Officials mark opening of The Mark in Shelton

Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce President William Purcell, left, speaks Wednesday at a grand opening ceremony of The Mark-Fairfield County upscale apartments. The property is located off Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton. When completed, it will feature six apartment buildings, a 6,400-square foot clubhouse, pool, and more. With Purcell are Continental Properties' principal Howard S. Rappaport, center, and Shelton Mayor Mark A. Lauretti.

Gentile hails long-term deal between Sikorsky, state

Helicopter manufacturer to stay in Connecticut at least 16 years

State Rep. Linda M. Gentile, D-Ansonia, Derby, said today she is very pleased Sikorsky Aircraft, which has made its home in Stratford since 1929, will remain here until at least 2032.

"This is very good news not only for the state of Connecticut, but especially the Lower Naugatuck Valley,” Gentile said. 

“Both my father and father-in-law worked at Sikorsky, along with so many other men and women from Ansonia and Derby. This deal, along with the work we have already done in the manufacturing sector, and will continue to do, will guarantee good-paying jobs and continued residency here for generations to come."

After meeting with Sikorsky parent Lockheed Martin, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced a deal in which the helicopter giant will be eligible for financial incentives in exchange for building nearly 200 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters in Connecticut. 

The incentives, worth up to $220 million, include exemption from sales and use taxes and annual grants during the term of the deal. 

In turn, Sikorsky and Lockheed will keep its HQ and primary manufacturing in the state, retain and expand its full-time staff, increase capital spending, and give top priority to its Connecticut-based suppliers.

“This agreement requires legislative approval,” Gentile said. “There should be no dissenting votes on this matter. It’s a no-brainer that we must move as quickly as possible to secure such an important employer as Sikorsky. The company is vital to the stability of our economy and for the thousands of families who depend on these highly-skilled manufacturing jobs.”

This is a press release from Gentile's office.  
  

Griffin Hospital donates equipment to St. Mary-St. Michael School in Derby

Daun Barrett, director of Griffin Hospital’s Community Outreach and Valley Parish Nurse Program, right, and St. Mary-St. Michael Principal Linda Coppola hold a pulse oximeter and a forehead thermometer recently donated to the school./ Contributed photo

DERBY - Griffin Hospital’s Community Outreach and Valley Parish Nurse Program helped Derby students get ready for a healthy new school year recently.

The program donated a pulse oximeter and a forehead thermometer to St. Michael-St. Mary School to help the school nurse better care for students. 
The school’s thermometer was out-of-date and the nurse did not have a pulse oximeter.

“We heard the school needed better equipment from one of the members of the new parish nurse program forming at St. Mary the Immaculate Church,” said Daun Barrett, director of Griffin Hospital’s Community Outreach and Valley Parish Nurse Program. 
“Griffin and the Valley Parish Nurses have a mission to improve the health of our community, so we were more than happy to lend a hand.”

Griffin Hospital’s Community Outreach and Valley Parish Nurse Program serves as the hub of Griffin Hospital’s outreach activities, accounting for more than 40,000 community contacts each year. These contacts include fitting bike helmets, training adults and children in CPR, and providing health education and information at senior centers, shopping centers, neighborhoods, companies, and community events and fairs. 

The program also conducts more than 7,500 health screenings each year to help individuals identify problems when they are most treatable, resulting in approximately 11,000 referrals for follow-up care.


This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Valley Shakespeare Festival to present 'Dracula' in Shelton, Fairfield

Lock up your doors and hide your daughters!  

Count Dracula, the infamously seductive and evil vampire of the 1897 Gothic horror novel will come to life once again Oct. 20 and Oct. 21 right here in Fairfield County.

Valley Shakespeare Festival Theater Company will present two scripted reading performances of the Bram Stoker classic just in time for Halloween as part of its popular “Shakespeare in the Bar” series.  

The Oct. 20 evening performance will be hosted by Caloroso Eatery and Bar in Shelton and the Oct. 21 performance will be held in Fairfield’s Anna Liffey’s Irish Pub.

Dracula is the sixth work VSF will present in its semi-annual “Shakespeare in the Bar” series. 
Fans of the nonprofit theater company will remember its previous productions of Macbeth, Titus Andronicus, Hamlet, The Tempest, and most recently, Moliere's Tartuffe. 

VSF will be utilizing the same script and sound effects used in the 1938 Mercury Theater on the Air radio broadcast which starred Orson Welles and Agnes Moorehead.  

Welles not only starred in the production, but also wrote the adaptation, and his version is commonly believed to be the most faithful to the original novel with much of the dialogue lifted verbatim.  It has been described as both “horrific and transcendent.”*

VSF will employ only five actors and one lighting/sound effects engineer to present its version.

Valley Shakespeare Festival is excited to present this production in its debut at its two new venues.  
Caloroso, 100 Center St., Shelton, has been a long-time supporter of VSF, hosting Opening Night Cast Parties for all four of the company’s Shakespeare in the Park productions.  
This will be the first time however, it will host a performance.  
The company is thrilled to be performing in the restaurant’s recently-completed lower level space. Its romantic fireplace, spacious tables and comfortable bar make it a perfect cabaret-like atmosphere for the production.  
Caloroso will offer dinner service before, during and after the performance as well as a full cash bar.

Anna Liffey’s Pub in Fairfield is no stranger to live performance, primarily presenting musical acts, but VSF will provide the venue’s first theatrical performance by a Shakespeare company.  
VSF is excited to be that company and looks forward to making appearances regularly at the venue.  
As with Caloroso, Anna Liffey’s will offer full food and bar service throughout the evening.

Tickets are available through Valley Shakespeare Festival by calling 203-513-9446 or by visiting www.vsfestival.org.   

Admission is $20 in advance or $25 at the door.  
Doors open at 6 p.m. performance begins at 7:30 p.m.

Space is limited; advance purchase is recommended.

*Colin Fleming, May 6, 2015

This is a press release from Valley Shakespeare Festival, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theater company dedicated to bringing free and reduced cost theater to Connecticut communities.