The first candidate has declared an intention to succeed Jonathan Steinberg as Westport’s state representative.
Matthew Mandell — a 20-year member of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM), and the longtime executive director of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce — today announced his candidacy for in the 136th District.
Calling himself an advocate for open space preservation and historic protection, Mandell released a video outlining his priorities and reasons for seeking the seat.
In the video he emphasizes the importance of maintaining local control over town planning decisions, while also addressing the need for additional affordable and workforce housing in Westport.
He points to his decades of civic involvement and grassroots leadership as preparation for representing the community in Hartford.
Matthew Mandell
“I have always had Westport’s best interests in mind,” Mandell says. “From preserving the Partrick Wetlands and saving the Kemper Gunn House to creating unique town festivals and most recently spearheading the establishment of an Affordable Housing Fund, I have worked to strengthen this community. I believe I can do even more for Westport by serving at the state level.”
Mandell says his campaign will focus on listening closely to residents and community stakeholders, gathering their concerns and ideas, and working collaboratively to move thoughtful solutions forward.
Additional priorities include strengthening consumer advocacy for residents, and advancing environmental initiatives such as expanded alternative energy and improved recycling and sustainability programs.
Infinity Care is a new personalized medicine/concierge practice, coming soon to town.
Dr. Lyuba Kofler — a family medicine physician –is a Westport mom who understands the realities of packed schedules. She designed her practice to offer “the kind of thoughtful, responsive care families often wish medicine still had.”
A core focus is what she calls “generational health.” Through “proactive prevention, lifestyle guidance, and personalized medical planning, she helps patients build habits and strategies that support not only their own health, but the well-being of their children, grandchildren, and future generations.”
Our first Easter-related item of 2026 is from Wakeman Town Farm. Their family fun “EGGstravaganza” is Saturday, April 4 (10 a.m.).
The 10:30 hunt is followed by egg-themed games, story readings with the Westport Book Shop, and photo opps with Big Bunny. Guests can isit the farm animals too.
There are treats for the kids, and coffee for adults, from The Granola Bar, Sweet P Bakery, and Danna Rogers and Jen Kass Team at the Higgins Group.
Speaking of spring: Temperatures are inching up. There’s a whiff of the new season in the air.
But all around town, snow piles remain.
And because they were dumped or pushed there after the first big snowstorm of the year, after which temperatures remained far below freezing for a week — and because tons of sand was used in the process — these big boys are not going anywhere soon.
Scott Smith spotted this one at the Imperial Avenue commuter parking lot. He writes: “Photos can’t convey just how big this snow field is. It’s gargantuan!”
Snow pile. Imperial Avenue is in the distance. (Photo/Scott Smith)
The question is: Will it still be there when the Farmers’ Market opens, in mid-May?
I bet it won’t all be gone even then.
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The national dish of Scotland is haggis.
If you’ve never enjoyed it, it’s a pudding made from sheep’s pluck (heart, liver, lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet and spices. It’s encased in a sheep’s stomach and boiled.
However, 12 Westport Scouts headed to a jamboree there in July have decided to not serve haggis at their fundraiser.
Instead, Troops 39 and 139 offer a pancake breakfast. It’s this Sunday (9 a.m. to 1 p.m., VFW post 399). The full pancake bar includes plenty of toppings, sausage, juice, coffee and tea.
There’s a free will donation; $10-15 per person, $35 per family is suggested.
Players from Jeff Lea’s first state championship team — and 3 others — were on hand Saturday night, as the winningest coach in Staples boys soccer history was inducted into the Connecticut Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame.
Lea co-coached with Albie Loeffler in 1970, then served as head coach from 1978 to 2002. He earned 5 state crowns and 12 FCIAC titles. He retired in 2002, compiling a 357-77-42 record.
Congratulations, Coach Lea!
Jeff Lea (red tie) with former players (from left) Dan Woog, Jem Sollinger, Dan Donovan, Jono Sollinger, Neil Brickley, Steve Lichtman and Mike Brown.
I hate to ask for funds. But the NPR/PBS model is the only way to continue to tell stories about the people, places and past of this town; to bring you news and photos, and to do all the back-end stuff no one ever sees but that takes all of my time, 24/7/365.
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“Adaptive rehabilitation”? A complete replacement?
Those are the most talked-about options, for the 143-year-old span.
But one “06880” readers is thinking outside the bridge — er, box.
He offers an idea that may seem improbable, perhaps impossible.
But back when Grover Cleveland was president, the idea of a bridge that opened laterally to let Saugatuck River traffic through may also have been considered way out there.
A detail of the Bridge Street Bridge, from Robert Lambdin’s Saugatuck mural.
At this point, nothing should be off the table. So “06680” presents it, for discussion. The reader writes:
What about an entirely new bridge and road next to the I-95 bridge, on one side of it or the other?
It would go from the Saugatuck Avenue parking lot underneath the I-95 bridge (next to Black Duck) to Compo Road South, using Elaine Road.
(Elaine Road leads into Westport Animal Control and the public boat launch under I-95. It is currently one-way; it would have to become two-way to bring traffic onto Compo Road South. The current exit road from the boat launch area loops just north of Elaine Drive; it takes traffic via Underhill Parkway onto Bridge Street, opposite The Saugatuck co-op residences.)
Elaine Road (red balloon), the I-95 bridge, and environs. Click on or hover over to enlarge.
This would alleviate traffic in the Saugatuck bottleneck area on Riverside Drive.
The Cribari Bridge could receive basic rebuilding, as a passenger car or possibly pedestrian-only bridge.
It seems that a temporary bridge will be necessary during the project. Why not make a better positioned permanent bridge?
Aerial view.
Meanwhile, another reader offers a suggestion for construction.
Ray Broady moved to Westport in 2014 from Southern California, with his wife of 55 years, to be closer to their daughter and granddaughter. Ray spent his career in contracting. He writes:
I realize the state Department of Transportation is trying to meet state and federal mandates, with regard to traffic.
DOT is going override the town’s wants and wishes, and move ahead with a big concrete bridge that bypasses historic preservation and careful outcome needs of our community.
We can slow and stop this outcome if we bring to DOT at the March 19 meeting (6 p.m., Town Hall) a viable consensus plan of how the Cribari Bridge can be replaced with a wonderful matching historic-looking truss bridge that is a little wider (not a lot), has better approaches, still provides the opening swing span, will have a slightly taller clearance for small boats when closed, can be built in shorter time versus standard build for a new temporary bridge, and does not disrupt traffic badly during the new bridge final in place finish.
I have come up with a plan of how this can be easily accomplished. The concept is a new historic truss Cribari Bridge replacement.
Several fabricators and builders in the country can build a new historic truss-look bridge structure in 3 separate sections. There are 2 ways to accomplish this.
The East Main Street Bridge in Newark, Licking County, Ohio is 35 feet wide. Two lanes, with bicycle and pedestrian ways, it was fabricated by US Bridge in Cambridge, Ohio.
One is to float construction barges in the river sides near the launch ramp area and under a portion of I-95 overhead, where floating cranes can assemble partially finished structures to assemble the 3 main sections for the bridge.
The other is to construct the 3 new bridge sections on barges at another site, and float them up the Saugatuck River mouth and into position when ready to set them.
These new bridge sections would have top truss sections 13′ 6″ inches above the finished bridge roadway. This would preclude large semi-truck trailers crossing the new bridge.
The new bridge should be reset in a straighter line with the Bridge Street end. This will allow new concrete footings and end approaches to be constructed without demolition of the old Cribari Bridge sections
This will mean little to no lengthy closure of the bridge traffic, and produce a complete new historic-look bridge in a greatly reduced time frame.
The river is scheduled for dredging, including the area under the bridge at both new and existing locations, to create better river depths at low tides.
The new bridge pieces can be floated on the barges, and set on the new footings and approaches. DOT might be excited about this form of construction, as they just finished an “out of the box” bridge replacement using the build and move bridge for exit 17.
Pat Saviano, Gabby Velez, Cat Malkin, Linda Stern, Matt Murray, Jonathan McClure, Micheal Simso, Sal Liccione, Andrew Colabella, Audrey Fox and Lisa Hayes all quickly identified the very easy image. Arf!
This week’s Photo Challenge comes courtesy of Mark Mathias. The other day — just after George Washington’s birthday, and before the snow melted — he snapped this shot:
(Photo/Mark Mathias)
The plaque commemorates one of George Washington’s 2 visits to Westport (then a part of Norwalk), over 250 years ago.
It was dedicated on the 200th anniversary of his birth. (At that point, the original Old Mill Market was already in its second decade.)
If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
(Every Sunday, “06880” hosts this Photo Challenge. We challenge you too to support your hyper-local blog. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
The Staples High School Counseling Department works hard to encourage students and families to look beyond rankings and “prestige” when considering college, focusing instead on fit, engagement and long-term outcomes.
Last week, a large Westport Library audience heard a nationally recognized education expert emphasize those same ideas.
Jeff Selingo — the author of “Dream School: Finding the Fit That’s Right For You” — made several key points.
He noted that although the average acceptance rate across US colleges hovers around 65%, competition feels more intense than ever. Among the reasons: Students are more willing to travel longer distances to attend “name brand” colleges; it has become much easier to apply to a larger number of schools, and families increasingly see admission to a highly selective college as an “insurance policy” for the future.
Families often approach the admissions process as something that can be carefully optimized, with the right strategy. Selingo said that this often smacks into the reality of holistic admissions, where there is limited transparency about exactly what colleges look for. At the most selective schools, even highly accomplished students compete with thousands of similarly strong applicants from across the country.
Selingo emphasized that long-term outcomes depend less on where a student goes, and more on what they do once they arrive. He encouraged families to look for colleges that provide strong first-year support, opportunities for mentorship with faculty, access to experiential learning such as internships, co-ops or undergraduate research, and strong return on investment.
He also encouraged students to build balanced college lists — and think carefully about why they want to attend college in the first place. When visiting campuses, he suggested taking time to observe the culture, visit academic departments, and look beyond surface impressions to see how students actually engage with the community.
Before the presentation, Selingo met with Staples counselors for a professional development conversation about current trends in higher education and the admissions landscape.
Jeff Selingo (2nd from right), with Staples High counselors.
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Meanwhile, was not another manic Monday at the Westport Library.
Instead, it was a fulfilling Friday.
Bangles co-founder Susanna Hoffs — who also had a thriving career as a solo performer, and published a novel (“This Bird Has Flown”) — had a spirited and insightful conversation with former CNN journalist (and rock memoirist) Alisyn Camerota. and performed.
Hoffs said she’s still “living inside a dream” of music. She’s stretching that obsession into fiction and new songs rather than arena tours. She added that growing up as the daughter of a psychoanalyst and an artist made it natural to talk through the emotional toll of sudden fame.
Among the audience members: former Talking Heads musicians.
It was an early part of VersoFest. The Library’s annual music/media and more celebration kicks into full gear March 26 (click here for details). (Hat tips: Susan Garment, Allan Siegert)
Susanna Hoffs (left) and Alisyn Camerota. (Photo/Susan Garment)
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Speaking of music: Corky Laing is no stranger to Westport.
The legendary drummer for Mountain has played here before. He was a frequent guest of music executive Terry Coen and his wife Gail, at their Soundview Drive home.
Can’t quite place Mountain? They’re the “Mississippi Queen” band.
And Laing provided the iconic cowbell intro.
He returns April 11 (7 p.m., VFW Post 399), this time as a special guest with Ten$Grand Band.
“Fashionably Westport” is one of the hottest tickets on the local events calendar.
The Westport Downtown Association-sponsored evening is a benefit for Homes with Hope. It features an actual runway, with models everyone can relate to — because they’re friends and neighbors. (Spoiler alert: One of them will be yours truly.)
The evening includes a great silent auction. The WDA is finalizing the items now. If you’re a business looking to contribute to a great cause — or an individual with a second home to offer, a connection to Broadway or sports or other entertainment, or have something unique to donate — click here.
And finally … In honor of Corky Laing and Mountain (story above):
(From here to Mississippi — and everywhere else — “06880” is where Westport meets the world. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
The initiative aims to reduce single-use plastics, and expand water-filling stations around town. The goal is to “turn shared intention into measurable, community-wide change.”
Once a month, we’ll help them highlight an area of daily life where single-use plastic is most common, along with practical ideas to use. This month, we focus on a space filled with plastic: the kitchen.
Walk into almost any Westport kitchen, and you’ll find plastic.
It’s what you flip pancakes with, wrap leftovers with — it’s even in your morning coffee.
Because plastic is so quiet and convenient, we’ve let it become part of the family.
But this guest has overstayed its welcome. It is leaching into our lives.
Glass products, and a reusable produce bag.
The kitchen is uniquely powerful because of frequent daily use. A small change can have a big impact. A single swap — repeated hundreds of times a year — can significantly reduce waste and exposure.
Focus on High-Impact Swaps
Rather than attempting a fully plastic-free lifestyle, focus on a few changes that deliver outsized benefits:
Stop Heating Food in Plastic: Microwaving or reheating food in plastic containers can release microscopic particles and chemicals into food. Switching to glass or ceramic containers is one of the simplest and most impactful upgrades.
Wrap and Store Food Differently: Plastic wrap and disposable baggies are among the most frequently discarded kitchen items. Beeswax wraps, reusable silicone bags and glass storage containers provide durable alternatives that last for years.
Which wrapping and storage products will you choose?
Upgrade Everyday Cooking Tools: Plastic utensils and cutting boards gradually wear down through heat, friction and cleaning. Wooden, bamboo or stainless steel tools reduce microplastic shedding into the food you consume, while often lasting longer.
Rethink the Morning Brew: Many single-use pods and tea bags are actually lined with plastic mesh that steeps in your cup, while creating additional plastic waste. Switch to a reusable pod, a glass French press, or a stainless pour-over, to ensure your morning ritual is just beans, leaves, and water.
Want some microplastics with that coffee?
Reduce Plastic Before It Enters the Home: Choosing loose produce, bulk items, or products packaged in glass reduces plastic exposure upstream, often without increasing cost.
Progress Over Perfection
One of the biggest misconceptions about sustainability is that it requires dramatic lifestyle change. In reality, incremental adjustments — one swap at a time — create lasting habits and community-wide impact.
By starting in the kitchen, households can lower waste, reduce plastic exposure, and help protect coastal environments. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s awareness, experimentation, and steady progress toward healthier homes.
Are you ready to kick plastic out of your kitchen? Join your neighbors, and take the UnPlastic Pledge. Start with one swap, share your progress, and help us build a healthier, plastic-free Westport.
Tonight, we take a big step on our long slog toward spring.
Daylight Savings Time returns! Remember to turn your clocks ahead 1 hour.
The bad news is: We lose an hour of sleep.
The good news: It won’t be dark at 6 p.m. anymore.
At least, not for another 8 months.
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The judges have ruled, on the Connecticut History Day regional contest.
We’re not sure if these results are historic. But Westport students did very, very well.
Students are encouraged to explore any aspect of history, from local to international. They can work individually or in groups, on topics of their choice. This year’s theme was “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History.”
They present projects in one of 5 categories: exhibits, documentaries, websites, papers or performances.
Winners (below) advance to the state competition in May. First and second place finishers there move on to represent Connecticut at the national contest in Maryland.
Staples High School winners include:
1st Place
Noah Bruno (“NASA: How a Space Agency Drove Civil Rights Reforms” — individual documentary)
2nd Place
Alexandra Ben (“Marian Anderson: A Voice That Challenged a Nation” — paper)
Ruby Boroujerdi, Carol Berger, Madeleine Stiber (“Technicolor in ‘The Wizard of Oz’: Revolutionizing the Standards of Cinema” — group exhibit)
Luca Ghedini, Pranav Tamilselvan (“Igniting History: How Gunpowder Triggered a Global Transformation — group documentary)
Cameryn Brink (“We Are Columbine: How Normalized Deviance in Gun Violence has Undermined Effective Gun Reform in School Shootings” — individual website)
3rd Place
Charlotte Hoke, Cali Kingsley (“Progression Toward Gender Equality: Violence Against Women’s Act” — group exhibit)
Serena Goldfarb (“Equality Over Injustice: How Title IX Shaped Female Athletics” — individual documentary)
Honorable Mention
Madelynn Flom, Lilly Ford, Brooklynn Crawford (“The Degree that Sparked Revolution an the Woman Behind It: Elizabeth Blackwell” — group exhibit)
Alexandra Gottlieb (“Southbury vs. Fascism: When a Small Town Took a Stand” — individual documentary)
Graham Lewis, Akshay Rao, Ryan Asiel (“Revolution on the Fairway” — group documentary)
Middle school winners include:
1st Place
Mia Amin, Coleytown (“A Revolution in Medicine: How the Spanish Flu Led to Reform in American Public Health” — paper)
Henry Bach (“The Race to Discover DNA an the Dark Side of Winning” — individual exhibit)
Emily Bernier, Emmeline Cutler, Coleytown (“Lewis Hine and Adding Awareness to Child Labor” — group documentary)
Brandon Sheefel, Olivia Duran, Coleytown (“1810 May Revolution, Voice of the Cabildo” — group performance)
2nd Place
Matilda Jones, Nora Lipschutz, Coleytown (“The Legacy of Lewis Hine” — group exhibit)
Madyan Hemdan, Bedford (“The Radium Girls: Shining a Light on Injustice” — individual documentary
Leanne Wong, Bedford (“The Needle That Saved Millions: The Eradication of Smallpox” — individual website)
Brooklynn Flom, Johanna Lawton, Bedford (“Angel of the Battlefield” — group website)
3rd Place
Sofia Farquhar, Bedford (“The Radium Girls” — individual exhibit)
Honorable Mention
James Ben, Bedford (“Truman vs. McArthur: The Firing That Changed History” — individual exhibit)
Gemma Porrino, Charlotte Carr, Bedford (“A Day to Remember: The Attacks on 9/11” — group exhibit)
Dexter Abrams, Rhys Livingston, Coleytown (“The Reform on Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy” — group documentary)
Thursday’s was particularly insightful. Jeff White — a longtime Westporter, former CFO of Major League Baseball, executive vice president of the New York Mets and CFO of CBS News — offered a frank assessment of MLB”s future.
His topics ranged from gambling risks and a looming labor war, to international expansion.
White called legalized sports betting “an accident waiting to happen,” despite the advertising revenue flowing in. He noted that the people most affected by a work stoppage would be the the 500 to 1,000 game day workers, and 400 to 600 full-time staffers at each club.
And he spoke about his vision to bring the professional leagues of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea into an expanded MLB postseason (a true “World Series”).
Jeff White, at the Y’s Men meeting.
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Staples High School 2006 graduate Max Orland has a speech and language disability.
That has not stopped him from achieving many of his dreams.
His career includes positions with the New York Mets, US Open (center court, for Federer and Serena Williams), Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Northeastern University, and Winged Foot and Tiburon golf clubs, plus retail experience (with many awards) at Legends @ Yankee Stadium, J. Crew, Under Armour, Vineyard Vines and Nike.
Most recently, the University of Delaware sport management graduate has been involved with the Miami Heat, and Special Olympics Florida
He writes: “No one can truly embody how I feel living with my personal challenges in speech and language, but moments like this remind me why it’s so important to keep getting involved, whether through work or in the community.
“Being featured on Heat TV wasn’t just about me. It was about the voice I share and what I represent as part of the Miami HEAT organization, and as an advocate for others. I will keep putting myself out there to speak on the importance of inclusive education and inclusion in the workplace, and to be a face for those who may need one when opportunities arise.
“My first year with the Heat has been about more than just a job. It’s about impact and the drive to help make the world a better place. I never take these opportunities for granted, and will continue striving to create meaningful change.”
Click here or below for a video, including words from Max.
After more than 25, Jane Ross, founder and executive director of Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities — retired yesterday.
Since launching the non-profit — which serves many Westport families — in 2000, Ross has helped transform the landscape for families raising children with learning and attention challenges.
At a time when parents often felt isolated and unsure where to turn, she helped provide information, guidance, and a community of supportive families.
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