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Raechelle Freeman, 80

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Raechelle Freeman—remembered locally as Shelley Dinan, a career speech pathologist and special education teacher for New Canaan Public Schools—died peacefully Sunday at Stamford Hospital, family by her side, following a courageous two-and-a-half year battle with myelofibrosis. She was 80. Born Raechelle Sandra Ashbaugh on Nov. 15, 1943 in Neptune, N.J., she was the daughter of Ivan and Bernice Blum Ashbaugh. 

Energetic, smart, irreverent and fun, she grew up on the Jersey Shore in Belmar with her little sister, Karen, graduating from Manasquan High School. Through her education and professional work, Shelley soon began migrating north toward New Canaan.

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Arrest Warrant: New Canaan Mom Harassed by Estranged Husband

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Police last week arrested a 49-year-old Norwalk man by warrant and charged him with second-degree harassment and 23 counts of violation of a protective order, a felony offense. The man, who is going through a divorce, has repeatedly called for police to perform welfare checks on his children, who have been with his wife in New Canaan, court documents show. His wife has said the man “constantly calls NCPD to do welfare checks on her and her two children,” according to an arrest warrant application filed by New Canaan Police and signed in May by the prosecuting attorney and state Superior Court Judge Bruce Hudock. The estranged pair split custody of their children and a protective order is already in place against the man, the police affidavit said. The victim told police that at about 7:30 p.m. on May 11, the man appeared at her New Canaan home “with flowers that he bought for her.”

When she asked what he was doing there, “he stated that he had gotten her the flowers for Mothers Day and he wanted to give her money for child support,” according to the arrest warrant application, obtained by NewCanaanite.com.

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Road Rage: New Canaan Man, 62, Charged After Slashing Tires 

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Police last week arrested a 62-year-old New Canaan man and charged him with second-degree criminal mischief and second-degree breach of peace. 

At about 9:53 p.m. on July 16 (a Tuesday), officers were dispatched to a River Street home on a report of a road rage incident, according to police. The victim’s car tires had been slashed minutes earlier in the area of South Avenue and Cherry Street, according to a police report. Police conducted an investigation and brought the two misdemeanor charges. Under state law, a person is guilty of second-degree criminal mischief if they cause more than $250 in damage to someone’s property. The man was released after promising to appear July 30 in state Superior Court. 

More information from New Canaan Police is available here.

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Sidewalk Sale Draws Bargain-Hunters Downtown [PHOTOS]

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Scores of bargain-hunters and local business supporters descended on downtown New Canaan on Saturday for the Chamber of Commerce’s annual Sidewalk Sale & Village Fair. Kids, families and grownups moved through pedestrian-only sections of Elm, Main and Forest Streets under comfortably warm, overcast skies during the popular sale, which runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to New Canaan’s local brick-and-mortar stores and nonprofit organizations such as New Canaan Unplugged, Fire Company No. 1, League of Women Voters (which registered 13 new voters), and the Democratic and Republican Town Committees, pop-up vendors sold a wide array of clothes, home goods, crafts and other items.

“We had a very smooth setup,” Chamber Executive Director Laura Budd told NewCanaanite.com. “All the stores and organizations got here early and the shoppers followed right after. We’re really thankful for the weather — the one thing we can’t control — because I think people will stay longer and enjoy the day in town.”

Budd specifically thanked the town Department of Public Works crew “who do such an amazing job with the setup and cleanup.”

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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New Canaan Police are investigating two smash-and-grabs reported Sunday night at New Canaan High School (7:59 p.m.) and Waveny (8:49 p.m.). At 8:24 p.m. the same night, police received a report of an unlocked vehicle at NCHS being entered with a purse stolen. ***

The Carriage Barn Arts Center’s 2024 Member Show is open for entries. Submission deadline is Aug. 4.