Community forum in Ansonia focuses on race, policing in Valley

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal addresses a community forum on race and policing Wednesday night at the Joseph A. Doyle Senior Center in Ansonia. More than 50 people attended the forum hosted by the Valley NAACP.

At far left is Derby Police Chief Gerald Narowski, and next to him is Seymour Police Chief Michael Metzler. Seated behind the lectern is Shelton's Interim Police Chief Shawn Sequeira. Ansonia Police Chief Kevin Hale also was in attendance. 

Shelton Police K-9 to receive protective vest

K-9 Officer Daniel Loris and K-9 Stryker./Contributed photo

SHELTON - The Shelton Police Department’s K-9 Stryker will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from the nonprofit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. 

K-9 Stryker’s vest is sponsored by Margaret Miles of Shelton, and will be embroidered with the sentiment “In loving memory of Therapy Dog Sandy”. 

Delivery is expected within eight to 10 weeks.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c (3) charity located in East Taunton, Mass. whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. 

The nonprofit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K9 officers. 

Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provided over 2,000 protective vests, in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over $1.7 million.

All vests are custom made in the USA by Armor Express in Central Lake, Mich. 

The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age. New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate.

The donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement K9 is $1,050. Each vest has a value between $1,795 and $2,234 and a five-year warranty, and an average weight of four to five pounds. 

There is an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States. 

For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. 

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org or mailed to P.O. Box 9, East Taunton, Mass. 02718. 

K-9 Officer Daniel Loris and K-9 Stryker graduated the Connecticut State Police K-9 Academy in May, 2015. K-9 Stryker is a 2½-year old German Shepherd.  

The team was recognized as the Daniel Wasson Award recipient upon graduation. K-9 Officer Loris and K-9 Stryker have assisted in numerous investigations in Shelton and assisting other local law enforcement agencies.

The Shelton Police Department K-9 Unit extends its gratitude to the Vested Interest in K9s Inc. and Margaret Miles for their assistance in providing K-9 Stryker with his bulletproof vest. 

This is a press release from the Shelton Police Department.

Fundraiser planned in Shelton to benefit Make a Wish challenge

SHELTON - A fundraiser to help Team Tomorrow's Sportsman raise $7,500 for Make-A-Wish CT TrailBlaze Challenge will be held from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at Porky's Cafe, 50 Center St.

Cost is $40 a person and will include draft beer, wine, pizza, and wings.

Proceeds will benefit Make-A-Wish TrailBlaze Challenge!

Want to be a team sponsor? 

Contact Elaine Marcucio, 203-887-5047, or at emarcucio@gmail.com.
Cutoff is  Sept. 1. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Ansonia resident qualifies for Citizens Election Program

Joseph A. Jaumann

ANSONIA - Political newcomer Joseph A. Jaumann of Ansonia, a Valley area attorney, announced this week that he qualified for the Citizen’s Election Program grant.

The program, designed to eliminate special interest money from Connecticut campaigns, requires a candidate to raise $5,000 from at least 150 residents of Derby and Ansonia. The maximum donation allowed is $100.

“Qualifying for the CEP grant in such a short period of time like we have is a testament to the people of the 104th wanting change,” Jaumann said. 

“The support we have received up to this point has been amazing. The people want change, and this grant ensures that we will be fighting to bring about that change every day from now until Nov. 8!”

Jaumann continued, "Over the past six years, we have seen the leadership in this state mishandle the budget, raise our taxes, and continue to grow the size of government well beyond our means to support it. Well, enough is enough! The elected officials that made these decisions need to be held accountable."

Jaumann is one of the co-founders of the law firm of Drapp & Jaumann, LLC. He serves as chairman of Ansonia's Planning and Zoning Commission, is a member of the Economic Development Commission, and sits as a hearing officer for Ansonia blight hearing appeals.

He is the former chairman of Ansonia's Zoning Board of Appeals, having been appointed by Mayor James Della Volpe. He is also member of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce.


This is a press release from the Jaumann campaign.

Valley Council for Health and Human Services launches logo contest

The Valley Council for Health and Human Services is giving its current logo (see above) a makeover and wants your ideas that visually communicate community, collaboration, empowerment and diversity.

The logo is not just creative, but strong, lasting and can grow with the organization over time. 

The new logo should address the graphic needs of social media and other marketing purposes.

Contest Guidelines
Timeline:
Contest Start Date: Aug. 23, 2016
Questions and Answers: Questions may be posted to the contest’s Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/vchhso/events
Submission Deadline: Nov. 4, 2016
Finalist Selection: Nov. 22, 2016
Voting Period: Dec. 6, 2016 through Dec. 13, 2016 (tentative)
Winner Announcement: Jan. 2, 2017

Eligible participants: There are no eligibility limitations. The contest is open to all.

People can have great ideas but not possess the technical skills or equipment to develop the finished product. The Valley Council anticipates that the winning design will be recreated by local graphic professionals.

Desired Logo Criteria:
1. Community-focus: must have appeal to the general community both current and future. The logo should speak to their interests and needs in a universal way that is easy to understand.
2. Relevant: should convey the desire to identify needs and/or solve community problems
3. Distinct: convey a strong and unique impression. In dealing with logo symbolism, form, typography and color, it is almost impossible to be completely unique. The Valley Council would like distinction from other community social services providers.
4. Memorable: to leave an impression as to be recognizable in the future
5. Simple: flat format is desired to be clean and high-impact; works well either in color or black and white (examples of flat format)
6. Staying power (10+ years of relevance): more strategic and timeless than trendy
7. Meaning: imaginative and abstract, yet simple, for audience interpretation is desired over being literal.

Intellectual Property
1. Entrants affirm their submissions are their own original work, have not been copied from others or from previous designs, including their own, and do not violate the intellectual property rights of any other person or entity.
2. Submissions become the sole property of the Valley Council for Health and Human Services (Valley Council) and may be used for any purposes, including, but not limited to, display on websites, business cards, letterhead, posters, and other materials.
3. The Valley Council shall have the right to adapt, edit, modify, or otherwise use the winning submission in part or in its entirety in whatever manner it deems appropriate.
4. The Valley Council reserves the right to choose not to use the winning entry as described in these contest guidelines.
5. The Valley Council reserves the right to use any other entry for promotional or business purposes in the future.
6. If the winner is determined to have violated any rules, he/she will be required to forfeit or return the prize, even if the determination is made after the prize has been awarded.

Submission
We understand that you may have terrific ideas but not the technology needed to develop the design fully. 
As noted above and if needed, the winning design will be professionally recreated to meet the Council’s needs.

Electronic submissions are preferred in PDF or JPEG formats.

NOTE: The completed Contest Entry Form must be included with your submission.

Submissions may be sent at any time prior to the Nov. 4, 2016, submission deadline to: valleycouncillogo@gmail.com.

If you are unable to submit your design electronically, it may be mailed to:

Valley Council – Logo Contest
54 Grove St.
Shelton, CT 06484

Determination of Winner and Prize
1. Entries will be judged on their visual appeal, adherence to the concept prompting the contest, quality of design, and ease of reproduction for the purposes stated above.
2. Three finalists will be selected by a panel comprised of members of the Valley Council.
3. The finalists will be announced at the Valley Council annual meeting, tentatively scheduled for December 6, 2016.
4. The winning entry will be selected by the community through online voting between Dec. 6 and Dec. 13, 2016.
5. The winning entry will be announced at the Jan. 2, 2017 meeting of the Valley Council.
6. The prize for the winning entry is one $250 VISA prepaid gift card.
7. The winner will be notified via email or telephone call and announced on the Valley Council’s Facebook page and website, and through press releases.

Disclaimer
1. The Valley Council is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, incomplete, illegible, or otherwise unusable entries, including entries that are lost or unusable due to computer, Internet, or electronic problems.
2. The Valley Council reserves the right to cancel or modify the contest and award the prize by alternate means if fraud or technical failure is determined at any time by the Valley Council, including after the submission window has closed.
3. The Valley Council is not liable, for the purpose of winner and prize notification and delivery, in the event the contest winner has provided incorrect, outdated, or otherwise invalid contact information.

Information shared from the Council's website.  

Ansonia Market Place travels to Hilltop Hose firehouse today

Naugatuck Arts Festival slated Saturday on Green

Sharing info from a Facebook event page:

"Entertainment by Sparkles The Clown, Naugatuck Community Band, JJ Martin and Friends, Open Mic, top and bottom of the hour cultural heritage performers, and a live concert featuring the band Red Line to end the day."

Derby Public Library to host workshop on benefits, AARP driver safety class

DERBY - Learn to Maximize Your Social Security Benefits, at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at Derby Public Library.

David Cowan, endorsed AAA retiree advisor, will lead the workshop. 

He will discuss how to navigate retirement savings challenges, ways to safeguard retirement savings, and how to increase Social Security benefits by as much as $100,000.

Learn when the right time is to start taking your Social Security, hidden benefits you may have from a former or deceased spouse, and the benefits of "switches."

While the program is targeted for pre-retirees, ages 60-66, the general public is welcome to attend.  
Registration is requested.  

AARP Driver Safety Class 

The Library has scheduled an AARP Driver Safety Class for Sept. 20 from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.  

The cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. Cars have changed and so have traffic rules, driving conditions, and the roads you travel. 
This refresher course is designed for drivers 50 and over to brush up on their driving skills.  
No written tests, no road tests, and no information will be given to the Department of Motor Vehicles.  
Participants will learn how to drive more defensively and may save up to 10 percent on their present auto liability insurance.  
Space is limited and registration is required.  
Participants may bring a bag lunch.

Coffee and dessert will be provided.  

For more information, stop by the Library at 313 Elizabeth

St., call 203-736-1482 or visit www.derbypubliclibrary.org. 

This is a press release from Cathy Williams, Director, Derby Public Library.