Tag Archives: Staples High School athletics

Roundup: The Porch At Christie’s, Kids’ Food, Vaccinations, More

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Renovations are coming along well at The Porch at Christie’s — the new  breakfast/lunch/dinner-to-go (plus brunch, coffee, smoothies, baked goods and ice cream) spot that will build) upon a Cross Highway tradition dating back to 1926.

Owners Andrea and Bill Pecoriello — “proud Westporters since 1994” — already own Sweet P Bakery in Norwalk, providing job training and employment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Sweet P will supply most of the baked treats for The Porch. Graduates of its programs will bake there, with 2 amazing pastry chefs. Additional Sweet P staff will work in front-of-house operations.

As the sign below notes, The Porch will open this spring — offering “local food, community and purpose.” Follow online, or on Facebook and Instagram (theporchatchristies; @sweetpbakeryct). For more information, email info@theporchatchristies.com.

(Photo/Wendy Cusick)

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Carrie Kerner and her husband moved to Westport in September.

She owns a PR firm (CG Social Inc.) and is a social media influencer (@CarrieGeorgette). Her husband Brian is an anesthesiologist at Yale Hospital.

They are foodies, and conscious of what they feed their 1-year-old daughter Chloe — mostly homemade, organic, healthy meals.

Yesterday morning, “CBS This Morning” featured the family in a story on a government report that baby foods are tainted with dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury.

It’s not something she’s thought about before. Now she will. Click here for the full, frightening story.

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There’s a new COVID vaccination site, not far away.

Harry Evans reports it opened this week at 110 High Ridge Road in Stamford (the Lord & Taylor parking lot). He called Wednesday to schedule an appointment, and I got one for the next day.

He was in and out yesterday in 20 minutes — including the 15-minute waiting time after the shot itself.

“Everything was easy and very efficiently run, and extremely easy to reach from Exit 35 on the Merritt,” he reports.

“When the word gets out it may be mobbed. But right now it is the only drive-through facility in Fairfield County.” Harry called Connecticut’s COVID assistance hotline: 877-918-2224.

Though Connecticut is one of the leading states in the nation in terms of percentages of vaccines administered, it is still available only to people over 75, healthcare personnel, medical first responders, and residents of long-term care facilities. The next phase will include people 65 to 74.

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In 2005, Deborah Dohme got a parking ticket in New Canaan.

Six years ago she moved from Westport to Tucson.

Yesterday she got a letter, demanding $30. It was the first notice she’d gotten as a scofflaw.

“Is New Canaan that desperate for money, that they hired a debt collector for $30 after 16 years?!” she wonders.

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Overheard at the library, by Michael Catarevas: “Excuse me, but there is no sitting allowed in the library.”

“That sums up the pandemic perfectly,” he says.

The Westport Library Forum, way back a year ago.

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Today’s New York Times includes a story on Samuel Fisher — aka Brad Holiday — the 2007 Weston High School graduate/misogynistic dating coach arrested last month for his involvement in the January 6 insurrection at the US Captiol.

Investigators found a shotgun, machetes and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition in his Chevy Tahoe

Despite plenty of information about Fisher/Holiday’s social media posts celebrating his role on the storming of the building — along with other videos “denigrating women (and guides on) how to defeat Communists, expose what he claimed were government pedophilia cabals, and properly wield a Glock.”

However, the Times story does not mention Weston. It says simply that he “grew up in New Jersey.” Click here for the full story.

Samuel Fisher in Washington on January 6.

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And finally … happy 77th birthday to the multi-talented Al Kooper.

He wrote hits like Gary Lewis & the Playboys’ “This Diamond Ring” …

… played organ on Bob Dylan’s groundbreaking “Like a Rolling Stone” …

… was the Blues Project’s keyboardist …

… and discovered, produced and performed with Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Roundup: Vaccines, Liquor Stores, Real Estate, More

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How many Westporters have been vaccinated?

As of February 1, 2,289 Westport. That’s 8% of our total population.

According to Westport Patch, we have 2,094 residents over the age of 75 — the first group in line for the vaccine (along with medical personnel and first responders). Nearly 54 percent — a total of 1,095 — have received their first dose.

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Westport has plenty of small, independently owned liquor stores. Nearly every Westporter has a favorite.

Now a “superstore” has entered the mix.

Yesterday, trucks delivered supplies to BevMax’s new outlet in the former Pier 1 store — the Julien’s Pizza shopping center on Post Road East. In other words: directly opposite Castle Wine & Spirits.

BevMax has 8 locations in Fairfield and New Haven Counties, plus a nationwide shipping office in Stamford. There’s a BevMax in Norwalk, near Stew Leonard’s.

They bought the license of Saugatuck Grain + Grape, which had relocated from Railroad Place to Post Road West. The owner of a liquor store can move anywhere in Westport that zoning allows.

Last year, plans were underway to convert the entire Julien’s shopping center — except for the Bluepoint Wellness medical marijuana dispensary — into medical offices. The plaza has since reverted to retail use.

(Photo/Jack Krayson)

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The other day, “06880” posted a few “sizzling real estate” statistics. Here are a few more:

January saw a continued swift pace, despite the decrease in months of supply in inventory. Here is a quick snapshot of this past month:

  • $70,956,000 total sales, vs. $33,796,846 total January 2020 sales — a more than 100% increase.
  • 40 single-family and condo units sold in January; 25 single-family and Condo units sold in January 2020 — up 60%.
  • $1,318,000 was the median home sales price; in January 2020 it was $1,012,500. That’s more than a 30% rise.
  • The home inventory supply was 2.4 months; a year ago it was 9.3 months. That’s a 74% decrease.

The highest sale in January was a 5-bedroom, 8-bathroom home listed with Brett and Jean Lieberman at 4 Bluewater Lane: $5,125,000. (Hat tip: Jody Peters, the Riverside Realty Group)

4 Bluewater Lane

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Seven Staples High School athletes signed letters of intent yesterday to play sports at NCAA Division I universities.

Congratulations to (from left in photo below): Kevin Lynch, University of Massachusetts lacrosse; Julia DiConza, Lehigh University lacrosse; Carter Kelsey, Seton Hall University baseball; Autumn Smith, Marist College soccer; Laine Ambrose, Boston College field hockey; Shira Parower, James Madison University lacrosse; Sam Milberg, College of the Holy Cross football.

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Speaking of Staples: Composting has come to the high school cafeteria. It’s an initiative of the school’s Zero Waste Committee. Students will serve as monitors.

Composting is already underway at several Westport schools.

Greens Farms Elementary School offers 3 choices for waste. The same options are now available at Staples High.

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MoCA Westport and Up|Next Teens are partnering to present a Winter Lights Festival at MoCA. It’s set for Saturday, February 27 (noon to 6 p.m.).

The Festival features a maker and crafts space in a large outdoor tent, with supplies and step-by-step instructions for families to work together to create winter-themed decorations. The decorations will be incorporated into a walk-through Light Path, to be lit at sun down. The public can view the experience through the following weekend.

Also planned: live performances by high school musicians, food from The Melt truck, and hot cocoa.

The Festival includes free entry to MoCA ’s exhibition “Hindsight is 2020,” showcasing nearly 200 high school student artists from across the region.

Click here for tickets.

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And finally … happy birthday to Alice Cooper. He was born on this day in 1948. In other words, he’s no longer 18.

Qdoba, SHS And ALS

Qdoba — the new Mexican restaurant that will enliven/add to the traffic chaos of Playhouse Square — had a special pre-opening tonight.

Everything was on the house. Diners were asked to make a donation — 100% of which went to Staples High School athletics.

The Qdoba crew, working hard tonight.

The Qdoba crew, working hard tonight.

Qdoba opens for real on Monday. From 5-9 p.m., pay whatever you want. 100% of the proceeds will go to the local ALS Association.

That’s a far better deal than pouring an ice bucket on your head.

Welcome to Westport, Qdoba.

And ¡muchas gracias!

Staples’ (Michaels) Cup Runneth Over

“We’re Number One!”

High school sports fans yell that loudly and proudly whenever their team wins a league or state championship.  Over the years, Staples teams in a broad range of sports — soccer, football, track, volleyball, golf, tennis, you name it — consistently win titles.

Now the entire Staples athletic program is officially Number One in the state.  And all 33 varsity sports — plus the trainers, administrators and spectators — have contributed to the “victory.”

Staples was named winner of both the “LL” (extra large schools) and overall Michaels Cup awards this afternoon.  The “LL” honors come regularly, but this is the school’s first overall Michaels Cup since 1989.

Wins and losses by all varsity teams is part of the criteria — but only part.  A well-rounded athletic program is also important.

Judges look at participation numbers and rates; programs addressing academic support, sportsmanship and substance abuse; development of non-CIAC sports (like rugby and sailing); medical education and coverage, and participation in Unified Sports for athletes with special needs.

Athletic director Marty Lisevick thanked his entire coaching and support staff, along with Staples and town administrators, for their contributions in helping win the 2010 Michaels Cup.