July 13, 1990

Teens and Park and Rec officials have got their fingers crossed in hopes that the Teen Center will open next Saturday, July 28. “Right now, we have people working on the inside,” Newtown Park and Rec Director and Teen Center Building Committee Chairman, Barbara Kasbarian, said July 10. Mrs Kasbarian indicated the Teen Center still needed a septic system. Originally, the Teen Center was scheduled to hold it grand opening June 23, but unfinished interior work and the lack of a contractor to install a septic system pushed the date to July 14 and then up to July 28.

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Two Newtown teens received minor injuries July 5 when their car hit an embankment, traveled 30 feet in the air, rolled, and hit a telephone pole. Gerard Reidy Jr of Turkey Roost Road was southbound on Toddy Hill Road at approximately 2:28 am, when he rounded a left hand curve, his car drifted to the right shoulder, and went up a steep embankment. The car flew 30 feet through the air before landing and rolling 20 feet. The vehicle came to a stop when it collided with a telephone pole, breaking the pole.

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Two more property owners seeking special permits for neon signs were turned down by the Borough Zoning Board of Appeals, Monday. John Tambascio, owner of My Place Pizzeria, sought the special permit form ZBA to hang a red neon “Slices” sign where he now hangs a neon “Open” sign. Although the sign meets the criteria outlined for a special permit, hanging it in the storefront window is not in harmony with the appearance of the borough. Smoke Shop owner Lyndon Thomas, whose maroon and violet “Open” neon sign was denied a special permit last month, sat on the sidelines. Andrea’s Bake Shop was denied a permit without prejudice, based on lack of information about size and how long the pre-existing sign had hung in the window.

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Students who were in Janice Bernard’s first grade class last year will be bringing an apple to the same teacher this September and next. According to Mrs Bernard, a teacher at Head O’ Meadow School, the level of anxiety among small children is high as they face a new teacher each year. So in a move that echoes the restructuring that is going on across the country, the administration at Head O’ Meadow has decided to pilot a voluntary program that is centered around students remaining with the same teacher and class mates for their entire primary education.

July 16, 1965

Fire destroyed a large barn on the property owned by V.G. Hair on Toddy Hill Road, last Monday evening. The Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company under Chief Herb Lewis arrived to find the barn burning briskly and immediately called the Botsford Crew for additional help. The heat was so intense that utility poles caught fire, wires were burned out and even the tar on the road melted. About 50 men from the two companies and from Engine One responded. A neighbor across the way had moved into his new home just eight hours before the conflagration. He got a warm reception!

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George A. Jackson, whose term as tax collector expired on July 1, has prepared a final report of his office. Total taxes to be collected on the 1963 special list amounted to $952,175.49. Actual collections from January 1, 1965 to June 30, 1965 were $878,717.95, leaving a balance to be collected of $73,457.54. The estimated collection for budget purposes was $847,912.27. Estimated back taxes collections, including interest and liens, were set at $90,000.

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The Platt Lumber Dodgers were crowned champs of the 1965 Little League season as the result of games played last Friday and Monday of this week. The final game in the regular season was played Friday when the Sandy Hook Pharmacy Cardinals defeated the Trade-Well Yankees, and as a result, gained a tie with the dodgers for first place in the second half standing. On Monday, that tie was broken when the Dodgers defeated the Cards by a score of 11 to 3.

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Dr and Mrs Thomas Draper entertained Sunday afternoon at Dr Draper’s new office on Route 6, north of the K of C Hall, to introduce Dr and Mrs N. Joseph Meehan, new residents of Sandy Hook. Dr Meehan will open an adjacent office later in the summer, specializing in internal medicine.

 

July 12, 1940

Speed and cooperation — the cutting of the red tape — are the major essentials of bringing Europe’s refugee children to the United States. This was stressed in two addresses given during the intermission of “Our Town” presented Monday evening by the Town Players for the benefit of the Newtown Chapter of the American Friends of France. For the past few weeks the residents of Newtown have made generous response to appeal for food, clothing, and funds to be sent to France. One of the finest examples of self-sacrifice was the action of ten-year-old Richard Herring. There was $1.80 in the preserve jar which he used as his bank, when the plight of French children was brought to his attention. Richard’s response was the presentation of the total savings to the refugee fund.

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Once more the friendly spirit among the churches of town manifested in the annual Sunday school picnic held at Sandy Beach, Lake Quassapaug, on Wednesday by the Congregational, St Rose’s, and Trinity churches. The day was a typically hot July day that was a treat for old and young to swim and splash around in the water at Sandy Beach. After the morning swim, the ladies of the churches sorted out various dishes of good things which were brought in the old-fashioned hit or miss fashion. In the afternoon there was baseball and quoits and another swim.

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Work on the Newtown High School Athletic field is once more in progress under the direction of the Works Progress Administration. A steam shovel, several trucks and about 10 men are engaged in the work which will now be continued until the project is completed.

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Unusual interest is being taken by sports followers of Newtown and surrounding towns in the midget auto races to be held this Friday night at the Danbury Speedways on the new $20,000 C. Stuart McLean racing strip of a fifth of a mile. There will be over 20 stars in the pits with expensive runt wagons and the interest is bound to be keen for cash and glory. More money is given away at the Danbury track than at any other track in Connecticut.

 

July 16, 1915

State Road Supervisor W.C. Johnson has been unloading cars of crushed rock at the Newtown Station, this week, and distributing the same along the Danbury-Newtown state road, in piles. An auto truck has been used to cart the crushed stone from the station to the state road.

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John Brennan, known throughout Western Connecticut as “John Pick Penny,” “John of the Woods,” and “Beggar Brennan,” was in Sandy Hook, Tuesday, wearing his two big overcoats. It is believed his is 85 years old. The old man appeared more feeble than usual as he tottered along, but he appears to enjoy his wandering life.

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E.J. Thrall, Jr, of Sandy Hook is handling the famous New Haven Dairy ice cream in brick and bulk form. The New Haven Dairy Co. have furnished Mr Thrall a 20-gallon cabinet, so that the ice cream is kept solid and hard and perfectly sanitary. On the two days over the Fourth, Mr Thrall disposed of 24 gallons.

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Seven head of registered Aberdeen-Angus cows and heifers arrived at Hawleyville on Tuesday to be added to the Currituck Hill herd. This makes this herd one of the largest and best in the East. A.W. Reynolds went to Ohio, a few weeks ago, and purchased these cattle. Every animal in the bunch is richly bred. The list is headed by Fannie Pride W., a fine show cow. Her last heifer calf came with her, sired by Quay Lad, the first prize senior yearling at the big Forrest City show, last year. Shadeland Black Lassie, a two-year-old heifer, belongs to the second branch of the Blackbird family, and if there are aristocrats among cattle, this family is it.