News

Veterans Commemorated At VFW Service

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: May 29, 2013 12:00 am

While others in town fired up their grills, or packed up for a day at the beach or on the water, a number of Newtown residents gathered at the property of the VFW Post 308 on Tinkerfield Road, just of...

June 13 Event In Washington, D.C. To Commemorate 12/14

Published: May 29, 2013 12:00 am

Newtown Action Alliance, a local grassroots organization committed to reducing gun violence, is sponsoring an all-day event in Washington, D.C., Thursday, June 13, to demand that Congress vote on and ...

Absentee Ballots Available, Special Saturday Hours For Next Referendum

Published: May 28, 2013 12:00 am

The next town referendum, to vote only on the proposed education budget, will be held on Tuesday, June 4, from 6 am until 8 pm, in the Newtown Middle School gymnasium. Pursuant to Conn. General Statut...

Newtown Moves Closer To Emergency Dispatch Consolidation

By John Voket

Published: May 28, 2013 12:00 am

State officials serving on the Municipal Opportunities and Regional Efficiencies (MORE) Commission, a panel convened by House Speaker J. Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden), announced a number of proposals May...

With Biters And Special Needs Canines, The Newtown Pound Is Going The Extra Mile For The Dogs Nobody Wants

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: May 28, 2013 12:00 am

It used to be that dog pounds were the end of the line for problem dogs. If initial attempts to place them in new homes failed, it was only a matter of time before they were put down Newtown’s latest ...

New Director Selected For C.H. Booth Library

Published: May 28, 2013 12:00 am

The Board of Trustees of Newtown’s C.H. Booth Library announces that Shawn R. Fields has been selected as the new library director, as of July 1. The search for a new director began last fall after lo...

Flags Should Be Lowered For Memorial Day

Published: May 27, 2013 12:00 am

All flags should be lowered to half-staff today, in honor of Memorial Day. They should remain lowered until sunset this evening, which will be 8:12 pm. President Obama released a proclamation on Frida...

Senate Passes Additional Newtown-Related Bills

By Susan Haigh, Associated Press

Published: May 26, 2013 12:00 am

HARTFORD (AP) — Connecticut lawmakers on Thursday began building on a package of reforms the General Assembly passed in April that addressed the Newtown school shooting, requiring annual firearms safe...

State Makes $5 Million Available For School Safety

Published: May 26, 2013 12:00 am

HARTFORD (AP) — Connecticut is making $5 million available immediately to cities and towns to help reimburse them for school safety and security upgrades following 12/14. Governor Dannel P. Malloy ann...

Newtown Denied Bid To Postpone Hearing On Records

Published: May 26, 2013 12:00 am

HARTFORD (AP) — Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Commission on Friday denied a bid by Newtown officials to postpone a hearing on a request by The Associated Press for records related to the gunman...

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.

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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Veterans Commemorated At VFW Service

June 13 Event In Washington, D.C. To Commemorate 12/14

Absentee Ballots Available, Special Saturday Hours For Next Referendum

Newtown Moves Closer To Emergency Dispatch Consolidation

With Biters And Special Needs Canines, The Newtown Pound Is Going The Extra Mile For The Dogs Nobody Wants

New Director Selected For C.H. Booth Library

Flags Should Be Lowered For Memorial Day

Senate Passes Additional Newtown-Related Bills

State Makes $5 Million Available For School Safety

Newtown Denied Bid To Postpone Hearing On Records