Letters

Thank You For Another Year Of Awareness, Smiles, And Education

Published: May 14, 2026 2:31 pm

To The Editor:

The 2026 Newtown Earth Day Festival was held on April 25th at our Middle School and despite the stormy weather it was a huge success. Once again, we were fortunate enough to be able to bring the event inside the school gymnasium, which made the vendors and attendees much more comfortable while being out of the elements.

There are many people and organizations who helped bring the event to life and our volunteer committee is very grateful for their support. First and foremost, we could not have done it without the following sponsors and supporters: Solara Solar Inc., Caraluzzi’s Market, Alpha Graphics, Rankin Textile Printing, Associated Refuse, the Newtown Lions Club, and media sponsor WPKN Radio. A special thank you to Anthony Cappoziello and the Public Works Department for their help with the heavy task of table procurement (thank you Sandy Hook Fire Department for the tables) along with Amy Mangold and the Parks & Recreation department for their on-site support and coordination.

We’d also like to thank Jim Ross, Principal of Newtown Middle School, for graciously hosting us once again for our 17th year and the custodial staff who are always willing and on-site to aid with our needs throughout the day. A big thank you to The Fair Food Project, a program organized by the Newtown High School Culinary students and their teacher Lori Hoagland. They once again prepared some tasty and healthy food, donating all proceeds to our Newtown Earth Day Scholarship (which has helped over a dozen Newtown High School Students pay for college).

The event could not have happened without the support of our volunteer committee, which helps year-round to organize the event, and the student volunteers and “friends of the festival” who make sure the actual event runs like clockwork. I am deeply grateful for all the time, energy, and ideas they contribute to keep the festival vibrant and relevant.

Further, our event would not be an event without the many school and town organizations and vendors who participate each year, including our First Selectman Bruce Walczak who kicked us off this year. We also owe a huge debt to the amazing musicians who donate their time to entertain us and keep the vibe of the event lively. And finally, we are incredibly grateful to our community for showing up to the event and demonstrating that Newtown is truly a place that deeply cares for its environment.

Daniel Holmes

Newtown

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Vote To Support The Town And School Budgets

Questions For Commission </p><p>On Aging

Follow The Minutes, Not Workarounds

We Can Support Our Children And Our Taxpayers

Discusses Budget Reductions

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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Thank You For Another Year Of Awareness, Smiles, And Education

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