Catherine Palmer’s arraignment on three counts of cruelty to animals has been continued to Feb. 22, Connecticut Judicial Branch records show. Three puppies died at Palmer’s Butler Lane home over the summer, investigators said. Palmer hasn’t pleaded to the felony offenses and doesn’t yet have a lawyer in the criminal case, court records show. The town seized 12 surviving dogs last month and is seeking full legal custody of the dogs in an ongoing civil case.
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Though the town’s Department of Public Works does not collect discarded Christmas trees, it does accept them at the Transfer Station on Lakeview Avenue. This year, the DPW also will partner with Planet New Canaan to accept them Jan. 3 to 10 at the Waveny Pool parking lot. They’ll be chipped and recycled for use on New Canaan Nature Center trails.
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Here are the top-5 most-read NewCanaanite.com articles of 2020:
- Man, 31, Charged with Attempted Murder in ‘Random’ Valley Road Incident (May 26)
- Fotis Dulos Employee Emerges as Key Figure in Murder Case (Jan. 13)
- Moynihan: Emergency Management Director Out After ‘Disagreement’ Over COVID Testing (June 3)
- PHOTOS: Thousands March in New Canaan in Protest of Police Brutality, Racism (June 4)
- Brookwood Lane Property Owner Files Formal Complaint about Neighbor’s Fence (May 3)
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Town Hall will close at 1 p.m. Thursday and will be closed Friday for New Year’s.
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Police at about 3:18 a.m. on Dec. 26 cited a 24-year-old Newark, N.J. man for possession of marijuana and stopping his vehicle on South Avenue because the taillights were out.
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Reports of roaming dogs increased sharply in December, to 12 total so far, according to New Canaan Police Department Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm. Police responded to eight reports of roaming dogs from Dec. 21 to 26 alone, she said. Three of those dogs ended up impounded at the town’s shelter for a period of time. “Its so important that people und that with COVID, officers shouldn’t have to be collecting your dogs, so people need to buckle back down again,” Halm said.
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Here’s an appeal submitted to the town for a $100 parking ticket issued at 12:17 p.m. on Nov. 20, by a New Canaan motorist who double-parked on South Avenue: “I am the new owner of a gallery in town, and as a new business artist, I was carrying a massive canvas out of my Suburban and was double parked for (at the most) a minute and a half, to move the heavy piece into my shop. During that brief time [the parking attendant] began a ticket. I understand there is a loading dock, however, as a solo owner, I could not carry such a heavy item that far to my gallery. Small businesses need support right now more than ever. And within the small limited time I was parked, I could not have caused traffic issues.”
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Here are a few upcoming events added to the Community Calendar (using this free tool):
- January Series ‘Presidential Trappings: First Ladies, Inaugurations, Libraries, and Ballot Design’ (Tuesday, January, 5, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm)
- The Art of Gardening at Chanticleer (Wednesday, January, 6, 2021 @ 9:30 am – 11:00 am)
- Weed, Inc with Ben Cort (Wednesday, January, 13, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm)
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One of the letters of appreciation shared by Police Chief Leon Krolikowski at this month’s Police Commission meeting came from First Selectman Kevin Moynihan. Dated Nov. 18 and addressed to the chief as well as Deputy Chief John DiFederico and Capt. Andrew Walsh, it said, “Russ Kimes mentioned to me how helpful the dispatch offers were Monday night and Tuesday morning responding to a myriad of resident calls about power outages and blocked roads due to the Monday night wind event. Please extend our thanks to those officers who performed so well and in a friendly and warm manner to the callers.”
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Finally, motor vehicle traffic will be detoured onto Dan’s Highway and Lost District Drive during the replacement of the West Road Bridge starting next month. The headwall of a bridge on West Road north of Turtle Back Road failed two summers ago. It will be closed to all traffic starting as soon as Jan. 11, officials say, and the new bridge will reopen in July.