Congratulations to Lou Weinberg!
The Westport environmentalist — who chaired the Westport Community Gardens for over 20 years, and established the Long Lots Preserve — was honored Wednesday by Aspetuck Land Trust.
At their annual meeting, the non-profit preservation organization cited him for his work as “a leading voice in defending and restoring community green spaces … and for rescuing dozens of native shrubs and trees from the bulldozer, now replanted at ALT’s Kupinse Preserve in Easton — ensuring these natives continue to thrive and inspire.”
Lou Weinberg
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Westport’s LGBTQ+ community — and allies — celebrate Pride on Sunday.
The festival of “love, diversity, community, joy, creativity and connection” runs from noon to 3 p.m., at Jesup Green.
Highlights include music, vendors, food trucks, a chalk drawing competition — and a chance to show your true colors and inclusive spirit.
Happy Pride!
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Tomorrow — the day after the summer solstice — the Westport Astronomical Society celebrates its 50th anniversary.
The June 21 event (12:30 to 7:30 p.m., 182 Bayberry Lane) features:
- Astrophotography art show, with amazing images by WAS members
- Silent auction, with “out of this world” (ho ho) items
- Games and challenges like Space Jeopardy and Black Hole (the WAS twist on cornhole), with prizes
- Daytime observation of the sun, moon and Venus through solar telescopes
- Limited edition 50th anniversary WAS swang
- Ribbon-cutting for the new observatories
- Live ham radio demonstrations with K1WAS, the on-site amateur radio station
- Door prizes
- Food, friends and community connections.
But wait! There’s more.
Speakers include:
- Clare Burhenne (Ph.D. candidate at Rutgers): Star formation in the local universe
- Phil Harrington (WAS founder): 50 Years of WAS
- Shannon Calvert (WAS p)resident: Unveiling a bold new theory of gravity — a world premiere.
The public is (of course) invited.
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An interesting new store opens soon in Westport.
Make-Modern is a spot to learn and create in a variety of crafts: sewing, needlepoint, knitting, crocheting and more.
Their third location — after Darien and Greenwich — is 180 Post Road East (across Bay Street from Design Within Reach).
Make-Modern will offer summer camps, with different projects and themes “each darn week.” Students will learn to sew, bead, weave, knit, print and more.
The space can be rented for group events too, like birthday parties, bridal showers, book clubs, family reunions and nights with friends.
Make-Modern’s goal is to “inspire creativity, build self-cofidence,” and help people make new friends while creating “amazing” projects.
Click here to learn more. (Hat tip: Patti Brill)
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Verso University — the Westport Library’s lifelong learning and education initiative — is gearing up for summer.
Offerings cover a wide variety of topics, from art to AI, and honeybees to happy hour cooking. Click here, then scroll down to the “Calendar” for specific program details, including registration.
- “Kickoff to Summer: Happy Hour Cooking Class (today, Friday; 4 to 5:30 p.m.).
- “Out of the Marvelous: The Poetry of Seamus Heaney” (July 9, 16, 23; 10:30 a.m. to noon).
- “At Tour and Happy Hour at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum” (July 11, 4 to 6:30 p.m.).
- “AI According to Hollywood” (July 17, 28; August 11, 25; 7 to 8 p.m.).
- “All About Bees: Honey Tasting and Honeybee Preparation” (July 26, 2-3:30 p.m.).
- “Creating Digital Art With Your iPad” (August 5, 12, 19, 26; 10 a.m.-noon).
- “Art Tour at the Bruce Museum” (August 17, 2-3 p.m.).
The Library’s Happy Hour Cooking Class is today (Friday).
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The newest addition to the Westport Country Playhouse summer calendar is Linedy Genao.
Set for August 12 (7 p.m.), “Songs From My Sala” is an “intimate, soulful journey.”
Genao takes the audience from performing in her family’s Dominican Republic living room to starring as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s first Latina leading lady to originate a role on Broadway.
She was seen most recently on the Playhouse stage in “Native Gardens.” Click here for tickets, and more information.
Linedy Genao
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Westport has plenty of inane, gratuitous and otherwise useless signs.
For example: “School Bus Stop Ahead.” There’s a school bus stop every 10 yards in Westport, so why single any one out?
Also, those warning that violators of a certain condition — “One Hour,” “Parking for Patrons of [Insert Name] Only” — will be towed. And not just that, but “Immediately.” When was the last time that happened?
Yet this one — from the medical offices at 162 Kings Highway North — must be at the top of any list of inane Westport signs:
Isn’t any parking slippery “when icy or wet conditions exist”? (Or, simply, “when icy or wet.”)
And why illustrate with an image of a break dancer with jazz hands?
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Two graceful birds grace today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature:
(Photo/Matt Murray)
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And finally … on this date in 1863, West Virginia was admitted as the 35th state in the union. It separated from Virginia, which had seceded 2 years earlier.
(Whether you’re in Westport or West Virginia,”06880″ is your place for all the news, opinions, photos and more about our town. If you enjoy our work, please support us by clicking here. Thank you!)
Congrats Lou, a good news day!
Well deserved, Lou!
Congratulations Lou, keep on moving, they will never catch up.
Congratulations Lou. I’m honored to call you my friend.
thanks Lou for rescuing a bit of the reserve you and others worked so hard to create.