Chabad Of Westport Hosts Visiting Israeli Soldiers
Chabad of Westport was proud to host four injured soldiers from the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) this past week. These four soldiers were injured standing in defense of the Jewish homeland against the ever present threat of terrorist attack according to Yehuda Kantor, Rabbi of the Chabad of Westport.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com
"The objective was to show them love and appreciation for their heroic and selfless service. Their visit culminated with a community BBQ on Sunday and the response was inspiring" said Kantor. "The soldiers expressed how much this meant to them, to know that they aren’t alone and that despite the physical distance between Westport and Israel there is no distance whatsoever emotionally!!"
Pictured above are (L to R), Lyle Katz, David Sussman, Joseph Jaffe, Hy Saporta, Former Westport Selectman Avi Kaner, Mendel Ciment, Gadi Slade, Ed Levin, Dan Ventura, Rabbi Yehuda Kantor, Dori Konig , Savid Bomback together with the soldiers whose names are withheld for security reasons.
Westport's 7th Annual Dog Festival A Great Day For Dog Lovers & Charities
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
One of Westport's favorite events was held at Sunday at Winslow Park in Downtown Westport, sometimes called "the dog park". Produced by the Westport-Weston Chamber Of Commerce in association with Choice Pet and T.A.I.L.S., The Alliance In Limiting Strays, the event was a beautiful day for dog lovers, families, and especially the dogs who numbered over 700 along with more than 2,000 humans who brought them or came to admire them and watch as the canines competed in multiple contests.
The event is always a big success thanks to the hard work of Chamber Executive Director Matthew Mandell and his team of hardworking volunteers, and the event proceeds, over $6,000 are distributed to local pet-related non-profits. This 7th edition of the much loved annual event will bring the total donations to more than $50,000 to-date.
Great food options were available from 4 food trucks as festival-goers entered the grounds. More than 50 vendors offered everything from many varieties of dog treats and goodies including holistic dog (and cat) treats to a wide array of canine clothing and accessories such as stylish dog bandanas. Multiple adoption and animal rescue organizations including Adopt-A-Dog a leading Westchester county rescue and adoption organization, Lucky Dog Rescue and ROAR, the Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue helped match potential dog adopters with their new best friends. Fidelco Guide Dogs which are German Shepherds well bred from Bavarian stock which are provided to the blind were also represented at their tent. Animal advocates CT Votes For Animals provided information on how they lobby legislatures to help pass laws protecting animals who cannot protect themselves.
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There were several highly entertaining contests for our four-legged friends and their humans. Best Tail Wagger, Best Singer/Barker, Best Trick, Best Dressed, Best Kisser (or licker) and a crowd favorite Best Lap Dog Over 50 pounds. This year that event resulted in a 3-way tie as shown in the above photo which shows the three competitors judges chose for first place tie.
On the left is Oakley who had the added challenge of wearing a brace due to a torn ACL. At center is Rex and on the right was a nearly 90 lb. English Mastiff named Buddy who was selected the winner chosen by audience applause for each contestant.
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There was something for everyone including children who were entertained by a balloon bender, face painter, caricaturist and field games.
The Dog Lovers Days Lure Course returned to the festival again this year offering dogs, and sometimes their owners a chance to chase and try to catch a lure which runs at high speed on a wire throughout the course, which most but not all dogs find irresistible. The winner with the best time was rewarded for his/her efforts with a year's supply of dog food.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The most watched event each year is a demonstration by law enforcement K-9 officers held twice during the day. This year Westport's own Officer Dave Scinto and his German Shepherd, K-9 officer Atlas were joined by Corporal Kevin Smith and his Belgian Malinois, K-9 officer Onyx.
The dogs showed off the skills they bring to the Westport PD including drug detection, sniffing out illicit drugs which were hidden in one of the two PD cruisers, and displayed their outstanding obedience training as they are directed by there human partners. The K-9s outstanding ability to apprehend a suspect thrilled the crowd as Corporal Smith demonstrated while wearing a protective sleeve which is used by PD to train the dogs. K-9 Atlas showed the audience why the last thing a suspect wants to see is a Westport PD K-9 charging toward them. After finally letting go of the sleeve Scinto and Smith brought the dogs over to the crowd for a Q & A session, and gave K-9 Atlas a few extra minutes to chomp on his protective sleeve.
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Felines were not forgotten. T.A.I.L.S., The Alliance In Limiting Strays (tailsct.org) the Westport based Cat Rescue organization also had a strong presence.
One of the NY metro area's premier rescue operations, the North Shore Animal League, based in Long Island, NY provided their Mobile Unit, a custom built extended van which holds two dozen or more cats to TAILS to help in their mission to adopt the many stray cats and kittens found in our area and which they currently have housed with their group of volunteers.
North Shore helps support TAILS by generously providing this vehicle at no charge to TAILS for the festival as well as their monthly adoption events held each month at Petco locations in Westport & Fairfield.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Staples Girls Lacrosse Falls To Wilton In FCIAC Quarterfinal Match
The 6th ranked Wreckers faced number 3 Wilton at Wilton High on Thursday night in the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference tournament match, and although the Staples girls fought hard until the final seconds, they were defeated by the score of 17-3. In a physical game Wilton was able to build a big lead at the half holding the Wreckers to only a single goal.
Photos and story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Despite the lead the girls on the field were loudly cheered on the entire second half from the sidelines and although the final result was not in their favor, one of the girls was overheard at the game's conclusion saying "we won in our hearts".
The team's attitude and demeanor was exemplary in the face of a lop-sided scoreboard result as evidenced in our post-game team photo below.
Scoring for Staples included two goals by #3 Senior Captain Jaden Mello and a third by #1 Junior Keira Best who added an assist. Goalkeeper Alice Anderson made 10 saves. Sophomore #17 Katie Fitzgerald played a strong game controlling the draw 5 times and causing 2 turnovers.
The Wreckers' coach Nicole Gerosa said, "our focus now turns to setting new team goals and preparing for the CIAC State Tournament" which begins on Friday May 25th with a qualifying round at the higher seed where Staples, with a 6-9 record in regular season play, is ranked #12 in the latest CIAC rankings.
Photos and story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
MoCA Westport's Rainbow In The Dark Exhibit Highlighted By Curator Talk
As part of the Museum of Modern Art Westport's Cocktails & Conversation series visitors enjoyed a Curator Talk by Emann Odufu, the curator of MoCA's Rainbow in the Dark exhibition which featured the works of German contemporary artist Anselm Reyle.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com
Rainbow in the Dark is a solo exhibition by German contemporary artist Anselm Reyle. The exhibition was curated by Newark, New Jersey-based Emann Odufu. Anselm Reyle is one of the most renowned contemporary artists in the world. His best-known works include his foil and strip paintings and his sculptures. Remnants of consumer society, discarded materials, symbols of urbanity, and industrial change play a central role in his works.
Reyle’s practice is inspired by his participation in the punk and heavy metal music movements. His unique color palette that utilizes Day Glo colors can be seen as an outgrowth of his fascination with psychedelic and punk aesthetics.
Museum visitors last night also enjoyed Punk rock music played by NYC-based band Darling which emanated from MoCA Westport's gallery earlier in the evening as part of the Museum's Cocktails and Conversation event.
The lobby experience was created by Anselm Reyle while on site; he used fire extinguishers and paint cartridges to create this site-specific art while at MoCA in April 2023.
Photos (below) of Darling performing and curator Emann Odufu with moderator Georgina Johnston-Watt contributed.
Morning Weather Report
Today
Sunny, with a high near 60. North wind 5 to 9 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Tonight
Clear, with a low around 47. South wind 6 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow
Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. South wind 6 to 13 mph.
Tomorrow Night
A 30 percent chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Southeast wind 6 to 10 mph.
Brian Byrne named Principal of Greens Farms School
Press ReleaseThe Westport Board of Education is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Brian Byrne as the next Principal of Greens Farms Elementary School, effective July 1, 2023. His selection for this role came after a rigorous search process involving multiple rounds of interviews involving Greens Farms staff, parents, Board of Education members, and district administrators.
Mr. Byrne comes to Greens Farms with a wide range of domestic and international experiences in education. He currently serves as the Elementary School Principal at the Seoul International School (SIS) in Seoul, South Korea. Prior to leading this school, Mr. Byrne served as an Elementary School Assistant Principal at both the International School of Beijing (ISB) in Beijing, China, and the Shanghai Community International School (SCIS) in Shanghai, China.
While his experiences overseas are quite extensive, Mr. Byrne’s initial successes in education began with the Stamford Public Schools. He began as a fourth grade teacher at Toquam Magnet School in Stamford before being selected to serve in a district role as Curriculum Associate for Elementary Mathematics. Collectively, Mr. Byrne’s 17+ years in education as a teacher, teacher leader, and administrator will serve as a tremendous benefit for the Greens Farms Elementary School community.
Along with his accomplishments as a school leader at schools which follow a rigorous curriculum based on standards similar to high performing school districts in the United States, Mr. Byrne has presented at multiple conferences including the East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS) Leadership Conference in Bangkok, Thailand. In addition, during his time in Stamford he was named a winner of the Stamford Public Schools Spotlight Award, an honor bestowed on him by his teaching peers. These achievements represent his commitment to continuous improvement, an approach he also uses when participating in various professional development opportunities such as The Data Wise Project through the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Mr. Byrne holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Marketing from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Additionally, he earned a Master of Science degree in Elementary Education from the University of Bridgeport. Mr. Byrne’s studies as a leader took place at Sacred Heart University in its Leadership and Administration Program.
Colleagues and leaders who have worked with Mr. Byrne spoke highly of his skills as a teacher and as an administrator. He was noted as a, “great leader who is an even better person.” Mr. Byrne was described as someone who makes everyone feel validated and does his research to best address the needs of the school. In sharing thoughts about his candidacy for the Greens Farms Principal position, a former supervisor stated, “You are getting a great one!” Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Thomas Scarice, noted, “Brian possesses an impressive blend of unique leadership experience, knowledge and exemplary interpersonal skills. His child-centered focus will be a perfect fit for the Greens Farms School community.”
Morning Weather Report
Today
Sunny, with a high near 65. Breezy, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph.
Tonight
Clear, with a low around 39. North wind 6 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow
Sunny, with a high near 64. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.
Tomorrow Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 47. South wind 6 to 9 mph.
Westport Dog Festival this Sunday: “Springtime is dog time in Westport”
The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce is pleased announce that the 7th Annual Westport Dog Festival will be held on Winslow Park on Sunday May 21st from 10am to 4pm. The festival is once again being produced in association with TAILS the local charitable organization that promotes spay/neutering of animals.
“Springtime is dog time in Westport,” said Matthew Mandell, Executive Director of the WWCC. “This festival will be a great day for the family. It’s a three ring circus of activities that will celebrate everything dog, so bring yours.“
The event will take advantage of the large field on Winslow Park, often called the dog park, with multiple informative and exciting demonstrations, goofy competitions, Police K9 presentation, obstacle course, kids activities, food trucks and more.
Demonstrations sponsored by M&T Bank will include guide dogs and training exhibitions and of course the police K9 presentations The obstacle course sponsored by by Garavel Autogroup will have dogs run course and the winner will get a year’s supply of dog food. Completions sponsored by Spot on Veterinary will offer prizes for; best tail wager, best dressed, best kisser, best trick, best lap dog over 50 lbs and dog that most looks like its owner. Judging will be done by many of the Town’s elected officials. There will be adoptables and information about all our outstanding non-profits, sponsored by Earth Animal.
The presenter and lead sponsor of the event is Choice Pet. “We are thrilled to again be the main sponsor of the Westport Dog Festival,” said William Dellipoali, Director of Merchandising and Purchasing. “the moment we opened our Westport location in 2012, it was apparent that this is a community of kindred spirits who truly value the special relationship to their animal companions. The array of activities is absolutely outstanding, and we know that this will be an unforgettable family event for dog lovers, furry and otherwise.”
Surrounding the main activities will be over 60 pet-related vendors, picture taking, caricatures, face painting, balloon bending and lots of give-a-ways as well as an assortment of food trucks. Sponsor WEBE 108 will be broadcasting live from the event and will be offering tickets and prizes on air the week prior to the event.
Parking is available at many of the private lots along the post road graciously offered by neighboring businesses. Look for these designated lots along the post road.
The Festival entrance fee is $10 per person and $30 for a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children). Proceeds will benefit nonprofit organizations. So far over $36,000 has been donated by the Chamber to deserving groups from the prior festivals.
Dog owners may register for the competitions online or at the festival. All information about the festival can be found at www.westportwestonchamber.com/dogs. A rain date is set for Sunday June 4th.
Fire Department Bans all Outside Burning due to Wildland Fire Warnings
Effective immediately, Westport Fire Marshal/Open Burning Official Terrence Dunn has banned all outside burning until further notice due to extremely dry conditions. The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for the entire state.
Fire Marshal Dunn said, “This ban includes all recreational campfires and fire pits. Please recognize that brush fires will spread rapidly possibly threatening homes and property. Do not try to self-extinguish and call 911 immediately.”
A Red Flag Warning means warm temperatures, very low humidities, and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger.
17th Annual Taste Of Westport Brings Large Crowd To The Inn At Longshore
Great cocktails, amazing food and an awesome band brought Westport First Selectwoman Jen Tooker and former First Selectman Jim Marpe to the Taste Of Westport on Wednesday night, joining CLASP development director Robin Hammond.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Westport-based nonprofit CLASP, which provides homes for adults with autism and other developmental disabilities, held their most important fundraiser of the year last night at the Inn at Longshore in Westport. The 17th annual Taste of Westport was a huge success, welcoming close to 400 guests and surpassing the organization’s fundraising goal.
The highlight of the evening was the delicious food and drink: from savory appetizers and mouthwatering entrees to decadent desserts and signature cocktails, every palate was satisfied. Chefs from more than two dozen local establishments partnered with CLASP to create an unforgettable and exquisite culinary experience, all in support of a great cause.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The event also included an impressive silent auction with items including tickets to Yankees and Giants games, fine wines, diamond jewelry, and dining packages from many local restaurants. In between familiar tunes performed by Fairfield County favorite, the Bar Car Band, CLASP president Tracy Flood thanked guests for attending and encouraged them to bid. “Your generosity enables CLASP to continue providing programs and services that enrich the lives of the people we serve,” she said.
Taste of Westport has grown in the last few years, welcoming not only CLASP family and friends, but many community members who are drawn by the impressive list of participants. “It was heartwarming to see our long-time supporters alongside so many new faces,” Flood said. “It’s truly a testament to the power of our community to come together to make a difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities.”
For more information about CLASP and the work they do in the community, visit www.clasphomes.org.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
