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Did You Hear … ?

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I love Rock n roll – Joan jett The Blackhearts
Rock and Roll

 

We hear the Youth Group at the Congregational Church of New Canaan during its mission trip ran into rock star Joan Jett (“I Love Rock and Roll”) at an airport in Memphis, and that she and her group were good enough to pose with the local teens. (Side note: First Selectman Rob Mallozzi has seen the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame inductee perform live and has an autographed LP cover from her.)

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The town planner said during Tuesday night’s meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission that he expects Grace Farms to submit its new application for a modified zoning permit by March 15. ***

A coyote and a medium-sized dog on Autumn Lane at about 6:45 pa.m. on Tuesday had what New Canaan’s police chief called “a close encounter” on Autumn Lane. The animal was frightened away by its owner, and the incident served as a reminder, Chief Leon Krolikowski said, “that coyote are active in the area and that they are not nocturnal. It is highly recommended that all dogs be supervised at all times and any food sources, such as bird feeders and pet food be contained and controlled.” Anyone with questions or concerns should contact Animal Control at 203-594-3510. ***

New Canaan’s first major league baseball player, Curt Casali, hit a home run in spring training on Tuesday.

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MLB’s Curt Casali to Host New Canaan Baseball Clinic

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Most New Canaan youth baseball players have dreams of one day playing in the Major Leagues. This upcoming Monday, those kids will have a chance to get up close and personal with a real-life major leaguer who—not too long ago—started his career on the very same fields they’re playing on today. Tampa Bay Rays catcher Curt Casali will return to New Canaan High School to headline a youth pitching/catching clinic on Monday, December 26th, from 12 to 2pm. Casali, a 2007 NCHS graduate, will be joined by current high school players as well as a veritable who’s-who of Rams baseball alumni, all of whom took their talents to the next level—collegiate baseball. This group includes Casey Ouellette (University of Bridgeport), David Giusti (Lafayette), Dan Rajkowski (UCONN), Zack Smith (Salve Regina), J.R. Anderson (Amherst) and Matt Toth (Trinity).

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The town is seeking to settle an appeal filed by the owners of a Lukes Wood Road home after the Planning & Zoning Commission last year denied their request to allow higher-than-allowed pillars for a gate at the end of their driveway. At a special meeting of P&Z on Sept. 22, town attorney Ira Bloom said that under a “reasonable compromise” reached with the town, the pillars—which already are in place at 309 Lukes Wood Road and stand about six and seven feet above grade, given the slope of the land, against the four feet allowed by the New Canaan Zoning Regulations (see Section 6.5.C.3.a on page 126 here)—will remain. However, Aris and Patricia Kekedjian have agreed to move certain trees, replant others, forego installing any fixtures atop the pillars and remove an upper piece of their driveway gate, Bloom said. P&Z commissioner Jack Flinn called the plan “more than adequate” during the meeting, held at Town Hall, and the commission voted unanimously to support it.

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Police at 9:01 a.m. last Friday were dispatched to Irwin Park on a report of a dog fight. There, they discovered that a dog belonging to a Woods End Road neighbor of the park had gotten out, bolted into the park and jumped another (leashed) dog. Neither animal was punctured or suffered injuries, Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm said. ***

Congratulations to the 48 New Canaan High School students who excelled at the March 14 national Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science competition at the University of New Haven. New Canaan’s varsity A and B teams placed first and second in their divisions, respectively.

Sports

‘It’s All About the Program’: MLB’s Curt Casali Headlines New Canaan Baseball Clinic

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Many high school coaches would consider winning a state championship the ultimate goal, a culmination of hard work, development and sacrifice. But for New Canaan baseball coach Mitch Hoffman, winning the 2013 Class L baseball title was only the first building block of a program that is becoming one of the best in Connecticut, both in terms of winning games and helping players move on to the next level—college baseball—and maybe even beyond to the pros. Perhaps nowhere was that program better illustrated from top to bottom than at Tuesday’s New Canaan Baseball alumni clinic at Bobby Valentine’s Sports Academy in Stamford. Dozens of future Rams from New Canaan’s growing youth baseball program attended the session run by Hoffman and several Rams stars of the past and present, including current players Robbie Jones, Mike Pelli and Troy Dunnam, collegiate players Casey Ouellette (University of Bridgeport), David Giusti (Lafayette), Dan Rajkowski (UCONN), Zack Smith (Salve Regina), J.R. Anderson (Amherst) Matt Toth (Trinity) and perhaps most notably, New Canaan’s first MLB player, Curt Casali of the Tampa Bay Rays. “It’s all about the program,” Hoffman told NewCanaanite.com.