Senior services for Newtown seniors are available at the Multi-Purpose Building on Riverside Road in Sandy Hook. The Senior Center is under the auspices of The Commission on Aging. The center is run by the Senior Services Director, Marilyn Place. For

By SHANNON HICKS

Published: Jul 22, 2005 12:00 am

Senior services for Newtown seniors are available at the Multi-Purpose Building on Riverside Road in Sandy Hook. The Senior Center is under the auspices of The Commission on Aging. The center is run by the Senior Services Director, Marilyn Place. For more information about programs offered at the Senior Center call 270-4310.

You may drop in at the Senior Center on Riverside Road in Sandy Hook weekdays between 10 am and 4 pm. A hot meal is served at noon for which you must reserve three days in advance.

Newtown has daily door-to-door mini-bus service Monday through Friday. Buses also run all day from the senior center to Sand Hill Plaza. On Fridays, the bus alternates between rides to Danbury Fair Mall and Berkshire Plaza in Danbury (to Wal*Mart Route 6). Cost is 65Â¢ each way for the Sand Hill Plaza trip, 75Â¢ each way for out of town. Call 748-2511 TWO DAYS IN ADVANCE to book a ride and get the out-of-town Friday schedule.

This Weekâs Programs

*Join us for our next round of BEAT THE HEAT BINGO on Wednesday, July 27.

Too hot for you outside? Come in for lunch at noon (donât forget to make an advance reservation) and then join us for some great games of Bingo.

News For Week of

June 25-29

*Recently announced trips available for Newtownâs senior citizens include a day trip to EXPERIENCE THE DUCKS IN BOSTON on Wednesday, August 3. Cost for this trip is $80, and departure is 7:45 am.

Lunch will be at Vinny Testaâs, and then enjoy an afternoon in an authentic renovated WWII amphibious landing vehicle for an on-land-and-water tour of the historic city.

*Casinos more to your liking?

Newtown seniors are invited to MOHEGAN SUN AND CRUISE, an outing planned for Tuesday, August 16. Enjoy several hours of gaming at your own pace, and then enjoy a 90-minute cruise during the afternoon on a Seapony LLC boat.

Cost is $42, which includes a $20 casino bonus, two $5 pull tabs, the cruise and even a voucher for the casinoâs buffet. Departure from Sandy Hook will be at 7:15 am.

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REMINDERS: Municipal Agent ANN PICCINI VISITS the senior center on Thursday mornings from 10 until noon to help with Conn Pace, medical information and Title 19 issues you may be having. Call ahead or just stop in to talk with someone who can help you figure your way through these sometimes confusing subjects.

If you canât catch up with Ann during one of her visits at the senior center, try reaching her at her office at 3 Main Street (below the police department). Call her there at 270-4330.

*Also on Thursdays, Newtownâs seniors are invited to stop by between 2 and 3 pm to have their pictures taken and to fill out pertinent information that will be stored in the glovebox of your car, all of which is part of the new NEWTOWN YELLOW DOT PROGRAM.

This is a Triad Project that will help save lives, and itâs the first project of its kind in our state. The project consists of an information card and a yellow dot sticker that is affixed to your car window. In the event of an emergency, first responders can identify the vehicle as being part of the Yellow Dot Program and will look for the information in an envelope inside your car, saving time and supplying life saving information. The project is a partnership between the communityâs senior citizens, Peopleâs Bank and Newtown Police Department.

*Not doing anything in early August? Why not spend a few days on a SARATOGA RACING TRIP?

Newtown seniors are invited for an overnight trip to one of the Northeastâs premier destinations, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Cost is $209 per person/twin, $199/triple or $269/single. Enjoy reserved seats at Saratoga Racetrack, an excursion to the summit of prospect Mountain, a narrated cruise of Lake George and an overnight stay at Queensbury Hotel.

Visit the senior center for full details or to make a reservation.

*In the fall a trip is also in the works for FALMOUTH AND MARTHAâS VINEYARD, September 7-9, including a cruise on the Cape Cod Canal and overnight accommodations at The Shoreline Acres Resort ($369/single, $469/double or $359/triple).

Stop by the senior center for a full listing of this yearâs trips, and details for any of the outings.

Menu For Week of

July 25-29

Reservations must be made one or two days in advance.

Meals are subject to change.

Monday, July 25: Sweet & sour boneless chicken, rice, Oriental blend vegetables, whole wheat bread, mandarin oranges;

Tuesday, July 26: Buttercrumb fish with lemon, baked potato, sour cream, fresh zucchini, oatmeal bread, diet fruited Jell-O with topping;

Wednesday: Minestrone soup, unsalted crackers, Swedish meatballs, egg noodles, green beans, wheat dinner roll, fresh fruit;

Thursday: Sliced turkey with gravy, sweet potato pone, peas and onions, rye bread, cranberry sauce, birthday cake;

Friday: Chefâs salad plate (turkey, ham, half of a hard-boiled egg, lettuce and tomato), French dressing, Portuguese roll, cranberry juice, strawberry shortcake with topping.

Activities Schedule,

July 25-29

Monday: AM Bridge, yoga, exercise; PM chorus group;

Tuesday: AM Pinochle, country-western line dancing; PM bowling (at Brookfield Lanes), potluck dinner;

Wednesday: AM Pinochle, exercise; PM Beat the Heat Bingo;

Thursday: AM Pinochle, hatha yoga class, Municipal Agent visits, mah jongg lessons; PM bowling (at Brookfield Lanes), TRIAD/Yellow Dot photos taken;

Friday: AM advanced mah jongg, sewing, quilting; PM knitting.

Â Remember, you must call at least one day in advance to book a meal or a ride, 270-4310; the Senior Bus, 748-2511.

Patricia Anzellotti

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It seems a lot of the discussion around the flagpole focuses on vilifying drivers who pass on the right, but the real issue is being overlooked. If Chapter 248 Section 14-251 were enforced, we wouldn’t see this problem to begin with. That statute prohibits stopping in the middle of a roadway to yield to cross traffic—as so often happens with cars waiting to turn from Church Hill. When vehicles stop illegally in the travel lane, they effectively create a blockage. Other drivers then either sit through unnecessary delays or carefully pass around them on the right, which is fully permitted when the vehicle ahead is “illegally parked” in the roadway. Instead of punishing drivers reacting to the obstruction, enforcement should focus on the cause: vehicles unlawfully stopping and backing up traffic in the first place. If that behavior were addressed, the need to “go around” would largely disappear.

Borough Board of Burgesses Continues Traffic Safety Discussion

John, you raise an important point — these situations are tragic, complicated, and often far less clear-cut than the headlines make them seem. In the Fredericksburg case, the full facts still aren’t publicly known, and like so many of these stories, there’s conflicting information. It was apparently the back door at 3 a.m. — was it justified to use deadly force? We don’t know yet. What we do know is that the homeowner has been charged, and as you rightly noted, that is very serious. But this is also where perspective matters. These cases are quickly sensationalized in the news and on social media, yet when the dust settles, the outcomes are rarely publicized. People forget that in our system, you are innocent until proven guilty. Try to find much coverage of the convication in the case of the Fairfield Realtor vehicle homicide, or updates on the woman who shot her husband a couple of Christmases ago, or even the pedestrian death in Sandy Hook a year or so back. The follow-through simply isn’t there, and public opinion is often shaped only by the first round of headlines. At the end of the day, these situations remind us how split-second decisions in the middle of the night can change lives forever — which is exactly why the right to protect one’s property, home and family is so fiercely debated, and lucky constitutionally protected.

Late Night Prank Gone Wrong

First the low hanging fruit. Dave; it was a joke, please get over it. You are the only person in Newtown that thought I really wanted to build a stadium on 6 Commence Rd. Now on to Alex. You might not appreciate my writing style or my selection of words, but let's not loose sight of the fact that by responding to my letter in the manner that you did, you have removed any doubt whatsoever that you have no idea of the quantifiable benefits you are dismissing not only for the town, but also for protesters. Either you stopped listening at the word "ordinance" or you never started.. Your constitutional rights to assemble were never in question and would actually be strengthened and there would be literally no impediments. We could even title it "The Alex Villamil Ordinance" if you want. It could be your legacy and actually show Newtown your willingness to work in a bipartisan way for the betterment of the town. Businesses would be protected. Traffic wouldn't be interrupted. The town would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in police overtime. And maybe most importantly, the town could prevent another tragedy while mitigating legal risk in the event something terrible happens at a protest. Nothing bad could never happen in Newtown right? All that could be accomplished by a simple, non-intrusive ordinance unless all the detriments to our town are intentional in order to bring more attention to your cause. Alex, this was not me throwing a temper tantrum. Believe me, you will know it if that happens. I am just putting Newtown first. From that perspective, if you think critically, the regulation is necessary. It makes sense logically, rationally, and is reasonable. There is absolutely no down side. None. I would be willing to sit down with you to see if we could come to some type of compromise if you want. Let me know. You would be amazed how much you can accomplish when there is dialogue amongst neighbors.

It’s About Dialogue Amongst Neighbors — Not Regulation

A popular prank circulating on TikTok is “ding-dong-ditch” where a group of young people violently bang or kick someone’s door late at night and then “ditch” or run. On May 3 three high schoolers here in Fredericksburg Va. were participating in such a prank. One homeowner assumed, as in this case, an attempted break in and also took measures to defend his family and property. As the youths were running away he fired, striking an 18 year old graduating senior in the back killing him and seriously injuring a second youth. A wasted life, a family shattered, and the homeowner charged with murder.

You’re absolutely right — no one should ever feel unsafe in their own home. Being startled awake by violent banging at your door late at night is no joke, and it’s a stark reminder that danger can come without warning. That’s why I’m thankful for the right to protect ourselves, our families, and our property. In a moment like that, you don’t get a second chance to call for help before you act — you have to be prepared. Our homes should be a place of peace, not fear, and the ability to defend them is a right worth safeguarding.

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Senior services for Newtown seniors are available at the Multi-Purpose Building on Riverside Road in Sandy Hook. The Senior Center is under the auspices of The Commission on Aging. The center is run by the Senior Services Director, Marilyn Place. For

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