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City marking Mental Health Awareness Month on May 1
WEST HAVEN, April 29, 2024 — The city will mark Mental Health Awareness Month in May with a kickoff event at 4 p.m. Wednesday on the steps of City Hall, 355 Main St.
The event will feature representatives from Bridges Healthcare, the Cornell-Scott Hill Health Center, Mental Health Connecticut, the Fair Haven Community Health Center and Shoreline Wellness, who will talk about their agencies and the services they offer to West Haven residents.
It will also include remarks by Mayor Dorinda Borer and Health Director Maureen B. Lillis on the importance of mental health awareness.
The public is invited.
Lillis said the city will hand out green awareness ribbons to those attending the kickoff. Green is the international color of mental health awareness, representing hope, strength, support and encouragement for people living with mental illness.
To raise awareness locally, green battery-operated candles will illuminate the windows and steps of City Hall.
“We are observing this special month by calling attention to this very important initiative,” Lillis said. “Mental health is the core of a lot of the issues facing our society, especially when you think about troubled youth and elderly depression. Mental health does impact our daily activities and affects everybody.”
In observance of West Haven’s monthlong mental health awareness campaign, the Health Department will sponsor a number of events, including an aroma therapy activity for West Haven Senior Center members and a basketball clinic for at-risk middle school and high school students.
The aroma therapy activity, limited to 15 members, is scheduled from 11-11:30 a.m. May 9 at the West Haven Senior Center, 201 Noble St.
The clinic, limited to 30 participants, is slated from 5-8 p.m. May 24 at Savin Rock Community School, 50 Park St., and will include the Police Department’s school resource officers.
The city will announce more events soon.
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Jennie Pyszkowski celebrates 106 trips around the sun
WEST HAVEN, April 29, 2024 — (Pictured): Mayor Dorinda Borer presents a citation to resident Jennie Pyszkowski in honor of her 106th birthday during a celebration at her family’s Third Avenue home April 16.
The event was attended by Pyszkowski’s daughter and son-in-law, Adele and Bruce Bumps, her granddaughter, Tammy Bumps, and her granddaughter and grandson-in-law, Cindy and Ricky Santiago.
Borer recognized the centenarian for “your many decades as the pioneering owner of Connie’s Liquor Store on Campbell Avenue.”
Reading the citation, Borer said: “Please know that you are fondly remembered for serving customers with your signature smile and vigor and for your display of vintage ceramic wine bottles. Your legacy as a lifelong Westie and a successful female entrepreneur is a source of inspiration for all residents and demonstrates the best of the American spirit.”
(City Photo/Derrick Midy) |
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Borer makes more key hires
WEST HAVEN, April 24, 2024 — Mayor Dorinda Borer has expanded the city’s workforce by making several key hires, including the appointment of Jennifer Daddio as the new personnel director.
Borer said Daddio brings 32 years of human resources experience to West Haven, including a vast knowledge of employee relations, labor relations, benefits and payroll.
Daddio, who will serve as a member of the mayor’s Cabinet, previously worked for Barnes & Noble in New York City and several large pharmaceutical companies.
Also in the Personnel Department, Borer said Lisa Langella has been hired as Daddio’s personnel generalist.
Receiving the most new hires is the Finance Department with five: Christopher Tiberio, director of risk management; Erin Sweeney, payroll manager; Kathy Chambers, senior buyer procurement analyst; Vanessa Hruszko, assistant grant writer; and Michele DePascale, senior accountant.
The Health Department has two new hires: sanitarian Gelacio Sanchez and social worker Alyssa Eckstein.
Borer said Nicholas DeJohn will serve as the new director of the city’s Emergency Reporting System, also known as ERS.
DeJohn, whose first day on the job is May 6, will oversee the 911 Communications Center at police headquarters.
“All of these positions are vital to the day-to-day operations of the city,” Borer said. “I look forward to working with this talented team of new employees, who each brings a high level of expertise in their respective field to West Haven.
“Blending our current experienced staff with new members to the team is a perfect mix to deliver services for the residents of West Haven. These hires not only provide vesting into the role but will cut down on overtime and high-priced consultants the city has engaged in recent years.”
Borer said interviews continue and additional job offers have been made, which the city will announce soon.
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 Holding oversize scissors, West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer cuts the ribbon with American Family Care franchise owner Muhammad Zaman, center left, and Medical Director Dr. Felix Pacheco, center right, to celebrate the grand opening of West Haven’s new AFC Urgent Care center at 354 Sawmill Road on Tuesday. With them are, from left, West Haven Councilman Gary Donovan, D-4; Barbara Ronalter, the center’s director of operations and business development; Zaman’s son, Musa, 15, and wife, Anila; City Clerk John W. Lewis; and Simon McDonald, the director of membership and marketing at the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce. (City Photo/Michael P. Walsh) |
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AFC opens urgent care center on Sawmill Road
WEST HAVEN, April 24, 2024 — American Family Care, the city’s newest urgent care center, marked its grand opening with the snip of a blue ribbon Tuesday.
Using oversize scissors, Mayor Dorinda Borer helped American Family Care franchise owner Muhammad Zaman and Medical Director Dr. Felix Pacheco cut the ribbon to formally open the state-of-the-art AFC West Haven Urgent Care center at 354 Sawmill Road.
The late-afternoon ceremony was organized by the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce. It included welcoming remarks by Borer and Simon McDonald, the chamber’s director of membership and marketing, as well as remarks by Zaman and Pacheco.
“Access to quality, affordable health care is critical, and language can be a barrier,” Borer said. “A facility like this will provide equitable access to quality, affordable care.”
Also celebrating the event were City Clerk John W. Lewis and Councilman Gary Donovan, D-4, along with chamber President and CEO Michael Moses and Barbara Ronalter, the center’s director of operations and business development.
They were joined by members of the AFC medical team and a delegation of chamber board members, including West Shore Associates of West Haven owner Erin Eberhardt, New Haven Bank of West Haven branch manager Hala Urban and Edward Jones of Milford financial adviser Jay Borelli.
The center is open seven days a week and has walk-in options — urgent care, lab testing, vaccinations — to meet the immediate health care needs of patients of all ages. No appointment is needed.
“Our medical team is staffed with medical professionals who are dedicated to ensuring your health and overall well-being,” said Zaman, who was accompanied by his wife, Anila, and son, Musa, 15.
The center is off Interstate 95’s Exit 42 and has seven exam rooms, a manager’s office, and X-ray and storage space.
It is located in a plaza with an Aspen Dental practice, a Chipotle Mexican Grill and a former Starbucks store.
Starbucks recently opened a new stand-alone store with drive-thru service next door at 340 Sawmill Road, the site of a former Stewart’s All American Grill. The AFC center space was formerly occupied by a T-Mobile store.
Zaman said that although it just opened, the 2,670-square-foot center is already expanding into the vacant Starbucks space. The expansion is expected to take about two months to complete and will bring the center to 4,475 square feet, he said.
Zaman chose West Haven’s bustling Sawmill Road retail corridor for his first AFC Urgent Care center because of the area’s dense population and high visibility from I-95.
“We are very grateful Mr. Zaman chose his first location to be in West Haven,” Borer said.
The West Haven center joins 17 other franchise-owned AFC urgent care centers in Connecticut. |
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Johnstone resumes council duties after medical leave of absence
WEST HAVEN, April 24, 2024 — After a two-month medical leave of absence, Republican Councilman Steven J. Johnstone, who represents West Shore’s 10th District, has resumed his City Council duties.
Johnstone, the council’s minority leader, expressed his “sincere gratitude” to Mayor Dorinda Borer and to council members Meli Garthwait, R-at large, and Brian Laucks, D-at large, who handled Johnstone’s 10th District matters during his medical leave.
“I want to personally thank fellow council members Meli Garthwait and Brian Laucks for stepping in during my absence,” he said.
Johnstone, who has been medically cleared, officially returned to the City Council on April 22.
Residents of the 10th District can contact Johnstone with all district matters at sjohnstone@westhaven-ct.gov.
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Join Paige’s Purple Pirates in cystic fibrosis fight
WEST HAVEN, April 12, 2024 — Help support 2-year-old Paige McCormack in her fight against cystic fibrosis, an inherited disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs in the body.
Paige was diagnosed with CF when she was only 2 weeks old.
Now, her parents, Mark and Jill McCormack, and her grandparents, Tim and Debbie Collins and Keith and Maureen McCormack, will not stop until CF stands for “Cure Found.”
On May 19, join Paige’s Purple Pirates in the Great Strides walk for a cure at Jimmies of Savin Rock, 5 Rock St.
Any donation is appreciated to help reach Paige’s $5,000 fundraising goal for the walkathon, which is presented by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Donate to Page or join her team at Paige’s Purple Pirates. |
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Noncompliance checks continue in West Haven; violators fined
WEST HAVEN, April 12, 2024 — On April 10, the West Haven Police Department, working with the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and its Tobacco Prevention and Enforcement Program, conducted unannounced compliance inspections of establishments that sell tobacco products and/or electronic cigarettes.
The inspections were performed in an effort to determine compliance with state laws concerning the prohibition of the sale of e-cigarettes and/or tobacco products to young people under age 21.
Retailers are required by state law to inspect the photo ID of anyone who appears under age 30 before selling a tobacco product or an e-cigarette. Free online training is available to retailers at https://www.ctclearinghouse.org/tobacco-merchant/.
A total of 25 unannounced compliance inspections were conducted. Of the 25, four establishments were found noncompliant with Connecticut General Statutes Section 53-344 (Sale of tobacco to a person under 21) or Section 53-344b (Sale of an e-cigarette to a person under 21).
The offending clerks at the establishments were issued a first-time infraction of $300, with an increasing violation sum of $700 for a second offense and $1,000 for a third offense with a potential suspension.
Police Sgt. Patrick Buturla of the department’s Crime Prevention Unit, which led the local effort, said: “Our agency is committed to holding those accountable that are intentionally poisoning our community. We will continue to enforce these laws and take all necessary action against offenders.”
Mayor Dorinda Borer, who worked on youth vaping laws when she was a state representative, has been focusing on this area, saying: “While I am disappointed to see we still have some stores in violation, I am encouraged that the noncompliant list has dropped considerably in the past few months. Perhaps word is out that we are taking this seriously and will continually have these compliance checks until everyone gets the message that we are no longer allowing stores to make a profit from illegally contributing toward the youth vaping health crisis.”
Borer added: “Thank you to the great work of the Police and Health departments and the West Haven Prevention Council. And thank you to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, which has come to West Haven to lead this process. I’m grateful for this amazing local and state collaboration that is committed to protecting our youth.”
City Health Director Maureen B. Lillis, who participated in the compliance checks, said, “As the local public health official responsible for the health and well-being of our community, myself and the department will continue to do all we can to address the vaping epidemic hurting the children of our city.”
Tobacco retailers are licensed by the state Department of Revenue Services. Noncompliant and compliant inspection results are referred to the DRS for possible administrative action.
The following retailers were found noncompliant:
1. Smoker’s Variety, 193 Boston Post Road 2. Take Away Market, 983 Boston Post Road 3. A1 Discount Liquors, 1055 Boston Post Road 4. West Haven Smoke World, 315 York St.
The following retailers were found compliant:
1. Puff City, 293 Elm St. 2. Sam’s Food Store, 665 Campbell Ave. 3. West Side Smoke Shop, 785 Campbell Ave. 4. FNF Food Mart, 912 Boston Post Road 5. Happy Harry’s Wine and Liquor, 897 Boston Post Road 6. Noble Gas, 949 Boston Post Road 7. Family Dollar, 1055 Boston Post Road 8. Smoker’s Choice, 1055 Boston Post Road 9. Lumpy’s Smoke Shop, 531 Campbell Ave. 10. Morrissey’s Package Store, 625 Campbell Ave. 11. Grillo’s Market, 137 Campbell Ave. 12. Best Food Mart/Best Gas, 147 Campbell Ave. 13. Cigarette Express, 307 Captain Thomas Blvd. 14. West Haven Shell, 261 Platt Ave. 15. Sid’s Package Store, 258 Platt Ave. 16. Krauzer’s, 10 Jones Hill Road 17. Baybrook Tobacco, 4 Jones Hill Road 18. Shell, 5 Jones Hill Road 19. Krauzer’s, 191 Platt Ave. 20. Saw Mill Package Store, 317 York St. 21. York Street Market, 185 York St.
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Tickets available for Kickoff Dinner supporting Greater New Haven Italian American Heritage Fest
WEST HAVEN, April 11, 2024 — West Haven is the host community for October’s Greater New Haven Italian American Heritage Festival.
Kicking off the festivities is a dinner from 6-10 p.m. May 15 at West Haven’s Cielo Banquet Hall, 85 Chase Lane, where the city will recognize this year’s grand marshal, longtime resident Mark Consorte.
Mayor Dorinda Borer, who tapped Consorte, said: “Mark is a great representative of what the Italian culture stands for: kindness, charitable and family-oriented. As a longtime teacher, he’s mentored thousands of students with his knowledge and passion and additionally has volunteered toward organizations across our city.”
Also being recognized is West Haven Funeral Home owner Celia Pinzi, who will receive the Greater New Haven Italian American Heritage Committee’s Laura Luzzi service award.
“Celia has been there for so many of us, myself included, and I felt it was important to recognize a wonderful person who silently stays behind the scenes and doesn’t look for recognition but provides great comfort and support to our residents,” Borer said. “Celia always steps up and generously participates in our nonprofits, lifting up the community.”
In addition to West Haven, the host community rotates annually among New Haven, North Haven, Branford, East Haven and Hamden, the host of last year’s festival.
West Haven was the host for the event, which was a parade before transitioning to a festival, in 2017, 2011 and 2006.
According to organizers, the committee transitioned the parade to a festival to allow for wider participation.
The cost of the Kickoff Dinner is $50 and includes a buffet dinner, coffee and dessert, as well as a cash bar and raffles. A separate raffle will be held for two round-trip tickets on Avelo Airlines to anywhere Avelo flies out of Tweed-New Haven Airport.
To buy dinner tickets, call committee members Michael Luzzi at 203-671-9415 or Paul Frosolone at 203-887-6089.
The free Heritage Festival, in its second year, is scheduled from noon-4 p.m. Oct. 12 on the West Haven Green. The rain date is Oct. 13.
Festivities will include live music and family-friendly activities to celebrate the region’s deep-rooted Italian heritage. Details are forthcoming.
To participate in the festival as a sponsor or vendor, call the mayor’s office at 203-937-3510. |
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Marchers sought for Memorial Day parade
WEST HAVEN, March 21, 2024 — The city and the West Haven Veterans Council are seeking veterans, civic groups, fraternal organizations, service clubs and marching bands to participate in the annual Memorial Day parade, which steps off at 10:30 a.m. May 27. Participants must register and list required special accommodations for the procession, which has no rain date. The city will provide transportation for veterans who are unable to walk the 1 ½-mile parade route, which follows Campbell Avenue from Captain Thomas Boulevard to Center Street. To make arrangements, call the mayor’s office at 203-937-3510. The parade grand marshal is Gerald Cafferty, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War. Download a Participation Form. Forms are also available for pickup in the mayor’s office at City Hall, 355 Main St., where they are due May 2. Completed forms must be faxed to 203-937-3705 or mailed to the West Haven Memorial Day Parade, Office of the Mayor, 355 Main St., West Haven, CT 06516. |
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Applications available from April 1-26 for Summer Youth Employment Program in West Haven
WEST HAVEN, March 14, 2024 — Applications for the Summer Youth Employment Program will be available from April 1-26 in the main entrance at West Haven High School and the main office at Bailey Middle School.
Applications are available on the city website for students who do not attend West Haven High or Bailey. Download an Application.
The summer program, which begins July 8 and runs at least four weeks, is aimed at funding positions for low-income city residents ages 14-21.
Students must return applications, including students who downloaded them, with all required documents to West Haven High from 7-8:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and to Bailey from 8-9:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
No applications will be accepted after April 26.
Students must also include copies of information, such as a birth certificate and a Social Security card, as well as documentation of household income.
Family income is based on the number of people per household and is required to be within 185% of state poverty income levels.
In addition, some work sites will require a COVID-19 vaccination. Students must indicate their vaccination status on the application.
Incomplete applications will not be processed. Applicants will be notified by mail or phone if more information is needed. |
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