May 31, 1996

A town meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 3, at 7:30 pm in the high school auditorium to vote on spending $29 million on school renovation/expansion projects. The vote will be on two separate questions: to appropriate $24,922,000 for additions, renovations and code compliance improvements at the high school and $4,183,000 for improvements to Hawley Elementary School.

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The Police Commission has narrowed to “about ten” the number of people in contention to become the town’s new police chief, Police Commission Vice Chairman Robert W. Connor, Jr, said Thursday... After initial interviews, the commission plans to make a second cut, reducing the number of people in contention for the police chief post, he said.

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Kids at Head O’ Meadow School conducted a penny drive for a new piece of playground equipment, collecting $725.50 in pennies. The new equipment was recently installed in the middle of a spring rain.

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The Nichols Satinet Mill Site in Newtown was officially placed on the National Register of Historic Places at an awards ceremony in Hartford during National Historic Preservation Week. George W. Adams represented Newtown. In 1983, Mr Adams, with the assistance of Albert S. Knapp, who is now deceased, coordinated a study which led to the creation of the Orchard Hill Nature Center. Several old dams and mill sites are on the property.

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It’s a busy time for the Planning & Zoning Commission. The agency that regulates land use for the town has a host of zoning issues facing it: a proposal to prohibit adult book and video stores; to repeal the regulation that allows rear house lots in one-acre residential zones; consideration of “upzoning”... residential lots...; a proposal for cluster zoning...; a proposal to limit new stores larger than 40,000 square feet; adoption of “curb cuts” along Route 25 between the Monroe line and the flag pole.

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Steve Brookes, Jared Tendler, Dan Schneider, and Tom Fallon combined to shoot a 328 aggregate as the Newtown High golf team captured the first South-West Conference Championship Tournament. Tendler shot the best score for the second-straight year.

May 28, 1971

The new five-man police commission was sworn in at noon on Sunday during brief ceremonies in Edmond Town Hall... The new commissioners, whose duties will be to hire a police chief and start an organized police force here in Newtown are George McLachlan, Alfred Karcheski, Timothy Loughlin, Republicans; and Robert Hayes and Walter McCarthy, Democrats. Before the ceremonies began, a small group of Democrats and Republicans gathered outside the Town Hall, along with the uniformed men of the police department. The Democrats were there to protest the way in which the Commission members were appointed... The police were there to present a petition to the Commission asking that Resident State Trooper James Costello be named as chief of police.

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Handwritten invitations were issued to three of her best friends... at the appointed hour guests arrived. The gathering marked the tenth birthday of Tigger Martin, owned and loved by Doug, Joy, and little Kate Martin. Decked out in a green ribbon and silver hat, Tigger greeted the guests with a wag of what little dog tail she has... Baked and cooled to a dog’s delight was a five-pound meatloaf... Gift time could not arrive too soon for Tigger and she tore into the packages, finding two cans of chicken flavored food, a box of yummies and a bone which was large enough to last her till the next party... One small skirmish broke out... and one flower next to the house received the attention of almost everyone... And since “pin the tail on the human” was discouraged, the party ended with a few barks.

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One of the most popular rock groups in Newtown and the area, “Panacea,” won first place in the statewide “Battle of the Bands” competition... The “Panacea” is known for its “soft rock” sound, and all the music the group performed was original music, written and arranged by the members themselves... Members are Corky Ballard, bass guitar; Rick Kuhn, drums; Jon Dodson, guitar; and Leslie Ballard, flute.

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Police Make Nine Drug Arrests: Newtown Police, after weeks of intensive undercover work and investigation, arrested eight Newtown youths and one Trumbull youth on Monday, May 24, at 3 pm. Most of the arrests took place in the Wheeler Shopping Center on Queen Street... According to police Wheeler Shopping Center area has been under surveillance for some time and long hours of undercover work by police resulted in the arrests... Sgt Costello said that in the last six months the drug problem in Newtown has increased considerably, and that 12 and 13 year old girls were often used as “look outs.”

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The Bee has received notice from the Chancery in Bridgeport that the Rev Allen J. Norrell, assistant pastor at St Rose Parish, is leaving his post at St Rose to become Chaplain at Fairfield Hills Hospital. Father Norrell has been assistant pastor at St Rose since April 25, 1968.

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Edwin Cooper of Parmalee Hill Road, well-known dramatic actor and member of Trinity Church, will appear in “1776” at the Shubert Theater in New Haven, May 31 through June 5 every evening, with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday. Playing the role of Andrew McNair, the Congressional custodian in the Continental Congress of 1776, Mr Cooper has been touring with the play for about two months.

May 24, 1946

Fund Voted For Roads, Fire Engine, Grader: Revaluation, Shovel, and Trailer Denied At Largely Attended Meeting: Last Thursday evening’s special meeting was one of the largest and longest meetings in recent years, lasting more than three hours and attracting over 300 voters and taxpayers of the town. It was also, in The Bee’s opinion, a most uncomplimentary demonstration of democracy at work, over which everyone should feel considerably embarrassed, whether at the meeting or not. The integrity and intelligence of the people of Newtown is far above the low level reached in the debate during last Thursday’s transaction of town affairs. The best interests of the town were not always given first consideration, which coupled with political consideration and the lack of pertinent information forthcoming on several of the issues before the meeting, made the voting something of a mockery in some cases.

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As The Bee goes to press, news is received that Rev William J. Collins, pastor of St Rose church, is to be transferred to the pastorate of the Sacred Heart church, New Haven, and that Rev Walter R. Conroy, now assistant pastor of St Rose church, is to become the pastor.

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On Sunday afternoon at his delightful studio home, “Brook House,” Lands End Road, Hawleyville, Herman E. DeVries, well known furniture designer, formerly of New York City, held open house for the exhibition of his water colors, including a group of 30 done in Mexico this winter... Three years ago, Mr DeVries purchased the old Grist, Saw and Cider Mill on Lands End and converted it into a very attractive studio and workshop.

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To the young people, Friday night, May 17 was — the night — for it was then that the Junior-Senior Reception successfully took place. Old Man Weather did his best, using all powers to discourage any who had planned to go to the Prom, but it was to no avail. That dance was the most important social event of the year for the young people, and rain or no rain, it had to be attended — and it was... The Juniors who arranged the reception under the guidance of Miss Louise Greene felt that their efforts were well worth while... The purpose of the Prom is to honor the seniors and to provide a night of entertainment.

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Cold Spring Stable RIDING HORSES $1 per hour. Located at old Coger place on Cold Spring Road off Route 25 — Near Pines Restaurant. Walking distance from bus. TEL. NEWTOWN 538-5.

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With all out-of-doors drenched and soggy, it took a Girl Scout and a Camp Fire Girl just five minutes to have a fire roaring on a rocky ledge of the Charles G. Morris farm in the Zoar District early last Saturday afternoon. The occasion was the joint hike of the two organizations, carried out on schedule, despite the forbidding weather.

May 13, 1921

On Friday evening, May 6, one of the greatest social events of the season was held in the Town Hall. This event was the Junior-Senior Reception. The hall was very artistically decorated with the Junior class colors, green and gold... On the movie machine in the gallery was a great yellow moon, which furnished illumination for several moonlight waltzes. To those well acquainted with the hall, the sight of it so beautifully adorned was a great surprise.

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Some miscreant visited the hen roost of Mrs Jennie Sturges, last week, and stole 20 nice hens. The neighbors kindly gave her a poultry bee, the next few days, giving her two and three hens each, a fine neighborly act.

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The second and last game of basketball was played off in the Methodist Parish House in Danbury. New Canaan beat the Boy Scouts of Newtown, winning both games played. But this game, last Tuesday night, was a “corker” and one that the spectators will cherish for a long while, for it was uncertain until the last ball was fired. New Canaan beat our boys by two points, the score being New Canaan 20 to Newtown 18.

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A spectacular and very unusual auto accident took place at the Sandy Hook bridge over the Pootatuck river, near the Brick store, Sunday morning, about 2 o’clock. Charles Botsford was returning from Southbury and, falling off to sleep, he drove his Ford car through the railing near the cement bridge and down into the Pootatuck river, a fall of some 15 feet. Mr Botsford managed to get out of the car and clambered up the rocks. He then set out for his home in Palestine, some four miles distant. Sheriff Beers’ attention was called to the wreck about 7 o’clock, Sunday morning, by Daniel Keane. They secured some ropes from Richard Brophy’s and turned the car over and ascertained the number and telephoned to Hartford to find out who owned the car. About this time, Mr Botsford put in an appearance and solved the mystery. The car was damaged to an extent of possibly $150.

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Thursday night will be Children’s night in Pootatuck Grange. There will be a pageant by children in charge of Mrs A.B. Blakeman. The entertainment that evening will be in charge of Charlotte C. Minor and Elliott Platt.

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.