1st Selectman Kevin Christie’s administration will seek “upwards of $5 million” in federal tax credits for the geothermal energy system being installed at the new Long Lots Elementary School.
On Wednesday, the Board of Selectmen unanimously approved hiring a consulting firm to help obtain “the geothermal investment tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act.” The credit would be requested through the town’s tax filings “to offset the cost of geothermal and ancillary energy related construction,” according to the request submitted by Westport finance director Gary Conrad. The request was presented at the meeting by LLS project manager Susan Chipouras.
The town is currently building a new elementary school at the site of the existing school. The total appropriation as approved in June 2025 is $110 million, plus interest costs. The new consulting contract with CliftonAllenLarson LLP would be paid under the original appropriation; no new funds were requested.
Construction is underway on the new Long Lots Elementary School. (Drone photo/Brandon Malin)
A state grant totaling about $12 million has been approved, and is included in the current state budget. The town says more state funding may also be on its way because the state legislature approved a space standards waiver, allowing for a greater proportion of the total cost to be reimbursed.
The total cost of the consulting contract was not known, and is dependent on the firm’s hours spent to research and develop the tax credit application. The multi-tiered agreement includes a $65,000 base fee, plus $10,000 in other fees for memo preparation and the like, and “ongoing project services” to be billed at variable professional hourly rates.
1st Selectman Kevin Christie questioned how the firm’s billed hours will be managed. Chipouras said she and the construction management firm would monitor the hours billed.
Chipouras said “all costs” related to the geothermal system would be included in the calculation, and that “30 percent of all these costs … could be substantial.” She declined to provide a more specific estimate.
The total amount of eligible costs was not provided to the Board of Selectmen and will be calculated by the consultants. Costs are eligible if they meet various wage, domestic content, function and timing criteria, among others.
In the publicly available cost documents for the Long Lots project, the HVAC systems total cost estimate is $12.74 million. A 30 percent tax credit would be $3.7 million if all those costs are eligible. In order to reach a $5 million or more credit, about $16.7 million in eligible costs, all at a 30 percent credit rate, would have to be submitted.
Third Selectman Don O’Day, who is also a member of the Long Lots Building Committee, stated that hiring the consultant at $75,000-plus “was an easy decision.”
“These substantial reimbursements … will go back into taxpayers’ pockets,” he said.
A response to a question regarding use of the tax credit funds is pending regarding whether proceeds received would go to the general fund or be used for an earmarked purpose.
“06880” journalist John H. Palmer was involved for many years with the Westport Weston YMCA aquatics program. Today, he reflects on the life and legacy of former lifeguard, swim teacher and coach Martin Slattery. John writes:
If you’re one of the thousands who have learned to swim at the Westport Weston Family YMCA over the past 40 years, there’s a good chance you’ve known Martin Slattery.
A former lifeguard, swim teacher and coach of the Y’s Water Rats swim team since the 1990’s, he passed away in Texas on October 1. He was 53.
In recent years he endured significant health challenges, including stage 4 melanoma, congestive heart failure and end-stage renal failure, battles he shared openly with his friends on social media with his signature grit and optimism right to the end, when he died of heart failure during a dialysis treatment.
A celebration of his life was held last Thursday in Plano, Texas. He leaves behind his wife Deborah, sons Cadyn and Meryk, parents Martin and Margaret Slattery, sister Maureen and brother Michael.
Martin Slattery (right), with his family.
“Martin illuminated every space he occupied with his humor and exuberant spirit,” says Bob Knoebel, who served as the Y’s aquatics director from 1978- to 2005, before retiring to Idaho to work as a fly-fishing guide and at Sun Valley aki area.
“He carried that with him into the Brophy Pool at the old downtown Y, where he was everyone’s favorite swimming teacher. He taught thousands of Westport children to swim.”
Born in Stamford, he lived in several places, including Virginia, Colorado and New Hampshire besides Westport, before eventually laying down roots in Texas.
Martin’s journey in aquatics began in the ’90s as a lifeguard and swim instructor at the Fairfield YMCA. He later joined the Westport Y where his aquatics background lent him well, becoming a longtime and beloved member of the aquatics community there.
“When I think of Martin I remember the person he was, the laughter he brought, his kindness, and the way he embraced what he did,” says Randee Ganser Bok, who as a young lead teacher in the Fairfield KinderCare program worked alongside him, and then again later when she was director of Camp Mahackeno.
“As senior directors at the Westport Y, we once again collaborated and utilized each other’s experience and knowledge. Today, I remember Martin with
affection and gratitude for the part he played in my life.”
As a swim instructor and coach for the Water Rats, he was known for his ability to connect with young swimmers and their families. He was never afraid to act silly to get a laugh out of a child.
To end his classes he lined up his young students and, using only his arms, created a 5-minute deluge that would leave the deck of the Brophy Pool drenched and his students laughing uncontrollably.
“He had an energetic zest for life,” says Ellen Johnston, a Water Rats coach for 40 years who worked closely with Martin.
“He was a tremendous swim instructor, and had the magic touch when it came to teaching young children of so many varying abilities.”
Martin Slattery (top right), Bob Knoebel (top left), and Water Rats.
Martin met his wife Deborah as co-workers at the Westport Y. They later moved to Texas, where they raised their young family. Always the tinkerer, he had a lifelong passion for automobiles and went to car shows whenever he could.
He often worked on his own vehicles in his garage, always refining his car detailing skills.
In Texas he translated his love of autos into a second career, working as automotive service manager for Subaru and Lexus dealerships.
“If you saw Martin today, you might not know the battles he’s fighting,” wrote his Park Place Lexus co-worker Taylor Mackenzie Haubrich in November.
“He continues to come to work every day, moving through the dealership with quiet strength, greeting his peers, helping clients, and slipping out only when it’s time for another treatment. His resilience isn’t loud — it’s steady, humble, and deeply inspiring.”
Current Westport Y aquatics director Brian Ference, who began his career as a lifeguard at the Y and served later as aquatics director at Camp Mahackeno, remembered his tutelage fondly.
“Martin, who was in charge of hiring and training lifeguards for the Stauffer and Brophy (downtown Y) pools, taught me responsibility and discipline when I began working as a lifeguard in 2002,” he recalls.
Martin was a familiar face at Westport’s aquatic events, including the Polar Plunge and Swim Across the Sound. He traveled with the Water Rats to their swim meets, and celebrated their frequent victories.
Many Westport families with whom Martin worked expressed condolences on social media.
Westporter Joanne Quinlan Heller, whose daughter Bonnie swam with the Water Rats, said, “Martin was so wonderful with Bonnie, teaching her how to dive from the blocks. He was so kind. May he rest in peace.”
“I am so sad and so sorry to hear that Martin passed,” said Felicia Berardi Watson, another Water Rats parent. “He was a wonderful, fun-loving young man, always with a smile on his face. My prayers to his family.”
“06880” culture correspondent Robin Moyer Chung writes:
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” — Jane Austen, “Pride and Prejudice”
Once wed, the fun begins.
And so it does in Westport Country Playhouse’s world premiere of Ken Ludwig’s “Pride and Prejudice, Part Two: Napoleon at Pemberley.”
Ludwig, who has written numerous plays including “Lend Me a Tenor” and “Moon Over Buffalo,” crafted a clever, zippy script, elevated by an outstanding cast, splendid sets and costumes — and a promise from Playhouse executive director Mark Shanahan that “a theater exists only to entertain its audience.”
It’s the spring of 1814, shortly after their marriage, when Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy receive notice that Napoleon Bonaparte wishes for a respite at Darcy’s estate, Pemberley, before his exile to Elba.
While the Darcys bicker about the wisdom of hosting the disgraced emperor and enemy of the Mother Country — Elizabeth thinks it’ll be a lark; Darcy thinks they’ll be stabbed in their sleep — a disheveled Bonaparte skulks in, hands deep in his pockets.
Reg Rogers as Napoleon Bonaparte.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh arrives at Pemberley with her timorous daughter, Anne. Anne promptly takes up with Lieutenant Melville who, along with Major Hudson Lowe, is charged with overseeing Bonaparte’s exile after his holiday.
Though tousled and brooding, Bonaparte promptly charms everyone in his orbit (except Major Lowe), convinces an obstinate Darcy to throw a ball, and overhauls the estate’s daily menus.
With that clever and tricky premise the show maintains credibility, never devolving into satire or social commentary.
An impressively credentialed cast, beautifully directed by Emily Mann, deftly delivers Ludwig’s smart ripostes, including Bonaparte’s quip about Major Hudson Lowe: “You perceive the problem. He is living proof that the brain is not a necessary organ to support life.”
Lowe retorts, “but you never know with the French, you know they eat snails.”
Costume designer Jennifer von Mayrhauser’s colorful Regency-era gowns, with an appropriately restrained buoyancy, and tailored suits with waistcoats and cravats, froth against Beowulf Boritt’s set, anchored by stunning ornamental panels.
(I wonder: Are they for sale after the show? They’d look fantastic in someone’s home.)
Delphi Borich and Tony Roach. (Photos/Carol Rosegg)
The only stone in the fruit is the final part of Act 1. The show unexpectedly takes a serious turn, and the comedy dries up. The turn is so abrupt, in fact, that a few disappointed audience members left at intermission.
Yes, comedy needs a core, and a tonal shift can create welcome tension. But I think this shift comes too late in the show; inserting gravitas into comedy is less palatable than vice versa.
Don’t worry — the comedy bounces back in Act 2.
Was it “Bridgerton” that sparked a wave of period pieces? In a little over a year, 3 of the Playhouse’s productions are set more than 100 years ago.
I’m happy to see that contemporary shows are on the schedule for the rest of the season.
One more thing: An informal focus group suggests moving evening showtimes to 7 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. Thoughts?
(“06880” regularly covers the Westport Country Playhouse — and all of our town’s art scene. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
My wife Brie and I have been living in (and loving) Westport since 1987. It’s a wonderful town, and we’re incredibly grateful to call it home.
Over the years, I’ve noticed the town’s enthusiastic promotion and celebration of the Halloween Parade. Now it’s sponsored by Westport Parks & Recreation, the Westport Downtown Association and Police Athletic League.
Each year, I reflect on the origins of this beloved tradition. (The 2026 event was held Wednesday.)
The 2025 parade. (Photo/Gabriela Hayes)
The idea for the Halloween parade originated in the fall of 1993. Brie Garrison and Gwen Tutun (then Gwen Campbell) envisioned an event that would provide an activity for toddlers and preschoolers, and involve parents and the entire community.
Remarkably, the parade transformed from a mere concept into a reality in just three weeks. Brie and Gwen secured approval from the town, the Westport Police, and the Health Department.
The Westport News advertised the event. Julie Whamond (then Julie Uman) of Applewoods generously provided funding for cookies and apple cider.
Naturally, there were skeptics who doubted the turnout, and worried about the impact on Main Street shopping on parade day.
The first annual Halloween Parade was a resounding success. Brie and Gwen, the visionary mothers behind this parade, ran it for 3 more years before handing it over to the Westport Young Women’s League.
First Halloween parade, in the Westport News.
Thanks to their and others’ unwavering determination and desire to do something special for their children and the community, this year marks the 33rd annual Halloween Parade.
It is a delightful experience that brings joy, and evokes fond memories of Halloween adventures.
As in many aspects of life, it’s remarkable what can be accomplished with a touch of imagination, perseverance and compassion.
(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!)
Homeowners bordering the northern property line are not pleased.
Edith and Samuel Anderson have filed a lawsuit against the town, in Bridgeport Superior Court.
As reported by CT Insider, they allege that excavation work “resulted in the repeated and continuing alteration of the natural flow, volume, direction and concentration of surface stormwater and ground water.”
Soil, mud and silt have been deposited on their Hyde Lane property, including wetlands.
The Andersons call this a violation of the Connecticut Environmental Protection Act. They are also suing for trespassing, and public and private nuisance.
The Andersons’ property is just to the right (north) of the construction. (Drone photo/Brandon Malin)
the arts and real estate in fairfield county
Non-profit arts and culture generates nearly $1 billion in economic activity in Connecticut: $600 million spent by organizations, and another $350 million by audiences on dining, parking
and lodging.
On November 17 (8 a.m., SoNo Collection in Norwalk), FLB Law’s 9th annual Real Estate Outlook explores how the arts give Fairfield County properties a second life, while enriching community culture, attracting foot traffic and increasing real estate values.
Panelists for “Second Acts: Real Estate and the Arts in Fairfield County” — including Carleigh Walsh (Levitt Pavilion), Darcy Hicks (Norwalk Art Space), Eric Bernheim (FLB Law), Danny Loftus George (Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts), Jessica Vonashek (Manresa Island — will discuss the artistic uses of these properties, and why they matter to the real estate market, local businesses and community members.
The Levitt Pavilion is more than an entertainment venue. It’s also an economic engine. (Photo/Susan Garment)
KARAOKE TONIGHT AT THE CLUBHOUSE
Karaoke is alive and well at The Clubhouse.
So far though, it’s been confined to 2 special, dedicated rooms.
Tonight (Friday, 9 to 11 p.m.), the event space on the Post Road near Southport brings karaoke into the bar. In addition to song, they promise drinks, food and fun. To learn more about The Clubhouse, click here.
FOOD HISTORIAN LAUNCHES PEQUOT LIBRARY SERIES
The Pequot Library is launching “The Common Table: A Conversation Series on Culture, Place, and Food.” The talks will feature historians. and food and beverage industry leaders.
The first speaker (November 19, 7 p.m.) is Westport culinary historian, author and journalist Ramin Ganeshram.
A press release says her work “traces the hidden histories of American food. A Pequot Library Fellow, she draws on the library’s Special Collections for her research, including her forthcoming biography of Hercules Posey, the enslaved cook of George Washington and one of the most accomplished culinary figures of his era.
“Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Saveur, and Food & Wine, and her books include ‘Stir It Up!’ and ‘Sweet Hands: Island Cooking from Trinidad & Tobago.'”
Jay Walshon reports: “Last night, just before sunset, 2 guy friends set this up in the sand at Compo Beach, for their friend to surprise his girlfriend with a ring and the question. Then they hid.”
(Photo/Caroline Walshon)
“15 minutes later the couple arrived. He had her stand in the center, and on bended knee presented her with a ring and asked the question. Two hidden friends filmed with their cell phones.”
After that: How could she say no?
jolantha’s halloween
If there’s a holiday, Jolantha celebrates it.
This Halloween, Hans Wilhelm — the popular Weston pig’s keeper — says, “With so much horror, war and suffering in the world and politics, Jolantha does not believe we need more skeletons, skulls, monsters or fear. Rrather, the wisdom of women (witches) and owls.”
(Photo/Hans Wilhelm)
STAPLES GRAD MARKETS WORLDHOTELS
Best Western is bringing more than 4,000 properties, across 18 brands, under one global umbrella: WorldHotels.
The woman telling the story is chief marketing officer — and 1996 Staples High School graduate — Joelle Heise Park
She’s helping oversee a redesigned website, new app and unified loyalty program, connecting 70 million members.
“Best Western is not getting replaced, and I want to be really clear about that,” Chief Marketing Officer of WorldHotels Joelle Park told USA TODAY. “It remains a core foundational brand.”
Thomas Dean died on Sunday at Stamford Hospital, after a brief battle with cancer. He was 55, and lived in Old Greenwich.
The youngest of 8 children, he was raised in Westport, Connecticut. As his mother’s last child, Janice doted on Tom. She threw him a grand 50th birthday celebration, unique among her children.
Though quiet by nature, he was the first to answer “I’ll be there” whenever the family came together.
After college Tom worked for Xerox and Chesebrough-Pond’s before joining Glencore, where he spent 27 years on the office services team.
During the pandemic he was one of the few employees considered essential, going into an empty office to keep things running for his colleagues working from home.
Tom met Andrea Orbanowski at Norwalk Community College. They shared 30 years together, 22 as husband and wife.
Their life centered on walks with their 4 dachshunds, time at Old Greenwich Tennis Academy and days at the beach.
The couple set sail on cruises each year. This past summer they traveled to Italy and the Mediterranean.
Tom is survived by his wife, Andrea; siblings Mark (Jaime), Christopher (Carline), Jayne Albani (Gaetano), Eric, Mary Ann Lindwall (Mark) and David (Alison Campbell); 19 nieces and nephews, and his dachshunds.
He was predeceased by his parents, Evan and Janice Dean, and his sister Jennifer Burke.
Funeral services will be held November 3 (9 a.m. Church of the Assumption). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Tom’s memory to Lucky Dog Refuge, 36 Pulaski Street, Stamford, CT 06902.
Tom Dean
“westport … naturally” & SONG OF THE DAY
Yesterday morning, Dave Wilson headed to Sherwood Island.
Curious to see 20 or so people — many with telephoto lens cameras — crowded around a tree, he asked what was happening.
A knowledgeable birdwatcher told him: a vermilion flycatcher.
But not just any one. This was the first time such a bird has been seen in Connecticut.
The Connecticut Ornithological Association was on the case, Dave reports.
Dave checked a “Rare Bird Alert” social media page.
Sure enough, they confirmed the sighting. (Though they inaccurately described Sherwood Island as being in Fairfield.)
“Wowzers!” one birdwatcher wrote. “No mistaking that for anything else.”
Vermilion flycatcher at Sherwood Island. (Photo/Jo Fasciolo)
(Good times never seemed so good … as when you clicked here to support “06880.” Well, maybe a slight exaggeration, but you get the point. Thank you for whatever you do to help!)
On the long list of early-adolescent activities I participated in, and of which I am not particularly proud (though nonetheless willing to share with thousands of “06880” readers), few rank higher than the true tale I am about to tell.
It is Halloween. I’m in 8th grade. I’m also desperate for acceptance by the hundreds of 8th graders clogging the halls of Long Lots Junior High, all of whom know telepathically how to dress (chinos and penny loafers), talk (“groovy,” “outasight,” “hey man”) and walk (coolly).
I have to work at such things as if they’re a full-time job.
Me, in 7th grade. A year later I was tossing mailboxes into ponds.
I am part of the in crowd, which is merely the most important thing in the entire universe to me, but I am fully aware that my position there is tenuous.
I can be cast out at any moment by the queen bee, who has the power to do such things and often does, just on a whim (or perhaps simply to watch her fellow 8th graders squirm).
So naturally I am willingeager frothing to do anything it takes to stay cool.
Including tossing my own parents’ mailbox into the pond across the street.
I do not, mind you, set out that Halloween night to vandalize my mother’s and father’s mailbox. That is the furthest thing from my mind. The nearest thing is to follow along with whatever the rest of the in crowd does.
This, I quickly determine, is tossing other people’s mailboxes this way and that.
I do not have anything against these folks. In many cases, I do not even know them. I have certainly never noticed their mailboxes.
And I should emphasize that I am not exactly a major player in this juvenile delinquency gang. I am not the person — Ricky, let’s call him — who cunningly determines which mailboxes will live, and which will die.
I am not the one — hmmm, Glenn sounds like a good name — who physically uproots the mailboxes Ricky has selected for extinction.
I am only one of many mindless drones who haul the mailboxes to the places our leaders decide will be the final resting places: The woods. The fields. The middle of the road.
Or, in the case of my parents’ mailbox, the pond across the street.
It was not easy being in the in crowd at Long Lots Junior High.
Let me say, in my defense, that I do not think trashing my parents’ mailbox is a particularly wise idea. I wonder whether they will be able to replace it in time for tomorrow’s postal delivery.
I hope they will not see me.
I pray the cops will not come racing down the street.
But like a good 8th grade follower, I keep my concerns to myself.
Part of my brain waits for my friends’ peculiar code of honor to kick in. The one that will enable them to say, in the middle of demolishing this particular mailbox, “Hey, wait a sec. That’s Dan’s parents’! Lay off, guys. This is wrong!”
Another brain part waits for someone to gracefully put his hands over my eyes while the dirty deed is being done.
I might as well wait for them to start discussing the use of imagery and allusion in “Lord of the Flies.”
See ya!
Rather than letting me off the hook, my friends maliciously egg me on. To get me in exactly the right vandalistic frame of mind, they use the key phrase guaranteed to propel any insecure 13-year-old into action: “Come on, man. Everybody’s doing it.”
So I do it.
I help yank the mailbox out of the ground. I toss it in the air.
I hear the splash as it hits the water. I watch the ripples as it sinks slowly, s-l-o-w-l-l-y, to its watery grave.
I feel ashamed, giving in so easily to my friends.
But I feel elated too, as my “buddies” slap my back. They congratulate me for trashing yet another mailbox.
For one more day, my place in the in crowd is secure.
There is, of course, a moral to this story. I am now many years older, and perhaps a bit wiser.
Tomorrow is Halloween. I know what it’s like to be a kid that night, and try like hell to fit in with the crowd.
So here is a message, especially to all you socially insecure 8th graders out there:
If you even think about tossing my mailbox into the pond, I’ll kill you.
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Namhee Stokvis is a Westport resident, with 2 children in local schools. “Every member of my family cherishes and enjoys everything and everyone that Westport has offered so far,” she says. Namhee writes:
There are many visible expressions of humanism in Westport, in the broadest sense of the word: people caring for one another.
Countless charities and volunteer efforts support vulnerable neighbors, children, and adults. Kindness, generosity, and civic responsibility are woven into the town’s identity, and that deserves real gratitude.
For neighbors who are economically vulnerable, Westport offers a wide network of support: Near and Far Aid, A Better Chance, Pink Aid, Homes with Hope, the Westport Woman’s Club, the Women’s League of Westport, and many programs run by local churches.
Humanism also shows up in programs for residents with physical and
cognitive disabilities. myTeam Triumph, Challenger Baseball, Wakeman Town Farm, and adaptive programs at the YMCA and Westport Parks & Recreation all depend on dedicated volunteers and staff working to expand access.
Challenger Baseball is a popular town program. (Photos/Beth Cody)
And yet, alongside all of this, there is a striking absence.
Once children with complex disabilities reach 11, Westport has almost nowhere for them to go in the summer, while typically developing children face an overflowing menu of camps.
Families look to other towns, such as Wilton and Fairfield, for appropriate and
supportive programs.
The adaptive programs that do exist are run by committed people but they are often stretched thin, with limited staffing and limited training in children’s
specific needs, which can make participation hard or impossible.
Westport offers an abundance of shows, concerts and community events, yet few are designed so that families of children with disabilities can attend and feel safe.
For most residents, Westport offers richness. Our neighbors with disabilities too often encounter scarcity.
Our schools reflect a similar pattern. After-school programs, clubs and classes are plentiful for typically developing students, but families find few that are designed so students with disabilities can participate and learn meaningfully.
Too often, program development centers on cutting-edge opportunities for students without difficulties, and students with disabilities are treated as an afterthought rather than as a constituency with an equal right to enrichment, growth and belonging.
This is where I call for advanced humanism. Humanism asks, “How can we help?”
Advanced humanism asks, “Who is still left out, and what would it take to include them?”
Advanced humanism moves beyond charity toward equity. It pairs generosity with inclusion, service with structural change, and kindness with the courage to confront gaps in how our community is designed.
Humanism is not complete while some neighbors flourish and others are left without access, opportunity, or safety.
In practice, that could mean summer programs for older children with complex
disabilities, regular sensory-friendly performances at town venues, and placing students with disabilities at the center, alongside their typically developing peers, as the Board of Education and the district shape their education plans.
Westport has the heart for advanced humanism. We see it every day in the volunteers, donors and neighbors who show up for one another.
The next step is a commitment to build a town where every neighbor, regardless of ability, can share in the richness we so proudly celebrate.
We can begin by deepening our curiosity, attention and care, so we can better see who is left out and what is needed to welcome them fully.
That commitment belongs to all of us. Town leaders and the schools can consider the needs of people with disabilities and their families from the very beginning of planning.
Program directors can look for ways to involve people of all abilities in shaping their programs.
And each of us, as residents, can pay attention to who is missing from the places we love and help make room for everyone.
CHRISTOPHER LLOYD, STAPLES & THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Nearly a dozen readers alerted me this week to a Wall Street Journal interview with Christopher Lloyd.
After describing his upbringing on the 400-acre Waveny estate in New Canaan — now a beautiful park and recreation area for the town — the Emmy-winning actor (“Back to the Future,” “Taxi,” “Nobody”) mentioned briefly what happened after he transferred to Staples High midway through his junior year. (He’d been bullied at his boarding school.)
“The drama teacher cast me in ‘Charley’s Aunt,'” he said. “I soon got a feel for acting.”
Either the 88-year-old star is downplaying what happened, he misremembered it, or the editors cut out the rest.
Christopher Lloyd was not simply “cast” in the show.
He helped create Staples Players.
As I wrote in “120 Years of A+ Education” — my history of Staples High School — Craig Matheson was an English (not drama) teacher, in the last year at the Riverside Avenue building (now Saugatuck Elementary School).
Principal Stan Lorenzen and some students wanted something more than the “senior class plays” that had been staged for years.
“I found Christopher Lloyd,” Matheson told me when I interviewed him in 2004.
“He was a marginal student, but he was interested in theater. He came to my small apartment on Turkey Hill Road, and we had a long conversation about theater.
“He helped me get started with our first production later that year. It was at Long Lots, on the stage in the gym. (The old Staples did not have a stage.)
The next year, the school moved to North Avenue. There was a real auditorium (though built primarily for music, not theater).
Matheson became Staples Players’ first director. The rest is history.
An interesting twist in the long-running debate over the fate of the Cribari Bridge has been: Who actually owns it?
It’s on a state road (Route 136), and the Connecticut Department of Transportation has led maintenance and rehabilitation efforts for decades.
But questions have arisen as to whether the town ever gave, sold, or otherwise conveyed it to the state.
In answer to an email from Bridge Street resident and longtime Cribari Bridge observer/activist Werner Liepolt, 1st Selectman Kevin Christie responded last night:
We have looked into the ownership question and, based on what we have reviewed to date, have not found documentation establishing that the Town owns the Cribari Bridge.
I also asked Town Attorney Ira Bloom and his staff to review the available information and applicable statutes. Ira’s initial assessment is that the statutory framework governing state highways and bridges, together with the actions of the Town and State over at least the past sixty years, strongly indicate State ownership.
Cribari Bridge. State workers open it to allow maritime traffic to pass underneath. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
DEBBIE ALLEN: BOOKED FOR A GREAT EVENING
Emmy Award-winning director, choreographer, producer, actress, educator and United States Cultural Ambassador of Dance Debbie Allen has earned 3 Emmys, a Golden Globe, 5 NAACP Image Awards, a Drama Desk honor, the first-ever Astaire Award for Best Dancer, 4 honorary doctorates, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
She has choreographed the Academy Awards 10 times, directed and produced episodes of “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and “A Different World,” and was the creative force behind Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad.”
Last night she added another honor. She headlined the Westport Library’s annual “Booked for the Evening” gala.
Allen captivated the large crowd, in a conversation with another powerful, talented and creative woman: Shonda Rhimes.
Debbie Allen, at the Westport Library. (Photo/DinkinESH Fotografix)
SPINNAKER OFFERS SAUGATUCK UPDATE
Spinnaker Real Estate Partners — developers of the Saugatuck property bordered by Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place and Charles Street — say:
“We are pleased to have formally submitted our zoning applications for the redevelopment of 606 Riverside. The applications and the plans within them reflect the generous feedback we’ve received from stakeholders, the Architectural Review Board, and the Planning & Zoning Commission through several pre-application meetings, as well as our ongoing dialogue with the community over the past several months.
“We believe the vision for this important property has evolved favorably as a result of that input. The plans are now presented in a more complete and detailed form, which allows the Planning & Zoning Commission and the subject-matter experts across the town’s commissions and departments to fully analyze the technical aspects of the proposal.
“We look forward to continuing the conversation with the Commission and the community throughout the land-use process and beyond. Our goal remains to integrate this significantly underutilized property into the neighborhood in a way that respects its context and reflects Westport’s high standards.”
Spinnaker’s plan — the view from Franklin Street.
senior center invites VETS TO NOVEMBER 11 LUNCH
Plenty of veterans are regulars at the Westport Center for Senior Activities.
Many others have never been. All veterans — of all ages and all branches — are invited to a Veterans Day lunch there.
It’s Tuesday, November 10 (12 noon) menu includes vegetable bisque, beef stew, roasted potatoes, roasted asparagus and (of course) apple pie.
Speaker Jay Dirnberger is a decorated Vietnam War vet. He participated in the Tet offensive, the siege of Khe Sanh and the invasion of the A Shau Valley. He was awarded the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal with 22 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star.
For non-military guests, there is a suggested donation of $6 to $8. All attendees should call 203-341-5097 to register.
Jay Dirnberger
TEDX COMING TO TOWN
Eight speakers take the Town Hall auditorium stage on November 8 (3 p.m.), for a special Westport TEDx event.
Speakers include:
● Kyle Martino: “The Youth Sports Monster: The Alarming Trend of the Commercialization of Youth Sports.”
● Dr. Mahsa Khodabakhsh: “The Biology of Compassion: The Missing Variable in Modern Medicine.”
● Gilda Bonanno: “The First 30 Seconds: Creating Connection with Someone New.”
● Dr. Amy Arnsten: “How Stress Shuts Down the Rational Brain.”
● Nisheeth Vishnoi: “What Happens to Us When We Let AI Do the Thinking?”
● Adam Moore: “Why We Do What We Do (And How to Stop Doing It)”
● Mark M. Melendez: “Beyond the Mirror: The Rejuvenation Paradox”
Last Sunday was special at Saugatuck Congregational Church.
The 194-year-old congregation installed Rev. Dr. Steven Savides as its 23rd senior minister.
Though he served as pastor for the past year, the United Church of Christ installation tradition is a sacred and joyful occasion. He and the congregation promised mutual support, shared ministry, and commitment to the future of the
church.
Words of welcome were given by 1st Selectman Kevin Christie, and Rev. Dr. Pete
Powell on behalf of the Westport/Weston Clergy Association.
Rev. Dr. Steven Savides
RAVEIS OFFERS GOLD
William Raveis’ “Gold for Good” Event offers attendees to turn unwanted gold and silver jewelry, coins and collectables into cash.
And, at the same time, help fund cancer research.
Attendees can sell their items — from broken chains and earrings to vintage pieces gathering dust. Monetary donations are welcome too. All proceeds benefit the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
It’s November 20 and 21 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m., William Raveis, 47 Riverside Avenue).
SHAKE SHACK AND SAUGATUCK EL
Shake Shack is clear across town from Saugatuck Elementary School.
But on Tuesday, they’re partnering on a fundraiser.
All day — from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. — they’ll donate 25% of your total meal to the SES PTA.
Just mention “Donation Day” at checkout, or type “Donate” on the ShackApp or kiosk.
The PTA urges all Westport families to help. They suggest: “If you’re out of ideas how to occupy the kids on a no-school day, or while running from one sports clinic to another, or heading home after voting, stop in at Shake Shack!”
today’s halloween house
We’re getting near the end of these holiday photos.
This one is not spooky, though. There are no ghosts or goblins, 30-foot skeletons, webs or witches.
Just a nice, handsome home on Hillspoint Road, with a few scarecrows and pumpkins in front.
The family that lives here is probably just as friendly too as the folks in front.
(Photo/Ed Simek)
LANDMARK PRESCHOOL CELEBRATES 30 YEARS
Congratulations to Landmark Preschool!
The early childhood education center is celebrating 30 years in Westport.
For reflections on those 3 decades from director Siobhan Powers, click here.
CLUB 203: MARITIME BOUND
CLUB203 is heading to the Maritime Aquarium.
Westport’s social group for adults with disabilities will enjoy 2 hours of friendship, exploration and Thanksgiving cheer on November 17 (6 to 8 p.m.).
Aquarium staff will lead interactive experiences, including access to exhibits and touch tanks
CLUB203’s creative partner, MoCA\CT, will offer a special Thanksgiving-themed art project. The evening is funded by the Westport Woman’s Club and Westport Rotary Club. For more information, click here.
POLICE REPORTS
Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between October 21 and 27.
An 81-year-old Westport woman was charge with failure to appear. She was released on a $1,000 bond.
A 30-year-old Queens man was charged with failure to appear. He was released on a promise to appear.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 3 citations
Traveling unreasonably fast: 2
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 2
Failure to renew registration: 2
School zone violation: 1
Operating a motor vehicle using handheld electronic device: 1
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 1
Failure to drive in the proper lane: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1
Cruelty to animals: 1
Possession of a vicious/barking dog: 1
Permitting a dog to roam: 1
This is presumably not the vicious dog whose owner was cited.
“westport … naturally” & song of the day
Fall foliage gets plenty of press — deservedly so.
But there’s more to autumn than meets the (leafy) eyes.
Today’s “Westport … Naturally” featured photo offers this view of Rayfield Road, from Jerry Kuyper’s deck.
And finally … this date in 1929 became known as “Black Tuesday.” The New York Stock Exchange crashed, ending the Great Bull Market of the 1920s. The Great Depression soon followed.
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