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Snapshot: Perry Levenson

This week's Snapshot features Perry Levenson. —photo courtesy Perry Levenson, DACM

Newtown Prevention Partnership Offers Resources For Mental Health Awareness

Members of Newtown Prevention Partnership, including, from left, Town of Newtown social worker Alexa Griffin, Newtown Youth & Family Services (NYFS) Clinical Director Cindy McGuire, Newtown Suicide Prevention Initiative Co-Chair Maureen Crick Owen, and NYFS Youth Coordinator and Staff Therapist Madison McColl ahead of their April 30 meeting. —Bee Photo, Visca

COA Welcomes New Alternate, Discusses Senior Alliance

Commission on Aging members welcomed their new alternate, Margaret Posteraro, during their meeting on Monday, April 20. —Bee Photos, Visca

BOE Recognizes 2026 Profiles In Professionalism Honorees

Fourteen of the 15 honorees who received a Profiles in Professionalism award for this year smile while holding their award goodie bags at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, May 5.

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Newtown Prevention Partnership Offers Resources For Mental Health Awareness

In honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, Newtown Prevention Partnership has created a list of mental health resources for local residents.

News

COA Welcomes New Alternate, Discusses Senior Alliance

News

Fire Reports | April 28-May 4, 2026

News

BOE CFF Discusses Itemized Estimates, Summer CIP Projects

News

Cargo Van Driver Taken To Hospital Following Collision With Gas Tanker

Features

Several people attended this year's Spring Fling on April 24. —Bee Photos, Glass

Newtown Seniors Hit The Floor For Annual Spring Fling

Newtown Parks & Rec and Newtown Senior Center hosted the annual Spring Fling on April 24.

Features

Snapshot: Perry Levenson

Features

C.H. Booth Library Hosted Another Successful Volunteer Fair

Features

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

Features

The Way We Were

Sports

Aitor Suarez competes in a hurdling event at Masuk on May 4. —Bee Photos, Hutchison

Track And Field Teams Compete At Masuk

Nighthawk girls defeat three opponents, and NHS boys earn two wins behind strong individual and relay efforts.

Sports

Nighthawk Baseball Team Beats Conference Opponents

Sports

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

Sports

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

Sports

Cordova's 200th Career Strikeout Highlights Softball Team's Win

Today's Events

Events for

“Here’s To Painting”

May 13, 2026 08:30 am - 04:30 pm

"Small Things" by Lily Mac Hugh

May 13, 2026 09:30 am - 08:00 pm

54th SCAN Juried Art Show & Sale

May 13, 2026 10:00 am - 06:00 pm

Mother Goose on the Loose

May 13, 2026 10:00 am

30 Minute Flex & Balance with Sean

May 13, 2026 10:30 am - 11:00 am

Lunch & Learn with Newtown Democratic Town Committee

May 13, 2026 12:00 pm - 01:00 pm

Newtown Bridge Club Open & Limited Games

May 13, 2026 12:30 pm - 03:30 pm

“May In Bloom: An NGC Standard Flower Show”

May 13, 2026 01:00 pm - 08:00 pm

Drop-In Art with Miss Nora

May 13, 2026 01:30 pm - 03:30 pm

HART Transit Board meeting (Danbury, agenda posted)

May 13, 2026 04:00 pm

John Scully Author Visit

May 13, 2026 04:30 pm

Prepared for Life: American Heart Association CPR/AED/Choking class

May 13, 2026 05:30 pm - 07:30 pm

Asset Protection Trusts & Revocable Living Trusts (virtual class)

May 13, 2026 06:30 pm - 08:00 pm

Newtown Knotweed: How to Identify and Manage

May 13, 2026 06:30 pm - 07:30 pm

NHS Baseball 15 For Life Fundraising Game

May 13, 2026 06:30 pm

Social Security Planning: Do You Know What Strategy is Best For You? (virtual)

May 13, 2026 06:30 pm - 08:00 pm

“Dissecting a Civil War Pension Record – Union and Confederate” (Genealogy Club of Newtown, via Zoom)

May 13, 2026 07:00 pm - 07:00 pm

“Everything You Need to Know About Pollinators”

May 13, 2026 07:00 pm

Inland Wetlands Commission hybrid meeting (agenda posted)

May 13, 2026 07:00 pm

Legislative Council Ordinance Committee special meeting (agenda posted)

May 13, 2026 07:00 pm

Charter Revision Commission meeting (agenda posted)

May 13, 2026 07:30 pm

“Here’s To Painting”

May 14, 2026 08:30 am - 04:30 pm

“May In Bloom: An NGC Standard Flower Show”

May 14, 2026 09:00 am - 08:00 pm

"Small Things" by Lily Mac Hugh

May 14, 2026 09:30 am - 08:00 pm

54th SCAN Juried Art Show & Sale

May 14, 2026 10:00 am - 06:00 pm

Mother Goose II

May 14, 2026 10:00 am

Mother’s Day Mini Photos **POSTPONED**

May 14, 2026 10:00 am

Free Build

May 14, 2026 01:30 pm - 03:30 pm

Silent Book Club

May 14, 2026 05:30 pm

Water & Sewer Authority meeting (agenda posted)

May 14, 2026 07:00 pm

Special Editions

Home & Garden Spring 2026

Guide To Newtown 2026

Holiday Gift Guide 2025

For Better Health - Fall 2025

Home & Garden Fall 2025

Back-To-School 2025

For Better Health - Spring 2025

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

Newtown Seniors Hit The Floor For Annual Spring Fling

Snapshot: Perry Levenson

Mom Walk Collective Newtown Mini Photos Session Rescheduled

Newtown Prevention Partnership Offers Resources For Mental Health Awareness

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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Snapshot: Perry Levenson

Newtown Prevention Partnership Offers Resources For Mental Health Awareness

COA Welcomes New Alternate, Discusses Senior Alliance

BOE Recognizes 2026 Profiles In Professionalism Honorees

Newtown Prevention Partnership Offers Resources For Mental Health Awareness

COA Welcomes New Alternate, Discusses Senior Alliance

Fire Reports | April 28-May 4, 2026

BOE CFF Discusses Itemized Estimates, Summer CIP Projects

Cargo Van Driver Taken To Hospital Following Collision With Gas Tanker

Newtown Seniors Hit The Floor For Annual Spring Fling

Snapshot: Perry Levenson

C.H. Booth Library Hosted Another Successful Volunteer Fair

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

The Way We Were

Track And Field Teams Compete At Masuk

Nighthawk Baseball Team Beats Conference Opponents

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

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

Cordova's 200th Career Strikeout Highlights Softball Team's Win

Home & Garden Spring 2026

Guide To Newtown 2026

Holiday Gift Guide 2025

For Better Health - Fall 2025

Home & Garden Fall 2025

Back-To-School 2025

For Better Health - Spring 2025

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