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Police Reports | July 10-19, 2016

Published: July 22, 2016 12:00 am

Dodge vs Volvo At about 2 pm on July 10, motorist Douglas Meyer, 50, of 5 North Branch Road, who was driving a 2012 Volvo S-60-T6-A auto eastward on Sugar Street, stopped for traffic conditions a...

Permanent Memorial Commission Shifts Focus To New Site

By John Voket

Published: July 22, 2016 12:00 am

What a difference a few hundred yards makes.The Bee she is very pleased that the memorial panel is refocusing on a site that "has many fine attributes." It appears that former opponents to a High Mead...

Food Pantry Seeking Immediate Temporary Help

By Shannon Hicks

Published: July 22, 2016 12:00 am

FAITH Food Pantry (FFP) was founded by the Reverend Joan Horwitt, former rector of St John's Episcopal Church, in June 1983. Always run entirely by volunteers, the pantry has been housed in the baseme...

Police Probe Five Forced-Entry Burglaries

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: July 22, 2016 12:00 am

UPDATE (Saturday, July 23, 2016): Newtown Police have released a video still and brief video showing the suspect in at least one of the five burglaries. The photo and a link to the video have been...

Town Officials Concerned About Heat, Urge Residents To Be Safe

Published: July 22, 2016 12:00 am

Personnel in Newtown's offices of the First Selectman, Emergency Management, and the Health District are concerned that current weather conditions may be dangerous for residents. With that in mind, th...

Aquarion: Low Water Pressure Possible

By Shannon Hicks

Published: July 21, 2016 12:00 am

Aquarion Water Company is asking customers, for the second time in just over a week, to conserve water use.the company announced on July 15. In a notice issued July 21, the utility asks its customers ...

Cave Comics' New Building Under Construction

By John Voket

Published: July 21, 2016 12:00 am

A local comic book emporium that previously shared space with the Burgerrittoville Restaurant in the former railroad depot off Church Hill Road, will be relocating soon to a new building on the ground...

Absentee Ballots Available For August 9 Probate Primary

Published: July 19, 2016 12:00 am

Newtown Republicans are beingÃÂ called to the polls August 9 to endorse a candidate to run for the party's Northern Fairfield County Probate Court judge seatÃÂ in aÃÂ GOP-exclusive p...

Travel Advisory: Section Of Route 133 To Temporarily Close

Published: July 19, 2016 12:00 am

NOTE (July 21, 2016): This story has been updated to reflect a change of starting date for this project by the CT DOT. BRIDGEWATER - The Connecticut Department of Transportation has announced tha...

Flags To Remain At Half-Staff

Published: July 19, 2016 12:00 am

In accordance with a proclamation from President Barack Obama directing flags to be lowered to honor the victims of the attack on police officers in Baton Rouge, La., Governor Dannel P. Malloy announc...

Nighthawk Track And Field Teams Host Meet

New Heights Vacation Bible School Returning

Next HRRA Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Event Scheduled In Newtown

Genealogy Club's Next Program To Dig Into 'Dissecting A Civil War Pension Record'

Choral Society Planning ‘Voices Of America’ Performance

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

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Police Reports | July 10-19, 2016

Permanent Memorial Commission Shifts Focus To New Site

Food Pantry Seeking Immediate Temporary Help

Police Probe Five Forced-Entry Burglaries

Town Officials Concerned About Heat, Urge Residents To Be Safe

Aquarion: Low Water Pressure Possible

Cave Comics' New Building Under Construction

Absentee Ballots Available For August 9 Probate Primary

Travel Advisory: Section Of Route 133 To Temporarily Close

Flags To Remain At Half-Staff