Marty Yellin is a longtime Westporter — and 84 years old.
On Sunday afternoon, shortly after the snow ended, he fell into a creek by his house.
The water was 4 feet deep, running, and cold: about 35 degrees.
Marty’s phone was wet, and did not work.
For 15 minutes he tried in vain to get out of the creek.
Luckily, after vigorous shaking of his phone, he got connected to 911.
Within 10 minutes, 4 policemen and an EMT ambulance arrived.
It took all 4 officers to pull him out of the water. His body temperature was 94 degrees.
The ambulance took him to Norwalk Hospital, where he was treated. A doctor said he would not have lasted another 15 minutes in the water.
“Your officers were very competent, comforting, and caring,” Marty wrote to Police Chief Foti Koskinas. “I wish I knew their names, so I could thank them personally.”
We don’t know their names, either. But “06880” adds our thanks to today’s Unsung Heroes.
(To nominate an Unsung Hero, email 06880blog@gmail.com. If you enjoy this weekly feature — or any other part of our hyper-local blog, please support our work. Just click here. Thank you!)
The design for the Compo Beach playground renovation is underway, but not yet finalized.
A charrette will be held Saturday, January 20 (time and location TBD). Residents can share thoughts directly with designer Lisa Deshano.
The plan will be presented to Westport’s Parks & Recreation Commission on February 21, for approval.
Announcement of a logo contest for elementary school students will be made soon.
Compo Beach playground (Photo/Katherine Bruan)
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Ted Gangi graduated from Staples High School in 1983. Starting in junior high, he did statistics for the football team.
Ted is in his 19th year as owner of CollegePressBox.com, the official media website of Division I football and the College Football Playoff.
On Monday, as the 2024 champion Michigan Wolverines left the field, he posed with Westport’s newest football hero: Staples Class of 2020’s Jake Thaw. (Hat tip: Ned Batlin)
In addition, Tony “Pizza” Napolitano will be at the WTF brick oven every Tuesday from 4-7 p.m., for pickups. To order a pizza, check out his Facebook page on Mondays.
Congratulations to Staples High School’s January Students of the Month: seniors Brendan Dellorusso, juniors Logan Noorily and Jada Shelley, sophomores Daniel Arava and Catherine Cirasuolo, and freshmen Katherine Mannino and Thomas Scott.
Students of the Month “help make Staples High School a welcoming place for their peers and teachers alike. They are the ‘glue”’of the Staples community — the type of kind, cheerful, hard-working, trustworthy students that keep the high school together, making it the special place that it is.”
“Students of the month are nominated by their teachers, who are asked to think of those students who come to school regularly, are friendly to the staff and to fellow students, and make positive contributions in class as well as the Staples community. In short, these students are all-around good citizens of our school.’
Students of the Month (from left): Thomas Scott, Jordan Noorilly, Jada Shelley, Katherine Mennino, Catherine Ciraduolo, Brendan Dellorusso. Absent: Daniel Arava.
In November, 18 Rotary travelers and their guests spent 2 weeks on a Westport Rotary Club “Back Roads Service Trip” to Uganda.
At this week’s meeting Lyla Steenbergen, chair of the International Giving Committee, reported on the trip — and shared great photos.
The group covered over 1,650 miles in 2 weeks in off-road vehicles and small planes. They went to national parks, tracked chimpanzees and gorillas, and trekked through a swamp at night.
They also visited 5 projects that Westport Rotary has supported with grants, including schools, hospitals and a water project, and engaged in hands-on service projects at those facilities.
Westport Rotary Club, in Uganda.
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From Stanley Steemer to Marian the Librarian: that’s Mia Gentile for you.
The 2007 Staples graduate — whose various impressions of the Stanley ad became an internet sensation — plays a more demure role in the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra’s performance of “The Music Man – Concert Version” (February 10, 7:30 p.m., Norwalk Concert Hall).
Mia also played Carrie Pipperidge in NSO’ production of “Carousel” last year.
Three Mia Gentiles: She played an all-girls group in one of her Stanley Steemer “ads.”
And finally … Scott McKenzie was born on this date in 1939. He had a long career as a singer/songwriter, but will always be known for this era-defining classic:
He died in 2012, age 73, from complications of Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
(In 1967, all the cool people wore flowers in their hair. In 2024, they’re donating to “06880.” Please click here to join the crowd. Thank you!)
True to its name, the Private Club Radio podcast usually covers issues of interest to the golf and country club world.
Tax regulations. Membership retention. The threat from pickleball.
But episode 307, which dropped a few days ago, tackled a subject even more challenging than those: the importance of inclusion, for people with disabilities.
Host Denny Corby’s guest is an expert on the subject. Staples High School Class of 2006 graduate Max Orland has a speech and language disability.
Today — after a career that includes positions with the New York Mets, US Open (center court, for Federer and Serena Williams), Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and Northeastern University, plus retail experience (with many awards) at Legends @ Yankee Stadium, J. Crew, Under Armour, Vineyard Vines and Nike — he’s working in golf operations at the prestigious Tiburón Club in Naples, Florida.
Max Orland, at home on the range.
It’s an inspiring story, and Max tells it well.
It all began at Staples, where he was student manager for the baseball team.
At the University of Delaware he studied sport management, and assisted the baseball and basketball teams.
Max’s recent country club experience includes 3 years in charge of the driving range at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck. then Ibis in Palm Beach.
Inclusion — in the classroom, sports and employment — has been a hallmark of Max’s career.
Many people have helped him get his foot in a door. Once it opens, he walks confidently through.
Very quickly, he wins over customers, clients, colleagues and managers.
Max Orland
As Max has climbed the corporate and country club ladders, he’s been eager to pay his success forward. That message is the heart of the Private Club Radio podcast.
Interestingly, Max’s sister’s father-in-law, Bobby Silverstein, was a national authority on disability policy. While working in the Senate, he was the behind- the-scenes architect of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Silverstein helped Max navigate through the twists and turns of his journey. He died suddenly a year ago, but Max proudly carries on his legacy.
On the podcast Max describes his early struggles, his pursuit of inclusive education, his rise in the sports industry, and the importance of seizing every opportunity that presents itself.
“Max shares his personal experience on how being a part of mainstream classes and activities empowered him as an individual with an intellectual disability,” the Private Club Radio website says.
“He also discusses the importance of a supportive community, and how being open to change can pave the way for growth.”
“His resilience, determination and unique perspective of focusing on abilities rather than disabilities will leave you inspired and enlightened.”
(Click here to listen to Max Orland’s podcast: “The Power of Inclusion.”)
(“06880” regularly profiles successful Staples High School graduates. To support this work — and many other features of our hyper-local blog — please click here. Thank you!)
Max Orland, with the University of Delaware baseball team.
Several very big names join guest of honor Dr. Clarence B. Jones for the 18th annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration this Sunday (January 14, 3 p.m., Westport Library).
NBC News anchor and co-host of the 3rd Hour of TODAY Craig Melvin will moderate the discussion. Violin virtuoso Kersten Stevens performs, while novelist, playwright and filmmaker Trey Ellis introduces Dr. Jones. Melvin and Ellis are Westport residents.
US Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Ritchie Torres of New York will also speak.
“I couldn’t envision a more incredible lineup for what promises to be a memorable afternoon,” says Westport Library director Bill Harmer.
“The appearances speak to the remarkable life and accomplishments of Dr. Clarence B. Jones and the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”
The 18th annual celebration is a partnership between the Library, TEAM Westport, and the Westport Country Playhouse, as well as the Westport/Weston Interfaith Clergy and Council, the 2 groups that hosted the inaugural celebration in 2006.
The day’s guest of honor, Dr. Jones, served as legal counsel, strategic advisor, and draft speechwriter to Dr. King from 1960 until King’s assassination inn 1968. He wrote the first 7 paragraphs of the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.
Congratulations to Staples High School Class of 2020 graduate Jake Thaw, and his University of Michigan Wolverines: national championships, after last night’s big win over Washington!
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Staples High School wrestling parent, booster club founder and former Wrecker wrestler and coach Terry Brannigan writes: “’It’s not what you gather, it is what you scatter.'”
“That was John Chacho’s message to a packed house at Foxwood Casino in 2013. Former wrestlers came from around the country to celebrate the legendary Staples coach’s induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
“For Coach Chacho, his message is not merely a punchline delivered from a podium. It is a lesson he attributes to his mother, and the drumbeat for his life.
“John has touched the lives of generations of Westporters through his work in the Westport school system, and his favorite tool: wrestling.
“This Saturday, Staples hosts the annual John Chacho Dual Meet Tournament. It begins at 9 a.m. in the fieldhouse, and runs through mid-afternoon. We invite everyone to stop by and say hello to Coach Chacho.”
Terry nailed it. John is a Westport treasure. Seeing him on Saturday will make your day — and his.
Play With Your Food — the popular play-reading and talkback series — returns to MoCA next Tuesday (January 16, noon to 1:30 p.m.), with 3 very different shows.
Plus: boxed lunches from The Porch at Christies and Meli Melo Crêperie.
Plays include:
“I Just Sneezed with a Big Mouthful of Coffee and I Do Not Recommend It!”: 2 hypochondriacs connect in a hospital waiting room. The competition begins.
“Closing Time”: Will Sophie and her mom get to the store in time to buy the boots she so desperately wants? Spoiler alert: It’s not about the boots.
“The Jewish Wife”: Judith was a beloved wife, friend and bridge player, but now she is only Jewish. A quiet masterpiece written by Berthold Brecht in 1938.
Can’t make MoCA on the 16th? Play With Your Food heads to the Pequot Library in Southport January 17, and the Greenwich Arts Council the 18th.
Click here for details, tickets, and the full 2024 schedule.
Westport’s Business Network International chapter — the 2nd largest in the state — invites interested business networkers to a Visitors Day on Thursday, January 18 (7 to 9 a.m., United Methodist Church).
The group consists of only business per profession — for example, one financial advisor, one realtor, one chiropractor.
Categories open for this neeeting include estate attorney, landscaper, interior designer, printer, salon, personal trainer, restaurant, hotel, home inspector, home security, photographer, caterer or bakery, commercial/residential cleaner, commercial real estate, florist, event/wedding planner, travel/tour operator, automotive repair, physical therapy, promotional projects, and professional writer.
During the latest calendar year, the group passed over $1.6 million in closed business.
Pre-registration is required. Email debralommascout@gmail.com. For more information, click here.
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One of Jazz at the Post’s most popular performers — Westport’s own Melissa Newman — returns this Thursday (January 11; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner begins at 7; VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399; $15 cover).
The Westporter will be joined by guitarist Tony Lombardozzi, bassist Phil Bowler and drummer Bobby Leonard.
Her shows are sure to sell out. Reservations: JazzatthePost@gmail.com.
Westport Police announced yesterday that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging Neil Lott, 50, of Westport, with wire fraud related to a misappropriation scheme.
“As alleged in the indictment and statements made in court, from 2017 until August 2021, Lott was a 51 percent owner of Pacific Atlantic Handling Services, a baggage handling company based at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
In August 2021, Lott was terminated from PAH for cause. However, in November 2021, he opened a business bank account in the name of PAH without PAH’s knowledge or authorization.
On November 30, 2021, Lott deposited into this account a US Treasury check in the amount of $477,167, paid to the order of PAH, for an Employee Retention Tax Credit.
Lott was released on a $350,000 bond. If convicted of wire fraud, he faces a maximum prison term of 20 years.
“An indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
“The investigation is being conducted the US Postal Inspection Service, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Westport Police Department, with assistance from the Port Authority Police Department.”
Margaret Carey Coley — the wife of William Booth Coley, of the Coley family of Westport and Weston — died Friday, surrounded by her family. She was 75.
Her family says: “Margaret loved spending time with her family, especially her beloved granddaughters. She also enjoyed visiting with and giving treats to her grand-dogs. She was an avid reader, and loved to research and discuss family genealogy. She also loved to keep up with her favorite sports teams (Mets and Red Sox), and current events.
In addition to her husband of 45 years, she is survived by her daughter Michelle (Richard) Corcoran of North Haven; granddaughters Madelyn and Molly Corcoran; her brother Robert (Carolyn) Carey of Jamesville, New York, and several nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her brother John J. Carey Jr.
Margaret’s family thanks the Stratford VNA and Assisted Living Services for their care, with a special thank you to the ICU doctors, nurses and other staff at Yale New Haven Hospital for their care and compassion during her final week
A parlor service is set for Thursday (January 11, 10:30 a.m.; Porto Funeral Home, 830 Jones Hill Road, West Haven. Family and friends may call Thursday morning at 8:30. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to ALS United Connecticut, 4 Oxford Rd. Unit E4, Milford, CT 06460.
The Brooklyn native studied English literature at City University of New York, and learned about life from the poets, playwrights and protestors of Greenwich Village.
He taught English as a second language in South Korea and Tokyo, married a Japanese woman, and returned to the US to write novels and plays.
David Meth
A Westporter for over 4 decades, he also runs writing workshops for cancer survivors at the Westport Weston Family Y.
Now Meth has a new venue for storytelling: Ukraine.
Last year, he got a LinkedIn message from Alex Borovenskiy. The founder and artistic director of ProEnglish Theatre in Kyiv wanted to connect with Meth.
They Zoomed, and discovered a shared passion for preserving and protecting live theater.
It’s an important issue for Meth here in the States. Regional theaters are closing, and our own Westport Country Playhouse recently survived a near-death experience.
It’s important to Borovensky in Ukraine too. As war rages, people desperately need the connections that plays provide.
Borovensky told Meth, “The war will end. But if theater, arts, culture don’t survive, we will have nothing.”
ProEnglish Theater survives in the basement bomb shelter of a building. Some cast and crew members live there. It is, Meth says, “a true haven.”
(Its productions and classes are in English, so actors, audiences and students can feel part of the “international theatre community.”)
Borovensky sent a short video of Ukrainian soldiers singing Christmas songs, in the midst of devastation.
It reminded Meth of the “Cellist of Sarajevo.” During the 1992 siege, a Bosnian musician played in ruined buildings, and at funerals. His bravery inspired musical compositions, and a novel.
The cellist offered hope, in a desperate time. “Theater does that too,” Meth says.
Borovensky invited Meth to write a short play — no more than 3 minutes long — to be directed and performed by students in his theater education program.
Meth was honored. He wrote about a young couple who dream of getting married. When the Russians invade, they must confront whether they can raise a family in wartime.
Then the young woman breaks the news: She wants to go to America.
She could live in Brighton Beach, where there are many Ukrainians.
Or, she tells her fiance, she could go to Westport, Connecticut. She has heard there is strong support for Ukraine there, including a sister city. There is a Ukrainian church nearby too.
Her boyfriend must decide whether to go, or stay and fight alongside his brother.
The short play festival takes place January 13 (11 a.m. EST; click here for the Facebook livestream; click here for the Instagram livestream).
Meth will not be in Kyiv to see it, of course. But he hopes to continue the Westport connection.
He would like to see the festival shown on the Westport Library’s video screen. Borovensky could talk about the importance of Ukrainian theater — perhaps with Mark Shanahan, incoming Westport Playhouse artistic director, who could provide an American perspective on the importance of live theater.
Whether that happens or not, Meth is proud of what he’s done.
“It’s a small contribution to a very profound struggle to keep theater, the arts and culture alive,” he says.
“We should all learn from ProEnglish Theatre in Ukraine.”
(To learn more about David Meth, click here. Tomm earn more about ProEnglish Theatre, click here.)
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