Derby Public Library to hold workshop on Social Security via Zoom

DERBY - Derby Public Library will hold a virtual webinar about Social Security from 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 17.

Almost 74 percent of Americans voluntarily received reduced retirement income benefits because they don’t know all the facts (Source: SSA Annual Statistical Supplement, 2011).

In this workshop Rebecca Miller, Financial Awareness Foundation, will cover when to apply for benefits, how to avoid reductions, and increase benefits and how to coordinate benefits with your spouse. 

You will learn special rules for divorced spouses and survivor benefits.

Register here https://bit.ly/2Y0ka1l with your Library card number by 4:30 p.m. Feb. 17 to receive the Zoom link and password.

This is shared from the Derby Public Library Facebook page.

Recuperation journey: Looking at the sky

This cloud looked like an avalanche first thing this morning. Haha!

Derby Little League holding online registration

 

Naugatuck Valley Health District urges homeowners to test for radon gas

Shared from the Naugatuck Valley Health District Facebook page:

The month of January has been designated as Radon Action Month in Connecticut.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health, the American Lung Association of Connecticut, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency urge you to test your home for radon, and, if necessary, mitigate high levels, when found.

Radon is a naturally occurring colorless and odorless radioactive gas.

Radon enters the home through small cracks and holes in the basement. At levels above 4 picocuries per liter it can increase one’s risk of getting lung cancer.

Public health officials have found that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., behind cigarette smoking and the leading cause among non-smokers.

If you smoke cigarettes and have radon in your home, then your risk of getting lung cancer is even greater.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention an estimated 15,000-30,000 U.S. citizens die from radon-induced lung cancer each year.

“We live in an area of the country where elevated radon levels in homes are quite common,” says Jessica Kristy, Director of Health. “Most of Connecticut is located in a zone where there is a high to moderate potential for having a radon issue in the air or water in one’s home. Yet, very few people are testing for radon. Now is a good time of year to test.”

The only way to find out if your home has radon is to test for it. The heating season is the best time to test for radon because your home is closed up, and radon levels tend to build up indoors. The Department of Public Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the American Lung Association of Connecticut are partnering to promote radon testing and mitigation during Radon Action Month.

Call the Naugatuck Valley Health District to receive a free home test kit at 203-881-3255 ext. 108.

Supplies are limited so call today! You can also purchase a test kit by calling the American Lung Association of Connecticut directly at 1-800-LUNG USA or by going online at www.alact.org.

For additional information on radon, contact your local health department at 203-881-3255 or the Connecticut Department of Public Health Radon Program at 860-509-7367 or visit the CT DPH website at https://portal.ct.gov/.../Environment.../Radon/Radon-Program.

Derby Neck Library to restart curbside service Saturday, reopen to public Feb. 2

*Note: I neglected to put a headline on this post Wednesday. My apologies for any confusion.

Derby Neck Library

Good afternoon,

I wanted to post an update about our closing yesterday after we received notice of a possible [COVID-19] exposure at the library.

After speaking with the Naugatuck Valley Health District and after the precautions we took, it was concluded that we went above and beyond what was necessary and that no contact tracing was warranted, nor any further action required.

Although shutting down was not necessary by CDC standards, what we did was out of an abundance of caution and applauded. We did this to keep our staff and our community safe.

Ever since the pandemic began, we have worked hard on developing and implementing protocols to help ensure just that. As such, we have been given clearance to reopen at our discretion.

Our plan moving forward is to restart our curbside pickup service beginning this Saturday, January 23 at 1 p.m.

On February 2, we will begin allowing the public back into the building for browsing and computer use starting at noon. During this downtime, we will continue our deep clean of the facility.

We appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience caused. We look forward to serving you again very soon.

Be safe and be well,

Ian Parsells

Head Librarian

Derby Neck Library

This is shared from the Library's Facebook page.