Features

The Way We Were

By Newtown Bee

Published: Mar 18, 2016 12:00 AM

March 22, 1991 Hundreds of residents crowded around the flagpole on March 17 to pay tribute to the men and women who fought in The Persian Gulf War. The crowd's presence in the middle of Main Str...

Joe Satriani Exploring Three Decades Of 'Shred' On Latest Tour

By John Voket

Published: Mar 18, 2016 12:00 AM

NEW HAVEN - Fifteen-time Grammy nominee and self-proclaimed guitar daredevil Joe Satriani is on the road, taking a deep dive into his massive catalog of instrumental six-string wizardry on what he's c...

The Top of the Mountain

By Newtown Bee

Published: Mar 18, 2016 12:00 AM

The warm weather has not only people out enjoying the early spring, but wildlife, too. Last week, Bobbi Burns had a bear visitor on Farrell Road, and now I hear that Danica and Sean O'Brien observed a...

Snapshot: Wendy Musk

By Newtown Bee

Published: Mar 18, 2016 12:00 AM

Occupation: I am the dean of the middle school at Fraser Woods Montessori School, and the head of humanities and theater arts. I'm an author and a flutist, as well. Right now, I'm finishing a fict...

Theater Review: Excellent Staging & Cast For Agatha Christie Classic

By Elizabeth Young

Published: Mar 15, 2016 12:00 AM

BROOKFIELD - And Then There Were None, an Agatha Christie story in production at The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts, is full of humor and intrigue. Under the debut direction turn by Kate Valiska, thi...

Lisa Unleashed: Red Ribbons At The Redding Horse Show

By Lisa Peterson

Published: Mar 15, 2016 12:00 AM

"At virtually an daylight hour on almost any road in Redding, children in hard hats can be seen riding their ponies or horses to and from practice fields, pony club meetings or any of the many other h...

Ann Wilson 'Thing' Keeping Heart's Voice Under Covers

By John Voket

Published: Mar 11, 2016 12:00 AM

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has inducted remarkably few womenÃÂ - and fewer bands fronted by or featuring women. But the powerful and melodic Ann Wilson and her power chord pounding sister Na...

NewArts Conducts Auditions For Its Summer Musicals

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: Mar 11, 2016 12:00 AM

BETHEL - NewArts held auditions for its two summer musicals - The Wizard of Oz and a youth version of School of Rock - over the last two weekends. NewArts Director Michael Unger, Founder M...

The Way We Were

By Newtown Bee

Published: Mar 11, 2016 12:00 AM

March 15, 1991 The Newtown Shopping Center on Queen Street is cleaning up the north border of its property in hopes of luring a seven-screen cinema that could be built in a meadow behind the vaca...

The Top of the Mountain

By Newtown Bee

Published: Mar 11, 2016 12:00 AM

Congratulations to Newtowner Nora Murphy, author and designer of the Connecticut Country House e-magazine and blog. Nora returned from the 2016 Design Bloggers Conference at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead H...

Next HRRA Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Event Scheduled In Newtown

Genealogy Club's Next Program To Dig Into 'Dissecting A Civil War Pension Record'

Choral Society Planning ‘Voices Of America’ Performance

Newtown Earth Day Festival Was A Success

Local Fourth Grader To Host ‘Gaming For Change’ On May 16

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

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.

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The Way We Were

Joe Satriani Exploring Three Decades Of 'Shred' On Latest Tour

The Top of the Mountain

Snapshot: Wendy Musk

Theater Review: Excellent Staging & Cast For Agatha Christie Classic

Lisa Unleashed: Red Ribbons At The Redding Horse Show

Ann Wilson 'Thing' Keeping Heart's Voice Under Covers

NewArts Conducts Auditions For Its Summer Musicals

The Way We Were

The Top of the Mountain