May 13, 1988

While the imminence of $60 million worth of sewers remains lurking a few months longer in the far reaches of Newtown’s collective subconscious, public officials are beginning to come to grips with ideas on who should foot the bill. Most agreed the town should bear some but not all of the cost for limited sewers which Consulting Environmental Engineers of West Hartford have proposed for the borough and three lake and riverside communities.

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The Police Commission will be holding a special meeting May 19 in order to consider placing stop signs on Queen Street to regulate the entrances and exits to the Queen Street Shopping Center. The Police Commission agreed to authorize the placing of four stop signs, but commission members said they first wanted to hear how the Borough of Newtown Zoning Commission feels, and also how Eaton Centers, the company that owns Grand Union, feels.

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When Louis Rosario of Bridgeport went fishing in Lake Lillinonah at the boat launch off Lake Road Wednesday night, he had no idea that he’d be fishing for his Cadillac the next morning. It was getting pretty dark, so he pulled his car onto the grass at the top of a steep slope, and shone the headlights toward where he was casting. A little while later, Mr Rosario was stunned to see the car sliding down the damp slope. Mr Rosario said he spent most of the night trying to back his car back up the slope. After giving up, Mr Rosario set off on foot to find an open service station. At about 9 o’clock Thursday morning, Mr Rosario arrived back at the scene in a tow truck with Center Shell employee Dave Bodner. After his ordeal had ended, Mr Rosario said, “I quit fishing. I don’t want to know anything about fishing the rest of my life.”

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The Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company this week received its new Truck 444, a rescue truck much bigger than the one it replaces, which will be sold. The truck, more than 28 feet long and 10 feet high, cost $161,000. It has a 15,000 watt generator and also features what will be Newtown’s first mobile air compressor unit.

May 17, 1963

What are the chances of leaving a mental hospital? With good care and treatment, at least seven out of ten patients can leave mental hospitals, partially or totally recovered. Data from a number of states show that about 75 percent of those admitted are discharged within the first year. Support your Mental Health Campaign.

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The trustees of the Zoar Cemetery have requested the help of anyone willing to participate in a mowing bee. The event, scheduled for May 25, is an effort to make the cemetery attractive for Memorial Day. No help will be refused.

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On May 5, some 100 members and friends of Christ the King Lutheran Church attended a kickoff supper at the Newtown High School. The theme of the supper and of the initial building fund program is “Arise And Build.” The week of May 12–19 is visitation week for members for the congregation. Teams of visitors are calling on all members to secure pledges for the erection of a church, educational wing, and parsonage.

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A special town meeting will take place this Friday night, May 17, in the gymnasium of Edmond Town Hall at 8 o’clock, to take action on the following: Appropriation of $26,000 for the purchase of a new pumper for the Newtown Hook and Ladder Company, and of $15,000 as a preliminary planning fund for a new elementary school.

 

May 13, 1938

On next Saturday evening, a barn dance will be held in the former Hawleyville Garage building, which has been recently renovated and put in condition to hold parties and dances. A new maple floor has been laid and the interior decorated. Bob Randall and his 5-piece orchestra will furnish music for dancing.

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When Rev Paul Cullens informed the Editor of the Bee, Thursday morning, May 12, that it had been snowing, the Editor thought that Mr Cullens had not quite recovered from his recent illness, but later in the day the statement was confirmed by “Hub” Beers and several others, proving that it must have been so!

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Beginning May 15th and continuing until the 21st, the Post Office Department will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first official inauguration of an air mail route in the United States, which occurred on May 15, 1918. On May 19th, a special pouch will be made up at the Newtown and Sandy Hook Post Offices to take air mail to the air port in Danbury where Commander Hawks will pilot a plane to Newark, N.J., with mail for all parts. Every person should send at least one letter by air mail net week. —P.H. McCarthy, Postmaster

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The organization of baseball activities at The Fairfield State Hospital, Newtown, for the 1938 season is now under way. As in 1937, there will be two uniformed hospital teams made up of employees and patients. Hospital baseball is intended primarily for the entertainment of patients, so that it is necessary to limit competition with outside teams to games on the home field. For home games, the only guarantee the hospital can offer is supper at the hospital for the visiting team, to a limit of 15 persons.

May 16, 1913

Dr Frank J. Gans, one of Newtown’s popular physicians, is driving one of the dashing and snappy Metz roadsters, which in the brilliancy of its dress beats out anything on the road. The Metz is a four-cylinder motor, cast-en-bloc, with removable water-jacketed cylinder head, permitting free access to the combustion chamber, pistons, cylinders and valves.

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There is a need of financial assistance in the Agricultural Department of the Newtown High School to carry out some special work and ideas that are proving a great help in creating an interest in this department. The gardening work that is being done, the object of which is to teach the boys and girls the rudiments of seed planting, fertilization and preparation of the ground, etc takes some cash for the purchase of seeds, etc.

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J. Edmund Skiff of New York has purchased the Reiner farm on Botsford hill, where he will establish a summer school of singing. Mr Skiff is a native of Connecticut, but for many years has been established in New York where he enjoys an enviable reputation as a singer and teacher of singing. He will have with him during the summer quite a number of pupils from New York and other places and it is not unlikely that he may provide some excellent concerts.

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John O. Pitzschler has had his barber shop in Sandy Hook very handsomely redecorated on the interior, Messrs Carroll and Peeso doing the work. He also installed new gasoline lighting system, which gives good satisfaction. Mr Pitzschler has now one of the best equipped barber shops hereabouts and is to be praised for his enterprise.