Susan D. (Walker) Hesik, 55, beloved wife of Michael Hesik, died April 15 at their home in Oxford, surrounded during the day by family and friends after succumbing to a very brief, yet courageous, bat...
Martin Van Buren Amidon IX, 37, of Newtown, died unexpectedly on April 18. He was born on February 21, 1980. He was a devoted husband and father.
His loving wife Victoria (Hooten) Amidon; ado...
Carmela (Toglia) Picchione, 99, died peacefully at Danbury Hospital on April 18. She was a resident of Glen Hill Nursing Home since March 2008. Born on May 24, 1917, in New Rochelle, N.Y., she was the...
Margaret M. (Spitko) Patterson, 89, of Danbury and formerly of Newtown, died on April 5 at Filosa Convalescent Center in Danbury. She was born May 2, 1927, in Buschendorf, Slovakia, the daughter of th...
John William Madsen, 80, died March 31 of congestive heart failure. He was born in Bridgeport, on February 21, 1937, and was the widower of Dorothy (Mikita) to whom he was married for more than 50 yea...
Alan Thomas Fletcher, 41, of Newtown died peacefully April 10 at Danbury Hospital after a long illness. He was born in Norwalk, on December 23, 1975.
Mr Fletcher was a resident of Newtown for more tha...
Robert W. "Trouble" Bowers, Jr, 58, of Watertown died April 11 at Waterbury Hospital. He was the husband of Gretta (Palmer) Bowers to whom he was married for 21 years. He was born in Bridgeport, July ...
Louis Robert "Bob" Segneri of Sandy Hook died unexpectedly April 12, at his home.
He was known for his readiness to help anyone, his jovial laugh, his antique car collection, his love of scotch, and h...
Elaine Irene (Mable) Pozek, 80, of Newtown died unexpectedly April 6. She was born in Stamford, on March 8, 1937, to the late Irene and John Mable.
She graduated from Stamford High School in 1954 and ...
Catherine "Cathy" Hickey-Williams of Newtown died April 3, surrounded by her family and friends. The daughter of Eleanor Ferris and Francis Hickey of Lawrence, Mass., she was known fo...
I agree with your point, Tom.
However, the sheer volume of Trump's false statements and claims -- vs. anyone else -- is astonishing and noteworthy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_or_misleading_statements_by_Donald_Trump
President Biden, too, has claimed “inflation was 0%,” when in fact prices remained elevated. He told us his Afghanistan withdrawal was a “success,” even though Americans and allies were left behind and 13 service members lost their lives. He promised not to build another foot of border wall, but later quietly restarted construction. These examples matter just as much as Trump’s because they show that political dishonesty isn’t unique to one side.
The point is not to excuse Trump or Biden—it’s to recognize that truth matters, and voters deserve accountability from all leaders. Singling out one politician while giving others a free pass only fuels division.
It’s important to put the 8-30g application into context. The reason developers in our town resort to Connecticut’s 8-30g affordable housing statute is precisely because obstructionist voices, led by Mr. Ackert, have repeatedly opposed reasonable housing proposals through local zoning channels. When projects are delayed or denied outright under the guise of “protecting character,” developers have little choice but to pursue the state-level remedy.
Mr. Ackert portrays 8-30g as a loophole being abused, when in fact it exists because communities that resist creating diverse housing options need accountability. If our town had a stronger record of working collaboratively to meet housing needs, developers wouldn’t feel compelled to bypass local boards in the first place.
Regarding wetlands and Inland Wetlands Commission review, it’s worth remembering that these processes are not ignored or hidden from the public. Applications that impact wetlands must comply with environmental regulations, and developers are subject to oversight. Suggesting otherwise unfairly discredits both the staff and the commission, who follow established procedures.
The public certainly deserves transparency, but it is misleading to imply that this project was pushed through in secret. The broader issue is that continued “Not In My Back Yard” obstructionism drives applicants to use 8-30g, ensuring that local zoning boards lose the very control residents claim to want preserved.
If we truly want more local say in how projects are shaped, then we need to stop reflexively opposing housing and start working constructively with applicants. Mr. Ackert’s campaign of resistance has only created the exact conditions he now complains about.
It's certainly good news that a temporary patch to rationed water in Newtown is in effect. But taking a year to come up with a patch is concerning. Where is the sense of urgency to get this permanently fixed?
