“06880” is “where Westport meets the world.”
On Sunday, the Westport Library is “where Westport meets the World Cup.”
After 102 matches, there’s one left: European champion Spain vs. South American champ Argentina.
It will be a game for the ages. And all ages — from those watching their first World Cup, to those who remember Pele, Beckenbauer (and Maradona) — are invited to share the excitement on Sunday.
The Library opens at 1 p.m., for Panini card trading.
From 1:30 to 2:30, Westport soccer folks — including Dan Woog, Chris O’Dell, Paddy Donovan, Joe Pierce and Clemson coach Mike Noonan (video) — will tell stories about their experiences with The Beautiful Game.
At 3 p.m., the match will be shown on the Trefz Forum’s giant screen. The audience here will join billions of others around the globe.
Oh, yeah: There’s Riko’s pizza too (courtesy of “06880”).
Wear your jersey. Bring your friends. See you Sunday at the Library — where Westport meets the World Cup.
(Graphic courtesy of Isabelle Sareen)
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In early April, 1st Selectman Kevin Christie responded to a flurry of Cribari Bridge meetings and activity by announcing the formation of a Cribari Bridge Advisory Committee.
It would “support the town’s ongoing engagement with the DOT as the state-led process moves forward.”
Christie did not announce names of committee members, or indicate when and how they would be appointed.
Several readers have asked about the committee.
Last week — 3 months later — “06880” emailed the first selectman, asking about the status of the committee: Has it been formed? What’s its status?
And, we wondered, what is happening in terms of conversations between the town and state Department of Transportation?
We did not receive a response. We followed up again Tuesday morning, with the same questions.
We have not yet received a reply. When we do, we will let readers know.
Part of the large Town Hall crowd, at a March Cribari Bridge meeting with state Department of Transportation officials. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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Speaking of politics: Both the Democratic and Republic Town Committees have issued statements about the decision by the registrars of voters to consolidate polling places — and the quick reversal, to return to traditional Representative Town Meeting (RTM) sites.
The RTC says: The Republican Party commends Registrar of Voters Maria Signore and Deborah Greenberg, her Democratic counterpart, along with their dedicated staff and deputies, for their tireless efforts in ensuring smooth, secure and equitable elections in our town. These public servants consistently go above and beyond — working long hours, managing complex logistics, and adapting to expanded voting options like early in-person voting an no-excuse absentee ballots — to protect every voter’s rights and deliver reliable results. Their professionalism and commitment deserve our deep appreciation and gratitude.
We support the registrars’ proposal to consolidate polling for the August 11 primary to a single, central location at Bedford Middle School. This move was thoughtfully designed to enhance voter experience by offering better security, ample parking and lighting, easier navigation for all districts, shorter lines, and more efficient staffing, particularly important given the lower turnout typical of primaries and the growing preference for early and absentee voting.
While we respect the final decision to maintain the traditional polling locations for this election, we believe the consolidation concept reflects sound planning for future elections. Centralized operations can reduce burdens on poll workers, improve resource allocation, and provide a more consistent, high-quality experience for Westporters.
We remain fully committed to working collaboratively with the Registrars of Votes, town officials and stakeholders to support secure, efficient and accessible elections that reflect the best of our town’s civic spirit. We encourage all registered Republicans, Democrats, Unaffiliated and independent votes to take advantage of the multiple option available, and exercise their fundamental right to vote.
The Democratic Town Committee says:
The officers of the Westport Democratic Town Committee would like to take a moment to express our gratitude and appreciation for our Registrar of Voters, Deborah Greenberg, and the tremendous work she does in collaboration with Westport Town Clerk Jeff Dunkerton and her Republican counterpart, Maria Signiore. Deb works seamlessly with her office and the many members of the public whom she assists and greets daily. She is profoundly respected by Westport’s poll workers, and deeply valued by the DTC Officers and fellow members.
Deb has worked tirelessly through the implementation of new procedures like early voting and no-excuse absentee ballots without a hiccup, and we celebrated her for taking on these changes. Recently, a proposal for a new change was not received well by all members of the public and was subsequently overturned. DTC leadership finds it essential to note that any change proposed by our registrar was done with nothing but the best intentions for our community and respect for democracy.
Serving as a registrar of voters is an incredibly difficult public service role involving a heavy workload that should not be overlooked. Deb — we see you. We see how hard you work for our town and our party. We are blessed to have you as our registrar, and we are proud to have you as a member of the DTC family.
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Last week, Carolyn Doan reported on activity in the Fresh Market osprey nest.
This week, the word is not good.
“06880”‘s intrepid osprey watcher writes: “Unfortunately, I think the nest has been abandoned. Since last week, I haven’t seen them.
“Up and down the east coast, osprey are struggling with a shortage of menhaden (bunker fish) due to over-fishing. Parents can’t feed their chicks, and many nests are failing.
“I’m not sure what happened with this nest. It felt a bit off from the beginning. The pair arrived late, and then weren’t seen that often around the nest as they usually are.
“It’s possible it is a different pair altogether. The nest sits quiet at the moment. I’m checking it daily, hoping for some activity.
Click here for a Hartford Courant story on ospreys across Connecticut.
Instead of the osprey pair, this red shouldered hawk sat in the tree on Sunday. (Photo/Carolyn Doan)
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Speaking of the environment: Smoke from Canadian wildfires continued over Westport yesterday, producing this eerie scene at Compo Beach …
(Photo/Cat Malkin)
… and this equally grotty sunset, over downtown …
(Photo/Miggs Burroughs)
… along with this one, over Longshore:
(Photo/Phil Schaefer)
The haze and acrid smoke are expected to persist today.
The (only) good news: If the smoke thickens, temperatures may not climb as high as expected (mid-80s today). The reason: Smoke could filter out some of the sun’s rays,
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Speaking of the beach: This is the scene at the Old Mill guardhouse:
(Photo/Karen Como)
We’re not sure what’s going on here.
Is this lost footwear, waiting to be claimed?
If so, we understand forgetting both shoes. But only one …?!
Or perhaps this is just a bit of artwork, greeting beach-goers. Who, hopefully, will leave with everyting they brought.
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Another mystery, this one on Turkey Hill Road South:
(Photo/Chris Grimm)
We understand the frustration of residents with speeders, and the urge to plea for safety with a homemade sign.
But why Audrey? Why now?
If you know the back story — or want to guess — click “Comments” below.
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MoCA\CT’s 2026-27 concert series promises an exciting combination: international artists in the contemporary art galleries.
Among the featured performers in the coming year, ranging from jazz and R&B to classical and cross-genre music: Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bill Charlap, Morgan James and Time for Three.
Click here and below for the full schedule of 7 concerts, and more information.
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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo is not poorly exposed by photographer Richard Fogel.
It’s an all-too-accurate image of the scene on Whitney Street, during yesterday’s wildfire-induced haze.
(Photo/Richard Fogel)
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And finally … of course today’s song is:
(So long as you’re staying safe indoors … why not spend a few seconds clicking here? You’ll be supporting your hyper-local blog — ensuring we’ll keep reporting news, events, and (of course) weather.
What is this Democratic pablum – lots of words that say nothing. This initiative was not a proposal, it was a mandate, an instruction, and it was NOT overturned – it was reversed as a result of public outcry.
A World Cup watch party at our library – Wonderful! Thanks to the organizing team for bringing this momentous competition + + to us as a community watch! Can’t wait. Go Messi!! Dan, do we assume that pre-reg is not being required by the library?
Correct – no registration. See you there!
Regarding the status of the Cribari Bridge Project…
Many of us are still waiting to hear about the Advisory Committee. However, it’s worth noting that several important developments have occurred since April.
Four federally recognized consulting parties jointly submitted a detailed letter to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) identifying concerns regarding the Section 106 review, including the Area of Potential Effects, traffic analysis, visual impacts, and cumulative effects. Those issues are now part of the federal record.
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has also become involved after concerns were raised regarding the consultation process. FHWA acknowledged receipt of the consulting parties’ correspondence and advised last month that a substantive response would be forthcoming.
Whatever one’s position on the bridge itself, it would be helpful if any future Advisory Committee were aware of these ongoing federal proceedings so that the Town’s discussions reflect the current status of the project rather than only the state process.
I love Spain. I stayed for 7 weeks near the Moncloa subway station in Madrid.and lived with my family for 4 months in Torremolinos and anyone who reads this comment, I want you to google “Beaches of Nerja” and Hotel Balcón de Europa. We spent almost a month in Nerja! España ganará.
Voters deserve to know how the polling-place decision was made.
Did the registrars make a simple mistake and fail to take into account the inevitable traffic and backups of a solo Bedford site? Everybody makes mistakes. Why not admit it and move on?
Without transparency, the conspiracy theories just metastasize. Did someone exert undue pressure on the registrars? (The RTC seems unusually excited about the prospect of one polling place for all.) No advance public input? Seems…quiet.
Could Westport save money (without inconveniencing voters idling in their cars on North Avenue or in line)? Where is the evidence? How much money? No-explanation absentee ballots and early voting haven’t been evaluated for a complete voting cycle. Why blithely assume fewer in-person votes this November?
Did the polling-place change violate a state statute? Another rumor has state officials at all levels involved.
Why are both the RTC and DTC now issuing press releases to support these overworked and underpaid voting officials? Are they doing damage control to assuage valued, irreplaceable, beloved registrars facing unreasonable blowback? It’s nice, but it’s also profoundly weird without any back story.
The whole thing is spiraling, and it’s pretty nutty. And it’s not acceptable that such a huge, quickly reversed change is getting so little explanation.
Well said. From the original announcement, this seemed like a solution in search of a problem. Ready! Fire! Aim!
Who asked for the change and why?
As Tom says here, lets see the actual turnout through an election cycle with new voting regs.
As a proud lefty, I’m glad that Town has a large majority of Democratic voters. Unfortunately, the DTC seems to think that means they can do whatever they want, without a care for the concerns of said voters at all. Cronyism run amuck. And that email was embarrassing.
Thank you Debbie and Maria for the amazing work you both have done, and continue to do as our Westport Registrar of Voters.
The criticism you have both incurred is unacceptable. Both the DTC and RTC signed off on the one polling venue with good intentions, not with the intent to deceive the our electorate.
With all the new options in our state, from mail in, too early voting, residents have ample time to vote.
The one polling place would alleviate a lot of extra work for our Registrars, mainly finding the people to work the polls. We no longer have the “deep bench” of volunteers we once had.
This was in fact signed off by the Secretary of State, and had both parties on board.
Now we are back to our original polling places. I hope more of our electorate would volunteer to help our Registrars, as they are the backbone of our election process.
Again THANK YOU Debbie and Maria, as well as our Town Clerk and staff – you are all amazing, and we are lucky to have you all.
Jimmy, Don’t have enough volunteers? How about paying $50 dollars an hour and see if that solves your problem.Im sure some off duty policemen or firefighters might work for $50 an hour , if they have a day off. If that doesn’t work, let’s see if $100 dollars an hour would work! This is Westport with unlimited money!
I understand poll workers are paid jobs in CT. Never realized that. A friend that did it told me they got a free lunch as well though the hours are relatively long.
Don’t know what the going rate is in Westport but I gather Redding is $18/hour so Westport is probably at least that. I can see where the cost of staffing multiple locations as well as having to staff early voting locations could start to add up.
May be worth doing a few days a year for beer money.
Wait. Everybody approved the change, and now they’re letting the registrars take the flak from a furious public? Seriously? That seems like an incredibly shitty thing to do to innocent public employees.
Sounds familiar. I submitted the Dan Woog Field petition on February 10. It received overwhelming public support and was approved by the BOE, yet it sat on the First Selectman’s desk for months without movement. Transparency and timely action shouldn’t depend on what the issue is.
“Day one in office…” all items still sitting.
No Kings
the Peter Principle in action right here in Westport ‼️write a book 📕 😁🇺🇸
https://thenewjournalatyale.com/2025/02/audrey-hepburn-says-slow-down/
Regarding no response from a public elected official or Town of Westport employee I would like to relate my recent experiences. During the past 3 months I have sent emails to the Parks and Recreation department regarding concerns at Ned Dimes Marina, to the chair person of the Blight Board regarding an agenda item and to our Chief of Police with a concern about conduct of a uniformed WPD officer. I believe I was polite, thanked them for their service and expressed my concerns in an understandable manner. I did request a response of all three. I am still waiting. Have the officials elected and employed to serve Westport become afraid to answer our concerns?
Unacceptable at any level. If a concerned resident of Westport reaches out to a town government office, a response is in order–three months and no response? Shame.
It’s outrageous that Christie et al do not respond to citizens’ concerns…who the hell do they think they SHOULD consider worthy of response if not those who pay their goddamned salaries?