Darienite (https://darienite.com/category/news/around-town)
News from around Darien
The YWCA Darien/Norwalk will hold its annual luminary lighting on Sunday Oct. 24 to raise awareness about Domestic Violence against women and girls. Luminary kits are $30 each and can be purchased starting Friday, Oct. 1 at Barrett Bookstore, Palmers Market and www.ywcadn.org. The kits will include a registration link to receive seven days of emails addressing the types of domestic violence, prevention information and resources.
Attention all members of Darien High School classes of 1980 and 1981! We are having a joint 40th high school reunion on Oct. 2, 2021 at the Tokeneke Club. Please pass this information on to your classmates who may be hard to find. We are including those who didn’t graduate with us but did attend Middlesex, Mather, and Darien High School.
State Rep. Terrie Wood is again hosting flag drop-off services for residents of Darien and Rowayton who want to retire their worn American flags with honor and dignity. But this time the dropoffs will be drive-through events to make them safer for people who haven’t been fully vaccinated. — an announcement from State Rep. Terrie Wood
The flag collection will be a drive-through event so that residents can dispose of their flags in a safe way while restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic are gradually easing, Wood’s announcement said. “It is important that we provide local residents to retire their old American flags with honor, respect, and dignity with a proper ceremony,” said Wood, a Republican whose district covers Rowayton and much of Darien. The first event will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 29 at Darien Town Hall with First Selectwoman Jayme Stevenson.
The late Frank Valente, a rifleman who landed on Normandy Beach and a recipient of two Purple Hearts and several Distinguished Service medals, will be honored in a ceremony Sunday by the Darien Monuments and Ceremonies Commission. Valente will be the latest recipient of the Darien Veteran Street Sign program, in which a town road receives an extra street sign and is given the honorary name of a town veteran who also served Darien as a civilian. The new street sign with Valente’s name will be unveiled on William Street during a 12 noon ceremony on Sunday May 23. Frank Valente bravely served as a Private, First Class in the United States Army during World War II, joining the Army in July 1943. Frank served in the 175th Infantry as a rifleman.
This past Saturday’s bell-ringing event in Darien is being repeated, the First Selectman’s Office just announced, for the next five Saturdays, through May 16. “Ring Your Bells, Loud and Proud,” the announcement says, during the repeats of Saturday’s five-minute event, where people around town were encouraged to ring a bell, bang a pot or otherwise make a noise for several minutes to give a loud “Thank you!” to healthcare workers and first responders on the frontlines of the COVID-19 battle. As with the event last Saturday, the noise-making is scheduled for five minutes, starting at 7 p.m. The ringing, gonging, honking and yelling takes place rain or shine, right from your own window, door or, as the announcement suggests, “your front lawn or front steps.” “From 7 to 7:05, come stand on your front lawn or front steps and ring cowbells, shake holiday bells, bang a pot and pan or simply clap hands,” the announcement says.
Goodbye Stop & Shop Noroton Heights
I guess the best way to express how much you mean to me and countless others is to simply say this: Thank you. We had nearly 19 really good years. I remember when I first moved to town I thought you paled in comparison to the Super Stop & Shops I frequented in Westchester and Boston but I soon became enamored of your charm. — This article originally was published as a Facebook post by Jenny Murphy on Dec. 8.
The town’s 2020 Bicentennial Committee is hoping to spread the news about the town’s 200th Birthday next year and will share information about the plans during a forum at 11 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 21 at Darien Library. — an announcement from the Darien 2020 Bicentennial Committee
“These outreach efforts are intended to inform and get folks excited for the town’s 200th birthday year,” said First Selectman Jayme Stevenson. “We want to encourage both residents and businesses alike to support Darien’s official events and to discover ways that town organizations can participate and promote their own Bicentennial celebrations.”
In addition to holding public forums, a brochure detailing town-wide events will be mailed to all Darien addresses in late December. The colorful brochure, which features current and historic photos from around town, was designed by Jaymie Pavolonis, a graphic designer who worked with the official logo and color scheme created by Darien High School students Charlie Callery, Will Henry Harmon and Kelly Niederreither.
Through a town-wide mailing and community forums, the town’s 2020 Bicentennial Committee is hoping to spread the news and promote plans to celebrate the town’s 200th birthday next year. — an announcement from the Darien 2020 Bicentennial Committee
“These outreach efforts are intended to inform and get folks excited for the town’s 200th birthday year,” said First Selectman Jayme Stevenson. “We want to encourage both residents and businesses alike to support Darien’s official events and to discover ways that town organizations can participate and promote their own Bicentennial celebrations.”
A “Save the Year” postcard, to be mailed to all Darien addresses in early October, includes the dates and locations of official town bicentennial events and features the official Bicentennial Logo and 068200 designs. The colorful postcard, which features current and historic photos from around town, was designed by Jaymie Pavolonis, a graphic designer who worked with the official logo and color scheme created by Darien High School students Charlie Callery, Will Henry Harmon and Kelly Niederreither. “We are hoping this postcard will prompt people to not only reserve these special town events on their 2020 calendars, but also encourage residents to learn more about contributing to these events so that Darien can celebrate its birthday in style,” said Al Miller, chairman of the 2020 Bicentennial Committee.
The Monuments & Ceremonies Commission of the Town of Darien invites the public, first responders, Town Selectmen, local officials and Middlesex Middle School students, their teachers and administrators to attend the town’s annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony. — an announcement from the Monuments & Ceremonies Commission
Beginning at 8:30 a.m., sharp on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at the 9/11 Memorial located on the grassy area behind Middlesex Middle School on Hollow Tree Ridge Road, Darien’s Monuments and Ceremonies Commission will follow tradition and observe 9/11 with a brief ceremony. Carved into the memorial’s 36- by 75-inch granite stone is the inscription: “May We Never Forget” with the date: “September 11, 2001.” The memorial is flanked by two tall trees symbolizing the twin towers. An Eagle Scout project, the 9/11 Memorial was conceived, funded and installed by then DHS freshman, Josh Doying, who belonged to Boy Scout Troop 53.
Aquarion Water Company today announced a water main cleaning project in Darien from Monday, June 24 to Friday, July 19. The project is being undertaken to ensure that customers continue to receive the highest quality water. The Darien water main cleaning project is estimated to last approximately four weeks. During that time, customers may notice some discoloration in their water. This discoloration results from the temporary disturbance of the water flow, which stirs up naturally occurring minerals that settle in water mains. Aquarion recommends customers store tap water in their refrigerators for drinking and cooking.
Come up with a winning slogan for Darien, and the Darien Board of Realtors in the group’s slogan contest during the month of June and you can win both bragging rights and gift certificates for town businesses. “The winning slogan will be forever immortalized on the Darien Board of Realtors website [and] all Darien Board of Realtors social media — and the winner will have bragging rights that they created the catchphrase for our treasured town!” the board says in an announcement. The Darien Board of Realtors’s new website launched earlier this month. Whether you want to call it a slogan, a tag line or a catch phrase, your short and snappy phrase or sentence can be submitted starting June 1, with the winner selected on June 30.
The Darien Police Department is a proud supporter of Autism Awareness Month. Throughout the month of April, we will be joining hundreds of other agencies across the country in displaying a special Autism Awareness magnet on our police vehicles as part of the “Autism Patch Challenge.”
— an announcement from Darien Police Department
The Autism Patch Challenge began in 2017, and originated in New Rochelle, New York by New Rochelle Police Detective Chris Greco in honor of his son, Christopher, who is non-verbal. Greco has created a charitable foundation, “Christopher’s Voice,” which provides various support options for families with autism, and focuses on emergency responders. Spearheaded by Officer Rich Flood, the Darien Police Department will now be participating in the Autism Patch Challenge as well. Officer Flood has coordinated this effort and saw to it that the police car magnets and uniform shoulder patches were designed and created. With the financial assistance of the Darien Police Association, the magnets and patches have been manufactured and will be soon seen prominently displayed on our vehicles. Research shows that persons with autism and other developmental disabilities are approximately seven times more likely to come in contact with law enforcement than the general population.
Darien’s Wreaths Across America group and Darien Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #6933 sincerely appreciate all the help received in placing the wreaths on Dec. 15. It is now time to remove them. Volunteers are needed for Wreath Removal at 8 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019 at the cemetery on Hecker Avenue. All interested volunteers should meet by the Karl Lang monument in the center of the veterans cemetery.
To the Editor,
For many years the Darien Times has hosted a Thursday morning coffee. The “Coffee”in large part centered around, although not limited to, local, state, and national politics. Congressman Jim Himes made it a point to attend, engage, and take the temperature of what was going on in Darien. Thank you to all of the papers editors and staff over the years for taking the time and understanding the importance of this lively engagement. Recently as many of you are aware the Darien Times was purchased and has undergone some restructuring.
Here’s the lowdown on what’s up around town:
Organizers are readying the Christmas Season wreaths that go on town lampposts from Sedgwick Avenue to Noroton Avenue, in Tilley Pond and the lights in the trees on Tokeneke Road. “Last week, the wreaths were checked and put into working order by volunteers from the Men’s Association of Darien,” according to an email from the Darien Chamber of Commerce. “They replaced 389 lightbulbs! During the spruce up though, we have discovered that soon we will have to replace a good number of these wreaths.” Darien taxpayers don’t pay for those wreaths — the money is donated to the Chamber of Commerce, which is now asking its members for more.
Here’s the low-down on what’s up around town:
Darien Grille holds its grand opening at 22 Center Street, from 3:30 p.m. to midnight on Wednesday, and on Thursday, Oct. 25, Hollow Tree Self Storage at 131 Hollow Tree Ridge Road holds its grand opening from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Both grand openings have free food, but we suspect there’ll be more at the restaurant. ***
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NewCanaanite.com reports:
New Canaan High School senior Will Hetherington jumped into action on Sept. 25, and rescued two young girls caught in a submerged vehicle during the heavy rain storm and flash flooding that took place that day throughout the area. Hetherington, who’s been a volunteer fireman for the Darien Fire Department since he was 17, was on duty when, at approximately 4:30 p.m. that Tuesday, the DFD got a call for a car and water rescue. A Jeep Cherokee with three young girls, aged 6, 8 and 12, and their grandmother, was submerged under the Tokeneke Railroad Bridge in Darien, with flooding waters reaching half way up the car windows. Hetherington was on the rescue truck that was dispatched, and he volunteered to suit-up, donning a yellow waterproof rescue outfit, known as a “mustang suit.”
With DFD safety officer Andy Malowitz, Hetherington approached the trapped family’s vehicle.