StartUp Westport — our public/private partnership for tech, innovation and entrepreneurship — has already hosted panels focused on women, minorities and youth.
Up next: sports.
With new technology, revenue streams and ways of connecting with fans, that business changes daily.
Discussing “game-changing” (pun intended?) innovations in data analytics, athletic performance breakthroughs, sponsorships and media — with both startups and industry giants — are NBC Sports president Rick Cordella, and New York Road Runners CEO Rob Simmelkjaer. Both are Westport residents.
Moderator Andrew Marchand — sports media columnist for The Athletic — is a 1991 Staples High School graduate.
He says, “This should be a fun and fascinating event. I’m looking forward to hearing where Rick and Rob think sports media and events are headed. There has been so much innovation, especially post the height of the pandemic. They both have been on the cutting edge.”
“Innovation in Sports” is April 30 (6:30 p.m., Westport Library). There will be time for questions and networking. Click here to register.
From left: Rick Cordella, Rob Simmelkjaer, Andrew Marchand.
==================================================
How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
If you’re the Staples High School Symphonic Band: Practice. Talent. Dedicated teachers.
And an invitation from the National Concerts Band & Orchestra Fest.
The local musicians left Westport yesterday, at 6:30 a.m. They had a clinic with former Columbia University Wind Ensemble director Jasmine Britt.
At 1:30, the musicians took the sage. They performed “Across the Great Plains,” “One Life Beautiful” and “First Suite in E Flat,” with Staples conductors Caitlin Serpliss and Kevin Mazzarella.
They audience included many parents, principal Stafford Thomas, townwide arts coordinator Steven Zimmerman, and the entire Staples music department staff. (Hat tip: John Nash)
Staples’ Symphonic Band, at Carnegie Hall. Conductor Kevin Mazzarella is at far left. (Photo/Skip Sinclair)
On stage (from left): Archie Kobetitsch, Samuel Zwick-Lavinsky, Grace Sinclair, Madeleine Enos. (Photo/Skip Sinclair)
From left: Staples principal Stafford Thomas, musician Lucas Gomez, Symphonic Band director Kevin Mazzarella. (Photo/Maggie Gomez)
=================================================
VersoFest — the Westport Library’s 4th annual 4-day music and media conference and festival — kicks off tomorrow.
The first event is a conversation with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer/National Book Award winner Patti Smith, with former CNN journalist (and Westport resident) Alisyn Camerota.
But there may be a bit of activity before the 7 p.m. start. EndJewHatred and The Lawfare Project — a national civil rights movement — plans a rally outside the Library.
A social media post says, “Why isn’t Patti Smith speaking up for Jewish women? It’s time to rally against (her) selective activism.”
Patti Smith
===============================================
For the 3rd year in a row, the Fortunoff family — including Scott and Laurie, and their sons Aaron (Staples High School sophomore) and Brett (Bedford Middle School 8th grader) — will host a cereal drive.
The goal is to fill the shelves of local food pantries, so everyone can start their day with breakfast.
This year, they’ve partnered with the new Cereal4All Club at Staples High.
There are several ways to help:
- Click and purchase from the Amazon wish list.
- Come to the drive this weekend (April 5 and 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Stop & Shop).
- Venmo @lauriefortunoff; she will purchase cereal.
- Make a tax deductible donation at www.cereal4all.org.
Aaron and Brett Fortunoff, with plenty of cereal.
=================================================
There’s a special guest at CT Against Gun Violence’s annual spring benefit “Be the Hope” luncheon (May 15, 11:30 a.m., The Inn at Longshore).
Sandy Hook youth activist Matthew Holden will speak about his important work. Click here for tickets.
==================================================
Mannequin Pussy — the Philadelphia-based band that includes 2005 Staples High School graduate Marisa Dabice — was just featured on “Everybody’s Live,” John Mulaney’s new Netflix panel show.
The host introduced them enthusiastically: “You will hear music such that has never poured through your airwaves. That’s right. There are many milestones in human culture. There’s the invention of the printing press, the Armory Show Of 1913, and tonight we bring you the television debut of Mannequin Pussy. It’s the best. Mannequin Pussy plays loud rock music, and their name is fun to say.”
Click here for a full story. (Hat tip: Lisa Marriott)
==================================================
Today’s intriguingly framed “Westport … Naturally” photo shows an egret hunting for food, at the battom water run-off at Compo Beach Road.
(Photo/Matt Murray)
==================================================
And finally …
And finally … Marvin Gaye was born on this day in 1939. The multi-talented Motown artist was shot to death by his father one day short of his 45th birthday, on April 1, 1984.
(How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. How do you help “06880”? Donate, donate, donate. But hey, just do it once. Please click here. Thank you, thank you, thank you!)
Selective activism, huh? Translation: If you don’t hate the same things I do, you’re wrong.
We are SO fragmented now.
Bingo.
And this has nothing to do with antisemitism. It is about labeling as “antisemitic” anyone critical of Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza, in hopes of avoiding dealing with tough policy questions. Just as attempts to stymie free speech on campus are about the same.
You see it in the comments here, as certain folks are all too eager to lob “antisemitic” and “pro-Hamas” labels at those who might question whether, in the aftermath of the heinous October 7 terrorist attacks, 40,000 dead in Gaza (mostly civilians) has been about the security interests of Israel or the hostages.
I oppose Netenyahu as a proud Zionist Jew. Let them say I am somehow anti semitic now. Most Israelis oppose Netenyahu and many are hostage survivors and families. Loud voice and very wealthy influencers have made it seem as if we all must support Netenyau or all feel the same way. The survivors Yarden Bibas and Keith Siegel are out in the streets protesting Netenyahu. The problem is the colleges and the protests there have also gone way too far! Watch the movie Oct 8! This country and the rest of the world is too extreme left or too extreme right! It is a PROBLEM!
On another note, quoting the Hamas ministry of health for the numbers of dead Gazans is also a problem. They can’t be trusted. We need a real source for real numbers.
I would like to add that I am more frightened of Laura Loomer the lunatic racist, bigot, conspiracy theorist ( about mass shootings, Jan 6 and 9/11) as a Jew having the private ear of Donald Trump to make quick decisions about firing staff members than I am of Patti Smith at our library! Laura Loomer is the Jewish Candace Owens bigot clown and all Jews should be protesting HER right NOW!
If you want to know who rules you, look to who you can’t criticize. Voltaire
It wasn’t Voltaire that said that.
Yep, yet another lazy comment from Mr. Meuchner. According to the AP it was actually a white nationalist:
https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-872903898775
And funny, it wasn’t too long ago the Zionist Jewish community was the ONLY minority group you COULD criticize, particularly on college campuses…everyone else was off limits. Were far left idealogues like Mr. Meuchner piping up then? Nope. But now? Of course…because I suppose it’s the Zionist Jews who rule us, eh Dermot?
While I don’t know Mr Meuchner’s politics, using that (commonly mis-attributed) quote was, at best, sloppy, but criticism of that is ultimately a distraction from the issue at hand.
Nobody is criticizing a “community,” they are criticizing actions (and support from ANYONE for those actions). My clumsy analogy would be that is like claiming that people protesting the Klan would have been accused of criticizing a “Christian Klan community.” This isn’t about identity, but policy.
I do appreciate that you acknowledge that this is about opposition to Zionism, not antisemitism. (I would say it is more about how Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to enforce it – but I don’t want to split hairs.)
Universities have been a source of social justice protests for a long, long time. This is absolutely no different. The current treatment of the universities where protests have happened is more akin to anti-BDS laws that have been around for ten years, which reflect another way in which there seem to be unusual exemptions from free expression. (Had similar laws protected South Africa, we might still have apartheid.)
These protests are NOT the same and I urge you to see Oct 8!
I agree with you as a ZIONIST Jew about Netenyahu.
What do you mean you “can’t” criticize? Are you not aware of the thousands of people across the world and college campuses spewing hate and vitrol against the Jews, Israel and Zionists and in support of Hamas? There are plenty of people openly “criticizing” the above groups. Everywhere. Would you say the the encampments on college campuses were simply a good time or an open criticism? Would you say that someone like Candace Owens spreading centuries old conspiracy theories to her MILLIONS of followers all across social media platforms not the said criticism? Please. Neither Patty Smith nor Candace Owens and the like are victims of stifled free speech. There is criticism galore available for those who have their eyes open.
Good day, Sir.
Luke, This blurb doesn’t encompass the entire conversation. To give you more insight, check out the article here from the Westport Journal:
https://westportjournal.com/community/patti-smiths-versofest-appearance-triggers-antisemitism-allegations/
thanks Melisa how do you feel about Musk Natzi Salutes ? He is also on record of defending German far right criminals for antisemitic allegations in Germany.
Congrats to the Staples band! As an alum, it’s wonderful to see that the arts tradition continues!
I agree with protesting Patti Smith, but not the people who attended the library to hear her. That went way too far. Please do not label people who like the music of let’s say Taylor Swift, as anti semitic themselves bc she did not mention Oct 7 at any of her shows! My kids still listen to ber music and I am a zionist Jew. I will still listen to the music of people who do not talk about Oct 7. Goose, Phish, Dead and Company are some of my favorites who do not mention Oct 7 ever and I am fine with that. Do female singer HAVE to talk about it at their concerts? I am so tired of the division and need to label everyone as anti semitic. On another note, please condemn Laura Loomer while you are at it bc she is the Jewish Candace Ownes! Thanks!
Stephanie, I think you might find this article about Patti Smith (from a super fan) useful. The Blogs: A Farewell Letter to My Idol, Patti Smith | Harper Spero
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-farewell-letter-to-my-idol-patti-smith/
Thanks, I have read the Forward article about her. As i said before, I am fine with protesting Patti Smith and never opposed tnat. I said it was not ok the harrass or interrogate the people who went to see her like the amateur journalist did. I simply do not care about Patti Smith as she has no bearing on my life. What I DO care about is a racist bigot named Laura Loomer who now has the direct ear of our current president and apparently controls what he does. That to me is way more frightening and dangerous than Patti Smith visitng a library that is literally all about freedom of speech. I believe she can have viewpoints on the war and deaths. She did not sound anti semitic from the article that I read. Again, I am more frightened by rhe Jewish version of Candace Ownes, Laura Loomer.
It would be helpful to me to read exactly what Patti Smith has said or written that has generated concerns with Patti Smith as being anti-Semitic. Most likely her words are considered by some to be anti-Semitic, but by others not anti-Semitic. We should be careful in painting with a “broad bush”. I will have to do some homework.