At 6 a.m., the first spots were already reserved for tonight’s fireworks.
(Photo/Pam Kesselman)
This was the scene at 6:30:
(Photo/Jonathan Alloy)
At 6:40, there was this:
(Photo/Susie Kowalsky)
Ghost encampments will continue to sprout all morning long.
Some will be normal, considerate-of-neighbor-sized. Others will be the Compo Beach equivalent of McMansions.
The upside: The trend of setting up for a party ahead of time has lessened the traffic trying to enter the beach the moment it opens to ticket-holders, at around 4:30 or 5.
NOTE: As of 7:30 a.m., only 15 tickets for tonight’s show remained. They’re being sold today at police headquarters on Jesup Road only.
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Nearly 2 years ago, “06880” broke the news that Sweetgreen was coming to Westport.
Organic Krush — the property they were replacing — vociferously said “not true!”
It was. But it took 2 years for it to happen.
The sign is now up. The targeted opening date is the end of this month.
(Photo courtesy of WestportMoms)
As “06880” reported in early June — and WestportMoms alluded to yesterday, in the Sweetgreen announcement — Just Salad is likely to replace Salsa Fresca “before the end of the year.”
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Brooks Corner — the 23,945-square foot retail and office complex in the heart of downtown Westport — has been sold.
ARC — a Concord, Massachusetts-based real estate acquisition, development and management firm — bought the property from Westfair Inc., the Brooks family company.
The purchase price was $12,750,000.
Brooks Corner is anchored by Brooks Brothers (no relation to the family that built it), and Lux Bond & Green.
Brooks Corner
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There was no wind, rain or any other precipitating factor.
But a large tree fell just before 9 a.m. yesterday on Easton Road, near Coleytown Elementary School.
Branches hit a car driving past. The driver veered into a stone wall. There were no reported injuries.
More than 50 Eversource customers lost power.
(Photo/Mark Mathias)
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The Residence at Westport is a senior living community.
But they’ve adopted our town’s youngsters as a cause.
From now through August 31, they’re collecting backpacks and school supplies, to support students in need.
Items can be dropped off in the lobby. The Residence is at 1141 Post Road East, opposite Greens Farms Elementary School.
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Westport Rotary Club outgoing president Kenny Epstein passed the gavel to new president Goldie James at the annual traditional dinner on Friday, at Ned Dimes Marina.
Over 70 members ate lobsters, watched the new board sworn in, and enjoyed awards and gifts, as Rotary rang in its 101st year.
Kenny Epstein passes the gavel to Goldie James. (Photo/Dave Matlow)
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Ewen Rainer grew up in New Jersey. Jennifer Leigh is from the Branford area. They now live in Charleston, South Carolina.
They planned a religious wedding in Italy. But they wanted a civil one in the US, before heading overseas.
What better place than Westport?
But where? And who would perform it?
They got a list of justices of the peace from Town Hall. They chose Andrew Colabella, based on his close associations with Westport.
In May, the Representative Town Meeting member performed the ceremony on Veterans Green. A dinner, with family members who could not travel overseas, followed at Saugatuck Rowing Club.
The couple is back in the States. They’ve got great memories of Italy — and Westport.
Justice of the peace Andrew Colabella (left), with Ewen Rainer and Jennifer Leigh.
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Wondering how space environments threaten exoplanet habitability?
Dr. Ofer Cohen — an associate professor at the University of Massaschusetts -Lowell Center for Space Science & Technology — answers that question July 16 (8 p.m.), in a free Westport Astronomical Society webinar.
Click here for the Zoom link. Click here to watch on YouTube.
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The other day, Michele Sorensen spotted a monarch butterfly landing on leaves of flowering milkweed. It found one tiny egg.
“They usually lay only one at a time, often on the bottom of a leaf, which this one is,” Michele says.
She sends along this fascinating “Westport … Naturally” photo.
(Photo/Michele Sorensen)
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And finally … in honor of Ewen Rainer and Jessica Leigh’s wedding:
(“06880” is your hyper-local blog. We rely on reader support for all we do. To make a tax-deductible contribution, please click here. Thank you!)
The yearly ritual of “beach reservation” for the fireworks is hilarious and so representative of “Westport Entitlement Syndrome”. It’s one thing to set up a chair or 2 but to block off entire sections of beach for the entire day for selfish convenience is absolutely ridiculous. What about the folks that want to use the beach during the day? Or is it beyond the capacity of these folks to be considerate of others? it is a great point that this phenomenon probably reduces a bit of traffic during the run up to the event but what a self-serving excuse for inconsideration that is! The Town requires people to vacate the beach by 4PM so they can insure only folks with beach emblems are allowed for the show. Why can’t that include personal property as well? If once or twice parks employees removed all the offending placeholder equipment and stacked it off to the side you’d see how quickly this un-neighborly practice would cease. Alas, after 20+ years I doubt I’ll ever see it. Of course it’s always been apparent to me that the fireworks should be at Sherwood Island if we were only interested in the most convenient venue for everyone instead of the beach residents. The couple of times at Sherwood there was room for everyone (and then some), it was a pleasure getting in and out with basically no traffic at all. Overall much more relaxed and pleasant. Oh, to dream. Happy 4th! Happy birthday America; still the greatest country on earth.
Here we go again, the yearly whine fest from people that assume everybody that doesn’t behave like them is somehow an entitled interloper with no sense of community mindfulness. I’m not going this year, but can’t help but feel compelled to share a few observations:
– it’s a Tuesday ahead of what is going to be a long weekend. There are NOT going to be hordes of people trying to enjoy the beach such that any of these set ups are going to prevent them from doing so. In fact, because of Westport’s decision to schedule away from busy weekend days, this is never an issue
– also because it’s aTuesday, the world around us is in full swing, with parents working and kids in camp; preventing people from setting up early would only create more chaos for a major part of our community that don’t have the luxury of sauntering over later in the afternoon
– If you doubt the community spirit of the groups that set up early, come back in the late afternoon. The best of Westport is on display when the beach is full, and I’ve never heard a single story of people fighting over territory or crossing boundaries, or anything else. Instead, it’s sharing drinks and snacks, catching up, making new friends, and appreciating how lucky we are to live in this town
Oh, and if you are able to make it down to the beach in some capacity during the day today, I’d recommend spending less time to worry about what other people are doing and more time grateful that life has afforded you the ability to do that. Thats certainly my plan when I head over for a run and quick dip later this morning.
Happens every year. Unfortunate some in the town feel compelled to “stake out” spots – especially those who chose to drop 20+ chairs in a mega circle as pictured by Dan. Wouldn’t mind it so much if a few people from that group actually stayed there and used the space vs. returning at 3-4pm and expecting everything to be just so while everyone else (including those working early morning shifts) schleps their gear down in the afternoon with the intent of staying there for the duration. It’s selfish and inconsiderate. And sure, those same people will undoubtedly share a beer or a snack with others later in the day. Still doesn’t make it any better.
Staking out large tracts of the beach, hours in advance of, you know, actually occupying that space, appears to meet the letter of the law given that feckless Westport appears to have no rules about it, but it certainly reeks of disregard for your fellow citizens who have every right to use that same unused space. The beach belongs to everyone, not just those who don’t care about anyone else and feel entitled to make up their own rules. That is, as long as their “new rules” benefit them. Everyone else can pound sand.
“All through the day, I me, mine, I me mine, I me, mine”.
Have a lovely 4th everyone!
I am 72 yrs old and have lived in this area all my life . For years we lived in Westport. We had to move away briefly w our family for jobs. When we returned we decided we did not want to raise our young family in Westport ( which had always been our favorite town, with Compo Beach, The Remarkable Book Shop, Fine Arts Theaters, Ships , a wonderful community-) We could do without the businesses that had left. Things change. But today, the level of aggressiveness and competitiveness required to do simple things ( take your kids to the fireworks for example ) ( go to a library book group for toddlers ) was so aggressive and impossible. This business of people staking out their real estate on Compo at 6 am ? It is not a communal feeling anymore. We love Westport. But I think we may be being nostalgic.