Milford Matters

Some of these seniors were really passionate about what they believe in. Some construe it as rude and others at the event felt people weren't being allowed to speak.

Milford police arrests include several assaults and drug busts . One arrest includes someone hitting their companion with a vehicle as part of a domestic incident.

The Milford Fine Arts Council has postponed the sand sculpture contest tomorrow due to concern about weather conditions. The new date will be Saturday August 25. I'm bummed over this, however, tomorrow is still Woodmont Day and the Milford Rotary Lobster Bake. There is no shortage of fun activities in Milford this Saturday. I plan to go to Woodmont Day and shoot a video of the parade and other activities happening throughout the day. -Rich

Milford Police Department arrests for Thursday include a resident allegedly stealing electricity to the tune of $3,000 and a woman allegedly leaving her small child in a car while she shopped.

Lots of exciting events happening this Saturday in Milford. Woodmont Day 2012 Saturday will mark the 50th anniversary of Woodmont Day. Festivities kick off at 9:00 a.m with a parade and are followed by opening ceremonies and parade awards. Mayor Ben Blake and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro are expected to be in attendance. For more information on the day's events go to http://woodmontonthesound.org/Woodmont_Day_2011.html Sand Sculpture Contest One of Milford's most notable signature events. The Annual Great American Sand Sculpture Competition registration begins sat 11:00 a.m. at Walnut Beach with sand sculpture building starting at 11:30 a.m. Registration is free and there is a $5 parking fee for non-residents. The event is sponsored by the Milford Fine Arts Council and the Milford Bank. For more information, head to The Milford Fine Arts Council website. Lobster Bake After you've celebrated Woodmont and built sand sculptures all day, you can re-energize with a

Updated poll results. A total of 456 people took the New Haven Register's poll question concerning what they'd like to see happen to the former Milford Showcase Cinemas site on Cherry Street. A staggering 384 respondents wants a Stew Leonard's dairy store or 84 percent, followed by 35 or 8 percent for open space, then mixed use with 24 responses, followed by a stripmall with 8, and a supermarket with just 5 responses. What do you think of the poll results? Let us know by commenting here. Thanks. This was the original blog post.  I emailed Stew Leonard Jr. Wednesday afternoon after several readers on our Milford Matters blog said they wanted Leonard to open his dairy store at the former Milford Showcase Cinemas site in Milford . We also set up a poll question at www.nhregister.com and as of 12 p.m. Thursday 80 percent of respondents want to see Stew open his store in Milford. Just 9 percent of respondents said a mixed-use development, followed closed by open s

Arrests from yesterday include one for harassment through texts and calls and one for not having auto insurance. Read the whole log here

CAPT and CMT scores were recently announced. Here are some of our initial findings. For full CAPT score data for any district go to  http://solutions1.emetric.net/CAPTPublic/Index.aspx CAPT scores increased by a significant margin in many categories over last year's scores. The percentage of students at or above goal for mathematics increased from 44.8% to 54.9%. Likewise, the percentage of students at or above math proficiency increased from 80.3% in 2011 to 84% for 2012. In fact, there were increases across the board for percentage of students meeting both proficiency and goal levels for all four of the categories (math, science, reading across the disciplines, writing across the disciplines). Below is a chart of the goal percent range of all the categories from 2010 to 2012. Here is a chart for proficient percent range for the same years. The state has had higher scores in many categories for a number of years in Milford, however, that has now changed w

Labor Statistics June 2012                            Labor Force                      Employed                Unemployed           Percentage Milford                          31,195                         28,970                           2,225                 7.1 CONNECTICUT        1,938,300                     1,774,900                          163,500                 8.4 U.S.                       156,385,000                 143,202,000                    13,184,000                8.4 Permitting Activity June 2012 In June 2012 The City of Milford issued 130 building permits with a construction value of $4,718,881. (This does not include 174 mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits with a construction value of $1,153,211) In May 2012 The City of Milford issued 127 building permits with a construction value of $ $3,791,349.51. In April 2012 The City of Milford issued 128 building permits with a construction value of $5,399,558.  Permits issued i

Milford reporter Rich Scinto needs your help for a story he is working on today. At an Economic Development Commission meeting this morning it was revealed that the former Milford Showcase Cinemas site sold for more than $5 million. But the $5 million question concerns what will be going there. As Milford residents what do you think should occupy the former theater site on Cherry Street? Post your comments here or email Rich at rscinto@newhavenregister.com Here is what we have thus far. MILFORD—The vacant National Amusements Theater on Cherry Street has sold to Cerruzzi Properties LLC. The property was sold on June 12 for $5.8 million. It had been vacant for six years after National Amusements moved its location inside the Connecticut Post Mall.   Cerruzzi Properties has a good history of developing properties in Milford, said Robert Burr Gregory, director of economic and community development for Milford. “We do not expect that property to remain empty or vacant for lo

James Rogers of Milford was arrested Tuesday in connection with an alleged July 17 assault on a relative. Rogers had gone to a relative's business where he and another man got into an argument, according to a police investigation. Rogers initially refused to leave the building, but eventually did so and returned with a handgun. Rogers allegedly pointed the gun at the victim, threatened to hurt him and then assaulted him while holding the hand gun. The victim received a minor injury to his face. There are multiple charges against Rogers including: carrying a firearm without a permit, 2nd degree assault, 2nd degree threatening, 2nd degree breach of peace, 1st degree criminal trespass and 1st degree reckless endangerment. The bond was set at $1,000.

Hey readers, we are doing an update on the Chihuahua adoption that happened at the Milford Petco. For those who adopted, how is the newest addition to the family doing? We'd love to share photos of your new pet and what you've decided to name them. We'd also love to share pictures of any recent adopted pet, as there are many pets available for adoption in local animal shelters. Send any photos to Rich Scinto's email  along with the pet's name and your name (you can abbreviate your last name if you want.) We will put everything we receive into a photo slideshow.  

Milford police arrests include a woman being charged in a domestic disturbance where she allegedly struck two relatives.

Milford police make several arrests this weekend including several drug arrests.

Milford-- Mayor Benjamin G. Blake and the Board of Aldermen are pleased to announce that the City of Milford has provided office space to the Connecticut Department of Veterans’ Affairs in the Parsons Government Center located at 70 West River Street. The Veterans’ Affairs Office can assist in the following manner: ·                   Collecting and preparing data relating to benefits and services for veterans. ·                   Assisting veterans and/or spouses residing in Connecticut nursing homes with VA benefit applications. ·                   Assisting in the establishment, preparation and presentation of claims pursuant to rights, benefits or privileges accruing to veterans. ·                   Cooperating with service organizations in disseminating information. ·                   Furnishing counsel to veterans concerning educational training, health, medical and rehabilitation. ·                   Representing veterans before the U.S. Department of Vet

We all know about the unspeakable tragedy that occurred early this morning in Colorado. A man shot and killed 12 people who were waiting to watch The Dark Knight Rises. Tens of millions of people were eagerly anticipating the sequel to The Dark Knight, and poured into movie theaters at midnight all across the country. I saw the first movie four times in the theater because of Heath Ledger's amazing portrayal of the Joker.  I have been very excited to see this movie, but honestly, after today's tragedy it makes me think twice about going. I will still see the movie, but when I am inside the theater I will no doubt think about and reflect on the tragedy in Colorado. I will also feel a bit cautious as well. Will today's mass shootings affect whether you will see the movie? Has it made your desire to see the movie less. Of course it has for me. Please share your comments here as we may use them for a story. Brian McCready Metro Editor bmccready@nhregister.com

Milford police arrests include an arrest related to possessing crack cocaine and another for using a stolen license plate on a vehicle. Read the whole report here

Milford police arrests for Wednesday include a city man who was allegedly in possession of child pornography , and two people who violated protective orders. Also a resident was charged with disorderly conduct over a school bus stop issue.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation released an alert that traffic stoppages may occur on I-95 in Stratford and Milford as construction on Moses Wheeler Bridge continues. Traffic may be stopped for ten minute intervals between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. between exits 33 and 34. Construction workers are in the process of installing structural steel in the new bridge. Last night I was traveling on I-95 Southbound around 10:00 p.m. and it took me about 50 minutes to travel between Milford and Fairfield; a ride that normally only takes about 15 or 20 minutes.

Below is an interactive timeline of events related to the current union strike at nursing homes around the state. The December event was a lockout by the company and not a strike. The information comes New Haven Register and Hartford Courant articles. HealthBridge Workers Protest on Dipity .

Police arrested a Bridgeport woman for harassing a Milford resident after she called 32 times in 30 minutes. Police received a complaint on April 5 and further investigation led to Barbara Williams arrest Monday. She was angry that the complainant had her friend arrested for an unrelated incident, according to a police report. Williams was charged with second degree harassment and was released on a promise to appear.

If you have any old photos of the Harrison's building please email them to rscinto@nhregister.com We are trying to put together a photo slideshow of the building's history. The Planning and Zoning Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve the site plan review for the building for Colony Grill. The crowd that filled the city hall meeting room cheered immediately after the plan had passed and celebrated during the middle of the meeting for a few minutes. The project still needs to obtain building permits before construction begins. Owners hope to begin construction in the fall and hope to finish by early 2013, said Paul Coniglio, co-owner of Colony Grill Development.

Register photographer Arnold Gold put together this video from today's protest. The crowd was really energized today after Attorney General George Jespen walked the picket line. We'll have the full story tomorrow.

Milford police arrests include someone possessing steroids, two siblings hitting one another, and another person placing more than 30 phone calls to a former companion.

On Tuesday, July 17, the Attorney General will show his support for striking health care workers at picket lines in Danbury, Stamford, Westport and Milford. C aregivers at five HealthBridge nursing homes in Connecticut began strikes on July 3 over unfair labor practices after the company ended negotiations and implemented what it claimed was its “last, best and final” offer. He is scheduled to attend the West River Health Care Center protest at 1:30 p.m. across from Orange Avenue Elementary School. 

This weekend people came from all over to Milford adopt chihuahuas . Check out the New Haven Register's photo slideshow of these cute animals .  Did you adopt any of the chihuahuas? If so let us know, and what led you to adopt the dog. Thanks

Picture courtesy of Phyllis Swebilius

In June of 2010, the Milford Police Department suffered the loss of a very strong supporter of our department, Robert Rahn. Robert was a long time Milford resident and served in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War. His commitment to his country and community continued through his five children who pursued careers in the public service including four sons in law enforcement and a daughter in nursing. Robert was brought up around dogs and spent a large portion of his life breeding, grooming and showing Standard Schnauzers. During the early 1970’s Robert’s own schnauzer, Dutch, was the top dog in its class in the American Kennel Club. Due to his love of dogs and his community, one of his fondest topics to talk about was Samson who was his son Kenneth’s K-9 partner for 8 years with the Milford Police Department. His admiration for Samson and the other police K-9 dogs reflected in another hobby of his which was woodworking. The detail used in his artwork of the dogs tru

I received a letter in the office mail today requesting that I forward a letter to Noel and Fredda Peel, the recent winners of the Powerball Jackpot from Seymour. I guess it's true what they say about lotto winners being targets for people in need of money. Contents of the letter from a woman claiming to be from New Haven are posted below unedited except for paragraph breaks. -Rich Dear Noel+ Fredda, How great it must feel to be such big winners. I read your story in the newspaper like millions of other people. Wishing it could happen to me. No, I don't want all this money. No really I dont I pray everyday morning+ night that God will help us through the difficult times. It has been a struggle all our lives. We have been married 45 years We were married young me 16, husband, 18 and 3 beautifull kids- hardworking and 4 beautifull grandKids. In all our struggles through out our loves. My Kids have been there to help us... I pray everyday that if I could win to help the

Milford police arrest man for indecent exposure . Police include his mugshot.

Police arrested a Milford man on Saturday for an alleged drunken hit and run.   Police received a complaint on July 4 of an accident in the 300 block of Naugatuck Avenue. Upon arriving at the scene, they found that a vehicle had struck a dumpster and fled the scene, according to a police report. Police later stopped a vehicle on Meadows End Road and found the driver, Robert Donaldson, to be driving while intoxicated. An intoxilyzer test indicated that he had an elevated blood alcohol content level. Donaldson was charged with driving while intoxicated, evading responsibility and failing to drive right.

Erica Mcintosh went to Enterprise Rental Car in Milford on August 18 2011 to rent a car for one day. The car didn't turn up again until over a month later on September 28 at a Fairfield Enterprise location, according to police. Mcintosh was arrested yesterday on a warrant and is charged with second degree larceny.

Police are investigating a recent wave of crime around the area of Elgin Road and Columbia Drive over the past few days. There have been three thefts in the area in the past few days, according to a police press release. A vehicle was taken along with tires and stereos have been taken from other vehicles in the neighborhood. Police encourage residents to report any suspicious activity by calling (203) 878-6551

At the New Haven Register we're striving to bring you all the news of the day, but we want to go deeper and look into trends, and other items of interest.  If you are aware of any hidden gems that should be told please contact us through this Milford Matters blog.  Now back to your regularly scheduled programming of enjoying this wonderful summer!

The Milford police department arrested two people Wednesday, and click on the link to read the full report.

Michael Seidman, 48, was arrested on Wednesday on a warrant for having an inappropriate online chat with a juvenile. Police received a complaint in October 2011 about the event. Seidman is familiar with the child, according to a police report. He is accused of impairing the morals of a child several times and was arrested for risk of injury to a minor.  Seidman was released on a written promise to appear and is due in court July 31.

These guys and girls were extremely well-behaved while I was putting this video together. They are curious and friendly with each other and with people. See how you can adopt one this weekend.

Milford police arrests include someone allegedly striking someone with an object, and someone else arrest for scratching a spouse.

Police arrested Perry Stewart of Mont Street for allegedly striking a relative with an object following a complaint about a disturbance.  In a separate case, police also arrested Helen Pierpont of Barton Road for allegedly scratching her spouse after attempting to take a phone out of his hand. 

Police found missing juvenile Joshua Campbell in the early morning hours at an acquaintance's residence in Milford.  Campbell was reported missing yesterday  and police asked the public for help locating him. 

The Milford Police Department arrests Monday include a man who allegedly kept calling his former spouse against her wishes.

The Milford Police Department is once again looking to hire more officers, and the following comes from a department press release.  Are you interested in a rewarding and challenging career in Law Enforcement? The Milford Police Department is encouraging men and women to apply for the position of Police Officer. We are a professional, progressive agency committed to providing quality police services to the community. Applicants must meet the following requirements: · Age: 21 years of age · Education: High School Diploma or equivalent · Residence: No requirement to apply. If appointed must reside in a town within a 15 mile radius · Citizenship: Must be US citizen at time of appointment · Qualification: Must be of good moral character. Be of good physical condition, with height proportioned to weight. Eyesight correctable to 20-20. Hold a valid Driver’s license. Have not been convicted of a felony, class A or class B misdemeanor or have committed an act that would constitute perju

The New Haven Register's Patti Villers is spending the summer traveling around New Haven County looking for the best ice cream to sample .  In reality Patti just likes ice cream, and she also loves to blog so she combined both of those interests into her View of the Valley blog.  Patti checked in with her first ice cream review in Shelton, and can you help her come up with other places she should visit?  Where are the best ice cream places to visit in Milford?

Milford police arrests over the weekend include an assault on an elderly person along with a separate arrest involving an alleged sexual assault.

I went to the Westfield Connecticut Post mall fireworks held in Milford Tuesday night and the place was just packed. Westfield does a great job putting on an entertaining show. I watched them from the parking lot, and it was unreal to see all the cars and people sitting on their cars enjoying the show. After it was over there was just pure gridlock.  Me and my wife decided to head inside to wait out the traffic. Tons of people had the same idea too.  With Black Bear closing, the line for Buffalo Wild Wings was insane, and Red Robin's doors were closed shut. Additionally, all the businesses were closed and people were just walking around but there was nowhere to go except the movie theater, which probably did great business Tuesday night.  It seemed a little odd that with all of the people inside the mall around 10 p.m. that some businesses didn't remain open a bit later. It could have been a win win for the mall and its patrons.  This is in no way criticizing Westf