Burger King is long gone from Westport. (Spoiler alert: It’s the Starbucks drive-thru.)
But now Matthew Mandell can call himself our new Burger King.
As executive director of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce, he oversees events like The Great Burger Contest. Twenty restaurants competed, in 7 categories.
But Matthew didn’t just sit in his office. He went whole hog.
He visited all 20 restaurants, during the 31 days of March. He ate a burger at every one (and tons of fries, too).
Matthew Mandell: 20 burgers in 31 days.
Voting ended at midnight last night. Results will be announced soon.
We’ll also announce how Matthew is feeling.
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Jay Norris is a busy man.
The Westport resident is co-founder and CEO of Guesst, the real estate and restaurant leasing software platform. He also co-founded BlackLight, the world’s first search engine for Black-owned businesses nationwide.
In addition, he helped start Startup Westport, the public/private partnership whose goal is to make our town the tech entrepreneurial capital of Connecticut. He founded Westport10, the social and networking organization for Black men and their families.
And he’s a board member of both the Westport Library, and the Westport Weston Family YMCA. Oh, yeah: He also volunteers as a mentor with A Better Chance of Westport.
Now he’s added a new gig.
Jay was just named co-chair of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. Focusing on innovation and technology, he’ll work to connect tech leaders in New York, and help them come up with solutions for the city and their small-to-medium- sized businesses.
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Like most Westporters, I’ve gotten used to the construction cones, narrow lanes and drunken lines on the Post Road between Fresh Market and McDonald’s — and further east, near Bulkley Road by Stop & Shop.
Like most Westporters too, I’ve gotten used to seeing no work going on at either site — for months.
Will it ever resume? Is it done?
I asked Pete Ratkiewich. The Westport Public Works Department director pointed me to documents from a 2019 (!) Town Hall presentation.
They show intersection improvements, roadway widening and sidewalk work (click here to see).
So: No. It’s not over yet. Not by a long shot.
“They are only done partially on the north side. And they have a long way to go on the south side in both locations,” Pete says.
And, he adds, “you won’t see work start up again in earnest until the asphalt plants open.”
Work on Post Road East near Fresh Market.
Work at the Post Road East/Roseville Road/Hillspoint Road intersection.
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Speaking of the state Department of Transportation:
They’ll perform maintenance work on the Cribari Bridge this Monday night (7:30 p.m., to 5:30 a.m. Tuesday; March 18-19).
While the bridge is closed, traffic will be detoured to the Post Road.
When the sun goes down Monday, work will be performed on the Cribari Bridge. (Photo/Sam Levenson)
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St. Patrick’s Day came early for Club 203.
On Wednesday night, over 135 guests from Westport’s social organization for adults with disabilities partied at VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399.
The evening included entertainment by the Lenihan Irish Dance troupe, green bagels from Village Bagels, and green clover cookies from the Pantry.
Nearly everyone wore green. Everyone was Irish for the night. And everyone had a blast!
There is a new — and very friendly — face at the Westport Weston Family Y.
Angie is the “official greeter” on Monday and Thurday mornings, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. She then heads to the Wellness Center, keeping things clean and tidy.
Her employment is a partnership between the Y and Star Inc. She gets her first paycheck today, and is very excited.
When you see Angie, give back to her the same smile she gives you!
When thousands of homeowners in Florida and Louisiana purchased their hurricane insurance, they probably had no idea that John Seo stood to make a big profit if their properties got through the next three years unscathed.
Unbeknownst to them, Seo, a 57-year-old hedge fund manager in southern Connecticut, is the reason why millions of people from New Zealand to Chile have financial protection against natural disasters. His fund, Fermat Capital Management, owns the world’s biggest collection of catastrophe bonds — complex financial instruments that insurers issue to cover risks they can’t handle.
Fermat is an oddity in the hedge fund world. Its modest office, in the affluent town of Westport, sits in a former post office across from an auto-repair shop. There are meteorology journals in the reception area and equations scrawled on a whiteboard. Investment decisions are guided by complicated weather-risk computer models powered by large servers that whirr ceaselessly behind a glass window.
Fermat’s “modest office” is at the end of Riverside Avenue, just before it intersects with Railroad Place. Click here to read the rest of the piece about Seo, titled “How a Physics Whiz Made a Fortune Betting on Nature’s Catastrophes.” (Hat tip: Allan Siegert)
John Seo (2nd from left) and colleagues, at Fermat Capital. (Photo/Joe Buglewicz for Bloomberg)
Next up in the Westport Country Playhouse Script in Hand play reading series: “Tenderness and Gratitude Number Four.”
Michael is a party boy who avoids intimacy at all costs. Jenny is a jaded, wise-cracking office worker who still harbors dreams of becoming an artist. When the two strike up an unlikely friendship at work, they are forced to learn what it means to open up to someone else, and how to take a long, hard, messy look at oneself in the mirror.
The “a humorous, often heartbreaking examination of love, art, truth, lies, office politics, and the complicated road to true friendship” is set for April 15 (7 p.m.).
All tickets are $30. Click here to purchase, and for more information.
We’re halfway through March. Which means our town is halfway through the Great Westport Burger Contest.
Competitors in the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce event include Black Duck, Boathouse, Harvest, Jr’s,, La Plage, Little Barn, Match Burger, Nomade, Old Mill Grocery, Organika, Rizzuto’s, Shake Shack, Southport Diner, Spotted Horse, The Blondinit, The Porch, The Whelk, Viva Zapata and Zucca.
The 7 categories are Best Classic Burger, Best Cheese Burger, Best Gourmet Burger, Best Veggie Burger, Best Non Beef Burger (fish, turkey, lamb…), Best Fast Food Burger, and Best Slider. Each Restaurant can enter up to 4 categories, but can win a maximum of 2.
Residents have until March 31 to visit the venues, enjoy their offerings, then vote on the Chamber’s website.
Yesterday, 17 current and former Representative Town Meeting members relished the chance to promote the contest, with lunch at Spotted Horse.
I wasn’t there. But I’m pretty sure I know what was on the menu.
What’s the state of college admissions today, in a post-COVID world? What should rising 9th and 10th graders be thinking about?
Those are some of the topics they (and their parents) can learn about, at a “College Admissions Planning for Rising Freshmen and Sophomores” webinar (March 21, 7 p.m.).
There is no charge for the S4 Study Skills event, but registration is required here. Click here to sign up.
And finally … in honor of the Westport Y’s new greeter (story above):
(From Post Road traffic to hedge funds, the YMCA to London, “06880” is “where Westport meets the world. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
It won’t be Burger King. They left a long time ago (replaced first by Arby’s, now Starbucks drive-thru).
But it will be some place local. Nearly 2 dozen restaurants vie for the title, in next month’s Great Westport Burger Contest.
The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce event begins Friday (March 1), and runs through the 31st.
The Chamber has run contests for a variety of items — pizza, soup, salad — for the past 6 years. Burgers were last on the menu in 2019.
This year, 20 restaurants will compete in 7 categories. Judging is done by residents, voting online.
And every voter will be entered into a drawing to win a free burger from one of the 7 winning restaurants.
Competitors include Black Duck, Boathouse, Harvest, Jr’s,, La Plage, Little Barn, Match Burger, Nomade, Old Mill Grocery, Organika, Rizzuto’s, Shake Shack, Southport Diner, Spotted Horse, The Blondinit, The Porch, The Whelk, Viva Zapata and Zucca.
The 7 categories are Best Classic Burger, Best Cheese Burger, Best Gourmet Burger, Best Veggie Burger, Best Non Beef Burger (fish, turkey, lamb…), Best Fast Food Burger, and Best Slider. Each Restaurant can enter up to 4 categories, but can win a maximum of 2.
Residents have all month to visit the venues, enjoy their offerings, then vote on the Chamber’s website.
The Chamber encourages social media participation too, with the hashtag #greatwestportburger, and burger photos.
The winning restaurants will be announced April 1 (no fooling!), and will receive plaques.
Friday’s contest kickoff takes place at 11:30 a.m. at Match Burger Lobster.
The kind of stuff that we usually already have at hand, and probably don’t need,
Do you really need all that stuff?
Sustainable Westport, the Town of Westport, Westport Farmers’ Market, Westport Downtown Association and the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce all say: Enough!
They’ve banded together to encourage Westport to #SkipTheStuff. The goal is to reduce unnecessary takeout waste from local restaurants.
#SkipTheStuff is part of a national campaign to enact legislation requiring restaurants to ask before adding unnecessary “stuff” to orders.
Good news! We’re head of the game. Westport already has an ordinance prohibiting food service establishments from including “stuff” in orders without request.
Westport’s #SkipTheStuff campaign encourages residents to only ask for the single-use or disposable items you truly need.
At the same time, don’t expect food service establishments to provide you with “extras” or “stuff.” By law, they should be included in your order only if you specifically ask for them.
Westporters should invest in reusable “travel utensils” to carry with you, if you won’t be eating your takeout meal at home.
For more information about #SkipTheStuff, click here.
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Posted onFebruary 1, 2024|Comments Off on Roundup: Box Tree Moth, Martha & Miggs, Andrew Marchand …
Cindy Shumate — Westport’s garden designer extraordinaire — passes along this environmental warning from Paul Sztremer, the contractor in charge of planting and maintenance at beautiful Prospect Gardens in Greens Farms:
“There is a new, very destructive insect out there.
“It’s called box tree moth (or simply boxwood moth). Once settled within boxwood plants it can devour them within a short period of time, causing unsightly defoliation or even their demise.
“We will be on the vigilant lookout for them this season. I recommend you keep a look out as well. They can cause costly damage if missed or ignored.
The silver lining is that, just like the fairly new spotted lanterfly, they can be eradicated easily with almost any insecticide, if spotted in time (before they cause major damage).”
Cindy says they travel 3 to 6 miles a year.
“Boxwood is a favorite foundational plant in many Westport gardens. It would be devastating if this invasive pest would settle in here,” she says.
The silver lining is that, just like the fairly new Spotted Lanterfly insect, they can be eradicated easily with almost any insecticide, if spotted in time (before they cause major damage).
Andrew Marchand — the 1991 Staples High School graduate who, Poynter.org says, “probably breaks more sports media news than anyone in the business” — is leaving his longtime post at the New York Post.
His new home: The Athletic.
The New York Times — The Athletic’s owner — calls Marchand “a leading reporter at the intersection of sports media, television rights, talent and business for years.”
The former Mets and Yankees beat writer’s scoops include Joe Buck and Troy Aikman leaving Fox Sports for ESPN; the Apple deals involving MLB and MLS; Al Michaels’ shift from NBC to Amazon; Tom Brady’s stunning deal with Fox, and and the NFL making more than $100 billion on their new TV deals,
At Staples, Marchand played varsity soccer. (Hat tip: Bill Kutik)
Andrew Marchand
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Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between January 24 and 31.
A woman was arrested for larceny, conspiracy to commit larceny, forgery and conspiracy to commit forgery after a $560 check was stolen. She allegedly deposited it fraudulently in a bank account, for $5,500.
A man was arrested on a failure to appear warrant.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 15 citations
Failure to comply with state traffic control signals: 8
Failure to comply with state traffic control regulations: 6
Speeding: 3
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 3
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
Failure to obey stop sign: 2
Failure to register a commercial vehicle: 2
School zone violation: 1
Distracted driving: 1
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension/alcohol: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1
Failure to renew registration: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without tint inspection: 1
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Fetch Rescue announces 2 events this weekend.
This Saturday (noon to 2 p.m., Feather & Fringe, 252 Post Road East) there’s a “fetch rescue” puppy adoption.
Sunday (12:30 to 2 p.m., Choice Pet, Compo Acres Shopping Center) brings another puppy adoption event, plus a free “Puppy 101” training session.
Questions? Email jessie@fetch-rescue.com.
This dog may not be up for adoption this weekend. But many others will be.
The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce held a joint meeting with the Norwalk Chamber of Commerce last night, at Jacob’s Pickles in the SoNo Collection.
It was a great chance to meet and greet — and enjoy a very cool new Southern comfort cuisine-themed restaurant.
(Photo/Matthew Mandell)
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La Plage is well known for its romantic waterside views.
That’s especially true on Valentine’s Day.
To celebrate, the Longshore restaurant offers a 3-course prix fixe menu.
Click here for the $95 per person menu. Reservations are required: 203-684-6232.
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Terry Tannen’s exhibit “Awakenings” — on view at The Westport Library through March 12 — is a collection of sunrise photographs taken over Sherwood Mill Pond.
“This series is a tribute to the last year of my beloved husband Charles Tannen’s life,” Terry says.
“Chuck was an avid lover of nature, photography and adventure. As his fight with Parkinson’s progressed, our goal became finding the beauty in what was in our present moment, in gratitude. Thus, ‘Awakenings.’”
An artist’s reception is set for February 12 (6 p.m.).
Untitled (Terry Tannen)
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One of the 2 people killed in 3-vehicle accident early Friday morning on I-95 in Fairfield was 75-year-old William Foster.
Better known as Billy, he was the front man and lead singer with Billy and the Showmen.
The band was popular throughout the tri-state region, and appeared often at the Levitt Pavilion. Click here for a full obituary. (Hat tip: MaryLou Roels)
“On Wednesday I was so lucky to enjoy lunch at Rive Bistro. The food was delicious as always, but the ducks just outside the window were the best entertainment. Amazing to watch them diving for their lunch!”
And finally … on this date in 1896, “La Bohème” premiered in Turin. The conductor was 30-year-old Arturo Toscanini.
(“06880” is where Westport meets the world: from the Lower East Side to France, and everywhere else. Please help us continue our hyper-local — yet global — work. Just click here. Thank you!)
Comments Off on Roundup: Box Tree Moth, Martha & Miggs, Andrew Marchand …
Judy Collins — the singer/songwriter who has entertained and inspired fans since the 1960s — is coming to the Westport Country Playhouse.
She’ll be onstage April 12 (8 p.m.). Encore Club members can buy tickets now; public sale begins January 26 at noon. Click here for more information.
Also ahead at the Playhouse: “All Things Equal: The Life & Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsberg.” Written by Rupert Holmes, it’s a one-woman play in which the Supreme Court justice welcomes a friend of the family to her chambers to convey a sense of her career, and personal life.
The show is May 3 and 4 (8 p.m.), and May 5 (3 p.m.). Click here for more information.
And on July 25 the Bacon Brothers bring their unique mix of folk, rock, soul and country music to the Playhouse. Click here for more information.
Westporters — especially seniors and those with low to moderate incomes — can once again take advantage of the town’s no-cost full-service AARP/VITA/IRS Volunteer Tax Assistance Program.
On-site personal counseling is available by appointment at Town Hall (Mondays from 1 to 7 p.m.) and the Senior Center (Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.), starting January 22. Call 860-590-8910 for an appointment, or click here.
The “SimplyCT” counselor group that services Westport prepared and filed more than 7,000 returns last season – almost all electronically. Federal refunds of over $10 million were received by their clients..
The program is administered by Westport’s Department of Human Services.
An incident that began when 2 people illegally entered a home and attacked 3 others on Friday morning in Old Saybrook ended in Westport.
One, armed with a baseball bat, injured the homeowners. The suspect then removed an adult woman from the home against her will, and fled.
Old Saybrook police sent an alert to law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for a car with New York license plates carrying the victim.
Westport police located the vehicle when it was getting gas. They arrested the suspects, seized the bat, and took the woman who had been taken from her home to Norwalk Hospital, with non-life threatening injuries.
(Click here for the full story. Hat tip: Betsy Pollak)
Remember the I-95 Saugatuck River bridge replacement project last fall?
Relive all the key moments — in a lot quicker time than it took (though of course, kudos to all who accomplished the work in just 2 weekends) — in this very cool video, from the Connecticut Department of Transportation:
Badass Bagels — the popular shop in the Sugar & Olives space just over the Norwalk line, owned by Westporter Jennifer Balin — has just opened a new location in Armonk, New York.
“It’s totally our brand,” she says.” The space is warm, cozy, and decked out with vintage furniture from Bridgeport’s Mongers Market (where they have another location).
Badass’ expanded sourdough bagel offerings include 10 varieties: everything, whole wheat everything, golden sesame, black sesame, Himalayan blue poppy, smoked sea salt, plain, cinny raisin, pumpernickel caraway everything, and naked whole wheat. (Ramp bagels are offered in May.)
There are plenty of spreads and butters too, like “sweet and lovely” with Westport honey.
Badass Bagels also sells coffee beans and whole espresso/coffee.
Stores hours in Norwalk and Armonk are Wednesdays through Sundays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. They sell at the Westport Farmers’ Market and Double L Market too.
The Senior Center Super Bowl “tailgate party” is a great one. And you don’t even have to hang out in the parking lot.
It’s indoors. This year’s event (February 11) includes a “final score contest,” and a Friends of the Westport Center for Senior Activities Service Award presentation to the wonderful Patty Kondub, who does so much in so many ways for the senior community.
The menu includes hot dogs, chips, spring rolls and dessert.
Staples High School state champion football and field hockey teams, and Staples and Westport PAL cheerleaders will be there too.
All ages are welcome. Lunch is at 12:30; the party begins at 1:30.
Thursday’s Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours event drew a large crowd to VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399.
VFW Auxiliary member Patty Kondub’s meatballs complemented the fun vibe, filled with networking opportunities and great music afterward (Jazz at the Post).
Enjoying Business After Hours (from left): Virginia Ferrari, Paul Liebowitz, Patty Kondub, Sal Liccione, Matthew Mandell.
Colleen Sadick is a beloved Coleytown Elementary School professional. The CES community has rallied around her as she battles bone marrow cancer.
As Colleen has had to step back from her 2 jobs (she is also a behavioral mentor), her income has been impacted. CES organized a GoFundMe page to help the family with medical expenses, transportation, post-treatment care and daily costs.
After a number of interviews, the Democratic Town Committee nominations committee will recommend Abby Gordon-Tolan for the Board of Education vacancy, and Joe Scordato for the Zoning Board of Appeal vacancy.
The full DTC will vote Monday on the recommendations.
Merrill Jay Forgotson – an accomplished community banker and fierce advocate for justice and equal opportunity – died peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday, January 17, at his Westport home. He was 81.
The New York City native credited his mother and father, a World War II hero, for challenging him to lead a life of purpose, centered on education.
He earned a BS in finance from Northeastern University followed, by a JD from Boston University and an MBA from Western New England College.
Jay paid his way through college and law school by washing dishes, serving ice cream, and packaging newspapers and magazines overnight for early morning delivery.
Motivated by the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Gideon v. Wainright in 1963, which affirmed a constitutional right to legal counsel for anyone charged with committing a crime, Jay started his career as a defense attorney
He transitioned into finance, starting at Mass Mutual and advancing to become general counsel at Barclays Business Credit.
In 1990 Jay joined People’s Bank as senior vice [resident/chief credit administration officer. He also served as chair of the Connecticut Anti-Defamation League, where he shaped diversity programming to combat hate and discrimination in all their forms.
In 2000, Jay left People’s to run Cornerstone Bank in Stamford. Running the profitable mission-centered community depository was one of the joys of his professional life.
During a brief sabbatical, Jay served as dean of the business school at the University of Bridgeport. But community banking kept calling. Jay served as CEO of BNC Financial Group, and started the Bank of Fairfield and Stamford First Bank.
After retiring in 2013 he enjoyed family and friends in Connecticut and Sarasota, Florida; volunteered for non-profits; consumed current events and advocated for fairness, and photographed.
Jay is survived by his wife, Janis Reader-Forgotson; sons Nathaniel, Josh and Matthew; grandchildren Evan, Ianto, Floriana, Zachary and Benjamin, and dogs Lola and Cimba. He was predeceased by his younger sister Barbara Garavuso.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to ADL Connecticut. A Memorial Service will be held tomorrow (Sunday, January 21, 12:30 p.m., Temple Shalom. Norwalk).
And finally … Peter Schickele, a serious concert musician and also the genius behind madcap PDQ Bach, died Tuesday near Woodstock, New York. He was 88. Click here for a full obituary.
(How to amuse yourself on a cold winter weekend? Read about everything happening in town, now and in the future. If you like what we do, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
There’s one more plan for Long Lots Elementary School.
Sort of.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker began last night’s Long Lots School Building Committee meeting by announcing a new version of the controversial renovation project. The goal was to address objections raised previously by the Planning & Zoning Commission, to a baseball diamond at the location of the current Westport Community Gardens.
A “multipurpose field” would be constructed there instead. The garden would be relocated somewhere else, on the Hyde Lane property.
There was no drawing to accompany the concept.
The LLSBC then held a work session. Microphones were either off or insufficient, making it difficult to hear.
Residents Jennifer Johnson and John Suggs both complained that the meeting was neither livestreamed nor recorded.
The newest plan — with, perhaps, a drawing — may be presented to the P&Z at its January 22 meeting.
For over 90 years, the Westport Country Playhouse has attracted Big Names.
Next up: Audra McDonald.
The singer/actor — winner of a record-breaking 6 Tony Awards (plus 2 Grammys and an Emmy); National Medal of Arts recipient, and one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People — takes the stage on Saturday, February 10 (7 p.m.).
The Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County is sponsoring a solidarity gathering on Sunday. It marks 100 days of captivity for dozens of hostages taken by Hamas during their October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.
Sunday’s event — called “Bring Them Home Now” — is at 1 p.m. Click here to register, and receive location details.
In her last issue as editor of Westport Lifestyle, Robin Moyer Chung writes about Henry Putnam. The Staples High School student is a non-verbal 18-year-old with cerebral palsy. As with other classmates with disabilities, he participates in an internship that will help him get a job after graduation.
Click here to read the story. It begins on page 42.
Henry Putnam (Photo courtesy of Westport Lifestyle Magazine)
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Fresh off a national championship, Jake Thaw has entered the transfer portal.
The University of Michigan punt return specialist is a senior, after graduating from Staples High School in 2020. However, he has 3 years of eligibility remaining, after walking on for the Wolverines.
The Detroit Free Press writes: “Thaw, 6-1 and 192 pounds played in 15 games on special teams as a senior this season. He may now be most known for his muffed punt near the goal line against Alabama in the final minute of the Rose Bowl, though it should be highlighted he was able to recover the loose ball and avert disaster.
He had 11 fair catches, and returned 16 punts for 111 yards the season.
A muffed punt with less than a minute to play in the semifinal almost cost UM a shot at the national title. Thaw was vilified on social media, but also praised for not giving up a safety.
He wrote: “For those that have kept unwavering support — thank you. And for those that have not, I understand. I made the biggest two mistakes of my life on the biggest stage, and I won’t ever forgive myself. I’ll always love and cherish @UMichFootball and this fanbase. Go Blue.” (Hat tip: Pete Wolgast)
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Westport artists Miggs Burroughs, Darcy Hicks, Dale Najarian and Tammy Winser — all of whom advocate for common sense guns laws — will show their work in a juried exhibit at Metro Art Studios in Bridgeport. “In Our Hands” explores many perspectives of gun culture in the US. All proceeds benefit Sandy Hook Promise and Street Safe Bridgeport.
The opening reception is January 21 (1 to 3 p.m.).
Matthew Mandell paid a surprise visit yesterday to wish Westporters Dana Noorilly and Julie Mountain good luck with their new Upper West Side Granola Bar location.
Business was brisk, he said, in a beautiful spot.
Mandell is director of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce. “We support our members!” he notes.
Dana Noorilly, Matthew Mandell and Julie Mountain, at the New York Granola Bar.
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Neal Radding sends today’s “Westport … Naturally” image from Sherwood Island State Park, plus a George Costanza quote: “The sea was angry that day, my friends.”
And finally … on this date in 1969, the New York Jets of the American Football League defeated the NFL’s Baltimore Colts of the National Football League to win Super Bowl III (and the first championship game with that name). The 16-7 victory is one of the greatest upsets in sports history; the Jets were 19 1/2-point underdogs.
(The Jets and Sharks agree on one thing: Supporting “06880” is cool. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
Two dozen residents heard an update last night from the Traffic & Pedestrian Safety Task Force, at Town Hall.
Representatives from the Police, Fire and Public Works Departments, and town operations director Tom Kiely, offered updates on the coordinated effort to identify and address trouble spots.
They provided statistics — 491 special enforcement details over the past 6 months, and 2,526 traffic stops — along with tangible actions, like a new 4-way stop sign at Hillandale and West Parish Roads, and sidewalks on Main Street, Compo Road North and Cross Highway.
Traffic & Pedestrian Safety Task Force members (from left): Deputy Fire Chief Nick Marsan, Police Staff Corporal Al D’Amura, Deputy Police Chief Ryan Paulsson, town operations director Tom Kiely, town engineer Keith Wilberg, Public Works director Pete Ratkiewich. 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker also attended. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Then many residents offered trouble spots of their own.
Several mentioned Kings Highway North (east of the speed humps). Others spoke about Bayberry Lane, Imperial Avenue, Thomas Avenue, and Harbor Road on Saugatuck Shores.
A resident wants a traffic agent at Treadwell Avenue starting at 3 p.m., to handle Saugatuck Rowing Club traffic.
One person asked police to teach children about pedestrian safety. Another wondered how Westporters can help push the state Department of Transportation to move beyond its glacial pace. (One example: The town has been requesting left-turn arrows at the Compo Road South/Greens Farms Road/Bridge Street light for 3 years.)
One resident suggested painting “Don’t block the box” rectangles at intersections like Post Road West/Riverside Avenue/Wilton Road, then installing cameras and fining miscreants.
Another wondered why she never sees police ticketing drivers who run red lights on the Post Road near Trader Joe’s and Compo Road.
One Westporter urged Public Works to request more staff.
Last night’s meeting followed 9 other Task Force sessions — one for each Representative Town Meeting district — last year, and a town-wide summary meeting.
“We’ll be back again in 6 months,” promised Deputy Police Chief Ryan Paulsson.
The map on the left shows the location of “enforcement details” between April and October of this year. The one on the right shows the location of traffic stops. (Photos/Dan Woog)
As planning progresses for the Compo Beach Playground makeover, organizers want Westporters’ input.
From all ages.
The Westport Rotary Club and Westport Young Woman’s League are partnering on the rebuild. They’re the same great groups that developed the original playground in 1986, and renovated it a couple of decades later.
The Compo Beach Playground Rebuild Committee designed a survey to capture ideas. It doesn’t take long. But residents’ input will help create a fun, safe and much-loved playground.
But act soon! The survey closes Monday (October 30). Click here for the link.
Compo Beach playground: ready for a rebuild. (Drone photo/David Szymanski)
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VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 kicks off Halloween weekend tonight (Friday, October 27, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.; $5 cover ) with a Happy Hour special.
Beer and wine is $6, with chances at free drinks every hour. The food is (as always) great, and there are prizes for best costumes.
Matt Zako — founder of The City’s Backyard podcast — is host.
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Halloween weekend continues tomorrow (Saturday, October 28, 8 p.m., Westport Library), with a Halloween Concert and Costume Ball.
Costumes are encouraged. Prizes will awarded for best outfits, in several categories. Specialty cocktails, beer and wine complement music by Bella’s Bartok, a funk/pop/folk band.
It is, says the sponsoring Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce, an event “to die for.”
Tickets are $20. Click here to purchase, and for more information.
Bella’s Bartok
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Speaking of Halloween: Wednesday’s kids’ parade downtown — sponsored by Westport’s Parks & Recreation Department, Westport PAL and the Westport Downtown Association — included these trick-or-treaters, at Town Hall.
Andrew Wilk’s “Library Medical Series” continues Monday (October 30, 7 p.m., Westport Library), with the second of a 3-part series on the brain.
“Headaches and Migraine: Better Understanding the Diagnosis and New Therapies Available” features Dr. Dario Zagar and Dr. Robert Altbaum. A Q-and-A follows their presentation.
The Saugatuck Rowing Club Junior Program had its best-ever overall showing at the Head of The Charles regatta in Boston this month.
Current and former rowers, now competing for their colleges, contributed to the success.
In a very close finish, the men’s 8+ boat, including Westporters George Bentley, Ben Whelan, Campbell Cohen and Jack Kiely, plus Gavin Marshall of Weston, placed second, behind a late entry from the U.K. That makes them the current fastest men’s youth 8 boat in the US.
The men’s youth 8+ boat.
The women’s U17 4+ boat, with Rylie Cordell and Kate Weitz of Westport, and Anne Studnicky of Weston, captured gold. That continues SRC’s’ national streak in the category.
The women’s U-17 4+ boat (from left): Grace Baker Kate Weitz, Madeline Casano, Anne Studnicky, Rylie Cordella, coach Cody Silvester.
In other Saugatuck Rowing Club women’s junior news, the public is invited to a special event on November 7 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lululemon).
Rowers from novice and varsity teams will talk about their experiences, and demonstrate their rowing machine workouts. Coaches be available to talk about the benefits of the program. The event includes giveaways from Lululemon and Saugatuck Rowing Club, and treats from GG & Joe’s.
All are invited (schools are not in session, for Election Day).
Yesterday’s Roundup included a photo of a porta-potty, nestled in one of the Old Mill garages near Sherwood Mill Pond, and the pedestrian path to Compo Cove.
There’s a back story. (There always is.)
A homeowner on the Cove is having work done. Either the bathrooms don’t work, or they don’t want workers using them. So they set up the portable toilet.
Of course, those potties need to be serviced. Vehicles are not allowed on the Cove.
That’s why it’s there, in the garage.
And here is what that cleaning looked like yesterday:
The Long Lots School Building Committee meets tomorrow (Thursday, October 5, 6 p.m.). In anticipation of a large crowd — and the expectation of a vote on which recommendation to submit to 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker — the session will be held in the Town Hall auditorium.
The agenda includes:
Update from committee
Public comment and/or questions regarding the feasibility study project (15 minutes)
Committee discussion regarding report and recommendation.
Previous meetings of the Long Lots School Building Committee have been held in a small room. Tomorrow’s is set for the Town Hall auditorium. (Photo/Karen Mather)
With all that’s going on in town– the Slice of Saugatuck, Earthplace and YMCA fundraisers, the Long Lots/Community Gardens kerfuffle, lanternflies — you’re forgiven for not realizing that Restaurant Week started on Sunday.
But foodies: Fear not. This is Westport. We do things differently.
Our Restaurant Week is actually 2. It runs all the way through October 15.
The annual Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce event is part of its ongoing “Eat Local” campaign, to promote area restaurants.
This year Restaurant Week(s) features 21 places, offering prix fixe meals in a variety of cuisines, and for all price points. They cover all of Westport, from Saugatuck to just over the Southport line.
Each restaurant sets its ow prix fixe price. Some offer just lunch, others dinner only; many provide both.
Here are the participating restaurants, with “Lunch” and/or “Dinner” noted. Click each restaurant to see each menu.
In addition to the occasional, “15-minute only” closures of I-95 between Exits 17 and 18 through October 27, the state Department of Transportation has just announced lengthier, more involved work.
From 8 p.m. on Friday, October 20 through 6 a.m. Monday, October 23, I-95 northbound will be closed, and “traffic will be detoured on the southbound bride, severely restricting traffic flow.” Traffic will be detoured onto Saugatuck and Riverside Avenue, the Post Road and Sherwood Island connector.
From Friday, November 3 (8 p.m.) until Monday, November 6 (6 a.m.), I-95 southbound will be closed, and “traffic will be detoured on the I-95 NB bridge thus severely restricting traffic flow.” The Saugatuck Avenue detour will also be in place.
But the Levitt Pavilion — known for its 60 or so nights of summer entertainment — is still going strong.
On stage this month:
“Max Weinberg’s Jukebox” (tomorrow: Thursday, October 5, 7:30 p.m.): The longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band brings his own group – and 300 songs that the audience can pick from. Click here for tickets ($35, $75 and $125), and more information.
Caleb Caudle(Friday, October 6, 7:30 p.m.): A full band show featuring Americana and folk from the his “Forsythia” album. Click here for free tickets, and more information.
Say She She (October 19, 7:30 p.m.): The female-led 7-piece outfit from London and Brooklyn brings its disco-pop sound to the shores of the Saugatuck River. Click here for free tickets, and more information.
Sure, yesterday’s weather was more like the 4th of July than Halloween.
But this group of women were busy carving pumpkins. At Compo Beach, sure, but can trick-or-treating be far behind?
(Photo/Cohl Katz)
Cohl Katz — the great hair stylist who was out for a walk in between clients — was so intrigued, she did not ask whether this was an organized group working on a project, or just a random assortment of friends.
When the Westport Library sponsors a staged reading of “Gentle Hacksaw” — the new drama combining religion, identity and violence (October 21, 8 p.m.; part of Story Fest) — there will be a strong local tie.
Matthew Van Gessel plays one of the lead roles. In Staples Players, the 2011 graduate played some of the most challenging roles seen on a high school stage. (The dentist in “Little Shop of Horrors” was typical.)
Described as “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” meets “God of Carnage,” the psychological thriller follows 2 high-profile gay men in a verbal cat-and-mouse game of utter cruelty when an unpleasant bargain goes awry.
As social graces are discarded and basic human decency is abandoned, both men discover shocking truths about themselves and one another.
A 7 p.m. reception with StoryFest authors precedes the show. A talkback with the playwright and cast, moderated by author Clay Mcleod Chapman, follows it. Click here for tickets.
Matthew Van Gessel
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During World War II, Westporters took turns scanning the skies and waters, looking for Nazi planes and boats.
In the 1950s and ’60s, one Nike site with missiles on North Avenue — and another launch site on Bayberry Lane — were part of the US defense system. The goal was to protect Bridgeport — an important manufacturing city — from a Russian attack
The Norwalk Historical Society on East Avenue has an exhibit on Norden, the Norwalk manufacturer of radar systems and bombsights. The company — located a few yards from the Westport border, and visible from I-95 just before Exit 17 — was later home to Tauck Tours. (Hat tip: Lynn Flint)
A typical Nike site — much like the North Avenue one. Missiles were buried underground.
Half of the prison population ends up back in jail following release.
In Bridgeport, Homebridge Ventures provides a re-entry program to help break the cycle of recidivism.
Yesterday, the Westport Rotary Club heard from David Stubbs. The co-founder and executive director of the non-profit escribed their programs addressing mental health issues, substance abuse and educational deficiencies, including teaching computer and job skills.
David Stubbs addresses the Westport Rotary Club.
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Art was not the only thing Mark Mathias noticed yesterday on his ramble through Winslow Park (story above).
He also snapped this photo, for our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
As Election Day looms, lawns and traffic islands will be filled with political signs. And the Westport Police Department will field complaints about the removal of them.
The WPD says: “Residents and visitors are advised against taking it upon themselves to remove signs that do not belong to them, from either public or private property.
“The enforcement of the town’s rules is the responsibility of the town of Westport, not that of private citizens. The removal of signs from public or private property by someone not authorized to do so by the town, or by the owner of the sign, may constitute theft. Entering onto private property to remove signs may also constitute trespassing. Both of these acts can ultimately result in an arrest.
“Town property includes traffic islands and road rights of way. It is not advisable to place signs on State of Connecticut property (including rights of way and islands along Routes 1, 136, 57, 33, and the Sherwood Island Connector, or on the exit or entrance ramps of I-95 or the Merritt Parkway) as the state may remove them.
“In addition, signs may not be placed on school property without permission of the superintendent’s office, nor may they be put inside Compo Beach or Longshore, Town Hall, or on trees or utility poles. Signs my not interfere with traffic visibility.
“Signs on private property cannot extend beyond the property line or into the town right-of-way. They should be removed within 2 days after the election.”
Political signs, 2012.
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Emmy Squared’s arrival was eagerly anticipated by Westporters who know — and love — its New York locations.
The new restaurant in the old Bedford Square Amis space has not disappointed.
Its square Detroit-style pizza, mammoth burgers and decadent brownie dessert draw big crowds and great raves.
Emmy Squared prides itself on friendliness and customer service. Here’s how they walk the talk: I was there last night. When it came time to bring out the meal, there were apologies instead.
My friend’s pizza had not come out right. The server did not want us to have a less-than-perfect experience. They were making a new one.
The attention to quality — and honesty — was refreshing.
And the wait was worth it. Emmy Squared is a winner.
The Westport Weston Chamber of Horrors –er. Commerce — has conjured up a new event to die for. A Halloween Concert and Costume Ball, featuring Bella’s Bartok, is set for Saturday, October 28 (8 p.m., Westport Library).
The event is an adult alternative to the Children’s Halloween Window Painting Contest, held earlier the same day (also run by the Chamber).
Costumes are encouraged. Prizes will awarded for best outfits, in several categories.
Specialty cocktails, beer and wine will allow patrons to pick their own poison.
Bella’s Bartok is an inspired choice for entertainment. Their raucous theatrical performances edge toward the macabre. Their high energy mix of funk, pop and folk will have even the deadest attendees dancing.
Tickets are $35. Click here to purchase, and for more information.
Declining audiences is not just a Westport Country Playhouse woe.
It’s a national issue.
Several days ago, the New York Times examined the trend. Yesterday, they published letters in response.
Among them: Carole Schweid’s.
The organizer of the “Play With Your Food” series — which never went out of style — wrote:
As I like to say: “If Joe Papp can do ‘Shakespeare in the Park,’ we can do Chekhov in the parking lot.” Performances like these are one of the ways my nonprofit arts organization brought our audiences back at the end of the pandemic.
As producers of Connecticut’s popular lunchtime play-reading series, “Play With Your Food,” we’ve learned a lot about survival from our five-star Westport Library, which has evolved from an excellent library into a vibrant center for the community. Like it or not, books are not enough, and I fear that it is much the same for theater.
We have been developing programs: talkbacks, theater lovers’ book groups, reading lists, a book group where we read plays out loud together, and, my current stock in trade, staged readings, to name a few low-cost, engaging, community-building activities.
We try to remind our audiences of the joy and the unique fun that can be had being part of our community. I think of it as an investment in our future.
Carole Schweid/Westport, Conn. The writer was in the original Broadway cast of “A Chorus Line” and is the author of “Staged Reading Magic.”
Carole Schweid
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Speaking of the Playhouse: If you missed “Justin Paul & Friends” Saturday night there, what a shame.
The evening was both joyful (high energy, huge talent, memorable music) and important (it was a fundraiser).
Justin — the 2002 Staples High School graduate/Grammy-, Emmy- and Tony-winning songwriter (“Dear Evan Hansen,” “La La Land,” “The Greatest Showman) — brought his “A” game. He not only rocked the piano and vocals, and not only enlisted a ton of great friends (Kelli O’Hara, James and Greg Naughton, Jacob Heimer, Staples Players …), but he described — again and again — the lasting influence that both Westport and Staples had on his development as a musician and a person.
If you were not there, this photo will have to suffice. If you were, you’ll appreciate once again Justin’s connection with the sold-out audience
Speaking of pianists: Ragtime rang out yesterday, at Green’s Farms Congregational Church.
The Y’s Women hosted Orin Grossman, professor emeritus of visual and performing arts at Fairfield University. His “From Ragtime to Stride: American Music Comes of Age” spanned many ages, from Scott Joplin to novelty piano and George Gershwin.
Grossman noted that when jazz was first introduced in the 1920s, it was looked upon as disparagingly as when Elvis burst on the scene 3 decades later.
Dr. Orin Grossman, at Green’s Farms Church. (Photo/Molly Alger)
Speaking still of pianists: Ethan Iverson makes his first-ever Jazz at the Post appearance Thursday (Sept. 14, 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399; cover charge $15).
Iverson — also a composer and writer — was a founding member of The Bad Plus.
Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall met Iverson in 1998 at a Brooklyn recording session. They recorded together … and the rest is jazz history.
Iverson and saxophonist Wall will be joined by bassist Yuriy Galkin and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza.
Dinner service begins at 7 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended: JazzatthePost@gmail.com
Westport plastic surgeon Flora Levin and her daughter Miri — a 10th grader at Hopkins School — recently returned from Guatemala. For the second year in a row, they volunteered with the International Esperanza Project to provide medical and surgical services, as well as building stoves and installing water filters 2 hours outside of Guatemala City.
Supplies are limited, in the poverty-stricken area. Levin brought sutures, lighting and anesthetic from her Connecticut office.
On the last day she did 8 lachrymal surgeries, but had only enough post-operative medication for 5. She went to a pharmacy and bought eye drops for $7 — an unaffordable cost for her patients.
Though Miri missed the first week of school, her mother says, “it was definitely worth the experience, and I am glad Hopkins appreciates that. The kids are amazing, always willing to help, first ones to get there, last ones to leave with the group. This is no summer camp, but there is an amazing sense of purpose and teamwork for a common cause.”
Click here for more information on the International Esperanza Project, including ways to help.
Dr. Flora Levin (left) and a Mexican colleague operate, in Guatemala. Miri Levin (rear) assists.
And finally … in honor of “ragtime professor” Dr. Orin Grossman, and his Y’s Women appearance (story above):
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This year, 20 restaurants will compete in 7 categories. Judging is done by residents, voting online.
