Sports

Rocca Continues To Put His Stamp On Youth Baseball

By Andy Hutchison

Published: November 20, 2013 12:00 am

As what’s left of the fallen leaves crunch under feet, mornings are welcomed (or unwelcomed) by frost, and light snow begins to flurry into the forecasts, baseball is far from being on the forefront o...

Thanksgiving Weekend Events At NYA

Published: November 20, 2013 12:00 am

Residents from all towns are invited to the Newtown Youth Academy Sports & Fitness Center, 4 Primrose Street, for the following special events: *Turkey Burn Annual Fitness Challenge: Friday, Novem...

Newtown Turkey Trot On Verge Of Selling Out

Published: November 20, 2013 12:00 am

The Fourth Annual Turkey Trot 5K Road Race supporting Newtown’s Booth Library is selling out quickly. Well over half of the 1,000 spots for the running course are filled; last year the race sold out. ...

Gridders To Play Brookfield In SWC Title Game, Look To Solidify Top Spot In State

By Andy Hutchison

Published: November 18, 2013 12:00 am

Newtown High School’s football team is scheduled to play Brookfield in the South-West Conference championship game at 7 pm on Thursday, November 21. The Nighthawks, unbeaten at 10-0, are slated to fac...

Newtown High Swimmers, Divers Shine In States

By Andy Hutchison

Published: November 14, 2013 12:00 am

Members of Newtown High School’s girls’ swim team participated in the Class LL state championships this past week and came out with strong performances. The diving competition was held at Bulkeley Hig...

Blaze Booters Heat Up, Capture U12 Soccer Title

Published: November 14, 2013 12:00 am

A late-game goal and some last-minute defensive heroics propelled the U12 Newtown Blaze boys’ soccer team to an unbeaten fall season and the South West Division tournament championship. Newtown (8-0-2...

Sandy Hook Run Earns National Award

By Andy Hutchison

Published: November 14, 2013 12:00 am

A run that was initially supposed to take place in Danbury — and had to be moved two times to accommodate the high volume of interest among prospective participants — has received national honors. The...

Basketball Tourney November 16

Published: November 14, 2013 12:00 am

The Newtown Youth Basketball Association will hold its annual 3 on 3 Tournament this Saturday, November 16, at Newtown Youth Academy. Schedule is as follows (participants are asked to arrive early to ...

Comedy Basketball Game November 23

Published: November 14, 2013 12:00 am

The Newtown Underwater Search & Rescue (NUSAR) Dream Team will take on the Harlem Superstars in a comedy basketball game at Newtown High School on Saturday, November 23. The tip-off is set for 7 pm. A...

Hawk Gridders Overcome Early Mistakes To Blank Stratford

By Andy Hutchison

Published: November 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...

‘Color Our World With Hope’ Filled Newtown With Music, Meaning, And Community Impact

Nighthawk Baseball Team Beats Conference Opponents

Late Goal By Ruddy Lifts Nighthawk Lacrosse Team To Victory, Showcases Chemistry In Midfield

Reed Intermediate Presents Sold-Out Performances Of 'Willy Wonka Jr'

Draw Dominance, Transition Game Lift Boys' Lacrosse Team To Lopsided Wins

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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