Around Town

‘No Plans To Displace’ Teams: YMCA Responds to Community’s Concerns About Future of Valles Pool

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Though an aging pool at the New Canaan YMCA needs “extensive repairs,” the organization says, there “are no plans to displace” the Caimans or New Canaan High School teams that use it. Responding to an email for information about the “Valles Pool” after residents voiced fears following an internal YMCA board discussion about the facility’s problems and future, the Y’s vice president of financial development, marketing & strategic initiatives, Kristina Barrett, said that the organization has invested over time in “regular maintenance and significant repairs.”

Barrett continued in an email response: “However, we have extended the life of the roof for as long as possible and are now in need of a complete roof and building envelope replacement, along with some additional repairs.  The cost of the project will be significant and necessitates that the Y’s Board of Directors evaluates the investment needed and the best way to proceed with the space. The Board is taking into consideration facility usage, the experience of aquatics users in all pools, the experience of all YMCA members, the age of the pool itself, and the Y’s mission to address current community needs. A decision has not yet been made and any rumors of specific closing dates, plans, or program impact are inaccurate.”

Barrett said that parents of the New Canaan Y Caimans team and the NCHS athletic director are aware that “there are no plans to displace” those teams. 

Barrett said that the Y is hoping that the Board will make a decision regarding the Valles Pool in the next few months. The issue spread through the community following a post on social media last week, and this news outlet received several emails from concerned residents.

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New Canaan Man, 50, Charged with Unlawful Restraint

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Police last week arrested a 50-year-old New Canaan man and charged him with second-degree unlawful restraint and disorderly conduct. At about 5:10 p.m. on May 18 (a Monday), officers met a victim who came to police headquarters to report a dispute that had occurred earlier in the day involving the 50-year-old. Through an investigation, police established probable cause to charge the man with the two misdemeanor level offenses. It wasn’t clear whether the victim is related to the man or how he restrained the victim (under state law, a person is guilty of second-degree unlawful restraint if he or she “restrains another person”). Police withheld details, saying it’s a domestic matter.

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Man, 46, Arrested After Using Fake ID To Try Withdrawing Bank Funds

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Police last week arrested a 46-year-old Bronx, N.Y. man after he tried to use a fake ID to withdraw money from a local bank. At about 1:51 p.m. last Friday, officers were dispatched to Bankwell on a report of a person inside with a fraudulent ID card, according to police. Arriving officers found him and “in plain view noticed a fraudulent CT driver’s license,” according to a police report. After identifying the man, police investigated and found that he had tried to withdraw funds, the report said, establishing probable cause for criminal attempt at third-degree larceny (where the value of property is greater than $2,000, under state law), first-degree forgery, second-degree forgery and second-degree identity theft. He also was charged with use of drug paraphernalia, though police did not say why.

Around Town

Meet Valentina Baldini, Our NCHS ‘SIP’ Intern

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Many readers will recognize the name of our New Canaan High School senior intern, Valentina Baldini, from last summer. 

Our 2025 intern under a summer program generously sponsored by New Canaan’s Karp Associates, Baldini returns for the next month—her final weeks at NCHS—under the school’s hugely popular Senior Internship Program, or “SIP.”

The program starts May 19, when Baldini will attend a Board of Selectmen meeting at Town Hall (look to Wednesday’s newsletter for her coverage). We met with Baldini on Monday afternoon in New Canaan Library’s café to talk about the SIP internship. Here’s a transcription of our conversation. ***

For readers who may have missed our intro last year, please tell us a little about yourself. What are some things you’d like our readers to know about you?

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New Canaan Teen Charged in Domestic Incident

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Police on Sunday evening arrested an 18-year-old New Canaan man and charged him with disorderly conduct. At about 6:30 p.m. on May 17, officers were dispatched to an Apple Tree Lane home for a dispute between the teen and victim, according to a police report. There, police established probable cause for the misdemeanor charge, the report said. Under state law, people are guilty of disorderly conduct if they “with intent to cause inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk … [e]ngages in … threatening behavior; or … annoys or interferes with another person,” among other reasons. It wasn’t clear what the man did or whether he was related to the victim.