Monthly Archives: July 2010

Have You Seen My DVDs?

Posted on July 2, 2010 | 3 comments

Most lost-and-found signs taped to telephone poles refer to dogs and cats.

The one at the corner of Imperial Avenue and Bridge Street asks about DVDs.

Hey, it’s 2010.

Priorities.

3 Comments

Posted in Totally random

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What So Proudly We Hailed

Posted on July 2, 2010 | 41 comments

While “06880” readers were discussing the vileness of the Westport PAL for daring to sponsor tonight’s fireworks, another blog was helping affect real change.

I admit it:  I missed the story.

I drove over the Post Road bridge the other day, and noticed the American flags were gone.  I chalked it up to not paying attention the bazillion other times I cross the bridge.  I thought they were up all the time, I said to myself.  Guess not.

Guess again.  As WestportNow.com reported, since 9/11 nearly 100 American flags have graced what no one calls the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge.  They fly from late April to Thanksgiving, giving way only to flags of the world on jUNe Day (last Saturday) and UN Day (October).

Indeed they were gone, victim of budget cuts and the need to slash Public Works expenses.  The new plan would have them up only for major holidays.

The Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge. (Photo by Lynn U. Miller for WestportNow.com)

After WestportNow.com announced the news — and, okay, they knew about it because founder Gordon Joseloff spends a bit of time at Town Hall — reaction was swift.  Audrey Hertzel got the ball rolling, and the next day a private individual ponied up $2,500 to pay for annual maintenance.

It was a wonderful moment for Westport — for downtown, for every person who drives or walks over the bridge, and for the power of 1 citizen (and 1 blog) to create change.

Meanwhile, this blog was talking about how horrible it is that the PAL has run the fireworks for over 50 years, and how awful it is that once a year the traffic is bad at the beach even though everyone has a good time.

My bad.

41 Comments

Posted in Beach, Downtown, Organizations

Tagged , , ,

Be A PAL

Posted on July 1, 2010 | 64 comments

A couple of recent comments on “06880” implied that there was something wrong with the Westport PAL’s sponsorship of the July 4th 2nd fireworks.

(Click here — then scroll waaaaaay down.)

The commenter complained that “many worthy organizations … could benefit from control of the beach for a night.”

He added:

It is a scarce resource owned by the town and the mandate for the PAL should be reviewed periodically.  Moreover, given the financial condition of the town, one might ask the question:  Why isn’t the town reaping the benefits instead of one special interest?

I disagree.

Emphatically.

For as long as I can remember, the PAL has taken on the burden of sponsoring the fireworks.  They’ve organized the event — and taken a financial risk in years when it wasn’t the most popular show in town.

(The fireworks cost about $40,000.  PAL receives help from Lydian Asset Management.)

PAL has been there for the town through thick and thin (and fog and rain).

Furthermore, the PAL is hardly “one special interest.”

They run sports programs — football, boys and girls lacrosse, baseball, wrestling, cheerleading — that benefit thousands of youngsters each year.  (And they make certain their coaches are trained in CPR, first aid, concussions and youth sportsmanship.)

They run the skating rink at Longshore — a wildly popular winter project.

They provide several scholarships each year to Staples graduates.  They also contribute to Special Olympics.  And Staples Players.

And they do it all with enthusiasm, joy, and barely any thanks from anyone.

This is their major fundraiser of the year.  They nurtured it, they made it what it is, yet they don’t “benefit” from it.

We all do.

The fireworks begin tomorrow at around 9:15 p.m. — but the party starts long before that.  It’s a party the PAL helps create.

Tickets are $30 per car, and must be purchased in advance.  They’re available at Parks & Rec headquarters in Longshore during business hours, and at police headquarters any time.

If you avoid Compo traffic by parking at a friend’s nearby — hell, even if you don’t go to the fireworks at all — you should support PAL by purchasing a ticket.

Maybe an “06880” reader will even spring for one for our disgruntled commenter.

64 Comments

Posted in Beach, Children, Sports, Teenagers

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