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Optimism Colors Remediation Progress At C.H. Booth Library

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: Jan 13, 2014 12:00 AM

Following flooding on January 4 at C.H. Booth Library from sprinkler pipes that froze and burst, sending a deluge of damaging water through the first and second floor sections of the 1998 addition to ...

Foundation Issues Last Call For Survey, Hoping To Hear From More Responders, Young Adults

By John Voket

Published: Jan 13, 2014 12:00 AM

The Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation is almost ready to close out and begin analyzing the results of an online survey it published in mid-December. The foundation's grant distribution committee...

Church Members Explain Reasons For Planned Land Sale To Hook & Ladder

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: Jan 13, 2014 12:00 AM

Representatives of Trinity Episcopal Church, which plans to sell land to the Newtown Hook & Ladder volunteer firefighting organization for construction of a new firehouse, have explained church member...

FFH Authority Elects New Chair, Reflects On 2013

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: Jan 13, 2014 12:00 AM

The final Fairfield Hills Authority meeting of 2013 indicated changes to come for 2014. The role of chairman has passed from James Bernardi to authority member Thomas Connors. Noting his “last night a...

Brookfield Dispatcher Keeps Job After Newtown Comments

Published: Jan 13, 2014 12:00 AM

BROOKFIELD (AP) — A public safety dispatcher in Brookfield is being allowed to keep his job despite an outcry over a comment he posted on Facebook about the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Gre...

Demonstrators Protest NSSF's Firearms Trade Show

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: Jan 13, 2014 12:00 AM

Several dozen demonstrators who favor strengthened gun control conducted a news conference on Monday morning, January 13, across the street from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) on Mile ...

Connecticut Plans To Launch Open Data Portal

By Keith M. Phaneuf, ©The Connecticut Mirror

Published: Jan 13, 2014 12:00 AM

Every time an inmate enters or leaves a correction facility in Connecticut, a database is updated so the state has an accurate count of its incarcerated population. And each day, those numbers are use...

Father of Newtown Gunman Willing To Help Sandy Hook Commission Obtain Health Records

By Susan Haigh, Associated Press

Published: Jan 11, 2014 12:00 AM

HARTFORD (AP) — The father of the 20-year-old gunman who committed the Newtown school shooting said Friday he is willing to help provide his late son's medical records to the state commission reviewin...

$70,000 In 12/14 Charity Donations Missing, State AG, IRS Getting Involved

Published: Jan 11, 2014 12:00 AM

This report was updated January 15 adding details from Senator Chris Murphy and state Attorney General Geaorge Jepsen. Senator Chris Murphy is calling for the Internal Revenue Service to open an ...

Finance Board Weighs Senior Tax Relief Options

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: Jan 11, 2014 12:00 AM

Noting that a number of “bright, informed” residents are “looking for a gesture from the town,” regarding additional tax relief, Board of Finance Chairman John Kortze stressed that he wanted his “[boa...

‘Color Our World With Hope’ Filled Newtown With Music, Meaning, And Community Impact

Nighthawk Baseball Team Beats Conference Opponents

Late Goal By Ruddy Lifts Nighthawk Lacrosse Team To Victory, Showcases Chemistry In Midfield

Reed Intermediate Presents Sold-Out Performances Of 'Willy Wonka Jr'

Draw Dominance, Transition Game Lift Boys' Lacrosse Team To Lopsided Wins

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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Optimism Colors Remediation Progress At C.H. Booth Library

Foundation Issues Last Call For Survey, Hoping To Hear From More Responders, Young Adults

Church Members Explain Reasons For Planned Land Sale To Hook & Ladder

FFH Authority Elects New Chair, Reflects On 2013

Brookfield Dispatcher Keeps Job After Newtown Comments

Demonstrators Protest NSSF's Firearms Trade Show

Connecticut Plans To Launch Open Data Portal

Father of Newtown Gunman Willing To Help Sandy Hook Commission Obtain Health Records

$70,000 In 12/14 Charity Donations Missing, State AG, IRS Getting Involved

Finance Board Weighs Senior Tax Relief Options