Westport was represented at yesterday’s historic arraignment at the Manhattan Criminal Courts Building.
Directly next to former President Trump at the proceedings was one of his key attorneys, Joseph Tacopina.
Attorney Joseph Tacopina sat at former President Trump’s left, during yesterday’s arraignment. (Photo/Curtis Means for EPA)
The Westporter — founder and lead trial attorney of Tacopina Seigel & Deoreo — is no stranger to big cases.
His firm’s website says:
Mr. Tacopina is one of the country’s most respected high-stakes trial attorneys, having successfully tried more than 100 cases in his distinguished career. He frequently represents clients in high-stakes civil, criminal and commercial litigation, zealously advancing their interests and often recovering substantial money damages.
In 2011, he was the featured speaker at Staples High School’s baccalaureate ceremony, the night before graduation.
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Last year, New York Times photojournalist Lynsey Addario captured an image that shook the world.
The 1991 Staples High School graduate was in Irpin, Ukraine, shortly after the Russians invaded. She was just a few yards away, when a mortar killed a woman, her 2 children and a friend.
The grim photo was published worldwide. It brought home the viciousness of the Russian attacks, and remains a defining image of the war.
Lynsey Addario’s photograph of the carnage in Irpin.
Addario — a previous Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Award winner — will no doubt earn many honors for that shot. She’s already won one: a George Polk Award for photojournalism.
Established in 1949 by Long Island University to commemorate a CBS correspondent murdered the previous year while covering the Greek civil war, they highlight “investigative and enterprising reporting that gains attention and achieves results.”
Polk Award winners will be honored April 14 at the New York Athletic Club, the day after a seminar on LIU’s Brooklyn campus. “When Covering War Gets Personal” will feature several winners, delving more deeply into their stories.
But Lynsey is not the only Addario woman in the news.
Her sister Lauren — a 1984 Staples grad — plays drums in a band called mineral Hill. They’ve jusd been nominated for an award for original music, by the New Mexico Music Awards.
ZZ Top will perform at the ceremony, next month in Albuquerque.
By day, Lauren teaches media arts and technology, and directs the Cultural Technology Internship Program at New Mexico Highlands University.
Congratulations, Lynsey and Lauren!
Lauren Addario
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April is Autism Acceptance Month. The Westport Police Department is using the event to promote education, and a greater understanding of autism.
They note: “Rates of autism have grown steadily in Westport and nationally, as early diagnosis has become more accessible. Autism touches most of our lives, and is a part of our community. Westport Police are committed to supporting those with autism and their family members, year-round.”
Many officers have bought Autism Acceptance Badges. They’ll wear them on their uniforms throughout April.
Autism Acceptance Month is a good time for a reminder about Westport’s Disability Registry, a combined effort of the Westport Disability Commission, Human Services and Police Department.
The confidential registry provides information to assist police and other emergency workers to address the needs of residents of all abilities. Click here for more information, and to sign up.
In 2021, Westport Police officers showed off their autism badges.
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Last week’s “Evening of Africa” at Wakeman Town Farm was a smash.
Attendees raised $37,000, close to the $50,000 Unite needs for its food program in Tanzania this harvest season.
The funds will help purchase maize from over 300 small-scale farmers, providing them with fair prices as well as 2 hermetic bags each, so they can safely store some of their harvest pest-free to use throughout the year.
Money will also increase the fleet, to transport raw maize from remote villages to to United Food Program’s headquarters in Dar es Salaam. There it will be cleaned, processed and packaged as final maize flour products, for retailers, wholesalers and consumers.
Finally, Unite can purchase, retrofit and install and 40-foot container, to serve as extra storage for its grain inventory.
Click here, here and here for videos from the event. Click here to contribute. Click here to commission an oil painting by Unite’s partner artist Maliondo Amini.
Attendees at the Unite for Africa event.
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By day, the 2nd floor at 11 Riverside Avenue is a normal art gallery (though one with exceptional work, and a great old-building vibe).
Every so often at night, it turns into a salon.
Owner Michael Chait invites very cool people, to lead informal conversations with in a warm, learn-from-each-other atmosphere.
His next one is even more intriguing than usual.
Tim Manners — a Westporter, and author of “Schoolboy: The Untold Journey of a Yankee Hero” will discuss his subject, legendary 1927 “Murderers’ Row” pitcher Waite Hoyt.
It’s an in-depth book, written with the help of Hoyt’s son.
An organist will play baseball-themed music. “Gates open” at 7 p.m. on April 27.
Tickets are $20. Seats are limited. Click here, or Venmo @Michael-Chait. Questions? Call 203-243-1995.
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Over the past year, Jazz at the Post has become a Westport institution.
Now a new musical event debuts at VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399: “First Folk Sunday.”
Starting May 7, and continuing the first Sunday of every month (12:30 to 2:30 p.m.), longtime and very talented Westport singer Suzanne Sheridan will offer music of the 1960s, ’70s, and “good songs from all time.”
Guest artists will join her. Next month, it’s keyboardist Bob Cooper.
There’s a $10 cover. Brunch and a cash bar are available too. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Suzanne Sheridan
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Five whiskeys from around the world will be featured at the Weston History & Culture Center’s April 29 fundraiser (7 p.m.).
Tasting will be led The Academy Drinks CEO Jessica Spector. Also on the menu: appetizers from Old Mill Grocery, specialty cocktails, beer, wine and a silent auction.
Tickets are $100 each. and can be purchased at: Click here to purchase, and for more information.
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Johanna Keyser Rossi spotted the first migrating white crane of the season the other day, by the Westport Library Riverwalk.
Her photo is perfect for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
(Photo/Johanna Keyser Rossi)
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And finally … in honor of the first Roundup item above …
(From the courts of New York to the war in Ukraine, “06880” connects the Westport dots. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Mr. Tacopina’s web site also says:
“Outside of the courtroom, Mr. Tacopina deftly defends his clients in the court of public opinion, and is equally adept at keeping clients away from the media’s spotlight.”
In the case of his client ex-President Trump, that maybe Mr. Tacopina’s biggest challenge.
That’s a nice photo of a Great Egret! They’re just now arriving back in our area for the season. Spring migration is indeed well underway.
Now this is vile and vulgar stuff that harms people and kids. Defending this man and celebrating an indictment with My Pillow Guy, MTG, and the election denying queen….
No words. Unreal.
Gag me with a spoon.
( gag needed)
MAGA-Make America Gag Again…
Wonder if that if that Westport attorney representing trump is smart enough to get paid up front, because trump wil definitely screw him. After getting a law degree I could never bring myself to defend such criminals. Instead I got to arrest them. Never had an arrest overturned in court!
It must be much easier for an attorney to defend an organized crime figure rather than Donald Trump. At least a mafiosa don knows when to keep his mouth shut!
I think that’s a great Egret not a crane😊
You’re probably right. I just repeated what Johanna said!
While none of us are old enough to remember Waite Hoyte’s pitching, when I was a teenager in the ’60s, he was an announcer for the Cincinnati Red(leg)s on WCKY, a 50,000 watt radio station at 1530 AM that could (and can) be picked up in Westport at night. My memory has it that they had a country format during the rest of the day.
After retiring as a legendary player in 1938, Waite became one of the first former athletes to achieve success as a game-day radio announcer. He is best remembered for rain delays, during which he would fill airtime with amazing stories about Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb and others. He was the voice of the Cincinnati Reds for 24 years.
I wonder if he is as offensive and unintelligent in real life or just playing the part of an (unpaid) Trump attorney. I cannot believe he lives in Westport, so bad for the town.
Wow. Would love to hear your views on affordable housing in 06880. Actually George, save it. You wear the 06880 t-shirt proudly I’m sure.
Hey George Moriarty…you get the prize for the a-hole comment of the day! “I cannot believe that he lives in Westport,so bad for the town”. What a stupid comment.
Must have been a tough decision to award the prize, Mr. Eason. A crowded field!
Glad to see how soooo many residents are so inclusive of other peoples differences but living up to the sworn oath to represent the people. Remember, everyone is innocent until proven guilty, whether you like it or not.
Hate has no home here, so I thought…
On another positive note, that egret shot is gorgeous.
Edward, choosing to represent Trump is a choice to defend pure evil…yes, an attorney COULD choose to represent Hitler or Putin; but that, too, would be a choice that puts one’s values out there where folks of good conscience are allowed to hate them.
Godwins Law in action. Putin is Hitler and Zelensky is Churchill know, I know. But think of this Mr. Katz, it will take years for Putin to catch up to George Bush and his fellow war criminals. Whoever controls the narrative controls the world.
Interesting take, Dermot. You may even have a valid view of it…Myopia, however, has me so worried about our own march to fascism, that my world view is truncated.
Wow, the commenters here (most of whom surely believe they are “tolerant” and welcoming to all) show little tolerance, and in fact hate, for those with views (or clients) that don’t align with their own.
But I guess this is just reflective of the country and the times we now live in. I still cling to the old ways, however . . .
Well said Jack. No tolerance for a civil difference of opinion is pathetic.
Stormy must be mad she got paid less than McDougal. I guess there’s a surcharge for playboy bunnies in tRUMP’s world?
I am not tolerant of a bully, a liar, a cheater, a divider, an adulterer, an insurrection instgator,a bigot, a misogynist, a criminal, a gaslighter, a brainwasher, a dictator wanna be, a cult leader, a Democracy hater, a rule of law hater, and an actual hater of America and Americans. Nope, not tolerant of that.
Hate has no home here indeed.
I agree with George. You say what many are thinking, as I have heard it repeatedly since he was chosen. But giving him props here is pretty disappointing. Yes, everyone gets representation. But this guy has a history of representing clients to booster his own popularity and wealth as is evident by him agreeing to represent a misogynist pig criminal like our former president. Makes me sick!
No one is above the law. And everyone is afforded due process. Hallmarks our founders established and we all live by as citizens. Everyone here exercising their First Amendment, yet sadly, I’m sure the same who voiced “outrage” & “shame” are the same who preach inclusiveness and proudly display a “Hate has no home here” signs. Ironic? Hypocritical? Sad? All of above!
There was a Chris Hoyt at Bedford El with us in the 60’s early 70’s. He always said his grandfather was Waite Hoyt. We figured he was lying?
His friends call him “Chip” and he would never lie about a thing like that!
Hate has no home here (but we’ll give him squatter’s rights if he agrees with us politically)
No one can have a lower opinion of the ex-president than I do. But the law says that everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty.
That’s why makes our country great — not “Again,” but NOW!
👏👍🤜🤛😘