<h2>Ice Storm Power Restoration Update</h2><p><strong>Tuesday, February 18, 2025</strong></p><p>We ended the day, Monday, with 244 outages down from a high of 544.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Restoration&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Crews are working through the night at the Chestnut Woods (top) and Sport Hill outage areas (pictured here at 1:30 am on Tuesday). The restoration time for Chestnut Woods is currently 8:15 am Tuesday. I spoke briefly with a worker on Sport Hill. There is no estimated time of restoration (ETR) for the Sport Hill outage area. Chestnut Hill and Sport Hill combined account for 213 of the 244 remaining outages.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Closed Roads</strong></p><p>1. Great Pasture&nbsp;</p><p>2. Chestnut Woods&nbsp;</p><p>3. Great Oak&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Safety</strong></p><p>Stay away from downed wires and trees. Assume any wire you see is a live wire.&nbsp;</p><p>If you are without power, please keep these tips in mind to stay safe during an outage:</p><p>* Keep freezers and refrigerators closed.</p><p>* Use generators outdoors and at least 20 feet away from building openings.</p><p>* Stay fire safe. Do not use a gas stove to heat your home.</p><p>* Unplug appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges.</p><p>* Make a plan for refrigerating medicines and powering medical devices.</p><p>* If safe, go to an alternate location for heat or cooling.</p><p>* Keep mobile phones and electronic equipment charged before a power outage.&nbsp;</p><p>You can reach me by phone and text at 203-856-1801 with questions or concerns. Text message is best. Facebook messenger is not monitored.</p><p>I will provide another update as restoration efforts continue into Tuesday.</p><p><br></p>

<p><strong>UPDATE - Monday, Feb. 17 at 5:30 pm: </strong>We began the day with 544 power outages throughout the Town. Slow progress is being made and we are now down to 366 outages, spread across 70+ locations.</p><p><strong>Closed Roads</strong></p><p>As of this writing 4 roads are closed, with Great Oak at #19 added to the list. Sport Hill was closed this morning but is passable, although with low hanging wires. Three of the closed roads have outages associated with broken utility poles that must be replaced before power can be restored.&nbsp;Replacing a pole slows the process. Frontier owns the poles and is working with Eversource.&nbsp;</p><p>1. Great Pasture near #27 tree and wires down (broken pole)</p><p>2. Gallows Hill near Rt #53 tree and wires (broken pole)</p><p>3. Chestnut Woods near #53 (broken pole)</p><p>4. Great Oak at #19</p><p><strong>Restoration&nbsp;</strong></p><p>We currently have 366 homes without power. The three major outage areas are estimated for restoration by 11:15 pm tonight (Great Pasture, Gallows Hill, and Chestnut Woods.) That should light up about 290 homes. Crews will then focus on the small outages.&nbsp;There is no estimate for full restoration at this time.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Safety</strong></p><p>Winds will continue to gust and could cause new outages. If your power goes out please report it to Eversource as soon as possible. If your neighbor's power comes back on but yours does not, this isn't uncommon, report your outage to Eversource again. Stay away from downed wires and trees. Assume any wire you see is a live wire.&nbsp;</p><p>If you are without power, please keep these tips in mind to stay safe during an outage:</p><p>* Keep freezers and refrigerators closed.</p><p>* Use generators outdoors and at least 20 feet away from building openings.</p><p>* Stay fire safe. Do not use a gas stove to heat your home.</p><p>* Unplug appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges.</p><p>* Make a plan for refrigerating medicines and powering medical devices.</p><p>* If safe, go to an alternate location for heat or cooling.</p><p>* Keep mobile phones and electronic equipment charged before a power outage.&nbsp;</p><p>You can reach me by phone and text at 203-856-1801 with questions or concerns. Text message is best. Facebook messenger is not monitored.</p><p>Have a good evening and I will update once more tonight.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Redding, CT – February 17, 2025</strong> – A weekend ice and wind storm has left 544 homes in Redding without power as of 10 a.m. this morning. The storm caused significant damage across the town, with approximately 75 areas affected by downed trees and wires, along with four blocked roads.</p><p>Ahead of the storm, Eversource assured town officials that additional crews were on standby to respond to outages. However, high winds complicated restoration efforts throughout Sunday and overnight. Now that the winds have calmed, Eversource line and tree crews are actively working in Redding to clear roads and restore power.</p><p><strong>Restoration Efforts Underway</strong></p><p>Restoring power will be a lengthy process, and there is no estimated time for full restoration. Eversource follows a structured order of priority in its restoration operations:</p><ol><li><strong>Safety First</strong> – Crews work to ensure conditions are safe for responders by de-electrifying downed wires and clearing blocked roads.</li><li><strong>Damage Assessment</strong> – Teams evaluate outages and determine the extent of necessary repairs.</li><li><strong>Power Restoration</strong> – Efforts begin with the largest outages before moving on to smaller outages affecting five or fewer customers.</li></ol><p><strong>Blocked Roads in Redding</strong></p><p>As of this morning, four roads remain blocked due to fallen trees and wires. Crews are currently working at Great Pasture and Chestnut Woods.</p><ul><li><strong>Great Pasture near #27</strong> – Tree and wires down</li><li><strong>Gallows Hill (lower part near Route 53)</strong> – Tree and wires down</li><li><strong>Sport Hill near #89</strong> – Tree and wires down</li><li><strong>Chestnut Woods near #53</strong> – Tree and wires down</li></ul><p>The Redding Highway Department is prepared to assist in clearing roads where no live power lines are involved.</p><p><strong>Town Offices and Contact Information</strong></p><p>Town offices are closed for Presidents' Day, but First Selectwoman Julia Pemberton remains available via phone and text at <strong>203-856-1801</strong> (text preferred). Facebook Messenger is not monitored.</p><p>Residents are urged to report power outages to Eversource immediately and to stay away from downed trees and wires, assuming all wires are live.</p><p>An afternoon update will be provided as restoration efforts continue.</p><p><strong>Stay safe, Redding.</strong></p>

<p><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">COMING UP in Redding</strong></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ALL Town Offices and Recycling/Transfer will be closed on</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Monday, February 17, 2025 for Presidents’ Day</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">WESTCOG Flood Mitigation Grant Support Information Sessions</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">February 27th 6:00-8:00 p.m. Virtual Meeting</span></p><p><a href="https://townofreddingct.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/WestCOG-Info-Sessions-Flyer-2-11-25-2-27-25-1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">VIEW MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTER HERE</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Community Feedback Meetings re Accessibility of</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Town Facilities and Parks to be held at Redding Community Center</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">-Wednesday, March 5th from 1:00-2:30 p.m.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">-Wednesday, March 5th from 7:00-8:30 p.m.</span></p><p><a href="https://townofreddingct.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Invitation-for-ADA-Community-Engagement.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">VIEW MORE INFORMATION HERE</a></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">CALENDAR OF MEETINGS</strong></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Monday, February 17, 2025</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ALL TOWN OFFICES AND RECYCLING CENTER/TRANSFER STATION CLOSED FOR PRESIDENTS’ DAY</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Tuesday, February 18, 2025</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">6:00 p.m. via Zoom-Historic Review Committee Special Meeting</span></p><p><a href="https://townofreddingct.org/event/board-of-selectmen-2025-02-18/2025-02-18/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">7:00 p.m. at Town Hall Hearing Room-Board of Selectmen</a></p><p><a href="https://townofreddingct.org/agenda/conservation-commission-cancelled-14/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">7:00 p.m.-Conservation Commission CANCELLED</a></p><p><a href="https://townofreddingct.org/agenda/zoning-board-of-appeals-cancelled-10/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">7:30 p.m.-Zoning Board of Appeals CANCELLED</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Thursday, February 20, 2025</span></p><p><a href="https://townofreddingct.org/event/democratic-town-committee-8-2025-02-20/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">6:30 p.m. at Town Hall Hearing Room-Democratic Town Committee</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Monday, February 24, 2025</span></p><p><a href="https://townofreddingct.org/event/opeb-trust-board-3/2025-02-24/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">6:00 p.m. at Town Hall-OPEB Trust Board</a></p><p><a href="https://townofreddingct.org/event/board-of-finance-14-2025-02-24/2025-02-24/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">7:30 p.m. at Town Hall-Board of Finance</a></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">NOTICES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS</strong></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Assessor</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Updated Real Estate Appeals FAQS</span></p><p><a href="https://townofreddingct.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BAA-Real-Estate-Appeal-Appl-2025.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Appeal Form for October 1, 2024 Grand List (real estate, personal property, and supplemental motor vehicle - GL 10/01/22)</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">CT DEEP Fisheries Division</span></p><p><a href="https://portal.ct.gov/deep/fishing/general-information/ct-fishin-tips" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">CT Fishin’ Tips</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Employment</span></p><p><a href="https://townofredding.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ON-CALL-WEEKEND-Building-Custodian-Job-Posting-23.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Facilities Custodian</a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- On Call Weekends</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Heritage Senior Center</span></p><p><a href="https://townofreddingct.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/February-2025-Heritage-Center-Classes-and-Events.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">February News &amp; Programs</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Legal Notices</span></p><p><a href="https://townofreddingct.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BAA-RE-Legal-Notice-for-Town-Clerk-FEB-2025meeting.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Notice of Board of Assessment Appeals Meeting February 25, 2024</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">New Pond Farm Education Center</span></p><p><a href="https://newpondfarm.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Programs and Activities</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Mark Twain Library</span></p><p><a href="https://marktwainlibrary.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">News and Programs</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Recycling Center/Transfer Station</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Holiday Closure- February 17, 2024</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Redding Land Trust</span></p><p><a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Freddingctlandtrust.org%2Fcalendar&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ctownclerk%40townofreddingct.org%7C6a24d49e756c4cfa3bb508dd4c513f7c%7C355e538ccd844ff5b4e63ab7cc50adbc%7C0%7C0%7C638750634770813550%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=YaiV1GQqQR%2BWlc2UVHyRVhilBX7ZfuhqxOQHI1%2BoLhg%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Upcoming Events and Programs</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The Granite</span></p><p><a href="https://thegranitechurch.org/events/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Programs and Events</a></p><p><br></p>

<p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Save the date for&nbsp;</span><a href="https://rvnahealth.org/event/24th-annual-spring-breakfast/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">RVNAhealth 24th Annual Spring Breakfast</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">&nbsp;on Friday, April 25, 2025, from 7:30 – 9:00 am at the Amber Room Colonnade in Danbury.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Please note: to be recognized on the event invitation, you </span><u style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">must notify RVNAhealth of your sponsorship by tomorrow,</u><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Friday, February 14 by contacting Taylor Price, Development Associate at&nbsp;</span><a href="https://mailto:tprice@rvnahealth.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">tprice@rvnahealth.org</a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">&nbsp;or call 203-438-5555 x1018. The invitation will be mailed to 1,200 individuals. </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">For sponsorship levels and benefits,</span><a href="https://rvnahealth.org/support-us/fundraising-events/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;"> </a><a href="https://rvnahealth.org/support-us/fundraising-events/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">click here</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Join 400+ local business leaders, medical professionals, community groups and RVNAhealth supporters to welcome spring and learn about the impact of RVNAhealth services across 35+ communities.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">This fun, fast-paced event raises critical funds to support nursing, rehabilitation and hospital care in the home as well as our mission-driven community programs including Cronic Care, Well-Child Clinics for uninsured children, and more.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">We invite you to become a sponsor or table host at this year’s event, which will include a delicious breakfast, an impactful speaker, a live auction, and an exciting raffle.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">For sponsorship levels and benefits, click&nbsp;</span><a href="https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E13063&amp;id=49" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">here</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Learn more&nbsp;</span><a href="https://rvnahealth.org/support-us/fundraising-events" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;"><strong>https://rvnahealth.org/support-us/fundraising-events/</strong></a></p><p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">*Photo by Deb O'Brien</em></p>

<p><strong>Redding, Conn. –</strong><a href="https://www.meadowridge.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Meadow Ridge</a>, a continuing care retirement community in Redding, Conn., is known for its dining options—hand-crafted meals served with the presentation of a fine restaurant and the memorable flavors of a favorite home cooked meal. Some might say the secret ingredient is love. That may very well be the case at Meadow Ridge, which has promoted two key members of its team, naming Ana Villa dining services manager and Tom Villa executive chef.&nbsp;The couple—who are talented culinary professionals in their own right—met at Meadow Ridge, married in 2023 and have started a family.&nbsp;</p><p>Ana joined Meadow Ridge in 2019 as lead chef while Tom came on board in 2020 as executive sous chef. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the pair began working together and were tasked with the same goal: to safely and effectively guide dining room operations while maintaining the level of service and excellence residents expect.</p><p>“Watching Ana and Tom work together so seamlessly is a true testament to the power of trust and collaboration that we value here at Meadow Ridge,” said Meadow Ridge Campus Executive Director Chris Barstein. “I am delighted to congratulate both Ana and Tom on their recent promotions and I look forward to their continued success in their respective positions.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>As dining services manager, Ana Villa is responsible for interacting with guests, training new staff, collaborating on new menus, collecting and providing feedback to the kitchen and creating unique dining experiences for guests.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Ana holds an associate’s degree from Lincoln Culinary Institute. She worked in private schools, country clubs and cafes early in her career. Prior to her appointment as dining services manager in December, she served Meadow Ridge as sous-chef for two years.&nbsp;</p><p>“The experience that I have gained during my time at Meadow Ridge has helped me to grow not only as a chef, but as a leader,” she said. “I am thankful for a career that allows me to utilize my creativity and inspires me to make a difference in the lives of the people I serve every day.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>As executive chef, Tom Villa is responsible for leading the kitchen team, hiring and training new staff, creating menus and executing special events for the community.&nbsp;“Teaching is a major role,” he says, “and the role I like the most.”&nbsp;</p><p>Tom earned an associate’s degree from the Culinary Institute of America and a bachelor's degree in hotel management from Cornell University. He later pursued a culinary career on the West Coast where he served as a café manager in California.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In 2018, he returned to the East Coast and served as an executive sous chef at Gurney's Montauk Resort and Seawater Spa in Montauk, New York. Tom joined Meadow Ridge as executive sous chef, a position he held for four years before taking on this new role in January.&nbsp;</p><p>On working as a couple, he says, “We have similar interests, similar philosophies. However, our methodologies are different. She is a natural leader and I’m more soft spoken. It makes us a really good team. We have different approaches and, when we work together, we have a well-rounded perspective.”</p><p>In their spare time, Ana enjoys gardening and writing poetry while Tom tries to get outdoors. They both prioritize spending time with their young family.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular days to get engaged, setting the stage for couples to begin planning their perfect wedding. While some may envision a local celebration, many are choosing to tie the knot in breathtaking destinations. In fact, according to The Knot, approximately 17% of couples opted for a destination wedding in 2024—nearly one in five choosing to say “I do” away from home.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">For couples looking beyond traditional venues, Expedia Cruises in Brookfield offers more than just cruise vacations. Under the leadership of Mary and Jim Villamana, Connecticut’s first-ever Expedia Cruises agency specializes in destination weddings and all-inclusive resort getaways, including the romantic, luxury experiences offered by Sandals Resorts. Whether it’s a beachfront ceremony in the Caribbean, an intimate gathering in Europe, or an all-inclusive resort celebration with loved ones, their team ensures a seamless planning experience.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">A destination wedding isn’t just about the ceremony—it’s about creating an unforgettable experience. With expert travel guidance from Expedia Cruises Brookfield, couples can enjoy stress-free planning, curated travel packages, and exclusive deals to make their wedding dreams a reality.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Ready to start planning? Visit Jim and Mary Villamana at 67 Federal Road, Brookfield, call (203) 429-5589, or explore your options online:</span><a href="https://www.expediacruises.com/en-US/900221/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;"> Expedia Cruises Brookfield</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">&nbsp;</span></p><p><br></p>