Sunday Rain Drops
Rain drops rest gently on flowers along the Saugatuck River on Parker Harding Plaza this afternoon as light rain showers soak the community once more.
Paulie Pushes through Westport on His Way to Honor Fallen Flight Crew on 20th Anniversary of 9/11
Paulie Veneto pushes his car through Westport today - starting in Bridgeport and ending in Norwalk with the help of a first responder escort - and support from the community.
Veneto, a former United Airlines flight attendant, completed the Boston - Los Angeles flight route September 10th, 2001 and went home. The next morning his coworkers were lost as their plane on the same route struck the south tower at 9:03. Following the attacks, he battled drug addiction until becoming clean in 2015. "I can now finally give tribute to my fallen crew members."
Paulie has been pushing a airline beverage cart from Boston's Logan International Airport - the origin for Flight 175 - until he arrives at Ground Zero in time for the 20th anniversary of the 09.11.01 terrorist attacks. His walk is raising money for survivors' families and the Power Forward foundation for sober living.
To learn more, donate, or to track Paulie’s progress, visit his website here.
Blue Skies End the Day over Compo Beach
After a turbulent 24 hours of storm prep, the day ended with blue skies and sun peeking through over the Long Island Sound. WestportLocal.com photo
Black Duck Weathers Hurricane; Floor No More Crooked than Usual
The Black Duck Cafe on Riverside Avenue was lively tonight as blue skies appeared above the nearly 200-year-old barge. The “Duck” has served patrons from its perch beneath the I-95 overpass for nearly five decades - weathering dozens of blizzards, floods, and hurricanes (or near-misses, like Henri). Although locals still wonder when the old ice barge may slide off its foundation into the Saugatuck, the building is virtually unchanged year after year, storm after storm.
A traditional bar and grill, the restaurant has live music every Sunday from 6 until 8 in the evenings, which didn’t miss a beat tonight as the Saugatuck institution opened up like it always does - Hurricane threat or not. The neighborhood watering hole nearly shut down in Fall of 2018 due to financial troubles, but after negotiations between creditors, landlord and investors - Barge Burgers and beers continued to slide across the bar as an agreement allowed to keep the business in operation. It grew to national fame in 2011 when chef Guy Fieri featured the Duck on his Food Network show: Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. WestportLocal.com photo
Enjoying the Day Off
With many stores closed and schedules cleared ahead of the forecast storm, many community members enjoyed the newfound time-off as Westport escaped Henri’s damaging winds and storm surges that are battering the northeast. Compo Beach was busy with pedestrians earlier in the day as the skies were calm for several hours, with the historic pavilion sheltering friends from the midday drizzle. WestportLocal.com photo
All Good at Old Mill
Nate Bernstein (13) and Sam Klatchko (13) were “vibing” this afternoon on the Compo Mill Cove boardwalk as they joined dozens of community members in walking the shoreline while the weather was clear. Many homes in the private island community remained vacated and boarded up today as bleak forecasts caused many to leave the flood-prone neighborhood. WestportLocal.com photo
Watching for the Storm from Dad’s Shoulders
As Tropical Storm Henri tracks east and arrives later than initially forecast, Compo was rainy but calm this morning as one family walked the beach. Homes in the background can be seen boarded up on Compo Mill Cove. WestportLocal.com photo
Birds Fly as Rainbow Adds Color to Evening Sky
At about 6:00 this evening, a rainbow could be seen lighting up the cloudy sky over the Saugatuck neighborhood. Photo by Preston Siroka For Westporlocal.com
Rainbow Provides Best Dinner View in Town at The Whelk
Diners at the Whelk experienced a few moments of drizzle, with a reward of a full rainbow stretching across Saugatuck River this evening. WestportLocal.com photo
Westporter, National ASPCA Board Member Thanks Kind-Hearted Boys for Lemonade Stand Fundraiser
National ASPCA Board Member Sivan Hong saw that 10 year old Westporters Jack Steel and Lucas Robinson (L-R, flanking Hong) were hosting lemonade stands on Hillandale Road during the brutal heat last weekend, with half of all profit going to the ASPCA as donations. Hong, a Westporter and local children’s book author, contacted national ASPCA leadership with the story - and today - hand delivered sweatshirts and other gifts as a token of appreciation for their work. The boys are continuing to sell lemonade, energy bites, and chocolate chip cookies in support of the national organization ahead of the incoming stormy weather. Photo by WestportLocal.com