Judy Collins — the singer/songwriter who has entertained and inspired fans since the 1960s — is coming to the Westport Country Playhouse.
She’ll be onstage April 12 (8 p.m.). Encore Club members can buy tickets now; public sale begins January 26 at noon. Click here for more information.
Also ahead at the Playhouse: “All Things Equal: The Life & Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsberg.” Written by Rupert Holmes, it’s a one-woman play in which the Supreme Court justice welcomes a friend of the family to her chambers to convey a sense of her career, and personal life.
The show is May 3 and 4 (8 p.m.), and May 5 (3 p.m.). Click here for more information.
And on July 25 the Bacon Brothers bring their unique mix of folk, rock, soul and country music to the Playhouse. Click here for more information.
Judy Collins
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Westporters — especially seniors and those with low to moderate incomes — can once again take advantage of the town’s no-cost full-service AARP/VITA/IRS Volunteer Tax Assistance Program.
On-site personal counseling is available by appointment at Town Hall (Mondays from 1 to 7 p.m.) and the Senior Center (Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.), starting January 22. Call 860-590-8910 for an appointment, or click here.
The “SimplyCT” counselor group that services Westport prepared and filed more than 7,000 returns last season – almost all electronically. Federal refunds of over $10 million were received by their clients..
The program is administered by Westport’s Department of Human Services.
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Cold, slick trails and snow cover caused cancellation of tomorrow’s trash pick-up at Winslow Park.
Organizer Andrew Colabella will announce a new date soon.
Snow buries trash at Winslow Park. (Photo/Patricia McMahon)
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An incident that began when 2 people illegally entered a home and attacked 3 others on Friday morning in Old Saybrook ended in Westport.
One, armed with a baseball bat, injured the homeowners. The suspect then removed an adult woman from the home against her will, and fled.
Old Saybrook police sent an alert to law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for a car with New York license plates carrying the victim.
Westport police located the vehicle when it was getting gas. They arrested the suspects, seized the bat, and took the woman who had been taken from her home to Norwalk Hospital, with non-life threatening injuries.
(Click here for the full story. Hat tip: Betsy Pollak)
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Remember the I-95 Saugatuck River bridge replacement project last fall?
Relive all the key moments — in a lot quicker time than it took (though of course, kudos to all who accomplished the work in just 2 weekends) — in this very cool video, from the Connecticut Department of Transportation:
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Badass Bagels — the popular shop in the Sugar & Olives space just over the Norwalk line, owned by Westporter Jennifer Balin — has just opened a new location in Armonk, New York.
“It’s totally our brand,” she says.” The space is warm, cozy, and decked out with vintage furniture from Bridgeport’s Mongers Market (where they have another location).
Badass’ expanded sourdough bagel offerings include 10 varieties: everything, whole wheat everything, golden sesame, black sesame, Himalayan blue poppy, smoked sea salt, plain, cinny raisin, pumpernickel caraway everything, and naked whole wheat. (Ramp bagels are offered in May.)
There are plenty of spreads and butters too, like “sweet and lovely” with Westport honey.
Badass Bagels also sells coffee beans and whole espresso/coffee.
Stores hours in Norwalk and Armonk are Wednesdays through Sundays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. They sell at the Westport Farmers’ Market and Double L Market too.
Badass Bagels’ badass bagels.
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The Senior Center Super Bowl “tailgate party” is a great one. And you don’t even have to hang out in the parking lot.
It’s indoors. This year’s event (February 11) includes a “final score contest,” and a Friends of the Westport Center for Senior Activities Service Award presentation to the wonderful Patty Kondub, who does so much in so many ways for the senior community.
The menu includes hot dogs, chips, spring rolls and dessert.
Staples High School state champion football and field hockey teams, and Staples and Westport PAL cheerleaders will be there too.
All ages are welcome. Lunch is at 12:30; the party begins at 1:30.
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Thursday’s Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours event drew a large crowd to VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399.
VFW Auxiliary member Patty Kondub’s meatballs complemented the fun vibe, filled with networking opportunities and great music afterward (Jazz at the Post).
Enjoying Business After Hours (from left): Virginia Ferrari, Paul Liebowitz, Patty Kondub, Sal Liccione, Matthew Mandell.
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Colleen Sadick is a beloved Coleytown Elementary School professional. The CES community has rallied around her as she battles bone marrow cancer.
As Colleen has had to step back from her 2 jobs (she is also a behavioral mentor), her income has been impacted. CES organized a GoFundMe page to help the family with medical expenses, transportation, post-treatment care and daily costs.
Click here for more information, and to help.
After a number of interviews, the Democratic Town Committee nominations committee will recommend Abby Gordon-Tolan for the Board of Education vacancy, and Joe Scordato for the Zoning Board of Appeal vacancy.
The full DTC will vote Monday on the recommendations.
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Merrill Jay Forgotson – an accomplished community banker and fierce advocate for justice and equal opportunity – died peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday, January 17, at his Westport home. He was 81.
The New York City native credited his mother and father, a World War II hero, for challenging him to lead a life of purpose, centered on education.
He earned a BS in finance from Northeastern University followed, by a JD from Boston University and an MBA from Western New England College.
Jay paid his way through college and law school by washing dishes, serving ice cream, and packaging newspapers and magazines overnight for early morning delivery.
Motivated by the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Gideon v. Wainright in 1963, which affirmed a constitutional right to legal counsel for anyone charged with committing a crime, Jay started his career as a defense attorney
He transitioned into finance, starting at Mass Mutual and advancing to become general counsel at Barclays Business Credit.
In 1990 Jay joined People’s Bank as senior vice [resident/chief credit administration officer. He also served as chair of the Connecticut Anti-Defamation League, where he shaped diversity programming to combat hate and discrimination in all their forms.
In 2000, Jay left People’s to run Cornerstone Bank in Stamford. Running the profitable mission-centered community depository was one of the joys of his professional life.
During a brief sabbatical, Jay served as dean of the business school at the University of Bridgeport. But community banking kept calling. Jay served as CEO of BNC Financial Group, and started the Bank of Fairfield and Stamford First Bank.
After retiring in 2013 he enjoyed family and friends in Connecticut and Sarasota, Florida; volunteered for non-profits; consumed current events and advocated for fairness, and photographed.
Jay is survived by his wife, Janis Reader-Forgotson; sons Nathaniel, Josh and Matthew; grandchildren Evan, Ianto, Floriana, Zachary and Benjamin, and dogs Lola and Cimba. He was predeceased by his younger sister Barbara Garavuso.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to ADL Connecticut. A Memorial Service will be held tomorrow (Sunday, January 21, 12:30 p.m., Temple Shalom. Norwalk).
Jay Forgotson
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There’s a reason people like raccoon coats: They’re warm.
Raccoons knw that for sure. This guy — today’s “Westport … Naturally” star — was unbothered during the recent cold snap.
(Photo/Richard Fogel)
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And finally … Peter Schickele, a serious concert musician and also the genius behind madcap PDQ Bach, died Tuesday near Woodstock, New York. He was 88. Click here for a full obituary.
(How to amuse yourself on a cold winter weekend? Read about everything happening in town, now and in the future. If you like what we do, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Judy Collins is 84! You go girl !
This is totally off the topic, but my impression of Attorney Joe Tacopina just got enormously better! I watched him in an interview just now on MSNBC and I am now extremely impressed with him! I hope he reads this. I only post this because he lives in Westport! I was so wrong about him in the past!