Date: Fri 14-Nov-1997

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Road-Tydes-Sprung-Renard-Chat

Full Text:

ON THE ROAD FOR NOVEMBER 14, 1997

The Chat House, at 49 Church Hill Road in Newtown (formerly Sharon's Coffee &

Tea), has begun presenting live entertainment on a nearly weekly basis again.

Recent performances by RENARD BOISSIERE, a jazz and blues performer, and ROGER

SPRUNG, an incredibly talented bluegrass player living right here in town,

have been popular events. The coffee house preents live music in the intimate

atmosphere of its building, with lots of coffee and drink choices (all

non-alcohol, and in a smoke-free environment), along with snacks. Also

available now is a dinner package, after 6 pm any night of a performance.

Admission to shows is nominal, usually less than $5... Boissiere's shows have

been $2 each, Roger Sprung's was $3, a bargain by any means.

Upcoming shows at The Chat House include the Chat House debut tonight (Nov 14)

of TREBLEHOOK, a primarily acoustic trio that performs original material and

that of others. RENARD BOISSIERE returns November 21, and ROGER SPRUNG has

been added for a December 6 return.

This weekend, The Chat House will officially present its grand opening

celebration. Radio station I-95 FM will be broadcasting live from the Church

Hill Road coffeehouse from 2-3 pm, at least, on Saturday afternoon.

The RIC OCASEK show at Toad's Place Monday night (Nov 17) is all ages. Also at

Toad's, for those who feel Thanksgiving is a terribly underrated holiday - in

the shadow of the commercialized Christmas (like my dear grandparents) - the

New Haven club has created a new holiday, complete with party: the Eve of

Thanksgiving Dance Party, November 26.

In December, THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS will make another return to Toad's,

with a show on the 11th. Cobolt Rhythm Kings will open.

BOX THE COMPASS has a pair of shows coming up in the area, the first of which

is tonight. The duo will be at Bassetts Coffee House in Brookfield (Route 7,

at the Four Corners). Then on November 28, John and Grant will be performing

at the Bank Street Coffee House in New Milford. I don't need to give you the

street address for that one, do I?

When BENNY HARRISON performs next week at Tuxedo Junction, area fans will have

the chance to appear in Harrison's "live" music video, which he will be

shooting Tuesday night for broadcast on VH-1 and MTV. Harrison has been

quietly preparing for his debut solo CD, slated for release around the first

of the year. The singer-songwriter has created a following based on previous

performances with the likes of COREY GLOVER, PAUL SHAFER, SLASH, PETER CRISS,

MICHAEL McDONALD and CYNDI LAUPER, among many. Now he is ready to be out on

his own.

The November 18 show should be getting underway around 9 pm. Tickets are $5 in

advance, $7 at the door; call Tuxedo Junction, 748-2561, for details.

Speaking of Tuxedo Junction, local band MIND TYDES has landed itself another

opening spot at the Danbury club. The guys will be opening for the GILBY CLARK

show Wednesday, November 19. Doors open at 8, Mind Tydes are scheduled to be

on the stage at 8:30. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door.

Until next week, I'll be seeing you... on the road.

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Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Date: Fri 14-Nov-1997

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