The Westport Farmers’ Market Young Shoots photo contest has begun.
Photgraphers ages 5-18 can take shots every Thursday (like today!), from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Imperial Avenuue parking lot. The deadline is August 8.
Local artists will judge the entries, by age group. There’s a show on August 20 at Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center. Winners receive cash prizes.
Here’s one of the first entries. It’s from Fielden Brelsford, in the 5-9-year-old category.
Fielden sets a high standard. Let’s see what you’ve got!
Staples High School athletic director VJ Sarullo has named Liam Witham as the 5th permanent head coach in Staples boys soccer 67-year history.
He succeeds Russell Oost-Lievense, whose contract was not renewed by superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice.
The London native played competitively for 15 years before transitioning to coaching, while pursuing his degree in sports fitness and coaching. He holds multiple respected soccer coaching certifications.
Following his playing career, he coached at the premier club FC Westchester and the University of Mount Saint Vincent. He also founded a private training organization.
Sarullo says, “Staples High School is proud to welcome Coach Witham to the Wrecker family. Throughout the interview process, Coach Witham distinguished himself with his genuine passion for working with student-athletes, his commitment to their growth both on and off the field and his clear vision for the future of our program. His leadership will build both immediate progress and sustained success. I look forward to working with Coach Witham in the years ahead.”
Liam Witham
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There was a lot going on at Compo Beach yesterday.
Visitors might be forgiven if they didn’t notice how nice the entrance looked.
But it didn’t just happen. Westport Garden Club volunteers were hard at work, making sure that fireworks-goers — and everyone who follows this holiday weekend — is greeted grandly.
I graduated from Staples High School. I worked there in many capacities, from 1982 until 2021. I was especially proud to spend 19 years as head coach of the boys soccer program.
I have always supported the school, the administrators who run and oversee it, and the superintendent and Board of Education.
Today however, I am heartbroken, ashamed, and furious with my alma mater, and those who oversee our school district.
Seven months after suspending head boys soccer coach Russell Oost-Lievense and freshman boys coach Chris O’Dell — both former Staples captains who have given back to the program and town for 9 and 20 years, respectively — and 4 months after not renewing their contracts, the Board of Ed has finally granted one of them (Russell) an appeal hearing.
Russell Oost-Lievense, in front of the Staples boys soccer trophy case.
It’s scheduled for this Monday (May 12), 9 a.m. in the Town Hall auditorium.
But it may be a show trial.
A hearing is not a court of law. The Board of Ed is both judge and jury.
Their own lawyer has determined which witnesses may be called, and what evidence — for example, Freedom of Information Act-available emails — may be considered.
Russell and Chris — beloved by nearly all their players, well-respected in the soccer community, Staples grads and good human beings — are being treated like criminals.
Actually, worse. Criminals have their day in court. The jury does not hire an attorney who determines what evidence they can and cannot see, and who they can and cannot hear from.
In a court of law, that’s decided by an independent judge.
Not here. In this case, there are crucial pieces of evidence that — because the superintendent objected to them — the Board of Ed’s attorney will simply not allow to be introduced.
They include testimony about a lack of athletic department policies and training pertaining to the case, the manner in which allegations against other coaches have been handled, and much more.
Those pieces of evidence, I believe, are crucial to the 2 coaches’ appeals.
But if the board does not see and hear them — because the superintendent objected to them, and the attorney the Board of Education hired deemed them “irrelevant” — then justice will not be served.
And two excellent coaches, excellent people, and excellent representatives of the school they graduated from (and love) will be kicked to the curb.
Our Board of Education can do better. Our superintendent can do better.
And the student-athletes who adore these coaches — and, agonizingly, cannot attend a 9 a.m. hearing to support them — deserve much, much better.
When the Board of Selectwomen meet Wednesday (February 26, 9 a.m., Town Hall auditorium), they’ll discuss the usual types of items: road closures for events like the Memorial Day parade and road races, sewer connections, etc.
One item is different: approval of a maintenance agreement between the town and the state Department of Transportation “for permission to work within the highway right-of-way to install, maintain and replace automatic license plate readers.”
The town already has one set of license plate readers, at I-95 Exit 17. This agenda item is for another set, at I-95 Exit 18 at the Sherwood Island Connector.
The readers are a response to the rash of car thefts in the area. They give the Westport Police Department a head’s-up if a stolen car is entering town off the highway — or headed out of here, onto it.
The selectwomen’s approval is needed to ensure the state that local officials will maintain the devices.
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Early reviews are in for “Native Gardens” — and they’re raves.
Westport Country Playhouse’s current production — a hilarious yet thought-provoking show about a neighborly dispute that turns into a battle of cultures — gets high marks for its acting, message, and breathtaking set.
The show runs through March 8. Click here for tickets, and more information. Click below for the trailer:
Tomorrow’s Run4TheirLives walk honors the Bibas family. The 2 boys, ages 4 and 9 months, were killed by Hamas, after being kidnapped from their kibbutz. The fate of their mother is unknown.
As they’ve done for over a year, Westporters will gather at 11 a.m. in the Westport Country Playhouse parking lot on Sunday, then walk through town.
They will say the Mourner’s Kaddish, carry orange balloons in memory of the flame-haired brothers, and pray for their mother.
All Westporters of all ages are invited to join. Wear orange sweaters, coats, hats or reflector vests; bring orange balloons or Bibas signs.
In November, Startup Westport’s “Young Innovators” forum drew an SRO crowd to the Westport Library.
Entrepreneurs and investors from their 30s through 70s were awed by presentations from a quartet of Staples High School alumni — none older than 25 — who have crushed the tech world.
The star of the star-studded panel was Dylan Diamond. The 2017 grad is co-founder and CEO of Saturn. The Gen Z calendar app has raised $68 million, scaled to millions users, reached 18,000 schools, and hit #1 in the App Store — all after starting out as a high school project.
The event was moderated by Molly O’Shea. The oldest person on stage — she graduated from Staples in 2014 — is no slouch herself. A venture capital investor, Molly founded Sourcery, the VC deal and startup trend newsletter.
Now she’s posted a podcast with Dylan. It opens with a huge shout-out to the Startup Westport event (which she links to, and includes in every Sourcery social post).
Click below for Molly and Dylan’s very insightful — and entertaining — chat.
There are many ways to prepare students for college. Sometimes overlooked — but crucial — is to focus on mental health.
On Tuesday (February 25, 6:30 p.m., Westport Library), Dr. James Geisler will discuss mental health challenges on college campuses, and help parents support their children’s transition to higher education. For more information, click here.
Graduation is fun. But preparing for the next step is very important.
This year’s Westport Woman’s Club gala celebrates women who have made significant contributions to philanthropy and service to the community.
The April 5 event (6 p.m., Patterson Club, Fairfield) will be emceed by Scott Foley. His 30-year career in films and on TV include “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scream 3,” and (currently) “Will Trent” and “La Dolce Villa.”
He lives in Westport with his wife, 3 children and many pets.
The evening includes a performance by the R&B, soul and dance band the Bernadettes, plus a silent and live auction.
Guests will enjoy a vibrant performance by The Bernadettes, an R&B/Soul and Dance band, creating a lively atmosphere as well as an opportunity to bid on wonderful silent and live auction items.
Click here for tickets, and more information. Sponsorships are available for $1,000 (to provide clothing for children in need), $5,000 (a need-based scholarship for a graduating senioro) and $10,000 (225 bags of food to struggling families).
Kings Highway Elementary School students spent Kindness Week spreading joy — within the building, and the entire district.
Every student helped design and create a “kindness rock” — a KHS tradition.
Fifty of them will be delivered to Westport’s 4 elementary schools, 2 middle schools and Staples High — along with a video message explaining their significance, and how each school might use them.
As a 2-year captain of Staples’ boys soccer team, Mike Dobbs earned renown on the field. Like any soccer player (except the goalkeeper), he did plenty of running.
After a start at Athletic Shoe Factory in Westport, he’s spent his professional career in the running shoe industry. And he’s still running — though on roads, not soccer pitches.
Mike will compete in the Boston Marathon in April. It’s a way to compete — and raise money for Dana Farber Cancer Research, in honor of his late mother Sharon (a well-known and dedicated Westport Soccer Association volunteer).
There’s always something going on at MoCA CT. Ahead:
Upcycle Sculpture Workshop (today, Saturday, 1 p.m.): Tour of WestPAC’s :On Fire” and the high school exhibition “Humans & Nature”; then create sculptures with artist Remy Sosa.
Darwin Shen (violin), Michelle Kim (piano): Putting on the Fritz (Sunday, February 23, 4 p.m.): Recital of rarely performed, newly discovered and reconstructed works by Fritz Kreisler.
Art Adventures! Drop-Ins for Kids(Saturdays, 12 to 1:30 p.m.): For children of all abilities: multi-media classes with space to explore new techniques and expression through art.
Community Conversation: Art, Infrastructure, and the Environment (February 27, 6 p.m.): Moderated by curator Ive Covaci; a diverse panel of speakers discuss the intersection of art, sustainability, and community resilience.
Upcoming Art Workshops: Hands-on classes include Ceramic Multi-Bowl Building with Leah Corbett (March 6) and Basket Weaving with Tina Puckett (March 8).
East Coast Contemporary Ballet: Galerie de Danse (March 6 and 7, 7:30 p.m.): Dance and live music in a gallery setting. .
RSO Quartet: Daylight & Dances (March 8, 7 p.m.): Sring players of the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra; works by Haydn, Price, Bartok and Puccini.
Sound Healing Meditations with SoulOSoaring (March 18, 6 p.m.): Healing practitioner Terry Eldh uses crystal alchemy singing bowls, crystal harp and koshi chimes.
Current Exhibition, through March 2: “On Fire”: Over 75 works in a variety of media; explores how artists from the 1930s to today have envisioned and responded to the interrelationships of energy, infrastructure, and the environment. The 4th annual exhibition by Westport Permanent Art Collections, inspired by 8 paintings created by Ralph Boyer in 1934 for the old Staples High School, as part of the Federal Public Works of Art Project. These paintings usually hang in the Westport central fire station.
And finally … on this date in 1872, the Prohibition Party held their first national convention, in Columbus, Ohio. It took nearly 50 years, but the 19th Amendment went into effect in 1920. Thirteen years later, it was repealed.
(“06880” relies on reader support. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. We’ll drink to that!)
Chris O’Dell is a 1995 graduate of Staples High School. He is also head of operations for The O’Dell Group, a design builder of environmentally friendly homes.
And he is the longtime freshman boys soccer coach at Staples. Last week, he learned that his contract would not be renewed. Chris writes:
I have been a part of the Staples boys soccer program for over 30 years. I was a player and captain in the early ’90s for head coach Jeff Lea. I have coached in the program since 2005, first under head coach Dan Woog, most recently under head coach Russell Oost-Lievense.
My business has built many homes, kickboards for the soccer team, sets for Bedford Middle School plays, and sponsored local PAL basketball teams. Dozens of Staples students have interned for me.
Chris O’Dell built this, at Loeffler Field.
My brother, his family and my mother all live in town.
My best friends from high school are still here. They coach youth sports, they are PTA presidents, they open up local restaurants and other businesses, all to make Westport a better place.
I have been to weddings of former players, seen the birth of their children, written job references, and worked in their homes and the homes of their parents.
I was one of the Staples coaches whose contract was non-renewed. I was told the reason was because I was a witness to an event, and did not report it.
The facts and back story of this “incident” are concerning for coaches, but I think it is unproductive for me to discuss them here. I will state with 100% certainty that there was no physical contact. It was over quickly, and resolved.
As a coach (and a parent), I have always preached one main guiding principle that is more important than anything else. When things go wrong, your energy needs to be spent fixing it, not placing blame or focusing on what went wrong.
Chris O’Dell
I tell my players there is one guarantee when they step on the field. Referees are going to make bad calls, teammates and coaches are going to mess up, and bad luck will find you.
I then point out that their reaction will go a long way towards determining their success as a team.
If they spend time yelling at the refs, blaming teammates or sulking about the bad luck that befell them, that means they are not spending time correcting the problem.
In soccer, where one goal is all it takes to decide a game, that decision could be the difference between winning and losing.
I take a similar approach to my business and life. I tell the people I work with, the one thing we know is that things will go wrong. Our first reaction needs to be, how do we work together to fix it, and then learn from that mistake.
It has been disheartening to see this situation evolve with the Staples soccer program that I have loved so much, and given so much to.
It has been painful to watch lines drawn in the sand, and hurtful misinformation lobbed so freely.
Chris O’Dell urges his players on. (Photo/Frances Rowland)
I was at the Board of Education meeting last week, and listened to the player’s speech. I have never coached the player, but I have gotten to know him.
We hung out at the retreat. I encouraged him to bring the team together at his house during the season. He was on the phone with me 4 nights before the anonymous call was made, as he came to me for help navigating his place on the team.
This is a young man filled with the emotions of being a teenager. Those same emotions caused me to make a lot of mistakes when I was his age.
But I don’t think it’s productive to talk here about his role. I think we, as adults, need to discuss our roles and our reactions.
I feel for the player, as I believe it is true that the actions (or more accurately inactions) of the administration have led to much needless suffering for all of us caught in the middle of this. I don’t think any of us want to add to that suffering.
But, and this is important, I also do not want to focus my blame on the administration.
It has been easy for community members to state that a lack of investigation with blurry communication of the results is the problem.
But it’s not so easy to admit that the results of the investigation were not going to solve the underlying problems which led us here.
Those underlying problems derive from the modern structure of youth sports. Our antiquated policies and procedures do not properly address them.
The 2024 Staples boys soccer program: freshman team (front), junior varsity (middle), varsity (rear). (Photo/Mike Beebe)
I think there are some good people involved in the administration who are trying to navigate some difficult situations as best as they can. I think it is important that as we talk about and comment on these issues, we focus on the work that needs to be done.
That is why I think we all need to focus on fixing the problem.
All of our children are watching this situation. We have an opportunity to teach them one of the greatest lessons: conflict resolution.
It is a lesson that is desperately needed for the next generation, to hopefully be able to improve upon our generation’s seeming inability to properly navigate our differences.
I have sat in meetings with some concerned community members who are trying to drive all of us towards creating some processes and policies which will assist our administrators, coaches, parents and players in improving our approach to the current environment for youth sports.
The pursuit of happiness can only be achieved if we are all allowed to make mistakes, and then learn from them.
In this case it is obvious that we, as a community, have not provided enough safeguards for our players or coaches. We need to take this opportunity to be the leading, inspiring town that we always have been.
There was only one item on last night’s Board of Education meeting: the budget.
At the beginning of the session, however, a Staples High School senior addressed the members.
Granted more time than the usual 2 minutes given to the public, by prior arrangement with chair Lee Goldstein, he told the board about a physical altercation with an assistant boys soccer coach, at a pre-season retreat over Labor Day weekend.
He also alleged verbal abuse and initimidation by 2 other coaches in the program.
Assistant coach Harry Ocampo vehemently denies the allegations. He sent this email to “06880”:
I am writing to formally address and categorically deny the allegations of physical abuse and physical assault that have been brought against me by [a player and his family] during the Board of Education meeting on January 16.
The allegations in question stem from events taking place on Saturday, August 30, at the Staples boys soccer retreat. These accusations are entirely untrue, and are being fabricated to exaggerate the incident that took place in front of 30+ witnesses.
I want to state unequivocally that I have never engaged in any form of physical abuse or assault toward [the player making the charges] or any player, ever. Such actions are completely against my values and principles.
I am committed to treating all individuals with respect and dignity, and never resort to violence or harm.
I want to be clear, during the incident on August 30 between myself and [the player], at no point did I ever make physical contact with him.
The incident in question only involved yelling after I was hit in the face during a team kickball game. After being hit in the face, the game concluded at which point [the player] mocked and antagonized me.
This upset me and I responded by yelling back at him. There was no physical assault or abuse as alleged.
After a brief moment, both teams shook hands. I asked [the player] if he felt comfortable speaking with me so that we could clear the air, to which he agreed.
In that conversation, he and I both apologized for disrespecting one another, and verbalized that we weren’t thinking rationally but rather were being emotional.
Later that evening, I spoke to the team at a meeting to offer my apologies for the actions that they witnessed.
I explained to them that [the player] and I had been able to apologize to one another and clear the air about the incident that took place, which he confirmed to the team. He apologized to them as well.
These allegations are deeply distressing, not only because they are baseless but also because they have the potential to significantly harm my reputation and relationships. I am confident that a thorough and impartial investigation will reveal the truth and exonerate me of these false claims.
To ensure full transparency, I am prepared to cooperate fully with any investigation into this matter. I am willing to provide any evidence or testimony necessary to demonstrate my innocence. I encourage anyone involved in this process to approach the matter with fairness and objectivity.
Thank you for your attention to this serious matter.
The Thanksgiving Day fire just over the border in Weston destroyed one family’s home. It disrupted the holiday for their 26 guests — and for dozens of firefighters and other first responders from several towns.
Carmine Cenatiempo did not battle the blaze. But he deserves a shout-out nonetheless. Weston Emergency Medical Technician Ben Frimmer writes:
“Our crew was on scene for over 16 hours. When an event like that happens, we feed our teams in the field.
“It’s challenging to find food at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Curtis Gunn called Carmine (who owns Calise’s Market in Westport.
“Within an hour and a half, he had left his own Thanksgiving meal, cooked and delivered food to feed the team. I was quite impressed with his selflessness.”
Both Staples High School football games this year this year against Greenwich were shutouts.
Each team won one of them.
Unfortunately for the Wreckers, the Cardinals’ victory came yesterday, 14-0 in the semifinals of the state “LL” (extra large schools) tournament.
It was revenge for the visitors, who were trounced 27-0 at the same Paul Lane Field on Thanksgiving Day.
Staples — ranked second in the state tourney ends the season 10-2. Greenwich, seeded #3, advanced to the title game against #5 West Haven. The game is set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday, at Central Connecticut State College.
Speaking of sports: There was a reunion of sorts in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Staples graduates Lau ten Cate and Dylan Hoke were on opposing teams — for Amherst and Connecticut College, respectively — in the championhship match of the NCAA Division III men’s soccer tournament.
After scoreless sregulation and overtime, Amherst won 4-3 on penalty kicks.
Ten Cate — who played for Beachside’s MLS Next academy team during his high school years — has been injured this year, and did not play in the final. Hoke, a former Wrecker and Beachside athlete, played 93 minutes. He had an excellent freshman season for the Camels.
Every Sunday since Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, a group of residents has marched through town. They remind passersby of the need to bring the hostages home.
Yesterday, Jennifer Wolff reports, they were joined by a special guest: Santa Claus.
The Big Guy even chanted: “Bring them home now!”
Santa Claus, with yesterday’s Run4TheirLives marchers.
And finally … on this date in 1851, the first YMCA was established n North America. It opened in Montreal.
(Sports, politics, heroes — they’re here today, and every day, at “06880.” If you appreciate our hyper-local coverage, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Hundreds of runners — including 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker — took part in the annual event. They got some exercise, saw some friends, and worked up an appetite for the feasts that followed.
Rain did not deter the Staples football team, either.
Both the offense and defense excelled, in a 27-0 pasting of traditional Thanksgiving Day rival Greenwich at Paul Lane Field. The Cardinals are now 8-2.
The decisive win lifts the Wreckers’ record to 9-1, and gives them the #2 spot in the state “LL” (extra large schools) tournament. Fairfield Prep is #1.
Staples will host #7 Manchester (6-4) in the LL quarterfinals. The game is set for Tuesday (December 3), at a time to be determined.
Nathan Smith intercepts a pass, and scores.
Action from yesteray’s Staples (blue) vs. Greenwich football game. (Photos/Douglas Healey)
Meanwhile, not far away at Wakeman Field, nearly 30 current and former Staples boys soccer players ignored the rain, and enjoyed their annual Turkey Bowl alumni game.
The oldest participant was Dave Wilson. He captained the Wreckers in 1975, then led the Dartmouth College squad too.
Among the players: Dylan Hoke. A Connecticut College freshman, he’ll be playing in the NCAA Division III national semifinals Thursday. The Camels face Washington & Lee, in Las Vegas.
Westport Police and Fire Departments assisted their Weston counterparts yesterday, in battling a fire that desroyed a home near the Broad Street and Weston Road intersection.
Traffic was diverted for several hours, as firefighters from Westport, Weston and Georgetown fought the blaze.
Water was pumped from the pond between West Branch Road and Broad Street. Smoke was smelled as far away as North Avenue, nearly 2 miles away.
(Photo/Sayje Benjamin Photo, via Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Services)
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These 2 hooded mergansers have not headed south yet for the winter. They joined a black duck, paddling around Burying Hill Beach and posing for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
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This week, the Long Lots School Building Committee provided updates to the Boards of Finance and Education.
In the weeks ahead, they plan to meet with Long Lots neighbors. The LLSBC will
“listen to all questions, suggestions and concerns from the neighbors and discuss the current school design. We will restate that water management, both during and after the project, is a key priority for the LLSBC and the town. We will acknowledge that the project will be disruptive for the neighbors and affirm that we will do our best to mitigate the disruption and listen to the neighbors throughout the process.
The LLSBC will also meet with the Long Lots PTA, to “discuss the project and listen to parents’ questions, suggestions and concerns about the design of the new school including parent and bus drop offs, project timing, safety, and efforts to minimize disruption for all parties during construction.
In a meeting with the Planning & Zoning Commission, they provide an update on the project.
The LLSBC and design team will also meet with the members of the Westport Community Gardens. They will “listen to questions and seek input and suggestions about the construction of the new relocated Community Garden. The new garden is currently forecast to be ready, along with the new athletic fields and parking lots, the year following completion of the new school building.
“Currently the first planting season in the new relocated garden would be in the spring of 2028. We’ll reaffirm that this growing season (2024) will be the last for the current garden as mobilization and construction is forecast to begin in the spring of 2025.”
They will “also highlight that the First Selectwoman met with the Garden Steering Committee in late August and offered to work with the gardeners to move them to the Baron’s South property adjacent to the Senior Center. This move would allow the new gardens to open significantly sooner than the spring of 2028, which was the main impetus for the LLSBC to suggest this in our initial recommendation in October of 2023. The discussions between the First Selectwoman and the Garden Steering Committee regarding a move to Baron’s South are outside the scope of the LLSBC and the construction of the new Long Lots school.”
Plans are moving ahead for construction of the new Long Lots Elementary School.
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With less than a month to go before the presidential election, political signs are popping up all around town.
Some are for Harris/Walz. Others tout Trump/Vance.
They’re not generally noteworthy. But one on Saugatuck Shores caught our eye.
It wasn’t the message. It was the messenger.
The sign belongs to Betty Lou Cummings.
The 90-year-old and still very active volunteer is well known in town. In nearly 50 years here she founded the long-running Apple Festival, organized fundraisers like the Riverwalk and Westport Library River of Names, advocated for the Senior Center advocate, and served on the Representative Town Meeting.
She is also a former 2nd Selectwoman.
A Republican 2nd Selectwoman.
Betty Lou Cummings. Back in the day, she was a Michigan State cheerleader.
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Tickets to Staples Players’ “Elf: The Musical” go on sale tomorrow (Saturday, October 12, 10 a.m.). Click here to purchase.
Performances for the family-friendly show are November 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 at 7 p.m., and November 16, 17, 23 at 2 p.m.
“Elf” tells the story of a suspiciously oversized elf named Buddy who has been raised by Santa in the North Pole. Overhearing the news that he’s actually a human, he embarks on a journey to New York City in a quest to find his father, who, he soon discovers, is on the naughty list.
Buddy’s own half-brother also doesn’t believe in Santa. Buddy decides to change the outlook of his new family and bring the true meaning of Christmas back into New York City. Along the way he discovers friendship, romance, and his true identity.
A rare sighting on the Saugatuck River yesterday at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 399 stirred excitement: the arrival of dredging equipment.
The last previous work there was 20 years ago.
Dredging operations are expected to begin today.
(Photo/Phil Delgado)
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Twenty current and former members of Westport’s Representative Town Meeting celebrated Restaurant Week yesterday, with lunch at The Boathouse.
The annual Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce event — actually 2 weeks — ends Sunday. Click here for a list of participating restaurants, with links to their menus.
Ken Feinberg — who as special master of the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund was responsible for the disbursement of over $7 billion dollars — is the special guest at next Thursday’s “Common Ground Conversation” at the Westport Library.
At “Civil Discourse to Resolve Complex Disputes,” the October event (7 p.m.)
Feinberg will share his experience and expertise in bringing people together to analyze, understand, and resolve complex disputes. Steve Parrish will moderate the discussion.
The Common Ground initiative will also be livestreamed. Click here for the link.
Speaking of the Library: How much we know about our environment and how we interact with it is the theme of their newest Verso Studios podcast, “Real World.”
A collaboration with Marisa Manley, the goal is “to explore, celebrate, and help listeners understand and possibly improve the built and created environment which surrounds us,” she says.
“We examine what the world is made of, how it came to be this way, and how it functions — in sometimes surprising ways.”
Episodes focus on everything from high-rise buildings and street signs to leggings and rocking chairs. Manley explores how they were designed, how they can be improved, and how they benefit all of us.
The podcast debuted Wednesday with 3 episodes, each 15 minutes long. An additional episode drops every other week.
Two of our town’s most exciting groups of people — StartUp Westport, and creative Staples High School graduates — join forces on November 25 (Westport Library, 6:30 p.m.).
The public/private partnership for our tech and innovation community hosts the first Young Innovators Forum. It’s a celebration of the groundbreaking innovations developed by remarkable alums.
Staples’ computer science program has nurtured a generation of young entrepreneurs. Visionary founders — all under the age of 26 — have launched transformative technologies and startups that are reshaping industries and attracting significant investment.
They’ll speak about challenges they’ve faced, solutions they’ve found, funding and investment, and the future of innovation in Westport.
Panelists — all from Staples — include Dylan Diamond, co-founder and CEO, Saturn Technologies; Max Hammer, co-Ffounder and CEO, CrowdVolt; Josh Karol, co-founder and CTO, CrowdVolt, and Jack Sharkey, co-founder and CTO, Whop
Staples alum Molly O’Shea — a venture capital investor and founder of Sourcey, will moderate.
Staples boys soccer fans were excited yesterday by the Wreckers’ 7-0 defeat of St. Joseph, at Wakeman Field.
But no one was more thrilled than several dozen boys and girls from Luis Marin Elementary School. The Bridgeport youngsters — participants in the Lighthouse program — have been mentored this year by members of the Staples team.
Among the project leaders: senior Alex Kuster. He also donated 1,200 childhood books to the program.
They took a special bus trip to Westport yesterday, to cheer on their idols. They were greeted before the game. At halftime, they participated in a penalty kick contest.
And afterward, they celebrated with the teenagers who this fall have become their friends.
Staples players and Luis Marin students, after the game. (Photo/Mike Beebe)
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Speaking of sports: This weekend, the Staples rugby team starts its fall touch program. It runs from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Sundays through November 24, at Staples’ Loeffler Field, for 8th-12th graders — and parents. No experience is necessary.
An open house is set for October 20, to answer parents’ questions.
In the interest of safety and efficiency — and to accommodate commuters and school traffic — the milling and paving project of Long Lots Road will be conducted outside regularly established days and hours.
Work will be done on two Saturdays — tomorrow and October 19 — and this Monday, the Columbus Day holiday.
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Posted onOctober 1, 2024|Comments Off on Roundup: Compo Dogs, Elementary Redistricting, Breast Cancer Detection …
Compo Beach is going (back) to the dogs.
Starting today, canines are welcome.
They must be leashed, except in the off-leash area south of the pavilion (including South Beach).
Dogs are not allowed in the pavilion, playground and on walkways. Humans are required to pick up their pets’ poop.
Violators of any of the regulations are subject to a $77 fine.
Enjoy the next 6 months. Fido and friends will be barred from the beach again, on April 1.
Yogi Bear and Daisy played by the rules yesterday. Today, they get their paws sandy. They look forward to seeing old friends, and meeting new ones. (Photo/Cathy “Cat” Malkin)
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A new redistricting “map viewer” is available on the Westport Public Schools website (click here to see).
It’s part of the dedicated “Redistricting Resources” page (click here for the page).
Families can use both locational services, or search by address, to explore the interactive map.
At the September 19 Board of Education meeting superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice recommended “Scenario A1 — Phase 1,” with formal board action to be taken in November.
Screenshot of the elementary school redistricting plan. Saugatuck is in the middle (pink). Clockwise from top: Coleytown, Long Lots, Greens Farms, Kings Highway.
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Longtime Westporter Gloria Gouveia — former town zoning administrator, now a highly respected land use consultant — is the newest member of the Connecticut Mirror community editorial board.
Her first opinion piece for the statewide non-profit journalism cite is powerful, personal, and very timely.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month begins, Gloria shares her own experience with the disease.
She also advocates for access to mammograms and breast cancer care for all women, regardless of income or insurance coverage.
Click here to read “Reach Out for Help With Early Breast Cancer Detection.”
Gloria Gouveia
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On the 1-year anniversary of the October 7 massacre in Israel, the Jewish Federation of Fairfield County will sponsor an interfaith “As One We Come Together” gathering.
The day before (Sunday, October 6, noon to 3 p.m., Compo Beach), a ceremony will remember and honor the 101 people still held as hostages by Hamas. The public is invited.
As Broadway fans everywhere mourn the death of Gavin Creel yesterday at 48, from a rare form of cancer, Westport Country Playhouse staffers and audiences had special reasons to remember the Broadway and West End star.
In January 2022, PBS broadcast “Stars on Stage,” a special performance taped 4 months earlier at the Playhouse. Click below for a short clip:
Eight months later, when Renée Elise Goldsberry headlined the WCP benefit gala, Tony and Olivier Award winner Gavin Creel offered “coffee and conversation” as a silent auction item.
Creel was a graduate of the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theater and Dance, about a decade before Staples High School 2003 graduate Justin Paul.
But when Paul and his musical theater songwriting partner, Benj Pasek, were just starting their careers, Creel gave them a boost by performing their songs.
Staples Players co-director Kerry Long posted this 2008 clip on social media:
And the winner of the Botanical Arts Photography Award at the Westport Garden Club’s “Westport’s Town Treasures” last weekend is … former president Kelle Ruden.
No, the fix was not in.
Judging was blind. Officials did not know who submitted what.
Kelle was “gob-smacked” to learn her image — “Pollinators,” taken at Sherwood Island State park — took the top prize.
Items include New York Yankees tickets, a ski on/off weekend at Stowe, a private wood-fired pizza party, clinics with varsity players, a chance to announce the starting lineup at a match — and a VIP day at a concert with Old Dominion, the award-winning country band whose guitarist/vocalist, Brad Tursi, is a former Staples soccer star.
Click here to see all the items, and bid. The auction ends Sunday (October 6, 10 p.m.).
Brad Tursi — former Staples soccer star, now a country music idol.
Jazz singer and noted Westporter Melissa Newman kicks off JazzFC’s first annual “Girls’ Night Out Festival” — 4 weeks of female jazz artists — this Thursday (October 3), at VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399.
It’s part of Jazz at the Post. Shows are at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner service begins at 7. The music cover is $20 ($15 for veterans and students).
Melissa will be joined by guitarist Tony Lombardozzi, bassist Phil Bowler and drummer Bobby Leonard. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Melissa Newman
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“ColleCTomania: The Outsized Influence of Swiss Posters” — a collection of Tom Strong’s archives — has been extended, at MoMA CT.
The exhibition — including a diverse range of poster from the 1930s through the present, plus a short documentary video — now runs through December 29.
(Another day, another “Roundup” filled with news about education, health, politics, and of course dogs and golf balls. If you like this eclectic, daily mix, please click here to support our work. Thanks!)
Comments Off on Roundup: Compo Dogs, Elementary Redistricting, Breast Cancer Detection …
But another big sporting event drew thousands of athletes too.
The Maccabi Youth games, in London, are called “the Jewish Olympics.” Participants are Jewish athletes from around the world.
Among them: Jonny Costello. The Staples High School rising senior — about to begin his 3rd varsity season for the Wreckers — was among the 18 players representing the US in Under-18 age group competition.
Jonny Costello (#24), as a junior playing for Staples. (Photo/Mark Sikorski)
He did more than just “represent.” Jonny was the team’s leading scorer, and was chosen as captain for the 3rd place match against Germany. He came through big time with 2 goals and an assist, helping the US win the bronze.
The Americans — with players from across the country — faced teams from the UK, France, Argentina and Germany.
Though they met for the first time at the airport, they meshed quickly and played excellent soccer.
Jonny Costello, at the Maccabi Games.
There’s more to Jonny’s story than soccer, though.
He has stuttered since he was 5. It hindered him socially when he was younger, in New York City.
Before his family moved to Westport just before 4th grade, he worried his new classmates might think he was “weird.”
But he blasted a home run on his first day at Coleytown Elementary School. That was all he needed, to make his mark — and make friends.
In 2019, as his bar mitzvah loomed — a time when a 13-year-old must speak publicly, and confidently — Jonny did his project about his stutter.
He created a “crash course” video, using quick illustrations to explain concepts. (His vocal cords shut when he speaks. He has no trouble putting thoughts together. They just don’t always come out as quickly as he’d like.)
In the video, he talked about his own life (including a worker at Subway, who asks what’s wrong when he’s trying to order).
He offered strategies for family members, teachers, friends and strangers: Be patient. Don’t finish sentences for someone. Be kind.
The video was shown at his bar mitzvah. The synagogue erupted in cheers.
Jonny’s parents, Sean and Lauren, emailed it to the guests. It was uploaded to YouTube.
Almost immediately, the video went viral.
Speech therapists in Sweden and Portugal asked for translations. A girl watched it 4 times, then asked her teacher to show it to the class. An 18-year-old who had lived his life “in the shadows” said that Jonathan’s video perfectly articulated his life.
It even reached the most famous stutterer in the world: Joe Biden.
Soon, Jonny met the former vice president.
Fast forward to London, where Jonny assumed a leadership role on the Maccabi squad.
The event’s media team was impressed. They made their own video, highlighting Jonny’s accomplishments on and off the pitch.
There’s an old saying: “Actions speak louder than words.”
In Jonny Costello’s case, it should be: “His actions speak as clearly as his words.”
(In 2019, “06880” reported on Jonny’s bar mitzvah video. Click here for that story.”)
(“06880” reports often on the achievements of Westport’s young people. If you enjoy our coverage, please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution to your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)
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Not here. In this case, there are crucial pieces of evidence that — because the superintendent objected to them — the Board of Ed’s attorney will simply not allow to be introduced.
The incident in question only involved yelling after I was hit in the face during a team kickball game. After being hit in the face, the game concluded at which point [the player] mocked and antagonized me.
