Posts 2011
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05/21/13How can I learn more about the history of Bedford?One of the first towns built in colonial New England; Bedford is filled with historic homes, town buildings, a school house and even the original village green. Founded in 1916, The Bedford Historical Society (BHS) works to preserve these great landmarks while educating the public through tours, museum exhibits and school programs. Here are just a few of the places that helped shape Bedford into what it is today. Travel on a group tour or just walk around town by yourself! The Bedford Museum at the Bedford Court House Located at 615 Old Post Road on the Village Green, this courthouse was built in 1787 and restored in 1970 to act as the current home of the BHS’ two-story museum. One of only three courthouses built in New York State before 1800, the museum is open to... Posted at 03:06 PM | Permalink |
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05/20/13How Can I Help Support the Natural Beauty and Wildlife Around Wilton?Good News! If you’re looking to give back to nature and want to enjoy a night of great food and even greater prizes, come to Evening Under the Stars on Saturday, June 1 at the Woodcock Nature Center (WNC) from 7-10 pm. Located at 56 Deer Run Road, the center takes care of many local animals, like turtles, owls, and hawks, while also maintaining three miles worth of trails open all year-round to the public. Hosting a myriad of activies from school field trips to festivals and even a summer camp, the WNC does its best to help both children and adults learn about this wonderous area we live in and how important nature preservation truly is. With summer nearly here and the outdoors in full splendor, this is the perfect oppurtunity to enjoy the center's fantastic... Posted at 04:52 PM | Permalink |
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05/16/13What is Wilton High School's musical this year?We are so glad that you asked that question, because Wilton High School is opening Les Misérables tonight in the Clune Auditorium at 7:30 pm. The Wilton High School theater department has been known to take on large shows and make them into something amazing, but never before have they taken on something as large as Les Misérables, but even with a cast of over 65 high school students it is completely worth it. Les Mis is an almost completely sung through show about the people and times surrounding the French Revolution. Jean Valjean (Jack Jankowski) is freed from prison, but after breaking his parole he is hunted by Inspector Javert (Nicholas Dehn) who soon becomes his biggest adversary. Years go by and we find ourselves at the beginning of the... Posted at 03:24 PM | Permalink |
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02/20/12What's happening to that building on Church Street?Aderelict building on New Milford’s Church Street will be transformed into a design showroom, architect offices, and a museum and library dedicated to product design. In January, Peter Kahane, who owns Ameico—a wholesaler of contemporary design products—purchased the dilapidated building from the town for $120,000, primarily to expand his own business. Inspired by the design store at MoMA and by the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, his plans also include creating something akin to a mini-MoMA once the renovation is completed next fall. Ameico sells more than 1,000 different high-end design products from lighting fixtures and furnishings to watches to more than 400 retail outlets, including MoMA, Barneys, and Ralph Lauren. ... |
02/20/12How does a house earn an historic plaque?Says town historian Carol Russell, “People say, ‘My grandfather built my house, and I don’t want someone to buy it and tear it down.’ If they apply and receive an official historic designation, the house can’t be demolished. They can build an addition, but it needs to look like it’s always been there.” However, while Wilton currently has six official historic districts, it has zero official historic homes. That’s right, zero. The Wilton Historic District and Commission, which oversees districts and structures officially registered with the town as historic, decides if a property or neighborhood is historically significant. Wilton’s four official historic buildings are registered on the national register, and overseen by the U.S.... |
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02/20/12What happens when a neighbor’s tree falls in my yard?It doesn’t matter if you heard the tree fall, but it does matter if you asked your neighbor to take care of it before it fell. This way, if you disagree over who pays for removal and any damage, you may be in luck. Says Wilton attorney Douglas Bayer. “Connecticut law states whosever property the tree falls on is responsible. The exception would be if there’s a dangerous condition the tree owner had notice of and failed to take reasonable measures to prevent it from falling. If there’s a dead tree poised to fall, and a neighbor says, ‘Can you remove your dead tree?’ there may be cause of action against the tree owner.” Town officials can offer little help. Residents can consult survey maps in Town Hall to... |
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02/20/12Did a Ridgefielder win a million-dollar lottery?Indeed. Fabian Mazuera will never forget what happened on Tuesday, October 18, 2011. He became an instant multi-millionaire. Out of 7.1 million people who purchased Connecticut Lottery Classic Lotto tickets that day, Mazuera says, “I was the only one holding the winning ticket.” And how much was that worth? $9.7 million. Had he not won the lottery that day, Mazuera and his son, a fourth-grade student at Scotland Elementary, would have been homeless. “I was going to get kicked out of my apartment because I was six months behind on rent. We were going to move in with my mom in Danbury,” he admits. “I was on welfare, food stamps, and Connecticut Energy Assistance.” Mazuera has been purchasing ten dollars worth of tickets from... |
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10/16/11Are there more environmentally friendly ways to clear leaves than with a leaf blower?Well, a group is certainly making the case for a quiet and environmentally friendly alternative. Launched last spring, Bedford environmental group Leave Leaves Alone (leaveleavesalone.org) has been spreading its message about the many advantages mulching leaves has over merely getting rid of them. This group, comprised of Cornell Cooperative Extention Master Gardeners and members of the Bedford community, aims to help fellow Bedfordites make better decisions about their lawns. Leaf blowing, argues Fiona Mitchell of LLA, while also being loud and burdensome, “results in not just the leaves being blown, but also your topsoil, which is necessary for healthy plant growth.” Instead of a leaf blower, the tool needed is a lawn mower, the group says. The only... |
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09/19/11What is the history of the Mount Kisco's Copland House?Founded in 2009 on a 130-acre county park in Mount Kisco,Copland House at Merestead“represents an enormous expansion and extension of our musical, public, and educational programming,” says artistic director Michael Boriskin. The name derives from composer Aaron Copland, who lived in nearby Cortlandt Park, and who has long been a source of inspiration to the world of music. “The process of putting together a season is very complex. It’s a lot like putting together a menu,” says Boriskin. “You want to make sure there’s a vibrancy and a dynamic that’s not weighted toward one variety of music.” Boriskin notes that too often the concert-going experience favors composers who are featured ad infinitum. He will present a... |
08/14/11Fairfield's first female-only triathlon in late AugustWomen Only Fairfield's first female-only triathlon in late August In her quiet, French accent, Pascale Butcher rattles off her athletic accomplishments: first in the 2009 NYC Triathlon in her age group, top ten of the 2008 Vancouver world championships, and this past July she placed third in her age group in the Ironman competition in Lake Placid. On August 28, Butcher can put another notch on her belt, except this time she’ll be rooting from the sidelines. Butcher is co-founder of TriFitness—her husband being the other ‘co’—and the brains behind their first-ever women’s triathlon. TriFitness started in 2001 with two classes and grew to what it is today, a brand-new Fairfield facility that offers multi-sport training. Butcher has not always been a... |
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08/14/11What is the history of the Copland House?An American Experience What is the history of the Copland House? Founded in 2009 on a 130-acre county park in Mount Kisco, Copland House at Merestead “represents an enormous expansion and extension of our musical, public, and educational programming,” says artistic director Michael Boriskin. The name derives from composer Aaron Copland, who lived in nearby Cortlandt Park, and who has long been a source of inspiration to the world of music. “The process of putting together a season is very complex. It’s a lot like putting together a menu,” says Boriskin. “You want to make sure there’s a vibrancy and a dynamic that’s not weighted toward one variety of music.” Boriskin notes that too often the concert-going experience favors composers... |
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08/14/11How much did the renovation to the Ciuccoli Field cost and who paid?Batter Up How much did the renovation to the Ciuccoli Field cost and who paid? Well, to find the answer we went in search of the man behind the undertaking and found him hammering down a sprinkler into newly sodded grass at Ciuccoli field. He is Bob Alicea, and was putting finishing touches on what has been a six-year effort by a group of private donors and contractors. Ciuccoli Field sports two baseball diamonds—the main one next to the Ridgefield Playhouse is used by the high-school baseball team and Little League. The new concession stand is the crown jewel of the renovation. The 600-square-foot brick building sits behind home plate and is capped by a shingled roof with a lustrous copper cupola. There is also a new pair of dugouts—brick to replace the old chain... |
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