Cultural Events

Performance Company Open House, Sunday

Published: Nov 06, 2013 12:00 AM

Connecticut Broadway Stage Company, a new division of Sabrina’s Encore Productions, will host an open house at its new studio no Sunday, November 10. The studio is at 316 South Main Street. The open h...

Solarize Newtown To Celebrate First Installation With Open House; Later Workshops Planned

Published: Nov 06, 2013 12:00 AM

Solarize Newtown — an effort to encourage solar home energy use — will celebrate its first residential solar panel installation at 9 Grand Place, home of Nina and David Stout, on Saturday, Novem...

Next For NICE: Diwali Show And Dinner This Saturday

Published: Nov 06, 2013 12:00 AM

The Newtown International Center for Education (NICE) and the Indian Association of Western Connecticut is set to present a Diwali Show and Dinner on Saturday, November 9. A Diwali cultural show is se...

HealingNewtown Workshops, November 11-20

Published: Nov 06, 2013 12:00 AM

The following workshops have been scheduled by HealingNewtown, which is set up at Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West Street. Use the lower entrance to get to the HealingNewtown classrooms space. P...

Pre-Flagpole Café Guitar Workshop

Published: Nov 06, 2013 12:00 AM

The Flagpole Radio Café will continues its sixth season with a performance this weekend by the innovative jazz guitarist Michael Coppola. While Saturday’s performance will begin at 7 pm, Mr Coppola an...

'Holiday Magic:' Floral Designs For The Season

Published: Nov 05, 2013 12:00 AM

On Wednesday, November 13, The Town and Country Garden Club of Newtown will host a program at Newtown Senior Center titled “Holiday Magic.” The program will presented by Gary Zinsmeyer (a/k/a “Gary Z”...

Painting In Still Life, Next SCAN Program

Published: Nov 05, 2013 12:00 AM

The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown (SCAN) will have Frank Bruckman painting a still life in oil at its meeting on Wednesday, November 13, at 7:30 pm. The demonstration will take place in the lowe...

VFW To Host Veterans Day Memorial Service

Published: Nov 05, 2013 12:00 AM

Newtown VFW Post 308 will host its annual Veteran’s Day Memorial on Monday, November 11, at 11 am. All are welcome to attend the ceremony. Post Commander James Rebman will be the master of ceremonies ...

Pianist Andrew Armstrong To Give Recital At Edmond Town Hall

Published: Nov 05, 2013 12:00 AM

Praised by critics for his passionate expression and dazzling technique, pianist Andrew Armstrong has delighted audiences around the world. He will return to Edmond Town Hall on Sunday, November 17, a...

Culbertson Appointed Director Of HealingNewtown

Published: Nov 05, 2013 12:00 AM

Saying she hopes to create programs that are multi-generational, Valerie Culbertson began her first days of work as the new Director of HealingNewtown through the Arts reviewing all of the artists who...

Snapshot: Perry Levenson

Mom Walk Collective Newtown Mini Photos Session Rescheduled

Newtown Prevention Partnership Offers Resources For Mental Health Awareness

Newtown Seniors Hit The Floor For Annual Spring Fling

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.

The ‘Me’ Generation

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 :)

The ‘Me’ Generation

Copyright ©2026 The Newtown Bee / All rights reserved