9/11
What I Saw and Heard on 9/11/01 in Darien
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Twenty years ago, I witnessed a few things in Darien that may be worth passing on.
‘Interim’ No More: Darien Board of Education Selects Eric Byrne as Superintendent of Schools
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Eric Byrne has been picked by the Darien Board of Education as the new, non-interim Darien superintendent schools. Byrne has been serving as interim superintendent for the past four months.
Darien and Rowayton Real Estate Report: October 2 to 9
Here’s Realtor Deirdre McGovern’s report on Darien and Rowayton-area real estate from Oct. 2 to 9, 2025:
Darien and Rowayton Real Estate Report: June 19 to 26
Here’s Realtor Deirdre McGovern’s report on Darien and Rowayton-area real estate from June 19 to 26, 2025:
Eyelash, Nails & Spa, Physical Therapy Shops Coming to Darien Commons
Federal Realty today announced that three new retail leases have been signed with local and regional businesses and entrepreneurs at Darien Commons — The Usual Lash, GlowUp Nails & Spa and Spear Physical Therapy.
More Headlines
Darien and Rowayton Real Estate Report: January 2 to 9
Darien and Rowayton Real Estate Report: May 16 to 23
Work Started on ‘Goal’ to Reopen I-95 in Norwalk by Monday A.M. Rush Hour; Trains to Get More Rail Cars
Darien Real Estate
Darien and Rowayton Real Estate Report: September 2 to 9
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Here’s Realtor Deirdre McGovern’s report on Darien and Rowayton real estate from Sept. 2 to 9, 2021:
Darien Department of Public Works 2021
Darien DPW Announces Bulk Pickup Program for Your Household Items Damaged by Storm Ida
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The Darien Department of Public Works announced Wednesday that it will conduct special bulk pickups of household items water damaged by the recent Storm Ida.
To get the pickups, you’ll have to register first. The pickups start on Sept.11, and registration for pickups must be done by 5 p.m., Monday, Sept. 13.
Darien Obituaries 2021
Paul ‘Mac’ Groetzinger, Opened MacKenzie’s Bar in 1976 in Darien
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Paul “Mac” Mackenzie Groetzinger, a well-known Fairfield County restaurateur, died suddenly on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021 at his home on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, surrounded by his loving life partner, Gina Zangrillo and close childhood friends. He was 69.
Darien Driving While Intoxicated 2021
Police: DUI for Man, 30, Found Sleeping Behind the Wheel in the Middle of an Intersection
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A 30-year-old man was asleep behind the wheel of a car stopped in the middle of the intersection of Hollow Tree Ridge Road and Allwood Road when an officer on patrol came by, police said.
Darien Obituaries 2021
Margaret Strauch, 88, Active Volunteer, Loved Dogs, Gardening, To Break Out in Song,
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Margaret (Margie) Spindler Strauch, beloved wife of Dr. Gerald (Jerry) O. Strauch, was born into eternal life on Aug. 24, after a brief but lethal illness. She was 88.
Education
Schools Superintendent: Electrical Malfunction and State Education Rules Close Hindley School Friday
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Hindley School won’t be in session tomorrow because the school’s electric system broke down (causing the fire alarm to go off) due to Tropical Storm Ida, Superintendent Alan Addley said Thursday in a message to parents and staff.
Students and staff were evacuated from the building.
The electrical system — specifically something called the “generator transfer switch” — wasn’t able to be fixed Thursday, Addley said, because there is so much demand for repair work in the area — again, due to Ida — that a licensed electrician wasn’t available Thursday to fix the problem.
Darien Real Estate
Darien and Rowayton Real Estate Report: August 26 to September 2
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Here’s Realtor Deirdre McGovern’s report on Darien and Rowayton real estate from Aug. 26 to Sept. 2, 2021:
Flooding 2021
Ida Dumps 8-Plus Inches of Rain on Darien, Causing ‘Catastrophic’ Flooding, First Selectman Says
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In the seven hours between 7 p.m. Wednesday and 2 a.m. Thursday, Tropical Storm Ida dumped more than 8 inches of rain on Darien, leading to downed trees and wires, First Selectman Jayme Stevenson said late Thursday morning.
At midnight, the first selectman declared a Local Emergency in town.
Police responded to 21 incidents related to the weather and rescued people from two vehicles stuck in water — but there were no injuries reported in town, Stevenson said in a Code Red message to Darien residents.
Darien Obituaries 2021
Aubin ‘Teeny’ Sander, 92, Active in Junior League, St Luke’s Parishioner,
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Aubin Redfield Sander, 92, passed away on Sunday, Aug. 8. She had been a resident of Galloway Ridge at Fearrington in Pittsboro, North Carolina since 2005.
Assault 2021
Police: Darien Man, 21, Arrested After Video of Uber Driver’s Assault Goes Online
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A 21-year-old Darien man has been arrested after assaulting an Uber driver who had dropped him off on Tulip Tree Lane on Friday night, Aug. 27, police said.
Darien Obituaries 2021
Mark McNamara, 56, From a Youth Sailing Dinghies at Noroton Yacht Club to a Career in Youth Sailing
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Mark Jeffrey McNamara of Houston died on Aug. 20, 2021 following a difficult battle with cancer. He was 56.
Art Exhibits
Four-Artist Exhibit Opens Wednesday With Reception at George Billis Gallery
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An exhibition of paintings, many of them on maritime themes, by four artists opens today, Wednesday, Sept. 1 at The George Billis Gallery. On opening day an artists’ reception, open to the public, takes place from 4 to 7 p.m.
The exhibit has work from artists Edward Duff, Margot Nimiroski, Stephanie Reiter and Sarah Williams.
Darien Obituaries 2021
William Miller Jr., 82, Active Volunteer, Including in Darien Youth Hockey, Loved Skiing, Sailing
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William Harlowe Miller, Jr. of Norwalk, Connecticut passed away peacefully at Stamford Hospital on Aug. 30, after a long bout with dementia. He was 82.
Letters to the Editor
Our Soldiers in Afghanistan Deserved Better
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Editor’s note: This letter was submitted early Friday afternoon. The Biden speech referred to here took place before that.
To the editor:
The deaths of our soldiers deserve better than the pre-written speech that Joe Biden fumbled through — the “moment of silence” where his postured piety was as phony as anything I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot of phonies in our government.
Public Safety
Police: West Ave Woman, 32, in Physical Altercation at Home, Injures Victim’s Face, Destroys Meds
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Darien police say that when they were called to a West Avenue home on Aug. 8, were told that three days before a 32-year-old woman living there had gotten into a physical altercation with another person there.
The woman was later arrested on a warrant after police had determined that the woman had injured that person’s face and destroyed some medication owned by that person.
9/11 Ceremony 2021
Darien’s Sept. 11 Ceremony Takes Place on a Saturday, and Darien, Illinois Will Also Honor Our Dead
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The town’s 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attack will be observed, Saturday, Sept. 11, starting at 8:25 a.m. at the Darien 9/11 Monument behind Middlesex Middle School.
This year, a 20th anniversary ceremony in Darien, Illinois will honor those from Darien, Connecticut who died in the attack. The state of Connecticut is holding a ceremony at Sherwood Island State Park on Thursday, Sept. 9 to honor the state’s victims.
Obituaries
Judith Roberts Skidd, 82, Nurse, Enjoyed Woodcrafting, Grew Up in Darien, Met Husband Here
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Judith Chase Roberts Skidd of Wilton died of natural causes at her home on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021. She was 82.
Darien Obituaries 2021
Lee Querro, 82, Lifelong Darienite, Enjoyed Family Genealogy, Woodworking, Boxing Fan
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Lee J. Querro, a lifelong Darien resident, passed away, Friday, August 27, 2021, at Stamford Hospital. He was 82.
Darien Obituaries 2021
Eileen Pomponi, 84, Worked at Internal Medicine of Darien, Longtime Town Resident
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Eileen B. Pomponi of Darien and formerly of Stamford passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, Aug. 26, at Atria of Darien. She was 84.
Darien Obituaries 2021
Michael Heitz, 71, RTM Member, Little League Coach, on Darien Arts Center, Darien Nature Center Boards
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Michael George Heitz died unexpectedly on Aug. 26, in Darien. He was 71.
Art Exhibits
Maritime Garage Gallery Seeks Artists’ Submissions for ‘About Face: Through Artistic Eyes’
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The Norwalk Parking Authority’s Maritime Garage Gallery is inviting submissions of art from artists 18 and over for its newest exhibit, the first live show since December 2019.
The exhibit, “About Face: Through Artistic Eyes
,” will focus on expression through portraiture. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 2, 2021.
Art Exhibits
Open Call for Artist Submissions to Rowayton Arts Center’s Autumn Juried Show
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Online submissions are now being accepted in an open call to all artists interested in exhibiting their work in the annual, all-media “Autumn Juried Show” at Rowayton Arts Center.
Darien Elections 2021
Two Candidates for Board of Ed: Calming, Wise, Thoughtful and Fair
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To the editor:
I have had the privilege and the pleasure to work closely with two of the Board of Education candidates over the past 10 years.