Roundup: Power Lines, Steve Lillywhite, OMG …

Yesterday’s rains gave way to last night’s winds.

Several trees came down, all over town. Jo Shields reports says that one, on North Avenue south of Charcoal Hill, took down power lines.

A Fire Department truck waited an hour and a half for Eversource crews to arrive. (She was told they were working on Newtown Turnpike lines.)

Power lines down on North Avenue. (Photo/Jo Shields)

Traffic was diverted, but turning around was not easy on the northern curve. It was especially tough for an 18-wheeler hauling vintage cars. It had to back down North Avenue for a third of a mile. Meanwhile, cars tried to get around it — despite the closed road ahead.

Jo directed traffic by Coleytown Elementary School, helping the truck make it down the road.

An 18-wheeler backed carefully down North Avenue, until it reached Easton Road (shown here). (Photo/Jo Shields)

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Keith Richards may not wander over from Weston.

But the Westport Library’s 2023 VersoFest will have a strong Rolling Stones presence. Record producer Steve Lillywhite — whose credits include not only “the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band ever,” but also U2, the Dave Matthew Band, Phish, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, the Psychedelic Furs, XTC, Morrissey, the Pogues, Guster, the Killers and more — has just been signed as a headliner.

Last spring’s inaugural VersoFest was a smash. The 2nd annual music and media conference and festival will draw even more media creators, artists and fans to the Trefz Forum, and meeting rooms throughout the Library.

Lillywhite’s April 1 appearance will include a conversation with Chris Frantz, the Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club drummer, and a Sturges Highway resident.

Lillywhite began as a staff producer with Island Records. With great success in pioneering recording ethos and technique (and popular sales), Lillywhite was made a Commander of the Order of The British Empire for his contributions to music in 2012.

VersoFest is set for March 30-April 2. Many more artists and contributors will be announced soon.

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The Westport Police have released arrest reports for the November 24-30 period.

Four people were detained in custody. One was charged with possession of child pornography; one with failure to appear; one with both operating a motor vehicle under suspension and failure to keep plates readable, and a fourth with operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, operating a motor vehicle under suspension, operating an unregistered vehicle, and improper stopping or turning.

The following citations were issued:

• Traveling unreasonably fast: 8
• Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 6
• Misuse of plates: 4
• Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 3
• Stop sign violation: 3
• Insurance fails to meet minimum requirements: 2
• Speeding: 1
• Following too closely: 1
• Failure to obey traffic control signal: 1
• Violation of any traffic commission regulation 1
• Driving with an out-of-state license after 30 days: 1.

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Historical plaques from the Westport Museum for History & Culture honor the heritage of over 470 local  homes.

The latest is for the longest known continuously operating store.

Old Mill Grocery & Deli has served the neighborhood (and beyond) since 1919, when it was built by Harry F. Sherwood. He hired Sylvester and Florence Young to operate it; in 1927, they bought from him.

In 1929, the Youngs sold ½ interest in the store to Kenneth Montgomery. Both families operated the market until 1937, when the Youngs sold their half interest to Mabel Montgomery.

She died in 1960; he son Kenneth ran the store until his death in 1985. The next year, it was transferred to Old Mill Associates. Several owners followed, and the name changed to Elvira’s and then Joey’s by the Shore. The current owner — as of last year — is Soundview Empowerment Alliance (SEA) Inc.

Bob Weingarten (far right), house historian and plaque coordinator at the Westport Museum for History & Culture, presents the sign to founding members of the non-profit that rescued and preserved the community market. From left: Chris Tait, Tom Febbraio, Jim Hood, Emil Zobl, Ian Warburg. In front: Koda.

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One spot opens; another closes.

Word on the (Post Road) street is that the last day for Panera is December 6.

The sandwich/soup/salad space near Southport has been rumored to be closed permanently before — during the pandemic. But it recently was remodeled.

The Panera at the other end of town — by the Norwalk line — closed in December 2016.

The Panera Bread near the Southport line.

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Sure, it’s just the first day of December. But we’ll be hard pressed to find decorations any day the rest of this month that top these, at 134 Birch Hill Road in Weston:

(Photo/Richard Ellis)

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Westport will be well represented at “Layers Revealed” — the new exhibit at Norwalk Art Space.

Photographer Jerri Graham and artist Melissa Newman are in the show, which explores “all of life’s intricacies and complexities.”

“Slowly, the layers of our lives are revealed and once they are, we fully come through,” Graham says. Through “each frame of the camera,” she aims to highlight “a fraction of a second of a life that will be lived for a time unknown. Within these fractionated layers, we find our lives and ourselves.”

“Layers Revealed” encourages viewers to explore the many cycles and layers of humanity, nature, beauty, creation and decay.

At the opening reception December 15 (6 to 8 p.m, 455 West Avenue, Norwalk), Graham will take portrait photos at a pop-up space.

She’ll also host 3 portrait photo sessions (December 18, 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.; January 8 (10 a.m. to noon) and January 15 (noon to 2:30 p.m.). Book sessions at 203-252-2840; donations are accepted. Students ages 13 to 18 who are interested in helping Graham (and learning about lighting, composition and more) can apply here.

On January 15 (3 p.m.), Graham will give a talk. On January 28 (11 a.m.), Newman — who is also a vocalist — will join guitarist Tony
Lombardozzi for a jazz brunch performance at The Norwalk Art Space.

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Also nearby: The Mark Twain Library Art Show celebrates its 50th — that is, golden — anniversary with an event about gold.

“Gleam, Gossip & Gold: Love and Loss in American Art” is the title of the December 8 (7:30 p.m., in-person and Zoom) presentation. Westport art Dr. Robin Jaffee Frank will discuss the “untold dramas behind American art objects that were crafted in the precious metal.”

Frank is the former chief curator at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, and senior associate curator of American paintings and sculpture at the Yale University Art Gallery. Her Ph.D. in the history of art is from Yale.

Click here to register, and for more information.

Dr. Robin Jaffee Frank

Another Westport connection with the Mark Twain Art Show (December 3-11): Artist (and former teacher) Werner Liepolt has had a piece (“Dune Restoration #4) juried in.

It was originally shown in the “06880” online art gallery.

Untitled (Werner Liepolt)

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Meanwhile, seen last night on Main Street:

It’s unclear if the driver 1) never knew what he (or she) had done, and/or 2) didn’t care.

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Yesterday’s storm has moved on. Sunrises like the one Chuck Davis saw last week — today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo — are back.

(Photo/Chuck Davis)

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And finally … Christine McVie — Fleeetwood Mac’s noted singer/songwriter/  keyboardist — died yesterday. She was 79, and had been in ill health. Click here for a full obituary.

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