In wake of coyote attack, Ansonia police urge residents to vaccinate pets

ANSONIA - The Ansonia Police and Animal Control Officer would like to warn residents about making sure their pets are up to date on their vaccinations.
On Thursday, March 26, a resident of Park Place reported her dog was chased and injured by two coyotes the day before.

Due to the fact that many people let their pets outside, vaccinations should be up to date, police said. Care should also be taken when letting animals out of the house. If possible, the animals should be on a leash and attended to by the owner.

Persons should refrain from approaching any type of wild animals if they are located. Please contact the Ansonia Police Department if there are any issues pertaining to wild animals or contact is made with pets or humans.

The number to the Ansonia Police Department is 203-735-1885.

Ansonia teacher seeks to make college a reality for low-income kids

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent
ANSONIA >> Pursuing a college education can remain a pipe dream for many low-income, urban youth, but an eight-grade teacher at Ansonia Middle School is on a mission to make those dreams a reality.
Jessica Gomez-Bedosky recently launched a nonprofit organization called College Access for All Kids Inc.
Bedosky, who teaches eighth-grade, created the program with her husband, John, and together the two hope to mentor and inspire students to follow their dreams.

Read more here. 

Hamden developer faces $8K per day fine for blight in Ansonia

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent
ANSONIA >> The city has slapped the Hamden developer who bought some former blighted Farrel Corp. property downtown in 2013 with an $8,000 per day lien for failing to remediate the building, despite several deadline extensions.
At a recent appeals hearing, the city’s hearing officer, Attorney Keith Murray denied “a further extension of time” for Developer Moustapha Diakhate to fix the remaining broken windows on the building at 501 E. Main St. Murray said at the hearing last week, there were still about 80 broken windows plaguing the building, which Diakhate agreed to board up, along with a host of other fixes he and the city previously agreed upon.

Read more here. 

Shelton nursing home fined, ordered to hire monitor

By Kate Farrish
Conn. Health I-Team Writer
A Shelton nursing home owned by Brian Foley — who was sentenced to three months in a halfway house in January in a campaign corruption scandal - has been fined $5,000 for lapses in care and ordered to hire a nursing consultant.
On Feb. 5, Foley, CEO of Apple Rehabilitation, signed a consent order with the state Department of Public Health in which he agreed to the fine and monitoring by the state to correct multiple violations at Apple Rehab Shelton Lakes. The action by DPH, which was posted on its website Tuesday, is unrelated to the scandal that ensnared Foley, his wife, Lisa Wilson-Foley, and former Gov. John G. Rowland.

Read more here. 

Seymour residents to weigh in on proposed budget March 30

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent

SEYMOUR >> The Board of Finance has approved a $55.9 million budget for fiscal year 2015-16.
The board unanimously voted in favor of the total $55,945,284 budget last week, following a month-long series of budget workshops and deliberations, before settling on a bottom line to present to residents next week.
A public hearing to weigh in on the proposed budget will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at Seymour Middle School, 211 Mountain Road.
According to Board Chairman Bill Sawicki, the budget is $1.5 million, or 2.86 percent, more than the current budget.

Read more here. 

Ansonia club’s gift to TEAM Inc. will help Valley seniors

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent
DERBY >> TEAM Inc., which provides more than 840 Valley senior citizens with assistance ranging from daily meals to transportation to doctor’s appointments and shopping, got a financial boost from the Ansonia Rod & Gun Club.
Club members recently gave TEAM officials a $5,000 donation to support ongoing programs for seniors, many who are homebound.
“We are extremely appreciative of this special gift from the members of the Ansonia Rod & Gun Club,” said TEAM Executive Vice President Diane Stroman. “Their support of programs such as Meals on Wheels, which provides one meal a day to the home of a homebound senior, helps ensure that our elderly are not only eating, but eating food that meets the nutritional standards necessary to keep them healthy and active. In addition, the program provides a daily social contact, something that is essential to older adults living alone.”

Read more here. 

Seymour looking for a few good men and women for Citizens Police Academy

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Register Correspondent
SEYMOUR >> The Police Department is looking for a few good men and women to join its upcoming Citizens Police Academy.
The seven-week program is designed for town residents interested in learning about the inner workings of the Police Department. Through classroom discussion and activities, participants will develop a deeper appreciation of law enforcement, while opening the door to improved communication between police offices and residents, according to Deputy Police Chief Paul Satkowski.
“We have received positive feedback from former participants of the Citizens Academy,” Satkowski said. “This is a great program for the citizens to interact and build a rapport with the officers. It also gives them a realization of what officers deal with on a daily basis when they are protecting and serving their community. It also lets them see where their precious tax dollars are being utilized and what amount of resources is involved to keep the community safe.”

Read more here.