Good news for employees: More all-day parking has been added downtown.
Since May 1 — when 3-hour parking enforcement began — officials have monitored the lots. Parker Harding Plaza has seen “a significant increase” in available spaces.
Meanwhile, all-day spaces in the Baldwin lot (off Elm Street) have been heavily utilized — but some 3-hour spaces were vacant, especially in the morning and early afternoon.
The Selectwoman’s office and Police Department will now convert 18 3-hour spaces in the Baldwin lot to all-day spots.
In addition, 25 spaces in the Jesup Road North lot (next to the Gillespie Center, near the police station) will be converted to all-day too.
For more information about parking, and a map that includes space count and locations for timed and all-day parking, click here.
Baldwin parking lot (tan), on Elm Street. Brooks Corner is the white building to its left.
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As “06880” reported yesterday, Tim Romano was not pleased that several Trump signs were knocked over, on the grass in front of Longshore.
On Wednesday night, he took matters into his own hands — literally.
Around 6 p.m. a passerby saw him, near his Trump-festooned golf cart, hammering at least 6 signs in the same area. He dug holes, then used 2x4s glued together to secure them in the ground. The resident — who contacted “06880” — hopes he will fill in the holes, once the the election is over.
(Photo/Tony Litman)
Another reader saw the signs later, and wrote to “06880”: “It can’t be legal to put up permanent campaign signs.”
It may be.
Under “Temporary Signs,” Westport’s Planning & Zoning regulations allow “Signs for political purposes.”
That’s it.
Only 4 more days …
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Speaking of politics: Republicans have charged that illegal aliens are voting in presidential election.
They’ve said that immigrants eat dogs.
Neither of those allegations is true.
But what is true is that here in Westport, dogs vote.
Want proof?
(Photo/Cat Malkin)
PS: Early voting runs through Sunday, November 3, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium.
Voting on Election Day (Tuesday, November 5), is from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., at regular polling places. Click here to view a district map.
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Yesterday marked the 11th anniversary of Andrew Accardi’s death. The 2011 Staples High School graduate and golf team member lost a 15-year battle against neuroblastoma. He was 20 years old.
Andrew’s family, and his many friends from Staples and Villanova University remember him lovingly. And, more than a decade later, they are honoring his memory generously.
On Wendnesday, “Andrew’s Army” presented a $90,000 check to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
The funds — raised by Andrew’s Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, friend and family — come from events like an annual golf outing.
In the front row of the photo below are (from left) Dr. John Maris, professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital, and a University of Pennsylvania professor; Professor and lab director Dr. Yale Mosse, and Dr. Frank Accardi, Andrew’s father.
The young people behind them are brilliant doctors and technicians at the Maris lab in the Colket Translational Research Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Dr. Accardi says that Dr. Maris “has more awards, and has contributed more than anyone perhaps in the world, to the study of and therapies for neuroblastoma.
“More importantly, he is the most sympathetic, compassionate physician I have ever known. He treated Andrew as if he were his own son.”
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The Westport Country Playhouse has a 93-year tradition of presenting top-notch plays and musicals. This year they’ve added concerts, cabarets, one-person shows, and much more.
Next up: tours of the historic theater.
They’re available by reservation on Fridays and Saturdays (10:30 a.m. to noon), November 15-16, December 13-14, January 17-18, and February 7-8. Each is limited to 25 people.
Guided by Playhouse archivist Bruce Miller, participants will learn how the past has been preserved since 1931, and how state-of-the-art technology has been introduced.
Attendees will explore backstage, the greenroom, dressing rooms, scene shop, wardrobe room, posters, photos, costume designs and set models. They’ll stand on the same stage as Gene Wilder, James Earl Jones, Jane Fonda, Eartha Kitt, Paul Newman, Kelli O’Hara, Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald.
Along the way Miller tell stories, including how the WCP helped inspire Oklahoma!” and “My Fair Lady.”
There is no fee for the tour, but donations are encouraged. Click here for reservations, and more information
Westport Country Playhouse (Photo/Wells Studio)
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Westport’s first responders have returned from North Carolina. They deployed there to help victims of Hurricane Helene.
On Wednesday, 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, emergency management director Nick Marsan (far left and far right) and Police Chief Foti Koskinas (2nd from left) awarded certificates to (left to right) officer Gregory Gunter, tirefighter Michael Durette, Deputy Chief Matthew Cohen, firefighter Patrick Dailey and dispatcher Devin Mulligan.
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A PS to the story of Ben Casparius’ World Series championship:
After the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their victory Tuesday, they had time for friends who watched them win the final game.
For Casparius — the pitcher called up from the minor leagues only in August — that group included fellow Staples High graduates, from the classes of 2016 and ’17.
They knew him from his Little League days.
It was a special moment, on the hallowed Yankee Stadium grounds, with the newest World Series champ.
But it was also just like old times.
Ben Casparius (center, in his new championship t-shirt), with (from left), college friend Kenny Campbell, and Staples buddies Nathan Panzer, Justin Seideman and Kenny Brill. Panzer is a former Wrecker teammate.
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In an age of Amazon and Yelp reviews, many people still rely on old-school Consumer Reports.
Next Thursday (November 7, 10 a.m.), the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston invited the public to an inside look at how CR delivers information.
Panelists include editorial director Ellen Kunes, communications director Barrie Rosen and chief content officer vice president Jen Schecter.
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Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between October 23 and 30.
A 25-year-old Bridgeport man was arrested for larceny, and conspiracy to commit larceny and criminal mischief, for his part in the May 9 smash-and-grab theft from Lux Bond & Green. He was held on $250,000 bond. Another suspect was arrested earlier.
A 21-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with assault and threatening, after a complaint by a co-worker. The suspect allegedly grabbed the other man by the hair and neck while driving home from work, and threatened to shoot him.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
- Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 13 citations
- Operating a motor vehicle under suspension 3
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 3
- Disorderly conduct: 1
- Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 1
- Traveling too fast for conditions: 1
- Following too closely: 1
- Failure to drive in the proper lane: 1
- Failure to yield to a pedestrian: 1
- Unsafe passing: 1
- Unsafe backing: 1
Be careful when backing up!
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Daniel Szymczak — a 1996 graduate of Staples High School — died this week. He was 46.
A writer, teacher, boat captain and worldwide adventurer, Dan climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro last year. He lived in Florida, the Virgin Islands, Texas, New Mexico, Mexico, Alaska, and most recently Maryland.
At Staples, Dan wrestled and played football. He enjoyed fishing and hunting, and loved Ernest Hemingway, the English language, and his dog Charlie.
Dan earned a BA in English from the University of Texas, and an MFA in creative writing from Texas State University.
After serving as an English lecturer at Texas State, an editor at the University of Texas and with Mc-Graw Hill Education, and a proofreader for the Texas Legislative Council, he embarked on a new career. Dan was a captain on a 205-foot offshore supply vessel; an engineer, mate and bosun on private yachts, and a deckhand with Lindblad Expeditions.
Dan is survived by his mother and step-father, Paula and Edward Barta; father and step-mother Gordon and DJ Szymczak; siblings Penny, Matt, Gregory and Stephen Szymczak, and Luke and Ben Barta; nieces and nephews Alexa, Easton, Jackson and Max Szymczak, and Hailey and Bailey Barta, and his former fiancée Faith Harty.
A memorial service will be held at a date to be determined.
Dan Szymczak
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Toda’s “Westport … Naturally” feature shows a pile of leaves, at the “leaf dump.”
Photographer Mark Mathias says, “I’m sure none of them were collected using a gas-powered leaf blower.”
(Photo/Mark Mathias)
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And finally … Happy All Saints Day!
(It’s a longtime All Saints Day tradition: show your support for your hyper-local blog with a tax-deductible donation. Just click here. And thank you!)
