Ukrainian Independence Day declared in West Haven

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 24, 2022 — (Pictured): Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, holding a bouquet and a Ukrainian flag, presents a proclamation to Ann Salemme, a resident of West Haven and the president of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America Branch 108, declaring Ukrainian Independence Day on Wednesday.

Shown with them are, from left, Carl Harvey, a resident of Orange and the commander of Ukrainian American Veterans Post 33, and St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church Choir members Ted Plaskonos, of Hamden, Nadiya Ivantsiv, formerly of Lviv, Ukraine, and now of New Haven, and Mary Antonyshyn, of Orange.

In 1991 the parliament of Ukraine proclaimed the nation’s independence, taking the first step toward establishing a free and democratic state.

Reading the proclamation in the City Council chambers of City Hall, Rossi said: “The city of West Haven stands united with Ukrainians in commemorating their independence by lighting the new Cove River pedestrian bridge in blue and yellow. At this moment when Ukraine faces an existential threat, such actions will send a strong message that the United States supports the aspirations of the Ukrainian people to live in a free and democratic nation.”

A support network that includes the New Haven church and UAV post has shipped $1.5 million worth of donated humanitarian supplies to a hospital in Ukraine’s western city of Lviv to aid relief efforts.

(City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

LaChat’s Barbershop marks opening on Campbell Ave.

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 23, 2022 — (Pictured): Mayor Nancy R. Rossi cuts the ceremonial ribbon with LaChat’s Barbershop owner Joe LaChat, center, to celebrate the barber’s grand opening at 501 Campbell Ave. on Monday.

Marking the event are, from left, City Clerk Patricia C. Horvath, LaChat’s barber Andrew Roach and Simon McDonald, the director of membership and marketing for the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce, which now represents the West Haven business community.

Joining the group were chamber President Michael Moses, Edward Jones of Milford financial adviser Jay Borelli and Patriot Bank of Milford Vice President Robert Creigh.

LaChat’s is housed with other small businesses in the historic Altschuler Building near Main Street, opposite the downtown Green.

The new barbershop specializes in haircuts, hot towel shaves, and beard trims and shaves. It is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.

(City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

Girls summer basketball champions

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 23, 2022 — (Pictured): The Gray Team, the champions of the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Girls Summer Fun Basketball League, show their trophies at the Veterans Memorial Park courts on Bull Hill Lane on Monday.

Front row, from left, are Aria Cannon Perry, Emily Palma, Payton Oliverio, Gabriella Jeune and Taliah Boykin. Back row, from left, are Savahna Neieves, Luna Montanez, Maria Valentina Muriel, Jastice Butler, Amayia Ortiz and coach Jared Butler.

The team defeated the Gold Team 26-24 in overtime and finished the season 7-1.

The league, supervised by Park-Rec program coordinator Brian Hayden, just capped its 22nd season.

(City Photo/Brian Hayden)

City aims to launch solid waste pilot

WEST HAVEN, Aug. 19, 2022 — The South Central Regional Council of Governments is working with West Haven and other member municipalities to launch pilot projects under the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Sustainable Materials Management Grant program.

As the capacity for waste disposal in Connecticut has significantly decreased because of the closure of the Municipal Innovation and Recycling Authority’s waste-to-energy facility in Hartford, food waste diversion and unit-based pricing programs are options to reduce the waste stream and to ease the financial burden on municipalities, including West Haven.

“The state has warned us of a looming cost crisis in waste management, and this is the state’s solution to manage this crisis,” Mayor Nancy R. Rossi said.

Public Works Commissioner Tom J. McCarthy added: “The city of West Haven has been working on this issue for three years, and we feel confident that this is the best solution available for the residents. We are asking for cooperation for a nine-month project funded by the state.”

According to SCRCOG, projects will involve implementing unit-based pricing and food waste diversion pilots to provide data on municipal waste disposal cost reduction strategies. Eight of SCRCOG’s 15 municipalities have advanced to phase two of the SMM grant application process.

In order for the municipal pilots to be successful and for SCRCOG to lay a foundation for permanent programs in as many of its communities as possible, SCRCOG proposes to provide support and assistance for the projects.

Six of the eight SCRCOG municipalities that submitted SMM applications have been approved for the grant. In addition to West Haven, the municipalities that will pilot unit-based pricing and food waste diversion programs are Bethany, Woodbridge, Guilford, Madison and Meriden.

The pilot projects will include the curbside co-collection of municipal solid waste and food waste in different colored bags. After being sorted, the bags containing municipal solid waste are hauled to a waste-to-energy facility or out-of-state landfills, while the food waste is hauled to a biodigester or a composting facility.

SCRCOG aims to identify areas of the pilot programs that can lend themselves to regional solutions, including a coordinated program launch, common instructions and messaging, shared sites for sorting of bags, shared hauling routes, and the development of aerated static pile composting sites at convenient locations created by the conversion of existing municipal brush and leaf composting sites in the region.

For detailed information on the West Haven pilot program, see the SCRCOG FAQ and the West Haven Food Waste Pilot FAQ (PDF).

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