By Brian McCready
Milford Bureau Chief
MILFORD - The lawyer for a Derby man who received a 15-year prison sentence this week for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl said Friday that an appeal is likely.

Read more here.

John G. Prendergast School fourth-graders Alisha Napoleon, front left, and Kaylya Ortiz get help with math earlier this week from Emmett O’Brien Technical High School sophomores Matt Himila, front, and Jeremy Rosa. Peter Casolino/Register


By Patricia Villers
Register Staff
ANSONIA - It's all about making learning fun.

Read more here.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief
SEYMOUR - A crash on Route 8 that killed a Waterbury man early Friday was caused by a wrong-way driver, according to police, who are asking anyone with information to come forward.

Read more here.

BillieJo Scharfenberg of Prospect, a Valley Arts Council member, shows off her stained-glass hummingbird and trumpet flower piece. The artwork is part of the Art Takes Wing show that opens today at the Gallery at 37 in Derby. Patricia Villers/Register

By Patricia Villers
Register Staff
DERBY - The Valley Arts Council has gone to the birds.

Read more here.

By Patricia Villers
Register Staff
ANSONIA - The Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center will hold its 31st annual Earth Day celebration 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at 10 Deerfield Lane with recreational and educational activities for all ages.

Read more here.

SEYMOUR — Police have identified the victim of a fatal two-vehicle, wrong-way crash on Route 8 this morning as a Waterbury man.

Read more here.

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent
DERBY — The Board of Aldermen Thursday unanimously approved a “chronic nuisance ordinance,” which will take effect in about 30 days.
The ordinance would fine owners whose properties chronically pose serious health, safety and welfare concerns.

Read the full story here.

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent

SEYMOUR — Valley senior citizens received free blood pressure screenings, had their hearing checked, were treated to lunch and more Wednesday, at the Seymour Senior Center’s first senior fair.
More than 200 seniors browsed the 36 informational booths set up in the gymnasium at the Community Center. Vendors ranged from CVS Pharmacy’s Minute Clinic and Webster Bank, to Naugatuck Valley Health District and Miller-Ward Funeral Home.

Read the full story here.

Ansonia factory catches fire, disrupts Metro-North branch

ANSONIA — A Main Street factory building caught fire Wednesday afternoon, and the nearly 100 firefighters who rushed to the scene had to wait a half hour for electrical power to be cut before they could douse the flames.

The two-alarm fire in the roof area of the old factory could have been much worse if it hadn’t been spotted by employees who happened to stop by the factory, which is used for storage, fire officials said.
No one was injured in the blaze, which was called in at 12:35 p.m. The factory had minor damage, Assistant Fire Chief Michael Eheman said. The Metro-North Waterbury line was closed temporarily, with buses used to transport commuters, because fire hoses were stretched across the tracks.
The fire was discovered when workers at Diversified Electric had stopped at the building and smelled smoke, Eheman said. He said the company uses the building for “cold storage” and no one was inside at the time.
The fire appears to have started when one of the electrical cables that run across the building was sagging onto the roof, he said.
“With the bad weather and the wind,” Eheman said, the electrical wire landed on a roof rafter. The wire was probably chafed and caught fire, he said.
Since it was an electrical fire, the firefighters had to wait to extinguish the blaze until United Illuminating Co. crews cut off the power to the building and surrounding structures, he said.
“The ceiling was going but we couldn’t extinguish it with water,” Eheman said.
Once the power was cut and they were able to run the water line, the fire was knocked down quickly, he said.
The site of the blaze was difficult to reach as well, he said.
A few minutes into the operation, a call came in for a kitchen fire at the Burger King on Pershing Drive. Eheman said the restaurant’s sprinkler system doused the minor fire.
Aerial trucks from Derby, Seymour and Shelton were on scene at the factory blaze, Eheman said. Woodbridge and Orange firefighters provided coverage at the city’s firehouses.

Man sent to prison for sexual assault on child

MILFORD — A Derby man was sentenced to 15 years in prison Monday in Superior Court for sexually assaulting an adolescent girl.
A jury in February convicted Anwar Shakir, 36, of first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a child.
Shakir, who maintains that he is innocent, will be on probation for 20 years after he serves his sentence, and he must register as a sex offender for life. A protective order bars him from any contact with the victim.
If Shakir violates probation after his release, he risks having to serve a full 25 years behind bars.
After Shakir’s arrest, Derby police Lt. Sal Frosceno said the department had received a complaint in January 2009, and got an arrest warrant after a long investigation. The sexual abuse happened in Shakir’s house at the time, on Derby Avenue, and involved a child Shakir knows, according to police.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief
SHELTON — The Riverwalk downtown has become a popular spot to take a stroll and enjoy views of the Housatonic River, and a project is under way to expand it.
James Ryan, president of the Shelton Economic Development Corp., said preliminary designs are completed.
The city is holding an informational meeting on the project today at 7 p.m. in the City Hall auditorium, 54 Hill St. Residents will be able to share ideas and concerns at the meeting.

Read the full story here.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, said in statement Wednesday night that they received notice from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman John Wellinghoff that the agency and FirstLight, the company that controls the Stevenson Dam, would immediately begin a review of the Lower Housatonic River flood plan in response to their letters of concern after the March flooding.

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent
SHELTON — In T-minus one day, a team of Shelton High School students will watch their award-winning experiment take flight aboard the final mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour.
The students, whose experiment was one of 16 chosen out of hundreds of entries nationwide, will start the trip today in time to witness history in the making.
Endeavour is scheduled to launch at 3:57 p.m. Friday from the Kennedy Space Center.

Read the full story here.

SEYMOUR — All health services records of students who graduated or left Seymour High School before June 30, 2004, will be destroyed.
Students who would like a copy of their records must contact the school to arrange for pickup before May 16. Records will be destroyed after that date.

By Register Staff

SHELTON — Two people were taken to Bridgeport Hospital Tuesday night after their vehicle hit a utility pole near 470 Huntington St., Detective Sgt. Kevin Ahern said.
“Multiple 911 calls” were received at 9:57 p.m., he said. The two people, who were not identified, needed to be extricated from the car, Ahern said.
The road was closed for a while after live wires came down and United Illuminating crews had to shut off power.
Ahern said late this morning that a full report of the crash had not yet been completed.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief
and Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent
STRATFORD - The multi-vehicle crash Sunday that killed two Valley residents remained under investigation Tuesday.

Read more here.

By Patricia Villers
Register Staff
SHELTON - Speakers at Tuesday night's public hearing on the proposed budget for fiscal 2011-2012 focused on the need to reinstate funding for a variety of positions in the school system.

Read more here.

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent
SEYMOUR - No, no, no.
That's what voters said three times Tuesday when they rejected the town and school budgets for fiscal 2011-12, along with several proposed changes to the town charter.

Read more here.

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent
SEYMOUR — Former Finance Board Chairman Mark Thompson said a complaint recently lodged with the Freedom of Information Commission against him by the town’s finance director is a slap in the face and smacks of retaliation.

Read more here.

STRATFORD – Two people who died in a multi-vehicle crash Sunday night in Stratford have been identified as Valley residents.

Read more here.

DERBY - The CT Works Career Coach will return to Derby Public Library May 20. During both the morning session, 10 a.m. to noon, and the afternoon session, 1 to 3 p.m., instructors will offer Transition to Microsoft Word 2007.
The workshops are free and offered to the public. Registration is requested but walk-ins are welcomed on a first come, first served basis.
The CT Works Career Coach is a project of The WorkPlace, Inc., operated by Career Resources.
For information, stop by the library, 313 Elizabeth St., call 203-736-1482 or visit www.derbypubliclibrary.org.

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent
SEYMOUR — An internal affairs investigation has concluded that an as yet unnamed police officer violated the police duty manual when he allegedly withheld information that a fugitive wanted in New Jersey was living here.
Lt. Paul Satkowski said Monday that he recently completed the investigation, and forwarded a report to Police Chief Michael Metzler.
The Board of Police Commissioners is expected to hold a hearing on the matter next week, according to Satkowski.

Read the full story here.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief
ANSONIA - Construction is about to begin on a solar energy installation on Ansonia High School's roof, a project expected to save the city more than $210,000 in energy costs.

Read the full story on Page B1 in today's New Haven Register.

By Patricia Villers
Register Staff
SEYMOUR — Residents will vote Tuesday on the proposed town and Board of Education budgets.
The town’s budget request is $50.7 million; the proposed school budget is $29.8 million.
The proposal would mean a 1-mill tax rate rise, to 27.78 mills.
Voting will be held 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Seymour Community Center, 20 Pine St.

Read the full story here.

By Patricia Villers and Ann DeMatteo
Register Staff
As Easter approaches, Christians around the area marked Good Friday with processions and other events.

Read more here.

By Register Staff
ANSONIA — A Derby woman was in critical condition Friday following a four-vehicle, early-morning crash on Route 8 just south of exit 19, in Ansonia near the Seymour line.

Read more here.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief
A motorist who caused an accident that killed a motorcycle operator and seriously injured the motorcycle passenger in Shelton was sentenced Thursday to two years of probation.

Read more here.

Joseph and June Virzi pose in their Ansonia store. Patricia Villers/Register

By Patricia Villers
Register Staff
ANSONIA - A longtime neighborhood business is closing its doors Saturday.

Read more here.

By Patricia Villers
Register Staff
DERBY — Wednesday night’s episode of “Ghost Hunters” on the SyFy channel sparked renewed interest in the possibility of paranormal activity in the stately Sterling Opera House.

Read more here.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief
A judge Wednesday allowed a Seymour man charged with setting two fires inside Seymour High School to enter the accelerated rehabilitation program.

Read more here.

By Patricia Villers
Register Staff
DERBY - Sandi Bailie, director of the St. Vincent De Paul Helping Hands of the Valley, sees the effects of unemployment every day.
The nonprofit organization runs a thrift shop and food pantry to help the needy.

Read more here.

By Patricia Villers
Register Staff
There's still time to donate food or money to Area Congregations Together as it participates in the annual Feinstein Foundation Challenge to help the Valley's hungry.
Philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein of Cranston, R.I. started the challenge 14 years ago. He gives $1 million a year to fight hunger in the United States.

Read the full story on Page B3 in today's New Haven Register.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief
DERBY — A judge on Tuesday allowed a man, who was accused of lying to police by claiming to have seen the beating of a city official, to enter the accelerated rehabilitation program.
Tremain Grandy, 39, of Roosevelt Drive, was charged in February with second-degree making a false statement. Grandy told police he had seen a man beating Derby Parking Authority Director Leo Moscato Jr.

Read more here.

DERBY - The Derby Public Library will host its Annual Spring Open House and
Evening Concert from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. May 10.
Information on all Library services and events, including summer programs, will be provided. Cookies and punch will be available throughout the day. There will also be a free spring-themed basket raffle.
An evening concert featuring Too Human will begin at 6:30 p.m. This entertaining acoustic group with vocals, guitar, and percussion will perform jazz standards as well as their originals.
The program will include some of the great songs from the American Songbook of the 20s, 30s, and 40s, such as ”Pennies from Heaven,” “It Had to Be You,” “All of Me,” and more. Too Human has performed regularly all over the East Coast at festivals, fairs, museums, and summer concerts.
For information, stop by the Library at 313 Elizabeth St., call 203-736-1482,or visit www.derbypubliclibrary.org.

By Register Staff
SHELTON — No arrests have been made in connection with an assault over the weekend of a man found lying on Bridge Street.
Detective Ben Trabka said Monday police are continuing to investigate the incident.
A passerby called police shortly before midnight Saturday and reported a man had been assaulted on the bridge between Derby and Shelton.
The man was taken to the Hospital of Saint Raphael in New Haven. His name has not been released. Trabka said the man remained hospitalized on Monday.
Police said the victim was assaulted by at least two people. Police don’t believe any weapons were used.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Shelton police, 203-924-1544.

By Patricia Villers
Register Staff
ANSONIA — Spend time with John G. Prendergast School Principal Larry DiPalma and it’s clear he loves his job.
But overseeing 815 students and a staff of about 140 makes DiPalma feel more like he’s at the helm of a cruise ship rather than an elementary sc0hool, he joked Monday.
The only question, DiPalma said, is whether the ship is the Love Boat of television fame or the Titanic.
DiPalma, of West Haven, learned last week he was selected as the Connecticut winner of the National Distinguished Principal Award.

Read the full story here.

Oxford Center School Student Council was the top youth fund-raising team and placed third overall amongst all teams at the Bowl-2-Benefit at AMF Lanes in Milford in March. Together, youth teams raised more than $2,700. Representing the Student Council are Andrew Hinnau, left, and Quinn Hillman. They are with Arlene Greco, director of development, Birmingham Group Health Services, Inc. at a recent awards dinner at John J. Sullivan's restaurant in Ansonia. The 23rd annual bowling event raised more than $91,000 for The Umbrella program and Domestic Violence Services of New Haven, both part of Birmingham Group Health Services. / Contributed photo

By Register Staff

SHELTON – Police are looking for suspects in the assault late Saturday of a man found lying on Bridge Street.

Read more here.

Lisa Newbauer-Krieger of Shelton, a.k.a. Frizzles the Clown, entertains children at the Gazebo on the Derby Green Saturday as the Easter Bunny (Tim Schmidheini of Derby) watches. The city's Cultural Commission sponsored the show, which was followed by an Easter egg hunt. More than 100 children participated. Patricia Villers/Register

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief
SEYMOUR — An early morning fire today that severely damaged a Main Street building spread quickly after cooking oil ignited and a tenant attempted to douse the fire with water, according to a fire official.

Read more here.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief

DERBY — Residents will have a chance this month to voice their opinions on a proposed ordinance that could mean a daily $100 fine for owners of properties deemed to be a chronic nuisance.

The Board of Aldermen is hosting a public hearing on the proposal April 28 at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 1 Elizabeth St.

Board President Ken Hughes said the city has an ordinance that targets blight, but this new one is aimed at nuisance properties, such as residences where there are frequent complaints or calls for police service.

Read the full story here.

By Patricia Villers

Register Staff

The founders of No Vet Left Behind have set the final details for their Warrior Spirit Ruck Road March.

The event, designed to raise awareness of the needs of veterans of all ages, will be held May 28, Memorial Day weekend.

George and Mary Porter of Derby, both Army veterans, will start and end the 6-mile walk at Veterans Memorial Park on Canal Street in Shelton.

Read the full story here.

SHELTON - The "Happiness Club" has changed its name to "Smiles Within A Village Happiness Club" and its next meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Crosby Commons at Wesley Village, 580 Long Hill Ave.

Light refreshments will be served.

The meeting will feature a presentation and discussion with author Lester Colodny.

Colodny, an Emmy award-winning screenwriter, will discuss excerpts from his book "A Funny Thing Happened” based on his life and backstage experiences with celebrities such as Jerry Lewis, Joan Rivers, Frank Sinatra, Jack Benny, and others.

Meetings of the Smiles Within A Village Happiness Club, an organization with a mission to promote the benefits of being happy through meetings, newsletters, and a Web site, are held on the third Wednesday of every month at Crosby Commons.

Meetings are free and open to the public. Contact group facilitator, Mary Ann Milano, Activities Director, at 203-225-5018, or e-mail: mamilano@umh.org.

Information about the meeting is also available on Crosby Commons' Facebook page.

By Patricia Villers
Register Staff
ANSONIA - Resident Maggie Nolan Solsbury said Wednesday she's thrilled that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy this week proclaimed April as Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month in Connecticut.

Read more here.

SHELTON - Sutter-Terlizzi American Legion Post 16, in conjunction with the American Legion Department of Connecticut’s Third District, is sponsoring a Walk-a-Thon Saturday to raise money for Connecticut Children's Hospital.

The walk will start at 10 a.m. at the Veteran’s Memorial Park on the Riverwalk. Registration and donations will be accepted at the Farmer's Market, at the corner of Cornell and Canal streets, that morning.

Those interested in participating may call adjutant Al Sabetta, 203-924-0898 for further information. he day's event will include a two-to three-mile walk. Bottled water will be provided for participants.

Post 16 meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month. Any veteran interested in joining is encouraged to visit the Post, 295 Bridgeport Ave., or call 203-924-9887

DERBY - The Valley Heart Club and Griffin Hospital Cardiac Rehab department will hold their annual Easter bake sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 21 in the Griffin Hospital courtyard connector.

Proceeds will be used to purchase equipment for Griffin Hospital heart patients.

The hospital is at 130 Division St.

SEYMOUR - Great Hill United Methodist Church Board of Trustees has announced that applications are now available for the McKane Scholarship for 2011.

The scholarship has been given annually since 1968 and is in memory of Peter Hall McKane who died at 18 in an automobile accident and his brother, Paul Archer McKane, who died in 2003 from cancer.

The scholarship fund was endowed by the McKane family, friends and church members. This year a $1,000 scholarship award will be given to a graduating high school student from Seymour or Oxford, who has been accepted and plans to attend a college, university or other institute of higher learning.

Selection criteria includes financial need, personal effort, individual goals reflecting a degree of determination, and academic achievement.

For information or an application, contact local high school guidance offices or call Great Hill United Methodist Church, 203-888-9425. Deadline for applications is May 10.

ANSONIA - Members of the Ansonia Chargers' Football team and their Coach Tom Brockett visited John G. Prendergast School recently to tackle bullying issues at the school.

Ansonia football players Dylan Vano, Tyler Williams, Tcyler Wood, Hakeem Martin, Jake LaRovera, Elliot Chudwick, Matt Hill, Sean Rowley, Matt Stumpo, and Dennis Danley visited the fifth and sixth grade classes to send a positive message to students that bullying is not cool.

The players gave students tips for dealing with bullies including telling an adult when you are a victim or a witness of bullying and to make sure that you treat everyone with respect.

Melissa Cook, behavior Intervention teacher, and Meghan Geddes, school counselor, organized the program. They met with the football players and provided them with training in anti-bullying strategies.

Cook said, “I am so impressed with these students. They made connections to the students and got their point across by using personal experiences."

Geddes added, “It’s great that these players are doing this. We tell the students these same strategies, but now it is also coming from another source. These players did an excellent job.”

Having the football players speak to classes is part of a larger schoolwide anti-bullying program that utilizes peer mediation, behavior mentors, and student education about bullying.

“These programs, including the presentations by football players, are all working together to create a positive learning environment for all students. We are appreciative of the work that these young men have done in helping us toward this goal," Assistant Principal Joe Apicella said.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief

SHELTON — Former city Building Official Elliot Wilson, who recently began serving a prison sentence in New York, has formally resigned from his position.

Read more here.

Teacher Mark Belade in his classroom. Arnold Gold/Register

By Patricia Villers

Register Staff

ANSONIA — Inspiring students to do their best is what drives Emmett O’Brien Technical High School teacher Mark Belade.

Belade, who is chairman of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning department, recently was named the school’s Teacher of the Year.

A lifelong Shelton resident, he has been teaching 14 years at O’Brien.

Read the full story here.

SEYMOUR - The Seymour Land Conservation Trust, Inc. will be holding its quarterly membership meeting on Monday, April 18 at 7 p.m. in the Henry Hamel Building, 13 Chatfield St., Seymour. The speaker for the meeting will be Professor Gary A. Robbins, Professor of Geology, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Those in attendance will learn about how Connecticut’s foundation of rock formed and changed over and over again through the ages and its importance to us today. Robbins is well-known for his research and teaching on Ground Water Hydrology. He has also been a consultant to federal, state and local environmental agencies throughout the country, including a number of towns in Connecticut. He has been at the University of Connecticut for 25 years. His current research focuses on deciphering ground water conditions in bedrock. Before coming to the University he worked for an environmental consulting company in California on a variety of projects related to ground water contamination. Before that, he was a Project Geologist with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and worked on power plant foundation and earthquake design, and nuclear waste disposal. The meeting is free of charge and open to the general public.

BRIDGEPORT — A Shelton man was sentenced to 30 months in prison recently for his role in two bank burglaries in 2009. David Mazerolle, 36, of Shelton, will be on supervised release for three years after he serves his sentence, under the terms imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Janet C. Hall. According to court documents and statements made in court, on Sept. 6, 2009, Mazerolle and Marco Santiago and Roberto Santiago cut the telephone lines to the TD Bank on Huntington Street in Shelton. About an hour later, Mazerolle and Roberto Santiago pried open the rear door of the bank and entered the bank wearing hats, masks, and gloves. Marco Santiago remained outside of the bank, looking out for police, according to a press release issued by the U.S. attorney’s office. Mazerolle and Roberto Santiago ransacked the bank, taking about $1,632 in coins from the teller stations. The bank’s vault had pry marks, but the defendants could not get into it, the press release says. On Sept. 14, 2009, Roberto Santiago, Felix Cruz and another person broke into the TD Bank at 1254 W. Main St., Waterbury. The three, wearing masks and gloves, ransacked the teller counter and tried to break into the ATM room unsuccessfully and left. About 25 minutes later, the three re-entered the bank, and Mazerolle arrived to help them. They stole the ATM. Police later found it, with the safe removed. The bank reported that about $49,000 was stolen. That bank’s telephone lines also had been cut, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. On Dec. 16, Mazerolle pleaded guilty to one count of bank theft. Marco Santiago, Roberto Santiago and Felix Cruz have also pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

Aftermath of fire. Patricia Villers/Register

By Register Staff

DERBY — A three-family house at 182 Olivia St. sustained “extensive” damage from a fast-moving fire early Monday afternoon, Fire Chief Bill Nicoletti said.

Three people were in the first-floor apartment at the time the fire broke out. No injuries were reported. Nicoletti said it appeared the fire started in the left rear of the structure, on the first floor. The call came in at 12:49 p.m.The house is a short way up the street from Storm Engine Company headquarters.

Nicoletti said approximately 50 firefighters from Derby and Shelton got the blaze under control in about 30 minutes.Fire Marshal Phil Hawks will conduct an investigation, Nicoletti said.

By Register Staff SHELTON - Police on Friday arrested a Shelton man for allegedly threatening to shoot City Hall employees. Read more here.

SHELTON - A firefighter suffered smoke inhalation and was briefly hospitalized Saturday afternoon after a three story house on Maltby Street caught fire. Read more here.

Attorney Michael Hillis (left) walks out of Superior Court in Hartford Friday with his client, John Matika (right), of Ansonia who is facing a harassment charge for allegedly threatening State Rep. Linda Gentile. Arnold Gold/Register

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief

HARTFORD — An Ansonia man arrested after he allegedly threatened state Rep. Linda Gentile, D-Ansonia, was barred in court Friday from having any contact with her.

Superior Court Judge Robert McWeeney issued a protective order at John Matika’s arraignment.

The judge also ordered Matika, 67, of 40 Edgehill Ave., to surrender or transfer any firearms in his possession, and if he wants to go to the Capitol he must first contact State Capitol police.

Read the full story here.

By Patricia Villers

Register Staff

DERBY — What did the paranormal investigators from the SyFy Channel’s “Ghost Hunters” reveal March 4 to Mayor Anthony Staffieri and a handful of residents about their visit to Sterling Opera House?
The mystery will soon be unraveled.
The “Ghost Hunters” episode featuring the historic (and haunted?) structure on Elizabeth Street will air at 9 p.m. April 20.

Read the full story here.

Ansonia Middle School math teacher Rosa Canaj, center, dances a traditional Albanian dance with students during the second annual Cultural Fair at the school. The fair, which was open to the public, featured displays and performances by students and faculty and cultural booth displays from the community. Peter Casolino/Register

By Patricia Villers

Register Staff

ANSONIA — Walking into the Ansonia Middle School gym Friday was like walking into a gathering of United Nations ambassadors.

The event was the school’s Human Relations Club’s second annual Culture Fair and the theme was “Where Diversity and Ethnicity are Honored.”

Read the full story here.

DERBY — Saturday will be a heavenly day in the city.

That’s because Effie and Ernie Badas will be marking a business milestone.

It has been 25 years since they bought the former Mister Donut Shop at 658 New Haven Ave., a store that eventually became Heav’nly Donuts.

To thank their customers, the couple will be selling donuts for 25 cents apiece all day.
A Car Cruise will be held from noon to 3 p.m. with a live band, The Big Beat, performing during those hours.

The Badases said they are holding a special on doughnuts because doughnuts are “our roots.”

hey said they are one of the few doughnut shops that still make doughnuts on site. They also bake nut horns, turnovers, strudels, muffins and bagels.
The menu includes homemade soups, breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, ice cream and Greek specialities.

They said running the Car Cruise for the past quarter century is also “in our roots.”

The couple said the car show is “a great family event, from the people who say ‘I had a car like that,’ to the ones that say, ‘my Grandfather had a car like that,’ and of course “WE WISH we had a car like that.’ ”

Heav’nly Donuts, Derby, is also on Facebook.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief An Ansonia man arrested after he allegedly threatened state Rep. Linda Gentile, D-Ansonia, was barred in court today from having any contact with her. Read more and see the warrant here. Check back for updates.

By Patricia Villers

Register Staff

SEYMOUR — Seymour High School was locked down for almost 40 minutes Thursday morning after two students found two rounds of ammunition in a main hallway, said Schools Security Director Richard Kearns.
The school was locked down from 11:10 to about 11:45 a.m., Kearns said. No injuries were reported. About 700 students were in the school at the time.
“We erred on the side of caution,” Kearns said.

Read the full story here.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief

The third and final defendant accused of shooting an Ansonia man in Derby in 2009 was found guilty in Superior Court in Milford.

Daycus Bailey, 28, who lived on Olson Drive, Ansonia, at the time of his arrest, had elected to have a jury trial, but instead opted to plead out to four charges this week.

Bailey pleaded guilty to first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, attempt to commit murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Read the full story here.

By Patricia Villers

Register Staff

SEYMOUR - Seymour High School was locked down for almost 40 minutes this morning after two students found two rounds of ammunition in a main hallway, said Schools Security Director Richard Kearns.

Read more here.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief

NEW HAVEN — Fairfield County developer Robert D. Scinto was sentenced Wednesday to six months in prison for lying to investigators about gifts he had given to Shelton public officials, such as cash and a free stay in his Aspen, Colo.,vacation home.

Read more here.

By Patricia Villers

Register Staff

ANSONIA — The successes of clients from Birmingham Group Health Services Inc. were recognized Wednesday at the Business Advisory Council’s 17th annual Employment Salute and Luncheon.

“This is a fun time for us, seeing the success of the people we’re working with (and) being able to recognize that is very heartwarming, ” said job developer John Yeager.

Read the full story here.

SHELTON - MovingWithHOPE is holding a fundraising event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Life Design Fitness Center, 415 Howe Ave.

The event features two all- level Zumba Classes, from 10 to 10:45 a.m. and 11 to 11:45 a.m. with a buffet lunch served approximately 15 minutes after each class.

The lunch will be prepared by students from the Emmett O’Brien Technical School Culinary Department, from a menu created by MovingWithHOPE board member Janice Schiappa, and Chef Brian Malota, Culinary Department head at O’Brien.

Volunteers will be providing a casual fashion show by wearing jewelry, scarves, wraps, bags and clutches from the collections of Mercado Global, a New Haven-based non-profit organization that helps rural women from Guatemala successfully connect to sales opportunities in the U.S. on an unprecedented scale.

Donations are $20 a person for Zumba class; $30 a person for Zumba class and lunch.

Robert Scinto outside federal court in New Haven prior to his sentencing Wednesday. Mara Lavitt/Register

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief

Fairfield County developer Robert D. Scinto was sentenced today to six months in prison for lying to investigators about gifts he had given to Shelton public officials, like cash and a free stay in his Aspen, Colorado vacation home.

U.S. District Court Judge Charles Haight imposed the sentence in New Haven.

Scinto will be on supervised probation for two years after he finishes his prison sentence. He must also pay a $50,000 fine.

Federal prosecutors Richard Schechter and Rahul Kale had urged Haight to give Scinto prison time, claiming he gave gifts to curry favor with city officials and get support for his development projects, and then lied about it.

Read the full story and watch video here.

DERBY - Troop 3, Housatonic Council, Boy Scouts of America, will hold a Giant Tag Sale to raise funds for its upcoming Pacific Coast trip.

The sale will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Second Congregational Church, 136 Elizabeth St. on the Green.

There will be an Early Bird Sale, admission $2, from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday.

Troop 3, which plans a big trip nearly every year, was founded in 1914. Its membership includes boys from Derby, Shelton, Seymour, Oxford and Ansonia.

The Derby-Shelton Rotary Club and the family of the late Dr. Edward Bednar are pleased to announce the addition of a ninth Rotary Scholarship for students at Derby and Shelton High Schools. The newest scholarship is in honor of Bednar, a long-time member of the club and active in supporting its mission. He served as President of the Club during the 1970-1971 Rotary year.

Bednar's scholarship in the amount of $1,750 will be available to a graduating student at either Derby or Shelton High School with a preference to a student pursuing an education in the health care field.

It joins eight other scholarships awarded by the club on an annual basis. The total value of the scholarships is more than $14,000 annually. Funds for this project are derived from an endowment fund built through the club's annual fund-raising auction which will be held May 1 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Shelton. There are three scholarships reserved for students in Derby and Shelton High Schools respectively and three others which may be awarded to a student from either school.

Scholarship applications are now available from the guidance departments at the respective schools or on the Rotary website (http://www.derby-sheltonrotary.org).

Scholarships available exclusively to Derby High students include the Martin Chromik Scholarship, Cas Turaj Scholarship and the Deceased Rotarians Scholarship. The three reserved for Shelton Students are the George H. Tierney Scholarship, the Harry Fowler, Jr. Scholarship and the Deceased Rotarians Scholarship.

Students from either school may apply for the Robert W. Dickgiesser Scholarship, the Edward Handi Scholarship, or the new Dr. Edward Bednar Scholarship.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief HARTFORD - John Rumbold flew across the country to speak to state lawmakers Monday about his brother's death in a Seymour car accident, and to show his support for proposed legislation that he believes will prevent others from dying because of a dangerous road. Read more here.

By Patricia Villers

Register Staff

SEYMOUR - A local family who lost a son to a drunken driving accident is planning a cut-a-thon to benefit Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Read more here.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief SHELTON - Federal prosecutors are urging a judge to sentence Fairfield County developer Robert D. Scinto to prison time for lying during the federal probe into corruption involving development in Shelton, portraying him as a man who provided valuables to public officials so he could "own" them. Read more here.

ANSONIA — Police took a city man into custody Thursday after he allegedly threatened state Rep. Linda Gentile, D-Ansonia, making reference to the recent shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona, police said. Read more here.

By Register Staff

SHELTON — Police this week arrested three men in connection with recent burglaries, car thefts and break-ins that have plagued the city in recent weeks.

Read more here.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief

DERBY - Mayor Anthony Staffieri, who first won the city's top spot in 2005, said this week he is planning to run for re-election this fall.

Read more here.