Friday, April 22

By ANDY GOROSKO

Published: Apr 22, 2011 12:00 am

Friday, April 22

GOOD FRIDAY

EARTH DAY

Sandy Hook Fire & Rescue Ladies Auxiliary Annual Easter Flower Sale, 10 amâ6 pm, Sandy Hook Fire main station, 18-20 Riverside Road, potted plants, baskets and flats, proceeds benefit local fire company, sale continues April 23.

Bunny Watch Hayrides, 11 amâ4 pm, Glander Pavilion at Fairfield Hills, Mile Hill Road South, Newtown, 11 amâ4 pm, $5 for hayride pulled by antique tractor, children can watch for & keep track of (cardboard) bunnies spotted in the woods, also decorate an Easter egg, meet the Easter Bunny, fundraiser for Ruyi Roundup/NMS Odyssey of the Mind team heading to finals in May; 203-426-4001.

Spring Carnival, 6â10 pm, Newtown High School, 12 Berkshire Road, amusement rides, games of chance, carnival food, annual event hosted by and fundraiser for Botsford Fire Rescue continues to April 23.

Saturday, April 23

Conservation Commission Site Walk 1:30 pm, Point Oâ Rocks Preserve, meets at Brushy Hill Road parking lot at Dickinson Park, near Newtown Skate Park.

Sandy Hook Fire & Rescue Ladies Auxiliary Annual Easter Flower Sale, opens 9 am (will close when stock sells out, usually late morning), Sandy Hook Fire main station, 18-20 Riverside Road, see April 22 details.

Bunny Watch Hayrides, 11 amâ4 pm, Glander Pavilion at Fairfield Hills, Mile Hill Road South, see April 22 details.

Spring Carnival, 2â10 pm (extended hours today), Newtown High School, 12 Berkshire Road, see April 22 details.

Sunday, April 24

EASTER

Monday, April 25

Newtown Youth & Family Services (NYFS) board of directors annual business meeting, 6:30 pm, NYFS office, 17 Church Hill Road.

Board of Fire Commissioners, 7 pm, Dodgingtown Firehouse, 55 Dodgingtown Road.

Tuesday, April 26

Budget Referendum, 6 am to 8 pm, Newtown Middle School gymnasium, 11 Queen Street.

Conservation Commission, 7 pm, Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street.

Lake Zoar Authority, 7 pm, Southbury Town Hall, 501 Main Street South.

Public Building and Site Commission, 7 pm, Reed Intermediate School, 3 Trades Lane.

Wednesday, April 27

Society of Creative Arts of Newtown (SCAN) program, 1:30 pm, Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main Street, free presentation by Nancy White Cassidy on using acrylics for illustration and fine art; 203-426-6654.

Housatonic Area Regional Transit (HART), board of directors, 4 pm, HART office, 62 Federal Road, Danbury.

Inland Wetlands Commission, 7:30 pm, Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street.

Thursday, April 28

Cultural Arts Commission, 7 pm, Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street.

Board of Finance, 7:30 pm, Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street.

Saturday, April 30

41st Annual SCAN Spring Juried Art Show opens, 9:30 amâ5 pm, C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, traditional and contemporary works in oil, pastel, watercolors, acrylics, mixed media, graphics and sculpture by regional artists, exhibition continues daily to May 8; 203-270-1663.

Gardening & Bulb Swap, registration 9:45 am, program to begin at 10, Farmersâ Market location, Keating Farms Road (within Fairfield Hills campus), $5 and at least one item to swap, annual or perennial seeds or plants in good health, also new or used gardening tools, books or related items in good condition for swap event hosted by Trinity Production; 203-426-9448.

Prescription Drug Disposal Project, 10 amâ2 pm, Newtown Police Department, 3 Main Street, public invited to dispose of potentially dangerous, expired, unused and/or unwanted prescription drugs, no questions asked.

Fourth Annual Newtown Earth Day Festival, 10 amâ4 pm, Newtown Middle School, 11 Queen Street, family fun and learning designed to highlight townâs abundant natural resources and help community become greener including activities for kids (return of The Environmental Maze), 70+ local businesses and vendors, live music and performances, refreshments, Lions Club Lose The Litter, Recycled Art Show, ecumenical sunrise service and much more, rain date May 7.

New York Polyphony in concert, 8 pm, Trinity Episcopal Church, 36 Main Street, free performance by renowned choral ensemble celebrated for its wide ranging styles, wine and cheese reception to follow, freewill offering will be taken, hosted by Music @ Trinity; 203-426-9070.

Sunday, May 1

SCAN Spring Juried Art Show continues, 12â5 pm (opening reception and awards ceremony 2â4 pm), C.H. Booth Library lower meeting room, see April 30 details.

âThe Cure Is Only A Sip Away,â 1-4 pm, McLaughlin Vineyards, Alberts Hill Road, $25/advance, $30/day of, fundraiser for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will offer wine tastings, catered hors dâoeuvres and live music; 203-665-1400.

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It seems a lot of the discussion around the flagpole focuses on vilifying drivers who pass on the right, but the real issue is being overlooked. If Chapter 248 Section 14-251 were enforced, we wouldn’t see this problem to begin with. That statute prohibits stopping in the middle of a roadway to yield to cross traffic—as so often happens with cars waiting to turn from Church Hill. When vehicles stop illegally in the travel lane, they effectively create a blockage. Other drivers then either sit through unnecessary delays or carefully pass around them on the right, which is fully permitted when the vehicle ahead is “illegally parked” in the roadway. Instead of punishing drivers reacting to the obstruction, enforcement should focus on the cause: vehicles unlawfully stopping and backing up traffic in the first place. If that behavior were addressed, the need to “go around” would largely disappear.

Borough Board of Burgesses Continues Traffic Safety Discussion

John, you raise an important point — these situations are tragic, complicated, and often far less clear-cut than the headlines make them seem. In the Fredericksburg case, the full facts still aren’t publicly known, and like so many of these stories, there’s conflicting information. It was apparently the back door at 3 a.m. — was it justified to use deadly force? We don’t know yet. What we do know is that the homeowner has been charged, and as you rightly noted, that is very serious. But this is also where perspective matters. These cases are quickly sensationalized in the news and on social media, yet when the dust settles, the outcomes are rarely publicized. People forget that in our system, you are innocent until proven guilty. Try to find much coverage of the convication in the case of the Fairfield Realtor vehicle homicide, or updates on the woman who shot her husband a couple of Christmases ago, or even the pedestrian death in Sandy Hook a year or so back. The follow-through simply isn’t there, and public opinion is often shaped only by the first round of headlines. At the end of the day, these situations remind us how split-second decisions in the middle of the night can change lives forever — which is exactly why the right to protect one’s property, home and family is so fiercely debated, and lucky constitutionally protected.

Late Night Prank Gone Wrong

First the low hanging fruit. Dave; it was a joke, please get over it. You are the only person in Newtown that thought I really wanted to build a stadium on 6 Commence Rd. Now on to Alex. You might not appreciate my writing style or my selection of words, but let's not loose sight of the fact that by responding to my letter in the manner that you did, you have removed any doubt whatsoever that you have no idea of the quantifiable benefits you are dismissing not only for the town, but also for protesters. Either you stopped listening at the word "ordinance" or you never started.. Your constitutional rights to assemble were never in question and would actually be strengthened and there would be literally no impediments. We could even title it "The Alex Villamil Ordinance" if you want. It could be your legacy and actually show Newtown your willingness to work in a bipartisan way for the betterment of the town. Businesses would be protected. Traffic wouldn't be interrupted. The town would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in police overtime. And maybe most importantly, the town could prevent another tragedy while mitigating legal risk in the event something terrible happens at a protest. Nothing bad could never happen in Newtown right? All that could be accomplished by a simple, non-intrusive ordinance unless all the detriments to our town are intentional in order to bring more attention to your cause. Alex, this was not me throwing a temper tantrum. Believe me, you will know it if that happens. I am just putting Newtown first. From that perspective, if you think critically, the regulation is necessary. It makes sense logically, rationally, and is reasonable. There is absolutely no down side. None. I would be willing to sit down with you to see if we could come to some type of compromise if you want. Let me know. You would be amazed how much you can accomplish when there is dialogue amongst neighbors.

It’s About Dialogue Amongst Neighbors — Not Regulation

A popular prank circulating on TikTok is “ding-dong-ditch” where a group of young people violently bang or kick someone’s door late at night and then “ditch” or run. On May 3 three high schoolers here in Fredericksburg Va. were participating in such a prank. One homeowner assumed, as in this case, an attempted break in and also took measures to defend his family and property. As the youths were running away he fired, striking an 18 year old graduating senior in the back killing him and seriously injuring a second youth. A wasted life, a family shattered, and the homeowner charged with murder.

You’re absolutely right — no one should ever feel unsafe in their own home. Being startled awake by violent banging at your door late at night is no joke, and it’s a stark reminder that danger can come without warning. That’s why I’m thankful for the right to protect ourselves, our families, and our property. In a moment like that, you don’t get a second chance to call for help before you act — you have to be prepared. Our homes should be a place of peace, not fear, and the ability to defend them is a right worth safeguarding.

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