Category Archives: Staples HS

Roundup: Mill Pond Fence, Betty Lou Cummings, Jackopierce …

Posted on August 8, 2022 | 6 comments

Pristine views of Sherwood Mill Pond are back!

Fencing has been removed from the pedestrian pathway leading from the Old Mill parking lot to Compo Cove.

It was installed in December 2020, during water monitoring tests.

Signs warning against jumping into the pond near the tidal gates remain.

But the decades-old ritual — a rite of passage for many Westporters — still goes strong. (Hat tip: Oliver Radwan)

Fencing has been removed from Sherwood Mill Pond. The black poles remain. (Photo/Dan Woog)

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Have you heard about Westport’s scavenger hunt?

Hidden around town are 18 pieces of art, all inspired by town monuments, buildings and more that are part of the bicentennial quilt.

It’s part of a display in the Westport Museum of History & Culture. The show — in conjunction with MoCA Westport and CAMP Gallery — features textiles and other quilt-inspired artifacts. The hunt runs through August 20. Click here for details. (Hat tip: Dave Matlow)

1st Selectwoman and Police Chief Foti Koskinas hunt for clues. (Photo/Dave Matlow)

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Happy 88th birthday to former 2nd Selectwoman, Apple Festival founder and organizer, super-involved and multi-tasked civic volunteer, and all-around wonder woman Betty Lou Cummings!

She celebrated yesterday with her husband Tom. Not pictured below: all her tens of thousands of Westport fans.

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When Cary Pierce was a student at Staples High School, he got his first big break.

Hall & Oates failed to appear for a 1985 concert at Longshore — to be fair, they never signed a contract — so Cary’s band, Pseudo Blue, entertained instead. (Click here to read all about that strange day in Westport history.)

Cary went on to graduate from Staples in 1987. He kept playing guitar, and singing.

For nearly 35 years, Cary and his Southern Methodist University classmate Jack O’Neill have fronted Jackopierce. The band has shared stages with Dave Matthews, Counting Crows, Sheryl Crow, Lyle Lovett, Matchbox Twenty and Widespread Panic. They’ve performed in clubs and at colleges across America — and before 500,000 people at the Texas Motor Speedway.

Next Monday (August 15, 6 p.m.), Jackopierce comes to Milestone restaurant in Georgetown. The venue is small, so tickets will go quickly. Click here to purchase, and for more information.

No word on whether Hall & Oates will sit in too.

Jackopierce: Cary Pierce (right) and Jack O’Neill.

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Michael Scott crushed it.

The Staples High School Class of 2011 graduate — and star on the Wreckers state championship team — finished Juneau’s Ironman Alaska yesterday in an astonishing 10 hours, 18 minutes and 48 seconds.

He ignored stunning views to swim 2.4 miles in Auke Lake in 36:33. He biked 112 miles along the Glacier Highway in 5:49.09. Then he ran 26.2 miles through the lush Mendenhall Valley rainforest in 3:29:42.

That was good (great!) for 23rd place, out of 733 competitors — and 3rd out of 36, in his men’s age 25-29 age group.

Congratulations, Mikey. Now take a well=deserved rest!

Michael Scott

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Lifelong Westporter Anthony Gilbertie died last week, from complications of Parkinson’s. He was 84.

He was the 5th member of the Gilbertie family to serve on the RTM.

Anthony was devoted to Assumption Church, where he was a cantor for 13 years. Most recently, he was a US Postal Service carrier in Weston. Anthony enjoyed history, current events and the New York Yankees.

He was predeceased by all his siblings: John Jr, Mario, Linda Gilbertie-Bullard and Michael, and baby siblings Thomas and Gloria.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Diane Taylor-Gilbertie; children, Tom (Anne). Peter (Dee) and Nancy Gilbertie-Loshuk, and grandchildren Griffin Gilbertie, William Gilbertie, Thomas Gilbertie, Christopher Gilbertie and Jack Loshuk.

Anthony’s wake will be held Friday (August 12, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Harding Funeral Home). A Mass of Christian Burial will follow there at 11 a.m., followed by burial at Assumption Cemetery on Greens Farms Road. The family asks that all attendees wear masks, as some family members are immunocompromised.

In lieu of flowers, donation may be made to Assumption Church or The Parkinson’s Foundation.

Anthony Gilbertie

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Longtime Westporter Jeanne Wylie Crist died last week. She was 99 years old.

Jeanne married her Albany high school sweetheart, Robert “Mike” Crist in 1947 after working with the Naval Department in New York City. Two sons were born there before they moved to Westport, where Karen was born in 1956.

They lived in Westport for nearly 50 years before moving to Lenox, Massachusetts to be close to their daughter in 2011, when Mike’s health faltered.

They were members of Saugatuck Congregational Church, loved walking Compo Beach and cherished many friends. In retirement they purchased a cottage on Lake Bomoseen in Vermont, where Mike had enjoyed his childhood. Jeanne and Mike also traveled extensively throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Jeanne was preceded by Mike in 2011, and their son, Robert “Lee” Crist in 1983 and Jeffrey Crist in 2017. She is survived by her daughter Karen (Matthew Miller), grandchildren Chas (Ashley), Geoffrey (Michelle) and Kaylee Wylie,  and great-grandchildren Charley, Nuala, Declan, Wylie and Penelope.

A graveside service will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Westport, where she will be interred with her beloved Mike and 2 sons. To share memories and stories click here,

Jeanne Wylie Crist

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Tracy Porosoff thinks this dramatic photo shows a wasp beetle eating a cicada at the Compo Beach baseball fence.

Whatever it is, it’s a perfect way to start off our “Westport … Naturally” week.

(Photo/Tracy Porosoff)

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And finally … speaking of Jackopierce (as we were above): Here’s a little preview of their Milestene show:

(Keep the music coming! Please click here to support “06880.”)

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Posted in Beach, Entertainment, Environment, Looking back, Obituaries, Sports, Staples HS

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Roundup: Lynsey Addario, Lunch And Learn, Co-Working …

Posted on August 5, 2022 | 2 comments

This fall, New York’s School of Visual arts honors Lynsey Addario.

The New York Times photojournalist, MacArthur genius grant and Pulitzer Prize recipient — and 1991 Staples High School graduate —  takes part in the 32nd annual Masters Series Award and Exhibition.

“The Masters Series: Lynsey Addario” will be a comprehensive retrospective of her fearless, 2-decade journey documenting humanitarian issues around the globe.

The free exhibition runs from September 2 through October 29. Addario gives a special talk on September 9.

The exhibit showcases the photographers’ career, from Afghanistan and Iraq to Congo, Libya, Somalia, Syria, South Sudan, and most recently, Ukraine. She brings a strong focus on women’s issues to her work, including gender-based violence and rape as a weapon of war.

Addario is the author of Of Love and War, a solo collection of photography, and the best-selling memoir It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War.

Click here for the CVA website on the exhibition.

in the early days after the Russian invasion, Lynsey Addario’s photo of this bombed-out apartment building in Kyiv brought the war’s reality to people around the globe. (Photo/Lynsey Addario for The New York Times)

Screenshot of Lynsey Addario from “Firing Line.”

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You’re never too old to “lunch and learn.” Even in August.

Aspetuck Land Trust announces 2 upcoming sessions.

“Green Corridor: From Vision to Reality” (Wednesday, August 10, noon to 1 p.m.). features director of landowner engagement. Mary Ellen Lemay. She’ll explain why the Green Corridor initiative helps heal the fragmented and toxic landscape that surrounds us.

Using simple eco-friendly steps in yards and other private properties, the Green Corridor allows species to move across the landscape, improving biodiversity. Click here to register.

At “Think Like a Forest” (Friday, August 26, noon to 1 p.m.), Anna Fialkoff explains how planting native trees supports local food webs. Benefits include
purifying air, shading and cooling in hot weather, storing atmospheric carbon, minimizing flooding and storm water runoff, and helping sustain vital pollinators, birds and other wildlife. Click here to register.

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And you thought there were no holidays in August!

This coming Tuesday (August 9) is International Co-Working Day.

To celebrate, Office Evolution — the great, airy, flexible and filled-with-all-you-need space at 500 Post Road East (opposite Westport Fire Department headquarters) offers free one-day passes to anyone looking for a new work environment.

The holiday is Tuesday, but the offer is good all next week (August 8-12).

For more information, email Westport.CT@officeevolution.com, or call 203-635-8770. Click here for the Westport website.

Westport Office Evolution owner Laura Kaufman (left) and business center manager Lindy Steinorth, when Office Evolution opened in 2019.

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The eagle landed yesterday at Compo Beach — and posted majestically for its “Westport … Naturally” shot.

(Photo/David Anastasia)

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And finally … in honor of International Co-Working Day (story above):

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Posted in Environment, Local business, Media, Politics, Staples HS

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Roundup: Michelle Pauker, Bulkley Pond …

Posted on July 24, 2022 | 4 comments

MoCA Westport roams far beyond our town’s borders.

The museum-and-more features artists — visual and musical — from around the world.

But one of the biggest draws ever was last night: Westport’s own Michelle Pauker.

The 2013 Staples High School graduate — and actress/singer/songwriter — wowed the overflow crowd with her “Broadway Through the Ages” repertoire. She was both graceful and great, leading the audience through a history of musical theater, from “Showboat” to Sondheim.

One of her songs was an original by Jake Landau, who served as her pianist and music director. A Staples classmate — and Juilliard and Oxford graduate — he’s now a quickly rising composer and conductor.

Michelle’s small band included fellow Stapleite Lucas de Valdivia, on cello.

It was a magical Westport evening, in the worldly MoCA space.

Michelle Pauker at MoCA. (Photo/Dan Woog)

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Aspetuck Land Trust is removing the Bulkley Pond dam. It’s off the Post Road by Shake Shack, right on the Westport/Southport border.

The dam was a barrier to upstream fish passage for alewife and blueback herring, and the freshwater habitat these migratory fish require for spawning.

The project is funded by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.

Bulkley Pond dam removal …

… and after. (PhotosDave Lowrie)

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The Fresh Market ospreys get most of Westport’s love. At least, they’re the most visible.

But let”s give it up for the Longshore birds. Molly Alger provides today’s “Westport … Naturally” raptor family:

(Photo/Molly Alger)

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And finally … the Bulkley Pond story (above) reminded me of this great song, which never got the recognition it deserved.

Over 50 years later, the message still resonates.

 

 

 

4 Comments

Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Environment, Staples HS

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Corey Hausman’s Safety Bill Goes National

Posted on July 24, 2022 | 3 comments

Four years ago, Corey Hausman died after falling from his skateboard on a steep path at the University of Colorado. A freshman, he had graduated from Staples High School just 3 months earlier.

His parents and 2 older siblings mourned the loss of the bright, energetic runner and skier.

Then — determined to make something good out of the tragedy — they went to work.

They formed College911. The non-profit helps prepare college students for medical emergencies, while improving campus safety.

Corey’s mother Nanette spearheaded an effort in the Connecticut General Assembly to make universities safer, by ensuring that serious incidents are included in their safety reports.

Corey Hausman and his mother Nanette.

Now the initative has gone national.

Connecticut Representatives Jim Himes and Joe Courtney introduced House Bill 8406 this year. The “COREY Safety Act of 2022” would require colleges nationwide to report campus accidents that result in the serious injury or death of students.

They include “transportation incidents (on foot, bikes, scooters, skateboards, longboards or cars), ground level and high height slips and falls, alcohol or drug overdoses and choking or drowning,” ABC News says.

The bill’s name is an acronym for the College Operational Reporting of Emergencies Involving Teens and Young Adults. Of course, it’s also an homage to Corey Hausman.

Last week, it was referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

The Hausmans say that CU knew the area where Corey was skateboarding was unsafe. In addition, he was taken to a community care center after his accident — but died 7 hours later. A transfer to a Level 1 trauma facility was not considered.

Nanette Hausman says that right now, colleges are required to report only crimes and fires. However, accidents are the leading cause of college deaths.

(Click here for a full story from ABC News. Click here for more information on the bill. Click here for the College9111.net Medical Emergency Checklists for parents and college students. Hat tip: Jeff Mitchell)

(“06880” is a reader-supported blog. Please click here to donate.)

Corey Hausman (center) with his brothers Lucas (left) and Casey.

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Posted in Education, Politics, Staples HS

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Roundup: The Porch, Hooked, Playhouse Gala …

Posted on July 22, 2022 | Comments Off on Roundup: The Porch, Hooked, Playhouse Gala …

“06880”‘s Unsung Hero feature runs every Wednesday.

But this story — reported first on Facebook’s “Westport Front Porch” page — deserves to be told today. J. Van Burke wrote:

“Huge shout-out to The Porch @ Christie’s.

“My friend and her family were visiting from Kansas. As parents of a child with Down syndrome they wanted to support a business that gives employment opportunities to all, so we went for breakfast at The Porch.

“My friend left her purse there, and only realized it when they were on to their next stop in Rhode Island.

“The lovely folks at The Porch had it overnighted to her — and even included some treats for her kids to enjoy in the parcel. Such thoughtfulness and kindness should be applauded.”

Absolutely! Among Westport’s treasures, The Porch @ Christie’s stands @ the top of any list.

The Porch @ Christie’s co-owner Bill Pecoriello, on the porch.

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Westport was hopping yesterday evening.

The Levitt Pavilion was packed, for a Santana tribute band. Restaurants were jammed too, with outdoor diners. A huge crowd thronged Compo’s South Beach, for the 9th annual “06880” blog party.

Meanwhile, elsewhere at Compo, on one of the most beautiful nights of the year, Hook’d — the concessionaire — closed early.

At least they gave a few folks warning, via text. (Hat tip: Sal Liccione)

Despite the posted hours, Hook’d closed early last night. (Photo/Matt Murray)

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Sure, it’s hot. But the show must go on.

So it will: indoors.

Tomorrow’s (Saturday, July 23, 7 p.m.) “Broadway through the Ages” concert at MoCA will be inside the gallery, rather than out on the lawn. It stars 2013 Staples High School graduate Michelle Pauker, with music direction by Juilliard & Oxford Academy composer Jake Landau — a 2013 classmate of Michelle’s.

Entry to the museum’s “Women Pulling at the Threads of Social Discourse” exhibit is included in the admission. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Michelle Pauker

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Renée Elise Goldsberry — Angelica Schuyler in “Hamilton” — headlines the return of the Westport Country Playhouse’s gala benefit. She’ll perform Broadway, pop and soul songs on Saturday, September 17.

The evening begins with a 5:30 p.m. cocktail party, including a live auction and raffle. Her 8 p.m. performance is followed by an after-party, with a DJ and dancing. The host is Robin de Jesús, from “In the Heights.”

Click here for tickets, and more information.

Renee Elise Goldsberry

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Congratulations to Mo Deegan: a recent inductee into the Little East Conference Hall of Fame.

The Staples High School graduate is one of the most accomplished multi-sport athletes in Eastern Connecticut State University history. She earned All-America, All-Region and All-League honors in field hockey and lacrosse. Several of her records still stand.

This is her second Hall of Fame. In 2014, she was inducted into ECSU’s Athletics Alumni HOF.

Mo Deegan

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Julie Blume enjoyed this beautiful visitor to her Bonnie Brook Road home yesterday.

There’s always something new — and wondrous — in our “Westport … Naturally” world.

(Photo/Julie Blume)

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And finally … you might not know his name, but if you grew up in the 1970s you knew his voice.

William Hart, lead singer and songwriter of the Grammy-winning group the Delfonics, died last week in Philadelphia, from complications during surgery. He was 77. Click here for a full obituary.

(“06880” relies on reader donations. Please click here to contribute.)

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Posted in Arts, Beach, Entertainment, Local business, Restaurants, Sports, Staples HS, Westport Country Playhouse

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Madelyn Spera Plays The Bitter End

Posted on July 21, 2022 | 1 comment

When the world closed down during the pandemic, some people ate. Others grew anxious, or bored.

Madelyn Spera wrote songs.

The rising Staples High School senior was always drawn to music. She took classes beginning in preschool; sang at Sweet Frog at age 10;  joined Music Theatre of Connecticut for shows like “James and the Giant Peach,” “Charlotte’s Web” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” then performed with Bedford Middle School and Staples Players in “Mamma Mia!,” “Grease” “The Descendants” and “Into the Woods.”

Madelyn Spera

COVID slammed the curtain shut. Isolated at home starting in March 2020 — Staples Players’ “Seussical: The Musical” was canceled 2 days before opening night — Madelyn studied songwriters like Taylor Swift.

She figured out her own process. She thinks of a title or creative first line; plays with it on piano or guitar, then crafts the rest of her lyrics.

Madelyn calls her all-acoustic style “indie-ish. It’s mellow pop, relaxed.” She is not into techno.

She writes about what she knows: family, friends, growing up in Westport, experiences she’s going through.

She recorded 6 original songs at Bridgeport’s Tarquin Studios. Working with a member of the Alternate Roots band, she learned the ins and outs of recording. Right now she’s editing those songs, and figuring out the best marketing strategy.

Earlier this month, Madelyn performed at New York’s Bitter End. The famed Greenwich Village club has hosted Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Roger McGuinn, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Joan Baez, T-Bone Burnett, James Taylor and Neil Young, among many others.

More recent performers include Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga. “I was playing on their piano!” Madelyn says.

Madelyn Spera, at The Bitter End.

Like Gaga, Madelyn sang about loving yourself, and “embracing who you are.” Audience members told Madelyn that her lyrics resonated.

This summer, she’s interning at MTC. She’s teaching music choreographing children’s shows, and giving back some of what she got growing up there.

Soon, she’ll audition for Staples Players’ fall production: “Guys and Dolls.”

She hopes too to return to The Bitter End. Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga’s piano is waiting.

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Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Staples HS, Teenagers

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Roundup: Beach Tables, Primary Day, Baron’s South …

Posted on July 16, 2022 | 8 comments

I took a beach walk late yesterday afternoon.

It was a gorgeous start to the weekend. The sky was cloudless; the temperature and breeze, perfect.

But something was missing: maybe half the South Beach picnic tables.

How could that be? They’re very, very heavy. Where would they go, and why?

I tried to think of any event that would take precedence.

Nope. So I gave up, and figured it was just my imagination.

South Beach yesterday, 6 p.m. (Photo/Dan Woog)

Before I finished my walk though, 3 groups of people stopped me. All wondered: What happened to the South Beach tables?

I have no idea. The Parks & Rec office is closed for the weekend, so they can’t help.

We’ll just have to crowdsource this. If you know what happened to all those picnic tables, click “Comments” below.

And if you took them: Bring them back. No questions asked.

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Election Day is near!

Republican Primary and Democratic Primary scheduled for Tuesday, August 9.

Polls are open between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Click here to find your polling place.

Absentee ballot applications are available through the Town Clerk’s office. The drop box at the rear of Town Hall is ready to receive applications and absentee ballots. Click here for information on absentee ballots.

Connecticut has a closed primary system. Only enrolled Democrats may vote in the Democratic primary, and only enrolled Republicans may vote in the Republican primary. The deadline for changing parties has already passed.

However, an unaffiliated voter may select a party up to noon the day before the primary, changing to one of the major parties. Click here to verify your party status.

If you are not yet a registered voter, applications must be postmarked by August 4. In-person registration is available until noon on August 8.

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Looking for a cool movie next week?

The Remarkable Theater schedule includes these shows, at the Imperial Avenue drive-in:

“Dirty Dancing” (Monday, July 18; gate opens 7:15 p.m., movie at 8:15 p.m.): Spending the summer at a Catskills resort with her family, Frances “Baby” Houseman falls in love with the camp’s dance instructor, Johnny Castle. Rated PG-13.

“Scream” (Wednesday, July 20; gate opens at 7:30 p.m.; movie at 8:30 p.m.): A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a new killer, who targets the girl and her friends by using horror films as part of a deadly game. Rated R.

Click here for tickets and more information.

A night at the drive-in. (Photo courtesy of 4th Row Films)

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Not far from the Remarkable Theater, just steps from downtown, Baron’s South is a 22-acre jewel.

But, Molly Alger says, the park needs some maintenance. Walking paths are overgrown with weeds. She took this photo on her way from the Senior Center to Compo Road South:

(Photo/Molly Alger)

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Next Saturday, there’s a double treat for fans of Staples Players alumni.

2013 graduate Michelle Pauker returns to Westport for a star turn in “Broadway Through the Ages.” The MoCA show (July 23, 7 p.m., 19 Newtown Turnpike) is  an evening of memorable tunes, from Golden Age to contemporary.

Music direction is by acclaimed Juilliard & Oxford Academy composer Jake Landau — a 2013 classmate of Michelle’s.

Entry to the museum’s “Women Pulling at the Threads of Social Discourse” exhibit is included in the admission. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Michelle Pauker

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Speaking of former Staples Players: Congratulations to Britt Hennemuth!

The 2008 Staples High School and 2012 Pepperdine University graduate is now the West Coast editor for Vanity Fair.

He’s just published his first cover story: “Dakota Johnson on Family, Sexual Agency—And the ‘Psychotic’ Making of Fifty Shades of Grey.”

Click here to read — including one of the best opening lines in any magazine story, anywhere. (Hat tip: Jeff Wieser)

Britt Hennemuth

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CORRECTION: An incorrect date was given yesterday for the Westport Astronomical Society’s “Cal & Friends Meteorite Show & Tell Party.” The correct date is this coming Tuesday (July 19, 8 p.m.), at the observatory on Bayberry Lane.

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Staples High School Class of 2006 graduate Joanne Smith died last Sunday.

The Chicago native moved to Brazil for 8 months after graduation, before beginning work in the hospitality industry. She had a passion for fitness, nutrition and exercise, and enjoyed being outdoors.

She was an animal lover, an avid reader (particularly Harry Potter), and a movie buff. She particularly enjoyed the beach and dog, Romie.

She is survived by her mother, Katherine Gordon Smith of Stratford; father Gregory and stepmother Donna of Fairfield; brother Matthew of Norwalk; sister Jennifer (Rodolfo Antorocha) of Washington, DC, and maternal grandmother Sally Grabot.

Her family says, “Joey was a fun, kind, loving, intelligent light in the family and to all who knew her. She took on the annual role of Christmas Elf to hand out presents.Joey was well loved by family, friends and co-workers.”

The family will greet relatives and friends on Monday (July 18, 11 a.m. to noon, Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull), followed by a Mass of Christian Burial (12:30 p.m., Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 545 Stratfield Road, Fairfield).

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the ASPCA. To leave online condolences, click here.

Joanna Smith

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Does the rule about dogs on the beach apply to the jetty that forms Compo’s border?

Who cares. This is a classic “Westport … Naturally” photo. Enjoy!

(Photo/Richard Abramowitz)

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And finally … you may or may not have seen “Dirty Dancing” (the next Remarkable Theater film — story above).

But in 1987, there was no escaping this song:

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Unsung Hero #246

Posted on July 13, 2022 | 23 comments

Mary Ellen Adipietro writes:

My family avoided an awful tragedy this past weekend.

My husband Joe and I are so grateful for the heroic efforts of Tucker Peters. He’s a rising Staples High School junior, and he saved my son Mark’s life.

Both of them are on the Staples sailing team (Mark is a rising sophomore). They were at a sailing camp on Long Island.

Due to a series of unfortunate circumstances, their boat flipped over. My son was trapped in his harness underwater. Unable to unhook himself and get to the surface, he passed out.

Tucker freed himself, and called for help. He was instrumental in getting Mark on the coach boat, and was the first to start performing CPR. I have since learned that our kids all learn CPR in middle school health class.

Tucker Peters (left) and Mark Adipietro. Both are junior flag officers at Pequot Yacht Club.

The EMTs and police said that things could have ended quite differently if not for Tucker’s quick thinking and actions. A first responder said, “That kid is a true hero. Things don’t usually go that well in these situations.”

I would like to give my undying gratitude to Tucker Peters and his family, as well as the staff at Bedford Middle School who teach that class. It worked! It literally saved a life.

And as soon as Tucker is cleared, they’ll both be back together, on the water.

Congratulations, Tucker! He (and his teachers) are truly Unsung Heroes.

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Roundup: “Kim’s Convenience,” Parker Kligerman, Trash …

Posted on July 10, 2022 | 11 comments

Last night’s official opening of the Westport Country Playhouse’s new production, “Kim’s Convenience,” was a sellout — and a smash.

Many theater-goers knew it from the Netflix TV show. I’d never seen it, so I had no preconceptions. I was drawn in immediately by its ricocheting storylines of family, love, longing, and — especially relevant today — the immigrant experience, not matter where anyone comes from.

It’s well cast — and much of the production crew is Korean too. Poignant, hilarious and insightful “Kim’s Convenience” should draw large, appreciative audiences through its run, which ends next Sunday.

Click here for more information, and tickets. And if you’re around this afternoon (Sunday, July 10), playwright Ins Choi leads a free Symposium on the show. It’s open to the public; no performance ticket is necessary. Just arrive 80 minutes after the 3 p.m. curtain.

Taking bows after last night’s performance of “Kim’s Convenience (from left): Eric R. Williams, Cindy Im, David Shih, Chuja Seo, Hyunmin Rhee. (Photo/Dave Matlow)

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Congratulations to Parker Kligerman!

The 2009 Staples High School graduate led for 56 out of 67 laps yesterday, at the NASCAR Truck Series.

He held off points leader Zane Smith to win his race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car course in Lexington.

It was his 3rd career win in the series, and first in 5 years.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Kligerman told ESPN. “I was pretty emotional on the cooldown lap because this whole team it’s like a team of second chances. Two years ago, I thought my driving days were done. This team gave me a call, wanting to get back racing and it’s just been a steady improvement.”

Also very cool: Dale Earnhardt Jr. tweeted him congratulations.

Click here for the full story. (Hat tip: Dave Briggs)

Parker Kligerman

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More sports news, but less prideful:

Anyone who spends time on Westport’s fields knows that athletes — and their parents — don’t always pick up after themselves.

But a multi-state lacrosse tournament, run by a private club, brought new levels of garbage across Staples High School and Wakeman yesterday.

Water bottles, fast food wrappers, chairs and all kinds of other trash were strewn in the bleachers, on the Staples hill, and across every turf and grass field. A parent called the amount of garbage “astonishing.”

The event continues today.

One small part of the garbage left on the fields, bleachers and hill, at Staples and Wakeman.

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There’s a new — and important — stop sign at Compo Beach.

David Meth writes:

“Thank you to Carmen Roda, operations manager at Parks & Rec, Department, as well as the Westport Police Department, for installing the new sign just beyond the welcome booth. Drivers now stop for pedestrians and cyclists. It is reassuring that we can all enjoy the summer safely.”

(Photo/David Meth)

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Speaking of Compo: A large crowd attended last night’s Congregation for Humanistic Judaism “Havdalah on the Beach,” at South Beach.

The short service included folk and klezmer music.

Havdalah at the Beach. (Photo/Fred Cantor)

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A few hours later, Pivot Ministries of Norwalk joined Saugatuck Congregational Church in leading this week’s worship service near the cannons.

(Photo/Karen Como)

Meanwhile, a few yards away, Westport Weston Family YMCA officials began setting up for the 43rd annual Point-to-Point Swim.

(Photo/Karen Como)

The sun had just risen. Compo was already buzzing.

It was the start of another wonderful Westport Sunday.

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This week’s Remarkable Theater schedule includes 2 popular films.

“Caddyshack” screens Monday (July 11); “There’s Something About Mary” follows on Wednesday (July 13).

Gates open at 7:30 p.m. for both shows. The movies start at 8:30. Click here for tickets, and more information.

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Longtime Westporter, school employee and church volunteer Sandy Atwood died recently, surrounded by her family.

Born Nancy Newton Scrivenor in New Haven, but always called “Sandy” (her father wanted to name her Cassandra), she grew up in Branford. She was a frequent junior tennis champion at the Pine Orchard Club, and played organ in church.

She graduated from Prospect Hill School (now Hopkins) in 1957, then Colby Junior College. Sandy made her debut at the New Haven Assembly.

She met Stan Atwood in Boston, while he was attending Harvard Summer School. They were married in 1960. When he studied at Washington & Lee Law School, she worked at the university as a secretary.

After moving to Westport, where Stan practiced law, Sandy worked for 25 years as an administrative coordinator in Staples High School’s special education department.

Sandy was active in local, state and federal political campaigns; the Greater Bridgeport Junior Hockey Association (including building the Wonderland of Ice), Greens Farms Elementary School PTA, the Green’s Farms Congregational Church, Staples Tuition Grants, the Westport Weston Foundation Trust, Earthplace, the Westport Woman’s Club and PEO.

She and Stan provided housing for high school students in crisis. She also was a regular visitor to elderly and infirm Westport residents.

Sandy was an avid tennis, bridge and bunko player. She enjoyed card and board games, puzzles, reading, gardening, and socializing with the Wine Sisters.

She was predeceased by her husband Stan, brother Arthur, and family dog Henry Aaron. She is survived by her daughter Laura (Tom) Atwood Kottler, and sons Jonathan and Scott (Lisa)l grandchildren Sam, Charlie and Liza Kottler; Finn Atwood, Kirah Kingsland and Alex Robertson, and great-grandchild Bennett.

A celebration of Sandy’s life will be held on Saturday, July 16 (10 a.m., Green’s Farms Congregational Church).

Memorial gifts in her name may be made to Staples Tuition Grants, PO Box 5159, Westport, CT 06881.

Stan and Sandy Atwood.

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There’s a “flock of seagulls.” More strangely, there’s a “murder of crows” and a “parliament of owls.”

What do you call a bunch of turtles?

I have no idea. But Jerry Kuyper spotted today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo near the Levitt Pavilion.

(Photo/Jerry Kuyper)

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And finally … it doesn’t take Albert Einstein to figure out — based on the photo above — what our song of the day is.

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Posted in Arts, Beach, Entertainment, Obituaries, religion, Sports, Staples HS, Westport Country Playhouse

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Roundup: Ireland, Lacrosse, Politico …

Posted on July 8, 2022 | 3 comments

“06880” readers know that Westport is a great place to live.

Now it’s official — at least, across the Atlantic.

Susan Garment spotted this sign the other day in Westport, Ireland. It says: “Tidy Towns National Winner.:

And below that: “Best Place to Live in Ireland.“

(Photo/Susan Garment)

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Westport sports fans know that the Staples High School boys lacrosse team’s rout of Darien in the state championship final was big.

But just how huge was it?

Inside Lacrosse just ranked the Wreckers’ win as the top performance in all of public high school lax this spring — in the entire country.

The site says:

A strong argument could be made that the Wreckers’ stunning 12-3 victory over Connecticut powerhouse Darien in the Class L state championship game was high school lacrosse’s biggest story in June. Scoring the game’s first eight goals to take a 9-1 lead into halftime, Will Koshansky’s squad played smart, methodical lacrosse en route to a commanding win over a Blue Wave squad that spent much of the season in the national Top 10.

This spring, the Wreckers picked up six victories over teams from the computer ratings Top 100, topping Massachusetts state champ St. John’s Prep, as well as Fairfield County foes Greenwich, Wilton, New Canaan, Ridgefield and Darien….

The 9-goal victory over Darien in the state championship stands above all of the Wreckers’ previous accomplishments this season, and now, Staples finishes as IL’s No. 1 public school program to end 2022…

AD

A young nucleus returns, so expect to hear even more about Westport’s finest going forward. (

(Click here for the full story. Hat tip: Dave Briggs)

Staples High School: boys lacrosse state champs — and now, #1 in the nation. (Photo/Chris Greer)

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Earlier this year, Steve Parrish brought Carlotta LaNier — one of the Little Rock 9, who desegregated Central High School in 1957 — to the Westport Library.

Now the consultant specializing in specializing in crisis management, corporate social responsibility, public affairs and communications — and frequent TV news show guest — has reached into his Rolodex, to plan another intriguing evening.

On July 19 (7 p.m.), he’ll chat with political journalist and Politico co-founder John Harris. Prior to creating one of the country’s most visited news sites, Harris was a national political reporter for the Washington Post.

Click here to register for a seat in the Trefz Forum. Click here for the livestream.

John Harris

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Kathie Motes Bennewitz — who serves as both Westport town arts curator and executive director of the Hopper House Museum and Study Center in Nyack, New York — joins Westporter Robin Frank in inviting “06880” readers to the Museum on July 19 (6 p.m.). Frank will give a presentation on “Framing Memory in American Art: Visions of Love and Loss.” The lecture is followed by  complimentary cocktails to toast the current exhibition Liliane Tomasko: Evening Wind.

Memory is the underlying theme of both Hopper’s isolated figures in interiors and Tomasko’s lyrical paintings of unmade beds. In addition to their works, I will discuss a diverse array of historic and contemporary objects—ranging from eighteenth-century mourning jewelry to a Covid-inspired video on view at the Whitney Biennial—that celebrate love and memorialize loss.

Click here for more details and tickets.

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Longtime Westporter, Red Cross volunteer, and one of Staples High School’s longest-lived graduates, Eloise Neyle Reilly died peacefully at her home, surrounded by her family and caregiver, on July 1. She was 102 years old.

Born on March 22, 1920 in New York City, she was called “a remarkable, self-sufficient and independent woman, known for her positive outlook on life.”

Eloise moved to Westport in 1934, and graduated from Staples High School. One of the most important chapters in her life began during World War II. She joined the American Red Cross Club Mobile Unit, a service to provide comfort and support to combat troops on the front lines with coffee, donuts and conversation.

After the war ended, she spent 2 more years in Germany, supporting US troops. She often told stories of her remarkable friendships and experiences during her years with the Red Cross.

Eloise’s strength and independence continued beyond the war when she returned home to Westport. In the late 1940s and ’50s she built a career in New York City, culminated as a human resource director at the advertising firm Young and Rubicam.

Eloise designed and worked with a local contractor to construct the home that she lived in since 1957. She was an avid gardener, a lover of nature and a long time member of the Westport Garden Club.    

In the late 1960’s, she left the city and the commute to start a second successful career as a real estate agent, with Helen Benson Real Estate.

One of her passions and strengths was maintaining great friendships in her community, and staying connected with lifelong friends and family across the country. A result of this passion came in the early 1970’s, when she began the first of many annual Red Cross Club Mobile reunions at her home here.

The tradition gained momentum and continued through the early 2000’s.   Reunions were held at the homes of Red Cross members and friends across the US and Europe.

Eloise is survived by her nephews, Kevin (Leslie Carrere) Reilly of Newfield, New York; William (Laura Gotfried) Reilly of Enfield, New York and Peter (Mary Picard) Reilly of Rye, New Hampshire; grand-nieces and nephews Colin, Marissa Mia, Megan and Conor Reilly, and great-grand-niece Kendall Reilly.  Her brother, Donald Reilly, recently predeceased her.

The family gives special thanks to Mary Krewsen, her personal caregiver, for her loving care, and the staff of Visiting Angels of Fairfield for their support.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her honor can be made to The American Red Cross.

Family and friends are invited a visitation on Wednesday, July 13th (9:30 a.m., Christ & Holy Trinity church. Funeral services will follow at 10 in the church sanctuary.  Interment will follow at the Christ and Holy Trinity Cemetery.  Click here to sign the online guestbook.

Eloise Reilly

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Crabs are not the most elegant looking creatures.

But they — like this one, today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature — have been at Compo Beach and environs longer than we have.

A lot longer.

(Photo/Jeanine Esposito)

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And finally … happy 52nd birthday to Beck. The one-named singer/songwriter/ producer turns 52 today.

(“06880” relies on the support of readers like you. Please click here to donate.)

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Posted in Library, Obituaries, Politics, Sports, Staples HS

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