Good news for employees: More all-day parking has been added downtown.
Since May 1 — when 3-hour parking enforcement began — officials have monitored the lots. Parker Harding Plaza has seen “a significant increase” in available spaces.
Meanwhile, all-day spaces in the Baldwin lot (off Elm Street) have been heavily utilized — but some 3-hour spaces were vacant, especially in the morning and early afternoon.
The Selectwoman’s office and Police Department will now convert 18 3-hour spaces in the Baldwin lot to all-day spots.
In addition, 25 spaces in the Jesup Road North lot (next to the Gillespie Center, near the police station) will be converted to all-day too.
For more information about parking, and a map that includes space count and locations for timed and all-day parking, click here.
Baldwin parking lot (tan), on Elm Street. Brooks Corner is the white building to its left.
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As “06880” reported yesterday, Tim Romano was not pleased that several Trump signs were knocked over, on the grass in front of Longshore.
On Wednesday night, he took matters into his own hands — literally.
Around 6 p.m. a passerby saw him, near his Trump-festooned golf cart, hammering at least 6 signs in the same area. He dug holes, then used 2x4s glued together to secure them in the ground. The resident — who contacted “06880” — hopes he will fill in the holes, once the the election is over.
(Photo/Tony Litman)
Another reader saw the signs later, and wrote to “06880”: “It can’t be legal to put up permanent campaign signs.”
It may be.
Under “Temporary Signs,” Westport’s Planning & Zoning regulations allow “Signs for political purposes.”
That’s it.
Only 4 more days …
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Speaking of politics: Republicans have charged that illegal aliens are voting in presidential election.
They’ve said that immigrants eat dogs.
Neither of those allegations is true.
But what is true is that here in Westport, dogs vote.
Want proof?
(Photo/Cat Malkin)
PS: Early voting runs through Sunday, November 3, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium.
Voting on Election Day (Tuesday, November 5), is from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., at regular polling places. Click here to view a district map.
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Yesterday marked the 11th anniversary of Andrew Accardi’s death. The 2011 Staples High School graduate and golf team member lost a 15-year battle against neuroblastoma. He was 20 years old.
Andrew’s family, and his many friends from Staples and Villanova University remember him lovingly. And, more than a decade later, they are honoring his memory generously.
On Wendnesday, “Andrew’s Army” presented a $90,000 check to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
The funds — raised by Andrew’s Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, friend and family — come from events like an annual golf outing.
In the front row of the photo below are (from left) Dr. John Maris, professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital, and a University of Pennsylvania professor; Professor and lab director Dr. Yale Mosse, and Dr. Frank Accardi, Andrew’s father.
The young people behind them are brilliant doctors and technicians at the Maris lab in the Colket Translational Research Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Dr. Accardi says that Dr. Maris “has more awards, and has contributed more than anyone perhaps in the world, to the study of and therapies for neuroblastoma.
“More importantly, he is the most sympathetic, compassionate physician I have ever known. He treated Andrew as if he were his own son.”
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The Westport Country Playhouse has a 93-year tradition of presenting top-notch plays and musicals. This year they’ve added concerts, cabarets, one-person shows, and much more.
Next up: tours of the historic theater.
They’re available by reservation on Fridays and Saturdays (10:30 a.m. to noon), November 15-16, December 13-14, January 17-18, and February 7-8. Each is limited to 25 people.
Guided by Playhouse archivist Bruce Miller, participants will learn how the past has been preserved since 1931, and how state-of-the-art technology has been introduced.
Attendees will explore backstage, the greenroom, dressing rooms, scene shop, wardrobe room, posters, photos, costume designs and set models. They’ll stand on the same stage as Gene Wilder, James Earl Jones, Jane Fonda, Eartha Kitt, Paul Newman, Kelli O’Hara, Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald.
Along the way Miller tell stories, including how the WCP helped inspire Oklahoma!” and “My Fair Lady.”
There is no fee for the tour, but donations are encouraged. Click here for reservations, and more information
Westport Country Playhouse (Photo/Wells Studio)
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Westport’s first responders have returned from North Carolina. They deployed there to help victims of Hurricane Helene.
On Wednesday, 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, emergency management director Nick Marsan (far left and far right) and Police Chief Foti Koskinas (2nd from left) awarded certificates to (left to right) officer Gregory Gunter, tirefighter Michael Durette, Deputy Chief Matthew Cohen, firefighter Patrick Dailey and dispatcher Devin Mulligan.
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A PS to the story of Ben Casparius’ World Series championship:
After the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their victory Tuesday, they had time for friends who watched them win the final game.
For Casparius — the pitcher called up from the minor leagues only in August — that group included fellow Staples High graduates, from the classes of 2016 and ’17.
They knew him from his Little League days.
It was a special moment, on the hallowed Yankee Stadium grounds, with the newest World Series champ.
But it was also just like old times.
Ben Casparius (center, in his new championship t-shirt), with (from left), college friend Kenny Campbell, and Staples buddies Nathan Panzer, Justin Seideman and Kenny Brill. Panzer is a former Wrecker teammate.
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In an age of Amazon and Yelp reviews, many people still rely on old-school Consumer Reports.
Next Thursday (November 7, 10 a.m.), the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston invited the public to an inside look at how CR delivers information.
Panelists include editorial director Ellen Kunes, communications director Barrie Rosen and chief content officer vice president Jen Schecter.
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Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between October 23 and 30.
A 25-year-old Bridgeport man was arrested for larceny, and conspiracy to commit larceny and criminal mischief, for his part in the May 9 smash-and-grab theft from Lux Bond & Green. He was held on $250,000 bond. Another suspect was arrested earlier.
A 21-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with assault and threatening, after a complaint by a co-worker. The suspect allegedly grabbed the other man by the hair and neck while driving home from work, and threatened to shoot him.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
- Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 13 citations
- Operating a motor vehicle under suspension 3
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 3
- Disorderly conduct: 1
- Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 1
- Traveling too fast for conditions: 1
- Following too closely: 1
- Failure to drive in the proper lane: 1
- Failure to yield to a pedestrian: 1
- Unsafe passing: 1
- Unsafe backing: 1
Be careful when backing up!
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Daniel Szymczak — a 1996 graduate of Staples High School — died this week. He was 46.
A writer, teacher, boat captain and worldwide adventurer, Dan climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro last year. He lived in Florida, the Virgin Islands, Texas, New Mexico, Mexico, Alaska, and most recently Maryland.
At Staples, Dan wrestled and played football. He enjoyed fishing and hunting, and loved Ernest Hemingway, the English language, and his dog Charlie.
Dan earned a BA in English from the University of Texas, and an MFA in creative writing from Texas State University.
After serving as an English lecturer at Texas State, an editor at the University of Texas and with Mc-Graw Hill Education, and a proofreader for the Texas Legislative Council, he embarked on a new career. Dan was a captain on a 205-foot offshore supply vessel; an engineer, mate and bosun on private yachts, and a deckhand with Lindblad Expeditions.
Dan is survived by his mother and step-father, Paula and Edward Barta; father and step-mother Gordon and DJ Szymczak; siblings Penny, Matt, Gregory and Stephen Szymczak, and Luke and Ben Barta; nieces and nephews Alexa, Easton, Jackson and Max Szymczak, and Hailey and Bailey Barta, and his former fiancée Faith Harty.
A memorial service will be held at a date to be determined.
Dan Szymczak
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Toda’s “Westport … Naturally” feature shows a pile of leaves, at the “leaf dump.”
Photographer Mark Mathias says, “I’m sure none of them were collected using a gas-powered leaf blower.”
(Photo/Mark Mathias)
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And finally … Happy All Saints Day!
(It’s a longtime All Saints Day tradition: show your support for your hyper-local blog with a tax-deductible donation. Just click here. And thank you!)
The handful of Trump cultists in town are getting more and more deranged. The town should promptly remove the permanent structures he’s placed on their property and bill him for the cost. Otherwise, we’re risking setting a dangerous precedent.
I totally agree. Let’s meet at midnight, howl at the moon (in non-partisan unison) and replace it with a Harris/Walz sign. We can then bicker over who gets featured in the following week’s “Unsung Heroes” feature on 06880. I nominate you for the honor. As Reagan said: “You can get away with anything if you don’t care about get the credit.”
In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Trump called for Liz Cheney to be executed by nine gunshots to her face. So she is added to the list along with General Milley. His internal polling must show him losing because he’s getting more deranged! Also, he looked like a feeble old man trying to climb in to that garbage truck. Google the video! He’s an old, senile person who hopefully will end up in prison!
Jack, can you reference that Tucker Carlson interview with Trump for everyone to see with a link.
i saw it. it’s easy to find. I’m not capable enough of posting the link.
It happened last night. Go to Drudge, top headline. https://x.com/atrupar/status/1852209432878342308
Jack your statements are totally inaccurate. But rave on‼️🤣🇺🇸
My work has taken me to NY, IL, MN, OR, CA, NV, OK and FL in the past 3 months. Suffice it say, very very different views and vibes across the country when it comes to the Presidential race. Also makes me appreciate just how much of a bubble some in Westport truly live. Not meant as a knock, but hard to gain a well-rounded perspective when you live in a fairly homogenous, small town with a serious groupthink dynamic (perhaps just those posting on 06880?) and if you don’t get out of the NYC metro area often. This election could make the Florida recount of 2000 look like a walk in the park!
I guess other parts of the USA like removing woman’s rights? enjoy racist remarks like hatians eating dogs. ?enjoy anti science propaganda from RFK and Aaron Rodgers? and agree if your rich and famous you can grab woman by the P ? if you have a wife or daughter ask them how they feel about a man mentoring a younger man on the JOB about grabbing woman by the p. I guess racism and anti science and conspiracy theory and sexual liability accountability are all accepted behaviors. ?
Lighten up Francis! Just sharing a perspective from traveling around the US recently. Not intended to trigger you.
Trump really lives rent free in your head. Time to take up meditation and control breathing exercise.
Please stop picking on Mark. Trump is living rent-free in many people’s heads. There is nothing wrong with Mark.
For clarification, I was addressing Richard.
Ohhhh. Well in that case…..
fox the defamation network on voting machines has done an excellent job lying and cheating and skreasing false information. Trump has requested these lies for years. Many people lack the ability to fact check. Many citizens want to be fed to their emotional needs to be racist and be lame immigrants and people unlike themselves for the worlds problems. A well rounded perspective is a perspective that should be fact based. Vaccines are put through trials and data. There is oversight from the FDA who Trunp may want to abandon. Yhe USA is in deep trouble because a growing part of the population is fed lies and midibfirharin by Fox and right wing media.
But the flip side of that, and I say this as someone who grew up in the Deep South, red-state rural folk actually live in way more of a bubble than most people around here, which is why they have such oddly uninformed views of the rest of the world.
I looked up studies a couple of years ago. Roughly a quarter of Americans have never visited another country. About 50% have visited one or two (and odds are they are Mexico and/or Canada) and only the last quarter has visited three or more other countries. (And if you take out former members of the military, that would reduce the number of well-traveled Americans.)
This is why we have people in the country who rant about socialism. These people seem to think the whole of Europe is still digging out of the rubble of WWII and everyone is a next-generation pilgrim trying to get to the U.S. of A. This is why the big gap in this coming election is that “low information voters” swarm to DJT. These are people who are most gullible to outlandish claims and conspiracy theories. Preventable childhood diseases are seeing a resurgence because now dumb people think vaccinations are bad (though are own Don Imus didn’t do much to help that situation).
So we probably do have to get a handle on the idea that low-information people believe weird stuff and can swing elections, But we should also probably be careful about dignifying stupid stuff.
breaking news. Trunp said he will DePawt all dogs who vote illegally
The reason Tim Ramano has to reinstall rump signs (note, there just as many signs for Harris on town property) is that agitated democrats are taking the Trump signs down. Yesterday I posted a video of a woman (I fairly assume she’s a democrat) pulling down a Trump sign in front of Longshore (near a Harris sign). She seemed a bit deranged, actually.
Jack:
Why not fairly assume that she was a Republican who knows Trump is a LOSER ? Also, say hello to Liz for me 🙂
The supposed tolerate party in Rich white liberal Westport doesn’t allow anyone to have different views. Romano has every right to vote and support whom he likes. Glad he can control himself because if he got angry you so called white men for Harris would run like ladies.
Westport rich white liberals have become a cult. Listen to you all. I made a move to NC to raise my kids with diversity.
We have all kinds of people in my neighborhood and never the hate you entitled Rich white people have ruined the once great town.
I work in healthcare and see 100 patients a week from all races and who knows what party. All I do is to try to make Things better for them as most of them it’s the the last place they will live. Never the hate like the Dr Goldstone has against anyone that doesn’t agree with her politics. She’s a sick Marxist lady. She’s sick.
Dan Woog. You are a great guy. I’ve known you for Over 50 years.I appreciate what you do.
When I come vist I always say what a great decision we made to move. People are rude and ME ME ME.
Trump 2024. Make America great again.
You write that “white men for Harris” who fear a really angry Tim Romano “would run like ladies.” How do “ladies” run? Is it bad? It sounds bad.
No. It’s not bad. It’s good.
Jeff:
I too work in healthcare (am a board-certified neurologist) and applaud and respect that you “try to make things better” for people who may not have long to live.
That being said, I don’t know you, don’t want to know you and sincerely thank you for doing Westport a favor by relocating to NC.
I vehemently disagree with your “Westport rich white liberals” comment. I grew up in Westport and can say UNEQUIVOCALLY that there are way more selfless, charitable and incredibly generous people in this town than many other places that I’ve lived. The bulk of them haven’t ruined Westport but rather enhanced it.
What’s unappealing and really unbelievable is that there are people (apparently you and petulant Mr. Romano) that actually believe Trump has the mental acuity to govern and lead this nation. News flash – he doesn’t.
Traveler and conversationalist that I am, I endeavor to actively engage (at any time and in any place) with Trump supporters (at least those that are literate enough to cogently articulate a position) to understand why they feel he is qualified to be the President.
To wit:
“He’s a great businessperson.” No, he’s not. He’s a fraud and has numerous failed companies to prove it.
“He built a wall.” No, he didn’t. He had portions of a few existing walls repaired.
“He’ll be tough on our trade partners.” No, he won’t. Across the board tariffs are not the solution and he and foolish MAGA Republicans aren’t smart enough to understand how to craft a good economic policy.
I can keep going, Jeff, but I’d rather leave you with this:
Harris 2024. Make the World A Better Place Again.
Donald,
Thank you for reaching out via the 06880 connection. In these difficult times it is comforting to know that Westport has a board certified neurologist living in its midst. A loving and merciful God has placed you in Westport for a reason. I believe it was to be where you are most needed.
Dsn,
That’s what you call everybody. Why is the AI misspelling everybody’s name? Agricola? What is that? A new soft drink? I remember a teacher at Staples named Agricola. Nice guy. Gave me a “C”.
Hmmm; lets’ blame AI…but, really, it just my haste and being technologically challenged.
If the only instruction for political signs is ” for political purposes,” it would seem a sign supporting any politician, at any time, and for any length of time is permitted…if not specifically PROHIBITED, it is permitted.
As vile and as Hitlerian as the politician may be.
Jeff Arciola must be thrilled that the self-proclaimed “black Nazi” Mark Robison is running for governor in NC. His comments are almost always rude and devoid of facts. Pass the cheese- make America grate again.
Who cut the cheese? YOU???? You Lieutenant Weinberg??? You want Jeff on that wall. You NEED Jeff on that wall!!!
Why is the Nazi reference thrown around so loosely…..I am sure no one commenting on this blog, including myself, can even fathom what it was like to be a Victim of Nazi torture. Absolutely appalling and unhinged comments coming from people who have the privilege of living in one of the nicest communities in the US. Talking about offensive….comments like that are far more offensive than a political sign that triggers unhinged reactions.
Well, for one, DLT’s former Chief of Staff John Kelly has mentioned his admiration of the Nazi’s. Seems unhinged, doesn’t it?
Maybe you can tell us why, for instance, DJT would have ever said “Hitler did some good things, too,” or “I need the kind of generals that Hitler had.” What would possess a president to say things like this? Enlighten us.
If throwing it around loosely offends you so, you must be terribly offended by DJT.
Actually Chris…it’s offensive when anyone uses a Nazi reference.
So when you neighbors call out Trump for making Nazi references, you call them out for pointing out how inappropriate DJT’s Nazi references are. But when DJT does it himself… you’ll vote for him and not call him out.
Saying it is “offensive when anyone uses a Nazi reference” is as fatuous as saying “all lives matter.” If you don’t have the moral courage to say “Trump shouldn’t say things like that” and that there is nothing wrong with calling him out, you might as well be saying those things yourself.
Godwins Law run amok lol.
Funny, that you victimize yourself and choose one word to hang on to. Yet you are supporting someone who literally is happy to be called Sweet Potato Hitler. Shame on you. No one wants to validate you, we just feel sorry for you.
Those who know me ….know that I have a lot more than just moral courage. I seek no validation from you. Enjoy your weekend.
Anger management therapy is readily available. I highly recommend you seek help as soon as possible.
Thanks, Chris.
Do the trump folks forget that they are exposing themselves as violent, racist, sexist, abusive creatures? Do they not know that for those of us without blinders on, we can actually SEE them and the choices they make. This ends up being a matter of character at the end of the day… don’t forget who you are grazing by at Fresh Market; these are the same superficial folks that want to see you fail.
It’s unreal; in this day in age (and in Westport!) that people are so willing to see the destruction of their peers. Shame, shame, shame on them.