Rach’s Hope hosts 4th Annual PJ Gala
Press Release
On Saturday, March 11th, 2023, Rach's Hope, a Westport-based non-profit, will host their 4th Annual PJ Gala at FTC The Warehouse in Fairfield, Connecticut. The event celebrates the life of the late Rachel Doran (Staples High School Class of 2015) through music, great food, and community fellowship. Proceeds benefit local families navigating the critical illness of a child. Rach's Hope brings community support to families by providing nutritious food, lodging, transportation, and encouragement so they can focus on being present for their ailing children.
Ticket holders are promised a night of Hope and celebration with plentiful gourmet small bites and desserts by AMG Catering, an open bar featuring Tito's cocktails, and exciting auction items. Live music will permeate The Warehouse throughout the night with Westport's own rising musician Michael Cantor's acoustic set, followed by well-known local rock band Ellis Island.
The PJ Gala offers a unique and cozy twist by inviting guests to wear pajama-chic attire as an homage to Doran's childhood business - Rachel's Rags. Rachel Doran, a 2015 Staples Graduate, passed away in 2018. An honors student and skilled costume designer for Staples Players, Rachel was a rising Senior at Cornell University studying Fashion Design and Business when she fell ill with a rare reaction to common medications resulting in her death. The chain of unimaginable events leading to Rachel's loss brought the Doran family's friends together to support them when they needed it the most. Ultimately, the community support they received became the healing mission for Rach's Hope - to ensure that no family goes through the illness of a child alone- by offering financial assistance and Hope to families.
Rach's Hope invites local businesses to support families weathering the storm of a critical illness of a child by sponsoring an event or donating funds, goods, experiences, or services for the auction. Contact Rach's Hope at teamrachshope@gmail.com to learn more.
To purchase tickets or donate, visit www.RachsHope.org.
Rach's Hope, Inc. is a Connecticut non-profit corporation with 501(c)(3) status.
Morning Weather Report
Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 39. Wind chill values between 15 and 25. Southwest wind 5 to 13 mph.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 17. Southwest wind 14 to 16 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Tomorrow
Sunny, with a temperature falling to around 15 by 5pm. Wind chill values between -5 and 5. Blustery, with a northwest wind 18 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph.
Tomorrow Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 3. Blustery, with a northwest wind 20 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph.
Town Releases Traffic & Pedestrian Safety Report
First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker announced today that the results of the nine Traffic and Pedestrian Safety public meetings that were held in the Spring, 2022 have been released and are available on the Town website.
First Selectwoman Tooker stated, “I am happy that so many residents attended these meetings to interact, gain knowledge and perspective, and voice their concerns over a wide variety of traffic issues. In the end, over 350 items were listed and included in the report. Relevant questions, issues and concerns that were raised at these meetings will be addressed on an ongoing basis.”
“As I acknowledged during the course of the meetings, the issues and concerns will not go away overnight. But, these meetings and the recognition from all the residents who participated, are an important first step. By developing a “Three Bucket” approach, there is baseline data and an opportunity for residents to understand the method by which certain problems are addressed, and why an issue may, or may not in some cases, be eligible for resolution.”
“The knowledge and expertise of our public safety, public works, and P&Z Departments, including their ability to listen and help explain the multitude of queries is critical to making progress on traffic and pedestrian safety issues,” she added. “I am grateful that the town has such an array of experienced and skilled employees to help guide us.”
The Summary Report from these meetings, along with related policies and studies are available on the First Selectwoman’s page at www.westportct.gov or the following link: Traffic & Pedestrian Safety
Governor Announces Legislative Proposal: Improve Gun Safety Laws To Prevent Suicides, Accidents, and Domestic Violence
Governor Ned Lamont’s OfficeGovernor Ned Lamont today announced the third and final set of proposals he will introduce during the 2023 legislative session that are focused on strengthening Connecticut’s efforts to eliminate gun violence. This set is concentrated on preventing suicides, accidents, and domestic violence, and it includes:
Requiring a ten-day waiting period before purchasing a firearm;
Increasing education requirements for firearm licenses;
Requiring safe storage regardless of who lives at a given residence;
Improving the design safety standards for semiautomatic handguns;
Making commission of a family violence crime or being a fugitive an automatic disqualifier for holding a pistol permit;
Prohibiting the carrying of any loaded long gun in a vehicle; and
Requiring trigger locks for all firearm purchases.
The proposals will be included as part of the governor’s package of priorities for the 2023 legislative session that he will present to the Connecticut General Assembly on February 8. Last week, he announced two other sets of gun violence prevention proposals, one of which is focused on eliminating community gun violence, and the other on preventing mass shootings.
“The overwhelming majority of Connecticut residents want commonsense measures enacted that encourage gun safety and prevent harm from impacting our homes and our communities,” Governor Lamont said. “This is especially needed to prevent tragic accidents, as well as instances of domestic violence and suicide.”
Requiring a ten-day waiting period before purchasing a firearm
Current state law allows residents with the appropriate documentation to walk into a gun store, purchase an unlimited number of firearms, and walk out with them immediately. In conjunction with the bulk purchasing limit announced last week, Governor Lamont is proposing a ten-day waiting period on sales of all firearms in Connecticut. This proposal has been proven by numerous academic studies to save lives by preventing suicide and domestic violence.
Increasing education requirements for firearm licenses
Firearm permits can currently be obtained with only a short course approved by the NRA. Crucially, there is no requirement that these courses inform users on how to follow Connecticut’s high standards for responsible gun ownership. Governor Lamont is proposing to modestly expand the requirements for the initial application for a pistol permit to four hours of classroom training and two hours of shooting practice, and set a one-year deadline so knowledge must be fresh.
Requiring safe storage regardless of who lives at a given residence
In 2019, Governor Lamont and the General Assembly enacted Ethan’s Law (Public Act 19-5), which was a crucial step towards ensuring that all firearms are stored safely. That law currently applies when minors, people prohibited from possessing firearms, or people likely to cause harm have access to a residence. Governor Lamont’s proposal, which seeks to avoid firearms from being stolen and used in crimes, expands this landmark law by making all firearm owners responsible for storing firearms safely, regardless of who else has access to the residence.
Improving the design safety standards for semiautomatic handguns
Users sometimes miss that a semiautomatic pistol may still have a round chambered when the magazine is removed. This issue can lead to accidents when a gun is being disassembled or cleaned. Modern models can have a “loaded chamber indicator,” a visual indication that a round is chambered, and a “magazine disconnect lockout,” a switch that prevents the trigger being pulled if the magazine has been removed. Governor Lamont is proposing to require that all semiautomatic handguns sold in the state after January 1, 2024, have both features.
Making commission of a family violence crime or being a fugitive an automatic disqualifier for holding a pistol permit
Anyone who has been convicted of domestic violence is automatically disqualified from owning a gun under federal law, but not from holding a state permit, and the definitions differ. Consequently, the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection must hold a time-consuming suitability hearing in each case. Instead, Governor Lamont is proposing to automatically disqualify anyone who has been convicted of a family violence crime from holding a state gun permit.
Prohibiting the carrying of any loaded long gun in a vehicle
Governor Lamont is proposing to enact a law clarifying that all long guns, including ones categorized as “other,” must be carried unloaded in a vehicle.
Requiring trigger locks for all firearm purchases
Governor Lamont is proposing to require that all guns, not only handguns, be sold with a trigger lock to enable safe storage.
Westport Weston YMCA Thanks Outgoing Junior Board members while Seeking Candidates
The Westport Weston Family YMCA (WWFY) is seeking candidates for two Junior Board of Director positions for the board year starting in June 2023. Interested applicants should have a desire to make a positive impact in their community and align with WWFY’s mission to develop and nurture the potential of youth, motivate healthy living and lifestyles, and inspire care for and commitment to those in need regardless of their challenges or goals.
The WWFY strives to provide leadership opportunities to empower youth to reach their full potential. Junior Board Directors enjoy full voting rights and participate actively in the governance process, including having the opportunity to share fresh ideas, learn from seasoned Directors who provide insight and perspective into non-profit management, and become aligned with the Y’s mission to strengthen community. The two-year term runs from June to June of each year.
Candidates must be a rising high school junior with a minimum 3.5 GPA (unweighted), must be active WWFY members, be able to attend monthly board meetings, and commit to a two-year term, starting June 2023.
Current Junior Board of Directors, Ava DeDomenico, and Riley Twiss will both graduate this May from Staples High School. Ava has been actively involved with the gymnastics program and Riley is a competitive swimmer on the WRAT team.
“Being a junior board member has been a special experience. I contributed to the Y community through my support of and shared my opinions on specific matters of the board, conducted research to help advance projects, and worked with other board members on other agenda items. I am grateful for the new information I learned ranging from marketing to human resources, and just the best ways in which a non-profit organization should be run. I would recommend this position to anyone who values the Y community. It will not only expand your knowledge, but it will help you become an engaged community member.”, says Ava.
“The team, the coaches, and the Y community have played a huge role in forming me into the person that I am today. The organization has fostered my commitment to swimming, dedication to the team, and the appreciation of all my coaches who assist me in achieving my goals. The sense of belonging to a community greets me every time I walk through the front doors. The staff is welcoming and sincerely happy to see you.”, says Riley.
As Riley and Ava complete their two-year term, the WWFY Board of Directors thank them for volunteering their time, energy, and ideas and wish them the best as they head off to college.
To be considered, interested candidates should complete and submit the online Application by February 27, 2023.
Morning Weather Report
Today
Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 35. Wind chill values between 25 and 30. Light and variable wind becoming northwest 5 to 9 mph in the morning.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 22. West wind 5 to 7 mph.
Tomorrow
Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. Wind chill values between 15 and 25. Southwest wind 5 to 13 mph.
Tomorrow Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 25. Southwest wind 14 to 16 mph.
Police: Error in Connecticut Post Article, “I'm deeply apologetic for this mistake” says Response
Press Release
On January 31st, 2023 Connecticut Post newspaper published an article titled “Advocates call for policing reforms, as Lamont questions whether Tyre Nichols incident could happen in CT.” This article discussed the recent events in Memphis and how that incident translates to Connecticut. The author of the article, Alex Putterman, quoted Scot X. Esdaile, President of Connecticut’s NAACP chapter, “What we saw is what’s going on in America”. The article goes on to quote Mr. Esdaile “It’s not only happening in Memphis, we’ve seen it in New Haven, we’ve seen it in Westport (hyperlink attached), we’ve seen it in Hartford, we’ve seen it in Bridgeport. The same thing that we saw there we’re also seeing in Connecticut.” The link associated with “Westport” references a case from 2011 in Westport, MA. Understandably, members of the Westport Police Department were disappointed by this article because we feel we have worked hard to build relationships and have never had any incident that resembles what we saw in Memphis.
Initially, we reached out to Hearst Media and they admitted that the link was incorrect and should not be linked to Westport, CT. Hearst Media deleted all mention of Westport from the article. We reached out to Scot X. Esdaile and he provided the following statement:
“I Scot X. Esdaile the President of the CT NAACP State Conference, would like to apologize to Chief Foti Koskinas, the Westport Police Department and the Town of Westport. During my interview with Alex Putterman from the CT Post, I misquoted stating Westport, CT when I should have said West Haven, CT. I'm deeply apologetic for this mistake, I have had a conversation with the Chief along with Harold Bailey the Chairman of the Westport Civilian Review Panel, and we had a wonderful and energetic conversation. I apologized during the call several times and we are looking forward to working together in the future.”
Chief Koskinas would like to highlight that once this article was brought our attention, the conversations between Mr. Esdaile and Chief Koskinas, were productive and brought about a positive resolution.
Morning Weather Report
Today
A slight chance of rain and snow showers before 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 39. Northwest wind 8 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. North wind 6 to 8 mph.
Tomorrow
Partly sunny, with a high near 36. Wind chill values between 15 and 25. North wind 5 to 7 mph becoming west in the afternoon.
Tomorrow Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 22. West wind 5 to 7 mph.
Westport Country Playhouse Announces Revised 2023 Season
Press ReleaseWestport Country Playhouse has reduced its 2023 season to three productions from the previously announced five. The change reflects the impact that COVID has had, and continues to have, on the Playhouse and the performing arts community nationwide, according to the Playhouse board of trustees and staff leadership.
“Although we learned how to produce shows safely last season — we never had to cancel a performance due to COVID illness! — audiences are coming back slowly and we have yet to reach pre-pandemic levels of participation,” said Gretchen Wright, Playhouse director of development and interim managing director. “As a result, in 2022 we successfully produced one musical and four plays but finished with low ticket revenue and a significant deficit – a fate similar to many other theaters in Connecticut.”
“Even in the best of times, ticket sales only cover 40% of a show’s cost,” noted Anna Czekaj-Farber, chair, Playhouse board of trustees.
“The board of trustees have been very engaged in supporting the theater and all the changes, proactively leading the Playhouse to brighter future,” Czekaj-Farber stated. “We are an agile organization and we are trying to adjust to ensure the longevity and health of this important institution that has been a part of our community for more than 90 years. We are confident that we are making the prudent decision that would allow us to prosper as we have many exciting plans for the future of this wonderful theater.”
The revised 2023 season will include three previously announced productions, each running three weeks: “Ain’t Misbehavin, from April 11 through April 29; “Dial ‘M’ for Murder,” from July 11 through July 29; and “School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play,” October 24 through November 11.
The goal is also to focus on broadly appealing and revenue-positive programming, and on building deeper community partnerships.
Current 2023 season ticket have been contacted by the Playhouse box office on how to claim the value of the canceled tickets by gift certificate, refund, or donation. 2023 Flex Pass holders have also been contacted.
“Stay tuned in the coming weeks for announcements of additional programming and events,” said Czekaj-Farber. “Thank you as always, to our loyal subscribers and new audience members for their support.”
For complete 2023 season details and season ticket information, visit: https://www.westportplayhouse.org/2023seasontickets
Single tickets for 2023 season productions will go on sale in March.
All titles, artists, dates, and times are subject to change.
For more information, visit westportplayhouse.org, or call the box office at (203) 227-4177, toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), Instagram (@wcplayhouse), and YouTube (WestportPlayhouse).
Governor Launches Cold Weather Protocols for Thursday - Sunday ahead of Cold Snap
Governor Ned Lamont today announced that due to a weather forecast indicating that Connecticut will experience extremely cold air and strong winds later this week, he is directing the state’s severe cold weather protocol to go into effect beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 2, 2023, and remain in effect until 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 5, 2023.
Although Connecticut will experience relatively mild conditions for the first few days of this week, temperatures are expected to plummet starting on Thursday night, dipping into the mid-teens. The severe cold conditions will remain on Friday and Saturday, especially during the evening hours when temperatures are expected to drop into the single digits and possibly below zero degrees. Combined with sustained winds of around 20 miles per hour and gusts at times of around 30 miles per hour, the conditions outdoors will be severe during this period.
“Don’t be fooled by this mild weather that we are experiencing right now, because it looks like a blast of arctic air and winds will impact Connecticut later this week and this weekend,” Governor Lamont said. “With the kind of severe cold weather that is headed our way, frostbite can develop on exposed skin in under 30 minutes. Spending long periods of time outdoors in these conditions is not only harmful, it can be fatal. Shelters and warming centers are available across Connecticut. Anyone in need of a safe place to stay warm is urged to call 2-1-1 to get connected to a nearby location, and transportation can be provided if needed.”
The purpose of the Connecticut’s severe cold weather protocol is to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive protection from the severe cold conditions, which could be life threatening if exposed to the elements for extended periods of time. While enacted, a system is set up for state agencies and municipalities to coordinate with United Way 2-1-1 and Connecticut’s network of shelters to make sure that anyone in need can receive shelter from the outdoors, including transportation to shelters.
Anyone in need is urged to call 2-1-1 to get connected to these services. Safety measures have been enacted at shelters and warming centers throughout Connecticut to adhere to the needs of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The following actions are implemented while the protocol is enacted:
The Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security activates its WebEOC communications network, which is an internet-based system that enables local, regional, and state emergency management officials and first responders to share up-to-date information about a variety of situations and conditions. The system is used to monitor capacity at shelters across the state, enabling 2-1-1 to act as a clearinghouse to assist in finding shelter space for those who need it. Local officials, working through WebEOC, can alert 2-1-1 and the state when they open temporary shelters or warming centers.
The Connecticut Department of Social Services, Connecticut Department of Housing, and Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services coordinate with 2-1-1 and the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, along with community-based providers, to provide transportation for people seeking shelter.
For emergency management news and resources, visit the state’s CTPrepares website at ct.gov/ctprepares or download the CTPrepares app to mobile devices at the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.