'Turnback Tuesday' memorializes Derby native Edward J. Cotter, Jr.

Turnback Tuesday remembers Edward J. Cotter Jr. of Derby.

Ed was a WWII veteran in the US Navy as a firefighter.

This Navy training and experience benefitted the City of Derby for years to come. He modernized the fire department with new equipment as well as trained the new firefighters. And because of all of his years of service to the community, he received many awards and praise from his fellow firefighters.

Ed’s day job was working for the Evening Sentinel in Ansonia as a photographer and journalist, starting his career in 1939 as a sports reporter at age 18.

This monument - located on O’Sullivan’s Island by the Greenway under the Commodore Hull Bridge - was placed there in Ed’s memory. He was one of the founders of the former Valley Fire Chief’s Training School that was once located on this site.

Thank you to the Derby Hall of Fame for their helpful information about Ed.

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

Storm Engine Co./Ambulance Corps Co. 2 in Derby preparing Popcorn Ball Sunday

DERBY - Our Annual Popcorn Ball Sunday will be in the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 18 starting around 1 p.m. 

If you live on the West Side of Derby keep an ear and an eye out for us coming down your street. 

We will have Santa riding along and throwing out treats. Hope to see you all.

This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Riverwalk Social in Derby to host fundraiser for Storm Ambulance Corps' rescue dog

DERBY - Riverwalk Social, 17 Elizabeth St., will hold a cornhole tournament and fundraiser from noon to 6 p.m. Aug. 21 with bags launching at noon.

Pre-sale tickets are $25 per team and day-of tickets are $35 per team, two players per team. 

Tickets include a "free" Black Hog beer for each team member. 

A cash prize will be awarded to the winning team along with a Black Hog gift basket to both the first place team and the runner-up. Must be 21 and over to play.

Proceeds will be donated to the Storm Ambulance Corps' rescue dog. Donations will also be accepted at the door.

This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Congrats go out to new officials at Storm Engine and Rescue Corps in Derby

DERBY - As someone who worked for about 30 years at two daily newspapers with the one and only Eddie Cotter, I was really interested in this story in the Valley Independent Sentinel. 

Sadly Eddie died three years ago yesterday at age 91. 

Eddie was not only a well-known photojournalist in the Valley, he co-founded Storm Ambulance Corps in 1948 and for the first time since then no one who is related to him is in charge of the corps! 

The legacy he left in the Valley's emergency services field speaks for itself.
What an amazing, decades-long tradition of service for the Cotter and Lenart families.

Best wishes to the new leaders of the organization. Check out their photo here.