Kathy Thompson closes concert, movie series tonight

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 19, 2018 — The city’s new summer series, Singin’ on the Green: Movies & Bands, closes for the season at 7 tonight with old-school funk hits by The Kathy Thompson Band.

People are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs.

The free series has been composed of three concerts performed on The John C. Ireland Bandstand and two high-definition movies shown on a 20-by-12-foot projection screen at Campbell Avenue and Main Street.

It premiered with a showing of “Mamma Mia!” on Aug. 9, followed by rhythm and blues music performed by Shaded Soul on Aug. 22, a showing of “Grease,” the 1978 musical romantic comedy, on Sept. 5, and dance party favorites performed by Cleo Blue on Sept. 14.

The city has sponsored all movies and bands in the series, except for Cleo Blue, which was sponsored by the West Haven Veterans Council.

Singin’ on the Green has been co-sponsored by West Haven United, an organization aimed at bringing the city’s volunteer groups together, along with the Veterans Council and West Haven Vietnam Veterans.

Rossi renews license as city expands DMV Express hours

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 19, 2018 — West Haven Chamber of Commerce examiner Nicole Criscio, right, expedites a verified driver’s license renewal for Mayor Nancy R. Rossi at West Haven City Hall’s DMV Express on Tuesday, the first day of the center’s expanded hours.

“The West Haven Department of Motor Vehicles’ satellite office has been a great success, and the city of West Haven is very excited about expanding the hours of operation from two days to four days a week,” Rossi said.

The service center, which had operated until 3:30 p.m. two days a week, is now open Tuesday-Wednesday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Thursday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; and Friday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

The center, which processes license and ID card renewals, is DMV’s first fully managed center under municipal direction. Sponsored by the city, it is operated by the chamber in the lower level of City Hall, 355 Main St.

(City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

Walk-in flu clinic on tap for Oct. 24 at Savin Rock Conference Center

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 19, 2018 — The Health Department will hold a flu clinic sponsored by the Orange Visiting Nurses Association for city residents from 9 a.m.-noon Oct. 24 at the Savin Rock Conference Center, 6 Rock St.

The walk-in clinic will accept the following insurances: Anthem, Medicare, Aetna and Connecticare.

Insurance carriers United Healthcare, Cigna, Oxford and Medicaid/Husky are not participating.

Residents should bring all insurance cards and wear a short-sleeved shirt.

People can also pay by cash or check.

Also, the private pay rate is $40 for a quadrivalent flu shot and $65 for a high-dose flu shot for those 65 or older.

City’s DMV Express opening more weekdays starting this week

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 19, 2018 — The state Department of Motor Vehicles announced Monday that starting Tuesday, West Haven City Hall’s DMV Express will open more days each week for customers to get license and ID card renewals.

The service center will open four days a week and close later on Thursday evenings.

Read the official DMV News Release.

Board to hear appeals on vehicle assessments Sept. 26 at City Hall

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 19, 2018 — The Board of Assessment Appeals will meet 6-7:30 p.m. Sept. 26 in the assessor’s office on the first floor of City Hall, 355 Main St., to hear appeals of motor vehicle assessments on the 2017 grand list.

Any owner of a city-registered vehicle can appeal the assessment.

Land damaged by Superstorm Sandy can be enrolled into easements

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 19, 2018 — The U.S. Agriculture Department is accepting a third round of applications from eligible landowners who want to sell the development rights of properties along Connecticut’s coastline that were damaged by Tropical Storm Irene and Superstorm Sandy in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Funds are available through USDA’s Emergency Watershed Protection Floodplain Easements Program, which is managed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, known as NRCS.

Applications are accepted through Oct. 10.

Read the official USDA News Release.

For more details, view the Emergency Watershed Protection Program Flyer.

Domenic’s cited for 40 years of pizzas and grinders

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 19, 2018 — Domenic’s Apizza owner Domenic Giannotti, center, receives a citation for 40 years in business from Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, third from left, on Sept. 12 at 18 Ocean Ave.

Marking the occasion are, from left, City Clerk Deborah Collins; Giannotti’s daughter, Kyle; mayoral Executive Assistant Lou Esposito; and Giannotti’s son, Domenic.

Rossi recognized Giannotti, a longtime city resident who has been making pizzas and grinders for takeout in the Baybrook Shopping Center since 1978, for “the celebration of your 40th anniversary and successful career in the pizzeria business.”

Reading the citation, Rossi said, “Your accomplishment as well as your dedication to your craft is a source of pride for all our residents and epitomizes everything good about West Haven.”

The family-owned and -operated pizzeria is open Sunday, 3-9 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

(City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

City-Wide Open Studios showcasing art projects in West Haven

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 19, 2018 — Artspace, the nerve center of New Haven’s contemporary arts scene, is pleased to announce the 21st year of City-Wide Open Studios with Wellbeing as its festival theme.

The single largest concentration of exhibiting artists statewide is unique in the region for bringing together more than 400 artists across a network of participating sites during the month of October.

Read the official City-Wide Open Studios News Release.

UI’s Vegetation Program resumes

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 13, 2018 — The next phase of United Illuminating’s Vegetation Management Program kicked off Sept. 11 in Allingtown.

The five-year program, which began in 2014, is designed to reduce the amount of vegetation that threatens power lines during storms.

UI is specifically targeting trees and limbs within 8 feet to either side of power lines.

According to the Orange-based utility, tree reduction will increase public safety, reduce road blockage, improve roadside sight, and reduce tree-related power outages.

UI’s tree service contractor, Asplundh Tree Expert LLC of East Windsor, will not trim or remove privately owned trees without the owner’s consent, except when they are in contact with the utility’s energized conductors and present an imminent danger.

Trees on public property are under the control of West Haven’s tree warden, Leo Kelly.

Tom McCarthy, the city’s commissioner of public works, said Asplundh will remove all wood within 10 business days of pruning or removal.

The tree work, which has been reviewed and approved by Kelly, will follow in the West Shore and Center districts and end in the spring.

Tree service crews, working from Orange trucks, will have police assigned for safety and traffic control.

View the list of streets affected by the Vegetation Management Program.

More details at UI’s VMP.

RWA bringing advanced metering infrastructure to West Haven

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 7, 2018 — About 13,000 Regional Water Authority customers in West Haven will have the water industry’s latest metering technology installed starting next month, joining the 50,000 customers in the RWA’s water district who have already received the upgrade.

The system will allow the RWA to accurately read customers’ water meters by securely transmitting a low-powered signal from an AMI endpoint, a small device connected to the meter, to the RWA’s office.

The technology will upgrade how the RWA receives water consumption information, eliminate the need for manually reading customers’ meters, provide early detection of water leaks, and largely eliminate estimated water bills.

The RWA will deploy the new metering system to every customer in its 15-town service area over the next two years.

The RWA hired Contract Callers Inc., or CCI, to install the new advanced meter reading devices. Installation generally takes less than an hour and involves attaching the AMI endpoint to the customer’s existing water meter, usually where the existing meter reading device is located.

Read the official RWA News Release.

Watch the RWA Advanced Metering Infrastructure video on the official RWA YouTube channel.

For more information, visit the RWA website at https://www.rwater.com/customer-care/advanced-metering-infrastructure or the CCI website at https://www.contractcallers.com/rwa/.

Farmers market open Thursdays, Saturdays on West Haven Green

WEST HAVEN, July 30, 2018 — The Tony Inzero Farmers Market is open for its 19th season on the Green.

Through Oct. 27, the market 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.

The Thursday markets showcase food trucks, including 744 Express and Spuds Your Way, dishing up such savory favorites as baked potatoes, lobster rolls and pulled pork sandwiches. Each truck offers a weekly special.

Farmers market vouchers available

WEST HAVEN, July 20, 2018 — Farmers market vouchers are available at the West Haven/Allingtown Senior Center, 201 Noble St.

To receive $18 in vouchers, the income limits for those at least 60 years old are $30,451 per year, or $2,537 per month, for a married couple and $22,459 per year, or $1,871 per month, for a single person.

Each voucher booklet contains six $3 vouchers.

When picking up the vouchers, eligible residents must show proof of income and sign a receipt confirming they meet the income guidelines. For proof of income, residents can show a gray Connect Card from the state.

The Tony Inzero Farmers Market is on the Green from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 27.

For information about the voucher program, call the Department of Elderly Services at 203-937-3507.