We’ve already seen the first couple of artists’ drawings of Spinnaker’s plan for the Minute Man Cleaners’ parcel in Saugatuck.
The Norwalk-based developer hopes to build 157 market rate units of rental apartments on the 1.5-acre parcel at the corner of Riverside Avenue and Charles Street. Another 18 would be deed-restricted as affordable. There would be 283 underground parking spaces.
The view from the corner of Railroad Place (left) and Riverside Avenue.
The view down Riverside Avenue; train station is far left. Charles Street is on the right.
Now they’ve released architectural plans.
Level 2 (ground level)
Level 3
Level 5 (level 4 was not posted)
Level 6
Parking garage – level 1A
Parking garage – level 1
The Planning & Zoning Commission will hear a pre-application of the proposal on Monday (June 1, 6 p.m.; Zoom).
The Architectural Review Board discusses the pre-app the next night (Tuesday, June 2, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall Room 201).
Meanwhile, Westporters are getting their first look at the new Long Lots Elementary School.
The initial renderings have been released. Below is a computer-generated aerial view.
The new school (right) is north of the current school, which will be replaced by a parking lot (center). An athletic field (left) replaces the former Community Gardens.
The renderings also show the front entrance (below), as viewed from the parent drop-off lane …
,,, and the “Main Street” corridor. This view is from the Stepping Stones/after hours/weekend entrance, heading to the gymnasium …
… as well as the cafeteria.
They are drafts only. Architects are still working on those, and other renderings. More may be available next week.
The projected opening of the new school has been pushed back to January 2028 — after winter break. The previous plan was the beginning of the 2027-28 school year.
For over 2 years, the renovation of Long Lots Elementary School was one of Westport’s most controversial issues.
Since June — when the Long Lots School Building Committee received unanimous approval from every town board and commission to move ahead with the design development, construction documents and construction of the new Long Lots and Stepping Stones Preschool project — we’ve heard very little.
Long Lots Elementary School — as it looks now …
But that does not mean nothing’s happening.
Yesterday, the LLSBC issued an update.
They said they have met with neighbors to review the first phase of the project. Once construction actually begins, they promise “more frequent updates.”
The project has been broken into 5 phases for state approvals. This will allow the geothermal drilling portion of the project to begin, while construction documents for the new building are in process.
“This will allow the construction manager the space to better stage the project,” the committee says.
… and one look at the future …
They note that the 5 phases of state approvals will not always align with the construction schedule. Those phases are:
Geothermal wells (underway): Approved by the state Office of School Construction to go out for bids last August. A contractor was selected.
The area has been fenced; construction trailers and temporary electric service has been installed; the lower soccer fields have been stripped in anticipation of drilling, and topsoil has been screened.
Drilling and installation of the geothermal wells is currently taking place on the lower soccer fields. Each of the 100 wells is 500 feet deep. Eighty have already been drilled. Completion is expected next month.
Pre-purchase of electrical switchgear and generator (underway): Approved by the state Office of School Construction to go out for bids last September. A contractor was selected.
The generator and electrical switchgear are being purchased early, to avoid nationwide supply chain delays of up to 17 months. This equipment will be installed during the construction of the new school.
… plus another.
Construction of the new Long Lots Elementary and Stepping Stones Preschool (next): Construction documents have been reviewed by the state Office of School Construction, and were released for bid in December.
Received bids will be evaluated in March. It is anticipated that construction will begin in April, with excavation for footings and foundations.
Furniture, fixtures and equipment: This will be submitted to the state for approval in late 2026. All furnishings will be new, and purpose-designed for the school. Delivery will align with the end of the new school construction. It is anticipated that no student-related equipment will be moved from the current building.
Demolition of the old school; construction of parking lots, athletic fields and Playgrounds(Late 2027; into 2028): Demolition of the current school will begin after the new one is occupied. Playgrounds, parking lots and athletic fields will follow the demolition of the old school.
The LLSBC notes that the upcoming bid process will help establish a more defined construction timeline.
Long Lots site plans.
The committee expects to meet with the Board of Education, and the faculties of Stepping Stones and Long Lots, to review the interior finishes in mid-February.
The LLSBC plans to have another neighborhood update prior to the start of the new building construction.
They will provide the Architectural Review Board with an update, followed by a town-wide project presentation in late February.
(For the Long Lots School Building Committee’s page on the Westport town website, click here.)
(“06880” keeps a close eye on Long Lots — and all our schools. If you appreciate our coverage of education — and/or anything else on your hyper-local blog — please click here to support us. Thank you!)
Back in the day, my generation learned about snow days by listening to the radio.
Westport’s WMMM and Bridgeport’s WICC would go through the list.
It was alphabetical — and agonizing.
Ansonia Public Schools. Bridgeport public schools. Darien public schools. Even Our Lady of Fatima, wherever that was.
Who cared? What about Westport?!
Sometimes they’d be closed. Sometimes they wouldn’t. It was a crapshoot.
Then came a more high-tech method: emails and voicemails.
Still, it was a crapshoot. Longtime superintendent of schools Elliot Landon made it a point of pride to keep Westport schools open.
“Today is Monday, January 26. The Westport Public Schools will be open!” he cackled.
It didn’t matter that schools from here to Buffalo were closed. Suck it up!
Former superintendent of schools Elliot Landon. He is probably smiling because he just announced that schools would be open.
But this is 2026. Social media is everywhere. High school students make full-length documentaries; 8-year-olds create Instagram reels.
So, to announce tomorrow’s snow day — which there was little doubt about, from Friday’s predictions on — Westport Public Schools officials got creative.
Assistant superintendent John Bayers headed to Long Lots Elementary School. He consulted with Leo the Lion — the mascot. They punted.
The decision was left to Long Lots’ staff: teachers, cafeteria workers, custodians, and the school resource officer.
Raising a child today is challenging. It is especially so when that youngster has special needs.
Ali Wachtel moved to Westport nearly 8 years ago. Today, she shares an inspiring story about her son Nate, and the Westport Public Schools. She writes:
When I moved here in December of 2017, I did not know how lucky I was. My son Nate was 18 months old.
I knew in my bones that he was autistic. What I did not know was that I had just moved to a town that could, and would, support him.
On Nate’s 3rd birthday, he had his very first day at Stepping Stones Preschool.
Nate’s first year at Stepping Stones.
Nate was not just mildly affected. He was non-verbal.
I was not sure he would ever be able to communicate with us in the way every parent dreams. As I was new to the world of special education, the team at Stepping Stones walked me through every step of the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) process.
Together we crafted a strategy for Nate to develop the necessary skills to access the academic curriculum.
Nate and his mother, Ali Wachtel, as she read to his Stepping Stones class …
Three years later, Nate graduated and moved on to Long Lots Elementary. To my delight, he matriculated into the general ed classroom. A dream of mine had come to fruition.
Nate still required a great deal of support. He is in the IR (Intensive Resource) program, which means he has 1-to-1 paraprofessional support. He is pulled out for reading, writing and math support to this day, in addition to participating in social skill building groups.
There is not a single area in which Nate does not require support. But it is all given to him.
I am writing this not solely as a co-chair of the Westport Special Education PTA, nor as an advocate for children who receive SpEd services, but as a proud parent.
Like so many I navigated this process, armed with little if any information or insight, and terrified that this outcome would never be an option for my child.
Yet 5 years later, on October 17, my incredible young boy was invited to return to Stepping Stones preschool to read aloud in his former teacher’s class.
… and Nate in October, reading to another Stepping Stones class. (Photos/Andy Fleischman)
This has, in no small way, been made possible by Westport’s dedicated educators.
My son who walked into Stepping Stones 7 years ago without the ability to speak, returned a confident 4th grade reader who shared his experiences in the Westport school system with a group of 5-year-old pre-school students.
To say this moment was the honor of my life is an understatement. It is all thanks to our good fortune in having moved to the town of Westport.
So thank you Westport, for granting me my annual birthday wish and prayer that one day my child would be able to express himself.
(Our “06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Please send submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com)
A crowd of around 100 gathered at Long Lots Elementary School yesterday, for the ceremonial “groundbreaking” for the new facility.
Dignitaries made speeches. They looked back on the long process leading up to the afternoon — and looked ahead at the modern building that will rise next to the current, 70-year-old one.
Jay Keenan, chair of the Long Lots School Building Committee, speaks. Looking on (from left): 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, the Long Lots Lion, LLSBC member Don O’Day, Board of Education chair Lee Goldstein, superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice.
Then the real action began.
Students — some of whom will enjoy the new school when it is finished, others who will have already moved on to middle school — picked up shovels.
They dug into a pile of dirt.
(Photos/Andrew Colabella)
And then — led by the Long Lots Lion — everyone cheered.
Toquet Hall — the town’s teen center — was filled last night, for the Westport Youth Commission’s first-ever 1st selectman’s debate.
Nearly 100 students, and a couple of dozen adults, heard the 3 candidates for the top job talk about their experience, vision, priorities and goals.
Some of the questions from Youth Commission members Jake Shufro and Jack Thompson were teen-specific. Many touched on broader topics, from Saugatuck development to the environment.
Asked to name a difficult decision they’d grappled with, Don O’Day cited the controversy over the Community Gardens, as a member of the Long Lots School Building Committee. Kevin Christie mentioned his decision to recuse himself during the soccer coaches’ non-renewal appeal. David Rosenwaks discussed his choice to leave the Democratic Party, and run as an independent.
1st selectman candidates at Toquet Hall (from left): Don O’Day, David Rosenwaks, Kevin Christie. (Photo/Lee Shufro)
In terms of the legacy they hoped to leave, Rosenwaks said, “respect for the town’s heritage, providing for the future, and a careful capital plan.” Christie said, “a place where everyone feels heard, and more proactive and decisive planning.” O’Day said, “a well-managed town where residents know what’s going on and feel better, and a well-managed tax base.”
Part of the Toquet Hall crowd. (Photo/Dan Woog)
The event was co-sponsored by the Westport League of Women Voters.
Youth Commission moderators Jack Thompson and Jake Shufro. (Photo/Lee Shufro)
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Trick or treat!
One of Westport’s great traditions — the Westport Downtown Association and Westport PAL Halloween parade — kicks off October 29 (3:30 p.m.).
It begins on Main Street, and continues right onto Avery Place, then left on Myrtle Avenue to Veterans Green. Children (recommended for kids up to age 8 can trick or treat along Main Street, and in Town Hall.
The Parks & Recreation Department provides refreshments, a small gift kids, and entertainment from DJ Kenny Michaels.
“06880”‘s Instagram Live series with selectman candidates continues at noon today (Wednesday). Our Instagram is @06880danwoog.
Democratic Kevin Christie and his running mate Amy Wistreich are the guests. Republican-endorsed Don O’Day and Andrea Moore, and Independent David Rosenwaks were interviewed previously.
Josh Suggs graduated from Staples High School just 4 years ago.
But he’s already been featured in the Wall Street Journal.
A story yesterday, headlined “Inside Advertising’s Most Grueling New Genre: ‘You Have to Have Zero Social Anxiety’” — featured Suggs’ year-old business: 203 Media.
They specialize in “street interview ads, clips of real people reacting to a product or service that companies pay to insert into social media feeds.”
The story says:
Suggs didn’t invent the concept, although he’s one of very few marketing executives to go all-in on the format. Man-on-the-street interviews have existed since the invention of radio and TV news, and political campaigns and consumer marketers have occasionally used the format in their advertising. …
Advertisers soon followed the (YouTube and TikTok) trend, paying creators to place products in their shoots. Social media agencies and user-generated content studios eventually began offering street interview ads as a service.
Suggs is betting that demand for real, unscripted videos will increase as ads made with generative AI proliferate, and consumers grow weary of influencers’ typical paid-for posts. The widening pool of media channels and platforms also means that advertisers have to battle harder for consumers’ attention than ever before, he said.
“Your ads cannot look like ads anymore,” Suggs said. “Nobody wants scripted, inauthentic, staged commercials—people trust real opinions, real emotions.”
Sierra Club Connecticut and State Representative Jonathan Steinberg invite residents to a community walk at Earthplace.
The October 21 event (10:30 to 11:30 a.m.) blends nature, conversation and action. The mile walk will include exploration of the local ecology, a discussion of important environmental issues and legislation — and picking up trash.
Speaking of the environment … what could be more appropriate for today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo than this beauty, standing tall amid wind and falling temperatures, on Soundview Drive?
Sustainable Westport takes their mission seriously.
And means much more than just composting, recycling and electric vehicles.
Next month, the non-profit teams up with the Senior Center and Westport woman’s Club to collect lightly used durable medical equipment, to support Wheel It Forward. Click here for a full list of items (there are many!).
Crutches, canes, wheelchairs and similar items can be dropped off at the Woman’s Club (44 Imperial Avenue), on Saturday, November 15 (8 to 10 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.) and Sunday, November 16 (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
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In 2022 Westport Writers’ Workshop lost longtime instructor Jessica Speart to breast cancer.
To honor her life, and so many others affected by the disease, they’re hosting a fundraiser this Thursday (October 16, 6:30 p.m.).
This is not your usual gala. It’s not even a party.
For $50, participants can join instructor and breast cancer survivor Christine Pakkala in writing to prompts.
In a Heartbeat — the life-saving organization that offers free screenings for children, teens and young adults, to prevent death from sudden cardiac arrest — celebrates 10 years of saving lives this Thursday (October 16).
From 6 to 9 p.m. (Aitoro Appliances, 401 Westport Avenue, Norwalk), guests will enjoy great food from restaurants like Kawa Ni and Gruel Britannia, raffles and a live auction.
Nearly 80,000 people are living with Alzheimer’s in Connecticut.
Many more family members and friends are affected by the disease, as caregivers.
On October 26 (10 a.m.), the annual Fairfield County Walk to End Alzheimer’s steps off at a new location: Sherwood Island State Park. Dave Briggs is the MC.
Angela Buchdahl is one of the most influential rabbis in America — and a longtime colleague and mentor of Temple Israel’s Rabbi Michael Friedman and Cantor Julia Cadrain.
On October 28 (7 p.m.) she’ll be at Temple Israel, discussing her new book. “Heart of a Stranger” is a stirring account of her journey from feeling like an outsider to becoming an internationally admired religious leader. Click here to register, and for more information.
This morning, “06880” reported on the first day of construction for the new Long Lots Elementary School. Homeowners just south of the property reported that carefully drawn plans had been disregarded, resulting in clearance of an estimated 6,000 square feet of mature vegetation and growth beyond the construction road.
This afternoon, the Long Lots School Building Committee responded. They told “06880”:
This statement is intended to address the story regarding the over-clearing of vegetation on the Long Lots campus in close proximity to a resident’s home. We would like to explain what happened, and what steps are being taken to address the situation.
Despite the extensive planning and multiple site visits conducted to review the area on the east side of the Long Lots campus which was designated for limited clearing, some additional vegetation beyond the intended scope was mistakenly removed by the contractor as the road for construction vehicles was installed.
It was a mistake and should not have happened. The issue has been reviewed extensively with all involved to ensure mistakes like this are not repeated.
Pre- and post-construction views.
To remedy the situation, a plan has been developed to plant a large evergreen buffer (in addition to similar plantings which will be planted on the site in the future) in the affected area within the next 1 to 2 weeks.
The homeowner who is most affected by this over-clearing will be involved in the placement of the trees in advance of the plantings. The Building Committee’s project manager has already been in contact with the homeowner. A separate letter to Planning and Zoning which details this remediation is also in the process of being delivered.
While we sincerely regret this error at the start of the new school construction process, we also see the proposed remediation as an opportunity to improve the plans for the final result. Upon project completion, the landscape buffer between the school property and the residence closest to the east side of the campus will be enhanced over the previous mix of unkept trees and the initial proposed single layer of evergreens.
Again, we regret the mistake and we will work to ensure it is not repeated.
Plans are moving forward for the new Long Lots Elementary School and Stepping Stones Preschool.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker reports that the end of this month, or early October, will see “groundbreaking for the geothermal wells and site mobilization.” It’s the first major step in the construction process.
For updates, documents and more details, click here.
He was 33 years old. Today, he would be a grandfather.
Jonathan’s wife, Julie Whamond, is a Westport resident, and Representative Town Meeting member. She also volunteers as a docent, at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York.
Yesterday she and fellow RTM member Andrew Colabella visited the museum. They paused in front of a mural of blue tiles. Each represents one of the 2,977 people killed that tragic day, 24 years ago.
Andrew Colabella and Julie Whamond, at the 9/11 Museum.
Behind that wall is where the chief medical examiner office’s. Nearly a quarter century later, they store and test remains every day. Over 1,000 have yet to be discovered.
Part of Jonathan’s remains are kept on site. It is the final resting place for many victims.
As a docent, Andrew says, Julie tells the story of 9/11, and her personal connection to it. It, and she, serve as “a primary source of evidence of the impacts of terrorism that day,” he says.
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Tomorrow’s Slice of Saugatuck is on!
Delayed one week by rain, the annual Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce event will fill Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place and Bridge Square with 7 bands, tons of kids’ activities, retail offerings — and more 2 dozen restaurants and food purveyors, handing out tasty samples.
The Norwalk Art Space’s Arts Bash will have a very distinct Westport flavor.
The October 9 event (6 p.m., 455 West Avenue, Norwalk) — featuring exhibits, music, cocktails and gourmet bites, raising funds to provide free art education and exhibition opportunities to under-represented students and artists — will honor Melissa Newman, for her many contributions to arts and arts education.
The longtime Westport resident is a noted artist, writer, teacher, sculptor, painter — and jazz singer.
A Norwalk Art Space board member, Newman is also a dedicated mentor. “Her multifaceted artistic career and deep-rooted passion for the next generation of creatives make her an ideal honoree for this year’s celebration,” the Art Space says.
Another Westport connection: The Arts Bash co-chair is local resident Dale Najarian.
During the Gilded Age, America’s favorite sage, sociologist, philosopher and
news analyst was Mr. Dooley — a bartender invented by Chicago newspaper editor Finley Peter Dunne.
Though hardly remembered today, Dunne’s humorous newpaper columns were read all over the world. Mr. Dooley’s opinions were read at White House cabinet meetings; robber barons and politicians lived in fear of the bartender’s sarcasm.
Starting tonight, Mr. Dooley comes to life at the Westport Community Theatre in “Dooley at the Bar,” a one-man show created and performed by Alexander Kulcsar.
The play — which opens WCT’s 68th season — runs for 10 performances, on Fridays and Saturdays (7:30 p.m.) and Sundays (2 p.m.), through September 28.
The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters and State Representative Jonathan Steinberg discuss “climate wins from the 2025 legislative session, and plans for the future” on September 17 (9:30 a.m., Westport Library). The public is invited.
The American Parkinson Disease Association Connecticut Chapter holds its annual “Optimism Walk” at Sherwood Island State Park on September 20 (11 a.m.). The event raises awareness and funds. Click here for more information.
School has begun. The temperature is slowly dropping.
But the Levitt Pavilion continues to offer great entertainment.
DNR — the nearly-all-physician classic rock band — played to an enthusiastic crowd last night.
They’ll be back again just a few yards away on November 1. That show is indoors, at the Westport Library. It’s a benefit for Norwalk Hospital’s Whittingham Cancer Center.
Westport’s interesting race for 1st selectman just got even more intriguing.
David Rosenwaks will be the town’s first-ever Independent Party-endorsed candidate. Having secured more than enough signatures, he’ll have his own line on the November 4 ballot.
He joins Democratic-endorsed Kevin Christie, and Don O’Day, the Republican-endorsed candidate who is now unaffiliated.
Rosenwaks, 48, spent 25 years as an unaffiliated voter. He became a Democrat less than a year ago, but is now joining the Independent Party.
David Rosenwaks
Party politics is one of the reasons Rosenwaks is running for the town’s top job. A first-term member of the non-partisan Representative Town Meeting, he says, “I want to change the tenor of town government. As an Independent, I’ll answer to one entity: Westport and its citizens.
“A lot of decisions have been made before weighing all views. A lot of people feel unheard and undervalued.”
Rosenwaks envisions a return to former 1st Selectwoman Diane Farrell’s “Brown Bag Lunches.” A member of the RTM’s Information Technology Committee, he also hopes to “modernize and digitize” the town’s technology system.
Rosenwaks and his wife, actor Liz Fye, moved to Westport from New York at the beginning of COVID. They felt “blessed” by the school system, Library, beaches and rich arts heritage.
Rosenwaks dove into all aspects of the town. He attended commission and TEAM Westport meetings, Westport Library events, the Senior Center, the Westport Country Playhouse and more. He is a member of the Westport Arts Advisory Committee, joined the Citizens Police Academy, served on the PTA Council in a technology role, and coached recreation soccer.
“I learned a lot from the people who have been here for years,” Rosenwaks said. “They helped me understand how this town grew and evolved into what it is now.”
At the same time, he says, “Westport is at an inflection point. The average age is 39 to 45, depending on the data you use. We’re ready for the next evolution of the town. I’m confident I can be the bridge between those who have been here for decades, and the more recent arrivals.”
His RTM District 6 race was very competitive: 7 candidates for 4 seats. He knocked on 700 doors, and heard a diversity of viewpoints on a variety of topics.
David Rosenwaks
In the past 5 years, Westport has grappled with some major controversies.
Rosenwaks — a Long Lots Elementary School parent — was disturbed by the overcrowding and neglect at his children’s school. At the same time, he says, “the Community Gardeners should have been handled differently. They deserved a more honest approach up front.”
Redistricting 30 children “across the river, at 2 of the worst times of day” was an example of decisions being made “piecemeal, not holistically,” he says.
Rosenwaks was also disturbed at the Board of Education’s handling of Staples High’s soccer coaches.
“Over 100 kids sat in Town Hall for 14 hours,” he says. “Their voices were not heard. They were disilliulsioned. That’s a problem for their future, and the future of the town.”
As for the Hamlet, he says, “the majority of people in Westport want some development. But not to the extent of what was proposed. How did we get here, held hostage by a developer that doesn’t connect with what most people want?”
after graduating from Dartmouth College, Rosenwaks joined Salomon Smith Barney/Citigroup as an investment banker.
He then co-founded a multi-billion dollar asset management firm, StoneCastle Partners. After selling it a decade later he pivoted to singing, songwriting and art collecting.
He’s recorded with Paul Shaffer and Phil Ramone. Rosenwaks’ original music has appeared in independent films. He headlined shows at the Public Theater, Joe’s Pub, and BB King’s.
Now, he says, “I spend most of my time dedicated to the town.”
Which brings him back to the reason he is running.
“I want what’s best for my family, my neighbors, and the town of Westport,” Rosenwaks says.
“I want everyone to feel involved. Whether it’s Jesup Green or a parking lot, every decision should be about what’s best for Westport.”
To run on the Independent Party line, Rosenwaks needed signatures from 1% of the number of people who voted in the previous selectperson’s race: 85 registered voters.
He submitted 132.
Now he awaits official certification, from the Independent Party.
He is running solo for the top spot. According to the Town Charter, if a person elected 1st selectman “has not been nominated by political party, the 2 defeated chandidates for First Selectman having the high number of votes shall be elected Selectman.”
It is unclear if that means the 2nd and 3rd selectmen would be the 2 other candidates for that position (Christie and O’Day, in whichever order they finish), or if the candidates of the runner-up party with the most runner-up votes would serve as 2nd and 3rd selectpersons, respectively (Christie and Amy Wistreich, or O’Day and Andrea Moore).
Either way, Rosenwaks says, “I will be happy to work with any combinatiion of ‘defeated candidates. Leadership comes from the top.”
There will be no referendum on Long Lots Elementary School.
Toni Simonetti had 14 days to collect 2,015 signatures — 10% of all eligible voters in the most recent election. She hoped to slash the proposed $103,190,124 expenditure for a new school to $90 million.
Yesterday was the petition deadline. Only 71 signatures were turned in. The drive was 1,944 signatures short.
Planning will proceed for a new Long Lots, without a referendum.
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Good news!
The most recent bacteria tests for Compo and Burying Hill came back negative yesterday. The beaches have reopened.
Whew!
Everyone back in the water! (Photo/Rowene Weems)
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Tickets are selling well for Wednesday’s fireworks show at Compo Beach — aka Westport’s Best Party of the Year. Only a small number remain.
A few residents have asked about this year’s price increase, the first in several years.
Westport PAL — the longtime co-sponsor, and beneficiary of the fundraiser — explains that costs have risen dramatically for everything: the barge, insurance, and the fireworks themselves.
Melissa and Doug Bernstein generously underwrite part of the costs, as they’ve done for years. Without their help, PAL would net only about $2,000.
Proceeds helps fund PAL programs that serve programs that serve thousands of youngsters each year, plus the Longshore skating rink and college scholarships. Click here to learn more about PAL.
Tickets (cash or check) are available at the Parks & Recreation Commission office at Longshore (near the golf course first tee) during office hours, and any time at the Westport police station on Jesup Road.
Westport’s greatest party returns July 2. (Photo/Elissa Moses)
Our second “06880” Instagram Live yesterday was certainly lively.
Dave Briggs and Dan Woog explored the “Don’t Kill the Old Mill” campaign, in support of Old Mill Grocery & Deli.
And we did it from the communal table, inside the very popular Hillspoint Road spot.
We were joined by several OMG notables, including owner Graziano Ricco of Romanacci’s; Jim Hood and Ian Warburg of the non-profit Soundview Empowerment Alliance, owner of the 106-year-old building, Matthew Mandell of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce, and Chris Tait, an Old Mill neighbor and staunch supporter.
They explained what OMG means to the neighborhood. We took questions from viewers too.
The Levitt Pavilion offers 2 free shows, and 1 other, this weekend.
The Tom Petty Project kicks things off tonight (Friday, 7:30 p.m.). All free tickets have been claimed, but returned tickets will be redistributed at the box office before the show.
A few tickets are still available, at various prices, for tomorrow’s Disco Biscuits cconcert (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.).
Artemis takes the stage Sunday (7 p.m.), for a free show.
Edwin A. Audley — a former Westport Police captain, and founder of the Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service — died last month in Winter Haven, Florida. He was 87.
The Westport native graduated from Staples High School in 1955. He served in the Army from 1955 to 1958, then joined the Army Reserves as a senior aircraft mechanic until 1962.
Ed joined the Westport Police Department in 1961. He was promoted to sergeant, lieutenant, inspector, then captain in 1990. He retired in 1993.
Ed founded the WVEMS in 1979. He became an Emergency Medical Technician instructor in 1987.
In Florida, Ed was president of the Winter Haven Rose Society.
He is survived by his wife Elizabeth; brother Harry Audley (Pat), daughters Kimberly, Susan Palmer (Mark) and Victoria; 4 grandchildren, 5 great- grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on July 12 (Assumption Church, 10 a.m.).
Click here to leave online condolences. Donations can be made to the Edwin Audley Scholarship Fund, c/o Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Services, 50 Jesup Rd. Westport, CT 06880.
Ed Audley
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Former Westporter Priscilla Boyle died last Friday, surrounded by her family. She was 96.
She graduated from Lesley College, then taught kindergarten in Watertown, Massachusetts for 9 years before marrying Charles Boyle in 1958. They moved to Westport in 1963, and raised 3 children here.
Priscilla was involved with tennis, the Weston Field Club and bridge.
She was an active member of Assumption Church for over 6 decades. She shared her faith through Eucharistic Ministry, prayer groups, book clubs and as a catechism teacher, with a special dedication to preparing children for their First Communion.
Later, Priscilla became a welcoming presence at the Westport YMCA as a receptionist.
Priscilla was predeceased by her husband and her siblings Mary Alice Connolly, James W. Scanlan, Anne T. “Nancy” Batal and Francis V. Scanlan. al.
She is survived by her children Charles “Chip,” Susan Improta (Paul), and Elizabeth Boyle; grandsons Kenneth and Philip Improta, sister-in-law Alice Scanlan, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A celebration of Priscilla’s life will be held at Assumption Church on July 15 (11 a.m.). In lieu of flowers, donations in Priscilla’s memory may be made to Smile Train.
Priscilla Boyle
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June is ending the way it began: with plenty of colors.
Today’s “Westport … Naturally” yellow-and-green scene is from Whitney Street.
And finally … Mick Ralphs — the Mott the Hoople and Bad Company guitarist/ songwriter — died. He was 81, and had bedridden after suffering a stroke in 2016. Click here for a full obituary.
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To run on the Independent Party line, Rosenwaks needed signatures from 1% of the number of people who voted in the previous selectperson’s race: 85 registered voters.
