Compo Pickleball Courts Dedication Ceremony In Honor Of Tom Lowrie To Be Held On Saturday
Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com
Westporters have been loving the pickleball courts at Compo Beach for some time now and on Saturday, August 23rd there will be a ceremony naming the courts officially after Tom Lowrie, who is 97 years young. Tom, along with Charlie Haberstroh was the driving force behind the pickle ball courts being built at Compo Beach and both would love to see an expansion to offer more courts to pickleball enthusiasts.Andrew Colabella, RTM member from District 4 was joined by Chris Tait, RTM District One member in selecting Tom to be honored. Per the town charter, two RTM members can petition in the naming of a town property. The pair petitioned the board of selectwomen and Parks & Recreation commission for the honor, where it passed unanimously. Andrew has worked to have some of Westport’s important venues dedicated to notable figures in town, such as Staples Laddie Lawrence track and Paul Lane football field.
Andrew told WestportLocal he decided to proactively pursue naming the pickleball courts after Lowrie as “Tom has been a pivotal individual in Westport’s development since the 1960s as a resident and architect. He graduated Princeton, served in the navy, raised two children, and has always been a peaceful and thoughtful collaborator and a selfless leader..”
Colabella continued, “Tom puts in the research and hard work and even goes beyond to make sure his work ends up in your hands personally. When Tom talks about an idea, he not only conveys his thoughts in written words, but visuals too.” Tom was also the former USA ambassador of Pickelball to Westport.
Pickleball has grown tremendously in recent years. the USA Pickleball website details the genesis of the game:
After playing golf one Saturday during the summer, Joel Pritchard, congressman from Washington State and Bill Bell, successful businessman, returned to Pritchard’s home on Bainbridge Island, WA (near Seattle) to find their families sitting around with nothing to do. The property had an old badminton court so Pritchard and Bell looked for some badminton equipment and could not find a full set of rackets. They improvised and started playing with ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. At first they placed the net at badminton height of 60 inches and volleyed the ball over the net.As the weekend progressed, the players found that the ball bounced well on the asphalt surface and soon the net was lowered to 36 inches. The following weekend, Barney McCallum was introduced to the game at Pritchard’s home. Soon, the three men created rules, relying heavily on badminton. They kept in mind the original purpose, which was to provide a game that the whole family could play together.
You’re Invited: The 72nd Annual Bridgewater Country Fair
One of the few authentic large country fairs remaining in CT takes place this weekend, August 15th, 16th and 17th in Bridgewater, CT, 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 72nd year can be found here. Prize winning animals, including draft and miniature ponies, tractor pulls, pig racing, border collie demo, wood carving and more. The main event for 2025 is Chachi “The Rocket Man” Valencia. The World’s Biggest Human Cannonball. Free Flying thru the air at speeds of (55mph), heights over (65’) and distances of (165’), landing in a narrow net set 20’ off the ground!! He was at the 2012 London Olympics closing ceremonies.
Accompanying Chachi will be Tim Dyson and his motorcycle crew featuring the globe of death and his 80’ freestyle jump. Also featured is the Flippinout Trampoline Show. They are a team of top athletes from North America including Olympic Medalists, National Champions, National Team Members, Ninja Warriors, professional action sports athletes, Olympic Hopefuls, and top tier show professionals, who perform extreme trampoline shows.
There are multiple live music performers, a number of rides, a midway, awesome foods including fresh picked corn on the cob and the fair’s signature superb roast beef.
Parking is free and the admission is $10.00, with Seniors and Veterans’ tickets at $8.00. children under 12 are admitted free. The fair opening ceremonies begin today, Friday August 15th at 6:30PM followed by a parade down Main St. at 6:45PM.
Somber Ceremony For Tunnel To Towers 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit’s Return To CT
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
A last minute cancellation in Missouri and a chance encounter made it possible for this outstanding tribute to the fallen who lost their lives on the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York's World Trade Center. The exhibit is located at 136 Westport Rd. Easton, only 15 minutes and less than 9 miles from downtown Westport. The exhibit was last in CT eight years ago.
This is a significant presentation which is a somber and moving event, between the items in the exhibit and the information provided by members of the Fire Department Of The City Of New York (FDNY) who knew many of the first responders who tragically lost their lives that horrific day.
Members of the Fire Department Of The City Of New York, the heroic FDNY were joined by local first responders from Fairfield County including local EMS, Firefighters and Police officers to commemorate the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks at the Tunnel to Towers Mobile Exhibit in Easton on Friday, August 8th.
A last-minute cancellation in Missouri unexpectedly paved the way for an extraordinary tribute to honor the fallen heroes of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York's World Trade Center. This significant presentation, held in at the Congregational Church of Easton, was a somber and moving event, featuring an exhibit filled with personal items recovered from the site and powerful stories by those who were there. Attendees were deeply affected by firsthand accounts from members of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), many of whom personally knew the first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice that day. The combination of the tangible artifacts and heartfelt remembrances provided a profound reflection on the bravery and loss experienced during that tragic moment in history.
Above left, newly appointed Easton Police Chief Foti Koskinas (yes, THAT Foti Koskinas, former Westport PD chief) shares a moment before the ceremony with one of the volunteers. FDNY firfighters await the start of the ceremony. Opening remarks wer given by a number of speakers including FDNY members who were on scene in September 2001. At right, Chief Koskinas joins first responders during the singing of the National Anthem.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
An NYPD firefighter leads the group of first responders and the American flag into the Congregational Church. Scouts lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance followed by the singing of the National Anthem, then remarks by Pastor Emeritus George Coca St. Demetrius Church in Easton offering remarks.
Fairfield and Easton firefighters join an NYPD firefighter to listen to the presentation by speakers during the very somber remarks which recall and speak about the efforts of all first responders and volunteers as the describe the horror of the attack nearly a quarter of a century earlier. One of the FDNY firefighters attending was Lt. David Russell, a nearly 30 year veteran who joined the FDNY in 1985 after retiring from military service. He was working on his house when his wife called with the first report that a small plane had crashed into the WTC Tower. After seeing what had actually happened he know it was not a small plane. He and another FDNY Lt. commandeered a bus in the Bronx and drove downtown to assist in the rescue operation. They arrived just after the second tower fell. Lt. Russell told WestportLocalPress that he personally knew 105 members of the FDNY who were lost that day and the impact of that loss and that day was clear in our conversation.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Above left, Redding Police Officer Vadas was in attendance. He lost a brother who was working in one of the towers on the day of the attack.
At left, a bagpiper from the NY Dept. of Sanitation played as the flag was brought into the ceremony and as the audience left the church. Next, father Coca stands with U.S. Army Aviator Ed Soderberg who rose rapidly in the ranks to become Captain in six years. Soderbergh received multiple decorations, flying both rotary and fixed wing aircraft for the Army. Multiple sponsors made the event possible by covering costs. At right, a photo provided by Chief Koskinas from 2001 shows Westport PD Officer Richard Failla (left), Officer Phil Restieri (center) and Officer Manny Sylvia (right) who went to the site to assist in recovery efforts.
If It's August, This Must Be A Full Sturgeon Moon
Photo By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com
The first full moon in August 2025 is called the Sturgeon Moon. This name is traditionally given to the full moon that occurs in August, particularly in North America, due to the abundance of sturgeon fish in the Great Lakes during this time.
According to the Farmers' Almanac, there are more than two dozen species of sturgeon worldwide, but August’s “Sturgeon Moon” is specifically associated with the lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), a North American freshwater fish that played a vital role as a food source for many Native American tribes and early settlers. The full Moon in August 2025, known as the “Sturgeon Moon,” reflects a time of abundant fishing, especially for lake sturgeon, in late summer. This Moon is also recognized by various other names across different cultures, each highlighting the season’s richness and the natural bounty it brings.
Full moons, including 2025’s Sturgeon Moon, occur when the moon sits opposite the sun, fully illuminated and rising close to sunset. This alignment bathes the night in a beautiful light, sharpening shadows creating ethereal landscapes. Throughout history, cultures have woven stories about how the full moon influences animals, tides, and even humans under its ghostly glow. From Chinese moon viewing festivals to American lakeside gatherings and farmers’ celebrations, these events capture the enduring pleasure of observing the moon’s familiar face shining brightly in the night sky.