Recuperation journey: Facebook photo memory shared

Immanuel St. James Episcopal Church on the Derby Green. Photo taken on this date in 2013.

Shelton Youth Service Bureau to sponsor Halloween Trick-or-Trunk

 

Ansonia mom asks community support Saturday for flag football team

 

Derby Neck Library slates Baby Stories and Senses program

DERBY - Derby Neck Library has scheduled a special story and playtime just for babies and toddlers! 

We'll start with some songs, stories, and lap bounces, followed by 20 mins or so of free play! We'll have interactive toys perfect for those practicing tummy time up to those learning to stand and walk, such as shakers, interactive mats, water tables, and more!

This program is targeted to ages Birth-3, but older siblings are welcome, too! 

No registration required, but sign up for our Youth Services mailing list to stay in the loop on cancellations by clicking here: https://forms.gle/qmthMpyXtVMcaMZo7

This program will run through Dec. 6. The Library is at 307 Hawthorne Ave.

This is shared from the Library's Facebook page.

Story times scheduled at The Children's Room at The Ansonia Library

 

Local artist to exhibit work in October at Oxford Baking Company

 

Derby Historical Society to celebrate Rev. Mansfield's 299th birthday

 

Recuperation journey: Looking at the sky

 ... at 6:40 a.m. Have a peaceful Friday.

Celebrate Shelton readies Downtown Sounds fall edition at Veterans Park

 

Exchange Club of Shelton readies bingo fundraiser at Stratford restaurant

 

Country western band to perform at Friday Night Dance Party on Derby Green

Photo from Facebook

DERBY - Friday Night Dance Parties on the Derby Green continue Friday with Larry Ayce and his Country Band featuring the lovely Doreen Marie. They’ll be performing from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Come down to the Derby Green Friday and celebrate Country Western Night!
Don’t forget to bring a friend.

This is a release from Derby Town/City Clerk Marc Garofalo.

Car wash to support Derby High School Boys Soccer, Center for Breast Wellness

 

Ansonia Nature Center to host fall discovery hike

ANSONIA - Join the Nature Center naturalist at 1 p.m. Oct. 9 for a stroll through our woodlands, old fields, and wetlands. 

Enjoy the beauty and the crisp fall air while learning about New England’s flora and fauna. Wear appropriate shoes for this moderate hike. Please register in advance at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. FREE

This is a press release from the Ansonia Nature Center.

Recuperation journey: Looking at the sky

 Clouds just after sunset Wednesday.

Master's Table to present October meal at Assumption Church hall in Ansonia

 

Patronize Copper City Bar and Grill, support Ansonia Pop Warner

 

Ansonia Library to host Touch a Truck event, firetruck edition

The Library is at 53 S. Cliff St., Ansonia. The event will be held in Christ Church parking lot, directly across the street. 

Vigil in New Haven to honor survivors, remember victims of domestic violence

To raise awareness about domestic violence, BHcare’s The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services and Hope Family Justice Center will hold a vigil to honor survivors and remember the victims of domestic violence. 

The Annual Sound of Hope will be held Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. at Long Wharf Pier, New Haven. 

The vigil will include the reading of names of those who have lost their life as a result of domestic violence. 

Each person will receive a flower to toss into the harbor. The flowers represent the hopes and struggles of the survivors as they strive to become free from violence. The flower also gently reminds us of the lives that have been taken from us due to domestic violence.

Every October, the nation observes Domestic Violence Awareness Month to bring to light an issue that affects all of our communities. On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men. ncadv.org

Pat Griffin, Connecticut Chief State Attorney, will be guest speaker and members of the local police departments will be recognized for their role in the fight against domestic violence. 

For more information about the vigil, or about domestic violence services visit www.BHcare.org. 

If you need immediate assistance, please call our 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline 1-888-774-2900.

UCDVS is a program of BHcare that provides services for victims and children of domestic violence free of charge. Each year, nearly 6,000 domestic violence victims, survivors and their children walk through the door of UCDVS looking for shelter, help and hope. 

HFJC, a program of BHcare, is a collaboration of multiple community providers under one roof providing free wraparound services for domestic violence survivors and their families. Victims of domestic violence receive support, healing and pathways to empowerment. 

This is a press release from BHcare.

Klarides-Ditria lists new legislation taking effect Oct. 1

I wanted to make you aware of new laws affecting Connecticut taxpayers and businesses taking effect on Saturday, Oct. 1.  This year, several important public safety measures become law, including many that were a result of pressure from both the public and Republican lawmakers concerned about an increase in crime, especially juvenile crime, and the dramatic rise in incidents of car theft; from 2019-2020 the increase in motor vehicle theft was just less than 4 times the national average - 41% vs 12%. Public Act 22-115 makes many changes to juvenile justice statutes to continue to preserve the rights of younger offenders, while also delivering faster arraignments and access to necessary intervention and diversionary program services. This bipartisan legislation is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done. The new law will, among other things: Require juveniles to be arraigned no more than 5 days after arrest (in some cases the next day) Require that the juvenile be assessed for services (such as diversionary programs) within 2 weeks of arraignment Allow a judge to order GPS tracking of a juvenile who is already awaiting trial for an offense and is arrested for a second or subsequent offense involving theft of a motor vehicle or a property crime Require judges to articulate within 48 hours the reason for denying a request for detention Replace the existing larceny statutes dealing with motor vehicles with a new standalone charge of “larceny of a motor vehicle,” with gradually increased charges based upon number of arrests The CT Post covers the topic in this article. Children’s Mental Health I supported Public Act 22-47 - An Act Concerning Children’s Mental Health - to address both the immediate and long-term needs of the state’s mental health systems. This wide-ranging legislation aims to address the youth mental health crisis and support children and families by growing the behavioral health workforce, expanding treatment facilities, and increasing insurance coverage for mental health services. Additionally, the legislation funds a 9-8-8 suicide prevention and mental health crisis lifeline. Protections for Domestic Violence Victims Another law I supported was Public Act 22-82 to address several important topics, including increased protections for domestic violence victims, increased safety for online dating, domestic violence training, workplace sexual harassment, employment discrimination, and more. The law requires online dating operators to provide Connecticut users with safety awareness notifications before allowing them to use the platform, sets up a grant program to provide education and training on online abuse, and extends anti-discrimination statutes to more workplaces. The law also prohibits discrimination against domestic violence victims, requires state agencies provide domestic violence training, and requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) provide $1.44 million for domestic violence agencies.  View the full list of new legislation here New legislation effective dates are typically January 1, July 1, and October 1 throughout the calendar year.

Sincerely,

'Turnback Tuesday' looks at devastation caused by '55 flood in Derby

Turnback Tuesday shares this incredible view of the Flood of 1955.

Taken from the tower of St. James Church on Minerva Street looking east towards the Naugatuck River. Red Star = Naugatuck River; green arrow = Freight Depot; blue arrow = Rt. 34; yellow arrow = Rt. 8; red arrow = Train Station; pink arrow = Farrel Birmingham; purple arrow = 1st Congregational Church; black arrow = St. Michaels Church and purple star = Housatonic river.

The devastation of the flood was not only to the landscape but to those living here. The image was a gift from the Birmingham National Bank to the Derby Public Library in November, 1955.

Thank you to Joe DiRienzo for his help in identifying landmarks.

Thanks goes to the Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week.

Ansonia High School slates open house for middle school students, parents

 

Derby Public Library to present Tuesday matinees in October

 

The Library is at 313 Elizabeth St., Derby.

This is shared from the Library's Facebook page.

Register now for Commodore Hull Thanksgiving Day 5K in Shelton, Derby

Join us on Nov. 24, Thanksgiving morning, for this beloved charity road race that takes you through the historic downtowns of Derby and Shelton. The race starts at 8 a.m.

You'll finish in plenty of time to attend local sporting events and watch the parade on TV before heading off to family for your Thanksgiving feast. 

Open to runners of all ages. Grammar and high school students receive a discount of $20, and seniors age 70+ can run for free (must register before November 1). All registrations increase to $35 on November 1. 

Bib chip timing through Fast Track Timing LLC. All runners receive a long-sleeve tek race shirt. A heart-felt thank you to our flagship shirt sponsor, Greco & Haines, for once again underwriting the cost of the race shirts. 

Proceeds support the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley. #HullRace2022 Register now at https://bgc-lnv.org/events/commodore-hull-5k/ 

This is shared from the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley Facebook page.

Paranormal investigator to speak at Seymour Public Library

SEYMOUR - Paranormal investigator Barry Pirro has investigated hundreds of haunted houses and historic sites and has been a consultant for paranormal TV shows. 

Join us at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at Seymour Public Library as Barry discusses some of his most chilling cases of ghosts, demons, and haunted objects. Hear real ghost recordings and tell us your own haunting stories!

Doors open at 6 p.m. for seating. 

Free; registration not required. The Library is at 46 Church St.

This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Great Hill United Methodist Church in Seymour readies Basket Bonanza

SEYMOUR - Great Hill United Methodist Church's Basket Bonanza Oct. 8 will have daytime preview hours from 10 a.m.-4 p.m, as well as from 5-6 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. 

During the preview, tickets are placed in the cup corresponding with any of the baskets; the baskets are given away starting at 6 p.m. The drawing will be live streamed in front of an in-person audience and results posted to the church Facebook page and website. 

Basket pickup times will be Saturday from 7:30- 8:30 p.m. and Sunday noon-2 p.m.
For the admission price of $15, patrons will receive 25 free basket tickets, a door prize ticket, and a grand prize ticket.

Over 75 special theme baskets and door prizes will be handed out. 

Basket themes include movie, travel, spa, handyman, entertaining, sports, kids, baby, pets, hobbies, cooking, seasonal, and many others. This year’s Grand Prize Basket will include a wide variety of gift cards with an estimated $750 value. The church is at 225 Great Hill Road.

This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Recuperation journey: Looking at the sky

Dramatic cloud formation on Thursday afternoon. 

Medication take back day slated at Seymour Community Center

 

Ansonia Library to present 'Stone Soup' performance for all ages

 

Derby Senior Center to host Zentangle class

 

Ansonia man, 36, charged in alleged child abuse case

Lamar Haney

ANSONIA - The Ansonia Police Department was notified at 4:07 a.m. today by the Department of Children and Families of a possible abuse case involving a six-week-old child, Lt. Patrick Lynch said in a written release. 

DCF reported the juvenile victim was currently at Yale New Haven Hospital being treated for injuries. 

Hospital personnel advised the initial officer the child had multiple injuries to include a brain bleed, fractured ribs, lacerated liver, and other injuries which were consistent with child abuse. 

The child’s father, Lamar Haney, admitted to causing the injuries.

Haney, 36, of Ansonia was charged with first-degree assault and held on a $100,000 bond. He was to appear in court today.

This is a press release from Lt. Patrick Lynch.

Pizza party at Char & Lemon in Oxford to benefit The Valley Goes Pink

 

Rochelle congratulates Ansonia Public Schools on FAFSA challenge win

Please join me in congratulating Ansonia Public Schools on winning the 2021-2022 FAFSA Challenge by the Connecticut State Department of Education and receiving the Commissioner’s Award! We are so proud of you!

A special thank you to all the students, parents, and school staff who helped increase opportunities for our students. 

In Ansonia, the FAFSA completion rate jumped from 51% to 65.5%! This means more options and opportunities for funding for post-secondary education for our young people—whether it be for a four-year, two-year, or technical program.

Congratulations again on a job well done! 

SPOTLIGHTING LOCAL EXCELLENCE It was an absolute joy to honor Derby's own Nicole Rizzo at a book signing for her first published book and memoir “Running on Thin Ice.” Nicole, we are so proud of you and thankful that you’ve authored such a poignant book that is sure to resonate with many. You’ve created something truly special. The Connecticut Education Association has released its Legislator Report Card for the 2021-22 legislative cycle. The Report Card evaluates legislators' voting records and advocacy to support public education in Connecticut. For this year's cycle, CEA has placed me on its 2022 Honor Roll! The CEA Honor Roll distinction recognizes legislators with the highest report card scores who have demonstrated a commitment to public education, students, and teachers. The bills we passed this session and last session will positively shape our young residents' lives and ensure they can access a high-quality education that's full of opportunity. These bills are a meaningful step forward and advance the work to create a state where every child can receive the support they need to succeed. To learn more about the Legislator Report Card, please click here. This post is taken from an update from Rochelle's office.

Seymour Public Library to host board game night

SEYMOUR - Join us at Seymour Public Library Oct. 5 from 5-7 p.m. for an evening with board games!

Fun for everyone ages 18 and up.

Registration is not required. For more information, call 203-888-3903.

The Library is at 46 Church St.

This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Great Hill United Methodist Church in Seymour to hold outdoor flea market

Photo from Facebook page

SEYMOUR - Looking for your next great flea market find? 

If so, join the Great Hill UMC community for their huge outdoor flea market from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24 at the Great Hill UMC Grove, 225 Great Hill Road.

There will be numerous vendor spaces, each 10' x 8' in a shaded grove. Vendors must supply their own tables/chairs. 

Registration forms are available at www.greathillumc.org/flea-market

For more additional information call Pat, 203-888-0489 or Debbie, 203-888-5708.

This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Recuperation journey: Looking at the sky

Have a peaceful evening.
 

Ansonia schools slate dress down day Friday to benefit high school

 

Ansonia Library Children's Room to provide pumpkin painting fun

 

The Library is at 56 S. Cliff St., Ansonia.

This is shared from the Library's Facebook page.

Derby to host Oktoberfest fun on Green with Rich Bobinski Orchestra

Photo from Facebook page

DERBY - The Friday Night Dance Parties on the Derby Green continue Friday, Sept. 23 with Oktoberfest in Derby, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. featuring the happy snappy music of The RBO (Rich Bobinski Orchestra) Band.

 

Come down to the Derby Green on Friday and celebrate Oktoberfest!  Ticky Tocky, Ticky Tocky, Hoy, Hoy, Hoy!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Don’t forget to bring a friend.

This is shared from Derby Town/City Clerk Marc Garofalo.

Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center seeks vendors, volunteers for Autumn Festival

Fall is here, and the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center invites you to its annual Autumn Festival. 

Attractions include horse-drawn wagon rides, pumpkin painting, crafts, face-painting, raffles, a haunted trail walk, creepy crawlies with James Tully, animal shows, and much more! 

Save your pumpkin-spicey appetites for the yummy offerings, including Calandrelli’s Kettle Corn, Mister Softee, Valley Jim's Soft Serve, donuts and cider from Silverman's Farm, SWAT, Tex Mex Fusion, Szabo's Seafood, and more!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and be sure to come by to enjoy the autumn goodness we have to offer! We will have horse-drawn wagon rides, will be streaming your favorite Halloween music, and we will have lots of nature craft vendors for your fall and holiday shopping!

All proceeds benefit the Nature Center. RAIN or SHINE. NO park admission fee. Sponsored in part by the Friends of the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center and the City of Ansonia.

VENDORS WANTED

INTERESTED IN BEING A VENDOR FOR OUR AUTUMN FESTIVAL?

Send an email to dawnsotir@gmail.com for details on vending during our annual Autumn Fest. Last year we had thousands in attendance, and we expect an even bigger and better event!

DO YOU WANT TO EXHIBIT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION AT OUR AUTUMN FEST?

Contact Ali at arubelmann@ansoniact.org for more information.

WANT TO HELP? COME AND VOLUNTEER!

SET UP, DURING THE FESTIVAL, AND CLEANUP

Adult individuals and groups interested in helping the Ansonia Nature Center during Autumn Fest please send an email to wsabol55@gmail.com for details on how you can be a part of the fun.