Jerome "Jerry" H. Shapiro, of Sandy Hook, died peacefully on January 11 while under hospice care at River Glen Health Care Center in Southbury. He was born in Port Chester, N.Y., on August 4, 1929, so...
George E. Mattegat, Sr, moved to Newtown from Monroe when he was 21 years old. He spent the next 66 years of his life here, before moving to The Villages in Florida in 2014. On January 6, at the age o...
Helen Vengren "Jackie" Reck, 80, of Easton died January 7 at St Vincent's Medical Center. She was the beloved wife of the late Walter M. Reck. Born in Dracut, Mass., on June 17, 1936, she was a daught...
Beverly M. Muehlenbein, 82, of New Milford died January 6, at Danbury Hospital after a brief illness. She was born April 27, 1934, in Neenah, Wis., a daughter of the late Ethel (Sutton) and Alvin Mant...
Nancy Butts Whittemore, 91, of Sandy Hook died January 6, following a brief illness. She was born on November 5, 1925, in Newton, Mass., to Louise (Mirick) and F. Marsena Butts. She was the beloved wi...
George Emil Mattegat, Sr, 87, died January 6 at Leesburgh Hospital in Florida, with his wife and friends at his bedside. He was born in Bridgeport, to Ada and Emil Mattegat, on July 19, 1929. He grew ...
Eleanore Natalie Farrell, 100, a Newtown resident for 53 years, died peacefully at her home on January 6, with her family present. She was the wife of the late Leo P. Farrell, Jr, of Newtown. She was ...
Veronica W. Seavey, 89, of Southbury died at her home January 5. Mrs Seavey was the wife of the late Chester W. Seavey, Sr. She was born in Bridgeport on February 1, 1927, a daughter of the late Clara...
Elsie M. Brennan, 93, died January 3 at a Pittsfield, Maine, hospital. She was born August 7, 1923, in Danbury, a daughter of Estelle (Burgess) and Max Eichorn.
She attended St Peter's School. Mrs Bre...
Renate W. Moss, 76, of Sandy Hook died peacefully January 3 at Danbury Hospital, surrounded by family and friends. She was born August 9, 1940, in Landau, Germany, daughter of the late Michael and Wal...
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?