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As Westport — and the nation — grapple with COVID’s Delta variant, superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice sent this notice to families:
“Greetings and Happy Summer! I hope that each of you are taking the time to rest, recharge, and most importantly, make some great memories with family and friends. As a parent, the time with my wife and 3 children feels like water through my hands…you cannot hold it, but you can feel it in the moment and you can remember that feeling forever.
“We have entered the beginning of August. This is typically the time of year that we provide some brief updates to our faculty and staff, and to our families. However, as the summer unfolded over the past few weeks, it became apparent that this will again not be a typical summer transition back to school. With that I’d like to share that we will provide updates throughout the month as soon decisions are made, and as guidance is provided to schools from the Department of Public Health and the State Department of Education.
“At the moment, the Governor has extended executive orders through September 30. This includes the masking mandate for all schools through September 30. However, I want to caution the entire school community that there will likely be many changes in guidance provided to schools over the next few weeks. This is frustrating for parents and students. I can assure you that this is equally frustrating for faculty and staff.
“At this time, we expect to follow the mandates that are required of public schools, but to emphasize as much normalcy as permitted within areas of discretion. Our year ended with some positive moves towards normalcy (i.e. changes to our elementary recess), and we will continue to move in that direction, where permitted, while maintaining a balance between safety and the social/emotional wellness of our students. .
There will be much more to come. I want to assure our families that we will build off of our success at the end of the 20-21 school year to make the upcoming year a positive experience for our students. Be well, and continue to make more positive memories over the next few weeks!”
Superintendent of School Thomas Scarice was vaccinated last spring. EMT (and Coleytown Middle School theater teacher) Ben Frimmer did the honors. (Photo/John Bayers)
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Six weeks after a driver (somehow) demolished the side and front of Outpost Pizza, it’s back in business.
Work on the façade of the restaurant across from Hudson Malone, near Coffee An’ and Grapevine spirit shop still continues.
But don’t worry. The best pizza — guaranteed!!! — is once again in the oven.
(Photo/Dan Woog)
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One business opens, another closes: Sun Reflexology has been hit with a Stop-Work Order.
The state Department of Labor charges the massage therapy business in the small shopping plaza near Layla’s Falafel and Dunkin’ Donuts with “misrepresenting employees as independent contractors,” and “materially understating or concealing payroll.”
A phone call to the spa — and to its 2nd location, between Shearwater Coffee and the Sherwood Diner — went unanswered.
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The Lone Bellow has quite a Westport following.
The Brooklyn band brought their indie-folk act to the Levitt Pavilion last night, for a benefit show. A good-sized crowd enjoyed the music, sang along, and danced (in their pods).
(All photos/JC Martin)
This week’s Levitt lineup:
- Tonight (Saturday, August 7): Isaiah Sharkey
- Sunday, August 8: Mimi & the Podd Brothers
- Tuesday, August 10: Tony Trischka, Banjo Master
- Wednesday, August 11: Elena Moon Park & Friends
- Thursday, August 12: The Sweet Remains
- Friday, August 13: Baskin & Batteau, and Jesse Terry
- Saturday, August 14: The Simple Radicals
- Sunday, August 15: Dan Levinson’s Palomar Jazz Band
Click here for times and (free) tickets.
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Andy Friedland has always watched out for others. The Staples High School graduate worked with AmeriCorps, and for the ADL. Now he’s at the University of Connecticut, earning a master’s to teach English.
It’s for us to watch him. He’ll be on ABC’s “The $100,000 Pyramid” this Wednesday (August 11, 9 pm EDT) — with New York Giants legends Michael Strahan and Tiki Barber.
The show was filmed nearly a year ago. Since that time Andy has scrupulously adhered to his Non-Disclosure Agreement. Even his closest relatives don’t know the outcome.
But whatever happens: Westport knows Andy is a winner.
Andy Friedland (Photo by Harold Shapiro for Connecticut Magazine)
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Jon Lindbergh — son of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, whose life the New York Times says “was shaped by the height of fame and the depths of tragedy that his family experienced” — died recently in West Virginia. He was 88.
The Times obituary mentions that his family lived in Westport. That surprised many people.
Though their time in Darien is more well known, the Lindberghs lived on Long Lots Road — on the right side, just before the Fairfield line — from 1944 to 1946. They kept a low profile, having endured both the kidnapping and murder of Jon’s 20-month brother Charles Jr. (5 months before Jon’s birth in 1932), and Charles’ unpopular political views as an isolationist and possible Nazi sympathizer during World War II.
Click here for the full New York Times obituary. (Hat tip: Peter Gold)
Jon Lindbergh (Photo courtesy of NY Times)
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One last look at Sunny the Duck. He (she?) advertised Westport Sunrise Rotary’s Great Duck Race/Raffle, which was held yesterday.
He (she?) will now be deflated. Here’s hoping he (she?) will rise again next year, and that 2,000 plastic ducks will once again bob in the Saugatuck River.
Sunny the Duck, yesterday on Jesup Green. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
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This week’s #FridayFlowers grace the entrance to Compo Beach. The gorgeous arrangement is courtesy of Westport Garden Club members Ginger Donaher and Tracy Pollard.
#FridayFlowers, at Compo Beach.
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This has nothing to do with Westport (although many “06880” readers can relate). But this is my blog, so I’m sticking it in.
What’s up with email lists that — once you click “unsubscribe” — send you another email to confirm.
PS: This is 2021. It should not take “up to 10 days” for a request to be honored.
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Elaine Clayton had never heard of a hummingbird moth. Neither had I.
But the other day, she spotted one near Bayberry Lane. It is a giant moth — but it behaves like a hummingbird. Who knew?
It’s today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo:
(Photo/Elaiine Clayton)
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And finally … if you missed the Lone Bellow last night, no problem. Here they are again:
