Last week, a Westport woman fell victim to computer scammers.
They told her they took control of her computer, and would turn it black if she did not comply.
As directed, she went to Stop & Shop to get $1,000 of Apple gift cards.
Fortunately, while there she met a firefighter. She told him her story.
He told her not to pay — and called the police.
Corporal David Scinto came immediately. He listened to the offenders on the woman’s phone.
They drove quickly to her house. He unblocked the rogue program, then took the phone. He identified himself as a law enforcement officer.
The scammers immediately hung up.
“All’s well now,” the woman tells “06880.”
“After I get over how stupid I was, I’d love you to extol the helpfulness and services our amazing police force gives us. They are truly heroes, even with on-line thieves.”
PS: Congrats too to the firefighter — whose name the woman did not get — for having the foresight to involve the police.
A typical computer scam begins with a warning like this.
(Unsung Hero is a weekly “06880” feature. To nominate a hero, email 06880blog@gmail.com. To support our work, please click here. Thank you!)
Town Assessor Paul Friia has announced details of Westport’s 2024 Grand List.
The Grand List is the sum of the net assessed value of all taxable property – real estate, motor vehicles and personal property.
Motor vehicles and personal property are valued annually, while real estate is updated based on the market values determined as of the town’s last revaluation date (October 1, 2020).
Changes to next year’s Grand ist will reflect the upcoming revaluation.
The net 2024 Grand List of $11,616,471,195 is an increase of nearly 1.3% from 2023 ($11,468,456,765).
Properties like this on Beachside Avenue help boost the Grand List.
There were increases in 2 of the 3 categories.
Friia says that the 1.6 percent increase in real estate assessment is a result of continued residential and commercial new construction, as well as renovation activity.
That includesthe completion of construction on 31 condos at 41 Richmondville Avenue (“The Mill”), and the renovation of National Hall.
The Grand List was also boosted by construction of approximately 40 new homes, and ongoing commercial development.
Personal property increased by just under 2%. Friia calls this “typical continued reinvestment in local new and existing businesses to include equipment and leasehold improvements.”
The motor vehicle portion of the Grand List decreased 7.8%. This was expected, following a change in state law that requires vehicles to be valued using MSRP, and a set depreciation schedule.
Other contributors to Westport’s Grand List.
The current 2024 Grand List totals are:
Assessment
2024
% of List
Real Estate
10,783,861,235
92.83
Motor Vehicle
428,120,510
3.69
Personal Property
404,489,450
3.48
TOTAL
11,616,471,195
100%
Friia also announced the top 10 taxpayers in Westport:
Connecticut Light & Power Inc Pers. Property 144,150,180
60 Nyala Farms Road LLC Real Estate 83,335,700
Bedford Square Assoc LLC Real Estate 51,520,000
Aquarion Real/Pers. Prop. 40,247,920
Equity One Westport Vill. Center Real Estate 32,970,900
With snow predicted tomorrow (Thursday), the Westport Farmers’ Market has canceled this week’s session.
“This decision is incredibly difficult to make,” director Lori Cochran says. “We understand the negative impact it has on our vendors and yoru kitchens.
“Be we need to put the safety of our vendors and you foremost.”
Operation Warm Hug — the Farmers’ Market coat drive — will take place next Thursday (February 13).
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Still on: tomorrow’s open house charrette, to view and discuss plans for Westport’s proposed public safety complex (Thursday, February 6; 7 p.m., Senior Center).
The project — involving the Police and Fire Departments, and Emergency Medical Services — is in the conceptual and feasibility stage.
An architectural presentation will be followed by discussions and feedback opportunities.
Ever wished you could snag an invite to Craig Melvin and Lindsay Czarniak’s house?
I’ve never gotten one. But thanks to the New York Times, I — and anyone else on the planet with internet — can check out a few highlights.
“At Home with Craig Melvin” shows a few rooms. The new NBC “Today” host reveals how the family landed in Westport (it was midway between New York and Bristol, Connecticut, where she works for ESPN), and near a train station.
He talks about their strong relationship with the town (youth sports coaching, PTA, etc.).
And he shows off his grandmother’s beloved chair, and his own candle-making equipment.
Click here for a tour of Craig and Lindsay’s home. (Hat tip: Bill Dedman)
Craig Melvin’s chair, vinyl and more. (Photo/Tony Cenicola for The New York Times)
Club203 celebrated Valentine’s Day early last night.
With a bit of mini-golf.
At their monthly party — hosted by MoCA CT — members made their own golf visors, played a few rounds, enjoyed sweet treats, and mixed and mingled at high-top tables. was treated to some Valentine Birdie Fun tonight – when Mini Golf Party Events brought the party to us at MOCA-CT!”
“Our hearts are filled with gratitude for our team of volunteers,” says Club203 co-founder Stacie Curran.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all!
Fun for all: Club203 at MoCA CT.
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Earthplace is ready for the rest of winter.
And spring.
Upcoming at the non-profit science, conservation and education center:
Woodland Egg Hunt: (April 18 & 19; hourly slots from 10 a.m. through 2 p.m.; $25 per child): A nature hunt for eggs, meet a live rabbit (and egg-laying animals), and create spring-themed crafts.
Toast to the Trees: Afternoon Beer Tasting and Kids Activities
(April 26, 4 to 6 p.m.; $35 adults 21+; $15 child). Arbor Day special. Explore the trails while sipping craft vrews. Kids have fun too. End with beer, food trucks, lawn games and a campfire with s’mores.
Cocktails & Clams Fundraiser: Sunset Evening on the Sound (May 31, 5 to 7 p.m.). Harbor Watch benefit, at Copps Island Oysters in Norwalk. Unlimited raw bar, hors d’oeuvres, open bar, live band and silent auction.
Moth Ball (June 21, 8 to 11 p.m.). Observe nocturnal insects while sipping cocktails. Costumes are optional.
Click here for more information, including tickets.
Arbor Day at Earthplace.
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Gang of Four kicks off its farewell tour on April 18, at the Westport Library.
The pioneering band served a forerunner of the post-punk movement, fusing outspoken political messages with intense, percussive live set.
Tickets for the concert — an extension of VersoFest 2025 — are $55. Click here to purchase.
Tim “Journeys by DJ” Fielding, the founder of Brainiak Records, will spin tracks before the show.
Singer Jon King will be in the Trefz Forum earlier in the day for a conversation with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer (and Fairfield resident) Chris Frantz of Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club) about his new book, To Hell with Poverty!: A Class Act: Inside the Gang of Four.”
The Staples boys basketball team rebounded (ho ho) from a rare loss to #1 St. Bernard’s on Saturday, with a 57-41 win over highly touted Fairfield Ludlowe, in Westport.
“06880” photographer/Staples sophomore Ryan Allen captured this great photo, of senior co-captain Charlie Bowman:
After 9 months, Westport’s Parks & Recreation Department has a new permanent director.
First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker announced yesterday that Erik Barbieri takes over, effective February 18. He has over 25 years experience in the field, after leading “major municipal recreation initiatives and facility development projects throughout Connecticut.”
Barbieri has served as New Britain’s director of parks, recreation and community services since 2015. He managed 7 divisions, including parks, recreation, a golf course, cemeteries, senior and veteran services, and disability programs.
He helped the city complete several multi-million dollar capital improvement projects, including the $10.5 million reconstruction of Osgood Park and $5.4 million rehabilitation of AW Stanley Park.
He oversaw major city-wide events, including international soccer exhibitions, and developed “innovative recreation programs.”
Erik Barbieri
Before his current post, Barbieri was superintendent of recreation for New Britain. He was responsible for large-scale youth programs, after-school initiatives, and the transformation of local parks and sports facilities.
He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, with a bachelor of science in parks and recreation management.
In Westport Barbieri will oversee parks, beaches, recreational facilities and community programs.
Tooker says, “His extensive leadership in parks and recreation, combined with his commitment to community engagement and facility excellence, makes him an outstanding choice to lead our Parks and Recreation Department into the future.”
Barbieri succeeds Jen Fava, who resigned in May to take a similar position in Darien. Rick Giunta served as interim director, before returning to his role as deputy director.
There are several ways to get from the Jesup Green parking lots to the Post Road and Main Street.
You can walk toward Starbucks. Through Taylor Place, next to Tiffany. The Walrus Alley alley. Across the Bank of America lot. Down Bay Street.
You can also take the alley between Green & Tonic and the Westport Book Shop, passing Toquet Hall on your right.
But why would you?
That quick shortcut could be the skankiest in town.
Toquet Hall alley.
It’s filthy. An array of garbage cans gives it a distinctive smell. You might not get mugged there, but it feels like you will.
Has anyone tried to clean it up?
Yes.
Basso — the restaurant a few doors down from the unnamed alley — wants to beautify it.
Sure, it would help them. But it would add to the appeal of its retail neighbors, while also offering another way to drive foot traffic across both sides of the Post Road.
A great shortcut. But little used, for obvious reasons.
Basso owner Renato Donzelli has proposed a low-cost, interactive and culturally enriching initiative. Local artists could create murals along the gray walls of the buildings. Visible from the Post Road, the artwork would showcase Westport’s history, culture and values.
The town could host a competition to choose artists. (A similar project was a great success in Norwalk, Basso’s previous home.)
At the same time, enclosing the dumpsters would provide aesthetic — and health — benefits.
Light fixtures similar to those at Basso and on Main Street would create continuity, showcase the art, and ameliorate some of those I-might-get-jumped-here fears.
Planters on both sides would add to the upgraded alley’s appeal.
Basso has helped its neighborhood in the past. In 2021 they spent more than $20,000 on pavers, light fixtures, gates, posters, tables and chairs.
Outdoor at Basso, a few yards from the alley. (Photo/JC Martin)
Basso’s landlord, Jim Randel, favors the idea.
But, Basso says, Mel Mioli, the landlord of 46 Post Road East — the building on the west side of the alley — has no interest in participating. He denied a request to string lights on the side of his structure.
Mioli told “06880” that he is concerned about safety. More pedestrians using a more attractive passageway might increase his liability in the event of an accident.
However, the idea still seems like a no-brainer (unless you’re not worried about getting brained walking on the path).
The Planning & Zoning Commission discussed 2 big items last night: lights on athletic fields, and the first step in the Longshore renovation project.
They deferred a decision on a text amendment that would add lights to more town fields. Much of the discussion centered, however, not on the effect of the lights themselves, but on noise that might accompany expanded practices and games.
A decision could come at the next P&Z meeting (Monday, February 10).
The board voted 4-3 to issue a negative report on an 8-24 (municipal land use change) request to relocate the equipment shed (currently located between the golf course and tennis courts, on the exit road).
The new complex would include 2 structures, with parking, in the middle of the Longshore golf course. It would encompass 35,000 square feet, with no building larger than 10,000 square feet or higher than 1 story.
P&Z commissioners acknowledged the need for a new facility. They questioned the proposed location in a flood zone; its impact on open space and the golf course, and some procedural questions regarding the proposal.
The negative 8-24 report can be appealed to the Representative Town Meeting, which could overturn it by a supermajority.
Alternatively, town officials could propose a new location for the maintenance facility.
Paul Lane Field is the only lighted field at Staples High School. The adjacent baseball, soccer and field hockey/girls lacrosse fields do not have lights. (Photo/Robin Wolfe-Scheffler)
If Saturday’s sneak preview is any indication, it’s a game-changer for Westport’s entertainment scene.
The 5 simulator bays — featuring golf, with 30 sports in all — are versatile, interactive, and tons of fun.
The 2 dart bays are state-of-the-art. Think soccer’s VAR technology, with feathers.
There’s a cool karaoke room, and another with a University of Michigan theme. (Guess where the owners, Emily and Tim Zobl, went to school.)
The large bar and dining area serves excellent pub food and cocktails. The 22-foot video wall there can show just about anything, in a variety of ways. (The simulator bays can be reserved for viewing big games too.)
Sunday’s Super Bowl is already nearly fully booked. A couple of tables and bar stools can still be reserved. (Call 203-292-3169 or email connect@theclubhousewestport.com.)
Bookings are already strong for corporate events, parties and bar and bat mitzvahs.
Oh, yeah: The rooftop opens in April.
Fore!
Staples High School junior Will Briggs drives, at The Clubhouse. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Speaking of sports: “06880” reported yesterday that Adam Behrends has stepped down after 6 years as Staples’ head football coach. He’ll be taking a position at the University of New Mexico.
Last night, the state champion-winning coach described his new role as “offensive analyst with quarterbacks and wide receivers.”
He’ll be joining a new staff that includes Luke Schleusner, who was Behrends’ coach at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Schleusner will be New Mexico’s offensive coordinator.
We’re less than 3 months away from renovation of the Compo Beach Playground.
To prepare, the playground will close March 1. It will reopen at the end of May.
A “community build” April 21-26 will include new accessible equipment for children of all abilities; widened walkways; safer surfacing around the swings, and replacement of the weathered fence.
Westport’s Parks & Recreation Department and the Compo Beach Playground Committee seek volunteers for Build Week.
They also seek donations, to purchase new pickets ($500), replacement pickets ($250).
As you chow down at a Super Bowl party: Remember those who can’t.
This Saturday (February 8, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Stop & Shop), the Westport Police Department and Sunrise Rotary Club host a food drive.
All donations with support the Homes with Hope and Westport Department of Human Services food pantries.
Police officers and volunteers will accept non-perishable food items and cash donations.
Suggested items include breakfast bars, baking goods, BBQ sauce, macaroni & cheese, canned vegetables and fruit, coffee, canned meats, canned stew, noodles, cereals, gluten-free foods, granola and protein bars, grated Parmesan cheese, hamburger and tuna helper, hearty soups, instant mashed potatoes, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, oatmeal, cooking oil, pancake mix and syrup, pasta and sauce, peanut butter and jelly, rice, spices, salad dressing, shelf-stable milk, and snacks. (No glass jars.)
Suggested personal care and household items include
body wash, Clorox wipes, deodorant, dish soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, razors, shampoo and oothpaste.
To volunteer, or offer a large pickup, call Anna Rycenga at 203-763-9656.
Last November, Alan Bartus was a last-minute pianist substitute, for Jazz at the Post.
He sight-read the music, and blew everyone away.
Jazz at the Post founder Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” saw Bartus in a duo concert with Dave Brubeck’s long time saxophonist (and Wall’s early mentor) Jerry Bergonzi at the Dave Brubeck Room of the Wilton Library.
The audience — including Brubeck’s son Chris — was floored. Bartus’ compositions were “sophisticated, emotional, and quite worthy of sharing the program with the venue’s namesake,” Wall says.
This Thursday (February 6, 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner service begins at 7; VFW Post 399), Bartus takes center stage at Jazz at the Post.
Along with Wall, bassist Raul Reyes Bueno, trumpeter Michael Cruse and drummer Antonio Cerfeda, he’ll play his own music, and Brubeck’s.
Tickets for the 7:30 show are $20; $15. All tickets for the late show are $10. Click here to purchase, and for moreo information.
And finally … on this date in 1846, the first Mormon pioneers left Nauvoo, Illinois, on their way to the Salt Lake Valley.
(Whether it’s a new Clubhouse, an annual food drive, or a weekly jazz concert, “06880” is where you read about it all. But we can’t do it without readers’ help. Please click here to support us. Thank you!)
Dave Smith and his wife Jeanne have lived in Westport for over 15 years. Their 4 children played multiple sports, including football, basketball, lacrosse, baseball and volleyball.
Caleb (Staples High School Class of ’24) is at the University of Connecticut. Nathan, a Staples senior, will attend Trinity College. Chloe is a Staples sophomore, while Noah ooks forward to being a freshman there next fall.
From left: Nathan, Caleb, Dave, Noah, Chloe and Jeanne Smith. Caleb and Nathan starred on Staples’ 2024 state champion football team.
For 5 years, he has published “Dads’ Survival Guide.” The weekly blog highlights parenting and marriage issues, with a perspective many Westport men can relate to.
This week, Dave — who coached his children on Westport Recreation, PAL and Little League teams — tackled a fraught topic: travel sports.
Calling it “a tangled and confusing web for any Dad to navigate,” he offers words of hard-earned wisdom for many Westporters. Dave writes:
The tension and stress on our kids during tryouts. The agonizing wait to hear. The disappointment of missing out. Or the joy of making a team.
Then, the commitment. To each game, practice, clinic and showcase. Year-round. An expectation from team coaches for families to rearrange their lives so players can attend everything.
And the cost! Oh, the cost! Participation fees. Off-season and pre-season workouts. Private coaching. Equipment. Uniforms. Gas. Hotels. Flights. A mind-bogglingly, expensive endeavor.
Yes, that’s travel sports. Which can make us Dads feel helpless. And hapless. Because once we get on the travel train, it seems impossible to get off. Peer pressure compels us to do it all.
Any Dad can struggle with travel sports. Even All-Pro NFLer Greg Olsen, who captured what many of us feel in a recent interview. “Everyone is fearful of our kids falling behind,” said Olsen. “It snowballs. Everyone else is doing it, so we’re just doing what they’re doing.”
Doing what everyone else is doing. Because we’re fearful of our little superstar falling behind. Yep, guilty, as charged.
In the Smith household, with multiple kids playing multiple travel sports, we’ve stumbled and bumbled our way for years. Missteps. Miscalculations. Mistakes. And wasted $$$.
But, what did we know? Nothing. And with advice coming from every angle, we were bewildered about who to believe. Or which paths to take.
Fortunately, none of our blunders were prohibitive. Or fatal. And now, with our brood playing multiple sports in high school and college, we have gained some perspective. Hindsight. Perhaps, too late for us. But maybe, helpful for others.
Here’s my 2 cents – for what it’s worth.
Specialization: 10,000 hours. Focus, focus, focus. We were told countless times the only way to play sports at the highest levels was by specializing. In a single sport. And a specific position. From a young age.
Baloney. There are countless athletes playing multiple sports in high school. Truth is, for many kids specialization is the wrong route.
With no participation requirement in high school sports, specialization narrows possibilities. In basketball, there are 5 on the court. Maybe 8 in the rotation. Chosen across 3 classes (soph, junior, senior). Only 9 on a baseball diamond. These limited play possibilities may alter one’s youth sports calculus.
Oftentimes, specialization leads to injuries from overuse. Working the same muscles again and again, year-round. TEENS having Tommy John surgery! Crazy And, kids burnout. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. One day our tiny protégé loves a sport. The next, they’re done with it.
Personally, I’m a huge proponent of remaining multi-sport athletes as long as possible.
Nearly 57 percent of Tommy John surgeries are performed on 15-19-year-old baseball players.
Success Factors: In my experience, the attributes high school coaches value in players is entirelydifferent from those youth coaches prefer.
High school coaches want unselfish, team-first players, who listen and learn. Mastering the fundamentals of DEFENSE and footwork are essential. Players must watch film and know the playbook. Coaches look for character in their players. Those with resolve and tenacity, an ability to fight thru adversity.
Fact is, size, strength or athletic advantages in youth play may not translate to success at the next level. Conversely, there are plenty of prolific high school athletes who were not standouts in youth sports.
Team Wins over Individual Development: Travel coaches – the professionals – focus on team success to help promote their Travel program. There is limited focus on individual skill development during a travel season. Teaching our kids the basics of how to pitch properly, swing a bat or shoot a basketball is on us Dads. Either by ourselves or with a private coach. This was a big surprise for me.
Alternative Sports: Youth programs center around a small subset of sports. With so many kids fighting for so few high school slots, the competition in these sports is intense.
However, there are plenty of high school sports for boys and girls which don’t get much fanfare but can be equally as enriching. Cross-country. Volleyball. Rugby. Hockey. Wrestling. Skiing. Swimming. Diving. Water polo. Fencing. Golf. Tennis. Squash. Cheerleading. Crew. Track and Field. Loads of options for our kids to play through high school. And perhaps, beyond.
After Staples, Terry Brannigan went on to a very successful wrestling career at Wesleyan University.
Best Fit: As we ponder the intense commitment and $$$ of travel sports, we should start by considering each child’s strengths, natural talents, and personality.
Do they prefer individual sports, relying on their own performance vs. being part of a team? Are they repeat-motion kids; meticulous and disciplined enough to do one thing over and over again (pitching, rowing or field goal kicking)? Do they have strong hand-eye coordination (hitting a baseball, tennis or catching a football)?
Are they high endurance athletes (running, biking)? Capable of hustling up and down the field endlessly (midfielders)? Or are they best suited for shorts bursts of intense effort (sprints, shot put, wrestling)? Would our kids thrive in high profile, pressure positions (QB, goalie, gymnast)? Or prefer operating in the background (lineman, outfield, defender)?
Finding sports and positions which match our kids’ nature helps build confidence from an early age. While developing a passion to improve.
Travel sports can be a terrific way for our kids to pursue what they love. And compete at a high level. Yet, travel sports can be confusing. Especially for Dads. Thinking about the down-the-road realities can help make the travel sports experience even greater for our kids. And better for us Dads, too.
Go, Dads. Go.
(To be added to the “Dads’ Survival Guide” distribution list, email davidosmith7777@gmail.com)
(“06880” often covers youth issues, sports and parenting topics. We also frequently offer a platform for readers’ opinions. If you enjoy our hyper-local blog, please click here to aid our work. Thanks!)
Adam Behrends — the inspirational head coach who took a moribund Staples High School football program to a state championship in just 5 years — is leaving Westport.
Behrends told his players earlier this afternoon that he has accepted a college assistant coaching position.
In 6 years, the Iowa native — who came to North Avenue following 9 years at IMG in Florida, where he helped launch the football program — compiled a 40-16 record. In 2023, the Wreckers captured the “LL” (extra large schools) state championship.
Adam Behrends
Athletic director VJ Sarullo says, “Even more impressive than the on-field results were the lessons and values that Coach Behrends taught to all that participated in the football program. These will stay with our student-athletes long after their time here has concluded.”
Sarullo adds, “As good a football coach as he is, he’s an even better person. I’ll miss him, but I know this is a great opportunity for him.”
A search committee will be formed, to find Behrends’ successor.
Head coach Adam Behrends (far left), with players and coaches after the 2023 state championship win.
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