October 2, 1998

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER OF John Stott.

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Police said Wednesday they have apprehended the Riverside man they believe is the “nocturnal intruder” who made a series of illegal house entries during the summer of 1997 in that neighborhood along the Housatonic River. Police served an arrest warrant against a 28-year-old Alpine Drive resident, listing two counts of second-degree burglary and three counts of fourth-degree sexual assault. The male was held on a $50,000 bond for a Wednesday arraignment in Danbury Superior Court. The arrest follows a year-long investigation into the illegal house entries conducted by town police, state police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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BRIDGE CLAIMS ANOTHER ONE: A 40-year-old male tractor-trailer truck driver from Amsterdam, N.Y., was driving a truck westbound on Church Hill Road about 12:45 pm September 28 when the truck’s trailer, which is 13 feet, 6 inches tall, smashed into the Housatonic Railroad overpass, which has a 12 foot, 7 inch clearance, police said. Police issued the driver an infraction ticket for failure to obey state traffic commission clearance warning signs.

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If the Newtown High boys’ soccer team was due for a letdown, it came at a perfect time Monday. The Nighthawks, hosting a hapless Stratford team at Treadwell Park, struggled tremendously in the early going. At halftime, they found themselves trailing, 2-0. It was hard to tell which team was more shocked by the score. Stratford seemed surprised just to have scored. Fortunately for the locals, there were 40 minutes left to play and the Nighthawks erupted for four unanswered goals, in the second, pulling out a 4-2 win.

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District Commissioner Dick Hubert presented Cub Scout Pack 70 of Newtown with the Unit of the Year Award at the pack’s September 22 meeting at Hawley School. The award cites the pack for its leadership and scout development. It is the district’s highest honor and had previously been awarded only to Boy Scout Troops.

September 28, 1973

This past summer Catherine Pierson, a student at Newtown High School, spent her vacation time in Chile as an AFS student. While in the country Cathy stayed with Mr and Mrs Emilio Leiva and their two daughters, Gladys and Monica. The Leivas have another daughter who attends college in Minnesota and a son who lives in Valparaiso. Although the family does not live in Santiago, Cathy spent one day there on arrival and two nights on her return home, and she left just in time — August 31, shortly before the military junta which overthrew the Communist government in power.

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Some 200 friends, relatives, fellow Democrats and dignitaries turned out on Saturday night, September 22, at Newtown High School for a testimonial dinner in honor of Diana Schwerdtle, former member of the Board of Selectmen. Sen Abraham Ribicoff, the dinner’s guest speaker, sounded the keynote for the affair, saying that “Diana brought to government what it needs: perception, intelligence, and courage.”

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The newly-formed Route 25 impact study committee and Newtown’s Planning and Zoning Commission will maintain a liaison to make sure the plans and work of the two bodies don’t overlap. The decision to keep close tabs on each other’s activities came at the P&Z meeting Friday, September 21, when Joseph Turnauer and Harvey Hubbell 4th, temporary chairman and vice chairman of the committee, met with Commission members.

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At the Board of Education meeting Tuesday, September 25, Superintendent of Schools Albert Brinkman announced the school buses have been rescheduled and are now traveling their new routes with new schedules. The last of the buses to be rerouted were the ones carrying the high school students, and those schedules went into effect on Thursday, September 27. According to Dr Brinkman, the routes are similar but not exactly the same as they were last year. However, many more students are now walking either short distances to their bus stops, are boarding and leaving the buses at safer spots, or not walking at all.

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It’s not exactly clear how, but somehow George McLachlan, of the McLaclan Agency, 6 Queen Street, finds time to be a realtor, coach Pop Warner, take pictures of the high school football games every week, and serve as Chairman of the Board of Police Commissioners. This week’s Realtor of the Week, Mr McLachlan is also treasurer of the Newtown Board of Realtors.

September 24, 1948

The Newtown Ambulance Association, Inc, held its seventh annual meeting in the Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall on Tuesday evening and it was the largest attended meeting to be held to date. Frank H. Strasburger, president, was chairman of the session. … To date a total of 454 members have contributed $1,174 in the current drive. … John Sedor, chief of the volunteer drivers, read a brief report stating that in the year just ended, a total of 134 calls had been made, 105 of them being resident calls and 29 non-resident.

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Friends will be pleased to know that Nick DiSesa was able to return home on Monday where he is recuperating from a recent serious operation performed at the Presbyterian Hospital in New York City and a subsequent stay at the Mary Harkness Convalescent Home in Port Chester, N.Y.

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Joseph H.A. Symonds, prosecuting attorney of the Town court, returned to his home on Riverside road, Sandy Hook, Sunday, from St Vincent’s hospital, Bridgeport, where he underwent an operation on his right eye.

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The opening meeting of the Newtown Mother’s Club was held Monday evening, September 20, in the Trinity church room. In the absence of the program chairman, Mrs Jane Daniels, Mrs Dorothy Strasberger took charge of the get-together party. Games were played and refreshments served at the close of the meeting. The hostesses for the meeting were Mrs Charlotte Yates, Chairman, Mrs Shirley Murray, Mrs Elizabeth Hayden and Mrs Helen Ferris.

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Announcements were received at The Bee office this week from Stafa, Switzerland, bringing news of the engagement of Miss Marianne Schweizer and Ulrich Gut. Mr Gut spent last summer in Newtown, living at the Parker House and working at The Bee office in order to become familiar with newspaper methods in this country. He is now associated in his father’s publishing business in Switzerland. His many Newtown friends will be pleased to learn of his engagement and extend best wishes to him and to the future Mrs Gut.

September 14, 1923

(Issue not available.)

September 30, 1898

Bigger and better than ever! These are exactly the words to express the Newtown fair for 1898. The management promised this, if good weather could be had, and they were able to keep their promise. The weather was even better than could have been planned, three days of fine fall weather, just suitable for fair holding … the officers and directors have worked like beavers to make the Newtown fair second to none in the state, with possibly one exception, and they have succeeded. The largest showing of cattle and stock, so far held in the state, large and exceptionally fine exhibits in all the industrial classes, fine trotting, good attractions in front of the grand stand, all this means work, but it has been accomplished and with all its predecessors the fair of 1898 stands as a record breaker, the second fair in the state of Connecticut, when only in its third year, and the untiring efforts of the management deserve the praise and honor … Look at the attendance if you please, 1500 on Tuesday, 4000 on Wednesday, 3000 on Thursday, a grand total of 8,500.

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A fine barn, instead of a haystack, as was announced in last week’s BEE, owned by James Carley of Walnut Tree Hill and filled with good hay, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday of last week. The cause still remains a mystery, but it was thought to be the work of school children. The loss was between $300 and $400, and no insurance.

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L.B. Gray has a horse that went to the fair this year, that is worthy of mention. The horse did not win a race, but he broke all previous records, as he has attended every fair since the organization of the Union Agricultural society and this year marked the society’s 27th birthday. The horse is 32 years old and hale and hearty yet, fully equal to his three good square meals a day.

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The threatening weather of last Friday evening prevented a large attendance at the Christian Endeavor fellowship meeting at the Congregational church, but those who were present were repaid by the earnest and inspiring addresses given. The praise meeting was conducted by Rev N.B. Prindle of White Hills, whose inspiring leadership gave interest to the meeting. Rev O.W. Barker presided and introduced those who took part. Henry M. Smith of Newtown read the Scripture lesson of the evening, after which M.R. Castle of Monroe led in prayer. A duet was sung by Mr and Mrs Arthur J. Smith. Rev W.E. Page of Milton gave an address, touching upon the characteristics of the Christian Endeavor convention at Nashville. The main address of the evening was by Judge Munger of Ansonia, who spoke eloquently and awakened the interest and sympathies of the audience.

Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.