But a variety of businesses in Saugatuck Center invite everyone to block party this Sunday (June 22, 2 to 4 p.m.).
In and around the Whelk plaza, there will be live music, small bites, lawn games, and fun for all ages. It’s sponsored by “your favorite local businesses.”
See you there!
Block party time!
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Alex Edelman — called “the Jewish voice of his generation,” whose shows blur the line between standup comedy and narrative-driven storytelling — brings his show to Temple Israel next month (July 30, 7 p.m.).
And finally … on this date in 1631, Mumtaz Mahal died during childbirth. Her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, spent the next 17 years building her mausoleum. Today we know it as the Taj Mahal.
Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice sent this note today to Westport families and faculty:
As you have likely heard already (good news travels fast!), last night the RTM voted to approve construction of a brand-new, state-of-the-art Long Lots Elementary School and Stepping Stones Preschool!
This decision marks a transformative moment for our students, our educators, and the entire Westport community.
As I mentioned last night, this vote is far more than an approval of bricks and mortar, it is a testament to our values, reflecting our town’s unwavering commitment to our children, to public education, and to a future which will continue to be built on decades of excellence in our schools.
We have long known that the Long Lots facility has reached the end of its useful life, and that the miraculous work in Stepping Stones Preschool has been performed in subpar settings.
The current Long Lots Elementary School …
I would be remiss in not acknowledging the people who have performed at the highest levels, in inferior conditions, namely, the maintenance team who have kept these schools spotless in spite of worsening conditions, the faculty and support staff who have delivered year in and year out, and the administrative team who have led through disruption, facility failures, and emotional distress.
Finally, on behalf of the entire district, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the parents of Long Lots and Stepping Stones. You spoke up, showed up, and never gave up, even knowing your own children might not benefit directly. You stood up not just for your own families, but for future generations of Westport students. Your selfless advocacy is a powerful reminder of what it means to believe in something bigger than ourselves.
This moment did not happen by chance. It was made possible by years of advocacy from our Board of Education, support from our Board of Finance and First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker, and thoughtful planning (and hours and hours of work) from our Long Lots School Building Committee and town staff.
Finally, I want to thank the RTM for the rigor of their approval process, and for the unanimous vote last night, sending a strong message of values to the entire community.
… and the new one.
We now turn toward an exciting chapter, the design and construction of a future-facing school that will serve generations to come. One that will be safe, sustainable, inclusive and inspiring, a space that supports every student and reflects the values of the community around it.
This is a proud day for Westport. And it’s just the beginning.
We’ll be sharing more about next steps and opportunities to stay engaged in the coming weeks and months.
For now, let’s take a moment to celebrate—this celebratory moment belongs to the entire community.
Last night, the Representative Town Meeting unanimously approved a new Long Lots Elementary School.
The long — and long-delayed — project got the final go-ahead, after recent approvals from a variety of other town bodies.
Artist’s rendering of the Long Lots Elementary School courtyard.
Work remains — including putting the $103.2 million contract out to bid.
The only delay would be a townwide referendum, based on the cost. A petition would need to be signed by 10% of registered voters — 1,860 people — by June 27.
But when the vote was over last night, town officials — including selectwomen, RTM and Board of Education members, and the Long Lots School Building Committee — headed the short distance from Town Hall to the Spotted Horse, to celebrate.
(Photo/Andrea Moore)
From left: Don O’Day, Jay Keenan, Tim Wetmore, Joe Renzulli, Kevin Christie, Srikanth Puttagunta, Liz Heyer. All are on the Long Lots School Building Commitee, including ex officio members Christie (Board of Education) and Heyer (Board of Finance). (Photo/Andrew Colabella)
The Staples High School boys lacrosse team shoots for the state championship tomorrow (Saturday).
The Wreckers — seeded #3 in the “LL” (extra large schools) tournament — take on #4 Darien. Faceoff is 12:30 p.m., at Fairfield University.
That’s the same stadium where — 3 days ago — the blue-and-whites scored a spectacular semifinal victory.
Down 9-5 with less than 5 minutes to play, they stunned #2 Ridgefield with 5 straight goals. Tristan Schaefer netted the game winner, with just 2.4 seconds remaining.
Will Fleming had tied it up 9-9, with 33 seconds to go. Adam Udell notched the 2 goals before that.
Coach Will Koshansky’s squad is gunning for their 3rd state title in 4 years. They won it all in 2022 and ’23 — the first Connecticut championships in their history.
Go Wreckers!
Tristan Schaefer (91) celebrates his clutch game-winning goal against Ridgefield. (Photo courtesy of Staples Boys Lacrosse)
Speaking of sports: Last August, Ben Casparius was pulled up from the minor leagues, to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Two months later, he helped pitch them to a World Series championship.
This spring, the 2017 Staples High School graduate secured a roster spot with the team, as a relief pitcher.
Now he’s a starter.
According to MLBTradeRumors.com, “he’s done nothing but produce in the majors …. His 44 innings of work this season have seen him produce a 2.86 ERA with a 1.89 FIP while striking out 26.0% of his opponents and walking just 5.1%. Those numbers are nothing short of brilliant.”
The Yankee Doodle Fair — for a century, Westport’s favorite end-of-school tradition — opened last night.
It continues today and this weekend, at the Westport Woman’s Club and adjacent Imperial Avenue parking lot.
Today (Friday) it’s 6 to 10 p.m. Tomorrow (Saturday) the fair runs from 1 to 10 p.m. It winds up Sunday, from 1 to 5 p.m.
In addition to carnival rides and games, there is plenty of food. And, of course, a raffle. Proceeds from the fair help the Woman’s Club fund many charitable activities and scholarships.
(Photo/Lauri Weiser)
More photos to come tomorrow, from the very talented Ryan Allen!
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Elle Michel Deran is an actor, the founder of Pussyboy Apparel, one of the nation’s leading trans influencers, and a 2013 Staples High School graduate.
Now — smack in the middle of Pride Month — she and Ezra Deran Michel are featured in a Cosmpolitan project called “Love Transcends.”
In it, the couple — who just moved from Los Angeles to a tiny town in Jalisco, Mexico — talkabout why they left the US, sobriety, “how accountability can be sexy, and why both being trans makes it easier to cope whenever their relationship gets tough.”
The Wakeman Town Farm farm stand opens tomorrow (Saturday, June 14).
It will be open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It features fresh produce, honey, artisanal baked goods, extra virgin olive oils and gourmet balsamic vinegars, Chaga mushroom elixirs and salsas — plus fresh cut flower bouquets and WTF logowear.
Visitors can also walk through the gardens, say hi to the animals, and chat with the farmers.
Meanwhile, Wakeman Town Farm is looking for volunteers (ages 16+) to prepare and plant gardens (Wednesdays and Fridays, 2 to 4:30 p.m.). Email info@wakemantownfarm.org.
Among their many tasks, Westport’s League of Women Voters does a great job educating residents about the political process — everything from registering and voting, to why municipal elections are important.
Yesterday, LWV members got educated themselves.
The guest speaker at their annual luncheon was Stephanie Thomas. Connecticut’s secretary of the state spoke in depth — and passionately — about our relatively new early voting process. She provided background, statistics, and strong affirmation for its impact on turnout.
She also stressed the need for continuing voter education.
That’s what the League of Women Voters does constantly. And as Thomas knows, in Westport they do it very, very well.
Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, at the LWV’s annual meeting at Green’s Farms Church. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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Much of today’s national politics has been called a dumpster fire. We can argue that all day.
But yesterday, there was a literal dumpster fire on Hales Court.
Quick work by the Westport Fire Department kept it from spsreading to a nearby residence.
There are still a few random spots in town — a bank and store, for example — with signs or floor decals reminding patrons of the need for “social distance.”
That COVID-era phrase is now just a bad memory. If we notice the notices at all, we just ignore them.
But what about these signs, at Fresh Market?
(Photo/Dan Woog)
When was the last time anyone called in a curbside order?
Probably the same time the sidewalk and road in front of the entrance was not under construction.
Julie Loparo of Westport Animal Shelter Advocates writes: “We hope to find not only a possible owner, but to secure donations for a young cat’s emergency care.
“After being struck by a car on Tuesday, on Easton Road, he was taken to the VCA emergency clinic in Norwalk by Westport animal control officer Joe Saponare. He has been treated for shock, abrasions and a fractured pelvis.
“He will be released to the care of a WASA volunteer today. His emergency care to date has cost $2,750. Donations can be made here. For more information, email wasa1@optonline.net, or call (203) 557-0361.
Emergency cat care needed.
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Speaking of animals: Deer are everywhere in Westport.
Including Old Mill Beach.
Robin Tauck spotted this pair yesterday — heading in opposite directions — and sent us this photo, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
(Photo/Robin Tauck)
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And finally … happy Friday the 13th!
(From sports stars to trans influencers, and Wakeman Town Farm to the League of Women Voters, “06880” is where Westport meets the world. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
The Long Lots Elementary School project took a major step forward last night. The Board of Finance voted unanimously to approve a $103 million request for the new building.
The final step comes tonight (Thursday, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium). The Representative Town Meeting (RTM) has 2 agenda items: to approve the same appropriation request, and to approve the actual application by the town “to construct a new elementary school, parking lot, athletic fields, playgrounds, and associated site and utility work.”
Artist’s rendering of the new Long Lots Elementary School.
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There’s a lot of news today from the Westport Country Playhouse.
Bruce Miller — archivist for the 94-year-old theater — offers these details on Tony Awards won on Sunday by Playhouse “alumni”:
Natalie Venetia Belcon won Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for “Buena Vista Club.” She appeared in the 2007 Playhouse production of “Being Alive!”
Sam Pinkleton earned Best Direction of a Play for “Oh, Mary!” He was in the 2010 WCP production of “She Loves Me.”
Francis Jue won Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for “Yellow Face.” He was seen in this year’s Script in Hand reading of “Back Talk.”
Other Playhouse alums who worked on “Buena Vista Social Club” were set designer Arnolfo Maldonado (who designed the WCP’s “4000 Miles,” and wig designer J.Jared Janus (who, among many other plays, recently did “Theatre People.” (Hat tip: Dave Matlow)
The Westport Country Playhouse stage is not too far — geographically or artistically — from Broadway.
In addition, the Playhouse will participate in “Connecticut Open House Day” on Saturday (June 14, 1 to 5 p.m.).
The free event includes self-guided backstage tours, kids’ activities, music and food trucks.
At 1, artistic director Mark Shanahan unveils the 2025-26 productions. Anyone renewing or purchasing a subscription will be entered to win 2 tickets to an upcoming show.
One of the coolest parts of a Playhouse tour: the hundreds of head shots lining the walls, near the dressing rooms and green room. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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Meanwhile, the Playhouse has just added a new solo play.
“The Goldsmith” (July 11, 8 p.m., Lucille Lortel White Barn) stems from Broadway actress Sharone Sayegh’s true family’s journey.
It’s “a treasury of stories woven through the golden jewelry passed down through her family across countries, borders, and generations. Each piece of jewelry takes us further along her family’s journey from Iraq to Israel, and then to America, where Sharone grapples for love as a first generation Iraqi, Israeli, American Jew.”
It was a powerful performance, with Broadway veterans taking on the characters and belting out 18 songs — some pop, some ballads — all written by Sophie.
The packed house gave Sophie and the actors a standing ovation.
Veteran TV journalist Anne Craig chatted with Sophie about the musical: why she wrote it, and how much of the material mirrors her own life experience.
And finally … we cannot sum up the life of Brian Wilson better than the New York Times‘ Ben Sisario does:
Brian Wilson, who as the leader and chief songwriter of the Beach Boys became rock’s poet laureate of surf-and-sun innocence but also an embodiment of damaged genius through his struggles with mental illness and drugs, has died. He was 82.
Like many “06880” readers of a certain age, I saw them in concert several times. One time, in Miami, they were young and fresh — and the opening act was a pre-“Piano Man” Billy Joel.
Decades later, at a Levitt Pavilion fundraiser, the “Boys of Summer” had morphed into a listless version of the “Grandfathers of Summer.” Brian Wilson had stopped performing long before.
But today, let’s remember his genius — and the music that made us all feel young and immortal.
(From the Playhouse to the Beach Boys, “06880” is where Westport meets the world. We rely on reader contributions. If you enjoy our work, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
It’s one of Staples High School’s newest — and best — traditions.
A couple of days before graduation, seniors visit the 5 elementary schools where they started their Westport education years ago.
Wearing caps and gowns, they greet “old” teachers (and classrooms). Youngsters watch reverently, and begin thinking of their own futures.
The photo below, from yesterday’s event at Saugatuck Elementary School, shows the many soon-to-be grads from Staples — plus 4 classmates who graduated the other day from Greens Farms Academy grads — along with SES mascot Saugy the Seal.
Several dozen other seniors headed back to Long Lots Elementary.
A couple of years from now though, returning students from that school will not recognize their alma mater.
Last night, the Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously approved a new 8-24 plan for construction of a new Long Lots. That was a major hurdle on the road to a modern, $100+ million building.
The process continues tonight, with meetings of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) Education and Finance Committees (Tuesday, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., respectively; both in Town Hall Room 201).
Tomorrow (Wednesday, June 11, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium), the Board of Finance meets to okay the project. Final approval could come Thursday (June 12, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium) from the full RTM.
The new Long Lots Elementary School.
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A few hours after the looking-back elementary schools event, seniors gazed forward.
Staples Tuition Grants handed out $400,000 in scholarships, to 102 recipients. (Some are already in college, and have received previous grants.) They’re attending 71 schools.
Marcus Harper — father of Max Harper, a ’25 member who died in an accident last September — spoke about a new initiative: the Live Life to the Max Award. It helps students suffering from ADHD.
Galen Blumenthal — a 2008 recipient, and former Staples Player and Student Assembly member — described his journey from the University of Texas to his return to Westport, as a management consultant. He urged the recipients to never be afraid to ask for help, and to always give back.
He’s doing that himself. Galen just joined the Staples Tuition Grants board.
Some of the 2025 Staples Tuition Grants honorees. (Photo/Rebecca Mace)
The swimmer — the best in Staples High School history, and perhaps the state — just swam the 4th fastest time in the US for the 50 free (24.62), in the 17-18 age group.
That’d faster than the time posted by the current world record holder, Gretchen Walsh (now 22), when she competed in the event at that age.
Annam is also the only 18-and-under swimmer to compete in the women’s 50 meter freestyle final at the 2025 U.S. Championships. And: She earned a spot on the World Junior team, and will compete in Romania this summer.
But wait — there’s more!
Annam also co-chairs the Westport Youth Commission.
And she is secretary of Staples’ Teen Awareness Group.
It should be no surprise to anyone that she will swim for Stanford University this fall.
And go far beyond that, in life.
Annam Olasewere
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“John Proctor is the Villain” — produced by Westporter Eric Falkenstein, and co-produced by residents Ben Frimmer and Ari Benmosche — did not win a Tony on Sunday for Best New Play.
But our town was well represented on the Radio City Music Hall stage anyway.
Staples High School graduate Justin Paul and his writing partner (“Dear Evan Hansen,” “La La Land,” “The Greatest Showman”) joined Marc Shaiman and Scott Witman to write the award show’s opening number (performed by host Cynthia Erivo). Click below to see:
Speaking of “John Proctor”: Westport resident and veteran TV journalist Anne Craig interviewed Ben Frimmer — the Staples High graduate/Coleytown Middle School theater teacher/director mentioned in the item above — about his involvement as a producer.
He too has a Justin Paul connection. Click below or below to learn more.
Speaking of plays: Staples Players’ recent presentation of “The Diary of Anne Frank” was a powerful staging of the inspiring story drawn from the writings of the German teenager, who for nearly 2 years hid from Nazi with her family and others, in a small annex behind an Amsterdam warehouse wall.
It was, audiences agreed, a show that is important to be seen by young students — particularly in these times.
Fortunately, it was.
The high school drama troupe gave 3 special performances during school hours. The result: every Westport Public Schools 8th grader saw the show, for free.
Those youngsters also met Andy Sarkany. The 89-year-old Hungary native immigrated to the US. He earned master’s degrees in math and computer science, worked for McDonnell Douglas and IBM, and has spent the past decade speaking to students about his experiences during the Holocaust, livng under the brutal Soviet regime, and finding a home in this country.
Bedford Middle School principal Adam Rosen says that the Players’ show “brought real emotional depth to what students have been exploring in the Human Rights Unit.”
Janna Sirowich, Coleytown Middle School principal, adds, “It aligns perfectly with our curriculum. But more importantly it provides our students with a meaningful opportunity to reflect on history, empathy, and resilience.”
Andy Sarkeny, on the “Anne Frank” set, talks with 8th graders. (Photo/Kerry Long)
Speaking of theater: Last night’s Westport Country Playhouse script in hand reading of “The Shark is Broken” offered a clever, behind-the-scenes look at the making of “Jaws.” The groundbreaking film is now 50 years old.
From left: Actors Ciaran Byrne, Patrick Halley, Seth Andrew Bridges, Playhouse artistic director Mark Shanahan, stage director Faith Sandberg. (Photo/Dave Matlow)
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An update on HB5002, the controversial omnibus housing bill passed by the state General Assembly last week:
Though it has been sent to Governor Lamont — and he was widely expected to sign it — he has not yet done so.
CT Mirror reports that after heated opposition to the bill this weekend, the governor may call a special session, for revisions. Click here for the full story.
Governor Lamont — shown here at the Westport Library — has not yet signed the housing bill. (Photo/Ryan Allen)
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Peonies look beautiful all the time.
But they’re especially lovely when tinged with raindrops, as in today’s “Westport … Naturally” featured image:
And finally … Sly Stone, who the New York Times calls an “influential, eccentric and preternaturally rhythmic singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer whose run of hits in the late 1960s and early ’70s with his band the Family Stone could be dance anthems, political documents or both,” died yesterday in Los Angeles.
He was 82, and had battled lung disease and other health issues.
Sly & the Family Stone played 2 memorable concerts in Westport, a month apart.
On May 25, 1968 — a year after their debut “Dance to the Music” rocketed them to the top — they played at a “sock hop,” in the Staples High School gym.
On June 25 that same year, they were on stage at the Longshore Inn. I had finished 9th grade at Long Lots Junior High the week before. A couple of friends and I snuck into the ballroom (it wasn’t hard).
I’ve seen plenty of concerts since then. I’ve never been closer at one to a mega-star — or been to a show with more raw energy, power and life.
(From Broadway to Westport — and everywhere else — readers rely on “06880” for all the local news, features and music. If you enjoy our work, please click here to support us. Thanks!)
Lou Weinberg — chair of the Westport Community Gardens, and director of the Long Lots Preserve — addresses this open letter to the Planning & Zoning Commission:
You’re being asked to approve an 8-24 that removes the Community Gardens from the Hyde Lane property, after approving an 8-24 that kept them on site.
You’re being asked to approve an 8-24 that destroys and removes the very successful Long Lots Preserve.
You’re being asked to approve an 8–24 that supports, nearly corner to corner, the clear-cutting of all the older tree growth that has existed on this property for generations, removing a valuable buffer for homeowners adjacent to the property.
Dozens of trees including black cherry, black walnut, pine, spruce, maple and others make up this green open space.
Some of the dozens of trees in the Long Lots Preserve.
Please do not approve an 8-24 without a provision to provide equitable space for a new community garden, either on the Hyde Lane site (post construction) or at Burr Farms Fields.
The Hyde Lane site can be done simply, easily and expeditiously with a new site plan that rebuilds the garden in its current location after construction. It could be surrounded by an 8-foot fence and a curb cut with a separate entrance to the Gardens that completely separates that space from the school.
Alternatively, that acre of space can be used for new fields and an equitable garden relocated to Burr Farm Fields.
In addition, please do not approve an 8-24 without provisions for protecting the Long Lots Preserve. If you deem it truly necessary to approve a site plan that replaces the Garden with fields, at least limit the size of the fields to the space that the current garden occupies. Do not allow the building committee to mow down the rest of what limited green open space would be left there.
An alternate site plan includes a community garden, maintains the Long Lots Preserve, and keeps ball fields. The garden has its own curb cut and driveway, separated from the school parking lot by an 8- foot fence.
The Long Lots Preserve is a model of suburban open space environmental rehabilitation that was unanimously approved by the Board of Selectwomen.
100% of the Preserve was community funded. It was developed by local businesses, organizations and residents.
Second Selectwoman Andrea Moore said during the Preserve approval process, “I think this is the type of volunteerism which should be encouraged …. Here to help. Your work is really what this town should be all about.”
Representative Town Meeting moderator Jeff Wieser called the Long Lots Preserve plan “an environmental win for the town.”
Westport’s green space is rapidly dwindling, due to rampant development. This side of town in particular has seen a significant decrease in tree cover. There is extremely little green open space left.
Community Gardens and adjacent Long Lots Preserve (marked by Xs), slated for removal under the current 8-24.
The non-school related part of this 8-24 flies in the face of the sustainability portion of the town’s Plan for Conservation Development, Net Zero 2050 and Westport’s 2021 Tree City USA designation.
The Plan of Conservation Development states, “Open space helps protect natural resources; provide flood storage, wildlife habitat, and tree canopy; enhance overall community appearance; and enhance the quality of life of residents and visitors. Westport residents value the preserved open space areas that add to the overall beauty of the community and want to: maintain the open space areas we have, add more open space areas as opportunities arise… Preserving open space will help make Westport a more sustainable community by retaining natural spaces and sustaining environmental health.”
By destroying the Westport Community Gardens, the Long Lots Preserve and the additional forested acreage, we are doing exactly the opposite of what we teach our children in school.
Chicakdee, in the Long Lots Preserve. (Photo/Lou Weinberg)
Current science standards focus on how the environment works, the systems that sustain healthy environments, and the human impacts on our rapidly degrading ecosystems.
The parcel of land that will be destroyed if you approve this 8-24 supports incredible biodiversity from very healthy populations of organisms native bees, honey bees, butterflies, moths, fireflies, dragonflies to tree frogs, short-tailed weasel, red squirrel, rabbit, harmless garter snakes etc.
This kind of biodiverse green island is nearly gone in Westport. A clean, healthy environment with a hands-on environmental educational benefits is a legacy we can, and should, leave for our children.
This administration and the Long Lots School Building Committee have moved the goal posts consistently for over 2 years. From keeping the gardening community out of the discussion altogether (see former Parks and Recreation cirector Jennifer Fava’s “Oops, I guess they found out”) to “It’s just lines on a map” to “We’re going to keep you on the property” to “You won’t be able to use the gardens for a year” (then “2 years”) to “We’re going to move you to (the unviable) Baron’s South” to “We’re going to put you on the property, but you won’t have access to the Gardens for 3 years” to “We’re going to restrict your hours” to 2 years of our first selectwoman’s State of the Town addresses claiming she would keep the Gardens on the property, to an 8-24 that puts them in some capacity on the property, to another 8-24 removing the gardens from the property altogetherm to the latest proposal to kick this can down the road and figure it out during yet another study (the Parks Master plan).
Long Lots Elementary School site plan. Community Gardens and Long Lots Preserve are circled at left.
I know that the P&Z and the more well-informed residents of our community know that the 120 families that represent the Westport Community Gardens have not delayed progress towards replacing the school by one second.
I hope that those who have paid attention to this effort to build an improved school recognize that the people who support the Garden and Preserve (most of whose children went through our school system and who have paid taxes here for decades) have always promoted building a school, while valuing and protecting what has been created on the 4 acres of open space adjacent to the school.
Destroying the Gardens and using it for staging and then ballfields was not part of the Board of Education specifications in the first place.
The current site plan’s proposed ballfields will cover this lot nearly from corner to corner, and have nothing to do with a new Long Lots Elementary School. This was an add-on by the 1st Selectwoman and building committee.
In addition to the Community Gardens (foreground), trees in the Long Lots Preserve could be removed as part of the school project.
Before Westport Community Gardeners were vilified and demonized as a political tactic to remove the Gardens from the property, schools superintendent Thomas Scarice stated his desire to keep the Gardens/Preserve green open space as a buffer between the school and the adjacent residents.
The destruction of the Westport Community Gardens and Long Lots Preserve, and the refusal to replace them, is not and should not be under the Long Lots School Building Committee’s purview.
Please do not allow the Long Lots School Building Committee to be a de facto land use planning entity. Their charge is to manage getting a school built. Their overreach should be checked by this commission.
Please stand up to the bulldozers and approve an 8-24 where everyone wins; the Long Lots kids, teachers, neighbors, our senior residents, community gardeners, and the environment.
Thank you for your consideration, and for the significant amount of time and effort you put into making decisions that you believe will benefit our town.
(“06880″‘s Opinion pages are open to all. Email submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com.)
Possible thunderstorms have moved tomorrow’s Pops Concert from outdoors to inside.
The Staples High School Music Department says: “We continue to prioritize the safety of all students, staff and audience members. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for pre-concert acts. The concert will begin at 7. We look forward to sharing an ‘Evening at the Movies’ with you.”
The decision had to be made early, because setting up a concert of the Pops’ scope and scale takes time (and different equipment, dependng on the venue).
The music department and AV tech crew will work until midning tonight setting up the auditorium, to be ready for Friday morning’s run-through with sstudents.
The Staples auditorium’s sound and lighting replacement is long overdue. Without a working system, the school relies on rented equipment.
Despite the challenges, the hundreds of talented students and their remarkable teachers put on an excellent concert — no matter where the music comes from.
Meanwhile, the Staples Music Parents Association has arranged for Romanacci to help feed the hungry audience.
Romanacci is donating a portion of proceeds to the Staples music program. Mangia!
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The Community Gardens have garnered the most publicity from environmentalists, during debates over the new Long Lots Elementary School.
But another casualty is 25 to 30 trees. They’ll be removed, “06880” reader Margaret Freeman says, when the parking lot is reconfigured. She sent this collage:
(Photos/Margaret Freeman)
She says they were planted when the school was built in the mid-1950s, as a junior high.
And “they’re in swales, to collect water.” Each tree absorbs about 750 gallons a year, she says, citing the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.
“With the water issues well documented to the north and south of the site and the removal of the Community Gardens, this is cause for concern,” Margaret adds.
“This doesn’t have to happen. The lot could be ‘reconfigured’ to save the trees. It’s not too late.”
NOTE: Last night, both the Conservation Commission and Flood & Erosion Control Board gave their okays for the new school plans.
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Tonight’s Board of Education meeting (Thursday, 7 p.m., Staples High School cafeteria) begins with recognition of the PTA co-presidents, Student BOE representatives Souleye Kebe and Calum Madigan, and 19 Westport Public Schools retirees: Valerie Babich, Judy Bachman, Anthony Buono, Peter Caligiure, Shauna Flaherty, James Forgey, Jane Garard, Frances Geraci, Suzanne Levasseur, Susan McCarthy, Karen McCormick, Joyce McNiff, Stephen Rexford, Mary Scaife, Anne Sheffer, Carolyn Siclari, Debra Spath, Maureen Vergato and Humphrey Wong.
After a reception, and public comments on non-agenda items, there are 3 seemingly quick agenda items: the 2025-26 school lunch program, approval of ’25-26 tuition rates, and authorization for the superintendent of schools to sign contracts.
Among this year’s retirees: assistant superintendent Anthony Buono.
Longshore Sailing School takes its maritime responsibilities seriously.
Beyond providing instruction for all ages — and rentals — they help keep the shoreline clean.
As they’ve done for many years, on June 14 they’ll lead a coastal cleanup kayaking event.
From 9:30 to 11 a.m., people can take a kayak for free to clean up the shoreline and Saugatuck River. There is plenty of debris. Longshore Sailing will supply buckets.
Here is the sign-up link. Click through to reserve a single or double kayak on the 14th at 9:30; then enter the code “cleanup” before adding to cart to delete the cost.
Among the debris from last year’s Longshore Sailing School clean-up: golf balls, from the nearby driving range.
Meet local self-help author (“Unapologetic Success” and business coach Shawniel Chamanlal (June 7, 3 p.m.)
Artist of the month: Erin Nazzaro (reception June 18, 6 p.m.); exhibit up all month.
2 raffles. There’s a prize for kids (4 lessons at the Stewie the Duck Swim School, plus a gift basket), and for adults (a sealed copy of “The New Yorker in Westport,” by Eve Potts and Andrew Bentley. Tickets are available at the store.
Short Story Book Club (June 19, 6 p.m.): Special Juneteenth stories: “King of the Bingo Game” by Ralph Ellison, “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, “The Last Days of Rodney” by Tracey Rose Peyton. Registration is required: call 203-349-5141, or email RSVP@westportbooksaleventures.org.
Erin Nazzaro
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The Cottage has always featured locally sourced food.
Its 10th-anniversary tasting menu highlights “under-appreciated seafood.” Among the menu’s highlights is a freshly caught eel, sourced locally in collaboration with Hunter Peterson of the Saugatuck Oyster Company.
Peterson’s year-round guided shell fishing tours on Long Island Sound teach participants to identify and safely harvest offerings like eastern oysters, quahogs, surf clams and slipper limpets, while addressing invasive threats such as Asian shore crabs.
Each experience concludes on the beach, where he shucks oysters and transforms slipper limpets into a delicacy with a blowtorch and herb butter.
“Working with overlooked seafood allows us to tell a deeper story about the ocean’s natural rhythms,” says Cottage chef Brian Lewis. “By embracing what’s abundant and underutilized, we create dishes that surprise, delight, and honor the ecosystem that sustains us.”
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Eight members of the Artists Collective of Westport are heading north.
They’re painters, photographers and sculptors. They approach their themes in different ways.
But the women — Janine Brown, Louise Cadoux, Leonor Dao, Susan Fehlinger, Rebecca Fuchs, Fruma Markowitz, Barbara Ryan and Lisa Silberman — have found common threads.
The show — at A Mano Gallery in Torrington — is a testament to their work (and made possible by a Don Long Grant). After an opening reception on June 13 (6 p.m.), the exhibit runs through June 27.
Art by Leonor Dao.
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Westport Police made 5 custodial arrests between May 28 and June 4.
A 26-year-old Fairfield woman and a 28-year-old Bridgeport man were charged with larceny, robbery, and conspiracy to commit those crimes after a robbery at Westport Hardware. After the woman allegedly stole 2 power tools, she told an employee in the parking lot that she had a knife and the man in the car had a gun. She was charged with threatening, too. Both were held on $75,000 bonds.
A 52-year-old Philadelphia woman was charged with larceny, payment card fraud, payment card theft, identify theft, and conspiracy, following an investigation into a 2018 incident in which a wallet was stolen from a patron at Panera Bread. The suspect was transported to Westport from a prison in Allentown, Pennsylvania, after law enforcement information sharing.
A 39-year-old Westport man was charged with possession of a controlled substance and criminal trespass, after being in Terrain in violation of a trespass warning. During the arrest, he admitted to possessing Xanax and Oxycodone.
A 46-year-old West Haven man was charged with larceny, after an investigation into the theft of meat and seafood from Stop & Shop.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Driving while texting: 13 citations
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 11
Traveling unreasonably fast: 9
Failure to obey stop sign: 7
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 2
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 2
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 2
Failure to grant right of way: 1
Failure to renew registration: 1
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Staples High School Class of 1992 graduate Scott Cussimano died April 28. He was 51, and lived in Seattle.
Scott earned a BA in philosophy from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He pursued an MBA at the University of Washington, blending philosophical insight with business acumen. His business career included positions at Microsoft and Oracle. He recently established his own company, focusing on global quality-of-life initiatives.
Scott loved surfing in California and Mexico, playing frisbee with his dog, and traveling to foreign cities.
He is survived by his father, Patrick, sister Gail Cussimano, brother Erik (Margo Friedman), Cussimano and sister-in-law Margo Friedman, and cousins. He was predeceased by his mother, Sissel Dreyer Cussimano.
Scott’s ashes will be scattered along the coastal waters of Santa Barbara, a place he loved.
A celebration of life takes place tomorrow (Friday, June 5, 11 a.m.; Lesko Funeral Home, 1209 Post Road, Fairfield). Friends can greet the family at 10:30 a.m. cClick here to send online condolences. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Sierra Club.
Scott Cussimano
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Another “Westport … Naturally” feature, another coyote.
This one was spotted enjoying Susan Garment’s Pequot Trail garden.
Stay safe out there!
(Photo/Susan Garment)
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And finally … thinking about the first item above:
(It’s hard to keep up with everything happening in town. We hope “06880” helps. And to help us keep solvent, please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here — and thank you!)
Now the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee wants to hear yours.
A 30-question survey is live. It covers respondents’ use and knowledge of parking options, metered parking, a deck and more.
Several questions have the opportunity to expand on answers.
The aim of the survey is to vet the recommendations already developed by consultants and DPIC. Final recommendations will be presented by DPIC to the Board of Selectwomen next month.
Some of the parking survey questions cover a parking meter app.
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It’s not easy to pass a bill in Hartford.
But for months, Zander Bauer and Elijah Falkenstein plugged away.
The Staples High School juniors — founders and co-presidents of the local Make Our Schools Safe chapter — pushed for a law to authorize the purchase of emergency response communications systems and personal emergency communication devices for school personnel.
Yesterday, their efforts were rewarded. The state House of Representatives voted unanimously — 145 to 0 — to pass the legislation.
Passed earlier by the Senate, it now goes to Governor Lamont for his signature.
Congratulations to Zander, Elijah, the entire Staples MOSS club, and our own Senator Ceci Maher, its sponsor.
Elijah Falkenstein and Zander Bauer, with “stop the bleed” kits — another Make Our Schools Safe project.
The Planning & Zoning Commission continues its dizzying round of meetings, on a series of controversial projects, next Monday (June 9, remote).
This time, it’s the Long Lots Elementary School project. Commissioners will consider a new 8-24 request from the town, and a new special permit/site plan.
Last night’s bash honored the 2025 women: Mary Dobson, Arvia Few, Sharon Finkel, Bridget Flynn, Ashley Freeman, Kira Greenfield, Joanna Manfro, Liz McKay, Rachel Mila, Tara Welch, Ambar Zaatar and Becca Zipkin.
Congratulations to all. Women of Westport rock!
A few men joined the Women of Westport, at the Westport Lifestyle party. “06880” founder Dan Woog and Monique Hodges enjoyed one of the Vespas on display. (Photo/Jerri Graham)
Rich Dean and Nas Dean are known for their great work, training people of all ages at Rich Dean Boxing & Fitness on Post Road East across from the Saugatuck Church.
Now they’re known as philanthropists, too. The pair just donated $6,000 to Westport PAL’s scholarship fund.
Thank you both!
Nasir and Rich Dean.
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What does 50 Cent have to do with Westport?
About $1 million.
According to The Source — a hip hop site — the rapper/actor/producer/ entrepreneur recently won a legal victory. He can now seize the Main Street home belong to Mitchell Green, a former executive with 50 Cent’s Sire Spirits Champagne and cognac company.
Green reportedly owes the firm more than $7 million, following an alleged kickback scheme. Read more details here.(Hat tip: John McCarthy)
50 Cent may soon own a Westport home.
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Speaking of entertainment: Steely Dan comes to Weston on Sunday.
Well, at least Logical Pretzel — a cover band — does.
They’ll kick off the 10th season of the Weston History & Culture Center’s “Music at the Barn” series (June 8, 5:30 p.m.).
The 2nd annual Pickleball To Slam Alzheimer’s event is set for June 20 (6 to 8 p.m., Intensity Racquet Club, Norwalk).
All proceeds from $100 tickets go toward the October 26 Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Sherwood Island State Park.
The pickleball event is hosted by Westporters Mary Sue Teplitz, Dina Upton and Lori Snow. Mary Sue’s mother died from the disease in 2012. Dina’s partner, Gary Cosgrave, passed away from it this year.
Seen on Facebook yesterday, in the Marketplace section under the “Casket & Casket Trailer” tab:
The description says: “Selling a couple caskets that were used in haunted houses. Casket trailer has some dents and rot and the inside is stripped – $300 Blue casket is in great condition overall on the outside but has some scratches and the inside is stripped – $600 Pick up in Westport, CT.”
There’s always a back story. If you know this one, click “Comments” below. (Hat tip: Frank Rosen)
We’ve showcased lots of interesting animals in our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
But we’re hard pressed to find any as intriguing as barred owls.
This one posed willingly for Lee Bollert. In fact, she says, it stared right at her — through a window — for 10 minutes.
(Photo/Lee Bollert)
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And finally … in honor of the items currently for sale on Facebook, from right here in Westport (story above):
(From downtown parking to caskets, and barred owls to 50 Cent: If there’s a Westport connection, we’ll find it. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
The Board of Education sends this message to families in the Westport Public Schools:
As we head into the summer months, we would like to acknowledge our community and its unwavering support for our schools. The Westport Public School system continues to deliver excellent outcomes across a wide range of areas.
As a community, we should take great pride in the many impressive accomplishments of our students. They are far too numerous to list completely, but we offer here a small sampling:
Academic achievements
Staples High School sent 4 students to the Connecticut State Science and Engineering Fair. All were named finalists (top 20%). One Staples senior advanced to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Columbus, Ohio, taking 4th place among thousands of entrants from around the world.
The Staples AP Government We the People class placed in the top 10 for the first time in school history at the national competition in Washington.
Staples’ We the People team.
Bedford Middle and Coleytown Middle students earned dozens of medals at the Connecticut State Science Olympiad tournament.
Across all of our elementary schools, the 3rd grade Aimsweb composite reading score is 96% (which means that 96% reached or exceeded reading benchmarks). This is the highest in the state.
Athletic achievements
Staples athletics continues to be a tremendous strength of our district. Our coaches and administrators remain committed to helping our scholar-athletes grow at all skill levels.
In addition to enjoying victories on the field, many of our hard-working athletes find sports at Staples a springboard to future academic success.
We are proud of the dozens of graduating seniors who participated in athletic recruiting and have committed to attend some of the most selective and prestigious colleges and universities in the country, including (just to name a few and in no particular order) Michigan, Duke, U Chicago, Trinity, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Stanford, Princeton, UNC, Penn State, Washington and Lee, WashU, Swarthmore, Amherst, Tufts, Williams, Wesleyan and Penn.
Music, arts and other extracurriculars
In March, 14 Staples students were selected to participate in the Connecticut All-State Music Festival.
Inklings News was awarded the prestigious Gold Crown Award in the High School Hybrid General Magazine category by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association for the second time in the publication’s history.
The National PTA Award of Excellence was awarded to 2 Staples students for literature and photography.
While we celebrate our achievements and honor the dedication of our students, teachers, administrators and staff who make them all possible, we must not rest on our laurels.
There are many important initiatives underway that occupy the time and attention of the Board of Education and the administration. These include:
Long Lots School Building
We are in the final weeks of town-wide approvals, and anticipate the grand opening of the new school in September 2027.
AI Pilot
Westport was one of 7 Connecticut districts to receive a state grant to participate in an AI pilot program. Secondary teachers in English, math, science and social studies experimented with school-based artificial intelligence programs, and found extraordinary benefits and frustrating drawbacks. We are committed to exploring AI in our schools and curriculum while being mindful about its risks.
Cellphones
Currently, our elementary and middle schools are cellphone-free during the entire school day. Over the summer, a team of faculty will draft an implementation and logistics plan for a cellphone-free high school. A committee of parents, students, and faculty will review and revise that plan to explore a possible phased-in approach, sequestration strategies, and curricular concerns.
As we close out the academic year, we hope all of our families have a great summer. Our heartfelt congratulations to the Staples Class of 2025!
Attorneys Mark and Valerie Seiling Jacobs have lived in Westport for more than 25 years. They have followed the Long Lots Elementary School building project closely. They write:
On May 16, the Long Lots School Building Committee filed 2 documents with the Planning & Zoning Commission: a new 8-24 request (presumably because the existing approval requires that the Community Gardens remain on site, which is no longer the plan), and a request for site plan approval for the entire project.
Almost immediately, the project began to appear on the agendas of other town bodies, including the Board of Finance, Flood & Erosion Control Board, Representative Tonw Meeting Finance Committee, Conservation Commission, and full RTM.
Eight critical meetings are now expected to take place in the space of the next 10 days. Given the tight timetable, some of the meetings are being combined. Others are scheduled to take place on the same night.
This of course has prompted many people to ask: Why is the schedule so compressed and rushed? After all, this is the largest expenditure in town history.
Preliminary designs for Long Lots Elementary School.
According to Eileen Flug, the assistant town attorney who was quoted in the Westport Journal, the rush was due to a “realignment” of 2 state agencies that moved the deadline for state bonding applications up to June 30, and the fact that the town had only learned of this on May 16.
In that same article, however, Jay Keenan, committee chair, attributed the rush to the fact that he had not realized that the Town Charter contains a 14-day window for residents to file a referendum request, meaning that the effective deadline was actually June 16.
Neither of those explanations, however, holds water.
First, we have been unable to find any such realignment of state agencies. Nor have we been able to find any evidence that the state deadline changed. (We’ve asked Ms. Flug to provide the backup for her statements, but, so far, we’ve received nothing.)
And second, even if we accept Mr. Keenan’s version, it begs the question: Why did the committee wait so long to file to begin with?
If they knew that they only had until June 30, then why did they wait until May 16 — a mere 45 days from the deadline — to begin securing the necessary local approvals, when they knew they needed to appear before 6 separate town bodies?
Long Lots School Building Committee members, meeting in 2023.
One explanation is that the committee is not being honest, that they somehow missed the fact that everything is due on June 30 and are now using the 14-day window to obscure their mistake.
Given this committee’s historical willingness to blame others (usually, the gardeners) for problems of their own making, it wouldn’t be surprising if that turns out to be the answer.
There may, however, be an even more sinister explanation: that the committee deliberately delayed filing specifically to truncate the review process, limit public participation, and deny other boards the opportunity to conduct the type of in-depth analysis that a project like this requires.
Such a strategy would be consistent with this administration’s modus operandi, which seems to be based on rushed requests coupled with a “sky is falling” mentality.
The repairs to the Mill Pond walkway and flood gates are a perfect case in point. The RTM and public were repeatedly warned by the administration that if they didn’t go along with the plan, the town could lose the federal money. (Never mind that the place had been falling apart, for years or that we’d had a long time to draw down the ARPA funds.)
In this case, however, rushing the process carries even greater risk, given the cost of the school and the topography of the site. As one resident correctly pointed out, the “site is chock full of flooding, wetlands, inland waterways, abutting residential housing, difficult terrain and contaminated soil.” And it is no secret that this area is already plagued by water issues.
The committee keeps telling the neighbors not to worry. “Trust us,” they say. But this committee has not earned the public’s trust. Their vague assurances are small comfort to a homeowner who is facing the prospect of a flooded basement or worse.
Muddy Brook flooding, near Long Lots School. (Photo/Peter Swift)
We urge our Conservation Commission and Flood & Erosion Control Board to examine the application carefully — to kick the tires when it comes to drainage and environmental issues.
We all know that the storms keep getting worse. And this project calls for a doubling of building coverage during construction and the permanent loss of vegetation that previously acted as a buffer and sponge for runoff.
Please do not be lulled into thinking that the old way of managing water will suffice. One-hundred-year-storms are now arriving like clockwork. We need you to step up and protect neighbors, even if that means imposing novel or extra protections.
And the same holds true for P&Z. We need our commissioners to ask hard questions and demand fact-based answers — not settle for off-the-cuff responses.
Does, for example, the new school really need 30% more parking, which would vastly increase the amount of impervious material? The traffic consultant didn’t think so, but he appears to have been persuaded to say otherwise by someone involved in the process.
Long Lots Elementary School, with current parking. (Drone photo/Brandon Malin)
Similarly, if the committee is truly committed to using natural grass for the fields, then why do the plans call for the type of underground drainage typically used with artificial turf?
Putting aside the PFAS and microplastic risk associated with artificial turf (which, frankly, is pretty difficult to ignore), this particular site is spectacularly unsuitable for artificial turf given the ongoing drainage issues and the fact that artificial turf impedes the natural infiltration of water.
We all want a better school for our children. But this project needs to be properly vetted by our various boards and commissions.
If this process is not handled properly, we fear that residents will take advantage of another provision in our Charter — one that gives 20 electors (or 2 RTM members) 30 days to appeal any Conservation or FECB decision to the RTM. (How Mr. Keenan intends to square that appeal period with the June 30 deadline remains to be seen.)
Were an appeal to ensue, this project could be indefinitely delayed. And the Committee members will have no one to blame except themselves.
(“06880″‘s Opinion pages are open to all readers. Please send submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com.)
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