June 15, 1990

A 33-year-old Sandy Hook woman, accused of bludgeoning her husband on the head with a dry-wall hammer in May 1989, was sentenced to four years in prison Monday, June 11. Naeemah Shaham was sentenced in Danbury Superior Court after she pleaded guilty to charges of reckless endangerment and second degree assault. Newtown detectives had no comment when asked if they agreed with the sentence, but said they were glad it was over. “It was only a year and a half before the bludgeoning that she shot him in the gut with a shotgun and got a suspended sentence,” Lt Carney said.

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At state Siting Council public hearings, residents asked that Iroquois use alternative rights of way to build its gas pipeline and stressed their trust in the council to work on their behalf. “We can make an awfully bad situation somewhat better,” said Senator Jamie McLaughlin at the June 7 hearing. Calling on the council to enter “the Major Leagues,” in its handling of this, its first major pipeline application, the state senator told nine members, “I urge you to take full advantage of the latitude the law provides you, to go the full extra mile to mitigate all impacts.” Residents from Newtown, Shelton, and Brookfield made several site specific requests and emphasized use of existing rights of way before allowing pipeline construction to carve a path through their yards.

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Although the last major investigation of the case was in October 1989, Newtown detectives have not given up trying to solve the mysterious disappearance of 33-year-old Regina Brown. Mrs Brown, an American Airlines stewardess, was reported missing in late March 1987. She was last seen at LaGuardia Airport, putting her three children aboard an airplane to visit their grandparents in Texas. At the time, her husband, Willis Brown, an airline pilot, was seeking to divorce her and gain custody of the children… Her car, a bronze-colored Honda, was found a few days later parked on a New York City street with the keys still in the ignition… Four or five months ago, Newtown police discovered a piece of evidence which they linked to a 60-acre piece of property on Block Island… A major part of that evidence was a crudely drawn map… The search on Block Island was suspended October 2 after police were unable to locate any sign of a body… Custody of the children was awarded to Mrs Brown’s parents as part of the divorce agreement in April 1988. The divorce was conducted without Mrs Brown.

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Seven players from the Newtown High School baseball team received post-season honors last Thursday night, June 7, when the coaches from the Western Connecticut Conference gathered to vote for the 1990 All-WCC baseball teams. Newtown senior tri-captains Jerry Reidy, Dave Hough, and Scott Smith, and senior Mike Toth, were all named to the All-WCC’s first team. Junior Mike Waterbury was a second team selection, while senior Bob Kick and junior Mike Schiffer both received honorable mentions.

June 18, 1965

Building of a 135-bed convalescent hospital on Hanover Road, as proposed by Louis Lewis, can now go forward. The Zoning Board of appeals has approved a special exception to zoning regulations which makes this possible. In its decision, the Zoning Board of Appeals noted that the property deeded to the hospital, known as Hanover Haven, lies east 200 feet from any property line, excepting that of the applicant and the 50-foot wide private driveway leading therein. The board further states that the proposed use of this land with restrictions, will be beneficial to the town and will not impair surrounding property. It was the unanimous decision of the board that opposition was directed at the individual and not the subject of the application.

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One hundred thirty-nine seniors, the school’s largest graduating class, will take part in commencement exercises on the school grounds, Thursday evening, June 24, at 6:30 o’clock. The graduation speaker will be Rabbi Jerome R. Malino of Danbury, whose topic will be “The Ministry to Ourselves.” Rabbi Malino is spiritual leader of the United Jewish Center of Danbury and is well known for his civic and religious work in the area.

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Robert Grant, former University of Bridgeport athlete and 1959 graduate of the Arnold College division with a major in physical education, has been appointed as the Red Cross swimming instructor and waterfront director at Camp Wipiwaug in Newtown for boys and girls from the Bridgeport, Trumbull, Fairfield, Stratford, and Newtown areas. The growing enrollment and expanded facilities created the need for this additional experienced and professional leadership. Mr Grant will assume his new post on July 6, when Camp Wipiwaug opens its 11th consecutive eight-week summer program.

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A well-attended hearing which lasted more than two hours, was held last Thursday evening at the Edmond Town Hall by the Planning and Zoning Commission on the proposed regulations which would permit garden apartments to be built in Newtown. Under the proposed changes, Garden Apartment House Districts would be permitted only in Farming and Residential (R-1) ½-acre Districts. A minimum area of 5 acres would be required for each garden apartment structure, and there could be no more than ten family units for each acre of land in the permitted 5-acre area… A few speakers seemed to feel that even one garden apartment structure in Newtown would change the character of the town.

June 14, 1940

Mrs Rose H. Snyder of New Rochelle, N.Y., has sold her residence on Beechmont Lake, Walnut Tree Hill, Newtown, with one acre of land to Mrs Holly Hales, now appearing at Henry Millers Theater in New York City, with Flora Robson, in “Ladies in Retirement.” This is one of the cottages built by R.B. Lydecker, who is now engaged in building another small home in the same locality.

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WHEN BETTER FOODS ARE SOLD MORRIS & SHEPARD WILL SELL THEM. Telephone 8-9 PROMPT DELIVERIES, ADVANCE ORDERS GIVEN SPECIAL ATTENTION. MEAT SPECIALS: Hams (Tenderized), lb 29 cents; Fresh Killed Broilers, lb 35 cents; Fresh Killed Chickens, lb 39 cents; Ground Meat, 2 lbs for 29 cents; Top Sirloin Roast, lb 39 cents; Sausage (links) lb 35 cents; Franks, Pineapple Dipped, lb 33 cents; Brisket Corned Beef (Fancy), lb 35 cents; Veal Roast (Milk Fed), lb 29 cents; Try Our Own Make Cabbage Salad, lb 18 cents.

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Residents of Newtown will be much interested in announcement of a meeting to be held this Friday evening at 8 o’clock in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall, when Mrs Morris Frank of Taunton district will act as spokesman for Miss Anne Morgan’s organization, American Friends of France, Inc. American Friends of France is a civil relief organization which at the outbreak of hostilities in Europe started relief work with headquarters in Paris. A staff of trained nurses, doctors, social service workers, chauffeurs, and ambulance truck drivers is now in operation, but so great is the present emergency that plans are being speedily completed to bring small children to this country to escape death and destruction in war-torn France.

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The Newtown Orchestral Society has once more secured an unusually fine soloist for the early summer concert on June 27. This time it is a boy violinist. His name is David Nadien, and he is a pupil of Adolfho Betti, a world authority on chamber music, who has taught some of the greatest violinists in Paris, Brussels, and New York. David Nadien is 13 years old and is undoubtedly a genius. Mario de Cecco, conductor of the Newtown Orchestra, heard David play at Mr Betti’s studio and said that the boy is not only exceptional but in his opinion is a “budding Heifetz.”

 

June 18, 1915

John Frank, Jr, was brought before Justice P.H. McCarthy, Monday, on the charge of obstructing a state highway by piling wood at one side. Photographs were shown in court of the autocar of Mr Frank unloading wood, leaving but little room for passing automobiles to get by without crowding into the ditch. Frank was ordered to get the wood away by Friday noon, which he did not do. Justice McCarthy found him guilty and fined him $2 and costs. Frank admitted the error by pulling out his check book and drawing a check for $13.63, the amount of the fine and costs.

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The high school entrance examinations will take place at the high school building on June 28 and 29, beginning at 9 o’clock each day. Only children who are 11 years old and older will be permitted to take the examinations, unless they bear a certificate from their teacher stating they are far advanced enough to take the examinations. The giving of two days’ time to the entrance examinations will be of advantage to the children taking them.

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By order of the United State post office department, 10 miles has been added to the RD Route of J.C. Leavey from the Sandy Hook office, which will take him over Barn Hill and into Monroe Center. Seven and one-half miles has been added to the trip of F.A. Blackman from the Newtown office. Mr Blackman says the roads through the part of his route in the town of Easton are in a very rough and bad condition. It is certainly up to the first selectman of Easton to get busy. There is general dissatisfaction over the changes made. To compel a carrier to drive 30 miles a day in bad weather, and he will have several months of hard traveling, is putting a pretty big burden on any carrier’s shoulders.

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Plans are being made for a band concert at the Newtown Inn, Monday, July 5, at the time the electric street lights are to be turned on, making it a celebration in honor of the event. The Newtown Inn management are planning to give a weekly concert at the inn, commencing in a week or two.