Sports

Champs Again - NHS Girls Claim Tenth Straight Title

By Andy Hutchison

Published: May 29, 2014 12:00 AM

SOUTHBURY – Not even being in the unfamiliar role as the underdog – albeit a slight one – could stop Newtown High School’s girls’ lacrosse team from coming out on top in the South-West Conference tour...

Hawk Laxmen Advance To Pinnacle Game

Published: May 29, 2014 12:00 AM

Newtown High School’s boys’ lacrosse team won its South-West Conference tournament semifinal-round game on May 29, defeating New Milford 11-8. The second-seeded Nighthawks advance to play No. 5 Brookf...

Champs Again - NHS Girls Claim Tenth Straight Title

By Andy Hutchison

Published: May 29, 2014 12:00 AM

SOUTHBURY – Not even being in the unfamiliar role as the underdog – albeit a slight one – could stop Newtown High School’s girls’ lacrosse team from coming out on top in the South-West Conference tour...

Hawk Laxmen Advance To Pinnacle Game

Published: May 29, 2014 12:00 AM

Newtown High School’s boys’ lacrosse team won its South-West Conference tournament semifinal-round game on May 29, defeating New Milford 11-8. The second-seeded Nighthawks advance to play No. 5 Brookf...

Playoff Events Postponed Again; Girls' Lacrosse And Softball Still On

By Andy Hutchison

Published: May 28, 2014 12:00 AM

For the second day in a row, Mother Nature is playing games with tournament competition. A trio of South-West Conference schools — Masuk of Monroe, New Milford, and Pomperaug of Southbury — were close...

Girls' Lacrosse Team Battles In Postseason

By Tommy Shaker

Published: May 28, 2014 12:00 AM

It was a close battle on Wednesday night in the South-West Conference Tournament semifinal game between Newtown High School’s girls’ lacrosse team and the visiting New Fairfield Rebels. It was a game ...

NHS Golfers Win Coaches Cup, Eye Conference Crown

By Andy Hutchison

Published: May 28, 2014 12:00 AM

Pomperaug of Southbury has been Newtown High School’s golf team’s proverbial thorn in the side for several years. A one-stroke loss to those Panthers in their regular-season match, in Southbury, earli...

Girls' Lacrosse Team Battles In Postseason

By Tommy Shaker

Published: May 28, 2014 12:00 AM

It was a close battle on Wednesday night in the South-West Conference Tournament semifinal game between Newtown High School’s girls’ lacrosse team and the visiting New Fairfield Rebels. It was a game ...

Playoff Events Postponed Again; Girls' Lacrosse And Softball Still On

By Andy Hutchison

Published: May 28, 2014 12:00 AM

For the second day in a row, Mother Nature is playing games with tournament competition. A trio of South-West Conference schools — Masuk of Monroe, New Milford, and Pomperaug of Southbury — were close...

Butterflies Still There For Fletcher's Last Postseason With Hawks

By Andy Hutchison

Published: May 28, 2014 12:00 AM

For straight ten years, Maura Fletcher has not only coached the Newtown High School girls’ lacrosse team to success in the playoffs, but she’s gotten her Nighthawks into the South-West Conference fina...

C.H. Booth Library Hosted Another Successful Volunteer Fair

COA Welcomes New Alternate, Discusses Senior Alliance

BOE Recognizes 2026 Profiles In Professionalism Honorees

Fire Reports | April 28-May 4, 2026

Just Over The Border: Southeast Kitchen And Bath’s New Showroom

Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

The ‘Me’ Generation

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