Westport’s unemployment rate in June was 4.7 percent, down from 5.1 percent in May, according to the Connecticut Department of Labor.

The town’s labor force increased to 12,977 in June, up from 12,870 in May. The number of unemployed in June was 604, down from 655 in May.

There were 12,373 employed in June, up from 12,215 employed in May, the department said.

A year ago in June, Westport’s unemployment rate was 6.2 percent.

Workers today changed the signage from BP to Exxon at the service station at 1510 Post Road East at Maple Avenue South. Co-owner Helen Kronberg said Exxon “offfers us a better presence and better support, especially credit card support.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Bob Eckman for WestportNow.com

The BP service station, 1510 Post Road East, will switch to the Exxon brand starting Tuesday, according to Helen Kronberg who, with her husband, are the owners. Kronberg cited several reasons for the change, including a reduction in the number of BP stations in this area, “we don’t get the same BP support as in the past, and Exxon offers us a better presence and better support, especially credit card support.” Meanwhile, the bear statue, a fixture on the BP property for years which last week was damaged in an act of vandalism, is being replaced, according to Kronberg. She said the person responsible for the damage has been identified and has agreed to pay for the bear replacement. “We await delivery of the new bear,” she said. (CLICK TOT ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

After more than three years at 180 Post Road East, Michele’s Pies owner Michele Stewart announced today she is closing the Westport location. In an email, she said, “As we at Michele’s Pies embark on many new and exciting adventures—weekend farmers markets, wedding and event catering, cookbooks and pies being sold on QVC, and so much more—we will be refocusing our efforts and closing our Westport location, as of July 20, 2014. This was a tough decision, but one that I think in the long run will benefit my family and my business. I will forever be grateful to the people and the Town of Westport for the past three years. The Town of Westport will always hold a very special place in my heart, I grew up here and now my children are growing up here.  We intend to remain active members of the Westport community, and we sincerely hope that all our loyal Westport clients and friends will come see us in our Norwalk Bakery at 666 Main St., Route 7, near the Wilton line. We’re open Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.  And now on Sundays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., beginning July 27.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

(Editor’s Note: This is another in our occasional series, WN Spotlight, featuring people and places that make our town special.)

By Larissa Lieberson

Since the day his friend recommended that he try working at a Westport locksmith shop during his break from construction work, Daniel Towers has been re-keying, repairing and installing locks.

Daniel Towers (r) helps a customer in his jake the Locksmith shop at 15 Charles. St. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Larissa Lieberson for WestportNow.com

Towers took over Jake the Locksmith, located at 15 Charles St. in 2007 from Merritt Jacob, who opened the store in 1992. He had been there about two years when Jacob, nicknamed Jake, retired. Towers said he figured it best to keep the shop’s established name.

Today, he is the only registered locksmith in Westport, and although the majority of his clients come from in town, Towers also services Weston, Fairfield, Wilton, Norwalk, Southport, Easton and Darien.

The store is small (15 feet by 30 feet) and quaint, but too cramped for much work to be done inside other than duplicating keys.

Elvira’s Old Mill Market and Deli, 222 Hillspoint Road, is today’s featured spot in our WestportNow series, Westport Outdoors, highlighting popular spots where Westporters gather to eat, play, or relax during the warm weather months. Owned by the Yiozanakof family, Nick, Nicki, John and Stacey, Elvira’s is a landmark of the Compo Beach area, where patrons can relax with their takeout at one of the outdoor picnic tables while enjoying a view of Long Island Sound. Elvira’s traces its heritage to the late Kenneth S. Montgomery, who opened the Old Mill Store there in the late 1950s after construction of I-95 forced him to relocate his Compo Grocery from Bridge Street and Compo Road South. Montgomery, who served on the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) from 1951 to 1957, died July 4, 1985 at age 80. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com