An evening of jazz was performed tonight at the Pearl Restaurant at Longshore Club Park, 260 Compo Road South. The event honored the late jazz artist Horace Silver who grew up in Norwalk and was a recipient of a 1995 NEA Jazz Masters fellowship, the nation’s highest Jazz honor. Organized and hosted by Westport-based dentist and musician Richard Epstein, the “Pieces of Silver” tribute was performed by Andy Gravish, trumpet; Phil Bowler, bass; Michael Cochrane, piano; Steve Johns, drums, and Peter Brainin, saxophone. Silver died June 18, 2014 and lived in New Rochelle, New York. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Sponsors
Westport Filmmakers Documentary to Debut at Sundance
“Bisbee 17’,” a documentary feature film produced by Westport-based Douglas Tirola and Susan Bedusa, has been invited to premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival as part of the documentary competition. For the two Staples High School graduates, this is their third consecutive film to debut at Sundance. Tirola is founder and president of the New York CIty production company 4th Row Films, Bedusa is the senior vice president of film production. “Bisbee ’17” is a nonfiction feature film about local residents of an eccentric old Arizona mining town as they stage scenes from its darkest day: the forced deportation of 1,200 striking miners exactly 100 years ago. Filming took place this summer in Bisbee. The Sundance Film Festival takes place Jan. 18 to 28 in Park City, Utah. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo
Unitarian Church to Host Sandy Hook Vigil Dec. 10
In commemoration of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting five years ago, Westport’s Unitarian Church will host a vigil against gun violence on Sunday, Dec. 10, at 4:30 p.m., it was announced.
Westporter Darcy Hicks of DefenDemocracy has organized the event, joining in a nationwide candlelight vigil to be held by myriad anti-gun violence groups.
They include: the Newtown Foundation; Newtown Action Alliance; Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence; Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America; Organizing for Action; States United to Prevent Gun Violence; St Mark’s Episcopal Church; and Women’s March.
“This vigil is one of hundreds across the nation this week,” Hicks said. “We believe that the best way to honor the half-million people that have been killed by guns since the Sandy Hook shooting five years ago is to insist on common sense gun legislation.
WestportNow Teardown of the Day: 19 Bauer Place Extension
An application for a permit to demolish the house at Westport’s 19 Bauer Place Extention, off Old Road, is in process. Built in 1947, the 1-1/2 story cape has 1,369-square feet, is situated on a .24-acre property and changed ownership last month for $550,000. Because the house was built more than 50 years ago, the application will be reviewed by the Westport Historic District Commission. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Veteran Hartford Reporter: ‘State at Crossroads’ With Trump a Factor
A veteran state political reporter told the Y’s Men of Westport Weston today the state is at “crossroads” as to which party will prevail in 2018 with Donald Trump a big factor.
Mark Pazniokas, Capitol bureau chief for the Connecticut Mirror (http://www.ctmirror.org) addresses the Y’s Men of Westport Weston today. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo
Mark Pazniokas, Capitol bureau chief of the CT Mirror (http://www.ctmirror.org), — a media partner of WestportNow.com — said six months ago he thought the momentum was with Republicans.
They had increasingly gained seats in the state assembly and senate, the latter with an 18-18 split with Democrats. But now the electorate has grown disenchanted with government, and the political situation is volatile and a “a jump ball,” he said.
The main reason he is longer as bullish about Republican chances in Connecticut is Donald Trump.
Getting Ready for Book Sale
Westport Library volunteers and staff today set up in the library’s Great Hall for the 13th annual book and gift sale. According to organizer Mimi Greenlee, the sale includes 6,000 books in gift-worthy condition as well as a wide variety of DVDs, CDs and audiobooks. “We’re in a larger area this year. It’s more spread out,” she said. “This is the third year the event has been held in the Great Hall location.” Hours are Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p..m., and Sunday 1 p.m to 5 p.m. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Last Minute Sorting
Volunteer Anne Pfeiffer today sorts out DVDs she said were donated in the past few days for the Westport Library’s book and gift sale, which begins Friday and runs through Sunday. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Thursday, November 30, 2017
9 a.m. – Westport Weston Family Y – Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program
10 a.m. – Earthplace – Sasco Brook Pollution Abatement Committee
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Westport Historical Society – “06880+50: Visions of Westport in Fifty Years”
6:30 p.m. – Westport Country Playhouse – Moffly Media 10th Annual Light a Fire Awards
7 p.m. – Westport Library – Jill Johnson on “Cancer Looks Good on You” by Barclay Fryery
7 p.m. – Earthplace – Greening Your Home: Sustainable Energy Saving Solutions
8 p.m. – Town Hall – Westport Community Theatre: “The Diary of Anne Frank”
See more events: Celebrate Westport Calendar
Committee Reviewing Saugatuck Redevelopment Proposal
By James Lomuscio
See draft report HERE
A consultant’s initial draft for the redevelopment of Westport’s Saugatuck section is being pored over by the Saugatuck Transit Oriented District (TOD) Steering Committee, the committee’s co-chair said today.
An artist’s rendition of Riverside Avenue looking south toward the Metro-North station. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed graphic
The committee wants to make sure it is in agreement with more than 1,000 residents who offered input into the plan, said Craig Schiavone, who co-chairs the 22-member committee with Planning and Zoning Director Mary Young. “It’s just a draft for review,” she said.
The draft, presented Monday by Philadelphia-based Barton Partners hired by the town via a $440,000 Connecticut Department of Transportation Office of Policy and Management grant in September 2016, is in agreement with a framework established by the committee, Schiavone said.
The framework includes preserving the historic William F. Cribari Bridge; reducing traffic congestion; preventing cut-through traffic; “and to make sure it enhances the character of Saugatuck,” she said.
Westport Outcry Keeps Controversial Cop In New Haven
By Paul Bass
www.newhavenindependent.orgA New Haven detective with a history of allegedly abusing citizens’ rights and lying about it has decided to stay in town rather than leave for a job in Westport.
Conklin leaving federal court in New Haven after his civil trial. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Christopher Peake for Newhavenindependent.org
The detective, Daniel Conklin, had submitted a letter of resignation from the New Haven force effective Monday upon winning approval to become a cop in the town of Westport. He was scheduled to be sworn in this week to his new job.
Then an online news site in that town, called WestportNow, reprinted a New Haven Independent story about Conklin’s checkered history here, including internal affairs investigations into three separate incidents that concluded that Conklin had harassed and falsely arrested citizens and then offered untrue versions of events under oath.
The WestportNow posting ignited outrage among citizen commenters as well as elected officials. The town’s first selectman and police chief stood behind the hiring. But, according to a member of the Westport Representative Town Meeting, officials succeeded in getting the swearing-in delayed from Monday until this Friday while the incident was further investigated.
Subscribe
Enter your email address to get WestportNow.com delivered to your inbox:
Powered by FeedBlitz
Of Interest
Support a classroom.
Build a future.
What's inside
Property Transfers
Arts & Leisure
Business
Community
Health & Fitness
Education
Politics
Real Estate
Sports
COVID-19 Info
Westport Info
Westport Weather
Westport Traffic
Of Interest
Westport YouTube
Social Media
Westport-Area Blogs
Suggest a Westport-area blog by sending email to: editor@westportnow.com
