“06880” artists are seldom at a loss for ideas. But in case you need any: The first day of summer is Friday. The 4th of July follows soon. Get outside — and then send your work to us, to be admired by all.
No matter what style or subject you choose — and whether you’re a first-timer or old-timer — we welcome your submissions. Watercolors, oils, charcoal, pen-and-ink, acrylics, digital, lithographs, collages, macramé, jewelry, sculpture, decoupage, needlepoint — we want whatever you’ve got.
This feature is open to all. Age, level of experience, subject matter — there are no restrictions. Everyone can contribute.
Please email a JPG to 06880blog@gmail.com. And please include the medium you’re working in — art lovers want to know.
Untitled (Duane Cohen — Available for sale; click here)
“Sally Sells Seashells at the Seashore” — digital painting created with Photoshop (Ken Runkel — Available for sale; click here)
“Joyce’s Wife Nora Barnacle” — Bloomsday is June 16 (Brian Whelan — Available for sale; click here)
Untitled (Tom Doran — Available for sale; click here)
“Flower Abstract” (Ron Henkin)
Untitled (Mary Treschitta — Available for sale; click here)
“The Fence” (Karen Weingarten)
Untitled (Maureen Estony)
Untitled (Joan Micele — Available for purchase; click here)
“Sneak Closer, Tickle the Lioness’ Tummy — And Stay for Lunch” (Mike Hibbard)
“Brendan Wins the Long Drive” — watercolor (Eric Bosch)
“6/14/64 — Still Strolling at Compo, and Always Holding Hands” (Steve Stein)
Untitled (Lawrence Weisman)
(Entrance is free to our online art gallery. But please consider a donation! Just click here — and thank you!)
But Republican primary voting began on Monday. It continues through next Tuesday (except Monday).
There are 2 contests: United States senator (Gerry Smith vs. Matthew M. Corey), and congressman (Bob MacGuffie vs. Michael Goldstein).
Voting hours are today (Thursday, August 8, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.), and tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday (August 9- 11, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) — all at Town Hall only.
On Tuesday (August 13), Republican voters should go to their regular polling places.
All veterans — and their families, and all veterans’ friends — are invited to the VFW’s annual District 1 picnic.
Set for this Saturday (August 10, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399, 465 Riverside Avenue), the menu includes a pig roast, pulled pork, brisket, burgers, dogs and sides. Early arrivals will enjoy bacon egg and cheese sandwiches.
Yacht Rock DJ Matt Zako will provide classic tunes throughout the day.
All-you-can-eat tickets are $30, and include wine and beer. They’re available at the door, as well as Venmo and the VFW bar.
Westport Police made 4 custodial arrests between July 31 and August 7.
A 57-year-old Westport woman was arrested for criminal violation of a civil protection order, after using a shared space in an apartment building that violated a previous order.
A 53-year-old Bridgeport man was arrested for larceny. Beginning last October, he allegedly stole $13,292.85 from Fresh Market cash registers, after initiating cash returns.
A 38-year-old Bronx woman was arrested for larceny, identity theft, forgery, and conspiracy to commit those crimes, after a check made out for $172.66 was stolen from a blue UPS mailbox. The check amount was altered to $8,457, and the payee’s name was changed to that of the suspect.
A 60-year-old Westport woman was arrest for failure to respond to an infraction, after a motor vehicle stop for operating an unregistered motor vehicle.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 21 citations
Failure to obey stop sign: 9
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 6
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 5
Driving while texting: 4
Following too closely: 2
Improper use of markers: 2
Failure to renew registration: 2
Speeding: 1
Traveling unreasonably fast: 1
Distracted driving: 1
Failure to drive in the proper lane: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1
Failure to cancel registration within 10 days: 1
Texting while driving is illegal — even at a red light.
The 2018 Staples High School graduate is one of 15 finalists for the CBS Morning’s “Mixtape Competition.” The public votes for the winner. Her stage name is Chandler Flannery.
She played in the Long Lots Elementary, Bedford Middle School and Staples orchestras. She made her audition tape on a lark. It’s not as polished as some of the others — but she’s a finalist with them, and thousands of others are not.
Speaking of music: The United Methodist Church of Westport & Weston presents The Legacy String Quartet this Saturday (August 10, 6 p.m).
The ensemble brings classical music back to life, blending traditional repertoire with elements of jazz and Latin music.
A $15 donation is requested.
Legacy String Quartet
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Whether you believe the Olympics are some of the most exciting competitions you’ll ever see, or you think they’re sports can’t identify involving athletes from countries you’ve never heard of, you’ve got to like the spirit shown at this Hillspoint Road home:
(Photo/Matt Murray)
Vive la France! Enjoy the Olympics! And go, Team USA!
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Speaking of the Olympics: Bob Weingarten has quite a collection of Games pins.
The pins — honoring the Olympics from 1896 to 1996 — were created by IBM, a sponsor of the ’96 event.
Weingarten — a longtime Westporter, and noted house historian — had some skin in the game.
He was in charge of development of the Atlanta 1996 Olympic IBM information system, for the International Olympic Committee.
Speaking of sports (specifically running): Hugh Connell, owner of the Westport-based Sea Salt Run Club, is organizing a 2-mile fun run this Saturday (August 10, 5:30 p.m., Union Avenue, Bridgeport).
The route begins and ends at Foolproof Brewing Company. The event includes free brews, food and recovery, plus a tour of the brewery and a raffle for Fleet Feet of Westport gift cards.
NOTE: Unlike the Olympics, this is not a race. Participants run at their own, most comfortable pace.
And finally … Soul singer Joe Tex was born on this day, in 1935. He recorded his most memorable songs in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Some people, including Little Richard, claim that James Brown stole Tex’s dance moves and microphone tricks. He died in 1982, age 47.
(“06880” is your hyper-local blog. If you appreciate our several-times-a-day posts, covering every aspect of Westport, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Matt Murray grew up in Weston. He’s been a Westporter for 34 years.
But now he’s cut the cord. Well, the telephone card, anyway. He writes:
For the first time in my life I do not have a landline.
My family started with CA 7-6278 (Capitol 7-6278).
I’ve had a Westport landline since moving here in 1988. It was installed by the late, great SNET (Southern New England Telephone, for newcomers).
SNET and its employees were good. Through various mergers and purchases (AT&T, SBC), the service declined as rates went up (no surprise). But we hung on to the landline (known as POTS = Plain Old Telephone Service). We liked the reliability (more on that). For a time, a fax connection was nice to have.
As the years went on we did not need a fax. But we kept the landline. It was useful when the power went out, during or after bad weather.
Recently, when friends, family and neighbors tried Frontier after getting an incentive or “deal” to switch, they went back to their prior carrier within 30 to 60 days. They said Frontier was so bad: technical, customer service, etc..
We retained the landline for “local” calling and friends far away. Loyalty was expensive, but the landline was reliable.
Up until last week.
As I headed to bed Tuesday night I saw a flashing light on our various phones. I picked one up. There was no dial tone.
I checked the other phones: same thing. I did some troubleshooting, but could tell I would not resolve it at that point.
The next day, I went online and tried more troubleshooting actions. I even went out to the NID (Network Interface Device) on the side of the house to review connections.
A chat with tech support confirmed there was an outage in our area. It was frustrating, but it prompted me to look at my bill.
My service was a “Digital Premium Plan.“ There is nothing “digital” about my landline service. I found this a bit misleading. It added to my annoyance with Frontier. The service rep said they had no estimate of when the outage would be repaired or resolved.
Reliability of a landline no longer existed. I kept getting texts saying the outage had not been fixed, and they still had no idea when it would be.
All this was the final straw. On Friday I called to cancel the service (an action that cannot be performed online).
The person attempted to appease me with a free month. After a decade of paying too much for the landline — um, no.
She offered to “hold the number” so it could be used elsewhere (“you’ve had that number since 1982.” No, it was 1988.).
She offered to have it forward to my mobile. Again, no thank you.
I realized I would no longer receive spam calls, or political robo calls. I started to like that concept a lot.
No, a Cablevision/Altice phone is no better than Frontier or my mobile.
And no, I will not be a happy camper when we lose power. I hope I can text Eversource or the Westport PD when something happens.
Longtime resident Bob Weingarten is the house historian and plaque coordinator for the Westport Museum for History & Culture. He is also very interested in, and has written dozens of articles and stories about, the environment, recycling, solar energy and social issues.
Additionally, he’s a frustrated Frontier customer. Bob writes:
In 2020 “06880” posted a story about “Dangerous Cables” of phone and video companies in Westport. But it did not mention any service issues.
I’ve had a phone problem with Frontier, For over 5 years, whenever there’s a severe rainstorm our service in Greens Farms has failed. A repair lineman always comes within a few days. We’ve been told the issue is that circuits from the pole to the house are wet and limited, so switching to an available one was not possible. Frontier had to place new cables to the service pole nearest our house.
This occurred again February 8. The line went dead. I called Frontier. They scheduled repairs for the next day, and asked me to be home.
There are more utility cables today than ever before. (Photo/Morgan Mermagen)
No one showed up or called. Instead I got this message on my cell:
We are aware of the outage affecting your service. We’re working quickly to repair the outage and we’ll let you know when it’s resolved. To check the status of your network, download the myFrontier Mobile app.
I called, but Frontier would not commit to a new appointment. I received the same message from Frontier for days. I kept calling, but nothing happened.
I missed landline calls from doctors, family members and friends etc. They emailed and called my cell, wondering what was happening.
Daily messages from Frontier kept coming. I kept calling. On February 15 I insisted on speaking to a supervisor. I waited more than an hour on the phone. Finally a supervisor was “available.”
I told him there was no other outage in my area, and I hadn’t seen any Frontier personnel trying to fix a problem. I also asked for a local repair number. He said none was available. He put me on hold, then repeated the same status.
Within an hour, my phone service was fixed. Perhaps talking to the supervisor worked!
PS: Around the block, I saw an open phone circuit box, It may not have had anything to do with my repair, but it should not be exposed.
According to Brown Harris Stevens, while the total number of closed homes declined from 96 to 69 from last year’s frothy July numbers — still the 2nd-highest number of closings for the month since 2001 — the average closing price rose 19%, from $1,627,253 to $1,929, 908. That’s the highest for July since 2008.
Houses sold, on average, for 101% of the list price. That’s the 5th straight month the figure has surpassed 100%.
As of July 31, there were also 103 pending sales. Another 178 were listed as “active inventory.”
As for condos: 31 closed in July 2021, up from 22 the previous July. The average closing price for condos in the first 7 months of 2021 was $628,002, a rise of 34$ since the comparable period a year ago.
The total volume of house house and condo closings since January 1 is $644,692,685. That’s up a whopping 45% since the first 7 months of 2020. (Hat tip: Chuck Greenlee)
This 4-acre property on Beachside Avenue — once part of the JC Penney estate — is listed for $6,495,000. One drawback: It is not actually on the water.
Lou Weinberg is best known as the chair of Westport’s Community Gardens.
But the Westporter’s stewardship of the earth extends to the water. He writes:
“A recent walk along Burying Hill Beach yielded an astronomical amount of garbage. The bag on the right was what my wife and I picked up. The garbage on the left was left by a generous donor or donors.
(Photo/Lou Weinberg)
“As I’m sure you can guess, there were plenty of single-use plastic bottles, bottle caps, aluminum cans, balloons, fishing line, food wrappers, etc. On this walk, we even saw a used diaper and the leftovers from somebody’s lunches.
“What one can do: The Burying Hill lifeguards gave us the bag. Perhaps others who are taking a stroll along the beach and beyond could bring their own bags, or get one from the guards. Any effort to bag the garbage may result in one less piece of plastic ingested by wildlife, and a cleaner environment. Nature deserves better.”
Several years ago, the Saugatuck Harbor Yacht Club ordered a historical plaque, commemorating its Westport Historic District Commission Preservation Award of 2018 for the heritage of its building.
Delivery problems delayed the ceremony until this week. Westport Museum of History & Culture house historian Bob Weingarten — who made the presentation to former commodore Paul Rosenblatt — provides the backstory:
The SHYC clubhouse was originally a stable. It was built circa 1887 by Henry C. Eno, as part of his Queen Ann seaside summer estate.
The SHYC was established 1959 by J. Anthony Probst. He remodeled the stable into a clubhouse, with the help of landscape architect Evan Harding. During the 2018 presentation, the HDC noted that underwater marsh land was dredged to create a harbor. It was the first of its kind on the eastern seaboard to feature an underwater bubble system, allowing boats to remain moored year-round.
Former commodore Paul Rosenblatt, the Saugatuck Harbor Yacht Club plaque, and the historic clubhouse.
As I walked out of the Y yesterday, a man approached.
“Is this the YMCA?” he asked.
Duh! I thought. What else would it be?
Then I looked around. There is virtually no signage anywhere.
There’s nothing on Wilton Road, or Merritt Parkway Exit 41 — the only 2 ways to enter the parking lot — that say “Welcome to the Westport Weston Family YMCA!”
The sign above the entrance reads “Bedford Family Center.” Who — including most members — knows that’s the name of the Y building.
High above the entrance — where no one looks, and besides, it’s very hard to make out — is the “Y” logo. But that’s it. It doesn’t even say “YMCA.”
I guess there really is no such thing as a dumb question.
Can you see the “Y” above the “Bedford Family Center” sign? (Photo/Dan Woog)
No one likes to see a police cruiser in their rear view mirror.
But everyone should support the Westport Police Benevolent Association’s 3rd annual Car Cruise. It’s tomorrow (Saturday, August 21, 4 to 8 p.m., Saugatuck train station parking lot #1).
Cars of all years, makes and models are welcome. It’s a family-friendly event, with music, food trucks and a raffle.
The fee to enter and display a car is $20, with the funds earmarked for causes like the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, Special Olympics, and Veterans & Families of Fallen Officers.
The first 100 cars receive a gift bag. Trophies will be awarded too.
In 2017, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey broke a story about Westporter Harvey Weinstein in The New York Times. The smoldering #MeToo movement suddenly caught fire.
The 2 journalists will speak at the Westport Library’s inaugural fundraising event, “The Exchange: Conversations About The Issues of Our Time.” The October 5 (10 a.m.) event will be moderated by Westport corporate executive Joan Gillman,
Bob Weingarten is the house historian for the Westport Museum of History & Culture. He writes:
I get many questions about the status of historic properties. Recently I’ve received several concerning the iconic historic building at the intersection of Wilton Road and Allen Raymond Lane.
The former Red Barn restaurant was operated by the Nistico family from 1983 until its sale to the Westport Weston Family YMCA in 2015. It has remained unoccupied ever since.
A painting of the historic Red Barn property …
As part of the purchase, the Y created a limited liability company: 290 Wilton Road LLC. YMCA CEO Pat Riemersma called it “likely to be the last piece of almost contiguous (cell tower in between) property to our Mahackeno campus.”
According to the Historic District Commission Historic Resources Inventory list, the building was built around 1850 as the Augustus Draves Barn. In the 20th century it became the Red Barn restaurant.
The Red Barn in 2014.
The Nistico family purchased the property in 1983, and continued to run the beloved restaurant until 2014. It was very comfortable, with a large hearth that had been remodeled by well-known Westport architect Frazier Forman Peters in the 1930s.
The Frazier Forman Peters hearth.
The Red Barn was an “06880 Friday Flashback” in January 2019. Sally Palmer commented:
The Red Barn was witness to the passage of many major events in the lives of Westporters. It was used for baby showers, baby naming, office parties, weddings, birthdays, graduations, too many funerals, class reunions and naturally for dinner. It is more than just an empty building, and I miss it.
Since the purchase more than 5 years ago, the building has remained unoccupied. This bodes badly, since unoccupied buildings can deteriorate more rapidly than those in use. This is true for interior construction (floors, walls, flues, etc.), exterior facades and mechanical equipment (air handlers, heating units, A/C, etc.). I’d hate to see what the kitchen now looks like.
In November 2015 the Y said: “This is a unique opportunity for our YMCA — a long-term investment that allows us to preserve neighborhood values and, ultimately, utilize the property for the benefit of our members and the community we have served since 1923.”
Lining up for a sale of Red Barn items and artifacts, in June of 2014.
Later, Riemersma reiterated:
We purchased the property because it was likely to be the last piece of almost contiguous (cell tower in between) property to our Mahackeno campus that would likely come to market.
When we entered into the planning process for Phase II of our facility expansion, we considered using the property as a stand-alone site for our gymnastics program.
When we ultimately decided to place that program in the new wing we were left with no immediate plans for its use and that still holds true today.
At some point in the future, as private property owners, in order to ensure that the Red Barn use compliments the Y’s, the Y could look to enter into a long-term lease or sale of the property or continue to hold it, whatever option seems best for the Y’s future.
This is a relief. But after so many years I wonder how realistic it is. I believe that the Y’s membership and other Westport residents should be apprehensive. Money talks, and future plans change depending on economic conditions.
The building has now been unoccupied for nearly 7 years, without a plan in place. I am interested in hearing what the new CEO plans for it.
Sometimes we focus on them so much, we miss the preservation efforts going on nearby.
Preservation Connecticut notices. In fact, they’ve given the owners of 70 Turkey Hill Road South a Connecticut Preservation Award — one of only 10 in the state. The virtual ceremony is May 5.
The 2-story, 1,230-square foot 1892 farmhouse was completely restored last year.
Rahul Ghai and his wife Priyanka Singh bought the property in November 2019. They had several options. They could demolish the 127-year-old house and build a new one; a demolition permit had already been issued to the previous owners.
They could keep the building as it was, and build a new home on the premises.
Or they could restore it — and also build a new house nearby.
70 Turkey Hill Road South in 2019, before restoration …
The couple decided to restore the 1892 structure, and also build a large house, using a Westport 32-18 regulation obtained by the prior owners. Such a plan — which has prevented 22 other historic structures from being demolished — must be approved by a joint Architectural Review and Historic District Commission committee, then by the Planning & Zoning Commission.
Ghai and Singh hired Christopher Pagliaro, the architect for the previous owners. He worked with them to restore both the exterior and interior.
Work was extensive. All vinyl siding was removed, and replaced with wood. The asphalt roof was replaced with cedar shingles. All windows were replaced. The original front and rear porches — which had been enclosed as living space throughout the years — were recreated.
… during the project …
A number of homeowners have demolished homes the size of 70 Turkey Hill South, replacing them with larger, more modern houses. The Preservation Award press release notes that Westport is “sometimes called Connecticut’s teardown capital.”
The 32-18 regulation shows that those older homes can be retained — while simultaneously allowing construction of new ones.
Singh noted, “We are strongly committed to restoration and preservation of historical structures. Our school-age daughter is also passionate about history. But we couldn’t have done it without our architect Chris, and Ryan Fletcher of Fletcher Development.”
… and after.
Certificates will be presented to the owners, architect, contractor, town of Westport and the Westport Museum of History & Culture.
(Hat tip: Bob Weingarten, house historian for the Westport Museum of History & Culture, who nominated 70 Turkey Hill Road South for the 2021 Preservation Award.)
Teardowns gets tons of publicity. The loss of familiar streetscapes — and their replacement by (often) bigger, more modern homes — is hard to miss.
Renovations are harder to see. Much of that work goes on inside. But they’re an important part of Westport life too.
Tracey Ialeggio Kelly was born and raised in Westport. Her father Tony Ialeggio — an architect for over 40 years — instilled in her a love for historic houses.
She graduated from Staples High School in 1991. Nineteen years later, she purchased a 1927 home on Colonial Road that was a prime candidate for demolition.
She restored it beautifully. In 2012 the Historic District Commission honored her with a Westport Preservation Award. It noted her sensitivity to the mass and scale of the historic Greens Farms Congregational Church neighborhood.
Tracey Ialeggio Kelly’s Colonial Road home … (Photo/Bob Weingarten)
“It is an example of how a small, modest house can be successfully preserved, expanded and adapted to the needs of a modern family on a small parcel of land,” the award said.
But Tracey was not through. Last July, she bought another historic house, on Sylvan Road North.
She asked Westport Museum of History & Culture house historian Bob Weingarten to research it. He found that the property was purchased by Charles and Frederick Fable — brothers who created Fable Funeral Home — in 1939, from Edward Nash.
… and her house on North Sylvan. (Photo/Megan Kelly)
Frederick died a few months later. His son — also named Frederick — continued to build the house, with his uncle Charles. It remained in the family until 1985.
Tracey’s friend Andy Dehler surprised her on Christmas with a historic house plaque. It’s one of many that remind everyone who passes that history continues to live in town.
We just have to know where to look.
Tracey Ialeggio Kelly, with her historic home plaque. (Photo/Megan Kelly)
Posted onNovember 28, 2020|Comments Off on 0*6*Art*Art*0 — Week 36 Gallery
Many submissions this week reflect nature.
Naturally, our Saturday art gallery casts a wide net. Each week, we welcome submissions from all artists. You don’t have to be a pro, or even experienced. We want it all!
Works should be inspired by, relevant to, or somehow, in some way, connected to our current lives. Student art of all ages is especially welcome.
Email dwoog@optonline.net, to share your work with the world.
“Chrysanthemums” (Werner Liepolt)
Print: Gingko leaves from the Westport Library tree (Amy Schneider)
Untitled (Jo Ann Davidson)
“Spring is in the Air?” (Bob Weingarten)
“Doing My Best to Get It Right” (Lawrence Weisman)
The dog days of summer are here. And local artists are doggedly pushing ahead, offering art of all kinds for our Saturday morning gallery.
Professional, amateur, old, young — we want it all. Every medium is welcome. We especially love student art!
The only rule: Your art must be inspired by, reflective of, or otherwise related to the times we’re going through — or the times we’ve lost. Email dwoog@optonline.net.
“Where is Everybody?,” acrylic/canvas (Herman Freeman)
“Lone Wolf,” ink on paper (Allegra Bockhaus, age 13)
“Copps Island Oysters/Norm Bloom” (Werner Liepolt)
“The Face” (Bob Weingarten)
“Zinnia,” (Lawrence Weisman)
Nick Visconti created this peaceful sanctuary from these unsettling times, in the backyard of his Old Mill Beach home, (Photo courtesy of Miggs Burroughs)
Posted onJuly 4, 2020|Comments Off on 0*6*Art*Art*0 — Week 16 Gallery
A few 4th of July-themed works are featured in this week’s art gallery.
“06880” is finishing our 4th month featuring readers’ creations. As the world changes, your submissions are as important as ever.
Keep ’em coming. Professional, amateur, old, young — we want it all. Student works are particularly welcome!
The only rule: Your art must be inspired by, reflective of, or otherwise related to the times we’re going through. Email dwoog@optonline.net.
“Happy 4th of July!” (Amy Schneider)
“Welcome Back” (Lawrence Weisman)
Seth Schachter created this collage from discarded items he spotted, in and around downtown. “It’s sad to see litter like this (or any litter for that matter),” he says.”But of course it’s reflective of the times we live in.”
“Out for a Drive in the New Norm!” Bob Weingarten says, “While cleaning drawers, I found cars and figures that our grandkids used.” One result is this photograph.
“First Recital” (oil on canvas). Artist Cindy Wagner says, “I just watched my granddaughter perform a virtual dance recital. It’s still beautiful and made me smile, but I thought about how different it was from her past recitals.”
“The Golden Rule” (Mark Yurkiw)
Untitled. Larry Untermeyer shot this tight closeup of the pistils from within a single bloom of a wild tiger lily that grows on his patio.
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