Date: Fri 01-Mar-1996

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Glorydays-March-1-96

Full Text:

Glorydays, March 1, 1996

This week in 1991

Newtown High graduate, Mike Eisenbach, took over the head baseball coaching

job at Pomperaug High School. Eisenbach, who played catcher at NHS and was

behind the plate calling Steve Kordish's 1978 perfect game, stated his plans

to turn around the struggling Pomperaug program which had played to a 6-30

record in the two previous seasons to his taking the helm.

This week in 1986

NHS senior Eric Krell drilled a 23-foot jumper at the buzzer to lead the

Newtown High boys' basketball team to a thrilling upset victory over Masuk, in

overtime, 71-69. Pat Sullivan scored 23 points and Steve Bussell 21 for

Newtown against Masuk and its highly-touted Greek transfer students, Nick

Tsirakidis (6-foot-11) and Nasos Galakteros (6-foot-7). The Newtown win

knocked Masuk from first place in the division, but the Indians were

mathematically eliminated from playoff contention with a Bethel win that

night.

This week in 1981

Cindy Amaral scored nine points and Kristen Swanson added seven as the St Rose

girls' basketball team defeated Sacred Heart of Danbury, 28-16. St Rose

improved to 9-1 with the victory and pulled one half game closer to

league-leading St Mary's of Bethel who, at 9-0, was idle that night.

This week in 1976

The Newtown High boys' swim team crushed Middletown 100-71 to wrap up a

perfect 16-0 season under coach Tom Roberts. The most successful team in

school history consisted of; Mark Atkinson, Keith Atkinson, Scott Barth, Jeff

Bastian, Bob Bradley, Rich Camejo, Greg Daniek, Jon Daniek, Jon Dieringer,

Dave Estes, Don Hallabeck, Lew Helmacy, John Hiteshew, Scott Kamrath, Brian

Karchenski, Drew Karpacz, Bob Knapp, Bob Morgan, Larry Newquist, Daryll

Palmer, John Pence, Chuck Rispoli, Joe Rogers, Ed Sherman, Brooke Smith, Kevin

Sullivan, and Dave VanEpps .

This week in 1971

The NHS boys' basketball team closed a disappointing 5-14 season by losing its

final three contests. The team suffered through " personal, physical, and even

social problems. " Following the finale, coach Gerry Doyon and the team said

goodbye to senior players Jerry Shpunt, Russ Carson, Bill Frietag, Jason

Stevens, and Charlie Jacobi.

This week in 1966

The Edmond Town Hall gymnasium was the site for the 1965-66 Sandy Hook Social

Athletic Club's Basketball Awards presentation. SAC senior president Dr

Clifford Johnson presented trophies to John McCarthy (Seniors MVP), Jack

Qubick (Senior high scorer, 27 ppg), Jim Shpunt (Midgets MVP), and Austin

Schmitt (Midget high scorer). Other players honored were John Platt (most

improved), Frank Dill (greatest promise), and Scott Leitch (great team man).

This week in 1961

Newtown was victorious at the State Class B Badminton Championship as it beat

Norwich, for the second time, 8-1. The win lifted Newtown's record to 51-21 on

the season. Newtown winners included Ann Griswold, Bill Sheldon, Muriel

Noonan, Frank Orosz, Warren Condit, Dick Kennett, Ken Riley, Barb Kennett, Jim

Noonan, Penny Sheldon, and William Sheldon.

This week in 1956

At halftime of the basketball game between the SAC Seniors and Jay Davey's

Bethel Rackets, SAC's Jim Kearns was presented with a trophy for being the

team's high scorer throughout the season. Kearns, Jack Watkins, and Ron Morgan

all went to score in double figures in the game, but SAC lost 96-77 as many of

the Bethel players also played for Danbury Teachers College.

This week in 1951

The NHS boys' basketball team appeared in the CIAC Class C State Tournament

for the first time only to be bounced 59-33 by Bacon Academy of Colchester in

the first round. Abbott Tech, who had recently lost the Housatonic Valley

Schoolman's League championship to Thomaston, rebounded to nip Suffield High

55-53 in its first-round contest in Class C.

This week in 1941

Jeanne Smith and Elenor Honan battled it out, scoring ten points apiece, but

the NHS girls' basketball alumni team came away with a 19-17 victory over

Honan and the present day team. In the boys' alumni contest, Joe Wiser netted

eleven points and outgunned alum Bill Leahy for the game's high-scoring

honors, but the alumni won this one as well, 30-21, thanks to a balanced

scoring attack which also saw six points each from Dom Cascio and Tim Reardon.

This week in 1936

The undefeated NHS girls' basketball team got 18 points from Kathryn Cole and

ten from Helen Cullen, but lost its first game of the season falling 39-38 to

Woodbury. The game was called " one of the poorest exhibitions of basketball

that was ever witnessed by the rooters of Newtown. " That statement, made by

The Newtown Bee reporter of that era, has certainly been retracted since.

The Way We Were

Malcolm Andrew 'Andy' Bryant

Top Of The Mountain

Garden Club Spring Plant Sale Saturday

Full Slate Of May Programs Planned By Flagpole Photographers

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.

Log In

Date: Fri 01-Mar-1996

Leave a Reply Cancel reply