With the recent move of the Parks and Recreation Department back to Town Hall South, the municipal building is starting to seem like its old self again. After town offices were moved from Town Hall South to Canaan House at Fairfield Hills more than t
With the recent move of the Parks and Recreation Department back to Town Hall South, the municipal building is starting to seem like its old self again. After town offices were moved from Town Hall South to Canaan House at Fairfield Hills more than three and half years ago, Town Hall South seemed like a pretty forlorn place, save for the police upstairs and the Borough of Newtown offices downstairs.
 Now Town Hall South houses the borough offices, plus the Parks and Recreation Department and the town Social Services Department. The building also has voting machine storage and a conference room. With return of the several offices to the building following its renovation, there are again vehicles parked in its parking lot. Town custodian Mike Snyder has kept Town Hall Southâs interior looking spiffy. The town land use department plans to expand into the space at Canaan House formerly occupied by the parks and recreation office.
While there may be more room to move out at Canaan House, thereâs less space these days in the first selectmanâs office. The file cabinets were moved back into the office from the lobby area. The switch forced staff members Jan Andras and Mary Kelley to move the copy machine about three feet to the left (depending on where you are standing). This switch really seemed to mess up Detective Henry Stormer, who stopped by the office earlier this week.
âWhereâs your copier?â Henry asked.
âRight under your nose,â replied Jan and Mary.
âOh, good thing Iâm the head detective,â a humbled Henry replied as he realized he was leaning on the machine.
Hawley Schoolâs secretary, Terry Merola, was seen this week climbing in and out of the window to the school office. It seems Terry was locked out of the office due to a jammed lock on the office door, keeping her away from her desk. The custodians took the screen off the office window so Terry could get back to work. A locksmith had to be called, but until the lock was removed, all access to the office was through the window.
Town Engineer Ron Bolmer spent the early part of this week at Danbury Superior Court⦠in jury duty.
Jane Payne is retiring next Friday, September 29, after 23 years with the Hawleyville Post Office. Everyone is invited to stop by the post office that day for refreshments and to give their best wishes to Jane.
For those of you who watch Martha Stewart regularly, it was Newtownâs own Kevin Walker, son of Jean and Jim Walker, who was demonstrating comb painting on Wednesdayâs show. Kevin, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, is a stylist on Ms Stewartâs TV show.
The Connecticut Press Club has elected a new president, Juliette Weiland, who heads up her own public relations and marketing communications company in Wilton. She also is the mother of Newtown resident James Weiland, Jr, who lives with his wife, Dr Shannon Mulligan, and two sons, Zachary, 3, and Nicholas, 3 months, on Brennan Road.
The annual Health and Safety Fair at the Middle School last Saturday was a big success. The children especially enjoyed the Paproskisâ cow, Candy, and her calf, who were grazing on the front lawn. Fair co-chairperson Mae Schmidle says there are no plans to charge the Board of Education for fertilizing the lawn.
Former Newtown residents Don and Shirley Lawrensen were back in town visiting old friends this past week. The couple, which moved to Phoenix, Arizona, two years ago, stopped back in town on their way to a trip to Istanbul, Turkey, and Athens, Greece.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire mom Joanne Osmolik isnât saying how she did on her appearance on the popular ABC game show, but you can find out how the Newtown resident did this Sunday at 8 pm. The show, hosted by Regis Philbin, was taped last week. Contestants are sworn to secrecy under a gag order.
Former Bee reporter Jeff White e-mailed me complaining about his lack of sleep from all the noise coming from Fenway Park these days. Jeff, who is attending graduate school at Boston University, is living just a block or two from the Boston Red Sox home field. In addition, Jeff said, the bright red light from the Citgo sign shines right in his eyes. Well, if you canât beat âem, join âem, and thatâs just what Jeff did, attending Wednesday nightâs Red Sox/Indians game.
Patty Gaffney of Newtown needs additional donations to be eligible for a marathon run in Dublin, Ireland, on October 30 to benefit the Arthritis Foundation. Ms Gaffney hopes to run in honor of Stephanie Colucci, 5, of Newtown, who was diagnosed with polyarticular arthritis when she was 3.
Ms Gaffney promised to raise $3,800 prior to leaving October 26 for the marathon, and is currently short of that goal. She has been training with the Joints in Motion training program every other week to prepare for the run, with the final session set for October 14.
Contributions are tax deductible and should be made out to the Arthritis Foundation and sent to Patricia A. Gaffney, 179 Hanover Road, Newtown, CT 06470. For more information, call Ms Gaffney at 426-0023.
Rumor has it that a signed football by Joe Namath, the former NY Jets Quarterback, will be offered at the Casino Night planned for November 11, to be auctioned off to help raise funds for the Treadwell Playground. Someone from the Lions Club has a friend, who has a friend, who is able to get the football for the event.
 Well itâs time for my Hail Mary. You go long andâ¦
Read me again.