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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

8:15 A.M. – Town Hall Room 309 – Downtown 2020 Committee
8:30 a.m. – Town Hall Room 201 – Human Services Commission
10 a.m. - Westport Public Library - Jobseekers: Energize Your Job Search
10 a.m. – Town Hall Room 201 – Arts Advisory Committee
10 a.m. – Town Hall Room 102 – Westport Transit District Board of Directors
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Westport Arts Center - “SOLOS 2013”
10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. - Westport Public Library - PageTurners: “The Murder of the Century” by Paul Collins
7 p.m. – Town Hall Room 201 – Historic District Commission
7:30 p.m. – Town Hall Room 309 – Architectural Review Board
7:30 p.m. – Town Hall Auditorium – Zoning Board of Appeals (live coverage cable channel 79, AT&T channel 99, and westportct.gov)
8 p.m. - Westport Country Playhouse - “The Dining Room”

See more events:  Celebrate Westport Calendar

05/14 12:05 AM Comments Closed • Permalink •  

Monday, May 13, 2013

By James Lomuscio

A new party candidate for the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) will appear on the ballot in November, according to Michael Nayor, a Westport attorney and town resident for 36 years.

David Press: former Republican P&Z member. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Nayor said today that he was recently informed by the Secretary of State’s office that the Coalition for Westport (CFW) has met all the legal requirements to have a line on the ballot.

Nayor, a Democrat, said that a likely candidate will be David Press, a former P&Z commissioner and a former Republican who is now unaffiliated. Press, who worked with Nayor to form the CFW and was listed as its spokesman, did not respond to calls. The new party could also field other candidates as well.

According to Town Clerk Patricia Strauss, the next step will be for the state to return the signatures on the party petition to her office. She will then verify that the more than 40 signers are Westport electors, after which the petition will be returned to the Secretary of State’s office making it official.

More "New Party Likely to Run David Press for P&Z"

05/13 10:41 PM Comments (1) • Permalink •  

A Westport-based weekly television travel series, “Born to Explore with Richard Wiese,” has been nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards -– for Outstanding Travel Program and Outstanding Achievement in Single-Camera Photography. The weekly half hour series, which airs Saturday mornings on most ABC stations and is in its second season, is produced by Explorer Films in a cozy production space on Main Street above Bobby Q’s. Host Wiese (l), a Weston resident, was busy recording voice-overs there today. The Daytime Emmy Awards winners will be announced on June 14 in Los Angeles. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

05/13 06:06 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

The Town of Westport has been notified that the Bridge Street swing bridge, whose official name is the William F. Cribari Memorial Bridge, will have intermittent closures on Thursday between 9 a.m. and noon for repair work.

There will two closures of approximately 30 minutes each. During this time, the bridge will be closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic. 

The contractor, Cianbro Construction Co., will be making repairs to the mechanical and electrical components of the bridge, said First Selectman Gordon Joseloff.

Signs and markings for detour routes will be posted, Joseloff said.

05/13 05:51 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

Joie, a women’s apparel store, has opened at 48 Post Road East, next to Tiffany & Co.. The Westport location is its eighth stand-alone shop and its first in Connecticut, according to an employee. Other Joie shops include two in New York City, on Madison Avenue and in SoHo, as well as in souther California at Newport Beach’s Fashion Island and on Melrose Avenue. The business was founded in 2001 and is based in downtown Los Angeles.. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

05/13 04:59 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

Joette Katz, commissioner of the Department of Children and Families, told the Westport Weston Y’s Women today she gave up an 18-year career on the state’s Supreme Court to take the job because she felt strongly she could make a difference. “I was 58 when I was offered the job,” she said of the invitation in 2010 from newly elected Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. “It was a difficult decision. I could have stayed as a Supreme Court judge and retired at the mandatory age of 70.” Katz told a meeting at the Unitarian Chuch: “I had told my children ‘the greatest risk in life in not taking one.’” She said her agency overseas 36,000 children and 16,000 families. “While we are making a lot of progress, we still have a lot to do,” she said. Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com

05/13 04:16 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

The Westport Republican Town Committee (RTC) said today it is seeking candidates interested in running in November for various boards and commissions, including the Board of Education, the Board of Finance, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Board of Assessment Appeals.

The RTC’s Board and Commissions Nominating Committee will be chaired by 2012 GOP candidate for U.S. Congress Steve Obsitnik, and will begin interviewing qualified candidates for office this month, an announcement said.

The committee will make recommendations on candidates for nomination to the full Republican Town Committee, which will vote on the nominations at its July 16 meeting.

Registered Westport Republicans who are interested in learning more about the positions available or wish to be considered for a nomination should contact Desiree Soli, chairwoman of the Westport RTC, at (203)400-2773 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

More "Republicans Seek Candidates"

05/13 02:59 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

The construction activity in Westport’s Saugatuck section today included not repairs to the Bridge Street Bridge, work on the Saugatuck Center development, but also up on the roof at Bridge Square. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Bob Eckman for WestportNow.com

05/13 11:51 AM Comments (1) • Permalink •  

By Jim Cameron

What’s $1.5 million a mile? The cost of building a new lane on I-95?  Hardly! That’s more like $20 million. No, $1.5 million a mile would be the cost of building new sound barriers on that crowded highway, according to testimony by the commissoiner of Connecticut’s Department of Transportation. (CDOT).

This won’t win me many friends among my neighbors in Darien, but I just don’t see that they should be asking the government to subsidize their peace and quiet. After all, most of them bought houses near the highway benefiting from speedy access to the roadway and should have known full-well that being that close would subject them to noise.

Do you have sympathy for those who buy homes near airport runways, then complain about the jets? Neither do I.

The first sections of what became I-95 were built in Darien in 1954, long before most current residents came to town. Sure, traffic has increased on I-95 over the years. We are well over the planned capacity of this interstate highway. But thinking the solution to highway noise is to create a walled concrete canyon through our coastal communities paid for by others, is just selfish and short-sighted.

More "Talking Transportation: Sound Barriers A Waste of Money"

05/13 11:31 AM Comments (6) • Permalink •  

Artists Janine Brown (l) and Nina Bentley show off their runner-up certificates in the Friends of Hall-Brooke 11th annual Mother Day’s Art Sale held Saturday and Sunday. Top prize went to the late artist and writer Tracy Sugarman. The show was curated by Westport artist Miggs Burroughs and judged by Helen Klisser During, director of visual arts at the Westport Arts Center. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

05/13 11:22 AM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

The state Department of Transportation shut down the Bridge Street Bridge, whose formal name is the William F. Cribrai Memorial Bridge, again today as repairs on the bridge continued. The bridge will be closed until 3 p.m. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

05/13 10:27 AM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

UPDATE The Bridge Street Bridge, whose formal name is the William F. Cribari Memorial Bridge, is closed today until 3 p.m. due to repairs.

The bridge reopened at 2:55 p.m.

05/13 09:36 AM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

The 9th annual Circle of Friends Dinner and evening of recognition of teen volunteers took place Sunday at Beth Israel of Westport/Norwalk. The program, founded and directed by Freida Hecht, serves children and young adults with special needs. Among dignitaries attending the event, which attracted more than 300, were U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Mayor Ricard Moccia of Norwalk, and First Selectwoman Gayle Weinstein of Weston. First Selectman Gordon Joseloff of Westport was unable to make it but sent his congratulations to Rabbi Yehoshua Hecht (l). (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Photo by Leon Bernstein Photography.

05/13 09:10 AM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

Spring colors in Westport’s center near the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com

05/13 12:15 AM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

10 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Westport Arts Center - “SOLOS 2013”
7:30 p.m. - Westport Public Library - Bob Steele, “The Curse: Big-Time Gambling’s Seduction of a Small New England Town”
7:30 p.m. – Staples Cafeteria B – Board of Education Public Meeting (live coverage cable channel 78, AT&T channel 99, and www.westport.k12.ct.us)
7:30 p.m. – Town Hall Room 201/201A – Parks & Recreation Commission

See more events:  Celebrate Westport Calendar

05/13 12:05 AM Comments Closed • Permalink •  

Sunday, May 12, 2013

A driver who fled a three-vehicle accident on I-95 involving a state trooper’s vehicle was captured tonight after a chase involving state police tracker dogs, according to reports from the scene.

The incident occurred on I-95 southbound near the Hales Road overpass in Westport shortly before 10 p.m., the reports said.

Initial reports said the driver who fled hit the trooper’s car while he was investigating an earlier accident. Westport police assisted in setting up a perimeter around the area.

A Westport ambulance was summoned to treat someone with a dog bite outside a home on Greens Farms Road shortly after the suspect was reported captured, the reports said.

05/12 10:50 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

A wild turkey with an attitude held up traffic on Westport’s Kings Highway North near Birchwood Country Club today as it pecked away at a tire of a Land Rover. By the time an animal control officer was on the scene, the turkey attack was over and traffic was flowing smoothly—but not before a passing motorist recorded it all and it appeared on YouTube (caution audio contains profanities). YouTube.com

05/12 10:35 PM Comments (2) • Permalink •  

Nina Barandiaran 12, (l) and Hannah Schmidt, 11,students at Westport’s Bedford Middle School, show off their golden shove award for their “Friends” sand sculpture depicting a dog and a cat at today’s wrapup of the Castles in the Sand competition at Compo Beach. The girls won the “Most Loyal” award in the fundraiser for Homes With Hope. The event was extended to two days because of Saturday’s bad weather. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

05/12 04:22 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

Their sculpture of “Ollie the Octopus” won Hannah Even, 9, and brother Jared, 7, a special Mother’s Day award today in the Castles in the Sand competition to benefit Homes With Hope at Compo Beach.  Judges Peter Cadoux (l, blue cap) and Miggs Burroughs (r, blue cap) were assisted by Jeff Wieser (c), president of Homes With Hope. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

05/12 04:15 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

This sand sculpture of “Ollie the Octopus” won a special Mother’s Day award today for Hannah Even, 9, and brother Jared, 7, of Westport at the Castles in the Sand comptition at Compo Beach.  They were assisted by mom, Michelle, dad, Ron, and grandmother Elaine Greenwald. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

05/12 04:10 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

Cssey Werner of Westport accepts a golden shovel “Most Ambitius” award today at Compo Beach on behalf of Builders Beyond Borders for their sand sculpture depicting work they did during a spring trip to Guyana. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

05/12 04:05 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

A sand sculpture by Builders Beyond Borders featuring the flag of Guyana, known as The Golden Arrow, won the “Most Ambitous” award at the Castles in the Sand competition which ended today at Compo Beach. The group had traveled to the South American country in the spring. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

05/12 04:00 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

Connecticut will record a budget surplus this year thanks to an unexpected jump in the state’s inheritance and gift taxes, including those from the $88 million estate of a Westport woman, the Hartford Courant reported today.

Lucie Warren: second highest estate in 2012. Contributed photo

“Legislators expecting to collect about $150 million were stunned recently when the projection soared to $428 million — the highest amount, by far, in state history,” the newspaper said. Many deceased lived in Fairfield County.

The second largest estate cited in the report, $88 million, was held by Lucie Cunningham Warren, the grandmother of Senate Republican leader and expected gubernatorial candidate John McKinney.

Warren died July 16, 2012 at age 104 at her Beachside Avenue home in Westport’s Greens Farms area after an out-of-the-spotlight life that included volunteering at Norwalk Hospital until she was 96. (See WesportNow July 17 & 20, 2012)

More "Westporter Adds to Record-Breaking Year For Estate Taxes"

05/12 08:26 AM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

Spring colors on Westport’s Kings Highway North. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Mark Molesworth for WestportNow.com

05/12 12:15 AM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

Noon - 4 p.m. - Westport Arts Center - “SOLOS 2013”
Noon - 4 p.m. - St. Vincent’s Behavorial Health Services (47 Long Lots Road) - 11th annual Mother’s Day Art Show & Sale
3 p.m. - Westport Country Playhouse - “The Dining Room”
3 p.m. - MTC Studio Theatre (246 Post Road East) - “Cole” (last day)
3:30 p.m. - Compo Beach - Castles in the Sand winners announced

See more events:  Celebrate Westport Calendar

05/12 12:05 AM Comments Closed • Permalink •  

Saturday, May 11, 2013

A sand model of a Carnival Cruise ship was among the projects constructed today at the Castles in the Sand event at Compo Beach. The insciription reads: “Carnival Triumph: Affluent Meet Effluent.”  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Ben Joseloff for WestportNow.com

05/11 03:05 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

Corey Werner, a senior at Westport’s Staples High School, mans the shovel as fellow Builders Beyond Borders members work on their project at today’s Castles in the Sand event at Compo Beach. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Tony Riggio for WestportNow.com

05/11 02:55 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

Teddy Lawrence and Stephen Rowland were among members of the eighth grade Team Elvis from Westport’s Bedford Middle School taking part in today’s Homes With Hope Castles in the Sand fundraiser at Compo Beach. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Tony Riggio for WestportNow.com

05/11 02:50 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

A lobster sand sculpture was one of the entries built today in the Homes With Hope Castles in the Sand fundraiser at Westport’s Compo Beach. Because of today’s off and on rainy weather, the event was extended to Sunday when final judging will take place. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Ben Joseloff for WestportNow.com

05/11 02:44 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

A group of entrants in today’s Castles in the Sand fundraiser for Homes With Hope at Westport’s Compo Beach pose for a group photo. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

05/11 02:40 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

The Town of Westport today honored three founding members of the Westport Tree Board in a ceremony at the Norwalk Regional Tree Festival, Cranbury Park, Norwalk. First Selectman Gordon Joseloff presented a plaque to Silvia Erskine (l), a founding member now serving as a bridge to the revitalized 2013 Tree Board, Pamela Weill (c) and Diane Cady (r), 2001 founding co-chairs. Joining them was Pamela Krausmann-Klomberg (2nd r), current chair of the Tree Board. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

05/11 01:04 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

There was fun for all ages today at the Norwalk Regional Tree Festival, Cranbury Park, Norwalk. Avery Perlstein, 4, of Westport used Earthplace’s blocks and tree cookies to build with Pam Krausmann-Klomberg, chair of the Westport Tree Board. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Marcy Juran for WestportNow.com

05/11 12:59 PM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

WWPT, the Staples High School award-winning radio station, is holding a fundraiser today until 3 p.m.

The event is aimed at enabling the station’s coverage “of all things Westport, from news to sports and all in between,” according to Will Kanter, president and station manager.

The broadcasts can be heard on 90.3 FM and online at wwptfm.com.

WWPT began operating in the 1970s, and since then the station has provided a voice for students of the community for four decades. All donations are tax deductible.

05/11 11:16 AM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

Despite the rain, there was a good turnout for today’s annual town Shred Day at the Westport Weston Health District, 180 Bayberry Lane.  Staples High School SLOB (Service League of Boys) volunteers Sam Brancucci (l), 18, a senior, and Connor Mitnick, 17, a junior remove materials to be shredded. The event runs until noon. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

05/11 10:22 AM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

Jeff Wieser (yellow slicker), president of Homes with Hope, and staff and volunteers today prepared for the rainy weather-impacted 12th annual Castles in the Sand benefit event at Compo Beach. “The lots are available today from noon to 4 p.m. for the 34 registered participant groups who can return on Sunday, if necessary, to complete their sand sculptures,” Wieser said.  He said the usual Saturday judging will, instead, be announced on Sunday around 3:30 p.m.  The three judges are Miggs Burroughs, Peter Cadoux and Leonard Everett Fisher. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

05/11 10:10 AM Comments (0) • Permalink •  

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Note: WestportNow Publisher Gordon F. Joseloff is also First Selectman of Westport