Paul Lane Field, Staples High School sunrise … (Photo/Jeff Schwartz)
… and Compo Beach South beach sunset (Photo/JD Dworkow)
Posted in Beach, Pic of the Day, Sports, Staples HS
Tagged Compo Beach sunset, Paul Lane Field
Cross Highway, this afternoon … (Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)
… and Compo Beach … (Photo/Jonathan Rosenoer)
… and the Gault barn, Compo Road South (Photo/Tom Kretsch)
… and a fire truck, at a Bayberry Lane/Easton Road accident (Photo/Jonathan Alloy)
Posted in Beach, Pic of the Day, Weather
Effective Tuesday, the fine for parking illegally at the Saugatuck and Greens Farms train stations will double.
At the request of the Westport Police Department, the Select Board approved
an increase in the fine for non-permit holders parking in permit-only areas, from $25 to $50.
As always, daily parking areas are available at both stations for non-permit holders.
For more information on railroad parking, and to purchase a permit, click here.
Saugatuck train station permit-only parking lot.
==================================================
Westporters know the joys of skating at the PAL Rink at Longshore.
Now, many other people know too.
NewEngland.com included it — right near the top — in their list of “30 Best Winter Activities Across All 6 States.”
(Okay, it’s near the top because the states are listed alphabetically, and Connecticut is first. But still …)
The writeup says:
For more than 25 years, the Westport Police Athletic League (WPAL) has sponsored this winter gem located just steps from Long Island Sound.
Meeting NHL rink specifications, the outdoor facility is open to all, with daily, weekend, and season passes available. Visitors can find skate rentals and sharpening here, as well as figure skating lessons offered through the Westport Parks and Recreation Department that range from beginner to advanced levels.
We’re right up there with Powder Ridge, Franconia Notch, and Okemo, Stowe and Stratton.
Click here for all 30 spots. Then lace up your skates! (Hat tip: Bob Mitchell)
Westport PAL rink: a top New England attraction!
=================================================
Local athletes have many opportunities to receive specialized, sport-specific training.
The mental and nutrition aspects: Not so much.
Three professionals — Rhodie Lorenz, Carrie Potoff and Adriana Liberatore — now fill that gap.
The multi-disciplinary group — Saugatuck Mind and Sports Lab — offers athletes, coaches and parents team and 1-on-1 coaching and counseling.
Lorenz — well-known to Westporters as a co-founder of JoyRide — already had a thriving mental performance practice, specializing in high school and college athletes.
Potoff is a therapist. She aids many athletes in areas like anxiety and perfectionism.
Liberatore is a registered dietician, who also has experience with athletes’ fuel for performance and recovery.
The trio saw a gap between physical regimens, and off-the-field aspects of training. They’ve designed a holistic approach, but are also available individually.
“Coaches have only so much bandwidth,” Lorenz notes. “They understand the value of mental training and good nutrition. They’re able to reinforce what we provide.
“Athletes often seek help when they struggle, or suffer a setback,” she adds. “But they don’t have to be reactive. We can be proactive, providing the tolls and skills they need to overcome the inevitable stresses of sports.”
From left: Rhodie Lorenz, Carrie Potof, Adrianna Liberatore.
===============================================
Speaking of sports: Friends of the Senior Center are sponsoring a Super Bowl tailgate party. (Indoors, of course: February 8, 1 p.m.).
All ages are welcome to enjoy hot dogs, chips and dessert, plus a chance to meet Staples High School’s championship boys soccer and rugby teams.
PAL and Staples cheerleaders will perform.
And there’s a “guess the final score” contest, with prizes.
All ages are invited.
The state champion “futbol” team will be at the Senior Center football Super Bowl party on February 8. (Photo/John Walker)
==================================================
On Tuesday, the Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously denied an appeal of a previous Planning & Zoning Commission decision, to allow construction of an accessory dwelling unit at 21 Norwalk Avenue.
Adjacent Compo Beach neighborhood property owners David Johnson and Holly Jaffe had objected to the ADU, based on its 26-foot height and location 10 feet from the existing house. (Click here for a previous “06880” story on this issue.)
James Ezzes, ZBA chair, wrote that zoning regulations in effect at the time of the application allow construct of accessory dwelling units as of right; the proposed plans conform to the definite of an ADU and all applicable standards; regulations allow a 350-square foot coverage exemption for lots of 1.5 acres or less; and the zoning enforcement officer does not have discretion in the review of permits.
Neighbors in the area are considering a lawsuit.
The Norwalk Avenue home (top, 2nd from left), showing where the ADU would be situated. (Drone photo/John Videler)
==================================================
On January 25 (2 p.m.), Westport Library goers get a first look at the Shoah Memorial. The sculpture — coming soon to Fairfield University — seeks to “honor history, while actively stemming the tide of hate.”
The afternoon features a conversation between Dr. Mindy Hersh and her mother, Judy Hersh, a Holocaust survivor, followed by a panel discussion with Shoah Memorial artist Victoria Milstein; Shelly Krieger, the founding educator of the Holocaust Research Center; Holocaust survivor Michell Schell, and Marla Felton of Common Circles.
The Shoah Memorial Fairfield University project began when Paul Burger attended the unveiling of the original She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots sculpture Greensboro, North Carolina. Moved by its powerful message, he decided to bring the memorial to his community, to ensure its broader impact.
Fairfield University is already home to the Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies, and offers a Judaic Studies program.
Shoah Memorial
==================================================
Longtime Westport resident Wayne Paull died January 3. He was 79.
Wayne graduated from the University of Connecticut, where he earned a football scholarship. After college, Wayne joined the Army.
With his wife Lee’s support, Wayne chose a career as a movie cameraman. His work took him around the world, covering the PGA, Indy racing, the circus, and interviewing figures such as George H.W. Bush, the Dalai Lama, and countless other world leaders and fascinating figures.
He was predeceased by his wife. He is survived by his son Matthew (Leslie), and grandsons Brittain and Cooper.
A service will be held Monday (January 19, 11 a.m.) at Harding Funeral Home.
==================================================
Today’s mid-winter “Westport … Naturally” sign of life: this beach plum, at Old Mill.
(Photo/Judith Katz)
==================================================
And finally … on this date in 1920, Prohibition began in the United States. It lasted until 1933.
(There are many ways to spend a few bucks in Westport: Skating at Longshore. Drinks with friends. Clicking here, to make a tax-deductible donation to “06880.” Enjoy them all — and thank you!)
No, The Organic Market has not closed.
They’ve just changed owners.
Westport’s favorite — well, organic market — is healthier than ever.
The new owners — longtime chef Talin Bozuklu and her partner Mary Tas — share the same values, and commitment to quality and wellness, as Maggie and Charles Vosgueritchian, who retired after 38 years.
And of the owners before that — Sally Simmons and Beverly Marshall — who founded the Playhouse Square institution nearly half a century ago.
Organic Market owners Talin Bozuklu and Mary Tas.
Yesterday, manager Yeraz Bozuklu — Talin’s daughter — showed off some of the updates.
The front of the market has been opened up. They’ve gotten rid of plastic in the produce section, and are reducing — on the way to eliminating — aluminum in the hot foods section.
The new owners gave the market a deep scrubbing last weekend. They reorganized certain sections. The juice bar board will be updated, to “fit the vibe.” Other small touches are on the way.
But, Yeraz emphasizes, all the food — and the staff — remain the same.
“The Organic Market has been special to customers, and the community, for so long,” Yeraz says. “We know how important that is, and we look forward to seeing everyone soon.”
PS: The Organic Market is the first retail outlet in the country selling House of Yes, the protein bars for youngsters (and everyone else) created by Westporters Sarit and Michael Lewis (profiled earlier this month on “06880”). Until now, all sales have been online only.
Yeraz Bozuklu, with a photo of the 3 sets of Organic Market owners.
==================================================
Speaking of food: It’s official.
Last Friday, the Select Board approved a settlement between the town and Hook’d on the Sound.
The much-maligned Compo Beach, Longshore Pavilion and Longshore halfway house concessionaire’s lease has been terminated early.
Parks & Recreation Department Erik Barbieri will be seeking a new operator. He hopes to have one in place by this spring.
But if not, no one will go hungry — perhaps thanks to food trucks, if necessary.
The door has been closed on Hook’d. (Photo/Matt Murray)
==================================================
The close cooperation between Westport’s Police Department and Department of Human Services is about to get even closer.
A new Community Care Unit has been created. It’s led by Lieutenant Sereniti Dobson and Officer Ruta Pratt.
Since the fall, the pair have tracked the increasing volume and complexity of calls involving people experiencing mental health and behavioral health crises.
The new CCY aligns police responses with established Human Services referrals, follow-up, and care coordination processes.
It enhances the WPD’s ability to identify people who may benefit from additional support, and helps connect them to Human Services and community resources. They include mental health care, addiction services, and other social service interventions.
While Police and Human Services have collaborated for decades, the CCU formalizes and expands this partnership by clarifying roles and strengthening follow-through.
Police officers remain focused on managing immediate safety concerns, while Human Services leads resource navigation, referral and ongoing engagement.
==================================================
Former 1st Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker has dropped her campaign to become Connecticut’s governor.
But the newest Republican candidate also has Westport ties.
Former New York Lieutenant Governor Betsy McCaughey — now a Greenwich resident — told the Stamford Town Committee last night that she’s in the race, CT Mirror reports. She has not yet registered officially.
McCaughey was born in Pittsburgh but grew up in Westport, Wikipedia says. She is 77 years old.
Her father Albert was “a factory janitor (who) did maintenance and later engineering work at a nail clipper factory.
Wikipedia adds: “McCaughey attended public schools in Westport through the 10th grade. After receiving a scholarship, she transferred to a private Massachusetts boarding school, the Mary A. Burnham School, for her last two years of high school, rarely visiting home, then or during her college years.”
Click here for the full CT Mirror story.
Betsy McCaughey (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)
==================================================
The Parks & Recreation Commission’s January 21 meeting (7:30 p.m., Town Hall Room 201) has a full agenda.
Among the topics:
Canal Beach: Westport’s smallest. (Photo/Gene Borio)
==================================================
Westporters already know and love Faith Sargent for her high tea parties, her Wreathing for Community (through which donated florals are transformed into wreaths, given away to spread cheer). and Faith’s Cottage Kitchen (a licensed home bakery offering small-batch breads, brownies, marshmallows and seasonal treats).
Now she’s launched “Treat Tuesday”: a community initiative to spread sweetness around town.
Each Tuesday, she brings homemade treats to a town office or local nonprofit. “It’s a simple way to say thank you,” Faith says.
Last week she delivered Neapolitan marshmallow brownies to Town Hall. This week she brought homemade marshmallows to the fire station.
Do you have a place to recommend? Text Faith: 603-219-2773.
She may be overwhelmed with requests. So: Keep the faith!
(And thank you!)
Town Hall treats!
================================================
For more than 4 decades, The Susan Fund has provided college scholarships to Fairfield Country residents who have been diagnosed with cancer at some time in their life, and attend (or plan to) enroll in an institution of higher learning.
The Fund was established in 1980 in memory of her Susan Lloyd, a Staples High School graduate who lost her battle with cancer. Since its founding, the organization has provided over $2 million in scholarships to more than 300 students.
Applications for the 2026 school year are open now, through April 1. To apply or to learn more about the Susan Fund, click here.
The 2025 Susan Fund awardees.
=================================================
Westport Police made 3 custodial arrests, between January 7 and 13.
A 25-year-old Brooklyn man was charged with the illegal sale/manufacture of cannabis. His arrest followed multiple complaints about illegal marijuana sales at Savvy Smoker. In April, Westport Police and the state Department of Consumer Protection Drug Control Division executed a search warrant, and seized various types of illegal marijuana and THC-containing products. He was held on a $150,000 bond.
A 51-year-old Stamford man was charged with larceny, following a complaint that he was paid $3,250 as a contractor for work that was never performed. He attempted to make restitution with a check that was returned due to insufficient funds. He was released on a $7,500 bond.
A 25-year-old Bronx man was charged with failure to appear. He was released on a $15,000 bond.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Scene of the crime.
==================================================
Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo comes from a wintry Compo Beach.
They show some very unnatural tire tracks.
No problem — the sand grooming machine will be there in 4 months!
(Photo/Jeanette Moore)
==================================================
And finally … in honor of the end of a not-great chapter in beach concession history:
(Another day, another Roundup filled with news you can use. If you enjoy this daily feature — or anything else on “06880” — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Compo Cove: only house on the left (Photo/John Maloney)
Compo Beach parking lot …
… and nearby benches (Photos/John Maloney)
Sherwood Island State Park (Photo/Pam Docters)
Cloudy winter weekend at Compo Beach (Photo/Susan Garment)
Sherwood Island State Park (Photo/Pat Saunders)
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!)