Roundup: Candidates’ Debates, Staples Honors, Stolen Zombie …

Still undecided about the local election? Want one more chance to confirm your choices?

Tonight, the 1st selectman and Planning & Zoning Commission candidates face off at the Westport Library (6:30 p.m.), for their final debates.

The League of Women Voters event also includes statements from the 2nd selectwoman candidates.

Co-sponsors are the Y’s Men, Y’s Women, and Westport Rotary and Sunshine Rotary Clubs.

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WWPT-FM — Staples High School’s groundbreaking radio station — always does well in the John Drury Awards, for schools across the country.

But this past weekend, they did really well.

‘PT won the top award: Best High School Radio Station in the nation, for 2024-25.

It’s not the first time. WWPT also won in 2011, 2017 and 2018. Congratulations to advisor Geno Heiter, and the many students — some graduated, many still there — who contributed to the honor.

But wait. There’s more. Much more!

‘PT won 2 other 1st-place trophies: 

• Best Use of Video (WWPT/Staples Television)” Game Break: Highlights & Hype” Promo (Ryan Allen)
• Best Newscast: “From Headlines to Harvest” (Jack Jacob, Isabel Alfageme).

There were 7 2nd-place honors too:

Best News Feature Story: “Payment Due” (Max Benke)

Best Public Affairs Program: “Zoning, Policy and Opportunity: A Look at Westport (Charlie Curran, Michael Brennan)

Best DJ: Charlie Curran

Best Station Promo: “The Voice of Now” (Vivian Schmidt, Mia McDonald)

Best PSA: “Do the Work” (Jack Jacob, Isabel Alfageme, Max McAuley)

Best Sports Play-by-Play: Boys Basketball, Staples vs. Fairfield Warde (Weston Hochhauser, Jake Goldshore)

Best Radio Drama: “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” (Theater 3, Eva Slossberg, and Audio and Radio Class)

Added to that haul were 3 3rd-place awards:

Best Sports Talk Show: “Beyond the Arc 5/21” (Michael Brennan, Mickey Ross, Nathan Bernstein, Finn Rockwell, Sam DiGiovanni, Drew Hill)

Best Sportscast (“From Aces to MVPs: May 27 Sports Rundown” (Mason Tobias)

Best Newscast: “Contracts, Caregivers and Canines” (Charlie Curran)

If you haven’t tuned in: You can find WWPT-FM at 90.3. Make it a pre-set!

Quite a haul, for WWPT-FM. (Photo/Geno Heiter)

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More champions!

The Staples boys soccer team earned their record-with-no-one-else-even-close 28th FCIAC (league) championship last night.

Their gritty 3-2 win over previously undefeated (17-0-0) Greenwich avenged a 4-3 loss to the Cardinals during the regular season.

A large crowd at Fairfield Warde saw the Wreckers prevail, with goals from Adrian Rodriguez (2) and Brendan Allen; excellent defense by Spencer Girling (Most Valuable Player of the match), Dylan Shackelford, Gabe Hellman, Adrian Carpi and Drew Hill; stellar saves by goalkeeper Jack D’Amore, and great chemistry and spirit from all.

Staples — now 17-2-0 — moves on to the state tournament. It begins Friday (2 p.m., Wakeman Field).

Click here for video highlights, courtesy of CT Insider.

The formal photo …

… and the prize. (Photos/John Walker)

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Speaking of congratulations for Staples athletes: Shout-out to Oliver Samuel!

The Staples senior not only won the class “LL” (extra large schools) state cross country championship on Saturday — he did it by a whopping 17 seconds.

Samuel’s time at Manchester’s Wickham Park was 16:12.1. It was a stunning triumph, as he finished 13th in the FCIAC championship just a few days earlier.

Teammates Harrison Sydor (9th), Luke Cooper (11th), Maxwell Benke (28th) and Samuel Burmeister (34th) were the Wreckers’ other top finishers.

Staples captured second place overall, behind Greenwich.

Click here or below, for an interesting interview with Samuel.

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Sunday’s Roundup provided links to many resources to help local residents who rely on SNAP nutritional benefits during the government shutdown.

State Senator Ceci Maher sends along another. This has details on more services — including unemployment benefits, help with utility bills, mental health resources, etc. — available to all Connecticut residents.

Click here for the “211 Connecticut” website. 

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Speaking of the shutdown: The New York Post recently featured a furloughed IRS lawyer who now operates a hot dog cart. (“Frankly, it’s his dream job,” the Post chuckles.)

The attorney-turned-street vendor is Isaac Stein. He graduated from Staples High School in 2012, after serving as Inklings web editor, and playing basketball.

His “Shysters” cart sells candy and cola, in addition to dogs.

Stein told the Post that running a business like this has been a dream since he was 12, and worked at a basketball concession stand. Click here for the full story. (Hat tip: Julia McNamee)

Isaac Stein, and his hot dog cart. (Photo courtesy of Reuters)

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Lots of stuff gets stolen in Westport: cars from driveways. Checks from mailboxes. Benches from front lawns.

But this recent theft seems particularly eerie. Yesterday, Leah Bottner wrote on Facebook: “Somebody stole a few of my Halloween decorations last night from my stone wall on Easton Road. The little skeleton who sits on our wall, and our zombie!

“If anyone happens to know anything about this, please return our friends, no questions asked. You can just put them back or leave them anywhere at our house, no cameras or trouble.

“We just really want them back, especially our zombie. He’s a member of the family.”

Have you seen this Zombie? (Photo/Leah Bottner)

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Curbside leaf collection begins next Monday (November 3).

All leaves must be placed in biodegradable paper bags safely near the curb of a town street by December 1 to guarantee pick-up. Leaves placed in plastic bags will not be picked up, as plastic contaminates the composting process.

Residents living on private streets must place their leaves behind the curb of an intersecting town roadway.

There is no need to call and schedule a pick-up. Crews will complete pick-ups as schedules allow.

For further information, contact the Department of Public Works (203-341-1120), or click here.

Coming soon, to a street near you.

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Speaking of organic waste: What will you do after Halloween, with your suddenly obsolete pumpkin?

For the 6th year in a row, the Westport Farmers’ Market and nonprofit Action Waste Solutions is sponsoring a Great Pumpkin Toss.

Bring your leftover pumpkin(s) to the Market (November 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Imperial Avenue parking lot). It’s a fun, family-friendly way to fight food waste and support sustainability, by diverting pumpkins from landfill.

Instead, unwanted pumpkins become rich compost, for soils and gardens.

Participants can “toss” their pumpkin into the compost bin at the Farmers’ Market.

All pumpkins and gourds in their natural state are accepted. Squishy and/or rotted ones are fine. NOTE: Decorated or painted pumpkins cannot be composted.

Last year, 1.4 tons of pumpkin waste were diverted from the landfill through the Great Pumpkin Toss. The goal this year: Beat that record!

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And speaking of organic waste:

Sunday’s story on the ages of Westport houses — which also included information about our upcoming “Historic Homes of 06880” tour — neglected to include a link for tickets to this Sunday’s event (November 2, 1 to 4 p.m.).

There are 4 great homes: 221 and 249 Greens Farms Road, plus 155 Long Lots Road and 209 Wilton Road. You’ll get a chance to walk through these historic houses — 2 of whom belonged to the famed Bedford family — and see how they’ve been updated for today, while still retaining yesterday’s beauty and charm.

Click here for tickets, and more information. See you on Sunday!

249 Greens Farms Road: 1 of 4 on our “Historic Homes of 06880” tour.

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Also Sunday: Walk to End Alzheimer’s drew a large crowd to Sherwood Island — the first time the annual event was held at the state park.

Staples High School’s cheerleading team added even more energy to the high-powered day.

(Photo/Bruce McFadden)

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Clarendon Fine Art welcomes art lovers — and kids — this fall.

On Wednesday (October 29, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.), the Main Street gallery hosts young trick-or-treaters, as part of the Westport Downtown Association’s Halloween event.

On November 13 (5:30 p.m.), a talk on art heists — “brushes” with the law (ho ho) explores some of the most daring thefts (and forgeries) in history.

All are welcome to both events.

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A Westport Fire Department promotion ceremony (November 6, 3:30 p.m., fire headquarters) celebrates 5 members:

• Lieutenant Sean Kelly, who has already been sworn in and is serving in his new role
• Lieutenant Benjamin Racho to deputy fire marshal
• Lieutenant Daniel Mascolo to deputy fire marshal
• Firefighter Paul Spennato to lieutenant
• Firefighter Daniel Korin to lieutenant/

The public is invited.

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Music by Bach, Brahms and modern masters fills the United Methodist Church of Westport & Weston this Sunday (November 2, 3 p.m.).

The Fairfield County Symphony Society concert includes a free will offering,  shared by the Symphony and UMC-WW.

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Most Westporters have a favorite tree.

One of the most popular: the white birch draping across Long Lots Road, near Wakenor.

JD Dworkow captures its majesty, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/JD Dworkow)

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And finally … today’s song of the day was inspired by the story above about the Halloween zombie, stolen from an Easton Road stone wall.

Pretty appropriate band and song title, right?

(There’s a lot going on these days. You read about it all on “06880.” But the news doesn’t fall from the sky. It takes work! Please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Thank you.)