• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

West Haven Voice

West Haven’s only independent news source - By and For West Haven

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Archive
  • Advertise With Us!
  • Classified
  • Announcements
  • Contact Us
  • Web Exclusive
    • Kids Activity Pages

Longtime columnist Turkington to retire

February 6, 2025 By whvoice

“I have given a lot of thought to continuing Gripe Vine. Feb. 20 will be my last.”

With that short statement, a longtime staple for many readers of the West Haven Voice will end after more than two decades.

Eleanore Turkington, the columnist who has made The Gripe Vine a must read for many years, has decided to end the series. A member of the newspaper profession for more than half a century, the Gripe Vine originated in the pages of the Milford Citizen as was a consumer action column that quickly became popular in a time when consumer advocacy was becoming an issue.

Over the years through the Citizen, the column branched out to other satellite publications of the Citizen group, which was then run by Thompson Newspaper. The West Haven News picked up the column in the late 1980s and ran it until the paper was purchased by the New Haven Register in 1995.

“Eleanore gave a lot of city leaders fits in those days, especially when they didn’t answer her calls,” said Voice editor Bill Riccio, Jr., who was with the News at the time. “Many just didn’t want to be questioned. But she was persistent.

Eventually, the column was offered to the West Haven Voice when Turkington went into retirement with her husband Richard, who was a violinist for the West Haven Orchestra, under the direction of Dino Ciaburri. Eleanore became the PR director for the group, which rehearsed and had concerts in the former St. Paul’s Church on First Avenue.

Over the years the same feistiness that irked officials in other towns upset local officials, but over the years a working relationship had been established with many administrations.

“Eleanore had a simple philosophy, an official was a public servant, and members of the public were asking questions about simple thing that should be easy to answer,” said Riccio. “She also let them know that she’d get the answer with them or without them, so that usually settled the dispute.

She also brought issues to the attention of city council members as well as city officials. Many readers became regular correspondents, sending her signature coupon that always stood alongside her column, or using the Voice website to send in complaints.

Whether it was a frost-heaved sidewalk that was dangerous, or trash left in a heap along a roadway, she made sure she would get an answer for readers. Sometimes it was a short period. Some answers, however, took longer. Few were the issues or topics she could not answer or remedy.

In the last year or so, health issues have hampered Turkington, with stints in hospitals keeping her away from her computer.

In her note announcing her retirement, Turkington kept her readers in mind.

“I am currently planning to let my readers in my last column my feelings about working with citizens and city personnel<” she said.

“I’ve known Eleanore since I first went to work for the West Haven Voice in 1980,” said Riccio. “Saying this is the end of an era sounds trite, but this was a regular column that spoke to a lot of people. It’s tough to see it go, and El decide to retire. It’s a sad day.”

Filed Under: 020625, More stories

Primary Sidebar

Seach our site

Follow us on Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Historian's Corner ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Historian’s Corner

westhavenvoice.com

Historian’s Corner May 21, 2025 By whvoice Leave a Comment The West Haven Veterans Museum on Hood Terrace is making an effort to acquaint city students and youth in the history of service in the cit...
6 days ago
View Comments
  • likes Like 1
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Dear Felicia ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Dear Felicia

westhavenvoice.com

Dear Felicia May 22, 2025 By whvoice Leave a Comment Howdy do, sweets! Hard to believe, but here we are at the downside of May, looking into the Memorial Day weekend already. Of course, like most thin...
1 week ago
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Pollution plant needs leadership, $$$ ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Pollution plant needs leadership, $$$

westhavenvoice.com

Pollution plant needs leadership, $$$ May 21, 2025 By whvoice Leave a Comment By Richard Hebert and Bonnie Posick Research by Kyle Rich West Haven residents have been vocal about the city’s revaluat...
1 week ago
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

HS Frosh cited by Mullins ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

HS frosh cited by Mullins

westhavenvoice.com

HS frosh cited by Mullins May 21, 2025 By whvoice Leave a Comment Steven R. Mullins presents his 10th annual awards to WHHS frosh Bibi Hadi. Steven R. Mullins presents his 10th annual awards to WHHS f...
1 week ago
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Load more

 

 

West Haven’s Calendar

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
West Haven Calendar
2 years ago
West Haven Calendar

Thursday Night Live (This one's on Friday!!!)

... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Thursday Night Live (This one's on Friday!!!)

tockify.com

Fri 23 Jun, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM [EDT]: Event by Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce, CT Old Grove Park Public · Anyone on or off Facebook West Haven summer concerts are back! Join us in West Haven thi...
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 1
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

1 CommentsComment on Facebook

West Haven Calendar
2 years ago
West Haven Calendar

Mark Your West Haven Calendar

tockify.com/west.haven.calendar/detail/442/1686776400000

Business After Hours West Haven Veterans Museum
... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Business After Hours West Haven Veterans Museum

tockify.com

Wed 14 Jun, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM [EDT]: Business After Hours West Haven Veterans Museum West Haven Veterans Museum & Learning Center Event by Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce, CT West Haven Veterans ...
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

West Haven Calendar
2 years ago
West Haven Calendar

Added for June 10th & 11th

tockify.com/west.haven.calendar/detail/443/1686405600000

West Haven Historical Society Open House
... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

West Haven Historical Society Open House

tockify.com

Sat 10 Jun, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM [EDT]:
View Comments
  • likes Like 2
  • Comments: 1
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

1 CommentsComment on Facebook

Load more

Footer

Address

West Haven Voice
840 Boston Post Road
West Haven, CT

 

Contact us

Call (203) 934-6397

Contact form

SITE NAVIGATION

HOME
ABOUT US
ARCHIVE
ADVERTISE!
CLASSIFIED
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONTACT US
WEB EXCLUSIVE

FIND US IN PRINT

Our print edition is available each Thursday. Here is a list of locations!

Letters Policy

Information on submitting letters to us.

Our submission deadlines.

Copyright © 2025 West Haven Voice, LLC