Note: Portions of this story include reporting by Associate Editor John Voket.
A new community and senior center rose from the ground on Simpson Lane in Fa...
Some of the civil suits concerning Newtown that moved through the courts during 2018 involved “wrongful deaths” and proposed land development.
Gunmaker Remingto...
To the Editor:
My best wishes to Senior Center Director Marilyn Place, who announced her retirement at the center’s bingo party on December 19, after 30 years o...
The Newtown Bee is looking for the first child born to Newtown parents this year. This will continue a tradition now in its 58th year.
The First Baby of New...
Led by Ayden Kasbarian’s 138-pound weight division championship, Newtown High School’s wrestling team placed fifth among 16 schools in the Ryan Sabbagh Holiday ...
Update: This article, originally posted on December 28, has been updated to include highlights from the December 29 game.
Newtown High School’s girls’ bask...
Newtown High School’s boys’ basketball team carries a hot start to the campaign into the New Year.
The Nighthawks jumped out to a sizable early lead, withstood ...
To the Editor:
The Newtown Congregational Church, Newtown United Methodist Church, Suzuki Music School, and Connecticut Music Therapy jointly sponsored the Seco...
BRIDGEPORT — Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo celebrated the first birthday of three rare maned wolf pups (Chrysocyon brachyurus) with a special “Maned Event” for th...
Donald Sharpe, 85, died peacefully December 29, at home in Sandy Hook. At his side were Jane, his wife of 52 years; son, Marcus, of Brookfield; and daughter, Ki...
Excellent points sir. I too have been following this in the media. Cynically I say the State is looking for a scapegoat for their lack of guidance. Anecdotally a friend of mine hasher mother in a nursing home. they had gone into quarantine over flu (no visiting) two weeks before the State instituted Covid precautions. They had no fatalities and I do not know how many cases they had.
Another person I know works in a senior community (Independent, assisted, skilled and dementia units). Her facility went to PPE for all staff before the state did and kept infections to a minimum.
I read of one facility in Bristol where the owner asked the staff to move into RV's he obtained and have no contact with their family for the duration. He was paying CNA's $15,000 a month and RN's $25.000 a month but he had zero cases or fatalities. (He was profiled on NPR)
After action should not be finger pointing and blaming but a roadmap for future responses.
Something to think about, with the push to limit Qualified Immunity for police and other government officials, since they anticipate an appeal, if their decision is overturned would the Board members and Director of Planning be personally liable for any losses or damages to the plaintiffs ? Would anyone want to serve on a Board if they were liable for the Boards votes and decisions ?
I saw another reader wrote a letter commenting how a very similar proposal was applied for 25 years ago and turned down.
I support Mr. Rosenthal. Either it is safe to gather or it is not. If our Seniors cannot march to receive their diplomas because it is a public health risk, then it is also a public health risk to hold hands and demonstrate.
For the record, I believe the health restrictions should be lifted now. In the beginning we did not know a lot and erred on the side of caution which was advisable. Now we know more and do not need to be as strict. I will never criticize the Governor or Mr. Rosenthal for their initial responses. they were acting in what they thought were the best way.
I am very heartened to see Newtown have a peaceful demonstration. Two disquieting thoughts however, one it could not be determined who organized the demonstrations and two they pulled the singing of our National Anthem. We need to come together as Americans and address this issue.
My young friend:
I hope you might indulge an old man.
All four of my grandparents were immigrants to America. My father was the youngest in his family of five siblings that was caught in the Great Depression which gripped the world from 1939 to 1933. Four grueling years.
All his siblings had to drop out of school and take any job or jobs they could find to help support the family. But because he was the baby, they invested their aspirations in him and insisted he stay in school. He did. But in his senior year of high school, the family was still struggling mightily and he had to find work. He was able to juggle his job as a truck driver with his senior class load and became the first in his family to finish high school. He had to work on his graduation day. Alone, he drove his truck to the high school auditorium, parked, went inside just as his name was called, picked up his diploma while still in dirty coveralls, walked out and returned to his truck.
Don’t get hung up on ceremony. You did your work and graduated. Congratulations. Now get on with it.
