February 19, 1993

WHERE'S THE FLAG? There's been no flag atop the Newtown flagpole this week. Police Officer David Lydem, who has been taking care of the flagpole for many years, said the flag was apparently blown off by the wind last Saturday night. "Rich Kirkorian, one of the firemen, discovered it along the road when he was returning from a call at 3 am on Sunday. We recovered it, but it was too damaged to be usable again," Officer Lydem said. In fact, the flag supply is reaching a crisis point. "We have no new flags and no money. All of the flags have been repaired, some many times, by Mrs Ben Sprague. Once repaired they are weakened to the point that there isn't much life left in them and they tear again," he said. "This flag was repaired and was up only three weeks when it was destroyed," Officer Lydem said. The flag was the last of the 12 x 18 foot flags, which cost $238 each, and are flown in the winter.

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The Legislative Council has rejected the selectmen's plan that the town buy the old Yankee Drover property for $315,000. The purchase was rejected on a 12-3 council vote on February 17. Only Joseph Borst, Earl Smith, and Joseph McGowan cast affirmative votes. Earlier in the meeting, the council's finance committee recommended that the town buy the 2.3-acre site for a lower price. To discuss this undisclosed price, the council went into executive session. After the session Mr McGowan moved that selectmen attempt to purchase the property at a lower price. He withdrew the motion when town officials said the council simply should vote on the $315,000 price. If the council rejected the purchase at that price, it was said that selectmen would have no choice of seeking to negotiate a lower price.

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As of Wednesday, Garner Correctional Institution housed 320 inmates, less than half capacity of the high security facility designed for more than 700 prisoners. Spokesman for the State Department of Corrections Bill Flower said the prison has been receiving prisoners slowly in recent weeks as the 265,000-square-foot institution increases its level of operations. Garner will be filling up with inmates as the state's prison system fills, he said. As of Wednesday, the prison system housed 11,642 inmates, 10,972 men, and 670 women, he said.

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HARTFORD - State Rep Julia Wasserman has introduced legislation dealing with several issues, including telephone rates and the problem of uninsured motorists. The General Assembly's energy and public utilities committee has voted to hold a public hearing on Rep Wasserman's telephone bill and related proposals. "This bill would prohibit telephone companies from increasing their rates by changing local calling areas," said Rep Wasserman. "Telephone companies should be prohibited from getting what amounts to a back-door rate increase." The transportation committee will hold a public hearing on Rep Wasserman's bill to combat the problem of uninsured motorists and related problems. Under the bill, insurance companies would have to notify the state Department of Motor Vehicles when a policy was canceled or not renewed. The DMV would then suspend the license.

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A reminder that Pohtatuck Grange will meet Tuesday, February 23, at 2 pm. The next meeting on March 9 will bring the schedule back to the original announcement. Also on February 23, Norfield's safety committee will tell how to be "Safe and Secure," while New Canaan will find the brothers in charge of the program there. Winchester's members will visit, in thought anyway, Washington D.C., and the Legislative Committee will handle the program on February 23.

February 23, 1968

Make me smile again. I (a Basset Hound) am looking for a new and permanent home after enjoying for much too long the temporary but very generous hospitality of Mr and Mrs Wallace DeLaney at their home on Meadow Road. You see, I am an orphan, from necessity rather than choice. I want to live the rest of my days with a family that will return the affection I am prepared to show them - and that is considerable. All the neighbors on Meadow Road will give excellent references to my character and behavior. And a new home will make me really smile. I will be your faithful companion as soon as you come for me.

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Increased traffic congestion along the business section of Queen Street near Church Hill Road and also along the residential section from The Post Office to Mile Hill Road has long been a problem. By December of 1966, the problem was serious enough to be the subject of a joint meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission and Borough officials. Four alternate suggestions for a road paralleling Queen Street were proposed by Arthur Spector, Commission chair. These called for a new road crossing Church Hill Road from the Boulevard and running varying distances as far as Grand Place. A fifth suggestion, carrying the road through to the entrance to Fairfield Hills Hospital was the preferred route. The proposal was also made that an existing road running east through the hospital grounds might be continued to Route 34 as a connector to the site of the new high school.

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Plans are well under way for Girl Scout Week Rally, a French dinner and bazaar and a show of summer fashions, as a result of Leader Workshops in Newtown last week at the homes of Mrs Charles Preusser, Cadette senior consultant, Mrs Charles Yorio, Junior Troop consultant, and Mrs William Downing, Brownie Troop consultant. The rally will be a music festival this year and will take place in the Newtown High School cafeteria on Saturday, March 16.

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As a rule, when the leaders of the Newtown Hook & Ladder Company get together it is on a rather serious note, whether at a fire, a meeting, or a drill. But once a year this tune is changed and plans for the dinner dance are in full swing. Last night marked the once-a-year for the company as it held its social event at the Hawley Manor Inn. This year the past company members were urged to attend and many accepted the invitation, making it an even more memorable evening. Two of the men who have given many years and valuable service to Hook & Ladder had attended as honored guests. Fred Mayer, who still turns out for a fire, has logged 47 years of duty. Seater with Mr Mayer were Mr and Mrs Louie Lovell. Mr Lovell has always been a valuable friend of the company, helping at any time and presently housing the new aerial truck in the basement of the Lovell Farm Equipment Building.

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Having a party? Virginia Wren & Co. will entertain with old-time songs and music. Piano, fiddle, and guitar. Phone 746-2504 after 5 pm.

February 26, 1943

The Bee editor appreciated the opportunity Wednesday of viewing a copy of The Ulster Gazette, dated Saturday, January 4, 1800, and published in Kingston, N.Y. with an account on the inside pages of the death and burial of George Washington. Whether the paper is an early copy or an original will require the opinion of an expert in those lines. At any rate, it is a most interesting document, and needless to say that Roger Newland, the owner, prizes it highly.

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With a healthy coat of tan, "Bill" Gradowich arrived in town on Tuesday, after eighteen months spent on construction work in Bermuda and an exciting trip home. The boat on which he returned sailed on Saturday and was convoyed by a destroyer with a patrol plane overhead. Excitement ran high when the plane signaled that an enemy sub had been sighted and the destroyer immediately circled to drop depth charges in an attempt to sink the sub. "Bill's" boat was scheduled to dock in New York, but after this narrow escape it changed course for Norfolk, Virginia. "Bill" proceeded home from there by train. He said that all on board were required to sleep in their clothes and life preservers at all times. Friends will enjoy talking with "Bill," who did his part in improving facilities for this country's armed forces in the Atlantic.

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A well-attended Troop meeting matched the springlike day on Tuesday and the troop proceeded to function on time. The Fox Patrol and the Eagle Patrol were strong in number and spirit. The Panthers had only one member present, but next week they promise to do better. Albert Boyson was appointed Scoutmaster and will act through the spring months. He has been assistant scoutmaster for five years and has been head of the camping division of Pine Tree Patrol on its many trips into the Canadian woods.

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A large group of volunteers deserves recognition for the help they gave the rationing board this week in registering the people of Newtown for War Ration Book No. 2. Nor is Newtown different from other towns in this regard. It now behooves the holders of these new ration books to use them as intelligently as possible. Next in importance as ranking book of the month, comes the seed catalog. For it is obvious that quantities of home grown produce will be necessary, not only this summer, but next winter, in the shape of home-canned goods.

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Bend the prongs on the 1943 inserts for your automobile markers with care, because the metal is not as pliable as that formerly used, the Motor Vehicle Department warns in a bulletin. Complaints have been received, it is explained, that prongs have broken off while an insert was being fastened to a marker. This could happen if the prongs were bent carelessly or bent more than once. Registrations issued for 1942 expire at midnight, February 28. Where the registration is a renewal, inserts may be attached now.

February 22, 1918

Selectman Lee Dickinson will recover. There will be general rejoicing over the good news that former selectman Lee Dickinson of Roxbury, who was seriously injured by a bull, as stated in last week's Bee, is convalescing. Dr B.E. Bostwick has dismissed one of the nurses and he is now believed to be out of danger.

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Charles H. Hawley, the veteran Sandy Hook stage driver, who has so faithfully presided over the destinies of the Sandy Hook stage route for 28 years, was stricken with apoplexy as he sat in his kitchen, shortly after noon, last Thursday. He had appeared well and laughed and joked at the dinner table. On finishing his dinner he sat down by the window to do some figuring when he was taken with a seizure and fell to the floor. With great difficulty Mrs Hawley lifted him back into a chair and summoned E. Klaps, who was passing, who lifted him to the chair again. Dr W. H. Kiernan soon arrived and carried him to his bed. He is now slowly improving. In his particular line, no man has served the public with a like fidelity. Mr Hawley is a veteran of the Civil war.

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The Home Boys In France. Tidings from Herbert Beers. Dear Mother: I haven't sent you a letter for the last week. I haven't had time. It seems like spring here now; I don't know whether it is a "January Thaw," or real springtime. Some say it is spring and we may have a little more snow yet I have had a cold for a few days, but haven't minded it. One eye had a cold in it but I took a bath-shower and washed everything away. Since the snow has melted off the roads I have had many punctures and once in a while a blow out. Tell Henry I can take a tire off and put on a new one, blow it up, all in five minutes with Lodric James' help. James is feeling fine and so are Crump and Jimmie Peck. Love to all, Herbert Beers.

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There was quite some excitement Monday morning about 10:30 o'clock, when the big wrecker on the way from Derby to a Highland division wreck was itself wrecked nearly in front of the Newtown station. It appears a truck under the steam hoister broke and there was quite some track torn up before the engine was stopped. The northbound passenger train was routed on the southbound track, coming north Monday. It was nearly noon Tuesday before the mess caused by the wrecker was cleaned up. A big gang of laborers was on hand.

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William Stevens and son, Paul, of Mile Hill, have sawed up 53 cords of wood for people in Newtown Street and vicinity.Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with readers. Images can be e-mailed to , 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.kendra@thebee.com

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-305755" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/way-we-were-Feb.-16-20181.jpg" alt="way we were - Feb. 16, 2018" width="500" height="826" /]

Standing with ceremonial shovels is a group of unidentified people gathered for the Methodist parsonage groundbreaking, according to the little information on the back of this photo from 1984. Are any of these people familiar to you? Please drop us a line of you recognize anyone, including yourself.