Growing up in Westport, Lynn Untermeyer Miller loved downtown.
She’s never lost that affection.
And — in her years as a professional photographer (as was her father, the beloved Larry Untermeyer) — she often trains her eye on the sights and scenes we sometimes miss on Main Street.
The holidays are a special time for downtown, and for Lynn.
The other day she headed there, for the “06880”/Westport Downtown Association Holiday Stroll.
Westport’s Department of Public Works says, “snow season is here.”
We’ve had only a few flakes so far. But in preparation for when it comes, they offer this information.
Plow routes: There are 124 miles of roads in Westport, and only a small team of drivers to clear them of snow and ice. Main roads are plowed first, with special attention given to steep hills and difficult intersections. Then come side streets, followed by dead-end streets. Plow drivers make a single pass on side streets to keep them open, but their primary focus is to keep the main roads open for emergency vehicles and the safety of all Westport residents.
Do not pass snow plows: Never pass or follow a plow too closely. Snow plows are massive vehicles, with wide blind spots that cannot maneuver easily or stop quickly. Plowing can create a cloud of snow around the truck, limiting visibility and creating whiteout conditions for passing motorists. It can also create a ridge of snow between lanes that makes passing inadvisable. Reducing speeds when clearing and treating roads allows plow drivers to better control road salt treatments, saving taxpayer money and minimizing environmental impact.
Plow drivers:Driving a plow is challenging. It requires hours of intense concentration to navigate massive vehicles in dark, cold and difficult weather conditions. DPW thanks you for driving with caution.
Blocked driveways: Plows angle plow blades to the driver’s right. This allows drivers to direct snow off the road and onto the shoulder. Plow drivers are not able to prevent snow from accumulating in front of individual driveways while safely and efficiently clearing snow from roads. Snow that accumulates on, or at the base of, private driveways is the responsibility of the homeowner to clear.
Private plowing:The town prohibits snowplow contractors from leaving snow from driveways or parking lots on town streets. If there is no alternative to pushing snow into the street, the private driver must re-plow the street until it is safe for residents to drive. This may not mean bare pavement, but should be no worse than before the snowplow driver began plowing.
Business sidewalks: Per town ordinance, businesses are responsible for keeping all sidewalks along their property clear of snow and ice.
Mailbox damage: The town will only repair or replace mailboxes and posts struck by a plow blade. Mailboxes and posts must be able to withstand the rigors of snow removal, including the force of snow directed from the street onto the roadside. The town will not repair or replace mailboxes and posts damaged by the force of projected snow. Damage from private plowing contractors is not the town’s responsibility.
Posted onDecember 17, 2024|Comments Off on “06880” Podcast: Pierrepont School
Pierrepont is one of Westport’s best-kept secrets.
The small (152 students) school has a student-teacher-ratio of 3:1.
It’s rated the #1 private K-12 school in Connecticut, according to Niche.
Yet despite being in the Mediterranean-style building on the corner of Sylvan Road and Post Road West since 2002 — Pierrepont School is hidden in plain sight.
The other day, interim co-heads Anna Alemani and Liam O’Rourke came to the Westport Library’s Verso Studios to talk about Pierrepont.
We chatted about the school’s founding, philosophy, students and staff, along with its presence in Westport, and what’s ahead.
It was a fascinating discussion, about an intriguing, important, yet virtually unknown Westport institution.
Click below to hear Pierrepont’s story.
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Kris Hrisovulos has quite a resumé as Staples High School boys tennis coach.
In 14 years at the helm, he has won 8 state championships and 5 FCIAC titles.
He was a 2022 finalist for National High School Tennis Coach of the year; the ’22 State Coach of the Year, and ’19 Sportsman of the Year. The winningest coach in Wreckers’ boys tennis history, he is also a Staples High School grad. As a member of the Class of 1999, Hrisovulos starred in both tennis and soccer.
He is respected and admired by generations of players and parents. Now, however, he is fighting a decision by the school to not rehire him.
According to a GoFundMe page for donations to his legal representation, he is also battling to “clear his name from unjust accusations” that led to the administrative decisin.
“The legal expenses to defend himself already amount to almost four times the stipend volunteer coaches like Kris get at the school for their priceless contribution to the community,” the GoFundMe page says.
It adds: “The school has failed to provide any details — including the results of a thorough investigation, or if one ever took place — and it is therefore unclear what information is public and can be shared at this point.
“What we do know is the strength of Coach Kris’ character, professionalism, and love for tennis education …. (T)he outpouring of support from players, parents, and residents speaks volumes about his record, his character and contributions to the Westport community.”
Athletic director VJ Sarullo declined an “06880” request for comment.
Speaking of which: The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport invites everyone to a special meditative service in their Lyons Plains Road sanctuary this Friday (December 20, 7 to 8 p.m).
It is “a quiet, reflective time for those of us who need such space in the midst of so much activity.”
The UU church adds: “This time of year, with so many holidays and celebrations, can bring joy and excitement to many. At the same time, it can also bring up memories of friends and family who are gone; of the challenges in our lives we are facing; and of the long nights that bring on the winter blues. This time to come together will help to dispel these blues and bring light into our lives.”
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation also invites residents to the Christmas Eve service (December 24, 9 p.m.).
Speaking yet again of Christmas: Chabad Lubavitch of Westport is hosting a “Chinese Chanukah Party” at 5:30 p.m. that day.
There’s a good reason for the date: It’s also the first night of Chanukah.
The event includes a menorah lighting, fire show, latkes and donuts — and of course (because this is Christmas) Chinese food. Click here for more information.
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Speaking still of the holidays: Westport’s winter fundraising drive — to send children from our sister city of Lyman, Ukraine to a camp in the mountains, a respite from a third winter of war — continues slowly.
Our goal of $56,000 would enable 200 boys and girls to enjoy time together, with teachers and therapists, at Karabin. The sports, crafts, games and movies — along with schoolwork — takes place in a setting far removed from their hometown, a few miles from the Russian front.
Right now, Lyman’s youngster have been evacuated. The therapeutic camp is a chance to enjoy normalcy, with friends and trusted adults.
It costs about $280 to send one child to Karabin, for 10 days.
How about it, Westport? Can we raise $56,000, to ensure that 200 kids in our sister city enjoy time away from the terrors of the past 3 years?
Just click here. Under “Designation,” choose “Westport-Lyman sister city” from the dropdown menu. You can also choose a monthly or one-time donation. If you use the mail or Venmo option, please make a note: “For Westport-Lyman.”
Students from Weston’s sister city of Siversk, at the Karabin camp. Westport is raising funds for children from Lyman, our sister city.
The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee meeting set for this Thursday (December 19) has been canceled.
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Jazz at the Post ends the year with a bang!
Guitarist Paul Bollenback headlines this Thursday’s shows (December 19, 7:30 and 8:45 p..; dinner from 7; VFW Post 399; tickets $20, veterans and students $15).
He’ll be joined by bassist Bill Moring, drummer Rudy Royston and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall.
And finally … on this date in 1903, the Wright brothers made the first controlled powered, heavier-than-air flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
(As noted above, every family has its own holiday tradition. Here’s one all can embrace: a year-end gift in support of “06880.” Please click here to start it off. Thank you!)
After Jennifer Johnson published an Opinion piece on “06880” last tweek, urging open access to Compo Mill Cove in exchange for the town’s expenditure of $5.58 million to rebuild 2 tidal gates at Sherwood Mill Pond, leading to the Cove’s pedestrian pathway, and homes, dozens of readers contacted her.
Many offered to help support removing the locked gate and “Private Property/No Trespassing” sign, installed over a decade ago.
Johnson — a Representative Town Meeting member — thanked each one. She’s organizing a Google group, and will set up a Zoom meeting for early January.
She was particularly touched by a note from someone who no longer lives here. Lynn Castelli wrote:
I am a former resident of Compo Beach. From 1956 to 1982 my parents, Albert and Ruth Castelli, owned the property at 7 Soundview Drive. As a child and teenager, one my greatest pleasures (and now fondest memories) was walking from my home to Sherwood Island via the sandy path beyond the Mill Pond sluice gates.
Tidal gate at Sherwood Mill Pond (Photo/Paul Delano)
Growing up on Compo Beach I often walked the coastline from my home, over the jetty, over the boulders, along the shore to Old Mill Beach and then onto the bridge above the sluice gates. There I would stand to rest and watch the rushing waters from the Mill Pond flow beneath me. Then I proceeded to the quiet, sandy path that led me to Sherwood Island.
There has been no other place in my lifetime that has filled me with as much joy and wonder as did this small strip of coastline. Practically at our front door and beyond, the waters of Long Island Sound sparkled clear and teemed with life.
My father and I fished and harvested mussels, oysters and clams. There was abundant bird life everywhere. I saw my first seahorse at Old Mill Beach. The sands between the Mill Pond and Sherwood Island were a treasure trove of clam, oyster, scallop shells and sea glass. It saddens me to think that others are deprived access to the magic of the Mill Pond walkway.
Compo Cove, and the pedestrain path. When Lynn Castelli was young, the homes were much smaller.
Sentiment may not win the day in the attempt to unlock the gate to the walkway. But I hope that words still have the power to move those in whose hands this decision rests. Surely I am not alone in my reverence for the beauty to be found between the shores of Old Mill Beach, the gate to the Mill Pond walkway and beyond to Sherwood Island.
I sincerely hope that the Mill Pond walkway will once again be accessible. I would love to know that other children and their families might experience the enchantment to be found there. Too, I would be overjoyed to learn that I may return to Old Mill Beach and retrace my steps to Sherwood Island.
Thank you for sparing the time to read my message. I hope that by sharing my perspective others will understand more deeply what residents who stand outside the gate might gain by having access.
Experiences in nature, especially for children, are life-altering. The path from Compo Beach to Sherwood Island was an adventure I was delighted to repeat and share with my friends and family over and over again.
I was fortunate to be able to pass freely onto the path beyond the Mill Pond. May others pass freely in the future.
Old Mill, Sherwood Mill Pond, and Compo Cove (right). (Drone photo/Brandon Malin)
(“06880” is your hyper-local source for news and information about the Westport of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Posted onDecember 16, 2024|Comments Off on Shonda Rhimes, Trey Ellis Headline MLK Day Celebration
Westport takes Martin Luther King Day seriously.
Past speakers have included National Book Award winner and MacArthur Fellow Ibram X. Kendi, Pulitzer Prize winner James Forman Jr., and authors Heather McGhee and Layla Saad
Last year’s guest –former MLK speechwriter and advisor Dr. Clarence B. Jones — helped write the iconic“I Have a Dream” speech.
This year’s event will carry on that important tradition.
Shonda Rhimes headlines the 19th annual celebration, on Sunday, January 19 (3 p.m., Westport Library).
The award-winning producer will be interviewed by novelist, playwright and filmmaker Trey Ellis.
Making the day extra special is that both Rhimes and Ellis are Westport residents.
Registration for their conversation opens this Friday (December 20, 10 a.m.), on on the library website.
The event also will be livestreamed. There is no fee for either the in-person or livestream option.
Shonda Rhimes is the CEO of Shondaland, the pioneering storytelling company; creator, head writer and executive producer of the hit shows “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice,” “Scandal” and “Inventing Anna,” and the producer of “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Bridgerton” and more.
Shonda Rhimes
The MLK celebration is a partnership between the Library, TEAM Westport, the Westport Country Playhouse, and the Westport/Weston Clergy Association.
“We are honored to welcome Shonda Rhimes as this year’s guest of honor for our Martin Luther King Jr. celebration,” says Bill Harmer, the Library’s executive director.
“Her groundbreaking storytelling, advocacy for inclusivity, and creative vision embody the values Dr. King stood for and continue to inspire our community today.”
“Shonda Rhimes recently said, ‘You have to see it to be it,’” adds TEAM Westport chair Harold Bailey.
“More than any other storyteller on the planet, she has helped people see and aspire to embrace a world beyond the perennial shackles of bias, custom, and class — a world that is the sweet spot of Martin Luther King’s vision.”
Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn of TCS, The Community Synagogue, and chair of the Westport/Weston Clergy Association says,“As religious leaders living in challenging times for our community, we often turn to the wisdom of Martin Luther King Jr. He said, ‘The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges.’
“We are proud to be a part of keeping MLK’s legacy alive, and blessed that Shonda Rhimes will be helping us do just that this year.”
Rhimes was the Library’s honoree at its 2022 Booked for the Evening celebration, and she returned to the Library’s Trefz Forum earlier this year to screen her documentary, “Black Barbie.”
Rhimes’ received numerous honors include a Golden Globe, Peabody Award, and lifetime achievement awards from the Directors Guild of America, Writers Guild, and Producers Guild, plus several NAACP Image Awards.
In 2017 she was inducted into the Television Academy of Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame. That same year, she left traditional TV for Netflix, where Shondaland now produces exclusive content.
Ellis is an American Book Award-winning novelist, 2-time Emmy- and Peabody-winning filmmaker, NAACP Image Award-winning playwright and essayist, and professor of professional practice at Columbia University’s School of the Arts.
He also served as executive producer of “King in the Wilderness,” the 2018 Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary on the last 3 days of Dr. King’s life.
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Their primary focus is attending to the needs of impounded dogs at Westport Animal Control. WASA provides funds for vet care, exercise and training.
They perform home and reference checks, to ensure the canines are placed safely in loving homes.
WASA runs a small fostering network for homeless dogs from other Connecticut animal control facilities, or that come from Fairfield County residents and must be rehomed.
WASA also assists pet owners who struggle financially to provide vet care and adequate nutrition for their pets.
Whether you’re a dog owner, dog lover, or stay far from Winslow Park and off-season Compo Beach, WASA’s year-end video is well worth watching.
It was produced by Staples High School Class of 2021 graduate Brandon Malin. He began volunteering with WASA at age 7, and has been a great fantastic friend to them (and their dogs) ever since.
Brandon is also an exceptionally talented photographer and videographer.
WASA notes: “We ‘stay in business’ because of the support we receive from Westport residents, businesses, and town departments. We are not subsidized by the town of Westport.”
Click here to support WASA. Click below to see Brandon’s great WASA ’24 video.
Attention, Staples Orphenians alumni — and everyone else who loves our high school’s elite a cappella group!
An “Orphs Alumni” Christmas caroling event is set for downtown Westport, this Friday (December 20, 3 to 4 p.m.).
Singers will meet at the Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church parking lot.
Orphs: Bring your voices. You’ll have a great time.
Downtown shoppers: Bring your ears. You’re in for a treat.
In 1980, George Weigle led these Orphenians on a downtown Christmastime caroling stroll. Will some alumni from this group — now 60 years old — be back on Main Street on Friday?
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Speaking of the Staples Music Department: With musicians and audience members still on a high after this weekend’s Candlelight Concert (and everyone else kicking themselves for not getting tickets), here’s one more look at the 84th annual gift to the town.
Kevin Mazzarella is in his first year as band director at the high school. But it’s clear from the photo below — as he leads the symphonic band, symphonic orchestra and choral ensembles (including dozens of alumni) in Saturday’s rousing “Hallelujah Chorus” finale — that he’s as excited by Candlelight as everyone else from the past 8 decades.
Speaking of strange sights: Our “06880” tagline is “Where Westport meets the world.”
But we never expected to see this sight, from deep in the heart of Texas (Plano):
Ellen Wentworth’s cousin spotted it, and sent it to her.
Yee haw!
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With its winter semester near, Westport Library’s Verso University has announced 8 new courses. They are:
Poet of Wonder: Robert Frost (January 8, 15, 22; 10:30 a.m. to noon). Explore Frost’s work with Westport poet laureate Donna Disch in a 3-part seminar. Delve into all that is “lovely, dark and deep.” Each session will focus on a different selection.
Suspicious Papers: A Vintage Ephemera Collage Workshop Series (January 8, 15, 22; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Artist and ephemera dealer Alesia DiFederico explores mixed media collage using authentic bits of history, inks, paints, and imagination. Creating art is for everyone; the joy is in the do
Exploring Wines of Italy (January: 9, 16, 23, 30; 3 to 4 p.m.). Sommelier Barbie Messa leads a wine tasting class that dives deeply into Italy’s rich traditions.
Storytelling for TV and Film (January 9, 16, and 23; 6 to 7:30 p.m.). Scriptwriter Gigi Rios New helps explore the fundamentals of storytelling for the small and big screens, plus script formatting techniques.
Leadership Literacy (February 5, 12, 19, 26; 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.). Harvard leadership scholar Barbara Kellerman focuses on studying literature about concepts of power, authority and influence.
Tarot 101: A Journey to Self-Discovery (February 5, 12, 19, 26; 2 to 3 p.m.). Author, astrologer, and tarot expert Maria Sofia Marmanides teaches the 78 cards of tarot.
Write, Craft, Create: A Wellness Practice in Making Handmade Cards
(March: 5, 12, 19; 1 to 2 p.m.). Instructor Kerstin Rao, the Westport artist behind Vivid Cottage, provides a safe space for participants to tap into their feelings and craft earnest messages.
Introduction to Ikebana (March: 13, 20 & 27; 10 a.m. to noon). Sogetsu Ikebana is a modern form of the ancient art of Japanese flower arranging, using living materials. Shizue Pleasanton teaches the aesthetic discipline and traditional principles of the form.
For information on Verso University courses, including registration, click here.
And finally … in honor of the newest addition to the police station tower (story above):
(When we figure out Westport drone mystery, you’ll read about it first on “06880” — just like you do so often, on so many topics. If you enjoy our coverage, please click here to support our work. Thanks!)
For many Westporters, the debate on immigration — no matter how important they believe it to be — is abstract.
A wall in Mexico, the fate of Dreamers, mass deportations — none of that directly touches our own personal lives.
For hundreds of men and women who work in Westport, however, the issue could not be more real.
They are immigrants. Some are documented; others are not. Some have married Americans, and feel secure. Others have only a tenuous hold here, or none at all.
Every one, though, works extremely hard.
Some have 2, even 3, jobs. They take the bus from Norwalk, Bridgeport or Stamford to Westport. They find rides. If they have to, they walk.
The Coastal Link bus is a primary source of transportation for many Westport workers.
They are hidden here, in plain sight. They work as landscapers, in restaurants, as housekeepers, in service jobs.
They often earn the minimum wage, or a bit over. Some get tips. None have benefits.
They live better than they did in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Brazil. But they send big chunks of their pay back home.
Some of it helps relatives live better lives there. Some goes to pay “coyotes,” who charge $15,000 to $20,000 to bring immigrants to America.
(Funds that family members provide to home country relatives are slowly paid back to the lender. Almost always, all the money is returned.)
The immigrants here are paying it forward. Someone once — 10 or 15 years ago, 2 or 5 years ago, last month — gave them money so they could pay a coyote too.
These men and women don’t talk much about their lives. For one thing, they’re working too hard. For another, they don’t want to draw attention to themselves.
But earlier this month, an “06880” reader spoke to a number of Central and South American immigrants about their lives.
After crossing the border — no easy task — they find their way, often by bus, to Fairfield County. They join relatives and friends, recreating the community they knew back home.
Crossing the border is no easy task.
The earlier arrivals acclimate them to their new country. They tell them, for example, how to get fake documents in Queens.
The older immigrants help the newer ones find work. WhatsApp is an active source of referrals too.
There is plenty of work available — jobs most Americans don’t want, or can’t do.
Contractors, builders and landscapers always need employees. The men who take those jobs have learned skills back home. Those who don’t have them are taught by those who do. Many make $15 to $20 an hour. They have no benefits.
Most employers know, or assume, that their new hires are undocumented. If they check papers at all, it is not closely.
Workers at one Westport business make $1 or $2 above minimum wage. They share tips, too. They can earn up to $150 or $200 a day. But there are no benefits. And because their work is weather dependent, there are days when they are not paid at all.
A large group of Brazilian women work as house cleaners. They are paid about $650 a week, in cash. They have no benefits, but they don’t have to pay for transportation. The owner picks them up, and drives them to jobs.
Undocumented immigrants find work in lawn care, construction, house cleaning, and local businesses.
Many are fearful of what will happen when Donald Trump becomes president. They remember, for example, an ICE raid on a Norwalk store during his first administration.
Some don’t think anything bad will happen. They say he has already been in office, and did not follow through on some drastic promises. And, they say, they won’t be deported, because there would be no one left to do their jobs.
Immigrants who are criminals should be deported, they agree. Most do not think that non-criminals will be targeted.
An immigrant from El Salvador is a strong Trump supporter. A legal resident through his marriage to an American woman, he would like to see mass deportations. When workers are scarce, he says, he can make more money.
Their news sources include Telemundo and Univision, plus immigration resource volunteers at meeting places, like churches.
Work, church, work, family and community gatherings, work — those are the lives of the hundreds of undocumented immigrants who do the jobs we need here in Westport.
We don’t really see the men and women who perform that work. Nor do we often think about them, including why they do it, and the sacrifices they make.
We certainly don’t wonder who among them is here legally, and who is not.
But those thoughts are part of their lives here, every single day.
And they have been, ever since they arrived, uncertain but eager, in this land of such great opportunity, promise and hope.
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