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.
Conner McGee. Contributed
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.”
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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.
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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. Ferraro earned more than 2,300 votes in outdoing athletes from Greenwich, Ridgfield, Darien (again), Trumbull and Norwalk.
Artist Paul Balmer in his studio at 70 Pine St. Credit: Caitlyn Cabana
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New Canaan resident and artist Paul Balmer said he’s seen a rise in the number of visitor to his studio at 70 Pine St.—mostly new arrivals in town—who are coming to look at and purchase his paintings of New York cityscapes. “I think that due to COVID many people are leaving the city for the suburbs but still want to remember NY,” he told NewCanaanite.com in an email. “I thought it would be a quiet time for business but it seems to be just fine because folks are probably looking at their four walls and thinking about art.”
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NewCanaanite.com recently ascended to No. 3 in Google rankings for the term “New Canaan CT” out of more than 15 million search returns. It’s first among news outlets, trailing only the town’s own website and Wikipedia.
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Police at 4:17 p.m. Tuesday cited a 21-year-old Danbury woman for possession of marijuana during a traffic stop, after clocking her at 45 mph in a 25 mph zone on Ponus Ridge.
L – R: Lisa Oldham, Executive Director at New Canaan Library and Christine Chivily, EVP, Chief Credit Officer & Chief Risk Officer at Bankwell. Contributed
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Bankwell this week announced its title sponsorship with New Canaan Library and its 13th Annual Lit Luncheon. To be held at night on Nov. 13 with Alice Hoffman, author of “About Magic Lessons,” it features prize drawings, an online auction and other surprises. “Bankwell is a true ally, providing unflagging and multiyear support for the Lit Lunch and beyond,” Ellen Crovatto, director of development at the library, said in a press release. “Great community partners help make great community libraries and we appreciate the thoughtful and generous support that Bankwell’s team and Board continue to show us.”
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From the Department of Public Works: Vacuum trucks starting Oct. 26 will pick up leaves raked curbside by homeowners in New Canaan, except in the 2- and 4-acre zones, where residents are asked to compost leaves on their own properties. For those in the 1-acre zone and smaller lots, rake all leaves into the curb—don’t put them in plastic bags or mix them with brush or debris. Leaves must be in a windrow, not in a pile. The DPW will stop picking up curbside leaves on Nov. 23. Yard maintenance contractors must have proper forms—available at Highway Department office—signed by New Canaan residents before they can dispose of leaves at the composting area, located across from the Waveny entrance on Lapham Road. The leaf compositing site will be available until Dec. 5.
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Some great upcoming events worth booking:
- Women-Led Panel on International Day of the Girl—2 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11 (presented by LiveGirl);
- A Concert for New Canaan—6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15 at First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan feat. Violinist Tessa Lark, Cellist Raman Ramakrishnan and Pianist & Emcee Andrew Armstrong;
- New Canaan Rotary Club’s 35th Annual Lobsterfest—Fri & Sat Oct. 16 and 17, curbside pickup at Waveny Pool;
- New Canaan Library’s 13th Annual Lit Lunch @ Night featuring Alice Hoffman—Friday, Nov. 13 (sponsors include Christine Saxe and Bankwell).
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The New Canaanite’s free weekly podcast 0684-Radi0, rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on Apple Podcasts, this week surpassed 15,000 total downloads. It launched in March 2019.
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New Canaan’s Colleen Hann ranks 7th in the national top-10 for the Oct. 20 Walk To End Lupus Now, and is the “top individual walker” for the annual fundraiser. The 1992 NCHS grad has raised more than $12,000 this year. Here’s her fundraising page.
New Canaan’s Cameron Besaw won the 2020 Stamford Amateur Golf Championship Men’s title last weekend. Contributed
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Congratulations to NCHS sophomore Cameron Besaw, who won the 2020 Stamford Amateur Golf Championship Men’s title last weekend. The 16-year-old shot a 3-over 75 at Sterling Farms Golf Course during the opening round Saturday and was tied with Colin Cassidy of Greenwich. Scores were unusually high on Saturday with only five players shooting in the 70s despite 19 of the 28 golfers playing to a 3 handicap or better. On Sunday’s final round at E Gaynor Brennan, Besaw pulled two strokes ahead of Cassidy on the par 5 fourth hole with a birdie while Cassidy bogied. Besaw never lost the lead from that point onward, shooting a 2-over 73 to edge out Cassidy by 2 strokes 148 to 150.
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New Canaan resident and artist Dona Mayoora is working on multiple visual series on the COVID-19 pandemic. She’s a poet and published author in India and Sweden whose work has been exhibited in Italy, Spain, United States, Poland, Portugal and Canada.
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New Canaan’s Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, starting Oct. 23 will offer its Disaster Training course. The six-session course is free for New Canaan residents and those who work here. To enroll, go to the CERT website. Send questions to certleader@newcanaancert.org.
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Finally, 1994 NCHS graduate David Burns is raising money for the Liver Life Walk. To be held Oct. 24, this year’s event marks his sixth year walking for the American Liver Foundation. “As a transplant recipient, this is truly close to my heart,” Burns said. His story can be found here on his donation page.