News

Resident, Sandy Hook Promise Co-Founder Receives UVM 2014 Alumni Achievement Award

Published: October 15, 2014 12:00 am

Newtown resident Rob Cox, editor-in-chief of Breakingviews, the global financial commentary publication of Thomson Reuters, was in Burlington, Vt., Friday, October 10, to receive the 2014 Alumni Achie...

Late-Night Work On I-84 Bridges Will Close Highway Lanes This Week

By John Voket

Published: October 14, 2014 12:00 am

A Connecticut Department of Transportation traffic update is warning motorists to expect delays on Interstate 84 between the hours of 8 pm and 5 am beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, October 15, through a...

Consultant To Study Key Rock Road Speeding Issue

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: October 14, 2014 12:00 am

The Police Commission plans to have an engineering firm review traffic flow on Key Rock Road to determine the best measures to control speeding on the northern section of that mile-long north-south co...

State Lawmakers Urge EPA To Reconsider Neonicotinoid Pesticides

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: October 13, 2014 12:00 am

Three Connecticut lawmakers are among the 60 members of Congress who have signed a letter, dated September 30, to Gina McCarthy, administrator at the US Environmental Protection Agency. Elizabeth Esty...

New House Rises In Sandy Hook, Replacing Blighted Structure

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: October 13, 2014 12:00 am

Local electrician Ken Burns has fond memories of his youth living with his family at a compact ranch-style house at 82 Berkshire Road (Route 34) in Sandy Hook. He recalls days of playing in the spacio...

FunSpace II To Temporarily Close

Published: October 13, 2014 12:00 am

Newtown Parks & Recreation Department has announced that work scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 14, at FunSpace II lead to a temporary closing of the playground. The playground, within Dicki...

In The Right Place, They Are Welcome Guests: A Good Year For Wasps, Experts Say

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: October 11, 2014 12:00 am

Beekeeper and resident Jeff Shwartz has been hearing a lot about wasps. He said, “I got more calls this year about wasps than any other year,” which may be because he has been doing bee and wasp remov...

Developer Offers More Data On Subdivision Plan

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: October 11, 2014 12:00 am

Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) members are reviewing revised and expanded technical information provided by the developers of The Preserve at Newtown, a proposed 23-lot residential subdivision on 16...

Single Car Crash Closes Main Street At Midnight

By John Voket

Published: October 11, 2014 12:00 am

A single car crash just before midnight Friday evening resulted in the state DOT closing the busy roadway for several hours while crews assessed and repaired damage to a snapped utility pole just nort...

Malloy, Foley Clash Over State's Response To 12/14 At Testy Debate

By Susan Haigh, Associated Press

Published: October 10, 2014 12:00 am

HARTFORD (AP) — Gov Dannel P. Malloy and Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley on Thursday exchanged some of the strongest words yet in their continuing debate over Connecticut’s response to th...

Discusses Song And Our Country

Higher Property Taxes Are Not the Answer

A Community Thank You

Newtown Bridge Club Grateful For Success Of Event

A Community Thank You From House Of Harrison

This should have been printed as XXVII in case you would like to redo your calculations.

Elections Have Consequences XXVI

It is actually XXVII - 27. There was a misprint in the title.

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.

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.

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Resident, Sandy Hook Promise Co-Founder Receives UVM 2014 Alumni Achievement Award

Late-Night Work On I-84 Bridges Will Close Highway Lanes This Week

Consultant To Study Key Rock Road Speeding Issue

State Lawmakers Urge EPA To Reconsider Neonicotinoid Pesticides

New House Rises In Sandy Hook, Replacing Blighted Structure

FunSpace II To Temporarily Close

In The Right Place, They Are Welcome Guests: A Good Year For Wasps, Experts Say

Developer Offers More Data On Subdivision Plan

Single Car Crash Closes Main Street At Midnight

Malloy, Foley Clash Over State's Response To 12/14 At Testy Debate