During the severe winds of Saturday morning, May 30, I had just started to drive. Within 500 feet I heard a large crash, which stopped my car on Hillandale Road. Looking out y windshield, I saw nothing but green.
A large part of a tree had fallen on my hood, just missing the windshield.
The tree and car …
I got out of the car and called the police. That’s when Skip Fazio stopped his car and came up to me.
He asked how I was, and suggested we try to remove the fallen tree limbs from the car. He said if the town did this, it would take probably hours.
Within 15 minutes, most of the debris was eliminated.
Skip then told me that his daughter-in-law and her baby were in his car. He would drive them home, 5 minutes away.
After 10 minutes, Skip was back. He waited with me until the police came. Both Skip and the officer thought I could drive the car, since nothing appeared to be underneath the wheels.
,,, and Skip Fazio. (Photos/Bob Weingarten)
Although Skip lived just a few minutes away, and has been there for 20 years, we had never met.
His act of kindness and assistance was amazing, and greatly appreciated.
I consider myself very lucky. The large tree limb fell only on the hood; it missed the windshield and myself.
And Skip Fazio just happened to be driving behind me and offered considerable help in clearing the tree limb from the car, when there was a chance that another part of the same tree could fall.
Thanks, Skip. for being such a very good and helpful neighbor!
We’re just 2 days away from the 53rd annual Fine Arts Festival.
Across North America, over 150 artists will head to Westport. (Six already live here — they’re hometown favorites.)
Selected from more than 320 applications, and representing 12 categories, they come from 23 states and Canada.
All 2025 award winners return (click here for a full list). Meanwhile, a record 52 artists make their Fine Arts Festival debut.
New this year: Staples High School art students will paint a BMW in the family area (Sigrid Schultz parking lot). There are lots of other kids’ activities there too.
Plus, of course, music and food.
Two new judges join the panel: art enthusiasts Lonnie Quinn (CBS weatherman) and Louise Crowley.
Also downtown, coming soon: an interesting reshuffling of space.
After more than 25 years in Westport, Brooks Brothers will vacate its space in what used to be called Brooks Corner, at the corner of Main and Elm Streets.
But they’re not closing. In fact, they’re moving a few yards away, to bigger digs.
Brooks Brothers’ new location is 44 Main Street. For decades, it was Klein’s department store. For a couple of decades after that, it was Banana Republic. For a few minutes most recently, it was Oka furniture.
(Before Klein’s expanded north from its smaller beginning, the space belonged to the Townly restaurant. During Banana Republic’s renovation, they discovered a long-lost painting, depicting life — in Westport? — during that era. They preserved it. Hopefully, Brooks Brothers will too.)
The move is planned for late October or early November — in time for the holidays.
The new space will be 1,000 square feet larger. It will include new women’s casual and everyday wear, in addition to the current inventory.
DOWNTOWN TRIVIA: Brooks Corner (now called much more generically “Main & Elm”) was not named for Brooks Brothers.
It’s a tribute to B.V. Brooks and his family. The real estate developer created the small shopping plaza in the 1960s — years before Brooks Brothers arrived in Westport.
Of course, the clothing company has a much longer history than that. They were founded in New York City in 1818 — 17 years before Westport was incorporated.
That makes them the oldest apparel brand in continuous operation in the United States.
There will be no Democratic primary in the 26th State Senate district race.
Weston 1st selectwoman Sam Nestor is assured of a clear path to the November ballot. State Representative Lucy Dathan of New Canaan had explored a bid after Nestor outpolled her nearly 2 to 1 at the nominating convention, but decided against it.
Nestor’s Republican opponent for the seat being vacated by Ceci Mahar will be Westporter Alma Sarelli.
Last month, Dr. Matthias Becker led a powerful Westport Library conversation about decoding bias and hate.
Next Thursday (May 28, 6 p.m.), the noted linguist returns for a follow-up discussion.
The evening includes screenings of video shorts about the subject, created by local teens — and an announcement of the winners of the “Decode Hate Video Challenge Awards.”
Parents, teens, and all community members are invited to learn — and to celebrate the next generation, using creativity to tackle an enormous social problem.
The Brubecks are one of the jazz world’s leading family.
They’re also local. Their roots in Wilton date back decades.
So it was fitting on Tuesday night for for Dave Brubeck’s son Chris to bring his trio, Triple Play, to MoCA\CT, for an intimate, high-octane performance. A full house enjoyed the warm, playful and intimate show.
Arts supporters and blues lovers joined together in the gallery space where the current exhibition, “Art, Jazz + the Blues,” has drawn raves.
Chris Brubeck (left) and his trio, in the MoCA\CT gallery. Two of Westport artist Eric von Schmidt’s majestic paintings, telling the stories of America’s jazz, blues and folk music history, hang on the wall. All 7 of his works are part of the show. (Photo/Roger Young)
The Pierrepont School junior will perform there in November, with Pierrepont dance faculty members Jamal Jackson and Emily Pacilio.
They’ll be in “Timaeus and The Teacher,” an opera written by former Pierrepont teacher Tammy Nguyen.
It will cost $100,000 to produce the piece. Tax-deductible donations can be made through the Center for the Arts at Wesleyan University. Designate a gift to the “Venice Biennale Project Fund,” or email Joshua Lubin-Levy, director and chief curator: jlubinlevy@wesleyan.edu.
Questions? Email Lisa Manimala: lisamanimala@gmail.com.
And finally … in honor of yesterday’s wonderful (if fleeting) weather:
(“06880” delivers hot fun — and news, features, photos, and much more — all summer long. Plus spring, fall and winter too. We rely on reader support to do it all. Please click here to help. Thank you!)
A new (and temporary) look for the Ned Dimes Marina. (Photo/Ron Poserina Jr.)
It was removed — temporarily — as part of a project to replace the piers, wood dock and deck at the office and clubhouse.
The Parks & Recreation Department reports that, due to extreme winter conditions that impacted water and electrical service on the docks (as well as South Beach bathroom facilities), water service to the docks at Ned Dimes Marina will be restored by late May.
Electrical service will be delayed until sometime in June. Officials are working on a solution for boaters to be able to charge batteries starting in June, most likely on a temporary generator supply to the individual docks.
South Beach bathroom facilities cannot be opened until the project is done. completion. Temporary facilities will remain until the restrooms are opened.
Meanwhile, also over on South Beach, Parks & Rec is installing power. It will be used for special events like LobsterFest.
Security cameras may be added too.
Electrical trench on South Beach. (Photo/Dorothy Robertshaw)
Parks & Rec also notes issues with navigational aids at the entrance to the Saugatuck River channel.
Can 5 and Nun 6 are missing. Nun 8 and Can 9 are significantly off station. The Coast Guard has been notified, and will replace them as soon as possible.
One of the most interesting properties in Westport is on the market.
And it’s the first time for it, in 65 years.
4 Sherwood Island Lane is a 7-bedroom, 6 1/2-bathroom, 6,215-square foot home — on a 20.85 acre lot.
You don’t see that very often these days.
4 Sherwood Island Lane
Located off the Sherwood Island Connector, south of I-95 on the way to Sherwood Island State Park, it’s been owned by the same family for nearly 7 decades.
There are no immediate neighbors — but plenty of birdlife and other nature.
The property includes 2 1940s 3-bedroom guesthouses with water views — plus a tennis court, indoor pool, pool house and formal gardens.
Efforts will lead to mitigation that can reduce loss of property and life due to floods, severe wind, winter storms, wildfires, droughts, extreme heat and earthquakes.
Damage from Hurricane Isaias on Grove Point Road. (Photo/John Kantor)
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A large crowd filled Clarendon Fine Art Thursday night, for a reception with Mr. Brainwash.
The French-born, Los Angeles based artist earned international prominence through the Bansky film “Exit Through the Gift Shop.”
The current exhibition reimagines Van Gogh’s most recognizable motifs through his signature fusion of street art, vibrant color, mixed media and layered cultural references
The show runs through May 3. For more information, click here.
Mr. Brainwash, with one of his works. (Photo/John Videler for Videler Photography)
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As summer arrives, Fleet Feet is racing ahead.
On the local running store’s calendar:
Apex Performance Runner’s Workshop (April 27, 5 p.m.): New client specials and custom footwear fittings.
Moms Who Move (May 6, 5 to 6:30 p.m.): Women-focused movement workshop
Kane Summer Launch x Beastie Burger (May 11, 5 to 6:30 p.m.): Try on new Kane footwear; bites from Beastie Burger
Congratulations to Staples High School’s We the People team.
Suzanne Kammerman’s class recently returned from national competition in Washington, where one group won the “Unit 4” award.
The competition is a congressional mock trial hearing. Students showed mastery of different parts of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, American history and the 3 branches of government. government. Participants are judged on their ability to understand, apply, and reasoning.
Unit 4 winners include Chloe Beitel, Mehmet Madigan, Lauren Potter and Leo Viner. All are juniors.
The 2023 Staples High School graduate has just been selected as a Truman Scholar.
The College of William & Mary junior is one of 55 students nationally to receive the prestigious scholarship for aspiring public service leaders. Nearly 800 candidates were nominated.
Truman Scholars demonstrate “outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit sector, and academic excellence.” Scholars receive funding for graduate studies, leadership training, career counseling, and internship and fellowship opportunities in the federal government.
Adelia Purcell
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Bloodroot is gone.
But the beloved vegan/feminist Black Rock restaurant — co-founded 49 years ago by Westporter Selma Miriam, which closed in December — can live on.
In your home.
Some great items remain, in their online auction. Among them: tables, china, glassware, framed menus, feminist books and signed cookbooks and sculpture.
The entire library — of feminist and political hard and softcover books — is being sold as one lot, too.
“Bernstein’s Wall” — Westport filmmaker Doug Tirola and producer Susan Bedusa’s documentary about Leonard Bernstein, using TV interviews, news footage, home movies, audio clips and personal letters, to explore the legendary artist’s views on freedom, politics, creativity and more — had its US theatrical premiere yesterday, at New York’s Film Forum.
Two memorial services are set for Janet Filling. The longtime Westport American Red Cross director, who also held important Red Cross posts at the state and national levels, died in February at 91.
A memorial mass will be held on June 1 (10 a.m., Fairfield University’s Egan Chapel). There will be informal reception afterward.
A celebration of life is slated for June 14 (2 p.m., Westport Library). The public is invited to both. Focusing on Janet’s deep roots and relationships in Westport, it is a time to share memories, stories and photos. Anyone wishing to speak, send a photo, or offer words though unable to attend, should email Janet’s son Greg: gfilling@gmail.com.
Janet Filling
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David Ohman is a native Californian. But he lived in Westport from 1992-98. He loved those years, and still considers it his “adopted home town.”
Recently, Frames interviewed him. He discussed portraiture, photojournalism, working with light on location, trusting spontaneity, and staying open to unexpected moments that seem to appear only for those who are truly paying attention.
After decades of making pictures, meeting people, telling stories, and navigating the transition from film to digital, Ohman still speaks about the camera with curiosity, gratitude and excitement.
Click here or below, for a fascinating and educational half hour.
PS: If you or a family member had portraits taken by Ohman in the 1990s, “06880” may have beautiful prints of your session. Email 06880blog@gmail.com with the name of the subject. We’ll check through the files that he very generously sent!
And finally … on this date in 1915, the Battle of Gallipoli began. One of the longest and bloodiest campaigns of World War I, it is a defining moment in Turkey’s history. It is also considered the beginning of Australian and New Zealand national consciousness. Today is Anzac Day, a national commemoration in both countries.
(Sure, it’s Saturday. But neither the Roundup nor “06880” takes weekends off. If you appreciate our 24/7/365 coverage of all things Westport, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
In just 3 years, the Westport Parks & Recreation Department “Kickoff to Summer” has become a — well, great kickoff to summer.
This year’s event is May 23 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Compo Beach).
In addition to the now-traditional kids’ activities, music, food trucks and raffle, they’ve added helicopter rides, and the unveiling of young artist Luke Bernier’s mural by the concession stan.
Parks & Rec personnel will provide info on programs and other offerings for the upcoming year.
Part of the fun, at last year’s Kickoff to Summer.
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It’s not easy coming up with a creative, on-brand fundraiser.
Trivia Night site. Though the action will probably be at the bar.
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Golf and giving back are par for the course on May 4 (Great River Golf Club, Milford).
Chabad of Westport’s annual golf outing includes on-course snacks, lunch, a cocktail/dinner reception, raffles and giveaways, a $25,000 hole-in-one prize — plus an opportunity to meet visiting IDF soldiers.
Proceeds from the event support Israel, local youth services, and Camp Gan Israel.
Non-golfers are welcome. Sponsorships, foursomes and dinner tickets are now available. To register or learn more, click here.
The Westport resident — a University of Connecticut business school graduate, and former Husky soccer player — has donated $1.5 million to the school.
The gift will support the “pursuit of sustained excellence across all of UConn’s athletic programs.”
Rizza — an investment manager — previously contributed $10 million. Those gifts helped revitalize Morrone Stadium, and helped build a state-of-the-art sports performance center.
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Yesterday’s brief rain shower produced one of the better rainbows in a while.
This was the view over Cross Highway:
(Photo/Mark Yurkiw)
… and by the Saugatuck River, on Riverside Avenue …
(Photo/Michael Chait)
… and above Clinton Avenue:
(Photo/Jen Rago McCarthy)
Today’s forecast is for clouds, and a high of 62.
Tomorrow: rain, and 52.
Hey, summer was nice while it lasted.
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The Weston History & Culture Center continues its celebration of America’s 250th birthday next month.
“Sarah Treadwell: Connecticut Mom, American Patriot” opens with a reception May 9 (2 to 4 p.m.).
The exhibit honors a local woman who supported her family’s role during the Revolutionary War, highlighting the often-overlooked contributions of women during the era.
Treadwell’s family lived in North Fairfield, a section of the town that later became Weston, then Easton.
The exhibit explores her life during and after the war, her family and community roles, the pension process for veterans and widows of veterans, and her resilience as a wife and mother.
After the reception, it will be on view every Thursday (1 to 4 p.m.), and the first and last Sunday of each month (1 to 4 p.m.).
Also on view: the new interactive exhibit “Weston at Work,” in the Coley Barn; the exhibit “Local Patriots and Loyalists” in the Visitor’s Center, and guided tours of historic Coley House.
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OnwardWell Foundation — a therapeutic recovery support non-profit founded by 1992 Staples High School graduate Mark Lassoff last year — does great work.
To do it even more well, they seek donations of gently used furniture to outfit a new meeting room at their Trumbull offices.
The room will host recovery and support groups for families and friends of young men recovering from addiction and mental illness.
The small room can accommodate a small couch or loveseat, and a couple of comfortable chairs. Donations are tax-deductible, and can be picked up.
And finally … in honor of the Westport Weston Co-op Nursery School’s Touch-a-Truck event (story above):
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Maybe not “lonely.” But — as they so often did — the Beatles nailed the past few months.
We’ve had a classic New England winter.
Big snowfalls. Frigid temperatures. Gray days, one after another after another.
Pretty gross. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Yet — as it always does — spring beckons.
It arrives Friday, meteorologically.
It comes early next month, religiously. Once again, Passover and Easter share the same week.
The holidays — one celebrating freedom and redemption, the other renewal and resurrection — are annual reminders that life goes on, stronger than ever, as the world reawakens with colors and warmth.
Spring is a glorious time, whatever God you follow. Or none.
So — as Westporters spend more time outdoors, in the garden, at the beach, on playing fields, and everywhere else in town — what’s ahead?
The Cribari Bridge will continue to dominate many discussions. The road upon which the can has been kicked down for decades may finally reach a fork.
There’s still no clear direction for the future of the 143-year-old span, whose impact on the town is far broader than its 2 narrow lanes might seem.
We may know a lot more after Thursday’s 6 p.m. Town Hall meeting, when the state Department of Transportation meets the public.
Whatever follows will be the first big test of 1st Selectman Kevin Christie’s tenure. He’s been quiet so far. Let’s hope he’s assessed his options, spoken behind the scenes with all the players, and is ready to lead.
Springtime at the Cribari Bridge. (Photo/Fred Cantor)
Soon, the budget — actually 2; the town’s, and the larger Board of Education’s — heads to the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) for approval.
Last week, the Board of Finance voted unanimously in favor of the BOE’s $157.9 million request. But they vowed to keep a “sharper eye” on next year’s request.
That’s nothing like the situation in the 1970s and early ’80s, when budget battles were annual affairs. Sides were clearly drawn: one claiming every penny was necessary for education, the other (including an actual “Taxwatchers Party”) demanding deep cuts.
There has been great cooperation recently between the BOF and BOE. Several drivers of the budget increase — especially healthcare costs — are largely out of the town’s control.
Renovation of Coleytown Elementary School will be an upcoming budget item.
But events both local (like the recent revaluation) and national (the war in Iran, gas prices, inflation) may impact Westport in the year to come.
We’re not yet talking much about those issues (though the Board of Assessment Appeals is plowing through a number of re-revaluation requests).
We soon may be.
I feel that ice is slowly melting …
We’re all ready to head outdoors.
Al fresco dining returns soon, all over town. Once again, Church Lane will be closed to cars. A tradition begun 6 years ago, in the very dark days of the pandemic, will continue, bringing the community together around food and music.
A new concessionaire may take over at Compo Beach and Longshore (if not, there will be food trucks).
At Longshore too, work continues on the Inn. The renovation is on schedule; it will reopen soon, as a wonderful, newly improved sparkle in one of our town’s true jewels.
Artist’s rendering of the renovated Inn at Longshore.
Old Mill Grocery will pulse with energy too. A couple of NIMBY neighbors are trying to stop the sale of alcohol, and the use of outdoor tables and a gelato cart. The existence of the 107-year-old beloved neighborhood spot remains in doubt. But for now, it’s lived to serve us for another season.
Spring returns soon to Westport.
All is not right with our town, or the world.
But after a long, cold, lonely winter, we’ll take what we can get.
Here comes the sun … it’s all right.
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