Staples Dance Team: All That Jazz (And More)

Posted on September 13, 2025 | Comments Off on Staples Dance Team: All That Jazz (And More)

Staples High School has something for everyone.

Forty varsity sports. A professional-caliber drama program, and music and art departments to match. Journalism, broadcast media, environment, the “We the People” Constitution competition — if you’ve got a passion, it’s been pursued by like-minded students, with avid mentors, on the North Avenue campus.

Unless you’re a dancer.

For years, teenagers who dance have found their community elsewhere — in private academies outside of school.

Now, that niche has been filled.

The Staples dance team launched last spring. Next week they’ll have a spot at the annual Involvement Fair, reaching out to students eager to make dance a part of their school lives.

The mission: to bring Staples dancers together, and provide the same sense of connection and recognition that so many other teams, clubs and organizations enjoy.

The Staples dance team is for serious dancers, who often spend so much time in the studio that they miss out on school spirit.

It’s also for those who used to dance, but stepped away.

And for anyone else who loves dance, and wants to learn new styles.

The vision took shape last school year, when Alina Knapp — then a Bedford Middle School 8th grader — talked with interested classmates, in a variety of forms: tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical and hip hop. Staples, she learned, had 3 dance clubs.

But no dance team.

She teamed up with fellow Bedford dancer Mirabelle Choe.

Soon, then-freshmen Katie Brill, Sutton Bulkeley and Caitlin Hand led an effort to become an official Staples club.

Staples dance team coach Mikela Pirri

Mikela Pirri — a Sacred Heart University alumnus with competitive dance experience — joined as coach.

The Staples dance team will blend performance (at games and pep rallies) and competition, with both jazz and hip hop squads. The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) — which governs all public school sports in the state — also sanctions competitive dance.

Staples was one of the few schools in the area without a dance team. Fairfield Ludlowe and Warde, Norwalk and Stamford Highs all have teams. Ridgefield is the reigning state hip hop champion.

Like Staples sports, Players, Orphenians, Inklings, WWPT and so much more, the dance team emphasizes camaraderie, school spirit and inclusiveness.

“Dance is about working together, supporting each other, and connecting through movement,” says junior co-captain Nina Ghahremani. “Now we get to do that through Staples.”

Staples dance team. Back row (from left): Caitlin Hand, Sutton Bulkeley, Katie Brill, Mirabelle Choe, Alina Knapp. Front: Chloe Jordan, Nina Ghahremani. Boys are welcome too!

“Senior co-captain Chloe Jordan adds, “We look forward not only to dancing together as a team, but also setting a standard of passion and kindness within our community.”

And they’ll do it — finally — on their own high school campus.

(For more information, follow the team on Instagram: @StaplesDance.)

(“06880” covers all areas of Staples High School life. If you enjoy discovering all that our town’s teens are up to, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Pic Of The Day #3068

Posted on September 12, 2025 | 1 comment

Compo Beach lifeguard shack (Photo/JD Dworkow)

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Board Of Ed Affirms Soccer Coach’s Non-Renewal

Posted on September 12, 2025 | 12 comments

Today’s Board of Education hearing involving a Staples High School boys soccer coach’s contract took less time than the previous 5-1 vote, in May: 8 hours, not 14.

But the result was the same. This time by 4-2, the Board affirmed superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice’s decision to not rehire longtime freshman coach Chris O’Dell.

Members Lee Goldstein, Dorie Hordon, Neil Phillips and Abby Tolan voted to support Scarice’s decision. Robert Harrington and Jill Dillon voted against it. Kevin Christie recused himself, and was not at the day-long session in Town Hall.

Christie told “06880” that he and his family have personal connections to the Westport and Staples soccer programs.

Noting that the Board of Education “effectively serves as judge and jury,” he said, “in a traditional courtroom setting, my connections to the soccer programs would not allow me to serve as a juror.

“Due process does not allow parties to select their own jurors. I will not capitulate to external pressure impacting due process, my integrity, my family, and my decisions as a BOE member. Recusal was, and is, the right decision.”

Board of Education mediator Fred Dorsey, flanked by (from left) Dorie Hordon, chair Lee Goldstein, Neil Phillips, Jill Dillon, Abby Tolan and Robert Harrington. 

O’Dell represented himself, against 2 charges: that he did not report a verbal argument between another assistant coach at a pre-season retreat over Labor Day weekend 2024, and that he was insubordinate by attending the post-season banquet the following December.

The freshman coach attempted to make a number of arguments, to prove that Scarice’s decision was “arbitrary and capricious.”

As happened in May — when the BOE heard an appeal by former head coach Russell Oost-Lievense, regarding the same 2 incidents — the Board’s mediator, Fred Dorsey, sustained nearly every objection from Thomas Mooney, the attorney for Scarice, Staples principal Stafford Thomas, and director of athletics VJ Sarullo.

From time to time Dorsey showed O’Dell — who owns a residential design-build firm, and is not a lawyer — a bit of leeway, helping him frame questions and allowing him to ask procedural questions.

Chris O’Dell (center), with his daughter Addison, and former Staples boys soccer head coach Russell Oost-Lievense.

Nearly 30 attendees — soccer parents and others interested in the board’s handling of coaches — moved into the lobby twice, while the BOE deliberated in executive session for 45 minutes each time.

O’Dell objected to those sessions, urging the board not to rehash testimony that had already been given in May.

“Arbitrary and capricious is the only thing that matters,” he said. He also defended himself against what he called attacks on his character.

One point of contention was a voicemail from Sarullo to O’Dell, regarding his attendance at the banquet. Sarullo told the coach to call him on the office line he was calling from, or text him.

O’Dell said that Sarullo never responded to his own voicemail in reply. Sarullo replied that O’Dell’s failure to text him showed negligence on his part.

From left: Board of Education attorney Tom Mooney, superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice, Staples principal Stafford Thomas, Staples athletic director VJ Sarullo. (All photos/Dan Woog)

Scarice testified that O’Dell’s “level of hostility” — along with the recommendation of Sarullo and Thomas — played a role in his non-renewal decision.

The superintendent knew his decision might be divisive. He acknowledged that employment issues are never easy. But he reiterated his belief that he made the right decision in this case.

O’Dell questioned Scarice about his offer in May to bring the coach back, with conditions. The superintendent countered that he had been urged to talk with the coach by community and school members, but that no mediation was offered.

There was discussion too about a phone conversation in which Scarice taped O’Dell, without his knowledge — something Scarice said he had never done with another employee. O’Dell claimed this was evidence of arbitrary and capricious behavior, but Mooney’s objection was sustained.

O’Dell asked Scarice why he had not responded during a BOE meeting in January, when a student alleged that the incident at the retreat included physical abuse. O’Dell said that Scarice already knew that charge was false.

Board policy is to not reply to public comment, Scarice said. However, O’Dell responded, chair Lee Goldstein thanked the student for his testimony, adding “good job.”

O’Dell brought up other situations that he said showed Scarice, Thomas and Sarullo acting arbitrarily and capriciously.

They included a meeting in another town between Sarullo and boys tennis coach Kris Hrisovulos, after his own non-renewal was dismissed on procedural grounds. Sarullo denied O’Dell’s charge that at that meeting, the athletic director apologized to Hrisovulos for the way that situation was handled.

Chris O’Dell

O’Dell also brought up situations — one involving a serious head injury to an opposing player, and another in which a Staples player was bullied by an opponent — in an attempt to show that his actions there were consistent with his handling of the incident at the retreat. Sarullo denied they were similar.

In the end, 7 hours of sometimes heated testimony — and an hour of deliberation by the Board of Education — came down to a final vote.

Like Oost-Lievense in May, the majority affirmed the non-renewal decision.

O’Dell was not there to hear the verdict. He had a practice at Fairfield Warde High School.

This past summer, he and Oost-Lievense were hired to coach soccer in the neighboring town.

Early in the proceedings, Scarice had been asked if was concerned about the safety of players at Warde, under O’Dell and Oost-Lievense.

“I’m not the superintendent of Fairfield,” he replied.

 

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Friday Flashback #467

Posted on September 12, 2025 | 2 comments

Today, Riverside Avenue is home to a mix of buildings: business and medical offices, an auto body shop, condos, a school, and private homes.

Back in the day though, it was a hub of manufacturing. With easy water access for shipping, factories filled the river side.

This one belonged to the Meek Oven Company.

(Courtesy of Christopher Maroc)

Remnants of some of those buildings remain today.

If only the traffic was the same now, too.

(Friday Flashback is one of “06880”‘s many regular features. If you enjoy this — or anything else on our website — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)

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Roundup: Post Road East, Long Lots El, Slice Of Saugatuck …

Posted on September 12, 2025 | 10 comments

It’s been going on so long, we barely notice it at all.

Except it’s so annoying — and dangerous — that we drive through it like we’re 16-year-olds, behind the steering wheel for the first time in our lives.

It’s the Post Road East project. Specifically, the section in front of Westport Hardware and Pottery Barn, extending up to Sakura.

It began, I think, during the Roosevelt years (Teddy). And it will last until the end of the next Trump administration (Barron).

The other day, Jerri Graham — whose photos usually showcase the most beautiful scenes and people in Westport — took this shot:

(Photo/Jerri Graham Photography)

She added this comment, on social media: “After wondering why this was taking forever to complete, I asked the man at the UPS Store.

“He said that one company was paid for the work, when two should have been paid. Now there’s a dispute, and construction has been halted.

“I guess it’s becoming an art installation. Regardless, it’s a hazard for drivers and pedestrians.”

It’s also a headache — and a financial hit — for businesses along that torn-up, semi-tarred stretch.

In the meantime: Drive safely. Drive slowly.

And if you happen to see anyone working there again, be extra careful. We can’t afford to lose a single laborer.

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Plans are moving forward for the new Long Lots Elementary School and Stepping Stones Preschool.

1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker reports that the end of this month, or early October, will see “groundbreaking for the geothermal wells and site mobilization.” It’s the first major step in the construction process.

For updates, documents and more details, click here.

Long Lots Elementary School

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Jonathan Uman was killed on September 11, 2001.

He was 33 years old. Today, he would be a grandfather.

Jonathan’s wife, Julie Whamond, is a Westport resident, and Representative Town Meeting member. She also volunteers as a docent, at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York.

Yesterday she and fellow RTM member Andrew Colabella visited the museum. They paused in front of a mural of blue tiles. Each represents one of the 2,977 people killed that tragic day, 24 years ago.

Andrew Colabella and Julie Whamond, at the 9/11 Museum.

Behind that wall is where the chief medical examiner office’s. Nearly a quarter century later, they store and test remains every day. Over 1,000 have yet to be discovered.

Part of Jonathan’s remains are kept on site. It is the final resting place for many victims.

As a docent, Andrew says, Julie tells the story of 9/11, and her personal connection to it. It, and she, serve as “a primary source of evidence of the impacts of terrorism that day,” he says.

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Tomorrow’s Slice of Saugatuck is on!

Delayed one week by rain, the annual Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce event will fill Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place and Bridge Square with 7 bands, tons of kids’ activities, retail offerings — and more 2 dozen restaurants and food purveyors, handing out tasty samples.

The forecast is for partly cloudy skies, and a high of 78 degrees — perfect Slice weather! Click here for a map, ticket information and other details.  

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The Norwalk Art Space’s Arts Bash will have a very distinct Westport flavor.

The October 9 event (6 p.m., 455 West Avenue, Norwalk) — featuring exhibits, music, cocktails and gourmet bites, raising funds to provide free art education and exhibition opportunities to under-represented students and artists — will honor Melissa Newman, for her many contributions to arts and arts education.

The longtime Westport resident is a noted artist, writer, teacher, sculptor, painter — and jazz singer.

A Norwalk Art Space board member, Newman is also a dedicated mentor. “Her multifaceted artistic career and deep-rooted passion for the next generation of creatives make her an ideal honoree for this year’s celebration,” the Art Space says.

​Another Westport connection: The Arts Bash co-chair is local resident Dale Najarian.

​Click here for tickets, and more information.

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During the Gilded Age, America’s favorite sage, sociologist, philosopher and
news analyst was Mr. Dooley — a bartender invented by Chicago newspaper editor Finley Peter Dunne.

Though hardly remembered today, Dunne’s humorous newpaper columns were read all over the world. Mr. Dooley’s opinions were read at White House cabinet meetings; robber barons and politicians lived in fear of the bartender’s sarcasm.

Starting tonight, Mr. Dooley comes to life at the Westport Community Theatre in “Dooley at the Bar,” a one-man show created and performed by Alexander Kulcsar.

The play — which opens WCT’s 68th season — runs for 10 performances, on Fridays and Saturdays (7:30 p.m.) and Sundays (2 p.m.), through September 28.

For tickets, call 203-226-1983, or click here. Questions? Email info@westportcommunitytheatre.com.

“Dooley at the Bar,” at the Westport Community Theatre.

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The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters and State Representative Jonathan Steinberg discuss “climate wins from the 2025 legislative session, and plans for the future” on September 17 (9:30 a.m., Westport Library). The public is invited.

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The American Parkinson Disease Association Connecticut Chapter holds its annual “Optimism Walk”  at Sherwood Island State Park on September 20 (11 a.m.). The event raises awareness and funds. Click here for more information.

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Except for a few hours last weekend, we haven’t had any rain since about 1986.

You wouldn’t know it from Burying Hill Beach, though.

The entrance floods regularly now — pretty much, whenever the tide comes in.

Jalna Jaeger snapped this photo on Wednesday, for our “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/Jalna Jaeger)

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School has begun. The temperature is slowly dropping.

But the Levitt Pavilion continues to offer great entertainment.

DNR — the nearly-all-physician classic rock band — played to an enthusiastic crowd last night.

They’ll be back again just a few yards away on November 1. That show is indoors, at the Westport Library. It’s a benefit for Norwalk Hospital’s Whittingham Cancer Center.

DNR, at the Levitt Pavilion. (Photo/Ken Schwarz)

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And finally … in honor of “Dooley at the Bar,” the new play at the Westport Community Theatre (story above):

(If you don’t support “06880”: Hang down your head and cry. And then … click here to right your wrong. Thank you!) 

 

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Remembering Jo Fuchs Luscombe

Posted on September 12, 2025 | 8 comments

Jo Fuchs Luscombe — a force of nature who, in a lifetime of work and volunteer efforts, accomplished everything from 5 terms in the Connecticut House of Representatives (including minority whip) and Westport’s 3rd selectwoman, to leadership (and boots-on-the-ground) service in nearly every major organization in town — died last weekend. She was 94.

An official obituary has not yet been released. But in 2017, “06880” hailed her as one of our first Unsung Heroes. I wrote:

If you’ve been in Westport for any length of time, you’ve probably heard — and met — Jo Fuchs Luscombe.

She’s been involved in every aspect of life here — politics, education, community service. If it needs doing, Jo has done it.

But how many people know her back story?

A Dallas native, she was just a year old when her father — an oilman — moved the family to Venezuela. Jo grew up speaking Spanish — and gaining an important, real-world view of life.

She went to boarding school and college in Texas, headed to Katherine Gibbs secretarial school, got married at 19 and had a child at 20.

Jo Fuchs Luscombe

Her husband was in oil too, so they headed to Libya. Jo learned Italian there, and was once more immersed in a very different culture.

In her mid-30s, after moving back to the US, Jo and her husband divorced. Encouraged by Rev. Dana Forrest Kennedy, she threw herself into every aspect Christ & Holy Trinity Church. She became president of the Women’s Guild, served on the vestry, and ran fundraisers.

She got interested too in the Westport Historical Society. Jo was a driving force behind the acquisition and restoration of Wheeler House — owned at the time by her church — as the organization’s headquarters.

In 1980, Jo was asked to fill out an unexpired term on the Zoning Board of Appeals. Public speaking did not come easily. But — as with everything else in her life — she worked to master it.

She won a full term on her own, then was appointed to the vacant post of 3rd selectman.

In 1986, Jo managed her friend and fellow Westporter Julie Belaga’s campaign for governor.

Jo’s next step was the state House of Representatives. She served 5 terms — from 1987 to ’97 — and rose to assistant minority leader and Republican minority whip.

At the same time, she was involved in the League of Women Voters (1989-2011). She was a member of Westport Sunrise Rotary from the 1988 beginning, and was the first female president (1991-92).

Retirement from state politics did not slow her down. As a 10-year member of Westport’s School Building Committee (and chair) she helped oversee 5 major construction and renovation projects (including the new Staples High School).

Jo Fuchs Luscombe (Photo courtesy of Westport Woman’s Club)

Remarriage did not slow her down either. Jo was president of the Westport Woman’s Club from 2003-05 (where she helped run major events like the art show), and was active in the Greens Farms Garden club, and countless others.

As a Westport Weston Family YMCA board trustee from 1998 to 2015, she helped shepherd the new building on its long, torturous journey from downtown to Mahackeno. She earned a “Faces o Achievement” Award from the Y in 1999.

She was even a justice of the peace.

Her husband John says there is one reason she accomplishes so much: “She doesn’t sleep.”

There’s one more thing: Jo Fuchs Luscombe is one of the nicest, most always-smiling people you’ll ever meet.

Congratulations, Jo. And thanks from all of us, for all you’ve done in so many ways.

(Hat tip: Bobbie Herman)

Cards can be sent to Jo’s son, Edward Fuchs: 52 St. James Drive, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418. A full obituary will be published when available.

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Pic Of The Day #3067

Posted on September 11, 2025 | 2 comments

Connecticut’s 9/11 Memorial, at Sherwood Island State Park (Photo/Laurie Crouse)

Prior to September 11, 2001 the twin towers of the World Trade Center were visible from Sherwood Island. On that day and for several afterward, smoke from the towers was visible from this location.

The Governor’s office and Office of Emergency Management mobilized to establish a staging area at the park. to support to New York City after the tragedy. It was never used; there was no one to save.

When you face the inscription on the memorial, you are oriented across Long Island Sound to the site of the former World Trade Center.

The inscription reads: “The citizens of Connecticut dedicate this living memorial to the thousands of innocent lives lost on September 11, 2001 and to the families who loved them.”

The memorial was dedicated in September 2002.

153 memorial names, flanking the main memorial stone, were installed and dedicated during ceremonies in September 2003. They honor Connecticut residents, and those with ties to the state, killed on 9/11.

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Roundup: Signs, Environment, Parks & Rec …

Posted on September 11, 2025 | 6 comments

Signs are everywhere in Westport — and I’m not even talking about political ones.

Sandwich boards advertising nearby busineses are overrunning our sidewalks, encroaching on doorways and stairs.  (Don’t believe me? Check out 180 Post Road East, across from Casa Me.)

Are they legal?

Kind of.

Planning & Zoning director Michelle Perillie notes that all merchants in non-residential districts are permitted one temporary, free-standing portable sign.

But a zoning permit is required, and it must be renewed annually.

In addition:

  • Signs cannot be permanently installed in the ground.
  • Signs must be self-supporting/portable, or hung on the façade of the tenant’s building. Signs cannot be attached to an immovable object like a structure, utility or light pole or fence.
  • Signs must be no larger than 24 inches wide by 40 inches high as measured from the ground — including borders or supports. A sign hanging on a building façade can be no larger than 24 inches wide by 36 inches high, may only be one-sided, and hung flush to the building. Signs on façades must not be more than 7 feet above the ground, as measured to the top of the sign.
  • Signs may only be displayed during the hours that the business is open. Signs must be removed when the business is not open.
  • The sign must be a framed chalk board or eraser board. All wording must be hand drawn.
  • Signs must be located on the property of the business that has put out the sign. The name of the establishment must appear on or be affixed to the sign. Signs may not be located in parking spaces.
  • Signs must not interfere with pedestrian traffic or block sight lines for drivers.
  • Signs may not have lights, be lighted, or have any moving parts

To obtain a permit, merchants must set up an account here. Scaled drawings showing the proposed sign, and a survey or site plan of the property are required.

If approved, an assigned number sticker must be attached to the sign. The annual permit cost is $100.

Questions? Email mperillie@westportct.gov.

This sign probably complies with all the rules — except it does not have the business’ name. It was for Bottlerock, which has since closed. And did they apply for a $100 permit?

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There’s a lot going on at Earthplace.

Beginning tonight.

At 7 p.m. today (Thursday), a Zoom lecture with Q-and-A explores “Remarkable Raptors & Their Highways in the Sky.” As hawks, eagles, falcons and vultures migrate soon, learn more about these birds of prey.

Also ahead:

  • “Sound Bath with Abbey Chase Yoga” (September 18, 6 to 7:15 p.m.; $35, adult+).
  • “Plein Air Painting on the Trails” (September 20, 10 a.m. to noon; $10 suggested donation).
  • “Pick Your Own Bouquet” (September 21, 11 a.m. to noon; $25 members, $35 non-members).
  • “Woodland Harvest: Foraging in Fall” (September 28, 1 to 2:30 p.m.; $10 members, $12 non-members).
  • “Woodside Bash” (October 4, 7 to 10 p.m.; open bar, harvest dinner, fire pit, mechanical bull, live entertainment; $125)

 Click here for details, and registration. Questions? Email v.swain@earthplace.org.

Birds of prey are among Earthplace’s many attractions.

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Speaking of the environment: “Yes, In My Back Yard!”

That’s the name of the next Aspetuck Land Trust Lunch & Learn webinar.

The September 18 Zoom (12 to 1:30 p.m.). features restoration ecologist Meghan Noe Fellows, discussing Miaywaki-style mini-forests at scale. She’s installed over 150 of them.

Mini-forests are dense plantings of native plants, trees, and shrubs. They increase biodiversity, provide bird and insect habitat, and (ahem) block out unsightly neighbors.

There are 7 in Bridgeport. All have received raves. Now it’s time to plan these “super-clumps” at home. Click here to register, and for more information.


Typical mini-forest.

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Among the interesting agendas for upcoming meetings:

Parks & Recreation Commission (September 17, 7:30 p.m., Zoom). Topics include the Longshore capital improvement plan (maintenance facility update), and an update on the parks master plan.

The Board of Education’s Finance & Facilities Committee meets today (Thursday, September 11, 11 a.m., Town Hall auditorium). They’ll review the capital improvement plan and proposed project, and hear a status report on the Staples High School auditorium and fieldhouse floor renovations, girls team room, pool scoreboard, and the Staples athletic fields master plan.

Westport Parks & Rec will be involved in upcoming improvements at Longshore and Staples High School.

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Congratulations to Owen Goldfarb, Nathaniel Greely, Jay Hari, Isabel Jo, Dylan O’Brien, Julian Saraf, Matthew Tybur!

The 7 Staples High School seniors are semifinalists in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Nationwide, 16,000 semifinalists — fewer than 1% of the over 1.3 million students who took the 2024 PSAT/NMSQT qualifying exam — will compete for 6,930 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $26 million.

From left: Isabel Jo, Principal Stafford W. Thomas, Matthew Tybur, Owen Goldfarb, Julian Saraf, Dylan O’Brien, Jay Hari, Nathaniel Greeley.

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Westport Police made one custodial arrest between September 3 and 9. A 28-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with operating an unregistered motor vehicle, theft of a marker plate, illegal operation of a motor vehicle without minimum insurance and with a suspended driver’s license, illegal window tinting and violation f probation. He was held on a $61,000 bond.

Westport Police also issued these citations:

  • Traveling unreasonably fast: 29 citations
  • Driving while texting: 6
  • Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 4
  • Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 4
  • Improper use of markers: 3
  • Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 3
  • Speeding in a school zone: 2
  • Speeding: 2
  • Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 2
  • Improper turns: 2
  • Failure to halt alcohol possession by a minor: 1
  • Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 1
  • Distracted driving: 1
  • Failure to obey stop sign: 1
  • Failure to drive in the proper lane:
  • Failure to obey traffic control signals: 1
  • Failure to renew registration: 1
  • Failure to wear seat belt: 1

Failure to halt alcohol possession by a minor is illegal.

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In advance of Rosh Hashanah (September 23), The Blondinit is preparing a catering menu of Israeli-inspired cooking.

Options (serving 8-10 people) include labneh, babaganush, saffron rice and chicken. All are served with pita, tahini, pickles and schug.

To order, call 203-557-3277, or email catering@theblondinit.com. All catering orders are pick-up only.

A few Rosh Hashanah options from The Blondinit.

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Dr. Amanda Posner, a well-known pediatrician, died August 28 in Westport, surrounded by her closest friends and family. She was 43.

She graduated from Dartmouth College in 2004 with a BA in religion and theater. She earned an MD from Columbia University in 2012, and completed her pediatrics residency at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in 2015. She was admired for her skill, compassion and warmth.

Amanda’ was also a talented performer. She acted and sang in productions at Dartmouth and with the Bard Hall Players at Columbia, after appearing off-Broadway as a teenager and acting in the films “Welcome to the Dollhouse” and “The Door in the Floor.”

Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at 33, Amanda defied her illness for more than a decade, living fully and serving as an example to friends and family. She later joined the Board of Directors for the Bay Area Young Survivors (BAYS) in CA and the Norfield Children’s Center in CT.

In 2016, Amanda married Ben Neumann. Their son Andrew was the true love of Amanda’s life.

Amanda is survived by her husband Ben, son Andrew, parents Dr. Amy Newburger and Dr. Lawrence Posner of Westport, and her brother Dr. Russell Posner (Dr. Melissa Posner_ of Darien.

A celebration of Amanda’s life will be held at 1 p.m. on September 14  at Norfield Church in Weston. To honor Amanda’s lasting impact, her family is establishing an endowed professorship in the Division of General Pediatrics at UCSF.

Dr. Amanda Posner

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As summer wanes, Tomoko Meth caught this colorful “Westport … Naturally” scene at Mark Yurkiw and Wendy Van Wie’s beautiful Cross Highway home.

(Photo/Tomoko Meth)

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And finally … once you saw the “signs” story, you knew this was coming:

(All the signs point this way: to the donation page for “06880.” Hey, this stuff doesn’t post itself. We need our readers — aka “your” — help. Thanks for tossing a few bucks our way!)

 

 

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Posted in Environment, Local politics, Obituaries, Police, Restaurants, Sports, Staples HS

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Sarah Jessica Parker’s Stylish, Bookish Night

Posted on September 11, 2025 | 1 comment

“Sex and the City” star Sarah Jessica Parker drew a sellout crowd  last night, for the Westport Library’s signature “Booked for the Evening” fundraiser.

Over a quarter century, the event has drawn honorees from a broad range of arts and entertainment — everyone from Alan Alda, Patti Smith and  Shonda Rhimes to Billie Jean King, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Itzhak Perlman.

“06880” intern Bianca Mastocciolo was there, at the Trefz Forum. She writes:

Doors opened at 7 p.m. for a cocktail hour. Small bites and drinks were served, along with cosmopolitans (Carrie Bradshaw’s favorite), served in engraved “Booked” glasses.

“Sex and the City” cosmos. (Photo/Bianca Mastocciolo)

What would a Sarah Jessica Parker event be without attendees dressing the part? Attendees remarked on the cutouts of others’ dresses, and how SJP would appreciate some “risque.”

The event began with a video montage of Parker’s most memorable moments and interviews. It included cameos from friends and castmates, including “Sex and the City” co-stars Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis and Mario Cantone. 

A touching tribute also came from Tony Award winner Kelli O’Hara. The Westporter and Broadway star sang a mashup, accompanied by pianist Dan Lipton. Emmy Award-winning actor James Naughton of Weston also spoke.

Parker was interviewed by former Westport Library executive director Maxine Bleiweis. 

Maxine Bleiweis (left) and the “Booked” star. (Photo/Bianca Mastocciolo)

With charm and wit, Parker shared tales of Met Gala looks and library memories. The audience greeted her comments with applause and laughter.

After noting that she was hesitant to receive the award, the honoree said that her connection to libraries drew her to accept.

“When a library calls, my response is to say yes, no matter what,” Parker said.

Parker discussed her love for the arts, ranging from her work in film and theater to her role as a board member of the New York City Ballet, and the hundreds of books she has read. She encouraged parents to let their children explore the arts, as it is fundamental to their creativity.

During the 2-hour ceremony Parker received a plaque, her own Westport Library card, and a personalized New York Times crossword puzzle gifted by previous Booked recipient Will Shortz. 

It was Sarah Jessica Parker’s crowd, all the way. From iconic blue Manolo Blahniks to Louis Vuitton flats, the crowd came prepared and left stylishly.

A small part of the large “Booked for the Evening” crowd. (Photo copyright DinkinESH Fotografix)

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Blue Skies, A Bicycle, And A World Changed Forever

Posted on September 11, 2025 | 5 comments

No matter what else goes on today — September 11, 2025 — the shadow of September 11, 2001 hangs over us all. 

That horrible day changed our lives forever. We know it now — and we sensed it then.

Here’s what I wrote 3 days later — September 14, 2001 — in my Westport News “Woog’s World” column.

It was a bit past noon on Tuesday, the Tuesday that will change all of our lives forever.

Fifty miles from Westport smoke billowed from what, just hours before, was the World Trade Center.

A number of Westporters once worked there. The twin towers were never particularly beautiful, but in their own way they were majestic. Whether driving past them on the New Jersey Turnpike, flying near them coming in to the airport, or taking out-of-town friends or relatives to the top, we took a certain amount of pride in them.

We’re Westporters, but in a way we’re also New Yorkers. The World Trade Center symbolized that, though we live in suburban Connecticut, we all feel in some way connected to the most exciting, glamorous, powerful city in the world.

And now that same city was under attack. From the largest McMansion to the most modest Westport home, men and women frantically tried to make contact with spouses, relatives and friends who work in downtown Manhattan.

The iconic 9/11 photo was taken by Westport’s Spencer Platt. He lived near the Twin Towers on that awful morning.

At Staples High School, teenagers who grew up thinking the worst thing that can happen is wearing the wrong shirt or shoes, were engaged in a similar quest.

Many of their fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers work in New York. Many others knew loved ones who were flying that morning, or in Washington, or somewhere else that might possibly become the next city under siege.

Meanwhile, on Whitney Street, a pretty young woman dressed in her best late-summer clothes rode a bicycle down the road.

It was, after all, a beautiful day. Along the East Coast there was not a cloud n the sky — not, that is, unless you count the clouds filled with flames, dust and debris erupting from the collapse of the World Trade Center.

It was a perfect day to ride a bicycle, unless of course you were terrified you had lost a loved one, were glued to a television set wherever you could find one, or were so overwhelmed by grief and rage and fright and confusion because you had no idea what was next for America that riding a bicycle was absolutely the furthest thing from your mind.

On the other hand, perhaps riding a bicycle was exactly the right reaction. Perhaps doing something so innocent, so routine, so life-affirming, was just was some of us should have been doing.

If tragedy teaches us anything, it is that human beings react to stress in a variety of ways. Who is to say that riding a bicycle is not the perfect way to tell Osama bin Laden, or whoever turns out to be responsible for these dastardly deeds, that America’s spirit will not be broken?

But I could not have ridden a bicycle down the road on Tuesday. I sat, transfixed, devouring the television coverage of events that, in their own way, may turn out to be as transforming for this world as Pearl Harbor was nearly 60 years earlier.

I could not bear to watch what I was seeing, but neither could I tear myself away. Each time I saw the gaping holes in those two towers, every time I saw those enormous symbols of strength and power and (even in these economically shaky times) American prosperity crumble in upon themselves like a silly disaster movie, the scene was more surreal than the previous time.

Life will be equally surreal for all of us for a long time to come.

I wondered, as I watched the video shots of the jet planes slam into the World Trade Center over and over and over again, what must have been going through each passenger’s mind.

Like many Westporters, I fly often. Like most I grumble about the delays and crowded planes, but like them too I feel a secret, unspoken thrill every time the sky is clear, the air is blue and the scenery terrific. Tuesday was that kind of day.

For the rest of my life, I suspect, flying will never be the same. And the increased security we will face at every airport, on each plane, is only part of what I fear.

So much remains to be sorted out. We will hear, in the days to come, of Westporters who have lost family members and friends in the World Trade Center. We will hear too of those who have lost their jobs when their companies collapsed, either directly or indirectly, as a result of the terrorism.

Sherwood Island State Park is the site of Connecticut’s official 9/11 Memorial. (Photo/David Squires)

We will drive along the New Jersey Turnpike, or stand on a particular street in Manhattan, perhaps even take out-of-town guests to gaze at the landmark we will come to call “the place the twin towers used to be.”

Our casual grocery store and soccer sideline conversations will be filled with stories: who was where when the terror first hit, and what happened in the hours after.

Our newspapers and airwaves will be clogged with experts trying to explain — though that will never be possible — what it all means for us, in the short term and long term, as individuals and a society.

Our world has already changed, in ways that will take years, if not decades, to understand. We are nowhere close to comprehending the meaning of all this.

The world will go on, of course. Our planet will continue to spin; men and women will continue to commute to New York, and pretty women in Westport will continue to ride bicycles down Whitney Street.

At the same time, sadly, none of that will ever be the same.

Among the nearly 3,000 victims of 9/11, 161 were from Connecticut.

Two lived in Westport: Jonathan Uman and Bradley Vadas. Brothers Keith and Scott Coleman grew up here. All worked at the World Trade Center.

They were sons, fathers and brothers. They had much of their lives still ahead of them.

Today, we remember all those killed that day. Twenty-three years later, we still grieve.

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