March 29, 1991

Residents who could be neighbors to the first affordable housing project in town told Planning & Zoning Commissioners that the town and property could not support the proposal. Protesting were neighbors near the 34-acres off Walnut Tree Hill and Church Hill Roads which developer Emery Lantos wanted to rezone as affordable housing. Residents feared lower property values and a failure to retain Newtown's charm by becoming urbanized. John Blawie said, "Newtown isn't Trumbull." The hearing remained open another month to allow questions to be answered and to receive written comment. If approved, the new regulations and rezoned property would be the first affordable housing in town, not including elderly housing. Mr Lantos in the last four years has filed without success four separate P&Z applications to use that property.

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A pot-belly pig gave the Easter Bunny a run for this money. Miniature Vietnamese pot-belly pigs were at Lexington Gardens last week. They are the rage in house pets. A full grown pig weighs just 25 pounds, can be easily housebroken, and is non-allergenic, very clean and intelligent (pigs apparently rank No. 4 in smarts behind humans, apes, and dolphins). The exotic pigs are a little pricey though, selling for about $500. Mini and dwarf bunny varieties make excellent house pets. They are small, nonbiting, and easy to care for and cost around $20.

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Selectmen tabled a decision on requiring residents to pay an annual fee of $25 for a sticker to enter the landfill and recycling center until the spring. Selectman Michael Snyder suggested the fee, but the decision was put off because Selectman Gary Fetzer was not ready to vote on the matter. Mr Snyder also recommended that the fee charged to haulers for taking commercially-generated waste to the landfill be increased from $3 a cubic yard to $10. He said the increases would help offset the costs of operating the landfill.

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Newtown Boy Scout Troop 70 made its fourth annual weekend venture to Vermont on March 16 & 17 to do a little skiing at Bromley and Magic Mountain. The spirits of the 16 scouts and six adults were not dampened although it rained both Saturday and Sunday. John Goosman can attest to the fact that, yes, they did in fact ski; the leg brace he acquired on the first day when he slipped and hit a rock with his knee is testimony. Fortunately, he was able to get in a few runs before his fall. Besides skiing, the boys also went bowling and ate pizza.

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April 1, 1966

Joel Nezvesky, son of Mr and Mrs Samuel Nezvesky of Huntingtown Road, placed third in the high jump last Saturday at the University of Connecticut collecting enough points to put the group from Newtown in the 14th slot out of a total 29 schools. Six local students attended the Medium School Indoor Track Meet under coach Roger Streeter's supervision. Track practice, now a daily event at the school, finds Joel clearing the bar more often than not.

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The spring schedule of programs for the Newtown Historical Society got off to a fine start on Monday evening with a talk called, "What's in the bottle?" by Sherman Perkins of Middletown. The event took place in the Cyrenius H. Booth Library conference room where about 30 people attended. Mr Perkins has spent much of his time in the state's woodlands and it is here that he has found most of the bottles which now number several hundred and make an impressive collection. Spots near stone walls, old cellar holes, and former dumps have turned up the richest finds. But just collecting the bottles was not enough; it was the original content that was as interesting. One bottle held Pond's Extract guaranteeing to cure pain, frostbite, hemorrhages, and could be taken internally, externally, and eternally.

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Vital statistics for the town of Newtown during the calendar year of 1965 show only 49 deaths out of an estimated 12,700 population (exclusive of Fairfield Hills Hospital). This is a sharp decrease from the 76 deaths recorded in 1964, and 101 deaths in 1963. In 1962 there were 84 deaths. There were 229 births in 1965, 121 boys and 108 girls. Marriages were up slightly in 1965 to 115 as contrasted with 111 in 1964. This is a sharp increase over 1963, however, when only 93 couples were wed.

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It did not seem as if there would be room for the visitors after setting up the 160 exhibits from just the first four grades in the St Rose church hall for the annual Science Fair. But many family and friends did fit and enjoyed it all. Walking off with the blue ribbons Tuesday night in the first two classes were Susanne Schmitt with a display of plants and flowers, and Patrick Cragin with an exhibit of hornets and wasps.

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March 28, 1941

Recent guests at Hawley Manor included a whole flock of cedar waxwings. These birds are seen usually in this vicinity in pairs or singly, but rarely in flocks so that it was a pleasure for the Hunters and the people staying at Hawley Manor to watch these infrequent visitors who spent the best part of a day enjoying the good things which they found provided in the trays which are left filled for just such callers in the Hawley Manor gardens.

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The newspaper club at Hawley School is to be complimented on the first issue of its paper, "The Hawley Echoes," which was just issued on Monday. Mimeographed and containing sections on literature, school news, sports, gossip, humor, as well as editorials and a liberal supply of advertisements. The issue makes interesting reading. Club members state that the chief aim of their paper is to "to present school problems viewed honestly and impartially," asking the student body to consider it as a paper for the whole school and support it as such.

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More than 200 men and women and young people attended the Fourth Annual Poultry Party sponsored by the Fairfield County Farm Bureau at the Edmond Town Hall gymnasium on Wednesday evening, March 25. Assistant County Agent Ralph Sturtevant had arranged. The evening got underway with the showing of an interesting movie on Turkey Raising. A guest speaker then addressed the group. Later that evening, dancing and merry-making prevailed. "Al" Brundage called 'em and the crowd increased as many young people arrived in time for the gaiety. Later in the evening refreshments were served.

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Affairs about town: On Monday evening Rotary Club members enjoyed a most interesting meeting, when following the usual supper, George Ricker of Waterbury railroad representative gave an illustrated talk on "This is New England." The moving pictures first showed New England as it was years ago and gradually led to the present day. Pictures showed the power developments, shoe industry, airplane engine manufacturing, views of mountains and coasts, and other interesting scenes.

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March 24, 1916

The Pootatuck Grange held an interesting meeting Tuesday night, March 21, when Arthur W. Northrop of Ridgefield, deputy for Fairfield County, paid an official visit. Mr Northrop gave an explanation of the grange's secret work. The lecturer, Rev C.A. Tibbals presented an interesting program consisting of piano solos by Miss Hazel H. Smith, a reading by Wallace N. Mitchell and a talk on the Ethical Principals Underlying True Grange Work by Mrs F. H. Mitchell, and remarks by the worthy lecturer. Light refreshments were served.

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How easy it is to work your way around the world and what interesting sights you see and things you learn will be told by Fred A Boardman, illustrated with pictures he took of typical scenes in Japan, China, and of the wild people and cannibals of the South Sea Islands with whom he mingled during his rambles, at the town hall Newtown on Saturday evening, March 25. His talk will be full of thrills.

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Miss Alice Read is ill with scarlet fever. The Palestine School has been closed by the order of Health Officer W.H. Kiernan, as a sister of Miss Read attended school there.

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Warm weather has made the snow disappear rapidly and made traveling dangerous. The men are constantly shoveling the roads so teams can get through and some have their horses calked. Mr and Mrs Goslee of Morris had quite an exciting time, while bringing Mrs Bull to her home. Both horses sank into the slush, so that they had to be unhitched. One horse made a plunge and got away from Mrs Goslee, striking her on the ankle. He was caught near Mr John Bennett's. Mr Goslee had to dig the other horse out.