News

Child Safety Seat Inspections & Enforcement Planned This Week

Published: Sep 16, 2013 12:00 AM

In conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations Child Passenger Safety Week, September 15–21, the Newtown Police Department will be conducting Child Safety Seat Enforcement. Du...

Newtown Parents Make Appeals To Mass. Lawmakers

By Bob Salzberg, The Associated Press

Published: Sep 16, 2013 12:00 AM

BOSTON (AP) — Lawmakers studying dozens of changes proposed to Massachusetts’ gun laws in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., said they hoped to craft a single comprehensive bill tha...

State Agency: Logo Misused In Newtown School Move

By The Associated Press

Published: Sep 16, 2013 12:00 AM

(AP) A state agency has told a Bridgeport business owner who coordinated the relocation of equipment from the Sandy Hook school where 26 people were fatally shot that it misused its logo and asked him...

Insurance Department Seeking Comments On Mental Health Parity

By Arielle Levin Becker ©The Connecticut Mirror

Published: Sep 16, 2013 12:00 AM

If you have something to say about how mental health parity laws are being followed, here’s your chance: The Connecticut Insurance Department is soliciting written comments on how it can ensure that i...

The Hubbard Foundation: Turning A Sanctuary Dream Into Reality

Published: Sep 15, 2013 12:00 AM

In early 2013, the family of Catherine Violet Hubbard met with The Animal Center of Newtown to discuss the legacy of their daughter, a first grader lost 12/14 at Sandy Hook School. The family had aske...

Economic Recovery Initiative For Sandy Hook Begins Next Week

By John Voket

Published: Sep 12, 2013 12:00 AM

Looking to enhance commercial traffic and to spur business retention and growth in Sandy Hook center, a local business support group is working with Newtown’s Community and Economic Development Direct...

Police News September 4 - 9, 2013

Published: Sep 12, 2013 12:00 AM

Overturned Vehicle Police and emergency crews responded to the area of 74 The Boulevard at 11:45 pm September 7 after reports of a vehicle crash. Upon arrival they discovered an overturned 2008 H...

Library Board And New Director Taken To Task

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: Sep 12, 2013 12:00 AM

The Board of Trustees of the C.H. Booth Library and new Library Director Shawn Fields were criticized repeatedly during the public participation portion of the monthly library board meeting Tuesday, S...

Legislative Council Unanimously Approves Firearms Ordinance

By John Voket

Published: Sep 12, 2013 12:00 AM

Closing out a process that began months before the 12/14 tragedy, the Legislative Council on September 4 unanimously approved a local firearms ordinance. The vote came after some brief discussion that...

Man Sues Town Over Waste Transfer Station Accident

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: Sep 12, 2013 12:00 AM

A local man is suing the town in seeking money damages for injuries he received in a trip-and-fall accident that occurred in August 2011, at the town waste transfer station off Ethan Allen Road. The l...

Track And Field Teams Compete At Masuk

‘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'

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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