Around Town

‘Committed and Compassionate’: Diane Murphy-Kivell To Retire After 39 Years as NCHS Athletic Trainer

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New Canaan High School senior Callum Wood, co-captain of the varsity boys’ lacrosse team, had already dislocated his knee once when the injury re-occurred the day before a game versus St. Joe’s during his sophomore year, in 2019. After Wood popped the knee back into place, NCHS Athletic Trainer Diane Murphy-Kivell helped him ice it and “deal with everything, gave me pointers on what to do and where to go for physical therapy,” he recalled. “Every single day she would let me go in, even though she technically didn’t have to help me,” Wood told NewCanaanite.com. “There are a lot of other kids with other injuries that would be playing, so she kind of has to take care of them, too.”

Wood is one of thousands of NCHS athletes that Murphy-Kivell has helped through nearly four decades of service in a job that demands skill, care, commitment and passion.

Around Town

After Year-Plus Hiatus, ‘Coffee with a Cop’ Returns To Downtown New Canaan

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The New Canaan Police Department on Tuesday morning held its first open public meet-and-greet downtown since the COVID-19 pandemic set in early last year. Created in 2016, ‘Coffee with A Cop’ is designed to give residents a chance to sit down and form positive relationships with local police officers. “It’s great that we’re able to do it again and feel safe to interact with everyone,” Police Chief Leon Krolikowski told NewCanaanite.com outside of Zumbach’s Gourmet Coffee on Pine Street, a regular host of the event. 

“I think obviously we like to get out into the community and interact with everybody, so it’s really important to have these kinds of things,” Krolikowski said. Prior to this week’s gathering, “Coffee with a Cop” last was held in February 2020 at Zumbach’s. Last week, the state relaxed many mask-wearing requirements, including that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people don’t need to wear them outdoors.

Allyson Halm

New Canaan Animal Control: Watch Out for Turtles in the Road

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The head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section is warning residents to watch out for snapping turtles crossing the roads now that their nesting season is underway. The season runs in May and June, when females leave their ponds to lay eggs on dry land. The mother turtles often cross roads or end up in swimming pools during this time, according to Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm. 

“They’re on a sort of migrating path that nothing should get in their way,” she said. “They’re just determined to take this direction.”

Animal Control has received a number of calls recently to help guide turtles safely, Halm said. She responded to a call on Silvermine Road this past weekend, where a painted turtle was crossing the busy residential road. 

Although many people fear the prehistoric turtle, there are ways to help them, according to Halm. 

Migration patterns are key, she said, so “It’s important for people to know to not turn them around.”

She also said to avoid bringing the turtles into your car and transporting them to the reservoir or another pond site. 

Halm said that “people are brave enough to lift them,” but should keep their distance from the face to avoid snapping.

Health Director on New Mask Rules: ‘Those That Are Fully Vaccinated Can Feel Safer’

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Longstanding requirements to wear masks both indoors and in some outdoor settings changed this week, eliminating many of the rules that residents and businesses have grappled with since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, officials say. As of Wednesday, following CDC guidance, Gov. Ned Lamont ordered that masks are no longer required outdoors and also relaxed many of public-health related rules for those who are fully vaccinated. “It’s a huge change,” New Canaan Health Director Jenn Eielson told NewCanaanite.com. “I mean everyone’s been wearing masks now since last April.”

Specifically, people who received their final vaccine dose at least two weeks ago need not wear a mask or social-distance indoors or outdoors, except in schools, childcare settings, nursing homes, healthcare facilities, public transportation or private businesses that require them. (Unvaccinated people are still required to wear masks indoors, Lamont said.)

When asked if fully vaccinated people could enter businesses without a mask, Eielson said businesses “can still decide if they want to require masks or not.”

She added, “My advice would be just to keep a mask handy because you never know what business is going to ask you to put one on.”

Masks are only recommended in large outdoor settings where young unvaccinated children may be, she said.

Government

Moynihan: Town Should Pressure Metro-North Railroad To Restore New Canaan Train Service

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New Canaan’s highest elected official said this week that the town should pressure Metro-North Railroad to return commuter trains to a pre-pandemic schedule before making a decision regarding some parking permit renewals. First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said Tuesday that he wants to pressure the train company before setting a renewal date for commuter lot parking permits. The subways in New York City are reopening 24 hours and “people returning to work in Manhattan may be accelerating,” Moynihan said during a regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen, so that New Canaan can start charging commuter permit-holders earlier than a recommended Sept. 1 start date. Municipal officials have noted that New Canaan is losing $120,000 per quarter in revenue following its suspension of parking permit fees, Moynihan said at the meeting, held both in person and via videoconference.