Roundup: RTM, DNR, Etc. …

Voters in more than half of Westport’s 9 Representative Town Meeting districts will have an actual choice this November.

But just barely.

Each RTM district elects 4 representatives to the town’s legislative body.

With the filing deadline passed, only 5 of those districts have more than 4 candidates on the ballot. They are Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9. The other 4 have the bare minimum: 4 candidates each.

And of the 5 districts with actual races, 3 have just 5 candidates. Two — Districts 2 and 9 — have 6.

Here’s the breakdown.

District 1: Incumbents: Andrew Bloom, Matthew Mandell, Kristin Mott Purcell, Chris Tait. Petitioning: Gail Coykendall.

District 2: Incumbents: Jay Keenan, Melissa Levy, Louis Mall, Mike Perry. Petitioning: Harris Falk, Jenna Petok.

District 3: Incumbents: Ross Burkhardt, Jimmy Izzo, Pamela Troy-Kopack. Petitioning: Adam Drake, Srikanth Puttagunta.

District 4: Incumbents: Andrew Colabella, Clarence Hayes, Jeff Wieser. Petitioning: Charles Lucas, Victoria Wylie, Charles Lucas. 

District 5: Incumbents: Peter Gold, Karen Kramer, Dick Lowenstein, Claudia Shaum.

District 6: Incumbents: Candace Banks, Seth Braunstein, Alma Sarelli. Petitioning: Lauren Karpf.

District 7: Incumbents Brandi Briggs, Jack Klinge, Ellen Lautenberg Hendel. Petitioning: Joseph Carson.

District 8: Incumbents: Wendy Goldwyn Batteau, Rachel Steel Cohn. Petitioning: Jill Grayson, Josh Newman.

District 9: Incumbents: Jennifer Johnson, Nancy Kail, Sal Liccione, Kristin Schneeman. Petitioning: Addison Moore, Rachel Precious.

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DNR — Westport’s favorite nearly-all-physician classic rock band — takes the stage November 1 (7 p.m.), at the Westport Library.

The music will be great. And so is the cause. The doctors’ goal is to raise $175,000, to benefit cancer patients at Norwalk Hospital’s Whittingham Cancer Center. Click here to purchase tickets, learn more or become a sponsor.

DNR

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Barbecue and Southern food meets beer and brats on September 27.

Walrus Alley’s 9th annual Oktoberfest includes music, “German-inspired food” and “exceptional beers.”

The entertainment starts at 1 p.m., and lasts all day (and night).

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Talk about deer tracks!

Adam Smith spotted this deer last night on the railroad bridge over Compo Roaod South, with a small buck in tow.

“I’m not sure what the people on the train thought as they flew by,” Adam says. “But the deer was pretty relaxed.” 

(Photo/Adam Smith)

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Meanwhile, an Aquarion work crew was spotted yesterday on Main Street, just past Hudson Malone.

They sure sent a lot of guys out on this job:

(Photo/Ed Simek)

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LobsterFest is September 20.

But those crustaceans (and all the steak, cole slaw, beverages — not to mention the band, booths, etc.) don’t fall from the sky. They take a ton of work.

The Westport Rotary Club fundraiser happens every year because of the very hard work of every member. And many more volunteers.

At yesterday’s weekly meeting, LobsterFest volunteer chair Susan Shuck described what all those people do.

Their efforts pay off. Approximately $400,000 will be distributed as grants in May, primarily to Westport and other Fairfield County non-profit organizations.

Representatives from one of those groups — Homes with Hope — spoke to the Rotary Club too. Paris Looney and Katherine Murray joined CEO Helen McAlinden.

She noted that HwH plays a major role in the greater Westport community — not only in the rehabilitation of homeless people, but through an array of programs and strategies that help prevent homelessness at its roots.

Back to LobsterFest: If you don’t yet have tickets, you’re out of luck. It sells out very quickly, when 1,500 tickets become available each summer. Watch this space next year!

Susan Shuck, with a LobsterFest volunteer t-shirt. (Photo/Dave Matlow)

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Doris Skutch — a longtime Westporter, business executive, and ardent volunteer in politics and other areas of local life — died peacefully here on Sunday. She was 94.

After leaving Connecticut College in the 1950s, she moved to New York and began her professional journey as a journalist for women’s periodicals.

Her career soon transitioned into textiles, where she found her calling in communications and marketing. Doris spent over 3 decades at Burlington Industries. Starting as a secretary, she rose through the ranks to become vice president – fashion. She loved her twice-yearly trips to shows in Paris and London, bringing back wonderful concepts for fabric buyers.

Following her tenure at Burlington, Doris brought her expertise to a boutique communications firm in Westport. She later dedicating her skills to nonprofit work, as a grant writer for United Way in Bridgeport.

A passionate advocate for civic engagement and community service, Doris was a lifelong Democrat who remained active for over 50 years. She was a life member of the Westport League of Women Voters, and held LWV leadership roles at the local and state levels.

Her commitment to public service included the Y’s Women, and the Connecticut Alliance for Music. She also participated in several book clubs.

Doris was a devoted member of Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church for many years.

Doris is survived by her sons Douglas and Elliot Royce; stepsons David and Christopher Skutch; niece Casey Farley; 4 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.

Doris Skutch

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Today, elephant ears make their first appearance in our “Westport … Naturally” feature.

We’re still waiting for an actual elephant here.

(Photo/Richard Fogel)

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And finally … Rick Davies, founder of Supertramp, died Saturday in East Hampton, New York. He was 81, and had been diagnosed with blood cancer over a decade ago. Click here for a full obituary.

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