Tag Archives: Oliver Bub

Roundup: Blog Party, Bacon Brothers, Oliver Bub …

Posted on July 26, 2024 | 8 comments

Thanks to all who came to last night’s “06880” blog party. We hope you had a good time!

The weather was perfect. The sunset was gorgeous. The turnout was diverse, the chatter fun.

The “06880” gifts — Bluetooth speakers, sourced by Annette Norton, of Savvy + Grace — were very well received.

Thanks, as always, to Westport’s Parks & Recreation Department. Their front office staff — and the young people in guest services — went way out of their way to make things run smoothly.

The next “06880” event: the Soundview Summer Stroll on Sunday (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.). The entire beach exit road will be closed, for music, food, and tons of kids’ activities. See you there!

Terry Brannigan grabbed Warren Bloom’s guitar, and picked up where the veteran singer left off. His brother Eamon Brannigan, photographer John Videler, and “06880” board member Annette Norton enjoyed the show. (Photo/Dan Woog)

The fun continues this Sunday, with the 1st-ever Soundview Summer Stroll. It’s co-sponsored by “06880” and the Compo Beach Improvement Association. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)

As (almost) always at the “06880” blog party, there was a magnificent sunset. (Photo/Ken Schwarz)

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Compo Beach wasn’t the only place to be last night.

The Bacon Brothers drew a full — and very enthusiastic — house, at the Westport Country Playhouse.

They played autoharp, electric cello, mandolin, 4 electric ukuleles, harmonica, drums, bongos — and sang “Footloose” as an encore.

Just a year after facing near-calamitous financial difficulties, the Playhouse has enjoyed a spring and summer with a wide range of artistic and musical productions.

The Bacon Brothers, at the Westport Country Playhouse. (Photo/Susan Garment)

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Speaking of entertainment: Tower of Power is the newest addition to the Levitt Pavilion lineup.

The funk and soul band — recording and touring favorites for over 55 years — come to the amphitheater (itself celebrating 50 years) on Saturday, September 21 (7:30 p.m.).

For this event, chairs will be provided for all ticket-holders. There will be a full bar and food trucks, too.

Click here for tickets, and more information.

There’s plenty going on at the Levitt before then, of course. This weekend, for example:

Tonight (Friday, July 26, 7:30 p.m.): NYC SKA Orchestra. Click here for free tickets, and more information.

Tomorrow (Saturday, July 27, 6:30 p.m.): Westport’s own Chelsea Cutler; opening acts Jake Minch and Lisa Heller. Click here to purchase tickets, and more information.

Sunday (July 28, 7 p.m.): Singer-songwriter Griffin House. Click here for free tickets, and more information.

Tower of Power

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In April, “06880” reported that Oliver Bub made the US Olympic rowing team.

Now the 2016 Staples High School graduate is in Paris.

The first heat for his men’s pair is Sunday (July 28, 5 a.m. EDT). Click here for the full schedule. Click here for a story from Dartmouth, where Oliver rowed in college.

Oliver Bub

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The Sunday Compo Beach worship service is always meaningful.

This week’s event (July 28, 8:30 a.m.) is even more special.

The United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston is sponsoring a food drive. Attendees are invited to bring non-perishable items to the area near the cannons. All are welcome; bring a beach chair!

The UMCWW will also collect food tomorrow (Saturday, July 27) at the church (49 Weston Road), from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The goal is to stock the Homes with Hope pantry with cereal, pasta, peanut butter, tuna, soup, fruits and veggies.

United Methodist Church, 49 Weston Road. (Photo/Dan Woog)

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Carl Addison Swanson has a warning for Westporters. He writes:

“I am not a scientist (although I did get an A in 11th grade Chemistry at Staples.)

“Both of my maternal grandparents were chemists and professors at Harvard, with an actual building named after them (Esselen) before it crumbled to the ground.

“That said, my recent run down North Avenue and some of its side streets revealed to me a number of little yellow signs on lawns indicating caution, for pesticides had been just sprayed.

“I decided to do some research on what they are spraying. The most popular: 2,4D, organophosphates, carbanmatees and other phemaxy and benzoic acid herbicides.

“I have no idea what these are. But if you cannot pronounce them, beware.

“And my research indicates you all should beware! 2,4D, for example, causes cancer, birth defects, and a whole slew of bad stuff. If your kids and/or pets are frolicking in the grass, this is not good.

“I respectfully suggest Westporters ask your landscapers what they are spraying for.

“They told us in Vietnam that the 19,000 pounds of Agent Orange was harmless. More than 300,000 vets have died from its exposure since we left in 1975.”

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Coming up this weekend at Sherwood Island State Park:

Saturday (July 27, 1 p.m.): The Nature Center hosts Cia Marion of Westport. The avid monarch butterfly “nurturer” will speak discuss its life cycle. If the timing works, she will show actual eggs, larvae, chrysalis and adults she has watched grow this summer.

Sunday (July 28, 1 p.m): Master wildlife conservationist Paul Colburn discusses Eastern coyotes in Connecticut.

Monarch butterfly (Photo/Johanna Keyser Rossi)

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Since 2006, Soles4Souls has distributed more than 94 million pairs of shoes to people in need.

Westporters have done their part, donating over 3,000 pairs.

That means 3,750 pounds of shoes have been diverted from local landfills. Westport’s donations created $27,150 of economic opportunity for families and communities around the world, through the non-profit’s “4Opportunity” program.

In countries like Haiti, Honduras and Guatemala, Westporters’ donations provide consistent, quality food, housing and education for 3 families for an entire year.

Ken Bernhard (left) and Ted Freeman, with June’s Soles4Souls shipment.

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Bear — the dog that hangs out at Westport Hardware — is away this week.

But he’s not far from the heart of customers. This sign hangs in the popular store, during his absence:

(Hat tip and photo/Jonathan Alloy)

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John Eric (Jeb) Ball — a well-known graduate in Staples High School’s Class of 1983 — died peacefully July 19, surrounded by his family. He was 59, and lived in Duxbury, Massachusetts.

While always active and healthy, Jeb was suddenly diagnosed with a serious infection that required heart valve surgery. Despite fighting extremely hard for his life for 3 weeks in intensive care, Jeb passed away due to complications from endocarditis.

In the days and weeks before Jeb’s hospitalization he played golf with his sons, went horseback riding in Utah, traveled to Australia for business, and celebrated his 32nd wedding anniversary in Maine with Ginger.

Jeb was born in Tokyo on January 14, 1965, and grew up in Westport. He earbed a BA from Wabash College in 1988.

Jeb held executive leadership roles in the printing industry before moving into HVAC, where he served as vice president of sales and marketing at Fieldpiece Instruments.

Jeb is survived by his wife and high school sweetheart, Ginger (Grace) Ball; children Jack, Bridget and Colin (24; his mother Stephanie of Cotuit, Massachusetts; brother Scott of Cotuit; sister Jacqueline Vitaro of Duxbury; sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father Robert.

A celebration of Jeb’s life is set for August 12 (noon to 4 p.m., Marshfield Country Club).

His family says, “All will remember Jeb for his sense of humor, sharp style, quick-tempered wit, passion for the art of conversation and debate, and sly dancing. It is our wish for everyone to spread Jeb’s big personality in all that they do.”

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association. For an online guest book, driving directions and more, click here.

Jeb Ball

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo comes straight from Tracy Porosoff’s garden.

It’s a vibrant way to end this colorful week.

(Photo/Tracy Porosoff)

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And finally … as Oliver Bub, the rest of the US athletes, and thousands from around the world gather in Paris: Let the games begin!

(From our beach party and Soundview Stroll, to the Olympic Games with Oliver Bub, “06880” is where Westport meets the world. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

8 Comments

Posted in Environment, Obituaries, religion, Sports, Staples HS, Westport Country Playhouse

Tagged "06880" blog party, 2024 Olympics, Jeb Ball, Levitt Pavilion, Oliver Bub, Sherwood Island State Park, Soles4Souls, United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston

Oliver Bub Rows His Boat To Paris

Posted on April 25, 2024 | 3 comments

For over a decade, Oliver Bub has chased a dream.

Even if he’s spent the entire time going backwards to reach it.

The 2016 Staples High School graduate has just been named to USRowing’s national team. This summer, he heads to Paris to race in the Olympics.

Rowing is a natural sport for Bub — and not just because he’s 6-6. Both parents rowed at Boston University; his 2 older brothers were rowers too. Every year the family headed to Boston, to watch the Head of the Charles races.

As a freshman, Bub joined the Saugatuck Rowing Club program. It was a perfect fit.

“It’s such a great team sport,” he says. “You’re quite literally in the same boat as your teammates.” The people he met through rowing remain his closest friends.

Bub achieved plenty of success. He and fellow Staples 11th grader Lucas Manning won the Junior Nationals pairs race, then finished 9th at the world competition in Rio de Janeiro.

Oliver Bub (center), with Saugatuck Rowing Club coach Sharon Kriz and teammate Lucas Manning.

He gives much of the credit to SRC’s former head coach Sharon Kriz, and former assistant (now head) coach Dave Grossman.

“Their early guidance was so helpful,” Bub says. “I’m super grateful.”

Colleges came calling. He chose Dartmouth, whose coach was a 2-time Olympian. Bub earned Freshman of the Year honors in 2016-17.

But his senior season was canceled by COVID.

Graduating with a degree in economics, Bub took a job with Citibank’s Bay Area tech lending group.

In June of 2023 he was chosen for the senior national team, to compete in Belgrade. He a bold move: He left the industry, to train full time.

Oliver Bub, on the water.

Rowing is not a lucrative sport. USRowing and the US Olympic Committee offer small stipends. He’s lived off savings, in Oakland.

It’s a frugal life (though, Bub admits, “I do eat a lot”).

He spends his days training and racing with the California Rowing Club. “It’s a simple life. I don’t have the daily stresses that could get in the way of optimized performance,” he says. “I’m always keeping the end goal in mind.”

That goal grows closer every day.

Bub will spend the next 6 weeks training with the team in Oakland. (It helps that it’s now his home city.)

Then he’s off to Lucerne, Switzerland, where the US will face many of the boats they’ll see at the Olympics.

Back in the US, they’ll train at Dartmouth (another “homecoming”) and Princeton, then compete in Italy. After that: Paris.

Bub’s teammate in men’s pair is Billy Bender, a Dartmouth student taking his senior year off to concentrate on the Olympics. Last year, with another partner, Bender placed 5th in the world championship.

Oliver Bub and Billy Bender, earlier this month.

Bender and Bub’s aim is simple: to win a medal. “There’s no real difference after third,” Bub notes.

When that race is over — after 11 years of grueling work, for a few fleeting minutes on the world stage — Bub will …

Well, he’s not sure.

“It will be time to get back to work, move on with my career,” he says. “I probably should figure it out.”

While he expects to spend a year away from competitive rowing, he won’t give up certain routines.

“I enjoy exercising and working out, so I expect to continue that,” Bub says.

“And If rowing calls my name back — we’ll see.”

(Hat tip: Lisa Marriott)

(“The Olympics unites the world. “06880” does the same for Westport. If you enjoy our hyper-local blog, please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Click here to help. Thank you!)

3 Comments

Posted in Sports, Staples HS

Tagged 2024 Summer Olympics, Oliver Bub, Saugatuck Rowing Club

Roundup: Untimely Death, Frazier Forman Peters, Pesto …

Posted on August 18, 2023 | 4 comments

The on-scene investigation of the “untimely death” of a 56-year-old woman — found yesterday at 11 a.m. — was completed at 12:45 this morning by the Westport Police Detective Bureau, assisted by the Connecticut State Police Major Crime unit. The investigation remains active.

The woman was identified as Jennifer Lindstrom, of 3 Oak Ridge Park. Westport Police responded to the residence after a housekeeper found her unresponsive at the bottom of a staircase leading to the basement.

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Among the hidden-in-plain-sight treasures of Westport: Frazier Forman Peters houses.

Between 1924 and 1936, the architect designed and built over 40 distinctive stone homes in Westport (and more in surrounding towns).

On November 5 Histoury — a non-profit dedicated to significant buildings — offers a bus tour of 20 Frazier Forman Peters houses. Experts will offer commentary on their designs and histories. Several interior tours will be included.

Tickets are $75 for adults, $49 for students. Click here to purchase. For more information on Frazier Forman Peters, click here.

A Frazier Forman Peters house on Riverview Road with fieldstone facades, slate roof and copper gutters.

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There’s always something new at the Westport Farmers’ Market.

Yesterday, it was this hand-lettered sign from Fort Hill Farm, offering a simple recipe for basil pesto.

“Beautiful flowers and foods, live music, kid’s crafts — it was a great vibe,” says Jo Shields Sherman, who sent the sign shot to “06880.”

(Photo/Jo Shields Sherman)

The Farmers’ Market is halfway through its season. It runs every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Imperial Avenue parking lot.

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Report from the transfer station:

The recycling section was roped off yesterday, for electrical work to install a dedicated cardboard compactor.

The new cardboard compactor will allow cardboard to leave in its own dedicated stream, like the glass dumpster currently does.

In the meantime, temporary bins were set up this morning to accept recyclables.

(Photo and hat tip/Ken Stamm)

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Here’s our first Halloween-related story of the year. (No, it is not Dunkin’s pumpkin lineup — although it is already available.)

This is about CLASP‘s “Rockin’ Halloween Bash.” Set for October 20 (Fairfield Theatre Company), it features lite bits from Little Pub, and live music from Band Central — the popular group made up of clients at the organization providing group homes and other services for people with autism and intellectual disabilities.

Click here for tickets, and other information.

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Also on October 20 (and 21 and 22): StoryFest.

The 6th annual Westport Library event — the largest literary event in Connecticut — has just secured Stephen Graham Jones as moderator for the keynote conversation with Neil Gaiman.

Tickets are available starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 22. Click here to order. The event is free, but seats are limited.

In addition, Eric LaRocca will cap a full day of Saturday events with a staged reading of his new play, “Gentle Hacksaw.”

Tickets for LaRocca are $20, and are available now. They include a reception with StoryFest authors, small bites and a cash bar.

From left: Stephen Graham Jones, Neil Gaiman, Eric LaRocca.

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A bit earlier than October — Sunday, August 27 — MoCA sponsors “Kaleidoscope,” a 1-day exhibition featuring works from MoCA Gives Back Healing Arts, as well as Camp MoCA Westport participants. Food trucks will be on site.

Click here for more information.

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Oliver Bub is rowing his boat — all the way to Serbia.

Or at least, in the Balkan country.

The Staples High School 2014 Biology Student of the Year is part of the men’s eight team that will represent the US at the World Rowing Championships next month in Belgrade. He was an alternate on last year’s squad.

The 6-6, 205-pound Dartmouth College graduate was Saugatuck Rowing Club’s 2015 Most Valuable Oarsman. He lives now in Oakland, and rows for the California Rowing Club. (Hat tip: Lisa Marriott)

Oliver Bub

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“Monarchs in Motion” — a free September 7 (6 p.m.) event at Earthplace — does not refer to King Charles’ recent ascension to the throne.

It’s about “understanding how insect movement and dispersal ecology informs conservation planning.” Speaker Dr. Kelsey Fisher is an “insect movement ecologist.”

There is space for 100 people. Click here to register, and for more information.

Dr. Kelsey Fisher

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Earlier this month, the Westport Sunrise Rotary Club honored 34 members with Paul Harris Society awards.

They’re presented to Rotarians who give $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation. New fellows include Holly McCarthy, Mike Hibbard, Gail Lavielle, Jeff Cohen, Helen Garten, Anil Nair, Liz Wong, Tim Wetmore, Jacquie Masumian, Karen Klein, Jen Tooker, Bruce Paul, Ron Holtz, Yvonne Senturia and Barbara Levy.

Those honored for donating $2,000 were Tom Ayres, Jane Ross, Linda Bruce, Eileen Flug, George Masumian, Mark Mathias and Carole Rubenstein.

Donors at the $3,000 level were Bill Harmer, Ann Lloyd, Steve Violette, Joe Renzulli and Arnold K. Wolgast.

Sheilan Keenan contributed $4,000; Hal Levy and Rick Jaffe gave $5,000; Bob Galan, $6,000; Brian Strong and Arlo Ellison, $8,000, and — topping the Paul Harris Society list — Eric Zielinski and Martin Burger, at $9,000.

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Tessie DeMattia — a chef who worked for over 40 years with her brother Frank DeMace, the founder of Mario’s Place — died Tuesday.

Tessie is survived by her daughter, Linda Voulgarakis (John) of West Haven; son James of Dummerston, Vermont; grandchildren Dawn Blinn, Libby Mazzella, David Aronson, Nikki Voulgarakis and Harry Voulgarakis, and 4 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband Liberty Michael DeMattia, she was predeceased by her daughter Sandra Blinn; siblings Dominick, Frank, Michael and Joseph DeMace and Marie Wallacem and granddaughter Jacqueline Perez.

A funeral service will be tomorrow (Friday, August 18, 11 a.m., Shaughnessey Banks Funeral Home, Fairfield). Friends may greet her family one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow in Oak Lawn Cemetery.