News

Major Industrial Project Gains Wetlands Approval

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: July 13, 2018 12:00 am

Following a third public hearing, the Inlands Wetlands Commission (IWC) this week approved a wetlands/watercourses protection permit for the developer of a proposed industrial/commercial complex at a ...

Police Preparing To Use Bodycams On Patrol

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: July 13, 2018 12:00 am

Police Chief James Viadero told Police Commission members this week that police have received a shipment of 42 body-worn cameras and related computer equipment, which they plan to start using to creat...

Selectmen Reviewing Upcoming Road Repair Blitz July 16

By John Voket

Published: July 13, 2018 12:00 am

If you are a Newtown resident who has been trundling over or torquing around potholes and stretches of "de-laminated" local road surfaces over the past year, help is on the way.The Newtown BeeÃÂ...

Danbury Motorcyclist Killed In Accident On Rochambeau Bridge

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: July 12, 2018 12:00 am

A Danbury man was killed in a motorcycle accident on Rochambeau Bridge on Interstate 84 about 7:01 am on Thursday, July 12. The incident caused extensive traffic backups and travel delays in both dire...

Fire Reports | June 28-July 11, 2018

Published: July 12, 2018 12:00 am

The dispatchers at the Newtown Emergency Communications Center at Town Hall South, 3 Main Street, report the following fire calls and the responders: Thursday, June 28: 7:36 am, wires down, near 2...

Police Reports | July 3-10, 2018

Published: July 12, 2018 12:00 am

DUI Arrest Police said they received a complaint that there was a motorist driving erratically near the intersection of Trades Lane and Wasserman Way about 12:34 pm on July 10. After finding the ...

Young Philanthropists Donate To Sandy Hook Promise

By Alissa Silber

Published: July 11, 2018 12:00 am

Sisters Grace and Abigail DellaVentura may have rested during their hour-long car ride from Guilford to Newtown on July 5, but they arrived bright-eyed and eager to present the $1,500 donation that th...

SUV Vs Bear Collision On I-84

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: July 10, 2018 12:00 am

State police report an unusual accident on Interstate 84 on the evening of Saturday, July 7, in which a SUV traveling westward, just east of the Exit 10 off-ramp, collided with a black bear. State pol...

Governor Directs Flags To Half-Staff For July 10 To Honor WWII Airman From Winsted

Published: July 09, 2018 12:00 am

HARTFORD - Governor Dannel P. Malloy on Monday announced he is directing US and state flags in Connecticut to fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, in honor of US Army Ai...

Police Bicycle Patrol Returns To Local Roads, Parks

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: July 09, 2018 12:00 am

With local schools having closed for the summer, the police department's bicycle patrol has resumed operations, traveling among the parks in central Newtown and the roads that connect them. Officer Wi...

Poet Laureate Deserves Support

Fire Reports | June 17-24, 2026

Hawley, Middle Gate Go All Out For Field Day

Confession Curated Clothing Ready For Shoppers

Commission On Aging Offered Updates, Answered Housing Questions

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!

Elections Have Consequences XXVI

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.

What’s Going On In The Borough?

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.

My "actions" were a single request for audio recordings of public meetings. It would have cost the Borough ZERO dollars to turn those over, as required by law. Instead, the Chair of the Borough Zoning commission decided, unilaterally, without informing the rest of his commission, to fight that Freedom of Information request. Mr. Johnson attempt to deflect blame falls flat on its face here. Facts matter.

Can you name a single person involved in one of the lawsuits who does not reside in the Borough? I'll wait......

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Major Industrial Project Gains Wetlands Approval

Police Preparing To Use Bodycams On Patrol

Selectmen Reviewing Upcoming Road Repair Blitz July 16

Danbury Motorcyclist Killed In Accident On Rochambeau Bridge

Fire Reports | June 28-July 11, 2018

Police Reports | July 3-10, 2018

Young Philanthropists Donate To Sandy Hook Promise

SUV Vs Bear Collision On I-84

Governor Directs Flags To Half-Staff For July 10 To Honor WWII Airman From Winsted

Police Bicycle Patrol Returns To Local Roads, Parks