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

Friday, June 19, 2009

Storm heading for West Point

Milford author Elliott Storm will present a power point presentation when the West Point Retireee Council holds a lecture and book signing at 9 a.m. Saturday June 20, its headquarters at The West Point Academy 66 Swift Road, West Point, N.Y.
Storm, who is on his summer tour, along with his Vet Pack, which includes veterans and other key people, will present the informative power point on the topic of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Storm wrote the novel “These Scars Are Sacred” to help the public understand the causes and effects of PTSD and to help in the healing process for returning veterans.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has said, “This is a great book, everyone should read it.”

Talk show host Jim Buchanan of WICC radio has hailed the novel as. “The Right book for the Right time."
Storm has lectured across the country speaking to many orginizations, from Veteran groups in California to the University of Michigan and the Naval War College, on the topic. He has also spoken at Yale University.
“Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, has become an epidemic,” Storm said, "not only for our returning soldiers but civilians as well.”

Storm has served as the Judge Advocate for the American Legion District Two, and has welcomed various groups for support of his novel.

“The goal of our lectures and this novel is to provide an understanding of PTSD and through that, aid in the healing process,” he said.

Storm noted that many women have commented that after reading his novel and listening to his group, they can now trace back actions of spouses and loved ones to better understand them. For more information about his book and lectures, visit http://www.thesescarsaresacred.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/

Boating Safety

MILFORD — U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary 24-3 is offering the following courses: "About Boating Safety," an eight-hour course starting at 8 a.m. Saturday and covering all basic topics; "GPS, Charting and Navigation", 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with basic satellite navigation and its functions presented. Walk-ins welcomed at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Each course is $60.
For more details, call the auxiliary at (860) 663-5505 or 874-0200, or visit http://a0142403.uscgaux.info.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

On the job


ORANGE — The Police Department recently held a Citizens Police Academy that ran for eight weeks, with a 2.5-hour session each week.

Attendees, shown, with some department officials, learned about administration, records, the Patrol Division, accident investigation, DUI enforcement, medical emergencies, firearms, the Investigative Services Unit, crime prevention, youth officer and the DARE Program, community policing, special deployments and the court system, officials said.

Attendees also participated in a ride-along with a patrol officer. Officer John Aquino managed the program from week to week, with several officers participating as instructors.

Police Chief Robert Gagne said the department has been running the Citizens Academy for many years and receives very positive feedback after each session.

"It is a great way for our community members to experience firsthand what services we offer and how we police the community," he said. "It also gives us valuable interaction with and feedback from our community members."

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Flu concern curtails Foran schedule

By Susan Misur
Register Correspondent
and Brian McCready
Milford Bureau Chief

MILFORD - Joseph A. Foran High School will begin operating on a half-day schedule Wednesday until further notice as health officials try to minimize the threat of the H1N1 virus.
Officials said the school will start closing at noon to minimize time students spend togehter, after 12 youths in the past three days exhibited flu-like symptoms, which the Milford Health Department is referring to as influenza-like illness.
Affected students have been tested for swine flu, though results take a few days to confirm, said city Health Director Dr. A. Dennis McBride.
If more students become ill, it is possible the school could be shut down for a period of time, officials said, but that decision will be made on a day-by-day basis. Foran parents were notified Tuesday evening about the precautions through the city’s Connect-Ed telephone notification system, Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr. said.
"Though we do not have a confirmed case of H1N1 Influenza A virus at this time, we are implementing these measures proactively to decrease contact among children and to limit the spread of infection. This strategy provides a way to protect the health of the students & staff while minimizing the impact on their education," McBride said.
Foran students will arrive at school Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. and be sent home at noon with no lunch period in an effort to keep large groups of students from congregating and lower the risk of transmitting the flu. The Health Department is not otherwise prohibiting use of the school building, McBride said.
Richetelli said officials hope the school will return to the normal full-day schedule next week, though it could happen as early as this week.
Richetelli said parents should visit Milford’s public school Web site, www.milforded.org for more information and another automated phone call regarding the schedule might go out.
Richetelli and McBride said there haven’t been reports at any other Milford schools of students with flu-like symptoms to cause concern or increased numbers of student absences.
School officials will ramp up cleaning the school.
"The mitigation strategy recommended by Dr. McBride is based on sound public health practice without hindering our education mission," said Superintendent of Schools Harvey B. Polansky, in a prepared statement "The implementation of this strategy is necessary to decrease contact among our children thereby limiting the spread of infection."
Officials also advise parents to assume that the virus is present in the community and said anyone with underlying health conditions such as asthma or diabetes should take extra precaution and be monitored by a doctor.
Foran’s senior awards ceremony that had been scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday also is postponed.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Muster set for June 27

MILFORD — The Milford Volunteers Ancient Fife & Drum Corps will hold its annual Milford Muster June 27.
A short parade will start at 1 p.m. at the Milford Senior Center on Jepson Drive. Fife and drum corps from throughout New England and New York will march across High Street, down Darina Place onto River Street, and continue to the Green.
Units will muster immediately after the parade at Eisenhower Park on North Street and perform. Vendors and demonstrations will be included.
For more information, call Pattie Deer at 878-0360 or visit milford.fifdrum.org.

Harbor Lights Concert Series coming up

MILFORD — The Harbor Lights Concert Series will be held at 7 p.m. under the Rotary Pavilion at Fowler Field behind the Milford Public Library. Listen to WPLR and WICC for rain cancellation notices.
June 12: Old School, of Shelton, plays favorites by Chicago, The Blues Brothers, Steeley Dan and Blood, Sweat & Tears.
June 19: Paul King Orchestra plays big band music.
June 26: American Festival Concert Band plays patriotic music and includes soprano Paula Phillips, a former Barnum Festival Jenny Lind.
July 2: The Milford Concert Band plays show tunes, pop and patriotic music.
July 10: Gunsmoke plays country and western music.
July 17: Steve D’Agostino and quartet performs great American standards.
July 24: Vinnie Carr and the Party Band plays music from the 1940s-60s.
July 31:Atwood Express, with a full horn section, plays hits from 1950-90.
For more information, contact Kathy Alagno, president and CEO, at 878-0681 or kalagno@milfordct.com.