John Schalkham, 70, of Spring Hill, Fla., husband of Betsy (Chatterton) Schalkham, died at Hospice House October 14, surrounded by his family. He was born March 6, 1945, in the Bronx, N.Y., to Margare...
Shirley Ann (Pulaski) Luckner, 83, of Newtown died October 16 at Danbury Hospital with her son Wayne, sister Margaret, and caregiver Pearline at her side. Mrs Luckner was the widow of Clinton T. Luckn...
Domenic Amoroso, Jr, 86, beloved husband of the late Virginia Huntley Amoroso, died peacefully at home October 14. Born in Torrington, February 7, 1929, he was a son of the late Domenic and Fannie Mar...
Robert Leuci, known as “Bob” or “Dad,” died October 12 at home in North Kingstown, R.I., at the age of 75. He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., February 28, 1940, to Lucy and James Leuci.
He then moved to O...
Mary E. (Armstrong) Ward, 84, died October 10 at The Glen Hill Center in Danbury, after a heroic seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was surrounded by her loving family. She was born June ...
Hilkka S. Riutta, 84, of Sandy Hook died October 11 at Masonicare at Newtown. Mrs Riutta was the wife of Erro Riutta. She was born in Viipuri, Finland, January 31, 1931, and was a daughter of the late...
James Ward Morris, 81, of Oriental, N.C., formerly of Newtown, died on October 8.
He is survived by Jo Ann Morris, his beloved wife of 58 years; son, Jeffrey Morris of Mount Bethel, Penn.; son and dau...
Carl Kuhne, 80, of Sandy Hook, husband of Karen (Koniecki) Kuhne, died October 5, after a brief illness. He was born in Waterbury, August 23, 1935, and was a son of the late Fanny (Petit) and Carl Kuh...
Louis Reszoly, Sr, 84, of Newtown, formerly of the Black Rock section of Bridgeport, died peacefully October 5 at his home, with his family by his side. He was the beloved husband of the late Olga Szi...
Norma (Woloshin) Basch, 81, of New York City and Truro, Mass., died September 29 at Cape Cod Hospital, surrounded by her family.
Born in Norwich, July 4, 1934, and raised in Worcester, Mass., she grad...
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?
