The weather this month has been spectacular: blue skies, warm temperatures, no rain. What’s not to like?
Well, the risk of brush fires.
A strict ban on open burning includes all recreational fire pits, chimineas and campfires.
Be careful out there!
Chimineas are included in the open burning ban.
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A local website reported yesterday on a letter sent to the town by the Westport Woman’s Club attorney. At issue was the Imperial Avenue parking lot, which — the attorney noted — belongs to the WWC “in perpetuity,” according to 1956 and 1968 agreements.
The Imperial Avenue lot has been mentioned as a possible site for renovation, as part of a new downtown parking plan.
The website story was illustrated with a photo of the large, paved lot — the site of the Farmer’s Market every Thursday, the former Remarkable Theater drive-in, where savvy Levitt Pavilion-goers park to make quick post-show exits, and school bus drivers hang out between runs — along with the smaller dirt lot, where the Yankee Doodle Fair is held every June.
However, that lower dirt parking area is the only one that the 2 agreements cover.
The Imperial Avenue parking lot (red balloon) is owned by the town. The smaller lot to its right belongs to the Westport Woman’s Club; their building is directly to its north. (Hat tip: Gloria Gouveia)
“06880” reached out to Department of Public Works director Peter Ratkiewich for clarification.
He said, “When we speak of redesign, and reconnecting the riverfront, we are specifically referring to the upper lot and its perimeter. We are not contemplating doing anything with the lower lot other than to maintain the status quo.”
The Yankee Doodle Fair takes place on the lower Westport Woman’s Club parking lot.
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Sure, it’s the off-season. Compo Beach is less crowded than in mid-summer.
But that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want there.
Check out this entitled driver.
Is he harming anyone?
Not really. There are enough parking spaces to go around.
But why does he (and you know it’s a guy) have to send a message to everyone else that the rules don’t apply to him.
And the photo below answers a reader who read yesterday’s Roundup item about dogs on on the boardwalk — where they’re not allowed — and commented, “I cannot imagine why dogs harmlessly walking on a boardwalk would be a priority.”
(Photos/Linda Stein)
We await his reply.
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Yesterday’s Unsung Heroes feature gave a shout-out to the Department of Public Works crews who every year install the nearly 200 international flags for UN Day (today!) and jUNe Day, as well as the American flags that fly proudly on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge all summer long.
A couple of hours later, Bill Hass — president of the United Nations Association of Southwestern Connecticut — sent a long this great photo, of the guys who did the work this year.
Thanks again, for connecting our town — colorfully and symbolically — with the rest of the world. Happy UN Day!
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Every year, Westport kids get a jump on Halloween, at the downtown parade.
This year’s event is on Tuesday (October 29). Children (and parents) meet at the Post Road East/Main Street intersection at 3:30 p.m.
The event — geared toward youngsters 8 and under — is sponsored by the Parks & Recreation Department, Westport Downtown Association, and Westport PAL.
The parade includes trick-or-treating along Main Street, then on to Avery Place and Myrtle Avenue. It ends at Veterans Green at 4 p.m., with entertainment, refreshments and a small gift.
Seen at a previous Halloween parade.
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If you missed Tuesday’s forum, featuring candidates for Westport’s 3 General Assembly races: No problem.
The sponsoring Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce taped the Westport Library event.
Click below to see Kami Evans and Ceci Maher (State Senate, 26th District), Jonathan Steinberg and John Bolton State Representative, 136th District 136), and Peter Bang and Dominique Johnson (State Representative, 143rd District).
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Got drugs?
This Saturday (October 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Senior Center), the Westport Police Department partners with the US Drug Enforcement Administration, for the 26th annual Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
Residents are asked to look in medicine cabinets and drawers for medications that are no longer needed, or out of date. This includes tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs.
The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.
Take Back Day has removed 9,285 tons of medication from circulation since its inception.
Collection sites cannot accept illicit drugs, needles or sharps; only pills or patches.
Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container, with caps tightly sealed.
Vape pens with removable batteries can be disposed of at the take-back site. Vape pens without removable batteries are not accepted.
A year-round collection bin is available in the lobby of Westport police headquarters. Prescription drugs can be disposed of any time there. Click here for more information.
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Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between October 16 and 23.
A 19-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with burglary and larceny of a motor vehicle; conspiracy to commit those crimes, illegal transfer/purchase of a pistol or revolver; carrying a pistol without a permit; illegal possession of a firearm with an illegible serial number, and illegal possession of a large capacity magazine, following the May theft of an unlocked 2024 Audi from a driveway.
The keys were left in the vehicle, but it was equipped with tracking software. It was located parked at a Bridgeport residence that day. A ghost gun and large capacity magazine were found in the suspect’s home. He was held on a $75,000 bond.
A 30-year-old Bridgeport woman was arrested for breach of peace, following a domestic violence altercation at the Westport train station parking lot. She was held on a $10,000 bond.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
- Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 5 citations
- Failure to obey stop sign: 3
- Failure to obey traffic control signals: 3
- Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 2
- Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 2
- Failure to renew registration: 2
- Larceny: 1
- Conspiracy to commit larceny: 1
- Breach of peace: 1
- Traveling unreasonably fast: 1
- Failure to grant right of way 1
- Failure to drive right: 1
- Following too closely: 1
- Failure to renew registration: 1
- Failure to carry driver’s license: 1
Large capacity gun magazines.
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One of Mary Sikorski’s last dahlias of the season earns notice, as today’s “Westport … Naturally” featured image.
(Photo/Mary Sikorski)
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And finally … Happy UN Day!
(How will you spend UN Day? Please take a moment or two to click here, and support “06880.” We accept dollars, pounds, euros, and all other currency. Thank you!)
My comment didn’t defend people who break the rules or don’t pick up dog poop. But if you really think that policing dog poop should take priority over policing dangerous drivers – as my full comment indicated – then (unlike me) you probably didn’t damage your car this morning driving over part of a stone wall that was scattered into the middle of 136 by a Tesla who had careened through a yard at the intersection with Sturges Highway, stopping only when he or she plowed into the wall. I welcome the day when the biggest problem we have in Westport is dog poop! Due to our ineffective administration and police, that will not be anytime soon. Until then, I will continue to advocate for focusing town resources on literal lifesaving measures like pedestrian and driver safety. Those who care more about dog poop are welcome to their opinion.
Hi again and so soon-
You miss the point that towns can be multitaskers!
We don’t stoop worrying about school safety because of traffic problems! Why should we ignore rule. breakers that allow their dogs to poop where kids, old folk and strollers go on a sunny day!
No dogs on the boardwalk equals no dog poop on the boardwalk. Change the rules to dogs on the other side of the beach with parking with dogs only in the lot across the street!
Just saying- this may not be important to you but it is to a lot of other Westporters!
Learn to multitask!!
Fortunately, I’m not in town government. You can (and should!) direct your request that town officials multi-task to those who are. If the past is any guide, you will not get a response, and the conditions will persist. In the meantime, those who find themselves extremely troubled by dog poop can always pick it up themselves. Even though it is not my responsibility, when I have extra poop bags I do this. Other people being bad citizens doesn’t prevent the rest of us from being good citizens, and the latter is far more effective than complaining.
Thank you for your suggestions-
That I direct my noncomplaints to town hall (who you feel will ignore me) and then in my spare time pick up other people’s dog poop!
Your suggestions are duly noted and will probably be ignored.
(But I hope I don’t discourage your good neighborly policy of carrying extra baggies.)
On daily walks we see multiple owners allowing their dogs to run free on all parts of the beach and on the boardwalk.
I would suggest the following-
1- The town prioritize people over dogs
2- the town direct the dog owners to use the east end of Compo beach beginning at the start of the boardwalk – huge area!
3- restrict the dog owners to parking in the lot outside the gate
4- absolutely no dogs on the boardwalk, concrete walkways or beach inside the drop-off area and gate!
If this does not cure the problem of free roaming dogs and poop after an appropriate time interval- then the town should direct dog owners to use Winslow Park and restrict dog access to Compo Beach- a tragedy in the making bt owners who don’t know how to play by the rules.
No police personnel involved. A daily report from the Compo grounds keepers to Park & Rec on the state of dog poop, unleashed dogs in the restricted areas or direct resident complaints to P&C are all that are needed!
Problem solved!
I said to many people at the meeting last night at the library that if we would all just follow some of these basic rules: dog rules at the parks, picking up after your dog, not littering, parking in the assigned parking spaces, not blocking intersections while driving through yellow lights, following speed limits, following noise rules etc, all of these little items would help improve the quality of life around here for each other. We would be less irritated with each other These basic common decencies that have rules in place should be followed. Don’t you think everybody?
Dan, where is the link to watch the debate?
It’s there. If your browser prevents you from seeing it, here is the direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T_yRRpie9Y&t=1s
I learned about this new no dogs on the boardwalk rule last Sunday when we took out dog to the beach. I was told “no dogs allowed on the boardwalk”. Afterward, I got to thinking does this mean the sidewalk to the right of the pavilion as well. I assume so, and hope so, but not sure as all of the comments refer to the boardwalk only. That said, the photo in Dan’s piece shows the dog poop on the Compo Beach sidewalk, which is not only a problem at Compo, but with sidewalks throughout the town. We need to somehow ban the “bad actors”.
WESTPOOP‼️
The new name if you don’t clean up your act ‼️
Must be out of towners…Westporters are way too classy and sophisticated to leave droppings…pray tell. 😱
It’s unfortunate a small minority of irresponsible dog owners are casting such a negative light on the vast majority of responsible dog owners walking at Compo.
To share a different perspective — on nice days like we have had recently I often walk my dog on the sidewalks from one end to the other end instead of on the sand — just learned about this no boardwalk rule! — out of respect for beach goers / kids playing barefoot in the sand.
Those large capacity gun magazine laws are really working!!!