Following a long wait, 2 athletic fields in town will get lights.
After debating and hearing public comment throughout the summer, the Planning & Zoning Commission voted 4-1 last night to approve site plan changes that allow permanent lights on both the Wakeman turf field next to Bedford Middle School, and PJ Romano Field behind Saugatuck Elementary School.
The resolutions were voted on separately. Paul Lebowitz, Craig Schiavone, Bre Injeski and Michael Cammeyer approved, while Michael Calise opposed.
Approval means that LED lights can be affixed to 4 70-foot poles at both locations. New technology, experts said, sharply reduce “light spillage.”
Rendering of what lights could look like on the Wakeman turf field.
Proponents cited field shortages for Staples and youth athletes. The issue is particularly acute in late fall and early spring.
Much of the discussion over the past several months centered around conditions governing field usage.
Last night’s plan included 16 conditions governing use of the fields.
Lights will be turned off at 9 p.m. every day Mondays through Saturdays. Lights will not be used on Sundays. The original proposal allowed lights until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Lights will remain on for another 30 minutes — at a dimmed level — enabling attendees to leave safely and clean-up to occur.
Rendering of lights at PJ Romano Field.
In addition, the Parks & Recreation Department will work with the Board of Education to install egress lighting between Wakeman Field and parking areas.
Schiavone asked Parks & Rec to ensure that games are not played on nights that there are other student or parent activities planned at PJ Romano, to cut down on traffic and ensure adequate parking.
Another area of concern for Wakeman neighbors was amplified noise — for example, speakers used for music. It will be allowed for pre-game warm-ups only.
Use of the fields will be limited to Parks & Recreation and school activities, with no multi-game tournaments allowed.
In addition, 3 trees will be added to the Wakeman landscape plan.
A Parks & Rec staff member or designee will be on site, to monitor compliance with all regulations. A committee will be created to address any complains.
Calise — the lone commissioner to vote against the lights — said that there were not enough controls, the lights would be on too many nights of the week, and there is no “clear picture of who will be using these later hours.” He asked for
reassurance that the fields would not be used by outside groups.
Parks & Recreation Department director Erik Barbieri said, “We at Parks & Rec are very pleased with the P&Z’s decision. And we are happy for the thousands of kids who will benefit from the decision.
“We will ensure that all restrictions are enforced, for the safe and proper use of these lights.”
Remarkable art hangs throughout Staples High School.
Paintings, photos and sculptures by Westport and internationally known artists (sometimes one and the same); murals and other pieces by students; faculty works — they’re on the walls and in the halls, everywhere.
Recently, Eric von Schmidt’s spectacular 7-piece series, “Giants of the Blues,” returned to the auditorium foyer, after its loan to MoCA\CT.
But the newest addition is — literally as well as figuratively — “remarkable.”
Last week, Miggs Burroughs hung “The Remarkable Man” on a wall between the arts wing and the cafeteria.
The 8-foot tall, Edward Gorey-inspired figure danced for decades on the front of the Remarkable Book Shop. The cozy, eclectic pink store was a Main Street icon, at the corner of Parker Harding Plaza. (Today it’s the Eleish Van Breems design store.)
The Remarkable Man, on the front of the shop. (Image/Ellen Harvey)
After Remarkable closed, the figure was stored at the former Westport Historical Society.
When Cold Fusion owners Eric and Kelly Emmert decided to concentrate on online sales, they wanted the figure to find a new home. They asked “06880” to help.
Mark Kramer — son of the store’s owners (“Remarkable” serendipitously includes their last name, backwards) — and I reached out to Steve Zimmerman, town-wide arts coordinator for the Westport Public Schools.
He leaped at the idea. He made it happen. And as soon as Miggs Burroughs — Westport’s multi-talented, energetic and always-giving arts volunteer — finished hanging the Remarkable Man this week, Steve’s instinct proved right.
Miggs Burroughs at work …
He says, “Within an hour of his installation at Staples, I saw our photography students taking pictures of him and posing with him.
“I love knowing that our students will continue to create their own interpretations, make their own memories, and become part of the story, carrying on the bookstore’s legacy of celebrating the arts, culture and humanities.”
Next: a plaque and/or QR code, describing exactly what the Remarkable Man is, for all the students and visitors who will admire him.
… and the Remarkable Man’s new home. (Photos/Steve Zimmerman)
As for Miggs, who was so instrumental in making sure the figure hangs in exactly the right way — well, he’s got more than a passing interest in passing on history.
Miggs says: “Installing the Remarkable Man in Staples with Steve Zimmerman
was a joy on so many levels.
“I am a 1963 Staples grad, so it was a particular pleasure to help install him in the hall behind the theater, where I spent a lot of time as a member of Staples Players. The Remarkable Man is quite a player himself, and feels right at home in these hallowed halls.
“My family and the Kramers were great friends — and my mother Esta
worked for Mark’s mother Esther at the book shop from beginning to end.
“The Remarkable Man represents a beloved store that was also a
gathering place for conversation, gossip and reading an entire book
sitting cross-legged on the floor if you wanted to.”
Staples students are more likely today to sit cross-legged on the floor with their laptop, rather than a book.
But they always feel comfortable in that part of the school. Now they’ll be able to talk, scroll and — perhaps — read, as a remarkable piece of art smiles down at them.
Kathy Jakobsen’s “Main Street, 1993” shows the Remarkable Book Shop on the right
“06880 reports often on Westport’s past, Staples High School, and the arts — and, like today, their intersection. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Today is Staples High School’s Homecoming football game.
At 5 p.m., the Wreckers host Darien. Even with the threat of rain — and an earlier-than-usual start time — the stands will be packed. That’s the allure of “Friday Night Lights.”
Back in the day — the pre-lights day — Homecoming was a Saturday afternoon affair.
Seniors, juniors and sophomores worked for days, creating paper-mâché floats. Companies like Kowalsky lent their tractor trailers, to haul them around the track.
(The track, of course, was cinder. Today’s more expensive one would be ruined by those behemoths.)
Senior (left) and junior class floats, at the 1969 Homecoming.
Also at halftime: the crowning of Homecoming Queen.
In 1969, students chose Carol Luciano over 5 other seniors: Karen Appy, Patty Crangle, Gay Heirtzler, Jill Manning and Marilyn Briggs.
All the nominees went on to lead notable lives. Carol — the daughter of well-respected police chief Sam Luciano — still lives here.
As for Marilyn Briggs: She modeled while still at Staples, most famously as the Ivory Snow girl. She then earned fame — as Marilyn Chambers — in hardcore films like “Behind the Green Door.”
Some of the Homecoming Queen nominees were Staples cheerleaders. But they were well prepared.
From the 1950s, until 9th graders moved to the high school in 1983, junior high sports were a very big deal.
Bedford, Coleytown and Long Lots Junior Highs fielded teams. Starting with football, basketball and baseball — and then soccer, field hockey, girls basketball, wrestling, softball and track — they competed against each other, and junior highs in towns like Darien and Greenwich. There were cheerleading squads too (even for a time, spectator buses to away games).
For some young teenagers, it was a chance at competition and camaraderie they’d never achieve at Staples. For others, it was an early step on the road to athletic success, and personal fulfillment.
As for Marilyn Briggs: She may not have been Staples’ Homecoming Queen.
But among many other things, in 1966 she was a Long Lots cheerleader.
Long Lots Junior High School cheerleader Marilyn Briggs, and football captain Dave Roodhuyzen.
(Friday Flashback is one of “06880”‘s many regular features. If you enjoy this — or anything else on our website — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
In the summer of 2017, Staples Players presented “Working.”
It was a different type of musical. But — as usual — the high school troupe crushed it.
Click here or below for directors David Roth and Kerry Long’s show. Thanks to Jim Honeycutt, former media teacher, for producing this highlight reel.
What are those actors up to today?
Jacob Leaf (Mike Dillard, ironworker; Joe Zutty, retired) is a professional actor. He has appeared in “Mamma Mia!,” “Gypsy,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Eurydice” and more.
Remy Laifer (Al Calinda, parking lot attendant; Roberto Nunez, boxboy and migrant worker; Eddie Jaffe, publicist) 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.”
Christian Melhuish (Rex Winship, hedgefund manager; Utkarsh Trajillo, caregiver) 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.
Mia Kobylinski (Marjorie Levin, worker in cubicle) is a designer at Snake River Interiors. Her love of travel and photography help her gather design inspiration from all over the world.
Sophia Sherman (worker in cubicle) studied acting and performing arts management at the University of Michigan. Based in Los Angeles, Sophia has focused on screen acting.
Chad Celini (fast food worker) 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.”
Nick Rossi (fast food worker; “Mason” soloist) 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.”
Jake Watzman (John Rolfin, newsboy) is a voice actor and theatre performer. He graduated with a BA in theatre from Muhlenberg College. He is recognized for his work in indie animation, visual novels, and voiceover projects.
Georgia Wright (Babe Secoli, supermarket checker) is a non-binary, New York-based emerging playwright, actor and director. They have written and staged several independent and festival plays,
Lexi Holoubek-Sebok (Candy Cottingham, political fundraiser) transitioned from acting into professional marketing and data analysis, working as a community strategy and intelligence analyst at Burson.
Avery Mendillo (Grace Clements, millworker; Jean Gilbert, cleaning woman) 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.
Antonio Antonelli(Anthony Coelho, stone mason) is an actor and crew member. He voiced the character Shane in “Santaman,” an appeared as Wes in “Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow.”
Jackie Rhoads (Terry Mason, flight attendant) 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.
Sophia Sherman (Joyce Naruda, interstate trucker) studied acting and performing arts management at the University of Michigan. Based in Los Angeles, Sophia has focused on screen acting.
Payton Spandow (Lucy Long, actress) earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Cornell University, and was a member of the sketch comedy group The Skits. She is now a college planning advisor in Rocky Hill.
Samantha Chachra(Theresa Liu, nanny) is a New York-based actress, singer-songwriter and cellist. She earned a BFA in drama from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, after training at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and Stonestreet Studios.
Daisy Brackett(Maggie Holmes, cleaning woman) earned a master’s degree in advanced classical acting training from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Her credits include short films, independent projects, showcases and reels.
“I am looking for anyone who knew my uncle Scott Taylor (1951-1993). I’d love to know more about his life.
“He was the oldest of 3 boys in Westport, on Oak Ridge Park. Scott was in Staples Players, and graduated with the class of 1969 before studying acting at the Boston University College of Fine Arts. He had a boyfriend there named John Smith.
Scott Taylor, in the 1969 Staples yearbook.
“Scott moved back to Westport in his early 20s. He acted and wrote for theatre in Boston, New York, California and Pennsylvania.
“I was just 12 when he died in 1993 of complications due to AIDS. I have sweet memories of visiting my softspoken uncle who gave my sister and me nice gifts at Christmas, and showed us his sketchbooks and his poster-sized collages made from National Geographics that he’d sell on the street.
“He was my only reference for a real life gay person (besides the very limited representation on TV in the early ’90s).
“When Scott died I received his childhood comic book collection. I decorated my bedroom with his collages, wooden masks, a beautiful woven bedspread, and his potted dragon tree. I was surrounded by his ephemera for years.
“I came out of the closet at 19. I often wonder what it would be like if my uncle had lived to be a part of my life.
Scott Taylor
“Ten years later, I found more of Scott’s boxes in my dad’s garage. Most were water damaged and headed for the dump, but I discovered a typewritten poem he made at age 23 in 1974.
“I set the poem to music, and recorded it for my family to listen to. While I work as a seed farmer and farm educator at Truelove Seeds in Philadelphia, I also make music on the side in a band called My Gay Banjo, and on my own.
Please help my sister, my family and me learn more about my uncle, if you knew him. You can contact me at owenstaylor@gmail.com.
Scott Taylor, with Owen and his sister.
PS. Some branches of my family tree go back generations in Westport, including the Edmond Curtis Smiths (4 generations) on my mom’s side, and Michael and Rose (Laurella) Vigilante and their daughters Ann and Rita on my dad’s side.
My great-grandfather Michael Vigilante was a sheriff in Westport, involved in real estate, and served as president of the St. Anthony Society for Italians. His wife Rose was on the women’s Republican committee, and cooked for years for the Westport Playhouse (long before my mom’s family ran the Players Tavern).
I’m interested in these stories as well, if anyone has anything to share.
(“06880” is honored to bring Westport’s diverse community together — wherever our readers are. If you appreciate what we do, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
But plenty of Westporters knew. hi’Amba — Bill Taibe’s new eastern Mediterranean restaurant and market, in the space recently vacated by Basso — was packed all day yesterday.
Customers loved the ground floor bakery; the dips, salads, shawarma, skewers and more, and the indoor and outdoor dining.
hi’Amba is not yet open for dinner. In fact, after this weekend it will close for a couple of days, to prepare for the actual non-soft opening.
But judging by yesterday, one of Westport’s most creative and favorite restaurateurs has another smash.
Thursday’s Roundup included information that 3 Westport school bus drivers had been given citations for driving while using handheld phones.
That information was provided in error. Westport Police Lieutenant Anthony Prezioso explains:
“On October 1, the state of Connecticut made changes to the cellphone statutes for Utilizing a Handheld Mobile Device in a Motor Vehicle. The statute number was changed. This caused the physical order of the statutes in the mobile systems utilized by our officer to be shuffled.
“The new statute now appears in a list below the statutes that were not changed. This change came without advertisement and led to some initial confusion when officers could not find the appropriate (original) charge within our system. In all three cases, the arresting officer selected the wrong statute number when issuing/processing the citation.
“The Westport Police Department did not issue any citations to school bus operators. All 3 were standard cell phone violations without special circumstances. I have also since been in touch with our Board of Education to clarify this matter.”
=================================================
The League of Women voters has canceled its Tuesday’s debate at Earthplace. It
Republican candidate Alma Sarelli’s campaign told organizers that she would not participate in the event, for voters in the 26th State Senate District. Democrat Sam Nestor had already agreed to appear.
LWV rules mandate that at least 2 candidates must be involved for a League-sponsored debate.
Nestor told local media that Sarelli also failed to respond to invitations from the Wilton, Redding and Ridgefield Leagues of Women Voters, causing those groups to cancel debates as well.
The 26th Senate district covers 8 towns, including Westport and Weston.
=================================================
As Staples High School seniors work on their college applications, their parents are working to figure out how to pay for the next 4 years.
Even in Westport, financial factors play a role in selecting schools. 26% of Staples students qualify for financial aid.
Since 1941, Staples Tuition Grants has helped close the funding gap. Last spring:
81 students qualified for a need-based STG grant
Recipients received an average grant of $5,186, with a maximum grant of $7,500
Over 90 individuals, families and organizations privately funded named awards
More than 500 community members donated to STG
Yet with tuition rising, STG met only 13% of the financial gap
Staples Tuition Grants is asking Westporters and alumni to continue helping. For example:
Donate to one of over named award (the SLOBs Award, the STG Fun Run, Perrin Delorey the Max Harper Award, and many more)
Establish a new named award with a pledge of $2,000 a year, for at least four years ($8,000). Email donation@staplestuitiongrants.org
Gifts of $25,000 or more create an endow and permanent named awards, changing lives for generations.
Speaking of education: Westport resident Brian Rutter works with Higher Heights.
The New Haven-based non-profit empowers, equips and encourages college-bound students as they pursue post-secondary education.
From November 2 to 6, they need volunteers to help high school seniors in Bridgeport and New Haven with their college applications. That week, the state of Connecticut will waive application fees for seniors applying to a state college or university.
Students can also complete the Common Application to apply to HBCUs.
Rutter says, “this is a great volunteer project for Westporters. Many people possess the experience and skills to help these students.”
Specifically, Rutter seeks volunteers for Bridgeport’s Bassick, Central and Harding Highs, on November 5 and 6.
“It would be just a couple of hours of commitment for a life-changing moment for these students who need guidance and help,” he says.
Aspetuck Land Trust is hosting Joan Maloof — author of “Forty Ways to Know a Tree: Exploring Trees to Understand Nature” — for this year’s Haskins Lecture.
Despite the subject and the name — the Haskins family donated a 22-acre preserve on Green Acre Lane to the ALT — the event will be held indoors.
It’s set for the Westport Library (October 22, 7 p.m.).
Maloff will discuss the incredible life of trees, and how people today perceive ancient, undisturbed ecosystems.
A reminder: The first event in “06880”‘s newest venture — community celebrations of local businesses — is today (Saturday).
And everyone is invited.
From 5 to 7 p.m, “06880” and Kiin Sauna host “Community, Connection and Contrast.” KiiN is at 1555 Post Road East, next to Sherpa, Longevity, Zion and CT Sports Recovery — all wellness businesses too.
You’ll see friends and neighbors. Enjoy complimentary beverages. Meet KiiN founder Ginger Richardson, who will tell you all about the benefits of a sauna and cold plunge.
Ginger Richardson
If you feel adventurous, you can try a sauna and cold plunge yourself. (Sauna and plunge space is limited; click here to sign up.)
Ginger and her crew are great hosts. It’s a fun way to learn about a new spot in town.
Dave Briggs and I will host more events soon, all over town. We look forward to this new series. If your business would like to collaborate with us, email us: 06880blog@gmail.com.
Kevin Flynn knows the Westport Country Playhouse well. Each summer, he hosts an education program that teaches youngsters life skills, through stand-up comedy.
On October 26 (7 p.m.), Flynn — a stand-up comedian, professional soccer player, actor, television host, and founder/executive director of the Nantucket Comedy Festival — returns to the Playhouse, with “Fear of Heights.”
The show — part of the Barnstormer series — examines the American experience through the lens of his Irish-American family, including his father and grandfather (both steelworkers ).
In this very funny biographical work, he’ll explore what it means to be a man, and how one generation measures success relative to their forebears. Click here for tickets, and more information.
“Belles of Steel” — a new book by Jeanette Vaughan — features strong, resilient women who have changed their corner of the world.
They include military members, nurses, and more.
One is Mary-Lou Weisman.
The longtime Westporter is one of 30 women portrayed in the book. Her son Peter was diagnosed at age 2 1/2 with a fatal disease, Duchene muscular dystrophy. He died at 15, in 1980.
Purple Martins are the largest swallows in North America. They are also nearly totally dependent on humans for housing.
Sherwood Island is doing its part. These birdhouses have stood for a long time at our state park. Today, they’re featured in our “Westport … Naturally” series.
(Photo/Eric Bosch)
=================================================
And finally … on this date in 1845, the Naval School opened in Annapolis, Maryland with 50 students. Today it is known as the US Naval Academy.
Mark Edwards is a familiar Staples High School name.
The 1988 graduate captained the lacrosse and ski teams. He played football and tennis too. This summer, he revived the Compo Beach volleyball tournament.
Now a highly regarded speaker to sales teams, corporate leaders and college audiences about reading people and managing pressure, he’s written his first book.
“The Elements of Golf and Business: Reading the Green, Reading the Room” maps the Big 5 personality traits onto 5 classical elements (fire, earth, air, water and aether) to show how the instincts revealed over 18 holes are the same ones that shape a negotiation, leadership decision or client relationship.
It includes a self-assessment and an original golf game for foursomes.
On October 19 (6 p.m., The Clubhouse), Mark gives his first public talk based on the book.
He’ll discuss each trait using case studies from names like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Scottie Scheffler and Ben Hogan, along with pop culture moments and business lessons learned over the past 25 years.
“I want my first audience to be the community I grew up in,” Edwards says.
“Golf has a way of showing you who people really are when the pressure is on. I’m happy to put myself in that seat first.”
A $10 ticket includes appetizers. For $20, you also get a signed copy of the book. Click here to purchase. After the talk, guests can stay for Monday Night Football.
Mark Edwards
================================================
Westport Country Playhouse was buzzing on Monday.
Tom Hanks, Wendie Malick and Tony Shalhoub performed in the 100th play reading in the 20-year-old Script in Hand series.
If you missed the historic event: too bad! In any event, here’s the curtain call:
Tony Shalhoub, Wendie Malick, Tom Hanks. (Photo/Kerry Long)
The museum’s executive director Robin Jaffee Frank, artist Rick Shaefer, architect and urban policy leader Rick Bell and executive director of the Avon Theatre Film Center Peter Gistelinck offer a provocative conversation, inspired by Shaefer’s monumental “Colossi” drawings on exhibit now (October 24, 4 p.m.).
They’ll discuss the enduring human impulse to build walls, and what they reveal about ambition, history, borders and our relationship to the landscape.
The event is free, but registration is required; click here.
On October 29 (7 p.m.), the East Coast Contemporary Ballet Salon Series comes to MoCA, for an intimate evening of dance, discovery and conversation.
They’ll present a short excerpt from their upcoming fall season, then go behind the scenes to show their creative journey. Click here for tickets.
Coming up at Lachat Town Farm: “Spirits of 1776: A Haunted Experience.”
The Weston farm takes visitors back to the 1770s, as the Revolution unfolded and danger lurked in every field.
In an immersive, interactive production, audiences encounter ghostly battles of fallen soldiers and rebels, along with witches, tricksters and evil spirits.
Participants walk on wooded trails and varied terrain in a 45-minute guided adventure filled with live actors and chilling surprises. Parental discretion is strongly advised, as some scenes may be too scary for younger audiences.
Performances are October 22-25, at 6:30, 6:50, 7:10, 7:30 7:50, 8:10 and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. Click here to purchase, and for more information.
The Bridgeport non-profit provides free music lessons and musical summer camp to public school students in grades K-12.
It fills an enormous need: Only 8 out of the city’s 34 public schools offer any type of music programming.
On November 8 (5 p.m., Fairfield Theatre Company), KEYS hosts their annual fundraiser.
It’s free — the board covers the cost. Of course, contributions are warmly welcomed.
$300 covers 15 music lessons for 1 student; $450, 1 day’s lunch for KEYS
summer program students; $600, a 1-month paid internship for a KEYS alumnus; $1,200, a 4-week summer program scholarship; $1,500, a concert at the University of Bridgeport; $2,500, a KEYS scholarship for the University of Bridgeport; $5,000, instruments, maintenance, repairs, and supplies; $7,000, 1 student for 2 years of music education; $10,000, a KEYS music program at1 school for a full year; $15,000, 1 ensemble at the Saturday program
Last year, 3 New York City Marathon runners raised $19,000 for Positive Directions.
This year, 5 — George DeNoto, Doug Feinberg, Piya, Brian McGarvey and Gianna — are aiming far higher: $60,000. They’re already more than 1/3 of the way there.
Each has their own reason for running. But all involve mental health.
Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between September 30 and October 6.
A 37-year-old Westport man was charged with possession of child sexual abuse material, after 2 videos of child pornography were emailed to him. He was released on a $25,000 bond.
A 48-year-old Westport man was charged wit assault and disorderly conduct, after a verbal argument escalated into a physical one. He was released on a $7,500 bond.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Failure to renew registration: 9 citations
Traveling unreasonably fast: 5
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 5
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 4
Operating a school bus while using a handheld telephone: 3
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 3
Speeding: 2
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 2
Failure to grant right of way: 2
School zone violation: 1
Traveling too fast for conditions: 1
Failure to drive right: 1
Improper use of marker: 1
Violation of motor vehicle license class: 1
Three school bus drivers were charged recently with using handheld telephones. (Photo/Amy Schneider)
===============================================
Bob Weingarten spotted this bird — today’s “Westport … Naturally” subject — sitting on a mailbox.
However, he says, when he got closer it did not move.
And finally … in honor of the 5 people raising funds for Positive Directions, at the New York Marathon (item above):
(You don’t have to run — or even walk — to support “06880.” Just click here, to make a tax-deductible donation that keeps this hyper-local blog running smoothly. Thank you!)
Sure, Staples Players performed “Urinetown” a few months ago.
But they also staged it in the spring of 2017.
That’s the version we’re posting today. Thanks to Jim Honeycutt, former media teacher, for compiling the highlights of directors David Roth and Kerry Long’s show. Click here or below to see.
What have cast members been up to in the 9 years since?
Avery Mendillo (Penelope Pennwise) 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.
Remy Laifer (Bobby Strong) 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.”
Jacob Leaf (Officer Lockstock) is a professional actor. He has appeared in “Mamma Mia!,” “Gypsy,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Eurydice” and more.
Zoe Samuels (Hope Cladwell, UGG Secretary) is an associate strategy director at Edelman. She graduated with a degree in theater and Chinese from Middlebury College.
Antonio Antonelli(Hot Blades Harry, Wiley Fred) is an actor and crew member. He voiced the character Shane in “Santaman,” an appeared as Wes in “Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow.”
Colin McKechnie (Tiny Tom) 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.”
Brooke Wrubel(Little Becky Two Shoes, Hidalgo Jane) 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.
Sophia Sherman(Josephine Strong, Tawny Tess) studied acting and performing arts management at the University of Michigan. Based in Los Angeles, Sophia has focused on screen acting.
Chad Celini(Shem the Shameless) 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.”
Nick Rossi(Otto the Spoon) 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.”
Jackie Rhoads (Mrs. Millennium, UGG Secretary) 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.
Mikayla Czizik (Nurse Clackett) 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(UGG Secretary) is a performer and creative visual artist. She is also a professional visual artist and filmmaker under her brand MAK Filmworks, capturing film photography and media content across the West.
Jake Watzman (Ensemble, the Poor) is a voice actor and theatre performer. He graduated with a BA in theatre from Muhlenberg College. He is recognized for his work in indie animation, visual novels, and voiceover projects.
A Staples High School student offered some thoughts on a podcast last week — and ignited an online firestorm. Today, he describes the aftermath of that podcast.
I am a junior at Staples High School, and over the last week my life has been turned upside down.
I am escorted to class every day by school administrators. Classmates I sit beside have told me, in writing, that they wish to gang rape and kill me. My retail job has let me go, claiming of course that it was entirely unrelated.
My home address along with my father’s phone number have been posted online. He now fields a near endless stream of calls from strangers detailing their perspectives on his son.
I have loved ideas my whole life. I launched a newsletter my freshman year, and a podcast over the past summer. I gave my perspective on the situation at Cornell last Tuesday, which was similar to voices as politically opposed as what “The View”’s Sunny Hostin and “The Daily Wire”’s Ben Shapiro both espoused: that under New York state law, and with the evidence given to the district attorney in 2024, the decision not to prosecute was not unreasonable.
My tone may have been too cold, my wording imprecise, but nothing that could possibly merit what happened over the course of the week.
Let’s be fully clear: Rape and sexual assault are among the most disgusting things that occur in our society. The video itself labeled what occurred as “morally wrong” and “disgusting.”
My intention was never to minimize or denigrate anyone who falls victim to these situations. Yet the people who ostensibly claim to share that position were willing to threaten me with becoming a victim of it myself.
I have handled the backlash the best I am able. I cooperated fully with law enforcement and the administration at Staples High School. I have ignored the streams of texts and calls, and deleted Instagram off my phone to avoid obsessing over the situation.
I have attended my classes and walked into school despite being told not to go, both by those looking out for my best interests and bad actors seeking to intimidate me.
My current situation has become untethered from the Cornell case itself. It is a story of a 16-year-old kid who expressed an opinion that, whatever issues in presentation may have precipitated the response, was not outside the Overton Window.
The response was not counter arguments. It was hardly anyone seeking to educate me, understand me, or engage in the sort of discourse that only serves to help make our communities better.
The response was doxxing and death threats.
What has stuck with me most this week is the gap between the unflinching vitriol of the online mob, and the everyday good of the people who know me. What has stuck with me are the friends who have stood by my side, despite facing immense judgment for such a stance.
What has stuck with me are the people who, in the days since the night the clip was posted, have come to me to apologize for their threats and harassment.
I have a teacher I expected to disagree with on nearly every political issue, and I probably do. But I would now say I agree with her on everything that matters. Before class, she spoke to me privately to make sure her classroom would be a safe space for me, too.
It is those people who expressed a commitment to integrity, values and principles, concepts steadier and more important than partisanship. It is a commitment to how you treat people, your peers and neighbors, including those you disagree with.
I have seen people who vehemently disagree with me show more integrity than those who stand by every word I have said. And to say I am forever grateful to those people would be an understatement.
I am not asking everyone to agree with what I said in the video, or any political stances I hold at all. The beauty of living in a town, and a nation, where people have such a diversity of opinions and are allowed to speak their minds freely, is exactly what drew me to being so enamored with ideas at such a young age.
What I would ask is simpler: Let dissent be accompanied by an explanation, not a threat of violence or a doxxing.
Westport is a town that prides itself on being a place that values education and civic participation. If that is true, then it should be the place where a 16-year-old kid can make an argument, however unpopular or poorly expressed, without having his family doxxed, and his little sister living in fear, over it.
That is an entirely apolitical ask, and the bare minimum for a town that wishes to call itself a community.
(“Students Speak” is a forum for all students, who live in or attend school in Westport and Weston. Email submissions to 06880blog@gmail.net. To support this hyper-local blog, click here. Thank you!)
This morning, “06880” posted a story about Kevin Nealon’s appearance at this Friday’s “Stand Up For Homes with Hope” benefit at Fairfield University. The event is now sold out.
Great news for the non-profit that addresses homelessness and food insecurity. Bad news for the comedian’s many fans who missed out on tickets!
===============================================
Most Westporters seldom think about our water.
We turn on the tap. We drink it. We cook with it. We shower in it.
Ignacy Nieweglowski think about our water, though.
He’s not a hydrologist. He doesn’t work for Aquarion, or the town.
He’s a senior at Staples High School. He and classmate Sahil Vora co-founded the Health Tech Initiative. The entirely student-run public research organization tracks the state of lead contamination in Connecticut. Recently, they won a President’s Environmental Youth Award.
This Saturday (October 10, 9 a.m. to noon), the group will host a free Water Drive. It’s in the main lobby of Staples High.
Residents can bring water samples from their homes. Ignacy, Sahil and their club will screen it — free — for lead and heavy metals.
The results come back in just 3 minutes. They are then added to the Health Tech Initiative Lead Watch database.
For the most accurate results, do not run any water in the house for 8 hours (usually that’s overnight). Then collect a sample, after that stagnation period.
Along with the testing, the Health Tech Initiative will raffle off an automatic flushing system on behalf of their partner, Noah Systems. It automatically clears lead from home pipes.
Any money raised or donated will help fund the group’s project: testing every Westport public school and many public facilities for lead.
Sahil Vora and Ignacy Nieweglowski, with the Presidential awards.
A reminder: The first event in “06880”‘s newest venture — community celebrations of local businesses — is set for this Saturday.
And everyone is invited.
On October 10 (5 to 7 p.m), “06880” and Kiin Sauna host “Community, Connection and Contrast.” KiiN is at 1555 Post Road East, next to Sherpa, Longevity, Zion and CT Sports Recovery — all wellness businesses too.
You’ll see friends and neighbors. Enjoy complimentary beverages. Meet KiiN founder Ginger Richardson, who will tell you all about the benefits of a sauna and cold plunge.
Ginger Richardson
If you feel adventurous, you can try a sauna and cold plunge yourself. (Sauna and plunge space is limited; click here to sign up.)
Ginger and her crew are great hosts. It’s a fun way to learn about a new spot in town.
Dave Briggs and I will host more events soon, all over town. We look forward to this new series. If your business would like to collaborate with us, email us: 06880blog@gmail.com.
This year’s event — the 4th annual fundraiser, supporting Westport’s first responders and veteran community — is Saturday, October 17 (6 to 8 p.m. VFW Post 399).
Greg Gunter of the Westport Police Department is the defending 3-time champion. Can he make it 4 straight?
Attendees vote for their favorite, among a wide variety of homemade recipes. There’s plenty of other great food, a 50/50 raffle, and a healthy heaping of community spirit.
Tickets are $25, at the VFW in advance or at the door. Proceeds benefit the VFW, Fire Department, Police Department and Volunteer Emergency Medical Services.
Questions? Email vfw399ct@gmail.com, or call 203-227-6796.
Here in District 4, it’s been a low-key race for US Congress.
On October 19 (7 p.m., Westport Library), the Lower Fairfield County Leagues of Women hosts a debate. The 3 candidates — Democratic incumbent Jim Himes, Republican Michael Ted Goldstein and Independent Benjamin Wesley — will participate.
Paula Morgan is the Westport Book Shop’s guest exhibitor for October.
She works primarily in oils, exploring the quiet moments and enduring light of coastal New England.
Paula has been a visual arts educator for over 2 decades. She is a member of The Artists Collective of Westport, and her work is exhibited in galleries throughout New England.
A reception is set for this Thursday (October 8, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Paula’s work will be on display all month, and available for purchase.
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: danwoog@gmail.com. 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.
