Back in June of 2017, “06880” introduced a new feature.
“Unsung Heroes” pledged to honor “amazing people who never get shout-outs.”
I explained: “Store clerks, bank tellers, baristas. Cleaning ladies, volunteers, neighbors. Their list is probably a lot longer than the one of all the great men and women everyone always thanks.”
Every Wednesday, I said, “our unsung heroes will have their praises sung.”
Our inaugural Unsung Hero — the very first of 396 (and counting) — was Trudy Lynch.
Alert — and grateful — “06880” reader Chris Swan nominated her. He said:
Trudy Lynch has been our USPS carrier for many years. But since I retired 4 years ago, I’ve gotten to know her very well.
Though morale at the Post Office seems to have gotten very low, Trudy always smiles and tries to raise her coworkers’ spirits.
Trudy Lynch and Chris Swan.
She often stops her truck and walks up to drop off mail, as opposed to stuffing it in the box on the street. She is not your typical government employee.
Just today, she delivered (another) Amazon box. Her smile was so contagious, she gave us a real lift.
My wife Carol wondered how many people actually know their carrier’s name?
So we took her picture to send your way in recognition of this terrific employee, serving our community tirelessly day in and out.
In the 8 years since, Chris and Carol moved away. They moved back. (Unfortunately, not on Trudy’s route.)
Through it all — during good weather and bad, COVID and recovery, an influx of residents, and an increase in traffic and rude drivers — Trudy kept delivering mail. She kept inspiring her coworkers and mail customers. She kept smiling.
But to everything there is a season. Trudy is now looking forward to a new one.
She’s retiring from the US Postal Service. But her many friends along her route did not let her go without a sendoff.
On Thursday — her last day — they decorated their mailboxes, in a Trudy tribute.
Two of the many mailboxes decorated to honor Trudy Lynch … (Photo/Mikayla Doyle)
“We have become so close with Trudy over the years. Obviously, she made an incredible impression on so many people along her route,” says Mikayla Doyle, who let “06880” know about this moment.
“We are all sad to see her go. We will miss her beautiful smile, but are excited for her new journey. Happy days, Trudy!”
… and one more. (Photo/Mike Hibbard)
The retirement of a postal carrier is normally not Big News.
Yet people like Trudy are special. They make the rest of us feel better, about ourselves and the world.
News does not always have to be big. Sometimes, it’s the little news that’s most important.
So today, “06880” looks back fondly — and with renewed appreciation — at our very first Unsung Hero.
The fact that today is Labor Day — a holiday we’ve come to see as just nice time off, rather than a time to honor all the workers who make our world go ’round — is just icing on Trudy’s retirement cake.
Optimum’s outage last night — affecting thousands of customers in the tri-state area — had many Westporters fuming.
And not just at the lack of internet and TV service.
Calls to the company went unanswered.
Some users heard a recording that they were experiencing a “higher than average” volume “due to the COVID pandemic.”
One caller — okay, I — heard the spectacularly unhelpful suggestion to go online, at Optimum.net.
Service has now been restored. Let’s hope their call volume is down too.
Even with everyone stuck at home, because of the pandemic.
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Westporters love our US Postal Service clerks.
From time to time, we give shout-outs to extra-special efforts. Here’s one more, from Karen Como:
“On Friday, Ruben went above and beyond for me.
“I had to return a skirt to a fly-by-night company. He found the smallest (least expensive) envelope. He folded the skirt for me, put it in the envelope, helped me attach the address with his tape, and found me the cheapest way to send it.
“Then he advised me to call my credit card company to report what I feel is a scam.
Hot on the heels of the rescue of 5 kittens from a Post Road East storm drain, comes another animal-saving story.
Once again, the Westport Fire Department and Animal Control played big roles.
Larry Hoy reports: “Yesterday morning, my son Colin Hoy and his girlfriend Zoe spotted 4 little feet hanging from the storm drain grate on Quentin Road, next to Gray’s Creek.
Trapped raccoon …
“They realized the tide would soon rise, and drown the little feller.
“Quick action by Westport’s Bravest freed the little varmint. Then Animal Control came to insure its safety.”
Well done, Colin, Zoe, the WFD and Animal Control!
… and the “grate” rescue. (Photos courtesy of Larry Hoy)
Gabriella S. Izzo died peacefully at her Westport home on Sunday. She was 87.
The native of Ielsi, Campobasso, Italy came to the US with her family in 1947. She was educated in Norwalk, and graduated from cosmetology school. She was a hairdresser in Darien for over 50 years, until her retirement in 2020.
Gabriella was a talented chef, and gave home-grown grape jelly, fresh tomato sauce, homemade sausage, Christmas cookies and Easter pies to family, friends, co-workers and cherished clients.
She honored Ielsi by cooking and baking traditional recipes for special holidays. As a longtime member of Assumption Church, she volunteered for many years. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters until it disbanded.
Gabriella was predeceased by her husband of 57 years, Joseph, and brother Nicholas Testa. She is survived by her daughter Lisa (George) Stanton of Westport, son Joseph (Jennifer) of Wilmington, North Carolina, and daughter Felicia (David) Smith, of Westport; grandchildren Melissa (Edward) Carter, Jeffrey Stanton, and Timothy and Kevin Izzo, and many nieces and nephews.
Calling hours are tomorrow (Wednesday, September 4, 5 to 8 p.m., Harding Funeral Home). A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at Assumption Church at 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 5. Interment will follow at Willowbrook Cemetery.
Condolences may be left online at www.hardingfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Gabriella’s name to Assumption Church.
Gabriella Izzo
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Don’t call them “birdbrains.”
Every spring, for years, birds know to return to the same spot at the Playhouse Condominiums.
There — atop a fire alarm, underneath the protected parking garage — they build their nest.
The mother sits on the eggs. Eventually, they hatch.
They hang out for a couple of months, doing whatever birds do all day.
At night, they sleep.
And next spring, the baby will return to do it all over again.
And finally … as soon as you saw the raccoon rescue story (above), you knew this was coming:
(Some Levitt Pavilion shows are free. Well, ALL “06880” content is. But we couldn’t do this without contributions from readers like you. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Speaking of the Festival of Lights: The Schneerson Center for Jewish Life sponsors community menorah lighting celebrations in Westport and Weston.
The “original Westport menorah” at Compo Acres Shopping Center (Trader Joe’s/Wells Fargo parking lot) — now in its 16th year — will be lit Monday (December 11, 7 p.m.).
The day before (Sunday, December 10, 5:30 p.m.), a menorah will be lit at the Weston Shopping Center. It continues a tradition begun 20 years ago.
Both ceremonies include music, cookies, gelt and dreidels.
Westport Scout Troop is selling wreaths as a fundraiser this weekend (Saturday and Sunday, December 9-10, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., while supplies last; Saugatuck Congregational Church).
Wreaths are $30 and $45. Baked goods and hot cocoa are available too.
Funds will help projects, like the recent construction of lanternfly traps for Sherwood Island State Park. The troop also partners with Sustainable Westport each year, for a mattress recycling drive.
Everyone should be mailing gifts and cards like crazy.
But — astonishingly — this was the scene at noon yesterday, in the post office lobby:
(Photo/Dan Woog)
Come on, Westport! This is show time for our postal clerks.
It’s when they shine: helping with packages, dispensing advice, tossing all your stuff into the back to be whisked away — all with the efficiency of a thousand Rudolphs.
Our great US Postal Service men and women are ready to serve you. Give ’em the business!
With leaves off the trees, and leaf pick-up by the town almost complete, the trash that litters our town has become quite visible.
Andrew Colabella, and his faithful crew of garbage pickers, come to the rescue.
And anyone can join.
After a successful spring, they’re starting again this Sunday. Everyone is invited to meet at 10 a.m. this Sunday (December 10), at the transfer station on the Sherwood Island Connector. They’ll work throughout the Greens Farms neighborhood.
Volunteers should wear boots, bring gloves and trash bags — and dress warmly.
For questions, or to be added to the email list, write acolabellartm4@gmail.com.
Andrew Colabella (center, front) and friends, picking up trash at the Westport train station last winter.
Westport Police made 1 custodial arrest between November 29 and December 6.
A man was charged with assault, unlawful restraint, interfering with an emergency call, larceny, sale of narcotics, possession of cannabis greater than 1.5 ounces, illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, and criminal possession of a firearm.
The charges came after police responded to a report of domestic violence in a vehicle on the Sherwood Island Connector. After the assault, the man refused to let the victim leave, and prevented a 911 call.
The suspect left the area on foot. Officers located him in a vehicle traveling the wrong way on the I-95 northbound exit ramp, and initiated a traffic stop.
Westport Police also issues these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 12 citations
Failure to obey stop sign: 4
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 3
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 2
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 2
Distracted driving: 1
Following too closely: 1
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 1
Failure to renew registration: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1.
A handgun was found, following a report of domestic violence.
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Speaking of crime:
Scooter Swanson — editor, and nephew of the TV dinner magnate — says his mail carrier tells him that leaving cash in the mailbox as a holiday gift (whether in an envelope or not) is subject to theft.
The carrier claims that UPS, FedEx and Amazon drivers yank out the cash cards intended for him and other US Postal Service colleagues. (This has not been verified.)
Swanson was ripped off of a $10,000 check for his credit card when it was robbed by a “correctional officer” making his nightly tour of mailboxes through neighborhoods.
Fortunately, People’s Bank reimbursed him for his loss. The Hartford also considered it personal property, and reimbursed him another $10,000.
PS: Swanson was once a federal attorney.
Think twice about leaving holiday cash for your mail carrier inside your mailbox.
Music is everywhere — including, often, the Westport Library.
On December 12 (7 p.m.), a multi-media presentation tracks the impact of music on a variety of art forms, in a range of venues.
Speaker John Brandt — a dancer, singer, actor, percussionist, PR consultant and lifelong Westporter — will highlight how music is “the soundtrack of our lives.”
The event — sponsored by the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston — is free, but registration is required (click here). For further information, email jkbrandt@aol.com or call 203-246-6280.
John Brandt
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Speaking of the Library:
The second of 3 “Short Cuts Film Festival” showings is next Thursday (December 14, 7 p.m.).
Documentaries selected from the Tribeca Film Festival include:
“Then Comes the Body” by Jacob Krupnick: An unlikely ballet school outside Lagos, Nigeria, gains national attention after a video of students dancing in the rain goes viral.
“In Her Element” by Idil Ibrahim: Hip-hop artist Daisha McBride takes the traditional rock and country audience in New Orleans by storm.
“Team Dream” by Luchina Fisher: Determined friends and competitive swimmers journey to the National Senior Games.
“Deciding Vote” by Jeremy Workman & Robert J. Lyons: Fifty years ago, a now-forgotten New York assemblyman cast single tiebreaking vote that legalized abortion in New York, and la the groundwork for Roe v. Wade.
After the screenings, “Team Dream” director Fisher will discuss her film, and documentary filmmaking in general.
Short Cuts Film Festival concludes on January 18, with a program of narrative shorts.
Tickets are $26.50; click here to purchase. Films are suitable for ages 12 and up. Refreshments and popcorn will be provided.
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Mark Yurkiw — whose work has lately been heavily influenced by his Ukrainian heritage — is December’s guest exhibitor, at the Westport Book Shop.
His exhibit — “Art is Always of Its Time” — includes 12 illuminated works using large-format film transparencies of 3-D images of the 1980s and ’90s.
Yurkiw is an artist, sculptor, filmmaker, scientist, designer, creative director and consultant. His work appears in magazines, advertising, television, feature films, exhibitions and public art. It has been exhibited globally, including most recently as part of a 2-man United Nations exhibit.
A reception for Yurkiw will be held December 14 (6 to 7:30 p.m.). Reserve a spot by phone (203-349-5141) or email: bookshop@westportbooksaleventures.org.
Yurkiw’s art is on exhibit through December 31. All work is available for purchase.
The Weston Weston Family YMCA’s Bedford Family Social Responsibility Fund honors its 2023 grant recipients at 5 p.m. next Tuesday (December 12) at the Y.
This year, the Fund will award $315,000 in grants to 31 organizations throughout Fairfield County. Their programs support equitable educational programs for students.
If you’ve been to the Westport Post Office any time since the Reagan administration, you know Lou Kish.
You may not know his name. But you know his great smile, his friendly demeanor, and his solve-any-problem service.
Mary Lou Roels — one of his many grateful customers — writes:
“Do any of your articles contain anything liquid, fragile, perishable or hazardous like batteries, perfume or aerosol?”
Lou Kish, Westport postal clerk. hammers out those exact words no fewer than 50 times a day.
Yesterday — October 31 — was the last time he recited that line.
Lou is retiring after 39 years and 6 months, working for the Westport Postal Service.
He glances at the clock. “Five more hours.” he says. “Is it bad I keep looking at the clock?” He smiles, looks up. “Next?”
Lou Kish yesterday — his last day at work.
I asked about the postal service, and what it meant to him to be in a job for over 39 years.
“I had a job,” he said. “But I applied anyway. I liked the idea of the benefits. In fact, it was a pay cut. But in the long run, the benefits outweighed that pay cut.
“There were several tests to take — clerk, truck driver, carrier. I took all of them. The first to call was the position of clerk, I guess I did the best on that test. Here I am, 39 years later. I started February 1984.”
The post office has changed considerably. The Westport Postal Service used to be located at 154 Post Road. Built in 1935 with federal Treasury Department funds, it was designed by Lansing Holden, a World War I flying ace who won the Distinguished Service Cross.
In 2011 the post office building was sold to a real estate company. It housed a restaurant. Today it is Design within Reach.
Westport Post Office, on the Post Road.
“That was a beautiful building,” Lou says. “Soaring cathedral ceilings, but back then, there were 60 of us sorting mail. Today….” he turns to a co-clerk. “How many people are working here?”
Jay counts on his fingers while naming everyone: 10. Lou turns to me, “10 of us. Soon to be 9, in 4 hours, 30 minutes,” he smiles again.
I pressed him to tell me stories of the things he’s seen in the past 39+ years. He says, “ya know, funny story. Years ago, someone shipped crickets for their pet lizard or snake – well, they all got out. Chirp- chirp- chirp……oh my gosh. Crickets everywhere. But when you turned the light on, there’d be silence……we must have heard chirping for months. It was something.” “
Another story: “I wasn’t here when this package arrived on the weekend, but I came in on a Monday morning and it smelled so bad in the place. I mean awful. I thought a rodent died in here.
“It was definitely one of the packages- just didn’t know which one. So here I am going through each box, smelling each one — not that one, nope not that one. I’m getting closer though!
“Finally, I find it – it was terrible! I open the door, put that package outside, call the recipient – it was a package from South Korea. Have you ever smelled kimchi?” Kimchi is a mix of pickled and fermented vegetables, generally cabbage, carrots, radish, cucumber, scallions with garlic, ginger and fish sauce. “Oh that was bad.”
I asked what he’ll miss. As he’s getting ready to tell me, one of his longtime peers, a carrier named Nancy, walks up to offer him a farewell congratulations.
She has been a carrier for the post office for 37 years. “You’re next,” Lou points out. There’s a camaraderie here we just don’t see in company culture any longer.
Lou looks up. “I’ve really loved my work, my job. The people. You know, people come here, they expect service. I like good service, I like to give good service. t’s been so nice working here with everyone.”
As for his plans post-retirement: “My dad is still around. He lives in Florida and is 93. I’ll probably see him. Do some traveling. Go to St. John’s, St. Thomas. I’d like to cook more.”
He looks up to see two more people in line “Next? Anything liquid, fragile, perishable, hazardous?….”
He looks at me and smiles “4 more hours…..”
Happy retirement, Lou Kish! Thank you for your dedication and service. You will be missed!
There’s a job opening. To apply to the US Postal Service, click here.
Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email 06880blog@gmail.com
(If you enjoy our Unsung Hero feature — or anything else “06880”-related — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
“06880” has warned of checks being taken from private mailboxes — and from legit blue post office boxes, near places like the UPS Store.
But now the thieves are even more brazen. Bruce Schneider writes:
“Yesterday morning, I dropped off a package at the post office in Playhouse Square.
“As I left, 2 Westport police officers were standing by the mailbox outside. One was holding a handful of letters.
“A woman approached the box, with a letter. The offices told her to bring it inside, since there was some sticky substance in the drop box, allowing someone to steal mail.
“Given the numerous stories on ‘check washing,’ I thought that dropping a letter in a mailbox right outside the post office would be pretty safe. But I guess not.
“It seems the only safe way to mail a letter is inside the post office, or handing it directly to your mail carrier.”
Like this mailbox outside the UPS store, the one outside the main post office in Playhouse Square may be “compromised.”
On Sunday, “06880” noted that Westport’s Nile Rodgers and Weston’s Keith Richards were #7 and #15, respectively, on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”
Oops!
We forgot to mention that another neighbor — Westonite José Feliciano — checks in at #212. ¡Felicidades!
Bonus track: John Mayer of nearby Fairfield is #61.
Click here for the full list. (Hat tip: Bill Dedman)
Daisy Fording — a Staples High School senior — has kick-started the TopSoccer program.
A national program run locally by the Westport and Weston Soccer Associations, it provides learning, developmental and participation opportunities for youngsters in kindergarten through 8th grade with physical and/or learning disabilities.
Together with trained coaches, each player is paired with a volunteer buddy to learn teamwork and soccer skills, and have fun.
Games are Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Morehouse Town Park in Weston.
There are 3 more weeks in the fall season. For more information (including registration) click here, text Daisy at 203-957-2390, or email dkfording@gmail.com.
Meanwhile, this week’s “Jazz at the Post” includes a twist.
Saxophonist/composer Wayne Shorter — who died earlier this year at 89 — will be remembered for his work with Art Blakey and Miles Davis, and his own recordings.
Featured artists include trumpeter Michael Mossman, guitarist Paul Bollenback, bassist Boots Maleson, drummer Tim Horner and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall.
There are 2 shows this Thursday (October 19): 7:30 and 8:45 p.m. Dinner service starts at 7. The cover charge is $15. Reservations are highly recommended: JazzatthePost@gmail.com.
To honor Native American Heritage Month, living historian Drew Shuptar-Rayvis presents “Life in the Eastern Woodlands: Pre-contact – 1620” (November 19, 2 p.m., outside at the Weston History & Culture Center.
On display are artifacts like bark baskets, stone axes, cookware, bows and arrows, animal pelts and leather.
Shuptar-Rayvis’ heritage includes indigenous Pocomoke, Pennsylvania Dutch, Welsh, Swiss, English, Scots-Irish, Boyko Ukrainian and Ashkanazi Jewish. He reads Wampum, works to preserve the Eastern Woodland languages, and is educated in many European languages used in colonial times.
Advance tickets ($5 each) are required. Click here to purchase, and for more information.
And finally … happy 81st birthday to Gary Puckett. His band the Union Gap wore Civil War-style uniforms, though they were from the Pacific Northwest.
There is a connection: Puckett grew up in Yakima, Washington — not from the small town of Union Gap.
His band had several hits in the late 1960s. Nearly all had “girl,” “woman,” or some form of female in the title.
(“06880” covers the local news — and all that jazz. But we can’t do it without readers’ support. Please make a tax-deductible contribution by clicking here. Thank you!)
Tech talk, investment opportunities, entrepreneurial ideas and networking were all important parts of last night’s second Startup Westport meeting, at the Westport Library.
Dan O’Keefe — Connecticut’s chief innovation officer — discussed his work, and the opportunities available in the state. He was a late replacement for Dan Bikel, the Westporter and a key member of the AI community at Meta, who was diagnosed with COVID this week.
Click here for more information about Startup Westport, whose mission is to make Westport an innovation hub.
From left: Police Chief Foti Koskinas, Cliff Sirlin, Jay Norris, Connecticut chief innovation officer Dan O’Keefe, 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, Stefano Pacifico, Peter Propp. All except O’Keefe are Startup Westport team leaders.
Last night’s “PBS NewsHour” featured an in-depth look at the problems facing regional theaters around the US.
After beginning with Long Wharf — which has abandoned its home for several pop-up venues — the story pivoted “less than an hour south,” to the Westport Country Playhouse.
Incoming artistic director Mark Shanahan discussed the struggles facing regional theaters, while acting managing director Beth Huisking spoke about the future.
Shanahan added: “The theater is all about problems and problem-solving. It always is. What play are we going to do? Who’s going to be in it? Who’s going to light it? Who’s going to do the set? How are we going to tell people it’s out there? Who’s going to pay for it? What time of year are we doing it?
“How are we going to make any of this happen? Why are we ever surprised that there are problems? We just have a new set of problems, and sometimes a growing set of problems, and we have to figure out how to solve them.”
Click here to view the entire segment. (Hat tips: Dick Lowenstein and Dennis Jackson).
Screenshot of Beth Huisking and Mark Shanahan last night.
The Public Works Department’s fall paving program begins Monday (September 18). It runs through the end of October.
The following roads will be paved, though not in this order:
Hiawatha Lane
Ferry Lane West
Indian Hill Road
West End Avenue
Davenport Avenue
Beachside Avenue
Prospect Road
Lamplight Lane
Iris Lane
Blue Ribbon Drive
Hazelnut Road
Northfield Drive
Riverfield Drive (south)
Bayberry Lane (north of Easton Road)
Gray’s Farm Road
Questions? Call 203-341-1120.
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Bob Weingarten writes: “Years ago the Post Office changed all the outdoor mailboxes in Westport to provide only a small slot, big enough for envelopes, replacing a box with a door mechanism.
“Yesterday I posted a letter in the mailbox between UPS and Westport Hardware, at 606 Post Road East. There was some resistance, so I pushed it in. I felt the bottom of the slot entry. It was sticky, like some sort of adhesive was on the bottom rim. Perhaps someone placed adhesive in the slot to catcher letters, so they could retrieve them later.
“I asked at the UPS store about that. They said they informed the Post Office about the issue last week, but nothing was done about it. I called the phone number on the box to report it, but a recording said the phone was not in service.
“I wante to warn people to check the slot on outdoor boxes before placing letters in it. If it is sticky, do not use it.”
Mailbox outside the UPS Store. (Photo/Bob Weingarten)
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As Westport River Gallery on 1 Riverside Avenue celebrates its 20th anniversary in Westport, they feature a new collection by Dominique Dorie, from the Provence region of France. Click here for details.
“Fragrant French Lavender” (Dominique Dorie)
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What better way to end the week than by this very cool “Westport … Naturally” photo of Connecticut’s official state insect, a praying mantis:
And finally … on this day in 1969, before taking the stage with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at California’s Big Sur Folk Festival, Stephen Stills got in a fistfight with a heckler railing them for their profligate lifestyle.
The festival was raising funds for Joan Baez’ Institute for ghe Study of Nonviolence.
NOTE: The official video for this song was created by Westporter Jeff Scher.
(Be a good role model for your children. Teach them to help support “06880.” Please click here to contribute. Thank you!)
Drivers weaving carefully (and not so carefully) through the Post Road East construction zone just west of McDonald’s have mourned the loss of a dozen or so old trees by the Linxweiler house.
They wonder too what will become of the many large rocks that made up a now-dismantled stone wall, near the trees.
Former stone wall in front of the Linxweiler house.
For once, the news is good.
A Planning & Zoning Commission site plan shows that the original stone wall will be replaced with a new one, continuing around the radius into Crescent Road.
The original was drywall. Hopefully, the next will be the same traditional type.
Congratulations are due town officials, who secured the replacement of the wall. (Hat tip: Michael Calise)
Site plans for Linxweiler house stone wall.
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One of the coolest opportunities anywhere is the Westport Police Department’s 8-week Citizens’ Police Academy.
Participants gain a first-hand understanding of what our officers do, how they do it, and how the WPD fits into our community.
At the same time, residents and officers get to know each other much better.
25 community members participate in classes on law enforcement, and get hands-on experience with equipment. They also join a “ride-along” with an officer — and receive CPR/AED certification.
The program runs from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Thursdays from October 5 through November 30 (except before Veterans Day and on Thanksgiving), and Wednesday, December 6.
The academy is open to Westport residents age 21 and older. Applications can also be picked up at police headquarters, and are due by September 18.
Westport’s Citizens Police Academy offers an inside look into every aspect of the department.
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Seen on social media yesterday:
“If you’re like me and all of your mail was stolen from your mailbox on Cross Highway, North Compo or Weston Rd (Friday) night, apparently some of it is floating around near the Willowbrook cemetery.
“With crime the way it’s been around here lately, I guess we should feel lucky our cars weren’t stolen or smashed. It’s just our personal information compromised.”
What a shame — and a hassle. (And for those whose checks are stolen and “whitewashed,” even worse.)
But among the responses was this, which is news to me: “Sign up for ‘USPS Informed Delivery’ free service. You get a daily email, with pictures of every piece of correspondence arriving in your mailbox.”
Not a good idea. It’s an invitation to thieves that there is mail — often a check — inside.
Yesterday’s Saugatuck Congregational Church service honoring the late Rev. Ted Hoskins was a chance for old friends to remember the longtime senior and youth minister.
It was a chance too for people who never knew him to learn more about one of the founders of Westport’s homeless shelter and food pantry. Today the Gillespie Center for men — and Hoskins Center for women, named for him — and other supportive housing and food projects are run by Homes with Hope.
Rev. Hoskins — who died last month — spent the last couple of decades of his life in Maine. But — as the turnout at his remembrance proved — his mark on Westport is profound, and indelible.
Homes with Hope representatives at Saugatuck Church yesterday (from left): Pete Powell, first president; Rev. Willie Salmond, who initiated the service for Rev. Hoskins; John Walsh, board chair; Helen McAlinden, president; Jeff Wieser, past president.
Dermatologists Dr. Nina Antonov and Dr. Marc Beuttler of Modern Dermatology will provide free full body skin cancer screenings, and/or spot checks, at the Aspetuck Health District (180 Bayberry Lane) on September 26.
Appointments are available between 9 a.m. and noon, and 1-4 p.m. Call 203-227-9571, ext. 235, and ask for Judy. Limited to residents of Westport, Weston and Easton only.
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Speaking of health: Overdose awareness and Narcan training will be held September 26 (7 to 8 p.m., Town Hall Room C201).
It’s sponsored by members of the Westport Prevention Coalition and Westport RTM.
To register and for more information, call 203-227-7644.
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It’s never too early to think about beer.
Wakeman Town Farm’s annual family Beer Garden event is Sunday October 15 (noon to 4 p.m.).
The afternoon features live music by Hitch and the Giddy-Up + Rob Morton, lawn games, bubbles, face painting, photos with mini ponies, and pumpkin crafts for the littles — and a surprise craft by LaurelRock.
Also for adults: Eco Evolution, and a massage therapist for the adults.
Lunch options include pizza by Tony Pizza Napolitano, Food Truck Refinery and Oronoque Farms.
Local beer is sponsored by Greens Farms Spirits, with ice cream from Saugatuck Sweets and Landtech. Ccider donuts and refreshments are courtesy of KMS Team at Compass.
Tickets are $10 for adults; kids are free. Click here to purchase, and for more information. Food and beverage purchases are a la carte. Proceeds benefit Wakeman Town Farm educational programs.
When the post office moved from its big, handsome and very functional Post Road building — now Design Within Reach — in 2012, many Westporters predicted that the new space would be cramped, and service would suffer.
They were right about the first part.
And wrong about the second.
There’s not much space to move inside. Don’t get me started about the parking.
But our US Postal Service employees are as great as ever.
Patiently, they answer the same questions over and over.
Helpfully, they offer the least expensive solutions.
Magically, they find whatever supplies they need, to make your (okay, my) poor packing skills work safely and securely.
It can’t be easy working in the Westport post office today. There are constant lines. There’s little room to maneuver. Customers are not always — how can I say this politely? — polite.
But the men and women behind the counter never complain.
They do their job every day, through snow, rain, heat, and everything else. I’ve never seen them without a helpful smile, or kind word.
“06880” has given shout-outs to our mail carriers before. This week, our Unsung Heroes are all the people toiling at the Westport Post Office. Thank you all!
To nominate an Unsung Hero, email 06880blog@gmail.com.
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At the dawn of another school year, superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice sent an update to residents.
Among the items: a new app for parents, called “WheresTheBus.” It’s a tool for parents to know when their child’s bus will arrive, with up-to-the-minute ETAs. It’s available on any Apple or Android device, and will go live sometime in September, after routes are firmly established.
As for COVID, Scarice says the risk “continues to change for the better,with protection from vaccines and growing immunity from prior infections. We will continue to follow guidance from the State Department of Public Health and the CDC on minimizing the effects of respiratory disease in school. Our focus this year will be on promoting vaccinations, monitoring symptoms and utilizing at-home self-testing.
“We continue to encourage all students, families and staff to stay up to date on vaccinations. COVID at-home self=test kits will be available to all families and staff, and their use is encouraged.”
When will my kid’s bus come? Check out WheresTheBus!
Mia Dillon first appeared at the Westport Country Playhouse in 1979. That’s more than a decade before Clay Singer was born. She’s had several Broadway credits, including “Our Town” with Paul Newman, and a Tony nomination for “Crimes of the Heart.”
But Singer — a 2013 Staples High School graduate, and former Staples player — has his own sterling resumé. Before finishing a recent national tour of “The Band’s Visit,” he appeared on his hometown Playhouse stage in “Romeo and Juliet” and “Man of La Mancha.”
Singer and Dillon share the stage in “4000 Miles,” the current Westport Playhouse production. It’s perfect casting.
Singer plays 21-year-old Leo, who finishes a cross-country bike trip by staying at the Greenwich Village apartment of his feisty 91-year-old grandmother Vera. Together they explore issues like age, family, love, sex and politics. They don’t always agree — but that’s what gives the show its punch, and its surprises.
It’s another Westport Country Playhouse hit, in a summer of them. The fact that the star is a local boy is an extra special treat.
Clay Singer and Mia Dillon in “4000 Miles.” (Photo/Carol Rosegg)
An “06880” reader writes: “I recently raised the red flag on my mailbox to alert my carrier that envelopes inside needed to be mailed.
“Within a matter of hours (before she showed up), a “red flag thief” stole the envelopes. They contained checks, and while the amounts were fairly small, the thief used them to steal nearly $10,000 from my checking account. Fortunately, my bank covered the loss.
“Apparently this is a widespread problem nationwide, and not a new one. The thieves often use chemicals to change information on the checks. They can also use the checks as a starting point for identity fraud (such as creation of fake ID).
“One wonders if a local criminal gang drives cars (or rides bikes) through the streets of Westport looking for raised red flags.
“In the future, needless to say, I won’t use my mailbox to mail checks. Sadly, that kind of old world charm and trust needs to be relegated to history :(”
The reader added this PS, a few hours later:
“I just told my mail carrier what happened. She was glad I told her, because on Tuesday she discovered no mail in 12 boxes on her route, despite the red flags raised. She also mentioned a case involving a Westport resident whose stolen check from the mailbox was used for a $30,000 fraud.
“Finally, she said that blue boxes aren’t always safe either. Thieves can slide a sticky mousetrap-type sheet inside (on a piece of wire), to pull out mail that way. Good grief.”
Internationally known (and local resident) photographer Stephen Wilkes is gearing up for his “Visualizing Time” exhibition at the Westport Library — and opening reception September 8, followed by a conversation with Stacy Bass.
But the National Geographic contributor took time out this week to appear on “Good Morning America.” Wilkes talked about how his photographs document climate change. Click below for the intriguing clip:
In other Library news: Verso Studios is steaming up with the Westport Farmers’ Market. They’ll bring original Connecticut talent to the Thursday music performances at the Imperial Avenue parking lot.
With Verso Studios curating, singer/songwriter/troubadour Frank Critelli and Friends will be playing next Thursday (September 1). The Sawtellesfollow on October 13.
It’s no joke: Tickets are going fast for “Stand Up for Homes With Hope.”
The popular fundraiser — a night of comedy at Fairfield University’s Quick Center — returns live after 2 un-funny COVID years. (The virtual events were, of course, quite fun.)
This year’s lead comic is Pat McGann. A rising star who began stand-up comedy at the age of 31 (after realizing he was not very good at selling packaging), his appeal stems from his quick wit and relatable takes on family life and marriage.
The event is Saturday, October 15. Tickets are $200 and $150 (including a reception with cocktails, light supper and music) and $75 (wine before the curtain). Click here for tickets. For sponsorship information, click here.
Longtime Westporter Pete Noonan — one of the founders of the town’s girls soccer program — died peacefully Tuesday, at his Las Vegas home. He was 90 years old.
The Massachusetts native was a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Business School.
His professional life as an engineer and management consultant led him, among many diverse engagements, to the Apollo space project, and Taiwan to consult on modernizing the island’s national rail system. He also worked on the merger of the American and National Football Leagues, to create today’s NFL.
He was a proponent of the Theory of Constraints, and was instrumental in its adoption by many corporations. In later years he took the entrepreneurial plunge with a pistachio farm in Argentina, leveraging the expertise he acquired from his many agricultural consulting assignments.
He loved classical music, opera and Shakespeare, and collected Shona sculpture and modern Chinese ink painting. His trained tenor voice was heard in opera and choral performances, turned heads in church, and turned lights on in houses as he organized annual family and neighborhood Christmas caroling.
He was an avid and competitive sailor, and loved soccer. He became passionately involved in soccer as his children grew with the game. He coached and refereed in the Westport Soccer Association — and served as its inaugural president, giving countless hours to not only his children but thousands of others. He was especially instrumental in the early development of competitive soccer for girls and women.
He was a lifelong Boston sports fan, but particularly loved the Red Sox (and enjoyed bantering with his 2 Yankee-loving sons).
He was committed to education and exceptionally proud of the academic, athletic, and professional accomplishments of his 5 children. He was well read and versed in a variety of subjects, including economics, politics the arts and sports.
He was predeceased by his brother James E. Noonan and beloved daughter Clare Noonan Bolich. He is survived by his wife Eva Meder, brother Rev. Mark L. Noonan, former spouse Margaret Ryan Noonan, children Mary Alma, Michael, Mark and Diane Eichler, and granddaughters Olivia, Tess, Caleigh and Meghan.
Jeanne Harris — a former Representative Town Meeting member, and the wife of former RTM member Holton Harris, and also the mother of former RTM member Walter Harris — died in 2021. A celebration of her life will be held tomorrow (Saturday August 27, 2 to 5 p.m.) at the Westport Woman’s Club.
And finally … Jerry Allison, the drummer with Buddy Holly & the Crickets, died this week near Nashville. He was 82. Click here for a full obituary — and the very interesting back story to “That’ll Be the Day.”
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