Date: Fri 10-Apr-1998

By CAROL LEWIS

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: CAROLL

Quick Words:

Wine-Wisdom-Small-Chianti

Full Text:

WINE WISDOM: Sips And Swallows From Around The Wine World

By Steve Small

Wine Economics 101

If you are primarily interested in wines to have with dinner tonight, the

price of your wines should remain fairly stable. Tasty wines from around the

world are readily available for under $10 for a 750 ml bottle. This includes

all the popular wines like Merlot, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Cabernet and

Chianti.

If you are a collector, or thinking about putting some wines away for

long-term cellaring, be prepared to pay the price. Fine wine prices continue

to climb. The vineyards that produce these wines cannot get any bigger. As

long as demand for these collectible wines remains high and supply cannot

increase, prices will go up.

The Cigar Craze

At the risk of becoming a social outcast, I must admit I cannot buy in to the

current cigar craze. When dealing with food and wine, it seems to me a cigar

would totally overwhelm the more subtle food and wine flavors. Cigars appear

to be an enjoyable way to relax. Please just save them until you've finished

the food and wine.

Merlot Mania

The surprising popularity of Merlot over the last three years caused some

grape shortages in California. All reports indicate the 1997 vintage for

California was abundant. A large crop along with newly productive vineyards

should make it a little easier to find some of those tasty, moderately priced

California Merlots.

Fade Out

One unanticipated result of the huge popularity of Chardonnay, Cabernet and

Merlot is that many wineries have stopped making less popular varieties like

Chenin Blanc, Barbera, Riesling and Petite Syrah. For those of us who enjoy

drinking different wines, any trend toward homogenization is unfortunate.

(Steve Small is the proprietor of Steve's Liquor Store, at 71 Main Street

South/Route 25 in Newtown.)

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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 10-Apr-1998

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