Hamden – Page 11

Hamden traffic light cameras not for ticketing drivers- state

By Jeremy Troetti

The operation is simple. A driver runs a red light and in an instant, a camera flash records the incident. The driver then receives a ticket in the mail.

Despite a Feb. 11 report by NBC Connecticut detailing mayor Curt Leng’s plan to have new traffic light cameras catch red light offenders on Whitney and Dixwell avenues, the use of cameras for that purpose is not permitted by Connecticut state law.

As of December 2018, 21 U.S. states, along with the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, have some form of red light camera detection systems, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.

According to Connecticut Department of Transportation spokesman Kevin Nursick, the traffic cameras in Hamden are being used to monitor traffic flow.

“These are not enforcement cameras,” Nursick said. “They are not to scan people’s license plates or taking pictures or anything of that nature. They are detection cameras.”

Nursick explained that the cameras are being installed all across the state to replace loop detectors – aging in-ground traffic signal technology that is no longer able to operate adequately.

“We have been moving toward installing cameras in place of the loop detector systems across the state, and we’ve got a lot of work to do still, but we’re slowly making headway in terms of transitioning from loop detector systems to the camera systems,” he explained.

Although the cameras are not being utilized for detecting red light offenses at this time, 22-year-old Quinnipiac student, and Connecticut resident, David Gassel, does see potential in using the cameras for more than just managing traffic.

“If they used them to monitor potential accidents, and they catch a drunk driver running a red light, they could use that in the case against them,” Gassel said. “I think that could be a good use for (the cameras).”

As for why loop detector systems are being replaced statewide at this time, Nursick explained that a string of recent complaints has expedited the camera installations.

“The loop detectors are probably the single biggest failure issue that we have with traffic signals across the state of Connecticut,” Nursick said. “We’ll get complaints from people… they’ll call us up and say ‘Hey, I was out at this traffic light at 11 p.m. and there’s no traffic and it’s making me sit there for two minutes before it turns green’ or ‘Hey, in the middle of rush hour, we’re getting off the exit ramp and this light just isn’t turning for us.”

Nursick also raved about the new technology’s ability to offer real-time access to the Connecticut Department of Transportation – allowing the department to monitor potential traffic issues, something loop detectors cannot do.

“They are much less prone to failure and the technology is really improving on these things – you can access them remotely and make adjustments,” he said. “You can remotely monitor them to make sure they are functioning properly.”

Gassel feels that having the Department of Transportation monitor the cameras can have additional benefits beyond traffic management.

“If they’re using them like they say they are, it gives someone a job… someone has to check that camera. It puts money on someone’s table.”

While loop detectors are able to sense vehicle movement through an underground wiring system, the new traffic light cameras allow for easier digital detection of traffic flow due to 360 degree viewing capabilities.

“If you looked at one of the screens from these things, it basically sets up a customized grid for each location and it digitally sees vehicles at the intersection and it sends that information to what we call the control cabinet, which typically looks like a metal cabinet somewhere near that intersection,” Nursick explained.

In addition to regular traffic jams, Nursick explained that other factors, such as construction, could impact the capabilities of loop detectors.

“You still have the traffic signal there operating with the loop detector, even if you mill the thing out when you’re ready to pave, but you have to go to a pre-programmed, one-size-fits-all setting on the traffic signal – and that doesn’t work very well,” he said. “It is not dynamic, it is not live, it is not real-time, dynamic capability. So it causes problems. And that contributes to congestion.”

While the new camera systems have been installed at locations across the state, the cameras in Hamden are maintained by the town’s Department of Traffic.

The Hamden Department of Traffic has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the matter.

Hamden residents welcome plastic bag ban

By Michaela Mendygral

Shoppers leaving ShopRite on Dixwell Avenue in Hamden on one recent Saturday afternoon generally supported Hamden’s new single-use plastic bag ban, saying the reduction in litter and damage to the environment outweighed any inconvenience or expense the new law may impose.

“(Plastic bags) blow all over the place, people throw them around and it is a litter nuisance for sure,” Hamden resident, Jerry Gogliotto said.

In a meeting Tuesday evening, Feb. 19, Hamden’s town legislative council passed an ordinance with two abstentions, introduced in January and to be in effect come fall, banning single use plastic bags at checkout.

The new ordinance “will allow paper checkout bags, but only those that are 100 percent recyclable and are made from at least 40 percent recycled material,” according to the New Haven Independent.

Jerry Gigliotto and his wife Barbaraare just two of several shoppers to leave ShopRite with recyclable bags in hand.

The Gigliottos said that reusable bags have been easily acquired over the years. They are usually a dollar to purchase, but many are often given out for free.

The Gigliottos found out about the plastic bag ban from the news. However, not everyone using recyclable bags is even aware of the ordinance passed by Hamden.

New Haven resident Lydia Santiago uses recycled bags because it makes sense.

“I keep them in the car in a bag and I take the whole thing into the store,” Santiago said.

Santiago was unaware of the new ordinance Hamden recently passed, but welcomes it openly.

“[The plastic bag ban] is so cool,” Santiago said. “I went to Washington [D.C] a few years ago and they have no plastic bags. In Washington D.C. they would ask you if you would want a plastic bag and you would have to pay for it.”

Several shoppers expressed concern over the lightweight plastic bags.

North Haven resident Ellen Perrotti saidd, “I don’t want plastic bags anymore, I never did want them. I was mad when they took paper away and they don’t offer it anymore.”

One Quinnipiac student agrees. “Paper bags are more recyclable and wouldn’t be as much of a harm if it gets into the ocean,” said Destiny De Jesus, 21..

However, the change expected to take place come fall may be an adjustment period for some.

“I think it’ll be a little inconvenient for people that aren’t prepared for it, but I do think it’s a good thing in the long run,” Barbara Gigliotto said.

The ban came as a surprise for 68-year-old Hamden resident, Jack Allen.

“To tell you the truth I use plastic bags for everything,” said Allen. For him, reusing plastic bags within the home has become routine and the plastic bag ban means purchasing more reusable bags.

Mayor Curt Leng asked Hamden residents their thoughts on the ban back in January, posting on Facebook a call for opinions on both a plastic bag and straw ban.

Residents are quick to weigh in on the topic, with the majority in favor of the new ordinance. The post is currently at a total of 455 comments.

How safe is the town of Hamden?

By Shayla Colon

Recent reports of a Citgo gas station robbery where the victim was pistol whipped and another armed robbery last Sunday, Feb. 17, has left Hamden residents wondering about their safety.

An employee at the Shell gas station on Whitney avenue, Grishma Shah of Hamden, shared her concern for safety in Hamden.

“Gunpoint is scary, I wouldn’t be able to work here if it happened to me,” Shah said.

The most calls for service made to police in January 2019 were for burglaries, according to Hamden Police Department statistics. In January alone, of the 493 emergency calls made to police, 294 were regarding a burglary. The other 199 calls were about holdups, fires or false reports.

Photo via Hamden Police Department statistics

But the amount of calls made to police this January was significantly smaller than the total calls made to police in January of last year. Since last January, some crime rates have risen. Recently, the Hamden police have reported that drug arrests and seizures for weapons or drugs are up, and so are motor vehicle infractions.

While some residents said they were concerned about their safety in light of the recent robberies, others still believe Hamden is a generally safe town. Local small-business owner of the Whitneyville Food Center, Patrice Notarfrancesco, finds Hamden to be a safe town and she is not alone.

“I feel safe here in Whitneyville,” said Notarfrancesco. “I think it’s a pretty safe area and we always have police presence coming back and forth.”

Results from a Twitter poll by HQ Press revealed that of the 36 responses, only half of participants say they feel safe in Hamden. Of the rest who participated, 11 percent said they did not feel safe, while the remaining 39 percent said they only feel safe sometimes.

“I’m not overly concerned, I still feel like Hamden is really safe and still proud to be residents of Hamden,” Hamden resident Jessica Hazan said.

Ulta Beauty and Orangetheory Fitness coming to Hamden

By Hannah Feakes

The Marketplace at Hamden will be adding two new stores this coming fall.

Ulta Beauty is moving its location from North Haven, replacing the current Modell’s, and Orangetheory Fitness is moving into a vacant space between T.J Maxx and Plato’s Closet, according to Dale Kroop, Hamden’s director of economic and neighborhood development.

Mayor Curt Leng said that new stores moving into Hamden plazas are a great sign for the Hamden economy in a recent article published by the New Haven Independent.

Quinnipiac University graduate student Kimmie Ellsworth is looking forward to buy makeup in town.

“It’ll be great to have Ulta because there is no place to buy quality makeup around here,” she said.

Along with the arrival of Orangetheory Fitness, there are two other private gyms in the immediate area, Edge Fitness and LA Fitness.

Professor David Cadden teaches in the entrepreneurship and strategy at QU. He says that Hamden’s economic and community development organization has been proactive and successful in attracting businesses to Hamden.

“Today’s retail market is highly competitive and new businesses are always looking for areas of growth,” Cadden said. “One of the things they look out for as where are all the businesses going. Bringing several businesses into a community in a short period of time as a multiplier effect.

Cadden says that when businesses open up multiple locations in a community it extends the tax base and offers more job opportunities to the residents of that community.

“Hamden seems to have been very successful on both counts,” he said. “I am sure that (they) are happy to welcome businesses that would be used by Quinnipiac students.”

QU student Peter Labbe thinks that Ulta Beauty will do better than Orangetheory in the area.

“There are already a lot of gyms and Ulta doesn’t really have much competition,” he said. “Retro Fitness and one of the Planet Fitnesses closed last year because they couldn’t compete with Edge fitness and and LA Fitness, I don’t know how Orangetheory is going to be able to do it.”

Cadden does not think that the arrival of Ulta Beauty and Orangetheory Fitness will hurt the business of other stores in the area.

“It’s difficult to ascertain the extent to which these two enterprises would ‘damage’ any other existing stores or exercise facilities,” Cadden said. “It seems to me that orange theory and offers a unique service that may not be competitive with the other large gyms in Hamden.”

QU students expressed interest in the new additions to the town of Hamden.

Senior Meghan Thorogood could hardly contain her excitement when she found out Ulta Beauty would be moving closer to campus.

“Ulta and Orangetheory will be awesome additions to Hamden!” she said. “Quinnipiac students will frequent these locations because of their close proximity to campus and student owned housing. I honestly think having more than one option for a gym is nice for us, we get a choice in which gym we want to pay for.”

Quinnipiac facilities workers prepare for the snow

By Ross Lager

With another snow squall predicted for Wednesday evening, the Facilities Department at Quinnipiac University is gearing up to ensure the safety and accessibility of all three campuses for students and faculty.

Though meteorologists predicted another large storm earlier in the week, a wintry mix of snow, sleet and rain blanketed the Hamden area Sunday evening into Monday morning. This messy mix caused Quinnipiac University to delay classes until 10 a.m.

Regardless of the amount of snow, the Quinnipiac Facilities Department has to be prepared to meet any challenge.

Associate Vice President of Facilities Operations, Keith Woodward finds the key to storm preparation is equipment management.

“We talk, prepare and communicate well in advance of any storm, and trying to be prepared for anything that happens. As an example, a day after the storm we are checking our supplies, evaluating our equipment and (making) sure we are ready for the next one,” said Woodward.

The morning following a snowstorm, students and faculty find roads and lots “magically” clear and free of snow. Yet, it is the preparation of the Facilities Department that makes that magic happen. Last week, a sudden drop in temperature caused dangerous sub-zero conditions that forced the cancellation of all classes on Tuesday, Feb 12. The following morning, roads and lots were cleared so that students and faculty could proceed with business as usual.

Woodward understands the responsibility the Facilities Department has in keeping all Quinnipiac campuses safe for everyone, regardless of the weather.

“We are fortunate to have a group of dedicated employees and making sure they are prepared as best as they can be for when winter conditions arrive.

“We have our groundskeepers and mechanics working to make the campus safe for the community… (members of the facilities department) combined with some contractors are roughly 50-60 people,” Woodward said.

Woodward also said that one of Hamden’s top priorities is to clear the roads surrounding the university for the safety of commuting students and Hamden residents.

“The Town of Hamden does great work and has a dedicated staff in their Public Works area,” Woodward said. “I’m sure we help a little… but between the State of Connecticut trucks and the town, they do a great job.”

Even with the drastic changes in weather, Quinnipiac students seem to be pleased with the job the facilities department has done to clear up remnants of past storms. Senior psychology and sociology major Destiny DeJesus watched the clean-up efforts last Tuesday at the York Hill campus from the comfort of her dorm room and was impressed.

“My room’s window on York gives me a clear view of the Eastview parking lot and the path to the parking garage,” she said. “I saw custodians cleaning out there before, during and after the snow, so I think they did a good job.”

Quinnipiac needs to be ready to thoroughly clear the snow from roads, walkways and parking lots, and is a task the department is ready well in advance.

“The preparation is a year-round process, from equipment evaluation at the end of the season, to the time spent in August or September when we are purchasing magnesium chloride (salts that help with traction) to help with sidewalks and roads,” Woodward said.

The university keeps students, faculty and staff informed via email, phone calls and texts about delays, early closings and cancellations.

Last week, members of the Quinnipiac community received a notification the night before the impending storm, sparking excitement and surprise. Unlike the usual notifications that have typically gone out in the early morning hours. The day after the storm had passed through the Hamden area, students received an alert around the expected time (5:39 a.m.) announcing a delayed opening due to inclement conditions.

Junior marketing major Luke Ahearn getting to class in inclement weather causes problems for more than just those working with the Facilities Department.

“The weather has been rough for students, faculty and staff,” Ahearn said. “Other than the obvious inconveniences that come with weather like this, students’ commute and even the walks to class become dangerous.”

Ahearn said he thinks facilities personnel do the best they can working through the night to clear the snow.

“Facilities have done a wonderful job clearing snow,” he said. “Their job is under-appreciated as they are out in the cold in the middle of the night making sure the campus is as safe as it can be. They are always well prepared for inclement weather.”

Winter Weather Advisory for New Haven County

By Sam Bashaw

Hamden and its surrounding neighbors are once again at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Starting at 9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, New Haven County is expecting a mix of snow, sleet and rain as temperatures drop down to just under freezing, according to the Weather Channel. Ice is expected to follow, making roads dangerous until Monday morning when temperatures will still be hovering below 32 degrees. A Winter Weather Advisory, issued by the National Weather Service, is in effect during the hours of 9 p.m. Sunday night and 10 a.m. Monday morning.

The morning of President’s Day could see some hazardous conditions impacting the morning commute and those going to school despite the federal holiday. Be cautious of slippery roads and limited visibility and check your local Department of Transportation services for the most up-to-date road conditions.

Contact Hamden’s Department of Traffic at 203-287-2636 or visit the Weather Channel’s interactive Hamden weather map for more updates.

Hamden restaurants in violation of public health code

By Shayla Colon

In the latest Hamden restaurant inspection, the Quinnipiack Valley Health District graded 38 establishments, including Eli’s on Whitney, as less than acceptable for failing to comply with the Connecticut Public Health Code.

Among the 38 restaurants not meeting safety standards are some other Hamden favorites including: Droogie’s, Mickey’s restaurant and Wood-n-Tap.

Eli’s was docked four points for failing to keep foods at proper temperatures, not cleaning rags regularly enough and for having a “filthy” vacuum for the sous vide cooking process, the New Haven Register reported.

According to Eli’s general manager, Shawn Reilly, anything other than an A is a failure and “embarrassing.” He explained that a former employee turned up the temperature of the walk-in refrigerator from the standard 41 degrees to 45 degrees causing the violation. The employee was let go the week of the incident.

The Connecticut Public Health code outlines inspection violations can include anything regarding improper sanitization, improper food temperatures, or cross-contamination.

“You could have an A and have 10 different violations or get a C with just two violations, it just depends on the type of violation,” Reilly said.

Reilly further noted that the Eli’s staff does line checks daily, but was not able to catch these issues because the sanitarian arrived beforehand.

Going forward, Reilly looks to regain Eli’s A status. “I’m not going to change anything, this is a blip. We do things properly, this is human error that should of never happened. He (the sanitarian) is coming back next week, there will be an A on the door next week,” Reilly said.

America’s next Miss USA could be from Hamden

By Savannah Giammarco

Hamden’s Acacia Courtney now wears a crown — but she is no stranger to the limelight.

Though the 26-year-old was crowned Miss Connecticut USA on Jan. 5 at the Palace Theater in Stamford, she’s frequently on television in her role as a horse racing correspondent for the Stronach Group, which owns the Gulfstream and Pimlico race tracks.

“I’ve been around horses my whole life and I grew up riding in Connecticut,” Courtney said. “I never thought I could make a career out of horses. Its something that I always loved, but I never thought that I could make it a profession.”

A graduate of Fordham University, Courtney has commentated on notable horse races including the “Triple Crown” which include the Preakness, Belmont and Kentucky Derby races as well as the Pegasus World Cup. She has appeared on national sports channels, including FOX Sports, and has a following that extends on an international scale.

Her love of horse racing came from her own adventures as a child equestrian. Courtney’s passion for horses brought her to the realization that after retirement, whether it’s an unsuccessful career or due to an injury, race horses are often inhumanely disposed of. Most of the time these horses are sent to Canada or Mexico to be slaughtered.

“I sat there and I said, ‘I really wish something could be done about that.’ And then I said, ‘I can do something about that,” Courtney said.

Then, at just 17-years-old, Courtney set out to create her own non-profit 501(c)(3), Racing for Home.

“I went to Suffolk Downs (a racetrack in Boston) on the last day of racing when people were wrapping up, and for a lack of a better term, getting rid of some of these horses that weren’t making the cut,” she said.

Racing for Home takes these horses in and finds them new, loving homes and sometimes, a new purpose. One of the organization’s rescues, Firestar, was repurposed as a hunter/jumper and won second-place overall at the Shallowbrook Cabin Fever Winter Show Series.

Courtney also keeps busy with her preparations for the upcoming Miss USA pageant. At the pageant, Courtney will compete in three phases of overall competition: swimsuit, evening-wear and interview. The top five contestants will then go on to compete in an on-stage question portion.

However, Courtney isn’t new to the pageant stage. In 2015 she took home the title of Miss Connecticut for the Miss America Scholarship Organization, where she went on to place in the top 15 at Miss America. During her teen years, she competed at the 2011 Miss Connecticut Teen USA pageant, where she placed third runner-up, and in 2009 she was awarded the title of Miss Connecticut’s Outstanding Teen.

When Courtney’s not working out to ensure she’s swimsuit ready or “mock interviewing” to prepare to “wow” the judges during the interview phase, she’s tending to her busy travel schedule.

Courtney just returned home to Connecticut Monday morning after attending the red-carpet MusiCares Person of the Year Gala in Los Angeles.

MusiCares is an effort put on by the Recording Academy that supports artists in times of need. This year Dolly Parton was the honoree, and the gala featured performances by artists such as Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry.

Yet, despite her busy yet philanthropic lifestyle, Courtney said she has a mission for her year.

“Whatever it is that you are passionate about, even if you feel like it’s going to be something so small, you can make a difference.”

Students upset as QU’s Irish museum faces uncertain future

By Jeremy Troetti

Quinnipiac University students have expressed disappointment over the unsettled status of the university’s overall connection to the Irish-American community and the university-owned Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum.

The uncertainty arose following an announcement that QU would not march in or continue to sponsor the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City.

“I’m especially passionate about not distancing ourselves from the Irish experience, because I chose Quinnipiac to take advantage of the Irish connections,” senior history major Alice Valley said. “I decided on this place because it had connections. It seemed to be going someplace because I’m interested in Irish studies.”

While the museum is not closing at this time, university president Judy Olian outlined a plan for the museum to become financially self-sufficient by June 2020 in an email sent Monday, Feb. 4.

The museum, located at 3011 Whitney Ave. in Hamden, opened in 2012. It features the world’s largest collection of art related to the Great Famine, according to the museum’s website.

Former Quinnipiac President John Lahey, who was instrumental in the museum’s opening, described the university’s decision not to march in or sponsor the parade “perplexing” in an article published by the New Haven Register.

Valley, who spent spring semester of her junior year studying abroad in Ireland, explained that, while she approves of many of the actions Olian has done during her time at the university, distancing Quinnipiac from the Irish community would be a disappointment for her.

“Irish Studies (are) a big part of my identity as a QU student. I love the ideas that President Olian is implementing – I am not school spirited at all, but I am beginning to feel a sense of pride that I go to QU… it’s not a shameful thing anymore,” Valley said. “The changes that I’m seeing now are great, but if the changes mean I’m going to lose my connection to the Irish studies, I don’t know if I can really pride myself in being a QU student anymore.”

Junior political science major Kelly Reynolds spent last spring studying in Cork, Ireland, and is also disappointed with the uncertain status of the museum.

“I definitely think it’s a little disappointing because the school has a great relationship with UCC in Ireland and they really encouraged us to go visit the museum before our trip abroad, and a lot of us did,” Reynolds said.

“It helped us because a lot of us were taking Irish history classes, so I got a good idea of the culture and history I was about to become a part of for four months of my life.”

Reynolds said she, like Valley, feels a sense of personal connection to the museum.

“I’ve gone with my family… my grandma is first-generation, her parents are from Ireland, and they left during all the troubles Ireland was having. So I know it means a lot to the people and the families who send their kids here, and it was beneficial for me and my friends before we went abroad to Ireland.”

Despite the uncertain future of the museum, Reynolds feels that it does not necessarily correlate to the university as a whole distancing itself from Irish culture.

“I don’t think it’s an attack on Irish culture in any way,” Reynolds said. “I just think (Olian is) trying to see where Quinnipiac’s resources would best be put, and I don’t think she has as much of an appreciation for Irish culture as President Lahey definitely did, so I think (being) a different president, she’s trying to make her own mark on Quinnipiac.”

Junior physical therapy major Rob DePeppo studied in Ireland last spring and feels the university should not cut all ties with the museum and its representation of Irish culture.

“I feel like separating themselves completely from each other is not the best idea. Maybe they should try – even if they don’t fully support (the museum) – do something to help support them. (The university) shouldn’t cut them off completely,” DePeppo said.

As far as financial self-sufficiency for the museum goes, Valley feels as though the museum has a tough task ahead of them in raising the necessary funds.

“Museums are generally not ever self-sufficient,” Valley said. “When you go down Whitney Avenue and look at the parking lot, there’s not a lot of cars there. If (Olian) wants to get (the museum to be) self-sufficient, she has to put some money in at the beginning before tapering off at the end.”

Reynolds also feels that the museum will need to have community backing in order to meet its financial goals.

“I think they would have to get a lot more of the community support. Right now, I feel that it is definitely visited by mainly Quinnipiac students,” Reynolds said. “I think for the museum to become self-sufficient in a year would be hard, but they would need the community’s support to get the revenue they need to stay open.”

DePeppo offered ideas for the museum to gain the support it needs.

“Maybe if they had some fliers or some kids going around Hamden, just to have the name around there, so (the museum’s name) not just that building you pass on Whitney, that you’re not really too sure what it is. Maybe have some fundraiser or something, just to get the name out there – get it known that they want to stay.”

Valley feels that the key to driving revenue for the museum could come from attracting a younger target audience.

“(The museum) needs to be more interactive. They need younger people there. They should have some college-age (presence),” Valley said. “There’s no buy-in for younger people… It’s not a young person’s museum.”

Overall, Valley fears what Quinnipiac could stand to lose if the museum is not able to stay open. She believes that history is a key component of keeping a culture alive, and that the museum does just that for the Irish culture.

“Public memory is only of the victors. We lose the quieter aspects that would never come to being (without museums),” she said.

Valley believes that, despite the museum having become an established part of Quinnipiac for years, its presence has just begun to scratch the surface in keeping Irish history alive.

“You’re killing something that’s just a bud,” Valley said. “It’s going somewhere… let it go somewhere.”

Despite addressing the museum’s uncertain future, Olian stated that the university remains a place that encourages students and citizens to be well-rounded and culturally aware – values that are present in the lessons the museum offers through its various exhibits.

“The board and I have an unwavering commitment to educating our students and the general public to be enlightened citizens and champions of excellence,” Olian said in the email. “The lessons embodied in the art of the museum – lessons about hunger, oppression, political repression and immigration – are a reflection of Quinnipiac’s values.”

Hamden gas station robbed at gunpoint

By Aliza Gray

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A 19-year-old Hamden man was robbed and assaulted by an unknown assailant at gunpoint last Saturday, Feb. 9 at the Citgo gas station located at 1978 State St. near the Department of Motor Vehicles office, WTNH reported.

The perpetrator is still on the loose according to Hamden Police Department.

At approximately 7:45 p.m. Hamden police arrived on the scene after receiving reports of an armed robbery.

The teenage gas station employee told authorities that he was walking home after closing the gas station when the assailant appeared, pressed a gun to his stomach and demanded money. The robber pistol whipped the victim and forced him to reopen the gas station and empty the cash register.

After taking the money, he fled towards Franklin Street. Police officers searched the area but did not find him. The perpetrator is described as male, 5-feet-9-inches to 6-feet tall and about 40 years old.

Anyone with information should call the Hamden Police Department Detective Division at (203) 230-4000.