Around Town

COVID-19: Two New Canaan YMCA Employees Working in Children’s Programs Test Positive 

By |

Two employees of the New Canaan YMCA who work in children’s programs have tested positive for COVID-19 virus, officials said. In an email sent late Wednesday to Y members, the organization said one of the employees works in its “Kids Unlimited” after-school program and the other in the “Rainbow Station” childcare center. They last were at the South Avenue facility on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, the email said. “The affected Rainbow Station classroom and the Kids Unlimited classrooms will be closed for 14 days and will undergo an additional deep cleaning in accordance with the guidelines set by the [Connecticut] Office of Early Childhood,” the email said. It continued, “The teachers and participants of the Rainbow Station classroom and those who were in the Kids Unlimited program on Monday, October 12 have been advised by the New Canaan Health Department to self-quarantine and will not be using the Y for at least this 14-day period. Since reopening, both of these programs have been strictly following Office of Early Childhood guidelines, which are in place to help prevent transmission.”

The news comes as New Canaan continues to see new confirmed cases of COVID-19 virus.

Around Town

Town To Follow State Guidance for Halloween amid COVID-19; Traditional Trick-or-Treating Discouraged

By |

Town officials say New Canaan this Halloween is following federal and state public health guidelines, which include hosting drive-by events or planning activities within the household in lieu of traditional trick-or-treating. 

Asked about Halloween amid the COVID-19 pandemic, New Canaan Health Director Jenn Eielson said in an email, “As far as the health department goes we are following CDC and state DPH [Department of Public Health] guidelines.”

“The health department continues to monitor the cases and community situation leading up to Halloween,” Eielson said. Guidelines on trick-or-treating, a “high-risk activity” under the state’s definition, call for “one-way trick-or-treating where goodie bags or a large bowl of candy are placed outside of your home for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance.”

For those who do choose to hand out candy, state public health officials recommend washing hands prior to answering the door, covering your nose and mouth, staying six feet away from trick-or-treaters and placing candy in the children’s bags rather than having them reach into a bowl. “All trick-or-treating participants should wear a mask or face covering while outside at all times,” the guidelines say (full list here). “A costume mask (such as for Halloween) is not a substitute for a cloth or surgical mask. A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and does not leave gaps around the face.

Around Town

Podcast: NCHS SLOBs Co-Presidents Will Galvan and Payton Welch

By |

This week on 0684-Radi0, our free podcast (subscribe here in the iTunes Store), we talk to New Canaan High School seniors Will Galvan and Payton Welch, co-presidents of the Service League of Boys or ‘SLOBs.’ The largest club at NCHS is finding new ways to do its volunteer work amid the pandemic. Here are recent episodes of 0684-Radi0:

Around Town

Town: DOT Postpones Project That Will Close Route 123 for Three Weeks

By |

A plan to close Route 123 in New Canaan in both directions starting this week for a construction project has been put off until spring, officials say. Local officials last month urged the Connecticut Department of Transportation to put off its plan to replace a box culvert near the New Canaan Field Club. The work was to start this week and would’ve seen motor vehicle traffic detoured around the heavily used state road for 21 days. During a meeting Tuesday morning, Public Works Director Tiger Mann said, “It is not official yet, but I heard from the contractor this morning, that that will be postponed at least until the spring.”

“The DOT has cancelled all progress meetings between now and then,” Mann said during a regular meeting of the Selectmen’s Advisory Committee on Buildings and Infrastructure, held via videoconference. “The contractor had written a letter asking for it to be delayed.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

By |

Congratulations to New Canaan resident Conner McGee, a financial advisor in Morgan Stanley’s New York office, on earning the Insurance Planning Director designation after completing the firm’s Insurance Accreditation Program. 

The designation goes to those who have “demonstrated a commitment to, and understanding of, holistic goals-based wealth management planning,” according to a press release issued Oct. 7. His business partner, Ira Millman, said, “Having spent several years in the management ranks at New York Life, Conner has a deep understanding of how insurance may be utilized to achieve goals including efficient wealth transfer, income tax mitigation, and family protection.”

***

New Canaan Police at 2:28 p.m. Wednesday cited a 21-year-old Carmel, N.Y. woman for driving while using a cellphone as she traveled on Elm Street downtown. During the stop, she was cited for additional marijuana infractions. *** 

Congratulations to New Canaan High School’s Shawna Ferraro on winning the Ruden Report “Player of Week.” The field hockey player “scored the winning goal in overtime as the Rams rallied from a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 overtime win over Darien,” according to the citation.