|
News and events you may be
interested in . . . Updated Friday,
March 19, 2010
Cemetery cleanup! The Westport Cemetery Department as
started its annual spring cleanup and asks that any graveside items that need
to be saved be taken away. All
decorations will be removed as of March 29.
New mystery photo posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 2:30
p.m., and it is a corker! Sponsored by
Whites of Westport and Bittersweet
farms. Be the first to guess correctly and enjoy a night out on
EverythingWestport.com. Click here to take your best shot.
 Torrential
rains and ferocious winds batter Westport. Area dams pushed to the limit. But take heart; the Boston globe reported that if it had
been slightly colder we would have been buried under 80” of snow! More with photos.
Tripp Marine is working the
river. Click here to view photo of the week.
Westport trash stickers will triple in cost to $30 this summer. More.
The March/April issue of WAG newsletter now available. Click here to read it.
Calling all potential business advertisers for
the upcoming COA phone book. They
need your help! More.
Our Directory of Town Boards and Officials has
been updated! Click here to find out who
the movers and shakers are in our town.
Ellie’s Place to reopen under new management!
Will specialize in seafood dishes and Italian cooking. Click here to read more
about Ellie’s and other local business news.
The Westport Art Group
proudly presents: Children’s Winter Art Workshop
taught by Jennifer Gelinas. Looking for a fun and creative outlet during the
cold winter month of March for your young artists? Sign them up for an
opportunity to draw, paint, collage and exercise those creative minds and
hands! More.
New Spirit
of Christ Church offers services at the Westport Senior Center. Click here to read about this and other local church news.
Real estate tax bills go green. Use “e-bill” says
Tax Collector Carol Borden. More.
Census forms mailed to all Westport households. Imperative all
residents comply Registrars say. More.
Beach passes and dog licenses for 2010
now available from Town Clerk’s office. Read more.
Brace yourself; new Westport tax rate is now in effect. 73
cent increase to $6.27 per $1000. Read more.
Westport Historical Society seeks 19th century women’s clothing for exhibition. More.
See more art and theater events now!
|
Community Bulletin Board
Westport
Fishermen’s Association offering scholarships. The deadline to apply for a WFA
merit scholarship is April 30, 2010. High School seniors planning to
continue in higher education after graduation, who have a family member who
is active member of the Association to act as your sponsor, can apply. Each
year the WFA awards at least one scholarship to an applicant who has met
all the academic and civic requirements. The WFA can award a single student
up to $2,150 during their college career.
Westport Lions Club offering scholarships. This year the Westport Lions Club is ofering two
scholarships. The Prudence & Ernie Chadwick Scholarship is for $4000
and the Harold S. Wood SAcholarship is for $2000. The scholarships are
payable directly to the student in four installments for four consecutive
years.
By
filling out one application, a student is considered for both scholarships.
First place receives the $4000 scholarship and second place gets the $2000
scholarship. Students must be Westport residents and high school seniors.
Applications
are at the guidance departments of Westport Hihg School, Diman Vocational,
Bishop Connelly, Bishop Stang and Bristol County Agricultural High School Regional. All applications must be
postmarkerd by Friday, April 30. Interested Westport seniors should
contavct their guidance department. For
more information, call Liz at (508) 636-6322
 The Westport
River Watershed Alliance (WRWA) is pleased to offer two scholarship opportunities for
graduating seniors in the Westport River watershed, Fall River, Dartmouth,
Freetown, Westport, Little Compton, and Tiverton. More.
Westport
Historical Society seeks Civil War material. 2011 marks the
beginning of the commemoration of the 150th
anniversary of the Civil War. In preparation for this anniversary
Westport Historical Society is undertaking research into Westporters who
were involved with the Civil War as soldiers, medical officers and other
roles. The historical society seeks photographs, objects, any personal
papers, accounts, correspondence and biographical information on Civil War
veterans from Westport. More.
Living
an Abundant, Joy-filled Life: No Matter the Circumstances! Fully Human
and Fully Divine. A six-week series
starting February 21 of experiential workshops tapping into and connecting
with joy, creativity and abundance from the inside out! Westport Point United Methodist Church,
Main Road, Westport, MA. More.
|
Find out about all local area
upcoming events.
Click
here for our weekly calendar!
|
Sign
up for our email newsletter!
Happening Now in Westport!
These events you don’t want to miss!
Friday,
March 19 - March Monitoring with the Land
Trust Executive Director Fridays in March (5, 12, 19, & 26) 9 - 11
a.m. Meet at 1100 Main Road, Westport. Join the Land Trust ED for annual
monitoring of some of its own wild and scenic properties around town.
Friday,
March 19 - Special St. Patrick's Day Tea! Back by popular demand! Enjoy a spot of traditional
English Tea with delicious sweets & savories as Partners Village Store hosts its annual Friday Tea Time from 3:00 - 4:00 pm. Served elegantly in
Partners "Tea Room" café.
Sunday,
March 21 - Ladies Spring Fling presented by Forever Paws Animal Shelter from 12 noon - 5 p.m. at the Fall River Country Club at 4232 North
Main Street. General admission with a donation of $2 will be gratefully
appreciated.
Sunday,
March 21 - The Westport Art
Group is proud to present a watercolor “wet into wet” painting demonstration featuring the figure by David Barnes, a well-known artist
and teacher who has exhibited his award-winning paintings nationally. Starts
at 2:00 p.m. Open to the public!
Find
out more about all
local area upcoming events.
Click
here for our weekly calendar!
Tips for healthy living.
16 tips you need to
defend yourself against deer ticks and Lyme Disease for 2010. Click
here to get them now!
10 tips for living with coyotes in Westport.
Click here to learn how. PDF
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) positive mosquito findings in
New Bedford and Freetown. Click here for more information.
Westport News!
Westport tweets from Grant
Welker of the Herald News.
Click here to get them now!
03/18/2010 - White's of
Westport settles wage/tip misunderstanding with state Attorney General’s office.
“Higher wages/no tip distribution” statement must be printed on menus, AG Coakley
says. More.
03/17/2010 - Westport High School's
after-prom party is cancelled because too few parents volunteered to help. More.
03/17/2010 - Westport businessman and partner
charged with FBI fraud, face up to 5 years in prison. More.
03/15/2010
- Three Westport auto
businesses hit snag in licensing process; hearing delayed until March
22. More.
03/15/2010 - Westport will end lease on
farmland, clearing way for soccer fields. More.
03-10-2010 - Another
Westport funding vote ahead - this time a Proposition 2 1/2 override. Question
will be on April 13 ballot. Read
more.
03/02/2010 - In Westport, 3 arrested after car
chase that police say included suspects throwing guns onto side of Sanford
Rd. Read
more.
|
|
|
Meet
Mary Ellen Gomes
Director
of the Westport Council of Aging.
“They say that to
everything there is a time and to everything there is a season. This is the perfect time for me to come
back home to Westport and again serve as Director of the Council on
Aging. To all of my old and dear
friends, please stop by the Senior Center for a visit. If we have never met, this is the perfect
season to get to know each other.
The future looks exciting; and keep watching the “Evergreen”
for details about new programs and activities. I hope to see your all soon.” Mary Ellen Gomes
|
|
Westport Council of Aging
• Announcements •
COA
Evergreen Monthly Newsletter – March 2010
Read latest newsletter now.
******************************
March, 2010
Click here to
view a schedule and hourly timetable of COA weekly events.
******************************
 Westport
Council of Aging has a
new video! Click here to see it now.
******************************
“Food for Friends” – The
new food pantry sponsored by the Westport
Council of Aging will be open every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
beginning on September 10, 2009. The food bank is located in the Senior Center on 75 Reed Road. It
is available to Westport residents over the age of 18.
******************************
Jun 25th
2008 Wednesday - First Time Ever House Tour at Westport Point. The Friends of the Westport Council on Aging
sponsored this House Tour in the Historic District at Westport Point.
There
were more than just a few rooms with a view for the over 300 visitors who
toured Westport Point homes on the first ever Point House Tour sponsored by
the Friends of the Council of Aging.
Read
the full story with photos now!
|
|
This week in
Westport - Wednesday,
March 17, 2010
|
Local funeral
home to offer drive in service?
No, not yet. But last Thursday an automobile with the driver and his
dog paid a visit to Potter’s Funeral Home on Reed Road in an unannounced
and most unexpected way last week.
Photo/Brian Legendre
+enlarge
“We thought a bomb went off,” said a Potter’s employee. “We had no
idea what happened.”
What did happen was a car idling under the Westport Senior Center’s
side entrance’s overhang suddenly went into reverse and accelerated
backwards, swerving to the north and taking down two large arborvitaes and
smashing through the funeral home’s south side wall. No injuries were
reported. Fortunately there were no services being conducted at the time.
|
|
|
Westport in
Brief – Sunday, March 14, 2010
|
Ribbon cutting at CVS on State
Road.
Despite wicked, wet and windy
weather, CVS’ Westport grand opening on Saturday went off without a hitch
as local and state officials and CVS executives cut the ribbon on
Westport’s first large retail chain outlet.
More
with photos.
The store had face paintings,
raffles of items like autographed Patriots shirts and lift tickets to
Jiminy peak, and other fun-filled activities, including a visit by the
Easter Bunny.
|
Thar she blows!
A major nor’easter drifted along
the mid-Atlantic coast this weekend, but should edge east and out to sea,
southeast of Nantucket late Monday, leaving mayhem and wreckage behind. More
with photos.
The National Weather Service
reported gale force winds of 25 to 30 knots with gusts up to 50. Seas of 8
to 11 feet in Rhode Island Sound produced high surf, which littered cobble
stones across East Beach Road, while the wind scattered debris and branches
over Westport roadways. Rain, heavy at times, encouraged minor flooding in
steams and low-lying areas. Patchy fog completed the dismal weekend. Look
for more of the same on Monday and Tuesday.
Fortunately, the northeast winds
kept the surf in check, reducing the cobblestone mess to a manageable level
that the Highway Department was able to clear easily on Sunday morning with
a frontend loader.
+enlarge
|
|
|
Tower Power!
+enlarge
Brian of S & S Tower and
Antenna Service from East Bridgewater works far above Westport’s new fire
station attaching three 2 1/2” and three 1 7/8” coaxial cables to antennas mounted 100
feet up from the base of the standalone tower.
The town-wide radio communications
system will allow, among other things, firefighters from outside a large
burning structure to communicate with those inside through personal
communicators attached to their lapels.
A break in the weather this week
allowed workers to perform weather-sensitive jobs such as pouring outside
concrete and working in the communications tower where cold and slippery
rungs create dangerous conditions.
|
Show me the money!
Westport - A sea of energized
voters stormed the Westport High School Tuesday night, and overwhelming
approved transferring $141,103 from the town’s stabilization fund to cover
the schools’ Fiscal Year 2010 deficit.
Representing less than a percent of
the schools’ overall budget, this single issue galvanized community
activists and students alike to get out Westport voters in numbers not seen
at town meeting since 1992.
Town Clerk Marlene Sampson swore in
three assistant moderators to handle the overflow of the 1462 registered
voters in attendance; they were directed to the high school’s cafeteria,
media room and gymnasium. The auditorium’s seating capacity of 840 was
maxed by 7:00 p.m. Get the whole
story later today with photos, only at EverythingWestport.com.
+enlarge
|
George and Doris get some
windmills.
March 10, 2010. Northeast Power of
Westport erected three, 140-foot towers in about four hours at Noquochoke
Orchards, making the oldest orchard in town the first to receive the
newest, most-advanced wind technology.
Their “trifecta” bet that wind
turbines will help solve their energy needs as they move forward will be
tested shortly, and they look forward to and expect green energy to reduce
their high cost of electricity. “$1700 per month for just our
apple-processing shed,” bemoaned George Smith. More tonight.
+enlarge
|
Westport in
Brief – Sunday, March 7, 2010
|
Special Town Meeting on March 9th
to settle school budget shortfall.
Finance Committee reverses vote.
A parent-driven petition prompted
Westport Selectman to schedule a special town meeting on March 9 to finally
decide the contentious issue of whether to provide money from the town’s
stabilization fund to cover the schools’ budget shortfall.
A struggling state economy with
declining revenues is stressing school-mandated programs. Are teacher
layoffs in the future?
Dr. Carlos Colley had sent out 15
layoff notices to teachers and staff to take effect March 15th. The
$150,000 deficit came from unexpected increases in unfunded,
state-mandated, special education costs.
The town meeting is scheduled for
7:00 p.m. at the Westport High School.
|
Lees Market puts Big Blue on-line.
Expands sale items for even greater
savings.
There’s always something
happening at Lees.
The Westport
neighborhood supermarket raises the bar in customer service as they respond
to the needs of our community.
Now offering DVD kiosk from
Blockbuster. Rent videos for a
buck. Ask about their introductory 1
Free Movie Rental Coupon.
Click
here to read more.
They
say a picture is worth a thousand words!
Below
is a picture of their Sale Items from the grocery aisles. More.
|
EverythingWestport
is a star!
EverythingWestport.com is proud to be awarded Constant Contact’s All Star Award for 2009. The email
marketer of newsletters and communications recently recognized
EverythingWestport.com for “staying in touch with your customers or members
with regular email communications” and that “your list was up to
date - and that everyone on it gave you permission to send them
emails.”
Constant Contact also
praised the Westport website with, “You delivered engaging information that
your audience was eager to receive, open, and read.”
|
|
Rodrigues is “all in.”
Surrounded by family and
supporters, State Representative Michael Rodrigues announced his candidacy
for the state senate seat held by long-term incumbent Joan Menard who will
not be seeking re-election.
“I’m all in,” Rodrigues told the
large gathering at Our Lady of Light Band, a popular conference and banquet
facility in Fall River. “There’s no turning back. I’m putting my whole
political life on the line for this campaign.” Read
more with photos.
|
Will stringent
state data security regulations affect your company?
Westport businesses
will feel the impact of sweeping new data security regulations soon to be
imposed by the Massachusetts state government.
The toughest set of
laws in the nation will require companies that do business in the
Commonwealth to secure all private and personal information in their
possession for employees and customers.
Click
here
to read
Attorney Mike Foley’s Legal News Alert on the new regulations. PDF
Beginning March 1,
2010 a business must bring all of its files and computers into compliance
or face potential fines for each breach. State Representative Michael
Rodrigues has been assisting the Fall River Chamber of Commerce in
providing information to area businesses so they may prepare for the
implementation of 201 CMR 17.00. www.fallriverchamber.com
Click
here
to read
201 CMR 17.00 PDF
Attorney Foley of
Foley and Foley, PC, has lent his assistance to Chamber members by
providing several practical resources and tools to help area businesses
comply with the new regulations.
|
State Road CVS store slated to open
March 7.
Westport’s first
large, chain-operated retail store will open its doors to the public on
March 7th, according to store manager Regina Sheldon.
“Our grand opening
with lots of surprises and fun things to do for the whole family will be
held on March13th,” said Ms. Sheldon, a Westport resident. Read
more.
Kim (foreground) and Noreen from the Taunton CVS
store stock the cosmetic shelves in preparation for the Westport store
opening.
|
Westport in
Brief – Sunday, February 28, 2010
|
Keyboards for Kids
Greater
Tiverton Community Chorus member Lucy Chase recently visited with Westport
Middle School seventh graders Aubrey Destemps, Brendan Sasse, Samantha
Silvia and Cady Arruda to promote the chorus’ Keyboards for Kids campaign. Click
here
to read more about the project.
+enlarge
“Part
of the fundraising/piano project is about 20 students from both Tiverton
and Westport Middle Schools who will be singing with us for the two
concerts,” Chase said. “We've already sold 88+ keys; that's 1 piano.
We still need to raise dollars for another one.”
“Tiverton
is ahead in this ‘race’, so we’re asking Westport residents for a little
more help,” Chase said.
|
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night . . .
Work continues on the new southend
fire house despite ubiquitous snowfall and Phil’s six-week winter
forecast. See photo below.
Siding is nearing completion and
painting of the interior walls is underway. Workers are now installing the
framework for the apparatus bay’s ceiling. “We’re still on schedule and
under budget,” affirms Project Manager Peter Koczera.
+enlarge
  
Chief Legendre
confirms project about 70% complete. More photos.
|
Haiti fundraiser played to a Full
House!
Reminiscent of the
decades-old battle of the bands genre, over 10 local musical groups
organized by Michelle and Paul Nogueira of Full House fame
entertained hundreds Sunday who
flocked to the ballroom at White’s of Westport for an afternoon of rock,
rhythm, blues, and good ol’ Samaritan outreach.
A ‘Song for Haiti’ joined many other
local Haitian relief efforts in Westport; most recently a White’s-sponsored
Chuckles Stand Up Comedy fundraising event that “produced $500 for Haiti as
well as $1,500 for Junior Achievement,” according to Charlie Fellows of the
Lafrance Hospitality Company. Read
more.
|
|
The Westport
Art Group Seeks Input on Children’s Programs.
Jennifer
Gelinas (right) is welcomed to the Westport Art Group by Denise Zompa of
WAG.
The Westport Art Group is
conducting a feasibility study to determine whether the public would
support and make use of a separate art studio for children. An anonymous
WAG member has made a donation in gratitude to the WAG board and
membership for its renewed emphasis in support of children and the arts. More.
|
The 17th Annual Rhode Island
Flower & Garden Show now underway through Sunday, February 21!
The
Rhode Island Flower Show attracts more than 30,000 attendees
annually, showcasing more than 30 garden displays
and 250 larger-than-life garden marketplace vendors.
See demonstrations
and lectures,
with an emphasis on organic gardening and bring the kids
for some family fun. Children under five receive free admission. For
almost two decades the Flower Show has been the beacon for early Spring
fun in Rhode Island.
View photo album of the 2009
show! 158 photos | Dial-up speed | Broadband/DSL
speed |
“The hall’s lighting casts the
surrealistic hues of a faraway, imaginary world of colors that exist only
in our imagination. Alien vistas of azure blues and crimson sand
landscapes. Uncommonly eerie and beautiful.” - EverythingWestport.com
|
|
Westport in Brief – Sunday, February 21, 2010
|
Beer drinkers raise over $1200
for Haiti relief.
02/08/2010 - The South Coast's local brewery, Just Beer, decided to donate 100%
of sales of its Amber Ale beer to World Vision's efforts in
post-earthquake Haiti.
Bill Russell, owner and brewer,
explains that "with the SuperBowl on Sunday, we couldn't help but
think this was a great way for people to serve delicious local brew and
do some good at the same time."
More.
|
Beauty is in the eye of the
beholder.
 Winter shadows were long in the
tooth over this undisturbed field of snow on Thursday as the much-feared
snow- storm failed to deliver the wallop predicted by forecasters. The
over-hyped beast of a blizzard closed schools, town offices and many
retailers, but merely delivered beauty in the eyes of school children and
adults who got the day off.
|
Stew and stewardship at WFA annual meeting.
The Westport
Fishermen’s Association held their annual meeting to a full house at the
Westport Point United Methodist Church on February 9. They recapped a
good year and promised more of the same for 2010. Fresh from their
success in the life saving station renovation, the Westport group
promised an ambitious schedule of education and fishery projects. More
with photos.
|
Westport in Brief – Sunday, February 14, 2010
Six more weeks of winter it will be!
|
02/02/2010 - Thousands of people were
gathered before dawn this morning waiting for Phil’s weather forecast
when the prognosticator finally broke the sad news to the chilled crowd -
six more weeks of winter it will
be! Click
on image below to see the video.
To the groans and
cheers of the devoted multitude, the gregarious groundhog had seen his
shadow!
 Click here to get the complete history
of Groundhog day.
Click here to visit Punxsutawney Phil’s official website.
|
Curbside Appeal!
02/01/2010 – MRJ
employee Jeff Miranda sets a curbstone with the help of a Bobcat and
co-worker Donald at the new southend fire station. Workers took advantage
of sunny  weather
to tackle some of the outside preliminary landscaping chores.
Meanwhile, taping and mudding is finishing up interior drywall
installation.
Read more. +enlarge
|
ROMEOs host
Superintendent.
 Westport’s
new School Superintendent, Dr. Carlos Colley, recently shared his resume
and his reservations about the upcoming budget deficit with Westport’s
ROMEOs. Answering the group’s tough questions about education in
Westport, the soft-spoken Dr. Colley was articulate and anything but
phlegmatic as he outlined his vision for the Westport school system.
|
|
Click
here for previous
“goings on” in Westport.
|
|
Want to read about past events in Westport?
Visit our Weekly
Event Archive Now!
Click here to read about last week’s
events and more!
Get
up-to-date with recent news stories and photos you may have missed.
|
|
Local area organizations’ newsletters now on-line!
Community
Events of Westport © 2004 - 2010
All rights reserved.
This site is a community service web site supported by Westport
businesses for all Westporters.
|
