Y's Men News -- Wednesday, September 10, 2025 | | |
Table of Contents
(Scroll Down to Find the Article Behind the Headline. Articles are
in the same order as the Table of Contents)
- Westport Town Attorney Ira Bloom to Speak Tomorrow
- Travel Group to Discuss Eating While Traveling
- Jazz Lunch Set for Wednesday, September 17
- Y's Men Fall Golf Outing at Longshore October 7
- DNR Concert to Honor First Responders Tomorrow
- Peter Greenberg at Westport Library September 25
- Annelise Osborne on Future of Finance Next Thursday
- T&E Lists Upcoming Outing
- Help Needed for Slice of Saugatuck This Saturday
- Blood Drive Set for Friday, September 19
- Up Close: Non-Fiction Book Club Focuses on "Apollo 13"
-
Y's Men Current Events Discussion Group Meets Weekly
- Check Out New Calendar of Events on Y's Men Website
- Celebration of Life of Woody Bliss September 20
| | Town Attorney Ira Bloom Tomorrow's Speaker | | |
Town Attorney Ira Bloom
Westport/Weston Town Attorney, Ira Bloom, will talk to Y’s Men tomorrow about the intensifying clash over affordable housing and development policy in Connecticut.
Bloom, who’s just been recognized nationally for excellence in municipal law, will provide a front-row look at the high-stakes local and statewide battles shaping the future of Westport—from the ongoing fallout over the Hamlet project in Saugatuck to new legal fronts emerging around 8-30g legislation. He will speak at the regular Thursday morning meeting in Hoskins Hall at the Saugatuck Congregational Church.
The event comes as Westport’s controversial Hamlet proposal—a waterfront mix of housing, hotel, and retail in Saugatuck—was nixed by the Planning and Zoning Commission, only for developers to pivot and file both a lawsuit and a far more sweeping 8-30g plan that could shoehorn up to 500 units, 30 percent “affordable,” on the site. Under 8-30g, state law allows developers to bypass many local controls if towns don’t meet a 10 percent affordable housing bar, fueling fierce debate and legal maneuvering across Connecticut.
Bloom will preview what to expect from the upcoming special legislative session in Hartford, where lawmakers are weighing changes to the 8-30g statute amid mounting calls from community leaders for local control, new moratoriums, and state-level reform. This behind-the-scenes look promises a no-spin, news-you-can-use briefing at the intersection of real estate, law, and public policy.
Y's Men Thursday morning meetings are in Hoskins Hall downstairs in the Saugatuck Congregational Church, 245 Post Road East in Westport. Coffee, donut and bagel social hour begins at 9:00 am, business meeting at 10:00 am, speaker at 10:30 am. Come early and meet your fellow members. Guests are always welcome.
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Travel Group to Focus on Eating When Traveling
The Y’s Men Travel Discussion Group will meet from 9:00 to 10:30 am this Monday, September 15, in rooms 203-204 at the Saugatuck Congregational Church
As usual, meetings begin with members talking about their recent travel experiences.
The primary topic of Monday's meeting:
Eating is Important!!! How do you plan your meals when traveling? Book ahead? Research tools? What memorable meals have you had?
Spouses/partners/significant others are always welcome to attend.
For information about the Y’s Men Travel Group, or to be added to the Group’s email distribution list, please contact Art Mann, mannart03@gmail.com
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First Jazz Lunch of the Season Next Wednesday, September 17
The first Jazz Lunch of the new Y's Men season will be at noon on Wednesday September 17 at the Westport VFW. Cost is $25.00 in cash per person, to be paid there.
Videos of Hall of Fame big bands, small groups and vocalists will be projected on the big screen. A biographical sketch will be personally presented before each performance.
The casual meal will again be catered by Calises. Beer and alcoholic drinks may be purchased at the bar.
If you plan to attend, please either sign-up at tomorrow's regular meeting or contact Jeff hare by email at jeffahare@gmail.com
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Y’s Men Golf 2025 Fall Outing Set for Tuesday, October 7
This year’s Fall Golf Outing will be on Tuesday, October 7, at the Longshore Golf Course.
The first tee time is at 11:00 am. The entry fee of $85.00 covers the greens fee, cart rental, refreshments, and goodies at the 19th hole, which will be at the Black Duck. And prizes will be awarded to the lowest scoring team and to individual golfers for the longest drive, closest to the line, and closest to the pin on two holes.
The Tourney’s format will be Scramble or Best Ball utilizing a team of three or four players.
Please register for the outing by email to Bob Leng at leng_7@msn.com or text 978-289-0940. The registration deadline is Friday, October 3.
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DNR to Honor First Responders Tomorrow at Levitt
DNR, the almost all-physician band, will be performing at the Levitt Pavilion tomorrow (Thursday, September 11) at 7:30 pm to honor Westport's first responders. The concert will focus particularly on the town's volunteer Emergency Medical Service.
DNR will be encouraging voluntary donations and will highlight the valuable role EMS plays in caring for Westporters. If people are interested, DNR can arrange for them to join the EMT service. The concert is free.
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Here's Why You Must Hear Peter Greenberg September 25 | |
America’s most respected travel news voice, CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg, joins us at a critical moment. With the federal government heading toward a possible shutdown in October, the implications for air travel, passports, airport security, and even national parks could be enormous.
What does it mean for your fall and winter travel plans? How should you prepare? Peter will cut through the noise with his insider knowledge, delivering timely insights you won’t hear anywhere else.
Join us for this urgent conversation with the man known as The Travel Detective—before the headlines become reality.
Please join us and invite your friends to attend this wonderful and informative evening Thursday, September 25, at 7:00 pm at The Westport Library.
Tickets are are selling fast, so click here to purchase yours at the Library's website. Bon Voyage!
| Next Week's Speaker Provides Insight Into Future of Finance | |
Annelise Osborne
Y’s Men will gain a front-row seat to the future of finance when Annelise Osborne, Chief Business Officer at Kadena, and a respected Westport resident, speaks at next week's Thursday meeting..
Osborne, a veteran of Wall Street and a leader in digital assets, brings more than 20 years of experience, including senior roles at Moody’s and Arca Labs, as well as writing last year’s best seller, “From Hoodies to Suits: Innovating Digital Assets for Traditional Finance.”
If technical buzzwords in the news have left you feeling lost, this event is designed for you. She will tell (in plain English) how artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and blockchain are driving huge changes in finance. She will also explain how these changes are opportunities and challenges for individuals and institutions.
Thursday’s meeting is scheduled for September 18 at 10:00 am at the Saugatuck Congregational Church.
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Sunday, September 14
Aerobatic (Flying) Airshow
This event is open to Y’s Men members and spouses and significant others. Family members and non-member friends are also welcome.
https://conta.cc/4o6IDgk
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Monday, September 29
Hotel Marcel – New Haven
Spouses and significant others are welcome.
Non Y’s Men members welcome, space permitting. Please inquire.
https://conta.cc/4g8wDY9
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Up Close: Non-Fiction Book Club Focuses on "Apollo 13"
"Apollo 13," a book written by the late Astronaut Jim Lovell (and Jeffrey Kluger) on the Apollo 13 disaster, will be the focus of the Y's Men Non-Fiction Book Club when it meets on Wednesday, October 15 at 2:00 pm in room 109 at the Saugatuck Congregational Church.
Lovell was one of the three astronauts aboard the aborted flight to the moon. The book was the basis of the movie "Apollo 13."
Y's Man George Kalan, a NASA engineer who helped return the spacecraft to earth, will share his perspective of the event at the meeting. All Y's Men and guests are invited to attend what the Club expects to be a very exciting gathering.
In preparation for the meeting. the Club recommends viewing a short documentary about the Apollo 13 incident. It's on YouTube with commercials. Click here to watch it.
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Y's Men Current Events Discussion Group Meets Weekly
A small group of Y's men meet weekly to discuss topics of mutual interest inspired by current events. That's the Y's Men Current Events Discussion Group.
There are two separate groups that meet on Wednesdays and Fridays at the Saugatuck Congregational Church at 10:00 am for an hour-long discussion.
The topic for discussion is selected by consensus at the previous meeting. Each of the two separate groups is limited to seven members so everyone attending can actively participate in the discussion. An additional Monday group may be added should there be sufficient demand.
Anyone interested in learning more about the Current Events Group or in joining it should contact Y's Man Tony Pranzo at tpranzo@yahoo.com.
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What's Happening With Y's Men? Check Out New Calendar
If you want to know what's going on with the Y's Men, check out the new and up-to-date calendar on the website to find out about future speakers, trips and events, and all other Y's Men activities.
Click here to go directly to the calendar, and utilize the website for complete information on Y's Men.
| | Celebration of Life for Woody Bliss Saturday, September 20 | | |
Woody Bliss
Photo courtesy of Weston Today
A Celebration of Life in honor of Y's Man Woody Bliss will be held on Saturday, September 20 at 11:00 am at Norfield Congregational Church, 64 Norfield Road in Weston. Woody passed away on July 7 in Charlotte, NC. He was 89 and joined the Y's Men in November 2009.
A former First Selectman of Weston, Woody moved to North Carolina last year to be near his two daughters and their families. A full obituary on Woody may be read by clicking here.
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