Month: March 2012

Saturday, March 25, 2023

All Hands Turn Out for Bumpy Lane Fire

All on-duty Westport fire personnel as well as Westport volunteers and a unit from the Wilton Fire Department responded to today’s late afternoon fire on Bumpy Lane off of Wilton Road. A Fairfield Fire Department engine company provided backup coverage for the rest of Westport. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Tory Wallace for WestportNow.com

Mary McFeely, 74

Mary McFeely of Westport died March 30 at Yale-New Haven Hospital. She was 74.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the daughter of Henry and Cynthia (Hope) Roberts, she was the wife of Jim F. McFeely for 47 years. A devoted and faithful woman, she enjoyed knitting, painting, playing piano and baking cakes for special occasions. She was well-known around Westport as she would walk to the local shops.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her four children; Helen Dilworth and her husband Mike of Easton, Madeleine McFeely of Norwalk, Friar Jude Mary of the Precious Blood, Fl, of Griswold, and Mary McFeely of Westport and Buenos Aires, eight grandchildren: Monica, Michael, Francis, John, Jane, Mary, Chiara and Colette Dilworth, as well as her siblings; Libby Augspauch, John Roberts and Cynthia Seiguer all of Argentina, and brother Edward Roberts of New Hampshire. She was predeceased by her brother Henry Roberts.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 3 at Assumption Church, Westport, with burial to follow at Assumption Cemetery, Greens Farms.

Three Hurt as Flames Damage Westport Home

UPDATE Three persons suffered minor burns late today as a fast moving fire heavily damaged a one-story home at 7 Bumpy Lane, off Wilton Road, near the Westport-Wilton town line. Two of the three inside were taken to the burn unit at Bridgeport Hospital and later released while the third declined treatment. Cause of the fire, which broke out at about 5 p.m., was under investigation. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Fast Moving Fire Heavily Damages Westport Home

A fast-moving fire heavily damaged a Westport home late today. The fire broke out at 7 Bumpy Lane off of Wilton Road shortly before 5 p.m. Three persons inside escaped but suffered some burns. Two were transported by Westport EMS to the Bridgeport Hospital burn unit. Cause of the fire was under investigation. WestportNow.com video

Taking Out the Windows

Westport Fire Assistant Chief Rob Yost breaks windows to ventilate the home at 7 Bumpy Lane today as firefighters battled flames in the one-story, 1,212-square foot, 1940-built structure. It took firefighters almost an hour to declare the blaze under control. CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Restaurateur ‘Junior’ Bieling, 80

Native Westporter John M. Bieling Jr., a.k.a. Junior, a plain spoken, garrulous grill man who kept memories of old Westport alive to all who came to Jr.‘s Hot Dog Stand on Riverside Avenue, died Friday at Bridgeport Hospital. He was 80.

The Sportsmen of Westport in 2005 honored John M. Bieling, Jr., better known as “Junior,” with the William A. Krause Humanitarian Award, named for the group’s late president. Presenting him with the award were state Sen. Robert Duff (l) and his wife Tracy, Krause’s daughter. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Beiling, a Staples High School graduate and a lifelong school sports booster, opened the stand, actually a riverfront sit down restaurant with counter seats and tables, in 1976 with his late wife Carol Digisi Bieling, a Westport teacher.

Prior to opening the restaurant, Bieling, a Korean War veteran, tended bar at Joseph J. Clinton VFW Post down the road. Before that stint, he owned and operated The Jockey Club, a restaurant and bar in Saugatuck.

In 2004, the couple sold the restaurant to Jeff Arciola, a Johnson and Wales graduate, who remodeled the interior and revamped the menu from mostly burgers and hot dogs to offer more salads and healthier fare.

In Touch With Loving Care

One of the attractions at today’s touch-a-truck event at Coleytown Elementary School on behalf of the Westport Weston Cooperative Nursery School was a Westport Volunteer Emergency Service ambulance. Bridget Menninger, 4, of Westport had her vitals taken by WVEMS Staples Explorer Post volunteers Katie Hickson, 16, (l) and Rachel Guetta, 17. CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com

Weather Did Not Dampen Enthusiasm

Occasional rain and overcast skies did not dampen the enthusiasm for today’s touch-a-truck event at Westport’s Coleytown Elementary School to benefit the Westport Weston Cooperative Nursery School. Carolina Proctor, 4, and brother Alexander, 2, of Westport dressed for the occasion and had their faces painted as part of the festivities. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com

Driver Training

Westley Soneff, 3, of Norwalk gets some hands on experience today with a front loader at the touch-a-truck event at Westport’s Coleytown Elementary School as mom and dad take it in. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com

Saturday Hands-On Fun

Scenes from today’s touch-a-truck fund-raiser for the Westport Weston Cooperative Nursery School held at Westport’s Coleytown Elementary School. Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com