Eagle Hose firefighters to give out candy in Ansonia

ANSONIA - Attention all Ansonia parents and children:

Firefighters at Eagle Hose firehouse will be giving out candy from 4-10 p.m. Saturday for Trick or Treaters.

Read all about it here in the Valley Independent Sentinel.

Shelton High School supports The Valley Goes Pink initiative

Shelton High School cheerleaders, from left, Kristen Kondor, Haley Bumbala, and Ciana Buchanan pose during a pink spirit rally Friday. The rally celebrated the school's support of The Valley Goes Pink. Students raised more than $6,000 during October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, for the initiative.

Stay tuned for a story in the Valley Independent Sentinel.

Griffin Hospital in Derby to host talks about fall prevention

DERBY - According to the American Diabetes Association, older adults with diabetes have a higher risk of falling and fall more often than their peers who do not have diabetes. Seniors with diabetes are also more likely to be injured as a result of a fall.

To help prevent hazardous falls, the Diabetes Education and Support Group at Griffin Hospital will host two free discussions on why older adults with diabetes are at increased risk of falls and how they and their loved ones can reduce their falls risk. 

Diane Betkoski will host “Helping People with Diabetes Reduce the Risk of Falling” Nov. 10 at Griffin Hospital, 130 Division St., at 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. in the hospital’s Childbirth Classroom A.

The Diabetes Education and Support Group meets September - June on the second Tuesday of each month to discuss the management of diabetes, its challenges and day-to-day dietary concerns.

All diabetics and their families are welcome to attend. No registration is required. 
Free valet parking is available for the 2:30 p.m. session. 

For more information, call Mary Swansiger, 203-732-1137.


This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Derby Public Library to host author of book about brass industry

DERBY - The Derby Public Library welcomes author Emery Roth II at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 9 

to discuss his recently published book, Brass Valley: The Fall of an American Industry.  

This is the story in words and pictures of the rise and fall of the brass industry in the Naugatuck Valley.

It was photographed over the course of four years during which, management and workers of the last large scale brass mills of old Brass Valley invited Roth to shoot anywhere and anytime at the mills. 

Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing. 

Registration is requested.  

For more information, stop by the Library at 313 Elizabeth St., call 203-736-1482, or visit www.derbypubliclibrary.org.


This is a press release from Cathy Williams, Director, Derby Public Library.

Supper at St. Mary Church Hall in Derby to benefit Scouts

Crisco honored for work on mental health law

 State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., center, with Keep The Promise Vice-Chairs Paul Acker and Kristie Barber. /Contributed photo

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, was honored Thursday by a mental health advocacy group for his commitment to helping expand the services that certain health insurance policies must cover for mental and nervous conditions.

The Keep the Promise Coalition honored Crisco with its 2015 Legislative Leadership Award “in recognition of your legislative leadership to improve and protect the mental health system for people living with health challenges.”

“We understand it is the governor and the legislature who make the budgets that can make or break what we live,” said Keep The Promise Vice-Chair Kristie Barber. “We are here to thank Senator Crisco today for his pivotal support.”

“There’s an old saying that goes, if you make one person’s life easier, you have been successful. The Keep The Promise Coalition has made many people’s lives successful, and I am happy to have played a small role in that success,” Crisco said.

That support that Crisco was lauded for includes not only his vote for state funding for mental health programs, but also Crisco’s lead role in drafting and passing Senate Bill 1085, “An Act Concerning Health Insurance Coverage for Mental or Nervous Conditions.”

Under this new law, insurance policies’ coverage for mental or nervous conditions must include general inpatient hospitalization and outpatient hospital services, psychiatric inpatient hospitalization and outpatient hospital services, intensive outpatient services, and partial hospitalization.

Keep The Promise is a Connecticut Coalition of advocates (people living with mental illness, family members, mental health professionals and interested community members) dedicated to ensuring that a comprehensive, community mental health system is created and sustained for children, adults and families in Connecticut.

The Keep the Promise coalition was formed in 1999 by people living with mental illness, family members, providers and other advocates; it advocates for focusing on cost- effective, preventative, early intervention and community mental health services, supports and housing.


This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Help give back to the troops Saturday in Ansonia

Groups to offer breakfast at Assumption Church Hall in Ansonia

Rain damages roof of Shelton Historical Society house; donations sought

SHELTON - On the windy,rainy early evening of Oct. 28, 

the Brownson House at the Shelton History Center sustained severe damage to its roof, which was under repair, the 

ceilings and walls of four front rooms, and its main collection storeroom in the basement.  

Ceiling damage at Brownson House.

Quick action by some members of the Huntington and White Hills fire companies diverted water away from 

historic furnishings, while others carefully moved artifacts to dry places in the 193-year old house.

The most delicate items in the collection at the Shelton Historical Society and the ones most affected by the incident are the documents that got wet. While there are 

many papers housed in vertical files within cabinets, other odd- sized letters, diaries, scrapbooks, and manuscripts are 

stored in document boxes that were on shelves in the main storeroom. 

"It is unknown at this time how many of these boxes and their contents were damaged,” said Marty Coughlin, President. "Right now, the curator, librarian, director, and 

volunteers are assessing to see what will have to be sent for conservation. It will be a very time consuming process. There was at least one piece of furniture that was damaged as well.”

Museums are required to have disaster plans but they hope never to use them.  

While Shelton Historical Society had supplies on hand, and had identified its most important objects, it's the people who pitch in to help that provide the most valuable tools.  Historian and local resident Rob Novak and Kathy Craughwell Varda, coordinator of Co-Steps, a coordinated 

statewide emergency planning advisory group for cultural and heritage sites offered immediate advice.

Restoration specialists have been on site. Plaster walls and ceilings will need repair.   

Professionals from other museums around the state have generously offered to assist with clean-up efforts.

School groups that were scheduled to participate in programs over the next week have been canceled.

The buildings will be closed to visitors for the foreseeable future.  

“More than ever right now, we need the community’s support,” said Director Tracey Tate.
“Hopefully insurance will take care of the repairs to the 

building, but for the documents and objects that need to be sent to professionals for conservation treatment, we hope 

our friends and neighbors will step in with donations to help. It’s these documents that tell the tales."

Support for treatments to damaged collection items can be sent to Shelton Historical 

Society, P.O. Box 2155, Shelton, 06484. Mark checks “disaster relief.”  

For more information visit www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org.     


This is a press release from Shelton Historical Society.