Newsletter features Valley Council awards, Valley music students honored

Dear readers,

Today's Valley Voice newsletter features a recap of the Valley Council for Health and Human Services' annual meeting in Shelton, and awards presented to music students by Banko's music store.

Thanks for reading,

Patti and Ralph

Lawmakers to ring bell for Salvation Army at Stop and Shop in Seymour

Logan to hold coffee hour Friday at Valley Diner in Derby

Turnback Tuesday features Sterling Company in Derby

This week’s “Turnback Tuesday” features a Sterling Piano advertisement. 
This playful ad for the Sterling Co. shows an organ with a pipe top. 
The Sterling Piano Company, founded by Charles Sterling in 1866, initially produced organs until 1884, when the first piano was introduced. Sterling pianos and organs were known worldwide. 
And their ads boasted that the designs were tasteful, workmanship was first class, they were finished magnificently, could be tuned flawlessly, and were simply the ideal piano for the home, as this ad illustrates. 
Many different subjects were used in Sterling advertisements such as young couples, animals, and children. The piano and organs built by the Sterling company were built to last … and lasted they have. 
Two pianos are located here at the [Derby Public] Library (one on the upper level; one on the lower level.) A third one is on the main floor of Derby City Hall by the parking lot entrance and a fourth is fittingly at the Sterling Opera House.

Thanks go to the Derby Public Library for sharing another interesting bit of local history!

Ansonia Public Works crew installs ice skating rink at Linett Park

Sharing from the City of Ansonia Facebook page:

Ice skating rink at Linett Park in Ansonia./ Photo from Facebook 

"Public Works is finalizing the installation of the ice skating rink at Linett Park as part of the upcoming Winter Playground. The 75'x65' [4,875 square foot] rink, when frozen, will accommodate ice skaters of all ages. 
"Last weekend, the expanded hill for sledding debuted with more than 50 kids enjoying last Saturday's snowfall. An elaborate grand opening of the park will be announced once Mother Nature cooperates."

Klarides-Ditria achieves 100 percent voting record in General Assembly

HARTFORD - State Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, R-Seymour, a freshman legislator representing the 105th District, achieved a 100 percent voting record for the completed regular and special sessions in the General Assembly.

Nicole Klarides-Ditria

There were a total of 417 votes cast in the House of Representatives during the legislative regular and special sessions which did not end until Nov. 15. 

Klarides-Ditria participated in all 417 votes.

“This legislative session presented us with a number of obstacles that needed to be tackled,” Klarides-Ditria said. “I was able to use my experiences through my professional background to get right to work to pass legislation that will help our communities and state. We still have a number of obstacles in our way, but I will continue to make sure we are working every day to make Connecticut a better place for all of us to live, work, and retire in.” 

Klarides-Ditria introduced or cosponsored several key bills that were signed into law, including: 

P.A. 17-2, An Act Concerning The State Budget For The Biennium Ending June 30, 2019. The compromise budget plan passed both the House and Senate with veto-proof majorities Oct. 26. 

Klarides-Ditria highlighted that the budget didn’t include majority party plans to increase sales and income taxes, install a restaurant tax, a tax on secondary homes or a new tax on cell phones. The budget did include a real spending cap, a cap on bonding,  municipal mandate relief, and a phase-in exemption on taxes on Social Security, pensions, and estates. 

P.A. 17-131, An Act Preventing Prescription Opioid Diversion and Abuse, which will allow patients to ask that opioids not be prescribed to them and reduces the amount of opioid drugs a minor may be prescribed. It also requires practitioners, when prescribing opioids, to discuss with all patients, rather than only minors, the risks associated with opioid drug use.

P.A. 17-61, An Act Concerning A State-Wide Waiting List For Residential Placement For Persons With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, will help better serve persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities by developing a state-wide comprehensive residential waiting list.

P.A. 17-167, An Act Requiring the Registration Of Animal Shelters, will require a person who wants to operate or maintain an animal shelter in Connecticut to register with the Department of Agriculture commissioner and comply with DoAg’s regulations on sanitation, disease, humane treatment of cats and dogs, and public safety protection. In addition, this law authorizes the commissioner, or his agent, to inspect an animal shelter at any time.

The next regular legislative session will convene in February 2018. 

Klarides-Ditria currently serves on the legislature’s Finance, Revenue, and Bonding, Public Health, and Regulations Review Committees. 

This is a press release from Klarides-Ditria's office.

DEEP reminds residents of need to recycle electronic devices

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection reminds residents to drop off their unwanted computers, monitors, printers, and televisions at a local collection center for recycling under DEEP’s Electronics Recycling Program. 

“Many people will be receiving new electronic devices as gifts this holiday season, from televisions to computers, cell phones and tablets and a wide array of other tech gadgets,” said Mark Latham, DEEP’s E-Waste Program Leader. 

“For those who have outdated electronics, residents are reminded Connecticut state law bans the disposal of electronic devices in the trash. The proper way to dispose of e-waste is via one of the recycling center located across the state or by donating the equipment to a needy charity. Recycling is one the easiest things people can do to help our environment, and this program has helped to keep millions of pounds of e-waste out of our landfills.”

Since 2011, more than 100 million pounds electronics have been recycled according to DEEP’s 2017 annual status report on the program. In Connecticut, the manufacturers of electronics are required to finance 100 percent of the recycling costs, meaning there is no charge to towns or residents. 

See a complete list of permanent recycling locations on the DEEP website. 

This is a press release from the DEEP.

Derby students recognized for academics, leadership, community service

 

DERBY -The Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents has developed a student award program to provide superintendents with the means of aligning themselves with their students.
The program is conducted by CAPSS and made available to local CAPSS superintendents who wish to participate. 

The program awards students based on community service and service to others; academic prowess (relative to ability); and leadership service to the school community. The Superintendent/Student Award Recognition Program is designed to allow Superintendents to move beyond the academic achiever who routinely receives recognition.

Superintendent of Schools Matthew Conway was proud to recognize four Derby students with this prestigious award at the CAPSS 32nd Annual Student Award Banquet Thursday at Grassy Hill Country Club in Orange. 

Derby High School seniors Christian Olenoski and Nailah Huq received awards, along with Derby Middle School students Zachary Banores and Nikita Khanna. 

Board of Education member Dan Foley, Principal Martin Pascale, and Principal William Vitelli also were present to honor the students.

This is a press release from Derby Public Schools. 

* Congratulations to all the students on receiving this prestigious award!