Around Town

‘You’re Making a Difference’: Local Nonprofit ‘Filling In The Blanks’ Calls for Support of Its Holiday Meal Bag Program

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When New Canaan residents Shawnee Knight and Tina Kramer founded a nonprofit in 2013 to ensure that kids on reduced or free meal plans at their schools had food through the weekend and summer, one of their volunteers voiced concern about what would happen during the holidays. That volunteer, Roseann Conheeney, saw to it that the 100 kids then served by Filling In The Blanks or went home for break in December 2013 with a new backpack filled not only with food but also gifts. Fast-forward 10 years. In 2023, the nonprofit operating out of its Norwalk warehouse put together 5,000 holiday backpacks. 

And this year, they’re doing 9,000—a testament to both increasing food insecurity and to the expanding reach of Filling In The Blanks (the organization’s recently launched mobile food pantry now serves some 1,500 families per month in Norwalk, Stamford and Bridgeport, and has served 659,000 pounds of fresh food since last October). This year, with its nearly 100% increase in demand, Filling In The Blanks is asking the community for donations to help offset the cost for the holiday meal bags that go into the backpacks that their student clients get before setting off for December break (the food costs about $10 per bag, and the organization pays for 99% of the food it packs).

Government

Town To Impose Fee for EV Charging Station Use in Town Hall Lot

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Town officials last week approved a fee of 53 cents per kilowatt hour for the electric vehicle or ‘EV’ charging stations in the Town Hall parking lot. The figure is expected to cover the cost of electricity for the town at the stations, according to Public Works Senior Engineer Joe Zagarenski. The Board of Selectmen during their regular meeting also approved what Zagarenski called a “parking fee equivalent” of $1.25 per hour. “I say ‘equivalent’ because it’s calculated based on a charge rate of 7.2 kilowatts per hour divided by $1.25 an hour,” he said during the Board’s regular meeting, held Nov. 4 at Town Hall and via videoconference.

Around Town

‘Remember Some of the Guys’: New Canaan Marks Veterans Day in God’s Acre Ceremony

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Rich Mercado can still feel the hug that his mom gave him on returning from Vietnam. Raised in Spanish Harlem as the son of a cab driver, Mercado was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1965 at age 18. “I went to basic training, I went to advanced training, and five months later, I’m in Vietnam,” Mercado recalled Monday morning, addressing more than 200 people gathered at God’s Acre for VFW Post 653’s annual Veterans Day ceremony. “It was so hot, I couldn’t believe it. And boy, did I miss my mom.”

A helicopter crew chief, Mercado and the 10 other young men in the squad were charged with protecting 30 local farms in the Mekong Delta, each of them worked by 10 to 12 family members.

Homepage Featured

Police: Stolen Vehicles Nearly Double in 2024

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The number of vehicles stolen from New Canaan has nearly doubled in 2024, statistics show. The town saw the number of stolen vehicles rise from 17 to 33 through the first nine months of the year, according to data presented by New Canaan Police Chief John DiFederico. Asked whether the thefts track with what’s happening across Fairfield County, the chief said, “Yes they do.”

“This is not just a New Canaan thing,” he told members of the Police Commission during their most recent meeting, held Oct. 16 in Town Hall and via videoconference. “It’s certainly a regional epidemic.”

The comments came during a discussion of monthly statistics that the department brings before the Commission at each meeting.

Around Town

‘Happy Hour’ Author Elissa Bass Coming To Playhouse on Wednesday [Q&A]

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Connecticut author Elissa Bass will be at The Playhouse for “Cocktails & Conversation” 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday to talk about her debut novel, “Happy Hour.”

The event—free to register here, limited space—will feature a Q&A with Bass (moderated by me), signature cocktails from “Happy Hour” and book sales/signings. 

The evening is presented by CinemaLab in partnership with Elm Street Books. 

I put some questions to Bass ahead of the cocktail hour (or two). 

Here’s our exchange. ***

New Canaanite: Your first novel, “Happy Hour,” was published this spring. What has the last six months been like? Elissa Bass: The last six months have been far beyond what I could have ever possibly imagined. The response I’ve gotten to ‘Happy Hour,’ to KK and Jay’s story, has been incredible, and the support I’ve received from friends – and even total strangers – has been humbling.