An all-ages, high-energy crowd filled the Westport Library’s Trefz Forum last night.
Board of Finance chair Danielle Dobin interviewed President George W. Bush’s former press secretary, and current Fox News star Dana Perino, about her new novel.
“Purple State” explores love across political lines. It’s an apt subject, and the 2 women were well paired. Perino and Dobin were roommates on Capitol Hill 30 years ago, while working for congressmen of different political parties.
They’ve remained friends ever since. Last night, they discussed — and demonstrated — how and why those relationships are important.
Danielle Dobin (left) and Dana Perino, at the Westport Library. They discussed Perino’s new book, “Purple State” — and both wore purple. (Photo/Dave Briggs)
Starting this summer, Aquarion will install a new water main from Hemlocks Reservoir in Fairfield to Coleytown Road.
A community meeting is set for tonight (Wednesday, 6 p.m., Patterson Club, Fairfield)to discuss the impact to traffic flow during construction. Road restoration will be completed by 2028.
Click here to learn more about the project. (Hat tip: Jonathan Steinberg)
Aquarion project.
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This weekend’s Sidewalk Sale will have all the usual goodies on sale, outside: clothes, art, jewelry and much more. (You cannot, however, buy a sidewalk; it’s not for sale.)
Plus Animal Packs.
Kevin Bachman created the family-friendly reimagined deck of cards, based on woodland animals from around Fairfield and Westchester counties.
He’ll have a booth Saturday and Sunday (June 27 and 28), offering quick game play demos, single decks, and discounted 2-pack bundles.
The Westport connection is growing. Animal Packs is being added to the toy collection at the Westport Library. It’s already available at other libraries, including Pequot and Fairfield Public.
The next Veterans Benefits Luncheon is tomorrow (Thursday, June 25, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), VFW Post 399).
It’s open to all veterans as part of an ongoing effort to check in on all veterans’ welfare, and connect them with the benefits and support they earned.
Representatives will answer questions, and provide information on services and assistance available to veterans.
RSVPs are encouraged (but not required). Email vfw399ct@gmail.com, and include the number of attendees, or call (203) 227-6796.
PS: If you’re not a veteran, but know one: Please pass the word!
Also tomorrow (Thursday): “Planning Today. Peace of Mind Tomorrow.”
The 6 p.m. Westport Library event features a panel of geriatric care specialists. The goal is to help seniors, caregivers and the “Sandwich Generation” understand the continuum of care and the resources available throughout Fairfield County.
Experts in home care, senior living, dementia support, elder law, real estate transitions and care navigation will offer practical guidance on how families can plan ahead, identify early warning signs, and make informed decisions during times of transition.
Also available: refreshments, raffles, complimentary assessments and “savings.” The event is sponsored by Connecticut Nursing Services.
Fifty years of Apple history flew by in an hour last night.
David Pogue educated, entertained and intrigued a full house. The writer/TV correspondent/explainer-in-chief returned to the Westport Library — where he often spoke and moderated panels, during his 20 years in town — for an author talk on his new book about the tech behemoth’s first half century.
David Pogue, with a vintage photo of Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. (Photo/Ted Horowitz)
Accompanied by a whiz-bang slide show, Pogue romped through the highs (2.5 billion people own an Apple device) and lows (in the 1990s, they were 6 weeks away from bankruptcy).
Apple’s market cap is now $4 trillion dollars. They make $1 million every 90 seconds.
Pogue — who for the first 10 years of his career was a Broadway conductor — used the Library’s grand piano to belt out 3 song parodies. One — a “My Way” takeoff called “I Want an iPhone” — was filmed in Westport.
David Pogue at the piano, singing about an iPhone. (Photo/Susan Garment)
He showed it on the big screen. I’m sure it was filmed, edited and projected using Apple products.
Before the event, David Pogue chatted with Jay Babina. The teenager runs the very cool Westport Tech Museum, filled with early generation Apple successes and failure. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Seventeen members of Staples High School’s premier jazz ensemble, Staples Jazz 1, earned several standing ovations Friday night, from a standing room only crowd at New York’s Birdland Jazz Club.
The group was the opening act for the Birdland Big Band, at one of the jazz world’s most iconic venues.
The high energy performance, directed by Kevin Mazzarella, featured classics including “Moten Swing” and “Big Swing Face.”
It was a full day of music, for the young musicians. Earlier in the day they participated in an educational clinic led by Birdland Big Band director David DeJesus, bassist Noriko Ueda, and drummer Maria Marmarou. The students received personalized coaching, performance feedback, and professional insights.
“For many jazz musicians, performing at Birdland is a dream,” says Mazzarella. “For our students to have the opportunity not only to perform there, but also to learn from world-class musicians and then share the stage with the Birdland Big Band, was truly extraordinary. What made me proudest was not just the quality of the music, but the way these students supported one another, carried themselves professionally, and embraced every moment of the experience.”
Staples Jazz Ensemble, at Birdland.
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Fresh off the 53rd annual Fine Arts Festival, the Westport Downtown Association is gearing up for summer.
The Sidewalk Sale returns June 26-28.
And summer music is back on Church Lane, entertaining diners and strollers. The weekend schedule includes many popular names.
June 5: Owen Daniel
June 6: Moss
June 12: Ethan Walmark
June 13: Dan Tressler
June 19: Owen Daniel
June 20: Eliot Thompson
June 26: Moss
June 27: Vinnie Ferrone
Summer music on Church Lane. (Photo/Jonathan Alloy)
The Westport Farmers’ Market is many things, to many people.
To chef/owner Brian Lewis of The Cottage, it means a special Farmers’ Market Menu.
Available at dinner Tuesday through Sunday all summer long, the $65 3-course menu highlights ingredients sourced from local farms and producers. It’s a seasonal snapshot of food at its peak, while supporting local agriculture.
The menu evolves, as new ingredients become available. Current offerings include:
Fort Hill Farm kohlrabi salad with pea leaf ricotta, chili vinaigrette, and coffee walnut crumble
Hand-rolled garganelli with Double A Ranch chicken sausage, broccoli rabe, and sunflower seeds
Ox Hollow Farm beef sirloin with fermented gooseberries, mustard greens, burnt alliums, and red wine jus.
The Farmers’ Market Menu coincides with the opening of the Cottage patio, for outdoor dining.
Brian Lewis shops at the Farmers’ Market — and shows off a dish.
For Sustainable Westport, the first Monday of each month is special.
That’s the evening for a casual meet-up. It’s a great chance for people to learn more about sustainability, from getting involved with the organization to making an impact at home.
We’ve posted a couple of times about the Whitney Street road reconstruction and sidewalk renovation project. We’ve noted in particularly the huge boulders involved.
Here’s one more photo. It shows the scale of the work — and the great job being done by the workers.
Drummer Greg Burrows is one of Greg (The Jazz Rabbi) Wall’s favorite musicians.
This Thursday (June 4, 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner at 7), Burrows headlines “Jazz at the Post” — the long-running series at VFW Post 399 created by Wall and the Jazz Society of Fairfield County.
Burrows will play the music of noted composer Ed Bonoff, with whom he’s collaborated for decades. He’ll be joined by saxophonists Wall and Frank Basile, trombonist John Fumasoli, pianist David Childs and bassist Rick Zurkowski.
The Staples High School Jazz Ensemble II will play at 7.
And finally … it’s the 3rd of June. Here in Westport, it’s not exactly another sleepy, dusty Delta day.
But … well, you know the rest:
(The 3rd of June — and all other 364 days — are perfect times to show support for “06880.” From here to the Tallahatchie Bridge, it’s where Westport meets the world. Please click here — and thanks!)
Hmmm…what’s a good 97th birthday gift for a longtime Westporter?
How about having the Compo Beach pickleball courts named in your honor?!
That very appropriate idea is edging closer to reality.
Last week, the Parks & Recreation Commission unanimously approved the idea of honoring Tom Lowrie. The man who has done more than anyone else to promote the sport in Westport stepped down as the town’s “Pickleball Ambassador” in April.
Yesterday, the Board of Selectwomen gave the resolution their unanimous okay too.
The Representative Town Meeting (RTM) Parks & Recreation Committee considers the idea — co-sponsored by Andrew Colabella and Chris Tait — tonight (6 p.m., Zoom).
If they approve it — and it would require a stunning kind of stupid not to — the item moves on to the full RTM, this coming Tuesday (July 2, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall).
That would be well deserved.
And perfect timing.
Tom Lowrie turns 97 years young on July 3 — the very next day.
Westport’s Sidewalk Sale. has something for everyone.
Including retailers who don’t have a sidewalk downtown.
The popular Westport Downtown Association event — set for tomorrow (Friday) through Sunday on Main Street, Elm Street, Church Lane, Post Road East and Sconset Square — also features booths for men’s and women’s apparel stores that are located outside the area.
There are other vendors too. Like Huntington Learning Center, which offers a chance to win a free academic evalatuion.
And Salon Nash. Owner Felicia Catale will provide haircuts for men and women ($35). Children’s cuts are just $20.
TAP Strength has launched a new program, with a special niche.
Designed specifically for teens and young adults who are neurodivergent, it focuses on building strength, improving posture and boosting confidence — all in a fun, supportive and inclusive environment.
Led by Certified Personal Trainers who hold Autism Exercise Specialist credentials through the American College of Sports Medicine, the program’s expert coaching and personalized support help each participant move better, feel stronger, and thrive — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Highlights include:
Body Awareness Assessments
Functional Fitness and Breathwork
Posture and Movement Education
Mindfulness and Confidence Strategies
1-on-1 or Small Group Sessions
Parent Stacie Curran says, “My son Dylan has been training at TAP for years. His body awareness, posture and confidence have all improved tremendously. He absolutely loves the TAP trainers. It’s a consistently fun, positive environment where he feels seen and supported.”
Southern Fried brings their “hot and crispy classic rock, blues and R&B” to the Weston History & Culture Center this Sunday (5:30 p.m.).
The outdoor show is part of their Music at the Barn summer series. Bring a lawn chair, BYOB and picnic (no food truck). Tickets are $15 for members, $20 for others; children 12 and under free.
Other Music at the Barn concerts are July 27, August 3 and September 7 (1 p.m.).
The Weston History & Culture Center also offers interactive tours of historic Coley House, and information about the forgotten village of Valley Forge, the Weston Meteorite, and the history of ragtime dance. Click here for more information.
The Westport Woman’s Club is looking for a very organized person to serve as office manager. Qualifications include strong experience in Microsoft Office and proficiency with QuickBooks Online or similar accounting skills; the ability to multitask, and good people skills to interact with members and the public.
Hoursare weekdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Send resumes to wwc@westportwomansclub.org.
A great place to work.
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Westport Police made 3 custodial arrests between June 18 and 25.
A 35-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with larceny, after a complaint was made about construction work that had not been completed, despite being paid $20,500.
A 45-year-old Southbury man was charged with reckless driving. At 6:40 a.m. on May 27, an off-duty officer wintessed a driver passing vehicles in no passing zones, and at stop sign. Once at work, he identified the operator, who agreed to come to the Westport police station to be issued a misdemeanor summons. He failed to appear, and a warrant was issued.
A 38-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with disorderly conduct and violation of a protective order, following a domestic violence investigation.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Disorderly conduct: 2 citations
Traveling unreasonably fast: 2
Following too closely: 2
Burglary: 1
Larceny: 1
Interfering with an emergency call: 1
Transporting a chld without restraints: 1
Assault on an elderly victim: 1
Face protection/motorcycle: 1
Operating a motorcycle without insurance: 1
Operating a motorcycle without endorsement: 1
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 1
Failure to insure a motor vehicle: 1
Failure to obey stop sign: 1.
Put your kid in a car seat. Or get a ticket.
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Longtime Westport resident Agnes Davis died on June 17 in Florida — what would have been her late husband Bob’s 97th birthday. She was 102.
After graduating from high school in Pennsylvania at 16, she went to business school, then returned to Republic Steel as a proud, ahead-of-her-time career woman.
Her brother’s roommate, Bob, proposed to her on their first date. Though 6 years older, she accepted. They moved to Westport in 1965, where they raised 5 children.
Agnes was active in the Newcomers Club, Westport Garden Club, Westport Woman’s Club, and a gourmet group. She volunteered with the Saugatuck Elementary School PTA and as a Cub Scout den mother, and played Mrs. Claus to Bob’s Santa Claus at Perkin Elmer.
Agnes started a 15-year volunteer stint at Norwalk Hospital at age 75. Channel 12 honored her as a Hometown Hero, for her dedication.
Agnes worked at Nancy Strong’s Slimnastics and Hastings Real Estate before moving to Beijing in 1983 at age 61, after Bob accepted a job at Perkin Elmer’s China office. She embraced the Chinese society, culture and people, and traveled alone multiple times across China for work. Her thousands of photographs recorded everyday Chinese life and children.
In 1985 Agnes and Bob returned from China, then moved to Uberlingen, Germany in 1989. They traveled extensively in Europe. She self-published a book about her China experience. Years later, Agnes found a copy at the Westport Library Book Sale.
Back in Westport, she entertained over 600 visitors from 46 countries.
Agnes and Bob bought a home in The Villages, Florida in 2011, and moved their fulltime. He died in 2021.
Agnes is survived by her children Ed (Linda) of Hollister, California, Nancy Shwartz of Danbury, Mary Lou of The Villages, John (Ellen) of Raleigh, and Rick (Beth) of Newtown; 10 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren; her sisters Delores Allick of Palm Springs, California and Eileen Novak of California, Pennsylvania. Agnes was predeceased by her sister, Lenora Zanolli, brother- law George Paler, and son-in-law, Jeff Shwartz.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Norwalk Hospital or the Westport Woman’s Club. A celebration of Agnes and Bob’s lives will be held at the Westport Country Playhouse in late August.
(Another day, another Roundup chock full of news, events and competely random stuff. If you enjoy this daily feature — or anything else on “06880” — please click here to support us. Thanks!)
Non-ducky weather did not dampen yesterday’s Great Duck Race.
The annual Sunrise Rotary Club fundraiser drew its usual large crowd of bettors, kids, and everyone else looking for a family-friendly, offbeat way to have fun.
Over 3,000 small plastic ducks were dropped from a giant front loader, then raced down a 160-foot sluice course constructed by Rotary members with help from the Westport Fire Department.
Here’s some of the race action:
Before the start. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
The crowd waits. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
And they’re off! (Photo/Mark Mathias)
It’s a very crowded field. (Photo/June Rose Whittaker)
First Selectwoman Jen Tooker provides play-by-play. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
The winner nears the finish chute. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
The big — as in $5,000 — winner was Will Augustyn.
George Masumian’s duck came in second, earning him $1,000.
Eight other winners picked up $500 each: Stephen Pianka, Jim Marpe, David Moore, Michael Paul, Steven Benardete, Jason Rich, Aimee Monroy Smith and Judith McBride.
It was all for a great cause.
Sunrise Rotary will give away 100% of all proceeds to local and international charities. Officials estimate that $70,000 was raised.
Congrats to all Rotarians, for a great day of entertainment and good works.
Congrats to the winners, too. You trained your ducks well.
Meanwhile, there was plenty else to do, before the actual race, like a Nerdy Derby, pin making, bubble machines and more, plus sponsors’ tents and food trucks.
Here are a few scenes:
Cub Scout Pack 39 sponsored a “Rainbow Regatta.” (Photo/James Delorey)
Kids’ activities were bubble-icious. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
In just a few months, Alina’s Cakes & Cookies has become an important part of the community. Owner Alina Dancho got into the spirit, with duck-themed treats.
Ducks know that the earth is nearly 75% water. The Great Duck Race shared Jesup Green with jUNe Day, when guests from around the globe came to town. Many stayed for the Sunrise Rotary fun. (Photo/Dan Woog)
VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399/August Matthias American Legion Post 63 just passed a milestone: 4 straight years of monthly Red Cross blood drives. Over 2,220 donors have participated.
On Friday, the drive sponsored by the Goddard Schools in Westport drew over 80 donors.
VFW quartermaster Phil Delgado says, “thanks to sustained partnerships with other community non-profit organizations, we have become the premier Red Cross Blood donor site in Fairfield County
“Remember: One unit of blood can save up three lives.”
The next blood drive is July 31 (noon to 6 p.m). Click here for an appointment. (use this sponsor code: VFWWESTPORT), or call 800-733-2767.
On Friday, Lynn Bishop glanced out her dining room window, near Clinton Avenue — and saw this young bear ambling toward her kids’ slide.
“Barely” concealing her surprise, she snapped this “Westport … Naturally” photo:
Other “06880” readers reported seeing it nearby, in Willowbrook Cemetery, and shuffling along that stretch of Main Street.
Yesterday it was seen on Easton Road and then Northside Lane, off North Avenue.
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And finally … Florence Ballard was born on this date in 1943. A founding member of the Supremes, she sang on 10 #1 hits.
Motown owner Barry Gordy removed her from the group in 1967. She struggled with alcoholism, depression and poverty, and died of a heart attack in 1976, age 32.
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Every year around this time, I trot out the same lame joke. It’s Sidewalk Sale time downtown, so I say: “Why would anyone want to buy a sidewalk?”
Ba-dum!
This year though, I was all set to tee up a new version. With Main Street sidewalks torn up in the midst of a renovation project, I thought I’d say:
“Times are so tough, you can’t even buy a sidewalk now.”
Ba-DUM!
Fortunately for the Westport Downtown Merchants Association — if not for my “humor” — this weekend’s Sidewalk Sale should go just ducky. Construction will not force racks of clothes and women’s shoes onto the road. They’ll stay right where they belong: on the sidewalk.
Both sides of Main Street are open for business. And if you don’t find what you want, just keep shopping the old-fashioned way.
Inside.
(The Sidewalk Sale is set for Friday through Sunday, July 10-12, on Main Street and surrounding areas.)
If you had a tough time finding a parking spot downtown today, there are 2 reasons why:
It was the 1st day of Sidewalk Sales. Shoppers swarmed outdoor tables, looking for bargains.
The always-packed Brooks Corner lot was closed.
The only plausible reason for 2) above is 1).
But that makes no sense — unless the owner of the lot feared that, Westport drivers being who they are, they would carelessly plow into all those shoppers in front of Brooks Corner stores.
But — surprise! — there were fewer shoppers there than anywhere else on Main Street.
Can anyone guess why?
(Hat tip to Sheila Flinn for the story idea and photo.)
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