NewCanaanite.com (https://newcanaanite.com/category/new-canaan-news)
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For this installment of our local holiday shopping series, we spoke on Thursday afternoon to Stephen Shin and Christopher English, co-owners of The Adirondack Store at 39 Elm St. Here’s our interview. ***
New Canaanite: How has the holiday shopping season been for you so far? Stephen Shin: It’s extremely busy. This town is pumping.
New Canaan Police are investigating three thefts from cars reported Tuesday morning—at 6:23 a.m., 8:39 a.m. and 10:11 a.m.—that may be connected. The larcenies occurred near each other, on Millport Avenue and Avalon Drive West, and a handbag and two wallets were reported stolen. ***
Save the date: The second “New Canaan Sports Trivia Night” will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 23 at the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society. Tickets here.
For the third installment of our local holiday shopping series, we spoke on Wednesday afternoon to Elm Street Books owner Susan Rein and manager Manda Riggs.
Here’s our interview. ***
New Canaanite: I know it’s early in the holiday shopping season, but how’s it going so far?
Susan Rein: It’s going. We had a great Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Getting lots of people in. My hope is it continues that way.
The following letters of commendation—submitted by Deputy Chief Andrew Walsh for New Canaan Police Officers Jeff Deak, Thomas Patten and Sebastian Obando—were shared at the last two Police Commission meetings by Chief John DiFederico. ***
Officer Jeff Deak
I would like to commend Officer Jeffrey Deak for his decade-long period of service as a School Resource Officer for the New Canaan Police Department.
In 2015, as a twenty-year veteran of the police department, Officer Deak volunteered to take the role of the School Resource Officer at Saxe Middle School. In 2022, Officer Deak took on the role as the School Resource Officer at New Canaan High School.
Officer Deak’s professional resume and track record spoke for itself when it came time to choose a new SRO in 2015. As a former Special Response Team Assistant Commander and Certified Instructor in Defensive Tactics, Physical Fitness, Handcuffing, Firearms, and Baton, it was clear that Officer Deak was well qualified to keep the students and faculty at New Canaan Public Schools in a safe environment. However, what made Officer Deak even more qualified for the position of School Resource Officer was his ability to lead students and work collaboratively with faculty and parents through his superior interpersonal skills.
Officer Deak used his innate people skills and professional expertise to create a working relationship with the New Canaan School Community and the New Canaan Police Department Youth Office that allowed for the free flow of communication and teamwork.
Town officials said this week that they’re hoping to remove the foundation of Irwin House and so complete the site’s demolition by Christmas. Both the main house at the Weed Street park and adjacent garage have been knocked down and are being “trucked out,” according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. “The only caveat is how hard the footing comes out,” he told members of the Board of Selectmen at their regular meeting, held Tuesday at Town Hall and via videoconference. “That’s a large footing, [former] bomb shelter. And if it doesn’t come out of the ground easily, then that might take a little bit of time.