The inaugural episode of “0688o: The Podcast” was a hit. I chatted with superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice about how he came here, his challenges and joys, and what’s ahead for the district.
This week’s guest — David Waldman — is a native Westporter. He too has a huge impact on our town. He’s the developer behind Bedford Square, and the new offices and condos on the west side of the Saugatuck River. He’s revitalized Sconset Square, and turned an old bank into Patagonia.
There’s much more he’d love to do, in the town he loves. I asked him about Westport — what works, what doesn’t, and why — and he answered candidly.
We had a great time at the Westport Library’s Verso Studios. Click here to see my interview with David Waldman.
When you’re done, you’ll never look at downtown the same way again.
Screenshot of David Waldman on “06880: The Podcast.”
As “06880” reported earlier, yesterday was SLOBs’ Day of Service.
Dozens of members of Staples High School’s Service League of Boys fanned out across town. They planted, weeded, hauled rocks, and did all kinds of other work to help non-profits and the needy.
One site was the Lillian Wadsworth Arboretum. SLOBs joined members of Westport’s Tree Board to make the Stony Brook Road preserve even more welcoming than it already was.
They filled and removed 20 trash bags with the noxious invasive, garlic mustard. They mulched and marked trails for families to enjoy the new Story Walk, a signed pathway with an illustrated story that’s a collaboration between the Tree Board and Westport Library.
It was a beautiful day. And Staples’ SLOBs made it far lovelier. (Hat tip: Alice Ely)
SLOBs at the Lillian Wadsworth Arboretum.
And if you haven’t seen the Story Walk, here it is. Like the Arboretum itself, it’s one of Westport’s many hidden gems.
Have you been thinking about getting solar panels installed on your house? Should you lease or rent? Will you actually save money?
Those questions — and many more — will be answered next Monday (May 10, 7 p.m., Zoom) at a Wakeman Town Farm-sponsored virtual panel.
“The Pros and Cons of Solar” will be moderated by Bill Constantino. He’s co-chair of WTF, and has worked in the renewable and energy efficiency industry for over 10 years.
Panelists include John Rountree, whose Westport-based Rountree Architects specializes in Net Zero homes; Matthew Macunas, a policy specialist for the Connecticut Green Bank; Emily Basham, senior manager of partnership development at the Connecticut Green Bank, and Susan Young, community marketing manager at PosiGen Solar and Energy Efficiency.
And finally … Bing Crosby was born on this day, in 1903. He was multi-talented, leading in record sales, radio ratings and movie grosses from 1930 to 1954. He made over 70 films, and recorded more than 1,600 songs. He died in 1977, age 74.
He hit #1 on the charts 43 times — more than the Beatles (24) and Elvis Presley (18) combined. Here are 5 of them.
Nicholas Rossi’s mother did not want him to join the military.
Her first-born son, with 3 brothers and 1 sister, had just graduated from Long Island’s Oyster Bay High School. But World War II was raging. Her father had fought in World War I. Nicholas ended up in the infantry.
If he was going to be in the service, his mother thought, at least get a different assignment. Thanks to someone his father knew — he worked as a caretaker on an estate — Rossi ended up in the Army Air Corps.
After training in Texas, his 305th Bombardment Group of the 364th Squadron was assigned to the 8th Air Force Bomber Command in England.
They flew B-17 “Flying Fortress” bombers in the European Theater. Rossi was a technical sergeant.
Technical sergeant Nicholas Rossi.
“I was not a professional engineer,” he recalls from his home in Westport, where — age 98 — he lives with his son Paul and daughter-in-law Marguerite. “But that aircraft was like a baby to me.”
Besides taking care of the planes on the ground, Rossi flew multiple missions. Seated behind the pilot and co-pilot, he handled fuel and any mechanical problems.
The Germans “shot the hell out of us,” Rossi says. But he was never shot down.
He survived the war. Now — over 75 years later — Nicholas Rossi is the grand marshal of Westport’s Memorial Day parade, on May 31.
When the war ended, Rossi’s mother hoped he’d come home. But superiors suggested he stay after his discharge, and help locate and identify the remains of military personnel.
He spent the next 4 years in Liege, Belgium as a civilian, employed by the government with the American Graves Registration Command.
Nick Rossi, during wintertime service.
“It was not a nice job,” he says simply. But it provided closure for families, particularly those that traveled to Europe to reclaim their sons and husbands.
After returning to Long Island in 1949, he entered Hofstra University on the GI Bill. “They treated soldiers well,” Rossi says. After graduation he earned a master’s degree in industrial engineering.
A successful career in the furniture industry followed, with Kroehler, Thomasville and Lexington. As a manufacturer’s representative and regional sales manager — and with an intuitive sense for sales and business — he earned accolades and awards.
After more than 40 years — by then in his 70s — Rossi retired. He had more time for hobbies like golf (he’d won the Brookville Country Club championship, and played into his 90s), gardening, Knights of Columbus, Oyster Bay Italian-American Citizens Club, and the country club board.
He especially enjoyed his many grandchildren.
Rossi first met Betty Braun on the Long Island Rail Road, heading home from work. Married for 60 years, they raised 5 children — Paul, Christine, Caren, Carla and Peter — in the house he built in Mill Neck.
When Betty died 3 years ago, Rossi moved to Paul’s house in Greens Farms. Almost instantly, he became a Senior Center regular. He had a regular lunch table group (ladies flocked to him), and enjoyed chair aerobics, bingo, conversation groups and Dr. Paul Epstein’s mind/body sessions. All that is now on hold, due to COVID.
“He’s taken full advantage of Westport,” his daughter-in-law — and ardent companion — says.
“The war made him resilient. He just picked up, came here and rolled with it.”
Nicholas Rossi in Westport. He and his grandson Nick built this model of the B-17 bomber Rossi serviced and flew in during World War II. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Rossi also got involved with St. Luke’s Church. He met fellow veterans at the VFW. He especially loved watching his grandchildren Caroline, Charlotte and Nick perform as actors, musicians and athletes at Staples High School.
Even before he moved here, Rossi attended the Memorial Day ceremony at Veterans Green, where his grandchildren performed.
Later this month, he’ll be back for another parade, wreath-laying and “Taps.”
This time, it will be in a well-deserved seat of honor.
The golf course looks great. The Inn sits handsomely — if under-utilizedly — on a prime piece of Sound-side property.
But plopped in between the 1st tee and the Inn sits a forlorn little traffic island.
That was last week’s Photo Challenge. Al Fiore, Andrew Colabella, Brandon Malin and John Richers all recognized it. Click here for Bob Weingarten’s photo — unless you’d prefer not to be depressed.
This week’s challenge is even more neglected. I can’t imagine the last time anyone bought a paper from this rusted-out kiosk.
As for the $1 price: USA Today raised it to $2.
In 2013.
If you know where in Westport you’d see this sorry sight, click Comments below.
Before moving to England, Kami Evans was an influencer and video blogger working with local businesses. She grew “Kami’s Kloud” from 1 Facebook group to over 69 social media platforms and 8 shows.
She was thrilled to return to Westport last August. Very quickly, she got re-engaged.
Kami’s team (Kameleon Publicity) is helping businesses and organizations that give back to the community. Organic Krush, for example, raised money for Filling in the Blanks (which provides weekend meals to needy children), while Choice Pet helps rescues like PAWS.
These days, Kami says, “we focus more on impact, and building up the community in a difficult time. Local bloggers have an important job, sharing what’s good and new. I try to add impact and community engagement to that.”
For more information, click here or email info@kameleonpublicity.com.
The latest historic plaque has been hung at 35 Turkey Hill Road North.
The Sealove family bought the house last August. It was built by Anne Selleck in 1912, on land bought from the Banks family.
The historic house program is run by Bob Weingarten, for the Westport Museum for History & Culture. It celebrates homeowners who honor the heritage of their property.
Streetmarc Advertising and Marketing — a Westport-based food marketing agency — is gauging interest for a new retail food concept. To answer their survey, click here.
At Staples High School, Gus Cardello was involved with the Service League of Boys and WWPT-FM. He was a counselor at RECing Crew and Camp Compo, and started a window washing business with friends.
In 2018, during his sophomore year at Providence College, Gus died. A scholarship fund to help students who could not otherwise afford PC honors his life, and generous heart.
A group of friends — including Staples and Providence classmate Griff O’Neill — is selling phone wallets. It’s a fundraiser — and a way to keeping Gus’s name and memory alive. Click here for more information, and to purchase phone wallets.
David Stalling graduated from Staples in 1979. He earned a degree in forestry at Paul Smiths College in 1981, and — after serving in a Marine Force Recon unit — got his journalism degree from the University of Montana in 1990.
Now — 31 years later — he has been awarded an MFA in Creative Writing from Montana.
That’s the good news.
Unfortunately, his student job ended yesterday. He starts a good, new job at the end of May. But between now and then he needs help paying rent, university fees and other bills.
Here’s a “Graduation-Fundraiser Sale.” David is also an excellent photographer. So anyone who contributes $50 can choose a beautiful 16 x 20 canvas print of his wildlife or wild landscape photos. The donation includes printing, shipping and handling.
Click here to see his images. To order, email Stallingd@gmail.com. Include your choice of photo, full name and mailing address. For more information, click here.
To donate and purchase a 16 X 20 Canvas Print, click here: gf.me/u/zrzsft
Vanity Fair‘s May issue includes a feature on Lourdes Leon. Madonna’s oldest daughter talks about Instagram, her dream dinner with Rasputin, and her first boyfriend, Timothée Chalamet.
The author is VF‘s senior West Coast editor Britt Hennemuth. The 2008 Staples High School graduate knows something about acting: He’s a former Players star. (Hat tip: Lynn Flaster)
Lourdes Leon (Photo by Adrienne Raquel, courtesy of Vanity Fair)
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And finally … Lesley Gore was born today in 1946. Though she recorded some of the most famous teen girl-lamenting-teen boy songs of the 1960s, all while a teenager herself — her partner for 33 years was jewelry designer Lois Sasson.
Brian Fullenbaum is a Staples High School junior — and a SLOB. He writes:
The Staples Service League of Boys (aka SLOBs) is a philanthropic organization that develops leadership in students through community service. It is the largest club at Staples.
Throughout the year, members perform multiple service activities, such as collecting donations, performing yard cleanups, and assisting at charitable events.
Every event is a great opportunity to help out. Each one builds up to SLOBs’ biggest day of the year: Service Sunday.
This year’s event takes place tomorrow (Sunday, May 2). All club members participate in multiple service projects, with their parents.
Weeding, mulching and planting at A Better Chance of Westport’s Glendarcy House, in 2018.
Service Sunday was canceled last year due to COVID, but this year we are back in
action. All events will be held outside, so SLOBs can safely help the community.
When I participated in Service Sunday 2 years ago as a freshman, I joined a group that packed pencil cases for a school in need. We set up efficient assembly lines around long tables, so everyone could participate. It felt great to help, and do so alongside friends.
On May 2, SLOBs will participate at Wakeman Town Farm, the Gillespie Center, ABC House, Quest for Peace, Earthplace, The Wilbur Cross School, Sherwood Island State Park, Smith Richardson Wildlife Preserve, and the Lillian Wadsworth Arboretum.
So this Sunday, if you see a bunch of teenagers and adults planting, pruning, moving rocks and doing other work around Westport, just remember: We’re SLOBs.
Her book Lifelines, and digital support community of the same name, has raised awareness even further.
Now, throughout May — which is Mental Health Awareness Month — LifeLines is hosting free activities and workshops. There’s a different one each day.
The goal is to help people “dive inward and discover their true selves,” LifeLines says. They range from “Breaking Up With Your Inner Circle” to “Tracing Your Triggers.” Click here for the full schedule.
Plans have been announced for Staples High School’s graduation. It will be … outdoors.
“Pomp and Circumstance” will ring out at the football stadium, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 17 (rain date: June 18). All seniors will be together, and will be allotted 2 guests each. The ceremony will be livestreamed, for family and friends who cannot attend.
This is the first time the football stadium has been used for graduation in 27 years. The previous 26 events were held in the fieldhouse. Last year’s graduation was a “drive-by,” with each graduate having a special moment in front of the school.
Staples High School graduates gather outside the fieldhouse in 2018, before the ceremony. This year they’ll march instead to the right, onto the football field.
The Westport Domestic Violence Task Force just completed a very successful collection for baby items, for 2 area safe houses and local clients.
Westporters donated 4 strollers, 7 car seats, 3 booster seats, multiple car seat bases, 5 cases of formula, over a dozen cases of diapers, countless packages of wipes, baby washes, new baby clothing, 18 bottles, and over $500 in cash.
The Task Force thanks the entire community, and the men and women of the Westport Police Department, who helped collect and transport the donations.
Talent from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Spotlight kicks off Friday, May 14 (7 p.m.), with pianist/composer Isaiah J. Thompson. The young artist leads his jazz quartet in what MoCA promises will be a “powerful, mind-blowing performance.”
On May 28, The Alexa Tarantino Quartet debuts music from their new album “Firefly.” Their performance last summer sold out.
A third Lincoln Center artist will perform later this summer, followed by the Samara Joy Ensemble on August 20.
Tickets are available in a variety of formats, including individual concert tickets, a 4-concert Jazz Package, or a Season Pass with all 13 Music at MoCA concerts. Click here to purchase, and for more information.
As Westport opens up, the May issue of Westport Magazine examines “the good life.”
Stories include personal reflections on Christopher Plummer; Dave Briggs on Lou Gehrig Day; Center Stage producer Andrew Wilk; super-organizer Meredith Triscott; home design shops; creating the perfect patio, and the advantages of private aviation.
Westport Magazine is available at Barnes & Noble, Balducci’s, Whole Foods and CVS.
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