Morning Weather Report
Today
A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after 8am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. Southwest wind 5 to 8 mph.
Tonight
A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Light and variable wind becoming north around 6 mph after midnight.
Tomorrow
A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. Northeast wind 9 to 11 mph.
Tomorrow Night
A 20 percent chance of showers before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. North wind 3 to 5 mph.
Osprey Pair Make Longshore Their Home
A pair of Osprey soared above the Longshore golf course and the inlet leading to Gray's Creek on Sunday.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
A pair of Osprey soared above the Longshore golf course and the inlet leading to Gray's Creek on Sunday. They seemed to be enjoying the high winds which allowed them to glide effortlessly yet rapidly, keeping an eye trained on the water searching for an unsuspecting fish. They paused momentarily to perch on branches as the photographer walking on the drive which exits the park interrupted their routine. One began vocalizing which it kept up for some time, perhaps giving the the annoying cameraman an earful.
They most likely have nested on one of the two platforms at Longshore and hopefully will soon be caring for a new brood of chicks.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
06880 Authors Sign Their First Book - 06880: Pick Of The Pics
First Selectwoman Jen Tooker and Ted Horowitz, one of the contributing photographers presented their copies of the book to Lyah Muktavaram and 06880 editor Dan Woog to be signed on Sunday at Savvy + Grace, Main Street, Westport.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Virtually everyone who has lived in Westport for more than a minute is familiar with 06880, Where Westport Meets The World, the very popular blog founded and lovingly run by Dan Woog, one of Westport's most well know local celebrities. Most of it's regular viewers see his "Pic Of The Day" feature which he began running on April 17, 2017 with a photo by local photographer Lynn Untermeyer Miller of a scene behind Westport's famous watering hole, the Black Duck in Saugatuck.
With such a collection of wonderful photographs, Woog decided to take the advise of his readers to create phonebook. He reached out to Staples’ superb Senior Internship program and enlisted the help of senior Lyah Muktavaram an Inklings (Staples school paper) editor with a passion for journalism who graduated in 2022 and now attends Wesleyan University.
On Sunday, Woog held a Launch Party at Savvy + Grace on Main Street and alongside Lyah signed copies for a long line of 06880 fans
Woog commented on his pet project, saying, "every night since, at 9 p.m., I’ve posted an image of Westport. Some are recognizable and relatable; others are artistic, whimsical or surprising. All are new, and fresh. Every day since — over 2,100 times — I’ve posted a Pic of the Day. Prominent photographers have sent in shots; so have people who never published a photo. Some are in their 90s, like Lynn’s father Larry Untermeyer; others are teenagers."
Many local photographers of note have contributed their work to this collection including John Videler, Ted Horowitz and even WestportLocalPress editor and photographer Jamie Bairaktaris and WestportLocal lead photographer J.C. Martin.
With such a collection of wonderful photographs, Woog decided to take the advise of his readers to create phonebook. He reached out to Staples’ superb Senior Internship program and enlisted the help of senior Lyah Muktavaram an Inklings (Staples school paper) editor with a passion for journalism who graduated in 2022 and now attends Wesleyan University.
Lyah took to the daunting task of reviewing thousands of images and creating the concept and layout for the 132 page phonebook. Woog commented, "She quickly showed she had an eye for picking the best ones — the prettiest, the most compelling or colorful or whatever — and laying them out in a clever, striking and thematic way." He continued, "Lyah taught herself production. She emailed each photographer for permission. She handled all the back-end publishing stuff with professionalism, promptness, and an intuitive understanding of what “06880’s Pics of the Day” are all about. Lyah’s work coincided with “06880”‘s move to non-profit status. Our mission is to “create a community for Westporters old and new, near and far, through sharing stories, news, events, history and perspectives, uniting all who love our hometown.”
06880: Pick Of The Picks can be purchased through Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/06880-Pick-Pics-Dan-Woog/dp/B0BCZSQRWX
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Return Of The Oystercatcher
At least one Oystercatcher has taken up residence on Compo's South Beach, perhaps part of the pair that nests in this spot each year
(see WestportLocalPress: https://westportlocal.com/news/q4z4sergykq7kvnvb7qxyavqi9wrff ).
CT DEEP in cooperation with CT Audubon erects "fencing" wire and post signs warning people not to disturb the timid bird to allow it space to feel safe and hopefully lay and hatch eggs later this spring. These beautiful birds with their long orange bills and golden eyes are stellar attractions for bird lovers and are Compo Beach favorites. It is important to not go beyond the fence lines so as to not frighten them.
Photo By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com
UNDAUNTED!
These two intrepid windsurfers tried their best to overcome the challenges of staying upright off Compo's South Beach on Sunday. High winds made for some fast action on the water, but they also made for some rough chop which combined with intermittent driving rain.
These two refused to let the challenging conditions stop them from enjoying the benefits the wind velocity provided and they got back up on their boards repeatedly after being dumped in the frigid water.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Dazzling Longshore Cherry Blossoms
The resplendent blossoms of these Japanese Flowering Cherry Trees offer a beautiful location for a tranquil moment at the ladies tee at the Longshore Golf Course on Sunday.
Photo By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com
Morning Weather Report
Today
A 30 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Southwest wind around 15 mph.
Tonight
A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. South wind 8 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow
A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. Southwest wind 10 to 13 mph.
Tomorrow Night
A 20 percent chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. West wind 6 to 9 mph.
Westport Schools: Public Library Kicks off Common Ground Series
The Westport Library, in conjunction with our community partners, is striving to bring civility back to civic discourse with its new Common Ground Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to host positive, productive conversations on how we work together to move forward as an engaged and respectful society, encourage constructive dialogue, and build capacity to tackle challenging and controversial issues.
The kickoff event in the Common Ground series will be held in the Library at 7 pm on Tuesday, May 2, featuring former U.S. Representative and Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri (facebook.com/RoyForMissouri), who earned a reputation for working across the aisle during his 30 years in Congress. He will be joined by noted attorney Steve Parrish, the founder of Steve Parrish Consulting Group, LLC, which specializes in corporate social responsibility, public affairs, and communications.
A more perfect union starts with us. Don’t miss this inaugural common ground conversation!
Event details: https://westportlibrary.org/event/common-ground-initiative-senator-roy-blunt-on-civil-discourse/
Morning Weather Report
Today
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. East wind 7 to 11 mph.
Tonight
Showers likely, mainly after 2am. Cloudy, with a low around 46. East wind 9 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tomorrow
Showers. High near 54. Breezy, with an east wind 16 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tomorrow Night
Showers likely, mainly before 2am. Cloudy, with a low around 48. Northeast wind 10 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Staples Jazz Takes 2nd Place Nationally; Lindau Named Outstanding Musician
contributed photoPress ReleaseThe Staples High School's Music Department is proud to announce that its Jazz Ensemble, directed by Mr. Phil Giampietro, took second place in the top division at the National Jazz Festival held in Philadelphia on Saturday, April 22nd. The ensemble's drummer, Witt Lindau, was also recognized with one of three Outstanding Musician medals.
The impressive showing at the festival is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the students and their instructors, including Bedford Middle School Band Director and Staples' Assistant Jazz Band Director, Gregg Winters, who played a critical part in the ensemble's development.
The Staples High School Jazz Ensemble's performance at the festival included a repertoire of outstanding pieces including "Cubauza" by Michael Philip Mossman, "Movin’ Uptown" by Benny Carter, edited by David Berger, "Groove Merchant" by Jerome Richardson, arr. Thad Jones, and "Shades On, Roof Down" by Eric Richards.
This marks the second time that the jazz program at Staples has been recognized nationally in recent years. The Staples High School Jazz Combo received first place in Small Ensemble Division 1 Live Performance at the 2021 National Jazz Festival.
Director Giampietro stated, "the Staples music faculty and I are so proud of our students and their hard work. This incredible achievement is a testament to their perseverance during the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. I am inspired by their continued commitment to making great music.”
For more information about the Staples High School Music Department and its programs, please visit the department website www.staplesmusic.org.