Date: Fri 15-Sep-1995

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Glory-Days-September-15-1995

Full Text:

Glorydays - September 15, 1995

This week in 1990

Bill Clark and Kevin Wilkison each went 4-for-4, Frank Pospisil went 2-for-2,

and Gary Pepe was 2-for-3 with a home run as Gervais Bros Roofing defeated

ReMax Realty 12-5 to capture the 'A' Division championship of the Newtown

Men's Slo-Pitch Softball League. The Gervais title marked the beginning of a

half-decade of dominance as the team would go on to win four straight and five

of the next six. The team's overall record that season was 13-5.

This week in 1985

McLaughlin Vineyard won its sixth-consecutive Newtown Slo-Pitch Softball 'A'

Division title as it knocked off Pizza Palace, 9-6 in the league championship

game. Through the team's three post season games, Chris Matern belted a total

of four home runs while Rick Matern pitched two shutouts. In addition to being

the sixth title in-a-row for McLaughlin, it was also the team's eleventh in 13

years.

This week in 1980

John Kreider defeated Ron Tietjen 6-2 and 2-1 (by default) to win the men's

singles title at the Seventh Annual Bertram A. Stroock Tennis Tournament at

Dickinson Memorial Park. Tietjen teammed with Ron Bruce to win the men's

doubles title over Jim Smith and Larry Washington, while Julie Dougherty and

Claire Willis joined forces to win the women's doubles title over Marie

Capozzi and Eileen Mahle. Capozzi beat Willis 6-2, 6-3 in the women's singles

title, while the husband/wife team of John and Julie Kreider won the mixed

doubles title over Jim Smith and Marie Capozzi.

This week in 1975

The Newtown Pop Warner Lions and Cubs both crushed Bethel by scores of 35-6

and 25-0, respectively. For the Lions, Rodney Clinton ran for two toucdowns,

Bob Mark and Ken Thomas each ran for scores, Chuck Guck threw to Billy

Kirhoffer for a TD, and Brad Manning ran an interception back 40 yards for

another. The Cubs were led by the play of Butchie Mark who rushed for over 200

yards and scored two touchdowns. Chris Medve also had a big day running the

ball for the Cubs, totalling over 100 yards and scoring a TD as well.

This week in 1970

The new Newtown High School opened its doors and the fall sports teams began

practicing on their new facilities for the first time ever. The 1970 fall

season would yield an undefeated WCC champion football team - the first ever

at NHS.

This week in 1965

As a construction crew worked to remove floorboards while repairing the

auditorium floor at Hawley School, the ceiling of the school's gymnasium -

which was beneath the auditorium - collapsed causing a school-wide power

outage. Electricity was restored, however, for the first day of school

although gym class was postponed for a while.

This week in 1960

The Newtown High School soccer team took to the practice fields behind

returning veterans Jim Tenney, Ron Beardsley, John Norwell, Lee Benedict,

Henrey Figlewski, Roger Fazzino, and Peter Simon. Coach Bob Sveda was hoping

that his team could make up for the graduation loss of leading scorer, Bob

Miller.

This week in 1955

Head coach Joe Ozanne and his Newtown High soccer team began praciting for the

new fall season and the schedule which would include Litchfield, Watertown,

Yale, and Thomaston.

This week in 1950

Fred Weckworth defeated Alan Holmes 6-3 and 9-7 to win the championship of the

Newtown Country Club Tennis Tournament. In the junior girls' tournament, also

at NCC, Joan Lawler beat Claudia Palmer 6-4 and 6-1 in the finals.

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.

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Date: Fri 15-Sep-1995

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