Occupation: I am general manager of Yankee Wine and Spirits in the Queen Street Shopping Center. Before that, I was selling wine wholesale. For 13 years, I was the owner of Steve’s Liquor Store on South Main Street. I sold that business in 1999.

 

How Long In Newtown: We have lived on Walnut Tree Hill Road in Sandy Hook since 1985.

 

Biggest Change You Have Seen In Town: Obviously, it has to be the growth. The town is much less rural now than it once was. We still like it here but we’d like to see a balance so that Newtown doesn’t lose its country feeling.

 

Family: My wife, Susan, is a bookkeeper at Newtown Middle School. Our daughter Sharon, 17, just graduated from Newtown High School with the Class of 2004. She’ll be entering Villanova in the fall. Our son Eddie, 15, will be a junior at Newtown High School. He’s a Life Scout with Troop 70.

 

Hobbies: I like to work out at the gym, listen to music, and go to the movies.

 

Pets: We have a cat named Princess who is in and out all day, but we try to keep her in at night.

 

Favorite TV Show, Movie, Book: Everyone always says they don’t watch a lot of TV, but I will admit right now that we do watch it.

As for movies, I just saw Mystic River and lately I’ve been on documentary kick. I saw Bowling for Columbine and Finding the Friedmans, which was excellent but really disturbing.

I love reading about sports and a couple of favorite sports writers are Frank Deford and John Feinstein. I’ve gotten into reading thrillers by Washington Post movie critic Stephen Hunter. His books are a little violent, but they are very well written and exciting.

Organizations: I’ve been on the Economic Development Commission for a few years. And I enjoy helping out in whatever projects my family are into, such as marching band and Boy Scouts. I enjoyed helping at the St Rose Fair where my wife is a parishioner.

 

Most Vivid Memory About Newtown: I have happy memories associated with being on the committee to help build the playground at Dickinson Park. That was when my kids were at the age to use it. I can still go there today and point to a beam or a post and say that’s my beam that I hammered down, etc. I was appointed a judge one year for the Newtown Labor Day Parade, which was a lot of fun.

 

Favorite Vacation Spot: We like the beach at Avalon, N.J., and our family loves to go to Disney World. We were just there in the spring.

 

Personal Philosophy: Treat people as you want to be treated.

Snapshot: Steve Small