West Haven heralds launch of state’s largest food-to-clean-energy program

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 25, 2022 — The city is “excited” to launch the largest food scrap co-collection program in the history of Connecticut, Mayor Nancy R. Rossi announced.

Starting Nov. 7, West Haven will be the first city in the state to offer a citywide curbside food scrap diversion option to all single-family residents.

Rossi said the program will allow all single-family homes — one, two and three families — to easily separate food scraps and have them collected at the curb in the same container now used for residents’ trash collection.

West Haven and 15 other municipalities have received a Sustainable Materials Management grant from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to develop and launch food-to-clean-energy programs.

Food scrap diversion programs are critical in addressing the state’s waste disposal crisis, said Grant Coordinator Doug Colter, who secured the funding for the city.

Colter said Connecticut is facing a solid waste disposal crisis, as traditional options for disposing of municipal solid waste are diminishing or becoming more expensive. With fewer and rapidly aging disposal options in the state, residents and municipal leaders can expect disposal costs to increase at the remaining waste incineration facilities “as well as out-of-state landfilling,” he said.

“Thirty-five percent of what residents throw away is organic material — food scraps and yard waste — that can be diverted for composting anaerobic digestion to create clean energy,” Colter said.

The West Haven Food to Clean Energy program, funded by a $1.3 million DEEP SMM grant, will launch a nine-month pilot project for curbside food scrap diversion starting Nov. 7. Participation in the program comes at no cost to the 16,000 eligible households.

Colter said the funding will cover the purchase of special color-coded bags for trash and for food scrap separation for the nine-month pilot. It will also cover the cost of educational materials — mailers, a website and a Connect mobile app — along with personnel to sort the bags and the shipment of food scraps to Quantum Biopower in Southington, where the food will be converted into clean electricity, he said.

“We are very excited for West Haven to be leading the way in Connecticut with this innovative, free food-to-clean-energy collection program,” Rossi said. “The DEEP SMM grant allows 16,000 eligible households the opportunity to participate in a program that can have a positive and significant financial and environmental impact for our city. I am encouraging all eligible residents to pick up their free bags and to participate in this important program to show that sustainability programs should be accessible to everyone.”

Starting this week, West Haven residents will receive a mailer with information on the program, instructions to download the Connect app, and locations and times to pick up their free nine-month supply of green and orange bags.

Residents can pick up the free bags at the following locations, dates and times:

— Stop & Shop, 460 Elm St., West Haven, Oct. 29-Nov. 6, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

— Family Dollar, 163 Boston Post Road, West Haven, Oct. 29-Nov. 6, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

— Family Dollar, 1055 Boston Post Road, West Haven, Oct. 29-Nov. 6, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

— ShopRite, 259 Bull Hill Road, Orange, Oct. 29-Nov. 6, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

More information is available on the city website at Food Scrap Recycling.

Informational Materials

The Downsizing Donation Guide: A Resource for Residents of New Haven County (PDF)

What’s In? What’s Out? A Guide to Recycling (PDF)

Halloween Haunt moved to Thursday at Painter Park tennis courts

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 25, 2022 — Due to the uncertainty of the weather tonight, the Department of Parks and Recreation has moved its annual Halloween Haunt to Thursday at the Painter Park tennis courts, 190 Kelsey Ave.

The free event, for city residents 12 and younger, includes a candy corn guess and a contest for best decorated pumpkin.

The hunt schedule is 5:30 p.m., ages 3 and younger; 5:50 p.m., ages 4-5; 6:10 p.m., ages 6-7; 6:30 p.m., ages 8-10; and 7 p.m., ages 11-12.

Participants should register 10-15 minutes before their hunt time and must show proof of residence, including a driver’s license, a utility bill or a child’s report card.

Only one adult may assist a child in the hunt for ages 3 and under; all other age groups hunt unassisted.

SCRCOG holding Zoom meeting for disaster planning Nov. 7

SCRCOG holding Zoom meeting to discuss disaster planning Nov. 7

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 24, 2022 — The 15 municipalities in south-central Connecticut, with the help of the South Central Regional Council of Governments, are preparing an update to the region’s Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan.

The plan names natural hazards and their potential impacts to each community, including West Haven. It then identifies activities each community may take to mitigate identified risks.

The plan makes each city and town eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency pre-disaster funding. The grant money may be used for projects that mitigate risk to vulnerable residents, build resilient infrastructure and transit systems, and protect the natural environment.

The plan is each community’s tool to prevent damage from natural hazards. Take the opportunity to voice any concerns and share ideas on a Zoom meeting from 6-7 p.m. Nov. 7.

For more information, read the full SCRCOG News Release.

See the Flyer.

West Haven’s Halloween on the Green set for Oct. 29

West Haven’s Halloween on the Green set for Saturday

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 24, 2022 — The city’s sixth annual Halloween on the Green is from 5-9:30 p.m. Saturday and will feature a showing of Disney’s “Hocus Pocus.”

The “spooktacular” event for children of all ages will kick off at 5 p.m. with a haunted gazebo, graveyard fun, pumpkin painting and Halloween crafts, followed by a half-hour performance by fire artist Fyrefox at 5:15 p.m.

At 6 p.m., a costume parade and contest, judged by state Rep. Dorinda Borer, D-West Haven, will march around the Green and award prizes.

The Top Hat Dance Academy will perform at 6:30 p.m., followed by the movie showing at 7 p.m.

The free event is presented by the city in partnership with West Haven United, an organization aimed at bringing the city’s volunteer groups together.

Free parking is available in the municipal lot behind City Hall at 355 Main St.

The Franco’s Fried Dough-Licious food truck will sell fried dough, chicken tenders and french fries. West Haven United will sell popcorn, soda and water.

Special education lawyer receives ‘Way to Go!’ award

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 19, 2022 — (Pictured): Special education lawyer and child advocate Jeffery Forte, left, receives the “Way to Go!” award from Viola Waldo on behalf of the West Haven Interagency Network for Children at the Johnson Community Center on Oct. 17.

Waldo, the facilitator of the West Haven Parent Support Group for special needs children, presented the award to Forte for “providing services and resources to families of children with special needs.”

Forte’s law firm, Forte Law Group LLC of Shelton, is dedicated to exclusively representing families and children with special needs.

The Way to Go program recognizes providers who present at Parent Support Group meetings and go above and beyond to offer services and resources.

(City Photo/Sharon Rodrigues)

‘Tree tenders’ plant red maple in Brennan Field Park

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 18, 2022 — (Pictured): West Haven “tree tenders” gather in the shade of their newly planted red maple in West Shore’s Brennan Field Park on Oct. 15.

The tree was planted near the park’s basketball court at Highland Avenue and Arlington Street as part of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Urban Forest Equity Grant award.

The hole was dug by a Department of Public Works crew to give the roots the best chance to grow, said Tree Warden Leo Kelly, who oversees the volunteer group of about 30 tree tenders.

The group will plant more trees next spring.

To become a tree tender, email whtree@westhaven-ct.gov. For information and updates, go to the group’s Facebook page at WH Tree Tenders.

(City Photo/Leo Kelly)

The 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week is observed by West Haven’s three fire departments and the city at the second annual West Haven Fire/Police Service, Public Safety & Health Expo in Old Grove Park on Oct. 15. The free exposition brought together families and first responders from around the state for hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations to promote public safety education. (City Drone Photo/Andrew Kosarko, Courtesy of Jow Films LLC)

Expo promotes fire prevention, public safety education

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 17, 2022 — The city joined West Haven’s three fire departments to mark the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week at an exposition of all things fire, police, public safety and health in Old Grove Park on Oct. 15.

The second annual West Haven Fire/Police Service, Public Safety & Health Expo brought together families and first responders — firefighters, police officers, EMTs, health care professionals — from around the state for hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations to promote public safety education.

Read the full story and see the photo spread at Expo 2022.

The West Haven Breast Cancer Awareness Program is supporting this fundraiser. The Susan A. Ruickoldt Scholarship Fund was founded in March 2003 to raise breast cancer awareness in honor of Ruickoldt, who taught third grade at Savin Rock Community School before succumbing to breast cancer in 1997. Each spring since 2003, scholarship organizers have awarded $2,000 in Ruickoldt’s memory to a female high school senior from West Haven who plans to continue her education.

Dubel’s Cafe tees off for breast cancer scholarship fund

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 17, 2022 — (Pictured, from left): Dubel’s Golf Tournament organizers Katie Heffernan Farrell, Jo-Anne Hugendubel-Case, Beth Sabo and Laura Nelson join other tournament organizers and participants during a post-event reception in the backyard of Dubel’s Cafe at 260 Campbell Ave. on Oct. 14.

Heffernan Farrell, Hugendubel-Case and Nelson are breast cancer survivors.

The annual tournament, co-chaired by Dubel’s owner Fred Hugendubel and Art Gilbert, raised $7,500 for the West Haven Breast Cancer Awareness Program’s Susan A. Ruickoldt Scholarship Fund, said Sabo, the program’s chairwoman and the city’s commissioner of human resources.

The fund was founded in March 2003 in honor of Ruickoldt, who taught third grade at Savin Rock Community School before succumbing to breast cancer in 1997.

Each spring since 2003, a $2,000 check has been awarded in Ruickoldt’s memory to a female high school senior from West Haven who plans to continue her education.

(City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)