Two-term Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti visited the Valley Indy office Tuesday (Aug. 29) for an interview.
The mayor is trying for his third term. Election Day is Nov. 7.For about an hour, the mayor talked about what brought his Sicilian grandparents to the United States and Ansonia specifically, what it was like growing up in the Valley in the 1960s, dealing with the loss of his father at the age of 7, and how he went on to become an amateur boxing standout, small business owner, and mayor of the place he calls the greatest city in the state.
Press the play button to listen.
Cassetti's opponent, Democratic nominee Tarek Raslan sat down with the Valley Indy for an interview last week.
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.
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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.
Murphy toured Bad Sons Thursday at 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.
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.
Please press play to listen!
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?
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.
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!