Connecticut
Sleepy Connecticut town rocked by alleged drug-dealing pastor
A wholly unholy situation
Forget sniffing pot around New York’s cathedrals. Nearby, in uppity Connecticut, exists a Methodist church where it’s shove the donations and stuff the Hail Marys. Forget a buck in the basket. Its religious rev was allegedly hustling junk.
Earlier this month, this pastor got arrested. Age 63. The Rev. Herbert Irving Miller. Prayed there since July. Forget Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. Cleric Herbie was allegedly selling drugs. Crystal meth. Clientele called it speed or ice or dunk or no doze or white cross. I mean, talk of a happy Last Supper.
United Methodist Church hierarchy called it a shock to the community. Yeah, no kidding.
Undercover guys pulled him over on South Main Street. Per the report, they collared His Worship hustling the stuff from a car a pew away. Inside, drugs. Methamphetamine in rock and liquid form. Hypodermic needle.
The car? No registration. No insurance. Besides charged with possession and intent to sell drugs he illegally operated a motor vehicle. He’s been jailed. Released on $10,000 bond. This padre listed his address as the rectory. His court appearance is Friday. Herbie is no longer an elder in the United Methodist Church.
My friends live in Woodbury. I know this church. I know the town. Its main drag’s famous. A mile of well-known antique stores. Both sides of the street. Flea markets, open Saturdays, curbside sales, free parking, personal delivery, rent-a-space for $30.
In and out 24/7 it’s New York decorators, buyers, artists, designers, fashionistas, home-owners, collectors, specialists, strangers.
And until a few weeks ago, a minister allegedly hustling junk.
Wine, roses and O’Hara
MANHATTAN’s shining light is award winning Kelli O’Hara who, along with Brian d’Arcy James, is staging Studio 54’s “Days of Wine and Roses” musical.
Kelli: “I’m from where the Irish settled. Elk City. Western Oklahoma. We farmed cotton, wheat, cattle. Voice teacher Florence Birdwell changed my life. I had my dream. Two suitcases, no clue or job. After college I moved to New York.”
After roles in “The Pajama Game,” “The King and I,” “South Pacific,” etc., she ever screw up?
“Please. Nightmares. Times you can’t remember your name. You scramble. One show I shortened by cutting out a whole scene. Metropolitan Opera, center stage, I went blank and had to walk off into the wings until the line got whispered to me.
“Look, I try to rest. Drink water. Don’t smoke. Exercise. Don’t drink lots of alcohol. Stretch my body. I have two children — 10 and 14. If they’re sick I can’t not talk to them because I can’t not be their mom since my need is to have a perfect show. I cannot worry about that. Sometimes I wear a mask but I don’t want to get neurotic.”
Kelly and I share Dan Lipton. Her accompanist. My friend.
On the town
VIPs all around the town. Is a 17th congressional run left in the tank for Carolyn Maloney? She just celebrated a burger birthday at UES’s Beach Cafe . . . HUMA Abedin shopping alone. Buying pasta and beans. No weiners (she divorced that live one) in her cart.
NEW Yorkers really don’t like to miss anything. After the Bible Society listed 143 officially recognized sins, nearby parishioners have been pouring in — all of them asking for a copy of the complete list.
Not only in the Northeast, kids, not only in the Northeast.
Connecticut
Rocky Hill firefighters honored for Connecticut river rescue
Three Rocky Hill firefighters were honored Monday night for their part in a rescue on the Connecticut River in March.
Emergency crews responded to Ferry Park in Rocky Hill on March 23 in response to a report of a vehicle in the river.
When they arrived, they found a woman in a Jeep about 35 feet out from the riverbank.
Crews broke a window and pulled the woman to safety after about 10 minutes, according to fire officials.
The woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Monday evening, Captain William Kelly, Captain Roberto Leone, and Lt. Travis Gerace-Hicks were awarded the fire department’s valor award for their rescue efforts.
Connecticut
South Carolina man found cutting down light poles in Rocky Hill, police say
ROCKY HILL — A man from South Carolina is facing charges after cutting down light poles along the highway in Rocky Hill, Connecticut State Police said.
Lamont Carlson Tucker, 62, of Myrtle Beach, is charged with first-degree criminal mischief and fourth-degree larceny, police said.
Police said troopers responded to reports of “an individual cutting light poles” around 5 a.m. Saturday.
Tucker was released on a $3,000 bond and is scheduled to appear at state Superior Court in New Britain June 12, police said.
Connecticut
Man shot while riding a moped in North Haven
The North Haven Police Department is continuing to investigate after a male was shot while riding a moped on Sunday night.
According to police, a 20-year-old male was shot in the area of Whitney Avenue near the Hamden town line.
The victim sustained non-life-threatening serious injuries and was transported to the hospital.
No other information has been released.
Police are continuing to investigate, and say that there will be a heavy police presence in the area of Whitney Avenue and Skiff Street.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the North Haven Police Department.
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