Date: Fri 06-Mar-1998

By ANDY GOROSKO

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Trudeau-shooting-police

Full Text:

Police Await Evidence Tests In Shooting Investigation

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Police are awaiting the results of forensics testing on evidence they gathered

at the scene of a January nighttime drive-by shooting in which local

businessman William Trudeau, Jr, 34, was wounded in the leg.

The testing is being performed on various pieces of evidence, including bullet

fragments, which were collected by police January 2 at 49 Main Street, the

site of Trudeau Service Center, Mr Trudeau's automotive business.

Testing is being done at the state police crime laboratory in Meriden. State

police aided town police with evidence processing at the crime scene.

When the test results are in, it will provide town police with guidance in how

to proceed in the investigation.

Police spokesman Detective Robert Tvardzik said police hope to receive the

test results by the end of this month. There is a backlog of cases at the

crime lab, resulting in the time lag between evidence collection and test

results.

Following the January 2 incident, town and state police recovered a number of

large-caliber bullets and bullet fragments.

It was dark, about 5:40 pm, when Mr Trudeau was in the parking lot of his

business. Several large-caliber bullets were fired toward the business from an

automobile traveling northbound on South Main Street. One of the bullets

struck Mr Trudeau in the lower left leg. He was transported to Danbury

Hospital where he was treated, admitted, and later discharged.

Police have said they believe the shooting stems from one of Mr Trudeau's

business relationships.

Police have declined to provide many specifics about the incident, saying they

do not want to compromise their investigation.

Mr Trudeau has been enmeshed in financial problems during the past several

years, including the dissolution of one of his businesses by US Bankruptcy

Court and the filing of a personal bankruptcy action. He also has been the

subject of investigations by several state agencies concerning his business

practices. The agencies include the state Department of Revenue Services,

Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Consumer Protection,

Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Department of Labor.

Police Chief James E. Lysaght, Jr, has said that the investigation of the

shooting will be thorough.

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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 06-Mar-1998

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