Most of Dave Matlow’s “before” photos, in this continuing series — showing homes in their pre-teardown state — are of those that were in good condition.
Ttoday’s images show 2 that were not.
Here is the latest collection of houses that no longer exist, and what replaced them.
A forecast of rain forced the cancellation of today’s Memorial Day parade.
But nothing could stop Westport’s ceremony, honoring America’s fallen servicemembers.
It went on as scheduled, inside Town Hall rather than across Myrtle Avenue at Veterans Green.
Grand marshal Herb Podel (center) with, from left, Governor Ned Lamont, 1st Selectman Kevin Christie and Congressman Jim Himes. Standing in back are 2nd Selectwoman Amy Wistreich and 3rd Selectman Don O’Day.
A capacity crowd heard a retired general, political leaders. and grand marshal World War II veteran Herb Podel offer moving stories of sacrifice, and stirring reminders of the role democracy plays in American life.
Podel — a Seabee aviation and electronics specialist in the Pacific Theater who went on to found a successful business, and has spent over 6 decades involved in Westport’s civic life — delivered his address in a strong voice.
He tied President Lincoln’s Gettysburg address and the “be the change you want to see in the world” quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, to today’s world.
“We all have a role to play, in the spirit of our forefathers,” the grand marshal said.
He urged the audience — which gave him standing ovations before and after he spoke — to “vote! Stand for freedom!”
Other speakers also wove together together and today.
Governor Lamont quoted Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine and Lincoln. Congressman Jim Himes honored the sacrifices of patriots battling the British who landed at Compo Beach, and the 1.4 million Americans killed in all wars since.
First Selectman Kevin Christie said, “History is not distant.” He slowly recited the names of more than a dozen Westport veterans, all of whom died in the past year.
Master of ceremonies Brigadier General (retired) Brien Horan drew heartfelt applause at the end of the hour.
Remarking on America’s special history, he noted that servicemembers “swear an oath to the Constitution — not to any political party.”
Brigadier General (ret.) Brian Horan, master of ceremonies.
The ceremony also included presentation of the colors by an honor guard; the national anthem sung by the Greens Farms Elementary School Chorus; a Westport Police Department firing detail; the pledge of allegiance led by Cub Scout Pack 39 and Scout Troops 39 and 139; “Logan’s Order” played by the Staples High School band; “Taps” by Staples buglers Abigail Kane and Jessica Willis, and an invocation and benediction from Rev. Sophie Beal of Green’s Farms Church.
Grand marshal Herb Podel, with his speech.
Patty Kondub and Phil Delgado. She is with VFW Post 399 Auxiliary; he is the Post’s quartermaster.
Scouts lead the Pledge of Allegiance. A veteran in the honor guard (front) joins in.
The honor guard enters.
Kevin Mazzarella conducts the Staples band.
Staples band, and a small part of the capacity crowd. (Photo/Ted Horowitz)
Congressman Jim Himes leaves soon for Ukraine. “Godspeed,” said Governor Lamont. (All photos/Dan Woog unless otherwise noted)
Memorial Day began with a ceremony at Fire Department headquarters. Chief Nick Marsan (left) and Deputy Chief Matthew Cohen spoke. (Photo/Carl Wistreich)
Longtime Westporter Bill O’Brien sent this note to family and friends. He asked “06880” to share it with the entire community. Bill says:
As we get ready to celebrate this holiday with cookouts, cold beer and fun activities. it’s important for all Americans to pause at least a bit to reckon with what Memorial Day is really all about.
The origins of special services to honor those who die in war is based in antiquity. Athenian leader Pericles offered a tribute 2,400 years ago to the fallen heroes of the Peloponnesian War that could be applied today to the 1.4 million Americans who have died in the nation’s wars: “Not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions, but there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men.”
To ensure the sacrifices of America’s lost are never forgotten, in 2000 the Congress passed and the president signed into law “The National Moment of Remembrance Act.”
Part of this act is to encourage all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 pm local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence. to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation.
I think you’ll agree it’s the least we all can do to honor the fallen and help remind us of what the true meaning is behind the words “MEMORIAL Day.”
Bill’s wife Jacque O’Brien adds this, with 2 photos:
I came across these photos, taken 22 years ago when Bill and I visited our daughter Shannon and her family in Washington. We went the newly opened World War II Memorial.
Our grandson Garrett was just 4 years old. He decided to stop, trace the word, then rest on the monument. I remember thinking how special that moment was.
Every time I see these photos, I still get choked up.
Lisa Wexler has been endorsed unanimously by the Democratic Party to serve as the probate judge for Westport and Weston for another 4-year term. She was elected previously as both a Democrat and Republican.
After being chosen in a special 2013 election, Wexler has been re-elected 3 times since. A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the New York University School of Law, she has lived in Westport with her husband Bill and family since 1989.
The final day of the 53rd annual Fine Arts Festival began wet yesterday.
Fortunately, the rain eased around noon, before starting again. It was not a total washout for the 160 artists, from around the country.
Before the crowds arrived, photographer Tom Kretsch — one of 6 Westporters in the show — helped make the area presentable.
The things artists do, that most of us never see …
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The weather was blustery yesterday.
But after church, longtime Westporters Janine and Pietro Scotti (former owner of Da Pietro’s) and their daughter Lucia headed to Compo Beach. She reports:
“The poor lifeguards were in the pavilion, and hanging out.
“I thought I’d eat lunch from the new Sandbar concession stand there, but would up on one of the side counters.
“We had the chicken souvlaki, and a side of fries. Really good tzatziki, and the fries were delicious. Great quality.
“I felt for them, because they really hustled to get open for this weekend. I’m glad Nikki Glekas has other businesses. I’ve heard a lot of good things about her. A friend from Stamford said her restaurant is phenomenal.
“We’re really lucky they’ve come in.”
From left: Lucia, Janine and Pietro Scotti, and The Sandbar staff.
Looking ahead: The West Point Concert Band takes the stage June 9. They’ll honor America’s 250th anniversary with everything from Broadway classics and bluegrass to marches. Clck here for free tickets, or go to the box office.
Club203 gets into the World Cup spirit, at their final gathering of the year (June 9, 6:30 p.m., Ned Dimes Marina).
Westport’s social organization for adults with disabilities promises soccer-inspired art led by MoCA\CT, along with food from the Super Duper Weenie Truck, and more. Wear a team jersey, and enjoy the fun. For more information, click here.
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It’s been a gray holiday weekend in Westport.
But today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo, from Terra Nova Circle near the Norwalk line, offers a burst of much-needed color.
(Photo/John Maloney)
The rest of the week will be partly cloudy. Temperatures will be in the 70s — and, on Wednesday, the 80s.
And finally … on this date in 1961, President Kennedy told a joint session of Congress that the US “should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.”
Since 1868, Memorial Day has honored men and women who died while serving in the US armed forces.
First called Decoration Day, as a day to decorate the graves of Civil War veterans with flowers, it’s now national in scope. And there have been many more wars, in which many more servicemembers have given their lives.
Westport usually honors its fallen heroes with a parade. Weather canceled this year’s event. Instead, a ceremony — with honor guard, music, and a speech by grand marshal 101-year-old World War II veteran Herb Podel — is set for 10 a.m., in the Town Hall auditorium.
It’s well worth attending, by Westporters of all ages.
As Westport gears up for Memorial Day, flags decorated the graves of military personnel at cemeteries throughout town. This was the scene this weekend, at Evergreen Cemetery:
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Each week, Timothy Schmutte — a Westport resident, clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine — and his wife Elenee Argentinis will address a different mental health issue that impacts Westporters.
This week, they focus on parents, when children need help. Names and details have been modified, to protect privacy. Timothy and Elenee write:
When a child or teenager struggles with mental health issues, their parents also face challenges.
Although most parents find raising a child to be rewarding and enjoyable all or most of the time, parenthood is also tiring and stressful, which can bring on or worsen existing mental health issues.
In fact, being a parent increases the risk of depression and anxiety, as described in a recent Surgeon General report. Parent stress levels are 50% higher than non-parents’ levels.
But it is important to highlight that parents often benefit from individual support when their child faces mental health challenges.
Families are an interconnected system. Speaking with a therapist separately, even when your child is initiating therapy, can be helpful for both you and your child.
When a child has challenges, adults can talk with therapists too.
Not only can you learn how to support your child’s recovery, but you may also have grief to process, frustration to express, and worry to manage privately as your family navigates a difficult time. Directly engaging with a therapist to learn more effective coping skills can help kids recover faster — and help parents feel empowered.
A practical example is Benji, a 10-year-old who had stopped going to school. During COVID, he started developing separation anxiety, which intensified over the years. What started with returning to his parents’ bed to sleep became insisting that his parents be nearby during sports practice, resisting play dates at friends’ homes, and finally refusing to ride the school bus.
By the time Benji’s mother called for help, she was exhausted from round-the-clock care. She was also desperate, as administrators were pushing to transfer Benji to a specialized therapeutic school due to multiple absences.
Benji’s mental health care required his mom to have her own sessions to help her cope with the stress of the situation, and teach her a parent-based approach for Benji’s separation anxiety and school avoidance.
In addition to learning how to manage her own upset, she learned how to respond more supportively to Benji’s anxiety. Working together, we created a structured plan that progressively encouraged Benji to tolerate his anxiety while engaging in previously avoided activities.
One example: going to school for only 30 minutes in the counselor’s office to play games, followed by gradual increases in time spent in the classroom with the counselor, then with a paraprofessional, and finally by himself.
Dr. Timothy Schmutte offers advice for parents, and their children.
Coupled with similar activities at home in which he progressively spent more time outside of his comfort zone, within 4 months Benji was back in his classroom for full days, and enjoying play dates with friends. His parents had their first “date night” in years.
Sometimes parents also need separate therapy sessions to deal with their own challenges. A parent’s anxiety, depression, substance use or other mental health concerns can be triggered or worsened by a child’s challenges.
Diane — a C-suite executive whose son I had treated for OCD in the past — reached out to me for help with her anxiety, insomnia and growing irritability that began after a promotion.
Another client, Juan, consulted me because he was unsure what to tell his young children about his cancer diagnosis.
Kirstin was overwhelmed when her aging father became severely depressed. She worried about being there for him as well as her teenagers.
Parents need to take care of themselves, not only for their own well-being but for their families as well. Sometimes the demands of parenting can be so great we neglect our own care. The best parent is a healthy one.
So it’s common for parents of kids and teens with mental health issues to need support as well. Getting help as a parent can help you build useful skills to apply at home, and support the resilience you need to manage the challenges of parenting.
But 1) the honor might be outdated, and 2) not many people ever notice the sign. (Click here to see.)
Morley Boyd, Lynn Untermeyer Miller, Robert Mitchell and Sal Liccione were the 4 who did, when we posted last week’s “Photo Challenge.”
And no one offered up a back story about it.
So it’s on to this week’s puzzler.
If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
(Photo/Amy Schneider)
(Every Sunday, “06880” hosts this Photo Challenge. We challenge you too to support your hyper-local blog. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
A nasty weather forecast has forced the cancellation of tomorrow’s Memorial Day parade.
Thousands of Westport civic volunteers, musicians, young athletes, politicians — and veterans — can now sleep in.
But not too long. An indoor ceremony has been set for 10 a.m., at Town Hall.
Patriotic music will play. An honor guard will present a wreath. Brief speeches will commemorate servicemembers who gave their lives for our country.
And grand marshal Herb Podel — a 101-year-old longtime Westporter and World War II veteran who served with the Seabees in the Pacific Theater, as an aviation and electronics specialist — will be saluted.
It’s not a parade. But it’s well worth going to.
There’s plenty of time — after honoring our fallen heroes — for (soggy) cookouts and parties.
We’ll miss this solemn Veterans Green scene. But a similar event will take place across Myrtle Avenue, in Town Hall. (Photo/Harris Falk)
With the devices banned throughout the school day since November, teachers and students agree there’s been more teenage social interaction in classes, halls, the auditorium — and the main courtyard.
For years an underutilized space, it now hums with hacky sack (and other) activity.
Players are having a blast. They’re also #5 in the country (unofficially, but still…).
NBC Connecticut took notice. Click here or below for their report. Interviewees include Staples athletic director VJ Sarullo, baseball coach Jack McFarland and baseball player Mark Kelly.
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A reminder: The 53rd annual Fine Arts Festival continues today.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Main and Elm Streets, over 160 artists from around the country, will show (and sell) their works, in a dizzying array of styles and mediums.
There’s music, food, kids’ activities and more.
There was a good crowd yesterday, despite the weather. Let’s keep the excitement and fun going today!
Art of a different type: painting a new BMW, on Elm Street. (Photo/Jonathan Alloy)
PS: Every year, the Westport Downtown Association — sponsors of the Fine Arts Festival — treats their artists to a great dinner, at Christ & Holy Trinity Church’s Branson Hall.
They hand out awards, too. This year, judges Louise Crowley and Lonnie Quinn selected mixed media artist Matt Gabel of West Milford, New Jersey as “best in show.”
You can find him today at booth #14: on Main Street, in front of Savvy + Grace and Nômade.
Artwork by Matt Gabel.
Other winners, and their booth numbers:
Mixed media: Tanya Kirouac, #80; Chris Curchin, #83
More than 3 dozen local authors for all ages — toddlers to adults — will meet readers and sign books next Saturday (May 30, 11 a.m. at 2 p.m., Jesup Green).
The 2nd annual “Stories in Bloom” is sponsored by the Westport Book Shop on Jesup Green, directly across from the event.
Genres include fiction, children’s, self-help, poetry, mystery, spirituality, neurodiversity, health, environment and more.
Authors will chat with readers about their creative journeys. Families can enjoy bubbles, face painting, temporary tattoos, a maypole, cornhole, and snacks.
The field day is fun — and benefits 2 great causes. Funds will be raised for the Live Life to the Max mentorship program (named in honor of Max Harper, Staples ’25, for boys with ADHD), and Filling in the Blanks (a Norwalk non-profit that provides hungry children with weekend meals).
Student organizer Sienna Schwartz says the half-day event will take place on May 29. Activities include a magician, petting zoo, kickball, hacky sack, basketball, water balloon games, chalk drawing and more.
Besides fundraising (with each grade competing to raise the most), Wrecker Fest will foster community, promote wellness, and offer a fun chance to build relationships with peers and staff.
The summer camp program helps students in grades 3-12 develop their voices, build confidence and connect with others through music, in a warm, supportive atmosphere.
Experienced and new students are all welcome.
The camp is run by Danielle Merlis — a Staples graduate, performer, film composer and founder of The Cello Camp — and Robert Kwan, an organist, pianist,choir director, piano instructor, and former Staples accompanist.
Lead teacher Sara Hoefer is the choir director at Roger Ludlowe Middle School. She has directed a cappella ensembles at Fairfield Ludlowe and Fairfield Warde High Schools for nearly 20 years.
Guest master class instructors this summer will include former Staples choral director Luke Rosenberg, Will Mandelbaum, and Gedalia Penner-Robinson.
The camp runs August 17-22, at Southport’s Trinity Episcopal Church. It ends with a final performance for friends and family. For more information and to register, click here.
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Studio Café has a new name.
The hidden gem in Sconset Square is now Tailored Home Café. The change reflects exactly where the breakfast-lunch-and-coffee place is: inside Tailored Home, the handsome furniture and interior design shop.
Everything else is the same — including the great menu with Spanish-Mediterranean dishes, fresh baked goods, espresso drinks, juices, teas, mocktails and more.
(Hat tip and photo/Sal Liccione)
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We’ve mentioned it before, but it bears repeating: Bookmark (and check often) Westport’s “Community Events” calendar.
The page — part of the town website — lists an enormous passel of activities. Music, drama, arts, history, duck races … it’s all there, with clickable links for more information for each.
And that doesn’t include the Westport Library, though there’s a helpful link to their calendar, with their own dizzying array of events.
There is at least one interesting thing happening here every day in the foreseeable future.
For some reason, the least popular day is Tuesday. Hey … maybe someone will offer a lecture, workshop, play or concert explaining why.
Former 1st Selectman Jim Marpe used to say, “If you can’t find something to do in Westport, you’re not trying hard enough.”
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