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By Town Pulse —

Branford Town Pulse — July 29, 2026

Your weekly digest for Branford, CT

July 29, 2026

Branford Weather Almanac

Branford weekly weather chart

Quiz of the Week

  1. The grandfather of which U.S. President was born in Branford in 1756?
  2. About how many miles of coastline does Branford have along Long Island Sound?
  3. As of the 2020 census, Branford's population was closest to which figure: 18,000, 28,000, or 38,000?

Answers at the bottom of this newsletter.

In This Issue

Shortcuts to:

Town Government

Flood Watch Covers Branford and Shoreline Towns

A flood watch is in effect for Branford and neighboring shoreline towns, meaning conditions are ripe for heavy rain and localized flooding — especially in low-lying spots and near storm drains. Watch the Branford River, coastal marshes, and underpasses, and never drive through standing water. For timing and any upgrade to a warning, check weather.gov.

Schools & Education

Public Schools Open August 27; Walsh Back to School Night Sept. 10

Branford Public Schools open the 2026-2027 year on Thursday, August 27. Walsh Intermediate hosts Back to School Night on Thursday, September 10, with 7th and 8th grade families meeting from 5:00 to 6:00 PM and 5th and 6th grade families following.

Police Blotter

Branford Police logged 20 adult arrests this week — 9 of Branford residents and 11 from out of town.

  • Motor vehicle — 9 arrests
  • Criminal — 9 arrests
  • Other — 2 arrests

From the Branford Police Department adult arrest log. An arrest is not a conviction.

🔒 20 people were arrested in Branford this week. Paid members see every name, age, and charge. Subscribe to unlock →

Fire Department This Week

Branford Fire Department responded to 165 incidents during July 20–July 26, 2026, including 105 medical calls and 3 fire responses. This week's critical and emergency calls are shown on the map below — paid members can see the details.

Map of Branford critical fire/hazmat calls, July 20–July 26, 2026
  • Fire — 3 calls (1.8%)
  • Hazardous Situation — 9 calls (5.5%)
  • Medical — 105 calls (63.6%)
  • Public Service — 32 calls (19.4%)
  • No Emergency — 16 calls (9.7%)

Source: Branford Fire Department.

🔒 Paid members get the complete log of all 165 calls — time, address, and what crews found, plus the map legend. Subscribe to unlock →

Recent Real Estate Transactions

9 properties changed hands in June 19–July 8 — 9 houses, including 1 purchase by investment companies, per deeds recorded with the Town Clerk. Median sale price: $610,000.

🔒 One Branford property just sold for $1,225,000 — and 8 more changed hands this week. Paid members see every address, price, and who bought and sold. Subscribe to unlock →

This Week in Branford History

Captain Kidd, Money Island, and a Legend That Never Quite Left the Thimbles — Summer 1699 (legend)

Town Pulse cartoon: Money Island Fever
Money Island Fever — a Town Pulse cartoon

Every Branford summer eventually comes around to the same tall tale: that Captain William Kidd, the Scottish privateer turned pirate, slipped into the Thimble Islands in the last months of his freedom and buried treasure among the pink granite outcrops off Stony Creek. Whether he actually did or not, the story is old enough to have shaped the map — one of the small islands in the archipelago is called Money Island, and it has carried that name for generations.

🔒 Paid members get the full story behind this week's history — the people, dates, and how it all unfolded. Subscribe to unlock →

Community Events

Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Saturday in New Haven

Clear the garage: Branford residents can drop off household hazardous waste this Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, at 90 Sargent Drive in New Haven. The Regional Water Authority collection accepts paints, solvents, pool chemicals, pesticides, and automotive fluids from residents of Branford, North Branford, New Haven, and East Haven.

Too Legit to Drift Trains for Swim Across the Sound

Too Legit to Drift, a Branford-based relay team led by St. Vincent's cancer surgeon Dr. Jill Rubinstein, is training for the Swim Across the Sound, the annual Long Island Sound fundraiser for Connecticut cancer patients and their families.

Things To Do This Week

Town Meetings: Jul 30–Aug 5, 2026

Recent Meeting Recaps

Full recaps are concise summaries so you don’t have to wade through long meeting minutes. Know what’s happening in town!

  • Inland Wetlands Commission — Thu, Jul 23: The Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission ordered the property owners at 329/349-355 East Main Street to meet with staff by July 31st to address violations… Read our full recap →
  • Board of Police Commissioners — Mon, Jul 13: The Branford Board of Police Commissioners' Traffic Committee authorized the police department to contact the owner of 164 Mill Plain Road about trimming back bushes… Read our full recap →
  • Board of Selectmen — Wed, Jul 1: The Board of Selectmen approved four contracts without competitive bidding: William M. Laydon Construction for pavement patching at rates between $6.44 and $13.47 per unit… Read our full recap →

Weekly Horoscopes

These are just the opening lines — paid members read each sign's full weekly horoscope. Subscribe →

♈ Aries — Mar 21 - Apr 19

Patience isn't your favorite lesson, but Saturn parked in your sign continues to hand it to you in installments — and this week, the Sun in Leo trining that same Saturn shows why the delays have been sharpening you, not stopping you.

♉ Taurus — Apr 20 - May 20

Your standards are running high, and Venus in Virgo wants everything precise — but Mars in Gemini keeps kicking up static around money and self-worth, so the Venus-Mars square could tempt you into a spending or spat you'd rather avoid.

♊ Gemini — May 21 - Jun 20

You're a live wire this week — Mars deep in your sign has your tongue quick and your calendar quicker, but the square from Venus in Virgo means someone close is asking you to slow down and be more considerate.

♋ Cancer — Jun 21 - Jul 22

Something you've been quietly turning over in your mind is ready to be spoken aloud, thanks to Mercury swimming through your sign in warm sextile to Venus.

♌ Leo — Jul 23 - Aug 22

This is your moment, and you know it — the Sun conjunct Jupiter in your sign is the astrological equivalent of a spotlight with a standing ovation cued up.

♍ Virgo — Aug 23 - Sep 22

Venus is finishing her tour through your sign and she's asking a pointed question: are you loving people through service, or hiding behind it?

♎ Libra — Sep 23 - Oct 22

Friendships and creative circles are lit up right now, with the Sun and Jupiter both blazing through your social sector in Leo.

♏ Scorpio — Oct 23 - Nov 21

Your career sector is on fire in the best possible way — the Sun-Jupiter conjunction in Leo is putting your ambitions in front of people who can actually help.

♐ Sagittarius — Nov 22 - Dec 21

Your worldview is expanding again — fellow fire sign Leo hosting both Sun and Jupiter is pure oxygen for your restless mind, and a course, trip, or big idea is calling.

♑ Capricorn — Dec 22 - Jan 19

Something intimate is asking to be handled with more care than usual — Venus in fellow earth sign Virgo trines you gently, but her square to Mars in Gemini can surface a resentment about who does what.

♒ Aquarius — Jan 20 - Feb 18

Relationships are the headline, and the recent Full Moon in your sign last week already cracked something open — this week is about integrating what you learned.

♓ Pisces — Feb 19 - Mar 20

You'll feel the week shift on Saturday when the Moon slips into your sign and trines Mercury in Cancer — suddenly the fog lifts and you can articulate what you've only been feeling.

Quiz Answers

  1. Rutherford B. Hayes (his grandfather, also named Rutherford Hayes).
  2. About 20 miles.
  3. About 28,000 (28,273).

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