Nina Sokolova, 56, of Newtown, died July 18. She was born in Russia and was the daughter of the late Mikhail and Khesya Gilkin.
Her beloved husband, Mikhail; devoted daughters, Oksana Sokolova and her...
Joseph Anthony "Joe" Bryk, 57, of Stratford, died peacefully July 15, at his home with his loving family by his side, after a courageous 20-month battle with cholangiocarcinoma. Born in Bridgeport Hos...
Barbara Germaine Heil, 62, of Waterville, Maine, died suddenly, but peacefully, July 4, at her home. She was born in Bridgeport, March 15, 1956, and she was the daughter of Robert and Betty (Schrieber...
Robert Ronald "Bobby" Berube, 49, of Newtown, died July 5, in Bridgeport, from complications of a hiking accident in the Fall of 2017. Born April 11, 1969, in Bridgeport, he was the son of the late Ja...
John E. Traub, 89, of Newtown, died July 10, at Danbury Hospital. He was the husband of the late Ann Marie Traub. Born May 29, 1929, in Waterbury, he was the son of the late Burras and Marguerite Trau...
Stanley W. Karcheski, 102, of Brookfield, died peacefully July 10, at his home. He was the husband of the late Helen Washenko Karcheski, to whom he was married to for 73 years until her death in 2008....
Frank George Masi, 78, of Roxbury, died July 4, in his home, following a brief illness. Born February 29, 1940, in Bridgeport, he was the son of the late Frank A. and Susan Mandulak Masi. He was a res...
The family of Frederick William "Bill" Zimmermann IV, 62, was recently notified of his death from brain cancer November 27. He was the son of the late Frederick Roller Zimmermann and Lois Pulfer Zimme...
It’s important to clarify that while public process matters, so does the right of a property owner to reasonably develop land they legally own—especially when they follow the rules and engage with the town in good faith. The Board of Selectmen (BOS), whether one agrees with their decision or not, did not “give away” anything. The land in question was part of a road that had been unused and undeveloped for generations. There was no public access, no signage, and no infrastructure—just an overgrown path most residents never knew existed.
Mr. Ackert calls the discontinuance “illegal,” but state law grants municipalities the authority to discontinue roads, subject to procedural requirements. The fact that this matter is in litigation shows that questions of law are being properly addressed in court—not in letters to the editor. If the court finds procedural flaws, they’ll be corrected. That’s how the legal system works. Real solutions are found through public process and the courts, not through social media outrage.
What’s missing from this conversation is a recognition that towns need to balance many interests: history, environment, public access, private property rights, and economic development. And while the newly championed Revolutionary War heritage is important, there are also pressing modern realities: towns need housing, economic vitality, and responsible development. These things don’t happen in a vacuum—they require compromise, planning, and often, yes, change.
If residents truly wish to preserve this trail as public space, the appropriate path is through purchase, conservation easement, or formal designation—not by expecting private landowners to bear the burden of public sentiment. If the writer believes so strongly in its value, perhaps they might consider investing in its preservation themselves.
We can honor our history without freezing our town in time. Development and preservation aren’t mutually exclusive—but vilifying one side of the conversation only deepens division. Let’s focus on solutions that balance respect for the past with the rights and needs of those who live here now.
Dan was a real gentleman. I had the honor of knowing him for about 10 years from high school and into early adulthood. He was always upbeat and amiable. His love of golf was boundless. I remember him droning on about the type of wedge this or that professional golfer was playing at any given time. He loved to play also. Dan made the winning putt that clinched a championship for NHS men’s golf in 1984. It was a snaking, downhill putt that few people would have had the nerve or imagination to have holed at such a critical moment. It was magic!! You are a true gem, Dan. May your eternal reward be endless days of long, straight drives and the sound of difficult putts finding the bottom of the hole.
Congratulations John! This is quite a feat & shows a lot of perseverance, endurance, & commitment while becoming more healthy & having fun! The ultimate achievement! Wishing u a long healthy life!
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The 1st Amendment does NOT say "except when there's a budget problem, or when some people wish things would quiet down." There is no way a proposed ordinance can be construed as other than singling out RockthisDemocracy, and also no way the town does not get expensively buried in court should it be foolish enough to go down this path.
