A Compo Beach resident who requests anonymity writes:
I want to share what our neighborhood has seen over the past 7 days, in case it isn’t already on the town’s and citizens’ radar.
Sustained reckless driving and speeding on Compo Beach Road and Soundview Drive, including late at night.
2 gatherings of 300-plus young people on the beach. Several attendees said they were freshmen at Staples High School. There was open drinking and littering.
Each of the following mornings, the beach, seawall and road were covered in bottles, cans and trash.
On Friday night, at least 7 police cars were on the beach. Working alongside a Parks & Recreation Department supervisor, they kept the situation under control, dispersing a crowd of 300 quickly and calmly.
It was genuinely impressive, and they deserve credit for it.
Compo is one of the best things this town gives its kids. A night on that beach with friends is exactly what a place like Westport should want for them.
What gives me pause is the combination — a crowd that size, alcohol, fast cars, and an unlit road with no separation between pedestrians and traffic.
It’s fun — until the night it isn’t.
Friday night’s Compo Beach party.
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Speaking of the beach: The other day, our Roundup linked to a breathless story in the Connecticut Centinal, which charged that hundreds of “illegal aliens” were illegally shellfishing in Westport every night, “until there is nothing left.” And that no one in our town cared.
I noted that Media Bias/Fact Check calls the oddly spelled Centinal “an extreme right-biased imposter website (rated) Questionable based on the promotion of propaganda, conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, poor sourcing, and false claims.”
Bingo!
Westport Animal Control officer Peter Reid spoke to Corporal Brendan Fearon of the Westport Police Department’s Marine Division.
He told Reid the WPD has been monitoring Sherwood Mill Pond. The current activity is for blue crabs only — which is legal.
Fearon said the Mill Pond is closed to shellfishing, and that during inspections they have not seen any shellfish in the buckets. He has also not seen any juvenile terrapins, a concern of Reid’s.
Fearon added that the large groups that were there a couple of summers ago (and were commercial operations) are a thing of the past. Numerous arrests were made. He noted that the current crabbers are mostly families.
This Connecticut Centinal photo purported to show illegal shellfishing.
Former Y’s Men president Dewey Loselle honored 9/11 last week, with a deeply personal remembrance at the group’s first meeting of the season.
In 2001 Loselle — who later served as Wesport’s town operations director, under 1st Selectman Jim Marpe — was a partner in a consulting firm, with offices near the World Trade Center.
He had gone to the Port Authority for a morning meeting, and narrowly escaped from the 63rd floor of the North Tower after a hijacked plane struck the building at 8:46 a.m.
Loselle described the thunderous impact, the building’s violent swaying, and the immediate decision to leave everything behind and head for the stairs.
In a vivid account, Loselle recalled the extremely narrow, crowded, smoky stairwells; the uncertainty over what had happened, and the courage of fellow evacuees and first responders.
He spoke of encountering a man in a wheelchair and his companion, who later perished while awaiting help, as well as members of Fire Department Rescue Company 1 climbing upward in full gear.
Loselle and his team eventually escaped into the chaos outside, where debris fell, people fled in every direction, and the collapsing towers sent a massive dust cloud through Lower Manhattan.
Loselle described his wife Susan reaching his cell phone in the stairwell before communications failed, and the hours she spent not knowing whether he had survived.
His presentation was both an account of survival, and a plea to preserve the memory of those killed.
Dewey Loselle, speaking to the Y’s Men. (Photo/Ted Horowitz)
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Mia Dillon is a Westport Country Playhouse favorite.
She debuted there in 1979, and has performed often since then. Her nexxt appearance is tomorrow (September 14, 7 p.m.), in the Script in Hand play reading of “The Next Best Thing.”
Dillon plays Jo, an outspoken and wildly inappropriate grandmother who takes issue with the impeccably polite android version of herself created to replace her after she dies. The play asks: Should we embrace what’s difficult about the people we love, or settle for a more acceptable alternative: the next best thing?
Donate gently used clothing and accessories — and anything new and unworn, too — to the Westport Woman’s Club. They’re gearing up for their annual sale. Proceeds benefit the WWC food closet, need-based student scholarships, and grants awarded to local charitable organizations.
Tax-deductible donations are accepted weekdays (10 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 4 p.m.) in the coat room of the WWC (44 Imperial Avenue), The sale is November 13-15.
Items include women’s and men’s clothing, shoes, boots, handbags, scarves, jewelry, and other accessories. Undergarments, lingerie and bathing suits, are not accepted.
Local retailers are invited to donate surplus inventory too.
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Chili time is near.
A highlight is always the VFW’s Chili Cook-off.
This year’s event — the 4th annual fundraiser, supporting Westport’s first responders and veteran community — is Saturday, October 17 (6 to 8 p.m. VFW Post 399).
Attendees vote for their favorite, among a wide variety of homemade recipes. There’s plenty of other great food, a 50/50 raffle, and a healthy heaping of community spirit. Tickets are $25, at the VFW in advance or at the door.
Questions? Email vfw399ct@gmail.com, or call 203-227-6796.
The Sweet Remains brought their folk-pop harmonic vibe to the Levitt Pavilion last night.
A large crowd packed the outdoor theater for the locally based, broadly loved band.
Last night at the Levitt.
Three special appearances offered a special added bonus: front man Greg Naughton’s wife, Broadway star Kelli O’Hara, and their two talented children, Owen and Charlotte.
Greg Naughton (left), Kelli O’Hara, and the Sweet Remains. (Photos/Susan Garment)
There’s more to come at the Levitt this week:
Tonight (Sunday): 7 p.m. Brian López Electric Trio
Tuesday, September 15, 7 p.m., Comedy night
Wednesday, September 16, 7 p.m., Westport Community Band
Thursday, September 17, 7:30 p.m., Barboletta: Tribute to Santana.
In a survey of 2,000 Americans, 35% say 2026 is “stressful.” Almost a third call it “challenging.” 37% say life feels out of control.
No surprise. But Westport author Caroline C. Barney’s new book — “Connected: From Stuck to Thriving in the Middle of the Chaos” — arrives at exactly the right time.
She was named to Ad Age’s “40 Under 40,” and worked with organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to the White House. That career taught her a lot about strategy, narrative, and what makes people move.
Barney says that feeling connected — to who they really are, to the beauty of life with others, and to a belief bigger than themselves — helps people thrive at home, at work and in their community. Click here to learn more about her “connections” work.
Caroline C. Barney
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To all in the “06880” who celebrate, we echo the sign on Pumpkin Hill Road: L’shana tova!
Former Staples High School girls soccer coach Dr. Jesús Zornoza died peacefully last weekend. He was 79, and lived in Ridgefield.
The Madrid native began practicing radiology in 1974 at MD Anderson in Houston. He published extensively on cancer imaging and needle biopsy techniques, as well as authoring and editing a book on percutaneous needle biopsies.
In 1983, Jesús joined the radiology group at Danbury Hospital. After 20 years practicing medicine he retired, and devoted much of his time to soccer.
He coached youth teams, and became president of SCOR (Soccer Club of Ridgefield). From 1991 to 1994 he coached the Staples girls varsity team to a 44-20-4 record.
He then began a second career as a referee and league administrator. In 2005 he was inducted into the Connecticut Girls Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and in 2010 into the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame.
Jesús was also an avid gardener. He was a caretaker of orchids and bonsai trees. He was devoted to his flock of farmyard chickens. ain.
Jesús is survived by his wife of 53 years, Jeanne; their children Andrew Zornoza (Evelyn) and Pippi (Sean Campbell); grandson Rafael Francis Zornoza, and siblings José, Enrique, Maria and Loreto Zornoza. He was predeceased by his sister, Pilar.
Family and friends will be received on Saturday. September 19 (2 to 4 p.m., Kane Funeral Home, Ridgefield). In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Jesús Zornoza Memorial Soccer Referee Scholarship Fund.
And finally … on this date in 1814, Francis Scott Key composed the poem “Defence of Fort McHenry” during the War of 1812’s Battle of Baltimore. It later became the American national anthem: “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
(O say can you … click here to support “06880”? It’s a very patriotic — or at least, generous — thing to do. Thank you!)
The Westport Country Playhouse recently completed a very successful run of “Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.”
Then, Bruce Miller turned his attention to another mystery.
The Playhouse archivist and cultural associate emailed a painting to “06880.”
Bruce said that Ben Doyle recently brought the artwork, which had belonged to his grandfather, to the Playhouse.
Bruce said “it appears to show the theater by the shore, possibly at Longshore near the marina. Ben thinks his grandfather may have been involved with the early planners at Longshore, and this might have been a concept they were considering.”
Close — but not quite.
The painting by Peter Dohanos — son of famed illustrator Stevan Dohanos — is actually an artist’s rendition of Stony Point. That’s the land just beyond the high red brick wall on the south side of the Westport train station’s eastbound parking lot. Stony Point is a peninsula bordered by the Saugatuck River, all the way to where it meets Long Island Sound.
Stony Point today (left of the river). The train station and tracks are at top.
Dohanos’ painting says “Westport Country Playhouse.” That’s a mystery, because it was done around the time that Stony Brook property was being considered as the home of a new “American Shakespeare Theatre.”
The idea came from Lawrence Langner. In 1930 — more than 20 years earlier –the Weston resident turned an apple orchard and old tannery into the Westport Country Playhouse.
By the mid-20th century, Stony Point was a shadow of its former elegant self. Decades earlier a New York banker, his wife and 2 daughters lived there, in a handsome Victorian mansion built around 1890. The grounds included an enormous carriage house, gardener’s cottage, barn and hothouse.
After the daughters inherited the home, the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad purchased some of the land for a new train station. (The original one was on the other side of the river.)
The Stony Point wall today. It separates the peninsula from the train station.
The second daughter bequeathed the estate to the Hospital for the Crippled and Ruptured (whose name was later changed, mercifully, to the New York Hospital for Special Surgery).
But the property fell into disuse. Eventually the hospital sold Stony Point to real estate developers.
Which brings us to Shakespeare.
Around 1950 Langner, Lincoln Kirstein of Lincoln Center and arts patron Joseph Verner Reed had audacious plans. They wanted to build an American Shakespeare Theatre and Academy.
And they wanted it on Stony Point. Proximity to the train station was a major piece of the plan.
The price for all 21 acres: $200,000.
But according to Westport News writer Shirley Land, “the hand of fate and the town fathers combined to defeat the efforts of the theatre people.” Many residents objected.
There were also concerns that it would draw audiences away from the Westport Country Playhouse. (Others argued that a Shakespeare Theatre would enhance the town’s reputation as an arts community.)
The theater was never built here. It opened a few miles away –in the aptly named town of Stratford — in 1955.
It achieved moderate success. But in 1982 the theater ran out of money (and backers). The state of Connecticut took ownership. It closed in 1985. In 2019, it burned to the ground in an early morning fire.
The entrance to Stony Point.
Meanwhile, in 1956 Westporters Leo Nevas and Nat Greenberg, along with Hartford’s Louis Fox, bought the Stony Point property for residential development.
It’s now considered one of the town’s choicest addresses. Homes have been listed there for $14 million.
That’s quite a story. We can only imagine what might have happened had Westporters decided to support — rather than oppose — the American Shakespeare Festival Theater in Westport.
Then again, as a famous playwright once said: “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.”
ENCORE: Bruce Miller’s email included some interesting connections with the Westport Country Playhouse.
Artist Peter Dohanos’ father Stevan designed WCP program covers for many years.
Peter, meanwhile, was a Playhouse apprentice in 1949. He later became a scenic designer, and worked on “The Swimmer,” the movie filmed in Westport starring Burt Lancaster.
It was directed by Frank Perry, who had been an Playhouse apprentice in 1948. Perry also directed “Mommie Dearest,” about Joan Crawford’s abusive relationship with her daughter Christina. Christina — who wrote the book with the same title — was a Playhouse apprentice in 1957.
Frank Perry (front row, left) during his 1950 Playhouse apprenticeship. It was quite a class. Stephen Sondheim is in the top row, crouching. Also in the photo: Richard Rodgers’ daughter Mary (2nd row, 4th from left).
Ben Doyle (the painting’s owner — remember him?) is on the faculty of Blackrock Theater Company. They’ve performed on the Playhouse stage. He is engaged to Betsabeth Castro, an actress in the WCP production of “Appropriate.”
And Ann Sheffer — a former Stony Point resident, who provided much of the history of the proposed American Shakespeare Theatre described above — is herself a former Westport Country Playhouse apprentice. She was also a longtime board member.
It’s a small theatrical world indeed. And, as a famous playwright once said, “All the world’s a stage.”
One of the most overlooked (so far) local environmental stories involves erosion and related issues at Westport’s beaches.
The “sandbar” (natural, not food) at Compo Beach, and the continuing disappearance of Burying Hill, are 2 noticeable impacts.
On October 1 (6:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium), RACE Coastal Engineering will present their second Comprehensive Beach Resilience Planning Studies forum.
It covers existing site conditions, potential beach profiles, and anticipated regulatory requirements, among others.
The topic has not been on many residents’ minds. It should be.
Very little actual beach remains at Burying Hill. (Photo/Ed Simek)
In related news, the Parks & Recreation Commission’s September 16 meeting (7:30 p.m., Zoom) includes a couple of interesting items:
Parks Master Plan update
New parks maintenance facility.
Commissioners will also accept a gift to install dugouts at the Greens Farms Elementary School softball field, dedicated to Nat Brogadir.
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Westport firefighters honored 9/11 yesterday, with their annual memorial service at headquarters. This year’s 25th anniversary carried special meaning.
(Photo/Westport Fire Department)
Then came a visit to the Westport Weston Family YMCA.
Three firefighters climbed aboard a Stairmaster, and completed 110 stories.
That’s the number of floors their New York City colleagues attempted to climb in rescue attempts that awful morning, 25 years ago yesterday.
343 FDNY members lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
Westport firefighters, at the YMCA. The TV on the right shows the New York City 9/11 memorial service. (Photo/Christina Scherwin)
Back at headquarters, Westport firefighters were treated to a nice lunch, by Julie and James Whamond.
The meal was accompanied by a note, thanking the WFD for all they do for our town, and for stepping up for Julie’s family 25 years ago. Her husband, Jonathan Uman, was killed in the World Trade Center attack.
Firefighters, with lunch. (Photo/Westport Fire Department)
Also honoring 9/11: this man, spotted by Debra Carson on the Post Road yesterday.
She doesn’t know more about his mission .But we appreciate his journey, and admire his determination.
(Photo/Debra Carson)
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School is back in session.
Parties are in full swing.
And Compo Beach neighbors are not pleased.
For the past 2 weekends, they report, “hundreds” of students — primarily freshmen — have gathered at night on the beach along the Soundview Drive exit road.
Residents report noise and drinking. Police arrive.
One part of the large scene.
Eventually the party ends. “But the seawall and beach are trashed,” one homeowner says.
This morning, Parks & Recreation Department crews cleaned up the mess.
The Harmonetiks Project is a non-profit fostering recovery and resilient leadership for veterans and first responders.
It brings community wellness and veteran support together, as public classes and treatments help fund free care for veterans. The project teaches practical self-care skills through programs including Harmonetiks Easy Breath, acupuncture, tai chi, yoga and more.
Owner Mike Williams is an Army veteran and former combat medic.
Harmonetiks opened a training center at 420 Post Road West last month. A grand opening is set for today (Saturday, 12 noon). The public is invited. Click here for more information.
Harmonetiks Project
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Westporters are enjoying the town’s newest outdoor art.
“Circle of Peace” — a bronze sculpture outside the upper entrance to the Westport Library — is a playful work that invites passersby to stop and smile.
It will be officially dedicated on Monday (September 14, 5 p.m.). The public is invited.
Youngsters enjoying “Circle of Peace.” (Photo/Jamie Walsh)
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Speaking of the Library: An extra-special author talk takes places October 2 (7 p.m.). Ocean Vuong discussed his new bestseller, “The Emperor of Gladness.” Oprah Winfrey picked it for her Book Club.
Born in Saigon and raised in a working-class Hartford household, he set his latest storyin the fictional town of East Gladness, Connecticut.
The theme is survival. The book tackles the daily weight of caregiving, poverty, addiction, family by choice, and the strange relief that comes when another human being truly notices you when you feel invisible.
Vuong has spoken about Buddhism, the reality of suffering, and how he might have ended up as a monk if writing had not found him first. He’ll be joined on stage by poet, memoirist, and Yale Review editor Meghan O’Rourke.
Speaking (as before) of art: MoCA\CT celebrated the opening of “Michael Borders: Connecticut Industry” with a public reception Thursday night.
On view through November 15, the exhibition includes 8 monumental painted panels by the Connecticut artist. Individually and collectively, the offer a vivid portrait of our state’s history, industries, landscapes and communities.
Great actors are a Westport Country Playhouse tradition.
But what does it take to get stage — there, or anywhere else?
On Sunday, September 20, Andrew Keenan-Bolger — the original Crutchie in “Newsies” on Broadway — offers 2 master classes for students.
“Building Characters from the Inside Out” gives participants a chance to explore character development through monologue work, script analysis and imaginative storytelling.
The middle school class is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The high school session follows, from 2 to 4.
Summer is over. But the Levitt Pavilion keeps rockin’.
A new free show has been added to the calendar. King Stingray brings their unique “Yolŋu surf rock” sound — a blend of ancient Australian indigenous melodies with surf, indie and funk influences — to Westport on September 23 (7:30 p.m.). Click here for tickets, and more information.
Avid state park-goer Chris Swan offers this update on work at Sherwood Island:
“Late Thursday afternoon, the contractor finished rough grading a large area on the north side of the newly paved West Beach parking lot.
“I’m guessing they’ll hydro-seed. That will hold this soil from eroding while grass germinates, returning this to an overflow parking lot like what was there pre-project.
“The contractor also painted some lines, and a few remaining crosswalks. Likely some odds and ends remain, but it looks like the paving project is finally approaching the finish line.
“We’ll see how long it takes to tear down and then replace the pavilion roof. I’m not holding my breath on that one.”
Sherwood Island State Park (Photo/Chris Swan)
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Our new header — visible on laptop and desktop versions of “06880” — is a great shot of a Saugatuck Rowing Club crew. Thanks to photographer Bruce McFadden.
(You may not win every video game. But when you read “06880,” everyone is a winner. And if you like pushing buttons, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
This week’s online art gallery brings many reflections.
And not just because it marks the anniversary of 9/11.
Our artists reflect on the High Holidays, our Minute Man, the state of our nation, and nature’s branches.
It’s another inspiring, thought-provoking week in our gallery. But we couldn’t it without you.
No matter your age; the style or subject you choose — and whether you’re a first-timer or old-timer — we want your submissions. Watercolors, oils, charcoal, pen-and-ink, acrylics, mixed media, digital, lithographs, collages, macramé, jewelry, sculpture, decoupage, needlepoint — we want whatever you’ve got.
Just email a JPG to 06880blog@gmail.com. And please include the medium you’re working in.
“Something Missing” (Susan Malloy). The late artist’s niece, Ann Sheffer, is donating it to the Westport Permanent Art Collections. “It’s very evocative, and it will be hung in Town Hall or one of the schools,” Ann says.
Untitled. Artist Eric Bosch says, “With our current government status being what it is, I wonder how many of us can relate to our local Minute Man statue.”
“Footbridge Off Ford Road” (Michael Tomashefsky)
“Labor Day at Compo” (Michael Chait — Available for purchase; click here)
Untitled (John Maloney)
Untitled (Duane Cohen — Available for purchase; click here)
“Reflecting Branches” (Patricia McMahon — Available for purchase; click here)
Untitled — acrylic (Susan Celuch)
“Utopia Five” (Dorothy Robertshaw — Available for purchase; click here)
“Woman with Luxurious Hair — pencil on paper (Bill Fellah)
Untitled (Martin Ripchick)
Photographer Mike Hibbard says, “Storks do play baseball. ‘What do you think? Is the ball fowl?'”
“Potter” (Lawrence Weisman)
“Praying for Peace, Health and Happiness: Rosh Hashana 5787” — watercolor (Steve Stein)
(Entrance is free to our online art gallery –as it has been for 6 years. But please consider an anniversary donation! Just click here — and thank you!)
It’s a swinging party in the Lucille Lortel Barn at the Westport Country Playhouse.
It includes piano music by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Mark Naftalin, an impressive spread of snacks and wine, and an enthusiastic crowd of creative types, skewing older, who simply love being there.
Plus art, of course.
Each pop-up show features artists, vetted by their peers, who have 8 to 10 feet of space to show their work.
There’s no thematic or curatorial mandate. The mediums vary, so the art satisfies many proclivities.
As for mine, Lynne Arovas’s mod podge works made me stop and stare.
She paints on paper, cuts it into squares and stacks them with acrylic, then pieces them together into reckless, beautiful quilts.
Award-winning artist Arovas says, “Energy in order is one way I describe my work. Arranging expressive designs of nervous energy in a contained, structured way.”
She carried a Ziploc baggie of her tiles to show curious attendees about her medium, a neat idea.
“Crocus” (Lynne Arovas)
After speaking with Arovas, a friend suggested I peer over my shoulder. I found myself staring at the manspread of a full-frontal nude. Surprising, yes, but not unwelcome. I mean, he’s really fit and it’s a striking portrait… Thank you for “Wendel,” Virginia Zimmermann!
I love the juxtaposition between him and Arovas’ work. Go, Artists Collective!
“Wendel” (Virginia Zimmermann)
Next, I got a kick out of Dolores R. Santoliquido’s whimsical fishes, with angsty expressions and catchy titles like “Wait for Me!” and “You’re Goin’ the Wrong Way.” Fish — they’re just like people.
I was struck by the exuberance of Julie Leff’s “Thanksgiving” — a dazzling bouquet of flowers against a technicolor background, a single peony at center beginning to wilt. As well, her charming “Sisters in the Rain,” with 2 girls’ colorful rain slickers and “I’m just happy to be here” expressions. She paints for herself, she says, offering people a glimpse into her world.
“Thanksgiving” (Julie Leff)
Award-winning Kat Evans is a master of abstract and color. Look closer and you see the detail — the dots, the layers of paint — that give them depth and movement. Evans knows what the fashion world is finally realizing: the visual power of “clashing” colors.
“Color Awakenings” (Kat Evans)
“The Nest Project” by Jeanine Esposito reminded me of Japanese kintsugi, the art of repairing broken dishes with gold dust and glue to make the fractures visible, celebrating the beauty of imperfection and evolution.
Esposito embellishes abandoned bird nests to “highlight our innate capacity to adapt and redesign the very structures that hold us.”
She takes an object once crucial for birds to raise their babies that has become useless. Then, like kintsugi, Esposito re-creates it, signifying life’s relentless chapters of decline and renewal.
Which is appropriate for fall, and feels important in today’s political climate.
“Inspired” (Jeanine Esposito)
(The Artists Collective of Westport pop-up show is open this weekend — Saturday and Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m., Lucille Lortel Barn at Westport Country Playhouse. An artists’ talk is set for Sunday at 4 p.m. Click here for more information.)
Today — on the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001 — we remember and honor 4 men with Westport ties.
All were in their 30s, working at the World Trade Center. All lost their lives in the terrorist attack.
All were bright, energetic, and well-loved. All had already accomplished a great deal, and looked forward to doing more. All had much to live for.
All left behind families and friends, who will miss and mourn them forever.
Keith Coleman and Scott Coleman were brothers — 34 and 31 years old, respectively.
They had gone through Westport schools, and worked together on the 104th floor in the World Trade Center’s north tower.
Keith, a noted Staples High School wrestler, graduated from Bucknell University. After working in London for 6 years he became a senior vice president and partner at Cantor Fitzgerald, responsible for its equities derivatives department. He brought his brother into the firm.
Scott attended Staples, the Lawrenceville School and Colgate University (where he played soccer, and was one of the leading scorers in its history), then earned an MBA from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. In 2003, Colgate dedicated a new gateway to their soccer field in memory of Scott and other 9/11 victims
Scott lived in Weston, and was an equities broker. He was engaged to be married, when the hijackers struck.
Every year, the Westport Soccer Association awards scholarships in Scott and Keith’s names, through the Coleman Brothers Foundation.
Scott (left) and Keith Coleman
Jonathan Uman, 33, was a managing director of corporate development for eSpeed Cantor Fitzgerald, working on the 105th floor of the north tower. He lived in Westport, with his wife Julie and 2 young children. A donation from a foundation created in his name after his death went to the Westport Fire Department.
Colleagues remember Jonathan’s intellect, curiosity, wit and fairness. His many interests included Shakespeare, music and art. (Click here for a remembrance of Jonathan.)
Jonathan Uman
Bradley Vadas, 37, was a senior vice president with Keefe Bruyette & Woods, considered a top trader. He was working on the 89th floor of the south tower.
Bradley grew up in Weston, and had homes in Westport, New York and Wyoming. He graduated from Boston College with a degree in economics. He was passionate about chess, softball at Compo Beach, boating and fishing. He was about to become engaged. (Click here for Bradley’s obituary.)
Three Ukrainian officials — including the deputy governor of Donetsk oblast, Connecticut sister state — visited Westport yesterday.
Guests of Ukraine Aid International — the non-profit co-founded by Westporters Marshall and Brian Mayer, which since 2022 has provided on-the-ground aid to stricken areas — they gave an update on conditions in their war-torn country, to a small group at La Plage.
The gathering included Senator Richard Blumenthal and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. Both have made numerous trips to Ukraine.
The officials — and Marshall Mayer — painted a picture of both devastation and hope.
Ukraine Aid International initiated the sister city and sister state programs. Westport was the first, linked with Lyman. Last night included a first-hand report of the fighting — and resistance — in that town.
Ukrainian and Ukraine Aid Internaitonal officials, including co-founder Marshall Mayer (6th from left), flanked by Senator Richard Blumenthal and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, last night at La Plage. (Photo/Dan Woog)
On Wednesday, the Ukrainians and Marshall Mayer were in Hartford. They met with Governor Lamont, and other state officials.
The Ukrainian delegation then joined Governor Ned Lamont for his visit to Connecticut’s 9/11 Living Memorial at Sherwood Island State Park, for the 25th anniversary ceremony honoring victims of that terrorist attack.
This morning, the Ukrainian guests spoke to the Sunrise Rotary Club.
Ukrainian officials and translator (far right) this morning, at the Sunrise Rotary Club. (Photo/Marshall Mayer)
(To donate to Lyman through Ukraine Aid International, click here. Click the “I want to support” box; then select “Support for the City of Lyman.” Scroll down on that page for other donation options (mail, wire transfer and Venmo.)
As noted above, Connecticut’s official 9/11 ceremony was held Wednesday. That’s to give families and friends the chance to attend the New York event too, held every year on September 11.
This was the scene yesterday, at Sherwood Island State Park. Officials and loved ones gathered the day before. Now the site — looking out toward New York — was once again beautiful and serene.
Congratulations to Cora Barrett, Joseph Carpenter, Tyler Little, Anwara Olasewere, Charlotte Roberts, Ayush Rudra, Sahil Vora and Gabriella White.
Nationwide, fewer than 1% of the over 1.2 million students who took the 2026 qualifying exam will compete for 7,320 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $29 million.
Principal Stafford Thomas (2nd from left) with National Merit semifinalists: (from left): Gabriella White, Charlotte Roberts, Cora Barrett, Tyler Little, Joseph Carpenter, Ayush Rudra and Sahil Vora. Not pictured: Anwara Olasewere.
Also at Staples: Azita Vazhayil, Natalie Hartano and Tucker Eklund will join students from 18 nations in November’s Normandy International Youth Leadership Summit, in Le Havre, France.
The selected delegates — high-performing students with a strong interest in world affairs — will work collaboratively to develop a plan addressing an issue affecting their community and the world.
From left: Azita Vazhayil, Natalie Hartano, Tucker Eklund.
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Every Thursday, there’s something special at the Westport Farmers’ Market.
Yesterday, it was Richard Blumenthal.
Connecticut’s senior senator presented director Lori Cochran-Dougall with a proclamation, honoring the market’s 20th anniversary.
Then — accompanied by 1st Selectman Kevin Christie — he did what hundreds of others do each week: shopped for the freshest, most healthful and delicious food around.
Senator Richard Blumenthal at the Badass Bagels booth. (Photo/Lisa Lewin)
Yesterday, Westport firefighters and police responded to the Hillspoint Road, after a heavy-duty pickup truck rammed through a fence and front yard, and struck a house.
A stone wall helped reduce the force of the impact, and limited damage.
The accident …
Westport’s Building Department and fire marshal’s office checked the structure for safety.
A special wrecker from Bud’s Towing in Bridgeport was called to remove the vehicle, minimizing the potential for additions damage. No serious injuries were reported.
… and the aftermath. (Photos/Westport Fire Department)
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DNR — Westport’s favorite (almost) all-doctor band — rocked the Levitt Pavilion last night.
Every year, the group pays tribute to Westport Emergency Medical Services, and first responders. It’s an important, welcome event — and if anyone knows how important those men and women are, it’s doctors.
DNR. with Westport Volunteer Emergency Services president Jaime Baraiktaris (3rd from right) and Levitt Pavilion’s Carleigh Welsh (far right), before the show. (Photo/Sean Bernand)
Five shows — all free — highlight the coming week, at the outdoor theater.
Saturday, September 12, 7:30 p.m.: The always popular Sweet Remains.
Sunday, September 13, 7 p.m. Brian López Electric Trio
Tuesday, September 15, 7 p.m., Comedy night
Wednesday, September 16, 7 p.m., Westport Community Band
Thursday, September 17, 7:30 p.m., Barboletta: Tribute to Santana.
And finally … in the mournful days following September 11, 2001, Americans found solace in music.
Certain songs will always bring those of us who were alive then right back to that time.
Two will always resonate with me. One is “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” A few days after the attack, when Staples High School held a memorial service, director Alice Lipson’s Orphenians sang a stirring version of Simon & Garfunkel’s soaring song.
Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me” was all over the radio. Its message was clear: We all needed someone to lean on.
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