March 24, 2000

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — BUDGET 2000: THE BEST WE CAN DO: Now that all the inter-departmental wrangling over budget numbers has concluded, the Legislative Council is prepared to present a plan for nearly $69 million in spending to the public for its reaction. The council has scheduled two public hearings on its budget plan … The budget proposed by the Legislative Council this year is spending more than $2,750 for every man, woman, and child in Newtown. If this budget is ultimately approved, the cost of running the town will surge about 10 percent over last year, notwithstanding exhaustive efforts by town and school officials to find ways to economize, stretching existing resources as far as they will go. Think what you will about the efficiency of government on the state and national level, you will have to look very hard for wasted public funds on the local level. Consequently, it is difficult to criticize this year’s proposed budget on any grounds except to say that it is growing too fast. Basically, it does what we want it to — it funds the school system adequately, and it addresses other areas of creeping deficiency, including growing needs for office space and an acute shortage of playing fields for the town’s many sports organizations. But the fact remains that the budget is growing too fast. Not every household budget in town will be able to absorb a 10 percent increase in taxes.

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HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER OF Cate Lux.

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The Norwalk man who police believe robbed Fleet Bank on Queen Street March 13 was arraigned this week in Danbury Superior Court. The 28-year-old was presented before Judge Patrick Carroll March 20 on a charge of conspiracy to commit third-degree robbery. Judge Carroll set the bond at $50,000. The man was being held for a March 27 court appearance to enter a plea in the case. Police arrested the man on the night of March 17 in Norwalk. Earlier that day, the man who police believe drove the getaway car from the bank robbery was arraigned in court before Judge Gary White.

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Sandy Hook School has known that it would be getting modular classrooms next year to assuage its overcrowding problem. This reality became official Tuesday night when board of education members awarded the contract for the assembly and installation of the temporary classrooms. Four modular classrooms will be installed at the school by Arthur Building Systems of Bristol. The cost of the classrooms, already figured into the district’s proposed operating budget for next year, will be leased at a cost of $7,298 per month for three years. The bid that the school board accepted also includes a removal cost of $19,565 when the lease expires.

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Cyrenius H. Booth Library Director, Reference Librarian Beryl Harrison and Friends of the Library President Mary Maki were among those enjoying the use of the new Minolta MicroSP 2000 digital microfilm reader-printer at the library this week. The Friends donated the machine, which provides users with the ability to read microfilm and microfiche, and print out copies on a laser printer.

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On February 26, Brownie Troop 809 from Middle Gate School presented its Gift of Caring to the United Fire Company of Botsford. The gift — Girl Scout cookies — was given in appreciation for the use of the Botsford firehouse for troop meetings. Chief Steve Belair and President Jay Nezvesky accepted the donation.

March 21, 1975

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — LONG YEAR OF FRIENDSHIP AND LOYALTY: Friendship and loyalty are important ingredients in the success of any enterprise. This is particularly true in the realm of newspaper publishing. The Bee prides itself and finds much satisfaction on the support of loyal staff and its correspondents from surrounding towns who have played an important part in gathering news for many years. Our corps of correspondents in neighboring towns has just been reduced by the retirement of Mr and Mrs Harold S. Williams, who have been The Bee’s faithful reporters for Seymour and Oxford for a record number of years. Ill health has overtaken this fine couple, and doctor’s orders require that they take life easy. As we publicly express our appreciation to Mr and Mrs Williams for their long years of faith co-operation, we would like our readers to know just how far back into the past The Bee has enjoyed its association with them. In Mr Williams’ own words, “The Bee has been a regular ‘caller’ in my family for over 80 years. My maternal grandfather … was one of the early subscribers in the 90s and possibly at the time of the ‘88 blizzard. ... My wife has been writing for The Bee for more than thirty years, taking over from my late mother, Mary F. Williams.” … The Bee in turn certainly wishes “good times” to them. —P.S.S.

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Nelson B. Denny of Wills Road was the guest of honor at the second annual Book of Golden Deeds Dinner last Friday evening at the Hawley Manor Inn. This event, sponsored by the Newtown Exchange Club, was attended by close to 100 people who turned out on a snowy evening to take part in this salute to a long-time local resident and good citizen of the community.

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Last week the telephones in 486 homes in Newtown rang as The Bee conducted its first public opinion poll. The question asked, from a series of numbers that were picked at random from the phone directory and not recorded, was “Do you think Frank DeLucia is doing a good job as the First Selectman for the Town of Newtown?” The results are as follows: yes, 187; no, 134; no opinion, 148; and 18 people declined to answer at all.

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The decision the justices of the Supreme Court had to make regarding the Boyle land case involved three points. —Whether the superior court erred in denying the plaintiffs a motion for a new trial after the death of Judge Covello, who died in December of 1972 at the time he was studying an appeal on his decision in favor of the town. —The power of the town to delegate its power of eminent domain to the Board of Education and the authority of the Board of Education to exercise the power granted by the town. —Whether the plaintiffs’ property can be lawfully acquired as a school site without prior approval of the public building committee of the Town of Newtown. The decision for all three points was unanimous on the part of the judges. All five of them ruled “no error.” Their decision, in part, can be found in the Connecticut Law Journal, dated March 18.

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The Newtown Beautification Committee is pleased with the response by townspeople to its project of planting dogwood trees about town this spring. One hundred dogwood trees have been ordered through Payne’s Nursery, which is cooperating in the project. The trees are five to six feet in height, priced at a very reasonable $15 per tree, including tax. Already the Beautification Committee has received orders for fifty trees, and only those placing orders at once will be able to obtain trees from those remaining.

March 17, 1950

The new jury list is now in preparation at the selectmen’s office. All Newtown residents having the proper qualifications of age and citizenship who would like to have their names added to the new list should communicate with the office. New legislation has recently been passed in connection with jury service. Under section 652a, no citizen may serve as a juror more than twice in any five-year period.

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Much activity took place at the SAC Park in Sandy Hook over the week-end and on Tuesday, when a steam shovel, a bulldozer and three trucks manned by willing workers, dug into a gravel bank to obtain fill which was moved to enlarge the area for the baseball field at the park. The shovel and one truck were generously provided by Maurice Davis of Danbury, with other trucks being provided through the cooperation of Anthony Amaral and Walter McCarthy. Volunteer workers on the project, in addition to those already mentioned, included First Selectman A. Fenn Dickinson, Charles Shepard, George Ward, Tom Keating, John McMahon, Ben Tortora, and the ever-energetic Papeeta Lackeye. It is a source of much satisfaction to SAC members, young and old, to have this work completed at this early date so that the field can be completed and put into playing condition for the coming season.

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The Bee scribe has learned that at least two of Newtown’s enthusiastic skaters took advance of the recent short period of thick ice in the Housatonic River to skate from Sandy Hook bridge to Stevenson dam — and return. Mrs Robert Raynolds and Col R.N. Mackin made the round trip, and even skated a distance up the Pomperaug as well. Many people will envy them, both for the fun of the experience and the endurance involved.

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The Bee is pleased to note that the list of students on the honor roll at the end of the third period at Henry Abbott Technical School in Danbury includes the name of Joseph Digillio, who won section honors in the electrical department.

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Tax Revaluation, The Hoover Report, and Reorganization of State Government were the three topics of discussion at the all-day meeting of the Newtown League of Women Voters, held at the home of Mrs Herman de Vries. Mrs James Brunot gave a comprehensive summary of events leading to the local revaluation of property and the results of the plant. The Newtown League studied and endorsed the revaluation two years ago. Findings of the Hoover Commission were discussed by Mrs Jerome Jackson in an illuminating resume. Because it is felt that this is of general interest to the public, an evening meeting is being planned at which Mrs Jackson will discuss further the report.

March 12, 1925

The Board of Finance held a meeting on Monday and decided, after going over estimates of income and expenditures, to recommend to the town that a 19-mill tax be laid. Their recommendation will be acted on at the adjourned town meeting to be held on Saturday afternoon of this week, at 2 p.m.

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Wesley Goodman of Litchfield, who was driving a Reo truck loaded with furniture from Bridgeport to Litchfield, Sunday afternoon, broke down, about 6 p.m., near the residence of Mrs J.W. Hubbell. After working over the car until about 11 p.m., with the aid of willing helpers the car was pushed into the yard of Mrs Hubbell, and Mr and Mrs Goodman were kindly entertained for the night by Mrs Hubbell. In the morning, Louie Lovell took hold of the car, the broken part of the timer was secured from Bridgeport, and by noon Mr Goodman resumed his trip to Litchfield.

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5609 Clemens Avenue, St Louis, March 6, 1925. Mr P.H. McCarthy, President of Newtown Library Association, Newtown, Connecticut. Dear Mr McCarthy: Replying to your recent letter, I am glad to enclose my check for $20 toward the support of the Newtown Library Association. The influence which good books and good magazines and good newspapers have in building up and steadying our civilization is impossible to measure. It would be a great misfortune if those who have an interest in the present and future of Newtown should permit the Library to become in any way handicapped so that it would not be able to continue its good among the people of the town. Very truly yours.—[Frederick F. Johnson, Bishop of Missouri.

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Selectman J.J. Northrop and State Engineer George Smith of New Milford were in New York City, Monday, on state road business.

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Master Eugene Bodine, the 12 year old son of Mr and Mrs Herbert Bodine of the Borough, Bethel road, was so unfortunate on Wednesday last as to cut off the ends of two fingers in his father’s barn. He was taken to the Bridgeport hospital by Dr Kingman, where it was found necessary to amputate two fingers at the joint.

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C.B. Taylor, Mrs F.H. Duncombe and Master Raynor Duncombe arrived in town, Thursday, after a stay at St Petersburg, Fla. The climate in Florida did not agree with Master Raynor and on the advice of a physician they started at once for the north.

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Maine seed potatoes, timothy seed, red top and clover seed, barbed wire, plain wire, poultry netting, Pratt’s Buttermilk and Baby Chief food in packages and 100 bags, Lowell’s fertilizer.—[Corbett & Crowe, Adv.

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W.F. Platt and Frank Platt got out their auto truck, the other day and with the assistance of Angus T. Joy and hired man worked the road from Mr Platt’s house to the Bethel line without charges. Carl Rasmussen filled up their truck with gas without charge. The people of Dodgingtown are very grateful to these people for their public spirit.

March 23, 1900

Dea George Ruffles, of the Rackets, was the victim of a painful accident on Saturday. A load of railroad ties on which he was riding slipped off his wagon and Dea Ruffles fell on to the sharp edge of the ties, fracturing three ribs. Dr Paul U. Sunderland of Danbury was summoned, who set the broken bones. Dea Ruffles is now getting along nicely.

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J.A. James, the popular and efficient agent at the Hawleyville station, has returned to his duties after being off duty for a week. He was in New York, last week, and submitted to a slight operation.

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Mrs George P. Sanford has been quite seriously ill with a cold. Her daughter, Miss Lillie Fairman of Bridgeport, has been with her for a few days.

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Mr and Mrs R.E. Goodsell welcomed a son in their home on Washington’s birthday.

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Albert McGregor is working at carpentering at Bedford Station, N.Y., where H.L. Morehouse of Meriden, who built the Newtown Inn, has a contract for building a large structure to be used as a sanitarium. Mr McGregor came to North Newtown on Thursday, and remained with his family until Monday.

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 shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.