New Canaan Police say they will run a DUI checkpoint in town during the week of Christmas. The specific date and location of the checkpoint isn’t known—the department is putting out word in order to put residents on notice to stay safe and aware during the holiday, said Police Lt. Jason Ferraro.
Emergency responders lower a man from the second floor of a home under construction on Carter Street. There were no stairs at the home, where the victim fell one floor, officials said. Photo published with permission from its owner
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Police released additional details in the accident last Monday that saw one construction worker fall an entire story at a home that’s being built on Carter Street. The man was moving a piece of plywood when he fell through a hole in the ceiling of the partially built home, from the third to second floor, police said.
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Officials at Town Hall are grappling with a problem involving the boilers at the newly renovated and expanded building. We heard that a smell of exhaust had pervaded some areas of the building on Monday morning. Asked about it, DPW Director Mike Pastore said “there seems to be a problem with the boiler functioning properly, sending out smoke, but then we have instances even when the boilers are working and we are still getting the smell. So there is a question is whether we are somehow re-circulating the exhaust.” There are no high levels of carbon monoxide in the building, but the smell has been annoying, Pastore said. Town Hall’s design team, boiler technicians and mechanical engineers are working on the problem, he said.
Carolyn Vermeer Ditlevsen and Terry Darden, on Dec. 2, 2015. Credit: Michael Dinan
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As of Tuesday afternoon, New Canaanites had raised $9,165 through a GoFundMe campaign for Terry Darden, the popular crossing guard whose car broke down, jeopardizing his ability to visit his mom in Florida for Christmas. The transmission job on the car itself was pegged at $3,000, so Darden should have some extra spending cash. Here’s a video that shows him receiving the community’s gift.
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A Stamford attorney has filed a notice with the town that he intends to commence legal action related to the case of a 63-year-old New Canaan resident who he said was harassed, became ill and was forced to retire. The claimant, Michael DeFelice, “was subjected to insults, verbal harassment, [and] picture harassments, all causing permanent medical and emotional distress,” according to the Notice of Claim, received Nov. 2 by the town. It wasn’t clear what area of town government DeFelice worked in or what was the nature of the harassment. His attorney, James L. Rapaport of Stamford, was not immediately available for comment.
From the summer 2015 inaugural Camp LiveGirl at NCHS. Contributed
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Registration is open for the LiveGirl Leadership Summit to be held at Stamford Boys & Girls Club from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 2. Called “Girl Power,” the summit will feature LyTasha Blackwell, founder and president of She’s the B.O.S.S. Officials say: “The session will center on discovering the ‘power of you’ and celebrating your individuality and diversity.”
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An online fundraising campaign to upgrade the New Canaan Police Department’s K-9 unit vehicle is underway, and more than $1,500 toward the $100,000 has been raised since the effort was launched on Nov. 27, with more than 25 people making donations.
L-R: Jim O’Neill and Phil Williams of New Canaan Music, located up the alley at the top of Elm Street. Credit: Michael Dinan
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After a great response to an event earlier this year, accomplished South African bassist Bakithi Kumalo (who has played with Paul Simon, among others) will join the New Canaan Music band, The Scavengers, at Chef Luis on Wednesday, Dec. 16. Kumalo has played with Gloria Estefan, Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, Harry Belafonte and Cyndi Lauper and is most known for his fretless bass playing on Paul Simon’s 1986 album “Graceland,” in particular the bass run on “You Can Call Me Al.” He has toured regularly with Simon since then.
Members of the New Canaan Fire Department delivery poinsettias to Waveny Care Center. Contributed
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New Canaan firefighters brought 14 poinsettias to bring joy and holiday spirit to the residents of the Waveny Care Center. Said the facility’s director of nursing: “We are so grateful for their generosity.”
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New Canaan’s Adrian Delicata won the 6-7 year old division in the “Punt, Pass and Kick Championship” for the 2015 NFL Punt, Pass and Kick program prior to Sunday’s (fabulous) Patriots-Eagles game at Gillette Stadium.
The 2015 Punt, Pass and Kick winners were presented with their awards by Patriots cheerleaders at the end of the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Eagles at Gillette Stadium. From left to right in the first row: Jaden Keefner, Kayleigh Engle, Adrian Delicata, Genevieve Jean-Paul and Owen Sevigny. From left to right in the second row: Kadence Presby, Rylee Sevigny, Declan McNamarra, Claudia Caron and Bobby Cliché.
Congratulations Adrian! He advanced from local and sectional competition to compete at Gillette Stadium, with athletes representing every New England state in Sunday’s championship. The New England Patriots Team Championship winners’ scores will be compared to the winners from the 31 other team championships to determine qualification for the national competition, which will be held during an NFC playoff game in January.