Meet the Stop & Shop Robot

By Brent Costantino

Frequent Stop & Shop customer, Karen Swanson, is skeptical of the grocery store’s newest beeping employee.

“I hate this thing,” Swanson said. “I’m sure we will be seeing more of it, but I am certainly not a fan.”

Stop & Shop customer, Karen Swanson, shopping alongside Marty.

Marty, or as employees call him, Smarty, glides his way around the aisles searching for spills or falling hazards. When the robot detects a hazard, it will blink yellow and repeatedly announce “caution” in English and Spanish.

Not only does Marty alert the customers of hazardous spills, but he announces it to the employees over the intercom that a clean-up is needed.

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Current Stop & Shop employees are still adjusting to their new and technical co-worker.

“I don’t like him,” Jesse Rodriguez, a Stop & Shop employee, said. “He’s weird and I feel like he’s always in the way or following me around.”

Marty weighs 140-pounds and stands at 5 feet, 3 inches tall. He costs $35,000, which may seem a bit pricey for a mobile robotic hazard sign.

But Marty offers more than meets the eye.

Marty, designed by Badger Technologies, can also process data through its camera sensors and will increase visibility for store owners of low stock and out-of-stock items. For example, if the Colgate toothpaste runs out on aisle one, Marty can scan past and be able to analyze the lack of inventory. He can then relay the data to store managers through internet connection.

Badger Technologies has also partnered with AT&T to provide the robots with a more private network connection than typical in-store Wi-Fi, according to Badger Technology’s website. The two companies will bring 5G-enabled robots to retail chains nationwide.

“Working with AT&T enables us to better support our retail customers by delivering information faster to increase store efficiencies, improve customer service and boost profits,” said Tim Rowland, CEO of Badger Technologies, in a joint press release with AT&T.

“This gives Badger Technologies more control over what data travels beyond the walls of the store and what data stays onsite, which effectively addresses mounting privacy and security concerns among retailers,” according to a statement on the AT&T website.

There were nearly 500 Marty robots deployed to Stop & Shop chains across the U.S. as of January 2019.

“Marty actually frees up time so that our associates can focus on better serving customers – as opposed to consistently scanning the store floor for potential hazards,” said Jennifer Brogan, Stop & Shop director of external communications, when asked if Marty was the corporation’s first step in automizing jobs.

Other retail chains are implementing robotic technology as well including some Walmart chains, which have autonomous scrubbers cleaning the floors, according to Walmart’s official website. Other stores such as Lowes have robots assisting customers with questions, and keeping track of inventory, according to Lowe’s Innovation Lab’s website.

Humans and robots now work side-by-side.

Celebrating diversity during Hamden’s Restaurant Week

Last week Hamden held its 9th annual Restaurant Week which was sponsored by Bankwell for the fifth year in a row.

“We felt Hamden has such an array of different types of restaurants that we wanted to be able to spotlight and have a week where we were celebrating all the diversity of our restaurants,” Chamber of Commerce President, Nancy Dudchik, said.

Restaurant week gives residents and business people from town and the surrounding towns the opportunity to support local restaurants. According to Dudchik, around 15 restaurants participate each year. She said it varies each year because new restaurants open and new businesses come to town, which gives the owners the chance to bring new customers into their restaurants.

Hamden has a diverse group of restaurants. There’s Indian, Mediterranean, Greek, Italian, American and many more.

“This diverse list of different restaurants showcase what our town is like,” Dubchik said. “The diversity of our town. This really is a reflection of who are as a business community and as a community.”

HQ Press is highlighting three restaurants. One of the restaurants is a new addition to Restaurant Week, Bomb Wings and Rice, and two of the restaurants have been a part of Restaurant Week since the very beginning.

Bomb Wings and Rice

This week at Bomb Wings and Rice the Restaurant Week special included 12 piece wings, two sides and sweet potato cornbread.

“We knew that a lot people wanted to try different types of wings so our 12 piece combo comes with two flavors and then also comes with two sides and you get cornbread.” The manager of Bomb Wings, Shanikqa Waston said. “ A lot of people really enjoy our cornbread so that’s why we decided to put that in there as well.”

Bomb Wings and Rice has a very cozy and simple layout. This is not a regular seating restaurant. At Bomb Wings you take everything to-go. You order your food at the counter and wait for your food on the benches inside the restaurant or you call ahead and pick it up when it’s ready.

“We did a couple of events for the Chambers and we thought it would be the opportunity to join and also to bring new business to the restaurant, especially with us just opening up,” Waston said.

B&D Deli Works

This week at B&D Deli Works the Restaurant Week special included a lunch sandwich, a side, a drink and a homemade cookie.

Mark, the owner of B&D, said, “We’ve had a few people take advantage of the fixed price combo option you know it seems to generate a few new people through the door, that’s what it’s about. It’s about getting new faces in that we haven’t seen before and to some degree it has done that.”

The inside of B&D is small but classy. It is white and blue with a very clean atmosphere. The employees are very friendly and welcoming. You have the option of sitting down inside B&D or taking your food to-go. The counter has snacks and baked goods on top of them. Be wary of what time you go because the hours between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. are the busiest.

B&D Deli Works is known for its sandwiches, specifically its lunch sandwiches, which were a part of the Restaurant Week special.

Mark took over B&D Deli a year ago. The previous owner had always participated and now Mark is continuing the tradition.

“I simply wanted to feature a representative sample of the menu and items that we can quickly and easily prepare,” Mark said.

Ixtapa Grill

This week at Ixtapa the Restaurant Week special included an appetizer, an entrée and a desert. Ixtapa is one of the restaurants this week that decided to make a Prix Fixe All-Day Menu for dine-in only. The inside of Ixtapa is very symmetrical. There are booths all along the sides of the restaurant with tables in the middle. The walls are a different color from the ceiling and floor. The booths and walls are contrasting colors making it appealing to the eye.

Ixtapa’s regular menu includes all of their well-known foods. Just because Restaurant Week is over, that does not mean you can’t try all of their dishes.

Restaurant week has a variety of deals that benefit the customers and allow businesses to reach new customers. Get ready for next year because it’s the 10th anniversary and the Chamber of Commerce is planning something big!

Are pot holes here to stay on Hamden roadways?

Pot holes and cracked streets are of frustration for Quinnipiac students and Hamden residents.

Mayor of Hamden, Curt Leng said in a statement, “my team has worked hard paving the streets and fixing our sidewalks. I am proud of the progress we’ve made over these few years, but there’s much more to do and we need to keep this important investment into our neighborhoods going.”

The Hamden Legislative Council authorized $250,000 in the Local Improvement Program (LoCIP). This money will be used towards fixing sidewalks and curbs across Hamden.

For some students, they won’t believe the repairs to Hamden roadways until they see the work being done.

“Yeah, they’re allocating the money, but they can allocate whatever they want,” senior, Sean Raggio said. “Until I see a paved road it’s just talk.”

Mount Carmel Avenue has recently been repaved. This was one of the many streets in Hamden that has caused frustration for residents and their cars.

Currently, there is not a date set for when construction will begin.

Annual security and fire safety report shows shocking statistics to students

Quinnipiac Public Safety located in the Irmagarde hall on the Mount Carmel Campus

Quinnipiac Public Safety responds to hundreds of arrests, referrals and offenses over each year. This past Saturday, they released their annual security and fire safety report.

One statistic that stuck out to students were the three counts of rape on the Mount Carmel Campus.

“It’s a little shocking,” senior, Jacob Resnick said. “You hear about that happening at other places, you’re not really aware that it’s going on where you’re living, going to school.”

Recorded in 2016, there were a total of two rapes on the Mount Carmel Campus. In 2017, there were a count of two rapes as well. Making this past year the highest count of rape in the past 2 years.

“It could happen to anyone,” senior, Christina Vittas said.

Vitta’s works as a Residential Assistant on the York Hill Campus. She said Residential Assistances make an effort to limit crimes on the three campuses.

“It is definitely a big focus and like we try to help our students as much as possible, and it’s so unfortunate that those things happen,” Vittas said.

Other students say although the number is small, three peoples lives have completely changed.

“It’s three too many, if you ask me,” junior, Will Fowler said.

Other than the three rapes, the annual security and fire safety report showed 13 counts of burglary and three counts of aggravated assault.

If you have an incident to report you can find the Quinnipiac Public Safety office in the Irmagarde hall or call Quinnipiac Public Safety at 203-582-6200 for assistance. In any life-threatening emergency call 9-1-1.

Hiking at Sleeping Giant State Park is back

Sept. 23 marked the first day of fall and with the recent reopening of the Sleeping Giant State Park, many Quinnipiac students and nearby residents are back hiking.

“The campus is a lot more lively now, it’s not as humid so people are enjoying the time outside a little more,” senior, Mike Reiley said.

Sleeping Giant State Park closed in May 2018 after a Tornado swept across the area. Despite the devastation, hundreds of trees still have a home on the Sleeping Giant.

View of Sleeping Giant State Park from the Quinnipiac quad on the Mount Carmel Campus

Devastation has cleared following the May 2018 tornado

“Sleeping Giant in the fall, there is nothing like it,” Reiley said. “I mean you see the colors changing and all the foliage coming in, it’s just tremendous.”

With the fall season here, many students look forward to hiking the sleeping giant.

“I have not yet hiked the Sleeping Giant in the fall, definitely on my bucket list,” senior, Jack Main said.

The park is open everyday from 8 a.m. until sunset.

EEE virus found near Quinnipiac

Eastern Equine Encephalitis, known as the EEE virus has been found this season in 21 Connecticut towns.

Two people have died after contracting EEE in Old Lyme and East Lyme. State health officials are urging residents to be cautious of this mosquito-borne virus.

Quinnipiac’s Emergency Management Team sent out an alert on Friday following statewide concern. The alert read, “As a precaution, Quinnipiac is rescheduling all athletic and university-sponsored events that are scheduled to take place from dusk to dawn until further notice because of public health alerts regarding Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).”

On Monday, Student Health Services will provide mosquito repellant for students.

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) tests bugs across the state for EEE.

The virus has been found in the following areas:

Chester

Colchester

Columbia

East Lyme

Groton

Haddam

Hampton

Killingworth

Ledyard

Lyme

Madison

Montville

North Stonington

Old Lyme

Plainfield

Salem

Shelton

South Windsor

Sterling

Stonington

Voluntown

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has more information on symptoms, prevention and treatment for EEE.

The latest report from CT Gov. has tested 231,743 mosquitos across Connecticut. This was last updated on Sept. 25, 2019.

Have you selected a major or minor?

The Academic Advising Council hosted the Majors and Minors Fair on Wednesday.

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The event was held in the Piazza and went from noon to 4p.m.

Students were welcome to discuss their academic goals and speak with academic advisors. Pamphlets were given from each school with a breakdown of each major and minor.

The goal of this event was for students to feel comfortable in selecting a major or minor.

Student’s who have more questions can reach out to academic advising representatives from each of the schools.

Hamden restaurant week

A number of Hamden restaurants are taking part in the towns 9th annual restaurant week.

The event started Monday and will end on Sept. 28. Participating restaurants are offering $9 to $15 fixed lunch prices and $20 to $35 fixed dinner prices.

In the beginning of the month, the Hamden Chamber of Commerce announced Bankwell as the event’s sponsor.

The participating restaurants are:

The Soup Girl

B & D Deli Works

Ristorante Luce

Mickey’s Restaurant & Bar

Ibiza Restaurant

Fresko’s

Aunt Chilada’s

Side Street Grille

Ixtapa Grill

Eli’s on Whitney

Café Amici

The Playwright Irish Pub Restaurant

Mikro

TexiKo Tequila Bar

Bomb Wings & Rice Bar

September 26, 2019 QNN Newscast

This week on QNN, how safe do you feel on campus? We have new numbers that may surprise you. Plus, a look at the state of Hamden’s roads and Sleeping Giant gets ready for fall. Those stories and more are in this week’s QNN newscast.

Hamden bans businesses from providing plastic bags and straws

By Jordan Wolff

One week into the ban on plastic straws and bags in Hamden, some businesses aren’t complying with the ordinance.

McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts gave customers plastic straws at the drive through window on Friday, Sept. 20, and Common Grounds left plastic straws near the milk station, in violation of a new ordinance. Stores must keep straws behind the counter and may give to customers only when they request them.

Under the rules, which went into effect on Sept. 12, Hamden businesses may not offer or sell plastic checkout bags to customers and should only offer single-use drinking straws upon request by a customer.

A survey of more than a dozen restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores showed that most have switched to paper and reusable bags, but some aren’t following the rules on straws.

For example, reporters observed on Sept. 20 that the McDonald’s near Hamden Plaza and Dunkin Donuts on Whitney Avenue are still giving straws with iced coffees in the drive throughs. Common Grounds on Dixwell Avenue and multiple Dunkin Donuts are keeping straws by the milk and napkin station, but the ordinance states that businesses are supposed to keep straws behind the counters.

And some stores, including Krauszer’s, are still charging 10 cents for plastic bags, which is also in violation of the ordinance..

Leslie Balch, director of health at the Quinnipiack Valley Health District, confirmed that these actions do not comply with the new rules. Businesses not in compliance will be notified by a Hamden Litter Enforcement Officer on potential citations and fines..

However, Balch noted that most retailers and restaurants have cooperated so far.

“From what we’ve been able to observe within a week, we’ve seen a lot of really good compliance,” Balch said. “We have the advantage of the state law, and the idea which we like to promote of bring your own bag and decrease single-use items. So, we’ve seen a great acceptance of it, without a lot of complaints.”

Quinnipiac businesses such as the bookstore and Starbucks also have to comply. A reporter noted that the bookstore is promoting paper and reusable bags and that Starbucks employees will only give plastic straws if asked by the customer.

Yet some Hamden business owners say they feel the ordinance won’t have any resounding changes, and worry that it has upset many customers.

“The ridiculous ban, it doesn’t make sense to us,” Karen Brown from Glenwood Drive-in said. “It was rushed.”

One of the biggest complaints is that customers don’t want to purchase reusable bags, or pay for single-use bags if they choose to use those.

“Single-use bans are not going to have any effect other than annoying people who have to now buy bags,” said Kim Taldridge, co-owner of KayCee Farms.

Hamden isn’t the only town that has enacted the ban in 2019. With a 2021 state-wide ban looming, 15 towns have decided to act right away.

Balch knew it was only a matter of time before Connecticut officials addressed the issue of plastic waste.

“It is my belief that the state has entertained the possibility and looked at the idea for the past couple of years,” Balch said. “Many of the towns in Connecticut decided rather than wait to see what happens, they would embark on the research and everything involved with doing it on their own. That’s what Hamden did.”

The Hamden ordinance was passed in February due to the efforts of Hamden Councilman Brad Macdowall, who has a strong focus on conserving the environment.

Many business owners are in favor of the ordinance.

“We’ve always been using only paper, it just makes more sense,” Venice Bakery cashier Katie said.

Venice Bakery isn’t alone.

“We only use paper bags, brown and white,” Linda DiSorbo of DiSorbo’s Italian Bakery said.

Hamden Scuba employee Kevin O’Sullivan believes that both paper and plastic bags will always present a challenge

“We need to find a balance. The reason we went to plastic in the first place is because we were chopping down too many trees to make paper bags. Single-use is the problem, and for most people that is plastic.”

Despite not being allowed to purchase plastic bags, the QVHD clarified that residents can bring plastic bags into stores.

Moving forward, Balch wants residents to understand the environmental purpose of using plastic bags and straws.

“What we want to do, is not for the enforcement but for the value of seeing a change in our habits,” Balch said. “As soon as the state law came in, we’ve already seen a change and I think we’re going to be fairly successful.”