Residents Push Back on High-Density Housing in Thompsonville

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  South River Street, Thompsonville CT Doubt is creeping into the Planning and Zoning Commission about high-density housing development in Thompsonville. An impassioned defense by South River Street residents is triggering this reassessment. They live near a proposed 160-unit apartment complex on South River near the boat launch at the intersection of Main Street. This hearing, held last week, became a battle over preserving the neighborhood's character versus building apartments near the train station. But the neighborhood opposition was so strong that the PZC debated whether this housing would benefit Thompsonville. ​ South River Street is a narrow street, tucked between the train tracks and the Connecticut River. It's not a through street, with barely room for two cars to pass, and most people in town are likely unfamiliar with it.​ About a dozen residents spoke in opposition at a PZC hearing, worried about how the project would change the character of their neighborhood. S...
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Ban gun purchases for people under 21


Ban gun purchases for people under 21 is something Congress should act on. That's one big step since teens are responsible for a disproportionate share of school shootings. Until then, any 18 year who buys an AR-15 and a load of ammunition ought to be an automatic red flag. Unfortunately, the median age of school shooters is 16. That might make a case for requiring gun owners to store their weapons securely. The U.S. Secret Service studied school shootings and what it found in 25 attacks that involved firearms:

"Nineteen attackers (76%) acquired a firearm from the home of a parent or another close relative. In half of the firearms cases (n = 12, 48%), evidence indicates the firearm was either readily accessible, or it was not secured in a meaningful way."
You combine immature and mentally ill kids who have easy access to firearms, and you have a problem. Requiring secure storage, and raising the purchase age, might help. Responsible gun owners already secure their weapons, but the gun lobby opposes any laws that mandate secure storage. They see it as an infringement on their rights. But who should have greater rights? The safety of children ought to come first.

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