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Treadwell Park’s soccer field was vandalized Tuesday afternoon when a vehicle entered the maintenance gate and drove onto the grass, according to Parks and Recreation Director Bob Ceccolini. Tire ruts were cut into the field’s surface from one end tot the other. The worst damage occurred where the vehicle made its turn to head back to the gate as it gouged out tracks approximately four inches deep.

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The police commission still favors hiring five new police officers, despite the Board of Selectman’s decision to cut the department’s request to three, according to Chief Louis Marchese. “We haven’t put additional officers on in years,” said commission chairman Gilbert Collins. He also said that the department needs additional men because Newtown’s population and crime rate has increased in recent years. According to the first selectman, five new officers would cost the town approximately $135,000, a figure that could increase if a new police contract is signed.

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The Borough of Newtown Board of Burgesses Monday night voted unanimously to pay its outstanding hydrant bill to the Newtown Water Company “under protest” and with stipulations, according to a statement released Wednesday by Borough Warden James Gies. The borough had been displeased with water pressure from several of the hydrants following the installation of the new water source on South Main Street. Mr Gies has maintained, however, that the service and nonpayment issues were unrelated.

 

March 6, 1959

A tax rate of 27 mills, a reduction of five mills over the rate paid last year, is recommended by the Newtown Board of Finance. A combination of favorable circumstances has resulted in this recommendation for a reduction: surplus, estimated indirect revenue, and the Grand List are all up, while the expenses of the town have fallen off slightly.

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James C. Gies, general chairman of the Jaycee Adult Polio Clinic of Newtown, has announced that plans for the clinic, to be held on Sunday, March 15, from 12 noon to 2 at the Visiting Nurses Association office in the Town Hall, are progressing satisfactorily. The members of the local chapter of the Junior Chamber of Commerce urge all adults under 40 years of age who have not had their first inoculation to take steps to immunize themselves through this clinic. A nominal fee of 75 cents per vaccination will be made to help defray expenses.

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Here in Newtown, Girl Scouts and Brownies will participate in inter-troop parties during Girl Scout Week; they will exhibit posters and troop projects at local shops, and for their contribution to international friendship and understanding, the girls will donate packages of vegetable and flower seeds to be shipped overseas for distribution in Europe and the Far East.

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The second annual Distinguished Service Award dinner was held at the Newtown Inn last Thursday evening under the sponsorship of the Newtown Junior Chamber of Commerce. The winner of the award was Seth O.L. Brody of Main Street, Newtown. This year’s DSA winner is associated with the law firm of Brody and Brody in Bridgeport. Mr Brody is serving as Town Council for the Town of Newtown, and in addition is a member of the Board of Education, the Board of Burgesses for the Borough, the Board of Trustees of the C.H. Booth Library, the Board of Directors of Family Service Society of Bridgeport, the Rotary Club of Newtown, the Republican Town Committee, and is the first vice president of the Young Republicans Club of Newtown.

March 2, 1934

Selectman Blackman has had 65 CWA men at work in different sections of the town since the storm of last Tuesday, opening the rural roads blocked with snow. “It has been most discouraging work,” said Mr Blackman, “as roads opened Saturday and Sunday were filled again by the driving snow and accompanying wind of Monday afternoon.” The public schools closed for the week, Tuesday night, as the school busses on most of the rural roads were unable to run. The schools will reopen on Monday, weather permitting.

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The Newtown Fish & Game Protective Association, Paul V. Cavanaugh informs the editor, have placed five pound bags of scratch grain at the store of Morris & Shepard, which will be given out free to anyone who will feed the birds. This is good work and is needed, as most of the supply of bird food is covered by the snow.

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Owing to the intensely cold weather of Friday night, only three or four men assembled at the Parker house for the February meeting for the Newtown Chamber of Commerce. February has shattered all late year records for coldness and snow. Excepting for three days, the thermometer stood every morning at 7 o’clock at zero or below. Friday, February 9th, was the coldest day of the month, the thermometer dipped to 34 below at Berkshire, and 22 below at the office of The Newtown Bee. The weather bureau records nearly 50 inches of snow for the month.

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It is just too bad the Connecticut Light & Power Company can’t get hold of the individuals who are responsible for circulating the silly propaganda about the safety of the company dam at Stevenson on the Housatonic River. One of the stories had it that the dam was already four feet out of normal positions and another was to the effect that the ice was being dynamited to save the dam. Not only is there nothing wrong with the dam, but similar stories about it have been circulated each winter or spring for the last three years.

 

 

March 5, 1909

The contract for the building to be erected by the Newtown Savings bank on the old Academy lot, between the Congregational parsonage and the residence of Dr Gale, was awarded on Wednesday to E.H. Shaw of Great Barrington, Mass. The new building will be a brick structure of pleasing design, 30x52 feet, of brick, Indiana limestone or Gray Canyon stone construction. There will be two massive vaults, a security and bank vault. The building is to be of fireproof construction throughout. Daniel G. Beers will survey the plot in a few days, after which the excavating will be begun in short order.

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C.B. Taylor has bought the grand stand and the Agricultural hall on the Fair grounds of Henry G. Curtis, and is having the grand stand taken down. The Agricultural hall will be moved on to the land owned by Mr Taylor. Thus the last of the buildings of the once great Newtown Fair disappear.

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A ray of light in the midst of the financial depression is found at Sandy Hook, as it is thought the Surface Water Co. will resume paying its dividend in July. Workmen under the direction of Manager Edward Taylor were seen working on the suspension bridge which carries the 24-inch pipe across the Pootatuck river, on Wednesday.

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One who called himself Benjamin Wood of Brooklyn, N.Y., was upon the request of Deputy Sheriff Johnson, apprehended by Josiah B. Downs, on Friday last, as he was about to take the train from Stevenson station. Mrs Charles E. Curtis of Berkshire telephoned to Mr Johnson that several elderly persons in that neighborhood had been induced by Wood to purchase spectacles of him, paying therefore fabulous prices. To induce them to buy his glasses he said that Dr Gale had sent hi to them. He pleaded guilty and after promising the court that he would if permitted, shake the mud of Newton from his feet and never return, was fined $1 and costs, amounting in the whole to $16.91, which he paid.