It’s hard to believe another year has almost passed, but as we say goodbye to 2022, it’s time to announce my personal Top 5 picks for Valley Indy stories of the year.
From the tragic tale of a Derby dog allegedly shot by his owner to The Town of Seymour getting bilked out of $375,000 in a cyber scam, there was a lot of good and bad news that happened in the Valley over the last 365 days.
I took a look back at stories that we wrote, here are my personal picks for the Valley Indy’s Top 5 stories of 2022:
5. Wounded Derby dog gets new, forever family
This is a tragedy to triumph tale about a German Shepherd whose leg was amputated after police said he was shot by his owner. The dog, now named “Sheriff,” was clinging to life after being shot multiple times on April 1 near the Derby High School/Middle School campus.
The dog’s former owners Stranja Perrin and Anthony Singletary, who police said were living out of a vehicle with the dog and two kids, were charged with several crimes, including unlawfully firing a weapon and cruelty to animals.
Thanks to lots of TLC from VCA Shoreline, an animal hospital in Shelton, and plenty of prayers from a concerned public, Sheriff was ultimately adopted by a pair of police officers: husband and wife Dan and Victoria Loris. Dan Loris was previously a canine officer with the Shelton PD. Since his adoption, Sheriff is having the time of his life with his new family, according to the Shelton Animal Shelter, and even with having only three legs, he runs, plays and swims.
Now that’s what I call a doggone good ending!
4. Cyber theft in Seymour
The Valley Indy helped the public learn about the alleged theft of money from the Town of Seymour thanks to a cyber scam. The investigation is still active.
First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis and Town Attorney Richard Buturla in late November told the publication that the town had been a victim of a cyber crime that resulted in the loss of $375,000. That amount is comparable to what the town budgeted last year for its public library.
The case remains under investigation by the Seymour PD and the FBI. Bringing this story to the public’s attention was important, especially since the stolen money was taxpayers’ money. Drugonis said the town is hoping to recoup the money through its insurance policy.
3. Derby dad runs to raise awareness after tragic loss
This was a story of sadness after a Derby couple who lost their first-born son to a little-known disease. The story, however, turns to hope, when the dad, Neil Connery, discovers a path forward, in hopes of raising money for a possible cure to prevent other parents from experiencing the devastating loss of a child. Neil and his wife Cynthia found solace in walking, where the quiet and tranquility allowed them to talk to their baby boy, Gavin. Neil eventually stepped up his game and began running, which he said slowly helped him crawl out of depression and channel it into something positive he could do to honor Gavin’s memory.
The Connerys founded The Gavin Connery Foundation in 2017 and have since raised more than $5,000 a year to help fund genetic research to find a cause and a possible cure for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, or CDH, which took Gavin’s life at just a little over two months old.
Neil was feted earlier this year by the Hartford Marathon Foundation for his dedication to bringing CDH to light and using running as a platform to continue to raise awareness about a disease that has no known cause or so far, no cure. I applaud the Connerys for the courage to share their heartbreaking story, in hopes of one day, helping parents like them not have to go through what they did.
2. Ansonia rallies for sick girl
When a little girl named Jeilany Vega Rivera was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and no longer could attend Mead School, the Ansonia community banded together and rallied on her and her family’s behalf.
A giant car parade, called ‘Joy for Jeilany’ took place in May, where a cavalcade of fire trucks, police cars and hundreds of cars driven by friends, family, teachers and complete strangers drove by the family’s home. Those in their cars honked their horns, dropped off gifts and offered well wishes and support for the first grader and her family.
Just a few days after the parade, organized by the school counselor, Jeilany lost her courageous battle to cancer.
The outpouring of support shown by the community, at the family’s greatest time of need, resonates with me to this day.
I fought back tears covering the parade and can still see Santa Claus waving from inside a city firetruck, as he delivered gifts to the family, while the Ansonia High School band played tunes and the AHS cheerleaders performed cheers to raise the family’s spirits.
The event demonstrated how big a heart Ansonia and its people have, despite any differences, when it comes to rallying for one of their own.
1. Let Roman Play
One of the last stories I wrote in 2022 was about an Ansonia boy named Roman Moore. Roman, 11, has pretty much become a household name around the Valley and beyond.
For Roman, basketball is life, but he also loves math and engineering, so his parents opted to send the 6th grader to a magnet school in West Haven, rather than his hometown school, Ansonia Middle School. Magnet schools offer specialized curriculum that often times public schools cannot.
Because the magnet school Roman attends doesn’t offer sports, Roman still wanted to play, and his parents learned he’d be able to try out for the AMS team. Roman easily survived three rounds of tryouts and was told by the AMS coach that he not only made the team, but he was one of only two 6th graders to do so.
However, the day after the coach told Roman he made the team, Roman’s parents were told their boy was cut, not because his skills weren’t on point, but because Roman was a magnet school student. AMS Principal Peter Colaccino had pointed out that about 70 students tried out for 15 spots, so it didn’t seem fair to have a student who doesn’t attend the school play on the team.
Long story short, there are no rules or polices in place — from the CIAC or the Ansonia Board of Education — that governs middle school sports. Ansonia’s school handbook leaves the decision up to the school principal when it comes to whether students who attend school outside the district can play on home teams.
Roman’s parents pleaded with the school board in December to reconsider the principal’s decision to cut Roman but were sidelined when the board opted to uphold the administration’s decision. Roman and his parents left the meeting in tears. An online petition to “Let Roman Play” has been signed by more than 5,000 supporters, and the family is still holding out hope that Roman can ultimately play for Ansonia.
At the very least, if Ansonia never allows Roman to play, some definitive rules and regulations should be devised by school leaders to avoid another sad situation like this.
Happy 2023 everyone and thanks for reading!
Jean Falbo-Sosnovich is a freelance writer for The Valley Indy with more than 25 years of experience in Connecticut journalism, including decades at The New Haven Register. In 2022 she won a first place breaking news award from the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists for her work covering a shooting in Ansonia.
