Tag Archives: 2022 Winter Olympics

Roundup: Winter Lights Festival, Grace Power, Olympics …

Posted on February 10, 2022 | 7 comments

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The days are getting lighter. But it’s still mid-February.

This Saturday (February 12, noon to 9 p.m.), you can help make things brighter. Westport’s 2nd annual Winter Lights Festival takes place on Jesup Green.

The event — co-sponsored by Next Teens, Toquet Hall and MoCA Teens –is a fundraiser to fight food insecurity.

Eveyone attending the event will help create an immersive winter-themed experience, including a walk-through light path. The festival includes a fully stocked craft-makin space for families to create fun decorations, which will be included in the path.

The walkway will be lit at 5 p.m. At that time, Up Next will announce a new community initiative.

The festivities continue afterward at Toquet Hall, with Game Night and free  hot chocolate.

Click here for tickets, and more information.

Last year’s Winter Lights Festival.

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When “Life & Beth” debuts on Hulu next month, most eyes will be on star Amy Schumer.

But Westporters will look for Grace Power. The Staples High School sophomore — who was part of last year’s Players radio shows — can be seen in 7 episodes, as “Young Liz.”

Click below for the show’s trailer:

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Employees and customers at People’s Bank North Compo Road branch are mourning the sudden death of Peter Harrington, the popular and very caring manager there. He spent 38 years with People’s.

Other mourners include members of the Westport Rotary Club, where he was an active and gregarious member.

The Brooklyn native grew up in New Jersey and Connecticut. He was a graduate of Fairfield Prep and Notre Dame University, where he majored in economics.

Peter is survived by his wife of 41 years, Pamela, and their children Matthew and Lauren.

Peter Harrington

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Some Westporters love the Olympics. Some loathe them. Others care only because our neighbor Julia Marino earned a silver medla.

But no one driving on Pumpkin Hill near Colony Road can ignore these signs of support. Go USA! indeed.

(Photo/Ed Simek)

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo includes a somewhat unnatural — but closely related — subject.

Paul Delano writes: “I was strolling along the Riverwalk around Levitt Pavilion Tuesday, and saw some mallards swimming in Deadman Brook. Lo and behold, a colorful wood duck was hanging out with them.”

(Photo/Paul Delano)=======================================================

And finally … Roberta Flack turns 85 years old today! Hard to believe — and hard to believe this achingly beautiful song is almost 50 years old.

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Posted in Entertainment, Local business, Obituaries, Staples HS

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Julia Marino Scores! Westport Snowboarder Wins Olympic Silver!

Posted on February 6, 2022 | 11 comments

Westport has an Olympic medalist!

In fact, hers is the entire American team’s first of the 2022 Games, in China.

Julia Marino led nearly all the way in women’s slopestyle yesterday, then finished second in the exciting, acrobatic event. She scored 87.68, in the 2nd of 3 runs. A snowboarder’s best result is the only one that counts.

Her medal performance included a perfect cab double underflip 900 off “The Matrix.” She ended with a frontside double cork 1080 on the last hit. Watch it all below:

It was the first Olympic medal of her career, in her second games. She competed in PyeongChang 4 years ago, placing 11th.

Julie — a 24-year-old who grew up here, and now trains in Colorado — beat US teammate and favorite Jamie Anderson (8th place) and better-known Hailey Langland (11th) yesterday.

“It’s honestly hard right now [to put into words], there’s just so much emotion,” Marino said on NBC after the medal ceremony.

“Right now it’s just pure excitement and happiness for everything, it was a great day – the weather was perfect, the course was perfect, the girls were riding well, couldn’t have asked for better finals.”

In keeping with these odd, COVID-stricken and politically fraught games, Julia’s friends and family were half a world away from China. But they got a gorgeous, up-close-and-as-personal-as-possible view.

Proud mom Elaine Marino (center, holding scarf), with family and friends at Vivid-Tek. (Photo/Dave Briggs)

As they did the day before, they gathered at Vivid-Tek, the store selling customizable (and hideable) large scale TV screens, between Fortuna’s and a rapid testing center. Owner Mark Motyl hosted the viewing party, as he had done the night before during qualifying runs.

NBC showed frequent shots of the family.

NBC’s split screen: Julia Marino in China, the Marino family and friends in Westport. (Screenshot/Jeanine Esposito)

Julia’s overwhelmingly proud mother, Elaine Marino, told Westport broadcaster Dave Briggs, “I can’t explain the joy in my heart. This is a dream come true. Silver is just as lovely as gold. She did her best, and that’s what counts.”

Julia’s sportsmanship was on display at the end. She piled on Sadowski-Synnott — the gold medalist who edged her out. “She’s happy for everyone,” her mom said.

Briggs noted that Julia’s father John has said, “I’m prouder of the person she is than her as a snowboarder.”

One commentator noted: “She’s from the East. She knows how to perform in the cold.”

After attending Westport schools, Julia transferred to St. Joseph High in Trumbull (and helped the Cadets win a state soccer championship as a junior). In the winter she headed to Colorado to train, then returned in the spring to take online classes.

Her parents are active Westporters, and she returns often.

The next visit will be a big one. First Selectwoman Jen Tooker and Matthew Mandell, director of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce, say a parade to honor Julia is in the works.

Screenshot from NBC’s broadcast. (Photo/Jeanine Esposito)

Next up: the big air competition. Click here for some of NBC’s coverage of the slopestyle final. Click here for a story on NBC’s website.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1490166842903568385

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Posted in Local business, Media, Sports

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Roundup: Olympic Snowboarding, Cell Tower, Dogfight …

Posted on February 5, 2022 | 4 comments

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Julia Marino has qualified for the Olympic snowboarding final!

The Westport native — who now trains in Breckenridge, Colorado, and has faced a number of obstacles during her time on the team — fell twice on her first slopestyle run yesterday. But she blazed to a great 71.78 in her second attempt, finishing 6th.

She’ll be joined by teammates Jamie Anderson and Hailey Langland in the final. It’s set for Sunday in China — which is 8:30 p.m. tonight (Saturday), on NBC. Click here for the streaming link. Click here for more information on Julia, and the US team. (Hat tip: Dave Briggs)

Julia Marino

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It’s back to the drawing board — and 92 Greens Farms Road — for a new cell tower.

Tarpon Towers/AT&T had originally proposed a structure for private property there, abutting I-95 near Hillspoint Road.

Then came a new site: the office park at 55 Greens Farms Road next to Assumption Cemetery, a couple of hundred yards west and across the street.

Now, the owner of that property has withdrawn the site from consideration.

A public information will still be held on Tuesday (February 8, 7 p.m., Zoom), to consider the 92 Greens Farms Road location.

The Public Information Session scheduled for Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at 7:00 PM will concentrate on the originally proposed location at 92 Greens Farms Road.

Click here for the legal notice. Click here for the Zoom link for the meeting.

A cell tower been proposed for the property on the left: 92 Greens Farms Road. (Photo courtesy of Google Maps)

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More local government news: Next Tuesday’s Board of Finance meeting to discuss using ARPA funds for low-density affordable housing on the Post Road near West Parish Lane will be held in the Town Hall auditorium — not Room 309 of that building.

This Post Road site next to Walgreens has been proposed for low-density affordable housing.

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“06880” is “where Westport meets the world.” But the University of Michigan is no slouch. It’s “where Staples Players meets the theatrical world.”

A student group is producing “Dogfight.” Players alums Jamie Mann (musical theater) and Brandon Malin (lighting) — both first-years there — are deeply involved.

“Dogfight” is a 2012 musical adaptation of the 1991 coming-of-age-during-Vietnam film. Staples 2003 grad Justin Paul wrote the music and lyrics with his writing partner Benj Pasek. Both also graduated from Michigan.

The book was by Peter Duchan (Staples ’01). He has known Paul since Coleytown Middle School (and has no connection to Michigan — Duchan went on to Northwestern University).

Paul and Pasek did a Zoom call with the cast. No word on whether they asked Mann and Malin how Players is doing.

Click here for a link to Michigan’s “Dogfight” page.

Brandon Malin (left) and Jamie Mann, in the “Dogfight” theater.

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Speaking of Staples Players: Congrats to 2021 graduate Sophie Rossman. The New York University freshman appears in the short film “Clare,” which premieres at the prestigious SXSW Film Festival next month.

Click here for details.

Sophie Rossman (Photo/Kerry Long)

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And speaking still of Staples Players — though in a very different way — Meredith Boak is Harvard Law School’s new assistant dean for clinical and pro bono programs.

The 2001 Staples graduate — yes, she was in Players the same year as Duchan — most recently served as senior vice president of revenue and development at Teach For America, overseeing and executing its sustainable funding strategy.

Boak has been a lecturer at Harvard Law since 2013. She earned an undergraduate degree in political science from Columbia University, and a master’s in secondary English education from Pace.

Meredith Boak

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Through all kinds of weather — snow, rain, mist, fog — the Earthplace foliage hangs on. Rowene Weems snapped today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo there.

(Photo/Rowene Weems Photography)

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And finally … if you enjoyed the item about “Dogfight” (above), and want to know more — click here:

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Roundup: Restaurant Pickups, Winter Olympics, The Walters …

Posted on January 26, 2022 | 5 comments

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The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce “Order Direct/Pick It Up” initiative has educated Westporters to use restaurants’ actual websites (or phones) to place pick-up orders. That’s because Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub and similar platforms take huge chunks of the bill for themselves.

Now the word has spread throughout the state. Other Chambers of Commerce are educating their residents too.

Now the Westport Weston Chamber is going a step further.

Click here, then scroll down for “direct” clickable links and phone numbers of Chamber restaurants. Now there’s no excuse to hand over much of a restaurant’s profit to 3rd-party apps.

The list includes:

  • 190 Main
  • Allium
  • Amis
  • Bistro du Soleil
  • Black Duck
  • Boathouse at Saugatuck Rowing Club
  • Don Memo
  • Dunville’s
  • Gabriele’s
  • Granola Bar
  • Harvest
  • Kawa Ni
  • Little Barn
  • Manna Toast
  • Match Burger Lobster
  • Naan
  • Pane e Bene
  • Rive Bistro
  • Rizzuto’s
  • Romanacci Express
  • Sakura
  • Sherwood Diner
  • Spotted Horse
  • Tarantino
  • Tarry Lodge
  • Terrain Garden Café
  • Tutti’s
  • Via Sforza
  • Viva Zapata
  • Wafu
  • Walrus Alley
  • The Whelk

(Graphic courtesy of Miggs Burroughs)

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The Winter Olympics open in 9 days, in Beijing. Of course there’s a Westport connection.

Our neighbor Julia Marino is on the US snowboarding team (slopestyle/big air).

With no fans, friends or family — plus COVID rules, political pressure, burner phones (!) and zero real snow (!!), it will be nothing like her previous Olympics.

Westport journalist Dave Briggs interviewed our local Olympian for his Westport Lifestyle Instagram Life series. Click here for her candid, up-close-and-personal view of these very unusual Olympics Games.

Dave Briggs and Julie Marino.

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Last month, “06880” reported on The Walters. The band — fronted by 2010 Staples High School graduate Walter Kosner had broken up, but became social media-famous thanks to a sudden slew of TikTok videos.

I included a link to their biggest hit, “I Love You So.”

But tomorrow (Thursday, January 27, 11:35 p.m.), Westporters — and everyone else in the world — can watch The Walters live. They’ll be on Jimmy Kimmel Live, on ABC.

They probably won’t be on for 15 minutes. But they will be famous.

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Several Staples students have taken the first step toward national recognition.

Judges have chosen winners in the PTA’s annual Reflections contest. They advance to the state level; after that comes the national competition.

Congratulations to 1st place winners Charlie Jandora (Literature), Jason Capozucca (Music) and Shivali Kanthan (Visual Arts), runners-up Josh Gordon, Jadon Laitman and Camille Vynerib, and 3rd-place finisher Hugh Kennedy.

Reflections winners: Front row (from left): Charlie Jandora, Shivali Kanthan, Camille Vynerib Rear: Jason Capozucca, Jaden Laitman, Hugh Kennedy, Josh Gordon, principal Stafford Thomas.

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We’re midway through dog season at Compo Beach. They take to the sand and shore like they own it. Which — from October to March — they do.

Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo comes courtesy of Karen Como.

(Photo/Karen Como)

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And finally … on this date in 1934, the Apollo Theater reopened in Harlem. Begun as a white-only burlesque house in 1914, it fell into disrepair. It was transformed 2 decades later into a jazz venue, with primarily Black performers and patrons.

Duke Ellington was on the opening day bill in 1934. So was Benny Carter and his Harlem Club Orchestra. He probably played this hit, recorded 3 months earlier:

 

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Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Media, Restaurants, Sports, Staples HS

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