Dancers from The Gray School of Irish Dance had a busy St Patrick’s Day season this year. Of course, it’s one of their busiest times of the year, with performances in local parades celebrating their t...
The spotlight found him center stage, where he quietly settled in behind the microphone. Guest performer Mark Barden, a Newtown resident and accomplished career musician, used few words, and let his g...
Following an excruciatingly long period of rebuilding and recovery after a devastating January 4 flood, the C.H. Booth Library came fully alive again the weekend of March 21 and 22 with celebratory to...
There are a few natural treasures to be found at 34 Pole Bridge Road.
Citing a “nice main trail, some recently cleared meadows” and “old charcoal pits,” Conservation Commission member Joe Hovious rece...
Documentary filmmaker Karyl Kreizinger Evans is the producer, director, writer, and editor of the upcoming one-hour documentary film, Letter From Italy, 1944: A New American Oratorio. A five-time Emmy...
WILTON — For the second year in a row, Katie Sailer, has nabbed the top prize in the youth division of Wilton Arts Council’s photography exhibition.
“Focus ‘14,” the 16th annual juried photography pre...
WATERBURY — You grow up with high expectations when your dad — a wacky but monumentally respected international musical star — lists your religion on your birth certificate as “musician.”
But today, a...
March 24, 1989
“No thank you,” said Native American Jim Roaix to the argument that Newtown High School’s use of the Indian as a mascot was an honor to him and his people. On Monday night, Mr Roai...
Occupation: I’m a naturopathic physician. I’ve been practicing for about a year. I taught for a while after graduating in 2009 from the University of Bridgeport College of Natural Medicine. I do a...
The Newtown Cultural Arts Commission has revamped its newsletter, “Vibrant Arts for a Healthy Community.” You can subscribe to the twice monthly, free, arts newsletter at www.newtownartscommission.org...
Tom, I appreciate you sharing your perspective. My advocacy isn't about a personal 'vested interest' in a single field; it is about the Standard of Newtown.
While you categorize the salt shed and library parking as 'essential' and the turf as an 'upgrade,' I would argue they all fall under the same umbrella of maintaining town assets.
The Turf Field ($1.4M): This was a replacement project for a facility used by thousands of youth athletes, not a new 'luxury' add-on.
The Salt Shed ($1.2M) & Library Parking ($1.4M): These were passed at almost identical price points.
The point isn't to say these items aren't important; it’s to ask why we find the money for infrastructure that serves one demographic while claiming we are too 'fiscally strained' to fund infrastructure for another. When we categorize things we use as 'essential' and things our neighbors' children use as 'extras,' we aren't having an honest discussion about priorities, we are picking winners and losers.
The goal of my letter wasn't to be 'unproductive,' but to sound the alarm for the 82% of residents who didn't show up to the polls. We cannot be a community that only thrives in parts. If we want Newtown to remain a place where people want to move and raise families, we have to invest in the next generation with the same urgency we use to fix our parking lots.
Michelle, I am sorry to see that you are also a victim of fabrications. All those rumors that go round that seem so convincing. All so often, those rumors are little more than convenient lies. This has been happening for several years and hopefully we can come together to stop them.
Until then, I ask that those of you who have heard disparaging remarks about the candidates take the time to meet with them to ask them directly what you are concerned about. Get to know them better rather than assume. We all will have better representation both locally and state-wide if you do so.
This is disappointing because it frames voters who rejected the Treadwell turf replacement as selfish or anti-youth. When I suspect that Katherine's motives were likely because she has some vested interest in those turf fields, which makes it exceptionally selfish.
There is a clear difference between maintaining basic town infrastructure and approving an athletic facility upgrade. Library sidewalks, parking access, and a salt storage facility support safety and essential town operations. The turf field may be worthwhile, but it is still a different type of request.
Residents can support youth sports and still question the cost, timing, or priority of a specific project. Calling that selfish, or turning it into a generational argument is unfair and unproductive.
Newtown is better served by honest discussion about priorities, not by accusing voters of lacking community spirit because they disagreed on one ballot item.
