Prisco receives Susan A. Ruickoldt scholarship

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 2, 2017 — The family of the late Susan Ruickoldt — from left, Douglas J. Ruickoldt, Doug “the Rake” Ruickoldt and Councilman Nicholas W. Ruickoldt, D-2 — presents a $2,000 check on behalf of the West Haven Breast Cancer Awareness Program to Susan A. Ruickoldt Scholarship Fund recipient Gabriella Prisco on Tuesday at City Hall as Mayor Edward M. O’Brien, center, and Prisco’s parents, Ken and Gina Prisco, look on. In its 15th year, the scholarship fund was founded in memory of Ruickoldt, a city schoolteacher who died of breast cancer in 1997, and is awarded to a female high school senior from West Haven who plans to continue her education. Prisco, a 2017 graduate of West Haven High School, will attend Endicott College in Beverly, Mass., just north of Boston, in the fall. (City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

Romano volleyball tourney benefits breast cancer charity

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 2, 2017 — City recreation program coordinator Diane Dietman, far left, is all smiles with Team Bomba, champions of the Mark Romano Memorial Coed Beach Volleyball Tournament for the second straight year, at the Sea Bluff Beach courts Saturday.

Sponsored by the Department of Parks and Recreation, the tournament raised $950 for a breast cancer charity in support of a participant of the department’s beach and indoor volleyball leagues.

For the sixth year, the event was held in memory of Romano, who supervised the leagues for many years. He died in 2012 at age 49.

Six six-person teams competed in the double-elimination tourney, which culminated in Team Bomba winning the championship match against Sully’s Slammers.

(City Photo/Alyssa Maddern)

The boys of summer

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 2, 2017 — The 7- to 10-year-old champions, red shirts, and the 11- to 14-year-old champs of the Department of Parks and Recreation’s boys summer basketball league show off their medals Saturday at the Veterans Memorial Park courts on Bull Hill Lane. Supervised by recreation program coordinator Tom Conroy, the league, which aims to keep city kids active, just capped its 18th season. (City Photo/Tom Conroy)

Bocce champs

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 2, 2017 — Department of Parks and Recreation Bocce Tournament champions Ralph Manzo and Tom Mancini celebrate their victory Saturday at the Leo Kelly Bocce Courts in Old Grove Park. The duo are five-time champs. (City Photo/Tom Conroy)

Elements, featuring a 12-piece band, are shown headlining the 36th annual Savin Rock Festival Saturday night, performing funky Earth, Wind & Fire nuggets in front of 10,000 spectators and setting Old Grove Park ablaze with a 90-minute-plus set of dance party favorites. (City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

36th annual Savin Rock Festival pays tribute to ‘the Rock’

WEST HAVEN, July 31, 2017 — The 36th annual Savin Rock Festival paid homage to the legacy of “the Rock” with an exciting lineup of musical groups and a mouthwatering row of food vendors, linking the past with the present through old-fashioned, family-friendly fun.

Presented by the Savin Rock Festival Committee, the 2017 edition, held in Old Grove Park, once again used the recipe that made West Haven’s 20th-century amusement park so successful: concerts, rides, games and good food — and ice-cold beer.

For the second time since the event’s debut on July 24, 1982, organizers offered alcoholic beverages, pouring three craft, domestic and imported draft beers in the partially tented beer garden on Palace Street.

As an added treat this year, local musicians, bolstered by an infectious band led by Living Colour bassist Doug Wimbish, serenaded the many partakers of libation with intimate sets of rock ’n’ roll euphoria inside the paradise of suds, which also served a hard cider and a wine.

On Saturday night, festival headliner Elements, featuring a 12-piece band, played a showstopping concert of rhythm and blues, soul, funk, disco, pop and rock gems from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame canon of Earth, Wind & Fire, setting the Grove ablaze with more than 90 minutes of hits as the all-ages crowd of 10,000 turned the park into a giant dance floor.

This year’s spectacular stage was made possible by the generosity of Wheelabrator of Bridgeport.

Before his band’s “backyard party” performance in the beer garden leading up to Elements, Wimbish, founder of the WimBash Beach Festival, and Mayor Edward M. O’Brien presented a $5,000 check for the school district’s music program to Board of Education member Patrick R. Leigh on behalf of the district.

For the second year, organizers of the benefit music festival, held last August in the Grove, gave all event proceeds — beer, merchandise and raffle sales — to the music program. The 2015 festival donation paid for new instruments at Carrigan Intermediate School.

Wimbish’s charity, the WimBash Music Festival Series, which includes the WimBash Beach Festival and related fundraising events, has collected $15,000 to date for West Haven music education.

The city’s flagship Savin Rock Festival, sponsored by the University of New Haven and TD Bank, kicked off Thursday evening with welcoming remarks from O’Brien and followed with a stellar rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Caitlin Morrissey.

Sacred Fire was faithful in its tribute to Santana and was followed by party rock band The RumRunners.

On Friday night, the History of Rock & Soul Starring Pauly and the Goodfellas, billed as “the ultimate show from the gangstas of soul,” played the songs that defined a generation, entertaining concertgoers with a high-energy, wisecracking mix of music and humor.

Turbulence, anchored by city native Bill Downes on drums, warmed up the throng with a slew of Top 40 anthems.

For most of the weekend, the sun-drenched Grove, fanned by a cool summer breeze, provided a backdrop for the numerous quality performers that set up residence in the 147-year-old park, including alternative rock group Clockwork, country cover band Boondocks, Rubber City, which was powered by a horn section that rivaled such bands as Chicago and Tower of Power, and Boston a cappella group Ball in the House.

They were complemented by Milford’s Brian Smith, former co-host of WPLR’s “Smith and Barber the Morning Show,” who, as the “ringmaster” of ceremonies for the third time, segued the bands with hysterical bursts of comic relief.

For the 23rd year, Marenna Amusements supplied the midway of rides and games, which evoked memories of the bygone era of Savin Rock Park.

The food court along Palace Street housed a smorgasbord of area food trucks and vendors, which served up eggplant Parmesan subs, fried dough, lobster rolls, split hot dogs and roast beef sandwiches, as well as anginetti cookies, candy apples and frozen custard.

Demonstrating the Jaws of Life tool, members of the West Haven Fire Department, led by Capt. Mike Buonasora, pried open parts of a vehicle to free those trapped inside.

A short distance away, members of the West Shore Fire Department, led by Capt. Frank Rasile, demonstrated their amphibious rescue boat.

Veteran crafter Rich Evans was joined by crafters Barbara J. Allen, owner of And Beyond LLC, and Laura Webb, owner of Crystal Webb Jewelry Design, to sell their wares.

Evans, in his 27th year as a festival vendor, displayed his collection of vintage baseball cards and other memorabilia, while Allen spotlighted her handcrafted milk soaps and soy wax candles and Webb showed her handmade jewelry bedecked with semiprecious and healing stones.

Crafters John and Suzanne Patry sold paper bead handbags and jewelry made in Nairobi, Kenya, where their daughter Janet Patry now lives.

Janet Patry is the founder and executive director of New York City-based Right 2 Thrive. Her nonprofit organization’s mission is aimed at gathering resources and establishing locally based programs in Nairobi that empower people living in disadvantaged areas to improve living conditions and develop self-sustaining communities.

The four-day festival closed Sunday with spirited concerts by classic rock band Stratus, oldies group Vinnie Carr, pop rock group Sister Funk, R&B band Nu Groove, and The Wayouts, “Connecticut’s freshest and most diversified cover band.”

To view the photo gallery, click on Scenes from the 2017 Savin Rock Festival.

Farmers market open Thursdays, Saturdays on West Haven Green

WEST HAVEN, July 13, 2017 — The Tony Inzero Farmers Market is open for its 18th season on the Green.

Through Oct. 28, the expanded marketplace at Main Street and Campbell Avenue features state farmers selling homegrown fruits and vegetables from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

It includes crafters selling their wares and an internet radio station DJ playing hit music.

The Thursday markets showcase food trucks galore, dishing up baked potatoes, fried dough, Italian ice, kettle corn, lobster rolls and pulled pork.

Tax bills payable in 2 installments

WEST HAVEN, June 26, 2017 — All city tax bills have been mailed and are payable in two installments: July and January.

Tax Collector Eric Murillo said motor vehicle bills were mailed on June 23 with an insert stating: “The enclosed motor vehicle tax bill is being calculated at 32 mills for the assessment year commencing October 1, 2016, payable July 1, 2017, and January 1, 2018, based on Connecticut State Taxation Statue 12-71e. Due to the unsettled situation regarding the State budget for 2017/2018, a supplemental motor vehicle tax bill may be issued and will be sent to you when and if it is determined to be necessary.”

Each tax bill, which is sent out once a year, has three parts: a payment coupon for July, payment coupon for January and payment coupon for taxpayers’ records.

Taxes are due July 1. Payments after Aug. 1 are considered delinquent and subject to interest, Murillo said.

The tax office is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays on the first floor of City Hall, 355 Main St.

For the convenience of taxpayers, the city has an ATM outside the office.
Taxpayers can see their tax bills, make a payment, and print their payment history for income tax purposes by clicking on Tax Collector.

Sewer bills are on the same page but under a separate heading.

In July and January only, current taxes can be paid by mail to a tax office lockbox, P.O. Box 150461, Hartford, CT 06115-0461. When paying by lockbox or the drop box outside the tax office in City Hall, the canceled check is the receipt.

After Aug. 1, taxes with interest can be paid by mail to the Office of the Tax Collector, P.O. Box 401, West Haven, CT 06516. Payments can also be made in person.

Anyone needing a motor vehicle clearance must pay in person with cash, credit card, bank check or money order.

Those with questions about assessments or vehicles they no longer own should contact the assessor’s office prior to paying their tax bills at assessor@cityofwesthaven.com or 203-937-3515, ext. 1004, 1005 or 1007.

For tax payment questions, call the tax office at 203-937-3525.

SCRCOG issues online survey for regional POCD

WEST HAVEN, June 26, 2017 — The South Central Regional Council of Governments has issued an online survey to help the 15-town region prepare an update to the regional Plan of Conservation and Development.

The POCD survey intends to gather information from those who live, work, or own a business or property in the south-central region on current and future quality-of-life issues, housing and business development, conservation, and transportation throughout the region.

SCRCOG will notify the region as it holds public workshops and meetings during the planning process, which is expected to continue throughout the year.

Take the survey at POCD.