HAMDEN -- The Brown Stone House, one of Hamden's favorite breakfast and lunch places, is reopening on Friday (May 4) from renovations that began on Monday.
Owner George Giosmas said that prices from the 1960s will be in effect Friday only during regular hours from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 2365 Whitney Ave., corner of Dixwell.
The Brown Stone has been in business for more than 60 years and its location across from Memorial Town Hall has made it a popular stomping ground for local politicians and town hall workers to chew the fat, so to speak.
Mayor Scott D. Jackson is scheduled to appear at the Brown Stone at 10 a.m. Friday to provide a proclamation to Giosmas and his crew.

HAMDEN -- In an effort to spread holiday cheer, the Arts, Recreation and Culture Department on Saturday will host the annual Silverbells festival.

Activities will take place between the Miller Cultural Center, 2901 Dixwell Ave., and Town Center Park, 2761 Dixwell Ave. The event culminates with caroling and the annual tree lighting at 4:15 and a visit from Santa at 4:30 p.m.

From 2 to 4 p.m. there will be face painting at Miller. The Robert Rogers Puppet Theater will present "The Steadfast Tin Solider at 2:30 p.m. Admission is $2 for children and $3 for adults.

At the Town Center Park, hayrides will be from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Carousel rides, holiday crafts, button making, face painting, free cider, and munchies will be available.

Caroling with the Hamden Girl Scouts, will be at 3:45.

Members of the community are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy to donate to the Hamden Kids Holiday Toy Drive.

In the event of heavy rain, or snow outdoor activities will be postponed to Sunday. For more information visit, http://www.hamdenartscommission.org.

HAMDEN -- A fall festival celebrating everything Whitneyville takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15..
Local vendors, artisans, musicians and businesses will gather for the Whitneyville Fall Festival at Putnam and Whitney avenues. Parking is in the municipal lot.
There will be jewelry, art, photography, children’s activities, face painting, book readings, yoga demonstrators and more.
For more information visit the Whitneyville Fall Festival facebook.com page.

HAMDEN -- The 12th annual Brooksvale Fall Festival is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the park at 524 Brooksvale Ave. The rain date is Sunday Oct. 16.
There will be music, all kinds of activities like hay rides and pony rides. All sorts of displays, including the reptires taken care of by the Hamden High School Reptile Club. Admission is free but there is a charge for some activities.


NORTH HAVEN -- The annual business expo, "Show and Sell," takes place Saturday Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at North Haven High School, 221 Elm St. Ext. 10/15
The public is invited to see what local businesses have to offer. There will be give-aways and items for sale, including food.
New this year is child care provided by Sunnyside Up, and there will be children’s entertainment and activities so parents can view the expo.

HAMDEN -- The League of Women Voters of Hamden-North Haven and the Hamden Land Trust Alliance is co-sponsoring a mayoral debate that will focus on open space and sustainability from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday Oct. 18.
It will be held at Thornton Wilder Hall, Miller Cultural Complex, 2901 Dixwell Ave. Democratic Mayor Scott D. Jackson, attorney Matthew Corcoran, the Republican candidate, and Charles Baltayan, a businessman who is the independent candidate, will participate.
For more information, contact Eileen M. O’Neill at Eileen@eoecodesigns.com.

NORTH HAVEN -- North Haven’s Substance Abuse Action Council is offering a free parent education series, Courage to Speak-Courageous Parenting 101® developed by the Courage to Speak® Foundation starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18..
The free four-part class, which will also be at 7 p.m. Oct. 25, Nov. 1 and Nov. 15, will teach parents about substance abuse and give them the knowledge and skills to keep children safe.
Parents will learn effective communication strategies; gain confidence to talk to their children about the dangers of drugs; understand how to set clear rules and boundaries with their children related to use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; and gain confidence in knowing how to deal with substance use among their children.
For more information contact: Nancy Leddy, North Haven Community Services at 203-239-5321 or leddy.nancy@town.north-haven.ct.us, and visit http://www.couragetospeak.org/.

NORTH HAVEN -- The North Haven Fire Department, in conjunction with the North Haven Fire Commission, will host a series of open houses for town residents to view the condition of fire stations that are being considered for a $9 million renovation.
All fire stations will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday Oct. 16 and  Nov. 20.
Residents can also visit the Montowese Co. 2, 282 Quinnipiac Ave., from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays; Northeast Co. 4, 268 Washington Ave., from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays; fire headquarters, 11 Broadway, from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and West Ridge Co. 3, 1331 Ridge Road, from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays.
Firefighters will be on duty at all stations to answer any questions.

NEW HAVEN -- The Saint Patrick’s Neighborhood Reunion Committee will hold its 15th anniversary dinner at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at Anthony’s Ocean View.
This year’s honorees are North Haven First Selectman Michael J. Freda and his late father Michael A. Freda, Ben Tortora of New Haven, and the Rev. Francis Carter of St. Bernadette’s Church. The honorees will be presented with plaques in recognition of their service and dedication to their communities.
For tickets call John Ragozzino 203-239-3229, Anthony Mastriano 203-239-0025, Antoinette Mangler 203-469-2465, or John Fabrizio 203-777-2721

HAMDEN -- "The Back to School Extravaganza" is still taking place from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30 outside the M.L. Keefe Community Center.
"We have received many phone calls and emails asking if the event will still take place with the concern of the recent aftermath of Hurricane Irene," said organizer Shahid Abdul Karim.
"We are thankful that weather conditions have worked in our favor to give Hamden residents the opportunity to take advantage of the school supply giveaway."
Mayor Scott D. Jackson and members of the Legislative Council will be at the supply give-away.

A Hamden Juvenile Review Board  is being organized under the auspices of New Haven Family Alliance, Inc. and Hamden Youth Service Bureau, and funded by the Town of Hamden, town officials announced in a prepared statement.

Kyisha Velazquez, New Haven Family Alliance’s JRB Program Manager explained: "The Hamden Juvenile Review Board is community-based and founded on the principles of Balanced and Restorative Justice. These principles include accountability, competency and public safety. The Hamden JRB will assist youth in developing an understanding of how his or her behavior harmed the individual (s) who was the subject of the offense and the community in which he or she lives, acknowledging that the behavior was harmful to themselves and to others both directly and indirectly. The JRB also enable the youth to take action to repair the harm, either directly (where possible) or indirectly. Finally, through this process the JRB will assist the youth in developing competencies that will enable them to effect necessary changes in their behavior to avoid re-offending in the future. Balanced and Restorative Justice recognizes that crime is a wound and that justice should be healing."

Susan Rubino, Hamden Youth Service Bureau’s Coordinator added, "The JRB will consist of two

 panels of seven members each, comprised of three Agency Representatives and four  Volunteer Community Representatives. The Agency Representatives will come from the Hamden Police Department, the Hamden Board of Education and DCF. The Volunteer Community Representatives will live or work in Hamden. These community accountability panel members are individuals vested in the successful future of our youth; therefore they participate in a resolution to the incident which does not further harm any of those affected."

The Hamden JRB has scheduled two information sessions for volunteers: the first will be on Thursday, August 11th, from 1:30 – 3:30 pm, at The Keefe Community Center, Room - Lounge, 11 Pine Street, Hamden, CT; and the second will be on Tuesday, August 16, from 3:30 – 5:30 pm, at the Hamden High School, Room C107, 2400 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, CT. If you are interested in learning more about the JRB and/or interested in being a Community Volunteer, please attend one of the information sessions listed above or contact Kyisha Velazquez at New Haven Family Alliance, Inc. (203-786-5970) or Susan Rubino at Hamden Youth Service Bureau (203-777-2610). Help us help our youth.

Obama for America activitists will be in Hamden Saturday so folks can sign a birthday card for President Obama. The last event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 30 at tables in the Miller Library parking lot, 2901 Dixwell Ave.

Residents of towns in this area are invited to write brief messages to be delivered to the White House for the President’s 50th birthday on Aug. 4.

Organized by local members of Obama for America, the events are designed to give the public a convenient way to express their good wishes and support for the President. Accordion folded 8.5 x 11 inch pages will be provided, along with pens and markers.

Residents of all ages, including kids, can sign and add a personal greeting among others on each page. Appropriate stickers can be added by well-wishers.

“We know there’s a big backlog of support for the President, despite current political issues,” said David Amrani, OFA planner. “This is a chance for people in the local community to get together and send a Happy Birthday, Barack Obama! message to our chief executive for his big Five-Oh celebration.”

The collective card, expected to take up 500 sheets, equal to a full ream or more, will be bundled and gift wrapped, then hand delivered to the White House by Chris Gilbert, long-time Hamden resident. More info: 312-282-8367 or maramaunder@juno.com.

On behalf of the Town of Hamden, I want to personally thank the volunteers who helped at our 27th annual low-cost Rabies Clinic held June 11th at the M.L.Keefe Community Center.  42 animals

were vaccinated and 29 dogs were legally licensed.

A special thank you goes to Dr. Arnold D. Cary, DVM and Gina Monaco, Vet Technician for the Bethany Veterinary Hospital. As the CVMA representatives doing the vaccinations, they volunteered their time despite their busy schedule. Thanks go out to Deborah Cianciolo, Nancy Faughnan, Madeline Loso, Eileen Sullivan, Pat and Eileen Wall for their help writing the rabies certificates as dogs and cats were vaccinated. Chris Smith and Steven Gimler, Hamden’s Animal Control officers, doubled as coordinators and traffic directors. Joanne Cifarelli, Joanne Leone and Town Clerk Vera Morrison sold dog licenses on behalf of the Hamden Town Clerk’s office.

Since rabies is a threat to public health, town officials and the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association volunteered their time to sponsor this clinic. Although rabies is rare among humans, it is almost always fatal.  The virus, in the saliva of the infected animals, enters a victim through a skin puncture or open wound, affecting the central nervous system.

Public Act 91-46 requires all dogs and cats 3 months or older to be vaccinated against rabies.  There have been over 6,000 detected cases of rabies in Connecticut since 1991, and does not reflect the number of possible rabid animals in the state of Connecticut. 

June is also licensing month for dogs, required by state law at six months of age or older. The fees are $8.00 for spayed/ neutered dogs, and $19.00 for unaltered dogs.  Licensing after June 30^th will have a $1.00 per month late fee penalty as required by state law.

Again, we thank everyone for their participation. Remember - Make that beagle legal!

            Hamden Library Director Robert Gualtieri has announced the addition of downloadable e-books to the list of library collections and services. Hamden residents can gain access to the e-pub format titles through the library’s website at www.hamdenlibrary.org.  In order to download items, users must be Hamden residents with a current Hamden Public Library card in good standing. Before acquiring e-book titles, users must complete a one-time download of Adobe Digital Editions, a software program that manages lending of e-books through Overdrive Digital Library. Once that step is complete, users may borrow up to five titles at a time to be read on their computer or e-reader.  At this time, the Kindle e-reader is not supported for library use, but Overdrive plans for Kindle access at a later date.

            Gualtieri says he is grateful to the Legislative Council and the Mayor’s office in their willing and immediate support of this project for which a large number of library users have expressed interest for an e-book collection. Ebooks have seen a continual rise in popularity during the past few years to a point where Amazon.com recently declared higher sales rates for electronic books over their print counterparts.  At Gualtieri’s request and the Mayor’s recommendation, the Council voted to approve a contract with Overdrive. Library Technical Services Department Head, Jessica Rogoz and David Richards, IT Director for the Town of Hamden, have worked with Overdrive to connect the service to the library’s website and user database.  Final steps for the connection were completed this week.

            Detailed instructions for the download process are available on the library’s website as well as in print format at each of the library’s 3 locations in town. In addition, the library will be conducting surveys of e-book users to determine their particular interests in subjects and genres for future development of the collection.

            For further information call the library at 203 287-2680.

 

HAMDEN -- Mayor Scott D. Jackson on Friday announced that the flat roofs of all town and school buildings are being inspected.

The Fire and Building departments began taking measurements of snow accumulations on flat roof buildings across town Friday, and will continue the work today. The inspections will determine what roofs should have snow removal, partial or complete, and a priority list will be developed.

Starting today, snow will be removed from the roof of Hamden Government Center, which contains the town’s emergency operations center. Snow will be removed from other town buildings starting Sunday, Jackson said.

"The word of the day is safety and we are taking action where it is advisable to avoid emergency situations. This plan will also allow us to be proactive in assessing the situation in advance of additional snowfall expected next week," Jackson said.

For more information, contact Curt Balzano Leng, chief administrative officer at 203-287-7100 or cleng@hamden.com.

Leng advises people call 911 for any roof emergency related to their home or business.

Mayor Scott Jackson announces that the Town of Hamden's official website (http://www.hamden.com/) has been relaunched with a new look, more information and additional interactivity for residents. The updated site includes a complete design change, more information about all Town Departments, Boards and Commissions, as well as the latest news and events for Town activities. The goal of the update is to create a more user-friendly web environment with enhanced information content. In addition, in an effort to allow residents to access the latest Town information as quickly as possible, you can follow the Town on Facebook and Twitter, as well as sign up for email notifications on numerous town-related events and/or issues.

Mayor Jackson notes, “As the internet has steadily become an integral part of most peoples' lives, the need for our website to reflect that reality became readily apparent. We recognize that our citizens are busy and want to make sure that we provide quick access to information. The new website is a great resource for our residents and visitors alike.”

New updates include a quick-look section of “How Do I...?” drop-down questions, additional links to useful pages from Federal, State and non-profit entities, Legislative Council agendas and minutes, Charter Review Commission agendas and minutes, revamped Boards and Commissions pages, the latest news on events and opportunities provided by the Town, the inclusion of social media links and much more.

It is updated daily.

Hamden's Help Desk also wants to hear from residents about how it can provide more information to residents, and how the website can be more helpful. To participate, email at help@hamden.com. For further questions on the new website, contact the Mayor's Office at (203) 287-7100.

More than 2,500 marchers are expected in Hamden on Sunday when the Greater New Haven Columbus Day parade steps off from Hamden High School, 2040 Dixwell Ave., at 1 p.m. The five living Italian-American mayors have been chosen as grand marshals. They are John L. Carusone, Lucien DiMeo, Peter F. Villano, Barbara DeNicola and Carl Amento.
As you may know, the parade was held in New Haven for many years and since 2003, it's been rotating to the metro area towns. This year is Hamden's turn. Next year, it's West Haven. Last year was East Haven.
In any case, a great group of folks are working on the parade, and the general chairmen in Hamden are Art Giulietti, Laura Luzzi and Peter Gambaradella. The logistics guy-parade coordinator is Tom Conway. All are working under the Greater New Haven Columbus Day Committee, which also is having a big dinner Friday night at Anthony's Ocean View in New Haven and a wreath ceremony Saturday at 11 a.m. in Wooster Square in New Haven.
The parade runs for a mile and a quarter and ends in the Miller Library parking lot, 2901 Dixwell Ave. The reviewing stand is opposite the Hamden Government Center at the corner of Dixwell and Evergreen avenues.
There are five divisions in the parade with all kinds of marching bands and representation from many clubs and organizations. Parade committee member Bill Zampa of East Haven tells me it's a great family activity. They're having those Shriner mini-cars and Santa Claus!

Hi Folks,
I'm now kicking off something I've wanted to do for about a year, have a timely blog about all things Hamden and North Haven. This blog will primarily be for announcements or for items that I'll be working on more in depth for the New Haven Register. If you want to notify me of a community event or news item, please contact me at ann.dematteo@gmail.com. Also feel free to comment below or email me at adematteo@newhavenregister.com.

JOHN MELILLO IS BACK!

At the Sept. 7 meeting of the Hamden Legislative Council, I was happy to see John Melillo, a well-known Highwood resident who has been recuperating after being stricken at a community forum in April. John has lost a little weight and looks great. Everyone was happy to see him. He collapsed at Hamden High School in April after speaking at a forum where gubernatorial candidates spoke at the Hamden Business and Community Expo.

TAKE A TROLLEY TOUR

The North Haven Historical Society is having its second annual Town Trolley Tour. It's an event that's going to visit several landmarks in town, including the Martha Culver House, built in 1858. Three are three tours scheduled, noon, 2 and 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19. Go to the North Haven Cultural Center at 27 Broadway to participate. For information call Sue Iverson at 203-239-3523.

THEY ALL HAVE BACKED JACK

John and Theresa Viele of North Haven lost their son, Jack, from leukemia in 1999. This year, Jack would have been 21 years old and in his honor, the Vieles raised money for one of Jack's favorite places, the Eli Whitney Museum. The Vieles will showcase what has been done with the funds at a Jack Viele Got 21? reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday Sept. 16 at the museum, 915 Whitney Ave. in Hamden.

HAMDEN APPOINTS...
The Legislative Council recently appointed the following residents to the following boards and commissions: Janice Crann and Andrew Wormser to the Solid Waste & Recycling Commission, and Lisa DeGrand to the Arts Commission. All are reappointments. Good luck!
 
GETTING IN THE WAY?
 
I'm sure by now you've seen all those Ducci Electric trucks on Whitney Avenue with members of Hamden's finest patrolling at the same time. It's the Whitney Avenue resignalization project. I'll be writing about this sometime soon.
 
O SOLE MIO
 
Two of my favorite singers, Aaron Caruso and Ray Suntino (they're pretty cute too) are performing in a free concert at 5 p.m. Sunday Sept. 19 at Town Center Park at Meadowbrook, 2761 Dixwell Ave. Bring your lawn chairs and a picnic or purchase Italian treats from vendors. Concert sponsored by the town of Hamden, the Greater New Haven Columbus Day Parade Committee and the Hamden Arts Commission.
 
DAN IS THE MAN
 
Dan Riccio of North Haven, the commander of American Legion Post 76, has been cancer-free for five years now. To celebrate, he will be walking in the Light The Night Walk on Oct. 2 at Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven. Light the Night is the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's annual evening walk that celebrates and commemorates lives touched by cancer. Join the team known as Dan's Crusaders. For info contact LuAnn Leclerc at 203-427-2073 or LuAnn.Leclerc@lls.org. You can also register online by going to: http://pages.lightthenight.org/ct/NewHaven10/DanRiccio.