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.

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"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.