Before any municipal project is approved, state statutes require an “8-24” hearing.
That’s the next step for Parker Harding Plaza.
On Monday (October 23, 7 p.m., Zoom), the Planning & Zoning Commission will discuss a request by 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker to adopt the plan hammered out by the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee.
It would reconfigure the parking lot behind Main Street — built on landfill in the 1950s — to increase riverfront access, add 2-way traffic (while retaining the “cut-through” route), and make other changes.
Annette Norton is both a downtown merchant and a Westport resident. She has owned Savvy + Grace for 6 years. She also meticulously restored a 1700s North Avenue home,
She writes:
“I am deeply concerned about the DPIC project, including:
Redesigning Parker Harding parking lot and taking away 44 parking spots.
Moving the trash to the river.
Taking away loading zones, so traffic will be held up in the parking lot when businesses get their deliveries.
“My proposal/solution is to make a beautiful boardwalk by the river, leading people to the existing green space we already have downtown — Veterans Green — while encouraging additional exploration with a walking path throughout all downtown.
“Maybe we can increase the current footprint all the way to Coffee An’.
“How is losing 44 spots okay? And if we are trying to entice people to hang out by the river, were will they park?
“Downtown businesses rely on locals. When they cannot find parking, they shop elsewhere.
“DPIC brought up safety, which I take seriously. To my knowledge, the Fire Department has never had issues, since the parking lot was created.
“The current plan moves trash right next to the river. That can lead to trash falling along the road and parking lot, and traveling into the river. There are also safety issues for employees crossing the road to take out the trash.
“I love our downtown. I want it to survive and thrive for generations to come. Compo Beach and downtown are the crown jewels of our town. Thank you for your consideration and care.”
(Click here to view a livestream of Monday’s meeting. It will also be shown on Optimum Channel 79 and Frontier Channel 6020. Comments may be sent to PandZ@westportct.gov.)
The jolting news of Hamas’ invasion of Israel paralyzed many Westporters earlier this month. They spent the weekend trying to absorb increasingly horrific reports.
But 2 young girls did more than mourn. They swung into action.
Remi Rutstein and Allyson Post — both 11 years old — were in a car headed to a soccer tournament. They peppered the adults with questions, trying to understand what was happening.
Much of the story was above their heads. But they kept asking what they could do.
On their own, they decided to make and sell bracelets. Funds would be donated to Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service.
Back home, Remi and Allyson made bracelets and signs. Allyson’s sister Dylan Post baked cookies.
Allyson Post and Remi Rutstein show off their bracelets.
Then they recruited friends — of many different religions — to help them make more bracelets.
In just 2 hours downtown, the girls raised $5,000. People bought bracelets, made bracelets together, talked to the girls and shared stories about being in Israel. One customer was an Israeli soldier.
Bloomberg matched it — making a $10,000 gift for Magen David Adom.
Allyson and Remi also made signs, to honk for Israel. For 2 hours, many drivers did.
Honking for Israel.
“People were so generous,” says Remi’s mom Megan Rutstein. “They left feeling inspired seeing young kids taking action.
“Melissa Post and I are so proud of our girls. They did this completely on their own. They made a real difference, and gave people a reason to smile amidst a dark time.”
Congratulations and thank you, Remi Rutstein and Allyson Post. You are both our young Heroes of the Week!
Remi Rutstein, Allyson Post and friends.
Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email 06880blog@gmail.com.
(“Unsung Heroes” is a weekly “06880” feature. If you appreciate this — or anything else we do — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
Missed the Westport League of Women Voters’ candidates debates for the Planning & Zoning Commission, Board of Education and Board of Finance?
No problem! They’re archived. Watch them now (or any time before November 7).
Just click here. www.westportct.gov. Scroll down; then click on “Watch Meetings.” Scroll all the way to the bottom; click on “Other Meetings and Events.”
Listen. Learn. Then vote!
Planning & Zoning Commission candidates, at last week’s League of Women Voters debate.
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Two dozen Westporters — including 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker — were among the 200 guests at last night’s United Nations reception for a ground-breaking arts exhibition.
The display — in the main lobby — depicts Miggs Burroughs’ “Signs of Compassion.” His 30 lenticular photos show local residents using sign language to recite Emily Dickinson’s poem of the same name.
Nearby is fellow Westport artist Mark Yurkiw’s Braille “prayer wheel” mantra, based on those he saw in Bhutan (including a wheelchair-accessible element).
The Westporters’ work takes up the entire 100-foot wall in the UN lobby.
Ever since the United Nations moved into its Manhattan headquarters in 1951, the lobby’s rotating art exhibit has been sponsored by member nations. For what is believed to be the first time, the featured works are offered by individual artists.
The display is open to the public weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through November 20.
Miggs Burroughs with one of his 30 lenticular images. This one is of his son Brady. (Photo/Helen Klisser During)
The Y’s Men of Westport and Weston are helping with VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399’s 40th straight monthly Red Cross Blood Drive.
The event is next Wednesday (October 25, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (465 Riverside Avenue).
Everyone eligible to donate blood is welcome. Pre-registration helps with scheduling; click here, and use the sponsor code VFWWESTPORT, or call 800-733-2767.
This year, as many as 40 million Americans will face hunger. One third of college students will be food insecure. While millions go hungry, America’s food system allows over 100 billion pounds of food to go to waste annually.
On November 14 (7 p.m., Christ & Holy Trinity Church), the Westport Farmers’ Market, Wakeman Town Farm, Sustainable Westport and Food Rescue US-Fairfield County present a free screening of “Abundance: The Farmlink Story.”
The award-winning documentary explores youth-led solutions to food insecurity and wasted food. All are welcome — especially students.
There is a reception before the film. After, there’s a panel discussion with local food system leaders and experts, moderated by Chef Michel Nischan, Wholesome Wave executive chair.
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Longtime Westporter Angelo Rotella Sr, died October 7, with his family by his side. He was 72.
A native of Sersale, Italy, he moved to Norwalk at age 9. Angelo graduated from JM Wright Technical School. Shortly after, he met the love of his life, Marylee Denke.
Throughout more than 50 years together, their family says, “Angelo and Marylee’s homes were filled with love and life (and tons of wall paper). Despite taking care of family, friends and a variety of pets, there was always room in their home for everyone.”
Angelo’s favorite pastimes included spending time with his family, gardening and fishing. He quickly became the Wii bowling champion in his family.
His family adds, “Angelo was a great listener. When he spoke, he offered sound advice coupled with wisdom and compassion.
“Angelo wasn’t afraid to try new things, get dirty, or work hard.” He started his career as a mason, then worked for the town of Westport at the Waste Water Treatment Plant. For years, he celebrated his love for the water by working the night shift at Longshore’s ER Strait Marina. Angelo retired in 2017, after 27 years of dedication.
He is survived by his wife Marylee; children Dawn, Angelo Jr. and Lisa; grandchildren Brianna, Paddy, Darragh, Isabelle and Angelo III, and sister Josephine Mercurio.
Calling hours will be held at Harding Funeral Home today (Wednesday, October 18, 4 to 8 p.m. Mass will be held tomorrow (Thursday, October 19, 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Wittingham Cancer Center.
And finally … on this day in 1967, 66-year-old Louis Armstrong released “What a Wonderful World.” It went to #1 in the UK, but nowhere in the US. The president of ABC Records disliked the song, and refused to promote it.
Armstrong died 4 years later. Finally, in 1988 — when used in the film “Good Morning, Vietnam” — it found American success. In 1999, Armstrong’s recording was inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame.
(Good morning, Westport! We hope you’re enjoying another “06880” post. If so, please consider a contribution to support your hyper-local blog. Just click here — and thank you!)
On Monday the Planning & Zoning Commission voted 5-1 to approve an application for the family golf entertainment facility, on the site of Redi-Cut Carpet and the former Pane e Bene restaurant.
The facility will include 6 state-of-the-art bays with 13 interactive experiences in golf, football, soccer, hockey, dodgeball and more; private rooms for birthday parties, corporate events, karaoke and big-screen game viewings, plus a bar with craft cocktails and a pub-bites menu.
Last month, the Architectural Review Board gave unanimous approval to the proposed design. Site improvements include new sidewalks, landscaping, drainage and a new parking lot.
Artist’s rendering of The Clubhouse.
On Monday, P&Z chair Danielle Dobin said, “from a green standpoint, it’s adaptive reuse of an old building, which is lovely.” The structure dates to the 1940s.
The biggest concerns raised by the commission and neighbors included environmental issues, potential noise from outdoor dining, capacity, traffic, and the ability to handle large events.
Applicants Emily and Tim Zobl said they had spoken with neighbors. All 4 members of the public who spoke — including a Lansdowne condominium board member, and High Gate Road resident — supported this phase of the project.
During the work session after the hearing, the P&Z voted 5-1 in favor of waiving a traffic study. The decision was based in part on testimony from a traffic engineer, who said that the planned use would have a minimal impact on the 1608-1622 Post Road area.
Emily and Tim Zobl, outside the future site of The Clubhouse.
A townhouse/residential development will be the next phase of the project, requiring its own approval process.
The Zobls will begin working on that phase next year.
“06880” has warned of checks being taken from private mailboxes — and from legit blue post office boxes, near places like the UPS Store.
But now the thieves are even more brazen. Bruce Schneider writes:
“Yesterday morning, I dropped off a package at the post office in Playhouse Square.
“As I left, 2 Westport police officers were standing by the mailbox outside. One was holding a handful of letters.
“A woman approached the box, with a letter. The offices told her to bring it inside, since there was some sticky substance in the drop box, allowing someone to steal mail.
“Given the numerous stories on ‘check washing,’ I thought that dropping a letter in a mailbox right outside the post office would be pretty safe. But I guess not.
“It seems the only safe way to mail a letter is inside the post office, or handing it directly to your mail carrier.”
Like this mailbox outside the UPS store, the one outside the main post office in Playhouse Square may be “compromised.”
On Sunday, “06880” noted that Westport’s Nile Rodgers and Weston’s Keith Richards were #7 and #15, respectively, on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”
Oops!
We forgot to mention that another neighbor — Westonite José Feliciano — checks in at #212. ¡Felicidades!
Bonus track: John Mayer of nearby Fairfield is #61.
Click here for the full list. (Hat tip: Bill Dedman)
Daisy Fording — a Staples High School senior — has kick-started the TopSoccer program.
A national program run locally by the Westport and Weston Soccer Associations, it provides learning, developmental and participation opportunities for youngsters in kindergarten through 8th grade with physical and/or learning disabilities.
Together with trained coaches, each player is paired with a volunteer buddy to learn teamwork and soccer skills, and have fun.
Games are Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Morehouse Town Park in Weston.
There are 3 more weeks in the fall season. For more information (including registration) click here, text Daisy at 203-957-2390, or email dkfording@gmail.com.
Meanwhile, this week’s “Jazz at the Post” includes a twist.
Saxophonist/composer Wayne Shorter — who died earlier this year at 89 — will be remembered for his work with Art Blakey and Miles Davis, and his own recordings.
Featured artists include trumpeter Michael Mossman, guitarist Paul Bollenback, bassist Boots Maleson, drummer Tim Horner and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall.
There are 2 shows this Thursday (October 19): 7:30 and 8:45 p.m. Dinner service starts at 7. The cover charge is $15. Reservations are highly recommended: JazzatthePost@gmail.com.
To honor Native American Heritage Month, living historian Drew Shuptar-Rayvis presents “Life in the Eastern Woodlands: Pre-contact – 1620” (November 19, 2 p.m., outside at the Weston History & Culture Center.
On display are artifacts like bark baskets, stone axes, cookware, bows and arrows, animal pelts and leather.
Shuptar-Rayvis’ heritage includes indigenous Pocomoke, Pennsylvania Dutch, Welsh, Swiss, English, Scots-Irish, Boyko Ukrainian and Ashkanazi Jewish. He reads Wampum, works to preserve the Eastern Woodland languages, and is educated in many European languages used in colonial times.
Advance tickets ($5 each) are required. Click here to purchase, and for more information.
And finally … happy 81st birthday to Gary Puckett. His band the Union Gap wore Civil War-style uniforms, though they were from the Pacific Northwest.
There is a connection: Puckett grew up in Yakima, Washington — not from the small town of Union Gap.
His band had several hits in the late 1960s. Nearly all had “girl,” “woman,” or some form of female in the title.
(“06880” covers the local news — and all that jazz. But we can’t do it without readers’ support. Please make a tax-deductible contribution by clicking here. Thank you!)
Westport’s superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice stopped by the Westport Library the other day, for a return visit to “06880: The Podcast.”
As another school year begins, we discussed a host of issues: moving beyond COVID; students’ mental health; social and emotional learning; parents’ roles, rights and responsibilities; police and security; buses and start times, and much more.
As always, the schools’ chief administrator was direct, clear, and armed with plenty of real-life examples.
Here at home we battle over a garden, a baseball field, and whether our schools are ranked #1, #2 or #56.
It’s easy to forget what Westport is blessed with.
We are fortunate to live in a wonderful town. We are surrounded by active, involved, intelligent, creative people. Old and young, they do remarkable things, in many ways, every day.
And let’s not forget the beauty that is nearly everywhere.
The other morning, Philip Keane captured a bit of that wonder. As we wake up to another morning that may end in conflict, anger or anxiety, take a few moments to reflect on a few of the things that make us smile.
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