News

Dodgingtown Residential Subdivision Proposal Slated For Hearing

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: August 21, 2014 12:00 am

The Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) has scheduled a public hearing for next week on a proposed 23-lot cluster-style residential subdivision in Dodgingtown. The hearing on The Preserve at Newtown is s...

Police Reports | August 9-20, 2014

Published: August 21, 2014 12:00 am

Saab vs Toyota Police said that at about 2:30 pm on August 9 a two-vehicle collision happened on South Main Street at its intersection with Elm Drive. In that incident, motorist Rachel Cole, 18, ...

CIP Season: Finance Board Will Host Council, Selectmen, School Board

By John Voket

Published: August 21, 2014 12:00 am

Following Board of Selectmen action August 18 to send the town’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to the Board of Finance, Chairman John Kortze has asked First Selectman Pat Llodra, School Sup...

Selectmen Merge Land Use, Planning, Development Departments

By John Voket

Published: August 20, 2014 12:00 am

The Board of Selectmen moved quickly to reorganize Newtown’s Land Use, Planning, and Economic Development functions following the recent departure of Director of Economic and Community Development Dir...

Police Planning Speed Enforcement Project

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: August 20, 2014 12:00 am

Town police have received approval for an almost $17,000 grant, and plan to use the money for traffic speed enforcement now through the end of September, and also to acquire some new radar-based speed...

Help Plan An Anniversary Celebration With NFA

Published: August 19, 2014 12:00 am

Volunteers are encouraged to attend tonight's Newtown Forest Association (NFA) 90th anniversary celebration planning meeting at 7 pm at Holcombe Hill Wildlife Preserve at 55 Great Hill Road. Just 18 d...

After Setbacks Conservationists Work To Protect A 'Fragile Resource'

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: August 18, 2014 12:00 am

A “fragile resource” running quietly through town needs protection, especially after past oil spills and a fish poisoning in 2013 diminished its health. At the end of Old Farm Road below the Second Co...

Flags To Return To Full-Staff At Sunset

Published: August 18, 2014 12:00 am

HARTFORD – Governor Dannel P. Malloy is directing flags in Connecticut to return to full-staff at sunset this evening. Flags in honor of Staff Sgt Ronald Patterson Jr of Bridgeport, who was killed o...

Something Old, Something New, And Something For Everyone At The Labor Day Parade

By Nancy Crevier

Published: August 16, 2014 12:00 am

Is there any town that loves its parade more than Newtown? If the thousands of people who turn out to celebrate the end of summer each year are any indication, the answer is “No,” and Parade Committee...

Union Chief: Teachers Felt Rushed To Return After 12/14

By Susan Haigh - Associated Press

Published: August 16, 2014 12:00 am

HARTFORD (AP) - Teachers felt they were rushed into returning to the classroom following the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the president of the local teachers union said Friday. ...

The Way We Were

Silver Alert For Blue McGrath Ended

Top Of The Mountain

Cargo Van Driver Taken To Hospital Following Collision With Gas Tanker

Knotweed Initiative Program Planned

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 :)

<< May 2026 >>
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
26	27	28	29	30	1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31	1	2	3	4	5	6

Log In

Dodgingtown Residential Subdivision Proposal Slated For Hearing

Police Reports | August 9-20, 2014

CIP Season: Finance Board Will Host Council, Selectmen, School Board

Selectmen Merge Land Use, Planning, Development Departments

Police Planning Speed Enforcement Project

Help Plan An Anniversary Celebration With NFA

After Setbacks Conservationists Work To Protect A 'Fragile Resource'

Flags To Return To Full-Staff At Sunset

Something Old, Something New, And Something For Everyone At The Labor Day Parade

Union Chief: Teachers Felt Rushed To Return After 12/14