NewCanaanite.com recently received the following letter(s) to the editor. Please send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com for publication here.
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Dear Editor,
Since 1998, our community has been recognizing “unsung heroes” in our community – individuals who volunteer to serve our community and are rarely rewarded for their selfless efforts. These outstanding volunteers devote their most valuable resource, time, for the benefit of the New Canaan community and deserve appreciation and recognition for their impact. The New Canaan Community Foundation is proud to lead this vital community program through the annual Volunteer Recognition Awards.
Earlier this month, the Volunteer Recognition Committee reviewed dozens of nominations for the acknowledgement of extraordinary volunteers – including youth volunteers; adult volunteers; Board members; “hands on” volunteers, who aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and get to work; and volunteer groups – within our community. We are proud to announce this year’s award recipients:
- Adult Volunteer Award – Merrie Bee Cabin Committee
- Board Leadership, Hall of Fame – Steffi Loomis, Jennifer Essigs and Kristen O’Connor, New Canaan High School Scholarship Foundation
- Board Leadership, MVP Award – Beth Sanford and Nancy Bemis, New Canaan Land Trust
- Civic Service Award – Neil Budnick, New Canaan Board of Finance
- Community Initiative Award – Mary Frances Malone, New Canaan Museum & Historical Society
- Compassion Award – Carol Bauer, Waveny LifeCare Network
- Hands-On, Hall of Fame Award – R. Bailey Stewart, New Canaan Cemetery Association
- Hands-On, MVP Award – Brian Hollstein, Gospel Garden
- Hands-On, Rookie of the Year Award – Neil Wilson, Staying Put in New Canaan
- “Paws-On”, MVP Award – Frances Pastoral Pup and St. Mark’s Church Volunteers, Waveny LifeCare Network
- Jim Cole Inspiration Award – Tom Stadler, Various Organizations
- Youth MVP award – Adrián McMahon, Building One Community
These extraordinary volunteers will be recognized at the 2022 Volunteer Recognition Awards at the New Canaan Town Hall Meeting Room on Tuesday, October 4th at 5:30pm. A celebratory reception will follow at Pesca.
Our community is very fortunate to have many caring volunteers who go above and beyond, and we are proud and honored to have the opportunity to recognize their efforts.
Sincerely,
Tracey Karl and Marley Thackray
Volunteer Recognition Committee Co-Chairs
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As a longtime resident, I am proud to endorse Victor Alvarez in his campaign for the 125th State House District because I know he will bring committed, effective leadership to address the concerns of New Canaan residents to the General Assembly.
In a time when record heat waves, rising ocean levels, wildfires, droughts, and ever more devastating storms are frequent reminders of the impact of climate change, Victor Alvarez is seeking to serve on three of the legislative committee most focused on the related climate, energy and environmental issues we can no longer put off addressing.
If appointed to the Energy & Technology Committee, Victor would be a committed voice for transitioning to renewable energy supplies and, to reduce lengthy service outages following storms, support incentive plans to bury overhead electricity lines. Since the issues before the Environment Committee are related, if named to that committee, he would support improving recycling, advocate for clean water measures and work toward reducing or eliminating noise pollution from lawn mowers and leaf blowers.
If named to the Transportation Committee, he would work toward improving public transportation for New Canaan commuters by investing in Connecticut’s rail lines to improve MetroNorth service to our town. While improving rail service, he would also work to reduce the noise from train horns at crossings on the New Canaan branch. Victor offers a cohesive approach that would have the beneficial result of also reducing traffic on our congested I-95 and Merritt Parkway thoroughfares.
Victor Alvarez is proposing an ambitious legislative agenda, but I am confident that he has the background, credentials as a Columbia University MBA, and dedication to New Canaan to achieve what he sets out to do for our town and state. I urge all New Canaan residents of the 125th House district to support Victor Alvarez in his election to the General Assembly.
Susan B Edmands
New Canaan
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Dear Editor,
My candidate of choice is Toni Boucher for the 26th District State Senate seat. Toni’s local knowledge of the issues facing the residents of southwestern Connecticut along with her experience in Hartford is what we need to get our problems the attention and action needed. She isn’t an empty suit with “rock-star” appeal. Connecticut voters know the difference and want results. From her professional career in the private sector to her extensive public service work for our community, Toni knows what real work is, just like you, the residents of Wilton and the surrounding communities. Her previous bipartisan legislative achievements in Hartford continue to make a difference in the everyday lives of so many of Connecticut’s residents and businesses. Toni wants to continue making our District better by fighting for what is important to us: Maintaining local control of residential property rights as well education and parental involvement in their child’s education and keeping the District and Connecticut’s communities safe and affordable. It is no wonder why she was unanimously endorsed by delegates from Darien, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Stamford, Weston, Westport and Wilton for State Senator for the 26 th Senate District. I am strongly supporting Toni Boucher for State Senator and am urging you to vote for Toni this November.
Christopher Wilson
New Canaan
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Dear Editor: The citizens or actors in Bob Stephanowski’s recent ad must be really uninformed. One after one, they decry that Governor Lamont has raised their property taxes. Don’t they know that property taxes are set and collected by municipalities? What a cheap shot, blaming the Governor for something that is completely decided and controlled by local officials and not state officials.
But maybe they are angry about the cap on the deduction for state and local taxes against Federal taxes? That was done by the Trump administration, and Governor Lamont has been fighting it since it was enacted in 2017. He has worked tirelessly to improve the tax situation for all CT citizens.
Toddy Turrentine
New Canaan
[Note: Comments are disabled on this post. The New Canaanite will publish endorsement letters through Sept. 30]