The town’s Martin Luther King Day celebration continued last night, at the Westport Country Playhouse.
A free screening of “True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality” drew another rapt audience. Trey Ellis — executive producer of the film about the noted civil rights attorney’s struggle to create greater fairness in the criminal justice system — was joined in conversation by TEAM Westport chair Harold Bailey.
Ellis — a novelist, 2-time Emmy- and Peabody-winning filmmaker, playwright, essayist, and professor at Columbia University’s School of the Arts — also led the conversation with his Columbia colleague on Saturday.
Both events were a partnership with the Library, Playhouse, TEAM Westport, the Westport Museum for History & Culture, and the Westport/Weston Clergy Association.
Trey Ellis (left) and Harold Bailey. (Photo copyright DinkinESH Fotografix)
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The Board of Finance is one of Westport’s most important elected groups.
Members scrutinize and pass the town budget, and send it to the Representative Town meeting for final approval. They set the mill rate.
And although their meetings are open to the public — and their phone numbers and email addresses are on the town website — they’re looking for ways to be even more open and transparent.
Which is why they’re offering “office hours.”
Once a month at least one BOF member will be at the Westport Library, for casual conversations with Westport residents.
They’ll listen to concerns, answer questions, and explain how the town plans and oversees its finances.
There are 2 sessions each, on the third Thursday of each month: 10 to 11 a.m., and 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. The first is this Thursday (January 22).
No appointment is necessary. Just head up to the 2nd floor meeting rooms.
The fiscal year 2024 town (non-educational) budget.
The Joggers Club is warming up for its 6th year of working with young runners/
It’s a fun group — organized by age and level, so everyone runs with friends.
All youngsters in kindergarten through 8th grade are welcome, regardless of experience. They meet every Sunday (April 5 through June 7), from 4 to 5:15 p.m. at the Staples High School track. The cost is $199.
There is a different theme each week., including long runs, games and races. The final session is a track meet and field day (with a free ice cream truck).
Westport’s favorite jazz singer — Melissa Newman — returns to “Jazz at the Post” this Thursday (January 22; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 7).
She’s backed by an equally talented band of popular regulars: guitarist Tony Lombardozzi, bassist Phil Bowler and drummer Bobby Leonard. Click here for tickets.
Melissa Newman
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Amid all the white snow last weekend, Jill Grayson spotted one bit of red.
And finally … in honor (sort of) of the Joggers Club’s program for kids (item above):
(You don’t have to run anywhere, to support “06880.” You’re already at your device. Just click here, and make a tax-deductible contribution to your hyper-local blog. Thank you so much!)
“If you’re a homeowner, the first termite you see is not the first termite that showed up.”
With that analogy, Jelani Cobb wove together 2 strands of his talk — America’s history of slavery and civil rights, and today’s threats to our democracy — yesterday.
The 20th annual Westport Weston Martin Luther King Day celebration at the Westport Library drew a full crowd. Cobb — a noted New Yorker writer, scholar, and dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism — was joined in conversation by novelist, playwright, filmmaker (and Westport resident) Trey Ellis.
Jelani Cobb (left) and Trey Ellis.
Asked by Ellis what King would think of the United States today, Cobb said, “It would be very familiar to him.”
Anti-democratic forces, he added, are “congenital problems that don’t go away by ignoring them.”
“My father had a 3rd grade education. I have a Ph.D.,” Cobb said. He vowed never to forget the democratic rights that enabled his achievement — and to “not tolerate intrusions on them.”
Recalling King’s famous quote — “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice” — Cobb noted the “fine print”: “We have to get out and bend it.”
Senator Richard Blumenthal spoke briefly. Referring to recent events, he said, “the totalitarian tactics used to silence non-violent protests are not America. It’s the America Martin Luther King protested against.”
The conversation was bookended by Varrick Nelson Jr. The young Stratford singer wowed the audience with stirring gospel-inflected renditions of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “A Change is Gonna Come.”
The audience included over 40 students from the Walter Luckett Foundation. The Bridgeport non-profit provides educational and recreational opportunities for young people. The Westport Library is a longtime partner.
The annual MLK celebration is a collaboration between the Library, TEAM Westport, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport Museum for History & Culture, and the Westport/Weston Clergy Association.
Gabriel Sherman has built a career writing about some of the most powerful people in the world.
His first book, “The Loudest Voice in the Room,” told the story of how Roger Ailes built Fox News.
Sherman wrote the screenplay for “The Apprentice,” the biopic about Donald Trump’s relationship with Roy Cohn.
His latest project: “Bonfire of the Murdochs: How the Epic Fight to Control the Last Great Media Dynasty Broke a Family — and the World.”
Sherman was educated through grade 10 in Westport schools. He’s written for New York and Vanity Fair, and been a regular contributor to NBC News and MSNBC.
Sherman will be interviewed by Tina Brown at the 92nd Street Y in New York on February 5 (8 p.m.). Click here for tickets.
This month, Big Y supermarket is donating $1 to ABC — the non-profit that provides educational opportunities to academically gifted and highly motivated young men of color — for every reusable bag purchased for $2.50.
It’s a no-brainer. Buy more than one. You can never have enough bags!
On Wednesday David Guggenheim — screenwriter, producer and showrunner of Netflix’s “Designated Survivor” (and creator and writer of “Safe House,” “The Union” and “The Christmas Chronicles”) — visited Theater Camp 4 Kids Broadway Academy‘s students and interns.
He provided the young actors and writers with a “behind the camera” look at the reality of the film and TV industry, and inspired them to pursue their dreams.
Guggenheim shared insights about the creative process, including how to turn an idea into a script, and the reality of getting it produced. He also described the complex moving parts of a successful film or TV show, from how to make rainy scenes look real, to shooting on back lots and locations, and which actors he would love to work with in the future.
Youngsters came prepared with plenty of questions, which Guggenheim answered with warmth and charm.
Theater Camp 4 Kids is registering now for the winter/spring semester, and June Summer Day Camp. For information, email curleylaura@hotmail.com.
David Guggenheim (rear, center) with Theater Camp 4 Kids students. (Photo/Emily Jennings)
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Westporters using the Delta Sky Lounge at La Guardia Airport can see a bit of home.
Artist Nina Bentley’s work “He Looked Good on Paper” is on display, in Terminal C.
And finally … English author A.A. Milne was born on this date, in 1882. He died in 1956.
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With speakers like Ibram X. Kendi, Dr. Clarence B. Jones and Shonda Rhimes, Westport’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day has become one of the most inspiring and thought-provoking events of the year.
Next month’s will be another don’t-miss afternoon.
Jelani Cobb — renowned journalist, scholar, and dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism — is the guest of honor at the 20th annual celebration.
It’s set for the Westport Library on Saturday, January 17, 2026 (1 p.m.). Cobb will be in conversation with novelist, playwright, filmmaker — and Westport resident — Trey Ellis.
Jelani Cobb
Cobb is a Peabody Award winner, Pulitzer Prize finalist, MSNow political analyst, and New Yorker staff writer. He has written books on Barack Obama and the hip hop aesthetic, in addition to editing other volumes and producing numerous documentaries.
He was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2023, and is a recipient of fellowships from the Ford Foundation, Fulbright Foundation, and the Shorenstein Center at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
The annual MLK celebration is a partnership between the Library, TEAM Westport, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport Museum for History & Culture, and the Westport/Weston Clergy Association.
“Dr. King reminded us that ‘the day we see truth and cease to speak is the day we begin to die,’ says Harold Bailey, TEAM Westport chair.
“At a moment when the very idea of truth is under unprecedented pressure, there could be no more fitting focus than journalism. And there is no more powerful champion of its purpose and integrity than Jelani Cobb. We are truly fortunate to welcome him as we mark the 20th anniversary of the MLK celebration in Westport.”
“We are thrilled to honor and welcome both Dr. Cobb and Trey Ellis at the Library for this 20th anniversary celebration,” adds Library executive director Bill Harmer.
“Dr. Cobb is a groundbreaking figure in his field. Westport is incredibly fortunate to have him here to help us celebrate the life and memory of Dr. King.”
Jen Tooker’s 16 years of service to Westport — as 1st selectwoman, 2nd selectwoman, and a member of the Boards of Finance and Education, and Conservation Commission — were celebrated last night, at Romanacci.
Organized by former 2nd selectwoman Andrea Moore, it brought together people from every chapter of Tooker’s public life.
In the room were former Westport Select Board members Jim Marpe, Avi Kaner and Tammy Pincavage, plus many other elected town officials and longtime friends who worked with her, and admired her dedication.
Tooker was surprised when she walked in, and touched by the outpouring of appreciation. Kaner notes, “there were heartfelt stories, laughter, and genuine gratitude for her steady leadership, warmth and unwavering commitment to Westport and its residents.”
Jen Tookekr (2nd row, 2nd from right, with former 2nd Selectwoman Andrea Moore and 1st Selectman Jim Marpe), at Romanacci.
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The Westport community has come through — big time.
Yesterday, Deputy Fire Chief Matt Cohen and Lieutenant Rob Lenois — president of the Westport Firefighters Charitable Foundation — joined volunteers with the Bridgeport Rescue Mission.
Thanks to the generosity of the Westport community, they donated 1,000 turkeys — and sides — to support a 3-day Great ThankGiving Project event.
Well done, Westport Fire Department — and Westport neighbors!
From left: Tatyana Rozetta, Bridgeport Rescue Mission volunteer manager; Westport Deputy Chief Matt Cohen; Laurie Molner, BRM director of development; Lieutenant Rob Lenois, Westport Firefighter Charitable Foundation president.
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But wait! There’s more! On Wednesday, “06880” posted a story on a partnership between A&S Westport Fine Foods and the Conlon Amendola law firm.
They were donating 50 full Thanksgiving dinners — fresh turkeys, hams and sides — to families at Capital Prep Harbor School in Bridgeport.
They hoped a few readers could provide funds for dessert (pies).
The phones did not stop ringing. Within 24 hours all 50 pies were sponsored, by residents and former Westporters across the country.
Dr. John Corino of Norwalk Dental Arts, and an anonymous loyal A&S customer, added generous donations, allowing the meals to be increased even more.
The meals were prepared by A&S. They were delivered yesterday, then unloaded and distributed by the school’s National Honor Society students.
The drive was so successful, A&S and Conlon Amendola are planning another for Christmas, also for Capital Prep Harbor School.
Come on, “06880” readers! Email chefalpiz@gmail.com to learn how you can help.
From left: Patricia Pizzirusso (A&S), Jacquelyn Conlon and Bonnie Amendola (Conlon Amendola), Chenelle James and Dr. Joan Miller (Capital Prep Harbor School), with a few of the 50 dinners.
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And now, turning to the next big holiday:
The town’s annual tree lighting is set for the Town Hall lawn on Monday, December 1 (5 p.m.).
The Staples High School Orphenians will sing. The Westport Museum for History & Culture provides hot chocolate.
And — as always — little kids will count down to the big reveal.
Let there be (holiday) light! Here’s a look back at 2024. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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Westport was one of hundreds of participants yesterday, in the first of 2 “Fall of Freedom” days.
The event — “an urgent call to the arts community to unite in defiance of authoritarian forces sweeping the nation” — involved galleries, museums, comedy clubs, theaters and concert venues across the country, with exhibitions, performances and pubic events.
Locally, the Westport Library hosted a showing of “The Librarians.” The award-winning 2025 documentary shows an unlikely group standing up as “first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment rights.”
With just 2 weeks notice, a full house filled the Trefz Forum, for the screening and a discussion. Panelists included (below from left, in photo): Westport screen and stage writer and Columbia University professor Trey Ellis; director/producer Kim A. Snyder; producer Maria Cuomo Cole; Connecticut state librarian Deborah Schander, and author Oliver Radclyffe.
By now, you must have heard of Staples Players’ stupendous production of “Les Misérables.”
The whole town is talking about it.
With a Players record-setting 10-show run, there are 3 more opportunities: today (Saturday, November 22, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.) and tomorrow (Sunday, November 23, 2:30 p.m.). Click here for tickets, and more information.
We’ve hailed the 70-plus actors often. They deserve all their kudos, and more.
But let’s not overlook the spectacular 30-piece pit orchestra, or the dozens of students (and adults) who constructed the jaw-dropping set.
We can’t show the musicians. They’re off stage (though hopefully they’ll get a bow tonight or tomorrow).
Speaking of Staples accomplishments: 1991 graduate Lynsey Addario is one of the most acclaimed photojournalists in the world.
The Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Fellow winner has covered famines, civil wars, maternal mortality and more for National Geographic (among many others).
As part of the “Ask a Nat Geo Expert Anything” series, Addario speaks answered questions about the perils of her work, the personal price she pays, and how to get into photography.
Staples High School Class of 2008 graduate Leo Stagg is listed as “Head Automation” for the production.
We’re not not sure what that means. But it comes right after “Head Carpenter,” and just before “Head and Deck Electrician.” So Leo — who learned his tech chops with Staples Players — is one of the many unheralded crew members, without whom the curtain could not rise. (Hat tip: Lisa Marriott)
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Bob Weingarten spotted — and sends along — today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo.
He writes: “I just saw these trees changing from summer into winter, at Hillandale Road and Morningside Drive South. Amazing how uniform the change is.”
More holiday help: A&S Westport Fine Foods is partnering with the Southport law firm Conlon Amendola, to donate 50 full Thanksgiving dinners.
They’ll go to student families at Capital Prep Harbor School in Bridgeport, who face food insecurity. The tuition-free charter school has a 100% college acceptance rate.
A&S will prepare fresh turkeys, and trays of sides. The Post Road West market is donating the birds; the law firm is covering other costs.
Westporters who wish to provide funds for dessert (pies) can email A&S (chefalpiz@gmail.com), or call 203-293-4042.
The meals will be delivered Friday, with freezing and reheating instructions.
One of America’s most urgent civil liberties issues is the focus of a documentary screening and panel discussion this Friday (November 21, 7 p.m.) at the Westport Library.
Director/producer Kim Snyder brings her award-winning, gripping and very timely film “The Librarians” to the Trefz Forum.
It explores “the growing movement to censor ideas, stories, and voices across the country, and celebrates the everyday heroes standing in its way.” Librarians across the country are “fighting on the front lines for the freedom to read and the right to think critically.”
Westport Emmy and Peabody Award-winning writer Trey Ellis, and producer Maria Cuomo Cole, join Snyder and author Oliver Radclyffe on the panel, following the documentary.
Sticks Westport opened earlier this month at 772 Post Road East, the strip mall that includes TTEndurance and Picture This, between Calise’s Deli and Wheels.
There are no drop-ins. Instead, monthly and annual members get protected time, in a private setting.
The headline feature is a cutting-edge Trackman iO golf simulator. It usees a combination of radar, infrared and high-speed imaging to deliver real-time club and ball analytics.
There is also a big screen TV, comfortable seating area and kitchenette.
Owner Ali Lloyd says, “Sticks’ small, cozy space is meant to feel like an extension of your house. It was born out of the dream of having a golf simulator in our own home.”
She worked with an interior designer, and collected antiques and art to create “a Westport-level space that’s comfortable and inviting.”
Membership will be capped at “a pretty low number.” After 2 weeks, Lloyd says, they are halfway toward being sold out.
The UU Players are staging “The Gin Game” this weekend, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport.
The play — featuring Westporters Tom Croarkin and Candace Clinger — centers on 2 “old age home” residents who become friends over a series of card games. In the process they reveal any things about themselves — including their darker sides.
Easton residents Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn opened the show on Broadway in 1977.
Dates are Friday and Saturday (November 21 and 22, 7 p.m.) and Sunday (November 23, 2 p.m.). The suggested donation is $25, cash or Venmo at the door. Questions? Call 203-227-7205, ext. 10.
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Bike Westport is sponsoring a Zoom session on an important topic: “Smart/Safe Cycling for Youth & Adults.”
The event — including topics like e-bike laws, what parents should know about e-bikes for youths, and how to ride safely in traffic — is tomorrow (Thursday, 6:30 p.m.). Click here for the Zoom link.
Karl Kuechenmeister died on Saturday, surrounded by family. He was 78.
He was a graduate of Staples High School and Dickinson College.
Karl served in the US Navy as a lieutenant and aviator. He was assigned to Flight Squadron 101 — “The Grim Reapers” — where he flew T-2 Buckeyes, F-9 Cougars and F-4 Phantoms.
He later became a senior media sales executive with CBS and NBC Television, Warner Bros. Domestic TV, Lorimar, Time Warner, MTV Networks and Turner Broadcasting Sales.
Karl was a volunteer with Connecticut Special Olympics and a Board Member of the Saugatuck Shores Club. He held dual citizenship with
Ireland.
Working at NBC, he Karl met Elizabeth. They were married at St. Luke Church.
After raising 2 children in Westport and Cape Cod, Karl and Elizabeth moved to Palm Beach Shores, Florida in 2016. He lovd the town, and lunch with “the Gang.”
He is survived by his wife Elizabeth; son Lt. Col. Karl Kuechenmeister (Carly), daughter Britt Kuechenmeister (Theo); grandchildren Gavin and Logan; sisters Karen, Janis and Mary, and many in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews.
The Veterans Administration Medical Center and VA Hospice Center in West Palm Beach provided exceptional and tender care of Karl.
A celebration of life will take place at a later date. There are no calling hours.
Karl Kuechenmeister
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Organizational psychologist and author Dr. Melvin Sorcher died Saturday in Westport. He was 95.
The Brooklyn native and Korean War US Army sergeant earned a Ph.D. from Syracuse University.
He developed and implemented “behavior modeling” in business and other non-clinical settings. He headed General Electric’s corporate behavioral research group, and served as worldwide director of management development for Richardson-Vicks.
Mel wrote 4 books, and more than 40 articles and chapters. He was honored in 1978 for distinguished professional practice throughout his career, including his work to bring behavior modeling to address the problem of apartheid in South Africa by breaking down racial barriers in industry.
Before retiring at 72, Mel started a consulting firm specializing in CEO and senior management evaluation and selection. His 1 decades of retirement were filled with projects until the last days of his life.
He published another book, to help recent college graduates secure their first jobs, and helped make Westport the first town east of the Mississippi River to ban nonbiodegradable plastic bags.
He was a prolific painter, taught English as a second language, took Spanish lessons, and traveled around the country to see his large family.
Mel is survived by his wife Sylvia; sons and in-laws Michael (Jill) of Overland Park, Kansas; Robert (Nicolas Ospina) of Denver, and Peter (Erin) of Mill Valley, California, and grandchildren Sara (Arie Lipnick), Gary, Danielle, Jessica , Rachael, Caroline, Kaya and Shea.
Funeral services will be held this Sunday (November 23, 12 p.m., Abraham L. Green & Son Funeral Home, Fairfield. Visitation begins at 11:30 a.m.
Dr. Melvin Sorcher
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Superb nature photographer Lou Weinberg is back, with another spectacular “Westport … Naturally” image.
This one is a downy woodpecker. Check out that beak!
And finally … in honor of “The Librarians” — the documentary film, and the real-life professionals (story above):
(We can’t keep library-quiet about this: “06880” relies on donations from readers! If you enjoy our daily Roundup — or anything else on our hyper-local blog — please click here to support us. Thank you!)
On Monday night, Meloday James saw “King in the Wilderness.”
It was Martin Luther King Day, and the Westport Country Playhouse showed the documentary produced by Westport author/playwright/professor Trey Ellis.
The film portrayed a side of the civil rights icon and Nobel Peace Prize winner seldom discussed today: a conflicted leader, who at the time of his death was assailed by critics on both the left and right.
Melody — a 1964 Staples High School graduate — was deeply moved.
It resonated personally: She saw footage of the violent 1966 demonstrations in Chicago and Cicero, Illinois, for fair housing.
Melody arrived to start as a community organizer for JOIN Community Union in Uptown that same day.
“Some of us went to the demo,” she recalls.
“They threw cherry bombs at us. There were screaming, violent white people –much as we witnessed in Washington on January 6, 2021 — full of hatred. It was terrifying!”
That reminded her, in turn, of earlier activism, when she was still a Staples student. Her class raised funds for the World Health Organization.
At the UN (from left): Pete Seidman, Carole Seligman, Joy Wassell, Deb Begley, the head of the WHO, Tim Honey, Tom Dublin, Melody James, Katie Burnham, Dick Sugarman.
A few hours before watching “King in the Wilderness,” President Trump was inaugurated.
One of his first acts was to begin the process to withdraw the United States from the WHO.
(Friday Flashback is one of “06880”‘s many regular features. If you enjoy this — or anything else on our website — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
Staples High School Class of 2021 graduate Jamie Mann makes his Great White Way debut this spring in the new show “Stranger Things: The First Shadow.”
The prequel to the popular Netflix show is set 24 years before the TV show’s first season. Jamie plays the teenage version of Ted Wheeler, Mike Wheeler’s jock dad, and understudies James Hopper, Jr.
Alison Jay plays Joyce Maldonado (the Winona Ryder character). She and Jamie became friends in 2022, while working on the workshop for the play at Netflix in Los Angeles.
Jamie had been on the Netflix set before. He starred as Brody in “Country Comfort,”during part of his junior and senior year at Staples High School.
Westporters know Jamie from his roles with Staples Players, and as a longtime student of Cynthia Gibb’s Triple Threat Academy. (Jamie now teaches dance classes and offers private dance and acting coaching).
During Bedford Middle School, Jamie played Billy Elliot in theaters throughout the East Coast. He will graduate remotely, with a BFA from the University of Michigan’s musical theater program this spring.
“Stranger Things” opens on April 22. Previews begin March 28. For tickets and more information, click here.
Jamie Mann (Photo/Michael Kushner)
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Speaking of theater: “Broadway’s Bad Boys” opened at the Westport Country Playhouse last night. The 4-night run ends Sunday.
Performed by 3 Broadway actors — Sam Gravitte (“Wicked”), Kevin Massey (“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”) and Julius Thomas III (“Hamilton”) — who played villains in musicals, the production includes “Phantom of the Opera,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and Professor Harold Hill of “Music Man.”
Curtain call at the Westport Country Playhouse last night. (Hat tip and photo/Dave Matlow)
Speaking still of entertainment: It’s only January, but the Levitt Pavilion has announced its first acts of the season.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and The Infamous Stringdusters — those are bands — will be joined by New York’s Melt, on June 1.
The funk/bluegrass/indie soul tour will play just 5 venues across the Northeast. Ours is one of them.
It won’t be the Levitt’s opener, though. The 2025 season runs from may through October, with a combination of paid-ticket shows and 50 free dates. More shows will be announced soon.
Tickets go on sale today (Friday), at 10 a.m. Click here to purchase, and for informatio on the “enchanced concert experience” package.
A capacity crowd filled the Westport Library’s Trefz Forum last on Sunday, for our town’s 19th annual Martin Luther King Day celebration.
The event included a wide-ranging discussion with noted producer Shonda Rhimes, and novelist/playwright/professor Trey Ellis. Both are Westport residents.
If you missed it — or if you were there, and want to see it again (along with a pair of great performances by gospel singer Christian Servance) — click below:
We followed up by noting that a third wind phone — a disconnected rotary telephone, through which users can stay connected with loved ones who have died — was just installed at Greenfield Congregational Church.
Now there’s more news about Lynda, a longtime Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport member and staunch advocate for medical aid in dying legislation.
This is a story about choice, not death.
Lynda Bluestein would not take ‘no’ for an answer. Because Medical Aid in Dying is not legal in Connecticut, Lynda is forced to find another way to die peacefully.
This is an intimate and gripping look into what it takes to legally die on one’s own terms in the United States. Other Side delves into the systemic, familial and emotional complexities of navigating an untrodden medical landscape while terminally ill.
A 90-minute documentary about her life and death — “Other Side” — has just been accepted by South by Southwest.
Its world premiere is scheduled for the prestigious film festival in March.
Yesterday, Westport Police received a report from a friend that William Hill has not been seen since Monday.
He is homeless, avoiding shelters, but visits friends at Sasco Creek Village daily. Given the extreme cold this past week, friends and the Police are extremely concerned for his welfare.
Hill is 62, between 5-7 and 5-11 tall, medium build, with salt and pepper hair, and a moustache. He was last seen wearing a black jacket and pushing a gray Trek bicycle with a rack, carrying bags and a knapsack on his back.
Anyone with information that can help locate William Hill should call the Police Department: 203-341-6000.
Her third novella in the “Abbey Lane” fiction series, “Deadly Donations,” has just been published.
Here, the former investigative reporter turned private detective encounters the effect of huge donations by foreign countries to American universities.
The Network Contagion Research Institute reports that over $47 billion has been donated, much of it not reported, and coming from authoritarian Middle East countries.
Meanwhile, hate crimes and antisemitic acts increased over 200% on campuses. When Abbey’s activist client is murdered, she delves into those corrupt donations. Click here to purchase on Amazon.
And finally … Never heard of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong — the band that will headline the June 1 Levitt Pavilion concert (story above)?
Click below!
(Every day, the Roundup highlights future events, recaps past ones, and covers everything else in between. If you enjoy our hyper-local coverage, please click here to support our work. Thannk you!)
Shonda Rhimes was raised to see obstacles not as roadblocks, but as hills to climb.
That was Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s mentality too.
It was fitting that Rhimes — CEO of Shondaland; creator, head writer and executive producer of “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice,” and “Scandal”; the producer of “Bridgerton” (and a Westport resident) — delivered that message, powerfully and eloquently, at yesterday’s 19th annual Martin Luther King Day celebration at the Library.
Despite inclement weather, the Trefz Forum was completely filled. Hundreds of others watched via livestream.
She described her route to superstardom — and explained the responsibility she feels for telling true stories, while being true to herself — in a conversation with Trey Ellis.
He’s an award-winning novelist, playwright and filmmaker; a professor at Columbia University — and also a Westporter.
When she began her career, Rhimes said, she was driven to succeed. “If I was getting coffee for someone, I tried to make it the best coffee they ever had. I wanted them to remember me.” She did not want to “take over the world” — but she wanted to be noticed.
She paused, then added, “Nobody thinks it’s remarkable when a white man says he’s going to take over the world.”
Tying together the economic impact of her work, the importance of showing diverse (and three-dimensional) characters, and staying true to her own principles, Rhimes said, “I only make shows that I want to watch.”
Doing that, however, has attracted viewers around the globe — and influenced how they see Black, LGBTQ and other minority people.
She wants her shows to be both mirrors (“for viewers to see themselves”), and windows (“to look out on a world they may not know”).
Shonda Rhimes
Noting the significance of today — it’s both Martin Luther King Day, and Inauguration Day — Rhimes said, “The struggle is not over. It’s beautiful to see how far we’ve come. But we take 2 steps forward, and 1 back. We will get through this all, if we stay vigilant.”
Looking ahead, she feels “even more of a responsibility to tell the stories I want to tell. It feels like we may be in for more suppression. Well, I’m not interested in being suppressed — or suppressing anyone else.”
A group of Bridgeport students — guests of the Walter Luckett Foundation — asked intriguing questions.
One youngsters wondered why Rhimes left California for Connecticut.
During the pandemic, Rhimes replied, she realized Los Angeles was not a great place to raise her daughters.
She wanted to move to a town that was focused on families. She found Westport almost by accident. But, she said, “this is a place where I’ll stay.”
Trey Ellis asked his own questions, and those submitted by Bridgeport youngsters.
Rsponding to another question, Rhimes said, “I tell my kids, ‘Who you are is up to you.'”
When a fan says “I want to be just like you,” she replies, “No. Be just like you.”
Rhimes concluded her Martin Luther King Day conversation with a reference to last year’s event, which featured King’s advisor and speechwriter, Clarence Jones.
“He wrote half of the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech,” Rhimes noted. “That’s a lot to live up to.
“But one thing I learned last year is that there is always a moment when you can make the world a better place, make someone feel included, or reach out.
“You can reach out in a million ways. And always ask yourself,’ “What did I do to make the world a better place?’
“If you don’t do that — what are you doing here?”
(Westport’s 19th annual Martin Luther King Day celebration was co-sponsored by the Westport Library, TEAM Westport, the Westport/Weston Clergy Association, the Westport Country Playhouse, and the Walter Luckett Foundation.
(The Martin Luther King Day celebration continues tonight [Monday, January 20, 7 p.m.], with a free screening of “King in the Wilderness at the Westport Country Playhouse. Trey Ellis is a co-producer.
(The Emmy Award-winning 2018 film follows Dr. King from the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to his assassination in April 1968. It includes never–seen interviews with people closest to King, interspersed with historical archives.
(Interviewees include Andrew Young, Harry Belafonte, John Lewis, Joan Baez, Jesse Jackson and C. T. Vivian. Click here for more information.)
TEAM Westport chair Harold Bailey welcomed guests to the MLK Day celebration.
Making his second Westport Library appearance in a week, Senator Richard Blumenthal called Westport “a beacon of activism and hope.” He thanked attendees for “being foot soldiers for justice.”
Stamford singer Christian Servance opened and closed the event, with a rousing pair of gospel-inflected songs.
Christian Servance, singing to the full Trefz Forum. (This and all photos above/Dan Woog)
From left: 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, TEAM Westport chair Harold Bailey, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Westport 10 founder Jay Norris, Shonda Rhimes, Trey Ellis.
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Posted onDecember 16, 2024|Comments Off on Shonda Rhimes, Trey Ellis Headline MLK Day Celebration
Westport takes Martin Luther King Day seriously.
Past speakers have included National Book Award winner and MacArthur Fellow Ibram X. Kendi, Pulitzer Prize winner James Forman Jr., and authors Heather McGhee and Layla Saad
Last year’s guest –former MLK speechwriter and advisor Dr. Clarence B. Jones — helped write the iconic“I Have a Dream” speech.
This year’s event will carry on that important tradition.
Shonda Rhimes headlines the 19th annual celebration, on Sunday, January 19 (3 p.m., Westport Library).
The award-winning producer will be interviewed by novelist, playwright and filmmaker Trey Ellis.
Making the day extra special is that both Rhimes and Ellis are Westport residents.
Registration for their conversation opens this Friday (December 20, 10 a.m.), on on the library website.
The event also will be livestreamed. There is no fee for either the in-person or livestream option.
Shonda Rhimes is the CEO of Shondaland, the pioneering storytelling company; creator, head writer and executive producer of the hit shows “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice,” “Scandal” and “Inventing Anna,” and the producer of “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Bridgerton” and more.
Shonda Rhimes
The MLK celebration is a partnership between the Library, TEAM Westport, the Westport Country Playhouse, and the Westport/Weston Clergy Association.
“We are honored to welcome Shonda Rhimes as this year’s guest of honor for our Martin Luther King Jr. celebration,” says Bill Harmer, the Library’s executive director.
“Her groundbreaking storytelling, advocacy for inclusivity, and creative vision embody the values Dr. King stood for and continue to inspire our community today.”
“Shonda Rhimes recently said, ‘You have to see it to be it,’” adds TEAM Westport chair Harold Bailey.
“More than any other storyteller on the planet, she has helped people see and aspire to embrace a world beyond the perennial shackles of bias, custom, and class — a world that is the sweet spot of Martin Luther King’s vision.”
Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn of TCS, The Community Synagogue, and chair of the Westport/Weston Clergy Association says,“As religious leaders living in challenging times for our community, we often turn to the wisdom of Martin Luther King Jr. He said, ‘The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges.’
“We are proud to be a part of keeping MLK’s legacy alive, and blessed that Shonda Rhimes will be helping us do just that this year.”
Rhimes was the Library’s honoree at its 2022 Booked for the Evening celebration, and she returned to the Library’s Trefz Forum earlier this year to screen her documentary, “Black Barbie.”
Rhimes’ received numerous honors include a Golden Globe, Peabody Award, and lifetime achievement awards from the Directors Guild of America, Writers Guild, and Producers Guild, plus several NAACP Image Awards.
In 2017 she was inducted into the Television Academy of Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame. That same year, she left traditional TV for Netflix, where Shondaland now produces exclusive content.
Ellis is an American Book Award-winning novelist, 2-time Emmy- and Peabody-winning filmmaker, NAACP Image Award-winning playwright and essayist, and professor of professional practice at Columbia University’s School of the Arts.
He also served as executive producer of “King in the Wilderness,” the 2018 Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary on the last 3 days of Dr. King’s life.
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One of the most well-known homes in Westport — the only one on the north (left) side of the Compo Cove footpath, just over the pedestrian bridge at Sherwood Mill Pond — may soon be a memory.
A “Demolition” sign hangs next to the front door of the house owned for years by Mike Katz, the cowboy hat-wearing man-about-town.
The 43 Compo Mill Cove home — built in 1942 — was originally located across the path, on the right. It boasts an unobstructed view of the Mill Pond. But it’s been unoccupied for quite a while, and seems not to have been maintained since then.
Compo Cove home, with demolition sign next to the front door. (Photo/Dinkin Fotografix)
That’s not the only beach neighborhood home on the chopping block
This one — at 21 Norwalk Avenue, off Soundview Drive — also bears a “Demolition” notice.
(Photo/Dan Woog)
It was built in 1920 — 104 years ago.
Clearly, it’s had some work done over the past century. The non-winterized cottages that were there for much of the 1900s were not like this.
It will sure be interesting to see what the new construction looks like.
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This Saturday’s Westport Country Playhouse’s gala features Emmy and Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth, Drama Desk Award-winning conductor and music director Mary-Mitchell Campbell — plus a host of Broadway performers — in a tribute to Cy Coleman (September 14, 7 p.m.).
Like any good benefit, this one includes some very cool live auction items. Among them:
2 tickets to Steve Martin & Martin Short’s “The Dukes of Funnytown!” at Foxwoods, and a post-show meet and greet with the stars.
4 tickets to “Wicked,” and a backstage tour to meet the cast.
Dinner for 10 catered by Gabriele’s, on the Playhouse stage with artistic director Mark Shanahan and managing director Beth Huisking.
Raffle boxes are available too, for a chance to win 2 jewelry pieces by designer Marco Bicego.
Speaking of the Playhouse: They kicked off another intriguing “Script in Hand” season last night, with “Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing.”
The show — about the last days of baseball’s Negro Leagues — was enthusiastically received.
The cast of “Satchel Paige,” with playwright/director Trey Ellis of Westport (back row, center) and Playhouse stage manager Megan Smith (front, 3rd from left). (Photo/Dave Matlow)
For decades, longtime Westport resident Jo Ann Miller was an executive in the garment industry.
When international travel wore her down, she became a top real estate agent.
All along, she continued to produce art. As a sculptor, she collaborated with the late Kelley Spearen on many projects.
She also wrote an account of her first attempt at a marathon. The foreward was by her former next door neighbor, and her father’s wing man: John Glenn.
Now Miller is out with a work of fiction. It’s about the aftermath of a July 4, 2004 SEAL team celebration in Iraq that went terribly wrong. The terrorists never forgot. Twenty years later, they seek revenge.
“Terrorist Revenge” will be available soon, at Amazon.
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Local author Michael Hendricks and artist Rebecca Ross greeted their many fans this weekend, at the Westport Book Shop.
They signed copies of “In the Beginning! A Love Story.”
Susie Kowalsky — who sent the photo below — is a huge fan. She bought 5 copies, “to share with the little ones I know and love.”
Rebecca Ross and Michael Hendricks, at the Westport Book Shop.
Guitarist Ed Cherry is well known for his long association with Dizzy Gillespie. Since the bandleader’s death in 1993, Cherry has worked with Paquito D’Rivera, Jon Faddis, John Patton, Hamiet Bluiett, Henry Threadgill, Paula West and Dr. Lonnie Smith.
He has recorded many albums as a leader, and appeared on countless records as a featured soloist.
This Thursday (September 12), he highlights Jazz at the Post (VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 8 p.m.; $20 music cover, $15 for veterans and students; click here for reservations).
Cherry is joined by bassist Essiet Essiet, drummer Jason Tiemann and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall.
Entrepreneur and real estate developer Stanley Seligson died peacefully at his Westport home, surrounded by his family, on Thursday. He was 90.
Stanley attended the Williston Northampton School, and the University of Connecticut.
Following his father’s death in 1953, Stanley assumed responsibility for the family’s wholesale business, S&S Tobacco. He grew the original company into one of the largest distributors of candy, tobacco, vending and arcade machines in the Northeast.
In 1979, Stanley formed Seligson Properties. The real estate firm has invested in, developed, managed and built nearly 3 million square feet of property. He was the driving force behind many key developments in Norwalk.
Stanley was dedicated to his hometown of Norwalk. He served as an advisor and board member to institutions including the Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, Norwalk YMCA, Maritime Aquarium, Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, and others
He was named Industry Man of the Year by the Anti-Defamation League and Distributor of the Year by Philip Morris, among other honors.
Stanley had a passion for travel. His family says he “enjoyed many of the finer things in life, but always remained down to earth. He equally valued the simple pleasures found at his homes in Connecticut and Florida.” Stanley cherished these moments.
Stanley was an avid golfer. He learned from top instructors, and played many renowned courses. He was a founding member of Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton, and was a member of Birchwood Country Club in Westport; Burning Tree Club in Bethesda, Maryland; and Trump International Golf Club and The Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida.
He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Carole; children Shana and Todd Seligson, sister Suzanne Serlin, and Mary Hill.
A funeral service will be held tomorrow (Wednesday, September 11, 11 a.m., Temple Israel), with a lunch at 2 p.m. at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton.
And finally … on this date in 1724, “Jesu, der du meine Seele” — one of Johan Sebastian Bach’s most famous church cantatas — was performed for the first time, in Leipzig.
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