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Referendum At Midpoint: 5% Turnout Reported At the midway point of today’s referendum, 998 of Newtown’s 19,148 registered voters had visited Newtown Middle School to cast their four-question ballot.At the midway point of today’s referendum, 998 of Newtown’s 19,148 registered voters had visited Newtown Middle School to cast their four-question ballot. That represents 5% of the town’s voters appearing in person as of 1 pm.Voters are deciding the fate of a proposed $48,834,506 Board of Selectmen/municipal budget. That figure, approved by the Board of Finance in February, represents a $1,308,366 or 2.75% spending increase.The referendum also includes the proposed Board of Education budget. Following the Board of Finance’s review in February, the BOE proposal is $88,817,373, a $3,747,722 or 4.4% increase over last year.Voters also have secondary questions for each proposed budget: If the proposed sum for the Board of Selectmen/Board of Education (respectively) is not approved, should the revised budget be higher.The polling location opened at 6 am and will remain open until 8 pm. All voting is being conducted in the gymnasium of Newtown Middle School, 11 Queen Street.The Office of the Registrar of Voters received 46 absentee ballots, which will be opened and counted after the close of polls at 8.Read more here: Council Approves Board Of Education Budget Without Cuts On Split Vote=====Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.

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Referendum At Midpoint: 5% Turnout Reported

At the midway point of today’s referendum, 998 of Newtown’s 19,148 registered voters had visited Newtown Middle School to cast their four-question ballot.

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Fire Reports | April 10-April 15, 2024

Fire Reports | April 10-April 15, 2024 Fire reports for April 10 through April 15, 2024. Wednesday, April 10: 9:13 am, service call, Johnny Appleseed Drive, Sandy Hook responded; 2:05 pm, smoke/odor investigation, 38 Little Brook Lane, Botsford responded.Thursday, April 11: 10:28 am, fire alarm, 8 Queen Street, Hook & Ladder and Sandy Hook responded; 11:50 am, motor vehicle accident (MVA), 1 Dodgingtown Road, Dodgingtown responded.Friday, April 12: 4:24 am, tree/wires down, 236 Hattertown Road, Dodgingtown and Botsford responded; 5:54 am, wires burning/arcing, 6 Bungalow Terrace, Sandy Hook responded; 5:56 am, wires burning/arcing, 154 Currituck Road, Hawleyville responded; 6:16 am, tree/wires down, 7 Taunton Lane, Hawleyville responded; 7:22 am, wires burning/arcing, Riverside/Hemlock Trail, Hawleyville responded; 7:41 am, medical assist, Mt Pleasant Road, Hawleyville responded; 8:56 am, medical assist, Hemlock Road, Botsford responded; 6:02 pm, medical assist, Hanover Road, Hook & Ladder responded.Saturday, April 13: 7:55 am, service call, 3 Fox Run Lane, Hawleyville responded; 1:31 pm, fire alarm, 18 Bryan Lane, Botsford responded; 3:30 pm, tree/wires down, 4 Purdy Station, Dodgingtown responded; 8:22 pm, MVA, Main Street/Church Hill, Hook & Ladder responded.Sunday, April 14: 8:30 am, service call/training, 196 Hanover Road, NUSAR responded; 1:05 pm, CO alarm, 19 Main Street, Hook & Ladder responded; 1:50 pm, MVA, Berkshire Road/Old Mill Road, Sandy Hook responded; 2:06 pm, CO alarm, 47 Toddy Hill Road, Sandy Hook responded; 3:07 pm, MVA, Berkshire Road/Tanglewood, Sandy Hook responded; 4:01 pm, MVA, 3 Main Street, Hook & Ladder responded; 4:40 pm, brush fire, 54 Maltbie Road, Hook & Ladder and Botsford responded; 7:33 pm, smoke in building, 15 Botsford Hill Road, Botsford, Dodgingtown, Hawleyville, Hook & Ladder and Sandy Hook responded; 7:46 pm, fire alarm, 29 Taunton Hill Road, Hawleyville responded; 11:28 pm, gas leak, 40 South Main Street, Hook & Ladder responded.Monday, April 15: 8:34 pm, gasoline spill, 50 Botsford Hill Road, Botsford and Sandy Hook responded.

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NFA Appeals IWC Decision At Castle Hill

NFA Appeals IWC Decision At Castle Hill The Newtown Forest Association is looking to appeal the Inland Wetlands Commission's decision on 20-60 Castle Hill Road. Newtown Forest Association (NFA) is appealing the decision made by Newtown Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) to approve the proposed 117-unit housing development at 20 and 60 Castle Hill Road.The appeal is based on the anticipated impact the current proposal will have on our nearby Nettleton Preserve and is founded on the findings presented during the public hearing portion of the IWC process.Trent McCann, executive director of Newtown Forest Association, said the current building proposal does not fully address the stormwater runoff that will originate on the property and ultimately find its way downhill into the Nettleton Preserve. Calculations estimate as much as 90,000 gallons of water can be diverted into Nettleton during a single rain event.The Nettleton Preserve is protected open space featuring a mixture of forest, meadow, and wetland habitats that are home to a variety of native biodiversity, including the New England cottontails. Additionally, Nettleton is home to a memorial orchard overlooking historic Main Street. Runoff will not only alter the balance of these diverse ecosystems but will deposit substantial amounts of sediment and heavy metals into the fragile wetlands.“We do not find this to be acceptable,” said McCann. “It is not our goal to stop this housing development from being built, but to make sure that any and all development is done responsibly. The NFA’s mission is to protect our preserves, and as such we are appealing to improve the stormwater management, which we do not feel the applicant has sufficiently addressed. The Nettleton Preserve is an iconic centerpiece of life in Newtown and the NFA will do everything in our power to protect it.”Inland Wetlands Commission narrowly approved the 117 single-family home development at 20-60 Castle Hill Road in a 4-3 vote during its March 27 meeting.The site is located on 136 acres, with the preserved portion including all of the land surrounding Taunton Lake. The development will also consist of a community center and other associated site improvements.Developer George Trudell told the public last year that the proposed homes will be built on roughly 40 acres of the 132 acre property, with none of the homes located on roughly 75 acres nearest the lake. All 112 homes will be clustered together, with roughly 25 to 50 feet between them.The specific regulation they will be using is 4.05.1, which allows residential open space developments. The homes will be clustered in one area of the development to maximize the open space surrounding it and would be a “multi-generational” development with homes between 1,800 and over 3,000 square feet. There will be large setbacks around the homes from the surrounding roads.Trudell said the homes would fit the architectural style of the surrounding borough.The development will have pickleball courts, a pool, a clubhouse, and a one-acre green, among other amenities available to residents.Trudell noted that the plan to develop the western end of the property in a cluster and leave the area near the lake untouched has been responded to favorably by the neighbors and Borough officials.The Newtown Bee reached out to Trudell on April 17 for comment on the NFA’s appeal, and Trudell said the NFA was a “good organization” and he was hoping to work with the organization to “work out” their concerns.“I reached out to the NFA and we are working closely with them to work out any concerns,” said Trudell. “We’re both looking guys, we’ll work out whatever we need to do.”Chris Gardner, senior burgess on the Borough of Newtown’s Board of Burgesses, said the borough is in “wait and see mode.” The borough’s zoning commission was going to take up the Castle Hill application tonight, but Gardner believes they won’t be able to while the appeal is in progress.“We’ll take things as they come,” said Gardner.Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.

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Special Absentee Voting Hours Announced

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Informational Brownfield Session Conducted At NewSylum

Informational Brownfield Session Conducted At NewSylum As the Fairfield Hills campus is a former brownfield, NewSylum Brewing was chosen as the location of an April 5 informational session on brownfields to help showcase how such properties can be rehabilitated into useful economic developments. As the Fairfield Hills campus is a former brownfield, NewSylum Brewing was chosen as the location of an April 5 informational session on brownfields to help showcase how such properties can be rehabilitated into useful economic developments.State and local officials came to speak on the subject of brownfields and the work being done to make those into usable, tax-revenue-generating properties.Done under the auspices of the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development’s Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development (OBRD), the informational session also noted funding programs through the OBRD to help develop brownfield properties.A brownfield is “a former industrial or commercial site where future use is affected by real or perceived environmental contamination,” according to Oxford Languages. A brownfield can “not just be a contaminated property, it must have economic potential,” said OBRD Project Manager William Wallach.The OBRD’s mission is to be “a one-stop resource for brownfield redevelopment in Connecticut, providing financial and technical assistance to municipalities and economic development agencies as well as brownfield owners and potential developers,” stated the OBRD in promotional material.“The mission of OBRD is to return brownfield sites across the state to productive re-use, including mixed use, residential, and open space uses,” stated the OBRD.OBRD Director Binu Chandy said the informational session was part of a planned effort to “remarket” the state’s brownfield program. She said each year, the state makes available $100 million in brownfield funding, which last year helped fund 110 projects.“Remediating a brownfield is a win/win/win,” said Wallach. “It can create jobs and housing, and doesn’t hurt the environment while eliminating existing environmental damage.”There are two competitive rounds of applications for assistance for brownfields each year, the first in January and February, and the second in July and August.“The funds can be used for anything and everything brownfield, including testing, investigating, planning, cleaning, hiring lawyers, developing; all that is eligible,” said Wallach.First Selectman Jeff Capeci said that the Fairfield Hills campus had been a “great success” for Newtown and help from the OBRD helped “take the risk out” of the town’s investment.While Capeci said that “not everything” had gone “according to plan,” he was looking forward to potential development of Shelton and Kent houses as mixed-use commercial/residential developments.“If that is successful, that can bring more development because the heavy lifting is already done,” said Capeci.Capeci noted that with NewSylum’s building, 10 years ago the building was run down and crumbling as many other buildings still are on the campus. NewSylum had been a “great partner,” however, and the building was remediated for things like asbestos and it also received a new roof.Economic and Community Development Director John Voket said he remembered standing in the NewSylum building before its redevelopment and there being “garbage on the floor” and “pigeons in the roof.”“It’s fantastic to see it brought full circle,” Voket said of the brewery.In addition to the potential renovations of Shelton and Kent houses, Voket also pointed to another project — the “infamous Batchelder” property — to bring green energy and possible transportation uses to the town.Another former brownfield, 7 Glen Road, which is now the trail head for the Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity (SHOP)’s Heritage Trail, was renovated to have a pavilion and parking lot.=====Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.

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Features

Snapshot: Chris Gardner This week's Snapshot introduces readers to Chris Gardner. Family: My wife Kath; our son Andrew, who is now 22, and daughter Caroline, 19. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire in May and is now living in Boston, where he’s an accountant. Caroline is also at the University of New Hampshire, where she’s a freshman in the nursing school.Pets: We have a cat, Teddy. He’s 2½ and still very playful.How long have you lived in Newtown? I was born and raised here. I went away to college, then my wife and I came back and bought our house here in 1998. I’m a townie, which I’m proud to say.Career: I work at Yale University. My title is Director of Communications for the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. I do a lot of science writing and media outreach to national and international publications for our faculty. I also do our social media, a newsletter every month, and a calendar every week. It’s a lot, but I love it.Are you part of any local organizations? I’m on the Legislative Council, representing District 1, which is cool — it’s the district I grew up in. It’s a great part of Newtown. I’m in my second term. I was on the Board of Finance before that. I’m also a Senior Burgess for the Borough of Newtown, which is a lot of fun. I’m Keeper of the Flagpole. I’m also just became a member of Newtown Lions Club. I’m really excited about that. They do a lot of good stuff in the community, and I’m already helping with communications and the Mustang Raffle.What do you like to do with your free time? Any time I can be outdoors is a good day. Kath and I love to hike as often as we can. I walk every day, even in the rain and snow. If there is a Red Sox game on, I will be watching that. I’m also a rabid fan of the New Jersey Devils. We also love to just hang out with our friends and spend time with them.Who is your favorite author? John Grisham. I read The Firm between the junior and senior year in college, and just couldn’t put it down. I don’t have a lot of time to read — like everyone else — but when I do, I’ll pick up a John Grisham book. I also like David Baldacci, who writes some really fun stuff. I do so much heavy duty science writing, anything I can read that’s just fun, non-fiction, just keep turning pages. Nothing heavy. Favorite book? The Firm, because that brought me into the world of Grisham and inspired me to keep reading his stuff. Thank goodness he’s kept writing all these years too because when I finish one he’s always got a new one out. I love going to The Friends of Booth Library Book Sale in the summer and seeing which one I need and which one I can give back. I’ve definitely made good use of the book sale.Who or what has been the greatest influence on your life? My wife. She is the nicest, hardest working person that I know, and she truly puts herself last when it comes to anything in her life. She is always looking out for others and that is really selfless and very inspiring to me. I really do draw inspiration from her.If you could spend the day with one person, living or deceased, who would you choose and why? My mother. She passed away four years ago, from cancer, kind of sudden, and I would just love to be able to spend a day not only with me, but her entire family — her seven grandchildren, my brother, my sister, their wives and husbands — just so we can all be together one last time and update her on what we’ve been up to. I really miss her. We might even invite my dad so he can buy dinner. (laughs)What is the most recent movie you’ve seen in the theater? Oppenheimer, at Edmond Town Hall. It was long but definitely a must-see.Favorite actor and/or movie genre? I love comedy. I have to go back to Chevy Chase, and the whole Vacation movie series. National Lampoon’s Vacation is my all-time favorite. I can quote the entire movie.Favorite music genre and/or artist? Classic rock, and I’ve got two favorite artists: James Taylor and AC/DC. But I enjoy everything in between.What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever been given? This goes back to my journalism days, and this came from my grandfather, who was a newspaper editor for his entire career: Every story matters to someone, no matter how big or small it is. I think you can apply that to just about every facet of your life. When someone is talking to you, now matter how important you think it is to yourself, it’s obviously important to them. Let people speak and don’t just hear them. Listen closely.Pet Peeves? It just happened to me. When I pull out of my street onto Route 25 and someone comes up Route 25 going 1,000 miles an hour, and while I’m trying to speed up, gets right on my tail and starts flashing their lights, as if I could see them coming from around the bend where I live. That drives me crazy. It has to do with excess speed in this town.Favorite color? Blue.What is something you cannot live without? My phone. Unfortunately, it’s become Mission Control in my life, between texting, family and friends, quick reference, I use it a lot for work, so I can’t live without it. I hate to say it but I think we’ve all become very dependent upon them. That, and chocolate chip cookies.What is your proudest accomplishment? Raising two kind, respectful, and hard-working children.What is your favorite travel destination? Aruba.What is your favorite part about Newtown? That big flagpole. Obviously I feel strongly connected to it, given what I do as Keeper of the Flagpole, but there’s nothing like driving on Main Street, coming from the Brookfield side. There’s no other color that you can see, especially the time of year when everything is gray and black, and white, but you look at that flagpole and you see that red, white and blue waving in the wind … no matter how many times I pass that, it always makes me smile and brightens my day. I love looking at that when I’m coming down the hill. What would you like to see covered in The Newtown Bee? That’s a hard one because The Bee does such an amazing job covering our community. It’s a treasure that should not be taken for granted. Maybe some more personality features, getting to know our neighbors a little more. Do you have a personal credo? Treat people like you want to be treated yourself. If everyone was just a little bit nicer to one another, the world would be a much happier place.

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Snapshot: Chris Gardner

This week's Snapshot introduces readers to Chris Gardner.

Features

Dozens Enjoy Recitations Of Original Works During Poetry Walk Reception

Dozens Enjoy Recitations Of Original Works During Poetry Walk Reception Poetry was in the air at the Booth Library “Poetry Walk” reception. Poetry was in the air at the Booth Library “Poetry Walk” reception celebrated April 7. Approximately 75 people gathered in the library’s meeting room for the Sunday afternoon program that offered the contributors an opportunity to recite their submitted works and share their passion for poetry with attendees.The event was presented in conjunction with National Poetry Month and the installation of “Poetry Walk” signs at the Fairfield Hills Campus. The signs display the poems written by the local poets.More than 100 poems were submitted for review, with 42 selected for the signs along the Poetry Walk. The remaining poems are currently on display at the library.Throughout the month, visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour of the picturesque Fairfield Hills landscape, embellished with an array of poems thoughtfully displayed on signs. The immersive experience invites reflection and connection with nature, as well as the written word, providing a perfect backdrop to the verses that have been selected to resonate with a diverse audience.The Poetry Walk, according to a press release from the library ahead of the reception, “is designed to be an inspiring journey, encouraging participants to explore the beauty of both poetry and the surroundings.”The project was founded by the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library.A detailed map of the poem locations is available on the library’s website (chboothlibrary.org), ensuring visitors can fully engage with the unique literary display.

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Donations For Newtown Lions Stuff-A-Truck Food Drive Help Fight Hunger

Donations For Newtown Lions Stuff-A-Truck Food Drive Help Fight Hunger Residents donated pre-bagged groceries to help fight hunger for the Newtown Lions Second Annual Stuff-A-Truck Food Drive held on Saturday, April 6 at Stop & Shop in Sand Hill Plaza. Residents donated pre-bagged groceries to help fight hunger for the Newtown Lions Second Annual Stuff-A-Truck Food Drive held on Saturday, April 6. The event was held at Stop & Shop in Sand Hill Plaza with cooperation from the US Army 411th Civil Affairs Battalion.Lions and Leos had set up stands on both ends of the store encouraging shoppers to make a donation to help combat hunger and food insecurity.At each stand were various pre-sorted grocery bags filled with items such as mac and cheese, pasta, and hearty soup that people could take to check-out and buy.The US Army Reserves 411th Civil Affairs Battalion then packed all the purchased bags into boxes and unloaded the truck at the end of the day.Donations from the event supported four Fairfield County food pantries: FAITH Food Pantry and Hospitality Hall Pantry in Newtown, alongside Daily Bread Food Pantry in Danbury and Bridgeport Rescue Mission in Bridgeport.Lions member Arnie Berman, who is also on the Lions Hunger Committee, was thrilled to do his part to support the community.“Food insecurity means that you have to decide between paying your utility bill or buying a bag of groceries,” Berman said. “And unfortunately challenges like that are common everywhere, including in the state of Connecticut where it’s estimated that nearly one out of ten people are food insecure.”Fighting against hunger has always been one of the main initiatives of the Lions, alongside establishing early vision screening and raising awareness about diabetes, environmental issues, and childhood cancer.To that end, the Lions hold events such as the Stuff-A-Truck food drive to support those in the community who need their help.“The problem [with food insecurity] is so big that there are times where it’s tempting to just curse the darkness, but we’re trying to light a candle on the whole problem by holding events like this,” Berman said. “Seeing so many people show up in force today has just been really incredible.”For more information on the Lions and their future endeavors, visit newtownlions.org.Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.

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The Way We Were

The Way We Were Newtown news of 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 years ago, from the archives of The Newtown Bee. April 23, 1999HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER OF Leo McIlrath.* * * * *Newtown Fish & Game members John Sanzo and Steven Tutu were among the early anglers to land trout last Saturday along Taunton Lake. Anglers across the state tossed in their lines last weekend for opening day, the official start to the spring fishing season.* * * * *Newtown’s shortage of fields has reached the point where it has brought new meaning to “sports competition” in town. Different sports organizations are now vying with each other for field time. That was apparent at Wednesday’s meeting of the Parks & Recreation Commission. Newtown Lacrosse President Ken Law believes there is an imbalance in the use of fields and suggested that each sport have one traditional season during which it has priority over fields.* * * * *A 28-year-old Roxbury man was killed as a result of injuries he suffered the evening of April 16 in a three-vehicle accident on South Main Street near Orchard Hill Road. Police said the man was driving a 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier northbound on South Main Street, just south of its intersection with Orchard Hill Road, about 6:20 pm when he failed to negotiate a slight curve to the right and drifted over the center line of the road into the southbound lane. A 43-year-old male from New Hartford, N.Y., who was traveling south in a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee, saw the Chevrolet cross into the southbound lane and attempted to evade it by steering to the right, but was struck head on by the Chevrolet. Another southbound vehicle, a 1990 Volvo 744 being operated by a 36-year-old male from Trumbull, saw the accident unfolding and also attempted to evade it but struck the Jeep and then the Chevrolet. All three vehicles came to rest in the southbound lane. The driver of the Cavalier was not wearing a seat belt and suffered extensive chest injuries. Emergency medical personnel performed lifesaving techniques on him but he later died at Danbury Hospital. The other drivers and a passenger in the Jeep reported pain, but none were transported to the hospital.* * * * *Talks are underway for a new agreement under which town firefighters would provide fire protection for the state-owned Fairfield Hills campus, according to First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal. Mr Rosenthal met April 15 with representatives of Tunxis Management Company to discuss a fire protection agreement. The company manages the Fairfield Hills property for the state. Last week Mr Rosenthal informed the state that the town will not provide either primary or secondary fire protection for Fairfield Hills because the state has failed to ratify a fire protection agreement that the town endorsed earlier this year.* * * * *Mr Haber’s fourth grade class at Hawley School shared their well-researched projects on Japanese culture, traditions, and lifestyles with their parents on April 19. The parents also enjoyed an array of Japanese cuisine during the presentation.April 19, 1974A group of citizens in three towns has organized to oppose the leasing of 610 acres of land owned by the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company to the state. The property is located in Newtown, Easton and Redding, and the people claim use of the land for hunting would pose a danger to those living in the area. The Hydraulic Company has been negotiating for lease of the land to the state for hunting under public act 73-522 since last fall. Last week there was some uncertainly among officials of the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company and the Department of Environmental Protection on whether the lease has actually been signed.* * * * *At 9:04 am Tuesday, April 16, a Bridgeport man was killed after the car he was driving struck another one head-on near the intersection of Route 25 and Greenbriar Lane. Chief Louis Marchese of the Newtown Police Department said the vehicle going northbound on Route 25 went out of control after it rounded a curve in the highway. It then crossed over the center line and struck an oncoming vehicle which was going south. The two vehicles met head on, left front to left front, near the intersection. The Bridgeport man was pronounced dead on the scene by medical examiner Dr Robert Grossman of Newtown. A passenger in the northbound vehicle was taken to Danbury Hospital in the Newtown Ambulance. Members of Newtown Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 were called to the scene to help get the driver of the southbound car out of his vehicle.* * * * *“You’ll be happy to know,” said Town Clerk Mae Schmidle after the Town Meeting on April 11, “that it cost the Town less than $2 in tape to appropriate more than $140,000.” The exact sum was $146,582 and the entire procedure took less than 45 minutes. The funds were approved almost unanimously.* * * * *Donald Dale Jackson of Saddle Ridge Road, Newtown, is a reasonably relaxed young man. He is a towering broth of a boy—whose eyes sparkle when he introduces his wife and elfin daughter with a wonderful smile, his extraordinarily shy collie dog rejoicing in the name of Holly Golightly, and a venerable shining silver and smoke Persian cat. His voice warms when he lays claim to one of the two guitars resting in a corner and he says, yes, he plays with his son. He has just written a monumental book, “Judges.” The jacket carries a subtitle which is at once heartening and enlightening: “An inside view of the agonies and excesses of an American elite.”* * * * *Marjorie Dujnic, director of the Children’s Adventure Center, accepted with great pleasure a $205 donation from the employees of DuPont-Sorvall. The generous gift, contributed at Christmas by employees, enabled the center to purchase an outdoor vertical climber. The bright yellow tower, a combination of five ladders, varying in height from 16 inches to 48 inches, is sturdy and virtually maintenance free. The castle tower is a useful aid for the development of a child’s reflexes, balance and perception.April 15, 1949A record crowd of 200 dog lovers attending the Newtown Kennel Club’s 21st A.K.C. Sanctioned match show last Thursday evening in Edmond Town Hall, witnessed the selection of an English setter, Dollie of Blue Bar, as best in show. Owned and shown by Mrs J. Philip Gleason of Stamford, the setter was chosen by judges Charles M. Crane of New Canaan and Frank Ortolani of Portchester, N.Y., from the 85 pure-bred dogs entered in the show.* * * * *Charles Steck, who was taken to the Danbury hospital on Tuesday, March 29th, was able to return home last Friday afternoon, and though confined to his bed, is improving gradually. His friends hope for a speedy recovery.* * * * *The Bee is glad to announce that the final figures in the recent campaign for the National Heart Association for the Danbury area exceeded the goal of $5,000. The gratifying result was $5,307.35. A few weeks ago, the local committee, of which Col. C. Sidney Haight was chairman, announced that $675 had been contributed in Newtown. At that time there were still a few plastic hearts to be collected. In the final tabulation the total receipts realized were $751.16. J. Harry White, area chairman, has expressed his appreciation and gratitude to all those who helped to make this initial campaign a success.* * * * *An enjoyable occasion took place on Sunday afternoon at the home of Mr and Mrs Edmund M. Foster in Gray’s Plain district when the couple entertained a group of their friends in honor of their fifteenth wedding anniversary. The party, held from 12 until 2 o’clock, also afforded an opportunity for Mr and Mrs Foster to introduce Mr and Mrs Daniel F. Wheeler of Nichols, friends of long standing, who expect to move soon into their new home which is just being completed in Easton. Mr and Mrs Foster were married at St Bartholomew’s church in New York City on April 10, 1934, the ceremony being performed by George Langdon, who at that time was rector at Pomfret School and is now headmaster of the Salisbury School at Salisbury.* * * * *Townspeople are reminded by workers in the current Red Cross roll call canvass that many contributions are still to be made if Newtown is to attain its annual goal. Canvassers have been unable to contact many residents. In such instances it is asked that the resident make his contribution directly to the canvasser in that area. A report to date on the progress of the campaign will be forthcoming soon.April 11, 1924Last Friday evening, April 4, the Hawley High school girls’ basketball quintet journeyed to New Milford to play the final game with Washington High school. Newtown and Washington were tied for honors previous to this game, which was to decide who were champions of the Southwestern League. The game was played on a neutral floor with a neutral referee officiating. After one of the hardest, fastest, and most exciting games played this season, our own Newtown finally came out on top with a score of 16-14, one which could hardly be more closely contested. The entire team deserves special credit for the excellent playing and teamwork displayed to the end.* * * * *The lecturer’s program at the meeting of Pootatuck Grange, Tuesday night, was as follows: Vocal duet, “Barcarole,” Mrs Phillips, Miss Phillips. Piano duet, Miss Ruth Ekins, Miss Anita Coy. Play, “Robber Boots,” Mrs L.A. Glover, Mrs Ada M. Blakeman, Evelyn Ekins, Marjorie Peale. Recitation, “The Famine,” Edith W.G. Mitchell. Vocal trio, “The Merry Heart,” Mrs A.J. Smith, Mrs H.N. Tiemann, Miss Lillian Phillips.* * * * *HATTERTOWN ITEMS OF INTEREST: Millard T. Morgan has a new Ford touring car. | Jacob Goldberg has recently purchased a new Ford commercial car. | Fred Waterbury on Strong’s Hill has a new Ford sedan. | J.C. Lewis, who has been shut in for a number of weeks, is improving and was able to enjoy a ride in his automobile, Saturday. | Mr and Mrs J.H. Jackson, who have spent the winter months at Asbury Park, N.J., have returned to their home in this place. | Remember the date, April 15, and 16, for the big Wheeler auction at Easton.* * * * *As John R. Peck’s truck, driven by Wesley Peck, was proceeding towards Waterbury, Monday, April 7, with a load of folding boxes from S. Curtis & Son, just beyond Seymour, the driver found the Naugatuck river had taken possession of the state road. The river was flowing breast high near the road. One truck driver tried to get through but his engine went dead in a puff of steam. Mr Peck wisely turned around, and waiting until the next day, found the river nearly normal.* * * * *Albert C. Dubret was pleasantly surprised at his home in Botsford, last Wednesday evening, when friends and relatives tendered him a surprise party in honor of his birthday. Singing and games were enjoyed and after a late hour a buffet lunch was served. Those present were: Miss Juliett Dubret, Miss Ella Galski, Fred William Galbraith, Mr and Mrs John Sember, Mr and Mrs Amos Osborne, Mr and Mrs Julius Dubret, Mr and Mrs Louis Dubret, and Mr and Mrs Albert Dubret.* * * * *Ramon Jasinsski is erecting a building north of Lovell’s garage and will have a store for the sale of ice cream and temperance drinks. He will also have an up-to-date gas and oil station.* * * * *Allison P. Smith was in Middletown, Wednesday, attending the quarterly meeting of the trustees of the Connecticut State Hospital. He was accompanied by Mr and Mrs A.T. Minor of Bethlehem.* * * * *Mr and Mrs Albert Gustaveson of Washington motored to Newtown, Sunday, calling at The Homestead farm of E.J. Morgan & Son.* * * * *William Hawley of Hawleyville has a new horse bought of the well known dealer, T.O’Brien, of 16 Crosby street, Danbury.April 21, 1899Oscar Squires of Hawleyville, who for months had been a great sufferer from heart and dropsical troubles, died last week Friday. His illness dates back about three years, although he had been in a critical condition for only three months. Oscar Squires was born in Southbury, July 2, 1842. His parents were Royal G. Squires and Orrissa A. Towne. Mr Squires resided in Little York district in Southbury until about 11 years ago, when he removed to Hawleyville and took a position in the signal tower. He is survived by a wife, Hattie Richmond Squires, and two daughters, Mrs John McDonald of Brookfield and Mrs Edna Chamberlain, the latter living with her mother. The funeral was attended on Sunday from his late home at Hawleyville, Rev Mr Fowler officiating. … Mr Squires was a member of King Solomon’s lodge, F. & A.M., of Woodbury, and was a past master of the lodge. The members of this lodge ministered to his necessities in his last illness. Mr Squires was a man of kindly nature, and was well liked at Hawleyville. He had a kind word for the children, at all times.* * * * *DODGINGTOWN AND VICINITY: Edward Miller of Bethel passed Sunday the guest of his sister, Mrs J.W. Behn. | Andrew James has been the recent guest of his nephew, George Reid of Bridgeport. | Mrs Arnold of Ansonia is visiting at Mrs Ellen Barnum’s. | Jerome Platt is on the sick list. | Miss Mary Falls has been the recent guest of her sister, Miss Nora Falls of Bridgeport. | Mr and Mrs E.C. Bevans passed Sunday, the guests of relatives in Danbury.* * * * *HATTERTOWN: Dr and Mrs C.M. Penny and son of Bridgeport passed Sunday here the guests of Mr and Mrs J.W. Penny.* * * * *Arthur T. Nettleton, the genial treasurer of the Newtown Savings bank, passed Sunday in Danbury.* * * * *The large furniture establishment of A.G. Baker & Son at Hawleyville will soon be bright in a fresh dress of paint, applied by Edward Pitcher.* * * * *William Lee is at work at painting with Ruffles & Nichols.* * * * *It is said that the wedding bells will soon chime forth at Hawleyville, two popular railroad men being the interested parties. Those who expect to remember them with presents are hoping the weddings will come on different dates.Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.

way we were Story way we were way we were_211 Features, Way We Were None

Features

Top Of The Mountain

Top Of The Mountain Newtown news and notes, told from the point of view of a cat named Mountain. I don’t think James Brunot had “collaborative Scrabble” in mind when he developed Criss-Cross Word into Scrabble right here in Newtown more than 75 years ago. If you missed last week’s announcement, Mattel has released Scrabble Together — currently only available in the UK, with no current plans for release in the US reportedly because Mattel does not hold the license here — which invites people to collaborate on their turns and make games move faster. We in Newtown take a lot of pride in that internationally celebrated board game. The Scrabble game was developed, copyrighted and trademarked in 1948. That was the year Brunot worked with CrissCross Words creator Alfred Mosher Butts to simplify the rules and board design of Butts’ original creation. Brunot is credited with the name change and creating both the premium squares on the classic board and premium points for some letters. The first tiles were cut in the former Mannix wood shop on South Main Street, and the first tile racks — also cut at that location — were pieces of molding trucked in from Long Island. The first Scrabble boards, boxes and individually stamped letter tiles were assembled in the former Flat Swamp district schoolhouse, which was rented by James Brunot and his wife Helen. By early 1953, 35 employees were working in office space on the second floor of the then-newly constructed Wheeler Shopping Center (now Queen Street Shopping Center), assembling 6,000 game sets each week. While the list of accepted words has certainly expanded over the years (Butts certainly never thought anyone would be allowed to play “adorbs,” “deepfake” or even “jedi”), the game itself has remained a two-person competition. By definition that means someone must win, and someone else will lose. What’s next, Collaborative Battleship?In the vein of competitions and for those who are counting down to next month’s Scripps National Spelling Bee (like this cat!), regional spelling bees have concluded and the 245 spellers who will make up the Class of 2024 have been solidified. The final crop of spellers is students from California, whose winning word was locomotive; Montana, with the winning word semaphore; Missouri, who won with parkour; Houston, with winning word yagi; New York, with facile; Minnesota, with profundity; and Washington, D.C., with sophomoric. If you read me regularly (as everyone should), you already know that I’m particularly excited for this year’s competition thanks to the inclusion of a Newtown student among this year’s competitors. Next stop for the Class of 2024 is National Harbor, Maryland, in late May, for Bee Week.The latest stop for Bruce the Spruce, the seasonally decorated artificial tree in Bee Publishing Company’s Production Department, is spring. The ladies in Production have turned Bruce into Spring Showers this month, complete with a few rain drops, an umbrella, rain boots, and even fresh flowers that continue to bloom after each brief shower.I understand one young attendee of Trinity Episcopal Church has earned a gift certificate to Ferris Acres Creamery for being the winner of the church’s recent Lenten Passport Contest. I’d offer a seal of approval for that work but I believe the children competing in that contest were collecting stickers. Congratulations!Parents are reminded that we offer a gift certificate to Ferris Acres Creamery every week through our Birthday Cake feature. This long-standing column invites parents, grandparents and guardians to celebrate a child’s approaching birthday by sending us a photo, the child’s first and last name, birthday, and the age they will be turning, to Managing Editor Shannon Hicks by noon each Tuesday. The photos and those details are shared in the paper, and then one name is selected at random to receive a Creamery gift certificate. The Creamery graciously provides each week’s winner with a vanilla-chocolate ice cream cake. There is no fee to participate, and we love sharing birthday wishes with everyone. See page B-5 of this week’s print edition for this week’s Birthday Cake honorees and the few additional details for those who want to join the fun.Looking for a new home for used books or games? Consider taking them to the rear parking lot of C.H. Booth Library on Sunday. The Friends of the Booth Library Spring Donation Day is planned for April 21, rain or shine from 12 to 5 pm. Volunteers will be eager to receive items in good condition for their Book Sale at Reed Intermediate School from July 12-16. I’ve given some of my own reads to them in the past, and know how good it feels to be able to donate books for that group. I even went one afternoon when it was drizzling, and the Friends volunteers were ready for the weather. They had a cart with a tarp over it and they moved my books so quickly, I don’t think a single drop of rain was able to splash onto a page.The Hearts of Hope Newtown Chapter received some very good news recently: an $800 grant has been announced from The Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation. NSHCF has been supporting causes of strength and healing since 12/14. Hearts of Hope continues to offer Paint With A Purpose sessions most months, when the public is invited to paint palm-size ceramic hearts with simple messages and images of encouragement.More good news this week: Newtown PD K-9 Aris has been cleared for full duty. Aris had suffered a life-threatening emergency while preparing for training on April 2. Fortunately his handler, Officer Felicia Figol, was able to get him into emergency surgery for gastric dilation and volculus, a condition where the stomach becomes twisted in dogs with large chests. The condition can be extremely painful and can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated quickly. Fortunately Aris had excellent care and a very good recovery period, complete with cards, notes and even toys from many of his admirers. According to the PD’s Facebook page, Aris went back to work midweek.I’m going to go back to working with my friends on figuring out the next classic game that will be changed up. One of my favorites has always been Mouse Trap. If someone decides that one needs an update I’ll be sure to let you know as long as you promise to come back next week to … read me again.

Top Of The Mountain Story Top Of The Mountain Top Of The Mountain_367 Features None

Sports

Hawk Lacrosse Players Support 15 For Life Foundation Newtown lacrosse program raises close to $2,000 for foundation that seeks to open dialogue about depression and mental health.For the second year in a row Newtown High School’s lacrosse programs are partnering with the 15 For Life Foundation for designated games as players, coaches, parents, and other community members come together to support the foundation’s mission to open dialogue about depression and mental health.Newtown’s Jeff Kavovit’s brother and lacrosse standout Rob Kavovit took his life at the age of 45 and left behind a wife and two children after battling silent depression. This tragedy prompted the family to start 15 For Life, which encourages people to shed the shame around needing help and strives to normalize the conversation around mental health by creating awareness so that their loss may help others.Ticket sales, raffles, and donations at the April 12 Newtown versus Cheshire girls’ game at Blue & Gold Stadium brought in close to $2,000 to support 15 For Life. The boys’ lacrosse program will have its 15 For Life night on Saturday, May 11, when Brien McMahon of Norwalk visits Blue & Gold at 7 pm.“Our family appreciates the support of our Newtown family,” Kavovit said. “We’re trying to open up dialogue and it’s a train that’s going to keep moving forward.”Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college athletes and it is Kavovit’s goal to prevent others from ending their lives. The website 15forlife.org notes that the foundation is “inspired by one man to save the lives of many.”Maura Fletcher, coach of the NHS girls’ squad, noted that players need to be comfortable leaning on teammates, coaches, and parents alike when the going gets tough.“I think it’s really important especially with kids at this age. There’s so much pressure on them to do well in school, and athletically, and with social media,” Fletcher said. “It’s okay not to be okay. You don’t have to be perfect all the time.”Each lacrosse team has player representatives who lead in the efforts to ensure their teammates know they can talk with each other if necessary. Abby Ihlefeld and Rachael Albrecht represent the girls and spoke after their 10-8 win over Cheshire about the importance of open dialogue within the team.“We just want to make sure everyone’s in a comfortable spot because we know it’s hard to speak up,” Ihlefeld said.“It can be scary when you don’t really know who to talk to,” Albrecht added.Although there are specific games in which money is raised for the foundation, the lacrosse players have the 15 For Life mission in mind throughout the spring. The girls have a custom lacrosse stick with the words “Mental Health Matters” on the shaft that is passed around at practices. The team member holding the stick has a turn to say what she is grateful for as a way to keep focused on positive aspects of life regardless of what might be going on.Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.

NHS Lacrosse 15 For Life Game Andy Hutchison Story Hawk Lacrosse Players Support 15 For Life Foundation NHS Lacrosse 15 For Life Game Featured Slider, Sports None

Hawk Lacrosse Players Support 15 For Life Foundation

Newtown lacrosse program raises close to $2,000 for foundation that seeks to open dialogue about depression and mental health.

Sports

Girls’ Lacrosse Team Wins Another Close One With Rival Cheshire

Girls’ Lacrosse Team Wins Another Close One With Rival Cheshire Newtown High and Cheshire Rams play another thriller as Hawks overcome early 3-0 deficit and hang on.Although the Cheshire Rams may be from out of conference they certainly have become a notable rival for the Newtown High School girls’ lacrosse team. On April 12 the Nighthawks and Rams met for yet another thriller with Newtown winning yet again, 10-8 at Blue & Gold Stadium.In each of the meetings in the previous two years, the Hawks prevailed in one-goal nail-biters, 14-13 and 12-11. The most recent installment of this matchup did not disappoint and was every bit as close as the final score indicates.The Rams, in fact, jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Nighthawks battled back to take a 5-4 halftime advantage. It was 8-5 NHS at the end of three quarters but Cheshire eventually got back to within striking distance at 9-8 and had possession before Newtown got a key stop, insurance goal, and possession to run out the clock.“They’re always a top-ten team. It’s always good to play them,” said Newtown Coach Maura Fletcher, whose team represents the South-West Conference while the Rams come from the Southern Connecticut Conference.Newtown trailed 3-0 after the opening 12 minutes of play but dictated the tone with strong possessions in the second quarter.Jules Battaglia scored in transition less than three minutes into the second, the first of four straight NHS tallies. Summer Harrell got possession off the ensuing draw and scored 23 seconds later to make it 3-2 with nine minutes showing on the scoreboard clock. The Hawks made it three goals in exactly a minute’s time as Brooke Bulkley took a feed from behind the net by Ava Mitchell and scored to knot things at 3-3 with 8:23 left in the half.The teams traded tallies in the final two-plus minutes of the quarter. Harrell gave NHS its first lead on a low shot before the Rams stopped the bleeding and tied the score at 4 apiece less than a minute later. Natalie McLean weaved through defensive traffic and scored the go-ahead goal just 17 seconds before the intermission.Battaglia faked a shot then whipped one home giving Newtown its first multi-goal edge early in the third. NHS goaltender Alexa Manfredonia made some key stops throughout the game, including one to keep NHS ahead 6-4 but Cheshire kept knocking and eventually got to within 6-5 with 7:25 left in the stanza.Bulkley’s top-shelf net-finder pushed the lead back to two with 3:28 remaining. Harrell used her speed and quick release to score from straight on making it 8-5 with 44 seconds left until the fourth.Battaglia, assisted by Bulkley, answered a Cheshire goal less than two minutes into the fourth but the Rams scored the next two. After Cheshire got within 9-7 and had possession Harrell came up with a big interception near the Nighthawk goal to help stymie the Rams. But they managed to find the back of the net with 3:48 left and had a chance to tie. Newtown’s defense stood tall and McLean capped the scoring when she took a cross-field pass from Harrell and deposited a back-breaker tally with 1:37 to go. The Hawks again got possession and took the remaining time off.“I think a lot of people stepped up offensively,” said Mo Murphy, a defender who, along with Abby Ihlefeld, helped limit the Rams’ scoring chances in spots.Harrell finished with three goals and two assists, Battaglia also netted a hat-trick, Bulkley had two goals and two assists, McLean scored twice, and Ava Mitchell contributed two assists.Summer came away with six draw controls; McLean had four draw controls and two ground ball scoops; Battaglia, Mitchell, Murphy, Bulkley, and Jen Socci all had ground ball scoops; and Manfredonia made nine saves.Newtown had beaten host Bethel 16-7 the day before. Harrell scored five times and collected nine draw controls. Battaglia had a six-point performance with three goals to go along with a trio of assists. McLean had three goals and three draw controls, Bulkley scored three of her own, Mitchell recorded a goal and an assist, and Ihlefeld scored.Newtown posted a 16-1 victory over visiting Brookfield on April 16. “We had eight goal scorers, which showed how much we shared the ball and ten out of 16 goals assisted,” said Fletcher, adding that attackers did a great job with rides and the defense came away with some key interceptions.Harrell had four goals and two assists, Bulkley three goals and three assists, McLean two goals and an assist, Battaglia and Nikki Kaplan both had two goals, Rachael Albrecht a goal and an assist, Reese Lischuk and Gabby O’Sullivan had goals, and Sara Ruddy, Mitchell, and Socci had assists.Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.

NHS Girls Lacrosse Andy Hutchison Story Girls’ Lacrosse Team Wins Another Close One With Rival Cheshire NHS Girls Lacrosse_160 Featured Slider, Sports None

Sports

Overtime Win Among Closely-Contested Conference Battles For Laxmen

Overtime Win Among Closely-Contested Conference Battles For Laxmen Nighthawks edge Bethel for thrilling victory and battle Masuk in competitive contest.Newtown High School’s boys’ lacrosse team was involved in close contests with South-West Conference rivals this past week, highlighted by a nail-biting then a 7-6 overtime victory against visiting Bethel on April 11.Charlie Massett scored the decisive goal, set up by Marcus Gerace, capping off a combined ten-point performance by the two Nighthawks. Massett scored twice and assisted on a pair of tallies and Gerace netted three and assisted on three others. Kyle Ruddy and Nick Stockwell also scored for the Nighthawks.“It just shows us we have a lot of grit down the stretch and we never quit,” Massett said of the Nighthawks pulling out this down-to-the-wire (and then some) game.Brady Macey and Asher Williams both came up with five ground ball scoops, Cole Stockwell had four ground balls, and Fisher Stites, Luke Gagnon, and Gerace all had three grounders. Newtown won ten faceoffs and goaltender Blake Ballard came up with ten saves.“That was a good victory. There were some ups and downs — we battled some adversity,” Newtown Coach Tony Fitti said.The Nighthawks played in chilly, windy, rainy-at-times conditions against Masuk of Monroe, also at Blue & Gold Stadium, under the lights on April 13. Masuk prevailed 10-7 despite a strong battle from the Hawks in another tightly-contested clash against town neighbors.Masuk led 5-4 late in the second quarter and scored again in the waning seconds to carry a two-goal lead and some momentum into halftime. Masuk added to its lead early in the third and was up 7-4 before a pair of Nighthawk tallies about 1:30 apart midway though the stanza brought the Hawks back to within a goal. Luke Stewart and Kyle Ruddy both hit the back of the net in short time and a Masuk unnecessary roughness penalty at the same time as Ruddy’s net-finder gave NHS a minute of player advantage time.Masuk killed off the penalty but lost the lead late in the third when Gerace finished a nice passing sequence for his second goal of the night. Gerace was assisted by Ruddy and Massett also helped set up the goal. It was 7-7 with 1:44 left in the quarter.That was the third and final tie of the contest. Masuk scored with just ten seconds left in the third and added two in the fourth. A couple of late-game unnecessary roughness calls on the Hawks hurt the home team’s chances of coming back again.Gerace scored twice and Ruddy, Sean Reilly, Gavin Doyle, Massett, and Stewart each added one. Ruddy and Gerace both had two assists and Stites added a helper. The Hawks won 11 of 18 faceoffs. Macey led the way with six ground ball scoops, Ruddy collected five, and Stites four. Ballard made five saves.Host Brookfield doubled up Newtown 10-5 on April 16. The Nighthawks, following Thursday's visit to New Fairfield, go to Immaculate of Danbury Saturday, April 20 at noon, and return home Tuesday, April 23, to take on Joel Barlow of Redding at 7:30 pm.Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.

NHS Boys Lacrosse Andy Hutchison Story Overtime Win Among Closely-Contested Conference Battles For Laxmen NHS Boys Lacrosse_122 Sports None

Sports

NHS Softball Versus Baseball Fundraiser Game April 27

Sports

Softball Team Compiles 25 Runs In Perfect Game And Battles Tough Nonconference Foes

Softball Team Compiles 25 Runs In Perfect Game And Battles Tough Nonconference Foes Hawks battle Shepaug Valley and Waterford and topple Barlow and Pomperaug.The highlight of the week undoubtedly was a 25-0 win over visiting Joel Barlow of Redding on April 11. Not only did Newtown High School’s softball team’s offense dominate with two dozen hits but backup pitchers Addy Cordova and Rheya Litke combined on a five-inning perfect game from the pitcher’s circle.Cordova pitched two frames and Litke three and the tandem combined for 13 strikes in this no contest that was called after Barlow batted in the top half of the fifth because of the mercy rule.“For us it was a good mental reset,” said Newtown Coach Megan Goyda, whose team opened the season with four straight games against challenging nonconference teams — all decided by one or two runs — and was coming off a 1-0 extra-inning loss to host Shepaug Valley in Washington the day before.Goyda noted that everybody in the lineup contributed and it was nice to not have to sweat one out all the way down to the last pitch for the first time this spring.But as enjoyable as it may have been to rack up 14 runs in the second inning alone on the way to that ultra-dominant performance the setback to Shepaug Valley along with a 6-3 loss to visiting Waterford on April 13 will arguably be better for the Nighthawks in the long run.“The games where there’s a little pressure with everything you do, that’s what’s going to help us reach our ultimate goal,” Goyda acknowledged.As far as that ultimate goal goes, the Nighthawks, coming off a South-West Conference Championship last spring, are looking to repeat and also challenge for a state title.In the Shepaug game, which was decided in the ninth inning, Maddie Thoesen pitched eight and a third dominant frames, allowing four hits, just the one run, and walked two; she compiled 17 strikeouts to match her pitching counterpart’s K total. Newtown also mustered four hits with Julia Berry smacking two doubles, and Bri Pellicone hitting a triple and reaching on a single. Goyda said her batters did not make adjustments and therefore could not muster a rally.Against Waterford on a chilly, windy and late-in-the game rainy day, Newtown managed eight hits and two walks but did not capitalize on enough chances, leaving eight base runners stranded. Newtown’s coach liked how her hitters adjusted as the game moved along.“We made good contact. We just hit it at them,” Goyda said.Waterford led 3-0 in the third. Thoesen nearly escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second when she struck out the side, for a trio of her ten fanned batters, but a wild pitch gave the visitors their first run. After Waterford worked around a leadoff double by Caruso in the bottom of the second it scored twice in the third. In the bottom of the third Julia Berry crushed a solo home run to left. Cordova and Thoesen followed with deep fly outs and Pellicone singled before Newtown was retired. Down 4-1 in the fifth the Hawks put two runners in scoring position with no outs but could not capitalize.Waterford doubled its run total on homers, a solo blast in the fifth and two-run shot in the seventh, to seemingly put the game out of reach. But Newtown scratched out a couple of runs and brought the potential tying run up to bat in the seventh but left two runners on base to end the threat.Take it for what it is worth but Newtown’s biggest SWC nemesis, Masuk of Monroe, also faced Waterford and prevailed 4-1.There was no such drama in the Barlow game. Offensive highlights from that one included four hits, including a homer, and seven runs batted in by Thoesen; four hits, two RBI, and four runs scored by Berry; three hits, three RBI, and a trio of runs scored by Gabby Ansman; and a hit, three walks, three RBI, and three runs scored by Caitlin Milks. Rachael Casagrande had two hits, an RBI, and two runs scored; and Olivia Doersch and Gilly Boughan both collected two hits, an RBI, and run scored. Berry had two doubles and Pellicone, Ansman, Boughan, and Cordova all added extra base hits.Newtown also had an easy one at Pomperaug of Southbury on April 15. The Hawks jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the opening inning on the way to a 13-1 triumph. This was another shortened game due to the mercy rule and ended when the Hawk put up another five spot in the top of the sixth. Thoesen pitched five innings of two-hit ball, allowing one run, walking one, and fanning nine batters. Cordova pitched a perfect frame and struck out all three batters.Berry had three hits, including a double, drove in a run and scored three times; Thoesen had three hits, including a double, three RBI, and two runs scored; Pellicone, Ansman, and Lila Accousti all had two hits with Ansman and Accousti each driving in a pair of runs. Casagrande tripled and scored as Newtown collected 15 hits.Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.

NHS Softball Andy Hutchison Story Softball Team Compiles 25 Runs In Perfect Game And Battles Tough Nonconference Foes NHS Softball_154 Sports None

Today's Events

April 24, 2024

“The Poetry Walk”

Fairfield Hills walking path, Keating Farms Avenue

Self-guided tour with paved path embellished with an array of poems by local writers displayed on signs, observing National Poetry Month, presented by C.H. Booth Library, full map of path and poetry locations available online (chboothlibrary.org); 203-426-4533.

April 24, 2024 at 06:00 am

“David K. Merrill’s Lifetime of Painting"

Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street

Presentation of more than 100 original paintings by David Merrill spanning his career of over 60 years, on view to June 27.

April 24, 2024 at 08:00 am

“Doug Calderone: Symbols of America”

C.H. Booth Library (John Angel Art Alcove, third floor), 25 Main Street

Third exhibition of works by the Newtown resident and right-handed carpenter who suffered a stroke one year ago, and has since taught himself how to paint and do wood burning with his left hand, through April 29; 203-426-4533.

April 24, 2024 at 09:00 am

“Discover Exoplanets: The Search for Alien Worlds” NASA exhibit

C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street

A national traveling exhibit that focuses on exoplanets and space exploration, learn about exoplanets and NASA’s search for habitable planets through hands-on, multimedia kiosks and activities spread throughout all three floors of the library, through late May; 203-426-4533.

April 24, 2024 at 09:30 am

2024 SCAN Juried Art Show & Sale

Art & Frame Gallery, 77 Main Street

Annual exhibition hosted by The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown featuring original works in watercolor, acrylic, pastel, graphics, mixed media, printmaking and sculpture, on view to May 24; scanart.org.

April 24, 2024 at 10:00 am

Community Center Subcommittee meeting (agenda posted)

Newtown Community Center, 8 Simpson Street

agenda posted

April 24, 2024 at 10:00 am

Newtown Bridge Club Open & Limited Games

Edmond Town Hall (Alexandria Room), 45 Main Street

$13/person ($10 club members)

(Free lessons at 11:40)

ACBL sanctioned games played each Monday-Wednesday; 203-733-8525, director@newtownbridge.org, newtownbridge.org.

April 24, 2024 at 12:30 pm

“Adaptive Equipment and Home Modification”

Newtown Senior Center, 8 Simpson Street

Free for members (nonmembers call for details)

Occupational therapist Stacey McIvor (Restore Mobile Therapy) will offer presentation on adaptive equipment and home modification equipment options to help people age in place and maintain independence, also tips and tricks to reduce the risk of falls, registration required; 203-270-4310.

April 24, 2024 at 01:00 pm

SCAN Program: Heidi Harrington (portrait in oil)

Newtown Meeting House (lower level), 31 Main Street

Free

Award-winning portrait artist and educator will lead demonstration hosted by The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown; SCANart.org.

April 24, 2024 at 01:30 pm

Art Explorers with Miss Nora

C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street

Have fun creating with a variety of art mediums, open to ages 3-6 with an adult caregiver, dress for a mess, registration required; 203-426-4533.

April 24, 2024 at 02:00 pm

Author Visit: Branwen OShea

C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street

Join for a special evening as Oshea, author of this month’s Science Fiction Book Club selection, The Calling, talks about her series, writing process, and the upcoming third book in the Finding Humanity series, evening will end with a Q&A and a book signing, stay after the event to join a book club discussion about The Calling, recommended for ages 13 and up, registration required; 203-426-4533, chboothlibrary.org.

April 24, 2024 at 05:00 pm

"Why Does Everything Have To Be About Race?" book discussion

C.H. Booth Library (first floor meeting room), 25 Main Street

Readers invited to join discussion concerning Keith Boykin’s book, hosted by Newtown Allies For Change; 203-426-4533.

April 24, 2024 at 06:00 pm

Borough Zoning Board of Appeals meeting **CANCELED**

This event has been canceled.

~~Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street~~

April 24, 2024 at 07:00 pm

Inland Wetlands Commission meeting **CANCELED**

This event has been canceled.

~~Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street~~

April 24, 2024 at 07:00 pm

Special Editions

Garden Club Of Newtown Preparing Victory Garden Rows, Plants For Fundraising Sale

Susan Medve

Teachers Union - nuff said.

Vote No To The BOE Budget And No it Should Not Be Higher

Newtown schools have degraded over the 3+ decades I've lived here as the concentrated social experiment curricula driven by the state and small but loud groups. Yet we continue to dig into our pockets while we witness the downward spiral.

Vote Yes On April 23

Unfortunately as voter turnout continues to decline the chances of it increasing also decline. The LC and BOF already know that the budget will be approved by virtue of the low turnout so why try to make smart decisions? The so-called referendum is essentially just a rubber stamp. They will continue to increase the budget by 2-5% every year because it's low enough to not cause a pushback under the cover of "inflation" and "maintaining the schools." Sending the budget to vote with 9% turnout is meaningless and a waste of resources on April 23rd.

Go Out And Vote April 23

I have seen Mr. Pisani repeatedly assert in the pages of the Bee that Newtown schools are "testing at a failing 64.9%". I'd be curious if he could elaborate on this statistic, as I have been unable to verify it independently. Which test exactly is our school system failing? How do our schools compare to other towns? How does our score compare to historical measures? It's very hard to draw conclusions from a single data point, so here are a few more data points to think about for context: Newtown is consistently ranked among the top 20 school districts in CT by the US News and World Report and Niche, which consider a range of performance metrics in their rankings; on average, Newtown students perform similar to, if not better than, students in neighboring school districts on standardized math and reading tests; the only data point on the CT Department of Education District Report Card where Newtown "fails" -- that is, falls behind the state average -- is access to art instruction. I'm glad the council member has acknowledged in this letter what taxpayers in high-performing (and high-spending) school districts like Darien, New Canaan, and Westport already know: "School funding does impact student achievement." Please keep that in mind when you vote this week!

All I Ask Is That You Think About It

An investment is done with a hope for a return. The operative term here is 'hope'.

Continue To Invest In Newtown’s Schools

Dozens Enjoy Recitations Of Original Works During Poetry Walk Reception

Referendum At Midpoint: 5% Turnout Reported

Donations For Newtown Lions Stuff-A-Truck Food Drive Help Fight Hunger

Hawk Lacrosse Players Support 15 For Life Foundation

Referendum At Midpoint: 5% Turnout Reported

Fire Reports | April 10-April 15, 2024

NFA Appeals IWC Decision At Castle Hill

Special Absentee Voting Hours Announced

Informational Brownfield Session Conducted At NewSylum

Snapshot: Chris Gardner

Dozens Enjoy Recitations Of Original Works During Poetry Walk Reception

Donations For Newtown Lions Stuff-A-Truck Food Drive Help Fight Hunger

The Way We Were

Top Of The Mountain

Hawk Lacrosse Players Support 15 For Life Foundation

Girls’ Lacrosse Team Wins Another Close One With Rival Cheshire

Overtime Win Among Closely-Contested Conference Battles For Laxmen

NHS Softball Versus Baseball Fundraiser Game April 27

Softball Team Compiles 25 Runs In Perfect Game And Battles Tough Nonconference Foes

Home & Garden Spring 2024

Guide To Newtown 2024

Holiday Gift Guide 2023

For Better Health - Fall 2023

Home & Garden Fall 2023

Newtown Bee's Back-To-School 2023

For Better Health - Spring 2023

Back To School 2021

The Newtown Bee's Special Edition, 12/14/12

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Dozens Enjoy Recitations Of Original Works During Poetry Walk Reception

Referendum At Midpoint: 5% Turnout Reported

Donations For Newtown Lions Stuff-A-Truck Food Drive Help Fight Hunger

Hawk Lacrosse Players Support 15 For Life Foundation

Referendum At Midpoint: 5% Turnout Reported

Fire Reports | April 10-April 15, 2024

NFA Appeals IWC Decision At Castle Hill

Special Absentee Voting Hours Announced

Informational Brownfield Session Conducted At NewSylum

Snapshot: Chris Gardner

Dozens Enjoy Recitations Of Original Works During Poetry Walk Reception

Donations For Newtown Lions Stuff-A-Truck Food Drive Help Fight Hunger

The Way We Were

Top Of The Mountain

Hawk Lacrosse Players Support 15 For Life Foundation

Girls’ Lacrosse Team Wins Another Close One With Rival Cheshire

Overtime Win Among Closely-Contested Conference Battles For Laxmen

NHS Softball Versus Baseball Fundraiser Game April 27

Softball Team Compiles 25 Runs In Perfect Game And Battles Tough Nonconference Foes

Home & Garden Spring 2024

Guide To Newtown 2024

Holiday Gift Guide 2023

For Better Health - Fall 2023

Home & Garden Fall 2023

Newtown Bee's Back-To-School 2023

For Better Health - Spring 2023

Back To School 2021

The Newtown Bee's Special Edition, 12/14/12