Less than 3 weeks ago, a daylight smash-and-grab burglary at the downtown Lux Bond & Green jewelry store stunned Westport.
This morning, Westport police arrested 30-yearold Bridgeport resident Javon Thorbourne.
The arrest was made at Stamford Superior Court, where he was being held on charges from other jurisdictions.
Thorbourne was charged with larceny and criminal mischief, both in the first degree, as well as conspiracy to commit those crimes.
He was held on a $250,000 bond, and will be arraigned at the court.
A still shot from the Lux Bond & Green video camera shows the May 9 smash-and-grab burglary.
Westport’s Detective Bureau “worked tirelessly with area law enforcement agencies, as well as the US marshal service, to identify and build a case against Mr. Thorbourne,” the WPD says.
Police continue to investigate the case. Two men wearing masks and gloves entered the store at 3:10 p.m. on May 9, and smashed display cases with sledgehammers.
Employees retreated safely to the rear of the store.
What do Lynsey Addario, Christiane Amanpour, Carl Bernstein and Robert Woodward have in common?
They — and 12 others — will be honored by Long Island University, as the first-ever Polk Laureates, “for outstanding contributions to American journalism in the spirit of George Polk.”
The April 12 event marks the 75th anniversary of its George Polk Awards in journalism. It’s at Cipriani 42nd Street, and will hosted by Anderson Cooper.
Lynsey Addario
The 16 honorees’ careers reflect the Polk Awards’ commitment to “outstanding investigative reporting.
LIU calls Addario — a 1991 graduate of Staples High School — a “fearless and resourceful combat photographer whose photo in 2022 of a Ukrainian family slain by a Russian mortar was just one example of compelling work in war zones across the world.”
In early 2022, Lynsey Addario’s photo of Ukrainian soldiers trying to save the father of a family of 4 — the only one who still had a pulse — after being hit by a mortar near Kyiv drew worldwide attention to the horrors of Russia’s invasion.
Four very different women founders and investors offered insights and advice last night, to a large Westport Library crowd.
The event celebrated StartUp Westport‘s 1st anniversary, along with Women’s History Month.
Tracy Cho (Qeepsake, a family-story company), Marissa Fayer (DeepLook Medical, women’s health), Alison Gregory (AreaHub, environmental information) and Kathryn Winokur (Hally Hair, beauty products) described the joys and challenges of their work.
Moderator Galia Gichon — co-managing partner of Tidal River Fund — asked compelling questions about “angel investors,” mentors and more. The public had their chance too, with several entrepreneurs speaking up at the end.
Among the takeaways:
“You have to make hard decisions on the fly, and be comfortable with them.”
Female entrepreneurs are often asked, “What does your husband do?” Men are never asked that.
“You should support and invest, to help create the world you want.”
Only 2% of all venture capital funds go to women.
The next StartUp Westport event is April 30. ESPN CEO Jimmy Pitaro — a Westport resident — will be honored as Innovator of the Year. Click here for tickets, and more information.
From left: Alison Gregory, Marissa Fayer, Tracy Cho, Kathryn Winokur and moderator Galia Gichon, at last night’s StartUp Westport panel. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Twelve Staples High School musicians have earned All-State recognition.
Congratulations to band members Deneil Betfarhad (trumpet), Ryder Levine (flute) and Zachary Newshel (timpani); orchestra members Isabel Jo (viola), Ludovit Pauliny (oboe) and Ayush Rudra (double bass), and choir singers Demi Betfarhad (bass), Josie Caricato (alto), Sofia Donroe (alto), Alex Esser (tenor), Alyssa Lee (alto and Andrew Maskoff (tenor).
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Every Westporter has an opinion on the future of the Cribari Bridge.
But what about the railroad bridge nearby?
On April 16 (7 p.m., Zoom), the state Department of Transportation hosts a virtual public information meeting concerning the mechanical and electrical rehabilitation of the Metro-North bridge over the Saugatuck River.
Registration is required. A Q-and-A session follows the presentation, which will be recorded. To learn how to join the meeting, provide comments and ask questions, click here.
This meeting will also be livestreamed on the CTDOT YouTube channel; no registration is required.
Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2025.
Members of the public can submit comments and questions by April 30. Email Hareshkumar.Dholakia@ct.gov, or call 860-594-3173. Reference State Project #0301-0177 in the email or voicemail.
Railroad bridge over the Saugatuck River. (Photo/Patricia McMahon)
The Exchange Project — founded by Westport mom Carly Ridloff — is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Just exchanging clothing!
This Thursday, the Exchange Project’s “Sustainable Shopping Event” (March 21, 6 to 9 p.m., Nihcols MD, 1215 Post Road, Fairfield) is “a night of fabulous fashion and community focus.” It includes drinks, bites, skincare and (of course) sustainable shopping.
The idea is simple: Clean out your closets; select 10 or so items in perfect condition.
Drop your items at the designated drop location. Then go to the event, to mingle, and shop.
Attendees will receive skin treatments, skin scope evaluations, discounts on special products, gift bags, expert styling tips from local influencer/fashion guru Zac Mathias, and more.
Guests are encouraged to recycle empty beauty products in the New Nichols MD Recycling Program.
All unclaimed items will be donated to a women’s shelter selected by the event’s hosts.
After launching in Westport in 2021, the Exchange Project has expanded to New York and Florida. For more information, click here.
A few tickets remain for the Westport Woman’s Club “Death by Bathtub Gin” murder mystery dinner.
This Saturday (March 23, 6 p.m.), their Imperial Avenue clubhouse will be transformed into a Jazz Age speakeasy.
A professional troupe of Broadway actors will guide 100 guests through a hunt for the “murderer.” It may well be one of them.
The night includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a 3-course Italian dinner, as the “murder mystery” unfolds.
Flapper dresses and tuxedos are welcome. A photo booth will have “jazzy” accessories for all. There’s a silent auction too.
Tickets are $150. Proceeds help fun scholarships, grants and food gift cards — continuing the Woman’s Club’s 100-plus years of service to the community.
Call 203-227-4240, or email wwc@westportwomansclub.org for tickets.
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Pianist/vocalist Johnny O’Neal and drummer Joe Farnsworth headline this Thursday’s Jazz at the Post (March 21, shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 7 p.m.; VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399; $20 music cover charge; $15 for students and veterans).
Influenced by Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, O’Neal began as a gospel pianist. He later became the house pianist at Birdland, and part of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.
A highly regarded jazz drummer, Farnsworth is known for his blazing speed, precision and melodic playing.
Reservations are highly recommended: JazzattthePost@gmail.com.
Staples High School graduate Jill Wellner died peacefully at her Fairfield home last week. She was 69, and survived nearly 6 years after being diagnosed with glioblastoma.
Her family says: “Jill bravely faced many life challenges and was dedicated to helping others. She worked at a number of high-profile health care organizations, including Bridgeport Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital and the Veterans Administration.
“She was a talented change agent who proposed innovative ways to improve quality, access and profitability. She is most proud of being certified as a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and passing this knowledge on to countless teams, students and colleagues.”
Jill studied at Wells College, Fairfield University the University of Connecticut before receiving her second master’s degree in epidemiology and public health from the Yale School of Medicine.
She served as an adjunct professor at the Yale School of Nursing, Sacred Heart University, Norwalk Community College and Salve Regina University.
She took joy from being with family and friends, especially fellow Staples alums.
She loved wine, traveling, the arts, and was fluent in French.
In addition to her husband Ken, Jill is survived by her daughter Jessica Daponte (Matthew), and siblings Anne Lynn (Bruce), John Kantor, and Reginald Kantor (Brigitte), along with many nephews, nieces and cousins.
Visitation is tomorrow (Wednesday, 4 to 7 p.m., Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield). A funeral service will be held Thursday at 10 a.m., in the funeral home.
And finally … spring arrives tonight, at 11:06 p.m.
This was our second straight Winter That Wasn’t. Not exactly a “long cold lonely” one.
I feel bad for the plow guys. But otherwise …
(As the days get longer, there’s more time than ever to support “06880.” Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution to your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)
But 4 months after developers presented a text amendment allowing a retail/residential/hotel complex in Saugatuck, the Planning & Zoning Commission voted 5-1 to approve it.
The decision — which came after changes in height, setbacks and floor area coverage — is a key step in the redevelopment of the train station neighborhood. ROAN Ventures can now apply for a site plan approval of its Hamlet at Saugatuck project.
P&Z approval requires that 20% of the slips at any new marina be available for free public use, and that there be paddleboard and kayak tie-ups; design standards beyond those required for a typical special permit including maintaining the New England coastal village aesthetic reflected in the most recent renderings, and no extra height without significant public outdoor areas along the river.
The text amendment includes the rectangle between Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place, Franklin Street and Charles Street, plus land on Riverside Avenue, and the private parking lot above Luciano Park now used for boat storage.
ROAN envisions The Hamlet as an economic engine for residents and visitors, and a gateway to the rest of the town. The concept includes:
A boutique hotel with rooms, condo-type residences, pools, and underground parking.
New shops and restaurants, featuring local artisans.
A year-round gourmet market on the now-private railroad parking lot, with local vendors.
A marina.
A boardwalk along the river similar to Bartaco’s, with the goal of connecting Saugatuck and Westport via waterway.
Re-skinning and beautification of the 21 Charles Street office building — often called “the ugliest” in Westport.
Senator Richard Blumenthal is the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston’s guest this Friday (December 16, 10 a.m., Westport Library). The event is open to the public.
The senator will discuss a range of topics. Afterward, former 1st Selectman Jim Marpe will lead a Q-and-A.
Senator Richard, last March in Westport. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Why schlep all the way to Stew Leonard’s for a menorah lighting?
We’ve got one right here in Westport!
The 2nd night of Hanukkah will be celebrated next Monday (December 19, 7 p.m.), outside Trader Joe’s
The lighting will be led by Rabbis Levi Stone (director of the Chabad Schneerson Center) and Yehoshua Hecht (Beth Israel Chabad(.
The ceremony includes live music. Chanukah gelt and cookies, doughnuts and dreidels will be distributed to all. For more information, call 203-635-4118.
The Town of Westport posted this photo on social media:
It shows local and store officials celebrating Lux Bond & Green’s just-in-time-for-the-holidays renovation. Congratulations, of course!
But I am sure every downtown shopper — and every other merchant in Brooks Corner — joins me in asking: “Can you please get rid of those 3 valuable parking spots marked (ridiculously and archaically) ‘Reserved parking Lux Bond & Green curbside pickup’?”
From folk-rock to jazz: Harvie S. — an award-winning bassist, educator, composer, arranger, and producer — stars at this week’s Jazz at the Post (Thursday, December 15, shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner at 6:30 p.m.).
He’s joined by drummer Jason Tiemann, Norwalk native and keyboardist Rob Aries, and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall.
There’s a $15 cover. Reservations are strongly recommended: JazzattthePost@gmail.com.
Tom Kretsch celebrates his birthday this Saturday (December 17, 4 to 6 p.m.) with an art opening.
Gordon Fine Arts (1701 Post Road East) hosts the talented Westport photographer and his new exhibit “The Color of Water: Capturing the Sound and Beyond.”
Tom invites everyone to see his serene images, enjoy cake, and meet interesting people. For more on his work, click here.
Congratulations to Barry Beattie. The Staples High School girls soccer coach has been named New England region Coach of the Year by United Soccer Coaches, the 30,000-member group of professional, college, high school and club coaches. He is now in contention for national Coach of the Year honors, to be announced at the organization’s annual banquet next month in Philadelphia.
This fall, Beattie led the Wreckers to their 2nd straight state championship. With a strong core of returning players, the future looks very bright for both Beattie and his team.
Coach Barry Beattie (to the right of the scoreboard, and the 2022 state champion Staples High School girls soccer team. (Photo/David G. Whitham, courtesy of The Ruden Report)
In the aftermath of a 6-part television series on the legendary actor/race car driver/philanthropist, attention is now focused on a posthumous memoir.
“The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man” — set for official publication tomorrow — has an extraordinary back story. Melissa Newman — one of his and Joanne Woodward’s daughters — spoke about it, in a long story in yesterday’s New York Times.
His long life in Westport is mentioned, of course — and there’s a photo from inside his North Avenue home.
Click here for the full, fascinating story. (Hat tip: Fred Cantor)
A recent “06880” Roundup story on free money — well, money that’s yours, but is being held unbeknownst to you by the Connecticut state treasurer — intrigued Ken Stamm. (Click here and stop reading immediately, to go to the website.)
In August, he had already gone hunting for hidden treasure. When he returned to the site following the “06880 notice, he found good news: Notarization is no longer required.
The bad news: Despite the website’s promise that you will be “reunited with your money as quickly as possible,” Ken says “it appears nobody’s home.”
Despite duly filing a valid claim with all evidence online (and keepin records of everything), he has yet to receive a response.
“Apparently,” Ken says, “this issue is enough of a problem to rise to one of the top 6 on which one of the state treasurer candidates is running.”
In the small shopping plaza on Main and Elm Streets, the first three parking spots are reserved for store employees to scurry out and — with the windows down or trunks popped — deliver goods to well-protected customers/drivers.
But not all retailers.
You can’t drive up and pick up your Brooks Brothers suit (or even a tie). Before New England Hemp Shop Farm opened, you had to park and walk inside for your CBD oil, topicals and edibles.
Nope. The 3 spots are for Lux, Bond & Green only.
I’m not sure how that little perk came about — or why it continues. But it sure seems like those are 3 parking spots everyone in Brooks Corner would like back.
Yesterday — for the 12th year in a row — the Westport Woman’s Club team took part in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk at Sherwood Island State Park. Team members posed below:
From left: Vivien Rosenberg, Audrey Rabinowitz, Barbara Raffel, Arlene Johnson, Kate Weber, Toni Donahue, Leah Scherzer.
Werner Liepolt captured a swarm recently. They gathered pollen from English ivy and delivered it to their hive. It’s one more piece — though often unseen — of “Westport … Naturally.”
And finally … Jeanne-Paule Marie “Jeannine” Deckers — aka The Singing Nun– was born today in 1933, in Brussels. The singer-songwriter/guitarist (and nun) reached the top of the charts with her upbeat tune “Dominique” in late 1963. A few weeks later the Beatles arrived in the US, and changed the music industry forever.
She and her close friend Annie Pécher died by suicide in 1985. They took overdoses of barbiturates and alcohol. In a note, they wrote that they wished to be buried together with the funeral rite of the Catholic Church.
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Alert readers know that “06880” is no fan of the trend that chain stores have overrun Westport. Schaefer’s, Sally’s Place, Selective Eye = good. Banana Republic, Lululemon, Sunglass Hut = bad, if you want to reduce it to that.
But 2 experiences — in the same day — show that we should not paint all chain stores with the same (Max’s Art Supplies, RIP) brush.
This report comes from a reader who wishes to remain anonymous. First he went to Cohen’s Fashion Optical in Compo Shopping Center. A lens had popped out of his glasses.
A woman told him to have a seat. A few minutes later she reappeared. It was all fixed — at no charge. They never asked if he’d bought his frame there, or if he’d even set foot in the store before. It was on the house.
Next stop: Lux Bond & Green, to replace a broken rubber watchband on his Timex heart monitor watch.
An employee spent a fair amount of time trying to find one to match the width and curve of the band, but to no avail. So she recommended another store in town — but added that it was closed that day.
Two summers ago, I blogged about downtown stores that kept their doors wide open. The temperature was not quite 90, but from 1 spot on Main Street I spotted 4 places blasting air conditioning onto the sidewalk.
The post drew 99 comments. In true “06880” fashion they ranged from “I can’t believe they’re wasting so many energy” to “it’s a free country, they can do whatever they want” (with side trips into “our electric grid is outmoded” and “it’s the Gulf War, stupid”).
This afternoon, with the temperature 94 degrees and climbing, I went downtown again.
I am sure you will be stunned to hear that, this time, even more stores had their doors flung wide.
My 1st stop was Blue Mercury. In 2010 it was part of my Gang of Four. Two years later, the only thing that’s changed is that it’s spawned a sister shop, Mercury 2, across the street — and both Blue Mercurys pump cold air basically at each other.
One of the 2 Blue Mercurys. This is on the east side of Main Street.
When I asked why, a manager handed me a card with a toll-free number. I called, and the pert phone-answerer said, “Great! We just had a grand opening there!”
But when I asked why the doors were open, she handed me off to several people. I wound up speaking to someone in corporate communications, who promised that someone else — “most likely our director of operations” — will call back. I’ll let you know if/when he/she does.
Next door, BCBG had its doors open 2 years ago. Nothing has changed, except its name: it’s now the Scrabble-like BCBGMaxazria.
I strolled past the wide-open Shoes ‘N’ More, and up to Brooks Corner. Lux Bond & Green‘s doors were ajar.
Before and after, at Williams-Sonoma.
So was one door at Williams-Sonoma‘s. When I asked why, a woman said, “I just came in. Someone probably opened it. Maybe it’s more inviting to customers?”
She paused. “Maybe I should shut it, to keep air in.”
She paused again. “I’ll do that. I’ll shut it.”
And she did. Twenty minutes later, it remained closed.
Across the street, at Jack Wills, I told a young guy I was doing a story on stores that kept the a/c on, in 94-degree heat.
“Cool!” he said, both non-ironically and bizarrely. “We like to pump the air.”
But when I asked again about air-conditioning Main Street, he said, “Well, it’s a big front door. Would you come in if it were closed?”
I thought, you mean, the way people do in October and December and April? Instead, I said, “Actually, I’m more likely to shop at store that doesn’t waste energy.”
“That’s interesting!” he replied.
The heavy door at Jack Wills.
For the record: A number of stores kept their doors closed. The list included Banana Republic — a change from 2010 — as well as Gap, J. Crew, Coach and Vineyard Vines.
Also Brooks Brothers Men. (Brooks Brothers Women was open, though. Go figure.)
Oh, yeah: Westport Pizzeria’s doors were shut too. And they’ve got an oven.
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