Hi Folks,
I'm on vacation at the Miss Connecticut Scholarship Pageant in New London and I wanted to let you know that two young ladies from Hamden did very well at preliminary competitions tonight.
Morgan Amarone, 23, tied for lifestyle and fitness in swimsuit with Acacia Courtney, 18. Some of you may remember that Acacia was Connecticut's Outstanding Teen two years ago.
We had a preliminary competition Thursday night too. In the Miss division, Alexandria Puglisi of Cheshire won the talent award. I mention her just because she lives up the road from Hamden.
One of our teens who happens to be from Wolcott but who holds the title of Greater Hamden's Outstanding Teen, won the talent award. Brianna Leigh Smail sang "The Wizard and I" from the great musical about the witches of Oz, "Wicked."
Things are pretty darn exciting up here at the Garde Arts Center. We've had excellent preliminary competitions. I invite all of you to join us Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Garde for finals night. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

TIARAS AND TUTUS

Miss Connecticut  Brittany Decker and Connecticut's Outstanding Teen Logan West will sign autographs on Saturday at The Dancer's Shop, now at 1935 State St. in Hamden, for the store's grand opening at its new location. The store, which sells things like tap shoes, ballerina slippers and dancewear, is a New Haven-area institution since 1953 when its founder, the late Herbert Howard, sold dancing supplies out of his van from dance studio to dance studio. He then had a storefront at the old College Plaza in New Haven and that's when current owner Tom Prete of North Haven started to work for him. Tom bought the store in 1981. He rented space in the Costume Bazaar on State Street for 15 years and moved to Hamden because the Bazaar's building is being sold.
On Saturday, Brittany and Logan will sign autographs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be refreshments and free drawings. Here's Tom in a video at his new location:

MELISSA MAKES THE GRADE

The Board of Education has appointed Dunbar Hill School kindergarten teacher Melissa Cifarelli as interim assistant principal at Hamden High School. More about this appointment in a day or two. I'm trying to reach Melissa to talk about it. Superintendent of Schools Frances M. Rabinowitz and high school Principal Gary Highsmith says she has all the qualifications for the position.