Date: Fri 29-May-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

mountain-Martocci

Full Text:

TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

By the time you read this, Newtown's smiling Main Street should have a missing

tooth. Demolition of the old parsonage by the Newtown Savings Bank commenced

on Wednesday morning when hard-hatted bank President John Martocci sat at the

controls of a backhoe and took a few preliminary swipes at the garage behind

the parsonage. John, who had to be shown how to use the controls of the

backhoe, accomplished his small part of the job and managed to leave the

adjacent General Store standing when he turned the controls over to the real

demo pros from Bohan Wrecking of New Milford.

After the parsonage is torn down, a replica of the old house will be

reconstructed -- this time with bank offices inside.

Watch out for bicyclists on Route 34 and Route 6 this Saturday. They're on an

important mission, and we don't want to delay they in any way. Some 30

cyclists in Habitat for Humanity's Fifth Annual Bicycle Challenge will travel

through Newtown on the first leg of a 4,000-mile ride to raise funds for the

affordable housing organization. The Habitat Bicycle Challenge is hoping to

arrive in Danbury by 4 pm, which should put them in Newtown about an hour

before that. The bicyclists hope to raise more than $125,000 on their long

journey -- enough to underwrite the construction of two Habitat homes.

Nearly a week after the bicyclists clear out, the roads will be full once more

-- this time with runners. Newtown Police will be doing their part in the

annual Law Enforcement Run for Special Olympics on Friday, June 5. The annual

series of relay runs by law enforcement officials serves to raise awareness

and funds for the Special Olympics. More than 3,400 law enforcement officers

and Special Olympics athletes will run in this year's relay. The goal is to

raise $200,000 in this year's run. The Newtown Police will run their leg

starting at about 11 am on Route 302 near Jaclyn Road. Their route will

proceed to Route 25 (they will stop briefly at the Newtown Police Department)

and then will head south to the Monroe line, where their leg ends. If you can,

try to get out by the roadside and cheer them on.

There is one other good cause I should mention. A critical need Red Cross

blood drive will be held on Monday, June 1, from 8:30 to 5:30 pm at the

Western Connecticut Federal Credit Union next to Bagelman at 30 Church Hill

Road. For each unit donated, the credit union also will contribute $5 to the

Cairns Iris fund to purchase an infrared device for the volunteer fire

companies that will enable firefighters to "see" through smoke and rescue fire

victims.

I ran into Lionel Brown last week, and he had his hands tied. Well, not his

hands -- the hands were on the necktie tied around his neck. The tie is quite

appropriate for Lionel, who is a hand surgeon.

Chalk another one up for Sir Isaac. WCBS TV in New York featured as a part of

a recent weather forecast temperature readings from "Newton," Connecticut.

People just don't seem to give a fig anymore about the correct spelling of our

town.

It seems that not everyone moves South to spend their golden years in warmer

climates. Some even move to New Hampshire. Take for example longtime Newtown

residents, Dick and Nancy Cogswell, who recently moved to Elkin, N.H. The

Cogswells are following in the footsteps of former Newtown residents Doug and

Joanne Kellogg and Jim and Phyliss Hodsdon.

By the way, Jim and Phyliss are currently celebrating their 50th wedding

anniversary and have invited several friends to their home in New Hampshire.

Phyliss used to work as an assistant editor at The Bee.

Fred and Ellen Parrella recently returned from a 15-day trip to Scotland.

Ellen may have confused her husband with Mel Gibson from "Braveheart" as they

journeyed up and down the Scottish landscape.

George Mattegat's job as Newtown's animal control officer just got a little

easier with the recent arrival of a tool used to pick up snakes. Up to this

point, George has been picking up wayward serpents with his bare hands.

Ellie's Deli is celebrating its tenth anniversary of business along Route 25

in Newtown this year. Owners Ellie Birdsell and Missy Birdsell are open Monday

through Saturday for breakfast and lunch.

Don't forget that the seventh annual Family Pizza Night to benefit the Family

Counseling Center will be held on Tuesday, June 2, from 5 to 8 pm in the

middle school cafeteria. Pizza restaurants from Newtown, Bethel, Brookfield,

Danbury, Southbury, and Monroe will donate their specialty pizzas for the

event. Tickets are $5 for all you can eat. Children under 4 eat free.

After you eat, head over to the Booth Library for Dr Della Schmid's free

program on how to relieve your aching back and neck, headache, or work

tension. Dr Schmid will show you how to sit, lift, stand and move correctly to

be pain-free. The program will be in the library's meeting room.

I've got to end this week's column on a sad note. The famed Rosenthal poodle

finally passed on to that place where the streets are paved with Milkbones and

have a hydrant every ten feet. The toy poodle became a familiar sight to

Newtowners over the years as he dutifully walked Jack Rosenthal up and down

Main Street. He was 17 years old when he died this week, or 119 dog years. It

was a good long life -- but not long enough for those who knew him best.

Though I, myself, am ever mindful of the lengthening shadow of mortality, I

fully intend to return next week, so be sure to...

Read me again.