Former UCONN Huskies visit Ansonia

Ansonia Mayor David S. Cassetti, center, greets former UCONN Women Huskies Tina Charles, left, and Sue Bird when the basketball stars arrived Sunday for a television interview at the Ansonia Armory. / Photo contributed by Sheila O'Malley.

ANSONIA - I was one of three reporters at the Ansonia Armory Sunday afternoon lucky enough to catch a glimpse of several standouts from previous UCONN Husky teams. 

The women all were very accommodating as they posed for photos with residents and signed autographs.

They were brought inside the Armory to be interviewed in the gym for an ESPN2 documentary about the team and playing under Coach Geno Auriemma. 

Festival in Oxford raises money for a good cause

Ken Barnes of West Haven won the Peoples' Choice award for his '64 Pontiac GTO. There were 116 show cars at the event. 

OXFORD - I enjoyed covering the second annual Barefoot Summer Festival and Car Show Sunday on the grounds of Colonial Tavern.
The end of summer event benefited the Connecticut Partnership for Children, Inc., a nonprofit based in Seymour.

Meg Tarby is founder and executive director of the organization that assists needy children throughout the state.
She announced on her Facebook page the festival had raised more than the $10,000 goal she had set.
Great news!

Congratulations go out to Derby veteran

Derby's own Erwin "Gus" Williams took third place Saturday in the "Dancing with our Heroes" event to raise funds to build Connecticut's first Fisher House on the VA Healthcare System grounds in West Haven.

The gala event was held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

Williams danced the Foxtrot with Monika Barska, an instructor at Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Southport. Barska is a 1996 graduate of Derby High School.

Williams said their scores were 10, 9, 9, 9. What an achievement! Kudos to both of them.
He also said the event raised $125,000 toward construction of the Fisher House.

Williams, a Korean War-era U.S. Army veteran, served stateside from 1953-56. He  has served as commander of the John H. Collins Post 24, American Legion in Derby for more than two decades.

I'm sharing this video from Shelton resident Marc Weissman, creator of "Looking Up: A View from the Valley."

Enjoy!


 

Witch way to Seymour?

SEYMOUR -The town's 49th annual pumpkin fest is fast approaching!

I found this photo on First Selectman Kurt Miller's Facebook page and thought I would share it.

Check out this story by New Haven Register correspondent Jean Falbo-Sosnovich to get all the details about this Halloween-y event.