Congratulations to the South School Chess Club, which won first place at the Fairfield County Scholastic Team Chess Championship.
South School Chess Team, L-R: Luke Gencarelli, Jenna Ho, Yuna Ho, Michael Telesco, Joseph Ho, Emily Telesco, Henry Chandra, Quinn Kilkenny, Luke Van Dussen. Contributed
The Nov. 8 tournament featured competitors from nine K-5 Fairfield County elementary schools. The South School team was led by Joseph Ho, Michael Telesco, Henry Chandra and Luke Gencarelli, who each won three games out of four. Strong contributors included Jenna Ho and Luke Van Dussen. This tournament also brought out young talents Quinn Kilkenny, Yuna Ho and Emily Telesco who were each playing in their first or second professional tournament.
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New Canaan Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm said the NCPD section has had three deer hit by cars in town in less than 10 days. Now is rutting season for deer, Halm said, and motorists should be extra careful and slow down, especially at dawn and dusk, as the animals are more active.
Pine Street Concessions is taking shape, this photo from Nov. 17, 2015. Credit: Michael Dinan
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As Peter Lane of NCLC said it would, the steel frame of Pine Street Concessions has risen, as the new Grand Central-style marketplace takes shape.
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On the heels of Election Day, the Board of Education and Town Council this week elected officers. The school board will be led by Chairman Dionna Carlson, Vice Chair Sheri West and Secretary Jennifer Richardson. The Town Council re-elected Chairman Bill Walbert and Vice Chair Steve Karl, while Penny Young will assume the role of secretary. While the school board is going from all-Republican officers to bipartisan (West is a Democrat), the Town Council’s officers now are all Republicans. Town Clerk Claudia Weber has had a busy couple of days, swearing in all newly elected members of those groups as well as the Board of Selectmen. Here are some photos from swearing-ins on Tuesday:
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Firefighters on Monday responded to a report in Town Hall of an exhaust-like odor in the building. They arrived at the newly renovated structure across the street around 1:27 p.m. and by the time they got there, the smell had dissipated. The head of DPW is helping them look into what could be the source of the odor.
Oliver Tchakarov. From his GoFundMe page
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We are sending positive thoughts to New Canaan’s Tchakarov family, after hearing that their eldest son, 10-year-old Oliver, was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma, a fast-growing form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Oliver has lost a lung since his diagnosis on Nov. 10 and is undergoing treatment. A GoFundMe page has been set up for the boy here, and as of late Wednesday $32,630 toward a fundraising goal of $50,000 had been raised, with plenty of support from local residents. The Saxe Middle School fifth-grader is the oldest of three boys, and the family has lived in town for five years.
Shannon Rojas (NCHS ’04) is an owner of Fiesta Peruvian restaurants in Stamford and Norwalk. She just opened up Viva, a third restaurant that’s located in Stamford. Credit: Michael Dinan
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New Canaan High School ’04 graduate and New Canaanite Shannon Rojas is an owner of Fiesta, a popular Peruvian restaurant in downtown Stamford with a second location in Norwalk (in the Best Buy parking lot). She’s just opened a third restaurant, Viva, which also is located in Stamford, near where the Shippan and Cove neighborhoods meet.
The committee that is overseeing New Canaan’s Volunteer Awards and two representatives from the New Canaan Community Foundation, L-R: Tucker Murphy, Jerry Miller, Cynthia Gorey (NCCF executive director), Eloise Killefer, Tracey Karl and Leo Karl (president of the NCCF board). Credit: Michael Dinan
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The New Canaan Community Foundation at 5:30 p.m. Thursday will hold a ceremony for the first of the newly re-launched Volunteer Recognition Awards at Town Hall.
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Scores of New Canaanites descended on the Stamford Marriott last Thursday for the Greater Stamford Good Scout Tribute Dinner, where New Canaan’s own Ian and Scott Hobbs, brothers and co-owners of Hobbs Inc., were recognized for their outstanding civic leadership and participation. Also honored were Stamford’s Juanita James and Dudley Williams.
Yes, winter is coming. Photo courtesy of Pam Alberino
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Feeling a little chillier as December approaches? Pam Alberino in The Changing Room on Burtis is selling cashmere sweaters and hats from M.Miller to help locals keep warm during the winter. This week the Changing Room will be open Thursday 10-3, Friday 1-5 and Saturday 10-2 or by appointment at ski06880@yahoo.com.
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Firefighters at 3:59 p.m. on Sunday were called to Thrush Lane on a report of a chimney fire. No one was home and so responders, seeing heavy white smoke, forced their way in. They discovered that there had been a furnace malfunction and switched it off.
New Canaan’s Colleen Hann at the 2014 Walk to End Lupus Now. Contributed
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New Canaan’s Colleen Hann has launched her personal page to raise money to fight lupus during the annual Walk To End Lupus event, organized by the Lupus Foundation of America. Read more about Colleen’s journey here.
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Here’s a gallery from the annual “Fall Clean-Up” at ABC House. The student residents, parents and resident directors were joined this year by volunteers from the New Canaan Fire Department, National Charity League and Inter-Faith Council (which also treated everyone to pizza and drinks for lunch):
There are no images in this gallery.
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The Newcomers Club of New Canaan’s 25th Annual “Homes for the Holidays” House Tour has been scheduled for Dec. 4 and 5. It’s a fundraiser for local charities that include ABC House and Magical Music for Life. More information and tickets are available here.
Liz Mallozzi, Rob Mallozzi IV and Dana Mallozzi at NC Country School. Contributed
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Some strong family ties here: the Mallozzis and New Canaan Country School. First Selectman Rob Mallozzi’s wife Liz last Friday was teaching as a substitute teacher, while his son Robby was teaching in his 2nd-grade classroom and Rob’s aunt, Dana Mallozzi, was working as assistant to the head of the lower school at NCCS. Robby is enjoying his first year in the school’s Apprentice Teacher program.
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New Canaan assistant coach Daron Shepard and his receiving crew. Credit: Terry Dinan
Here’s an amazing footnote to a great accomplishment. Beloved New Canaan football receivers coach Daron Shepard was a defensive back for Rippowan High School when New Canaan’s Kurt Horton set the old record of seven TD passes in one game back in 1970. When current NCHS QB Michael Collins broke Horton’s 45 year-old record, eight of Shepard’s receivers were involved, catching Collins’ nine touchdown passes. Congrats to Coach Shepard and his receiving corps and best of luck to the Rams as they get ready to take on Darien in the FCIAC Championship/Turkey Bowl.
L-R: Samantha King, Priscilla Potenza, Casey Featherson, Regina van der Heyden, Laura MacMaster Danforth, Mary Jane Swanson and Laurie Balestrino. Contributed
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The New Canaan Board of Realtors held its Annual Meeting and “Oktoberfest” at Waveny. Members of the New Canaan Realtor community donated groceries and money to the New Canaan Food Pantry.
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Finally, a singing group that takes singers of all levels as it voluntarily performs dozens of times each year—mostly at senior communities and rehab centers throughout Fairfield County—is seeking more people who are interested in joining.
The Bojanglers at Waveny Care Center
The Bojanglers of CT was launched seven years ago by New Canaan’s Will Heins. If you can find an hour to sign, contact the Bojanglers at: sagamore.songs@gmail.com. Also see the Bojanglers of CT Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/bojanglersofct.