News

State Planning For Exit 11 Interchange Improvement Project; Info Session Scheduled

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: April 23, 2015 12:00 am

The state Department of Transportation (DOT) has scheduled a public information session on its plans to make roadway improvements at and near the Exit 11 interchange of Interstate 84 to alleviate tr...

McGraw Defends Decision To Headline 'Concert For Sandy Hook Promise'; 11 Families Issue Statement

By Shannon Hicks

Published: April 22, 2015 12:00 am

HARTFORD — Tim McGraw is defending his decision to headline a Connecticut concert to benefit a Sandy Hook group, responding to critics who call it a gun control fundraiser. A concert at the XFINITY Th...

Police Investigate Threat Of Violence Against NHS

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: April 20, 2015 12:00 am

Police said Monday, April 20, they are continuing their criminal investigation into a reported threat of violence against Newtown High School, interviewing multiple suspects and multiple witnesses in ...

Police Reports, March 27-April 13, 2015

Published: April 20, 2015 12:00 am

Road Rage Police report a road rage incident involving two male drivers which concluded early on the morning of April 12 on Great Quarter Road, near the Monroe town line. Police said the incident...

Commission On Aging Chair Says Meeting, Agenda Likely Violated FOI Laws

By John Voket

Published: April 20, 2015 12:00 am

The agenda for an unusual Saturday special meeting of the town’s Commission on Aging (COA) appeared to lack necessary details to conform to state Freedom of Information laws, and discussions during th...

Trail Extension Begins At Fairfield Hills

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: April 20, 2015 12:00 am

John Spremullo with LRM Construction stepped down from a dump truck cab Tuesday, April 14, and watched as Ryan Clark worked a backhoe to create a 10-foot-wide path along Mile Hill South at the corner ...

WSA Members Updated On Hawleyville Sewering Project

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: April 18, 2015 12:00 am

The town’s consulting engineer has updated Water & Sewer Authority (WSA) members on the ongoing planning for the Hawleyville sanitary sewer system extension, which is intended to foster economic devel...

WSA Reviews Sewer Request For Sandy Hook Center Housing Plan

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: April 17, 2015 12:00 am

Water & Sewer Authority (WSA) members are reviewing technical information and have requested more data from a local developer/builder who is seeking sewer service for a 74-unit housing complex propos...

Town's Top Officials Gather To Pitch For 2015-16 Budget Support

By John Voket

Published: April 17, 2015 12:00 am

Five of Newtown’s top elected officials invited The Newtown Bee to the home of Board of Finance Chairman John Kortze April 15 to film a series of videos addressing key questions ahead of the 2015-16 b...

Commissioner Pleased SHAC Recommendations Are Getting Federal Attention

By John Voket

Published: April 17, 2015 12:00 am

Newtown Middle School educator Ron Chivinski told The Newtown Bee this week that he was happy to see how quickly some recommendations tendered in his role serving on Governor Dannel Malloy’s Sandy Hoo...

Rudolph Albert Edwards

American Legion Post 202 Officers Sworn In For 2026-27

Booth Book Sale Turns 50: 500-Year-Old Book, A P.T. Barnum Signature, And So Much More At 2026 Friends Of The C.H. Booth Library Annual Book Sale

Lockwood Celebrates 61 Years Of Service For SHVFR Ladies Auxiliary

Local Semiquincentennial Events Planned

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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State Planning For Exit 11 Interchange Improvement Project; Info Session Scheduled

McGraw Defends Decision To Headline 'Concert For Sandy Hook Promise'; 11 Families Issue Statement

Police Investigate Threat Of Violence Against NHS

Police Reports, March 27-April 13, 2015

Commission On Aging Chair Says Meeting, Agenda Likely Violated FOI Laws

Trail Extension Begins At Fairfield Hills

WSA Members Updated On Hawleyville Sewering Project

WSA Reviews Sewer Request For Sandy Hook Center Housing Plan

Town's Top Officials Gather To Pitch For 2015-16 Budget Support

Commissioner Pleased SHAC Recommendations Are Getting Federal Attention