Read all about it! Valley Voice newsletter is here

I'm sharing the link here to our latest Valley Voice newsletter. 

It features a slightly nostalgic story about the demolition of the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center playground Tuesday.

Historic photo shared of ice freshet on river in East Derby

"An ice freshet around the mid-to-late 1800s on the Housatonic River in East Derby. 
"This is why Leman Stone's warehouse (large building in the distance) was built with five-foot wide, very deep walls on the river side of the structure."

*I'm sharing this bit of local history from The Valley Post Facebook page. I love these old photos!

Native planting scheduled on Earth Day at Ansonia Nature Center

ANSONIA - Employees, volunteers, and students at Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center are planning a native planting at an Earth Day celebration at 9 a.m. April 30.

The program is funded by the Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant Program administered by Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes.  

Here everyone, but especially the children, will learn about native plants that have grown in this area for thousands of years, while getting a close-up view of butterflies, songbirds, and other creatures that use the plants for food or shelter.  

Site preparation will be provided by staff and volunteers near our picnic pavilion #2.  
Members of the community are invited to participate in this project.  

Seeds for Education grants include technical assistance and advice from local experts.  
The grants honor Lorrie Otto who originated the modern era of school garden projects in the 1970s in the Milwaukee area.  

Earth Tones, LLC, a local native plant nursery, will partner with Wild Ones to supply plants at a discount.

For more information, contact Alison Rubelmann, Director at 203-736-1053.


This is a press release from the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center. 

Crisco votes for bill to support veteran-owned businesses

HARTFORD - After standing side-by-side with military veterans who are also small-business owners, state Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, and a bipartisan group of state senators voted unanimously today for a bill that gives veteran-owned small businesses additional bidding preferences under state contracting laws.

State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr.

“My opinion is we can never do enough for our veterans, so if they own a small business in Connecticut, we should give them a preference when bidding on state contracts. It’s one more way we can give back for all of their sacrifices and their commitment to us,” Crisco said.

“The Connecticut Veterans Chamber of Commerce is grateful to Senate leadership for its support of this initiative, which is vital to our members,” said Andrew S. DiSilvestro Jr., executive vice president of the Chamber and owner/founder of Grade A Home Improvement LLC. 
“We represent a number of members, and we give a voice to the more than 40,000 veteran-owned businesses in the state that are working hard every day to grow their businesses and contribute to the state’s economy.”

The bill amends state law to allow the state Department of Administrative Services to give a 15 percent price preference to veteran-owned micro-businesses bidding on state contracts. Currently, DAS is only authorized to give up to a 10 percent preference.

If the bill passes the House and is signed into law by the governor, Connecticut will become the 12th state in the country to provide a set-aside for veteran-owned businesses when it comes to state contracting.

Today’s bill passage is the continuation of a multi-year focus by Crisco and the General Assembly - led by the Senate Democrats - to improve the lives of our veterans.

In 2011, the legislature enacted the groundbreaking “STEP-UP Employment Program for Veterans” administered by the State Department of Labor, which has helped over 400 veterans find high-quality employment.

In 2015, the General Assembly enacted several pro-veteran measures, including:

• The Veterans for Agriculture Program, which requires the state Department of Agriculture to assist vets who want to start an agricultural business.
• The Veteran’s Opportunity Pilot Program to help homeless vets find jobs, which as of August 2015 had already helped 75 homeless veterans from across Connecticut find quality employment.
• An Act Establishing the Women’s Veteran’s Program, which requires the state Department of Veteran’s Affairs to establish a program focusing exclusively on the unique needs of our returning female veterans.
• An Act Concerning Services Available to Veterans on State College and University Campuses, which improves on-campus services offered at OASIS Centers for returning vets to visit.
• Senate Bill 520, which provided significant income tax relief to veterans by fully exempting their retirement pay from taxation.

This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Seymour Recreation holding signups for summer playground program

'Grow With Me' sessions to start May 2 at Derby Public Library

DERBY - The Derby Public Library will introduce a four-week session of Family Place -1, 2, 3… Grow With Me beginning at 10 a.m. May 2.  

This innovative program is a time for families to share together with their 1-3 year old children.  
Siblings who are age 5 and under are also welcome to attend.  

Each week will feature puzzles, books, blocks, dramatic play and more followed by a story and rhymes.  

Parents/caregivers will also be introduced to some of the many resources available to them to assist in the raising of their toddlers and have an opportunity to meet new friends in an educational and creative environment.

A resource professional from the community will be available on two of the Mondays during this session to discuss parenting questions and concerns.  

Topics will include child development, nutrition, immunization and more.  Do not miss the opportunity to consult with experts on a no-fee basis while your child enjoys a wonderful play experience.  

Space is limited, so registration is requested.  Families are encouraged to attend each week to obtain the full benefits of this four week session.

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

The Family Place is a national initiative of Americans for Libraries Council and Middle Country Library.  
The Family Place of Connecticut is made possible through the generous support of the Katharine Matthies Foundation. 

This is a press release from Sue Sherman, children's librarian, Derby Public Library.

Spooner House food drives in Valley deemed successful

SHELTON - The 14th annual Valley Has a Heart Spooner House food collection drive April 9 and the Dust Off Cruise April 10 supported by Heav'nly Donuts in Derby, "were both very successful and help us reach well over our goal," Executive Director Susan Agamy said Tuesday.

"We sincerely appreciate all the Valley residents who contributed. Our shelves are now much better stocked because of this generosity."

The results of the April 9 drives from the two Stop & Shop stores and Adams Hometown Markets were:   

                                Food Items                   Cash                     

Ansonia Stop and Shop    2,041                 $438.65


Shelton Stop and Shop    1,479                 $1,076.51


Derby Adams                  262                    $489.98


Shelton Adams               360                     $197.38


                                    4,142



Valley Has a Heart sponsorships were $1,050


Making the Saturday total $3,252.52.


The Heav'nly Donuts Dust Off Cruise collected 4,161 non-perishable food items and $130 in cash, clearly overshooting the 3,000 pantry items goal.

Grand totals from the weekend food drives was 8,303 food items and $3,382.52 cash.

"I am delighted with the 4,161 food items we collected a week ago on April 10 during the car cruise," said Ernie Badas, owner of the Heav'nly Donuts in Derby. "Our goal was set to represent our 30th anniversary hosting this cruise. The staff, classic car owners and fans came out in full force to help fill the need and see some spectacular cars."

Agamy said these critical food drives owe their success to the sponsors and our enthusiastic volunteers.

ACT operates Spooner House
Non-profit Area Congregations Together, Inc. was formed in 1979 to help fill gaps in the Naugatuck Valley’s social service network. 
Today, Spooner House is operated by ACT and is a facility that provides food, shelter and support services to approximately 150 men, women and children each year. More than 6,000 individuals have been served by the Food Bank this past year, comprising more than 100,000 meals.
Spooner House is recognized as one of the most comprehensive emergency shelter programs in Connecticut and through its food bank provides a week’s supply of groceries each month to participating families throughout the Naugatuck Valley.

Spooner House is devoted to helping people establish self-sufficiency in an atmosphere of respect and dignity.

Area Congregations Together, Inc. is a partner agency of the Valley United Way.


This is a press release from Spooner House.