0684-Radi0

This week on 0684-Radi0, we talk to New Canaan resident Kevin Mardorf. After tasting his first craft beer at a New Canaan Nature Center event, Mardorf about eight years ago founded Fests LLC, an events company whose brands include CTBeer.com and BeerFests.com. His business has grown exponentially, with more than 100 events per year and hundreds of thousands of social media followers. 

This week, we talk to those behind a conspicuous and widely anticipated historic preservation project in western New Canaan. The Ponus Ridge Chapel has stood along Ponus between Frogtown and Davenport Ridge for more than 100 years, a stone structure that began its life as a place of worship and became a hub of neighborhood activity, for much of its life owned and operated by an association. In the past five decades, as the association and Chapel’s use became inactive, the building fell into vacancy and disrepair, with a leaky roof that’s taken a severe toll on its integrity and appearance. Ainsley and Brendan Hayes moved in a decade ago. Following years of legal wrangling, they finally acquired it last winter and as soon as the weather broke, launched a restoration project with Ted Sihpol of New Canaan-based Renaissance Partners on the job as general contractor. This week, that restoration project is marking a major milestone with the installation of a new roof. 

This week, we talk to Colm Dobbyn, a longtime Inland Wetlands Commissione who is seeking election to New Canaan’s Town Council this fall. Following the July caucuses, Dobbyn and his fellow Democratic nominees—Robin Bates-Mason, and Mark Grzymski—are entering a contested race versus Republican nominees Steve Karl, Mike Mauro, Maria Naughton and Cristina A. Ross.

This week, we talk to Cristina A. Ross, an incumbent on the Town Council who is seeking re-election to the legislative body this fall. Following the July caucuses, Ross and her fellow Republican nominees—Steve Karl, Mike Mauro and Maria Naughton—are entering a contested race versus Democratic nominees Robin Bates-Mason, Colm Dobbyn and Mark Grzymski. 

This week, we talk to Steve Czech, who in 2008 co-founded the Mikey Czech Foundation with his wife, Jennifer, as their son, Mikey, battled an aggressive and incurable brain tumor that would take his life on Sept. 7 of that year.

This week on 0684-Radi0, we talk to Mark Grzymski, a 12-year resident of New Canaan who is seeking election to the Town Council. Following the July caucuses, Grzymski and his fellow Democratic nominees— Robin Bates-Mason and Colm Dobbyn—are entering a contested race versus Republican nominees Steve Karl, Mike Mauro, Maria Naughtonand Cristina A. Ross.

This week, we talk to New Canaan Police Deputy Chief John DiFederico about the department’s efforts to intensify enforcement of traffic violations near schools, which open next Thursday.

This week, we talk to Steve Karl, a New Canaan native, 1980 graduate of NCHS and three-term incumbent on the Town Council who is seeking re-election to the legislative body this fall. Following the July caucuses, Karl and his fellow Republican nominees—Mike Mauro, Maria Naughton and Cristina A. Ross—are entering a contested race versus Democratic nominees Robin Bates-Mason, Colm Dobbyn and Mark Grzymski. 

This week, we interview Mike Mauro, a New Canaan resident since 2016 who rapidly got involved in town government and raised his hand to join the Town Council when a Republican seat was vacated early last year. He’s served on the Town Council for 18 months and will seek re-election this fall along with Steve Karl and Cristina A. Ross, as well as Maria Naughton, who is seeking election to the legislative body. They’re entering a contested race versus Democratic nominees Robin Bates-Mason, Colm Dobbyn and Mark Grzymski.

This week we talk to New Canaan Conservation Commission Chris Schipper about plans to restore a bird sanctuary in New Canaan—a 17-acre town-owned property completely unknown to most locals. In fact, the Bristow Bird Sanctuary and Wildwood Preserve is the third of its kind in the United States, and a master plan now underway calls for its full restoration in time for a centennial anniversary in 2024.