Westport Parks & Recreation Commission chair David Floyd has lived here for over 30 years.
A football, basketball and track athlete at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Maryland, and a University of Maryland graduate, he helps oversee so many local amenities: our beaches, Longshore, athletic fields, parks, and much more.
The other day, David came to the Westport Library, for an “06880” podcast chat. Click here or below, for an inside look at some of the most special places and programs in town.
A Compo Beach resident who requests anonymity writes:
I want to share what our neighborhood has seen over the past 7 days, in case it isn’t already on the town’s and citizens’ radar.
Sustained reckless driving and speeding on Compo Beach Road and Soundview Drive, including late at night.
2 gatherings of 300-plus young people on the beach. Several attendees said they were freshmen at Staples High School. There was open drinking and littering.
Each of the following mornings, the beach, seawall and road were covered in bottles, cans and trash.
On Friday night, at least 7 police cars were on the beach. Working alongside a Parks & Recreation Department supervisor, they kept the situation under control, dispersing a crowd of 300 quickly and calmly.
It was genuinely impressive, and they deserve credit for it.
Compo is one of the best things this town gives its kids. A night on that beach with friends is exactly what a place like Westport should want for them.
What gives me pause is the combination — a crowd that size, alcohol, fast cars, and an unlit road with no separation between pedestrians and traffic.
It’s fun — until the night it isn’t.
Friday night’s Compo Beach party.
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Speaking of the beach: The other day, our Roundup linked to a breathless story in the Connecticut Centinal, which charged that hundreds of “illegal aliens” were illegally shellfishing in Westport every night, “until there is nothing left.” And that no one in our town cared.
I noted that Media Bias/Fact Check calls the oddly spelled Centinal “an extreme right-biased imposter website (rated) Questionable based on the promotion of propaganda, conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, poor sourcing, and false claims.”
Bingo!
Westport Animal Control officer Peter Reid spoke to Corporal Brendan Fearon of the Westport Police Department’s Marine Division.
He told Reid the WPD has been monitoring Sherwood Mill Pond. The current activity is for blue crabs only — which is legal.
Fearon said the Mill Pond is closed to shellfishing, and that during inspections they have not seen any shellfish in the buckets. He has also not seen any juvenile terrapins, a concern of Reid’s.
Fearon added that the large groups that were there a couple of summers ago (and were commercial operations) are a thing of the past. Numerous arrests were made. He noted that the current crabbers are mostly families.
This Connecticut Centinal photo purported to show illegal shellfishing.
Former Y’s Men president Dewey Loselle honored 9/11 last week, with a deeply personal remembrance at the group’s first meeting of the season.
In 2001 Loselle — who later served as Wesport’s town operations director, under 1st Selectman Jim Marpe — was a partner in a consulting firm, with offices near the World Trade Center.
He had gone to the Port Authority for a morning meeting, and narrowly escaped from the 63rd floor of the North Tower after a hijacked plane struck the building at 8:46 a.m.
Loselle described the thunderous impact, the building’s violent swaying, and the immediate decision to leave everything behind and head for the stairs.
In a vivid account, Loselle recalled the extremely narrow, crowded, smoky stairwells; the uncertainty over what had happened, and the courage of fellow evacuees and first responders.
He spoke of encountering a man in a wheelchair and his companion, who later perished while awaiting help, as well as members of Fire Department Rescue Company 1 climbing upward in full gear.
Loselle and his team eventually escaped into the chaos outside, where debris fell, people fled in every direction, and the collapsing towers sent a massive dust cloud through Lower Manhattan.
Loselle described his wife Susan reaching his cell phone in the stairwell before communications failed, and the hours she spent not knowing whether he had survived.
His presentation was both an account of survival, and a plea to preserve the memory of those killed.
Dewey Loselle, speaking to the Y’s Men. (Photo/Ted Horowitz)
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Mia Dillon is a Westport Country Playhouse favorite.
She debuted there in 1979, and has performed often since then. Her nexxt appearance is tomorrow (September 14, 7 p.m.), in the Script in Hand play reading of “The Next Best Thing.”
Dillon plays Jo, an outspoken and wildly inappropriate grandmother who takes issue with the impeccably polite android version of herself created to replace her after she dies. The play asks: Should we embrace what’s difficult about the people we love, or settle for a more acceptable alternative: the next best thing?
Donate gently used clothing and accessories — and anything new and unworn, too — to the Westport Woman’s Club. They’re gearing up for their annual sale. Proceeds benefit the WWC food closet, need-based student scholarships, and grants awarded to local charitable organizations.
Tax-deductible donations are accepted weekdays (10 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 4 p.m.) in the coat room of the WWC (44 Imperial Avenue), The sale is November 13-15.
Items include women’s and men’s clothing, shoes, boots, handbags, scarves, jewelry, and other accessories. Undergarments, lingerie and bathing suits, are not accepted.
Local retailers are invited to donate surplus inventory too.
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Chili time is near.
A highlight is always the VFW’s Chili Cook-off.
This year’s event — the 4th annual fundraiser, supporting Westport’s first responders and veteran community — is Saturday, October 17 (6 to 8 p.m. VFW Post 399).
Attendees vote for their favorite, among a wide variety of homemade recipes. There’s plenty of other great food, a 50/50 raffle, and a healthy heaping of community spirit. Tickets are $25, at the VFW in advance or at the door.
Questions? Email vfw399ct@gmail.com, or call 203-227-6796.
The Sweet Remains brought their folk-pop harmonic vibe to the Levitt Pavilion last night.
A large crowd packed the outdoor theater for the locally based, broadly loved band.
Last night at the Levitt.
Three special appearances offered a special added bonus: front man Greg Naughton’s wife, Broadway star Kelli O’Hara, and their two talented children, Owen and Charlotte.
Greg Naughton (left), Kelli O’Hara, and the Sweet Remains. (Photos/Susan Garment)
There’s more to come at the Levitt this week:
Tonight (Sunday): 7 p.m. Brian López Electric Trio
Tuesday, September 15, 7 p.m., Comedy night
Wednesday, September 16, 7 p.m., Westport Community Band
Thursday, September 17, 7:30 p.m., Barboletta: Tribute to Santana.
In a survey of 2,000 Americans, 35% say 2026 is “stressful.” Almost a third call it “challenging.” 37% say life feels out of control.
No surprise. But Westport author Caroline C. Barney’s new book — “Connected: From Stuck to Thriving in the Middle of the Chaos” — arrives at exactly the right time.
She was named to Ad Age’s “40 Under 40,” and worked with organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to the White House. That career taught her a lot about strategy, narrative, and what makes people move.
Barney says that feeling connected — to who they really are, to the beauty of life with others, and to a belief bigger than themselves — helps people thrive at home, at work and in their community. Click here to learn more about her “connections” work.
Caroline C. Barney
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To all in the “06880” who celebrate, we echo the sign on Pumpkin Hill Road: L’shana tova!
Former Staples High School girls soccer coach Dr. Jesús Zornoza died peacefully last weekend. He was 79, and lived in Ridgefield.
The Madrid native began practicing radiology in 1974 at MD Anderson in Houston. He published extensively on cancer imaging and needle biopsy techniques, as well as authoring and editing a book on percutaneous needle biopsies.
In 1983, Jesús joined the radiology group at Danbury Hospital. After 20 years practicing medicine he retired, and devoted much of his time to soccer.
He coached youth teams, and became president of SCOR (Soccer Club of Ridgefield). From 1991 to 1994 he coached the Staples girls varsity team to a 44-20-4 record.
He then began a second career as a referee and league administrator. In 2005 he was inducted into the Connecticut Girls Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and in 2010 into the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame.
Jesús was also an avid gardener. He was a caretaker of orchids and bonsai trees. He was devoted to his flock of farmyard chickens. ain.
Jesús is survived by his wife of 53 years, Jeanne; their children Andrew Zornoza (Evelyn) and Pippi (Sean Campbell); grandson Rafael Francis Zornoza, and siblings José, Enrique, Maria and Loreto Zornoza. He was predeceased by his sister, Pilar.
Family and friends will be received on Saturday. September 19 (2 to 4 p.m., Kane Funeral Home, Ridgefield). In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Jesús Zornoza Memorial Soccer Referee Scholarship Fund.
And finally … on this date in 1814, Francis Scott Key composed the poem “Defence of Fort McHenry” during the War of 1812’s Battle of Baltimore. It later became the American national anthem: “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
(O say can you … click here to support “06880”? It’s a very patriotic — or at least, generous — thing to do. Thank you!)
In August of 2001, life was good for Tyler Ugolyn.
The former Ridgefield High School basketball star (and McDonald’s All-American) graduated from Columbia University that May. He had just turned 23. And he started working for Fred Alger.
Tyler Ugolyn at his Columbia University gradaation.
He was there at his desk one month later — September 11 — when a hijacker flew a plane into the World Trade Center’s North Tower.
Tyler was one of 35 members of his investment firm — and 2,942 others — who died that horrific morning, 25 years ago this Friday.
Trevor was Tyler Ugolyn’s older brother — his charismatic, selfless and only brother.
Tyler Ugolyn
Trevor moved to Westport 13 years ago. He and his wife Caroline are raising 2 sons here.
Trevor has seldom spoken publicly about his connection with 9/11. But as his boys grow up, Trevor wants to make sure they, and the many other Americans born after that world-changing day hear the stories behind the statistics.
Every man and woman lost that morning left behind loved ones. Tyler’s death inspired Trevor to “live my life as he did — to be the best human being I can be, and try to fulfill his legacy.”
Which is why today (Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.), Trevor will speak at Connecticut’s official ceremony. It will be held, as always, at Sherwood Island State Park. The state’s 9/11 Living Memorial is there, on a peninsula where on a clear day the Manhattan skyline can be viewed across Long Island Sound.
The memorial features stones engraved with the names of the 161 people with ties to Connecticut who were killed in the attacks.
The 9/11 memorial, at Sherwood island State Park.
This will not be Trevor’s first time at the ceremony. In the past though, he has stood off to the side.
Now, he will be a “story teller.” He will talk about Trevor’s impact on him.
He will recall the innocent men and women lost, the sacrifices of first responders, the thousands of volunteers in search and rescue, and the brave men and women of our armed forces who risked their lives in years to come.
He will talk too about the good things that came out of 9/11: “bravery, sacrifice, a feeling of community.”
And the Tyler Ugolyn Foundation. Created by Trevor and his parents, the non-profit supports youth basketball through court refurbishment, financial support for character-building educational programs, and skills clinics for children in urban areas.
All nationwide courts are named “Tyler’s Court.” A plaque installed at each says “I just love playing the game,” a quote from his high school days.
Tyler left quite a legacy. At Columbia, he enlisted players from the men’s and women’s teams to run clinics for Harlem youths. He served as a soup kitchen volunteer too.
At Ridgefield High he was a member of the National Honor Society, Key Club, Safe Rides, Future Business Leaders of America, and Big Brothes/Big Sisters.
Every year, Ridgefield’s basketball program selects a special player — one with great character and spirit, a humble leader and true team athlete — to wear Tyler’s #34 jersey.
Tyler’s jersey, in the Ridgefield High School gym.
Speaking at today’s ceremony will not be easy for Trevor. He’s a private person, but he has so much to say about his brother.
“I’ve written probably 4 books,” Trevor says. “And now I have to condense it down into 4 minutes.
After a quarter century, the grief and loss Trevor feels is still palpable.
He will never forget his brother. But — first by working with the Tyler Ugolyn Foundation, now adding his conversations with his sons and his remarks today — Trevor ensures that many others who never knew Tyler will never forget him either.
(A few days after 9/11, Jeff Pearlman wrote a very moving story about Tyler for Sports Illustrated; click here to read. In 2009, he revisited that piece; click here to read. For more on Tyler Ugolyn, click here.)
In sustaining objections to Old Mill Grocery & Deli’s use of their 107-year-old property on Hillspoint Road last February, Superior Court Judge Dale Radcliffe said that allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages and outdoor dining in residential zones was “an impermissible expansion of the existing nonconforming uses.”
However, according to attorneys for OMG’s owner, the Soundview Empowerment Alliance, his ruling implied that a different regulation could pass legal muster.
While lawyers pursue an appeal of the Superior Court ruling, they have asked the P&Z to consider a new text amendment.
On September 14 (6 p.m., Zoom), commissioners will hear a proposal from Eric Bernheim to create a new “Food and Beverage Planned Development District, for lots used as grocery stores, delicatessens and Retail Food Establishments; Restaurants and Cafes and taverns.”
This would allow the P&Z to create floating zones for outdoor eating and the sale of alcohol in “pocket zones.” It would apply to establishments like OMG, Gruel Britannia and the Country Store on Wilton Road.
As the 25th anniversary of 9/11 nears, Christ & Holy Trinity Church invites the community to a screening of an important documentary.
Filmed over 5 years, years, “The Trees: Growing a Forest at Ground Zero” shows life returning to Ground Zero. It includes the story of the Survivor Tree, a damaged callery Pear that was the last living thing to come out of the wreckage, and is now an enduring symbol of resiliency for New York City.
The showing (Sunday, September 13, 11 a.m.) will be followed by a conversation with the producer and director, Westporter Scott Elliot.
A new Westport Country Playhouse Script in Hand play reading series begins September 14 (7 p.m.). It could not be more timely.
“The Next Best Thing” is a comedy about the battle between an outspoken, inappropriate grandmother and the “kinder, gentler” AI android duplicate her family builds to replace her when she dies. This play asks the question even ChatGPT can’t answer: Should we embrace what’s difficult about the people we love — or remember only the Next Best Thing?
Looking for a fun afternoon, with competition, food, camaraderie — and a chance to help support a new initiative?
A Better Chance of Westport’s inaugural Cornhole Tournament is set for Saturday, October 3 (11:30 to 3 p.m., Longshore’s Evan Harding Point).
Proceeds will help launch ABC’s College Scholarship Fund. It’s a way to expand their commitment to the scholars they sponsor and support during their time at Staples High School, as they move on to the next chapter of their educational journeys.
There are many ways to help Homes with Hope. And not all of them take place at the men’s and women’s shelters, or the food pantry.
On Saturday, September 26 (8 to 11 a.m., 19 Church Lane), residents are invited to volunteer to pack essential care items. It’s a great family activity — and an excellent way to meet like-minded, caring people.
Click here to register. The event is sponsored by the Westport Downtown Association, FLB Law, David Adam Realty and Willo.
But Long Island Sound is still warm. So was yesterday’s weather.
A good-sized crowd took advantage of both, enjoying the late-summer holiday weekend.
(Photo/Pam Kesselman)
(Photo/Ed Simek)
The sun will be out this afternoon, and tomorrow. A high of 71 is predicted for today. Tomorrow it will warm up to 78.
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Hollywood Nights brought great energy — and great Bob Seger tunes — to the Levitt Pavilion last night.
Summer vibes continue this coming week with 3 free shows: ever-popular DNR (the almost all-doctor rock band; Thursday, September 10, 7:30 p.m.), in their annual tribute to EMS and first responders; the equally popular Sweet Remains (Saturday, September 12, 7:30 p.m.) and the Brian López Electric Trio (Sunday, September 13, 7 p.m.).
Channeling Bob Seger at the Levitt. (Photo copyright DinkinESH Fotografix)
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Former Westport resident William Luedke IV died August 20. He was 74.
After growing up in Schenectady, New York and Danville, illinoise, Will’s family moved here in 1968. He spent 7 summers as a Compo Beach lifeguard, rising to director of beaches in 1975. Compo was always one of his favorite places.
Will graduated from Williams College in 1974 cum laude, with honors in history. At Vanderbilt University School of Law, he was a member of the Law Review. He met Carolyn, his wife of 47 years, there.
Will joined Bracewell & Patterson in Houston, and helped build their financial institutions practice. For many years they were one of the nation’s most active firms in back mergers and acquisitions.
He was also a trustee at Wayland Academy, his alma mater. He also served on the board and executive committee of the Independent School Chairperson’s Association.
Retirement in 2019 offered Will more time for his vast book collection. He also loved to cook, run (he was Bracewell’s race winner for 8 years), play golf, grow herbs, collect art and play guitar.
Will is survived by his wife Carolyn; daughter, Hannah (Siddharth), brother Fred Fritz of Dallas; sister Ann Luedke Lobdell of Stonington, Connecticut; and 3 nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held October 1 (11 a.m.First Presbyterian Church, Houston).
In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made in Will’s memory to Wayland Academy, (Attn: Advancement Office, 101 N University Ave., Beaver Dam, WI 53916).
Will Luedke
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Nature takes many forms, as our “Westport … Naturally” photo feature often shows.
Sunil Hirani spotted this colorful arrangement on Soundview Drive:
(Some things are worth waiting for. But supporting “06880” is not one of them. We rely on readers to keep us going. Please click here to help. And, um, we hope you’ll do it today. Thank you!)
The free version offers scoring, shot tracking and statistics (plus a weather forecast).
For a fee, users get 3D greens maps, club recommendations, advanced stats and more.
It’s handy, on the course. But what about the courses themselves? How can golfers share photos? Insights into which bunkers are not in good shape, or where the wind whips off nearby water? Or get recommendations from friends, while traveling somewhere new?
That’s the territory — before and after rounds — that Linx has staked out.
The app is in a soft launch phase. It teed off right here, at courses like Longshore and Rolling Hills Country Club.
Linx is the brainchild of Daniel Rosenkranz. The Staples High School Class of 2021 member was not on the golf team — he swam, volunteered with the Westport YMCA special education swim program, and founded the Aerial Photography Club.
After studying philosophy, politics and economics at the University of Michigan, Rosenkranz landed a consulting job. But the starting date was a few months off. So he trained for a half-Ironman, and headed to Peru where he worked at a hostel, surfed, and improved his Spanish.
From left: Daniel Rosenkranz, father Jeff, brothers Eli and Jeremy.
As he began his consulting gig, Rosenkranz realized that he could use AI tools to build an app. Golf seemed a perfect target.
“Golfers like to share opinions,” he notes.
Nearly everyone else does too. Runners, cyclists and fitness enthusiasts have Strava. There are many ways to rate and talk about movies, music and restaurants.
“But there was no way to hear about how your friends were playing, except texting,” Rosenkranz says.
Linx fills that gap. From comments (“everyone plays at a super slow pace”) to recommendations (“my favorite course in South Florida!”), and with the ability to upload photos while on the course, or after, the app works exactly as he envisioned.
Linx users can find (left) and rate (right) golf courses.
Getting on the App Store is not easy. Apple’s strict requirements meant that Rosenkranz was constantly fixing one issue, then forced to work on another.
It was frustrating — but ultimately helpful. “They found serious stuff,” Rosenkranz says.
Since the rollout, marketing has been primarily through social media and word of mouth. Golfers pass Linx on to their foursomes, colleagues, college friends — anyone they know who spends time on the links.
The app is free. Rosenkranz is growing the user base, before transitioning to a revenue model. He hopes to charge courses for promotion, and/or allow users to book tee times through the app for a fee.
Every user has their own customizable page.
As for the founder: He has posted already about Longshore and Rolling Hills (his home course).
Plus The Bridge in the Hamptons, which he played this summer with UM friends.
He described that course’s ocean view. And added, “it’s in as good shape as advertised.”
Fore!
(Linx is available through the App Store — search for “Linx golf app.” Rosenkranz welcomes feedback from users; email danielrosenkranz7@gmail.com.)
(“06880” regularly covers recreation, technology, Staples graduates — and, like today, their intersection. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Amy Shapiro’s 3 young sons are athletes: basketball football, soccer and lacrosse.
While coaches focused on skill and technique, they seldom gave advice on moving well, recovering properly and caring for their bodies.
Tight muscles, limited mobility, nagging aches and minor injuries were the norm for her sons, and their teammates.
Amy encouraged her kids to stretch. But like many young athletes, they did not always listen.
Amy — who has always exercised, and tried to get her boys to join her when she stretched did yoga and foam rolled (they were bored) — had an idea. What if young athletes stretched, and cross trained, as a team?
“The LAB” was born.
Rather than emphasizing sport-specific skills, its comprehensive approach combines performance training, mobility, recovery and mindset development.
Specifically, the “Grind LAB” focuses on speed and agility, footwork and coordination, explosive power, and athletic movement patterns.
The “Mind LAB” combines movement, mobility, stretching, mindfulness, breathwork and recovery techniques. Participants improve flexibility, reduce injury risk, manage stress, and develop mental toughness.
The LAB offers program for 1st grade through high school. Offerings include private training, small group sessions, weekly classes, specialty clinics and seasonal programs.
Classes start at $35. They’re held throughout Westport, including at Forme Barre next to Party Harty, Compo Beach, and private homes and yards.
Instructors include a former Staples High School football captain and pro player, and a woman who has taught over 5,000 hours of movement and mindfulness to children and families.
For more information, email TheLABSportsCT@gmail.com. The Instagram is @TheLabSportsCT.
13-year-old basketball players work on flexibility with a LAB coach.
Speaking of students: Our “06880 Students Speak” feature is gearing up for another school year.
Any youngster in a Westport school, public or private; any Westport student who goes to school outside town, and anyone who is home-schooled is welcome to contribute.
We’re looking for insights into any aspect of your life. Is your school a place of excitement or joy? Or do you hate it? Fear it?
Do you use AI to learn, or about yourself, or because you’re lonely, or to cheat?
Have you overcome body image issues? Were you bullied — or unfairly called a bully?
The goal of “Students Speak” is to give young people a voice. Our readers want to know what and how you feel. You deserve to be heard.
Posts can be anonymous, if desired. What’s important are your insights, your honesty, and the power of your words.
Unsure about your writing skills? We’ll work with you, to make sure it sounds right — while at the same time keeping your voice authentic and true.
To submit a “Students Speak” piece — or to learn more — email 06880blog@gmail.com.
The low-key — but very fun and welcoming — organization has been around since 1963.
It’s a place to socialize, make new friends, discover local treasures, and become more involved in the community. Events include casual gatherings, coffee meetups, book and cooking groups, special events and more.
Neighbors & Newcomers is open to recent arrives, longtime residents and everyone in between.
A $65 annual membership includes invitations to activities, access to the membership directory, a monthly newsletter, entry to the December holiday party and June beach party, and the fun of being connected to town. Click here for more information, and to join.
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All year long, the Westport Farmers’ Market has celebrated its 20th anniversary.
CTbites — Connecticut’s go-to food blog — took note this week. They posted a special video, with insights from a variety of vendors (and longtime director Lori Cochran-Dougall).
Spoiler alert: nearly every interviewee praised the market’s “community spirit.” (And not just customers — many vendors buy from each other, and even hang out together.)
The Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) through mid-November, at the Imperial Avenue parking lot.
Former resident Joseph Zambelli died July 28. He was 91.
The Iona College graduate served in the Navy from 1952 to 1954. He worked at General Foods for 37 years as a financial analyst, financial planning manager, controller, and consultant. He and his family lived in Westport for 27 years.
An expert in efficiency and cost strategy, Joe analyzed potential acquisitions and streamlined business operations across the US, Europe, South America and Asia. He also mentored scores of colleagues.
Joe loved sailing on Long Island Sound and playing golf at Longshore and in Florida, along with big band swing. He was a member of the Florida State Elks Association, and played in the Stonegate Golf Club men’s league.
Joe is survived by his wife of 63 years, Barbara Zambelli of Poinciana, Florida; children Bara of Asheville, North Carolina, Jean of Westport, Jay Zambelli (Caryn) of Portland, Oregon, and Carolyn of Darien; grandchildren Emma and Tasha Taggart; Isabel and Georgia Nichoson; Katherine, Thomas and Joseph Cavolo, and Freddy Zambelli; siblings Dolly Orza of Briarcliff Manor, New York, and Alfred Zambelli, of Harrison, New York, and many nieces and nephews. Joe was predeceased by his brother Andrew Zambelli, and sisters Mary Riggio, Rose Goldsmith and Jane Lieto.
A celebration of Joe’s life will be held at a later date.
Joe Zambelli
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Every sunrise is special.
But yesterday’s was extra-special.
Matt Murray captured its glory. It’s perfect for our “Westport … Naturally” feature of the day.
For the 5th year in a row, retired United Airlines flight attendant Paul Veneto is pushing an airline service cart several hundred miles on foot.
His journey honors the “first first responders” — flight attendants and crew members — on the 4 planes hijacked on September 11, 2001.
He began at the Boston Public Garden 9/11 Memorial on August 15. He’ll end at Ground Zero, for the 25th anniversary commemoration there.
Paul — with his “Paulie’s Push” — plans to be in Westport on Friday (September 4), on the Post Road. He’ll stop at Westport Fire Department headquarters, for a brief ceremony.
Paul Veneto (right), his cart and a supporter, along the route.
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Speaking of 9/11: Hundreds of motorcyclists took part in yesterday’s CT United motorcycle ride.
The event — paying tribute to the victims and first responders of 9/11 — is the largest fundraiser for both fire and law enforcement in the state. It began at Sherwood Island State Park, then roared its way on I-95 to Exit 17, up Riverside Avenue and Wilton Road to Wilton, then on through 7 towns before ending in Bridgeport.
A bomb threat briefly interrupted preparations at Sherwood Island. Plenty of safety officials, from a variety of agencies, were already on hand, and determined there was no danger.
This was the view from Westport Emergency Medical Services ambulance 603 — named “Joy” — before the ride began.
(Photo/Jonathan Alloy)
The riders included Westporters Rhona Lieberson, and granddaughter Carly Curran ride.
Family members and residents of 136 Riverside Avenue cheered them on. They got a big wave too from Westport Corporal Craig Bergamo, who helped out with the event.
Carly Curran and Rhona Lieberson. (Photo/Stacie Curran)
Motorcycle riders (left): From the I-95 Hales Road overpass (Photo/Loretta Hallock)
Speaking still of 9/11: For more than a decade, Westport has had a special relationship with Catch A Lift Fund. The national non-profit provides gym memberships and home gym equipment to help wounded post-9/11 service members heal physically and mentally, through physical fitness.
Westporters have donated funds, welcomed veterans, and joined in workouts at venues like the police station, VFW, beach and Birchwood Country Club. The vets give plenty back in return — as inspiration, and serving as “angels” for children, teens and adults with disabilities through myTeamTriumph.
The 25th anniversary of 9/11 — and 250th birthday of the United States — is a great time for Westporters to continue supporting Catch a Lift.
On September 9 (6:30 p.m., Inn at Longshore), a special fundraiser will benefit the noon-profit.
Three will be 3 weeks in length; the others will be shorter runs. They are:
“Ken Ludwig’s Pride and Prejudice Part 2: Napoleon at Pemberley” (world premiere; October 20-November 7)
“A Sherlock Carol” (written and directed by Shanahan, returning for a 4th season: December 12-20)
“Murder For Two” (musical comedy mystery; March 4-7)
“The Pancake Club” (world premiere; a Script in Hand selection, now staged by popular demand; April 20-May 8)
“The Goldsmith” (another Script in Hand selection; May 19-22)
“The Legend of Georgia McBride” (July 13-31).
For more information on the 2026-27 season, click here.
PS: Subscribers save up to 20% off single ticket prices, get priority seating, and enjoy other perks. Click here for details.
Another option: Flex Passes. They can be purchased now, and redeemed closer to performance time for the best available seats. The $50 per Flex Pass price can save up to $30 a ticket,
Historic seats, on sale tomorrow. (Photo/Robert Benson)
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The weather was wonderful yesterday, for the final Sunday Compo Beach service of the summer.
The Untied Methodist Church of Westport & Weston hosted. Bridgeport’s Pivot Ministries sang stirringly — as they always do.
(Photo/Karen Como)
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Also yesterday: Despite cloudy skies, Westport’s “other” beach — Burying Hill — was packed.
It’s a lot smaller than Compo, or even Old Mill.
Lifeguards are already off duty for the season.
But the quickly eroding spot just east of crowded Sherwood Island State Park attracts a loyal following.
And no other Westport beach has such a great view from a nearby hill.
And … yesterday’s New York Times included an insightful piece by Roger Rosenblatt on the wonders of growing old. Among them:
The wonder of still learning how to do new things. The wonder of writing this sentence. The alchemy of language. The scope and sweep of the imagination. The wonder of the mysteries of the weather. Of wind. Of sound. Of prayer, of faith. Of art. Of gifted people. Emily Dickinson, Fred Astaire, Ella Fitzgerald, Vermeer, Bach, Monk. These things have always brought me joy. Now I have the time to question how they do that. That I have no answers only makes these joys more wondrous.
Rosenblatt concludes with a memory from 1946:
At the age of 6, I was on vacation with my parents in Westport, Conn. The day of our arrival, I went off for a walk by myself. I was always doing that, to my parents’ dismay. And I came upon a large beautiful house with a sun room with glass walls so that I could see a Steinway concert grand in the middle of the floor.
The door was open. I went in and started playing, eventually looking up to see a princess-like woman standing beside the piano and smiling. We chatted. She took me back to the rented house. My mother was appalled, and she apologized for my bold behavior. No need, said the woman. It was a pleasure to see how innocent and unafraid I was. “Yes,” said my mother. “That’s how he is. He thinks the world is a room with a piano in it waiting to be played.”
In fact, it is.
The piece is titled “The World Is a Room With a Piano Waiting to Be Played.”
Where was that piano? We’ll leave that as one of life’s wonders. (Hat tip: Tommy Greenwald)
Illustration for Roger Rosenblatt’s essay. (Ruo-Jia Liang, for the New York Times)
Meanwhile, while you were enjoying the Sunday morning service — or relaxing with coffee and the Times — a group of Westport friends were swimming from Cockenoe to Compo.
Hey, why not?!
Every Sunday for many summers, the group — including several Staples High School Class of 2003 graduates — has swum in Long Island Sound.
Traditionally, on the last August Sunday, they end with a swim from the beach to the island (or, like yesterday, the reverse).
The sun was out. The water was calm and warm.
And when the swimmers arrived on the Compo shore, a mile from where they began, family and friends were there to greet them.
From right to left: Cory Straus, Evan Rutchik, Andrew Zimmerman, Alex Klein (Staples ‘03), Jordan Lert (Staples ‘03), Zach Bilchik, Josh Shapiro (‘03), David Schneidman, Adam Gilbert.
The first car wash of the Staples sports season is this coming Sunday.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 6, at 1720 Post Road East (just before Stop & Shop, heading toward Southport), the boys soccer team will be cleaning and scrubbing.
Funds go to the program. With athletes from all 3 teams — varsity, JV and freshmen — and parents participating, your vehicle will get plenty of attention.
The suggested donation is $20. Of course, you can give more! And to donate to the program without getting your car washed, click here.
Last fall, the Westport Police trusted this car to the Staples soccer team.
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We get lots of deer photos, for our daily “Westport … Naturally” feature.
But this may be the first showing 2 bucks, with their handsome racks.
They’re used to fight rival males, attract mates, and mark territory during the breeding season.
Another Little League season has ended. Boys and girls have put away their baseball and softball gloves. No one thinks twice about who is playing.
Fifty years ago — in America’s bicentennial year — things were quite different.
The other day, longtime Westporter and avid sports volunteer Jeff Mitchell unearthed a fascinating story from the Westport News. It involved Little League baseball — then celebrating its 25th year in town — and its relatively new softball program.
Written by the News‘ (very) young sports editor, Dan Woog, it described a forgotten chapter in local sports history.
Westport won the Senior League softball state championship, qualifying for the New England tournament in Vermont.
But the threat of legal action — and violence — took center stage.
Westport included boys on the roster. It was legal. The Westporters preferred softball to baseball.
But no team had done it before.
Clockwise from top left: Steve Kane, Dale Call, Richard Frey.
The 2 teams Westport beat — Seymour and Durham — protested that Westport had used illegal players.
The national Little League asked Westport to not compete. They decided that Seymour and Durham would play each other, to determine Connecticut’s representative.
Westport officials pointed out that the national office, in denying the protests of the defeated teams that Westport had used illegal (male) players, specifically stated that Westport won the state title.
Still, Westport’s board of directors feared that the safety of their players could not be guaranteed in Vermont. They withdrew from further competition.
Woog wrote in the Westport News:
Franny DeLuca, manager of the beleaguered co-ed softball team (dubbed a “unisex” squad by the New York Times), received a telegram from C.J. Hale, the national president of Little League Baseball, Inc.
Hale acknowledged that “the Westport Senior League softball team is recognized as 1976 state champions.” But “because of the importance of having a Connecticut entry in the New England tournament, the runner-up will be the Connecticut entry.” This acknowledgement that Westport was, and would remain, the official Constitution State champ mollified the Westporters.
Westport Little League chairman Don Levy sent a telegram to his counterpart in Seymour, extending “our sincerest best wishes for success in future tournament play” in Vermont, following Seymour’s win over Durham.
But controversy continued. The paper reported:
The entire matter is not yet settled. Several letters have come to the Westport News, and many phone calls have been made. All of them contained an outpouring of emotion rare in a case as seemingly minor as this.
One woman, the parent of a Senior all-star, wrote “I am the mother of a son, which I am beginning to believe is a dirty word.” She had heard adults in Durham say, “what do you expect from Westport parents? They’re all alcoholics, so how can they possibly know the sex of their children?”
She continued, “I was one of the parents who voted against going to Vermont. I did not feel we were quitters. I am proud of my son and of all the kids on the team who took that garbage (verbal abuse), but I could not go and neither could my husband. I was afraid.
For the record, the state champion Westport squad included Patty DeLuca, Karen Sidell, Jane Waltrip, Patty Constantikes, David Karlin, Mark Landis, Todd Fauske, Richard Frey, Doug Bernstein, Steve Kane, Dale Call and Jason France.
Manager Franny DeLuca was assisted by coaches Peter Coddington and Garry Vannart.
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On the last Sunday morning in September, Compo Beach will look the way it has on that date for over 2 decades: bikes racked along the sand, wetsuits half-zipped, and a line of swimmers walking down to the jetty.
For many years it was the Kiwanis Westport Triathlon (“The Minuteman”). Money raised went back to the community.
Two years ago, Kiwanis handed the race to myTeam Triumph Connecticut. Entries still fund a local cause: mTT-CT puts athletes with disabilities into endurance events across the state, at no cost to the athlete or their family.
The course is the same. And it’s still a hometown race, run by neighbors, for anyone willing to show up.
The 2026 edition is Sunday, September 27. Registration is 7 a.m. The competition begins at 8:30.
The course is short: a 1/2-mile jetty-to-jetty swim, 5.5 miles on bikes through the flat Compo neighborhood, and a 2.2-mile run.
There are 3 ways to take part
Race it. Go solo, or split with 2 friends as a swim-bike-run relay. The field already runs from age 12 to 80. For many, this is their first triathlon. Register at active.com.
Race with myTeam Triumph. The organization pairs athletes with disabilities (“captains”) with volunteer athletes )”angels”) who push, pull and pace them through the course. Angels can cover 1, 2 or 3 legs. Sign up at runsignup.
Volunteer. A race this size needs people holding clipboards, pointing at corners, registering, marking bodies, at the transition area, course marshals, and at the finish line and cleanup. No athletic ability is required. Sign up at runsignup.
myTeam Triumph, at last year’s Triathlon.
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Harvest Fest is one of Westport’s best parties ever.
Wakeman Town Farm’s biggest fundraiser (and food & wine) event of the year includes tons of seasonal fare from local farmers and chefs, wine and signature cocktails, live music, an auction with culinary and travel experiences, and much more.
It’s the closest thing our town has to an old-fashioned barn-raising party. And proceeds help WTF provide education to folks of all ages, incomes and abilities.
Also cooking at Wakeman Town Farm: a Tuscan harvest cooking class with chef Laura Weinman (September 17, 6 p.m.).
WTF says, “Tuscan foods are simple, sun-drenched, and feature fresh herbs and extra virgin olive oil instead of heavy sauces. Delicious natural flavors shine through in a cuisine that is healthful, economical and celebrates its raw ingredients.”
It’s a “John” fest on Sunday September 6 (12:30 p.m., Saugatuck Rowing Club).
First Folk Sunday features the music of John Denver and John Prine. Two singer/songwriters — Westport’s Suzanne Sheridan and Northampton’s Dave Dersham — provide their interpretations of the iconic musicians. Both straddled the line between folk and traditional country music, relying heavily on acoustic guitar and narrative storytelling.
Tickets are $20, and are available online. For more information call Rozanne Gates: 203-984-7562.
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It was registration day yesterday, at Greens Farms Elementary School.
Judging by the line of cars on Center Street, everyone had the same idea, at the same time.
Speaking of driving: It’s been a while since we’ve run an Entitled Parking photo.
The bar is usually quite high: something breathtakingly batshit crazy, or one that prevents a minimum of 2 other drivers from pulling in.
This is neither. But it makes the cut, because to pull this I-can’t-be-bothered-to-fix-this stunt, the driver had to already have come the wrong way down this 1-way section of Parker Harding Plaza.
And finally … in honor of the first day of school in Westport:
(Another school year. Another “06880” Roundup. Another chance for us to remind you: This hyper-local blog relies on the support of readers. Please click here — it’s as easy as ABC Thank you!)
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