Amid the welter of signs polluting the Post Road, a few stand out for their originality.
The best may be the hand-painted wooden ones, near the Double L Market.
That’s the beloved fresh fruit-vegetable-and-more store next to Calise’s Market (yay!) and diagonally across from McDonald’s (ugh).
It’s the 3rd location for Lloyd Allen (“double L” — get it?), and the signs are completely in character with both him and his business.
They were last week’s Photo Challenge. Many of Lloyd’s customers and friends (actually, they’re the same thing) nailed the answer. Congratulations to Sally Kleinman, Rob Hauck, John McKinney, Robin Jaffee Frank, Suzanne Zarrilli, Martha Witte, Jan Carpenter, Craig Thiemann, Lynn Abramson, Lynn Untermeyer Miller, David Loffredo, Beth Berkowitz, Todd Ehrlich, Werner Liepolt and Betsey Lebow.
You sure know your onions!
Today’s Photo Challenge is clearly from Green’s Farms (duh). But where exactly in that neighborhood?
If you know, click “Comments” below.
(Photo/Diane Lowman)
(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!)
Many Westporters think of Lux Bond & Green as a great jewelry store that’s been in Westport for years.
That’s true. But there is much more to the story.
It is a actually a 128-year-old, 5th generation, family-owned and operated business. Besides Westport, there are locations in West Hartford, Glastonbury, Mohegan Sun, Wellesley (Massachusetts), and soon, Mystic.
Lux Bond & Green has been in Westport for 30 years, anchoring what used to be called Brooks Corner at the Main Street/Elm Street intersection.
To celebrate 3 decades in town, all month long they’ll donate proceeds from all watch batteries, sizing and jewelry cleaning to Swim Across The Sound.
For customers making a purchase who mention Swim Across the Sound, a percentage of that sale will also benefit the non-profit.
LBG partner Roberto Coin also turns 30 this year. The store celebrates with 2 trunk shows. A percentage sales will benefit Connecticut Food Share.
On November 1, Lux Bond & Green will donate another month of watch sizing, batteries and jewelry cleaning to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. Mentioning the non-profit during any purchase will generate a donation too.
Meanwhile, every Saturday from October 24 through November 14, there will be surprises like candy and cannoli trucks, and Bridgewater Chocolates.
Old and new customers are invited to stop by and share Lux Bond & Green stories. For more information on LBG, click here.
The Planning & Zoning Commission meeting set for October 19 (6 p.m., Zoom) does not include a controversial item, postponed from last session: lights on Wakeman and PJ Romano athletic fields.
It may be a technical matter. A new 8-24 plan may need to be filed.
If the item is added, “06880” will announce it.
Temporary lights at PJ Romano Field may — or may not — be replaced by permanent ones. (Photo/Tara Welch)
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Westport Country Playhouse kicks off its 2026-27 season in a big way: with a world premiere.
“Ken Ludwig’s Pride and Prejudice, Part 2: Napoleon at Pemberley” — a stage sequel to Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice” — runs October 20 through November 7.
Playhouse artistic director calls the show “smart, romantic, wildly funny, and full of surprises.”
Click here for the performance schedule, and ticket information. Special events include Taste of Tuesdays (Oct. 20), Pride Night (Oct. 22), Opening Night (Oct. 24), Sunday Symposium (Oct. 25), Backstage Pass (Oct. 28), Open Captions (Nov. 1) and Thursday TalkBack (Nov. 5).
Tickets start at $50, with discounts for students, senior citizens, educators, military, first responders, Indigenous peoples, professional playwrights and groups, as well as options for pay-what-you-will and library passes. Click here for details.
The cast of “Pride & Prejudice: Part II.” (Photo/Kelsey McFarlan)
The Green’s Farms post office — one of Westport’s true, hidden gems (IYKYK) — has been closed a month. It sustained heavy damage during the September 13 “rain bomb.”
The future does not look good.
A handwritten sign reads: “Temporarily Closed!!! Due to flood damage we will be closed until further notice. No transactions.’
(Photo/Alan Phillips)
Fingers crossed that “temporarily” does not become “permanently.”
Many folks rely on the neighborhood, neighborly PO.
And as someone who lives behind the main post office in Playhouse Square, the last thing this town needs is one less post office.
Comedian Kevin Nealon (“Saturday Night Live” and much more) headlined Friday’s “Stand Up For Homes with Hope.”
The annual fundraiser for Westport’s supportive housing and food pantry non-profit filled Fairfield University’s Quick Center.
It was a homecoming of sorts for Nealon. He grew up in Bridgeport, and graduated from St. Joseph High School and Sacred Heart University.
Kevin Nealon, at Fairfield University. (Photo/JC Martin)
Yesterday, the comic visited the Gillespie Center and pantry, on Jesup Road.
What Homes with Hope does is no laughing matter. But it’s great that folks like Kevin Nealon — and the full house at his show — stand up for the work they do.
Kevin Nealon (center) at the Homes with Hope food pantry. He’s joined by staffers and volunteers (from left) Grayson Orr, Sarah Carusone, Katharine Murray and Thomas Samaranayake.
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“06880” held our first-ever Business Buzz last night.
It was a hot event — and very cool.
Ginger Richardson hosted a diverse group of Westporters (and blog readers) at her new sauna-and-cold plunge spot on Post Road East, next to Sherpa Fitness.
Guests enjoyed both extremes — along with drinks from Tuck Gin, and plenty of community spirit.
Dave Briggs is partnering with “06880,” to make Business Buzzes regular events. If your business wants to play host, email 06880blog@gmail.com.
Dave Briggs and Ginger Richardson, at Kiin Sauna. (Photo/Dan Woog)
The Campaign School at Yale’s 1-day “Basics” class for women of all parties who are thinking of running for political office is set for October 24 (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) The session is open to men who support those women, too.
Participants learn speaking techniques and networking strategies, and hear from successful alumi.
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation has made a donation, so county residents pay only $25. The cost for people outside the county is $100.
The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters honored Westport’s state representative on Friday, with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The CLCV said: “Rep. Steinberg has been a leading voice in the Connecticut General Assembly on clean energy, environmental protection, and public health for more than 15 years. He has played a key role in major environmental efforts, including the plastic bag ban, fracking waste moratorium, GMO labeling, and microplastics legislation, while consistently advancing renewable energy, solar power, and utility accountability.
“As House chair of both the Public Health committee and the Energy & Technology Committee, Jonathan helped shape modern energy policy and led the charge on the State Water Plan to ensure Connecticut’s waters remain protected. His leadership has been instrumental in advancing sustainability, energy affordability, and long-term environmental resilience across the state.”
The 13th annual Air Cooled Classic Car Show takes over Veterans Green (Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
Dozens of very cool (ho ho) autos will be on display. Their owners are happy to answer questions, and show off their vehicles.
It’s sponsored by Westport-based Small Car Company. The club for air-cool aficionados is loosely connected to the car dealership of the same name. It was located on Post Road West, diagonally across from Kings Highway Elementary School. Most recently, it was the site of Carvana.
Air-cooled cars, on Veterans Green. (Photo/Sarathi Roy)
The very compelling “This is Your Life” series continues October 23 at the Senior Center.
Internationally renowned pianist Frederkic Chiu and world-class artist and sculptor Jeanine Esposito will be interviewed by Rozanne Gates, of the Legacy Project USA.
The couple founded Beechwood Arts, a non-profit community that changes the way the arts are experienced and created. They’ll talk about their multi-cultural, multi-faceted and arts-oriented marriage, and how they improve the artistic life of this community.
“This is Your Life” interviews are free, and open to the public. To register, call 203-341-5099.
Jeanine Esposito and Frederic Chiu (Photo/Jane Beiles for the New York Times)
And finally … today is National Coming Out Day. It’s a celebration of people who identify publicly as LGBTQ+ — and a time to encourage those who have been in the closet to embrace their honest, authentic selves.
“06880” culture correspondent Robin Moyer Chung writes:
Westport has a high rate of marriage — around 66% of the population. And when there are marriages, there are divorces.
Let’s begin with a question to married people: Why do you not invite your single friends to dinners and parties? Almost every single person mentioned this invitation situation.
“You just lost your marriage and now you have lost your friends,” one woman said.
“A very good friend told me casually over lunch about the 50th birthday party she had at her house just weeks before. We’ve been friends for years,” added another.
“I threw so many dinner parties, went to so many. Suddenly I was only invited to girls’ nights.”
Single men shrug it off, assuming their old “couple” friends align with their ex-wives.
One man, whose “social life evaporated” after his divorce, said, “I think many of the wives actually forbade their husbands from socializing with me.”
Why is this? Fear that divorce is contagious? Fear of odd numbers?
In lieu of invitations, married people eagerly offer their single friends advice about divorce, when to have sex and with whom, and how to improve dating profiles.
One person said, “I find that married women are sort of fascinated with the single life. Fascinated and scared by it.”
Westport is a couple’s town. It can be felt pretty much everywhere.
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Westport is a couple’s town … from proposal (she said yes!) to social life after the wedding. (Photo/Sunil Hirani)
At a restaurant, a woman and her children were seated at a high-top with one empty chair. After a long wait she asked a waiter for service. He said he’d been waiting for her husband to arrive.
“I think businesses around here could do a better job at making single women feel welcome,” she told me.
Another woman recalls a friend telling her: No offense, but my husband and I have been married 35 years, and its been great.
“I’m like, why would that be offensive?”
Loneliness is a familiar chorus. I heard, “A lot of things have changed, and it’s much lonelier,” “I think being single here, it is very lonely,” and parties and weddings are tough because “you don’t have an anchor.”
Of course, a few concede they also felt alone when they were married.
Women tend to feel more isolated than men. Men who work outside of town have more opportunity for outings and entertainment than women who work closer to home.
A surprising number of men meet other women while they’re still married; it’s often the catalyst for finally leaving a troubled marriage. But none that I spoke with met at a dinner party.
Which brings us to dating.
Dating is fun. Even when it’s bad it’s fun, because who doesn’t love a crazy dating story?
Finding dateable people is always tricky, but Westport can be “claustrophobic.”
Singles scenes at bars have not been as robust since COVID. Still, there are options.
The Spotted Horse used to be the go-to for determined singles on Thursday nights. Now it’s, well, not. One visit revealed a sedate crowd; a second pop-in, a corporate get-together.
Nômade is a “soft launch” bar, without the faint aggression of a singles scene. People tend to come in groups and, hopefully, mingle. Fridays and Saturdays are best for meeting people, and the crowd is typically respectful and well-mannered. (But women: You need to be a bit less shy.)
The Black Duck is a good option if you’re looking for a buzz and a hook-up. However, be wary of the person slipping you their phone number; they may be married.
Black Duck bar. (Photo/Robin Moyer Chung)
Gold Coast Connect meetings are for making business connections. Yet as they skitter through the evening, they become less business and more connect.
Dating apps: ugh. Pretty much everyone has tried one. Pretty much everyone hates them. “They’re a nightmare” is a common refrain.
Okay, they’re not always a nightmare. A number of singles have met “nice” people on them. Westport men have better luck with apps, in part because they tend to date women 10 to 15 years younger, so they swim in a larger dating pool.
Sadly, for every decent match there are hundreds of people trying to catfish, gold dig, ghost, insult, and ask for naked photos.
Nômade is also popular with singles. (Photo/Robin Moyer Chung)
A lot of non-single people suggest singles should volunteer, join clubs, take classes, and do stuff like that.
But no one I interviewed met people (other than friends) in those capacities. Of course, that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.
In sum, it isn’t easy being single in Westport.
In fairness, it’s not always easy being married, either.
If it were, there would be far fewer single people.
But plenty of Westporters knew. hi’Amba — Bill Taibe’s new eastern Mediterranean restaurant and market, in the space recently vacated by Basso — was packed all day yesterday.
Customers loved the ground floor bakery; the dips, salads, shawarma, skewers and more, and the indoor and outdoor dining.
hi’Amba is not yet open for dinner. In fact, after this weekend it will close for a couple of days, to prepare for the actual non-soft opening.
But judging by yesterday, one of Westport’s most creative and favorite restaurateurs has another smash.
Thursday’s Roundup included information that 3 Westport school bus drivers had been given citations for driving while using handheld phones.
That information was provided in error. Westport Police Lieutenant Anthony Prezioso explains:
“On October 1, the state of Connecticut made changes to the cellphone statutes for Utilizing a Handheld Mobile Device in a Motor Vehicle. The statute number was changed. This caused the physical order of the statutes in the mobile systems utilized by our officer to be shuffled.
“The new statute now appears in a list below the statutes that were not changed. This change came without advertisement and led to some initial confusion when officers could not find the appropriate (original) charge within our system. In all three cases, the arresting officer selected the wrong statute number when issuing/processing the citation.
“The Westport Police Department did not issue any citations to school bus operators. All 3 were standard cell phone violations without special circumstances. I have also since been in touch with our Board of Education to clarify this matter.”
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The League of Women voters has canceled its Tuesday’s debate at Earthplace. It
Republican candidate Alma Sarelli’s campaign told organizers that she would not participate in the event, for voters in the 26th State Senate District. Democrat Sam Nestor had already agreed to appear.
LWV rules mandate that at least 2 candidates must be involved for a League-sponsored debate.
Nestor told local media that Sarelli also failed to respond to invitations from the Wilton, Redding and Ridgefield Leagues of Women Voters, causing those groups to cancel debates as well.
The 26th Senate district covers 8 towns, including Westport and Weston.
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As Staples High School seniors work on their college applications, their parents are working to figure out how to pay for the next 4 years.
Even in Westport, financial factors play a role in selecting schools. 26% of Staples students qualify for financial aid.
Since 1941, Staples Tuition Grants has helped close the funding gap. Last spring:
81 students qualified for a need-based STG grant
Recipients received an average grant of $5,186, with a maximum grant of $7,500
Over 90 individuals, families and organizations privately funded named awards
More than 500 community members donated to STG
Yet with tuition rising, STG met only 13% of the financial gap
Staples Tuition Grants is asking Westporters and alumni to continue helping. For example:
Donate to one of over named award (the SLOBs Award, the STG Fun Run, Perrin Delorey the Max Harper Award, and many more)
Establish a new named award with a pledge of $2,000 a year, for at least four years ($8,000). Email donation@staplestuitiongrants.org
Gifts of $25,000 or more create an endow and permanent named awards, changing lives for generations.
Speaking of education: Westport resident Brian Rutter works with Higher Heights.
The New Haven-based non-profit empowers, equips and encourages college-bound students as they pursue post-secondary education.
From November 2 to 6, they need volunteers to help high school seniors in Bridgeport and New Haven with their college applications. That week, the state of Connecticut will waive application fees for seniors applying to a state college or university.
Students can also complete the Common Application to apply to HBCUs.
Rutter says, “this is a great volunteer project for Westporters. Many people possess the experience and skills to help these students.”
Specifically, Rutter seeks volunteers for Bridgeport’s Bassick, Central and Harding Highs, on November 5 and 6.
“It would be just a couple of hours of commitment for a life-changing moment for these students who need guidance and help,” he says.
Aspetuck Land Trust is hosting Joan Maloof — author of “Forty Ways to Know a Tree: Exploring Trees to Understand Nature” — for this year’s Haskins Lecture.
Despite the subject and the name — the Haskins family donated a 22-acre preserve on Green Acre Lane to the ALT — the event will be held indoors.
It’s set for the Westport Library (October 22, 7 p.m.).
Maloff will discuss the incredible life of trees, and how people today perceive ancient, undisturbed ecosystems.
A reminder: The first event in “06880”‘s newest venture — community celebrations of local businesses — is today (Saturday).
And everyone is invited.
From 5 to 7 p.m, “06880” and Kiin Sauna host “Community, Connection and Contrast.” KiiN is at 1555 Post Road East, next to Sherpa, Longevity, Zion and CT Sports Recovery — all wellness businesses too.
You’ll see friends and neighbors. Enjoy complimentary beverages. Meet KiiN founder Ginger Richardson, who will tell you all about the benefits of a sauna and cold plunge.
Ginger Richardson
If you feel adventurous, you can try a sauna and cold plunge yourself. (Sauna and plunge space is limited; click here to sign up.)
Ginger and her crew are great hosts. It’s a fun way to learn about a new spot in town.
Dave Briggs and I will host more events soon, all over town. We look forward to this new series. If your business would like to collaborate with us, email us: 06880blog@gmail.com.
Kevin Flynn knows the Westport Country Playhouse well. Each summer, he hosts an education program that teaches youngsters life skills, through stand-up comedy.
On October 26 (7 p.m.), Flynn — a stand-up comedian, professional soccer player, actor, television host, and founder/executive director of the Nantucket Comedy Festival — returns to the Playhouse, with “Fear of Heights.”
The show — part of the Barnstormer series — examines the American experience through the lens of his Irish-American family, including his father and grandfather (both steelworkers ).
In this very funny biographical work, he’ll explore what it means to be a man, and how one generation measures success relative to their forebears. Click here for tickets, and more information.
“Belles of Steel” — a new book by Jeanette Vaughan — features strong, resilient women who have changed their corner of the world.
They include military members, nurses, and more.
One is Mary-Lou Weisman.
The longtime Westporter is one of 30 women portrayed in the book. Her son Peter was diagnosed at age 2 1/2 with a fatal disease, Duchene muscular dystrophy. He died at 15, in 1980.
Purple Martins are the largest swallows in North America. They are also nearly totally dependent on humans for housing.
Sherwood Island is doing its part. These birdhouses have stood for a long time at our state park. Today, they’re featured in our “Westport … Naturally” series.
(Photo/Eric Bosch)
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And finally … on this date in 1845, the Naval School opened in Annapolis, Maryland with 50 students. Today it is known as the US Naval Academy.
But the work is as varied, creative and inspiring as ever.
Will next week’s gallery be back to our usual size? That depends on you!
No matter your age; the style or subject you choose — and whether you’re a first-timer or old-timer — we want your submissions. Watercolors, oils, charcoal, pen-and-ink, acrylics, mixed media, digital, lithographs, collages, macramé, jewelry, sculpture, decoupage, needlepoint — we want whatever you’ve got.
Just email a JPG to 06880blog@gmail.com. And please include the medium you’re working in.
Untitled (Duane Cohen — Available for purchase; click here)
Untitled (Marina Drasnin)
“Into the Woods — Fall Foliage” (Dorothy Robertshaw — Available for purchase; click here)
“Brother Steve Enjoying the Hemingway Island Fishing Lifestyle” (Eric Bosch)
“Petal Maze” (Nancy Breakstone — Available for purchase; click here)
“FUBAR” — abstract (Jo Ann Miller)
Photographer Mike Hibbard says, “Totem Pole symbol of the elder imparting knowledge into the child. Unorthodox is an understatement for our culture.”
“All My Dandelions are Going Poof” — watercolor (Steve Stein)
Untitled (Lawrence Weisman)
Entrance is free to our online art gallery –as it has been for 6 years. But please consider an anniversary donation! Just click here — and thank you!)
Last month’s heavy rains forced many homeowners to think about their roofs.
Though hardly out of sight, roofs are often out of mind. Unless something happens to them. Or unless we realize they’re getting on in years.
You may have even heard that a house with an older roof is uninsurable.
The KMS Team at Compass knows all about roofs. Now they’ve collaborated with 2 experts at Cross Insurance, Rob Vaccaro and Mark Wilhelm, to provide “06880” readers with “Roofs 101.”
Working on Morningside Drive South (Photo/Bob Weingarten)
It is important to note that there is no roof age at which a home suddenly becomes uninsurable. Instead insurance companies look at a combination of factors, including the roof’s age, condition, material, maintenance history and the overall risk associated with the property.
Not all insurance companies have the same underwriting guidelines. A roof that one firm will not insure may still be acceptable to another.
How old is too old? Many carriers become more cautious when a roof reaches 15 to 20 years of age , particularly with asphalt shingles or wood shakes.
However, a well-maintained roof in excellent condition of that age and/or type may still be insurable with some carriers. Another company may require repairs or replacement before offering coverage, while a third may insure the home but exclude the roof from certain types of coverage.
What impact does type of roof have? Insurance companies consider both the likelihood that a roof will sustain damage, and what it could cost to repair or replace.
This varies based on the material used. Asphalt shingles are common and relatively economical to replace, which can make them easier to insure.
Metal roofs can perform well against wind and fire, and may be viewed favorably by some insurers. Clay tile and concrete roofs are durable, but repairs can be expensive and may require specialized labor.
Slate roofs can last for generations — sometimes a century or more — but replacing slate can be a significant expense.
Wood shake roofs may receive additional scrutiny because they require ongoing maintenance. and can present additional fire and weather-related concerns.
The bottom line: A more durable roof doesn’t necessarily mean a lower insurance premium. While durability can reduce the likelihood of a claim, specialty materials can also increase the cost of rebuilding.
Care and maintenance of a roof — especially during bad weather — is important.
Are you insured for replacement cost or actual cash value? One of the most important things for homeowners to understand is how their policy would settle a roof claim.
With Replacement Cost Value coverage, a policy generally pays the cost to repair or replace covered damage with similar materials, without deducting depreciation for age, subject to the policy’s limits and deductible.
With Actual Cash Value coverage, depreciation is taken into account. As a result, an older roof could produce a significantly smaller insurance payment following a covered loss.
This distinction can be easy to overlook, but create very different outcomes after the same type of storm damage. For homeowners it’s worth knowing not just whether your roof is insured, but how it is insured.
Are you insured for storms, wind and falling trees? Standard homeowners policies generally cover sudden and accidental damage caused by certain perils, which can include things like windstorms, hail, falling trees, and heavy ice or snow.
But pay attention to deductibles. Depending on the policy, a homeowner may have a standard dollar deductible, while other policies may have separate deductibles for hurricanes, named storms, wind or hail — or even specifically for roof damage.
That distinction can make a meaningful difference in premiums and claims.
Insurance carriers assess roof damage in many ways.
How does an insurance company know how old your roof is? Insurance companies use a variety of sources to determine the age and condition of a roof, including:
Information provided by the homeowner
Building permits
Contractor invoices
Previous insurance records
Physical property inspections
Aerial and satellite imagery
Drone photography
Third-party property databases.
Technology plays an increasingly important role in how insurers evaluate properties. But those records aren’t always perfect. Homeowners should hold onto roof installation records, contractor invoices, inspection reports and documentation of repairs or maintenance. Having that information readily available can help if an insurer has questions about the age or condition of a roof.
Yet a roof’s age is only part of the story An aging roof doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to panic. or that your home is automatically uninsurable. What matters is the bigger picture: the age and condition of the roof, materials used, history of maintenance, insurance carrier guidelines. and the way your policy handles roof claims.
If you’re thinking about selling your home, it’s worth understanding these issues before putting a house on the market. An older roof can raise questions during the buyer’s insurance process, and having documentation about its installation, maintenance and condition can be helpful.
As Rob and Mark of Cross Insurance say, “One of the biggest misconceptions is that a home becomes uninsurable once a roof reaches a certain age. In reality, insurers look at the roof’s age, condition, material, and maintenance history, and every company evaluates those factors differently.”
For home buyers and sellers, the takeaway is simple: Don’t judge a roof — or its insurability — by age alone.
(“06880” often covers Westport’s real estate scene — and much more. If you appreciate, enjoy and/or learn from stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Every Westporter has a different image — or memory — of Main Street.
This one — from the mid 1960s, posted on Facebook by Christopher Maroc (though he did not credit photographer Steve Baldwin) — shows downtown just before a couple of big changes.
(Photo/Steve Baldwin)
Art’s Luncheonette would soon give way to Westport Pizzeria.
The Kodak store was replaced shortly after by Swezey’s Jewelers.
Oscar’s Food Shop would relocate a few yards north, and become Oscar’s Deli.
And the Furniture Clearance Center changed its name, then burned to the ground a decade later. It was replaced by a short-lived vertical mall, and is now The Gap.
NOTE: The photo was taken from the Mobil Station. We know it now as Vineyard Vines.
(Friday Flashback is one of “06880”‘s many regular features. If you enjoy this — or anything else on our website — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
On Wednesday, the Board of Finance unanimously voted to accept nearly $900,000 in federal funding, through a Safe Streets for All grant.
On November 10, the RTM will be asked to give final approval.
Walk Bike Westport — which has championed the grant — says, “board members asked thoughtful, challenging questions of the town’s Department of Public Works and consultant Tighe & Bond, emphasizing something we wholeheartedly agree with: Securing this funding is only the beginning. Making sure it’s spent wisely and leads to meaningful improvements is what matters most.”
Walk Bike Westport thanks 1st Selectman Kevin Christie, Public Works director Larry Roberts and town engineer Keith Wilberg for their presentations, and work on the proposal.
“We are proud to be part of this community and optimistic about the incredible potential Westport has to become a safer, more walkable and bikeable town,” organizers say.
Some of the participants in last year’s Bridge to Bridge walk.
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For a few weeks, residents have admired the town’s newest outdoor sculpture.
On Tuesday (October 13, 5 p.m.), Westport will formally welcome “The Couple,” with a reception at Riverside Park.
The sculpture was donated to the Westport Public Arts Collection by philanthropist and long-time Westporter Susan Malloy.
In 1991, she and her husband Edwin commissioned William King to create an aluminum 12-foot high 2-person grouping for their Dogwood Lane property.
After her death in 2015, “The Couple” was installed at Earthplace. When the Westport Arts Advisory Committee sought a more accessible and visible home for the work, they recommended Riverside Park.
The move was possible with the help of Susan’s family: granddaughter Meredith, son Timon and niece Ann Sheffer.
With support from Westport’s Parks & Recreation Department, the installation was completed in August.
WAAC oversees the installation and care of Westport’s sculptures and monuments. In addition to The Minuteman monument and Doughboy statue on Veterans Green, Westport maintains 15 sculptures on town and school property.
In 2024, WAAC initiated a “loan program” with area artists. For an annual stipend, sculptors loan their sculptures to Westport for 5 years.
Since 2024, WAAC has overseen the installation of 5 “borrowed” sculptures: “Passages” by Westporter Niki Ketchman (Pasacreta Park); “Tulip Bulb” by Emily Teal (Grace Salmon Park); “Egrets” by Babette Bloch (Canal Park); “Enso” by Mark Zaref (Eloise Ray Park), and “Queen of Hearts” by Carole Eisner (Westport Center for Senior Activities.) Click here for more information.
“The Couple,” at Riverside Park
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The weather is getting chillier. The Westport PAL Rink at Longshore is nearly ready to reopen.
And Mar Jennings is preparing to return as head coach and program director for the popular Learn to Skate program.
Jennings – a lifestyle expert, TV host and real estate agent — is also a world champion gold medalist. Under his leadership, the US Figure Skating-sanctioned program offers a welcoming, confidence-building environment for toddlers taking their first steps, youth developing competitive skills, and adults rediscovering their love of the ice.
The 10-week Learn to Skate curriculum provides progressive instruction, merit badge evaluations, and a supportive environment to nurture personal growth.
Westporter Sara Kempner is director of creative campaigns and collaborations at the US Vote Foundation. The nonpartisan non-profit helps millions of American citizens around the world cast ballots.
They get their message out in fun, creative ways. A recent campaign involved placing a QR code linked to voter registration on pizza boxes.
With flowers blooming behind Town Hall, and Connecticut’s new no-excuse absentee voting policy rolling out, Sara figured she’d feature her hometown in a national spot.
Click here or below for the result — starring local ballerina Isabella Corridon.
But that’s not all. Another reel will feature local yoga and Pilates teacher Vicki Lopez. She’ll show how breathing techniques can quell anxiety about voting (and how to use your time in the voting line well).
Three years after the October 7 attacks, Chabad of Westport will host Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, former chief of the IDF General Staff, for an important community conversation.
This will be one of his first public speaking engagements since stepping down as chief of staff a year and a half ago.
The event is November 2 (7:30 p.m.; sponsor reception at 6:45).
Halevi served as Israel’s top military commander for 515 days following October 7, leading the IDF through one of the most consequential periods in Israel’s history.
A few times a year, a few lucky folks get to share a private Saturday morning of movement, breakfast, conversation and community, on a rooftop overlooking the Saugatuck River.
Jennifer Ruspini offers a chance to “step away from the noise. Say hello to the neighbor you have not had time to meet. Move gently. Enjoy the morning without pressure, a sales pitch, or a crowded room.” It’s complimentary, too — with gifts from Southern Tide.
Yesterday was moving day for the Sherwood Mill Pond crane.
After many months — many more months than expected — repairing the tidal gates, the project seems to be nearing an end.
This scene in the Old Mill Beach parking lot was no doubt welcomed by many nearby residents — so long as the machinery is finally gone.
(Photo/Matt Murray)
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Jude Siegel grew up in Westport. Her father owned Westport Pharmacy downtown, across from the Library on Post Road East. Jude is a 1964 Staples High School graduate.
Since 1973, she has lived in Oregon — first on farms in the Willamette Valley, now in Portland.
She has long taught nature and bird journaling — a combination of drawing, watercolor and writing — to children and adults.
“This time of year,” she says, “I get homesick for the land, beaches and beauty of Connecticut.”
Of course, it is beautiful in Oregon too. Jude captures that beauty every year, in a watercolor and pen bird calendar she draws and produces.
“Birds bring such joy to our daily lives,” she notes. “It gives me peace to draw and paint them. I like the idea that they then go out on the calendar pages to people all over, and grace their lives as well.
This year’s calendar is now available for purchase. They’re $35 each, plus $5 per calendar for shipping. Email colorfuljude@gmail.com. (Originals are available for purchase. Just ask!)
One month, in Jude Siegel’s 2027 calendar.
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From nature to music: The next Christ & Holy Trinity Church “Music & Arts” event is New York Polyphony. The 4-part choral ensemble — called “larger and more complex than the sum of its parts” by NPR — performs on October 17 (5 p.m.). A reception follows.
And finally … on this date in 1701, the Collegiate School of Connecticut was chartered in Old Saybrook. Today we know it as Yale University, in New Haven.
(Happy 325th anniversary, Yale! You’re just 308 years older than “06880.” And while they have a $44.1 billion endowment, we don’t. To help us close the gap, please click here. Thank you!)
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