January 20, 1995

TRUCK ROLLOVER CREATES DELAYS AND A STINKING MESS: A refuse truck from Scotty’s Sanitation of Bridgeport rolled over at about 8 am Thursday while rounding a curve while ascending Mount Pleasant near the lower end of Johnny Cake Lane. The truck dumped a large load of garbage onto the front yard of Alan and Sue Hildred at 86 ½ Main Street and splintered a utility pole before it came to a rest on its side. “This was one morning when I had decided to let myself sleep in a little,” said Sue Hildred as she surveyed the stinking mess. “I heard this horrible scraping sound and looked out the window to see the truck and the driver climbing out of the cab. I picked up the phone to dial 911 but the phone was dead.” Truck driver Dennis Graham, 27, of Bridgeport, was transported to Danbury Hospital. He had received minor injuries. Besides garbage, the truck spilled oil, hydraulic fluid, and diesel fuel onto the roadway. Workers from Scotty’s Sanitation were expected to pick up the stinking household garbage which covered a large area.

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First Selectman Bob Cascella will be at his office in Edmond Town Hall on Saturday, January 21 from 9 am to noon for residents who wish to meet with him and discuss any local problems. The Saturday hours are an effort to accommodate residents who are unable to make an appointment during the regular Monday to Friday workweek.

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VFW Post 308 has formed a Ladies Auxiliary. Its members were inducted, and its officers were installed in ceremonies January 14 at the post hall on Tinkerfield Road. Jane Marsh, state auxiliary president, officiated the well-attended event. The VFW 308 Ladies Auxiliary Post officers are: President Gretta Palmer; Senior Vice President Joanne Peck; Junior Vice President Robin Buchanan; Treasurer Jan Moran; Secretary Linnea Ingram; Chaplain Joyce Staudinger; Conductress Lana Turzer; Guard Jeanette Fleming; and Patriotic Instructor Rose Holland. Women eligible to join the auxiliary are invited to attend the next meeting on February 1 at the VFW post on Tinkerfield Road. Meetings will be held the first Wednesday of the month.

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FOR RENT NEWTOWN — 1 large room efficiency. 1st floor. South Main Street. No dogs. $475/month. Includes utilities. $500 deposit.

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THE END OF CHRISTMAS: Alan Potter, Newtown Tree Service president, put Christmas trees through a woodchipper January 14 at Dickinson Park. The tree service, in cooperation with the Newtown Parks and Recreation Department, collected more than 280 used Christmas trees from residents. The chipped trees will be used as nature trail material at the town’s Orchard Hill park.

January 16, 1970

KNOT WORKING: Not since becoming a landlubber for good has Tom McClintock come up against such a large knot problem. Last week, at the request of the Police Department, Tom put his nautical knowledge to work and spliced a new rope for the flagpole in the center of town. The task involved a connection strong enough to pull a new rope to the top of the pole, yet small enough to fit through the pulley aloft. We dare not say more than thanks to Tom, and his knot, we are not without a flag.

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An exhibition of unusual collages and drawings by Stella Bloch will open at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library on January 25 and continue for a month. The subjects will reflect a wide range of interests — dancers, New York scenes, and Connecticut vistas. Miss Bloch has had shows in New York, Boston, Hollywood, and San Francisco. A Newtown resident for the past three years, she has exhibited locally; last year she won an award at the Southbury Arts Council.

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Little Misty Marvel, a yearling colt who was bred locally, has been named the Grand Champion Appaloosa for 1969 by the Eastern New York Appaloosa Association. His point score from show victories gave him this almost unprecedented win over every other age group. He won the yearling championship first, before going on to the top. His dam, “Misty Vale,” is owned by Sarah Smith of Monroe and his sire, “Little Man S,” stands at stud in Woodbury at Twin Brooks Farm. The yearling is now owned by Rip-Lin Stables in New York and will continue showing.

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BOY SCOUT TROOP 770 FORMS IN SANDY HOOK: Under the the sponsoring of Trinity Church Sandy Hook Troop 770 will meet for the first time on Tuesday, January 20, at 7 pm in the church undercroft. Mr Ronald Hodge, Scoutmaster, has planned an active program open to any Newtown boy, 11 years old, with an interest in Scouting. Present enrollment consists of: Jeff Hackett, Stephen Hodge, Eugene Lasko, Reggie Lewis, Keith Loveland, Don McCann, Steven Nellis. Serving on the troop committee are Milton Hackett, Ralph Loveland, Eugene Lasko, and David Nellis.

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After the recent storms, snow and ice built up on the inflatable buildings behind S. Curtis & Son in Sandy Hook to the point where shovels and brooms were needed to lighten the load. Ropes enabled two men to scale the side of the structure and it was a matter of beating the snow down with a broom to send it sliding off the edge. The task was accomplished easily and only one of the men fell off, swinging like a pencil at the end of a compass string and scribing a large, imaginary circle on the side of the building.

January 12, 1945

Miss Mabel Wright of Hanover Road had the misfortune to fall on Tuesday morning while crossing the street to the Edmond Town Hall, fracturing her left wrist. Miss Wright was taken to the office of Dr Waldo F. Desmond and later to the Danbury Hospital for x-ray. The wrist is now in a cast and Miss Wright is resting comfortably at the Hawley Manor.

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Residents of Main Street are indebted to Frank Michulis who on Sunday piloted John Beer’s “trotter” and a snowplow along the sidewalks and driveways, making it much easier for everyone to shovel out and travel along the street. It was a thoughtful and neighborly act, and The Bee wishes Mr Michulis to know that it was appreciated.

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Miss Amelia Popovitch of the Newtown Post Office is confined to her home in the Taunton district with a case of the chickenpox.

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Sgt Edward Ugolik, who is now recovering in an Army Hospital from injuries sustained in the South Pacific last April, spent last weekend with his mother, Mrs Sophie Ugolik of Botsford.

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Mr and Mrs Walter B. Smith have returned to their Taunton Lane home, and Mr Smith is once again associated with the Connecticut Dairy and Food Council.

January 9, 1920

R. H. Beers and Hobart H. Curtis passed Monday and Tuesday in New York in attendance upon the automobile show.

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F. W. Andrews started the new year by filling his ice house.

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John W. Ray, with the assistance of the teams of Arthur Stowe, Thomas Leahy and John Peck, put 46 loads of ice from Taunton Lake into the ice house on the Smith-Scudder place three days last week. The only excitement during the work was when a 340-pound cake of ice dropped on the edge of the left big toe of J. W. Ray’s dainty foot. The boys say John cut up something awful. He spoke out early and often.

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On January 1, Judge Oscar Pitzschler entered into his sixth term as town clerk of Newtown. Judge Pitzschler has been a most efficient and popular clerk, accommodating to all.

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The Sandy Hook Tigers would like to play the Community School basketball five at any time or place

Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed to kendra@thebee.com or brought to the office at 5 Church Hill Road to be scanned. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.