One of the true hidden gems of Naugatuck's culinary history has been permanently closed for a few years I drove down Rubber Ave the other day for the first time in a while I was shocked at what's happened to the former Milestone Inn property on Neumann Street For more than 30 years the Milestone Inn was a hidden gem tucked away in a thicket of trees and lush greenery right behind Naugatuck's Mountainview Plaza This is the latest Google Street Maps image from 2023 - The property at 18 Neumann Street was purchased by Don Raphael Cuisine a Brazilian/Portuguese Restaurant in Bridgeport just under a year ago There must have been quite a few stump grinders and woodchippers in Naugatuck during the summer of 2022 but I always felt that the landscaping work that the Milestone did added to the cozy atmosphere Look at what the owners of Viron Rondo in Cheshire have done to their property it's like walking into the New York Botanical Gardens along Highland Avenue I am glad that the landscaping crews left the mature hundred+ year old trees along the roadway Look at what the owners of Viron Rondo in Cheshire have done to their property, it's like walking into the New York Botanical Gardens along Highland Avenue. For all that was lost on that property, I am glad that the landscaping crews left the mature hundred+ year old trees\nRead More Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application After 24 years they are reunited in heaven Margaret was born in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City on July 23 She grew up in Saint Veronica‘s Parish with too many Irish cousins to count She called Naugatuck home for the last six decades but still proudly maintained her New York accent She had the gift of great Irish wit and toughness but underneath she bore a servant's heart who loved her family and reminding everyone that she was the boss Margaret graduated from Mattatuck Community College with a degree in Gerontology and worked for more than 30 years for Goodwill Industries in New Haven as a job coach before her retirement Her work family was a collection of treasured coworkers and clients who loved keeping in touch with her She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren and friends of her children and grandchildren She was predeceased by her loving sister Jane Salamone Arrangements – Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 10 to 11:30 am at the Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Home Cretella’s funeral procession will proceed to St Francis of Assisi Church for a Mass of Christian Burial at 12 noon Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors 2025 at 4:53 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Chipotle Mexican Grill is set to open a new location on Bridge Street in Naugatuck on April 30 CT — Chipotle Mexican Grill is set to open its first location in Naugatuck next week and is currently hiring for positions at the new restaurant a Chipotle spokesperson said the restaurant chain's newest location will open Wednesday at 112 Bridge Street the company is excited to expand its fast-growing footprint into Naugatuck "We are always looking for communities where we can serve responsibly sourced real food and establish new local partnerships and the Naugatuck area is a great fit," a spokesperson said to Patch "We're pleased with the response to our existing locations in Connecticut and hope the community enjoys our new restaurant." The restaurant will be open every day from 10:45 a.m and feature a "Chipotlane" drive-thru pick up lane that allows guests to receive digital orders without leaving their cars according to additional press materials provided by Chipotle Known for its quickly ordered Mexican grilled dishes Chipotle offers a wide range of menu items Naugatuck guests are also invited to try the brand's newest protein Naugatuck Chamber President and CEO Lynn Ward said the chamber was thrilled to welcome Chipotle to the borough of Naugatuck "The addition of a nationally recognized brand like Chipotle speaks to the continued economic growth and development in the community," Ward said to Patch Ward also noted the restaurant's location on Bridge Street will not only offer residents and visitors more dining options but also create new jobs and attract additional foot traffic to the area "Chipotle's investment in Naugatuck reflects strong confidence in the local market," Ward said "and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it brings to the region." The company is currently hiring at the Naugatuck location and other locations across the country there are approximately 30 jobs per Chipotle location Benefits include a crew bonus with the opportunity to earn an extra month's worth of pay each year and access to mental healthcare for employees and their families More information is available at chipotle.com/careers Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Details: cache-fra-eddf8230038-FRA 1746510594 1903064012 passed away Friday March 7th at NYU Langone Hospital having played for multiple clubs over many years and served as Co-Captain of the NHS Girls soccer team and CT Rush Central Layla worked at Rich Farm Ice Cream Shop for several years Layla was known as a free spirit and a bright light in the lives of many She was so very loved and will be sorely missed CA and Carol Hadden of Las Vegas Nevada; Maternal Grandparents Donna Schuld & Bill Nardello of Waterbury and Peter & Bin Schuld of Naugatuck; many aunts 2025 from 5:00 to 8:00pm at the Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Home A Funeral Service will be held Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 11:00am at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 210 Church Street, Naugatuck. Everyone attending the service is kindly asked to please meet directly at church. In lieu of flowers and to honor Layla’s memory, donations are requested to the Ronald McDonald House of New York by clicking HERE the son of the late Thomas and Florence (Violette) Cordon Sr He was raised in Bethany and graduated from Amity High School He was known by many as a "good guy" who had a great sense of humor Craig is survived by his sister Deborah Amaral of Naugatuck; his brother Tom Cordon of Bethany; his uncle Jack Violette; as well as several nieces and nephews Arrangements – Visitation will be held on Sunday from 2 to 5 pm at the Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Naugatuck Funeral services and committal will be held at the convenience of the family.  He was the loving husband of 74 years to Eleanor (Spurosky) Gendron He was a longtime resident of Naugatuck where he and his wife raised their family of 7 children Milton was a truck driver for his entire working career he was employed by companies including Cott Beverages and Country Homes Bakery where he drove locally and cross-country he would be able to connect to them through stories of his various travels he missed driving so much he returned to work part-time as a driver delivering parts and vehicles for Saturn of Watertown and Shakers Milton was an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan He loved getting together with family and friends to have a beer and watch the games his first date with his wife took place while riding on a Harley This led later in life to his passion of riding dirt bikes and joining the Pathfinders where he developed strong social relationships and enjoyed riding trails together and in many enduros he is survived by his children Gary Gendron (Enid) Cheryl Patricolo (Joseph); his grandchildren Kevin Jr. and Brandon; his great grandchildren Nathan and Kayla; his sisters Barbara Wheeler In addition to his parents Otto and Violet (Fornier) Gendron he is predeceased by his brothers Earl and Edward and his sisters Beatrice Grenier the daughter of the late Francis and Helen (St Eilish is survived by her loving husband; her two children Heather Barbuto and Edward Barbuto Jr.; her two cherished grandchildren; her sister but her spirit will forever remain in the lives of those she touched Arrangements - A Mass of Christian Burial to celebrate her life will be held on Tuesday Friends are asked to meet directly at church and there are no calling hours The Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements the family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society P.O passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on March 15 He was a member of the Naugatuck Volunteer Fire Department Tony was involved in his children’s activities as a Cub Scout leader and coach at Union City Little League Preceded in death by son Geoffrey Michael Drawbridge Jr.  Geoff graduated high school from the Mount Hermon School in Gill He attended Albion College for his undergraduate studies and the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine for his postgraduate work he served as a Captain in the Army for two years practicing dentistry Geoff was very proud of his involvement in the town and made lasting contributions in the many organizations in which he was involved.  He was a lifelong member of the Naugatuck Rotary Club serving as its president from 1978-1979 He served on the Board of Directors as a Trustee for Naugatuck Savings Bank as well as Naugatuck Youth Services He was also a member of the Waterbury Power Squadron serving as the 23rd Commander from 1988-1990 Geoff loved his work as the town’s orthodontist and provided fastidious care right into his 80s he worked as an orthodontic consultant for the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services was his family including his 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild His favorite memories included time spent sailing his boat “Misty” off the midcoast of Maine and indulging in any baked good loaded with fresh-picked Maine blueberries.  Arrangements – Funeral services and committal will be held at the convenience of the family and there are no calling hours The Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Naugatuck is assisting with arrangements Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the Naugatuck Rotary Foundation the daughter of the late William and Martha (Cranwell) Houlihan of Oxford She attended Riggs Street Elementary School in Oxford Ruth and her sisters and brother grew up on her family’s farm in Oxford until her parents passed away when Ruth was young She loved her life on the farm and afterwards lived with her sisters and family friends until she was old enough to live on her own Ruth loved sports and was a very good athlete She played basketball and softball in high school and was recruited to play professional softball while still a teenager She had a deep understanding of and passion for baseball and was a die-hard Boston Red Sox fan she worked as a bookkeeper for many area businesses B spent years caring for the children of friends and neighbors and built deep relationships with them which she cherished Ruth was predeceased by her sisters Beryl Rio her brother Robert Houlihan and half-sister Flossie Houlihan She was looking forward to becoming a great-grandmother in July and will be remembered by a host of nieces and nephews She is survived by her children Brian Baummer and his wife Nicole GA and Cheryl Campbell and her husband Anthony Campbell of Naugatuck CT; as well as her grandchildren Michael A Campbell and his wife Caitlyn of Mooresville NC Morgan Campbell and her husband Peter Cunniff of Bethany Ruth was blessed with neighbors on Casper Court whom she faithfully kept an eye on from her picture window and who from 5 to 7 pm at the Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Naugatuck Funeral services will be held on Saturday at 10 am at the funeral home Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society Parks and Recreation officials announced Friday on Facebook the egg hunt will now be held Sunday (April 13) on the Naugatuck High School turf field Check in for pre-registered participants will begin at 9:30 a.m According to an event listing the schedule for the event is still as follows: Participants are asked to bring their own basket More information is available here 2025 at 11:13 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Naugatuck firefighters responded to a number of incidents on April 9 including a fire at a waste treatment plant and a motorcycle crash CT — Firefighters responded to a number of incidents reported Wednesday night according to the Naugatuck Fire Department In a Facebook post fire department officials said a small fire broke out at the waste treatment plant which resulted in crews from Beacon Falls and Prospect covering the town as firefighters responded the blaze was minor and was caused by dried "product" that burned off when a dryer was started NFD crews were called to assist Emergency Medical Service crews with a report of a pedestrian struck on Bridge Street The department also received a report of smoke in the building at the Complete Care at Glendale nursing home on Hazel Avenue the cause of which was found to be a shorted out television NFD crews also assisted EMS with a report of a motorcycle crash on May Street Naugatuck police and fire police also responded to these incidents Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department and the Volunteer Fire Department of Prospect for their assistance tonight," fire officials said on Facebook The department's post can be read in full here Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInNAUGATUCK CT (WFSB) - A 52-year-old man has been missing since last week Naugatuck police said Michael Montouri was last ween on Feb Montouri walks with a cane and is known to frequent the Pond Street area in Naugatuck Anyone with information on his whereabouts was asked to contact police at 203-729-5222 or submit a tip through the department’s confidential tip line at 203-720-1010 2025 at 12:14 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A Waterbury man accused of stealing power tools from a Naugatuck home was arrested April 14 CT — A Waterbury man accused of stealing power tools from a Naugatuck home was arrested Monday In a news release police said they received a report of the front door of a house in Naugatuck having been damaged and tools belonging to a contractor missing from the home officers found items believed to have DNA on them on the property The items were sent to a state forensic laboratory for analysis which officers used to identify Philip Brown he refused to comply with a court-ordered search warrant Police also noted Brown has a criminal history that includes burglary Brown was arrested Monday at Waterbury Superior Court and charged with third-degree burglary criminal mischief and interfering with a search they have driven 3 million miles without an accident Three Naugatuck Letter Carriers were recognized with a National Safety Council (NSC) Million Mile Award at a Post Office award ceremony on Nov The NSC Million Mile Award recognizes drivers with 1 million miles of driving or 30 accumulated years driven without preventable incidents 1 million miles is roughly equivalent to two trips to the moon and back The Million Mile Club is part of the Safe Driver Award program created by the National Safety Council The Safe Driver Award is the trademark of the expert driver and is recognized as the nation’s highest award for professional safe driving Honored at the ceremony were Naugatuck Letter Carriers Michael Eureka (31 years of service) Augusto Lopes (31 years of service) and Raymond Lesko Jr They were presented with a plaque from the National Safety Council by Postmaster Brian Falcha alongside Supervisor Customer Service Fernanda M serves the local population of over 30,000 residents The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America restore long-term financial sustainability dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage products and services to fund its operations Copyright© 2025 United States Postal Service 2025 at 5:21 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}An Amazon Fulfillment Center in at 741 W Ryan Road in Oak Creek CT — Construction of a new state-of-the-art Amazon facility on the Waterbury-Naugatuck line is set to begin soon following the recent purchase over 150 acres of undeveloped land according to officials from both communities and Naugatuck Mayor Pete Hess said Amazon.com Services LLC had officially purchased 157 acres of undeveloped land within the Waterbury/Naugatuck Industrial Park for $2.5 million Pernerewski and Hess said construction of the approximately 3.2-million-square-foot 5-story Amazon fulfillment center was set to begin "in the coming days." The project is expected to generate over 300 construction jobs and could create up to 1,000 full-time equivalent jobs offering benefits educational support and career advancement opportunities "Waterbury and Naugatuck are great places to live and work and we're pleased to be establishing local operations here," Amazon Senior Manager of Economic Development Glendowlyn Thames said in a statement "We're excited that construction on this state-of-the-art Amazon robotics fulfillment center is slated to start soon we look forward to being able to share more about our launch schedule and the hiring process for the 1,000 jobs that will be created." Thames also noted the company appreciated all the support it has received throughout the process from Pernerewski Hess and Former Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary among others was selected as the preferred respondent to a joint request for proposals issued for the disposition and development of the site in 2021 Bluewater Property Group entered into a purchase and sale agreement with both the city of Waterbury and the borough of Naugatuck local officials said they are confident the result will be well worth the wait bringing lasting economic benefits to the region but none came to fruition due to the steep and difficult terrain particularly in accessing the site from Waterbury's South Main Street," Hess said in a statement "That all changed when I partnered with then Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary we devised a collaborative solution that allowed access to the property through the Naugatuck Industrial Park O'Leary noted he was "incredibly proud" to have played a role in setting the foundation for the project that has been years in the making "What began as a shared vision between two municipalities has now become a regional success story," O'Leary said in a statement "This is a win not only for Waterbury and Naugatuck Pernerewski said the project was a powerful example of what can be accomplished when municipalities work together "The collaboration between Waterbury and Naugatuck paired with the commitment from Amazon and Bluewater has turned a long-overlooked property into a site of immense potential," Pernerewski said in a statement "This facility will provide meaningful employment opportunities and generate economic momentum for years to come." vice president of Bluewater Property Group also commended both communities for their roles in making the large-scale project a reality "Waterbury and Naugatuck have been incredible partners throughout this journey fostering platforms for transparent communication with the local community as we navigated the permitting process," Bernardin said in a statement we're proud to begin construction on a project that reflects the shared vision of both municipalities and our team." Starting a business anywhere is a challenge but some cities make it even harder than others. Some business types know the hustle all too well: tight margins That’s why picking the right location can make all the difference Smaller cities tend to sound like a winning proposition with lower rent and less competition But they can also come with downsides: fewer networking opportunities According to WalletHub which just released its 2025 report on the Best & Worst Small Cities to Start a Business Naugatuck landed toward the very bottom of the list The study analyzed over 1,300 small cities using 18 different metrics from small business growth rates to investor access and labor costs others are struggling to offer the support startups need to survive if you're thinking about launching a business in Naugatuck it may be worth doing some extra research and maybe look at a few other ZIP codes How about #1,276 out of 1,334 cities.  I always had a dream of opening a storefront I started thinking about a business that sells fits of rage people could walk in and I could tell them off and ridicule them Right about the point they were ready to cry at least you get to walk out that door and start your day over I would call it "It could be worse."  I have not been able to secure any "ground-floor" investors Starting a business anywhere is a challenge, but some cities make it even harder than others. Some business types know the hustle all too well: tight margins, long hours, and constant curveballs. That’s why picking the right location can make all the difference.\nRead More According to WalletHub 2025 at 10:50 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A suspect was arrested Monday on a warrant CT — A 19-year-old Naugatuck resident has been arrested in connection with the attempted burglary of a jewelry store in North Haven last October Police said patrol officers responded to a business alarm and found the front window broken were able to identify 19-year-old Jakyii Grant of Naugatuck as one of the suspects Grant was arrested Monday on a warrant and charged with criminal attempt to commit third-degree burglary and second-degree criminal mischief CT — The borough of Naugatuck has released the schedule for its 2025 curbside leaf collection program the Public Works Department will collect leaves on residents' "regular trash and/or day." Spring leaf collection will be completed during the week of April 21 while fall leaf collection will be completed during the weeks of Nov All leaves must be placed in 30-gallon paper bags for collection Leaves are also accepted year-round in 30-gallon paper bags only at the borough's transfer station during regular hours Plastic bags are not acceptable at the transfer station flowers and other soft yard waste material can be placed in the paper bags when they are brought to the transfer station or left for curbside for collection during the weeks of leaf collection More information is available on the borough website 2025 at 6:34 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The latest municipal payouts through Connecticut's Nickel-Per-Nip program have been announced CT — More than 500,000 nip bottles were sold at liquor establishments in Naugatuck over the past six moths rendering more than $28,000 to the municipality as part of Connecticut's Nickel-Per-Nip program each city and town in the state receives 5 cents for each nip sold within its borders every six months The funding is intended for locally driven environmental stewardship programs Here are the numbers covering the town from Oct according to the Wine and Spirit Wholesalers of Connecticut: the executive director and general counsel of the Wine and Spirit Wholesalers announced Monday in a news release the Nickel Per Nip Environmental Fee — a program that first went into effect in 2021 — has now disbursed nearly $16 million to Connecticut’s towns and cities since its inception Cafero also said that the revenue for the latest reporting period – Oct every city and town in Connecticut with package or liquor stores receives 5 cents for each nip sold within its borders The program was designed to help cities and towns provide for the collection and proper disposal of nips to combat littering "The Nickel per Nip program has continued to be a tremendous success for Connecticut’s towns and cities and our state as a whole," Cafero said in a news release "By directly benefiting communities and significantly reducing litter and enhancing recycling efforts We are grateful to the legislature for protecting and supporting this initiative ensuring its continued positive impact across Connecticut." 2025 at 6:01 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Salem Elementary School is set to close at the end of the end of the 2024-2025 school year according to Superintendent Christopher Montini CT — A Naugatuck elementary school with over 100 years of history is set to close at the end of the current school year due to "significant budget constraints" impacting the district according to a recent letter from Superintendent of Schools Christopher Montini Montini said he and the Board of Education had determined Salem Elementary School must close at the end of the 2024-2025 school year "This decision comes after a thorough review of our financial situation," Montini said in the letter "Despite our best efforts to identify alternative solutions the significant budget shortfalls for the 2025-2026 school year leave us no choice but to consolidate resources." Montini also noted he and members of the school board fully understood the impact the closure will have on the school's students "Please be assured that we are committed to supporting everyone affected by this change," Montini said we will work closely with you to facilitate a smooth transition for our students including assistance with school reassignments counseling services and other necessary support measures." An informational meeting about the closure was held March 10 at Naugatuck High School which Montini noted would be "the first of a number of meetings to answer questions and provide information" as it becomes available Recently, a proposed $73.5 million budget for the 2025-2026 school year The school board will present the budget to borough officials Monday night at Town Hall the district operates four other elementary schools in Naugatuck: Andrew Avenue the plan for closing Salem calls for the district to broken into four quadrants under which Andrew Avenue would gain nine students Hop Brook would gain 50 and Western would gain 113 Additional teachers would also be added at three of the schools In a series of in-depth frequently asked questions posted to the district website officials noted the decision to close Salem as a cost-saving measure is expected to save approximately $850,000 "It is also a measure to preserve class size," district officials wrote "2025-2026 elementary class sizes...are maintained better through the closure than reducing teaching positions at each school." Officials also noted while the decision to close Salem "was primarily financial," declining enrollment has been an ongoing trend and is projected to continue in the coming years is not ADA accessible and falls short in cafeteria gymnasium and outdoor space compared to our other elementary schools," district officials wrote They also noted the closure will return many of the district's other elementary schools to enrollment consistent with enrollment sizes from years ago Hop Brook and Maple were built to house more students," district officials wrote we may repurpose classrooms currently used for music and art to general education classrooms however art and music classes will remain." No other schools in Naugatuck are being considered for closure at this time Salem Elementary is a cornerstone of downtown Naugatuck that has served students and other members of the community for 132 years not because of its walls or architecture or its decor or prominent locale on the green," Montini said and community members who partner to create exceptional educational experiences Montini also noted members of the Salem community will carry this history and experience with them as they move to their new elementary schools in the 2025-2026 school year "While there will be many changes," Montini said "what will not change are the exceptional educational experiences safe and supportive learning environment and positive culture present in all of our elementary schools." Read the full CT Insider story here. "This established Shell-branded gas station offers an opportunity for an owner-operator or investor The property sits on 0.47 acres and includes a 1,568 SF convenience store three fueling pumps (six fueling stations) and two upgraded double-walled fiberglass tanks installed in 2023 along with new pumps," according to the listing on Crexi.com Read more about the property and view photos here.