Editorials

Reckoning With Our Senior Population

Updated: Aug 19, 2019 10:49 AM

In a town where 65 cents of every tax payer dollar supports education in Newtown, we can assume there are plenty of young families with children in school, and many are our readers. The Newtown Bee gi...

When Hearing Voices Is A Good Thing

Published: Aug 08, 2019 04:30 PM

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. But whose will triumphs, and which way will the development of Fairfield Hills go? While the final report of the Fairfield Hills Master Plan Review Committee issue...

Keep Adding Names To Notoriety

Published: Aug 01, 2019 04:30 PM

Gilroy, California leaders have declared that they will not let the July 28 shooting that killed three and injured more than a dozen others at the annual Garlic Festival define their city. Good luck w...

Borne Of Pain, Positivity And Possibility Arise

Published: Jul 25, 2019 04:30 PM

Rising out of numerous public forums and scrutinization of options by those appointed to the commissions and committees charged with bringing this multi-million dollar project to fruition — a challeng...

Empowering Consumers Through Lawful Means

Published: Jul 18, 2019 04:30 PM

That the powerful have no qualms about wielding power over the common person is nothing new. Those in power have always used ego and cunning to raise themselves up (in their opinions) to higher height...

Food Insecurity Demands Year Around Attention

Published: Jul 11, 2019 04:30 PM

It is summer and for many, a carefree time. But plagued by food insecurity, summer living loses its sense of ease for some within our borders. The June 17 Newtown Commission On Aging minutes note that...

A Sad Farewell, A Look To The Future

Published: Jul 03, 2019 04:30 PM

To the reported 140 employees who will have to reconsider their employment opportunities following the recent announcement by Hubbell that it will be closing its local high tech facility over the cour...

You Are Wanted

Published: Jun 27, 2019 04:30 PM

The announcements are brief — the Office of the First Selectman is seeking residents to fill vacancies on boards and commissions, followed by which vacancies and basic information on applying. Most re...

Musing On Our Historian’s Musings

Published: Jun 20, 2019 04:30 PM

The April-June 2019 edition of The Rooster’s Crow, the official newsletter of the Newtown Historical Society, contains an essay by Town Historian Dan Cruson, “Losing Newtown’s Past: Musings of an Agin...

The Ordinance Is In The Bag

Published: Jun 13, 2019 04:30 PM

After much debate, Newtown will soon implement the single use plastic bag ban plus fee for paper, a stricter law than the recently passed state budget tax of 10-cents per single use plastic bag, begin...

Patricia Anzellotti

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It seems a lot of the discussion around the flagpole focuses on vilifying drivers who pass on the right, but the real issue is being overlooked. If Chapter 248 Section 14-251 were enforced, we wouldn’t see this problem to begin with. That statute prohibits stopping in the middle of a roadway to yield to cross traffic—as so often happens with cars waiting to turn from Church Hill. When vehicles stop illegally in the travel lane, they effectively create a blockage. Other drivers then either sit through unnecessary delays or carefully pass around them on the right, which is fully permitted when the vehicle ahead is “illegally parked” in the roadway. Instead of punishing drivers reacting to the obstruction, enforcement should focus on the cause: vehicles unlawfully stopping and backing up traffic in the first place. If that behavior were addressed, the need to “go around” would largely disappear.

Borough Board of Burgesses Continues Traffic Safety Discussion

John, you raise an important point — these situations are tragic, complicated, and often far less clear-cut than the headlines make them seem. In the Fredericksburg case, the full facts still aren’t publicly known, and like so many of these stories, there’s conflicting information. It was apparently the back door at 3 a.m. — was it justified to use deadly force? We don’t know yet. What we do know is that the homeowner has been charged, and as you rightly noted, that is very serious. But this is also where perspective matters. These cases are quickly sensationalized in the news and on social media, yet when the dust settles, the outcomes are rarely publicized. People forget that in our system, you are innocent until proven guilty. Try to find much coverage of the convication in the case of the Fairfield Realtor vehicle homicide, or updates on the woman who shot her husband a couple of Christmases ago, or even the pedestrian death in Sandy Hook a year or so back. The follow-through simply isn’t there, and public opinion is often shaped only by the first round of headlines. At the end of the day, these situations remind us how split-second decisions in the middle of the night can change lives forever — which is exactly why the right to protect one’s property, home and family is so fiercely debated, and lucky constitutionally protected.

Late Night Prank Gone Wrong

First the low hanging fruit. Dave; it was a joke, please get over it. You are the only person in Newtown that thought I really wanted to build a stadium on 6 Commence Rd. Now on to Alex. You might not appreciate my writing style or my selection of words, but let's not loose sight of the fact that by responding to my letter in the manner that you did, you have removed any doubt whatsoever that you have no idea of the quantifiable benefits you are dismissing not only for the town, but also for protesters. Either you stopped listening at the word "ordinance" or you never started.. Your constitutional rights to assemble were never in question and would actually be strengthened and there would be literally no impediments. We could even title it "The Alex Villamil Ordinance" if you want. It could be your legacy and actually show Newtown your willingness to work in a bipartisan way for the betterment of the town. Businesses would be protected. Traffic wouldn't be interrupted. The town would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in police overtime. And maybe most importantly, the town could prevent another tragedy while mitigating legal risk in the event something terrible happens at a protest. Nothing bad could never happen in Newtown right? All that could be accomplished by a simple, non-intrusive ordinance unless all the detriments to our town are intentional in order to bring more attention to your cause. Alex, this was not me throwing a temper tantrum. Believe me, you will know it if that happens. I am just putting Newtown first. From that perspective, if you think critically, the regulation is necessary. It makes sense logically, rationally, and is reasonable. There is absolutely no down side. None. I would be willing to sit down with you to see if we could come to some type of compromise if you want. Let me know. You would be amazed how much you can accomplish when there is dialogue amongst neighbors.

It’s About Dialogue Amongst Neighbors — Not Regulation

A popular prank circulating on TikTok is “ding-dong-ditch” where a group of young people violently bang or kick someone’s door late at night and then “ditch” or run. On May 3 three high schoolers here in Fredericksburg Va. were participating in such a prank. One homeowner assumed, as in this case, an attempted break in and also took measures to defend his family and property. As the youths were running away he fired, striking an 18 year old graduating senior in the back killing him and seriously injuring a second youth. A wasted life, a family shattered, and the homeowner charged with murder.

You’re absolutely right — no one should ever feel unsafe in their own home. Being startled awake by violent banging at your door late at night is no joke, and it’s a stark reminder that danger can come without warning. That’s why I’m thankful for the right to protect ourselves, our families, and our property. In a moment like that, you don’t get a second chance to call for help before you act — you have to be prepared. Our homes should be a place of peace, not fear, and the ability to defend them is a right worth safeguarding.

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