Forty-seven members of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) today toured the Bedford Square Development project as part of the AIA Hard Hat Tour series, according to AIA member Peter Cornell. He is a staff member of Centerbrook Architects & Planners, project architects. The mixed-use project in the 1923-built former home of the Westport Weston Family YMCA, which will include retail, offices, and residential, is scheduled for completion in 2017. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

By Susan Granger

If you’re really desperate for yet another odd-couple caper, consider “Central Intelligence,” a fast-paced froth that’s almost immediately forgettable.

Mild-mannered Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart) is a disgruntled accountant who married his teenage sweetheart (Danielle Nicolet) yet yearns for the glory jock days when he was Senior Class President.

As his 20th high school anniversary looms, Calvin re-connects with Robbie Weirdicht (Dwayne “The Rock”  Johnson), a shy, sensitive soul who remains grateful to Calvin for a singular act of kindness when he was the once-obese victim of cruel shower-room bullies – shown in flashback with inventive CGI.

When now-grown Calvin and Robbie - now known as Bob Stone - meet for a drink, they bond again. But then a CIA bigwig (Amy Ryan) shows up at Calvin’s house, informing him that Bob is actually a former undercover agent gone rogue after killing his partner.

Items from legendary Westport artist Howard Munce’s home up for sale include those from his studio. The estate sale at 5 Rockyfield Road runs Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Munce died at age 100 in March. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Many Westporters tonight attended an invitation-only Norwalk Bow Tie Royale 6 Cinema screening of “Gleason,” the emotionally powerful story of former New Orleans Saints defensive back Steve Gleason’s battle with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Michel Gleason addresses an audience tonight at an invitation-only screening of “Gleason,” a feature-length documentary about her football husband’s battle with ALS.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com

After debuting to standing ovations at the Sundance Film Festival this year, the hit feature-length documentary was sold to Amazon Studios and Open Road Films in a unique partnership for a wide theatrical release beginning July 29.

Special guest for tonight’s screening was Gleason’s wife, Michel, who weeks after her husband’s 2011 diagnosis revealed that she was expecting their first child.  Now no longer the sole caretaker of her husband, she appeared relaxed but a bit bewildered by all the attention now focused on her family’s very painful but gripping story.

“To see us on the big screen, it’s weird, strange,” she told the audience at the screening. At a reception afterwards at Westport’s Vespa Restaurant, she repeated “strange” and “weird” to describe her feelings about being involved in the Hollywood whirlwind of activities in advance of the film’s wide release.

An invitation-only audience at the Bow Tie Royale 6 Cinema in Norwalk tonight watches a screening of “Gleason,” the Sundance Film Fetival hit documentary about the battle waged against ALS by former New Orleans Saints defense back Steve Gleason. Most of the footage came from 1,300 hours of a video journal made by Gleason. An executive producer of the film, set for wide release on July 29, is Westporter Mark Shapiro, who tonight hosted Gleason’s wife, Michel. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com

The Westport Woman’s Club today honored longtime Westport patron of the arts Shirley Mellor (l), owner of former Max’s Arts Supplies. Club president Dorothy Curran, presented her with a red rose in appreciation for her financial support for the framing of three Bedford family portraits hanging in the club’s recently renovated Bedford Hall. Behind them is one of them, a portrait of Mary Ann Dingee Bedford, wife of Edward T. Bedford. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The Westport Arts Center (WAC) today installed works of art for its “SOLOS 2016” exhibit opening Friday with a 6 to 8 p.m. reception. It features more than 40 works from eight regional artists. Douglas Hyland (2nd l), former director of the New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain, was juror, selecting from more than 160 entries. Joining him for a photo were (l-r) Amanda Innes, WAC acting executive director; Jill Sarver, WAC visual arts manager; exhibiting artist Nina Bentley, and WAC board member Michael Loeb. At left is Bentley’s work, “There Are No Words,” reflecting the moments in life that are so overwhelming, there truly are no words. The exhibit runs through Aug. 20. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Leslie LaSala for WestportNow.com