News

Holiday Closings

Published: December 30, 2015 12:00 am

Closings, early dismissals and other schedule changes for New Year's Eve and Day have been announced. All town offices and agencies will be closed from noon on Thursday, December 31, and remain closed...

Flagpole Intersection Traffic Report Slated For Discussion

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: December 30, 2015 12:00 am

At their meeting on Tuesday, January 5, Police Commission members are scheduled to discuss a traffic report on the Main Street flagpole intersection, the location which has the second-highest motor ve...

Danbury Man Awarded $170,000 For Wrongful Imprisonment Following 2001 Incident At Booth Library

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: December 30, 2015 12:00 am

HARTFORD — A Danbury man who was wrongly imprisoned on sex crime convictions stemming from a 2001 incident at Booth Library in Newtown has received a $170,000 award from the state to compensate him. I...

Year In Review: Demolition, New Trails At Fairfield Hills In 2015

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: December 30, 2015 12:00 am

Among the earliest efforts by Fairfield Hills Authority (FHA) in 2015 was a visit by its members and town grants coordinator Christal Preszler to Preston, where a former state facility similar to Fair...

Year In Review: Drug Arrests Top Police News Of 2015

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: December 30, 2015 12:00 am

In late April 2015, a town police department sergeant and a civilian dispatcher at the Newtown Emergency Communications Center, which dispatches police, fire, and ambulance calls, were arrested on fed...

Year In Review: Drug Arrests Top Police News Of 2015

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: December 30, 2015 12:00 am

Multiple Thefts From Unlocked Vehicles Reported

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: December 29, 2015 12:00 am

Police said this week they received reports from residents regarding the thefts of small valuables from approximately 20 parked unlocked motor vehicles which occurred overnight on December 26-27. Thos...

Early Deadlines This Week

By Shannon Hicks

Published: December 28, 2015 12:00 am

All deadlines for The Newtown Bee’s print edition of January 1, 2016 are 24 hours earlier this week, due to the New Year’s holiday. This includes editorial as well as advertising deadlines. The deadli...

Sherman Man Sentenced In Steroids Ring Prosecution

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: December 28, 2015 12:00 am

HARTFORD — A federal judge on Wednesday, December 23, sentenced a Sherman man for his role in an anabolic steroids manufacturing and distribution ring, which was headed by a former Newtown police serg...

Will It Finally Look Like Winter This Week?

By Shannon Hicks

Published: December 28, 2015 12:00 am

For the first time this season the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a weather advisory. Rain and wet snow are expected within the next 24 hours. It will not be long lasting, however, as the a...

Next HRRA Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Event Scheduled In Newtown

Genealogy Club's Next Program To Dig Into 'Dissecting A Civil War Pension Record'

Choral Society Planning ‘Voices Of America’ Performance

Newtown Earth Day Festival Was A Success

Local Fourth Grader To Host ‘Gaming For Change’ On May 16

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.

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.

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Holiday Closings

Flagpole Intersection Traffic Report Slated For Discussion

Danbury Man Awarded $170,000 For Wrongful Imprisonment Following 2001 Incident At Booth Library

Year In Review: Demolition, New Trails At Fairfield Hills In 2015

Year In Review: Drug Arrests Top Police News Of 2015

Year In Review: Drug Arrests Top Police News Of 2015

Multiple Thefts From Unlocked Vehicles Reported

Early Deadlines This Week

Sherman Man Sentenced In Steroids Ring Prosecution

Will It Finally Look Like Winter This Week?