Connecticut Postings

ANSONIA — A woman at the Tax Collector’s office earlier today was trying to figure out just how much she owed in back taxes so that she would be able to get her car registered. The tax collector gave her a total and the woman began pulling out bills from her wallet, counting them over and over, until she realized she was short $40. It would mean she would have to leave and go home to get more money. The woman at the counter next to her, who was also trying to settle her own tax bill, overheard what was going on.

The woman almost immediately dug into her pocketbook, pulled out two $20 bills and tossed them to the woman owing the $40. “Here, I know what you are going through,” she said. Stunned, the woman at the other window hardly knew what to do. “No, I can’t take your money,” she said. The generous donor countered with “Just do something nice for someone today,” she said. “Or put extra money in the collection basket at church.”

The woman insisted she wanted to repay her, but that wasn’t going to happen.

It also happened that the woman actually owed $44. Yes, the donor tossed over an extra $4, too.

Temple recently requested a list of deliquent taxpayers and received 40 pages of them. The total amount owed is $10,288,423, he said during a press conference earlier today.

“This amount is absolutely unacceptable,” he said. “The totals involved include amounts owed due to clerical errors and poor accounting, other mistakes, amounts that can only be explained by past dishonesty and taxes in fact that are owed.”

While he said he didn’t want to “point fingers” he said he did want to “point out this unacceptable past business practice.”

“To make myself perfectly clear, none of this amount of delinquent taxes owed to any actions of the current tax collector, Cayenne Spremullo, or her office,” he added. “Quite the contrary, they are doing everything they can to straighten out this outrageous situation.”

Priot to Spremullo taking over the office, the department was run by Karen Guillet, who is currently facing larceny and forgery charges. Guillet, of Douglas Drive in Oxford, resigned after allegations of theft surfaced in December 2009.

A three-member committee appointed by then-First Selectman Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers found that $671,768 appeared to have been taken by Guillet between July 2003 and December 2009.

Guillet was arrested last November.

DERBY — Xpect Discounts will be laying off 58 employees, beginning around April 7, when it closes down it Pershing Drive operation ahead of a redevelopment project at the site.

In a notice filed with the State Labor Department, Kevin Yaugher, president and chief operating officer of Ohio-based Marc Glassman Inc., Xpect’s parent company, said layoffs would commence on April 7 or within 14 days after that date.

“Based upon economic forces, Marc Glassman Inc. was not able to renew its lease for the Xpect Derby location,” the company said in an email.

Its five other Connecticut stores are not affected, the company said.

Xpect’s Derby store is in the Red Raider Plaza, where a planned redevelopment could bring in a Walgreens Pharmacy and soften the blow to the community from job losses.

Mayor Anthony Staffieri said the jobs generated by Walgreens or other businesses moving in to the newly-renovated plaza would offset the lost Xpect jobs. “Hopefully the new store would hire some of those laid off,” he said.

“Yes, we are hoping those laid off will be absorbed into the new Walgreens,” said Sheila O’Malley, director of economic and community development, who added she was aware the layoffs were coming. “We never want to see anyone lose their job.”

According to Xpect’s mass layoff notice, 24 of the workers are cashiers and 19 work to keep the store stocked, while six supervisors will also be laid off.

Another food store could move in to the vacant space. “Most likely something like and Aldi’s,” the mayor said.

“Derby is a unique little city,” O’Malley added. “When one business closes another one opens.”

The redevelopment plan also calls for the demolition of a majority of the existing structures at the plaza.

This includes tearing down a portion of the Xpect building to make room for new storefronts where existing plaza stores — including Suds Laundromat, Crown Fried Chicken and N&S Smoke Junction — would be relocated. “That’s our understanding,” said Steven Jalowiec, Planning & Zoning member.

The new Walgreens store, which would be located at the corner of Pershing Drive and Division Street, would be about 14,500 square feet and would have a drive-thru window for prescriptions. Walgreens has 91 stores in Connecticut. The company did not immediately return inquiries.

Staffieri said construction of the store could begin as early as summer. “It’s just how fast Walgreens wants to move in,” he said.

But Jalowiec noted the proposal has yet to receive any city approvals or permits.

“We are just now having public hearings on it,” he said. The next hearing is planned for Feb. 21, he said, adding he encouraged residents to come and express their views on the entire proposal.

The hiker injured in a fall Sunday at Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden has died, according to a press release today from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Tobias Engel, 18, of Douglas Drive, Hamden, was pronounced dead at Yale New Haven Hospital Sunday night.

 DERBY –The city is proposing improvements on the Derby/Milford Road at the Route 34 intersection.

The project is in the conceptual stage and may be recommended for construction under the Surface Transportation Program administered by the state Department of Transportation.

An informational meeting on the proposal will take place Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the Aldermanic Chambers in City Hall on Elizabeth Street. Based on preliminary assessment, the construction cost will be approximatelly $1.63 million.

It’s anticipated that the Federal Highway Administration will provide 80 percent of the cost, the state 10 percent and the city 10 percent for all phases of the project.

More information on the project can be obtained by calling the Valley Council of Governments office at 203-735-8688.

SHELTON — The annual “Valley Has a Heart” food collection will take place Feb. 11 at three Stop & Shop stores.

The event will help Spooner House restock its shelves with enough non-perishable foods to last at least two months.

The collections will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following Stop & Shop locations: 100 Division St., Ansonia; 15 Franklin St., Seymour; and 898 Bridgeport Ave, Shelton.

Food donations will also be accepted at Spooner House, 30 Todd Road, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations can also be dropped off at Christ Episcopal Church, 56 Cliff St., Ansonia, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Volunteers are still needed for the food drives at each location to collect and organize the food. Call Tony Vellucci at 203-225-0453 to volunteer.

Food items needed include soups, juices, tuna, canned fruits, peanut butter, jelly, rice, crackers, snack items, coffee and tea.

Spooner House provides food, shelter and support services to approximately 200 men, women and children each year.

The Valley Food Bank, run by Spooner House, provides a week’s supply of groceries each month to participating families throughout the Valley.

In 2011, the food bank program provided more than 137,000 meals, a third of them for children.

Spooner House is operated by Area Congregations Together, Inc., a non-profit agency which was formed in 1979 to help fill gaps in the Valley’s social service network.

DERBY — Police are looking for the suspect in an armed robbery early Wednesday at Tim’s Food Mart on Seymour Avenue.

The suspect, who was armed with a knife, entered the store around 7:51 a.m. and attempted to take money from the cash register, according to Lt. Justin Stanko.

“A struggle ensued and the female clerk was struck in the hand with the knife,” he said. Stanko said the clerk sustained lacerations to her hand and was taken to Griffin Hospital.

Stanko said the suspect took about $100 before he fled on foot.

Detectives recovered clothing and other evidence nearby the store that they believe was tossed by the suspect, he said.

They include a blue and white Dallas Cowboy Reebok pullover with a large blue star on the back and a navy, New York Yankee baseball cap with the Yankee logo in cursive and a light blue/turquoise brim. He said the clerk was too distraught give a description of the suspect.

Stanko said anyone with information about the robbery should contact Derby police at 203-735-7811. All calls will remain confidential.

ANSONIA — Complaints from neighbors in the Howard Avenue area prompted an investigation by police into criminal activity which resulted in the recent arrest of two people on drug charges.
Joseph Vasquez and Kayla Schlemmer, both of 88 Howard Ave., were arrested Friday afternoon, according to Lt. Andrew Cota.
Vasquez, 18, was charged with sale of cocaine, possession within 1,500 feet of a school (Ansonia High School) with intent to sell and tampering with evidence.
He was held on $250,000 and is due in Derby Superior Court on Feb. 14.
Schlemmer, 18, was charged with sale of cocaine and possession within 1,500 feet of a school with intent to sell. She was held on a $5,000 bond and is due in Derby Superior Court on Feb. 17.
Vasquez and Schlemmer were arrested after the Ansonia Police Anti-Crime Unit, along with the Ansonia patrol and detective divisions, Derby Police and the DEA, served a search and seizure warrant at the Howard Avenue residence Friday around 4:30 p.m., said Cota.
He said that, during the search, approximately two ounces of crack cocaine and more than $1,300 in cash was seized from the residence.
“The investigation was in direct response to complaints from neighbors about drug dealing in the area,” Cota said.