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The CTWorks Career Coach will visit Westport Town Hall, 110 Myrtle Ave., on Thursday, Oct. 11.

The mobile unit, a bus with 10 wireless computer labs, will offer a beginner’s class in PowerPoint 2007 from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by an intermediate class in PowerPoint 2007 from 1 to 3 p.m.

The coach, which offers free computer classes to residents in the greater Norwalk area, operates on a monthly schedule of visits to various community locations and is accessible to people with disabilities.

To register, contact the Westport Department of Human Services at 341-1050 or via e-mail at humansrv@westportct.gov. Call for specific course description information.

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Three Westport residents will open their solar-powered homes to the public today (Saturday, Oct. 6) as part of a National Solar Tour program.

Kevin Green will offer tours of his home at 35 Gorham Ave. at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., according to a release. He will demonstrate how his home generates about 80 percent of its power through a 3-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system and other energy features, such as co-generation and geothermal power.

Glenn Cucinell will show his home at 8 Promised Road and its 3.8-kilowatt system at 9 a.m. and noon, while David Yamoff will display his house at 10 Stone Road, with an 11.5-kilowatt system, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The tours will be hosted by Solarize Westport and Solarize Connecticut, a pilot program sponsored by the Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority, the John Merck Fund and SmartPower.

Email cclay@smartpower.org or visit www.solarizect.com/westport for information.

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Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6 — that’s less than six weeks away.

At stake for Westport voters are, of course, the presidential contest, seats in the U.S. Senate and House, and seats in the state Senate and House. In other words, “lots.”

If you’re not a registered voter, here’s an easy way to do it: Simply download THIS FORM on the Secretary of the State’s website.

And if you’re not sure where to vote, here’s a handy “LOOK-UP” tool, also provided by the Secretary of the State.

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Hit the beach on the first day of fall.

Even autumn officially starts officials at 10:49 a.m. Saturday, the Westport Rotary has plans to entice a big crowd to Compo Beach that afternoon under what forecasters say should be pretty balmy skies — sunny & temps near 80 — for the club’s first Lobster Fest.

The menu for the event — from 3 to 7 p.m. — includes either two boiled lobsters or steak for adults ($40), with sides of corn, red potatoes, cole slaw, bread and butter, peppermint patties, and beer or wine. There also will be $10 kids’ meals available featuring hot dogs, chicken fingers, chips and soda or water.

And it’s not all self-indulgent. Proceeds go to local charities and community service organizations, as well as to Rotary International’s campaign to eradicate polio worldwide.

Tickets can be purchased online at the Westport Rotary website HERE, or in person from Rotary Club members, at Joey’s by the Shore, Joey’s at the Pool or Joey’s at the Longshore halfway house; Wells Fargo Bank, 422 Post Road East, or Fairfield County Bank at Post Road East and Compo Road South.

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Below average.

That’s what Metro-North Railroad reports on-time performance was for trains on its New Haven Line during July.

According to the just-released figures, trains on the New Haven Line ran on time an overall average of 95.5 percent of the time. That’s nearly 2 percent off the on-time average so far this year, which was 97.3 percent, the railroad reports.

The figures take into account Metro-North’s rather generous definition of “on time” — arrivals within “5 minutes, 59 seconds” of the posted schedule.

The overall average performance for Metro-North trains systemwide was 96.7 percent during the month, including the better-than-New-Haven records by the Hudson Line (97.8 percent) and Harlem Line (97.3 percent).

The evening rush trains on the New Haven Line logged the worst performance of any category in the on-time report, according to Metro-North, arriving on schedule 93.2 percent of the time. The New Haven Line’s best on-time record was turned in by off-peak weekend trains which kept to the schedule 96.7 percent of the time.

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The League of Women Voters of Westport plans to unveil a proposed ethics code for town officials and employees during a meeting Wednesday, Sept. 19, at the Westport Public Library.

The meeting is planned from 7 to 9 p.m. in the library’s McManus Room. It is open to the public, and the league said the public is encouraged to join the discussion.

A draft code has been written by the league’s Ethics Review Group, and it will be presented during the meeting, the league said in a news release. The league also plans to ask for community support in petitioning to submit it to the Representative Town Meeting.

The league said its intention is to give the RTM a model for review and revision, if the legislative body sees fit.

The league’s review group was formed last year and studied ethics codes of neighboring communities before writing a draft Westport code, the league said.

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Westport is one of four communities in the state selected to participate in a solar photovoltaic (electric) and solar hot water pilot program, Solarize Connecticut. This is a time-limited group purchasing program with a pre-qualified solar installer, Encon Solar, according to a release from town officials.

Until Dec. 14, Westporters will have an opportunity to purchase solar electricity and hot water systems at rates that officials say are “significantly below market” prices.

An introductory meeting on the Solarize program is planned Tuesday, Sept. 11, at the Earthplace environmental center, 10 Woodside Lane.

The program get under way at 6:30 p.m. with a tour of the recently installed solar photovoltaic system at Earthplace.

The program’s main speaker will be Dan Esty, the commissioner of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. There also will be program “ambassadors” on hand to explain the effort and answer questions.

Space is limited. Click HERE to RSVP to ensure a seat. (Note: minors must be accompanied by an adult, according to organizers.)

For more information, contact Westport’s solar vendor, Encon Solar, at 203-375-5228 or check HERE.

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The CTWorks Career Coach — a mobile jobs-training center — has scheduled a session Sept. 13 at Westport Town Hall.

During the local visit, the coach will offer a beginner’s class in Microsoft Word 2007 from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by an intermediate class in Word 2007 from 1 to 3 p.m.

The Career Coach is equipped with 10 wireless computer labs offering free computer classes to residents in the greater Norwalk area. The mobile unit operates on a monthly schedule of visits to various community locations and is accessible to people with disabilities.

People interested in registering should contact the town’s Department of Human Services at 203-341-1050 or via e-mail at humansrv@westportct.gov.

For more information, including the current Career Coach schedule, check the website, www.ctworkssw.org