Longtime and much-loved Staples High School Latin teacher, and former Jesuit priest Daniel (Dan) Sullivan died peacefully on September 15 in Nashua, New Hampshire. He was 96.
Born in East Providence, Rhode Island, he and his brothers and sisters grew up in South Boston. After graduating from Mission Church High School in Roxbury, Massachusetts, he entered the Jesuit seminary at Shadowbrook in Lenox, Massachusetts. He later attended the Weston School of Theology at Boston College and was ordained in 1960, celebrating his first Mass in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
During his time in the Jesuits Dan began his life-long career of teaching Latin and Greek, which led to years spent at Fairfield Preparatory School, Greenwich Day School and Staples High (where he often arrived on his motorcycle, and taught until he was 78). He was an inspiration and mentor to many students.
Dan Sullivan
In 1974 Dan met the love of his life, Maria Thompson. Married in August of 1979, they traveled together throughout New England. They found their home away from home in Vils, Austria, where he hiked, swam in mountain lakes, and explored shops and small villages with Maria.
Dan was always up for a quick trip to the North End of Boston for cannoli, no matter the time or the distance.
Dan had a life-long insatiable curiosity and a love of reading and language. He would often discuss an article from the New York Times (which he read voraciously), or recite a stanza of Latin poetry.
He had books in Latin, German, and Greek at all times, along with thrillers, poetry, and others on any subject about which he wanted to learn.
Dan is predeceased by his wife Maria Thompson; his brothers and sisters Sidney Sullivan, Harold Sullivan, Ethel Dow, Patricia Johnson, Sheila Vigenski and Mary Margaret Sullivan. and his stepson Scott Thompson. He is survived by his stepson Keith (Kate) Thompson, grandchildren Heather, Tara, Erik and Bridget; great-children Zachary, Gemma and Isabella; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
A memorial service will be held at Saugatuck Congregational Church on November 7 (11 a.m.).
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pequot Library in Southport.
Big, bold, brassy — and filled with talented, energetic actors — “The Music Man” marched onto the Staples High School stage in the fall of 2016.
Ten years later, former media teacher Jim Honeycutt has turned directors David Roth and Kerry Long’s musical production into a highlight reel.
Click here or below, to tootle along with this classic show.
What have some of those stars gone on to do, over the past decade?
Jacob Leaf (Professor Harold Hill) is a professional actor. He has appeared in “Mamma Mia!,” “Gypsy,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Eurydice” and more.
Sophia Sherman (Mrs. Paroo) studied acting and performing arts management at the University of Michigan. Based in Los Angeles, Sophia has focused on screen acting.
Brooke Wrubel(Mrs. Paroo) is a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia University specializing in Early Christian, Byzantine and Western Medieval Art, with a focus on the development of pilgrimage shrines across Italy, Greece and the Holy Land. She holds a BA in art history and Italian studies from Bowdoin College, and an MA in the history of art from the University of Pennsylvania.
Antonio Antonelli (Mayor Shinn) is an actor and crew member. He voiced the character Shane in “Santaman,” an appeared as Wes in “Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow.”
Zoe Samuels (Eulalie Shinn, Pick-A-Little Lady Shirley Mason) is an associate strategy director at Edelman. She graduated with a degree in theater and Chinese from Middlebury College.
Colin McKechnie (Tommy Djilas) is part of the premiere of Dance With Us with DGDC. He graduated from Ithaca College g with a BFA in acting, and a minor in dance. A stage and screen actor, he is playing Tony in the film adaption of Stephen King’s “I Know What You Need.”
Mikayla Czizik (Zaneeta Shin) is a New York-based actor, singer and dancer. She graduated with a BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch and the Atlantic Acting School. She played Ash in her UK and Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut.
Avery Mendillo (Pick-A-Little Lady Ethel Toffelmeier) is a New York–based actor and singer with roots in musical theatre, and a career in film and TV. She recently filmed her first feature film.
Jackie Rhoads (Pick-A-Little Lady Sadie Hawthorne) is a filmmaker, actor, writer and producer, who studied film at Vanderbilt University. She creates and stars in videos on her YouTube channel, which has over 20,000 subscribers, and supports the development team at Fivestone Studios, a production company based in Nashville.
Sydney Carlson (Pick-A-Little Lady Avis Grub) is an actress, model and internet personality known for her work in “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies,” and as co-founder of the phone-case brand Wildflower Cases.
Cooper Gusick (Winthrop Paroo) gained early attention for his viral cover of “Waving Through a Window” from “Dear Evan Hansen,” at 8 years old. He appeared in local modeling and performance features as a child.
Ari Frimmer (Winthrop Paroo) is a Connecticut-based actor known for local regional and school productions.
Nick Rossi (Clayton Squires) is a professional singer, actor and musician. He has appeared regionally in “Master Harold … and the Boys,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Pericles,” “La Cage Aux Folles” and “Jersey Boys.”
Cameron Mann (Edwin Squires) delivered a powerful, breakout performance as Ryan Ross in “Mare of Easttown,” playing a central role alongside Kate Winslet, and a pivotal role in the star-studded dark comedy “Eddington.”
With significant storm impacts expected to continue through today, Westport’s Parks & Recreation Department has closed all town parks, athletic fields, beaches and racquet facilities.
Staff will assess conditions, and provide an update regarding Monday operations.
Residents are urged to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities. Remain alert for downed trees, falling branches, flooding and potential power outages.
Do not drive through flooded roadways, or drive around barricades or road closures. Barricades are in place for your safety. Turn around and use an alternate route.
For additional storm information and preparedness guidance, click here.
One reason Compo Beach will remain closed today. (Photo/Eric Bosch)
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Meanwhile: It’s tough to see in this photo, but there was one surfer on Long Island Sound yesterday afternoon.
(Photo/Shelley Lowenstein)
Let’s hope he made it to shore safely.
And did not endanger any rescuers in the process.
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Congratulations to this year’s inductees in the Staples High School football program’s Wall of Fame.
Honored earlier this season were:
Ryan Bohling: In 2004 and ’05 as a running back, he helped lead Staples to 2 state championship. A 2-time All-FCIAC pick, he was a 4-year varsity player at Middlebury College. He now lives in Westchester County with his wife and 2 sons.
Ryan Bohling
Scott Clukies; Co-captain of the 1996 team that posted the first winning season in 12 yeas; 2-year All-FCIAC pick, playing fullback and outside linebacker. After playing at Bates College, Scott now lives in London with his wife and 2 daughters.
Scott Clukies
Doron Stember: Co-captain of the 1991 team; running back and special teams star; Block “S” MVP. Doron played at Tufts University, and is a urologist. He livs in New York with his family.
Bill Kashetta: One of the greatest athletes in Staples history (football, basketball, baseball). First team All-State in football; earned a Division I scholarship to the University of Idaho. A stalwart Staples sports fan who died in 2020, his 2ons David and Daniel also played for the Wreckers.
Bill Kashetta
Jack McFarland: Joined the football staff in 1994; with coach Marce Petroccio, their teams won 3 state championships and 5 FCIAC titles. As head baseball coach since 2005, he has won 3 state and 4 FCIAC crowns. A grade level assistant at Staples, he lives in Monroe with his wife and 4 daughters.
Jack McFarland
Jesse McCray: Joined the football staff in 1993; with coach Marce Petroccio, their teams won 3 state championships and 5 FCIAC titles. Now the head girls track and field coach, his teams have won 3 state and 4 FCIAC championships. A grate level assistant at Staples, he lives in Hamden with his wife and 2 sons.
Save the date: CraftWestport returns to the Staples High School fieldhouse November 7 and 8.
Over 165 artists and makers will be there, for “handmade holiday shopping.”
It’s a major fundraiser for the Women’s League of Westport, which provides financial support to area non-profits.
One of over 165 booths at CraftWestport.
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Longtime Westport resident Fausto Carusone died peacefully. surrounded by his family. He was 78.
Born in Italy, in 1969 he married Stefana.
For more than 30 years, Fausto was a Connecticut state marshal. He was respected for his strong work ethic, professionalism, and dedication to public service.
He is survived by his sons Salvatore (Sarah), Fausto Jr. (Rachel) and Steven (Athena), and grandchildren Madeline, Eugenio, Lia, Isa and Christian.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday (September 30, 10 a.m., Assumption Church). Entombment will follow at Willowbrook Cemetery.
Calling hours will be held on Tuesday (September 29, 4 to 7 p.m., Harding Funeral Home).
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association.
Fausto Carusone
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Many Westporters hunkered down in yesterday’s storm.
Diane Lowman was out — and spotted this creature by the Cribari Bridge, posing for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
And finally … on this date in 1825, the world’s first public railway to use steam locomotives — the Stockton and Darlington — was opened. The engine “Locomotion” pulled wagons with coal and passengers from Shildon to Darlington to Stockton.
Staples High School’s Internship Program is a win-win-win.
Every spring, talented and eager seniors leave school 3-4 weeks before graduation. They spend the final month out in the real world.
They work everywhere: retail, salons, restaurants, non-profits, medical offices, financial firms, design shops, farms, marketing companies, photography studios, publishers … you name it. If there’s a job to be learned and done, they do it.
(And not just in Westport. Interns head to New York City — even beyond.)
Luke Della Valle and Anderson Seo interned with the Westport Conservation Department last year.
The work and real life experience they gain is invaluable. The energy, creativity — and help — they bring to the workplace is huge. And the internships get them out of high school at a time when senioritis would otherwise kick in (that’s the third “win”).
Sadie Katzner and Freya Harvey worked with Strong Girls Training.
But as hard as they work, the program coordinators work equally hard right now arranging 420 or so internships.
So they’re asking the greater “06880” community: Can you help?
Do you need a senior (or two, or three) for daily onsite (or remote) work? Perhaps you’re beefing up your social media presence. Or looking for research help, design work, web content, data entry. Or hundreds of other tasks.
You can be a small, medium or large size firm– or a single proprietor. Maybe you were an intern once yourself, and want to give back.
Matthew Anto rocked the School of Rock.
Internships begin May 17, and run through June 7. Students are expected to work 5 hours a day onsite, remotely or in a hybrid model. Program leaders provide guidance and oversight.
If interested, or to learn more, email program directors Lauren Goldshore and Jessica Larit: shsinternship@westportps.org.
Hannah Bitsky interned at the Westport Police Department.
(“06880” often covers Westport businesses and non-profits, and of course our schools. Sometimes — like today — they all intersect. If you like stories like this, please click here to support us. Thank you!)
When Stella DiGeronimo’s grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the Westport teenager spent a lot of time with him at his Southport facility.
She wanted to know more, about him and the other residents. That sent her down a rabbit hole of information.
Stella realized the importance of talking to senior citizens. The more she did, the more she understoo how much “nuance and depth” they had.
And the more she recognized the need to write down those stories.
Stella already had a lot on her plate. A senior 3-sport athlete — field hockey, and captain of both the ski and softball teams, as well as president of the Democratic Women of Staples — she nonetheless encouraged her friends Sammy Stevenson and Alex Price to join the new venture.
They found the Legacy Project. The national non-profit, which began at Tufts University, connects younger and older adults for multigenerational friendship and storytelling. Together they combat social isolation and loneliness, and document life stories.
There are about 70 chapters nationwide. Nearly all are at colleges; a few are in high schools.
The girls reached out to the Westport Center for Senior Activities. Nine Staples students — Stella, Alex, Sammy, Addison Dennett, Hayley Epstein, Mehmet Madigan, Emerson Menoni, Piper Salik and Ella White — were paired with older men and women.
Then the fun — the conversations — began.
Some students used scripts. Some asked about “themes” love, hardship, etc.) They met often, in a variety of settings.
Stella — paired with Penny Pearlman — just started asking questions about the older woman’s life. Things flowed freely from there.
When Penny’s husband died, she felt as if she’d lost her identity. So, she told Stella, she picked up flamenco dancing.
The idea came on a whim. She spent a month in Spain with a group of much younger women. And Penny does not speak Spanish.
“That was so inspiring!” Stella says.
From left: Stella DiGeronimo (center) with Penny Pearlman and Maggie DiGeronimo.
Each interview was recorded. Stella transcribed them all into a large Google doc. Every teen turned their interview into a story.
Another woman described her many years abroad, as the wife of a NATO diplomat. She had no official title, but she organized refugee operations at dozens of sites across Europe.
Other interviewees told other stories about their long, remarkable — and often untold — lives.
The result is a book: “The Art of Flying Anyway.” The Legacy Project takes care of all publication details, as it does for several books a year.
The title comes from something one of the interviewees said: a bumblebee should not be able to fly, but it does.
The cover — complete with bees — was created by the teens and seniors together.
“This is really important,” Stella says. “Social media shows current information. But so much history is being lost or forgotten.”
It’s important to her personally, too.
“I got such a better grasp on life,” Stella says about the project.
“We’re taught that things are always linear, from point A to B.
“I realize now things don’t always go the way they’re planned. It’s more about how you react to things, that really makes up a life.”
(Stella thanks several key players who helped along the way, including the communities at The Residence, Maplewood at Southport, and the Westport Senior Center, including director Wendy Petty; The Legacy Project and co-founder and CEO, Arielle Galinsky, and Rozanne Gates, founder of The Legacy Project USA, an independent organization.)
(“06880” frequent reports on stories about Westport teenagers, older residents — and everyone in between. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Though nearly 3,000 miles apart, there are plenty of similarities between Westport, Connecticut and Mill Valley, California.
Located in 2 of the wealthiest counties in the country (Fairfield and Marin), real estate prices are similar. Schools are excellent; there’s a townwide focus on kids. Working class folks were priced out a while ago.
Downtowns are walkable, with lots of restaurants. We’ve got a beach; theirs is a bit further away, but redwood forests and hiking trails are very close.
The city seal of the California town includes an old mill. We are known for one Old Mill in particular.
Both are commuter suburbs (New York and San Francisco). Since COVID, many more people work part- or full-time at home. That means more traffic — and more aggressive drivers.
Downtown Mill Valley. Like Westport, but with wider streets and different trees.
For years, Mill Valley families have moved to Westport. And vice versa.
Take Urban Carmel.
After graduating from Staples High School in 1981, where he was a track and cross country star, he embarked in a career in business development, including managing director at UBS Asset Management.
In Mill Valley he chaired the Library’s board of trustees and Planning Commission, then served as mayor earlier this decade. His focus was on wildfire safety, infrastructure and fiscal responsibility.
Former mayor Urban Carmel rocked a Westport shirt at a recent City Council meeting.
But this story is not about Urban Carmel. It’s about Janet Miller.
On Monday night, the City Council honored the 1982 Staples grad for her exceptional efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the town.
She was hailed for her work in special education and disability rights. Janet served on the school district Board of Trustees; co-founded a sports program and became director, focusing on recreation, arts, social and community programs that foster belonging and connections; worked to overcome language barriers; expanded the Challenger Baseball League (Westport has one too; produced a documentary on neurodiversity — and that is just a very short list.
Janet has done much, much more, in many ways and throughout Mill Valley.(Want the long version? Scroll to the bottom, for the official proclamation.)
Janet Miller, accepting her award.
Former Mayor Carmel presided over the ceremony. He read into the record a heartfelt letter from 4 of Janet’s friends — all fellow Staples alums. They said:
We, Janet’s dear friends from the East Coast — Lynn, Judy, Jan and Callie — would like to add our congratulations to this evening’s celebration. Along with Janet, we have been a band of 5, with our friendships spanning back to our elementary days, having grown up together in Westport, CT (where, by the way, a few other notable Mill Valley residents hail from as well), Janet was teaching us about inclusion and giving to causes beyond ourselves.
It was during our high school years that Janet taught us about giving beyond ourselves. She shared with us her passion to Save The Seals, introduced us to Amnesty International and Greenpeace, way before any of us had an inkling about getting involved in movements beyond ourselves. We gave money and had stickers galore!
Janet has always been our worldly, intelligent, thoughtful friend, who does not look for the limelight, yet is there working hard to educate herself and motivate others to make a difference in the lives of many.
We can say with certainty that our friendship with Janet has helped us to be better versions of ourselves. Before any of the titles this city has so rightly given Janet, she was already exactly who she is today: the person who shows up, who notices who’s been left out, and who quietly makes room for everyone else.
That’s the same quality she has brought to Mill Valley — here with her expanded life experiences, particularly in the world of autism and disabilities, she has greatly widened her circle.
Mill Valley clearly recognizes what we’ve known since childhood: that there is no more loyal friend, no more devoted advocate, and no better person to have in your corner than Janet Miller.
We thank former Mayor Urban Carmel for sending this story. A full continent and 40-plus years later, he’s still an “06880” reader.
We also like the final line of his email: “I’ve often thought Westport and Mill Valley should become sister cities.”
Then again — thanks to him, Janet Miller and so many others — we already are.
(Want to see the ceremony? Click here. It starts 6 minutes, 15 seconds in.)
A PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MILL VALLEY HONORING JANET MILLER AS A VOLUNTEER ALL-STAR
WHEREAS, since moving to Mill Valley in November 1996 with her husband Dan, Janet Miller has been a visionary community leader, business executive, and disability advocate who, while raising their two sons, Connor and Tyler, in the community, channeled her family’s personal experiences into a lifelong mission to build a more inclusive, accessible town; and
WHEREAS, in 2006, Janet founded It Takes a Village (ITAV), a Special Education PTA dedicated to supporting students with disabilities and their families, serving as President for five years, building vital advocacy programs, and earning the Golden Bell Award from the Mill Valley School District for her outstanding leadership; and
WHEREAS, Janet championed inclusive education, expanded support services, and worked tirelessly to ensure every student had access to opportunities for success while serving on the Mill Valley School District Board of Trustees from 2008 to 2011; and
WHEREAS, inspired by her family and co-founding Project Awareness and Special Sports (PAASS) with her younger son, Tyler, Janet continues to serve as Executive Director, providing transformative sports, recreation, arts, social, and community programs that foster belonging, independence, and meaningful connections; and
WHEREAS, recognizing the essential role of creative expression, Janet established Artists without Boundaries as an offshoot of PAASS to support participants facing language barriers, sharing a deep artistic passion and common language through photography with her older son, Connor; and
WHEREAS, Janet spearheaded inclusive recreational programming in close partnership with Mill Valley Recreation and expanded the Challenger Baseball League into Ross, San Rafael, and Novato, enabling hundreds of children and young adults with disabilities to experience the joy of team sports; and
WHEREAS, her dedicated leadership extended to Integrated Community Services (ICS), where she served as President for nine years and continues as a Director, advancing critical programs, advocacy, and community partnerships to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, Janet brought stories of inclusion to the screen by producing the impact documentary The Art of Belonging, in partnership with Splicer Films, celebrating the talents of neurodiverse individuals and highlighting the indispensable role of community volunteers; and
WHEREAS, in her professional role as Senior Vice President of Customer Experience and Strategy at Republic Indemnity, Janet advocates for neurodiversity in the workplace, championing inclusive hiring practices and demonstrating that diverse perspectives drive innovation, creativity, and stronger teams; and
WHEREAS, her widespread volunteer work includes supporting the Tam High Boosters, Tamalpais Community Services District (TCSD) events, and local initiatives, earning her the Jefferson Award, the Mill Valley Volunteer Award, and recognition as a Helix Gala Honoree; and
WHEREAS, Janet’s life work is guided by the powerful belief that every individual deserves the opportunity to be seen, valued, and belong, proving that when communities embrace the strengths of every individual, everyone benefits, and demonstrating that community is everything;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, on this 21st day of September 2026, that the City Council of the City of Mill Valley honors Janet Miller for her extraordinary volunteerism, advocacy, and devotion to Mill Valley. We extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation for her lifelong contributions, recognizing her as a driving force in making our community more welcoming, inclusive, and compassionate for generations to come.
Our series of Staples Players’ highlight reels continues with the spring 2016 production of “The Drowsy Chaperone.”
The farce parodying 1920 American musical comedy was a different show for directors David Roth and Kerry Long.
Of course, it was a smash.
As always, this nutshell comes courtesy of former Staples media instructor Jim Honeycutt. Click here or below to see.
In the decade since, many actors have gone on to successful careers, both onstage and off. For example:
Christian Melhuish (Robert Martin) is a singer, actor and dancer in New York. After graduating from Temple University with a BFA in musical theater, Christian has performed regionally around the country. Credits include Jesus (“Godspell”), Romeo (“Romeo & Juliet”) and Bob Gaudio (“Jersey Boys”). He has also performed Off-Broadway and in cabarets and staged readings.
Keanan Pucci (Robert Martin, Butler) graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, contributing to virtual production pipelines and visual development for projects like Netflix’s “Escape from Hat.” His film credits include “An Inconsistent Story in Stealing. Click here for a showcase of his interactive and 3D work.
Colin McKechnie (George) is part of the premiere of Dance With Us with DGDC. He graduated from Ithaca College g with a BFA in acting, and a minor in dance. A stage and screen actor, he is playing Tony in the film adaption of Stephen King’s “I Know What You Need.”
Remy Laifer (Feldzeig) is a New York-based actor and musician. A graduate of Northwestern University’s theatre program, he has appeared on television in NBC’s “New Amsterdam.” His film work includes “Escape from Myrtle Broadway” and “3 Worlds, 1 Modern Romance.”
Wellington Baumann (Feldzeig) is a litigation associate at Fried Frank in New York City. focusing on white collar criminal defense, commercial disputes and real estate litigation. He is a graduate of Gettysburg College and the Washington & Lee University School of Law.
Julia Mandelbaum (Kitty) graduated from Rider University. She performed professionally in “Evita,” “Singing in the Rain,” and more
Jimmy Ray Stagg (Gangster #2) is a sketch writer and performer associated with The Second City. He also performs with the independent comedy group Penny For Your Intrusive Thoughts.
Jacob Leaf(Adolpho) is a professional actor. He has appeared in “Mamma Mia!,” “Gypsy,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Eurydice” and more.
Caroline Didelot(Janet Van De Graff) appeared in “Kinky Boots” at Baldwin Wallace University, “42nd Street” at New London Barn Playhouse, and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” for Prime Video.
Jordan Goodness (The Drowsy Chaperone) is an SEO manager. Her specialties include writing, content marketing, keyword research, data analysis and technical SEO.
Mackenzie Lavoie (Reporters, Maid)earned a bachelor of science in arts administration, combined arts and a minor in film and media studies at Wagner College. She is a communications and PR professional specializing in strategic storytelling, media relations and brand positioning.
Nick Ribolla (Gangster #1) is an actor and archival producer known for his work on documentary-style and short film projects including “The Janes,” “Love & Stuff” and “Maybe Next Time.”
Daniel Pauker (Superintendent, Butler) is a technical animator. He has a passion for 3D software and systems.
Mikayla Czizik (Bridesmaid) is a New York-based actor, singer and dancer. She graduated with a BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch and the Atlantic Acting School. She played Ash in her UK and Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut.
Mia Kobylinski (Bridesmaid) is a designer at Snake River Interiors. Her love of travel and photography help her gather design inspiration from all over the world.
Zoe Samuels (Bridesmaid) (Bridesmaid) is an associate strategy director at Edelman. She graduated with a degree in theater and Chinese from Middlebury College.
Chad Celini (Butler) is an actor and performer who works in regional theater and independent productions. He has appeared in “Godspell,” “Curtains” and holiday musical revues, and on screen in the 2025 film “Game Over.”
Samantha Medina Chachra (The Drowsy Chaperone) is a New York City-based actress, singer-songwriter, and cellist. She incorporates her cello skills into producing pop and corporate music tracks.
Nick Rossi(Butler) is a professional singer, actor and musician. He has appeared regionally in “Master Harold … and the Boys,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Pericles,” “La Cage Aux Folles” and “Jersey Boys.”
Avery Mendillo (Maid) is a New York–based actor and singer with roots in musical theatre, and a career in film and TV. She recently filmed her first feature film.
Jackie Rhoads(Maid) is a filmmaker, actor, writer and producer, who studied film at Vanderbilt University. She creates and stars in videos on her YouTube channel, which has over 20,000 subscribers, and supports the development team at Fivestone Studios, a production company based in Nashville.
Zoe Fox (Trix the Aviatrix) has extensive acting experience, ranging from “Grease” and “Hello Dolly!” to Shakespeare.
Brooke Wrubel(Maid) is a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia University specializing in Early Christian, Byzantine and Western Medieval Art, with a focus on the development of pilgrimage shrines across Italy, Greece and the Holy Land. She holds a BA in art history and Italian studies from Bowdoin College, and an MA in the history of art from the University of Pennsylvania.
For weeks after the Twin Towers fell, we felt a welter of emotions: Sorrow. Rage. Numbness. Uncertainty.
Westporters wanted to help, in any way they could. Some volunteered at Ground Zero. Some tended to victims’ families. A few joined the military.
Alexis Liistro, in Staples’ Class of 2002 yearbook.
Alexis Liistro was a senior at Staples High School. Her younger sister Samantha was a freshman. Alexis took her out of school.
After they finally got hold of their parents, the sisters headed to Compo Beach.
Across Long Island Sound, they saw the destruction unfolding. Smoke filled the horizon.
A quarter century later, Alexis remembers how peaceful the water was.
“We were standing on this pristine, familiar beach where everything felt strangely safe and still, while not very far away something almost incomprehensibly horrific was happening,” she says.
“I looked across the Sound, and tried to reconcile those two realities. How could the water be so calm and beautiful, when there was so much horror just beyond it?”
A calm day at Compo Beach (Photo/Justin Reed)
That fall, in her Graphic Design class, that memory became the foundation for a piece.
A friend had an older photograph of the New York skyline, and gave it to Alexis. She was learning Photoshop, and experimented with the image.
She removed the World Trade Center from the skyline — but left the towers visible, in the Hudson River’s reflection.
That became the message: “Gone … but never forgotten.”
Alexis Liistro’s image.
“The towers are physically absent from the city, but they remain in the water,” Alexis explains.
“At the time I was thinking about the people our community had lost, including parents of kids I knew, and about the idea that someone’s physical absence does not erase their presence from our lives. The reflection became a way of representing memory.”
Alexis’s piece became part of 2 fundraisers: one by the Staples High Art Club, the other by the Key Club. Both raised money to help families affected by the attacks.
Twenty-five years later, Alexis says, “the image affects me differently. At 17, I was trying to make sense of something that I didn’t have the life experience or vocabulary to fully comprehend.
“I wasn’t trying to make some grand statement about history. I was trying to express what I had actually felt standing beside my little sister at Compo Beach that day: the surreal coexistence of extraordinary beauty and unimaginable horror, separated only by a stretch of peaceful water.
Alexis Liistro, today.
Looking at it now, she says, “I think that is why the reflection still feels meaningful to me. Twenty-five years have passed. The skyline changed. We grew up. Families learned how to continue living with people missing from them. An entire generation has been born that has no memory of September 11 at all.
“But the reflection is still there.
In a way she could not have understood when she created it, Alexis says, “that may be what remembering actually is. The world continues above the surface, but what was lost remains reflected beneath it.”
Alexis now lives and practices intellectual property law in San Francisco.
But — like 9/11 itself — her image of the New York City skyline, and the gone-but-not-forgotten Twin Towers, lives on.
Yesterday — based on inaccurate information — our “06880” Roundup reported that the Board of Finance turned down a Public Works Department request for equipment for the Ned Dimes Marina renovation project.
Public Works director Larry Roberts clarifies: “We brought an appropriation request to the Board of Finance, but it was withdrawn due to inaccuracies in the accompanying materials.
“In any event, the work was not anticipated to begin until after the summer boating season.”
Speaking of last Sunday’s flood: In 2021, the Westport Arts Advisory Committee partnered with landowner David Waldman. They installed 5 mini-murals in the alley behind Anthropologie.
This one depicts what Westport artist Rebecca Ross thought Westport would look like in 50 years.
As Miggs Burroughs notes: “She was off by only 45.”
Westoberfest is less than 2 weeks away.
The 9th annual craft beer and family fall event returns Saturday, October 3 (1 to 5 p.m., Elm Street. Among the highlights: craft beer, music, food, art, shopping, and family-fun activities.
Admission is free. Guests who want to sample more than 50 local and regional beers, from over 20 breweries, can purchase a tasting pass.
This year, Westoberfest introduces a collaboration with 3 local arts organizations for hands-on creativity in the family area.
MoCA\CT invites families to design tote bags using colorful stamps, patterns and doodles, then take them home. One River School of Art + Design offers a fall-inspired mandala activity, while Whimsy Works Atelier brings parent-child creative play.
The family area, sponsored by Gault Family Companies, will feature carnival games from Chris and Pete Amusements, pumpkin decorating, and more.
For friendly competition, the annual stein-holding competition, hosted by CBS News weather anchor and Westport resident Lonnie Quinn, will once again challenge participants to show off their strength and stamina.
One Bad Oyster takes the stage with their energetic ska-surf sound.
Food and treats will be served by Blind Rhino, Freshko by Krisia, Fryborg, LemoNate’s, Lovely Chocolate by Talita Dupin, Paradise Island Food, and Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.
Elm Street will also feature a shopping and services vendor area
A beer tasting pass is $50 now, $55 on-site. Click here to purchase. Beer tasting participants receive a Westoberfest tasting glass and koozie.
Wakeman Town Farm’s “Fantastic Farmhands” welcomed a special guest last week: monarch watch conservation specialist Alice Ely.
She helped the youngsters release Petey, a monarch butterfly, and provided a fascinating peek into the science behind monarch migration.
Before Petey took off, Alice attached a tiny radio tag to his back using eyelash adhesive. The transmitter weighs no more than a grain of rice, so it’s light enough for Petey to fly freely.
Petey wasted no time.
In 2 days, the feisty butterfly traveled 109 miles, heading southwest toward Mexico.
To follow his journey, download the Project Monarch app, then search for Petey2026. You can track his migration in real time as he flies south.
Once they arrive in Mexico, the butterflies stay there until late winter. As temperatures warm and the days get longer, they receive their cue to head north, where they mate and lay eggs on the first milkweed they find — often in Texas.
The tiny tags are powered by solar cells, so Petey may occasionally disappear from the radar while his tag recharges. The WTF butterfly — the first monarch ever released from Connecticut with this type of radio tag — could make it all the way to Mexico.
Alice Ely, with monarch butterfly and Wakeman Town Farm “farmhands.”
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Sure, it’s another Sunday with rain in the forecast. (Though nowhere near as much as last week … knock wood.)
But the Staples High School girls swim and dive team is washing cars today, rain or (fingers crossed) shine.
They’ll be at 176 Post Road West — the old Carvana spot, opposite Kings Highway Elementary School — from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
A suggested donation is $20. Stop in for a wash. If these girls can spend hours a day in the pool, the least you can do is get wet, while supporting the squad.
This was the scene at an old sea captain’s home, on Sylvan Routh South:
(Photo/Susan Garment)
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Actors have to flexible.
So does their entire company.
Westport Community Theatre had an unexpected change in their season lineup just a few weeks before opening.
“Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play” moved into the first slot.
It showcases a talented cast of Fairfield County actors, as well as Fairfield playwright Joe Landry.
The show — featuring suspense, intrigue, murder and touch of dark humor — runs through October 4, in the basement level of Town Hall.
Landry transforms 3 Hitchcock thrillers – “The Lodger,” “Sabotage” and “The 39 Steps” – into a 1940s-style radio broadcast performed before a live audience.
The 7-member cast moves among multiple roles, voices and characters as the stories unfold, creating the world of Hitchcock with microphones, scripts, music, and an elaborate soundscape.
Remaining performances are at 2 p.m. Sundays (today, and September 27 and October 4), and 7:30 p.m. on September 24, 25, 26, and October 2 and 3.
A 6-play subscription for the year is available for $140. WCT’s 69th season includes “Betrayal” by Harold Pinter; “Summer, 1976” by David Auburn; “What the Constitution Means to Me” by Heidi Schreck; “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller, and “Happy Days” by Samuel Beckett.
Tom Rusen and John Bachelder in “Vintage Hitchcock.”
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.
And finally … on this day in 1973, Jim Croce and 5 others died when their light plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Natchitoches Airport in Louisiana.
(It’s been a week since a huge “rain bomb” hit Westport. “06880” reported that story all day, and every day since. If you appreciate our coverage, please click here to support this blog. Thanks!)
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