Joel C. Thompson, Neighbor

Joel C. Thompson has been a Newtown resident for about 40 years. During his senior year at Newtown High School from 1967 to 1968, he was editor of the Queen Street Journal, then the school's student newspaper. After graduating from the school, he attended Bates College and earned a B.A. in English literature.

He joined the staff of the Bridgeport Post, now the Connecticut Post, in 1972. He worked for the Post for about 37 years before he was layed off in a staff reduction in 2009. During his Post career, he reported on Newtown nearly 12 years, Bridgeport economic development 6 years, Bridgeport police and fire about 7 years and Monroe and Easton 7 years.

He also was a general assignment reporter in Bridgeport for more than five years. During the Bridgeport time, he served as a copy editor at the Post for three-and-a-half years, working on town and city stories and the police incident log while still writing features and stories.  

Over the years, he also took care of animals and raised vegetables at Cherry Grove Farm, work he still does. At present, he also does free-lance writing and editing.