Morning Weather Report: Hot, Sunny

Today

Sunny, with a high near 89. Heat index values as high as 96. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight

Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind 3 to 6 mph.

Tomorrow

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 97. Southwest wind 5 to 8 mph.

Tomorrow Night

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Alan Hahn Eugley, 74; Westporter, Longshore Golfer

Obituary

Alan Hahn Eugley passed away on Wednesday, June 30th, 2021 in Westport, Connecticut, surrounded by his family at home, following a long and steadfast battle with pancreatic cancer.

A retired banking executive, Alan graduated from Lehigh University with a BS in Economics and an MS in Business Economics. His 45-year career in banking included executive positions at Bankers Trust and Marine Midland Bank. He spent the last twenty years of his career at Fiserv.

Alan had deep roots in New England. He grew up in Winchester, Massachusetts, and spent many summers at his family's cottage in Lincolnville, Maine, where he loved to hike, kayak and swim in Norton Pond. A rock music enthusiast, he played the guitar in college and high school bands, and later, he delighted in his daughter Allison's flute performances and playing guitar with his son Seth. During his retirement, Alan spent every Sunday with his special-needs daughter, Elizabeth. Alan also was involved with his wife Emily's art practice, helping with exhibition installations.

A 27-year resident of Westport, CT, Alan enjoyed boating and golf, and was an active member of Westport's Longshore Men's Golf Association. Known for his jovial and upbeat approach to life, Alan could be found at five o'clock enjoying a martini, whether he was in Connecticut, Maine or Florida.

Alan is survived by his wife Emily Hamilton Laux, his mother Mary Louise, his daughter Allison (Geoff), his son Seth, his daughter Elizabeth, his two sisters Gwen (Rick) and Melissa (Paul). He is also survived by his stepchildren Madeleine and Jack, his niece and nephews Nicolina, Paul and Will, and his two grandchildren Amelia and Brady. He is also survived by his former wife Susan McShane; his wife Karen Treadwell predeceased him.

A memorial will be held in Westport in August. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to STAR, which provides services to special-needs children and adults in Connecticut. An online link to Star is here: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/starct/

Maritime Aquarium Offers “Sensory-Friendly Evening” for Differently-abled Kids and Adults

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is planning a special evening on Mon., July 26 to give guests with sensory-processing differences a fun, comfortable and accepting environment.

And, thanks to the statewide “CT Summer at the Museum - Free Admission for Kids” initiative, admission will be free for most Connecticut residents.

During this "Sensory-Friendly Evening," from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., all Aquarium exhibits will be open, including the enormous new seal habitat called “Pinniped Cove.” But lights in galleries will be lower, and music and other sounds will be turned down or off. Plus, tickets will be discounted for guests not eligible for free admission.

Click here to expand press release.

While The Maritime Aquarium offers “Sensory-Friendly Evenings” several times a year, the date for this upcoming event – July 26 – was chosen to celebrate the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The ADA is one of America's most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life -- to enjoy employment opportunities, to purchase goods and services, and to participate in state and local government programs and services.

Tom Naiman, the Aquarium’s director of Education, said the advantages in offering this event after the Aquarium’s normal opening hours are two-fold: Aquarium staff can focus on the guests with special needs, and guests averse to crowds won’t encounter them. 

As during daily Aquarium hours, admission during the July 26 “Sensory-Friendly Evening” is free for Connecticut residents age 18 & younger, along with one accompanying adult, through the “CT Summer at the Museum” program. For additional adults and non-residents, discounted admission is $19 for adults, $17 for seniors (65+), and $14 for children (3-12). 

For those wanting to include a movie in the new 4D theater, guests can enjoy the films wearing 3D glasses but with sounds lower and theater lights brighter, and without any of the sensory effects. (Guests aren’t required to wear the 3D glasses but, without them, images onscreen will appear blurry.) Pick from BBC Earth’s “Shark: A 4D Experience” (12 minutes long) at 7:15 p.m., or “Ice Age: No Time for Nuts 4D” (10 minutes) at 6:45 and 7:45 p.m. Tickets for a 4D movie, which are optional, are $7. 

Based on recommendations of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the state of Connecticut, unvaccinated guests and all children age 2-11 – except for those with a medical note from their doctor – must wear masks in The Maritime Aquarium. Vaccinated guests are strongly encouraged to continue to wear their masks too.

Reserve tickets for the July 26 “Sensory-Friendly Evening” in advance online by going to www.maritimeaquarium.org and clicking on “Visit,” and then “Aquarium Happenings.”

Learn more about the free admission summer initiative for Connecticut residents at https://www.ctvisit.com/articles/connecticut-summer-museum-free-admission-kids

Traffic Advisory ahead of Main Street Closure for Saturday Shopping

Westport Police Department Release

The Westport Downtown Merchants Association will be holding an outdoor downtown shopping event this Saturday, July 17th from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.  This event will necessitate the closure of Main Street between Post Road East and Avery Place as well as Elm Street between Main Street and the Baldwin Lot from 6:00 AM until 9:00 PM on Saturday, July 17th.  These road closures will result in traffic congestion downtown and increased pedestrian traffic.  

Motorists should expect delays in the center of town due to these closures.  The Police Department asks that pedestrians utilize the marked crosswalks and motorists use extra caution while driving through the area.