Shearwater Coffee Bar– the Westport outpost of the Fairfield shop, in what was formerly Bertucci’s and, long before that, the Clam Box — closed permanently yesterday.
Word on the street is that it will be replaced by Greenology, a New Canaan vegan spot.
The 1st annual Staples Tuition Grants Fun Run — for youngsters in grades 3 through 5 — is set for April 6 (8 to 10 a.m., Paul Lane Field at Staples). Registration is just $25.
All proceeds benefit STG. Last year the organization awarded $407,000 to 116 students, in grants ranging from $1,000 to $7,500.
The morning includes races, a bounce house, face painting, temporary tattoos, a bake sale and raffle.
Medals will be awarded to winners at each age level.
The STG Fun Run is the brainchild of Staples junior Alexis Krenzer. She wanted to do something good and fun for her community, with a theme of “kids helping kids.”
Alexis got Sara Hollard Sports to coordinate the races, and rallied other students to help. Over 30 volunteers will work with the children that day. Others have been involved, for example creating the logo.
Staples cheerleaders will lend their support too, while and SCI mentors — a group encouraging kids to learn about science — lead the bake sale.
Click here to register for the run. Information can be found on Instagram (@stgfunrun).
Earthplace’s 3rd annual Beer Garden & Tasting is not just for adults.
The Arbor Day “Toast to the Trees” event (April 27, 4 to 6 p.m.) includes sparkling beverages and arts and crafts for kids, and beer tastings for those over 21, along a self-guided trail walk.
Then everyone gathers in the Beer Garden for s’mores, lawn games, food trucks, and beers for purchase.
The Staples High School Class of 1971 graduate is an attorney, theatrical producer (“All Good Things”) and short film producer.
“The High School That Rocked!” explored the magical years when great bands — The Doors, Yardbirds, Cream, Remains — played at Staples.
Cantor’s latest documentary is “It’s a Hollywood Life!” The half-hour film focuses on longtime Westport resisdent Susan Granger’s 80-plus years connected to the movie business. (Spoiler alert: She started in childhood, appearing with some of the biggest stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood.)
The Ridgefield Independent Film Festival will screen Cantor’s movie May 18. Immediately after, there’s a Q-and-A with Granger, Keir Dullea, Mia Dillon, and directors, Laurie Valentina Gomez Acosta and Maya Weldon-Lagrimas.
The Western Connecticut Council of Government and South Western Regional Metropolitan Planning Organization have endorsed a state Department of Transportation request for $4.1 million for the right of way and design phase of rehabilitation or renovation of the William F. Cribari Bridge. (Click here to read the draft report.)
Public input is invited in several ways:
A Zoom meeting this Thursday (March 14, noon). The meeting ID is 835 3614 6030.
A meeting this Tuesday (March 12, 7 p.m., Ferguson Library, Stamford).
People wishing to speak at either meeting should email plan@westcog.org. Include your name and the subject you will speak on.
Comments on the bridge project can also be emailed to plan@westcog.org, sent to Western Connecticut Council of Governments, 1 Riverside Road, Sandy Hook, CT 06482, or phoned in to 475-323-2071. The deadline is noon on April 1.
William F. Cribari Bridge (Photo/Fred Cantor)
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MoCA Westport is gearing up for spring and summer.
Among the offerings:
Recess Art Camps (April 15-19, ages 4-7)
Artisan Workshop Series
Paint Nights for Teens (Fridays, 6:30 to 8 p.m.)
Paint Nights for Adults (Thursdays, 5:45 to 7:15 p.m.)
Summer Art Workshops for Kids (ages 8-12)
Camp MoCA
For information on these programs and other MoCA events, click here.
Four Westport artists — all anti-gun violence advocates, and part of the current “In Our Hands: Gun Culture in America” exhibit at Bridgeport’s Metro Studios — will discuss their work this Sunday (March 10, 2 p.m.).
Miggs Burroughs, Darcy Hicks, Daniel Recinos and Tammy Winser share their thoughts, influences and processes.
Admission is free, but donations are accepted to benefit Sandy Hook Promise and Street Safe Bridgeport.
One of the most popular “06880” features is photos of Westporters who think they can park anywhere they want.
But they’re not our only entitled neighbors (or, perhaps, ourselves). Consider this person, who was considerate enough to pick up his pooch’s poop (odds are, someone was watching), yet could not be bothered to dispose of it properly.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will require 12,000 signatures to get on the Connecticut presidential primary ballot, as an independent candidate.
Alert “06880” reader Jan Carpenter knows he is a controversial figure.
But, as volunteers fan out with petitions, she says: “This is democracy in action.”
When volunteers in Westport ask for signatures, she hopes residents will be kind.
“If you don’t approve, they will simply thank you and allow you to get on with your day,” she says. “If you sign, they will thank you as well. If you sign, you are not committing to vote for anyone in particular this fall. You are simply signing to endorse democracy and choice.”
And finally … Steve Lawrence died Thursday in Los Angeles. He was 88, and suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
In a long career, including with his wife Eydie Gorme, he “kept pop standards in vogue long past their prime and took America on musical walks down memory lane,” the New York Times says. Click here for a full obituary.
(More meh weekend weather — and another chance to contribute to “06880.” Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
As the Staples High School boys basketball team prepares to take on Wilton in today’s FCIAC quarterfinals (Saturday, 4 p.m., Fairfield Warde High), there is no better way to get pumped than with Charlie Scott’s hype video.
The Staples senior has made a name for himself with his great reels, which he shoots and edits himself. (He is also a standout WWPT-FM sportscaster).
Click below. And then get ready to root the Wreckers on.
Speaking of sports: Giannis Antetokounmpo is coming to Westport.
Well, a feature-length documentary about the Greek-Nigerian NBA star is, anyway.
On February 28 (6:30 p.m.), the Westport Library screens a new, feature-length documentary. “Giannis: The Marvelous Journey.”
Before the 2-time MVP led the Milwaukee Bucks to the championship in 2021 he lived on the margins of society in Athens. His parents immigrated there, in search of a better life.
The film includes interviews with his family, and basketball stars.
A talkback with director Kristen Lappas and ESPN analyst/former hoops star Jay Williams follows.
Velma Heller had a long career in education. She spent 20 years on the Representative Town Meeting, including 4 as moderator.
Now, the 87-year-old has taken up landscape painting.
Her love of lifelong learning will be featured nationally. “Supercharge Your Brain: Maximizing Your Cognitive Abilities” debuts on PBS this month. It’s scheduled for New York’s Channel 13 next Saturday (March 2, 8 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.). Check local listings for other PBS stations.
The show was written and co-produced by former Westporter Andrew Ames. It explores lifelong learning plays a major role in brain health and improved cognitive function.
Velma Heller, in a screenshot from the new PBS documentary.
A week from tomorrow (Sunday, March 3, 3 p.m.), Saugatuck Congregational Church hosts DNR — Fairfield County’s (almost) all-physician rock band — in a free concert.
The local favorites — who are as talented as musicians as they are doctors — have been diagnosed as favoring danceable tunes from the ‘60s and ’70s, from artists like Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Van Morrison and the Beatles (with an occasional 80s or ’90s song, and classic jazz standard).
Sure, and it’s still more than 3 weeks till St. Patrick’s Day.
But the animals outside Winslow Park Animal Hospital are not wasting any time.
They’re wearing the green already. Say “Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit!” — that’s “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” in Gaelic — the next time you’re stuck at the light by Playhouse Square.
(After all that dancing, take a break. But “06880” never rests. We’re here, with hyper-local news and information, 24/7/365. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
After nearly 5 years, there’s finally some action on the William F. Cribari Bridge.
The state Department of Transportation is preparing a long-overdue environmental document. It will examine many issues pertaining to the 133-year-old swing span over the Saugatuck River.
It will include a “preferred alternative” — probably, a replacement.
When the document is published, there will be public hearings and comments. DOT will then forge ahead.
Yesterday, the South Western Region Metropolitan Planning Organization moved ahead with an endorsement for a $4.1 million addition to the DOT’s Transportation Improvement Plan for the design phase for the bridge.
William F. Cribari Bridge (Photo/Sam Levenson)
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Hot off the mic!
Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn of TCS recently returned from a trip to Israel, with Rabbi Michael Friedman of Temple Israel, and congregants from the 2 synagogues.
Soon after he returned, Rabbi Wiederhorn sat with 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, for the Y’s Men’s “Westport … What’s Happening” podcast.
Click below to listen to their informative, emotional conversation.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 for Camp Compo and RECing Crew only.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 6 for all other spring and summer programs.
Officials urge residents to login in to their online account to verify family information.
In the profile, choose “Manage Family Member” on the bottom right. Then, on the “My Family Members” page, click on the first name in the column. Verify date of birth, and the correct grade (as of December 31, 2024). Then hit “save.”
Unable to log in? Email recreation@westportct.gov or call 203-341-5152. Office hours are weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Dave Brubeck — a longtime area resident who earned a Kennedy Center Honor, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, before his death in 2012 a day before his 92nd birthday — lives on.
The Brubeck Brothers Quartet is set for a special fundraising event March 9, (Westport Library). Proceeds support the Library’s vast array of free programs and offerings.
The Brubeck Brothers Quartet is led by Chris (bass and trombone) and Dan Brubeck (drums), sons of the jazz legend. They recorded their first record in 1966. Rounding out the group is guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb.
They have performed across North America and Europe, including Newport, Detroit, Montreal, The Hollywood Bowl, and Monterey Jazz festivals.
General admission tickets are $75. VIP tickets ($125) include a pre-event reception with the Brubeck family and gifts, including a vinyl LP exclusive pressing of “Time OutTakes,” featuring previously unreleased takes from the original Brubeck masterpiece “Time Out” — the first jazz album to sell 1 million copies.
Next up in the Westport Country Playhouse Script in Hand series: “The Trip To Bountiful” (March 11, 7 p.m.).
Carrie Watts dreams to escape the city, and return to simpler times in her beloved Bountiful, Texas. On her risky journey she encounters kindness and compassion — and makes a remarkable discovery about the true meaning of home.
Click here for tickets ($30), and more information.
Also at the Playhouse: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic musical “Cinderella” — originally seen on Broadway in 2013 — is set for a limited run this weekend and next. Dates are February 17-25.
Click here for more information, including the all-star cast and tickets.
MoCA Westport’s current “60s Mod” exhibition showcases iconic works by established artists, and submissions from high school artists who interpret the era.
One influential featured artist — and quite appropriate for Black History Month — is the late Richard Hunt. He pioneered using industrial machine imagery as a staple of modern art.
Inspired by modernism and abstract expressionism, the sculptor took to junkyard metals to recreate organic figures. His monuments to civil rights heroes include Martin Luther King Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune, Jesse Owens and Ida B. Wells.
At 35, he was the first African American to have a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art, and the first to serve on the National Endowment for the Arts governing body. The MoMA has presented 12 exhibitions of his work.
MoCA Westport’s exhibition features a Hunt lithograph and serigraph. The Westport Arts Collection curated this exhibition, and has 21 other prints related to his 3-dimensional sculptures.
In the 1940s, whist parties were all the rage in Weston. James and Cleora Coley — the last owners of the history Coley house — won many tournaments.
They return March 27 (6:30 p.m.), when the Weston History & Culture Center hosts its own event. That’s the site of the same Coley house where James and Cleora lived (and played).
The evening includes its card playing, and retro-inspired snacks and cocktails. Experienced players will be at each table of 4 to teach whist, and assist.
Meanwhile, today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature stars Anne Bernier’s tunnels and perches, made by her son and daughter (ages 15 and 10) for Toby (the dog). They stood yesterday, despite the melting snow.
Today will be mostly sunny, with a high of about 42. Saturday may bring snow showers.
And finally … today is the 101st anniversary of Howard Carter’s unsealing of the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, as well as the birthdays of Sonny Bono (he would have been 89 years old) and Ice-T (66).
I’m pretty sure this is the first time in history that King Tut, Sonny Bono and Ice-T have appeared in the same sentence.
(“06880” is indeed “Where Westport Meets the World.” But we can’t do it without your support. Please click here, to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
The Long Lots Elementary School project moved one important step forward last night.
The Board of Finance voted unanimously to appropriate $6.8 million, for the design phase.
As reported in the Westport Journal, the funds include $6.2 million for a design consultant, architect, engineers and other professionals; $190,000 for a construction manager; $175,000 for a town project managers; $195,000 for testing, studies and borings, and $40,000 for printing and miscellaneous.
The cost per square foot is projected to be $727. Geothermal heating and cooling could raise that to $777 per square foot.
The appropriation request now goes to the Representative Town Meeting.
The Finance Board pushed 2 other requests to its next meeting, the Journal reports: $630,000 in design money to upgrade the Jesup Green and Imperial Avenue parking lots, and $110,000 to update conceptual plans for a new Fire Department headquarters, to possibly include the Police Department and Emergency Medical Service.
A replacement for 70-year-old Long Lots School moved closer to reality last night.
The Westport Rotary Club turns 100 years old this year.
And on March 7 — 100 years to the day that they received their charter from Rotary International — the civic-and-service-and-more organization will celebrate.
Their “First 100 Years” Centennial Gala (6 p.m., The Inn at Longshore) includes cocktails, a great meal, and entertainment, with a multimedia presentation of that first century (photos by Dave Matlow, a new video, and MC Jeff Wieser).
Everyone receives a commemorative book too, highlighting Rotary’s 100 years.
You don’t have to be a Rotarian to attend. The event is open to all.
Tickets are $100 (Venmo @Thomas-Carey-73046, or mail checks to Westport Rotary PO Box 743, Westport, CT 06881). Email: rsvp.WestportRotary@gmail.com.
The Centennial Gala is not the only way for Rotary to mark their milestone. They’re also the lead sponsor for the Compo Beach playground renovation project. It’s planned for late September — just a few days after their annual LobsterFest.
Meanwhile, members of Westport’s other Rotary — the Sunrise Club — will be out in force this Saturday (February 10, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Stop & Shop) for their annual “Souper Bowl Food Drive.”
It’s a team effort, with the Westport Police Department and others. They’ll collect non-perishable food and personal care items — and cash donations — to support Homes with Hope’s food pantry at the Gillespie Center.
Among the items needed: canned tuna, chicken, meat, vegetables and fruit; hearty soup, beef stew and chili; pasta and pasta sauce; peanut butter and jelly; crackers; granola and protein bars; rice; mac and cheese; cereal; shampoo, toothpaste and deodorant.
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Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between January 31 and February 7.
A man was arrested for evading responsibility (hit and run), driving under the influence and illegal operation of a motor vehicle under suspension, following a crash near M&T Bank. The suspect was found passed out behind the wheel, in the bank parking lot.
A man was arrested for assault with serious injury, strangulation/suffocation and unlawful restraint. Following a traffic stop for no headlights and a bumper dragging on the ground, the officer observed the driver and passengers with injuries, blood and scratches. The man had gone through the female’s phone, found messages he believed to be suspicious, assaulted her, and refused to let her get out of the car.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 10 citations
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 5
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 4
Failure to obey stop sign: 4
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 4
Failure to register a commercial vehicle: 3
School zone violation: 1
Evading responsibility: 1
Traveling at unreasonable speed: 1
Passing a motor vehicle stopped in a crosswalk: 1
Failure to renew license: 1
Failure to renew registration: 1
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1
Driving with a foreign license for more than 60 days: 1
Improper turn/no signal: 1
Failure to grant right of way: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without tint inspection: 1
Homebuyers comparing counties know that the downside to Westchester’s closer proximity to New York City is its much higher property taxes.
But there’s another element of Westchester real estate that buyers may not realize: higher closing costs too.
Refinance costs for mortgages are much higher too.
Our friends at KMS Team at Compass say that the reason is differences in state and county regulations and requirements, along with added taxes and fees.
New York state imposes a mansion tax of 1% on purchases over $1,000,000. There is also a mortgage tax of roughly 1% in Westchester County.
Today (Thursday, February 8, 2 to 4 p.m.), they offer a “Blossom + Stem Floral Design Workshop.”
The local florists will help you design your own centerpiece, for you to take home. Bring your own vase (up to 6 inches wide and 1 foot tall), or purchase a Blossom + Stem vase on-site for $25. All other supplies are covered. Click here to register.
On Saturday (February 10, 5 to 6 p.m., and 7 to 8 p.m.), there’s a “Romantic Evening” chocolate workshop.
Couples can create treats under the guidance of Le Rouge by Aarti chocolatiers — while sipping their signature hot cocoa, Champagne or a BYO beverage. Click here to register.
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Immerse yourself in the art of chocolate-making with your loved one in a romantic setting. Create delectable treats under the guidance of expert chocolatiers from Le Rouge Chocolates while sipping on Le Rouge’s signature hot cocoa, a glass of champagne, or a byo beverage.
The Westport Representative Town Meeting is seeking candidates from District 3 to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Lyn Hogan. I
No party affiliation is required, as Westport’s RTM is non-partisan. The term expires November 18, 2025.
Residents of RTM District 3 interested in being considered for vacancy should invited to send a resume by February 21 to Town Clerk Jeffrey Dunkerton: JDunkerton@westportct.gov.
Sustainable Westport co-directors Gately Ross and Johanna Martell attended the recent Connecticut League of Conservation Voters Environmental Summit in Hartford.
They joined environmental leaders, lawmakers and policy experts to discuss priorities and challenges for the 2024 legislative session, and better understand their impact on Westport.
Sustainable Westport’s Gately Ross and Johanna Martell flank State Representative Jonathan Steinberg at the environmental summit in Hartford.
Pam Docters offers today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo: “food left by a tree along the Library Riverwalk, for ducks, geese and seagulls.”
And, we’re sure, any other creature that comes along.
(Photo/Pam Docters)
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And finally … James Dean was born on this day, in 1931. He died in a car crash in 1955, age 24. Had he lived, the star of “Rebel Without a Cause” would be celebrating his 93rd birthday.
LOCAL CONNECTION: Phil Ochs was giving a concert in Westport on March 31, 1968. He was handed a note on stage — and told the audience that President Johnson had just announced he would not seek re-election that fall.
(“06880” is your place for hyper-local news, upcoming events — and weekly Police Reports. If you appreciate our coverage, please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
A reminder: This Sunday is the “State of the Town” forum.
The annual event — featuring 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker and Board of Education chair Lee Goldstein — is February 4 (2 to 3:30 p.m., Westport Library; click here for livestream).
They’ll discuss the past year for the town and Board of Ed, respectively, and look to the future. They’ll take questions from the audience too.
As always, it’s a co-production of Westport Sunrise Rotary, and the Rotary Club of Westport.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker and Board of Education chair Lee Goldstein.
Cava opens Friday next to Westport Hardware, across from Fresh Market.
The national fast food chain has over 300 outlets. The menu includes pitas (crispy falafel, spicy chicken and avocado, spicy lamb meatball and Greek chicken), and salad bowls (spicy chicken, zesty falafel, lemon chicken, harissa avocado, lentil avocado, tahini Caesar and more).
CAVA is known for its community involvement. Even before its official opening, they’re showing Westport why.
On Thursday (February 1), guests are invited for a free lunch (10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.) or dinner (5 to 8 p.m.). Donations to Food Rescue US are encouraged — and CAVA will match them, up to $1,000. Advance registrations are required; click here.
Since 2019, CAVA’s nationwide Community Day program has donated more than $350,000 to over 60 non-profit organizations. Much of the funding is aimed at improving food security.
Westporter Kelli O’Hara’s performance as Kirsten Arnesen in “Days of Wine and Roses” earned a stellar review in Sunday’s New York Times.
Laura Collins-Hughes wrote:
O’Hara, who starred in Lucas and Guettel’s “The Light in the Piazza” on Broadway in 2005, is particularly sublime. Her nuanced and variable performance is as technically impressive and fully human in its acting as in its singing — and the singing is considerable.
Of the show’s 18 numbers, she has 14, seven of them solos. In her crystalline tone are secrets of Kirsten’s soul that aren’t explicit in Guettel’s lyrics; when she sings “Sammen I Himmelen,” a kind of prayer as lullaby, to baby Lila, we can hear Kirsten missing her own dead mother.
The same edition of the Times also included an in-depth story of the play’s route from movie to Broadway. O’Hara gets much of the credit.
The piece begins:
As origin stories go, the transformation of “Days of Wine and Roses” from a movie into a musical is a straight shot, with a twist. Kelli O’Hara and Adam Guettel had the inkling more than 20 years ago, when she was a Broadway ingénue, working on what became her breakthrough Tony-nominated role in “Light in the Piazza.”
Guettel had written the music and lyrics for that musical, which went on to earn him a Tony Award for best score. They talked through their coordinating vision for evolving “Wine and Roses,” the midcentury classic of a romance ruined by addiction. “I think I used the words ‘a weird dark opera,’” O’Hara recalled.
Later, Melena Ryzik writes:
In her New York Times review of its premiere last year, at Off Broadway’s Atlantic Theater Company, Laura Collins-Hughes called it “a jazzy, aching musical” with an “awfully glamorous” central pair. And O’Hara, who then as now sings 14 of the 18 numbers in the show, was, she wrote, “in exquisite voice.”
During that run and in previews on Broadway, O’Hara said she quickly understood how viscerally the narrative connected with audiences. One theatergoer came up to her after a show, “with a full drink in her hand,” she said, “crying and hugging me and saying, ‘you know, I’m a mother and I worry about my drinking.’ And she was quite past sobriety at that point.”
Another woman walked by and thanked her, quietly adding, “‘23 years’ — meaning 23 years sober,” O’Hara said.
Few people’s lives, she noted, have not been touched by addiction. “I lost a couple of friends to this over the pandemic, and I think many people got sober over the pandemic,” she said. Even though there’s more understanding of its pervasiveness than “in the time of Kirsten and Joe, it’s not changing, it’s not ending, and it won’t.”
The very same Times Arts & Leisure section included a review of Sarah Jarosz’s new album, “Polaroid Lovers.” It was produced by — and includes several songs written by — Daniel Tashian.
The Nashville-based singer/songwriter/producer is the son of country artists Barry and Holly Tashian. Both are Staples High School graduates; Barry was the founder and front man of The Remains, the band that camethisclose to national stardom, and opened for the Beatles on their final American tour.
Click here for the story on Sarah Jarosz and Daniel Tashian. (Hat tip: Tom Kretsch)
Kelli O’Hara and Brian D’Arcy James in “Days of Wine and Roses” at Studio 54. (Photo/Sara Krulwich for The New York Times)
From art exhibits and speakers to drag shows, MoCA Westport offers plenty of interesting programs.
Always among the most popular: concerts by Michelle Pauker February 8 (7 p.m.) for a special pre-Valentine’s Day “Songs for Lovers” show. From Broadway and jazz to folk and pop, she’ll cover just about every “love-ly” genre.
She has performed around the country. But MoCA remains one of her favorite venues.
Like Michelle’s 2 previous performances, this will sell out. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Michelle Pauker
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Cathy Malkin — a “humane educator” who teaches responsible pet care and safety around dogs, as well as an animal reiki teacher/practitioner — is offering 2 in-person classes for area animals (and their people).
”Learning to Communicate Telepathically with Animals (Especially Your Pet!) is February 3 (2 to 3:30 p.m., The Transformation Center, Westport).
The class includes a Q-and-A session where Cathy will answer one question about your pet, whether living or departed, so attendees can hear their wisdom and guidance. Bring a photo of the pet on your phone.
In addition, dogs are invited to an ”Animal Reiki and Sound Healing Bath Meditation” (February 8, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Hummingbird Healing Center, Westport).
The event combines the healing power of a guided animal reiki meditation with a soothing multi-instrumental sound bath, designed to help guests and their dogs relax on “a journey into a shared space of inner peace and heart connection with dogs.” (Dogs are optional.)
The County Assembly formal dance, for high school students, was held this past weekend. Among the attendees (below, from left): Samantha Henske, Megan Healy and Ava Chun.
Meanwhile, Village Pediatrics showed up in force. Doctors and office staff showed up in force, to ensure a smooth check-in for their patients — and everyone else.
Genna Grushkin, Evelyn Anderson, Crystal Perez and Dr. Nikki Gorman join parents at the County Assembly dance.
Chef Raquel Rivera teaches braising techniques that can be used for many Dutch oven meals, at a “Cozy Winter Meals” class on March 7 (7 p.m.) at Wakeman Town Farm.
Click here for tickets, and more information. (PS: It’s BYOB.)
Coq au vin
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Pianist Sarah Jane Cion returns to Jazz at the Post this Thursday (February 1, shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 7 p.m.; VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399l music charge $20, $15 for students and veterans).
Her songs “Cat in the Hat” and “Golden Song” were featured in “The Mule” and “Thor: The Dark World.”
She’s joined by Mike Camacho (drums), Sameer Shankar (bass), and Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall (saxophone).
Reservations are highly recommended: JazzatthePost@gmail.com.
Darcy Miller Boyd Austin died Friday peacefully at her home in Damariscotta, Maine, surrounded by family and friends. She was 81.
After moving from Manhattan to Westport in 1948, she attended Saugatuck Elementary, Long Lots Junior High and Staples High School. She graduated from Connecticut College, then earned a master’s in special education from Columbia University.
She married Warwick Boyd and moved to New Mexico with VISTA, and had a son, Jesse Boyd, in 1970. She divorced, and moved to Maine. She lived at the Pemaquid Lighthouse in keepers’ cottage from 1984 to 2004.
Darcy taught school in Bristol, then worked at the daycare in the YMCA, and got her CNA certification in 2004. She married Jim Austin in 1993.
After retiring, she volunteered for many organizations.
Darcy is survived by her husband, Jim Austin; Jim’s son Christopher Austin; his granddaughters Guinevere and Penelope Austin; her son Jesse Boyd (Sheila) and and her grandson Elliott Boyd; her sister Holly Watts (Michael); her brother John Miller; nieces Sara Miller, Kate Watts Gregory, Tory Watts Donohue, Ali Watts Sise, their spouses, and 8 grandnieces and grandnephews.
A celebration of her life will be held in Maine this June.
And finally … on this date in 1969, the Beatles gave their last public performance. Their impromptu concert on the roof of Apple Records in London was broken up by police.
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As the Compo Beach playground renovation project kicks into high gear, young artists have a chance to help.
And win a $100 Amazon gift card.
Students in kindergarten through 5th grade who live in Westport or Weston can enter the playground’s logo contest. The winning entry will be used on the website, social media, t-shirts and signage, through the September build,
Despite yesterday’s rain and cold, Westport’s first Run For Their Lives event drew 20 people (and 3 dogs).
Organizer Melinda Wasserman made signs, provided red beanies, and pinned “115” (the number of days Israeli hostages have been in captivity) on participants’ backs, as though they were running a marathon (which to them it seems like).
Jennifer Wolff provided coffee and Munchkins.
The group walked from Winslow Park to town, then across the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge and back.
Many drivers honked in support. At a stop light, a woman played a melodic rendition of “Hatikva” (the Israeli national anthem) from her car window.
“We’ll do it again and again, until we don’t have to,” Wolff says. To join the WhatsApp phone chain for upcoming events, click here.
Participants in yesterday’s “Run for Their Lives” event.
The Boston Globe has run a long story on Lynda Bluestein’s fight to die on her own terms — in Vermont, because Connecticut has no medical aid in dying legislation.
For several months, a reporter and photographer followed the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport member’s battles against ovarian cancer, and in the Green Mountain State courts.
The Globe story also documents her final project: a wind phone project, through which families and friends can “speak” to loved ones who have died.
It is a nuanced, moving account of Lynda’s final days, accompanied by poignant photos. Click here to read (paywall).
On the morning of Lynda Bluestein’s death, her husband Paul told her how much he loved her. They waited for the rest of their family to arrive, so she could say goodbye and take medication to end her life. (Photo/Jessica Rinaldi for Boston Globe)
MoCA Westport celebrates its “Sixties Mod” exhibit with a Community
Conversations. Curators Kathleen Bennewitz and Ive Covaci, of the Westport Public Art Collections committee, will be at the museum on February 8 (6:30 p.m.).
Pre-registration is required, with a suggested donation of $10 for
non-members.
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Last month, “06880” noted that “The Wiz” is being revived on Broadway — with 2 Westport connections.
The original script was by Bill Brown, a longtime resident. And the revival is co-produced by 1994 Staples High School graduate Ari Edelson.
Now another Staples alum is involved. Benjamin Zawacki has built Wayne Brady’s costumes for the show. He is a professional draper, whose love of the arts was nurtured at Staples.
Performances begin March 29. Click here for more information. (Hat tip: John Dodig)
The 16th annual Darwin Day Dinner returns to The Inn at Longshore on February 10 (6 p.m.).
The event — for people “interested in learning about evolutionary biology and how science impacts society” (and who love a party) — includes a very un-party-like presentation, on “Carbon Dioxide Removal and Understanding Earth’s Natural Systems for Regulating Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere,” by Dr. Matthew Eisaman, professor at Yale’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture.
It is, organizers say, the “best science party this side of the Kuiper Belt.”
And finally … on this day in 1886, Karl Benz patented the first successful gasoline-driven automobile.
(You don’t have to buy “06880” a Mercedes-Benz. We’re happy for any tax-deductible contribution, of any kind, to support our work. Please click here. Thank you!)
After input from neighbors, developers of 1 Glendinning Place have reduced the scope of plans for the property off Weston Road (mostly recently, offices of Bridgewater Associates).
The previous one had 14 units. The new plan includes 10 free-standing units, of 3,000 square feet each.
Two will house special needs affordable residents. There are 3 units in each. One of the 6 will be reserved for a live-in supervisor.
Developer David Waldman notes that this is similar to supportive housing at 136 Riverside Avenue.
The change at 1 Glendinning Place will allow Westport to obtain more 8-30g (affordable housing) moratorium points.
The next step: application to, and hearing with, the Planning & Zoning Commission.
Artists’ rendering shows 10 proposed homes (green) for 1 Glendinning Place. Click on or hover over to enlarge.
Our Town Crier and Westport Marketplace have joined forces.
Now there’s one place for over 800 local listings — restaurants, retail, realtors, services (business, personal and home), and more — along with statewide information for categories like “Pizza Trail” and Valentine’s Day (places to eat and stay; things to do).
The Westport Progress Report on Floodplain Management is complete.
It is prepared annually to enable Westport residents to receive a 10% reduction in their flood insurance. Flood Insurance is offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to communities that participate in the Community Rating System. Click here to read the plan.
Municipalities that participate in the CRS are ranked from 1 (highest) to 10. Classifications warrant what flood insurance rate reductions are offered. Westport’s ranking is 8.
Annual reports are required identifying how Westport is implementing the Western Connecticut Council of Governments Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan. Click here for the Westport report.
Local flooding is becoming more prevalent. This was the scene in a back yard earlier this month. (Photo/Meghan Norris)
“I recently enrolled in USPS Informed Delivery, a service that tells you every day what mail is being delivered to you.
“I was mildly interested until last Friday, when I was informed that I was receiving 6pieces of mail.
“The mailbox was empty. Since that day, none of the indicated pieces of mail have shown up. (The service shows you pictures of the mail pieces, so I know they haven’t arrived.)
“In addition, I had ordered 2 boxes of COVID test kits. On Friday I was informed by USPS in great detail the progress of the delivery of these kits, culminating in notice that the packages were delivered to my mailbox. I have never seen these packages either.
“I have reported the non-deliveries, but have had no response from USPS. I wonder if any others have had similar incidents.”
So, “06880” readers: Do you have USPS Informed Delivery? Have you experienced non-delivery? What are your options if you report them, but never hear back? Please click “Comments” to help Bob.
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This week’s League of Women Voters of Westport annual “Pie & Politics” event at Pizza Lyfe featured Westport’s 3 state legislators: Senator Ceci Maher, and Representatives Jonathan Steinberg and Dominique Johnson.
They updated attendees on issues expected to be debated this year in Hartford, including funding for voter education about early voting, support for polling staff, and the ballot initiative to amend the state constitution to offer no-excuse absentee voting. All 3 spoke passionately about protecting and expanding voters’ rights, and the importance of taking steps to improve voter turnout.
The discussion also included climate change, whether Connecticut should adopt an electric vehicle mandate to go into effect in 2035, and other initiatives to mitigate climate change and train a workforce for clean energy jobs.
The legislators spoke to the importance of looking at solar, geothermal, heat pumps, reskilling, and addressing housing shortages to attract clean energy companies and their employees.
Other topics included mental health policies, transportation, housing and education.
From left: State legislators Dominique Johnson, Jonathan Steinberg and Ceci Maher at Pizza Lyfe.
The Westport Rotary Club heard an animated talk by Tommy Greenwald at this week’s lunch meeting.
Of course, anyone who knows Greenwald — the 1978 Staples High School soccer state champion/father of 3 sports-playing sons/Broadway marketer/young adult author knows that he lives his life in an animated way.
Greenwald writes often about the hyper-competitiveness and pressure of youth sports — for children and their parents. He told the Rotarians that his goal is to bring fun back into that stressful world, and show youngsters that the path to a well-balanced life does not totally revolve around the success of a team, or individual achievement on the field or court.
Tommy Greenwald (Photo/Dave Matlow)
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Westport Police made 1 custodial arrest between January 17 and 24.
A woman was arrested after she found a $550 MoneyGram on the ground, endorsed it using her real name and address, and deposited it in her bank account. She was afforded the opportunity to reimburse the victim but refused, and was charged with larceny.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 5 citations
Traveling too fast for conditions: 3
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 3
Operating a motor vehicle while texting: 2
Distracted driving: 2
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
Failure to renew registration: 2
Reckless driving: 1
Speeding: 1
Failure to obey stop sign: 1
Failure to drive right: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1
Improper use of markers: 1
Failure to reinstate license within 60 days: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without proper load cover: 1
Operating a motor vehicle in violation of license class: 1
But the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport is the site of a “barn dance” this Sunday (January 28, after the service at approximately 11:30 a.m., until around 3 p.m.).
Billy Fisher will call the dance, with live music from Wry Bred. The event includes Cake Carousel and pizza.
Everyone is invited: all ages, all levels of experience. A recommendation donation of $5 per person, $15 per family covers entertainment costs.
MoCA’s 2nd Artisan Market (February 11, noon to 4 p.m.) features handcrafted items: bespoke jewelry, textiles, fine art and gourmet foods.
It’s a chance to purchase unique gifts before Valentine’s Day, while supporting local creators.
Staples musical sensation Ethan Walmark will entertain.
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Also at MoCA: Jazz musician Anthony Hervey, in concert February 27.
He has impressed audiences worldwide as a sideman for Christian McBride, Jon Baptiste, Michael Bublé and Wynton Marsalis (who called him a “beautiful trumpet player of first magnitude.”
He’ll be joined by saxophonist Markus Howell, pianist Isaiah J. Thompson, bassist Russell Hall and drummer Miguel Russell. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Anthony Hervey
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Patricia (“Patty”) Palmer died Sunday. She was 79.
The Bridgeport native graduated from St. Vincent’s School of Radiology in 1964. She worked at Norwalk Hospital for over 40 years, first as a registered X-ray technician and then as a manager.
Patty lived in Westport for over 50 years, and raised 2 daughters here. She was involved in their Parent Teacher Association, and led their Brownie and Girl Scout troops.
She enjoyed reading at Compo and Burying Hill beaches, taking a wide range of local classes, and was a regular walker at Sherwood Island State Park.
Her favorite activities were dancing and travel. She met her husband David on the dance floor. They spent over 30 years traveling and sightseeing, especially in Cape Cod and the Caribbean.
Patty is survived by her husband of 35 years; daughters Kelley Swift and Megan Tibball (Jeff), all of Fairfield, and grandchildren Jordan and Brendan Tibball, and Jackson Swift.
Her family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the nurses and caregivers at Bridgeport Hospital who took good care of her, and made her final time peaceful and comfortable.
Visiting hours are Monday (January 29, 4 to 7 p.m., Harding Funeral Home). A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Luke Church on Tuesday (January 30, 11 a.m.).
Patty Palmer
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All winter long, dogs are allowed on Compo Beach — and in the water.
These goldens enjoy the opportunity, oblivious they are the subjects of today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo.
And finally … Melanie — the one-named, much-loved singer/guitarist/ songwriter of the late ’60s and early ’70s — died Thursday. She was 76. Click here for a full obituary. (Hat tip: Amy Schneider)
(Real estate news? Police reports? Obituaries? Whatever you’re looking for, it’s here at “06880.” This is your hyper-local blog — and it’s reader-supported. Please click here to help. Thank you!)
Steve Turner — a 1970 Staples High School graduate and talented photographer, whose work has been showcased on “06880”Jill — died suddenly in Thailand, where he lived since 2017, a couple of weeks ago.
Since then his sister Jill Odice — also a Staples grad — has endured a legal and logistical nightmare.
Hospital, funeral home and legal bills must be settled before Jill can bring her brother’s remains home. She does not have those funds, and because she does not speak Thai, making arrangements has been very difficult.
Jill has set up a GoFundMe page to help with expenses. Click here for more information.
Steve Turner’s aerial photographs of Westport have been featured in “06880.” This shows Winslow Park, downtown Westport and the Saugatuck River.
“Voice for Volunteers of Fairfield County — An Appreciation Performance” — an evening of song honoring people who volunteer their time in support of Westport-area organizations — is set for Wednesday, January 24 (7:30 p.m., Westport Country Playhouse).
Among the Broadway headliners: Staples graduates Adam Kaplan, Mia Gentile, Jacob Heimer and Remy Leifer.
Joining them are cantors Julia Cadrain and Becky Mann from Temple Israel.
Coleytown Company director Ben Frimmer — who produced last fall’s “Evening With Justin Paul, Kelli O’Hara and James Naughton” at the Westport Country Playhouse, what can Ben Frimmer do for an encore?
Click here for tickets ($50 each), and more information (including how to underwrite tickets for volunteers). Organizations can purchase tickets for their volunteers too. Bundles of 10 tickets ($400) are available through the box office: 203-227-4177.
The Elayne and James Schoke Jewish Family Service of Fairfield County is co-sponsoring the event, with the Playhouse.
MoCA Westport’s first exhibition of 2024 goes back to the 1960s.
That decade of social, political and cultural upheaval continues to resonate today.
MoCA says: “Artists, many of whom became increasingly socially engaged, pushed the boundaries of form, subject matter, medium and genre. The exhibition ‘Sixties MOD’ honors an important period in Westport’s artistic history, and investigates our community’s ties to broader national and international currents during this era.”
The exhibition is a collaboration with Westport Public Art Collections, which had its roots in that decade.
Burt Chernow began building the “Westport Art Collection” in 1965. The artist and educator gathered original art, most donated by the artists themselves, to be used as “an everyday part of school life.”
With donations by collectors and artists ever since, WestPAC’s holdings have expanded from 100 objects to nearly 2,000 artworks by local, American and international artists, on display in Westport schools and municipal buildings.
MoCA’s exhibition of nearly 60 works includes artists Alexander Calder, Ann Chernow, Burt Chernow, Lisa Daugherty, Naiad Einsel, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Richard Frank, Bernard Fuchs, Roe Halper, Philippe Halsman, Robert Indiana, Roy Lichtenstein, Susan Malloy, Robert Motherwell, Ben Shahn and Tracy Sugarman.
A high school student art exhibit will accompany “Sixties MOD.” Both run through March 3. Click here for more details.
“It is with mixed feelings that we announce that after spending the last 10+ years building Saugatuck Sweets Westport, we will be closing this location effective December 17.
“In recent years due to the challenging economic conditions and Covid issues, we have determined that it is no longer financially viable for us to keep this business afloat.
“We have so many amazing memories from our time in Westport that we will always cherish. So many incredible and lifelong friendships that we have built in our time here. It is our hope that while serving the Saugatuck section of Westport we have provided you and your families with not only great ice cream and candy … but also a tremendous family experience.
“We extend our appreciation to the Gault family, our landlord, for their great support, patience and help over the last 10 years….
“While we are saddened to be leaving the Westport area, we are excited to continue to serve you at our Fairfield location.
“Thanks for your love, support & business.
Chris & Al DiGuido
“PS. Please note that Westport gift cards will continue to be honored at the Saugatuck Sweets Fairfield location.
“PPS. There are a number of great photos hanging in the store featuring your children. If you would like these photos. you can pick them up in the Fairfield Store as well.” (Hat tip: Mark Mathias)
Friends and admirers of Lynda Bluestein packed the Westport Library yesterday, for the dedication of 2 wind phones. Donated by the longtime Westporter and her family, the disconnected (but real) telephones allow people to “stay in touch” with loved ones who have died.
Originated in Japan, there are now 170 wind phones in the US. However, these are the first in a public library. One will be in the “Library of Things,” available for checkout. The other will be in the Children’s Library, allowing youngsters to “call” not only grandparents and others, but pets who have passed.
Children’s Library wind phone (left), and the one in the Library of Things.
Lynda — who has terminal fallopian tube cancer, and who after reaching a settlement with the state of Vermont, will be the first non-resident to take advantage of a law allowing people with terminal illnesses to end their own lives — was at the Library ceremony, with family and friends.
Speaking gracefully, she acknowledged the importance of wind phones at the library: a public place where people can also find privacy.
The Library’s wind phones will be accompanied by recommended reading for both children and adults, plus a dedicated resource guide.
Lynda also spoke about the process of grief, and what it means to feel connected to those who are gone.
Library director Bill Harmer and actor James Naughton — who, like Lynda, is a staunch advocate for legislation permitting medical aid in dying — also spoke, lauding Lynda’s generosity, compassion and humanity.
Lynda Bluestein, at the Westport Library. (Photos/Dan Woog)
A SWAT team descended on 24 Ferry Lane East yesterday.
First responders from 6 towns used stun grenades. Officers — including K-9 corps — breached the house, and found suspects inside.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
No one was arrested, either.
It was the right house, though: one slated for demolition later this month.
Personnel from Westport, Wilton, Easton, Darien, Monroe and Trumbull seized the opportunity for a training exercise. The “suspects” were playing roles — but the action (except for live ammo) was real.
Neighbors were notified last week. They were told to expect military-looking vehicles and officers along the road.
And explosions too.
It’s great to know that emergency personnel are constantly training.
It’s equally great to know that everything they did yesterday was not for real.
SWAT action on Ferry Lane East yesterday. (Photos and hat tip/Matthew Mandell)
Anyone lucky enough to have tickets to this weekend’s Candlelight Concerts knows they’re in for a treat. In addition to the usual superb show, the Staples High School Music Department premieres its first commissioned work in 40 years, by Class of 2000 graduates Jake Landau and Emily Garber.
But there’s another important element of Candlelight — and it’s called “Can-Delight.”
This year, the Staples chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society is bringing back the tradition of donating cans of food, for Homes with Hope.
They’ll collect nonperishable canned and boxed foods at all 3 Candlelight Concerts. Donation boxes will be in the lobby.
So grab your tickets — and as many cans as you, um, can. It’s an extra-special way to enjoy the Music Department’s 83rd annual gift to the town.
Poster design by Tri-M Music Honor Society co-president Shivali Kanthan.
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Yesterday’s Roundup included an item about contractors’ trucks being parked at the triangular green on Kings Highway North and Old Hill Road, across from the cemetery. It’s a historic site: Militias trained there during the Revolutionary War.
I expected a few reactions:
“Who cares?”
“Aren’t there more important things to worry about?”
“It’s better than parking on that narrow, busy road.”
I did not expect this to be posted in the Comments section:
It is my contractors who have been parking on the green across from the Old Hill Cemetery.
I have felt awful about the damage done to the green and have been planning on repairing everything. The repair will be done in the spring. I already have a quote from my landscaper to put new topsoil down and seed and will do anything else necessary to repair and restore the area.
Thank you,
Ann Sisto
4 Old Hill Road
Just when you think you’ve heard everything …
Happy holidays, Ann. And here’s wishing you a speedy, beautiful and hassle-free renovation!
This month marks the 25th birthday of Tess Meisel.
The Coleytown Middle School student was killed in a motor vehicle accident in 2011, during summer camp in Maine. She was just 12 years old.
Her mother, Suzanne Tanner, invites friends who are in town over the holidays to visit her memorial bench at the Westport Library.
It is adorned for the season in “Tessie Blue,” and includes Tess’ poetry.
Tess Meisel’s bench.
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In 1999, Aaron Donovan — just 5 years out of Staples High School, and a New York Times news assistant whose job included updating each issue number — discovered that the venerable “paper of record” had inadvertently credited itself with 500 extra issues.
The mistake happened 101 years earlier — in 1898.
Thanks to Donovan’s epic research, on New Year’s Day 2000, the Times corrected the error.
On Tuesday — nearly 24 years after that memorable correction — the paper looked back on the story behind the story.
The occasion was the Times‘ 60,000th issue. In commemoration, the “Times Insider” column featured an interview with Donovan. (He has moved on to a new position: deputy communications director of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.)
Click here to read the full, interesting tale, and Donovan’s take on it. (Hat tip: Mary Condon)
Page 1 of the January 1, 2000 New York Times, when the issue number error was fixed. Besides the momentous turn of the millennium, there was some interesting news from Russia.
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Amy Simon Fine Art is moving.
It’s not far — just a few yards east, to 155 Post Road East (opposite Design Within Reach). The target date is January 1.
They’re transitioning to a showroom with full inventory, rather than a public gallery space. They’ll be open by appointment.
“So much of our business is online and all over the world, this just makes sense for us,” Amy says.
Meanwhile, nearly everything is on sale. Amy can provide retail and discounted prices by request, or in person (123 Post Road East).
Looking for something artsy for your kids over the holiday break?
MoCA Westport’s Intensive Art Camp is open to youngsters ages 8-10. There are 2 sessions: December 18-22 and 26-29. Both run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:3 p.m.
Students will learn art fundamentals like line work, color theory and composition, as they explore the MoCA gallery. They explore painting with a palette tool, ink on watercolors and more.
Click here for more information — including sessions for younger boys and girls – – and to register.
Registration is open for 3 of Wakeman Town Farm’s winter kids’ programs.
“Little Farmers Parent & Me,” “Toddler Sprouts” and “Fantastic Farmhands” all begin January 23. Click here for more information, including registration.
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