Community Corner

Ridgefield Winter Storm Hercules Hub Article (No School Friday)

Ridgefield Patch will post updates to this "hub" article throughout Winter Storm Hercules, including how things are going in town and links to separate storm articles published on the site.

Update: 7:59 a.m. First Selectman Rudy Marconi has alerted Ridgefield Town Hall will open at 10 a.m. Friday.

UPDATE: 5:38 A.M. FRIDAY: Metro North is running on a SATURDAY schedule today. Check this link for more information.

Find out what's happening in Ridgefieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

UPDATE: RIDGEFIELD Public Schools closed Friday. Sleep in.

UPDATE: 3:45 p.m. This is the newest update from the state Department of Motor Vehicles. The department is cancelling all learner's permit test appointments scheduled before 10:15 a.m. Friday (January 3) due to the winter storm. The first test appointments will be taken at 10:15 a.m. Friday to ensure safe road conditions.  Customers with canceled appointments will be sent an e-mail notification with instructions on how to reschedule online.

Find out what's happening in Ridgefieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

DMV is also cancelling ALL ROAD TESTS for tomorrow Friday. The cancellation is due to expected inclement weather and poor road conditions. Anyone with a scheduled road test can call DMV to choose a new date. The numbers to call are 860-263-5700 if someone is within the Hartford area and toll-free 800-842-8222 for those outside the Hartford area. DMV is also attempting to contact customers with road test appointments to advise them of the schedule change.

DMV offices statewide closed at 3 p.m. Thursday due to inclement weather and poor road conditions. Customers are advised to check the DMV website at ct.gov/dmv for the most immediate updates, office locations and hours of operation.

UPDATE: 3:41 p.m. The state Judicial Department has alerted all jurors scheduled to show up on Friday to not show up. "Due to the impending storm, all jurors scheduled to appear in a state courthouse on Friday, January 3, 2014, should not report." For the official announcement, click here.

UPDATE: 3:18 p.m. Ridgefield opened a warming center from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily at the Parks & Recreation Center, 195 Danbury Road, Ridgefield.  "Based on our past experiences, we have volunteers standing by in case we have to open up the warming center after hours (from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.} to deal with people who loose heat due to extended utility outage or other event and will deal with those cases as they pop up," said Dick Aarons, emergency management, Ridgefield.

UPDATE: 3 p.m. All Department of Motor Vehicle offices closed at 3 p.m.

UPDATE: 2:46 p.m. The West Lane Inn, 22 West Lane, has alerted Ridgefield residents it has a power generator and 14 rooms, if people lose power.

“We feel it is important to be able to serve our community during power emergencies.  When the power is out, we know Ridgefielders want to stay close to home”, says Innkeeper Debbie Prieger.  “The generator gives us lighting, heat, hot water for showers, and allows us to serve hot breakfast to our guests.” 

UPDATE: 2:40 p.m.: Ridgefield Town Hall and Ridgefield Library are both open, and workers expect to work up until the regularly scheduled closing time of 4:30 p.m. for Town Hall and 7 p.m. for the library.

UPDATE: 2:29 P.M. : Western Connecticut State University will close Thursday at 4 p.m. and it will remain closed Friday.

UPDATE: 1:42 p.m. Today at 5:00 p.m., Governor Dannel P. Malloy will hold a news briefing at the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Hartford to provide updates on the state’s preparations for tonight’s forecasted winter storm and severe cold outbreak.  The Governor is also partially activating the EOC beginning at 4:00 p.m.

UPDATE: 12:30 p.m. Light snow fell across Fairfield County Thursday, as an early morning dusting and the threat of more to come was enough to close Danbury schools after half a day. Tonight the National Weather Service is predicting near-blizzard-like conditions and the potential for up to 10 inches of snow into Friday.

A Winter Storm Warning and Coastal Flood Advisory have been issued for Ridgefield and Fairfield County by the National Weather Service, (NWS,) and will remain in effect throughout the duration of the storm, which has been dubbed Winter Storm Hercules. We will post breaking news about Winter Storm Hercules' impact on Ridgefield Thursday and Friday.

Ridgefield Schools closed Thursday after a half-day of classes. For the latest information about the Ridgefield Public Schools weather decisions, click here.

The state Department of Motor Vehicles cancelled all driving tests Thursday and Friday. 

Anyone with a scheduled road test can call DMV to choose a new date. The numbers to call are 860-263-5700 if someone is within the Hartford area and toll-free 800-842-8222 for those outside the Hartford area. DMV is also attempting to contact customers with road test appointments to advise them of the schedule change.

 The state of Connecticuct also alerted drivers that as of Dec. 31, 2013, drivers of commercial motor vehicles, passenger cars and small trucks are all required to remove snow and ice from hoods, trunks and roofs or face fines ranging from $75 to $1,250.

The law, Public Act No. 10-182, An Act Concerning The Removal of Snow and Ice From Motor Vehicles, reads in part:

"The operator of any motor vehicle, as defined in section 14-1 of the general statutes, shall remove any accumulated ice or snow from such motor vehicle, including the hood, trunk and roof of such motor vehicle, so that any ice or snow accumulated on such vehicle does not pose a threat to persons or property while the vehicle is being operated on any street or highway of this state."

The law does not apply if your vehicle is parked or if the snow and ice accumulated on your vehicle while you were driving in a storm.


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