Note from the Editor: Westport | A War of Words
My phone whined as I walked Main Street this morning. Outlook. Gmail. Facebook. iMessage. New York Times. iMessage. Outlook. New York Times. Facebook. SMS. Messenger. Raindrops hit my cheek. Outlook. Gmail. Facebook. iMessage. SMS. Outlook. SnapChat. Messenger. Another drop exploded on my jacket’s hood with the shallow pop echoing in my ear.
I took out my Airpod. I pulled off my hood. I kept walking. Water streaked down my nose. My phone screamed for my attention. Another drop shocked the warm nape of my now-exposed neck. The notifications kept coming. The rain kept falling. I kept walking.
The emails, the calls, texts, social media posts - the emails. The news alerts. The words. So many words. Images, posters - so many posters. Rain. So much rain. Our garden. Our neighbors. Our homes. Our Westport. Our World. Our community. A war.
Raindrops, emails, texts, Facebook posts, news updates all wailing for attention. Bawling for help.
Help. What can we do to help?
Our community needs us right now. We need to reset. We need to step back. We need to regroup.
We need to continue to be a we. Not us. Not them.
We need to be kinder.
I’m watching as anger, hatred, fear, frustration, sadness, and anxiety erodes our own community as swells of emotion lap Westport’s shores; as words shoot out of our mouths and phones and explode on impact for those within their crosshairs.
I walked Imperial Avenue and I listened to an interview of someone who lives in Israel. I looked ahead at the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge, with the Levitt Pavilion in my foreground, with his shaky voice in my ear. His story pulled me away from the politics of Westport. My mind raced.
What does a bomb even sound like? What would it look like? What would I do? What could I do? I’ve avoided these thoughts - I’ve enjoyed the comfort of the “Westport Bubble.”
Another raindrop exploded on my jacket. I shivered. I walked faster. I listened to the man talking in my ear about his family and neighborhood that were both destroyed. His phone connection cut in and out as I followed each of his words before the interview cut off completely.
I’m watching as we are fighting each other in Westport with emails and social media. We’re fighting our neighbors, fellow PTA parents, sports team coaches, carpool families, high school buddies, volunteer leaders, friends.
I’m watching as our foundation of kindness, respect, civility are eroded into the deep waters of local politics.
In a time when videos of bombings are published to social media, posters of missing people are taped to walls and fences, and progeny are deleted faster than any email sent - I want us to rise up and be there for one another. It’s the least we can do. It’s what we need to do.
We need to step back and reset. We need to stop eroding our own shores and weaponizing our own words. We need to stop finding reasons to hate a neighbor and we need to start finding perspective - especially as we stand together against hate - and use that same yearning for peace abroad to foster peace at home. In your home. In my home. In our neighbors’ homes.
We need to stop sabotaging ourselves by looking for our local leaders to fall before they’ve even stood up.
Should they fall: help them up. They are us. We are them. This is our community.
Stand your ground if you feel wronged or disagree with a decision - speak your piece - but keep the peace. If a bomb fell tomorrow; if Westport changed overnight: what was the last thing you said to your neighbor? What was the last email you sent? What would your legacy be?
It’s time to reset, to step back and see what’s happening around us. It’s also time to step forward and stand tall - shoulder to shoulder - alongside your neighbors, both here and abroad.
We are blessed with safety and comfort here at home while others will never feel those blessings again, yet still the onslaught of words continues from our own shores.
If we have the ability to stop the attacks hitting Westport: why wouldn’t we?
Bombs and raindrops. Notifications and sirens. Emails and guns.
With so much happening in our world - with so many things calling for our attention - we must stand together here at home. We cannot let words be the weapon that tears our community apart while other communities are literally torn apart. We cannot let words be the reason why members of our community stop raising their hands to lead, stop caring for their own neighbors, stop being a part of this community. Words. So many words.
We must appreciate our blessings and be the example of peace that we fight for - that we want the next generation of Westporters to remember and to continue. We need to choose our words wisely.
Step back. Reset. Stand together. Fight for peace in a war of words.
Kindness. Empathy. Grace. Civility. Conversation.
Pick your weapon.
In partnership,
Jaime B.
PS:
I’ve been noticeably absent these past several months. JC has been keeping things moving along as I quietly work in the background on my dayjob and other adventures and goals. Last February, an event made me take a pause and take stock of my life and how I spent my days. Some days I was reading upwards of 30 press releases, 25 arrest reports, dozens of obituaries, and trying to publish all of it while remaining neutral. I was reading over one hundred emails a day. I was inundated with news and the “happenings” of our community. I stepped back and realized I needed a break - there were other things I wanted to strengthen and work on, and so I did. For some time, I nearly completely blocked off all news except for some NPR in the morning. I was able to reset and find my way.
I felt I needed to write the above letter as I have never seen such anger amongst our community as I have these past few weeks, and I’ve never seen such anger amongst our community while another community actively fights a war. My opinion is just that: an opinion. I give it with no authority. I can only hope it might bring peace to those who read it just as it did to me as I wrote down my thoughts on the current state of affairs in Westport.
Take stock of your own life. Find the joy in walking in the rain, in getting stuck in traffic, in sitting in a town meeting without the sound of air raid sirens drowning out the argument at-hand.
Thanks for sticking with us. I’ll be back soon.
Expect Heavy Traffic And Delays This Weekend For I-95 Bridge Slide
Westport PD Reminds Drivers of I-95 partial closures which will create heavy traffic and delays in town.
The I-95 Bridge Lateral Slide at Exit 17 in Westport this weekend and and on the November 3rd seeking will severely restrict traffic flow on I-95 in both directions over both weekends.
The schedule of work is as follows:
Friday October 20, at 8PM until Monday October 23, at 6AM
- I-95 NB will be closed, and the traffic will be detoured on the I-95 SB bridge thus severely restricting traffic flow.
- Saugatuck Avenue detour will be in place.
Friday November 3, at 8PM until November 6, at 6 AM
- I-95 SB will be closed, and the traffic will be detoured on the I-95 SB bridge thus severely restricting traffic flow.
- Saugatuck Avenue detour will be in place
This work will severely affect traffic flow for I-95, and we want to reduce backups and overflow into the Town of Westport and adjacent areas by having people avoid this area and find alternate routes. Please help us share this message and this project will go smoothly with minimal local and regional impact.
Information on this project is available at www.i95norwalkwestport.com/
To see what slide-in bridge construction looks like you can go to a similar bridge replacement project in Southington from several years ago:
www..youtube.com/watch?v=SAAMx0W-7S8
Follow us on Twitter:@i95norwest
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Additional Arrest In September Bayberry Lane Carjacking
Per Westport Police Department Press Release
On October 18th, Vincys Baez, (DOB:06/03/03), of Waterbury was arrested at Stamford Superior Court for his involvement in the September 17th carjacking incident. Baez was the second individual captured on the surveillance camera. He was charged with:
- Home Invasion - Burglary 1st
- Robbery by Carjacking - Assault 3rd
- Reckless Endangerment - Larceny 1st
- Robbery 1st - Conspiracy to Commit Robbery 1st
He is being held on $500,000 court set bond and was to be arraigned on October 18th.
On October 6th, with the assistance of the Waterbury Police Department, Westport Detectives took Garrett Gibbs DOB 04/19/2001 of Waterbury into custody for his involvement in the September 17th, 2023 carjacking incident following an intense investigation. After securing a warrant for his arrest and utilizing various law enforcement techniques, officers located Gibbs in Waterbury.
Gibbs was charged with the following crimes and is currently being held at the Westport Police Department on a court ordered $500,000.00 bond and was assigned a court date of October 16th, 2023 at Stamford Superior Court charged with: Home Invasion & Burglary 1st.
Westport Police Detectives have completed their investigation into the carjacking incident
Thousands Enjoy Connecticut's Largest Music Festival, Sound On Sound in Bridgeport
An estimated 50,000 plus music lovers converged on Bridgeport's Seaside Park on the last day of September and first day of October to enjoy a long list of some of music's best known and loved performers, including local boy John Mayer who was born a few miles away.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Mayer was the closing act of the two day extravaganza which had few if any of the issues which had been problematic the previous year and was introduced by non other than the Governor of Connecticut, Ned Lamont. Lamont proudly proclaimed the John Mayer loves Connecticut and we love him right back.
Howard Saffan, owner of the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater was one of the organizers of the event and in fact had booked Mayer a decade ago at the Webster Bank Arena, which Saffan also owned and which was Mayer's last CT appearance.
Margo Rae Price, an American country singer-songwriter, producer, and author based in Nashville played on Sunday as well
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Hozier, famous for his hits, Take Me To Church and many others Followed Margo Price on Sunday.
The torrential rains the week before made for a fairly mucky Saturday, however measures were taken to make the grounds more visitor friendly including mulched walkways throughout the venue.
Parking was spaced out all around the venue, with police at many of the side streets insuring traffic flowed. Parking within waking distance was available early in the day. A new attraction this year was a giant Ferris wheel providing excellent views of the concert, the grounds and Long Island Sound.
A young couple brought their 10 year old to the concert to celebrate here birthday that day, while another little cutie enjoyed her first music festival.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
In true “Festy” tradition, there was a very diverse audience. The energy levels varied as well, from cheering and screaming to “nap time”.
The headliners on Saturday were the Red Hot Chili Peppers known for such top hits as Californication, Give It Away, Under The Bridge and By The Way and has had sales in the hundreds of thousands. They had not played a CT stage in nearly twenty years. Also appearing that first day was the Trey Anastasio Band led by the former Phish lead guitarist, the Gin Blossoms and several others throughout the day.
Visibility of the performers was good almost anywhere, but premium ticket holders were provided with optimum viewing.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Mt. Joy performed as Sunday wel,l but the crowd really got revved up with the appearance of Alanis Morissette who thrilled her fans with her hits Isn't It Ironic and You Ought To Know, songs which have played continuously on radio since their release in the 90's.
Sunday's weather was picture perfect and much of the mud had dried making navigating the extensive site much easier. One of the first performers was Deep Banana Blackout, anther locally based band formed by Jen Durkin and James “Fuzz” San Giovanni both of Fairfield County. "Fuzz" is also seen frequently with his band Caravan Of Thieves.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Between the multiple tents, a great number of food and drink vendors and various merchandise available, the brief times between acts offered a chance to browse the grounds and check out the crowd.
The Giant Ferris wheel became even more spectacular as the sun was setting and the lights of the venue began to shine.
The rising moon added a dramatic backdrop.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
