Newtown Health Department officials will review the status of two pressing problems in the center of town during the Board of Selectmen’s meeting Monday, August 14, in Edmond Town Hall. Dr Thomas F. Draper, health officer, and Jack Goett, town sanitarian, will go over the problems of subsurface septic system disposal problems, as well as the status of the Newtown Water Company’s problems with water from Taunton Pond. Warden Willard Christensen and members of the Borough Board of Burgesses have been invited to attend. Thirteen percent of nearly 500 properties surveyed by the State Department of Environmental Protection in May were found to have failing septic systems, and the local health department has been investigating the reported problems since then.

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On Monday, August 14, St Rose Church will have a special Memorial Mass for the late Pope Paul VI, who died this past Sunday following a heart attack. The Mass for the pontiff will be celebrated by father Jude Fay at St Rose at 9:30 am. All are welcome.

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Sunday afternoon was a happy-sad occasion for the members of the Trinity Episcopal Church parish and their rector Stephen Gushee as it marked a formal farewell reception for him and his family, as they move to Hartford at the end of the month where Rev Gushee will be Seventh Dean of the Cathedral.

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The Charles Batchelder aluminum recycling operation in Botsford has once again come under public scrutiny, but this time for violating Department of Environmental Protection’s air compliance regulations. Last week The Bee revealed the company’s waste disposal problem. DEP officials say that on July 31 Batchelder was observed to be in violation of air compliance regulations and given a visible emissions citation. The company was also given a citation for a procedural violation, but the DEP says this only means they didn’t properly fill out a form that is required for all inspections.

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The former Fabric Fire Hose property on Glen Road in Sandy Hook will be changing hands in a few months, and this past week contracts for an option to buy were signed by the future owners, and the present one, Uniroyal Inc. The ownership of the historic old factory and the property, 20 acres of beautiful wooded land in what is known as The Glen, will pass on to three principals. Two of these are Jed Riehl of Weston, an independent businessman involved in development; and Bruce Graham of Westport, an architect. The third principal, a firm, does not wish to be named at present.

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Local Republicans and Democrats traded charges last week regarding the attempt of Newtown’s Democratic first selectman and state representative to obtain Fairfield Hills Hospital property as a location for a combined police department and fire headquarters.

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The Taunton Press sought two variances from the borough Zoning Board of Appeals Wednesday in connection with a 7,000-square-foot building expansion planned for the business, located at 52 Church Hill Road. The company now occupies a 3,000-square-foot, 2½ story wood frame building on its 2.8-acre business-zoned property. The property is located between the Conrail tracks near the Church Hill railroad tressle and the Scouts of Newtown Inc property. Paul and Janice Roman propose putting a 7,000-square-foot, single-story addition on the rear of the existing building.

AUGUST 14, 1953

The Board of Managers of Edmond Town Hall announced this week a series of regulations for the control of motor vehicle traffic on the Town Hall property, and for the care and preservation of the buildings and grounds, to become effective next Tuesday, August 19. The most stringent of the regulations was the setting of a speed limit of ten miles per hour on the driveway and rear parking area, except for the equipment of the Newtown Hook and Ladder Company and the ambulance of the Newtown Ambulance Association, when going out on calls.

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The Charles Howard Peck Sr and Jr Post, VFW, held a social in the Sandy Hook Fire House on Wednesday evening, August 12. Mrs George A. Powell was chairman of the affair. Proceeds went to the building fund of the Veterans Memorial building, South Main Street.

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 Boys and girls throughout the county are preparing their exhibits for the 4-H Fair at Monroe School grounds Friday and Saturday, August 21 and 22. Over 1,300 exhibits were shown last year and it is expected more projects will be on show at the coming fair.

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 Newtown is a good place for the changing of money, it would appear from a recent experience of Mrs Enric Madriguera, wife of the proprietor of La Ronda. The story, as given by Jim O’Connor in the New York Journal-American, relates that Mrs Madriguera received $200 from a town business house as change for $100 in large bills.

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Pvt James Gies, son of Mr and Mrs Arthur Gies of Hall’s Lane, having completed his training at Atlanta Gen Depot, Atlanta, Ga., arrived home on Sunday, August 9, on a ten-day furlough. He will report to Camp Stoneman, Calif., prior to duty in the Far East.

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The hours spent in district meetings by residents of many of the town’s historical school districts, and in committee meetings by advisory committees selected to study the need for zoning in several of the districts, will bear some fruit this Friday evening when Hanover District’s Advisory Committee on Zoning presents its findings and recommendations to district electors and property owners for their consideration in the Alexandria Room of Town Hall.

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Mrs Harold Bassett has opened Riverside Lodge, a modern tourist home at Sandy Hook Center. The picturesque mid-18th century brick house, formerly owned by a Southern branch of the Warner family, has been extensively altered and redecorated to offer comfortable accommodations in keeping with the gracious atmosphere of this Sandy Hook landmark.

AUGUST 10, 1928

Through the efforts of Jesse Lewis of the Newtown Fish & Game Club, 100 young pheasants are to be liberated in various sections of the town this week. The club is making every effort to provide hunting and fishing for the local sportsmen.

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Misses Eva and Elsie Andrews gave an enjoyable hot dog roast, last Thursday evening, to the young people of Taunton.

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Upham’s Japanese Tea Gardens, described at length in The Bee, had its opening on Saturday evening, over 60 being entertained at dinner, while many visitors called to pay their compliments to the genial proprietor, W.A. Upham, and extend congratulations on the beautiful dining spot he had so quickly created.

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The very attractive Pines Inn, which opened a few weeks ago at Botsford, on the Newtown state road, has met with excellent success from local and out-of-town guests.

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Miss Marion Honan is visiting her cousin, Miss Mary Jane Honan, in Naugatuck.

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Dr and Mrs Edward Kingman, who have enjoyed a stay of six weeks at Chabeaque Island in Maine, return this week to their Newtown home.

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The White Elephant Sale has come to be one of the regular events of the summer season in Newtown. This year’s sale will take place in the library on Saturday, August 25, beginning at 2 o’clock.

AUGUST 14, 1903

The barber shop of Oscar Pitzschler in the Beers block in the Street has been decorated in a handsome manner. The sidewalls have been papered a rich green and the ceiling and woodwork decorated.

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Samuel Lindstead is now nicely settled in his new blacksmith shop in Huntingtown, under Sears’ hall, where he will be glad to welcome all his old customers and any new ones who would like his services.

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The ballgame at the Fair Grounds last Saturday was rather exciting at times. The Newtown pitcher was considerably rattled in the first inning and gave three men bases on balls, which enabled them, with a few timely hits, to get four runs but after that he held the Watertowns down in good shape.

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Frank Evarts and J.D. Dixon, the latter from Bridgeport, passed Sunday in New York, visiting the Bowery mission, the McCauley mission, and the Chinatown mission, which Mr Evarts thinks are doing a great work for God and humanity.

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Robert A. Boydsford is the new operator at the Newtown station, as assistant to Agent Lawrence Taylor.

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Judge M.J. Bradley was at Savin Rock, New Haven, Thursday, attending the annual summer outing of the Connecticut probate judges.