Weekend Road Trip: Bridgewater Country Fair
One of the few remains authentic large country fairs remaining in CT takes place this weekend in Bridgewater, at 100 Main St. South, 34 miles from Main St. Westport, about a 50 minute drive.
All the attractions associated with the fair, the annual fundraiser for the Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Department now in it’s 71st year can be found here. Prize winning animals, including draft and miniature ponies, tractor pulls, pig racing, border collie demo, wood carving and the new main event for 2024 is The main event for 2024 features a TRIPLE SHOWCASE !!!!! This triple dipper includes a high wire tightrope act, human cannonball and motorcycle / motocross jump, and the much loved dock diving dogs. There are multiple live music performers, a number of rides, a midway, awesome foods including fresh picked corn on the cob and signature superb roast beef.
Parking is free and the admission os $10.00. The fair opening ceremonies began at 6:30PM followed by a parade down Main St. at 6:45PM.
More more info visit: Bridgewater Country Fair.com
Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com
Vincent Penna, Jr. Memorial Car Show Draws Hundreds
More than 320 of the finest automobiles around were proudly displayed in Norwalk to the admiration of several hundred visitors. Examples of automotive excellence spanning the last 90 or more years appeared in row after row, with perfectly restored antiques, classic American Muscle Cars, hot rods, trucks and a few extremely rare automobiles which are seldom seen outside at shows such as this. Row 2 above, left shows Westport Police Sgt. Sharon Russo and Lt. Sereneti Dobson with Vincent Penna, Sr. at the raffle of the 90 prizes donated by the generous sponsors.
At row 2, right, event main organizer Detective Sergeant John Taranto of the Norwalk PD gives out one of the trophies awarded to one of the winning car owners.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The crowd gathered near the end of the show when the nearly 100 raffle prizes were awarded to the lucky winners. Area businesses, stores and restaurants generously donated prizes to help raise funds for the scholarship program.
This is the 6th year of the show, which began as a fundraiser for student scholarships, then was renamed to honor Vincent Penna, Jr. who sadly passed away unexpectedly in December of 2020 at the age of 51, leaving behind his wife and teenage sons, in addition to countless family members, friends, colleagues, and fellow officers who admired his passion for his family and community. Vinnie Penna, Jr. was an officer with Westport for 26 years, becoming the Deputy Chief of the Department before his retirement in 2017.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Live music was performed by Clue and the Honkytones, adding to high energy of the event.
Special thanks is given to the Italian American Police Society, the driving force behind the event, comprised of officers from multiple police departments in southwestern CT.
The goal of the event could not be achieved without the very generous sponsors, including headline sponsors Garavel Subaru, Snap On Tools, A.J. Penna Construction, Z2 Motorsports, Black Bridge Motors and the more than 150 local businesses from Westport and Norwalk who supported with either donations or raffle prizes.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Westport Police Officers Sergeant Sharon Russo and Lt. Sereneti Dobson (above and above, left and right photos) were two of energetic volunteers as they called out the lucky raffle winners. Vinnie Penna, Sr. drew one of the raffle winning tickets (2nd from left) and next, one of the winners excitedly came to collect her prize. A small army of volunteers spent a great deal of time helping to pull together all of the aspects of the event. The organizers wish to offer special thanks to Fred Forger, Joseph Buffone, and Rick Tanella from Ricks Main roofing who put in countless hours to organize the sponsors for the program booklet. Also Detective Danny Fitzmaurice, Norwalk PD. and Robin Penna, Vincent’s step mom, wife of Vinnie senior, DC Penna’s dad.
Above, Lt. Dobson and Sgt. Russo standing with Sammy Arturo of Stamford, winner of a 55” television set and with grand prize winner Bob Persichilli of Trumbull won a one week vacation in Aruba.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
One of the many rows of the more than 320 exceptional cars on display at the event gets a look from several spectators.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Near the conclusion of the event, after the 50/50 and the raffle prizes were awarded, distinctive trophies were given to the best cars in the show.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Saugatuck Congregational’s Message Of Inclusion And Affirmation
The rainbow chairs on the front lawn of the church convey the message of the church proclaiming that all are welcome.
Photos and story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com
Saugatuck Congregational Church recently added another visual message to the peace sign which they installed earlier this year (WestportLocalPress: Message of Peace) when they welcomed their new Interim Minister Reverend Kari J. Nicewander. The collection of rainbow Adirondack chairs appears with a banner proclaiming “There’s a seat for everyone at God’s table.”
This message stands in stark contrast to the recent vandalism at Westport’s noted Rainbow Crosswalk at Jesup Green and helps to reinforce Westport’s strongly held creed of being a welcoming community where there is indeed a place for everyone.
Reverend Nicewander told WestportlocalPress, “As a member of the queer community, it means so much to me that Saugatuck Church has been affirming of LGBTQ+ people for so many years. As the Interim Minister at Saugatuck, it means so much to me that we share that message of love, affirmation, and inclusion with the broader community. We believe that God created us as we are - gay, straight, queer, lesbian, bisexual, non-binary, transgender, etc - and that God celebrates us as we are. We are not just accepting of queer community and people, we are queer community, and we rejoice in the diversity of God's creation.”
Photos and story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com
New York Air Show: Into The Wild Blue Yonder
WestportLocalPress went on a road trip to the Orange County, NY Airport to see the legendary United States Air Force Thunderbirds precision flight squadron on Saturday.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Joining the Thunderbirds this year at the show, flying in the United States for the first time in more than 30 years is the Italian Air Force precision squadron, Frecce Tricolori, which is the world’s largest, with ten aircraft flying exceptional maneuvers. Their tour this year is commemorating the 500th anniversary of Giovanni da Verrazzano's expedition to America in 1524.
The photos above show the Thunderbirds in their signature Diamond formation, flying as close as two feet apart, and Frecce Tricolori’s ten plane Delta formation, with their smoke generators proudly showing the red, white and green of the Italian flag.
Photos And Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Thunderbird signature maneuvers include a vertical climb with each plane banking in a different direction and their canopy-to-canopy slow flight down the runway center line a few feet apart.
The headliner USAF Thunderbirds fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon and perform a combination of formation and solo maneuvers in an inspiring, patriotic, high energy demonstration that thrills and draws gasps from the crowd. To see more on these, some of America’s finest pilots, visit: USAF Thunderbirds.
The show continued on Sunday August 11th. Orange County Airport is less than 1-1/2 hours from Westport, at 500 Dunn Rd, Montgomery, NY.
Visit: NY Air Show for more information. Air shows are held each year at Orange County Airport and on Memorial Day weekend at Jones Beach on Long Island.
Photos And Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Italian American Police Society Vincent Penna Memorial Car Show Returns On Sunday
The Annual Vincent Penna Jr Memorial Car Show, hosted by the Italian American Police Society of Southern CT will be held this Sunday August 11, 2024, at 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT. The car show is raising funds for the Vincent Penna Jr Memorial Scholarship Fund. The scholarship awards funds to the education of local children in the community.
Vincent Penna Jr passed away unexpectedly in December of 2020 at the age of 51, leaving behind his wife and teenage sons, in addition to countless family members, friends, colleagues and fellow officers who admired his passion for his family and community. Vincent Penna Jr was an officer with Westport for 26 years, becoming the Deputy Chief of the Department before his retirement in 2017.
This event is expected to have hundreds of classic and exotic cars and thousands of automotive enthusiasts. There is a $20 fee to enter your car, no cut off years and spectators are free. There will be live music by Clue and the Honkytones, raffle prizes, food trucks, trophies, and more. Thanks to more than 150 sponsors the IAPS of CT will be giving away more than $40,000.00 in prizes.
Fishing The Sound, Tern-Style
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The Common Tern in these photos were part of a group of 6 or 8 that practiced a fishing method called “plunge diving”, where they sight a fish close to the surface, on the wing and then dive into the water, taking the fish. They were not successful each time, but they eventually grabbed a nice dinner. This group may well have been part of colony which nests out on Cockenoe Island.
AllAboutBirds.org states, “Common Terns nest in colonies on the ground in areas with loose sand, gravel, shell, or cobble pebbles typically less than 350 feet from the water. They tend to choose areas with scattered, low-growing vegetation to provide cover for chicks.” Their clutch size is anywhere from 1-4 eggs with an incubation period of 22-27 days.
He’s In There Somewhere!
These 3 guys knew a fun, exhilarating way to beat the heat last week, splashing in the Sound on their powerful jet skis.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The guy in blue seemed to be the alpha rider of the trio, pushing the envelope with tight turns at quite a clip, challenging the other riders.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Plovers, Sandpipers, Oystercatchers, OH MY!
A few new families have moved to Westport recently, but they will not be staying long. These beautiful little shorebirds are adult semipalmated plovers (thick black neck band) and adult semipalmated sandpipers (no black neck bands).
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
According to Laura Saucier of CT DEEP, “This is a mixed species flock of birds that have stopped to feed whilst migrating through CT.” She told WestportLocalPress, “The semipalmated plover is a cousin to the piping plover, which Westport residents may have seen nesting on Compo Beach and Cockoene Island. Semipalmated plovers are shorebirds that show up in Connecticut during migration. They are only passing through our state either on their way to the arctic to breed during late spring, or on their way to overwintering beaches in the southeastern US south to Central and South America in late summer. This bird can be observed feeding in mixed flocks with other shorebird species. It has a thick black band around its neck as well as on its forehead and around its eye. It is darker in appearance than the piping plover.”
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com.
Saucier added, “The semipalmated sandpiper is also a species that shows up in Connecticut during migration. It has a similar lifesyle to the semipalmated plover but migrates even further and overwinters primarily in South America. It also can be seen feeding in mixed species flocks on our beaches. This sandpiper is similar in size to plovers and can be difficult to identify with different sandpipier species. It has mottled brown/grey plumage on its head and back and is white underneath. This shorebird has undergone population declines recently therefore it is important to give consideration to it while it is resting and feeding on Connecticut beaches.”
These beauties show a a wonderful contrast with the Oystercatchers which have nested at Compo’s South Beach for several years. The one pictured above may be the female which hatched a couple of eggs earlier this year. In the two photos below, a juvenile Oystercatcher which has been banded by CT Audubon keeps the plover company at the shoreline. The juvenile has a beak which has not yet turned completely orange as in the photo at right of an adult.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
These Plovers and Sandpipers, along with the Oystercatchers are protected at Compo’s South Beach by a wire fence erected by CT Audubon and CT DEEP. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection encourages people to share the shore with migratory birds by limiting disturbance to feeding and resting shorebird flocks. Keeping dogs, kites, and bicycles away from the birds allows them quiet areas to rest and fuel up along their long migration.
See WestportLocalPress coverage of the stunningly beautiful Oystercatchers here: Shellfish On The Menu, and here: Busy Oystercatchers
To learn more abut these and other wonderful visitors to our town, visit: Atlantic Flyways.org.
Bridge Rally Marks 300 Days Of Captivity For Israeli Hostages
About 150 people, both Jews and non-Jews gathered for the rally on Thursday evening on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Memorial Bridge in Westport. Thursday marked the 300th day of captivity for the Israelis kidnapped by terrorists on October 7th, 2023.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Several groups including the local chapter of Run4TheirLIves joined in organizing the rally, the purpose of which was to keep attention focused on the plight of the Israeli hostages who were one day just living their lives like all of us and the next were thrust into a horrible captivity which has subjected them suffering which we have difficulty even discussing.
Above left, principal organizers (l. to r.) Jennifer Wolff, Melinda Boxbaum and Dori Bomback old one of the posters which were attached once again on the bridge railing. Melinda and Jennifer lead a group which has marched each Sunday morning since the Israelis were kidnapped, from the Westport Playhouse to stand on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Memorial bridge, and has vowed to to so until the hostages are returned home.
Bomback is an Instagram and local Jewish advocate (@strength4israel) was part of a global initiative to Mark 300 days using the artwork in that photo and helped to gather this group of people as a vehicle to stand in solidarity with the families of the hostages. Having many contacts with those families in Israel one of the goals of the group is showing the families that they are not alone, and half a world away people are standing by them, and attempting to encourage the Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu to do more to rescue their families loved ones. Bomback told WestportLocalPress, “Wherever you are in the world, raise your voice on their behalf and be their voice on August 1, 2024. We cannot let them reach the one year mark! The time is now to demand their release and to continue reminding the world about their captivity. We cannot stop talking about the hostages! “
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
There was a very visible presence by Westport Police including Chief Foti Koskinas, striped shirt, standing with Officer Gunter and several other officers and command staff who were on duty to insure there were no problems with any potential counter protesters. Many passersby honked their horns and waved and cheered in support of the the group’s message.
The rally attendees spent nearly an hour on the bridge and replaced posters, numbering more than 100, of the kidnap victims which were removed by a local woman a few weeks ago (WestportLocalPress, Another Example Of Anti-Semitism) The posters which had been placed at that time were laminated and fastend with zip ties. The Westport PD responded to that activity and recovered the posters the woman had taken down which were returned to the group. They are hoping there will not be a repeat of that episode but acknowledge there are simply no guarantees.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Above and below are just a few of the posters showing the innocent victims of the most brutal and devastating attack against the State of Israel since the Holocaust.
Near the end of the event, volunteers were given posters and zip ties to replace those taken earlier. The exact reason the woman who was found taking down the posters a few weeks ago is not clear and is open to speculation.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Above, right, State Representative from Westport’s 136 district since 2011, Jonathan Steinberg joined the protestors, as did Second Selectwoman Andrea Moore (not pictured)
Vigil Tonight To Mark 300 Days Of Captivity Of The Israeli Hostages
As we all know, on October 7th, 2023 Hamas staged a stunning attack on Israel, taking more than 200 hostages and killing hudreds more. Many of those kidnapped from their homes and from the Nova music festival near Gaza have been held by Hamas ever since.
This evening at 6 PM, Run4TheirLives-Westport and other humanitarian organizations will hold a vigil on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Memorial Bridge in Westport. Their Communications Director, Jennifer Wolff, told WestportLocalPress, “We will also be reinstalling hostage posters vandalized and removed by another Westport resident. (see WestportLocalPress: Anti-Semitism) Westport Police will be on hand to protect members of the vigil from any violence that may occur.
In January, Melinda Wasserman created the Westport chapter of Run4TheirLives — leading weekly marches on Sundays at 11 AM starting at Playhouse Square and heading across the bridge and back. According to Wolff, “We have not missed a Sunday since, and will not miss one until all of the hostages are home.”
Story By J.C. Martin