January 31, 1997

First Selectman Bob Cascella figures next year’s town budget could be kept under $22 million, up just 2.7 percent over the current budget, but only through the use of a little “alternative” financing. As it now stands, however, Mr Cascella’s proposal is nearly $23 million, a 6.9 percent increase. “The total budget is $22.9 million, but by utilizing alternative financing for capital road construction, we could certainly get to $21.9 million. But that’s the choice of the Legislative Council,” the first selectman said Tuesday as he presented the town budget.

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First Selectman Bob Cascella received official notification last week that the Newtown Borough Historic District has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Properties in the Borough which have been placed on the National Register listing include 1 to 8 Main Street; 18 and 22 South Main Street; 1, 6 and 8 Academy Lane; 3, 5 and 7 Church Hill Road; 1 Glover Avenue; 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 Currituck Road; 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 11 West Street; the flagpole, Ram Pasture, and The Hawley Memorial Bridge on Hawley Road.

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Police Chief James E. Lysaght Jr received a donation of $600 from Newtown Lions Club to help cover expenses of the police department’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. DARE, which is taught to all fifth graders in public schools and St Rose School, instructs children to resist peer group pressure to abuse drugs.

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50 YEARS OF MARRIAGE: Mike and Jo Lucas were married January 25, 1947, at St Rose of Lima Church in Newtown by Father Conroy. A party was held last October in honor of their 50th anniversary. Eighty family and friends joined in the celebration at the Sandy Hook Fire House. Mike and Jo renewed their vows on Saturday, January 25, with Monsignor Birge of St Rose of Lima Church. Mike and Josephine have two children and two grandchildren. They wish everyone the happiness they have been blessed with.

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After 33 years as executive secretary to four different Sandy Hook School principals, Kay Ozane is looking forward to her retirement beginning Friday, January 31. The years have just “flown by” she said Monday, as she thought back over all the days and weeks spent answering the phone, working on budgets, purchasing supplies, managing paperwork for school personnel and taking care of “everything else that has to be done” in a busy elementary school office. Now she looks forward to a new routine doing “nothing special” for a change, with her focus centered on her Newtown home, her grown daughters, and her husband Joseph, who is also retired.

NOTE: The 1997 feature on Kay Ozanne upon which the above notes are based misspelled her married name. We apologize once more to the family of Kay, who died in January 2021, for the error.

February 4, 1972

A 15-year-old girl was attacked on her way home from Newtown High School at 2:30 Tuesday afternoon, February 1, and at 4 pm Newtown Police arrested an Ansonia resident for allegedly committing the crime. Police described the man as a 21-year-old who had just been released from Fairfield Hills Hospital at noon that day. He was reported to have been a patient off and on at the hospital several times in the past year. It was also reported that the alleged assailant had been released from the hospital with no money, no transportation, and no one to see that he arrived home in Ansonia. The man was taken to the Bridgeport jail, charged with rape in the first degree with $10,000 bail. Newtown Police making the arrest were Officer Michael Fekete and Detective Sgt Michael DeJoseph.

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A new home on Bears Hill Road in the Botsford section of Newtown was destroyed in an early morning fire Thursday, February 3. Approximately 46 volunteers from three companies in Newtown responded. The owner of the home was Gerald Conetta. Trucks 51, 52 and 55 from the United Fire Company of Botsford; Engine 1 and the aerial from the Newtown Hook and Ladder Fire Company No 1 fire house; truck 49 from Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company, and Tanker 1 were at the scene. Hose was laid to a hydrant in Monroe by the men on Engine 1, and 1,000 feet of three-inch hose was used as well as 1,000 feet of two-and-a-half-inch hose. Two firemen were hurt slightly. The Botsford volunteers were under the direction of their chief, Joseph Dauplaise; Hook and Ladder, assistant chief Millard Goodsell; and Sandy Hook, Chief Herb Lewis. Fire Marshals James and Joseph Cavanaugh were also on the scene. The call came in at 2 am, and the equipment was back in the fire house at 7 am. The Women’s Auxiliary of the United Botsford served coffee and doughnuts, which were supplied by the Botsford Drive-In and Rens Bakery. Cause of the fire is still undetermined and the blaze is under investigation.

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Miss Elizabeth M. Kuhn and Charles A. Berls Jr were married early in January in St Rose of Lima Church, the Rev Thomas Lunch of St Rose and the Rev Alastair Sellars of the Newtown Congregational Church officiating. The bride is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Sandor Kuhn of Danbury. The bridegroom is the son of Mr and Mrs Charles A. Berls Sr of Taunton Lake Road. Given into marriage by her father, the bride wore an Empire gown of ivory satin with imported lace and seed pearls, designed and made by her mother.

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Thursday, January 27, Boy Scout Troop 270 had its winter Court of Honor at the Dodgingtown Fire House. Some 80 guests were in attendance. The highlight of the evening was the awarding of the Scout rank of Life to Pat Bower, Ricky Camejo and Matt Karpacz. Scoutmaster Raul Camejo conducted a Tenderfoot Investiture at which Brian Gray and Drew Karpacz were inducted into the Troop. Jim Dirienzo, Paul Fleming, Doug Ramage, and Paul St Arnauld attained the rank of Second Class, and First Class rank was presented to Bob DeWitt. Warrants were issued to several Scouts, 24 Merit Badges covering various skills were presented, and Scouting service pins were received by many members.

January 31, 1947

The country was shocked last Sunday as news arrived over the radio of the death that day of Grace Moore, internationally famed soprano star of the opera and concert stage, radio and motion pictures, in an airplane crash at Copenhagen, Denmark. Miss Moore and her husband had been residents of Newtown, having purchased the salt box house and 400 acres of land comprising their Far Away Meadows estate in the Stevenson district. The plane, a two-engined Dakota, of the K.L.M. (Royal Dutch) Airlines, was taking off for Stockholm, where Miss Moore was scheduled to give a concert. The gravity of the news was heightened by the death in the same plane of Prince Gustav Adolf, 40, grandson of King Gustav V of Sweden and son of Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf. He was second in line of succession to the Swedish throne.

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EDITORIAL INK DROPS: The tragic death which came so suddenly to Grace Moore on Sunday in the fatal plane crash at Copenhagen brought universal sadness. She was, indeed, a great singer and a favorite among all who had heard her voice or seen her on stage and screen. Newtown is, of course, intimately concerned because the singer and her husband had made their home here since 1936. Miss Moore enjoyed the brief periods spent at Far Away Meadows, and the fact that she came here to relax and find rest excused her from attempting to take an active part in town affairs. She was, however, a real friend to the Orchestra Society and contributed generously to local causes. In the brief span of life allotted to her, Miss Moore made a great deal of it. She will be long remembered and, we are sure, held before many singers as a great inspiration and example of what can be accomplished when there is courage and an indomitable will to succeed. Newtown joins the world in mourning her loss.

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The annual meeting of the Congregational church was held last Thursday evening in the social room of the church, preceded by a delicious roast beef supper served at 6:30 o’clock by the Women’s Federation. There was an attendance of 103, eighty-three of whom were members of the church.

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Rev Paul A. Cullens, Scoutmaster of Newtown’s Troop 70, was one of three Scouters given the Silver Beaver award at the annual meeting of Pomperaug Council, held Tuesday evening of last week at Eichner’s Restaurant in Bridgeport. Others to receive the award were Lester C. Burdick, executive board member-at-large of the Council, and D. Verner Smythe, Sea Scout Commodore. Rev Mr Cullens’ record in Scouting is one of many years, starting in 1912 when he first became a Boy Scout himself. He has been Scoutmaster of Troop 70 since 1928, until 1943 when he entered service as an Army chaplain, returning to Newtown and his ministerial and Scouting duties near the end of 1945. Scoutmaster Cullens is a strong exponent of a real outdoor program for Scouts, having conducted Pine Tree Patrol trips for the older Scouts each summer for a good many years into the Canadian woods.

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At Tuesday evening’s meeting of Pohtatuck Grange, Mrs David Scott, lecturer, presented an original skit depicting the life of Oliver Kelley, founder of the Grange. Junian Drew played the part of Mr Kelley, and Mrs Audrey Gaffney that of Mrs Kelley. Mrs Scott acted as narrator, and Mrs Charles Hawley accompanied on the piano. Also included on the program was a short talk by Robert K. Mitchell, newly elected State Gatekeeper, on the increasing demand for milk to be used for the making of ice cream. Vincent Gaffney, teacher of Vocational Agriculture at Hawley School, spoke briefly on the lard situation, and Howe Smith gave pointers in preventing fires in the home.

February 2, 1922

A force of 10 carpenters is now busy on the inside trim at the new Hawley school. The handsome oak doors are being hung, the hardware put in place and the mouldings and trim are fast going into position. The laying of the oak floors will take place about the last thing. The Danbury Plumbing Company is getting along fast with the work. The lavatories in the basement have been completed, and to an outsider it looks as if the building might be ready for occupancy by April 1. The hardware used throughout the building is being furnished by Linquest & Boerum of Bridgeport. Everyone who has looked into the new building is delighted with the large airy and light schoolrooms. It is certainly going to be a credit to the town, and of its architects, Sunderland & Watson, and the builders, the Hewlett Construction Co., of Bridgeport.

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Fire broke out about 6.15 o’clock, Thursday, in the house of Miss Julia Prindle in South Center district, which had a narrow escape from total destruction. The fire broke out, it appears, in a room occupied by Master James Wetmore. James told the story that on waking up, Thursday morning, he found the room full of smoke and the oil stove smoking badly. He threw a blanket over the stove which got on fire. He then ran down stairs and went over to the next house to arouse E.S. Pitzschler, who hastened at once to the Prindle residence. Mr Pitzschler took a lamp and went upstairs to find James, whom he supposed was up there. But he was overcome with smoke and fell to the floor. He managed to get out by crawling on his hands and knees. He then took a flash light and went upstairs but was again forced by the smoke to exit. He then went outside and found James, to his great relief. Others soon arrived and by hard work the house was saved. The furniture and bedding in the room occupied by James were pretty thoroughly burned and some holes burned in the flooring. The damage to the house and contents must be in excess of $500. That the house was saved is a miracle and is practically due to the good judgment displayed by those who were early at the fire.

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Orders have been given by the Borough authorities that hereafter in case of future fires outside the Borough the fire siren will blow two long blasts. Inside the borough the siren will blow continuously. This will save some confusion in the case of future fires.

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The Guild of St John’s church held a meeting, Wednesday afternoon, at Mrs L.T. Briscoe’s.

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Miss Marion Flory, language teacher at the High School since September, resigned her position, Tuesday, owing to ill health and returned on Thursday to her home in Bangor, Pa. Miss Flory has done excellent work here and has made many friends in town. Her departure is greatly regretted.

February 5, 1897

Hawleyville will have a union chapel, there is no doubt about it. Those interested have organized with the following officers: President, Alpheus G. Baker; vice president, E.C. Platt; secretary, A.B. Fancher; treasurer, Amos T. Camp; trustees, Jesse A. James, F.C. Sanford and S.A. Blackman. The question of site for the proposed chapel has been left with the trustees. Mr Blackman has offered a site free of cost, so long as it shall be used for religious purposes. Mr Sanford and Mrs Lake have also offered sites without cost. The ideas of the projectors of the enterprise is to have preaching service, Sunday evenings, by clergymen from nearby places. It is also probable that a Sunday school will be organized.

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BAPTIST CHURCH NOTES: The annual meeting of the Baptist church society was held on Saturday evening, January 30. The following officers were chosen for the ensuing year: Society’s committee, B. Hawley, William Lewis and A.B. Curtis; clerk, C.D. Stillson; treasurer, B. Hawley. The Ladies Aid society meets at the church on Wednesday afternoon of next week at 1.30 o’clock. Rev Mr Beaman will conduct a prayer meeting in the Judd district school house, next Wednesday evening.

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Julius Hawley had a call, one day last week, from old railroad friends, P. Johnson and George Hayes of Bridgeport. Although 79 years old, Mr Hawley does not lose interest in railroading or old associates in the business.

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DODGINGTOWN AND VICINITY: Mrs A.L. Baldwin entertained a number of friends on Saturday. | Burr Williams of Stony Creek has been spending several weeks with L.S. Barnum. | Mr and Mrs John Wood and son of Bethel have been spending a few days with Mrs Wood’s parents, Mr and Mrs Lorenzo Durant. | Miss Mary Frank Shepard is suffering from a severe cold. | The ice gatherers are now very busy. | Master Howard Platt of Redding has been the guest of his grandparents.

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