Gotta get out of the house? Unless you’re quarantined, we all do. Safely, of course.
All 44 of Aspetuck Land Trust’s trailed nature preserves are open; click here for details. Visitors are welcome. Please don’t park in the street; leave your dog at home — and keep your distance from others.
Enjoy — and take this “06880” challenge. When you’ve visited all 44, let us know. No cheating — proof required!
Several readers report that the early-morning “senior shopping hours” at Stop & Shop and Stew Leonard’s are being abused by a number of people “clearly not in their 60s or older.”
The hours are meant for people in that high-risk group to shop when crowds are lighter. “06880” urges all readers to play nice. We are all in this together.
Kudos to Westporter Jenna Brooke Purcell. She spent her day (carefully!) collecting extra face masks from private homes, and getting them to medical personnel, first responders, and others who need them most. (Hat tip: Frank Rosen and News12 Connecticut)
Norwalk Hospital has opened a drive-through collection site for pre-screened people suspected of having COVID-19. It’s in the parking lot by Stevens Street and Elmcrest Terrance.
It is not a testing site; it is a place to give a specimen sample for a test. Testing is done offsite. The collection site is only for people who meet all of the following criteria:
- Called the doctor’s office and had a consultation
- Based on symptoms and other information provided, the doctor ordered a test
- Scheduled appointment at the collection site.
For more information, click here.
A reader reports that her regular mammogram screening appointment was “pushed out” to June, by her radiology group. She is in a high-risk group, and is scrupulous about her testing regimen. She was told that postponing tests are “a directive from the state.”
She called her breast surgeon. He told her that was not true; the decision was made by her radiology group, and other radiology facilities have followed suit.
If any readers know of any breast cancer test sites that are open, please reply in the “Comments” section below.
Our Town Crier — Betsy Pollak’s awesome site for local goods, services and happenings — has posted a very comprehensive list of resources for kids and parents to do at home.
It includes arts and crafts, games and puzzles, baking, online educational games, science experiments, singing, stories, safe and educational sites for teens, indoor games and trivia. Click here, and enjoy!
Savannah Bee Company says: “It has been a tough decision to stay open downtown as well as to be one of the only holdouts in our neighborhood, but the call was made because of the remarkable healing properties of the products we carry. It is our hope that we can help our loyal customers in some way to stay as well as possible for as long as possible. We are open in Bedford Square from 12 to 5 p.m. for pre-paid curbside delivery until further notice.
“We offer a wide array of highly effective nutrient-rich products to help boost the body’s natural immunity during the health crisis. They include plant-based honey soaps, anti-oxidant rich Saw Palmetto and local New England honeys, fortifying bee pollen & royal jelly supplements, healing lotions and anti-bacterial and anti-microbial propolis throat spray.
Also open for business: Westport Hardware. They have curbside pickup — and they’re even quicker than Amazon!
Westport School of Music is offering online lessons. Adults, teenager and younger students are learning piano, violin, viola, cello, bass, flute and voice via Zoom, Skype and FaceTime. Click here for more information.
The Chess Club of Fairfield County — which runs all Westport elementary school programs — is offering a free online “intro to chess” course. It’s taught national master (and 3-time Connecticut champ) Ian Harris.
It’s for ages 8 – 13. Each session is 45 minutes, at 3 p.m. Space is limited. Click here to register.
This is a particularly difficult time for our homeless, hungry and vulnerable neighbors. Homes with Hope continues to need food for its pantry and meals. Click here for all details. To make a monetary donation, click here.
It’s been quite a week (and it’s only Thursday).
Need a drink? I sure do!
Fortunately, just about every liquor store in Westport is open. They’ve got curbside service and delivery too.
Call ahead for hours and details. Then raise a glass (or two)!
A typical crew. This group’s at Kindred Spirits & Wine, next to Stop & Shop.
We ask all people visiting Aspetuck Land Trust preserves during the outbreak to try and avoid Trout Brook Valley our largest and most popular. It’s getting crowded during the outbreak. We have many other properties as 06880 (Dan!) mentioned so please spread yourselves out and follow social distancing guidelines.
During COVID-19 we are asking visitors to leave their dogs home. This decision was made to minimize the impact to the land, flora and fauna during the wildlife breeding season when we have seen so many more dogs on our properties which can have a negative impact on wildlife. Additionally, dogs on trails create opportunities for close contact between people, something we are all trying to avoid at this time.
Spending time outdoors is one of the surest ways to improve our health and happiness. If ever there was a time for that, it’s now! Aspetuck Land Trust is glad we can provide an outlet for people during these stressful times and we hope you see the value we provide to the public in good times and bad. If you would like to make a donation to Aspetuck Land Trust and show your appreciation and support of open space, we’d love that! During the COVID-19 outbreak we ask that you try to avoid our more travelled preserves like Trout Brook Valley. Aspetuck Land Trust has many open spaces you can enjoy. See the Preserves section of our website at http://www.aspetucklandtrust.org to explore a land trust property. We also have a new interactive preserve map so you can find a property near you.
Stay safe.
David Brant
Executive Director
ID showing age at places where senior hours are being abused .No comment on those who take advantage
The early hours for shopping are also for anyone that is seriously compromised not just the over 60.
Agreed on the immuno-compromised. You have no idea if the person has any one of many diseases that compromise one’s health, leaving him or her more vulnerable than the rest of us. And those situations are not necessarily reserved for the over 60 group. Make sure you are right before you judge.
If anyone knows of any allergists still open (bonus if pediatric), I would really appreciate it.
They aren’t ‘early-morning “senior shopping hours”. ‘
They are shopping hours for people who are over 60 and also for any people who might have a weakened immune system.
Those hours would be available to a 20 year old who is on chemo.
Now, if those hours are being abused by healthy people under 60 I’m all for running them out on a rail.
If the store has a policy they should at least try to enforce — even if it’s someone standing by the door starting into your eyes and spot checking IDs. Maybe they can program their silly robotic store detective to do it. As for ANYONE with a weakened immune system, they should not be out shopping in the first place. No store policy is going to make it safe for them.
My daughter’s friend fits into the category described above: early 30s with a serious autoimmune disorder. And, she happens to be a physician. She is staying in her apartment and catching up on her professional reading. Not fun, but better safe than sorry
How do you spot check someone’s health condition? They don’t give you an ID card that says this person has RA at the Dr office. There’s myriad conditions that make people vulnerable to this condition.
Be kind.
I’d like to add to the chorus : now is the time to patronize those great local businesses like Westport Hardware and Achorn’s Pharmacy (to name just a couple) that go out of their way to help us in difficult times. I like our independent liquor stores, too, but I suspect they’re doing just fine right now.
Dan, the town is going to have to give you a parade when this is over. Thank you for your excellent reporting and helpful info.
And let’s hear it for Savannah Bee and Westport Hardware – two superb local businesses! Just picked up some royal jelly lotion (the best) and some delicious honeycomb from the Amazon at Savannah Bee. As a beekeeper (with plenty of my own honey on hand) I was curious what it would taste like. It’s crazy good – floral with an undertone of wood smoke. Try some. You won’t be disappointed.
Thanks, Morley. And that parade — with ALL of us — will be one for the books. It will make Memorial Day and the fireworks look like, well, downtown today.
MAJOR Kudos to Jenna Brooke Purcell. Thank you very much!!!
Mammography/MRIs: I believe NE Radiology is still scheduling. You could try calling: 203 798 0303 & ask for closest location. Yay to Jenna Purcell for being so thoughtful & kind!! 🎉
I use The Avery Center for Ob/GYN and they have the ability to do mammograms right on site. I would imagine since they are not housed at the hospital that they may be able to help.
6 a.m. this morning, S&S lot 80-90% full, two cop cars parked driver to driver talking to each other, at LEAST 50% of crowd was WELL under 60….NO CHECKS OF ANY KIND IN PLACE.
I avoid Westport Stop & Shop like the plague. (Sorry!!!)
From my understanding, those earlier shopping hours are for 60 and over AND those with compromised health issues. Since the stores were heavily cleaned overnight. But I’m sure there will be those that think their above those regulations?! Very sad situation!
NORWALK Radiology and Advanced Radiology are NOT scheduling mammograms as of yesterday they are cancelled and pushed out to at least June.
Stop & Shop let “underage” in?? Just like Ye Olde Bridge Grille back in the 70s. 🙂
And Shipwrecked, too😂😯
Didn’t get to S&S till 7am, had trouble parking and the store was so crowded that I left and came back a little after 7:30 when it was near empty, but so were some of the shelves.
Mark — I got there at 6:05 and the shelves were empty then. I can’t imagine why anyone is hoarding cat food.
I know that Greenwich Hospital Radiology at 77 Lafayette Place in Greenwich is open because they called about my April 14th mammogram and sonogram. If she needs my appointment, and they allow me to, I will give it to her. She can reach me at judy@soundlivingct.com