The extent of demolition work in preparation for the remodeling of the former Ruwet-Sibley building at 3 Main Street for town offices and police headquarters has led the Borough Zoning Commission to question whether the project can still be considered a renovation. As a result the commission scheduled a special meeting this Thursday night to consider whether the town’s permit can be revoked to force redesign of the front of the building to include a brick façade.

***

The fire which gutted the building housing the H&R Block offices in Sandy Hook Sunday night was definitely caused by arson, according to Deputy Fire Marshal George Lockwood, and an investigation is underway here in Newtown and also by the State Fire Marshal Walter Anderson.

***

Five Kousa dogwood trees were planted Sunday afternoon along Elm Drive, beside the Ram Pasture, as a cooperative effort by the Garden Club of Newtown and the Beautification Committee.

***

“I wasn’t there, but they must have done a heck of a job to save those outbuildings,” Chief William Halstead said, recounting a Saturday morning fire which destroyed a barn at the corner of Great Ring Road and Route 34. According to Deputy Fire Marshal George Lockwood the cause of the fire was electrical.

***

The Newtown High girls softball team upped its record to 3-0 as of this past Monday with victories over New Fairfield and Central Catholic. The Indians have been playing their games at the makeshift Newtown High softball field while waiting for the town park field to be worked into playing condition.

***

Mrs Irene Cappellini was working in her rock garden in back of her Evergreen Drive home about two weeks ago and came up with a note in a plastic bag attached to a string and broken balloon. The message read: “Greetings! I live outside of the town of Spencer in the country. I have four people in my family. I went to Washington, D.C. with my three friends. I like the ballet, baton and ride bikes. My tire on my bike is bent, so I have to borrow my brother’s bike. Signed: Melissa Swayze Gr 3 Rm 24.” Spencer is located in Tioga County, just up from the Pennsylvania border, so Melissa’s balloon sailed quite a long way!

***

An enthusiastic audience gave the cast a standing ovation last Sunday night after a company of about 35 singers, dancers, actors and actresses brought the fascinating world of “Mame” to life on the St Rose stage.

April 29, 1955

The State Highway Department plans to begin work shortly to “improve the riding qualities” of Route 34 from Sandy Hook center to the Route 6 intersection, Commissioner Newman E. Argraves notified Representative Sarah F. Curtis this week. To most Sandy Hook people, many of whom have endured the noise of heavy trucks passing over rutted paving since the opening of the Route 6 cutoff, the news will be welcome.

***

Good pitching by Dick Maye and effective hitting by Dave Carmody and a newcomer, Colin Collins, gave Newtown High School a one-sided victory over Washington High School on Wednesday afternoon. Maye held the home team off with 11 strikeouts.

***

With considerable reluctance, the proprietors of the Sallie Chase Inn, Route 202, Newtown, have announced that the famed restaurant will not open this spring to diners. Instead, Sallie Chase will operate her well-known establishment on the Newtown-Bethel Road as a pastry shop and bakery specializing in the products that have established her reputation throughout the Atlantic Seaboard through her mail order and take-out business.

***

For only $2665 – This Brand New 1955

MERCURY

above piece includes

RADIO – HEATER-MERCOMATIC

and other standard equipment

***

The Rev Paul A. Cullens, pastor of the Newtown Congregational Church will head the Newtown Committee of the 1955 Mental Health campaign, according to the state organization. It is pointed out by the committee that mental illness is taking a greater toll than ever before in our history, with more than 700,000 men, women and children in US mental hospitals.

***

Voters of Newtown will act in special town meeting this Friday evening, April 29, on the plans presented by the Elementary School Building Committee for a new school in Sandy Hook, and on resolutions of the Board of Finance to appropriate and finance $650,000 required for its completion.

***

The Newtown PTA plans a double-barreled program as far as interest to members is concerned for Tuesday evening, May 3, with its annual election of officers, and a talk by Dr Leonard W. Joll, director of remedial reading for the State Board of Education.

April 25, 1930

The committee in charge of the card party to be given at St Rose’s Casino this Friday night, for the benefit of St Rose’s church, have all arrangements made for the big event and several prominent entertainers from Bridgeport have promised to be present and entertain the gathering during the evening.

***

Contractor T.F. Brew is shingling the barns and making other repairs on the place of John W. Wadsworth on Mile Hill.

***

Mr and Mrs John J. Northrop, of North Main Street, who have been traveling through the middle-west and south, and visited Buffalo, N.Y., Oberlin, Ohio, St Louis, Tulsa, Okla., Dallas and Houston, Texas, New Orleans, La., and many of the cities in Florida, returned to Newtown, Monday evening. While in Florida, Mr Northrop was quite interested in surf fishing and was successful in capturing some fine specimens.

***

If you should see a nice shiny maroon colored Chevrolet sedan with a dapper youth at the wheel whom you do not recognize, rest assured that the young man’s identity will be disclosed as Fred Carmody of lower Main Street who recently purchased the car from Lillis and Hurd, proprietors of the Sandy Hook Garage. Freddie has already developed a fair amount of speed and may eventually be able to give the boys from the Ridgefield barracks a merry chase over the many state roads…

***

D. Sanford Bartram, while driving from his work in Danbury to his home in Botsford, in his new Town Ford sedan on Saturday night, about 11 o’clock, struck a rock by the side of the state road and badly wrecked his car. The night was very foggy and it was impossible to see anything. Mr Bartram, who was dazed by the accident, was taken to his home by Frederick Shepard.

***

Dr Waldo F. Desmond, Sandy Hook’s popular physician, was confined to his residence by illness, one, last week, but is now on duty again as busy as ever.

April 28, 1905

The congregation at Trinity Church were favored with an unusually fine musical program Easter morning, the beautiful voice of Miss Agnes Platt being heard with fine effect in the opening hymn “Christ Our Passover,” and in the offertory, “The Resurrection” by Shelley.

***

E.W. Troy has had a new floor laid to the veranda about his hotel, this week.

***

Mrs A.D. Nettleton, who has been ill with typhoid fever at H.M. Smith’s house, has so far recovered as to be able to go to Cornwall to visit friends.

***

D.B. Parmalee is putting a new railing along the roadside below Thomas Perkins’. The selectmen should cause one to be erected between Robert Davis’ and J.B. Parmalee’s tenement house, as the road is quite narrow at this place with a very steep declivity on one side.

***

Henry Bott met with a painful accident while at work in his father’s blacksmith shop, last week Tuesday. A piece of hot iron flew and hit him in the right eye, badly burning it.