Did You Hear … ?

A mother turkey hopped out into Valley Road around 12:30 p.m. on June 7 to keep at bay a town woman walking her dog up near the Grupes Reservoir. The mama turkey apparently was guarding her three baby chicks nearby—unfortunately, a passing motorist struck the big bird and killed her. The pedestrian phoned the Animal Control section of the New Canaan Police Department, and Officer Allyson Halm spotted the baby turkeys but lost them on retrieving a carrier from the van.

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Congratulations to New Canaan resident Pasquale Poccia, who became a U.S. citizen this week after taking the Oath of Allegiance on Wednesday during the 6th annual Flag Day Naturalization Ceremony at Mystic Seaport. Poccia is owner of Pasquale’s Osteria, an Italian and International/Continental cuisine restaurant on Main Street in Norwalk. He came to the United States from Italy more than 30 years ago. “I love this country,” he told the Mystic Seaport website’s reporter. Read more here.

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The Joe’s Pizza building at 23 Locust Ave. was sold June 1 to a private LLC for $800,000, tax records show. Pizza-lovers, relax: There’s absolutely no change to the longtime business operation.

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Food trucks are returning to the Family Fourth at Waveny this year right on Tuesday, July 4 (passes are available online as well as at Walter Stewart’s, NC Toy Store, Rec Department at Waveny House and Town Clerk’s office in Town Hall). Food trucks’ offerings will include lobster rolls, tacos, pizza, hamburgers and grilled cheese—as well as some new entries, Pacific, Filipino and “Nuevo Latino” food.

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The Waveny Park Conservancy will host its second annual Tailgate Party out back of Waveny House on Oct. 7, Parks & Recreation Commission Chair Sally Campbell said during the group’s regular meeting Wednesday night. “It’s another full moon night,” Campbell said, calling last year’s inaugural tailgate “a great event.”

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The Board of Selectmen at its June 6 meeting approved a $10,385 contract with Almstead Tree to do the following work:

• Remove four posted pin oaks on Elm Street near Main;
• Remove a sycamore maple and Norway maple at 340 Brushy Ridge Road;
• Remove a dogwood and two linden trees near 32-36 Spring Water Lane;
• Remove a large ash at 210 Talmadge Hill Road;
• Remove a dead ash tree on the west side of the Waveny Pool parking lot;
• Remove a damaged sugar maple at 87 North Wilton Road;
• Remove a black birch tree at 286 Indian Rock Road;
• Remove a dead sugar maple at 230 Rosebrook Road;
• Remove a dying sugar maple at the corner of Brookwood and Country Club Roads;
• Remove a Norway maple trunk at 330 Carter St.;
• Remove five black locust trees at 180 Sunset Hill Road;
• Remove a tulip tree from 102 Salem Road;
• Remove an elm tree from 133 White Birch Road;
• Remove a black birch and some overhanging dead limbs from 146 White Birch Road; and
• Remove a tall tulip tree with a Euonymus vine on it at 160 Old Kings Highway.

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The owner of the new Post Office building at 26 Locust Ave. on June 7 applied to the town for a $120,000 commercial office fit-out. According to plans filed with the New Canaan Building Department, the law firm Davidson, Dawson & Clark LLP—currently of Grove Street—will move into the space, vacant since the Post Office opened.

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Burglaries are down year-over-year—five so far in 2017 compared to 13 at the same time in 2016—Police Chief Leon Krolikowski reported to the Police Commission on Wednesday night.

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Matt Konspore, a member of the Parks & Recreaiton Commission, is now a Justice of the Peace. He’s overseeing his first wedding this coming weekend.

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Police at 3:22 p.m. on Tuesday arrested a 32-year-old South Salem, N.Y. man by warrant for failure to pay or plead in response to an infraction citation. The man last December had been cited for failure to use headlights, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Also: Police on June 9 arrested a 44-year-old Stamford woman for second-degree failure to appear. She was stopped for running a red light downtown, and police found that there was a paperless re-arrest warrant for her in connection with a Fairfield arrest.

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Track the progress of the New Canaan Athletic Foundation‘s final push to its $5 million goal in their ad on the right sidebar of our site. You’ll see the thermometer on the left pop up just above the “Most Popular” articles widget. Since the organization’s chairman, Mike Benevento, explained what the funds are for in a plea to local parents to help raise the final $250,000, there’s already been some movement. Click here to learn more on how to donate.

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Some 150 tons of new sand have been poured at Kiwanis Park and around the swimming hole there, according to Recreation Director Steve Benko. He said a person can stand on the side of the water and see clear 25 to 30 feet out and down to the bottom of it.

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New Canaan resident and NCHS Class of 1992 member Colleen Hann is addressing the Lupus Foundation of America crowds that will gather June 26 and 27 in the nation’s capital for a policy summit.

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A reminder that Mike Baker, a former CIA counterterrorism expert, is to speak at New Canaan Library during the local Democratic Town Committee’s Speaker Series. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21.

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Finally, here’s a photo gallery wrapping up additional newsworthy events in town: