Paul Newman’s family held a private service for him Monday and later attended a reception at Westport’s Dressing Room restaurant, which he had opened two years ago, according to published reports.
The Newman family held a reception at the Dressing Room restaurant at the Westport Country Playhouse following a private service. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The New York Post quoted close friend and fellow Westporter A. E. Hotchner as saying that Newman, who died Friday of cancer at the age of 83, was cremated. “It’s all over,” he told the newspaper.

Only Newman’s wife, Joanne Woodward, his five daughters and a few select friends attended the private service, the reports said.

After the ceremony, a 7 p.m. small reception was held in his honor at the restaurant, which adjoins the Westport Country Playhouse, the reports said. Woodward is the Playhouse artistic director.

UPDATE A possible strike by Westport school bus drivers has been averted, Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon said today.

Landon, who had warned parents and town officials last week that a strike was a possibility at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, did not provide details. (See WestportNow Sept. 26, 2008)

An official of the New Britain-based Dattco bus company said 75 Westport drivers were covered in the talks with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

Marie Caron, who identified herself as a Westport school bus driver in a comment posted below this story, said workers by a vote of 27 to 23, rejected a company offer “of a raise for pennies on the dollar and no other benefits.” She said they then voted 39-11 to authorize a strike.

Monday was a good day for picture taking at Westport’s Compo Beach. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com

The New York Times said in an editorial in Tuesday’s edition that Westport’s recent action in passing an ordinance banning plastic bags at retail checkout “is laudable but will have only a limited effect.”

The full text of the editorial: “Westport, Conn., this month became the latest of a handful of communities to ban some plastic bags. The bags, which have only a brief, useful life, can survive forever in landfills and are of enormous concern to not only environmentalists but local officials who are running out of places to put their trash.

“Westport’s ordinance will take effect in six months and applies to bags dispensed at checkout counters. Others, like dry cleaning bags, will be exempted. The aim is to reduce litter and encourage customers to tote their groceries in reusable cloth bags.

“The town’s stand is laudable but will have only a limited effect on what is, after all, a statewide problem. The Connecticut Legislature rebuffed a proposed statewide ban last year. Massachusetts and Maine considered similar bans and also backed down.