Category Archives: Media

Roundup: Supper & Soul, Winslow AED, Grace Salmon Art …

Posted on March 6, 2023 | 6 comments

The pedestrian struck by a motorist on Saturday night has died.

Matthew Balga of Norwalk succumbed at Norwalk Hospital, He was 54.

The Riverside Avenue crash, near the William F. Cribari Bridge, remains under investigation by Westport police, assisted by the Fairfield Accident Team.

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Johnny Cash is coming to Westport.

Well, not exactly. The Man in Black has been dead nearly 20 years.

But Johnny Folsom 4 — a great tribute band — headlines the next “Supper & Soul” concert. It’s Saturday, May 13, at the Westport Library.

The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event is tons of fun.  For $85 a ticket, you get a 3-course dinner at one of 11 downtown restaurants, plus the show.

After the concert, show your ticket at any of the restaurants, and get happy hour pricing on drinks.

Participating restaurants include 190 Main, Arezzo, Basso, Capuli, Casa me, De Tapas, Don Memo, Nômade, Spotted Horse, Goji and Walrus Alley.

Click here for tickets, and more information. (Concert-only tickets are available too — they’re $35.

Johnny Cash was famous for playing in prisons. This may be his — well, his tribute band’s — first library gig.

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Alert “06880” reader — and nearby Winslow Park neighbor — Dick Truitt writes:

“Just inside the Westport Country Playhouse parking lot entrance to the Winslow Park dog run is a box containing a defibrillator, placed there to help save people who suffer emergency heart issues.

“The box has gathered filth over the years. But the bin on top has been a sort of lifesaver itself to folks who might find they have lost small and sometimes critical items in the vast park.  It’s the informal “lost and found” headquarters.

“The other day it contained a pair of glasses, a right-hand glove, a tube of lip balm, a military-style dog tag, 3 key tags and, most importantly, 4 residential-style keys — all apparently from someone’s front door.

“A dog walker reported that there is a regular turnover of items in the bin. She noted, however, that no one has yet showed up with a brush and bottle of soap.”

Lost and found at Winslow Park. (Photo/Dick Truitt)

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Meanwhile, over at Grace Salmon Park off Imperial Avenue, paintings have mysteriously been hung on trees and placed on benches.

It’s a mystery. Or course, this being Westport, it’s an artistic one.

Here’s the latest scene:

(Photo/Paul Delano)

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Nick Diamond was a varsity soccer player at Staples High School. After graduating in 2004, he moved to Seattle.

Nick’s 3-year-old son Noah was recently diagnosed with Sanfilippo Syndrome. Known also as “childhood Alzheimer’s,” it is a rare and terminal disease.

With continued research and advocacy, a cure is possible. Nick and his wife Kristen organized Plunge for a Cure, o raise awareness and funds to support the fight against this disease.

Philip Halpert — Nick’s best friend from Staples — took the plunge yesterday at Compo Beach. His wife Carrie joined in.

Philip Halpert takes the plunge.

To learn more about the plunge — and contribute — click here. (David Halpert)

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We seldom think about it, but nearly everything we rely on in our homes — clocks, speakers, kitchen equipment, even toys — contains silicon chips.

David Pogue thinks about it. And because CBS pays him to think about — and explain — things like this, chips were the focus of his story yesterday on “Sunday Morning.”

What makes his piece “06880”-worthy — besides the fact that he is our Westport neighbor — is that when he needed props (to smash with a hammer), he headed to our local Goodwill.

He found all the chip-stuffed stuff he needed. And spent a grand total of $9 on it.

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“Westport … Naturally” has highlighted many types of living things. Today’s Compo Beach feature, though, is a first:

(Photo/Monica Buesser)

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And finally … speaking of starfish on the beach:

(It’s always the season to support “06880.” Please click here to contribute — and thank you!)

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Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Environment, Library, Media, Police, Restaurants, technology

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Roundup: Seed Exchange, Oscar Winners, Ted Lasso …

Posted on March 3, 2023 | 2 comments

This has been the Westport Farmers’ Market best season to date.

Next Thursday (March 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center), they’ll celebrate with their annual seed exchange.

“Collecting, sharing and growing seeds saved by our very own shoppers, farmers and vendors – especially heirloom varieties – involves the community personally in promoting local food and flora,” says executive director Lori Cochran-Dougall.

“This year more than ever, we want to seed it with love and health.”

Dina Brewster of farmer-led seed collective Eco59 will discuss seed saving.

People can bring seeds they have saved from their own gardens, or take home a few saved by others. WFM farmers will donate seeds from their favorite crops, to try at home.

All seeds except those of invasive species* are welcome. However, the Market requests people bring and take home heirloom or organic varieties.

“Heirloom seeds are critical to reclaiming our food system,” Cochran-Dougall notes.

“These open-pollinated plants have been passed down from generation to generation without human intervention or manipulation. They taste better, are more nutritious, and help protect plant diversity.”

*For a list of plants considered invasive in Connecticut, click here,

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It’s almost Oscars time.

And the winner for Best “Guess the Winners” Contest is … the Westport Book Shop and the Remarkable Theater.

For the second year in a row, they’re co-starring in the local event.

Just fill out a ballot for who you think will win the Academy Award in each of 9 categories this year (plus a tie-breaker).

The 3 people with the most correct guesses will each receive a ticket for any showing at the Remarkable Theater’s 2023 season (a $50 value) — plus a $25 Westport Book Shop gift card, and Remarkable Theater and Westport Book Shop swag.

Ballots are available at the Westport Book Shop (23 Jesup Road, across Jesup Green from the Westport Library). You can also download them from the Book Shop website. or Remarkable Theater website. All ballots must be returned to the Westport Book Shop by 5 p.m. March 12. (The Oscars are that night.)

One entry per person. Click here for complete rules. Questions? Call 203-349-5141, or email bookshop@westportbooksaleventures.org.

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Staples High School Class of 1972 graduate Kirk Combe has an intriguing new blog.

“Rant Against the Regime” examines culture (movies, politics, current events, literature, media, social issues … you name it) — while at the same time exploring how we take a look at culture.

Combe is professor emeritus of English and cultural studies at Denison University, where he won an award for excellence in teaching.

He earned a doctor of philosophy in literature at Oxford University. At Davidson College he played varsity basketball. As a senior, he captained the Staples team.

Fittingly, his first piece is about … Ted Lasso.

Click here for Combe’s blog. (Hat tip: Fred Cantor)

Professor Kirk Combe

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VersoFest is the Westport Library’s annual celebration of music, media — and creativity. This year, it adds an arts component.

The Artists Collective of Westport celebrates “music through visual arts” with a 2-part exhibition, in all 3 Library galleries.

The exhibits run March 4 through May 9. A “reveal” of “Piece by Piece” kicks things off at a March 8 reception (6 p.m.)

“Piece by Piece” is a 6-foot by 10-foot installation comprising the work of 60 Artists Collective members. Each artist received a 12-inch by 12-inch blank panel, and a 6-inch square section randomly selected from a single iconic music-themed painting.

The artists created individual pieces, replicating a part of the larger painting in their own style. They will not know what the final painting will look like until it is revealed at the opening reception.

Contributors include Miggs Burroughs, Katherine Ross, Michael Brennecke, Nina Bentley, Susan Fehlinger, Eric Chiang and Elizabeth DeVoll.

For “Music to Our Eyes,” each Collective member was invited to display a work in the medium of their choice — interpreting music through painting, drawing, photography, and collage.

Over 50 local artists will exhibit their musically themed paintings in the Library’s Sheffer Gallery. Some works were inspired by a style of music; some were inspired by a specific piece. But all are related to the artists’ musical experience.

Each 12-inch by 12-inch “piece” of Piece by Piece is available for purchase, starting at the reception. Each square is $100. 50% of the proceeds support the Library’s art programs; 50% goes to the artist

Additional art on display in the Sheffer and Jesup Galleries will also be available for purchase, with a percentage of the proceeds benefiting the Library.

Last year’s “Piece by Piece” impressed the Westport Library crowd. (Photo/Miggs Burroughs)

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The Connecticut Appalachian Mountain Club heads to another continent soon.

On March 14 (6:15 p.m., Saugatuck Congregational Church), Ida Lowe headlines a dinner presentation on “Exploring the Colombian Amazon: The Painted Forest.”

The hiker/world traveler/Colombia native/Westport resident will share her experiences and photographs of trekking through Guaviare, including the recent discovery of 12,600-year old drawings in the middle of the jungle. Her trek included colorful rivers, steep climbs and amazing rock formations, through dense jungle.

Appetizers, wine, soft drinks, pasta dinner, salads and desserts will be served.  The cost for members is $10; for non-members, $15. For more information, email easasso7@icloud.com.

Colombian jungle.

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Venturing even further afield:

The Westport Astronomical Society’s next free online lecture is titled “Solar Orbiter: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Sun.”

Dr. Teresa Nieves-Chinchilla — NASA project scientist for the Solar Orbiter Collaboration — will be livestreamed on March 21 (8 p.m.).

The Solar Orbiter is “the most complex scientific laboratory ever sent to the Sun. By combining observations from its 6 remote-sensing instruments and 4 suites of in situ instruments, the scientific community will explore how the Sun creates and controls the heliosphere?’

Click here for the Zoom link; click here for the YouTube stream.

Dr. Teresa Nieves-Chinchilla

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In the first round of the state tournament n Wednesday, the 12th-ranked Stamford/Westhill/Staples co-op girls ice hockey team upset #5 Simsbury 5-2. Staples junior Maya Sherman had 2 goals, while freshman goalie Clara Peroni of Staples notched 16 saves.

Yesterday in the quarterfinals, they fell to #4 seed East Catholic, 4-1.

Earlier, the girls reached the FCIAC semifinal. That game ended in a heartbreaking, triple overtime loss to New Canaan.

Congratulations to all the girls, and to John Fay — the team’s coach, and captain of the Staples boys hockey team in 1980-81.

Action from yesterday’s girls ice hockey state quarterfinal.

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There were no custodial arrests by the Westport Police Department during the last week.

The WPD’s new reporting system still does not permit access to citation information.

There were no custodial arrests here, during the past week. Note: This is NOT the Westport Police Department lock-up.

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo promises a hint — just a little one — of spring.

Mark Yurkiw spotted this blooming pond on Sturges Highway:

(Photo/Mark Yurkiw)

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And finally … in honor of the Westport Farmers’ Market seed exchange (story above):

(Here’s another great exchange: support for “06880” enables us to keep bringing you the daily Roundup (and everything else). Please click here. Thank you!)

 

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Posted in Entertainment, Environment, Library, Media, Police, Sports

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Michael Friedman’s Rock Photos: “Exposed”

Posted on February 22, 2023 | 11 comments

Michael Friedman has done a lot in his 78 years.

The Staples High School Class of 1961 graduate produced “Hello, It’s Me.” He managed Todd Rundgren and Kris Kristofferson — as well as (with Albert Grossman) the careers of Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, The Band, Odetta, and Peter Paul & Mary. He did publicity for the Dave Clark 5 and Herman’s Hermits.

He sold Americana and folk art. He owned the Ash Creek Saloons in Fairfield and Norwalk, along with Darien’s Goose restaurant.

With such varied careers — and so much going on — he could be forgiven for losing the negatives of photos he took half a century ago.

They were not random snapshots of the Friedman family at the beach, or their naked newborn in a bathtub.

These were up close, personal — and superb — shots of some of the biggest names in the music world.

Mick Jagger (Photo copyright Michael Friedman)

The Stones. Janis Joplin. The Band. Johnny Winter. Gordon Lightfoot. James Cotton. Ian and Sylvia. All are artists Friedman worked with in the 1960s.

In 2016, his wife Donna stumbled upon them. They’re remarkable — not just for their power and professionalism, but because they’re atypical musician images.

They’re much more human. Freidman took his photos as a friend, not a “photographer.”

But he was a damn good one, for sure.

Friedman spent several months printing, restoring and mounting the photos.

He displayed them at a pop-up gallery the next year, in Bedford Square. Developer David Waldman offered him the space, after seeing one photo and hearing his stories.

Janis Joplin (Photo copyright Michael Friedman)

The show was well received. The photos were shipped to the California Heritage Museum, then to a year-long exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Attendees in LA and Cleveland repeated what Westport gallery-goers said: Michael should compile them into a book.

More than 5 years later, that daunting project is almost complete.

“Exposed: The Lost Negatives and Untold Stories of Michael Friedman” is in the Kickstarter phase — almost ready to print. Many of the 100 photos have never been seen — not even in the photographer’s shows. They’re accompanied by essays and explanatory text.

It was a long process. One of the hardest parts was figuring out exactly where each photo was taken, and when.

Donna spent many of hours researching. For example, a shot of an outdoor concert with Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge looked like a college — but there were no records they performed outside, on a campus.

Finally, Donna saw a photo online of a building that matched one in the background. The site: Columbia University.

Friedman also had no idea where he took a well-composed image showing a mother, child, VW bus and police officers.

Eventually, he and his wife realized the police officers were not Americans. They followed that rabbit hole all the way to the 1970 Festival Express in Toronto. They found a documentary film from 2003, which showed the same scaffolding behind the bus.

Friedman’s essays complement the photos. They are short but insightful portraits of nearly everyone he’s met in the music industry, from mega-stars to mighta-beens.

The essays also provide context for his life — including his introduction to rock music, as a Westport boy growing up in the 1950s.

He describes Mike Borchetta, the Staples High School student who brought Bo Diddley and Harvey & the Moonglows to town (and who asked 15-year-old Friedman to take over as drummer, when the Moonglows’ percussionist passed out drunk).

Harvey & the Moonglows gave Michael Friedman a signed photo. Leader Harvey Fuqua told their stand-in drummer: “Mike, you count to 4 good for a white boy.”

Friedman writes about his time with Westport’s first rock band, the Schemers (with lead singer Barry Tashian, later of the Remains).

Prodded by Donna, he brings the reader into the photos. “People want to know what it was like to be 25 years old in 1968 — in the middle of the music business,” he says. “I want them to take the journey with me.”

But it’s the photos that take center stage. The Stones on stage. Janis Joplin chatting in a hallway. Todd Rundgren in the studio. Levon Helm being Levon.

Michael Friedman with a photo of Levon Helm, legendary drummer for The Band.

Those images fill the 233 pages of “Exposed.”

Michael gives his wife — who found the negatives in the first place — credit as “curator, director, producer, editor, consultant and psychiatrist” for the project. “She had a clear picture in her mind, of how to put it all together.”

Unwilling to cede creative control to an agent or publisher, the Friedmans are self-publishing.

It’s a risky — and costly — venture. But it’s in fitting with Michael’s multi-varied career.

And his personal philosophy, honed in the music business and articulated by his longtime friend Kris Kristofferson: “By not having to live up to other people’s expectations, I was somehow free.”

(To see the Kickstarter page for “Exposed,” click here.)

(“06880″‘s tagline is “Where Westport meets the world.” We meet that world with readers’ help. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Posted in Entertainment, Looking back, Media

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“06880” Podcast: Sal Gilbertie

Posted on February 21, 2023 | 2 comments

You can’t get more “Westport” than Sal Gilbertie.

The 3rd-generation owner of Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center — plus Gilbertie’s Organics — has quite a story.

From its beginnings as a small business started by Italian immigrants, to its explosive growth as the flower and herb industries boomed, to its current emphasis on organic agriculture, Gilbertie’s has been part of our town.

There are tons of stories — and 86-year-old Sal Gilbertie tells them engagingly, and well.

I learned a ton during our chat at the Westport Library Trefz Forum. Click below, for a fascinating half hour:

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Posted in Environment, Library, Local business, Media

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Roundup: Lynsey Addario’s Ukraine, Mrs. London’s Credit Cards …

Posted on February 20, 2023 | 18 comments

Yesterday’s New York Times featured a Page 1, top-of-the-fold story about a female Ukrainian soldier. It begins:

Just over a year ago, Yulia Bondarenko’s days were full of lesson plans, grading and her students’ seventh-grade hormones.

When Russian missiles shattered that routine and Russian troops threatened her home in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, Ms. Bondarenko, 30, volunteered to fight back, despite her lack of experience, the grave risk to her life and Ukraine’s apparently impossible odds.

“I never held a rifle in my hands and never even saw one up close,” Ms. Bondarenko said. “In the first two weeks, I felt like I was in a fog. It was just a constant nightmare.”

The harrowing text is accompanied by Lynsey Addario’s haunting photos. The 1991 Staples High School graduate — a Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur fellowship grant winner — made 5 trips to Ukraine last year.

She followed Bondarenko’s journey on four4 of them, reporting from the Kyiv, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions.

Click here for the full story, and Lynsey’s powerful photographs.

Yulia Bondarenko learns how to use a rifle. (Photo/Lynsey Addario for the New York Times)

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Alert “06880” reader Gil Ghitelman is a fan of Mrs. London’s Bakery — to a limit. He writes:

“Mrs. London’s is a welcome addition to the Westport dining experience. While I miss the vibe engendered by Java at the same Church Lane location several years ago, their pastries, albeit pricey, are quite delicious.

“What I find disturbing is their 3.5% surcharge for credit card use. The only outfits (other than gas stations) that I’m aware of using this ploy are online gun dealers.

“Mrs. London’s is only shooting itself in the foot if they continue this practice.”

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Longtime Westporter Phyllis Makovsky died in her home, surrounded by her family, following an inspiring fight against leukemia. She was 80 years old.

The Queens native graduated from Barnard College with honors, and earned a master’s degree in teaching from Harvard University.

She was passionate in the classroom. She taught advanced math at the Brearley School in Manhattan and Great Neck South High School on Long Island, before turning her skills and compassion to her family, and through prominent roles in the community.

In 1972 Phyllis met Kenneth Makovsky. They married within months, and shared a partnership of 50 years. The couple enabled each other’s successes in business, at home and in their social and philanthropic lives. She served as a crucial strategic advisor to Ken as he built the public relations agency Makovsky & Company.

Phyllis was a doer. Her work came in many forms. She served Temple Israel as a board member for 10 years. She established a scholarship at Washington University in St. Louis dedicated to music. After her second diagnosis with breast cancer, she returned to Norwalk Hospital as a volunteer in the chemo-infusion center. She spent 20 years there — and returned to the same room for her final leukemia treatments. She was greeted with big hugs.

Phyllis used her talents as a teacher, and her combination of grace, grit and empathy, to make sure that her family could shine. As a friend and a sister she did the same. Phyllis was present, kind and insightful, and her love and good energy was returned to her by many.

Phyllis is survived by her husband Kenneth, sons Matt and Evan, and brother Stephen.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, February 21, 1 p.m., Temple Israel). Burial will follow at 225 Richards Ave in Norwalk. Shiva will be observed at her Westport home tomorrow (Tuesday, February 21, post-service until 8 p.m.), and Wednesday and Thursday from 1 to 7 p.m..

To livestream the funeral service, please click here. Go to the YouTube page; it will be the first “live” video listing for the day. To share a condolence message, click here. Memorial contributions may be made to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

(Phyllis Makovsky was the subject of a song written by her son Matt. Click here for that story, posted last Friday on “06880.”)

Phyllis Makovsky

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We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: There’s nature all over Westport, including the heart of downtown.

Claudia Sherwood Servidio captured this “Westport … Naturally” scene, just a few feet from the Parker Harding Plaza pavement.

(Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

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And finally … speaking of Mrs. London’s pie’s: Does she know Mrs. Wagner?

(“06880” is “where Westport meets the world (including America).” Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Posted in Economy, Local business, Media, Obituaries, Politics

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Talking About Differences: The Sequel

Posted on February 12, 2023 | 3 comments

Yesterday, “06880” challenged readers to tell us “how to have good conversations with people of different backgrounds and generations that might help break through walls.”

The request was sparked by an earlier comment from alert reader Clark Thiemann. He thought that the TEAM Westport Teen Essay Contest on that topic should not be limited to high school students.

A dozen readers responded with very thoughtful comments. They included travel, reading, education, and joining the military. Click here, then scroll down to see them all.

We also encouraged emails directly to “06880.” Here’s one, from Gail Berritt:

In January 2020 I was part of a delegation from across the US who went to Alabama to hone our compassionate listening skills on the civil rights trail.  We were there to learn history, but also to listen to those who lived it.

It was not just the 1960’s civil rights activist whose ancestors had been slaves that we heard from, but also folks whose ancestors had been part of the Confederate movement and had a different perspective on history and race.

What I learned was that my heart easily opened to those women (they were mostly women – black and white) who risked their lives to make America a more just nation for all. But I also saw that I was able to listen with curiosity and respect to those men (they were nearly all men) with different views of history and ideas of what they wanted America to be. I was able to connect in enough ways with the men that I walked away with hope that the bridge was not as wide as it sometimes seems.

Truth is that just like there are many shades of people, there are many shades of beliefs. People are complex, and it’s not helpful to label them “right” or “left” or some other arbitrary word that does not take into account the complexity of their life experiences.

Traditional news media may show “two sides” of an issue, but chances are good that there are way more than two sides.

I am now spending less time listening to news outlets and more time listening to people. I am doing my best to do listen without a lot of judgment that clouds my ability to hear what’s being said, and also what’s not being said.

In the pauses, I try to feel compassion for their suffering and joy for their joy and practice being a better parent, friend and spouse.

It’s not easy. It takes real effort, but I can’t think of anything more worthy of my time and energy.

Thanks, Gail, for adding your insights to this important dialogue.

We also got a link from Krista Tippett. The journalist and author created and hosts the public radio program and podcast “On Being.” In 2014, she was awarded the National Humanities Medal. Click here to listen to Krista’s podcast, which adds to the conversation.

(Initiating dialogue is part of what “06880” does. Please click here to help this non-profit continue our work. Thank you!)

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Posted in Media, Politics

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Roundup: Lyman Update, Superman & Marilyn Monroe …

Posted on February 12, 2023 | 9 comments

With reports of Russian troops advancing in the Donbas region, Westporters have been worried about residents in our sister city: Lyman, Ukraine.

The front line is 20 kilometers away.

Brian Mayer — a Westport native, and co-founder of Ukraine Aid International — is texting with Alexander Victoravich Zuravlov. He reports that the town is hunkered down, hoping for the best and in good spirits.

Meanwhile, Brian and his colleagues have used some of the $252,000 donated by Westporters and friends to purchase all kinds of building supplies: drywall, concrete, glass, plywood, pipes and more.

It’s all in a warehouse, ready to be delivered to Lyman. Officials have identified 3 large apartment buildings where local contractors (already hired) can make repairs.

“That’s 1,00o people who will be directly impacted by Westport’s generosity,” Brian says.

One more bit of sister city news: the Lyman town flag has arrived, and been delivered to town officials.

Marshall Mayer — Brian’s brother, a Staples High School graduate and co-founder of UAI — made the presentation Friday at Compo Beach. 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, 2nd Selectwoman Andrea Moore, Police Chief Foti Koskinas, and UAI director of development Katya Wauchope — a member of the working group that helped raise funds earlier this winter — joined in the ceremony. Click below to see:

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Westporter Bonnie Siegler’s new book will be published Tuesday.

“The American Way: A True Story of Nazi Escape, Superman and Marilyn Monroe” is the story of 2 men who never met. One was her grandfather.

The other who signed for her family to come to the US in 1938. His name was Harry Donenfeld. He founded DC Comics — Superman, and all that.

His son Irwin worked for DC too. But he left the company, moved to Westport, and with his wife Carole had children who went to Staples High School.

Irwin owned the marina next to the Black Duck. He served on the RTM for 2 decades.

The book is also a love story: her grandparents’.

Click here for more details, and links to order.

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Attention, young filmmakers in the area (or anywhere, really): MoCA Westport wants your submission.

Short films (no more than 5 minutes long) will be considered for a Teen Film Showcase at the museum on March 10. The deadline is March 1.

The event is created, and run, by teenagers.

PS: The event is open to the public; tickets are $5 in advance, $10 at the door. Snacks/light bites will be served.

Click here for submissions. Click here for tickets. Follow @teensatmocawestport on Instagram. to stay in the loop!

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Since it was built, the cell tower behind the bank by Walgreens has blended into the landscape. We hardly notice it anymore.

But Yulee Aaronson does. And he’s worried.

Yulee thinks it’s leaning. He sent this photo as proof:

(Photo/Yulee Aaronson)

It didn’t look much like Pisa to me. But readers: What do you think? Should we be concerned? Click “Comment” below.

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Westport resident Joan Litsky Rosenblatt Wetzler died Friday in Bridgeport. She was 87.

A competitive swimmer at Crosby High School in her native Waterbury, she earned a BS in mathematics from Clark University, and a master’s in social work from the University of Connecticut.

Joan had a career as a social worker at JCCs in Norfolk, Savannah, Troy, New York and Englewood, New Jersey.

Two years after her husband Herbert Rosenblatt died of a heart attack at 38 in 1971, Joan married Fred Wetzler and moved to Westport. She was a social worker at Family & Children’s Aid in Norwalk, then in the inpatient psychiatry department at Norwalk Hospital. and later in private practiceyty.

Joan is survived by her sisters Helen Goldberg of Bethany and Paulette Feinberg of Virginia; daughters Amy (Charles) Rosoff, Jodi (Scott) Galin and Lisa (Marc) Krigsman; grandchildren Heather and Ben Rosoff, Hannah Galin (Michael Katz) and Rebecca Galin (Sam Epstein), and Jamie and Em-J Krigsman, and great grandchild Sophia Katz. She was predeceased by her husband Fred Wetzler in 2010.

Funeral services were held today (Sunday, February 12 at Temple Israel. Shiva will follow this afternoon at the home of Amy and Charles Rosoff in Westport until 6 p.m., and February 13 and 14, from 4 to 8 p.m.

Click here to leave online condolences. Memorial contributions may be made to Temple Israel, 14 Coleytown Road, Westport, CT.

Joan Wetzler

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Winslow Park — without dogs or people — is the subject of today’s misty “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/MaryLou Roels)

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And finally … once upon a time, Americans celebrated Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (February 12). Ten days later, it was George Washington’s turn.

In 1971, both were subsumed into Presidents Day. So while it’s nice we now have a federal holiday to honor greats like Franklin D. Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson, we also include schlemiels like Warren Harding, James Buchanan, and “others.”

Honest Abe was born 214 years ago today, in — yes, it’s true — a log cabin. A deep — well, first page — dive into Google brings up this interesting list of favorite songs.

The first is a no-brainer. It was the unofficial anthem of the Civil War.

Another was a famous Scottish love ballad:

The third may be a surprise.

“Dixie” was popular before the Civil War. When a band serenaded him at the White House after the end of the war, he asked for it.

“I have always thought ‘Dixie’ one of the best tunes I have ever heard,” he said.

‘That tune is now federal property, and it is good to show the rebels that, with us in power, they will be free to hear it again.”

 

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Posted in Entertainment, Media, Obituaries, Teenagers

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“06880” Podcast: Julie Mombello And Patty Lewis

Posted on February 7, 2023 | 1 comment

Out of the ashes of 9/11, a lifeline arose.

Julie Mombello and Patty Lewis met at Greens Farms Academy, where they worked.

When Patty’s husband Adam — who grew up poor but, helped by scholarships and access to education, became a successful Wall Street executive — was killed in the Twin Towers, the women vowed to pass his legacy on to others.

They founded Adam J. Lewis Academy in Bridgeport. Begun as a pre-school — now including kindergarten through grade 4, with plans to increase through 8th grade — it offers a high-quality experience so that curious youngsters can explore, discover and develop their full potential.

It is a remarkable place, full of compassion, passion and energy — and plenty of opportunities. It is nurtured by many caring Westporters.

The other day, I chatted with Patty (now head of school) and Julie (a longtime Westporter who is now the director). We talked about Adam J. Lewis — the school, and its namesake — as well as education in Bridgeport and Westport, wealth inequality, American culture and much more.

It was an eye-opening half hour. Click below, to see and hear our conversation.

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Posted in Children, Education, Media

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“06880: Pick Of The Pics” Book Published!

Posted on February 6, 2023 | 14 comments

It started with a casual conversation.

Lynn Untermeyer Miller — a longtime friend and very talented photographer, whose images had been a hallmark of “06880” ever since its launch in 2009 — suggested a regular photo feature.

They would be shots of local scenes — not tied to a particular story. Just a way to tie current and former residents together, and strengthen our “06880” community (online and off).

Click!

The name came quickly. “Pic of the Day” launched on April 17, 2017.

The very first “Pic of the Day”: Behind the Black Duck, on the Saugatuck River. (Photo Lynn Untermeyer  Miller)

Every night since, at 9 p.m., I’ve posted an image of Westport. Some are recognizable and relatable; others are artistic, whimsical or surprising. All are new, and fresh.

Every day since — over 2,100 times — I’ve posted a Pic of the Day. Prominent photographers have sent in shots; so have people who never published a photo. Some are in their 90s, like Lynn’s father Larry Untermeyer; others are teenagers.

The subjects range all over town: Nyala Farm. Longshore. The Levitt Pavilion. Staples high School. The train station. Main Street. The Greens Farms post office.

The Westport Library is a popular spot for Pics of the Day. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)

Over the years, readers suggested I compile some of the many great photos into a picture book. It was a great idea — and one I had no time to pursue.

Last spring, I got my first-ever assistant through Staples’ superb Senior Internship program. Lyah Muktavaram was an Inklings editor, with a passion for journalism.

She loved the picture book idea. She quickly showed she had an eye for picking the best ones — the prettiest, the most compelling or colorful or whatever — and laying them out in a clever, striking and thematic way.

Lyah taught herself production. She emailed each photographer for permission. She handled all the back-end publishing stuff with professionalism, promptness, and an intuitive understanding of what “06880’s Pics of the Day” are all about.

Lyah’s work coincided with “06880”‘s move to non-profit status. Our mission is to “create a community for Westporters old and new, near and far, through sharing stories, news, events, history and perspectives, uniting all who love our hometown.”

“06880: Pick of the Pics” has just been published. Proceeds will help us fulfill that mission.

Click here to purchase “06880: Pic of the Picks.” Thank you!

The front cover features an iconic photo by Bruce Borner.

“06880: Pick of the Pics” includes summer photos of Sherwood Mill Pond, and winter skating the PAL Longshore ice rink. (Photos by Merri Mueller and Michael Winser)

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Posted in Media, Pic of the Day

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“06880” Podcast: Lori Cochran-Dougall

Posted on January 24, 2023 | 2 comments

Everyone who loves the Westport Farmers’ Market — in other words, everyone — loves Lori Cochran-Dougall.

The dynamic director of the nearly-year-round Thursday event (outdoors at the Imperial Avenue parking lot from May to November; inside at Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center greenhouses from now through March) has made shopping the Market much more than just shopping for lettuce and tomatoes.

The array of goods is staggering. (Sourdough bread! Tacos! Organic pet food!)

The programming — helping area non-profits, showcasing musicians, welcoming high school interns — is crucial. It creates more than a market. It’s a community.

How did the Roanoke, Virginia native wind up in Westport (by way of Jackson Hole, Wyoming)? What are her goals for the Farmers’ Market? Who are her favorite vendors?!

Click below to see our recent chat at the Westport Library Trefz Forum. As everyone always does at the Farmers’ Market: We had fun!

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Posted in Environment, Media

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