June 26, 1992

The latest opening date for the Garner Correctional Institute is January, if a partial opening does not occur earlier. The jail will fill with 400 inmates and add another 300 in the months to follow. The 400-cell jail was originally scheduled to open in February. The new January date is still tentative, however, and a partial opening may precede a full opening. A public open house will be scheduled for this summer.

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Rod Mac Kenzie, who was Newtown's first selectman in 1988 and 1989, has been convicted in US District Court of three federal crimes in connection with defrauding of a bank. At the times of these crimes, Mr Mac Kenzie was working in his own law practice. That was the month he became the Republicans' endorsed candidate for first selectman; he was elected that November. Mr Mac Kenzie now lives in Newburyport, Mass. He was released on bond, for sentencing September 1. His attorney, John Williams, said he didn't know whether the convictions would be appealed. The maximum sentence for each of the three convictions is five years and $250,000 fine, according to the US Attorney's office.

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The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is investigating a boating accident that took place on Lake Lillinonah last Sunday, which reportedly left four passengers injured. "I was at home opening my Father's Day presents when the smash occurred," said Ron Buttner, Newtown Representative on the Lake Lillinonah Authority. "We heard the loud crash and ran out to see what happened," he said. "We could hear the moans." Mr Buttner and his family got on their pontoon boat and headed toward the accident. One of the boats was up in the woods and the other was out of the water with a split hull. He said, "We got everybody on my boat and brought them back to my dock." Reportedly, both boats were carrying three passengers. According to the passengers, both boats were headed toward one another and attempted to veer away.

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Every year Newtown Lions Club honors one of its members. Recently it honored Tommy Goosman as a Melvin Jones Fellow. During the Lions' Installation banquet May 27 at the Fireside Inn, the club honored Lion Bill Honan as "Knight of the Blind." He is the only active charter member of this club. Mr Honan joined Newtown Lions Club in 1949.

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An Iroquois partner plans to expand pipeline facilities to transport more gas, but no expansion is planned for Newtown. "There is no specific project for expansion," said Jerry Goetz, a director and general manager for Yankee Gas, one of 12 partners in the Iroquois Gas Transmission System consortium. "I see nothing other than normal expansion. There will be no compressor stations added in Newtown."

June 30, 1967

Graduation exercises that were scheduled to begin at 5 pm last Sunday afternoon on the lawn of Newtown High School were delayed slightly by an unscheduled thunderstorm. Capped and gowned graduates, their relatives and friends, dashed to cars, under the high school portico, and into the gymnasium to escape the downpour, while the high school band gave a spirited impromptu performance to coax the rain to stop. Stop it did and by 5:30, the audience had resumes their seats after copious mopping of raindrops and puddles that spangled the metal chairs and the graduates were parading to their places to the strains of Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance."

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The Bee won two Honorable Mentions in the 1967 Better Newspaper Contest of the National Newspaper Association. Contest winners were announced at an awards luncheon held last Saturday at the Hotel John Marshall in Richmond Va., as part of the association's 82nd annual convention Associate Editor R. Scudder Smith attended the luncheon to receive the awards. One of The Bee's winning entries, in the class of newspapers with a circulation over 4,000, was the special antiques section of 20 pages which appeared as part of the December 9, 1966 issue. The other entry was in the Best News Picture category and showed State Senator T. Clark Hull and Clayton Gengras, GOP candidate for governor in the state election last November, at a Republican rally at the Edmond Town Hall last September.

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A final meeting for the plans for the musical and fireworks program on Monday, July 3, was held at Dickinson Memorial Park this Monday. Sgt James Costello of the state police, Fire Chief Lee Glover, Fire Marshal Millard Goodsell, Civil Defense Director Clifford Maddox, Park Supt. Arthur Bennett and Progress Festival Chairman Timothy Treadwell reviewed procedures for parking and traffic control. There will be no parking in the regular parking lot by the pool since the area is too close to the point where fireworks will be discharged.

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FIRE CALL - Twenty-four hours a day the year round, Newtown's volunteer firemen are on call. Once each year, it's the townspeople's turn to answer the call for funds to support the Combined Fire Companies. That time is now. Members are making a door to door canvass in their district. Only by town funds with proceeds of the drive needed to protect the lives and property of Newtown citizens. If you're not at home when the firemen call, mail your check in the envelope he will leave.

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No need to travel afield to see some famous garden's rose display, just drive down Church Hill Road and revel in the bank of Blaze roses across the street from the offices of The Bee. A more magnificent sight would be hard to come by. They are greatly enjoyed by every passerby and all who work at The Bee are daily grateful.

June 26, 1942

Felix Jackowitz of Bridgeport was crushed to death and Leonard Black, driver, was seriously injured when a heavily loaded truck left the road at Dead Man's Curve, early Monday afternoon, and crashed itself into a lot of junk. A serious accident occurred when a ten-wheel trailer-type truck coming from Bridgeport left the road, knocked down the state road fence, overturned and tumbled down a 20-foot embankment into a field. Loaded with freight and bound for Detroit, Mich., the truck was driven by Mr Black, of Nashville, Tenn., who was accompanied by Mr Jackowitz, who was instantly killed when thrown from the cab and pinned beneath the wreckage. Officers from the Ridgefield barracks who investigated the accident, reported that the truck was evidently being driven at an excessive rate of speed and that the trailer part of the truck left the road on the corner, dragging the cab over the embankment.

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William Hunter, local salvage chairman, reports that townspeople are cooperating very satisfactorily in the present Rubber Salvage campaign. Large piles of old tires and various and sundry rubber items are being accumulated at the garages and service stations in various sections of town. Mr Hunter estimates that the total is now more than two tons. The drive continues through June 30. Stations are authorized to pay 1 cent per pound for old rubber; however, all articles that are donated, will later be sold and the proceeds used for the benefit of local organizations and also to buy cigarettes for men in the service.

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Approximately 35 five- and six-year-old children will enter Newtown schools next autumn. The parents of 29 of these children took advantage of the thorough examination offered free of charge by the state Department of Health, during the annual Summer Round-Up, held on Tuesday at the Hawley School. Each child was first weighed and measured; vision and hearing were then tested and an examination and prophylaxis by a local dentist from the state Department of Health followed, and the child was then ready for a general health exam by a physician in attendance. An observer noted the solemn eagerness of the children and the serious interest of the mothers in the whole affair.

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The store business of Morris & Shepard, located on Main Street and conducted for many years by the late Levi Morris and the late Rodney Shepard, was sold on Tuesday by the estates of the deceased partners to Albert Knapp and George Trull. The building itself did not change hands. In reporting the sale of this well-known country store, it is interesting to note that a retail business has been conducted there for more than seventy years. The building was built by David H. Johnson sometime previous to his death in 1874. L.B. Booth took over the business about 1880 and continued until 1891, when Levi Morris was appointed trustee and liquidated the business.

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The annual strawberry supper, served last Thursday evening by the women of Trinity church, proved such a popular event that the ladies met with difficulties in feeding the crowd. A tempting menu was provided, topped off with strawberry shortcake.

June 29, 1917

Attorney and Mrs A.J. Hull have shown their public spirit and patriotism by opening their home and grounds for a lawn party for the benefit of the Red Cross on Saturday afternoon, June 30. Sandwiches, cake and ice cream will be offered and there will be a sale of useful articles. Everybody is invited.

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E. A Underhill of Bethel has set about in a very practical way to aid farmers who need help in their hoeing or other farm work. Mr Underhill has gathered together the hatters, out of work in Danbury and Bethel, and is prepared to furnish men to farmers needing assistance with their crops. Mr Underhill will send over 20 men to North Newtown, Saturday, to assist Edgar T. Andrews with his work.

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Ex-Senator Smith P. Glover continues to improve steadily and is now able to sit up in his invalid chair. The doctor expects to have him on crutches soon. Mr Glover's many friends are delighted to learn of his steady improvement.

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The Sandy Hook Band, whose concerts have been enjoyed in the past, will give a concert on the night of July 4 in front of the Newtown Inn. A collection will be taken for the benefit of the Red Cross Ambulance Fund. Everyone will want to turn out for the concert and give the Red Cross Ambulance fund a boom.

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The commencement exercises of the class of 1917 will be held at the Town hall, Friday evening, June 29, at 8 o'clock. A number of seats have been reserved for parents and immediate friends of graduates. Those who desire to take advantage of these tickets must be present before 8 pm. Every effort will be made to seat all who come. The public is invited.Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with readers. Images can be e-mailed to kendra@thebee.com, or brought to the office at 5 Church Hill Road to be scanned. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.