January 25, 1991

Mike McCarthy and Milton Adams rolled the aerial truck of the Newtown Hook and Ladder Company up to the flagpole last Saturday morning to do a little flag waving. Newtown police lieutenant Dave Lydem, unofficial keeper of the flagpole, had asked the firemen to meet him at the pole so the town’s big 20’ x 30’ flag could be raised to replace the 12’ x 18’ foot flag that ordinarily flies in the winter months. Normally, the big flag doesn’t go up until Memorial Day, but because of the war in the Persian Gulf, Lt Lydem decided that Newtown should have its best and biggest flag on the pole to show its support of the military men and women now serving in the Middle East.

***

Newtown Savings Bank (NSB) had a grand opening January 17 for its new branch office in Sand Hill Plaza on Route 25. This is the fifth office for NSB. Founded in 1855, NSB has approximately $200 million in assets. Ten full-time employees are working in this new 4,000-square-foot branch, which also features a drive-in window, located at the rear of the office.

***

Matthew Capozziello, who owns Aspetuck Tree & Landscaping in Monroe, says he needs to salvage his business reputation following the state’s suing of himself, his son, and a property owner for the depositing of contaminated fill on Berkshire Road. The state erroneously claimed cyanide was present in the fill, but maintains the fill has oil residue and building debris in it and still must be removed. Young Capozziello used his father’s trucks to deliver the fill. His father says he may sue the state.

***

The second storm in less than a week struck Monday, January 21, powdering Newtown with close to three inches of snow before noon and freezing to an icy crust by that evening. Police in Newtown had to handle so many calls by 11 am, the department was forced to assign members of the detective unit to accidents and other calls normally handled by the patrol officers.

January 28, 1966

At a special meeting of the Board of Education on Tuesday evening, the preliminary educational specifications for the proposed new high school were presented by Superintendent of Schools John Sommi. The specifications are outlined for two building projects: a new high school on the Sandy Hook site, the one favored by the board; and for an addition to the present high school building to increase its capacity to 1,400 students. Its present capacity is 1,100.

***

Bill Parker and Lois Bailey took over the high scorer positions with 118 and 112 at the junior bowler’s leagues last Saturday afternoon at the Newtown Alleys. Six boys hit 100 or better, while Lois Bailey was the lone girl to be above that mark.

***

The Newtown Indians lost a very well-played game last Friday night on their home court during overtime play against the Wilton High squad. Seldom did the score move more than four or six points ahead in favor of either team as the lead shifted from one school to the other. A final basket, shot just as or after the whistle blew, did not count for the Indians and forced the extra play.

***

Members and guests of the Town and Country Garden Club were privileged to hear Miss Ruth Stout, of Redding, author of many gardening books, at their Tuesday meeting. Her talk on “mulching” and the question and answer session that followed were both informative and rewarding to the many guests attending.

 

January 24, 1941

With the heavy ice and sleet storm arriving last week Thursday, the Newtown Athletic Club was forced to postpone the opening of its ice skating rink. Good ice was available on Thursday morning, but soon disappeared in the face of the unwished-for storm, which did not abate until Friday evening. The committee in charge waited until Sunday afternoon when the temperatures showed signs of lower levels. Workers sprayed the heavy layers of snow at 20-minute intervals until 2 o’clock Monday morning. At 9 o’clock that same morning, signs were placed about town with great pleasure, announcing good skating. Many children and adults enjoyed the rink’s facilities.

***

George Uzailko of Cortland, N.Y., who was driving a load of baled hay to A.S. Edwards in Stepney on Monday, overturned and collided with an Army truck at Lovell’s corner. Uzailko was charged with reckless driving and failing to obey an officer. The hay truck was damaged considerably, but no one was injured. The accident might have been fatal, had the truck not turned over before crashing into the Army truck.

***

Paul Provenzano, who during the past several years has operated the barber shop in the Holcomb building on Church Road, has been engaged by Judge Edward S. Pitzschler to operate the Sandy Hook barber shop, and beginning Monday morning, January 27, will be at that shop during the future to serve his customers and the patrons of the Sandy Hook shop. The shop in the Holcomb building will be closed.

***

A convoy of 100 Army trucks roared through town Monday morning, enroute to Camp Devens, Mass., from Fort duPont, Del. The trucks carried the First Engineer battalion of the regular army. The majority of the trucks contained men, huddled together to help keep warm, covered with their heavy winter overcoats and blankets. In each section were several cars of the pleasure type class for officers, and each group was accompanied by a police escort. Each vehicle bore the insignia of the Engineer Corps. The procession afforded townspeople quite a martial sight.

 

 

January 28, 1916

Henry Rupf has been so unfortunate as to lose his faithful family horse, this week. Robert D. Smith lost his faithful old horse, “Billy,” this week, having departed to that country where all good horses go.

***

An exciting pool contest is now in progress at Thrall’s pool and lunch room. The Sandy Hook team is composed of Carl Slater, Raymond Conger, Richard Carmody, and Ambrose Carmody. The Machinists, the opposing team, is composed of Philip Hickey, John Nicholson, Frederick Harris, and William Tugas. They are to play 16 games. The Machinists at the present time are 16 balls in the lead. There was an exciting game of pool, Monday night, between a popular young man called “The Terrible Turk,” clad in a red sweater and a white hat, and Frederick Harris. “The Terrible Turk” won by a score of 100 to 98.

***

A sad fatality took place at Hawleyville, Sunday, at 1:15, near the Hawleyville station, when Pietro Sallee of Danbury was instantly killed when he stepped in front of a swiftly moving westbound train. The body was terribly mangled, owing to the speed of the train, and was strewn along the track for a considerable distance. Sallee was well known about Hawleyville. It appears he was working with other men of the section crew near the Hawleyville station. Sallee and another man stepped away from the siding and did not notice the freight train approaching. Sallee happened to be nearer to the main track. The train was delayed nearly an hour by the accident. The engineer did not see the man until the train was almost upon him.

***

Mrs Cora Pierce has awarded to Taylor & Buckingham the contract for the house she will build on the Bulkley property at the head of the Borough Street, now the property of her daughter, Mrs J.J. Northrop. It will be about 41 feet long and will stand practically on the old foundations. The old Bulkley house has been torn down by George A. Northrop.