New Canaan, and the nation, this past week paused to remember those lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks—including the town’s own Joseph Coppo, Brad Fetchet and Eamon McEneaney.
Fire Chief Jack Hennessey, Police Chief Leon Krolikowski and EMT Wendy Hilboldt of NCVAC after the Sept. 11, 2014 9/11 memorial ceremony at NCPD. Credit: Michael Dinan
Dozens gathered Thursday for a memorial ceremony outside the New Canaan Police Department—the 13th anniversary of the unforgettable day (which was a Tuesday). There, police, fire, ambulance corps personnel and others talked about why the day is important to them and some of the ways that it has changed emergency response and our culture at large.
Eloise Killeffer and Ann Wronski at the Kiwanis Club of New Canaan gathering at Ridgefield Playhouse. Contributed photo
Last week also saw one of New Canaan’s longest-established and venerable nonprofit organizations mark its own 75th anniversary, while a proposed new fee scheduled within the district about facilities rental rates—and especially how higher fees might affect businesses such as Walter Schalk—spurred discussion in our community.
The biggest discussion, however—our Town Talker this week—dealt with use of New Canaan’s most treasured public amenity.
Here’s the Week in Review.
Town Talker
Several comments came into New Canaanite between the website and Facebook page, regarding the Park & Recreation Commission’s decision Wednesday to support a trial run of the popular Caffeine & Carburetors gathering at Waveny.
During the May Caffeine & Carburetors. Credit: Michael Dinan
On the one hand, supporters said New Canaan should give it a try because it’s a low-key, family-friendly event that’s run well and might benefit downtown merchants as attendees and classic and specialty car owners—which is basically the same big group—head into town for a bite to eat or a bit of shopping.
Those opposed to use of Waveny say the New Canaan High School parking lot is an equally and more appropriate location, since C&C isn’t necessarily a town event that benefits locals and that it’s not exactly what the cherished gift of the Laphams is meant for.
Caffeine & Carburetors will kick off at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19, following final approval this week by a special events committee headed by Tom Stadler.
Schools
District officials are looking again at what they charge groups that want to use school space—say, an auditorium or gym—for practice, shows and other events.
The spirit of a proposed new fee schedule is to do right by locals, so it prioritizes New Canaan-based nonprofits and youth sports groups, for example, in keeping rates low or at no cost at all. The burden is picked up by out-of-town organizations as well as businesses, local and nonlocal.
That’s a sticking point for many, since those same for-profit businesses often give back to the town in a number of ways, just as charitable organizations do.
So, the district (which has plenty of time on this, since a new rate schedule wouldn’t take until till next June) is going to take some more time with it.
Local Government
A dispute has arisen between the town and a Norwalk-based excavating company, in connection with two jobs here.
There are wetlands on either side of the driveway entrance at 86 Hoyt Farm Road. A Norwalk company is disputing the town’s assessment via a Municipal Citation for $1,000, saying it did not violate local wetlands regulations vis-a-vis fill that had been removed from a separate capital project around back of the house and reportedly dumped in front. Credit: Michael Dinan
Town officials say M. Lato Excavating & Tree Service violated local regulations by spreading fill near wetlands on a Hoyt Farms property, and also damaged the pavement on Soundview Lane on a separate job. The foreman on both jobs said he’s innocent, and, last we heard, the money sought by the town—$1,000 fine in one case, $3,500 in reparations in the other—are in dispute.
Also in local government: The latest installment in the Yankee Gas saga sees the municipal volunteers who oversee utilities lament the natural gas provider’s latest plan as worse than the one before it.
Sports
We had plenty of action in New Canaan sports this past week, from kids to high school varsity players to middle-aged men.
Alex LaPolice scores the first NC TD. (Terry Dinan photo)
Some big news for local sports enthusiasts was that New Canaan High School’s varsity football team notched a close victory Friday night over Daniel Hand in Madison.
Perhaps less closely followed was the New Canaan fourth grade team’s tough loss in its own season opener, though the nicknames given to the squad’s members more than made up for that result.
We saw boys and girls from the New Canaan Soccer Association shine on the pitch, and—perhaps because the sun was shining above their bald or balding domes—we saw some softball-playing local men also shine on the diamond, in an annual tradition that grew, in part, out of the Exchange Club.
Our Animals
A pair of cat-related items this week from the Animal Control unit at the New Canaan Police Department.
This kitten is adoptable through New Canaan Animal Control. Its mom is a feral cat in the area of Beech Road. Credit: Michael Dinan
First, in one of the week’s most-read articles, we heard that a bobcat kitten was spotted up near St. Luke’s School—meaning that among the three bobcats local guess we already have in town, there’s at least one male and female. What does that mean? We’ll probably see more bobcats, officials say.
Also, a pair of kittens born to a feral mama cat in the area of Beech Road have been taken in by Animal Control and are now adoptable.
Emergency responders stand near a sedan that crashed into a tree on Smith Ridge Road near Glen Drive early in the afternoon of Sept. 10. A single occupant of the car, described as an elderly gentleman, was rushed to Norwalk Hospital. Credit: Michael Dinan
Public Safety
A man was removed unconscious from his sedan after he crashed it, hitting a tree Wednesday afternoon on Route 123 just south of Glen Drive and the Field Club. Emergency responders rushed the injured man to Norwalk Hospital.
Police this week arrested a 26-year-old Connecticut man for stealing a wallet at Dunkin Donuts, and also arrested a fugitive from justice who is wanted in Georgia, after stopping him for distracted driving.
Finally, police are investigating what appears to be a break-in attempt at a commercial property on Elm Street.