August 25, 1989

Holy Infringement! From their Madison Avenue offices in Gotham City, DC Comics has taken notice of that fledgling comic book store [Bat Cave Comics] the railroad tracks on Church Hill Road, Newtown. Last month, DC told Pat Callanan, proprietor, that it owned the name Bat Cave. If Pat didn’t cease using it, the matter would be referred to attorneys, he was told. Pat didn’t get mad. Rather, he examined things rationally, as Bruce Wayne might have done. In an interview this week, Pat said he will change his store’s name to Cave Comics.

***

Realtors are ready to test their newest plan for improving Newtown’s image when they submit an amendment to spur demolition of the town’s eyesores to zoning officials next week. In an already slow market, the unsightly shells of three commercial buildings, still standing despite damage or disuse, have forced realtors to take the hard-sell approach when showing the town center to prospective residents. Now, those same eyesores are proving a catalyst for a zoning change. The former Lovells’ Garage, White Birch Inn, and the Smoke shop have fallen prey to fire or disuse over the past year or two. According to existing zoning laws in the borough, owners cannot knock down the burnt-out or dilapidated buildings until they are ready to rebuild.

***

After announcing that he would not seek re-election, Republican First Selectman Rod Mac Kenzie this week promised the GOP Town Committee that he would pay any of his outstanding campaign debts if the party won in the election. According to Mr Mac Kenzie, he made his promise after reading for several weeks that GOP Town Committee chairman Marie Sturdevant felt “vindicated by the actions of the Town Committee and Caucus,” about his decision to not seek re-election. “Vindication should come only when the people of Newtown support your candidates this November,” he wrote in a letter to Mrs Sturdevant. “I will personally pay any outstanding debts from my 1987 campaign that exist as of the date of this letter conditioned upon your success in electing the following Republican officials: First Selectman, Selectman, and 12 Legislative Council Seats,” Mr Mac Kenzie wrote. “My promise to pay is also conditioned upon you and each member of your Executive Board submitting, now, letters of resignation, to be effective immediately after the election, if you fail to succeed in the election of all of these people.”

***

TUV Rhineland of North America, Inc, a product safety testing company that is a subsidiary of a West German firm, recently purchased the former Marlo Company building at 12 Commerce Road. For $957,500, TUV purchased the 10,000-square-foot building. TUV plans to renovate and expand the building for use as its corporate headquarters for the United States. Since 1984, the corporate headquarters has been in a 6,000-square-foot building on Mill Plain Road, Danbury.

August 28, 1964

Miss Eunice Cooke, assistant director of nursing at the Fairfield Hills Hospital, left on Sunday to attend the Sixth International Congress on Psychotherapy in London, England. The congress, which will run for one week, is under the direction of the Royal Medic-Psychological Association, with Her Majesty the Queen of England acting as sponsor. Following the meetings, Miss Cooke has planned an extensive automobile vacation trip through the British Isles. She will return to her duties at the hospital on September 14.

***

Newtown is making progress towards a pension plan for its town employees. It has been under study for a couple of years, and the Board of Selectmen this week decided to submit a plan to a public hearing after all details have been worked out by the selectmen and Town Counsel Harold Schwartz.

***

James R. Glover broke his leg in two places during a softball game at the A. Fenn Dickinson Memorial Park, Tuesday evening. The Newtown Ambulance Association was called and responded immediately. He was taken to Danbury Hospital where an operation was performed Tuesday night. Mrs Glover said her husband is chagrined about the accident “because he won’t be able to go hunting this year.” Mr Glover is a maintenance supervisor at Vitramon, Inc.

Robert E. Lougheed of Eden Hill Road painted the animal cover on the September issue of Readers’ Digest. Title “A Ring-Tailed Holiday,” it shows five raccoons playing in a swamp. It is his 15th cover for the magazine. Requests for some of Mr Lougheed’s past Digest covers have been so numerous that the magazine has made special reprintings of them.

 

August 25, 1939

SPECIAL Chicken Dinner Served Every Week-End All Poultry Raised on Our Own Farm. Grove For Picnic — Fireplaces, Tables. BEER ON TAP. Mid-Way Grove F.J. VIOLETTE Newtown, on Danbury Road, Telephone 44-4.

***

This summer season has brought to Newtown its heaviest traffic — so it seems. To actually know the number of motor vehicles passing through our town, The Bee suggests that a count be made. Not that a knowledge of the figures would in itself alleviate the situation — except that the count would reveal, we are sure, a crying need for stronger traffic regulation than is in force at the present time.

***

The telephone pole near the Fredericka driveway, opposite the Methodist church, was struck by lightning in last Thursday’s storm. Right after the bolt exploded, Miss Anna May Betts noticed the pole afire and gave warning at once to central, who called the Newtown fire truck and the blaze was quickly extinguished.

***

The swimming school, which has been meeting three times a week during July and August at the pool of Mr and Mrs Chandler A. Mackey in South Center district, closed on Thursday of this week. The mothers and younger brothers and sisters were invited on this last day to an exhibition of the work done by the young swimmers, which was followed by a picnic lunch. This class has been taught by Miss Katherine Cole.

 

August 28, 1914

Amos T. Camp of Hawleyville had three cows struck by lightning and killed Wednesday night. They were under a tree. They were insured through the agency of W.A. Leonard.

***

Newtown people may take honest pride in the fact that the largest railroad station in the world, the Pennsylvania, in New York City, is presided over as station master by a Newtown boy, William H. Egan, who has “made good” in every position the Pennsylvania road has place him. The position is one of great responsibility, Mr Egan having 250 men under him and reporting to him daily.

***

Nathan C. Herz of Pond Lily farm opened his heart and home to 150 children and adults from the East Side Settlement House, 540 East 76th street, New York, Wednesday, in a royal picnic in the orchards of his estate. A fine spread was served in the orchards and the children were entertained with all sorts of games. Augusta Brosman, a little girl seven years old, whose birthday fell on Wednesday, came up and thanked Mr Herz.

***

Three calves belonging to Herman H. Peck, pastured on land of Miss Julia Prindle, cut up quite an excitement on the track of the New York & New Haven road and went as far as the culvert. They met a freight train coming up, but a tramp drove the youngsters off the track and the obliging engineer slowed down. Selectman W.C. Johnson and others assisted in driving the calves to a place of safety.