Obituaries

Stanley Perrone

Updated: December 19, 2019 2:59 pm

Stanley Mario Perrone, 64 years old, passed away peacefully on Wednesday morning, December 18, in the arms of his loving family at Yale New Haven Hospital. Throughout his illness, he remained steadfas...

Charles Lindberg Kilson

Updated: December 17, 2019 11:54 am

Charles Lindberg Kilson, 88, Sandy Hook, passed away at home peacefully with his family on Saturday, December 14, 2019, following a long illness. Charles, known to his family and friends as Charlie, L...

William Matt Morlock

Updated: December 17, 2019 11:19 am

William Matt Morlock, son of the late William and Helen Goelz Morlock, died peacefully in his home on Friday, the 13th of December, 2019. He was 84 years old. He is survived by his loving wife, Diane ...

Henry Donald Dieselman

Published: December 17, 2019 11:05 am

Henry Donald Dieselman, of Scituate, Mass., died peacefully at home on November 20, 2019. Henry was born November 3, 1935, in Cambridge, Mass., the son of the late John Conrad and Grace (Langton) Dies...

Gail F. Rothe

Updated: December 17, 2019 11:55 am

Gail F. Rothe, of Southbury, died unexpectedly Saturday afternoon, December 14, 2019, at Danbury Hospital. She was born in Meriden, November 20, 1955, daughter of the late Clarence and Dorothy (Griffi...

Richard Raymond Rau

Updated: December 16, 2019 4:47 pm

This obituary has been updated from the original publication that appeared last week. Richard Raymond Rau, 91, of Bluffton, S.C., formerly of Newtown, Connecticut, passed away Wednesday, December...

David French

Published: December 10, 2019 2:00 pm

David G. French, 81, of Newtown, passed away Monday morning, December 2, 2019, at his home. He was born in Bridgeport to the late Russell French and Mary Barna French. He was a home builder and develo...

Louisa Tolla

Published: December 06, 2019 4:10 pm

Louisa Tolla, age 57, passed away on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at her home. Born in Mount Kisco, N.Y., a daughter of Douglas Gene Ruffles and Mary Agnes Wray Ruffles. Louisa was deeply religious an...

Christopher Knight

Published: December 05, 2019 9:15 am

Christopher Mark Knight, a former Newtown resident and graduate of Newtown High School, passed away on November 23, 2019, in Naugatuck, Conn. He was 44 years old, born in Bridgeport, on March 8, 1975....

Julia DeSousa

Updated: December 05, 2019 12:23 pm

Julia S. DeSousa, 92, of Sandy Hook, passed away on December 3, 2019, at home, surrounded by her loving family. Julia was born in Ossining, N.Y., on March 9, 1927, the daughter of Antonio and Rosalina...

Families United In Newtown Wraps Up The Season With Celebration At Dickinson Park

Attendees Have Fun At NFA's Third Annual SpringFest

Town & Country Garden Club Of Newtown Celebrates 60 Years Of Commitment To Club & Community

Enjoy A DJ Dance Party, Arts And Crafts, And More At Summer Luau

The Way We Were

The Editor suggest a meeting between the "Rock This Democracy " and the Police Commission. As a former Police Commissioner the Chief should have followed the chain of command and discussed this with the Police Commission. The Chief reports to the Elected Police Commission not our Republican First Selection. Can't help but feel this is Republican politics again making an issue out of a non issue.

Assembly Ordinance?

I support Chief Kullgren’s request to explore permitting, and cost-sharing for large gatherings. The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy, and I fully support the constitutional right to free speech and assembly. However, where and how often these protests occur matters. Main Street is not just a symbol — it’s a vital artery for daily life in town. When events are held there monthly, and at increasing scale, they cause disruption to residents, businesses, and traffic. While the Rock This Democracy group may describe these protests as unique or urgent, the frequency — roughly once every two weeks this spring — suggests more of a recurring series than a singular, spontaneous moment of civic expression. This isn’t about silencing anyone. It’s about fairness, public safety, and fiscal responsibility. Every time a protest happens, our police department is forced to assign resources, often on overtime. That expense adds up quickly. If any group wants to use public space regularly, particularly in a way that impacts traffic and requires police presence, then it’s reasonable for the town to consider permitting and cost-sharing — just as we do for other organized events like races, festivals, or parades. Let’s protect everyone’s rights — including the right of the community to function smoothly and the right of taxpayers not to bear undue cost for repeated events. I trust the Council to consider a reasonable path forward that balances speech with responsibility.

David, your passion for transparency would carry more weight if it weren’t routinely wielded like a cudgel. Let's set the record straight: no one is against easier access to documents or better online availability—we all want an informed public. But there's a difference between constructive advocacy and the kind of grandstanding that costs this town time, morale, and taxpayer money. You cite Ridgefield’s practices—great. Let's talk about that like adults. But instead, what we see is a steady stream of accusatory posts, legal challenges, and FOIA blitzes aimed less at solving problems and more at creating headlines. It’s not “slander” to point out that your approach often does more to divide and exhaust than to help. I’ve been at the very meetings you claim are inaccessible or opaque. I’ve seen your group turn logistical hiccups into conspiracy theories. I’ve watched as staff—who already work overtime—are dragged into another fishing expedition while real civic needs are left hanging. You’re not just pushing for access; you’re using the tools of open government to grind its gears to a halt. That’s not progress. That’s obstruction dressed up as advocacy. And the people paying for it—literally—are your neighbors. Let’s stop pretending it’s just about uploading PDFs. The issue here is how we engage. We can have real conversations about modernization without constant accusations, FOIA skirmishes, and Facebook pile-ons. Until then, I’ll continue to call out tactics that undermine, not uplift, our town.

Calls For Policies To Create Greater Transparency

The bottom line is this: costs are up, and no group—including teachers—is exempt. Ignoring Anthem’s recommended 22% increase last year may have directly caused the $2 million shortfall. Everyone has to share in the fix. That might mean higher premiums and leaner benefits. Complaints alone won’t solve the problem—realistic solutions will. I urge all Newtown Teachers to email their Union leaders and express their support for higher premiums.

Discusses Town Self-Funded Insurance Plan

Its really easy to make assertions and cast doubts from behind a keyboard....a little too easy aparently. You might try conducting the actual research BEFORE doing it next time. If you do, you too will find that there's no need to imagine such a policy to improve public transparency and participation. Take a look at Ridgefield's P&Z meeting agendas on their website for starters. They are just one town that provide links to electronic copies of applications and other public documents, so that their commissioners and residents can easily access them and be well-informed, before meetings and public hearings occur and without making them drive to town hall (during business hours) to ask their land use staff to pull the files and make copies of them, saving everyone time (time is money), and gasoline, and missed work. Most applicants alrleady submit electronic copies, and for those who don't, it's a lot easier for a staffer to scan them once, than to have to make copies every time someone asks for them. And please don't misrepresent or slander those who advocate for smart, low impact & sustainable development policies and practices as 'anti-development'.

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