Compo Crowds

Westport's Compo Beach was unusually busy today as 59-degree, sunny New Year's Day weather brought out lots of people who no doubt can’t wait for the end of winter. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Richard Barnett for WestportNow.com

A Walk on the Not So Wild Side

A walk on a jetty at Compo Beach was a good way to experience a balmy New Year's Day today. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Richard Barnett for WestportNow.com

It Seemed Like All of Westport Went to the Beach Today

It seemed like all of Westport decided to head to Compo Beach today to celebrate the New Year and the balmy weather. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Stephen Rubin for WestportNow.com

Quiet Before the Chaos

All was quiet today at the new wing of Westport's Staples High School less than 48 hours before a portion of the $74 million renovation and addition project was to welcome its first students. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

The Way In

The new main entrance to Staples High School appears ready for first student use of part of the building Monday. In all, 34 classrooms will be put to use after closure of the old 7 and 9 buildings. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

New Year's Day Swim at Compo

Members of the Team Mossman triathalon club based at Westport's YMCA held their second annual polar bear plunge today at Compo Beach. Altogether, several dozen members and their families took a dip in the water in relatively balmy 55-degree weather. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

A Refreshing Dip

Emerging from their Compo Beach New Year's Day swim today are (l-r) Clayton Tebbetts Sr., 39, of North Haven; Peter Holmquist, 40, of Wilton, and Matthew McGlynn, 39, of Weston. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Compo Beach Gathering

Family members, friends and supporters of the Team Mossman triathalon club based at Westport's YMCA gathered at Compo Beach today to watch the second annual New Year's Day polar bear plunge. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

If Only Every Day Could be Like This

The I-95 bridge over the Saugatuck River in Westport was almost traffic-free this morning as most people stayed at home on New Year's morning. View is from a Department of Transportation traffic camera. DOT/WestportNow.com photo

A Little Too Much New Year's Celebrating

A driver who may have done a little too much New Year's celebrating glanced off a police car and then got his car hung up on a curb early today near the Sherwood Diner on Post Road East. The driver was charged with driving while intoxicated. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Ron Malone for WestportNow.com

The Bomb Squad Closes New Year's Celebration

The Bomb Squad funk-rock band performed in a post-midnight concert early today at Westport's Saugatuck Elementary School, ending First Night Westport/Weston 2005. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Funky Doings at Saugatuck El

The popular funky-blues band Bomb Squad played two performances Friday night and early today at Saugatuck Elementary School. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Emily Laux for WestportNow.com

Westport Celebrates New Year

Westport''s Jesup Green is bathed in the glow of exploding fireworks as well a bonfire (lower right) as the town celebrated the arrival of 2005 at midnight. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Dancing in the Aisles

Westport's Wild Oats food store was turned into a bit of Louisiana tonight as River City Slim and the Zydeco Hogs performed a mixture of Creole and Cajun music for First Night. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Good Spot for Fireworks Watching

These youngsters had a good view of the early New Year's Eve fireworks for children tonight from Westport's Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Memorial Bridge over the Saugatuck River. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Singing the Good News

The sanctuary of Westport's Christ and Holy Trinity Church was the venue tonight for a New Year's Eve performance by the Good News Gospel Choir, a community choir that draws its members from all over Fairfield County. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Center Stage

The Good News Gospel Choir was center stage tonight at Westport's Christ and Holy Trinity Church. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Seabury Center Hosts Family Concert

Family entertainer Les Julian, noted for his rubbery storyteller's face, three octave voice, and guitar pyrotechnics, performed at Westport's Seabury Center tonight as part of First Night Westport/Weston 2005. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Key Ingredients

The Key Ingredients, a folk-blues-spiritual-rock group, was among First Night performers tonight at Westport's Town Hall. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Predicting the Future

In one room of Westport's Town Hall tonight you could have a tarot card reading, a chair massage, and free tea and cookies -- all part of New Year's Eve First Night Westport/Weston 2005 offerings. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

A Horse and Buggy Ride for New Year's Eve

A horse and buggy ride around downtown Westport was a popular New Year's Eve First Night activity tonight. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Making the Main Street New Year's Eve Scene

Among those making the Main Street New Year's Eve scene in Westport tonight was Daria Rinde, 6, a kindergartener at Westport's Greens Farms Elementary School. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Hollywood on the Saugatuck

Westport's Town Hall was surrounded by Hollywood-style searchlights tonight as the First Night Westport/Weston 2005 Film Festival was underway inside. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Dancing to "New York, New York"

Dancing to “New York, New York” today at the Westport Center for Senior Activities was Glenna Rohan, 76, of Bronx, N.Y., a member of “The Steppers” dance group from New York City. The act was one of many New Year’s Eve activities sponsored by Westport/Weston First Night 2005. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

High Steppin' at the Senior Center

Gloria Brown, 73, of Manhattan, entertains the crowd at the Westport Center for Senior Activities today as part of First Night Westport/Weston 2005. She is a member of the New York-based “The Steppers” senior dance troupe. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Telling Tales

Storyteller David Newton spins some tales today at the Westport Public Library as part of the First Night Westport/Weston 2005 celebration. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Save the Children: Response is "Breathtaking"

Funds pouring into Westport's Save the Children for its Asian earthquake relief fund total about $6 million so far and, with donations from other countries, might eventually top $50 million, a spokeswoman said today.

"The response has been breathtaking," said spokeswoman Dianne Sherman. She also praised the response to an appeal issued Thursday for volunteers to help man the phones. (See WestportNow Dec. 29, 2004)

"We are very appreciative, especially to people locally," she said, adding that those interested in helping should call (203) 221-4000.

She said donations are coming in from the charity's Web site, over the phone, and through corporate and private donors and amount to about $6 million so far. "The total might even reach $50 million, counting funds coming through other countries," she said.

Sherman said Save the Children's around-the-clock operation at its Wilton Road headquarters is in regular touch with staff members in the affected areas and "the situation is unimaginable."

One Save the Children doctor in the area had lost 21 members of his extended family in the disaster, she said.

First Night Westport/Weston 2005 Film Festival Schedule

The First Night Film Festival is a new addition to tonight's First Night Westport//Weston 2005.

The First Night Film Committee -- Will Berk, Alix Bregman, Dan Lance and Brian Mayer-- caution that some of the films, to be screened at Westport's Town Hall, may contain content considered inappropriate for young children.

Screenings begin at 7:30 p.m. and run until 11 p.m.

Title: Melchinger: Impossible
Filmmaker(s): Brian Mayer*
Description: A teacher, Mr. Melchinger, falls victim to the clever antics of his students as they try to steal the next day's test from...but will they succeed?

Title: Dane’s World
Filmmaker(s): Michael Bloom, Dane Foster, Andrew Knopp
Description: This film is a parody of the comedy Wayne’s World.

Title: Insomniac
Filmmaker(s): David Stromberg
Description: The 24 hour cycle of life compels one insomniac to make a drastic decision. Shot on 16 mm film, Insomniac is set to a classical score.

Title: Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Filmmaker(s): Alli Rice
Description: This film is in fact a music video set to the song “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by the popular rock band Greenday.

Title: School Daze
Filmmaker(s): James Wormser
Description: This claymation (clay and animation) film was the winner of the Westport Film Festival, and as such will be shown at the Museum of Film and Television in England. School Daze also won the Video Production Award at Staples High School.

Title: Ballads
Filmmaker(s): Ethan Ames
Description: A group of young untamed bank robbers break up, and the story unfolds as one of deceit and revenge.

Title: Pandora's Box
Filmmaker(s): Alec Goebel
Description: A lone student struggles with the meaning of existence as he tries to unleash a powerful demon within.

Title: Spaz Videos
Filmmaker(s): Wil Berk*
Description: Spaz Videos are a fun trip down to the happy go lucky land of Germany. Consider this film a cultural and lingual guide.

Title: Toast
Filmmaker(s): Dan Lance*
Description: Dan Lance’s new film, Toast, is the hilarious story of a young man and his dysfunctional family. This truly heart-warming tale can only be described as the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Title: Memoirs of a Sprouting Adolescent or Howie
Filmmaker(s): Sam Moritz, and his cast Jhunket Productions
Description: Sam is a teenage boy, and in the middle of trying to ask out his crush, he falls into a ditch, and loses himself in thoughts. His conscience, named Howie, is reaping havoc on his life. The two must switch back again, and Sam desperately tries to make this happen.

Title: For the Better
Filmmaker(s): Sam Moritz, and his cast Jhunket Productions
Description: An action-packed film, For the Better tells the story of heist, and the friendships of Sal, Jack, Roberto and Joe and “old-time friend.” Will their adventure come out for the better? Come and see

* Filmmaker is on the First Night Film Committee

Beachcombers

Thursday's nice weather brought those seeking fresh air to Westport's Compo Beach. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Larry Untermeyer for WestportNow.com

Almost Spring-Like

The temperature Thursday reached a balmy 43F in Westport, making the Compo Basin look almost spring-like. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Larry Untermeyer for WestportNow.com