Month: September 2015

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Local ‘Tutors for Opportunity’ Chapter Launched

By Jaime Bairaktaris

Staples High School seniors Daryl Choi and Max Hammer have started a Westport chapter of Tutors for Opportunity (TFO), an international, nonprofit, all-volunteer tutoring service.

Staples tutors include (l-r) Timothy Chiang, Douglas Raigosa, Max Hammer, Daryl Choi, Julia Schorr, and Annie Gao. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Jaime Bairaktaris for WestportNow.com

“The not-for-profit organization aims to educate more people to create a better tomorrow, believing that educating people today will help create a new generation tomorrow that has the ability to solve and prevent our most common worldwide issues,” says Choi.

In its first six months, he says the new organization has tutored more than 100 students worldwide and about 20 in Westport.

Tutoring is available in all subjects for elementary, middle and high school students. Math and physical science are subjects most commonly requested.

Real Estate Report: Values Remain Level

By Judy Szablak

Real estate values in Westport show that prices have remained relatively level year-over-year. This fact is interesting to note, as for the first time in a long time, Westport has not mirrored or exceeded Case-Shiller’s national index.

Featured Home: This home at 8 Sherwood Farms Lane is listed at $1,439,000. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Photo courtesy of William Pitt Sotheby’s/Westport

Comparing our figures to Case-Shiller’s latest report released Tuesday, the national averages enjoyed a 4.7 percent gain. While we did not experience a gain in prices, we certainly saw significant improvement in unit sales as well as decreased market time.

There were 43 sales in this time period in 2014 with an average price of $1,570,145 and an average market time of 101 days.

The same time period this year brought us 61 sales with a reduction of market time to just 88 days, and the average price remained fairly level at $1,534,223. The increase in unit sales is certainly a bright spot for our real estate market.

Staples Boys Soccer Takes Brien McMahon 3-1

Josh Berman’s header goal -– off a Graham Gudis corner kick –- was the first of three Staples scored tonight at Brien McMahon in Norwalk. Timmy Liles netted his first-ever varsity goal, while Daniel Reid added a long free kick, in a 3-1 victory. The win raises the Wreckers’ record to 5-1-1. “We ended September strongly,” said head coach Dan Woog. “Now we’re getting ready for a great October.” The first test comes Friday with a 4 p.m. match against Fairfield Ludlowe at Staples. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Mary Grace Gudis for WestportNow.com

Concours d’Caffeine Classic Car Show Sunday Canceled

Expected bad weather has forced organizers to cancel the Concours d’Caffeine classic car show and tour scheduled for Westport’s Railroad Place on Sunday.

“Part of the enjoyment of our event is having the Cabriolets with their tops down,” said an email to participants. “And, most of the Concours exhibit vehicles and many of the Cars & Coffee cars do not react well to moist conditions.

“Therefore, it is with regret, but with real consideration for all those who have agreed to bring their great vehicles to our event and those who come to view and enjoy them, that we have decided to cancel the October 4th Concours d’Caffeine.

“We will be back in the spring of 2016 with a bigger and better show!”

Getting to Compo Mill Cove Fire the Hard Way

Access to houses along Westport’s secluded Compo Mill Cove is normally by foot across a footbridge from Old Mill. But there is a way in from Sherwood Island State Park, and a Westport engine company made use of that unusual entry point today (a route they practiced about a year ago) when fire broke out in a generator at 50 Compo Mill Cove. Greg Puhy, Compo Mill Cove property manager, said firefighters quickly contained the blaze. No one was home at the time of the fire, he said. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Checking Out Fire-Damaged Generator

Westport Fire Marshal Edward Zygmant checks out an emergency generator which caught fire today at a home at 50 Compo Mill Cove. Damage was limited to the generator. Cause of the blaze is under investigation. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Coastal Flood Advisory, Watch Issued

The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flood Advisory for Westport and area, which is in effect from 6 a.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday and a Coastal Flood Watch through Friday afternoon.

It said tidal departures will be 1 to 1.5 feet above astronomical tides and likely higher on Friday.

Flooding is likely to occur around the times of high tide Thursday through Friday and likely beyond, the Weather Service said.

High tide in Westport is at 1:55 a.m. and 2:17 p.m. Thursday and 2:50 a.m. and 3:12 p.m. Friday.

View From Saugatuck Shores

Dark skies with changing cloud conditions persisted through the day today in Westport at the start of a stretch of bad weather. This was an early afternoon view from Saugatuck Shores. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Penny Sousa for WestportNow.com

Town to Lose $417,699 in State Aid

The Town of Westport will lose $417,699 of an estimated $3.47 million in state aid as part of the state’s Office of Policy and Management’s (OPM) $15 million in cuts announced Friday, Town Operations Manager Dewey Loselle said today.

“The cuts in aid have now been allocated among the state’s towns and cities, and Westport has taken a particularly large reduction in comparison with the other 168 municipalities,” Loselle said.

He said that Westport’s reduction of $417,699 “from its relatively modest state statutory aid amount of $3,478,609,” is 12.01 percent, the second highest in the state behind Greenwich, “and our absolute dollar reduction is the fifth highest in the state.”

Loselle said the cuts were based on the previously approved $20 million in municipal aid reduction incorporated into the state budget over the next two fiscal years.

Storm Clouds Roll In

UPDATE Storm clouds rolled in over Westport today—this view is above Staples High School in Westport—with the forecast calling for off and on rain today and more steady rain Thursday and Friday and the likelihood of more rain over the weekend. Forecasters were keeping watch on Hurricane Joaquin as it makes its way toward the East Coast by early next week. Staples students were keeping fingers crossed that the weather will not impact Friday’s homecoming pep rally and football game Friday night against Fairfield Warde. But it was later announced the pep rally has been rescheduled to Friday, Oct. 16. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Jaime Bairaktaris for WestportNow.com