First Selectman Jack Rosenthal said this week that ongoing negotiations with the police and highway workers’ unions have been “pleasant with no shouting on either side.” But points have arisen which the negotiators can’t agree on, so both contracts will go before a mediator next week in an attempt to resolve the disagreements.

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The grease which moves the wheels of Newtown’s government, cultural and social life is the elbow grease of volunteers, and First Selectman Jack Rosenthal said recognition of that fact is long overdue. As a result, the town’s Board of Selectmen — two of whom are volunteers themselves — has proclaimed June 11-15 Volunteers Week in Newtown. The selectmen and their wives will host a reception in honor of the many volunteers next Friday, June 15, from 5 to 7 pm in the town hall’s Alexandria Room.

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Fundraising for the Newtown Summer Festival activities is under way for 1979, with volunteers calling Newtown residents and requesting pledges. This year’s Summer Festival activities include fireworks, a town picnic, a block party, a super star competition, and a Labor Day parade. Since none of these activities are funded by the town, Summer Festival committee members are asking residents to pledge whatever they can.

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The Newtown Indian baseball team is in the state finals for the first time ever. Newtown advanced to the championship game by squeaking out a 1-0 victory over a solid Wilbur Cross team in the Class L semifinals played this past Wednesday at Penders Field in Stratford. Twice-beaten Waterford, a 6-3 winner over Torrington in the other semifinal, will be the Indians’ opponent in the title contest at Quigley Field in West Haven at 7:30 pm tonight.

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Remember the stories The Bee ran last fall and winter about sightings of UFOs in the Sandy Hook area? Well, there is a followup, but not one which offers a conclusive answer as to what the sky objects, spotted by a few Sandy Hook residents, might be. Earlier this week a local radio station reported that a report of photos taken of the object said they defied description but that the objects apparently emitted microwaves. The radio report wasn’t exactly right, according to Philip Imbrogno of Greenwich who does research in this area for the Center for UFO Studies in Evanston, Illinois. Mr Imbrogno and another person researching for the Center, Fred Dennis, had been in Sandy Hook several times last year to interview persons who said they had seen the UFOs. One of these residents, Frank Catapano, had taken photos of his sightings, and these were turned over to Mr Imbrogno, who sent them on to a UFO observation outfit in Arizona, known as “Ground Saucer Watch.” Mr Imbrogno has heard from the organization, which has let him know that after preliminary analysis of the photos, they still don’t know what the object seen is.

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As a result of disclosures about the presence of asbestos in water supplied to customers of the Chestnut Tree Hill Water Company in Sandy Hook, First Selectman Jack Rosenthal has sought information on the health effects of drinking the water.

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First Selectman Jack Rosenthal and State Rep John Anderson will meet Friday morning, June 8, with the president of the Newtown Water Company to discuss its problems in coming up with a new water source, and the possibility of allowing the company to temporarily acquire water for its 875 customers from Fairfield Hills State Hospital.

JUNE 11, 1954

The members of the senior class of Newtown High School will step one by one before William A. Honan, Sr, president of the Board of Education, next Thursday evening, June 17, at Edmond Town Hallat 8 o’clock to receive their diplomas. At that moment for 37 young people of town will come to an end at least 12 years of regular attendance at school, sometimes carefree, sometimes full of troubles. For some, it will mark the beginning of professional training and more years of classes, for others the prelude to finding jobs and settling down to living in earnest.

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The Mother’s Club of Newtown has announced its sponsorship of the New York Herald-Tribune Fresh Air Fund drive in Newtown for the second year. With its announcement, the club opened its campaign in town to locate townspeople who will be hosts to New York City children for the two-week period from July 22 to August 5.

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 Thirty-six members of the fourth, fifth and sixth grades of Hawley School will take to the boards in Newtown High School this Friday night, June 11, in the town’s first junior talent show. Following the pattern of the successful show given by students of the junior and high school grades last March, Friday night will again be a gala amateur night for the young entertainers.

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The last of the three anti-polio vaccine innoculations were given to 64 children of the second grade of Hawley School on Monday morning, June 7, quickly and smoothly with Dr George B. Kyle and Dr Joseph Reiss in attendance. Four of the original 68 children were absent at that time but these have been given their injections during the week by Miss Martha Kline, school nurse.

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All New England states and New Jersey will stop traffic simulataneously during the national Civil Defense test on Monday, June 14, at 10 am, it has been announced by Gen William Hesketh, Connecticut Civil Defense direction. A warning red air raid signal will be sounded at 10 o’clock. All traffic should stop and pedestrians are to take available shelter. The all-clear signal will be sounded at 10:10, but traffic will not move until 10:17. It is expected that the simultaneous halting of traffic will make for uniformity and better control, especially at border points where cars are moving across state lines. The national test, first of its size, will be based on theoretical enemy attacks on 42 major US cities. Hartford is the sole Connecticut target.

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Anne E. Killian of Stratford announces the opening of Killian Corners, formerly the Flo-An Frost Bar, located on Route 25, South Center District, Newtown. The new place will specialize in the serving of a variety of sandwiches, frozen custard and ice cream.

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Miss Evelyn Weber, daughter of Mr and Mrs Edwin Weber of Gray’s Plain District, was presented the George Trull Memorial Award of the Newtown Lions Club Wednesday night at a regular dinner meeting of the club at the Yankee Drover Inn.

JUNE 7, 1929

The Schimmelman farm house located in Huntingtown opened for the season on Decoration Day with a packed house.

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Over 50 people from New York and New Jersey enjoyed the holiday and weekend at the popular Goosman summer house in the Huntington district.

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Miss Ruth Conger returned on Monday from St Margaret’s School, Waterbury. She was recently elected business manager of the Athletic Association.

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In spite of the terrific heat of last Thursday evening, 125 people gathered in the Guild Room of Trinity Church for the recital given by pupils of Miss Louise Nichols.

H.G. Warner, the popular Sandy Hook merchant, has been confined to his home by illness for a few days.

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Due to the energy of President W.N. Burroughs and his associates of the Chamber of Commerce, Newtown did honor to the veterans of the several wars, Memorial Day morning, by a parade and exercises that were thoroughly enjoyed by the townspeople. The parade was formed at Post Office Square, Sandy Hook, and got under way about 10 o’clock, with scores of automobiles conveying the participants, a beautifully decorated float in blue and white carrying the members of the Girls’ Friendly Society of St John’s Church, and the members of the Young People’s Fellowship.

JUNE 10, 1904

The “Central” in Newtown for the Southern New England Telephone Company will be located in the block of R.H. Beers & Company.

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Miss S.J. Scudder has bought of E.M. Miller 50 acres of land adjoining the Scudder farm in Dodgington known as the Clark land.

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An audience of only 70 people enjoyed the Meyerholz moving pictures at the Town Hall Saturday night. The pictures were excellent and the exhibition was worthy a large audience. The pictures showing the train robbery were said to be especially good and realistic.

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Peter McKeever, the enterprising gentleman who bought the Frank Toole farm in Taunton, has now a dairy of ten cows, three horses and other stock. He is much pleased with his new home.

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The ball nine of Newtown Street expect to play a nine from Bethel at the fair grounds Saturday.

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Ruffels and Nichols are giving the residence of L.C. Morris a new coat of paint.

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J.R. Hutton, assistant construction foreman for the Southern New England Telephone Company, had a gang of eight Italians arrive, Saturday, to begin setting the poles. They are quartered in a tent on land of Professor C.S. Platt, and seem to enjoy life.

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E.M. Miller has the contract for 150 poles for the Southern New England Telephone Company. He is now delivering them.