in town, including as chief. He died in 1997, at 61.
The Montowese Volunteer Fire Company will soon be renamed in honor of one of the department’s former chiefs, John E. Obier Jr.
Criscuolo formally requested the name change “Jack Obier was a man of in a letter to the Board of vision and a man of inSelectmen in March. During tegrity who devoted his life the board's June 6 meeting, to enhancing the safety of the request was approved. the citizens of the town of North Haven and the safe- One of Obier's sons, Lt. ty, dignity, professionalism David Obier, attended the of North Haven profession- meeting and expressed his al and volunteer firefight- gratitude to the board for ers,” fire commissioner Pe- approving the request. ter Criscuolo said in a letter “He put in a lot of years, proposing the re-naming. died too young and I’m very grateful for your support,” he said.
David Obier and his brother Jeffrey followed in their father’s footsteps, joining the Montowese Volunteer Fire Company. Both now serve as lieutenants in North Haven. “He really, really had a love for the fire department and he brought his children up the same way,” Criscuolo said. Fire Chief Paul Januszewski said the honor is fitting for the former chief, who spent his entire, decorated career in North Haven. Obier started as a volunteer firefighter at the MonSee Obier, A10
Q chamber hands out awards By Bailey Wright The Citizen
WALLINGFORD — Seven local businesses were to be recognized by the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce during its 77th annual meeting and awards dinner Wednesday night at The Farms Country Club. Chris Berman, a longtime sportscaster for ESPN, signed on as the keynote speaker.
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“When you have a company that has gone above and beyond, you should really be praising and recognizing them,” Dee Prior-Nesti, executive director of the chamber, said prior to the event. “Some companies are very humble … we want to make sure that they are acknowledged.”
Chris Berman, keynote speaker at the Q chamber awards See Chamber, A10 dinner.
Prior-Nesti said the companies honored were chosen
By Bailey Wright The Citizen
Approval for the Ulbrich Boys and Girls Club to open a branch in Hope Christian Church in North Haven was delayed after a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission last week. Tammi Ulbrich, chair of the Ulbrich Boys and Girls Club of Wallingford’s board of directors, represented the club’s application for a special permit to use the lower level of the church, 211 Montowese Ave. PZC Chairman Vern Carlson suggested continuing the public hearing until the next meeting after church neighbors expressed concerns about traffic, privacy and noise. “We're very sensitive to the neighbors and I understand where they're coming from as far as the noise and the lights ... everything that they mentioned is certainly a valid thing,” Carlson said.
with neighbors and come back to the commission in July. Ulbrich and her associates have since scheduled two meetings, according to Erik Scaranuzzo, head of the North Haven Boys and Girls Club steering committee. The first meeting was to be held at the Hope Christian Church on Tuesday, June 11. The other is scheduled to be held there Saturday, June 15 at 9 a.m. “We’re going to try to be more proactive this time (with getting out information),” Scaranuzzo said. Scaranuzzo said anyone is also welcome to call the Wallingford Ulbrich Boys and Girls Club with questions. The Ulbrich Boys and Girls Club in North Haven is currently planning to open this fall, with a likely enrollment size of about 20 children to start, which they expect to expand. They plan to have
He suggested the club meet
Sat, June 15, 2019 • 9:00am–2pm
Klingberg Family Centers, 370 Linwood St, New Britain, CT
See Ulbrich, A2
MOTORCA AGE R NT
General: $10 • Seniors (65+): $8 • Children 12 & under: Free Spectator parking will be at New Britain Stadium
KlingbergMotorcarSeries.org
• SERIES
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Benefitting Children & Families
June 15 is the second of three events in the 2019 Klingberg Vintage Motorcar Series. June 15 will be the big show, featuring a pre-war Concours d’Elegance.
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By Bailey Wright The Citizen
Decision on new Ulbrich club branch is postponed
VI
Obier to be immortalized
Obier served several decades as a firefighter
Friday, June 14, 2019
www.northhavencitizen.com
Volume 12, Number 12