In New Milford, plans to convert an old funeral home into housing have been given the green light. ANZ Petroleum… a fuel supplier in New Milford… has received approval from the Zoning Commission to partially demolish and convert a former funeral home at 87 Park Lane Road into a single-family house… along with approval to build a four-unit multifamily building on the property too. Built in 1731, the old funeral home has been recognized by the state as the oldest house in New Milford. No word yet on when the project will begin.
Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker are congratulating two Connecticut students who were named as 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholars for their accomplishments in academics, the arts, and career and technical education fields. The recognition is one of the nation’s highest honors for graduating high school seniors. One of them is from our general area… Lukas Koutsoukos from Wilton High School. The entire Presidential Scholars Class of 2023 will be recognized for their outstanding achievement this summer with an online recognition program.
Another national chain of big box stores appears to be going under. Christmas Tree Shops, which has a retail location in The Danbury Square Plaza… one of its four Connecticut stores… is headed for bankruptcy. For now anyway, while they admit that they plan to close up to ten stores overall to cut expenses, the company says they have no plans to close any of their four Connecticut stores. Christmas Tree Shops in Danbury is next to another retail giant that has filed for bankruptcy protection…David’s Bridal.
A 66 year old diver from Ridgefield has won 3 gold medals at the US National Masters Diving Championships that were held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Gail Heaslip of Ridgefield was a triple gold medalist at last month’s championship competition. Heaslip took first place in the 1-meter diving in the women’s 65-69 age group and the women’s grand masters for the 65-79 age group, as well as the women’s synchronized diving in the 65-80 age group.
The Connecticut House of Representatives has voted… by a 98-45 vote margin… to approve a bill that would prohibit marriage for anyone under the age of 18 here in Connecticut. It’s aimed at combating human trafficking and arranged marriages, and if it becomes law, it would overhaul a 2018 law that has allowed state Probate Courts to approve some marriages of 16- to 17-year-olds. The vote in the House now sends the bill to the Senate.