A judge ruled March 30, 2017 that the former director of Derby's senior center probably won't have a criminal record despite embezzling thousands of dollars from the organization.
Judge Frank Iannotti granted a request from the former director, Sarah Muoio, to participate in a diversionary program that will see a criminal case against her dismissed if she completes two years of unsupervised probation.
This podcast contains reaction to the judge's decision from prosecutor Kevin Lawlor, defense attorney Dominick Thomas, and Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto.
Photo by Brian Pounds, courtesy of The Connecticut Post.
Derby's Richard Dziekan March 22 formally announced his intent to seek the Republican endorsement for mayor.
Dziekan is a retired police officer who lost a narrow vote to incumbent Democratic Mayor Anita Dugatto about two years ago.
He most recently worked in Ansonia City Hall as part of Mayor David Cassetti's administration.
Five families were displaced after fire damaged two multi-family houses in Ansonia March 10.
In this interview, Missy Lundeen talks about efforts underway to help the fire victims.
Recorded March 22, 2017.
Photo courtesy of Katie Matto of KMattoPhotography.
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.
Jared Heon, the chief of the Ansonia Rescue Medical Services, talks about how crews responded to help people during a major winter storm that rolled into Connecticut March 14, 2017.
A quick conversation with Seymour Deputy First Selectman Len Greene Jr. about today's storm.
Recorded March 14, 2017.
A quick interview with Derby Public Works Director Anthony DeFala regarding today's winter storm.
Recorded at about 11:15 a.m. on March 14, 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.
Derby's Carmen DiCenso announced his intent to seek the Democratic Party's nomination for mayor Feb. 21.
Listen to his speech.
An iPhone recording of a March 7, 2017 meeting of the Shelton Planning and Zoning Commission during which the commission approved a zone change connected to a controversial development application on Bridgeport Avenue.
Derby's Larry Dwyer is interviewed about two movie screenings scheduled for March 18 at the Strand in Seymour.
However, Dwyer isn't exactly interviewed by the Valley Indy.
Instead, it's "The Mobile Horror Companion," of the Internet's least listened to podcasts.
That's right, this episode of "Navel Gazing" is a CROSSOVER, just like then "The Facts of Life" cast visited "Different Strokes."
I have no idea if that actually happened, but I'm sticking to it.
By the way, it's "John Carpenter Night" March 18 at the Strand, where Dwyer's "Connecticut Cult Classics" will screen "Big Trouble in Little China," a wacky 80s-era comedy, and "The Thing," a gruesome nail-biter now considered one of the greatest horror films of all time.
"Navel Gazing" is a weekly talk show from ValleyIndy.org, a two-person, nonprofit news site in Ansonia, Conn.