Cultural Events

Town & Country Garden Club And Members Win State Honors

Published: Nov 06, 2015 12:00 AM

The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut held its annual Awards Luncheon at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville on October 28. The Federation encompasses 128 Garden Clubs from around the state. The Town and...

Euclid Quartet At Edmond Town Hall, November 22

Published: Nov 05, 2015 12:00 AM

Celebrating its 17th anniversary season, Euclid Quartet is known for performances filled with passion, virtuosity, and sensitivity. The have captivated audiences and critics across the country, from C...

Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary Planning Open House

Published: Nov 04, 2015 12:00 AM

The Sandy Hook Fire & Rescue Company Ladies Auxiliary is looking for new members. To introduce themselves to the community, and to answer questions about their work, the auxiliary will host an open ho...

Costumes Encouraged: Classic Romantic Comedy Ready To Roll For Sunday Cinema Series

Published: Nov 04, 2015 12:00 AM

Blake Edwards’s 1961 romantic comedy Breakfast at Tiffany’s will be shown at 4 and 7 pm Sunday, November 8, at Edmond Town Hall. Costumes are encouraged and awards will be given to the best look-alike...

Ben's Bells CT Planning Girls Night Out

Published: Nov 03, 2015 12:00 AM

BETHEL — Ben’s Bells Connecticut will host a Girls Night Out on Thursday, November 12, at its new studio, 32 Stony Hill Road. The event will run from 6:30 until 9 pm. Entrance is around the back of th...

NBLA To Host Trail Of Angels Walk, Saturday Morning

Published: Nov 02, 2015 12:00 AM

Newtown Bridle Lands Association (NBLA) is inviting the public for a walk along the first phase of the newly established Trail of Angels. Located at The Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation property, o...

Annual Flagpole Photographers 'Newtown & Beyond' Photo Exhibition Opens November 2

Published: Oct 30, 2015 12:00 AM

The Flagpole Photographers Camera Club will be offering an exhibit of some of the best work of its members during the month of November at Newtown Municipal Center. In this 6th Annual “Newtown & Beyo...

Ben's Lighthouse Outreach Trip Information Session Planned

Published: Oct 30, 2015 12:00 AM

Ben’s Lighthouse is gearing up to head to Montana next summer, and will take 20 teenagers to help a community impacted by tragedy, for the fourth year in a row. From July 23-30, 2016, the group will ...

Yale Alley Cats Returning For Performance At Trinity Church

Published: Oct 29, 2015 12:00 AM

The Yale Alley Cats, world renowned men’s a cappella undergraduate singing group from Yale University, will be in concert at Trinity Church, 36 Main Street in Newtown, on Saturday, November 7, at 7 p...

'Fall For Bingo' At St Rose

Published: Oct 29, 2015 12:00 AM

November 13 will be “Fall For Bingo” Night at St Rose of Lima. Organizers will celebrate the season with autumn-themed concessions, treats and raffle prizes. Attendees who bring someone new to the mon...

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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