West Haven Voice

With the opening set for May 22, Gilbane Construction crews are placing fixtures and other equipment in the new Washington School.

With the opening set for May 22, Gilbane Construction crews are placing fixtures and other equipment in the new Washington School.

In anticipation of the May 22 deadline, finishing touches are underway in various class areas.

In anticipation of the May 22 deadline, finishing touches are underway in various class areas.

With the opening set for May 22, Gilbane Construction crews are placing fixtures and other equipment in the new Washington School.

City of West Haven Fair Rent Commission Chairman Steven R. Mullins presents the proposed Fair Rent Ordinance to Mayor Dorinda A. Borer in the City Council Chambers. “This proposal is in compliance with the 2022 state mandate for municipalities with populations of 25,000 and over to enact Fair Rent Commissions, to receive complaints from City tenants and hold hearings on what they believed to be unfair or unreasonable rent increases and or unacceptable living accommodations.” Mullins said. Borer will now send this proposed ordinance to City Council Chairman Nicolas Paschal and he will assign a subcommittee to hold a public hearing regarding the measure in the near future. Following that, the City Council as a whole will vote to approve or deny the proposal. “This was a team effort on the Commission’s part.” Mullins said. He thanked Commission Vice Chairman Cristian Sanchez, Commissioner Colleen O’Connor, alternate Richard Deso, Commissioner Effie Prokopis , deputy Corporation Counselor Michael Todd Taylor and City Council liaison Christopher Vargo for working so hard on the verbiage of this proposed ordinance.

Clock enthusiast Eric Carlson presented an 1830’s era clock that he recently refurbished to the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit following the Easter Sunday Mass. Priest in Charge, the Rev. Thomas Jackson receives the clock from Carlson, as Carlson’s mother, Parish Junior Warden Sue Carlson looks on. The clock will hang in the church sacristy.

Volunteers Andrew Bushman, Rose Tiernan, Sue Bonci, Mike Invernale, and Catherine Bushman setting up the $10 Fill-A-Bag Book Sale at the Main Library during the recent book sale.

Gizmo, left, and Flash strike a pose with the Easter Bunny during “Pup Photos with the Easter Bunny” at the Department of Parks and Recreation on April 12. Donations from the event benefited the West Haven Animal Shelter. The pups’ mama is city resident Natasha Papile.

Mayor Dorinda Borer, right, looks on as Theresa “Terry” Carr and city building maintenance worker Nico Gambardella unveil a blue-and-white vinyl sign dedicating “The Joe Carr Boardwalk Maintenance Garage” after her late husband in Old Grove Park on April 30.

Family members of the late Department of Public Works laborer and driver Joe Carr pause beneath the sign that the city dedicated in his honor in Old Grove Park on April 30.

Approximately 300 children gathered on the West Haven Green on Easter Sunday afternoon for an Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by Black Corner Investments and the Annawon Lodge Fellowcraft Club. In addition to the hunt, children were entertained by DJ Relley Mac and participated in dance-offs.

Valendictorian Justin Woychowski and Salutatorian Bedirhan Ozmen flank WHHS Pricipal Robert Bohan.

A food drive was held by the West Haven Historical Society on Saturday April 19 as a day of service. The event, Two Lights for Tomorrow, is a national initiative to begin the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding. The night before Two Lights were illuminated in the Poli House window and at many municipal buildings and private residences.

A food drive was held by the West Haven Historical Society on Saturday April 19 as a day of service. The event, Two Lights for Tomorrow, is a national initiative to begin the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding. The night before Two Lights were illuminated in the Poli House window and at many municipal buildings and private residences. Society president Susan Walker received a donation from Patricia Donnelly.

A food drive was held by the West Haven Historical Society on Saturday April 19 as a day of service. The event, Two Lights for Tomorrow, is a national initiative to begin the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding. The night before Two Lights were illuminated in the Poli House window and at many municipal buildings and private residences. Society president Susan Walker received a donation from Patricia Donnelly.

The 1953 rendering of the new City Point Yacht Club headquarters.

An aerial view of the location

Mayor Dorinda Borer, center, helps Frankies of West Haven owner Balwinder “Bill” Singh cut the ribbon to celebrate the hot dog restaurant’s 51st anniversary and grand reopening at 1151 Boston Post Road on April 24. Joining the ribbon-cutting are, from left, longtime Frankies employee Elvia Avesicha; Singh’s daughter, Nancy Kailey, and his wife, Parveen Kaur; 4th District Councilman Gary Donovan; Zoning Board of Appeals Commissioner Rich De Leo; Simon McDonald, the director of membership and marketing at the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce; and Planning and Zoning Commission member Sammy Rivera. The chamber-organized ceremony featured remarks by Borer and McDonald, who both congratulated Singh on the restaurant’s milestone. Singh has owned the West Haven Frankies for 17 of its 51 years in business. The 2,800-square-foot restaurant boasts a large outdoor patio with picnic tables and umbrellas. Billed as “The Gourmet of Fast Food,” Frankies has been a Route 1 institution near West Haven’s Meloy Road since 1974. It serves breakfast daily and specializes in footlong hot dogs, burgers, french fries, submarine sandwiches, barbecue ribs, Buffalo wings, seafood, soft serve ice cream and milkshakes. The iconic fast-food franchise, founded in Waterbury in 1937 by Frank Caiazzo, has five other locations in Connecticut. Caiazzo was notable for his motto during the Great Depression: “Come in and eat or we’ll both starve!

West Haven High School Principal Robert Bohan, second from left, receives an $8,000 donation from, from left, Mayor Dorinda Borer, Douglas J. Ruickoldt, Doug “the Rake” Ruickoldt and Chairwoman Beth A. Sabo on behalf of the West Haven Breast Cancer Awareness Program on April 30 to benefit the Susan A. Ruickoldt Scholarship Fund. The donation was made possible by the annual Dubel’s Golf Tournament, Westies Nutrition and the West Haven Youth Soccer League and will support the scholarship fund for the next 25 years, Sabo said. Borer, the Ruickoldts and Bohan thanked and commended Sabo for her continuing dedication to the Breast Cancer Awareness Program, including collecting more than $750,000 for breast cancer research and education since the program’s inception in 2000. The scholarship fund was founded in March 2003 to raise breast cancer awareness in honor of Susan Ruickoldt, who taught third grade at Savin Rock Community School before dying of breast cancer in 1997. Each spring since 2003, scholarship organizers have awarded $2,000 in Ruickoldt’s memory to a female high school senior from West Haven who plans to continue her education.

Mayor Dorinda Borer, center, helps Ronnie Pizza owner Mustafa Dagdelenoglu cut the ribbon to celebrate the pizzeria’s grand opening under new ownership at 549 Main St. on April 17. Joining the ribbon-cutting are, from left, 4th District Councilman Gary Donovan, West Haven state Rep. Bill Heffernan, Simon McDonald, the director of membership and marketing at the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce, and 6th District Councilwoman Dawn Callahan. The ceremony was organized by the chamber and featured welcoming remarks by Borer and McDonald. Ronnie Pizza specializes in thin-crust pizzas, budget-friendly prices and other tasty options, including calzones, submarine sandwiches and wings. The remodeled pizzeria is located with other small businesses at the busy intersection of Main Street and Kelsey Avenue and is open seven days a week.

Mayor Dorinda Borer speaks during a news conference with Gov. Ned Lamont, second from right, at City Hall on Monday announcing $1.8 million in state bond funding for neighborhood upgrades around the West Haven VA Medical Center. With them are, from left, Becky D. Rhoads, the executive director of the VA Con￾necticut Healthcare System; city grant writer Olivia Bissanti; state Rep. Treneé McGee (D-116); city Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana; Councilman Gary Donovan (D-4); city police traffic Sgt. Charles Young; state Reps. Bill Heffernan (D-115), and MJ Shannon (D-117); and Matthew J. Pugliese, a deputy commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development.

The West Haven Youth Soccer U10 girls team opened the spring season with a Jamboree, meeting Southington, Cheshire and Farmington. The team tallied 17 goals in the event, winning each of its games

Geron Cox defends for the Blue Devils against North Haven. It’s crunch time for various teams as the spring season is winding down and tournament berths are on the line.

The Blue Devils celebrate Abby Wynus’s fourth home run of the season against Mercy. It wasn’t enough as the team fell to the visitors.

It was a team celebration, recently, as the West Haven High girls lacrosse team celebrated Chloe Whelan’s 100th point after a14-11 victory over Law.

Wearing a golf shirt representing the Vincent J. Reilly-New Haven Football Officials Association, and a hat representing the Greater New Haven Baseball Umpires Association, sports official and Voice Editor Bill Riccio, Jr. shows off the plaque naming him the National Federation of State High School Association’s (NFHS) 2024-2025 National Active Official of the Year. The award was announced in November and presented recently at a reception at the West Haven Elks Club.