At Home In Darien 2021
New Van At Home In Darien

At Home In Darien Gets a Better Van, The Darien Foundation Writes the Check

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At Home In Darien, an organization that helps seniors in town, now has a wheelchair-accessible van, paid for with an $82,880 grant from The Darien Foundation. — an announcement from The Darien Foundation and At Home In Darien

“We are incredibly grateful to The Darien Foundation for this amazing new van and for their continued support and generosity,” said Gina Blum, executive director of At Home In Darien. The 2021 Toyota Sienna van is meant to provide users with a safer, more secure ride, according to the foundation. By getting older Darien residents from place to place, the service helps them avoid isolation.  “We know that transportation is one of the biggest hindrances people face as they try to retain their independence, Blum said.

Darienites
Christopher Tripp Lyons DAR award

Darien DAR Presents Tripp Lyons With Good Citizen Award

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Darien’s Good Wife’s River Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution presented the 2021-2022 Good Citizen Award pin and certificate to Darien High School senior Christopher “Tripp” Lyons on Sunday, Dec. 5. Tripp was chosen to receive this prestigious DAR award by the Darien High School senior class and faculty. The annual award is presented to the student who best exemplifies the qualities of patriotism, citizenship, dependability and service to community. Membership in the DAR is available to any woman over the age of 18 who can trace her direct lineage to a male or female Patriot who fought for or offered material aid to the cause of American Independence during the Revolutionary War.

Cameron on Rails 2021
Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joe Guilietti

Speed Past Construction on I-95? A State Camera May Get You Ticketed: A Talk with the Transportation Commissioner

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Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joe Guilietti has a holiday gift for rail commuters — and maybe a lump of coal for the stockings for highway speeders. Once a year I get a sit-down with the commissioner. We’ve known each other for many years since his days as president of Metro-North. He knows I always ask him the tough questions but once told me “You’re always fair, Jim”, a comment that brought a tear to my eye. So when I asked him when train service was going to get faster, he didn’t blink — or over-promise.

Consumer and Finances
Fema Homeland Security Seal

FEMA Opens Office at Noroton Heights Fire Dept to Help Residents With Hurricane Ida Storm Damage

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A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is now open in Darien to help area residents affected by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. — an announcement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency

Representatives from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration are available at the center to help survivors apply for disaster assistance, explain disaster assistance programs, answer questions about FEMA letters and the appeals process and provide literature about repairs and rebuilding to make homes more disaster resistant. The DRC opened at the Noroton Heights Fire Department at 209 Noroton Ave. on Thursday. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays.

Business
Police

Wallet Stolen From a Woman at Work in Darien, Bank Card Charged for Hundreds of Dollars at CVS

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A woman at work at a business on Old Kings Highway South told police that she discovered her wallet was missing when she got text messages from her bank alerting her to fraudulent charges being attempted on her account. Darien police described what happened:

Sometime between 8 a.m. and 12:47 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 17, the wallet was taken from her purse. Six attempts were made to buy items with her stolen bank card, and four of them were successful. The completed transactions amounted to $425.

Healthy Living
COVID-19 Coronavirus

Continued Steady Pace in New COVID Cases in Darien Schools Through Thanksgiving Break

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During Thanksgiving break, the number of new COVID-19 cases reported among students, teachers and others in Darien schools remained steady, according to reports from school district officials to parents and staff. A total of 21 people tested positive for COVID-19 In the five days from Wednesday (when students were released early, just before Thanksgiving) through early Sunday evening. Although that number is higher than in previous updates to parents and staff, it represents a total of five days instead of the single-day reports that had been given out in each of the five days before Thanksgiving break. A comparison with those numbers shows no increase in the rate of new reported cases: 21 in each five-day period. There was a jump in the number of people told to self-quarantine (21 in the earlier five-day period, 33 in the latest report) but far fewer told to get tested for COVID and be careful (“Screen & Stay” in the reports: 43 in the earlier period, 23 in the later period).

Christmas 2021
Christmas Wreath The Rowayton Gardeners

Rowayton Gardeners Online Xmas Market Thru Sunday, Nov 28, In-Person Pickups Dec 4

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Ready to start your holiday shopping? The Rowayton Gardeners is online now with their second “Virtually Yours” online store. More than 175 items will be offered for sale, including festive gifts and unique ornaments, fresh bundled greens and our designer-quality wreaths are ready for purchase online now and through Sunday, Nov. 28. — an announcement from The Rowayton Gardeners club

Shop early to get the best selections.

Charity Events and Opportunities
Square Dazzling December YWCA Darien/Norwalk 2021

Dazzling December Shopping Night at Everything Is Rosey Supports YW’s Parent Awareness Programs

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YWCA of Darien/Norwalk’s annual Dazzling December shopping event, a fun and festive evening celebrating the upcoming holiday season, will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 9 at Everything is Rosey in Darien. — an announcement from the YWCA of Darien/Norwalk

Everything is Rosey at 1072 Post Road in Darien offers a wide array of colorful apparel, resort wear and unique holiday gifts. Light hors d’oeuvres and complimentary wine tastings will be served by local Scout & Cellar representative Sally Betz. Several gift baskets will be raffled off throughout the evening.

Public Safety
Darien Police Ford Interceptor SUV

More Unlocked Vehicles Entered Around Town Last Friday/Saturday Night, Nov 19 to 20

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Some thieves who go into unlocked cars aren’t afraid to branch out and enter a garage when a garage door opener is found in the vehicle, as happened overnight from Friday to Saturday on Holly Lane. The incident was one of four reported the same day, after in the latest spate of overnight entries into unlocked vehicles in Darien. Here’s how police described each incident, all of which took place on nearby streets:
Holly Lane
A woman told police that when her husband went outside at about 7:30 a.m., he found the garage door fully open, although she had closed that door the evening before. A Huffy brand bicycle was in the garage, but it didn’t belong to anybody at the home. And the couple’s son’s bicycle was missing.

Public Safety
Mailbox

More Thefts of Checks: Two From a Home Mailbox, Two Others Mailed from Inside the Post Office

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Thefts from home mailboxes and from the mailboxes inside the Darien Post Office have continued, with two victims reporting incidents to police, one on Thursday; the other, Friday. According to Darien police, these new cases are still under investigation:

A woman told police on Thursday that she had mailed two checks at the drop box inside the Darien Post Office lobby on Corbin Drive. Her bank contacted her to say one of her checks had been altered and cashed for a much larger amount than it was originally made out for. The victim also discovered that a second check had also been altered for a much larger amount, but the bank prevented payment for that check. In a separate case, a Hollow Tree Ridge Road resident told police on Friday that two checks he had put in his mailbox between Nov.

Public Safety
Police

Juvenile-Level Vandalism Found at Tilley Pond Park Saturday Morning

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Parents, where were your kids last Friday night? Vandalism in the form of spray-painted insults was found at Tilley Pond Park on Saturday morning. Police went to the park at 7:30 a.m., Saturday after receiving a report about it. There they saw a cement structure in the park spray-painted with graffiti regarding police, including “ACAB” (which stands for “All Cops Are B____s”). A construction vehicle sitting in the park had “SAVE GAS” spray-painted on the front blade.

Food & Drink, Restaurants & Bars
Cooking advice for Thanksgiving turkeys

Celebrate Thanksgiving Safely — Advice from Darien Health Department

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Some advice on keeping your Thanksgiving food healthy — information passed on by Mindy Chambrelli, a registered sanitarian at Darien Health Department:
Last year, more than 46 million turkeys were carved and eaten at Thanksgiving. Turkey is typically accompanied by a host of side dishes and desserts, making the Thanksgiving meal by far one of the largest meals most people will cook all year.  Please do so safely and remember NO need to wash the bird, place it directly into the roasting pan! Fresh or Frozen? Fresh Turkeys

Allow 1 pound of turkey per person. Buy your turkey only 1 to 2 days before you plan to cook it.

Community Organizations
Methodist Family Childrens Preschool Thanksgiving Sing

Methodist Family Center Preschool Collects Record-Breaking Amount in Annual Food Drive for P2P

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A record-breaking 300 canned and dry goods were collected for Person-to-Person’s pantry at the recent “Thanksgiving Sing” at the Methodist Family Center Preschool. — an announcement from the Methodist Family Center Preschool

On a bright and unseasonably warm November morning, the MFCP welcomed the school’s families to the Thanksgiving Sing, a cherished annual tradition that had been canceled last year due to COVID-19 restrictions. The ‘Sing’ as it is affectionately called, concluded a month-long food drive in partnership with Person to Person’s Darien Pantry and their mobile food pantry, P2P On Wheels. Children ages 3 to 5 began the Sing by bringing their food donations and placing them in a basket. “Listening to the children sing reminds us of how blessed we are to come together on a gorgeous day with the sole purpose of being thankful,” said MFCP Director Laurie Anderson.

Community Organizations
William Tong Attorney General

At Home In Darien Annual Meeting Dec 10 Features State Attorney General William Tong

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The Annual Meeting of At Home In Darien will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, Dec. 10, with state Attorney General William Tong the featured guest speaker. The meeting will take place in the Community Room at Darien Library. The public is invited to attend virtually and learn more about At Home In Darien and its services. — an announcement from At Home In Darien

As attorney general, Tong’s top priority is to protect Connecticut families, residents and consumers, and to stand up to powerful forces that threaten us.

Christopher Lyons
DAR Good Citizen of the Year Christopher Tripp Lyons

DHS Senior Tripp Lyons Given Good Citizen Award by Daughters of the American Revolution Darien Chapter

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Darien High School student Christopher “Tripp” Lyons has been honored with the 2021-2022 Good Citizen Award by the Darien’s Good Wife’s River Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. — an announcement from the Good Wife’s River Chapter of the DAR

The award, officially the ” 2021-2022 National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award” is given to a DHS senior who best exemplifies the qualities of patriotism, citizenship, dependability and service to community. Tripp was selected to receive this award by the faculty and the senior class at DHS. He will receive his award pin and certificate from Darien’s DAR Chapter Regent, Nicole Gorman at a reception at the Museum of Darien on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 5.