Community Gallery: Newest Staples Graduates
Click to enlarge photos. All photos by J.C. Martin for The Westport Local Press.
Westport Paddle Club: Free Kayaking, Paddle Boarding for Families who Help Clean the River; Dinner, Live Music to Follow
The Westport Paddle Club is offering to rent families kayaks or paddle boards for free on Saturday evening to help clean up trash along the Saugatuck River. All equipment - paddle boards, kayaks, and PFDs - will be given to families who volunteer to paddle with their trash bag to help collect litter found while paddling.
The family-owned marina is working in conjunction with the Westport Police Department and Longshore Sailing School to put on the Paddle for Trash, with dinner from JR’s Deli, live music, and discounted beverages from Ninety 9 Bottles following the event.
The event will take place on Saturday, June 19th from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at the Westport Paddle Club, in the Bridgebrook Marina, 471 Riverside Avenue. Contact the Westport Paddle Club for more information.
Westporter Christine Taylor Earns All-American Lacrosse Honor as Trinity College Junior
Trinity College Release
Trinity College photo
Trinity College women's lacrosse senior tri-captain Katrina Angelucci (Weston, Mass.) and junior Anna Costello (Milton, Mass.) were each named to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) 2021 Division III All-American Third Team. Both Bantams, along with Trinity junior Christine Taylor (Westport, Conn.) were selected for the IWLCA Division III All-Berkshire Region First Team, while senior tri-captain Marcella Flibotte (Cohasset, Mass.) and classmate Sydney Bell (Falmouth, Maine) each graced the IWLCA All-Region Second Team.
Angelucci, Flibotte, and Costello were also chosen for the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) All-Conference First Team, and Taylor and junior Gabriella Young (Raleigh, N.C.) made the All-NESCAC Second Team. Trinity, coached by Katy Dissinger (8th Season), finished the 2021 season with a 3-4 record and in third place in the NESCAC West Division. The Bantams' five All-NESCAC selections were the most in the conference.
Angelucci enjoyed an exceptional ending to her career, collecting 13 goals (2nd on team, 10th in NESCAC) including two hat tricks and a season-best six goals against nationally-ranked Wesleyan. Angelucci registered a team-high three free-position goals and added eight ground balls, 11 draw controls (3rd on team) and six caused turnovers. An IWLCA National Player of the Week during 2020's pandemic-shortened season, the versatile scorer played attacker and midfielder for the Bantams. A graduate of Weston High School, Angelucci is majoring in biology at Trinity. She is the daughter of Linda and Dante Angelucci.
Anna Costello anchored Trinity's defense in 2021, finishing with a team-high 17 caused turnovers (3rd in NESCAC) and 13 ground balls (2nd on team). A starter since her rookie spring, Costello was an IWLCA All-Region Second Team honoree in 2019 and a NESCAC All-Academic selection in 2020. A graduate of Thayer Academy, Costello is majoring in political science at Trinity. She is the daughter of Gina and Frank Costello.
Taylor led the Bantams in goals with 14 (9th in NESCAC) and scoring with 22 points (7th in NESCAC) and second on the squad with eight assists (6th in NESCAC) as an attacker this spring. She scored one game-winning goals, twice on free positions, and added four caused turnovers. A graduate of Staples High School, Taylor is majoring in economics at Trinity. She is the daughter of Meghan and Timothy Taylor.
Flibotte filled up the stat sheet from the midfield position throughout her career, finishing with eight goals, including three in a 10-5 win over nationally-ranked Hamilton, and two assists for 10 points. She paced the Bantams in both draw controls with 20 (10th in NESCAC) and ground balls with 14 to go with five caused turnovers. A graduate of the Groton School, Flibotte is majoring in political science at Trinity. She is the daughter of Lucia and Mark Flibotte.
Bell started every game, sliding back seamlessly from midfield to defense in her final season. She totaled seven ground balls and nine caused turnovers (2nd on team) and graced the NESCAC All-Academic Team in 2020. A graduate of Falmouth High School, Bell is majoring in public policy & law at Trinity. She is the daughter of Denise and Kirt Bell.
Young, Trinity's starting goalkeeper since her rookie season, finished second in the conference in save percentage (.594), GAA (8.06), and third in saves (60), including four games with double-digit stop, while going 3-2 in six games and 305 minutes of play. A graduate of Cardinal Gibbons High Schoo, Young is majoring in psychology at Trinity. She is the daughter of Maria and Mike Young.
Bruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers Rock Levitt’s Opening Night
Bruce Hornsby speaks to the crowd at the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts. Westport Local Press photo. The Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts celebrated its 2021 revival with a sold-out crowd for Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers this evening - the sounds of Hornsby’s Yamaha piano and a cheering crowd filling downtown with a message: the Levitt is back.
Bruce Hornsby & The NoisemakersAs the sun began to set over the Saugatuck, the nearby Levitt’s lawn was packed with hundreds of guests ready for the sounds of Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers.
Hornsby, a Grammy award winning musician, has toured the world with groups like Bruce Hornsby & The Range and The Grateful Dead - now adding the East bank of the Saugatuck to his list of music stops as he entertained the crowd of local fans. He played acoustic and varied sets of music, including his 1989 chart-topping song “The Way It Is” as adults, kids, and nearby neighbors danced in their seats and on the sidewalks. Hornsby took a moment to speak to the crowd, garnering laugher and cheers as he described moments of his life just meters away from the enamoured listeners wide-eyed faces.
Although filled with life and music tonight, the Levitt Pavilion remained shuttered just last year due to the pandemic - a hit for both the community and the charity, themselves. Founded in 1973, the Levitt is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that strives to provide free access to local arts and music for all ages. To prepare for tonight’s opening, health precautions included pod-seating and sanitation stations throughout the outdoor venue, with guests bringing in their own lawn chairs and snack tables to make the space at home. COVID-19 cases remain nearly absent in Westport, with less than 3 cases being reported in the past ten days.
The community has gathered together on the grass along the Saugatuck to listen to bands and concerts for generations. Tonight, as the World continues to reopen - the sounds of piano songs filled the downtown area as the vibrant lights of the Levitt’s tents gave notice that The Levitt is back for Summer 2021.
Upcoming concerts this week include Midnight North, Goza Latin band, The Scott Sharrard Band, and Charles Turner and Uptown Swing. Schedules and donation opportunities can be found on their website, levittpavilion.com.