News

Light The Night Illuminates Blood Cancer Issues

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: October 04, 2013 12:00 am

An estimated 400 people attended the Connecticut Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Light The Night fundraising event held from late afternoon into the night on Saturday, September 28,...

On The Road To A New Firehouse

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: October 04, 2013 12:00 am

Kathy Holick tucked a small green and white Sandy Hook rubber duck into her leather jacket. She soon hopped onto her husband Steve’s motorcycle as the two joined the fourth annual Firehouse Ride to su...

Prisoner Claims Heath Admitted to Killing His Wife

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: October 04, 2013 12:00 am

DANBURY – A state prison inmate testified at the murder trial of John Heath on October 3 that while they were both incarcerated at the Bridgeport Correctional Center in January, Mr Heath told him that...

Fruit Trees Will Soon Grow In Fairfield Hills

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: October 04, 2013 12:00 am

Fresh fruit from apple trees planted in memory of the 12/14 victims will soon add to future Victory Garden harvests. On October 5 at 10 am, garden founder Harvey Pessin and a team of community member...

Medical Examiner Describes Attack At Heath Murder Trial

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: October 03, 2013 12:00 am

DANBURY — The chief state medical examiner who performed an autopsy on the skeletal remains of Elizabeth Heath testified in court on October 2 that her injuries indicated she had attempted to defend h...

NHS To Seek Variance For Electric Entrance Sign

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: October 03, 2013 12:00 am

The Board of Education unanimously approved, during its Tuesday, October 1, meeting, to seek a zoning variance from the Planning and Zoning Commission for an electric sign to be placed at Newtown High...

Police Reports September 23 - 28, 2013

Published: October 03, 2013 12:00 am

Ford Vs Honda Police said motorist Mitchell Roberts, 17, of 20 Fieldstone Drive was driving a 2010 Ford Focus sedan northward on South Main Street, near Peck’s Lane, behind northbound motorist Pa...

Fire Reports September 26 - October 3, 2013

Published: October 03, 2013 12:00 am

The dispatchers at the Newtown Emergency Communications Center at 3 Main Street report the following fire calls and the responders: Thursday, September 26: 10:30 am, residential fire alarm,...

DC Shutdown Affects School District

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: October 03, 2013 12:00 am

While Newtown is not feeling any major impacts from the federal government shutdown that went into effect on Tuesday, October 1, school district Business Director Ron Bienkowski described one small ef...

School Board Approves New Administrators Contract

Published: October 03, 2013 12:00 am

The Board of Education unanimously approved a three-year contract between the Newtown Association of School Administrators and the Newtown Board of Education during its meeting on Tuesday, October 1, ...

Fire Reports | April 28-May 4, 2026

Just Over The Border: Southeast Kitchen And Bath’s New Showroom

Police Reports | April 27-May 3, 2026

Silent Auction To Coincide With Garden Club Standard Flower Show

BOE CFF Discusses Itemized Estimates, Summer CIP Projects

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.

The ‘Me’ Generation

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 :)

The ‘Me’ Generation

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