Date: Fri 22-May-1998

By SHANNON HICKS

Published: Aug 13, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNON

Quick Words:

Will's-Dogs-Purple-Megadeth

Full Text:

ON THE ROAD/SHANNON HICKS

UNCLE WILL'S DOGS, a Newtown-based band that will be profiled in an upcoming

issue, has a number of summer dates around the area already lined up,

including next Thursday at Tuxedo Junction in Danbury. The Dogs will be

playing an all-ages show May 28, along with ENTRAIN and STONY HILL. On May 29,

the following night, Uncle Will's Dogs will be at Classic Rock Brew Pub, also

in Danbury.

Next month, the guys will be at Bobby R's in Monroe on June 19, and then back

at Classic Rock Brew Pub on the 26th. July dates include The Cookhouse in New

Milford, July 18; and Bobby R's, July 31. In August, the band will be featured

in CityCenter Danbury's Summertime Festival of the Arts. Uncle Will's will be

on the Green Saturday, August 8, performing on stage in the recently acquired

band shell (an ugly addition to what was an attractive green surrounded by

some beautiful and historic buildings, but a fortunate one for bands who don't

want to perform in light rains; so be sure to bring an umbrella if there is a

little bit of rain that night).

According to IAN GILLIAN, of Deep Purple fame, the band is now playing not

only pure rock n' roll, but after a year of touring around the world the band

is also demonstrating a "wide variety of styles of influences... you can hear

the funk, the swing, the jazz, the blues, and of course the rock n' roll."

Deep Purple's latest incarnation is touring these days to support its latest

album, Abandon.

Tickets will be going on sale Saturday morning for a performance by DEEP

PURPLE at the Meadows Music Theatre in Hartford on Friday, August 7. Opening

will be EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER and DREAM THEATER. Tickets are $33 and $43 for

Pavilion seats, $20.50 for lawn seating.

Also going on sale this weekend will be tickets for MEGADETH, July 2 at the

Meadows. Openers are Sevendust and Monster Magnet. Tickets are $18 and $28,

with all seats in the pavilion only for this show.

Until next week, I'll be seeing you... on the road.

Questions and comments concerning "On The Road" (or anything music related)

should be sent to Shannon Hicks, c/o Bee Publishing Co., 5 Church Hill Road,

Newtown 06470, or shannon @thebee.com. Include a phone number for

confirmation, please . If you don't have a stamp or a piece of paper or a

writing utensil that works, give me a call! Phone number at the office is

426-3141. Shows listed on the calendar at club locations are for ages 21 and

over unless specified.

UPCOMING CONCERTS

MAY 22 -- L.O.L. at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; Toots & The Maytals at Toad's

Place, New Haven, The Lightning and Giggle Juice opening;

May 23 -- Scream at Tuxedo Junction;

May 24 -- King Diamond at Toad's Place, Pit Bull Daycare opening (all ages);

May 27 -- Stevie Nicks at the Meadows, Boz Scaggs opening;

May 28 -- Live Acoustics at Mary Hawley Inn, Newtown; Uncle Will's Dogs,

Entrain and Stony Hill at Tuxedo Junction (all ages);

May 29 -- The Nerds at Tuxedo Junction; Uncle Will's Dogs at Classic Rock Brew

Pub, Danbury;

May 30 -- The Zoo at Tuxedo Junction; Sgt Scagnetti and The Toasters at The

Globe Theatre, Norwalk.

JUNE 1 -- Jimmy's Chicken Shack at Toad's Place, New Haven, Wank opening (all

ages);

June 3 -- 2 Skinnee Js at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury;

June 4 -- Savatage at Tuxedo Junction;

June 5 -- Moppin' Sauce at Fat Daddy's, Watertown;

June 6 -- Max Creek at The Globe Theatre, Norwalk, Hubinger Street opening;

June 19 -- Uncle Will's Dogs at Bobby R's, Monroe; The Tubes (featuring Fee

Waybill) at Toad's Place, Crucible opening;

June 21 -- The Allman Brothers Band at the Meadows Music Theatre, Hartford;

June 23 -- Ani DiFranco at the Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford; Hatebreed and

Madball at Toad's Place, One King Down and Soul Sick opening (all ages);

June 26 -- Uncle Will's Dogs at Classic Rock Brew Pub, Danbury; Jeff Pitchell

& Texas Flood at Toad's Place, Triple Threat Blues Band opening;

June 25 -- Sweeter Than Wine at Toad's Place (CD release party), Sans Cherubs

and Laura Coyle opening;

June 27 -- Cutting Edge Alternative Festival at Woodbury Ski Area & Skate

Park;

June 30 -- Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) at Toad's Place, Beyond Reality and Pole

opening.

COA Welcomes New Alternate, Discusses Senior Alliance

BOE Recognizes 2026 Profiles In Professionalism Honorees

C.H. Booth Library Hosted Another Successful Volunteer Fair

Fire Reports | April 28-May 4, 2026

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 22-May-1998

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