Westport schools reopen on Tuesday. (No, you’re not imagining things. Yeah, it’s pretty early.)
So even though the fireworks were, like, 3 days ago, students may have forgotten some basic rules of the road.
And (ahem) parents too.
The Westport Police Department has already begun targeting traffic violators in school zones, with their annual “Back to School” enforcement and education campaign.
They’ll keep doing it. Officers will watch for distracted drivers and speeding in school zones. They’ll also monitor bus stops and routes, citing people who disregard school bus signals.
This bus driver makes sure no one passes illegally. (Photo/Bob Weingarten)
Police suggest commuters allow extra time. School buses will be on the roads, making (very) frequent stops. There will be children walking and on bikes too (including those powered by more than feet).
The WPD offers these specific tips:
Drivers
Watch out for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood.
Be alert! Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Slow down, and prepare to stop.
Red flashing lights and extended stop arms mean that children are getting on or Motorists on both sides of the roadway muststop, and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before starting to drive. (“06880: adds: Violators face big fines. Deservedly so.)
No matter who — or what — is crossing, STOP when you see the school bus’ flashing lights! (Photo/Paul Delano)
Children
Get to the bus stop at least 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
Stand at least 6 feet from the curb, and line up away from the street.
If you must cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road to at least 10 feet ahead of the bus before you cross. Be sure the bus driver can see you, and you can see the bus driver.
Getting off the bus, be sure that clothing with drawstrings and book bags with straps are not caught in the handrails or doors.
Never walk behind the bus.
Walk at least 6 feet away from the side of the bus.
If you drop something near the bus, tell the driver, since he or she may not clearly see you.
Listen to crossing guards!
To students and drivers alike: Slow down!
A few extra seconds of patience can make the difference between a safe arrival and a tragedy.
Kings Highway scene will be repeated at every Westport school. (Photo/Nicola Sharian)
Cat Malkin — a local animal communicator, pet loss grief counselor and animal Reiki teacher/practitioner — has created a “Guide to Staying Safe Around Dogs.”
It’s free, and filled with practical tips to help children, adults and families better understand dogs, respect boundaries, and feel safer around them. Click here to download.
Speaking of safety: An increasing number of Westporters are alarmed at the increasing number of electronic bikes, being driven recklessly and thoughtlessly all around town.
An “06880” reader sends this photo from the Post Road near ASF …
… and writes: “Technically, I think this is legal.
“But it feels like an episode of ‘Lost in Space,’ where something’s bound to go wrong. I am very concerned about the safety issues presented by this.”
We’re glad the young riders are wearing helmets. And they are riding single file.
But we hope they’ve been properly instructed — and reminded, over and over — about the rules of the road.
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Harvest Fest is one of Westport’s best parties ever.
Wakeman Town Farm’s biggest fundraiser (and food & wine) event of the year includes tons of seasonal fare from local farmers and chefs, wine and signature cocktails, live music, an auction with culinary and travel experiences, and much more.
It’s the closest thing our town has to an old-fashioned barn-raising party. And proceeds help WTF provide education to folks of all ages, incomes and abilities.
This year’s event is September 26. Tickets go on sale Monday (August 17) at http://www.wakemantownfarm.org. Get ready — they always sell out fast!
Looking for a fun kids’ activity for this fall — and far beyond?
Westport Scout Troops 39/139 invite students in grades 5-12 (and their families) to Compo Beach on Thursday, September 3.
From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., they’ll make pizzas with their camping ovens. They’ll have a fire pit (with s’mores!). Scouts and leaders will answer questions, and share experiences.
The troops note, “We’re organization. Almost all of our Scouts do other activities — sports of all kinds, Staples Players, music and more. Scouts can choose to do some or all of our activities they find most interesting, and that fit with their schedules.”
The civic and outdoor-oriented troops’ 2026-27 calendar includes:
Hiking in the Adirondacks, and part of the Appalachian Trail
Biking the Rail Trail in Trumbull
Haunted Lake Compounce
Sleeping on a battleship
Visiting the Eastern State Penitentiary
Winter cabin camping
Skiing
Weekend campout on Block Island
Helping with Lobster Fest, veterans’ grave flags and wreaths, myTeam Triumph
And more!
Questions? Interested, but can’t be there? Email Troop39westport@gmail.com.
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An upstairs leak damaged the Westport Book Shop Thursday night.
The popular Jesup Road store lost its entire vinyl section, along with some furniture and books. But an extraordinary morning effort by staff, neighbors and volunteers helped clear the damage.
They opened at their regular time. Last night, they hosted a reception for guest artist Gregg Ziebell.
While full restoration of the music section and damaged areas will take a few weeks, the non-profit bookstore is open to all. They offer a massive “thank you!” to all who jumped in to help.
We’ve got one more photo of this week’s solar eclipse.
This is from Stratford-upon-Avon, England, where Diane Lowman — Westport’s first poet laureate, and a prominent Shakespeare scholar — observed the phenomenon.
As the Bard said in “King Lear”: “These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us.”
Financial Times reports that Goldman Sachs is buying NEOS. The deal is worth up to $2.3 billion, and is expected to close early next year.
NEOS — based in Westport — is an asset management/ETF firm. Its SEC filings showed about $14.7 billions in assets under management as of last September. Click here for the full FT story.
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Our “Westport … Naturally” photo series includes natural phenomena of all kinds.
Including this 70-foot tree near Cross Highway and North Avenue. It was burned and flayed by lightning last weekend. Huge shards landed up to 30 feet away, and buried themselves into the ground.
And finally … in honor of Diane Lowman, and everyone else in Europe was saw much more than we did (story above):
(From safety to fundraisers, “06880” has Westport covered. If you enjoy our daily Roundups — or any other feature on our hyper-local blog — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
“Dear Westport parents, I’m very worried about the safety of 2 boys in town, as well as the safety of all kids using electric transportation.
“I’ve repeatedly seen the same boys on Valley Road — one on an electric bike and the other on what looks like an electric skateboard. Valley is a winding road with limited visibility. I’ve seen them riding in the middle of the road, talking to each other, looking around, and not paying attention to traffic.
“I happened upon the same 2 boys again on Imperial Avenue at the 3-way stop sign near the police station. They came around another car at the stop sign, slowed down (did not stop or wait their turn), then continued through the stop sign.
“Recently, I was behind one of the boys on the e-bike as he turned from Valley onto Greens Farms Road. He rode down the middle of Greens Farms as though he were a car, before eventually moving over to the side.
“In a separate incident, I was approaching the stop sign at Hale Street when a different boy on an electric scooter suddenly came around the corner from Valley onto Hale on the wrong side of the road. Thankfully I saw him in time.
“I’ve seen another boy in the neighborhood on an electric bike trying to pop wheelies while riding. It reinforces my concern that some kids may not realize how quickly things can go wrong when they’re on roads with traffic.
“I don’t know if the boys on Valley are the same ones I’ve also seen riding in the middle of Compo South, but I’m worried that someone is going to get seriously hurt.
“This isn’t about getting anyone in trouble. It’s simply a plea for parents to remind their kids to stay alert, ride predictably, and understand that drivers may not be able to see them in time, especially on winding roads.”
Not the Valley Road boys. These 2 were not in the middle of the road — but they were not wearing helmets. (Photo/Diane Lowman)
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For more than a decade, Westport has had a special relationship with Catch A Lift Fund. The national non-profit provides gym memberships and home gym equipment to help wounded post-9/11 service members heal physically and mentally, through physical fitness.
Westporters have donated funds, welcomed veterans, and joined in workouts at venues like the police station, VFW, beach and Birchwood Country Club. The vets give plenty back in return — as inspiration, and serving as “angels” for children, teens and adults with disabilities through myTeamTriumph.
The 25th anniversary of 9/11 — and 250th birthday of the United States — is a great time for Westporters to continue supporting Catch a Lift.
On September 9 (6:30 p.m., Inn at Longshore), a special fundraiser will benefit the noon-profit.
Catch a Lift veterans, at a Birchwood Country Club event.
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Congratulations to Dhilan Lowman!
For the 2nd year in a row, the Westport basketball player is the Best Shooter in Connecticut.
That’s not some vague term. Dhilan retained his title against 15 other elite athletes, from around the states.
The event — a fundraiser for Shot for Life is an intense 2-hour contest, involving free throws, mid-range and 3-pointers. Competitors must raise at least $1,000 for cancer research.
Dhilan — a member of last season’s Staples High School state finalist hoops team, who is transferring to Hotchkiss School — took over 1,500 shots. He hit a very impressive 85.46%.
And he did while taking over 100 shots more than the runner-up (who hit “only” 81%)!
Dhilan Lowman, in the state finals at Mohegan Sun. (Photo/Ryan Allen)
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Summer comedy nights keep rolling — and keep audiences rolling (with laughter too) — at VFW Post 399.
This Friday’s headliner is Matt Vita (August 14). He’s joined by Joe Pontillo, Tony Liberti, Autumn Harvist and John Kenneth.
Tickets are $20 online, plus a 1-drink minimum at the show. The VFW has a full bar, and a light food menu. Doors open at 7 p.m.; the show starts at 8. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Also at the VFW: The Jazz Society of Fairfield County’s “Festival of August Guitars” continues this Thursday.
Bob DeVos offers originals and masterpieces, backed by a soulful band: organist Roberta Piket, drummer Steve Johns and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall.
Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo is our first-ever queen of the night cactus, from the Greens Farms neighborhood.
Koralina Wisniewska explains, “the flower blooms only in summertime; it is huge and smells amazing. They open when it gets dark and close before the sun is out, which is how it gets its name.”
Yesterday, an “06880” reader asked about the status of the Cross Highway bridge replacement project.
Timing is everything. Two hours later, Department of Public Works director Larry Roberts announced the launch of a Monthly Project Update.
It’s designed to keep residents informed about municipal infrastructure and construction projects. Beginning now, it’s available on the town website,
Each update will include the name and location of projects, a brief scope of work, the current status, and the anticipated completion date.
Other projects underway include Compo Road South sidewalks and Compo marina seawall replacement (estimated completion, this fall), Sherwood Mill Pond tide gates (November), and Compo marina pier replacement (spring 2027).
Questions about any current or upcoming project? Call DPW: 203-341-1120.
So about Cross Highway: It’s still scheduled to be completed “prior to the start of the school year.”
This is the bridge that’s being replaced.
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Every year, the Levitt Pavilion offers 50-plus nights of free entertainment.
But it relies on several paid-ticketed events to keep the (stage) lights on.
A few of those shows are upcoming. The biggest: Bonnie Raitt (next Sunday, August 9).
Coming soon:
The Revivalists, with Olivia Barnes (August 11)
The Machine performs Pink Floyd (August 21)
Andy Frasco & the UN and Kitchen Dwellers, with Magoo
Charlie Hall’s Get Up With It: Miles Davis Centennial (August 24)
Mihali: Full bnd show, with Mr. Mota (September 4)
Hollywood Nights: Bob Seger Experience (September 5)
Tuesday (August 4, 7 p.m.): The Joy Clark Trio. Her debut album, “Tell It to the Wind,” marks Clark’s arrival on the national stage as a proud, queer Black woman. She blends the social consciousness of folk, the rhythms of southeast Louisiana, and the soul-centered music she grew up with.
Wednesday (August 5. 7 p.m.): Children’s Series, with Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-winner Flor Bromley.
Thursday (August 6, 7:30 p.m.): Homage to the “Days Between*” with The Red Planet and special guest Crispin Cioe — the Westport saxophonist who played on “Love Shack,” and has recorded and toured with the Rolling Stones, James Brown, Ray Charles, the B-52s, Robert Plant, Solomon Burke, Joe Cocker, Debbie Harry and Aretha Franklin. *The “Days Between” is the 9-day period from August 1 to 9, marking the birth and death of Jerry Garcia.
Friday (August 7, 7:30 p.m.): The Devon Gilfillian Time Will Tell tour. Devon’s music ranges from neo-soul and R&B to funk and rock. Devon recently appeared at the Newport Folk Festival.
Other free August shows include breakout band Improvement Movement with Memo, Christine Ohlman (aka the Beehive Queen), Logical Pretzel (the music of Steely Dan), pop classical stars the String Queens,. Lizzy & the Triggerman (swing) and Broadway and American Songbook favorite Frank Mastrone & Friends. Click here for details, and more information.
Free shows at the Levitt Pavilion.
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Speaking of entertainment: Congratulations, Daniel Planas!
Last Thursday during the weekly Jazz at the Post show at VFW Post 399, the young saxophonist from Stratford received the Jazz Society of Fairfield County’s Micky Golomb Scholarship. He is a rising sophomore, studying music at the University of Connecticut.
Created to honor the memory of a local saxophonist, educator and regular attendee of the Jazz Society’s Thursday performances, the scholarship is awarded to students pursuing a career in jazz performance, composition and/or jazz education. It is based on musicianship, determined by a jury of professional jazz educators.
In addition to the receiving the $5000 award, Daniel joined an all-star group of jazz musicians at last week’s Thursday night Latin Jazz show. He played with Michael Mossman, professor of jazz studies at Queens College and Julliard, Cuban pianist Luis Perdono, 6- time Grammy winner Vince Cherico, Alex “Apolo” Ayala, Carly Moldanado, and Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall.
Daniel Planas (left) and Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” wall, at VFW Post 399.
A new networking tradition began last week at Zucca Gastrobar.
Business owners, executives, entrepreneurs and local leaders joined at the debut of the Executive Networking Series. The initiative strengthens business relationships, while introducing local companies to nonprofit organizations throughout Fairfield County.
It was created through a partnership between VTB Financial and Prestige Cabinetry & Design LLC
The first event featured Operation Hope and the Wakeman Boys & Girls Club. Representatives from both groups highlighted the impact their programs have across the region.
A generous donation was presented to Operation Hope by Dushi Marble & Granite. The next Executive Networking Series will be announced soon. For more information, email anna.b@PCDTeam.com.
Executive Networking Series at Zucca. (Photo/Sylvia Janik Photography)
Local resident Peter Mossa died on July 25. He was 58.
His family calls Peter “the kind of person who could brighten any room simply by walking into it. He had a true sparkle, infectious enthusiasm, and a gift for making everyone feel like a friend. He never cared much for formalities — you were far more likely to find him in shorts, a t-shirt and barefoot than dressed up.”
He enjoyed his family, spending time with friends, sharing stories, making people laugh, snowboarding, snowmobiling and celebrating the holidays at his parents’ home in Vermont. Summers were spent on his boat, fishing or tying up with friends to barbecue.
Peter was also a gifted craftsman, whose skill and attention to detail left a lasting mark on countless homes and the lives of those who live in them. His strong work ethic, integrity and dedication earned the respect of everyone.
His family says, “For many years, Peter battled clinical depression. He sought treatment, held onto hope, and never stopped trying to find healing. Though his illness ultimately claimed his life, it never defined the man he was. Peter is deeply loved, and his loss leaves an immeasurable void in the hearts of those who knew him.
Peter is survived by his wife Arlene; children Haley and Max; parents Joseph and Deanna; siblings Susan Young (Larry), Joe Jr. (Luisa) and Katie Carmody (Josh); in-laws Wendy Jacobsen (Stephen); several nieces, nephews, extended family, and countless friends,
His family says, “For those who knew Peter, please remember his laughter and sense of humor, his compassion, his strong loyalty, and his unending love for family and friends. While our hearts are shattered, we find comfort in knowing he is now at peace. We’re forever grateful for the joy he brought into our world and the love he shared so freely.
The family encourages anyone struggling with depression or mental illness to reach out for help (everwellct.org), keep talking, and hold onto hope. Peter’s story is a reminder that mental illness can affect anyone- and is an illness —not a weakness—and that every life is precious.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Pete’s name to your local Humane Society, animal shelter or your favorite charity organization.
Peter’s memorial aervice will be held August 6 (11 a.m., Norfield Congregational Church, Weston). Casual Florida attire is encouraged.
Mark Mathias provides today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo, with this note:
“After last week’s storm overflowed Deadman Broo between Winslow Park and Saugatuck cemetery, the marshy parts did what they were supposed to do and absorbed much of the overflow.
“The moisture also brought to life this beautiful fungus/mushroom/whatever (I’m not a botanist) that I trust will remain while the ground stays moist.”
And finally … Vicki Wickham was not a household name. But she was “a behind-the-scenes force in popular music who helped oversee the influential British television showcase ‘Ready Steady Go!'” and managed artists including Labelle and the singer Dusty Springfield.
(If you’ve ever discovered a great show — or other event — here, well, that’s our job. We do it 24/7/365. But we can’t do it without your support. Please click here to thank us with a donation! Thank you!)
East Town Prophets bring their high-energy rock sound to VFW Post 399 tonight (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; $10 cover).
Doors open at 6 p.m. Light bar food is available, plus drink specials.
East Town Prophets
Also tonight, at the Levitt Pavilion : Anthem Reggae Band (7:30 p.m.). Tomorrow (Sunday, 7 p.m.) it’s Danny Lipsitz & the Brass Tacks. Both shows are free. Click here for more information.
Last night’s show featured Residual Groove. The local band that played 2 Slice of Saugatuck festivals, many nights at Dunville’s and opened last year for Mahali made the first of what may be many headline performances at the outdoor theater.
Residual Groove (Photo/Matthew Mandell)
And one more: Vinnie Ferrone plays outdoors on Church Lane tonight (6 to 9 p.m.).
Jay Schadler’s “Turning Point” podcast is one of the Westport Library’s most popular series.
The journalist/photographer/artist is a superb interviewer, zeroing in on key moments in a guest’s life and career.
And I’m not just saying that because his interview with me kicks off his 2nd season,
Our chat ranged widely, from writing to soccer to LGBT activism. The through line was “community” — and the turning points that shaped me and my work. Click here to listen.
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Channeling Westport circa 1965, and inspired by hilarious Instagram posts from Rita Gigante daughter of mob boss Vincent “The Chin” Gigante and author of “The Godfathers Daughter”), a group of longtime Westport friends donned housecoats, pink foam rollers and their mother’s pearls.
Dubbing themselves “The Real Housewives of Westport,” they gathered for an afternoon potluck lunch of Ritz cracker chicken casserole, corn soufflé, Jell-O mold, tuna pasta and pineapple upside down cake.
Ellen Bowen hosted the event. As you can see in the photo below, she and Yvonne Claveloux, Stacey Tagen, Marci Gordon, Lilia Temple, Cathy Colgan, Sara Kempner, Lois Backon and Cathy Circle were looking very, um, mid-’60s-Westport-ish.
Yesterday’s Roundup noted that a large sign at the Compo Road/Bridge Street intersection, touting a new sidewalk project, identified Ned Lamont as “govenor.”
We neglected to mention — because, truthfully, we did not notice — 2 other misspellings.
The Department of Transportation — which presumably is responsible for the sign — forgot a “t” in their own name.
They even screwed up the name of their commissioner. It’s “Garrett” — not “Garret” — Eucalitto.
But hey, the DOT had a swift solution yesterday:
To be fair, “06880” makes a fair share of spelling errors.
But we don’t post them on large, taxpayer-funded signs.
PS: Every word in this particular item has been checked and re-checked. At least 12 times.
But we just learned that 5 Staples High School students have been named state winners in the annual PTA Reflections competition. The theme was “I Belong.”
Congratulations to Isabella Mariani (music composition, 1st place), Noah Bruno (film production, 1st place), Jessica DiPrato (visual arts, 1st place), Dylan Marks (photography, 2nd place) and Archie Kobetitsch (literature, 3rd place).
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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo is a first: a clearwing hummingbird moth.
In addition to sending a superb image, Jay Ludy quotes Google: “The hummingbird moth is a fascinating day-flying insect known for hovering in midair, making a buzzing sound, and using a long proboscis to drink nectar from flowers.”
On Sunday, the Westport Library is “where Westport meets the World Cup.”
After 102 matches, there’s one left: European champion Spain vs. South American champ Argentina.
It will be a game for the ages. And all ages — from those watching their first World Cup, to those who remember Pele, Beckenbauer (and Maradona) — are invited to share the excitement on Sunday.
The Library opens at 1 p.m., for Panini card trading.
From 1:30 to 2:30, Westport soccer folks — including Dan Woog, Chris O’Dell, Paddy Donovan, Joe Pierce and Clemson coach Mike Noonan (video) — will tell stories about their experiences with The Beautiful Game.
At 3 p.m., the match will be shown on the Trefz Forum’s giant screen. The audience here will join billions of others around the globe.
Oh, yeah: There’s Riko’s pizza too (courtesy of “06880”).
Wear your jersey. Bring your friends. See you Sunday at the Library — where Westport meets the World Cup.
Speaking of politics: Both the Democratic and Republic Town Committees have issued statements about the decision by the registrars of voters to consolidate polling places — and the quick reversal, to return to traditional Representative Town Meeting (RTM) sites.
The RTC says: The Republican Party commends Registrar of Voters Maria Signore and Deborah Greenberg, her Democratic counterpart, along with their dedicated staff and deputies, for their tireless efforts in ensuring smooth, secure and equitable elections in our town. These public servants consistently go above and beyond — working long hours, managing complex logistics, and adapting to expanded voting options like early in-person voting an no-excuse absentee ballots — to protect every voter’s rights and deliver reliable results. Their professionalism and commitment deserve our deep appreciation and gratitude.
We support the registrars’ proposal to consolidate polling for the August 11 primary to a single, central location at Bedford Middle School. This move was thoughtfully designed to enhance voter experience by offering better security, ample parking and lighting, easier navigation for all districts, shorter lines, and more efficient staffing, particularly important given the lower turnout typical of primaries and the growing preference for early and absentee voting.
While we respect the final decision to maintain the traditional polling locations for this election, we believe the consolidation concept reflects sound planning for future elections. Centralized operations can reduce burdens on poll workers, improve resource allocation, and provide a more consistent, high-quality experience for Westporters.
We remain fully committed to working collaboratively with the Registrars of Votes, town officials and stakeholders to support secure, efficient and accessible elections that reflect the best of our town’s civic spirit. We encourage all registered Republicans, Democrats, Unaffiliated and independent votes to take advantage of the multiple option available, and exercise their fundamental right to vote.
The Democratic Town Committee says:
The officers of the Westport Democratic Town Committee would like to take a moment to express our gratitude and appreciation for our Registrar of Voters, Deborah Greenberg, and the tremendous work she does in collaboration with Westport Town Clerk Jeff Dunkerton and her Republican counterpart, Maria Signiore. Deb works seamlessly with her office and the many members of the public whom she assists and greets daily. She is profoundly respected by Westport’s poll workers, and deeply valued by the DTC Officers and fellow members.
Deb has worked tirelessly through the implementation of new procedures like early voting and no-excuse absentee ballots without a hiccup, and we celebrated her for taking on these changes. Recently, a proposal for a new change was not received well by all members of the public and was subsequently overturned. DTC leadership finds it essential to note that any change proposed by our registrar was done with nothing but the best intentions for our community and respect for democracy.
Serving as a registrar of voters is an incredibly difficult public service role involving a heavy workload that should not be overlooked. Deb — we see you. We see how hard you work for our town and our party. We are blessed to have you as our registrar, and we are proud to have you as a member of the DTC family.
“06880”‘s intrepid osprey watcher writes: “Unfortunately, I think the nest has been abandoned. Since last week, I haven’t seen them.
“Up and down the east coast, osprey are struggling with a shortage of menhaden (bunker fish) due to over-fishing. Parents can’t feed their chicks, and many nests are failing.
“I’m not sure what happened with this nest. It felt a bit off from the beginning. The pair arrived late, and then weren’t seen that often around the nest as they usually are.
“It’s possible it is a different pair altogether. The nest sits quiet at the moment. I’m checking it daily, hoping for some activity.
Speaking of the environment: Smoke from Canadian wildfires continued over Westport yesterday, producing this eerie scene at Compo Beach …
(Photo/Cat Malkin)
… and this equally grotty sunset, over downtown …
(Photo/Miggs Burroughs)
… along with this one, over Longshore:
(Photo/Phil Schaefer)
The haze and acrid smoke are expected to persist today.
The (only) good news: If the smoke thickens, temperatures may not climb as high as expected (mid-80s today). The reason: Smoke could filter out some of the sun’s rays,
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Speaking of the beach: This is the scene at the Old Mill guardhouse:
(Photo/Karen Como)
We’re not sure what’s going on here.
Is this lost footwear, waiting to be claimed?
If so, we understand forgetting both shoes. But only one …?!
Or perhaps this is just a bit of artwork, greeting beach-goers. Who, hopefully, will leave with everyting they brought.
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Another mystery, this one on Turkey Hill Road South:
(Photo/Chris Grimm)
We understand the frustration of residents with speeders, and the urge to plea for safety with a homemade sign.
But why Audrey? Why now?
If you know the back story — or want to guess — click “Comments” below.
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MoCA\CT’s 2026-27 concert series promises an exciting combination: international artists in the contemporary art galleries.
Among the featured performers in the coming year, ranging from jazz and R&B to classical and cross-genre music: Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bill Charlap, Morgan James and Time for Three.
(So long as you’re staying safe indoors … why not spend a few seconds clicking here? You’ll be supporting your hyper-local blog — ensuring we’ll keep reporting news, events, and (of course) weather.
Walk Bike Westport advocates for a town “where children pedal to school without a parent behind the wheel, where a downtown errand doesn’t need a parking space, where the hill that once made cycling to the train station unthinkable simply isn’t a barrier anymore.”
That’s why they support pedal-assist electric bicycles.
A Class 1 e-bike is “a great way to get around,” the organization says. “It’s quiet, it tops out around 20 miles per hour, and it only helps when you pedal. It helps more people ride farther, and tackle hills with confidence — making cycling accessible to riders of all ages and abilities.”
Class 1 pedal-assist e-bike.
But, Walk Bike Westport says, there is a threat: “a different machine wearing the same name … overpowered bikes that tear through traffic at 30 or 40 miles an hour aren’t e-bikes.”
Instead, they’re “motor-driven cycles.” And they generate a backlash that could hurt pro-biking efforts.
Walk Bike Westport wants residents to not get taken for a ride.
According to Connecticut law, a Class 1 e-bike has working pedals and a motor of 750 watts or less. It tops out around 20 miles per hour, and adds power only when you pedal. Like a bicycle, it requires no license, plate or insurance.
But as of last October, a bike with no working pedals, or with a motor strong enough to push past 30, is a “motor-driven cycle or a motorcycle.” You need a license. The most powerful versions need registration and insurance too.
However, Walk Bike Westport notes, the classification is not obvious, and both look similar.
A parent sees an “e-bike,” and assumes it’s a bicycle. The seller has little reason to correct them. “By the time anyone sorts out what category the thing actually falls into, it’s usually because something has gone wrong.”
It’s not the fault of “the kid doing 35 down Hillspoint Road,” the Westport organization says. “The machine (is) mislabeled.”
More and more of these motorbikes are sold with motors several times over the 750-watt limit, and often without pedals.
The best-known is the Sur-Ron, says Walk Bike Westport, which its manufacturer calls an electric dirt bike. Others, like the Talaria, are built and sold the same way.
“The confusion creeps in later, once they hit resellers and online marketplaces, where the same bike gets listed as an ‘e-bike’ and a buyer has no reason to doubt it.”
E-bike? Motorbike? It’s confusing.
Connecticut requires sellers to label a bike with its class, wattage and top speed. But that only works if a buyer knows how to read it, and if someone checks.
“An officer watching a bike go by can’t read its wattage at a glance, and the gap between a fast e-bike and a slow motorcycle is exactly the kind of line that’s sharp in a statute and invisible on a road,” Walk Bike Westport notes.
Our town’s approach leans toward education. Westport Police issued a guide for parents, and held a forum at Town Hall.
“That instinct is the right one,” Walk Bike Westport says. “Most families with a misclassified bike have no idea they have one, and a summons doesn’t fix a problem that started with a misleading listing.
Southington, meanwhile, has a zero-tolerance policy. They issue citations, seize bikes, and even make arrests. But there’s danger, the Westport bike group says, in “treating every bike as a suspect.”
Walk Bike Westport wants to avoid that outcome. The answer to the e-bike problem “isn’t more fear. It’s clarity, and a town built so that the right bikes have somewhere safe to go.”
Walk Bike Westport advocates for safety.
The town and Police “can publish a plain guide that tells a resident, in 1 page, whether the bike in their garage is a bicycle or a motorcycle under Connecticut law,” Walk Bike Westport says.
Some of that work is already underway, they note — “and it’s coming from the people with the most at stake.”
This spring the teenagers on the Westport Youth Commission’s E-bike Safety and Awareness group developed a poster campaign to teach young riders how to ride safely, and teach parents which e-bikes their kids are allowed to ride.
They worked with the Police Department and Walk Bike Westport; put their posters in doctors’ offices, schools and bike shops, and are planning events for this fall.
Youth Commission posters.
“When the kids most associated with the problem are the ones standing up to solve it, the rest of the town should pay attention,” says Walk Bike Westport.
However, the group notes, “most of what makes cycling feel unsafe in Westport has nothing to do with e-bikes, and everything to do with roads built only for cars.”
The town is working on a safety plan with federal funding, including protected lanes and calmer streets.
Walk Bike Westport has one final message: “A pedal-assist e-bike is one of the best things to happen to local transportation.
“(But) a throttle-driven motorbike wearing a bicycle’s name is a different thing entirely. It should be ridden, licensed, and treated for what it is.
“Defend the first. Be straight about the second. And the Westport we pictured (in the first paragraph of this story) gets a little closer.”
Walk Bike Westport and the Westport Youth Commission spread awareness at last month’s “Kickoff to Summer” at Compo Beach.
As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, every media outlet has tried to find a different angle.
The Wall Street Journal came up with our nation’s “most valuable inventions.”
They noted many: the light bulb. The internet. The telephone. The iPhone. Airplanes. Refrigerators. Costco. The microchip. Chocolate-chip cookies.
But the greatest — at least, according to writer Ben Cohen — is the white line on the right side of the road.
He explains:
In the 1950s, around the time Jonas Salk cracked the polio vaccine, a metallurgist named John V. N. Dorr became the champion of a different lifesaver: a white line on the right side of the road.
For years, Dorr told anyone who would listen — and everyone who wouldn’t — about his simple way of making highways safer. A line on the side of the road, he argued, would give drivers somewhere to aim their eyes at night other than oncoming headlights. It was both cheap and incredibly effective, which made it a brilliant investment. Over time, his revolutionary stripe of paint would reach billions of people and guide drivers across the planet.
To this day, you depend on it without knowing anything about it.
John V.N. Dorr (Photo courtesy of Wall Street Journal, from the Dorr Foundation)
Of course, “06880” is “where Westport meets the world.” The WSJ story — and this one — include a very important local connection.
Dorr — whose eponymous company was based in Westport, though the story does not mention it — realized that drivers naturally hugged the center line. That led to frequent collisions, especially at night and in poor weather.
And if they couldn’t stick to the center, they swerved to the side. But they didn’t know where the shoulder was.
Dorr’s proposal: paint a line on the right side of the road.
This simple white line — shown here on Compo Road South 3 days ago — was devised in 1952 in Westport.
In 1952, he proposed his idea to Connecticut’s highway commissioner. “The man in charge of Connecticut’s roads told him to get lost,” reports the Journal.
Now comes our moment in the national spotlight. (Hat tips to “06880” readers Jonathan Rosenoer, David Smith, Joseph Scordato, Eileen Lavigne. Michelle Sagalyn, Linda Stern, and Craig and Brooke Mogan, all of whom sent a link to the WSJ story.)
The next time he suggested it, he wrote to the Westport Town Crier newspaper in 1953 and offered to pay for “a demonstration test of a few miles.”
This time, he got a more welcoming response.
“Dr. Dorr’s suggestion,” the paper wrote in an editorial, “is a dandy.”
Before long, Connecticut was testing his dandy idea on a few miles of the Merritt Parkway between Greenwich and Stamford. The study found that Dorr’s line nudged cars away from the center line, into the middle of their lanes, and narrowed the speed gap between day and night. In other words, the study found scientific evidence that a single line could dramatically alter human behavior.
John Dorr’s amazing creation, on the first road it was tested: the Merritt Parkway. (Photo courtesy of Wall Street Journal)
Dorr — by then in his 80s — began pitching his idea relentlessly: to the highway commissioners of all 48 states, engineering publications, governors, a Broadway star, even former president Herbert Hoover.
It worked.
“In less than a decade,”the Wall Street Journal says, “Dorr’s line was so popular that people wondered how they ever lived without it.”
But wait! There’s more!
The WSJ does not mention it, but John V.N. Dorr is not Westport’s only contributor to road safety.
Years before, our town was home to William Phelps Eno. Known as “The Father of Traffic Safety,” he devised the stop sign, pedestrian crosswalk, traffic circle, 1-way street, taxi stand and pedestrian safety island. He designed traffic plans for New York, Paris and London.
He did it all in Westport, in a handsome Saugatuck Avenue building near the Norwalk town line.
And then — because this is Westport, and our drivers often disregard traffic lights, stop signs and everything else, including white lines — drive safely!
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William Phelps Eno was honored with a plaque at the old Westport YMCA.
A lot of people spent a lot of time stuck in yesterday’s fireworks traffic, heading to and from Compo Beach.
Even at non-holiday times, the light at the Compo Road South/Greens Farms Road/Bridge Street intersection can be long. There’s plenty of opportunity to look around.
What we see is the I-95 overpass. It seems like it — and Greens Farms Road — have always been there.
But for decades before the “turnpike” construction in the 1950s, the road came in at a different angle.
There, on the southwest corner, sat Ken Montgomery’s grocery store.
When the state of Connecticut planned the new route, his building was in the way.
He tried to relocate to a lot he owned on Bridge Street, across from what was then Saugatuck Elementary School (now The Saugatuck co-op housing), yet was rebuffed.
So one day in the mid-1950s, Ken’s store was demolished.
(Westport Town Crier photo courtesy of Mary Palmieri Gai)
Ken hoped to return with a new store in the same vicinity, once the highway was completed. In the meantime, he went to work at his mother’s (similar) grocery store, not far away by Old Mill Beach.
He never returned.
Instead, he took over from his mother. For many years, he operated “Ken’s” — aka “Grub’s” (IYKYK).
Today, it’s Old Mill Grocery & Deli by Romanacci.
And there is not a trace of Ken’s original store — or the original Greens Farms Road — underneath the I-95 overpass.
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