February 24, 1995

When Board of Managers chairman Sandra Motyka announced recently that the price of movie tickets would rise to from $2 to $3, we felt, once again, time moving on. Our nostalgia for the $1 movie ticket sold at the town hall for so many years is not fully matured, and now we are asked to make room for the $2 ticket in our fond memories. But we are consoling ourselves that as far as movie ticket prices go, the future at Edmond Town Hall is the dim past at most movie theaters When was the last time you got into a theater for $3 outside of Newtown? The hike in price is more than justified. The town hall is a busy place, and any building suffers wear and tear when in constant use. Revenue projections by the town hall managers show that without the increase, they would not be able to meet the anticipated expenses for the building’s upkeep in coming years.

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Sandy Hook property owners and Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members traded ideas this week on how the center can be revitalized through strategic planning and improvements. Members of the Steering Committee for a Revitalized Sandy Hook Center met Tuesday to consider development options. The proposed new land use zone know as the Sandy Hook Design District is intended to improve the center’s usability and appearance and to promote the center as a viable commercial hub. Property owner Jack Ryan said the steering committee should focus on how to raise money to make physical improvements to the center. “Raising capital is the key,” he said. Property owner Ray Ruzek said that having adequate parking is a key ingredient. “This whole center revolves around parking,” he said. John DeFillippe, a P&Z member, said he considers a new zone and new zoning regulations for Sandy Hook to be a “plus” for the whole town and especially for Sandy Hook residents. Morgen McLaughlan of McLaughlin Vineyards on Alberts Hill Road said Sandy Hook Center should be developed as a tourist destination. The center could be turned into a tourist spot such as New Preston near Lake Waramaug, she said.

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The beer cases are getting so empty at Steve’s Liquor Store on South Main Street that people have started asking if the store is going out of business, said store manager Keith Simmons. Over at House of Good Spirits, owner Alan Gulkis has perfected the art of making cases look full when they are not. He places a few cases of Samuel Adams so they take up the entire shelf. Usually five types of beer fill that shelf. Steve’s is not going out of business, nor is House of Good Spirits, but they and other liquor stores in the area are facing a hard time right now. For the past three weeks a strike at Star Distributors Inc. in West Haven has halted delivery of certain beers including Miller, Coors, Molson, Rolling Rock, and Samuel Adams. Stores tried to stock up before the strike, but the supply has dwindled. Star has started taking orders and making deliveries with replacement drivers, according to liquor store managers. If a store accepts a delivery, however, it may damage the relationship with the regular delivery man. The drivers on strike have asked their customers not to accept deliveries. Furthermore, a store might get picketed, and in the past businesses have been vandalized. But if stores reject delivery, they risk losing business. Store owners have not yet decided what to do.

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Edmond K. Swigart will be the guest speaker at the Garden Club of Newtown’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, February 28 at the Newtown Methodist Church in Sandy Hook. A well-known lecturer and conservationist, Mr Swigart is considered an expert on plants, trees, and birds. His topic will be “A Free Supermarket for the Picking.” Light refreshments and a social hour will begin at noon. The program will begin promptly at 1 pm. Visitors and newcomers are always welcome.

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The Newtown Chamber of Commerce invites the public to a program of “Pizza and Special Olympics,” on Tuesday, February 28, at the Fireside Inn. In July of this year, Newtown will be participating in the Host Town program for the 1995 Special Olympics World Games to be held in Connecticut. The theme is “Experience the USA in Connecticut.” Speaker Judson Doyle, Newtown Host Town Committee chairman, will tell the gathering about the Australian team, which Newtown will host, and he will discuss ways in which residents can make the team feel welcome. Admission is $8 for chamber members and $10 for non-members.

February 20, 1970

Newtown Forest Association has received gifts of two new parcels of land. The first comes from Mr and Mrs Richard Gretsch. They have gifted about .34 acres in an extremely important location between Taunton Lake Road and Taunton Lake near the Newtown Water Company’s pumping station. The second piece of land is from Henry Schnakenberg and conveys 6.4 acres on the southwesterly corner of Taunton Hill Road and Great Hill Road opposite Mr Schnakenberg’s home. Forest Association President Rev Paul Cullens stated, “These gifts are most welcome to the association’s holdings. The Gretsch parcel provides the association’s first foothold on Taunton Lake. Hopefully other gifts of land along the lake will follow. Each one will mean land that will never be built upon and will preserve the Borough’s water supply from pollution.” He said the Schnakenberg donation brings the association “into a new area.” Mr Cullens said, “We believe ownership of the parcel will have a beneficial effect on property values in the vicinity.”

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SCHOOL SITE: The Planning and Zoning Commission has called an informational meeting on Monday, March 2 at 8 pm, in the Edmond Town Hall gymnasium. Its purpose is to convey to citizens the reason for disapproval by the commission of the Luf property as the site for a new grade school. A letter has been sent to the Board of Education asking for that board’s attendance at the meeting.

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Fire, which started in a mattress in an upstairs bedroom, damaged a house on Chestnut Hill Road in Sandy Hook on Sunday morning. Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company, under the direction of chief Herb Lewis, responded to the call which came in at approximately 7:30 am from Mrs Jane Fissell, who is renting the house from Mr and Mrs Richard Selph. Firemen were in the area for nearly five hours. Fireman Robert Kiernan received a back injury when he fell while fighting the fire. He later went to Danbury Hospital for X-rays. Fire gutted the bedroom and also the attic. Other parts of the upper floor were damaged by smoke, as were the first-floor rooms. The complete extent as to the amount of damage is still undetermined.

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Newbury Congregation Church Youth Fellowship members of Brookfield visited Fairfield Hills Hospital and received a guided tour of the Plymouth Hall facilities. Following the tour, Volunteer Director Mrs Jane Wilson gave a short talk on the work of the hospital’s volunteers, stressing the many places where young people can effectively participate. Members were accompanied by youth counselor Jeff Verry of Newtown, and Mrs Murrell Ober and A. Wolberg, members of Newbury Church.

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On Tuesday afternoon, February 17, Brownie Troop 55, with leaders Mrs Frederic Baff and Mrs Roy Walker, paid a visit to the Newtown Bee where they were welcomed and taken on a tour of the premises to see what goes on behind the scenes in newspaper publishing. The girls who took part in this tour were Lindsay Beardsworth, Susan Mecca, Sandra Murray, Janice Schmidt, Carol Freisinger, Victoria Tischio, Robin Baff, Sherri Walker, Shirley Terry, Gene Kennedy, Lisa Krafcsik, Gene Kennedy, Nancy Kleiner, and Patricia Geiling.

February 16, 1945

The Bee Editor is indebted to Captain Vincent Sullivan for a lengthy letter describing his trip across the Atlantic in charge of a small harbor boat, and some of his experiences in England and on the Continent where he is now stationed. “Vinc” is really doing a man’s job in performance of duties in his second World War. He will have some tales of the sea to tell when he gets home. Meanwhile friends wishing to know more of his work are welcome to read his letter at The Bee office.

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The many friends of Mrs John Strozier will be glad to learn that she returned to her home in Rye, N.Y., last week, following a serious operation at Rye Hospital several weeks ago.

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Raymond L. Hall, of South Center district, who received severe injuries in a fall from the roof of his home several weeks ago, has recovered sufficiently to return to his teaching duties at Warren Harding High School in Bridgeport.

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Mrs William C. Perry, Sr., of Botsford Hill Road, recently received word that her son, Pfc Richard B. Perry, is now stationed in the Philippines.

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School children who are transported by bus were dismissed early last Thursday in order to reach home ahead of the heavy snowstorm which by Friday made it necessary to cancel school. The wind drifted the snow, making the tasks of the state highway department and the town road crews very difficult. The work of “Bill” Corbett and his associates on the state highway has been of the best all winter long and they are due a world of hearty commendation, reporting to work last Thursday morning and continued on the job all day Thursday and Friday. That takes stamina, which “Bill” Corbett and all his men seem to have in abundance. Congratulations to them and the work they do, their stamina being sprinkled with good nature.

February 13, 1920

Thomas Wright of New York City is spending a few days with his family in Sandy Hook.

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The fair, which Trinity church was to have held on Saturday night, has been postponed until after Easter.

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Mrs Fred Luf, who has been quite ill with influenza for a week, is now able to sit up.

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Frank Banks hired Richard Brophy’s big span of horses Sunday and opened up the road from the bridge to the home of his brother, where he resides. Frank now drives his “Henry” from the Banks’ residence to the Sandy Hook Market. It takes more than an ordinary blizzard to put Frank’s Henry out of commission.

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Fred Young, who has been ill with the grip, is now getting about the house.

Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with The 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.