Planning officials on Tuesday night approved the site plan for a proposed new Post Office on Locust Avenue. Following concerns about traffic circulation around the proposed structure at 18-26 Locust Ave., the applicant updated the site plan so that one-way traffic comes in from the east side of the building and goes out on the west side. Conditions of the Planning & Zoning Commission’s approval include changes to lighting in front of the proposed building and looking into ways to create more parking spaces than the 27 currently approved (some nine of which would serve Post Office customers, officials say). It isn’t clear just when construction would start on a new building—the Post Office has sent a 10-year lease to the project’s developer that now is under review.
Congratulations to NCHS trainer Diane Murphy. Contributed
***
Congratulations to NCHS trainer Diane Murphy on being recognized by the Connecticut Athletic Trainers Association as “Secondary School Athletic Trainer of the Year” 2015.
***
A tax lien on the property owned by J. Michael Farren at 388 Wahackme Road has been dissolved, according to documents filed at the Town Clerk’s office. Farren, formerly a deputy White House counsel to President George W. Bush, is serving a prison sentence for attempting to murder his wife in January 2010.
Debbie McQuilkin with her alpacas. Credit: Michael Dinan
***
The Southern Connecticut Storm Special Hockey team of Bridgeport—an organization founded and headed up by New Canaan’s Debbie McQuilkin (owner of Crajah House, where the alpacas live up on Oenoke Ridge)—has been selected as one of eight regional finalists of the Baymont Inn & Suites spring 2015 “Home Team Hospitality” contest. The community contest celebrates the hotel brand’s hospitality by offering local amateur groups the chance to win $10,000 and 1,000,000 Wyndham Rewards points.
Selected from more than 1,500 entries from teams and clubs across the country, the Southern CT Storm Special Hockey team will receive $2,500 and 200,000 Wyndham Rewards points as one of the top eight finalists. Vote here through June 9: www.baymontinns.com/hometeamhospitality.
***
A New Canaan woman who last week reported that her cellphone had been stolen came to realize later that she’d left it on the top of her car and drove off. The phone later was recovered when she tried to call it and someone answered. A credit card tucked into the cellphone case also was recovered, though the woman’s driver’s license (also tucked in there) was lost.
The Dana House at 929 Weed St. in New Canaan, sold in March by the Sneddon Team at Halstead Property’s New Canaan Office.
***
The Realtors who oversaw the sale of the 1964-built Midcentury Modern at 929 Weed St. in March say it was their intention in finding a buyer to preserve the iconic home. The property has made headlines since last year as its subdivision and attendant conservation easement has been at the center of what open space advocates have called a future walk-able “greenway” between the New Canaan Nature Center and Irwin Park. Jaime Sneddon, principal of the Sneddon Team at Halstead Property’s New Canaan Office, said in a press release: “It’s about responsible development, the preservation of the Dana House and the enhancement of our town by allowing for walking trails through the properties, connecting the Nature Center to Irwin Park.”
***
Police believe the reported larceny of two black mink coats worth a combined $54,000 has been resolved. A New Canaan woman had handed off the coats—one full-length, the other three-quarters-length—to be sold, and then had a hard time getting the high-price items back. The last police heard, the individual who had signed on to sell the coats had agreed to return them.
The New Canaan Police Department Animal Control van. Credit: Michael Dinan
***
A court in Hartford upheld New Canaan Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt’s restraining order on a Darien dog, a German shepherd, that had bitten a local woman badly last summer. Under the terms of a restraining order immediately put into place, the dog is required to wear a muzzle whenever it’s off-property, to be leashed with nothing longer than a 6-foot leash and to stay at least 10 feet away from humans. The dog’s owner had appealed the order, saying it was excessive.
New Canaan’s Jim Fowler (foreground) addresses the New Canaan Land Trust. Lyn Chivvis photo
***
Jim Fowler of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom recently addressed the New Canaan Land Trust during a celebration at the Midcentury modern home of Lyn and Beecher Chivvis.
***
Halo Fitness has announced a Student Summer Special that includes free, unlimited appointments with our certified Halo trainer. Students 16 and older can use Halo Fitness (free personal training, free small group classes and locker rooms with towel service) from June 1 through Aug. 25 for a special rate of $99. (For more information, call Halo at 203-594-9909.)
***
Scholar-athlete members of the NCHS class of 2014 came together last Thursday for a good cause, supporting the CRT Capital team in the CRT-sponsored charity fun-run the Stamford “Boys & Girls Club Corporate 5K Challenge”:
Seen from left to right in the back row: Jack Gilio (now playing football and lacrosse at the College of Wooster), Ryan McKenna (now playing football at Endicott College), Alex Dobbin (now playing football at Bowdoin College), Joao Rocha (NCHS Captain now playing football at Middlebury College), JR Anderson (NCHS baseball pitching ace now on the mound at Amherst College) and Andy Dobbin (father of Alex and CRT Managing Director). In front: Sophia Curiale (now attending Loyola of Maryland) and Sara Musicco (now attending the University of Notre Dame). Contributed
When is the town meeting for the Bruce Pauley Norwegian tree happening?
7 p.m. next Tuesday at the New Canaan Police Department.