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The Taunton Press, publisher of Fine Woodworking and Fine Building magazines, as well as Taunton Press books, closed December 11 on its $3.45 million purchase of the old Dual-Lite headquarters building on South Main Street. Janice Roman, vice-president at Taunton Press, said her company plans to move into the 29,000-square-foot building by March.

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Since last January when Southbury artist David Merrill applied the first brush stroke to the stairway in Edmond Town Hall, his mural of Newtown landscapes has generated a great deal of interest. To visually record the activities which have surrounded the mural, freelance video cameraman Harvey Hubbell V has recently launched a program which will give the mural even wider exposure and remain as a lasting record of the artist’s work.

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It was moving day on Monday, December 10, when William Bircher stepped into his office at Middle Gate School to take the reins as principal. Mr Bircher was introduced to parents this past fall, where they had the opportunity to address concerns and ask questions of the new administrator.

 

 

December 18, 1959

A State Police radar set was put into use for a demonstration in Newtown on Friday afternoon for town and Chamber of Commerce officials. The set was planted beside Route 6, east of the intersection with Route 34 and the recording instruments were put to work. An hour’s vigil at the spot disclosed for the audience that drivers keep well below the posted speed limit at that spot, at least at that time of day.

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Fifteen years ago the older Boy Scouts, now the Explorer Scouts of Newtown, held their first Christmas Tree sale next to the General Store on Main Street. This year they are offering almost any kind of tree large or small, native trees freshly cut from a nursery near Newtown, Vermont trees recently cut, live trees in baskets; spruce, fir and balsams, trees raised on Scout property in town now beginning to be of considerable size. The prices range from $3 to $8 for a few of the larger trees.

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During the past week, interest in the annual Christmas Decorations Festival sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and local garden clubs has brought forth a good number of additional entries in all of the classes. Those persons who are decorating their homes or places or business but who do not wish to be judged in actual competition are asked to enter on a non-competitive basis.

 

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During the past two weeks, patients of the Fairfield State Hospital have been entertained at many pre-holiday parties and festivities. People throughout the hospital district have been so generous to responding to the annual gift appeal, that each patient will be remembered with an individual gift, and thus will know that someone cares.

December 14, 1934

Mr and Mrs W.M. McKenzie had an interesting trip the first part of last week, when they took Hon Robert S. Black of Dunedin, New Zealand, to Boston on the start of his homeward voyage. On Monday, they had luncheon with Mrs Richard E. Byrd in Boston. She entrusted a package which she was about to send to her husband, Admiral Byrd, to the care of Mr Black, who will take it to New Zealand and deliver it to the Admiral when he arrives there on his return from the Antarctic.

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Fire was discovered shortly after 3 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon in a small building used for hired help on the farm of Richard Egan in Palestine. A hurried call was sent for the local fire company which did excellent work in stopping the fire from spreading to the large dairy barns of Mr Egan.

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Chief Walter Glover, together with two members of the fire Company, have gone to Massachusetts for the fire truck and will have the truck back in town on Thursday evening.

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One hundred dollars reward has been offered by the State Board of Fisheries and Game for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any party or parties importing and releasing foxes in Connecticut during the year 1934. There is cause to believe that a number of foxes have been liberated in southwestern Connecticut.

 

December 17, 1909

Egan Brothers of Hawleyville, had the misfortune, last week, to lose two big, fat porkers. The cause of their death is thought to be the cholera. Several others in that locality have also lost hogs with the same complaint.

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James B. Nichols, the obliging carrier on RFD Route No 16, was so unfortunate as to have a horse killed by an early freight train north, Saturday. The horse had been let out into the yard and got onto the track, meeting its death.

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Improvements are going on in fine shape on what is known as the Warner place at Botsford. Besides a veranda across the front of the house, numerous other improvements, new fences, etc, are begin made. The whole will be treated to a new coat of paint.

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Gordon Stevenson had a horse seriously injured, Tuesday, at Sandy Hook. The animal, newly shod, severed an artery in the leg and it was feared the horse would bleed to death. Dr Kiernan was secured and tied up the artery.