Children's Programs

By SHANNON HICKS

Published: Jul 29, 2005 12:00 am

Childrenâs Programs

*Summer Reading 2005: Our summer reading program was launched in June and is now ongoing through August 20.

Children ages 4 through grade 5 may sign up to participate in our independent reading program anytime during the eight-week period. Incentives will be given for every five books or every 50 pages read.

Young adult volunteers are available during all library open hours to listen to the childrenâs reading reports.

*PJ Story Time: PJ Story Time is an evening program of stories, songs and a puppet show for children ages 3-7. The program begins at 6:30 pm in the libraryâs main meeting room on the following dates: July 27, August 3, August 10 and August 17.

No registration is required, but PJs and blankets are encouraged.

Young Adults

*Visit the Young Adult Area under the bicycle all summer for fliers and new information on all our programs! Preference is given to Newtown residents.

Information is also available online at www.biblio.org/YAWebspot/

*YA Archaeology: Join Town Historian Dan Cruson for âArchaeologists: Detectives of The Pastâ on Tuesday, August 2, at 1 pm.

This is a two-part, hands-on program for those entering grades 5-9 and their parents.

In Part 1, at the library, participants will see slides and handle tools and artifacts from a real dig. Mr Cruson will help us look at evidence to figure out what might have happened in the past.

In Part 2, the group will drive to nearby Putnam Park for a tour of a dig site at this Revolutionary WarÂ encampment.

This program is part of the âWe Dig Summer Readingâ program at the library this summer.

Call the library or sign up in person at the main floor circulation desk.

*Make Your Own Comic Book: On Monday, August 1, from 1 to 3 pm, join Vince Giarrano as he shows us how to take our ideas and turn them into a original comic book including artwork, story line and lettering.

There is no charge for this workshop, but space is limited to 15 participants. The program is for ages 10 and up (rising grades 5-12). Sign up in person or just give the library a call.

Adult Programs

*A Gentle Reminder: Summer is here and weâre all traveling a little lighter, but if you want to check out books please make sure you bring your library card with you when you visit the library.

Thanks!

*Tercentennial Weekend Kickoff Celebration: All are invited to enjoy a free concert by the local jazz band The Bearcats, who will be performing on Friday, August 5, at 7 pm.

Bring a picnic dinner and your neighbors for an evening of great music.

In the event of rain the concert will be moved into the meeting room of the library.

This concert, which is the final one in the libraryâs 2005 concert series, will serve as a musical kick-off to the birthday events for Newtown being presented on August 6 at Fairfield Hills. The concert is being sponsored by The Tercentennial Committee.

*A Passport to Newtownâs Past: On Saturday, July 30, from 10 am to 2 pm, the public is invited to a kick-off reception for the photographic exhibit, âPassport to Newtownâs Past.â

The collection will be presented during August in the libraryâs lower meeting room.

The exhibit, which features images from the Newtown Historical Images Archive of daily life in Newtown during the late 1800s through the mid 1900s, is sponsored by The Friends of the Library. The archive is a project of Newtown Historical Society.

*Historical Dance & Music: Patricia Campbell and The Reel Thing will present a participatory social dance repertoire, âHistorical Dance and Music in Newtown,â featuring dance and music selections of New England from the early 18th through early 19th centuries.

The free program will be in the meeting room from 2:30 until 3:30 on Saturday July 30, immediately following the reception for âPassport to Newtownâs Past.â

*Books Back Under The Big Tent: The 30th Annual Labor Day Book Sale will be held at Fairfield Hills this year.

Watch for more details!

*Medicare Prescription Drug Plan: On Thursday, August 11, at 7 pm, Eric Freedman will be at the library to discuss the new Prescription Drug Plan.

Beginning January 1, new Medicare prescription drug plans will be available to people with Medicare. Insurance companies and other private companies will work with Medicare to offer these drug plans. They will negotiate discounts on drug prices.

This talk will be full of good information to help you make a decision on the coverage that works best for you.

Please call the library at 426-4533 to let us know if you plan on attending.

C.H. Booth Library, at 25 Main Street, can be reached at 426-4533.

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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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Children's Programs

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