Cultural Events

Through Children's Eyes, 'It's A Beautiful World'

Published: Dec 04, 2014 12:00 AM

On October 19, Zoar Ridge Stables hosted 27 children who were participating in Embrace Hope’s “It’s a Beautiful World” photography workshop. They were met by four photographers — Debra Marafiote, Jens...

Newtown Students Invited To Create A New Comfort Quilt

Published: Dec 03, 2014 12:00 AM

One of many tangible signs of support sent to Newtown after 12/14 was a quilt made by students at St Hillary Catholic School in Fairlawn, Ohio, and sent to a school in New Jersey to show their support...

Pop-Up Art Show, Gentlemen's Night Out Planned

Published: Dec 03, 2014 12:00 AM

Local curator Rosemary Rau would like readers to know of two special events taking place within the next week. A pop-up show featuring works by five members of The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown ...

Celebrities Come Together To Help Sandy Hook Promise

Published: Dec 02, 2014 12:00 AM

In advance of the second anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, musicians, celebrities and influential organizations are donating special items and experiences to benefit Sandy Hook...

Quiet Life To Headline Next 'Live At The Edmond Town Hall' Benefit

Published: Nov 29, 2014 12:00 AM

On Saturday, December 20, at 7 pm, Quiet Life will headline the ninth show in Newtown’s Live at the Edmond Town Hall series. Sparks flew when Quiet Life formed in New London, where New England meets t...

SCAN Program With Bruckman, December 3

Published: Nov 27, 2014 12:00 AM

The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown (SCAN) will welcome the internationally acclaimed artist Frank Bruckmann, who will demonstrate his process of painting a landscape in oil on Wednesday, December...

Arts Festival Committee Seeking 2015 Logo Art; Due Dec. 1-5

Published: Nov 25, 2014 12:00 AM

The Newtown Arts Festival Artwork Selection Committee invites regional artists to submit artwork for consideration for the 2015 Newtown Arts Festival. The winning artist will receive $750 and the winn...

Boy Scout Wreath Sale Thanksgiving Weekend

Published: Nov 24, 2014 12:00 AM

Boy Scout Troop 770 will be conducting its annual Christmas wreath sale Thanksgiving weekend. Scouts will sell wreaths to the public at Holy Cow Ice Cream Shop, 51 Church Hill Road, on Saturday, Novem...

Sandy Hook Tree Lighting Guest Of Honor To Be Decided December 6

Published: Nov 24, 2014 12:00 AM

On Saturday, December 6, Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity (SHOP) will present the 13th Annual Sandy Hook Village holiday tree lighting. The public is invited to enjoy this great Sandy Hook tradi...

St Rose Christmas Boutique Returning December 5-7

Published: Nov 24, 2014 12:00 AM

The annual St Rose of Lima Christmas Boutique will be held this year Friday through Sunday, December 5-7, in the Monsignor Weiss Hall, 40 Church Hill Road. The gala grand opening will take place on Fr...

COA Welcomes New Alternate, Discusses Senior Alliance

BOE Recognizes 2026 Profiles In Professionalism Honorees

C.H. Booth Library Hosted Another Successful Volunteer Fair

Fire Reports | April 28-May 4, 2026

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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Through Children's Eyes, 'It's A Beautiful World'

Newtown Students Invited To Create A New Comfort Quilt

Pop-Up Art Show, Gentlemen's Night Out Planned

Celebrities Come Together To Help Sandy Hook Promise

Quiet Life To Headline Next 'Live At The Edmond Town Hall' Benefit

SCAN Program With Bruckman, December 3

Arts Festival Committee Seeking 2015 Logo Art; Due Dec. 1-5

Boy Scout Wreath Sale Thanksgiving Weekend

Sandy Hook Tree Lighting Guest Of Honor To Be Decided December 6

St Rose Christmas Boutique Returning December 5-7