Another Example Of Anti-Semitism Appears In Westport
Three of the volunteers from Run4TheirLives hanging new posters showing the faces of the hostages kidnapped in the October 7th attack on Israel to replace the tattered and destroyed posters hung after the October 7th attack. Those posters were torn down earlier this week. No word on if the group will replace them again.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com.
The day before the jUNe Day celebration in town of the United Nations and Westport’s commitment to the rights of the peoples of the world and to their freedom and safety, a group of volunteers replaced the tattered posters which had appeared on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge shortly after the brutal Hamas attack on Israel, with new posters.
The more than 100 new posters were laminated to protect them from the weather and were securely hung with strong zip ties, all at the cost of several hundred dollars to the volunteers who are part of the Run4TheirLives organization.
On Wednesday it was discovered that all of the posters had been ripped from the bridge railings, a feat which required some effort as the thickly laminated sheets were attached quite securely, and a fair amount of time depending upon how many individuals were involved in the effort.
The group provided a statement to WestportLocaPress shortly after jUNe Day, where a silent protest (WestportLocal: In Their Silence) of over 100 people appeared at the jUNe Day commemoration to keep attention focused on those victims of the attack:
“In February, many of the hostage posters hung on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge after the October 7th Hamas massacre in Israel, were torn down, ripped, and strewn across the ground. Those that remained grew faded in the nine months since the attack. In response, members of the Westport chapter of Run4TheirLives, reprinted and laminated new posters. Today, those posters representing the remaining 116 hostages thought to remain in captivity – many alive, too many dead – were rehung as part of a local jUNe Day silent protest of 150 Westporters against the UN’s abject silence in the face of definitive and graphic evidence of the sexual atrocities Hamas has committed against women on and since October 7th, and the agency’s involvement and complicity in the attack itself, not to mention its refusal to aid in the release of the hostages, representing 54 nationalities.”
Run4TheirLives is a global volunteer organization of humanitarian citizens who march weekly as a reminder of the hostages in captivity. Westport is one of 212 such groups worldwide.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com
June’s Sidewalk Sale Scenes
There were bargains galore at Downtown Westport’s annual Sidewalk Sale Days held on the last weekend of June. The excellent weather, coupled with the Great Duck Race and the annual jUNe Day celebration added to Saturday’s very busy shopping day. Some of the shoe deals brought some big smiles to these ladies. We don’t know if this bulldog made the purchase at Vineyard Vines or he was just guarding his human’s purchase.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Not only were the sidewalks filled with shoppers, there were lots of purchases being made. Several Main St. stores told WestportLocalPress that sales were noticeably better than last year, with more traffic and more purchases being made.
One store which was experiencing their first Sidewalk Sale was very pleased with the number of shoppers visiting their store. The appearance of a 10 week old Golden Retriever puppy stopped many shoppers in their tracks to give some love and get some puppy kisses. Another pup seemed pretty comfortable in his owner’s lap after lunch.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery
The multi-national brand Rhone which offers men’s and women’s clothes was positioned right on the corner, a short distance from to the very local Two Oh Three, the ifestyle brand celebrating CT life. We noticed more than a few people quizzically looking at this sidewalk “dressing room” which even seemed to draw notice from one four-legged “shopper”. It appeared to be more of an attention getter than an actual dressing room.
They may not have been shopping much, but these dogs seemed more than happy to greet passers-by.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
It Is Hot. It Is REALLY Hot!
The Westport Office Of Emergency Management sent out a press release today telling us just how hot it will be, and for how long, urging folks to take precautions where necessary and reminding us of where we can go to stay cool, at least for a while. Locations like the Senior Center, MoCa Westport, the Westport-Weston Family YMCA and the Westport Museum for History and Culture were among the locations mentioned in the release. Hours of operation were listing in the press release below.
PREPARE FOR EXTREME HEAT OVER NEXT SEVERAL DAYS
Cooling Centers Are Open Across the State and Can Be Located by Calling 2-1-1
(WESTPORT, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont is advising Connecticut residents, particularly those who are most vulnerable, to take precautions ahead of the extreme temperatures that are forecast to impact the state beginning this afternoon and remaining in effect through 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. The current forecast indicates that temperatures over this period during the daytime will rise into the 90s and the heat index will be between 95 and 100 degrees. Overnight temperatures are expected to be very uncomfortable, with lows only falling to the 70s and dewpoints also in the 70s.
“It’s been pretty warm over the last several days and it’s about to get warmer, particularly over the next several evenings,” Governor Lamont said. “Anyone who is vulnerable to heat and humidity is advised to take precautions. Cooling centers are open throughout Connecticut and can be located by calling 2-1-1 or visiting 211ct.org.” The purpose of the Extreme Hot Weather Protocol is to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive protection from the hot conditions. While enacted, a system is set up for state agencies, municipalities, and other partners to coordinate with United Way 2-1-1 to make sure that information regarding cooling centers is available statewide, providing a location to get some relief.
Chief Nick Marsan, Westport Emergency Management Director, is advising people in Westport, particularly those who are most vulnerable to heat and humidity, to take precautions. “Anyone in need of a place to get out of the heat can locate their nearest cooling center by calling 2-1-1, view the online list at 211ct.org, or stopping by the below sites open in our community,” said Chief Marsan.
Cooling Center Locations and Hours of Operations:
Center for Senior Activities, 21 Imperial Avenue Monday - Friday 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM Closed on Sat & Sun
MoCa Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike Monday - Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Westport Weston Family YMCA, 14 Allen Raymond Lane Monday– Fri 5:30 AM – 9:00 PM Sat-Sun 7:00 AM-6:00 PM
Westport Museum for History and Culture, 25 Avery Place Tues – Sat 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Closed on Sun & Mon
Although anyone can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others:
- Infants and young children are sensitive to the effects of high temperatures and rely on others to regulate their environments and provide adequate liquids.
- People 65 years of age or older may not compensate for heat stress efficiently and are less likely to sense and respond to change in temperature.
- People who are overweight may be prone to heat sickness because of their tendency to retain more body heat.
- People who overexert during work or exercise may become dehydrated and susceptible to heat sickness.
- People who are physically ill, especially those with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation, may be affected by extreme heat.
Some prevention tips to stay safe in extreme heat include:
Stay cool: Keep your body temperature cool to avoid heat-related illness
- Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible. If you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdoor activity to the morning and evening. Try to rest often in shady areas so that your body has a chance to cool off.
- Find an air-conditioned shelter. (Call 2-1-1 for a list of cooling centers). Do not rely on a fan as your primary cooling device.
- Avoid direct sunlight.
- Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.
- Take cool showers or baths.
- Check on those most at-risk several times a day.
- Pets that cannot be brought indoors should be provided ready access to water and shade to keep them cool.
Stay Hydrated: Because your body loses fluids through sweat, you can become dehydrated during times of extreme heat.
- Drink more water than usual.
- Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more fluids.
- Drink from two to four cups of water every hour while working or exercising outside.
- Avoid alcohol or liquids containing high amounts of sugar.
- Remind others to drink enough water.
No Revenge For Westport Football Club Against The Visiting UN Team
The fierce rivalry on the Soccer pitch between the Westport Football Club and a talented United Nations team, comprised of soccer players from all over the world took place once again last week as part of jUNe Day. The match took place at Saugatuck school and although Westport fought valiantly, victory once again eluded them.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The UN coach Aliamane Bacar Said described the match this way:
“This year’s game was announced as a grudge match with the Westport FC soccer team wanting to avenge their 9-7 loss of last year against the UN Soccer Team. However, the UN Soccer team got up early to a 2-0 lead thanks to two goals from Markus (from USA), just before injuring his hamstring and puling out of the game. Westport FC came back into the game thanks to an own goal from the UN center back. The game went to half time with the UN leading 2-1. The UN Team had over 20 players, and that required a lot of rotation by the UN coach Said (from the Comoros Island).”
“The Westport team seized the opportunity and pushed to tie the game. However, they were denied multiple times by the UN’s excellent goalkeeper, Salah Areikat (from Palestine). This push left more space in their defense and allowed AJ (from Nigeria/USA) to use his speed and score his two goals in the second half, in addition to the goal of a young midfielder (from Morrocco) who came in to give captain Mirko Montuori (from Italy) a breather. This ended the game with the score of 5 to 1 in favor of the UN Soccer Team who retained the trophy from last year.”
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The game was not a as physical as last year’s and both teams fielded younger and more technical squads. Unlike last year, the UN Soccer Team brought their own goalkeeper, a young player from Palestine who made 2 big saves with the Westport striker advancing alone on goal. He made many other saves to ensure this time that the UN Team did not concede any goal from a Westport player. The game ended with friendly handshakes and a group picture of both teams. The UN Soccer Team expressed its appreciation for the warm welcome received from the people of Westport and the spirit of friendship and fair play that was expressed during the entire game.
Westport FC coach Damien McClave added:
This was a close game played in great spirit. The first half saw Westport go down 2.0. We scored first in the second half with a great goal by Peter Dorgai our Man of the Match. That goal was assisted by Dario "Kaka" Decarvalho. As the game went on the UN team’s youth and speed were a big factor and they ran out 5.1 winners. Honorable mentions go to Mariusz Jasinski "goalie" on a fine performance. As well as Ritchy Jean Pierre, Brian Diez and Chris Gavrielidis on fine performances. Let just say the better team won but we'll be back next year for the 50th anniversary game.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
