The Cheshire United Methodist Church has collected over $550 to help town residents in need of fuel assistance.

The church recently donated the money to the Cheshire Fuel Bank. The Rev. Stephen Volpe is shown at left presenting Kristen Schechter of Cheshire Human Services Department with a check for the money, which was collected by the church through its annual Christmas holiday display, "Road to Bethlehem." 

"Road to Bethlehem" is a living nativity drive through display, which features 10 scenes depicting the birth of Jesus. Those who view the displays are asked to either donate food for the Cheshire Food Pantry or money for the Fuel Bank.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to the Cheshire Fuel Bank should call 203-271-6690

Vocalists Kerry Holahan, Lilla Heinrich Szasz and Chai-lun Yueh will be performing with the Wallingford Symphony Orchestra on Saturday at 8 p.m.at the Paul Mellon Arts Center on the Choate Rosemary Hall campus.

The vocalists will performs arias, duets and choruses by Handel, Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Leoncavallo, Mascagni, Bizet, Rossini, Donizetti, Offenbach as well as Summertime from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.The concert will be followed by a reception.


Tickets are available by calling (203) 697-226, online at the Wallingford Symphony website or by purchasing them at Gallagher Travel Shoppe, which is located at 369 Center Street.

State Senator Len Suzio won't be taking President Day off.

The Meriden Republican, who serves the state's 13th Senate District, will be in Cheshire on Monday as well as in two other of the towns he represents. The purpose of Suzio's  10 a.m. visit to the Cheshire Gulf Station at 1098 Highland Ave. to promote legislation he has proposed to cap Connecticut's gross receipts tax on gasoline.

 Suziuo's legislation would cap the gross receipts tax when prices at the pump top $3 per gallon.

The gross receipts tax is one of two that the state collects on gasoline. One is paid directly by consumers, while the gross receipts tax is passed through to motorists.

The gross receipts tax places a 7.53 percent levy on whole sale gas prices.


“Connecticut motorists are sick of the pain at the pump – and so are Connecticut gas station owners,”  Suzio said.  

More than 1000 people have signed Suzio’s online gas tax petition, which can be found on his legislative web site.

Republican State Representative Al Adinolfi said Wednesday that is introducing legislation to increase property tax breaks for veterans.

Adinolfi, who is from Cheshire and serves the 103rd District, said his plan calls for using a sliding scale to assess the property tax exemptions. The scale would include a veteran's disability rating if applicable.

The current veterans’ exemptions have not been adjusted since the end of World War II, Adinolfi said. The law provides for a basic flat rate exemption that varies depending on the extent to which a veteran is disabled.

Adinolfi’s plan calls for using this scale:

·     A property tax exemption for 10 percent of the value of the property for veterans who served during time of war.

·     A property tax exemption of 15 percent if the veteran has a disability rating of 10 percent to 15 percent.  

·     A property tax exemption of 20 percent if the veteran has a disability rating of  between 25 percent and 50 percent.  

·     A property tax exemption of  25 percent if the veteran has a disability rating of 50 percent to 75 percent  

·     A property tax exemption of 30 percent if the veteran has a disability rating of 75 percent to 100 percent.  

“This proposal is the least we can do for those brave man and woman in the armed forces who served our country," said Adinolfi, who is the Ranking Member on the Select Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. "Veterans, especially aging veterans, deserve a chance to stay in the homes they raised their families,”