Newtown officials request halt to gifts

Officials in Newtown, Conn., are asking people to stop sending gifts to the grief-stricken community after the deadly school shooting, saying they’re grateful but can’t handle the donation deluge. The town’s first selectman, police chief and schools superintendent made the request Wednesday through an editor at The Newtown Bee newspaper. They say gifts from school supplies to artwork have arrived in such numbers they’ve overwhelmed the small community’s ability to process them. Officials are asking people to temporarily stop sending gifts. They say once they process the “warehouses full of items,” they’ll detail the best ways to help.