Saturday, February 7, 2004

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Westport Historical Society - "Nuts and Bolts of Old House Ownership"
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Staples High School - Science and Engineering Fair, awards program at 1:30 p.m.
1 p.m. - Westport Public Library McManus Room - Crossword puzzle contest

Westport Schools Closed for Snow Day

The Westport public schools are closed today due to the snowstorm, Schools Supt. Elliott Landon announced.

Memo to Husbands and Boy Friends: Buy Jewelry

By Fran
WestportNow Consumer Correspondent
fran@westportnow.com

This one is strictly for the men.

If she tells you she really doesn’t want anything for Valentine’s Day this year … assures you “Honey, you really don’t have to get me anything” … or agrees with you that it’s a silly, made-up holiday that exists only for school kids and commercial purposes, and that you should feel perfectly free to ignore Feb. 14...
Pure fantasy at Mitchells: yours for a mere $10,500. Contributed photo

Take it from me. She’s lying.

So for the very wise men (you too, Y’s Men) who are going to be looking for that perfect diamond heart necklace this weekend – you can’t go wrong sticking with tradition – here are my own personal favorites.

Note that the list is highly subjective and not meant to be indicative of the relative costliness of Westport’s jewelers. And don’t forget that since diamond quality varies widely, we’re not comparing apples.

Oh, and one more thing. Please don’t even think of shopping for a Valentine gift in Fairfield, Greenwich, or going to your cousin in the diamond business. Let’s keep those heartfelt dollars in Westport, shall we?

Keeping in mind those tax reval notices that recently hit our mailboxes, I’ve kept the selections modest and priced under $1,000 (but I just had to show you that Mitchells one, too.)

In no particular order …
Sweezey of Westport has a classy puffed heart for $180. WestportNow.com photo

Swezey of Westport at 139 Main St., is Westport’s oldest jeweler, still run by its original owner family and in the same location for over 50 years. (Take that, Talbott’s.) Swezey’s has a nice selection of open diamond heart necklaces which, like the store itself, are fairly traditional. But I happened to fall in love with a small, puffed gold heart inset with one small diamond, remarkably affordable at $180. What it lacks in size and price it makes up in class.

The biggest surprise came at Mitchells, 670 Post Road East, where I expected to find nothing in the sub-stratospheric price range. But again, I was pleasantly proven wrong. Two really tasteful and lovely heart necklaces in the M.J. Savitt collection – one a pavé diamond set heart, another small open diamond heart, both set in white gold – were a modest (for Mitchells) $1,000. When you throw in the cost of Mitchells’ free cappuccino and bagels, you’ve got a real deal. (Of course, Mitchells being Mitchells did not disappoint in the pure fantasy department. My hands-down favorite: a yellow heart-shaped diamond nestled inside an open diamond heart in the Mitchells private precious jewelry collection is $10,500.)
Luxe, Bond and Green's tilted solid heart of pavé diamonds goes for $750. WestportNow.com photo

I was sure I would find nothing in my post-tax-reval price range in the elegant Luxe, Bond and Green at 136 Main St. But was I ever wrong. The store had an absolutely gorgeous selection of diamond heart necklaces well within reason. Take the one I fell for: a tilted solid heart of pavé diamonds totalling 0.64 carat weight, for $750. An equally delicate open heart was $475. The gracious and pretty sales associate Marian Cherrone will even model them for you.

When Elliot Lawrence Jewelers moved out of Sconset Square, Sconset Fine Jewelry and Gifts moved in. That’s where the similarity ends, though. This not-the-usual-Westport jeweler sells items which are interesting but slightly on the flashy side. An example is the unusual pendant of a white diamond open heart set inside a larger heart of black diamonds.
Francois Du Pont has a simple pavé diamond heart for $575. WestportNow.com photo - $860 for 1.1 total carat weight. Open only since June, this relative newcomer is practically now a longtimer in the Westport’s retail revolving door rally.

Francois Du Pont at 105 Main Street has a simple and tasteful ¼ carat weight pavé diamond heart set in white gold for $575. While you’re there, check out the always popular diamond stud earrings. You can’t go wrong with a classic.

For something completely different, don’t dare miss Westport’s most striking and captivating new arrival, Faye Kim Designs in Main Street Commons. Once I took my eyes off the knockout décor, I fell for a white sapphire heart pendant set in gold on a strand of pink sapphires – one of Faye Kim’s priciest items at $975.
An 18K gold heart pendant on a strand of multicolored tourmalines is $575 at Faye Kim Designs.Contributed photo You can even design something yourself from her amazing collection of pendants and strands. A feast for the eyes, and much of it not too bad for the wallet, either.

It’s like having a cousin in the business, but without the schlep to 47th Street. Just one flight above Cohen’s Fashion Optical in the Compo Shopping Center, S.Z. Jewelry is a manufacturer who sells “wholesale” to the public, according to owner Kuti Zeevi. His prices prove his point. One of his more modestly priced baubles is a 1.44 total carat weight diamond pavé heart necklace at $975. For something more unusual, ask to see the heart with a combination of round diamonds and baguettes, for 90 points total weight, also $975. Small change compared to the really pricey and extravagant collection you may find yourself browsing over once the hospitable Kuti buzzes you in the double set of doors.

Don’t be misled by the store’s name. The tried, true and remarkably affordable Silver Ribbon at 270 Post Road East Playhouse Square has a plentiful selection of gold and diamond hearts ranging from the traditional to the offbeat. You can hardly go wrong with a diminutive pavé diamond open heart set in white gold, priced at $202 for 15 points total weight; or $320 for 20 points. My favorite, though, was a very unusual puffed gold filigree heart on a delicate chain for $73. Proving that you can’t put a price on love.

Still plan on buying her a box of chocolates instead? Sure, go ahead. But don’t say you weren’t warned.

Boys Varsity Basketball: Staples Beats Westhill 75-60

The Staples boys varsity basketball team tonight beat the Westhill Vikings 75-60 to improve to 6-4 in the FCIAC and 9-4 overall. They play Greenwich Friday at Staples.

Martha Stewart Trial: Defense Grills Prosecution Star Witness

Defense lawyers in the stock fraud trial of Westport's Martha Stewart grilled star prosecution witness Douglas Faneuil today.

The maneuvering in the Manhattan federal courtroom was aimed at showing that Faneuil routinely joked with Stewart's stockbroker even as he claims the broker intimidated him into covering up the facts of Stewart's stock sale.

But the judge blocked the lawyers from putting e-mails into evidence showing that Faneuil, then a Merrill Lynch & Co. assistant, had an easygoing relationship with broker Peter Bacanovic, Stewart's co-defendant.

Bacanovic attorney David Apfel said one of the joking e-mails from Faneuil to Bacanovic describes "a man having sex with a goat." But U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum ordered the remark stricken from the record.

Faneuil has said that Bacanovic ordered him to tip Stewart on Dec. 27, 2001, that ImClone Systems founder Sam Waksal was dumping shares of stock, leading Stewart to do the same.

He also has said that Bacanovic pressured him to support a false cover story for the sale.

On the witness stand today, Faneuil admitted he joked with Bacanovic at work even as the broker was pressuring him. Faneuil described their relationship as "schizophrenic."

"Everything having to do with the events of Dec. 27 was extremely compartmentalized," Faneuil said.

Apfel asked Faneuil whether Bacanovic had specifically asked him to lie to investigators. Faneuil said Bacanovic had not - but "I understood what he was telling me."

The defense began cross-examining Faneuil on Wednesday after he delivered damaging testimony against Stewart and her stockbroker.

SWPRA to Hold Transportation Hearing Feb. 14

The region's planning agency will hold a public information session on transit issues Feb. 14 in Norwalk.

An announcement from the South Western Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA) and the South Western Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (SWRMPO) said it will host the meeting "to receive input and questions from the public on the current state of public transportation in southwestern Connecticut, including the New Haven Line railroad and the bus transit system."

The Saturday session will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Common Council chambers, Norwalk City Hall, third floor, 125 East Ave.

Harry Harris, chief of the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Public Transportation, will be available to receive public comments and answer questions, the announcement said.

Comments pertaining specifically to the New Haven Line (including the Danbury, New Canaan and Waterbury Branch lines) or bus transit in southwestern Connecticut may be submitted electronically to Wilson@swrpa.org or mailed to Robert H. Wilson, Executive Director, SWRPA, 888 Washington Boulevard, Stamford, CT 06901.

WN Fact File: Charges in Martha Stewart Case

Here are the government’s charges against Martha Stewart and former stockbroker Peter Bacanovic:

Charges against Stewart:

Conspiracy
Alleges Stewart and Bacanovic "willfully and knowingly" worked together to obstruct justice and make false statements in the stock-trading scandal.

False statements
Alleges, among other things, Stewart lied when she told the Securities and Exchange Commission, FBI and federal prosecutors she had prearranged with Bacanovic to sell ImClone when it fell below $60 per share.

Alleges, among other things, Stewart lied when she told the SEC, FBI and prosecutors that she did not recall being told on Dec. 27, 2001, that the Waksal family was selling ImClone stock.

Obstruction of justice
Alleges that, from January to April 2002, Stewart "willfully and knowingly" tried to hamper the SEC investigation of her stock sale by providing misleading information.

Securities fraud
Alleges Stewart "well knew" her personal reputation was critical to shareholders in her company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Alleges she made misleading public statements in June 2002, after news of her ImClone sale broke, that she intended to "defraud and deceive" her investors.

Charges against Bacanovic:

Conspiracy
Alleges Stewart and Bacanovic "willfully and knowingly" worked together to obstruct justice and make false statements in the stock-trading scandal.

False statements
Alleges Bacanovic lied when he told regulators he had had a conversation with Stewart in which she decided to sell ImClone when it reached $60 per share. Also alleges he lied about a Dec. 27, 2001, conversation in which he told Stewart the stock price had dropped.

Making and using false documents
Alleges Bacanovic altered a worksheet of Stewart's portfolio to make it appear he and Stewart had prearranged to sell ImClone when it fell below $60.

Perjury
Alleges Bacanovic lied repeatedly in a Feb. 13, 2002, interview with SEC investigators, particularly about his conversations with Stewart in the weeks surrounding her sale of ImClone stock.

Obstruction of justice
Alleges that, from January to April 2002, Bacanovic "willfully and knowingly" tried to hamper the SEC investigation of Stewart's stock sale.

Penalties

The maximum penalty for each count is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, except for the securities fraud count against Stewart that carries 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. If convicted, both are likely to get far lighter penalties than the maximum under federal sentencing guidelines.

Thursday, February 5, 2004

7:30 p.m. - Town Hall Auditorium - Planning & Zoning Commission
8 p.m. - Staples High School Library - Board of Education

Board of Education Takes Up Start Time Issue

The controversial issue of school start times was before the Westport Board of Education tonight. The co-chairs of the School Start Time Committee, Angela Wormser and Dan Sullivan, presented results of their survey on the subject to board members (See WestportNow Jan. 29, 2004). The board put off a vote on possibly changing start times until next Monday. WestportNow.com photo

Board of Finance Discusses Asking Educators to Reduce Budget

Members of the Westport Board of Finance tonight had a lengthy informal discussion about the Board of Ed budget. Among the topics was whether to ask the Board of Education to hold its budget closer to 5 percent rather than what the superintendent calls a proposed 6.9 percent increase, but which finance members calculate is actually 8 percent not counting insurance savings. They also discussed asking the educators to postpone final approval of their budget pending further talks with their board. The discussion followed formal adjournment of the meeting which was broadcast live on the town's government access cable channel. WestportNow.com photo

Jimmy Hughes Off to University of Rhode Island

Staples senior Jimmy Hughes, the all-time FCIAC scoring champion, today signed a letter of commitment to attend the University of Rhode Island. Hughes is the seventh Staples high school football player in Coach Marce Petroccio's 11-year tenure who has gone on to play football at Division I colleges. The others are Mac DeVito (Temple), Charlie Emerson (Indiana), Sean Mulcahy (UConn), Dave Kashetta (BC), and Charlie Stephens and Jessie Becker (Wagner). Hughes and Petroccio are shown together after the Nov. 27 win over Fairfield. University of Rhode Island head coach Tim Stowers said Hughes was one of 20 players signing letters of intent to play for the Rhody Rams. Leonard Samela/Staplesfootball.com photo

Westport Property Transfers Jan. 26-30

Property transfers as reported by the Westport Town Clerk's office for the period Jan. 26-30, 2004:

Sherrylee W.Green to Robert and Amy J. Babkie, 14 Edgewater Commons Lane Unit 2C, $549,000.

Annie Chu to Anil Nair and Aradhana Tyagi, 7 Oakview Lane, $360,000.

George M. Llorens to Angela Camarda, 72 Harbor Road, $700,000.

Alan M. and Nancy Anne C. Forster to Halem Saad and Leslie Clementi, 11 Godfrey Lane, $878,400.

Thelma J. Lubarsky to James J. and Geraldine D. Lawrence, 73-75 West Parish Road, $390,000.

Arthur Millman to Debbie Helft Lerner, 7 Charcoal Hill Common, $1,110,000.

Kathleen Bell and Scott T. Santarella to Allen Raymond Trust, 5 Sunny Lane, $660,000.

Estate of F. Chandler Moffat to Sylvan Road Westport LLC, 82 Sylvan Road North, $845,000.

Mark S. and Allyson S. Juviler to Dwight F. Meyer and Amy M Forte, 66 North Ave., $1,155,000.

Martha Stewart Trial: Damaging Testimony from Prosecution Witness

The jury trying Westport's Martha Stewart today heard the most damaging testimony yet in her stock fraud trial in a federal courtroom in Manhattan.

A former Merrill Lynch assistant said Stewart told him to sell her ImClone Systems stock after he advised her that the company founder was trying to dump his own shares.

Douglas Faneuil, under questioning from the prosecution, told the jury about a phone call he received from Stewart on Dec. 27, 2001.

Faneuil said he told her that ImClone founder Sam Waksal was trying to sell all his shares of the stock - and she ordered him to do the same.

He gave the testimony after he admitted outside the jury's presence that he had used marijuana and Ecstasy while he was employed by Merrill Lynch.

"Hi, this is Martha," he quoted Stewart as saying at the beginning of the conversation. Faneuil said he advised her that she "might want to act on the information that Sam's selling all of his shares."

"All of his shares?" Stewart replied, according to Faneuil.

"What he does have here, he's trying to sell," Faneuil testified that he answered.

According to Faneuil, Stewart then told him to sell off all her shares at market price - contradicting her story that there was a standing "stop loss order" to sell the stock if it fell to $60 a share.

Faneuil testified that he never heard anything about the order until more than a week after the sale, when an agitated Peter Bacanovic -- Stewart's broker and co-defendant -- insisted that was the case during a phone call.

Faneuil, on the witness stand, imitated a breathless Bacanovic insisting the sale was legitimate. Faneuil said he was browbeaten until he agreed with the broker.

Waksal, a former jet-setting New York socialite, is serving a seven-year prison sentence after admitting he instructed his family to sell ImClone shares when he got word the government was about to issue a negative report on ImClone's new cancer drug.

Earlier, defense attorney Robert Morvillo gave a glimpse at the defense strategy of undermining the witness when he grilled Faneuil about the young assistant's drug use while employed at Merrill Lynch.

Faneuil, in a court session without the jury present, said he smoked marijuana with friends "about once a month." He also acknowledged using the club drug Ecstasy two or three times, but insisted he had never used any drugs while at work.

"It intensifies your tactile sensations and emotions," Faneuil said of Ecstasy. U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum said she would restrict Morvillo's questioning in front of the jury, but did not elaborate.

Boys Varsity Basketball: Norwalk Bests Staples 70-64

The Norwalk Bears hung on to beat the Wreckers 70-64 Tuesday night to go 12-1 overall and 9-1 in the FCIAC.

Norwark, playiung at home, started off fast, scoring virtually at will to lead at the half 44-28.

Staples stormed back in the third and fourth quarters to tie the game at 58 with four minutes left but was unable to close it out.

Staples is 8-4 overall and 5-4 in the FCIA. The Wreckers play Westhill at home on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Westport Food Union Threatens Stop & Shop Strike

The Westport-based United Food and Commercial Workers Union has threatened to strike Stop & Shop supermarkets in Connecticut and western Massachusetts if the company doesn’t change its position in current negotiations.

The union’s contract is scheduled to expire at midnight Feb. 14.

Brian A. Petronella, president of Local 371, which has its office on Post Road West, in a written statement accused Stop & Shop officials of proposing "outrageous givebacks that would destroy health care benefits, pension benefits and wage scales."

He said unless the company changes its position, he will urge workers to vote to strike.

The union represents about 5,000 Stop & Shop workers in the meat, deli and fish departments.

Stop & Shop officials confirmed they are negotiating but cited a policy against discussing contract specifics, according to the New Haven Register.

Wednesday, February 4, 2004

7:30 a.m. - Town Hall Room 309/307 - TEAM Westport Committee
10:30 a.m. - Town Hall Room 102 - International Hospitality Committee
Noon - Town Hall Room 309/307 - Ctizens brown bag lunch
7 p.m. - Room 309/307 - Board of Finance public work session
7:30 p.m. - Town Hall Room 201 - Flood and Erosion Control Board
7:30 p.m. - Staples High School, Room 516 - Board of Education anticipated executive dession
8 p.m. - Staples High School Library - Board of Education - School Start Time Committee report
8 p.m. - Town Hall Auditorium - Board of Finance (live coverage cable channel 79)

Martha Stewart Trial: Faneuil Testifies He Was Ordered to Pass on Stock Tip

The government's star witness against Westport's Martha Stewart testified today that Stewart's stockbroker ordered him to pass an ImClone Systems stock tip to Stewart just before she dumped her shares in the company.

Douglas Faneuil, a former assistant at Merrill Lynch & Co., testified that broker Peter Bacanovic ordered him on Dec. 27, 2001, to alert Stewart that the family of ImClone Systems founder Sam Waksal was trying to sell its shares.

Faneuil, 28, said he expressed concern and asked Bacanovic whether passing such a tip would be appropriate.

"Of course. You must. That's the whole point," he said Bacanovic replied.

Faneuil described a hectic morning in which he fielded calls from Waksal's accountant and both of Waksal's daughters, all ordering him to sell the family's ImClone shares immediately.

Waksal later admitted he had advance word of a decision to be released the next day - a negative government report on an ImClone cancer drug - that would send the stock tumbling.

Faneuil said he called Bacanovic, who was on vacation in Florida, to discuss the flurry of selling by the Waksals. He said Bacanovic blurted: "Oh my God, get Martha on the phone."

Stewart was unavailable and on her way to her own vacation in Mexico. But she called later in the day and ordered her entire stable of 3,928 shares of ImClone to be sold.

The government claims Stewart and Bacanovic then cooked up a false story and repeatedly lied to investigators, saying they had a pre-existing arrangement to sell ImClone when it fell to $60 per share.

Faneuil's testimony, delayed by five days after the judge penalized prosecutors for being too slow in turning over an FBI document, is the most critical piece of the puzzle that the government says implicates Stewart.

Stewart was one of Bacanovic's two most valuable clients, Faneuil testified. Bacanovic was close enough to her that he got some shares in Stewart's own company when it went public, he said.

Faneuil was steady in his answers to prosecutor Karen Patton Seymour, and he praised his ex-boss.

"Peter (Bacanovic) was the best boss I ever had," Faneuil said. "It was a great working relationship. He was demanding yet appreciative."

Earlier today, a defense attorney sought to undermine the credibility of Faneuil by getting a former supervisor to admit she once reprimanded him for cursing on company e-mail.

Judy Monaghan, an administrator at Merrill Lynch & Co., also said she told Faneuil to stop using company e-mail for personal messages. Monaghan gave no details about the content of the e-mails.

Faneuil's reputation and credibility will be critical to the trial's outcome. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in 2002 and agreed to cooperate with investigators.

Tuesday, February 3, 2004

10 a.m. - Town Hall Room 201 - Administrative Review Committee
7 p.m. - Town Hall Room 309 - Shellfish Commission
7:30 p.m. Town Hall Room 201/201A - Zoning Board of Appeals
7:30 p.m. - Town Hall Room 102 - Architectural Review Board
8 p.m. - Town Hall Auditorium - RTM (live on cable channel 79)

Martha Stewart Trial Resumes, Faneuil Testimony Tuesday

Westport's Martha Stewart was back in a Manhattan federal courtroom today as her stock fraud trial resumed with testimony that she was "very hurried and harsh and direct" in a telephone call on the day of her controversial stock sale.

The description was made by Emily Perret, secretary to ImClone Systems chief Sam Waksal, who said she took a call from Stewart on the day she dumped her stock in the company.

Meanwhile, the judge ruled that Douglas Faneuil, the government's star witness, will be allowed to testify beginning Tuesday afternoon.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum was a boost for prosecutors because Faneuil's testimony -- which had been postponed last week -- is the most critical piece of their case.

The judge did not elaborate on the ruling.

Faneuil's testimony was delayed last week after the government turned over to defense lawyers documents that could damage the credibility of his testimony. Defense lawyers argued they should have received the material much earlier, and Cedarbaum said prosecutors had been too slow in turning it over.

In her testimony today, Perret said Stewart asked her what was going on with ImClone stock. She said she answered that she did not know and would leave a message for Waksal to call Stewart back.

The call took place on Dec. 27, 2001. The government says it happened just after Stewart sold 3,928 shares of ImClone.

Perret said on cross-examination that Stewart's tone that day was no different from other days when she called.

The government also put into evidence Perret's log of Stewart's call that day: "Something is going on with ImClone and she wants to know what."

Stewart and her co-defendant, broker Peter Bacanovic, are accused of lying to investigators about why Stewart sold her ImClone shares just before bad news about the company's new cancer drug sent the stock tumbling.

Stewart and Bacanovic maintain they had a pre-existing agreement to sell the shares if ImClone stock fell to $60.

Monday, February 2, 2004

10 a.m . - Town Hall Room 309 - Police promotion ceremony
5:30 p.m. - Staples High School, Room 516 - School Building Committee Staples Subcommittee
7 p.m . - Town Hall Auditorium - Ethics and conflicts of interest workshop
7:30 p.m. - Town Hall Room 201/201A - Golf Advisory Committee
8 p.m. - Staples High School Library - Board of Education
8 p.m. - Staples High School Auditorium - Fine Arts concert

Worth its Weight in Salt

By Fran
WestportNow Consumer Correspondent
fran@westportnow.com

I’m not going to wait until Monday for the Punxatawny Phil to tell me this winter is far from over. Get used to the white stuff, because it doesn’t seem to be melting anytime soon -- >
When the going gets tough, the tough go … sledding. The selection at Olympia Sports. WestportNow.com photounless you give it a little help with that wonderful stuff called ice melt.

It's otherwise known as potassium chloride (don’t hold me to the actual chemical composition, please – I’m just a consumer reporter with an icy front walk). And when you need it, it’s worth its weight in … salt.

Whether you live in a tasteful Westport-New England style cape (otherwise known as “bulldozer bait” -- see WestportNow Jan. 27, 2004, “Westport Reval Snapshot”) or a McMansion, chances are that ice melt is a regular on your shopping list.

But like lots of everthing in else in Westport, prices can vary widely.

Here’s where to find the winter necessity. Price shown are for a five-pound bag or container:

Eckerd’s $3.97
Stew Leonard’s $4.50
Westport Hardware $4.99
Stop & Shop $5.99
Walgreen’s $5.99
Home Depot $7.97
Torno Hardware $8.49
Crossroads Hardware $8.99

But when the going gets tough, the tough go … sledding.

Yes, there are still sleds available for that next inevitable snow day. Find them at:

Shaw’s Supermarket, $6.99
Olympia Sports, $7, $24.99
Crossroads Hardware, $10 and up
Learning Express, $10 and up
Torno Hardware, $8.99 - $12
Westport Hardware, $6.99 - $99.99
Toys R Us, $12.99 – 19.99
Stop & Shop, $19.99

Next week’s Fran’s List: what she really wants for Valentine’s Day.

Westporter Has One of Best Super Bowl Seats – Actually 75,000 of Them

Westporter Greg Rosen says he has one of the best seats in Houston's Reliant Stadium for today’s Super Bowl.

Actually, he’s got 75,000 of them.

Rosen’s company, Meeting Street Promotions of Westport, created the custom seat cushions that every ticket holder will take home after today’s game between the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots.

The company, which has the NFL license to produce the seats, has overseen the promotion for the past 10 years.

The navy-blue cushions branded with the Super Bowl logo will be waiting in every seat at Houston’s Reliant Stadium when fans start pouring in for the 6:15 p.m. kick off.

“It takes five days to put them in and 20 minutes for people to take them out,” Rosen told The Sun News of Myrtle Beach, Fla., from Reliant Stadium.

Rosen is a 1977 graduate of Myrtle Beach High School and the Super Bowl gig is his company's biggest project of the year.

At the NFL’s request, he packs the pouches on the cushions with goodies; this year, transistor radios. The cushion also carries colored cards fans will use during the national anthem to create a stars-and-stripes patriotic picture.

The job has its perks. Rosen has the chance to get a half-dozen tickets to the big game. That’ll make you popular.

“It’s nice to play Santa Claus with Super Bowl tickets,” he said.

Counting 10 Super Bowls and four Final Fours, men’s and women’s, Rosen has made more than 1.2 million cushions for fan’s fannies.

“That’s a lot of butts,” he told the newspaper after tallying up the total.