Date: Fri 07-Jun-1996

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Glorydays-June-6-1996

Full Text:

Glorydays - June 7, 1996

This week in 1991

NHS sophomores Amy Beer and Maureen McGovern ripped off three NHS school track

and field records at the CIAC post-season meets. Beer broke the school record

in the high hurdles with a time of 16.1 at Class L's and then broke the record

in the 800 meters with a time of 2:24.05 that placed her second. Five days

later at State Opens Beer ran a 2:23.74 in the 800 to better her own bench

mark. McGovern broke her older sister Katie's record in the mile when she

turned in a 5:16.6 to place third in Class L. McGovern's 11:22.12 in the 3200

meters turned out to be the second-best time ever in NHS history.

This week in 1986

NHS class of 79 grad, Steve Kordish, was released from the Texas Rangers'

Class A affiliate in Salem, Virginia, with a pitching record of 1-2. Kordish,

who had been suffering from pain in pitching arm, then decided to retire from

the game. Two years earlier Kordish had thrown a no-hitter at AA Tulsa before

his arm problems began. He had earned the team's " best-pitcher " award during

his four-year career at Princeton University, and had earlier (as a junior)

pitched the only perfect game in Newtown High School history. His ERA junior

year at NHS was 0.09 over 77 innings and his career pitching record at NHS,

26-3.

This week in 1981

NHS boys' tennis coach Norm Westlake and Weston coach Bob LaRoche deliberately

rescheduled their teams' first-singles match for the end of the meet that

would decide the WCC Championship. With Weston ahead 2-1 (five matches

deciding the outcome) Newtown's second-doubles team of Ron Roman and John

Feeley rallied from down 0-3 in the deciding third set - survived three game,

set and match points - and won on triple match point in their 12th game to

even the day's ledger at 2-2. Newtown's number-one player Woody Freeman then

wasted no time in defeating Peter Schaper in straight sets to bring the

Indians their first WCC title in ten years.

This week in 1976

The Brakettes of the Newtown Girls' Softball League's Junior Division improved

to 8-1 on the season as the blanked the Lionettes 9-0 in a battle for first

place in the league. Kelly Botsford pitched the shutout with help from battery

mate Jennifer Boyce. Louisa Ruffles made a spectacular catch to help preserve

the shutout. Leanne Michaud was the losing pitcher in the game.

This week in 1971

The NHS boys' tennis team finished its season undefeated at 12-0 and clinched

the WCC Championship with an absolute 5-0 shutout of Immculate. Newtown won

all five matches by 6-0 scores.

On the season Newtown racked up a total of nine shutouts and were 53-5 in

total matches played. The second undefeated tennis team in school history was

led by Charlie Jacobi (10-1), Gary Leavitt (10-2), and Paul Miles (11-1) in

singles, and Larry Derringer/ Steve Gleason (11-1), and Rich Schoen/ Carl

Berquist (11-0) in doubles.

This week in 1966

The Newtown Kiwanis Club held its annual sports banquet in the Newtown High

School cafeteria and handed out its yearly awards to outstanding NHS athletes.

The night's big winner was Jim Glover who received Most Valuable Player

trophys for soccer, basketball, and baseball. Rich Berglund won the VFW Award

while Wayne Hartman was the recipient of the Harold DeGroat Award.

This week in 1961

Doug Jeffrey stroked a pair of doubles and Pete Lynwander added one as well as

the Bombers defeated the Sandy Hook Firemen 9-1 in Newtown Recreation Softball

League play. Les Burroughs and Norm Anderson handled the pitching chores for

the winners.

This week in 1956

Tommy Gann came on in relief of Bobby Wilkes in the first inning of the

Yankees Newtown Little League season opener against the Dodgers and struck out

16 men to earn the 6-4 win. Gann allowed a two-run homer to losing pitcher

Bill Christie, but was unhittable otherwise. Newtown First Selectman Edward J

Coleman threw out the first pitch of the season after league president Richard

Winshop made a speech to the crowd of over 200 spectators.

Nighthawk Track And Field Teams Host Meet

New Heights Vacation Bible School Returning

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

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 07-Jun-1996

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