The garbage at Compo Beach doesn’t pick itself up.
A full Parks & Recreation Department crew ensures that the trash we — well, not you and I, but other less considerate folks — leave behind gets hauled away.
They pick up full bags. They pick up stuff that should be in bags, but isn’t.
They do it every day, from dawn until well after dusk. From the Hillspoint Road jetty, all the way past the one on South Beach.
And they do it quickly, efficiently, often.
And always with a smile.
Longtime, loyal, hard-working and popular Michael Johsnon.
Luke McManus on the job.
Dom Petrosinelli smiles. (Photos/Dan Woog)
(Photo/Matt Murray)
The next time you see the maintenance staff at work, think about all they do.
Thank them for their service.
And for their sake — and ours — take 10 seconds to put your garbage in the proper receptacle.
(Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email 06880blog@gmail.com)
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“Don’t put checks or anything important — such as your absentee ballot — in your mailbox.
“Although many people pay bills online or by phone, checks are still being mailed as gifts. Bring them directly to the post office.
“A card containing a check, which I put in my mailbox around noon, was stolen out of the mailbox before the mailman arrived. By the end of that day the thief removed the ink from the check, changing the payee’s name and the amount of the check to thousands of dollars more than the original.
“Fortunately my bank contacted me, the funds were restored, and the checking account frozen. I was told that this crime is occurring often in other towns as well.
“Since the current election is so heated, it probably isn’t safe to put the absentee ballot in our home mailboxes.”
Safer than your own mailbox.
Westport’s Parks and Recreation Department has extended its fall programs — and added more sessions through the end of November. The goal is to keep folks active, and outside, as long as possible.
Programs include Keep Kickin’ Soccer, IST Multi-Sports, adult tennis clinics (see below), Wakeman Town Farm, ice skating, and others that are virtual.
Speaking of Parks & Rec: Last weekend they sponsored a tennis tournament for 16 women in their Advanced Beginner class. All had great fun — and look forward to continuing. They’ll form small groups, and play outdoors as long as they can.
Interested in joining? Call Dave Kardas (203-520-9815), Alex Walsh (203-644-8779) or Gabriella Gatto (203-803-8472).
Participants at the Town Farm courts.
And finally … the latest rock star to die is Spencer Davis. He was 81.
He was not the lead singer for the group — that was 16-year-old Stevie Winwood — but Davis played rhythm guitar and helped form the band. It was named after him because he did not mind doing interviews — allowing the other musicians to sleep more.
The Spencer Davis Group had several big hits. This one epitomizes them — and their role in rock ‘n’ roll.
Yesterday’s Roundup began with news of the rent reduction promised by local landlords Edward and Joan Hyde, to tenants like Westport Yarns.
Breno Donatti — owner of Winfield Street Coffee on Post Road West — quickly emailed, noting that his landlord, Alon Panovka, also agreed to waive April’s rent. He’ll discuss May when the time comes.
“Alon has been great to us in our 4 years here,” Breno says.
Winfield Deli closed March 17. He may even get credit for part of this month. Thanks, Alon! (Meanwhile, feel free to order gift cards to use when Winfield reopens!)
Some rules don’t change. This April 1 — as always — dogs are no longer allowed on Compo, Old Mill or Burying Hill beaches, or the Longshore golf course. Dogs are of course welcome at Winslow Park.
The Parks & Recreation Department also announces that because it’s uncertain when the beaches will fully open, beach emblem sales are postponed until further notice.
Parks & Rec reminds Westporters not to congregate at parks and athletic fields. “We encourage all to get outside and get some exercise, but please do not gather in groups,” says director Jen Fava.
Sorry, Fido. As of Wednesday, life will no longer include a day at the beach.
Originally, the Westport Public Schools planned a 2-week closure. As it becomes clear that the shutdown will last (probably much) longer, the district is adapting to online education.
For Staples High School students, that means more interaction with teachers, in more manageable blocks of time. It’s a new way of learning, and administrators, staff and students are figuring it out together.
Whether you’ve got kids in high school or not — or none at all — a video from principal Stafford Thomas is, well, instructive. It shows how Staples is adapting; it outlines the promises and challenges, and it’s a vivid illustration of the cascading effects the coronavirus is having on us all. Click below to view.
Real estate agencies often compete for listings and sales. But many came together this week, to help fill a huge need at Yale New Haven Hospital.
A doctor told Sally Bohling they needed Lysol wipes, gloves and shoe covers. The William Raveis realtor called her friends contacted Karen Scott and Mary Ellen Gallagher, of KMS Partners @ Compass.
They put out the word to the Westport realtor community. Quickly, literally thousands of contributions poured in.
The booties idea was particularly inspired. “We aren’t hosting open houses, and the winter weather is behind us. So offering the ones we’re not using was a no-brainer,” Karen says.
Connecticut small businesses and nonprofits impacted by the pandemic can apply for 1-year, no-interest loans of up to $75,000,
The Connecticut Recovery Bridge Loan Program will make $25 million available to state businesses and nonprofits with up to 100 employees. Loans are up to the lesser of either three months operating expenses and/or $75,000. Click here for details.
With sharply decreased train ridership, starting Monday (March 30) Westport Transit will replace commuter shuttles with an on-demand, door-to-platform minibus service. It will operate to and from any Westport location and the Saugatuck and Greens Farms stations.
Calls should be made the previous day before 5 p.m. (Saturday for Monday pickup) for morning commutes, and at least 45 minutes prior to pickup for the evening commute. The phone number is 203-299-5180.
Door-to-door services for seniors and residents with disabilities are unchanged.
It’s a small idea from Hallie and Maya Wofsy, but a great one: Put a red or pink heart on your door. The goal is to show support for all our amazing front-line healthcare workers.
Take a look on your walks through the neighborhood. The hearts are already there. And if you don’t have colored paper or markers, Maya will (very safely) drop one ready-made at your door. Email mayawofsy@gmail.com for details.
And finally, when these 2 kids were quarantined in Italy, they decided to play a little Coldplay. On their violins. Their choice of a song — “Viva La Vida” — couldn’t be more perfect.
35 years ago, Steve Rubin’s medical and surgical supply company was considering a move from Long Island to Norwalk.
Steve and his wife Toni lived in Douglaston, Queens. They began talking about moving to “the country.” Their friends thought they were crazy. They sort of did, too.
“We both grew up in New York City,” Steve says. “For us, Westport was the edge of the earth, before it cracks off.”
But fresh air, and a produce stand on North Avenue, lured them in. The Rubins rented the big white Rippe house, next to 7 acres of corn farmed by a guy named Buster.
“We truly felt like we lived on a farm,” Steve recalls. “We fell in love with this place.”
Toni and Steve Rubin.
The 1st folks they met were Betsy Wacker — from Welcome Wagon — and her husband Watts. George Underhill, from the town tax office, soon became a good friend too. All 3 introduced the Rubins to many aspects of their new home town.
Steve’s company never moved to Norwalk. He spent 5 years commuting to New York.
Then, 23 years ago — at age 47 — he suffered a heart attack.
The Rubins’ Westport friends responded immediately. Meals poured in. People drove him to the doctor. They did whatever they could for the couple.
Steve Rubin
The heart attack led Steve to retire from his stressful work. He got a job with Westport’s Parks & Rec Department, manning the Compo gate.
He organized workers for the Compo Beach playground construction project. He joined the Y’s Men. Toni created the Respect program, for children with special needs.
“It snowballed,” Steve says. “It was like we’d lived here 100 years. This town has a magic effect. It makes people feel like natives.”
The Rubins’ activities grew. Steve spent many years as the voice of Festival Italiano. He did not stop until the last raffle ticket was sold. “I made a whole bunch of new friends there too,” he says.
Perhaps his most important contribution began the day he complained to Gordon Joseloff about “some safety issue.” Joseloff — at the time the moderator of the Representative Town Meeting — urged him to run for the legislative body.
Earlier this month — almost 20 years later — Rubin resigned from the RTM. In an emotional farewell, he announced that he and Toni are moving to Charleston, South Carolina.
Steve and Toni Rubin’s t-shirts say it all. He adds, “I could not have done any of this without my wife and best friend.”
The impending move is “bittersweet,” Steve admits. After a couple of years of consideration, the lure of warmer winters and a lower cost of living was too good to pass up.
“We don’t want to wait until, god forbid, we’re too old to do it,” Steve says.
The Rubins don’t know a soul in Charleston. But, he notes, “We didn’t know anyone when we moved here. We did it before, and we’ll do it again.”
Steve adds, “we’ll love this town forever. There are so many great people here. It seems like Westport is filled with mensches.”
Steve Rubin in the Memorial Day parade.
The Rubins leave knowing they’ve made a major mark on their adopted home town. Their name appears on the quilt at Town Hall, the library River of Names and brickwalk, the Wall of Honor at the Staples football field and the Longshore pool wall mosaic.
They’ll miss the many activities they’ve participated in, and enriched: the Memorial Day parade. First Night. PAL fireworks. Downtown trick-or-treating.
They’ll miss Compo, Longshore and Saugatuck. “We’ll even miss the Post Road and Main Street,” Steve laughs.
They’ll miss Westport a lot. But not as much as we will miss Steve and Toni Rubin.
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