It’s a bit early, but save the date — for the event, and for ticket sales. They always sell out.
It’s “Taste of Westport, ” CLASP Homes’ annual (and very tasty) fundraiser.
This year’s event is June 5 (6 p.m., The Inn at Longshore). As always, there will be a spectacular array of food and drinks. This year’s theme is “A Night at Studio 54.”
100% of the proceeds fund CLASP’s mission: to care, support and inspire people with autism and developmental disabilities.
The Saugatuck Rowing Club’s junior women’s team is heading to the Henley.
This summer’s Royal Regattas is one of the most prestigious in the world. “We promise to make Westport proud,” says rower Charlotte Seymout.
Click below (or here) to see their video, meet the athletes, and help with fundraising.
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A rally is planned for April 5 (11 a.m.), on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Brdige.
The theme is “Hands Off.” According to one of the organizers, Bean Corcoran, that refers to many things: “Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, our bodies, etc.”
A sign from the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge rally earlier this month.
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Easter comes a day early, to the Weston History & Culture Center.
On April 12 (2 p.m.), they host a concert-reading of the play “An Easter on Mulberry Street.”
The bittersweet comedy is about an Italian-American family preparing for the holiday on the home front during World War II. The reading is followed by a talkback with the writer/director and cast.
Advance tickets are $15 for members, $20 for non-members. The price at the door is $25. Click here to reserve, and for more information.
Linda Hall — a 1987 Staples High School graduate, and associate professor of English at Skidmore College — has written a fascinating article in New York magazine, on Cynthia Ozick. The writer turns 97 next month.
Fred Cantor — who sent along the piece — says, “The starting point is the publication of a 700+-page collection of Ozick’s stories and essays. But the piece is so much more. It covers a lot of ground with respect to her life and work, including Hall’s own interactions with the legendary writer over the years.
The piece includes another Staples connection. Noted writer Cathleen Schine — a 1971 grad — calls Ozick’s “Puttermesser Papers” perhaps “the best book about (New York City) since Robert Caro’s ‘The Power Broker.’”
Could part of the state Department of Transportation Post Road East property still be used for affordable housing?
After the DOT revealed plans to build a new maintenance facility on the land behind Walgreens, “06880” asked 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker about earlier discussions to use some of the land closest to West Parish for housing.
“The DOT never offered the town of Westport a portion of that property,” Tooker said.
“There were discussions regarding building affordable housing on a portion of the property, in 2020 and 2021. However, the land would have been transferred from DOT to the Department of Housing for that purpose, not the town. Neither the state DOT nor DOH has advanced that project.”
Simultaneously, “06880” had asked State Representative Jonathan Steinberg — a member of the Transportation Committee — about the DOT’s plans.
Yesterday he forwarded a reply from Mary Ann Daly, who works in the Department of Transportation Office of Legislative Affairs.
After noting that the new facility is depicted in the site plan (shown at the bottom of this story), she noted another element of the plan: a parcel “which is a portion of the DOT property along West Parish Road that could be transferred for affordable housing.”
In her email to Steinberg, Daly included a note from Michael Strong, transportation supervising engineer in the DOT Office of Facilities Design.
State Department of Transportation land. The Sherwood Island Connector is at left, Post Road East at top, West Parish Road on right. The proposed new maintenance facility is outlined in black (behind Walgreens). The land considered for affordable housing is in red, at right.
Strong provides more details: “My awareness of the potential for affordable housing started in September 2019. Design supported Paul Rizzo and Mark Rolfe in reviewing documents sent to the Department and in developing conceptual site plans to identify a potential surplus parcel beyond what the Department needs to maintain operations on site.
“I was not in attendance of any of these meetings with the town or its representatives so I cannot offer any additional first-hand information other than a few E-Mails that may not paint a clear picture. The Department advanced Project No. 158-223 [the new maintenance facility] in 2023, sooner than originally scheduled, to facilitate the creation of this surplus parcel. I have heard nothing officially regarding the property transfer.”
So: Is it still possible to use the land for affordable housing?
To be continued …
Plans for the new Department of Transportation maintenance facility.
There’s no school on Election Day. But Tucker Eklund learned something last November he’ll never forget.
As part of Staples High School’s Service League of Boys (SLOBs), the freshman volunteered at the polls. He spent the day handing out “I Voted” stickers.
Watching democracy in action was eye-opening. The most memorable part of the day was a conversation he struck up with George Masumian.
Chatting with the Sunrise Rotary Club member made Tucker realize that everyone — even a teenager too young to vote — can participate in democracy.
Already interested in how the world works, Tucker dove deeper into American civic life.
Founded by the first woman to serve on America’s highest court, the non-profit promotes civic engagement and education.
Each year it sponsors a Civics Challenge. The competitive national contest asks students in grades 6 through 12 to demonstrate civics knowledge through essays, short videos or original songs.
Tucker’s entry was “Crafting Change: The Art of Lawmaking in Congress.” He was the only 9th grade winner nationwide.
The $500 prize was nice. The insight he gained into American democracy was priceless.
Tucker Eklund in the National Air & Space Museum annex — just outside (appropriately for him) Washington, DC.
The other day, Tucker talked about his favorite topic: civics education.
“It’s so important to learn how government works, and how that applies to the real world,” he says. That’s true even for students, who soon enough will be able to cast votes and have a say about their world.
One of the biggest criticisms of our democracy these days is that many Americans have no clue how it works.
According to the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute:
The time devoted to civic education in American public schools began to decline significantly in the 1960s.
Civic education has not for many decades been prioritized by federal or state government. Time devoted to civics has also declined due to unintended consequences of other educational focuses, like a focus on STEM and the No Child Left Behind act).
The time spent in schools on civics declines when civic education itself is seen as controversial.
Educators in K-12 schools feel unprepared to teach civics.
Younger Americans are less knowledgeable about civics than previous American generations.
Staples offers 4 civics courses, for juniors and seniors: Advanced Placement Government & Politics; AP Government & Politics (with We the People competition), US Governmetn, and Current Issues: US Media & Politics.
All students must take at least one to graduate.
Staples High School’s 2023 We the People team, at the Lincoln Memorial. (Photo/Danielle Dobin)
As a freshman, Tucker has yet to take any civics class. But he is adamant about their value.
“If we want to uphold democratcy in this nation, and the world, we have to educate students about how to interact with it. We have to understand what impacts us the most.”
Tucker’s generation knows a lot about politicians, he says — they’re all over social media and the news — but not as much about policy (“how government works”).
Finding that information can be boring for some people, he admits. But good teachers, and a creative curriculum, can make it exciting.
He finds it remarkable that in the 1700s, our founding fathers (“without technology”) devised “the greatest system of government known to man. And they made it last.”
Some people think American democracy might not last much longer.
“I know some people have no hope. Other people think it’s going well,” Tucker says.
His view is “right down the middle. We can recover from our divisiveness, through education and communication.”
Where will that education come from?
Tucker wants to find ways to excite people. His video is one method.
Another: Regular conversations, on a personal basis.
Tucker has them all the time, with friends, teachers and family.
On a recent drive to a ski mountain, he had a great chat with his brother — a Staples junior — his father and grandfather. They talked about how civics intersects with everyday life, in areas from technology and health to literature.
So: Is politics in Tucker’s future?
Perhaps not. But like an expert politician, he deflects the question.
“I like when people strive to make the world a better place,” he says.
“Martin Luther King wanted freedom for all — a better world. That’s what I want: to help others, and help our nation be better.”
(“06880” often highlights young Westporters doing interesting things. If you appreciate these stories — and anything else on your hyper-local blog — please click here to support us. Thank you!)
The next of many steps on the Hamlet at Saugatuck‘s road to approval took place last night.
The Planning & Zoning Commission spent 4 hours reviewing ROAN Ventures’ plans to redevelop the area around Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place and Charles street. The plan is for a combination of retail, residences, a hotel and marina, and open space.
The presentation included details on traffic and the environment.
The P&Z will continue its consideration of the Hamlet on March 24. The Architectural Review Board will also discuss the project on March 18 (7:30 p.m., Town Hall).
Part of the Hamlet at Saugatuck project, leading to the Saugatuck River (rear).
The Connecticut Department of Transportation maintenance facility — tucked between Walgreens and West Parish Road on Post Road East — has often been mentioned as a site for affordable housing.
The door may soon close on that option. The state plans to build a new 23,000-square foot facility, on the part of the site closest to to the Sherwood Island Connector. Access would come from that road.
Entrance to the state maintenance facility on Post Road East. Walgreens is at right.
The plan — first reported by CT Insider — would include room for at least 17 vehicles, and offices.
“The current Westport maintenance facility, built in 1958, is outdated and cannot adequately accommodate the modern vehicle fleet,” the story said. The current building is 7,700 square feet.
Construction could begin next winter.
Drawing of the new state Department of Transportation facility.
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Andrew Colabella and Jimmy Izzo have withdrawn — “without prejudice to the underlying or ultimate issues involved” — their request to overturn the Planning & Zoning Commission’s negative 8-24 report regarding a new maintenance building at Longshore.
The Representative Town Meeting members said that while their body has the authority to address the procedural questions that led to the petition, they now believe the matter should be returned to the Board of Finance, “with a request for the necessary funding to properly address the maintenance building at Longshore and its location concerns.”
Colabella and Izzo added, “A key message emerging from the early February zoning hearing and last week’s RTM subcommittee meeting was that all parties involved must ‘try harder. However, the ‘try harder’ option comes with a price tag, which requires an appropriation only within the purview of the Board of Finance to approve.
“Moreover, much of the rationale for denying the Administration’s §8-24 was rooted in the perception that there had been insufficient collaboration somewhere in the early stages of this process.
“Accordingly, we have consulted with the First Selectwoman’s Office and a consensus has emerged that a specific appropriation request to finance a more comprehensive approach should be presented to the Board of Finance. We believe this step aligns with both Connecticut statutory law and local precedent.”
The 2 RTM members say that their petition fulfilled its goal of promoting public discussion, and a vigorous review. They have withdrawn their petition “in the interest of efficiency, adhering to legal precedence, and sound governance.”
The proposed site of the new maintenance facility at Longshore.
State Representative Dominique Johnson hosts a 3-point event April 6.
Pizza, politics and basketball are on the menu, at Riko’s in Saugatuck.
The event offers residents of the 143rd District an informal, town hall-style chance to meet Johnson, ask questions about policy initiatives in Hartford, and share concerns about the community.
She will be available from 1:30 p.m. until the NCAA women’s Division I basketball championship game starts at 3. Johsnon invites everyone to stay and watch together.
Want to be a Westport Library board member? The trustees have vacancies.
If you love our library — and have ideas to make it even better — click here for more information.
Westport Library board of trustees.
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Alison Milwe Grace has done just about everything in the culinary world, from cooking and catering to teaching.
Now she’s an author too.
The Staples High School graduate (and instructor, and owner of AMG Catering & Events) has just released “Savor: Recipes to Celebrate” — a collection of recipes, themed classes and menus for home cooks.
On March 19 (7 p.m.), she’ll launch her book at the Westport Library.
“Every day should be treated like a special occasion – a reason to celebrate another day of living!” Milwe Grace says. “And what better way to bring people together than with food?” Click here for more information.
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As Elon Musk takes a chainsaw to the US government, sales of Teslas have plunged worldwide.
We don’t know how many drivers in Westport — the Connecticut municipality with (according to suburban legend) the most Teslas in the state — may have buyer’s remorse.
But there is at least one. This bumper sticker was spotted yesterday, at the Compo Road North/Post Road East light:
The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee meets Thursday (March 13, 8:30 a.m., Town Hall Room 201/201A).
The agenda includes the downtown design master plan, Jesup and Imperial Avenue parking lot updates, and the Church Lane closure.
Imperial Avenue parking lot.
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One of Jazz at the Post’s favorites — Westport’s own Melissa Newman — returns to the VFW this Thursday (7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 7 p.m.; $20 music cover, $15 for veterans and students).
She’s joined by other Post favorites: guitarist Tony Lombardozzi, bassist Phil Bowler and drummer Bobby Leonard. Click here for tickets, and more details.
Melissa Newman
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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature is a 4-fer:
(Photos/Lou Weinberg)
Superb nature photographer Lou Weinberg writes: “It’s that time of year.
The snowdrops have emerged. Snowdrop flowers provide native bees (which are now emerging) and other native pollinators with a source of nectar and pollen during this time of year when there are very limited sources of energy.
“Mason bees, like other native bees, are solitary and over-winter in holes in dead wood and in the hollow stems of plants. Mason bee houses are readily available for purchase. They are fun and educational and very important as native bee habitat is constantly under pressure from increased development.
“Snowdrop flowers grow in clumps as their bulbs divide. They also provide habitat for smaller critters on the forest floor. They strengthen the ecosystem’s biodiversity!
“These photos were taken at the Long Lots Preserve, adjacent to the Westport Community Gardens on Hyde Lane. The Long Lots Preserve is an environmental rehabilitation project geared towards improving our town’s biodiversity.”
Today’s International Women’s Day “Unite and Resist” rally drew over 200 people to the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge.
Organizers said, “we’re taking to the streets to fight back against the fascist takeover. Join us to defend our rights, our bodies, and our future. No permission needed — just show up, bring signs and friends!”
Plenty of women — and men — did. They filled both sides of the span.
Passing motorists honked in support. Some held their own signs.
A Staples High School graduate was among 9 people arrested, after more than 200 protestors took over Barnard College’s main library on Wednesday.
Gabrielle Wimer was part of the pro-Palestinian group. According to the New York Times, they demanded “the reversal of the expulsions of two Barnard students who were punished for interrupting a ‘History of Modern Israel’ class on Jan. 21 and distributing fliers, including one that showed a jackboot squashing a Jewish star.
“They also called for the reinstatement of a student expelled for participating in the takeover of Hamilton Hall on the Columbia campus last spring.”
The New York Post said that “the protesters smashed glass, barricaded the building from the inside and draped a large flag calling for ‘intifada.'”
Pro-Palestinian protestors at Barnard College. Many wore masks and keffiyehs. (Photo/Michael Nagle for New York Post)
It added, “the disruptors taken into custody included several from privileged backgrounds, including one whose family founded the popular Hampton Jitney bus service in the 1970s — and one rabble rouser who had been busted at two other protests and has called for the ‘overthrow’ of America.”
The Washington Free Beacon said, “Wimer is a medical student at Columbia’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. According to screenshots of her LinkedIn that has since been deleted, she is ‘passionate about global health and human rights’ and has ‘experience in research, program management, and community outreach in multicultural settings.’
“Wimer is the Class of 2025 president, the programming coordinator for Columbia’s Human Rights and Asylum Clinic, and an active member of Columbia’s chapters of White Coats for Black Lives and Students for a National Health Program, according to an online bio.”
Gabrielle Wimer’s LinkedIn profile. It has since been deleted.
A 2016 “06880” story focused on Wimer’s work with mealworms. The larval form of a beetle — once thought of as a pest — can be baked or fried, for human consumption as a healthful snack food. They help improve nutrition in areas that desperately need it.
She was part of a group that won $20,000 in seed funding, from 3 organizations, including the Clinton Global Initiative University Resolution Project, for work that could help solve pressing health issues.
“This is perfect for me,” she said. “It combines science, sustainable agriculture and public health.”
Part of her mealworm research took place at Wakeman Town Farm.
Gabby Wimer
The story noted that in Wimer was a 4-year varsity swimmer and water polo player at Staples, where she also played violin, and sang in the choir.
She spent 8 years swimming with the Y’s Water Rats, and helped out with Amnesty International.
She majored in history, philosophy, and social study of science and medicine, as well as human rights. at the University of Chicago, and did volunteer work in Rwanda.
Before medical school at Columbia, Gabrielle worked in global health and education in Guatemala and Jordan.
“I always wanted to do global health work. But I never knew about mealworms,” Gabby told “06880.”
Westporters reacted strongly to the news.
“God help us all if Columbia allows her to remain in medical school,” one woman wrote to “06880.”
A post on social media said: “This young individual did great things in the past … what happened to make her lose her moral compass?
Protests continued Thursday, at Columbia University.
Wimer and the others were released with desk appearance tickets.
Since 2002, the Malloy Lecture in the Arts — sponsored by the late artist Susan Malloy — has brought major creative voices to Westport. Speakers included Arthur Miller, Joyce Carol Oates, Christopher Plummer, Clive Davis and Salman Rushdie sparking thought-provoking and engaging conversations.
Now, through the Malloy Fund for the Arts, The Westport Library has relaunched the series. A new event celebrates Westport’s artistic legacy, while looking toward its future.
A large crowd attended last night’s reimagined concept. Weston actor James Naughton moderated a panel with graphic artist Miggs Burroughs, Staples High School graduate and Broadway director Gina Rattan, artist/singer/actress Lissy Newman, and arts leader Melody James.
Ann Sheffer — the passionate arts advocate, philanthropist and Malloy’s niece, whose family’s contributions have helped shape the cultural fabric of Westport, opened the evening.
From left: Melody James, Lissy Newman, Gina Rattan, Miggs Burroughs, James Naughton last night. Behind them on the Westport Library stage are posters of Westport Country Playhous shows. (Photo/Dave Matlow)
Also last night: the Staples High School boys basketball season came to an end.
The Wreckers — ranked #4 in the state Division I basketball tournament — fell 67-56 to #5 St. Bernard-Uncasville, in the quarterfinals. The game was played before a large, raucous crowd at Fairfield Warde High.
The loss was bitter. The Saints edged Staples earlier in the regular season, and topped them 2 years ago in the state championship.
But the future is very bright. The blue-and-whites graduate only 2 seniors who saw substantial time: Adam Udell, the MVP of the FCIAC title game who led his squad to their first league championship in 62 years, and Charlie Bowman
All the other retutnrees — and the deep bench — are underclassmen.
Congratulations to coach Dave Goldshore, and his team, on a superb year!
Last night was filled with activity. StartUp Westport (the town’s public/private tech entrepreneur/innovator partnership) packed The Clubhouse (the town’s neweset and coolest event space) for their annual networking and social get-together.
Among the energetic crowd (below, from left): Nat Brogadir, Sam Hendel, Jay Norris, Noah Fenn and Dan Bikel.
The Board of Assessment Appeals meets Monday (March 10, 7 p.m., Town Hall room 201) to hear from taxpayers who are “aggrieved by the doings of the assessor on the Grand List of October 1, 2024, and the 2023 Supplemental Motor Vehicle list.”
Residents should bring supporting documents to the session.
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After very successful events focused on women, minorities and young entrepreneurs, StartUp Westport is planning its next major event.
This time, it’s “Innovation in Sports.” The event is April 30 (6:30 p.m., Westport Library).
Among the topics: emerging technologies in athlete performance and data analytics; advancements in fan engagement, sponsorships, and media, and how startups and leaders are reshaping the sports business landscape.
Moderator Andrew Marchand is senior sports media columnist at The Athletic (and a 1986 Staples High School graduate). Panelists include NBC Sports president Rick Cordella, and Westporter Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of the New York Roadrunners Club.
In other StartUp Westport news, the mentorship program continues to thrive. This month’s session — “Legal Bootcamp for Startups and Founders” — will be led by Jack Sousa, partner at Wiggin & Dana, on Monday (March 10).
Next month’s Mentorship Circle is on “The Key Steps to Launching a Successful Non-Profit.”
StartUp Westport’s special interest groups are very active too. Upcoming:
Investor SIG: Advanced Startup Due Diligence (March 24, 2025, 6 p.m., Serendipity Labs). Connect with other experienced investors; gain advice on how navigating the world of startup due diligence and fundraising.
Women in Tech & Innovation SIG: BRAND YOU: Creating and Managing Your Personal Brand (April 24, 6 p.m., Serendipity Labs). Insights, tools and tips to help build a strong, authentic personal brand. Click here to learn more about Startup Westport’s special interest groups.
Andrew Marchand
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“Pink Chicken” does not sound particularly appetizing.
But that’s the name of a new children’s clothing store — “renowned for its vibrant colors, original prints and family focused designs” — opened yesterday in Sconset Square.
The boutique is Pink Chicken’s ninth US store, joining those in New York, Maryland, North and South Carolina, and California.
A “Flock Party” is set for Saturday (March 8, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). The event includes special offers, face painting, florals and sweet treats.
It’s not great that they grow out of their equipment. It just hangs around, cluttering your house.
Sustainable Westport can help. They’ve launched a “Play It Forward” program, giving used sports equipment a new life.
They’re kicking off with soccer. Westporters can drop off shoes, shin guards and balls at the Westport Weston YMCA from today (March 7) through March 22.
On March 24 (4 to 7 p.m., Christ & Holy Trinity Church), residents can brose for needed items. It’s not necessary to have donated anything to shop.
Any remaining items will be donated to the Bridgeport Field of Dreams Foundation. For more information, click here.
Online registration begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday (March 11) for 2 of the most popular Parks & Recreation Department summer programs: Camp Compo and RECing Crew.
Registration opens the next day (March 12, 9 a.m.) for all other spring and summer offerings.
Parks & Rec officials urge residents to log in now to their online accounts, to verify family information.
Log in and select “Manage Family Member” (bottom right). Click the first name in the column under “My Family Members” to check key details. Verify date of birth and ensure your child’s grade (as of September 2025) is correct. Click “Save” at the bottom.
Go to the “Contact Information” tab and review/update your contact details. Click “Save” again. Repeat for each family member in your profile.
Address Change? Email us at recreation@westportct.gov with updated information.
Login issue? Don’t create a new profile. Email recreation@westportct.gov, or call 203-341-5152.
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Speaking of Parks & Rec: It’s that time of year again.
(Photo/Karen Como)
Contractors are busy preparing Compo Beach for the upcoming season.
The sand is looking good. Let’s hope the weather gods are with us, and that there’s no late-winter storm to wreck all that good work.
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Westport Police made 5 custodial arrests betwen February 26 and March 5.
A 26-year-old Westport man was charged with assault, strangulation, unlawful restraint, threatening and interfering with an emergency call. A complainant reported that over the course of the past few years, they were the victim of mental and physical abuse by their live-in boyfriend. He was released after posting $100,000 bond.
A 57-year-old Fitchburg, Massachusetts man was charged with larceny, payment card theft and identity theft, following an investigation into valuables taken from a locker at the Westport Weston Family YMCA.
A 52-year-old Norwalk man was charged with identity theft and criminal attempt at larceny, after an investigation intoto 2 checks stolen from a mailbox in September. He was held on $25,000 bond.
A 40-year-old Bridgeport woman was charged with failure to appear. She was pulled over for a motor vehicle violation, and was found to have an active rearrest warrant for an incident that occurred in Newington in 2013.
A 41-year-old Eastchester, New York man was charged with failure to appear, after being pulled over for a motor vehicle violation. He had an active rearrest warrant for an incident that occurred last year in Westport.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 6 citations
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 4
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 3
Speeding: 2
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
Evading responsibility: 1
Driving while texting: 1
Failure to drive in the proper lane: 1
Failure to obey stop sign: 1
Failure to display lights: 1
Improper marker lights: 1
Failure to obey traffic commission regulations: 1
Failure to insure a motor vehicle: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1
And finally … in honor of Westport’s newest store, Pink Chicken (story above):
(Seriously, where else but “06880” would you find all this stuff? And in one place?! Crazy. But it’s here — every day — on your hyper-local blog. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
“Its very important to keep the books unburnt. Watch out for the matches!”
That may not be as memorable a Keith Richards line as “you can’t always get what you want.” Or “I know, it’s only rock ‘n’ roll, but I like it.” Or “let’s spend the night together.”
But it was the takeaway from yesterday’s very cool Westport Library ceremony.
The Rolling Stones co-founder, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member, and 40-year Weston resident received the inaugural Connecticut Governor’s Award of Excellence — from Governor Ned Lamont, of course — at the jam-packed, and very excited, Library’s Trefz Forum.
Keith Richards, Governor’s Award of Excellence honoree.
Nearly every top official in Connecticut was in the house, along with musicians like Crispin Cioe — the saxophonist who has played with every legend, including the Stones — and Mark Naftalin, Rock Hall of Fame keyboardist with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Both are Westport residents.
But all the others — even the governor — were side attractions. The crowd — most of whom remembered the band from their “Satisfaction” days — was there to see Richards.
He did not play a lick. But in brief remarks, he spoke straight from the heart.
Praise for the Westport Library, the power of books, and 40 happy years in Weston.
Like so many other area residents, he and his wife Patti Hansen left New York City seeking “fresh air” for their daughters.
Weston was “a great place,” he said. “I’m incredibly happy.”
Speaking of libraries in general — and Westport’s in particular — Richards said, “without books and knowing things, you won’t have much in your head.”
Westport Library director Bill Harmer — the first warm-up act — alluded to the unusual setting.
“Where do you think you are — a public library?” he asked, encouraging the crowd to make some noise. They did.
Libraries are places of community and culture, Harmer continued. And Richards epitomizes the very ideals — creativity, intellectual freedom and life-long learning, for example — that libraries honor.
Westport Library director Bill Harmer.
He quoted Richards, who once said, “When you are growing up there are 2 institutional places that affect you most powerfully: the church, which belongs to God, and the public library, which belongs to you. The public library is the great equalizer.”
For 40 years, Harmer said, Richards has used his influences and resources to support community efforts, like SPHERE and Ridgefield’s Prospector Theater. Both support people with disabilities.
The second warm-up act — Governor Lamont — noted Richards’ long impact on Connecticut, including the Stones’ famous unannounced show at Toad’s Place in New Haven. Lamont had just come from the club’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Lamont said he continues to be inspired by the band’s music, whenever he thinks of housing (“Gimme Shelter”), small business development (“Start Me Up”) and dealing with the state legislature (“You Can’t Always Get What You Want”).
Governor Ned Lamont.
Then, without further ado, he presented Richards with the first-ever Governor’s Award of Excellence: a custom-designed medallion, crafted by a state trooper and manufactured by the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, plus a ribbon sewn in the state.
The guitarist and the governor.
With the governor’s arm in a sling following an injury on a recent trade mission to India, his wife Ann draped the medal around Richards’ neck.
Congratulations, from First Lady Ann Lamont.
Harmer then added another gift: a specially laminated Westport Library card.
Library director Bill Harmer presents the laminated library card. Governor Lamont looks pleased.
The rock star’s remarks were brief, but heartfelt.
He did not quote any of his lyrics. Nothing about not getting any satisfaction. Wild horses not dragging him away.
And certainly not, “what a drag it is getting old.”
Staples High School graduate and Weston resident Michael Friedman has his own rock history. In his youth he photographed the Stones — and Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and many more — in concert. After discovering the negatives 50 years later, he published them in a book.
An unidentified — but very cool-looking — fashion designer guest.
The official proclamation included the “key to the state” for Richards.
The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and every media outlet in the state was invited to attend …
… while even the state’s top officials wanted selfies with Keith …
… and others took videos during his remarks.
Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas.
Dave Briggs (left) shares a laugh with Connecticut Attorney General William Tong.
State Treasurer Erick Russell.
Westport 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker.
Also at the ceremony: fellow Rock & Roll Hall of Famer (Paul Butterfield Blues Band) Mark Naftalin, a Westport resident.
Staples High School resource officer Ed Wooldridge provides security.
The crowd lingers, after the ceremony.
And now: the news.
(All photos/Ryan Allen)
BONUS TRACK:Click below, for an excerpt from Keith Richards’ speech.
Westport is a Democratic town (8,452 registered voters as of October 31, 2024). There are 7,875 unaffiliated voters, and 3,555 Republicans.
The chairs of all major boards are Democrats. But First Selectwoman Jen Tooker is a Republican.
For a while, some Westporters have asked where she stood on national issues.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, at a recent Sunrise Rotary meeting.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, and afterward, they felt it was important to know if the town’s chief executive shared some or all of President Trump’s stands and values.
Others argued that national issues have no bearing on local affairs. They were not bothered by her silence.
But as Tooker steps onto the statewide stage — after announcing her candidacy for governor on Monday — questions about her national political views will intensify.
Westport resident Scott Smith wants to hear from Tooker. He writes:
Like many Westporters, I’m alarmed by the torrent of dubious policy decisions and dodgy governing practices being rushed into action by the new administration.
I know where I personally stand on these issues, and what my core values are. But what I don’t know is where we, as a community, stand as this national debate, if not crisis, unfolds.
I sent the letter below to First Selectwoman Tooker on February 26. She has not yet replied.
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First Selectwoman Tooker,
I’m proud that Westport is a community of engaged citizens able and willing to lend their diverse voices to contribute to the greater good. In this moment of national debate, if not outright crisis, your silence on political, ethical and moral issues that affect us all strikes me as a lack of transparency, at best.
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing,” said Edmund Burke, speaking in the language of his time.
The second Trump administration has polarized the nation even more than before. (Photo/Spencer Platt)
I know where I and many other Westporters stand on these public matters, and it’s time for us to hear what specific views you, as our duly elected first selectwoman, hold regarding issues that are important to us all, regardless of political persuasion. Among them:
With Westport’s collective support of our Ukrainian sister city of Lyman in mind, what is your response to President Trump’s refusal to acknowledge that Russia invaded a neighboring sovereign country and has, in fact, committed atrocities against its innocent civilians?
If ICE agents come to Westport to detain suspected undocumented immigrants, how will you instruct Westport police officers to participate in those actions?
Would you allow a “special advisor” to your administration access to sensitive town databases of both public and private records? What is your opinion of Elon Musk’s infiltration of federal agencies and DOGE’s attempt to fire employees without due process?
What is your response to President Trump’s recent declaration, “I’m committed to buying and owning Gaza” and that the Palestinians should resettle “permanently” in “nice homes” somewhere else?
As the head of a municipality with many foreign-born residents, what is your view of President Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship through an executive order and his recent claim at CPAC that this right, afforded by the 14th Amendment, was intended only for “children of slaves”?
Do you stand by Westport’s 2021 Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity? If so, how do you rebut the current Republican Administration’s wholesale efforts to end such established DEI practices and policies?
Simply put, silence is complicity. As citizens of a local representative democracy, Westporters deserve to know where our elected leaders stand on these troubling topics and other impactful issues.
Will you speak publicly to these matters and will you allow your constituents the opportunity to engage with you about them in an open public forum?
Thank you for your prompt reply to this letter from a concerned citizen.
Now, in light of Tooker’s announcement of her candidacy for governor, I think it’s even more important to know where our elected officials stand not just on local civic issues, but on ethical, moral and national political matters that affect us all — and for those leaders to be willing to engage with the community to figure out how we as Westporters can meet the world at this crucial moment.
Tooker’s announcement refers to her as “a champion for fiscal responsibility, economic growth, and government accountability.” I would like to know how she would address the specific questions raised in the letter not only as Westport’s highest-ranking elected official, but now also in the context of her run for governor.
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