Features

Local Artist Recognized For His Love Of Trains, His Love Of Art

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: July 08, 2018 12:00 am

"To Train-watchers; especially to Charles II and the late Charles, Sr," is a dedication in the 2006 book, The Great Steam Trains, America's Great Smoking Iron Horses by Frederic Winkowski and resident...

Local Photographer Lands Exciting Images At Rhode Island Air Show

By John Voket

Published: July 08, 2018 12:00 am

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. - For the second time in recent years, Newtown photographer Darrell Harrington took off from Newtown the morning of June 9 and landed in the photo pit at the Rhode Island Nationa...

Summer Begins For Day Campers

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: July 07, 2018 12:00 am

Newtown Parks & Recreation Assistant Director of Recreation Rose Ann Reggiano is excited for the upcoming summer weeks.More information about the day camps is available on the Newtown Parks & Recreati...

Pony Rides For Jessica Rekos A Hot But Happy Event For All

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: July 07, 2018 12:00 am

The 6th Annual Pony Rides for Jessica Rekos event took place June 30, at the 2nd company Governor's Horse Guard at Fairfield Hills, the third time that the event had been rescheduled. Previous dates w...

Way We Were, Week Ending July 6

By Newtown Bee

Published: July 06, 2018 12:00 am

July 9, 1993 Treadwell Pool Loses Its Race With The Heat. Once Treadwell pool is open - possible July 9 - the Parks and Recreation Department intends to expand the hours of operation of the town'...

Community Invited To 'Soulful Sydney' Book Launch

Published: July 06, 2018 12:00 am

Mariam Azeez, a youth and member of the Al Hedaya Islamic Center, has written a book with Terry Murphy and Deborah Clarke about the power of kindness and compassion called Soulful Sydney Explores Dive...

Snapshot: Joel Segalman

Published: July 06, 2018 12:00 am

Occupation: I run Performance Foot and Ankle Specialists in Newtown. I am a podiatrist and have been a doctor since 1989. I personally have an interest in sports medicine within podiatry. I've wor...

The Top Of The Mountain

Published: July 06, 2018 12:00 am

While readers have heard a lot about the end of year concert and activities involving the local grassroots autism support group Families United In Newtown, or FUN, timing of the information coming fro...

Rabies Danger Very Real With Newtown's Prolific Wildlife Population

By John Voket

Published: July 06, 2018 12:00 am

It was a year ago this month that the Newtown health District was responding to a rare but very real human exposure to the rabies virus that was communicated by an abandoned and then rescued kitten.Th...

Concert Preview: The Autumn Defense Opening Brief Summer Tour At Edmond Town Hall

By John Voket

Published: July 05, 2018 12:00 am

It has been almost four years to the day thatÃÂ The Newtown BeeÃÂ first caught up with Wilco's Pat Sansone, who along with bandmate John Stirratt, formed an on-again off-again side project...

The Way We Were

Dining Guide: Papa Al’s — Pizza, Pasta, And Subs

Mildred Noble Burr

Top Of The Mountain

Union Savings Bank Promotes Joseph Morrissey To Executive Vice President, Commercial Lending

We love Papa Al’s both for take out and sit down. We’d highly recommend!

Dining Guide: Papa Al’s — Pizza, Pasta, And Subs

My darling, You were the best GRANDmother a child could ask for. You created so many great memories & traditions that I have passed down to your Great grandchildren. You brought joy into every room you stepped into. Your laughter, singing, whistling and the signature Rockettes high kicks, is something I will always hold in my heart. There was something about walking into your home and being greeted by your beautiful face. *kiss on each check* followed by HELLOOOOOO Darling! The classical music playing softly in the background and your love and comfort made your home, a safe space. Somewhere, where love knew no boundaries. It was so much more than a home. I aim for the same in my home, and play the classic music 24/7, but it will never be the same. I pray I can be 1/4 of GRAND, you put in GRANDmother. You were so resilient. You found the positive in every situation. I look up to you so much. I remember begging Mom and Dad for years to change my name to “Carmen”. They didn’t officially change my name, but eventually started calling me “Carmenita” as I am a little you. THE HONOR. You were there for me, no matter the day or hour. You were always the one who would talk me through whatever hard situation I was going through. When my baby passed away, I refused to talk to anyone for 3 weeks. Except for you. You said to me “Better days are coming, babes. There’s always a rainbow after the storm”. Of course, you were right, because you are GRAND. I picture you in heaven dancing and laughing with him. Uncle Jay playing the money game with him. To know you are with your children again & with mine does bring me some joy. Twas the night before Christmas & New Year’s Eve, will never be the same. Another tradition you created. A memory that will last forever. Not just with me, but for generations to come. It may not be the same, but we won’t let it die. It will live on, in your name. To be your first GRANDchild was a blessing. I could write an entire book about you & all the amazing things about you. Even though we were robbed of time together & it makes me angry, I know I will see you again. This isn’t a goodbye, but a “see you later”. Just like we ended every phone call. Ciao, darling. I love you. MWAH MWAH! Love your GRANDchild, Kimberly aka Carmenita

Carmen Accashian

Unfortunately, I think this is likely to get worse, not better... Based on both public comments and private conversations, I’m increasingly concerned that our newly elected First Selectman intends not just to install these cameras, but to expand their use for full-blown enforcement and fines. Try getting a straight answer out of him about the long-term plan and you quickly realize how vague the responses become. Tyler is absolutely right to raise the privacy issue. These systems don’t just “catch speeders” — they quietly build a database of where we drive, when we drive, and who is in our vehicles. Once that infrastructure is in place, it becomes very easy to justify expanding its scope: more cameras, more locations, more uses, and eventually more automated enforcement. If Newtown is going down this road, residents deserve clear, written answers to some basic questions before anything is expanded: What limits will be placed on how and where cameras are used? Will footage and plate data be used only for speed enforcement, or for other investigations too? How long will data be stored, and who can access it? What safeguards will prevent vendors and individuals from abusing this information? Without firm, enforceable rules in place, “just a few cameras to slow traffic” can turn into something very different over time. I support safe roads — but not at the cost of unchecked surveillance and vague promises from our leaders. You try getting straight answers out of our First Selectman, myself and others have not been able to...

Discusses Traffic Cameras

I had to hold back a laugh at the idea that 7:30 pm is apparently such a late-night hardship that we’re already talking about moving meetings earlier. For a lot of residents, 7:30 is the earliest they can realistically get to Town Hall after work, family obligations, and the rest of real life. Shifting BOS meetings to 7:00 might make the calendar look tidier for those in the building, but it makes participation harder for the people who pay for the building. If the new First Selectman’s week is already booked solid and evening meetings feel like a strain, that’s not a reason to move the goalposts on public access—it's a reminder that the job is supposed to be demanding. Public service means accommodating the public, even when it’s inconvenient.

Walczak Adjusts To New Role, First Board Meeting

Real people were just in a frightening car accident. To immediately frame their misfortune as rhetorical ammunition against new housing — affordable housing included — feels less like concern for “health and safety” and more like opportunistically using a scary moment to support a pre-existing position. If we’re going to debate this proposal, we should do it honestly: with data on traffic volume, accident history, engineering recommendations, and the town’s housing needs, not by seizing on a single crash as proof that 300 apartments are inherently unsafe. Newtown deserves a thoughtful, fact-based conversation about growth, safety, and affordability — one that doesn’t turn other people’s bad day into a political talking point.

How Many Accidents Will It Take?

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