On Wednesday, the Board of Finance authorized the addition of 3 officers, to patrol 6 Westport schools.
They will be responsible for security at 2 campuses: one each at Coleytown Middle and Elementary Schools; Kings Highway and Saugatuck Elementary, and Long Lots/Greens Farms Elementary.
They will remain outside, unless called to an emergency inside.
The cost for a full year is $576,084. The request must now be approved by the Representative Town Meeting.
A second security item — a fob on all Staples High School staff members’ identification lanyard, which can summon help in a 500,000 square foot building and sprawling outdoor athletic facilities that does not have full cellphone service, or access to emergency phones everywhere — was withdrawn before the meeting.
One Westport police officer will be assigned to Coleytown Elementary School (foreground) Coleytown Middle (rear).
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Before the start of last night’s Levitt Pavilion benefit concert with Daryl Hall and Todd Rundrgren, disgruntled patrons emailed “06880.”
“There is a tent blocking the view for a good portion of the patrons’ section,” one person wrote.
One view of the obstructed view …
“The sound board obstructs the view for most patrons,” someone else said.
… and another.
Carleigh Welsh — the Levitt’s director of development and marketing — responded to an “06880” email, as soon as the complaints were forwarded to her.
She wrote: “We have been moving people into non-obstructed seats. It would help greatly if they could email the box office right now if they are still in a legitimately blocked seat and we can relocate them. Some people we have approached have opted to stay put.
“Happy to share more about the rain tent covering the console in an email after show, but right now helping ushers fix any issues.”
Meanwhile — despite rain — the show went on. Todd Rundgren and Daryl Hall are pros.
And the audience raised funds to help the Levitt provide another 60 or so free concerts next year.
Daryl Hall
Todd Rundgren (Photos/Les Dinkin)
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The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee says “thank you” to all who attended Tuesday’s charrette at the Westport Library.
The slideshow, and a presentation by Public Works director Pete Ratkiewich, are now available at the DPIC website (scroll down; right side).
Just below that is a chance to provide comments and feedback. The deadline is September 5.
The latest plan for Parker Harding Plaza, presented Tuesday by the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee.
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True to its word, the Westport Country Playhouse is introducing new, one-day-only programming aimed at a broad audience.
Emmy- and Tony-winning actor/singer/storyteller Mandy Patinkin brings his “Being Alive” concert to Westport September 28 (8 p.m.).
It’s an evening of his favorite Broadway and classic American tunes, from Irving Berlin and Cole Porter to Stephen Sondheim and Harry Chapin.
Tickets are $175 and $150. Click here to purchase, and for more information. The event sponsors are Bud and Roz Siegel.
Mandy Patinkin
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Westport’s Volunteer Emergency Medical Service responds to 2,500 9-1-1 calls each year.
As partial thanks, the Levitt Pavilion offers an annual “first responders tribute.”
This year’s event is September 8 (7:30 p.m.). As always, DNR — the great, fun and rockin’ (almost) all-physician band will play.
EMTs and volunteers will be on hand. An ambulance will be there too, for tours (and, if needed, any emergency).
Like most Levitt shows, it’s free. But tickets are required: click here.
DNR
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A new school year starts Tuesday.
Which means everyone who graduated in June from Staples is now off to college, working, in the military, taking a gap year, or otherwise amusing themselves.
Which also means: Isn’t it time you took down your “Home of a 2023 Staples High School graduate” sign?
We get it. You were proud. Congratulations!
Now let’s move on …
Graduation is over! (Photo/Dan Woog)
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MDSolarSciences — the Westport-based sunscreen company — spent a day last week on a “sun safety tour.”
They handed out products to grateful — and now-protected — police, firefighters, EMTs, and Longshore employees.
MDSolarSciences representatives, and Westport firefighters.
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Braiden Sunshine — who recently open for Leann Rimes, and mesmerized the audience — stars at the next First Folk Sunday (September 3, VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399, 12:30 p.m.; $10).
In 2015 — just 15 years old — he reached the semifinals of “The Voice.”
Click here for tickets. For more information, email info@firstfolksunday.com, or call 203-222-1441.
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Ellie Hamby and Dr. Sandy Hazelip — 81-year-old friends — got plenty of attention last year, when they circled the globe in 80 days. They traveled to 18 countries, and visited all 7 continents.
At the Yale Club on Wednesday, Howard Matson — a Westporter, and past international president of the Circumnavigators Club — honored the women with honorary memberships in the 121-year-old organization.
Howard Matson, with octogenarian circumnavigators.
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It’s a “Westport … Naturally” scene many Westporters don’t see.
But Mary Sikorski was up early, and captured it:
(Photo/Mary Sikorski)
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And finally … in honor of last night’s Levitt Pavilion benefit concert (story above):
(Another day, another Roundup of all things Westport. If you enjoy this daily feature, please consider supporting our work. Just click here — and thank you!)
Re: School Security…. There really is no school security, there is no church or synagogue security, there is no supermarket security, there is no movie theater security, there is no night club security and there is no beach or park security in a land in which virtually every citizen is “free” to own military-grade automatic assault weapons manufactured and intended solely to kill people quickly and efficiently.
The best police officer on the street, armed with his or her service handgun is sorely at a disadvantage versus an aggrieved “law-abiding citizen” with an automatic weapon and an ax to grind. Therefore this town now needs to earmark half a million dollars to protect us from these troubled individuals with their ‘legal’ guns. But the discretionary money spent on ‘security’ is not the tragedy here. The tragedy continues to be the lives that are lost daily due to mass shootings facilitated by near-ubiquitous citizen access to military-grade weapons. Let’s make these weapons illegal, take them off the market and buy back every last one of them and perhaps send them to Ukraine 🇺🇦 where they might serve a useful purpose.
The Levitt concert was a big disappointment last night! Our seats were fine but when Todd Lundgren came on at 7:30 we assumed he would be on until 8:00 or 8:15 as the lead in to Daryl Hall. We did not enjoy his singing/ music at all!! Unfortunately, he was still going at 8:45 when it started to rain! After waiting awhile in the rain and he still kept singing, we tried to find a place under cover to wait but had no luck. Too many others had the same idea. Being damp and unhappy with the performance, we decided to leave, never even getting to see Daryl Hall.
The rain was not the fault of the Levitt, obviously, but the fact that the concert didn’t really start until 9:00 was problematic . It was billed as a Daryl Hall concert. We were not expecting Todd Lundgren to be on stage for such a long time!
Since the Levitt usually does such a great job and offers so many wonderful free shows, we do not regret making this evening’s ticket price a donation. Just hope the next fundraising event is better!!
I went to see Todd, so happy he went on first. But I get your point.
Perhaps you would have enjoyed it more if Todd ‘Rundgren’ played and not Dolph Lundgren
It was a tremendous show, with 2 very prolific singer songwriters
who are still having fun performing.
Certainly, not everybody will enjoy every show, nor will they enjoy every 3 star restaurant or every broadway show.
Whomever felt the need to post that picture of the sound board
with a blue tent cover, you are a glass half empty person.
The Levitt does a superb job all season. The weather has been challenging many nights this season. Certainly for next season,
they will figure out a better way to protect the sound equipment.
It was close to a 3 hour concert, great sound system
and fabulous crowd.
I feel so fortunate to live in Westport.
Life is way to short to be around such negativity.
Looking forward to the next show.
Barry T Babbin
Westport
Barry Babbin – Could not agree more. Such a great show and such a great town. We are very lucky.
Agree with Barry Babbin. It was a great concert and how special to have two great legends. It stopped raining when Daryl came on which was kind of a miracle. Thank you Levitt Pavilion for a wonderful season. You did a great job as always.