JUNE 18, 1976

Republican selectmen Frank DeLucia and Thomas Goosman refused to approve Democratic First Selectman Jack Rosenthal’s request Tuesday night that an application be made to the Planning & Zoning Commission for a change of zone for the 37.5 acre landfill, relative to Mr Rosenthal’s plan to place a new town garage there. The GOP board members asserted that they haven’t been given adequate information yet on what costs over and above construction the site would entail. Because of costs for drainage work and improvement, Mr DeLucia contended development costs for the three acres could be $100,000. After the tense session, Mr Rosenthal said he would call a special meeting for Tuesday, June 22, and supply the selectmen with information they wanted on drainage and road costs. But he charged the two Republicans with engaging in “pure, absolute, unadulturated obstruction.”

***

Everyone can relax. There will be no 180 foot high microwave tower looming over the Borough of Newtown at Johnny Cake Lane. That is the official word from the State Department of Transportation, which was given to First Selectman Jack Rosenthal at a meeting on Wednesday morning of DOT representatives, the first selectman, State Representative John Anderson, and Borough zoning commissioner John Stratton. In last week’s issue, The Bee broke the story about the proposal for the tower at Johnny Cake Lane, which would have been used as a relay into the State Police Barracks in Southbury when calls came in over the emergency phones on I-84. The Bee first heard rumors about the tower proposal at the beginning of the week, and eventually tracked down the story to one of the project engineers, Steel Korb, of DOT. Mr Korb confirmed the rumors and explained about the tower. The minute The Bee hit the newsstands, a furor over the proposal began, and according to the first selectman, the phones at the switchboard at the town hall never stopped ringing.

***

 A handsome new addition to Newtown’s business community celebrated its grand opening Sunday when an invitational preview took place at the Gordon Fraser Gallery Ltd. plant on South Main Street and Peck Lane. The 30,000-square-foot building is Gordon Fraser’s new American distributing headquarters for its worldwide line of products, including greeting cards, stationery, napkins, and gift wrap. Mr Fraser was in the country for the opening of the new headquarters, and was clearly delighted with the new plant, which includes living quarters for himself when he visits, which was designed by architect Hal Caulfield of New Milford.

***

On June 28, members of the Waterbury Bicentennial Commission’s “Rochambeau Army” will camp in Newtown as part of the reenactment of the march of French troops under the command of a man who has been called America’s neglected Founding Father, Comte de Rochambeau. The actual encampment of Rochambeau’s army in Newtown was June 28, 1781. The reenactment of the march will start from Providence, R.I., on June 19 and will continue on through July 4, ending in Peekskill, N.Y. The average distance covered by the army will be approximately 18 miles per day for a total of 209 miles.

***

Plans have gotten underway for the July 4 activities at the town park. The event, a big family day, sponsored by the Newtown Bicentennial Committee, is under the chairmanship of Dr and Mrs Harvey Wachsman. According to the schedule which has been set up, it will be a full day, beginning with a flag raising ceremony and ending with a fireworks display. The day will be a lively one with a softball game between the Republicans and Democrats; wheelbarrow, three-legged, and sack races; a magic show; a sing-along; tug-of-war game; a pie eating contest; and the outlandish fun of a greased watermelon game in the pool. Hourly events will continue on all day, such as a hayride around the park, volleyball games, a “Paint Your Face” booth, horse show contest, an ice cream parlor, and a “Graffiti Alley.”

***

Late Wednesday evening, anyone walking by Teeney’s Hardware Store in the Wheeler Shopping Center would have thought there was a midnight sidewalk sale going on since the proprietor of the store had forgotten to lock up for the night his wares on display outside. Once the oversight was noticed, the men in blue called Mr Teeney and stood guard over the merchandise until he arrived to put it away. However, the incident still has a lot to say about the honesty of Newtowners, because apparently all the inventory was intact in spite of the fact it must have gone unguarded for several hours.

***

On June 23, from 5 to 10 pm, there will be a public conference of academic specialists with local officials and community leaders to consider the choices and alternatives for housing in Newtown. The conference is sponsored by the Association of Religious Communities in cooperation with local churches, the first selectman’s office, and other town officials.

***

Although he said he wasn’t announcing officially, Robert Hall more or less did just that on Monday night as he told his fellow Republican Town Committee members the rumors they may have heard about his interest in seeking the State Senatorial seat from the 28th District were true. Mr Hall, former Town Counsel, a resident of Nettleton Avenue and a life-long resident of Newtown, spoke very briefly to the committee, saying, “I suppose you may have heard rumors that I want to run for the State Senate. Well, the rumors are true, but I am not announcing officially at this time. I still have some work and research to do, and when this is completed, then I will make a formal annoucement.”

JUNE 22, 1951

Thirty-six seniors will be graduated from the local high school this Thursday evening, June 21, at 8 o’clock in the Edmond Town Hall theater, when a cavalcade of history, presented in song and story, will review the growth of freedom in America.

***

The closing night of “Main Street, USA” at Edmond Town Hall last Friday night brought the photograph contest award to Edwin F. Dickinson, 19-months-old son of First Selectman and Mrs A. Fenn Dickinson of Dayton Street, Sandy Hook, and a first and second prize to Miriam E. Janzer, daughter of Mr and Mrs Herbert W. Janzer, and William T. Matthews, Jr, of 280 Upper Mount Avenue, Montclair, N.J., in the number guessing contest on a jar of pennies.

***

A freshman at Hawley High School, Thomas Martin Digilio, son of Mr and Mrs Anthony Digilio, Sandy Hook, was chosen by the Rosary Society of St Rose Church as the outstanding student from the parish and awarded the society’s first scholarship. The award was made known at last week’s meeting of the group, at which time election of officers also took place.

***

A new high school for Newtown of colonial design was voted at Wednesday night’s special town meeting, which drew an attendance of a little more than 350 voters and taxpayers of the town. The meeting also authorized an appropriation of $1,055,000 for the construction, equipping, and furnishing of the new high school building, and continued the present High School Building Committee in office to complete the project. The meeting, which consumed less than two hours, was orderly throughout, with a number of pertinent questions asked but no argument or real opposition.

***

One of the noteworthy recent realty transactions has been the passing of title to the Greenman homestead on Route 25, South Center District, from Mrs Mary M. Greenman to Otto W. Heiss, president and treasurer of the Heise Bourdon Tube Company, Inc., Brook Road, Palestine District. It is stated that Mr Heiss will convert the house into a country inn.

***

Four days before his graduation from New Haven State Teachers College on June 14, Albert Krawiecki, Hawley High School class of 1947, sent a letter of acknowledgement to Coach Harold S. DeGroat, who, he says, started him on his athletic career several years ago. Mr Krawiecki, who has chalked up an enviable athletic record during his four years at Teachers College, has been showered with laurels in the final year. In the triangular meet held May 26 on Long Island between the Long Island Aggies, Queens College, and the New Haven boys, Mr Krawiecki led the field in individual track scoring, chalking up 63 and one-third points, against 41 and three-quarters for his nearest competitor.

***

Sunday, June 17, proved to be a pleasant day for a reunion of Hawley High School’s class of ’49. Meeting at Sandy Beach in Middlebury, there was much laughing, joking, and greeting of some classmates who hadn’t seen one another for nearly a year. Sandy hotdogs, sandwiches, fried chicken, soda, and swimming played a big part in making the day an enjoyable one. Friends and members of the class included Joan Pelletier, Audrey Wood, Frankie Miller, Vincent “Babe” Mihalek, Mary Kearns, Richard Johnson, Douglas Wheeler, Howie Wilmore, Joan Weeks, Carl LaMar, Kitty O’Connor, Nancy Scott Slocum, Trudie Ray, Irene and George Mattegat (the former Irene Hornbeck), Pfc David Ballou, and class advisor Miss Kay Dolan. Unfortunately many of the class were missing, some being in service. Messages were jotted down to be sent to them via Miss Dolan. Those in service are Rudy Wrabel, Mickey Keogh, Harry Weiss, Gilbert Stanley, and Dick Knutson.

JUNE 18, 1926

Mrs Georgianna O’Connor has sold her double tenement in Sandy Hook to Mrs Gallagher of New York.

***

Rev and Mrs G. Herbert Ekins entertained at an informal musicale on Thursday evening last.

***

The graduating exercises of the Hawley High School will take place on this Friday at 7:30 at Hawley High School. The motto of the graduating class is “Climb though the rocks be rugged.”

***

The local community was plunged into mourning Saturday morning by the announcement of the sudden death of Dr Walter H. Kiernan, the beloved physician of Sandy Hook, who passed away as the result of a heart seizure about 5 o’clock, and before the arrival of Dr D. Chester Brown of Danbury, who had been quickly summoned to the bedside of the stricken physician of Sandy Hook.

JUNE 21, 1901

The North Center school district, which has been the scene of some hot school fights, had another lively meeting Saturday evening, when the efficient and popular teacher Patrick H. McCarthy was re-elected by the very handsome vote of 41 to 31 for his opponent.

***

A capital game of baseball was played on the Fairgrounds Saturday afternoon, when the Sandy Hook nine under the captaincy of Hobart G. Warner were defeated by a nine from Shelton, the score being 8 to 7.

***

M. Marsh of Lake George district has been suffering for the past four weeks with a sore hand, caused by blood poisoning. Dr Schuyler attended him.

***

Mr and Mrs J. Botsford Fairchild returned on Saturday evening from the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo.