Tag Archives: idling vehicles

Roundup: Eddington, Lloyd Allen, La Source …

“Eddington” — Ari Aster’s film about political and social turmoil during the pandemic — opened Friday.

There’s a familiar face (besides Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal and Emma Stone) on the screen: Staples High Class of 2024 graduate Cameron Mann.

He debuted with Staples Players long before entering high school — as an elementary student. He continued through his senior year, stopping only that spring when he filmed “Eddington” in New Mexico.

Cam — who previously starred in HBO’s “Mare of Easttown” — is a rising sophomore at the University of Michigan. (Hat tip: Kerry Long)

Cameron Mann, in “Eddington.”

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The Sunday morning church service at Compo Beach is always special.

Yesterday’s worship was extra special.

Pivot Ministries — the Bridgeport organization that addrseses — drug and alcohol addiction as a spiritual problem — was the guest of this week’s hosts, Saugatuck Congregational Church.

Pivot members offered uplifting testimony — and music — to the early morning gathering.

Pivot Ministries, at Compo Beach. (Photo/Lisa Tantillo)

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Lloyd Allen workshopped songs from his timely new musical “Screen Time” yesterday, at the Westport Library.

Dick Wingate was there — and was very impressed.

“I’ve known Lloyd for 40 years going, back to when he was a fashion designer and made a music video of his song that showcased his latest line,” Dick says.

“It was so catchy that I released it on Epic Records. It became a minor MTV hit.  He is truly a renaissance man.”

But we already know that.

To learn more about “Screen Time” — or many other things — stop in at Lloyd’s day job. He owns the Double L Market (get it?) near Calise’s, on Post Road East.

Scene from “Screen Time” (Photo/Dick Wingate)

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La Source — whose stores in Darien and New Canaan offer “a curated collection of best-in-class delicates, sleepwear, swimwear, and gifts for the women we love” — is expanding to Westport.

Their Bedford Square shop opens soon, across Church Lane from Pink Sumo. Click here for the La Source website. 

(Hat tip and photo/Sal Liccione)

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As I started my walk at Compo’s South Beach yesterday, I passed a Jeep with its motor running.

More than 20 minutes — coming back, the other direction — it was still there.

An hour later, I got a text from a reader. She sent a photo of a car that had idled for at least 10 minutes outside Cold Fusion, while the driver’s family was inside.

Not cool!

Except that these drivers are quite cool (as in “comfortable”). They’re sitting in their cars, chatting on their phones, while the A/C is on.

But wait!

Although a Connecticut law prohibits idling for more than 3 minutes, there are exceptions.

One is when traffic prevents movement. Another is when the temperature is below 20 degrees.

A third is — wait for it — “when using heating, cooling or other auxiliary equipment.”

Who knew?

Still — though it may be legal, it’s not environmentally wise.

Yesterday was beautiful.

Maybe the Compo guy could have made his phone call on a bench that was 3 steps away.

Maybe the gelato guy could have joined his family for ice cream.

And maybe the word can get out that among the synonyms for “idle” are “lazy,” “indolent” and “slothful.”

From 2017.

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Speaking of Compo: We’ve had 2 straight days with rainbows over Long Island Sound. Here’s yesterday’s:

(Photo/Meredith Holod)

Gorgeous!

I just have one question: Aren’t rainbows supposed to follow rain?

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The newest addition to the Levitt Pavilion lineup: Mihali.

The Vermont-based singer/songwriter/guitarist/co-founder of Twiddle continues to evolve. His third record, “Before The Dream” features big names in the reggae, rock and pop worlds, including Little Stranger, Tropidelic, Lily Fangz, G. Love, Brett Dennen, Andy Frasco, Seven Suns, Satsang and Moon Taxi.

Mihail will appear with specail guest Soule Monde, and Mr. Mota, on September 6. Click here for tickets, and more information.

Mihali

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Speaking of the Levitt: Our new header (on the “06880” home page) was taken last night, at the sold-out Sweet Remains concert. (Bonus feature: an impromptu appearance by Broadway star Kelli O’Hara, the wife of Sweet Remain Greg Naughton. They live in Westport.)

Jim Honeycutt – retired Staples High School media teacher, well known for his many Players and Music Department video projects there — snapped the shot.

If you’re not seeing the image on our website, here it is:

(Photo/Jim Honeycutt)

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Isn’t nature wonderful?

And colorful?

Today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature image comes from the Westport Country Playhouse parking lot, near Winslow Park.

Wow!

(Photo/Edward Paul)

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And finally … Happy 77th birthday, Cat Stevens (Yusuf). There are so many songs to pay him tribute. Here are 3. What’s your pick? Click “Comments” below.

(Another week begins … and, as always,”06880″ is here to bring you news, features, events, photos and much more, all with a hyper-local twist. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

Idle Chatter About School Pickups

Last week, longtime Westporter David Gottlieb went for a walk.

Strolling along North Avenue, he saw a line of 20 or so cars. All were waiting to pick up Coleytown schoolchildren.

Most had their motors running.

For 20 or 30 minutes.

Cars on North Avenue, near Coleytown Elementary School. (Photo/David Gottlieb)

A couple of days later, Gottlieb saw a front page story in the New York Times. It described the city’s Citizens Air Complaint Program — a public health campaign  that pays people to report trucks parked and idling for more than 3 minutes (1 minute outside a school).

By submitting a video showing the engine is running, and the company name on the door, they collect 25% of any fine collected. The minimum penalty in New York is $350.

Connecticut has a similar law. Its limit is 3 minutes for “mobile sources.” The enforcing agency is not, however, local or state police departments; it’s the air bureau of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

(Police can enforce an idling regulation against school buses specifically. The fine is $117.)

Coleytown Middle and Elementary are not the only schools in Westport in which cars idle for long periods of time. They’re not even the only ones on North Avenue.

Cars lined up on Post Road West, near Kings Highway Elementary School. (Photo/Dick Lowenstein)

During COVID, more parents than ever drove their children to school, then picked them up. The trend has continued.

Is idling near schools a problem, a nuisance, or an issue really not worth worrying about? In the absence of real enforcement — the state DEEP will not come prowling in Westport — is there anything to be done?

Parents pick up their kids for many reasons — including the unintended consequences of starting and ending school 30 minutes later than previously. Are there any solutions to the rising rates of non-bus riding?

Click “Comments” below. Please include specifics of your situation. And please: Don’t judge others. Be kind. We’re looking for answers, not a lot of smoke and hot air.

The law is clear, at Staples High school.

No Idle Threat

Tomorrow (Saturday, May 14) is Westport GreenDay.

Organizers hope it will be a real turnoff.

Well, actually, they’re encouraging drivers to turn off their car engines.

Nearly 40% of all greenhouse gas emissions in Connecticut are transportation-related. Turning off an engine, then back on again is more fuel efficient than idling for just 10 seconds.

idling car

First Selectman Jim Marpe urges all Westporters to sign a “No Idling Pledge” (click here for the environmentally friendly online version).

(NOTE: State law prohibits “unnecessary idling” for more than 3 minutes. Provisions are made for weather extremes, certain service vehicles and health-related conditions.)

Other GreenDay activities tomorrow include a cleanup of Parker Harding Plaza and the riverfront; family events and a talk about the town’s new arboretum at Earthplace; a tour of Westport’s wastewater treatment plant; activities at Wakeman Town Farm, and a 3:30 p.m. library talk about Westport’s Net Zero goal for 2050.

Green Day logoTomorrow afternoon, electric vehicles are on display at Jesup Green, and a few lucky folks can test drive Teslas. There’s also a free EV shuttle service from the library to Town Hall, where the Westport Cinema Initiative sponsors the film “Who Killed the Electric Car?” at 6 p.m.

It should be a great Green (if gray) Day.

And if Westporters don’t take the “No Idling” pledge to heart, “06880” will start posting photos of drivers sitting in their cars, while their engines run.

Don’t mess with us.

(For details of the weekend’s events, click on www.WestportGreenday.com)

Idle Chatter

Alert “06880” reader Jarret Liotta spotted this sign in front of Fairfield Ludlowe High School:

No Idling

He’d like to see similar signs in Westport.

Where?

“All over,” Jarret says. “Especially in front of the Y, where parents idle their cars for 15, 20 minutes and more, waiting for their kids.” He’s spoken with 2 officials about it. They say they often try to get people to stop idling, to no avail.

Jarret thinks a state law prohibits idling for more than 5 minutes. In fact, it’s 3 minutes  — as the small print on this sign in front of Staples High School notes:

Idling 2

The car parked in the fire zone is another matter entirely.