Around Town

Community Gathers to Send Off 3-Year-Old on ‘Make-A-Wish’ Disney Vacation

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It’s unusual to find a crowd near The Playhouse on a rainy Saturday morning, but for the right reasons, anything is possible. On Saturday afternoon, that reason was 3-year-old Ezekiel Huckabee, a child in the midst of a year-long battle with cancer. Since he was diagnosed with the disease at just 2 years of age, his life has been a constant battle, but not one he would have to fight alone. After one of his medical advisors got into contact with Make-a-Wish Connecticut, it didn’t take long for them to reach out to his family. “Make-a-Wish contacted us and invited us up to the Connecticut headquarters in Trumbull, and asked to grant us a wish,” Joshua Huckabee, Ezekiel’s father, told the New Canaanite.

Around Town

‘Aquianas’ Artistic Swimming Program Prepares for First Season as Private Nonprofit Team

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The Aquianas, a long-standing and successful artistic swimming team in New Canaan, is taking steps to begin its first season as a private nonprofit team this summer, officials say. A powerhouse in the sport that draws regional athletes and brings home medals from the East Zone championships—with some swimmers competing on an international scale—the Aquianas are facing an August deadline to secure pool time and independent financing, team representatives say. According to newly appointed Aquianas treasurer David Biegel, the cost will be “multiple” times more expensive if the team wishes to practice and compete at its accustomed level. “We put together, or rather are still undergoing putting together a nonprofit organization,” Biegel said. “So that’s how we are operating right now.

Business

‘BA Skin Lab’ Marks 10 Years in Business

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BA Skin Lab on Grove Street in March marked its tenth year in business, a major milestone for the skin care clinic. Founded by Barbara Aquino in March of 2015, BA Skin Lab’s main focus is tailoring their treatment for each individual client, a strategy which has attracted customers from all over the state, she said. “Everything we do is very different. It’s not a typical fashion place that does cookie cutter treatment,” Aquino told the New Canaanite. “We don’t even have a menu of treatments, because we are going to tailor the treatment, boosters and products based on the skin that we see, whoever comes in.

Around Town

‘You Could Always Count on Him’: New Canaan Letter Carrier John Beckett Retires After 40 Years

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On Thursday, U.S.P.S. letter carrier John Beckett made his final set of deliveries to South Avenue, marking the end of a 40-year career. Starting with the Stamford Post Office in 1985, Beckett began delivering to New Canaan after the two towns’ post offices merged in 1999. He’s been serving the South Avenue route for the past 13 years. “I was going to do this until something better came along, and it turned out to be a great job,” Beckett told New Canaanite. “They put a roof over my head, food on the table, I’ve raised the family, and I’ve met people that I never would have met if I hadn’t done this job.”
In a show of appreciation for the time and effort Beckett has spent dutifully serving his route, many residents left thank you notes and balloons on their mailboxes, with some even waiting outside to thank him in person on his final day.

Government

Waveny Disc Golf Course Undergoing Major Renovations

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One of New Canaan’s hidden gems, Waveny’s disc golf course, is in the midst of a major overhaul thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers. When it first opened for play in 2007, the course had just 12 holes, and would remain that way for more than a decade. It wasn’t until 2020 that an additional six holes were added, bringing it up to a full 18-hole course. While more minor improvements have been implemented over the years, such as drainage ditches and additional tee areas, 2025 may mark some of the biggest improvements to the course yet. Six of the holes have been “entirely or significantly redesigned, to the extent that we actually changed the layout of the course,” according to avid disc golfer and volunteer course groundskeeper Mickey Stayman.