April 2, 1993

Connecticut Supreme Court justices are considering Richard Crafts' appeal of his murder conviction stemming from a jury's 1989 finding that he intentionally killed his wife, Helle, and shredded her remains in a wood chipper. Five of the seven-member court heard oral arguments on March 26. Mr Crafts, a former Newtown resident who is serving a 50-year sentence at the Connecticut Correctional Institute in Somers, did not attend the session. In his appeal of the conviction stemming from the 1986 crime, Mr Crafts claims that trial court judge Martin Nigro improperly instructed jurors on criminal intent, improperly refused to instruct the jury on homicide charges other than murder, and improperly admitted as evidence hearsay testimony of Mrs Crafts' fear of Mr Crafts. He claims he was denied a fair trial because of the publicity surrounding the crime. Following the hearing, Public Defender Martin Riccio said, "It's a difficult situation," of Mr Crafts' prospects of winning the appeal.

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As rain was falling Thursday, Housatonic River levels climbed along the Newtown shoreline, causing minor seasonal flooding. Bruce White, a hydrologist with the Northeast River Forecast Center, said there was minor flooding beneath the Stevenson Dam in Oxford, as well as in Gaylordsville, with water levels in both places about two feet above flood stage. River levels along the Newtown shore, which lies between those two river level gauging stations, also were thought to be above flood stage. Trees at the Southbury town beach on River Road were submerged Thursday morning. Large amounts of water were moving down the Pootatuck River in Sandy Hook. Continuing rainfall was expected to cause the river below the Stevenson Dam to rise about five feet above flood stage.

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POSTAL WORKERS QUIT QUEEN STREET: It was with few regrets that mail carriers left the Newtown Post Office on Saturday, March 27 [for new quarters on Commerce Road]. Most of them have to sort mail for about 350 families six days a week in crowded conditions, and they were happy to leave the scant toilet facilities and noisy air conditioning of the facility behind. One or two, knowing they would have different neighbors at their new stations in their roomy new home, said they miss the coziness of the old quarters where conversation flowed easily. Paul Dambrosio though, seemed to sum up the move: This place is just getting too big for its britches," he said. By 10:30 am, knowing that the office would close in a half hour, mailmen, clerks, and patrons started saying, "Well, that's the last time I'll do that here."

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A vacant house on Post Lane was gutted in a fire March 31 that authorities say was the work of an arsonist. Officials are exploring the possibility that it is related to other suspicious fires in Newtown and Monroe in the last year and a half. This fire was reported at 4:53 pm by various people. When firefighters arrived, "Flames were coming out of every window," said Steve Belair, chief of the United Fire Company of Botsford. It is appraised at $22,100, based on the 1985 revaluation. (Appraisals are based on 70 percent of value at time of revaluation.) Police Sgt Henry Stormer, who also is a deputy fire marshal, said the fire was started with a flammable liquid that was poured inside the house and ignited. He said the vacant house has been used as a "hangout" by unknown youths. Joseph Cavanaugh, a deputy fire marshal investigating the scene, said youths were seen bicycling through the area, and a neighbor's dog had been barking at something. But he doesn't believe the fire was set by kids. "It's more professional than children," he said.

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A Monroe man has purchased the Exxon franchise for the Newtown Exxon station on Route 25. Nicholas Kopcik bought the franchise from Anthony Crisci, who has run a service station at 75 South Main Street for 25 years. The property itself is owned by Exxon. Mr Kopcik, who has been a mechanic all his life, is stocking supplies and has resumed offering a full range of repairs, including work on foreign and domestic vehicles. He anticipates staying open on Sundays so he can do repairs. As soon as he has re-lettered and registered his town truck, his station will do towing. In addition to offering self-service gasoline, Mr Kopcik has ordered signs for full service gas and expects to start offering this within a few weeks.

April 5, 1968

Approximately 100 people attended the ground-breaking ceremony for the new St Rose Church on Church Hill Road last Saturday afternoon. The first spadeful's symbolic removal of earth was made before His Excellency Walter Curtis, Bishop of Bridgeport. The construction schedule for the new church called for staking out on Monday of this week, equipment onsite on Tuesday, start of excavation Wednesday, and building completion in one year. Monaco Construction Company of Bridgeport has been awarded the contract to build the one-story Colonial-style structure.

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Last week a group of women met at the home of Mrs Julius Nelson to discuss formation of a new club, the Newtown Women's Club. Any woman living in Newtown is eligible. Mrs Nelson reports that considerable interest has been expressed. There is still an opportunity to become a charter member. Information may be had from Mrs Ella M. Hook or Mrs Fred C. Hessler. These women are on the nominating committee.

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The Borough Zoning Board of Appeals has scheduled a public hearing at 8 pm on April 16 at Edmond Town Hall to hear the request of Benton Egee, MD, for a special exception to zoning regulations requiring a red brick façade for his property at 28 Church Hill Road. The property has been zoned for business effective May 1, and it is expected that alterations will be made to permit use of the building for a travel agency and dentist's office.

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At 8:25 pm on Sunday, March 31, the barn on the Jess Metcalf property, formerly the Bresson Farm on Bennett's Bridge Road, was on fire. Sandy Hook Fire Company and Chief Herb Lewis responded immediately only to find the barn fully involved, blazing from end to end and from roof to ground. A large amount of bailed hay, estimated to be about 5 tons, was stored in the barn. Hook and Ladder No. 1 was called immediately, under Chief Lee Glover, as was Engine One with Lou Lewis driving. The Botsford Company, Hawleyville, and a Stevenson tanker and pumper were called. The new ladder truck, driven by Engineer Richard Liska, was also called. Southbury firemen, having seen the blaze across the river, went to their station on standby. The barn was a total loss, as was the hay within. About two acres of grass around the barn was also burned off. The fire's origin is undetermined, and its cause is under investigation.

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It is not yet determined if Francis Hoffman has given up fishing or plans to spend the summer swimming. In any case, he has sold his boat. It went to the first of many callers in response to the classified ad in The Bee.

April 9, 1943

First Lieutenant Paul A. Cullens was a guest Saturday evening at the George Beers home on Church road. He has completed his four-week course at the Chaplains' School at Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., and left early Sunday morning for Fort Knox, Kentucky, where he has been assigned to a hospital unit. Four hundred and fifty chaplains graduated in the same class with Lieutenant Cullens on Saturday at Harvard, "Hub" Beers and Harold F. Smith attending from Newtown.

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Newtown Fire Department and Forest Fire Fighters were called to the residence of Mrs Thomas Holian on Saturday afternoon to extinguish a grass fire which had ignited when papers were being burned in an incinerator. A small building in the path of the fire was partially burned.

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The Bee editor recently received a letter from First Sergeant William Hanlon, who is now stationed at Fort Sill, Okla. Friends will be interested in the following, which is quoted from his letter: "There isn't much more I can say at this time excepting that it is a great pleasure to get The Bee to read. It is the best means of keeping up with everyone in Newtown and changes that are taking place. It sure is great how the people are working together to keep out town on top. Sometimes I wish I was back so I could help but I guess my job here is as much value. I do think it is a shame that nothing is being done about the Sandy Hook Fire Department. It should have been taken care of when it first started. I believe it would have been, but for the idea that the Sandy Hook people and Newtown people can't get along, that is, a certain few."

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TRUE KINSHIP OF THE HUMAN HEART: Residents of Newtown will have the opportunity of attending a unique and inspiring service, next Thursday evening at the Edmond Town Hall. The local Brotherhood Committee has arranged a public, religious program for all faiths, and the town will be remiss if the Alexandria Room is not crowded to capacity. The evening will be an inspiration with speakers - Rabbi Malino of Danbury, Rev and Mrs William Hawkes of Woodbury, and Father Collins of St Rose Church. Such union of all faiths in these serious times is a tribute to the American way of life.

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Miss Mary E. Pennell entertained a number of her friends at her home on Currituck Road on Saturday evening at an after-dinner supper party in honor of her sister and brother-in-law, Mr and Mrs Harry Brooks of Maine. Bridge was enjoyed during the evening. Mr and Mrs Brooks left on Tuesday evening for New York where they will be guests of their son and his family. They report a severe winter in Maine, with much zero weather.

April 5, 1918

Charles T. Short, having sold his farm, is preparing to move to Bethel. We are sorry to lose such good people as Mr and Mrs Short.

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That highly esteemed physician, Dr W.H. Kiernan, is just getting about the house after being laid up for 10 days with kidney complications.

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Arthur Beard received by express, Wednesday, 400 little chicks for his hennery.

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Newtown has been pretty thoroughly "tagged" but owing to the bad condition of the roads, the work is not yet finished. Under the supervision of Miss Dorothy Allen, the different districts have been canvassed by a committee. In her travels the chairman in one instance was obliged to seek help to drag her car from the mud. Assistance was willingly given by Mr Hopkins, who contributed his labor to the cause.

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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.

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[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-312813" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/WWW-3-30-St-Rose-Confirmation-1942.jpg" alt="WWW 3-30 -- St Rose Confirmation 1942" width="800" height="636" /]

Former resident Paul Sedor found this photo of a 1942 Confirmation at St Rose Church. Top left is William Sedor, Jr; second from right, also on the top row, is Don Murry; and at top right is Gordon Durgey. The third person from the right in the second row from the top is Steven Sedor. At far right, second row, is Shirley Sedor. The photo is from a collection that Mr Sedor's mother kept.