. Things happen in large families, both good and bad."



Mary Kennedy grew up in Hoboken, N.J., the daughter of a professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology. She had two brothers and four sisters.



She was active for years with the Boys & Girls Club in Mount Kisco, volunteering for the club's annual fundraising dinner and hosting its Youth of the Year awards at her home.



With one of her children battling severe allergies, she co-founded the Food Allergy Initiative, billed as the world's largest private source of funding for food allergy research, and appeared with her family at its annual ball at Manhattan's Waldorf Astoria

Suspect in Westport Jewelry Store Murder Kills Self

The man suspected of killing a Westport jeweler has killed himself in prison.

Andrew Levene, 41, was arrested on Monday in Spain. He was accused of killing Yekutiel Zeevi, the owner of YZ Manufacturers, LLC, at 431 Post Road East in Westport, while pretending he was going to buy several large diamonds he had arranged to buy earlier that month, according to the affidavit. He was also accused of stealing approximately $300,000 in diamonds, and fleeing the United States to Europe.

The U.S. Embassy in Spain confirmed Levene died in a Spanish prison. Someone from the consulate visited Levene in the prison on Wednesday.

Word of Levene's death drew a quick response from Westport town leaders.

"The death of the accused murder suspect by his own hands will not diminish the extraordinary efforts demonstrated by the Westport police, state and federal authorities, and Spanish police in tracking him down," said Westport First Selectman Gordon Joseloff. "Not only has the suspect taken the life of a beloved Westport resident and caused immeasurable pain to the Zeevi family and friends here, he has now inflicted the same pain on his own family, also innocents in this tragedy. It is a cowardly confirmation of his guilt," Joseloff said.

U.S. Embassy officials notified Levene's family of his death Wednesday.

This Day In History

Dec 24 1865
Southern whitefolk unite together to form a service organization wherein they consort with other southern whitefolk. Members participate in festive cruciform fire ceremonies and lively negro butcherings. By the 1920's membership in the Ku Klux Klan reaches an astonishing 2 million.

Dec 24 1954
Rock musician Johnny Ace plays a little .45 calibre solitaire (Russian Roulette) at City Auditorium in Houston after a concert. Blammo. He thought it would impress his girlfriend, perhaps it did.

Dec 24 1985
Fidel Castro announces that he has given up cigars.

Dec 24 1989
Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega seeks asylum at the Papal Nunciature. American troops try blasting him with rock music and the sounds of rabbits being slaughtered, but he takes two weeks to emerge. The isthmus groundhog does not see his shadow and is taken by the US Army to Florida lockup where he still resides.

Dec 24 1997
It is revealed that actor Woody Allen (age 62) was married to his adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn (age 27) in Venice, Italy yesterday. She becomes her own stepmother, and Woody his own neurotic son in law.

Dec 24 1997
Disgruntled (former) postal worker David Lee Jackson takes seven hostages at a Denver mail sorting facility. He holds them for over nine hours before surrendering to police. Jackson had been fired 18 months previously for threatening his superior.

RUT-ROH....

Remember Steven Allen, the Eastern Middle School teacher found dead by his own hand?

It all seemed so tragic- that he had taken his life after battling whatever illness they said was killing him.. All the public affection and support flooded in from everywhere- I've read many of his former students' comments left from news articles that were full of such heartbreak over losing such a good man..

Now it's come out that police found child pornography in his apartment.
Excuse me? Yes, child pornography.

Why would you want to kill yourself in your apartment win you have a bin full of child porn hidden away?

I'm hoping that he kept this sickness to himself, and I'm hoping that viewing such unspeakable things was the extent to which he had succumbed to that type of evil.

The middle school had to send out an e-mail to parents letting them know of this recent development. I'd hate to be one of the parents needing to tell their son or daughter that's grieving over the loss of one of their favorite teachers that he had a "really bad problem" and then having to ask if he or she were ever alone with him.

Perhaps he didn't kill himself over the illness. If memory serves, I heard of Allen's death right about the same time as when shit hit the fan for Jerry Sandusky.

Could he have killed himself over guilt? Did he think that after seeing so much of a movement coming from that nationally sensationalized story that one of his victims (if he had any) would come forward as well?

If guilt is what led him, hopefully it's not the ultimate guilt of having ruined children's lives, but for having just getting pleasure out of watching others doing so. I don't know. I guess I'm only full of speculation and who knows if anything more will ever come of this story. I hope not.

Here's the actual news article:

Greenwich Time- The Eastern Middle School music teacher who was found dead of an apparent suicide in his Cos Cob apartment earlier this month had a storage bin filled with what appeared to be child pornography, police said Wednesday.

During the course of the investigation into Steven R. Allen's death, a Greenwich detective searched Allen's apartment and found sexually explicit photographs that appeared to have come from a computer printer, police said.

There is no indication any of the individuals portrayed in the photos have any local connection or that Allen, 57, produced any of the photos himself, police said. Most of the photos appear to be from websites that offer child porn, many of which are located in foreign countries, police said.

Superintendent of Schools Roger J. Lulow said in a statement Wednesday that district officials are "surprised and distressed" at the news that Allen had child pornography.

"We are surprised because there had been no indication or suspicion that Mr. Allen was involved in any activity of this nature, nor have there been any complaints or accusations regarding his behavior," Lulow said in the statement. "We are distressed because we do not condone or tolerate this behavior in anyone, much less a member of our staff. A review of Mr. Allen's personnel file and the background check, including fingerprinting, conducted at the time of his hire, reveal no reports, accusations or suspicions of inappropriate behavior nor any criminal record."

Lulow said school officials are cooperating with the investigation, and they encourage anyone with concerns or information to contact police Lt. Kraig Gray at 203-622-3620.

Greenwich police have solicited the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation, which may take several weeks to complete, police said.

Police Chief James Heavey released a statement Wednesday asserting that it is the department's intention to "determine Mr. Allen's level of involvement in this activity, identify and assist all possible victims and confirm that none of the victims are local residents."

Police responded to Allen's 84 Valley Road apartment Nov. 9 after coworkers said he failed to report to work. They found Allen had suffered what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A weapon discovered at the scene was registered to Allen, police said.

Police said an autopsy would be performed to determine the cause of his death. Failing health conditions may have caused him to become despondent, police said.

Former Eastern Middle School principal Benjamin Davenport said he was shocked by the news that Allen was found to have child pornography.

"This is a total surprise," Davenport said. "I never had a complaint from a parent or a student about Steve. Not one."

Allen, who had been a music teacher for 33 years, the last 11 of which were with Greenwich Public Schools, worked with Davenport at Eastern for about six years, Davenport said.

They saw each other earlier in the fall, he added, explaining that Allen was always a positive influence on students and staff.

"I was not aware of any problems that he was having," Davenport said with regard to Allen's health. "I just can't believe it. It's just a shame."

After his death, parents said Allen was visibly passionate about music, and shared that enthusiasm with his students. In addition to working at Eastern Middle School, Allen taught at the town's summer music camp at Greenwich High School, was the concertmaster of the Sound Beach Community Band and served as conductor of the Young People's Symphony, which is part of the Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic.

Students said after Allen's death that he was a caring teacher who offered them plenty of extra help and created his own musical arrangements, customizing the music to fit the skill level of those he was teaching.

In a letter to parents Nov. 9, Ralph Mayo, principal of Eastern, said Allen's death was a great loss to the school and the entire Greenwich public school community.

Lulow said in his statement Wednesday that the district's goal at this time is to help the school community, particularly the students, in dealing with the news.

"To that end, the District as a whole and Eastern Middle School and Greenwich High School (schools with students of Mr. Allen's) specifically, will provide support and guidance for staff, students and families as needed," he said.

Parents who have concerns about their children's response to the incident should contact the child's school and ask to speak with the psychologist, social worker or guidance counselor, he said.

The Greenwich Public Schools curriculum includes instruction in Grades 1, 4, 8 and 11 for students on how to recognize inappropriate or illegal behavior and what to do if they believe they are experiencing or witnessing those acts, Lulow said in the statement.

In order to maintain or hold a license to teach in the state, teachers must abide by a code of responsibility, which addresses expectations of conduct, he said.

PTA council president Lisa Beth Savits and Eastern Middle School PTA co-presidents Mary King and Sheila Keatinge declined to comment for this article.

(See my last post about Allen's death)

Students, Parents Pay Tribute to Eastern Middle School Music Teacher

This teacher at our local Eastern Middle School, after a battle with a disease (so another newspaper says) took his own life. Very sad. He also lives very close to me, on Valley Road..

For 11 years Steven Allen taught music in Grenwich Public Schools and his infectious love for music and striving to have students perform their best, earned him a legion of loyal students and fans.

Current and former students, and their parents, reeled from the shocking news that Mr. Allen died Wednesday morning, apparently at his own hand, according to Greenwich Police. At the time of his death, Mr. Allen taught orchestra at Eastern Middle School in Riverside, a position he assumed after teaching at the Old Greenwich School.

"We need to remember him for who he was and how many kids he helped. He was a true gem," said Pam Speer, whose son studied with Mr. Allen for several years, beginning at Old Greenwich School, and then at Eastern Middle School.

Speer added, "This man’s praises need to be shouted from the rooftop, truly a wonderful educator and human being." Speer, whose son continues to play the violin in college, added, "How welcoming he was to all students who wanted to play in the orchestra. It didn’t matter whether you were first chair or last chair, he always so encouraging to the students ... he pushed kids to perform to the best of their ability."

Patrice Anibal, whose daughters were students of Mr. Allen's, said one daughter also began her string studies with him at Old Greenwich School, continuing at Eastern and "came back a lot to visit him while in the high school." Her daughter was excited when Mr. Allen asked her to help chaperone his students' annual trip to Six Flags park in Massachusetts where they were perennial top-scorers in the adjudication.

In a statement released Thursday, Greenwich Public School officials said, "As part of the EMS music faculty team, the program has grown substantially, with over 70 percent of the school’s students participating. Mr. Allen was known for his expert direction. Often reaching beyond the standard middle school repertoire, Mr. Allen directed his students on pieces that are more traditionally taught at the high school level and/or custom arranging pieces that resulted in inspiring performances."

Eastern Middle School Principal Ralph Mayo sent an e-mail to parents Wednesday night alerting them to Mr. Allen's passing and that counselors would help students cope with the news on Thursday. Police and emergency personnel were sent Mr. Allen's Cos Cob home Wednesday morning after he failed to report to work.

According to parents, the saxophone-playing teacher also was a long-time member of the Sound Beach Community Band in Old Greenwich.

Anibal also said, "He was just so enthusiastic. He always had a smile on face, I don’t think I ever saw him upset. He was always so positive - he’d stay after school, come in early, his goal was to produce great musicians and be enthusiastic. He did it. ... I’m at a loss at how to understand at what happened. It's awfully hard to explain to the kids."

Mr. Allen's love of music and high standards instilled a love of music for all of his students, Anibal said. "I can think of at least 10 kids who went on to study music in college because of him."

One student wrote on Greenwich Patch, "I miss Mr. Allen and he was a great teacher. I cried today for him as he is now passed away. I play the cello and I was going to quit but then Mr. Allen taught me something. Mr. Allen taught me that if you love something, never quit and stick with what you love. No matter how good or bad you are you need to continue."

Original story:

The popular Eastern Middle School orchestra teacher Steven R. Allen has died, according to officials.

Greenwich Police said they and Greenwich Emergency Medical Service were called to Allen's apartment on Valley Road in Cos Cob after co-workers at the school in Riverside reported he "failed to report for work in the morning" on Wednesday.

"Upon entry into the residence, officers and medical personnel found that
the lone resident of the apartment there was deceased. Detectives responded to the scene and commenced an investigation," police said in a press release issued Thursday morning by Capt. Mark Marino, commander of the Greenwich Police detective division.

Eastern Middle School Principal Ralph Mayo announced Mr. Allen's passing in an e-mail to parents Wednesday night. And Thursday, several parents fondly remembered Mr. Allen's devotion to his students and music, and the passion for music he inspired in them.

"I have some very sad news to share with you. As some of you may know, Steve Allen, our Orchestra teacher and conductor, has been absent for the past few days in ill health. Sadly, we received the news this morning that he passed away suddenly and unexpectedly" Mayo wrote.

"This is a great loss to Eastern Middle School and the entire Greenwich Public School community," Mayo wrote. He also said, "We have a plan to share this information with our students (Thursday). (Thursday), support staff will visit each Advisor Base to share a brief statement with the students and we will also have a staff member attend each of the orchestra classes. Our guidance and counseling staff will be available throughout the day as students need someone to talk with privately."

According to police, "Preliminary investigation has revealed that the resident suffered what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A weapon recovered at the scene was registered to the deceased." Police also said, "Failing health conditions may have caused the deceased to become despondent."

Eastern parents expressed shock at the news of Mr. Allen's passing.

"He is, was an absolutely wonderful educator," said Pam Speer. "He was kind, gentle, most importantly, always inclusive, he always welcomed children into his orchestras regardless of their ability. He made them feel they were a truly valued member of the emsemble. He was encouraging. He helped so many students. He pushed kids to perform to the best of their abilities." Speer son's Will, now a student at Williams College, continues the violin studies he began under Mr. Allen's tutelage at Old Greenwich School and continued when the teacher transferred to EMS.

Another parent, Diane Sperduti said her two daughters also studied with Mr. Allen. "He was very kind and inspiring to my daughter Molly. She only took violin so she could be in his class. He was very encouraging. Because of him she stuck with it."

Speer added, "We need to remember him for who he was and how many kids he helped. He was a true gem. This man’s praises need to be shouted from the rooftop - he truly was a wonderful educator and human being."

An autopsy is to be performed by the Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner.

Greenwich Public School officials have not answered a message seeking comment.

This Day In History

Sep 18 1932
24-year-old starlet Peg Entwhistle dives head first from the letter "H" of the HOLLYWOODLAND sign in Los Angeles. She is the first person to commit suicide at the landmark.

Sep 18 1946
Harry S. Truman signs the National Security Act of 1947 thus establishing the CIA.

Sep 18 1970
A sleeping Jimi Hendrix dies in London from of a barbiturate overdose when chunks of vomited food enter up in his lungs, causing him to choke.

This Day In History

Aug 27 1967
While The Beatles are away in Bangor, Brian Epstein is found dead in his home. Officially, the cause of death was accidental overdose of sleeping pills, but many believe it was suicide. He was becoming increasingly depressed over his lack of involvement with the Beatles and also his personal turmoil caused by trying to keep his homosexuality a secret.



Aug 27 1968
TV newsman Dan Rather gets beaten up in front of cameras on the floor of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The reporter is trying to interview a delegate being dragged off the floor when the bruisers suddenly turn on the Rather. "He lifted me right off the floor and put me away. I was down, the breath knocked out of me, as the whole group blew on by me... In the CBS control room, they had switched the camera onto me just as I was slugged."



Aug 27 1979
The IRA assassinates Louis Earl Mountbatten by placing a bomb on his yacht off the coast of Ireland. Mountbatten was the Queen's cousin, a war hero, and one of the most respected people in England.

Aug 27 1990
Blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan is killed when his Bell 206B helicopter crashes into a man-made ski hill near Elkhorn, Wisconsin.

This Day In History

Aug 23 1305
Scottish patriot William Wallace ("Braveheart") hanged, disemboweled, drawn, and quartered. His head was displayed on London Bridge.




Aug 23 1926
Rudolf Valentino dies.





Aug 23 1968
The Youth International Party designates Pigasus as their choice of candidate for U.S. President. The boar hog is introduced at a press conference outside the Chicago Civic Center, with the slogan "They nominate a President and he eats the people. We nominate a President and the people eat him." The gathering is broken up shortly thereafter when the Chicago PD takes into custody the Yippie organizers and their pig.






Aug 23 1994
Inside an abandoned boathouse on the Scottish island of Jura, two members of the band KLF set fire to 20,000 fifty pound notes in front of witnesses. It takes two hours to burn all UKP 1,000,000.



Aug 23 1995
Dwayne R. Goettel, member of industrial music band Skinny Puppy, dies of a heroin overdose in a bathroom at his paents' Edmonton, Alberta home.



Aug 23 1995
St. Petersburg resident Ilshat Kuzikov arrested in his apartment in connection with the murders of Misha Bochkov and Edik Vassilevsky, whose severed heads were found in city streets. Discovered in his apartment were jars of pickled human remains, bags of ears, a pair of arms and legs, and a partially eaten "casserole".

HIATUS

I've taken quite a hiatus haven't I? I Don't thik there's anyone out there anyway who takes interest in my blog.. But I don't care... This is *my* vault of memories...

I think this has been quite the summer for local shocking news... Especially in the Stamford and Greenwich areas.

I'm going to sit back and reminisce, try to catch up on any noteworthy news..

Earliest local news that comes to mind was a few months back when a 2 year old, Massimo Furano and his grandmother, Anna S. Furano, were found drowned in their koi pond over on Fox's Lane in Greenwich...Very tragic.

Joe Schiano, who was slightly younger than me and had mutual friends in common with me, passed away after serving two terms in the Marines.. Unfortunatley he died in a car accident in New York after returning from duties.

I believe a few days after that I learned of a car with two women driving on I-95 in Cos Cob over the Mianus Bridge... A bolt fell off of a dump truck in front of their car, and it flew threw the window into the passenger's head, killing her. Can you imagine?

As the summer goes on all you hear about, sadly, is all the murders in Bridgeport, Stamford and Norwalk... Then, more noticible news again out of Stamford- on Bedford Street behind the diner (very close to an apartment I work sometimes) was found a 39 year old man hanging from a tree in the back part of the parking lot.

Close in time to that was another suicide of a 2o year old Stamford junior volunter firefighter, his body found in a Belltown grass field.

Jasmine Brown, an inspiring fashion designer from NY was high on PCP, climbed a tree naked and fell out of it, killing herself. Imagine that horrible scene..

In a bit of national news- as we all know, over the weekend a helicopter full of Navy Seals (3o) was shot down. One of them, Brian Bill, was from Stamford. Thank you for paying the ultimate price while fighting for our country....

A 92 year old man, trying to park in a handicapped spot, accidently floored his Honda, plowing threw a pole and proceeding to crash 20 feet into Cafe Oo La La on Summer Street (Ridgeway Shopping Center), sending people flying all over the place. Miracously no one was killed, but a baby and a pregnant woman were injured in all the mess. Thus sparks the debate again on modifying driving conditions for elderly drivers. Is it really all that hard for the DMV to put in place a system where the eldery driver would have a simulated road test say at the person's physician's office or even at the DMV itself? God forbid we spent any on insuring people can stay safe on the roads and keep clear of crazy old grandpa who's too proud and dementiated to take himself off the road. They are actually charging him ... Not sure for what but good for them! His family shouldn't have let him drive.

The next day, which I believe was Tuesday, I heard of a poor woman on route in Wilton who must've not even seen it coming when a dump truck hit her Ford Taurus, killing her and injuring three others (including a six year old) in the car. The car pulled out from a church, right into the path of the dump truck that couldn't stop in time. The driver of that car was 91, and was the victim's father. Her grandaughter was next to her, and probably saw her die.

Why did these people have the grandfather drive??? He could've killed his six year old grandaughter as well...Bad enough now he has to live knowing he killed his daughter. Sad and tragic, shouldn't have happened.

This morning I read that a car hit into a construction site, killing the driver, a 23 year old Greenwich resident, Michael Defruscio. Two years younger than I am, but I do not recognize the name..

It's sad but true that most news we hear of is depressing and negative, but if it wasn't something so shocking it wouldn't be newsworthy. There is some news lately that's been amusing and some news that actually is postive.

A month or two ago a mountain lion was spotted in Greenwich, and then a few days later found dead in Milford on the turnpike. It was found out that the mounatin lion had actually migrated from North Dakota, something that was unheard of for mountain lions until now! Apparently there were two new sightings this past Sunday... So are there more or what??

Here's a picture of my Uncle Mike, middle, on duty and it looks like he's with a search for the lion. (lol)

Remember Charla Nash, the poor woman who had her face pretty much torn off by that ape in backcountry Stamford? She succesfully completed a 20 hour facial transplant a few days ago, and unveiled her new face for all to see in both national and local articles. Good for you, Charla!

This Day In History

Jul 27 1890
At the Chateau d'Auvers, Vincent van Gogh presses a revolver to his chest and pulls the trigger. Somehow the bullet misses the vital organs, and the painter manages to stumble over to a friend's house. The following night, Van Gogh dies of an infection in the arms of his brother Theo.

Jul 27 1996
During a celebration for the Atlanta Olympics, overfed security guard Richard Jewell notices a suspicious green knapsack in Centennial Park. He immediately alerts police and helps to clear people from the area shortly before the pipe bomb explodes.

For his trouble, Jewell becomes the FBI's preliminary suspect and news organizations run wild with the story. Because he didn't do it, numerous media outlets end up paying him large undisclosed settlements. Also, the FBI uses the event as an excuse to lobby for further clampdowns on civil liberties.

Jul 27 2002
A Sukhoi SU-27 fighter crashes and explodes at an air show in the Ukraine, killing 78 and injuring more than 100 others. It is the worst airshow crash in history. The two pilots ejected and survived.

This Day In History

Jul 2 1881
President James A. Garfield is shot in a train station by Charles Julius Guiteau, a lunatic trying to become ambassador either to Austria or France. Garfield lingers for three months before finally dying.

Jul 2 1937
Attempting to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the globe in an airplane, Amelia Earhart disappears over the Pacific with her navigator, Fred Noonan.

Jul 2 1942
On page six, the New York Times reports Germany's mass extermination of 700,000 Jews, by use of poison gas.

Jul 2 1947
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Wilmot witness a "large glowing object" zoom across the sky at 400 or 500 miles per hour. The next day, Mac Brazel discovers the wreckage of a flying saucer -- not fragments of an experimental balloon composed of neoprene -- on a remote pasture outside Roswell, New Mexico.

Jul 2 1961
In the tile-covered foyer of his home in Ketchum, Idaho, novelist Ernest Hemingway commits suicide with his favorite shotgun. When the body was later found, "only his chin, mouth, and vestigial scraps of his cheeks were still connected to his body."

Jul 2 1982
UC Berkeley electrical engineering professor Diogenes Angelakos picks up an unattended package in Cory Hall. The pipe bomb hidden inside the parcel explodes, shredding the man's right hand. Coincidentally, Angelakos is present three years later, when the Unabomber claims a second victim in the computer science department, John Hauser.

Jul 2 1994
Colombian soccer star Andres Escobar is shot twelve times outside a bar in Bogota, and dies on the spot. Only ten days prior, Escobar had inadvertently scored a goal for the American team in the 1994 World Cup playoffs, resulting in a first-round elimination for Colombia.

This Day In History

Jun 2 1996
Ray Combs, host of television's Family Feud, hangs himself with his bedsheets at Glendale Adventist Hospital. Combs was on a 72 hour suicide watch.

This Day In History

May 31 1889
Relentless rain and inadequate maintenance causes the South Fork Dam to fail, unleashing a 35-foot-high wall of water on Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Then 2,209 people are entombed beneath a pile of debris half a mile wide.



May 31 1921
After a white woman claims that a black man had grabbed her arm in an elevator, the largest race riot in U.S. history breaks out in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Marauding whites set fire to the exclusively-negro Greenwood district, leveling its 35 city blocks of black-owned businesses. The official death toll is reported as 36, but later historians estimate it was more like 300.



May 31 1963
Nun Nu Thanh Quang, a Buddhist monk, immolates himself at the Dieu de Pagoda in Hue, Vietnam.



May 31 1996
Timothy Leary dies quietly in his sleep, thereby failing his intended mission of suiciding live on the Internet. On a brighter note, a longstanding Moody Blues prophecy is fulfilled.




May 31 2005
Actor Christian Slater is arrested in New York City after a woman complains of ass-grabbery to police. Slater denies everything and is charged with third-degree sexual abuse.