The Whiffenpoofs performing Nov. 1 concert at West Haven Vets Museum

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 9, 2025 — Yale University’s Whiffenpoofs, the nation’s best-known collegiate a cappella group, are performing a special concert at the West Haven Veterans Museum on Nov. 1, Mayor Dorinda Borer announced.

The concert is presented by the city and will take place at 30 Hood Terrace.

Tickets are $15 and sold at the door, which opens at 3:30 p.m. The concert starts at 4 p.m.

Because seating is limited, people are encouraged to preregister by emailing whveteransmuseum@gmail.com or calling 203-934-1111.

Ticket sale proceeds will benefit the museum, a living history of America at war.

The Whiffenpoofs are America’s oldest collegiate a cappella group, founded in 1909, and have become one of Yale’s most celebrated traditions.

Singing a mixture of old Yale tunes, jazz standards and other hits from across the decades, the Whiffenpoofs perform more than 200 concerts across six continents each year, according to its website.

‘Late great’ Vinnie Carr named West Haven’s Italian American of the Year; ceremony set for noon Friday

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 9, 2025 — Mayor Dorinda Borer and the West Haven Italian Heritage Committee will honor the late great Vinnie Carr as the city’s posthumous Italian American of the Year at the 26th annual Italian Heritage Celebration.

Carr, the grandson of emigrant grandparents from Naples, Italy, was known around West Haven for entertaining audiences as the dynamic leader of Vinnie Carr and the Party Band and the Vinnie Carr Orchestra and for serving as a musical ambassador of his proud Italian ancestry.

His widow, Denise LaMonica Carr, will receive the Italian American of the Year award on his behalf during a City Hall ceremony at noon Friday.

Accompanied by Italian music and guided by Borer, members of the committee and the West Haven Italian American Civic Association will escort Carr’s wife and their children, Vinnie Carr Jr., 32, and Daniella Carr, 28, to the steps of City Hall for his posthumous recognition.

“This award is bestowed posthumously on Vinnie Carr and is presented annually to a resident of Italian descent who exemplifies the values of our community while demonstrating exceptional service and dedication,” Borer said. “As a long-standing Westie, Vinnie personified these enduring qualities through his music and his inspiring contributions to our vibrant Italian American community.”

Borer and longtime committee member Paul M. Frosolone tapped Carr for this year’s honor during a July visit at the retired performer’s West Shore home.

Sadly, less than a month later, on Aug. 26, Carr died at age 78 after a long illness.

Denise Carr will pay tribute to her late husband’s Italian lineage with scores of friends and loved ones, along with an array of dignitaries and descendants of folks from the old country clad in red, white and green.

She said Carr was “honored” and “looked forward” to receiving the award from Borer and the committee for his Italian musical legacy.

“When people would ask if Vinnie gets tired working all day at different events, especially at Christmas time, he would say: ‘I’ll never get tired of this. I don’t consider what I do as work. If I can make people feel good with my music and entertainment, then I had a great day!’”

Carr Jr. added: “My father was a great man who definitely touched many lives all across West Haven and Greater New Haven, including seniors and people of all generations. He did it his way, and his way was what made him happy. Music was his passion, but his first passion was his family.”

At the City Hall ceremony, Denise Carr will receive a glass-framed citation from Borer for her husband’s civic-minded good works.

She will also receive an Italian flag from Frosolone, the president of the Italian American Civic Association, and the association’s Ladies Auxiliary.

The cultural event will include remarks by Borer and her chief of staff, Rick Spreyer, the master of ceremonies. Before an Italian blessing, West Haven’s own Liz Levy will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the Italian national anthem, “II Canto degli Italiani.”

In observance of Italian American Heritage Month, West Haven recognizes the unique traditions of Americans of Italian descent and celebrates the story of generations of Italian sons and daughters who came to the United States seeking hope and opportunity to reach for the American dream.

Carr’s paternal and maternal grandparents left their home on the western coast of southern Italy and came to America for a better future, settling in New Haven.

In the daring spirit of Italians who charted a course for millions of immigrants who followed their crossing to America, Carr and his grandparents are a testament to the diversity and promise of the United States.

Carr was born Vincent Stephen Carfora in New Haven in 1947 to Pasquale and Julia Parillo Carfora.

A 1965 graduate of Wilbur Cross High School, Carr served in the Army before becoming a New Haven police officer. He later focused his attention on his popular band, playing the keyboard and performing music from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s.

According to Denise Carr, the Vinnie Carr Orchestra performed for countless occasions back in the day, playing two to three shows a day in lounges, dance halls and senior centers.

Vinnie Carr also served as the West Haven Senior Center’s resident musician for more than 40 years and received a city citation at the center’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2018, thanking him “for all the memories.”

He regularly headlined the West Haven Green and boardwalk and provided the Italian music at the city’s heritage events.

Denise Carr said that one of her husband’s fondest memories was performing for “a sea of people” at the 1975 Italian festival in New Haven’s Wooster Square.

“Playing music for live audiences and watching them dance and sing in response to his music made Vinnie happiest,” she said.

Borer added: “For over a half-century, Vinnie Carr brought joy to so many in the New Haven area with his music and talent. His captivating performances at local Italian festivals and on community greens cemented his legacy as a top entertainer.”

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Carr served as then-Mayor H. Richard Borer Jr.’s one-man house band and sidekick on “The Mayor’s Office,” Borer’s public access TV show at the time.

In his private life, Carr loved to travel and vacation with his family.

“When not traveling, he would relax at home, tanning in the sun and enjoying a cigar,” Denise Carr said.

First-ever Westie Pawlooza raises more than $2K for West Haven Animal Shelter

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 9, 2025 — The city held its first-ever dog festival, Westie Pawlooza, in Old Grove Park on Saturday to raise money for the West Haven Animal Shelter.

Dogs and their owners came from as far as New Jersey to buy raffle tickets, support 12 local vendors, dress up their pups, and get some free pup cups and Frisbee discs.

The benefit was sponsored by Green Fur Kidz Inc. and raised about $2,500 for the animal shelter, based at 7 Collis St.

It was organized by Green Fur Kidz executive board member Meli Garthwait, of West Haven, with help from Margaret Longo, a program coordinator at the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Animal rescue organizations Halfway Home Rescue and Army’s Legacy were on-site with rescue dogs up for adoption, while Blind Drive and Dj Rui Reis provided the music.

A K-9 demonstration was given by West Haven police K-9 Sgt. Thomas Marchitto and his police dog, Ado, along with K-9 Officer James Tortora. Training tips were provided by trainer Michelle Douglas of The Refined Canine LLC.

The event included the Old Mexico and Waffles on Wheels food trucks.

Special thanks to the city and all who attended and donated.

Energy assistance offered in West Haven

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 8, 2025 — The city is accepting applications for the federally funded Connecticut Energy Assistance Program.

Appointments for all heating sources can be made by calling 203-937-3572.

Applications will be processed via phone by appointment Monday through Thursday. No walk-ins will be accepted.

Applicants who have difficulty speaking English are asked to have a translator.

Eligibility for assistance is based on the income of an applicant’s household. To qualify, applicants must provide pay stubs, including monthly Social Security benefits and pension incomes, for all household members 18 and older.

Applicants must also provide SNAP benefits, Social Security numbers and birth dates for all household members, as well as current utility bills for the household.

5th annual public safety expo marks Fire Prevention Week in West Haven; ‘record crowd’ turns out

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 8, 2025 — For the fifth year in a row, the city joined West Haven’s three fire departments to celebrate Fire Prevention Week at an exposition of all things fire, emergency management, public safety, police and health at Savin Rock Park on Saturday.

A record crowd turned out for the West Haven Fire, Emergency Management, 911 ERS, Police & Health Expo, which brought together families and first responders — firefighters, police officers, EMTs, health care professionals — from across the state for hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations to promote public safety education.

The large public exhibition, fittingly held on the eve and 103rd anniversary of Fire Prevention Week, was organized by West Haven Fire Department Chief James P. O’Brien, West Shore Fire Department Chief Rafael Zayas, City of West Haven Fire Department Allingtown Chief Michael R. Terenzio and retired city Human Resources Commissioner Beth A. Sabo, who is now a volunteer in Mayor Dorinda Borer’s office.

West Haven’s storied fire service includes the independent West Haven Fire Department, which serves the First Fire Taxation, or Center, District, and the independent West Shore Fire Department, which serves the Shore’s 2nd District. It also includes the 3rd District’s formerly independent Allingtown Fire Department, which was taken over by the city in July 2012 and is now known as the City of West Haven Fire Department Allingtown.

Collectively, the departments have been in operation for 356 years: West Haven since 1888, Allingtown since 1907 and West Shore since 1918.

The free shoreline exposition featured an array of fire engine and firetruck displays, including antique fire apparatus. The colorful fleet was spread along the park grounds of historic Savin Rock.

The five-hour expo included marine units, a hazmat trailer and rides in West Haven’s 1935 Mack pump firetruck, along with live music.

It will also include SkyHealth, Yale New Haven Health’s emergency patient transport helicopter, as well as educational demonstrations on smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, drone technology, home fire sprinklers, and fire code and investigation.

Danny, the West Haven Fire Department’s station and therapy dog, and Sparky the Fire Dog engaged with children.

Members of West Haven Professional Firefighters Local 1198 collected for their annual charity event benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

On the Savin Rock stage, INITY, a reggae dance band, performed a set of soulful, funky reggae favorites. The concert was sponsored by Surfside Veterans.

West Haven Fire Marshal Roger Sicotte and West Shore Fire Marshal Kevin Mullen demonstrated the departments’ smoke trailer and showed children what to do in case of a fire. Sicotte and Mullen also displayed information on fire education and prevention.

West Haven and West Shore firefighters demonstrated the Jaws of Life tool by prying open parts of a vehicle to free those trapped inside. The vehicle was provided by Bruneau’s Garage of West Haven.

As part of Allingtown’s Child Safety Car Seat Installation and Inspection Program, firefighters led by Capt. Jason Cameron installed car seats for people. They also inspected those already installed to ensure that the portable seats were properly fastened for securing small children. The department has installed over 200 car seats in the past four years.

Representatives from the Coast Guard and other armed forces and members of the University of New Haven’s Fire Science Club and Paramedicine Program presented information on programs. Members of the UNH club also showed children and adults how to use a fire extinguisher.

Retired West Haven fire Lt. William Heffernan III, the department’s historian, showed his 1920 Ford Model T firetruck, while his son, volunteer William Heffernan IV, sold the department’s 125th anniversary merchandise.

Dispatcher Sydney Beaton of the 911 Communications Center at West Haven police headquarters educated people on the city’s Emergency Reporting System and handed out coloring books, emergency care kits and other informational materials.

Members of the West Haven police Special Response Team showed the department’s BearCat armored vehicle, and Detective Sgt. Jordan Zwickler showed the department’s new crime scene van. Crime prevention Sgt. Scott Allard and school resource and training officers gave out informational materials on public safety, crime prevention and law enforcement programs, along with promotional items. Animal control officers handed out information on programs and services.

Also, K-9 demonstrations were held by West Haven police K-9 Sgt. Thomas Marchitto and his police dog, Ado, and K-9 Officer James Tortora and his police dog, Gamble. They were joined by Trooper Kyle Faucher of the Connecticut State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit and his arson dog, Aruba.

Renowned UConn Health functional neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Connor accompanied members of the Veterans with Disabilities Task Force to discuss neuromodulation, a therapeutic technique that involves altering the activity of the nervous system to treat various medical conditions, including work-related injuries and illnesses, by delivering electrical or chemical signals to specific nerves or regions of the brain through an implanted device, called Vivistim. The groundbreaking medical treatment helps people, especially veterans and first responders, regain function, independence and dignity.

Connor and task force members were joined by stroke survivor and neuromodulation surgery patient Anthony Pelliccio, a former North Haven volunteer firefighter. Pelliccio had a stroke in 2021 and lost the use of his right arm — and much of his freedom.

Earlier this year, Pelliccio had neuromodulation Vivistim implant surgery, and now he can drive and walk at length again. The successful surgery was performed by Connor, the director of functional and epilepsy neurosurgery at UConn Health’s Department of Neurosurgery in Farmington.

Community health coordinator Andressa Mikita of the West Haven Health Department displayed informational materials on flu season education, vaccines and substance use treatment options. Mikita also passed out CPR masks, fentanyl test strips and naloxone, the opioid-overdose antidote. In addition, people spun the department’s “Wheel of Wellness” for a chance to win a promotional item after answering a question about mental health, diet, exercise, medication safety or the 988 hotline.

Representatives from the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center displayed information on health care services, and representatives from the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation, including Allingtown Board of Fire Commissioners Chairwoman Iris Diaz, signed up participants for clinical trial research studies.

Amanda Foertsch, a representative of the West Haven Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, presented information on the city’s Community Emergency Response Team, storm preparation, post-storm recovery, and natural and human-made disasters.

Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana said the CERT program, which needs volunteers, educates volunteers on disaster preparedness for hazards that could impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations.

Foertsch also signed up residents for the city’s emergency notification system to receive alerts. Sign up at https://www.cityofwesthaven.com/alerts.

The Citizen Notification System enables the city to quickly provide residents with critical information in various situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons, and building or neighborhood evacuations, Fontana said.

The system is operated in partnership with Everbridge Inc. of Burlington, Massachusetts, the world leader in incident notification systems.

Once registered in Everbridge’s protected database, the site will send subscribers time-sensitive messages via cell, home or business phones, email or text messages, hard-of-hearing receiving devices, and more. The notifications are broadcast through West Haven’s Emergency Operations Center.

See the photo gallery here.

New West Haven bakery, Gusto, opens on Wagner Place at Sawmill Rd., Elm St.

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 8, 2025 — (Pictured): Mayor Dorinda Borer, center, helps Gusto Bakery owner Jesus Paredes, center right, cut the ribbon to celebrate the bakery’s grand opening at 17 Wagner Place on Friday.

Joining the ribbon-cutting are, from left, West Haven state Rep. Bill Heffernan, 4th District Councilman Gary Donovan, business community friend Anthony Reilly, Gusto employees and Simon McDonald, the director of membership and marketing at the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber-organized ceremony was also marked by West Haven Economic Development Director Steve Fontana and chamber board members Robert Creigh and Erin Eberhardt, the owner of West Shore Associates of West Haven.

The event featured remarks by Borer, McDonald and Paredes, the son and grandson of bakers, who thanked the mayor and the chamber for welcoming his business to West Haven.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our community,” Borer said, “and I look forward to watching your bakery grow and thrive in West Haven.”

Gusto is located in a small-business plaza at Sawmill Road and Elm Street and is the second bakery to open near the center of West Haven since Peschell’s Pastry Shop closed at 107 Campbell Ave. in 2013 after 67 years of business.

The new 1,800-square-foot bakery specializes in a variety of house-made breads, cakes, cannoli, cookies, doughnuts, flan, pastries and rolls.

Paredes also sells baked goods to wholesalers across Connecticut and New York.

Gusto is open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday from 6 a.m.-3 p.m. The space was formerly occupied by Kidz Clothing Closet.

(City Photo/Steve Fontana)

Important Info for West Haven Residents Who Selected to Use the Quarterly Tax Payment Option

Dear West Haven Residents:

While the city sent out letters to banks and mortgage companies letting them know that residents had an option to pay taxes in four installments this year, it appears that some mortgage companies sent out checks to mortgage holders for overpayment of escrow. Prior to cashing a check from your bank or mortgage company, please confirm with your mortgage company that your escrow account remains sufficient to cover the three remaining installments for this tax year. The second installment is due Oct. 1, 2025.

Tony Inzero Farmers Market open through Oct. 11

WEST HAVEN, Oct. 8, 2025 — The 2025 season of the Tony Inzero Farmers Market is in full swing.

The 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 feature homegrown fruits and vegetables, baked goods and homemade crafts through Oct. 11.

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.