James Bairaktaris James Bairaktaris

Morning Weather Report

Today

Partly sunny, with a high near 60. Northeast wind 15 to 17 mph.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Northeast wind 11 to 14 mph.

Tomorrow

A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after 8am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. Northeast wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Tonight

A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Northeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

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James Bairaktaris James Bairaktaris

Surf’s Up, Dude

Winds, waves, and some rain created an ocean-like scene at Compo Beach this weekend as high turf and red flag warnings continued through Sunday evening. WestportLocal.com photo

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Obituaries James Bairaktaris Obituaries James Bairaktaris

Thomas Buchanan Hood Jr., 65, Died; Longtime Westporter, Public Servant, Artist, Sailor

Thomas Buchanan Hood Jr., 65, a longtime resident of Westport, CT died on Thursday, September 29, 2022 at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City.  Thomas was born in New Brunswick, NJ, and was predeceased by his parents, Thomas Buchanan Hood and Janice (Dowdy) Hood. 

Thomas received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (“NJIT”). He later received an MBA from the University of Connecticut, and a Masters of Architecture from NJIT. Thomas had 40+ years of experience in the design, planning & construction of buildings, software engineering, advanced product development, marketing, and consulting. 

Thomas enjoyed being involved in his community. He served two terms as a member of the Westport Flood and Erosion Control Board, and was appointed to the Westport Zoning Board of Appeals in 2018. He was also a member of the United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston for more than 30 years; he served as a trustee for the church and sang in the church choir.

Thomas’s favorite activities were spending time with his family, painting, cooking, and being near the water. He was an avid sailor and member of both the Cedar Point Yacht Club in Westport, CT and the Mantoloking Yacht Club in Mantoloking, NJ.

Thomas is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Mary Jane (Pascale) Hood, and their children, Elizabeth (James Ifert) of Philadelphia, PA, Thomas and Meredith, both of Brooklyn, NY. He is also survived by his sister, Barbara Hood Benz (Charles) of Mantoloking, NJ, and extended family.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 6 from 4 - 8 PM at the Magner Funeral Home, 12 Mott Avenue, Norwalk, CT. A memorial service in his honor will be held on Friday, October 7 at 11 AM at the United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston, 49 Weston Rd, Westport, CT.

Memorial contributions can be made to The American Diabetes Association.

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James Bairaktaris James Bairaktaris

Morning Weather Report

Today

A 50 percent chance of rain, mainly before 2pm. Cloudy, with a steady temperature around 57. Northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph.

Tonight

A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Northeast wind 11 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Tomorrow

A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Northeast wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Tomorrow Night

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J.C. Martin J.C. Martin

Staples Soccer Scores Big Come-From-Behind Win Against Fairfield Warde

The match on Friday was looking pretty grim for the Wreckers as early in the second period Warde broke the 0-0 tie at the half with two quick goals. In a very physical game Staples would not back down despite the 2-0 deficit with the clock in Warde's favor. With only twelve minutes left to play the Wreckers started their comeback.

Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com  Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery

Dylan Hoke (Junior) scored 2 PK’s. He created the first one for himself and then Avery Mueller (Junior) created the second with a fantastic drive into the box to earn the second penalty. Avery scored the third goal off great combination play from Chase Watkins (Junior) and Ethan Cukier (Senior). Keeper Nick Sikorski (Junior) made 5 saves. 

The Wreckers would go on to score the winning goal with just a few minutes left on the clock to pull out a big win, 3-0 over Fairfield. The crowd, which grew when members of the girls team came by to cheer on the boys, was elated by the brilliant come-from-behind victory.

Said Staples new coach Russel Oost-Lievense who took the reigns from long time (legendary) Coach Dan Woog, "This year has been an amazing learning curve for the boys and coaching staff. Obviously it would be a lot of new faces after graduating a very strong class of 18 seniors. We expected there to be bumps transitioning into the role and that there certainly has! How this team has coped with the tough start is a testament to them and we could not be more proud of how these boys have come together and started to keep playing the style we want despite the results. It has definitely taken time to transition them into the style we want, but there is a very good bond starting to form and looking forward to seeing how we can push on from this result. The coaching staff and captains Ben Douglas, Hunter Smith, Alex Laskin and the others from top to bottom have been fantastic in all of this"

Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com  Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery

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James Bairaktaris James Bairaktaris

Love, Legacy, Laughs: Lauper at the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts

“Mom, singer, activist, and actress” Cyndi Lauper spoke directly to the hearts and souls of Westporters Friday night as the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts celebrated her stellar show at the Levitt Pavilion Gala. The Gala assists in the funding of the local non-profit performing arts organization that has provided free, diverse, high quality performances throughout the summer seasons since 1973. Contributed photo.

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Good News Only James Bairaktaris Good News Only James Bairaktaris

Dog Days are Back: Dogs Allowed Back on Town Beaches Today

Parks & Recreation Director Jennifer A. Fava reminds residents and visitors that from October 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023 the following regulations will be in effect for Compo Beach:

Animal Control Enforcement and Leash Restriction

  • Dogs are prohibited from the Pavilion, playground and walkways.

  • All dogs must be leashed in all areas of the park except in the designated off leash area of the beach south of the Pavilion, including South Beach.  Off leash regulations are posted at the entrance to the off leash area.

  • You are required by law to pick up your dog’s feces.

  • Violation of the above regulations subject to a fine of $77.00


Fava also reminds residents of regulations related to animals on Town athletic fields and playgrounds.  Per the Westport Parks and Recreation Department Rules and Regulations, animals are prohibited from all athletic fields and playgrounds at any time.

Ms. Fava stated, “With the fall sports programs underway, we want to remind everyone that for the safety and well-being of the public and athletes, and to help keep ball fields in good playing condition, animals are not allowed on playing fields at any time of year.  Animals are also prohibited from any Town playground.  While animals are allowed in the surrounding areas, it is recommended that they remain on leash while on the perimeter of these town facilities.  Additionally, as Luciano Park is a small area consisting of a playground and athletic field, per department rules and regulations, animals are prohibited from the entire park.”

Ms. Fava continued, “Signage is being installed at these facilities to remind our users of these regulations.  We understand how much our residents love their furry family members and appreciate everyone’s cooperation in providing a safe and clean environment for all.”

The complete Westport Parks and Recreation Department 2022 Rules and Regulations can be found at www.westportrecreation.com

Ms. Fava said, “We hope everyone will follow these regulations and be respectful of other dogs and facility users.  We appreciate your cooperation.” 

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James Bairaktaris James Bairaktaris

Morning Weather Report

Today

Rain, mainly before 2pm. Steady temperature around 55. Northeast wind 10 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Tonight

A 40 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 52. Northeast wind around 13 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tomorrow

A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. Breezy, with a northeast wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Tomorrow Night

A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Northeast wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

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