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NHS Class Of 2014 The 'Best Class' That 'Cannot Be Defined'

By Eliza Hallabeck and Kendra Bobowick

Published: June 19, 2014 12:00 am

With shining white and blue graduation gowns draped around them, members of the Newtown High School Class of 2014 entered the Western Connecticut State University’s O’Neill Center on Tuesday, June 17....

Post-12/14 Panel Recommends Mental Health Changes For CT's Young Adults

By Arielle Levin Becker

Published: June 18, 2014 12:00 am

The task force established after the Newtown shootings to examine mental health issues among young adults in what a key legislative leader described as a “blueprint” for future legislative action on b...

Class Of 2014 Proclaimed 'The Best Class Ever'

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: June 17, 2014 12:00 am

Salutatorian Amisha Dave told her graduating classmates, “2014 is officially the best class ever.” Standing before them during graduation ceremonies at Western Connecticut State University’s O’Neill C...

Newtown Receives $7 Million Federal Grant For School Safety, Counseling Services

By John Voket

Published: June 17, 2014 12:00 am

US Representative Elizabeth Esty and US Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy announced on June 17 a $7.1 million grant from the US Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime to suppor...

New FHA Chairman Reveals Updated Vision For Community's Campus

By John Voket

Published: June 16, 2014 12:00 am

Tom Connors, who did not even live in Newtown the day the community signed off on acquiring the sprawling and abandoned Fairfield Hills hospital campus, is now leading the authority charged with overs...

A Successful Silver Anniversary Breakfast Fundraiser
In Support Of Regional Hospice And Home Care

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: June 16, 2014 12:00 am

Well over 200 people attended the 25th Annual Newtown Chapter Regional Hospice and Home Care of Western Connecticut Breakfast Fundraiser, Wednesday morning, June 11, at the Waterview in Monroe. Fillin...

P&Z OKs Residential Component At Commercial Complexes

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: June 16, 2014 12:00 am

Following a June 5 public hearing, Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members approved revised zoning regulations which, in effect, would greatly increase the amount of residential apartment space t...

Party Raises $50,000 For Hubbard Foundation Animal Sanctuary

Published: June 14, 2014 12:00 am

NORTH SALEM, N.Y. — In a touching tribute to the life and legacy of a first-grader lost in the Sandy Hook tragedy, the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation hosted the first Catherine’s Butterfly Party,...

Valedictorian And Salutatorian Credit Supportive Families For Success

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: June 14, 2014 12:00 am

Newtown High School’s valedictorian and salutatorian both credit their families with support and encouragement throughout their academic years. Class of 2014 Valedictorian Anne Beier and Salutatorian ...

Authors And Illustrators Offer 'New Stories For Newtown'

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: June 14, 2014 12:00 am

Authors and illustrators offered different activities and presentations at Reed Intermediate School on Saturday, June 7, for the 2nd Annual New Stories For Newtown event. The day before, Friday, June ...

CVH Animal Sanctuary To Celebrate America250 With Red, White & Blueberry Community Harvest

Flagpole Photographers & Cultural Commission Join To Celebrate 1776

Newtown Celebrates USA 250th Anniversary

Town Historian To Present 'Newtown In The American Revolution'

Local Semiquincentennial Events Planned

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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NHS Class Of 2014 The 'Best Class' That 'Cannot Be Defined'

Post-12/14 Panel Recommends Mental Health Changes For CT's Young Adults

Class Of 2014 Proclaimed 'The Best Class Ever'

Newtown Receives $7 Million Federal Grant For School Safety, Counseling Services

New FHA Chairman Reveals Updated Vision For Community's Campus

A Successful Silver Anniversary Breakfast Fundraiser In Support Of Regional Hospice And Home Care

P&Z OKs Residential Component At Commercial Complexes

Party Raises $50,000 For Hubbard Foundation Animal Sanctuary

Valedictorian And Salutatorian Credit Supportive Families For Success

Authors And Illustrators Offer 'New Stories For Newtown'

A Successful Silver Anniversary Breakfast Fundraiser
In Support Of Regional Hospice And Home Care