Following a March 21 Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) public hearing, the P&Z unanimously approved a set of zoning regulations intended to better regulate the use of outdoor temporary trailers and storage containers for construction projects and for relocations.
Ron Conway, founder of SV Angel, has started a GoFundMe campaign to support The Avielle Foundation following the sudden death of the foundation's co-founder earlier this week.
State Representative Raghib Allie-Brennan (D-Bethel) will host a 2nd District Sit Down on Saturday, March 30, to meet with residents of his district to discuss their legislative priorities.
Town, state and national leaders have been responding to the news of the March 25 death of Sandy Hook resident Jeremy Richman. Co-workers have also shared their thoughts.
NOTE: This story has been updated with information from Newtown Police Department, and statements from First Selectman Dan Rosenthal and the Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers. || Town police responded to the main auditorium at Edmond Town Hall early Monday morning, after an apparent suicide was discovered on the stage of the ETH Theatre.
Newtown Community Center has named Kristin Rebelo its first director of aquatics. Rebelo will oversee aquatic programming in the community center, along with other town waterfront facilites.
The Newtown Democratic Town Committee will host a free Municipal Campaign Training workshop for Connecticut residents, Saturday, April 6, from 9 am to 4 pm, at Reed Intermediate School. All are welcome.
Borough Zoning Commission Chairman Douglas Nelson says the BZC in April plans to hold a public hearing on a series of proposed zoning regulation changes that are intended to clarify the intent of certain zoning rules as well as allow certain uses not currently permitted under the zoning rules.
A Sandy Hook resident and state registered lobbyist told The Newtown Bee he has apologized to a Woodstock woman and her 10-year-old son for directing a profanity-laced comment toward the pair around 12:15 pm on March 13 while dining in the State Capitol cafeteria.
With the publication of installment No. 26, Trump’s Triumphs has now consumed enough broadsheet paper—approximately 3.6 miles—to stretch from the center of Newtown, past the dump, and nearly to Sand Hill Plaza. That is the amount of paper used to print these 26 installments alone. Do you think they will stop before we get to Monroe? If Trump becomes 48 in 28 then we would make the sound for sure!
Dave, you are right that only those in the Borough signed onto the law suits, as it was made clear during the Borough meetings that signers had to be residents of the Borough. However, as you know, there was a concerted effort by the Newtown Conservation Coalition to organize people (throughout town) and to orchestrate actions intended to foil the overall development.
If one searches the Bee for “Newtown Conservation Coalition” one will find many articles and editorials that cite the coalition. More that 18 of those articles and editorials, from March 2024 through February 2025, are about the Castle Hill Development and include direct quotes from the NCC head/founder including, e.g.,:
1) Newtown Conservation Coalition founder Dave Ackert has sagely urged his fellow NCC members to “stick to the relevant regulations issues and concerns in your testimony,” as “general opinions and concerns will not be considered when making their decision." [https://www.newtownbee.com/08292024/borough-zoning-to-begin-20-60-castle-hill-public-hearing." [https://www.newtownbee.com/08292024/borough-zoning-to-begin-20-60-castle-hill-public-hearing]
2) “We’re being sold a lot of things,” said Ackert. “The developer said he is going above and beyond in preserving open space, but the only part [of the plan] that doesn’t have houses are the steep slopes. He’s not avoiding buildable land, he’s using every buildable inch.” [https://www.newtownbee.com/09272024/borough-zoning-hears-perspectives-on-castle-hill-development]
In addition to the articles and editorials, you (Dave) also wrote over 8 letters related to the development, in essence speaking for the residents, e.g., saying “On behalf of hundreds of concerned residents living within 500 feet who signed protest petitions, and residents downstream who’s property and finances could also be negatively impacted, I ask the BOS to rescind the discontinuance decision now.” [https://www.newtownbee.com/07102025/discusses-rochambeau-trail-and-6-commerce-road]
The main tools for the Newtown Conservation Coalition are FOI complaints and legal action. These actions have increased the amount both the Town and the Borough have had to pay for legal counsel over the last few years. The cost is shared by all households and businesses for Town actions. Unfortunately, it is shared by very few, relatively speaking, for Borough actions. This year’s Borough costs are $58,000 to date. There were FOIA/legal actions in 2024 and 2025 too. Eventually, we will all see if that was money well spent. My sense is that the answer is no.
my concern is not limited to this single FOIA request or this one case. It is the broader pattern of obstructionism, fear-mongering, and personal nastiness reflected in your Facebook page and other public commentary.
You routinely call people to action by presenting only one side of complicated issues, assigning the worst possible motives to those who disagree with you, and giving little consideration to the legitimate concerns or perspectives on the other side. That may generate outrage and attention, but it does not make you a constructive participant in Newtown’s civic affairs.
You are entitled to question public officials and pursue whatever legal remedies are available to you. But you should not pretend that your own conduct, rhetoric, and repeated escalation of disputes have played no role in the hostility and expense surrounding these matters.
Newtown would be a nicer and more productive community with less of this kind of divisive behavior.
