Yesterday’s heavy rainfall — more than 3.5 inches — has closed Westport beaches, for 24 hours from when the rain ended.
Yesterday’s heavy rain pours off a Stony Point roof. (Photo/Rick Jaffe)
Fox 5 New York posted a video of downtown flooding on their Instagram. Click here to see.
Screenshot from Fox 5 New York.
For Mark Mathias’ video of flooding on Myrtle Avenue near Post Road East, click here or below:
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The Planning & Zoning Commission’s Zoning Revision Subcommittee meets today (July 22, 12 noon; Zoom).
The first agenda item is a potential text change in Saugatuck, related to the proposed development by Spinnaker on Riverside Avenue. Click here for all related materials.
The other items involve Dark Sky compliance, modifying mobile park regulations, and discussing accessory buildings.
The Zoning Regulation Revision Subcommittee discusses Saugatuck today.
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There is one agenda item on tomorrow’s Board of Education agenda (Thursday, June 23, 9:30 a.m., Staples High School cafeteria): discussion, and possible action, on “Special Education Program Review: Review RFQ Responses and RFP.”
The meeting will be livestreamed on www.westportct.gov, and Optimum Channel 78.
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It’s a great National Hockey League tradition: Each player on the Stanley Cup-winning team gets to keep it for a day.
Which is how the famed trophy came to Westport yesterday.
Jeff Looby sent this photo, from social media:
A bit of context: Twitter user Phil Pritchard is the guy who shepherds the Stanley Cup from player to player, and town to town. (Much safer than FedEx.)
Shayne Gostisbehere is … well, you can read about him above. His only connections to Connecticut seem to be that he played prep school hockey at South Kent, and the Carolina Hurricanes started out as the Hartford Whalers, before fleeing to Raleigh in 1997.
Jeff thought Shayne might have a summer place in Westport. That can’t be confirmed. But it led to another social media post by Pritchard:
AI says he is a “native” of our town. But he was raised in Bellmawr, New Jersey, and played at Gloucester Catholic High there. There are no other references to Westport anywhere for him.
So here are our questions:
- Does Shayne Gostisbehere actually live here in the summer?
- Is Eric Robinson actually a Westport native? And if so …
- … why didn’t that get any publicity during the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup run?
- If none of that is true, how did the Stanley Cup wind up here yesterday?
And finally: Which is cooler: Having the Stanley Cup here in 2026, or the World Cup in Weston in 1991?
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La Plage has been closed for a while, as part of the Inn at Longshore renovation.
But — just in time for mid-summer — the popular waterside restaurant is back open today (Wednesday).
For the first week or so, they’ll serve dinner only (5 to 10 p.m.), with reservations required (click here).
The patio bar will be open every day too, from 4 to 10 p.m. for drinks.
Lunch, brunch and full service at the patio bar will roll out in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the Inn is slated to open the second week of August. Rooms are available for booking (click here). More details coming soon.
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A memorial service celebrating the life of Scott Bryce — the beloved actor, Staples High School graduate and Weston resident who died July 12 — is set for this Saturday (July 25, 10 a.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport.).
The event will be livestreamed; click here.
Scott Bryce
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The other day, Sandy Rothenberg emailed “06880.” She said: “The intersection of Bayberry Lane Extension & Easton Road (Route 136) is a major accident waiting to happen.
“At the stop sign on Bayberry Extension, the sight line is very poor. Cars fly around the corner on Easton Road, or turn in 2 other directions at the same time. School buses use this intersection too.
“I have contacted Westport Police and Public Works. They said that since Easton Road is a state road and the bushes are not on public property, they can’t do anything about it.” They suggested writing a letter to the property owner at 300 Bayberry Lane Extension.
Town operations manager Tom Kiely told Sandy that the house was recently sold. New owners will move in next month. Kiely contacted them, and said they were receptive to meeting with town officials.
Rothenberg adds, “The state Department of Transportation needs to attend to the curve on Easton Road!”
Dangerous sightline: Easton Road (right) at Bayberry Lane Extension. Bayberry Lane is at far right. (Photo/Sandy Rothenberg)
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Only a few days — and 2 Westport Farmers’ Markets — remain in the Young Shoots photo contest.
For a decade, photographers ages 5 to 18 have captured the energy and beauty of the Thursday market — and shared great images of food, farmers and shopper.
The contest — with prizes in 3 age groups, and an exhibit and reception for all the young entrants — is sponsored by The Artists Collective of Westport and the Drew Friedman Community Arts Center.
The deadline is July 31. Click here for details, and submission guidelines.
Lila Boyd’s winning photo, in the 10-14-year-old age group.
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Speaking of the outdoors: Flick the leopard gecko, Pearl the chinchilla and Chatty the bald eagle are 3 of the more than 50 animals that call Earthplace home.
Unable to survive in the wild due to permanent injuries, they now serve as ambassadors, connecting the community with nature.
But Earthplace can’t do it alone. Facing rising food, veterinary and enrichment costs, they need to raise $25,000 this month to ensure the animals receive the resources they need!
A generous matching challenge will double every gift, through July 31. Click here to donate.
How can you not support this guy?
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Westport is filled with experienced professionals — and many other young men and women, just beginning their careers.
A networking mixer, bringing them all together, is set for next Tuesday (July 28, 7 to 8:15 p.m., Compo Beach brick pavilion).
The free event — organized by Westport Professionals Network co-founders Lisa Cukier and Katie Gervasio — is open to post-high school, and current and graduated college students. Plus, of course, anyone interested in offering advice and mentorship.
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Roz Chast and Lisa Donnelly had a packed Westport Library crowd laughing loudly Monday night.
That’s appropriate. They spoke following a screening of “Women Laughing,” Donnelly’s documentary about a diverse and remarkable group of New Yorker female cartoonists. Chast and Donnelly are 2 of its most noted members.
From left: Roz Chast and Lisa Donnelly, with former New Yorker editor Anne Hall Elser. (Photo/Susan Garment)
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Lauri Weiser sent this “Westport … Naturally” photo yesterday, with a note: “On icky days like this, these beautiful flowers remind me why I love my garden.”
(Photo/Lauri Weiser)
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And finally … in honor of the Stanley Cup coming to Westport (story above):
(You may never drive a Zamboni. But you can always contribute to “06880.” Just click here to help. It’s even better than winning the Stanley Cup! Thank you all …)