To the Editor:

I want to wish all of your readers a wonderful holiday season.

For those of us fortunate enough to enjoy good health and have families and friends with whom to celebrate, this can be the most wonderful time of the year. We should revel in the happiness that this holiday season generates, but also remember to be grateful for our good fortune, as there are always far too many people who do not share it.

As I do every year at this time, I would like to urge everyone who is able to contribute to the efforts of the many organizations and volunteers who strive to make life better for those who need their help, not just during the holiday season but also all year long.

These organizations and volunteers work tirelessly to provide food, clothing, and other essentials to those who would go without the necessities of life without their help. These wonderful, caring people appreciate our help any time, but probably need it most now when they are devoting their efforts to bringing cheer and happiness to the adults and children who also want, and deserve, some happiness during the holiday season.

We must also remember our neighbors who will be celebrating this holiday season worried about the safety of relatives and friends who are overseas fighting the war on terror. We owe our love and support to these brave men and women, and to their friends and families. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost someone in this war. 

Wishing all of you a happy and healthy holiday season,

State Sen. Judith G. Freedman
Westport

To the Editor:

I want to thank everyone who voted to support my candidacy and reelect me to the state senate. The Freedman State Senate campaign was run by a grass roots-volunteer organization with many local people joining in to assure our message was heard across seven towns.

I was gratified by the response of the many residents of the district that contributed to the campaign, either monetarily or by volunteering or both. We operated on a shoestringbut it was a mighty shoestring.

Most of you know how tenacious I am. I will pursue the issues important to you.  I return to Hartford in January with an agenda developed by the constituents of the 26th District.

The first items of business are to ensure that new railroad cars are designed and ordered for the New Haven Line; that legislation addresses the issue of medical malpractice insurance, including caps on non-economic damages; and that our state budget is balanced with fiscal sanity.

The legislature needs to review the education cost-sharing formula, refine it to make it less convoluted and revisit the issue of funding special education. I am hopeful the Democrat majority will to continue working cooperatively with us as in the past.

Thank you for your overwhelming vote of confidence. I will work to justify it every day.

Judith G. Freedman
Westport

To The Editor:

In my column in the Westport News of Oct. 20, I incorrectly wrote that the first news of the passing of Leroy Ellis appeared in a news story in the Westport News.

In fact, it was reported to the entire town on Oct. 8, two days after his death, by Gordon Joseloff’s timely WestportNow Web site.

My apologies to Gordon, a true professional journalist, who keeps both town newspapers—and this columnist—on our toes.

Woody Klein
Westport

To the Editor:

My wife and I noticed that our Chris Shays sign was missing from the corner of our home on Kettle Creek in Weston, as well as the neighbors signs for
Chris. (We’ve since reordered more signs.)

We reported to police and they made a report. Seems like some supporters of Congressman Shays’ opponent aren’t into free speech or am I just being paranoid?

Marco Greenberg
Weston

To the Editor:

Cablevision News-12 today saluted our own Gordon Joseloff and his Web site WestportNow.com.

The editorial by Dianne Wildman congratulated the manner in which Gordon has reported Westport news that appears on the Web almost as the news is breaking.

Our local school news, sports, community events, politics, accidents, property transfers and a daily calendar is just part of what is posted.

She noted that this Web site is maybe the only one in the country like it. Photos have included some of the finest scenic scenes of our town.

Ms. Wildman also mentioned how WestportNow.com is permanently preserving Westport’s history with its now popular “House Teardown” series.

I say that if you want to know what’s going on in our town, you need to log on to this great site.

Many Westport residents, including me, have helped Gordon by contributing photos and stories and hope this will continue.

At almost any hour of the day Gordon is ready to post a story as long as is Westport news.

Congratulations to one of our own and thanks for the hard work as you keep us informed. And, thank you Dianne Wildman for reporting Gordon Joseloff’s contribution to Westport.

Stephen Rubin
Westport

To the Editor:

The Westport Public Library would like to announce the fantastic success of its Summer Reading Program and thank those who made it possible.

This summer, Westport elementary and middle school children came to the Library in record numbers to participate in the annual Summer Reading Club, Another Super Summer.Ӕ This summer, the Clubs participation grew 40%, to a whopping 1,822 young readers. Summer 2004 was the largest club ever!

Enthusiasm for the program was universal. One young reader, buried in new books to take home, smiled as he commented, ғBecause of this reading club, I read non-stop all summer long. It really got me going. I cant wait to tell my teacher!Ҕ

And if you saw sand buckets and frisbees, sporting the Westport Public Library logo, down at Compo Beach, its because their owners were Summer Reading participants who received free gifts upon joining.

An indispensable element of the success of the Summer Reading Club was a wonderful group of young adult volunteers, grades 7 to 12, who worked with the droves of young readers and contributed a total of 457 volunteer hours by the end of the summer.

In addition to the young adult volunteers, generous contributions were made to the Summer Reading Program by local businesses. The Library thanks Westport Pizzeria, Ben & JerryҒs, McDonalds, DominoҒs Pizza, Westport Young Womens League and Friends of the Westport Library for helping to create a successful Summer Reading Program.

Kitty Lyons
Director, ChildrenҒs Library
Westport

To the Editor:

One of your readers wrote to WestportNow to inform us that: [he] “awoke this morning (March 30, 2004) to the sound of bulldozers and backhoes…” He then goes on to state that the “mindset” of Fairfield County politicians should change so that such wanton destruction of historic places should not occur.

What he fails to mention is that what should also change is the mindset of Fairfield Country businessmen like John Nelson of Paragon Realty. Mr. Nelson wants to build 330 condos on 56 acres of wetlands, vernal pools and forests in “far away” Middlebury, CT.

A disregard for history and nature is not a mindset limited to a specific area of Connecticut but rather it is a symptom of current business practices in Connecticut. Such practices condone destruction of any property which is out of the immediate sight of the perpetrator. 

Your reader should realize that the answer to Fairfield County’s problem is not to send the bulldozers out of town to us but to convince men like John Nelson that some things are sacred and such destruction should cease no matter where it takes place.

Please don’t send your bulldozers here to Middlebury, CT.

Pat DeAngelis
Middlebury, CT 06762

To the Editor:

Please allow me to extend my warmest appreciation to the Westport community for their strong support of CLASP Homes at our recent wine tasting event at Black Bear Wines & Spirits.

I was so pleased at how willing and eager the community was to support CLASP by purchasing tickets, ads for the program booklet and donating silent auction items.

Having grown up in Westport, it is so heart warming to know how supportive the community is towards people with developmental disabilities.

These people often rely on the generosity of others to keep them safe and healthy.

Special thanks goes to Black Bear Wines & Spirits for generously supporting this event and to First Selectwoman Diane Farrell, a strong advocate for CLASP over her many years in public office.

In addition, Id like to thank state Rep. Ken Bernhard and all the vendors; Stew Leonards, The Vine Restaurant, Michael Powers Catering, Wild Oats Market, Miggs B. Design and Photographic Memories. Together, they helped CLASP raise over $10,000.

Thank you for supporting this fun event that we look forward to sponsoring annually.

Tracy Flood
President
CLASP Homes, Inc.
Westport

To the Editor:

I awoke this morning (March 30, 2004) to the sound of bulldozers and backhoes cranking up their engines to begin the demolition of Allens Clam House.  This is a very sad moment for all Westporters җ past, present and future.

With each demolition of a historic property, another small piece of the charm, the character and the soulӔ that makes our community so special is chipped away.

Over the last decade or more, we have lost dozens of historically significant buildings to demolition. 

Its not that the newly constructed homes that replace them are so bad, or even that every older building is worth saving. But we only have one New England, one Connecticut and one Westport.

When the buildings and homes that defined this unique part of our heritage are gone, what will there be for future generations to touch and feel and understand how it was here in our past? 

Sadly, it comes down to politics. Many of our local politicians have decided that demolition is often the first course of action when, in fact, it should be the other way around.

All other options should be fully explored before destroying any historically significant building.

What happened to AllenҒs and to so many other unique buildings and homes in Westport is acceptable under our current set of rules and ordinances. But this doesnt have to keep happening.

Laws are made to be changed and amended.

I invite you to join us in our efforts (www.fairfieldcountypreservation.org) to change the mindset of politicians throughout Fairfield County.

The 23 communities that call this region home can benefit tremendously by their leaders giving historic preservation the attention it so desperately needs.  Keep in mind, once our historic places are gone, they’re lost forever.

John M. Lupton, Westport native
President
The Fairfield County Preservation Trust
Westport

To the Editor:

This shows the southwest corner of the proposed oyster farm at full build out in year three. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Mariculture Unlimited has decreased the size and impact of its proposed oyster farm so that in the first year only 20 acres of underwater area would be occupied.

The remaining two phases of gear deployment are contingent upon the absence of impact to the site and to other interests.

As evidenced by the operation of Saltwater Farms in Rhode Island, a subsurface oyster farm CAN coexist with an active recreational boating community.

At that site, the sailors use one of the buoys from the oyster farm as an official race buoy! There have been no gear entanglements and no injuries during the first three seasons of operation.

This is a portion of a chart with the oyster farm superimposed over it. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Here in Westport, despite solid data to prove the safety and benefits of this type of oyster farm, our boating community is asking for yet another public hearing and is continuing to actively campaign against this reasonable proposal.

It just doesn’t seem fair to deprive the people of the State of Connecticut the environmental benefits that this farm has to offer.

Attached please find two files. The first file is a picture taken from the southwest corner of the proposed oyster farm at full build-out in year three; this picture shows that there is A LOT OF SPACE OUT THERE.

The second file is a portion of a chart with the oyster farm superimposed over it; this chart shows the distance from shore to the proposed oyster farm as 1.5 to 2 miles. Hardly what has been referred to as “the Post Road” of Westport boating.

John Garofalo
Westport