News

Breaking Ground For A New Playground At Dickinson Park

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: Oct 25, 2013 12:00 AM

Gardening shovels stood ready. With half the playground at Dickinson Park razed behind them, and a sign displaying the future playscape nearby, a small gathering of officials and playground supporters...

BOS Approve Grant To Repurpose FFH Duplex For Parent Connection

By John Voket

Published: Oct 24, 2013 12:00 AM

"We're off and running!" That was the closing comment from First Selectman Pat Llodra after the Board of Selectmen unanimously approved a $500,000 funding resolution, that upon final acceptance, will ...

Fire Reports October 18 - 24, 2013

Published: Oct 24, 2013 12:00 AM

The dispatchers at the Newtown Emergency Communications Center at 3 Main Street list the following fire calls and the responders: Thursday, October 17: No calls listed. Friday, October 18: 11...

Police Explorers Seeking To Expand Membership

Published: Oct 24, 2013 12:00 AM

Newtown Police Explorer Post #823 is seeking to enlist new members. The post is an organization affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, which has as its members males and females from ages 13 throu...

PBSC Gets Update On SHS Remediation, Demolition Plans

By John Voket

Published: Oct 24, 2013 12:00 AM

Robert Mitchell, chairman of the Newtown Public Building and Site Commission (PBSC), said his panel heard and discussed new information regarding the ongoing remediation and demolition plans for Sandy...

Police Reports October 9 - 20, 2013

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: Oct 24, 2013 12:00 AM

DUI Incident Police said that at about 1:35 am on October 11, they received a report that an erratically driven vehicle may have been involved in an accident on Appleblossom Lane, so they went to...

Veterans Invited To NHS For Luncheon & Assembly

Published: Oct 23, 2013 12:00 AM

Newtown High School will once again host a Veterans Day Assembly on Monday, November 11. The event will begin with a luncheon at 11 am, followed by an assembly at noon. The event is to recognize and t...

Veterans Invited To NHS For Luncheon & Assembly

Published: Oct 23, 2013 12:00 AM

Newtown High School will once again host a Veterans Day Assembly on Monday, November 11. The event will begin with a luncheon at 11 am, followed by an assembly at noon. The event is to recognize and t...

Veterans Invited To NHS For Luncheon & Assembly

Published: Oct 23, 2013 12:00 AM

Newtown High School will once again host a Veterans Day Assembly on Monday, November 11. The event will begin with a luncheon at 11 am, followed by an assembly at noon. The event is to recognize and t...

Candidates Discuss Education At Bee Forum

By John Voket and Kendra Bobowick

Published: Oct 23, 2013 12:00 AM

Glancing around the historic Edmond Town Hall lobby where voices echoed during a brief meet-and-greet on Tuesday, October 22, incumbent Board of Education Secretary Kathryn Hamilton considered other p...

‘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.

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

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