November 2024 Newsletter
The Oak Tree on Sherman Road, by Catherine Seidenberg
Here we are, Westport, at a real ‘turning of the tides’ moment! It’s pitch black outside when we arise in the morning; some days are freezing and some are still near 80 degrees, and in less than a week we may know the results of this election! There’s still time to vote early at the Lewis Public Safety Building, Nov.1-3 from 9am-5pm, and election day is November 5: Westport Town Hall will be open for voting from 6am to 9pm. One cool thing about all this weather variety (some call it chaos) is that one day we can go skiing, and the next still plant bulbs in the garden or comfortably work on building projects! This newsletter is bursting at the seams with all the useful and fun things happening in November: read on and join in!
Community Events Quick List
WESTPORT LIBRARY
SAT NOV 23, 5-8pm: 140th Anniversary Party and Honoring of the Timekeepers of the Library Clock! The Library is officially celebrating its 140th anniversary with a catered evening of fine food and drink, and a special celebration of the timekeepers: Rick Rockefeller (posthumously), Allan Beal, and Michael Fergot, who are the 2024 recipients of the Alice Lee Leadership Award. To join the evening go HERE, email info@westportnylibrary.org., or show up at the door. To hear the recent NCPR Timekeeper broadcast featuring Michael Fergot, visit this LINK!
TUESDAYS 1-3PM: Yarn Crafts Group Gathering
THURSDAYS NOV 14, 28: Writer’s Group Meeting, 4-6pm (every other Thursday)
WADHAMS FREE LIBRARY
WEDS NOV 6, 7PM: Presentation: Trees and Sheep: Using Silvopasture to build climate resilience, with Alex Caskey of Barred Owl Brook Farm.
WESTPORT FEDERATED CHURCH
TUES NOV 5: Election Night Roast Beef Dinner. Last of the season! 4:30 pm. Eat in or Take out. Credit Cards Accepted. More information HERE.
SATURDAY NOV 16: Holiday Craft and Food Sale. Lunch starts at 11am.
Saturdays, 7pm: Contemporary Church Service
Sundays, 10am: Traditional Church Service
Mondays, 7:30pm: AA meets in Fellowship Hall
Want all the up to date news from the Federated Church? Subscribe to the weekly newsletter HERE.
TOWN MEETINGS
TUES NOV 12: Town Board Meeting, 7pm
TUES NOV 26: Town Board Meeting, 3pm
WEDS NOV 27: Town Planning Board Meeting, 7pm. (If items to discuss)
All meetings subject to change. Have questions? Call 518-962-8360.
ELECTION DAY
PLEASE VOTE!😊 The Westport Town Hall will be open for voting from 6am to 9pm.
Warm up all of your November evenings with movies, music and lectures at our other local venues: the Mill :open galleries, music, out -of -this -world small plates and cocktails: spend a magical evening in the City without making the trip! the Whallonsburg Grange ( Concerts, movies and more), Fine art exhibits, music jams and more at Whitcomb’s Arts, enjoy the best pizza on the planet with all of your friends every Friday at Dogwood Bakery, or attend a Piano by Nature Concert!
Want more information about activities here and in the surrounding areas? Check out these excellent sources: Westport Town Calendar, Elizabethtown Social Center Also: Jay Community News, Adirondack Almanack, Adirondack Arts & Entertainment, and for contemporary theater and music jams, UJAC in Upper Jay.
Piano by Nature/CATS Ben Cosgrove Concert in the Quarry was True Magic!
Photo: Ben Cosgrove in the Essex Quarry, by Catherine Seidenberg
Read the full story of how PIANO BY NATURE was born and continues to bring world-class music to our community HERE!
From Champlain Area Trails: On Saturday, October 19th, 250 attendees enjoyed a performance by pianist Ben Cosgrove amidst stunning fall scenery for the "Piano in Nature" concert. This unique event brought together locals and visitors from Vermont and Montreal, all coming to savor this experience at our Essex Quarry Nature Preserve.
Pianist Ben Cosgrove captivated everyone with his enchanting performance, beautifully reflecting the vibrant fall colors. Many attendees wandered along the trails and enjoyed Mac MacDevitt's Skybeam Sculptures. We were thrilled to connect people to nature in this special way, which is a key focus of our mission, alongside saving land, creating trails, and promoting economic vitality in the Champlain Valley.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Piano by Nature for their partnership in coordinating this event and to the Adirondack Community Recreation Alliance and the Northern Forest Center for their invaluable support.
Thank you to all who attended; your presence helped create a magnificent celebration of music and nature! If you could not make it, you can click here to see a clip of the concert.
NEXT CONCERT:
Andy Cohen, Blues Musician, with Eleanor Ellis & Bill Ellis, ‘Back Road Blues’
Friday, November 1: Willsboro CSD Outreach Event
Saturday, November 2 at 7:00 p.m. At the Hand House
Sunday, November 3 at 3:00 p.m. At the Hand House
HATE SOCIAL MEDIA? TAKE THIS CLASS!
Does Social Media boggle your mind? You are not alone! Let Alyssa Carroll bring organizational clarity to the tasks at hand. She’s offering a class at Lake City Coworking in Plattsburgh on Sunday November 10th from 9am-1pm. Go HERE to register. See you there!
SNOWFORT OFFERS CHAMP CAMP ON VETERANS DAY
Image courtesy of Snowfort
For campers kindergarten to 3rd grade.
To honor Veteran’s Day, we will gather to share stories of resilience and courage on the home front, eat MREs (meals ready to eat), and create letters and cards to send to veterans, showing our gratitude and support from the Adirondack community.
$30/camper (includes snacks and lunch).
Space is limited! Register HERE.
WESTPORT HOLIDAY FESTIVAL IS COMING TOGETHER FOR DECEMBER 7!
WESTPORT CHAIR TRAIL IS IN THE NEWS: AGAIN!
NCPR Put together an excellent piece about Westport’s Chair Trail Project, brought about by the Safe Roads Task Force! Check it out HERE, complete with Main Street sound effects!
AMTRAK ACCESSIBLE TRAIN PLATFORM IS OPEN!
After the long wait, the accessible Amtrak Train platform is open! Hurrah! The Westport-Wadhams Community Alliance helped celebrate the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony at the Westport Train Station on October 23. The freshly completed project features accessibility features such as ramps, lifts, new signage, and a snowmelt system to keep the platform easily navigable and safe for all.
The ceremony was attended by Westport Town Supervisor Ike Tyler, State Senator Dan Stec, Assemblyman Matt Simpson, Johnathan Carman (a representative from Elise Stefanik's office), and representatives from local businesses and nonprofits.
Thank you to all who made this project possible! Check out WCAX news report HERE.
NEW PROGRAM PAYS OWNERS TO CONVERT SHORT-TERM RENTALS TO LONG TERM LEASES!
Image courtesy of the SUN Community News
Housing has been a big problem in our area for some time now, and this new program is beginning to address the issue. Do you have a STR(short-term rental) that you would like to convert to a LTR? It’s possibly a win-win! read the SUN Community News article HERE for details.
CHAZY-WESTPORT COMMUNICATIONS ROLLS OUT MANAGED WI-FI!
Chazy/Westport Communications just rolled out managed Wi-Fi for residential customers, and it comes with an app that lets you control your home Wi-Fi, boost network security, and set up parental controls. This is a game-changer in today’s digital world! They are especially excited about the parental controls because they believe that if they’re providing the internet, they should also give families the tools to manage it and minimize the chaos and distractions it can bring for kids. THANK YOU! Find more information HERE.
ESSEX COUNTY TO CONDUCT REVIEW OF AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT, MONDAY DECEMBER 9
Image and text courtesy of Whitcomb’s Arts
Celebrate the resilience of creativity amidst a shifting personal landscape. MAKESHIFT showcases a collection of paintings that emerge from the depths of Julie Warren’s creative drive. Featuring themes of flowers and colors, and capturing vignettes from nature that are reimagined on canvas. Celebrate the opening with the artist on Tuesday November 12 from 5-7pm! Gallery hours are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10-3.
We are YOUR Alliance! Follow our Website, Facebook Page and Instagram. Follow all the happenings on the Calendar, and What’s Happening in Westport Facebook Page. Have a friend or neighbor who would like to know what’s going on in town? Have them sign up HERE!