Date: Fri 18-Jul-1997

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Kettletown-Hop-Brook-programs

Full Text:

SIDEBARS FOR KETTLETOWN PROGRAMS STORY (Hop Brook & Kettletown programs)

Kettletown Programs

The following programs are being presented as part of the 1997 Summer

Interpretive Series at Kettletown State Park in Southbury. Programs are free,

but there is a $5 car fee (regardless of number of occupants) to get into the

park. Reservations are not necessary, but appreciated; call 264-5678. Children

under the age of eight must be accompanied by a parent or other adult.

Saturday, July 19, 11 am - Who Lives Here? Discover who lives in the ponds and

streams of Kettletown. Meet at beach.

Saturday, July 19, 6 pm - Slithering Snakes! Join staff from Meig's Point

(Hammonassett Beach State Park) for a s-s-super time, with live specimens.

Meet at Camp Office.

Wednesday, July 23, 11 am - What Nature Tells You, at Southford Falls State

Park, Route 188 . Learn about the history and characteristics of Southford

Falls through its landscape. Meet in parking lot.

Saturday, July 26, 11 am - Papermaking. Make your own recycled paper. Meet at

Camp Office.

Saturday, July 26, 3 pm - Wild Medicinal & Edible Plants! Find out which

plants are used as medicine and what you can eat in your own backyard. With

Sue Quincy of Flanders Nature Center in Woodbury.

Saturday, July 26, 7 pm - Is Your Backyard Wildlife Friendly? Learn how to

make your backyard likable to birds and wildlife, and make your own birdhouse

or bird feeder to take home.

Thursday, July 31, 11 am - Historical Walk. At Southford Falls.

Saturday, August 2 - Southford Falls Day (no morning or afternoon programs at

Kettletown; rain date Sunday, August 3).

10 am, Morning Hike to Fire Tower. A scenic walk, then climb the fire tower

and overlook Lake Zoar. Bring cameras if desired.

12 noon, What Lives in Papermill Pond? Discover what inhabits the pond at

Southford Falls (30 minutes).

1 pm, Historical Walk. Learn about the industrial history of the Southford

Falls area (45 minutes).

2:30 pm, Papermaking. Make your own recycled paper as done at Southford years

ago.

4 pm, What Nature Tells You. Learn about the history of the land through

natural clues.

Saturday, August 2, 8:30 pm - Coyotes! ( at Kettletown ) Learn about this

curious canine in a slide show by Paul Rego, a DEP wildlife biologist. Meet at

Camp Office.

Saturday, August 9, 11 am - Insects Invasion! Learn about and search for some

six-legged creatures. Meet at beach.

Saturday, August 9, 8 pm - Backyard Composting. Discover why Mother Nature is

the best composter, then learn how to turn kitchen scraps into your own

"backyard gold."

Thursday, August 14, 11 am - Historical Walk. At Southford Falls.

Saturday, August 16, 11 am - Scavenger Hunt. Search for some of nature's

treasures. Meet at beach.

Saturday, August 16, 8:30 pm - Night Hike. Learn how park rangers see at

night-time, while checking out some of Kettletown's trails. Bring a red

flashlight if desired.

Thursday, August 21, 11 am - Historical Walk. At Southford Falls.

Saturday, August 23, 8:30 pm - Connecticut Wildlife! Join Laura Rogers-Castro,

of the DEP wildlife division, for a slide show on the various wildlife of

Connecticut. Meet at Camp Office.

(SIDEBAR #2)

Summer Programs At Hop Brook State Park

Hop Brook State Park, on Route 63 in Middlebury, is presenting its own version

of a summer nature series of programs. Like their Kettletown counterparts, the

programs are free of admission and open to all ages. All programs begin at 2

pm. For additional information, call Hop Brook directly at 729-8840. Hop Brook

has a fresh-water swimming area and picnic facilities.

Saturday, July 26, Boating Safety: You, a canoe, and a PFD. Meet at the beach

parking lot.

Sunday, July 27, Water Safety: How to enjoy the water safely all summer long.

Meet at the beach parking lot.

Saturday, August 2, Nature Walk: Enjoy a leisurely guided walk along the

park's Wetland Trail. Meet in the first parking lot on left after entering the

park.

Sunday, August 3, Mammals of the Park: Discover the diversity of creatures

that call Hop Brook Lake Park home. Meet in the first parking lot on the left.

Saturday, August 9, Aquatic Insects of a Pond and Stream: Take a look at the

insect life that inhabits your local swimming hole. Meet at the culvert

parking lot.

Sunday, August 10, Tree Identification: How to distinguish trees based on

leaves, bark and other characteristics. Meet in first lot on the left.

Saturday, August 16, Forest Management: How the Corps manages an important

natural resource. Meet in the first parking lot on left after entering the

park.

Sunday, August 17, Wildlife Management: Discover how the staff at Hop Brook

manages its wildlife resources. Meet in the first lot on left.

Silver Alert For Blue McGrath Ended

Top Of The Mountain

Cargo Van Driver Taken To Hospital Following Collision With Gas Tanker

Knotweed Initiative Program Planned

Theater Review: No Weak Links In Farnol’s Gripping, Fast-Paced ‘King Lear’

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 18-Jul-1997

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