Rockets burst over Long Island Sound off West Haven’s Bradley Point at the Centennial Fireworks on Sept. 3, 2021. (City Photo/Andrew Kosarko)

Savin Rock Fireworks Spectacular set for 8:30 p.m. Sept. 3

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 25, 2022 — The 2022 Savin Rock Fireworks Spectacular is set to launch off Bradley Point at 8:30 p.m. Sept. 3, Mayor Nancy R. Rossi announced.

The display, billed as “They Will Be Heard on the 3rd,” is presented by the Savin Rock Fireworks Committee. The rain date is Sept. 4.

In early June, the city decided to move the fireworks from July 2 to Sept. 3 — the same date as last year’s Labor Day weekend display — to give West Haven’s biggest event “more of a local flavor.”

“The Savin Rock Fireworks Spectacular is a meaningful event for all of us who live in West Haven,” Rossi said. “It is a special opportunity to come together as friends and neighbors to celebrate our city by demonstrating the best of the American community spirit.”

For this year’s pyrotechnics show, the city is focusing less on attracting out-of-town visitors and more on attracting West Haven residents, a strategy aimed at decreasing crowds to reduce overtime costs for police and public works crews, organizers said.

At 4 p.m. Sept. 3, police will close Captain Thomas Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, from Kelsey Avenue to South Street, to give the festivities more of a block party feel. The roads will reopen around 11 p.m., according to police.

A fleet of food and dessert trucks will line the Savin Rock side of Captain Thomas Boulevard, near Dyke Street, and dish up fried dough, lobster rolls, meatball bombs and tacos, as well as ice cream and kettle corn.

Before the fireworks light up the sky over the West Haven shoreline, E’Band will perform R&B hits on a portable stage in front of Savin Rock from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Residents and nonresidents should take note that “No Parking” signs will be posted on both sides of Platt Avenue from Ocean Avenue to Randall’s Restaurant; Dyke Street from Captain Thomas Boulevard to Educational Way; Kelsey Avenue from Captain Thomas Boulevard to Graham Avenue; Ocean Avenue from South to Ivy streets; and the even side of all side streets off Ocean Avenue from South to Ivy streets.

Also, “No Parking” signs will be posted on the north side of Connecticut Avenue; the even side of all side streets off Ocean Avenue to Highland Avenue; the even side of Highland Avenue from Arlington to Linden streets; and the even side of all side streets off Beach Street to Thomas Street.

Police can ticket and tow vehicles violating the traffic plan at the owner’s expense. Violators are subject to a $100 fine.

Residents and nonresidents should also take note that police will strictly enforce all beach regulations, which are posted at each access point along the shoreline, as well as the following restrictions:

—   All bags will be subject to search before entering the beach area.

—   No alcoholic beverages will be allowed on the beach.

—   No disorderly or obscene conduct will be tolerated.

—   No open fires or cooking will be allowed on the beach.

West Haven Senior Center member shows oil painting

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 25, 2022 — (Pictured): West Haven Senior Center member David Dulko shows his “Mona Lisa” oil painting at the Noble Street center Thursday.

Dulko, who takes the center’s watercolor class taught by MaryLou Horan, worked on the portrait for more than a week at his Smith Street home, where he spent several hours a day painting the faintly smiling woman, a famous portrait by Leonardo da Vinci.

(City Photo/Alyssa Maddern)

Ukrainian Independence Day declared in West Haven

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 24, 2022 — (Pictured): Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, holding a bouquet and a Ukrainian flag, presents a proclamation to Ann Salemme, a resident of West Haven and the president of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America Branch 108, declaring Ukrainian Independence Day on Wednesday.

Shown with them are, from left, Carl Harvey, a resident of Orange and the commander of Ukrainian American Veterans Post 33, and St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church Choir members Ted Plaskonos, of Hamden, Nadiya Ivantsiv, formerly of Lviv, Ukraine, and now of New Haven, and Mary Antonyshyn, of Orange.

In 1991 the parliament of Ukraine proclaimed the nation’s independence, taking the first step toward establishing a free and democratic state.

Reading the proclamation in the City Council chambers of City Hall, Rossi said: “The city of West Haven stands united with Ukrainians in commemorating their independence by lighting the new Cove River pedestrian bridge in blue and yellow. At this moment when Ukraine faces an existential threat, such actions will send a strong message that the United States supports the aspirations of the Ukrainian people to live in a free and democratic nation.”

A support network that includes the New Haven church and UAV post has shipped $1.5 million worth of donated humanitarian supplies to a hospital in Ukraine’s western city of Lviv to aid relief efforts.

(City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

LaChat’s Barbershop celebrates opening on Campbell Ave.

LaChat’s Barbershop marks opening on Campbell Ave.

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 23, 2022 — (Pictured): Mayor Nancy R. Rossi cuts the ceremonial ribbon with LaChat’s Barbershop owner Joe LaChat, center, to celebrate the barber’s grand opening at 501 Campbell Ave. on Monday.

Marking the event are, from left, City Clerk Patricia C. Horvath, LaChat’s barber Andrew Roach and Simon McDonald, the director of membership and marketing for the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce, which now represents the West Haven business community.

Joining the group were chamber President Michael Moses, Edward Jones of Milford financial adviser Jay Borelli and Patriot Bank of Milford Vice President Robert Creigh.

LaChat’s is housed with other small businesses in the historic Altschuler Building near Main Street, opposite the downtown Green.

The new barbershop specializes in haircuts, hot towel shaves, and beard trims and shaves. It is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.

(City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

Girls summer basketball champions

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 23, 2022 — (Pictured): The Gray Team, the champions of the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Girls Summer Fun Basketball League, show their trophies at the Veterans Memorial Park courts on Bull Hill Lane on Monday.

Front row, from left, are Aria Cannon Perry, Emily Palma, Payton Oliverio, Gabriella Jeune and Taliah Boykin. Back row, from left, are Savahna Neieves, Luna Montanez, Maria Valentina Muriel, Jastice Butler, Amayia Ortiz and coach Jared Butler.

The team defeated the Gold Team 26-24 in overtime and finished the season 7-1.

The league, supervised by Park-Rec program coordinator Brian Hayden, just capped its 22nd season.

(City Photo/Brian Hayden)

City aims to launch solid waste pilot

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 19, 2022 — The South Central Regional Council of Governments is working with West Haven and other member municipalities to launch pilot projects under the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Sustainable Materials Management Grant program.

As the capacity for waste disposal in Connecticut has significantly decreased because of the closure of the Municipal Innovation and Recycling Authority’s waste-to-energy facility in Hartford, food waste diversion and unit-based pricing programs are options to reduce the waste stream and to ease the financial burden on municipalities, including West Haven.

“The state has warned us of a looming cost crisis in waste management, and this is the state’s solution to manage this crisis,” Mayor Nancy R. Rossi said.

Public Works Commissioner Tom J. McCarthy added: “The city of West Haven has been working on this issue for three years, and we feel confident that this is the best solution available for the residents. We are asking for cooperation for a nine-month project funded by the state.”

According to SCRCOG, projects will involve implementing unit-based pricing and food waste diversion pilots to provide data on municipal waste disposal cost reduction strategies. Eight of SCRCOG’s 15 municipalities have advanced to phase two of the SMM grant application process.

In order for the municipal pilots to be successful and for SCRCOG to lay a foundation for permanent programs in as many of its communities as possible, SCRCOG proposes to provide support and assistance for the projects.

Six of the eight SCRCOG municipalities that submitted SMM applications have been approved for the grant. In addition to West Haven, the municipalities that will pilot unit-based pricing and food waste diversion programs are Bethany, Woodbridge, Guilford, Madison and Meriden.

The pilot projects will include the curbside co-collection of municipal solid waste and food waste in different colored bags. After being sorted, the bags containing municipal solid waste are hauled to a waste-to-energy facility or out-of-state landfills, while the food waste is hauled to a biodigester or a composting facility.

SCRCOG aims to identify areas of the pilot programs that can lend themselves to regional solutions, including a coordinated program launch, common instructions and messaging, shared sites for sorting of bags, shared hauling routes, and the development of aerated static pile composting sites at convenient locations created by the conversion of existing municipal brush and leaf composting sites in the region.

For detailed information on the West Haven pilot program, see the SCRCOG FAQ, the West Haven Food Waste Pilot FAQ (PDF) and the West Haven Co-Collection Pilot Program Website.

School district opens registration

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 3, 2022 — West Haven Public Schools has opened registration for the 2022-23 school year.

To register a child, follow the two-step process in English or Spanish.

Public input sought for bike and pedestrian plan in West Haven

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 3, 2022 — The city needs input from residents to help craft the West Haven Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.

Be part of the process and let your voice be heard.

Tour the virtual meeting room and take the survey: http://vmr.betaftp.com/WestHavenBikePedPlan/.

Public invited to take regional Hazard Mitigation Plan Survey from SCRCOG

WEST HAVEN, July 8, 2022 — The South Central Regional Council of Governments and its municipalities are working together to update the Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan.

The plan is aimed at identifying and assessing the region’s natural hazard risks — flooding, hurricanes, winter storms — and determining how to best minimize or manage those risks.

To increase public participation, SCRCOG has launched the South Central Connecticut Hazard Mitigation Plan Survey so those in the planning area can share their opinions and participate in the mitigation planning process.

The information provided by the five-minute survey will help the planning team better understand local concerns and issues as expressed by the region’s residents and can lead to mitigation activities that should reduce the impacts of future disasters.

Read the news release and take the survey at SCRCOG.

See the Flyer.

See the Fact Sheet.

For more information, visit the plan’s webpage, or contact Rebecca Andreucci, SCRCOG’s senior transportation planner, at randreucci@scrcog.org or 203-466-8601.