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Tickets went fast for this weekend’s Candlelight Concert.
But Westporters — and everyone else, around the world — can watch it online. A tape of the 81st annual event will be streamed on Thursday, December 23 (8 p.m.).
Like the concert itself, it’s free — a gift, from the Staples High School music department. The link will be available at StaplesMusic.org.
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Steve Ginsburg spent 10 great years with the ADL: 4 in Chicago, the last 6 as director of its Connecticut chapter.
His most rewarding times were helping people in crisis — CEOs, school principals, teenagers being bullied or accused of bullying — work through their issues.
Now, the Westport resident is doing that full-time.
Ginsburg is a co-founder of August. It’s a national strategic communications firm, helping people and companies in difficult circumstances tell their story with clarity and integrity.
His area of expertise is “diversity and bias.” For example, he cites a university campus roiled by accusations of racism. He can guide the many stakeholers — students, professors, administrators, trustees — as they speak to the media.
“At ADL, I loved working with media,” Ginsburg says. “I saw the importance of them doing their job well — and what can happen when they don’t.
“Our society is very polarized. When news breaks, there’s often a rush to judgment. But things are not always what they first seem. Society benefits from accurate, fair reporting.”
Steve Ginsburg
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Justin Paul has been very generous with his time. The Tony, Oscar and Grammy Award-winning co-songwriter of “Dear Evan Hansen,” “La La Land” and “The Greatest Showman” — and 2003 Staples High School graduate — has returned often to his alma mater (and Coleytown Middle School) to share insights and tricks of the trade with the next generation of talented Westporters.
For the rest of us — who aren’t still in school — there’s a new online course.
Paul and his writing partner, Benj Pasek, offer a month-long online class: “Songwriting for Musical Theater.” It’s immersive — 7 to 10 hours a week, for 4 weeks — that provides students with the foundation to write their own musical (including 2 original songs).
Click here for details. Who knows? Maybe after writing your musical, “You Will Be Found.”
At the end of an appearance in 2018 at Staples High, Justin Paul played piano as students sang the “Dear Evan Hansen” classic, “Waving Through a Window.” (Photo/Kerry Long)
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Everyone is in the gift-giving mood. Even the Westport Transit District.
As a holiday gift to residents, they offer free rides to users of the Wheels2U shuttle service. The service starts Monday (December 20), and is good through December 31.
Wheels2U Westport is the WTD’s on-demand, group ride, door-to -train platform shuttle service.
The free rides to and from the Westport and Greens Farms stations are not just for commuters. If you’re seeing a show, museum, the Rockefeller Center tree or friends: hop aboard the shuttle, and the train.
If you’re in the service area, use the Wheels2U Westport app to request a pickup between 5:45 and 9:45 a.m., and 4 and 8 p.m., 20 minutes before you’d normally leave.
For more information, click here.
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Back in the (Clam Box) days, there was an exit from that parking lot in the back, onto Long Lots Road.
Years ago, it was sealed off. The only exit and entrance was via Post Road East.
There may be another exit in the future. In a different spot: the upper parking deck.
Planning & Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals permission has been granted to expand the upper deck by 18 spaces; reconstruct and extend the existing retaining wall; install a planter and landscaping — and add gated, emergency access to Long Lots. It would only be used by fire, police or EMS vehicles, as a secondary exit route.
The request for a zoning permit awaits P&Z Department approval.
A view of the 877 Post Road East upper parking deck, from Long Lots Road.
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Jolantha — Weston’s favorite pig — is all decked out for the holidays
(Photo/Hans Wilhelm)
She’s got more news, too: Her brand new website just launched. Click here to see her many glamorous outfits, through the years.
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Chris Wood spotted today’s “Westport … Naturally” bird — an Eastern towhee — at Sherwood Island State Park. It “sang like it was spring,” Chris says.
(Photo/Chris Wood)
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And finally … Steve Bronski, a co-founder member of the British synth-pop trio Bronski Beat, died Thursday, at 61. Click here for a full obituary. (Hat tip: Amy Schneider)
