News

Murphy, Blumenthal, Esty Introduce Bill To Authorize Funds For New Sandy Hook School

Published: May 23, 2013 12:00 am

WASHINGTON, DC — Connecticut’s US Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal along with Newtown’s Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty have introduced new federal legislation that would authorize federal fu...

Safe And Sound In Sandy Hook: Parents Seek More Focus On School Security

By Michael Melia (Associated Press)

Published: May 23, 2013 12:00 am

HARTFORD (AP) — The moment Alissa Parker learned of a shooting at her daughter’s school, she suddenly regretted not pointing out what she had seen as security gaps at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Mrs...

Lawmakers Introduce Bill To Authorize Funds For New Sandy Hook School

Published: May 23, 2013 12:00 am

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Connecticut’s US Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal along with Newtown’s Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty have introduced new federal legislation that would authorize federal ...

Council Cuts Another $300,000 From Schools

By John Voket

Published: May 23, 2013 12:00 am

After about two hours of community input, deliberations and two failed amendments, the Legislative Council voted 9-3 to further reduce the school district’s budget request by $300,000. If approved at ...

Fire Reports May 16 - 22, 2013

Published: May 23, 2013 12:00 am

The dispatchers at the Newtown Emergency Communications Center at Town Hall South report the following fire calls and the responders: Thursday, May 16: 8 pm, motor vehicle accident, near 18...

Police Reports May 12 - May 20, 2013

Published: May 23, 2013 12:00 am

Arrest Warrant After he learned that police held a warrant for his arrest, James Brown, 76, of Wolcott went to the police station about 11 am on May 16 and was charged with four offenses in conne...

Town Launches Support Clearinghouse At Onenewtown.org

Published: May 22, 2013 12:00 am

The Town of Newtown has launched a new recovery website called OneNewtown.org. This website has been developed to bring information on recovery together in one place and is different from the town’s ...

Board Names New Sandy Hook School Administrators

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: May 22, 2013 12:00 am

Following an executive session, the Board of Education unanimously voted on Tuesday, May 21, to name a principal and assistant principal for Sandy Hook School. Kathleen Gombos, the current principal a...

Click-It Or Ticket Seatbelt Project Runs Through June 2

Published: May 22, 2013 12:00 am

Newtown police, among other area police departments, will be continuing their seatbelt enforcement project, known as Click-It or Ticket, through Sunday, June 2. The heightened seatbelt enforcement cam...

HealingNewtown Storefront Closing Wednesday; Plans Take Shape For New Location

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: May 21, 2013 12:00 am

Good news came with the bad on Tuesday, May 21: HealingNewtown Arts Space will close at its doors at its current 5 Queen Street location on Wednesday, May 22, but volunteer director Rob Rabinowitz sai...

C.H. Booth Library Hosted Another Successful Volunteer Fair

COA Welcomes New Alternate, Discusses Senior Alliance

BOE Recognizes 2026 Profiles In Professionalism Honorees

Fire Reports | April 28-May 4, 2026

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

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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Murphy, Blumenthal, Esty Introduce Bill To Authorize Funds For New Sandy Hook School

Safe And Sound In Sandy Hook: Parents Seek More Focus On School Security

Lawmakers Introduce Bill To Authorize Funds For New Sandy Hook School

Council Cuts Another $300,000 From Schools

Fire Reports May 16 - 22, 2013

Police Reports May 12 - May 20, 2013

Town Launches Support Clearinghouse At Onenewtown.org

Board Names New Sandy Hook School Administrators

Click-It Or Ticket Seatbelt Project Runs Through June 2

HealingNewtown Storefront Closing Wednesday; Plans Take Shape For New Location