A long-discussed compromise on what to do about the leaking high school roof was decided at a town meeting Wednesday evening. With a miniscule attendance, the town meeting okayed by an 11-1 vote a special appropriation of $98,469 to allow installatio
A long-discussed compromise on what to do about the leaking high school roof was decided at a town meeting Wednesday evening. With a miniscule attendance, the town meeting okayed by an 11-1 vote a special appropriation of $98,469 to allow installation of a new roof over about one-third of the total 104,000-square-foot, three-section roof surface.
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If youâre one of those people who has a thousand excuses why you donât write letters to your friends, add another one to your list: postal rates are going up again. The board of governors for the US Postal Service last week approved a recommendation by the Postal Rate Commission for an across-the-board rate increase, effective on Memorial Day, May 29. Donât rush down to be one of the first to buy the more expensive stamps on that day, because the Post Office will be closed for the holiday. Starting on that date, however, first class mail will require a 15 cent stamp.
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Short of testing requiring prohibitive costs, United States Geological Survey groundwater hydrologist Peter Haeni informed the Newtown Planning & Zoning Commission Monday evening, there is virtually nothing the local agency can do to obtain absolute assurance that development lots will provide adequate amounts of water from their wells. But Mr Haeni told the commissioners that historical data could be compiled to at least give them indications of possible problem areas.
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A surprising development that left the first selectman pondering how the town will handle its finances as the current fiscal year winds down occurred this week with the sudden resignation of William H. Welling as Newtownâs director of finance. Mr Welling submitted his resignation Monday to the first selectman, due to the inability of him and First Selectman Jack Rosenthal to come to terms on salary and fringe benefits for the position of financial director.
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The League of Women Voters presented a panel discussion on efforts to preserve Connecticut farmlands Thursday, May 18, but whatever progress was reported received a lukewarm reception by farmers present. State Rep John Anderson, D-106th District, reported passage of a bill to provide $5 million with which the state can purchase development rights from selected farmers willing to sell them.
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The sale of a Sandy Hook landmark, Hawley Warnerâs Brick Store on the corner of Glen Road and Church Hill Roads, headlined land transfers filed over the past week in the office of Town Clerk Mae Schmidle.
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The playing fields at Newtown High School and their maintenance were discussed Tuesday night at the Board of Education, but the budgetary implications for work suggested by supervisor of buildings and grounds Robert Montesi will probably rule out his proposal.
MAY 29, 1953
Following a standing custom of decorating the graves of deceased veterans of all wars for Memorial Day, a committee of George A. Jackson of Berkshire District, a past commander of the Newtown VFW and William A. Honan, Jr, vice commander of the American Legion Post here, undertook the task of decorating the graves of approximately 190 of Newtownâs heroic dead last Sunday. Assisted by three members of Boy Scout Troop 70, Russell Manz, Jack Kessinger and Robert Hall, Mr Jackson placed small flags, furnished by the town, at each veteranâs grave in Newtown Village Cemetery. He also decorated graves in Berkshrie Cemetery. Mr Honan, assisted by Frederick Harris, commander of the Newtown American Legion Post, placed flags on the graves in St Rose and Sandy Hook Cemeteries. C. Rockwell, sexton, decorated the graves in Hawleyville Cemetery. Other volunteers were Alvin B. Coger who decorated Botsford and Huntingtown, and Robert D. Fairchild, who decorated veteransâ graves in Taunton Cemetery.
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The Newtown Badminton Club will continue to meet each Wednesday evening until Wednesday, June 10. Later meetings will be determined by the attendance.
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Louis Gulacsy and Bert Carey of Sandy Hook left this Thursday on a weekend trip to Indianapolis, Ind., where they will see the 500-mile auto race on the Indianapolis Speedway on Memorial Day.
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The Rev T. Bradley Longstaff has been called from his former pastorate at the Long Island Community Methodist Church in Island Park, L.I., to the pulpits of the Newtown Methodist Church, Sandy Hook, and the East Village Methodist Church in Monroe.
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On Friday of last week, the House of Representatives at Hartford passed the bill introduced recently by Newtownâs two representatives, the terms of which authorize the Town of Newtown to proceed with the adoption of zoning. The bill specifies that the town will be zoned by districts as designated by the residents in each of the 21 historical school districts. It also provides for a Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals, each of five members.
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The Bridgeport Brass Company has donated a one-story building to the Italian Community Center campsite located on Berkshire Road, Zoar District. The building, which has been located in the north yard of the Housatonic plant on Grand Street, Bridgeport, had to be removed to make room for the tube mill construction program begun by the Brass Company two weeks ago.
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Amid a setting of bright spring flowers and waitresses with gay, yellow aprons and matching bows in their hair, approximately 250 people were treated to a delicious meal at the spring support of the ways and means committee of the womanâs Auxiliary of Trinity Church held in the church rooms on Tuesday, May 26.
MAY 25, 1928
F.H. Trowbridge has sold about an acre and a half of his property in Newtown, including the barn thereon to Frederick Shepard of the Newtown Country Club.
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Rev W.H. Kennedy has a fine new Flying Cloud Reo, bought of the Bethel Garage.
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The first annual banquet of Newtown Fish and Game Protective Association Thursday night last at the Parker House was attended by 75 sportsmen, and was a success from start to finish.
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It now begins to look as if the mail and railway privileges for Newtown would soon be improved, as the result of numerous conferences and meetings of the community of the Newtown Chamber of Commerce with the railroad representatives and officials of the railway mail service.
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The Plastic Molding Corp is the name of the new concern which is coming into the Dutch factory, at Sandy Hook, the incorporation of which is being taken up.
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The bridge party given on Wednesday by the Mary Silliman Chapter of the DAR at the home of the Regent, Mrs Henry F. Parrott, Bridgeport, was largely attended. Among those present from Newtown were Mrs Frank Mitchell, Mrs George Beers, Miss M.E. Scudder, Mrs Julia Hawley, Mrs Walter Reynolds, Mrs George Stuart, Mrs Sarah Mitchell, Mrs Walter Glover, Mrs Rodney Shepard, Mrs Hobart Curtis, Mrs F.B. Duncomb, Mrs Arthur J. Smith, Mrs Paul Cullens, Mrs Herbert Clark, Mrs James Marshall, Mrs Walter Kiernan.
MAY 29, 1903
Miss Anna Hamburger, by good judgment and quick work, prevented what looked like a case of dog snatch, the other day. Seeing a peddler from a neighboring town go by, she recognized a dog belonging to Mrs John A. Peck tied in the wagon. Going out, she stopped him, and although the man claimed at first to own the dog, she made him release it on a threat to have the man arrested. In the evening she took the dog to Mrs John B. Peckâs, where it was recovered by its owner.
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In accordance with the law passed by the Legislature and approved by the Governor on May 15, requiring the licensing of automobiles, the Secretary of the State has had prepared suitable application blanks and licenses as the law requires.
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Two cows belonging to J.A. Blackman wandered out on the track at the first crossing east of the Hawleyville depot, Saturday, and were struck by the 7:45 am train from Newtown. One of the cows was killed instantly and the other had two legs broken, and it was necessary to kill it. Mr Blackman valued the cows at $100.
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The Congregational Church was made bright with the national flag Sunday morning at the service appropriate to Memorial Day. Across the front of the organ the stars and stripes were draped, the large town flag loaned for the occasion.