Did the bakers at the Country Barn Confectionary in Sandy Hook know something NASA didn’t know about Skylab’s impact point? Probably not, but they provided a convenient target and appropriate welcoming sign anyway, scrambling to the top of the roof Wednesday to peer into the early morning sky for some signs of the 77.5 ton space station. Just in case, Bob Nute and brother-in-law Bob Cubberley donned mixing bowls as crash helmets.

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Following a two week shutdown, the Charles Batchelder aluminum smelting company in Botsford will reopen Monday. The company was to have shut down for vacation anyway during the past two weeks. On June 28, the Thursday before operations were to cease, the plant’s pollution control equipment broke down, causing a dense blanket of fog to be released into the surrounding area.

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Immediate and long-term solutions to alleviating the gas crunch among area towns were discussed at a special meeting of the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials Wednesday, July 11. Selectmen and energy officials from HVCEO’s member towns were among those present to hear Steve Thompson, energy coordinator for the Town of Ridgefield, describe what that town is doing to solve its gas supply problem.

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Newtown Housing for the Elderly Inc will carry its case to build 40 more units of housing for the elderly off Nunnawauk Road to a Planning & Zoning Commission public hearing scheduled for 8 pm, Thursday, July 19. The nonprofit corporation, which owns and operates the existing 40 units in Nunnawauk Meadows, is proposing an additional 40 units of one-bedroom, garden type apartments in ten new buildings. An eleventh building would contain laundry facilities and a pumphouse.

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Newtown Highway Superintendent Robert L. Martin, Sr, said the relocated recycling center at the town landfill may be open for business by the middle of next week. The recycling center was closed at the end of April to be moved near the transfer station so it will be convenient for people to leave recyclable cans and bottles when they come to dump garbage.

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The fire marshal and police are investigating what Deputy Fire Marshal George Lockwood terms “a definite case of arson” which resulted in the destruction of the community clubhouse in Shady Rest Thursday night, July 5. The Shady Rest Association is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved. According to association president Ed Dick, the 20-year-old structure’s loss involves around $25,000 for the building and $2,000 for equipment which was in it. The clubhouse, which has just been remodeled, will probably be rebuilt, according to Mr Dick.

Although a record crowd enjoyed the Newtown Summer Festival fireworks display Saturday, there were some residents and out-of-towners who didn’t think the event was such a big thrill. The canine population just as soon would have preferred a quieter way of celebrating the Fourth of July, according to dog warden Helen Reid who had her hands full on Monday rounding up runaway rovers who had taken off on Saturday night trying to escape the bangs, booms, and cracks of the fireworks. “The noise drives them nutes,” she told The Bee.

JULY 16, 1954

A varied program of field events, softball game, and refreshments will be held for patients at Fairfield State Hospital on Tuesday, July 20. Planned by a committee of various members of the hospital staff, the day promises to be a gala event with fun for all.

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Mrs Edna L. Patterson entertained a number of her friends at a picnic supper on the lawn at her Washington Avenue, Sandy Hook, home on Monday. Those present were Mrs Rosa Lee Adams, Mrs Eva Anderson, Mr and Mrs Willis Arndt, Mr and Mrs Howe Smith, Mr and Mrs Edward S. Pitzschler, Mrs Doris Miller, Mrs Elizabeth Naar, Miss Edith Stone, Mrs Pauline Tilson, Mrs Thea Flanagan, and Mrs Florence O. Patterson.

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Allen Northey Jones, chairman of the Republican Town Committee, headed the Newtown delegation to the Republican State Convention in Hartford last Thursday and Friday, July 8 and 9. The local group included the town delegates, Mrs Eleanor Hubbell, vice chairman of the committee, George M. Stuart and Sarah Frances Curtis; Alvin B. Coger, delegate-at-large from the 25th Senatorial District, and alternates Newton Curtis, Mrs Jane Daniells and Mrs Marion S. Winship. Several members of the Newtown Young Republican Club made the trip to Hartford on Thursday evening to hear Governor Dan Thornton of Colorado, the keynoter of the convention.

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Miss Ellen Slusalek of Half Way River District, who will commence her senior year at Newtown High School in September, has reported to the readers of The Bee on her experiences as a delegate from Newtown to Laurel Girls’ State, held the week beginning Sunday, June 27, at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. Laurel Girls’ State and its equivalent and concurrent boys’ organization, Nutmeg Boys’ State, exist for one week each year at the state university under the sponsorship of the American Legion, to give teenagers from all sections of the state an indoctrination in the processes and responsibilities of citizenship and government.

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Members of the Pine Tree Patrol of the Explorer Post No. 70, Newtown Boy Scouts, left last Sunday afternoon, July 9, from the home of the Rev Paul A. Cullens, post advisor, for the post’s annual canoe trip to Canada. After many weeks of preparation, two cars, driven by the Rev Mr Cullens and Hoyt Johnson, assistant advisor, left for North Bay, Ontario and the French River, filled with Senior Scouts and all their supplies and provisions.

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An exhibition of water colors by Henry Schnakenberg of Taunton is to open at the Flagpole Gallery, Main Street, Newtown, this Sunday, July 18, and run through Saturday, July 31. This will be the second in a series of one-man shows scheduled by the new gallery, the first having been oils and black-and-whites by Ray Neville.

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The Women’s Auxiliary of the United Fire Company of Botsford held its monthly meeting last Friday evening, July 9, at the fire house. It was voted to hire Clarence B. Gillette to work on the fire house kitchen cabinets. It will be heartening to the members of the auxiliary to see the work on the fire house kitchen progressing.

JULY 12, 1929

F.J. Cronch is building for Martin A. Moller a two-car garage on the latter’s place in the Borough.

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Mrs Cornelia Hawley and Miss Anna May Betts went to the Girls’ Friendly Vacation House at Canaan on Saturday.

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August 3 will be a gala day at the Upham’s Japanese Tea Gardens, as this will be the first anniversary day of this popular dining place.

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Fred J. Crouch of Newtown has sold his farm, consisting of eight acres of land with buildings, to Orrison E. Temple, who intends to use the property as a poultry farm.

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Mr and Mrs A.E. Radcliffe were hosts at a family reunion held at Taunton Lake on July 4, where all the Radcliffes and guests enjoyed a dog roast.

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Rev Paul Cullins has been passing the week with the local scouts at the Boy Scout Camp at Mt Tom Lake, west of Bantam.

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The fire company was called out at 2 pm July 4 by a fire at John Johnson’s on Church Hill. The apparatus made the run from the depot to the Johnson place in eight minutes. The fire in the home lighting plant had been smothered by a blanket before the firemen arrived.

JULY 15, 1904

One of our taxpayers, who lives in one of the outlying districts of the town, thinks some of our roads are a little rough. The other day he drove to town with his little one, taking a bottle of milk in case the little one became hungry. But the milk was not used and when he got home, he found a nice lump of butter in the bottle.

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George A. Drew is cutting the hay on the farm of Professor C.S. Platt.

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If the parties who took the bell from one of the cows of John Reitz while out in the pasture one day last week will return it, no further question will be asked.

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John Hannon, the hustling New Milford painter, and men were in town Tuesday, to begin work on the new Smith-Scudder residence.

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“The Jolly Four” will give a dance at the Town Hall, Newtown, Friday evening, July 15. Whitney’s orchestra of New Milford will furnish music for the occasion.

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Harry Pinckney of Mt Pleasant went to New York last week, where he underwent an operation for his eyes.

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Mrs S.E. Stillson and Mrs W.L. Lawrence of New York are occupying Mrs Daniel Camp’s place at the foot of the Street.

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Miss Lillian Troy of Botsford was one of the successful ones in passing the examinations for the high school.

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There was a pleasant gathering at Mrs John L. Hughes in Taunton, Monday, July 4, the occasion being Mrs Hughes’ 78th birthday anniversary.