Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast: Recent Episodes
ValleyIndy.org
We're a two-person, nonprofit online news site covering four towns in Connecticut's lower Naugatuck Valley.
Naugatuck Valley leaders are expected to show up in large numbers at a press conference at 10 a.m. in Hartford Monday to advocate for more improvements to the area’s Waterbury branch train line. A public hearing on a bi-partisan Valley bill aimed at the same goal is scheduled for 11 a.m. in front of the state legislature’s transportation committee.
Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller is one of the many elected officials scheduled to be there. On Friday, Miller sat down for a ‘Navel Gazing’ podcast interview with The Valley Indy in his office to talk about transportation.
Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
A group of eighth graders sneaked into the Derby Community Center after hours Feb. 7.
Click play to learn about what they did once inside.
Also, the future of Factory Street in the Derby downtown redevelopment zone could change after a meeting 7 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 18) in Derby City Hall.
The episode concludes with audio clips from the Feb. 13 meeting of the Derby Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen, where there was some disagreement over the appointment of a city Democrat to a charter revision commission.
Music by The Bad Slugs. The podcast is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan and his chief of staff Andrew Baklik answer about 20 questions posed from Valley Indy readers.
Topics include downtown redevelopment, the Route 34 widening project, taxes, crime, a lawsuit and much more.
Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller returns to NAVEL GAZING: THE VALLEY INDY PODCAST to take town-related questions from people on Valley Indy Facebook.
Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org
Chris Bowen, an elected member of the Seymour Board of Selectmen, joins reporter Eugene Driscoll to comment on the comments generated by stories The Valley Indy posted to Facebook.
Among the Facebook posts discussed:
Ansonia Alderwoman suggests the city use gender-neutral titles for local legislators; an Oxford brewery pays up after a state trooper crashes, and; Driscoll doesn't like aggressive door-to-door salesmen.
Joe Meyers, the former critic and features writer for The Connecticut Post, REALLY knows movies. He’s this week’s guest on ‘Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast.’
Press play to listen.
We're not done with local elections just yet!
Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller and Seymour Democratic Party leader Stephan Behuniak react to the referendum results in Seymour, where voters rejected borrowing $15 million for a new recreation center.
Miller talks about what's next for the project. Then Behuniak gives a frank summary of his local Democratic Party, and what it's like to be a Democrat in a town that heavily favors Republicans.
The pair then share their unique views on the mayoral race results in Derby, where Mayor Rich Dziekan was re-elected to a second term by a slim margin.
Finally, the two share their thoughts on the heated, sometimes messy mayoral race in Ansonia.
Mayor David Cassetti says he’s earned a fourth term by shepherding economic development that has transformed Main Street, brought back manufacturing jobs and laid the foundation for major investment in long-dormant former factories downtown.
The Republican is being challenged Nov. 5 by Phil Tripp, an Alderman who switched parties in May.
Cassetti sat down with The Valley Indy for a podcast interview last week. No questions or topics were provided in advance of the interview.
Second Ward Alderman Phil Tripp says he should be elected mayor because he’s a consensus builder who has dedicated his life to public service -- first in the National Guard, and then as an Ansonia legislator.
Tripp is challenging incumbent Mayor David Cassetti, a Republican trying for his fourth two-year term as the city’s top elected position.
Sharon Closius, the president and CEO of The Valley Community Foundation, returns to the podcast to talk about "Valley Gives Back," a planned giving initiative from her organization.
Closius runs down what planned giving is, and how the average Naugatuck Valley resident can use ValleyGivesBack.org to help the nonprofit groups and organizations that do so much good every day.
Just press play to listen!
Mayor Rich Dziekan sits down with The Valley Indy to talk about what he's done in his two years as Derby's top elected official.
Dziekan, a Republican, is running for a second, two-year term.
Election Day is Nov. 5.
This episode is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Brian Coppolo, the firefighter running as a Democrat against incumbent Mayor Rich Dziekan, promised to bring transparency and professionalism the City Hall’s top floor if residents vote for him Nov. 5.
Coppolo recently sat down with The Valley Indy for a wide-ranging podcast interview about the issues facing Derby.
Please click play to listen to the entire interview.
This episode is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org, an initiative of The Valley Community Foundation.
The updated Valley Community Index is scheduled to be unveiled at a public forum 8 a.m. Oct. 22 at Scinto Auditorium, 3 Corporate Drive in Shelton.
The document gives a snapshot of the Valley and provides a wealth of data -- data that can be used to improve life in the Naugatuck Valley.
In this episode of ‘Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast,’ Valerie Knight-DiGangi, a program officer with The Valley Community Foundation, gives an overview of the index and how it can be used to benefit your neighbors.
This episode is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org
Music courtesy of The Bad Slugs.
Seymour's Rob Caprilozzi talks about his new documentary, 'Halloween in a Box," which will be available on streaming platforms such as Amazon and Google Play on Oct. 1.
The doc is about the companies behind those old-school plastic Halloween costumes, and how the Tylenol poisonings of 1982 almost canceled Halloween and nearly destroyed an industry.
Rob and his wife, Christine, own Horror News Network and organize the annual CT Horror Fest.
This episode is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
'Ride the Dinosaur' is courtesy of The Bad Slugs.
The Valley Indy's CT PODCAST INVITATIONAL continues with Steven Christina of "Super Retro Throwback Reviews."
It's an eclectic podcast that touches upon movies, games and all things pop culture.
Christina fills us in on his place to take over the podcast universe, one ear drum at a time.
"Super Retro" has a booth Sept. 14 at the CT Horror Fest in Naugatuck, and Christina will be a guest at this month's RetroWorld Expo, happening Sept. 28 and 29 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.
"Ride the Dinosaur" is courtesy of The Bad Slugs.
Pinhead's coming to Naugatuck!
That's in Connecticut if you're reading or listening from outside the area.
The CT Horror Fest is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Naugatuck Event Center, 6 Rubber Ave.
There will be horror celebrity autographs and photos, along with Q&A panels and a dealer's room for all things horror-centric.
Press play to listen to an interview with Christine Bucci-Caprilozzi, the co-founder of the event, which is in its sixth year. She lives in the Seymour area.
The Valley Indy’s “CT PODCAST INVITATIONAL” continues this week with Andrew Morgan, the host of “The NOMCAST (Netflix Original Movie Podcast).”
Netflix, in its quest for streaming domination, is spending billions on creating and/or buying original content.
The company has very much changed the game and could be emerging as a challenger to movie theaters.
Example -- legendary director Martin Scorsese’s latest film “The Irishmen,” which teams him again with Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci, is scheduled to stream in November after a limited theatrical run.
Morgan and a guest have a deep discussion of the latest Netflix original movies during each “NOMCAST” episode.
Morgan, by the way, is a Milford resident with a background in film and television.
He’s also a standup comedian who runs, with his brother, Jerry, the Fistful of Jokes website.
https://fistfulofjokes.com/the-nomcast
The Flood of 1955 devastated the Naugatuck Valley 64 years ago this month.
In this episode of ‘Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast,’ you’ll hear the voices of people who there, including the late Ed Cotter of Derby and Charles Seccombe.
The episode features the work of former Valley Indy reporter Jodie Mozdzer Gil, now an assistant professor of journalism at Southern Connecticut State University.
Actor David Naughton will appearing at the CT Horror Fest, scheduled for Sept. 14, 2009.
Naughton, a Connecticut native, starred in "An American Werewolf in London," one of the best damn movies ever made.
I also chat him up about "My Sister Sam."
John Amenta of the Connecticut-based podcast PINT O' COMICS chats with The Valley Indy about his podcast's history, the Pint O' Comics radio show, CT Cult Classics, YouTube, the damn Marvel cinematic universe, Stranger Things 3, and whether his pop culture tastes have changed as he's grown older.
In this episode Stephan Behuniak, chairman of the Seymour Town Democratic Committee, talks about his party's slate of candidates for the election in November.
By day John Marini is a mild-mannered corporation counsel with a loving wife and two twin boys.
BY NIGHT HE'S A COMPLETE AND TOTAL GODZILLA GEEK.
Click play to listen to Marini talk about a $10 Godzilla double feature happening 7 p.m. Saturday, July 27 at The Strand Theater, 165 Main St. in Seymour, Connecticut.
Tri-Town Plaza. Political opponent? DUI educator. Ansonia budget. Vacation. Reader questions. Click play for all that and more with Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller.
Live comedy returns to The Strand Theater in Seymour June 29, 2019 when Treehouse Comedy Productions presents funny guy Anthony Rodia.
For tickets go to TreehouseComedy.com.
'Valley Sports Rewind'/'Valley Navel Gazing' takes a bite of the turn buckle this week with a deep dive into golden era pro wrestling.
Click play to listen.
Both host Mike Cannici and reporter Eugene Driscoll are children of the 80s, when Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan transformed wrestling from a regional low budget affair into an international juggernaut.
If you ask 8-year-old Giana Wall about her favorite television show she'll give you a hesitant look.
Ask about the citizen scientist program she participated in while heading to explore Antartica, and her eyes light up.
She starts talking phytoplankton and microplastics. Then she'll talk about crossing the Drake Passage, encountering chinstrap penguins, and what's it's like to see an ice berg as big as a building.
That's right, the third grader at the Chatfield-Lopresti School in Seymour is an experienced world traveler, thanks to her parents, Lana and Gil.
Please click play to listen to the family share their travel adventures, and how the family plans to visit Giana's seventh continent by the time she turns 10.
This podcast is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Seymour's Chris Bowen is the guest on the latest episode of 'Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast.'
Click play to listen.
Bowen is a member of the Seymour Economic Development Commission, a five-member panel trying to improve Seymour's business atmosphere.
The commission recently decided to hire the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC) to act as economic development director for Seymour.
It's a new approach to economic development in Seymour. Previously the town had a Realtor working in the position part-time.
Bowen said a specific dollar amount to bring on CERC has not been finalized, but that he expects the town to get more bang for its buck.
Bowen also said the money to hire CERC is coming from his commission's budget.
"Bringing in CERC -- who have received plaudits for their work in Hamden and Beacon Falls, among other communities -- allows us to put our EDD role into the hands of experienced people with greater resources, while also giving us the benefit of an outsider's perspective, an important tool in a small town like Seymour, where tenured personalities tend to hold disproportionate sway -- and an available resource for people with questions about investing in our town," Bowen said in a Facebook post.
Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Ansonia Economic Development Director/Grants Writer Sheila O'Malley is the guest on the latest Valley Indy 'Navel Gazing' podcast.
Press play to listen to O'Malley talk about how city government erred when it hinted at legal action against a government "parody" page on Facebook.
Then O'Malley talks about a public hearing scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday March 12 on the Connecticut City and Town Development Act.
The act gives towns such as Ansonia more power to offer economic incentives aimed at problem problem properties such as the former Ansonia Copper and Brass in the downtown area.
O'Malley also talks about Main Street Ansonia being designated as a federal "opportunity zone," another tax-break program meant to attract investors to struggling cities.
Finally, O'Malley gives her two cents on the Route 34 widening project in Derby. The project still hasn't gone out to bid, but a state contractor recently began dismantling buildings on the south side of Main Street to make room for the expanded road.
This podcast is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Click play to listen to an audio interview with former Howard Stern Show head writer Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling, who is scheduled to perform 8 p.m. Saturday March 2 at The Strand Theater, 165 Main St. in Seymour.
Here's an episode guide for people who can't focus:
1 minute, 5 seconds: Intro and the plugs! 3 minutes, 57 seconds: Jackie says he's 1,000 years old and no longer knows how to travel. 6 minutes, 26 seconds: Jackie talks about how he managed to lose his beer gut 7 minutes, 22 seconds: CLASSIC JACKIE LAUGH 8 minutes, 9 seconds: Jackie interrupts to make sure the plugs get mentioned. 10 minutes, 18 seconds: Jackie about the strange convergence of dirty jokes, Alexa, and streaming-music services. 11 minutes, 45 seconds: I suggest that "The Joke Man" has been around so long he's now considered "alt-comedy." 13 minutes, 29 seconds: Jackie reminds listeners his views don't necessarily represent the views of me, the Online Journalism Project, or any sponsors. 13 minutes, 40 seconds: I admit I previously interviewed Jackie and tried to get him to bash Howard Stern but he would not take the bait. 14 minutes, 47 seconds: Jackie on something that bothers him from his Stern Show days. 16 minutes, 2 seconds: Jackie on whether he walked off the show. 16 minutes, 42 seconds: Jackie references a bloated attorney. 17 minutes, 59 seconds: Jackie reveals the name of the one guy who stood between him and a raise on the Stern Show. 19 minutes, 16 seconds: Jackie, responding to a question from listener Pete Gerner, talks about what the work week was like when he was doing both "The Howard Stern" radio show and "The Howard Stern" television show on WWOR in 1990. Some sketchy Ralph behavior mentioned. 24 minutes, 58 seconds: Jackie on the last time he talked or communicated with Connecticut-native Fred Norris. 26 minutes, 16 seconds: Jackie on the most underrated Stern Show staffer or personality. 28 minutes, 21 seconds: Did Jackie asking for writing credit wreck his relationship with Howard? 33 minutes, 33 seconds: Jackie on his career immediately after he was no longer a Stern Show staffer. 35 minutes, 55 seconds: Jackie on why he didn't want a gig with Anthony Cumia's Compound Media. 39 minutes, 39 seconds:How's Stuttering John doing? 42 minutes: Jackie teases a project he's working on with Billy West and Stuttering John. 45 minutes, 55 seconds: How sweet would a Stern Show-related convention be? 49 minutes: What is Jackie doing in California? 52 minutes: Jackie says goodbye. Show ends with a Jackie laugh compilation.
Audio clips from the Derby P&Z never-ending saga involving The Hops Co., a wildly popular beer garden in east Derby.
The business wants to renovate the back of its property, but a lawyer representing a neighboring landowner says the biz actually wants to expand, which is a no-no because the businesses is “grandfathered.”
Also, Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan is guest bartending to raise money for a worthy cause, and this podcast is being downloaded 2,000 times a week.
Name another podcast where the host asked two Connecticut paranormal investigators which horror character they'd most like to get drunk with.
GHOST STORM's Nick Grossmann and Peter Cerow will be at Twisted Vine, a restaurant in Derby, on Feb. 22 to check out all things ghostly.
This podcast is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
From a Feb. 15, 2019 swearing-in ceremony.
Click play now!
Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org
For this episode of "Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast," I'm joined by Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller and Stephan Behuniak for a wide-ranging discussion of issues in Seymour.
In this very weird episode of "Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast," reporter Eugene Driscoll joins a team of cult-movie buffs and movie professionals to preview Stephen King Night 2, the latest CT CULT CLASSICS screening at The Strand in Seymour, CT.
Click play to listen.
On Feb. 23, 2019 "Carrie" and "Maximum Overdrive" will be shown.
This podcast is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Guests on this episode include Twisted Vine owner Mike Picone, Boys & Girls Club executive director Shaye Roscoe, Boys & Girls Club Board President Fred Serra, Mayor Dziekan's chief of staff Andrew Baklik, and the mayor himself.
Ansonia Police Chief Kevin Hale is retiring in February.
In this podcast interview, he talks about growing up in Ansonia, how he got into law enforcement, how policing has changed in Ansonia, race relations in the city -- and where he's heading next.
The Derby Board of Aldermen voted Jan. 10, 2019 to grant a three-year tax break totaling $47,000 to a company that converted a former nursing home into a dormitory for international high school students -- but not before a debate on whether the project qualified for the benefit.
Just press play!
An interview with Ansonia Economic Development Director Sheila O'Malley about the city's river walk.
This podcast is made possible by ValleyGivesBack.org.
The New York Times recently published a "Living In" feature story about Somers, N.Y.
Two current residents and a grumpy former resident react to the article.
Mike Cannici talks about the latest group to be inducted into the Derby High School Athletic Hall of Fame, then lists his top semi-local sports stories of 2018.
Does the lower Naugatuck Valley in Connecticut need five sewer plants a stone's throw from each other? Rick Dunne spills his guts!
The Valley Indy was criticized by local Democrats last week for sharing a New Haven Independent story detailing a controversy between the president of the state's NAACP and the Connecticut Young Democrats.
In this episode of "Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast," reporters Eugene Driscoll and Ethan Fry read and react to the negative comments posted on Valley Indy social media.
The later part of the podcast features (low quality) audio from last month's Derby Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, during which the commission rejected a "zone text change" application from The Hops Co., a popular beer garden on Sodom Lane, that would have created a 'development district' for certain properties in the city.
I'm Judith Grimes.
Aaron jumping Jesus off a horse.
Daryl's dog.
Rick Grimes.
Did The Walking Dead OFFICIALLY jump the shark by November 2018?
Valley Democrats Stephan Behuniak and Tarek Raslan discuss the Naugatuck Valley election results with Republicans Kurt Miller and David Papcin.
Reporters Eugene Driscoll and Ethan Fry constantly interrupt.
Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org
Preview of the 2018 Ansonia Harvest Festival, with Rich DiCarlo. Plus this week in history and a review of the most-popular stories of the week.
Ethan ran afoul of a reader for using a "laugh" emoji.
Eugene says part of being a reporter is knowing when to hold your tongue -- or emojis.
The Valley Indy's editor is a movie geek and hosts a horror-movie podcast no one hears.
So why not have on the Seymour resident organizing this year's CT Horror Fest?
Have a listen, why doncha?
Aimee Misset, the new principal of Derby’s Irving School, is the latest guest on “Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast.”
On this episode of ‘Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast, we’re speaking with Kara Rochelle, the Derby resident and Democratic nominee in the 104th state House of Representatives District.
The district includes Ansonia and Derby, and is currently held by Rep. Linda Gentile, a Democrat from Ansonia who opted not to seek another term.
On this episode of ‘Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast, we’re speaking with Joseph Jaumann, the Ansonia resident and Republican nominee in the 104th state House of Representatives District.
The district includes Ansonia and Derby, and is currently held by Rep. Linda Gentile, a Democrat from Ansonia who opted not to seek another term.
Lorie Vaccaro is the president of the Ansonia Board of Aldermen and this week's guest on "Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast."
Click play to listen to Vaccaro talk about his latest role in Ansonia -- chairman of the Ansonia Charter Revision Commission.
The commission could take up to 16 months to decide whether to make major changes to the city charter -- that is, the document that serves as the blue print for city government.
Dino Verrelli of Beacon Falls is the founder and CEO of Project Purple, a nonprofit that funds research for and provides financial aid to people with pancreatic cancer.
Seymour's Christopher Bowen discusses the theory that gamer gate trolls have entered the Star Wars fandom.
"We need to educate kids, and I don't know how we're going to do this at this point."
That was the sentence uttered by Mathew Hough less than a week after Ansonia Public Schools laid off 17 teachers.
Hough is president of the teachers union, and he says the staff cuts will have a detrimental impact on the education system, to say the least.
Click play to listen.
Own a toilet?
Live in Derby in a single-family house?
Then you'll be receiving a $257 bill later this year. And you'll probably be receiving the extra charge for at least the next 20 years.
A podcast about spin, tensions, and emotions running over in the Ansonia v Ansonia battle over education funding.
The Valley Indy was denied access to an internal affairs report concerning a police officer who had been arrested in connection to a domestic violence incident.
So The Valley Indy filed a complaint with the state's Freedom of Information Commission to force the document to be released to the public.
Click the play button to listen to testimony recorded in front of a hearing officer in April.
The complaint is still pending.
This podcast is made possible by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan and Carmen DiCenso, the city's economic development liason, are the guests on the latest episode of 'Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast.'
Dziekan and DiCenso talk about a tax incentive program currently in the works, Big Y, the Route 34 widening project, blight, and efforts to unload 15 city-owned properties.
This podcast was made possible by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Adding a Valley charity to your estate plan creates a lasting legacy that tells future generations what causes mattered to you.
Your action will inspire others to follow your lead and make a difference.
With a planned gift, you have the power to impact the Valley community forever, without affecting your current lifestyle.
Learn more at ValleyGivesBack.org, an initiative of the Valley Community Foundation.
Plan now, give later, and impact tomorrow at ValleyGivesBack.org.
Stephan Behuniak, an elected member of the Seymour Board of Selectmen, chats with The Valley Indy reporters about the town's upcoming budget vote, new businesses coming to town, and whether the town has put enough pressure on the owner of Tri-Town Plaza, a shopping center off Route 8.
This episode was recorded May 2 during The Great Give, a 36-hour online fundraiser that raised about $1.7 million for about 400 nonprofit groups in the region.
This podcast is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Former 'Howard Stern Show' head writer Jackie 'The Joke Man' Martling called The Valley Indy during an online fundraiser May 1 to talk about his new book, "The Joke Man: Bow To Stern."
In this very special episode of ‘Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast,’ reporters Eugene Driscoll and Ethan Fry sit down with Erik Ofgang and Michael Lee-Murphy, journalists with Connecticut Magazine.
Click play to listen. Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
The May issue of Connecticut Magazine is the VALLEY ISSUE!
That’s right, from Seymour’s glorious Strand Theater on the cover to a review Ansonia’s sumptuous Crave restaurant inside, the May magazine takes a deep dive into all that is the Valley.
Check your local newsstand and get yourself a copy.
In this podcast episode, we chat with Lee-Murphy and Ofgang about how the idea for a Valley-centric issue came about, and the process they went through to assign and report stories.
In this very special episode of ‘Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast,’ Seymour’s Stephan Behuniak and Ansonia’s David Papcin enter the political thunderdome in a no-holds-barred Texan death match for the hearts and minds of Naugy Valley young folk.
OK, not really.
Press play to listen.
The Valley Indy talks about a reader who shamed a reporter for writing a story not adhering to the person's point of view.
Three students in Derby called for tougher gun regulations while students in Shelton carefully avoided making policy recommendations during separate events marking Wednesday’s “National School Walkout.”
Click play to listen to commentary and clips from the students in Derby and Shelton, along with interviews with school officials from Derby.
Students all over the U.S. organized events at 10 a.m. March 14 to mark the one-month anniversary of the mass murder of 14 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.
While the local “walkout” participants were anything but monolithic, the movement’s general goal is to end the mass shootings that seem to have become epidemic.
In this episode of ‘Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast,’ reporter Eugene Driscoll interviews Seymour High School juniors Eliana Arroyo and Rachel Moon.
Eliana plays Auntie Em and Glinda in the upcoming production of “The Wizard of Oz” at Seymour High School.
Moon plays the Wizard, and is also serving as technical director.
Episode sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org
The Waterbury branch of Metro-North train service faces a potential fare hike AND a reduction in service because of Connecticut budget problems.
The Valley Indy talks about the issue with U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-CT, and Jim Gildea, Derby resident and chairman of the Connecticut Commuter Rail Council.
In this episode of Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast, Valerie Knight-DiGangi of the Valley Community Foundation talks about two grant opportunities available for organizations in the Naugatuck Valley.
Then Paul Velardi, chairman of the Ansonia Recreation Commission, talks to The Valley Indy about a new funding opportunity available there.
The commission wants to hear ideas from the public regarding recreation programs. They'll fund a few of those ideas with $500 grants to get them off the ground.
Listen for more info.
Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Dave Nagy talks to Valley Indy reporter Eugene Driscoll about an open house happening all day and night Saturday, Feb. 17 at Derby Elks Lodge No. 571 at 73 Elizabeth St.
In the second half of the podcast, Driscoll talks about a recent change Facebook forced upon local publishers, the most-read stories of the week, and about how talking about "pending litigation" in public does not result in an automatic death sentence.
Valley Health and Human Services has a Hunger Task Force which will be working with a consultant to figure how many people in the Valley are going hungry, and how the area's five food pantries can provide better services.
The guests, from the task force, are Patricia Tarasovic of The Valley United Way, and David Morgan of TEAM Inc.
This episode is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Valley Indy reporters Eugene Driscoll and Ethan Fry on the Super Bowl, DoingItLocal.com, freedom of information, old stuff, and more.
Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org
In 2014, Derby voters approved spending $31.2 million to repair and upgrade the city’s sewer system. The work includes replacing pipes, and replacing three old pump stations.
On today's "Navel Gazing" podcast, Jack Walsh gives an update on the massive undertaking -- which Derby residents/sewer users will start paying for later this year.
Walsh is the chairman of the Derby Water Pollution Control Authority, a citizen oversight group.
The work on two of the three pump stations is done. It cost about $1.8 million, which was within budget.
The design of the third pump station, on Roosevelt Drive near Cemetery Avenue, is currently under review by environmental officials.
Repairs and upgrades to the ailing main sewer plant on Caroline Street are on hold, pending a state-funded study underway to see if some of the sewer plants in the region can be consolidated.
This is a "Navel Gazing" episode you may want to archive and pull out later this year when you receive your sewer bill in the mail.
That's because the average single-family house will see an extra cost of about $250 as Derby begins to pay for the work.
That $250 is in addition to the annual bill, which can run in the neighborhood of $400 per year for single-family houses.
Don't say we didn't warn you!
Click play to listen.
"Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast" is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan and his chief of staff Andrew Baklik talk about their first two months on the job.
In the latest "Navel Gazing" podcast, Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller and Seymour Board of Education Chairwoman Jennifer Magri talk about recent layoffs with the town's school system.
The episode is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org, an initiative of The Valley Community Foundation.
The episode was recorded Jan. 10, 2018 and streamed as a live video on The Valley Indy's Facebook page.
Valley Indy reporter/dad Eugene Driscoll reacts to the recent Logan Paul controversy.
Driscoll is a terrible father, allowing his 7-year-old son to watch Logan's videos.
Live and learn.
Then Derby CT's David Lenart -- of 2 Dudes Talking Disney podcast fame -- comes on to talk, you guessed it, THE LAST JEDI.
Images from Wikimedia.
Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
ValleyIndy.org is a two-person nonprofit online news site in Ansonia, Conn.
There’s a lot going on in Derby Public Schools, so Superintendent Matthew Conway came on The Valley Indy’s podcast to bring the public up-to-speed.
The school/city received $3 million from the state and at least another $3 million from a private donor to reconfigure athletic fields.
Talking addiction and recovery with The CARES Group, a support group for families struggling with substance abuse.
This week’s podcast features Donna DeLuca and her son, Matt, the founders of The CARES Group, a support group for families dealing with addiction.
CARES stands for “Community Addiction and Recovery Education and Support Group.”
DeLuca’s two sons, including Matt, were addicted to drugs for years.
DeLuca, a Newtown resident and retired school administrator, discovered that talking to other moms and families dealing with addiction helped her situation.
Matt, meanwhile, has a few years clean and has dedicated himself to helping other addicts.
Rick Dunne is the executive director of the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments.
Jim Gildea is the chairman of the CT Commuter Rail Council, and the new chairman of the Derby Board of Education.
In this very special episode of "Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast," the two Derby titans talk transportation, from the Route 34 widening in Derby to a series of public forums that have been happening around the Valley.
Kurt Miller was elected to his fourth term as Seymour First Selectman Nov. 7.
On Nov. 9 that he has formed an exploratory committee to decide whether he will seek higher state office.
On Nov. 10 he was in The Valley Indy office talking about it.
Click play to listen.
This podcast is sponsored by the Valley Gives Back, a new initiative of The Valley Community Foundation.
This week's 'Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast' hits close to home.
We discuss online comments with Marie K. Shanahan, author of the just-released academic tome "Journalism, Online Comments, and the Future of Public Discourse."
Shanahan is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Connecticut.
The two candidates on the ballot for Ansonia mayor clashed over city finances, taxes, and their visions for economic development during a debate at the Valley Indy Oct. 9.
The discussion between Republican incumbent David Cassetti and Democratic challenger Tarek Raslan was livestreamed on Facebook.
Click play to listen.
It's a two-for-one special on the latest "Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast."
This episode is sponsored by The Valley Gives Back, a new initiative from The Valley Community Foundation.
Mike Canicci talks about new high school sports initiative he and Sean Morse have launched, then the Valley Indy reporters give some important campaign news.
Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto will square off against fellow Democrat Carmen DiCenso in a Democratic primary scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017.
The winner will run on the Democratic line for mayor in the general election scheduled for Nov. 7, 2017.
Retired police officer Richard Dziekan is the Republican candidate.
In this 90-minute podcast recorded at The Valley Indy office in Ansonia, Dugatto and DiCenso spar over management style, and give different reasons as to why the majority of the Democrats on the Derby Board of Aldermen can't seem to get along with Mayor Dugatto, a two-term incumbent.
DiCenso is the president of the Derby Board of Aldermen.
The Valley Indy was the guest Aug. 25 on "Coffee Chat" on WICC-AM.
Reporter Eugene Driscoll chatted with WICC program director/news director Mike Bellamy about Valley headlines, and reviewed the most stories of the week on ValleyIndy.org.
Press play to listen.
Have you ever read a Sunday newspaper profile of a candidate running for office?
It’s an article where the writer doesn’t necessarily delve into the politics of a given candidate, but concentrates more on who they are, where they’re from, and why they’re running.
This is a newspaper profile, but in podcast form.
The Valley Indy sat down with Ansonia’s Tarek Raslan for an hour to talk about why he decided to move to the city two years ago, why he decided to withdraw from high school, whether his family’s real estate business has considered making investments in Ansonia, and much more.
We’ve also invited Raslan’s opponent, Mayor David Cassetti, to record a podcast as well.
Please press play to listen!
In this episode of "Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast," reporters Ethan Fry and Eugene Driscoll interview U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, Bad Sons Beer Co. co-owner Bill DaSilva, and Leslie Creane, Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto's chief of staff.
On Aug. 24, Murphy toured Bad Sons, 251 Roosevelt Drive in Derby.
Bad Sons -- with its taproom and connected brewery all in one large space -- opened in late July.
In the podcast, DaSilva, born in Shelton, talks about redeveloping the old Manger Die Casting Co. property, and how he was assisted by Derby City Hall and the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments.
Creane talks about Derby government's hopes for old industrial buildings on Roosevelt Drive -- and talks about efforts to find tenants for the former Walmart property across town.
Finally, Murphy talks about whether President Donald Trump needs a mental health checkup, whether he plans to run for president, whether he reads Breitbart, and whether he thinks Trump will actually shut down the federal government if Congress doesn't pay for a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.
Bridgeport minor league baseball team is ending its 20-year-run, but the owner still wants to play ball.
Could the City of Ansonia and its 65 acres of former factory space be a good fit?
Press play to find out!
In the latest ‘Navel Gazing’ podcast, The Valley Indy speculates wildly while Sheila O’Malley and Hugh Bailey keep the conversation based in reality.
O’Malley is the Ansonia Director of Economic Development, while Bailey is Hearst Connecticut’s business editor.
Bailey, who spent a year studying how governments turn around contaminated properties, recently wrote an article on the Bluefish, which you can read here.
In the second half of the podcast, O’Malley gives an update on various business moves within Ansonia.
Enjoy!
“Navel Gazing” is a weekly podcast from ValleyIndy.org.
It also replays every Monday at 12 p.m. on WNHH-LP, 103.5 FM within the City of New Haven.
Why don't politicians in Seymour fight like their counterparts in Ansonia and Derby?
Is the Valley Indy nothing more than fashion photographers for the Ansonia Democratic Party?
Why are the leaders of Shelton and Trumbull smacking each other around?
Who are these young people taking over the Democratic Party in the Valley?
Which elected official will be getting funky at Rock the Valley in Ansonia Aug. 19?
You can find the answers to those questions and many more by clicking play and listening to W. Kurt Miller and Stephan Behuniak talk to Valley Indy reporters Ethan Fry and Eugene Driscoll in the latest episode of "Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast."
Miller, a Republican, is Seymour's First Selectman. He was recently endorsed by the Seymour GOP to run for a fourth, two-year term.
Behuniak, a Democrat, is a member of the Seymour Board of Selectmen. He's also the chairman of the Seymour Democratic Town Committee.
Enjoy!
The Seymour Fire Department teamed with a nonprofit animal rescue in town to produce a calendar that will raise money for the nonprofit.
Click the play button above to learn more.
The 2018 calendar features Seymour firefighters along with dogs and cats from “Coco’s Animal Rescue Efforts of Seymour,” a volunteer organization that operates an animal shelton at 115 Silvermine Road in Seymour.
Today, on a very special episode of “Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast,” two bleary-eyed reporters, Eugene Driscoll and Ethan Fry, give you a behind-the-scenes look at political nominating conventions in Ansonia and Derby.
Press play below to listen!
The music in this episode is courtesy of The Bad Slugs, a bunch of Connecticut journalists who started a band.
Among the people interviewed:
Carmen DiCenso, long-rumored in past years to be a Derby mayoral candidate, talks about why he finally decided to dive in.
Joseph Cassetti, brother of the Ansonia mayor, talks about running for Alderman while possessing a federal conviction on his record.
Phil Tripp, president of the Ansonia Board of Aldermen, talks about his support for the GOP ticket.
Judy Szewczyk, chairwoman of the Derby tax board, talks about whether the divided Democratic Party will help Republicans. Ethan and Eugene talk about how Valley Indy readers may have stepped over the line regarding criticisms of Tarek Raslan, the Ansonia Democratic nominee for mayor.
On Friday evening July 14, Valley Indy reporters Eugene Driscoll and Ethan Fry opened the phone lines to talk about whatever people wanted to talk about.
Amazingly, people dialed in!
Press play to listen, why don't ya?
In this very special episode of 'Navel Gazing,' The Valley Indy podcast, Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti, Economic Development Director Sheila O'Malley and Corporation Counsel John Marini stop by to talk:
-
HomeGoods coming to Ansonia
-
Wakelee Avenue construction
-
The budget
-
The status of a criminal investigation involving a person who worked for Cassetti in the private sector
-
Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor
-
A new business coming to Main Street
In the spring of 2011, two 25-year-old men were shot and killed within a week of each other in Ansonia, Conn.
The killers in both crimes remain free.
In this episode, Margaret Rivera talks about her nephew, Isaia Hernandez, who was killed outside a gas station on Wakelee Avenue.
Hernandez was a father and a popular athlete growing up. His father was his best friend. She urges anyone with information on the case to contact Ansonia police.
Then Ansonia Police Lt. Patrick Lynch comes on the broadcast to shed some new light on the Hernandez murder. Lynch also discusses the shooting death of Daryl Venson, another open homicide in Ansonia.
The two cases, though a week apart, are not thought to be connected.
Tony Bunosso and David Lenart of the podcast “2 Dudes Talking Disney” give their origin stories, share insider Disney stuff, and answer whether Walt Disney was the inspiration for HBO’s “Westworld.”
Recorded on video during “The Great Give” May 2, 2017.
Jay, his wife Kenna, and his staff have transformed The Dew Drop Inn from an infamous hole in the wall into a craft beer and wing lover heaven.
Click play to listen to Jay explain his journey on the latest "Navel Gazing" podcast.
Click play to listen to an interview with Amanda Prescott, a senior at Ansonia High School.
She's into some strange stuff -- stuff she hopes to turn into a career.
Prescott is a self-taught special effects makeup artist.
Seymour Deputy Fire Marshal Timm Willis talks about a cold case arson fire, fire prevention tips, and how he got into the world of fire investigation.
Recorded live on Facebook during The Great Give May 3, 2017.
Four ex-Valley reporters reveal all!
Kate Rammuni talks about rummaging through the trash to find a terrorist's passport in Shelton.
Joe Musante gives an eyewitness account of the infamous "Christmas Eve Massacre" at the Valley's beloved Evening Sentinel.
Also interviewed: Melvin Mason and Jodie Gil, who was on the beat the day the Valley Indy went live.
Recorded live on Facebook during the May 3, 2017 "Great Give."
It's unclear whether The Valley Indy will be here in 2018.
Welcome to modern journalism.
Here's how to help.
Reporters Eugene Driscoll and Ethan Fry discuss why you should donate to The Valley Indy during The Great Give on May 2 and May 3, 2017.
They also talk about a streaming webcast they're planning to help other local nonprofits during The Great Give.
The photo for this podcast is what it looks like after broadcasting on the Internet for about 36 hours straight!
It was taken last year at the end of The Great Give, an annual online giving event scheduled for May 2 and May 3.
Some 400 nonprofit groups in the area are participating.
In the podcast above, Valley Indy reporter Eugene Driscoll chats about The Great Give with Jackie Downing, the director of grantmaking and nonprofit effectiveness with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.
Then Driscoll replays audio from interviews Ethan Fry conducted outside court March 30 after former Derby Senior Center Executive Director Sarah Muoio was sentenced to accelerated rehabilitation in connection to Muoio’s alleged embezzling from the organization.
In the latest 'Navel Gazing' episode, Missy Lundeen talks about efforts underway to help five families displaced after a fire in Ansonia.
Then we listen to Republican Rich Dziekan's announcement that he's running for mayor.
Photo courtesy of Katie Matto.
'Valley Sports Rewind' switches gears this week with an interview with Casey Kross, 17, of Derby.
The Derby High School senior has been a cheerleader for about 11 years.
In 2012 her Pop Warner cheerleading squad won a national championship.
In 2015, she was a member of the varsity cheerleading squad that won a state championship.
We conclude our two-part interview with Rick Dunne, the executive director of the Valley Council of Governments, with a discussion on ground contamination at O’Sullivan’s Island in Derby and a study just about to start on regionalizing sewer services in the Naugatuck Valley (it could, maybe, save money).
David Morgan, CEO of TEAM Inc. in Derby, talks about what the Trump administration's spending plan could do to the lower Valley.
TEAM administers Meals on Wheels, home heating assistance and a slew of other programs that help local low-income families.
This episode was recorded March 17, 2017.
The long-awaited widening of Route 34 in downtown west Derby will not start in 2018, according to Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments Executive Director Rick Dunne.
Dunne, a Derby resident, talks about the Route 34 project, and his reaction to a consultant who recently described the road project's design as 'lipstick on a pig,' in part one of a two-part interview.
Larry Dwyer of CT Cult Classics talks about upcoming screenings of "Big Trouble in Little China" and "The Thing," two movies directed by John Carpenter and starring Kurt Russell.
The screening is March 18, 2017 at the Strand Theater in Seymour.
In this episode of "Valley Sports Rewind," host Mike Cannici and guest Jenn Moffat talk about the Derby High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
The second class is scheduled to be inducted in April 2017.
Valley Indy reporter serves as guest host for the episode.
Valley Sports Rewind is a weekly talk show produced by ValleyIndy.org.
Derby Superintendent Matthew Conway shares the latest news on the school and city efforts to find a new home for the high school baseball fieldl
This week’s ‘Navel Gazing’ focuses on two nonprofit groups in the lower Naugatuck Valley — The Valley Community Foundation in Derby and BHcare in Ansonia.
Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller talks about running for re-election, the police chief's impending retirement, the new deputy first selectman, and the state of the town's budget.
Recorded at the Valley Indy editor's house in Derby a day after a blizzard. Background noise courtesy of his 3-year-old daughter, who was home with a fever.
This week's "Valley Navel Gazing," reporter Ethan Fry chats with Mayor David Cassetti about a spate of shootings in Ansonia.
Fry and Driscoll review the most read stories of last week, and have a brief discussion of open government laws.
In this very special crossover episode, the Valley Indy replays an interview 2 Dudes Talking Disney did with famous celebrity John Ratzenberger.
2 Dudes is another lower Naugatuck Valley podcast.
Prior to Ratzenberger's interview, the Valley Indy reporters review the most popular stories of the week.
Then the reporters review the most popular Valley Navel Gazing episodes of 2016.
Donald Trump makes an appearance.
Things end on a dark note when Ethan questions the legitimacy of 'The Valley Indy Christmas Special's high rank on the list.
Today we learned if you Tweet Artie Lange, he might just call you up and start chatting.
Lange, a standup comedian, actor and best-selling author, talks with the Valley Indy about how he hopes bashing his old boss Howard Stern could help the King of All Media snap out of his brainwashing by a "tyrannical" corporate flak.
Lange is appearing at Foxwoods Resort and Casino Jan. 21.
Lange has a recurring role in "Crashing," a new show on HBO from comedy overlord Judd Apatow, and his third memoir is due out later this year.
The two-person staff at ValleyIndy.org is down to zero this week with one reporter on vacation and the other caring for a 3-year-old with strep throat.
Ah, the joys of parenthood.
Softening the blow -- The Knight Foundation's #Newsmatch, which will benefit sister sites The New Haven Independent and The Valley Independent Sentinel.
SPOILER ALERT - SPOILER ALERT - SPOILER ALERT
A five-panel podcast remembers Carrie Fisher before launching into a heated debate over "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story."
This episode is a Valley Navel Gazing/Mobile Horror Companion podcast hybrid.
The panel includes:
Independent filmmaker Glen Baisley
ValleyIndy.org reporter Eugene Driscoll
Independent film actor Mike Lane
Derby CT's David Lenart, host of the "2 Dudes Talking Disney" podcast
Special effects makeup artist Brian Spears
Derby Fire Commissioner Michael Kelleher talks about growing up in Derby, his years with the fire department, and what the array of community service projects Derby firefighters to behind the scenes.
In November, Jack Walsh retired as president of the Valley United Way.
In December he sat down with the Valley Indy for a wide-ranging conversation about growing up in Derby, teaching and coaching in the Valley, and what it was like to change careers and lead the Valley United Way.
Photo by Markanthony Izzo.
Valley Indy reporter Eugene Driscoll tries recording a Christmas-themed podcast with his 6-year-old son, Jack, and his 3-year-old daughter, Emma.
Driscoll's wife is there, at least in spirit, in the form of an angry voicemail played at the start of the episode.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everybody.
Derby's Larry Dwyer is once again planning to gross out the Valley with another installment of "Connecticut Cult Classics" at the Strand Theater in Seymour.
Up next on FRIDAY, Jan. 13:
Friday the 13th, Part 2 Friday the 13th, Part 3
Enjoy!
Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller answers questions from readers on Facebook, weighs in on whether he is supporting Rob Kane, Mark Boughton or Mark Lauretti for governor, and uses a bell to "ding" the Valley Indy reporters for asking dumb questions.
Ansonia native Ken Tuccio is hosting "The Local Drinking Show," scheduled to premiere Jan. 26 on WTNH.
The show's first season will run six episodes, including a "Valley New Year's" episode filmed in Derby and Shelton.
Tuccio is the host of the "Welcome to CT" podcast, and he is the former owner of a company that specialized in T-shirts connected to professional wrestling.
In this very special episode of "Navel Gazing," the Valley Indy podcast, reporters Ethan Fry and Eugene Driscoll talk about running a race, going to a parade and the worst movies on the IMDB top ten list.
ValleyIndy.org reporters Eugene Driscoll and Ethan Fry take a trip down memory lane by listening to a tape recorded interview Driscoll conducted with Donald J. Trump roughly 16 years ago.
At the time, Trump was trying to build a golf course on land formerly owned by the owners of The Washington Post.
Trump had somehow seen an article in a small weekly paper written by Driscoll, and reached out to talk.
Photo: Donald J. Trump in October 2016, by Gage Skidmore
Valley Indy reporters Eugene Driscoll and Ethan Fry take questions from readers via Facebook Live and do their best to spread fake news.
Donald Trump won every town in the lower Naugatuck Valley Nov. 8, a pocket of red in an otherwise blue state.
Valley voters also threw out two Democratic legislators.
But the same voters also re-upped with U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
What gives?
Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller (a Republican who voted for Trump) and Ansonia's Tarek Raslan (a Democrat who didn't vote for Trump) join reporters Eugene Driscoll and Ethan Fry for a freewheeling discussion and what happened, and where we go from here.
Valley Indy podcasts with Linda Gentile, George Logan, Joseph Jaumann, Joe Crisco, Theresa Conroy and Nicole Klarides-Ditria.
Valley Indy podcasts with Linda Gentile, George Logan, Joseph Jaumann, Joe Crisco, Theresa Conroy and Nicole Klarides-Ditria.
Valley Indy podcasts with Linda Gentile, George Logan, Joseph Jaumann, Joe Crisco, Theresa Conroy and Nicole Klarides-Ditria.
Valley Indy podcasts with Linda Gentile, George Logan, Joseph Jaumann, Joe Crisco, Theresa Conroy and Nicole Klarides-Ditria.
Valley Indy podcasts with Linda Gentile, George Logan, Joseph Jaumann, Joe Crisco, Theresa Conroy and Nicole Klarides-Ditria.
Sharon Closius, president and CEO of the Valley Community Foundation in Derby, talks about the 2016 Valley Community Index, a 58-page report scheduled to be unveiled 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 20 in Shelton.
Former Valley Indy/Hartford Courant reporter Jodie Mozdzer Gil talks about a Valley-related asthma story she penned for the Connecticut Health Investigative Team.
The conversation then turns to teaching journalism in 2016, and closes with a brief discussion of . . . you guessed it . . . CLOWNS.
Photo courtesy of Vern Williams, an assistant professor in the journalism department at Southern Connecticut State University.
Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti returns to take questions from Valley Indy readers via Facebook live.
Also joining the discussion -- Ansonia Economic Development Director Sheila O'Malley and corporation counsel John Marini.
The Valley Indy goes ultra-hyperlocal with Derby Second Ward Alderman Art Gerckens. The discussion includes how the city is dealing with quality of life complaints from Derby residents who live in the area of Hawthorne and Nutmeg avenues.
State Rep. Linda Gentile is up for re-election. The Valley Indy chats with her about taxes, guns, economic development and a host of other issues.
First Selectman Kurt Miller talks European road trip, potential changes to the underutilized Tri-Town Plaza strip mall, and why the town is asking for permission to borrow more than $5 million in November.
Attorney Joseph Jaumann of Ansonia is a Republican running for state representative in the 104th District (parts of Derby and Ansonia). His opponent in incumbent state Rep. Linda Gentile, also of Ansonia.
Actor Zach Galligan reflects on starring in “Gremlins,” working with Bill Murray and Dan Ackroyd on a lost 80s movie, and, of course, which horror movie character he’d most like to get drunk with.
Galligan is appearing Saturday, Aug. 27 at “CT Horror Fest” at the Matrix Center in Danbury, Conn.
Ansonia resident Brian Perkins comes on the podcast to explain how a Valley Indy story involving a local Alderman at a Trump rally was one-sided and corrupt.
Valley Indy reporter Eugene Driscoll talks with state GOP Chairman JR Romano and anti-Trump activist Kiernan Majerus-Collins about Phil Tripp confronting Kiernan at a Donald Trump rally in Fairfield Saturday. Photo courtesy of The Hartford Courant.
Ansonia Republican Aldermen argued over whom and how to fill two vacancies on the Board of Aldermen Aug. 9.
This is audio from the meeting, with commentary from the two ValleyIndy.org reporters.
Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto and her Chief of Staff Leslie Creane talk land use in the city -- including the redevelopment zone, the central business district, and whether CONDOS ARE COMING TO THE FORMER WALMART SITE.
Prior to that, the hosts celebrate WNHH-FM's one year anniversary by playing a clip from the first Navel Gazing episode.
Cindy Hannon, Craig Horne and Pat Henri talk about the Walnut Hill Community Church's new Seymour campus and an upcoming community event.
Jenn Moffat (at left in photo), a Derby native living in Ansonia, does a ton of work for Valley nonprofits and community groups.
In this interview Moffat talks about an upcoming softball fundraiser for Treasured Time, a Seymour nonprofit.
Jimmy Ticket, a Shelton Democrat and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro's campaign manager, reacts to the final day of the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Shelton's Jimmy Tickey is at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
In this mini-podcast, Tickey talks about President Obama's speech and Donald Trump's role as the "chaos candidate."
Shelton's Jimmy Tickey talks about Bill Clinton's speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Shelton's Jimmy Tickey is attending the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia -- and he's checking in daily with the Valley Indy to react to the news of the day.
In this first episode, Tickey talks about Michelle Obama's speech, the Bernie Sanders crowd, and how the Dems are trying to keep things positive.
Stephan Behuniak, a relatively new member of the Seymour Board of Selectmen, talks about the issues facing the town where he was raised.
The Valley Indy checks in with Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti, who was in Cleveland, Ohio this week to make sure the Republicans nominated Donald Trump for president.
Ansonia David Cassetti checked in with the Valley Indy Thursday, July 21 from Cleveland, Ohio where he is a part of the Connecticut delegation supporting GOP Presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Derby native JR Romano talks about what is was like to nominate Donald Trump on behalf of the Connecticut delegation during the GOP National Convention.
Romano's brief statement endorsing Trump was named the best "roll call brag" by Slate.com.
Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti, a Donald Trump delegate from Connecticut, talks Paul Ryan controversy, Sheetrock, and rumors of a coup in Ansonia.
Valley Indy reporter Eugene Driscoll talked briefly with Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti about the GOP National Convention.
Cassetti is a Connecticut delegate.
Recorded July 19, 2016.
Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller is back for his monthly "Navel Gazing" appearance. This time he answers questions from Seymour residents and ValleyIndy.org readers.
Driscoll and Fry interview Larry Dwyer of Connecticut Cult Classics about an upcoming vampire double feature in Seymour, then Driscoll talked about the time he got teased on Twitter by a producer from Fox 61 and the producer's #Tronc minion.
Derby Second Ward Alderman Art Gerckens is no stranger to controversy. In this episode Gerckens talks about a move underway to change the charter in Derby.
Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti talks about his phone conversation with Donald Trump, new businesses coming to Ansonia, and takes phone calls from residents.
Gore guru Brian Spears, "Man Alive" screenwriter Joe Greenberg, and local news reporter Eugene Driscoll talk horror films and what not during this really weird and body-odor infused episode of 'Valley Navel Gazing v Mobile Horror Companion.'
During his monthly interview, Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller talks about Donald Trump, downtown Seymour, Gov. Dannel Malloy and the Housatonic Wire property.
The Recreation Camp on Roosevelt Drive in Derby turned 100 this year. In this episode, the Valley Indy reporters interview past director Jack Walsh and current camp director Mike Drew about the org's longevity in Derby (Connecticut.)
Ansonia School Superintendent Carol Merlone and Assistant Superintendent Michael Wilson talk about how city schools could be "decimated" from a 2.5 percent increase from the city.
James Cohen, retired president of the Valley Community Foundation in Derby, talks about a community effort to restore the Soldier's Monument, which memorializes soldiers from Derby and Shelton who died in the Civil War.
Judy Szewczyk, chairperson of the Derby Board of Apportionment and Taxation, talks about the proposed Derby budget, which carries a tax hike of 4 mills.
Comedian Jim Florentine, of "That Metal Show," is appearing with Don Jamieson 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 19 at the River Rock Tavern, 5 Main St. in Derby.
In this interview, Florentine talks about the fate of "That Metal Show," his guest spot on "Louie," the appeal of Donald Trump, his big break on The Howard Stern Show, and whether he knew Opie and Anthony hated each other off the air.
This interview was posted as a podcast on ValleyIndy.org and was heard on WNHH, 103.5 FM in the City of New Haven, Connecticut.
Valley Indy reporter Eugene Driscoll and intern Marco Rumbin review the total awesomeness of "The Great Give," an event that recently raised some $1 million for greater New Haven nonprofits. Recorded May 6, 2016.
Shelton's Casey Quake talks about the 2016 Naugatuck Valley Relay for Life. Quake, a paramedic, is this year's event chairman.
Veteran Valley sports scribe Bill Pucci talks about growing up in Derby and covering generations of Derby football teams.
In April 2016, Pucci received a special service award from the new Derby High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Jerome Bloom talks about a federal lawsuit he filed in March 2016 against the City of Shelton, Conn.
Rick Dunne, a Derby resident and executive director of the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments, stops by to talk about the sale of the Healey For in Ansonia and the latest on O'Sullivan's Island, a contaminated property in Derby.
In between, reporters Ethan Fry and Eugene Driscoll talk about The Great Give, the most read stories of the week, and this week in Valley history.
Former Derby Fire Department Chief Gary Parker talks with the Valley Indy about his volunteer service in Derby. Parker is scheduled to be inducted into the Connecticut Firefighters Hall of Fame in April 2016.
Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti updates the public on various happenings in city government.