September 22, 1995

Within the past 45 days, fifteen Newtown families and individuals in housing crisis have come forward and asked the town for help, according to Director of Human Services Sheila Knox. Three families are facing foreclosure, five families have rental emergencies, three single males and four single females have housing emergencies. The term “emergency” means these people have no where to go and could easily be out on the street if intervention is not possible or successful.

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With one running back out for the season, another running back out for the month, and the quarterback nursing a fractured thumb on his throwing hand, it would be safe to say Newtown High School head football coach Bob Zito was not liking the hand he had been dealt for the 1995 season opener against Crosby High of Waterbury. It was as if the Bulldogs were holding a full house... But with the help of a few wild cards, coach Zito drew the inside straight and the Indians rallied back from a 14-0 deficit to edge the Bulldogs, 16-14.

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Legislative Council Wednesday night approved the hiring of an assistant building inspector to try to catch up on the increasing backlog of inspections by the building department. The $28,000 needed to pay the inspector for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends June 30, 1996, will be transferred from the budget line item for professional consultants to the building department’s salary account.

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When striving to create a new direction in life, many people seek to establish roots in and acceptance from the community in which they live. Those in the APT Foundation residential substance abuse treatment facility located on the Fairfield Hills campus are cleaning graffiti off street signs in order to give back to the town that has offered them a chance to heal. Four residents of the treatment facility supervised by one staff member scrubbed down signs and resealed them with a chemical product that will allow any future graffiti to be removed with water.

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Legislative Council Wednesday night approved 9-2 the proposed renovation and expansion of the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, paving the way to a town meeting on the $4.1 million project... William Lavery, chairman of the library’s building committee, said that in the 60 years since Mary Elizabeth Hawley built the library for the town, the only improvements that have been made were restrooms and an elevator for handicapped accommodations in 1980.

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What travels 60,000 miles per second, is flashy, definitely stormy, and electrifies Hawley School? In July, lightning struck a pole near the school, and through the electrical wires, wreaked havoc with the school’s fire alarm, the security system, the energy management system and the public announcement equipment... Hawley and Sandy Hook Schools are the school system’s buildings most prone to strikes or lightning damage. In the last four years, Hawley or Sandy Hook has been hit each year, causing around $4,000 damage each time... all the experts who study lightning said there is only little logic to lightning; where the bolt hits is mostly up to fate and fortune.

September 18, 1970

Dogs read The Bee. They read it especially carefully prior to National Dog Week, when they know it is their one time to stand up and be recognized as friend of man, protector of hearth and home, and beloved of children. This week over 75 dogs of ages, sizes, varieties, and backgrounds entered The Bee’s Dog Contest in hopes that they would be crowned the King or Queen of National Dog Week, which is from September 20 through September 27... Many were nervous at vying for such an honor, but only two managed to christen The Bee offices because of excitement... All of the dogs maintained a friendly competitive relationship with one another, and R. Scudder Smith, photographer of dogs, suffered only one small nip during the studio sessions.

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The State Traffic Commissioner has notified First Selectman Timothy Treadwell that a permit has been approved for the state to install a traffic control light at the intersection of Gray’s Plain Bennett’s Bridge Roads with Route 34. Sight lines are practically nonexistent for drivers entering Route 34 and while the light will not improve this situation, it should help prevent another tragic accident at this spot. Traffic is also to be improved in front of the new high school.

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Joel Zeisler, 28, of Sandy Hook, won the jumping event and also took a second place trophy in the tricks event at the Tenth Annual Connecticut State Water Ski Championships at Highland Lake in Winsted. The championships were September 12 and 13.

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Dine Well At Modest Prices! THIS IS POSSIBLE AT THE DROVER For example, We serve a generous cut of Char-broiled Sirloin Steak, with Baked Potato, large crisp tossed salad, hot rolls and coffee. But the tariff for all this is just $3.50. Yankee Drover Inn, Newtown, Conn. at the FLAGPOLE, the junction of Routes 202 and 25, Tel. 426-4401. Closed Mondays

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The Striders Drum Corps has openings in all its musical sections. Any boy or girl ten years and older may join. The Striders participate in parades and competitions in both New York and Connecticut. No musical experience is necessary. All instruments, uniforms, and instruction are provided by the Corps. The Striders are under the direction of Mr and Mrs M. Clark.

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BAKED FRESH DAILY Mrs Anderson’s French Bread with a Swedish Twist Crusty on the Outside, Light & Soft on the Inside; Mrs Anderson’s Foods, Inc, Newtown Shopping Center, Queen Street; 426-4255 Hand Rolled and Gently Folded The Old-Fashioned Way

September 14, 1945

Captain John F. McJennett, Jr, of Palestine Road, was presented the Bronze Star Medal at Washington, D.C. recently, for meritorious achievement while serving as an air support controller on Iwo Jima... His citation, signed by Major General Harry Schmidt, commanding general of the Fifth Amphibious Corps, credited McJennett with demonstrating outstanding qualities of initiative, sound judgement, and courage while handling the air support requests of Marine ground units during the Iwo Jima battle.

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With only two players available from last year’s team, the Hawley High School football players are tackling a Titanic task under Coach Harold S. DeGroat in rounding into shape a team for the season which is just opening. Tennis, soccer, and softball teams are also on the make.

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WANTED — Men To Work On Town Roads We pay higher wages than most towns in the state. Apply ready for work, 8 A.M., back of Edmond Town Hall, Newtown. Stanley J. Blackman First Selectman

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Good weather, combined with an Epicurean supply of tasty foods and games of every variety, made the first outing of S. Curtis and Sons staff, employees, and their families held on Saturday at the new Grays Plains home of Mrs Nelson J. Curtis an unqualified success, according to all reports... Besides being the first summer outing which included all Curtis employees, the present occasion marks the 100th Anniversary of the Curtis organization.

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Tuesday evening’s public hearing of the Board of Finance on the appropriations requested for the Town of Newtown for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 1945, drew a record attendance of some one hundred citizens... The Selectman’s budget was first considered, item by item, with the opinion frequently expressed that the amounts should be materially increased, including the selectmen’s salaries, highway and equipment items, etc... The meeting adjourned at 10 o’clock, the Board of Finance to meet this Friday evening to make its final recommendations.

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Newtown’s first scrap paper drive of the fall season is scheduled for this Saturday, September 15, and Salvage Chairman William Hunter is again asking for the same patriotic cooperation as during the active fighting. The need for paper, he states, is still very urgent and wholehearted support is still needed to boost the country’s business prosperity.

September 3, 1920

The microfilm containing 1920 Newtown Bee editions is kept at the C.H. Booth Library, which is temporarily closed due to coronavirus health precautions.

Your memories are the ones we want to share! Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to editor@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.