Tonight’s special forum on car thefts, vehicle break-ins and Sunday’s carjacking (Wednesday, September 20, 7 p.m., Town Hall auditorium) will also be livestreamed. Click here to access that page, on the town’s website.
Police Chief Foti Koskinas will lead a discussion on safety concerns voiced by residents. He and members of his command staff will describe the work of the Regional Auto Theft Task Force, formed in response to increased car thefts and vehicle break-ins in the area.
The discussion will also include police practices utilized to combat vehicle thefts.
Yesterday, Koskinas and 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker taped a special edition of “What’s Happening … Westport.” They discussed the escalation in incidents, and what residents can do. Click below to listen to the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston podcast.
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Meanwhile, Westport Police made one custodial arrest between September 13 nd 20. A woman was charged with disorderly conduct, following a domestic dispute.
Police also issued these citations:
- Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations 6 citations
- Traveling unreasonably fast: 4
- Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 3
- Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 3
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 2
- Failure to obey traffic control signs: 2
- Evading responsibility: 1
- Following too closely: 1
- Distracted driving: 1
- Distracted driving (2nd offense): 1
- Operating a motor vehicle using a handheld phone: 1
- Failure to grant right of way: 1
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 1
- Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 1
- Improper use of license plates: 1
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As winter nears, Westport’s sister city of Lyman is in a race against time.
52 apartment buildings need repairs, so they can survive the cold weather and be fully restored in the spring.
Ukraine Aid International co-founder Brian Mayer — the Westporter who helped create the sister city relationship, and has made many trips to Lyman on our behalf — sends a video that shows how much our town has helped.
And how much remains to be done.
(Donations through Ukrainian Aid International will help rebuild the many heavily damaged apartments. Click here to help. Under “Designation,” click the dropdown menu and select “Westport — Lyman Sister City.”)
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This Friday’s Westport Country Playhouse show is called “I’ll Drink to That! A Broadway Cocktail Party.”
Fittingly, it will feature Broadway stars.
Joe Delafield, Kristen Hahn and Maggie Lacey will perform cocktail-themed tunes and scenes from Broadway productions, while author Laurence Maslon recounts tales of actors, shows, and cocktail concoctions from his recently published book, “I’ll Drink to That!”
The event (September 22, 6 p.m., Playhouse courtyard and barn) begins with cocktails that pay homage to Broadway. The 70-minute program concludes with a second cocktail and book signing. Cocktails are included with $50 ticket.
Click here for tickets, and more information.
From left: Joe Delafield, Kristen Hahn, Maggie Lacy.
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STAR Inc. and Voices Center for Resilience present a special program: “A 22-Year Journey from 9/11 to Today: Helping Families and Communities Prepare for Emergencies” (October 18, 7 p.m., Westport Library).
Mary Fetchet — founding Director of Voices Center for Resilience — lives in New Canaan. Her son Brad died in the September 11 attacks.
She will share her personal experience and perspective on preparing communities in advance of a tragedy. The presentations also includes representatives of local and state emergency management, highlighting their efforts to prepare communities.
For more information and to register, click here.
Mary Fetchet, with a photo of her son Brad.
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When kids go to the doctor, they may be nervous.
Like many offices, Village Pediatrics provides distractions to calm their nerves.
Their latest surprise, for patients big and small: an outer space room.
Huck (in the rocket control center) and Lola Shipman, with their mother.
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Speaking of doctors: BD²: Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving with Bipolar Disorder today announced an $18 million first round of grants, focusing on research in bipolar disorder.
Among the recipients: Westport resident Dr. Hilary Blumberg. She will lead a Yale University team in an investigation of mitochondrial-related genes, metabolic changes, and the central importance of energy- and activity-related symptoms at the onset of bipolar-related episodes. These studies w may translate that into pharmacological therapeutics and behavioral interventions. (Hat tip: Sherri Peyser)
Dr. Hilary Blumberg
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The bar for “06880” Entitled Parking photos has been set incredibly high.
Drivers must now show breathtaking acts of selfishness to be featured here.
This one does:
(Photo/David Meth)
That’s not one, but two handicap spots taken up at Stop & Shop.
Plus, the car is taking up space in the drivers’ part of the lot too.
And — of course! — there is no handicap placard inside the car.
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Johanna Keyser Rossi reports for “Westport … Naturally” from Sherwood Island State Park:
“There were lots of monarch butterflies yesterday, all around the milkweeds and bees. Unfortunately, lanternflies were everywhere too.”
(Photo/Johanna Keyser Rossi)
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Roger Whittaker — described by the New York Times as “a British singer whose easy-listening ballads and folk songs caught the sentiments of perfect summer days and last farewells, touching the hearts of mainly older fans across Europe and America for four decades” — died last week in France. He was 87.
Click here for a full obituary.
(By contributing to”06880,” you support local news coverage. Please click here to help your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)
Take a picture of handicap parking violators lic plate
where are the car hijackers when we need them?
Speaking of Stop & Shop, that list of traffic citations looks like something I could witness on a single trip to the grocery store, yet that’s an entire week’s worth of policing? Obviously there can be bigger fish to fry – as the last 72 hours or whatever has demonstrated, but at some point lack of / limited enforcement is effectively permission.