Features

Sandy Hook Memorial Tree Dedicated

By Shannon Hicks

Published: Nov 19, 2015 12:00 AM

UPDATED Friday, November 20, 2016: This story has been updated to include comments by Newtown resident Pat Tenney. Additional photos have also been added to the story. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Residents...

Theater Review: Brookfield Winning Hearts With Two-Woman Pulitzer Play

By Elizabeth Young

Published: Nov 18, 2015 12:00 AM

BROOKFIELD — A recent performance of ‘Night Mother, the current production by The Brookfield Theatre of the Arts, left the audience in tears. The highly charged Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by Marsha ...

Field Notes: Bears In The Periphery

By Curtiss Clark

Published: Nov 18, 2015 12:00 AM

New England’s woodlands stand naked now with all their fine summer attire strewn across the forest floor by an October fatigued by its own flamboyance hurrying off to bed. Darkness arrives early and l...

Brides 2016 Surveys Launched

Published: Nov 18, 2015 12:00 AM

The Newtown Bee is working on Brides 2016, its annual supplement for brides- and grooms-to-be. Brides Editor Shannon Hicks is hoping to compile a collection of stories for the 2016 supplement, sha...

Lisa Unleashed: Horseback Riding, Coastal Beaches Style

By Lisa Peterson

Published: Nov 16, 2015 12:00 AM

It’s beach season for Connecticut horse and dog lovers! From October 1 to March 31, horses and dogs are allowed on many local beaches to splash in the surf and kick up some sand. Fairfield’s Jennings ...

Antique Salt Shaker Collection At Library

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: Nov 16, 2015 12:00 AM

Bea Morgan has devoted a lifetime to accumulating and selling glass salt shakers, resulting in a collection of between 400 and 500 of the dining essentials. Through the end of the year, Ms Morgan is s...

'Newtown & Beyond' Photo Exhibit Opens At Municipal Center

Published: Nov 16, 2015 12:00 AM

Flagpole Photographers Camera Club formally opened their 6th Annual “Newtown and Beyond” Photography Exhibit on Sunday, November 8, at Newtown Municipal Center. The exhibit, which went up November 2, ...

2016 Relay For Life Kickoff At NYA November 19

By John Voket

Published: Nov 14, 2015 12:00 AM

A very enthusiastic core committee of volunteers and a new event partner are getting off to an early start promoting the excitement of Newtown’s annual Relay For Life, a noncompetitive gathering of su...

With 'The Great Danbury State Fair,' Newtown Author Resurrects Fair Memories

By Nancy K. Crevier

Updated: Aug 04, 2022 03:34 PM

“The history of the Great Danbury State Fair is so long and takes so many unexpected turns that writing about it was like tracking a lightning bug at dusk,” writes Newtown author Andrea Zimmermann in the introduction to her recently published book,

The Way We Were

Published: Nov 13, 2015 12:00 AM

November 16, 1990 Winds of up to 70 miles per hour ripped through Newtown during the night of November 11, tearing the tarp from the roof of the Newtown Meeting House, and wrapping it around a tr...

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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Sandy Hook Memorial Tree Dedicated

Theater Review: Brookfield Winning Hearts With Two-Woman Pulitzer Play

Field Notes: Bears In The Periphery

Brides 2016 Surveys Launched

Lisa Unleashed: Horseback Riding, Coastal Beaches Style

Antique Salt Shaker Collection At Library

'Newtown & Beyond' Photo Exhibit Opens At Municipal Center

2016 Relay For Life Kickoff At NYA November 19

With 'The Great Danbury State Fair,' Newtown Author Resurrects Fair Memories

The Way We Were