Tonight’s (Thursday) boys basketball state tournament quarterfinal between Staples and St. Bernard has been moved to Fairfield Warde High School. Tip-off is 7 p.m.
The Wreckers — ranked #4 in Division I — are the host team, against the #5 easterners. The site was changed because Warde’s gym is larger than Staples’.
Staples and St. Bernard have developed a great rivalry. In 2023, #1 ranked St. Bernard-Uncasville topped the #7 Wreckers 63-50, in the state Division II finals at Mohegan Sun.
Earlier this year, in a non-league game, St. Bernard beat Staples 63-56 in Uncasville.
The Wreckers are betting that the third time the charm — especially at “home.”
The FCIAC champion Staples boys basketball team hope to advance in the state tournament tonight.
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Discussions about The Hamlet — the new Saugatuck project — begin Monday (March 10, 6 p.m.; Zoom).
The Planning & Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on a request for special permit/coastal site plan approval for 601, 606 and 609 Riverside Avenue, 91 and 96 Franklin Street, and 2 and 16 Railroad Place, for “a mix of non-residential, hotel and residential uses as part of an integrated site development, for property located in the General Business District/Saugatuck Marina.”
The public may observe and participate in the hearing.
Part of the land under consideration for The Hamlet at Saugatuck.
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You’ve heard of the TEAM Westport Diversity Writing Contest, open to local teenagers. And the Farmers’ Market Young Shoots photo contest, also for kids.
What about older residents?
If you’re 60 or older: You’re in luck.
The Westport Library, the Westport Center for Senior Activities, and Meryl Moss Media Group have just announced the first-ever Jackie Robinson Essay Contest.
Organized by the Library’s Common Ground Initiative, it invites submissions (800 words or less) based on this prompt: “Jackie Robinson stands as an icon of equality and civil rights. What does that say about the power of his legacy, of the place of sports in our culture, and about our modern-day society?”
Click here to submit essays. The deadline is March 24. A panel will choose the winners, to be announced on April 15 — Jackie Robinson Day.
Winners will receive Jackie Robinson memorabilia, a chance to be featured by the Jackie Robinson Museum, and tickets to a New York Mets game at Citi Field — home to the Jackie Robinson Rotunda.
Jackie Robinson. He was a longtime resident of Stamford.
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Earthplace continues to have a full calendar, for children, adults and families. They include:
- Garden Planting & Seed Starting (tonight, March 6, 6 p.m., $35)
- Family Campfire: Spring Equinox (March 22, 1 p.m.; member family $30, non-member $40)
- Rain Gardens 101 (March 20, 7 p.m.; free)
- Parents’ Night Out (March 28, 6 p.m.; member child $50, non-member $60)
- New drop-off programs for kids
- Vacation days and summer camp.
Click here for details.
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If you wonder what lies beneath your property or under your floorboards, check out “Hidden History in Your Backyard.”
The Weston History & Culture Center hosts Instagram-famous Maryclare Roos for a March 30 presentation (3 p.m.; $5).
It’s followed by a wine and cheese closing reception of the exhibit, “Weston…What Lies Beneath.” The show features many treasures excavated by Roos on her antique property. Click here for more details.
Maryclare Roos
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Human rights attorney Brooke Goldstein — founder and executive director of The Lawfare Project — is the special guest at a March 27 fundraiser (6:30 p.m., private home).
Called “An Evening of Impact to #EndJewHatred,” it benefits that Lawfare Project program of the same name.
Yale University student Sahar Tartak will be there too, discussing a recent antisemitic attack she experienced, and how The Lawfare Project is fighting to protect her and the rights of Jewish students across the country.
Click here for tickets, and more information.
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Donna Disch dished on her role as Westport poet laureate, at Tuesday’s Westport Rotary Club lunch meeting.
She described initiatives like the poetry box on Soundview Drive (there’s a new poem every day), and a weekly poetry workshop. \
“If I didn’t have poetry, I’d feel quite hemmed in,” Disch said. “Poetry offers a focus, a refuge, a respite. It gives me a great deal of contentment.” She encouraged Rotarians to open their minds to the benefits of verse.
The laureate also read poems by Homer Winslow, Wendell Berry, Robert Frost and others.
Donna Disch, at the Westport Rotary Club meeting. Her poetry box is on the slide in the background. (Hat tip and photo/Dave Matlow)
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The Stradivarius Chamber Orchestra — a Staples High School elite musical ensemble — entertained the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston at Saugatuck Congregational Church on Tuesday. The concert was arranged by the Y’s Men Classical Music Society.
Carrie Mascaro conducts the group. The program included music by Mozart, Telemann, Copland, Joplin and others.
Stradivarius Chamber Orchestra, at Saugatuck Church. (Hat tip and photo/Dave Matlow)
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Coming soon to Westport: Everything But Water.
The women’s swimwear and resort wear retailer will move into Elm & Main (formerly called Brooks Corner) downtown.
Everything But Water has been in business for over 35 years. They currently operate over 85 stores across the United States. The closest location now is in Greenwich.
“One piece wonder,” from Everything But Water.
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State Senator Tony Hwang delivered the invocation at Tuesday’s Representative Town Meeting session.
He said “we are better together,” and expressed the importance of community involvement and public service.
State Senator Tony Hwang (right) and RTM moderator Jeff Wieser, before Tuesday’s meeting. (Photo/Jimmy Izzo)
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Coleytown Middle School’s Company is hard at work on their spring production.
“Matilda The Musical” — inspired by the beloved Roald Dahl novel — runs for 4 performances, April 4-6.
Coleytown Company promises “colorful characters, rousing songs, and an inspiring storyline.” The show will entertain audiences of all ages — especially elementary school, with its “relatable and magical” story.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow (March 7). Click here to order, and for more information.
Coleytown Company presents “Matilda The Musical.”
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Westport native and 1961 Staples High School graduate Jonathan Jaeger died peacefully on Tuesday, at the VA Hospital in West Haven. He was 81, and had been in failing health for several months. He was very grateful for the wonderful care and heartfelt attention he received from excellent doctors and nurses there.
Jon attended Greens Farms Elementary and Assumption Schools before Staples. After graduation he joined the Air Force. He served from 1961 to 1965 in New Jersey and Newfoundland.
Jon then spent 8 years working at Norden Systems in Norwalk. In 1973 he joined his father Andre in the family business, Greens Farms Cut Flower Exchange. In 1981 Jon and his sister Sara bought it from their father, and operated it for the next 28 years. They sold their business and Hyde Lane greenhouses in 2003, and moved to a new location in Norwalk. With changes in the sourcing of wholesale flowers, they closed it in 2009.
Jon loved everything about flowers. He was a passionate gardener, and he enjoyed the fascinating people he met through business.
After retirement, Jon continued to work with East Coast Wholesale Flowers of
Norwalk and at the Fort Hill Farmer’s Market Stand, until shortly before his death.
He is survived by 3 of his 8 siblings: Rene of Woodinville, Washington; Sara of Fairfield, and Jalna of Norwalk.
Jnathan Jaeger
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During the pandemic, many Westporters discovered the beauty of Sherwood Island State Park.
It continues to draw plenty of residents every day — all year long.
Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo shows one of many intriguing scenes, at this jewel in the heart of our shoreline.
(Photo/Molly Alger)
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And finally … in honor of Westport’s first-ever Jackie Robinson Essay Contest (story above):
(Politics, religion, the Library, poetry, music, the environment, seniors … just another Roundup, jam-packed with info you can use. Please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)
Jew Hatred. For anyone interested in the history of anti semitism please research The Barcelona Disputation 1263.
I was mailed a magazine in this week called “Saugatuck.” The cover was a black & white aerial photo of a rower. It was full of pretty pictures, local ads, etc. Its main focus appears to be an ad for The Hamlet at Saugatuck, along with a history of the neighborhood. Anyone else hear of this?
That apparently promotional material probably was mailed to everyone in town. (If you really like those large dense buildings I’ve got a bridge to sell you…and if you don’t know the old saying about a bridge for sale look it up.) Those buildings are massive, dense, far too much. Do we really want to resemble Stamford or just as bad, the way parts of Norwalk looks with all that building going on in the downtown area? There are ways to build to fit the environment and tenor of a location. We have local talented architects who could design an uplifting suitable facelift for that part of Saugatuck in keeping with our town’s history and charm.
Jackie Robinson learned respect as a US ARMY Armor Officer. He remained an officer and gentleman throughout his career. 🇺🇸🇺🇸
Tom: unfortunately respect was not exactly a two-way street in the military at the time Jackie served. I’m assuming you know about the court-martial Jackie faced. Here is a link to a detailed description: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/was-jackie-robinson-court-martialed/
watch the movie The Six Triple eight. it is a historical event about the USA military and how black women were treated.
A Black WWII veteran voted in Georgia in 1946.
He was lynched for it.Google Maceo Snipes.
Thanks Fred…interesting story. I’ve served in all positions of a Special Courts Martial and they usually get it right 🇺🇸
I have two comments here. The first is I met Jackie Robinson! The second comment I have is that I’m absolutely saddened that Jon Jaeger died. I popped in to see him a year ago or so and it happened to have been two days after his sister, Maryann died. I even have a picture with him in his driveway. My father knew his father (Andre) back in 1941 when they used to make wine together! I’ve known Jon since the mid 1950s.
watch the movie The Six Triple Eight Tom.
Re: The Hamlet, this project is way way too dense and too high for Saugatuck. It belongs in Stamford. With the exception of some local investors, I can’t believe that anyone local is in favor of this nightmare.
https://www.saugatuckmag.com
found this with a google search
Janine..Thanks for that link. People need to check it out. I swear the streets will never see sunlight again. This project is totally out of whack..
Dave – You are spot on. These sentiments were at the heart of our group’s (The Saugatuck Sensible Zoning Committee) efforts two years ago to convince the RTM to overturn the P&Z’s rezoning of Saugatuck. While the latest preliminary designs are a modest improvement over what Roan unveiled in 2022, the scope and scale of this project remain out of whack with what a reimagining of this neighborhood can and should be.
Hamlet has no place there, doesn’t pass a basic sniff test. Flood prone area. Already too much traffic. Horrible. Not good for Westport. Only good to line developers pockets.
As an old former Westporter, I should know the answer to the following question, but don’t. My question is, “What is the origin of the Staples High School team[s] name[s] ‘Wreckers'”? It’s been around since at least the 1940s, and has always seemed odd to me.
In the 1930s, the Staples football team beat Norwalk, which had been undefeated — and “wrecked” their season. True story!
Add a larger gym – field house to the spending menu ‼️💰
Many thanks, Dan.