Hamlet is dead.
That is: The Hamlet at Saugatuck project has officially ended
ROAN Ventures — developer of the proposed retail/residential/hotel/marina project — withdrew their lawsuit.
If successful, the suit — filed in August — would have overturned the Planning & Zoning Commission’s rejection of the proposal.
The withdrawal occurred last week. It was reported yesterday by Westport Journal.
What’s next for the property, bordered by Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place and Charles Street?
Stay tuned.
Artist’s rendering of the Hamlet at Saugatuck project.
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Hoop dreams have come true for over 50 youngsters in Santo Domingo.
They’re the recipients of uniforms and basketballs, donated by Westport residents through Westport PAL.
Full Court Peace — a Norwalk organization that provides equipment to under-served communities — facilitated the delivery. They run frequent trips to the Dominican Republic, to repair courts and support youth leagues.
Boys in Santo Domingo sport Westport basketball jerseys.
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The Westport Rotary and Sunrise Rotary Clubs join their Norwalk and Wilton Rotary colleagues this Saturday, to help ease food insecurity.
At the Saugatuck Congregational Church event, dozens of volunteers will pack 12,500 nutritious meals. The clubs will then deliver them to Homes With Hope in Westport and Open Doors in Norwalk, for distribution through food pantries.
The church is providing the space, and custodial setup and cleanup, at no charge.
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Many Westporters hope to make a change in the world.
Few know how to do it.
On February 25 (7 p.m., Westport Library, Jacqueline Corbelli discusses her new book, “Changemaker: A Modern Playbook for Creating Personal Impact and Transformational Change.”
It’s a hometown event. Corbelli — a Westport resident — knows something about making a lasting impact.
As the first female founder in the advertising technology industry, she pioneered interactive TV with her company BrightLine. Her technology platform SustainChain addresses global sustainability and justice.
Locally, Corbelli organized a 24-hour relief drive after 9/11, at Toquet Hall. Click here for her website.
Jacqueline Corbelli
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A personal note on the death of Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Many years ago, I was in San Francisco. I checked out of my hotel in the morning, and had several hours before my flight.
I looked in the newspaper for something interesting to do. Jesse Jackson was speaking at a church. What a great opportunity to see a national figure1
It turned out to be a Black church. I was the only white person, in a very large crowd.
After his speech — eloquent, inspiring, delivered in a setting he was intimately familiar with — I joined a long reception line.
His large hand enveloped mine. He looked me in the eye, and smiled.
“Thank you for coming, brother,” Rev. Jackson said.
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Jazz pianist Matt DeChamplain brings his James P. Johnson-, Fats Waller-, Willie “The Lion” Smith- and Art Tatum-influenced talents to Jazz at the Post this Thursday (February 19, VFW Post 399; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 7).
He’s joined by long time associates Matt Dwonszyk (bass) and Jonathan Barber (drums), plus Kerry MacKillop (trumpet) and Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall (saxophone).
Click here for tickets, and more information.
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Richard Fogel sends today’s de-“light”-ful “Westport … Naturally” photo:
(Photo/Richard Fogel)
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And finally … the New York Times buried the lede.
A recent obituary began:
Jerry Kennedy, the guitarist, producer and record executive who had a major hand in shaping the music being made in Nashville in the 1960s and ’70s, including chart-topping hits by Roger Miller, Roy Orbison, Tom T. Hall and Tammy Wynette, died on Wednesday in hospice care in Franklin, Tenn. He was 85.
It was not until paragraph 8 that we learn he “unleash(ed) the ferocious guitar solo” that opens “Oh, Pretty Woman.”
Well, maybe.
Wikipedia says it was Billy Sanford.
Either way, it clearly was not Roy Orbison.
Which is what I always assumed, for the past 60-plus years.
Hey: At least music’s best growl ever is his.
ENCORE: If you thought the #1 version of the song couldn’t get better … well, listen to this:
(“06880” is where Westport meets Roy Orbison. It doesn’t get better than that. Well, unless you click here to support our work. Mercy!)
I was at the Harlem Armory when Jesse Jackson had an event for his Operation PUSH. Willis Reed, the Knicks center, was the waiter at our table. Flip Wilson was there, and that’s where I met Jackie Robinson.Im not sure of the exact date, but it probably was the early 1970s.
Kudos to Westport … the Alliance, the P&Z and other officials … for doing the right thing.
The B&W version made my day- Thank you.
what a lineup!
Me too. Gave me chills…What a lineup indeed!
Just goes to show the power of the people – thank you to everyone who stood up to this threat to our town.
Now let’s do the same in November and every day that the rights of the many are threatened by the greed of a few.
You’re going to be a very busy person Adrian.
A new 8-30g development instead of the Hamlet is likely the most profitable choice for the developers but I don’t think they were only motivated by profit…they wanted to develop something beautiful that would be a model for other areas in the country and one that would be an asset to the people in town…but the scale was simply too big. I think that is something everyone agreed would be a huge issue. I don’t have a horse in the race, I actually see both sides, but if increased traffic was truly the main concern of the opposition, 500 rental units instead will make traffic so much worse than had the Hamlet gotten approved. A Pyrrhic victory.
Do we expect an 8-30g situation now?
The situation we had was pretty much an 8-30g anyway.. they had the farm in their pockets.
I’m still waiting for that to be amended back from the lunacy that was in the text ammendment, to something far more reasonable.
Dividing this up into parcels and applying separately to get around the parking situation would I’m sure in court be seen as shady will be monitored.
Homes need to account for the cars in their home. If you want to buy a home that has no parking then make sure you do not own a car.
What I will say is I have not heard a Peep, on this..
is there a group in town negotiating on our behalf ??? I suggest there may very well be.
I certainly do NOT share the views of the Westport coalition, so it I hope is not them.
Interested to hear from others.
Among the admirers of Roy Orbison was George Harrison. He, along with Bob Dylan and Tom Petty put together a group called the Traveling Wilberries to bring back Roy Orbison, who became a recluse after his wife died–alway wearing black. While it did bring Orbison back he died shortly after its formation.