July 4, 1997

Nugget the golden retriever, was so enthused about being chosen Number 1 Dog, he could barely sit still for a picture. He tried to lick everyone who passed him on the town hall steps, as if to say, “Yes! Out of all the licensed dogs in Newtown, they drew my name and I now wear dog tag number 1.” The contest, sponsored by the town clerk’s office, is an incentive for people to comply with state regulations and license their dogs by June 30. Tax Collector Carol Mahoney randomly picked the golden as the winner.

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Firefighters from Botsford, Newtown Hook and Ladder, Sandy Hook and Hawleyville, as well as the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded to a fire at 12:18 am Wednesday morning at DeVivo Industries, Inc, a metal fabricating plant at 40 High Bridge Road. Fire Marshal George Lockwood said spontaneous combustion took place in floor sweepings, which contained some chemicals. The fire spread to filters in a spray painting booth, causing an estimated $12,000 in damages, he said. There were no injuries.

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The Easton Banjo Society provided the entertainment at the Fourth Annual Senior Picnic sponsored by the Senior Center. About 65 seniors gathered at Dickinson Park Wednesday to enjoy hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, coleslaw, and watermelon; the seniors provided various baked goods for dessert.

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Michael Kehoe was sworn into office as a police sergeant in ceremonies at the police station Tuesday. Assistant Town Clerk Sue Shpunt conducted the swearing-in. Sgt Kehoe’s wife, Lori, and the Kehoes’s son Brian joined the new sergeant for the event. The couple’s son Michael was unable to attend.

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Shirley Ferris, commissioner of agriculture, has been elected vice president of the Eastern United States Agricultural and Food Export Council. She was elected by fellow commissioners of the ten-state regional association that makes up the board of trustees for the organization. In her position as vice president, Commissioner Ferris, who lives in Newtown, will be the first member of the board of trustees to assume the added responsibility of chairing the Export Council’s Program (Marketing) Committee.

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The annual St Rose Carnival started Tuesday night and runs through Saturday, July 5, with rides, games and food stands open from 7 to 11 pm. First Selectman Bob Cascella sat in the dunk booth for an hour on opening night, giving anyone an opportunity to knock him into the water — three tries for $1. Carole Ross, the first selectman’s administrative assistant, lobbed many balls at her boss but couldn’t match the effort of Monsignor George Birge, who knocked Mr Cascella off his perch with the first ball.

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Rockies pitcher Jeremy Graves felt like he had the world on his shoulders. Clinging to a 2-0 lead into the fifth inning in the Newtown Babe Ruth’s American League championship game last Saturday, the 12-year-old had dominated and shut down the league’s top team until his friend Ronnie Isler connected for a long solo home run to make it a one-run ballgame. … To close the game, the hard-throwing righty rang up his 12th and 13th strikeouts of the game and his team, the Tendler Realty Rockies, had defeated the top-seeded Newtown Hardware Phillies 2-1 to win for the title.

July 7, 1972

Newtown has an Olympian. He’s Bruce Jenner of Sandy Hook, and he’ll be competing in Munich, Germany, in one of the toughest and most demanding of all the track and field events, the decathlon. He won his berth on the US team by coming in third in the Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, on July 3 and 4. The 22-year-old at Graceland College in Iowa is an all-around athlete, a qualification which is a necessity for the decathlon, which includes ten events that test various skills.

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The Newtown Parks and Recreation Commission announces the resignation of Edward F. O’Dowd, recreation director, to take effect immediately. In a letter to William A. Honan Jr, chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission, Mr O’Dowd stated personal reasons prevent him from moving into the Newtown area. The Commission, at its June meeting, had indicated to Mr O’Dowd the urgency of his locating in the Newtown area, so that he would be more readily available evenings and week-ends.

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On Saturday, July 1, the Newtown Jaycees welcomed the ten thousandth family to stop at its Holiday Rest Area. They arrived about 5 pm and were Mr and Mrs Dave Doyle and their son, Wayne. Mr Doyle is in the Air Force and the family was on its way to his new home base in Texas. They received a dinner at the Hawley Manor Inn, a congratulatory letter, and a bottle of champagne donated by River’s on the River.

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Three Danbury residents were arrested Wednesday, July 5, by Det Sgt Michael DeJoseph of the Newtown Police Department’s detective bureau for attempted larceny in the third degree. The incident took place in the Grand Union supermarket on Queen Street, and according to police reports, the three were arrested after they unsuccessfully attempted to remove a large quantity of groceries from the store. All three were under surveillance the entire time they were attempting to remove the merchandise from the store and were arrested shortly after their attempt failed to materialize. Two 22-year-old males and a 16-year-old female were arrested.

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Pitney-Bowes, a major supplier of postage meters and mailing equipment, copiers and retail systems products, reports that extra equipment and servicemen transported from other areas are being made available in sections of New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia hardest hit by heavy rains and flooding. The company’s new warehouse and distribution center in Newtown is nearing completion. All available postage meters and related mailing equipment are being loaned without charge to customers whose equipment was put out of service by the emergency.

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Newtown’s volunteer fire companies responded to several fires at the beginning of the week, including structure fires and a truck fire. On July 3, Monday, firemen were called out for a truck fire on Route 84, and men from Newtown Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 and Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company responded. The fire started in the truck’s carburetor, and damage was considerable. Also on Monday, Newtown Hook and Ladder answered a call from the Gerald Schmidt home on Head of Meadow Road, after lightning hitting the house caused a fire which heavily damaged the dining room. On Tuesday, July 4, at 8:30 pm, Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company and Hook and Ladder responded to an alarm from a home in the Taunton area.

July 4, 1947

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — OUR APPOINTED TASKS: As these United States prepare to celebrate the 171st anniversary of their independence, it would do well for all of us to look about and take stock of our country and ourselves. Too seldom do we pause in our everyday hustle and bustle to appreciate the beauties of the country in which we live, the basic freedoms which we take for granted, and the opportunities which present themselves at every hand for an abundant life. Granted that world affairs are in turmoil, and peace itself seems of uncertain duration — those large international problems, which we as individuals can do so little to solve, should not deter us from living useful lives in the immediate “world” which we find about us every day.

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Scudder Smith, son of Mr and Mrs Paul S. Smith, left on Monday for Camp Agawam, Crescent Lake, Maine, where he will spend the summer. Miss Mary Starr Smith, daughter of Mr and Mrs Smith, left on Wednesday for Camp Kuwiyan on Lake Winnipesaukee, at Meredith, N.H.

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The condition of Mrs Robert N. Camp, who is a patient at the Danbury Hospital, is much improved.

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Added impetus was given Wednesday evening to the already popular Firemen’s Carnival being carried on all this week by Newtown’s four volunteer fire companies on Taylor Field at Hawley school, when a big parade marched the entire length of Main street as far as Glover avenue, through Queen street and down to the carnival grounds. Included in the parade were the Grassy Plain Fife and Drum corps preceded by Henry Wachmuth, chief of the Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company as marshal, and a color guard, and followed by uniformed members of the Bethel Volunteer Fire Company; two pieces of Newtown fire apparatus, one from Dodgingtown, and one from Hawleyville. Next came the Sandy Hook Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps, playing a lively air, and followed by the uniformed Sandy Hook firemen and their fire engine.

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In Sunday’s baseball game, played at Roxbury, between the Newtown Bees and the Roxbury club, Manager “Jack” Leavy’s players scored a decisive 9-2 victory. Burr Morgan started on the mound for Newtown and was relieved in the fifth by Brown. Both pitchers turned in good performances. Thompson pitched for Roxbury until the ninth inning, when Neil Conway, who has been bothered recently with a sore arm, took over for the rest of the game.

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Danny Desmond, son of Dr and Mrs Waldo F. Desmond, and Alex Clark, son of Mr and Mrs Robert Clark, left Sunday to spend the summer at Camp Kawanhee, Weld, Maine.

June 30, 1922

Carl Rassmussen has his large store in Dodgingtown nearing completion. It will be 24x40, with a piazza in front. He hopes to be ready for business by the middle of July. Edgar Northrop is superintending the carpenter work. Mr Rassmussen expects to give that section an up to date store.

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The store of Morris & Shepard will close all day July 4.

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All kinds of dishes and table ware at reduced prices.—[Samuel. Nalevky.—Adv.

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It appears that quite a number of people are careless about letting their dogs run loose through the fields and woods. E.A. White, game and fish warden for the town, says they kill young rabbits, break up the nests of pheasants, quail and partridge and do a great deal of damage to wild game. He asks dog owners to cooperate with him help preserve the game. The request is reasonable and made in the right spirit.

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The first commencement exercises in the new Hawley High school took place on Thursday evening of last week, before an audience which crowded the auditorium and hallway to standing room. Above the stage was the class motto, “Not Evening, But Dawn.” The program was an especially interesting one and was as follows: March. Invocation, Rev J.L. Lasher. Salutatory, May Platt. Valedictory, Joseph McCarthy. Music, “Massa Dear,” School. Address, Hon Lynn W. Wilson. Presentation of Diplomas, by Charles G. Morris, Chairman of the Town School committee. Awarding of Prizes, Charles G. Morris. Benediction, Rev J.L. Lasher.

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Recently Mr and Mrs Tracy Peck, Mr and Mrs JL. Gilbert and Mr and Mrs A.M. Boyson and son, took an auto trip to New London, then to Hartford, where they visited the rose garden, which they report being very beautiful, and Elizabeth Park filled with autos from many places.

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Mrs John Cox of New Milford passed last Thursday with Miss Mary Carley of Sandy Hook.

July 9, 1897

EDITORIAL INK DROPS: We like to see the boys enjoy themselves on the Fourth, but when it comes to breaking into churches and despoiling property, this is another matter. In the Protestant churches which were entered in town on the Fourth it is said the guilty parties were members of the parishes whose edifices were ruthlessly broken into. They paid no respect to the sanctity which exists about these churches, or to the locks placed to keep intruders out. They simply broke in by force and rang the bells. This may be smart, but it is criminal. Perhaps a little administration of justice would be salutary.

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The sweltering heat of Monday did not prevent a large attendance at the picnic at Ronalds’ Park under the auspices of St Rose’s church. The young people were out in force, and evidently enjoyed the day’s proceedings. No storm arose to mar the happiness of the day, although it was feared and expected. The event included a half mile bicycle race … considerable enthusiasm was aroused in the horse trot … the interest of the afternoon, however, centered in the ball game, which was a good one. Sandy Hook won over Bridgeport, 19-12. During the evening dancing was enjoyed, Peck & Bliss furnishing the music.

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Miss Madge Peck celebrated her eighth birthday by giving a party to her young friends. Games, music, etc., were indulged in when all were seated around the long table [and] one was reminded of a fairy picture, so many together and so near of a size. She received many pretty gifts from her young friends.

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On Wednesday evening, June 30, at South East, N.Y., at the home of the bride’s father, occurred the marriage of Sarah Elizabeth Sherwood to Isaac A. Hawley of Hawleyville. The bride was very handsomely attired in green covert cloth trimmed with silk and white lace. The house was very tastefully decorated with ferns and daisies. Mr and Mrs Hawley received a number of very handsome and useful presents. Only the immediate relatives were present. After the wedding supper the bridal couple left amid a shower of rice for their home in Hawleyville.

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James Brown of Jersey City has been passing a few days in Sandy Hook, the guest of Representative Houlihan.

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Messrs Michael Lyons, Will McBath, Patrick Keane, Patrick Bradley and David Kenzie of Jersey City passed the holiday in town. The rubber factory where these men are employed is now running on short time.

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“I crave but One Minute,” said public speaker in a husky voice; then he took a dose of One Minute Cough Cure, and proceeded with his oratory. One Minute Cough Cure is unequalled for throat and lung troubles. E.F. Hawley, Newtown; S.C. Bull, Sandy Hook; A.B. Blakeman, Botsford; B. Hawley & Co., Stepney.

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