Jim Wolf captained the 2000 Staples High School boys soccer team. He now serves as president of the Westport Soccer Association, and is a member of the Staples Boys Soccer Foundation.
As discussions continue about athletic fields and artificial turf, he writes:
My wife Lizzie and I both graduated from Staples in 2001. We quickly and enthusiastically moved back to our hometown from New York City after our third child was born. We have 3 children at Greens Farms Elementary School.
After moving back, I immediately became involved in the local youth soccer programs that had such a meaningful impact on my life. Our Westport Soccer Association is a non-profit that organizes travel and rec programs for more than 1,600 kids each fall and spring.
Similar to other youth organizations in town, participation levels for the WSA have increased significantly in the post-COVID years. Our enrollment has grown more than 30% compared to 2020.
This spring we are fielding 33 travel teams. We anticipate that number to increase as the current pre-K and rec players filter up into the travel program.
Each additional travel team requires an incremental 4 to 5 hours of field time per week. There was not capacity for this growth even before the Long Lots fields were taken offline.
Other town youth sports and high school programs are seeing similar enrollment increases. The existing grass fields have become over-utilized and unrested, and significantly deteriorated in quality.
Put plainly, and as many are aware, the current field inventory in Westport is inadequate. Player safety, given field conditions, is increasingly concerning.
Lower soccer fields at Long Lots Elementary School will soon be closed.
At this point, many Westport kids unfortunately will not be able to participate. Our young athletes are at risk of missing out on the numerous developmental benefits of youth athletics.
Based on the studies presented during the Long Lots construction discussions, it is understood that there are limited opportunities to create new fields in Westport, and maintaining the existing over-utilized grass fields requires more financial resources.
The community desperately needs new investment in the fields. Lighting and artificial surfaces are both reasonable and actionable solutions.
The limited budget allocated to fields to date has resulted in the WSA and other youth programs paying a meaningful per player fee to generate incremental revenue to invest in the existing fields.
Poor condition of Wakeman grass field (lower portion of photo) can be seen from the air.
This was not ideal for our families. But we stressed the importance of the supplemental funding, and the parent community has been willing to do their part for the kids.
Given the availability and quality of the grass fields, turfing in the safest way, using the newest products available must not only be considered, but expedited. The kids and the broader community cannot afford to have an RTM ruling or process that slows down progress.
All opportunities to expand field capacity and improve quality (ranging from lighting to irrigation to resting) should be quickly acted upon. Any ordinance that limits optionality or speed of development would be incredibly unfortunate. We are already years behind other communities on this.
How hard is it to resolve to improve fields for Westport’s kids in the safest way possible?
(“06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Email 06880blog@gmail.com.)
Chanting “We want Russ back!,” “Fire VJ!” and “I don’t recall!,” over 200 students walked out of class and rallied in front of Staples High School this morning.
They supported Russell Oost-Lievense — the boys soccer head coach whose contract non-renewal was affirmed by the Board of Education on Monday — and opposed those board members, superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice, and Staples principal Stafford Thomas and athletic director VJ Sarullo.
“I don’t recall” referred to Thomas’ answers during testimony on Monday. More than a dozen times he said he did not remember events leading to the decision to not rehire Oost-Lievense, who coached at Staples for nearly a decade and had been a captain there before graduating in 2008.
(Photo/Ryan Allen)
Using megaphones, rising captains Dylan Shackelford and Gabe Hellman addressed the crowd.
Alexis Krenzer, a girls soccer player who is coached by Oost-Lievense on her club team, also spoke.
Calling Oost-Lievense a coach who taught her “the importance of integrity and heart — not just in soccer, but in life,” she said, “We’re not here to cause disruption or disrespect. We’re here to stand up for what’s right. We’re here to support Russell, just as he’s supported every one of his players.
“We’re here because fairness matters. We’re here because those in power should be held to the same standards they ask of us. And we’re here because even though staying quiet might be easier, speaking up is what’s right.”
Alexis Krenzer (Photo/Ryan Allen)
One speaker — referencing Oost-Lievense’s work as a special education teacher, and an opponent of bullying — noted, “Russell had our back. Now it’s time to have his.”
Another said, “This was clearly a biased and flawed process. No one should be treated with disrespect. Accountability starts now.”
Across the street 50 parents, alumni and news media watched the rally. The crowd included BOE member Robert Harrington — the only one to vote against Scarice’s non-renewal recommendation — as well as Representative Town Meeting member Andrew Colabella, attorney Steve Shackelford, and Oost-Lievense’s mother.
Supporters on North Avenue. (Photo/Dan Woog)
The students acknowledged Harrington, with a cheer. They also asked “Where’s the board?”
With police nearby, Thomas watched the proceedings at the entrance to the school.
Staples principal Stafford Thomas. (Photo/Ryan Allen)
The walkout was organized by an ad hoc group called #WreckersforRuss.
On social media, they said:
We’re not just walking out for Russ.
We’re walking out for:
— Every coach and teacher who shows up for us.
— Fairness and transparency in Westport.
— A system that actually listens to its community members.
(Photo/Ryan Allen)
They asked “What really happened to Coach Russ?” Their answers:
It wasn’t about abuse. It wasn’t about harm.
It was about a system that chose silence, blocked witnesses, ignored facts, and punished the wrong person.
We’re sharing this so everyone understands: This wasn’t fair. This wasn’t thorough. This wasn’t right.
Russ stood up for us. Now we stand for him, and every coach and teacher who could be next.
Gabe Hellman (Photo/Ryan Allen)
Organizers also noted the coach’s testimony from Monday, describing his father’s death when Oost-Lievense was a junior at Staples,
He said that some of his father’s last words were: “Look after the ones who look after you.”
“He’s done that,” organizers of the rally said. “But the administration didn’t do the same for him.”
(Photo/Ryan Allen)
(Photo/Dan Woog)
Inside the school, moments before walking out. (Photo/Zach Beebe)
The start of the walkout. (Photo/Ryan Allen)
(Photo/Ryan Allen)
The view from above. (Drone photo/Michael Cammeyer)
“06880” asked Kevin Christie why he recused himself from participation in Monday’s hearing regarding the non-renewal of Staples High School boys soccer coach Russell Oost-Lievense’s contract. The Board of Education member says:
I made the difficult decision to recuse myself from this hearing, well before expressing any interest in other local offices, because of my personal connections to the soccer program and case.
Leadership and good governance can often mean making challenging decisions, and I made this decision out of respect for everyone involved. It was not an action I took lightly, and I continue to stand by it.
At Monday’s 14-hour Board of Education hearing, members voted 5-1 against overturning superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice’s decision to not renew the contract of boys soccer head coach Russell Oost-Lievense.
Robert Harrington was the only member voting to reinstate the coach, a former Staples captain whose appeal was bolstered by the presence of dozens of players. Harrington writes to “06880”:
1) The Board of Education failed Westport in the soccer head coach non-renewal hearing. Why did they act like a rubber stamp, and were not concerned with all the withheld evidence and witnesses from our administration?
2) At the tennis coach non-renewal hearing earlier this year, BOE chair Lee Goldstein recused herself. For this soccer hearing, it was first selectman candidate and BOE member Kevin Christie’s turn. Why did Kevin recuse himself, and avoid having to make an important decision? Is that leadership?
3) Staples Principal Thomas Stafford was not in command of any details at the hearing, and represented the Westport Public Schools poorly. Why was he asked to give evidence, yet other valuable witnesses were blocked by Westport Superintendent?
4) I am calling for athletics director VJ Sarullo to immediately step down. When will the drama in the Staples athletics department end?
5) Restoring coaches’ confidence in Westport: What is next for non-renewed soccer coaches?
Robert Harrington
I love being on the Board of Education. But during large parts of a 14-hour testimony on Monday, I felt our community was let down by both our school administration and the actions of the Board of Education.
I am not afraid to vote in a different direction than my fellow board members.
I respect my fellow Board of Education colleagues — but not on this matter. The lack of any questions by the majority of the board toward the administration speaks volumes. Their silence was deafening. The absence of sitting BOE member and nominated Democratic candidate for first selectman Kevin Christie stood out.
I have been a strong supporter of superintendent Scarice on many issues. However, I was highly disappointed with his decision to block 8+ witnesses from the hearing on Monday. This indicated a clear bias.
There are dozens of emails that board members are being prevented from seeing. What is in them?
There was only a very limited investigation into “the incident” in 2024. The investigation basically only lasted from October 24-29. After this date, no additional information or witnesses were considered.
However, there was no communication or updates to the coaches. The administration was playing the long game, and stretching thing out — just as they had done with the tennis coach investigation.
I have serious concerns about how this administration conducts investigations. I also saw this in the antisemitic bullying situation with the Goldberg family last year. There seems to be a pattern here. It is my strong view that the very limited investigation into the soccer coaches was an egregious failure of governance and due process.
Furthermore, the performance and lack of clear answers from the three administration witnesses was highly concerning to me. It doesn’t appear that this was concerning to other board members.
An image of “3 stooges” entered my head on my midnight walk home: the superintendent, Staples principal and athletics director. They could barely recall basic facts about the case.
Staples principal Thomas Stafford seemed to recall almost zero details on any of the matters. His testimony was disrespectful to Westport, the players, and certainly the coaches. Was this the best evidence that was on offer for Westport? Are they taking you seriously?
From left: principal Stafford Thomas, athletic director VJ Sarullo and superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice, at Monday’s hearing.
I truly believe athletic director, VJ Sarullo should lose his job. He is overseeing a sports department that is bungling from one crisis to another. Soaring legal costs. A non-renewal case for a long standing tennis coach that was rightly thrown out, as the paperwork wasn’t correctly done.
A community of sportsmen and women and parents that seems to be turning against him. A tone-deaf approach to abolishing the 60+ year tradition of the Bock “S” award. The list is building. Numerous coaches have reached out to me since the hearing on Monday.
Athletic director VJ Sarullo replaced the traditional block “S” with a generic plaque this year.
Monday’s hearing was an embarrassment to Westport Public Schools and our town. There are more hearings on the way – and probably more legal challenges too.
No wonder our athletic director can longer afford to keep a 60-year+ old Block “S” tradition alive, with all these legal bills building up on his watch.
Let me summarize the lack of evidence and transparency in this hearing from your school district:
The Administration objected to 8 witnesses — including the former athletics director (who was trashed by the Superintendent during the hearing, with zero right to respond). They also did not permit the assistant suprintendent for human resources and coaches in other sports programs at Staples to testify, who could provide insight into training and policies.
The Administration prevented us (and you) from seeing dozens of emails. We will never know what is in them.
When I asked our attorney the weekend before the hearing about this exclusion of evidence, it was suggested I might need to recuse myself, and risk being responsible for a “7-fold increase” in legal costs for BOE.
No one that was a witness to either the 2022 or 2024 incidents was called as a witness by our administration.
Students who were direct witnesses in 2024 came forward to be interviewed by our administration. This was rejected.
Many current players supported coach Russell Oost-Lievense at Monday’s hearing.
The administration admitted that a 2022 coach evaluation was not produced — or they don’t have it. (The notice of non-renewal from our administration did not explicitly refer to an incident in 2022. However, it formed a large part of the administration’s oral testimony)
The Administration would nor or did not make available a report into their own independent investigation of the 2022 situation for the hearing. It never presented the report to the coach back in 2022.
– The Administration would not or did not make available the Department of Children and Family Services report from 2022 that found no wrongdoing by the head coach.
– The Administration reported a misleading call to DCF about a “physical” interaction between a student and (a different soccer coach) in 2024, and knew this not to be the case. Despite this exaggerated report, DCF declined to investigate and notified the administration the same day.
No coaches’ handbook exists in Westport Public Schools. Fortunately. we were told, “We are working on it.”
To be clear: there was no suggestion that head coach Russell Oost-Lievense was physical towards a child. He was not.
Additionally, there was also no suggestion that the head coach had any verbal integrations or disagreements was a student athlete in 2024. He is accused of not reporting a verbal disagreement between another coach and a student.
Both coaches at the hearing said the other coach and student “hugged it out” and resolved their disagreement shortly afterwards, and both apologized to the their teammates.
Furthermore, whilst suspended on full-pay the head coach attended an end-of- season banquet not hosted by the school, nor at the school, and not a school event. He received multiple invitations from booster clubs, players and parents.
He has also asked for clarity, and ultimately left a message to the athletic director informing him that he would be attending the banquet.
The athletic director did not respond or communicate with the head coach about this. Furthermore, neither the superintendent, Staples principal or athletic director attended the banquet, despite the total lack of clarity within the Boys Soccer program. Maybe it wasn’t important to them?
I am glad and proud that head coach Russell Oost-Lievense attended the end of season banquet.
No one in my family plays soccer, and I have never met any of the Staples soccer coaches who were non-renewed in late 2024, until Monday. I was impressed by the head coach and the bond he has formed with his team.
Most of them sat there for 14 hours on Monday. It was a real community. I was proud as a father, and as a board member.
Head coach Russell Oost-Lievense (standing, 3rd from left), with players during a break in Monday’s hearing.
I heard his impactful testimony about how he stood up against bullying on the team in 2022. He immediately reported a truly serious matter back in 2022 to our administration, and they seemingly did nothing.
The compassion and vulnerability from the coach was plain for all to see. He is clearly there 24/7 for these kids, in a role that probably pays $7,000 per a year. He is a full-time teacher in Darien public schools, and has been employed for many years with no issues from that district.
I would be proud for any of my children to have been taught and/or coached by him.
I am deeply concerned with the way this administration and Board of Education have treated this coach.
I know they made the argument on Monday that the program was better off without him. I disagree. The sad statement from me as a sitting Board of Education member is actually the coach maybe better off without Westport or Westport Public Schools.
I have never been more proud than to stand separately from the board, and the embarrassment of a case that the administration made and I witnessed on Monday.
Head coach Russell Oost-Lievense should be reinstated. Staples athletic director, VJ Sarullo should do the right thing, and immediately step down.
(“06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Email 06880blog@gmail.com for details.)
“06880” founder and executive editor Dan Woog writes:
I told the 50 or so Staples High School students who gathered in Town Hall on Monday morning that they would get a far better education about the real world that day than if they were sitting in class.
I did not know that 14 hours later, that lesson would be how heartless the world can be.
And how little some adults care about them, compared to their own desire for power.
Staples students — boys and girls soccer players, and many others — came early for Monday’s hearing.
Staples boys soccer coach Russell Oost-Lievense’s appeal to the Board of Education, to overturn superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice’s decision to not renew his contract, had all the makings of a TV drama.
There was procedural jousting between attorneys over the admissability of evidence; witness testimony and cross-examination that was at turns riveting and rambling; and a raw, emotional explanation by Oost-Lievense about why — after all he’s been through — he still wanted to lead Staples soccer.
Discussing his work as a special education teacher, his own journey through Westport schools with a learning disability, and his father’s death during his junior year, he described his love for the soccer program, and his desire to give back.
The dozens of athletes in the front rows, there to support him, sat riveted. They’d been sitting for 8 hours already. They’d heard back-and-forth about a verbal argument at a preseason retreat they’d attended.
And they’d heard a discussion about an investigation into it, during which not one of them had been questioned.
They watched as administrators sat smugly on their side of the stage, and Board members sat stone-faced, even during the most powerful testimony.
Staples principal Stafford Thomas, athletic director VJ Sarullo, and superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice.
“I think their minds are made up already,” one player said.
“No, they’re supposed to listen to everything, and be impartial,” a teammate countered.
As the night wore on, and the Board of Education retreated upstairs into executive session, the teenagers remained. They ate pizza. They chatted with Oost-Lievense and freshman coach Chris O’Dell.
They waited for word — after testimony, they and many others in the room believed, that showed Scarice’s decision to be “arbitrary and capricious” — that the coach who loved them, and who they loved back, would return to the program they and he adored.
At 11:15 the verdict came, with stunning finality. Five BOE members voted to uphold Scarice’s non-renewal recommendation. Only Robert Harrington voted against it.
At 11 p.m., dozens of Staples students waited for the Board of Education decision. Many left during the day for a class or two, or sports practice, then returned. All watched the proceedings closely. (Photos/Dan Woog)
The Staples players got a lesson in how the world works, for sure.
The world is not fair. It’s not always what they want. It can be arbitrary and capricious.
And so they — and Oost-Lievense’s many supporters, and other Westporters involved with all sports — wonder what’s next.
Why, for example, would any man or woman want to coach in a school district that does not support its coaches — that, in fact, casts them aside with little regard for their longtime contributions, personal reputations and heartfelt emotions?
Why would any coach not fear that an accusation of bad judgment could lead to non-renewal, without even a suggestion of working together to find a solution?
But why, on the other hand, would some coaches fear any discipline at all, knowing that in some programs, serious lapses of judgment lead to no sanctions whatsoever?
Why would any educator want to work in a district that seems so callous? Oost-Lievense testified that in Darien, where he is a special education teacher, supervisors cared deeply about how he was feeling, throughout his ordeal.
No one in Westport ever asked.
And why, in a district that so often pats itself on the back for its achievements in the classroom and beyond, is there such disregard for the very reason any school exists: the young people in it?
On Monday morning, I thought the many teenagers in the Town Hall auditorium would get a lesson in justice, fairness and compassion.
On Monday night, they got that lesson. They learned that some people care more about power than about those very human bedrock values.
Attention, youth sports parents: The “06880” panel on that very topical topic is tomorrow night (Wednesday, 7 p.m., Staples High School cafeteria).
We’ve partnered with Tommy Greenwald — the famed youth adult sports fiction writer, former Staples athlete (and father of 3 athletes) — to present “Fair Play and Foul Behavior: Issues Facing Youth Sports in Today’s World.”
We’ll talk about the achievement/pressure balance, referee abuse, sport specialization, cost, the “academy” syndrome, myths and realities of college recruiting, and more.
I’ll moderate the event, and include time for audience questions. Panelists are:
VJ Sarullo, Staples athletic director
Dave Smith, father of 4 athletes who writes frequently on youth sports topics
Caleb Smith, former Staples quarterback and lacrosse star, now playing football at the University of Connecticut
Heather Talbott, PAL girls lacrosse co-president and basketball organizer; former lacrosse player at Lehigh University
Mark Pressman, longtime football and softball official
Attention, youth sports parents: The “06880” panel on that very topical topic is tomorrow night (Wednesday, 7 p.m., Staples High School cafeteria).
We’ve partnered with Tommy Greenwald — the famed youth adult sports fiction writer, former Staples athlete (and father of 3 athletes) — to present “Fair Play and Foul Behavior: Issues Facing Youth Sports in Today’s World.”
We’ll talk about the achievement/pressure balance, referee abuse, sport specialization, cost, the “academy” syndrome, myths and realities of college recruiting, and more.
I’ll moderate the event, and include time for audience questions. Panelists are:
VJ Sarullo, Staples athletic director
Dave Smith, father of 4 athletes who writes frequently on youth sports topics
Caleb Smith, former Staples quarterback and lacrosse star, now playing football at the University of Connecticut
Heather Talbott, PAL girls lacrosse co-president and basketball organizer; former lacrosse player at Lehigh University
Mark Pressman, longtime football and softball official
Sunday marked the end of Mrs. London’s Westport run.
The popular bakery closed at 7 p.m. It will reopen soon under new ownership: Maman, the New York-based café and bakery chain.
================================================
The Democratic Town Committee inadvertently omitted the name of one candidate, in a press release announcing its Nominating Committee selections for November’s elections.
Bre Injeski has been selected as one of 3 Planning & Zoning Commission nominees. She is a current P&Z alternate, and a municpal and administrative law attorney.
===============================================
One of the main tenets of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Westport and Weston is social justice.
Responding to recent developments on immigrants and their communities, the church’s Immigration and Refugee Committee is hosting an “Accompaniment & Volunteer Information Session.”
Attendees will learn how to support refugee and immigrant communities in Fairfield County.
It’s ladybug season … and the first-ever appearance of this insect in our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
(Photo/Cohl Katz)
================================================
And finally … happy 75th birthday to Stevie Wonder!
We could have picked dozens of great songs. Here are just 3:
(It would be “wonder”-ful if every reader supported “06880.” Or just half! Or a quarter, even. Please click here to show some love for this hyper-local blog. Thank you!)
But the Connecticut Department of Transportation is rousing itself, for another stab at the William F. Cribari Bridge.
Rehabilitation or replacement has been discussed — fitfully — for well over those 6 years. May 8, 2019 marked the last meeting of the “Project Advisory Committee,” established “to assist CTDOT in its decision-making process.”
“We recognize it has been some time, and since then, there have been significant developments both within the community and concerning the project itself. CTDOT is now scheduling a new PAC meeting to provide updates and discuss the project’s progress,” wrote project manager James Barrow II, in an email to a select group.
It includes the 1st Selectwoman; chair of the Planning & Zoning Commission; fire, police and public works officials, some Representative Town Meeting members, and nearby residents.
The meeting — which appears to be open only to those invitees — is this Thursday (May 15, 4 to 6 p.m., Town Hall auditorium).
CTDOT officials have said they will hold a public meeting in the future.
The Democratic Town Committee’s Nominating Committee has recommended 10 candidates to run in November’s election.
If approved July 15 by the full DTC — along with Board of Selectperson candidates Kevin Christie and Amy Wistreich — they’ll be on the municipal election ballot.
The Nominating Committee has chosen:
Board of Education:Lauren Karpf, RTM Deputy Moderator and Education Committee chair; Abby Tolan, current BOE member and former PTA Special Education co-chair.
Board of Finance:Allyson Stollenwerck, current BOF member and international nonprofit executive; Elaine Whitney, former BOE chair and healthcare management executive.
Planning & Zoning Commission; Michael Cammeyer, current P&Z secretary and mergers and acquisitions consulting executive; Neil Cohn, current P&Z vice chair and sustainable finance and digital technologies executive.
Board of Assessment Appeals:Ifeseyi Gayle, current BAA member and DTC volunteer; Lynette Pineda, current BAA member and commercial real estate executive.
Zoning Board of Appeals: Sheri Gordon, Former BOF chair and current ZBA alternate. Joe Scordato, current ZBA member and legal and compliance executive.
=================================================
On Saturday, Hannah Schneewind posted this photo on Facebook:
She wrote: “Does anyone know if there is a trend or dare involving whipped cream cans? Every day, I see them when I go for a walk. I have seen them in a variety of locations. Any ideas?”
There were plenty.
The nitrous oxide in the canisters is being inhaled. Called “whippets,” it produces a short high. But it can also cause oxygen deprivation, leading to fainting, brain damage, even death.
A Staples High School graduate died several years ago, from inhalation.
Diane Lowman — who alerted “06880” to the post — notes that finding cans on the roadside means teenagers and young adults are probably doing whippets while they or their friends are driving.
FoundHer is a Westport-based, female-focused recruiting company. They specialize in women re-entering the workforce after a brief career break, and commuters looking for a local or flexible position.
Tomorrow (Tuesday, May 13, 6:30 to 8:30 a.m.), you can find FoundHer at Steam Coffee Bar, on Railroad Place by the train station.
You’ll also find, to your delight, that your first cup of coffee or tea is on them.
“Arrive for your train a little early and chat about the current job market,” FoundHer says.==================================================
he RTM Environment and Health & Human Services Committees meet jointly tomorrow (Tuesday, May 13, 7 p.m., Town Hall Room 201).
There is one agenda item: “discussion about artificial turf ordinance.”
There are 4 artificial turf fields in Westport: Paul Lane (above) and Jinny Parker Fields at Staples, Wakeman adjacent to Bedford Middle School, and PJ Romano behind Saugatuck Elementary School.
Plenty of Westporters celebrated Mothers Day yesterday with a trip to Compo Beach.
The weather was mid-May nice. Time to take off all those layers!
(Photo/William Weiss)
When the crowds were gone, what remained was a scene we’ll see repeated often, over the next few months:
(Photo/Copyright DinkinESH Fotografix)
Of course, not everyone left.
These scenes too will be familiar — as they have been for years — in the months ahead:
(Photo/Sunil Hirani)
(Photo/Copyright DinkinESH Fotografix)
=================================================
Staples High School junior Jade Reejhsinghani has had a life-threatening peanut allergy since she was 2.
In elementary school she felt isolated at the nut-free table. In 7th grade she was diagnosed with allergies to eggs, dairy and soy.
Eating at a restaurant with friends puts her in danger of anaphylaxis. People have told her, “just eat at home.”
Classmate Claire Harris is also allergic to peanuts. In 2020 she started oral immunotherapy. That’s changed her life for the better.
The two girls run a Staples club called Food Allergy Education. May is Food Allergy Awareness Month. They help students — especially younger ones — feel empowered living with their food allergies.
On June 1 (9 a.m. to noon Staples High School track), they’re joining with the non-profit FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) to sponsor a walk. The goal is to raise both awareness and funds.
Frank Sinatra is coming to the Westport Country Playhouse.
Also Carrie Bradshaw.
Okay, one is dead. The other was never alive.
But both are “starring” on the historic stage.
On June 27 (8 p.m.), Cary Hoffman turns his “My Sinatra” PBS special into a one-man musical play.
It’s a hilarious, poignant show about his love for Ol’ Blue Eyes, and the perils of wanting to be someone else. Learn more and order tickets here.
On July 9 (8 p.m.), Candace Bushnell — creator of “Sex and the City” — takes the Playhouse audience on a tour of New York, from Studio 54 to the Lipstick Jungle. “Meet the real Carrie Bradshow!” the WCP says.
One more attraction: on July 20 (7 p.m.), Grammy Award-winning bluegreass/ Americana band Steep Canyon Rangers bring their mountain music to the Playhouse. Here’s more info on the show, and tickets.
================================================
My Lucky Penny — a children’s clothing story at 8 Church Street South, just behind Little Barn — has its grand opening May 31 (noon to 5 p.m.).
Penny is owner Rhoda Schwartz’s daughter. Born with a brain deformity, she had 4 surgeries. Today she is a gifted artist, who also sews all types of clothing.
Rhoda Schwartz’s daughter, in My Lucky Penny.
================================================
Congratulations to Staples grads Emma Ashe (Class of 2022) and Kate Smith (’23).
Both play on the Boston College women’s club lacrosse team — and yesterday, they won the Women’s College Lacrosse Association Division I national championship, in Wichita, Kansas. Here is the full report.
Emma is the team’s vice president. Kate will be captain next year, as the team goes for a two-fer.
Emma Ashe and Kate Smith: national champs!
=================================================
Speaking of former Staples athletes: George Robbins’ Raleigh Bombers team just won the Over-50 Triangle Adult Soccer League championship.
George — a 1990 SHS grad, and former soccer captain — plays central midfield.
And he could probably play pretty well with today’s much-younger-than-50 crowd too.
George Robbins
==============================================
Another season of live music on Church Lane begins May 22.
Featured artists are Staples senior Vivian Shamie and her sophomore sister Willa. They sing contemporary pop, and covers. (Hat tip: Andrew Colabella)
===============================================
What would we do without the month of May?!
Today’s “Westport … Naturally” super-spring foliage shot comes from Ellen Wentworth, on Highland Road:
And finally … Yogi Berra was born 100 years ago today. The Hall of Fame catcher and homespun philosopher may not have said everything he said he said, but who cares? Happy birthday, Yogi!
(Yogi once said, “The future ain’t what it used to be.” We say, “The future ain’t the future if you don’t support ‘06880.’” Yogi joins us in saying, “Please click here to help!”)
Click here to help support “06880” via credit card or PayPal. Any amount is welcome, appreciated — and tax-deductible! Reader contributions keep this blog going. (Alternate methods: Please send a check to “06880”: PO Box 744, Westport, CT 06881. Or use Venmo: @blog06880. Or Zelle: dwoog@optonline.net. Thanks!)
GET THE “06880” APP
The “06880” app (search for it on the Apple or Android store) is the easiest way to get “06880.” Choose notifications: whenever a new post is published, or once or twice a day. Click here for details.
After moving back, I immediately became involved in the local youth soccer programs that had such a meaningful impact on my life. Our Westport Soccer Association is a non-profit that organizes travel and rec programs for more than 1,600 kids each fall and spring.
