An aerial photo posted yesterday, showing the proposed site for a new Parks & Recreation Department maintenance shed at Longshore, missed the mark.
The actual possible location — on Old Cuttings Lane, near the golf course’s 12th green, not far from the exit road — is shown below.
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Nearly every Westporter knows someone in Los Angeles.
Friends, relatives, colleagues … it’s almost impossible to live here, and not have some ties there.
Staples High School 2016 graduate Eliza Donovan lives in LA.
She sent this yesterday …
(Photo/Eliza Donovan)
… and reports: “I like sitting outside for lunch, but ash is falling all the way over here, at the USC-Keck Medical Campus.”
She was not evacuated. However, she was surrounded by 3 fires.
If you have any LA fire stories to tell — or would like to request help for someone there — please email 06880blog@gmail.com.
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The next Board of Education Policy Committee meeting is Wednesday (January 15, 9 a.m., Town Hall auditorium).
The agenda includes the second discussion of a possible new civility policy; the second reading of possible revisions to the existing policy for evaluation, termination and non-renewal of coaches; and the first reading of possible revisions to existing polices about student discipline, suicide prevention and intervention, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and non-discrimination.
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Local theatergoers remember Colin Konstanty from the Staples High School stage.
On Monday (January 13, 7 p.m.), the former Staples Player cast member and 2022 graduate is on stage again.
This time it’s at the Westport Country Playhouse, in a Script in Hand play reading.
“How the World Began” probes the conflict between divine creation and evolution, and its effect on a small Kansas town torn apart by a tornado.
After Staples, Konstanty — now a student at NYU Tisch School of the Arts — has appeared off-Broadway, and on Disney+.
Tickets are $30. To purchase, and for more information, click here.
Colin Konstanty
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Early yesterday morning, the Westport Fire Department responded to a call about a deer stuck in the Saugatuck River ice, near the Post Road.
Rescue Company members in cold water suits entered the river, and removed the deer. It soon walked under its own power into the woods.
Fire officials note: “Residents should never attempt to rescue an animal or person from icy waters themselves. Entering the water without proper training or equipment can result in serious injury or loss of life. Instead, call 911 or the Fire Department to ensure a safe and professional rescue.”
(Photo courtesy of Westport Fire Department)
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The arts are thriving in Westport.
And “06880” is proud to partner with the Drew Friedman Community Arts Center to help the next generation of artists develop their talents.
To the tune of $5,000 worth of scholarships.
The grants will go to current high school seniors with financial need who want to pursue an arts education at any level — university, community college or an arts school. All Westport 12th graders are eligible, no matter where they currently attend school.
The DFCAC is funding the scholarships. It was founded by Friedman — the downtown property owner, restauranteur (Onion Alley, Cobb’s Mill Inn, Stonehenge Inn) and philanthropist whose first wife Bobbie was an accomplished artist.
The Drew Friedman Community Arts Center also sponsors workshops and projects for students. The center is administered by Nick Visconti, Friedman’s longtime business partner.
To apply, students who currently participate in art classes or art activities should send up to 8 digital images (JPEGs) of their work. It can be any medium — photography, painting, sculpture, drawing, digital art, or other.
Applicants should also submit a statement of up to 300 words describing the value of art in their life, and the world at large.
Send images and the statement (or any questions) to info@DrewFriedmanCommunityArtsCenter.org (subject line: “2025 Scholarship”). The deadline is February 28.
Drew Friedman Community Arts Center representatives Miggs Burroughs and Nick Visconti (far right) and then-1st Selectman Jim Marpe congratulate previous arts scholarship winners.
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A reader writes: “On Tuesday, the Westport Representative Town Meeting approved roughly $1.5 million for a new floor for the Staples fieldhouse.
“Prior to the vote, a concerned RTM member told the participants that the new floor would be coated with PFAS (synthetic chemicals resistant to heat, water, oil and grease).
“It’s unclear if those responsible for awarding the floor contract knew this, but it appeared this was new info to most or all RTM members.
“After revealing this info, several other RTM members reinforced their colleague’s concern.
“After these concerns were raised, 32 members voted to approve the funding; 2 abstained. The view seemed to be that the urgency of installing a new floor should take priority over the toxicity the flooring would create.
“Given the massive litigation surrounding the manufacturers of PFAS, it seems shocking that town officials would knowingly approve toxic flooring for use by children for the next 25-30 years without considering the liability implications.
“Both 3M and DuPont have settled for billions already. More litigation is ongoing.
“I hope a quick solution can be found to replace the proposed flooring with a safer alternative. This should be a red flag to us all that Westport needs to tighten up its supply chain review process to include products that have been proven to be toxic.”
The Staples High School fieldhouse.
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The Westport Library is many things, to many people.
It’s books, art, lectures. And — as anyone who has been to the Trefz Forum knows — it’s also about music.
Westport residents and Library fans Les and Samira Dinkin are frequent attendees, at events like VersoFest, Supper & Soul and more.
Now, they’ve shown their appreciation with a donation of musical instruments.
In honor of Les’ late brother Corey, the couple has given a vintage 1959 Silvertone hollow body guitar with the original matching Silvertone tube amplifier, plus other vintage Ampeg, Harmony, and Ibanez guitars and tube amps.
All will support Verso Studios, the Library’s music and media hub. The instruments — Corey’s favorite — will be used by visiting artists, and those recording in the studio space.
“I couldn’t think of a more fitting way to honor Corey’s legacy,” says Les, a longtime supporter of Verso Studios, Verso advisory board founding member, and VersoFest official sponsor (and amateur drummer).
“Corey was passionate about all types of music, from classical to jazz and especially the blues, as a collector, fan, and musician.”
Corey Dinkin composed what Les calls “very eclectic jazz fusion and blues compositions,” and performed at clubs like New York’s Bitter End.
“I wanted to see these instruments being appreciated and played, not sitting in a storage unit,” Les says.
Senator Richard Blumenthal fondly calls the Westport Library “the noisiest Library in Connecticut, if not the country.”
To learn more about Verso Studios’ capabilities, gear and services, click here. The Library also has music and media equipment available through its Library of Things.
From left: Les and Samira Dinkin, Verso Studios’ Travis Bell, Westport Library director Bill Harmer, with part of the Dinkins’ musical instruments donation.
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If you’re looking for a “Westport … Naturally” image that encapsulates winter in Westport, you’ve come to the right place.
Here’s the Saugatuck River yesterday:
(Photo/Leigh Gage)
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And finally … on this date in 1878, Senator A.A. Sargent of California introduced an amendment to Congress that would grant women the right to vote. It took a mere 42 years, but the amendment was ratified by Congress in 1920.
(There are no gender — or age, or residency) — restrictions on who can donate to “06880.” Just click here, to register your support for your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)
It’s criminal that our RTM fails repeatedly—and with apparent relish—to ignore the science behind toxic playing fields and field-house floor coverings. Instead of looking ahead and protecting kids (to say nothing of protecting the town from liability), a carefree majority of mansplainers and ostriches always seems to be in a hurry to get home. Thanks to the few on the RTM who think that huffing, puffing kids thudding around on top of carcinogens just might be a bad idea.
if these Board of Ed meetings are open to the public, and discuss relevant school issues, there should be a zoom so residents can listen in maybe, or a format for those to call in from their dayjobs, unless find a time maybe 7pm at night for 1 or 2 big annual or semi-annual discussions. We need a proper town conversation on many updated facilities. There is no forum to do so, and it seems that there is a lot of feet dragging on anything getting done in reasonable amounts of time.
Is the new PFAS field house floor a “done deal,” or is it still up for discussion? I certainly hope the RTM will take a minute to do thorough research on this topic and reconsider its decision. PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” as they are known for, are highly toxic. I’m not an expert on this topic, but with my limited knowledge about PFAS, you do not want it near kids.
40 years of going to Longshore and have never heard the name Old Cuttings Lane before. Anyone know where that name came from?
And what about Alvord Beach? State Route 476 in Westport?
State Route 476 is the Sherwood Isl.. Connector. Alvord Beach is Sherwood Isl. State Park. Or at least the “east beach” there. But I just learned that..
Dave, you are good! You must have lived here a while … (or read “06880”).
Wisconsin was the first state to give women the vote, and had a female representative, Jeanette Rankin, who served in two nonconsecutive terms. During her first term she was the only house member to vote against our entry into WWI, and during her second term she was the only house member to vote against our entry into WWII.
John, I think Wyoming was the first state to give woment the vote. They call themselves “The Equality State.” And Jeanette Rankin was from Montana.
Yep, Rankin was the first woman to hold federal office as she was elected to Congress from Montana in 1916 (before women could vote) and then again in 1940.