As the news from Ukraine grows increasingly dire, the world relies on journalists and photographers to report what is happening.
Two of the best photojournalists are the New York Times’ Pulitzer Prize winners Lynsey Addario and Tyler Hicks. Both are — incredibly — Staples High School graduates, just 3 classes apart (1991 and ’88).
They’ve reported from the globe’s most dangerous spots: Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, and many more. This may be their most treacherous assignment yet.
Both are there because they want to be. But that does not make things any easier for their relatives here in Westport.
“It’s very tough,” admits Camille Addario, Lynsey’s mother. “To think that this fearless little girl has been all over the world, documenting tragedies.
“‘It’s what I do. Anything can happen anywhere,’ she always says. So I can only pray and support her, and hope that she gets home safely to her husband and 2 boys, and everyone who cares for her. The last thing she needs is guilt from her mother and sisters.”
Lauren, Lynsey, Lisa and Lesley Addario.
Lynsey FaceTimed Camille on Wednesday. She said the Times had put her up in a safe hotel.
However, Camille says, yesterday she moved to a more perilous spot.
“That’s Lynsey,” her mother says. “She’s right there.”
Camille does not watch much coverage of the conflict. Instead, she says, “I hope and pray that my mother is looking down, and has her hand on Lynsey’s shoulder. She’s always been her protector.”
Lynsey’s grandmother Louise Bonito died in November 2020 — at 107.
Louise “Nonnie” Bonito, surrounded by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Camille is in the front row, second from left.
Camille calls herself “blessed” by the support of family and friends. She has received many calls and texts. She thanks everyone for thinking of her and Lynsey.
And, she says, “like everyone, we’re just waiting for this awful thing to end.”
Waiting for trains out of the city at the main station in Kramatorsk yesterday. (Photo/Lynsey Addario for The New York Times)
Not far from Camille’s home, artist Darcy Hicks worries too. Her brother is Tyler Hicks.
“My mother, being an artist, brought me and her brother up with imagery. What you see in front of you, and how it makes you feel — that’s just true.
“So I think he and I both found ways — very different ways. — to express ourselves through imagery.
Tyler Hicks
“People are surprised when I tell them that Tyler is really not at all political, partly because he’s my brother [Darcy is active in progressive politics] and partly because he’s always covering warfare, which is of course politics.
“But he truly goes in with no preconceptions about the story he’s going to tell. He can’t go in looking for some piece of evidence that proves his point, ignoring the stuff that challenges his ideals.
“He just looks through the lens and shows us what is really going on. Imagine if we could all communicate that way. Seeing the gray, instead of finding a corner and an enemy.
“I’m very proud of him. But I will wring his neck when he gets out of there. Today, the world feels very unsustainable.”
In 2015, Camille Addario was interviewed by Time magazine about being the mother of a “war photographer.” Click here to read.)
Families boarding evacuation trains in Kramatorsk yesterday evening, bound for Kyiv and Lviv, the largest city in western Ukraine. (Photo/Tyler Hicks for New York Times)
“Can I drink if my parents are with me?” “How old were you when you started drinking?” “If pot is legal, how can it be bad?”
If you’re a Westport parent, your child may ask you those or similar questions. How would you respond?
To help frame your answers, the Westport Prevention Coalition offers “Don’t Wait.” The 52-minute short film helps parents start conversations about substance use.
It’s available free to Westporters throughout March, thanks to a grant. You can watch at home whenever it’s convenient, or join other parents for a virtual group showing. There are follow-up discussions online too.
To watch, click here, then enter promo code PD2022. To register for a group showing and/or follow-up discussion, click here.
In related news, on Thursday Positive Directions hosted a virtual discussion on “Mindful Drinking: Reimagining Our Alcohol Habits, and How They Impact Our Relationships.”
A panel — including professionals, parents, a recovering alcoholic and a Staples High School student — gave clear, honest accounts of their own experiences with drinking in Westport.
The discussion is online, and available at any time. Click here; then scroll down underneath “How Are You Coping in 2022?” to view.
The Westport Library invites artists to submit work to be featured on upcoming vinyl. It will also be sued for digital and print promotions.
Fairfield County painters, illustrators, designers, photographers, collage makers — and all other visual artists — can apply.
The competition is part of the Library’s first-of-its-kind “Verso Records Compilation, Volume 1.” The independent record will feature emerging tri-state musicians in genres from jazz and rock to folk and indie. All tracks are recorded live at the Library’s state-of-the-art Verso Studios.
The Artists Collective of Westport will oversee an independent jury committee. Among them: Neal Smith, a founding member of Alice Cooper.
Along with the honor of designing the cover, the artist chosen will receive $1,000.
12” x 12” artwork should be in TIF, JPEG, PNG or PDF format, with a minimum of 300 dpi. The Library’s art department will add text and crop materials at their discretion.
For more information, click here. The submission deadline is March 25.
Sarah Bernhard is coming to the Westport Country Playhouse.
The actress/singer author presents “Sandra Bernhard: An Evening of Comedy and Music” on Sunday, March 12 (8 p.m.). Running time is one hour; no intermission. Explicit language.
Her film credits include “The King of Comedy” with Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis, directed by Martin Scorsese. Television credits include “The Sopranos” and “The Larry Sanders Show.”
Broadway World says, “Sandra Bernhard takes no prisoners and pulls no punches. She will set the place afire with her white-hot intelligence. She is authentic, unapologetically pissed, heartbroken, and of course, hilarious.“
The acronym stands for Assisting Women with Actions, Resources and Education. Each year, members partner with a local non-profit. They volunteer with that group, organize an educational event and host a fundraiser.
Their next event is March 1 (WEST, 117 Post Road East, 7 p.m.). WEST owner Kitt Shapiro will talk about her new book, “Eartha & Me: A Daughter’s Love Story in Black and White.” It’s a memoir of growing up with her mother, Eartha Kitt.
AWARE members have been reading the book this week.
This is not a fundraiser — just a fun event with AWARE member Kitt. Plus, she’s offered 20% off merchandise to anyone that night.
PS: I’ll be introducing Kitt. I’m “aware” of what an honor that is!
Once again, Tyler Hicks has the lead photo on the front page of the New York Times.
The 1988 Staples High School graduate/Pulitzer Prize winner’s shot today shows a Ukrainian military front-line position in the eastern separatist region of Luhansk, after being hit by an overnight mortar attack. (Hat tip: Ryan Burke)
Last year, COVID forced Suzuki Music Schools’ Connecticut Guitar Festival into cyberspace.
It’s back for a 5th year March 11-13 — both live at the Westport Library, and online (free!).
The event opens with a Kickoff Concert, starring classical and jazz greatsPaul Galbraith, Adam Levin, Adam Del Monte and Leandro Pellegrino.
It continues all weekend with a guitar expo, “GuitART,” and performances and events with Similar Kind, Matt Rae, Rami Vamos, Benjamin Verdery, CGF artistic director and Grammy-nominee Mak Grgic, and many more!
For a full list of events, click here. For an overview of the festival and artists, click here.
To celebrate its 1-year anniversary, Westport-based FLB Law donated 1,200 cans of soup to the Filling in the Blanks SOUPer Bowl Food Drive. The Norwalk nonprofit provides weekend meals to needy children in Fairfield and Westchester Counties.
Other recent FLB initiatives include packing backpacks with holiday treats, toys and a dental kitfor Filling in the Blanks, and making birthday boxes for the Domestic Violence Crisis Center.
And finally … Beverly Ross died recently in Nashville. She was 87.
You may not know her name. For a while, she was one of the most successful pop and rock songwriters in America — and one of its few females.
Her short career ended when a work relationship with Phil Spector turned sour. She said that he stole a riff they were working on, then turned it into “Spanish Harlem” — which he credited to himself and Jerry Leiber. Click here for a full obituary.
When trouble erupts somewhere in the world, people flee for safety, or desperately hope to.
Tyler Hicks picks up his camera, boards a plane, and heads right there.
The 1988 Staples High School graduate has earned international renown — and many honors, including the Pulitzer Prize — with his photos from war zones, catastrophes and natural disasters. He has reported on the beauty, the people and the tragedies of Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Kenya and dozens of other spots around the globe.
Now Hicks is in Ukraine. As Russian tanks, armor and military threaten the nation, Hicks has trained his eye on the landscape and human beings behind the story.
These are from a town incongruously named “New York.” Close to the Russian front lines, it is home now to mostly older people — and a highly toxic chemical plant.
Hicks also visited Svitlodarsk in eastern Ukraine, where disputes have raged for years.
(All photos by Tyler Hicks, courtesy of The New York Times)
It’s a long way from the Westport of Tyler Hicks’ youth, to the threatened streets, woods and railroad tracks of Ukraine.
It’s easy to ignore the lives of the men, women and children there. Tyler Hicks’ photos make sure we don’t.
The Westport Fire Department wants residents to know that carbon monoxide poisoning is a winter threat.
Carbon monoxide is an invisible odorless gas that can be fatal. It forms when fuels like gasoline, natural gas, propane, wood, charcoal, and kerosene do not burn completely. Breathing carbon monoxide can deprive the body of oxygen, and may lead to illness, loss of consciousness and death.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:
Headache, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, nausea or vomiting, and loss of consciousness.
If several members of a household experience these symptoms when they are home but feel better when they are away from the home, there may be a carbon monoxide problem.
If you have symptoms:
Get out of the house immediatelyand seek medical help if you or a family member or guest has unexplained/sudden onset of symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide alarms are the only way to know if the deadly gas is present in your home. It is recommended that all residents with fuel burning appliances or indoor equipment install carbon monoxide alarms near all sleeping areas in their home to alert them of the presence of carbon monoxide. Install a carbon monoxide alarm on each floor of your home and outside of each bedroom. Install new batteries as per manufacturer’s instructions and replace alarms every five years, as the sensors degrade.
To stay safe:
Never use portable generators, charcoal or gas grills, gas or propane powered pressure washers, saws or other fuel powered equipment inside your home, garage, carport, basement, or other enclosed spaces. Opening windows and doors, and operating fans is not enough to prevent buildup of carbon monoxide in a home
Install a carbon monoxide alarm on each floor of your home & outside of each bedroom.
Make sure the exhaust pipe on your standby generator is pointing away from the house.
Place portable generators at least 20 feet from the house.
Make sure gas dryer vents and automobile tail pipes are not plugged up with snow.
Have your heating systems, chimney flues, gas appliances, wood stoves, and generators checked every year, and cleaned and serviced as needed by qualified heating/appliance contractors.
There are many ways to illustrate the current tensions in Ukraine.
Staples High School 1988 graduate/Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times photographer Tyler Hicks did it with a unique shot of Ukrainian soldiers jumping into a cross made out of ice, near the Russian front — a tradition in that country.
The image was the lead one today, on page 1 of the Times. (Hat tip: John Karrel)
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Congratulations to the Staples High School boys ice hockey team. The Wreckers beat Norwalk-McMahon 4-2 in the 3rd annual Dale Wemhoff Cup. Wehmhoff attended Westport schools and was the assistant hockey coach at Staples before taking over the Norwalk program. (Hat tip: Hannah Kail)
Staples High School ice hockey team.
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There’s (almost) always something going on at Local to Market. Mark these dates, for the popular food-and-more store on Main Street next to Parker Harding Plaza.
Tomorrow (Saturday, January 22, 2 to 4 p.m.): Maria from Fairfield’s Bee Love Project offers tastings, suggests pairings and presents insights into the world of honey bees.
Two days before Valentine’s (Saturday, February 12, time TBD), Samantha from Locavore Kitchens in Westport talks about her rosemary glazed shortbread cookies (and more).
Go for the local food stars. Stay for the samples?
And finally … 2 recent deaths with local connections.
Meat Loaf died yesterday, at 74 (or so — read full obituary here). The larger-than-life ’70s singer would of course be commemorated here no matter where he lived.
But for a while he was a Westport resident. He played softball on Sunday mornings at Compo Beach, coached his daughter’s softball team, hung out on Terry and Gail Coen’s very visible Soundview Drive front deck, and was a cheerful, popular presence in town. Everyone of a certain age has a Meat Loaf story from those days.
And Fred Parris, co-founder of the Five Satins and writer of “In the Still of the Night,” died recently after a brief illness. He was 85.
The New Haven native wrote the song while on guard duty with the Army in Philadelphia. His group recorded it “in a makeshift studio in the basement of St. Bernadette Roman Catholic Church in New Haven on February 19, 1956,” the New Haven Register says. Click here for the full obituary. (Hat tip: Audrey Rabinowitz)
SIR Development’s Rob Haroun responds to yesterday’s photo of trees that were recently cut on Hideaway Lane, off Hillspoint Road. He says:
“The 7 or 8 trees, most of which are on town property as shown in the Google Earth photo and acknowledged by the Westport tree warden, were all posted for removal. No one objected.
“After the requisite period of time and with permission from the tree warden, the trees were removed, some by the town. This was due to the extreme hazard to walkers and vehicles and the lack of maintenance over many years both by the town and the prior owner of 149 Hillspoint.
“The Google Earth photo (below) shows how the trees in the background leaned perilously over Hillspoint Road. Even though most of them were town trees, the tree warden requires replacement trees, from the town-approved list, which will be planted in the fall.
“Additionally, the ‘after’ photo (below) was not taken from the same vantage point as the Google Earth photo, as it does not show the remaining trees on both the left and right sides of Hideaway Lane.”
It’s hardly a surprise that Tyler Hicks and Lynsey Addario — Staples High School’s 2 Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers — have images in this year’s “Year in Pictures” supplement.
Tyler’s was taken on July 12 in Herat, Afghanistan.
(Photo/Tyler Hicks for New York Times)
Tyler says: “This photograph was taken at a checkpoint where Afghan police were inspecting vehicles arriving from nearby Taliban controlled villages. As cars were stopped and checked I turned and saw that a family who was fleeing that area was packed into a car with a girl looking out the back window, back toward where they had come from. I could see the concern in her face and to me that’s what stood out about this moment.
“Although only one person is seen in this photograph, her face says everything about what was soon to come. You can always tell what’s coming by the mood of the population. There was an urgency among the people that was obvious. This is when it became clear to me that there would be no turning back the events that followed.”
Lynsey’s photo was shot on October 26 in Paliau, South Sudan.
(Photo/Lynsey Addario for New York times)
She says: “I was traveling with UNICEF through this very flooded area of South Sudan. It was the first time people had been given masks and they were trying them on. There is so much flooding, malaria, hunger. Covid is not first and foremost on peoples’ minds.”
Congratulations to Tyler and Lynsey, on their superb images. Let’s hope they’ll be able to capture more pleasant and peaceful scenes for the 2022 Year in Pictures.
If you’re heading to tonight’s Christmas Eve services at Greens Farms Church: you’ll need to register in advance (click here). COVID restrictions will keep each service — at 4:30, 6 and 9 p.m. — below the 180-seat meetinghouse capacity.
Each service will last about 30 minutes, and include opportunities for participation by children. All services feature candlelight, too.
Masks are required in the meetinghouse. Congregants are asked to arrive early, for check-in.
Greens Farms Congregational Church (Photo/Candace Dohn Banks)
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Dozens of Westporters took time from hectic last-minute shopping yesterday, to contribute toys, books, coats and fundsto OneWestport’s collection. All donations will be given to Person to Person, the Fairfield County organization serving needing families.
James Dobin-Smith — founder of Staples High School’s OneWestport Club — says, “We were overwhelmed by how many people showed up. A 1st grader named George Gitto used the allowance he had saved up for months to buy picture books to donate from Barnes & Noble. We even got a cash donation from England!
“Thank you, everyone. We can’t wait to deliver the gifts on Christmas Eve!”
Congratulations to club members Dobin Smith, Caroline Caggiano, Isabelle Ormsby, Ian Patton, Cooper Sadler and Melanie Stanger.
OneWestport Club members with donations (from left): Melanie Stanger (with the two stuffed animals) and Ian Patton, Isabelle Ormsby, Cooper Sadler & me. Caroline Caggiano also volunteered but isn’t pictured.
More than 55 years after graduating from Staples, Rob Carlson still writes and records music. He’s better than ever. And he’s doing it with great local talent.
His latest effort was assembled over the last 3 years. With some new and some new recordings of older songs, it’s called simply “Rob Carlson.” It’s typically eclectic: folk, rock, jazz, pop, Americana, R&B, comedy and reggae.
COVID enabled Rob to record with other non-gigging greats like Westport session guitarist Jeff Southworth, jazz keyboardist Chris Coogan, and old friends like Jon Gailmor.
Yes — the legendary Carlson & Gailmor duo, whose long-out-of-print Polydor record is one of the all-time, hard-to-believe-it-never-made-it great records — is back together for a bit.
“Rob Carlson” is on Spotify, YouTube and other streaming services. The CD or tracks can be bought at Rob’s Online Store, or downloaded from Bandcamp.com. Find out more about the songs and artists by clicking here.
This month, the Greens Farms Garden Club’s annual wreath-making workshop and lunch was special. They surprised long-time member Mary Lou McGuire with a Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut life membership.
She was cited for her many years of service, depth of experience, and breadth of talents in chairing and serving on almost all positions in the club.
All wreaths made by club members were donated to local non-profit groups.
Greens Farms Garden Club past [resident Ann Watkins, current president Kathy Mitchell, and Mary Lou McGuire
Friends and relatives of Kuti Zeeva gathered last Sunday for a memorial soccer game, at PJ Romano Field.
Zeevi — a stalwart member of the Late Knights men’s soccer team, and a popular jeweler in town — was killed 10 years ago this month, in a robbery at his Compo Shopping Center store.
Regular and former players joined younger ones — including Kuti’s 10-year-old grandson — for soccer and stories. He lives on in the hearts of many. (Hat tip: Alex Anvari)
And finally … if you never heard Carlson & Gailmor sing together in their all-too-brief heyday time together after Staples, you missed some beautiful music.
Here — thanks to the magic of the interwebs — they live again.
Today’s arresting New York Times Magazine cover photograph is by Pulitzer Prize winning (and 1988 Staples High School graduate Tyler Hicks.
The Contributors’ page explains that the photography for the story — on sharks and Cape Cod — was shot over the course of 3 months. Luckily, it says, both Hicks and the author “are men of the ocean and have plenty of boating experience. They were still at the mercy of nature, with the weather and an unpredictable predator to cover. But they also had technology to deal with. Drone batteries run out very quickly.” (Hat tip: John Karrel)
The noted artist is relocating to Florida, for her husband’s job. Her current Newtown Roux Gallery show, “Dreamweaves,” closes Tuesday.
Today, she hosts a reception there (14 Elm Street, 2nd floor, 3 to 5 p.m.). Share a glass of bubbly, and thank her for all she’s done for our artistic community.
Rowene Weems attended yesterday’s OAKtober/Halloween celebration on Jesup Green. She reports: “Lots of costumes, young and old. Earthplace brought a snake and a bat. There were 50 pumpkins to decorate. We got an oak tree too!”
The event was sponsored by Westport Book Shop, Earthplace and the Westport Tree Board.
It’s bad enough when traffic for the Starbucks drive-thru backs up on the Post Road, coming from the west (downtown).
But yesterday, this very entitled driver coming from the other direction decided his (or her) Trenti iced coffee, 12 pumps [sugar-free] vanilla, 12 pumps [sugar-free] hazelnut, 12 pumps [sugar-free] caramel, 5 pumps skinny mocha, a splash of soy, coffee to the star on the siren’s head, ice, double-blended drink could not wait.
Hey … why park and go inside, when I can block one lane of traffic on Westport’s main thoroughfare, right? I’m thirsty!
“06880” does not post most “ranking” stories (Best Beach Towns in America, etc.). The criteria are random, the headlines are often clickbait, and — particularly with education — if, say, our school district is #1 one year and #2 the next, Westporters demand to know “What happened?!”
So this story is not about Niche’s ranking of Staples as the #1 school in Connecticut — for the 3rd year in a row.
Instead, it’s about the Channel 8 news report about that honor. Click here to learn more, from (very proud) principal Stafford Thomas.
Screenshot of Staples principal Stafford Thomas, on Channel 8’s “What’s Right With our Schools” feature.
As the US withdraws from Afghanistan, the New York Times looks back on Tyler Hicks’ 2 decades of chronicling life and death in that faraway land.
The 1988 Staples High School graduate/Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer arrived there soon after the October 7, 2001 invasion — 20 years ago today. One of the first sights he saw was the execution of a Taliban fighter.
His most recent assignment, in July, was near Bagram Air Base — the same spot he saw that harrowing first scene.
Click here for today’s Times retrospective of Hicks’ haunting photos. (Hat tip: Gil Ghitelman)
In 2001, Northern Alliance fighters dragged a wounded Taliban fighter out of a ditch. They shot him dead. (Photo/Tyler Hicks for New York Times)
When COVID put the kibosh on after-school activities, Jordan Razza created her own.
She arranged classes for her daughters Daisy and Ainsley, and 2 other Westport youngsters, with children’s book author Jacky LaMenzo.
She lives in Massachusetts, but no matter. This was COVID; classes were held via Zoom, on Tuesday evenings.
This was more than just “how-to.” LaMenzo emphasized “do it!”
Brainstorming ideas was key. Daisy — now a 7th grader at Coleytown Middle School — wanted to write about LGBTQ people.
Ainsley — a Coleytown Elementary 5th grader — loves alligators, crocodiles and frogs. She focused on an alligator who makes friends.
Both girls honed in on the theme of acceptance. Now, both are now published authors.
Daisy’s book is “My Colors.” It’s illustrated with her own digital art.
Ainsley wrote “Outcast.” Her drawings are freehand.
The books are available on Amazon. Part of the proceeds go to a literary charity.
The girls are interested in many things. Daisy does gymnastics, the school play and swimming. She’s also in CMS’ Pride Club. Ainsley enjoys synchronized swimming and art. Both continue to write.
The Razzas may not be Westport’s newest authors. But they definitely are our youngest!
“When Caged Birds Sing” — a teaching exhibition created by Westport artist Ann Weiner — opens to the public on October 29. An opening reception is October 28 (6 to 8 p.m.).
The exhibit features 8 life-size sculptures representing women’s rights activists who suffered and survived abuse because of their gender, yet continue to advocate for the rights of others at risk.
Weiner’s work shines a spotlight on sex trafficking, kidnapping, transphobia, female genital mutilation, honor killings, domestic abuse, the conversion of kidnapped girls into sex slaves and killers by rebel armies, merciless Taliban law and transphobia.
Visitors are invited to write stories, experiences or feelings on pieces of paper that will then be folded into the origami shape of a bird and placed in a bird cage, for release later. A 45-minute documentary about the women featured in the exhibition will also be shown.
The Tailored Home is known for its custom furniture, window treatments, accessories, reupholstery, refinishing and design services. It’s a great place, and it knows its Fairfield County clientele.
But last night the Sconset Square store sponsored a funk band. It was something different, for sure.
For 10 years, Voices Cafe at the Westport Unitarian Church has featured great folk music. Peter Yarrow, Paul Winter and Suzanne Sheridan have performed there; Brother Sun chose it their final concert. Many events support social justice causes.
Voices Cafe begins its 2nd decade on Sunday, October 24 (7:30 p.m.). with double bill: Newtown-born Sawyer Fredericks (winner of The Voice’s season 8) and The Accidentals, a powerful female-led indie rock and punk folk band.
The concert will be both in-person at the church, and livestreamed. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Sorelle Gallery’s final exhibition of 2021 features abstract artist Ned Martin. Beginning Saturday (October 9). Light refreshments will be served in the Bedford Square spce.
Martin’s work includes birds, female portraiture, natural forest-scapes, and pure abstraction.
James Goodenough died peacefully at his Westport home on September 29, surrounded by Gloria, his wife of 73 years, and his 4 children. He was 95 years old.
He was born in New Haven to Dr. Erwin Ramsdell Goodenough, a professor at Yale University, and Helen Miriam Lewis. Jim graduated from Yale University.
In 1954 Jim and Gloria moved to Westport. He worked at a specialized business magazine company, Cleworth Publishing, rising to publisher of several magazines, then vice president and treasurer.
Jim was a man of consummate integrity, wisdom and humbleness. He is survived by his wife Gloria; children Sandra, Janice, Andrew and Elizabeth; 6 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, and his brother John B. Goodenough, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry last year for his work on the lithium ion battery.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, October 17 (2 p.m., Saugatuck Congregational Church). Memorial donations are suggested to Saugatuck Church or Westminster School in Simsbury.
In our never-ending quest to feature every living thing possible, “Westport … Naturally” today turns to termites.
Susan Garment writes: “I came across this swarm of termites in a tree on my yard. I called several exterminators and sent them this picture. They became extremely excited, because they had never seen anything like it. They wanted to send the picture to the Connecticut Department of Entomology.
“We removed the tree. Fortunately, none of the termites migrated to my house.”
And finally … the next MoCA exhibition — “When Caged Birds Sing” (see above) — reminded me of this seriously underrated Beatles song. Sure, there’s no connection between the tune and the Maya Angelou-inspired museum title, other than the bird theme. But I love this track:
Comments Off on Roundup: Staples #1, Tyler Hicks, Young Authors, MoCA Show …
Friday is October 1. Which means that Fido — and all his 4-legged friends — will once again be allowed at Compo Beach.
For the next 6 months, they can enjoy the off-leash area (south of the pavilion, including South Beach), and the leashed area north of that. They’re prohibited from the pavilion, playground and walkways.
It goes without saying, but Parks & Rec says it anyway: Pick up all poop.
Tyler Hicks is an internationally known New York Times photographer. Fittingly, he just won (another) international prize.
The Staples High School Class of 1988 graduate (and 2-time Pulitzer Prize winner) captured the 2021 Visa d’Or Award for Best Digital News Story. He won for his COVID coverage on the Amazon River.
Hicks spent over a month last summer traveling on a riverboat with health workers, entering villages where the dead were uncountable.
The Visa d’Or international news photography awards are presented in Perpignan, France, after a series of jury reviews.
This is Hicks’ second Visa d’Or News Award. He won in 2014 for his coverage of the Westgate Mall massacre in Nairobi, Kenya.
Click here to see his prize-winning Brazil photos.
COVID in the Amazon (Photo/Tyler Hicks for New York Times)
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The Westport Library’s Fall Book Sale returns — live and in person — Friday, October 8 through Monday, October 11.
Thousands of “gently used books” include dozens of categories. A few examples: children’s, literature and classics, fiction, mysteries, sci-fi, fantasy, art, photography, history, math, science, psychology, religion, biography, business, cooking, gardening, performing arts, travel, foreign language and antiquarian. Tons of DVDs, CDs and vinyl records will be available too.
Everything Sunday (October 10) is half-price. On Monday (October 11), you can fill a bag for just $5.
Early bird admission on Friday (October 8, 8 a.m.) is through a pre-paid $15 ticket. It’s sold online only; click here. For more information about the Book Sale itself, click here. To help, email volunteers@westportbooksales.org.
After that, you can cruise over to the Westport Police Benevolent Association’s 3rd annual Car Cruise (Saturday, October 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Westport train station Lot #1.
Cars of all years, makes and models are welcome. The fee to enter and display a car is $20. The first 100 cars to arrive will receive a gift bag.
The family-friendly event includes music, food, trophies and raffles.
Carly Novick Ridloff’s 1st “Sip, Shop, Swap” clothing exchange was a hit.
So she’s doing it again. The socially conscious (and very social) way to get rid of (and find) gently used clothes takes place October 28 (12 to 4 p.m., 82 Roseville Road).
A portion of the proceeds goes to Sustainable Westport. For more information, email carlyridloff18@gmail.com or search on social media: @the.exchangeproject.
There’s something for everyone at this Sunday’s “Smart Walk for Smart Kids with LD” (October 3, 12 p.m., Sherwood Island State Park).
In addition to crafts, games, ice cream, music and tai chi, Piglet — the blind, deaf, pink dog with the positive attitude — will make an appearance. And Stephanie Bass will sign copies of her book of pandemic signs, Driveway Showcase.
Last week’s “Unsung Heroes” honored Rosie and Lou, 2 post office employees who always go above and beyond.
We should also note E.J Butner III. The long-time Westport USPS employee retires this week, after many years of loyal service
His family has a long postal history. His grandfather, Edward J. Butner, served as postmaster at the previous Post Road location (now Design Within Reach). (Hat tip: Pam Jones)
Child’s Pose Yoga helps youngsters connect their bodies, minds and health. To help, they’re partnering with “mindful expert” Denise Zack on a workshop: “Setting Your Child up for Success with Mindful Skills.”
The goal is to help children develop emotional resilience. Parents will learn specific, useful strategies.
It’s October 8 (10 a.m., 8 Church Street South).
Tickets are $40 each. Registration is required; DM @childsposewestport.
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Meanwhile, look what crawled up Molly Alger’s window the other day. It posed long enough to be our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
And finally … on this day in 1836, Thomas Crapper was born. The English plumber held 9 patents, including the ballcock, leading to the invention of modern plumbing. [Insert your own juvenile joke here.]
What’s better than one gelato shop opening on Main Street?
Two.
Hot on the heels of news of Cold Fusion moving into the former Papaya Papyrus space next to Chase Bank in May, a sign in what was once Lucky Brand — across the street, and closer to the Post Road — announced the arrival “soon” of La Fenice.
Like its sister locations in Greenwich and Rye, it will serve gelato, crepes, pastries and coffee. Click below for a look at the Rye shop:
It’s not quite like the days when there was a frozen yogurt store on every Westport corner.
It’s not just New York Times readers who appreciate Tyler Hicks’ work.
The 1988 Staples High School graduate just won 1st place in a new category — COVID-19 coverage — from Pictures of the Year International. It’s the oldest and most prestigious photojournalism program and competition in the world. This year’s awards were the 78th annual.
MoCA Westport and Up|Next Teens are partnering to present a Winter Lights Festival at MoCA. It’s set for this 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.
The Fairfield County Directory — the “Yellow Pages” that is dumped in driveways and by mailboxes — will be distributed between February 25 and April 13.
The Selectmen’s Office says that residents with questions or concerns regarding the distribution of the directory should e-mail RealYPResolutions@thryv.com.
You may request directories or opt-out of future phone book deliveries by clicking here or here.
Let’s hope that works better than the national Do Not Call Registry.
And finally … Today is the 41st anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice.” The US Olympic men’s hockey team came from behind to beat the overwhelmingly favored Soviet team 4-3, at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. Al Michaels memorialized the moment on ABC: “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!!!!!”
That game was not, however, the final. Two days later the Americans clinched gold, with a win over Finland.
Westport connection: After a disappointing NHL career, goaltender Jim Craig worked for a marketing firm on Riverside Avenue.
Some Westporters have been alarmed at the number of dead bunker washing up on the shores of the Saugatuck River, Compo and Old Mill Beaches and Sherwood Mill Pond.
Other Westporters say, “no big deal. Happens every year.”
Longtime Old Mill resident Don Bergmann sends along info — passed to him by town conservation director Alicia Mozian and compliance officer Gillian Carroll — that explains a lot about the phenomenon.
Bottom line: “This year, higher than usual numbers of the fish congregated in the Sound, and they missed their cue to start heading south because the water in the sound stayed warm into the fall. As the water temperature dropped in October and November, the supply of algae and plankton for bunker to eat diminished, leaving the fish hungry and cold and causing a small percentage to die and wash ashore.”
The good news: There are plenty of healthy, live bunker in our waters.
Click here to read the full report, in the CT Examiner. It’s fascinating!
On Sunday, the New York Times published its annual “Year in Pictures” section.
It’s not complete without a contribution from a Westport photographer.
This one comes from Tyler Hicks. The Pulitzer Prize-winning 1988 Staples High School graduate captured the COVID pandemic in Manaus, Brazil, with a poignantly colorful shot, from high above, of newly dug graves. Up to 100 people died each day in the Amazon’s biggest city.
“Trees and brush were cleared to create more space for caskets as the death toll rose,” Hicks wrote.
“Private grave sites gave way to long trenches dug with earth-moving equipment.”
May 25, 2020, Manaus, Brazil (Tyler Hicks, for the New York Times)
No one likes deer in their yard. Except for these 2 on Soundview. They’re okay.
To qualify you must make below 60% of the median income ($72,394 for a family of 4).
Westport residents can call 203-384-6904 to apply. Residents in other Connecticut towns should call 1-800-842-1132.
For a month or so now, night after night, people all over town have heard tremendous BOOMS!
From Old Hill to Greens Farms, they awaken Westporters. They come in waves. They’re annoying — and very, very loud.
According to the best guesses on social media, they’re the result of some guy (it can’t be a woman) in a souped-up car engineered to piss people off. If that’s true, he’s succeeding.
And if not — well, what are those sonic blasts, anyway?
And finally … there’s lots o’ Christmas music in the air. But this song seems to have dropped out of the rotation.
What a shame. It’s a classic. It’s fun. And the message is timeless.
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