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Jasmine Wright | May 6, 2024 8:14 pm
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Former Alderman William Phipps addresses the Board of Apportionment and Taxation during a public hearing.
ANSONIA – Two speakers raised questions about Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti’s proposed budget at a virtual public hearing on Monday (May 6).
Cassetti’s $67.1 million budget is a $2.6 million – or about 4 percent – more than the 2023 — 2024 budget approved last June.
Cassetti’s budget includes a 0.25 mill rate increase, from 26.24 mills to 26.49 mills. If approved, this would be the first mill rate increase in Ansonia since 2019.
If the budget is accepted as proposed, a single-family house on Holbrook Street assessed at $180,000 would pay $45 more per year in taxes.
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Jean Falbo-Sosnovich | May 6, 2024 6:27 pm
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Owner Billy Richmond smiles while Linda Fusco, Derby Mayor Joseph DiMartino's chief of staff, gets ready to break stuff.
DERBY — If you’ve been passed over for that promotion at work, going through a bad breakup, tripped over the kids’ toys or are just plain stressed out from life in general, a new business in downtown Derby might just be the outlet you need to let off some steam.
Explicitly Broken Rage Rooms recently opened at 61 Elizabeth St. Customers pay to hurl plates across a room, whack a computer monitor with a crowbar, bash beer bottles with a baseball bat and smash a TV with a sledgehammer.
The above flyer, and following text, were sent by Assumption Church:
Welcome to the Assumption Church Community breakfast on Saturday, May 11. We offer a super hot/cold breakfast buffet, raffle, gently used clothing, and blood pressure screening on request.
Everything is free! Hope to see you there! ALLWELCOME!
Assumption Church Hall Handicap accessible elevator on left side of church 61 N Cliff Ansonia 8:30 – 10a.m. (Take out meals available at 9:30 am)
ANSONIA — A public hearing on the city budget is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 6 in front of both the Board of Aldermen and the Board of Apportionment and Taxation.
The meeting will be held online using the Zoom video conference platform, according to an agenda posted to the city’s website.
If the budget is accepted as proposed, a single-family house on Holbrook Street assessed at $180,000 would pay $45 more per year in taxes.
A house on Gardners Lane assessed at $248,000 would pay $62 more per year.
A house on High Acres Road assessed at $366,000 would pay $91.50 more per year.
The proposed budget is a $2.6 million increase from the 2023 – 2024 budget of $64.5 million approved last June. Most of that change is driven by an increase in the education budget, from $35.8 million to $37.6 million (about a $1.8 million, or 5 percent, increase).
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Jean Falbo-Sosnovich | May 5, 2024 6:52 am
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DERBY– For the past 124 years, Derby Elks Lodge #571 has been lending a helping hand and spreading goodwill to Valley organizations and beyond from its headquarters on Elizabeth Street.
Whether they’re handing out scholarships to high school students, collecting food for Valley folks in need, or making Christmas morning brighter by ensuring local kids have presents under the tree, the Derby Elks’ charitable spirit knows no bounds.
“The Derby Lodge of Elks is a great community of people who work together to help others,” said Elks’ Esteemed Leading Knight Maria Blackwell in an email to the Valley Indy. “Working together to make a difference in the lives of others creates a bond between members.”
ANSONIA — A ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 4 to honor Marvin Franks, the Ansonia school district’s first African American certified teacher. See the flyer above for details and click here for a previous Valley Indy story.
SEYMOUR — The Valley Indy is happy and humbled to report we exceeded our fundraising goal during The Great Give, a 36-hour online fundraiser benefiting more than 500 nonprofit groups in greater New Haven.
According to the unofficial tally, 140 people donated $12,086 to The Valley Indy. The goal was $10,000.
The Valley Indy is deeply grateful for the support.
The Valley Indy was live on the Internet for about 23 of the 36 hours, interviewing nonprofit leaders and local newsmakers. The entire livestream is posted below, in six parts.
The Valley Indy thanks the following Great Give supporters:
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Jasmine Wright | May 1, 2024 6:06 am
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Former Ansonia Alderman Wiliam Phipps speaks at Tuesday's public hearing.
ANSONIA – Ansonia city officials say that selling the city’s sewer system will bring needed repairs and cut costs for residents. On Tuesday (April 30), about two dozen residents presented a harsher view of the sale.
At a public hearing attended by at least 60 residents, corporation counsel John Marini delivered a presentation supporting a proposed sale of the city’s Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) to Aquarion, a private utility company. After the floor was opened for public comment, residents questioned nearly every aspect of the deal.
The video from the meeting is posted at the bottom of this story.
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Jean Falbo-Sosnovich | Apr 30, 2024 5:40 pm
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This contributed photo shows flames on the front porch of a house in Seymour.
SEYMOUR — The fire marshal said a fire at a two-story house at 4 Laurel Lane Tuesday (April 30) was started by accident.
Seymour Fire Marshal Timothy Willis said the fire was reported at 11:22 a.m. on the front porch.
“The fire was accidental and caused by careless disposal of smoking materials,” Willis said.
More than 50 firefighters from the Seymour Fire Department, with assistance from neighboring fire departments in Ansonia, Beacon Falls and Oxford, responded to the scene, according to Seymour Fire Chief Chris Edwards. Derby fire department crews provided station coverage for Seymour.
Once again The Valley Indy plans to livestream a series of interviews with local officials and nonprofit leaders whose groups are benefiting from the 36-hour online fundraiser.
You can watch the videos during The Great Give on The Valley Indy’s Facebook page, where you can ask questions or just say ‘hi’ when we’re live, or you can watch them here on ValleyIndy.org.
Click this link to support a nonprofit you love during The Great Give.
Here is the 2024 Valley Indy Great Give Livestream schedule. It is subject to change.
(If you’re a nonprofit bummed you’re not included on the interview list, we also plan to have the phone lines open during the streams. Call in 15 minutes before the top of an hour to shout out your participating group. The phone number will be included in our stream.)
