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A sure sign of fall: Our yards and traffic islands sprout dozens of signs for political candidates.
If you’d like to base your chose on more than placards, pencil in next Tuesday (October 12, noon, Westport Library and streaming). The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce and Library team up for a debate between the candidates vying for 1st selectman and 2nd selectmen: Jen Tooker and Andrea Moore (Republicans), Jonathan Steinberg and Candi Savin (Democrats), and TJ Elgin and Louis D’Onofrio (independents). Chamber director Matthew Mandell will moderate.
Click here for in-person tickets, and more information. It’s available on Cablevision Channel 79, and will also be archived.
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Another sign of autumn: As leaves fall and Westporters prepare for winter, many senior citizens need help.
The Department of Human Services hopes that seniors (in high school) — and juniors, sophomores and freshmen, plus middle schoolers — can help.
The DHS is compiling a list of students willing to help with outdoor chores. The suggested rate is $12 an hour.
Students interested in helping seniors (and earning money) should call 203-341-1050, or email humansrv@westportct.gov. Seniors needing assistance should also call 203-341-1050.
Need help bagging leaves? Human Services have kids for hire.
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Irene Backalenick turned 100 in August.
The former New York Times theater critic celebrated by publishing 143 of her reviews of Broadway and Off-Broadway productions.
The collection spans the last 11 years of her career (2004 to 2015). Her final Broadway review was “Hamilton.”
Click here to order “In the Theater World.”
Irene Backalenick
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Caryl Beatus is one of “06880”‘s most avid readers — and frequent, insightful contributors.
She’s also a longtime golfer. Yesterday the Longshore Women’s Golf Association honored the founding (and 61-year) member, at the annual event named for her.
Caryl hit the ceremonial first shot. Fore!
Caryl Beatus was — as the golf cart says — Longshore’s “Queen for a Day.” (Photo/Mark Farrell)
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Bill Taibe is CRAzy.
Or at least, the owner of The Whelk, Don Memo and Kawa Ni is the 2021 Restaurateur of the Year, according to the Connecticut Restaurant Association. The organization — “CRA” — will present it’s “CRAzy Award” on December 6.
Taibe was chosen by a panel of more than 2 dozen food writers, critics, social media influencers and bloggers.
Meanwhile, the public can vote for other honors. Among the nominees: Taibe’s own Don Memo (Newcomer of the Year), and OKO (Restaurant of the Year, Fairfield and Litchfield Counties). Click here to see all nominations, and cast a ballot.
Bill Taibe
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For the second time this year, a Staples High School swim and dive team record fell.
The meet with Westhill came down to the final event. The 400 meter freestyle relay would determine the outcome. The Wreckers won in 4:10.46, earning the very tight 93-92 win.
The record-setting swim came from freshman Annam Olasewere. Her 26.15 time in the 50 meter free beat her previous record of 26.48, set just last week. She also won the 100 meter free.
The Wreckers are now 3-2. They’re in action next on Friday, vs. Greenwich (4 p.m., Staples).
Annam Olasewere (far left) earlier this month, with her 400 meter freestyle relay team (from left): Ayaan Olasewere , Ella Alpert, Jessica Qi,
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Susan Fehlinger is the Westport Book Shop’s guest artist this month. She’s an oil painter. The exhibit includes 12 coastal paintings. It’s open during business hours, at the popular used bookstore on Jesup Green.
Susan Fehlinger, at the Westport Book Shop.
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Halloween comes a day early to the Westport Country Playhouse.
The historic theater presents “Spectres and Spirits” — an original, 30-minute radio play – on October 30 (12 p.m., WSHU-FM).
It’s the work of frequent Playhouse collaborator (and macabre-minded) Richard R. Henry. John Gromada contributes clever sound design. To learn more and listen, click here.
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The other day, “Westport … Naturally” featured a monarch butterfly being eaten by a praying mantis.
Here’s one that lived:
(Photo/Tammy Barry)
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And finally … Long before Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff, Millie Small put Jamaica on the musical map. She was born today in 1947. She died May 5, 2020, at 72.
$12 an hour to help a Senior?
Does seem pretty low though I would imagine since it is probably an all cash deal, the kids will fail to report it and pay income and self employment taxes on the related income.
Link is broken for the debate tickets
Apologies. It’s been fixed.
$12 is pretty low? How about helping a Senior for $0 just because its a nice thing to do!
My comment was somewhat “tongue in cheek”. I’m sort of with you – one might have thought that they might try to recruit groups like the SLOBs or various other service groups of kids to do this for free for hard pressed seniors. I’m guessing they concluded there would be a limited number of kids willing to sign up for that – leaf raking for seniors in an upscale town does not make for a compelling college essay. Or perhaps they concluded that even well-off seniors might inappropriately take advantage of unpaid child labor.
To be fair, $12/hour is the minimum wage so perhaps there are issues promoting paying less than that. It is also considerably less than the hourly rate a typical service company would charge to do fall chores so it is some help. On the other hand, if the chore is leaf removal from a 2 acre lot, a leaf removal company, with those dreaded heavy duty leaf blowers, would probably still be less expensive than a bunch of kids with rakes.
THANK YOU DAN FOR THE VERY NICE WRITE-UP. YOU’RE A DOLL XOXOXOX
Congratulations,Caryl! But did you read about Debbie Blount, a 62-year-old Freshman, on her college’s golf team!
https://www.golfchannel.com/video/62-year-old-debbie-blount-joined-reinhardt-universitys-womens-golf-team
Maybe you should have a match!