Ansonia school employee saves kindergartner from choking

Kindergartner Liam Angeski and Kimberlee Martin. / Contributed photo

ANSONIA – A 20-year employee of Ansonia Public Schools saved the life of a kindergarten student, who was choking on a piece of meat during lunch in the John G. Prendergast School cafeteria in mid-March.

For her heroic act, Kimberlee Martin was presented with a certificate of appreciation and a bouquet of flowers by the Board of Education during its monthly meeting Wednesday night in City Hall.

“Words cannot describe how proud we are of Mrs. Martin and how thankful we are for her quick action,” Dr. Carol Merlone, Superintendent of Schools, said.

Martin, a kindergarten aide assigned to Kathleen Weitzler’s class, was supervising the students during lunch March 16.

“It was just another day in the cafeteria,” she recalled. The lunch menu included popcorn chicken nuggets that day. She saw that one of her students, Liam Angeski, was in distress. “I saw that he was opening his mouth, but he wasn’t able to speak.”

She knelt down next to Liam, put her arms around his waist, and squeezed. “It was dislodged immediately,” she recalled.


A quiet boy, Liam didn’t cry at all and went with Martin to the nurse’s office. Liam’s parents were called, and he was taken to get checked out by a physician. Liam was found to be in very good health.


Prendergast School Principal Liz Nimons emailed her staff about the heroic act: “A shout out to Kim Martin, one of our kindergarten aides, who saw a student choking and gave him the Heimlich, which dislodged the item he was choking on. You are our hero and we are lucky to work with such awesome people.”


This is a press release from Ansonia Public Schools.

Gentile hails expansion of angel investor program

Start-ups, entrepreneurs to benefit with more options

HARTFORD – Legislators in the House of Representatives voted Wednesday to support the growth of small businesses in Connecticut by expanding access to the angel investor tax credit program. 

State Rep. Linda M. Gentile

Expansion of the program means more start-ups and entrepreneurs, in any industry, can benefit from angel investors.

“I am extremely pleased that this business friendly legislation has passed the House,” state Rep. Linda Gentile, D-Ansonia/Derby, said. “This program is critical for helping small business owners obtain the capital they need to grow and succeed; and sends the message to all entrepreneurs that Connecticut is committed to supporting their businesses.”

“By moving forward with this legislation today we are sending yet another positive sign to the businesses in the state of Connecticut that we want to do what we can to help them expand and create jobs,” said House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin/Southington)

“The business community came to us and said we’d like to expand those companies that are eligible for this credit because they are going to use them,” said House Majority Leader Matt Ritter, D-Hartford. “What that means is that they are going to use their own money to hire Connecticut people to create jobs in our state and grow our economy.”

In the years since Connecticut’s angel investor tax credit program began, 103 companies have benefited from investments by 392 angels. On average, businesses funded by angels have a better chance of staying in business – and adding to their workforce. 

According to the University of New Hampshire’s Center for Venture Research, angel investors helped to grow the nation’s workforce by more than 264,000 jobs in 2014 with an average of 3.6 jobs created per investment project. In 2015, angel investors pumped $24.6 billion into the U.S. economy.

Expansion of the angel investment tax credit program gives investors and small businesses more opportunities to grow, prosper and contribute to Connecticut’s economy.

Angel Investor, defined:

An angel investor is an individual who has the financial resources and willingness to invest their own money in a start-up company. Funding from angel investors helps to fill the gap between the money an entrepreneur has collected and the venture capital they hope to get.


This is a press release from the House Democrats office.

St. Mary Church in Derby to host wine, beer tasting

DERBY - St. Mary’s Knights of Columbus Council #14611 will be holding its Annual Wine & Beer Tasting Event April 22 in St. Mary’s Church Hall, 212 Elizabeth St.

Dinner slated in Ansonia to benefit Collicelli Legacy Fund

ANSONIA – A dinner program highlighting the 40 years of service provided by the late Nicholas Collicelli to the youth of Ansonia, Derby, Hamden, and other communities will be held May 5 at Ansonia High School.

The Nick Collicelli Legacy Fund Dinner program begins at 6 p.m. and concludes at 8:30 p.m.

All of the money raised at the dinner will go to the Nicholas Collicelli Legacy Fund, established last summer by the Collicelli Family to support programs and individuals that best exemplify Nick’s passion for bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together in the quest to celebrate our common good.

The first Legacy Fund awards will be announced at the May 5 event.

Collicelli, a lifelong Ansonia resident, was an educator, mentor, and friend whose advice and guidance inspired countless lives, according to Tony Russo, a committee member who worked with Collicelli for 30 years in Hamden. “Nick’s efforts to fight prejudice were realized through the formation of the Human Relations Club,” he added. The HRC is still in existence in Ansonia and Derby with more than 150 members.

Tickets are $50 per person, and meal choices are grilled filet mignon with balsamic-citrus sauce; grilled boneless chicken breast with sweet-savory sauce; and medley of sautéed vegetables over capellini.

Online reservations may be made on Eventbrite.com. The deadline for reservations is April 21.

For further information, please email collicellifund@gmail.com.



This is a press release from Ansonia Public Schools.

Derby to hold Easter celebration on Green

Derby Neck Library Friends planning bus trip to Albany Tulip Festival

Friends of the Derby Neck Library will sponsor a bus trip to the 69th annual Albany Tulip Festival May 13.

Cost is $93, which covers the bus and a lunch at Shadows on the Hudson restaurant.

Call the library at 203-734-1492. Deadline is April 17. 

This is a press release from Barbara Badela, President, Friends of the Derby Neck Library.

Community breakfast slated Saturday at Assumption Church hall in Ansonia