An “06880” reader bid $1,500. She’ll receive an oil painting, painted by an artist in Marigny, Westport’s sister city in France.
Our friends overseas donated it, as part of our fundraiser for our other sister city: Lyman, Ukraine. Together, Westport and Marigny are helping the besieged city recover from Russian occupation.
The need is great, for building supplies, generators and a water filtration system. We set a goal of $250,000. So far we’ve raised over $186,000. Please help us hit that mark!
Pleaseclick here. Click the “I want to support” box; then select “Support for the City of Lyman.” Scroll down on that page for other tax-deductible donation options (mail, wire transfer and Venmo). You can also donate directly, via Stripe (click here).
This Marigny scene raised $1,500 for Lyman, Ukraine.
This weekend’s Italian American Police Society’s Car Show was special.
And not because over 300 classic, modified, foreign and racing cars competed for trophies. Or because their owners and friends feasted on barbecue, shared $5,000 in raffle prizes, and enjoyed perfect summer weather.
There was also a tribute to Vincent Penna Jr. The former Westport Police Department deputy chief died a week before Christmas, of a heart attack. He was 51 years old.
Westport Police detectives Sereniti Taranto and Sharon Russo, with officers from nearby towns, raised over $10,000 for the Vincent Penna Jr. Scholarship Fund.
Penna’s family — including his wife Denise, and sons Vincent and Nicholas — picked the most prestigious award at the car show: a 1932 yellow Ford coupe, just like John Milner’s from “American Graffiti.”
The car show connection continues. Among his many activities, Penna served with the Westport Police Benevolent Association. They’ve got their own car show this Saturday (August 21, 4 to 8 p.m., Saugatuck train station). (Hat tip: Andrew Colabella)
The Penna family, at yesterday’s Norwalk car show. (Photo/Andrew Colabella)
Among the highlights of the weekend’s final Shopping Day of the summer: The voice of Shiloh Verrico
The 11-year-old actor/singer from New Jersey — a co-star on Netflix’s “Country Comfort” with recent Staples High School graduate Jamie Mann, who also performed — wowed the crowd,
“She literally stopped everyone in their tracks,” says Julie Van Norden. “You could have heard a pin drop when she sang ‘Sound of Silence.’ I’ve never heard such a voice in one so young, at least not in person!”
Shiloh is a student at 1983 Staples grad Cynthia Gibb’s Triple Threat Academy, for young actors, singers and dancers.
When she hits it big — well, bigger — you can say you heard her here first.
One other great moment from the weekend: Dan Levinson’s Palomar Jazz Band, at the Levitt Pavilion.
Another large crowd filled the lawn, as the sun set and music played. After COVID forced a dark summer in 2020, this year’s 60 evenings of free music have been a welcome relief.
Kids watch their parents. They mimic them — the good, and the bad.
Want evidence that the next generation will grow up to be entitled drivers and parkers, just like their elders? Just look at this photo yesterday, from Church Lane:
On a more serious note, kids do watch how their parents drive.
For the past few days, parents dropping off and picking up their children at Wakeman Fields have been driving very, very fast.
The newly paved road linking Cross Highway and the Bedford Middle School parking lot has turned into a Grand Prix straightaway.
With the addition of curbs on both sides, it’s narrower than ever. It’s even tougher now to back up and turn around. Traffic roars by in both directions, while kids cross without looking.
Be careful. Slow down. Please show your children — and all the others — how to drive safely.
The Cross Highway entrance to Wakeman Fields. (Photo/Dan Woog)
And finally … back in 1969, today marked the last day of Woodstock.
There were some legendary performances. Also some really, really atrocious ones.
How to pick what to feature today?
How about some artists who — before or after going down to Yasgur’s farm — performed in Westport.
Richie Havens was in Westport several times. The first was when he took the Staples High School stage as a stand-in for the Blues Project, who were stuck in a New York recording studio.
He was flexible at Woodstock too, improvising “Freedom” on the spot after playing every song he knew, while most of the other first-day acts were stuck in a massive traffic jam.
Sly & the Family Stone played at least twice in Westport — once at Staples, once at Longshore. This is one of the enduring images from Woodstock:
Arlo Guthrie played at the Westport Country Playhouse:
And how about these Woodstock performers who — at some point in their lives — lived (or, in once case still live) in Westport?
Joe Cocker rented here — and auditioned musicians for his “Mad Dogs & Englishmen” tour at the Westport Country Playhouse.
Johnny Winter lived here around the same time. He’d hold court — and play — at Players’ Tavern, next to the Playhouse (most recently, Positano restaurant).
And — though Bert Sommer never made it into the “Woodstock” movie — he performed at Woodstock too. He was accompanied by Ira Stone — now a longtime Westporter.
We’ve all seen delivery trucks finding creative places to park. We know — it’s not easy finding a spot. (Though hardly impossible. Sometimes you’ll end up further away than you’d like.)
But yesterday’s restaurant deliverer, um, takes the cake.
Miggs Burroughs — who after a lifetime in Westport is still surprised at some of the things he witnesses — watched as a parking officer diligently tried to find where the driver was delivering.
Eventually he gave up, and wrote a ticket.
Which means this guy was parked there, making things difficult in 2 directions, for quite some time.
So no, to refute a common excuse trotted out by some “06880” commenters, the driver probably did not have a sudden “bathroom emergency.”
Last night, the Westport Library presented the North American premiere of “Men of Hope.” The fascinating, way-beyond-soccer documentary follows the Afghanistan national team, as it attempts to qualify for the Asian Cup. Challenges include not just opposing teams, but war, political squabbling and corruption.
When the lights came up, there was a special guest: former Afghan national team captain Djelaludin Sharityar. Now living in New York, he spoke candidly about the problems facing his soccer federation and native land — and lovingly about Afghanistan’s beauty and people.
The Library event was a collaboration with Kicking + Screening. Since 2009, the gloriously named organization has screened hundreds of soccer-related films, raised thousands of dollars for soccer charities, and organized panels, parties, soccer poetry readings and soccer art shows.
Kicking + Screening has (of course) strong Westport roots. Co-founder Rachel Markus — a former “ruthless striker,” and 20-year film industry veteran — lives here.
The film was fascinating. It’s available for livestreaming now through August 1. Click here for details.
Former Afghan national soccer team captain Djelaludin Sharityar made a surprise appearance at the Westport Library last night. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Speaking of the Library: If you love it — and who doesn’t? — why not work there?
The downtown institution hosts a job fair next Tuesday (August 3, 5 to 7 p.m.). Positions are available in circulation, IT, building support and the café. Bring your resume. For more information, click here.
VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 held an open house and Red Cross blood drive yesterday.
Staples High School students Joseph and Michael Pontoriero, with Art Began, played bagpipes to celebrate. Veterans and guests enjoyed the event, which celebrated the state Veteran Service Office, VFW Post 399 Auxiliary, and Catch A Lift.
Of course, the VFW is open to everyone, all the time, to enjoy the facility, food and Saugatuck River views. Click here for more.
George Billis Gallery hosts a reception today (Friday, July 30, 4 to 7 p.m., 166 Main Street) for its new exhibit. It’s an invitational group show, with over 45 artists.
Among them: “Cruising the Hudson,” an oil on canvas (below) by James Wolford.
It’s mid-August. Westport is as empty as it’s ever going to be.
Sure, it’s humid. But you won’t get heat exhaustion walking from the small parking lot on Avery Place, to the rear entrance of Chase Bank.
Of course, there are a couple of handicap spots for people who need them. Those folks are issued big blue placards.
This person does not have one. And technically, he did not steal a handicap space.
But he — and judging by the aggressive parking job, I’m assuming it’s a guy — created his own personal parking spot by hogging the ramp next to a handicap one. You can clearly tell it’s there, by the robin-blue marking.
This happened at 10 a.m. There were plenty of spots available, says the “06880” reader who sent the photo to me.
She wants to remain anonymous. There’s no telling what someone as selfish as this could do to someone who simply wants common courtesy (and common sense) to prevail.
As sure as I post photos of some of the most ridiculous, self-centered, entitled parking scenes in Westport — like Monday’s jaw-dropping Trader Joe’s spectacle — readers respond with 2 comments:
Someone should have called the cops!
You’ve got their license plate right there! Send this photo to the police!
An alert “06880” reader — who asked for anonymity — decided to find out what the cops think of all this.
Deputy chief Vincent J. Penna quickly responded.
He explained that in this case, Trader Joe’s is a private lot. Though the police have some power to enforce motor vehicle laws there — like DUI, reckless operation and evading responsibility — parking enforcement is limited to fire lane and handicap space violations.
“Parking in a private lot is generally enforced by the property owner,” Penna says.
As for sending a photo: Sure, any citizen can provide a sworn statement detailing the infraction to the police. They’ll issue a ticket based on that statement.
However, if the driver pleads not guilty, then the officer — and the citizen — would both be subpoenaed to court.
Oh, yeah: The identity of the person making the complaint — and that person’s address — are public record.
“This tends to deter most people,” Penna notes.
Meanwhile, keep those photos comin’. We may not get any of these very entitled d-bags arrested.
But there’s nothing wrong with a little public shame.
Monday’s infamous Trader Joe’s photo. The license plate is clearly visible.
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