Darien Library presents interactive a cappella event on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 3 with the University of Connecticut’s a cappella group A Minor. The concert is free and takes place from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Community Room at the library. About A Minor
A Minor has been performing together for 15 years. They competed in the International Competition for Collegiate A Cappella in 2016 and 2018, and both times placed top 2 in quarter finals and made it to the semi finals.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal joined the Housing Authority of the Town of Darien, JHM Financial Group and other local officials to celebrate the groundbreaking for the $20 million senior housing development known as the Royle at Darien. — an announcement from JHM Group
Sen. Blumenthal gave opening remarks at the Oct. 25 event, held onsite at 719 Post Road and was attended by local residents and community supporters. This new senior living community, designed for independent seniors age 55 and over, will provide 55 new, affordable one-bedroom apartment rentals that add to the housing balance of Darien. The three-story building, which is expected to be completed during the summer of 2020, replaces the outdated and obsolete Old Town Hall Homes housing complex, which consisted of six buildings and only 30 studio and one-bedroom apartments.
Professor John Alan “Jack” James, chairman (Emeritus) of the Global Center for Governance, Reporting & Compliance at Pace University’s Lubin School of Business, passed away peacefully, Oct 25, 2019 in the Veterans Hospital at West Haven. He was 92 and left a lasting legacy. His family, friends and professional colleagues who followed his distinguished career know that he left every company, country, local government and institution he served a better place in which to live and work. A resident of Darien, Greenwich and Stamford after moving from Brussels in 1979, Jack continued his public service to the State of Connecticut. He was active on the International Trade Committee of the Stamford Chamber of Commerce and served five years in the cabinet of Governor Ella Grasso as director of the International Business and Economic Development office, recruiting and training a Brussels-based EU office.
What is it about Italy? Cultural Superpower yet merely a mountainous Mediterranean peninsula, Italy has exerted an outsized force on the world, Western civilization and the popular imagination over the course of millennia. Carla Gambescia, an author and lecturer on all things Italian, will speak Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the Darien Men’s Association’s morning meeting. — an announcement from the Darien Men’s Association
Explore the special alchemy of Italy and the “cultural DNA” that has made Italy not only so influential, but also so beloved.
The FTC just sent a report to Congress called Protecting Older Consumers 2018-2019. The report suggests steps to take to help protect older consumers from fraud. But the evidence also shows a thing or two everyone else can learn from them. Check out the sometimes surprising findings in this year’s report. — This article is from the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Information blog.
With more than 350 guests in attendance, Pacific House hosted a successful and festive 18th Annual Pacific House Gala on Friday, Oct. 25 at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich. The event raised funds to support the essential services provided by the organization, including an emergency shelter for men and young adults and a steadily expanding portfolio of deeply affordable supportive housing. The gala is the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year. Pacific House must raise $1 million annually from public donations just to support the daily operations of the emergency shelter.
Watching your loved one struggle with addiction is heartbreaking, but as they begin to heal, you must also embark on your own journey of recovery. Having a strong support system is key, which is why Mountainside, an addiction treatment center with a location in Wilton invites you to its Family Support Group, a free, monthly event open to anyone who has been affected by a loved one’s addiction. The group generally meets on the second Wednesday of any month. The next meeting of the group is from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13.
Just when I thought Gov. Ned Lamont was getting it together to launch a thoughtful, considered “take two” on his transportation vision, bam — along comes another nonsensical idea. It wasn’t enough that he tried to sell us on the zany, physically/fiscally impossible 30-30-30 vision of faster train speeds, now he is (literally) refloating the idea of “high-speed” ferry service from Bridgeport and Stamford to New York City. Such ferry service wouldn’t take cars off of Interstate 95. Those drivers aren’t going where the ferry does. And if they haven’t already opted for the train, why would they ever take a ferry?
“Today’s goal is to make a mini bot which can draw on its own,” explained New Canaan Country School Technology Teacher Bruce Lemoine to his sixth grade Maker Class. “The materials at your disposal include a red plastic cup, magic markers, hot glue guns, the electrical circuitry from the propeller cars you made last week, an on-off switch and all of the materials you can find around this room. I definitely encourage you to visit the drawer of googly eyes.”
— an announcement from New Canaan Country School
The Amicus Makerspace and Design Lab, located on the ground floor of the school’s Upper School building, is the place for creation, collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship. Sixth graders meet here on a seven-day cycle to explore gadgetry, simple electronics, basic programming and 3-D printing and today’s specialty: mini-bots. “The goal of this lesson is to teach the kids how a basic electrical circuit works – motor, battery, switch — and then use that knowledge to build first a propeller car, and then an artbot,” Lemoine said.
A panel discussion titled “Women Elected to Lead Change in Connecticut” will include state House Minority Leader Themis Klarides (R) and three other female state legislators. You’ll need to get your ticket by Tuesday, Nov. 5, if you’re going to the lunchtime event on Nov. 14 at the Waters Edge at Giovanni’s , says the organizer of the event, the Darien League of Women Voters. — an announcement from the Darien League of Women Voters
Other statehouse legislators on the panel will be Rep. Cristin McCarthy-Vahey (D), state Sen. Mae Flexer (D) and Sen. Heather Somers (D).
We’ve all got an extra hour (according to the clock, anyway) this Sunday, which may mean darker mornings and will mean a bit more danger on the road, so be careful, AAA Northeast warns. Here’s a news release from the organization reflecting research showing a spike in traffic accidents (important to know for drivers and pedestrians) in the two weeks after the time change; and if accidents are up at that particular time, you know they’re likely to be up at other times:
When daylight fades and darkness looms, motor vehicle and pedestrian crashes on Connecticut roadways spike after Daylight Saving Time (DST) takes effect. So, drivers and pedestrians alike: beware of the 5 to 6 p.m. weekday ‘witching’ hour, warns AAA Northeast. DST ends Sunday, Nov. 3 this year and begins again on March 8, 2020. To call attention to National Drowsy Driving Prevention Week (November 3 – 10), AAA Northeast analyzed 2018 crash data from the UCONN Crash Data Repository, comparing the number of motor vehicle and pedestrian-related crashes in the two weeks before and after Daylight Saving Time ended and found:
—Statewide, the number of motor vehicle crashes between 5 to 6 p.m. increased by 159% in the two weeks after “fall back” compared with the two weeks before.
One food-serving place in Darien was rated a “C,” the worst grade in town Health Department’s A/B/C ratings system, in the inspection reports released Thursday by the Darien Health Department. The five inspections of food-serving establishments took place from Oct. 21 to 28, with three getting an “A” rating, and one getting a “B.” Keep in mind that a food-serving establishment with a history of good ratings may occasionally get a poor inspection rating, occasionally the best do, and every restaurant normally gets a few things wrong. Here’s an alphabetical list of the most recently released health inspection results (an explanation of how this list is put together is immediately below it):
Here’s Realtor Deirdre McGovern’s report on Darien and Rowayton real estate from Oct. 17 to 24, 2019:
This week’s Darien highlights:
4 New to Market Listings in Darien
10 Price Reductions in Darien
4 Accepted Offers in Darien
5 Closed Sale in Darien
26 Open Houses in Darien
This week’s Rowayton highlights:
1 New to Market Listings in Rowayton
5 Price Reductions in Rowayton
2 Accepted Offers in Rowayton
1 Closed Sales in Rowayton
15 Open Houses in Rowayton
Scroll down for a list of this week’s Open Houses. Click here for more details on these properties. New Listings
Address
Town
Sq Feet
Price
20 Greeleaf Avenue
Darien
7200
$3,895,000
30 Country Club Road
Darien
4495
$1,495,000
66 Highland Avenue
Rowayton
3670
$1,495,000
119 Tokeneke Road
Darien
2667
$1,127,500
30 Cherry Street
Darien
1432
$640,000
Price Changes
Address
Town
Original Price
Previous Price
Current Price
Featuring cider, pony rides, historical games and crafts, the annual Homestead Harvest Festival at Mather Homestead
Harvest Fest, from 12 noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 2, will allow visitors to taste a piece of Darien’s history and enjoy the beautiful property. — an announcement from the Mather Homestead
The third annual festival will feature food from local favorites NEAT, Jen Maher’s Little Bites and Savory Smoke Barbecue. Athletic Brewery will also be sampling their award-winning nonalcoholic Connecticut-brewed beers. Families can tour the historic home during Harvest Fest and participate in a Hunt for the Silver scavenger hunt while learning about the Tory raid on the home during the Revolutionary War.
