There must be a special place in hell reserved for people who make a big show out of cleaning up after their dogs — and then (when you’re not looking) leave the wrapped-up crap right where they found it.
They can’t be bothered to walk to a trash can, or put it in another bag and carry it home.
Alert “06880” reader Gus Ghitelman spotted this sign today on Otter Trail, off Imperial Avenue.
I’m not sure if the blue bag is there to demonstrate what not to do, or if it’s someone’s not-very-subtle response to the sign.
Either way, the practice of not cleaning up your pooch’s poop stinks.
Last week’s photo challenge was tough. You don’t expect mechanical plans to be part of a sculpture. But the image Lynn U. Miller captured was just that: a description of the old Post Road drawbridge on the Saugatuck River. The sculpture — with that plaque — is located near the current, “new” (and modernized in the 1990s) bridge, near the library at the lower parking lot. (Click here for the photo and comments.)
Congratulations to Melissa Crouch Chang, Grover Fitch, Jamie Walsh and LuAnn Giunta for your superb powers of observation (and memories).
This week’s photo challenge is here:
(Photo/Lynn U. Miller)
If you recognize this shot, click “Comments.” And add any info about the site you’d like.
Meanwhile, here’s a bonus: Lynn U. Miller’s photos of the full plaque describing the bridge, and the entire sculpture, that were part of last week’s photo challenge.
To some, the Main Street improvement project is moving slower than Main Street traffic.
Eversource is the cause: making improvements to their underground vaults and wiring, while contractors lay underground electrical conduits to power new street lights.
But the 1st lampposts were installed this week, and they are definitely worth the wait.
They’re street scale — not highway scale, like the current high-intensity “cobra head” lights — and blend in well with their surroundings.
The new Main Street lamppost (lower) stands in contrast to the older, taller, “cobra head” light.
The new ones feature high-efficiency LED lights, which will project a “warm light” at the proper intensity.
They’re equipped to hold a decorative banner and flower basket too.
There will be 20 lights in all. The design was chosen by the Downtown Steering Committee, on recommendations from 2 consulting firms and the Village District Study (which included a historical consultant).
First Selectman Jim Marpe has named a new Downtown Implementation Committee. Next month, they begin implementing the rest of the downtown plan.
Meanwhile, the sidewalk project has moved to the east side of the street. Target date for completion — including some new trees — is the end of September.
Finally, we see the “light” at the end of the tunnel Main Street.
Westporters who grew up here in the late 1950s and early ’60s remember Michael Douglas. The son of actor Kirk Douglas did not go to Staples — he’s a Choate grad — but he was friends with many who did.
He’s been gone for decades. Does he remember Westport at all?
Apparently. Check out a recent post on his personal Facebook page:
The Downshifters were legends. To read more about them, click here.
To learn more about Michael Douglas, join Netflix.
Sandy Rothenberg is an alert “06880” reader, and an even more alert bike rider.
Sandy writes:
There are “Bike Route” signs posted on Compo Road South, from the Post Road to Greens Farms Road. However, the lane is in bad shape. Some places are not wide enough to ride in. The pavement is broken up, and there are other hazards. Also, the lane ends at Greens Farms.
Even the “Bike Route” signs look ratty.
This is not Westport at its finest. Wouldn’t it be be nice to be able to ride safely to the beach?
Yes, it would.
Not inviting to cyclists — but inviting an accident.
Meanwhile, while not as urgent a need as fixing our bike lanes: How about when they’re redone, mark them “Bike Lane” rather than “Lane Bike.” No one reads from the bottom up.
When Brad Tursi was a Staples High School soccer star in the mid-1990s, he dreamed of playing before huge crowds in big stadiums.
He’ll do exactly that tomorrow, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
But he won’t be kicking a soccer ball. Instead, the 1997 Staples grad will kick it big-time with his band, Old Dominion. They open for Kenny Chesney, on the country megastar’s summer tour.
Brad Tursi
The road from Westport to Nashville is not well traveled. But Tursi is not the first Staples alum to make his name there.
Charlie Taylor graduated from Staples in 1961. After roaming from Greenwich Village to LA — with stops in between — Taylor spent the last 3 decades in Tennessee. He’s recorded with, written with and for, jammed with and learned from the likes of Gram Parsons, Minnie Pearl, Chet Atkins, Barbara Mandrell, Rick Nelson and Barry Tashian.
Tashian is also a Staples grad. His route to Nashville began in Boston, where he fronted the legendary rock group The Remains. They opened for The Beatles on their final tour, appeared on Ed Sullivan and Hullabaloo, and were called by Jon Landau “how you told a stranger about rock ‘n’ roll.”
Brad Tursi continues the Westport-to-Nashville connection.
After the group broke up, Tashian landed in Nashville. He’s been there ever since, playing with the Flying Burrito Brothers and Emmy Lou Harris, and carving out (with his wife, Staples classmate Holly Kimball) a rewarding performing, recording and songwriting career.
Tursi continues that small but strong Westport connection. He co-wrote “A Guy Walks Into a Bar” — a certified gold song that Tyler Farr took to #1 earlier this year — and “Save It For a Rainy Day” for Chesney.
Tursi’s band Old Dominion got a shout-out last month from Sony Music CEO Doug Morris.
In an interview in The Tennessean newspaper, Morris predicted that the band would join Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley and Garth Brooks as providing “a new foundation for the company’s country music division.” The day after he heard Old Dominion’s EP, the 76-year-old CEO was singing their lyrics.
You probably are not headed to MetLife Stadium tomorrow, for the Kenny Chesney concert. But if you want to hear the opening band — Old Dominion — check out the video below.
Brad Tursi’s 2nd from the right, manning the oars.
When school buses roll 2 weeks from today, they’ll roll right over the Merritt Parkway, on the North Avenue bridge.
There will be alternating lanes of traffic — but not the nightmare scenario that Westporters involved with Staples High, Bedford and Coleytown Middle, and Coleytown Elementary Schools imagined.
That’s the official word from Kevin Nursick. The Connecticut Department of Transportation spokesman told “06880” this afternoon that “unforeseen circumstances” related to the condition of the structure increased the amount of rehabilitation work beyond what was originally anticipated.
“When we opened the bridge up, it looked worse than expected,” Nursick said. “It’s not a huge structure. But it was evident the deck would need more extensive repairs.”
Since the start of the project, Nursick explained, the contractor was on a “24/6” schedule. Work continued around the clock, 6 days a week.
That schedule changed a week ago, due to issues on the west side of the bridge. A support system was needed for the new parapet. That in turn required the state police to close the parkway for installation.
“It won’t take long — 10 or 15 minutes,” Nursick said. “But there’s a lot of legwork involved. We’re still working with them to schedule a time.”
Nursick promises that one lane on North Avenue will be open to alternating traffic on August 26 — the day before school begins.
It’s likely that North Avenue will be closed again at night, to expedite work.
Until then, Nursick said that crews will work 2 shifts, “probably 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 8 p.m to 3 a.m.”
Nursick said that the entire project will be finished by some time in October — the original time frame.
The Merritt Parkway North Avenue bridge — before reconstruction.
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