Westport is one of the few towns left in Connecticut with a Representative Town Meeting (RTM).
It’s our legislative branch. They pass budgets, enact ordinances, hear appeals, and do much more that impacts our daily lives.
You may know something about the RTM. You may know very little, or nothing at all.
This Sunday (March 23, 2 p.m., Westport Library), you can learn much more. A community conversation — with long-time RTM members, and newer ones — will cover what they do, how they do it, and why you should care.
Here are some reasons why I care about this event: The RTM is important. it’s been around for 75 years. Members are a diverse, interesting and hard-working group.
Plus, I’m the moderator on Sunday.
See you there!
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And the theme for the 2025 Memorial Day Parade float contest is … “Remember and Honor.”
Certificates will be awarded for Best Development of Theme, Best Youth Organization Float, Most Creative, Best Community Organization, Most Colorful, and Best Overall Float.
I’m going way out on a limb here, but I predict the Best Overall Float winner will be … the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston.
Just a hunch.
The Memorial Day parade begins at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 26. It runs from Saugatuck Elementary School, up Riverside Avenue, across the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge and onto Myrtle Avenue. It ends with a brief but moving ceremony at Veterans Green, across from Town Hall.
If you are new to Westport, and/or haven’t been to the parade: Mark it down on your calendar. It’s one of the best events in town.
Plus, if you have a kid involved in any activity at all, you have to go. They’re in it.
The Y’s Men ALWAYS win. This was their 2021 float. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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Looking for a way for your 6th or 7th grader to participate in March Madness — without betting?
The Westport Weston Family YMCA hosts a special event tomorrow (Friday, March 21, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.), in the gym.
Organized by junior board members, it includes basketball games, pizza, and a fun, social atmosphere.
Games are 3-v-3. Register with your onw team (limit: one travel player per team!), or sign up individually to be placed on a team. Entry fee is $25 for Y members and non-members alike.
The winning team can choose a charity to receive a donation from the proceeds.
Click here to register. Then click here for your team or individual sign-up.
Questions? Email sports and rec director Emily Regan: eregan@westporty.org.
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If you haven’t been to an Artists Collective of Westport pop-up exhibit:
- What are you waiting for?
- Here’s your chance.
On April 2 (6 to 8 p.m., Westport Country Playhouse barn), they’ll host a reception for their next show.
On tap: hors d’oeuvres, wine, conversation, and beauty provided by 12 artists: Tom Berntsen, Louise Cadoux, Leonor Dao, Yuko Ike, Natasha Karpinskaia, Constance Manna, Dionne Pia, Dorothy Robertshaw, Norm Siegel, Marlene Siff, Debbie Smith and Elizabeth White.
Guitarist Bill Bickford will provide the music. He has played or recorded with jazz greats Joe Bowe, Mose Allison, Donald Byrd and Maceo Parker.
The exhibit runs April 3-6 (12 to 4 p.m.). An artists’ talk at 4 p.m. on April 6 will cover the creative process.
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United Methodist Church hosts 2 events for the public next month. One is for kids, the other for adults.
An Easter Egg hunt (for youngsters up to age 10) is April 5 (2 p.m.). It’s free, but donations of non-perishable food for local pantries are welcome.
The Legacy String Quartet performs April 13 (2 p.m.). The suggested donation is $20.
The 2023 Easter Egg Hunt at the United Methodist Church.
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In 2018, Connecticut became one of the first states to restrict the use of insecticides called neonicotinoids. This class of chemicals is very harmful to pollinators.
The Public Works Department encourages residents to take advantage of Household Hazardous Waste Day (Saturday, April 5, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Greens Farms railroad station parking lot), to dispose of any insecticides with neonicotinoid.
Products that contain these chemicals (see label) may be disposed of on April 5:
- Imidacloprid
- Clothianidin
- Thiamethoxam
- Acetamiprid
- Dinotefuran
For a complete list of products containing neonicotinoids, click here.
Save pollinators! Dispose of neonicotinoids! (Photo/Lou Weinberg)
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The annual Compo Beach sand replenishment/grading process continues at Compo Beach.
It’s a big deal. And an important one.
Here was the scene yesterday:
(Photo/Richard Fogel)
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On the first day of spring, one more sign that summer is near:
In honor of the 50th anniversary of “Jaws,” the Westport Country Playhouse will screen that ground-breaking film.
The June 2 (7 p.m.) event includes an exploration of hidden details and behind-the-scenes stories before the showing, and a conversation after about how it became one of the greatest films of all time.
Tickets are $25 ($15 for Encore Club members). Click here to reserve, and for more information.
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Westport Police made 3 custodial arrests between March 11 and 19. One — reported earlier — involved the sale of illegal sale/manufacture of cannabis, at Savvy Smoker.
A 59-year-old Westport woman was charged with larceny, after she was observed filling up a Stop & Shop grocery cart, then leaving without paying. A wintess recorded her license plate, while parked in the fire lane. She ws released after postin a $10,000 bond.
A 26-year-old Stratford woman was charged with criminal attempt to commit larceny, illegal possession of a personal ID information device, and identity theft, following the theft of 2 checks from a mailbox. He was released after posting a $35,000 bond.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
- Traveling unreasonably fast: 6 citations
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 6
- Failure to renew registration: 5
- Failure to obey stop sign: 5
- Speeding: 4
- Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 2
- Passing a standing school bus: 1
- Driving while texting: 1
- Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 1
- Failure to drive in the propero lane: 1
- Failure to drive right: 1
- Failure to obey traffic control signals: 1
- Failure to display license plate: 1
The fine in Connecticut for passing a standing school bus is $450 for the first offense. Fines then rise to $500 to $1,000, with the possibility of 30 days in jail. (Photo/Christie Stanger)
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Scarlet witch hazel makes its first-ever appearance in our daily “Westport … Naturally” feature. It’s in Werner Liepolt’s yard, on Bridge Street.
(Photo/Werner Liepolt)
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And finally … it’s spring!
The long-awaited season arrived officially at 5:01 this morning.
(Spring, summer, fall, winter — “06880” is here for you. We’re your 24/7/365, hyper-local source for news, events, opinions, photos, and more. Thanks for clicking here to support our work!)
Dan I hope you cover the questionable legality of the 29 Bozos who voted to deny their constituents the right to request answers. Deplorable ‼️
A minor gripe, probably unworthy of publication but… Memorial Day is designated to remember those who died in military service. Veterans Day is the time to honor all those who served . Parades, which started as solemn processions to the grave sites of fallen soldiers have become minor Mardi Gras mostly to announce the beginning of summer. Times change.
Westport’s ceremony following the Memorial Day parade is very meaningful. There is a speech by a veteran who is the grand marshal (we’ve still got a few World War II vets around); the playing of “Taps,” the laying of a memorial wreath, and patriotic songs played by the Staples band. It is exactly what a Memorial Day ceremony should be. And the floats that pay homage to the sacrifices made are meaningful too.
“Jaws?” When it came to Fine Arts 1 in the summer of ’75, my mother wouldn’t let me see it. “You’ll never want to go in the water again,” she said. When it came back to Fine Arts 1 in the summer of ’79, I went to see it. She was right.
I remember going to see “Jaws” the night it opened and standing in line to get tickets at the theater on the Post Road. The place was packed. Everyone jumped out of our seats when the dead guy’s face suddenly appears in the hole in the bottom of the wrecked boat. The movie certainly made one think about taking their next dip at Compo. Hard to believe that was 50 years ago.
Gonna need a bigger boat!
The screaming in the opening scene set the tone 🎵🎵🎵and the music‼️
There is a Westport connection to the movie “Jaws”. My brother, Jack Scott’s friend and fellow classmate in the Staples Class of 1964 – Jeff Simon – was a professional photographer and did all the still photography on the movie Jaws.