Category Archives: Staples HS

Roundup: Original Pancake House, Pottery Barn, Westport Hardware …

Posted on February 24, 2022 | 9 comments

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It’s been years since IHOP left Westport (though the bones of the building, a now-closed nail salon, can still be seen opposite Fire Department headquarters on the Post Road).

But a new pancake place is headed to town.

WestportMoms reports this morning that The Original Pancake House will open this summer on Main Street. They’ll take over the 2nd floor space formerly occupied by Boca restaurant (and before that, Acqua).

The original Original Pancake House — TOPH, to its fans — opened in 1953 in Portland, Oregon. There are now over 100 locations in 28 states and overseas.

But none are in Connecticut. The closest right now is White Plains.

Among the signature dishes: apple pancakes, Dutch Baby, German pancakes and omelets.

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Speaking of Main Street: Get set for some reshuffling of Westport retail space.

Westport Hardware will move a few yards west. The popular store opposite Fresh Market — the only one of its kind left in town — will take over the space formerly occupied by Sam Sloat Coins, Luxe Nail Spa, and part of Lester’s and now-closed Wish List. The nail salon will be relocating.

The new space — about the same size as the current store — will be bright, with open ceilings, a Westport Hardware spokesperson said.

So what’s replacing Westport Hardware?

Pottery Barn. They’ll move from Main Street. Pottery Barn will also take over the now-closed Mumbai Times restaurant and Vincent Palumbo Salon, on both sides of the hardware store. That’s around 15,000 square feet.

Target date for the move is late August.

In August Westport Hardware moves west; Pottery Barn moves in.

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There’s a lot on the Board of Finance’s plate at its March 2 meeting (7:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium).

Among the agenda items:

  • Presentation of the 2022-23 town budget, by 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker.
  • Presentation of the 2022-23 education budget, by Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice.
  • A request for $1.431 million to extend sewers to Whitney Street, Roseville Road, Fernwood Road, Plumtree Lane, Pamela Place and Ledgemoor Lane.
  • A request for $3.1 million to extend sewers to Evergreen Avenue and Parkway, Tamarac Road, Lone Pine Lane, Gorham Avenue, Compo Road North and Brookside Drive.

The meeting will also be livestreamed on the town website, and shown on Optimum channel 79 and Frontier channel 6020. Click here for the full agenda.

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Congratulations to the Staples High School girls ice hockey team (a co-op squad, with Stamford and Westhill Highs).

A 3-0 win over Darien vaults them into their first-ever FCIAC final. Kate Tortorella scored twice, Annie Forker once, adn goalie Sydney Butler earned the shutout.

They play New Canaan on Saturday. Good luck! (Hat tip: The Ruden Report)

The Staples/Stamford/Westhiill girls ice hockey coop team.

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Michael Chait’s photography has been featured on “06880.” He’s got a large following on social media too. Michael’s followers love his unique images of Westport, New York City and other locations.

But it’s one thing to see his work on a computer or phone screen. They’re even more impressive live, and in person.

You’ll get that chance on Saturday, March 5 (4 to 7 p.m.) and Sunday, march 6 (1 to 4 p.m.). There’s a special show at the Loft Studio/Office, 11 Riverside Avenue, 2nd floor.

That’s on the corner of Post Road West — one more favored spot for Michael’s photos.

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Charlie Capalbo — the 23-year-old standout Fairfield hockey goalie, and grandson of Westport writer Ina Chadwick — has beaten cancer 3 times: lymphoma once, leukemia twice. Countless friends and strangers have rallied to his remarkable cause.

Astonishingly, he’s just been diagnosed with leukemia a third time. His fourth cancer battle in 5 years will include very expensive experimental treatments and immunotherapies — on top of the immense cost of previous treatments.

To donate to Charlie’s Go Fund Me page, click here. You can also email words of encouragement to charlie@optimalservices.com; leave a voicemail at 203-293-8464 (his phone won’t ring), and join the Friends of Charlie Capalbo Facebook page.

Charlie Capalbo (Photo/Dave Gunn)

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Today’s New York Times has an interesting story on a Republican US Senate candidate in Pennsylvania. Michael David McCormick is trying to thread the needle between being seen as a Trump ally, and one not too extreme in the state President Biden won by 1.2 percentage points. One consultant advised running in the “Trump-adjacent lane.”

The story notes that McCormick — a West Point graduate, army Ranger, Ph.D. graduate of Princeton and Treasury official in the George W. Bush administration — was most recently CEO of Bridgewater Associates.

The Times calls notes that the hedge fund’s “fieldstone-and-glass headquarters … on a wooded, 22-acre campus in Westport, Conn (are) a world away from Pennsylvania cities like Scranton, McKeesport and Aliquippa, which have been hit hard by the kinds of shifts in global trade that Bridgewater’s traders and analysts seek to monetize each day.”

It adds: “A former Democrat, McCormick has made voluminous comments on world affairs, and they aren’t always very MAGA.”

Click here for the full story, including McCormick’s views on China — a country the Times says holds particular fascination for Bridgewater.

Bridgewater’s “fieldstone-and-glass” headquarters, off Weston Road.

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo shows a beautiful sunset at Longshore. They just keep coming…

(Photo/Elisabeth Levey)

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And finally … a little tune to celebrate National Sauna Week:

 

 

 

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Posted in Arts, Downtown, Local business, Local politics, Restaurants, Sports, Staples HS

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Tyler Hicks: In Ukraine

Posted on February 17, 2022 | 11 comments

When trouble erupts somewhere in the world, people flee for safety, or desperately hope to.

Tyler Hicks picks up his camera, boards a plane, and heads right there.

The 1988 Staples High School graduate has earned international renown — and many honors, including the Pulitzer Prize — with his photos from war zones, catastrophes and natural disasters. He has reported on the beauty, the people and the tragedies of Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Kenya and dozens of other spots around the globe.

Now Hicks is in Ukraine. As Russian tanks, armor and military threaten the nation, Hicks has trained his eye on the landscape and human beings behind the story.

These are from a town incongruously named “New York.” Close to the Russian front lines, it is home now to mostly older people — and a highly toxic chemical plant.

Hicks also visited Svitlodarsk in eastern Ukraine, where disputes have raged for years.

(All photos by Tyler Hicks, courtesy of The New York Times)

It’s a long way from the Westport of Tyler Hicks’ youth, to the threatened streets, woods and railroad tracks of Ukraine.

It’s easy to ignore the lives of the men, women and children there. Tyler Hicks’ photos make sure we don’t.

(Hat tip: John Karrel)

 

 

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Posted in Media, Politics, Staples HS

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Roundup: Dogs, La Plage, Playhouse …

Posted on February 16, 2022 | 10 comments

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The other day, Jo Ann Miller saw a dog roaming the aisles of a Norwalk store.

(Photo/Jo Ann Miller)

Okay, it was Petco.

Still, as she thought about the dogs she’s seen in Westport — at CVS and Starbucks, among other places — she wondered: Is there a law here covering that?

The answer appears to be “no.” Town ordinances don’t seem to mention animals and stores.

So, “06880” readers: What do you think? Are we fine just the way we are? Should there be a regulation? If so, what should it say? Click “Comments” below.

And remember — as always — use full, real names. (Yours. Not Fido’s.)

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If you need more reasons to visit La Plage — and you really don’t — the popular Longshore restaurant is now open for lunch.

Starting today, it adds that to its Saturday and Sunday brunch, and 6-days-a-week dinners.

The lunch menu includes a raw bar, a la carte items, entrees that change daily, and a 2-course prix fixe for $24.

La Plage  plans to serve lunch and dinner 7 days a week in early spring, coinciding with the opening of the golf course.

 

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Westport Country Playhouse has named 5 new trustees. Two have close Westport connections.

 Westport resident Tracey Knight Narang is a Tony Award-winning producer, and a playwright. Her producer credits include “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!”; “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf” (coming to Broadway this spring); “Sing Street,” and Arthur Miller’s “The American Clock” at the Old Vic. Narang is the lead producer of “Period Piece,” currently in development. She is on the board of directors of New York City Center, a member of the Dramatists Guild of America and the League of Professional Theatre Women, and a steering committee member of Connecticut’s LPTW chapter.

Stafford W. Thomas, Jr. is principal of Staples High School in Westport. While principal of Hillcrest Middle School in Trumbull he was honored as Connecticut Middle School Principal of the Year. Thomas currently serves as an adjunct professor in the graduate school of education at Sacred Heart University. He earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from Georgetown University, a master of arts in teaching from Brown University, and a dual degree in law (Juris Doctor) and educational administration (M.Ed.) from Boston College.

Ania Czekaj-Farber of Westport chairs the Playhouse board of trustees.

Tracey Knight Narang and Stafford Thomas.

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Staples High School’s February Students of the Month are seniors Krishin Wadhwani and Elena Lim, junior Julia Herlyn, sophomores Sophia Papp and Dagny Dahl, and freshmen Isabel Brookbanks and Mieszko Solowinski.

Principal Stafford Thomas says they “help make Staples High School a welcoming place for their peers and teachers. They are the ‘glue’ of the school community: the type of kind, cheerful, hard-working, trustworthy students who keep the high school together, making it the special place that it is.”

From left: Krishin Wadhwani, Elena Lim, Sophia Papp, Julia Herlyn, Dagny Dahl, Isabel Brookbanks. Missing: Mieszko Solowinski

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“06880” readers often see the name Pippa Bell Ader. She’s one of Westport’s leading environmental advocates.

Readers all over the country are now meeting her husband. David Ader recently published his first book of short stores.

A retired bond strategist who mined his many interests and hobbies for inspiration, the stories reflect David’s sense of irony.

Amazon says of the 32 short pieces: “You will encounter people in situation which are not always what they seem. There’s a good bit of humor, some shocks, and always twists and turns that lead to ‘ah hah’ conclusions.

“You will meet a bullied parochial school student who gets his revenge. An elderly widower is about to leave his beloved home until his memories keep him there. A well-heeled lawyer decides to take an evening walk through Central Park and greets a man he fears is a mugger for an O’Henry-esque meeting. A couple planning to climb Kilimanjaro on an eco tour reveal political-correctness gone awry. Another couple go out on the wrong day for a sail. A loner in the backwoods of Maine.”

Click here for more information, and to order. (Hat tip: Mitchell Lester)

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Yesterday’s “06880” Roundup noted that registration for many Parks & Recreation programs begin March 2.

That’s the same link to sign up for Wakeman Town Farm camps and classes too.

To see programs on the WTF website, click here. Then follow the prompts.

Eager students in a Wakeman Town Farm cooking class.

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Starting to make summer plans?

Pencil in June 19. Musician/humanitarian/activist/filmmaker Michael Franti brings his high-energy live show, inspiring music, devotion to wellness and power of optimism to the Levitt Pavilion.

The #1 artist (“Sound of Sunshine,” “Say Hey [I Love You],” “I Got You”) will release his 12th album around the same time as his show.

Pre-sale (Levitt Pavilion members) began yesterday. General public tickets are available this Friday (February 18, 10 a.m.). Click here for more information, and to reserve a spot.

Michael Franti

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This week’s cold temperatures set the scene for today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo. Claudia Sherwood Servidio took off her gloves long enough to capture this stark image of Gray’s Creek, by the Longshore golf course.

(Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

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And finally … happy 84th birthday to contemporary classical composer John Corigliano. In a long, distinguished career he’s won 5 Grammys — plus one Pulitzer Prize, and an Oscar.

 

10 Comments

Posted in Arts, Children, Entertainment, Environment, Longshore, Restaurants, Staples HS, Teenagers, Westport Country Playhouse

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Students Dig Into “Food In Literature” Class

Posted on February 15, 2022 | 1 comment

It’s a long way from Staples High School’s English classrooms to the culinary wing. And while English lies at the heart of every school’s curriculum. “cooking” — if it’s offered at all — is an elective.

But for several years, Staples’ “Food in Literature” class has been a popular, always filled offering.

Though it involves the stomach, it’s no gut. “Food Lit” is demanding. It forces students out of their comfort zones.

Sure, they eat well. But they also learn life skills. Like how to read, write and think.

And cook.

One student posted photos of her recipes. She’s as talented a photographer as she is a cook.

The course is a collaboration between English instructor Kim Herzog and culinary arts teacher Cecily Gans. Meeting back to back for 2 periods, they guide their students through a balanced menu of food and literature, adding a dash of whatever is needed to keep every day fresh and challenging.

It’s a master class in all the skills of cooking (following instructions, flexibility, time management) and reading and writing (critical thinking, analysis, synthesis).

The core text last semester was “With the Fire on High,” Elizabeth Acevedo’s novel about a teenage mother who feels free only in the kitchen. Students read other fiction and non-fiction too.

As part of their writing, they research and then produce an op-ed on a food issue of their choosing. Topics this fall included delivery apps, GMOs, food waste, food insecurity, obesity, supermarket “food deserts, gender stereotypes in advertising, sexual harassment in the restaurant industry, the overabundance of food on social media, and eating in the age of COVID.

Making connections over breakfast.

Throughout the semester, students choose themes that appeal to them. It can be a food based on their heritage, an important concept, or something that strikes their fancy.

This past semester, themes ranged from foods of Asia, South America and the Southern US, to challah, “picky eaters” and healthy trends.

Each theme represents a starting point for individual creativity. Students design blogs, which this year expanded to include how-to videos, TikToks, listicles, and “lessons learned” entries.

The goal is to experiment with different ways to engage audiences, while understanding the rapidly expanding world of food blogging.

Each week, the class features 2 or 3 students on its Instagram account (@foodlitshs).

Students post reviews too. They range from restaurant dining and takeout or curbside experiences, to a meal cooked by others (or themselves) at home.

Class members even learn how to write recipes. It’s not as easy as it looks.

The class ends with “menu wars.” Five judges render verdicts. It’s as intense — and tasty — as any cooking show on TV.

The menu for Menu Wars.

“Food Lit” students dig in to meaty issues, from Day One. They’re hungry for knowledge.

Is your appetite whetted? To see samples of Herzog and Gans’ students’ fall semester work – their blogs, op-eds, recipes, photos and more — click here.

Buon appetito!

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Posted in Arts, Restaurants, Staples HS, Teenagers

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Roundup: Brochu Walker, Mia Khamish, Jolantha …

Posted on February 13, 2022 | 2 comments

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Brochu Walker opened recently on Main Street, between The Gap and J. Crew.

The women’s store began in Carmel, California. Westport native Nancy Berger consulted for them. They were considering an East Coast location. When she was moving back here last year, she suggested it as a good fit.

Owner Karine Dubner visited last summer, and fell in love with the historical architecture, water views and variety of seasons. The available location — an older building downtown — seemed perfect.

Brochu Walker hopes to “become part of the community, establish roots and foster deep relationships” with customers, Dubner says.

Dubner describes the store as a “‘conscious luxury’ collection,” known for clothing with “an understated, rich nature and an attention to detail that is thoughtful and discreet.” It is best known for “luxurious knitwear, timeless dresses and exclusive pre-layered Looker sweaters.”

She’s pleased with customers’ positive reactions (including that they still carry winter styles). She promises to “evolve in the direction our community dictates.”

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Staples High School senior and noted coxswain Mia Khamish has committed to Duke University.

She coxed her Connecticut Boat Club 4+ crew to first place finishes at the Head of the Fish, San Diego Fall Classic and Mercer Sprints. She also directed the 4+ to sixth at the Head of the Charles.

Mia earned first honors throughout Staples. She is fluent in English, Russian, Spanish, Italian and Hebrew, and has played violin for over 7 years.

Duke recently profiled Mia on its sports website. Click here for the Q-and-A.

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Jolantha — Weston’s favorite pig sculpture — is ready for Valentine’s Day:

(Photo/Hans Wilhelm)

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In “The 12 Days of Christmas,” 7 swans a-swum.

The other day there were 10 in the Sherwood Mill Pond. That’s plenty, for our “Westport … Naturally” feature:

(Photo/Matt Murray)

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And finally … on this date 98 years ago, the granite lid of King Tut’s sarcophagus was lifted.

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Posted in Arts, Downtown, Local business, Sports, Staples HS

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Roundup: Aid In Dying, Learn A Trade, Carl Swanson’s Books …

Posted on February 12, 2022 | 10 comments

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Lynda Shannon Bluestein is a longtime member — and former board chair — of the Unitarian Church in Westport.

She just published a very moving piece in The CT Mirror, on medical aid in dying.

The 2-time cancer survivor writes: “I simply want the right to have a say in the timing and manner of my death when I reach the point where my disease or the pain and suffering it causes robs me of the quality of life that is essential to me.”

Click here for the full, enlightening story. (Hat tip: Steve Axthelm)

Lynda Shannon Bluestein (Photo courtesy of The CT Mirror)

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As Build Back Better infrastructure funds begin flowing, skilled workers in a variety of trades will be needed. The Connecticut Department of Transportation alone is looking for 100 people, especially those with commercial drivers licenses. They can’t find them.

High school juniors and seniors — and recent graduates — interested in on-the-job training and real-life work experiences in a variety of trades have until February 18 to register for a special program, which can propel them into successful, well-paying careers.

The Staples High Guidance Department has partnered with Trumbull High School to offer the free Connecticut Pre-Apprenticeship High School Training program.

Students gain experience, and learn how to apply as an apprentice, in unions for carpenters, electricians, iron workers, road and highway laborers and operating engineers.

Certification can be earned in OSHA 10-Hour, flagger, and CPR/First Aid/AED.

Program graduates are eligible for notification of employment opportunities, resume reviews and interview preparation.

For more information, click here and here. Questions? Contact Staples guidance counselor Vicki Capozzi (vcapozzi@westportps.org) or Trish Howells (phowells@westportps.org).

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Carl Addison Swanson has written over 50 books, including the Hush McCormick series, Tug Christian thrillers, Scooter mysteries, Ian Fletcher legal series and Justin Carmichael nostalgic memoirs.

You can find them all at his website. Or you can find many — for free — at the Westport Bookcycle, outside Local to Market on the Main Street/Parker Harding corner.

But be kind. Be like Carl. When you pick up a book, try to give one in return.

(Photo/Carl Addison Swanson)

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The Westport Country Playhouse has new policies for all visitors.

Starting March 1, everyone 18 and older must show proof of 2 doses of the COVID vaccine, or one of Johnson & Johnson — plus the booster.

And as of now, everyone 5 to 17 years old must show proof of 2 doses of the vaccine. Everyone under 5 must be accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult, and provide a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before the performance.

Masks must be worn at all times, with N95 and KN95 masks strongly encouraged. The Playhouse may ask audience members to double mask, with a surgical mask provided by the theater.

The Playhouse says, “We are aware that mask requirements are being lifted in some communities. But please note that Actors’ Equity requires that actors perform only at theaters where audiences are required to wear masks.

“Thank you for working with us to keep our community safe, especially for those who are most vulnerable. We will continue to follow the science and anticipate our guidelines will change as conditions change. We recommend that you check our website for the current policy before every visit to the Playhouse.”

Mask up before entering the famed venue,

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ᐧFor a while, Marie Gross has noticed a pair of bald eagles sitting in the same tree overlooking the Saugatuck River, across from Saugatuck Elementary School.

A couple of days ago, she snapped this “Westport … Naturally” image.

(Photo/Marie Gross)

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And finally … on this day in 1809, Abraham Lincoln was born. Today is also Georgia Day, a commemoration of the colony’s founding in 1733.

Put the two together, and you get …

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Posted in Downtown, Education, Media, religion, Staples HS, Westport Country Playhouse

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Roundup: Mindful Drinking, Car Thefts, Olympics …

Posted on February 11, 2022 | 4 comments

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It’s no secret that alcohol consumption has soared during the pandemic.

What is a secret is that few people have talked about it.

Westport Together — the town’s health and wellness alliance — wants that to change.

On February 17 (7 p.m., Zoom), they’re sponsoring an online roundtable discussion. “Mindful Drinking: Reimagining Our Alcohol Habits & How They Impact Our Relationships” includes local residents talking about the role of alcohol in Westport culture, and its impact on ourselves and friends.

Click here for more information, and to register.

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Yesterday morning at 7:40, a car was stolen from the Playhouse Square parking lot. It was soon involved in an accident near the office building across from Fire Department headquarters, though the car thief escaped.

Around the same time, a wallet was stolen from a vehicle parked near Trader Joe’s.

In both cases, the cars were unlocked. The vehicle that was stolen had the key fob inside.

These incidents are astonishingly common in Westport. For a town that prides itself on its schools, the simple lesson of “lock your vehicle — and take the fob with you!” seems to take waaaaay too long to sink in.

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Calling all Olympics fans — especially those who follow Westport’s own Julia Marino:

The silver medalist snowboarder has one event left: big air.

Qualifiers are set for this Sunday (February 13), 8:30 p.m. EST, on NBC or USA. However, that may be pushed back to Monday morning at 12:30 a.m., due to Super Bowl coverage.

The big air finals are Monday (February 14), 8:30 p.m. on NBC.

Go for the gold, Julia! (Hat tip: Matthew Mandell)

NBC’s split screen last weekend showed Julia Marino in China, and the Marino family and friends in Westport. (Screenshot/Jeanine Esposito)

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For over 75 years, “Soundings” and “QED” have published Staples High School students’ prose, poetry, artwork, photography and more.

The publications have won many awards — including most recently 1st place in the American Scholastic Press Association’s national contest. The publications show off our town’s teenage talent, and inspire countless students to find careers in the literary and visual arts.

For the past couple of years — for reasons both economic (budgets) and medical (COVID) — the magazines have been digital only.

Yet editors and readers know there is something special — still — about print.

To publish on paper, they need money. It’s not a lot — just $3,000 — but they’ve asking for help. Via GoFundMe.

Click here to contribute. And if you need a few dozens reasons why this is important, click here for “Soundings”‘ website.

Make sure you’ve got time, though. Those 7 decades of archives won’t read themselves.

A page from the 1983 “Soundings.”

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It’s a lone little tree, stuck in a tiny park with no name on the windy walkway from Old Mill Beach to Compo Cove.

But it’s proud. And these days, the mini-tree is sprouting a special Valentine’s Day heart (and garlands).

Love is truly where you find it.

(Photo/Tracy Porosoff)

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George Billis Gallery hosts an opening reception tomorrow (Saturday, February 12, 4:30 to 6 p.m.) for its new show. Adam Noel and Karen Recor are the featured artists, at the Main Street space.

Adam Noel, in his studio.

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Gregg Tenser writes: “Some mornings, I found my bird feeder on the ground. I wondered: Did we have a bear?

“Apparently not. Tonight i busted the culprit.”

And there it is — in all its “Westport … Naturally” glory.

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And finally … happy 60th birthday, Sheryl Crow!

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Posted in Arts, Beach, Downtown, Local business, Police, Sports, Staples HS, Westport life

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Roundup: Winter Lights Festival, Grace Power, Olympics …

Posted on February 10, 2022 | 7 comments

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The days are getting lighter. But it’s still mid-February.

This Saturday (February 12, noon to 9 p.m.), you can help make things brighter. Westport’s 2nd annual Winter Lights Festival takes place on Jesup Green.

The event — co-sponsored by Next Teens, Toquet Hall and MoCA Teens –is a fundraiser to fight food insecurity.

Eveyone attending the event will help create an immersive winter-themed experience, including a walk-through light path. The festival includes a fully stocked craft-makin space for families to create fun decorations, which will be included in the path.

The walkway will be lit at 5 p.m. At that time, Up Next will announce a new community initiative.

The festivities continue afterward at Toquet Hall, with Game Night and free  hot chocolate.

Click here for tickets, and more information.

Last year’s Winter Lights Festival.

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When “Life & Beth” debuts on Hulu next month, most eyes will be on star Amy Schumer.

But Westporters will look for Grace Power. The Staples High School sophomore — who was part of last year’s Players radio shows — can be seen in 7 episodes, as “Young Liz.”

Click below for the show’s trailer:

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Employees and customers at People’s Bank North Compo Road branch are mourning the sudden death of Peter Harrington, the popular and very caring manager there. He spent 38 years with People’s.

Other mourners include members of the Westport Rotary Club, where he was an active and gregarious member.

The Brooklyn native grew up in New Jersey and Connecticut. He was a graduate of Fairfield Prep and Notre Dame University, where he majored in economics.

Peter is survived by his wife of 41 years, Pamela, and their children Matthew and Lauren.

Peter Harrington

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Some Westporters love the Olympics. Some loathe them. Others care only because our neighbor Julia Marino earned a silver medla.

But no one driving on Pumpkin Hill near Colony Road can ignore these signs of support. Go USA! indeed.

(Photo/Ed Simek)

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo includes a somewhat unnatural — but closely related — subject.

Paul Delano writes: “I was strolling along the Riverwalk around Levitt Pavilion Tuesday, and saw some mallards swimming in Deadman Brook. Lo and behold, a colorful wood duck was hanging out with them.”

(Photo/Paul Delano)=======================================================

And finally … Roberta Flack turns 85 years old today! Hard to believe — and hard to believe this achingly beautiful song is almost 50 years old.

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Posted in Entertainment, Local business, Obituaries, Staples HS

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Roundup: We The People, Roe Halper, Joe Biden …

Posted on February 7, 2022 | 10 comments

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“We the People” — Staples High School’s AP Government class, and the national competition of the same name — teaches students to research, analyze, synthesize and present important constitutional issues.

And it teaches them to think on their feet, and improvise.

A last-minute switch to a virtual format on Saturday did not faze Suzanne Kammerman’s 23 students. She commandeered the school library; a giant TV was set up; parents brought food, and team members set up in individual rooms with their laptops

The Westport teens’ knowledge of constitutional law was impressive (click here to see the depth and breadth of the questions). They finished second overall to traditional rival Trumbull, ahead of always-strong Greenwich.

Congratulations to all our constitutional scholars; to Kammerman, and the volunteers who helped prepare them for the event (and kept them fed)! (Hat tip: Lyn Hogan)

Like members of a (more academic) “Breakfast Club,” these 4 students did not know each other before the competition. But they finished with the top score of all 6 Staples “units,” and celebrated as friends afterward. Clockwise from lower left: Lilly Weisz, Sebatian Malino, Nikos Ninos, James Dobin-Smith.

Back row (left to right): Sebastian Malino, Nikos Ninos, James Dobin-Smith, Michael Brody, William Wang, Ishan Prasad, Zach Brody, Jackson Benner. Middle row:
Matthew Shackelford, Jet Tober, Scarlett Siegel, Clara Smith, Alex Laskin. Front row: Lilly Weisz, Spencer Yim, Rebecca Schussheim, Anna Diorio, Lucia Wang, Meredith Mulhern, Katharine Shackelford, Eva Simonte, Ryan Salik, Allison Gillman, teacher Suzanne Kammerman.

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Good things come to good organizations.

Westport Book Sale Ventures — the nonprofit that operates the Westport Book Shop and Westport Library book sales — has just been awarded $10,000.

The money, from Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, supports the group’s employment program for people with disabilities.

Both of Westport Book Sale Ventures’ ventures employ residents with physical and emotional disabilities, in a variety of roles.

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For more than 60 years, Roe Halper has been a noted Westport artist. She’s still active.

Of course, her work has evolved greatly over the years. This Thursday (February 10, 7 p.m., Westport Library Trefz Forum) she’ll discuss exactly how. Her talk is part of her current exhibit “Orange,” on view in the Sheffer Gallery through March 6.

Her presentation should be fascinating — and “illustrative.” To learn more about Halper, click here.

Roe Halper, at her exhibit.

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Drivers coming off Merritt Parkway Exit 42 from the west see signs pointing them to Westport or Weston.

That’s it — no “Welcome to Westport!” or other warm, fuzzy greetings.

Except for this new sign, hung recently a few yards away on the Weston Road curve near Main Street:

(Photo/Debbie Silver)

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” image is classic mid-winter Westport. If you haven’t been to Sherwood Island recently, you’re missing out on beauty — and solitude.

(Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

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And finally … drummer Sam Lay died recently in Chicago. He was 86.

The New York Times cited his “exuberant, idiosyncratic drumming … known for its double-shuffle groove.”

Lay played with Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters. He backed Bob Dylan, when the folk singer went electric at Newport in 1965.

And — most importantly for “06880” — he was a founding member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. The keyboardist was current Westport resident Mark Naftalin.

The Times says they were “racially integrated, a rarity at the time, and bought the blues to a white audience during an intense period in the civil rights movement.”

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. Lay is also in the Blues Hall of Fame. (Click here for the full Times obituary.)

 

 

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Roundup: Wrestling, Edwin Drood …

Posted on February 6, 2022 | Comments Off on Roundup: Wrestling, Edwin Drood …

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The Staples High School wrestling team celebrated its seniors last night, at Wakeman Town Farm.

Freshmen on Coach Fred Mills’ first Wrecker team 4 years ago, they’ve brought the squad to a #4 state ranking. A huge match looms Monday (7 p.m., Staples gym), against Danbury.

How good are the Hatters? They have not lost an FCIAC (league) dual meet in over 430 times. The streak dates back, astonishingly, to 1986.

See you at Staples for the history-making contest.

Staples’ senior wrestlers (from left): Jack Edwards, Noah Fraas, Monty Goldberg, Nick Augeri, Reese Watkins, Oliver D’Anna, Eamon Brannigan, Jack Kuster. Not pictured: Logan Blum, Noah Hofstetter. (Photo/Dan Woog)

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Yesterday’s “06880” Roundup noted that 2001 Staples High School graduate Meredith Boak is Harvard Law School’s new assistant dean for clinical and pro bono programs. It mentioned too classmate Peter Duchan, who wrote the book for the “Dogfight” musical — now being produced at the University of Michigan by, among others, Staples alums Jamie Mann and Brandon Malin.

Boak and Duchan’s names triggered memories for Jim Honeycutt. The retired media teacher filmed dozens of Staples Players shows, from 2000 on.

His first — and the first for new (and current) director David Roth — was “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.” Here’s a clip from that musical.

Boak stars. And the MC? Duchan.

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Amanda Meltzer’s office overlooks the Saugatuck River. Here’s her “Westport … Naturally” photo of ducks hitching a ride on melting ice.

(Photo/Amanda Meltzer)

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And finally … in honor of Westporter Julia Marino’s silver medal snowboarding performance yesterday, at the 2022 Olympic Games:

 

 

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