Category Archives: Transportation

Roundup: Safe Streets, Sculptures, Skating …

Posted on October 9, 2026 | 1 comment

On Wednesday, the Board of Finance unanimously voted to accept nearly $900,000 in federal funding, through a Safe Streets for All grant.

On November 10, the RTM will be asked to give final approval.

Walk Bike Westport — which has championed the grant — says, “board members asked thoughtful, challenging questions of the town’s Department of Public Works and consultant Tighe & Bond, emphasizing something we wholeheartedly agree with: Securing this funding is only the beginning. Making sure it’s spent wisely and leads to meaningful improvements is what matters most.”

Walk Bike Westport thanks 1st Selectman Kevin Christie, Public Works director Larry Roberts and town engineer Keith Wilberg for their presentations, and work on the proposal.

“We are proud to be part of this community and optimistic about the incredible potential Westport has to become a safer, more walkable and bikeable town,” organizers say.

Some of the participants in last year’s Bridge to Bridge walk.

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For a few weeks, residents have admired the town’s newest outdoor sculpture.

On Tuesday (October 13, 5 p.m.), Westport will formally welcome “The Couple,” with a reception at Riverside Park.

The sculpture was donated to the Westport Public Arts Collection by philanthropist and long-time Westporter Susan Malloy.

In 1991, she and her husband Edwin commissioned William King to create an aluminum 12-foot high 2-person grouping for their Dogwood Lane property.

After her death in 2015, “The Couple” was installed at Earthplace. When the Westport Arts Advisory Committee sought a more accessible and visible home for the work, they recommended Riverside Park.

The move was possible with the help of Susan’s family: granddaughter Meredith, son Timon and niece Ann Sheffer.

With support from Westport’s Parks & Recreation Department, the installation was completed in August.

WAAC oversees the installation and care of Westport’s sculptures and monuments. In addition to The Minuteman monument and Doughboy statue on Veterans Green, Westport maintains 15 sculptures on town and school property.

In 2024, WAAC initiated  a “loan program” with area artists. For an annual stipend, sculptors loan their sculptures to Westport for 5 years.

Since 2024, WAAC has overseen the installation of 5 “borrowed” sculptures: “Passages” by Westporter Niki Ketchman (Pasacreta Park); “Tulip Bulb” by Emily Teal (Grace Salmon Park); “Egrets” by Babette Bloch (Canal Park); “Enso” by Mark Zaref (Eloise Ray Park), and “Queen of Hearts” by Carole Eisner (Westport Center for Senior Activities.) Click here for more information.


“The Couple,” at Riverside Park

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The weather is getting chillier. The Westport PAL Rink at Longshore is nearly ready to reopen.

And Mar Jennings is preparing to return as head coach and program director for the popular Learn to Skate program.

Jennings – a lifestyle expert, TV host and real estate agent — is also a world champion gold medalist. Under his leadership, the US Figure Skating-sanctioned program offers a welcoming, confidence-building environment for toddlers taking their first steps, youth developing competitive skills, and adults rediscovering their love of the ice.

The 10-week Learn to Skate curriculum provides progressive instruction, merit badge evaluations, and a supportive environment to nurture personal growth.

For more information and to register, click here.

Mar Jennings, at the Longshore rink.

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Westporter Sara Kempner is director of creative campaigns and collaborations at the US Vote Foundation. The nonpartisan non-profit helps millions of American citizens around the world cast ballots.

They get their message out in fun, creative ways. A recent campaign involved placing a QR code linked to voter registration on pizza boxes.

With flowers blooming behind Town Hall, and Connecticut’s new no-excuse absentee voting policy rolling out, Sara figured she’d feature her hometown in a national spot.

Click here or below for the result — starring local ballerina Isabella Corridon.

But that’s not all. Another reel will feature local yoga and Pilates teacher Vicki Lopez. She’ll show how breathing techniques can quell anxiety about voting (and how to use your time in the voting line well).

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Three years after the October 7 attacks, Chabad of Westport will host Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, former chief of the IDF General Staff, for an important community conversation.

This will be one of his first public speaking engagements since stepping down as chief of staff a year and a half ago.

The event is November 2 (7:30 p.m.; sponsor reception at 6:45).

Halevi served as Israel’s top military commander for 515 days following October 7, leading the IDF through one of the most consequential periods in Israel’s history.

Advance registration is required; space is limited. Due to security considerations, the location will be shared with registered guests prior to the event. For information, registration and sponsorship opportunities, click here.

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A few times a year, a few lucky folks get to share a private Saturday morning of movement, breakfast, conversation and community, on a rooftop overlooking the Saugatuck River.

Jennifer Ruspini offers a chance to “step away from the noise. Say hello to the neighbor you have not had time to meet. Move gently. Enjoy the morning without pressure, a sales pitch, or a crowded room.” It’s complimentary, too — with gifts from Southern Tide.

The next one is October 17 (10 a.m.). Katy Ingulli of Strong by Katy will lead the yoga. Click here for more information, and to snag a spot.

Yoga on the rooftop.

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Yesterday was moving day for the Sherwood Mill Pond crane.

After many months — many more months than expected — repairing the tidal gates, the project seems to be nearing an end.

This scene in the Old Mill Beach parking lot was no doubt welcomed by many nearby residents — so long as the machinery is finally gone.

(Photo/Matt Murray) 

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Jude Siegel grew up in Westport. Her father owned Westport Pharmacy downtown, across from the Library on Post Road East. Jude is a 1964 Staples High School graduate.

Since 1973, she has lived in Oregon — first on farms in the Willamette Valley, now in Portland.

She has long taught nature and bird journaling — a combination of drawing, watercolor and writing — to children and adults.

“This time of year,” she says, “I get homesick for the land, beaches and beauty of Connecticut.”

Of course, it is beautiful in Oregon too. Jude captures that beauty every year, in a watercolor and pen bird calendar she draws and produces.

“Birds bring such joy to our daily lives,” she notes. “It gives me peace to draw and paint them. I like the idea that they then go out on the calendar pages to people all over, and grace their lives as well.

This year’s calendar is now available for purchase. They’re $35 each, plus $5 per calendar for shipping. Email colorfuljude@gmail.com. (Originals are available for purchase. Just ask!)

One month, in Jude Siegel’s 2027 calendar.

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From nature to music: The next Christ & Holy Trinity Church “Music & Arts” event is New York Polyphony. The 4-part choral ensemble  — called “larger and more complex than the sum of its parts” by NPR — performs on October 17 (5 p.m.). A reception follows.

Tickets are available at the door, or by clicking here.

New York Polyphony.

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Some of the businesses and non-profits that “adopt” a traffic island don’t follow through much, once their name is on the sign.

Others take their stewardship role much more seriously.

One of the most conscientious is the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston. They’re in charge of the Long Lots Road/Maple Avenue North intersection.

Paul Liistro makes sure it always looks great — and is season-appropriate.

Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo offers the latest look.

(Photo/Paul Liistro)

PS: Here’s an idea: An annual award for the “best traffic island.” Any group — without any skin in the game — want to take this on?

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And finally … on this date in 1701, the Collegiate School of Connecticut was chartered in Old Saybrook. Today we know it as Yale University, in New Haven.

(Happy 325th anniversary, Yale! You’re just 308 years older than “06880.” And while they have a $44.1 billion endowment, we don’t. To help us close the gap, please click here. Thank you!)

 

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Posted in Arts, Beach, Local business, Politics, religion, Saugatuck, Transportation

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Pic Of The Day #3457

Posted on October 6, 2026 | Leave a comment

Greens Farms train station sunrise (Photo/Richard Abramowitz)

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Roundup: Bridge To Bridge Ride, Peter Duchan’s Variety, Club203’s Halloween …

Posted on October 4, 2026 | Leave a comment

Last year, Walk Bike Westport sponsored a fall “Bridge to Bridge” walk.

Dozens of residents and politicians — hey, it was the height of campaign season — strolled from Jesup Green, over the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge, to Saugatuck.

They passed the Cribari Bridge, and had breakfast at Kneads.

The “Bridge to Bridge” event returns Sunday, October 18 — this time on wheels.

It begins at 3:30 p.m. with a bike safety talk. Then comes a 3-mile ride to Saugatuck, and back. Everyone ages 8 and up is welcome. Helmets are required.

To learn more and register, click here. To volunteer, click here.

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Congratulations to Peter Duchan!

The 2001 Staples High School graduate has just been named to Variety’s 2026 edition of its annual “10 Broadway Stars to Watch.”

Variety says: “Years ago, Duchan was warned not to expect success as a librettist until he was in his 40s: ‘I’ve always understood this career as something of an endurance test.’

“At 43, he’s making his Broadway debut with ‘Purple Rain,’ the stage version of the classic Prince album and film, about the rise of a tormented young musician known as the Kid. Duchan’s big break comes more than a decade after he emerged on the New York theater scene with 2012’s Off Broadway musical “Dogfight,” based on the 1991 movie starring River Phoenix. [Co-written by former Staples Player and friend Justin Paul.]

“’We’re trying to honor what’s singular about Prince while crafting a fictional character separate from him,’” Duchan says.

“An adept multitasker (and an expert at translating from screen to stage), Duchan is working on another major musical adaptation, ‘Practical Magic,’ based on the 1998 fantasy comedy starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock as witchy sisters.

“’These are just the two you know about!’ Duchan teases. ‘I spend all day, every day, thinking about musical-theater storytelling. If I haven’t clocked my 10,000 hours yet, I’ve gotta be pretty close.’”

Click here for the full Variety story.

Peter Duchan

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After yesterday’s very active afternoon — including the Slice of Saugatuck, Westoberfest and Earthplace’s Fall Festival — the action continued at night.

The Westport Country Playhouse celebrated 95 years of entertainment with a high-energy gala.

From “Hamilton,” “Shrinking” and “The Wonder Years” to our own Kelli O’Hara and James Naughton, the stars were out in force.

The pre- and post-parties were off the charts too.

Gala performers (from left): Santino Fontana, Kelli O’Hara, James Naughton, Wendie Malick, NaTasha Yvetter Williams, Tamar Greene, Javier Muñoz, Patty McCormack, Dan Lauria. (Photo/Dan Woog)

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Speaking of last night’s performers: Wendie Malick is having a Westport moment.

The “Shrinking” star — among many other credits — night only joined a star-studded cast last night, at the Playhouse gala.

Tomorrow night, she’s featured in the Script in Hand reading of “Portrait of a Woman in Repose.”

Amid all that, she chatted with Westport journalist Dave Briggs, for an Instagram reel.

“Storytelling is more important than ever,” Wendie says. “It heals our souls.”

For the full conversation — including more on the importance of the Playhouse — click here.

Wendie Malick

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Club203 is calling all ghosts, goblins, witches and superheroes.
Westport’s social group for adults with disabilities celebrates Halloween with”Boo Bingo” October 14 (6:30 to 8 p.m., Senior Center).
Costumes are encouraged. They’ll provide hats, wigs, masks and more for photos too.

The menu includes We’ll Halloween bites and candy, pumpkin clementines, purple witches’ brew, and cookies made by Avery Horne.

Club 203’s friends from MoCA\CT will help Avery lead a festive bag decorating activity. Master bingo caller Doug Brill will lead the games.

For more information and to register, click here.

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Westport Pride — the town’s non-profit dedicated to creating an affirming, supportive LGBTQ+ community — “proudly” announces a leadership transition.

Liz Falk takes over as president; Kate Grodd is vice president. Brian McGunagle moves into the role of president emeritus.

McGunagle founded Westport Pride in 2020. Under his leadership the organization established the annual Westport Pride celebration, built partnerships with Westport’s public schools, and helped bring the town’s rainbow crosswalk to life.

He is stepping back from day-to-day leadership to focus on his family and new business ventures. He will also take a more active role in his sons’ PTA.

Falk has served on the Westport Pride board as treasurer. She has a background in non-profit and for-profit management and consulting, and has started and run small businesses.

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The Staples boys soccer silent auction is halfway to its fundraising goal. Plenty of items are still available.

Among the highlights: Stowe and Okemo stays, Yankees tickets and memorabilia, performance training sessions, college consulting, wellness packages, and private soccer clinics with varsity players. (Who, by the way, are 9-0-0 so far this season.)

Proceeds help fund coaches, fields, equipment and other resources that keep the program running.

Click here to bid. The auction closes Tuesday, at 6 p.m.

A Staples celebration. They’ll celebrate again if you bid on an auction item. (Photo/Paolo Caniato)

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With October 1 past, we’ve posted a couple of cute photos of dogs back on Compo Beach.

Here’s one more. This one has an important message.

As Spider-Man wisely says: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

(Photo/Rick Carpenter)

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Yesterday’s “Westport … Naturally” photo showed fungus.

Today we turn to lichen (“or some such stuff,” photographer Mark Mathias notes).

He spotted this in the woods behind Saugatuck Congregational Church:

(Photo/Mark Mathias)

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And finally … congratulations again to Peter Duchan (story above).

(Prince’s video has nearly 300 million views. We can’t match that at “06880.” Then again, we are a hyper-local blog. We’re here for you. If you enjoy our niche work, please click here to support it. Thanks!)

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

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[OPINION] Westport Won A Federal Safety Grant. Let’s Keep It.

Posted on October 3, 2026 | 5 comments

Jenna Petok and Markus Marty are co-directors of Walk Bike Westport. They write:

Last December, Westport won something many towns compete for and don’t get: a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant of $895,200.

Next Wednesday, October 7 (7:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium), the Board of Finance will vote on an appropriation of $1,119,000. If approved, the town would then be reimbursed 80%. Westport taxpayers would be responsible for just $224,000.

Without approval, Westport can’t accept the money.

We hope they say yes. If you agree, now is the time to make your voice heard:

  • Email the Board of Finance (click here)
  • Come to Wednesday’s meeting.

This isn’t the first time the Board has looked at this grant. In May, members raised fair questions. Were we funding 3 overlapping studies? How much staff time would it take? And would any of it lead to real improvements, or just more reports?

Those were the right questions. Public Works took them seriously, and the program coming back to the Board is different.

The 3 separate plans are now one coordinated plan, with 1 advisory committee and 1 review process. The planning builds directly on the town’s adopted Safety Action Plan instead of repeating it, and it’s designed to work alongside the Plan of Conservation and Development, not duplicate it.

Most importantly, a dedicated share of the budget now goes to building safety improvements on our streets.

Last fall, Walk Bike Westport co-direct Markus Marty (front) led a walk from Jesup Green to Saugatuck. The event drew many local candidates, and interested residents.

The total cost and the town’s share are the same. What Westport gets for it is better.

Here’s what the grant buys.

Real projects on real streets. This is the part we’re most excited about. The grant funds up to 4 temporary safety projects on town roads, measured before and after. If something works, the town can make it permanent. If it doesn’t, it comes out. We’d call that responsible spending: test first, then invest.

A Town-wide Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan. It defines a realistic walking and biking network for Westport, one that fits our New England streets, with priority projects, planning level costs, and a path to implementation. Inside it:

  • A Safe Routes to School Plan. Westport has never had one. Many parents would like their kids to walk or bike to school, and many kids would like to. This plan looks school by school, public and private, at the crossings, connections, and traffic patterns that make that harder than it should be, and lays out what to fix first.

  • A Complete Streets Policy. A practical framework for considering every user when the town builds and maintains streets, recognizing that one size doesn’t fit every Westport road.

An ADA Transition Plan. A town-wide look at sidewalks, curb ramps, and crossings, with a prioritized plan to make them work for people with disabilities, seniors, and parents with strollers.

This grant didn’t come out of nowhere. Westport’s Public Works and Engineering teams, along with the Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Committee, have spent years on the unglamorous work of making our streets safer: new sidewalks, crosswalks, intersection improvements, and a Safety Action Plan the town adopted in 2025.

That plan is already producing results, including improvements underway on Kings Highway North, and it’s what made Westport competitive for this funding. It’s a good example of a modest local investment paying off many times over.

Last fall, dozens of Walk Bike Westport enthusiasts gathered at Jesup Green, for a walk. (Photos/John Videler for Videler Photography)

The math is simple. For every dollar Westport puts in, the federal government puts in four. And plans like these are what position a town for future implementation grants, the kind that pay for sidewalks and crossings rather than studies.

We know the Board takes its responsibility to taxpayers seriously, and we respect that. The questions asked in May made this a better program. Now it deserves a yes.

Westport worked hard to win this grant. Let’s make sure we keep it.

(“06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Send submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com. To support this hyper-local blog, please click here. Thank you!)

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Posted in Local politics, Transportation

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[OPINION] Mr. Christie: Westport Needs A Plan

Posted on October 2, 2026 | 18 comments

Werner Liepolt is a longtime Bridge Street resident, and a Section 106 consulting party for the Cribari Bridge project. He writes:

Last Sunday, the League of Women Voters brought District 9 residents together with our 4 Representative Town Meeting members

It was a welcome opportunity to talk about flooding, traffic, development and the Cribari Bridge.

The bridge discussion raised a question that reaches far beyond District 9: When will 1st Selectman Kevin Christie organize Westport’s participation in a project that could reshape Saugatuck for generations?

RTM member Nancy Kail had asked him for an update on the bridge, and the formation of an advisory committee. His September 27 response promised “more on the Cribari and Downtown committees soon.”

Residents need more than “soon.” We need a timetable, a public process, and a clear account of what the town intends to accomplish.

1st Selectman Kevin Christie (Photo/Dave Matlow)

That expectation follows Mr. Christie’s own statement. On April 9 he announced a Cribari Bridge Advisory Committee, saying, “Westport has a real stake in this project for our neighborhoods, our infrastructure, and our fiscal future.”

He said the committee would ground decisions in facts, incorporate community input, and identify solutions that work for Westport.

Four days later, at an appearance at the Westport Library, Governor Ned Lamont responded to RTM member Kristin Schneeman’s question about the bridge. He acknowledged residents’ concerns, and said he would bring Mr. Christie and the state transportation commissioner together to work toward a solution.

Those statements offered a promising beginning.

Nearly 6 months later, residents deserve to know what has followed: Has the committee been appointed? Have those discussions taken place? What work is underway, and when will the public participate?

Cribari Bridge. (Photo/Fred Cantor)

I live on Bridge Street, and have participated in the federal review as a Section 106 consulting party since 2017. The February 2026 Environmental Assessment identifies replacement on the existing alignment as the preferred alternative.

The federal Permitting Dashboard currently lists May 31, 2027 as the estimated completion date for environmental review and permitting. That date gives Westport a reason to act now.

The 1st Selectman’s office and the RTM should use the remaining time to assemble the evidence, document local concerns, and establish what the town wants the agencies to address.

The risk of delay is practical: The agencies’ review can advance while Westport’s concerns remain scattered among individual residents, departments and organizations.

A coordinated town submission would make those concerns explicit, and give residents a basis for checking whether they have been answered.

The 1st selectman is in a position to bring that work together. Residents deserve to know what discussions he has had with the state Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, what he has requested, and what commitments he has obtained.

If those discussions have occurred, he should report on them. If they have not, he should initiate them.

The questions requiring attention are substantial, but understandable. What traffic would each bridge alternative accommodate or attract? Could changes in capacity or clearance alter heavytruck routes? What would that mean for noise, vibration, air quality, and pedestrian safety? Whether truck traffic would increase—and by how much—deserves analysis.

The review should also account for commuter traffic, school buses, children walking or biking, and parent drop-offs, alongside foreseeable development.

The proposed 250 apartments at 55 Greens Farms Road, including 75 affordable units, make it particularly important to examine future travel needs. For residents who do not drive or have limited transportation options, these questions are especially consequential.

The town should hear directly from residents of The Saugatuck senior cooperative, and nearby Homes with Hope housing.

Each alternative, including its construction period, should be evaluated for safe access to shopping, medical care, work, buses and the railroad station.

Safety concerns in this neighborhood already have concrete examples. In 2022, a jury returned a verdict against the state in a case involving a teenager seriously injured after CTDOT inadequately removed a Bridge Street crosswalk. More recently, a police pursuit involved collisions on Bridge Street near Imperial Avenue.

Bridge Street traffic, headed to the Cribari Bridge. (Photo/Susan Garment)

These incidents underscore the need to examine crossings, intersections and pedestrian protection throughout the bridge’s approaches. Alongside traffic and safety, Westport needs clear answers about design flexibility, rehabilitation and replacement costs, service lives, construction disruption, emergency access, historic-district impacts, and ownership of the bridge and its approaches.

Mr. Christie, 3 actions would demonstrate leadership now.

First, announce the Cribari committee’s membership, mandate, and timetable. Give it clear responsibility for examining neighborhood impacts and bridge alternatives, with meaningful public participation. Convene a working session with residents, housing representatives, town staff and the Historic District Commission, and invite CTDOT and FHWA.

Second, designate a town coordinator to assemble transportation, housing, land-use, property, emergency-access and preservation information into a written submission to the agencies.

Third, publish the town’s questions and the agencies’ responses. Confirm whether a revised Environmental Assessment is planned, its anticipated publication date, and the opportunities for further public comment. Set dates for the working session and town submission so residents can follow progress.

The town cannot control every state or federal decision. However, its leadership can ensure that Westport’s concerns are documented, presented, and pursued.

Please give residents a public plan and dates for action. The opportunity to influence this review is too important to leave at “soon.”

(“06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Email submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com. To support this hyper-local blog, please click here. Thank you!)

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Posted in Local politics, Saugatuck, Transportation

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Friday Flashback #521

Posted on September 25, 2026 | 11 comments

Recent discussion about flooding at 55-57 Greens Farms Road — and the potential for more, if plans for a 250-unit apartment complex there move forward — got Eric Buchroeder thinking.

Though very young, he remembers construction of I-95 — then called the Connecticut Turnpike — in the mid-1950s. It was part of President Eisenhower’s plan for a nationwide highway network to provide security against foreign invasion. (As a young cavalry officer in World War I, he’d had difficulty moving large numbers of troops around the country.)

In 1953, Eric says, the plan was to construct an elevated highway, in a right of way between Greens Farms Road and the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad tracks.

Though later built level with the tracks, it needed much more roadbed material than was available commercailly.

Someone had the idea to pump liquified sand and silt from the bottom of Long Island Sound at Compo Beach. Steel pipes ran the material from the beach, up Hillspoint Road to Greens Farms Road, where it was used as landfill to elevate the road embankment.

Greens Farms Road was rebuilt too, replacing curves with the current stretch between Hillspoint Road and Compo Road South/Bridge Street.

Readers: Do you remember construction of that stretch of I-95, and the construction of the “new” Greens Farms Road? Click “Comments” below.

We have no photos of the construction of I-95 along Greens Farms Road. So this view — looking east from Saugatuck — will have to do.

(Friday Flashback is one of “06880”‘s many regular features. If you enjoy this — or anything else on our website — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)I–9

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Roundup: Flood & Erosion Board, Historic Homes Tour, Home Heating Help …

Posted on September 23, 2026 | Leave a comment

When the Flood & Erosion Control Board meets October 7 (7:30 p.m., Zoom), the first agenda item will be the biggest.

Both physically. and in terms of town impact.

Members will hear an application to subdivide the property at 55-57 Greens Farms Road, to demolish an existing office building and replace it with a 250-unit housing development. The proposed activity is within the waterway protection line area of Pussy Willow Brook.

Meeting materials have not yet been posted on the town website.

Plan for “The Fitzgerald” (lower center, which would replace an existing office building. A pond, fountain and other waterways are shown in blue.

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The “06880” Historic Homes Tour is back — and bigger than ever.

By which we mean: This year, we’re adding a 5th home to the annual look-at-Westport’s-amazing-heritage event.

With our friends from KMS Team at Compass, we’ve put together 5 amazing homes.

All have been around for decades — even centuries.

All have been lovingly maintained.

And all are as remarkable inside as out.

We’ll roll out the big reveal next week. But right now, save the date: Sunday, November 1, from 1 to 4 p.m.

See you on the tour!

This house was on a previous “06880” Historic Homes tour. This year, we’ve got 5 very intriguing new — as in “old” — ones.

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Worried about paying for this winter’s heat?

Applications for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) open October 1.

Westport residents can apply through the Department of Human Services by confidential appointment only. Calll 203-341-1050 or email humansrv@westportct.gov. Home visits are available for homebound residents. Returning applicants will receive instructions by mail.

Eligibility may be established if your household receives SNAP, TANF, SSI, qualifying means-tested Veteran’s benefits or other qualifying benefits, or if your gross annual household income is at or below 60% of Connecticut’s State Median Income (SMI).

The maximum annual income ranges from $48,714 for a 1-person household, to $129,279 for 8.

Residents who heat with oil or propane are encouraged to apply early in the heating season to help ensure they receive the full benefit for which they qualify.

For more information, click here.

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Put money in the pot.

Gat a pot.

That’s the idea of Pippa Bell Ader’s 2nd annual fundraiser.

Set for a week from tomorrow (Thursday, October 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), it’s a chance for Westport Farmers’ Market shoppers to donate to the Green Village Initiative. The Bridgeport-based (and Westport-born) gardening, farming, sustainability, education and advocacy non-profit

Donors receive in return a homemade pot. Perfect for — of course — growing something, and keeping the circle of life alive.

Last year’s Pippa’s (and Friends) Pots event raised over $1,600. Let’s blow past that this year!

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Planning on getting married?

Not so fast!

Sal Liccione — a Westport justice of the peace — notes that as of October 1, there will be a minimum 48-hour waiting period from a time the couple completes their marriage license application in the Town Clerk’s office where the marriage ceremony will take place, until they can be issued their license.

In addition, the marriage license will now be valid for 65 days from the date it is handled to the couple.

Longshore is a popular spot for Westport weddings. The rainbow is extra. (Photo/David Dellinger)

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It happens a lot more rarely than a Cribari Bridge opening.

But when the railroad bridge over the Saugatuck River, a few yards south, opens for maintenance, it’s always an impressive sight.

It tilted upward yesterday, to allow a barge with a large crane underneath. Jonathan Alloy caught the action.

(Photo/Jonathan Alloy)

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he Westport Rotary Club had 2 featured speakers yesterday.

Dr. Scott Kellermann, founder of the Bwindi Hospital in Buhoma, Uganda described its growth to become one of the best hospitals in East Africa. Westport Rotarians have provided substantial assistance since 2009.

Sara Kempner, director of creative campaigns and collaborations at the US Vote Foundation, spoke about her nonpartisan organization that educates people on the logistics of voting in every state. A recent campaign involved placing a QR code linked to voter registration on pizza boxes.

Dr. Scott Kellermann shows Westport Rotarians in Uganda. (Photo/Alec Foege)

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Nature can be both beautiful and vicious. Today’s “Westport … Naturally” image shows both. Photographer Jamie Walsh calls it “the web of life.”

(Photo/Jamie Walsh)

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And finally … in honor of Connecticut’s new wedding laws (item above):

(If you’re not getting married — and have, say 20 seconds to spare – please click here to support this hyper-local blog. And you don’t even have to get us a present. Thank you!)

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Pics Of The Day #3439

Posted on September 18, 2026 | 2 comments

I-95 bridge … 

,,, and nearby, Railroad Place (Photos/John Maloney)

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[OPINION] Careful Review Needed Of Greens Farms Apartment Plan

Posted on September 14, 2026 | 24 comments

Longtime Bridge Street resident Werner Liepolt has watched the Cribari Bridge debate closely.

In the other direction from his home, another story is unfolding. A proposal to demolish the one of the 2 office buildings at 55-57 Greens Farms Road — and replace it with a 250-unit apartment structure — 30 percent of them “affordable” under state statute — is working its way through town bodies.

The Conservation Commission will discuss the plan at a public hearing on Wednesday (September 16, 7 p.m., Town Hall auditorium and livestream).

Liepolt — a recognized consulting party for the Cribari Bridge project — wrote to 1st Selectman Kevin Christie, Representative Town Meeting members and other officials:

TC Greens Farms LLC has proposed demolishing the approximately 60,000-square foot office building at 57 Greens Farms Road and replacing it with a 250-unit multi-family residential building, with 30 percent of the units designated as affordable housing.

The reported development cost is approximately $100 million, and the proposal has now entered Westport’s municipal review process.

55 Greens Farms Road — the building closest to the street — would be demolished, and replaced with a new apartment structure.

This location is directly relevant to Cribari Bridge Project 158-214. Greens Farms Road is part of the residential corridor connecting I-95 exits 18 and 17 by way of Bridge Street, the Cribari Bridge and Riverside Avenue.

Traffic generated or redistributed at 55–57 Greens Farms Road therefore has the potential to affect the traffic baseline, route choices and cumulative conditions surrounding the bridge and the Bridge Street Historic District.

I am not suggesting that all traffic generated by 250 apartments should simply be treated as new traffic. A responsible analysis must compare the proposed residential use with the actual or reasonably anticipated occupancy and traffic generation of the office building being removed. Nor is this an objection to the affordable housing component of the proposal.

Bridge Street traffic. (Photo/Werner Liepolt)

However, a development of this magnitude on a road feeding the bridge corridor cannot reasonably be ignored while the Federal Highway Administration and Connecticut Department of Transportation prepare a revised Environmental Assessment. The traffic analysis should examine:

  • Existing and projected daily and peak-hour traffic from the property
  • The assumptions used for the office building being demolished
  • Anticipated distribution of residential traffic toward I-95 exits 17 and 18 and toward the Cribari Bridge
  • The interaction between this development and each bridge alternative under consideration
  • I-95 diversion and navigation-app routing through Greens Farms Road, Bridge Street and Riverside Avenue
  • Construction traffic, emergency access and pedestrian and bicycle safety
  • The combined effects of foreseeable development and changes in the bridge’s weight, geometry and accessibility to larger vehicles.

This is particularly important because altering the Cribari Bridge could itself change driver behavior and route selection. A development analysis that assumes the present bridge, and a bridge analysis that omits the proposed development, could leave the public with 2 incomplete studies and no examination of their combined consequences.

Those consequences could include additional congestion and cut-through traffic, changes in the volume and composition of vehicles, increased noise and air pollution, pedestrian and cyclist hazards, and effects on the residential character, setting and integrity of the National Register-listed Bridge Street Historic District.

Aerial view of 55-57 Greens Farms Road. The street is at the bottom. It feeds into Bridge Street and the Cribari Bridge (left, off the image).

These matters are relevant to the revised environmental review and, where historic properties may be affected, to the continuing Section 106 consultation.

I respectfully request that:

  1. This development proposal and this correspondence be entered into the Project 158-214 administrative and consultation records
  2. FHWA and CTDOT obtain and review the developer’s traffic-impact study and underlying assumptions
  3. The revised Environmental Assessment disclose whether and how this development is incorporated into its traffic baseline and indirect and cumulative-effects analysis
  4. Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office consider whether resulting traffic conditions associated with the bridge alternatives could affect the character and setting of the Bridge Street Historic District
  5. Consulting parties receive a written response explaining how this new information will be addressed before the revised Environmental Assessment is completed.

No single agency should review only its isolated portion of these projects while overlooking the corridor-wide consequences created by their interaction. The public deserves a current, coordinated analysis before decisions become effectively irreversible.

(“06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Submissions may be sent to 06880blog@gmail.com. To support this hyperlocal blog with a tax-deductible contribution, please click here.)

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Posted in Local politics, Real estate, Transportation

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Roundup: Ukraine Officials Visit, Bill Taibe Honored, Autos Assessed …

Posted on August 29, 2026 | 15 comments

Beginning with Westport’s connection with our sister city of Lyman, our town has followed Ukraine’s war against its Russian invaders closely.

On September 11 (7 a.m., Green’s Farms Congregational Church), the Westport Sunrise Rotary hosts a rare public presentation by 3 senior Ukrainian leaders, responsible for governing communities on the front lines of the full-scale fighting.

Marshall Mayer — the Westport native who co-founded Ukraine Aid International, the non-profit that delivers direct aid, and facilitated both the Westport-Lyman sister city relationship, and the sister state partnership between Connecticut and Donetsk — will join the officials. UAI brought this delegation — which includes the Donetsk oblast governor – to the US.

“Most Americans experience this war through headlines,” Mayer says.

“This is a rare opportunity to meet the people making the important decisions, to hear firsthand what is happening on the ground. and better understand what is at stake for Ukraine and the world.”

Seating is limited. For more information, email info@westportsunriserotary.org. The meeting will also be livestreamed. Click here for the link.

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Bill Taibe is back in the news.

Yesterday we announced the opening of his new restaurant, hi’Amba.

Today we report that he’ll be honored at the Norwalk Art Space’s 5th anniversary bash.

Through his support of the café in the dynamic East Avenue space, the Westport-based restaurateur and chef has helped its mission of providing free art and music education to under-served students, and exhibition opportunities for under-represented artists.

The Art Space Café is a favorite of gallery visitors, artists and students. It offers an “all-day breakfast” and lunch menu with daily specials, house-made pastries and a full coffee bar. it also highlights local culinary artisans and their products.

In addition, Taibe is launching a food program for Norwalk Art Space students call “Fueling Creativity.” In collaboration with the Westport Farmers’ Market, the café will provide after-school meals once a week for Norwalk Art Space students, many of whom face food insecurities.

Arts Bash 2026 will include music, cocktails, and gourmet bites, exhibits and a live auction. For more information and tickets, click here.

Bill Taibe and his Norwalk Art Space Café staff.

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Talk about a long prep time!

Last December, “06880” announced the arrival of SoHo Pizza. The sign boasted, “Made in New York City.”

A day earlier, we noted that Frank Pepe’s Pizza — the historic New Haven restaurant — was headed to Post Road West.

Pepe’s opened June 1. They’ve been here nearly 4 months, and are thriving.

SoHo?

Crickets.

A reader writes: “It’s taking a really long time for this crew to make a slice. In the meantime, the boarded-up building is an eyesore.

“Not to mention they tore down the iconic Texaco sign.”

Yep — they did that in May.

Not to mention, they’ve had months to fix the misspelling on their sign, and never did:

But, hey! Maybe we shouldn’t wait. They may not be opening at all.

I mean, they’re not “coming” here. Just “comming.”

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Think the assessment on your motor vehicle is too high?

The Board of Assessment Appeals meets on September 8 (6 to 7 p.m., Town Hall lobby).

They’ll hear appeals for the 2025 Grand List. You must bring the vehicle you’re appealing. (Not all the way inside, obviously).

We have no idea what Briggs Cunningham’s C-3 Cabriolet — which he designed himself, seen here at his former Beachside Avenue home — was assessed at in the 1950s. Nor what the assessment is today. We’re guessing a lot: Only 36 were ever built.

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Lizzy & the Triggermen brought their “vintage music for modern times” to the Levitt Pavilion last night. A large crowd enjoyed what NPR calls “one part Eartha Kitt, one part Ella Fitzgerald, one part Amy Winehouse.”

Tonight (7:30 p.m.; free), Billy & the Showmen take the stage. Their R&B, funk, soul and Motown repertoire includes James Brown, Percy Sledge, the Ohio Players, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett, Tower of Power, Buddy Miles, Kool & the Gang, Otis Redding, the Temptations and Sam & Dave.

Click here for more information.

All ages dance to Lizzy & the Triggermen. (Photo/Susan Garment)

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Graduates from several 1980s-era Staples High School classes held an impromptu reunion at Compo Beach last night.

The weather was spectacular — just as they remembered it from their youth.

And this time, the drinks were legal.

(Photo courtesy of Alison Milwe Grace)

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Eloise Semmelmeyer Peterson died peacefully at her Westport home on May 19. She was 95.

She graduated early from Washington University in St. Louis in 1953, with a BS in marketing. Eloise married John Semmelmeyer III in 1956. They settled in Westport in 1965, and raised 3 children here.

Following John’s death in 1974, Eloise eventually found love again with Robert “Pete” Peterson. They lived in Denver and Palm Springs, California. She donated her time to charitable causes. After Pete’s death she returned to Westport in 2007.

She enjoyed music, theater and opera, and in her younger years enjoyed tennis and skiing. She went ziplining in Alaska at age 80.

In the 1970s Eloise began recycling, and was strongly inspired by the feminist movement. She became a vegetarian in her 80s because of her concerns about factory farming. Throughout her life, she remained engaged in social and political issues. In her later years she described herself as “an armchair activist,” working for liberal and progressive causes.

She said that her “happiest decade” was her 80s, which she attributed to her newfound sense of gratitude.

In her last years Eloise shared a loving relationship with William Hart. She is survived by her children, Kristen, Erik and Jana; son-in-law Tom Ward; daughter-in-law Elizabeth Chambliss, and grandchildren Chris Ward, Micheline Ward, Emma Becker Ward (Rachel), Max Ward, Lucy Semmelmeyer, Jane Semmelmeyer, Johana Semmelmeyer and Ryan Cyprian.

Eloise was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport for more than 60 years. Following a private burial, a celebration of her life will be held there on October 3 (12 p.m.).

In lieu of flowers or donations, Eloise asked people to take themselves out to dinner, and have a wonderful time.

Eloise Semmelmeyer Peterson

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Lee Feldman calls today’s “Westport … Naturally” featured photo “Rose in the Rain.”

Fortunately, there’s no rain in the weekend forecast.

Today will be sunny, with a high 0f 78. Tomorrow: partly cloudy, high of 82.

Enjoy!

(Photo/Lee Feldman)

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And finally … on this date in 1885, the first heavyweight boxing title fight under Marquis of Queensberry rules was held.

(From Westport to Norwalk, Ukraine — and everywhere else — “06880” is “where Westport meets the world.” If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Obituaries, Politics, Restaurants, Staples HS, Transportation

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