“We have 30 days from (Friday) to respond and we are also collecting signatures on a petition to have the DEEP hold a public hearing in Milford,” Mayor Ben Blake said. “This will be our first opportunity to voice our objections and to have input into this. There are several aspects of the application that make no sense.”

For one thing, Blake said, the application by Recycling Inc. does not specify how the materials will be brought to the facility or where they will be shipped after processing.

Neighbors say they fear that trucks going over the narrow, winding road leading to the facility will cause accidents and noise.

Darlene Chapdelaine, owner of Recycling Inc., has said that her facility operates in accordance with all state and federal laws.

The business has not accepted materials while the city’s court challenge to its initial approval is heard. Attorney Matt Woods argued in that appeal that Milford’s land use laws must also be complied with, and that the project does not meet local zoning regulations.

Carrie Burr (left) accepting her award from Stratford Animal Control Officer Rachel Solveira (right).

Press release:

The Stratford Animal Rescue Society is pleased to present their “Volunteer of the Year.”

Nominated and voted on by her fellow volunteers, Carrie Burr, was selected for this honor and presented with a plaque at STARS Annual Banquet Dinner.

Carrie’s love for animals shines through with the countless hours she spends at the Stratford Animal Control Facility every week. Carrie tirelessly walks, trains and socializes the homeless animals everyday. She does not hesitate to step up to the plate to clean the facility, organize donations/supplies and work at all fund-raising activities.

Carrie makes a difference in the lives of Stratford’s abandoned and neglected animals and is treasure to the community.

For information on how to volunteer with STARS at the Stratford Animal Control Facility please visit www.stratfordanimalrescue.com.

The Town of Stratford, in partnership with the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund, announced today that it has secured $839,086 in incentive funds for an energy savings performance contract.

The $10 million project bundles a complete set of energy efficiency measures across 33 buildings within the town including the Stratford Town Hall, schools, water treatment facilities, office buildings, firehouses and the police station.

Through the Energy Conscious Blueprint and Energy Opportunities programs, the project will include lighting retrofits, water treatment plant upgrades, building envelope improvements, boiler replacements, roof replacements, photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbine systems, sustainability management systems and more.

“Stratford has been taking advantage of our programs in a limited, one at a time fashion over the past ten years, but performance contracting gathers all energy efficiency measures together,” said Richard W. Steeves, First Vice Chairperson, Energy Efficiency Board.  “In the end, it is more cost-effective which allows Stratford to take on larger capital projects, and it’s our hope that other towns will make efforts to utilize this new integrated solution as we continue to improve Connecticut’s standing in energy efficiency leadership.”

With the performance-contracting model, energy-efficient facility improvements are paid for with the resulting utility savings.  Over the 15-year contract term, the Town of Stratford will save a projected $9.9 million in energy savings.

“Reducing the town’s energy usage, and at the same time upgrading our energy infrastructure within our buildings is a win-win,” said Stratford Mayor John Harkins. “Municipalities must think outside of the box and take advantage of programs such as these to move forward in this economic climate.”

The project is expected to begin in  February 2012.

Several towns in UI and CL&P service territories have expressed interest in performance contracting, but at this time, no other town has applied for incentive funds.

For more information, please call 1-877-WISE USE or visit www.CTEnergyInfo.com.

BRIDGEPORT — When they arrived at the City Council meeting Monday, Harding High seniors Denepha Edmondson and Priscilla Gator had no idea their campaign to raise funds for a senior banquet would be kicked off right then and there.
In fact, Ronald Dougiello, the man behind the surprise donation, didn’t even know the girls were raising money for food and decorations for the senior event they plan to have in their school gym.
Dougiello was at the meeting to receive a citation in honor of his late father, Charles Dougiello. The elder Dougiello — who according to his obituary was the youngest embalmer in the state — was a Bridgeport native and life-long resident. He established several funeral homes in the city and throughout the years served on both the fire and police commissions.
But when Ronald heard about the teenagers’ fundraiser, he shocked everyone by pulling out $500 and offering the gift in honor of his father as a start to their efforts.
The girls didn’t leave with cash in hand, though. Mayor Bill Finch gave the money to the Interim Director of Finance Dawn Norton to be logged as an official donation.

Stratford Continuing Education will offer driver education classes to high school students who are residents of Stratford and who are 16 or older by February 28, 2012.

Classes begin February 28 and run until April 26, from 3:45 – 5:45 pm and 5:45 – 7:45 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Stratford High School.

Students from Bunnell and Stratford High Schools are to register at their respective schools beginning on February 1.

The fee is $95.00 and non-refundable.

All other Stratford residents who attend private area high schools are to register by contacting the Stratford Continuing Education office.

You may call Stratford Continuing Education at 385-4270 for further information.

DJ Kingsley, top right, speaks to families gathered for Connecticut Against Violence's rally and community forum held at the Ralphola Taylor Community Health Center in Bridgeport, Conn. on Friday February 3, 2012.

Connecticut Against Violence, an anti-violence group founded last September by Bridgeport Lt. David Daniels and DJ Kingsley Osei, will host the second in a series of community forums from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10 at the South End Community Center at 650 Park Avenue in Bridgeport. The topic of the forum is “The real truth about gun violence.”

Youth and parents are encouraged to attend. Food and live music will be provided.

CAV uses hip-hop music to inspire youths to make positive life choices. Learn more about the group here.

Click here to read about the group’s first community forum last Friday at the Ralphola Taylor Community Health Center.

There were no reported injuries.

Photo contributed by Stratford Fire Union

Stratford dentists Dr. Mark Samuels and Dr. Joseph Jarmon of Lighthouse Dental Care are helping the residents of Stratford and surrounding communities during these difficult economic times by giving free emergency dental treatment on Friday, February 10, 2012, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

The free dental treatments will be given at Lighthouse Dental Care, located at 88 Ryders Lane, Stratford, CT  06614.

The Emergency Dental Treatment Day is designed to treat anyone (adult or child) for free who cannot afford dentistry.

Both dentists were inspired to produce this community effort after reading a report in the New York Times about how an increasing number of Americans are having to forgo healthcare because they have no insurance and therefore unable to afford the cost of a visit to the doctor:

http://dentiststratfordct.com/index.php/community_events/stratford-dentists-offer-free-dentistry/

“Anyone with a dental emergency and cannot afford it will be provided with Emergency Dental Treatment at NO COST on a first-come first-served basis,” explains Dr. Jarmon, adding “We would like to do our part as dentists to help and hope other healthcare providers would join us and organize a similar effort in their community to help keep our fellow Americans healthy.”

Dr. Samuels adds, “We will be conducting similar community events in Stratford periodically throughout the year to help the less fortunate in our community.”

Details of Dr. Samuels and Dr. Jarmon’s other community events can be found online at;http://dentiststratfordct.com/index.php/category/community_events/

“In a troubled economy that affects many Americans, the spirit of giving to others is needed more than ever. We’re hoping the word gets out about our free dental day in February so people with dental emergencies can get help,” Dr. Samuels concludes.

For additional information, please contact:

Dr. Mark Samuels and Dr. Joseph Jarmon

Lighthouse Dental Care

88 Ryders Lane, Stratford, CT 06614

Tel.: (203)378-1566

Fax: (203)380-8390

Firefighters pulled back several strips of siding and wood paneling after putting out the fire, which filled several first-floor rooms with heavy smoke, according to first responders on the scene.

There were no reported injuries.