Category Archives: Children

Dear Jackie Robinson …

Posted on April 19, 2026 | 4 comments

Jackie Robinson is a towering historical figure. Thanks to Major League Baseball’s ongoing efforts, every young fan today knows he was the first man to break the sport’s Black barrier.

He went on to become a business executive, political advisor, bank and housing development company co-founder, and equal justice advocate.

But only older Americans have first-hand memories of the Brooklyn Dodgers star (and longtime Stamford resident). They were youngsters or adolescents when he played, or had recently retired.

In an effort to keep his memory alive, reach younger residents and inspire dialogue, the Westport Library Common Ground Initiative recently sponsored its second Jackie Robinson Essay Contest.

Along with the Westport Center for Senior Activities and Meryl Moss Media, “Dear Jackie Robinson” challenged individuals and inter-generational pairs to write a personal letter to him. The goal was to explore how his courage, dignity and perseverance continue to shape their lives and relationships.

First-place winner Marty Erdheim’s deeply personal and collaborative submission did just that. The 85-year-old retired business owner (and former captain of the Columbia University basketball team) collaborated with his 10-year-old grandson Dylan Henschel. The Saugatuck Elementary School 4th grader plays lacrosse and tennis, and practices jiu jitsu.

Their letter bridged generations, while offering a shared reflection of Robinson’s impact. (His and the other winners’ full letters are below.)

Erdheim received 4 tickets to a New York Mets game, and commemorative items.

Mark Rosenblatt, who spent his career in radio broadcast tech, earned second place — along with 2 tickets to the Jackie Robinson Museum, and a $100 gift certificate — with a powerful letter.

Tobias Slavin took third, and gets a 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers yearbook. A Staples High School 9th grader who plays football, basketball and baseball, he wrote his letter with his 82-year-old “god-grandpa,” Phil Wexler.

Finalist AJ Battersby receives a 1955 Dodgers stamp collection. He’s a 4th grader at Coleytown Elementary School who plays Little League and travel baseball. He collaborated with his grandfather Greg Battersby, a semi-retired attorney who in 40-plus years in Westport has coached over a dozen Little League and Babe Ruth teams (and headed the Babe Ruth program). He invented and patented a baseball pitching machine called the ProBatter pitching simulator, and serves as its CEO (with A.J.’s dad Adam, who is president).

Winners were also recognized by the Library on Friday — the 79th anniversary of his MLB debut — as part of their Jackie Robinson Day programming

“These essays show that Robinson’s legacy is not something we simply remember,” says Library executive director Bill Harmer.

“It lives in how we treat one another, and how we choose to show up in the world.”

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Marty Erdheim and Dylan Henschel

Dear Jackie:

I was one of your very first fans. You came to Brooklyn and I was there, among so many others, to welcome you. I was there when our Dodgers lost the 1951 pennant race as well as the 1952 and 1953 World Series. And of course, I was there when you brought us our first World Series in 1955. Jackie, you changed me, changed Brooklyn and changed the world.

My grandson Dylan Henschel recently asked me about you, Brooklyn and the impact you had on this world. And so began a series of questions and answers.

Dylan: Poppy, you keep on telling me about how great Jackie Robinson really was. So explain to me why he was so great and what was it like growing up in that era?

Marty Erdheim

Poppy: It was magical! Brooklyn was a safe, multi-ethnic borough, with one common adhesive holding us all together: the Brooklyn Dodgers. Actually, I do not recall any Brooklynite, child or adult, who did not root for the Dodgers. And into this mix, a genuine hero emerged. A hero who would change America spiritually but also lead the Dodgers to several National League pennants and finally to a World Series championship.

Baseball was so important to Brooklyn, that when the Dodgers played in the World Series, the games were broadcast over the public schools’ speaker systems and afternoon classes were postponed; this delay would last until the World Series ended.

Dylan: Who introduced him to you?

Poppy: I don’t recall one person who specifically told me that we had a great new player, but I do recall that was the focus of our conversations. We discussed how the Dodgers had never won the World Series and that Jackie just might be the guy who would help get us this championship. We talked about his having to play a position he had never played before, first base. And we of course were aware that he would be the first Black player to play Major League Baseball.

Dylan:  What was the greatest thing you think he ever accomplished?

Poppy: This is easy! By singlehandily integrating baseball, he changed the world. The athletic world now viewed athletes solely by their ability to perform, rather than the color of the skin. Jackie began this! Martin Luther King’s powerful admonition at the Washington Monument to judge people by the content of their character, rather than the color of their skin, needs a bit more time for full implementation. But it’s coming and Jackie opened this door.

Dylan: What are some lessons that you learned from him?

Dylan Henschel

Poppy: I learned some very simple lessons from Jackie Robinson! First and most significant in my view, was the importance of striving for excellence. And Jackie was the epitome of a man or woman who focused on excellence. He won varsity letters in 4 sports at UCLA: football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. This didn’t just happen. The coaches at UCLA didn’t put Jackie on their teams because they liked him. It took a focus on excellence plus strong athletic skills to accomplish this. That’s why so few people have accomplished this.

Dylan: How did he make such an impact on everybody?

Poppy: First of all, for us Brooklyn kids of Jackie Robinson’s Brooklyn, he provided a genuine hero and a world championship. Never before in Brooklyn! But for our nation he brought us the wisdom to recognize each other by who we are, not what we are. Eighty two years after the Confederacy and slavery were eviscerated, this man was sent to finish the job. We as a nation are still putting finishing touches on this job, but without Jackie, this existential endeavor would not have begun.

Jackie, I am so grateful that I was there, living in your Brooklyn, to bear witness to your impact on America’s most vital dream!

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MARK ROSENBLATT

Dear Mr. Robinson:

I write to you as a Westport resident, a guy who grew up in Brooklyn in the 1950s, a lifelong baseball fan, and a student of American history. Mr. Robinson, before I shuffle off to Buffalo, I have a question for you about your life and your career, on and off the field.

Let me frame my question for you. In 1968 I was a freshman at Brooklyn College and would walk off campus between classes to a nearby Chock Full o’ Nuts store, with its serpentine sit-down counters, good coffee, and a staff of Black women wearing Chock Full o’ Nuts uniforms.

On the shop walls were large black-and-white photographs of other Chock Full o’ Nuts shops in New York, and I recall that there was a large photo of you at work at the Chock Full o’ Nuts offices on Lexington Avenue wearing a suit, seated behind a desk, with a phone in one hand and a pen signing papers in the other.

At that time I was 17, and I knew all about your baseball career, your civil rights work for fair employment alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and your management position at Chock Full o’ Nuts, a major New York coffee company that had a chain of coffee shops all over New York City. My family drank Chock Full o’ Nuts at home. You were Jackie Robinson. ‘Nuff said.

Staring at your photo at that Chock Full o’ Nuts shop, I wondered whether it was more important to the women working in this shop and the customers coming in that you became in 1957 the first Black vice president of a major U.S. corporation, Chock Full o’ Nuts, than your breaking the MLB color barrier in 1947. So, I ask you as a longtime admirer, what do you think? What’s more important to you? Your MLB career, or your work after your Dodger days were done?

Here’s some background to that question. I was born in 1951 and grew up 3 blocks away from where you first lived when you came to Brooklyn in 1947. I first learned about your Dodger career because my dad would point to Ebbets Field and recite your name and the names Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snyder and Don Newcombe, all fellow Brooklyn Dodgers, and how much the Dodgers were Brooklyn, as we took family drives on Flatbush Avenue to Prospect Park.

Mark Rosenblatt

By 1958, I thought it perfectly natural that baseball players were white and Black and Caribbean and South American. Why? Because the baseball cards I collected displayed faces that were white and Black and so on and so forth. When I became a Yankees fan, I realized that the only Black Yankee in 1958 was Elston Howard, although I recall that Harry “Suitcase” Simpson was acquired by the Yanks in a mid-season trade.

In early 1959, and in 2nd grade, my family moved to Hicksville in Nassau County, and I looked around at my new classmates and noticed there were no Jackie Robinsons, no Hank Aarons, no Ernie Bankses, no Luis Aparicios, no Roberto Clementes, no Willie Mayses, and certainly no Elston Howards. All of my classmates were Mickey Mantles and Whitey Fords, and I had little hope for a midseason trade to bring in a Harry “Suitcase” Simpson.

During the summer of 1959, my family moved again to Riverhead, in eastern Suffolk County, where I soon started 3rd grade. At that time, Riverhead was the end of the line for many farmworker families who traveled across the U.S. to pick crops, and in Suffolk County, cabbage and potatoes were farming mainstays and were harvested in the Fall.

Most of these itinerant farm worker families were Black, and their kids went to school with me, and in the spring played Little League baseball with me before heading west with their families.

In 1961 I discovered The Baseball Encyclopedia, a book that contained countless baseball statistics and a definitive history of baseball. From this book I learned that you, Mr. Robinson, were the first Black major leaguer, but only a little bit about the stoicism you had to publicly display on and off the field. When I learned that there were Negro Leagues before you broke baseball’s color barrier, it reminded me of an absurd parallel universe portrayed by Bizarro Superman in DC Comics.

So now it’s 2026, and I have a 9-year-old granddaughter who plays Little League baseball, and much to my eternal dismay, is a Baltimore Orioles fan. She’s an avid reader, and I sent her a book on your life, and my question about your life and work came back to me.

What’s more important? Your MLB career, or your achievements afterwards? When my granddaughter’s done with your book, she and I can talk about you.

Respectfully,
Mark Rosenblatt

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TOBIAS SLAVIN and phil wexler

Dear Mr. Robinson,

I am a 15-year-old high school student attending Staples, playing baseball, basketball and football. As you know, competing in multiple sports takes discipline and determination.

In reading about you, you did far more than play baseball. Both on and off the field you encouraged Americans to reassess what was keeping us apart and showed us how courage, dignity and persistence could unite us. When you showed up, society stepped towards justice and decency.

I am lucky enough to have a “God-Grandpa” named Phil Wexler who, at 82, is a fellow sports fanatic. We love to talk about all kinds of sports, teams and players. Phil comes to my games since my grandparents live across the country. (Phil is the father of my Godmother, which is how I came up with the name God-Grandpa). Since I knew he would love this topic, I asked Phil about you over lunch and here is what he shared:

“I was 4 years old when Jackie Robinson made his Major League debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1947). I was too young to realize the momentous impact he would have on baseball, professional sports and, more importantly, on segregation and the civil rights movement.

“Growing up in Los Angeles, I loved playing Little League baseball. My coach taught me the fundamentals of hitting, bunting, base running, often referring to Jackie Robinson as a great example. Coach also gave me a ‘Jackie Robinson comic book that I still have.

“In the 1950s, I worked at the Parasol, a local ice cream and sandwich shop. The sandwich maker, Frances, often talked to me about her idol, Jackie Robinson. I adored Frances, and this was my first real understanding of the impact Jackie had on people beyond the playing field.

“Later, I attended the University of Southern California. In 1963 I was a counselor for a summer teen tour around the U.S. In Birmingham, Alabama, I first encountered the shock of segregation. City buses, bathrooms and drinking fountains were marked ‘Black Only.’ I was jolted to my core.

“Safely back at USC, I began to realize how Jackie Robinson paved the way for other athletes. My fraternity brother Mike Garrett became the first Heisman Trophy winner at USC, and later played in Super Bowl I for the Kansas Chiefs vs. the Green Bay Packers. After his football career ended, Mike went into education administration and became the athletic director at USC. We stayed in touch and became life-long friends.

Tobias Slavin

“In 1925 Brice Taylor was USC’s first Black player and first All-American in football. In 1970, 45 years later, I listened to a radio football broadcast of USC defeating Alabama on the road 42 –21. Featuring an all-Black backfield of Sam Cunningham, Jimmy Jones and Clarence Davis, the USC team was a stark contrast to the (then) all-white Alabama team. After the game, Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant, the legendary coach of the Crimson Tide, brought Cunningham into the Alabama locker room and said to his team, “this is what a football player looks like, and next year we will have Black players too,” an important and enduring change for the sport.

“Many exceptional players were able to further shape and grow the foundation of those who came before: Willie Wood, Mike Garrett, O.J. Simpson, Ricky Bell, Lynn Swann, Charle Young, Anthony Davis, Charles White, Marcus Allen, Rodney Peete, Chip Banks, Reggie Bush, Tyron Smith, Robert Woods, Leonard Williams, Adoree Jackson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Caleb Williams, among many others.

“When the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, it was exciting to watch Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Frank Robinson and Maury Wills play in person. Similarly, the Lakers showcased Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlin, Kareen Abdul Jabbar, Shaq, Magic Johnson, and played against Oscar Robertson, Julius Erving, Willis Reed, and more.

“I’ve seen Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods, Carl Lewis, Rafer Johnson, Arthur Ashe play live. I’ve attended 3 Super Bowls, NBA championships, NCAA championships in football and basketball, the Olympics, world skiing championships, and more. As a role model and pioneer, Jackie Robinson influenced a different life in America and the world, and I can’t think of a better or more meaningful legacy. I only wish he would have gone to USC instead of our archrival, UCLA. But, even with that, he is still the ultimate winner for all of us.”

I couldn’t say it better myself. Your work ethic and confidence were extraordinary. On top of your athleticism, you carried the weight of history on your shoulders. From you, I learned that personal values make a big difference, both in sports and in the classroom. I am working hard to improve the person that I am every day, and your legacy is a large part of what inspires me most.

Sincerely,
Tobias Slavin (and Phil Wexler)

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a.j. battersby and greg battersby

Dear Mr. Robinson,

This is a thank you letter for not only what you achieved on a baseball field but, more importantly, for being a role model for young athletes. You taught us all how to live our lives and be prepared to overcome those obstacles placed in our paths on the road to success. The fact that you did it for our favorite baseball team, the Dodgers (even though they were in Brooklyn at the time), makes it that much more important to us.

Your talent as an awesome baseball player as well as being a great guy sets you apart from most athletes, no matter how young or old they may be. Your accomplishments despite the hardships you faced serve as a personal inspiration for every young athlete. You were a great example of how to overcome hatred, bigotry, and prejudice to achieve your goal.

A.J. Battersby

When we think of you, the first thing we remember is your Hall of Fame career with the Brooklyn Dodgers, playing in several World Series where you performed at the highest level of the game. Watching you play the game we love, whether in person for my dad or on videos for me, was an exciting experience. The time you stole home in the World Series against the Yankees was a particular highlight. Few, if any, players ever attempted to steal home, let alone in a World Series game. You not only tried, but you succeeded. What was particularly exciting and gratifying as a Dodgers fan, was seeing the umpire call you safe and the Yankees catcher Yogi Berra, jumping up and down complaining. We have a framed photo of that play in our office at ProBatter Sports.

There is no question that you were one of the greatest baseball players of all time, but what set you apart from others is what you had to overcome to reach that level. In today’s world,  great athletes are adored or revered. In contrast, you were hated and despised by bigoted fans, not only for being on an opposing team but because of your heritage. Playing baseball at the Major League level is difficult enough for any athlete….playing under those circumstances was something few, if any, other athlete ever had to face.

You played at a top level in front of fans at opposing ballparks, many of whom lacked your skills, intelligence, or grace. Nevertheless, they hurled racial barbs without even knowing you. That made a difficult task almost impossible. Lesser men would have slinked down in a corner and never even tried. Yet you did and succeed. You managed to hold it together and perform at a Hall of Fame level, which is a tribute to you and serves as a model to all players. It is difficult to imagine that any person could achieve what you achieved under those circumstances.

The lesson you taught us was that if you have a dream and the talent to achieve that dream, you should go for it. You must ignore the haters, most of whom lack your talent but are full of hatred. Haters will hate — that is what they do. Being able to deal with those people as you are trying to climb the ladder of whatever career you choose is the challenge. You were a great role model on how to deal with those types of people.

Greg Battersby

It is hard to imagine the amount of bigotry and hatred you experienced when playing for the Dodgers. I hope and pray that we as people have come a long way since the 1940’s and people are now more accepting for who and what you are rather than what they look like or the color of their skin. Aas a society, we have hopefully come a long way, but there is still room for improvement. Your career and the dignity you showed during your years while “climbing the ladder” went a long way in moving us in the right direction but there is still room for improvement.

You have served as a role model for every young person and an example that they should be evaluated based  on their abilities and performance as well as their grit and determination rather than on their appearance. You are an example of the idea that anyone with the ability and determination can achieve their dream regardless of how they look or where they come from. Your efforts have allowed me and my friends to play baseball and other sports with others, regardless of their race, creed or color which has improved all of our talents and abilities.

Sincerely,
A.J. Battersby and Greg “Pop Pop” Battersby

(“06880” highlights the accomplishments of Westporters of all ages. We cover sports, the Library, Senior Center, and much more. If you enjoy these stories, please click here to support us. Thank you!)

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Roundup: Parks & Rec Summer Kickoff, Co-op Nursery Touch-a-Truck, Chabad Golf Outing …

Posted on April 18, 2026 | Leave a comment

In just 3 years, the Westport Parks & Recreation Department “Kickoff to Summer” has become a — well, great kickoff to summer.

This year’s event is May 23 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Compo Beach).

In addition to the now-traditional kids’ activities, music, food trucks and raffle, they’ve added helicopter rides, and the unveiling of young artist Luke Bernier’s mural by the concession stan.

Parks & Rec personnel will provide info on programs and other offerings for the upcoming year.

Part of the fun, at last year’s Kickoff to Summer.

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It’s not easy coming up with a creative, on-brand fundraiser.

For 19 years though, little kids (and their parents) have loved the Westport Weston Co-op Nursery School‘s Touch-a-Truck event.

This year’s edition is May 2 (9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Imperial Avenue parking lot).

As always, it features fire trucks, police cars, ambulances, cranes, dump trucks, buses, big rigs and more.

Kids of all ages can get up close, climb in and on, and pose for photos with their favorite vehicles.

Also on tap: face painting, food trucks, live music, and other family-friendly activities.

NOTE: It can get loud. Children with sensitivity to noise are invited to quiet time (9 to 9:30 a.m.), with no sirens or horns.

Admission is $35 per family; click here for tickets.

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Question: Where is the newest trivia night in town?

Answer: Emmy Squared.

This Monday (7 p.m.) — and every 2nd Monday after — the pizza-and-more spot in Bedford Square will host a pop culture quiz.

It’s run by Best Trivia Ever. The same group organizes events at the Blind Rhino, and other restaurants.

For more information, click here.

Next question: Will we see you there?

Trivia Night site. Though the action will probably be at the bar.

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Golf and giving back are par for the course on May 4 (Great River Golf Club, Milford).

Chabad of Westport’s annual golf outing includes on-course snacks, lunch, a cocktail/dinner reception, raffles and giveaways, a $25,000 hole-in-one prize — plus an opportunity to meet visiting IDF soldiers.

Proceeds from the event support Israel, local youth services, and Camp Gan Israel.

Non-golfers are welcome. Sponsorships, foursomes and dinner tickets are now available. To register or learn more, click here.

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Tony Rizza has done it again!

The Westport resident — a University of Connecticut business school graduate, and former Husky soccer player — has donated $1.5 million to the school.

The gift will support the “pursuit of sustained excellence across all of UConn’s athletic programs.”

Rizza — an investment manager — previously contributed $10 million. Those gifts helped revitalize Morrone Stadium, and helped build a state-of-the-art sports performance center.

 

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Yesterday’s brief rain shower produced one of the better rainbows in a while.

This was the view over Cross Highway:

(Photo/Mark Yurkiw)

… and by the Saugatuck River, on Riverside Avenue …

(Photo/Michael Chait)

… and above Clinton Avenue:

(Photo/Jen Rago McCarthy)

Today’s forecast is for clouds, and a high of 62.

Tomorrow: rain, and 52.

Hey, summer was nice while it lasted.

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The Weston History & Culture Center continues its celebration of America’s 250th birthday next month.

“Sarah Treadwell: Connecticut Mom, American Patriot” opens with a reception May 9 (2 to 4 p.m.).

The exhibit honors a local woman who supported her family’s role during the Revolutionary War, highlighting the often-overlooked contributions of women during the era.

Treadwell’s family lived in North Fairfield, a section of the town that later became Weston, then Easton.

The exhibit explores her life during and after the war, her family and community roles, the pension process for veterans and widows of veterans, and her resilience as a wife and mother.

After the reception, it will be on view every Thursday (1 to 4 p.m.), and the first and last Sunday of each month (1 to 4 p.m.).

Also on view: the new interactive exhibit “Weston at Work,” in the Coley Barn; the exhibit “Local Patriots and Loyalists” in the Visitor’s Center, and guided tours of historic Coley House.

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OnwardWell Foundation — a therapeutic recovery support non-profit founded by 1992 Staples High School graduate Mark Lassoff last year — does great work.

To do it even more well, they seek donations of gently used furniture to outfit a new meeting room at their Trumbull offices.

The room will host recovery and support groups for families and friends of young men recovering from addiction and mental illness.

The small room can accommodate a small couch or loveseat, and a couple of comfortable chairs. Donations are tax-deductible, and can be picked up.

To donate, or for questions, email mark@onwardwell.com.

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These flowers, and this cardinal, provide a nice pop — and contrast — of color, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.

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And finally … in honor of the Westport Weston Co-op Nursery School’s Touch-a-Truck event (story above):

(We are “grateful” for our “06880” readers — and “touched” that some support us with tax-deductible contributions. If that’s your jam, please click here. We thank you!)

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Karlin Gray Links Kids & Books: Read All About It!

Posted on April 18, 2026 | Leave a comment

This is a thriving tech and entrepreneurial community. Just go to any StartUp Westport evening (or coffee shop at midday).

But we’ve got our share of writers too. A particularly interesting subset is children’s authors.

In the 7 years since I first wrote about that group, they’ve grown even more numerous and active.

Now, a Westport writer has created a way for young readers to find authors who interest them — all over the country.

Karlin Gray is a 20-year resident. She writes fiction and non-fiction picture books (and credits fellow Westporter Victoria Sherrow with helping transform her manuscripts into publications).

Gray’s subjects include tennis star Serena Williams, Olympic gymnast Nadia Comaneci and giraffologist Dr. Anne Dagg.

Two years ago she wrote “Mia and Friends: Mia Hamm and the Soccer Sisterhood that That Changed History,” about the heroes of the 1999 Women’s World Cup.

Karlin Gray, with one of her books.Karl

Each time, Gray heard from young readers who related to a book — perhaps for the first time — because it was about a subject they loved.

So — in an effort to promote picture-book biographies that young kids can relate to — Gray has launched True Story Bookshop.

The online resource helps parents and educators find true stories that match youngsters’ interests.

As a children’s author and mom, Gray has read hundreds of narrative nonfiction books for kids.

True Story Bookshop highlights her favorites. All are searchable by interest.

“Do you know kids who love soccer, space or singing?” she asks. “Dogs, drawing or dance? Food or fashion?”

Recommendations for all those subjects — and many more — are available for students from kindergarten through grade 5.

It’s searchable too by theme — for example, Black History Month, LGBTQ+ Pride, and Contributions of Immigrants.

The goal, Gray says, is to help find “true stories that celebrate diversity, promote understanding, and initiate important conversations about culture and society.”

While each book has links to buy from Amazon and Bookshop (where she earns a small affiliate commission), Gray also includes a link to WorldCat, enabling users to find the book at a nearby library.

“Whether you buy or borrow, these books encourage kids to pursue their passions, and help them build their nonfiction literacy skills. Win-win!” Gray says.

(“06880” regularly covers interesting Westporters doing important things. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Roundup: Compo Rainbow, Website Redesign, Wars …

Posted on April 16, 2026 | 6 comments

We seldom start the Roundup with a photo.

But this one — by longtime Westporter and internationally known artist Larry Silver — showing yesterday’s rainbow over kids playing at the Compo Beach playground is too good to pass up.

(Photo/Larry Silver)

Today may not be great beach weather: partly cloudy.

But the temperature will be in the mid-80s.

We’ll take it.

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The town of Westport website is very functional. There’s tons of information on departments, commissions, permits, beaches, affordable housing, etc., etc., etc.

It’s where you go to access livestreams of meetings, get voter information, find emails and phone numbers of town officials, etc., etc., etc.

The website has been tweaked over the years. There have been incremental improvements.

But things are not always where you’d think they’d be. There are inconsistencies. It can be clunky. And no one has ever called it “pretty.”

That may change.

Officials are seeking “proposals for Municipal Website Redesign.”

Bids are open through 11 a.m. April 2026, in the Finance Office at Town Hall.

Click here for the RFP documents.

Partial screenshot of the http://www.westportct.gov home page.

Now, if there could be an RFP to redesign the town of Westport’s “W” logo (at the top of the graphic above).

Or just go back to the old one …

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Speaking of government: Congressman Jim Himes will speak — and take questions — this Saturday (April 18, 8:30 a.m.), at Weston’s Norfield Congregational Church.

The event is sponsored by the Weston Kiwanis Club.

Congressman Jim Himes

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On Saturday, “06880” announced the 7th edition of Soles4Souls.

The project — organized by Ken Bernhard, Ted Freedman and Rick Jaffe — encourages Westporters to check their closets, and donate new or slightly worn shoes. The non-profit keeps shoes out of landfills, provides footwear for people in need, and creates micro-business opportunities in places of poverty.

Collection boxes are in place at Town Hall and the Senior Center.

Westport definitely has a soul.

In just 3 days beginning Monday, over 150 pairs have been collected.

That’s outstanding generosity.

And it’s just the start.

The collection boxes will be at Town Hall and the Senior Center through the first week in May.

That’s plenty of time for many more residents to help many more souls, with soles.

Donations at the Senior Center. From left: director Wendy Petty, Meghan Tapley, Nicole Rolnick ,,,

… and at Town Hall, Paul Byson.

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The Westport Country Playhouse has announced 2 new shows for kids, and the May Script in Hand play reading.

“Pinkalicious” (June 7, 1 and 4 p.m.) is perfect for kindergartners through 2nd graders.

“Mutts Gone Nuts” (June 21, 4 p.m.) features 6 amazingly talented canines. The cast includes a Guinness World Record holder, an “America’s Got Talent” favorite, and other dogs that dance, prance, flip, and skip.

The Script in Hand reading (May 4, 7 p.m.) is “One Slight Hitch” by Lewis Black — yes, that Lewis Black.

He’s written “a farce that feels both wildly entertaining and all too familiar to anyone who’s ever navigated family, love, or the chaos of a wedding day.”

Click here for details, tickets, and more information on other Westport Country Playhouse offerings.

Pinkalicious

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The Revolutionary War returns!

On May 16 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), the 5th Connecticut Regiment will stage an encampment, at the Weston History & Culture Center.

The day — part of Weston’s America 250 celebration — includes soldier drills, a kids’ musket march, blacksmithing, weaving, wool spinning, woodworking, cooking demonstrations and fashions.

Even a Revolutionary War surgeon.

All events are free. For more information, click here. 

Preparing for the children’s musket march. (Photo/5th CT Regiment)

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As fighting in Ukraine rages, 2 events will focus on that long-running war. Donations for relief efforts through Ridgefield Responds will be gladly accepted.

“Words From the Front” (Sunday, April 19, 2:30 p.m., Easton Library) is a staged reading of a play by Nancy Herman an Lynda Sorensen. It uses the actual  voices of Americans, Ukrainians and Russians, in correspondence.

The following Sunday, also in Easton (April 26, 4 to 6 p.m., Masonic Lodge, 200 Center Street), “A Taste of Ukraine” — organized by Westport artist Mark Yurkiw — includes pierogi, desserts, and an art sale.

Yurkiw — who has collected medical supplies for Ukraine — will give an overview of the crisis, and discuss his own and other aid efforts. There is a suggested donation of $30, with seating limited to 50 people.

Mark Yurkiw

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Cybersecurity fraud was the talk of the Westport Rotary Club on Tuesday.

Fortunately, it hadn’t happened — at least, not to the club itself.

But a pair of financial crimes specialists — Westport Police Department Sergeant James Baker and Detective 1st Class Marc Heinmiller — shared their expertise.

Baker said the most common types of crypto-crimes include financial account takeovers), investment scams, ransomware, dark markets (human and narcotics trafficking), and money laundering.

Heinmiller cited “bad actors,” including Russian ransomware groups, North Korean hackers, drug cartels and global scam organizations.

Detective Marc Heinmiller. (Hat tip and photo/Dave Matlow)

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Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between April 8 and 14.

A 55-year-old Westport man was charged with electronic stalking of a domestic partner. In September a victim found an electronic tracking device in the trunk of their car. An investigation identified the suspect, who denied intentionally placing it there. He was released on a $50,000 bond.

A 38-year-old Waterbury woman was charged with assault, following an investigation into a 2023 incident at St. Vincent’s Behavioral Health Services. The victim said there was no provocation, but the assault included repeated strikes to the head using both fists and knees, and continued after the victim became unconscious. She was unable to post a $75,000 bond.

As the monthlong state crackdown on texting while driving continued, Westport Police issued these citations:

  • Texting while driving: 47 citations
  • Distracted driving: 11
  • Traveling unreasonably fast: 10
  • Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 6
  • Speeding in a school zone (2nd offense): 4
  • Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 3
  • Failure to renew registration: 2
  • Failure to obey stop sign: 2
  • Reckless driving: 1
  • Speeding: 1
  • Drinking while driving: 1
  • Failure to obey traffic control signals: 1
  • Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 1
  • Failure to reinstate license after 60 days: 1

Illegal!

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This week’s very warm and wonderful weather has brought great crowds to Compo. (They’d be greater still if most of the town was not far away, for the schools’ spring break.)

But, as this gull proves in today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature, the beach still belongs to him and his fine feathered friends.

They can fly all over the place. They can swoop down and take your food.

And they can sit and hang out wherever they please.

(Photo/Lauri Weiser)

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And finally … in honor of the Westport Country Playhouse’s upcoming production of “Pinkalicious”:

(“06880” relies on reader support. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. We’ll be in the pink!)

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Coop’s Canteen: A Grand Slam At Little League Fields

Posted on April 9, 2026 | 3 comments

There’s a new Westport Little League MVP in town.

But he does not swing a bat.

Cooper Shapiro is a 4th grader at Long Lots Elementary School.

He’s also the founder of Coop’s Canteen. The pop-up snack stand is quickly becoming a fan favorite among hungry players, parents and siblings.

What started as a simple question —what happened to the snack stand? —turned into a full-fledged business idea.

With the old concession building sitting idle, Cooper saw an opportunity.

He stepped right up to the plate.

This is not, however, your average kid’s lemonade stand. Cooper brought in a very modern business partner: AI.

He used ChatGPT to work through pricing strategy, build a simple inventory tracker, and design an eye-catching logo.

Cooper Shapiro with his sign …

Of course, there’s a Venmo QR code for easy payment.

Yet the setup is more “Leave it to Beaver” than 21st century: a folding table, a lineup of snacks, and a young entrepreneur ready to serve.

The vibe is equal parts baseball, business and community.

You can usually find Coop’s Canteen on Saturdays at the Town Farm fields — somewhere between Kowalsky and White — or at Coleytown Elementary.

(It depends on where his younger brother Asher is playing.)

… and at his table, with his younger brother Asher.

Parents appreciate the convenience. Kids love the independence.

Cooper, meanwhile, is always thinking about his next restock.

What makes Coop’s Canteen special is more than the snacks. It’s the spirit behind it.

Cooper saw a problem. Then he figured out how to fix it.

He smashed this one out of the park.

(Young Westporters are doing remarkable things — and “06880” is your place to discover them. If you appreciate stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Roundup: Wyclef Jean, Chickens, Dogs …

Posted on March 28, 2026 | 4 comments

A few hours before headlining last night’s VersoFest concert, Wyclef Jean was the special guest at Startup Westport’s first-ever daytime event.

The musician/rapper/composer/producer/entrepreneur/philanthropist spoke with 75 attendees at Saugatuck’s Content Studio about his journey from Haiti to Brooklyn; the teacher who encouraged him (and introduced him to Miles Davis); his father’s life as a pastor; influences ranging from Charlie Daniels to Bach, and Run-DMC to Shakespeare; shooting his “Carnival” video with Bob Dylan, and much more.

He spoke too about his 7 (!) upcoming albums. “These projects are all about discovery,” he said. “My best work is ahead of me.”

Wyclef Jean and Madeline Nelson, at Content Studio. (Photo/Dan Woog)

Jean supports ventures ranging from a Haitian robotics team and No Kid Hungry to Music Will, which brings music education to over a million students.

In lieu of a performance fee last night, the Westport Library made a substantial donation on Jean’s behalf to Music Will.

Jean was joined by Madeline Nelson of Heads Music, Sam Hendel of Chord Music Partners, Jared Heiman of Fandiem and Brooke Rascoff of Riot Games. They discussed the intersection of music, culture, and AI.

His evening show at the Westport Library was jam-packed, eclectic, and quintessentially Wyclef.

One view of the Trefz Forum audience … (Photo copyright Dinkin ESH Fotografix)

… and another … (Photo/Matthew Mandell)

… and the star. (Photos copyright DinkinESH Fotografix)

VersoFest continues today and tomorrow, with workshops, panels, and special events. One of this afternoon’s highlights: a talk with Adria Petty, Tom Petty’s daughter.

Click here for details of all events, and registration information.

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Don’t chicken out!

Sign up for one — or both — of Wakeman Town Farm’s upcoming fowl-related events.

A 2-part chicken keeping workshop (April 1 and April 29, 6:30 p.m. — take 1 or 2), covers all the basics of raising birds at home.

Participants can purchase a starter pack, including feeder, waterer, wood shavings, and a 5-pound bag of organic feed. Click here for more information, and registration.

An adult cooking class with Laura Weinman (April 23, 6 to 9 p.m.; $135, BYOB) covers 4 dishes — and a chance to enjoy the meal. Click here for more information, and registration.

Chryse Terrill and friend.

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Congratulations to Case Robinson!

The Staples High School student earned a national gold medal in the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards — one of the most prestigious recognitions for creative students in the country.

His photograph, “Rising in the Dawn: The Calm Before the Flight,” was selected from more than 335,000 submissions nationwide. It was cited for originality, technical skill and personal vision.

Case will be honored in New York on June 10. Previous Scholastic Art & Writing Awards winners include Andy Warhol, Stephen King and Amanda Gorman.

Case Robinson’s “Rising in the Dawn.”

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Friends Roger, Billie Jean, Blackjack and Tubs met up at Compo Beach on Thursday.

(Photo/Nancy Lally)

It was one of their last romps for 6 months. Westport beaches are closed to dogs from April 1 through September 30.

And beginning May 1, beach stickers are required for entrance too.

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Saugatuck Church’s Hoskins Hall was packed this week, for the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston’s meeting.

Dr. Anca Micu explained how artificial intelligence can make everyday life easier. A former copywriter turned marketing professor at Fairfield University, she said that the most important AI skill is not coding; it’s communication.

Good “prompt engineering” means giving AI clear context, a specific task, practical constraints, and a preferred format — whether analyzing an ad campaign, planning travel, checking facts or anything else.

Vague prompts (“analyze this campaign”) produce vague answers; detailed prompts (“you are a marketing analyst…identify patterns…present in a professional but accessible tone”) turn AI into a useful partner. (That’s good advice for our “06880” widget too, located at the top right of every blog page.)

Micu warned that AI responses are confident but not always correct, and urged the audience to protect privacy and use their own judgment.

Used well, she argued, AI makes people think more — not less — by forcing them to ask better questions, check sources, and actively curate the machine’s work. (Hat tip: Allan Sieger)

Ancu Micu (Photo/Ted Horowitz)

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More on the Y’s Men: Want to know more about the war in Iran, fighting across the Middle East, and the threat to global oil shipping routes?

The very active, very involved group hosts Dr. Kenneth M. Pollack — vice president for policy at the Middle East Institute — on Thursday (April 2, 9 a.m., Saugatuck Congregational Church).

A former CIA analyst and National Security Council official, he is a leading authority on Middle East security and was recently interviewed on “Meet the Press.”

Guests and prospective Y’s Men members are welcome.

Kenneth Pollack

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A bicyclist was struck by an automobile driver yesterday morning, on Riverside Avenue.

“He’s okay,” Saugatuck resident Robbie Guimond reports. “But boy, did it look bad!”

Be careful out there!

(Photo/Robbie Guimond)

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Westport residents Rikki Zelkowitz Dworkis and Emmy Hollenberg work with many local families, supporting early learning and executive functioning skills.

For 10 weeks beginning April 22 (SproutWell, Darien; $800), their “Ready, Set, K!” play-based kindergarten readiness program focuses on confidence, independence and a smooth transition into kindergarten.

Key areas include classroom routines and transitions, emotional regulation and flexibility, attention, listening skills, peer interactions and group learning, and problem-solving. All are integrated into pre-K literacy and skills.

Click here for registration, and more information.

Get ready!

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Bob Weingarten writes: “A few days ago, a large branch came down on Center Street.

“A day after, Westport tree warden Ben Sykas surveyed the incident, and said the rest of the tree had to be removed because of decay.

“Two days later, a crow crew came. It took them 2 days to take it down.

“I compliment the town and tree warden for their rapid action in removing a hazard to the neighborhood and people walking by. Quick action like this is great.”

Center Street tree, with branch removed … (Photo/Ben Sykas)

… and after tree work. (Photo/Bob Weingarten)

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Westport Police made 4 custodial arrests between March 18 and 26.

A 34-year-old Brooklyn man was charged with larceny, attempt to commit larceny, identify theft, illegal possession of a personal identification information device, and forgery, after a bank customer reported in April 2025 that a $24,000 check to the IRS had been intercepted from the mail. An unknown party attempted to cash it. Two weeks later, a Westport business reported that an $835 check made payable to a vendor had been intercepted from the mail and deposited. After the man was incarcerated at Rikers Island, he was extradited to Westport on the 2 outstanding warrants. He could not post $325,000 bonds.

A 41-year-old Norwalk man was charged with operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration and driver’s license, failure to meet minimum insurance requirements and failure to appear, when an officer on patrol was alerted by an in-car license plate reader of the violations. He posted a $35,000 bond.

A 54-year-old Westport man was charged with assault and disorderly conduct, after  verbal argument escalated into a physical altercation. The victim sustained an injury to the head.

A 35-year-old Westport man was charged with 2 counts of risk of injury to a child, after he left 2 juveniles unattended for 13 to 20 minutes while in Fairfield.

Westport Police also issued these citations:

  • Texting while driving: 12 citations
  • Traveling unreasonably fast: 10
  • Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 9
  • Failure to renew registration: 9
  • Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 7
  • Failure to obey stop sign: 4
  • Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 3
  • Speeding: 2
  • Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 2
  • Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 2
  • Distracted driving: 2
  • Failure to obey stop sign: 2
  • Passing a standing school bus: 1
  • Operating a motor vehicle with unsafe tires: 1
  • Defective windshield wipers: 1
  • Following too closely: 1
  • Failure to grant right of way: 1
  • Failure to drive in the proper lane: 1
  • Improper turns: 1
  • Failure to obey traffic control signals: 1
  • Failure to insure a motor vehicle: 1
  • Failure to register a commercial vehicle: 1
  • Improper use of markers: 1.

Don’t drive with defective tires!

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For today’s “Westport … Naturally” featured photo, look at the top half of the photo — not the bottom.

The sun’s rays are a lot more interesting than this less-than-lovely view of Riverside Avenue, taken from Rich Vogel’s Wright Street office.

(Photo/Rich Vogel)

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And finally … Dash Crofts, half of Seals & Crofts, died of hear failure on Wednesday in Austin, Texas. He was 87.

To be honest, I never got into their music. But they sure sold a lot of records. And in 2022, Rolling Stone listed “Summer Breeze” at #20 in their list of all-time greatest summer songs. Go figure.

Click here for a full obituary.

(Whether you’re into soft rock, hard rock, or no rock at all, our readers agree: “06880” rocks. So please: Click here to support our work, so we can keep rocking your world. Thank you!)

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Roundup: Coming Soon: VersoFest, “Newsies,” Easter Egg Hunt, Spring …

Posted on March 23, 2026 | 1 comment

If you’ve seen the Westport Library looking extra-cool these recent nights, there’s a reason.

(Graphic by John Nunziato)

The blue lights are reminders that VersoFest ’26 — the 5th annual music/media/ and much more festival — arrives soon.

There are 4 full days of concerts, panels, art shows and the like. Highlights include a concert by Wyclef Jean, and a talk with Ani DiFranco. Click here for full details.

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Speaking of VersoFest: Yesterday, “06880” explored the back story of the Library’s promotional AI jingles.

A deeper dig into how AI is shaping the music industry is on tap this coming Sunday (March 29, 10:30 a.m., Library).

Executives from Suno, LANDR, Incantio and Chord Music Partners will discuss how AI is shaping the music the industry. A special “Coffee with the C-Suite: Creators, Technologists, and Music’s AI Frontier” panel features leaders from across music tech, rights investment, AI creation tools, and licensing platforms, discussing seismic shifts redefining the industry.

Among the speakers: Westporter Sam Hendel, managing partner at Chord Music Partners and Dundee Partners. Music industry veteran Dick Wingate — another local resident — will moderate the session. Click here for more details.

To try it yourself, Suno hosts a hands-on workshop afterward (noon to 4 p.m.). Attendees can experiment with the same tools used to create the AI jingles. Click here to reserve a 30-minute spot.

Sam Hendel

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One of Westport’s biggest and best Easter Egg Hunts is set for this Saturday (March 28, Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center).

The event — sponsored colorfully, as always, by WestportMoms — is actually 2 hunts. Ages 2 to 5 start at 10:30 a.m. Ages 6 and up follow at 11:15.

Along with the egg hunts and pictures with the Easter Bunny, youngsters will enjoy fairy hair, glitter tattoos, face painting, cookie decorating, STEM and sports games, music and more (including 20 “golden eggs” with prizes).

There will also be a food truck, plus donuts from Retreat Sweets.

Click here for tickets, and more information.

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The Mamas and the Papas, Byrds, Doors, Crosby Stills & Nash, Neil Young, James Taylor, Carole King, Joni Mitchell and the Eagles were all at the Westport Country Playhouse last night.

Not in person, unfortunately. But their familiar music got fresh interpretations, in an intriguing and very well-received show.

“Live from Laurel Canyon – Songs and Stories of American Folk Rock” was an evening of live music and narrated stories of some of the most influential songwriters who lived in Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and ’70s

Great music from half a century ago has endured well.

Including — perhaps especially — Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth.”

Laurel Canyon musicians, at the Playhouse. (Photo/Lauri Weiser)

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Extra! Extra!

The curtain rises Friday on “Newsies.” Coleytown Company’s fun-for-all ages musical — inspired by the true story of the 1899 newsboys’ strike in New York City — has been in high gear ever since Westport native Adam Kaplan (a member of the Broadway cast) taught a master class to the young CMS actors.

Show times are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday (March 27 and 28), 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday (March 28 and 29).

Click here for tickets, and more information. The Company’s Instagram is @coleytown_company.

“Newsies” has a great cast — and set. (Photo/Meg Stewart)

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Spring is creeping ever so slowly into Westport.

Clarence Hayes writes: “It’s been a ritual for me to listen for spring peepers for 40 years — ever since I took my 7-year-old kids to hear them at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, coming up from the city.

“At a swamp there at dusk, it is literally deafening. I take my grandkids there now.

“But we have them in Westport too, in little bits of spring excess water scattered around town.

“This video is from a vernal pond behind my condo next to I-95. You can clearly hear them over the highway noise.”

PS: This week looks to be partly cloudy, partly sunny. The temperature will be in the 40s and 50s — except Thursday, when it could reach the low 60s.

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo proves that everyone — everyone! — is sitting around, waiting for spring.

Library Riverewalk. (Photo/John Maloney)

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And finally … on this date in 1857,  Elisha Otis’ first elevator was installed, at 488 Broadway in New York.

(“06880” is to local news what Aerosmith is to “elevator music.” If you enjoy our hyper-local blog — and the 4 to 6 stories we post a day — please click here to support our work. Thank you!

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Remembering Perrin Delorey, At 18

Posted on March 20, 2026 | 7 comments

Perrin Delorey was a 10-year-old Westport Little Leaguer, ice hockey player and Cub Scout. He died in June of 2018. following a car accident after visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Perrin’s memory has been kept alive by his family, friends, Little League and Staples Tuition Grants. On Wednesday, his father James posted on Facebook:

Today is our son Perrin’s 18th birthday.

Perrin was a thoughtful young man with a great future ahead of him. Angela and I talk about him all the time, as do his little sisters, Mireille and Elodie. He truly is present in our family of 5.

Perrin Delorey earned a Little League game ball in May 2018.

Perrin’s friends and classmates are now high school seniors, making plans for career, public service, university. It is both difficult and wonderful to see all of their accomplishments these last 8 years – performing in school plays, excelling at athletics, making music, volunteering in our community, climbing mountains, becoming Eagle Scouts, becoming adults.

These dreams and hopes are like those we had for Perrin, and what we have now for Mireille and Elodie.

Perrin at McGill University.

This year Perrin’s classmates, led by his “identical cousin” Philip, have created the Perrin Ryan Delorey “Do Your Best” Award, a Staples Tuition Grant that – because of the generosity of so many – will be given in perpetuity to help students pursue their dreams of higher education.

The award is modeled, in part, on Westport Little League’s Perrin Ryan Delorey Sportsmanship Award, presented not to the “best” player, but to the player who works the hardest to improve and help their teammates.

Perrin Delorey at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, with Ted Williams. He was a big Boston Red Sox fan.

We are so inspired by all the recipients of this award, and look forward to the continued adventures of Perrin’s peers as they enter adulthood.

What will they teach us? Where will they take us? What will they teach others? What kind of families will they build? How many people will they help? Who will they love?

We had all these questions and great expectations for Perrin, and now have them for his little sisters.

Perrin in a Princeton shirt, from his aunt Francesca Ryan.

Today, on Perrin’s 18th birthday, please, if you can, take a deep breath, say Perrin’s name out loud, and do your best to help someone else’s dreams come true.

(To donate to Perrin’s Staples Tuition Grants award, click here. Then choose “The Perrin Delorey ‘Do Your Best’ Award,” from the drop-down menu — it’s near the bottom of that list.)

Perrin, with his Cub Scout Eclipse Award.

Perrin at the Westport PAL Rink at Longshore …

… and at his mother Angela’s Hamilton College hockey rink. 

Perrin with his godfather, Professor Triadafilos Triadafilopoulos, at the University of Toronto.

At Yale Bowl, for the Yale-Harvard game.

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Roundup: Staples Basketball, Overdose Education, Entertainment Options …

Posted on March 14, 2026 | 3 comments

Congratulations to the Staples High School boys and girls basketball teams!

Both pulled away in the second half from solid opponents in last night’s state tournament quarterfinals, before raucous crowds in a home doubleheader.

Both now move on to the state semis — a first in school history.

Staples’ boys  — ranked #1 in Division I — downed #8 New London 56-35. That vaults coach Dave Goldshore’s squad into a matchup against #5 Notre Dame Prep-Fairfield.

The girls of coach Tommy Sparks — seeded 3rd in Division II — topped South Windsor 42-35.

The neutral sites and times of the semifinals will be announced soon. Up next: #10 Bristol Central.

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If you want to learn more about overdoses — and who doesn’t? — check out “CT Save a Life Day.”

The April 8 event (6 p.m., Westport Library) is organized through the Westport Prevention Coalition.

You’ll get liquor stickers and lock bags to prevent access to abusable substances, parent handbooks, and brief training to recognize and respond to an overdose (with a free Narcan kit). Click here to RSVP. 

Narcan nasal spray.

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Speaking of Positive Directions: They’ve partnered with Westport Together, to sponsor a “Night Out” for high school students who live in Westport, or attend school here.

The March 27 event (7 to 9 p.m., Westport Weston Family YMCA) includes an open gym (basketball, volleyball and more), games, pizza from Riko’s, dessert from Stew Leonard’s, door prizes (including Starbucks gift cards, Stew’s ice cream, golf simulator time, and a Modern Dermatology facial), and music.

The cost is just $5. Click here to register.

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Speaking of the YMCA: Professional ballroom dancer Karina Smirnoff (“Dancing With the Stars”) offers a special ballroom master class on Tuesday (March 17, 10:45 to 11:45 a.m.).

Open to all ages and experience levels, it includes a performance, Q-and-A and photo opportunity. The cost is $40 for Y members, $50 for non-members.

Click here for more information, and to register. To learn more about the Y’s ballroom program, click here. 

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New restaurants are opening at a fast clip downtown.

But one just left: Gogi.

The Korean barbecue spot — located in an out-of-the-way spot, inside Bedford Square behind Emmy Squared — is not completely closed.

They’ve relocated to Shelton.

(Hat tip and photo/Sal Liccione)

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The United Methodist Church is located on Rabbit Hill. The previous owner was Robert Lawson — author/illustrator of the beloved children’s series.

So it’s the perfect site for an Easter egg hunt on March 28 (2 p.m.). All kids are welcome. Click here to register.

There’s a suggested donation of non-perishable food, for local pantries.

Easter egg hunt, at the United Methodist Church.

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Speaking of kids: 2 new family-friendly shows come this spring to the Westport Country Playhouse.

“Click Clack Moo” — based on the Caldecott Honor Book by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin, aimed at pre-K through 4th graders — is set for 2 shows May 16 (1 and 4 p.m.).

“Pete the Cat” follows on June 7. It’s recommended for pre-K through grade 3.

Click here for tickets, and more information. 

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Speaking of entertainment: Westport and Weston will have a strong presence at next weekend’s 6th annual Norwalk Film Festival.

Board member (and Staples High graduate) Jennifer Bangser notes some of the connections:

Friday, March 20: The opening night Sundance-premiered film “Little Richard: I Am Everything” takes a deep dive into the life and career of the charismatic, complicated musician. Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker/novelist/playwright/essayist/producer/professor Trey Ellis will be in conversation after the film with director/producer Lisa Cortes. Email info@norwalkfilmfestival.org for ticket information.

Saturday, March 21: Staples graduate Cynthia Gibb’s short film “Straight Laced” will be shown during the Connecticut Shorts Block (12 to 2 p.m.). It’s the story of a conscientious honors student who buckles under academic pressure in her town of overachievers and overearnest parents.

In the 2 to 4 p.m. Narrative Shorts Block, “Sit with Me While I Die” stars award-winning actor James Naughton of Weston. He plays a priest who must reconcile his lifelong dogmatic views on suffering with real-life pain.

The Norwalk Film Festival includes many more films, plus workshops and an audience-voted awards ceremony.

More information plus individual tickets, day passes, weekend passes and student discounts are available at www.norwalkfilmfestival.org. Questions? Email Jennifer.Bangser@gmail.com.

James Naughton in “Sit With Me While I Die.”

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Chris Delorier writes: “Help, before someone gets seriously hurt!

“I live on High Point Road. At least once a week a near accident occurs from people blowing through the stop sign down the hill on Long Lots Road.

“There are many new drivers every year, many kids walking to school or on bikes. My fear is nothing will be done until it’s too late.

“Half, I bet, are innocent mistakes. It’s a tough sign to see. On Cross Highway at Bayberry Lane they put in flashing solar stop signs. At a minimum that should be done at Long Lots and High Point.

“Let’s not wait for a life to be taken. This seems like a no-brainer.”

Drivers coming down the Long Lots Road hill often ignore the stop sign (right) at High Point Road.

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Congratulations to Staples’ 8 Students of the Month: seniors Isabel Jo and Henry Wood, juniors Samantha Armentano and Catalina Zapata, juniors Olivia Flinn and Nickolas Glekas, and freshmen Maya Luo and Sophia Muriel.

The honor recognizes “students who help make Staples a welcoming place for peers and teachers alike. They are the ‘glue’ of the community: the type of creative, thoughtful, conscientious students that keep the high school together, enabling it to grow and thrive.”

Recipients are nominated by teachers, in recognition of hard work, friendliness to staff and students, and positive contributions inside and outside the classroom.

Students of the Month (from left): Catalina Zapata, Samantha Armentano, Olivia Flinn, Isabel Jo, Maya Luo, Sophia Muriel, Henry Wood.

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Journalist/author/former “Good Morning America” host Joan Lunden spoke about her new memoir — “Joan: Life Beyond the Script” — on Thursday, at the Westport Library.

With sports reporter and Westport resident Lindsay Czarniak, Lunden talked about life transitions, and the importance of embracing change.

Joan Lunden and Lindsay Czarniak on the Westport Library stage; “Good Morning America” stage is behind. (Photo/Susan Garment)

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The Sally was a Fairfield County merchant sloop that was converted into a Revolutionary War vessel.

It played an important role in espionage, raids against the British, and privateering in Long Island Sound during the The Sally – and was involved in Nathan Hale’s ill-fated spy mission.

On April 11 (2 p.m., Weston History & Culture Center), historian Edward Eckert discusses The Sally. The event is free, but registration is required. Click here. 

At 3:15 p.m the same day, Laura Clark Murray speaks on for “Genetic Genealogy in Action: From Researching Patriots to Solving Cold Cases.”

It too is free, but registration is required. Click here.

Merchant ship, back in the day.

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State Representative Lucy Dathan of New Canaan hopes to add Westport to her list of constituents.

She has joined the race to succeed Ceci Maher, for the 26th State Senate seat.

Dathan now chairs the Government Oversight Committee, and sits on both the Appropriations and Human Services Committees. Beyond her legislative work, she has been a CPA and CFO for start-ups.

The 26th district includes Westport, Weston, and all or part of 6 other towns. Weston First Selectwoman Sam Nestor is also running for the seat.

State Representative Lucy Dathan

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” featured photo is a reflective shot of Sherwood Mill Pond.

Much more wildlife will return soon, to the tranquil 84-acre tidal pond and estuary.

(Photo/Nikki Gorman)

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And finally … Happy Pi Day!

(The music will never die. And — thanks to continued reader support — let’s hope “06880” won’t either. To help keep us alive, please make a tax-deductible contribution by clicking here. Thank you all!)

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Social Media Is Not Healthy For …

Posted on March 10, 2026 | 4 comments

It was the most iconic anti-war image of the Vietnam era: A flower, set against a yellow background, with the words — suggesting a child’s handwriting — “War is not healthy for children and other living things.”

Designed in 1965 by activist/artist/mother Lorraine Schneider, it became the logo for an organization called Another Mother for Peace.

It was incorporated into posters, flyers, newsletters, datebooks, buttons, cards and jewelry, and became an internationally recognized plea for peace.

More than half a century later, it’s back.

Westporter Cathy Utz and Fairfield resident Grayson Craddock have resurrected, redesigned and redeployed it, to fight another war: the one against social media.

Cathy Utz

A 1979 graduate of Staples High School, Utz was too young to participate in anti-Vietnam marches or rallies.

But she knew the poster well. It hung for years in the home of Estelle Margolis, the mother of a family friend and a longtime Westport peace advocate.

Today, Utz is a therapist. Her 3 sons are adults. But in her work she sees the negative impacts of social media on young people, and their families.

Craddock’s children are 15, 13 and 7. He too knows the pressures and problems caused by social media.

Craddock — a graphic designer — works with Utz’s husband, Tom Greenwald, in Broadway advertising.

Grayson Craddock

He was unfamiliar with the “War is not healthy …” design. But when Utz came to him with the idea of recreating it for the modern era, he understood the need.

And what was needed.

He had to transfer the feel of the poster, without infringing on creative rights. And it had to feel as if a young person made it.

Craddock worked with paper. He spent a day cutting out pieces, and arranging them with a glue stick. Then he took photos.

When Craddock showed his work to friends, they understood immediately. Even more tellingly, they noticed it evoked child’s play, like crafts, which have fallen out of favor lately.

Because of the pull of social media.

In the 1960s, Schneider’s art raised money for Another Mother for Peace.

Utz and Craddock — who donated all his time and talent — searched for a modern-day non-profit that could benefit from this one.

They found the Organization for Social Media Safety. Called “the first consumer protection organization exclusively focused on social media, they help protect against social media dangers like cyberbullying, sextortion, sexual harassment, anxiety, depression, suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, substance abuse and trafficking.

They work with schools, youth groups and corporations, and have developed both a K-12 curriculum and free program for parents.

Craddock also designed a website: SocialMediaIsNotHealthy.com. Through it, he and Utz offer merchandise with the updated design, including posters, mugs, t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, bumper stickers, decals — and smartphone cases.

“We are well aware of the irony that our message has to go out via social media,” Utz says.

“Social media by itself is not bad. But we have to be aware of its bad effects.”

The website, she and Craddock hope, will “remind us to be more mindful, and dial our use back.”

(“06880” encourages limited social media use. But before you shut off your device today, please click here to contribute to “06880.” Our blog IS healthy, for children and other living things. Thanks!)

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