Tag Archives: Marigny France

Roundup: Real Estate Stats, Marigny Gifts, Early Morning Runs …

Posted on January 3, 2024 | Comments Off on Roundup: Real Estate Stats, Marigny Gifts, Early Morning Runs …

With interest rates high, how good (or bad) was the 2023 residential real estate market?

Mary Ann Lindwall of the Riverside Realty Group sends along these statistics, courtesy of SmartMLS.

Average Sales Price: The average sales price for single-family homes in Westport was $2,380,509, a modest increase of 0.6% from 2022.

Closed Sales: 327 homes were sold, a 24.8% drop from the previous year.

Inventory Reduction: The number of homes on sale now is 46, a sharp 40%  decrease from the 77 homes available at the start of last year.

Days on Market: The average number of days homes spent on the market — 54 — was unchanged from 2022.

Pending Home Sales: There are 20 homes in Westport awaiting closing dates.

Months’ Supply of Inventory: The months’ supply of inventory in Westport decreased by 22.7% from 2022, ending the year at just 1.7 months. According to the National Association of Realtors, this low supply level indicates that demand for homes is outpacing the available supply, potentially leading to further price increases in 2024.

Impact of Interest Rates: The Riverside Realty Group says, “A significant factor influencing the real estate market in 2023 was the rise in interest rates…. interest rates surpassed 8% in October, reaching their highest level in 23 years.

“Since the beginning of 2022, interest rates have more than doubled. Rising rates have led to buyers being priced out of the market, while sellers are inclined to hold on to properties they purchased at more favorable rates.

“This combination of factors, especially the surge in interest rates, has profoundly impacted the dynamics of the Westport real estate market.”

The most expensive home on the Westport market right now is this 4-bedroom, 5 1/2-bathroom, 8,246-square foot house on 1.35 acres, at 279 Saugatuck Avenue. It’s listed at $13,900,000.

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For months, residents of Marigny-le-Lozon gathered Christmas gifts for the children of Lyman, Ukraine.

More than 70 years after Westporters sent gifts to the French village — rebuilding,  after the devastation of World II, the town not far from the D-Day beaches was paying it forward.

It was our friends in Marigny who suggested, a year and a half ago, that we and they join together to help another town — this one in war-torn Ukraine.

Ukraine Aid International — a non-profit founded by Westporters Brian and Marshall Mayer — facilitated the sister city partnership. They also ensured that Marigny’s gifts made their way directly to 300 children of Lyman.

Here is one of the many Ukrainian youngsters whose holiday was made brighter. Merci, Marigny.

(Photo courtesy of Rene Gautier)

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Fleet Feet is bringing back its partnership with New York Road Runners. Group training begins next Tuesday (January 9).

Workouts — geared to Fairfield County runners of all levels — offer coaching, camaraderie, and the inspiration that comes from running with others.

Runs are Tuesdays and Thursday mornings at 6:15 a.m., through March 14.

There’s also runner strength training at 10;30 on Wednesdays at the Westport Weston Family Y.

The fee is $255 for NYRR members, $295 for non-members. Click here for registration, and more information.

Fleet Feet also sponsors individual coaching, and a kids’ program. Click here for details.

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On the agenda for next Monday’s Planning & Zoning Commission meeting (January 8, 7 p.m., Zoom; www.westportct.gov ): a text and map amendment, and special permit/site plan application, to allow the use of medical offices at 55-57 Greens Farms Road, the office park next to Assumption Cemetery.

Click here for more details, and application materials.

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Officials have implemented new town records management system software. In an effort to combat property and mortgage fraud, residents who sign up will receive notification when official documents are recorded on their property.

Town Clerk Jeff Dunkerton says, “Property fraud can occur if someone forges your identity, transfers your property into their name, and records the document. This fraudulent activity can make it appear as if that person owns your home or property, and you may not have any idea that this happened. It is, unfortunately, becoming more prevalent today as cyber criminals exploit every avenue to cause harm and steal from citizens.”

Last year in Fairfield, a homeowner claimed a $1.5 million home was built on his property without his permission after someone fraudulently sold the land to a property developer.

For more information on the RecordHub software, click here.

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Club 203 — Westport’s social group for adults with disabilities — celebrates the new year with a splash, at the Westport Weston Family YMCA.

Click here for details on the January 13 (6:30 to 8 p.m.) event.

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Westporters took over the WCBS Channel 2 news yesterday — or at least, the weather and sports departments.

Regular chief meteorologist Lonnie Quinn was joined by substitute sports reports Dave Briggs.

Quinn has been with the station for several years. Briggs has been seen on Turner Sports/CNN, NBC Sports, FOX News and Yahoo Finance.

Lonnie Quinn (left) and Dave Briggs, on set.

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Longtime Westporter Maria Teresa Sales Ludovice de Gusmão Sá Couto died early Sunday away after a fierce, prolonged struggle with various health challenges. She was 81.

She was born and raised n Lisbon, Portugal on Nov. Her family says, “with extraordinary courage and resilience, Teresa and her husband Mário Luis Neves Sá Couto made a home with her family on 4 continents. They lived in Lisbon; Bissau, Guinea; Rio de Janeiro and Westport. She took great joy in, and was deeply dedicated to, raising her children and tending to her grandchildren.”

Teresa is survived by her husband; children, Inês Ludovice de Gusmão SáCouto Curwen (William), Susana Ludovice de Gusmão SáCouto (partner Manuella), and Nuno Pedro Ludovice de Gusmão SáCouto (Carrie); sister Maria Isabel Sales Ludovice de Gusmão; grandchildren Tomas Patrick, Maia Amelia, Daniel Kelly, Madeleine Eve and Max Leo, and extended family in Portugal.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Teresa will be held at St. Luke Church on Friday (January 5, noon).

Contributions in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Archdiocese of Hartford Office of Radio & Television or St. Luke Church. To leave condolences for the family, click here.

Maria SaCouto

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Jim Hood has seen a lot of things from his home on Soundview Drive.

But never — until this year — did he see kayakers on New Year’s Day.

They were joined by more common denizens of Long Island Sound, which qualifies this as a “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/Jim Hood)

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And finally … on this date in 1870, work began on the Brooklyn Bridge.

(Westport connection: Johnny Maestro — former lead singer of the Crests, Del-Satins and Brooklyn Bridge — was a frequent performer at, and longtime favorite of, Festival Italiano.)

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Comments Off on Roundup: Real Estate Stats, Marigny Gifts, Early Morning Runs …

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Success! Westporters Provide Winter Heat To 2,000 Lyman Residents

Posted on December 20, 2023 | 9 comments

Yesterday morning, the “06880” Roundup asked:

Can we get $3,348?

That’s all that’s needed for Westport to reach its goal of $60,000. With just $3,348 more, we can fund two wood pellet machines — and provide heat, all winter long, to 2,000 residents of our sister city: Lyman, Ukraine.

Within minutes, we got it.

A generous and swift gift from a Westport couple — of exactly $3,348 — ensured that both wood pellet machines will be delivered almost immediately to the war-torn town.

Each machine provides wood for 1,000 people, living in badly damaged apartments after nearly 2 years of Russian attacks.

One of the wood pellet machines helping to heat Lyman.

With other donations that followed, Westport’s holiday fund drive has raised $62,672.14.

That’s on top of last winter’s $252,000, and a summertime “thank you” party that brought in nearly $50,000. Those funds have paid for an enormous variety of much-needed aid: emergency communication equipment, police and trash vehicles, meals, bulletproof vests for utility workers, children’s gifts, repairs to hundreds of apartments, portable heaters and more.

The sister city relationship between Westport and Lyman grew out of a similar project with Westport and Marigny-le-Lozon, France. That one began nearly 80 years ago, in the aftermath of World War II.

For 2 decades, Westporters helped our French friends rebuild. Youngsters who received Christmas gifts never forgot our town’s generosity. In 2022, when officials named a room in their Town Hall after Charlotte MacLear — the Staples High School French teacher who was an instrumental bridge — they suggested that Westport and Marigny join together to help a Ukrainian town. Russia had invaded that nation less than 3 months earlier.

Brian and Marshall Mayer — Westporters who founded Ukraine Aid International, a non-profit that ensures goods and supplies are delivered where they are needed most — identified Lyman, in the Donetsk region, as a place in desperate need of help.

Westport is proud of its relationship with Lyman. In addition to 3 separate fundraising drives, Bedford Middle School students sent artwork and letters. They were delivered by 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker and Police Chief Foti Koskinas, who last spring became the first American officials to travel east of Kiev, when they visited their counterparts in Lyman.

Marigny too has been very generous. Beginning this summer, they collected 500 toys.

Thanks to Ukraine Aid International, they’re being delivered in time for Christmas.

For the second year in a row, Lyman residents are spending the holidays under siege.

But — thanks to Westport and Marigny — for the second year in a row, they know they are not alone.

Aid to Lyman is always welcome. To donate by credit card, click here; then click the “I want to support” box; then select “Westport — Lyman Sister City.” Scroll down on the Donate page for other options: mail, wire transfer and Venmo. Thank you!

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Lyman, Ukraine: Our Sister City Needs Heat

Posted on December 5, 2023 | 3 comments

As the second winter of Russia’s war on Ukraine nears, the need for help is greater than ever.

In Westport’s sister city of Lyman, the most urgent necessity is heat.

Our other sister city of Marigny-le-Lozon, France –the village that sparked the idea of uniting to help a Ukrainian town — has paid forward Westport’s post-World War II generosity. Marigny spent the summer gathering hundreds of Christmas gifts for Lyman’s children. They were shipped recently, for distribution soon to grateful, war-torn kids.

Of the 5,000 families remaining in Lyman, many lack heat. Ukrainian Aid International — the non-profit, boots-on-the-ground organization founded by Westporters Brian and Marshall Mayer — has helped put roofs on hundreds of apartments.

But thousands of people still need electricity and/or central heating. They rely on wood-burning stoves and diesel generators. They are not enough.

Ukraine Aid International has already supplied a wood pellet machine. It costs $30,000 to build, deploy and run one for the entire winter. It provides enough pellets to heat 1,000 homes. That’s $30 per home.

Feeding wood pellets into the machine; the process, and the pellets that heat 1,000 homes.

More is needed.

This holiday season, Westport”s goal is to provide 2 more machines. The total cost is $60,000.

The great news is: An anonymous donor has already guaranteed $30,000 — half of that goal!

Our job is to raise the other $30,000 by Christmas. It costs just $30 per home to heat 1,000 homes — so if we get 1,000 Westport donors to give $30 each, we’ll provide that second wood pellet machine.

Of course, you can give more — in $30 increments, or any amount you wish.

Ukraine Aid International is distributing Marigny’s holiday presents. They’ll  ensure that the stoves are procured too, and make their way exactly as they’re promised.

To donate by credit card, click here; then click the “I want to support” box; then select “Westport — Lyman Sister City.” Scroll down on the Donate page for other options: mail, wire transfer and Venmo. Thank you!

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Roundup: Israeli Hostage Rally, Police Security, Marigny & Lyman …

Posted on November 20, 2023 | 4 comments

More than 260 empty chairs — each with a “Kidnapped” flyer and balloon — served as a stark reminder yesterday of the hostages from Israel still held by Hamas.

The chairs — juxtaposed against a brilliant blue sky at Compo Beach — were organized by Westporters Sharon Suchotliff, Inda Sade and Lynn Ravinovici Park, with the help of the Staples Jewish Culture Club.

(Photo/Mia Bomback)

Jonathan Alloy reports:

“Seeing the little kid chairs with posters of kidnapped babies and children was breathtaking and infuriating. It’s time to bring the hostages home. ‘Never Again’ is now.”

(Photo/Dylan Chatterjee)

1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker and Rabbi Zach Plesent of Temple Israel were among the speakers. Israeli music played, and Westport Police provided security.

From left, at yesterday’s rally: Sharon Suchotliff, Samuel Alloy, Jonathan Alloy. 

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Today’s “Westport …  What’s Happening” podcast is quite timely. 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker and Deputy Police Chieif Ryan Paulsson discuss measures taken to protect Westporters during the difficult times in the aftermath of Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel.

Click below to listen. The podcast is produced by the Y’s Men of Westport & Weston.

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Westport’s sister city relationship with Lyman, Ukraine — our newest sister city — began with a conversation with friends in Marigny-le-Lozon, France, our oldest sister city.

At a Zoom ceremony dedicating a room in their town hall in honor of Charlotte MacLear, the Staples High School French teacher who pioneered the 2 towns’ relationship in the aftermath of World War II, Marigny officials said, “Why don’t we help rebuild a Ukrainian town, the same way Westport helped us for so long?”

Last holiday season, Westport raised $252,000 for Lyman. We added another $50,000 this past summer.

Now Marigny is paying it forward. Starting months ago, they collected funds and bought gifts for every child still in Lyman: about 700.

This week, they’re shipping them east. Delivery has been assured by Ukraine Aid International — the non-profit, boots-on-the-ground group founded by Westporters Brian and Marshall Mayer.

What goes around, comes around. Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noël! щасливого Різдва!

NOTE: Donations to Lyman are always welcome. Click here; then click the “I want to support” box; then select “Support for the City of Lyman.” Scroll down on that page for other donation options (mail, wire transfer and Venmo.)

For decades, all the leaves were gone by Thanksgiving.

Preparing gifts for Lyman, Ukraine, in Marigny-le-Lozon, France.

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Westport Tilt Parenting is a support group for parents of neurodivergent children.

They’ve partnered with the Westport Library to host Debbie Reber. The educator, author and advocate for understanding and embracing neurodivergent youngsters will speak at the Library next Tuesday (November 28, 7 p.m.).

Her topic: “Understanding and Embracing Differently Wired Kids.”

Westport Tilt Parenting says that at least 1 in 5 youths are in some way neurodivergent (ADHD, learning disabilities, autism spectrum, gifted, sensory issues, anxiety and more).

However, they are often misunderstood. Current support strategies may be misguided; their strengths and gifts can be overlooked.

All parents of neurodiverse and neurotypical children are invited, as are teachers, administrators and interested others. Click here for more information. To learn more about Westport Tilt Parenting, email  alexandre.acupuncture@gmail.com.

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In these days of climate change, they’re hanging on longer.

This was the “Westport … Naturally” scene Saturday, on Morningside Drive South:

(Photo/Bob Weingarten)

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And finally … Happy Birthday, President Biden!

(From here to Israel, “06880” is “where Westport meets the world.” Please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)

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Roundup: Baron’s South, Harvest Restaurant, Cooling Centers …

Posted on July 26, 2023 | 3 comments

Today’s meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission’s Zoning Regulation Revision/Sustainability Subcommittee (Wednesday, July 26, noon) opens with an interesting agenda item.

“Presentation of Affordable Housing Concept for the Adaptive ReUse of Existing Residential Structures at Baron’s South” is part of the P&Z’s 5-year affordability plan.

The subcommittee will explore the possibility of using existing town-owned residential properties for affordable housing.

Though much of Baron’s South — the 22 acres of land between South Compo Road and Imperial Avenue — is hilly and wooded, it includes structures like “Golden Shadows,” the late Baron Walter Langer von Langendorff and his wife’s former home.

It was used most recently by the Westport Library to store books, but has largely been in a state of disrepair.

Click here for a Zoom link to today’s meeting.

“Golden Shadows”

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The owners of 6 Connecticut restaurants will pay over 100 workers more than $858,000 in back wages and damages.

One is in Westport: Harvest.

A US Department of Labor investigation found that employers violated overtime and record-keeping regulations, including compensating managers from tip pools for regular employees; failing to pay employees for all hours worked, and not paying employees 1 1/2 times regular pay for working over 40 hours a week.

Kleber Siguenza was cited as having an ownership interest in all 6 restaurants. He was in the news earlier this week when a court ruled in his favor, as the rightful co-owner of Weston’s Cobbs Mill Inn. (Hat tips: Allan Siegert, Karen Jennings)

Outdoor dining at Harvest restaurant, on Railroad Place.

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With a heat advisory in effect for the area through Sunday morning, Westport’s Office of Emergency Management has opened 5 cooling centers:

Emergency Management director Nick Marsan offers these tips:

Stay cool: Keep your body temperature cool to avoid heat-related illness

  • Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible. If you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdoor activity to the morning and evening.
  • Find an air-conditioned shelter. Do not rely on a fan as your primary cooling device.
  • Avoid direct sunlight.
  • Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.
  • Take cool showers or baths.
  • Pets that cannot be brought indoors should be provided ready access to water and shade to keep them cool.

Stay Hydrated: Because your body loses fluids through sweat, you can become dehydrated during times of extreme heat

  • Drink more water than usual.
  • Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more fluids.
  • Drink two to four cups of water every hour while working or exercising outside.
  • Avoid alcohol or liquids containing high amounts of sugar.

This will not be the weather over the next few days. (Photo/Dick Kalt)

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The Westport Country Playhouse is almost there.

The historic theater announced yesterday that they are just $200,000 short of their $2 million “Save Your Playhouse” goal. The campaign ends Monday, July 31.

Over 300 donors have contributed or pledged $1.8 million. The aim is to transform the 92-year=old Playhouse into a center for a wide array of performances that appeal to a broader audience, while continuing to produce high-quality theater.

“While there’s a deep respect for the Playhouse history and what it is today, there’s also an eagerness for growth, change, and the next chapter,” says board chair Athena Adamson.

“We are listening; we care about what the audience wants to see on the Playhouse stage. In turn, the audience is stepping up to offer their support.”

Beginning in 2024, the Playhouse will be a performing arts center from January through August. Presentations will include single night events like cabaret, comedy, music, play readings and speakers. From September 2024 through March 2025 the WCP will mount 3 theatrical productions.

“The community is changing and we must adapt our programming,” Adamson says. “We won’t lose our theatergoers; we simply are looking to increase our audience by offering more entertainment options. Our board of trustees wants the Playhouse to be here for the entire community, with performances on stage to appeal to everyone.

For more information on the fundraising campaign, click here. For naming opportunities, email development@westportplayhouse.org.

The Westport Country Playhouse is just $200,000 shy of its $2 million fundraising goal.

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Sustainable Westport is our town’s environmental eyes and ears.

The other day, they noticed — and gave a shout-out to — the Police Department’s use of electric vehicles.

They’ve added 2 new EVs to their fleet — an all-terrain utility vehicle and an electric motorcycle — and expect a third Tesla patrol car this summer.

Earlier, the WPD purchased 7 plug-in vehicles: 2 Tesla patrol cars (Models 3 and Y), a Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid, a Honda Clarity PHEV, a BMW i3 battery electric vehicle, and a Ford Interceptor conventional hybrid patrol car.

The new all-terrain utility vehicle is powered by 6 12-volt batteries, lasting 8-12 hours. Though it looks like a golf cart, the vehicle can drive across terrains (including sand) and includes a winch for heavy-duty applications. It is used often at Compo Beach and Winslow Park.

The Zero electric motorcycle will be used for parking and traffic enforcement. It contains a 17.3 kWh battery, and has a range of 183 miles in the city and 85 miles on the highway.

In 2019, Westport Police purchased their first electric patrol vehicle, a Tesla Model 3, for $52,000. Over a 4-years it is projected to save the town $50,000.

Tesla vehicles also are expected to provide a longer service life: 6 years is the projection compared to 4 of Ford Explorers. The WPD hopes to actually get 8 years.

“Kudos to the Westport Police for continuing to be a leader amongst police departments and municipalities nationwide,” Sustainable Westport says.

The Police Department’s Tesla Model Y, and all-terrain utility vehicle.

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Westport’s sister city with Lyman, Ukraine began with a suggestion from our friends in Marigny, France — our much longer-established other sister city.

That relationship began right after World War II. Bonds tightened as we helped the Normandy town recover. Marigny has never forgotten Westport.

When we were planning LymanAID — the celebration/fundraiser earlier this month, at the Ukrainian American Club — our Marigny amis sent gifts for a raffle: 3 gorgeous books, sweatshirts and calvados.

One of those books has been donated to the Westport Library.  “601 Communes” includes a history and photos of Marigny. It’s accompanied by a letter — in French and English — from author René Gautier.

The library will display both soon.

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Rachel Suggs is a rising junior at the University of Chicago. The 2021 Staples High School graduate is double majoring  in law, letters and society, and Middle Eastern languages and civilizations.

Last summer and this, she’s internet at the Jerusalem law firm Decker, Pex, Ofir & Co., which specializes in immigration law.

She’s seen the current political upheaval up front. She wrote this piece for The Times of Israel: “Israel Must Ratify a Constitution, Protests Prove” (click here to read).

This is not Rachel’s first Times of Israel article. She previously discussed Israel’s quota for non-Jewish Ukrainian refugees and the right to abortion.

Rachel Suggs

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Robin Clark has been selected for another term as Westport Woman’s Club president.

Under Robin’s leadership this year, the WWC awarded over $100,000 in community service grants, scholarships, and food supplies to those in need.

She has personally raised tens of thousands of dollars for food drives, collected and shopped for food donations, and volunteered countless hours helping others.

Robin gives much of the credit for her community work to her employer, Westport National Bank, where she is vice president and branch manager.  The bank is a strong supporter of employee volunteer initiatives.

Robin Clark

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The view in and around the Levitt Pavilion is almost as great as the show itself.

Johanna Keyser Rossi spotted these flowers — just in time for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/Johanna Keyser Rossi)

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And finally … as the heat settles in, let’s listen to the very cool Sly & the Family Stone:

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Posted in Environment, Library, Local politics, Restaurants, Westport Country Playhouse

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Roundup: World Record Set, Amis Closes, Marigny Art …

Posted on February 27, 2023 | 5 comments

This is one of the greatest sports items I’ve ever run:

On Saturday in Staten Island, Westport’s own remarkable athlete (and artist) Norma Minkowitz broke the 400 meter world — yes, world — indoor record,

For the women’s 85-90 year-old age group.

Norma’s record time was 1:50.99. That smashes the previous record of 1:51.89 — held by Emma Mazzenga of Italy, since 2019 almost a full second.

Here she goes:

And here’s what happened next:

But wait! There’s more — much more!

Norma had just 30 minutes to prepare for her next race: a grueling 800 meters.

Typically they’re run on separate days — certainly not just half an hour apart.

Yet Norma smashed/demolished/obliterated the American record. She ran a 4:33.38. The old record was — are you sitting down? — 6:14.93, set by Florence Meiler last year.

With a bit of rest, Norma might have made it 2 world marks in less than an hour.

Norma Minkowitz, with her medals. (Photo/Jeff Mitchell)

Congratulations, Norma. You’re amazing.

And to the rest of Westport: What did you do this past weekend? (Hat tip: Jeff Mitchell)

BONUS LAP: Click here for an in-depth “06880” story on Norma Minkowitz.

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Amis restaurant closed yesterday.

The restaurant — one of the anchors of Bedford Square when it opened 6 years ago — posted this sign:

(Photo and hat tip/Larry Bartimer)

In response to a request for information, a restaurant representative said: “Simply put, just not enough sales.”

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Earlier this winter, Wendy Van Wie was the winning bidder on a work of art. It showed Marigny, France — our first sister city, since just after World War II — and was donated by residents there to help raise funds for the new sister city our two towns share: Lyman, Ukraine. (Click here for the back story.)

The artwork recently arrived in Westport. Wendy’s husband Mark Yurkiw, his fellow Westport Artists Collective member Miggs Burroughs, and Katya Wauchope of Ukraine Aid International created a short film. It honors and thanks our friends from Marigny, and celebrates our connection with Lyman.

Click below to see:

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Longtime Westporter Martin (Marty) Albert died on Thursday, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was 77 years old, and had been diagnosed nearly 30 years ago.

The Brooklyn native graduated from Jamaica High School in 1962. He earned degrees from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, Boston University Law School, and a master’s in taxation from NYU. He worked as an attorney at Cohen & Wolf for 35 years.

He enjoyed golf, skiing and walking. He served as vice president of United Way (Bridgeport), vice president of the United Jewish Appeal, board member of the Jewish Home for the Elderly Foundation, president of Birchwood Country Club and vice president of Temple Israel.

Martin is survived by his wife Janet, children Elizabeth Heyer (Joseph) and Andrew (Rachel), sister Naomi Gardner, and grandchildren Samson, Austin and Presley Heyer, and Madison and Aaron Albert.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, February 28, 10:30 a.m., Temple Israel). Burial will follow at Temple Israel Cemetery, 225 Richards Avenue, Norwalk. Shiva will be observed at the home of Janet Albert on Tuesday, February 28 and Wednesday, March 1 from 2 to 8 p,m. To share a condolence message, click here.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Michael J Fox Foundation.

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I’m not sure if a rock has ever been the centerpiece of our “Westport … Naturally” feature.

But it doesn’t get more natural than this view, from Compo’s South Beach:

(Photo/Jonathan Prager)

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And finally … in honor of Norma Minkowitz (story above):

(“06880” — your hyper-local blog — relies on reader support. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)

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