Congratulations to Westport’s newest world record holder.
And our oldest.
Yesterday afternoon, Norma Minkowitz set an 85-89-year-old age group mark in the mile.
The longtime Westporter ran a 9:46.55, at the Nutmeg Games in New Britain.
That’s not just a new world record. Norma demolished the old one — by over a minute. The previous fastest mile — 10:55.25 — stood since 2015.
Norma is certainly a great, and inspiring, athlete. But she’s much more — including a world renowned fiber art artist. Click here for a 2019 profile of our remarkable neighbor.
Jeff Mitchell — who filmed Norma’s race (above) — interviewed the world record holder too. Also in the clip below: David Wright (owner of Westport’s Fleet Feet) and Jesse McCray (Nutmeg Games meet director, and also head coach of the Staples High School girls track and field program.
And finally … on this date in 1881, American outlaw and gunfighter Billy the Kid was killed, after allegedly committing 21 murders. He was 21 years old.
(“06880” is where Westport meets the world — and where you meet remarkable people like Norma Minkowitz. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thanks!)
This weekend, the Levitt Pavilion hosts 2 special shows.
Tonight (Saturday, July 13, 7 p.m.) features Marc Broussard and the 20th Anniversary of Carencro. It included the hit “Home,” now going viral again on Instagram.
Also on the bill: local favorites Otis & the Hurricanes. Their gumbo of blues andhttps://www.levittpavilion.com/2024/04/08/marc-broussard-carencro-20th-anniversary-tour/ soul complements Broussard’s “bayou soul,” a mix of funk, blues, R&B, rock and pop, all with distinct Southern roots. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Tomorrow (Sunday, July 14, 7 p.m.), the Levitt invites concert-goers to wear white, while celebrating the 19th Amendment and women’s right to vote.
The show features Grammy-winning folk singer/songwriterAoife O’Donovan and folk quartet Hawktail. O’Donovan was last at the Levitt in 2022. Click here for tickets, and more information.
For both shows’ lawn tickets: on Saturday, children 7 and under are free. On Sunday, those 10 and under are free. Ticket proceeds help support the 50-plus shows presented free of charge each season, for all.
PS: The Blind Rhino food truck will be on site both days.
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Speaking of music: Thomas Dolby comes to the Westport Library Tuesday (July 16). He’ll discuss his new book “Prevailing Wind” with another big name: Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and longtime Library supporter Chris Frantz.
The 4 p.m. start time accommodates Dolby’s performance later that evening in the Totally Tubular Festival at Bridgeport’s Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater.
Dolby — a musician, producer, composer, entrepreneur and teacher — played synthesizer for David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell and others during his eclectic career. His 1980s hits include “She Blinded Me With Science” and “Hyperactive!”
He also has been music director for TED Conferences. On the Johns Hopkins University Peabody Institute staff, he leads the Music for New Media program.
This is Dolby’s only signing event in the tri-state area. All attendees who purchase a copy of Prevailing Wind may get the book and one additional item signed by the author.
Frantz is a musician, producer, songwriter, and founding member of the Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club. A frequent guest of the Library and the host of the Library series “Chris Frantz Presents,” he also hosts a radio show on WPKN-FM.
There’s not a lot to laugh about in the Middle East.
But on July 30 (cocktails at 7 p.m., show at 7:45), Temple Israel hosts a comedy night. Five comics — Andrew Ginsburg, Nick Scopoletti, Cody Marino, Olga Namer and Beau McDowell — will all appear, in a fundraiser for Israel relief.
Tickets are $54 (VIP) and $36 (general admission). Click here to purchase, and for more information. (Hat tip: Les Dinkin)
Yesterday’s Roundup included an item on Homes with Hope CEO Helen McAlinden’s meeting in Washington with Representative Jim Himes.
A photo showed our congressman with a statewide delegation of advocates for the homeless and hungry.
Alert “06880” reader Marlene Siff recognized artwork hanging on the wall.
It was hers.
The piece — “Fallen Heroes/Afghanistan” — has hung in Himes’ office since 2010.
“It is my memorial dedicated to all the soldiers we lost in the war in Afghanistan,” Siff tells “06880.”
“Fallen Heroes/Afghanistan” (Marlene Siff)
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Westport-based Nest Egg Foundation has partnered with the Carlos Rodón Foundation to launch the first-ever Willow Gala.
The September 30 event at the Delamar in Greenwich will bring together community leaders, philanthropists and supporters, to raise awareness and funds for families facing fertility challenges. The evening includes live music, dining, silent and live auctions, and special guests.
The Nest Egg Foundation was created in 2015. It is a collaborative effort of medical and financial professionals, attorneys, and others. The foundation plays a key role role in the application and evaluation process of The Willow Grant, which was developed by New York Yankees pitcher Rodón and his wife.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
And finally … on this date in 1985, the Live Aid benefit concert was held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London, and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. The goal was to raise funds for Ethiopian famine relief.
On this day too, Live Aid-inspired concerts were held in the USSR, Canada, Japan, Yugoslavia, Austria, Australia, and West Germany. An estimated 1.9 billion people — nearly 40% of the earth’s population — watched the broadcast.
(It’s nowhere near as important as famine relief. But if you’re inclined to toss a few bucks our “06880” way, you can click here and follow the prompts. Thank you!)
Band director at Staples High School is one of the most important — and most visible — positions in town.
Phil Giampietro resigned this spring. He accepted a similar position at Hall High School-West Hartford, closer to his Cheshire home.
His place will be taken by Kevin Mazzarella. A press release says:
“Following interviews with a number of exemplary band directors, Kevin emerged as the unanimous choice of our students and Staples staff. He instantly connected with the students and brings to our program a unique blend of energy, warmth, and outstanding musical talent.
“Kevin was recently named Coventry Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year for 2024, where he taught Middle School Band for the past 3 years. Previously, at Cutler Middle School in Groton, he earned the 2018 Teacher of the Year award and was a quarter-finalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award. Under his leadership, the Cutler Jazz Band was selected as a Showcase Ensemble at the 2020 CMEA Conference.”
Mazzarella is a graduate of the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. He holds masters’ degrees in music education from Columbia University’s Teachers College, and educational technology from the University of Saint Joseph. He completed his graduate certificate in trumpet performance from the University of Connecticut in 2023.
His extensive performance credits span genres from jazz to early music
His previous principal Ross Sward, a former music educator, calls him “one of the best music teachers I’ve ever known.”
Despite morning clouds, it did not take long for the Sherwood Island State Park parking lot to fill up yesterday.
That happens on holiday, and/or hot, days.
But what happened next was new: Drivers pulled to the side of the Connector — and both sides of Greens Farms Road. There were vehicles all the way to the commuter lot.
They parked, picked up their chairs, coolers and umbrellas, and walked to Sherwood Island.
(Photo/John Karrel)
There were even cars on the I-95 exit ramp. A sign there said it was “closed to walkers.”
We see a lot of different types of watercraft off Compo Beach, from jet skis to mega-yachts.
Outrigger canoes — not so much.
But there was one yesterday, off South Beach. The Ke Aloha stopped by, on its way from New Jersey to Milford. From there it will trailer the boat to Gloucester, Massachusetts, to complete in the Blackburn Challenge Race.
During his 50-plus years in Westport, Paul Newman was everywhere in town.
We saw him in supermarkets, shops and restaurants. He and his wife Joanne Woodward handed out popcorn at the Westport Historical Society. He picked up hitchhikers (including me, 3 times).
Newman’s daughter Melissa is a giver in her own right. For 20 yeas, she volunteered at a woman’s prison.
She was casual friends with a social worker there. More than a decade ago, he handed her the gift.
It was a framed poster of her father. Looking straight at the camera — and pointing sternly — the young actor urged all “Young Citizens for Johnson” to register to vote.
Melissa had never seen that poster. “It was one of the best presents I ever got,” she says. She hung it on her kitchen wall. It’s been there ever since.
Four years ago, Melissa’s friend Miggs Burroughs helped change the message to “Research. Register. Vote.” Melissa put that message — with her father’s pointed finger — on t-shirts.
Now she’s doing it again.
As in 2020, she wants the message to be non-partisan. Besides, LBJ is no longer on the ballot.
Click here to order a short- or long-sleeve Paul Newman/Vote t-shirt. There’s also a link in Melissa’s Instagram bio (@melissamudandmusic).
It’s not only non-partisan — it’s non-profit. Melissa will donate $5 from every sale to The Civics Center. The non-profit promotes voting and civics education for young people.
So far, she’s given given them $1,250.
The ordering deadline is July 31. They’ll be ready the last week in August.
With plenty of time left to wear them. And to register, and vote.
For thousands of Westporters, yesterday’s menu was as as American as it gets: burgers and hot dogs.
But as our “Westport … Naturally” photo shows, others opted for fish:
(Photo/Seth Goltzer)
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And finally … on this date in 1996, Dolly the Sheep — the first mammal cloned from an adult cell — was born. It was a mammary gland cell, and whe was named after Dolly Parton.
(It would be nice to clone donations to “06880.” But we can’t. We need each individual one. Please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)
A reminder: the family-friendly, fun Westport Sunrise Rotary Club Duck Race event begins at 10 a.m. today on Jesup Green, and runs until 2 p.m. The ducks themselves cascade down a chute at 1 p.m. Raffle tickets — with a top prize of $5,000, and many others — will be available there.
Also at 10:30 a.m. today on Jesup Green: a brief welcoming ceremony for our 200 United Nations guests. Before heading off for a day of recreation, shopping and (if the sun comes out) beach activities, they will be greeted officially. The public is invited.
And of course all day long, the Westport Downtown Association sidewalk sale rocks Main Street and environs.
jUNe Day flags on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge. (Photo/Nancy Lally)
Lulada Club: NYC’s All-Women Salsa Orchestra got the women — and men — dancing last night, at the Levitt Pavilion.
(Photo/Dinkin Fotografix)
The free weekend entertainment continues tonight (Saturday), with blues trio Buffalo Nichols (7:30 p.m.), and tomorrow (Sunday), with the NYC Ska Orchestra (7 p.m.).
The (somewhat) new Ethan Allen Design Center in the Fresh Foods shopping plaza chose 10 members of the Artists Collective of Westport to exhibit their work for a month.
The art will be displayed throughout the separate room settings, on the walls and easels. The intiative originated with EA’s design director, Westporter, Melissa Mack.
A reception is set for July 9 (5 to 7:30 p.m.).
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Several osprey pairs continue to enjoy Westport. Betsy Kravitz spotted 2 in one day.
One was at the Saugatuck train station, where the nest is atop a trestle.
The other was our town’s most visible, with its very large nest between Fresh Market and Terrain. She snapped this photo, for our “Westport … Naturally” series:
And finally … today is the first day of the Tour de France.
The 111th edition begins in Florence, Italy, and ends in Nice, France, on July 21. The race will not finish in Paris for the first time ever, because of preparations for the Olympics.
(Happy jUNe Day! “06880” accepts currencies from around the world. Dollars, euros, yuans, rials, dinars … we honor it all. Please click here to support your hyper-local blog, Thank you!)
Grammy Award-winning guitarist and soon-to-be Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Peter Frampton is the latest star to headline at the Levitt Pavilion.
He brings his “Positively Thankful Tour” to Westport’s under-the-stars amphitheater on Sunday, September 15.
Despite the announcement of his farewell tour over 4 years ago due tothe
degenerative disease inclusion-body myositis, the legendary musician continues to play venues across the country.
After 48 years, “Frampton Comes Alive!” remains one of the top-selling live records of all time: over 17 million worldwide. He will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland this fall.
Concert-only tickets start at $125 ($112.50 for Levitt members); gala plus concert tickets (which include premium seating and a pre-show cocktail party) start at $500 ($475 for members).
The pre-sale begins at 10 a.m. today. Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday (June 28, 10 a.m.). Click here to order, and for more information.
The Westport Astronomical Society will be there in force tomorrow (Saturday). But they won’t be riding the Ferris wheel, or even playing one of those galactic games.
The WAS will set up solar telescopes, so fairgoers can view the sun.
It’s full circle (ho ho). In 2017, the organization received a Westport Woman’s Club Ruegg Grant. They bought a Lunt 100mm solar telescope, for pristine views of the sun and its active atmosphere.
It, and other telescopes, will be there tomorrow. See the sun like never before!
If you were at Staples Pops Concert last week — or the Candlelight Concert, or any other show at the high school, middle schools or elementary schools this year — this is not exactly stop-the-presses news:
The Westport Public Schools have been honored with another “Best Communities for Music Education” award from the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation.
The honor is getting routine. We’ve won it every year since 2013.
“Best Communities Music Education” designations go to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.
Criteria include funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs.
Over 200 students take part in the Candlelight Concert each year. Hundreds more participate in music programs at the middle and elementary schools.
Speaking of awards: Dozens of Westporters were proudly in the Hartford crowd Wednesday, as the Town of Westport, Westport Housing Authority and Homes with Hope were all honored by the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness.
All 3 groups received “Community Champions Awards,” for their continuing innovative practices and collaborative efforts, significantly impacting hundreds of people needing shelter and food.
Congratulations to all, on this major recognition!
Officials representing the town of Westport, Homes with Hope and Westport Housing Authority, and the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, at Wednesday’s ceremony.
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There’s an old saying: “When you fall off a horse, get right back up.”
The same can be said about rowing shells.
In late March, over 2 dozen Saugatuck Rowing Club rowers and coaches were rescued from the frigid Long Island Sound after 3 shells capsized in a sudden squall. Significant equipment was lost.
Despite their challenging spring, the team put 8 boats into the A finals at USRowing Nationals last week — the most in the club history.
Now, for the first time, SRC will send a crew to the Henley Royal Regatta in England June 28 through July 8. It’s a great international test for the local club.
Though their commitments to attend the US Naval Academy and Military Academy, respectively, prevent them from competing in England, captains George Bentley and Dillon Bhutani have led fundraising effort for the trip by seeking sponsors for feats of endurance.
Travel to England is expensive, and requires specialized clothing (including a specific blazer and hat). Not all rowing families can manage the financial burden. To defray expenses, the team will stay with a host family rather than a hotel.
Donations of any size are welcome. Click here to help.
Westport Police made 4 custodial arrests last week.
An 18-year-old Weston man was charged with reckless driving, DUI under 21 years, passing in a no-passing zone and failure to drive n the proper lane, following a single-car rollover accident around 8:44 p.m. on May 14. Several witnesses described the driver’s reckless, aggressive habits prior to the crash.
A 26-year-old Danbury man was charged with evading responsibility, following too closely, and driving without a license, following an accident at 8:18 a.m. on May 9. A woman stopped in traffic on Bayberry Lane at Long Lots Road was struck from behind by an SUV. As she inspected the damage, the driver shrugged his shoulders and drove away. The woman took a photo of his license plate.
A 52-year-old Southbury man was charged with reckless burning, criminal mischief and threatening, following an investigation into an early morning April 2019 fire at the Saugatuck train station. Due to the man’s mental state at the time of the incident, he was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
A 36-year-old Torrington man was charged with burglary and larceny, following a November report of a burglary while a family was not home. A security camera showed the man entering the home. He was arrested after being implicated in another burglary in the neighborhood.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 19 citatiosn
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 6
Traveling unreasonably fast: 5
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 4
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 3
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 2
Evading responsibility: 1
Driving while texting: 1
Distracted driving 1
Improper passing: 1
Failure to drive right: 1
Following too closely: 1
Failure to obey stop sign: 1
Unsafe backing: 1
Unreadable license plates: 1
Failure to wear seat belt: 1
Improper turn signal lamps: 1
Failure to renew registration: 1
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April Cunningham’s Westport roots run deep.
Her maiden name is Carusone. Her father was a Westport police officer. Her grandfather James Dorta worked for the town.
She fell on hard times. Both she and her husband are on disability. She has severe arthritis, while he has cataracts and needs surgery.
A couple of months ago, generous Westporters helped her and her husband with housing and food, in Milford.
Once again, they are on the verge of homelessness and hunger.
Click here to read the story of a local resident in need, with a link to a fund for assistance.
Russell Barnard, co-founder and publisher of Country Music Magazine, and longtime resident of Westport, died on February 5. He was 86.
He grew up in Pampa, Texas, then earned a degree in chemical engineering from Yale University in 1960.
After beginning his career at Sinclair Oil he soon moved to the music industry, working for Columbia Records in New York from 1963 to 1970, before turning to media and publishing.
In the early 70s he was a consultant to various media outlets and publications. He served as publisher of Harper’s Magazine from 1972 to 1976.
In 1972, he co-founded Country Music Magazine. With over 700,000 subscribers, it appealed to fans, music artists and industry executives, while never shying away from controversy or honest criticism.
Longtime contributor Rich Kienzle said that Barnard encouraged his writers —including luminaries like Patrick Carr, Nick Tosches and Peter Guralnick — to be “outlaw journalists,” like some country artists.
Barnard’s ability to spot, and foster, writing talent was as important to the magazine’s success as his ability to spot musical trends.
In 1988 he moved the magazine and his family from New York to Westport. Country Music had offices on Riverside Avenue and then Post Road East at Turkey Hill Road, where it remained until Barnard sold the magazine in 1999. The last issue was published in 2003.
In 2012, Barnard and his wife Helen — who worked as an editor of the magazine in Westport — moved back to New York City. He donated a collection of archived material to the University of North Carolina Wilson Special Collections Library, which Ken Burns drew on extensively for his documentary on the history of country music.
He is survived by Helen; their children Anne, John and Christopher, as well as 2 grandchildren. A small funeral was held in February at Willowbrook Cemetery, where he is buried.
Russ Barnard and Johnny Cash, at the singer’s Tennessee cabin.
That’s not the only local spot to tread lightly. This is a shot from Sherwood Island State Park — an excellent reminder of the wonders of “Westport … Naturally:
Not Westport. At least, not MoCA Westport anymore.
The gallery/performing arts center — whose official name was the Museum of Contemporary Art Westport — is now MoCA CT.
MoCA’s entrance is on Newtown Turnpike in Westport. But the bulk of the property — which includes Martha Stewart’s former TV studio, and was once a ball bearing factory — is in Norwalk.
MoCA explains the name change:
While our roots are in Westport, our impact and reach extend across the entire state of Connecticut.
The new name, MoCA CT, better represents our commitment to serving and engaging with communities throughout Connecticut. The name MoCA CT emphasizes our dedication to inclusivity and accessibility. It signals that we welcome artists, visitors, and participants from all corners of the state, fostering a sense of belonging and community.
Our mission is to celebrate contemporary art and foster a creative, engaging environment for all.
The new name aligns more closely with this mission by removing geographic limitations and highlighting our statewide aspirations.
MoCA was previously known as the Westport Arts Center. Its name was changed in 2019, when it moved to its present location from Riverside Avenue.
As of yesterday, a new logo had not been posted on the website (which is still mocawestport.org).
Tomorrow’s Board of Education meeting (Thursday, June 13, 7 p.m., Staples High School cafeteria) begins with a recognition of 15 retiring staff members: Susan Bambach, Peter Barcello, Anitha Bolar, Barbara Burns, Catherine Carlson, Karen DeFelice-During, David DuBois, Denise Emmerthal, Agustin Feliciano, Joyce Horne, Ann Neary Adalberto Orozco Jr., Jane Sandri, Bruce Smith, Mary Sue Welch.
The 2 Staples students on the Board — Calum Madigan and Anya Nair — will also be recognized, along with PTA co-presidents.
After a brief reception, agenda items include a teacher evaluation plan, and a second reading of Board polices on assignment of students to classes, ages of attendance and graduation requirements.
Staples High School English teacher Ann Neary is one of 15 retiring staff members.
The Levitt Pavilion’s popular Wednesday Children’s Series launches tonight (June 12, 7 p.m.).
Grammy winners Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats headline the family-friendly show. They promise “an elegantly silly time, loaded with bilingual and swingin’ sounds of jazz and beyond.”
Click here to reserve free tickets. Click here for more information on the Levitt Pavilion’s 50-plus free shows — and ticket sales for others.
Flag Day is this Friday (June 14). It celebrates the day in 1777 when our nation officially adopted its 13-stars, 13-stripes banner.
Carl Addison Swanson says, “on all such occasions, flags line Pleasant Valley Lane in honor of patriotism. It is a regular flag fest. And it is a fine time, in our divided country, that we remember we are all Americans.”
(Photo/Tom Cook)
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Speaking of patriotism: VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399’s 31st annual golf tournament, held Monday at Longshore, was a huge success.
Thanks to 96 golfers, plus friends, sponsors, auxiliaries and volunteers, it will help the organization and American Legion Post 63 offer support veterans throughout Fairfield County — and give them a welcoming place to gather.
VFW Post 399 (465 Riverside Avenue) is open to the public. and serves the community in many ways.
They host a weekly Jazz Night every Thursday; conduct monthly Red Cross Blood Drives (47 consecutive months so far), and organize open houses and ceremonies on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
The VFW partners with community institutions like PAL, the Fire Department, Westport Weston Family Y, Senior Center and Chamber of Commerce. They are also involved in youth activities in schools, Scouts, boating and sports teams.
For more information about Westport’s VFW Post 399/American Legion Post 63 and their community initiatives, click here.
Patty Kondub, VFW/American Auxiliary, is flanked by Honda of Westport sponsor representatives Evan Perkins and Steve Perkins.
“To his students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Fordham University, Manhattanville College, Fairfield University, and the Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, and patients at his clinical and forensic psychology practice in Westport, he was known as Dr. Norman Klein.
“To the thousands of Westporters he coached in the mid-1990s and then umpired behind the plate at Kowalsky Field, he was simply ‘Norm!’”
On Monday, young and old honored Norm for his nearly 30 years of service to Westport Little League.
Extolling Norm’s “flair for the dramatic, and his youthful exuberance,” longtime umpire-in-chief Brian Kurtz noted, “Your work was always your play. Which is the way it should be.”
Westport Baseball president Jeff Brill added, “His spirited and emphatic umpire calls on Saturday mornings of Majors games were hallmarks of better spring weather and Little League baseball fun. He will be sorely missed.”
In his bellowing umpire voice Norm said, “I am forever grateful, and just know: I loved every single inning.”
Westport Little League will permanently honor Norm with a plaque on the backstop at Kowalsky Field.
Norm Klein (right) and Little Leaguers, at Kowalsky Field.
The Hillspoint Road sidewalk project is making good progress.
Yesterday, workers were busy in front of Old Mill Grocery & Deli.
Unfortunately, if they wanted a cold brew after work, they had to go elsewhere.
Though the Planning & Zoning Commission voted 5-2 earlier this month to amend zoning regulations, to allow retail food establishments with seating inside for up to 10 people to serve alcoholic beverages, OMG’s application is not yet finalized.
For a couple of weeks, Westporters brought new and slightly used shoes to Town Hall and the Senior Center.
This week, town officials helped Souls4Soles organizers Ken Bernhard and Ted Freedman transport 35 boxes — filled with 450 pairs — to the UPS store for delivery to Tennessee.
This is the 5th time the town has rallied to provide footwear for people around the world who need them.
From left: Officer Greg Gunther, Ken Bernhard, Detective James Baker, Ted Freedman, Sgt. Sean Kelley and Sgt. Sharon Russo, with Soles4Soles boxes.
The volunteer organization — which collects, curates and distributes artwork for schools and municipal buildings — sold 30 paintings. The $16,000 raised will go a long way to ensuring that the arts are alive and well, all around town.
“Dream Town” by Lisa Daugherty was one of WestPAC’s auctioned items.
Another successful event: The “Evening of Mental Fitness,” sponsored by Rhone. 125 guests gathered at the Westport Woman’s Club to raise awareness and funds for Positive Directions’ prevention and counseling programs.
The non-profit collected nearly $30,000 through tickets, donations, a silent auction and 10% of Rhone’s Westport sales over the weekend.
At the mental health fundraiser (from left): Vanessa Wilson of Positive Directions, Zac Clark of Release Recovery, Kate Sweeney and Nate Checketts of Rhone, Staples High School boys basketball coach Dave Goldshore, and Westport 1st selectwoman Jen Tooker.
“This was Toscanini: The Maestro, My Father, and Me” has just been released as an audiobook, on all digital platforms.
There are 2 local angles. It was written by Westporter Lucy Antek Johnson, with her late father Samuel Antek. He was NBC Symphony’s first violinist.
And it was produced at the Westport Library’s Verso Studios. Johnson and actor David Garrison did all the narration, while Verso director Travis Bell handled the music editing.
Excerpts from the famed conductor’s original NBC Symphony performances replace the iconic photos, in the hardcover edition.
For example, when Toscanini bellows “Brahms!” at the first rehearsal, listeners hear the opening of his First Symphony.
The release is particularly noteworthy now. June is Audibook Appreciation Month.
June brings many events: graduations. Weddings. Father’s Day. Flag Day.
In Westport, it’s also dog licensing month. Licenses covering July 1 through June 30, 2025 can be obtained online, starting immediately. All dogs over 6 months old must be licensed.
Fees are $8 for neutered males and spayed females, $19 for others. Additional fees apply for online applications. There is a $1 penalty per month for renewal licenses issued after June 30. A $75 infraction will be issued for any non-licensed dog, and for any dog not wearing a current dog tag attached to a collar around its neck or body.
Click here, then scroll down to learn how to apply online.
For paper applications, mail or the drop box at the rear of Town Hall are preferred. Dog licenses can be processed in the Town Clerk’s office for those needing in-person assistance. Click here for the application.
Questions about dog licenses? Call 203-341-1110, or visit click here, then scroll down.
“I only date dogs that are licensed,” she says. (Photo/Charlie Scott)
The Westport Farmers’ Market attracts large crowds every Thursday.
This week, the crowd included Jim Himes.
Our US congressman met shoppers, local farmers and vendors. He asked plenty of questions, and also learned about the WFM’s community programs.
Congressman Jim Himes meets Rebecca Batchie, co-owner of Fort Hill Farm in New Milford.
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Mia Bomback is the newest addition to the “06880” board of directors.
One of the 7 seats on the non-profit’s board is reserved for a Staples High School Inklings members. Mia — a rising senior — will be paper managing editor for the 2024-25 school year. She replaces Caitlin Jacob on the board.
Mia has lived in Westport for over 10 years. A passionate student and aspiring journalist, she has already been part of the School of the New York Times, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and Yale Daily News summer journalism programs.
She has also worked as an intern for the Westport Journal, and contributed to “06880.”
Outside of journalism, Mia holds leadership roles in Staples’ French Club (which she co-founded), and Model UN, and volunteers at the Westport Book Shop.
She is also involved in the town-led civil discourse initiative Common Ground, and is very active in her religious community.
In her free time Mia listens to music, plays golf, and spends time with friends at family at Compo Beach.
For more information on the “06880” board of directors, click here.
Mia Bomback
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A few tickets remain for tonight’s big Levitt Pavilion show: Keb’ Mo’, with Phillip-Michael Scales (Saturday, June 8, 7 p.m.).
With 5 Grammys and 14 Blues Foundation Awards in a career of nearly 50 years, Keb’ Mo’ is one of America’s most accomplished contemporary roots artists.
Scales’ “dive bar soul” blends indie rock with passionate blues.
There is no outside food or drink. But the Blind Rhino food truck and bar by Rizzuto’s will be open. Children 6 and under are free in the bring-your-own-chair section. Click here for tickets, and more infromation.
And finally … Frank Lloyd Wright was born on this day, in 1867. The ground-breaking architect died in 1959, age 91.
(If today’s “06880” Roundup saved you from a fine for not having a dog license, please click here to support our work. You can also click if we didn’t help, but you like us anyway. Thank you!)
Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority continues to hear testimony about Aquarion’s construction of 2 large water tanks on North Avenue, opposite Staples High School. They replaced 1 smaller one on the same site.
Marc Lemcke has fought the water company since the tanks were first proposed in 2017. On Thursday, he testified before PURA, on behalf of Smart Water Westport and a group of neighbors.
Lemcke described his group’s investigation into Aquarion’s actions. His 4 main points:
The Westport tanks were not needed, and Aquarion knew it.
The tanks are part of a $200 million project that was not needed. and Aquarion knew it.
The tanks are larger than authorized.
Aquarion tried to conceal certain facts.
Specifically, Lemcke said, Aquarion blocked the disclosure of public records; hid payments to their Westport town lawyer’s firm, which had a conflict of interest; concealed information about contamination; knew that tank screening was not possible; engaged in illegal marketing; failed to provide “critically important” reports; violated terms of length of construction, and built the tanks without a wetland permit.
The water utility’s “questionable conduct … has critical implications for future water management, and makes the case for even greater oversight going forward,” Lemcke told PURA.
A hearing on Tuesday (June 4, 10 a.m., Zoom) will be held, covering Aquarion’s permit conditions.
Click here for the full 53-page report of Lemcke’s testimony; then click “Attached correspondence” at the bottom.
Aquarion water tanks under construction, June 2022.
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The Levitt Pavilion’s 50th season features over 50 free shows. And they started yesterday.
Tonight (Saturday) at 7:30, Boston-based Couch entertains with pop, funk, rock, R&B and soul. Click here for more information, and to reserve free tickets.
Tomorrow (Sunday, 7 p.m.), the Arun Ramamurthy Trio fuses South Indian classical Carnatic music and contemporary jazz. Click here for more information, and to reserve free tickets.
For all free shows, all available and returned tickets are distributed at the box office, first-come, first-served, beginning 2 hours before show time.
And for all free shows, audience members are free to bring in outside food and drink.
For a highlight reel of last weekend’s ticketed opening — with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Andy Frasco & The United Nations, and Dogs in a Pile, click below.
The rules are the same as past challenges, this year with a fresh round of 25 categories(click here to see). You can do all or only one, or anything in between. Just have fun!
Once you read a book that fulfills a category, submit it via the form on the Library. Then track your progress on our leaderboard.
The leaderboard is also where you can see what everyone else is reading, and give your own recommendations. You can also join the Westport Reading Challenge Facebook Group, and talk smack — er, books — all summer long.
As for kids: Starting today, children can sign up for the Library’s Summer Reading Program. It wraps up September 2.
Youngsters can read anything. Any time. And anywhere, all summer long.
Register online and keep track of minutes read. For every 100 minutes, you can decorate a summer sun that will be displayed in the Library.
Earn a treat from Shake Shack at 500 minutes. When you reach 1,000 minutes, can choose a book to keep from the Library’s selection of titles.
For more summer fun and prizes, stop in the Children’s Library to play bingo and earn more free books.
It’s a memoir about the fallibilities of memory. In 1972 she and her 13-year-old sister were flying unaccompanied back to New York from Israel. Their plane was hijacked by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and forced to land in the Jordan desert.
Too young to understand the gravity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Martha coped by suppressing her fear. Nearly a half-century later, her memories of those 6 days and nights as a hostage were hazy and scattered. Was it the passage of so much time, or that her family couldn’t endure the full story, or had trauma made her repress the experience? A professional historian, Martha wanted to find out.
Drawing on archival research, childhood memories, and conversations with relatives, friends, and fellow hostages, she re-creates what happened to her. As the hostages forged friendships and provoked conflicts, the sisters learned about the lives and causes of their captors, pondering a deadly divide that continues today.
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Westport Police officers carried the Flame of Hope along the Post Road through town yesterday. The event — from the Norwalk line, to the Southport border — showed support for Special Olympics of Connecticut.
Amy Schneider was one of many drivers and passersby who slowed down and snapped photos, as the torch and flags went past.
Gail Cohen died yesterday, surrounded by her family.
Her family says, “she was passionate about her family, the theater and canasta. She battled her terrible disease valiantly and courageously for 9 months.
“Throughout her life she inspired those around her with her passion, empathy, zest for life, and devotion to the happiness of others. Gail always led with love. She was a force and advocate for those who couldn’t advocate for themselves.”
She is survived by her husband of 40 years, Eric; children Hayley, Zach and Sydney, grandson Cooper, mother Mimi and siblings Richard, Beth Steinberg Michael and Robin.
A memorial service will be held tomorrow (Sunday, June 2, 1 p.m., The Community Synagogue of Westport). Shiva will be at 32 Burnham Hill tomorrow from immediately after the burial until 8 p.m., and Monday, June (1 to 4 p.m., and 6 to 9 p.m.).
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Cohen Family Scholarship Fund at Cardozo Law School/Yeshiva University, or a charity of your choice.
And finally … in light of the many headlines over the past 2 days:
(Sure, it’s the weekend. But “06880” never rests. Our Roundup continues, 24/7/365. If you enjoy our ceaseless work, please click here support us. Thank you!)
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