Upon Casual Observation

When I first started this futile exercise in pseudo journalism way back when, I spoke of my history with this town.  Born here, grew up here, worked for the Cop shop for twenty, moved out, came back. . so when I praise or criticize this town, I kind of know this town and I know what it was and what it is and what it could be. So, as they say, I complain because I care. And what do i care about?
 Ok. . . driving down the wonderfully wide Washington Ave, I noticed all the in progress development and I slightly smile to myself.  It is after all, good to see, but what businesses do we need and what do we want?  Are they the same? If they were, we'd have a bakery in town. I know it's old fashioned but who remembers Sugar and Spice in the Old Mammoth Mart plaza?  No? Of course not, who does? But the point is, there is no place to get nice italian cookies. . none. We need a bakery here in this town. Someone should do something about it. Someone. . .really. . . .should. . .

Goodbye to the good ol Rustic Oak.  Sad but true, but after 40 years, the fireplace has finally gone out.  The owners have decided to live life quietly now, but damn. . .it was some fine food.

Will the north end of town finally stop pretending to look like Bridgeport or good Lord, Meriden? Well. . with Quinnipiac Med School firmly in place, hopefully there will be development other than gas stations and package stores. 

While writing this story, I also discovered that the owner of the former Neptune Diner from Wallingford will be moving to the corner of Washington Ave and Bradley st.  Hmm. . .now I have a reason to go to that corner.

This town has a long way to go people. Sure we see brand new police cars and we see them driving around but, I don't know. . .42 officers in 1978 and now?  Check it out. When you see a police car ask yourself and then ask  the board of finance why there are no more than 5 officers on the road each night? Why does the town get toys and not more officers, more dispatchers, just more.  Remember when you call the cop shop to complain about your neighbors' leaves in your yard keep in mind that while North Haven has a state of the art dispatch center, it's kind of tough on the 4 dispatchers. That's right, one dispatcher per shift.  It was like that 25 years ago, it's sadly the same today. Do I feel safe? Do you?

In my rant about no bakeries I have to update things just a bit.  On State street there is a cupcake/cake making shop that was recently opened by a very slim former owner of a hair salon, definitely a requirement I look for when opening a food store.  I wish her good luck, but it doesn't matter really. In less than a year 12 "cupcake only" shops have opened in New Haven County(source: Small Business Development Corp, State of Ct)since April of 2013. Today there are 3 of them left. People don't want cupcakes, they want hard rolls, donuts, cakes, Italian cookies. . you know. . a BAKERY!

And so to wrap up. . North Haven is a good town, not a great town. It has always tried to portray itself as a small New England town and if you want to be technical about things, North Haven is small and it is in New England, but that's pretty much it. Oh, the town green is nice, looks like a real town green, but until the town stops it's useless over-development of cookie cutter McMansions, until they stop ripping up open space so another horrific chain restaurant can make more people fat and complacent and until the town addresses it's own issues(big drug problem-Something I noticed when talking to one of North Haven's detectives over 22 years ago)and when it does something real and lasting about it's own house and when it realizes that it's time to update it's infrastructure, North Haven will never move forward. This once great town will forever be struck under it's giant bubble, ignoring and denying the world outside. Let's get to work people. Let's run for office, let's get out there!  And yes. . . . someone needs to open a bakery. I really miss those pastry boxes with that little twine.