Tag Archives: Lynsey Addario

Roundup: AEDs, HWH, NAACP, KES …

Posted on April 26, 2024 | 6 comments

The Westport Fire Department did not have to travel far Wednesday night.

They — and a couple of hundred Westport friends — gathered at Autostrada, next door.

The classic car-and-event space was filled for the Westport Uniformed Firefighters Charitable Foundation’s 2nd annual whiskey tasting fundraiser.

The cause was a great one: $80,000, to replace 55 Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs), in every fire, police and ambulance in town.

The turnout — and vibe — was fantastic. And though the mood was festive, it was important too to hear Deputy Fire Chief Nick Marsan’s description of lives that have been saved by AEDs.

One grateful woman — 34 years old — returned to the fire station to thank him. With her 4- and 2-year-old sons.

Raising money for AEDs is something the firefighters do, above and beyond the call of duty. Last night, Westport toasted them in style.

First responders, town officials and friends at the firefighters’ gala.

Checking out auction items — and classic cars — at Autostrada.

From left: Firefighters Eric LaRiviere, Rob Lenois, Ryan Farrell, Pete Nichio and Shareef Conjura. Lenois is president of the Westport Uniformed Firefighters Charitable Foundation. (Photos/John Videler for Videler Photography)

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If you missed Homes with Hope‘s fantastic video — celebrating the non-profit’s 40 year history, from a controversial small men’s shelter to a supportive housing institution supported by the entire town — you’re in luck.

It will be screened again on June 9 (2 p.m., Christ & Holy Trinity Church). It’s a fascinating look at changing attitudes toward homelessness and hunger, as told by the men and women who have worked for 4 decades to end it here.

Also in Homes with Hope news: Yesterday, the Westport Downtown Association presented the organization with a check for $20,000. The generous proceeds come from last month’s Fashionably Westport event, at the Westport Library.

The donation will help expand Homes with Hope’s pantry, and bring back the Project Return program — along with all the other good works HwH does.

Westport Downtown Association president Maxx Crowley and Homes with Hope CEO Helen McAlinden (5th and 6th from left), and representatives of the 2 organizations, with their $20,000 check.

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The Connecticut NAACP State Conference and Greater Norwalk NAACP branch have organized a “town hall meeting” to address “concerns and experiences related to racism in the community.”

It’s set for May 9 (6 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Westport).

Norwalk NAACP president Brenda Penn-Williams told Nancy on Norwalk: “Individuals throughout Fairfield County are invited to participate and voice their perspectives on combating racism in our society. The initiative stems from recent allegations around incidents of racist bullying, which have deeply affected families in the Westport community….

“This event aims to create a platform for open dialogue, advocacy, and solidarity against racism. It will provide a space for community members to share their stories, offer support, and advocate for meaningful change to combat racism.

“The Town Hall meeting will serve as a collective effort to address racism as a community-wide issue and promote inclusivity, equity, and respect for all individuals. Join us on May 9 to stand together against racism and work towards a more just society.” (Hat tip: Sal Liccione)

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The Westport Country Playhouse continues to add intriguing new events.

“Girl Rising” celebrates the untapped potential of girls to address the world’s urgent challenges, like climate change (May 29, 7 p.m.; click here for tickets and more information).

The evening features screenings of portions of the documentary “Girl Rising,” which helped spark a global movement for girls’ education. Girl Rising’s co-founder and CEO Christina Lowery will be on hand with young advocates for girls’ rights, education equity, and climate justice, to tell powerful stories and engage in empowering conversation.

Following February’s sold-out Swiftie singalong, “A Night for Swifties & More” takes the stage June 1 (7 p.m.; click here for tickets and more information).

Drew Wutke’s powerhouse band returns, with Broadway singers and beyond. At 5:30 before the show, there’s friendship bracelet-making, a photo both, other activities and live music.

The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players present “The Pirates of Penzance in One Act and an Evening of Gilbert & Sullivan Players” (June 28, 7:30 p.m.; June 29, 2 p.m.; click here for tickets and more information). The performers will take audience requests, too.

“Imagination Movers” offers the fun of one of their concerts — it’s kids’ music at its best. A limited number of pre-show meet-and-greet tickets are available too (September 22, 1 p.m.; click here for tickets and more information).

Girl Rising, at the Westport Country Playhouse.

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Kings Highway Elementary School students, staff members and parents celebrated Earth Day on Tuesday. Among the highlights:

  • “Zero Hero Helper” students were honored for their work keeping the school clean, through litter removal, lunch room composting and food rescuing.
  • Mother Earth Melodies: Music teacher Amy Laurino led students in Earth Day songs.
  • The Science of Seeds: Science coach Kate Romano shared updates on the planting in the new science garden center.
  • Food Rescue: Priscilla Jones, math and workshop teacher, described how this year KHS has donated over 1,400 pounds of uneaten food to the Food Rescue US Fairfield County.
  • Cans to Coins: KHS is collecting redeemable cans and plastic bottles throughout April. Proceeds will be donated to World Bicycle Relief to complement their One School One Book project. Cans and bottles redeemed so far have enabled students to send $160 to Lucy Ackemann from Food Rescue US.

Kings Highway Elementary students celebrate Earth Day.

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Also celebrating Earth Day: Rindy Higgins.

The Westport Shellfish Commission member and Saugatuck Shores resident headed to Canal Beach at low tide. She cleaned up the large stake (photo below),  plus “lots of little bitty plastics and metals, Styrofoam, cardboards, and tar road chunks.”

The good news: She collected “much, much less than last year.”

Rindy Higgins, and her Canal Beach haul.

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“Civil War” — the new film generating tons of buzz — offers a new take on social collapse. It follows 4 journalists on a road trip from New York to Washington,

The central character is Lee (Kirsten Dunst), a photojournalist.

So when “On the Media” — WNYC’s popular radio show and podcast — wanted to dive deeper, they went to one of the world’s most talented and honored photojournalists: Lynsey Addario.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times staff member — who has photographed harrowing scenes in Ukraine, the Middle East and Africa, and is a 1991 Staples High School graduate — talked with Brooke Gladstone about her experiences covering wars abroad, and how accurately the film depicts reporting during conflict.

Click here to listen. (Hat tip: Paul Lowenstein)

Lynsey Addario, on Fox News. 

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Speaking of Staples: Students Anna Ji, Andrew Rebello and Jackson Tracey will represent their high school at the Hwa Chong Institution’s Asia-Pacific Young Leaders’ Summit in July.

Principal Stafford Thomas will accompany the delegates to the conference, in Singapore.

Each year, HCI invites 80 top student leaders from leading schools around the world.

For the past 11 years, Westport has been invited to send 3 juniors who are high performing academically and interested in world affairs, with a special interest in Asia. Congratulations to Anna, Andrew and Jackson!

From left: Anna Ji, Andrew Rebello, Jackson Tracey.

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Mark Mathias writes: “One of the unofficial ways Winslow Park operates is as a lost and found, on top of the (unfortunately empty) AED box.

“Last week there was a key to a Mini. Today, there’s a key to a Mini and a Jeep.

“Anyone want a car?”

(Photo/Mark Mathias)

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Read to Grow is a non-profit organization with one mission: embracing literacy from birth.

They profit with 17 hospitals to provide babies with their first book, and parents with educational materials to guide them as their babies’ first and best teachers.

In addition, a books-for-kids program enables anyone in Connecticut to request books for their home, while a bookmobile allows children to select books to take home.

Read to Grow hosts a fun fundraiser on May 2 (Westport Library, 6 p.m.). Highlights include food and drinks based children’s books, from Zucca Gastrobar; games of chance; music by Andrew Maskoff, and a silent auction.

TikTok-famous librarian Mychal Threets will be there, along with noted local author Victoria Kahn. Longtime New York radio celebrity Ian O’Malley hosts.

For tickets and more information, click here.

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Radio host, actor and author (“Happier Made Simple”) Randye Kaye gave a humorous and interactive presentation to the Westport Rotary Club lunch meeting on Tuesday. The topic was “What’s EI Got To Do With It.”

Kaye said that emotional intelligence and human connection are the keys to achieving joy, and surviving tough times.

She led the Rotarians through exercises to show how changing perceptions and thoughts about a situation can also change emotional reactions.

Randye Kaye, at the Westport Rotary Club. (Photo/Ellin Curley)

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Tulips are beautiful.

But they don’t stay around long.

So when we see a great photo like Patti Brill’s, we grab it for “Westport … Naturally.”

Enjoy this scene, from Saugatuck Shores:

(Photo/Patti Brill)

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And finally … On this date in 1969, the Edwin Hawkins Singers’ “Oh Happy Day” entered the Hot 100 at #72. It was the first pure gospel song to make that chart. It went on to reach #4, and became an international hit.

(It’s a happy day when readers support “06880.” If you enjoy our work, please click here to help. Thank you!)

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Posted in Education, Entertainment, Environment, Media, Staples HS, Westport Country Playhouse

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Roundup: Lynsey Addario, Staples Musicians, Female Entrerpreneurs …

Posted on March 19, 2024 | 1 comment

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.

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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)

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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)

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We can’t solve all of downtown’s parking issues at once.

But here’s a small first step: take away the 4 “Curbside Pickup” spaces in front of Lux Bond & Green.

Sure, COVID still lingers. But when was the last time someone actually had jewelry delivered from the store to their car, 5 steps away?

(Photo/Dan Woog)

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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.

To attend, and find out about the drop-off location, email stephanie4berman@gmail.com.

Carly Ridloff

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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.

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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.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Smilow Cancer Hospital.

Jill Wellner

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Sure, this is manmade. But it looks almost natural enough to be part of our “Westport … Naturally” feature.

Richard Hyman spotted it at the far east end of Sherwood Island State Park, near Burying Hill Beach.

(Photo/Richard Hyman)

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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!)

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Posted in Entertainment, Local business, Obituaries, Staples HS, Transportation

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Lynsey Addario, Tyler Hicks Take “The Year In Pictures”

Posted on December 29, 2023 | 2 comments

It’s a journalistic tradition: At the end of each year, the New York Times publishes “The Year in Pictures.”

For a number of years, there’s been another tradition: The feature includes the work of Staples High School graduates Lynsey Addario (Class of 1991) and Tyler Hicks (’88). Both are Pulitzer Prize winners.

The tradition continues this year.

The very compelling Times section includes:

Dnipro, Ukraine, January 18. Lynsey Addario photographed Olha Afanasieva, 49, recovering in the hospital after sustaining serious injuries in a Russian strike on her apartment building. She and her husband were sitting at their kitchen table when the missile hit.

Lynsey said: “I was looking at her from the right-hand side and I was trying to photograph her eyes and the injuries, and it wasn’t coming together. Suddenly she turned and the other side of her face was a patchwork. It just spoke to me, and symbolized all of these lives and faces, and everything that has been torn in the country.”

Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 17. Tyler Hicks captured medics helping a Ukrainian soldier who was injured by shrapnel on the front line. The fight for the city, which Russia later captured, was one of the deadliest clashes in the war.

Bakhmut, Ukraine, May 19. Tyler Hicks’ shot showed the smoldering remains of Bakhmut, just days before Russia claimed victory there. It took the Kremlin almost a year and cost the lives of thousands of soldiers to capture the city.

Tyler said: “Despite having seen military photographs of the devastation of Bakhmut, to actually be in control of a drone and fly up to the edge of the city and see it, live, really solidified in my mind how much the city had been destroyed and  how many lives had been lost in the process. It was personally quite shocking.”

Outside Makarivka, Ukraine, July 26. Tyler Hicks’ harrowing image shows the body of a Russian soldier in the Zaporizhzhia region, where Ukraine was waging a counteroffensive. In 2 months, Ukrainian troops had advanced less than 10 miles at any point along the region’s 100-mile front.

Tyler said: “I saw what I originally thought was just a uniform that had been discarded on the road, but on closer inspection I realized it was a body. There had been no effort made to move the body. He’d been run over so many times that he became impacted tot he point that the body had become part of the road.”

Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, September 14. In Lynsey Addario’s shot, a Ukrainian soldier prepared to release a drone to fly over Russian-occupied territory in search of heavy weapons and air defense installations. In a counteroffensive often reliant on small advantages, a fleet of inexpensive drones provided one for the Ukrainians.

Lynsey explained: “When we approached the team of soldiers, they were hiding in the bushes. We heard Russian drones flying overhead, and it was terrifying. Most of the war at this point is fought by drone. There’s nothing you can do, just hope you are hidden well enough. The soldier released the drone and we ran back into the bushes.”

What Lynsey Addario and Tyler Hicks do is dangerous, remarkable, and very important. To see more work from their colleagues, click here. 

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Posted in Media, Politics

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Roundup: Fire Chief, Pulitzer Prize, Bike Repair …

Posted on May 9, 2023 | 6 comments

Veteran Westport firefighter Nicholas Marsan will be the Department’s acting chief, following the retirement of Chief Michael Kronick on May 15.

Marson will also serve as the town’s emergency management director.

1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker announced those appointments yesterday.

Marsan has been a member of the WFD since 2007, with extensive experience in emergency operations and fire safety.

He is a graduate of the Connecticut Fire Academy, and is a nationally certified Fire Service Instructor III, Fire Officer III and a state-certified fire marshal.

Marsan earned a master’s degree in history at Western Connecticut State University, and a master’s in public administration and emergency management at Sacred Heart University.

He has received numerous awards for his public safety work, including 2 Westport Rotary Public Protection & Safety Awards, 3 unit citations, and 2 department honors.

Marsan served in the US Army and Connecticut Army National Guard, with a deployment to Afghanistan in 2010.  He is also a fire instructor for the New York Office of Fire Prevention and Control.

Nicholas Marsan

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Speaking of firefighters:

The Westport Fire Department and International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1081 invite residents to a memorial service, recognizing members who  died in the line of duty.

The 38th annual Bridgeport Area Retired Firefighters event in June 6 (6 p.m.), at Assumption Church. A collation will follow at Westport VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399.

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Lynsey Addario’s stunning image of the immediate aftermath of a Russian attack in Irpin, in the early days after their invasion of Ukraine, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Breaking News Photography.

The 1991 Staples High School graduate did not win.

But she — and her New York Times photography colleague, 1988 Staples grad Tyler Hicks — were part of the prestigious journalism awards nonetheless.

The Times staff received a Pulitzer for International Reporting, for its “unflinching coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.” Addario and Hicks contributed many photos to those stories.

Both Addario and Hicks are previous Pulitzer Prize winners, for their individual work.

Congratulations to them, to the Times staff, and all the other winners.

Ukrainian soldiers trying to save the only person in a group of 4 who had a pulse, moments after a mortar attack in Irpin, near Kyiv, in March 2022. (Photo/Lynsey Addario for the New York Times)

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For years, if your car broke down at Compo, Old Mill Beach or Town Hall, you called AAA.

But what about a bicycle issue?

New this year: bike repair stations. They’ve got an array of handy tools — all secured by cables against theft — for a rider who needs a quick fix.

The repair stations were installed by the Public Works Department. They’re just one more example of “little things mean a lot.”

The Compo Beach bicycle repair setup is located near the main bathrooms, between Hook’d and the lifeguard station. (Photo/Johanna Keyser Rossi)

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If spring cleaning includes getting rid of old mattresses and box springs — hold on until May 20.

That morning Earthplace, Sustainable Westport and Bye Bye Mattress will sponsor a free mattress and box spring recycling event. Up to 90% of them can be recycled into carpet pads, exercise equipment and bike seat cushions, insulation, air filters and steel materials.

The event runs from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., at Earthplace.

Can’t transport your mattress or box spring? No problem!

Boy Scout Troop 36 will provide pickup service, for a small donation. Click here to sign up.

Saving the planet, one mattress at a time. (Photo and hat tip: Pippa Bell Ader)

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David Pogue drew a standing room only crowd yesterday, for his Y’s Women’s talk on AI.

It was informative, fun — and a bit scary. The Westporter/”CBS Sunday Morning” and PBS “Nova” correspondent described coming changes in many fields, from writing, music, art and movies to politics.

He also noted “preventive measures.” The large crowd at Green’s Farms Church — all actual human beings — was very appreciative.

David Pogue with (from left) Y’s Women vice president Vera DeStefano and president Margaret Mitchell.

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Westporters love Le Rouge Chocolates by Aarti.

Now the small, scrumptious shop in the Joe’s Pizza Main Street shopping center just north of Avery Place has gotten national attention.

Forbes magazine features it on their Lifestyle/Dining page. “Decadent Treats with a Huge Helping of Goodwill” describes owner Aarti Khosla’s surprising career path, and honors her constant giving back.

Aarti’s donations of chocolates to first responders, students and many others get a shout-out; so does her fundraising for a variety of causes.

Click here for the full, well-deserved story. (Hat tip: Kristin Schneeman)

Aarti Khosla, in her Le Rouge store. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)

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Staples High School students Ryan Sunjka, Jack Schwartz, Jackson Tracey and Lucy Barney are members of the Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital junior board.

They’re helping organize a May 20 event at Row House, in Compo Acres Shopping Center.

Contestants see which team of 3 people can row farthest on the machines in 30 minutes. The students’ goal is $10,000. Each team is asked to raise $300 (plus a $10 entry fee per person). They’ll be eligible for prizes — for both the distance rowed and the money raised — like Knicks, Nets, Yankees and Red Sox tickets, and a signed Derrick Rose basketball.

Click here to sign up, and for more information.

Junior board members promote the Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital Row House event.

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Dozens of volunteers showed up this weekend, to help make the Long Lots Preserve a reality.

Phase III of the project — which is taking shape around the perimeter of the Westport Community Gardens, just south of Long Lots Elementary School — includes planting Connecticut natives like sweet gum and winter king hawthorn.

All ages took part. Among them, in the photo below: Emma and Melody Wilkinson. “They’re planting trees for the future, working with nature’s creatures,” says proud grandfather Joe Wilkinson.

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Every Thursday, Jazz at the Post is special.

This week though is extra special.

The music series at VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 continues its celebration of one of the greatest jazz bandleaders ever: drummer Art Blakey.

An all-star lineup will play classics from the ’80s: Antonio Hart (alto sax), Michael Mossman (trumpet), David Morgan (piano), Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall (tenor sax), David Berkman (piano), Phil Bowler (bass) and Tim Horner (drums).

Even more special: Staples High School jazz combos will play at 7 p.m., before the shows.

Advance tickets are available here for the 7 p.m. show (guaranteed seats, including dinner at 6:45); click here for the 8:45 p.m. show (with dinner). For the 8:45 show without dinner, click here.

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Who says the Board of Selectwomen don’t have their finger on the pulse of the town?

There are 5 items on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting (9 a.m., Town Hall auditorium; livestream on www.westportct.gov; televised on Optimum Channel 79).

Item #2: “Acting as the Local Traffic Authority, upon the recommendation of the Westport Police Department, to take such action as the meeting may determine to approve a request to the Office of the State Traffic Administration – Division of Traffic Engineering, to increase the exclusive green light left hand turn timing at the State-controlled traffic signal located at the intersection of CT Route 1 (Post Road East) and Myrtle Avenue.”


Changes ahead?

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Longtime Westporter Audrey Magida died last week. She was 93.

She was a lifelong lover of New York City, where she was born, raised, and graduated from George Washington High School.

She moved to Westport in 1961. Audrey had a long career as a real estate broker, most recently with Prudential Real Estate.

She was an honorary life member of Temple Israel, having served as president of the Sisterhood, board member, and vice president of the congregation.

Audrey was an avid book reader and bridge player, theater devotee, classical music concert-goer, ballet and dance connoisseur, and enthusiastic sailboat passenger.

She was married for 65 years to Nathan Magida. She is survived by her children Dan (Nancy), Meg, and Matt (Pat); grandchildren Ben, Sarah, Jane, Emily and Sam, and great-grandchildren Nathan and Aiden.

Contributions may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

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High Point Road is a popular spot for new Westporters.

Yesterday, Staples High School sophomore Max Saperstein photographed the latest arrivals, for our “Westport … Naturally” feature:

(Photo/Max Saperstein)

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And finally … we honor Westport’s new bicycle repair stations (story above) with the oldest recording ever featured on “06880”:

 (As always, today’s Roundup is jam-packed with news you can [hopefully] use. If you enjoy this daily feature, please click here to support “06880.” Thank you!)

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Posted in Beach, Environment, Media, Obituaries

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Roundup: Tacopina, Addarios, Autism …

Posted on April 5, 2023 | 29 comments

Westport was represented at yesterday’s historic arraignment at the Manhattan Criminal Courts Building.

Directly next to former President Trump at the proceedings was one of his key attorneys, Joseph Tacopina.

Attorney Joseph Tacopina sat at former President Trump’s left, during yesterday’s arraignment. (Photo/Curtis Means for EPA)

The Westporter — founder and lead trial attorney of Tacopina Seigel & Deoreo — is no stranger to big cases.

His firm’s website says:

Mr. Tacopina is one of the country’s most respected high-stakes trial attorneys, having successfully tried more than 100 cases in his distinguished career. He frequently represents clients in high-stakes civil, criminal and commercial litigation, zealously advancing their interests and often recovering substantial money damages.

In 2011, he was the featured speaker at Staples High School’s baccalaureate ceremony, the night before graduation.

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Last year, New York Times photojournalist Lynsey Addario captured an image that shook the world.

The 1991 Staples High School graduate was in Irpin, Ukraine, shortly after the Russians invaded. She was just a few yards away, when a mortar killed a woman, her 2 children and a friend.

The grim photo was published worldwide. It brought home the viciousness of the Russian attacks, and remains a defining image of the war.

Lynsey Addario’s photograph of the carnage in Irpin.

Addario — a previous Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Award winner — will no doubt earn many honors for that shot. She’s already won one: a George Polk Award for photojournalism.

Established in 1949 by Long Island University to commemorate a CBS correspondent murdered the previous year while covering the Greek civil war, they highlight “investigative and enterprising reporting that gains attention and achieves results.” 

Polk Award winners will be honored April 14 at the New York Athletic Club, the day after a seminar on LIU’s Brooklyn campus. “When Covering War Gets Personal” will feature several winners, delving more deeply into their stories.

But Lynsey is not the only Addario woman in the news.

Her sister Lauren — a 1984 Staples grad — plays drums in a band called mineral Hill. They’ve jusd been nominated for an award for original music, by the New Mexico Music Awards.

ZZ Top will perform at the ceremony, next month in Albuquerque.

By day, Lauren teaches media arts and technology, and directs the Cultural Technology Internship Program at New Mexico Highlands University.

Congratulations, Lynsey and Lauren!

Lauren Addario

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April is Autism Acceptance Month. The Westport Police Department is using the event to promote education, and a greater understanding of autism.

They note: “Rates of autism have grown steadily in Westport and nationally, as early diagnosis has become more accessible. Autism touches most of our lives, and is a part of our community. Westport Police are committed to supporting those with autism and their family members, year-round.”

Many officers have bought Autism Acceptance Badges. They’ll wear them on their uniforms throughout April.

Autism Acceptance Month is a good time for a reminder about Westport’s Disability Registry, a combined effort of the Westport Disability Commission, Human Services and Police Department.

The confidential registry provides information to assist police and other emergency workers to address the needs of residents of all abilities. Click here for more information, and to sign up.

In 2021, Westport Police officers showed off their autism badges.

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Last week’s “Evening of Africa” at Wakeman Town Farm was a smash.

Attendees raised $37,000, close to the $50,000 Unite needs for its food program in Tanzania this harvest season.

The funds will help purchase maize from over 300 small-scale farmers, providing them with fair prices as well as 2 hermetic bags each, so they can safely store some of their harvest pest-free to use throughout the year.

Money will also increase the fleet, to transport raw maize from remote villages to to United Food Program’s headquarters in Dar es Salaam. There it will be cleaned, processed and packaged as final maize flour products, for retailers, wholesalers and consumers.

Finally, Unite can purchase, retrofit and install and 40-foot container, to serve as extra storage for its grain inventory.

Click here, here and here for videos from the event. Click here to contribute. Click here to commission an oil painting by Unite’s partner artist Maliondo Amini.

Attendees at the Unite for Africa event.

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By day, the 2nd floor at 11 Riverside Avenue is a normal art gallery (though one with exceptional work, and a great old-building vibe).

Every so often at night, it turns into a salon.

Owner Michael Chait invites very cool people, to lead informal conversations with in a warm, learn-from-each-other atmosphere.

His next one is even more intriguing than usual.

Tim Manners — a Westporter, and author of “Schoolboy: The Untold Journey of a Yankee Hero” will discuss his subject, legendary 1927 “Murderers’ Row” pitcher Waite Hoyt.

It’s an in-depth book, written with the help of Hoyt’s son.

An organist will play baseball-themed music. “Gates open” at 7 p.m. on April 27.

Tickets are $20. Seats are limited. Click here, or Venmo @Michael-Chait. Questions? Call 203-243-1995.

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Over the past year, Jazz at the Post has become a Westport institution.

Now a new musical event debuts at VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399: “First Folk Sunday.”

Starting May 7, and continuing the first Sunday of every month (12:30 to 2:30 p.m.), longtime and very talented Westport singer Suzanne Sheridan will offer music of the 1960s, ’70s, and “good songs from all time.”

Guest artists will join her. Next month, it’s keyboardist Bob Cooper.

There’s a $10 cover. Brunch and a cash bar are available too. Click here for tickets, and more information.

Suzanne Sheridan

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Five whiskeys from around the world will be featured at the Weston History & Culture Center’s April 29 fundraiser (7 p.m.).

Tasting will be led The Academy Drinks CEO Jessica Spector. Also on the menu: appetizers from Old Mill Grocery, specialty cocktails, beer, wine and a silent auction.

Tickets are $100 each. and can be purchased at: Click here to purchase, and for more information.

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Johanna Keyser Rossi spotted the first migrating white crane of the season the other day, by the Westport Library Riverwalk.

Her photo is perfect for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/Johanna Keyser Rossi)

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And finally … in honor of the first Roundup item above …

(From the courts of New York to the war in Ukraine, “06880” connects the Westport dots. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Local business, Police, Politics, Sports, Weston

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Roundup: Ukraine, Sound Barriers, Trash …

Posted on February 24, 2023 | 6 comments

Save the date: Sunday, July 9.

The Ukrainian American Club of Southport — adjacent to the I-95 northbound entrance ramp — is the site of a “thank you” party for Westport’s help with our new sister city of Lyman, Ukraine.

In 3 weeks, we raised $252,000. Funds have paid for building materials, communication equipment, trash and police trucks, meals, holiday gifts and more.

The July 9 event will be a day of music, food and fellowship. There will be plenty of opportunities to donate too — the need in Lyman is ongoing — but all are welcome.

More details coming soon.

Slava Ukraini!

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The New York Times marked today’s 1-year anniversary of the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine with a retrospective of photos — and the memories of the men and women who took them.

Two Staples High School graduates — both Pulitzer Prize winners — are included.

Lynsey Addario (Staples ’91) stunned the world with this photo, in March:

(Photo/Lynsey Addario for New York Times)

She says:

In war, anything can change in a moment. Leading up to this photograph, mothers were running with their children from the Irpin bridge across my viewfinder toward the relative safety of Kyiv. Mortar rounds were coming in, urgency was in everyone’s step. Pink and blue puffy coats passed with rolling luggage. Surely the Russians wouldn’t target a civilian evacuation route?

But each round came a little closer, bracketing onto desperate people fleeing for their lives. And then I saw a flash, heard the crash and felt the impact from a wave of air being compressed in an explosion that smashed into our bodies as we dived for cover.

The aftermath will stay with me forever. When we stood up, my neck was sprayed with gravel. I asked my colleague Andriy if I was bleeding. “No,” he said. It was dusty and chaotic. We couldn’t see across to the other side of the street, so we didn’t know that a mother, her two children and a church volunteer had been killed. Somehow, we had been spared.

Tyler Hicks (Staples ’88) took this image in November:

(Photo/Tyler Hicks for New York Times)

He writes:

Bakhmut, in the eastern Donbas region, began last year as the home of about 70,000 people. Over the year of war, I’ve watched the fighting chew this city apart, as both sides have thrown masses of troops and weaponry into desperate attempts to control it.

In the earlier months it was always tense, but there were still civilians on the streets; Ukrainians, particularly in the east, have learned to live in the shadow of war. On this visit, it had reached a clear turning point in its militarization.

This armored vehicle passed me as I was leaving a military hospital, and the faces of the soldiers seemed to represent what has taken shape in the city’s shell: a relentless determination to fight.

Click here for all the Times photos, and photographers’ comments.

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Want to sound off on sound barriers?

This Monday, (February 27, 11 a.m.), the Connecticut General Assembly’s Transportation Committee holds a public hearing on Bill #6745. The proposed legislation addresses a statewide plan for the installation of sound barriers. (Click here for the full bill.)

To register to speak about the proposal, click click here. To submit written testimony about it, click here. To watch the hearing, click here. (Hat tip: State Senator Tony Hwang)

Sound barrier under construction on I-95 in Darien.

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Last week’s trash pick-up at Westport Animal Control was successful.

But there’s still more to do be done on Elaine Road (Compo Road South, between I-95 and the train tracks).

Elaine Road serves as the entrance to the water sewage treatment plant, and public access for boat and kayak launches, along with Animal Control. It attracts plenty of I-95 trash too, from vehicles and their irresponsible drivers and passengers.

All volunteers are welcome on March 5 (11 a.m.). Bring garbage bags, and dress appropriately.

Questions? Email acolabellartm4@gmail.com.

Elaine Road.

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Speaking of pitching in: Yesterday was Police Chief Foti Koskinas’ birthday.

Westport’s top cop leads a department of 64 uniformed officers. In his spare time, he pitches in wherever he can around town.

Here’s a typical shot: Police Chief Koskinas helping clean garbage from the I-95 hill, in Saugatuck. It was Sunday — his day off. (Photo/Andrew Colabella)

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The Y’s Women had a 2-fer yesterday. They enjoyed a pair of Westport treasures: the Westport Public Art Collections and MoCA.

The women enjoyed a private tour of the museum’s current exhibition, “Paul Camacho: El Ritmo y La Unidad” (which closes Sunday). Camacho was active in Westport’s art life in the 1960s and ’70s.

MoCA also shows 20 other abstractionists, including Alexander Calder and Robert Motherwell. All are from WestPAC’s holdings of more than 1,800 works.

Because most of their art is in schools and town buildings — not always available to the public — the Y’s Women were thrilled to see so many outstanding works. (Hat tip: Jilda Manikas)

Y’s Women at MoCA. (Photo/Leslie LaSala)

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Also yesterday: Dr. Winston Allen drew a large crowd to the Westport Museum for History & Culture.

The longtime Westport resident spoke about — and signed — his new book,  “I Pried Open Wall Street in 1962.”

Dr. Winston Allen, last night at the Westport Museum for History & Culture. (Photo/Dave Matlow)

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Sorelle Gallery’s first “On View” feature of the year opens March 3. Artists Ned Martin and Pete Sack will be showcased on the main wall of the Church Lane gallery, through March 25.

Both artists create abstracted work with an emphasis on color and geometric design elements.

To learn more about the artists and the show, click here.

Hanging the Sorelle Gallery show.

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Speaking of art: George Billis Gallery may have moved to Fairfield (1700 Post Road). B

But the upcoming spring show is true to its Westport roots.

Local resident Dala Najarian is one of the 8 featured artists — and it was curated by fellow Westporter Amy Zoller.

Najarian works in a variety of mediums, including watercolor, acrylics, mixed media and oils. A passionate photographer, her Shadow Series merges the realistic quality of a photo with the abstract translation of a scene, to depict a dreamlike painting.

The opening is March 2 (5 to 8 p.m.). It runs through April 16.

“Jewel Shadows” — oil on canvas (Dale Najarian)

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It may not have been a long, brutal winter. (Sorry, Buffalo and Minnesota.)

But, like clockwork, we’re headed toward that ugliest time of the year: the not-quite-end-of-winter-but-not-yet-start-of-spring.

Still, there’s a certain kind of stark beauty to the season. Frank Sisson captured this “Westport … Naturally” scene at Winslow Park:

(Photo/Frank Sisson)

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And finally … today is both Rupert Holmes’ 76th birthday, and World Bartender Day. So of course:

(If you like pina coladas — drink up! If you like “06880” — please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)

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Roundup: Lynsey Addario’s Ukraine, Mrs. London’s Credit Cards …

Posted on February 20, 2023 | 18 comments

Yesterday’s New York Times featured a Page 1, top-of-the-fold story about a female Ukrainian soldier. It begins:

Just over a year ago, Yulia Bondarenko’s days were full of lesson plans, grading and her students’ seventh-grade hormones.

When Russian missiles shattered that routine and Russian troops threatened her home in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, Ms. Bondarenko, 30, volunteered to fight back, despite her lack of experience, the grave risk to her life and Ukraine’s apparently impossible odds.

“I never held a rifle in my hands and never even saw one up close,” Ms. Bondarenko said. “In the first two weeks, I felt like I was in a fog. It was just a constant nightmare.”

The harrowing text is accompanied by Lynsey Addario’s haunting photos. The 1991 Staples High School graduate — a Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur fellowship grant winner — made 5 trips to Ukraine last year.

She followed Bondarenko’s journey on four4 of them, reporting from the Kyiv, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions.

Click here for the full story, and Lynsey’s powerful photographs.

Yulia Bondarenko learns how to use a rifle. (Photo/Lynsey Addario for the New York Times)

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Alert “06880” reader Gil Ghitelman is a fan of Mrs. London’s Bakery — to a limit. He writes:

“Mrs. London’s is a welcome addition to the Westport dining experience. While I miss the vibe engendered by Java at the same Church Lane location several years ago, their pastries, albeit pricey, are quite delicious.

“What I find disturbing is their 3.5% surcharge for credit card use. The only outfits (other than gas stations) that I’m aware of using this ploy are online gun dealers.

“Mrs. London’s is only shooting itself in the foot if they continue this practice.”

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Longtime Westporter Phyllis Makovsky died in her home, surrounded by her family, following an inspiring fight against leukemia. She was 80 years old.

The Queens native graduated from Barnard College with honors, and earned a master’s degree in teaching from Harvard University.

She was passionate in the classroom. She taught advanced math at the Brearley School in Manhattan and Great Neck South High School on Long Island, before turning her skills and compassion to her family, and through prominent roles in the community.

In 1972 Phyllis met Kenneth Makovsky. They married within months, and shared a partnership of 50 years. The couple enabled each other’s successes in business, at home and in their social and philanthropic lives. She served as a crucial strategic advisor to Ken as he built the public relations agency Makovsky & Company.

Phyllis was a doer. Her work came in many forms. She served Temple Israel as a board member for 10 years. She established a scholarship at Washington University in St. Louis dedicated to music. After her second diagnosis with breast cancer, she returned to Norwalk Hospital as a volunteer in the chemo-infusion center. She spent 20 years there — and returned to the same room for her final leukemia treatments. She was greeted with big hugs.

Phyllis used her talents as a teacher, and her combination of grace, grit and empathy, to make sure that her family could shine. As a friend and a sister she did the same. Phyllis was present, kind and insightful, and her love and good energy was returned to her by many.

Phyllis is survived by her husband Kenneth, sons Matt and Evan, and brother Stephen.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, February 21, 1 p.m., Temple Israel). Burial will follow at 225 Richards Ave in Norwalk. Shiva will be observed at her Westport home tomorrow (Tuesday, February 21, post-service until 8 p.m.), and Wednesday and Thursday from 1 to 7 p.m..

To livestream the funeral service, please click here. Go to the YouTube page; it will be the first “live” video listing for the day. To share a condolence message, click here. Memorial contributions may be made to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

(Phyllis Makovsky was the subject of a song written by her son Matt. Click here for that story, posted last Friday on “06880.”)

Phyllis Makovsky

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We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: There’s nature all over Westport, including the heart of downtown.

Claudia Sherwood Servidio captured this “Westport … Naturally” scene, just a few feet from the Parker Harding Plaza pavement.

(Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

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And finally … speaking of Mrs. London’s pie’s: Does she know Mrs. Wagner?

(“06880” is “where Westport meets the world (including America).” Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

18 Comments

Posted in Economy, Local business, Media, Obituaries, Politics

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Roundup: Comments, Ukraine, Cops …

Posted on December 29, 2022 | 17 comments

A note about Comments:

Yesterday, a commenter calling himself “Ed Doucette” posted a swipe at the woman who had nominated dog owners as “06880”‘s  Unsung Heroes of the Week.

I asked him how many Unsung Heroes he had nominated. Remember the old ’60s saying? “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.”

Turns out, he used an alias.

That makes him even more of a jerk. Coming on the heels of my discovery of a couple of other aliases — some plausible-sounding like “Will Leach,” others clearly fake — I feel like a jerk, too.

I trust “06880” readers. I do not require verification to post comments. I only ask that people use full, real names.

I spend a ton of time on all aspects of “06880.” Monitoring comments for civility and accuracy is one of them. Monitoring them for honesty should not be part of the deal.

I’ve asked before: Please be nice. Please don’t abuse the Comments section. If you have something to say, have the guts to say it publicly, under your real name.

That shouldn’t be too much to ask. Obviously though it is, because I just did.

“06880” welcomes your comments. Please have the courtesy — and guts — to use your real name.

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The New York Times’ “Morning” newsletter just published their most memorable photos of the year.

The very first one was taken by 1991 Staples High School graduate — and Pulitzer Prize/MacArthur “genius grant” award winner — Lynsey Addario.

(Photo/Lynsey Addario for the New York Times)

The caption says:

“Millions of people fled Ukraine in the early weeks of Russia’s invasion, seeking refuge in other countries. Desperate families shoved their way onto a train leaving the capital, Kyiv, in early March.”

Click here for more of the Times’ top images. (Hat tip: Susan Leone)

Meanwhile, the Times’ other photo feature — the more extended “Year in Pictures” — includes more than half a dozen images from Addario and Tyler Hicks, her colleague who is also a Pulitzer winner and Staples grad (Class of 1988).

The first in the chronological list is from January 19. It’s a shot by Hicks of a Ukrainian soldier at a frontline position. “The world watched nervously as Western countries warned that Russia was preparing to attack Ukraine at any moment,” the caption says.

(Photo/Tyler Hicks for the New York Times)

There was also this harrowing photo of a dead Russian soldier near Kharkiv, as Ukrainian troops defender their land in the first days of the invasion.

(Photo/Tyler Hicks for The New York Times)

“The Year in Pictures” includes this explanatory quote from Hicks:

There was no way to know if you would run into Russian soldiers. I decided to get out of the car and walk to make sure we weren’t going to drive up to any surprises. There was snow on the ground and I wasn’t sure what I was going to find, but I eventually came upon several Russian soldiers who had been killed. I took the photos as quickly as I could because the area where I was working was exposed, and then I got back to cover.

There’s also this iconic shot by Addario, immediately after Russian mortar fire killed a family trying to flee Irpin, near Kyiv. The photo drew worldwide attention to the horrors of Russia’s invasion:

(Photo/Lynsey Addario for the New York Times)

Addario explains:

I was photographing along a civilian evacuation route and was in the actual attack. The shell landed between us. The woman and her two children and the church volunteer were killed. I was just lucky the blast went the other direction and not toward me.

Click here and scroll down, for many more photos by Hicks and Addario (and others). (Hat tip: Evan Stein)

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Speaking of Ukraine: It’s now a few days after Christmas. But the good feelings from Westport’s holiday gift to our sister city of Lyman, Ukraine still linger.

Click below for a brief video — just posted to YouTube’s “Sister Cities Westport Lyman Marigny” channel:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rDCv0G5eUd8

The total amount raised now by our town (and friends and relatives of Westporters) is $209,300. We are closing in on our goal of $250,000.

Tax-deductible donations can be made to Lyman through Ukraine Aid International. Please click here. Click the “I want to support” box; then select “Support for the City of Lyman.” Scroll down on that page for other tax-deductible donation options (mail, wire transfer and Venmo). You can also donate directly, via Stripe (click here).

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Crime took a holiday last week.

Westport Police report no custodial arrests between December 21 and 28. With the cold weather, traffic was light too. These were the only citations issued:

  • Traveling unreasonably fast: 2
  • Following too closely: 2
  • Speeding: 1
  • Evading responsibility: 1
  • Traveling too fast for conditions: 1
  • Failure to drive in proper lane: 1
  • Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 1
  • Failure to carry certificate of registration/insurance: 1
  • Failure to obey control signal: 1
  • Violation of any traffic commission regulation: 1.

Required by law

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The end of the year is the perfect time for Westport Town Farm to announce programs for the new year.

“Parent and Me” returns, from January through March. Classes include outdoor time for feeding animals, followed by age-appropriate crafts, games or stories inside the Farmhouse.

Families transitioning out of “Parent and Me” enjoy “Toddler Sprouts” (ages 3-5,  Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m.).

A new program — “Tiny Farmers Playdate” — begins in January (Wednesdays, 9 a.m.). Taking place in the Farmhouse, it’s geared toward ages of 0 -18 months.

A new “Rugged Bear Wilderness Club” runs after school. Youngsters ages 11-14 will develop outdoors skills like fire-making, orienteering, using basic hand tools, simple first aid, pitching a tent and being challenged in nature. The club begins February 9.

Spots are also available in the “Fantastic Farmhands” elementary school program.

WTF also runs an MLK Jr. Vacation Day Camp on January 16.

Click here for more information, or email education.wakemantownfarm.org.

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The Appalachian Mountain Club’s Westport Fairfield County Group will “Skate Through New Zealand.”

That’s the topic of their January 10 meeting (Saugatuck Congregational Church; appetizers, wine, dinner at 6:15 p.m.; presentation 7:30 p.m.; members $10, non-members $15).

Speaker Geoffrey Saunders has been skateboarding since he was 10. He lived in New Zealand for a year as an exchange student, and has returned 4 times. He skateboarded 400 miles through North Island, raising funds for Wildlife in Crisis, and will discuss his many adventures.

Reservations not required, but please RSVP: easasso7@icloud.com.

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Several “06880” readers sent photos of last night’s crazy cloud, for our “Westport … Naturally” feature.

This Compo Beach view was the most colorful:

(Photo/JD Dworkow)

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And finally … in honor of Geoffrey Saunders’ talk next month to the Appalachian Mountain Club (story above):

(If you’re a skater — or a commenter — or anyone else who reads “06880,” please consider a year-end contribution. Just click here — and thank you!)

17 Comments

Posted in Children, Environment, Media, Police, Politics

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Roundup: Halloween Parade, Mike Sansur, Paul Newman …

Posted on October 20, 2022 | 2 comments

Halloween comes early!

The annual downtown Children’s Halloween Parade is set for next Wednesday (October 26). Kids and parents meet at the Post Road East/Main Street intersection at 3:30 p.m.

They’ll march up Main Street, turn right to Avery Place, then turn left on Myrtle Avenue to Town Hall and Veterans Green. Children may trick-or-treat along Main Street and outside Town Hall. 

Entertainment, refreshments and a small gift will be provided on Veterans Green across from Town Hall at 4 p.m. 

The Parks and Recreation Department, Westport Downtown Association and Westport P.A.L. are sponsoring the event. It’s for all children — “especially those 8 and under.”

NOTE: There is no parkin on Main Street between 2 and 4 p.m. during the parade.

Seen at a previous Halloween parade.

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The Westport Education Association is raising funds to honor one of its own.

Beloved Staples High School technology education teacher Mike Sansur was killed Saturday, when his vehicle was rear-ended on I-95. His 21-year-old son — who is studying to be a teacher too — is hospitalized with serious injuries.

A GoFundMe page will help defray medical costs for Mike’s son, and help with future college costs for his 2 high school daughters.

The WEA says, “Mike touched the hearts of all students who walked through his door. A former student said was the “the only class where I felt like I belonged. He opened up a world of possibilities, and a desire to learn more. He taught the importance of attention to detail, design, and craftsmanship, which influenced me to pursue architecture. As I write this, the lamp he helped me build is still on my desk. Its light will not go out.”

Click here to contribute, and for more information.

Mike Sansur

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In the wake of “The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man” — Paul Newman’s new memoir — it’s hard to keep up with media mentions.

But a story in the current issue of The New Yorker caught my eye.

Twice, writer Louis Menand references the book’s genesis: over 100 interviews with and about the actor, conducted by his screenwriter friend Stewart Stern.

But in 1991, Newman asked Stern to stop. In 1998, Newman “took the cassettes to the dump and burned them all.”

Later, Menand mentions the incident again: “the auto-da-fé at the town dump seems a pretty clear indication that Newman did not want a memoir.”

The New Yorker is well known for its rigorous fact-checking.

It seems pretty clear that “the town dump” is our town dump. After all, this is where Newman lived. It’s where he kept the tapes.

But wait! We don’t have a “town dump.” It’s a “transfer station.”

And there’s no place there to burn anything.

So … maybe Paul Newman did not burn those hundreds of tapes here, but somewhere else?

Or maybe they were never burned at all?!

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One of the major themes of “From the Mississippi Delta” — the current Westport Country Playhouse production — is civil rights.

That’s inextricably tied in with voting rights. So — with an election looming next month — Westport’s League of Women Voters is offering political information in the Playhouse lobby through the show’s run. It ends on October 30.

For over 70 years, the LWV has been a non-partisan Westport institution. They do not support individual candidates; instead they advocate for voter education and enfranchisement. They actively register voters, and organize candidate debates.

Before each performance of “From the Mississippi Delta,” LWV volunteers will offer information on times, locations and requirements for voting in the November 8 mid-term election, including how to get an absentee ballot and online registration.

They will conduct in-person voter registration for people with valid identification (driver’s license, passport, or Social Security card).

The LWV will also explain the ballot referendum about adding days to voting in Connecticut. Right now, we are one of only one 4 states that limits voting to one day.

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Before Halloween and Election Day, there’s another holiday.

United Nations Day is not a big one. Except for the people who believe in things like, um, world peace.

To celebrate, the United Nations Association of Southwestern Connecticut is sponsoring a talk and Q-and-A at the Westport Library (October 24, 7 p.m.).

Dr. Mary Evelyn Tucker, co-founder of the Yale Forum on Religion & Ecology, will speak on “Reimagining Our Environmental Future Together.” Her goal is to inspire people to “preserve, protect and restore the earth community.”

After nearly 3 COVID years away from cabaret,  Leslie Orofino is back. And “Laughing at Life.”

This Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Lecture honors the founder of the UNASC. She was  a longtime Westporter, and advocate for all things UN-related.

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Speaking of world peace: World-famous photojournalist (and 1991 Staples High School graduate) Lynsey Addario has spent more than 2 decades reporting in the face of conflict, corruption and censorship. She’s done it in the Middle East and Africa; now she capturing the horrors of war in Ukraine.

On November 9, she’ll receive a “Courage in Journalism” award from the International Women’s Media Foundation.

The virtual ceremony is set for November 9 (5:30 p.m.). CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell will host. Click here for free registration, and more information. (Hat tip: Naree Viner)

Lynsey Addario

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Westport’s prized vocalist joins director (and fellow townie) Louis Pietig in 2 performances at New York City’s Don’t Tell Mama.

“Laughing at Life” — that’s the show’s name — is a “foot-stomping, life-affirming journey of love.” It includes songs by Alberta Hunter, Fats Waller, Cole Porter, Bob Dylan and many others.

The first show is this Saturday (October 22); the next is Sunday, October 30. Both are at 4 p.m. There’s a $20 cover, with a 2-drink minimum. Click here for reservations.

Leslie Orofino

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Not much gets by Bob Weingarten.

He spotted frost yesterday morning on a Morningside Drive South roof.

“It’s the first of the season,” he reports.

Spring arrives in 152 days.

Frosty roof. (Photo/Bob Weingarten)

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Autumn continues to awe. Jonathan Alloy sends along today’s spectacular “Westport … Naturally” foliage. It’s at Long Lots Elementary School. Similar scenes can be found all over town.

But not for long.

(Photo/Jonathan Alloy)

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And finally …  On this date in 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s plane crashed in the Mississippi woods. Six people, including 3 band members, were killed.

(“06880 relies entirely on reader support. Please click here to help.)

2 Comments

Posted in Children, Downtown, Education, Entertainment, Media, Politics, Staples HS, Westport Country Playhouse

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Roundup: Dog Park, Distracted Driving, Nice House …

Posted on October 15, 2022 | 9 comments

Right now, there are no fenced dog parks in Westport. (Winslow Park is enclosed, but there are many gaps and areas without walls or fences.)

Andrew Colabella wants to change that.

The Representative Town Meeting member worked with Karen Kramer and Matthew Mandell to create a petition. The goal is to gauge support, to show town officials the need. Click here to see.

There are gates, and some new fences, at Winslow Park. But it is not a fully enclosed dog run. (Photo/Nell Waters Bernegger)

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The Westport Police Department is participating in the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s high visibility distracted driving enforcement campaign. The campaign — beginning today, and running through October 31 — will increase efforts to enforce distracted-driving laws.

Connecticut law prohibits the use of any hand-held mobile device while operating a motor vehicle. Drivers who are 16 or 17 years old are prohibited from using a cell phone or mobile device at any time — even hands free.

The fine for the first offense is $200. It’s $375 for the second ticket, and $625 for the third and subsequent offenses.

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Who knew so many “06880” readers also read the New York Post?

I’d need an entire haberdashery to hand out hat tips to everyone who sent me the tabloid story noting Shonda Rhimes’ purchase of Doug and Melissa Bernstein’s 11-bedroom home. The 7.5-acre property also includes a basketball court, bowling alleys, arcade, home theater, playroom, billiards room, 8 fireplaces, kitchen with a pizza oven, tennis court, pool, playground, and outdoor seating and dining areas.

Karen Scott was the KMS Partners at Compass broker who sold the property to the producer/screenwriter/author/global media company CEO/Television Academy Hall of Fame inductee’s agent.  Rhimes will move from elsewhere in Westport; the Bernsteins have bought another home here.

Click here for the full New York Post story.

Shonda Rhimes’ new home.

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Meanwhile, another New York newspaper — the Times — this week ran a Critic’s Notebook piece headlined: “Has War Changed, or Only War Photography?”

It begins by citing a 1991 Staples High School graduate and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist:

Lynsey Addario began taking war pictures when the United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001. Only two-thirds of a century had elapsed since Robert Capa documented the Spanish Civil War. But to go from the exhibition of Capa’s Spain photos at the International Center of Photography to the Addario show at the SVA Chelsea Gallery is to traverse not just time and geography but a profound shift in sensibility. Capa’s pictures express his belief in war as a conflict between good and evil. In our time, which is to say in Addario’s, unwavering faith in the justice of one side has perished, a casualty of too many brutal, pointless, reciprocally corrupt wars.

Addario over the last two decades has taken her camera to some of the most dangerous places on earth. A MacArthur fellow, she is a freelance photographer who shared a Pulitzer Prize for international reporting awarded to The New York Times in 2009 for its coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Like Capa, she calls herself a photojournalist, not an artist. She has said that she is dedicated to “using images to undo preconceptions and to show a reality often misunderstood or misrepresented.” She has also named Capa as one of her main influences, even though many of the preconceptions she seeks to undermine are those he enshrined.

Click here to read the full story. (Hat tip: Kathie Motes Bennewitz)

In one of Lynsey Addario’s most famous photos, Ukrainian soldiers try to save the father of a family of four — the only one at that moment who still had a pulse — moments after being hit by a mortar while trying to flee Irpin, near Kyiv. (Photo/Lynsey Addario for the New York Times)

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The Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County has received a $5,000 grant from Fairfield County’s Community Foundation.

It’s for their Dignity Grows chapter, part of a national network to fight period poverty among nearly 30% of menstruators in the U.S. Donors and volunteers fund and pack monthly totes of hygiene and period essentials. They’re delivered free of charge to partner agencies, who then provide them to their clients. 

From last September through June, the Federation organized 10 packing events — many in Westport — and delivered 800 totes. The grant will help them expand their reach, to meet a growing need.

A packing event hosted by Sharon Navarro (top right, 3rd from right) and Jen Frank (bottom row, 2nd from right). All participants are Westport residents — except the lone male, Ofek Moscovich. He’s the Federation Israel emissary spending a year here. The group packed 100 totes for LifeBridge Community Services in Bridgeport.

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Who knew there were “professional carvers”?

On Thursday (October 20), you can meet one. DeTapas restaurant hosts one. He’ll serve a “world-class jamon,” paired with special Spanish wines.

The carver will go from table to table, from 5:30 p.m. on. The cost is $45 per person. Guests can stay and enjoy dinner afterward. To RSVP, use Open Table, or contact the restaurant: hola@detapasrestaurant.com; 203-557-0257.

Owner Carlos Pia in his handsomely decorated De Tapas restaurant.

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Speaking of restaurants:

After a successful summer, La Plage pivots to fall. Highlights include “Mussels Wednesday” (Pemaquid Maine mussels with non-stop fries service, paired with a special Pilsner from Spacecat Brewing in Norwalk); “Lobster Bake Thursday” (with head-on shrimp, mussels, clams and andouille), and “Paella Sunday” (clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp, chicken, chorizo).

La Plage also offers a “Halloween Bash” (Sunday, October 30). The winning costume earns 2 tickets to the restaurant’s New Year’s Eve dinner and gala.

Killer water views at La Plage.

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Looking for money?

Connecticut has just published a new “Big List” — names of people owed money from various sources, currently held by the state treasurer.

The website (click here) guides users through a form to complete and have notarized.  

If you get a windfall, consider sharing it with Dennis Jackson — the “06880” reader who found the site.

And, of course, with “06880.”

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The Joggers Club is not running out of great ideas.

Besides Fun Runs every Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. at Compo Beach, and Track Night every Wednesday at 6:q5 p.m. (Staples High School), they’re taking part in races throughout the state. Among them:

  • Pumpkin Run: October 30 (costumes encouraged)
  • Jamie’s Run for Children: November 6 (DJ Party after)
  • Hot Coco 5K: November 12 (“Hottest Race in November”)
  • Branford Thanksgiving 5K: Thanksgiving
  • Christmas Run for Children: December 4 (free beer and live music).

The Joggers Club offers a free race bib to each of those races to one member — and discounted coupons for everyone else.

Club membership is $50 a year (new members get a free Endurance Brooks racing shirt. Click here or on Instagram or Facebook for more information.
$50 a year (And new members get a free Endurance Brooks racing shirt)

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Boo!

The scene outside Winslow Park Animal Hospital changes with the holiday. It’s clear what’s next:

(Photo/Molly Alger)

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We’ve featured wasp nests before, in our “Westport … Naturally” series.

But I don’t think I’ve seen any as large — and scary-looking — as this. Pete Powell spotted it on the Longshore golf course, opposite the green at hole 13.

You sure don’t want to hit a ball near there.

(Photo/Pete Powell)

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And finally … in honor of the Connecticut state treasurer’s trove:

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