Around Town

PHOTOS: Car Enthusiasts Enjoy ‘Caffeine & Carburetors’ at Waveny

By |

Thousands of auto enthusiasts on Sunday morning attended the locally launched and hugely popular car show that came to New Canaan twice in 2025. Also held downtown in May, “Caffeine & Carburetors”—launched by New Canaan’s Doug Zumbach outside his eponymous coffee shop on Pine Street—has raised tens of thousands of dollars for local nonprofit organizations in the past year. More than 1,300 classic and specialty car owners registered to show their vehicles at the show, Zumbach told NewCanaanite.com as crowds of people clutching cameras and dog leashes moved through the forecourt of Waveny House, surrounding grounds and nearby outbuildings. 

“The weather is terrific and people are really enjoying themselves,” Zumbach said. His own volunteers, New Canaan Community Emergency Response Team or ‘CERT’ members, police and other agencies, and Caffeine & Carburetors is supported by companies that include Bankwell, Garage Living and AK Motorcars. Ashley Guzman, assistant branch manager at Bankwell, said the Cherry Street bank is one of the original sponsors of C&C.

Allyson Mahoney

‘This Is Absolutely Amazing’: Inclusive Together, Library Organize Inaugural Back-To-School Event

By |

Dozens of local parents, community organizations, service providers and district officials gathered at New Canaan Library on Wednesday afternoon for a first-of-its-kind back-to-school event serving parents with children who are neurodivergent, have disabilities or have learning differences. 

Launched by New Canaan-founded nonprofit Inclusive Together and the library, the inaugural “Back-To-School Together” event featured well-attended workshops and a room full of service providers and local agencies that serve community members raising children who fit under the umbrella of special education. “This is absolutely amazing,” Lauren Tarzia, founder of Inclusive Together, said as attendees chatted with representatives from organizations including the New Canaan YMCA, New Canaan Mounted Troop and New Canaan Police Department. “This is something we’ve been wanting to do for a while,” Tarzia said. “We’ve partnered with the library since they’ve been so supportive of all of our initiatives.”

The co-organizers wanted to bring together families with children who are served by a wide range of services “because really there is no tight-knit community of parents or caregivers like this.”

“And also it’s an opportunity for our resources that are here today, to network and get to know each other and see how they can help one another get the word out about their resources,” she added. “There are therapists here—speech-language therapists, occupational therapists—the New Canaan YMCA is here promoting their inclusive support programs. There are different centers here who provide therapy and testing and other types of educational services.

Kelly Coughlin

New Canaan Police Take Part in Special Olympics ‘Law Enforcement Torch Run’

By |

New Canaan Police on Friday participated in a fundraising run for the Special Olympics. NCPD received the “Flame of Hope” from Stamford Police early on a sunny, hot morning at the “Pop Up Park” at South Avenue between Elm Street and Morse Court. The Law Enforcement Torch Run “is an incredible event that brings law enforcement together and connects them with the Special Olympics community,” Officer Kelly Coughlin said in an interview before NCPD’s leg of the run started. Launched in 1981, the “run” now sees more than 100,000 law enforcement officers, known to the event as “Guardians of the Flame,” participate. The “Flame of Hope” symbolizes courage and celebration of diversity, according to the Special Olympics website.

Annamaria Ceci

‘Good Work Can Be Overlooked’: Letters of Appreciation for NCPD

By |

The following letters of support for New Canaan Police officers were made public by Chief John DiFederico at the May 18 Police Commission meeting, held in Town Hall. ***

Officer Kelly Coughlin

Dear Chief DiFederico,

I am writing to extend my sincere gratitude to you and the New Canaan Police Department for the outstanding support provided during our recent missing person search on April 19, 2025. The deployment of your Drone Team with Officer Kelly Coughlin was instrumental in our search efforts. Her professionalism and expertise allowed us to locate the missing party in good health. The level of knowledge and commitment demonstrated by Officer Coughlin reflects positively on your agency.

Government

NCPD Special Olympics ‘Law Enforcement Torch Run’ Set for June 6

By |

Town officials on Wednesday night approved a road closure downtown to bring attention to a unique local effort led by the New Canaan Police Department. The Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run, scheduled for Friday, June 6, “is a great event that’s gone on for a long time to unify law enforcement officers from all over the country with Special Olympics athletes, and it’s a huge fundraiser for Special Olympics, especially in Connecticut,” according to NCPD Officer Kelly Coughlin. 

Addressing members of the Police Commission at their regular meeting, Coughlin said, “The Law Enforcement Torch Run involves police officers carrying a literal torch to kick off their Summer Olympics event games, and it’s carried throughout the whole state of Connecticut. We’ve been fortunate the last two years to be able to run through New Canaan with the torch and we will be doing so again this year.”

New Canaan’s leg of the Torch Run starts at the “Pop Up Park” at South Avenue between Elm Street and Morse Court, and runs down South Avenue into neighboring Darien. A longtime supporter of the Special Olympics, Coughlin has arranged for NCPD to participate in the Torch Run in recent years. Launched in 1981 in support the Special Olympics cause by carrying the “Flame of Hope,” the Torch Run happens through communities in every state annually.