Features

The Interfaith Partnership For Refugee Resettlement: Offering Hope To Strangers

By Shannon Hicks

Updated: Jan 24, 2020 05:29 PM

A small but growing group of people in Newtown are still watching the humanitarian crisis that has been unfolding overseas in recent years. In particular, these people have been touched enough by the Syrian refugee crisis that they have decided to do something about it.

Concert Preview: Gina Schock Bringing 'The Beat' To The Go-Go's Farewell Tour

By John Voket

Published: Aug 05, 2016 12:00 AM

RIDGEFIELD - When The Go-Go's drummer Gina Schock and her plucky posse - Charlotte Caffey, Jane Wiedlin and Belinda Carlisle - bring their Farewell Tour to The Ridgefield Playhouse on August 10, it ma...

Snapshot: Pete Barresi

Published: Aug 05, 2016 12:00 AM

Occupation: I am an aircraft maintenance manager and crew chief. I work on private jets out of Oxford. I have been doing that for 20 years. I love it. It's a very interesting career. I've traveled...

Halfway River Open Space Welcomes The Public

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: Aug 05, 2016 12:00 AM

Walking up a wooded slope heading away from Berkshire Road and into the woods, Deputy Director of Planning, Land Use and Emergency Management Rob Sibley soon came to a clearing. Toeing aside dry leave...

The Way We Were, for the week ending August 5, 2016

Published: Aug 05, 2016 12:00 AM

August 16, 1991 It could have been a disaster. Reportedly construction workers were replacing the drainage system on Currituck Road when they struck a residential gas line and allegedly failed to...

NewArts 'School Of Rock' Is Ready To Make Audiences Stand Up And Cheer

By John Voket

Published: Aug 05, 2016 12:00 AM

BETHEL - Despite a grueling week of technical rehearsals and run-throughs, by late Wednesday night with just 48 hours until opening, the cast of NewArts first of two summer musicals - a youth version ...

The Top of the Mountain

Published: Aug 05, 2016 12:00 AM

Monroe First Selectman Stephen J. Vavrek posted this on the Town of Monroe Facebook page on July 28: "While Monroe has been thanked countless times for being a great neighbor to our Sandy Hook friends...

Lisa Unleashed: Hampton Classic Horse Show, A Long Island Tradition

By Lisa Peterson

Published: Jul 31, 2016 12:00 AM

Hold onto your hats: the 41st annual Hampton Classic Horse Show will kick off August 28 with more than 200 classes for hunters, jumpers, and equitation riders at its stunning 60-acre show grounds in B...

Putting A Fresh Face On An 18th Century Newtown Home

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: Jul 31, 2016 12:00 AM

Anyone who appreciates antique homes will be pleased to know that great care has been taken to restore one of Newtown's older houses - and that the house will soon be back on the market. A team has be...

Intergenerational Fun At Senior Center

By Alissa Silber

Published: Jul 30, 2016 12:00 AM

Newtown Senior Center hosted an Intergenerational Fun with Children event on Thursday, July 21. Barbara Onorato, Candide Slinko, and MaryAnn Posser volunteered to help more than 20 kids from The Child...

Top Of The Mountain

Garden Club Spring Plant Sale Saturday

Full Slate Of May Programs Planned By Flagpole Photographers

Girls' Golfers Take On Notre Dame, Immaculate, And Masuk

Boys' Lacrosse Battles Defending Champs And Defeats Pair Of Nonconference Foes

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

I am glad to see First Selectman Bruce Walczak engaging the electorate. Mark your calendars, folks — apparently, communication from Town Hall is possible after all. But where was Bruce two days ago, when Connecticut State Police requested assistance from Newtown Police after two individuals fled on foot from an I-84 crash? As a manhunt went through town, police were stationed at our schools, and many residents checked their car doors, deadbolted their houses, and armed themselves (Thank you James from Port Conway). That sounds like exactly the kind of situation where residents would expect timely communication from town leadership. Parents, neighbors, and residents in the affected area should not have to piece together information after the fact while police are actively searching the community. The issue is not whether our police did their job. They did. The issue is whether Town Hall is doing its job when it comes to keeping residents informed during real-time public safety situations. If the First Selectman can write to residents about the importance of showing up for the budget, he should also show up when residents are looking for clear, timely information during an active police incident. This kind of communication was promised during the campaign. Unfortunately, Bruce Walczzzzak is starting to look like just another politician: campaign on change, criticize the last guy, ask taxpayers for more staff, and then tell residents the job still cannot be done.

The First Selectman On The Budget

528 more feet of broadsheet paper ... we have passed the dump ... as for the details, it is worth pointing out that Merrimack's coal plant shifted to two (2) 4 oil generators. I wonder if this is why crude oil production hit record highs in July...

Elections Have Consequences XXV

Where was our CodeRED? For over 4 years Newtown has a CodeRED system. The town tells residents it exists for emergencies and points to things like missing persons, wildfires, and criminal activity as the kinds of incidents it is meant to address. Yet we had no CodeRED for Kateri Doty, no CodeRED for the brush fires, and no CodeRED for yesterday’s manhunt with police and tracking dogs moving through our backyards. That is not one oversight. That is a pattern. Under sleepy Bruce Walczak, the town has an emergency notification system that never seems to get used when actual emergencies happen. Whether or not Bruce physically sends the alert himself is beside the point. If the system is not being used, if residents are left hearing about dangerous situations from Facebook and the neighbors’ kids instead of from their own government, then that failure belongs to him. Newtown residents should not have to guess when there is a public safety issue unfolding around them. If Bruce Walcz"zzz"ak cannot make sure an emergency alert system is used for emergencies, then what exactly is he doing?

State Police Seeking Two Evading Responsibility For Incident

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