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Newtown Activists Shift Focus To House Of Representatives

By Ana Radelat ©The Connecticut Mirror

Published: September 18, 2013 12:00 am

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a week in which another mass shooting took place, and in a year in which gun control has fallen off Congress’ radar, gun control activists again came to Capitol Hill to lobby uny...

Residents Sought For Commission Posts

Published: September 18, 2013 12:00 am

First Selectman Pat Llodra is seeking residents to fill several opening on local appointed boards and commissions. In some cases the appointments are required to be affiliated with a specific politica...

Starbucks Says Guns Unwelcome, Though Not Banned

By Candice Choi, Associated Press

Published: September 18, 2013 12:00 am

NEW YORK (AP) — Starbucks says guns are no longer welcome in its cafes, though it is stopping short of an outright ban on firearms. The fine line that the retailer is walking to address the concerns o...

Police Continue To Pursue Leads In Search For Missing Man

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: September 18, 2013 12:00 am

Newtown police said they are investigating two reported sightings of the missing Robert Hoagland which occurred on Tuesday, September 17, near the Rhode Island/Connecticut border. Newtown police said ...

High Meadow Preservation, Rental Housing Highlighted In FFH Master Plan Update

By John Voket

Published: September 17, 2013 12:00 am

After a three-year process, the Board of Selectmen received the latest update to the Fairfield Hills Master Plan during its September 16 meeting. The relatively brief presentation by Land Use Director...

Library Director Steps Down

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: September 17, 2013 12:00 am

The Newtown Bee received a copy Tuesday, September 17, of an e-mail letter of resignation from C.H. Booth Library Director Shawn Fields, sent to members of the Board of Trustees of the C.H. Booth ...

Traffic Alert: I-84 To Be Closed Two Weekends At N.Y.-Conn. Border

Published: September 17, 2013 12:00 am

The New York State Department of Transportation is replacing two bridges carrying Interstate 84 over Dingle Ridge Road in Southeast, N.Y. The work is being accelerated to minimize traffic impacts, but...

Absentee Ballots For Sandy Hook School Referendum Available

By John Voket

Published: September 16, 2013 12:00 am

Absentee ballots are now available for the Saturday, October 5, referendum, which will be held from 6 am to 8 pm at the Newtown Middle School gymnasium. The purpose of the vote is to register public c...

Sandy Hook Promise: Public Supports Gun Control

By Associated Press

Published: September 16, 2013 12:00 am

(AP) A nonprofit group in Newtown that has worked with families who lost relatives in the school shooting last year on tougher gun laws says the recall of two lawmakers in Colorado does not diminish p...

President Orders Flags Lowered Following Navy Yard Shootings

Published: September 16, 2013 12:00 am

Note: This story has been updated to include Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy’s response to the President’s proclamation. President Obama has ordered that all American flags be lowered to honor...

‘Color Our World With Hope’ Filled Newtown With Music, Meaning, And Community Impact

Nighthawk Baseball Team Beats Conference Opponents

Late Goal By Ruddy Lifts Nighthawk Lacrosse Team To Victory, Showcases Chemistry In Midfield

Reed Intermediate Presents Sold-Out Performances Of 'Willy Wonka Jr'

Draw Dominance, Transition Game Lift Boys' Lacrosse Team To Lopsided Wins

Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Newtown Activists Shift Focus To House Of Representatives

Residents Sought For Commission Posts

Starbucks Says Guns Unwelcome, Though Not Banned

Police Continue To Pursue Leads In Search For Missing Man

High Meadow Preservation, Rental Housing Highlighted In FFH Master Plan Update

Library Director Steps Down

Traffic Alert: I-84 To Be Closed Two Weekends At N.Y.-Conn. Border

Absentee Ballots For Sandy Hook School Referendum Available

Sandy Hook Promise: Public Supports Gun Control

President Orders Flags Lowered Following Navy Yard Shootings