Loss hit close to the New Canaan Advertiser twice in the past week.

Word was received this week that Dean Hadley, a longtime reporter, assistant editor and editor for the Advertiser, died June 8. Services will be private. Donations may be made to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, Radnor Station Building 2 Suite 320, 290 King of Prussia Road, Radnor, PA 19087 or Halcyon Hospice and Palliative Care, 209 Main St. Suite B, Mead CO 80542.

Jessie LeBrun of New Canaan, a resident of New Canaan for almost 60 years and a fixture at the Advertiser’s Friday coffees for two decades, died July 5.

She was a Connecticut State Champion fencer; taught fencing at the Norwalk YMCA; and was a huge NY Yankees fan.

Mrs. LeBrun was a devout Catholic; adored the priests and nuns at St. Aloysius Church and School over the past 50+ years, volunteering for countless functions and activities, as well as running the religious gift shop for almost 20 years. She also volunteered at St. Gregory the Great in Danbury for numerous years.

A Mass of Christian burial will take place on Wednesday, July 10th at 11 a.m. at St. Aloysius Church, New Canaan, CT. Interment will take place privately. The family will receive friends at the Hoyt Funeral Home, 199 Main Street, New Canaan CT, on Tuesday July 9th from 4 to 8 PM.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Mrs. Jessie LeBrun to: St. Aloysius Church, 40 Maple Street, New Canaan, CT 06840.

The post New Canaan Main and Elm: Loss hit close to the Advertiser appeared first on New Canaan Advertiser.

To our readers:

You will notice a new look to the New Canaan Advertiser website starting today.

The redesign is intended to offer a cleaner look, expedite our reporting of breaking news, and offer our readers a chance to share their opinions.

Readers will notice more links, areas where they can follow local breaking news without leaving their hometown site, and more frequent updates.

Advertisers have new options and opportunities to share their message with a broader audience.

If you have any thoughts on the new look, email editor@ncadvertiser.com.

The post New look for New Canaan Advertiser website appeared first on New Canaan Advertiser.

The November municipal election should be formalized by the middle of next week.

Democrat Craig Donovan will officially kick off his campaign for first selectman on Monday, July 15, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the meeting room at the New Canaan Historical Society, 13 Oenoke Ridge.

Donovan is on the ticket with incumbent Democratic Selectman Kit Devereaux.

State Sen. Will Haskell and State Rep. Lucy Dathan are scheduled to be in attendance, according to a press release from the New Canaan Democratic Town Committee.

New Canaan Republicans will hold a caucus at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, in the gymnasium of New Canaan High School, 11 Farm Road, to endorse candidates for the Nov. 5 local election.

Admission is limited to registered New Canaan Republicans who are eligible to vote on the date of the caucus.

Candidates qualified through the petitioning process or were nominated pursuant to rules of the RTC.

Up for endorsement are:

• First Selectman: Kevin J. Moynihan, 330 Elm Street #6

• Selectman: Nick Williams, 1194 Smith Ridge Road

• Town Clerk: Claudia A. Weber, 523 Main Street

• Town Treasurer: Andrew Brooks, 43 Park Place

• Town Council: Cristina Aguirre-Ross, 300 Lost District Drive; Stephen J. Karl, 9 Whiffle Tree Lane; Michael J. Mauro, 148 Gerdes Road; Maria Naughton, 14 Bob Hill Lane

• Board of Education: Carl W. Gardiner, 38 Canoe Hill Road; Suzanne Harrison, 56 Brooks Road; Daniel LaGattuta, 78 Brooks Road; Bob Naughton, 14 Bob Hill Lane; Julie Mackle Reeves, 81 Rilling Ridge

• Board of Assessment Appeals: David L. Hunt, 152 Butler Lane; Jennifer Donovan, 189 Brookwood Lane

• Constable: Arvind Bajaj, 149 Parish Road; Darren Bruno, 6 River Street; Mary Anne Mercogliano, 77 Grove Street; Gregory Pepe, 36 Fitch Lane.

The only contested race is for the Board of Education nominations, with five candidates seeking endorsement for three openings.

The post November election in New Canaan to take shape appeared first on New Canaan Advertiser.

Jennifer Williams takes the ages-old tradition of botanical compositions into an entirely new realm with her interpretations. The exhibit “Wild + Free” opens in the New Canaan Library’s H. Pelham Curtis Gallery on Thursday, July 18 and runs through Saturday, Aug. 24.

“Williams’s work echoes the fullness of life and the freedom of nature, mixing vibrant reality with a sense of fantasy that invites us to become immersed in the painting,” according to a press release. “Her paintings allow the viewer to appreciate nature as she perceives it, full of movement and light.”

“I need to be IN my paintings — not just describing what I see but participating, taking hold of the colors,” Williams said. “As a child living near the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, Australia, I grew up with wildness: spring flowers full of color and light, changing through the seasons. Later, traveling, I loved the new plants and blooms I found and began at last to paint, en plein air, among them. Today, from my home near Long Island Sound to the Caribbean and Monet’s gardens in Giverny I’m fulfilled, capturing the colors which have been, and certainly still are, such a part of me.”

“Wild + Free ” is sponsored by the Art Committee of the New Canaan Library. The art is for sale. For additional information, contact Amara Johnson at 203-594-5079 or visit newcanaanlibrary.org.

The post Artist to go ‘Wild + Free’ at the New Canaan Library appeared first on New Canaan Advertiser.

Lorraine Trapani executive program manager for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, will address the New Canaan Men’s Club in Morrill Hall at St. Mark’s Church, Friday, July 12, at 10:30 a.m., following the 10 a.m. member’s only weekly business meeting.

Trapani will present “IBM and Guiding Eyes For the Blind.” She will be joined by the organization’s Regional Manager, Caitlin Landry.

Trapani and Landry will describe their organization’s mission, how puppies are raised and trained with the help of IBM AI technology, and how “independence is the priceless gift these dogs give their recipients, all day, every day.”

“In the U.S., someone becomes blind every seven minutes, and as the Baby Boomer generation faces age-related vision loss, the demand is increasing,” according to a press release.

Lorraine Trapani’s other full time job is Executive Program Manager, Global Risk Management Import Compliance Office (ICO) IBM Government and Regulatory Affairs. Trapani, a Ridgefield resident, became interested in guide dogs after her late husband, IBMer Michael Trapani, became partially blind, and has been a puppy raiser since 2011. “All of the puppies I raise, I raise in Michael’s name,” she’s raising her fifth and sixth future guide dogs.

Caitlyn Landry, Regional Manager, Puppy Program, Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Caitlyn is from Vernon, Connecticut and has a B.Sc. degree in Animal Science and Technology from the University of Rhode Island.

The mutually beneficial relationship between a guide dog and a blind human is an inspirational everyday wonder. It’s a wonder that results from work by dedicated people, often volunteers. Guiding Eyes for the Blind offers many ways people can support its mission of providing guide dogs for people. Guiding Eyes has puppy-raising classes Thursdays evenings in the Westport/Wilton area, that are organized by regional coordinator Cora Martin. She can be reached at 203-834-0069, or corapm@msn.com.

The New Canaan Men’s Club has openings for new members 55 and over. Anyone interested is invited to be a guest at the meeting. For more info contact: Frank Haines at 203.984.2602, or visit newcanaanmensclub.org for more information.

The post New Canaan Men’s Club to learn about Guiding Eyes appeared first on New Canaan Advertiser.

Night work for the Eversource gas expansion construction project is underway after moving into New Canaan’s downtown business district on Sunday, July 7, according to a press release from the Town of New Canaan.

Construction is being done on Cherry Street, Main Street, Park Street and South Avenue from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., with all work depending on the weather.

Safe access to businesses, and offices is being maintained, and business owners are being, have been or will be notified by Eversource 48 hours before construction begins on their street, avenue or both, according to the release.

Log on to the Town’s website at www.newcanaan.info for updates about the project.

The post New Canaan gas expansion construction project night work underway appeared first on New Canaan Advertiser.

43 Fawn Lane: Christopher Muller to Ryan B. Eckert and Christie Eckert, $2,350,000

25 Meadow Lane: Stephen B. Dunkin and Abigail G. Dunkin to Geoffrey Moore and Kendall Moore, $2,000,000

111 Glen Drive: Kelly Hennigan to American International Relocation Solutions, LLC, $945,000

111 Glen Drive: American International Relocation Solutions, LLC, to Ryan Hoffman and Diana Hoffman, $945,000

96 West Cross Road: Winifred C. Johnson and John M. Tidd, the duly authorized Trustees of the Arthur J. Johnson Revocable Trust under Agreement dated September 25, 1991 as amended, to Winifred C. Johnson and John M. Tidd, or their successor(s) in trust, as Trustees of the Estate Tax Sheltered Trust f/b/o Winifred C. Johnson under Article II. B.1. of the Arthur J. Johnson Revocable Trust under Agreement dated September 25, 1991, as amended, as to an undivided 80% interest, with Trustee’s Convenants, and Winifred C. Johnson and John M. Tidd, or their successor(s) in trust, as Trustees of the GST-Exempt Connecticut QTIP Trust f/b/o Winifred C. Johnson under Article II.B.I of the Arthur J. Johnson Revocable Trust under Agreement dated September 25, 1991, as amended,, as to an undivided 20% interest with Trustee’s Convenants, $0, $10 symbolic on deed

34 Hoyt Farm Road: Francis N. Teracino and Susan M. Teracino to Jorge J. Rodriquez and Khamaly M. Carattini, $890,000

69 Hoyt Farm Road: Adrian P. Brody to Sharon Delsa Ivanov and Nikolai Christopher Ivanov, $1,155,000

30 Crystal Street: Victor N. Carter, III, duly qualified and authorized executor of the last will and testament of Diana D. Carter AKA Diana Duff Carter, late, to Joseph Lasala and Deanna Lasala, $750,000, other

238 Marshall Ridge Road: Jennifer G. Posner to the Brent C. Haney Revocable Trust U/A 10-20-2015 and to the Christine Spoldi Haney Revocable Trust U/A 10-20-2015, as tenants in common, all that certain real property situated in the Town of New Canaan, County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, $1,682,395

123 Richmond Hill Road, Unit 1, Orchard Hills Condominium: Estate of A. Donald Ikle: Stephen K. Ikle and Essex Savings Bank as Co-Executors of The Estate Of A. Donald Ikle, to 123 Richmond Hill Road, $975,000, other

289 New Norwalk Road, Unit 27, Canaan Close Condominium: Dorothy H. Norris, Trustee and Cynthia L. Norris, Trustee under a Revocable Trust Agreement Dated 1/31/02, to Akhilesh Gupta and Madhvi Gupta, $635,000

64 Lake Wind Road: Robertson Holdings, LLC by duly authorized Member, Elizabeth Ellsworth, to Derek Snell and Carly Swanberg, $960,000

197 Bowery Road: Jonathan J. Beitler and Mary Katherine Hayes to David Cuenca Cuenca, $1,165,000

257 Hawks Hill Road: Robert G. Hogan and Sandra L. Hogan to Michael Prentis Knuff and Lillian Coughlan Worthley, husband and wife, $1,500,000

84 Turtle Back Road: Jennifer S. Frattaroli and Elizabeth S. Miller, acting herein as Co-Trustees of the Article III Family Trust under the Margo Fox Sting Qualified Personal Residence Trust dated 12/20/2012, to CT QTIP Non GST Exempt ETST U/A IV. B. 1 DWS Revocable Trust UAD 03/08/2007, $3,800,000, other

65 Lost District Drive: Kimberly Holmes and William Holmes to Paul Reitano and Karlie Reitano, $1,502,000

283 Main Street: Jon B. Victor and Irene W. Victor to Massimo Paone and Lucia Paone, $1,262,500

The post New Canaan property transfers June 24 to July 5 appeared first on New Canaan Advertiser.

Horizons at New Canaan Country School has joined the National Summer Learning Association in National Summer Learning Week, a celebration the week of July 8-13 dedicated to elevating the importance of keeping kids learning, safe, and healthy every summer; ensuring young people return to school ready to succeed.

Each day of Summer Learning Week is devoted to a different summer issue, from the enriching possibilities of STEM (science of, technology, engineering and mathematics) to arts programming, to summertime programs that strengthen career development skills for young people.

“We know that summer learning loss is real, but we should not place so much of our focus narrowly on the summer academic slide that we ignore the many other “lost opportunity” summer issues that impact children’s physical, mental and emotional well-being,” said Aaron Philip Dworkin, NSLA CEO.

This is the 55th year of the Horizons at New Canaan Country School Summer Program, which provides up to 264 underserved children in grades K-8 from Norwalk and Stamford with six-weeks of academic and enrichment programming. The program is designed to mitigate the summer learning decline that disproportionately affects under-resourced students and instead offers literacy and math support, along with swimming lessons, arts, sports, and community building events to help students grow to their full potential and grow academically over the summer.

“Summer provides a great opportunity for our Horizons students to learn new skills, discover new strengths, and have new experiences, all while being part of a caring and nurturing community,” said Nancy von Euler, executive director of Horizons at New Canaan Country School.

The learning that begins in the Summer Program continues during the school year and into high school with services and support for grades 9-12 as well.

National Summer Learning Week aims to unite community organizations, summer learning programs, and families in advocacy efforts and celebrations hosted by hundreds of partner organizations from libraries to museums, parks and recreation centers to civic and non-profit groups all to promote awareness of the power and magic of summer programs to close opportunity gaps among youth throughout the nation.

“Summer programs provide a unique space in education to pilot, partner, and close our nation’s educational and opportunity gaps,” said Dworkin. “By coming together as a national community, dedicated to the future success of our youth, we can ensure all kids in America, regardless of zip code and socioeconomic status, receive the opportunity to keep learning and growing all summer and all year long.”

More information about National Summer Learning Week can be found at www.summerlearning.org.

Information about Horizons at New Canaan Country School can be found at horizonskids.org.

The post New Canaan Horizons program celebrates Summer Learning Week appeared first on New Canaan Advertiser.

The Board of Selectmen approved a revised whistleblower policy with little discussion.

A word “can” changed to “should” was the only change made to the revised three-page policy that had been previously presented in April by Tucker Clauss, chairman of the Ethics Board. Clauss spoke with the selectmen at the meeting when they voted unanimously to accept the revised policy on Monday, June 24.

Whistleblowing means reporting “what one reasonably and genuinely believes is wrongdoing by another Town employee, contractor, official or volunteer in the course of his or her employment or service for the Town,” the policy reads.

In the approved version of the policy, an “employee should follow a list of six bullet points of guidelines for reporting,” it said, with the word “can” having been replaced with “should.”

The guidelines delineate to whom an employee reports regarding wrongdoing. First, if the wrongdoing does not involve the immediate supervisor, the employee can report the problem to her or him. If it does involve the supervisor, it can go up the chain of command.

“If the employee believes the multiple levels in the chain of command may be involved or, if the employee prefers, an employee may go the Personnel Advisory Board, the Director of Human Resources or the Town Attorney,” the policy says.

Candor is needed

Then, the guidelines specify that the whistleblowers “have a responsibility to be prepared to be interviewed by, and candid with, those to whom they make a report of alleged improper activities and shall cooperate by setting forth all known information,” the policy states.

An anonymous whistleblower “must provide sufficient corroborating evidence to justify the commencement of an investigation,” it said.

If an employee makes a report “that is known to be false,” then it may result in “disciplinary action for the employee,” according to the policy.

Employees are “required to cooperate with internal investigations and must answer specific questions relating to the employee’s official duties,” it says. The “refusal to answer such questions shall be grounds for immediate dismissal.”

Wrongdoing defined

The policy defines wrongdoing as including, but not limited to: “mismanagement, dishonesty, unethical practices, fraud, neglect falsification of records, danger to the public safety of health, malfeasance, bribery, theft of government property, unauthorized use, or other forms of misconduct and/or violation of state or federal law or regulation or any municipal ordinance, regulation, rule, and/or policy.”

Secret source?

Confidentiality of the whistleblower will be maintained “in so far as possible.” However, “an employee’s identity may have to be disclosed to conduct a thorough investigation, to comply with the law and to provide accused individuals their legal rights of defense,” according to the policy.

Retaliation punishable

Any individual who “makes a report in good faith will not be discharged, disciplined, threatened, harassed, penalized or discriminated against for reporting what they perceive to be wrongdoing,” says the policy.

“In the event that a Town employee is found to have retaliated against a whistleblower, he/she will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination of employment,” policy says.

The employees are encouraged to follow the guidelines, but “also retain the right to file a complaint as provided by law, including with the State of Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities,” it said.

Earlier this spring

During the April 4 meeting, Clauss presented four changes that had been made to the last version of the policy.

The new policy “eliminates an immunity from prosecution that previous policy stated that it provided.” I don’t know where that came from, I don’t know how it [could] possibly exist,” Clauss said in April.

Also, “the new one covers all employees and public officials including Board [of Education] or school employees; it was unclear from the current” policy, he said.

“The new policy states that it does not supersede other state or municipal laws or policies or union contracts,” Clauss said back then.

“From my perspective, to make sure those other obligations that exist for us all remain in place and no one thinks they are superseded by the whistleblower policy,” he said.

The policy targets employees but not elected officials “I suppose the Town Council could consider adopting an ordinance that would create a different kind of framework in terms of elected officials, because we [selectmen] can only have jurisdiction of employees and people we appointed,” First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said at the previous meeting.

The post New Canaan Board of Selectmen passes whistleblower policy appeared first on New Canaan Advertiser.

The dark side of the friendship of two young women against the backdrop of Hollywood glitz frames “The Paper Wasp,” the debut novel from Lauren Acampora, author of an acclaimed short story collection, “The Wonder Garden.” Acampora will discuss her novel in the Adrian Lamb Room at the New Canaan Library Thursday, July 18, at 6:30 p.m.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase, courtesy of Elm Street Books. Those who wish to attend should register at newcanaanlibrary.org.

“The Paper Wasp” tells the story of two women’s dark friendship and twisted ambition against the backdrop of contemporary Hollywood. In small-town Michigan, Abby Graven leads a solitary life, far from the promise of talented artist she showed in high school. When Abby encounters her former best friend, Elise, who is now a rising celebrity, she is surprised and warmed that Elise still considers her not only a friend, but a brilliant storyteller and true artist. Elise’s unexpected faith in Abby reignites in her a dormant hunger, and when Elise offhandedly tells Abby to look her up if she’s ever in LA, Abby soon arrives on her doorstep. “The Paper Wasp” is journey into the psyche and imagination of a woman determined to fulfill her destiny.

Acampora is the author of “The Wonder Garden,” which won the GLCA New Writers Award, and was named a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, an Indie Next selection, a New England Book Award finalist, and one of Amazon and NPR’s best books of the year. Her fiction has appeared in the Paris Review, Missouri Review, Prairie Schooner, New England Review, and Antioch Review. Raised in Connecticut, she now lives in Westchester County, N.Y., with her husband and their daughter.

The post Author to discuss The Paper Wasp at New Canaan Library appeared first on New Canaan Advertiser.