Occupation: I am a personal trainer and have been the owner of Karen's Fitness Studio for the past year and a half. I have been a trainer for nine years and an aerobics instructor for 17 years. I am certified through the Aerobics and Fitness Associ

By JAN HOWARD

Published: Feb 27, 2001 12:00 am

Occupation: I am a personal trainer and have been the owner of Karenâs Fitness Studio for the past year and a half. I have been a trainer for nine years and an aerobics instructor for 17 years. I am certified through the Aerobics and Fitness Association and National Academy of Sports Medicine. I started an aerobics business 17 years ago in Canada. I do group weight training, which is a wonderful way to work out. I specialize in womenâs weight training. I will be discussing the benefits of fitness training at the Business and Professional Womenâs club meeting March 5 at the Inn at Newtown.

How Long in Newtown: I have lived in Newtown for six and a half years. Previously, I lived in Rochester, N.Y., for four years. I was born and grew up in Canada.

Â Biggest Change Seen in Town: Overcrowding, and the open land is being used up. Traffic.

Family: My husband, Brian, and I have been married for 24 years. We have four children: Keegan, 20, a junior at the University of Connecticut; Travis, 17, a senior at Newtown High School; Amber, 14, an eighth grader at the Middle School; and Sheena, 8, who attends Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Pets: We have a dog, Raina; a cat, Thunder; two rabbits; and a canary.

Hobbies: Most of my hobbies are related to my work. Iâm a runner, work out, and enjoy hiking with my family. I also like to work with other people, such as for an upcoming race at Danbury Fair Mall to benefit the Good Friends program. We meet and train for it together. Some people will run it, others will walk it. I also do kidsâ things, such as attend their sports events and other activities.

Favorite Books and Authors: I do try to keep up with the latest on fitness, but I also like to read for pleasure. Iâve enjoyed reading the Harry Potter books with my daughter. I also enjoy reading books by Barbara Kingsolver.

Favorite TV Show: I donât watch TV. When I do, I watch Alligator Hunter with my daughter. It gives you a good appreciation of reptiles.

Organizations: I belong to an investment club and help lead a youth group at my church, Newtown Congregational Church.

Most Vivid Memory of Newtown: The Christmas tree lighting. Itâs a simple, pleasurable thing to see the tree lighted up.

Favorite Vacation Spot: Disney World and places that have hiking.

Personal Philosophy: My philosophy is the same as I have for my studio. I always say you should be the best you can be, and accept yourself as who you are.

SNAPSHOT

WITH PHOTOGRAPH

KAREN FINLAYSON

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My darling, You were the best GRANDmother a child could ask for. You created so many great memories & traditions that I have passed down to your Great grandchildren. You brought joy into every room you stepped into. Your laughter, singing, whistling and the signature Rockettes high kicks, is something I will always hold in my heart. There was something about walking into your home and being greeted by your beautiful face. *kiss on each check* followed by HELLOOOOOO Darling! The classical music playing softly in the background and your love and comfort made your home, a safe space. Somewhere, where love knew no boundaries. It was so much more than a home. I aim for the same in my home, and play the classic music 24/7, but it will never be the same. I pray I can be 1/4 of GRAND, you put in GRANDmother. You were so resilient. You found the positive in every situation. I look up to you so much. I remember begging Mom and Dad for years to change my name to “Carmen”. They didn’t officially change my name, but eventually started calling me “Carmenita” as I am a little you. THE HONOR. You were there for me, no matter the day or hour. You were always the one who would talk me through whatever hard situation I was going through. When my baby passed away, I refused to talk to anyone for 3 weeks. Except for you. You said to me “Better days are coming, babes. There’s always a rainbow after the storm”. Of course, you were right, because you are GRAND. I picture you in heaven dancing and laughing with him. Uncle Jay playing the money game with him. To know you are with your children again & with mine does bring me some joy. Twas the night before Christmas & New Year’s Eve, will never be the same. Another tradition you created. A memory that will last forever. Not just with me, but for generations to come. It may not be the same, but we won’t let it die. It will live on, in your name. To be your first GRANDchild was a blessing. I could write an entire book about you & all the amazing things about you. Even though we were robbed of time together & it makes me angry, I know I will see you again. This isn’t a goodbye, but a “see you later”. Just like we ended every phone call. Ciao, darling. I love you. MWAH MWAH! Love your GRANDchild, Kimberly aka Carmenita

Carmen Accashian

Unfortunately, I think this is likely to get worse, not better... Based on both public comments and private conversations, I’m increasingly concerned that our newly elected First Selectman intends not just to install these cameras, but to expand their use for full-blown enforcement and fines. Try getting a straight answer out of him about the long-term plan and you quickly realize how vague the responses become. Tyler is absolutely right to raise the privacy issue. These systems don’t just “catch speeders” — they quietly build a database of where we drive, when we drive, and who is in our vehicles. Once that infrastructure is in place, it becomes very easy to justify expanding its scope: more cameras, more locations, more uses, and eventually more automated enforcement. If Newtown is going down this road, residents deserve clear, written answers to some basic questions before anything is expanded: What limits will be placed on how and where cameras are used? Will footage and plate data be used only for speed enforcement, or for other investigations too? How long will data be stored, and who can access it? What safeguards will prevent vendors and individuals from abusing this information? Without firm, enforceable rules in place, “just a few cameras to slow traffic” can turn into something very different over time. I support safe roads — but not at the cost of unchecked surveillance and vague promises from our leaders. You try getting straight answers out of our First Selectman, myself and others have not been able to...

Discusses Traffic Cameras

I had to hold back a laugh at the idea that 7:30 pm is apparently such a late-night hardship that we’re already talking about moving meetings earlier. For a lot of residents, 7:30 is the earliest they can realistically get to Town Hall after work, family obligations, and the rest of real life. Shifting BOS meetings to 7:00 might make the calendar look tidier for those in the building, but it makes participation harder for the people who pay for the building. If the new First Selectman’s week is already booked solid and evening meetings feel like a strain, that’s not a reason to move the goalposts on public access—it's a reminder that the job is supposed to be demanding. Public service means accommodating the public, even when it’s inconvenient.

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Real people were just in a frightening car accident. To immediately frame their misfortune as rhetorical ammunition against new housing — affordable housing included — feels less like concern for “health and safety” and more like opportunistically using a scary moment to support a pre-existing position. If we’re going to debate this proposal, we should do it honestly: with data on traffic volume, accident history, engineering recommendations, and the town’s housing needs, not by seizing on a single crash as proof that 300 apartments are inherently unsafe. Newtown deserves a thoughtful, fact-based conversation about growth, safety, and affordability — one that doesn’t turn other people’s bad day into a political talking point.

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To add context that did not occur at the meeting would not be an accurate representation of the meeting and would, in fact, be editorializing to shape public opinion. The editorial staff here do not consider ourselves to be final arbiters of what the truth is (and if we did, it would make us partisan and biased), and we would need to provide a source for any dissenting information (sourcing all information in an article is literally Journalism 101). There were no such sources present at the meeting in question, and so it would not be appropriate to include such information in an article about the meeting. Dissenting voices appear in meeting stories when there were active participants with dissenting opinions, such as during public participation or the words of a council member who disagreed. It should be noted that the Interfaith Council, like many local boards and commissions, conduct meetings that are open to the public. This was not an article on the actions of the Greater Danbury Area Unites for Immigrants, or on immigrants, or on ICE's actions in the community, where including other voices or perspectives would be appropriate. We appreciate your opinion, but we stand by our meeting coverage and consider this discussion closed.

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Occupation: I am a personal trainer and have been the owner of Karen's Fitness Studio for the past year and a half. I have been a trainer for nine years and an aerobics instructor for 17 years. I am certified through the Aerobics and Fitness Associ

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