A former part-time program director at the defunct Outback Teen Center—a man who had been arrested by New Canaan Police following accusations that he made inappropriate comments to a group of youths—is a defendant in a civil lawsuit filed this summer. According to the complaint, the accused man while working as a residential advisor at Wesleyan University in the early-1980s sexually abused teens in his charge, in a dorm room and elsewhere. The case is proceeding in state Superior Court in Middletown.
***
The restaurant long known as ‘Chef Luis’ is now called ‘129,’ for its street number on Elm, and offers American contemporary cuisine from newly hired Executive Chef Joe Page. He brings more than 15 years of experience in kitchens across the United States and overseas.
***
Registration is open for the winter session of New Canaan Youth Wrestling. The “Mighty Mite” program serving kindergarten through fourth-grade students will open Dec. 4. More details can be found here.
***
Put one of New Canaan’s beloved December events on your calendar: Santa Claus will arrive at Mead Park by helicopter at 10:45 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9. The event is presented by Weed & Duryea and Gregg’s Garden Center on Grove Street (where Santa himself will greet children after touching down).
***
Martha Stewart visited the Carriage Barn Arts Center on Saturday to see its current exhibit, “New Canaan Modern Architects: 50 Years of Achievement 1947-1997.” The exhibit is open through Sunday, Nov. 26.
***
The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday morning voted 3-0 to extend the contract of Interim Finance Director Sandra Dennies through the upcoming budget season.
***
A 33-year-old man with strong ties to New Canaan died tragically last week after a deer struck on a California roadway struck the windshield of the SUV he was driving, causing him to lose control of the vehicle and ultimately hit an oncoming car head-on (also killing its 39-year-old driver). John Stashenko IV is the nephew of Gene Guarnieri of New Canaan, a 24-year resident, and his widow, Bobbi (Kijek) Stashenko is the granddaughter and daughter of former town residents. The deceased leaves behind his wife and their two children, ages 1 and 3. A YouCaring fundraising page for the family has been set up here.
***
Finally, the Connecticut Law Tribune is reporting that a prominent law firm and New Canaan man who used to work as CEO of a rail company are defendants in a federal lawsuit that accuses them of “altering and deleting evidence in a trade secrets dispute.” The company claims that the former CEO “relayed confidential information and trade secrets to creditors who could use the information to hurt [the company’s] bargaining position in a $600 million debt restructuring” and then deleted emails and drowned his former assistant’s phone in soap and water.