January 27, 1995

As he prepares his first state budget, Gov John Rowland has been playing his cards close to his chest. But his campaign promise to cut and eventually eliminate the income tax has implications that are easy to read. Last Week Newtown State Representative Julia Wasserman gave her interpretation to the Legislative Council: the town can expect to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars less in state aid over the next two years. This is hardly good news for local budgetmakers who rely on state money to make the books balance here in Newtown. But most people recognize that this new era of restraint is necessary for the economic health of both the region and the state. What towns like Newtown are asking in return is relief from some of the mandates and legal obligations Hartford has placed on towns in recent years. Sen Louis DeLuca of Woodbury is proposing legislation that would require proof that heart and hypertension compensation claims by police and fire personnel are indeed job-related. Under current law municipalities must provide special medical and lost-wage benefits under such claims without any proof that the condition is the result of stresses from municipal emergency services. Eligible employees who are needlessly over-weight, smoke, and who pay little attention to physical conditioning are automatically granted these benefits. It doesn’t make sense and drives the taxes up. Sen DeLuca’s bill is precisely the remedial legislation needed to offset the loss of revenues.

***

One hundred fifty-seven 5th graders from Sandy Hook School and Head O’ Meadow School received certificates of completion in the town’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program in ceremonies January 25 at Newtown High School. DARE students won awards for their essays on the perils of drug abuse. During the remainder of the school year, 5th graders at Hawley School and Middle Gate School will receive DARE instruction. Police Youth Officer Michael Kehoe addressed DARE students and their parents at the ceremonies.

***

Police have charged a male juvenile with criminal mischief in connection with a vandalism incident at Newtown Middle School. The juvenile placed graffiti on the side of the school building, resulting in $125 clean-up costs, according to School Resource Officer Joe Rios. The juvenile has been referred to juvenile court authorities in Danbury. The charge stems from a January 7 complaint.

***

DANBURY — “The Donald” played to a packed house at the state Capitol as he courted lawmakers with his plans to build a casino in Bridgeport. The crowd, it seemed, came not for Donald Trump’s 35-minute slide show Tuesday night, but for a glimpse of his celebrity wife, rumored to show up at the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee hearing. But after ten minutes, when it became clear that Marla Maples-Trump hadn’t made the trip and the slide show was going to be lengthy, the crowd began to thin out. Trump’s slides went on for another 25 minutes before he fielded questions about what he called “a world-class casino in Bridgeport.” Mr Trump said his private company just experienced its best-ever year and he’s ready to tackle a billion-dollar project.

***

NHS Indoor Track Athletes Run With The Big Dogs. Six Newtown High athletes competed against the regions finest when coach Brandt Schneider took his indoor track team to the Yale invitational on Friday, January 20. Rachel Gottmeier, Cortney Elf, Katie McClure, and Jill Privalsky turned in outstanding efforts as they shattered their previous season’s best time in the 4-by-200-meter relay. Some ran the event in 1:59.22, more than six seconds better that its previous best, 2:06. Privalsky also turned in a solid time of 7.99 in the 55 meters, while Jeff Fagan set a personal record in the 3000 meters with a time of 11:06. Some of the nation’s finest high school track athletes from Saratoga Springs and Shenendahowa, Bay Shore, Uniondale, and Andrew Jackson (NYC) competed in the meet.

January 23, 1970

Bee Wins Awards. The Bee is proud to have won two awards in the 1969 Annual Newspaper Contest of the New England Press Association. In general excellence, The Bee placed third in the top circulation class, 6,500 and up. It also placed first in the special section contest, doing so with an antiques section, one of the three printed in 1969. The former special sections have become the popular Antiques and the Arts Weekly. This year’s contest drew 750 entries from all six New England states. It was the largest ever held.

***

Thanks From Fairfield Hills. Dear Sir: As Superintendent of Fairfield Hills Hospital, I would like to express my thanks and appreciation on behalf of patients and staff for the generosity of the public at Christmas time. The most important gifts to those afflicted with illness of any kind are fellowship and understanding. Support of the hospital’s annual Christmas gift campaign exemplifies the true spirit of the season. My best wishes to all. Sincerely yours, Robert B. Miller, MD Superintendent, January 20, 1970.

***

Warrants have been issued to three people who decided last Friday that since the sanitary landfill was closed, the side of Mile Hill Road would be as good a place as any to dump two large plastic bags of garbage. Officer Dave Lydem discovered the garbage and was able [to find] the persons responsible for dumping it by sifting through the bags for evidence to identify them. Littering is an offense that carries a maximum fine of $50, but unfortunately too many daily continue to dump along the sides of roads without caring or thinking of the health hazards or mess this creates. Last spring the Newtown High School student council, with the loan of a town truck and driver, had a clean-up day where volunteers found all sorts of litter such as TVs, bed frames, mattresses, beer and soda cans, which is sad commentary on how many fail to think of others or take pride in the beauty of what little is left of the countryside. Newtown has a sanitary landfill, which residents may use, or there are private contractors available who will go to homes weekly. Throwing trash anywhere is illegal and should be reported when found.

***

The growing consumer interest in smaller, less expensive cars has pushed the compact Plymouth Valiant and Duster to a 79 percent sales increase over the last year in the first three months of the 1970 model year. It is quite clear that the new Duster, which was introduced last fall, appeals to the increasing number of economy car buyers. In analyzing market developments so far this model year, the economy sector of the automobile market has had a tremendous upsurge.

***

Patients at Fairfield Hills Hospital participated in the program “Up With The People” given by a group of young people ages 13–17, from Litchfield County. After the program, “The Litchfield County Sing-Out,” with a variety of sings by the young people from the stage of Plymouth Hall, the performers came down into the audience and asked the patients to join in the singing. Arrangements were in charge of Bruce M. Hunt of Harwinton.

January 19, 1945

Judge Paul V. Cavanaugh reports that Newtown’s “Fight Infantile Paralysis” drive is progressing nicely. Coin containers have been placed in businesses throughout the town for the collection of dimes, and the committee hopes, dollars also.

***

Friends of Lieutenant Wayne Tarbox, who has been stationed for some time at Courtland, Ala., will be interested to know that he will be at Mountain Home Idaho, where he is in the last phase of combat training as pilot of a B-24 Liberator.

***

Miss Hazel Tilson of Sandy Hook is the proud owner of a heart-shaped locket and cross, made by her brother, Private Roswell Tilson, who is serving with the Ninth Army in Germany. Both have been carved from a transparent amber material, and the U.S. Army insignia is on the face of the locket.

***

Miss Betty Seman has returned to her studies at Hawley School, having recovered from injuries she received in an automobile accident in the fall. Her many friends were glad to have her back with them.

***

There is a crying need for canes and crutches for our returning veterans. Anyone in Newtown who wishes to donate either, may do so by contacting the local post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

January 16, 1920

H. W. Wheeler is building a new hen house, 20x30. Contractor George Northrop is doing the work. Mr Wheeler proposes to build three more hen houses of the same dimension and plans to keep about 800 hens.

***

John and Henry Carlson have bought a piece of land of Elmer W. Fairchild and have the foundations laid for a substantial garage, which they expect to complete as soon as the weather allows.

***

No wonder Messrs Peck and Conway are happy! The thermometer registered to zero, Thursday morning.

***

J. L. O’Neill of Sandy Hook will run his new Studebaker Big Six on schedule, beginning Monday, January 19, to leave Sandy Hook at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Large seven-passenger cars to hire Sundays and evenings. Phone 192, Newtown. As there is no regular jitney service between Newtown and Danbury, Mr O’Neill ought to have a good patronage.

***

E. S. Pitzschler has handsomely painted and renovated the interior of his barber shop.

Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with The Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed to kendra@thebee.com or brought to the office at 5 Church Hill Road to be scanned. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.