Reaffirming an earlier decision that it was not interested in pursing purchase of the Congregational Church property on Main Street, Newtown's Board of Selectmen unanimously voted Monday night to recommend to the Legislative Council that it is "n
Reaffirming an earlier decision that it was not interested in pursing purchase of the Congregational Church property on Main Street, Newtownâs Board of Selectmen unanimously voted Monday night to recommend to the Legislative Council that it is ânot in the townâs best interestâ to purchase the five-plus acres of land and four buildings.
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Racquetball anyone? By next summer that will be a real question in Newtown as the Planning & Zoning Commission has voted 4-0, with one abstention, to approve the special exception permit application of builder George Arfaras to construct a ten-court commercial racquetball facility on Commerce Road.
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It will take an engineering firm one more year to finish its study of whether sewer mains or other measures can abate pollution caused in Newtown by failing or marginal subsurface sewage disposal systems. The Center for the Environment and Man (CEM), Hartford, is finalizing details of the yearâs extension with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Environmental Protection. The study is being done under contract with the towns of Newtown Southbury, and Woodbury. The study began in 1977 and CEM was granted an 18-month extension, until September 1979, to conduct a detailed lot-by-lot survey in sections of Newtown identified as having septage disposal problems.
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The Board of Selectmen Monday night authorized First Selectman Jack Rosenthal to sign a contract with the regional planning agency for the town to participate in a sewer avoidance program. To carry out this and a related program on sewage disposal problems, a water pollution control authority would have to be created by a Legislative Council ordinance. Such an authority, according to Town Counsel William Lavery, is âjust a sewer authority with more powers.â
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The members of the Congregation Adath Israel have seen one of their dreams come true! Rabbi Jeffrey T. Segelman conducted his first service at the congregation on Friday, September 7, which was the official celebration of his appointment as leader of the Jewish community in Newtown. And on Sunday, a reception was given in his honor to allow the congregation, town officials and town clergy to informally welcome him to Newtown. This is a big event in the history of the congregation, for it was just a year ago in June when a brunch took place at the synagogue on Huntingtown Road and over 100 people attended and indicated interest in its reorganization. The synagogue was built in 1919 as the site of worship for Orthodox Jews living in that area of town, but a decline in attendance in the sixties and early seventies resulted in the 100-seat synagogue being used only for High Holy Days each year. Services began again on Friday, June 30, 1978 and since then, the congregation has grown and continually looked ahead to the presence of a spiritual leader â embodied in their religion in a rabbi.
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Fortunately storm David didnât cause any bodily harm as it churned through Newtown last Thursday morning, but it did leave a mess and a whole lot of folks in the dark for quite a while. The major problem caused by the storm was the power outage which a little over 3,200 Northeast Utilties customers were subjected to; some of them for over 48 hours. The main cause of the outages, which were heaviest in the northern section of Route 6 and 25; Dodgingtown; Route 302 in the area of Sugar Street; Glen Road in Sandy Hook; and the Mt Nebo area, was downed wires.
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As school opened this year, the enrollment is down 91 pupils from last year, with the projections for the 1979-80 year just right about on the button, Superintendent of Schools Albert Brinkman reported to the Board of Education on Tuesday evening. Total enrollment for the opening of this year was projected at 4,245 and ended up being 4,252.
SEPTEMBER 17, 1954
Townspeople numbering about 100 attended the public hearing held by the Board of Finance in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall on Tuesday evening to consider requested appropriations by the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education for the 1954-55 fiscal year. W.W. Holcombe, chairman of the Board of Finance, presided. The session lasted about two hours.
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The Board of Assessors has followed with considerable interest the discussion of the one-man assessor proposal both in the newspapers and in the town officials meetings. All the board members agree that under no circumstances should a one-man assessor be elected. The work of the office has grown too large and too complex to be handled by anyone but a professional who, besides bringing experience to the job, will also be able to practice a dispassionate, impartial approach to the work of the office, without possible pressure of political obligations, they contend. The Board of Assessors recommends that a one-man assessor be appointed, not elected. It suggests that a qualified candidate could be found on the lists of available men of the Connecticut Association of Assessing Officers or of the National Association.
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The baseball season of the Newtown Indians was brought to a successful conclusion on Wednesday evening, when 135 people, boys, parents, and friends, attended the dinner held in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall. The Rev Paul A. Cullens said a word of grace at the start of the dinner which was catered by Marni Wood.
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The Newtown Auxiliary of Childrenâs Services of Connecticut will sponsor a benefit concert given by the world-famous Trapp Family Singers at the Edmond Town Hall on Thursday evening, November 11. Preliminary plans were made for the occasion at the first fall meeting of the Auxiliary held last Friday afternoon at the Cyrenius Booth Library. Since their first concert tour in this country in 1938, when they came here as Austrian fugitives from Hitlerâs Central Europe, the Trapp Family Singers have steadily increased their public and established themselves as foremost drawing cards on the concert platform.
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Miss Joan Glover, daughter of Mr and Mrs Walter Glover of Glover Avenue, was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Miss Nancy Giddings to Robert C. Ormiston, at the First Presbyterian Church, Atco, N.J. Daniel Desmond, son of Dr and Mrs Waldo Desmond, also attended the ceremony.
The digging and foundation work which has been going on this week at the south end of the plaza at the shopping center on Queen Street are preparations for the construction of an addition to the center, according to George F. Wheeler, developer of the property. A separate building of eight stores, conforming in design to the main shopping center buildings, is planned, he said.
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On Saturday, September 18, the Flagpole Gallery at the Flagpole, Newtown, will present the work of another local artist, Jan Christian Mayer of the Dodgingtown District.
SEPTEMBER 13, 1929
Through the generosity of several of Newtownâs leading citizens, the Beach Memorial Library will shortly be repainted on the exterior. The library is badly in need of other repair work, and the funds that have already been promised are sufficient to repaint the building. However, several hundred dollars more are needed to put the building in the condition that it should be in.
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The Republican caucus to nominate town officers will be held on Saturday, September 14, at 7 oâclock, standard time, at the Brick Building, to nominate a town ticket to be voted on at the October election. The democrats will meet in caucus at the Hawley School auditorium, Saturday, September 14, at 7 oâclock, standard time, to nominate a town ticket for the October election.
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Miss Emma Moller returned last week to her school duties in Jordan, town of Waterford.
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Miss Anna Keane is driving a new Whippet sedan.
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W.N. Mitchell has bought a four acre tract of land in Newtown Borough of Miss Mary E. Hawley.
SEPTEMBER 16, 1904
Two intoxicated women, a man, and his chauffeur were the actors in a little drama in Newtown Street, Saturday night. Quite a crowd watched their antics. One of the women was so drunk she fell down. It was a sorry combination at the best. The man had a powerful big automobile.
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The telephone poles for the extension of the line from the factory of the Fabric Fire Hose Company to the Highland division station at Sandy Hook were furnished by Julius Beardsley.
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The road from the public highway to the residence of Professor C.S. Platt has been worked up in fine shape. George A. Drew did the work.
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The railroad station building at Sandy Hook is resplendent in a new dress of paint, which doubtless accounts for the happy smile on Agent Lesherâs countenance.
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Keaneâs button shop closed three days last week, while repairs were being made on the boilers.
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Mr and Mrs Charles Ferris have a new son, born last Thursday. Dr Wight of Bethel is in attenance, and Mrs Booth is assisting in the care of Mrs Ferris.
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Samuel S. Todd of Southbridge, Mass., has accepted a position as clerk at the Hawleyville station.
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The Sunday morning passenger train north from Bridgeport was 35 minutes late Sunday. Quite a company from Danbury, New Milford, and New Haven enjoyed the wait at Hawleyville, caused by holding back the train on the Litchfield branch.