Lions, Tigers and Red Pandas...Oh My!

State Sen. George Logan Debuts TV Show

Newly-elected Connecticut State Sen. George S. Logan (left) recently taped his first edition of “The Senate Reports with Sen. George S. Logan” at the Hartford-based AccessTV.org studio with Access TV videographer J. Stan McCauley (right).  In the show’s debut, Sen. Logan discusses the reasons why he was inspired to run for public office and his efforts to improve the quality of life for everyone in Connecticut.  The show can be viewed at www.SenatorGeorgeLogan.com and www.accesstv.org/ch-22 .  Direct link: http://ctsenaterepublicans.com/2017/03/watch-sen-logans-access-tv-show-debuts-on-channel-22/#.WMAZ2YKQxjo .  Logan represents Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Hamden, Naugatuck and Woodbridge. He can be reached at 800-842-1421 and at George.Logan@cga.ct.gov.

Sen. Logan Applauds Proposal to Restore Cuts to Local Education

 

Sen. George S. Logan on Feb. 7 applauded the Connecticut Senate and House Republicans’ plan to reinstate nearly $20 million in education funding that was cut midyear to cities and towns throughout the state.

 

The Republican proposal would allow the state to restore Education Cost Sharing funding that was cut by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration in December and also close the current budget deficit of $11.9 million as estimated by the Office of Fiscal Analysis.

 

“The December cuts to towns were unfair,” Sen. Logan said.  “Local officials should be able to plan on what their state education funding should be.  This is what I hear over and over again when talking to area mayors and first selectmen.  My top priority is to protect Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Hamden, Naugatuck and Woodbridge.  Our Republican plan restores the cuts, and I will continue to fight to protect local education funding and property taxpayers.”

 

The plan can be viewed at www.ctsenaterepublicans.com .

 

Sen. Logan can be reached at George.Logan@cga.ct.gov and at 800 842-1421.  He represents Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Hamden, Naugatuck and Woodbridge. On the web: www.SenatorGeorgeLogan.com. 

 

(This is a press release from Logan's office) 

Rep. Theresa Conroy promotes family-to-family mental health educational program

Rep. Theresa Conroy, D-Seymour, Beacon Falls, Derby, urged constituents who care for family members with mental illness to consider attending the upcoming 12-week program by the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Naugatuck beginning Feb. 5.

NAMI’s Family-To-Family Educational Program is a program for loved ones, family and friends of individuals who have a mental illness. This course is taught by trained volunteers. All instruction and course materials are free to class participants.

The World Health Organization predicts that by 2020, mental illness will be the second leading cause of disability worldwide. In the United States, one in four adults experiences a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year and one child in 10 has a serious mental or emotional disorder.

“Family members who care for a loved one need support and guidance,” Conroy said. “NAMI’s Family-To-Family Educational Program can help provide caregivers with the tools they need.”

Class curriculum includes:
Current information about mental illnesses
Up-to-date information about medications, side effects and strategies for medication adherence
Special workshops for problem solving, listening and communication skills
Strategies for handling crises and relapse
Caregiver coping skills for stress and emotional overload
Guidance to locate supports and services in the community
Information on advocacy initiatives designed to improve and expand services

For more information, or to register, call Terrilynn Krampetz at 203-881-2707.

The above information was provided in a press release from Todd Murphy, CT House Democrats.

Treasured Time seeks support for Naugatuck family

The Aresta family

Stacey and Mark Aresta of Naugatuck are the perfect fairy tale story.
They met at just 18 years old, fell in love, and have been married for the last 20 years.

 They have three beautiful children, Trevor, 15, Teresa, 13, and Elizabeth, 8 and dreamed of one day being foster parents.

Sadly, last year their fairy tale turned into a nightmare when Stacey was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer.  She has four tumors on her breasts, six tumors in her liver, and is undergoing more tests to determine if the spots on her lungs are scar tissue or additional tumors.
Stacey is undergoing treatment at the Leever Center in Waterbury, and will undergo treatment the rest of her life as the cancer is inoperable.

Treasured Time, Inc. is looking to grant Stacey’s wish this October.  Her dream is to go with her husband and children to the Grand Canyon.
All her life Stacey has wanted to camp there, but due to her condition she has been advised not to by doctors. As a perfect alternative, she wishes to take a tour of the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. 

If you would like to help Stacey’s dream come true, visit treasuredtime.org or call Suzanne, 203-856-9772. 

This is a press release from Treasured Time, Inc., a Connecticut-based 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to grant the wishes of parents with life threatening illnesses who want to create a lasting memory with their children. 

Crisco hails $3.2M in bonding for Naugatuck bridge repair

NAUGATUCK - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, today welcomed $3.2 million in state bonding to repair the historic, 102-year-old Whittemore Bridge on Maple Street over the Naugatuck River.

“I know Whittemore Bridge repairs have been on Naugatuck’s priority list for some time, so I’m pleased their grant application has been approved and we are finally poised to move forward with this project,” Crisco said.

“I’m happy to have voted in the past for the state funding needed to achieve these repairs and reduce the financial burden on local residents. Connecticut budgets a lot of money for infrastructure improvements and Naugatuck is the beneficiary of that.”

Concrete on the bridge’s arches is rotting, and running water has weakened the footings. Naugatuck city officials applied for state aid to repair the180-foot bridge through Connecticut’s Local Bridge Program; just this year, Crisco co-sponsored and voted for a bill that added $10 million to Local Bridge Program applications in 2015, bringing the total budget available to cities and towns to $20 million.

This is the second time state funds have been awarded for the project: in July 2011, the State Bond Commission approved $1.3 million for bridge work (Crisco supported that bonding package as well.) This latest state grant, awarded on July 9, will pay for half of the total bridge replacement cost; Naugatuck voters have already budgeted about $2.4 million for the work.

Naugatuck built the bridge in 1912 to honor John Whittemore, who died in 1910. Whittemore was the head of one of the Naugatuck Malleable Iron Companies and he used his great wealth to benefit the community, including building two schools and a library. 

Plans for the bridge were drawn by Henry Bacon, a nationally prominent architect best known today for the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.

In Connecticut, there are more than 3,400 bridges and culverts on municipally maintained roads, and the construction and maintenance of these is the responsibility of cities and towns. 

But recognizing the difficulty that municipalities have in meeting this responsibility, the General Assembly created the Local Bridge Program in 1984 as part of Connecticut’s Infrastructure Renewal Program. 

The program provides state grants to municipalities for the removal, replacement, reconstruction or rehabilitation of local bridges.  

This is a press release from Crisco's office. 

 

Crisco announces arts grants

Organizations in Bethany, Hamden, Naugatuck among awardees

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced Monday three local organizations have been awarded grants through the Connecticut Arts Endowment Fund to sustain their contributions to the community.

“Congratulations are in order for these outstanding awardees,” Crisco said.

“Thriving local arts are a hallmark of flourishing communities, and my constituents are lucky to have access to such outstanding offerings. I want to thank the governor for taking an active role in supporting the arts in our cities and towns.”

“Having a vibrant arts community not only increases our quality of life, it also spurs our economy and helps to create thriving centers of commerce,” Malloy said. “I’m proud that we could make investments in these different groups, so that they can continue to do the good and important work of enriching our communities.”

The grants will be awarded through the Connecticut Arts Endowment Fund, which is maintained by the state Department of Economic & Community Development and its Connecticut Office of the Arts.
The Fund was established to stimulate the development of private sector funding for the arts and to help stabilize arts institutions.

COA develops and strengthens the arts in Connecticut through its grant programs, investing in Connecticut artists and arts organizations and encouraging the public’s participation as creators, learners, supporters and audience members.

The local grants are:

Bethany	Dandelion Productions/Bridgeport Free School	1,081.00
Hamden	The Eli Whitney Museum	941.00
Hamden	Young Audiences of Connecticut, Inc.	694.00
Naugatuck	Shakesperience Productions, Inc.	1,221.00

This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Derby, Shelton veterans among DAV honorees

Top photo, left side of vehicle: Vic Carrol, Burke Ross, Lauren Cust (twice), Senna Punancy, Joe Wargo; bottom photo, right side: Ed Michaud, Maj. Betsy Walsh, Buffert Brooks, Ashley Kenyon, Frank Dlugokinski, Steve Frank, and Josh Phillips. Inset, rear of van: Capt. Dean White. / Contributed photo

Ten area veterans were honored for their dedication in assisting other veterans by being selected to have their service picture displayed on a new Disabled American Veterans Local Veterans Assistance Program van. 

 

The honorees were Capt. Dean White, Derby; Vic Carroll, Stamford; Burke Ross, Shelton; Lauren Cust, Shelton; Senna Punancy, Bridgeport; Joe Wargo, Trumbull; Ed Michaud, Stratford; Maj. Betsy Walsh, Milford; Buffert Brooks, Stamford; Ashley Kenyon, Waterbury; Frank Dlugokinski, Torrington; Steve Frank, Naugatuck; and Josh Phillips, Derby. 

 

They were selected from the list of hundreds of dedicated Connecticut veterans being considered for the honor.

The DAV and the AMVETS have partnered in the effort to purchase vans for the DAV created LVAP, which provides day trips to veterans in homeless shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, and veterans who are “shut-ins.”

The LVAP vans also have been used for Operation Gift Cards. Operation Gift Cards has presented over $719,000 in post exchange (military department store) gift cards and other donated items to the wounded troops at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Hospital in Bethesda, Md. during its 99 visits over the last eight years. 

Sixty-eight groups have co-sponsored the program.

 

CT Heroes on Wheels is another major program which benefits by the use of the LVAP vans. CT Heroes on Wheels provides free electric wheelchairs, electric scooters and other medical equipment to needy veterans and their families.

 

The DAV and AMVETS are collecting donations for the purchase of at least one additional LVAP van. 

Anyone interested in making a donation for the LVAP van may contact Al Church (DAV State Treasurer) (860) 529-1759 or church_al@yahoo.com. 

For information about the DAV or AMVETS programs contact Al Meadows (203) 929-3357 or al.meadows@snet.net.

 

 

This is a press release from Al Meadows of Shelton. 

Crisco: State grants to support security upgrades

Derby schools to benefit

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, today announced state grants to help underwrite school security upgrades across his 17th District. 

Altogether, nine schools in three area towns – Hamden, Derby, and Naugatuck – have qualified for state support to help underwrite school security upgrades.

Funding is available through a competitive grant program, part of the bipartisan gun violence prevention law enacted after last year’s tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. 

State grants were awarded after school security assessment surveys were conducted by local districts; each will supplement local funding to be provided by the district.

“The legislature set up this program to address the school safety issues that became everyone’s concern last year; this grant program matches schools that have identified needs with the resources we made available to help,” Crisco said. 

“The security infrastructure upgrades we envision are meant to prevent or avoid a crisis wherever possible, and this initiative fortifies our efforts to deter violence in that regard.”

Crisco said school security improvements will include some combination of security cameras and videotaping capabilities, new safety glass, remote-controlled locks, new key

card entry systems, and panic alarms.

“We will never be able to prevent every random act, but we can take the steps necessary to make sure that our children and our teachers are as safe as possible. This funding allows districts with the most need to implement modern security measures that will make schools safer,” Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said about the new state grants.

Crisco said Derby will add to a $267,873 grant with $107,139 in local funds to upgrade three schools, Hamden will supplement a $152,505 state grant with $107,873 in local funds for improvements at three schools there, and Naugatuck is in line for a $463,314 state grant, to be augmented with $151,486 in local funds for security improvements at three of its schools.

This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Annual vigil offers comfort to families of missing persons

I'm re-posting this story that my colleague Michelle Tuccitto Sullo wrote earlier this month. She shared it today to remind people that the vigil is at 6 p.m. tomorrow.

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo 

NAUGATUCK >> Family and friends of missing persons can set up displays about their loved ones this year at the annual vigil "A Night of Hope," planned to mark the state's Missing Persons Day.
The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 25 on the Green on Church Street in Naugatuck. If it rains, the event will move indoors to the Naugatuck Town Hall, 229 Church St.
"Every year we try to bring together families of missing loved ones, and the public is always welcome," said Janice Smolinski of Cheshire. "It will be a night of peace, hope, support and learning."
The event, sponsored by the Smolinski family and the LostNMissing Inc. organization, is free and open to all.
Smolinski's son, William Smolinski Jr. of Waterbury, disappeared Aug. 24, 2004, at the age of 31. Police have said they believe he was the victim of foul play.
The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception's Ladies Guild in Waterbury has offered to make hand-made prayer blankets for a few families who are in need of prayer and peace, Janice Smolinski said. These will be presented at the event.
Janet Frisco of New Haven, whose daughter Evelyn Frisco disappeared in June 2004, said she goes to the event every year. Police have said Evelyn Frisco, who was 42 when she vanished, is presumed dead.
"They have my daughter's pictures and photos of others who are missing" at the event, Janet Frisco said. "It makes you feel better to go to the vigil because there are others in the same situation."
Space will be available for families to set up displays to bring awareness about their missing loved one. There will also be singing and refreshments.
"Butterflies will be released, as legend says they bring wishes to heaven," Smolinski said.
Sgt. James Thomas, who heads the state police's Missing Persons Unit, has been invited to speak about the unit's work and progress in solving missing persons cases.
State Rep. David Labriola, R-Oxford, said the event typically attracts more than 100 participants.

Naugatuck mayor to be among honorees

Women and Heart Disease program slated Feb. 7

DERBY - The Valley Women’s Health Initiative/Women Making a Difference and Naugatuck Mayor Robert Mezzo will be honored with the Community Caring Heart Award at The 8th Annual Women and Heart Disease program  Feb. 7 at Grassy Hill Lodge.

The award recognizes individuals and groups that foster initiatives that promote and improve the general health and well-being of all. 

Mezzo

This is the fifth year the award will be bestowed.

The 8th Annual Women and Heart Disease program will also feature a talk by Griffin Hospital’s Director of Pastoral Care and Education, The Rev. Jo Clare Wilson, M. Div. Wilson will present “A Heart with Soul is a Healthy Heart” which explores the connections between spirituality and heart health.

The event is hosted by Griffin Hospital’s Women and Heart Disease Committee. 

Event registration and a silent auction will start at 5 p.m., followed promptly at 6 p.m. by dinner and the program.

Tickets are $35 and the event is open to the public. 

To make a reservation or for information, call 203-732-1137. Proceeds benefit the Women and Heart Disease Fund. Reservations are due by Jan 31.

Presentation to focus on breast wellness

A free breast wellness talk at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at St. Mary Church Hall, 338 North Main St., Naugatuck, aims to educate the community about breast cancer.

Cary Carpino, R.N., of Griffin Hospital’s Parish Nursing Program will present “Be Empowered!” to bring awareness to the fact Connecticut ranks second in the nation for the incidence of breast cancer and that Naugatuck and Shelton have breast cancer mortality rates higher than the state average.
Pre-registration is requested but not required.
To register or for more information, call 203-729-4361.

Walk raises funds for Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness

Naugatuck resident turns her dream into a reality

Jamie DeCicco accomplished her goal, and then some.

The Naugatuck mother of four who organized Saturday's breast-cancer walk at Linden Park in Naugatuck raised almost $2,000.

She told me was thrilled with the turnout, and plans to organize another walk next October to support The Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital in Derby.

 

As a breast cancer survivor and patient at The Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness I'd like to sincerely thank DeCicco for her hard work and dedication, and congratulate her on her successful event.

My daughter Allegra and I walked the track and husband Ralph was there to cheer us on. Even
though the pre-Sandy skies were overcast, the foliage along the Naugatuck River was pretty.

These girls, all dressed in pink, were ready to sell baked goods, pink wristbands, and rings. Pictured from left are DeCicco's daughter, Carmen, 10, her niece, Naomi, 9, and Emily Fanzutti, 16, daughter of Mary Fanzutti, a breast cancer survivor.

Griffin Hospital Community Outreach representative and Valley Parish Nurse Maggie Sessa provided participants with information about breast cancer awareness and prevention, as well as info on other health-related topics.

Participants walk the track along the river amidst the foliage at Linden Park in Naugatuck.

 

 The mighty Naugatuck River.

Kids enjoyed bouncing around, thanks to Bob Allen, owner of B Bounce ‘N, LLC in Naugatuck, who donated use of a bounce house for the event.

 Daughter Allegra strolls along.

 

 Our cheerleader, Ralph.

And of course there were beautiful cupcakes for sale, baked and decorated by one of DeCicco's relatives. I got there too late to take a photo of the full amount. They looked delicious!

Congrats again to DeCicco and her husband, Sebastian, for making this a fun event.

I'm looking forward to next October's walk, when the Valley Goes Pink once again.

Walk in Naugatuck to benefit Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness

Jamie and Sebastian DeCicco

Last week I met Naugatuck resident Jamie DeCicco who is a wife, mother of four, and I daresay a human dynamo.

A little over a month ago she took it upon herself to organize a walk to benefit The Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital in Derby.
DeCicco, who was wearing lots of pink and sporting some pinkness in her brown hair when I met her, said she decided to hold the event in honor of her mother, who is a breast cancer survivor.
 
Her husband, Sebastian DeCicco, has been at her side helping her in this major endeavor. She said she is grateful for the support she has received from friends, neighbors, business people, the Naugatuck school system, the Nagugatuck Youth Soccer Association, and others too numerous to mention.

She and her husband are doing all they can to make the event a success.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the walk from 1-4:30 p.m. Saturday at Linden Park on Linden Street in Naugatuck is one of the last events in a string of activities that have been held to support Griffin Hospital's The Valley Goes Pink initiative.

Registration is $20, and participants are getting sponsors to pay them for the number of laps they complete along the park's track.

My daughter and I will be lacing up our sneakers Saturday to participate in the walk.

I hope reading this inspires you to do the same.

Requests for walker forms should be sent to coachjamiedecicco@gmail.com.

Any payment by checks or money orders should be made out to: Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital (c/o The Valley Goes Pink)

Contact Jamie DeCicco at 203-565-9945 or coachjamiedecicco@gmail.com.

Crisco welcomes housing-rehab grants

4 towns to get federal funds

State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr. , D-Woodbridge, today welcomed news of state approval for federal grants applied for by four 17th District towns.
Crisco said Naugatuck will receive a $500,000 grant while Ansonia, Beacon Falls, and Woodbridge are each in line for $300,000.
In each town state funds will help underwrite housing rehabilitation projects to improve conditions for residents without impacting the municipal budget.
 “I’m delighted by news of these successful grant applications because in the modest budgets of these four small towns there isn’t always room enough to complete all the projects one might like,” Crisco said.
“The $1.4 million to be shared in our district is part of a $10.9 million grant program for housing improvements in 31 Connecticut towns.”
This federal funding originates with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program, which is in turn administered by Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development.
Crisco said the work to be completed ranges from energy efficiency upgrades to lead testing and remediation as necessary, and from electrical and plumbing improvements to kitchen and bathroom upgrades.
 “I’m particularly excited about the project in Naugatuck, where improvements will not only upgrade existing ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) units to ensure compliance, but it will add a half-dozen ADA-compliant units after conversions from six regular units,” Crisco said.
 “This seems to be a very cost-effective and creative use of public funding to help residents who require fully accessible housing by making more housing available for them.”

This is a press release from Crisco's office. 

Program brings special needs children closer to nature

Gone fishin' at Colony Pond in Ansonia

 

Kyle Scarpulla, 10, of West Haven, fishes Saturday at Colony Pond in Ansonia. Assisting him is Jordan Hamuka, 14, of Naugatuck, a junior ranger at the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center. Patricia Villers/Register

ANSONIA - A group of special needs children and their families spent Saturday morning having a fine time fishing at Colony Pond.
They were taking part in a program co-sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, and the Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education Program, said Martin Wigglesworth of Ansonia.
Wigglesworth is a park ranger at the nature center.
The children are members of a West Haven-based group called The Children with Special Needs Program, said Karen Muro, project coordinator. She said families do not have to be West Haven residents to join the group.  
She said the children regularly participate in activities such as bowling, karate, and fitness classes. They also are planning trips to Lake Compounce in Bristol and a Bluefish baseball game in Bridgeport, among other activities this summer.



Their visit Saturday to Colony Pond in Ansonia was a first. Assisting Wigglesworth with the fishing supervision were Ansonia residents Russ Zelanin and Dave Connelly. "To watch these kids (enjoying themselves) is just awesome," Wigglesworth said, smiling broadly.

Viola Waldo of West Haven, whose grandson Kyle Scarpulla, 10, was one of the children who was clearly enjoying Saturday's fishing trip, said that being in nature relaxes him. She has started a Facebook page, and has dedicated it to Kyle.

My husband and I were moved to see that something as simple as catching and releasing fish at a local pond could have such a positive impact on children with special needs.

Benefit concert Saturday for Ansonia man with esophageal cancer

By Patricia Villers
Register Staff
Ansonia resident Keith Solsbury, 49, has been suffering for more than six years from the effects of esophageal cancer.
He has survived surgeries, intense chemotherapy treatments and dramatic weight loss.
His wife, Maggie Nolan-Solsbury, said he has chronic pain “from his salivary glands down to his hips.”
A concert, “Stomp Out the Fire,” will be held Saturday at the Freight Street Gallery in Waterbury to benefit the Solsbury family as well as to promote the fact that April is Esophogeal Cancer Awareness Month.
Maggie Solsbury said she credits her cousin, Mark Nolan of Naugatuck, and his friends for making her dream of holding the concert come true.
She booked the event in October, but had her own health issues and could not do as much to plan the event as she had hoped, she said.
Nolan and Carl Taggett, who own Nolan Brothers Music in Waterbury, have planned the concert along with Mike Byrne and Dustin Byrne, owners of the Freight Street Gallery, 170 Freight St., Waterbury.

Read the full story here.

Waterbury, Connecticut law enforcement make new promises, efforts in Billy Smolinski case

By Andy Thibault
Contributing Editor
WATERBURY — The hunt for Billy Smolinski’s body and his killer or killers has taken a new turn in recent days, with top law enforcement officials in several agencies promising to coordinate resources and follow up missed leads.
One department is starting from scratch, just to get it right this time.
Len Boyle, the deputy chief state’s attorney — and former state police commissioner and federal prosecutor — told the Register today his office is working the case with Waterbury police, the state police Western District Major Crime Squad, the FBI and other municipal departments. That’s all Boyle would say on the record.
However, Boyle told a concerned citizen on Tuesday that Supervisory Inspector Michael Sullivan of his office is coordinating the probe and that Waterbury Police Chief Michael Gugliotti has assigned two detectives to the case.

Read the full story here.

Ex-Derby school administrator gets AR on drug charges

By Phyllis Sebilius
Register Staff
William Larovera, the former Derby Middle School administrator arrested on several drug charges last year, today was granted accelerated rehabilitation and entry into the community service and labor program.
LaRovera, of Naugatuck, was arrested in early September 2011 on a warrant and charged with several drug counts. He entered a not guilty plea in Superior Court to the charges late that month.
He resigned from his post as dean of student development at the school as of Nov. 18.
Police alleged LaRovera had 66 pills of the painkiller Roxycodone, pill fragments and crushed pill residue in his possession at the school.
His lawyer, Rob Serafinowicz, said the case involved an old baseball injury that was compounded when LaRovera was the victim of a robbery.
He said LaRovera has already been through an inpatient detoxification program and an outpatient program.
Check back for updates.

Ex-Derby school administrator seeks special probation in narcotics case

By Phyllis Swebilius
Register Staff
DERBY — William M. LaRovera, the former Derby Middle School administrator who was arrested in September after police alleged he brought narcotics to school, was in Superior Court Tuesday seeking admittance to the accelerated rehabilitation program.
LaRovera, 35, appeared with his attorney, Rob Serafinowicz of Waterbury, before Judge Burton A. Kaplan.
A decision on the request is expected Feb. 3. Under state guidelines, if LaRovera is allowed into the AR program, and he completes a period of probation, the charges against him could be dismissed.

Read the full story here.