Release from Hamden schools and the LWV --

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Hamden-North Haven League of Women Voters has arranged for author, Jill Tietjen, to visit Hamden High School on Wednesday in Room C-107 at Hamden High School from 9:00 – 10:30 AM.  Tietjen will present “Her Story: A Timeline of the Women Who Changed America.” She will share her knowledge about the many fascinating women who helped to shape America, including a woman microbiologist’s discovery that led to the pasteurization of milk, a woman chemist who invented the synthetic fiber, Kevlar, and a woman who patented the process that gives the grocery bag its square bottom.  Students will learn about the impact women have had on the intellectual, social and political development of American society.

Tietjen is a licensed electrical engineer from Colorado who works within the power generation industry and serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Transmission Corporation.  She is a well-known historian of women in science and technology.  Ms. Tietjen has established and endowed national and local scholarships for women in engineering and technology and has received numerous awards from engineering, civic and social organizations.  Ms. Tietjen is listed in Who’s Who in Engineering, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering and Who’s Who in Technology.  She has written or co-authored five books and 75 articles.

HAMDEN -- The local Democratic and Republican parties are meeting this week to choose delegates for the 2012 nominating conventions.

Democratic Town Chairman Lewis Panzo said the Democratic Town Committee will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Senior Center, Miller Memorial Library,

2901 Dixwell Ave

.

Delegates will be chosen to attend the state convention for a U.S. Senate candidate, the 3rd District Congressional Convention and conventions  
for the 11^th and 17^th State Senate districts, and for the 94^th State Representative district.

For more information, please contact HDTC Recording Secretary Joseph McDonagh by e-mail, at josephpmcdonagh@gmail.com, or at 203-676-6271.

And at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, the Hamden Republican Town Committee will meeet to select delegates to attend Republican conventions, according to Town Chairman Ron Gambardella. The GOP also will meet at the Miller Senior Center. 

Registered Republicans who are interested in becoming delegates need to attend this meeting to be considered for a position.  Call or email Ron for more information rongam@yahoo.com or 203-281-5512.

A little birdie reported to me that today is the birthday of the man who wrote one of the greatest love songs of all time, "In the Still of the Night."
Fred Parris of Five Satins, Happy Birthday!

Hamden PTA Council’s 7^th Annual Summer Camp Fair
Saturday March 24, 10:30 – 1 PM

Over 25 camps already registered.

It’s one-stop-shopping for the camps and programs that will keep your children happy and busy this summer!

There will be many different sporting, enrichment, academic, fun and adventure programs, to choose from.  We’ll have local and regional, day and overnight camps, for all ages.

Stop by to pick up information and speak with camp representatives.

Admission is free and open to the public.

Marjorie Clark

VP of Membership

Hamden PTA Council

www.hamdenpta.org

I know I'm late in reporting this, but I can't leave the office Friday night without reminding you about the talented young people who will be on stage this weekend at the Square Foot Theater in the Hamden Plaza and at Hamden Middle School, 2623 Dixwell Ave.
A talented cast of young performers in 2nd - 8th grades will be performing the junior version of Bugsy Malone, directed by Jared Andrew Brown, this weekend, March 8-11 at The Square Foot Theatre in The Hamden Plaza. Call 203-464-8212 to reserve your tix and for more information. Saturday night's performance is a special benefit featuring the band Saville Row. BYOB and light food served. Raffles too.
And, the Whitney Players Theater Company is doing Footloose. Saturday night at 7:30 and Sunday at 2 p.m. are the last shows. Tickets $18, general admission, $15 students/seniors. Call 203-314-8599 for info on the show directed by Cindy Simell Devoe.

A press release from the middle school:

The North Haven Middle School will host their 4th annual St. Baldrick’s event. Students, teachers and other volunteers will have their heads shaved to stand in solidarity with kids fighting cancer. St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers. Last year the event raised over $50,000. This year the goal is $75,000. It is a fun-filled family event with pizza, crepes & coffee from Perk on Main; music from the local and school bands and face painting from Once Upon a Face Design. Executive Auto Group of North Haven is another local sponsor. Come out and support this special event.

HAMDEN -- Ann Altman, a Whitneyville resident, has been elected chairwoman of the Planning and Zoning Commission by a 5-3-1 vote.
Altman replaces Joseph McDonagh, who chose not to run again for the commission. Altman was vice chair for two years. Previously, she chaired both the planning and zoning sections of the commission. The commission changed its bylaws in 2009 and to streamline activities,  abolished the sections, and  now meets as the entire Commission twice a month. 
Altman said she wanted to be chairwoman because she has to be someone an institutional memory of the commission's actions; she has seniority on the commission and she has a  thorough understanding of Robert's Rules of Order. "In addition, I served on the Sub-Committee that rewrote the Zoning Regulations and, in fact, I copy-edited the entire document as part of my effort to familiarize myself with all the details.  Election to Chair seemed to flow naturally from my prior six years of activity on the Commission," Altman said..
Her goals are:

*   Complete transparency - so that all members of the Commission and the public have access to all the information that we use to make our decisions;
 *   Development of the public's understanding of the legal limits to the Commission's authority.

" I recognize that it is a great honor to be elected the first woman Chair of the Commission and I hope that I shall live up to the confidence placed in me by my colleagues on the Commission," she said.
Brack Poirier, Peter Reynolds and Michele Mastropetre opposed her election.

Ronald Gambardella, former councilman and mayoral candidate, was unanimously elected chairman of the Hamden Republican Town Committee last week. He succeeds Lee Campo.

Mr. Gambardella issued the following statement on Tuesday:

“I am both humbled and appreciative that Hamden Republicans entrusted me to lead the party over the next two years,” he said. 

He noted that Republicans hold two seats on the Legislative Council, as a result of the November election, when the GOP lost three seats.  They retained only the two at-large seats reserved for the minority party. Reacting to the November loss, he said, “there is no question the Republican Party must rebuild and provide a clear choice to voters in the next election. Voters will have to make a decision whether they want more of the same:  higher taxes, more spending and greater amounts of debt, or do they want to end the reckless spending by this and prior Democratic administrations”.

To "reshape and transform" the party, Gambardella said both he and the Republican Town Committee will focus on four areas:

1. Increased Republican voter registration

2. Active candidate and volunteer recruitment

3. Fundraising

4. Shaping a local party platform and message that will attract the support of the residents of Hamden.

HAMDEN -- A tax increase for 2012-13 is inevitable.
At a meeting of the Legislative Council Monday night, Chief Administrative Officer Curt Balzano Leng reported that Mayor Scott D. Jackson and he are on the "19th cut" of the proposed budget, which Jackson will present to the council on March 15.
Leng said that between  department requests, increases in medical self-insurance and needing to reserve a "reasonable amount" for the severely underfunded pension fund, there was a "minimum of $25 million" requested in the original budget calculations.
That would mean taxes would go up 6 mills, but folks ... don't get nervous... you won't see that number.
Leng said town officials are doing what they can to reduce the figure. "A lot of things are on the table. Potential department reorganizations, various ways to reduce medical self-insurance and a variety of pension solutions in order to get a sound budget that stabilizes finances without overtaxing residents."
Also Monday night, residents of southern Hamden returned to the council to keep their needs front and center. Residents who live on streets from Mill Rock Road to Goodrich Street attended for the second month to tell council members they need help on their streets. From potholes to bad sidewalks, to blight, they want town officials to pay attention.
"My street floods terribly. The sidwalks are busted up," said Norma Gorham of 331 Mill Rock Road.
Gloria Faber said she was concerned about who owns the land behind the Mill  Rock condos because it is eroding. She also complained that it doesn't seem as if the cars belonging to visitors of the ball field across the street from her condo get parking tickets, yet she got one.
Other residents made other comments and Councilwoman Kath Schomaker, D-5, said that she has kept track of what they and others said during a recent visit to the neighborhood. She forwarded that list to Leng, who also said that the town has gotten some work done in the neighborhood, but more has to be done.

For immediate release Gastroenterology Center of Connecticut, PC is giving back to the community with its third annual "Free 30-in-30" Program during Colon Cancer Awareness Month. The physicians of Gastroenterology Center of Connecticut, PC and anesthesiologists of Milford Anesthesia Associates announce their "Free 30-in- 30" program which will provide 30 free colonoscopies in 30 days to patients that have been impacted by the economy.
As a result of last year’s 30-in-30 program, we performed 30 free screening colonoscopies, removed over 47 polyps, 7 precancerous polyps, diagnosed diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis and hemorrhoids. This proved to be a successful program for all patients and allowed our providers to give back to their community.
As of March 1
Colon Cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. Early detection can increase the rate of survival. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country and third leading cause of cancer death. While early screening has reduced the incidence of colorectal cancer, the ACS estimates that about half of the eligible population has not been screened.
"As gastroenterologists, we see how colorectal cancer dramatically affects the lives of people regardless of race, sex, or socioeconomic status. We know that there are safe and effective ways of preventing this disease starting with screening. At a time of record unemployment, there are many people who will not be screened due to loss of their health insurance," said Philip Jaffe, MD and Managing Partner of Gastroenterology Center of Connecticut, P.C. "Unfortunately, delays in screening can lead to devastating consequences for many families that are already suffering through extremely difficult times. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month and a good time to address this growing problem. We are pleased to be able to provide this service and are also indebted to the Gastroenterology Center of Connecticut Pathology Laboratory, Milford Anesthesia Associates, Dr. George Yavorek, The Hospital of Saint Raphael, the Departments of Pathology and Radiology at Hospital of Saint Raphael and the Department of Anesthesiology at Hospital of Saint Raphael, who have all agreed to provide their ancillary service including pathology interpretation, surgery, radiology, hospitalization and other services free of charge."
Mark B. Taylor, MD and Managing Partner of Gastroenterology Center of Connecticut, P.C. adds, "Our physicians already provide healthcare to many uninsured and underinsured patients through our work in the clinics at the Hospital of Saint Raphael and this program is a natural extension of these services. It is our sincere hope that by doing our part to help people in the community we can have a positive impact on their lives."
For more information about our program, please contact Michele at (203) 281-4463 x5171. st, 2012 the physicians of Gastroenterology Center of Connecticut, PC, and anesthesiologists of Milford Anesthesia Associates are donating their time and facilities again in Hamden and Guilford to perform 30 free screening colonoscopies to help those in our communities who are without health insurance.

Folks,
Try to get to North Haven High tonight at 7 for the drama program's final performance of "Hairspray" under the direction of Kathryn Grassi.
Tickets are $15 at the door. The school is at 221 Elm St. Ext., North Haven.