July 27, 1990

The Board of Selectmen has approved action that may expedite the exterior renovation of the Newtown Meeting House. The board agreed to seek $30,000 in state LoCIP funds at its last meeting, July 25. First Selectman Zita McMahon said she wanted to check out a technicality before she follows through. The request had been made by the Heritage Preservation Trust of Newtown, Inc. In the meantime, the trust is moving ahead with plans to renovate the exterior. Work is expected to begin in the first part of August.

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After 33 years of wear and tear, with limited upkeep, Rock Ridge Country Club in Newtown was in desperate need of a makeover. Five years later, under president Bob Coffey, the final touches are being put on a long-term upgrading project that, according to Coffey, has made Rock Ridge one of the best full service, family country clubs around.

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This week starts the third Nutmeg State Games, an Olympic-style meeting of athletes from across the state. Four girls from Newtown, Sarah Hirou, Melissa Eigen, Katie Lyddy, and Megan Czaplicke, will be among the 3,100 athletes from across the state to compete in the games in Willimantic, along with their coach, Dick Eigen. The girls are playing on the “West” basketball team, which consists of players from Newtown, Danbury, Farmington, Southington, Watertown, and Waterbury.

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The Legislative Council has appropriated $325,000 for installation of energy-saving equipment at the Middle School. Plans call for lighting renovation, motion sensors to control the lighting (lights will go out when sensors feel no motion for five minutes), and an energy management system — a computerized system that controls heating and ventilation, according to a preset comfort level.

July 30, 1965

On Saturday, August 14, Newtown will be rocked by the biggest beat this side of The Beatles. The Newtown Jaycees, as part of their drive to help field a high school football team this fall, are presenting a “discotheque” at the Queen Street shopping area. The Ravens and the Squires, two of the hottest groups in the area, will provide continuous music from 8 pm to 12:30. This night of dancing is open to all, admission free. At the discotheque, high school students and their parents will learn first hand of the cushion program in which the students will take part this fall. It is hoped that the spirit of this night will carry through the opening of school, and that Newtown will play football this autumn.

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Practically everyone on Main Street knows and admires “David,” the purebred German shepherd dog who is the constant companion of his master, L. Marsden Hubbard, as they take their many walks together. Very few know, however, that David is an accomplished baseball chaser. To be sure, he and Mr Hubbard play ball. But beyond that, he often noses around in the tall grass and retrieves balls that have been lost by players at the school. Just the other day, Mr Hubbard returned a bag of baseballs and softballs, a dozen in number, to Coach Harold DeGroat.

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The theater at Edmond Town Hall is now completely air-conditioned, and manager Arthur Smith has said that patrons were pleased with the operation over the humid weekend. Installation of the new system was completed last Friday, in time for the first local showing of “Mary Poppins.”

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July 26, 1940

COSTELLO HOME IN SANDY HOOK CONSIDERABLY DAMAGED BY FIRE Members of the Newtown and Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Companies battled a stubborn fire in the two-family home owned by Miss Mary Costello on Washington avenue, Sandy Hook, last Thursday afternoon. The alarm was turned in by a passing truck driver shortly after 3 pm. The firemen, led by Chief Walter Glover, found the house a mass of flames upon arrival and quickly began pumping tons of water from the Pohtatuck River at the rear of the property. Over an hour later the blaze was brought under control. While locating alongside the river to begin pumping, the heavy apparatus of the Newtown Fire company became mired in the deep mud.

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Residents of Newtown, with special emphasis on children and parents, are urged to put a red mark around Saturday, August 10, on their calendars. On that day the Newtown Chapter for Child Refugees will hold a Children’s Carnival at Northey Farm, the proceeds to be used for the benefit of refugee children. Northey Farm on this occasion will assume the appearance of a miniature Fair. Admission to the Carnival will be 15 cents for children and 10 cents for parents and other grown-ups accompanied by a child. Adults coming alone will have to pay full admission price.

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A warrant was issued on Wednesday against Abraham Kay and Sonia Kay for the operation of a hospital at the Castle property, without a proper license from the State to operate such a hospital for the defective children which at present are handled for the State by Dr Nolander of the state department of health. The case will come before the Town Court in Newtown, some time in August.

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The Newtown Chapter for Children Refugees announces that this week apricots will be collected and next week, spaghetti, the collections being made a the following stores: Morris & Shepard, First National, A&P, H.G. Warner, Corbett & Crowe, the Hawleyville Store, Huntingtown General Store, and Albert W. Rasmussen. Last week a contribution of cocoa is reported to have amounted to 50 pounds.

 

July 30, 1915

THE NEWTOWN INN, J.W. Porter, Manager. MENU For Sunday Dinner: SOUP Consommé ala Duchess; RELISHES, Olives, Radishes, Onions; Fried Milkfed Chicken, Southern Style; Prime Ribs of Beef au jus; VEGETABLES: Whole Boiled Potato, Parsley, Newtown Garden String Beans, Summer Squash; SALAD: Lettuce and Tomato; Watermelon; Vanilla Ice Cream; Assorted Cakes; Cheese; Crackers; Café Noir. Dinner $1.00.

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Robert N. Peck of Mt Pleasant will have a bumper peach crop this season, the largest in the history of the orchard. Mr Peck estimates his crop at 6,000 baskets. He has men at work thinning the overladen trees. Mr Peck has sold his entire crop, except a small reserve for local use, to a Bridgeport party.

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The improvements now being made at the Newtown Village Cemetery by the Beard Construction Co., Shelton, was authorized at the annual association meeting and it is a continuation of work done in 1913. Contractor Beard has graded and graveled the approach to the main entrance, raised, widened, and graveled the cemetery end of the highway. Inside of the cemetery grounds the main driveway, up the hill from the entrance has been graded and graved, the brow of the hill and adjacent ground being cut and leveled.

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The entertainment given in the Town hall, last Friday evening, by the Alpha Glee club, and others, was charming as a whole and in detail. When the curtain was drawn it showed one of the prettiest stage settings ever seen in Newtown and to which our new foot lights added a great deal. The Boogie Man’s song and the Indian dance deserve especial mention, and the sunflower dance, in which the Misses Beers and Curtis appeared to great advantage, was applauded. There was dancing after the program, music furnished by Aline Blackman, Ethel Durgy, and David McKee.