“06880” photographers were out in force last night.
And — when not shoveling themselves out — today.
Here’s Westport, on a slow, snowy Sunday:
Church Lane (Andrew Colabella)
Main Street (Sal Liccione)
Looking ahead to spring (Photo/Jennifer Johnson)
Rocky Ridge (Photo/David Doyle)
Off Whitney Street (Photo/Molly Alger)
Posted in Downtown, Environment, Weather
Tagged American flag, Church Lane, Main Street, Westport Community Gardens
Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge, and National Hall … (Photo/Joel Treisman)
… and nearby, tonight’s pink sky over Church Lane (Photo/David Martin)
Comments Off on Pics Of The Day #2812
Posted in Downtown, Pic of the Day
Tagged Church Lane, National Hall, Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge
Crescent moon, from Church Lane (Photo/Peter Chelico)
One of the most dangerous intersections in Westport — Cross Highway and Bayberry Lane — just got (hopefully) quite a bit safer.
The town has installed new warning and stop signs in all 4 directions. All flash brightly. The aim is to attract the attention of drivers before they plow onward.
It’s a great start. And a great reminder to pay attention!
You can’t see the flashing stop sign. But it sure stands out. (Hat tip and photo/Carl McNair)
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The weather was perfect. The vibe was cool.
And every seat was taken last night, at the 3 Church Lane restaurants with outdoor dining: Spotted Horse, The Blondinit and Pink Sumo.
Live music added to the fun.
Just another reason to love summer in Westport — and more proof that downtown has its mojo back.
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Sure, it’s still July.
But school will be open before we know it.
To make sure everyone has what they need, the Westport Domestic Violence Task Force is collecting supplies. They’ll go to residents of the 2 Domestic Violence Crisis Center safe houses that serve our area, and DVCC’s clients.
The Westport Rotary Club and Positive Directions are important partners. The collection begins tomorrow (July 28), and runs through August 4.
Among the new items needed: backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils, highlighters, crayons, lunch boxes, 3×3 sticky note pads, 3-ring binders, graphing calculators, and gift cards (Target, Walmart, Amazon, Staples, etc.).
Donations can be left in collection bins at the Westport Police Department (50 Jesup Road) and Positive Directions (90 Post Road West).
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Westporters know Alisyn Camerota as a CNN anchor/ correspondent.
She recently branched into memoir writing. In “Combat Love: A Story of Leaving, Longing and Searching for Home,” the Westport resident explores her teenage years in the 1980s music scenes of the Jersey Shore and New York City, along with her difficult relationship with her mother.
Soon, we’ll see “Combat Love” on film and TV screens. It’s in development by the producers of Broadway musicals like Alanis Morisette’s “Jagged Little Pill” and Green Day’s “American Idiot.” (Hat tip: David Meth)
Alisyn Camerota
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Speaking of writing: Here’s something to write home about: The Westport Writers’ Workshop is 20 years old.
The non-profit celebrates the milestone September 6, with a bash at the Saugatuck Rowing Club.
The event includes dinner, drinks, dancing to the Dylan Connor Trio, a silent auction, and tributes to important people like founder Jessica Bram and former Executive director Valerie Ann Leff.
Tickets are $150, and include an open bar. Click here, then scroll down to purchase.
Funds raised help underwrite WWW’s outreach programs that serve underrepresented populations, like the Bigelow Senior Center, Moms of Children with Disabilities, and STAR. These programs allow students to discover their voices, guided by accomplished faculty members.
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Longshore golfers were surprised yesterday to see a cart, sporting a political message:
It looked like a Parks & Recreation Department vehicle.
But it wasn’t.
Parks & Rec officials said it belonged to a nearby resident, out for a spin.
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Michael Douglas spent his youth in Westport. (He did not graduate from Staples High School; after junior high, he was shipped off to boarding school.)
The veteran film and television actor and producer returns to the area October 22. Stamford’s Avon Theatre will present him with its Lifetime Achievement Award
Click here for tickets.
A young Michael Douglas lived on Webb Road.
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When Team Velominati sets a goal, they don’t mess around.
On August 3-4, Coastal Bridge founder and Westporter Bill Loftus will ride with the group — many of whom are local residents — across Massachusetts, in his 7th Pan-Mass Challenge, to fund cancer research at Dana-Farber in Boston.
Team Velominati’s goal: $750,000.
This year is particularly exciting. The Pan-Mass Challenge will pass $1 billion in donations over its 44-year history, making it the largest athletic fundraiser in the country.
This year, Loftus is dedicating his ride to his teammate Scott Logie, who is battling cancer.
To help Team Velominati, click here.
Dave Hazard and Bill Loftus (right) crossing the finish line at mile 192 in Provincetown during the Pan-Mass Challenge.
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“Freedom is a Feast” by Alejandro Puyana, “How to Read a Book” by Monica Wood, and “skin & bones” by Renée Watson are the 3 finalists for the 2024 Westport Prize for Literature, The $10,000 is awarded for an original work of fiction that explores issues in contemporary society.
This year’s winner will be announced next month, and honored at The Westport Library on September 21, in conjunction with StoryFest, the annual literary festival.
The recipient will also sit on a StoryFest panel. Confirmed authors for the event include Roxane Gay, Christopher Golden, Joe R. Lansdale, Claire Messud and Peng Shepherd. Click here for the full list.
Submissions for the 2024 Westport Prize for Literature were vetted by nearly 50 volunteer readers. A jury will then select the winner.
From left: Alejandro Puyana, Renée Watson, Monica Wood.
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Alice and her baby Apricot are today’s “Westport … Naturally” subjects.
They — along with baby Raisin — live at Wakeman Town Farm. The public can visit (and snuggle) with them. Click here for reservations, and more information.
(Photo/Michelle Cardello)
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And finally … on this date in 1890, Vincent van Gogh shot himself. He died 2 days later.
(Van Gogh cannot contribute to “06880.” But you can! Please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Dank u wel!)
Sunset over Church Lane and Post Road (Photo/Rowene Weems Photography)
It’s been 10 years since the Westport Weston Family Y left downtown, for their new building by the Merritt Parkway.
Nearly a decade’s worth of newcomers live in Westport with no knowledge of what that area of downtown was like, from 1923 to 2013.
If you don’t know: the Y’s original Bedford building is now Anthropologie. It looks pretty much the same.
But Church Lane looked very different. The original main firehouse …
… was replaced in the 1970s by an expanded Y that managed to be as cramped and difficult to navigate as it was ugly.
David Waldman’s Bedford Square project took a couple of years to complete. The first step was moving the Kemper-Gunn House across Elm Street, to its present location (as Serena & Lily).
Kemper-Gunn House, at 35 Church Lane …
… and in mid-move. (Photo/Wendy Crowther)
Then came a couple of years of construction.
Church Lane, near the corner of Elm Street. The large structure is the old YMCA.
A fence hid much of the construction from sight. It was decorated by artists, with Westporters as models.
Here’s a view from a construction vehicle:
A construction crane hovered over downtown. Onlookers were fascinated by its many moves, and its length and height.
At Christmas, a tree dangled at the top.
36 Elm Street was the site of several restaurants. The last was Villa del Sol. It was demolished (photo below), and replaced by parking in front of and adjacent to Bedford Square. In return, new stores were built across the street, next to Brooks Corner.
(Photo/Jen Berniker)
Anyone who has moved to Westport since 2015 thinks that Church Lane always looked the way it does now.
Anyone who lived here before remembers a very different scene.
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50 years ago today:
After a snowfall of over 7 inches of snow the night before, Elisabeth F.S. Solomon petitioned the town to build a new school for the disabled on 47 Long Lots Road, adjacent to Hall-Brooke Foundation.
She had taken over the former “sanitarium” — founded in 1898 — in 1964, as its director. A stern leader, she posted guards and guard dogs at the entry to the Long Lots Road property.
The facility had endured scrutiny after one patient fatally strangled another, another set fire to the Compo Inn, and numerous lawsuits were fired for malfeasance.
The establishment eventually fell into disrepair. Under severe government regulation, it was sold to St. Vincent’s Hospital in 2008.
Part of the Hall-Brooke Hospital property.
(“06880” covers Westport from yesterday to today, and on to tomorrow. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Posted in Downtown, Friday Flashback, YMCA
Tagged Bedford Square, Church Lane, Hall-Brooke Hospital, Westport Weston Family YMCA
One more reminder that summer is over: Yesterday (November 1), the barriers were removed at Church Lane and Elm Street.
The outdoor restaurant tables are gone.
The road is once again open to traffic.
Church Lane (Photo/Sal Liccione)
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One more reminder Halloween is over: Your rotting pumpkins.
No problem! Next Thursday (November 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), the Westport Farmers’ Markets hosts its 5th annual Great Pumpkin Toss.
Just bring your pumpkin to the Imperial Avenue parking lot. Action Waste Solutions will collect them.
It’s one way to turn a tiny portion of the 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins wasted in the US each year into usable compost.
All pumpkins and gourds in their natural state are accepted. Squishy and rotted ones are fine. Unfortunately, decorated or painted pumpkins cannot be composted.
Participants can “toss” their pumpkin in the bin, or just drop and go.
Last year, Westporters diverted one ton of pumpkin waste from landfill. Farmers’ Market director Lori Cochran-Dougall hopes to beat that record next week.
There’s no trick to that — just an environmental treat.
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Westport’s 5 polling locations for Tuesday’s elections are the same as last year:
Polls are open Tuesday (November 7) from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Need an absentee ballot? Click here.
Unsure of your voting district? Check the map below, or click here.
Questions? Contact the registrars of voters: 203-341-1115.
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Westport Police made 6 custodial arrests between October 25 and November 1.
A man was charge with 2 counts of burglary, 2 counts of larceny, and illegal taking of a payment card, after stealing a purse from an unlocked vehicle. An off-duty officer saw a man later trying door handles in a Post Road East parking lot; his license plate matched that of a car seen by a Good Samaritan following the theft.
A man was charged with interfering with an officer, after a domestic violence call at a house under construction. When asked for identification, he provided fake names and addresses.
A man was charged with driving under the influence and operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license, following a report from Compo Beach of an intoxicated person stumbling in the parking and yelling with another person. He was stopped while driving away from the beach.
A man was charged with violation of a protective order. After a previous arrest for domestic violence, he tried several times to contact the victim via phone and messaging.
A man was charged on Halloween with criminal trespass and criminal attempt at burglary, after a homeowner reported witnessing by remote surveillance camera a suspicious person trying to enter their home. When stopped by officers he said he was “trick or treating with his family,” but was alone.
A man was charged with threatening, unlawful restraint, reckless endangerment and breach of peace, after a juvenile reported that a man had pointed a gun at the heads of several juveniles, accusing them of breaking bottles and trespassing. The teens had been playing “break or bounce” with bottles in the raod. The man demanded the teens text him photos of their licenses, and ordered them to sit down before they ran off.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Permitting a minor to possess alcohol is a serious offense.
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Westport is grateful for Club 203.
And Club 203 — which offers social activities and friendship for adults with disabilities — is grateful for community support.
Their November meeting is a “Thankful & Grateful” event. It’s November 15, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Earthplace.
On the menu: “Thankful bites, a gratitude art corner by MoCA, and an exclusive tour of Earthplace’s incredible animal exhibition.”
In the holiday spirit, guests are asked to bring a thankful gift to be donated to clients of Westport’s Human Services Department. Any toiletries and/or household cleaning items that cannot be bought with SNAP are welcome.
For details and registration, click here. Questions? Email club203ct@gmail.com.
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It’s November, so it’s time to think about holiday gifts.
Give sustainably this year!
you can get a head start at Staples High School’s Zero Waste Committee 2nd annual EcoFest (Saturday, November 11, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Staples cafeteria).
Organizers promise “sustainable gifts and ideas for every occasion,” plus exhibitors, food, thrifting, kids’ crafts, educational presentations and more.
PS: It’s free — no admission charge!
I have no idea if these gifts are sustainable. But the wrapping is!
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Westport-based Bridgewater Associates is often called “the world’s largest hedge fund.”
But how does it make so much money?
Rob Copeland wondered. The New York Times journalist interviewed hundreds of people in and around the company. He pored over emails, recordings, court records, company documents, and published interviews and articles. (He did not speak with founder Ray Dalio and other Bridgewater executives, who provided feedback through lawyers and representatives.)
The result is a new book. “The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates, and the Unraveling of a Wall Street Legend” will be published next Tuesday.
Yesterday, the Times ran a long excerpt (click here).
Copeland’s conclusion: It is not a Bernie Madoff-like Ponzi scheme.
But I’m still not sure how they do it. (Hat tip: Allan Siegert)
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Schools are closed Tuesday, for Election Day.
Looking for a fun, different activity?
“The Book of Mormon” professionals offer a “Broadway workshop” at the Westport Country Playhouse (November 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Included is musical theater instruction, dance performances, and Q-and-A. Fifth graders through college students are welcome.
Cast members include Joshua Keen, dance captain/swing, and Andrew Stevens Purdy, ensemble and understudy for Elder Cunningham.
After the workshop, they head back to New York for a performance that night.
To register, email curleylaura@hotmail.com or text 917-734-8462.
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A reader enjoyed last week’s Friday Flashback, about the Platt Burial Ground on Post Road West at the Norwalk line. He writes:
“I own a house that sits nearby, near Kings Highway South.
“I’m pretty sure both it and Post Road West existed in the early 19th century, albeit with less traffic.
“So I wonder if the Platt Burial Ground has always been as small as it is today. Could it have, in the past, extended all the way to Kings Highway South?
“My house’s back yard lawn has this pesky rectangular bare spot, about 6′ x 3′, over the septic tank. Or is it something else?
“So far, no portals into Hades have ever opened up in the closet.
“Nevertheless, every Halloween we keep an eye out to make sure the poltergeists are resting in peace, and that nothing like an arm or leg decides to poke out.”
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Dr. Jerome Brodlie died peacefully at his Weston home last week. He was 85.
He worked as a child psychologist in private practice and at Greenwich Hospital, where he chaired the psychology department. As a regular guest on “CBS This Morning” he reached millions of American parents. He also built mental health services in areas affected by natural disasters, in the US and overseas.
The Bronx native attended the University of Illinois on a baseball scholarship. After graduation in 1960 he passed up a chance to play professionally, and got his doctorate in psychology at Columbia University.
He did post-doctoral work at the Alfred Adler Institute, while he taught at Brooklyn College. He married Lisa Evans, a pediatric oncology nurse.
In 1968 they moved to Weston. In addition to his private practice in Greenwich, he taught at Yale School of Medicine and Southern Connecticut State University, while also serving as a consulting psychologist for Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich Academy, and the Eagle Hill School.
In 2001 he was part of a statewide commission that advised on new laws and processes for child custody in divorce cases.
In 2005, Dr. Brodlie went to New Orleans to train nurses, doctors, and teachers who were helping children recover from the trauma caused by Hurricane Katrina. He also advised the school systems, students and teachers affected by Hurricane Ivan, which had struck the Cayman Islands, where the family vacationed frequently. The State Department later recruited him to go to Burma to work with young people experiencing PTSD; there he met and counseled victims of torture, caregivers for people with terminal illness, former political prisoners, and others. He returned there often.
His family says he enjoyed “playing sports, traveling, cooking, painting and telling jokes, although his paintings were usually more successful. He played pickleball and basketball, but he was most proud to have played 78 consecutive baseball seasons.”
He is survived by his wife Lisa; children Matt, of Los Angeles, Sara Gray of Middletown, Rhode Island, and Dr. Rachel Brodlie Corse (Griffin) of Cambridge, Vermont; grandchildren Maximus, Lola, Stella and Benjamin, and sister Barbara Scheinert.
Donations in his memory may be made to Leveling the Playing Field.
Dr. Jerome Brodlie
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Leaves are everywhere. (Hey, it’s November — what do you expect?)
But among the squintillions that make our town so gorgeous this time of year, Jerry Kuyper spotted an extra-special one.
He was intrigued by the “creature” he saw in it.
Enjoy this unique “Westport … Naturally” image:
(Photo/Jerry Kuyper)
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And finally … in honor of the “Book of Mormon” Election Day workshop at the Westport Country Playhouse (story above):
(Meanwhile, I believe that contributing to “06880” — your hyper-local blog — is a good thing. Please click here. Elder Cunningham and I thank you.)
“Real Housewives of New York” star and “Apprentice: Martha Stewart” runner-up Bethenny Frankel is pitching Bravo on a new show.
According to the New York Post‘s Page 6, it “would follow rich Connecticut families — including, a source pointedly notes, their children.”
Sources tell “06880” that potential stars could include 2 Westporters: actress/blogger Eva Amurri, and comedian Courtney Davis, controversial MC of this past spring’s Fashionably Westport benefit.
Despite several issues, Page 6 says that Bravo remains “theoretically interested in the comings and goings of Westport’s most delectably nepo-licious residents.”
Sources say the show has already begun filming, though that has not been confirmed.
Eva Amurri
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After 24 years, Westport PAL basketball has a new president.
Jordan Schur — a former Staples High School Class of 2001 hoops and soccer star — will continue the program that longtime head Howie Friedman brought to great heights.
Schur’s plans include off-season programs, and increased youth engagement and synergy between high school and youth players.
To start, PAL is endorsing fall clinics for boys and girls in grades 3 to 8. Click here for details, and follow on Instagram: westport_palhoops.
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August is National Black Business Month.
Jay Norris — the Westport entrepreneur and CEO of Guesst, the creative leasing platform — shared his insights into his work with News12 Connecticut. Click here for his interview.
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Picnic on the 4th of July!
No, that’s not a late announcement (or a very early one).
It’s the name of the band providing entertainment this Friday (August 18, 6 to 9 p.m.), as part of the Westport Downtown Association’s “Summer Music on Church Lane” series.
The string band — which specializes in traditional American roots and bluegrass, with a dose of rock, folk, jazz and blues — features guitars, banjo, harmonica, bass and vocals.
They’ve been together 10 years, playing bluegrass festivals, farmers’ markets, porch fests and private events.
Plus — now — the streets of Westport.
Picnic on the 4th of July (from left): Martin Daniels, Louis Fuertes, Pat Blaufuss, Jeff Carroll. (Photo/Amy Daniels)
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Westport firefighter Peter Nichio is also a veteran. After serving in Afghanistan, returned home from Afghanistan with severe Post-Traumatic Stress Injury.
He has amazing resilience. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy has helped him deal with traumatic situations on the job.
Peter is the perfect choice as MC and auctioneer for the Fairfield County Trauma Response Team’s first-ever benefit.
“Beyond the Call: Supporting the Mental Health of First Responders” is set for New Canaan’s Waveny House on October 12 (6:30 p.m.).
There’s the usual food and drink. But attendees can also chat with public safety professionals from fire, law enforcement, EMS and animal control.
Trauma therapists will answer question, and describe the intersection of trauma therapy and emergency response.
Keynote speaker and professional athlete Todd Blyleven — son of Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven — will discuss his experience as a survivor of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting that killed 60 people, and injured more than 400.
Blyleven will also moderate a panel of local first responders.
Click here for tickets and more information on the event. Questions? Email Linda Rost: lrost0411@gmail.com.
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Eileen Ivers brought her electric fiddle to the Levitt Pavilion Sunday night.
She wowed the crowd — including 3-year-old Mira Wolfe.
Can you say “mesmerized”?!
(Photo/Phil Keane; hat tip/Nikki Gorman)
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We’ve run several photos of bees, in our daily “Westport … Naturally” feature.
And we’ve run many pictures of flowers.
This time, they’re together. Tracy Porosoff sent along this vibrant image:
(Photo/Tracy Porosoff)
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And finally … on this day in 1939, “The Wizard of Oz” premiered at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles.
(“06880” is your place to read all about Westport — from our “nepo-licious” neighbors to our firefighting heroes and entrepreneurs. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!
Next up for the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee: a public review and feedback meeting covering additional plans for its “Master Plan for Downtown Parking and Pedestrian Areas: Reconnecting the Riverfront.”
Particular focus will be on the Parker Harding Plaza design.
The session is set for August 22 (7 p.m., Westport Library). All residents and downtown stakeholders are invited to attend.
Information on the project is available on the DPIC website. Feedback is welcome in its comments section.
DPIC also conducts regular public meetings, typically the 2nd Thursday of each month at 8:30 a.m.
Screenshot from the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee website.
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Yesterday’s Roundup included several photos of Monday night’s NASA rocket launch, to resupply the International Space Station. It was (very) visible over Westport.
But NASA is not through with Westport.
Yesterday morning, Diane Bosch and her husband Eric chatted with a team from the space agency, at Compo Beach’s Ned Dimes Marina. A NASA boat was docked there.
As best as the Bosches could determine from the visitors, they were monitoring air quality, and satellite launched earlier this year from Elon Musk’s SpaceX group.
“They were a bit secretive when we tried to understand what they were doing,” Diane reports.
“They did say they were in town from the NASA site in Virginia — and they had nothing to do with the rocket launch the night before.”
Monday night’s rocket launch. (Photo/Marjolijn Baxendale)
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Westport Police made 1 custodial arrest between July 26 and August 2. A woman was detained for violation of probation.
Police also issued the following citations:
One arrest was made for violation of probation.
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Speaking of driving issues:
The most recent truck-vs.-Saugatuck Avenue railroad bridge encounter took place Sunday evening.
As usual, the bridge won.
Aftermath of the Saugatuck Avenue railroad bridge strike. (Photo/Matt Murray)
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There are tag sales.
And then there’s the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport tag sale.
That event — one of the best bargain-hunting dates on the calendar — is this Saturday (August 5, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., 10 Lyons Plains Road).
Early birds can go at 8 a.m. ($20, at the door).
The indoor event has something for everyone: clothing, dishes, housewares, sheets, towels, pillows, small furniture, rugs, household appliances, artwork, puzzles, toys, electronics and more.
Everything is “priced fairly, to move.”
Questions? Email uuchurch@uuwestport.org, or call 203-227-7205.
A small portion of the big Unitarian tag sale.
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Yesterday’s “Unsung Hero” feature gave a shout-out to Westport’s favorite long distance swimmer and Swim Across the Sound volunteer, Liz Fry.
The annual event involves nearly 200 swimmers. They raise money for underserved cancer patients in the Bridgeport area.
A typical Swim brings in $300,000.
This year’s total — over $455,000, and counting — blew that number out of, um, the water.
Congratulations to all who participated. And of course to Liz Fry, without whom none of that would be possible.
Liz Fry
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Crabbers — with LED headlamps and big nets — were out again yesterday at the Sherwood Mill Pond, starting around 8:20 p.m.
Concerned residents — including environmentalists worried about over-fishing, along with neighbors disturbed by the bright lights — have contacted the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, as well as Westport Police and the Parks & Recreation Department.
Crabbing last night in the Sherwood Mill Pond. (Photo/Matt Murray)
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Guardians caring for children do not have it easy.
But, says Westport-Weston Probate Judge Lisa Wexler, they may be eligible for thousands of dollars in grants to help with housing, food, transportation and enrichment activities.
Guardians can be grandparents or other relatives, or sometimes close family friends with long-standing relationships with a child.
Guardians save Connecticut $72 million a year, by keeping thousands of children out of foster care. However, unlike foster parents, Probate Court-appointed guardians receive no financial support for taking on this important (and often unexpected) responsibility.
State Kinship Fund awards grants of up to $550 a child — or $2,200 a family – a year help pay for necessities like glasses and clothing, or enrichment activities like summer camp, art supplies or creative books. The Respite Fund covers childcare, rent, transportation and food. These grants are capped at $2,200 a year.
Applications are at ctprobate.gov under the “Children’s Matters” tab, or by calling the Westport-Weston Probate Court: 203-341-1100.
State grants help guardians pay for enrichment activities.
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Outdoor music continues this weekend on Church Lane.
Accompanying diners and shoppers this evening is Dan Tressler. Tomorrow night: Vinnie Ferrone.
Musicians are sponsored by the Westport Downtown Association.
Outdoor dining on Church Lane.
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It’s the dog days of summer.
And Westport has officially gone to the dogs.
On Monday, Yogi Bear — a 2-year-old Keeshond — was named “Honorary Mayor of Westport” by 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker.
Yogi (accompanied by his friend Cathy Malkin) was at Town Hall to push his agenda of free cookies for all dogs.
As honorary mayor, he promised to spread love and joy everywhere.
Yogi then headed to Old Mill Grocery & Deli, where he shared a slice of vegan pizza with State Representative Dominique Johnson. It’s bipartisan: She agrees with Tooker that there should be free cookies for all dogs.
Yogi Bear with State Representative Dominique Johnson.
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An alert “06880” reader spotted a new bat house the other day, at Compo Beach.
If it’s yours, email 06880blog@gmail.com. Include where at the beach you may have lost it. I’ll contact the person who found it, and make arrangements for you to pick it up.
Bat house
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We love our butterflies.
But they often fly too fast for us to appreciate them fully.
Today, we’re in luck. David Hyman captured (on camera) this beauty. Enjoy this beautiful addition to our “Westport … Naturally” series:
(Photo/David Hyman)
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And finally … in honor of the bat house found at Compo Beach (story above), here’s a hat tip to our former neighbor, Meat Loaf:
(Right off the bat today, you can help “06880.” Please click here to support this hyper-local blog. Thank you!)
Posted in Beach, Downtown, Environment, Police
Tagged Bat house, Church Lane, crabbing, Downtown Plan Implementation Committee, Old Mill Grocery & Deli, Parker Harding Plaza, probate judge Lisa Wexler, Saugatuck Avenue railroad bridge, Sherwood Mill Pond, Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport
Church Lane street scene (though not tonight) (Photo/John Videler for Videler Photography)
Posted in Downtown, Pic of the Day, Restaurants
Tagged Church Lane, Spotted Horse restaurant
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