Borer reads story of FDNY 9/11 survivor Mickey Kross at West Haven 9/11 vigil

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 12, 2024 — Mayor Dorinda Borer recognized FDNY 9/11 survivor Mickey Kross and read his moving story during a candlelight vigil at the city’s 9/11 memorial Wednesday night.

Kross, a retired New York City Fire Department lieutenant who now lives in West Haven, responded to the attack on the twin towers in New York’s World Trade Center complex and survived the collapse of the north tower.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Kross’ firehouse, Engine Company 16 on Manhattan’s East 29th Street, was dispatched at 8:50 a.m. to the trade center complex. After reporting to a fire command post in the north tower’s lobby, Kross, then 55, and his firefighters headed for another command post on the 23rd floor.

Kross then received orders to evacuate. He was descending stairwell B on the north tower’s fourth floor when he heard a loud roar and the building collapsed.

A few hours later, sheltered by the stairway, Kross was among 12 FDNY members and two others who emerged relatively unscathed.

Kross later donated the black FDNY lieutenant helmet he wore on 9/11 to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at ground zero.

West Haven observed the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks with a flag-raising ceremony at the Bradley Point Park flagpole, followed by the candlelight vigil at the Richard S. Gabrielle Sept. 11 Memorial on the boardwalk next to the former Savin Rock Conference Center.

Members of the West Haven Rotary Club distributed candles and programs at the granite monument, which was paid for by the service club in 2002. It was designed by Harold J. Schaller of H.K. Peacock Memorials Inc. in Valhalla, New York.

Gabrielle, 50, of West Haven, was killed during the attack on the twin towers. An insurance broker at Aon Corp., he was last seen on the south tower’s 78th floor.

Rick Spreyer, Borer’s chief of staff, served as the master of ceremonies of the flag-raising and vigil.

The flag-raising by the West Haven Fire Department Honor Guard honored the memory of the nearly 3,000 people who died in the attacks and included remarks by city and state leaders, including Borer and Reps. Charles J. Ferraro, R-West Haven, and Bill Heffernan, D-West Haven.

It also included the national anthem and “God Bless America” sung by West Haven High School senior Zoe Powell.

The vigil featured a presentation of the colors by the West Haven Police Honor Guard, taps played by retired West Shore Fire Department Lt. Kevin McKeon and a remembrance prayer by Vertical Church Senior Pastor Ken Vance, as well as Celtic folk performances by Irish singer-songwriter Liz McNicholl, including “The Bravest,” a tribute to the heroes of 9/11.

It also included a wreath-laying and a performance of “Amazing Grace” by the New Haven County Firefighters Emerald Society Pipes & Drums.

Declared Patriot Day by Congress in 2002, the city flew flags at half-staff in recognition of the national day of remembrance.

Bysiewicz, Borer honoring veterans of Vietnam era Monday night at WHHS

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 12, 2024 — Mayor Dorinda Borer will join Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and state Veterans Affairs Commissioner Ronald M. Welch at a ceremony honoring the city’s veterans of the Vietnam War era.

The Veterans Awards Ceremony is set for 5 p.m. Monday in the West Haven High School auditorium, 1 Circle St.

Bysiewicz, Welch and Borer will recognize more than 130 West Haven veterans who served in the U.S. armed forces from 1961 to 1975.

Each veteran will receive a citation from the lieutenant governor and the mayor.

“The Vietnam era is one of the most complicated and painful in our nation’s history, and this ceremony is to say, ‘Thank you’ and ‘Welcome home’ — something these veterans never received,” Bysiewicz said. “Though our veterans never asked to be thanked or recognized, it is our responsibility to ensure that they know that we will always be grateful for their service and they will forever be our heroes.

“I want to thank West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer and the municipal staff and volunteers for their assistance in putting this ceremony together.”

Borer said: “I am deeply honored to join Lieutenant Governor Bysiewicz in recognizing this proud generation of patriots who courageously and honorably served our nation during the Vietnam War era. It is only fitting that we honor the American heroes who preserved the freedoms that make our country great.”

The ceremony will begin with a presentation of the colors by the West Haven Police Honor Guard, followed by the singing of the national anthem by West Haven High sophomore Paige Kenny.

Vietnam veteran Edward Wolkovitz will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and read a poem.

Special Olympics bocce competition returns to West Haven’s Old Grove Park on Saturday and Sunday

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 12, 2024 — Special Olympics Connecticut is thrilled to announce the return of its annual Unified Sports Fall Festival, presented by Mohegan Sun, along with its Fall Festival bocce competition at the city’s Old Grove Park bocce courts Saturday and Sunday.

“The Fall Festival will be a celebration of inclusion and athletic excellence and bring together hundreds of athletes of all abilities and their Unified Sports teammates from across the state,” said Debbie Horne, Special Olympics Connecticut’s senior director of communications and marketing.

On Saturday in West Haven, the opening ceremony will start at 9 a.m. and the bocce competition at 9:30 a.m. in Old Grove Park, 1 Palace St. The ceremony will feature a torchbearer, athletes, dignitaries and a DJ.

On Sunday, the bocce competition will start at 9:30 a.m.

“I am beyond excited to bring back home and host the Special Olympics Connecticut bocce competition in West Haven, the venue where it all started in July 1995 when the city hosted the Special Olympics World Games bocce competition,” Mayor Dorinda Borer said. “This is a full-circle moment for our city, and I encourage all residents to attend and cheer on these amazing athletes.”

The city last hosted the bocce competition nine years ago. The courts were donated and constructed by Special Olympics Connecticut in 1995.

The Unified Sports Fall Festival is open to the public and free to attend. Spectators are strongly encouraged to come out and cheer on athletes, Horne said.

In addition to the bocce competition in West Haven, sailing will take place at The Wadawanuck Club in Stonington, softball at the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Club in East Hartford and golf at Sleeping Giant Golf Course in Hamden on Saturday and Sunday.

Then, on Sept. 28-29, the croquet competition will take place at the Ocean House in Rhode Island.

For more information, visit https://www.soct.org/, email specialolympicsct@soct.org or call 203-230-1201. Also, follow Special Olympics Connecticut on Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn.

In between their games, participants at the Fall Festival softball venue will have an opportunity to take part in health activities, including oral health education offered by volunteers from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine and performance stations.

Performance stations aim to promote athletes’ well-being and competition readiness. Both activities are made possible through the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program.

In addition to presenting sponsor Mohegan Sun, sponsors of the Unified Sports Fall Festival include: the Nicholas and Karen Zoccoli Family, diamond sponsor; Steven J. Suzio Memorial Golf Tournament, gold sponsor; Feroleto Steel Co., KBE Foundation, Nirenstein, Horowitz & Associates PC, PGA-Connecticut Section, and the Singer Family, bronze sponsors; Chelsea Groton Bank Foundation and Dime Bank Foundation, supporting sponsors; Centreville Bank, Niantic Lions Club and Walter Camp Football Foundation, contributing sponsors; and Hearst Connecticut Media Group, iHeartRadio Connecticut, and NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut, media sponsors.

About Special Olympics Unified Sports

Special Olympics Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team, inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.

The Unified Sports Fall Festival is not only a celebration of athleticism and inclusion but a testament to the power of community and volunteerism. Participants will be supported by volunteers of all ages from the community and local organizations, companies and businesses.

About Special Olympics Connecticut

Special Olympics Connecticut provides year-round sports training and competitions for more than 12,000 athletes of all ages with intellectual disabilities and Unified Sports partners — their teammates without disabilities. Through the joy of sport, the Special Olympics movement transforms lives and communities throughout the state and in 190 countries around the world by promoting good health and fitness and inspiring inclusion and respect for people of all abilities, on and off the playing field.

The partner sponsors are: Bozzuto’s Inc., Connecticut Elks Association, Enterprise, ESPN, Eversource, The Hometown Foundation, Knights of Columbus, Law Enforcement Torch Run, NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut, Pratt & Whitney, Webster Bank, and WWE.

The year-round suppliers are: Adams Hometown Markets/IGA Hometown Supermarkets, Bozzuto’s Inc., Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Hearst Connecticut Media Group, iHeartRadio Connecticut, N&D Sports, NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut, Pepperidge Farm, Connecticut Judicial Branch Community Service, and WORX.

Special Olympics Connecticut Contact Information

Debbie Horne, Senior Director, Communications and Marketing

Cell: 203-889-6002 | Email: debbieh@soct.org

https://www.soct.org/

Bulk pickup is Sept. 16-20, e-waste drop-off is Sept. 28

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 12, 2024 — The final bulk trash pickup week of 2024 is Sept. 16-20.

West Haven residents are reminded to separate metals, recyclables and regular trash from bulk trash and put them out no more than 24 hours before pickup. Violations carry a $100 fine per daily offense, acting Public Works Commissioner Robert Sandella said.

Residents are also reminded to “Put a Lid on It!” and use lids on all trash cans. Rain-soaked trash costs West Haven 10 times more at the dump, according to Sandella, adding that using trash can lids will save the city money by reducing the weight of trash and cost of tipping fees.

Bulk items include couches, chairs, tables, carpeting, padding and fencing, which may not exceed 6 feet in length. No building materials, tires, mattresses, propane tanks or hazardous waste are accepted.

Options for disposing of building materials include renting a dumpster or bringing the materials to a disposal facility for a fee.

Tires and mattresses are not considered bulk trash and will not be collected.

Tires can be brought to Town Fair Tire, 63 Boston Post Road, Orange, for a fee of $3.75 per tire.

To dispose of mattresses, residents must buy mattress bags from the Department of Public Works and put them out for pickup on their weekly curbside collection day through Nov. 1. Mattress pickup will resume June 1, 2025. Mattress bags cost $30 for the first one and $20 each after that. They are payable by cash and available in the public works office on the third floor of City Hall, 355 Main St.

Hazardous waste can be dropped off for free at HazWaste Central, 90 Sargent Drive, New Haven. HazWaste is open Saturday mornings through October.

Propane tanks can be brought to Taylor Rental, 304 Boston Post Road, Orange, for a fee of $10.60 per tank.

The amount of bulk trash per collection is limited to 6 cubic yards, which is equal to a pile of trash about 6 feet long, 6 feet wide and 4 ½ feet high.

Homeowners are required to rent a dumpster or hire a junk removal service at their expense if trash exceeds 6 cubic yards. Otherwise, trash exceeding 6 cubic yards will be left at the curb, and a $100 fine per daily offense will be imposed, Sandella said.

To prevent a potential fine, property owners should familiarize themselves with the city’s trash guidelines at Public Works.

Bulk trash must be generated by the customer at the residential unit where it is collected. Trash will not be collected if it is generated by anyone other than the resident of the home.

Bulk items must be separated and orderly. Do not place them next to a mailbox or utility pole or close to a fence, Sandella said.

Also, do not place bulk items in front of a vacant lot or home — they will not be collected, he said.

Details at Bulk Trash Pickup & Other Services.

In addition to bulk trash, the city picks up metals, including household appliances, also known as white goods, and toilets. To schedule a pickup on their curbside collection day, residents must call the Highway Department at 203-937-3644 or 203-937-3585. Appliance doors must be removed.

Leaf bags are picked up through Dec. 13. The bags are picked up on residents’ weekly collection days. Leaves and grass clippings must be in separate biodegradable paper bags and will not be accepted if they are in plastic bags.

The city also picks up brush that is cut into 3-to-6-foot lengths and tied in small bundles, no more than 70 pounds. Logs and stumps are prohibited.

Residents can bring grass clippings as well as bagged leaves and untied brush to the compost site, 1 Kimberly Ave., from 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturdays. The first cubic yard of compost is free with proof of residence. Additional compost costs $25 per cubic yard. Residents must bring buckets and shovels.

Prior to picking up compost, residents must make a cash payment in the public works office on the third floor of City Hall. No credit cards or personal checks are accepted.

For electronic items, including TVs, the final e-waste drop-off day of the year is Sept. 28.

Residents can drop off electronic recyclables — typically anything that contains a circuit board or needs a battery — from 8 a.m.-noon at the city garage, 1 Collis St.

West Haven is partnering with Take 2 Inc. of Waterbury, a state-approved recycler and collector of universal e-waste devices, to collect residential electronic items on a quarterly basis.

The collection is free for residents who have such items as computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, modems, computer mice, tablet computers, TVs, VCRs, DVD players, photocopiers, fax machines, scanners, video game machines, digital media players, personal digital assistants, stereo equipment, telephones, cellphones, cameras, microwaves and other small appliances.

Anything that has refrigerant, including air conditioners and dehumidifiers, is not accepted. Those items are considered white goods, and residents are asked to schedule a pickup on their curbside collection day by calling the Highway Department.

Details at E-waste Drop-off.

For the e-waste drop-off, residents are asked to heed the following guidelines:

— Stay in your vehicle.

— Vehicles will be spaced out. Event workers will remove electronics from your vehicle. There should be no interaction between residents and workers.

— No mattresses or box springs will be disposed of at the moment.

— No smoke detectors, ballasts or hazardous waste — lighter fluid, liquids, paint — will be accepted.

— Electronic items left curbside will be tagged with information on the e-waste schedule and must be removed, or face a potential fine.

For the latest news and information, subscribe to the city’s Facebook page at West Haven City Hall.

West Haven Senior Center member Christine Ruggiero marks 100th birthday

WEST HAVEN, Sept. 10, 2024 — (Pictured): West Haven Senior Center member Christine Ruggiero receives a citation in honor of her 100th birthday from Mayor Dorinda Borer during a celebration with fellow members Tuesday.

Borer recognized the centenarian and “avid bingo player” for “leading a remarkable life.”

Reading the citation, Borer said, “Your rich legacy is a source of inspiration for all Westies and is rooted in the heart of the American spirit.”

Ruggiero, who was accompanied by her caretaker, Carlene McKnight, received a bouquet of flowers and three gold balloons forming “100” from Elderly Services Director Alyssa Maddern, who oversees the center at 201 Noble St.

Ruggiero, a lifelong city resident, is a 1942 graduate of West Haven High School. She has a son and a granddaughter.

(City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

Tony Inzero Farmers Market every Thursday on West Haven Green, every Saturday at Oak Street Beach

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 27, 2024 — The Tony Inzero Farmers Market is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday on the Green, at Campbell Avenue and Main Street, and every Saturday next to the Oak Street Beach parking lot, off Captain Thomas Boulevard.

The market will include state farmers selling homegrown fruits and vegetables and crafters selling homemade wares through Oct. 12.

Parking is available on Campbell Avenue and in the City Hall municipal lot, 355 Main St., as well as in the Oak Street municipal lot and on Palace Street. Oak Street is on the senior shuttle route and the CTtransit route.

The farmers market was dedicated in 2010 in memory of Anthony F. “Tony” Inzero, a leader in the downtown business community who co-owned Flower Affair on Campbell Avenue with Betty DelVecchio for many years. Inzero was a founding member and longtime president of the West Haven Business Association who spearheaded a variety of events and programs to drum up business for fellow merchants, including the first farmers market in 2000.

Inzero, who lived in Hamden, died in 2009 at age 59.

Mayor Dorinda Borer launches new marketing video showcase, ‘Summers in West Haven — Feel the Vibe!’

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 21, 2024 — Mayor Dorinda Borer has launched “Summers in West Haven — Feel the Vibe!”, the latest video showcase in the city’s new promotional series, “Discover West Haven.”

Check out the video.