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A technical glitch has caused some “06880” readers to fall off the subscriber list. If you’ve been receiving our emails regularly — no problem.
But you may have friends or relatives who are not getting them. So they’re not reading this. You can help.
If you know someone who says “I’m not getting my ‘06880!’,” please have them email 06880blog@gmail.com. I’ll send the info they need to get back on the list!
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Today’s rally in support of Ukraine (Saturday, 11 a.m.) will have a special backdrop. Yesterday, the site — the downtown Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge — was decorated with blue and yellow fabric. As the world now knows, those are the colors of the nation now under siege.
Westport artist Mark Yurkiw — whose parents emigrated to the US in 1949 from Ukraine — conceived, designed and created it. He installed it yesterday, with help from Miggs Burroughs and Sal Liccione. Help with funding came from Stephan Taranko, another Westporter with Ukrainian heritage.
Ukrainian colors, on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
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Julia Peterbarg’s aunt and grandmother are currently in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The rest of her family escaped to the western part of the country.
She offers these ways for “06880” readers — friends, neighbors and strangers — to help
- Come Back Alive: https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate/
- Razom for Ukraine: https://razomforukraine.org/
- United Help Ukraine, Inc: https://unitedhelpukraine.org/
- Leleka Foundation: https://leleka.care/
- An organization collecting donations for evacuees in Lviv: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=B9N9QYH3KKXGW
And more ways to help…
Years ago, Bobbi Essagof attended summer camp. Yesterday, the longtime Westporter received an email from the current owner. He passed along information from a camp family with ties to Ukraine. It offered several ways for Americans to help:
- Support financially: Ukraine Army, Humanitarian Aid, World Central Kitchen, Helping Refugee Children
- Sign petitions: NATO, Stop Putin
- Cease doing business with Russia or buying Russian goods. Economic pressure is one way to have the Russian Government change its priorities
- Volunteer for humanitarian agencies helping Ukraine,
- Additionally, volunteers have put together this extensive website, and this one too.
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Yesterday’s “06880” story on Westport’s FY 2023 town budget said that the first 2 Board of Finance meetings about it would be held March 8 and 9.
Yesterday, those meetings were canceled. BOF chair Sheri Gordon says the delay to discuss the operating budget is caused because the Board of Education has not yet presented its working capital plan.
A Finance Board discussion will be held as scheduled with the BOE on March 10 (and beyond as needed) to allow the town and Board of Ed to come up with a realistic capital budget. Once that is done, discussions will proceed on the town’s operating and capital budgets.
Click here to see the FY ’22 budget.
Decisions on how tax dollars will be spent begin soon,
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88 houses closed in Westport over the past 3 months (December through February).
That’s a 40% decrease from the same time a year ago. But it’s still the 2nd-most closings for the period since 2005.
Houses spent 78 days on the market — and buyers on average paid 101.4% of the list price. The average closing price during that 3-month period was $1,952,335, up 9.1% from the previous year.
There were 91 active listings at the end of February. (Hat tip: Roe Colletti, Brown Harris Stevens)
This house at 50 Compo Mill Cove is on the market for $13.5 million.
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Fleet Feet has officially moved. They’re celebrating at their new location, in the Fresh Market plaza, a couple of doors down from the supermarket.
They’ve got Karhu and Kane Footwear there today (Saturday), and TAP tomorrow. Run on down!
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Good news for fans of The Cottage — particularly those in Greenwich, Stamford and Westchester.
Chef Brian Lewis’ 2nd location opens at 49 Greenwich Avenue (Greenwich) on March 22.
The seasonal menu features classic dishes from The Cottage Westport, including Wagyu beef brisket steam buns, duck fried rice and The Cottage Burger, along with new small plates for sharing, house made pasta, signature items, vegetable-centric dishes and gluten-free options. also heart into every dish and drink that is served to a guest.”
Westport architect Rick Hoag collaborated with Lewis on a modern interpretation of the intimate Westport location. For more information, click here.
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It’s taken a year. But yesterday at the Cavalry Road bridge, one of the new deck pieces was dropped into place.
Mixing a metaphor, is there light at the end of the tunnel?
(Photo/Walter Greene)
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Tonight, Westporter Suzanne Tanner promotes world peace and harmony, with a benefit performance of 1970s love songs, Broadway ballads and selections from her original solo musicals. It’s set for 7 p.m. at the JCC in Sherman.
Proceeds will benefit environmental initiatives, and aid to Ukraine.
Suzanne Tanner
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As the Ukrainian refugee crisis worsens, a long-planned International Women’s Day event seems especially timely.
This Tuesday (March 8, 7 p.m., Westport Library, in-person and Zoom), the United Nations Association Southwest Chapter hosts “The Refugee Experience.” Aid workers will discuss how the process works in Connecticut — specifically, how it affects women. Click here for details.
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Westport Book Shop‘s featured artist of the month is a familiar face: 1971 Staples High School graduate and lifelong resident Michael Brennecke.
An abstract painter, he attended The School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and earned a BFA at Tufts University. Click here for his website.
Michael Brennecke with his paintings, at the Westport Book Shoop.
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JD Dworkow calls today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo “false spring on Ferry Lane East.”
(Photo/JD Dworkow)
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And finally … in honor of today’s rally for Ukraine in downtown Westport (and hopes of better days ahead):
