Now On View

By SHANNON HICKS

Published: Oct 17, 2008 12:00 am

Now On View

*Photography Exhibit: Carol Gibson, a photographic designer, will be exhibiting her work at CH Booth Library through Wednesday, October 29, during regular library hours.

Programs For Children

*Halloween Craft: Children ages 6 and up are invited to make a Halloween craft with Mrs Walker on Saturday, October 18,from 1 to 2 pm, in the story hour room.

Space is limited, and a $3 material fee is due upon registration. Sign up at the childrenâs circulation desk.

*Preschool Music Program: Professional singer and musician Francine Wheeler will entertain young children with both familiar and original songs on Monday, October 20, at 10 am, in the libraryâs meeting room.

The program is recommended to ages 1 to 5, and there is no registration required.

*Register for Story Time: Registration for the next story hour session continues through October 22.Â Classes are offered for children ages 12-24 months, 2-3 year olds and 4-5 year olds.

Classes meet once a week for six weeks.

Registration needs to be done in person at the childrenâs circulation desk beginning. No phone registrations will be accepted. Children must be a resident of Newtown to participate in this free program.

*Adamâs Amphibians & Reptiles: Adam Harris will bring a variety of amphibians and reptiles to the library on Friday, October 24, at 3:30 pm.

Adam will talk about how each animal is suited to live in their natural habitat, and there will be an opportunity for children to view the animals up close and ask questions during the program. The event is recommended for ages 5 to 12. Registration is requested and can be done at the childrenâs circulation desk.

*Halloween Fun For Kids: Tweens and teens from the Young Adult Council will read stories and lead children in simple games and crafts on Sunday, October 26, from 3 to 4 pm, in the meeting room.

Then at 4, The Mask & Wig Players will perform skits that the young children are sure to enjoy. No registration is needed, just drop in. The program is recommended for ages 3-7 and costumes are definitely encouraged!

Young Adult Programs

*The Mask & Wig Players, the young adult dramatic group led by the marvelous Mrs Martha Bishop, is underway for the season on Tuesdays from 3 to 4:30 in the Story Room. All Newtown students in grades 6-12 are welcome at any time.

Weâll be doing a play for Halloween, plus honing our storytelling skills, encompassing all the acting skills you can muster. Finally, weâll explore mask-making along with music to liven up the staging.

Call the libraryâs Young Adult department for additional information or just join us one Tuesday afternoon.

*Creative Writing: Poetry Outside the Box will be offered Mondays, October 20 through November 17, from 6 to 8 pm each week. Mrs Liz Arneth, retired English teacher and Newtown resident, will lead the five-week program.

More information is on the YAWebSpot (biblio.org/YAWebSpot), or from the YA Librarian. Additional details will also be printed in this space next month.

*Picture Magic: Young people in grades six and up (and parent or guardian) are invited to join us for âPicture Magic: The Art of Digital Manipulationâ on Saturday, October 25, from 9:30 to 11:30 am.

Participants will learn to use free Internet resources, including Picasa, to edit and share images. Instructors are Ken Graff, an experienced professional photographer, and Anne Eigen, the digital photo instructor for Newtown Parks & Recreation.

There is a limit of ten students, and registration can be done at the main floor circulation desk or by calling the library.

Adult And Family Programs

*Book Discussions: The Daytime Book Group will be discussing Leviâs Will by W. Dale Cramer on Monday, October 20, at 1 pm, and the Nonfiction Book Group will be discussing Mayflower: a Story of Courage, Community and War by Nathaniel Philbrick on Tuesday, November 4, at 1 pm.

Multiple copies of the books are available at the circulation desk. Everyone is invited!

*The Peopleâs Choice: A Mini Series.

During this election season we have launched a mini series called âThe Peopleâs Choice.â We started by discussing a classic novel All The Kingâs Men, on October 15), and still have two more programs to go.

Primary Colors will be screened on Wednesday, October 22, at 7:30. Julie Stern will lead a discussion following the movie.

Then to conclude the series, Rick Spencer will give a concert and lecture on the backbiting, mudslinging US Presidential campaign that pitted Buchanan vs Freemont. The songs and poems are insightful, humorous, patriotic but mostly inflammatory! Mr Spencerâs program will be Wednesday, October 29, also at 7:30.

*Wednesday Afternoon at the Movies: On October 22 at 1 pm weâll screen Election, a 1999 film starring Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon, directed by Alexander Payne, and based on the novel of the same name by Tom Perrotta.

*Identifying Possible Delays: A four-person panel will discuss developmental stages in primary school-aged children and the signs and behaviors that may indicate something is wrong when a new series, âIdentifying Possible Delays in Your Childâs Language, Social Skills and Learningâ begins on Tuesday, October 28, at 7 pm.

The first program of the series, called âIs Something Wrong,â will include special education teacher Nonna Neal, licensed social worker Rose Coladarci, speech pathologist Mary Connell, and occupational therapist Lynn Friebel. The discussion will be moderated by Danbury school psychologist Joan Nash.

Subsequent programs will include âHow To Get Help: Negotiating the Special Education Mazeâ on Tuesday, November 18, and âLearning About Additional Services in the Community,â on Tuesday, December 2. Both of these programs will also begin at 7 pm, and additional information will be offered in upcoming weeks.

C.H. Booth Library is open Monday through Thursday, 9:30 am to 8 pm; Friday from 11 am to 5 pm; Saturday, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm; and Sunday from noon to 5 pm (closed Sundays in July and August).

Families United In Newtown Wraps Up The Season With Celebration At Dickinson Park

Attendees Have Fun At NFA's Third Annual SpringFest

Town & Country Garden Club Of Newtown Celebrates 60 Years Of Commitment To Club & Community

Enjoy A DJ Dance Party, Arts And Crafts, And More At Summer Luau

The Way We Were

The Editor suggest a meeting between the "Rock This Democracy " and the Police Commission. As a former Police Commissioner the Chief should have followed the chain of command and discussed this with the Police Commission. The Chief reports to the Elected Police Commission not our Republican First Selection. Can't help but feel this is Republican politics again making an issue out of a non issue.

Assembly Ordinance?

I support Chief Kullgren’s request to explore permitting, and cost-sharing for large gatherings. The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy, and I fully support the constitutional right to free speech and assembly. However, where and how often these protests occur matters. Main Street is not just a symbol — it’s a vital artery for daily life in town. When events are held there monthly, and at increasing scale, they cause disruption to residents, businesses, and traffic. While the Rock This Democracy group may describe these protests as unique or urgent, the frequency — roughly once every two weeks this spring — suggests more of a recurring series than a singular, spontaneous moment of civic expression. This isn’t about silencing anyone. It’s about fairness, public safety, and fiscal responsibility. Every time a protest happens, our police department is forced to assign resources, often on overtime. That expense adds up quickly. If any group wants to use public space regularly, particularly in a way that impacts traffic and requires police presence, then it’s reasonable for the town to consider permitting and cost-sharing — just as we do for other organized events like races, festivals, or parades. Let’s protect everyone’s rights — including the right of the community to function smoothly and the right of taxpayers not to bear undue cost for repeated events. I trust the Council to consider a reasonable path forward that balances speech with responsibility.

David, your passion for transparency would carry more weight if it weren’t routinely wielded like a cudgel. Let's set the record straight: no one is against easier access to documents or better online availability—we all want an informed public. But there's a difference between constructive advocacy and the kind of grandstanding that costs this town time, morale, and taxpayer money. You cite Ridgefield’s practices—great. Let's talk about that like adults. But instead, what we see is a steady stream of accusatory posts, legal challenges, and FOIA blitzes aimed less at solving problems and more at creating headlines. It’s not “slander” to point out that your approach often does more to divide and exhaust than to help. I’ve been at the very meetings you claim are inaccessible or opaque. I’ve seen your group turn logistical hiccups into conspiracy theories. I’ve watched as staff—who already work overtime—are dragged into another fishing expedition while real civic needs are left hanging. You’re not just pushing for access; you’re using the tools of open government to grind its gears to a halt. That’s not progress. That’s obstruction dressed up as advocacy. And the people paying for it—literally—are your neighbors. Let’s stop pretending it’s just about uploading PDFs. The issue here is how we engage. We can have real conversations about modernization without constant accusations, FOIA skirmishes, and Facebook pile-ons. Until then, I’ll continue to call out tactics that undermine, not uplift, our town.

Calls For Policies To Create Greater Transparency

The bottom line is this: costs are up, and no group—including teachers—is exempt. Ignoring Anthem’s recommended 22% increase last year may have directly caused the $2 million shortfall. Everyone has to share in the fix. That might mean higher premiums and leaner benefits. Complaints alone won’t solve the problem—realistic solutions will. I urge all Newtown Teachers to email their Union leaders and express their support for higher premiums.

Discusses Town Self-Funded Insurance Plan

Its really easy to make assertions and cast doubts from behind a keyboard....a little too easy aparently. You might try conducting the actual research BEFORE doing it next time. If you do, you too will find that there's no need to imagine such a policy to improve public transparency and participation. Take a look at Ridgefield's P&Z meeting agendas on their website for starters. They are just one town that provide links to electronic copies of applications and other public documents, so that their commissioners and residents can easily access them and be well-informed, before meetings and public hearings occur and without making them drive to town hall (during business hours) to ask their land use staff to pull the files and make copies of them, saving everyone time (time is money), and gasoline, and missed work. Most applicants alrleady submit electronic copies, and for those who don't, it's a lot easier for a staffer to scan them once, than to have to make copies every time someone asks for them. And please don't misrepresent or slander those who advocate for smart, low impact & sustainable development policies and practices as 'anti-development'.

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