Newsletter features inauguration in Seymour, holiday market in Ansonia

Dear readers, 

In today's Valley Voice newsletter we highlight the swearing-in ceremony of Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller and elected officials, and Ansonia's Holiday Marketplace.

Thanks for stopping by,

Patti 








Check it out here.

Derby mayor asks community to brighten holidays for military families

Names of servicemen and women from Derby sought

Logan to ring bell for Salvation Army Saturday at Hamden Walmart

Logan, R-Ansonia, represents the 17th District in the state Senate.  

Gentile named to state legislator committees

State Rep. Linda M. Gentile

HARTFORD - State Rep. Linda M. Gentile, D-Ansonia, Derby, has been appointed to the newly formed State Coordinators Committee of National Conference of State Legislators by Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin/Southington. Aresimowicz also appointed Gentile to the Labor & Economic Development Committee of NCSL.

"I am grateful for Speaker Aresimowicz's confidence in my leadership and organizational skills and I am honored to be his appointment on these important and busy committees,” Gentile said. “I look forward to this new challenge. NCSL is a premier organization that provides valuable research and legislative information to legislators from all major parties all over the country."

“I’m so glad Representative Gentile has accepted this appointment,” said Aresimowicz. “Linda is extremely hardworking and well respected by her peers. With her many years of experience as a legislator she has a wide array of knowledge about the legislative process and is a strong leader. I know she will be an asset to this committee.”

In her role as a State Coordinator, Gentile will work closely with the administration and staff of NCSL to promote the committee’s mission to fellow legislators in Connecticut as well as legislators in other states in the Northeast.  

The NCSL’s mission is to improve the quality and effectiveness of state legislatures, to promote policy innovation and communication among state legislatures, and to ensure the state legislature remains a strong, cohesive voice in the federal system.

This newly created leadership role is essential in strengthening NCSL’s work in states across the country.

As part of her new role, Gentile will be developing legislative leaders from both parties, providing them with knowledge on how to access NCSL’s research, training services, and website. 

She will additionally be giving legislators in and out of state a better understanding of all the standing committees, including the Labor and Economic Development Committee, as well as policy process.  

Gentile will be attending the NCSL Capitol Forum in San Diego, California from Dec. 10-13 with travel and conference attendance being paid for by scholarship and personal funds. The Capitol Forum is where legislators and staff together to tackle critical state-federal issues, gain insight from national experts, and work with committees to craft the States’ Agenda.

This is a press release from Gentile's office.

Logan seeks support for coat drive at Assumption Church in Ansonia

Recuperation journey: Blue (jay) morning

View through the window 
So much fun to see one of our two blue jay friends find the egg shell I put outside. 
Luckily I was able to capture the event.

Thanks go out to my friend, Joyce, for telling me blue jays like egg shells! 

And now back to work on today's newsletter.

Recuperation journey: Back on track

The other person in this house with his own recuperation journey - thanks to an accident in which he broke his hip whilst riding his bike for exercise - is on a train to NYC. 

So he is literally back on track. 

Cameron feels comfortable enough on crutches to negotiate trains and subways and sidewalks and such. 
After he gets to Grand Central he takes a subway to Penn Station and then catches a train to Long Island.
He has been working from home thanks to modern technology but he was itching to see his co-workers and visit his company's client. 
Sadly he has been out of commission since the Oct. 15 accident in Brooklyn.

Meanwhile yours truly gets to stay home and think about him all day. 
Happily he's healing and the physical therapy at Griffin Hospital is going well.

Celebrate Christmas at Walnut Hill Community Church in Derby

DERBY - Celebrate Christmas from 2-4:30 p.m. Dec. 17 with members of Walnut Hill Community Church and enjoy a wonderful, family-based time, all for free!

There will be games to play, crafts to do, cookies to decorate, ornaments to create.
You’ll be able to take a nice Christmas photo home with you and we’ll even provide some reindeer antlers to those attending to add to the festive look.

Santa’s Elves will be back with free hats and mittens for the children. 
There will be some light refreshments and coffee, along with a sing-a-long of popular children’s Christmas songs.

At the end of the festivities we’ll hold our holiday gift card giveaway where you can win a $50 gift card to help with the holiday shopping.

The church is at 27 9th St. 

*Information shared from the church website.