Posted onMarch 26, 2025|Comments Off on What Does Bill Shakos Know? Just Listen.
What does Bill Shakos know?
A lot.
And the Westporter is sharing what he (and others) know, in a deep, insightful new podcast.
Called “What Do I Know,” the Westport Library Verso Studios Community Partnerships project is an outgrowth of Shakos’ personal journey.
Turning 50 — while emerging from the pandemic — caused him to reassess his life. He was looking for “a sense of purpose.”
Shakos set out to explore his community, and the people in it. He was especially interested in those with different life experiences, struggles and aspirations.
He wanted to get to know them. And really listen.
“What Do I Know” is his series of interviews with people in and around Westport, getting to the core of their (and our) humanness.
Shakos hopes his podcasts will “inspire empathy, perspective and inspiration by taking listeners outside their social circles,” Shakos said.
“What Do I Know” debuted Monday, with 3 20-minute episodes.
The first is Shakos’ reflection on turning 50, and navigating life after the pandemic. He and a friend of 30 years, Westonite Jesse Shafer, explore “the new normal.”
One made good choices, Shakos says. The other “went down a rabbit hole of escapism.”
The second episode is a conversation with Richard Anderson, a Westporter whose family experienced racism here. He and Shakos talk about race, privilege and friendship in suburbia.
The third “What Do I Know?” is an interview with David Rosenwaks. A relatively new Westporter, he won a seat on the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) after noticing minimal representation of parents. Shakos and he discuss the power and importance of local government.
Bill Shakos (Photo/John Videler for Videler Photography)
The son of Greek immigrants, Shakos married a woman who grew up in Chile. They spent 10 years in London, before settling in Westport.
“My father taught me the importance of making people feel valued and respecting their perspectives,” Shakos says. “The diversity of my family and living abroad represents, for me, a need to explore the world and people in it.
“The theme of this podcast is self-exploration. What I hope comes through is that I genuinely care about the person I’m talking to. Not their job, not what they have, but instead the experiences that brought them to this point in their life.”
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Comments Off on What Does Bill Shakos Know? Just Listen.
Attorney General William Tong spoke to a large Y’s Women crowd yesterday.
He described the impact of state lawsuits against tobacco and pharmaceutical firms. Up next: social media companies.
The AG — one of nearly 2 dozen who have sued Donald Trump and his administration, in several cases — said that the president must follow judges, and the law. States have the “checks and balances” power to keep the executive branch in check, he noted.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong with (from left) Y’s Women president Vera DeStefano and vice president Catherine Albin. (Photo/Jilda Manikas)
Jake Sussman is not yet 30. But — as founder of Superpower Mentors, an online mentoring program that empowers young people with learning differences to confidently succeed in any environment — he has already made a difference in thousands of lives.
On April 10 (6:30 p.m., Woodway Country Club, Darien) the Westport native will be honored at Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities‘ annual gala. Sussman will receive the Norwalk-based non-profit’s “Be the Difference” Award.
Jake has spent thosands of hours personally mentoring neurodiverse youth around the world. He often uses his own experiences with learning differences in his work.
“As someone who once struggled to see my own potential, I know firsthand that the right mentorship can change everything,” he says.
“The world’s biggest problems will be solved by those who think differently. I am committed to making sure every young person sees their differences as their greatest superpower.”
Sunday’s community conversation about the Representative Town Meeting was informative, insightful and fun. (And I’m not just saying that because I was the moderator.)
If you want to know more about our town’s legislative body — what it does; what motivates people to run; what they get out of it — click below.
PS: RTM members want competitive races. It makes everyone better. If you’re thinking of running for a seat this fall, the video above may motivate you.
On Sunday — in just one hour — residents donated 180 bags of food and household items — to Homes with Hope’s Gillespie Center and food pantry.
Others send supplies through Amazon.
The collection was sponsored by Marcy Sansolo, the Facebook “What Up Westport” page creator and avid town volunteer (and most recent “06880” Unsung Hero).
Along with donors, the Imperial Avenue parking lot collection point was visited by Homes with Hope CEO Helen McAlinden, Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service president Jaime Bairaktaris, CLASP Homes president Tracy Flood, Gillespie Center pantry manager Sarah Carusone, and the general manager of Fresh Market.
Fresh Market had offered a great deal to Marcy. She bought 100 pounds of beef, and 100 more pounds of chicken, to augment the other donations.
Marcy got a tour of the newly renovated Gillespie Center. “I was so moved by everyone involved, and in awe of all the goodness surrounding me” she says — referring to the homeless shelter, food pantry, and all who helped with the collection.
Marcy Sansolo and Sarah Carusone, Homes with Hope food pantry manager. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
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More politics (national version): Last Thursday was “Westport Day,” at the prestigious Virginia Festival of the Book.
Historian (and 1972 Staples High School graduate) Talmage Boston, discussed his new book, “How the Best Did It: Leadership Lessons from Our Top Presidents.”
The moderator was 1980 Staples grad Marc Selverstone, the University of Virginia Miller Center of Public Affairs’ director of presidential studies.
Referencing America’s 8 greatest presidents, Boston explored how their leadership traits can be applied today.
In the audience were Dave Harrison, a legendary Staples social studies teacher who taught both Boston and Selverstone, and his wife, former SHS educator Marianne Harrison, along with Selverstone’s parents, Bob and Harriet. Bob — a psychologist — also worked as a Staples guidance counselor and teacher, while Harriet is a retired media specialist and library department chair at Norwalk High School.
Staples’ recipients for March Students of the Month are senior Massimo Sequenzia, juniors Angela Dellorusso and Vincent Vega, sophomores Hayley Epstein and Igancy Nieweglowski, and freshmen Chloe Endich and Petra Schwartz.
Students of the Month — nominated by their teachers — help make Staples a welcoming place for peers and teachers. They are “the type of kind, cheerful, hard-working, trustworthy students that keep the high school together.”
From left: Angela Dellorusso, Hayley Epstein, Ignacy Nieweglowski, Massimo Sequenzia, Vincent Vega. Not pictured: Chloe Endich, Petra Schwartz.
John Basile — the jazz guitarist and composer known for his “soulful melodic playing, sophisticated harmonic sense, and deep conversational approach to improvisation” — headlines this week’s Jazz at the Post (Thursday, March 27; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner at 7 p.m.; VFW Post 399; $20 music cover, $15 for veterans and students; click here to reserve).
Basile has worked withPeggy Lee, Rosemary Clooney and Tony Bennett. He’ll be joined by bassist Yuriy Galkin, drummer Carmen Intorre Jr., and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall.
Four stone pillars have stood on Morningside Drive South for decades. It’s not going anywhere.
But there’s plenty of ever-changing life all around at least one, as today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo shows. In a few days, this scene will look very different.
And finally … happy 78th birthday, Sir Elton John!
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If you went to school in the 20th century, your biggest safety concern was a throw to your head during gym dodgeball.
If you’re in school now, it’s being killed in your classroom.
Every student today has grown up with “active shooter” drills. They’re taken very seriously: Locking doors. Remaining quiet. Waiting for help to arrive.
Many students realize the reality of school shootings as part of their lives.
Zander Bauer and Elijah Falkenstein want to do something about it.
The Staples High School juniors are founders and co-presidents of the local Make Our Schools Safe (MOSS) chapter.
They first learned of the non-profit from someone directly impacted by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High massacre in Florida.
After hearing about its mission (to empower students and staff to help create and maintain a culture of safety and vigilance) and initiatives (for example, passing Alyssa’s Law, which calls for installing silent panic alarms directly linked to law enforcement, dramatically reducing response time), the friends organized the first MOSS club in Connecticut.
At the beginning of this school year, they met with State Senator Ceci Maher. She introduced the bill, and has been very supportive.
Last month, Zander and Elijah testified before the state legislature. They spent hours preparing their testimony.
They expected to be in Hartford, But a snowstorm forced the hearing onto Zoom.
“We waited in a room nervously for what seemed like days,” Zander says.
The format was difficult. Several bills were introduced throughout the hearing. Many people spoke.
Finally they got their chance. Zander was the 56th speaker. Elijah was 81st. “In this generation, I have never fully felt safe at school,” Elijah said.
“In the end, we felt really proud of ourselves. We accomplished our mission, and learned a tremendous amount about the legislative process.”
But the legislative wheels grind slowly. So far, Connecticut has not yet joined the 7 states — New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah — that enacted Alyssa’s Law.
The bill has passed through the Committee for Children. Next up: a vote on the Senate floor. If it passes, it goes to the House, then to Governor Lamont for his signature.
Zander and Elijah have taken action in other ways too. They raised funds to install 7 “Stop the Bleed” kits at Staples, and ensured that all teachers are been trained to use them.
Now — because no level is immune to gun violence — their goal is to donate kits to Westport’s 7 middle and elementary schools. (Click here to help raise $5,000.)
Elijah Falkenstein and Zander Bauer, with “stop the bleed” kits.
The club presidents have enjoyed strong encouragement from superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice. Assistant principal Christine Cincotta helped the club earn official status. Brennan Morgan serves as faculty advisor.
MOSS secretary Mary Stevens, treasurer Dylan Shackleford, social media managers Julian Gravelle and Kate Coykendall,and PR managers Reece Dearborn and Gabe Hellmann have also been very active in the cause.
Elijah and Zander have been bolstered by friends’ support also. “They understand that the work we’re doing will benefit all of us, and the entire community,” Zander says.
And — if their efforts in Hartford are successful — the entire state too.
(Click below for the entire legislative hearing. Zander’s comments begin at 5:52:47. Elijah’s starts at 7:07:27. The testimony of Lori Alhadeff — the mother of Alyssa, for whom the bill is named — are at 6:06:03.)
(“06880” reports regularly on activities at Staples High. If you appreciate those stories — or any others on this hyper-local blog — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Sam Nestor — Weston’s 1st selectwoman — made the long drive south, to the Westport Library’s Verso Studios stage, to talk all about her town.
From sidewalks to schools, and her career path to the future, everyone in Weston and far beyond will enjoy this inside look into our neighbor to the north.
But over 150 Westporters at the Westport Library yesterday heard 5 Representative Town Meeting members passionately describe their work on our town’s legislative body.
Andrew Bloom, Jimmy Izzo, Lauren Karpf, Pam Kopack and Kristin Mott Purcell represent different generations, and lengths of service.
But they share a reverence for the RTM. Over 75 years old, it is one of the last such forms of government in Connecticut.
The 5 members spoke about their work on a variety of committees; the insights they gain into Westport’s issues and residents; the importance of non-partisanship; the satisfaction they get giving back to the town (despite some long hours) — and the RTM’s unique seating arrangement.
After the panel, attendees had a chance to meet representatives from their own district. Town organizations, including the Boards of Education and Finance, and League of Women Voters, had informational tables too.
The “Community Conversation” event was arranged by RTM members David Rosenwaks and Claudia Shaum, through Nancy Kail’s RTM communications committee.
RTM members (from left): Jimmy Izzo, Kristin Mott Purcell, Lauren Karpf, Pam Kopack and Andrew Bloom. “06880”‘s own Dan Woog moderated the event. (Photo/Nancy Kail)
The Staplesl publication is one of only 6 in the nation to earn a Columbia Scholastic Press Association “Gold Crown,” for hybrid (web and newspaper) general magazine coverage.
… with advisors Joseph Delgobbo and Mary Elizabeth Fulco (standing, far left and far right).
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Every parent knows the importance of car seats.
But most parents don’t know that 73% of them are misused, or improperly installed.
On April 3 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), the Westport Police Department offers a free “car seat check.”
Just drive (carefully!) to police headquarters on Jesup Road. Your car seats will be checked by a certified child passenger safety technician. The event is co-sponsored by Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital.
How does plant migration help expand our native plant palette during climate change?
That’s the subject of this Friday’s Aspetuck Land Trust “Lunch and Learn” webinar (March 27, noon to 1 p.m.).
The Zoom talk will examine the role humans play in helping move plants (and animals), to aid in seed dispersal. Click here to register, and for more information.
Former Westport resident Adrienne Berman died Friday at the Watermark in Bridgeport, where she lived. She was 86.
The Chicago native moved to New York City, where she met her husband Bill. She career in retail, first as a business owner and later as the New York showroom manager for Brown Jordan Furniture. Her leadership and keen eye for design left a lasting impact.
Her family calls her “the heart and brain of her home, always providing love, wisdom, and unwavering support to those she cherished most.
Adrienne is survived by her husband; daughter Randy (Scott Ellis), son Larry (Betsy), and grandchildren Robert Zachary Ellis and Jacquelyn Ellis, Madalyn Culnane, and Jake and Josh Berman. She was predeceased by her son Jason.
A private service is planned.
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We’ll be seeing a lot more flower photos soon, in our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
Here’s an early season crocus:
(Photo/Wendy Levy)
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And finally … on this day in 1721, Johann Sebastian Bach dedicated 6 concertos to Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg-Schwedt. We know them today as the Brandenburg Concertos.
(“06880”: Where Westport meets the world. And you get the Brandenburg Concertos, too! If you enjoy your hyper-local, and always intriguing, blog, please click here to support us. Thanks!)
In 1864, Charles Kemper — the tanner whose barn later became the Westport Country Playhouse — moved his home from that site to 124 Compo Road North.
The town bought the property in 1901. According to former Westport Historical Society house historian Bob Weingarten, officials were spending more money for “indigents” by renting space in individual homes than if the town owned a house for their use.
Buying the home — and an 11-acre farm — for $2,750 as an “almshouse” would save at least $1,000 a year.
“Town Poorhouse,” circled on a 1911 map. Compo Road North was known then as East Main Street.
It remained a “poorhouse” with 5 paupers (also called “inmates”) until 1957, when it was rented out to other residents. Officials then considered it for the site of a Highway Department garage. Instead, in 1974 the “Town Farm” tennis courts were built nearby.
It was eventually abandoned. Infested with racoons, squirrels and mice, it was slated for demolition.
But assistant superintendent of schools for special education Kate McGraw and Department of Human Services director Barbara Butler had a vision. With help from grants writer Barbara Heatley, architect Ed Campbell and carpenter Ed Canning, the dream became a reality
In the mid-1980s the house was renovated into Project Return, a home for Westport girls whose parents could not keep them at home. Susie Basler ran the program for 30 years.
When she retired in 2016, the one-time “poorhouse” got a new name: Susie’s House.
A photo of Susie Basler has a place of honor, near the front door.
That year, the state eliminated funding for group homes. Homes with Hope — which already ran Westport’s homeless shelter and food pantry — took over the program, under then-CEO Jeff Wieser.
During COVID, girls were placed in hotels. The house once again sat empty.
Early next month — following extensive renovations — the former “poorhouse,” now Project Return/Susie’s House, begins a new chapter.
Six young women, ages 18 to 26, will move in. All are homeless, or at risk of homelessness.
One of 6 private bedrooms, at Susie’s House …
Each will have her own room, bathroom and small refrigerator. There’s a handsome living room, modern kitchen, washer/dryer, basement with computers and games and a reading nook, and offices where Homes with Hope staffers can help the young women find jobs, meet with mentors, and transition to their own housing.
A porch in back overlooks the Town Farm tennis courts and Little League fields.
… and the kitchen, with washer/dryer in the rear.
For some of the women, this will be the first stable housing of their lives.
The program will focus on education and employment. Young women will leave the home knowing how to earn income, and move onto self-sufficiency in their own apartments.
The house will have 24-hour support. It will be managed by a seasoned social worker, who will guide the women along their path.
The other day, Homes with Hope CEO Helen McAlinden, COO Paris Looney, director of marketing Katharine Murray, social worker Carmen Ayala and board co-chair Becky Martin showed off the bright, airy space.
Carmen Ayala and Paris Looney.
Paint was fresh. Bedrooms were newly furnished. The living room had just been outfitted, with donations from GL Design, Serena & Lily, Knock on Wood Antiques and Redi-Cut Carpet & Rugs.
Before the first residents moved in, Homes with Hope was preparing to show off the space. Neighbors and former Project Return volunteers visited on Saturday.
Longtime supporters, Homes with Hope staff and volunteers, and neighbors visited on Saturday. Susie Basler (center, with flowers) was among the delighted guests. (Contributed photo)
This Wednesday (March 26), Westport’s 2 Rotary Clubs get tours. On Thursday (March 27), Project Return/Susie’s House welcomes town officials, and Homes with Hope’s builders.
The 6 women who will move in soon include 2 from Westport, now being assisted by our Department of Human Services. Some of the new residents are in college; some are working.
None have parental support. They live in shelters, or are couch surfing.
Each will have a 1-year lease. Those who are working will pay 30% of their salary for rent.
Food will come from the Homes with Hope pantry, and donations from groups like the Rotary Clubs.
Susie’s House, Compo Road North: ready for a new chapter.
In addition to staff, they’ll benefit from community support. Volunteers will offer cooking lessons, writing workshops and more. M&T Bank branch manager Matt Cummings will teach financial literacy. Artists Miggs Burroughs and Nina Bentley will volunter their talents too.
Funding for the renovations came from the Connecticut Department of Housing. Town officials have been “outstanding” in providing help with the process, McAlinden says.
Susie’s House is deed-restricted. For the next 40 years, it is mandated to serve populations in need, like this one.
The porch looks out on Little League fields — and beyond, the “Town Farm” tennis courts. (All photos/Dan Woog)
Homes with Hope CEO McAlinden says, “These young women have been through a lot. They’ve had trauma. This is their home now, and their hope for the future.”
The town’s former “poorhouse” has left a rich legacy indeed.
(A large part of Homes with Hope’s funding comes from community members. Click here to learn more, and donate. The annual “Gather ‘Round the Table” luncheon at Shorehaven Golf Club on May 14 is a fundraiser for Project Return/Susie’s House. Click here for more information. To learn more about Susie’s House, or arrange a personal tour, call Homes with Hope CEO Helen McAlinden: 475-225-5292.)
Homes with Hope CEO Helen McAlinden and board co-chair Becky Martin, in the brightly furnished living room.
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The format was difficult. Several bills were introduced throughout the hearing. Many people spoke.
