Date: Fri 06-Oct-1995

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Glorydays-October-6-1995

Full Text:

This week in 1990

The Newtown High School boys' cross country team won its state-best

50th-consecutive meet as it edged Weston, 28-31. Weston runners Mike Metzger

and Todd DeLuca placed first and second at the race, but Newtown's Eric Zolner

and Dan Shea copped third and fourth while teammates Kevin Bunt, Todd Blake,

and John Andrews filled in with points for sixth, seventh, and eighth and

Newtown runners Jason Zimmerman and Andy Bria took ninth and tenth holding

Weston out of the points. Newtown improved to 6-0 on the season with the

victory as well.

This week in 1985

Bob Bixby, Mark Barresi, and Kris Svensson scored two goals each as the

Newtown High School boys' soccer team upped its record to 6-0 with a 10-0 win

over Abbott Tech. Dave Rasekh, Jeff Adams, and Dave Johnson also scored while

Tech added an own goal to the rout as well. Frank Schweitzer needed make only

two saves in recording his fifth shutout of the young season.

This week in 1980

Steve Medve played the game of his young life in leading the Newtown Pop

Warner Lions to a 32-14 win over Monroe. Medve accumulated 232 yards of total

offense and scored four touchdowns before he came out of the game at the end

of the third quarter. Joe Bradley scored Newtown's final touchdown after an

80-yard run by Tony Grammatico set it up. Other stars for the Lions on the day

included Glenn Dean, Scott Thoma, Brian Ingram, Mike Dody, and Rick Messinger.

The Lions improved to 2-1-1 with the victory.

This week in 1975

The first volleyball team in Newtown High School history hit the courts under

coach Pam Northrup and co-captains Donna Leavitt and Suzanne Morgan. Other

members of the school's first team included Laurel Reed, Donna Esposto, Sharon

McCarthy, Carol Hensel, Kate Kennedy, Karen Doty, Becky Hannah, Laura Liggins,

Sue Haynos, Corina VanEpps, Kathy Carlson, Judy Scanlon, Mary Mack, Ann

Campbell, Kim Griffith, Debbie Waitt, Eileen Womelsdorff, Joan Cavanaugh,

Donna Shortt, and Marth Nesbit. Bethel, Barlow, New Milford, and Weston

combined with Newtown to make up the entire Western Connecticut Conference.

This week in 1970

The Newtown High School soccer team defeated Masuk 4-0 behind goals by Jerry

Shpunt, Kevin Griffith, Dennis Keane, and Steve Gleason. The win followed up a

tough 1-1 tie against Weston in which Paul Schierloh of Newtown scored on an

unassisted corner kick to bring about a stalemate in the game's final minutes.

Newtown ran its record to 2-1-1 with the two games.

This week in 1965

Newtown High School played its first-ever football game to a 6-6 tie with New

Milford when Vic Stikkel took a pitch left from quarterback Bob McLaughlin

inside the game's final minute, and scored from two yards out. New Milford

almost scored on the game's final play, but Wayne Hartman knocked a Green Wave

ball carrier out of bounds at the five-yard line as time expired. Newtown

rushed for 31 yards as a team in the game and passed for 52. The two were

entered into the league as jayvee programs.

This week in 1960

The NHS field hockey team and coach Ann Anderson opened their new season with

an impressive 7-1 victory over New Milford. Bonnie Mayberry, Janet Nelms, and

Pat Dayton each scored two goals in the game for the Lady Indians while

teammate Abby Kendee came off the bench to score the team's seventh goal.

This week in 1955

Newtown High soccer coach Joe Ozanne named senior center Bob Ryan as his

team's captain. Ryan was known for " his quiet nature and relaxed style of

play, even when under stress. "

This week in 1950

The Hawley High football team opened its season with a 26-19 loss to Bethel

under the lights at Taylor Field. Bob Richmond ran for two touchdowns for

Newtown while Ken Wiser passed to Dan Reardon for a third. Football, as we

know it today, wasn't yet established at NHS - but schools in the Housatonic

Valley Schoolman's League, in which Newtown played, played what they called

six-man football which was a full-contact game in which every player was

eligible to catch the ball.

This week in 1945

Herm Parker bowled a three-game 352 and teammate Earl Meyers rolled a high

no-mark 93 to lead the Owls to a four-point sweep over the Ducks in the

Newtown Duckpin Bowling League. The win put the Owls into first place ahead of

the Eagles, Swans, Crows, Robins, Bluebirds, Ducks, and Buzzards.

Next HRRA Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Event Scheduled In Newtown

Genealogy Club's Next Program To Dig Into 'Dissecting A Civil War Pension Record'

Choral Society Planning ‘Voices Of America’ Performance

Newtown Earth Day Festival Was A Success

Local Fourth Grader To Host ‘Gaming For Change’ On May 16

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

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Date: Fri 06-Oct-1995

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