Blogs > All About Milford and Orange

If you live, work, or simply just care about Milford and Orange, this is the site for you. We'll provide you with interesting news about these communities. Most importantly we want to hear from you. Feel free to contact City Editor Helen Bennett Harvey, at hbennettharvey@nhregister.com or Brian McCready, Milford Bureau Chief, at bmccready@nhregister.com

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Make the holidays bright for pets

Wags & Whiskers TLC, an animal support group based in West Haven, will have its annual photos with Santa event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 6 at Pet Supplies Plus 471 Boston Post Road, Orange, Conn.
The cost is $7 and canned cat food and refundable cans and bottles will be collected during the event. The event is open to all pets of every shape and size and "of course children," organizers said. Cookies, cider and coffee will be served. All proceeds will benefit the Wags & Whiskers medical fund. For more information, please call Jim Vitelli at (203) 937-3642 or send an e-mail to: pounddogs@yahoo.com

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Kabbalat Shabbat Service at Temple Emanuel

Shabbat Alive, a cheerful and upbeat Kabbalat Shabbat Service filled with joy, prayer and song, leads services periodically at a variety of Conservative and Reform synagogues in Greater New Haven. Shabbat Alive provides a different experience for congregants welcoming and receiving the Sabbath, re-energizing Shabbat evening services with a blend of lively traditional and contemporary musical settings, meditation, dancing and teaching, organizers said.This month Shabbat Alive will be followed by a Shabbat Dinner at 6 p.m. Dec. 5 at Temple Emanuel, 150 Derby Ave., Orange and all are invited. The dinner costs $15.00 for adults and $7.00 for children. In addition to the traditional kosher chicken dinner, vegetarian options are available with advance notice. For dinner reservations and any questions about the menu, call Leona Kusmit at Temple Emanuel at 397-3000 or e-mail office@templeemanuel-gnh.org. Payment can be made using a credit card or personal check.Shabbat Alive services are led by New Haven business attorney Isaiah Cooper, a member of Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel of New Haven, serving as teacher/leader;h well-known Clinton-based cantorial soloist, guitarist and songwriter Rick Calvert, of Temple Beth Tikvah of Madison serving as song leader; and Amity High School senior Jacob Zonderman, of Temple Emanuel, accompanying on a variety of hand drums and other percussion instruments.All are welcome, there no need to be a member of Temple Emanuel to attend the service or the dinner. Contributions to Shabbat Alive can be sent to Isaiah Cooper c/o Cooper Law LLC, 205 Church Street, Suite 307, New Haven, 06510.

Shop 'til you drop


It's for a great cause

The East Shore Middle School PTA will hold its first ever Holiday Shopping Tour from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Dec. 5, 2008 at the school. The PTA is looking for a few more vendors to participate in its shopping tour.
The fundraising event invites the public to get a jump on their holiday shopping, organizers said. Local vendors from Longaberger, Sophia & Company, Pampered Chef, Creative Memories, to name a few, will be on hand to sell their wares.
There will be a variety of items for sale, some handmade along with specialty items. The Holiday Shopping Tour is open to the public with a nominal admission charge of $3.00 – so the PTA asks veryone to spread the word to family and friends. The PTA also has nearly 60 raffle items as well as a delicious selection of munchies.
For more information, call Ileane Kaczynski 878-0899 or via e-mail crazeeks@msn.com

Monday, November 24, 2008

Gan Hayeled Nursery School of Woodbridge taking registrations

Gan Hayeled Nursery School of Woodbridge is holding enrollment for the 2009-10 school year and is accepting applications for the 2-, 3- and 4-year old programs. Two open houses are upcoming: from 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 16 and 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 14. Gan Hayeled Nursery School is a non-profit program in its 60th year of operation, and is sponsored by Congregation B’nai Jacob in Woodbridge. The open houses are opportunities for parents of toddlers and preschool-aged children to learn more about the program, meet teachers, speak to current parents and to tour the school, officials said. Registration packets will be available at the events. For more information, an application or directions, please contact Sue Shapiro at (203) 389-2111, ext. 215 or visit www.ganhayelednurseryschool.org. Gan Hayeled Nursery School is at Congregation B’nai Jacob, 75 Rimmon Road, Woodbridge.

Stevens Auto Group to hold special student art exhibit



MILFORD - The public is invited to a reception that will honor Simon Lake Elementary School students for their artwork from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Stevens Auto Group main showroom, 717-739 Bridgeport Ave.
The display of paintings and crafts focus on the theme "What The Holidays Mean To Me - and also - Holidays Around The World," reception organizers said.
The exhibit will run for the month of December.
The exhibit was "orchestrated" by Simon Lake art teacher Cathy Collins, reception organizers said.

The exhibit may also be viewed in the Stevens Auto Group main showroom Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. For more information call Priscilla Lynn at 783-5924 or visit http://www.stevensauto.com/.
Shown in photo:
Students from Simon Lake Elementary School's Enrichment Art Class, display their artwork for the Holiday Art Exhibit to be held at Stevens Auto Group in Milford during the month of December. From left to right: Meghann Hripak, Tyler King, Ann Reed, Jillian Davis, Bassima Karsoun, Marissa Pollack.

BETH-EL CENTER RECEIVES MATCHING GRANT

MILFORD - The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven has given the Beth-El Center a grant through the Making a Good Gift Better matching grant program. The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven will match on a 1 to 1 basis up to $8,650 in contributions. Sources that will be matched include donations from individuals, businesses, and civic and religious groups.

The Beth-El Center, at 90 New Haven Ave., has two programs: a 34 bed, 90-day program for homeless individuals and families, and a soup kitchen that provides a hot lunch five days a week to those in need within the community, its officicials said.

For information on how to help Beth El reach its goal, call (203) 876-0747. The donation period for this campaign ends Jan. 15.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Downtown shopping

The 7th Annual Downtown Milford Lamplight Stroll is just around the corner.

The event offers a "fun-filled opportunity to shop for one-of-a-kind holiday gifts at downtown businesses, and a great way to get into the holiday spirit," organizers said. It includes live holiday entertainment, carriage rides, the annual visit of Santa and Mrs. Claus, and lots of other holiday festivities. This event is perfect for children and adults, organizers said.
The Downtown Milford Lamplight Stroll also offers savings and an entrée into the holiday season. By picking up a passport at any downtown Milford participating store during the event, and getting it stamped at locations throughout downtown, shoppers will be eligible to win a holiday basket with gifts worth more than $400.
The Downtown Milford Business Association says it is delighted to sponsor the popular holiday event, and proud to provide "the best and most unique shopping experience in Connecticut."
The event runs 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 5 and 10 a.m. to 5 pm. Dec. 6. For more information visit http://www.downtownmilfordct.com/, or call 203-878-8646.

Cloud Nine



In photo: l to r: Irena E. Kozlowska, owner of Cloud 9; her son, Mathew Lonziero; Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr.; Teresa Ceci; Honorata Kozlowski, Irena'smother; Mike Guaglianone, of the Regional Water Authority and MilfordChamber of Commerce Board member.


The following is a release from the Milford Chamber of Commerce


MILFORD - Cloud Nine Day Spa recently opened at 2 Broad St.

The business is owned by Irena Elzbieta Kozlowska, who was born in eastern Poland and reared in the Fairfield County.

Kozlowska is a medical esthetician with more then 20 years experience in the industry.

She has been in the medical industry with dental and nursing degrees and has a Medical Aesthetics Certification.

Cloud Nine Day specializes in personalizing anti-aging European skincare programs for each client, after conducting a thorough skinanalysis.


Phone: (203) 877-9772 Fax: (203) 877-9772

HCC student gets hands on experience in science

In photo: Housatonic Community College student Will Kwok of Stratford, left, spent the summer at Brookhaven National Laboratories working on a real-world experiment to make nuclear power a more viable alternative to fossil fuels. His chemistry professor, Elizabeth Steeves of Monroe, at right, encouraged his blossoming interest in science. Photo courtesy of HCC.


By Brandon T. Bisceglia
Special to All About Milford

Stratford resident and Housatonic Community College student Will Kwok this summer found himself on the cutting edge of a real-world experiment to make nuclear power a more viable alternative to fossil fuels.
One problem that has dogged the nuclear industry is the disposal of highly radioactive nuclear waste – both spent uranium fuel from reactors and the radioactive byproduct of extracting pure uranium from uranium ore. Kwok spent 10 weeks as an intern at Brookhaven National Laboratories on Long Island helping a team of scientists in a series of experiments on a more efficient extraction process that will generate far less radioactive waste.
“Kwok was an asset to the program,” said BNL scientist Cleveland Dodge, who acted as Kwok’s primary mentor. “He was a really aggressive student.”
Kwok’s project involved use of citric acid in the extraction process, which would generate far less waste than the original method, which used mineral acids like nitric acid and sulfuric acid. Dodge and fellow scientist A.J. Francis were old hands at using citric acid in this fashion. They had attracted media attention for their work with citric acid in 2005, when they developed a way to use it to clean uranium from contaminated steel surfaces.
Less than a year ago, this type of work was the farthest thing from his mind. He enlisted in the Army out of high school, but was discharged after six weeks because of his asthma.
When he came to HCC, he wasn’t expecting anything like this opportunity.
“I pretty much saw HCC as a stepping stone,” he says.
As early as the beginning of 2008, he was contemplating a tour with the Marines.
His chemistry professor, Elizabeth Steeves, had sensed his potential and enthusiasm. He began tutoring students in science, and was, according to Steeves, a “proactive” teacher. He also enrolled in the honors program.
“He chose a project in Chemistry,” Steeves recalls. “He took the FTIR spectrophotometer (a device that uses infrared light to analyze molecules) and figured it out for himself.”
She suggested he take a chance on the internship.
What finally convinced Kwok to do this, though, was the lack of fervor on the part of the Marines to recruit him.
“They just weren’t trying hard enough to get me back in,” he said. “So basically I blew them off after they blew me off.”
Steeves provided Kwok with information on a one-week mini-session at Brookhaven, which he attended.
“After that, both she and BNL told me there would be a longer session in the summer,” he said.
Kwok applied for the internship and was accepted. He was so excited that he arrived at the labs a day early.
The extraction process using citric acid is a three-step procedure, Kwok explained.
“When I first got the uranium ore, it was basically a chunk that big,” Kwok recalls, holding an imaginary stone about the circumference of a grapefruit between his hands. “I couldn’t use that, so what I had to do was take a rock hammer and break it apart with a chisel.”
Next, the citric acid separates the uranium from the other components of the ore, eating away at other heavy metals in the ore “until only the uranium and acid is left over.”
Finally, the mixture of uranium and acid is put under ultraviolet lamps to undergo a process called photodegradation. “Photodegradation breaks up the uranium complex that we put together,” says Kwok, “to dissolve everything but the pure uranium,” Kwok said.
The team’s work is close to being out of the trial phase. “It’s very close to application, actually,” says Kwok. “They’ve already taken contaminated soil samples and treated them with this extraction method, and they were successful in removing uranium from them. (Scientists) love to do repeated trials, just so that when it does become of use, it doesn’t go wrong.”
Kwok’s internship ended before the final stage of the experiment. Nevertheless, he was able to collect enough relevant data to give an oral presentation of his findings to an audience of other scientists at BNL. He was one of a handful of interns among all the departments to be selected for the talk. A four-member committee reviewed every intern’s abstract. Kwok’s was the only one approved by all four members.
While the scientists back in Upton finish their task, Kwok plans to move forward with a new project for his honors duties this semester: learning to operate HCC’s High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) unit, which he will use to analyze liquid compounds.
He’s glad now that he’s chosen to stick with school.
“Housatonic is a really good experience for me,” he says. “I always wanted to be a scientist, and this (the internship) has just persuaded me more.
Brandon T. Bisceglia is a journalism student/intern at Housatonic Community College.

A labor of love for the holiday


What a feast!


Senior citizens and area needy poured into the dining room at Platt Technical High School Thursday and gobbled eight turkeys, 50 pounds of mashed potatoes, 50 pounds of sliced yams and all the trimmings, as culinary students served a record number of more than 100 guests at their annual Thanksgiving meal

Photo by Arnold Gold

Read the full story here:


nhregister.com

He's making a list


And by checking it twice, Santa learns: Milford is known as the little city with the big heart, so it should be no surprise that firefighters running the local Toys for Tots program promise there will be enough toys to go around this Christmas, though an awful economy has likely created lots of need and fewer donations.



Read the full story here:



Editor's note: Many thanks to a very special "secret" Santa's helper for providing these photos to the New Haven Register. All About Milford is protecting the identity of the photographer in order to preserve the magic of Christmas

Thursday, November 20, 2008

You better be nice...



Look who was spotted recently in Milford!

Check back soon for the scoop!

Hall of Fame launched

A Native American sachem who sold Milford to the colonists, the father of the modern submarine, a pioneer in the field of child psychology, a wartime martyr and a Medal of Honor winner were honored Wednesday in a first-floor corridor of the Parson’s Government complex by being named the first five members of the city Hall of Fame.

Read the full story here:

nhregister.com

Judge did not buy excuses

A 23-year-old New Haven man who admitted to fueling his drug addiction by committing a string of armed robberies at convenience stores in Orange and West Haven received a 10-year prison sentence Wednesday.


Read the full story here:

nhregister.com

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Ankle Soup

This is simply a very fun book, with lots of life lessons
Woodbridge native Alison Josephs is the illustrator of a new children’s book, "Ankle Soup," that is drawing rave reviews in the human and animal world.

Well, OK, no animals have actually weighed in on it yet that we know of, but they should. The book features a gorgeous little French bulldog named Carlos, who is made all the more lovable by Josephs’ colorful illustrations. The book takes readers along for the adventure as Carlos makes his way through Grand Central Station on Thanksgiving. And what’s not to love about Grand Central Station at any time of year, let alone during the hustle and bustle of a holiday.

"So smile when you see me way down in the crowd. And bend to my level for crying out loud! Please try to see things from my point of view. Your ankles are nice but… you’re more than a shoe," says one passage

The intent of the author, Maureen Sullivan, and Josephs, is to give "young readers the chance to learn to have a sense of the other guy — to walk a mile in another’s shoes — a key to balance in life and a boost to emotional intelligence," according to their press packet.
Josephs, a painter and graphic designer working in New York City, grew up in Woodbridge, graduating from Amity High School in 1983. She went on to earn a BFA from Cornell University and studied in Florence and Assisi.

Her work focuses on New York themes such as Yankee Stadium and Coney Island. Shown at right, Josephs now lives in Hoboken, NJ with her ankle-high Norwich Terrier, Ruby.
For more, visit: http://www.anklesoup.com/

Author talk



The Stratford Library will act as host when Stamford author Julian Padowicz discusses his Holocaust memoir, “Mother and Me: Escape from Warsaw 1939” at 2 p.m. Nov. 30 at the library, 2203 Main St.

"Mother and Me: Escape from Warsaw 1939" is a wonderfully engaging memoir about a remarkable period in Julian Padowicz’s life, organizers said.

Though more than 65 years have passed, he has a keen recall for the series of events that changed the direction of his life forever, and provides vivid details of the colorful people and places that dominated this dramatic time, organizers said.

The author's engrossing tale is told through the eyes of his seven-year-old self, a unique perspective that is convincingly maintained throughout the story.




Then, at noon Dec. 3, author Stephen A. Miller will detail his experiences in dealing with the contemporary criminal justice system after being falsely accused of a crime.


“Just Cause Just Facts” features criminal acts including jury tampering and falsifying the transcript of a criminal trial by a federal district court judge. It also exposes the criminal act of obstruction of justice by 19 other federal judges including all nine Supreme Court Justices. “Just Cause Just Facts” is a story charged with powerful decisions by senior government and media officials which are contrary to both laws and common sense, event organizers said.

The programs are free and open to the public.

Autographed copies of both books will be available for purchase at the programsm which will be held in the library’s Lovell Room.

For moreinformation, call the library’s Public Relations & Programming Office at (203) 385-4162 or visit its website: http://www.stratfordlibrary.org/.

Obama and the environment

The Environmental Concerns Coalition will act as host for a talk by Roger Smith from Clean Water Action at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Parsons Complex, Conference Room C.
The title of his talk will be "What the Future For Energy and Climate Might Look Like Under Obama".
The coalition also will give out the awards for the Freedom Lawn winners and a special one for the young girls who are its poster children for the Freedom Lawn Poster.

Music magic



MILFORD — The Yale University Whiffenpoofs will perform Dec. 6 at the Parsons Government Center.
The all-male Yale a capella singing group will be joined by the Red Hot and Blue singers from Yale. Opening the evening will be the Elm City Girls Choir.
Several restaurants downtown are offering special discounted meals prior to the concert. There will be a trolley to bring concertgoers to the Parsons Government Center.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children ages 12 years and younger. Children 6 and younger are free. Tickets are available at the Chamber of Commerce, The Canvas Patch and Milford Photo, all downtown. Call Trish Pearson at 387-6586.

Grant to support child care

MILFORD — The Lulu and William Jones Fund and the Gates Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven have awarded a $25,000 grant to The Connecticut Center for Child Development of Milford, an organization that has provided service to children with autism and their families since 1995.
The grant was awarded for the Day Break Day Care Center that will be housed in the new facility for CCCD at 95 Wolf Harbor Road, the agency said in a statement.
The day care center will accommodate children of the faculty and staff, as well as low income New Haven County and Milford area residents, the statement said. The low cost on-site child care center will enable many highly trained staff members with children to remain as employees while opening the door to the low income families in neighboring communities to use the center.
Donors to The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven since 1928 have built the community’s endowment, valued at about $300 million as of Dec. 31, 2007. In 2007, The foundation Board of Directors distributed more than $12.6 million in grants from about 680 different named charitable funds that support a wide range of programs and projects. For more information about the foundation visit www.cfgnh.org.

Caring about Claire

Family avoids foreclosure as community gives $7G


Read the full story here:

nhregister.com

Transfer station hours change



MILFORD - Dec. 13 will be the last day of the extended Saturday hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Transfer Station, Mayor James L. Richetelli, Jr. has announced.
Beginning Dec. 20, the transfer station will close at noon.
The transfer station is open 7 a.m.– 3 p.m., Monday – Friday and 7 a.m. to noon beginning Dec. 20. On weekdays, the transfer station closes from noon to 12:30 p.m. for lunch.
The transfer station is open to residents and commercial haulers. All visitors will be asked to present their vehicle registration at the gate.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

What's that on your face?





Police ‘Mustache team’ fights prostate cancer.


Read the full story here:


Lighting the way

Milford man helps the hungry

People have come up with all kinds of ways to raise money for the Connecticut Food Bank: bake sales, tag sales, car washes and the like. But Christopher M. Donnells, right, might have cornered the market on unique fundraisers.




Read the full story here:

Monday, November 17, 2008

Milford police to spice it up

It's for a good cause, of course


Milford Police officers will hold their annual Tip-A-Cop fundraiser to benefit Special Olympics from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 3 at Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar, in the Westfield Connecticut Post Mall, 1201 Boston Post Road.


A highlight of the event will be a wing eating contest, bringing students who are on the football teams for Joseph A. Foran and Jonathan Law high schools together for a spirited, spicy competition, organizers said.


Members of the Milford Police Department will volunteer time to serve as “assistant” wait staff, taking and serving orders to restaurant patrons at Buffalo Wild Wings. In turn, patrons will be asked to tip the law enforcement wait staff, with all money going to Special Olympics to support its participants and year-round programs in Fairfield and New Haven counties.


Tip-A-Cop is open to the public and no reservations are needed. For more information, call Special Olympics at (203) 380-9990 ext. 604 or e-mail debbieh@soct.org.


Special Olympics is an international organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through year-round sports training and competition.


In Connecticut, 5,292 children and adults of all ages with intellectual disabilities participate in its programs.


To learn more about Special Olympics Connecticut, visit http://www.soct.org/ or call (203) 380-9990.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Helping Claire






When Sharon Jansen’s severely ill 7-year-old daughter, Claire Kenny, almost died in her arms before being revived, she thought she’d seen the worst.






Photo by Peter Casolino



Read the full story here:





nhregister.com

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Cops ask help from public; man was caught on tape

Investigators hit a wall in seeking shoplifting suspect - SEE VIDEO BELOW

Police are seeking the public’s assistance in finding a suspect who allegedly knocked down a customer while trying to escape security guards during a shoplifting incident at Adams Supermarket, 1391 New Haven Ave.


Though the incident, which involved security guards deploying pepper spray inside the store, occurred Oct. 23, police released information about it Thursday because investigators "exhausted all resources attempting to identify the subject," police said. Police described the suspect as a white male 6 feet and 250 lbs. At the time of the incident he was wearing a knit cap, a green sweatshirt with the word "Miami" on the front, and blue jeans.
Police said food was taken in the incident and when the suspect was approached by security, he fled, running "through blocking security" by using shopping carts. After fleeing down an aisle that had no exit, the suspect ran at the security guard, who deployed pepper spray in an attempt to stop the suspect, police said.
Two people in the store required evaluation by EMS personnel as a result of the release of the pepper spray and another was evaluated after she was knocked down by the suspect, police said. One person affected by the spray asked to go an area hospital, where she was treated and released, police said.
The suspect, who fled out the front of the store, was chased to the intersection of New Haven and Merwin avenues, where he got into a tan color Toyota Camry and the vehicle headed southbound on Merwin Avenue. Officers stopped the vehicle less than a mile away from the scene and learned the suspect told the operator he was being chased and needed help, police said.
The vehicle operator drove the suspect to the area of the Beach House Restaurant at the intersection of Merwin Avenue and Abigail Street, where the suspect left Camry and fled on foot in an unknown direction, police said. Store employees recognize the subject as a customer who has been in the store several times prior to this incident, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call Milford Police at (203) 878-6551.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Milford pays tribute to veterans




Photos by Froso Ross




About 125 residents attended the city's annual wreath laying ceremony in honor or Veterans Day Tuesday. The ceremony began in front of City Hall at the World War I monument, and then moved to the Green and other war monuments located there. The crowd featured a mix of veterans, officials, children, and their parents.






Read more about this ceremony and those in other communities, in Wednesday's edition of the New Haven Register and at http://www.nhregister.com/




Monday, November 10, 2008

Paying respect



Today, Monday, Nov. 10, is the birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps, and tomorrow, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day.



On Monday, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz distributed Public Service Awards to 85 Orange World War II Veterans in a ceremony at High Plains Community Center. Bysiewicz said she was visiting each Connecticut municipality to thank the veterans for their courage to make the United States a better place to live.
Pictured is Don Jewell, with Bysiewicz to the right. Jewell spent a few minutes talking about what it was like fighting in the European theater. Also attending were U.S. Rep, Rosa DeLauro, D-3, state Sen. Gayle Slossberg, D-Milford, and state Reps. Themis Klarides, R-Derby and Paul Davis, D-Orange.


Photo and text by Bridget Albert