Date: Fri 27-Oct-1995

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-16

Quick Words:

Sorrentino-Dickinson-Charter

Full Text:

An Early Halloween Treat For Newtown To Share

(with photos)

By Shannon Hicks

The Newtown Park & Recreation Department annually sponsors a Halloween Party

with a costume parade at Dickinson Park. Children are invited to show off

their costumes, usually about a week before the actual date of Halloween, and

participate in a number of games, contests and the big parade around the park.

This year's party was held Tuesday, October 25, and one very enterprising

Newtown resident, Kathy Sorrentino, wanted to make sure the annual event could

be shared by more of the community. After living in Westport and seeing

costume parades along Main Street, Kathy missed the parades when she moved to

Newtown. Although Parks & Rec hosted the party at Dickinson, Kathy felt people

who did not have children of their own probably would not attend the party,

but would still enjoy seeing the parade. A graduate of one of Charter Cable's

three-day seminars on taping for local access television shows, Kathy worked

with Gail Noto and Diana Piekarski, both of Brookfield, to capture this year's

party on videotape.

With background music provided by members of the Newtown Middle School band,

the video, "Newtown Toddler Halloween Party & Parade," will be aired on

Charter Cablevision/Channel 21 on Monday, October 30, at 6:30 pm.

"We were able to get the whole parade," Kathy says. After the party at

Dickinson Park, she and the rest of her crew went straight to the Charter

studios in Newtown to begin editing the tape. Being the first tape this group

made, they encountered some technical problems: lighting under the pavilion

was darker on tape than it seemed during the taping, and a lot of the audio

was lost.

Kathy reports, however, they were able to salvage much of the video, and with

the music background and some creative editing, the show will be approximately

20 minutes in length.

"What we set out to get, we got," she said. "It's a cute little film, and I

think the mothers of the children and people who like children are going to be

thrilled with this.

"I know the kids will like this - kids love watching themselves on

television," she continued.

In addition to the children parading around the park, shots of costumed Trick

or Treaters and views of partiers enjoying the games and refreshments, Kathy

had also arranged for special guests in the video. Chief of Police Michael

DeJoseph provided a list of safety tips, to be aired at the conclusion of the

program; Laura Markey, of Parks & Rec, was taped while speaking to the

children; and Newtown Bee reporter Shannon Hicks shared information about

upcoming family events.

"It was a good experience," Kathy said of the taping. "Next time we'll be more

prepared for everything... and there was such good response from the music

teachers to having the music, and other groups who have heard about it, next

year it should be even better."

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 27-Oct-1995

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