NEIGHBORHOODS
What’s going on in your part of Greenwich
Greenwich
Two new recruits to the Greenwich Police Department took the oath of office in December.
Officers Albert Miano and James Luciano both have a background in public service.
Miano is a graduate of Western Connecticut State University and Naugatuck Valley Community College. Miano worked previously with the Pound Ridge, N.Y., Police Department, the New York State Police and the New York City Police Department. He also served in the U.S. Navy in the late ‘90s and the Army National Guard from 1999 to 2002.
Luciano graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland in 2022. He was a seasonal park ranger with the Westchester County Police, working with parks, environmental and marine units. His father, James Luciano, is an officer with the Westchester County Police.
The two will undergo training before becoming probationary officers. New recruits with previous law enforcement experience undergo an expedited training program, learning Connecticut state law and procedures.
The Greenwich department has been undertaking a number of new initiatives to recruit new members to the department at a time when candidates for a law-enforcement career are dropping sharply across the country. New recruits from around the region and the country are being sought.
Beside Miano, two other NYPD officers have recently joined the department, a process known as “lateral hiring.” The Greenwich department also hired an officer who previously worked in
Officer James Luciano, a new hire at the Greenwich Police Department, is congratulated by his father, James, a member of the Westchester County Police Department.
Texas. Cos Cob
Veterinary Emergency Group, a veterinary emergency company, has opened its newest hospital at 409 E. Putnam Ave, Suite 1 in Cos Cob.
The new hospital is VEG’s first location in Connecticut and 40th location nationwide.
“Emergency is our middle name — it’s all we do,” said founder Dr. David Bessler. “VEG is the only veterinary company that focuses solely on pet emergencies.”
VEG has a laser sharp focus on emergency care, Bessler said. Callers will speak directly with a licensed veterinarian and will see a veterinarian at the site right away, he said.
VEG Greenwich is open 24/7 to help pet parents with emergencies when their family veterinarian is closed. The hospital has an open floor plan that allows freedom of movement from exam room to treatment floor, with humans able to stay with their pet during all phases of treatment, including surgery and overnight hospitalization.
VEG gives back to the pet-loving community through VEG Cares, an initiative benefiting underserved pets that need it most, and by supporting future emergency veterinarians by granting scholarships.
Old Greenwich
Following a brief hiatus because of the pandemic, the Fred Elser First Sunday Science Lecture Series returns to the Bruce Museum.
First Sunday Science “Toward a Waste Free Greenwich in 2023” is the first, in-person lecture hosted by the museum since 2020, and will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. Jan. 8 at the Bruce Museum’s Seaside Center.
The program features Julie DesChamps, founder of Waste Free Greenwich, a grassroots organization addressing Connecticut’s waste crisis with local initiatives from food scrap and textile diversion to zero waste schools. During her lecture, DesChamps will discuss what happens to trash and recycling, the impacts of our waste system and offer practices to reduce waste at home and in your community in 2023.
“Waste Free Greenwich aims to engage, educate and empower our community to waste less,” DesChamps said.
“Over the past three years, we’ve accomplished much toward this goal including events and programs around food waste, environmental justice, single-use plastics and more, but still have a lot of work to do. We’re grateful to the Bruce Museum for this opportunity to share our current initiatives and future goals to encourage waste free living in Greenwich.”
The Bruce Museum’s First Sunday Science program is named in honor of Fred Elser, a friend and former trustee of the museum who served on the Science Committee for many years. Celebrating his passion for art and science education, the series serves to honor his memory and pay tribute to the many years he devoted to multi-generational learning.
“We are very excited to bring back Fred Elser First Sunday Science for the new year and think there’s no better way to start than with Waste Free Greenwich,” said Kate Dzikiewicz, Bruce Museum science curatorial associate and Seaside Center manager.
“Helping the environment starts at home, and together we can make a difference in 2023!”
Hosted at the Floren Family Environmental Center at Innis Arden Cottage, Greenwich Point Park, the program is free of charge, but reservations are required. To make a reservation, visit brucemuseum.org or call 203-8696786.
Cos Cob
Greenwich Historical Society archives and curatorial staff will host an afternoon program at 2 p.m. Jan. 8 in the recently renovated and reopened James Stevenson and Josie Merck Stevenson Library and Archives to delve into the words and life of celebrated American impressionist John Henry Twachtman and explore his ties to the Holley family in Cos Cob.
“Afternoon in the Archives: Twachtman in His Own Words,” is an informal, hands-on session that will give participants an opportunity to examine original letters written by and to Twachtman, view rare photographs from the HolleyMacRae papers and study other primary sources.
“This is an ideal opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Twachtman, the motivations and influences that helped propel his artistic journey to the top tier of American impressionism, in conjunction with our exhibition, ‘Life and Art: The Greenwich Paintings of John Henry Twachtman,’ which is on view through Jan. 22,” said Maggie Dimock, Greenwich Historical Society’s curator of exhibitions and collections.
Cost is $15 for Historical Society members, $20 for non-members. Capacity is limited. For more information and to register, visit greenwichhistory.org.