Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Don’t imagine all the best things to see and do in London are in the downtown core I don’t know what cruise ships are charged to sail down the Thames and anchor in the river at Greenwich but it must be a lot because only premium and luxury ships do it Budget ships that list London on itineraries tie up at Tilbury further downstream – or at Southampton a two-hour drive away Cruise lines that feature Greenwich include Hapag-Lloyd Your cruise ship nips between the wind turbines and container ships of the North Sea before veering into the Thames Take pole position on deck for the winding 12 kilometres of historic waterway towards Greenwich the remarkable Thames Barrier and the hedgehog-looking O2 Arena and guests are transferred by tender to the pier at Greenwich check-in will be inside a marquee outside the Discover Greenwich Visitor Centre which supplies all the information you need Good options are Novotel London Greenwich and Hilton London Greenwich which occupies a landmark 1940s police station and has city panoramas from its top-floor deck Most of what you want to see is within huge Greenwich Park close to where cruise tenders deposit you ashore You’ll need more than a day to inspect it all it forms a World Heritage site and wonderful ensemble of historical architecture that includes Old Royal Naval College with its magnificently frescoed great hall which displays early sketches of Australian wildlife by Joseph Banks herds of deer and sweeping views over the Thames head back to the riverfront and clamber around fabled 19th-century tea clipper the Cutty Sark The Royal Observatory sits astride the prime meridian from which all longitudes and time zones are measured and has long been connected to British maritime power and astronomy and the adjacent Peter Harrison Planetarium runs excellent shows Greenwich beckons not just history and culture vultures but strollers Marked and measured routes send you through its parks and are part of the 64-kilometre Green Chain Walk The Thames Walk Path (298 kilometres if you’re keen) also runs through Greenwich Pub grub is the way to go in this breezy historical district so head into The Old Brewery at the Old Royal Naval College or Cutty Sark Pub in a Georgian building with river views traditional British staples such as roast lamb then Champagne + Fromage is the place for you but cruise lines might offer shore excursions to top London sights such as the Tower of London Globe Theatre (a reconstruction of Shakespeare’s old haunt) and the Imperial War Museum such as Hampton Court Palace or the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew before depositing guests at Heathrow airport for afternoon or evening flights Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now. Don\\u2019t imagine all the best things to see and do in London are in the downtown core. This district has great sights, open spaces and far fewer crowds. Your cruise ship nips between the wind turbines and container ships of the North Sea before veering into the Thames. Take pole position on deck for the winding 12 kilometres of historic waterway towards Greenwich. It isn\\u2019t beautiful, but you\\u2019ll pass historic dockyards, modern warehouses and pumping stations, the remarkable Thames Barrier and the hedgehog-looking O2 Arena. There\\u2019s no cruise terminal. Ships anchor mid-river, and guests are transferred by tender to the pier at Greenwich, which takes all of a few minutes. If you\\u2019re boarding here, check-in will be inside a marquee outside the Discover Greenwich Visitor Centre, which supplies all the information you need. London has endless accommodation options, but consider staying in Greenwich, where hotel rooms are cheaper, and light rail connects the city. Good options are Novotel London Greenwich and Hilton London Greenwich, which occupies a landmark 1940s police station and has city panoramas from its top-floor deck. The Royal Observatory sits astride the prime meridian from which all longitudes and time zones are measured, and has long been connected to British maritime power and astronomy. Exhibits provide the details, and the adjacent Peter Harrison Planetarium runs excellent shows. Greenwich beckons not just history and culture vultures but strollers, joggers and cyclists too. Marked and measured routes send you through its parks, and are part of the 64-kilometre Green Chain Walk. The Thames Walk Path (298 kilometres if you\\u2019re keen) also runs through Greenwich. Pub grub is the way to go in this breezy historical district, so head into The Old Brewery at the Old Royal Naval College, or Cutty Sark Pub in a Georgian building with river views. The latter serves upmarket, traditional British staples such as roast lamb, fish pie and gooseberry crumble. If you must go French, then Champagne + Fromage is the place for you. Greenwich is a start and end port, but cruise lines might offer shore excursions to top London sights such as the Tower of London, Globe Theatre (a reconstruction of Shakespeare\\u2019s old haunt) and the Imperial War Museum. Some include sights in the west of London, such as Hampton Court Palace or the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, before depositing guests at Heathrow airport for afternoon or evening flights. Error: no decision tree source folder detected CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) The 74-year-old woman is in hospital after being rescued by a man working nearby at Greenwich in Sydney’s north A retired married couple were at their regular fishing spot in Sydney’s north when the man struck his wife with the car before both plunged into the water The 74-year-old woman was rescued from the Parramatta River in Greenwich by a man working nearby and was in Royal North Shore hospital with non-life-threatening injuries where she was being supported by family and friends with police divers retrieving his body from the river on Monday Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter Det Supt Paul Devaney told reporters on Tuesday the couple were local to the area and had just gotten their fishing gear out of the car at Greenwich Sailing Club Police were still determining the cause of the incident “Police declared a crime scene and commenced an investigation We are currently preparing a brief of evidence at this stage,” Devaney said which was approximately 10 metres under water would be retrieved using a large crane and undergo forensic examination to assist in determining the cause of the incident Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 Free daily newsletterOur Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day telling you what’s happening and why it matters “He’s obviously quite traumatised about the incident,” Devaney said Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy London without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. London With all the doom and gloom going on in the world, it’s nice to be able to deliver a bit of good news, especially when it pertains to something cute and cuddly. After four years away, deer have returned to Greenwich Park From now, visitors will be able to fawn over the fallow deer in southeast London. They’ve returned after their sojourn to Richmond Park while their paddock was improved and extended, Greenwich Wire reported Herds of red deer were taken out of Greenwich Park in 2021 while work took place as part of the Greenwich Park Revealed project. The £12 million programme saw the construction of a new wildlife meadow and learning centre aimed at helping locals to better connect with nature.  The deer that were taken to Richmond have settled there but a new herd of eight fallow deer was released on Wednesday They have access to new woodland and are able to roam around a larger area. The made over paddock also has new fencing and wildflowers while piles of logs were moved in that will allow scrub to regenerate so the deer can graze Deadwood was also added to become a habitat for bugs and fungi.  told Greenwich Wire: ‘Everyone has missed the deer very much and we’re excited to welcome them back to Greenwich Park we’ve been able to enhance the natural environment of the deer paddock the deer may keep away from the viewing areas as they get used to and settle into their new environment they will explore more of the space.’ It’s thought that deer were introduced to Greenwich by Henry VIII in the 16th century and word has it that they were so tame they could be fed by hand Increasing motor traffic meant they eventually had to be moved to a fenced-off enclosure.  Where to see wildlife in London all year-round.  The Lord Mayor’s Balloon Regatta is returning for 2025 this month: date, start time and everything you need to know Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! tiktokfacebooktwitteryoutubeAbout us Contact us it has been revealed that the VET and ELICOS provider has ceased operations with its schools in Sydney, Bondi, Darwin Byron Bay and Adelaide closing their doors Greenwich College, part of the publicly listed NextEd Group (ASX: NXD) has acquired exclusive rights to communicate with students impacted by the closure of IH Sydney.Greenwich College has been appointed by the administrator as the preferred partner to ensure students can continue their studies with “minimal disruption” “This is an incredibly challenging time for students and we are committed to providing the stability and support they need to continue their educational journeys,” said Roxana Ene This is an incredibly challenging time for studentsRoxana Ene Greenwich College is collaborating with PKF Australia Pty Ltd Students will be able to transfer to one of Greenwich’s campuses in Sydney or Perth without having to re-pay any previously paid tuition fees.“Our collaboration with PKF Consulting ensures a smooth process allowing students to focus on achieving their goals without interruption We are honouring all payments made to IH [Sydney] which means we will be taking on hundreds of students at significant cost to Greenwich College as we want to ensure all students who have paid fees are able to access a quality education “We want to ensure no student is left financially disadvantaged by this event and we are proud that we can house IH [Sydney] students across our national campuses,” she continued Greenwich can accommodate all students except TESOL and junior programs while Greenwich College’s campuses are available in all IH locations Most students will be able to transfer into courses that match their original enrolments preserving their educational timelines and goals For students whose courses do not have an exact match alternative courses will be offered “under extremely favourable terms”.“These students will only need to pay the remaining tuition fees they would have owed to IH [Sydney] ensuring they are not financially disadvantaged,” NextEd clarified Tuition fees already paid to IH Sydney Training Services will be fully honoured by Greenwich College Students who transfer to Greenwich will be required to pay the outstanding balance of their IH fees to the new provider Students affected by provider default may be eligible for a free visa application charge should they need to extend their visa due to the transition.Meanwhile agents who are not yet representatives of Greenwich College will be offered an opportunity to sign a representative agreement Classes for the former IH ELICOS students at Greenwich College are scheduled to commence on December 30 2024 while vocational courses will begin on either January 13 2025 or January 20 2025 IH Sydney has messaged all students and agents about their closure and directed all enquiries to Greenwich College Selected IH Sydney staff will remain employed to ensure the transfer process can be completed in a timely manner Commenting on the challenges faced by the sector our affiliates have navigated a series of significant challenges and this is the latest example “Factors such as stricter visa regulation for overseas students have collectively limited international student mobility and created hurdles for many businesses within the education sector.”Despite the events of the past week, which saw International House Edinburgh also close its doors Hoyle reaffirmed: “Our network of 125+ schools globally remains resilient and continues to provide exceptional educational experiences to students around the world “While losing these long-established affiliates is sad for all concerned the IH network continues to grow internationally with an increase in membership in the past 12 months and new schools to be announced in January.” For Junior Program students who are mostly coming with the whole family with tourist visas no one is helping or covering those under 18 International students with this situation IH SYD is also not answering or feel responsible about the refunds About The PIE News Regions has been at the center of a controversy over corporate control of the media GREENWICH — A Greenwich media executive is at the center of a controversy over corporate control of the media and a dispute with President Donald Trump over press freedom the former executive director of the CBS News show “60 Minutes,” abruptly resigned last month after telling staff that he had lost the freedom to run the program independently Trump sued “60 Minutes” for $20 billion last fall claiming it deceptively edited an interview with his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris CBS denied it had done anything improper or sought to give a boost to Harris and the news organization released the full transcript of its interview Owens and news producers at “60 Minutes” have opposed a settlement Owens is a Greenwich resident who gave the commencement address at Greenwich High School in 2022. “Being the proud father of two Greenwich High School graduates, it’s an honor to be asked to speak at this year’s commencement,” Owens said during the address. “I promise to keep it to 10 minutes.” "While I urge you not to be afraid of hard work that doesn't mean you need to be hard on yourselves (The COVID-19) pandemic has been relentless Life is made up of experiences; you're about to get a whole lot of them." Owens did not return a call requesting an interview this week Owens' resignation from "60 Minutes" came at a time when a corporate merger is underway is seeking approval for a merger with Skydance Media The merger would require government approvals Paramount is  reportedly in mediation to settle the lawsuit with Trump with the potential for a large payment to be made by CBS A number of legal experts have called the Trump lawsuit against CBS frivolous "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley gave viewers a brief summary of the dispute involving Owens in a segment at the end of the show recently “Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways,” Pelley said but Bill felt he lost the independence that honest journalism requires.” Stories we pursued for 57 years are often controversial — lately the Israel-Gaza War and the Trump administration Bill made sure they were accurate and fair The Trump administration must approve it.” There was no response for a request for comment from the Paramount media office this week  CBS’ legal team had earlier claimed that the Trump lawsuit "without basis in law or fact.” The network's legal staff said that the litigation was the president’s effort to seek to “punish a news organization for constitutionally protected editorial judgments" that were disliked by the president "They not only ask for $20 billion in damages but also seek an order directing how a news organization may exercise its editorial judgment in the future The First Amendment stands resolutely against these demands,” according to press accounts of the court filing A sizable group of CBS and “60 Minutes” correspondents have lived in Connecticut over the years Andy Rooney lived in the Rowayton section of Norwalk while Harry Reasoner also had a residence in Westport the former president of CBS News who died in 1993 Mike Wallace spent his final years in New Canaan and died in the community The previous executive producer of “60 Minutes,” Jeff Fager There are also a number of other correspondents and producers who live in the region Owens became the executive producer of CBS' influential newsmagazine in 2019 after a long career in broadcast news The Associated Press contributed to this report Robert MarchantReporterRobert Marchant is a veteran newsman who covers public safety and public policy for the Greenwich Time. Marchant holds a master’s degree in history from Columbia University and is the author of a book on urban history. A brother and sister from Old Greenwich are accused of submitting false claims with state treasuries around the country for more than $1.2 million in unclaimed funds and they face federal charges The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said 75-year-old Henry J were both charged with conspiracy for agreeing to submit false and fraudulent claims for unclaimed property to state treasuries The Whites are accused of working together to submit false and fraudulent claims is suspected of using the names of corporate entities he was not affiliated with and the payments according to Acting United States Attorney John C The siblings then deposited and cashed the checks and used the funds for personal expenses including mortgage payments for their shared home according to The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Get top local Connecticut stories delivered to you every morning with the News Headlines newsletter Unclaimed property can include payroll checks liquidated securities and insurance proceeds You can check with the CT Big List to see if the Connecticut Treasurer’s Office is holding onto you unclaimed property here. Greenwich Free Press (https://greenwichfreepress.com/schools/boe-struggles-to-shave-4-1-million-from-the-greenwich-schools-budget-231478/) After the Greenwich school board voted May 1 to extend the contract of school superintendent Dr they continued discussion about ways to shave $4.1 million from their operating budget for FY 26 – the very budget they previously approved in a vote of 7-1 The Board of Estimate and Taxation, with Republican chair Harry Fisher using his tie breaking vote, passed the $4.1 million reduction, which Mr. Fisher said was based on an analysis by BET member Karen Fassuliotis. GEA sign outside Greenwich High School. May 4, 2025 The meeting started when members returned from executive session and took their seats in the Central Middle School auditorium. Dr. Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony pointed to a poster taped to the table in front of fellow Republican Cody Kittle that said, “37¢/day Small Change. Big impact for students,” a familiar sign around public schools. The 37¢ is a reference for how much per day in property taxed on a median value home in Greenwich it might cost to make up for the $4.1 million shortfall. Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones noted at the outset of the meeting there were already 271 people attending remotely. BOE chair Karen Hirsh said it would be important to give the public opportunity to opine on any possible budget cuts. Given transportation scenario #5 offered the greatest savings and greatest disruption as it would involve moving GHS start time back to 7:30am from 8:30am, which has been in place since 2017, COO Ben Branyan presented a new transportation scenario, #6 for something of a compromise. Scenario 6 would result in GHS starting at 7:45am, moving 6 elementary schools a half hour later, and the three Title I grade schools 15 minutes later, for a reduction of 18 school buses and savings of almost $2 million. Jones said a survey of elementary school parents/guardians about changing start times was telling. She said there were 1,186 responses to a survey and that quickly grew to 2,000 responses the day before the meeting. She said the families of elementary school age children wake up earlier and pushing start time later would be difficult for them. “It’s obviously a big issue,” she said, noting on a bar graph where green represented the percentage of parents responding ‘it would be very difficult for our family.’ Blue represented ‘somewhat difficult for our family.’ Parent/guardian response that moving start time later at elementary schools would be very or somewhat difficult was about76%. Teacher input about changes to start times was almost the exact opposite as parents/guardians. “It worked well for our staff. I think they were kind of excited about it,” Jones said. BOE member Sophie Koven said she did not support scenario 6, especially considering the 8:30am start time at GHS has been in place since 2017 and people had adjusted to it. Kathleen Stowe said the budget shortfall boiled down to a choice of, “Are the kids going to get up earlier or are we going to cut their teachers?” “I think we have no choice but to do something to the high school,” Stowe added, noting that the biggest savings would come from changing start time there. Ms Hirsh said when start times changed in 2017, it was ‘a very slippery slope.’ “We jumped in with both feet to support the mental and physical health of our high schoolers based on scientific studies. I hate to be making this decision solely on the financial,” she said. Dr. Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony said “loathe” was a good word. “There are lot of options, none of them great, but I think it would be incorrect to look at scenario 5 or 6 changing GHS start time as easy because it doesn’t touch academics. I think it does touch academics,” he said. “We saw finally in Greenwich Together survey just last week some positive trends. All of our social and emotional data, coming out of Covid, and the conversations this community had 8 years ago, to go back on that for what seems not a reason grounded anything other than to reach a number is unfortunate,” Mercanti-Anthony added. He asked why the 3 title one elementary schools already started a half an hour earlier than the other elementary schools (8:15 instead of 8:45). Dr. Jones later explained that those schools run earlier because the parents need to go get work. Ms Stowe said she’d heard an earlier start would help athletes getting “up the coast” for competitions before rush hour and for more daylight. Wendy Vizzo Walsh joked, “Cody and I – we are both products of the 7:30am start time and we did survive.” “For all these students and angry parents who are emailing us – I think getting home from sports is always a plus, because you can eat dinner, do your homework and get to bed earlier,” Ms Vizzo Walsh said.  “7:45 is a good start time. It’s not as bad as 7:30am.” Laura Kostin said, “I think we should remind the BET once again that we gave them $4.0 million in revenue, and we should send them a bill for $2 million for the private school busing so the town can cover that.” “I’d be remiss to remind my peers that the reason we have to pay for private school busing, which makes no sense to me, is the mandate from the people in Hartford,” Mr. Kittle said. Ms Hirsh noted private school busing is not paid for if the school reaches a certain threshold of local students. Dr. Jones said that private school information was reported annually and that Eagle Hill was on the cusp of not qualifying. “I’ve already met with them twice in the last few months. They are on notice that if they have the same percentage in the fall that they have right now, that they will have to pay for their own buses because it has to do with how many students live in Connecticut and how many live in New York that attend their school.” Ms Hirsh said the costs of private school busing was previously paid for by the town, but had been switched over to the public schools budget. Ms Stowe proposed a SOMR endorsing scenario 6, seconded by Ms Hirsh, but there was no consensus. From there they discussed what Laura Kostin described as “other horrible options.” Ms Stowe said based on the previous week’s discussions, cuts to ALP and “pay-to-play” sports were off the table. “I think we’re now at the next set of options,” Stowe said. Jones said the (above) list of possible cuts was generated by input from GOSA Positive Pathways and Extended Day at Hamilton Avenue Schools but being built build in elementary schools specifically for children who are more “disregulated.” “And as you know we’ve been seeing a positive turn in the number and percentage of students who are out-placed which again allows us to have a more positive budget where we can put dollars where we need them,” Jones said “I know it’s easy to cut it because it doesn’t exist but that $343,000 actually saves money.” Jones said outplaced children take a 45-minute bus ride to the area of Ansonia “Most of those parents would rather have their children be able to go to a neighborhood school in Greenwich,” she said.”It’s challenging to cut it because it’s going to cost us more.” Jones said the second new initiative proposed to be cut was to the Hamilton Avenue Extended Day jones said a reduction in minutes for K-5 physical education could reduce 2.o FTE “This does shave minutes from PE,” she said The next possible cut was for world languages in grade 3 “Instead of doing away with all world languages the proposed cut is to eliminate the grade 3 program It says 2.0 but you have to calculate the number of students for next year first.” she said was looking at “cross teaming” at Central Middle School “They have some co-horts that are a little smaller This board talked about being committed to teaming,” Jones said adding that would reduce 2.0 FTE House Restructure at GHS: Eliminating one House Restructuring the five GHS houses would reduce 5.0 FTEs: a house administrator Jones said Cantor House was added around 2003 after a year long study because the the high school was nearing the enrollment threshold of 3,000 students That addition meant an additional house administrator She said the dean and assistant dean positions were created around 2012 under former school Superintendent Sidney Freund to help with discipline The five assistant dean positions were previously .4 FTE for each house The proposed cut is to avoid having a GOSA (administrator) doing that work The district used to run a fully functioning print shop both for the Town of Greenwich and for the schools but after a flood in the Havemeyer building they switched to an outside service in Stamford and use of a courier “This cut would eliminate that function People would need to take care of their own copying,” Jones said Schoology is software that provides a centralized hub for personalized teaching and learning Jones today Schoology and Google Classrooms are both used but migrating everyone to Google Classrooms would save a small amount of funds and cutting the fees for Schoology would save $32,000 The final possible cuts were to curriculum and instructions materials (saves $100,000) and eliminating a professional development consultant ($100,000) Sophie Koven said the Positive Pathways program was intended to help bring down the cost of special education and to improve the quality of special ed services for the district’s most vulnerable students “It feels deeply ironic to cut a program that has been thoughtfully developed to meet the news of those students,” Koven said “This feels penny-wise and pound foolish.” Ms Hirsh said all the cuts in discussion would have a negative impact on students and there have been discussions and articles And there have been emails and outcries about this situation it is a situation that does not need to be “All of these ideas diminish our programs It’s not what our students and families would benefit from Obviously I think it’s all garbage.” “I think we are looking at the wrong things We’re not really even looking at administrative bloat I saw 105 administrative assistants.” Ms Hirsh said a lot of administrative assistants jobs entail farm than one might think “We have 500 less students in our school district We should get back to the 2019 levels,” Vizzo Walsh said “We don’t have 20 less,” Hirsh said going on to explain that there is more need today than in 2019 including for students that need academic and psychological supports We have graphs and charts that show that we have gone from 11% to 16% in special education have staff in order to teach those children and provide services.” Jones added that the slight decline enrollment meant when a classroom teacher was freed up it was possible to move that person to special education There was some discussion about eliminating Positive Pathways being shortsighted given the goal is to reduce outplacement Jones noted it was also a way to “bring kids back” from outplacement Mercanti-Anthony said it was not ethical keep programs for accelerated students while cutting programs targeting students to get them to grade level “I look at ALP as the other end of special education,” Ms Hirsh said “You’re still providing special education for students who need more I like the Hamilton Avenue School one a lot,” Mr “There’s lots of other areas to focus on.” “I don’t know of any high performing school district that doesn’t offer foreign language in the elementary school level.” Ms Stowe said while today they have a slightly smaller student population there will likely be an increase in enrollment “To make a change to the teaming model at CMS where the other two middle schools have that teaming model will give more opportunity for kids to fall through the cracks,” Hirsh said She said she was “exceptionally concerned” about possible change to the structure to the GHS house administrators to save 5 FTEs “I think it’s absolutely inappropriate of us to place the brunt of all of these budgetary reductions solely at the high school level,” Hirsh said “It’s much harder than it was in the past to provide support for these students.” No one opposed the restructure of Adult Education saving $72,000 or closing the Print Shop 1 to save $84,000 Ms Vizzo Walsh asked about how many students were assigned to each house “I find it mind blowing that we as a district are actually have to consider cutting curriculum and instructional materials that aid the students in their learning and cutting into their potential,” Ms Behette said “We all agree in some form on (reducing costs of) transportation and we’re all between that 7:30 and 7:45am start time at the high school…I think we have to go back to the drawing board on the other items.” Hirsh said she’d respectfully ask the BET to urgently reopen discussions on the FY25-26 schools operating budget She noted the RTM spoke strongly as well with their SOMR asking the BET to reopen the budget discussions “We are prepared to work with the BET and consider reasonable reductions where feasible,” Hirsh said “However a cut of  $4.1 to $5 million is far beyond what we can absorb without causing irreparable harm to our educational program.” “The impact of these cuts is not abstract Reductions of this scale threaten the educational opportunities we offer our students and are going to jeopardize the longstanding reputation of Greenwich Public Schools,” Hirsh said Ms Hirsh asked if the board members would sign an open letter to the BET she was drafting “I would not be in support of that letter,” Kittle said “I don’t think we have fully done our job What I observe are mostly political theatrics here.” “The way the board has decided to operate starting tonight is to ignore the Republican caucus’s view My hope was we would be more constructive about this You can do that because you have five votes for a letter but definitely you do not have my support.” Ms Hirsh and Ms Behette went on to draft an open letter to the BET the following day BOE Chair, Vice Chair to BET: Now more than ever, students in Greenwich need increased support May 2 Greenwich Board of Education Extends Superintendent Jones’ Contract Two Years May 3 Big Support at RTM for SOMR Requesting BET Reopen Vote on 2026 Schools Budget after Passing a $4.1 Million Cut April 22 In 2017 Brunswick paid $28,311,800 for 1275 King street and $5,688,200 for 100 Cliffdale View all Schools Posts → "I feel like you're reactionary and lack the ability to be thoughtful about the investments you make and you don't stick to your word." – Jennifer Alexis Jones View all Cody Kittle Posts → The board discussed a pay-to-play scheme for athletes Cody Kittle said charging a $220 fee per athlete yielded a savings of $455,600 – or 20% of the GHS Athletics budget View all Dr. Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony Posts → View all Dr. Toni Jones Posts → View all Greenwich Public Schools Posts → "I want to thank everyone on the building committee for all their stellar work for the town They met 119 times at the school at 7:00am over the past 30 months and 10 days And we didn't pay them a dime." – James Waters Old Greenwich School building committee chair View all Jen Behette Posts → Please consider supporting our journalism directly by making a donation a nonprofit dedicated to the beautification of Greenwich is hosting its Spring in Bloom Fundraiser on Sunday from 3:00pm to 5:00pm at The Field Club of Greenwich This afternoon gathering will bring together community members in celebration of spring and the beauty of Greenwich’s public spaces That’s the tagline for this year’s HoliFest which returns for its fourth year on Saturday May 3 from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Greenwich’s Roger Sherman Baldwin Park HoliFest is the most joyful and fun family event in the Fairfield and Westchester area evidenced by an annual growth rate of over 33% a year is back for the third year as HoliFest’s Signature Sponsor © Copyright 2025, Greenwich Free Press | Privacy Policy This site built with Project Largo from the Investigative News Network and proudly powered by WordPress A court found Mark Latham defamed political rival Alexander Greenwich in an offensive and sexually explicit tweet If you check the box above before you log in you won’t have to log back into the website next time you return even if you close your browser and come back later Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly You can email Naomi at: This email address is being protected from spambots participating in a virtual debate during his run for school board in 2021 GREENWICH — Cody Kittle, a Republican member of the Board of Education, has been appointed to the board of Freddie Mac, according to a public filing In his day job, Kittle is a partner at RenWave Kore, a private equity firm Kittle was appointed effective March 17 Pulte is also the director of the Federal Housing Finance Authority, an independent federal agency, a position for which President Donald Trump nominated him to serve. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are stronger than ever before and they will continue to get stronger by the day Consulting contracts that waste money and other DEI nonsense is being stripped away Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can finally work on things that make housing more… Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are publicly-traded companies whose executives and board members are appointed by the FHFA has made the unusual move of making himself chairs of the boards at both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Kittle went to Northwestern University in Chicago at the same time as Pulte Kittle was an employee at Elliott at the time and PulteGroup  — one of the largest home-building firms in the country — was founded by Bill Pulte’s grandfather, William Pulte, who died in 2018 said he was proud to see another member of the local Republican party working in the federal government “The Greenwich RTC is exceptionally proud when any of its members work in the federal administration,” he said Steve Warzoha, vice chair of the RTC is working as the White House liaison for the Department of Education Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae guarantee most of the mortgages made in the U.S., according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau These two companies make loan guarantees on conventional mortgages reducing the risk for lenders and investors who may purchase the loans Pulte, on his X account, has posted that he is cutting regulations, reducing spending and firing employees he accused of fraud "For years, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been filled with bloat, excessive spending, and worse – that ends now," Pulte posted earlier in April "These two businesses need to be run as businesses that serve the American people." Kittle, a Greenwich native, has been on the school board since 2021 He has said he does not intend to run for the school board again when his term expires this year 2025Parade aims to feature only the best products and services Parade aims to feature only the best products and services marked down to just $99 from its original $498 retail price That's an exceptional deal for a bag that you will reach for time and again whether you're headed out to run errands or want to add a pop to a more casual outfit This style offers enough space for your essentials while bringing a designer element to your outfit it features a compact silhouette that's perfect for holding your basics without weighing you down The strap adjusts between 12.5 inches and 21.5 inches for your comfort allowing for easy wear whether you prefer a classic crossbody style or want to shorten it for a closer fit under your arm.  The playful hues are great for brightening up your warm-weather looks while the silver-tone hardware adds a sleek edge The bag's canvas body is etched with the signature MK logo print with slip pockets on the front and back providing easy access to items you want to keep within close reach The cute turn-lock closure adds a fun finishing touch to the flap This purse is so pretty for spring and summer Another said they're "so in love" with the "beautiful" design Don't miss your chance to snag a designer style for under $100. Pick up the Greenwich Crossbody Bag in your preferred color while it's 82% off today Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing Private landlords are being urged to let or lease their properties to the Royal Borough of Greenwich to help residents at risk of homelessness or living in temporary accommodation move into safe and secure homes that meet their needs.   which includes free training and support to landlords aims to match people on the housing register with good private landlords to help reduce the numbers of people in costly temporary accommodation.  said: “We’re looking for more private sector landlords to help us tackle the housing crisis by renting or leasing their properties to us for people and families that really need a stable home.   “Like many London boroughs the demand for housing far outweighs the supply we have and this is also true for those households at risk of homelessness or living in temporary accommodation "We’re working continuously to reduce the number of households in hotels or bed and breakfasts as we know it is costly and doesn’t guarantee the stability that families need to thrive.  “We want people to have access to a safe and secure home that meets their needs so if you are a landlord with a property to rent or to lease get in touch with us today – we have attractive options and will work with you to provide the homes our residents really need.”  The council is looking for landlords with properties to rent or lease in the borough or in the surrounding areas The scheme is completely free with no fees commissions or charges with rents paid at the Local Housing Allowance rate.   If the property requires maintenance or improvement grants of up to £15,000 are available to bring it up to our standards the council provides free training and support to landlords to help run and develop their business.  The scheme also provides landlords with the option to lease their property to us which takes away the hassle of finding tenants collecting rents and managing the tenancies.  The leasing scheme provides guaranteed rent paid monthly in advance for the whole of the time that the property is leased to us and agreements can initially be for two to five years with longer leases of 10 years or more also available.    For more information visit our webpages on how to rent or lease your property to us, email private-lettings-team@royalgreenwich.gov.uk or call our Private Lettings Team on 020 8921 2531.  assembles a mural on the corner of Greenwich Avenue and Amogerone Crossway in downtown Greenwich Asis has made four large-scale murals on the sides of buildings at 69 and 362 Greenwich Avenue as part of the "Art to the Avenue" event The project comes from a partnership between the Greenwich Historical Society and Untapped New York poses by his mural on the side of Greenwich Pharmacy in downtown Greenwich is displayed outside Grigg Street Pizza in downtown Greenwich is displayed outside Starbucks in downtown Greenwich speaks about his work while assembling a mural on the corner of Greenwich Avenue and Amogerone Crossway in downtown Greenwich is displayed outside Greenwich Pharmacy in downtown Greenwich GREENWICH — Keen observers on Greenwich Avenue may be transported back in time over the next few months thanks to four large public art installations now on display Historic black and white photos of Greenwich Avenue's history have been pasted on four buildings downtown by artist Aaron Asis as part of a project with the Greenwich Historical Society. "It was important for us to have them not be facing Greenwich Avenue," Asis said on Wednesday, as he finished up the final installation. "They're kind of peek-a-boos. ...We want them to be discoveries for pedestrians." Asis has pasted up his murals at Bestever Cleaners, 69 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich Pharmacy, 116 Greenwich Ave.; Starbucks, 301 Greenwich Ave. and Meli-Melo, 362 Greenwich Ave. Two near the top of the Avenue and two near the bottom, as he put it. Each one has a historic photo overlaid with a quote gathered by the historical society. The one on the wall outside Meli-Melo features well-dressed men on the Avenue decades ago, with a quote about ice delivery, for example. The murals also have QR codes for people to learn more about the work. called "Two-Way Street," which will be on display at the Greenwich Arts Council offices at 299 Greenwich Ave The outdoor murals are just regular copy paper with blown-up sections of the historic photos printed on them gently unrolls the paper in place and seals the paper with another layer of paste The paper can be blasted off with a pressure washer when its time to take the murals down Putting up the paper goes relatively quickly and the murals can stay up for the better part of a year when applied like this Asis has to decide how to chop up the images to fit on 36-inch wide rolls of paper trim off the bent and crinkled edges once they arrive in the mail and carefully measure the pieces so they line up once he's up on the scaffolding pasting them in place "The application process of this is faster than painting a mural," Asis said "And the back end is much slower than painting a mural." Asis is part of the team at Untapped New York a tour and media company that takes people to hidden gems in and around New York City Untapped and the Greenwich Historical Society will be offering walking tours of Greenwich Avenue in the next few months Four tours in May have already been sold out which is when the murals are expected to come down The photos were chosen to represent different eras on the Avenue, Asis said. The area was built up as a commercial district by the 1880s The Avenue changed as cars became more common and the area was full of drugstores mostly run by local families through the 1970s and 80s Today most of the storefronts on the Avenue are occupied by large corporations. Some smaller operations persist, but hanging on can be difficult. The St. Moritz Bakery, an Avenue feature since the 1960s, just shut down in April Asis said he is wary of calling himself an artist without context — the word conjures images of a studio artist making things he said — but he thinks of his job as trying to inspire thought or contemplation with public art "The type of work I do is really about collaborating with other organizations bringing narratives together and using the art as kind of a visual prompt or visual portal to bring people into those narratives and those collaborations," he said Asis said his favorite part about creating public art installations is seeing how people respond He said people will derive their own meaning from each piece Some may recall their own memories of the Avenue others will have social or cultural reflections and some may just breeze past and think it looks pretty "You can see whatever you want," he said You can talk to someone about the memory or the future or the image or the tech or the craft It could be five minutes or two seconds." Visit the Greenwich Arts Council website for information about Art to the Avenue and the Greenwich Historic Society website for information about the murals and tours John Conte of Fairfield House & Garden Co directs the replacement tree planted along Field Point Road Thursday Conte died at home in Greenwich on April 22 GREENWICH — John Conte, a lifelong Greenwich resident, business owner and involved community member, died suddenly at his home on April 22. He was 65 years old, according to his obituary. Conte owned and operated Fairfield House & Garden and Conte & Conte, a landscape architecture and engineering firm. His family described him as as overflowing with creativity, deeply kind and joyful. "Possibilities were always limitless for John," his sister, Sandra Marr, said on Thursday. "I really feel like he traveled in a sphere that was kind of above our heads most of the time, because he was so creative. Everything he did was with love and creativity." Conte's life was defined by place. At work he helped people plan and build homes where they could make happy memories, and his own life was defined by being in Greenwich. "John met Kim in 1982 on the Byram Park softball field when Kim was set up for a blind date with someone else," his obituary reads John spotted Kim and Kim spotted John at that game and it truly was love at first sight for each other They were engaged seven months later." Kim Conte said her husband was an unusual and terrific man and that the kindness he showed people is still echoing today She said that whenever she and John returned from a trip "We'd come home from a trip away somewhere and we'd be driving up Round Hill Road This town is so beautiful.' He just loved coming home to Greenwich," she said we'd come down the driveway and he'd stop halfway down and say We live in paradise.' He didn't take it for granted." He worked with Kim to grow the construction firm his father started and once their two sons — John and David — were old enough they joined in too Various cousins and friends populate the businesses today Marr said her brother never had any intention of leaving town "John kept that legacy of the family being here," she said "Even though a lot of relatives didn't live in town anymore they often came back to John and Kim's home here because they were so welcoming and hospitable." Kim Conte said living with John meant living with all the ideas that would pop into his head — what she lovingly referred to as his "antics." She said he once saw a lighthouse for sale and got infatuated with the idea of owning it before she talked him down Kim also remembered the time he bought a "ridiculous RV" in Oregon drove his in-laws across the nation to Greenwich "He got to the top of the driveway and he said how am I going to get this in here?'" Kim recalled he could drive a backhoe and he adjusted the family's driveway to subtly conceal the large vehicle at the end the Greenwich Land Trust and Greenwich Audubon Conte was Board President for Greenwich Green & Clean and he spent years as co-chair of both the Greenwich Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Agency and the town's Architectural Review Committee Conte wrote that he found "great joy in volunteerism," in a letter he wrote for the Round Hill Association a community organization he led as president for five years He was elected chair of the Greenwich Tree Conservancy in February a role he only held for a few months before his death "He was a champion of Greenwich," First Selectman Fred Camillo said "His loss will be greatly felt." Camillo said he knew of Conte when they were students at St Camillo realized all the family and community connections they shared Camillo said he got closer with Conte in the past decade most recently regarding Camillo's plan to establish a statue of former President George H.W Conte contributed his landscape architecture expertise Camillo said Conte had recently gifted him a bottle of Conte Camillo — a pre-mixed Negroni — for the name alone Camillo said it has a place of honor in his office Conte's wake was held on Tuesday and the funeral was on Wednesday at the First Church of Round Hill on Wednesday "Those who knew John can be continually reminded of him as they ride through the beautiful Greenwich streets," his obituary reads "It is likely they'll be passing by a landscape that he designed or a lovely storefront design that he approved or a tree that he saved." Marr said the natural beauty of the town is bittersweet this year "I just drive through the town and I just see him everywhere," she said "I feel like I want to go live right now in a crappy old city so I could stop thinking about him." Conte's family asked that donations be made to the Greenwich Botanical Center Greenwich Land Trust or the Greenwich Audubon GREENWICH — Summertime restrictions on the use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers take effect later this month but a couple of town departments are going to have to be good at sharing to comply The town Departments of Public Works and Parks and Recreation had sought a combined total of roughly $476,000 to buy new electric leaf blowers, but the Republicans on the finance board voted to remove that funding from the budget in April Though the board is split evenly between Republicans and Democrats the board's Republicans vote gets to cast tie-breaking votes The departments had planned to buy enough electric blowers to replace half their fleets but town leaders now intend to get by with much less Parks and Recreation hoped to buy 21 blowers and DPW wanted 15, as well as various batteries and chargers, according to town documents, which would have converted half the respective fleets from gas to electric. the two departments will have six blowers between them "While Parks & Recreation and Public Works typically utilize the majority of their operating budgets each fiscal year current end-of-year projections indicate that sufficient adjustments may be possible to accommodate the purchase of at least two electric leaf blowers for each department," said  Commissioner of Public Works Jim Michel and Director of Parks and Recreation Joseph Siciliano in a joint statement "This would increase the town’s total inventory of electric blowers to six units." Gasoline-powered leaf blowers cannot be used in residential zoning starting at 6 p.m the Friday before Memorial Day through September 30 except for properties of two or more acres where the prohibition ends the day after Labor Day the blower rules take effect on May 23 at 6 p.m businesses and town workers operating in residential zones The town departments first sought blower replacement funds — $265,000 for Parks and Recreation and $211,000 for the DPW — in December The request was denied at the time and departments were told to include the money in the regular budget process chair of the Board of Estimate and Taxation said the town government should not comply with the blower rules so he and his Republican colleagues voted to cut the money from the town's spending plan "We're not accepting the mandate from the RTM which we think is an undue burden on the town," he said on April 3 has said his department is tasked with maintaining more than 2,000 acres of land throughout the town "The limited number of electric blowers will cause operational inefficiencies," the joint statement said while acknowledging that buying a few electric blowers is better than nothing "Staff will work collaboratively to prioritize usage across town properties and operations to ensure the most effective deployment of equipment." Siciliano and Michel said they considered three options for how to deal with the lack of funds and decided it was best to just buy what they can and share as needed The departments also considered asking for a one-year exemption from the noise ordinance the town law that contains the blower rules and seeking a change to the law through the Representative Town Meeting The RTM approved the leaf blower rules in January 2024 and they took effect for the first time last year No fines were issued for violators last year, but the police received more than 150 calls about noise violations in the first month the rules were in place A first violation of the ordinance results in a warning a second violation comes with a $100 fine and any subsequent violation will result in a $250 fine Additional information about the town's leaf blower rules is available on the town website A lawsuit between the town and the Greenwich Board of Education has already cost roughly $200,000 for outside legal counsel GREENWICH — The lawsuit between the first selectman and the Board of Education has already cost the town roughly $200,000 and the case is far from resolved So far, the school board has racked up a roughly $100,000 bill from its attorney and the town has paid about $89,000 to its attorney, according to town officials and meeting minutes. The Town Attorney exists to serve all town entities, but in this case, as departments are suing each other, the department has recused itself and both the school board and the first selectman have retained their own counsel. “A lot of people have reached out and expressed deep concern about this ongoing lawsuit between the first selectmen and the Board of Education that is going to require some extraordinary legal expenses,” committee chair James Waters said Waters made a motion to cut $50,000 from the law department's budget to send a message that this lawsuit should be dropped The law department pays for outside legal counsel The bill for the town's outside attorney has been paid according to Representative Town Meeting minutes said she created her 2025-26 fiscal year budget earlier in 2024 before the cost of the vacancy lawsuit became clear Though the motion to cut the law department's budget failed RTM committee members agreed that the case should be resolved quickly Schellenberg told the Legislative and Rules Committee from the RTM that the town side had already paid $89,000 in legal costs Greenwich Board of Education Chair Karen Hirsh other members of the school board and the board itself were sued by the town in 2024 over how a vacancy was filled The conflict started in July, when then-school board chair Karen Kowalski resigned as she and her family moved out of town Kowalski’s position on the board was vacant until Oct when Camillo scheduled a special meeting to fill the vacancy as he has claimed the Board of Selectmen is entitled to do under state law In response, the school board called an emergency meeting that day and the four Democrats on the board, including Karen Hirsh, voted to have Republican Jennifer Behette fill the position Hirsh was later elected chair of the school board so Kowalski's vacancy gave Democrats an outright majority for a time The next day, Oct. 22, Camillo and Lauren Rabin, two Republicans on the three-member Board of Selectmen, voted to have Republican Paul Cappiali fill the position Camillo filed a lawsuit in state Superior Court in Stamford in December against the BOE the four Democrats on the board and Behette over filling the Republican spot Camillo and the town requested that all official business the BOE conducted after Oct 21 be nullified and that Cappiali fill the position is tasked to decide whether an evidentiary hearing is necessary The case is also in front of the state Freedom of Information Commission, which is assessing whether the BOE's emergency meeting on Oct. 21 was director of education and communications for the FOIC said after having a continued hearing regarding this matter on April 14 the next step in the process is for the hearing officer to write up his recommendations in a report that will go to the full FOIC That report is likely not going to be ready for several months when the term for this contested seat begins anew As long as the Superior Court case is out there the town could be in for more legal bills in the future Greenwich Police Department's Police Day and Open House at headquarters on Bruce Place in Greenwich The Greenwich Emergency Medical Service will host its 13th annual Just for GEMS fundraiser this month at Caren’s Cos Cobber and GEMS Executive Director Tracy Scheitinger pose during the Just for GEMS fundraiser at Caren's Cos Cobber in the Cos Cob section of Greenwich A portion of the food sales at the Cobber will be donated to GEMS The restaurant will be open early to serve breakfast GEMS is an independent nonprofit organization that provides emergency medical care and ambulance services in town It receives some funding from the town of Greenwich so it relies on donations to fund operations Greenwich will celebrate National Police Week with Police Day on Saturday. Greenwich police will have equipment on display for demonstrations, including a drone and the department's K9 dog. Its facilities will be open for tours and there will be a bouncy house, hot dogs and more for visitors.  with events around the country to honor police officers and remember those who have died in the line of duty Greenwich Green & Clean will host its "Spring in Bloom" fundraiser this month to raise money in support of its signature hanging basket program Greenwich Green & Clean creates more than 100 hanging flower baskets to adorn the street lights and public space on Greenwich Avenue The Spring in Bloom fundraiser will feature seasonal dining a brief speech about the origins and process behind the hanging basket program "It promises to be a joyful and meaningful afternoon in support of the floral displays that help define Greenwich’s unique charm," the organization wrote in a press release Greenwich Green & Clean is a nonprofit organization that hosts the Live Like Luke beach cleanup each spring environmental education workshops and other sustainability events throughout the year Tickets for the fundraiser and additional information about the event are on the Greenwich Green & Clean website The Greenwich Recycling Advisory Board has established a new partnership with a company called Helpsy that will help residents recycle textiles The program is designed to help keep unwanted textiles out of the trash and reduce the volume of garbage brought to the dump Helpsy will do weekly pickups at home for people who sign up shoes and other materials and be picked up so long as the items are clean and bagged “We are excited to begin this new partnership with Helpsy so that we may expand our efforts to keep unwanted textiles out of our waste stream,” Sally Davies Textile pickups will take place each week on Tuesday, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.. Residents can sign up at www.helpsy.com/greenwichct or call 800-244-6350 The new program builds on the municipal textile recycling initiative started by GRAB in 2020 which provides collection bins at Holly Hill the collection bin program has diverted over 340,000 lbs of textiles and raised funds for recycling education for the community including the Waste Wizard online search tool informational mailings and waste reduction equipment at Greenwich Public Schools More information about the Greenwich Recycling Advisory Board is available on the town website GREENWICH — Despite a second meeting with it on the agenda, the Board of Education has yet to take any official votes on where to cut the operating budget "I just find it mind-blowing that we, as a district, have to consider cutting curriculum and instruction materials that aid the students in their learning and cutting into their potential," board member Jennifer Behette said at the Thursday meeting. "I just find it absolutely mind-blowing that it's come down to this conversation." Superintendent Toni Jones and her fellow district officials have proposed various options to the BOE during both its April 24 business meeting and its Thursday special meeting, spanning from making high school athletes pay to play to cutting third grade world language.  "Perhaps it's not the perfect program the elementary school world language program but I don't know of any high-performing school district that doesn't offer foreign language in the elementary school," said Kathleen Stowe who serves on the BOE's budget committee However, the only potential cut that the BOE got some sort of consensus on, through a "sense of the meeting resolution," is changing school start time as a way to reduce costs the board did not officially vote on an option as a SOMR is a shared understanding and agreement and is not binding The two scenarios that the members said they would lean the most toward are the ones that would push the high school start times earlier either to 7:45 a.m the elementary and middle schools will start a bit later the middle schools will begin at 8:05 a.m. while the elementary schools will start between 8:30 a.m this would save Greenwich Public Schools over $2.5 million as it would reduce the number of needed school buses by 23 If the school board chooses to go with the 7:45 a.m the middle schools will then start at 8:15 a.m All elementary schools but Hamilton Avenue School Julian Curtiss School and New Lebanon School will begin at 9 a.m These three schools will begin at 8:30 a.m This would save the district over $1.9 million and reduce the bus number by 18 "It's the big number," Stowe said are the kids going to get up earlier or are we going to cut their teachers it's not a huge issue for my family but I have had a few friends since last week tell me that they will probably personally egg my house I am just going to have to accept that and I think hopefully they will still hang out with me I think that we kind of have no choice."  who helped lead the exercise of going through potential cuts said to her colleagues that she heard "consensus on nothing else with the exception" of five other items that Jones and her team presented which include restructuring adult education reducing curriculum and instruction materials cutting a software program and eliminating a district consultant But the BOE did not officially vote on trimming any of these items the school board is tasked with deciding the specifics of the school operating budget The BET and Representative Town Meeting cannot dictate specific operational spending These bodies just tell the school board how much money it is allowed to spend the school board does not need to nail down its exact operational plan before the budget goes before the RTM on May 12 because the RTM does not approve that level of detail The outcome of the RTM budget meeting will tell the school district exactly how much money it can use but it will be up to school officials to decide how its operations fit in that budget BOE Chair Karen Hirsh, at the Thursday meeting, said she is hoping the BET will reopen the budget discussion, something the RTM asked the finance board to do through a SOMR on April 21.  Hirsh told her colleagues that she planned to send the BET a letter asking them to do this did send the finance board this letter on Friday "urgently" asking them to reopen the budget students in Greenwich need increased support  — academically Our schools are not immune to the rising challenges facing students and  educators across the country: increased mental health needs greater demand for individualized instruction and the growing complexity of educational services," the letter says we must emphasize that the magnitude of this reduction disregards the intrinsic and non-negotiable costs  necessary to maintain the current standard of educational quality in our district The impact of  such a cut will be significant and detrimental — not only to our students and educators but to the broader Greenwich community that values high-quality public education and expects educational excellence." If the BET does make any changes to the budget BET Chair Harry Fisher told Greenwich Time Fisher said on Friday that he was disappointed to see that the BOE did not take any action to adjust its operating budget during its meeting Some BOE members did want to get some progress done on cutting the budget including BOE Budget Committee Chair Cody Kittle who said at the Thursday meeting that "it is a real shame" the board was not "more constructive about this."  "Having spent many hours going through the details of this I don't think we've fully done our job," he said what I observe is mostly political theatrics here I understand the dynamic that it's much easier to not actually put something forward to just say that everything is so difficult and the sky is falling that a 5% increase turning into a 3% increase is the end of the world or whatever and then try to force the hand of our counterparties Staff Writer Andy Blye contributed to this report GREENWICH — Francis "Kip" Burgweger is convinced he has a guardian angel.  The 82-year-old veteran, who served in Vietnam from 1965 to 1966, said he started to believe this after he overslept one morning while serving in the war. This was the first and only time Burgweger didn't wake up on time to take a two and a half-ton truck to go grab breakfast at another unit, so he had to take a cab. "While waiting, a Viet Cong threw a grenade into the back of the truck," Burgweger said in a statement. "Three soldiers suffered minor injuries, and all received purple hearts. If I had been in the truck, I might have been killed or badly injured. The only explanation for my oversleeping is that my guardian angel kept me in bed long enough to miss the attack." Burgweger said he has "pride for having served."  Hearst Connecticut Media Group is featuring profiles on local veterans to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War During the four years he was in college at Yale University Burgweger took a Reserve Officers' Training Corps course he was assigned to the military intelligence branch where his first assignment was in Fort Meade Burgweger said he was assigned there without having any prior training who was a part of the 525th Military Intelligence Group sailed from San Francisco to Saigon in Vietnam including the time he was sailing on the ship when he returned to the United States from serving in the war went back to where he grew up in Northern Illinois prior to going to law school he did not experience any "negativity directly" from others regarding the war saying "I was aware of the negativity and probably had some feelings about it." "People weren't agitating there," Burgweger said about Northern Illinois After he graduated from law school at the University of Pennsylvania Burgweger clerked for a federal judge on the U.S Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Los Angeles who ended up being the first secretary of the U.S Burgweger ended up getting a position in New York City as a real estate and environmental lawyer Burgweger and his wife decided to settle in Greenwich in 1985 to raise their family The two had three kids and now have two grandchildren who earned a Bronze Star for Meritorious Service in the Vietnam War Burgweger said he has been diagnosed with two diseases He also said that a doctor told him that he may have post-traumatic stress disorder "Things that weren't personal can still impact you," Burgweger said GREENWICH — Superintendent Toni Jones is sticking around for at least a few more years, as the Board of Education approved a contract extension through June 30, 2028. This happened Thursday as a result of the four Democrats, plus Republican Jennifer Behette, voting in favor of the extension. The three other Republicans voted against, saying they would like to table the vote.  which is allowed through the superintendent's contract Both Hirsh and fellow Democrat Kathleen Stowe said they were in favor of extending Jones's contract because of the budgetary pressures the district is under as a result of the Board of Estimate and Taxation cutting the BOE's proposed operating budget by over $4.1 million "There are many superintendent positions open We've asked (Jones) to do a lot and frankly I am not sure if we could find another superintendent right now given the situation we are in," Stowe said I think it's exactly the right time to be doing it." Prior to voting on Mercanti-Anthony's motion to table the vote on extending the contract Republican Cody Kittle said "it would have made a ton of sense to do this at the May 15 meeting," saying he would also like to get the budget reduced before moving on to extending Jones's contract "It's independent of the views on Toni," he said "It's just about from a what seems clean and makes sense from a procedural standpoint You don't extend a contract when you're right in the middle of something major You get to the other side of it and say 'great job.' You know I'm disappointed we've brought this up now." Mercanti-Anthony's motion to postpone the vote failed and the initial proposal to extend the contract by two years passed 5-3 "I think this is disappointing that we are having a partisan fight here for no reason," Mercanti-Anthony said "This is the second time this year that we are making what should be a bipartisan decision partisan for absolutely no reason." Behette said "it is bipartisan." A judge in State Superior Court in Stamford is deciding whether a motion to dismiss evidentiary hearing is necessary A hearing officer at the FOIC is working on completing the recommendation that will be presented to the full commission Carl Higbie with Tony Capasso at Tony’s at the J House in Riverside recently host of "Carl Higbie Frontline" on Newsmax TV was seen dining at Tony’s at The J House in Riverside recently Scene…New York Yankees pitchers and Greenwich residents Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole have something else in common — their young sons are teammates on the Greenwich Recreation T-ball team. They played their first game last Sunday. Scene… Arguimbau Art Show & Reception takes place at the Red Barn Gallery Middle Patent Road in Greenwich on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m Artist Peter Layne Arguimbau’s subject matter includes portraits Out there… Grammy Award-winning R&B band Kool & The Gang are performing at the Palace Theatre in Stamford on May 16 at 8 p.m. For tickets ($85-$175) go to palacestamford.org. “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”-Willie Nelson (who turned 92 on April 29) Got a tip? Seen a celebrity? Email Susie Costaregni at thedish2@yahoo.com. Beat the crowds and enjoy the lighter evenings at Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory this summer Historic ship Cutty Sark and Royal Observatory Greenwich are open late every evening during the summer months giving you a chance to enjoy these special places for longer Take more time to explore the sites, avoid the peak visiting times, and make the most of British Summer Time at Greenwich Please allow all cookies to watch the video it’s the perfect place to enjoy the beautiful evening light Or you could step aboard the famous tea clipper Cutty Sark take in views of the Thames from the Main Deck before heading to a riverside pub to watch the sun set If you want to visit both sites, why not book a Royal Museums Greenwich Day Pass It’s our best value ticket and gives you entry to both the Royal Observatory AND Cutty Sark Book tickets 1 May - 1 June: 10am-6pm (last entry 5.15pm) 2 June - 31 August: 10am-7.45pm (last entry 7pm) 1-30 September: 10am-6pm (last entry 5.15pm) Occasional site closures may affect these normal opening hours. Please check the booking calendar for the latest availability 28 June - 5 September: 10am-6pm (last entry 5.15pm) Occasional ship closures may affect these normal opening hours. Please check the booking calendar for the latest availability North Mianus School holds its 75th annual Pow Wow carnival in Cos Cob The North Mianus Pow Wow is slated to start back up on Friday for its 77th year North Mianus School's grounds turns into a fair with games The Pow Wow is scheduled to take place from 3:30 to 9 p.m There will also be a raffle where community members can win gift cards The North Mianus class that sells the most tickets will earn a celebration To purchase tickets, go to rafflecreator.com/pages/58960/77th-annual-pow-wow-raffle. "The entire community is invited to be a part of this beloved local tradition that generations of Greenwich residents and their families have enjoyed," First Selectman Fred Camillo wrote in his weekly note to Greenwich. a longtime Greenwich resident and swim instructor is the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich's new aquatics director Poillon will oversee the club's aquatics programming including the swim teams and recreational activities “We are thrilled to welcome Janet Poillon to our team,” said Cristina Vittoria her lifelong commitment to water safety and swim instruction and her leadership across so many sectors make her uniquely qualified to lead our aquatics department Janet embodies the passion and dedication that define our mission.” Poillon has worked for companies including Microsoft She also has taught children and adults swim lessons for over 40 years She has raised money for Swim Across America and has volunteered with the National Ski Patrol at Stratton Mountain for over 14 years She serves on the Greenwich EMS Board and has earned her National EMT certification “As someone who grew up in the Greenwich public school system I’ve always felt a deep connection to this town and its waterfront,” Poillon said in a statement “Joining Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich as aquatics director is more than just a new chapter — it’s a chance to give back to the community that shaped me I’m excited to share my love for swimming and my dedication to safety and youth development with the next generation.” who has a rare genetic brain disease called vanishing white matter disease Western Middle School students wore mismatched socks during their annual Mismatched Day he starts every day with a huge smile on his face and mismatched socks on his feet," according to Greenwich Public Schools' newsletter WMS students raised money to support research and people who are affected by vanishing white matter disease which is spearheaded by teacher Cody Ludvinsky which is triple the amount the school raised last year Greenwich Free Press (https://greenwichfreepress.com/schools/greenwich-board-of-education-extends-superintendent-jones-contract-two-years-231441/) The Greenwich Board of Education on Thursday voted to extend superintendent Dr The vote followed the board’s executive session “Given the budget and everything else going on I feel like this isn’t probably the best time I think we need more time as the board to consider things like that I don’t want this to be construed as an un-endorsement or any comment on Dr I don’t think we should be doing this in the midst of the budget.” That was a reference to the $4.1 million shortfall on the school’s operating budget for FY26 that was the result of the Republican controlled Board of Estimate and Taxation The chair Harry Fisher used his tie breaking vote to approve the $4.1 million reduction to the schools budget the board had started to consider cute including to the Advanced Learning Program charging a $220 fee per athlete per season for sports which was a change implemented back in 2017 after the much debate and public hearings “Because of the budget we need to be having this conversation,” Stowe said “There are many superintendent positions open and I’m not sure if we could find another superintendent right now I think this is exactly the right time to be doing it.” “We need someone with a good handle on what’s going on “She just got generally positive feedback from all of us,” said BOE chair Karen Hirsh Republican Wendy Vizzo Walsh brought up the situation with First Selectman Fred Camillo’s lawsuit against the BOE, which Greenwich Time reported Saturday had already cost the town roughly $200,000 That lawsuit stems from a disagreement about who rightfully holds the seat left open for a Republican on the board after Karen Kowalski resigned due to a move out of town Camillo said harbormaster Paul Cappiali was lawfully installed on the BOE by a 2-1 vote of the Board of Selectmen BOE Vote to Ratify Earlier Vote on New Member, Jen Behette Oct 24 BOE Democratic Caucus: First Selectman’s Actions on BOE Vacancy Are a Power Grab Oct 24 Camillo Statement on Democratic BOE Members’ Actions Oct 24 Selectmen Vote 2-0-1 to Appoint Cappiali to BOE Vacancy; Town and BOE to Litigate Oct 23 “We’re still waiting for the FOIA ruling They’re going to be having a briefing on May 5 and soon after we should probably have a resolution The last thing we want to do is enter into a contract because I don’t know if we’ll be able to get out of it but it’s very difficult to undo a contract,” Vizzo Walsh said referring to unwinding all votes made with the participation of Republican Jen Behette The Board of Selectmen’s complaint to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) commission – over the objections of lone Democrat Janet Stone McGuigan – questions the legality of Greenwich Board of Education meetings on Oct 21 and 23 when Ms Behette was installed and then vote ratified She was voted onto the board during an emergency meeting Ms Hirsh said the FOIA opinion would take longer “On May 5 they’re submitting briefings It still has to   go to the hearing commissioner and then over to the commission itself,” Hirsh said Republican Cody Kittle said he was disappointed to be talking about the Superintendent’s contract in the middle of budget situation “You can force something through if you want,” he said “You don’t extend a contract when you’re right in the middle of something major.” Mercanti-Anthony’s motion to table the vote and delay “I think this is disappointed we are having a partisan fight here for no reason,” Mercanti-Anthony said From there the board voted 5-3 on the superintendent’s contract extension for two years to June 30 Back in June 2024, a vote on a 2-year extension to Jones contract failed But the board then voted to extend the contract by one year Jones was hired in 2018, after Jill Gildea resigned following less than a year in the job Gildea’s resignation reflected the loss of Greenwich Schools 12th superintendent in 20 years Jones was selected after a nation-wide search She became superintendent effective July 1 And, of course, Jones announced that because of the COVID-19 pandemic schools would be forced to close in mid-March 2020 Your guide to the home of Greenwich Mean Time and the historic Prime Meridian line Greenwich is the place where east meets west and time itself is defined Home to the Royal Observatory and the historic Prime Meridian line Visit the place that gave Greenwich Mean Time to the world and discover the best that London's historic royal borough has to offer The historic Prime Meridian of the world is Royal Observatory Greenwich's most famous landmark This is the line that divided the eastern and western hemispheres of the Earth and ushered in the global time system we still use today Stand with one foot in the east and one in the west for an iconic photo, then take a tour round the historic buildings to find out how the Observatory found itself at the centre of the world history and navigation – it all comes together at the Royal Observatory Book Observatory tickets Plan your visit to the Royal Observatory Your time in Greenwich doesn't stop at the Prime Meridian line – there's a whole lot more to explore at the Royal Observatory it was difficult for sailors to know their precise location at sea While finding their 'latitude' (their position north or south) was possible using the Sun and stars working out their 'longitude' (position east or west) was harder.  Carpenter-turned-clockmaker John Harrison held the solution His revolutionary 'marine chronometers' (sea clocks) kept accurate time This accuracy allowed sailors to calculate the difference between their local time and the time in Greenwich From this they could work out their longitude Chronometers based on Harrison's dramatically reduced the risks of travelling by sea The Royal Observatory became a testing laboratory for these vital instruments and Greenwich confirmed its status as a centre for global time and navigation See the Harrison clocks on display inside the Royal Observatory's dedicated 'Time and Longitude' gallery The bright red Time Ball on the top of the Royal Observatory is a distinctive spot on the Greenwich skyline The Time Ball was first set up in 1833 as a way for ships moored in the Thames to set their clocks – and it still operates today At 12.58pm it rises all the way to the top providing an accurate time signal for anyone who happens to be looking up the hill towards the Royal Observatory Greenwich Park is one of London's oldest Royal Parks and traces of times long gone are everywhere take a picnic into the park and search for signs of the Park's deeper history from the remains of a Roman temple to the tree that reportedly once sheltered Queen Elizabeth I Cutty Sark is the world's sole-surviving tea clipper Stepping aboard is like stepping back in time to an era when sailing ships travelled the world and seafarers battled wind and wave to deliver their cargoes as quickly as possible Cutty Sark could have been lost to history many times over the course of its long life shipkeepers and conservation experts work tirelessly to care for the ship preserving this maritime survivor for current and future generations Plan your visit to Cutty Sark Greenwich is beautiful throughout the year with the famous cherry blossom coming into flower from late April to early May.  Summer is ideal for visitors to Cutty Sark This can be the busiest time for Museum and Observatory visitors but regular activities and events make it a perfect time to visit with kids Autumn brings quieter days and more opportunity for exploring the many museums and historic interiors while in winter Greenwich town centre glows with Christmas lights and festive markets Greenwich is a quick, easy journey from central London and once here all the historic sites are within easy walking distance of each other Travelling by boat to Greenwich is a picturesque alternative Glide past London's city sights slide before alighting at Greenwich Pier right next to Cutty Sark and the Old Royal Naval College Find more travel information The Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark are both part of Royal Museums Greenwich a collection of museums that also include the National Maritime Museum and the Queen's House Tickets for all sites are available online and we recommend booking in advance to receive updates before your visit.  Both the National Maritime Museum and Queen's House are free to visit meaning it's possible to visit four different museums all in one day on one ticket See all tickets Greenwich Free Press (https://greenwichfreepress.com/around-town/arts/india-cultural-centers-extended-holifest-celebrates-spring-in-a-colorful-way-231449/) Saturday’s HoliFest benefited from sunny skies and warm temps that drew the crowds to Roger Sherman Baldwin Park The highlight of the event was the color throw a traditional feature of Hindu festivals of Holi Bags of powder – eco-friendly gulal –  were distributed and participants had the the opportunity to welcome spring in a colorful way an hour longer this year – with more musical and dance performances The India Culture Center’s annual HoliFest in Roger Sherman Baldwin Park featured a joyful color throw The reunion of musicians and friends will celebrate Al DiMarco III and raise funds for Project Music a a Stamford Connecticut-based nonprofit dedicated to providing high-quality music education for young people View all Arts Posts → one of the oldest businesses on Greenwich Avenue is closing its doors this weekend one of the oldest businesses on Greenwich Avenue which has been in operation at its current location since the 1960s Owner and operator Phil Chau said the building at 383 Greenwich Ave. was being sold, adding uncertainty to his operation. He had been paying rent month to month, he said.  The sale of the building followed a number of other negative factors that led to the closure. "The business has been getting harder, higher expenses, and problems with parking," Chau explained.   The store was expected to remain open through Saturday afternoon, with limited merchandise. Chau, 64, a Norwalk resident, said he was moved by the steady stream of friends and customers who stopped by the store to wish him well after the closing notice went up recently. everyone has been coming in," said Chau The bakery owner said he was feeling a mix of emotions but enthusiastic to start a new chapter and explore other work opportunities "I'm slowing down," he said "I'm looking for something with less stress." in 1939 and relocated to Greenwich Avenue in the 1960s "I grew up coming to this place with my parents," she said Chau struck a reflective note on the closing "Greenwich Avenue is not the way it was," he said "No more 'mom and pops.' "  Other longtime businesses on the Avenue that have closed or relocated in recent years include the Fred D. Knapp and Son Funeral Home, which had been in operation on the Avenue for over a century. It moved in 2023.  Also, Grannick's Pharmacy closed in 2023 after 80 years in business London’s most attraction-packed neighbourhood covers all things maritime – as well as the beginning of time the Cutty Sark is now a museum ship in a dry dock by the River Thames Head up to the deck for cheesy selfies behind the wheel where the exhibition delves into the scale of the tea trade with China Speed was of the essence – the first tea back every year commanded a much higher price – and the purpose-built Cutty Sark would carry 600 tonnes of tea on each run from Shanghai The National Maritime Museum.Credit: iStock Nation” section of the National Maritime Museum displays the coat naval tactician Horatio Nelson was wearing when fatally wounded explores the naval origins of terms such as “first rate” and “true colours” and explains the world-conquering size of the British Navy Australian visitors will probably be drawn to the Pacific Encounters section along with a huge Fijian canoe and the best-known portrait of Captain Cook are several extraordinary early paintings of Australia by William Westall draughtsman on Matthew Flinders’ voyage of circumnavigation The spectacular blue-painted Tulip Stairs.Credit: Alamy There are more Westall paintings on display at the Queen’s House – the first classical-style Palladian building in England The star of this Inigo Jones architectural masterclass are the blue-painted Tulip Stairs which spiral downward with no central structure – the stone treads lock perfectly into the walls to make it self-supporting the wrought-iron flowers are probably lilies – Queen Henrietta Maria’s symbol – not tulips the Painted Hall is a grand scale artwork that took James Thornhill 19 years to complete The grandstanding ceiling murals portray King William III and Queen Mary II surrounded by the Five Virtues while elsewhere there’s a captured Spanish galleon and the white horse-pulled chariot of Greek sun god Apollo The Painted Hall is the last stop on the Blockbuster Film Tour which shows off via Pirates of the Caribbean Sherlock Holmes and Bridgerton how ubiquitous a filming location the college has become Greenwich College and the landscape of Greenwich Park.Credit: iStock take a stroll uphill through the 75-hectare Greenwich Park – once King Henry VIII’s private hunting ground the famous deer have been temporarily removed to Richmond Park but the project to restore the park to its 17th century look has seen the reintroduction of the Grand Ascent – giant grass steps The viewing platform at the top has show-stopping views with Queen’s House and the Old Royal Naval College on one side of the Thames and the gleaming skyscrapers of Canary Wharf on the other the world’s time zones have been measured from a line at the Royal Observatory and putting one foot either side of the Greenwich Meridian means you’re in both the western and eastern hemispheres Due to bumps and dips on the Earth’s surface GPS systems use the IERS Reference Meridian many of the star systems crucial for ocean navigation have been monitored and mapped at the Royal Observatory Greenwich a second crucial project is explored – the accurate measurement of longitude The Time and Longitude Gallery tells of disastrous shipwrecks that spurred the quest for cracking the conundrum plus clockmaker John Harrison’s 46-year mission to build a reliable chronometer Several iterations of his measuring machines culminating in the successful pocket watch-like H4 See rmg.co.uk, visitgreenwich.org.uk The writer was a guest of Visit Britain. See visitbritain.com Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now London\\u2019s most attraction-packed neighbourhood covers all things maritime \\u2013 as well as the beginning of time Speed was of the essence \\u2013 the first tea back every year commanded a much higher price \\u2013 and the purpose-built Cutty Sark would carry 600 tonnes of tea on each run from Shanghai Nation\\u201D section of the National Maritime Museum displays the coat naval tactician Horatio Nelson was wearing when fatally wounded explores the naval origins of terms such as \\u201Cfirst rate\\u201D and \\u201Ctrue colours\\u201D and explains the world-conquering size of the British Navy draughtsman on Matthew Flinders\\u2019 voyage of circumnavigation There are more Westall paintings on display at the Queen\\u2019s House \\u2013 the first classical-style Palladian building in England which spiral downward with no central structure \\u2013 the stone treads lock perfectly into the walls to make it self-supporting the wrought-iron flowers are probably lilies \\u2013 Queen Henrietta Maria\\u2019s symbol \\u2013 not tulips while elsewhere there\\u2019s a captured Spanish galleon and the white take a stroll uphill through the 75-hectare Greenwich Park \\u2013 once King Henry VIII\\u2019s private hunting ground but the project to restore the park to its 17th century look has seen the reintroduction of the Grand Ascent \\u2013 giant grass steps with Queen\\u2019s House and the Old Royal Naval College on one side of the Thames the world\\u2019s time zones have been measured from a line at the Royal Observatory and putting one foot either side of the Greenwich Meridian means you\\u2019re in both the western and eastern hemispheres Due to bumps and dips on the Earth\\u2019s surface a second crucial project is explored \\u2013 the accurate measurement of longitude plus clockmaker John Harrison\\u2019s 46-year mission to build a reliable chronometer Celebrate the anniversary of one of the most important scientific sites in the world In 2025 the Royal Observatory is celebrating its 350th anniversary Observatory curators and astronomers are hosting a season of special events to mark this historic moment from astronomy live streams and stargazing demos to author talks You'll even be able to travel back in time, and see what the night sky would have looked like 350 years ago in a brand-new show at London's only planetarium Join us in Greenwich to celebrate 350 years of the Royal Observatory Sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest news stories and events from the Royal Observatory and get ready to celebrate the 350th anniversary in order to the finding out of the longitude of places for perfecting navigation and astronomy we have resolved to build a small Observatory within our Park at Greenwich upon the highest ground … with lodging rooms for our Astronomical Observator and his Assistant."  This order, given by King Charles II, led to the founding of the Royal Observatory in 1675 it is one of the most important scientific sites in the world The Royal Observatory was always intended to be both a working institution and a home for the 'Astronomer Royal' John Flamsteed was the first person to hold the position The original building is still known as 'Flamsteed House' today Flamsteed's task was to observe and record the positions of the stars in order to “find out the so-much-desired longitude of places" This search for a way to measure longitude – a person's position east or west – came to define the Royal Observatory It led to the world's first Prime Meridian and lay the foundations for Greenwich Mean Time and the global time system we still use today But these breakthroughs only tell part of the story generations of astronomers spent many cold nights carefully observing the night sky Their work transformed how we explored our Earth and changed our understanding of the Universe Follow in their footsteps this anniversary year and be a part of Royal Observatory history The Swans" New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on January 23 Entrepreneur and former "Real Housewives of New York City" star Bethenny Frankel is leaving Connecticut for "the sunshine state." "I am moving to Florida for personal and professional reasons," Frankel said in an Instagram video "Something has arisen that made this the best and healthiest decision for myself and my daughter." Frankel said in the video that she will maintain residences in the Hamptons and New York City because "we love New York." She added that Florida will serve as her primary residence Frankel, who recently did a Connecticut house tour with "In Depth with Graham Bensinger," is selling her Greenwich home, according to a report from Page Six has been recently shown to a "select group of family and friends," according to the publication which also lists that Frankel is looking for $8 million for the house In the house tour video for "In Depth with Graham Bensinger," Frankel talks about how her house is from 1743 while showing off where her staff works on the property as well the "Just B with Bethenny Frankel" podcast space Frankel owns a mansion in Southampton, which she purchased in 2023, as well as an apartment on the Upper West Side in Manhattan Andrew DaRosaTrending Reporter/Senior Web ProducerAndrew DaRosa is a SPJ award-winning journalist who has worked at Hearst Connecticut Media Group since 2018. He currently works as a Senior Audience Producer and a Trending Reporter for CT Insider and also runs the SEEN section When he isn’t writing about Ed and Lorraine Warren or jam bands, Andrew can be found going to concerts with his wife or hanging out with his cat, Spud. Discover this year's must-see moments with Royal Observatory astronomers 2025's skies will feature a range of exciting sights, from partial solar and total lunar eclipses to illuminated planets, meteor showers, supermoons and more. Explore the year’s space and astronomy highlights with astronomers from the Royal Observatory Greenwich.  In 2025 the Royal Observatory will celebrate its 350th anniversary. Join us on-site and online for a series of events The year starts with a bang with the Quadrantids one of the strongest and most reliable yearly meteor showers Active from 28 December 2024 until 12 January 2025 In 2025 the Quadrantids peak on the night of 4 January with a possible rate of up to 120 meteors per hour at the maximum The waxing crescent Moon might drown out a few of the fainter meteors on this night though luckily it will set below the horizon just before 10 pm from the UK.  To see this shower bundle up nice and warm find a dark location free from light pollution and fill your eyesight with as much of the sky as possible To work out if you’ve seen a Quadrantid meteor trace it back to its radiant point which should be in the northern part of the constellation Boötes one celestial object appears to pass in front of another On 4 January from the UK we’ll see a lunar occultation of Saturn meaning Saturn will appear to pass behind the Moon which will be nearing its first quarter phase.  At around 5.15 pm Saturn will be visible just about touching the northwest of the Moon and will then disappear behind the shadowed portion of the Moon Around 6.30 pm Saturn will reappear from behind the southeast of the lunar disk.  Other regions won’t see an occultation, but Saturn and the Moon will appear close to each other in the sky, known as a conjunction.  Venus and Mercury are bright enough to be seen with the unaided eye but because they're closer to the Sun than Earth is This makes them difficult or even dangerous to see at times fainter and closer to the Sun than Venus.  If you’d like to see these rocky worlds for yourself your best bet is usually to wait for their greatest elongation This is the time when each planet is farthest from the Sun and therefore more likely to still be above the horizon when the blinding Sun has set.   Venus will reach its greatest elongation east (and therefore seen in the evening) on 10 January and its greatest elongation west (seen in the morning) on 1 June 2025.  When a planet is ‘at opposition’ it’s directly opposite to the Sun in the sky which fully illuminates the planet’s face so that it appears at its brightest.  making this a great opportunity to set your eyes or telescopes on the beautiful red planet.  set a reminder for after sunset on any evening from late January into late February where you’ll have a great view of six planets - Saturn Jupiter and Mars - scattered across the sky in the hours after sunset Between 18 and 21 January will be particularly good as Saturn and Venus will be close to one another in the sky slowly swapping places in the planetary parade Venus and Jupiter will be easily visible as bright white points of light but Uranus is quite faint and will require very dark skies or a telescope to attempt to see it Neptune meanwhile will require a fairly powerful telescope to observe creating a total of seven planets on display in the sky by this point it will be much more difficult to see Saturn and Neptune as they will be very low on the southwestern horizon after sunset February kicks off what is known as ‘galaxy season’ for the Northern Hemisphere where we have the best opportunity to look at these stunning distant ‘cities’ of gases A new Moon on February 28 February gives you a chance to escape the light pollution of the Moon and get a good look at some galaxies.  Mercury will reach its greatest elongation east As it’s an eastern elongation this will be best seen in the evening.  Mercury's greatest elongation east will happen again on 4 July and 29 October and it will reach its greatest elongation west (best seen in the morning) on 21 April make sure you don’t look directly at the Sun and if observing with a telescope or pair of binoculars wait until after sunset or before sunrise to avoid accidentally pointing them at it.  A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow Russia and Africa will see a total lunar eclipse on this day from the UK we’ll see a partial lunar eclipse where not all of the Moon will be in shadow.  During this particular eclipse almost all of the Moon will be in Earth's umbra The Moon will first move into Earth's penumbra (the lighter part of its shadow) at 3.57 am GMT The maximum of the eclipse in London will be at 6.19 am because during the eclipse's actual maximum at 6.58 the Moon will have set below the horizon.   Getting to a high point with a clear western view will allow you to see more of this eclipse we’d forgive you for sleeping through this one.  Changes in the length of day and night are caused by the tilt of the Earth at certain times of year the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun and the Southern Hemisphere is tilted away from it Equinoxes happen when neither hemisphere is tilted towards or away from the Sun and there are roughly equal hours of daylight and darkness happen when a specific hemisphere is tilted towards or away from the Sun which results in long days or long nights.   The vernal or spring equinox will occur on 20 March in the Northern Hemisphere and this is when astronomical spring is said to start Saturn gained the nickname “the jewel of the Solar System” thanks to its magnificent system of rings This is due to the Earth’s orbit crossing the plane of the rings a rare event that occurs about once every 15 years the flat disk of the rings will be edge-on from our perspective.  Galileo was the first to notice the rings disappear from view during a plane crossing in 1612 it was proposed that the rings were in fact moons of Saturn leading Galileo to wonder whether “Saturn swallowed his children".  plane crossings have been very useful to astronomers in revealing Saturn's secrets Things that would otherwise be obscured can be spotted when the rings are edge-on - several of Saturn’s moons have been discovered this way!   On 23 March Saturn will be very close to the Sun in the sky meaning we sadly won’t be able to see the planet during the plane crossing it’s pretty cool to know that our planet will be perfectly aligned with the iconic rings of Saturn.  Rounding out March is a partial solar eclipse where around 30-40% of the Sun will be obscured by the Moon at the maximum.  The partial eclipse will begin at 10.07 am GMT in London when the Moon first touches the edge of the Sun Maximum coverage where the most of the Sun is obscured is at 11.03 am and then the Moon will gradually move off the solar surface until the eclipse ends at 12 pm.   Here at the Royal Observatory we’ll be live streaming the eclipse - sign up to our space newsletter to be kept up to date about the stream.  In 2025 the Lyrid meteor shower will be visible from 16-25 April Although it's far from one of the most active yearly meteor showers the Lyrids can still dazzle - some meteors have bright dust trails that glow in the sky for several seconds.   on the peak on the night of 22 and morning of 23 April the Moon will be below the horizon until around 4 am BST making conditions ideal to observe the peak.  The Lyrids are caused by debris from Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher which does a lap of the Sun once every 415 years It’s the oldest recorded meteor shower still visible today and was first recorded in 687 BCE.   Sign up to our space newsletter for exclusive astronomy highlights night sky guides and out-of-this-world events The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is active between 19 April and 28 May peaking between midnight and dawn on 5 May with a predicted rate of up to 40 meteors per hour.    This shower is more visible for the Southern Hemisphere and will appear low in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere in the early hours pre-dawn it should still be possible to see the shower in the eastern sky even when the radiant is below the horizon.   In 2025 the Eta Aquariids begin when the Moon is in its waxing gibbous phase with maximum on May 5 happening one day after a first quarter moon resulting in slightly unfavourable seeing conditions Look eastwards to spot the star Eta Aquariid in the constellation of Aquarius The source of the meteor shower is the famous Halley’s Comet which is visible from Earth about every 75-76 years.  The Northern Hemisphere will mark the summer solstice on 21 June when there will be around 16.5 hours of daylight.  The exact moment of the solstice is at 3.42 am BST which is the point at which the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest towards the Sun From here on out the days will get progressively shorter until the winter solstice on 21 December.   King Charles II founded the Royal Observatory Greenwich John Flamsteed's task as the first Astronomer Royal was to observe and record the positions of the stars in order to “find out the so-much-desired longitude of places" Learn more about the history of the Royal Observatory In July and August the Perseid meteor shower will occur a highlight of many astronomers’ calendars due to its high hourly rate and bright meteors At the peak you could see up to 150 meteors per hour and you might even catch some fireballs too In 2025 the Perseid meteor shower is active between 17 July and 24 August the maximum of the shower falls three days after the full Moon the long duration of this shower means you have plenty of darker opportunities to see some Perseid meteors like around the new moons on 24 July or 23 August The shower will appear to radiate from the constellation of Perseus so find a dark spot and look there for the best chance of seeing some shooting stars The Moon will rise above the horizon just in time for us to see this total lunar eclipse from the UK The eclipse’s maximum will occur at 7.33 pm BST as the eclipse's actual maximum at 7.11 pm happens when the Moon is below the horizon The Moon will then gradually move out of Earth's shadow until 9.55 pm.   the Moon will appear a red hue because it will be illuminated by light that has passed through the Earth's atmosphere and been bent back towards the Moon by refraction.  As the Moon will be low on the horizon and quite difficult to see find a high point with a clear view to the east to see the most of this eclipse.  In September we’ll get to observe the motion of the Solar System in action as Venus takes its turn to temporarily disappear behind the Moon.  This lunar occultation will be visible from Africa Venus will pass behind the Moon at 12.55 pm BST Saturn reaches opposition on 21 September meaning it’ll be directly opposite the Sun in the sky and therefore look especially bright to us.  As one of the more visible planets to reach opposition this could be a good opportunity to try to capture some photos of the gas giant In 2025 the autumnal equinox will occur on 22 September at 7.20 pm BST On this day the Sun will illuminate the Northern and Southern Hemispheres equally and day and night will be roughly the same length.  The full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox, which usually falls in September, is called the Harvest Moon It got this name because historically the light of the Moon helped farmers work late into the night harvesting crops meaning the skies will be nice and dark to spot some meteors Orionid meteors tend to be particularly fast with persistent trains November is a great time to observe the Pleiades star cluster one of the most easily recognisable asterisms (pattern of stars) to spot in the night sky during the winter.  This open star cluster sits within the constellation of Taurus the Bull and is visible with the naked eye While you may assume there are only seven stars in the cluster but only six are usually visible with the naked eye may be able to spot more members of the family No viewing equipment is needed to see the sisters but taking a look with binoculars or a telescope will allow you to look closely at individual gems within the cluster Ever looked up at the Moon and thought it looked particularly big and bright Your eyes probably weren’t deceiving you - sometimes the Moon is closer to us in its elliptical orbit Its closest approach to us is called perigee, and when a full Moon happens very close to perigee we call it a supermoon At this time the full Moon will appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than when it’s farthest away (apogee).  one on 5 November and another on 4 December.   Learn about supermoons The Geminid meteor shower with a possible hourly rate of 150 meteors per hour is usually one of the best meteor shower displays you can see all year In 2025 the Geminids will be active between 4 and 20 December and the shower reaches maximum on 14 December In 2025 the peak happens when the Moon is a thin waxing crescent so lunar light pollution luckily won’t be too much of a problem with this shower.  Geminid meteors are often slower than those from most other meteor showers fill your view with the sky and wait for the lights to appear The winter solstice the point at which the Northern Hemisphere will be tilted farthest away from the Sun On this day there will be slightly less than eight hours of daylight in London Whilst many people celebrate the whole day the exact moment of the solstice will occur at 3.03 pm GMT.  Header image: Observations at Night © Jakob Sahner, shortlisted in Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024 Popeyes® UK has announced that it will be bringing another taste of its Louisiana-style fried chicken to South East London with the launch of its new restaurant in Greenwich Retail Park Marking its 14th opening this year and 79th since landing in the UK Popeyes® will once again be pulling out all the stops showcasing its New Orleans hospitality with exciting launch day giveaways for locals on launch day the first four people in the queue on foot and the first four customers who pull into the Park & Serve bays will win the ultimate prize – free Chicken Sandwiches for a whole year* the first 50 customers will be treated to exclusive Popeyes® UK merchandise and the first 100 customers will bag a free Chicken Sandwich Popeyes® has become synonymous with fans queuing around the block to try the legendary Chicken Sandwich The team is advising hungry customers to get down early to avoid missing out on the opening day’s epic giveaways Customers are urged to download the Popeyes® UK app to access exclusive offers and limited-time promotions said: “It’s brilliant to be able to bring our New Orleans inspired menu to Greenwich Off the back of a run of London launches this year we’re proud to be bringing our shatter-crunchin’ fried chicken to a new part of the city.’