Last week, “06880” introduced a new feature: a video look back at Staples Players’ productions.
Staples High School media teacher Jim Honeycutt started taping shows when David Roth became director, in 2000. His first — and Honeycutt’s first “nutshell” highlight video — was “Guys & Dolls.”
Today we rewind back to Roth’s second musical: Rupert Holmes’ “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” the show-within-a-show based on Charles Dickens’ unfinished novel.
Click here or below, to see 9 minutes from the spring 2001 show.
Marina Drasnin is a different kind of “06880” podcast guest.
She’s not in town government. She does not lead an interesting business, non-profit or organization.
What Marina is is a very excited new resident of Westport. She’s been here just a year, but she loves everything about this town.
She sees it through fresh eyes, and offers an intriguing perspective. The other day we chatted about Westport — what brought her here (spoiler alert: It involved the LA wildfires), what she expected, what she found, and much more.
Click here or below to see this place through very special eyes: Marina Drasnin’s.
HB 8002 is law. What does it mean for affordable housing in Westport?
Homes with Hope’s Affordable Housing Advisory Council took a deep dive into that topic yesterday, at Christ & Holy Trinity Church’s Branson Hall.
The legislation — signed last year by Governor Lamont — expands fair rent commissions, eliminates most off-street parking requirements for developments of less than 12 units, and requires towns to create housing growth plans,
State Senator Ceci Maher and Representatives Dominique Johnson and Jonathan Steinberg provided insights into policy and practical implications for municipalities and housing advocates alike.
Other participants included 1st Selectman Kevin Christie, Planning & Zoning Commissioner Craig Schiavone, Planning & Zoning director Michelle Perillie, Human Services director Elaine Daignault, and Board of Education members Lee Goldstein and Abby Tolan.
Also in attendance: Amanda Sayegh of the Westport Housing Authority, Ralph Yearwood and Kate Weber from the Affordable Housing Committee, and Homes with Hope’s emeritus board chair John Walsh and board chair Becky Martin.
The Advisory Council plans a follow-up session to support Westport, as it approaches deadlines, and works to expand affordable housing.
Listening and learning, at yesterday’s Homes with Hope affordable housing event.
New York Times readers are familiar with Lynsey Addario’s photos of wars, famines and other humanitarian crises in troubled places like the Middle East and Africa.
The 1991 Staples high School graduate has earned a Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Fellowship for her work.
She turns her camera less frequently on the US.
But when she does, the results are equally compelling.
Addario’s latest photos accompany Nicholas Kristof’s long story on how 3 states that traditionally lag in education ratings — Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi — have found success in elementary schools, raising reading scores and reversing chronic absenteeism. (It’s a multi-pronged approach, emphasizing human support and minimizing technology.)
Click here for the story, and Addario’s photos of American students, working hard to succeed. (Hat tip: Jonathan Berg)
Learning to read. (Photo/Lynsey Addario for the New York Times)
Speaking of elementary schools (but closer to home): The Long Lots Building Committee meets tonight (Tuesday, February 10, 6 p.m., Town Hall room 201).
The agenda includes a project update, public comment, and a work session to review interior finishes and details.
Tonight’s discussion focuses on what’s inside the new school.
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport has long been at the forefront of social justice issues.
This Saturday (February 14, 4 p.m.), they invited “all who need and want to be together to share songs of spirit and freedom during this trying time in our nation’s history” to a sing-along.
The “guides” are singer/songwriter Bethany Yarrow (daughter of Peter Yarrow, Peter, Paul & Mary), and musicians Francine Wheeler and Gordon Titcomb.
UU Westport says: “Many members have been inspired by the resistance singing coming out of Minneapolis. We open our sanctuary to offer the same opportunity to share our collective strength and commitment together.
“Many people are searching for ways to channel their feelings, and build connections and hope through music and song. This community gathering shares the collective message of sadness and vulnerability, and, importantly, of solidarity, strength, courage, resistance, and purpose.”
All ages and faith traditions are welcome. No music experience is necessary. For more information, click here.
Everyone needs a blowout. (Well, my hair would not qualify. But you get the idea.)
Here’s a blowout bonanza: now through February 28, Bianca Bazante — The Artist Loft’s owner and creative director Bianca Bazante offers $100 off her signature Brazilian Blowouts.
Bianca — whose mother operated a salon in Westport — learned her trade in New York. In 2020, after giving birth to twin boys Jagger and Bryceson, she moved back and opened The Artist Loft.
Bianca is also the author of “The Curly Hair Crew,” which teaches children to embrace curls with no boundaries.
For more information, and to book appointments, click here. For her Instagram page, click here.
Pianist David Morgan headlines Thursday’s Jazz at the Post (February 12, VFW; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner at 7).
An area resident, he has performed and recorded with Wynton Marsalis and Wes Anderson, and written music for CBS Sports, Discovery, A&E, MTV, and TV shows.
Readers have sent in plenty of photos of frozen beaches, for our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
Here’s one from often-overlooked Canal Beach. Sprite Island is in the distance.
(Photo/Lynn Flint)
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And finally … in honor of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport’s upcoming sing-along, may we suggest:
(Every day since 2009, “06880” has offered all the news that Westport needs. Well, a lot of it anyway. If you appreciate this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thanks!)
Since our first post in 2009, “06880” has published over 20,100 stories.
Thanks to our “Search the Archives” box, you could find any of them. “Cribari Bridge,” “Community Gardens,” “Remarkable Book Shop” — type in keywords (don’t forget the quotation marks!), and you’d get every reference, from most recent to oldest.
Then your work really began. You had to click on each story individually. The search engine did not distinguish between, say, a story about a Cribari Bridge Department of Transportation hearing, holiday lights there, or a photo of it.
And you couldn’t search the Comments section — that rich repository of over 180,000 opinions (plus bombast and bile).
But “Search” is so yesterday.
Now it’s 2026. AI is taking over the world.
Today, “06880” introduces a new way to explore our blog.
It’s as hyper-local as we are. And as revolutionary as any AI search engine on any blog like this, anywhere.
We call it “the ‘06880’ Widget.” It’s the product (of course!) of a Westport business.
With it, you can take a deep dive into not just what “06880” has written about, but how those stories tie together. How readers responded to them. And what it all means for you, your life here, and what’s ahead.
The “‘06880’ widget” floats in the upper right hand corner of every page. (NOTE: It’s not yet available via a button on the app. That’s coming soon.)
The arrow points to our new “06880” AI widget.
Click on the box, and type in a request:
“Tell me about last year’s real estate trends.”
“What do readers think about the Community Gardens?”
“What should newcomers know about Westport?”
“What events are happening on Saturday, February 14, 2026?”
“What was the restaurant before The Bridge at Saugatuck?”
You’ll see 3 dots. AI plows through 17 years of “06880” posts — and only “06880” — to deliver, within seconds, a comprehensive reply.
i asked our AI widget what readers think about the Community Gardens. This is the start of the reply.
Many responses include clickable links, bringing you to a relevant story.
AI is not perfect, of course. It hiccups. And — as with any AI engine — the quality of the response relates directly to the clarity and specificity of the prompt.
The more you use it, the better you understand how to frame your request.
For example, “What is the best Italian restaurant?” is not a good question. “What readers say about Westport’s Italian restaurants?” is better.
Boy, is this a cool tool!
“06880” readers love Tutti’s, owned by Pasquale and Maria Funicello (above). The “‘06880 widget’ knows what those readers say.
The “‘06880’ widget” was developed by ThoughtPartnr. The Westport-based startup creates practical, easy-to-use AI tools for local businesses and community organizations.
While big tech companies build AI for Fortune 500 firms, ThoughtPartnr leverages its proprietary local language model to create AI for “Main Streets”: Chambers of Commerce, stores, libraries, Y’s and other community institutions.
The company was founded by Westport resident Jay Norris, with fellow residents Anil Nair and Matt Snow.
From left: Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce director Matthew Mandell, with ThoughtPartnr’s Jay Norris, Anil Nair and Matt Snow. (Photos/Dan Woog)
ThoughtPartnr’s team — including Michael Salzinger — insert code into the site’s HTML. The widget scans the site every day to stay current.
For a Chamber of Commerce, the AI widget can answer questions like, “What stores specialize in home decor?” For a Y it might be, “Are there swim programs for 4-year-olds?”
For “06880” meanwhile, there is 17 years’ worth of stories and comments to analyze, summarize and offer up, to anyone who wants to know.
If you have questions about this story, don’t email “06880.”
Just ask our widget.
(Our new widget is just one more feature, for our ever-helpful, always-evolving “06880.” To help support all that we do, please click here.)
“06880”‘s “Students Speak” pages are open to all teenagers. If you live in Westport, go to school in Westport or are home-schooled: Tell us about your lives.
What is growing up here like for you? What causes stress? What brings you joy? What is your passion, and how has this town helped you develop it (or hindered)? Is there too much emphasis — or not enough — on academics, arts, athletics, activities? What’s your friend group like? What do you think about social media? The state of the world (or town, or school)?
You can use your name, or be anonymous — your choice. You can be positive, negative or neutral. You can offer suggestions and solutions, or not.
The important thing is to offer insights and perspectives, to the broad “06880” audience. You’re an important part of our online community, and we want to share your stories.
If you’re unsure of what to write about — or want a little guidance — we’ll work with you. But we’ll make sure that in the end, your voice comes through loud and clear.
To send submissions or learn more, email 06880blog@gmail.com. Thanks!
Of course no one writes like this anymore. But it’s the only graphic I could find about “writing.”
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Westport’s Wheels2U is branching out.
The on-demand service is joining with Norwalk Community Health Center to bring patients with transportation challenges to Norwalk Community Heath Center’s medical mobile unit at Jesup Green every Tuesday, from 9 a.m. to noon.
The unit was brought back to Westport by Homes with Hope, following the pandemic.
Residents needing rides can use Wheels2U’s app, or call 475-258-7893.
The fare is $2 — and new users get their first 5 rides free.
Cary Pierce — the 1987 Staples High School graduate who, as half of the alt/ rock/folk duo Jackopierce has been entertaining audiences around the world for over 30 years — played a “hometown” concert last night.
The Fairfield Theatre Company was filled with a wide range of fans — including former classmates.
Former Staples teachers Jim and Denise Honeycutt were there too. Jim shot this video, with 2 of Jackopierce’s most popular songs: “Please Come to Boston” and “Vineyard.”
This was the temperature yesterday on Saugatuck Shores. Did anyone record a lower one?
(Photo copyright DinkinESH Fotografix)
At Old Mill, James White reports: “It’s been a good 10 years plus since the Sherwood Mill Pond froze over.
“Back then we formed the Mill Pond Explorers Club. Here are some hearty members on a current excursion out on the ice.”
(Photo/James White)
Today’s high is predicted to be 30 degrees. Tomorrow, it’s 36; on Wednesday, a positively tropical 41.
See you at the beach!
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Have you seen the signs? Pink Floyd is coming to Westport!
And they’re not playing at a big venue, like Staples High School or the Levitt Pavilion.
(Photo/Jonathan Alloy)
But wait! Jonathan Alloy — who sent along the photo — notes that 2 of the original members are dead. And the other 3 have not worked together since 2005.
Spoiler alert: The group — called Prognosis The American Pink Floyd — is a tribute band.
Their website says they’ve been “performing the music of Pink Floyd
with incredible album accuarcy [sic] for 15 years both in the USA and internationally. Known for their elaborate lights, lasers and video projections, Prognosis The American Pink Floyd is considered to be the best and most accurate Pink Floyd experience.”
Too bad. Still, it sounds like a great show. And for $20, how can you go wrong?
Meanwhile, we look forward to the upcoming Beatles concert. They’ll be playing at Little Barn.
The topic for the next Westport Astronomical Society science lecture is dark.
Dark matter, that is.
Dr. Yue Yu of Columbia University’s International Axion Observatory
It’s set for February 17 (8 p.m.), at the WAS’ classroom on Bayberry Lane. It will be livestreamed too, on YouTube and Zoom.
Axions and axion-like particles are among the leading candidates for dark matter. This talk will introduce the International Axion Observatory, the next-generation experiment designed to search for solar axions, along with its pathfinder mission, BabyIAXO. For more information, click here.
Dr. Yue Yu
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On Saturday, this majestic bird took a break on a small woodpile, just a few feet from a window at Johnny Clark’s High Point Road home.
It sat long enough for a “Westport … Naturally” photo — a gorgeous start to our week.
Beach sunsets. Dogs. Entitled parkers — they keep coming.
Many are good. Some are similar. All are appreciated.
I’m a sucker for drone shots. They offer a perspective on Westport we seldom see. They enable us to look at our town in fresh, unique ways.
The other day, I got this one. It shows a frozen Saugatuck River, near the Levitt Pavilion:
It came from Alex O’Brien. He said he loves taking aerial photos around town, and recently started his own company: Westportdronephotography.com.
I didn’t recognize the name. I asked for more images, and offered to chat by Zoom.
That’s when I learned that Alex is 13 years old — and not even a full-time Westporter.
Alex O’Brien, with his drone.
His parents moved here from New York during COVID. He went to Saugatuck Elementary School. They moved back, but return to their Westport home on weekends.
Alex is an 8th grader at St. Ignatius Loyola School. In addition to drone photography, he loves engineering and using his 3D printer. He’s part of the National Children’s Chorus. They’ll perform this spring at Carnegie Hall.
Last year, they toured Australia. Alex sang at the Sydney Opera House. He told me that off-handedly, as if every middle schooler does that at some point.
Alex began drone photography after getting a DJI Mini 4 Pro for his birthday. He realized people might want to buy his shots, so he got a domain and set up his business.
Alex O’Brien flies his drone over the Saugatuck River.
It’s Westport-only right now. Manhattan has restrictive bans on recreational uses.
So Alex has gone to town, in our town.
He loves shooting Compo Beach, the river, and many other interesting places.
Compo Beach
Drone photography has helped Alex learn about Westport. It’s also helped him see the beauty all around.
Sunsets and beach scenes “could be like vacation spots,” he says. “But they’re here.”
Summertime ritual: a Levitt Pavilion concert.
Marketing is mostly word of mouth, through family and friends. Requests come in on his website.
On it, he says: “My passion lies in capturing breathtaking aerial images of the local landscape. I take pride in being a 13-year-old Westport local, bringing a fresh perspective to the art of drone photography. My goal is to share the beauty of our area through the unique and beautiful photos captured by drone, both with locals and those further afield.”
Downtown Westport.
But — just as Alex buried the Sydney Opera House story — there’s one other aspect of his business to report.
He’s donating 10% of all profits to Homes with Hope‘s food pantry.
Alex — who has celiac disease — cannot eat gluten.
In 5th grade, during a Saugatuck Elementary walkathon, he learned about the HwH pantry. Every month since, he and his mother bring a gluten-free donation.
They also gave a gluten-free Thanksgiving dinner to a local family.
The great note he received — and the smiles he sees at the food pantry — help him realize the importance of giving back.
Cribari Bridge.
Alex looks forward to hearing from “06880” readers about new places to photograph.
It would be great too to get a few jobs, to keep his drone busy.
And the Homes with Hope pantry well stocked.
Ned Dimes Marina
Looking toward Old Mill Beach.
Saugatuck River (Saugatuck Elementary School at lower right)
Frozen river (All drone photos/Alex O’Brien)
(Every day, “06880” offers fresh perspectives on Westport. If you enjoy learning about our town — from new and ever-changing angles — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Except — improbably — you can walk directly from Compo Road South to Compo Beach, without taking the long way on Soundview Drive or (even longer) Compo Beach Road.
Just pop through the gray wood gate, underneath a red brick arch.
It’s hidden in plain sight. But it was last week’s Photo Challenge (click here to see).
And it was quickly identified by more than a dozen readers, some of whom noted that they used it frequently.
Congrats to Bob Colson, Maureen Coogan, John McKinney, Joyce Barnhard, Missy Targowski, Kitty Graves, Dave Eason, Matt Murray, Nancy McKeever, Michael Szeto and Katie J. Phillis.
If we gave out prizes, you’d get a free beach sticker.
But obviously, you don’t need one.
Here is this week’s Photo Challenge. If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
Click here to help support “06880” via credit card or PayPal. Any amount is welcome, appreciated — and tax-deductible! Reader contributions keep this blog going. (Alternate methods: Please send a check to “06880”: PO Box 744, Westport, CT 06881. Or use Venmo: @blog06880. Or Zelle: dwoog@optonline.net. Thanks!)
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