Features

Craft Party Kicks Off New Year’s Celebrations At NCC

By Alissa Silber

Updated: January 03, 2020 8:40 am

Children prepared to ring in the new year while at the Newtown Community Center’s (NCC) New Year’s Eve Craft Party on Monday, December 30. Tables were set up in the art studio with materials for festi...

The Top Of The Mountain

Published: January 03, 2020 7:00 am

Newtown, from a cat's point of view.

Seeking Newtown’s First Baby Of 2020

Published: January 02, 2020 7:59 am

The Newtown Bee is looking for the first child born to Newtown parents this year, to continue a tradition now in its 59th year.

Who's That Bee: Jeff Williams

Published: January 02, 2020 7:00 am

Our series introducing readers to the employees of Bee Publishing Company continues this week with Jeff Williams, a member of our Sales Department.

Year In Review 2019: A Lookback On Residents’ Lives

By Alissa Silber

Published: December 30, 2019 7:00 am

This year, the Newtown community lost a number of residents who left their mark on town, whether it be through their time in politics, organizations, or schools. Among them was neuroscientist Dr Jerem...

Year In Review 2019: Heartwarming Animals Tales From Town

By Alissa Silber

Published: December 28, 2019 8:00 am

In 2019, animals in Newtown had the spotlight on them when they were featured in various stories throughout the year. There was the time in March where the Newtown Animal Control Center was inundated ...

Community Center Hosts A Musical Holiday Collaboration

Published: December 28, 2019 7:45 am

Newtown Community Center and Ben’s Lighthouse collaborated for a holiday event last week, when guests decorating sugar cookies and enjoyed holiday music less than a week before Christmas.

Way We Were, Week Ending December 27

Published: December 27, 2019 5:00 pm

News as published in The Newtown Bee 25, 50, 75 and 100 years ago.

Snapshot: William DeRosa

Published: December 27, 2019 8:00 am

Occupation: Classical musician. I am a professional cellist. Family: Kersti is my wife and my son, Jack, is 5 years old. He attends kindergarten at Head O’ Meadow. Pets: Sadly, we lost our...

Year In Review 2019: Features Of Resiliency, Music, And New Beginnings

By Alissa Silber

Updated: December 27, 2019 8:47 am

The old adage goes that everyone has a story to tell, and for Newtown residents in 2019, there was an abundance of tales showcasing resiliency, a love of music, and embracing new stages of life. Here ...

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

Newtown Cultural Arts Commission Grant Application Deadline Approaching

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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Craft Party Kicks Off New Year’s Celebrations At NCC

The Top Of The Mountain

Seeking Newtown’s First Baby Of 2020

Who's That Bee: Jeff Williams

Year In Review 2019: A Lookback On Residents’ Lives

Year In Review 2019: Heartwarming Animals Tales From Town

Community Center Hosts A Musical Holiday Collaboration

Way We Were, Week Ending December 27

Snapshot: William DeRosa

Year In Review 2019: Features Of Resiliency, Music, And New Beginnings