July 19, 1996

The pool at Dickinson Park reopened Wednesday, after being closed for a day amid concerns that the water had become polluted. Water from a nearby swamp on Point O’ Rocks Road reportedly overflowed its banks, running across the road, and eventually overfilling a forgotten drainage culvert spilling into the public pool Tuesday... With the water came a “rotten egg” odor that initially had swimmers thinking actual sewage had entered the pool, but test results indicated there was no bacteria in the water... Parks & Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian explained that it actually came from decomposing vegetation from the swamp.

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Members of the Newtown Neighborhoods Coalition met Tuesday night in the Edmond Town Hall to map strategies and tactics for the group’s drive to limit and shape future residential growth to maintain the quality of life... Eric Roundy, vice president of the Rocky Glen Area Association, said that while developers are well organized when they present construction proposals to the town, citizen groups have little time to organize...What transpires at the July 18 [P&Z] hearings will likely lay the groundwork for how future subdivisions will be handled by the town, Mr Roundy said, in urging coalition members to attend the session.

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A proposal to require new commercial and industrial buildings, condominium complexes and residential subdivisions to install water storage tanks for firefighting drew a range of opinions at the July 11 public hearing conducted by the Planning & Zoning Commission. Firefighters want the commission to require the construction of underground water tanks for firefighting... so that firefighters would have a dependable water source immediately available... Attorney Robert Hall, owner of the building that houses Newtown General Store on Main Street, said the proposed water storage regulations “seem very burdensome” for residential subdivisions and the owners of commercial and industrial properties.

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A beaming James Lysaght was sworn into office as the town’s new police chief in ceremonies Sunday in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall. Town Clerk Cynthia Curtis administered the oath of office to Chief Lysaght, as his wife, Linda, and their three children, Patrick, Andrew, and Julia, looked on. About a dozen local police officers, including detectives and patrolmen, were among the 75 people who attended the ceremony.

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The challenge of riding bikes 300 miles from Boston to New York appeals to fitness enthusiasts Craig and Kelly Mittleman. The opportunity to do it in memory of Kelly’s brother, who died of AIDS in 1992, makes it an especially meaningful challenge. The Mittelmans, who live on Huntingtown Road, intend to participate in the Boston-New York AIDS Ride 2 in September. But to qualify, each must collect $1,500 in donations for AIDS-related services before August 1. “This isn’t a race, it’s a ride,” explained Kelly Mittleman. “It’s limited to 3,600 participants, people who are serious about it.”

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The confident Newtown Babe Ruth 14/15-year-old All Star Team looked like a force to be reckoned with... But during the dank and rainy conditions of Monday night, July 15, everything went south and Newtown lost a 12-2 debacle to Danbury forcing one game — on the following night — to decide this year’s title. Would a ten-run defeat only one night earlier take some of the bounce out of Newtown’s step? “No,” answered coach Rich Barillari after his team did away with Danbury 13-3 to win the District 4 Championship for the second straight year.

July 16, 1971

Residents of Newtown and Southbury are reminded of the public hearing called by the state on its revised plans for the route of I-84 through Sandy Hook into Southbury. The hearing will be at 8 pm on Wednesday, July 21, in the auditorium of Newtown High School on Route 34. Newtowners are reminded the ramp from I-84 to Route 34 has been removed and that they must go down Church Hill Road to reach Route 34.

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On July 13 the Board of Education was told for the second time why there wasn’t a successful newspaper at the high school. The first time they had been told by Harry McCaffrey, head of the English Department... he cited “student apathy and a lack of real talent” as the reasons... students were “turned off” by school newspaper work all over the country... The students attending the July 13 meeting ... explained the problems student staff was faced with... Their student advisor was Gerald Doyon, not McCaffrey... Mr Doyon is an English teacher and also a basketball coach, and students said he was far more interested in his coaching position than that of advisor to the newspaper... at the beginning of the year 35 students showed up for the newspaper, but half of them were discouraged right away when Mr Doyon told them that the number was too large. The students that did stay on ran into a continuous merry-go-round of frustrations caused by lack of faculty and advisor cooperation... The end results were that the school year ended with no newspaper off the presses.

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In a game played at 2 pm, July 10, at the town park, the Newtown Women’s Fastpitch Team defeated the Bethel Gems for their fourth victory in a row by a score of 12-8. This leaves their record at four wins and two losses.

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The Newtown League of Women Voters, realizing the need for diversified housing, supports the formulation of regulations for multi-family housing here. The importance of adequate planning and strict control are stressed, in a statement from the LWV.

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Sometime between 4 pm, July 7, and 4 pm July 8, the Dodgingtown Fire House was broken into and fire equipment was removed from the pumper. Also doors were pulled from their hinges upstairs, a file cabinet was forced open and rifled, money was taken from vending machines, and flashlights were taken off the trucks. Fire equipment consisting of chrome-plated couplers, and hose nozzles were stolen from the bay area of the company’s pumper. Also a nozzle on one of the pumper’s hoses was cut off and taken... A few days following the Dodgingtown theft, the same sort of robbery happened at the South Britain Fire House.

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Thirty-three New York City children arrived in Newtown, Tuesday afternoon, July 13. They are the Fresh Air Children who have been invited to spend two weeks with families in the Newtown area... A tour through the Poverty Hollow Dairy Farm in Newtown has been arranged for the visiting children and their host families.

July 12, 1946

The Newtown Board of Education passed a ruling at its last meeting that all children entering school in the fall must have been vaccinated against smallpox. Attention of all parents is called to this ruling... Late in August there will be a small pox vaccination clinic for those who have not yet been vaccinated.

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The dirt has been flying for more than two weeks on Hanover Road where contractors are at work on the first of three contracts which have been let by the state for the improvement of Newtown’s roads. Expert woodsmen have made quick work of clearing away brush and trees on the entire stretch and two gasoline shovels and a 17-ton bulldozer have made impressive inroads on the excavation from the monument to a point above the railroad bridge.

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The first annual carnival of the four combined fire companies of Hawleyville, Dodgingtown, Newtown, and Sandy Hook, which comprise the Newtown Fire Department, ended on Taylor Field, Saturday night, with the biggest of six big attendance records chalked up on the last night. In the closing hour, various prizes were awarded and dozens of articles donated by local merchants and leftover supplies from various vendors were auctioned, with Wilton Lackeye acting as official auctioneer.

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A most successful sale of articles by the blind was held on Wednesday at the Edmond Town Hall, when around $190 was raised for the benefit of the blind craftsmen who made all of the articles themselves. The sale was under the auspices of the State Board of Education of the Blind.

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Two Ayrshire calves were born last Monday at Steve Staudinger’s farm in Riverside district. The calves are white with brown markings. The mother and twins are all well.

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The Rev Steven D. Melycher, a former resident of Newtown, who has been assisting at St Rose church during the past few weeks since completion of active duty as an Army chaplain, has been assigned to St Rose of Lima church in Baltimore, Maryland, where he will soon begin his duties.

July 1, 1921

Some thoughtless individual, probably a transient traveller, passing through our midst, hypotheated, or gathered in, a very remarkable duck of the male species belonging to the Editor. The latter had visions of a roast duck dinner he was going to enjoy, but someone got ahead of him, to be sure, and not just according to the law. The taker might at least have left his card.

***

Dr and Mrs W.H. Kiernan and Mr and Mrs Charles Cole drove to Worcester, Mass., and returned on Monday in Mr Cole’s car. While passing through North Brookfield, Mass., they ran into a hail storm, some of the hail stones being an inch in diameter. Dr Kiernan brought some home in a thermos bottle and showed them as large as half an inch in diameter, 24 hours after they had fallen.

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The Brother Cushman House opened for business Friday, and in spite of the unfavorable weather of the week, has done an increasing business. This old Colonial house has been fitted up in a true colonial beautiful appearance and the mirror and wall adornments all harmonize. The little porch on the south side has been screened in and here one may partake of his cream, tea or toast in comfort... It is a pleasant place to drop in of an afternoon or evening and the local folks as well as transients will find a welcome and cordial greeting.

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To fill up the picnic basket, let us furnish you with olives, veal loaf, dried beef, potted meats, My Wife’s salad dressing, and Sunbeam Mayonnaise salad dressing, Campbell’s and Van Camp’s baked beans, canned salmon and tuna fish, Diamond ginger ale, grape juice and Moxie. —Corbett & Crowe, Adv.

***

The Race Against Time! On thousands of farms, the yearly race against time in the haying season is won with a McCormick Mower. The dependable McCormick operates steadily, with little danger of breakdowns and delays. A cutter bar that does not sag; wide wearing plates to support the knife; drop-forged steel knife head; and a pitman that reduces vibration are a few features that makes the McCormick sturdy and efficient. The prices have been reduced and are guaranteed until June 1st, 1922. — E.C. Platt, Hawleyville, Conn.

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