It’s a sure sign of spring. Next Thursday, the Westport Farmers’ Market opens its 2024 season.
The Imperial Avenue parking lot is once again the spot for fresh produce, meats, herbs and more — including organic pet food, and lunch from Mexican and pizza food trucks — every Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This year’s Farmers’ Market runs through November 7.
New this season: stricter guidelines on plastic usage. The goal is to reach a waste-free model.
The Farmers’ Market also plans to include only Connecticut farmers, and products from state-based businesses.
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Three Staples High School students are finalists for TEAM Westport’s annual Teen Diversity Essay contest.
Sophia Lopez, Olivia Morgeson and Teya Ozgen will read their essays on Monday (May 6, 6 p.m., Westport Library) — and learn who has won the $1,000, $750 and $500 prizes.
This year’s essay prompt is about hate speech, and the balance between offensive, threatening or hurtful language, and the constitutional right of free expression.
The public is invited to Monday’s ceremony.
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In the aftermath of yesterday’s gas tanker fire on I-95 in Norwalk — the cause of enormous Westport traffic jams — superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice praised the district’s bus service, First Student.
“They were on top of the travel issues long before buses started rolling and did incredible work navigating the clogged streets,” he said. “I am sure they will handle (the) afternoon commute in a similar fashion.”
Scarice also urged parents to not drive their children to school or pick them up. The buses will take a while longer than usual — but more cars on the road will make the trip even longer.
Parents can use the First View bus tracking app to see actual bus pickup and drop-off times.
Roll ’em! (Photo/Amy Schneider)
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Speaking of school buses: I’m not sure how this story escaped notice on “06880” — or any other local media.
But it’s been at least a couple of weeks, and this is the first we’ve heard of a car crash that took out Westport’s nicest (and perhaps only) school bus shelter.
It happened on Saugatuck Island, right before the schools’ spring break.
Here’s a photo from that night …
,.. and one during daylight:
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A Staples High School student writes: “I often fly fish in Westport for striped bass, in the Saugatuck River. Lately, I have seen a huge amount of poaching.
“There are maybe 3 or 4 respectful, honest guys where I fish, at 5 a.m. But I also see, for example, a guy dropping nets, with a rope. He had at least 8 fish on the bank, all undersize.
“I was very upset. This is a fishery I try to protect, but because of people like him, the species has suffered badly.
“I did not speak to any of the people there. They could be dangerous, and being out alone as a kid is dangerous enough to begin with.
“I hope some action can be taken, either by local law enforcement or DEEP (state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection). If anyone sees any poaching, they should report it please.”
Striped bass, left by a poacher.
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Speaking of Staples: Non-Profit Promoters — the podcast created and hosted by juniors Zach Gorin, Cormac Mulvey, Jack Schwartz and Aaron Varsov, which tells the stories of local organizations — has just dropped a fascinating interview with Helen McAlinden.
The CEO of Homes with Hope goes into depth about their work fighting homelessness and hunger. She also talks about her career path, challenges such as COVID, and the importance of community involvement.
Click here to listen.
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Speaking of podcasts: Alec Baldwin just did a great interview with James Naughton.
The actor and longtime resident talks about the Westport Country Playhouse, his friendship with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, his advocacy work for death with dignity legislation, and much more.
Click here to listen. (Hat tip: Tommy Greenwald)
Local residents James Naughton, Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman, at the Westport Country Playhouse in 2002.
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Westport’s Representative Town Meeting has a new member.
Alma Sarelli replaces Jessica Bram in District 6. Sarelli — who previously ran unsuccessfully for the Board of Education — is president of Neighbors & Newcomers of Westport.
Bram resigned, after moving from the district.
Alma Sarelli
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After reading Tuesday’s “06880” story on Westport’s use of American Rescue Plan Act funds — and the possible issues of using them to fund a study for the redesign of Jesup Green — a reader writes:
“Since the funds can be utilized for sewer, maybe the town could upgrade the existing sewage treatment, and help residents connect.
“At the moment the town basically double charges residents to connect, unless they petition and can wait 5-6 years. If a connection point is a few houses away, the person looking to connect must pay for all the work involved, plus give a connection point to every house they pass by at the full expense of the person looking to connect.
“On top of that, the town levies the full assessment of the sewer line they are connecting to, even though that line has been fully paid for by all the residents it services. I’m told the extra money charged goes into a sewer Kitty.
“It definitely doesn’t make the idea of upgrading one’s sewage disposal very attractive. But it sounds like we might have potential funds available so residents don’t have to pay for it twice, and question whether connecting makes sense due to exorbitant cost.”
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This winter, the Longshore Women’s Golf Association asked the town to upgrade the women’s locker facility.
Within 4 days, the request was approved.
Work started quickly. It’s already been done — in time for the new golf season.
The LWGA says, “We are thrilled at the positive attitude of the town officials and their willingness to go above and beyond.”
The LWGA did their part, donating time and money to upgrade the locker room’s furnishings.
Last week, Westport Parks & Recreation director Jen Fava joined Mike Frawley of the Department of Public Works’ building maintenance staff, for a ribbon cutting.
Celebrating the new women’s locker room.
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Neil Roper, an active member of Staples High School’s Class of 1965, died recently in Memphis, after a short illness. He was 77.
After Staples, Neil attended the University of Virginia, and graduated from Michigan State University.
He worked in Overton Square in the 1970s, moving on to be part owner of the East End Grill, and part-owner and general manager of the Belmont Grill. He retired in 2015.
Neil enjoyed gardening, working around the house, and going on road trips. He was heavily involved Staples’ class reunions.
His obituary says, “His wonderful sense of humor consisted of practical jokes, puns and pranks. He was very well-read, and carried on lively discussions about politics, current affairs and music, which he was extremely passionate about. Those who knew him saw past his gruff exterior and loved him for his idiosyncrasies.”
He was predeceased by his wife Denise and brother Timothy. He is survived by his sisters Anne Roper of Dublin, Ireland; Margaret Trainor (John) and Erin Roper; brothers Brian and Kevin Roper of Memphis, nieces and nephews, and his loyal cat, Buscher.
Angelo Dorta and Chris Chaille were thanked for their care and friendship over the years.
A gathering honoring Neil is set for Alex’s Tavern in Memphis on May 9 (3 p.m.).
In lieu of cards or flowers, donations can be made to a charity of choice.
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Like all animals, ospreys act on instinct.
Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo shows this one, trying to intimidate an owl near Police headquarters.
The only problem: It’s a fake owl.
Nice try, though!
(Photo/Johanna Keyser Rossi)
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And finally … Duane Eddy — the groundbreaking 1950s guitarist, who influenced artists like George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Springsteen — died Tuesday in Tennessee. He was 86, and had been ill with cancer. Click here for a full obituary.
(“06880” is your hyper-local blog. We rely on support from readers like you. Please click here to help. Thank you!)
PBS has a beautifully filmed and informative show on Ospreys Takes place in the CT river marsh!
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/season-osprey-about/26299/
Think of how much traffic would stay off the roads if people used the school buses every day! My mom lives on the corner between three schools in town and basically can’t get in or out of her house for an hour in the morning and the afternoon because of the backups caused by pickups and dropoffs.
Clark….what’s amazing is so many of these “pickup” parents claim to be environmentalists and green this and green that….but will sit in front of the school in the cue while their cars idle away. I remember the days when we had to walk at least a quarter mile to the bus stop and if you missed the bus you walked home…..that was far more environmentally sensible.
Ballotpedia reports Ms. Sarelli said this:
“As a mother of four, I’m passionate about protecting parents rights and the rights of their children from far-left progressive ideology. I will work to make sure parents’ have the right to know what’s going on in our schools. I will not give up fighting for Westport families and will speak out against people that are trying to sexualize our children by placing easily obtainable sexually explicit material in school libraries”.
Perhaps Ms. Sarelli didn’t say this. If so, I look forward to her correction or retraction.
Ms. Sarelli has been defeated in three elections now—including the one for the seat she will now apparently occupy—but here we are. As I understand it, the other three members of the RTM in District 6 are set to vote on Monday and officially welcome Ms. Sarelli to the fold (she’s already listed as an RTM rep on the town website). The last thing the RTM needs is another right-winger who supports fringe ideas—especially someone rejected by voters the last three times.
It’s a Zoom meeting at 2 p.m. The link is on the town website.
Huh. She lost, but somehow is occupying the very seat she lost. That’s some kind of election of sleight of hand, isn’t it? Based on her statements, I’d be of a mind to keep a close watch on her activities.
She is a nice lady, have no fear she will be great!!!
Good to hear she’s “nice”. However, I don’t find banning books and fabricating stories about people trying to “sexualize children” so you can control how others should think and how they should behave to be particularly nice.
If the content is porn, yes we ban pornography in schools. But anyway cant you have a difference of opinion with a nice person? Or is everyone you disagree with just bad? Have an open mind bro
I can, and do. But no one is trying to get pornography into schools. That, is simply a fabricated story, intended to incite irrational fear and weaponized to continue the war on LGBTQ kids. I’m sure Ms. Sarelli is personally nice, but that doesn’t excuse her war on these kids.
There is no war on LGBTQ kids in Westport. And be sure, the definition of pornography is debatable. If everybody on the rtm had the same view there would be no point. No, Im sorry, what is educational sex talk for one parent sounds like porn to another. Its a healthy debate. At what age is another debate. Also, children are individuals. You cant lump them into lgbtq, each child has individual feelings. I know that this parent has nothing but love in her heart for Westport and all the children. Some of those books sounded like smut to me. But hey, Im prudish. I went through my sexual experimental phase. I wont go into details here. But belive me, ive been around the block, if you get my meaning. But if i had a daughter at Staples i wouldnt want her reading some of that stuff. College is more apropo. I spent a lot of time reading those books, turning those pages, night after night. But im a mature consenting adult.
The point is, its a legit debate. No one view is right when it come to sexual thoughts.