It wasn’t Hurricane Laura. It wasn’t Tropical Storm Isaiais.
It was just another torrential thunderstorm — kind of like, oh, 48 hours ago.
With a tornado warning.
The first one moved through a few minutes ago. Another is expected at 6:15 p.m.
Clouds over Sherwood Mill Pond (Photo/Matt Murray)
Oh, yeah: A downed power line on Bridge Street cut power to over 1,400 customers around 4 p.m., without any wind or rain. Power was restored an hour or so later.
Now through Sunday (August 30), the Westport Domestic Violence Task Force is collecting supplies for the 2 Domestic Violence Crisis Center safe houses that serve area residents.
Besides providing confidential shelters for victims of intimate partner violence and their children, the DVCC offers assistance with basic needs like food, clothing and personal items, along with counseling, legal services, transportation assistance, children’s advocacy, weekly play-based children’s programming focused on self-esteem, healthy communication, referrals to community resources and economic advocacy, including budget development and assistance with job searches and resumes.
Children living in the safe houses need several items for the new school year:
New backpacks
Notebooks
Pens and pencils
Graphing calculators
New or lightly used Chromebooks
Diapers (sizes 4-7).
To arrange ontactless pickup, email Task Force co-chair Jillian Cabana wdvtf06880@gmail.com.
If you or someone you know needs assistance, call 888-774-2900 or click here.
It’s been a few months. But the renovation project for the Mercury gas station at the Post Road/Bulkley Avenue North corner is done.
It still looks like a gas station. But it’s a lot nicer than the previous version. And the prices still seem lower than most others in town.
Mercury gas station (Photo/Seth Schachter)
Early Tuesday morning, Bart Stuck was walking on Soundview Avenue, toward Compo Beach. He saw dozens of gulls — maybe 100 — circling nearby.
When he got to the garbage can near the Soundview lot, he saw the problem. A gull had landed, then caught its webbed feet on the wooden slats. It hung beak down on the side.
Bart grabbed the 2 feet, pulled the gull up, and placed it on the sand. It shook itself off, then flew away. All the other gulls left too.
Bart was amazed that several passersby had walked by, and done nothing. He was glad to help.
Let’s hope the next time he has a picnic, the gulls return the favor — and leave him and his food alone.
Not Bart’s gull.
And finally … as Hurricane Laura slams into the US, we’re thinking of everyone in it path.
During the pandemic, Ben and Josh Marcus found a great place to social distance: the middle of Long Island Sound.
With their high school internships canceled, the Westport brothers — a rising senior and junior respectively, at the Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy in Stamford — spent endless hours on their boat.
They fished, appreciated the beautiful coastline — and discovered an astonishing amount of pollution.
Some of the worst litter was helium balloons. We’ve all seen (and probably bought) them: they look happy, and say everything from “Happy Father’s Day” to “It’s Your Graduation!”
Ben Marcus …
As they fished hundreds of balloons out of the sound, Ben and Josh chronicled their catches on social media.
“When they let go of their balloons, it may be a fun photo op,” Ben says. “But the balloons land in our oceans. They can kill our wildlife.”
It can take 4 years for a latex balloon to decompose — even longer for a Mylar one. In that time they suffocate birds and marine life. They block the digestive tracts of animals that mistake them for food.
Their strings stay in the environment even longer, and can suffocate wildlife too.
… and Josh, with balloons they’ve fished from the sound.
Like many states, Connecticut has laws against releasing balloons (punishable by fine). Not many people know that — or know the damage balloons can cause.
The Marcuses started Balloon Free Forever. The objective is to educate residents about the dangers balloons can cause when not disposed of properly. The brothers hope their awareness campaign will have as much success as recent one limiting the use of plastic bags and straws, and Styrofoam products.
Ben and Josh have gotten their family interested in balloon collecting. They urge “06880” readers to do the same.
To help the Marcus brothers clean up local waters, click here. If you don’t have a boat, just head to your favorite shoreline or park.
You’ll be doing your part for the environment. You’ll feel good. You’ll even get a free “Balloon Collector” bumper sticker for your car or boat.
But not, of course, a helium balloon with big letters saying “Congratulations!”
(The Marcuses post photos of their balloon catches on Instagram: @balloonfreeforver. They invite you to share your photos too.)
The Milwaukee Bucks shocked the NBA today, with one of the strongest social justice statements in sports history.
And one of their owners — a Westporter — stands 100% behind them.
The players stayed in their locker room, boycotting Game 5 of their playoff series against the Orlando Magic. They also called for action by the Wisconsin legislature, in the wake of Sunday’s shooting of Jacob Blake in the back by Kenosha police.
The Bucks’ decision instantly transformed the playoffs. The Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder agreed to boycott their games. The WNBA followed by postponing contests.
The action spread to Major League Baseball, when the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds decided not to play.
Marc Lasry
Marc Lasry — a billionaire businessman, hedge fund manager (and Westport resident) — is one of the Bucks’ owners.
He and his fellow owners said tonight:
We fully support our players and the decision they made. Although we did not know beforehand, we would have wholeheartedly agreed with them.
The only way to bring out change is to shine a light on the racial injustices that are happening in front of us. Our players have done that and we will continue to stand alongside them and demand accountability and change.
The Bucks’ action — and their owners’ strong support of their players — will reverberate through the sports and political worlds for years to come.
Like many 6-year-olds, Tess Hinojos loves to dress up and play pretend.
One of her favorite costumes is a police officer. The other day, as she and her mom Hilary were on a walk, an actual Westport Police Department cop drove by.
Tess waved. He waved back, and kept driving.
A few minutes later, he pulled up next to the pair. Officer Shawn Booth stepped out of his car, and handed Tess and her brother Julian “official Junior Westport Officer” badges.
Junior Westport Police Officer Tess Hinojos.
“Tess couldn’t have been more thrilled,” Hillary says.
“We are so fortunate to live in a town with such an exceptional and kind police force. Thanks for making her day, Officer Booth!”
(To nominate an Unsung Hero, email dwoog@optonline.net)
As the reopening of school nears, stress levels are high. And they’re not just confined to adults.
Positive Directions — Westport’s not-for-profit center for counseling and mental health issues — offers tips for supporting a child with concerns about going back to school. Click here to read.
The Dead are coming to Westport.
Well, at least Terrapin: A Grateful Dead Experience, is. They draw raves, with their state-of-the-art equipment and true Garcia/Weir channeling.
They’re the next band for “Support & Soul,” the Westport- Weston Chamber of Concert/Westport Library drive-in collaboration.
Previous Supper & Soul shows — with Mystic Bowie, the Tom Petty Project and Mullett — have sold out.
Tickets are $100 per car (5 people max). The go on sale this Friday (August 28, 10 a.m.; click here). The Chamber urges concert-goers to support local restaurants, by ordering takeout for the show.
Registration began this morning for Westport’s Parks & Recreation fall programs. They include tennis clinics, Sports Squirts, IST Baseball and virtual at-home programs. Among the new programs: Skyhawks Hoopster Tots, Overtime Athletics Big Swing Whiffleball and High Fives Running Club.
Registration for Wakeman Town Farm’s fall programs will also be done through the Parks & Recreation department; just click here. Offerings include the Mommy (and Daddy) + Me “Little Farmers,” new Music Together classes, and programs for teens. All are safe, socially distanced and outdoors .
Questions about any program, or how to register online? Email recreation@westportct.gov, or call 203-341-5152.
An alert reader writes:
“In June of 2018, my wife was checking some flowers in our garden. She heard some rustling behind a large bush, and out popped a white deer.
“This prompted a bit of research. Only 1% of deer in the Northeast are white. In various cultures the white deer has some positive mythological significance. It can be viewed as a message from another world or the hereafter. This was startling to us, but in a good way.
“Two weeks before our first sighting, our family had put to rest a loved one just up the hill in the Christ & Holy Trinity Cemetery. So who knows?
“We continue to see the deer (there may now be 2) sporadically. Neighbors say she (or they) are often sighted throughout Old Hill.”
Musicians everywhere have missed connecting with live audiences.
But when members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center concerts and touring team attended the American String Quartet concert at MoCA Westport last month, they saw the potential in the museum’s outdoor stage, vast grounds, and the way attendees maintained social distancing
So MoCA proudly announces a new concert event. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Spotlight features the Alexa Tarantino Quartet on Friday, September 4 (7 p.m, MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike).
Tarantino is an award-winning, vibrant young jazz saxophonist, woodwind doubler and composer. Jazz Times’ Critics Poll named her a Top 5 Alto Saxophonist of 2019.
Concertgoers bring their own lawn chairs and food. There are food and drink trunks on the grounds, too. Click here for tickets, or call 203-222-7070.
Alex Tarantino
Saugatuck Rowing Club past commodore Carol Randel and her team — the Randelles — are leading a fundraiser to help people fighting cancer gain access to healthy food.
The “Row for Recovery” event addresses an unseen problem. Area residents must often decide between food and medical treatment. The pandemic has made the situation more dire.
Row for Recovery — set for Saturday, September 12 at the Rowing Club on Riverside Avenue — will help Norwalk Hospital’s Whittingham Cancer Center provide prepaid grocery store cards to people needing good nutrition during cancer treatment. $100 feeds a family of 4 for a month.
Amy Berkin writes: “I was downtown for a meeting, and wanted to enjoy a cup of coffee on a bench by the river. Look at this! It’s awful that people are not throwing away trash, and no garbage cans are out. Very sad for the town, and the wildlife in the river.
COVID had lurked here for a while. But that day, schools closed. Stores, restaurants, the library and Y followed quickly. In a head-spinning 24 hours, the entire town shut down.
Every Westporter had a multitude of fears. We worried about interrupted educations, job losses, wiped-out savings. We wondered how to juggle childcare and eldercare. We had no idea how or where to shop for groceries. We hoarded toilet paper. We thought we might, literally, die.
A few industries flourished. Most suffered greatly.
Real estate professionals bunkered in. With buyers and sellers confined to their homes, open houses canceled and the entire Northeast locked down, they imagined they’d never sell another property.
To everyone’s amazement, the market sizzled. First came rentals; sales followed soon. Buyers purchased houses sight unseen. Sellers juggled multiple offers, above the asking price. In a world gone crazy, the real estate market was truly insane.
Some of those newcomers have been here since spring. Others arrive every day. Almost unnoticed — kind of like the coronavirus, but in a good way — they snuck up on us.
They haven’t taken over our town. But all these new arrivals will inevitably change it.
As a native Westporter, I am truly happy and excited
In a thoroughly unscientific sampling, it seems that nearly every new homeowner comes from Manhattan or Brooklyn. Some had already thought about moving to the ‘burbs; the virus sped up their plans. Others had no intention of leaving New York.
During a pandemic, the advantages of city living take a back seat …
But here they are. They bring youth, energy, fresh eyes and young kids to our town. They are smart, talented and creative. They are diverse and intriguing.
They want to take advantage of the best that Westport offers. They love what they’ve seen so far — and they haven’t even seen us at our best.
They want to contribute something to their new community, too. With so many of them working from their (new) home offices, they’ll have time to give back. All we have to do is let them know what’s possible, and invite them in.
… to amenities like space and grass.
If you’re a newcomer, get involved!
Learn about our schools. Visitors will be limited in the beginning, but I’m sure there are many ways to help outside the walls.
Volunteer for a political campaign. The Democratic Town Committee, Republican Town Committee, and similar organizations are looking for the next generation of leaders. Once you get a feel for local politics, run! The Representative Town Committee (RTM), Boards of Education and Finance, Planning & Zoning Commission and so many more need you.
Play ball! Coach your kids in youth sports. You will never be turned away.
The Westport Library — at least, the transformed version — is almost as new as you are. Hours are limited now. But you’ll be astonished at the variety of its offerings, the richness of its collections, the technology that it harnesses, and the community it creates.
When social distancing restrictions are lifted, the Westport Library’s Forum will once again be a community hub.
Go outside our borders. The need for help is great in neighboring towns. Bridgeport’s Mercy Learning Center and Adam J. Lewis Academy are 2 of my favorites. There are literally dozens of others.
Have you been to a drive-in movie this summer? The Remarkable Theater was a way cool, surprise pop-up addition to our entertainment options. Now help them bring an actual building to town.
I’ve left out thousands of ways for newcomers to get the most out of their new home — and contribute to it. Feel free to add your own; click “Comments” below.
Our new arrivals will add new ways to this list, too. They’ll bring new ideas, create new organizations, take our town in new directions.
This is a wonderful time for our town. Out of the bleakness of a pandemic has come an opportunity for reinvention, growth and progress.
Our realtors have done their part. Now it’s up to all of us — the Westporters who have been here awhile, and those who have just joined us — to do the rest.
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The players stayed in their locker room, boycotting Game 5 of their playoff series against the Orlando Magic. They also called for action by the Wisconsin legislature, in the wake of Sunday’s shooting of Jacob Blake in the back by Kenosha police.
Real estate professionals bunkered in. With buyers and sellers confined to their homes, open houses canceled and the entire Northeast locked down, they imagined they’d never sell another property.
