December 9, 1988

The latest rescue of a 19-year-old Bridgeport woman threatening to jump from the I-84 overpass on Church Hill Road was successful. On November 4, Sgt Michael Hugyo of Fairfield Hills Hospital police was called to use his training in suicide prevention. Newtown Hook and Ladder Chief Mike McCarthy climbed over the fence, secured the woman in a harness and held her as the two were lowered onto the highway, where traffic had been completely stopped. This time, when Officers John Kotch and Paul Taylor were called to the bridge, they decided not to wait. The woman, an inpatient at the Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center, had called the center from Newtown and told a nurse she was going to jump. The nurse notified Newtown police. Officer Kotch distracted the woman by going out on the ledge himself. Officer Taylor parked his patrol car right next to the fence. Officer Taylor stood on the hood of his car, positioned almost directly above the woman. When Officer Kotch gave the signal, Officer Taylor reached over and grabbed the woman under her arms, pinning her in the grating. The officers waited for the arrival of other rescue personnel. Sgt Hugyo, whom the woman knew when she was a patient at Fairfield Hills last year, showed up and talked to the woman about her problem. Hook and Ladder then implemented the rope rescue technique. This time, the woman was raised up and onto the overpass. According to the nurse, the woman had been out on a pass on December 4. The nurse said the woman was admitted to the health center after the November 4 incident and she has been a patient there on numerous occasions.

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An application from The Bee Publication Co to build a new printing plant near the intersection of Route 25 and 302 just west of the former Lovell’s Garage has been denied by the Inland Wetland Commission. The commission found the applicant had not adequately addressed alternatives which would have a less detrimental impact on the wetlands and alternatives exist that would achieve the basic objectives of the proposal without the loss of wetlands. R. Scudder Smith, applicant and publisher of The Newtown Bee said after the meeting that while he had originally intended to use the former Lovell’s Garage and had applied for a borough variance in order to do so, subsequent tests had found the structure not strong enough to support the printing presses. Mr Smith said he intends to resubmit the application to build on the same site with minor alternations.

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After a year of frustrating problems and delays, Rock Ridge’s new 25-yard pool has been finished, and its completion was marked at an unofficial, teeth-chattering ceremony last month. The club’s president, Bill Denlinger had vowed all summer that he would swim in the pool this year — no matter when it was finished. And on November 13, Bill donned his swimsuit to fulfill his promise. Bill’s swim didn’t last long, but he kept his word.

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The town’s new computer is in place and training of employees has begun. The computer is housed in the Middle School near the administrative offices and will be used by both town and school employees. When it was determined that it would be cost effective for the town and school business to be done on one computer it was decided the systems manager would report to a Information Systems Governing Committee.

December 13, 1963

Newtown will have a new elementary school, new high school alterations, and four more classrooms at Sandy Hook. In near unanimity, townspeople voted a $903,000 appropriation last Friday night to do the job. A semi-official count reported 456 people at the special town meeting in Edmond Town Hall. Three people raised hands to vote against it.

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Newtown Cub Scouts held a most successful paper drive on Saturday, when almost 10 tons of scrap paper were collected. Those who contributed scrap paper and rags are thanked.

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The official opening of the Southbury-Middlebury section of the Yankee Expressway, Interstate 84, will take place on Tuesday, December 17. Howard B. Watts of Middlebury, chairman of the arrangements committee, has scheduled the ceremonies to start at 11 o’clock at the Straits Turnpike access to Interstate 84. The highway will be opened from that point to Route 67 in Southbury.

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The Newtown Methodist Church is making plans to expand the physical plant to meet the needs of a growing community. The expansion will include off street parking, additional church school rooms

December 9, 1938

The committee for the annual Grange Christmas party had planned, this year, to revise and limit the list of children taken care of at the seventh annual party for children, due partly to the lack of voluntary financial support and partly to the great amount of preparation involved in providing for almost three hundred children. However, public opinion has caused Pohtatuck Grange to make a change in their plans, and the party will be open to all children of the town, their parents and friends. The Grange asks the cooperation and voluntary financial support of all past sponsors and stresses the need of additional contributors.

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On Friday night last the Hawley boys’ and girls’ basketball teams opened their Housatonic Valley League season by meeting two strong teams from Bethel high school. The first game of the evening, played between the girls, proved most interesting. The work of Betty Beers, who entered the game at the start of the second half, is to be complimented. In the second encounter of the evening, the Orange and Blue boys met defeat by the score of 36 to 21.

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The ladies of St John’s Guild are holding their annual sale of fancy work and aprons in the Parish hall this Thursday afternoon from 4 to 7 o’clock, when tea and cake will be served. In connection with the sale of fancy work, home-made cake, pie, bread, rolls, baked beans, candy, etc will be in charge of Mrs Wood. Miss Helen Terrill will preside at the Girls’ Friendly table.

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Last Thursday evening at the Edmond gym, both teams of the Newtown A.C. showed much basketball ability by defeating the first and second teams of the Monroe A.C. The local A.C. seconds, undefeated throughout last season, continued with this fine style of play to down the Monroe seconds by the decisive score of 32 to 9. In the second game of the evening, the scarlet clad first team got off to a slow start. It was not until the start of the second half that the local boys displayed one of the finest passing attacks in recent years.

December 12, 1913

The Newtown High school basket ball team will play the first game of their schedule at the Town hall, Saturday, December 13, at 3 o’clock pm, with the Sanford school team of Redding. A good game is assured to all who attend. Admission 25 cents.

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A meeting of great interest and importance in Congregational church circles was consummated at Fairfield, Friday, when the Fairfield East and West Consociation and the Fairfield Southwest conference were merged into the Fairfield Association. The movement to consolidate the three bodies was begun about 20 years ago, and it is believed will result in greater efficiency and unity.

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There has been so much confusion on stormy days as to whether there was to be a session of the High school, that H.N. Tiemann, Sr and Rev G.T. Sinnott for the High school committee, have drafted the following regulations: On stormy days when there is to be no session: The whistle at the Borden’s Creamery, the whistle at the factory of the Fabric Fire Hose Co, and the whistle at the Hawleyville creamery will give the signal at 7:30 am, to be repeated once. The bell on Trinity church will give 10 similar strokes at the same hour. Any family who may not have heard the signal can find out as to whether there is to be school by calling the Central telephone office.

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Kellogg & Gregory of Danbury have erected 500 feet of embankment wall, seven feet wide at the bottom and two feet wide at the top and 14 feet high, east of Bennett’s Bridge on the state road. Twelve hundred yards of stone and 1500 bags of cement were used. Kellogg & Gregory are also building the cement box ditch below the depot.