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Only one business owner showed up at the public hearing to oppose the planned expansion of the Grand Union Shopping Center on Queen Street in the Borough on September 30. The proposed expansion would include an 18,000 square foot addition to the existing Grand Union supermarket. Richard Frankonis, owner and operator of the Newtown Pharmacy on Church Hill Road, spoke to the Borough Zoning Commission about the problems with the traffic generated from the shopping center and how it adversely affects his business.

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Lyman D. Rogers, president of the Newtown Forest Association, Inc, has announced that Mrs Josephine H. Holcombe, of Great Hill Road, has conveyed a 62-acre tract on the east side of Birch Hill Road to the Association. The gift supplements Mrs Holcombe’s donation in 1966, of 14 acres on the west side of Birch Hill Road. Originally farm land, the tract includes a pond and stream. Mr and Mrs Holcombe lived in Newtown for half a century, living at first on Taunton Hill Road. Mrs Holcombe purchased the property on Birch Hill and Great Hill Roads in 1940. Mr Holcombe was first selectman in 1947-48. Mrs Holcombe was active for many years in the emergency room at Danbury Hospital. She continues to live at her home on Great Hill Road.

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The Newtown Business and Professional Women’s Club has announced the nominees for its “Woman of the Year” award. Lois Gardner is a sixth grade teacher in the Danbury School system. Irene Schwartz began her career as a high school English teacher at East Hampton High and Milford High. Today she is an independent sales person for Real Tech Realtor. Calla Sellner is a grade 4 teacher at Middle Gate School. Marie Sturdevant is a court reporter and legal secretary. Ann Terrill was an executive secretary for Danbury Airways prior to joining the staff of ERA Newtown Country Realty.

October 5, 1962

The Newtown Methodist Church broke ground last Sunday afternoon for a new addition which will be erected at the rear of the church. The addition is necessary due to state fire inspector’s report. The new addition will be 29.4 by 13.4 and 12 feet high, and will house the furnace in a fireproof room, a new kitchen and provide a rear exit from the second floor where services are conducted.

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Dr J. Benton Egee has announced that Type Three Oral Vaccine will be given to the children of Newtown on October 12 and 20. Parents are asked to note that a contribution of 25 cents is being requested to help with expenses. Last year, the state of Connecticut had an appropriation for most of the program and the town made up the rest.

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Saturday evening an estimated 164 Newtown teenagers danced to the music of “Perk and the Flamers” in the gaily decorated Edmond Town Hall gymnasium. As the evening progressed and the dance floor filled, it was evident that the opener for the Teen Canteen had been a hit and that the coming events will receive the enthusiastic support of the members.

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Townspeople and all others who shop in Newtown will be pleased to know that the local merchants belonging to the Chamber of Commerce are expanding their store hours. Starting next Friday, October 12, these stores will be open Friday evenings until 9 o’clock. The added hours will be a great convenience, which should benefit both shoppers and merchants.

 

October 1, 1937

Hawley Manor, NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT, Sunday Dinner, $1.25; Thursday Night Supper, $1; Special Wednesday Luncheon, 85 cents. Over Night and Permanent Guests. CATERING. Recreation Room For Banquets and Parties. Telephones 119-480. William Hunter, Mgr.

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Connecticut visitors at the Eastern States Exposition, Springfield, Mass., found much interest this year, as for the past several years, in the exhibit of the State Department of Agriculture. The Bee Scribe was among those who stopped at the booth maintained by the Connecticut Tobacco Growers for a pleasant chat with Elliott H. Platt, native of Newtown and Director of Publicity, Statistics and Fairs in the State Department of Agriculture. In the Dairymen’s section were rows of labeled milk bottles from 400 or more leaders in the state, and we joined ourselves looking for the bottle from the dairy of A.M. Boyson, Newtown, and were soon able to spot it.

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The season of year has arrived with the starting of fires and from other causes, when there are more than usual fire alarms sounded from the siren atop the Edmond Town Hall. With each occasion the curious are becoming more persistent in their desire to learn from the telephone office the exact location of the blaze. So much so, that the local telephone exchange urgently requests the public to refrain at least ten or twelve minutes after the sound of the siren, before ‘phoning the office with the question, “Where is the fire?”

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On Thursday, September 23, nine members of the Newtown Chapter of the Future Farmers of America journeyed to Springfield, Mass. to visit the Eastern States Exhibition. The boys showed keen interest in the wild life exhibits at the State Buildings. In the afternoon, the boys were thrilled by the antics of Lucky Teter and his Dare Devil drivers, on the race track in front of the grandstand. The head-on collision of two old cars and the somersault of Lucky Teter in a new Plymouth sedan still make conversation.

 

October 4, 1912

W.S. Geddes, of Brookfield, presented to The Bee representative, last Saturday, a sun flower which grew in his garden and which was one of the largest he ever saw. It measured about 13 inches across it both ways. The sun flower is now on exhibition at The Bee office.

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The Depot at Sandy Hook is being brightened with a new coat of paint. The railroad painters are doing the work. The Congregational church edifice is being newly painted white. A.B. Nichols of Hawleyville has the contract.

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Harry Schopick’s barn at his place on Botsford Hill was totally destroyed by fire with nearly all its contents, last week Thursday afternoon. About the middle of the afternoon Mrs Schopick discovered smoke coming from the barn and she quickly gave the alarm. Several neighbors soon responded, but the fire had gained such headway that nothing could be done. Thomas E. Costigan had difficulty in getting out the horse and was obliged to come out of the stable two or three times. Mr Schopick loses, besides the barn, about a ton of hay, a lot of tools, two bob calves, and several other things. The loss is quite a heavy one, as only last winter his house was burned down.

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Mr Patrick H. Gannon, Chief Fire Dept. Newtown, Conn. Dear Chief, I observed at a recent fire that you and the boys were very much handicapped due to the lack of proper control of water coming from the two outlets of your hydrants, not only endangering your equilibrium on the roof at the play pipe, but incurring unnecessary delay and embarrassment. I am sending you with the compliments of my company, two hydrant gates, the use of which will enable you to control one or two outlets. Very truly yours, A.T. Cole, President. It is requested that all members of the Fire Department turn out for rehearsal when the signal rings.