This was the scene yesterday in Norwalk, as workers dismantled the fire-damaged Fairfield Avenue I-95 overpass:
(Photo/News12 Connecticut)
Last night, massive “shears” were brought in from Long Island, to cut the metal. Work will continue all weekend.
Want to watch the ongoing operation, from the comfort of your home? Click here for this fascinating live webcam, courtesy of the state Department of Transportation.
==================================================
Just when you think you’ve seen everything … you realize you haven’t.
A driver yesterday — perhaps unhappy with the I-95-related traffic, perhaps confused, perhaps distracted, but definitely not someone you want behind the wheel — decided to create a new street, in the pedestrian alley between Don Memo and Barnes & Noble.
Employees of Walrus Alley finally stopped him.
(Hat tip and photo/Joelle Malec)
But that’s not all.
He also ran the red light right there.
And drove right past pedestrians in the crosswalk, to make that right hand turn off the Post Road into the very narrow alley.
You can’t make this stuff up.
Nor would you want to.
=================================================
The Gillespie Center and Hoskins Place men’s and women’s shelters, and the Westport Food Pantry at the same site, have temporarily closed.
Homes with Hope has embarked on a $1.2 million renovation of the Jesup Road facility.
Food pantry pick-ups can be made at the Sasco Creek Village community building (1655 Post Road East) across from Goodwill) every weekday except Wednesday, from 1 to 4 p.m.
“It’s sad,” says Homes with Hope CEO Helen McAlinden. “But the result will be happy.”
Gillespie Center and Hoskins Place: temporarily closed.
==================================================
Marc Hartog appreciated “06880”‘s recent Roundup item, noting that AEDs are back in a number of public outdoor locations.
The deputy director of Westport Emergency Medical Service adds: “PulsePoint AED is an app that shows locations of public access AED (automated external defibrillators.
“As long as the user has location permission allowed on their cellphone, it shows the location of the closest AEDs, along with a picture of the location. Clicking on the picture then adds more specific information.
“For example, if I’m near Winslow Park, it says ‘Entrance behind Westport Country Playhouse, by map and dog fountain; address 295 Post Rd East.’
“It also shows who is responsible for that AED (in this case, Norwalk Hospital EMS), along with the email address of the responsible party.
“Or if I’m around Main Street, the map shows 3 public access AEDs: 2 inside Town Hall, 1 outside at the ball field in the rear parking lot.
“The only downside is that the app only shows AEDs that have been registered with PulsePoint by the entity that owns and is responsible for it. There may well be other public access AEDs downtown, possibly within stores or restaurants, but they are not registered and do not show up.
“We strongly encourage any business with an AED to register their location.”
The AED at Winslow Park. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
==================================================
The Westport Country Playhouse’s move to a new format — with plays scheduled for October through April, rather than the summer — will generate a lot of laughs.
In a good way. The 3 shows are comedies, in what the 94-year-old theater is called a “Season of Laughter.”
Each play runs for 3 weeks. The season also includes a holiday offering and musical revue.
“The 39 Steps” (October 22-November 9) is “a fast-paced frenzy of espionage and murderous mayhem … (mixing) Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film with a juicy spy novel, and a dash of Monty Python.”
“Native Gardens” (February 18-March 8) features 2 sets of neighbors, who become “feuding enemies in a backyard battle for the ages.”
“Theatre People” (March 25-April 12) is set in 1948, as Broadway stars gather in a Newport mansion for a weekend of “romance, chaos, and misunderstandings.”
The shorter-run productions are “A Sherlock Carol” (the family holiday show by artistic director Mark Shanahan, back after last year’s sold-out run; December 17-22), and “Broadway Scores at the Playhouse,” songs from the Golden Age to recent musicals (January 23-26).
Season ticket packages for all three longer-run productions start at $68. Tickets will go on sale soon. Click here for complete season details.
PS: In other Playhouse news, a limited number of tickets remain for Bernadette Peters’ evening of songs from music masters (May 19, 7 p.m.). Click here to purchase, and for more information.
Also: A third Mike Birbiglia “Please Stop the Ride” show has been added next month. It’s June 4 (8 p.m.).
Tickets to his June 7 performance are sold out. There are only a few seats left for the second one (June 5). Click here to purchase, and for more information.
Westport Country Playhouse (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
================================================
The Westport Book Shop is going to the dogs.
Exhibitor of the month Clark Hanford is showing oil paintings featuring dogs. They are painted in 19th century style, and are presented in antique frames.
Hanford has been an artist for over 5 decades, working in painting, clothing and sculpture. Before returning to Westport in 1985, the 1962 Staples High School graduate lived, worked and studied in London for 17 years, making and selling works from his Notting Hill shop.
He has created lifelike sculptures of Marlene Dietrich, Lucille Ball, Katherine Hepburn, Liz Taylor and others, dressed in period clothing made by Clark.
Hanford’s notable clients include Burt Bacharach, Demi Moore, John Entwistle, Elton John, Debbie Reynolds and David Bowie.
A reception is set for May 15 (6 to 7:30 p.m.).
Clark Hanford, at his Westport Book Shop exhibition.
===============================================
All month long, the Mid-Fairfield County Association of Realtors is running a food drive, to benefit Person-to-Person.
Items — including especially cereal, oatmeal, hearty soups, peanut butter and jelly, protein and granola bars, bags or boxes of rice, canned fruit and vegetables, pasta and sauce, dried and canned beans, nutrition bars, coffee and tea — can be dropped off at the MFCAR office (19 Imperial Avenue, weekdays between 9:30 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.).
The month-long drive ends with a shredding event (June 1, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Colonial Green). Anyone bringing a food donation gets complimentary shredding.
To give a monetary donation to People-to-People, scan the QR code below:
==================================================
Greens Farms Garden Club members are digging in the dirt, preparing for their annual plant sale.
It’s May 18 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sherman Green, Fairfield). They’ll sell locally grown perennials, annuals and surprises.
==================================================
Is there life (besides ours) in the universe?
No one knows. But Caleb Scharf’s insights are probably far better than the rest of us.
NASA’s senior scientist for astrobiology at the Ames Research Center returns to the Westport Astronomical Society’s free online lecture series. He’ll discuss “The Search for Life in the Universe: 2024 and Beyond” on May 21 (8 p.m.; click here for Zoom; click here for YouTube livestream).
This is his third appearance at the WAS. He’ll speak specifically about research in exoplanetary science, exploration of the solar system, and upcoming plans for Mars, Titan, and the Habitable Worlds Observatory (NASA’s future space telescope).
Hello out there!
==================================================
The Joggers Club is moving to the Greens Farms train station, with “fun runs” on Saturdays starting at 8 a.m. It’s a buildup series, free to all registrants in the Fairfield Half Marathon.
The Joggers Club also runs (ho ho) Track Nights (Thursdays, 6:30 p.m., Staples High School track) and a Kids Run Club (Sundays, 4 p.m., Staples High School track; $25 per session, grades K-8).
Joggers Club memberships ($50) include a free Lululemon running shirt ($78 value), a year of free coffee and bagels after each run, plus fitness and friends.
They’re on Strava, Facebook, Instagram and www.TheJoggersClub.com.
==================================================
The Cottage is offering a prix fixe, 4-course Mother’s Day meal.
From noon to 5 p.m. next Sunday (May 12; $110 per adult, $55 per child, not including tax and tip), chef Brian Lewis rolls out the red carpet for Mom and her family.
Click here for the menu, and reservations.
==================================================
When Fantasia headlined a tribute to Clive Davis recently at Carnegie Hall, she did so with her voice — and an elegant gown.
It was designed, Essence says, by Christian Siriano, “who has built quite a name for himself in the fashion industry. The lavender long sleeve dress featured a leg slit and a black feather trim all around the gown, causing a dramatic, old Hollywood effect.”
Siriano is — in addition to being a former Project Runway winner — a Westporter. His Collective West collection is on Post Road West.
Click here for the full Essence story. (Hat tip: Danielle Teplica)
Fantasia, and her Christian Siriano gown. (Photo courtesy of Essence)
==================================================
Lift Wellness will hold a ribbon cutting for the opening of its mental health and eating disorder partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient treatment for teens and adults at their 8 Myrtle Avenue location on May 17 (11 a.m.).
The timing is appropriate: This is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Attendees can enjoy food, take a tour, and pick up swag. Click here for more information.
=================================================
Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo highlights the Longshore golf course, in full, beautiful bloom:
(Photo/June Rose Whittaker)
==================================================
And finally … Fantasia was wearing a non-Christian Siriano outfit (see story above) in this 411 million-view video.
But she still looks (and sounds) great.
(From high fashion to homeless shelters, “06880” has our town covered. This is “where Westport meets the world.” We rely on reader support. Please click here to help. Thank you!)
It looks like the bad driver has a New Jersey license plate. Maybe he was coming to town to open up a Driver’s Ed business?
If the police need a witness to the bad driving saga, my daughter was sat at the traffic light and saw the whole thing! She couldn’t believe her eyes! So dangerous. I hope the driver gets a stern warning.
Don’t think a warning is sufficient under the circumstances. Not entirely analogous – but look what havoc was wreaked by a dangerous driver on I-95….
Jersey Caddy? Careful…could be a mob dude ‼️
Tom, A “caddy” from New Joisey carries golf clubs for some rich guy.