Monthly Archives: July 2024

One of the most dangerous intersections in Westport — Cross Highway and Bayberry Lane — just got (hopefully) quite a bit safer.

The town has installed new warning and stop signs in all 4 directions. All flash brightly. The aim is to attract the attention of drivers before they plow onward.

It’s a great start. And a great reminder to pay attention! 

You can’t see the flashing stop sign. But it sure stands out. (Hat tip and photo/Carl McNair)

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The weather was perfect. The vibe was cool.

And every seat was taken last night, at the 3 Church Lane restaurants with outdoor dining: Spotted Horse, The Blondinit and Pink Sumo.

Live music added to the fun.

Just another reason to love summer in Westport — and more proof that downtown has its mojo back.

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Sure, it’s still July.

But school will be open before we know it.

To make sure everyone has what they need, the Westport Domestic Violence Task Force is collecting supplies. They’ll go to residents of the 2 Domestic Violence Crisis Center safe houses that serve our area, and DVCC’s clients.

The Westport Rotary Club and Positive Directions are important partners. The collection begins tomorrow (July 28), and runs through August 4.

Among the new items needed: backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils, highlighters, crayons, lunch boxes, 3×3 sticky note pads, 3-ring binders, graphing calculators, and gift cards (Target, Walmart, Amazon, Staples, etc.).

Donations can be left in collection bins at the Westport Police Department (50 Jesup Road) and Positive Directions (90 Post Road West).

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Westporters know Alisyn Camerota as a CNN anchor/ correspondent.

She recently branched into memoir writing. In “Combat Love: A Story of Leaving, Longing and Searching for Home,” the Westport resident explores her teenage years in the 1980s music scenes of the Jersey Shore and New York City, along with her difficult relationship with her mother.

Soon, we’ll see “Combat Love” on film and TV screens. It’s in development by the producers of Broadway musicals like Alanis Morisette’s “Jagged Little Pill” and Green Day’s “American Idiot.” (Hat tip: David Meth)

Alisyn Camerota

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Speaking of writing: Here’s something to write home about: The Westport Writers’ Workshop is 20 years old.

The non-profit celebrates the milestone September 6, with a bash at the Saugatuck Rowing Club.

The event includes dinner, drinks, dancing to the Dylan Connor Trio, a silent auction, and tributes to important people like founder Jessica Bram and former Executive director Valerie Ann Leff.

Tickets are $150, and include an open bar. Click here, then scroll down to purchase.

Funds raised help underwrite WWW’s outreach programs that serve underrepresented populations, like the Bigelow Senior Center, Moms of Children with Disabilities, and STAR. These programs allow students to discover their voices, guided by accomplished faculty members. 

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Longshore golfers were surprised yesterday to see a cart, sporting a political message:

It looked like a Parks & Recreation Department vehicle.

But it wasn’t.

Parks & Rec officials said it belonged to a nearby resident, out for a spin.

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Michael Douglas spent his youth in Westport. (He did not graduate from Staples High School; after junior high, he was shipped off to boarding school.)

The veteran film and television actor and producer returns to the area October 22. Stamford’s Avon Theatre will present him with its Lifetime Achievement Award

Click here for tickets.

A young Michael Douglas lived on Webb Road.

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When Team Velominati sets a goal, they don’t mess around.

On August 3-4, Coastal Bridge founder and Westporter Bill Loftus will ride with the group — many of whom are local residents — across Massachusetts, in his 7th Pan-Mass Challenge, to fund cancer research at Dana-Farber in Boston.

Team Velominati’s goal: $750,000.

This year is particularly exciting. The Pan-Mass Challenge will pass $1 billion in donations over its 44-year history, making it the largest athletic fundraiser in the country.

This year, Loftus is dedicating his ride to his teammate Scott Logie, who is battling cancer.

To help Team Velominati, click here.

Dave Hazard and Bill Loftus (right) crossing the finish line at mile 192 in Provincetown during the Pan-Mass Challenge.

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“Freedom is a Feast” by Alejandro Puyana, “How to Read a Book” by Monica Wood, and “skin & bones” by Renée Watson are the 3 finalists for the 2024 Westport Prize for Literature, The $10,000 is awarded for an original work of fiction that explores issues in contemporary society.

This year’s winner will be announced next month, and honored at The Westport Library on September 21, in conjunction with StoryFest, the annual literary festival.

The recipient will also sit on a StoryFest panel. Confirmed authors for the event include Roxane Gay, Christopher Golden, Joe R. Lansdale, Claire Messud and Peng Shepherd. Click here for the full list.

Submissions for the 2024 Westport Prize for Literature were vetted by nearly 50 volunteer readers. A jury will then select the winner.

From left: Alejandro Puyana, Renée Watson, Monica Wood.

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Alice and her baby Apricot are today’s “Westport … Naturally” subjects.

They — along with baby Raisin — live at Wakeman Town Farm. The public can visit (and snuggle) with them. Click here for reservations, and more information.

(Photo/Michelle Cardello)

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And finally … on this date in 1890, Vincent van Gogh shot himself. He died 2 days later.

(Van Gogh cannot contribute to “06880.” But you can! Please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Dank u wel!)