Running an online local news website in an era of shrinking advertising budgets and shuttering of both print and digital outlets isn’t always easy. It sometimes means being unpopular, and there are no vacations because, as the saying goes, news never sleeps. It means staying alert for the occasional “Friday news dump” – maybe a 4:00pm resignation letter from a government official or documents released late in the day in hopes of avoiding scrutiny. But there remains an appetite for news in Greenwich and we continue to make GFP free to read, with no paywall.
In January 2024 GFP celebrated the 10th anniversary of its founding. Also, in 2024 GFP editor Leslie Yager was grateful to receive a Women Who Inspire Award from the YWCA Greenwich.
Many of the most read posts originated from videos contributed by readers, letters to the editor or even a well crafted press release.
The most read piece on GFP in 2024 came in August, during an otherwise slow news week.
This big story was about a small animal, Peanut the Squirrel, whose owner is from Greenwich. Mark Longo’s Dodo videos with his rescue squirrel had gone viral long before we shared his tale. Then, sadly, this fall, when officials euthanized Peanut as well as Longo’s rescue racoon, the original story spiked again.
#1 Greenwich Guy’s Viral Squirrel Videos Lead to Marriage, Sprawling Animal Sanctuary 84,000+ clicks
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In January, a report of a three vehicle collision on I-95 in Fairfield that took the life of Greenwich native, William “Billy” Foster was widely read, as was his obituary. Greenwich still grieves the loss of this Vietnam War veteran and singer.
#2 CT State police seek witnesses to I-95 Collision that took Life of William Foster 62,000+ clicks
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Since the start of GFP in 2014, we learned quickly that readers are obsessed with local restaurants, and many lament the demise of so many affordable, family friendly eateries. This fall, there was great enthusiasm for the the September opening of Greenwich Brewing Company upstairs at 109 Greenwich Ave, promising to fill that that void.
#3 Greenwich Brewing Company: Affordable, Family-Friendly Restaurant on Greenwich Ave 23,334 clicks
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Back in 2017 GFP deactivated the Disqus widget that had allowed readers to comment at the bottom of stories after some readers started using aliases to pick arguments and engage in name-calling. Instead, we encouraged readers with an opinion to comment on the GFP Facebook page with their real name or pen a letter to the editor.
The most read letter in 2024 was from longtime Greenwich resident John Cooper, who detailed his mishap at the intersection of Elm Street and Greenwich Ave.
#4 Cooper: Elm Street at Greenwich Ave, a mistake has been made. Why won’t the town correct it? 23,300+ clicks
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The next most read piece was also a letter to the editor. This was penned by Cos Cob resident Jim Finn who opined on the unfortunate disagreement over the rightfully seated Republican member of the Board of Education.
#5 Finn: Brouhaha Erupts at Greenwich Board of Education 22,147 clicks
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In September, readers alerted us to a disturbing incident that took place on the GHS freshmen football team bus as it traveled back from West Haven and the bus driver briefly drove the wrong way on I-95.
#6 Families Alerted to GHS Freshmen Football Team Bus Wrong-Way Incident. 21,714 clicks
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Sadly, in March came the closure of Mike Geller’s small format grocery store in the former IHOP he extensively renovated and opened in 2023.
The owners have since submitted a pre-application to Greenwich P&Z to return the site to its original restaurant use.
#7 Mike’s Organic to Close March 3 20,284 clicks
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In June, Robin Kencel was crowned Ms. Connecticut Senior America at the organization’s annual pageant at Bridgeport’s Bijou Theatre.
#8 Greenwich Resident Robin Kencel Wins Ms Connecticut Senior America Pageant 19,623
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In March, after one of our readers shared a video from a local restaurant security camera that captured the moment a thief stole her wallet from her purse, Deputy Police Chief Mark Zuccerella shared some advice to prevent becoming a victim.
#9 Pickpocket incident at local restaurant caught on video, police share tips to avoid being a target 19,493 clicks
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The next most read story featured another reader contributed video. This gas station surveillance camera caught a car thief in the act.
#10 VIDEO: Brazen thieves Drive off with Mercedes Briefly Unattended at Gas Station 17,584
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All the new businesses at the Glen Plaza Shopping Center in Glenville were highly anticipated after the owner renovated the former post office building on site and Stop & Shop permanently closed in 2023.
#11 Sweet Notes: Opening in Glenville with Candy & Ice Cream 19,505
#12 Luca’s Pizzeria and Italian Kitchen Opens in Glenville 18,045
#13 Chef Mike Pietrafeso Opens Bluebird Taqueria in Glenville 8,239
#14 Glenville to Get a New Supermarket: Greenwich P&Z Approves Application for DeCicco & Sons 11,114 clicks
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In April, after Caren St. Phillip, who previously ran Cobber North at the town’s golf course, did not seek to renew her license, we made FOI requests to the town purchasing dept for responses to the Griff restaurant concession RFP and the review committee’s scores.
#15 Camillo Awards Griff Golf Course Restaurant Concession to Deli Despite Being #2 Scorer on RFP 18,499 clicks
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In August, Greenwich’s Wetlands Agency told Dr. Michael Goldstein, then a candidate for the CT’s 4th Congressional district, to address the unauthorized use of 16,000 cubic yards of fill on a slope at his property. Dr. Goldstein told the agency he was unaware the area was regulated by Wetlands and agreed to remediate. The application had stemmed from a Stop Work Order in Jan 2023 and Cease & Correct Order in Feb 2023.
#16 Greenwich Wetlands Agency: Goldstein Must Address 16,000 Cubic Yards of Unauthorized Fill 18,137 clicks
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In August, GFP intern Claire Weindling wrote about the dreaded Spotted Lanternfly that had us all hopping and stomping in the grass, on sidewalks and even in the sand at the beach.
Claire explained that despite the community’s efforts to eradicate lanternflies during the summer of 2023, they returned in even greater numbers in the summer of 2024.
#17 What Harm Can Spotted Lanternflies Cause? Plenty. 18,022 clicks
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On an otherwise quiet Sunday morning in April, a motorist drove off the end of Steamboat Road into Long Island Sound, landing upside down on the rocks at low tide.
He sustained minor injuries.
#18 Car Drives off Steamboat Road and Lands on the Rocks at Low Tide 16,320 clicks
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After the summer-long demolition of the movie theater on the corner of Railroad Ave and Steamboat Rd, The Ashforth Company officially kicked off its $30 million Greenwich revitalization project with the start of construction on a 5,000-square-foot luxury restaurant.
#19 Gov Lamont Joins Officials to Kick off “Greenwich Crossing,” Starting with Construction of 5,000 Sq Ft Restaurant 16,857 clicks
CT Governor Ned Lamont addressed the gathered crowd at an event to kick off the Greenwich Crossing project, beginning with a 5,000 sq ft restaurant with abundant outdoor seating. Oct 21, 2024 Photo: Leslie Yager
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While we won’t include property transfers in this top story list, readers remain obsessed with property values and sales. In September, the P&Z commission made its long anticipated decision on a proposed 8-30g rental housing development on Mason Street.
The vote was a unanimous denial.
#20 Greenwich Planning & Zoning Unanimously Denies 8-30g at former Honda Dealer 16,487 clicks
Per state statute the applicant had a 65 day window to address the points made by the commission and re-file. The applicant returned with a new proposal involving condominiums for sale, plus retail on the ground floor. The application was approved 4-1 but with conditions: First, the retail use was denied. Second, that the affordable units with the same number of bedrooms as market rate units have no less than 90% of the average usable square footage of the market rate units.
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In June, longtime resident Peter Quigley wrote an opinion piece about what he believes is over development in Greenwich. He talked about the quality of life in town, the impact of the state affordable housing statute 8-30g, and the town’s capacity to take sewerage with storm water away, as well as flooding in the streets, basements and schools.
#21 Peter Quigley: Has Greenwich Reached a Tipping Point? 16,386 clicks
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On June 30, there was a gathering to mark the 50th anniversary of the blaze that overwhelmed a popular night club on the border of Greenwich and Port Chester. The crowd included responders, survivors, and both friends and family of the 24 people who lost their lives that night. The gathering took place on the small lawn in front of the historic Thomas Lyon House in Greenwich across Route 1 from the former location of Gulliver’s, today an office complex.
#22 50th Anniversary of Gulliver’s Night Club Blaze: Reflecting on the Fragility of Life 15,265 clicks
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On a Saturday in April, 16 masked men who identified themselves as NSC 131 gathered outside town hall where they chanted and held up banners that said, New England Is Ours – The rest must go,” and “Anti-whites FAFO.” The men made the Nazi hand salute before moving down Field Point Rd to the intersection of Railroad Ave. They said their protest was in response to a fight in Byram Park earlier in the month.
#23 Rally by Masked Men in Central Greenwich “Anti-Whites FAFO” 14,995 clicks
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In April GFP broke the story about Governor Lamont’s unauthorized tree cutting on his Greenwich property. The story became national news. The Wetlands violation was initially triggered by a call to Greenwich Police on November 9, 2023 from a Greenwich property manager about alleged trespassing at 148 Glenville Rd, also known as 1 Indian Spring Road.
#24 Restoration Proposed after “Devastating” Unauthorized Cutting and Wetlands Violation 14,720 clicks
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On a Friday in late July, Greenwich Board of Education chair, Republican Karen Kowalski, wrote an email to the Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones and fellow board members announcing her resignation. She also alerted the town clerk.
#25 Greenwich Board of Education Chair Resigns Citing Out of Town Move 14,608
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In May a reader contributed her video of the blaze on I-95 that destroyed a bridge in Norwalk, forcing closure of the highway and snarling local traffic. The state created a live webcam for people to watch the bridge work in real time and the Connecticut Dept of Transportation and its contractors got the highway fully reopened in less than 80 hours.
#26 I-95 Closes in Norwalk after Crash and Fuel Tanker Fire 13,711 clicks
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After 10 years, we are deeply grateful to our readers, sources, advertisers and donors whose support not only helps bring these stories to life but also makes it possible for Greenwich Free Press to continue to serve the community. In 2025 GFP remains committed to providing coverage that matters to our readers. Thank you for being part of our journey, and for making GFP a trusted independent news source.