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‘Color Our World With Hope’ Filled Newtown With Music, Meaning, And Community Impact

Dancers from Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet & Voice participated in the concert, too. —Bee Photos, Glass

Silver Alert For Blue McGrath Ended

Cargo Van Driver Taken To Hospital Following Collision With Gas Tanker

Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Engineer John Moore sweeps debris from South Main Street after the truck in the background collided with a van around midday April 30. Local police and an ambulance crew also responded to the crash, which caused delays on the state road for two hours. —Bee Photos, Hicks

Council Cuts $471k From Town, $400k From Schools

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News

Cargo Van Driver Taken To Hospital Following Collision With Gas Tanker

A section of South Main Street was down to one lane of alternating traffic for approximately two hours late last week after the operator of a cargo van stopped the vehicle in front of a full size gas tanker.

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Newtown Cultural Arts Commission Grant Application Deadline Approaching

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Absentee Ballots Available For May 19 Referendum

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Council Cuts $471k From Town, $400k From Schools

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Juvenile At The Wheel Of Vehicle That Crashed Into Utility Pole

Features

Dancers from Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet & Voice participated in the concert, too. —Bee Photos, Glass

‘Color Our World With Hope’ Filled Newtown With Music, Meaning, And Community Impact

Families United in Newtown hosted its annual benefit concert and raised $15,000 for Autism Research Foundation.

Features

The Way We Were

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Top Of The Mountain

Features

Theater Review: No Weak Links In Farnol’s Gripping, Fast-Paced ‘King Lear’

Features

Theater Review: Already A Theater Staple, ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ Is Exhilarating At Goodspeed

Sports

Kieran Garrity delivers a pitch for the Nighthawks this spring. —Bee Photos, Hutchison

Nighthawk Baseball Team Beats Conference Opponents

Newtown beats Bunnell, Brookfield, and Notre Dame Prep, coming from behind in thriller at Fairfield Hills.

Sports

Late Goal By Ruddy Lifts Nighthawk Lacrosse Team To Victory, Showcases Chemistry In Midfield

Sports

Draw Dominance, Transition Game Lift Boys' Lacrosse Team To Lopsided Wins

Sports

Cordova's 200th Career Strikeout Highlights Softball Team's Win

Sports

Tennis Teams Earn Wins

Today's Events

Events for

MOTHER’S DAY

May 10, 2026 12:00 am

"The Shadow Box" performance

May 10, 2026 02:00 pm

Matinee performance of "King Lear" (TheatreWorks New Milford)

May 10, 2026 02:00 pm

“Here’s To Painting”

May 11, 2026 08:30 am - 04:30 pm

"Small Things" by Lily Mac Hugh

May 11, 2026 09:30 am - 08:00 pm

54th SCAN Juried Art Show & Sale

May 11, 2026 10:00 am - 06:00 pm

Second Monday Book Club

May 11, 2026 11:00 am

Newtown Bridge Club Open & Limited Games

May 11, 2026 12:30 pm - 03:30 pm

Glass & Sass: Jewelry Making Workshop

May 11, 2026 06:00 pm - 08:00 pm

Glass & Sass: Jewelry Making Workshop

May 11, 2026 06:00 pm - 08:00 pm

Canning 101

May 11, 2026 06:30 pm - 08:30 pm

Board of Finance hybrid meeting (agenda posted)

May 11, 2026 07:30 pm

“Here’s To Painting”

May 12, 2026 08:30 am - 04:30 pm

"Small Things" by Lily Mac Hugh

May 12, 2026 09:30 am - 08:00 pm

54th SCAN Juried Art Show & Sale

May 12, 2026 10:00 am - 06:00 pm

Western Council of Government Technical Advisory Group meeting

May 12, 2026 11:00 am

Newtown Bridge Club Open & Limited Games

May 12, 2026 12:30 pm - 03:30 pm

Poetry reading by Nancy K. Crevier

May 12, 2026 01:00 pm - 02:00 pm

Legislative Council Transportation Committee meeting (agenda posted)

May 12, 2026 05:00 pm

Northern Fairfield Professionals: “Your LinkedIn Profile and AI”

May 12, 2026 05:30 pm - 08:00 pm

**CANCELED** C.H. Booth Library Development Committee meeting

May 12, 2026 06:00 pm

Medicare 101 (virtual program)

May 12, 2026 06:00 pm - 08:00 pm

Parks & Recreation Commission meeting (agenda posted)

May 12, 2026 06:00 pm

Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers meeting

May 12, 2026 06:30 pm

“The Eight Habits of Love”

May 12, 2026 07:00 pm

C.H. Booth Library Board of Trustees meeting

May 12, 2026 07:00 pm

Golden Hour Hike

May 12, 2026 07:00 pm - 08:30 pm

Borough Board of Burgesses meeting (agenda posted)

May 12, 2026 07:30 pm

Borough of Newtown Budget meeting (agenda posted)

May 12, 2026 07:30 pm

Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Board of Trustees meeting

May 12, 2026 07:30 pm

Special Editions

Home & Garden Spring 2026

Guide To Newtown 2026

Holiday Gift Guide 2025

For Better Health - Fall 2025

Home & Garden Fall 2025

Back-To-School 2025

For Better Health - Spring 2025

The Newtown Bee's Special Edition, 12/14/12

‘Color Our World With Hope’ Filled Newtown With Music, Meaning, And Community Impact

Nighthawk Baseball Team Beats Conference Opponents

Late Goal By Ruddy Lifts Nighthawk Lacrosse Team To Victory, Showcases Chemistry In Midfield

Reed Intermediate Presents Sold-Out Performances Of 'Willy Wonka Jr'

Draw Dominance, Transition Game Lift Boys' Lacrosse Team To Lopsided Wins

Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

The ‘Me’ Generation

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‘Color Our World With Hope’ Filled Newtown With Music, Meaning, And Community Impact

Silver Alert For Blue McGrath Ended

Cargo Van Driver Taken To Hospital Following Collision With Gas Tanker

Council Cuts $471k From Town, $400k From Schools

Cargo Van Driver Taken To Hospital Following Collision With Gas Tanker

Newtown Cultural Arts Commission Grant Application Deadline Approaching

Absentee Ballots Available For May 19 Referendum

Council Cuts $471k From Town, $400k From Schools

Juvenile At The Wheel Of Vehicle That Crashed Into Utility Pole

‘Color Our World With Hope’ Filled Newtown With Music, Meaning, And Community Impact

The Way We Were

Top Of The Mountain

Theater Review: No Weak Links In Farnol’s Gripping, Fast-Paced ‘King Lear’

Theater Review: Already A Theater Staple, ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ Is Exhilarating At Goodspeed

Nighthawk Baseball Team Beats Conference Opponents

Late Goal By Ruddy Lifts Nighthawk Lacrosse Team To Victory, Showcases Chemistry In Midfield

Draw Dominance, Transition Game Lift Boys' Lacrosse Team To Lopsided Wins

Cordova's 200th Career Strikeout Highlights Softball Team's Win

Tennis Teams Earn Wins

Home & Garden Spring 2026

Guide To Newtown 2026

Holiday Gift Guide 2025

For Better Health - Fall 2025

Home & Garden Fall 2025

Back-To-School 2025

For Better Health - Spring 2025

The Newtown Bee's Special Edition, 12/14/12