News

Parent Connection Elects New Chairman, Readies New Building

By John Voket

Published: February 06, 2016 12:00 am

By John VoketThe Newtown Parent Connection (NPC), a local nonprofit working to educate and empower community members in the prevention of substance abuse and to support families in crisis grappling wi...

'Diverse Opinions' Emerge At Community Center Forum

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: February 05, 2016 12:00 am

At the first of four public forums, Thursday evening, February 4, just over three dozen residents were the first to view a draft proposal for a new community center from the Newtown Community Center C...

School Board Adopts A $74.2M Budget

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: February 05, 2016 12:00 am

After spending roughly a month inspecting details of the superintendent's proposed 2016-17 operational plan, the Board of Education adopted its budget - $74,215,066 or a 3.67 percent increase over the...

Selectmen Approve $40.1M Budget Request; Next Stop, Finance Board

By John Voket

Published: February 05, 2016 12:00 am

By John VoketThe Bee went to press February 4. Look for updates on that story at newtownbee.com. After several budget sessions that included presentations by key department heads, and concluding with ...

Police Reports | January 23-February 3, 2016

Published: February 05, 2016 12:00 am

Berkshire DUI Police report that at about 11 pm on January 31, they spotted motorist Milton Jara-Montesdeoca, 35, of Danbury driving a vehicle erratically westward on Berkshire Road, after which ...

Columbine-Spurred Social Training Program Coming To Kevin's Community Center

By John Voket

Published: February 05, 2016 12:00 am

By John VoketDisabled Are Targets No Standard Response For Catherine Hogan, founder of the Social Communication Foundation, the tragic shootings at Columbine, Colo., in 1999 shook her "to the core...

Newtown Schools Closed Friday

By Newtown Bee

Published: February 05, 2016 12:00 am

Newtown Public Schools are closed Friday, February 5, due to the weather.

Stuck In The Middle: Caraluzzi's Newtown Market Considers Open Carry Law

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: February 05, 2016 12:00 am

Since a shopper at Caraluzzi's Bethel Market observed a customer there openly carrying a gun, January 6, the question of how businesses - grocery stores, in particular - respond to this in Connecticut...

Fire Heavily Damages Repair Garage In Botsford

Published: February 05, 2016 12:00 am

By Shannon Hicks & Andrew Gorosko At 2:32 pm on Tuesday, firefighters received a report of a garage fire underway at 22 Little Brook Lane in Botsford, a one-acre property in a residential neighbo...

Storm System Dropping Heavy, Slippery Snow Across Region

By Shannon Hicks

Published: February 05, 2016 12:00 am

A heavy wet snow created slippery driving conditions across the region Friday morning, leading Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, to close Newtown's public schools for the day. Public Wor...

The Way We Were

Malcolm Andrew 'Andy' Bryant

Top Of The Mountain

Garden Club Spring Plant Sale Saturday

Full Slate Of May Programs Planned By Flagpole Photographers

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

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