Darien Historical Society

Cherry Lawn School: Former Local Boarding School, Founded by Immigrants, Ended by Fires

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Before Cherry Lawn Park became a park, it was the campus of a boarding school that was founded as the result of one tragedy and ended after a series of others. Dr. Fred Goldfrank, a physician in New York, founded the school in 1915 after his daughter Beatrice was stricken with a severe case of polio, leaving her unable to walk. Goldfrank abandoned his medical practice and decided to found a school that catered to her and other children with similar special needs. His home in Stamford served as the school’s original campus, with his backyard the students’ playground. By 1919, the school population had quickly grown, so Cherry Lawn School moved to a new 28-acre campus in Darien, where the school had classes for grades 6 to 12.

Darien Library
Going In Style movie poster thumbnail square 08-02-17

‘Going in Style’ – Friday Night Feature Film at Darien Library

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Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin team up as lifelong buddies Willie, Joe and Al, who decide to end retirement and step off the straight-and-narrow for the first time in their lives when their pension fund becomes a corporate casualty. Desperate to pay the bills and come through for their loved ones, the three risk it all by embarking on a daring bid to knock off the very bank that absconded with their money. 

You can watch this Friday Night Feature at 6:30 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.

The 2017 film features Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin, Ann-Margret, Joey King; Rated PG-13; 96 minutes; Presented with Captions for the hearing impaired. _____________

– an announcement from Darien Library

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Official Website |  IMDb | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | Wikipedia |

 

 

Music

Country Band ‘Gunsmoke’ to Perform Friday Night at Grove Street Plaza

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This Friday, Gunsmoke, a homegrown band is set to perform at the Grove Street Plaza at 6 p.m. as part of the Darien Summer Nights concert series. Gunsmoke has been playing for many different audiences for over 25 years, including two sitting presidents of the United States and the world famous Ernest Tubb’s Midnight Jamboree in Nashville, following the Grand Ole Opry. With six recorded albums under their belt, Gunsmoke was inducted into the Connecticut Country Music Hall of Fame, and was elected band of the year six years in a row by the New York Metro Country Music Association. __________

– an announcement from Darien Summer Nights

__________

The band was created by Nick DeMaio Jr. and his younger brother Jeff, and for many years they were joined by their father, Nick Sr. The band continues to welcome younger family members into the band, with Christina Mae and Nick DeMaio III joining the tradition. The family affair is joined by lead guitarist Van Mankas and expert fiddler Fooch Fischetti.

Government & Politics
Dan Drew Middletown Mayor Gubernatorial Candidate 07-15-17

Gubernatorial Candidate Dan Drew: CT Needs Single-Payer Healthcare, Tolls, Free College & Legalized Pot

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Middletown Mayor Dan Drew, who’s running for governor, positioned himself as a candidate of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party during a recent visit to Darien. Speaking before the Darien Democratic Town Committee on Thursday, July 13, Drew talked about some of his proposed solutions to the state’s budget woes. Shortfalls in tax revenue, have swollen the state’s potential budget deficit to $1.7 billion. “There’s no silver bullet,” he said. To solve this problem, he recommended legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana, instituting highway tolls, raising the state income tax, and implementing various state and municipal government reforms.

But he cautioned, “We have to do this carefully and intelligently, and we have to consult an awful lot of people.”

Public Safety

Police: More Underage Drinking Parties This Time of Year — and Here’s What Police Do When They Find Them

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Police Chief Ray Osborne explained at a recent Police Commission meeting what cops do when they find underage parties with alcohol, and he talked about the legal consequences both parents and teenagers may face. “Right now, we’re getting hit pretty hard with underage drinking,” Detective James Palmieri of the Youth Bureau told the commission. Summers generally have more frequent underage drinking incidents, he said. Following a call reporting an underage drinking party from a tip line that notifies law enforcement to suspicious or illegal activity, a supervisor and officers are dispatched to the scene, he said at the July 5 commission meeting. The tip line has become a valuable tool for police, he said.

Music

Mars Project to Play at Grove Street Plaza in Darien Summer Nights Series

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Kick off your weekend this Friday, July 7, with Darien Summer Nights. The concerts return to Grove Street Plaza with fan favorite, Mars Project. John Gerardi and his band, also known as Ratso and Friends, have been playing their spirited blues on Grove Street for many years to a large audience. These long-time friends came together in 2008, and have since become a local sensation. Listen to percussionist Mike Marble hammering on his drums, bassist Scott Spray slappin’ the strings, and lead guitarist John “Ratso” Gerardi pluckin’ away with the accompaniment of Bill Harris on the saxophone.

Maritime Aquarium

Maritime Aquarium Now Features Biggest Jellyfish Exhibit in the Region

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Get close to some of the most strangely beautiful — but painfully dangerous — animals in the sea as The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk offers a newly expanded exhibit of jellyfish. With “Journey with Jellies,” The Maritime Aquarium now displays the most jellyfish species in the region. Jellies — as they should be called, because they’re not fish — have been among the most popular animals in The Maritime Aquarium for more than 20 years. 

This bigger new space builds around the tall centerpiece display of moon jellies, and offers large new displays with such non-native species as Pacific sea nettles, flower hat jellies, Japanese sea nettles and more. “Journey with Jellies” has traditional “window” displays of jellies, but also unique displays of jellies living in cascading globe and half-dome habitats. “Jellies are among the most simple animals, thriving without a brain, heart, lungs, gills and really any of the other organs that we believe an animal must have to survive,” said John Lenzycki, the aquarium’s curator of animals.

Business
Where's Waldo head thumbnail 6-23-16

Kids Can Hunt for Waldo at Two Dozen Darien Stores in July

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Where’s Waldo? In Darien of course. The famous children’s book character in the striped  shirt and black-rimmed specs is visiting 25 different local businesses throughout our community this July. Those who spot him can win prizes, including buttons, book coupons and more. From Barrett Bookstore at Noroton Heights Shopping Center, 314 Heights Road to Wiggles & Giggles at 1074 Post Road, from SoNo Baking Company at 49 Tokeneke Road to Chocolate Works at Goodwives Shopping Center, Waldo figures will be well hidden in local business establishments.