March 22, 1996

A small group of supporters gathered beneath umbrellas on March 19 to watch as shovels were sunk into the sod behind the Cyrenius Booth Library. The brief groundbreaking ceremony was a symbolic tweak of the ground that will be torn up in earnest by heavy excavating equipment on Monday, March 25. It was the official start of at $4.1 million expansion and renovation of Newtown’s library.

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Newtown residents will have the opportunity to comment on the town’s proposed $50.3 million town/school budget for 1996/97 at public hearings next week. Last week the Legislative Council approved the proposed budget, which is the first to top the $50 million mark in the town’s history.

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Professional golfer Peter Belmont is proceeding with plans to build an 18-hole commercial golf course on 130 acres off Buttonshop Road in Botsford. Mr Belmont, proprietor of Belmont’s Ridgefield Golf Complex, said this week he met with state Department of Environmental Protection officers to discuss environmental and engineering aspects of the construction proposal. Landfilling to create the golf course must meet applicable state rules, he said... The golf course and driving range complex would include a 5,000-square-foot golf pro shop.

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Police are investigating the death of a pet dog in connection with a residential burglary in the Riverside section, near Lake Zoar. The victim of the house break came home from work, found his front door unlocked and his dog lying motionless on the kitchen floor. The burglary victim then realized the canine was dead... Police found signs of forced entry into the house in the area in which the dog was found... It was unclear if the dog was killed by the burglar in the break-in, police said.

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Saturday night, March 16, turned into another wonderful success as hundreds of local youths turned out at Newtown High School to see New York Giants travelling basketball team tip it up against a team of local fund raisers in a benefit game for Newtown Youth Services. “It was a really great event this year,” said Newtown Youth Services Director Anita Arnold. “Nobody got hurt, and everybody had a lot of fun. The Giants said they enjoyed themselves and thought the response from the kids was great.”

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JRs Variety and Deli is a new place in town to grab lunch or a snack, or play the lottery. The business, which opened March 6, offers a full service deli, breakfast and lunch specials, convenience items, cold soda and Snapple, milk, bread, eggs, magazines, newspapers, candy and nuts, and cigarettes. The deli is located at 76 South Main Street, along with John’s Cheesecake.

March 19, 1971

A few weeks ago The Bee ran a picture of Taunton Cemetery with the suggestion that now that spring was on the way, perhaps someone would be interested in cleaning it up. As a result of that picture a group of Newtown boys spent their day off from school at the cemetery Monday, raking, cutting brush, and trying to replace fallen tombstones. Some of them are doing it for Scout projects and all are doing it to be some help around town. The boys... included Jeff Cramer, Richard Camejo, Barry Fowler, Jeff Kirk, Bob Jerolman, Bob DeWitt, and Toby Spector... joined in the afternoon by David and Eric Tilly.

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In line with almost every other list of figures, those for Newtown’s operation have increased... The total requested budget of the Board of Education is $4,792,347. The operating budget requested by the Selectmen is $1,447,152.14. The debt service for fiscal 1971-72 is estimated at $813,833.76. Adding all three categories the total requested budget for 1971-72 comes to $7,053,332.90. Last year’s total request was $6,197,222.

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Aghalee of Eagle, owned by Patrick and Beth Munsone of Pine Tree Hill Road, recently swept the Irish Wolfhound Group and completed his championship at the 58th AKC National Capitol Kennel Club All-Breed Show in Washington, DC, collecting a four-point win with First in Class, Winners and Best of Winners ribbons awarded by judge Mrs C. Westcott Gallup Jr...Champion Aghalee will be on hand at the upcoming Newtown Kennel Club sanctioned show at Edmond Town Hall on April 1.

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St Croixco Gay Lu 6657909, a three-year-old registered Holstein cow in the herd tested for Dan W. Lufin, Poverty Hollow Farm, has produced a record of 23,570 pounds of milk and 869 pounds of butterfat in 365 days.

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Traveling west along Interstate 84 reveals a dramatic change in the landscape as land is stripped to provide greater traveling ease for the motorists. For nearly ten years the strip of highway between Southbury and Newtown has remained two lanes wide for approximately three miles. The work now underway will make the entire stretch of road four lanes wide.

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A number of school systems in Connecticut have industrial arts programs, and the one at Newtown High School is shaping up to be one of the best of them. It is a five-year project and when completed will offer wood and metal shop courses, automotive, electronics, and several graphic arts courses... The shop area where the students are working is complete with the equipment for printing and photography, and right now the boys are learning how to set type, prepare a galley, and run a proof of their work on a proof press.

March 15, 1946

Saturday evening’s adjourned town meeting voted to approve the recommendation of the Board of Finance that an 18-mill tax be laid on the Grand List of 1945 to cover the expenses of the town for fiscal year 1945-46. This is an increase of one mill over last year’s rate. The town’s tax rate, evidently, is of little concern, since only ten voters attended the meeting. The Bee does not believe every town meeting should pack the Alexandria Room for an outburst of oral pyrotechnics, but we do feel more than ten voters should be sufficiently concerned to take part in voting the town’s financial status.

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Bids for the laying of a bituminous macadam paving on Queen Street, Newtown, a distance of 2,633 feet from Church Hill Road to Route 25, will be received by State Highway Commissioner William J. Cox at Hartford for opening on March 25th... It is expected work will begin shortly after letting of the contract. The Queen Street road will be built by the state and upon completion will be turned back to the Town as a Town road.

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There is a strong smell of spring in the air — so much so that that veteran softball catcher Harry Hillhouse called at the office of The Bee, Tuesday afternoon, to tell the editor he would catch if the editor would play first base for a revived country club softball team. A count of noses reveals that many of the old-time regulars are once more available, after a period of long inactivity due to the war.

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Mrs Mabel Lawson is recovering at St Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport from a self-inflicted bullet wound, suffered early Sunday morning at her home in Bridgeport. The wound came from a .32 caliber bullet fired into her chest, which fortunately did not strike in any vital point. Mrs Lawson has long been associated with the George M. Stuart Insurance Agency and her family and friend in Newtown hope that she will recover rapidly.

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Mrs Marion H. Shaw, formerly of Greenwich, has purchased the Emmett Close property in Hawleyville. Around April 15th, Mrs Shaw will open a new boarding kennel in order to cater to discriminating dog lovers in and around Newtown. Spacious individual quarters, long well-drained runs, and competent, intelligent personal care will be features of this establishment. For 35 years, Mrs Shaw has shown dogs in the ring, having owned various prominent winners.

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TO RENT: 30 acres under plow in pasture, with barn, silo, milkhouse and cooler. Stanchions for 19 cows. Available April 1 to reliable farmer. Will rent or consider sale. Telephone evenings Newtown 282-14.

March 4, 1921

A boy, 18 years old, is fraudulently representing himself as agent for the Butterick Publishing Co, and canvassing for the Designer. He is said to have forged and stolen from his father $370. Anyone having any information that the young man is operating in this section is asked to communicate with Constable Thomas Carlson. The boy’s father says the young man is operating under the name of Charles Mitchell. His picture shows him to be an attractive looking boy.

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States Attorney Homer S. Cummings announced on Wednesday that the request of counsel for Joseph Roche and Max Kranz, accused of the murder of Arthur V. Donahue in Newtown, November 6 last, Judge John P. Keeler had continued those cases until the May term of the Superior Court.

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A.M. Brisco, the veteran carriage dealer, and A.J. Conway, the local ice man, put in two days fishing on the Foundry pond this week. Their total catch was two very small fish, one of which was said to be a cross between a bullhead and a pickerel. They expect better luck later on, so send in your orders for fresh fish.

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There will be two very fast and interesting games of basketball at the Town hall, this week. One between the Community school girls’ team and the Nichols girls’ quintet, on Friday night, and the second game between the Derby YMCA five and the Community school boys’ team on Saturday night. The Community school athletes have been throwing baskets in clever fashion lately.

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The horse of Miss Alice Olmstead became frightened on Platt Hill, Tuesday afternoon, and ran away. The flying team demolished one wheel on the wagon for Miss Read, daughter of Henry Barker Read. The horse continued to the street. As it was passing Edward Pitzschler’s shop, Mr Pitzschler was coming out of the door. He took after the horse and caught it by the bit in front of R.H. Beers’. He then led the excited horse back to Arthur McDonald’s shop, where the latter fixed the wagon up so Miss Olmstead could get home.

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Those who attended the Church Forum, Tuesday night, at the Congregational church enjoyed an unusually bright and entertaining address on “The Humor In The War,” by Rev Warren Pickett, pastor of the Bethel Congregational church. Rev Mr Pickett went on to show how the sense of humor helped the soldiers over many trying experiences. Mrs Lillian Phillips sang two solos to the great delight of all present. The refreshments were served by the men of the church.

Your memories are the ones we want to share! Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to editor@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.