Ansonia Police warn residents of phone scam

ANSONIA - On Jan. 21 the Ansonia Police Department investigated a phone scam where a local resident received a phone call from an unknown person reporting that a family member had been kidnapped, that a ransom was being requested and the kidnapped family member would be harmed if the police were contacted.

The Ansonia Police Department is warning all residents not to give any personal information, bank information, wire money, or purchase gift cards like iTunes, Amazon, Google and other easily negotiable monetary items to pay the person requesting the money.

If you receive a call like this, or that a relative has been arrested and needs bond money or has been injured and needs money for medical expenses, the first thing you should do is to try and contact the relative they are saying is in trouble. 
You should then contact the police department and report the incident. 

This is a press release from Lt. Patrick Lynch.

'Turnback Tuesday' features heroic daughter of Rev. Humphreys in Derby

This week's "Turnback Tuesday" features another event during the Revolutionary War. 
This one involves Sarah Humphreys Mills, daughter of Rev. Daniel and Sarah (Riggs) Humphreys of Derby. Sarah H. Mills fled Fairfield on July 7, 1779 while the British were burning down her home as well as the church and parsonage of her husband, Rev. Samuel Mills. 
Gathering her best feather-bed and placing it on a horse, Sarah H. Mills rode all the way home to Derby for safety, and by doing so, she was considered a very heroic woman during this time period. 
This photo is of her parents’ home, which is now located at 37 Elm St., Ansonia.


Thanks go to Derby Public Library for sharing this interesting local history.

Newsletter: Memories of popular Seymour teen, living with disability, more

Dear readers, 

Today's Valley Voice newsletter features a cheerleading competition at Seymour Middle School in memory of Nina Poeta, living with a disability, more.

Thanks for reading!

~ Patti and Ralph

TEAM offers free tax preparation services in Derby, Milford

Congratulations go to Seymour fire prevention poster contest winners

Pictured from left: Glen Rodrigue, Sam Rodrigue, fifth grader at Chatfield-LoPresti School, Principal David Olechna, Jade Rinaldi, fourth grader at Chatfield-LoPresti, Jessica Hubinger. At rear is Fire Marshal Paul Wetowitz.

SEYMOUR - Today the Fire Prevention Poster Contest winners received a special treat getting to ride to school in style in a Seymour firetruck.

Sam Rodrigue, a fifth grader at Chatfield-LoPresti School along with his dad Glen, as well as Jade Rinaldi, a fourth grader at CLS, and her mom Jessica Hubinger, showed up at school with our help. 
The two winners’ posters were forwarded to the New Haven County round where they will be judged and a single winner will be chosen for the state. 
Congratulations. We hope you had as much fun as we did. 


This information is shared from the Seymour Fire Department Facebook page.

Derby mayor to tend bar at Sherman's Taphouse for TEAM fundraiser

*Information shared from a Facebook event page. 

Learn to make an herb pillow at Ansonia Nature Center

Recuperation journey: Photo ID, please

You know when you "inherit" a box of old photos? 
You recognize relatives, friends, neighbors sitting at a picnic table in the backyard, pets, but there is always that one photo you can't figure out who the people in it are.

Over the years my husband Ralph has tirelessly scanned thousands of old pics. And between us we're able to identify the people in almost all of them.

But then there is this one Ralph unearthed in a box full of Villers' photos:

On the back it says Phil and Marty, ages 3 and 2. 
The photo appears to have been taken in the late '40s, or early '50s. 

Phil and Marty look like two mini-men. 
Were their parents vaudevillians? 

Did boys really wear straw hats?
Was it Easter morning and they had to pose in their new outfits?

The artwork behind them adds a nice touch, as does the cord plugged into the electrical outlet. 
I just love this photo, and I had to share. 

Griffin Hospital in Derby to offer CNA course starting in March

Griffin Hospital School of Allied Health Careers is offering its Accelerated Certified Nursing Assistant program starting March 12./ Contributed photo

DERBY - The Griffin Hospital School of Allied Health Careers, 300 Seymour Ave., Suite 206 is offering an evening session of its Accelerated Certified Nursing Assistant program starting March 12 to help individuals start a fulfilling career in health care.

The CNA course offers students an affordable and condensed six-week schedule with classes Monday through Thursday from 5-9 p.m.

Course content includes infection control, legal and ethical responsibilities, communications, body mechanics, moving and positioning residents, personal care skills, nutrition, measuring vital signs, and restorative care. 

The CNA course tuition fee includes the course book, CPR training, and malpractice insurance coverage for the clinical rotation. 

The CNA clinical experience will be at Griffin Hospital and a long-term care facility from 5-10 p.m. for 40 hours. 

After successfully completing the course and clinical experience, students will be qualified to take the state exam for certification as a Nursing Assistant in Connecticut.

For more information or to apply, call 203-732-1276 or visit griffinhealth.org/allied-health.

Griffin Hospital's School of Allied Health Careers was one of the first hospital-based schools of its kind to be authorized by the Connecticut Department of Higher Education and offers training, education, and certification for Phlebotomy, Nursing Assistant, and Patient Care Technician healthcare careers. 

Classes are taught by certified instructors in the Griffin Hospital Medical Building, 300 Seymour Ave. 

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.