Conventional wisdom is: No one pays attention to political campaigns until after Labor Day.
Well, Labor Day has come and gone. And as Election Day nears, Westport’s League of Women Voters offers a number of opportunities for residents to hear — and question — candidates for a variety of local offices.
Democracy requires informed voters. Mark your calendars for:
“A Conversation with 1st & 2nd Selectperson Candidates”: September 26, 2 p.m., Senior Center.
“Fall Brunch & Design a Sign: Meet Your RTM Candidates”: October 4, 10 a.m. to noon Westport Library. The event includes coffee, donuts, snacks, and art activities to keep kids occupied. Co-sponsored by “06880.”
“Selectmen Candidates” (October 14, 7 p.m., Toquet Hall); co-sponsored with Westport Youth Commission. Special event for students; adults invited too.
“A Conversation with Board of Finance Candidates”: October 15, 2 p.m., Senior Center.
“Board of Education”: October 22, 7 p.m., Toquet Hall
“Planning & Zoning Commission”: October 23; site TBD.
“Candidates Debates: Board of Education, Zoning Board of Appeals, Board of Assessment Appeals, Board of Finance”: October 27, 6:30 p.m., Westport Library.
“Candidates Debate: 1st Selectman and Planning & Zoning Commission”: October 28, 6:30 p.m., Westport Library.
The Staples High School senior has been chosen for the US U-17 women’s national soccer team.
She’ll travel with the squad next month to train in Spain, then will compete in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Natalie was a 3-year star for Staples, but because of national team duties is not playing for the varsity this fall. Her current team is New York Soccer Club.
She’ll graduate in January, and head to Duke University.
This past spring, Natalie started all 3 games at center back for the US U-17 team, at the CONCACAF Tournament (World Cup qualifier), in Trinidad & Tobago. The Americans won all 3 matches, against the hosts, Honduras and El Salvador.
She also played in a pair of friendly matches this summer, against Japan.
In the car ride home after his teenage son played poorly in a tennis match, Jeff Greenwald asked, “What were you thinking out there?”
“My ranking will drop,” the boy replied.
“And then what would happen?” Greenwald asked.
“I won’t get into a good college. I won’t get a good job. And I’ll be homeless,” he said.
He was not kidding. All that had gone through the young athlete’s mind.
Greenwald could relate.
Jeff Greenwald, in his Staples days.
In 1984 — playing #1 for Staples High School — he won a rare triple crown: the FCIAC and state LL (largest schools) singles championships, and the team’s 3rd consecutive state title.
After college, he continued to compete.
Greenwald won the US 35-and-over national singles and doubles championships. He was ranked #1 in the world International Tennis Federation men’s 35 category, for both singles and doubles.
He kept playing — and winning — in older age groups too. In 2019, he was inducted into the NorCal Hall of Fame.
But Greenwald was not a professional tennis player. He’s a clinical and sports psychologist in northern California. So he listened to his son’s fears as a concerned father, a fellow athlete, and a sports psychologist.
He recounts that experience — and many others — in “The Mental Edge for Young Athletes: A World Champion’s Mental Toughness Guide for Athletes, Parents and Coaches in the Digital Age.”
Greenwald’s second book — his first, “The Best Tennis of Your Life,” published in 2007, sold 80,000 copies — is a clear-eyed look at the realities of being a young competitor today.
Things were not easy when he wrote his first book. They’re exponentially tougher today.
Greenwald’s goal was to “pass on the principles I know now — and wish I knew earlier — in a way kids can relate to,” he says.
He does it without preaching or offering checklists, but by telling stories.
His audience is also parents. Greenwald hopes that reading “The Mental Edge” will help them open up conversations with their youngsters.
“We’re human. We have adrenaline. We want to win,” the sports psychologist notes.
“But there are no guarantees we will. The mind doesn’t like that. So we worry about things we can’t control, rather than focusing on the things that can make winning happen.”
Social media exacerbates already-existing pressures.
Jeff Greenwald
“There’s nowhere to hide,” Greenwald says. “All the time, you see the best of the best. You think you could be so much more than you are.
“Then throw in all the money that’s offered now in college — and high school. The pressure all goes in one direction.”
It’s no longer enough for a coach or parent to say, “Just have fun!”
“Just having fun hitting a tennis ball and playing has been decimated,” Greenwald believes.
“It’s become a job. Kids feel, ‘I’ve done this for so long. I’m supposed to do it. I have to keep going.'”
Greenwald believes that focusing on mastery can produce good results. “It’s good to want to win,” he notes. “Just do it in a smarter way.”
“The Mental Edge” helps athletes, parents and coaches strengthen resiliency to excel under pressure; lessen anxiety, and compete with freedom; create a mindset of success and positivity within an entire family, and build focus for peak performance.
Meanwhile, in individual consultations, he finds that “moving the needle with families is harder now. It takes longer to pull them long.” Eventually, parents warm to his approach. “They appreciate having a spot to land,” he says.
But Greenwald warns against too much parental emotional investment in any child’s sport.
His daughter’s passion is track. She recently told her father, “I don’t want you to watch me run. That’s my sport. You don’t need to be there.”
That was hard to hear. But it was a lesson he took to heart, as a sports psychologist.
And a father.
(“06880” reports often on Staples graduates, sports, teenagers — and, as we do today, the intersection of all 3. If you enjoy stories like these, please click here to support our work. Thanks!)
Posted onSeptember 14, 2025|Comments Off on Roundup: HarvestFest, Merritt Parkway, StartUp Westport …
Westport is awash in creative, fun fundraisers, for a wide array of wonderful, important local institutions.
But at the top of any list — for good times and great groups — is Wakeman Town Farm’s HarvestFest.
Last night’s annual shindig featured fantastic (and healthy) food, from local restaurants and caterers (and the farm itself), plus of course drinks. There was a country-style band (and dancing), along with auction items and a paddle raise.
But the coolest part of HarvestFest is that it brings so many different parts of the town together.
Including politicians.
Ywrt they’re not politicking. They serve drinks and bites.
And they do it not as political adversaries, but as neighbors and friends.
WTF?!
Taking time out from serving (standing, from left): Kevin Christie, Jimmy Izzo, David Rosenwaks, Bre Injeski, Don O’Day, Andrea Moore. Front: Sal Liccione. Christie, Rosenwaks and O’Day are running for 1st selctman. 2nd selctwoman Moore is up for re-election. Injeski is a Planning & Zoning Commission candidate. Izzo and Liccione seek another term on the RTM.
Democrat Abby Tolan and Republican Dorie Hordon share a moment. Both are Board of Education incumbents, running again.
Liz Milwe (3rd from left), and the Wormser family and friends. Liz is a longtime Wakeman Town Farm advocate and volunteer, including service as co-chair. (All photos/Dan Woog)
Merritt Parkway Exits 41 and 42 are now just memories. (At least, in Westport.)
But they can live on in more than our minds, thanks to Jillian Elder.
She’s designed tees, hoodies, mugs, totes and more — all part of a “Vintage Merritt Parkway Collection — Exits 41& 42.”
The look pays homage to the road’s classic 1930s charm.
She says, “They’re perfect for longtime locals, proud Westporters, and anyone who loves the unique character of Connecticut’s most iconic road. The perfect gift for Westport natives, commuters, and vintage design lovers.
And clean ones, whose drivers want to support the Staples boys soccer program too.
They’ll be washing cars today (Sunday), from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1720 Post Road East (just before Stop & Shop, on the right). The suggested donation is $20.
Even the Westport Police entrust their cars to the Staples boys soccer team.
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HarvestFest ws not the only big event last night (story above).
Comedian Vic DiBitetto headlined, at the Westport Country Playhouse. There was a meet-and-greet with his many fans afterward.
(Photo/Susan Garment)
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Two types of innovators — a UFC and WWE mogul, and a bakery offering opportunities to people with disabilities — will share the stage, at StartUp Westport’s Innovator of the Year Awards.
The October 8 event (6 p.m., Westport Library) honors Mark Shapiro and Sweet P Bakery.
As president and COO of TKO Group Holdngs, and president and managing partner of WME Group, Shapiro has helped shape some of the most infuential names in sports and entertainment.
He’ll talk about bold calls that changed the trajectory of companies, industries — even culture itself — at the StarUp Westport event.
The highlight will be a conversation with CNBC’s Sara Eisen, called “Pivotal Moments: The Risks That Paid Off (and the Ones That Didn’t).”
Sweet P Bakery will share the spotlight, as recipient of StartUp Westport’s Community Impact Innovator Award.
Founders Andrea and Bill Pecoriello will be honored for “their dedication to social good, and sustainable business practices in the local community.” Sweet P’s mission includes job creation, teaching transferable skills, and building independence, confidence and a sense of belonging.
CLASP Homes — the non-profit that provides care, support and services to adults with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities — hosts a “wickedly fun concert” fundraiser on October 30 (6:30 p.m., FTC Stage One, Fairfield).
Band Central — CLASP’s favorite group — plays the best of the ’80s and ’90s. There’s a pre-party too, with light bites.
Staples High School’s Class of 1975 is getting ready for their 50th reunion. (Those who can believe they graduated half a century ago, that is.)
They’ll start Thursday, October 9; continue Friday evening at the Black Duck; enjoy a tour of the “new” Staples or a golf outing Saturday morning; celebrate at a dinner/dance that night at the Westport Woman’s Club, and end with brunch at a private home on Sunday, October 12.
They’ll also raise funds for Staples Tuition Grants — a very “classy” move.
Today’s stunning “Westport … Naturally” photo shows a bit of nature we don’t always get to see close-up. It may give you a new perspective on flowers … and bees.
And finally … you may have guessed this was coming:
(Another Sunday, another work day here at “06880” central. We never stop bringing you news, photos and more. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thanks!)
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Posted onSeptember 13, 2025|Comments Off on Staples Dance Team: All That Jazz (And More)
Staples High School has something for everyone.
Forty varsity sports. A professional-caliber drama program, and music and art departments to match. Journalism, broadcast media, environment, the “We the People” Constitution competition — if you’ve got a passion, it’s been pursued by like-minded students, with avid mentors, on the North Avenue campus.
Unless you’re a dancer.
For years, teenagers who dance have found their community elsewhere — in private academies outside of school.
Now, that niche has been filled.
The Staples dance team launched last spring. Next week they’ll have a spot at the annual Involvement Fair, reaching out to students eager to make dance a part of their school lives.
The mission: to bring Staples dancers together, and provide the same sense of connection and recognition that so many other teams, clubs and organizations enjoy.
The Staples dance team is for serious dancers, who often spend so much time in the studio that they miss out on school spirit.
It’s also for those who used to dance, but stepped away.
And for anyone else who loves dance, and wants to learn new styles.
The vision took shape last school year, when Alina Knapp — then a Bedford Middle School 8th grader — talked with interested classmates, in a variety of forms: tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical and hip hop. Staples, she learned, had 3 dance clubs.
But no dance team.
She teamed up with fellow Bedford dancer Mirabelle Choe.
Soon, then-freshmen Katie Brill, Sutton Bulkeley and Caitlin Hand led an effort to become an official Staples club.
Staples dance team coach Mikela Pirri
Mikela Pirri — a Sacred Heart University alumnus with competitive dance experience — joined as coach.
The Staples dance team will blend performance (at games and pep rallies) and competition, with both jazz and hip hop squads. The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) — which governs all public school sports in the state — also sanctions competitive dance.
Staples was one of the few schools in the area without a dance team. Fairfield Ludlowe and Warde, Norwalk and Stamford Highs all have teams. Ridgefield is the reigning state hip hop champion.
Like Staples sports, Players, Orphenians, Inklings, WWPT and so much more, the dance team emphasizes camaraderie, school spirit and inclusiveness.
“Dance is about working together, supporting each other, and connecting through movement,” says junior co-captain Nina Ghahremani. “Now we get to do that through Staples.”
Staples dance team. Back row (from left): Caitlin Hand, Sutton Bulkeley, Katie Brill, Mirabelle Choe, Alina Knapp. Front: Chloe Jordan, Nina Ghahremani. Boys are welcome too!
“Senior co-captain Chloe Jordan adds, “We look forward not only to dancing together as a team, but also setting a standard of passion and kindness within our community.”
And they’ll do it — finally — on their own high school campus.
(For more information, follow the team on Instagram: @StaplesDance.)
(“06880” covers all areas of Staples High School life. If you enjoy discovering all that our town’s teens are up to, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
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Today’s Board of Education hearing involving a Staples High School boys soccer coach’s contract took less time than the previous 5-1 vote, in May: 8 hours, not 14.
But the result was the same. This time by 4-2, the Board affirmed superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice’s decision to not rehire longtime freshman coach Chris O’Dell.
Members Lee Goldstein, Dorie Hordon, Neil Phillips and Abby Tolan voted to support Scarice’s decision. Robert Harrington and Jill Dillon voted against it. Kevin Christie recused himself, and was not at the day-long session in Town Hall.
Christie told “06880” that he and his family have personal connections to the Westport and Staples soccer programs.
Noting that the Board of Education “effectively serves as judge and jury,” he said, “in a traditional courtroom setting, my connections to the soccer programs would not allow me to serve as a juror.
“Due process does not allow parties to select their own jurors. I will not capitulate to external pressure impacting due process, my integrity, my family, and my decisions as a BOE member. Recusal was, and is, the right decision.”
Board of Education mediator Fred Dorsey, flanked by (from left) Dorie Hordon, chair Lee Goldstein, Neil Phillips, Jill Dillon, Abby Tolan and Robert Harrington.
O’Dell represented himself, against 2 charges: that he did not report a verbal argument between another assistant coach at a pre-season retreat over Labor Day weekend 2024, and that he was insubordinate by attending the post-season banquet the following December.
The freshman coach attempted to make a number of arguments, to prove that Scarice’s decision was “arbitrary and capricious.”
As happened in May — when the BOE heard an appeal by former head coach Russell Oost-Lievense, regarding the same 2 incidents — the Board’s mediator, Fred Dorsey, sustained nearly every objection from Thomas Mooney, the attorney for Scarice, Staples principal Stafford Thomas, and director of athletics VJ Sarullo.
From time to time Dorsey showed O’Dell — who owns a residential design-build firm, and is not a lawyer — a bit of leeway, helping him frame questions and allowing him to ask procedural questions.
Chris O’Dell (center), with his daughter Addison, and former Staples boys soccer head coach Russell Oost-Lievense.
Nearly 30 attendees — soccer parents and others interested in the board’s handling of coaches — moved into the lobby twice, while the BOE deliberated in executive session for 45 minutes each time.
O’Dell objected to those sessions, urging the board not to rehash testimony that had already been given in May.
“Arbitrary and capricious is the only thing that matters,” he said. He also defended himself against what he called attacks on his character.
One point of contention was a voicemail from Sarullo to O’Dell, regarding his attendance at the banquet. Sarullo told the coach to call him on the office line he was calling from, or text him.
O’Dell said that Sarullo never responded to his own voicemail in reply. Sarullo replied that O’Dell’s failure to text him showed negligence on his part.
From left: Board of Education attorney Tom Mooney, superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice, Staples principal Stafford Thomas, Staples athletic director VJ Sarullo. (All photos/Dan Woog)
Scarice testified that O’Dell’s “level of hostility” — along with the recommendation of Sarullo and Thomas — played a role in his non-renewal decision.
The superintendent knew his decision might be divisive. He acknowledged that employment issues are never easy. But he reiterated his belief that he made the right decision in this case.
O’Dell questioned Scarice about his offer in May to bring the coach back, with conditions. The superintendent countered that he had been urged to talk with the coach by community and school members, but that no mediation was offered.
There was discussion too about a phone conversation in which Scarice taped O’Dell, without his knowledge — something Scarice said he had never done with another employee. O’Dell claimed this was evidence of arbitrary and capricious behavior, but Mooney’s objection was sustained.
O’Dell asked Scarice why he had not responded during a BOE meeting in January, when a student alleged that the incident at the retreat included physical abuse. O’Dell said that Scarice already knew that charge was false.
Board policy is to not reply to public comment, Scarice said. However, O’Dell responded, chair Lee Goldstein thanked the student for his testimony, adding “good job.”
O’Dell brought up other situations that he said showed Scarice, Thomas and Sarullo acting arbitrarily and capriciously.
They included a meeting in another town between Sarullo and boys tennis coach Kris Hrisovulos, after his own non-renewal was dismissed on procedural grounds. Sarullo denied O’Dell’s charge that at that meeting, the athletic director apologized to Hrisovulos for the way that situation was handled.
Chris O’Dell
O’Dell also brought up situations — one involving a serious head injury to an opposing player, and another in which a Staples player was bullied by an opponent — in an attempt to show that his actions there were consistent with his handling of the incident at the retreat. Sarullo denied they were similar.
In the end, 7 hours of sometimes heated testimony — and an hour of deliberation by the Board of Education — came down to a final vote.
Like Oost-Lievense in May, the majority affirmed the non-renewal decision.
O’Dell was not there to hear the verdict. He had a practice at Fairfield Warde High School.
This past summer, he and Oost-Lievense were hired to coach soccer in the neighboring town.
Early in the proceedings, Scarice had been asked if was concerned about the safety of players at Warde, under O’Dell and Oost-Lievense.
“I’m not the superintendent of Fairfield,” he replied.
Signs are everywhere in Westport — and I’m not even talking about political ones.
Sandwich boards advertising nearby busineses are overrunning our sidewalks, encroaching on doorways and stairs. (Don’t believe me? Check out 180 Post Road East, across from Casa Me.)
Are they legal?
Kind of.
Planning & Zoning director Michelle Perillie notes that all merchants in non-residential districts are permitted one temporary, free-standing portable sign.
But a zoning permit is required, and it must be renewed annually.
In addition:
Signs cannot be permanently installed in the ground.
Signs must be self-supporting/portable, or hung on the façade of the tenant’s building. Signs cannot be attached to an immovable object like a structure, utility or light pole or fence.
Signs must be no larger than 24 inches wide by 40 inches high as measured from the ground — including borders or supports. A sign hanging on a building façade can be no larger than 24 inches wide by 36 inches high, may only be one-sided, and hung flush to the building. Signs on façades must not be more than 7 feet above the ground, as measured to the top of the sign.
Signs may only be displayed during the hours that the business is open. Signs must be removed when the business is not open.
The sign must be a framed chalk board or eraser board. All wording must be hand drawn.
Signs must be located on the property of the business that has put out the sign. The name of the establishment must appear on or be affixed to the sign. Signs may not be located in parking spaces.
Signs must not interfere with pedestrian traffic or block sight lines for drivers.
Signs may not have lights, be lighted, or have any moving parts
To obtain a permit, merchants must set up an account here. Scaled drawings showing the proposed sign, and a survey or site plan of the property are required.
If approved, an assigned number sticker must be attached to the sign. The annual permit cost is $100.
Questions? Email mperillie@westportct.gov.
This sign probably complies with all the rules — except it does not have the business’ name. It was for Bottlerock, which has since closed. And did they apply for a $100 permit?
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There’s a lot going on at Earthplace.
Beginning tonight.
At 7 p.m. today (Thursday), a Zoom lecture with Q-and-A explores “Remarkable Raptors & Their Highways in the Sky.” As hawks, eagles, falcons and vultures migrate soon, learn more about these birds of prey.
Also ahead:
“Sound Bath with Abbey Chase Yoga” (September 18, 6 to 7:15 p.m.; $35, adult+).
“Plein Air Painting on the Trails” (September 20, 10 a.m. to noon; $10 suggested donation).
“Pick Your Own Bouquet” (September 21, 11 a.m. to noon; $25 members, $35 non-members).
“Woodland Harvest: Foraging in Fall” (September 28, 1 to 2:30 p.m.; $10 members, $12 non-members).
“Woodside Bash” (October 4, 7 to 10 p.m.; open bar, harvest dinner, fire pit, mechanical bull, live entertainment; $125)
Speaking of the environment: “Yes, In My Back Yard!”
That’s the name of the next Aspetuck Land Trust Lunch & Learn webinar.
The September 18 Zoom (12 to 1:30 p.m.). features restoration ecologist Meghan Noe Fellows, discussing Miaywaki-style mini-forests at scale. She’s installed over 150 of them.
Mini-forests are dense plantings of native plants, trees, and shrubs. They increase biodiversity, provide bird and insect habitat, and (ahem) block out unsightly neighbors.
Among the interesting agendas for upcoming meetings:
Parks & Recreation Commission (September 17, 7:30 p.m., Zoom). Topics include the Longshore capital improvement plan (maintenance facility update), and an update on the parks master plan.
The Board of Education’s Finance & Facilities Committee meets today (Thursday, September 11, 11 a.m., Town Hall auditorium). They’ll review the capital improvement plan and proposed project, and hear a status report on the Staples High School auditorium and fieldhouse floor renovations, girls team room, pool scoreboard, and the Staples athletic fields master plan.
Westport Parks & Rec will be involved in upcoming improvements at Longshore and Staples High School.
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Congratulations to Owen Goldfarb, Nathaniel Greely, Jay Hari, Isabel Jo, Dylan O’Brien, Julian Saraf, Matthew Tybur!
The 7 Staples High School seniors are semifinalists in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Nationwide, 16,000 semifinalists — fewer than 1% of the over 1.3 million students who took the 2024 PSAT/NMSQT qualifying exam — will compete for 6,930 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $26 million.
From left: Isabel Jo, Principal Stafford W. Thomas, Matthew Tybur, Owen Goldfarb, Julian Saraf, Dylan O’Brien, Jay Hari, Nathaniel Greeley.
Westport Police made one custodial arrest between September 3 and 9. A 28-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with operating an unregistered motor vehicle, theft of a marker plate, illegal operation of a motor vehicle without minimum insurance and with a suspended driver’s license, illegal window tinting and violation f probation. He was held on a $61,000 bond.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 29 citations
Driving while texting: 6
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 4
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 4
Improper use of markers: 3
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 3
Speeding in a school zone: 2
Speeding: 2
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 2
Improper turns: 2
Failure to halt alcohol possession by a minor: 1
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 1
Distracted driving: 1
Failure to obey stop sign: 1
Failure to drive in the proper lane:
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 1
Failure to renew registration: 1
Failure to wear seat belt: 1
Failure to halt alcohol possession by a minor is illegal.
Dr. Amanda Posner, a well-known pediatrician, died August 28 in Westport, surrounded by her closest friends and family. She was 43.
She graduated from Dartmouth College in 2004 with a BA in religion and theater. She earned an MD from Columbia University in 2012, and completed her pediatrics residency at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in 2015. She was admired for her skill, compassion and warmth.
Amanda’ was also a talented performer. She acted and sang in productions at Dartmouth and with the Bard Hall Players at Columbia, after appearing off-Broadway as a teenager and acting in the films “Welcome to the Dollhouse” and “The Door in the Floor.”
Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at 33, Amanda defied her illness for more than a decade, living fully and serving as an example to friends and family. She later joined the Board of Directors for the Bay Area Young Survivors (BAYS) in CA and the Norfield Children’s Center in CT.
In 2016, Amanda married Ben Neumann. Their son Andrew was the true love of Amanda’s life.
Amanda is survived by her husband Ben, son Andrew, parents Dr. Amy Newburger and Dr. Lawrence Posner of Westport, and her brother Dr. Russell Posner (Dr. Melissa Posner_ of Darien.
A celebration of Amanda’s life will be held at 1 p.m. on September 14 at Norfield Church in Weston. To honor Amanda’s lasting impact, her family is establishing an endowed professorship in the Division of General Pediatrics at UCSF.
Dr. Amanda Posner
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As summer wanes, Tomoko Meth caught this colorful “Westport … Naturally” scene at Mark Yurkiw and Wendy Van Wie’s beautiful Cross Highway home.
And finally … once you saw the “signs” story, you knew this was coming:
(All the signs point this way: to the donation page for “06880.” Hey, this stuff doesn’t post itself. We need our readers — aka “your” — help. Thanks for tossing a few bucks our way!)
Eight months after his contract was not renewed, former Staples High School boys soccer freshman coach Chris O’Dell will finally receive a hearing.
The Board of Education meets this Friday (9 a.m., Town Hall auditorium), to consider his appeal.
In addition to serving nearly 20 years as a freshman and assistant coach, O’Dell is a former Staples captain. He played on the state champion 1993 squad.
O’Dell says, “I am asking and expecting that Board members Lee Goldstein and Dorrie Horden recuse themselves from my hearing. They each have a relationship with the family behind the allegations. It obviously renders them incapable of making an impartial decision in my case.
“I am also asking that Kevin Christie not recuse himself from my hearing. I have only met him once, for 2 minutes at a social function. There is absolutely no reason for Mr. Christie to recuse himself from my hearing.”
O’Dell says, “I look forward to this opportunity to clear my name.” In addition to coaching, he owns The O’Dell Group, a design-build collaborative specializing in residential construction.
Chris O’Dell
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The Westport Library’s Verso University — a series of high-level classes, workshops and lectures — opens soon, for the fall “semester.”
A special symposium — “AI and Us” — explores the implications of artificial intelligence across legal, civic, creative, business, healthcare and technological spheres. Multiple perspectives range from policymakers and technologists to journalists and academics. It’s set for Saturday, October 11 (12 noon to 5:30 p.m.). Click here for details, and to register.
Other courses include:
“Astrology for the Advanced Beginner” (3 weekly sessions starting Thursday, September 11, 2 to 3 pm).
“Ask a Pediatric Specialist” (3 monthly sessions starting Tuesday, September 16, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.).
“Grace Farms Art and Architecture Tour” (September 17, 12:45 to 2 p.m.).
“Kickoff to Fall: Happy Hour Cooking Class” (September 19, 4 to 5:30 p.m.).
“Visual Storytelling: Develop Your Photographic Vision” (3 weekly sessions starting Thursday, October 9, 6 to 7:30 p.m.).
“Endless Summer/Forever Friends/Long Live the Arts” — an evening of art, music, food and beverages, and intriguing conversation, all benefiting MoCA CT — is set for Saturday, September 20.
Board members celebrated Tony McDowell’s retirement as Earthplace executive director this past weekend, at Compo Beach.
The popular administrator stepped down recently, after 12 years at the helm of the environmental and sustainability non-profit.
Earthplace board chair Mo Tooker (far right) reads a proclamation for the town of Westport. Tony McDowell is 2nd from right. (Hat tip and photo/Matthew Mandell)
Speaking of shoreline celebrations: The Compo Beach Improvement Association held their annual block party yesterday evening.
The weather cleared, and dozens of families celebrated the end of summer (and a bit of quiet to their neighborhood). Old Mill Grocery & Deli — an around-the-corner favorite — catered.
Adults chatted. Kids played. Dogs roamed.
And this scene caught “06880” photographer Laurie Sorensen’s eye:
Heavy equipment is in place at the Compo Beach Soundview parking lot. That’s a staging area for renovation of the tidal gates and pedestrian paths at Sherwood Mill Pond, near Compo Cove.
But before the machines could get going last week, there was one special task: moving the sun.
Always-observant Johanna Keyser Rossi offers today’s “Westport … Naturally” image, from the Westport Library Riverwalk. She writes:
“This is a first for me: seeing a turtle come out of the water at very low tide, looking in the mud for food. He was eating either a marine worm or a small fish.”
And finally … speaking of turtles, Mark Volman — co-founder of the pop group with that name — died Friday in Nashville. He was 78, and had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2000. Click here for a full obituary.
The technical issues that bedeviled our first 2 Instagram Live interviews with 1st selectman candidate David Rosenwaks have been solved.
David and I will be live today (Friday), at 4 p.m. You can catch us @06880danwoog.com. We welcome your questions — and thank you for your patience!
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The Planning and Zoning Commission has a full agenda this Monday (September 8, 6 p.m., Zoom).
Commissioners will discuss, and potentially vote on, a resolution for a future exectuve session to discuss the ROAN Ventures lawsuit against them, regarding the Hamlet at Saugatuck project.
The public notice also includes details about that executive session, including:
No votes will be taken in the executive session.
The commission may invite other interested persons to present testimony or opinion in future executive sessions relating to this litigation.
If a proposed settlement of the pending litigation is reached, a public meeting will be held to discuss the settlement, with public comment allowed. The P&Z will then discuss the settlement and exercise its best judgment in voting on the proposed settlement. The proposed settlement shall be posted on the town website at least three days prior to this public meeting.
If the P&Z approves the proposed settlement, it will be submitted to Superior Court for an approval hearing.
A work session will follow that item. It includes pre-application discussion of a draft text change to allow for an 8-unit residential development at 6 East Main Street. The property is between the Connecticut Humane Society and the Whitney Glen condominiums, just off Post Road East.
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A back-to-school food drive to benefit Homes with Hope is set for tomorrow (Saturday), from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Stop & Shop.
Most-needed items include:
Rice
Pasta and pasta sauce
Mac ‘n’ cheese
Canned tuna, soup, veggies, beans, fruit
Cold cereal and oatmeal
Peanut butter and jelly
Personal hygiene items: shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste
The life of Joseph Oyebog will be celebrated on Sunday, September 14 (1 p.m., Sacred Heart University Community Theatre, Fairfield).
The popular local tennis instructor, whose tennis academy in his native Cameroon changed the lives of thousands of youngsters, and was aided by his many friends in the Westport area — died in May. He was 53 years old.
Joseph Oyebog, at his Cameroon Tennis Academy.
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You never know what you’ll see downtown.
Pam Docters happened upon this photo shoot, at the rainbow crosswalk on Jesup Road.
(Photo/Pam Docters)
She’s not sure what was going on.
But, she notes, Sarah Jessica Parker was on the magazine cover. Pam thinks — baed on the skirt and wig — that it’s a creation of the “Sex and the City” introduction.
Perhaps. But we do know this: On Wednesday (September 10), SJP will be the special guest, at “Booked for the Evening.”
That’s the signature fundraiser for the Westport Library — just a few steps away from the other Sarah Jessica Parker.
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A dozen or so parking spaces at the rear of the Soundview lot at Compo Beach have been blocked off, by a temporary fence.
It will serve as a staging area, for work being done on the tidal gates and wooden bridges at Sherwood Mill Pond, leading to Compo Cove.
Heavy equipment has already arrived. The work will be completed by Memorial Day, 2026 — just in time for the parking lot to be crowded again.
(Photo copyright/DinkinESH Fotografix)
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Speaking of fencing (though of a very different kind):
Youngsters are invited to enjoy the sport this fall.
Westport Continuing Education is offering fencing for middle schoolers (beginners and intermediate). There’s also a first-ever elementary school beginners’ fencing class.
Click here for details, and more information. For Instagram and Facebook, follow @fenceinWestport.
Staples High School has a fencing team. Now younger students can learn the sport too.
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Congratulations to Bryan Bierman!
Temple Israel’s executive director will be awarded the A.O. Samuels Young Leadership Award, by the Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County.
The September 17 event in Fairfield includes cocktails, dinner, and guest speaker Julie Platt. The past chair of the Jewish Federations of North America will offer insights drawn from her leadership at the highest levels of the Jewish community.
Bryan Bierman
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We’re not sure how this happened. But around 11 p.m. on Wednesday night, this driver landed on top of the Cribari Bridge barrier.
(Photo/Randy Christophersen)
All 4 wheels were off the ground.
Sure, Jeeps are supposed to go anywhere. But still …
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Yesterday’s Roundup noted that local organizations — including Emergency Medical Services, the Community Emergency Response Team, American Red Crsos, Westport Astronomical Society’s amateur radio station and the Aspetuck Health District — were preparing for a September 16 large-scale mass casualty drill at Sherwood Island State Park.
And finally … following up on our 2 “fencing” stories above:
(As we prepare for a full fall — starting with tomorrow’s Slice of Saugatuck — remember that “06880” will cover them all. But we can’t do it without your support. Please click here to help. Thanks!)
Working this summer at a Yale University lab, researching a rare and potentially fatal skin condition called ichthyosis (EDD), he was inspired to raise awareness — and funds — for the disease, through the swim.
Yesterday, he did.
And he did it very well.
He finished first in his age group. Labmate Devin Seli, a medical student affected by EDD, who trains with a triathlon group at Compo Beach — placed first too, in his age group. Another teammate finished second, while a fourth was third in the half-mile swim.
Congratulations, Nolan! Note: They’ve raised nearly $2,000 so far. The fundraising link is still open. Click here to contribute.
Nolan Francis (left) and fellow swimmers/Yale labmates, at Lake Quassapaug.
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Speaking of fundraising: Rach’s Hope — the non-profit honoring the memory of 2015 Staples High School graduate Rachel Doran, which provides nutritious food, lodging, transportation and encouragement to family members when a child is in intensive care — is as active as Rachel herself was.
On Sunday, October 5 (3 p.m., Ned Dimes Marina at Compo Beach), everyone is invited to join the 5th annual “Walk the Extra Mile … For Rach’s Hope” event.
It’s a fun, community-wide beach walk, with live music, a pizza truck, beer and wine, dessert, and special Rach’s Hope swag.
Need more incentive? In celebration of his 84th birthday, Rachel’s grandfather Michael Isenberg completed his pledge to walk 1,000 miles for Rach’s Hope.
He’ll be there. He invites everyone to “walk the extra mile” with him — or come cheer others on.
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He recounts that experience — and many others — in “The Mental Edge for Young Athletes: A World Champion’s Mental Toughness Guide for Athletes, Parents and Coaches in the Digital Age.”
The mission: to bring Staples dancers together, and provide the same sense of connection and recognition that so many other teams, clubs and organizations enjoy.
There was discussion too about a phone conversation in which Scarice taped O’Dell, without his knowledge — something Scarice said he had never done with another employee. O’Dell claimed this was evidence of arbitrary and capricious behavior, but Mooney’s objection was sustained.
