Sports

Hawk Gridders Overcome Early Mistakes To Blank Stratford

By Andy Hutchison

Published: Nov 08, 2013 12:00 AM

Newtown High School’s football team shook off some early mistakes to pull away for a 35-0 triumph over visiting Stratford at Blue & Gold Stadium on November 8. Jaret DeVellis scored two touchdowns, re...

Hawk Spikers Suffer Second-Round Exit At Simsbury

Published: Nov 07, 2013 12:00 AM

Newtown High School’s girls’ volleyball team saw its season come to an end in the second round of the Class LL state tournament on November 7. The tenth-seeded Nighthawks traveled to No. 7 Simsbury an...

Strong Season Ends For Field Hockey Team

By Andy Hutchison

Published: Nov 07, 2013 12:00 AM

As tough as it was for the Newtown High School field hockey team to come up a goal short in the state playoff opener on November 4, the season — on the whole — can be looked at as a success for its co...

Memorable Year Ends For Girls' Soccer Team

By Adam Israel

Published: Nov 07, 2013 12:00 AM

Newtown High School’s girls’ soccer team had its season come to a end in a 2-1 overtime loss to visiting Newington in the Class LL state tournament’s first round at Blue & Gold Stadium on November 4. ...

Celebration Time! Fourth Graders Beat Shelton For Football Title

Published: Nov 07, 2013 12:00 AM

Newtown’s fourth grade football team defeated Shelton 13-7 to claim the Colonial League Orange Bowl championship this past week. The Nighthawks defeated New Milford 27-7 in playoff action the week bef...

Boys' Soccer Team Falls Short Despite Piling Up Chances

By Andy Hutchison

Published: Nov 07, 2013 12:00 AM

A couple of great chances turned away by the opposing team’s defense — one from right on the goal line — and a rebound goal by the Wreckers were the difference in the Newtown High School boys’ soccer ...

Nighthawk Swimmers Place Fifth In South-West Conference Finals

Published: Nov 06, 2013 12:00 AM

Newtown High School’s girls’ swimming and diving team placed fifth among 13 schools to compete in the South-West Conference championships this past week. The diving competition took place on October 3...

Boys' Booters Rebound To Win First State Tourney Game

By Andy Hutchison

Published: Nov 05, 2013 12:00 AM

Newtown High School’s boys’ soccer team blanked visiting New Britain 2-0 in the first round of the Class LL State Tournament at Blue & Gold Stadium on November 5 to earn a spot in the November 7 secon...

Spikers Fall To Falcons In SWC Championship Match, Rebound In State Opener

By Andy Hutchison

Published: Nov 04, 2013 12:00 AM

WESTON — Newtown High School’s girls’ volleyball team might have needed a perfect performance to have a legitimate shot at overcoming unbeaten Joel Barlow of Redding in the South-West Conference champ...

Hawk Gridders Win Behind Tarantino's Record-Setting Performance

By Andy Hutchison

Published: Nov 01, 2013 12:00 AM

NEW FAIRFIELD — Newtown High School’s football team remained unbeaten with a 41-20 victory at New Fairfield on November 1. The win was highlighted by the efforts of quarterback Drew Tarantino who brok...

COA Welcomes New Alternate, Discusses Senior Alliance

BOE Recognizes 2026 Profiles In Professionalism Honorees

C.H. Booth Library Hosted Another Successful Volunteer Fair

Fire Reports | April 28-May 4, 2026

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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