The town has released the bid document for a new food and beverage concessionaire at Compo Beach and Longshore.
Parks & Recreation Department director Erik Barbieri tells “06880” that he will visit all applicants, to see how they operate their current businesses.
His hope is for the new concessionaire to be ready to operate this summer. If not, interim arrangements will be made for food and beverage services.
The deadline is March 23. Click here to request a copy of the RFP.
The former Hook’d concession, at Compo Beach. (Photo copyright/ DinkinESH Fotografix)
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In other Parks & Rec news, Barbieri says that employees found about a dozen dead geese at the beaches earlier this week. None were reported yesterday.
They appear to be victims of a bird flu, which has been seen in the tri-state area.
The Aspetuck Health District and state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection have been notified.
“I’m no health expert,” Barbieri noted. “But this seems to affect waterfowl, not humans.” (Hat tip: Cat Malkin)
In healthier days. (Photo/David Cross)
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Westport Board of Education “community conversations” are wide-ranging affairs.
Residents are invited to raise any topic related to the schools.
And they do.
The next session is Wednesday (February 25, 12 to 1:30 p.m., Westport Library).
Former Representative Town Meeting (RTM) moderator Velma Heller will facilitate.
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There’s snow in the forecast.
But this is your last weekend to enjoy outdoor skating, at the PAL Rink at Longshore.
Sunday’s 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. public skating session is the final one of the season — weather permitting, of course.
As Brooklyn Dodgers fans used to say: “Wait till next year!”
The sun is setting on this year’s outdoor skating season.
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Today — a week after Valentine’s Day — is National Breakup Day.
It’s a time for “reflection, self-love, and ending relationships that are no longer working.” (That’s what Google says, anyway.)
Sustainable Westport knows a thing or two about breaking up, too.
They’ve rolled out a community-wide initiative to reduce the town’s use of plastics — especially single-use — and expand public water-filling stations.
As part of the “Un-Plastic” movement, they’ve begun a social media campaign to help Westporters “break up” with the synthetic material.
It’s pretty clever. You may recognize several neighbors in the video (click here or below). It’s also available on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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Parents: Want to know more about “Today’s Weed and Teen Mental Health”?
That’s the title of a session led by Dr. Amy Swift, who oversees in-patient services at Silver Hill Hospital. The event is co-sponsored by Positive Directions and the Mid-Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project.
It’s this Wednesday (February 25, 7 p.m.), with both in-person (New Canaan High School) and virtual options. Click here for more information.
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After weeks of sold-out houses, standing ovations and enthusiastic word-of-mouth, this is the final weekend for the Westport Community Theatre production of “Looped.”
Performances are set for today (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.) and tomorrow (Sunday, 2 p.m.), in the lower level of Town Hall.
The play is set during a 1965 recording session, where Tallulah Bankhead must re-record (“loop”) a single line of dialogue for a film. What should take minutes stretches into hours as the star clashes with the weary film editor and practical studio manager.
Sharp wit gives way to honesty, revealing the vulnerability beneath the bravado while turning a hilarious backstage story into something unexpectedly moving.
Click here for tickets, or call 203-226-1983.
“Looped,” at the Westport Community Theatre.
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A “No Kings Festival for Democracy” is set for March 28 (noon, Jesup Green).
This will be the third in Westport, following 2 similar events last year. Click here for more information.
A scene from the October 2025 “No Kings” rally. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo shows a familiar scene.
After tomorrow’s snow, foraging for food might become even more difficult for these guys.
(Photo/Judith Katz)
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And finally … Sustainable Westport is offering many ways to “break up” with plastic (story above).
So don’t listen to Neil Sedaka. Even though he was once a Westporter too, in the Old Hill neighborhood.
(After breaking up with plastic, sustain — and tighten — your bond with “06880.” Please click here to support Westport’s hyper-local blog, to keep the news, information [and music] coming. Thanks!)
Great video from Sustainable Westport! Let’s also remember, 20 Tons of plastics (shredded by weather conditions and playing) and chemicals, and need to be replaced every 8 – 10 years. Think how many single-use plastics we’d have to break up with to equal 20 tons! We need safe hardy grass fields that can be easier to maintain than turf and less dangerous to everyone.
Those “No Kings” protesters who are putting so much energy into fighting supposed authoritarianism should redirect some of that passion toward the real elites who act like untouchable kings: the pedophile networks exposed in the Epstein files.
Child sex trafficking by powerful figures, billionaires, politicians, and celebrities, who allegedly got away with exploiting kids for years. Where are the mass marches demanding every name be released, every enabler prosecuted, and real justice for the victims? Priorities feel way off when horrors like this get brushed aside while political theater fills the streets.
With 90% public support for passing the Epstein Files Transparency act, it’s a safe bet that many if not most of the bridge protesters made their voices heard and in no uncertain terms, after all, the act passed through Congress unanimously, minus one. Maybe Pam Bondi could do her real job and listen to the victims, prosecute the offenders and stop her inane braying about the Dow breaking 50,000 while refusing to even acknowledge the victims standing directly behind her. Bondi and Trump continue break the law everyday in their refusal to release ALL of the files which was required by the law to occur in December.
So glad to hear that the beach concession is being put out to bids, as is the law mind you.
Several months ago a golfing friend of mine had told me that Romanaccis was getting the concession.
I asked her where she had heard that as there should be an RFP. She said she heard it from friends on the golf committee.
This was before hooked was paid 275,000 of our town tax dollars to leave the lease they had a few months earlier renewed. Incidentally any equipment of any value was also carried away by the hooked people. Fryers, refrigerators, ice cream machines etc. nothing of any value was left for the 275k.
The response from my golfing friend when I asked how sure she was that Romanaccis was being pushed to be awarded the concession was that this was openly known, openly spoken about., and for want of a better word basically a done deal. It was not a secret..apparantly.
So I am heartened to see this is going out to RFP and that there was no such “done deal”.
It will be very interesting to watch the process, and see who does end up being awarded the concession.
There were runners up 5 years ago who would have done a stellar job.
I hope they bid again.
No troops in Iran or anywhere else.