UPDATE (Monday, March 28, 2022): This story has been updated to include the correct year of a fiery gasoline-tanker truck in Dodgingtown that killed one man. The photo caption has also been updated to include Paul Roman's name, which was inadvertently deleted during editing.

UPDATE (Monday, April 2, 2022): The photo caption has been updated once more, this time filling in the name of Coach Harold DeGroat, who was previously listed as "unidentified."

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March 21, 1997

“There are endless possibilities” is how First Selectman Robert Cascella sums up the state’s offer to give the town 22.6 acres and two buildings at Fairfield Hills. “I think it’s very generous of the state of Connecticut,” the first selectman said Wednesday. Mr Cascella noted the state owed the acreage to the town under the terms of a 1991 settlement of a lawsuit the town brought against the state over the construction of Garner Correctional Institution. The state, though, was not required to provide two buildings to the town, he said.

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On March 26, 1987, Regina Brown put her youngest child and a babysitter aboard a flight from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to her parents’ home in Texas, then disappeared without a trace. Ten years later Newtown police are still looking for clues to solve the case of the missing American Airlines stewardess. Over the past decade Newtown police have gone to seven New England and mid-Atlantic states following up leads and examining unidentified bodies. All the leads turned out to be dead ends.

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Newtown this week received $1,700 worth of new computer software that will help emergency services personnel provide a fast response to chemical spills and other emergencies. The CAMEO (Computer Aided Management of Emergency Operations) software was provided at no cost to the town by the National Safety Council through its CAMEO Industry/Government Partnership Program. It includes a database with emergency response and safety information on more than 4,700 hazardous chemicals, plus computerized map overlays used to determine where evacuations may be needed.

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Town police have concluded their investigation into the fiery October 1996 gasoline tanker-truck accident in Dodgingtown, which killed the truck driver and resulted in extensive gasoline pollution of soil and groundwater near George’s Pizza and Restaurant. Vehicle speed and a lack of familiarity with the roadway are listed as contributing factors in the crash.

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Ernie Bevans has probably sent more than 15,000 bowling balls hurtling down the lanes since he first picked up a duckpin ball in 1938, and while the sport has moved on from its wooden pins and pin setter days to the space age balls and automatic scorers, he is still rolling along and gathering no moss. Ernie, now 82, the former longtime office manager for The Newtown Bee, was just named to the Danbury Bowling Association Hall of Fame as a Friend of Bowling.

March 24, 1972

Frank R. De Lucia of Hy-Vue Drive became Newtown’s First Selectman at 4 pm Wednesday, March 22, when he was sworn into office by Town Clerk Barbara Parker at the Edmond Town Hall. Following the ceremonies, which were attended by members of Mr De Lucia’s family, the Republican Town Committee, elected town officials and friends, he took up his duties in the Selectman’s office.

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Donations to the Timothy Treadwell Memorial Fund for a Youth Center in Newtown have now reached $2,836. Nelson Denny, who is in charge of the Fund, reports that donations are being received quite regularly, and may be sent or delivered to him at the Newtown office of the Connecticut National Bank on Queen Street.

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On Saturday, March 18, at 9:15 am a unit of six men was ordered to go to Southbury by the deputy director of the Newtown Civil Defense to assist the Southbury Civil Defense in their search and rescue operations, to locate a possible drowning victim on Lake Zoar. The victim, a 16-year-old from Woodbury, was the only person who had not been located from a boat with four occupants, which had capsized around 7:30 pm the night before. The other three occupants made it safely to shore. The unit from the Newtown Civil Defense was under the direction of Senior Officer Alan Denslow with George Peltz, Harold Burdick, R. Weyerstrass, Paul Rizzo and Edward Pressmar, Jr assisting. The CD rescue boat from the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company was at the scene, with Chief Herbert Lewis and Fireman Paul Wilson in attendance.

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Tuesday, March 21, two representatives of Fairfield Hills Hospital Federal Credit Union met with town employees in the town hall to explain the benefits of Union membership. This type of union would provide a method of systematic savings and a source of short-term, low-interest loans. They appeared at the request of John Sweeney, administrator of the Employees Benefits Program of the town, who, through a survey, had found that about 50 per cent of the town employees were interested in such a credit union.

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S. Curtis & Son Inc of Sandy Hook won a gold award in a national competition to select the 100 best folding cartons of the year. The award was made at the annual meeting of the Paperboard Packaging Council which has sponsored the National Folding Carton Competition for 29 years. Curtis won the honors for a family of cartons to hold many different types and blends of bagged tea. Carton colors were coded for product identification and the packages pictured a stylized Yankee sailing vessel. The Council represents about 80 per cent of the production of the folding carton industry, which makes more than 100 billion cartons a year, including about one in every five of the packages found in supermarkets.

March 21, 1947

EDITORIAL INK DROPS: In one of Reg Manning’s cartoons, he pictures “the little savage,” of dark complexion and grass skirt, standing in amazement before a background of hustling humans, speeding autos and zooming planes. And the little fellow asks, “What do civilized people do with all the time they’re so frantic to save?” That is a fair question which, in the case of most of us, defies an answer. Of a truth — we American people live too fast. In this regard no less a person than President Truman recently issued a plea for the public to do something to slow down its rapid pace … The toll for all our hustle and bustle will exceed the 393,000 deaths levied against the country in World War II. And heart ailments, which are already the leading cause of death, are showing a steadily increasing rate … Most of us realize that we push ourselves beyond reason, just to keep up with the modern tempo — and it isn’t worth it! So — refuse to always race against time; indulge in the pleasure leisure moments. In short, slow down and live longer.

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The Fairfield County “All Stars” sponsored a Connecticut Federation of Rural Youth Dance at the Edmond Town Hall gymnasium last Friday evening, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. Steve Hopkins and his orchestra of Darien, furnished music for the dancing which included round and square dancing and polkas.

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Mr and Mrs Stoel Hurlburt, former managers of the Bridge End Farm, Sandy Hook, are now living in Bridgewater, where they have rented the William Curtis Farm.

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Mr and Mrs Paul S. Smith and daughter, Mary Starr, spent the week-end visiting in Worcester and Boston, Mass.

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We wish to express our thanks to friends and neighbors for their many expressions of sympathy for the lovely cards received at the death of our mother, Mrs Emily Carlson.—(The Carlson Family

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Returns are now flowing back on the 1947 Easter Seal Sale planned to raise $175,000 in Connecticut to carry on the rehabilitation program of the Connecticut Society for Crippled Children and Adults. Mrs George M. Stuart, Newtown chairman, reports that $500 worth of Easter Seals were mailed to Newtown citizens on March 10th. Mrs Stuart states that the community responded generously last year and that additional funds are needed to expand facilities to meet the demands for service.

March 17, 1922

EDITORIAL INK DROPS: The fine condition of the Newtown Savings Bank, as evidenced by their annual statement, is a great satisfaction to every well lover of the town. In the somewhat depressing period through which we are passing it is pleasant to find this able and sanely managed institution not only holding its own, but gaining. Can you beat it?

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The adjourned town meeting was held at the Town hall, Saturday afternoon, March 11, at 2 o’clock. Town Clerk Oscar Pitzschler called the meeting to order and in the absence of Attorney C.G. Morris, H.N. Tiemann was chosen to lead the meeting. If only the apportionments needed for the town expenses, voted last October and recommended by the Board of Finance, had reported the first thing, it would have saved “bickering” back and forth for those who wanted the tax rate reduced to 18 mills. Villeroy G. Hard moved that we lay an 18 mill tax. A.T. Nettleton moved that a 20 mill tax be laid and said that we had all confidence in the Board of Finance and the selectmen and that it could not be done otherwise. After an hour and a half of dividing the house and listening to arguments pro and con, the recommended report of the board and selectmen was read and a 20-mill tax was then laid.

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Last Thursday evening, March 9 in the parlor of the Congregational church, Pootatuck Grange, No 129, held a birthday party. Yep! 30 years old and going strong. And it was a great success in spite of the unpleasant weather. There were about 65 in all, 43 of our own members and friends from far away Plymouth and towns nearer by, Monroe, Danbury, Trumbull, Woodbridge and Brookfield. We were especially pleased to welcome a number of former members. Two of our charter members, Mr and Mrs W.C. Johnson, honored us by their presence and seemed to greatly enjoy the proceedings.

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Harriett Northrop, wife of Dr O.M. Allen, passed away Sunday, March 12, at the home of her daughter in Newport News, Va. Mrs Allen was the daughter of Elizur Northrop, whose home was in Palestine, and she will be remembered by many as a very lovable woman.

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Miss Anna Carlson, for a number of years employed by R.H. Beers, has resigned her position.

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Mrs Edward Stanley of the Borough is ill with the grip, under the care of Dr F.L. Kingman.

March 26, 1897

THE EDITOR’S FAMILIAR CHAT: Our friend and fellow citizen, A.F. Clarke, has remembered us with a copy of the Hawaiian Star. It is printed in English, has both daily and weekly editions, and has all the snap and bustle of an American publication.

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THE EDITOR’S FAMILIAR CHAT, CONTINUED: J.M. Fluke, says Newspaperdom, is a wide-awake farmer of Nankin, O, who believes in advertising farm products. In a paper read recently before the Polk Farmers’ Institute, Mr Fluke contends that what farmers call over-production is under-consumption and poor distribution, and that a remedy for these conditions, caused partly by a lack of information of what the farmers have to sell, and how it may be obtained, lies in the proper use of printers’ ink. That many of the farmers in The Bee’s field find it pays to advertise is shown by the large number of advertisements this paper receives, and they come without solicitation.

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Arthur T. Nettleton attended the funeral of his aunt, Miss Carrie P. Nettleton, in Bridgewater, on Sunday, in company with his brother, Joseph Nettleton, of New Milford.

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William Howard Baldwin of Hawleyville and Miss Belle Brown of Redding were united in the holy bonds of matrimony on Friday afternoon, March 19, in the parsonage, by Rev Otis W. Barker. The happy couple will make their home with the groom’s parents, Mr and Mrs Baldwin of Hawleyville.

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Hermon H. Peck has set out two handsome maples in front of the residence of Lawyer W.J. Beecher. They are the largest trees that have been transplanted hereabouts. Mr Peck has rigged up an ingenious contrivance for unloading and carrying the trees.

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.