In this mini-episode of 'Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast,' readers react to an op-ed in CT News Junkie written by Jonathan L. Wharton, an associate professor of political science and urban affairs at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven.
Wharton suggests that Hartford and Washington, D.C. could take lessons from the Valley about political matters.
Read the op-ed here:
This podcast is sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Derby government's Renaissance man Marc Garofalo gives the lowdown on the upcoming "Holiday Spectacular" concert to benefit the food bank at St. Vincent de Paul in Derby, Adam's House in Shelton, and TEAM Inc's Meals on Wheels program.
Last week an Ansonia-Derby committee studying whether to regionalize schools received 200 pages worth of information to help guide the committee to a decision.
Derby's Jim Gildea, of the Derby school board and the regionalization committee, gives an overview of what the committee will do with all that information.
This episode gives an overview of a proposed 215-unit apartment complex on Factory Street in Derby.
Then I react to the reactions to the story on Facebook.
The following is audio clips from the Thursday, Nov. 14 meeting of the Derby Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen.
In the first clip, the board reviews a report submitted by Sal Coppola, who resigned as finance director hours before the meeting.
Alderman Donofrio asks a question about the report, which Alderman Charles Sampson answers.
The second clip is the board talking about appointing Keith McLiverty, the city treasurer, to take Coppola's place as finance director.
Owney Malerba and Andrew Baklik give listeners the insider's view of the Derby mayor's race, which saw incumbent Republican Mayor Rich Dziekan re-elected by less than 40 votes.
CLICK THE PLAY BUTTON TO LISTEN.
Conventional wisdom in Derby says voters usually give mayors two terms in office. So why was this race so close, especially given the experience level of Dziekan's Democratic challenger, Brian Coppolo?
Was it the tax increase? The convoluted financial problems? Last-minute Democratic "newspapers?"
Plus -- how is City Hall going to handle the exit of City Treasurer Keith McLiverty, a public servant who was much more than treasurer, but an institution who has been deeply involved with every major Derby project or initiative going back more than 20 years?
Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Music courtesy of The Bad Slugs.
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.
The mayor isn’t afraid to speak his mind, as you’ll hear in the interview.
Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Music courtesy of The Bad Slugs.
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.
Tripp sat down with The Valley Indy last week for a freewheeling interview on all things Ansonia.
Click play to listen.
Sponsored by ValleyGivesBack.org.
Music by The Bad Slugs.
The Derby city finance director and the city's economic development liaison appear on the podcast to respond to comments recently made by Brian Coppolo, the Democratic Party's candidate for mayor.
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!
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.
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.
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 Cristina will be a guest at this month's RetroWorld Expo, happening Sept. 28 and 29 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.
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.
Horror stars scheduled to appear at CT Horror Fest Sept. 14 include:
* Tobin Bell, the killer from the "Jigsaw" franchise
* Shawnee Smith, from the "Jigsaw" franchise and the well-regarded 1988 remake of "The Blob"
* Sean Patrick Flanery, the "Jigsaw" franchise and 1999's "The Boondock Saints"
* Danielle Harris, whose genre work dates back to a starring role in "Halloween 4" when she just 11 years old
* David Naughton, the star of "An American Werewolf in London"
* The "Cenobites" from the "Hellraiser" franchise, including Pinhead himself, Doug Bradley
For more info, visit CTHorror.com.
The Valley Indy 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.
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, CT 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
https://fistfulofjokes.com/andrew-morgan
https://twitter.com/jokesondrew
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. Before leaving The Valley Indy, Gil put together a web project that mapped the flood damage and included interviews with eyewitnesses.
Click play to hear Gil talk about how she put the project together. Gil's project is now a part of The Electronic Valley.
The episode includes clips from a radio documentary from WAVZ, which was based in New Haven.
Intro music courtesy of The Bad Slugs.
David Naughton talks the genius of John Landis, the hesitation of Pam Dawber, why he didn't buy a wing of the Playboy mansion in 1981 and much more in this very special episode of 'Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast.'
Naughton, a Connecticut freakin' native, is appearing Sept. 14, 2019 at the CT Horror Fest at the Naugatuck Event Center in Naugatuck, CT.
You can't get more podcasty than having one podcast interview another.
In this very special episode of "Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast," host Eugene Driscoll chats up John Amenta, host of "Pint O' Comics," one of Connecticut's best podcasts.
They talk origin stories, CT Cult Classics, Terrificon, Stranger Things 3, the Marvel cinematic universe, and whether your taste in pop culture changes as you age.
It's free, so press play why don't ya?
Frequent guest Stephan Behuniak, chairman of the Seymour Town Democratic Committee, returns to the podcast to go over the list of candidates his party is running for office in November.
Music courtesy of The Bad Slugs.
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.
But will this be his last (if re-elected)?
'Navel Gazing: The Valley Indy Podcast' returns with a wide-ranging interview with Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller.
Miller talks about going on vacation, the Ansonia budget, THREE items voters will be asked to weigh-in on in November, in addition to taking questions from Valley Indy readers.
It's the best damn local news podcast this side of the Naugatuck River.
PRESS PLAY!