News

Fire Reports | February 7-12, 2014

Published: Feb 17, 2014 12:00 AM

The radio dispatchers at the Newtown Emergency Communications Center at Town Hall South at 3 Main Street report the following fire calls and the responders: Friday, February 7: 7:06 am, motor vehi...

Commission Forms Police Facilities Panel

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: Feb 16, 2014 12:00 AM

The Police Commission has formed a subcommittee to pursue creating a new police station to better meet the space needs of the 45-member police department. Police Commission members at a February 4 ses...

State DOT Session On Sugar Street Bridge Project Draws Public Comments

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: Feb 16, 2014 12:00 AM

Local officials and residents attending a state Department of Transportation (DOT) informational session on planned improvements for the eastern end of Sugar Street (Route 302), including bridge repla...

Schools Closed Friday

Published: Feb 14, 2014 12:00 AM

Newtown Public Schools will be closed Friday, February 14, due to the weather, according to the school district.

Account Transfers Means Winter Maintenance Budgets Back In The Black

By John Voket

Published: Feb 14, 2014 12:00 AM

Snow and ice have been repeatedly blanketing Newtown since late fall, pushing the Public Works Department’s winter maintenance budgets into the red in recent weeks. But a transfer of $116,106 that is ...

Highway Department, Police Warn About Narrower Roadways, Compromised Sight Lines

By John Voket

Published: Feb 14, 2014 12:00 AM

The Newtown Public Works and Police Departments are cautioning Newtown Drivers to continue to drive carefully and slowly as crews continue to work clearing local roadways. Neither the police nor highw...

Newtown CodeRED Message: 'Stay Home Until After The Storm'

By Shannon Hicks

Published: Feb 13, 2014 12:00 AM

Newtown has issued its second CodeRED message of the current winter storm. Those who signed up for the notifications are receiving a message this morning from Newtown Director of Emergency Communicati...

Newtown Achieves Coveted AAA Bond Rating From S&P

By John Voket

Published: Feb 13, 2014 12:00 AM

Just two days after making a case based on Newtown's adherence to a variety of financial management policies and evidence that new commercial development will be supplementing the community's grand li...

Bee Honored With NENPA Awards, Hicks Named Photographer Of The Year

By John Voket

Published: Feb 13, 2014 12:00 AM

BOSTON — The Newtown Bee was recognized among hundreds of New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) members February 7 and 8 for its editorial and photographic work during the period of Augu...

Postponements & Cancellations: February 13 & 14

By Shannon Hicks

Published: Feb 12, 2014 12:00 AM

The following events have been cancelled or postponed in anticipation of the winter snow storm approaching the area. Friday's announcements are in response to the storm, and the clean-up efforts in th...

The Way We Were

Silver Alert For Blue McGrath Ended

Top Of The Mountain

Cargo Van Driver Taken To Hospital Following Collision With Gas Tanker

Knotweed Initiative Program Planned

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 :)

<< May 2026 >>
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
26	27	28	29	30	1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31	1	2	3	4	5	6

Log In

Fire Reports | February 7-12, 2014

Commission Forms Police Facilities Panel

State DOT Session On Sugar Street Bridge Project Draws Public Comments

Schools Closed Friday

Account Transfers Means Winter Maintenance Budgets Back In The Black

Highway Department, Police Warn About Narrower Roadways, Compromised Sight Lines

Newtown CodeRED Message: 'Stay Home Until After The Storm'

Newtown Achieves Coveted AAA Bond Rating From S&P

Bee Honored With NENPA Awards, Hicks Named Photographer Of The Year

Postponements & Cancellations: February 13 & 14