While “06880” readers were debating the (un)safety of the Post Road crosswalk by Design Within Reach yesterday, this happened a few yards away, on Bay Street:
(Photo via Facebook/Claudia Besen)
Incredibly, no one was hurt.
But inquiring minds want to know:
- How on earth did that car get there?
- What was the driver doing, besides paying attention to the road?
- Will anyone ever use that crosswalk — or the sidewalk on Bay Street — again?
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Every Friday, a local realtor emails me a list of homes for sale.
Yesterday’s included several eye-popping asking prices: $8,795,000 (2 Owenoke Park), $6,985,000 (6 Clifford Lane), $5,500,000 (3 Kensington Place) and $4,995,000 (4 Ferry Lane East).
But what really grabbed my attention were these:
- $3,999,999 (37 Bermuda Road)
- $3,999,000 (13 Caccamo Lane)
- $3,999,000 (4 Authors Way)
- $3,999,000 (121 Imperial Avenue)
I understand why McDonald’s sells its spicy deluxe crispy chicken sandwich for $6.96: You think you’re paying $6, not $7.
But if you’re smart enough to be able to afford a home like those above, are you really stupid enough to think you’re paying $3 million, not $4 million?
Anyway: Hurry! At these prices, they won’t be on the market long.
This house at 37 Bermuda Road can be yours for just $3,999,999. (Photo courtesy of Zillow)
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Since graduating from Staples High School in 1991 Lynsey Addario has earned international renown as a photojournalist. She documents war zones, countries in crises, refugees, and — a special focus — the plight of women and girls.
On September 8 (6 to 8 p.m., SVA Chelsea Gallery), New York’s School of Visual Arts will honor Addario with its 32nd annual Masters Series Award. The next day, she’ll give an artist talk, with Times director of photography Kathy Ryan.
A retrospective (September 2 through October 29, SVA Chelsea Gallery) looks at her career — including her long work with the New York Times, and her 2 best-selling books. Click here and also click here for details. (Hat tip: Kathie Motes Bennewitz)
Lynsey Addario was pregnant while photographing a child dying from malnutrition in Mogadishu, in August 2011. (Photo/New York Times)
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Tomorrow night’s Levitt Pavilion show is special.
Rock-harpist Erin Hill‘s “The Music of Kate Bush: Night Scented Harp” is a full band show, with cool video projections.
Hill’s Celtic album reached #1 on the Billboard World Music Chart. She has performed with Moby, Sinéad O’Connor, Enya, a-ha, Randy Newman, Jewel, Josh Groban …
… and Cyndi Lauper. Who, of course, will also come to the Levitt, on September 30.
(Erin Hill performs at 7 p.m. on Sunday, August 28. Click here for more information.)
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Mark Noonan has an impressive sports resume.
After winning 2 state championships as a Staples High School soccer player, he helped propel Duke University to its 1st-ever national title — in any sport — in 1986.
The founder of FocalSport, an international sports and entertainment agency, Noonan has worked in high positions with US Soccer, MLS, the New York Mets, Gatorade, the Professional Bull Riders tour, and the World Surf League. He recently served as CEO of Hearts of Oaks, Ghana’s biggest soccer club.
His new gig: commissioner of the Canadian Premier Soccer League.
With its women’s team as reigning Olympic champs, its men’s team set to begin play in the World Cup this November, and Canada joining the US and Mexico as World Cup hosts in 2026, soccer in Canada is now on the world stage.
Noonan’s new position also makes him CEO of Canada Soccer Business. He will be based in Toronto. (Click here for the full Toronto Sun story.)
Mark Noonan: commissioner of the Canadian Premier League.
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Chip Young — a 3-sport athlete in Staples High School’s Class of 1968, and a soccer All-American at Brown University — died Thursday in Rhode Island. He was 72.
The former soccer, basketball and baseball Wrecker legend was known for many things: journalism, environmental activism, rabble-rousing, and a larger-than-life personality.
A lifelong Ocean Stater after Brown, he served as head of public relations for Save the (Narragansett) Bay, and as a senior fellow for communications at the University of Rhode Island Coastal Institute.
He spent over 40 years as a columnist — one-half of the “Phillipe & Jorge’s Cool, Cool World” duo — for the Providence Phoenix and Motif Magazine. Motif said: “Chip’s commentary, often incendiary, generally wry and barbed, helped shape RI’s cultural and political landscape….he was a wise source of advice and support, a greatly valued contributor and a friend.”
Chip played semi-pro soccer in New England after graduation, and served as public relations director of the American Soccer League. He had also been sports editor of the Providence Eagle, controller of Bear Wear Company of Providence, a member of the Professional Soccer Reporters Association, and New England correspondent for Soccer America magazine.
Chip’s stellar athletic career may never have happened, though. Born with a hole the size of a half-dollar in his heart, he had open heart surgery in 1959. He was 9 years old — one of the first children to undergo the procedure.
“Without the operation,” he said, “I would not have been able to even participate in gym class by my teens, and probably wouldn’t have lived past my 20s.”
Chip Young
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Longtime Westporter and Staples High School 1964 graduate Jeff Simon died suddenly.
He was a standout swimmer, pole vaulter, cameraman and photographer, He adored nature, and photographed it adeptly.
Jeff is survived by sons Forest and Sean, brother Steve, former wife Sheryl, and companion Arline Gertzoff.
An informal memorial service is set for today (Saturday, August 27, 5 p.m., at the Burying Hill Beach picnic tables.
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Staples High School Class of 2021 graduate Alan Fiore continues to drop great tunes.
His latest — “dreamerboi” — shows off the singer/songwriter/producer/Berklee College of Music’s many talents. Click below to enjoy:
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As our summer-long drought continues to dry out our lawns and shrubs, the importance of water comes into sharp focus.
How sharp? Jo Shields Sherman sent 2 photos along. They were taken just one day apart.
Here is the scene before watering …
… and after:
(Photos/Jo Shields Sherman)
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Speaking of living things:
Tracy Porosoff spotted this Living Wall at Studio Café, in The Tailored Home at Sconset Square.
We’ve highlighted plenty of living things in our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
But never a living wall.
(Photo/Tracy Porosoff)
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And finally … speaking of drought (story above): alert (and parched) “06880” reader Gary Shure suggests:
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I think they wanted to park close to the building.
My guess re the car accident: car was driving the wrong way down Bay Street from Jessup, saw a car coming the right way, and instead of hitting the brakes, swerved left, jumped the sidewalk onto the lawn, which starts at street heigh, but as the road descends the hill, the lawn stays level, due to the retaining wall upon which the car ended up pinned after partially spinning due to hitting some immovable object. My guess; older driver perhaps with neuropathy issues.
Or teen engrossed on their device.
Or, there was a pedestrian crossing the road, and the car yielded a little too strongly…
Re the “Dreamerboi” photo reminds me of the opening and closing shot of “Sunset Boulevard”
“…he always wanted a pool. Well, in the end, he got himself a pool, only the price turned out to be a little high.”.
Chip helped pave the way for many of us back in the day; and he was a genuinely good guy. Also, it’s perhaps fitting that, in the same Roundup, you also have stories highlighting accomplishments of two other Staples soccer alums, Mark and Alan. I’ve never ceased to be amazed by all of the interesting things so many Staples soccer players have gone on to do after graduation.
I knew someone from Westport, who was born in 1958, and was born with a heart defect and had an operation probably within his first two years. I’m almost certain it was done at Yale. I don’t want to mention his name, but he worked at the golf range. Heart operations 60+ years ago was not a slam dunk. My condolences to the two Westporters who recently passed away.
Chip Young made me laugh, made me think, made me a soccer fan. Generous, sincere though the snark, funny, smart, kind. An unexpected and effective do-gooder. A soccer star whose favorite clothing, for a while, was an orange Pete Townshend coverall. (He would probably roll his eyes at my mentioning that part.) Peace.
How about $2.2m for a 2,000 square foot house recently listed for sale with nothing special that would make remote sense for that asking price? Whats worse is someone paid $1.9m for that house during the pandemic craziness. What are people smoking? This is all going to come crashing down..
Nothing crashes like Florida property! I remember during the 2007-8 housing crash, prices In Riviera Beach dropped 77%. A friend of mine bought a one bedroom condo for 240,000, on Congress Avenue, in Boynton Beach at the height. I’m thinking 2005-ish. It had Chinese drywall and the property sunk from $240,000 to $30,000! That’s not a mistake- a $210,000 thousand dollar plunge! To be fair, a large portion of that plunge was due to the Chinese drywall.
So sorry to read that Jeff passed away. I was an au pair from Denmark in Westport 1967 and 68. I dated Jeff casually both summers. (Jeff was going to college in Florida) In 1969 l was working in NYC and so was Jeff we re connected and also saw each other in Westport, by the we were mostly friends. Jeff was a fun guy to be around, but also had a serious side. I have only good memories of him. Sever years back 7 or 8 l found his website and send him an email, he responded and we talked on the phone a few times. I have been living in California for many years. Jeff mentioned if l were to visit the East coast to let him know so we could catch up on old times. RIP
Way ta go Jo‼️💕👍🏼🙏🇺🇸
Thanks, Tom. Likewise!