POLICE & FIRE
Vehicle Thefts Decrease With Vigilance
Motor vehicle thefts have increased in January 2025. Most crime-related calls occurred between 7am and 4pm, with larcenies being the most reported offense, followed by vehicle thefts. Residents are advised to lock their cars, remove keys or fobs, and report suspicious activity to the Greenwich Police Department at 203-622-8004 or TIPS@greenwichct.gov.
Hawreluk Joins Parking Enforcement
Robert Hawreluk was sworn in as a Parking Enforcement Officer for the Town of Greenwich in a ceremony at Town Hall. He joins the Department of Parking Services, which manages parking regulations in the town.
FROM TOWN HALL
Town Offers Discounted Radon Testing
The Department of Health is offering reduced fees for radon testing in air and well water through February, funded by a state grant. Air tests are reduced from $71 to $46, and well water tests from $82 to $52, with one discounted air test per household per visit. Testing kits are available at the Health Department’s laboratory in Town Hall, and residents can call 203- 622-7843 for details.
Sustainability Awards Accepting Nominations
The Greenwich Sustainability Committee is accepting nominations for its annual Sustainability Awards, recognizing individuals who contribute to sustainability in the community. Eligible nominees must live in or attend school in Greenwich, and submissions, including a photo and a 300-word statement, are due by February 28 at Sustainability@GreenwichCT.org. The awards will be presented on April 5 at Christ Church during the Rethink Waste Fair.
AROUND TOWN
DPW Supports Heart Health
The Department of Public Works is recognizing American Heart Month to raise awareness about heart disease prevention.
Historic Overlay Request Denied, Demolished
The Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission denied a request for a historic overlay at 49 Sherwood Place, ruling that the structure lacked sufficient historical or architectural significance. The designation would have allowed an additional housing unit in exchange for preserving part of the existing building, but the commission found the proposed preservation efforts insufficient. The day after the decision, the property was demolished.
LOCAL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS
Barbershop Supports Veteran With Haircut
Hammer & Nails, a barbershop in Greenwich, provided a complimentary haircut and beard trim to Billy, a veteran at Greenwich Hospital, after receiving a request from local resident Phil Brous. Barber Satish completed the service, which was made possible through the shop’s membership credit donation program. Hammer & Nails encourages clients to contribute unused credits to support similar community efforts.
Abilis Opens New Stamford Center
Abilis opened The Cohen Abilis Advancement Center at 78 Harvard Avenue in Stamford, expanding services for individuals with disabilities in Fairfield County. Funded by a $3.78 million grant from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, the facility doubles Abilis’ space and offers career training, life skills programs, and recreational activities. The center is fully accessible and located near major transportation routes to improve access for participants and staff.
Family Centers Expands Healthcare Access
Family Centers has taken over management of the medical clinics at 75 Holly Hill Lane, previously run by Greenwich Hospital and Yale New Haven Health Systems. The transition, reviewed by state regulators in 2023, became official on February 4, with Family Centers integrating primary care and additional support services for underserved populations. The facility remains part of Yale New Haven Health Systems but is now operated by Family Centers, which expects to serve over 5,000 patients annually.
PEOPLE IN TOWN
Resident Receives Distinguished Honor
Stephanie Dunn Ashley has been named the 2024 Cecil H. Gardner Memorial Distinguished Patrolman for her service with the Cos Cob Fire Police Patrol since 2013. She has held multiple leadership roles, including board president since 2019, and has contributed to training, fundraising, and emergency response efforts. Her certifications include EMT, multiple FEMA courses, and HAZMAT operations, and she has logged over 2,700 service hours.
John R. Conte Leads Conservancy
The Greenwich Tree Conservancy has elected John R. Conte as its new president. Conte brings over 40 years of experience in arboriculture, landscape architecture, and construction, along with a history of leadership in local conservation and civic organizations. As president, he will oversee tree planting initiatives, maintenance efforts, and ongoing projects in collaboration with town agencies.
SCHOOLS
CMS Project Advances
The Central Middle School project has secured a Guaranteed Maximum Price contract with Turner Construction for $93,587,800, coming in under the original $97,705,000 estimate. The cost savings will be added to the contingency fund to address potential unforeseen issues. The project remains on schedule, with the new school expected to open in 2026.
Naomi Clark Explores Site-Specific Art
Naomi Clark, a Visual Arts teacher at GCDS Middle School, participated in the High Desert Test Sites artist residency in Joshua Tree, California, where she worked on site-specific art. In January, she introduced her students to the concept and techniques she explored during the residency, guiding them in creating installations that interact with their school’s physical spaces.
GA Explores American Roa
Greenwich Academy’s English XII: On the Road explores the American road trip as a literary and cultural phenomenon. Students read works such as The Grapes of Wrath, As I Lay Dying, Sing, Unburied, Sing, The Road, and Lost Children Archive, alongside essays, poetry, and films that examine themes of migration, freedom, and displacement. The course includes a real-life road trip experience to connect literature with travel.
GCDS Seniors Earn Scholars Recognition
Greenwich Country Day School seniors Imran Iftikar and Abraham Milgram have been named candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. Established in 1964, the program recognizes high school seniors for academic achievement.
GHS Seniors Earn Scholars Recognition
Twelve Greenwich High School students — Adam Allegro, Allison C. Bauer, Justin R. Bernstein, Thomas G. Erensen, Zara I. Haque, Audrey R. Ku, Ashley T. Malkin, Brandon E. Nadel, Naomi L. Rosell, Natasha A. Samant, Robert L. Vine, and Zerach Zou — have been named candidates for the 2025 United States Presidential Scholars Program.
Brunswick Senior Earn Scholars Recognition
One Brunswick School student — Gabriel Trahanas — has been named as a candidate for the 2025 United States Presidential Scholars Program.
SHG Senior Earns Scholars Recognition
One Sacred Heart Greenwich student — Lily S. Carroll — has been named as a candidate for the 2025 United States Presidential Scholars Program.
GHS Students Take 3rd Place in Competition
Greenwich High School, under the guidance of teacher Aaron Hull, placed third in Connecticut’s We The People: The Citizen and the Constitution Competition at Yale University. Students spent months studying constitutional principles and presented their arguments in simulated congressional hearings before a panel of judges. Former Secretary of the State Denise Merrill presented awards at the event, organized by The Connecticut Democracy Center, which prepares students for potential participation in the national We The People competition in Washington, D.C.
Cos Cob School Wins Competition
Greenwich Public School library media specialists hosted the sixth annual Battle of the Books at Greenwich High School’s Performing Arts Center, where students from 11 elementary schools competed. Cos Cob School won the competition, which featured a reading list of ten novels selected from Nutmeg, Caldecott, and Newbery honorees. The 2024–2025 book selections remain available for those interested in reading.
GHS Students Earn Art Honors
The 2025 Scholastic Art Awards recognized several Greenwich High School students for their outstanding artwork. Gold Key recipients include Alexa Loera (Photography), Arianne Pires (Ceramics & Glass), and Yihan Shao (Painting). Additional awards were given to Greta Garcia and Hannah Hochman (Silver Key) and Heidi Farnum, Ella Piu, Adam Shin, Chloe Stranzl, and Lula Wang (Honorable Mention).
Windrose Program Celebrates Mid-Year Graduation
Greenwich High School’s Windrose Program held its mid-year graduation for five students. The ceremony included remarks from school and district leaders emphasizing perseverance, preparation, and adaptability.
Cos Cob Cuts Cafeteria Waste
Cos Cob School implemented food scrap recycling in its cafeteria, reducing waste by 80%—the highest in the district. Students divert an average of 28 pounds of food scraps daily from incineration to anaerobic digestion, with an estimated 8,900 pounds eliminated from the waste stream this school year. The program, part of the Zero Waste Schools initiative, has expanded to seven district elementary schools, collectively diverting over 15,000 pounds of food waste.
Black History Essay Contest Announced
Greenwich High School’s Social Studies Department is hosting a Black History Month Essay Contest, asking students to write a 500-word research-based letter to the Board of Education advocating for the inclusion of an overlooked event in Black history in the curriculum. Submissions must include at least four MLA-formatted sources and comply with the GHS Academic Integrity Policy. Entries are due by March 1 via Turnitin. com (Class ID: 47259608, Code: history), and the winner will receive 50 Cardinal Bucks for the school store.
Distinguished Teacher Award Nominations Open
Nominations are open for the 2025 Distinguished Teacher Awards, recognizing educators, counselors, and specialists for their work with students. The nomination criteria and eligibility details are available in the 2025 Nomination Instruction Packet online. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, March 6.
SPORTS
GHS Athletes Commit to Colleges
Twelve Greenwich High School student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent on Wednesday to compete at the collegiate level. The signing ceremony took place in the GHS staff café with family, teammates, and school staff in attendance. The athletes and their respective colleges are: Pietro Carvalho (Pace, soccer), Michael D’Angelo (Elon, football), Thomas Fiorito (Washington, rowing), Aquinnah Geisler (Wisconsin, crew), Joy Houdre (Iona, volleyball), Jack Jedlicka (Fordham, football), James Markline (Hobart & William Smith, rowing), Donovan Moses (Cornell, rowing), Peter Murphey (San Diego, rowing), Thomas Stowe (MIT, rowing), Ana Sucic (Oklahoma, crew), and Colin Zeller (Yale, lacrosse).
GHS Hockey Continues Winning Streak
Greenwich High School’s ice hockey team continued its strong late-season push with victories over Sacred Heart Greenwich (4-1) and Trumbull (4-0), bringing its record to 9-10. Freshman Miren Woolven scored twice against Sacred Heart, while sophomore Eleanor Fine notched a hat trick in the shutout win over Trumbull. Strong goaltending from Eleanor Woolven and improved team chemistry have fueled the Cardinals’ recent success as they aim for a state tournament berth.
GHS Basketball Undefeated
Greenwich’s girls basketball team remained undefeated at 15-0 with a dominant 46-22 win over Stamford. Junior Madi Utzinger led the Cardinals with 18 points, while their defense held Stamford to just eight second-half points. Greenwich sits atop the FCIAC standings and is ranked first in the CIAC Class LL rankings.
SHG Basketball Dominates Rival
Sacred Heart Greenwich dominated St. Luke’s with a 78-50 home victory, powered by Aisha Hassan’s 26 points and Jadamarie Henry’s career- high 23. The Tigers exploded for 50 first-half points, maintaining their undefeated FAA record at 7-0 while improving to 13-4 overall. Strong defense and efficient shooting helped Sacred Heart secure its position as a top contender in the league.
GHS Hockey Senior Night
Greenwich High School’s boys hockey team secured a 6-2 Senior Night victory over Trumbull, breaking a two-game losing streak and improving to 6-8-1. After falling behind 2-0 early, the Cardinals responded with six unanswered goals, including two from junior Alex Zhukovsky. Strong goaltending from senior Luke Priatka helped Greenwich control the game as they prepared for the postseason.
GHS Girls Track Team Triumphs
The Greenwich High School girls’ indoor track and field team won the FCIAC Western Division Championship with 143 points, defeating Staples High School, which scored 105. This is their third consecutive win, a streak last achieved from 1980 to 1982, and their seventh title since the championship began in 1978. Nearly every team member contributed points, positioning them strongly for the upcoming FCIAC Championship.
Brunswick Hockey Senior Day Victory
Brunswick School’s hockey team secured a 5-2 Senior Night victory over Hoosac, marking its 19th win of the season. The Bruins took a quick 2-0 lead in the first two minutes and maintained control throughout the game. With a strong record and key matchups ahead, Brunswick is on track for a NEPSAC Elite 8 Tournament berth.
GHS Girls Basketball
Greenwich took its first loss of the season in a 41-40 thriller against Ridgefield, decided by a last- second layup from Sophie Desiano. The Cardinals led 38-29 after three quarters but were held to two points in the fourth as Ridgefield completed the comeback. Despite the loss, Greenwich rebounded with a dominant 46-20 win over Norwalk to move to 16-1 overall.
FROM HARTFORD
Connecticut Considers Pet Store Reform
The Connecticut General Assembly’s General Law Committee held a hearing on HB 5112, which would prohibit pet stores from sourcing dogs, cats, and rabbits from commercial breeders. Supporters argue the bill would reduce the sale of animals from large-scale breeding operations, while opponents contend it would harm pet stores and drive consumers to unregulated sellers. The committee is reviewing testimony to determine the bill’s impact on animal welfare and the pet industry.
AG Tong Proposes Social Media Limits
Attorney General William Tong proposed HB 6857, a bill requiring parental consent for minors to access social media algorithms and notifications. The legislation sets default privacy settings, limits notifications between midnight and 6am, and caps daily use at one hour unless adjusted by a parent. It also mandates social media companies to report data on minor users and their platform engagement to the state.
ACROSS CT
CT Celebrates Iconic Pizza Culture
Connecticut officials announced new initiatives to promote the state’s pizza culture ahead of National Pizza Day, including The Pizza Capital Trail, an interactive art installation, and a Guinness World Record attempt for the largest pizza party. A state report found Connecticut has 1,376 pizzerias, with New Haven leading at 63 establishments and ranking high nationally in pizzerias per capita. Public voting for the best pizzerias begins March 14, with results released in September.
OUR NEIGHBORS
Wegmans Opening in CT
Wegmans will open its first Connecticut location in Norwalk on July 23rd at 675 Connecticut Avenue. The 92,000-square-foot store, originally expected to open between April and June, is hiring about 500 employees through ongoing recruitment efforts. It will feature a two-story parking deck, self-checkout and full-service registers, Tesla charging stations, and solar canopies.
Norwalk Route 7 Project
The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Route 7 and Merritt Parkway interchange project in Norwalk is now set to begin construction in 2027. The plan includes new bridges, improved roadways, upgraded ramps, and pedestrian and bicycle access along Main Avenue. DOT expects to complete the final design in 2026 and will hold a public meeting in the spring to provide updates.
Baby Giant Anteater
A baby giant anteater was born at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo.
