October 7, 1994

The Life Star helicopter from Hartford Hospital prepares to land at the Newtown High School stadium Tuesday morning. Other emergency crews also responded to the scene of a simulated two-car accident in which students from the school drama club acted out roles that included a drunken driver who caused the accident, and the passengers who were injured or killed. Afterwards, students listened to talks by parents of teenagers killed in accidents caused by drunk drivers and also from people severely injured in such accidents.

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Connecticut Archaeology Week, October 8-16, will celebrate the state’s archaeological heritage by offering the public myriad walking tours, demonstrations, lectures, volunteer opportunities, slide shows, and exhibits at locations in every region. An informational presentation on a recent archaeological survey of Newtown’s Upper Paugussett State Forest will be included in the schedule of events. “We will be showing slides of this summer’s dig and talking a little about the historic site we surveyed,” said Dr Laurie Weinstein, professor of social sciences at Western Connecticut State University. She continues to organize and direct ongoing research in the state forest. “We also uncovered a prehistoric site and some artifacts,” she said. Dr Weinstein and her students will give an informal presentation on their Newtown findings at WestConn’s Hartford Lounge on October 12 at 7 pm. The public is invited.

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Western Escapee Sought. State police are seeking woman for first-degree escape from the State Department of Correction’s Western Substance Abuse Correctional Institution at Fairfield Hills Hospital. State police said that inmate Angelina Arroyo, 23, didn’t return as planned on October 2 from a weekend prisoner furlough from the low-security prison, so she will be charged with first-degree escape when apprehended. State police said Ms Arroyo, formerly of 165 High Street, New Britain, had been incarcerated at Western on a narcotics possession charge. The case is under active investigation.

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A fence was the prime casualty of an accident on Main Street near Currituck Road at about 3:45 pm on September 30. Police said motorist Lynford Roy Morrison, 30, of Yonkers, was driving a 1992 Dodge van northbound on Main Street when the van went off the right side of the road, travelled across a lawn, hit a fence and flower planter at 68 Main Street and then crossed the lawn at 70 Main Street, striking a parked Ford Taurus owned by Jack H. Rosenthal, 75, of that address. The car was unoccupied. Police said Mr Morrison told them his tire had blown out, causing him to go off the road. Evidence at the scene didn’t support Mr Morrison’s theory, and police issued him an infraction charge of making a restricted turn.

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Ralph Haberstroh has a problem. The house he was building on Platts Hill Road turned out to be four feet short of the required 50 feet from the road. Mr Haberstroh and his attorney Michael Nahoum, approached the Board of Selectmen Monday night with a request that the town sell him four feet of its roadside right of way so that he could meet the 50-foot requirement. They were taking this route, they said, because the Zoning Board of Appeals historically has denied variances for buildings that don’t meet set-back requirements. “I’ve been in this town since 1986 and have never seen a variance approved for this type of situation,” said Ron Bolmer, town engineer. “I’ve seen three houses moved. I’ve seen a house moved for as little as six inches.” First Selectman Bob Cascella said it was ultimately a Legislative Council decision regarding land sales, “and it might have to go to a town meeting.” Selectman Jim Smith questioned why the house was built so close to the road. “He might have been able to move it back a few feet, but most of the rest is wetlands,” Mr Bolmer said. “I think you are going the long way around from the selectmen to the council to a town meeting,” Mr Smith said. Selectmen agreed that if the land is sold to Mr Haberstroh, he should pay for all associated legal costs. The selectmen noted that the request would have to go through Planning and Zoning first for a referral, and that he should seriously consider asking the ZBA for a variance instead.

September 26, 1969

BIGGEST BEE. This week’s Bee brings readers a bonus. The autumn edition of the paper’s famous special section on antiques includes maps of antiques dealer locations throughout the state, two stories of fine old houses, a garden of antique roses, 16 other features, and 15 book reviews. More news of antiques will be found in its regular place in Section A. Another color insert tells how to have a warm house this winter. With 36 regular pages and 80 in tabloid form, it’s the biggest paper The Bee has ever published.

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By trying to be simple last week in giving the number for police calls, The Bee succeeded in being very unclear. Here are the numbers through which the Newtown Police and volunteer fire companies can be reached: The direct line to the police is 426-5841. The regular switchboard at Edmond Town Hall will handle all regular, non-emergency calls involving the fire companies. This number is 426-2501. The emergency number should be kept clear of all except emergency calls, for your own protection and that of your friends. Only to report a fire or other serious emergency, call 426-4425.

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The Rev Paul A. Cullens, Newtown Forest Association president, has announced the most important gift of land to the association. Miss Anna Lord Strauss of Castle Meadow Road has deeded 95 acres in the Hattertown district. The tract surrounds Hattertown Pond, which is owned by the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company, and has frontage on Castle Meadow Road, Maltbie Road, and Aunt Park Lane. Many Newtown residents will recall skating on the pond in past years. Much of the tract is wooded and in compliance with the donor’s wish, this area will be permanent wildlife sanctuary. Mr Cullens states, “Her splendid gift preserves a beautiful and important wildlife preserve for the southern part of Newtown, which balances the association’s holdings and state-owned open space in other areas. We are most pleased that after careful consideration a donor with Miss Strauss’ international background in civic matters has selected our association to hold title to the property for the benefit of future generations.”

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Among the 629 girls registered for the 91st academy year of Northfield School is Linda Kellogg, daughter of Mr and Mrs Douglass E. Kellogg of Hall Lane, Newtown.

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Part–time man wanted for general machine shop work, no skills required but experience helpful, need approximately 3–5 hours per day. Fit your own hours during our work schedule. Contact Newtown Manufacturing Co., Inc. Route 25, 426-2104 from 7 am to 5 pm.

September 29, 1944

Thursday, September 21 was just an ordinary day for most people in Newtown. It marked, however, the completion of forty years of active business life on the local scene for Arthur J. “Doc” Crowe, who arrived on September 21, 1904, and has since filled the important part of druggist for the entire town. In that respect it was an important date. Congratulations are in order, and The Bee hastens to extend them to Doc on behalf of his host of friends and well-wishers. Born in Bethel, son of the late Michael and Annie Ryan Crowe, who before her marriage lived in Redding Ridge, young Arthur J. attended the Bethel schools and then progressed to the New York College of Pharmacy, from which he graduated in 1901. After working for a year in New York City, Mr Crowe went to Torrington and then in 1904 came to Sandy Hook, to enter the employ of Betts & Betts, in the same building where his business is now located. Doc, to this day, remembers being met at the Sandy Hook railroad station by Gus Betts with horse and wagon, driving him through the Glen and by the rubber factory to the Betts homestead. Second fiddle to his responsibilities for the drug business, comes “Doc’s” concern for his customers at the soda fountain who have come to know that they must wait their turn or wait on themselves while prescriptions are being filled.

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On Monday morning a trailer type truck, operated by George Roebuck of South Norwalk, crashed into a car at the intersection of Route 6 and 34 in Sandy Hook. The car, owned by Edna H. Beers of Riverside Road, was considerably damaged.

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Dr Waldo F. Desmond will attend this Thursday afternoon a symposium on penicillin at the Connecticut Clinical Congress being conducted at the New Haven law club. Last Thursday, Dr Desmond was present at a meeting of Fairfield County Medical Association trustees at the University Club, Bridgeport, when plans were made for the coming year.

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Mrs Viola Van Amerig has recently purchased a cottage in the “Telephone Colony” on Great Quarter Road formerly owned by Edward Truding.

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George B. Beers, Mrs Sarah Mitchell and G. Herbert Beers attended the wedding of Miss Betty Wilson and W.J. Walker in New York City on Saturday.

September 26, 1919

Be sure to be at the vaudeville show this Friday, September 26, and see John Ray shuffle his wicked Douglases.

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John Kuesera of Zoar is completing a new barn to replace the building that burned in July.

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When that splendid gentleman William H. Egan walked into The Bee office, last week Thursday, with a handsome big clock, and a case made to order to hold the same, and announced it was a gift to The Bee, we could scarcely believe it. But it was only another of his kind and gracious acts which have so endeared him to the public and to everyone whose good fortune it is to know him. Mr Egan holds one of the most responsible positions in New York City, that of master of the great Pennsylvania railroad station. He is known to every President who has occupied the office since McKinley’s time, and he has been respected and esteemed by all. The clock has been placed on the front of The Bee office building, and the public will appreciate it, as there is no other clock in the borough.

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The independent voters hold a position similar to a railroad conductor. “He helps some people on and shows a lot of people where to get off at.”

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Don’t forget the grange food sale on Friday, 3:30 pm.

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 kendra@thebee.com 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.