Another Staples High School football season has begun.
As is traditional, the Wreckers are gunning for their 5th state championship.
The first came in 1975. That’s around the time Fred Cantor took this photo:
(Photo/Fred Cantor)
Much has changed since then.
The stands have been enlarged. There’s a new press box. The track is no longer cinder. The area behind the gym (right side of photo, with parking lot) was “modernized” between 1978-81, when a fieldhouse and swimming pool were added.
Thanks to lights, Staples now plays football games on Friday nights, not Saturday afternoons.
The field itself finally has a name. It honors Paul Lane — coach of that 1975 state championship squad.
But much has not changed. A new fall season still brings excitement, fun — and the belief that anything is possible.
Today, “06880” introduces a new addition to our “Friday Flashback.” Each week (hopefully!) we’ll include a “50 Years Ago This Week” tidbit at the end. (Okay, maybe it will be “25 Years Ago…” or some other number.)
Thanks to Carl Addison Swanson for the idea. And big props to Fred Cantor: Staples Class of 1971 graduate and amateur historian, who loves digging into newspaper archives.
So … 50 Years Ago This Week:
Tennessee Williams, Sandy Dennis, and Dave Brubeck were among the prominent names featured in an ad for the new Connecticut Center for Continuing Education at the Westport Country Playhouse.
The Center promised “over 100 courses” during the Playhouse’s “nine-month ‘intermission.’”
(Whether you’ve been here 50 years or 50 days, if you like “06880,” please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Click here — and thank you!)
Our new “06880” app is earning raves from the hundreds of readers who already downloaded it. (Missed that story? Click here!)
The app — for both iOS and Android users — was created by 2 young geniuses. Georgetown University sophomore Matthew Jordan and his Staples High School senior brother Joshua took a very vague concept, and soon developed a very usable, clever and handsome product.
They understood exactly what “06880” is, what our virtual community is about, and what our readers want. They made it all happen, with creativity, grace and good humor.
The “06880” splash screen is a perfect representation of the blog. The up-to-date record of stories and comments is very cool. The screen appears for 2 seconds — as the app loads
I’ve worked with other developers, on different projects. They often tell me what they want, not what I want. They are all about bells and whistles. They want to show off how much they know, how cool they are.
Matthew and Joshua were the easiest collaborators I’ve worked with. They actually listened to everything I said. They understood every facet of “06880” — its mission, its style, its readers, its look, its quirks — and were able to tweak it, app-style.
They explained all their ideas in plain, easy-to-understand English. They were clear and up-front too about the challenges they faced.
Then they overcame every one of them. Their problem-solving skills are masterful. They were patient and persistent (and at the same time, quick). If one path did not work, they pivoted to another. They did not force solutions; they found new ones.
If you were in a war, you’d want them as generals.
Joshua and Matthew Jordan.
And here’s the best part: Matthew and Joshua were a ton of fun to hang with. They’re teenagers. They have senses of humor. They are dope.
Like most developers, they toil in the background. But they deserve a feature story of their own.
Matthew was an excellent varsity soccer player at Staples. He volunteered with Kids in Crisis, developing a messaging app for young people thinking about suicide. (Moffly Media gave him a “Light a Fire” award for his work.)
At Georgetown, the math and computer science major started the Hoya Developers Club. He is involved with Hoyalytics (analyzing data). Now he’s creating a dating app with a twist: It offers only 3-5 matches a week, and includes partnerships with restaurants (for those awkward first dates).
Joshua, meanwhile, has been ranked #1 in the US — and #3 internationally — among the tens of millions of players of the strategy video game Clash of Clans.
He is currently developing his own multi-player game: a “geometry-type puzzle-solving battle royale.” There can be no better creator.
Joshua’s interest in programming began at Coleytown Middle School, and really took off at Staples.
He too has worked on a Kids in Crisis project. “When you realize your software can save lives, that’s pretty important,” he says.
The brothers work well together. “I help the genius,” Matt — who has a keen eye for graphic design — says modestly. “I do the stuff that users see. I get the instant gratification.”
“06880” is not the only very satisfied client. For example, Georgetown’s Psaros Center for Financial Markets & Policy has also benefited from Joshua’s coding skills, Matthew’s front-end talents, and both Jordans’ ease of collaboration.
Now back in college, Matthew is developing a curriculum to tech Python coding. He’s diving even deeper into data science and analysis.
Joshua is plowing through his senior year at Staples.
While hundreds of “06880” readers appreciate their clever, creative work, several times a day.
Now they know who to thank.
(To learn more about their work, contact Matthew Jordan: mdj82@georgetown.edu; 203-258-0115. Or Joshua Jordan: joshua.hqy@gmail.com 203-666-6543.)
(“06880” has made our new blog free to users. It’s our gift to you. Of course, reader support is always welcome. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
Thanks to Matthew and Joshua Jordan, the “06880” app includes a different photo from the “Pic of the Pic” books each day, and a daily, randomized list of local restaurants — with clickable links for menus and their websites.
The Long Lots School Building Committee will hold a special meeting tomorrow (Thursday, September 14, 6 p.m., Town Hall Room 201/201A).
The agenda includes a work session with the design team for project status updates, review and discussion. The public is welcome to attend the work session but may not participate.
The work session will be followed by public comment and questions regarding the feasibility study project.
Drone view of the current Long Lots Elementary School.
Mimi Greenlee saw yesterday’s Roundup story on the do’s and don’ts of yard signs, and noted that non-profits are restricted to signs no earlier than 2 weeks before an event. She wondered if the same rule applied to political signs.
I asked Mary Young, Westport’s Planning & Zoning Department director. She says: “Free speech is protected and is not regulated by zoning, including political signs, distinct from signs advertising special events which are regulated as they must be removed after the advertised event is over.”
She sent over Section 33-5.1 of the Zoning Regulations, last revised in 2012:
“The following signs are permitted without a Zoning Permit in all districts, herein.
“One temporary free standing sign not over 2 square feet per side for a residential property or 9 square feet per side for a non-residential property set back from any property line at least 5 feet, advertising the sale or lease of the premises.
“One temporary construction sign not over 24 square feet in aggregate area
identifying the designers and/or builders for a lot on which a building is under construction or reconstruction. Any such temporary sign shall be removed from the premises within 10 days after the rental of the space, sale of the premises or completion of the construction.
“Temporary signs for public and charitable events which shall be removed after the publicized event.
“Signs for political purpose.”
Political signs are treated differently than those for non-profits.
Speaking of local politics: The deadline has passed to declare candidacy for the Representative Town Meeting (RTM).
Four of the 36 incumbents are not running: Liz Milwe (District 1), James Bairaktaris (4), Stephen Shackelford (8) and Lori Church (9).
Four candidates are elected from each district. There will be contested races in 5 of the 9 districts. They are:
District 1: Incumbents Matthew Mandell, Kristin Mott Purcell, Chris Tait; petitioning candidates Richard Jaffe, Andrew Bloom.
District 2: Incumbents Harris Falk, Jay Keenan, Louis Mall, Mike Perry; petitioning candidate Melissa Levy.
District 5: Incumbents Peter Gold, Karen Kramer, Dick Lowenstein, Claudia Shaum; petitioning candidates Katherina Palmer, James Mather.
District 6: Incumbents Candace Banks, Jessica Bram, Seth Braunstein, Brien Buckman; petitioning candidates Alma Sarelli, David Rosenwaks, Louis D’Onofrio.
District 9: Incumbers Nancy Kail, Sal Liccione, Kristen Schneeman; petitioning candidates Douglas Enslin, Jennifer Johnson, John Suggs, Rachel Halperin.
Districts without contested races:
District 3: Incumbents Ross Burkhardt, Lyn Hogan, Jimmy Izzo, Don O’Day.
District 4: Incumbents Andrew Colabella, Noah Hammond, Jeffrey Wieser; petitioning candidate Clarence Hayes.
District 7: Incumbents Brandi Briggs, Lauren Karpf, Jack Klinge, Ellen Lautenberg Hendel.
District 8: Incumbents Wendy Batteau, Rachel Steel Cohn, Julie Uman Whamond; petitioning candidate Ari Benmosche.
Ms President US — a non-profit, non-partisan organization that empowers young girls through leadership development and civic education — has opened a new chapter in Westport.
Girls in grades 4-8 can join. Meetings begin September 29, and are held monthly from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. The program includes a field trip to the state Capitol, and a campaign and election for “Ms. President US.”
Participants develop public speaking skills; gain confidence; meet with local, state and federal leaders and role models, and work with high school mentors.
Staples boys soccer was in the house last night — in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Kyle Martino — the 1999 graduate who was Gatorade National Player of the Year, and went on to become MLS Rookie of the Year, then played for the US national team — called the USA-Oman game for TNT. Bruno Guiduli — a student at nearby Macalaster College was in the stands, and got his fellow Wrecker’s attention.
Speaking of soccer: Marisa Shorrock — a 3-sport athlete in Staples’ Class of 2020 — has been named to College Soccer News’ National Team of the Week. The Yale University All-Ivy selection was also named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week, for the second time in 3 weeks.
The senior goalkeeper made 13 saves as the Bulldogs beat Seton Hall 2-1 and the University of Connecticut 1-0.
Shorrock — who began her college career as a 3-sport (soccer, basketball, lacrosse) walk-on at Bowdoin College, before transferring to Yale — will play an additional year of soccer next season as a grad transfer at the University of North Carolina. The Tar Heels have won 21 NCAA Division I national championships.
Last year, a Westport Rotary Club grant helped clients of Bridgeport’s Burroughs Community Center do their taxes for free. Volunteers with the VITA national program helped over 1,600 people save money in refunds, deductions and tax credits.
Yesterday, at their weekly meeting, Rotary Club members learned more about the program, from Burroughs officials.
Burroughs Community Center executive director Michael Quon addresses the Westport Rotary Club. (Photo/Dave Matlow)
=================================================
Longtime Westport resident and former Representative Town Meeting member Jane Young died September 6 in Washington, with her family offering love and comfort. She was 91 years old.
The Detroit native attended Indiana University, where she was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. She and her husband James Edward Young lived in the then-territory of Hawaii, Cleveland and Chicago, before settling in Westport in 1971. Jane worked for MetLife until her retirement.
She was elected to the Westport Planning & Zoning Commission, before serving two terms on the RTM for District 4. Jane was passionate about historic preservation, at a time when Westport was undergoing pressure for new development. A founding member of Save Westport Now, she worked tirelessly to preserve the Baron’s parkland on the Post Road, the William F. Cribari Bridge, and National Hall. She also lobbied to extend the borders of the historic downtown district, to anticipate expansion in the years to come.
Jane was an active member of Assumption Church, and she and Ed were founders of a longstanding social and play reading club called the Turkeys. They traveled extensively throughout the world, including China and the former Soviet Union before they were open to Western tourism.
Jane moved to Iowa City in 2001 to be near family, and spent her final years in the Washington area.
Ed Young died in 2008. Jane is survived by her son Mark (Vicki Grassian) of La Jolla, California; daughter Gayle Young (Thomas Carroll of Washington); brother David Koval, and granddaughters Alexandra Jordan and Samantha Young.
Her ashes will be interred at Assumption Greens Farms Cemetery at a later date.
And finally … Ray Charles was born today, in 1918.
No, not that Ray Charles.
This one — a white guy — was a musician/singer/songwriter/arranger/ conductor. He led the Ray Charles Singers (not the Raelettes) on Perry Como’s records and TV shows for 35, and made 30 albums in the 1950s and ’60s.
His biggest hit was:
(“06880” covers local politics — and a lot more. But we can’t do it without your help. We rely on reader support. Please click here to contribute. Thank you!)
Westport’s new School Security Unit begins work Monday (September 11).
The unit is a partnership of the Police Department and Board of Education. Funding was approved unanimously this week by the Representative Town Meeting.
Officer Sean Kelley will be promoted to sergeant soon, and will supervise the unit. He was hired by the WPD in 2000, and has served as a detective in the Youth Division. He will be assigned to Bedford Middle School.
Officer Dennis Broderick will be assigned to Coleytown Middle and Elementary Schools. He was hired a year ago, after retiring as a sergeant with the Milford Police Department, where he spent over half his 20-year career in the Detective Bureau.
Corporal Rachel Hall will be assigned to Saugatuck and Kings Highway Elementary Schools. She was hired in 2016, after beginning her career with the Ridgefield Police Department. She is a member of the Marine, Motorcycle and Drone Units, and served as a desk officer.
Officer Edward “Ned” Batlin will be assigned to Long Lots and Greens Farms Elementary Schools. He was hired in 2001, and was the DARE officer for many years. He is very active with local sports, at the high school and PAL levels.
Though the SSOs will primarily remain outside of the schools, they will work directly with administrators as needed.
In addition to providing enhanced security, they will focus on traffic enforcement and safety concerns during student drop-off and pick-up.
Officer Ed Wooldridge will continue as Staples’ highly regarded and very popular School Resource Officer.
So he took notice yesterday when the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee posted scores of comments, following their Parker Harding Plaza August 22 charrette at the Westport Library.
“Kudos to the DPIC,” John says.
“It took a lot of work to get the comments typed up. I would have been happy with just copies of people’s handwritten notes, but nice to see they went the extra yard.”
Click here to read them all. It’s a great way to get a feel for the pulse of the community.
Members of the public were invited to comment after last month’s Downtown Plan Implementation Committee meeting about Parker Harding Plaza. (Photo/Dan Woog)
On Wednesday, the Flood & Erosion Board approved Vita Design Group’s plan to build a house next door to Eloise A. Ray Park, on Riverside Avenue.
A “Friends of the Park” group is concerned that the park will be unusable while construction is ongoing; that it will be used in part as a staging area, and damaged by equipment; that the park will be “forever altered by having a multi-level house, driveway, patio and walls” encroaching on it; that trees will be cut, and wildlife, and that traffic on Riverside will be affected.
They invite interested residents to email saveeloise@gmail.com.
The next hearing is before the full Conservation Board, on September 13.
The bad news is: In Lyman, dozens of apartment buildings need repair before winter sets in.
The good news: It’s been several weeks since Russians attacked our Ukrainian sister city. And Westporters’ donations have already helped shore up 15 apartment buildings.
Ukraine Aid International’s Brian Mayer — the Westporter who co-founded the boots-on-the-ground non-profit, and helped engineer our town’s sister city relationship — provided an update yesterday.
He told First Selectwoman Jen Tooker, Police Chief Foti Koskinas and “06880” that a construction firm is doing the dangerous work of repairing roofs and windows, to enable the damaged apartments to withstand the coming snow and freezing temperatures.
Mayer recently visited Lyman Mayor Alexander Zhuravlov. Behind his desk is a shelf filled with items sent from Westport.
Tooker and Koskinas are in near daily contact with the mayor and Lyman police chief. Each time, the Ukrainian officials tell their Westport counterparts how much our town’s support means to them.
(Donations through Ukrainian Aid International will help rebuild the many heavily damaged apartments. Click here to help. Under “Designation,” click the dropdown menu and select “Westport — Lyman Sister City.”)
In July — just hours after a Russian attack killed 8 Lyman residents — Mayor Alexander Zhuravlov sent a video thanking Westporters for their support.
Connecticut’s annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony drew a reverent crowd yesterday to Sherwood Island State Park, the site of the state’s official memorial.
From that spot in 2001, smoke from the Twin Towers was visible.
Connecticut holds its ceremony before the September 11 anniversary, so relatives and friends of those killed in the terrorist attack can also attend the New York memorial on that day.
Yesterday’s 9/11 memorial, at Sherwood Island State Park. (Photo/Harris Falk)
Westoberfest — the Westport Downtown Association’s Oktoberfest-style event — has something for everyone.
There’s beer tasting from dozens of craft breweries, sure.
But also live music; food by Walrus Alley, Kneads Bakery, Lobstercraft and Little Pub; a children’s area run by the Artists’ Collective of Westport and MoCA; a street magician, bubbles and face painting; a pumpkin and apple giveaway; food trucks, shopping and vendors like Savvy + Grace.
Take-home tasting glasses with koozies are courtesy of Lux Bond & Green.
It all takes place October 14 (2 to 5 p.m.), off Elm Street. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Westoberfest is for beer drinkers — and families. (Photo/JC Martin)
=================================================
Jennifer Johnson spotted this ship in Long Island Sound, earlier this morning.
(Photo/Jennifer Johnson)
“What is it dumping?” she asks.
I have no idea. But I’m sure someone in our “06880” universe does. Click “Comments” below, if you know.
A service for Rev. Ted Hoskins — the former and much-loved Saugatuck Congregational Church pastor who died last month — will be held this Sunday (September 10, 2 p.m.) in Blue Hill, Maine. Doug Miller — Rev. Hoskins’ former associate minister in Westport — will officiate.
The service will be livestreamed. Click here for the link.
Rev. Ted Hoskins (Photo courtesy of Penobscot Bay Press)
Forget car washes and candy sales. The Staples High School girls swim and dive team has a fundraiser that will really make you smile: a comedy show.
Their first-ever “Dive Into Comedy” (get it?!) event includes 4 comedians who have slayed it in laces like Caroline’s, Stand Up New York, Broadway Comedy Club and The Stress Factory.
It’s September 28, at the Fairfield Theatre Company. Click here for tickets (adults 21+ only).
“Don’t tread water. Get your tickets today!” the girls say. Hah!
“Make people laugh,” the photographer told the Staples swim and dive team. They did.
=================================================
But speaking of sports team car washes: The Staples boys soccer team holds theirs tomorrow. It’s 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Christ & Holy Trinity Church parking lot on Elm Street.
Like the girls swim team, they’re raising money for costs not covered by the Board of Education budget.
Gary Lucas — a rock guitarist lauded by Bruce Springsteen and Lou Reed, who collaborated with Captain Beefheart and Jeff Buckley — is the latest StoryFest addition.
He’ll rock the Westport Library October 22 (2 p.m.), accompanying George Melford’s 1931 Spanish-language “Dracula” film with a live guitar score.
Lucas will add even more to the largest literary festival in Connecticut. This year’s 6th annual event (October 20-22) includes a keynote conversation with legendary writer Neil Gaiman; panel discussions and author conversations; a special reading of Eric LaRocca’s new play, “Gentle Hacksaw”; a children’s event with Pinkalicious author Victoria Kann, and PitchFest (a 5-hour paid workshop where aspiring authors can speak to literary agents about their book. Click here for more information.
Gary Lucas (Photo/Michael Arkk)
==============================================
It’s not yet fall — but this guy is getting ready for winter, at Tracy Porosoff’s kousa dogwood tree. Nothing could be more “Naturally … Westport.”
Virgin Galactic is the world’s first publicly traded space tourism company.
For $450,000, you can experience the thrill (and weightlessness) of a suborbital flight. Or at least, join a list of about 800 others who are waiting to blast off too.
But if you’re Dan Alix, you can actually take the controls
And get paid for it.
The 2001 Staples High School graduate is a test pilot for the company. He flies the mothership, which carries the spaceship and launches it from the air.
Eventually, he hopes to pilot the spaceship itself.
Dan Alix with the VSS Unity. The mothership is 60 feet long, with a wingspan of 43 feet.
Dan’s path to the sky got a boost at Staples from physics instructor Dave Scrofani.
(Dan — who played soccer, hockey and volleyball — was a physics classmate of Mariangela Lisanti. The first person ever to win both the Intel Science Talent Search and Siemens competitions, she is now a theoretical physicist and professor at Princeton University.)
Dan did his undergraduate work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Air Force ROTC helped pay for college; in return, he spent 13 years on active duty. He is still a reservist.
A test pilot in places like Italy and South Korea, Dan flew F-16s and F-35s. He was deployed to both Afghanistan and Libya.
At Edwards Air Force Base — where Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier — Dan worked on airplane design. The mix of engineering and adventure was perfect for him.
After leaving active duty in 2018, Dan took a similar job testing new planes in the private sector. He joined Virgin Galactic last February.
Both the mothership and spaceship are designed with plenty of pilot input, he says. Because so many space pilots are ex-military, the cockpits and operations are similar.
Space tourism is one arm of the Virgin Galactic flights. Currently, there is one flight a month. The goal is for many more — perhaps one a day.
There is also a “very robust” research component to the flights. With private companies, universities and the government all interested in a variety of projects, that has the potential to be even more profitable than space tourism.
Zero gravity is familiar territory to Dan, from fighter jets. But he looks forward to the view of earth from space.
Every passenger — including, most recently, a mother and daughter from Antigua and Barbuda who won a contest to fly (for free) into space — has the same “universal, gigantic” experience, Dan says: “Wow!”
Pilots and paying customers alike prepare “psychologically, emotionally an spiritually” for space flight, Dan says. But there apparently is nothing like actually being there.
“We’ve all seen photos of the curvature of the earth,” he adds. “But we haven’t taken them ourselves.”
Virgin Galactic’s last 2 flights were led by first-time space pilots.
“To take a test pilot — so disciplined — and see their reaction was so telling,” Dan says. “It takes a lot to get us excited. But this was much more emotional than I expected.”
Dan says it is “cool and exciting for me to be able to bring that kind of joy to people.
“The military is so important. But it’s nice to take those skills, and use them on a different kind of mission. And the more people that can have that experience, the better.”
(“06880” often chronicles the intriguing careers of Staples High graduates. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Triple Threat Academy’s 2022 film “Lux Freer” has won awards, and will screen at the Bridgeport Film Festival tomorrow. The acting/singing/dancing school’s fall classes start September 12.
But as founder/director Cynthia Gibb and writer/producer Jill Johnson Mann look ahead, they’re still smiling about this past summer.
The 2 women have had great careers in entertainment. Yet filming “Presumed Incompetent” — their 2023 film — was a highlight of their lives.
Both professionally, and personally.
The film was inspired by Wynston Browne. The story of the non-speaking autistic Staples junior — for years believed to be developmentally disabled, now using a keyboard to stun everyone with his remarkable intelligence — has inspired people all over town.
But Wynston is far more than the inspiration for the film.
He is also its star.
Wynston caught the eye of Gibb (a 1981 Staples High graduate and “Fame” star) and Mann, who works closely with Gibb (and whose children have acted professionally in, among others, “Mare of Easttown” and “Country Comfort”).
Each summer, Triple Threat students act in — and learn every element of — a short film. Mann and Gibb thought Wynston’s story deserved to be told on screen.
The first time Gibb met Wynston, she asked what he wanted people to learn from this film. He typed, “True inclusion means participation.”
They sure got that right.
Wynston Browne shares his thoughts by typing, in early table read.
Mann’s script for “Presumed Incompetent” tells the tale of a nonspeaking autistic teenager who was locked in his own mind for 15 years, with no way to communicate with the outside world.
Even his own parents could only guess what he was thinking. Those guesses were often off base, because the apraxia that afflicts “Chance” (and Wynston in real life) causes his body to move erratically. He appear agitated and unfocused, though he is not.
But only the boy locked inside knew that. He is highly intelligent. He hears and absorbs everything, even as doctors, teachers and therapists tell Chance’s family that he has a serious cognitive impairment.
No one presumed competence. The movie’s message is that we all must always presume competence.
Filming (from left) Claire Butler, Natalia Mann, Izzy Leeming and Sophie Jasmin Walther. Wynston told writer Jill Johnson Mann that one of the most difficult experiences during his years he could not communicate was feeling like kids made fun of him in the halls.
When the family discovers a spelling method that gives nonspeaking autistic people a voice, everything changes.
The film was shot entirely in Westport. The cast included 25 young people and 10 adults, nearly all of them locals.
During a week of rehearsals they got to know Wynston, who said that most of all, he just wants to be included with his peers.
He participated in the table read, spelling his lines as his character does in the film. He rehearsed scenes under Gibb’s direction, with the actors who played his parents and siblings.
His fellow actors learned to disregard signs that Wynston seemed to not listen or pay attention when they talked to him. They knew he was taking everything in, though his brain often can’t get his body to make eye contact or sit still.
Wynston Browne cuddles with castmates, during a break in filming.
But when Gibb called “action!” Wynston was laser focused. He stunned everyone with his nuanced, sensitive, emotional performance.
More than once, he had the cast and crew in tears.
Over the course of the week shooting the film, they watched a confident actor emerge.
Wynston Browne in an emotional scene, with fellow Westporter Alexandra Pearl.
Wynston got the drill: Now we go back down the hall and do another take; now they turn the cameras around and shoot another way; now I can feel proud because we got the shot!
In an astounding basketball scene Wynston worked the crowd, looking up to the stands with a grin as he sank shot after shot.
Wynston Browne’s face lights up, as he sinks his basketball shots. Westporter Mario Manna (left) plays his coach. Westport’s Miles Katz (far right), an Emerson film student, assists with the crew.
He is in almost every scene in the film, working 12-hour days. In the evening he slouched on the couch like any teenager, cuddling with his film family, not wanting the day to end.
Partway through the shoot, he spelled to his mom: “I want to be an actor.” He told her it was the best week of his life.
Wynston had quite a surrounding cast, of actors from ages 7 to 85.
Other special needs actors participated too, including Bella Rizzi and Cotton Bodell of Westport.
Kassie Mundhenk of New Jersey, who played Moira Ross in HBO’s “Mare of Easttown,” alongside Kate Winslet and Jill Johnson Mann’s son Cameron (he turned out to be the murderer), was also in the film. Westporter Deb Katz plays Wynston’s mother.
Westport’s Bella Rizzi and Kassie Mundhenk set up for a shot at The Porch. The deli’s mission of inclusion and employing people with special needs aligns with the mission of Triple Threat’s films.
“Presumed Incompetent” is now in post-production. Early next year, it will start making the rounds of film festivals.
This was not the only movie made through Triple Threat’s summer independent film project.
A student short, “Ocean’s 14,” was written by Staples senior Ayla Nahmias, and directed by classmate Tyler Rockwell.
“The Family Recipe” is a historical fiction story written by a Triple Threat’acting teachers, Alexandra Pearl. It starred a number of younger actors.
But “Presumed Incompetent” is the most ground-breaking. Wynston Browne is believed to be the first non-speaking autistic person to star in a film (other than a documentary).
He had a great 2 weeks. His co-stars and crew had an equally memorable time. A group chat continues the friendships formed on the set.
Soon, audiences everywhere will appreciate and admire Westport’s newest movie star too.
(“06880” is proud to tell Wynston’s story — and so many others. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Bill Mitchell describes himself two ways: “I sell socks.” And “I’m a glorified doorman.”
Sure. Just like Lionel Messi is a guy running around in shorts. And Taylor Swift is a girl with a mic.
Bill Mitchell
Here’s my description of Bill Mitchell: For decades the native Westporter has been the public face, heart and soul of a luxury men’s and women’s store that is so much more than a place to buy suits, dresses and jewelry.
Thanks in large part to Bill — with plenty of help from the ever-increasing Mitchell family — what began as a humble, 800-square foot shop has turned into an 8-store, coast-to-coast, very successful business.
He was there in 1958, when Ed and Norma Mitchell took a leap of faith and opened their first store.
He’s been there full-time since 1965 — during Mitchells’ moves first to Colonial Green, then to even larger digs much further down the Post Road.
He’s been there through boom times and recessions; through closing their boys’ department, and adding women’s clothes and jewelry. He was there, most recently, through COVID — when the bottom fell out, but Mitchells kept everyone on their payroll.
But this month, Bill Mitchell will sell his last pair of socks. He’ll stand at the front door one lsat time.
After nearly 60 years of being synonymous with Mitchells of Westport, the 80-year-old icon is retiring.
But don’t worry. His broad smile, exuberant personality and help-anyone-at-anytime spirit are not going anywhere.
“Westport is my only home,” says Bill, who — though born in a Brooklyn hospital — came here when he was 4 days old.
Echoing his friend and fellow philanthropist Paul Newman, he says, “Where else would I go?”
Bill’s Westport roots are as deep as the Gault and Tauck families — our town’s 2 other families, who founded and nurtured flourishing multi-generational businesses.
Bill Mitchell (right) and his older brother Jack.
The lessons taught by his parents Ed and Norma still guide him today.
Bill’s father opened a small men’s store in a former heating contractor’s office (today, M&T Bank’s Westport office) in 1958. He had only a desire to leave the New York advertising rat race, and the handshake promise of a loan from Westport Bank & Trust president Einar Anderson.
Ed and Norma brought their coffee pot from home every morning. Ed’s mother did the tailoring, at her Weston Road home.
The original Ed Mitchell’s, at the corner of the Post Road and Compo Road North.
At the same time, Ed gave back to the town. He chaired the Board of Finance — and helped engineer the purchase of Longshore, saving a failing private club from a developer who planned to build 180 homes there.
Bill played football, basketball and tennis at Staples. One day Albie Loeffler, his basketball coach, made him take responsibility for a transgression.
Bill never forgot that lesson, or the importance of educators. To this day he has been one of Staples High School’s biggest and most vocal boosters. He writes checks for every athletic, artistic and academic cause.
Less visible — but just as crucial — is his behind-the-scenes help. Whether an athlete needs a jacket for a banquet, an Orphenian needs a dress for a concert, a staff member needs encouragement or a student needs help with sobriety, Bill is there.
Bill Mitchell’s generosity extends far beyond Westport. He’s been a longtime benefactor of Bridgeport’s Kolbe Cathedral High School. In 2003, he posed with graduate Marques Brown.
But he never planned to be (as he calls himself) “a clothier.”
His goal was to become a sportscaster. A throat accident ended that dream.
In a way though, he never gave it up. His many good friends — and loyal customers — have included legendary broadcasters and local residents like Jim McKay, Brent Musburger, Jim Nantz and Mike Greenberg.
Bill Mitchell’s love of sports — and contacts in the sports world — are legendary. A few days ago, he arranged for his friend Carole Orland to throw out the first pitch at her beloved Fenway Park. They posed on the diamond, before the game.
Right out of college in 1965, Ed asked Bill to join the store. Reluctantly, he said he’d give it a year.
He never left.
Bill (left) and Jack Mitchell on the floor, many holiday seasons back.
“I’ve had the best seat in the house — or on the floor,” Bill says. “I’ve made and met so many friends. I’ll miss that. I love people.”
That’s an understatement too. It’s like Messi saying he loves soccer, or Taylor Swift saying she loves performing. “Love” is not a strong enough word to describe their passions.
Bill Mitchell has friends everywhere. This photo — with Westport police officer Ned Batlin — was taken at a Mitchells benefit for first responders.
It’s all about people. Bill has helped his business succeed because it’s more than just a great store.
“People don’t remember the clothes they buy,” he says. “They remember the way they were treated.”
Bill began by treating customers as friends. Today he treats their children — and grandchildren — the same way.
Those customer/friends include some of the most high-powered people in the world. Once, he and head tailor Dominick Condoleo brought new suits to Jack Welch in his Fairfield office.
“How does this look?” the GE CEO asked.
It was “99% perfect,” Bill says. “I like it,” he told Welch.
But, Condoleo told him, “There’s just a hint of ripple in the shoulder.”
Welch turned on Bill. “Don’t you ever lie to me again!” he said.
He never did.
Bill Mitchell made friends everywhere. He posed here with longtime Westport teacher (and former employee) Walt Melillo.
But boldface names are not the only customers Bill remembers.
One Christmas Eve he finally got home, exhausted after a hectic holiday season. The light on his answering machine was blinking.
A customer had forgotten to pick up a package she needed that night. She was leaving early the next morning for Vermont. Could he deliver it?
Bill did — to her home in Brookfield.
She never said thanks. But, Bill says, “I honored my parents’ legacy. They always said, ‘Say yes. Then make it happen.’ And they made it happen even when they couldn’t afford to.”
His parents’ legacy is carried on by his brother Jack; Jack’s 4 sons, and Bill’s 3. The fourth generation is now joining the business. Nothing makes Bill and Jack prouder.
Two generations of the Mitchell family. Bill is at the far right; his brother Jack is 2nd from left.
Long ago, former Board of Education chair and neighbor Leonard Rovins advised Bill to get involved in community organizations like the Library, YMCA and Playhouse.
He heeded that advice. These days, his primary board work is with Sacred Heart University. He’s immensely proud of the great strides the school has taken.
He’s proud too of his work with a variety of religious groups and figures. His parents were members of Saugatuck Congregational Church. When he was roasted at the Friars Club for his 70th birthday, an honored guest was Cardinal Dolan.
And, Bill says, The Conservative Synagogue rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn “made me an honorary Jew.”
Their friendship — which began when Mitchells lent its parking lot for overflow High Holiday parking — is real, and strong. Next month, Mitchell will join the rabbi on a trip to Israel.
Bill Mitchell with his sons (from left) Chris, Tyler and Scott.
In retirement Bill will continue his work with recovery programs like the Lighthouse in Darien, and Shatterproof. He has been sober since 1991, and speaks openly about his one-day-at-a-time journey.
Very quietly but quite effectively, Bill has sponsored many people in their own recovery work.
He also looks forward to taking one-on-one trips with his 7 grandchildren. “I’ll even be able to go at Christmas!” he says with wonder, thinking back to his busiest time of year, ever since Ed Mitchell’s opened.
Beginning next month, Mitchells of Westport will look different. Bill won’t be there at the door. He won’t be asking if you want coffee, a bagel, maybe some socks to go with that purchase.
But he’ll do the same thing his father always did: “wake up with a purpose in life.”
And he’ll be doing it for quite a while.
Ed Mitchell died 40 years after — late in life — he founded that first small store. He was 3 weeks shy of his 99th birthday.
Bill Mitchell’s many friends join me in wishing him many more years of good health and great fun — right here in the town he has always loved.
Online registration for Westport Parks & Recreation Department programs begins next Wednesday (September 6, 9 a.m.). Click here to see all offerings (not yet viewable, however). Click here to register.
Questions? Email recreation@westportct.gov, or call (203-341-5152 weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Construction of the cell phone tower on private property at 92 Greens Farms Road is moving ahead quickly.
This was the scene yesterday, looking east. I-95 is on the right.
(Photo/Matt Murray)
===============================================
Earlier this month, Substack launched a new sports newsletter: “The Finder With Tom Haberstroh.”
The former Staples High School basketball star was inspired to start it in part because of his mother Patty. The longtime Westport Department of Human Services social worker — who died last month from complications of ALS — gave him “The Finder” nickname when he was young. (Click here for that back story — and a mention of Westport’s own Craig Melvin.)
Another local connection: This week, Tom published a podcast with Westporter Dan Orlovsky. The former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst had a great conversation with Tom. (Dan recorded it on his way to Bristol.)
The Westport Country Playhouse benefit was already shaping up as a showcase of local — but A-list — talent.
Staples High School 2003 graduate Justin Paul headlines the September 9 event. He’s joined by James Naughton, and the Weston actor’s son Greg and daughter-in-law Kelli O’Hara, along with Staples ’06 alum/Broadway actor Jacob Heimer.
Staples ’87 grad/Coleytown Middle School director Ben Frimmer is the concert producer. The director is Staples ’10/former Staples Players president/current Disney creative developer Caley Beretta.
Now 12 current Staples Players have joined the cast, for the opening and closing numbers: Yusef Abdallah, Kaya Araya, Henry Carson, Finley Chevrier, Cece Diyoka, Samantha Edwards, Ben Herrera, Alyssa Lee, Andrew Maskoff, Imogen Medoff, Cooper Sadler and Melody Stanger.
Click here for tickets, and more information.
Kelli O’Hara will be joined by many other Westporters at the Westport Country Playhouse benefit.
=================================================
It’s amazing what’s donated to the Westport Library and Westport Book Shop.
Now, several rare and unique literary works — given over the psat 2 years — will be auctioned online.
The September 6 event includes a letter handwritten and signed by former Westporter F. Scott Fitzgerald to his publisher, and a first American edition of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” signed by author J.K. Rowling.
The auction is conducted by University Archives, an online auction house operated by Wilton collector/dealer/handwriting expert/auctioneer John Reznikoff. The 2 items are among hundreds of rare autographs, manuscripts, books and sports memorabilia to be auctioned that day.
Click here to see the 7 lots to be auctioned for Westport Book Sale’s benefit. For a catalog of all 505 lots, click here.
F. Scott Fitzgerald, and his letter.
================================================
Income-eligible residents can get help with winter heating bills. Applications for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program start September 5.
Westport residents who previously qualified for assistance through the Department of Human Services will receive application instructions in the mail. Those applying for the first time should call 203-341-1050, or email humansrv@westportct.gov to make an appointment.
A household’s gross annual income must be at or below 60% of the state median income. The maximum income for households with 1 person is $41,553; it ranges up to $92,695 for families of 5.
Households receiving SNAP, SSI, State Supp or Refugee Cash Assistance may automatically qualify. CEAP recipients may also be eligible for matching payment plans, protection from shutoffs, and replacement and repairs for heating equipment and water heaters, along with additional fuel deliveries.
Westport Police made 1 custodial arrest between August 23 and 30.
A woman was arrested after a domestic violence incident, and charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct, after it was determined she was the “dominant aggressor.”
After being assigned a court date and told not to return to the residence until after that court date, she attempted to do just that. She was charged with violation of the conditions of release, 2nd degree.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 5 citations
Failure to register a commercial vehicle: 3
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 2
Failure to renew registration: 2
Distracted driving: 1
Failure to yield right of way: 1
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 1
Failure to renew license: 1
Violation of readable plates: 1
Failure to appear: 1
Nearly every week, Westport Police issue citations for “failure to register a commercial vehicle.”
================================================
As fall nears, Aspetuck Land Trust is gearing up for another “Lunch & Learn” webinar season.
First up: “Hedges and Edges: Increasing the Resilience and Diversity of Your Garden’s Ecosystem” (September 15, noon to 1:30 p.m.).
Plant ecologist and landscape designer Heather McCargo will discuss using garden design to increase yard productivity and biodiversity.
For example, ALT says, “Group together shrubs of different species into a hedgerow for small or large spaces, add herbaceous groundcovers and small trees to the shrub layer for a multi-level garden that creates amazing habitat for a variety of species.”
Potential Pennsylvania senatorial candidate David McCormick stirred controversy earlier this month, when news outlets reported that the former CEO of Bridgewater Associates actually continues to live in Westport.
Official documents list his home here as his address; so does a $5,000 campaign contribution made this spring. McCormick, a Republican, is raising money and hiring staff as he prepares to challenge incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Casey next fall.
Now a new report notes that his 2019 Honda CR-V and 2019 Toyota Land Cruiser are both registered to his Westport address. He paid the motor vehicle taxes that were due July 1. Click here for the full story. (Hat tip: Allan Siegert)
David McCormick
===============================================
Today is the Westport Farmer’ Market.
There’s always something to see, smell and admire at the Imperial Avenue lot. Here are just a few items, photographed last week by Mary Sikorski for our “Westport … Naturally” feature:
And finally … Ray Hildebrand, the “Paul” of “Paul & Paula” fame who had a #1 love song using those names in 1963, died this month in Kansas. He was 82, and suffered from dementia. Click here for a full obituary.
(F. Scott Fitzgerald, heating bill assistance, police reports, much more … as usual, this “06880” Roundup has it all. If you appreciate our work, please consider a donation. Just click here — and thank you!)
The first day of school was yesterday. But Staples math teacher Maggie Gomez already has a Westport Public Schools nomination for “06880” Unsung Heroes. She writes:
The whole Westport Public Schools IT (Informational Technology) crew are unsung heroes.
I can’t testify to what goes on in other buildings. But at Staples on Monday, all sorts of computers needed updating. Printers were not connecting. If things were not up and running, opening day would be a mess.
The whole IT department was more than helpful. They individually helped teachers endlessly, all day long. And they did it with smiles on their faces.
After helping one teacher, instead of ducking out they went around and asked if anyone else had issues.
They even helped unlock my own son’s account. because he had entered a wrong password too many times.
The IT staff is very deserving Unsung Heroes. They keep us running all year long, totally behind the scenes — especially before school starts. We would be lost without them.
Staples High School math teacher Maggie Gomez — at her computer. (File photo/Susan Woog Wagner)
(Do you know an Unsung Hero? Emil 06880blog@gmail.com)
(“06880” is your hyper-local blog. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Posted onAugust 30, 2023|Comments Off on Cabry Lueker Takes Reins As Youth Commission Chair
The first requirement to serve on any Westport board or commission is clear: You must be a registered voter.
There is one exception: The Westport Youth Commission.
That makes sense: Half of the 30 members can’t vote. They’re still high school students.
The Youth Commission has a low-key presence. That’s surprising. It’s been around since the 1970s; it was the impetus for creations like Toquet Hall and the Compo Beach Skate Park, and it organizes popular events like Dodge-a-Cop, bringing teens and police officers together.
(Full disclosure: Way back in my Staples High School days I served on what was then called the Youth-Adult Council; later, as an adult, I spent a decade on the Youth Commission.)
As the Commission gears up for a new school year, incoming chair Cabry Lueker hopes to raise its presence in town.
Cabry Lueker
His path to leadership was swift. His extracurricular activities are diverse — he started Staples’ Finance Club, is a member of the Up Next service organization, and is very involved in WWPT-FM and the television program. Last year he heard about the Youth Commission last year from a friend.
Cabry attended the first meeting of the year, at Toquet Hall. He was impressed to see all the members facing each other — not sitting in a row, as at many town commission sessions.
Alex Laskin and Carolyn Caggiano ran the meeting, as the teen leaders always do. Everyone offered opinions. Cabry was encouraged to speak too.
He learned about Youth Commission initiatives like iMentor, a 6th grade internet safety program.
He became a regular member. A year later, he’s president.
Cabry has several goals. Having enjoyed being an iMentor. He’d like to expand it to 8th graders, with an emphasis on teaching about “digital footprints” (including implications for college admissions).
He’d like to resurrect a long-discussed project — mini-golf — through discussions with the Parks & Recreation Department. He hopes the Youth Commission can work with Parks & Rec and Staples’ Skate Club too to renovate the Skate Park.
The Compo Beach Skate Park began as a Youth Commission initiative. (Photo/Larry Silver)
Cabry wants to raise the Youth Commission’s visibility too. He encourages all students to attend meetings, citing his own path beginning as a non-voting member.
There are a couple of vacant seats for adults, he notes. Meetings are held once a month, evenings at Toquet Hall.
There are 2 sub-committees: Peer Advisory (dealing with iMentor, mental health, police-youth relations and more) and Town Improvements (Skate Park, mini-golf, etc,).
Working closely with adults has been beneficial, Cabry says. He has learned about marketing and finance — their day jobs — from fellow members. People like Lee Shufro and Adam Chusid have gone “above and beyond” to help.
Youth Commission group photo, from several years ago.
“People think government is inefficient,” Cabry says. “But if you get involved actively, you can get things done.” He and vice chair Lola Lamensdorf are open to all suggestions.
“The whole premise of the Youth Commission is to bring youth and adults together, with youth representing their peers.
“It’s a privilege to live here. Other towns have Youth Commissions too. But I don’t think the others have the advantages we do, or work as thoroughly.”
He cites Dodge-a-Cop and Corn-a-Cop — 2 youth/police initiatives (dodgeball and cornhole, respectively) — as examples of close relationships forged through the Youth Commission.
A Dodge-a-Cop team, with actual police officers on the far left and right.
Now as chair, Cabry says, “I want to make sure everyone in Westport knows what we do, and knows they can help.”
(The first Youth Commission meeting of the 2023-24 school year is August 31, 7:15 p.m. at Toquet Hall. It is open to the public. Click here for the Youth Commission website.)
(“06880” highlights Westport activities of and for all ages. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Comments Off on Cabry Lueker Takes Reins As Youth Commission Chair
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.
He too has worked on a Kids in Crisis project. “When you realize your software can save lives, that’s pretty important,” he says.
There is also a “very robust” research component to the flights. With private companies, universities and the government all interested in a variety of projects, that has the potential to be even more profitable than space tourism.
The film was inspired by Wynston Browne. The story of the non-speaking autistic Staples junior — for years believed to be developmentally disabled, now using a keyboard to stun everyone with his remarkable intelligence — has inspired people all over town.
