Election 2025

Election 2025: Letters of Endorsement

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NewCanaanite.com will publish endorsement letters for this local election through Oct. 27. Send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com. 

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Pavla Levin understands that Connecticut’s communities thrive when local zoning decisions are made at the local level. Pavla has been on the front lines of this fight, she is a founding member of CT 169 Strong, a CT wide volunteer organization that has been supporting efforts to stop Hartford’s attempts to restrict local control of zoning regulations, and to ensure that our communities can make the best decisions for their residents. In contrast to proposals that centralize power in Hartford, Pavla believes that our Town Council and Planning and Zoning Commission know our community best, and will fight to preserve realistic zoning regulations, and many other elements of governance that rightfully should remain right here in New Canaan.

Election 2025

Election 2025: Letters of Endorsement

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NewCanaanite.com will publish endorsement letters for this local election through Oct. 27. Send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com. 

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Working side-by-side with Penny Young for eight years I have long admired her dignity, deep expertise, and the vast institutional experience she has brought to the Town Council.   

Penny co-chaired the Building Evaluation and Use Committee, which in 2017 produced a comprehensive study of the uses, physical condition and future capital needs of over 50 Town buildings. She also spearheaded the development of the Lapham Community Center. These were just two of her many major accomplishments for New Canaan.  

Penny is part of a slate of four remarkably capable (and compatible!) candidates endorsed by the New Canaan Republican Town Committee.

Opinion

Op-Ed: Teens Are Talking to AI—It’s Time for Us to Listen 

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[Farrell Lindemann, LMSW, is SHE CARES Program Manager at New Canaan-founded nonprofit organization LiveGirl.]

“I’m going to tell you something I’ve only ever told AI.”  

This summer, as I met one-on-one with girls at Camp LiveGirl, I heard this phrase again and again. Concerned and curious, I immediately began to research this phenomenon. Here’s what I found: 70% of teens are using generative AI, and about one in three teens have used AI companions for social interaction and companionship.  

These numbers come from a report recently published by Common Sense Media, and while the teens’ use of AI might feel alarming, panic or shame are not the answer.  It’s clear that teens will explore these spaces, with or without us. There’s insight here if we pause to listen. This piece unpacks the trend, and ends with concrete guidance for parents who want to support their kids.  We need to approach the phenomenon of the AI chatbot with curiosity, education, and connection.  

Why AI?

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Election 2025: Letters of Endorsement

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NewCanaanite.com will publish endorsement letters for this local election through Oct. 27. Send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com. 

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I am honored to offer my endorsement of Republican Endorsed Candidate Kimberly Norton for re-election to the New Canaan Town Council. As a lifelong Republican born in 1921, I have had the privilege of calling New Canaan my home for over four decades. As one of the first residents of the Schoolhouse Apartments when they opened in 1992, I have experienced the benefits of living independently in senior housing and continue to thrive in this wonderful community. 

New Canaan is one of the best places in the country to age in place, and the Schoolhouse Apartments are a shining example of successful in-town senior housing.

Opinion

Letter to the Editor

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NewCanaanite.com recently received the following letter to the editor. Send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com to have them published here. ***

Editor:

We are most grateful to all those in our community who joined the New Canaan Rotary as we celebrated our 40th Anniversary Lobsterfest with a sold out event this past Thursday and Friday at Waveny House. Over the last four decades, our Rotary Club has hosted Lobsterfest to support our annual grant program for hundreds of local non-profit organizations. This year’s event was our best ever made possible through the support of more than 50 sponsors and donors, over 850 dine in, take away and home delivery meals and generous contributions to provide over 150 meals for our local First Responders.