August 30, 1991

The Bee Publishing Company is seeking a zoning variance to construct a new printing press and offices with a fieldstone and wood shingle exterior. The Zoning Board of Appeals has scheduled a public hearing for September 3 at Town Hall South. Designed to be a two-phase construction, The Bee building would be located at the corner of Main Street and Route 302, where the vacant, former Lovell's garage now stands.

***

Each year at this time, at summer's passing, Newtown consoles itself on Labor Day with a big splashy parade through the center of town in which a few thousand of us march and a few thousand of us watch. As perennial parade watchers, we have found year after year in this one big event evidence of all of the characteristics that endear Newtown to its citizens: pride, professionalism, spirit, sportsmanship, eccentricity, humor, tradition, creativity, and above all a reassuring familiarity that tells us this is our home.

***

Dear Scudder: As a resident of Main Street who is extremely interested in the quality of life along our Main Street, I strongly support you in your endeavor at No. 1 Main Street. I recommend that the Borough Zoning Board of Appeals grant your request for a variance and allow you to continue with your building program. Yours Truly, Lee W. Glover.

***

Wayne Schoonmaker is one of the parachutists who will jump over Newtown during the Labor Day Parade. Trailing the jumpers will be yellow streamers, in honor of the troops who served in Operation Desert Storm. The parachutists will jump from a helicopter. Before and after the parade, at a cost of $15, will be ten-minute rides from Ram Pasture offered by Colonial Helicopter.

August 26, 1966

Miss Kay Dolan, who had a wretched accident after shining at a two-week conference at Royalton College, has been released from the hospital and is making steady progress at her sister's.

***

For the second consecutive year, private pond owners will not be able to purchase surplus fingerling trout from the Connecticut Board of Fisheries and Game this fall. There simply is no surplus. The extended drought has affected state trout hatchery water supplies and hence trout production.

***

Donald L. Eaton, nine, and Raymond Eaton Jr, 13, of Glen Road, Sandy Hook, found a box turtle on August 18 in Dwight Eaton's lot. Cut into its back was the date 1918 and the initials PHK. The second line of the H forms the vertical portion of the K. The boys with their 48-year-old captive, would like to unlock the secret to the initials, but the turtle wouldn't talk.

***

A very attractive young lady has reported to The Bee that she found a small sum of money this week in Newtown. The loser is asked to stop in at The Bee office, identify the place and amount of the loss, and reclaim the cash.

August 22, 1941

Plans are rapidly being completed for the Alumni Dance which will take place Friday evening at the Edmond Town Hall. The dance will prove an excellent opportunity for old "grads" to get together and catch up on events from the past few years. Added to this is the fact that here is a chance to hear one of the smoothest bands in the vicinity. Sammy Mell's six-piece orchestra is well known and at present filling an engagement at the Carmel Country Club. Plans are in full swing to add bright decorations and gaiety to the evening.

***

Dr William F. Green, clinical director at the Fairfield State Hospital since July 15, 1940, has received military leave from his duties for the duration of the war emergency. As lieutenant for the Naval Reserve Corps, he reported for duty at the Naval Training Station in Rhode Island on July 7.

***

The Rotary Club is making much progress in its campaign to raise funds to purchase an ambulance for the benefit of Newtown residents. Several donations have already been received and Mrs B.N. Macpherson has donated her Congregational Church paintings on which the committee hopes to raise a substantial amount. Letters of appeal will be mailed to residents this week, to which it is expected that there will be a generous response.

***

Last Saturday morning at 8:30 am as a convoy of some 150 Army trucks was wheeling through Newtown, rounding the inside of the flagpole as they sped down the street and down Church Hill, one of the Bantam trucks came to grief. One driver driving up the street caught the rear wheel of the little truck with his car and tipped it over. Neither soldier aboard the truck was hurt, although the truck lost its windshield and otherwise had its dignity lowered. The Army eventually was on its way, wondering, maybe, who Newtown did not have a policeman to help them around the wrong side of the flagpole.

August 25, 1916

The steel for the bridge at Sandy Hook arrived, Wednesday. There are some nine tons of it and it was lost for three weeks or more. It was finally located at the West Albany yards, having been sent to some Western New York point. There will be some 225 tons of concrete used in the structure. Contractor Arbario will probably complete it inside of a week, but the bridge will have to stand several weeks before being opened for public use.

***

Mrs Elliot Peck, with a few friends who were visiting her, spent the day recently where once grew luscious blackberries. But upon visiting the scene of other days, like the fable of old, nothing was there but some healthy looking berry bushes.

***

The heat of the past week has been almost unbearable, the thermometer registering from 90-100 degrees in the shade. All earnestly hope for a shower as the dust is as bad as the heat.

***

The field meeting held at the farm of Lee S. Dickinson under the auspices of the Litchfield County Farm Bureau and the Connecticut Dairyman's Association was a great success, of point of attendance and interest. The fine weather was of great assistance in promoting attendance and automobiles and teams began to arrive long before noon and several parties were conducted over Mr Dickinson's 340 acre farm. The tables for the dinner were arranged in the shade of a great oak tree in a 15-acre meadow on a plateau of 860 feet elevation northwest of Mr Dickinson's residence.

Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with The Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed to , or brought to the office at 5 Church Hill Road to be scanned. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.kendra@thebee.com