Category Archives: Media

Roundup: Coming Up: Town Farm, Farmers’ Market, Playhouse Events …

Posted on August 22, 2026 | 5 comments

School starts soon. And Wakeman Town Farm is wasting no time rolling out its fall programs. They include:

  • Curious Sprouts Farm Class (Ages 3-5)
  • Little Farmer Parent & Me
  • Neurodiverse Farmer program
  • Kids Cooking (Grades K-2, 3-7)
  • Teen Cuisine
  • Plein Air Painting (Ages 6-11).

Click here for details and registration,

Plein air painting

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The Westport Farmers’ Market is 20 years old this year.

Beyond providing hundreds of shoppers with fresh produce and herbs, meats, seafood, breads, ice cream, lunch, Thai food, pet food and knife sharpening each week, they feed over 50,000 people a year through partnerships with the Gillespie Center, Homes for the Brave, Norwalk Arts Space and Cardinal Shehan Center.

To celebrate — and raise funds — they’ve planned a special, intimate event. “Fork It Over” (September 17, 6 p.m., Terrain) features several Big Names (and friends of the Market): Jen Bengtson (Terrain Café), Dan Kardos (Café Melba), Hoodoo Brown Team, John Nealon and Christian Wiki (Crust Issues) and Piereluigi Mazzella (Fatto a Mano).

Click here for tickets, and more information.

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In February, Rob Simmelkjaer and his daughters traveled to Kenya.

They visited Tirop’s Angels, a non-profit created after elite runner Agnes Tirop was murdered by her domestic partner. The Simmelkjaers spoke with many victims of gender-based violence, an importand issue in the country.

This week Julia — a rising Staples High School senior — announced a “Back to School 5K.” The virtual race will benefit Tirop’s Angels.

Julia is getting many Staples cross country teammates to run, and invites anyone else interested — anywhere in the world — to join them, for a $25 donation.

The race is open through September 13. Runners can race individually, or as part of a team.

Need more incentive than helping a great cause? Runners with the fastest men’s and women’s times get complimentary entry into New York Road Runners’ United Airlines NYC Half Marathon in March.

To register, download the MoveZenGo app here, and use the link. Follow @juliasimmelkjaer on Instagram; she explains each step.

In Kenya, Tirop’s Angels is building a safe house for abused women. Above (left to right): Annika, Rob and Julia Simmelkjaer, with Viola Cheptoo. She founded the Angels, and is an elite runner who will compete in the New York Marathon this November.

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Last December, “06880” reported that the building next to Five Guys — which old-timers still think of as IHOP, and newer-comers know as the Westport Pancake Shop and/or one of many nail salons — would have a new tenant.

JetSet Pilates — the Miami-based “market leader in Reformer Pilates.” with 100 locations open, or in development — would open there.

“In mid-summer,” we said.

Well, that’s come and gone. And here was the scene yesterday:

(Photo/Colin Livingston)

We have no clue whether it’s still the future site of JetSet Pilates.

And if so, when the Jet Setters will move in.

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The Westport Country Playhouse has just added 2 new — and very different — shows.

Coming up next in their Barnstormer Series: “The History of a Brief Time” (September 8, 7 p.m.).

Written and performed by Bill Williams, it tells the very personal story of the loss of his son to opioid addiction. Called a “vividly, beautifully and painfully described experience,” it’s one family’s journey through struggle, grief and, ultimately, healing.

Tickets are $20. Click here to purchase, and for more information.

On September 19 (1 and 4 p.m.), the big red dog Clifford–bounds onto the stage. The new musical comedy adventure (named for him) celebrates friendship, imagination, and the magic of unconditional love.

It’s a show for Clifford’s young fans — and nostalgic parents who remember him too. Click here for tickets, and more information.

For the full fall Playhouse schedule, click here.

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Matthew Mandell reports: “The crowd was Comfortably Numb as The Machine — the internationally touring Pink Floyd tribute band — returned to Westport for an exceptional show at the Levitt Pavilion last night.

“They first played here during COVID at the drive-in concerts hosted by the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce and the Westport Library on the Imperial Avenue parking lot.”

This weekend at the Levitt:

  • Tonight (Saturday): Frank Mastrone & Friends (7:30 p.m.; free)
  • Sunday, August 22: Andy Frasco & the UN, and Kitchen Dwellers with special guests Magoo (5 p.m.; tickets).

Click here for more information, and tickets. 

The Machine, at the Levitt. (Photo/Matthew Mandell)

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Recently, while visiting the John F. Kennedy Library & Museum in Boston, Staples High School Class of 1967 graduate Ron Berler bought a copy of a book he had last read in high school: “Profiles in Courage.”

He was struck, he said, by its currency. “The same issues that tempered brave acts in some members of Congress when Kennedy published his book in 1956 apply today: The fear of losing their next election. Of being tarred as traitors by their party. Of submitting to power. Of forfeiting pride and honor.”

It made him appreciate all the more “those few in Congress who have demonstrated true courage – even if just once.”

As he thought about the type of person he’d like to see in municipal, state and national offices, he wrote an essay. It was just published in Washington Monthly, under the headline “What is Political Courage?” Click here to read Berler’s piece.

Ron Berler

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Congratulations to winners of the Longshore Women’s Golf Association’s Invitational: Sarah Kim, Sally Rogol, Debbie Thron and MarthaLee Taylor.

Lnnch followed the competition, in the newly (and beautifully renovated) Inn at Longshore ballroom.

Members and guests donated food and money to Homes with Hope, this year’s designated charity.

The LWGA — going strong since 1960 — is open to all women golfers from Westport and surrounding towns.

From left: Sarah Kim, Sally Rogol, Debbie Thron, MarthaLee Taylor, and Longshore head professional Jon Janik.

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Next Saturday’s “Movie Under the Stars” — a Weston tradition — is a double feature.

Local band Good Godfrey open the show (August 29, 6 p.m.; free) at the Weston Middle School Field.

The 8 p.m. film is “National Treasure,” starring Nicholas Cage. It is an apt choice, as the country celebrates its semiquincentennial.

Tony’s Pizza Truck will be on hand, at the Weston Commission for the Arts and 250th Advisory Committee event.

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One of the (many) pleasures of walking around the Compo Beach neighborhood are the gardens bordering lots of homes.

This one caught our eye, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” featured image:

(Photo/Sunil Hirani)

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And finally … on this date in 1902, the Cadillac Motor Company was founded.

(“06880” is the Cadillac of local blogs. But you don’t have to support us at that level. A Ford, or even Yugo level is fine. Please click here to donate what you can. Thank you!)

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Posted in Entertainment, Environment, Local business, Media, Politics, Sports, Westport Country Playhouse

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“06880” Podcast: Jamie Camche

Posted on August 11, 2026 | 2 comments

Westporters love Jamie Camche’s jewelry — at her JL Rocks store, and Bungalow.

Jamie is one of a number of successful women business owners here. Theother day, we chatted at the Westport Library about her work, her life in Westport, and much more.

Click here and below for an interesting look into Westport’s small — in name only — business community.

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[OPINION] Random Conversations Create Community

Posted on August 3, 2026 | 12 comments

Tom Karrel grew up in Westport, and is a 2012 graduate of Staples High School. His new book, “The Lost Art of Random Conversations,” has just been published. Tom writes: 

“If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change.” — Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa

The other day, my partner Taylor and I stopped by the Organic Market. After a month full of eating all the sugar and bread we could find, we decided it was time to reset with a juice cleanse.

Tom Karrel

While waiting, a woman overheard us chatting and introduced herself. Within minutes, we discovered she is living in my hometown of Westport, but had grown up in the same neighborhood in Santa Barbara, California, where Taylor and I are moving this fall.

What started as a spontaneous moment turned into a genuinely meaningful conversation. We skipped the standard “What do you do?” scripts, and talked instead about how each of us has learned (or struggled) to make friends in new places.

We talked too about what makes a community feel welcoming enough to lower your guard, offer a compliment, or check in on a deeper level with a stranger.

Returning to Westport this summer, I’ve spent time driving around the Staples campus to see what looks different and what has stayed exactly the same. I’ve taken slow drives through the neighborhoods of old friends, grabbed a greasy sandwich at Fortuna’s and a toasted bagel at Village Bagels, and walked the familiar shores of Compo, Burying Hill and Sherwood Island.

While marveling at everything that looks fancy and new in town, what stands out most are those childhood memory spots that have not aged at all, in the absolute best way.

However, alongside that beautiful nostalgia is a louder realization: We’re all glued to our phones. Walking along the Saugatuck River, sitting on the wall at Compo or waiting for a table near the Black Duck or Kawa Ni, I notice heads constantly tilted down toward glowing rectangles.

We live in one of the most beautiful, idyllic towns in America. Yet so often we stare at our phone screens instead of actually looking up, or stopping to take in all the beauty and diverse people around us.

Sitting on the Compo Beach cannons — with cell phones. (Photo/Fred Cantor)

We all know it. But if nothing changes, nothing changes.

Whenever I come back to town, I get caught in this too. So this time, I’ve made a point to reach out to fellow Staples grads now spread across the globe.

As we catch up on where life has taken us, the conversation inevitably drifts toward the same realization: No matter how impressive our careers or titles may look on paper, everyone is hungry for a genuine sense of community and belonging, wherever they are.

Few have truly found it — myself included.

At Staples we were taught to strive, lead, and make our mark on the world. Westport excels at raising high achievers. But in a world where artificial intelligence automates routine tasks and screens consume our attention, shouldn’t our definition of success evolve?

Are we teaching our young people to be leaders who know how to build real human connection, or are we just training them to chase status and wealth?

True leadership is not just about financial success; it’s about having the courage and capacity to bring people together, lower social barriers, and make the places we live feel like tight-knit communities again.

In my new book, “The Lost Art of Random Conversations,” I advocate for LARC: the daily practice of starting spontaneous, face-to-face interactions in an increasingly lonely, anxious and phone-addicted world.

“Random” doesn’t mean aimless, though. It means being open to unscripted moments of human connection with anyone, from complete strangers to neighbors, colleagues, and our closest friends and family.

Prolonged loneliness carries health risks comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. One in 4 adults worldwide report feeling profoundly isolated. We are the most digitally connected generation in history, yet statistically we feel the most alone.

The true measure of a strong community isn’t found in real estate values or pristine beach passes. It comes down to one question: If you disappeared for a month, how many people in town would notice?

Maintaining Westport’s strong, welcoming community doesn’t require a complex Town Hall initiative or new non-profit. It starts with simple micro-choices made by each of us individual Westporters every day. For example:

Unplug in local lines. Put your phone in your pocket while waiting at Gold’s, CVS or the Farmers’ Market. Look up, make eye contact, and ask about something interesting you notice about the place and the person behind the counter.

The other, while printing labels at the UPS Store opposite Fresh Market, Tom Karrel (right) and Taylor had a great conversation with 2014 Staples grad Gene Tsai.

Go beyond the usual script. The next time you’re chatting with a shop owner or parent at a baseball game, ask one question beyond “How’s your week going?” Try: “What’s been a standout part of your summer so far?” Genuinely listen to what they say. Follow up, and show you’re actually curious to hear more.

Acknowledge familiar strangers. If you pass the same person walking their dog along the road every morning, smile and say hello. Say the thing you’re both thinking: “Hey, we walk by each other all the time but I’ve never said hello. I’m [your name]!”

Westport’s community sustains and grows when we decide to look up, take a breath, and risk having an honest, spontaneous conversation with the person standing right in front of us. Making one another feel truly welcome and at home in this place, rather than just another busy adult running around from place to place.

The next time you feel a small nudge to reach out to someone in town, go for it. You never know when a simple conversation might remind both of you what it really means to belong to this beautiful place.

(For more information about Tom Karrel’s new book, “The Lost Art of Random Conversations,” click here.)  

(“06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Send submissions to 06880blog@gmail. com. To support this hyper-local blog with a tax-deductible donation, please click here. Thank you!)

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Posted in Media, Staples HS, Westport life

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Roundup: Live Music, New Podcast, Real Housewives …

Posted on August 1, 2026 | 1 comment

East Town Prophets bring their high-energy rock sound to VFW Post 399 tonight (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; $10 cover).

Doors open at 6 p.m. Light bar food is available, plus drink specials.


East Town Prophets

Also tonight, at the Levitt Pavilion : Anthem Reggae Band (7:30 p.m.). Tomorrow (Sunday, 7 p.m.) it’s Danny Lipsitz & the Brass Tacks. Both shows are free. Click here for more information.

Last night’s show featured Residual Groove. The local band that played 2 Slice of Saugatuck festivals,  many nights at Dunville’s and opened last year for Mahali made the first of what may be many headline performances at the outdoor theater.

Residual Groove (Photo/Matthew Mandell)

And one more: Vinnie Ferrone plays outdoors on Church Lane tonight (6 to 9 p.m.).

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Jay Schadler’s “Turning Point” podcast is one of the Westport Library’s most popular series.

The journalist/photographer/artist is a superb interviewer, zeroing in on key moments in a guest’s life and career.

And I’m not just saying that because his interview with me kicks off his 2nd season,

Our chat ranged widely, from writing to soccer to LGBT activism. The through line was “community” — and the turning points that shaped me and my work. Click here to listen.

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Channeling Westport circa 1965, and inspired by hilarious Instagram posts from Rita Gigante daughter of mob boss Vincent “The Chin” Gigante and author of “The Godfathers Daughter”), a group of longtime Westport friends donned housecoats, pink foam rollers and their mother’s pearls.

Dubbing themselves “The Real Housewives of Westport,” they gathered for an afternoon potluck lunch of Ritz cracker chicken casserole, corn soufflé, Jell-O mold, tuna pasta and pineapple upside down cake.

Ellen Bowen hosted the event. As you can see in the photo below, she and Yvonne Claveloux, Stacey Tagen, Marci Gordon, Lilia Temple, Cathy Colgan, Sara Kempner, Lois Backon and Cathy Circle were looking very, um, mid-’60s-Westport-ish.

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Yesterday’s Roundup noted that a large sign at the Compo Road/Bridge Street intersection, touting a new sidewalk project, identified Ned Lamont as “govenor.”

We neglected to mention — because, truthfully, we did not notice — 2 other misspellings.

The Department of Transportation — which presumably is responsible for the sign — forgot a “t” in their own name.

They even screwed up the name of their commissioner. It’s “Garrett” — not “Garret” — Eucalitto.

But hey, the DOT had a swift solution yesterday:

To be fair, “06880” makes a fair share of spelling errors.

But we don’t post them on large, taxpayer-funded signs.

PS: Every word in this particular item has been checked and re-checked. At least 12 times.

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Sure, school has been out for over a month.

But we just learned that 5 Staples High School students have been named state winners in the annual PTA Reflections competition. The theme was “I Belong.”

Congratulations to Isabella Mariani (music composition, 1st place), Noah Bruno (film production, 1st place), Jessica DiPrato (visual arts, 1st place), Dylan Marks (photography, 2nd place) and Archie Kobetitsch (literature, 3rd place).

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo is a first: a clearwing hummingbird moth.

In addition to sending a superb image, Jay Ludy quotes Google: “The hummingbird moth is a fascinating day-flying insect known for hovering in midair, making a buzzing sound, and using a long proboscis to drink nectar from flowers.”

It also looks very, very cool.

(Photo/Jay Ludy)

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And finally … in honor of the winners of the “Reflections” contest (item above):

(Reflect on this: “06880” — your hyper-local, 24/7/365 blog — relies on reader support. We need you! Please click here to help. And thank you!)

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Posted in Entertainment, Library, Media, Totally random, Transportation

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Roundup: Josh Suggs, Russell Greenberg, Gadi Slade, Tom Karrel …

Posted on July 30, 2026 | Leave a comment

The last time we mentioned Josh Suggs, the 2021 Staples High School graduate had just been featured in the Wall Street Journal.

Yesterday, the 23-year-old was seen by an even bigger audience: NBC’s “Today” show.

Brian Cheung interviewed him about Street Talk. That’s the company he formed, after dropping out of Syracuse University. It is “disrupting advertising,” Cheung said.

Josh’s route to social entrepreneurship started in Westport, he told “Today.” As a 14-year-old, he got free haircuts for social media posts.

When a Syracuse friend paid Josh $2,000 for 30 street interviews, a light bulb went off. Today, Street Talk earns 8 figures in revenue by conducting authentic, unscripted street interviews that companies large and small can use as brand ads.

“I bet on myself, and the future fo social media,” Josh said.

Click here for the full — and very engaging — interview.

RERUN: Last fall’s story was not the first to feature Josh Suggs. Click here to read this one, from 2016. It features Josh and his great Bedford Middle School friend, Jamie Mann. A fellow SHS grad, Jamie has also made a name for himself in New York: on Broadway.

Screenshot: Josh Suggs and Brian Cheung.

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Congratulations to Russell Greenberg and Gadi Slade!

The Chabad of Westport friends recently participated in the Maccabi Games in Israel (aka “the Jewish Olympics”). Over 5,000 athletes attended, including 900 from the US.

Greenberg swam in the Masters division, and captained his team. He captured gold in the 65-69 age group in the 100 meter freestyle, then added silver medals in the 50 free, 50 butterfly and 200 free. He was also part of 3 silver medal relays. Greenberg called the competition “the highlight of my swimming career.”

Slade’s story starts in 1932. A blonde, blue-eyed Jew from Frankfurt traveled to Tel Aviv where, by chance, the 1st Maccabi Games were being held. She met a doctor from Galilee. They exchanged phone numbers and addresses. But she returned to Germany and did not think about him.

Six months later, Hitler came to power. Nine months after that, the German woman and her parents fled to Haifa, where she knew just one person: the doctor from the Maccabi Games. They got together, fell in love,  and were married. Slade is their grandson.

He planned to gain citizenship in Ecuador, make the national basketball team, and play in the Atlanta Olympics — all to get into Harvard Business School.

When that failed, he tried out in 1997 (also unsuccessfully) for the inaugural Maccabi USA field hockey team. Finally, this year he make the Games for masters table tennis. He won a gold medal in the team competition.

94 years after his grandparents met, Gadi marched in the opening ceremony with his son Leo (who also participated in table tennis, for 16 and under).

“The medal was a nice surprise, but for me just being there and wearing the Team USA shirt was my definition of victory,” Slade says.

Gadi Slade (left) and Russell Greenberg, with Maccabi medals.

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Between email, texts and now AI, we’ve forgotten how to have conversations with actual human beings we don’t know.

Help is near.

Staples High School Class of 2012 graduate Tom Karrel has just published “The Lost Art of Random Conversations: How One Conversation with a Stranger Will Change the Way You Connect with Everyone.”

Drawing on over 10,000 hours of group facilitation experience across nearly 50 countries, Karrel offers practical tools and honest stories to help readers break through phone addiction, overcome social anxiety and loneliness, and create real world connections.

It’s available on Amazon, and by clicking here.

Tom Karrel

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Kawa Ni’s “Paint + Sip” events are a smash.

The next 2 are planned for August 5 and 19 (6:30 to 8 p.m.).

Artist Lauren Smith leads guests as they create, sip and enjoy lite bites, on the Bridge Square rooftop overlooking the Saugatuck River.

For $56 you get painting supplies, an 8″x10″ canvas, and Kawa Ni fare. Wine, sake and cocktails are available for purchase. Click here to register.

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Lachat Town Farm offers 3 fall children’s programs:

  • Caregiver & Me
  • Pre-school drop-off
  • K-8 after-school.

Click here for details. Questions? Email childrensprograms@lachattownfarm.org.

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Every Thursday for several years, VFW Post 399 has hosted 2 jazz shows. They kick off at 7:30 and 8:45.

Now, every other Thursday, the Dave Kardas Band plays original jazz, blues and rock, right before (5:30 to 7:15 p.m.). Upcoming dates are tonight (July 31), August 13 and 27, and September 10.

The music is free. There’s happy hour food and drink prices too.

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Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between July 22 and 28.

A 50-year-old Fairfield man was charged with evading responsibility, traveling too fast for conditions, failure to drive right and reckless endangerment, following 2 notifications on Sturges Highway from iPhone crash detection. Two calls were made, and the man denied being involved in an accident. However, a witness reported a damaged and disabled Tesla unoccupied in the middle of the road, and a man walking away. An investigation determined that the vehicle left the road twice, striking several large rocks. He was released on a $5,000 bond.

A 68-year-old Westport woman was charged with driving the wrong way on a 1-way street, interfering with an officer and failure to appear, following an investigation into an April incident on Franklin Street. The woman approached an officer driving the wrong way. After being signaled to stop, she rolled up her window and attempted to change direction multiple times. When she stopped she was argumentative with officers. She refused to exit the vehicle, and engaged in a physical struggle. She was released on $3,500 bonds.

Westport Police also issued these citations:

  • Texting while driving: 21 citations
  • Traveling unreasonably fast: 9
  • Failure to obey stop sign: 8
  • Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations 8
  • Failure to renew registration: 4
  • Failure to obey traffic control signals: 4
  • Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
  • Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 2
  • Failure to insure motor vehicle: 2
  • Distracted driving: 2
  • Following too closely: 2
  • Improper use of markers: 2
  • Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 1
  • Speeding: 1
  • School zone violation: 1
  • Disorderly conduct: 1
  • Criminal mischief: 1

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A crepe myrtle tree makes its first-ever “Westport … Naturally” appearance today. This beauty is on Compo Road South.

(Photo/Topsy Siderowf)

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And finally … in honor of Tom Karrel, and his book on how to have a conversation (story above):

(Speaking of conversations: Let’s talk! If you appreciate even a small part of this hyper-local blog, please consider clicking here to support our work. We rely on you — our readers — so thank you!)

 

 

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“06880” Podcast: Jay Babina

Posted on July 28, 2026 | 1 comment

Jay Babina is the second youngest guest ever on our “06880” podcast.

He’s also got one of the most intriguing stories. Jay is the founder, curator and driving force behind one of the most unique places in town: the Westport Tech Museum.

Click here or below to learn more about Jay’s passion, and his remarkable creation.

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“A Day In The Life Of Westport”: September 6 Will Live Forever

Posted on July 28, 2026 | 10 comments

Every day in Westport is special. Every day is unique.

But when each is over, we move on to the next.

September 6 will be a day we’ll never forget.

On that Sunday, every Westporter is invited to help create a one-of-a-kind portrait of the town. We’ll do it by taking a photograph that captures one real moment from our day.

Whether it’s a sunrise at Compo Beach, breakfast with family, volunteering at a community event, opening a business downtown, walking the dog, cheering from the sidelines or enjoying a quiet moment at home, every image will become part of a collective portrait of Westport.

“A Day in the Life of Westport” is a collaboration between the Artists Collective of Westport, the League of Women Voters Westport, the David T. Langrock Foundation, and “06880.”

As part of Westport’s America 250 celebration, the project will document the town in its everyday rhythms, creating a lasting record of who we are as a community in this semiquincentennial year.

Inspired by the classic Life magazine photo essays documenting “A Day in the Life of America,” the project invites residents of every age to photograph one moment on Sunday, September 6, then submit it online with a brief caption describing what the image means to them.

Collectively, the photographs will become a real-time portrait of Westport, preserving both extraordinary moments and ordinary ones that define daily life.

Miggs Burroughs, a founding member of the Artists Collective, says, “Every individual photograph tells a story. Together, hundreds — perhaps thousands — of photographs become something entirely different: a portrait of Westport itself. The finished mosaic will reveal not only the beauty of our town, but the connections that make us a community.”

Early September will still be warm enough for a sunrise swim … (Photo/Jimmy Izzo)

LWV secretary James Delorey notes, “Westport has always been a community that shows up. Whether it’s volunteering, voting, supporting neighbors or celebrating together, people here take part. ‘A Day in the Life of Westport’ is another opportunity for everyone to help tell the story of this remarkable town.”

League member Andrea Moore adds, “Westport’s story is written by our whole community. ‘A Day in the Life’ invites everyone to share a special moment or a favorite scene from their day. Each photograph captures a part of who we are today, and creates a record that future generations will be able to look back on.”

Participants are encouraged to photograph every aspect of community life, including all generations, neighborhoods, occupations, traditions, celebrations, acts of service, family life, recreation, arts, faith, work, and the countless moments that make Westport unique.

,,, and photographers can also capture random kids having moments of fun. (Photo/Dan Woog)

Organizers hope the final collection reflects the full diversity of the community, and the many different ways people experience the same day.

Photos must be taken on Sunday, September 6, and submitted by midnight that evening at dayinthelife2026.artcall.org. The submission website will accept photographs only on the day of the event.

Each participant may submit up to 3 shots, each accompanied by a brief caption describing the moment.

Submitted photographs will become part of an online community archive and digital image library (and featured on “06880”).

Organizers also plan to create a large photographic mosaic incorporating every submission, with selected images potentially featured in a public exhibition, commemorative book, and other America 250 legacy projects celebrating Westport’s history and community spirit.

.For more information and submission details, click here or email Westportphoto2026@gmail.com.

(“06880” is proud to partner with Westport organizations on this project — and to be your hyper-local blog. We rely on reader support. Please click here to help. Thanks for all you do for us!)

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Uh Oh, Cooper!

Posted on July 19, 2026 | 4 comments

Generations of Westport families knew Amy Lamb as a creative and caring Green’s Farms Nursery School teacher.

Many others knew her for Color Factory — an after-school and summer camp program — or as an aerobics instructor and Staples High cheerleading coach.

All of that followed her original career, working in book design for Random House and as a freelancer. During 34 years in Westport she also found time to raise 3 sons — Brandon, Trevor and Matt — with her late husband Greg.

Amy Lamb

Amy lives in Florida now. She has 7 grandchildren. But she’s embarked on a new act — one that ties together her loves of art, teaching and family.

For years, Amy thought about writing a children’s book. She had a vision for it — a curious mouse named Cooper — but considered herself an “art person,” not an author.

It took 20 years to turn her idea into reality. “Life got in the way,” she says. “And I was never sure where Cooper was going.”

Eventually Amy drew the entire book, with acrylics. She added the text later.

Cooper is “small, brave and adventurous,” Amy explains. He’s someone “kids can relate to.”

The book is called “Uh Oh Cooper.” “Kids say ‘uh oh’ a lot,” Amy notes. She expects they’ll say “uh oh” as they try to figure out Cooper’s next adventure.

There are several blank pages at the end, for young readers to draw whatever they think Cooper does next. “That’s the teacher in me,” Amy says.

The process was exhilarating. “I feel like Grandma Moses,” she says. “I think, ‘I really did this!'”

Despite her publishing background, Amy realizes the world has changed. Self-publishing is the way to go. She’s done it all — drawing, writing, uploading, producing, marketing — herself.

“I’ve been surrounded by books all my life,” Amy says.

“My grandfather was a book binder. My dad was in the paper business. He’d be proud of me.” (Her father’s cousin was Ben Shahn, so there’s art in her family too.)

Cooper seems to be clicking with young readers. Amy is getting emails, texts — even old-fashioned letters — including ideas of what Cooper will do next.

What will Cooper do next?

“It’s been fun connecting with children again,” the first-time author says. “And it’s fun that they’re thinking about new adventures. Cooper is much more than just a cute little mouse.”

The book has also stirred something in Amy. She wants to paint every day. And it’s helped her connect with many people from her past, including friends from high school, college, and her 3-plus decades in Westport.

“They all adore Cooper,” she says. “And they want more.”

Uh oh, Cooper.

You’re not done yet!

(Every Westporter has a story — and “06880” tells them all. If you enjoy this, or anything else about our hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Roundup: News12, Field Lights, Levitt Pavilion, Playhouse …

Posted on July 15, 2026 | 4 comments

News12 Connecticut has made another round of layoffs.

And this one includes some very familiar, popular and longtime faces.

Among the 11 people let go from the editorial team, effective next month: on-air journalists Becky Suran and Mark Sudol.

Others receiving pink slips including photographers, executive producers and editorial managers.

Seven journalist and photographers remain in the Norwalk studio. Reporters will now be required to shoot their own stories.

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Discussion of lights on Wakeman and PJ Romano Fields continues at Monday’s Planning & Zoning Commission meeting (July 20, 6 p.m., Zoom).

The clock re-set after Parks & Recreation Department director Erik Barbieri resubmitted the application, after questions and comments during previous P&Z meetings.

Click here, then scroll down to 70 North Avenue and 170 Riverside Avenue for application materials, public comments and more.

Wakeman Field, one site of proposed lights.

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The registrars of voters begin memory card and tabulator testing on Tuesday (July 21, 9:30 a.m., Town Hall Room 212D).

The public is welcome to observe, through the testing is complete.

Meanwhile, there’s an “enrollment session” on Friday, July 24 (5 to 7 p.m., Town Hall, Room 107) to register voters before the August 11 primary elections.

Voters can also enroll any time at the registrar of voters’ office any time during normal business hours.

A tabulator (foreground) at the Westport Library polling place. (Photo/Dan Woog)

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Singer-songwriter MT Jones brings his soulful vibe to the Levitt Pavilion this Sunday (7 p.m.; free).

Before his appearance, he chatted with Weston Today’s Jaclyn Jeffrey. They spoke about his hit album “Joy,” his journey from young musician to session player, then on to a solo career writing original songs, his creative process, and the legendary robust Liverpool music scene.

He also performed a track from “Joy.” Click here, for the story and link.

MT Jones

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The curtain rose last night on legendary detective Hercule Poirot, as he investigates “Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.” The show runs through August 1, at Westport Country Playhouse.

Called “the greatest whodunit ever written,” the novel cemented Christie’s reputation as the “Queen of Crime.” Click here for tickets, and more information.

A free Symposium is set for this Sunday (July 19), following the 3 p.m. performance.

“Christie at 100…Still Going Strong” will discuss why her mysteries continue to sell 4 million copies a year. Guest speakers include author and co-founder of the Connecticut Chapter of Sisters in Crime Elise Hart Kipness, and mystery writer and CrimeConn festival founder Chris Knopf.

Kelle Ruden — leader of The Usual Suspects, a long-running mystery book discussion group at rhe Westport Library — will moderate.

Anthony Cochrane as Hercule Poirot in “Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.” (Photo/Mark Smith)

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Speaking of theater: There are 2 Westport connections to “Rosie,” the “riveting” new musical with a one-night-only presentation at Greenwich House Theater (August 4, 7 p.m.).

The music and lyrics for the show — about the girl in the bandana behind the iconic World War II poster, as she reconciles her feminism with the diverse and complex world — were written by 2013 Staples High School graduate Jake Landau.

Fellow Staples alum Lauren Weinberger is the developmental producer.

Click here for tickets, and more information.

Jake Landau

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Silvermine Arts Center’s current exhibit, “A Place for Artists,” traces the history of the 119-year-old galleries, studios and teaching center.

Staples High School Class of 1972 graduate Leslie Alexander is in the show. She’s a member of the Silvermine Guild

So was her mother, Diane Davenport Alexander. And her grandfather, Edmond Greek Davenport.

In keeping with the them, Leslie’s piece is next to her mom and grandpa’s works. (Hat tip: Liz Milwe)

Leslie Alexander, with her work.

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Back we go to the insect and flower worlds, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature:

(Photo/Nancy Diamond)

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And finally … happy 80th birthday, Linda Ronstadt!

(It’s so easy to support “06880.” Just click here, to make a tax-deductible contribution to your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)

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Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Local politics, Media, Sports, Staples HS, Westport Country Playhouse

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Raymond Marra: Finding His Way In Westport

Posted on July 15, 2026 | 8 comments

Everyone’s Westport is different.

Growing up here, our lives are shaped by our families, friends, neighborhoods, schools and activities.

But with the passage of time, many of us look back at our young years with fondness. The tough days disappear. We remember the good times.

Raymond Marra has a different perspective.

Raymond Marra

His parents moved here in 1965, when he was in 4th grade. They were drawn by the “schools, opportunity, and exposure to people who might elevate rather than limit us.”

All that was true, Marra says. At the same time, he felt out of place in this “affluent, competitive” town.

He struggled in school. He did not play sports. Friendships were “shallow and fleeting.”

Much of his childhood was shaped by “relentless bullying, intimidation, humiliation, and quiet self-doubt.” He did not know who he was, and could not imagine what he would become.

But the Staples Class of 1974 graduate was shaped too by a “fiercely independent mother” and a “brilliant, exacting father.” They instilled in him “resilience, discipline and an unspoken expectation to rise.”

Six decades later, he has tried to explain all those thoughts, feelings, contradictions and concerns. He’s written “Finding My Way in Westport: A Memoir of Discipline, Rebellion, and Resistance.”

It’s an exploration of how “what seemed an idyllic suburban town on the surface became the place where (he) first learned about pressure, expectations, resilience and independence.”

Marra began writing stories of his youth — challenging, funny, important, mundane, from Kings Highway Elementary, Bedford Junior High and Staples — on his iPhone, as a way to leave a legacy for his daughter. His parents, he says, had many stories, but never wrote them down.

After a while, he realized he had enough for a book. He’s not an author — he’s spent 40 years selling security systems to corporations — but the vignettes formed 40 chapters.

They range far and wide. He writes about his mother, a realtor who “went on strike” for a long while, checking out emotionally from her family. (She also had the “guts and balls” to approach Paul Newman at Silver’s. And, Marra says, she eventually “came back” from what seems to be depression.)

Readers who know Marra have said they are surprised to read some details of his childhood, but now understand where he gets his drive.

People who do not know him — particularly young people —  may relate, he says, to someone who gets knocked down, but stands up for himself.

Bedford Junior High School (now Saugatuck Elementary) was not an easy place for an unsure 7th through 9th grader. 

After that turbulent youth, Marra returned to the area.

Why?

“I love Westport,” he says simply. (Marra lives in Weston, but is here almost every day.)

Seeing a place like Mitchells (where his father bought suits) and the Washing Well (where he went 60 years ago with his father and brother) helps ground him.

“My memories are great, despite all the troubles,” Marra says. “This is a great community. It has so much to offer.

“I’m just a regular guy. My parents scraped together enough to buy a home, because they wanted to raise 2 boys here.”

Now, Raymond Marra is telling that story.

It’s not everyone’s Westport. But it’s his. And we can all learn from it.

(“Finding My Way in Westport” is available at RaymondCMarra.com.)  

(Everyone has a story. And “06880” tells them all. If you enjoy features like this — or anything else on your hyper-local blog — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Posted in Looking back, Media

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