Government & Politics
GOP Elephant

GOP Town Committee Proposes David Brown for Board of Ed Seat Now Held by Hagerty-Ross; Caucus on May 29

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The Darien Republican Town Committee has proposed David Brown of Revere Road to replace Elizabeth Hagerty-Ross, a former chairperson of the Board of Education and currently it’s vice chairperson, on this November’s ballot. If the May 29 GOP caucus of party members in town endorses the choice, Brown will be on the ballot this November. Board of Education terms last three years, with three of the nine members up for election each year. Current board member Debra Ritchie, who was chosen to complete the remaining term of Sarah Zuro (who resigned), was also proposed by the RTC as a candidate when the town committee met on May 9. Democrat Katherine Stein’s term on the Board of Education also ends this November.

Art Exhibits
Image -Teal Lime canoes Cove -Nanci Natale May 2018

Photos by Nanci Natale on Display Through May at Atria Darien

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Atria Darien cordially invites you to see the photography of Nanci Natale, on display daily for the rest of May in the Gratia Gillespie Art Gallery. An award winning photographer, Nancy’s portfolio includes sea, land and tree scapes, staged and poetic photography; architecture of interest, such as barns, etc.; catalog and still photos.  

Her photographs have appeared in the Darien News; the Darien Times, The Resident, Country, Fine Gardening, and other newspapers and magazines. Nanci’s work has been on display at Darien Rowayton Bank, Darien Donut and Artists at Grove Street Plaza. She also has been a staff photographer for Darien Blue magazine covering feature families and local events, such as the Chili Challenge and Darien Old Timer’s Athletic Association.

Education
Blankets for Premies

Blankets for Premies Program Stays Strong at Middlesex After 12 Years

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For more than a decade, Middlesex Middle School students have been lending their handiwork to making thousands of blankets for area hospitals. Each one has been overseen by MMS Science teacher Kelly DePiano and dedicated to the memory of Sean James Maloney. Known as “Blankets for Preemies,” the community service project is partnered with the nonprofit organization The Tiny Miracles Foundation based in Darien.  Students make fleece blankets that are given to babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) in Norwalk, Stamford, Bridgeport, and Danbury hospitals. Last week, students on the Navy, Gold, and Red teams got the assembly line in motion.  Older students showed younger students how to turn the 1,000 yards of solid fleece, and 1,000 yards of printed fleece, into roughly 500 blankets.  

“I loved making blankets for the families in the NICU,” said student Abby Neumann.

Education
DHS Teacher Greg Darin and Richard Reynolds

DHS Tech Teacher Greg Darin Gets Second Major Teaching Award This School Year

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Darien High School teacher Greg Darin has been honored for the second time in this school year with an award for excellent teaching. His latest, a “Teacher Excellence Award” was given to him by the International Technology & Engineering Education Association at its recent conference in Atlanta. Darin, a technology and engineering teacher at the high school, had been named Technology and Engineering Teacher of the Year last November by the Connecticut Technology & Engineering Association. The award, given to Darien in April at the Atlanta conference of the ITEEA, is “one of the highest honors given to technology and engineering education classroom teachers and is presented in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the profession and their students,” according to the association. — an announcement from Darien High School
Darin has been a teacher at DHS for the last four years and couldn’t be a better fit for the award.

Public Safety
Police Darien Police Lock Your Car Every Time

Unlocked Car Entered Overnight on Raymond Street

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The owner of a white 2013 Acura told police he left it unlocked overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, May 9 to 10 outside his home at 6 Raymond St. when someone entered it. When the man entered the car at 2 p.m. on Thursday, he found the glove box and center console had been opened, and their contents strewn across the front seats. The incident was reported to police at 2:59 p.m.

Nothing appeared to be missing and there was no damage to the vehicle.  

Beyond Darien
Allison Molkenthin contributed photo

Darienite Allison Molkenthin To Be an Honoree at 2018 Fulbright Awards Dinner

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Allison Gushée Molkenthin, a YWCA Darien/Norwalk 2018 Woman of Distinction, will be honored on May 22 in New York City at One To World’s 2018 Fulbright Awards Dinner. A longtime Darien resident who has contributed to many important causes locally, Ms. Molkenthin was a Fulbright scholar to Morocco and earned her MBA from INSEAD in France. __________

— an announcement from One To World

__________

She has been a managing director at Bentley Associates L.P. since 1999, working on international transactions, and was previously president and COO of UI USA, the U.S. merchant banking arm of Crédit Agricôle. She began her career at Bankers Trust, working in New York, London, Milan and Paris. “We are proud to be honoring Allison as a business leader who has furthered the Fulbright vision by fostering respect and cooperation across borders throughout her career,” said Jen E. Clarke, Executive Director of One To World.

Churches
Salvatones photo promotional St. Luke's

‘The Salvatones’ A Capella Ensemble Sings This Saturday, May 19 at St Luke’s Church

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The Saint Luke’s Friends of Music are excited to present an afternoon with one of New York’s finest professional singing ensembles, The Salvatones, on Saturday, May 19 at 5 p.m. in St. Luke’s Church. Daniel Brondel, associate director of music and organist of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, will conduct the a capella ensemble in whimsical and compelling arrangements of Broadway, jazz, and Springtime tunes (think The Swingle Singers meet Yale’s Whiffenpoofs), in a concert that promises to entertain the whole family! The New York City-based professional vocal ensemble has been dazzling and delighting audiences with impressive vocal artistry since 2010.

Maritime Aquarium
Plastic Water

Maritime Aquarium Reduces Single-Use Plastics with Replacements and Recycling

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As a leader in Long Island Sound and ocean conservation, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is doing its part for the environment by significantly reducing its employ of single-use plastics. Gone from the Aquarium’s cafeteria and theater concessions stand are all drinking straws. Guests now have the option of boxed water or beverages in glass and aluminum containers, instead of in plastic bottles. __________

— an announcement from the Maritime Aquarium

__________

Additionally, plastic silverware, coffee lids and food containers have been replaced by biodegradable substitutes. In the Aquarium’s gift shop, plush animals no longer are stuffed with plastic beads, toys no longer have cellophane wrapping, and purchases no longer go into plastic bags.

Obituaries
Obit flower

Helen Pierce, 89, Nanny, Professional Chef Who Was Self-Taught

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Helen McAloon Pierce, 89, formerly of Darien and Stamford, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 22, 2018. Born in Bo’ness, Scotland on Dec. 18, 1928 to the late Patrick and Elizabeth McCallum McAloon, she was married for 56 years to William K. Pierce Jr., who predeceased her in 2015. In her 20s, Helen worked in the hospitality industry in Edinburgh, Scotland and London before immigrating to the United States as a governess for a family in Greenwich. As a superb self-taught cook and expert in fine dining, Helen then held a long-time position with the CONDEC Corp.

Business
Frederic & Co Star Inc Lighting the Way

Frederic & Co. Salon Opens Sunday, May 20: All Hair Styling, Cuts to Benefit Nonprofit STAR Inc

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Fredric & Co. salon owners Connie Hatterman and Janet Montanaro along with their generous staff who are donating their time, are opening up their salon at 1060 Post Road, Darien on Sunday, May 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. to benefit STAR, Inc., Lighting the Way. _____________

— an announcement from STAR Inc., Lighting the Way

_____________

The Salon Day for STAR, “Bubbles and Blow-outs,” will offer a STAR Special Hair Blowout for just $30! Men are also welcome to join the fun for a stylish haircut for $30. One hundred percent of the funds raised will be donated to benefit STAR, Inc., Lighting the Way, serving our neighbors who are impacted by intellectual and developmental disabilities since 1952.

Public Safety
Police sign closeup internet exchange 910-12-16

Craigslist Buyer Gets Big Discount on Pricey Camera — By Using Counterfeit Cash

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A man selling an expensive camera on Craigslist was able to get the full $2,475 negotiated price, in cash, from a buyer when the two met at Starbucks in downtown Darien. Except that the cash was phony. ______________

Editor’s note:

Beneath this article is a sidebar on the Darien Police Department’s safety tips and a description of its “Internet Purchase Exchange Location,” meant to make it safer to make exchanges for Internet-based sales. It’s got video surveillance. For our editorial on video surveillance at Darien train stations, go to this article and scroll down.

Public Safety
Bicycles parked Darien Railroad Station Darien Train Station Bikes 09-18-17

Locked and Unloaded: Two Bicycles Stolen in 17 Minutes, One from Each Darien Train Station

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From 11:35 a.m. to 11:52 p.m., a thief removed two bicycles, both locked, from each of Darien’s two train stations, according to surveillance video records, police said. In those 17 minutes, the man stole property valued at a total of $1,400 by the separate owners. Darien police describe the thief as a stocky black male who was wearing a white tee shirt and blue jeans, and with a black backpack. At the Noroton Heights Station
At 7:46 p.m., a man told police that his wife left a bicycle valued at $900 at the station for him to use. She left it there at about 8:30 p.m., secured to a rack by a lock and chain, but it was gone when arrived at the station just before 7:46 p.m.

The surveillance video record indicated the man stole the bike at 11:35 a.m.
At the Darien Station
At 8:19 p.m., police received the second call from a man who said his bike was stolen at the Darien station, where he had left it at 5:30 a.m. and returned to find it missing at 7:30 p.m. He estimated the value of the bicycle at $500.

Churches
First Congregational Church of Darien 5-21-16

Talk and Discussion on #MeToo Movement at First Congregational Church Lunch, May 22

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First Congregational Church of Darien’s Women’s Association and Board of Outreach are hosting a Spring Luncheon and discussion of the #MeToo movement. Gayle Weinstein, president of the Board of Directors of The Center for Sexual Assault Crisis Counseling and Education, will lead the talk. The event will be held at 12 noon, Tuesday, May 22 in the Parish Hall of the Church at 14 Brookside Road, Darien.  The luncheon will begin at noon. All members of the Church and the community are invited.  Contact the Church Office (203-655-0491 or office@uccdarien.org) to make a reservation. Following lunch, Ms. Weinstein will discuss the #Me Too movement—which was actually started in 2006 to help women to heal from attacks of sexual violence.

Darien Arts Center
Cabaret DAC Stage

Letter: Thanks, Darien, for Supporting ‘Cabaret’ with Nine Sold-Out Performances

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To the editor:

Thank you, Darien, for coming out in droves to enjoy the Darien Arts Center production of Cabaret. Because of your support we had nine sold-out performances of this show in a setting that gave the community a high-quality theatre experience.  

It took countless volunteers — including the all-female cast of incredible performers — to make the magic on stage. We collaborated with the Lipstick Project, to produce this show that is so relevant to our current events. Thank you to all who gave their time and talent meeting the needs of the Darien community for this important artistic expression.

Public Safety
New Canaan Police Department patrol car in Darien

New Canaan Police: Failing to Pay for Gas in New Canaan Leads to Police on Doorstep in Darien

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A 36-year-old Darien man left a downtown New Canaan gas station without paying for gas, but video surveillance caught his license plate number, leading to a larceny charge, New Canaan police said. New Canaan police gave this account of what happened, including accusations not proven in court:

At about 3:21 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, police received a complaint about a theft of gas from the Mobil Station downtown from the business’s owner. ___________

— This article, in somewhat different form, originally was published by NewCanaanite.com. ___________

A man had dispensed $23.96 in gas into his vehicle and left without paying. His license plate was recorded by video surveillance.