Travis Simms

We've had a lot of statewide issues lately, so it's nice to focus on local news for a change.

The city has received  good news, including the receipt of a state grant and accolades from a couple of statewide  groups.

First, the city recently received an $800,000 state grant for Norwalk’s East Wall Street Streetscape Improvements project.

This funding was announced this week by Gov. Ned Lamont as part of the most recent round of statewide transportation infrastructure grants through the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Community Connectivity Grant Program.

After decades of inaction, the city last year broke ground on the mayor's initiative to revitalize the Wall Street neighborhood.  

The $800,000 grant will go toward expanding the neighborhood's connection from Historic Downtown to East Avenue and the Norwalk Town Green.

According to the town, the project will also improve sidewalks, enhance lighting, establish continuous bike lanes, and expand parking and accessibility for businesses, residences, and public spaces. It will also allow for the construction of the corridor's first gateway arch, chosen and voted on by the community, and for placemaking to calm traffic entering downtown.

Congratulations!

More great news! The city scored 100% on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2025 Municipality Equity Index.

HRC is one of the nation’s largest advocacy organizations for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) people. Each year, the HRC Foundation partners with the Equality Federation to prepare its MEI assessment.

The MEI Scorecard rates towns and cities within the following categories:

• Non-Discrimination Laws;
• Municipality as Employer;
• Municipal Services;
• Law Enforcement; and
• Leadership on LGBTQ+ Equality.

The city offers benefits and protections to LGBTQ+ employees and has rolled out several non-discrimination policies. Norwalk also has dedicated LGBTQ+ liaisons within the City, including at the Norwalk Police Department, who are available to help the public and employees connect with local resources and information. View Norwalk’s 2025 MEI scorecard here.

The Intelligent Transportation Society of Connecticut (ITS-CT) recognized the city for implementing Adaptive Traffic Signal Control Systems along five intersections on Connecticut Avenue.

The improvements were made by the Department of Transportation, Mobility and Parking to address traffic concerns prior to the opening of the new Wegmans and Target stores in the city.

proactively address concerns about increased traffic at key intersections along Connecticut Avenue ahead of Wegmans opening its first Connecticut store in July, followed by the new Target opening across the street in August. As part of the Wegmans site plan review process, TMP worked closely with the retailer to install Adaptive Traffic Signal Control at intersections nearest to their new store.

According to the city, the devices are designed to work together to reduce congestion and improve travel time by adjusting traffic light timings based on real-time traffic conditions. Over time, the technology will enhance overall traffic flow. This is the first installation of an Adaptive Traffic Signal Control System on any State Route in lower Connecticut, the city said. 

The Intelligent Transportation Society of Connecticut’s mission is to advance the research and deployment of intelligent transportation technologies to save lives, improve mobility, promote sustainability, and increase efficiency by convening leaders from the public sector, private companies, academia, and research organizations to foster innovation.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) has successfully launched a new streamlined and user-friendly experience for callers with an upgraded phone system. 
The Benefits Center phone number has not changed.  Customers still contact DSS at 1-855-6-CONNECT (1-855-626-6632). ​ 
The new system includes: 

• A simplified phone menu designed to help customers reach the right service
• A self-service experience for checking case status and benefit information 

Customers who enter their Client ID when calling will benefit from a customized service and be routed to the correct call queue. Additionally, for those who prefer to self-serve, the system now allows them to: 

• Check if DSS has received their documents and when they were reviewed
• View their case status and, if active, access benefit details 

Customers now have access to call-back options, allowing them to: 

• Save their place in line, or
• Schedule a call at a time that works best for them 

The Connecticut Intelligence Center, a law enforcement partnership within the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, is warning about a dramatic increase in financial scams targeting the elderly in Connecticut and the nation.

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 859,532 complaints in 2024, with losses reported at $16.6 billion, a 388% increase from 2023. In 2024 “false pretense” scams cost an estimated $31.9 million to Connecticut victims, most of whom were 65 or older, according to the 2024 Crime in Connecticut Report.

What to Watch Out For

• High pressure, urgent timeline (“you must send money now”).
• Request to pay with gift cards, wire transfer, prepaid cards, personal checks or cryptocurrency.
• Caller says you must not contact family or police.
• Caller ID spoofing (it may show a local number or government agency but is fake).
• Unwilling to meet in person or hesitation to identify themselves with official credentials.

What to Do if You Believe You Are a Victim

• Contact the local police to report the incident.
• Do not transfer money and do not give any payment information.
• Do not give any personal information or confirm/repeat social security numbers, birthdates, bank information or account numbers.
• Verify by calling the family member with a known number not one provided by the caller.
• If you have already made a payment contact your bank or the payment service immediately

Where to Go for Help

• National Elder Fraud Hot Line- 1-833-372-8311
• Elder Fraud- Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• File a Suspicious Activity Report with CTIC or download the “CT SAFE” application on your phone.

The 4th Annual Holiday Extravaganza in Norwalk will be held on Saturday, December 6 from 4 PM to 8 PM at 50 Washington Street! This event has plenty of family friendly activities to help get you into the holiday spirit: 

• The official Tree Lighting Ceremony
• Meet-and-greets with holiday characters
• An outdoor marketplace with over 25 local vendors for holiday shopping
• Live performances by the Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts, Roton Middle School Choir
• Carousel rides, a trackless train, stilt walkers, and goat petting!

The holiday extravaganza is free to attend. If you have any questions, please check out the flyer below.