News

Governor Declares Public Health Emergency After Second COVID-19 Case Is Identified

By John Voket

Updated: Mar 10, 2020 05:49 PM

Around 3 pm on Tuesday, March 10, Governor Ned Lamont declared civil preparedness and public health emergencies in Connecticut following confirmation of a second patient testing positive for the coron...

CIAC Cancels Remainder Of Games Due To COVID-19

By Andy Hutchison

Updated: Mar 11, 2020 11:40 AM

Due to continuing concerns regarding the spread of the COVID-19 virus (coronavirus), the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) made the move to cancel the remainder of its winter championship tournaments.

CIAC Cancels Winter Tournaments, Games Due To COVID-19 Concerns

By Shannon Hicks

Updated: Mar 10, 2020 03:34 PM

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference has announced it is canceling all remaining CIAC tournament games amid concerns about coronavirus/COVID-19.

What's In The Works?

Published: Mar 09, 2020 10:00 AM

The Newtown Bee is working for you, to bring you the news you want.

Toddy Hill Road Man Pushes For Traffic Speed Control

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: Mar 09, 2020 07:00 AM

A Toddy Hill Road man who has been pushing for better traffic speed control on that residential street for the past three years urged Police Commission members this week to install a speed limit sign ...

Ambulance Reports | February 27-March 4, 2020

Published: Mar 09, 2020 07:00 AM

Calls for Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps for the period of Februarty 27-March 4, 2020.

Unanticipated Facilities Costs Triggers $261K In-Departmental Transfer

By John Voket

Published: Mar 09, 2020 07:00 AM

The Board of Selectmen approved an in-departmental transfer of $261,000 March 2 as the only significant item of business on its regular meeting agenda. The source funds, as explained by Public Works D...

Nation Sees Drop In Existing-Home Sales, Effects Felt In Newtown

By Alissa Silber

Published: Mar 09, 2020 07:00 AM

On February 21, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that the country’s existing-home sales dropped 1.3 percent in January 2020 compared to December 2019. NAR describes its existing-hom...

Fire Reports | February 27-March 4, 2020

Published: Mar 09, 2020 06:15 AM

Fire reports for Newtown, Conn. for the period of February 27-March 4, 2020.

Police Reports | February 19/20-March 3, 2020

Published: Mar 09, 2020 06:00 AM

Police reports for Newtown, Conn. from February 19/20 through March 3, 2020.

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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Governor Declares Public Health Emergency After Second COVID-19 Case Is Identified

CIAC Cancels Remainder Of Games Due To COVID-19

CIAC Cancels Winter Tournaments, Games Due To COVID-19 Concerns

What's In The Works?

Toddy Hill Road Man Pushes For Traffic Speed Control

Ambulance Reports | February 27-March 4, 2020

Unanticipated Facilities Costs Triggers $261K In-Departmental Transfer

Nation Sees Drop In Existing-Home Sales, Effects Felt In Newtown

Fire Reports | February 27-March 4, 2020

Police Reports | February 19/20-March 3, 2020