Seven years ago, Westport resident Debra Kandrak had an idea: Paint the town yellow.
Today, her one-woman crusade pays off beautifully.
Every autumn, she uses a wide variety of outlets — social media, emails, “06880” — to encourage Westporters to plant daffodils.
She brings her message to friends, strangers, businesses, and town organizations and committees. Her message is simple: Plant bulbs.
Every spring around this time, we are blessed with the results of her — and their — work.
Once again, the gorgeous yellow flowers are everywhere.
From neighborhoods like Greens Farms to the Westport Library, around mailboxes and street signs, by the Cribari Bridge, in traffic islands and at the entrances to Staples High and Bedford Middle Schools, Debra’s yeowoman efforts pay off for all of us.
As perennials, each year brings more and more explosions of color.
And every spring, Debra says, she finds flowers in areas she had not seen before. Here’s what she found today:
One stretch of Morningside Drive South …
… and another.
Lansdowne Condominiums, Post Road East.
Hillandale Road
Green’s Farms Church.
Compo Beach
Charcoal Hill Road. (All photos/Debra Kandrak)
Of course, daffodils bloomed even before Debra’s crusade.
The flowers lining the front of Willowbrook Cemetery on Main Street have delighted everyone passing by for years.
Here’s a bonus photo, from Claudia Sherwood Servidio:
(Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)
We’re happy to feature more spring-in-Westport photos. Email them to 06880blog@gmail.com.
After the winter we’ve had, it’s time to celebrate a new season!
(“06880” regularly features Westport’s beauty — in words and images. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
To goose it along, last week’s Photo Challenge featured a farm implement.
It was rusted, and looked like it had been in the field forever. But, in true New England fashion, it still seemed usable. (Click here to see.)
Susan Iseman, Seth Schachter, Brian Taylor, Sal Liccione and Ivy Gosseen all knew exactly where to find it: Wakeman Town Farm.
Westport’s environmental and educational center gets thousands of visitors a year. There’s a lot to see and do at the Cross Highway fields and farms.
And one day – hopefully very soon — we’ll all be able to enjoy it, in actual spring weather.
Here is this week’s Photo Challenge. If you know where in Westport you’d see it, click “Comments” below.
(Photo/Mark Mathias)
(Every Sunday, “06880” hosts this Photo Challenge. We challenge you too to support your hyper-local blog. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
Longtime Westport resident Bette Hahner died peacefully on March at her home in Chatham, Massachusetts. She was 84.
The New York City native and her husband Jeff spent 28 enjoyable years here. In 2000, they retired and moved to Cape Cod.
Bette loved entertaining and gardening. In Westport she enjoyed throwing clambakes, corporate picnics and dinners for friends and neighbors.
In Chatham, in addition to many hours in her home gardens, she managed luncheons and events for the Chatham Garden Club, Monomoy Yacht Club, Chatham-Harwich Newcomers Club, CONCH and Friends of the Eldredge Library.
She recruited many member to the Garden Club. People loved working with her.
Bette worked seasonally for 15 years in the Chatham permit/sticker office, and knew nearly everyone in town. She then worked at the Freedom Ferry in Harwich Port, as a friendly face in the ticket office. For many years she also sold buttons at First Night Chatham headquarters.
Bette was a past president of the Chatham Garden Club, a board member of the Friends of the Eldredge Public Library, and active on the First Night Chatham Committee. In 2025 she was named grand marshal of Chatham’s July 4th parade.
She is survived by Jeff, her husband of 64 years, and son Tim of Bloomington, Minnesota. She also leaves her dog Emmie.
The family requests that donations be made in her name to the Chatham Garden Club.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday (April 18, 2 p.m.) at the First Congregational Church of Chatham.
Bette Hahner
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And finally … on this date in 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia. He was 63, and in his 4th term.
Woody Guthrie wrote “Dear Mrs. Roosevelt,” in the style of many tribute letters the public wrote to the first lady after his death. There are 15 verses; at the end of each, Guthrie says, “This world was lucky to see him born.”
Guthrie never recorded the song. But Bob Dylan — an acolyte — found it, and rescued it from obscurity. He and The Band performed it at a Carnegie Hall Guthrie tribute concert in 1968. He has never played it since.
(Spring is here! But before you go outside to romp, please take a few seconds to click here, and support your hyper-local blog. That helps keep “06880” alive, through every season of the year. Thank you!)
Americans discard 20 million mattresses and box springs annually. 55,000 end up in incinerators and landfills each day.
Sustainable Westport can help.
On May 2 (8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Earthplace), they’re sponsoring a free mattress/ box spring recycling event.
Up to 90% of old mattresses can be recycled into new products, like carpet pads, exercise equipment cushioning, bike seats, insulation, air filters and steel materials.
Dry and unsoiled mattress and/or box springs are welcome. Please, none that are damaged, wet or contaminated (e.g., bed bugs).
If you can’t transport your mattress or box spring, Westport Scout Troop 36 will provide a pickup service for a small donation. Click here to register.
Scout Troop 36 helps with the mattress recycling drive.
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Who says today’s teenagers don’t care about the future of their country?
On Wednesday, the League of Women Voters of Westport partnered with US Vote Foundation to register seniors at Staples High School.
In just 2 1/2 hours, 118 students completed forms. Many others took forms with them, or captured a QR code to register, or make a plan to vote where they attend college.
Voter registration was just one part of Staples’ “Invest in Yourself” program.
The day-long event helped seniors build practical skills, as they prepare for life after high school.
A Financial Reality Fair and series of health and wellness workshops gave students hands-on experience with the kinds of decisions they will face as young adults.
In the Financial Reality Fair, held in partnership with Connecticut’s credit unions, students managed personal budgets based on their chosen career paths and projected net salaries.
At booths staffed by PTA and credit union volunteers, seniors made spending decisions about housing, transportation, utilities and other expenses, before reviewing their financial choices with financial professionals.
The health and wellness sessions included “Know Before You Go,” a sexual violence prevention program presented by the Rowan Center of Norwalk, and a documentary about the dangers of mixing alcohol and prescription drugs.
The sessions were followed by conversations with the Westport Police Department, Positive Directions, and Staples mental health professionals.
In addition Chartwells presented “Nutrition 101″L practical guidance for maintaining a healthy diet away from home.
Van Gogh meets Mr. Brainwash at Clarendon Fine Art in Westport.
This month, the Main Street gallery — the British-based company’s first in the US — unveils a new collection.
Mr. Brainwash — who fuses street art, vibrant color, mixed media and cultural references, in an intriguing intersection of street art and contemporary pop — now reimagines Van Gogh’s most recognizable motifs.
The artist will be at Clarendon April 23 (6:30 to 8:30 p.m.). The exhibition is on view through May 3.
Carolyn Doan — Westport’s osprey whisperer — noticed a lot of activity at the Fresh Market osprey nest yesterday. She writes:
“Both raptors were relaxing in the sun. A few moments later they were visited by a third osprey, vying for the attention of the female. It was quickly chased away by the male after 2 low flying swoops.
“The couple then engaged in mating attempts, and relaxed some more in the sun. Mother Nature never disappoints…”
We won’t comment on their mating attempts. But if this spring is like previous ones, we’ll be welcoming another osprey pair back next year.
Speaking of wildlife: Scott Smith has enjoyed several sightings of a large flock of turkeys this spring at the H. Smith Richardson Wildlife Preserve, on the Southport border.
He writes: “I’m happy to stop for them as they cross Sasco Creek Road heading over to the Christmas Tree Farm from the meadow, which is being restored by the Connecticut Audubon Society.
“The big birds roost high up in trees at night, which is why a group of them is called a rafter.”
Scott adds that next week, Audubon will permanently ban dogs from the meadow, as well as the biggest parcel of the property: the open space that goes all the way to the playing fields of Greens Farms Academy.
He adds, “I can see why dog walkers would be upset — but not me, or the turkeys, or all the other field-nesting birds like the indigo bunting that call this rare habitat home.”
Roadwork — repairs, maintenance and improvements — are going on all over town.
This is the scene on Whitney Street, where sidewalks are being torn up, and trees removed, as the first steps in repaving the road and replacing sidewalks.
But “Get Up With It! A Miles Davis Centennial Celebration” kicks off the 2026 season on May 24 (7 p.m.).
The event — honoring the jazz legend’s 100th birthday — features a longstanding project of The War on Drugs drummer (and Greens Farms Academy graduate) Charlie Hall.
Now in its third decade, the 10-person ensemble focuses on 3 of Davis’ most influential albums: 1969’s visionary “In a Silent Way,” the 1970 magnum opus “Bitches Brew,” and 1971’s “Jack Johnson.”
And finally … Wayne Perkins, a guitarist who “injected Southern rock into the reggae of Bob Marley and the Wailers’ breakthrough album, ‘Catch a Fire,’ auditioned for a spot in the Rolling Stones and turned down an offer to join Lynyrd Skynyrd,” died last month in Alabama. He was 74, and had suffered a stroke.
With over 1,000 votes cast, the winners of the Great Westport Sandwich Contestare …
Best Chicken Sandwich: Garelick & Herbs
Best Steak Sandwich: Nômade
Best Combo Sandwich: A & S Fine Foods
Best Vegetarian Sandwich:Nômade
Best Club Sandwich: The Clubhouse
Best Pressed Sandwich: The Granola Bar
Best Breakfast Sandwich: The Granola Bar
Best Wrap Sandwich: Kabab & Hummus House
Best Fish/Seafood Sandwich: Rizzuto’s
Best NY Deli Sandwich:Gold’s Delicatessen
Honorable mentions go to Calise’s Market and Outpost Pizza in the Best Chicken category.
The contest was organized by the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce, with sponsorship from the law firm Bercham Moses.
The winners (clockwise from top left): The Clubhouse, The Granola Bar, Kabab & Hummus House, A & S Fine Foods, Gold’s Delicatessen, Nômade, Rizzuto’s, Garelick & Herbs.
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Earthplace celebrates 2 milestones soon: the 40th anniversary of Harbor Watch, and the 15th anniversary of “Cocktails & Clams.”
The fundraiser is set for June 6 (5 to 7 p.m.), at Copps Island Oysters, Norwalk.
The location is fitting. Proceeds will help modernize the water quality lab at Harbor Watch, Earthplace’s Long Island Sound program. They’ll also provide hands-on training for student interns, and will support ongoing water monitoring.
Guests will enjoy an unlimited, super-fresh raw bar, hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, plus a live band and silent auction.
The Westport Senior Center kicks it off on May 1 (1 p.m.), with a special event featuring Melissa Bernstein.
The co-founder of Melissa & Doug Toys will chat with “06880” founder Dan Woog about her personal journey through anxiety and depression.
She’ll discuss the tools and insights that helped guide her back into the light, and what she has discovered about finding purpose and meaning along the way.
Melissa is the author of “Lifelines” and “The Heart of Entrepreneurship: Crafting Your Authentic Recipe for Success.” She also curated a collection of stress-relief tools inspired by her own life experiences, available at Lifelines.com.
The event is open to Senior Center members, and anyone 60 or older.
Melissa Bernstein
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Among the agenda items for today’s Board of Selectpersons agenda (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Town Hall auditorium): acceptance of $20,000 from Sustainable Westport, for the purchase and installation of 2 ADA-compliant water filling stations.
They’ll replace the current fountains at Compo Beach and Winslow Park
A plaque on the Winslow Park water filling station will honor the memory of Sherry Jagerson. The longtime environmental activist died in 2024.
Sherry Jagerson
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The Blight Prevention Board meets tomorrow (Thursday, 7 p.m., Zoom).
They’ll continue their discussion of 20 Center Street, and address 3 new properties:
Westport resident Carole Williams died Sunday, surrounded by her family. She was 86.
A longtime customer service manager at Pepperidge Farm, she was known for her dedication and care. After retiring she worked for the town of Westport, at the Fire and Building Departments.
She was an avid traveler, and also enjoyed both playing tennis and shopping.
She is survived by her daughter Kim Thibodeau, grandson Michael Thibodeau, sister Phyllis Denke, brother Samuel (Sandy) Anastasia Jr. .
A Requiem Mass will be held at Assumption Church on Friday (April 10, 10 a.m.). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude’s or the American Cancer Society.
Carole Williams
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Longtime Westporter Dick Alley sends along today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo: Schlaet’s Point, at low tide in early spring.
And finally … in honor of Earthplace’s “Clams & Cocktails” fundraiser, benefiting Harbor Watch — harborside, at Copps Island Oysters (story above):
(From the environment and entertainment to the Senior Center and beach, if it’s happening in Westport you’ll read about it on “06880.” We rely on readers’ support; please click here to help. Thank you!)
You never know where a conversation with Lloyd Allen will go.
The other day I stopped in at Double L Market, to pick up their trademark box of fruit.
The longtime owner of the beloved Post Road East fruit stand-and-much-more was in an expansive mood. He had a strong case of spring fever — exactly what someone whose life revolves around the seasons should have.
Lloyd Allen, at Double L Market.
Lloyd talked nostalgically of his original farm stand, where Kings Highway North runs into the Post Road.
He told me that Paul Newman loved loved LOVED Double L’s honeydews.
Of course, Lloyd is much more than just a fruit and vegetable vendor. He is pursuing multiple avenues on stage and through the media. The Westport Library has been a great partner throughout, he said.
Lloyd has always felt close to the people of Westport. He thrives on the town’s vitality, energy and charm. To give back, he hopes to build a stage of giant iPhones — the theme of a play he’s written — on the side of Double L Market, so he can workshop scenes. (Michael Calise, his landlord, is okay with it, Lloyd said.)
Then he showed me early signs of spring: fiddlehead ferns, spring garlic
and early onions. (All are from the West Coast, alas.)
Double L bounty, spring 2021.
Today — April 6 — Lloyd turns 75. He is filled with gratitude for Gianna. They love each other’s company; they collaborate, and respect each other greatly.
Then Lloyd backtracked 40 years. He talked about how the seasonality of his early roadside stand gave him time with his kids, in their early years.
He might soon take a few days with Gianna, just the two of them, to get away and ponder next moves.
Lloyd still has a whole lot to get done.
But for now: Happy 75th birthday, Lloyd.
May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. And may the rains fall soft upon your fields.
We all love — and need — all that you offer all of us!
As Earth Day (April 22) nears, Sustainable Westport asks: “Can you imagine what our planet could look like if we got it right?”
They answer their own question: “Less congestion and cleaner air, with communities that are more interconnected because towns are walkable and bikeable. Shorelines and waterways that are free from discarded plastic and waste. Native trees and plants supporting pollinators and clean water supporting vibrant ecosystems for generations to come.
“It’s a hopeful vision, and one that feels entirely possible when communities come together starting first with small, meaningful changes.
“At the heart of this vision is a simple, powerful truth: We are all guardians of this planet. This stewardship isn’t reserved for scientists or policymakers; it is a responsibility carried by every one of us. Each person in our community holds a vital piece of the puzzle, and the picture of a sustainable Westport is only possible when all of us are present and engaged.
During Earth Month, Sustainable Westport is re-emphasizing their commitment to reducing single-use plastic. They ask residents to watch an important video (click here) — and then participate and lead, by sharing the message, encouraging neighbors, and turning individual efforts into a community movement.
Also upcoming: a screening of “Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics.”
The documentary explores the alarming spread of microplastics throughout our planet — and our bodies.
The event — following a sold-out showing at SXSW — is Thursday (April 9, 6:30 p.m., Greens Farms Academy). A panel discussion follows the screening.
The Board of Finance’s next “office hours” — open times at which residents can chat with a member about questions or concerns — are Thursday, April 16.
There are 2 sessions — 10 to 11 a.m., and 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. — at the Westport Library’s Room 213.
The events have proved popular, with a broad range of Westporters asking an equally broad range of questions.
Speaking to 175 Y’s Men of Westport and Weston at Saugatuck Congregational Church on Thursday, Dr. Kenneth Pollack said that the war with Iran has become a grinding war of attrition with no easy exit for the United States.
A former CIA analyst and National Security Council official, Pollack is now vice president for policy at the Middle East Institute. He warned that forced regime change in Tehran is a dangerous gamble, and said Washington has “run out of good options,” leaving only bad choices as it struggles to end the conflict, reopen vital oil shipping lanes, and find a strategy President Trump can use to ease domestic economic pain while pressuring Iran’s hard‑line leadership to back down.
Looking ahead, Pollack said much of the world’s economic fate now hinges on whether the U.S. is willing to do the politically difficult work needed to pry open the Strait of Hormuz and blunt Iran’s regional influence. That could mean inserting limited ground forces to secure shipping lanes and potentially striking at Iranian allies such as Hezbollah, steps he called militarily feasible but politically fraught.
Until then, he warned, shortages of oil, liquefied natural gas and critical materials like fertilizers and helium will deepen, increasing the risk of a global recession and leaving Iran’s hard‑liners in position to keep exploiting their “chokehold” on the world economy.
Y’s Men member Peter Pollack (left) introduces his son, Dr. Kenneth M. Pollack. (Photo/Ted Horowitz)
Karen Schlansky — an abstract painter working in acrylic, oil, pastel and mixed media — is this month’s guest exhibitor. The local artist is displaying paintings from her recent “Books” series.
A reception is set for April 23 (6 p.m.). All work is available for purchase.
Karen Schlansky, with her work.
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Speaking of art: As the nation’s 250th birthday nears, the Weston Commission for the Arts seeks submissions that explore America’s past, present and future.
The “Weston Celebrates America 250” exhibit (July 3 to 31) will complement July 4th activities like a patriotic tailgating contest, bell ringing ceremony, old- fashioned family sports/field day and picnic, and fireworks.
Also planned during the month-long exhibit: art classes for children and adults, and a meet the artists reception July. Click here for details.
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This Thursday (April 9, 7 p.m.), MoCA\CT celebrates National Poetry Month bt transforming its galleries into a performance space.
Norwalk-based spoken word artist Sahmra Sawyer (Supreme Divinity) will perform original poetry inspired by “Art, Jazz + the Blues” — the museum’s current exhibit — while live jazz plays in the background.
As the performance unfolds, Bridgeport artist Lauren Clayton will create a large-scale painting — translating spoken word and sound into a visual work in real time.
29 Markle CT will provide an “elevated take on soul food.”
A wayward son moves home to care for his mother, and discovers chaos he never knew he needed.
That’s the premise behind “Sorry for Laughing.” The new solo play by Evan Zes, about caring for his mother during COVID, is part of the Westport Country Playhouse’s New Works Initiative. celebrating new works and new playwrights.
Westport’s first “pickleball ambassador,” Tom Lowrie, sent this along, with Easter and Passover greetings from himself and his successor, current ambassador Brandon Osterhout.
We don’t know who’s who in the photo, but it doesn’t matter. Enjoy the weekend!
It’s official: Carolyn Doan — Westport’s unofficial osprey spotter — says that the Fresh Market osprey is back.
The actual first raptor of the spring was spotted earlier, by Gray’s Creek. An earlier report of the osprey at the tall perch next to Terrain turned out to be a hawk.
Their mates will no doubt join them soon. We’ll see them building nests, fishing for food, and — hopefully — tending their young.
Carolyn Doan usually has a high-powered lens. This was taken with her iPhone. (Photo/Carolyn Doan)
“Your State, Your Business” — the program that brings high-ranking officials to the Westport Library to share their work with business owners and residents — continued Thursday.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong — the third speaker, in the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce series — opened with “Law School 101,” which set the stage for the civil legal and constitutional law discussions that followed.
Key topics included the role of the AG here, and differences with other states; high profile issues like personal data and privacy, and cases Tong has filed on behalf of the state and its citizens.
Attorney General William Tong, at the Westport Library.
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Congratulations to Ignacy Nieweglowski, Sahil Vora, Rohan Sareen, Ezra Schwartz and Kevin Cano!
On Sunday, the Staples High School students captured first place in the Lockheed Martin CyberQuest Competition.
And they snagged gold for the second year in a row.
In the annual capture-the-flag competition, students take on a wide range of challenges designed by professional cybersecurity engineers. They include multi-step intrusion scenarios, steganography, reverse engineering, operating system exploitation, packet analysis, web vulnerabilities and social engineering.
The event was held at Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky headquarters in Stratford. Facing teams from across the region, the Stapleites worked collaboratively through 3 hours of intense problem-solving.
Following last year’s win, the students grew Staples’ cybersecurity program, and formed a larger team.
In addition to this year’s first-place finish, the B and C teams also placed in the top 5. The B team included Anit Arvind, Tucker Eklund, Srihan Popuri, Maadhav Subramaniam and Jonah Frey, while the C team was Joey Carpenter, Cora Barrett and Nora Ismael-Bakkali.
Up next: the national semifinals. Go Wreckers!
From left: Ignacy Nieweglowski, Sahil Vora, Rohan Sareen, Ezra Schwartz, Kevin Cano.
Speaking of Staples: Congratulations to the 24 band, orchestra and choir programs who participated in the recent Connecticut Music Educators Association All-State Festival at the Hartford Convention Center.
The 3 days included rehearsals led by guest conductors, culminating in a final performance.
Staples All-State Festival musicians included
Band: Justin Jendrock, Gargi Karve, Dylan Taylor, Christian Green (horn in orchestra)
Choir: Veronica Albee, Josie Caricato, James Donoghue, Beckwith Fipp, Catherine Herbert, Abigail Kim, Josephine Lewertoff, Jasmita Mani Lorenzato, Lyla McEntee, Sophia Macris, Christian Michaels, Denver Razza, Helen Root, Ari Sklar, Samantha Skopp
Orchestra: Kirthana Gowthaman, Isabel Jo, Isabella Mariani, Ayush Rudra, Chloe Wong
Staples’ All-State Festival musicians (missing James Donoghue and Josephine Lewertoff).
“06880” is Westport’s full-service blog, and the Roundup is where you can find nearly every service: upcoming events, achievements, obituaries.
The other day, we helped a Westport firm find a summer intern.
The New England Consulting Group received inquiries from several outstanding applicants. They extended an offer to a Staples graduate.
Now they’ve got another opening. This is for a part-time, experienced administrative assistant. For details, contact Applicants can contact Susan Owen, CFO: seo@necg.net (put “part-time admin at NECG” in the subject line), or call 203-297-9389.
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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