June 1, 1990

Police are looking for a white male who robbed the Sunoco station on Route 25 in Newtown early Thursday morning, May 31. According to the police, at approximately 5:30 am, a white male in his mid 20s, approximately 5’ 4” tall entered Friendly Service Station (Sunoco) and displayed a silver revolver. Reportedly, the man demanded money, pushed the female employee, took approximately $100 in cash, and fled in a green car. The case is under investigation.

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Next year, the dumping of recyclable goods will be out. So this year, recycling by residential haulers in in. But local programs are taking time getting off the ground. To date, only one local Newtown hauler offers a full-scale recycling program to his and other residential customers. “Anybody that wants my service — I’m there,” said owner/salesman Patrick Caruso of Associated Refuse. He charges $5 for curbside pickup. Other haulers are tiring of weighing their potential costs against waiting to see what the town will do with a recently cut, $75,000 recycling plan. “We’re starting June 1,” said Fred Pendergast of his business. Part of haulers’ delay in establishing their own recycling setup, Mr Pendergast said, has been the town’s promises of coming up with the town-funded approach.

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Art Titus is retiring Friday, June 1, after more than 30 years with the Newtown Post Office. For more than 15 years, he has been the rural carrier for southwestern Newtown. Besides enjoying the people on his route, he also has appreciated the opportunity that the job gave him to pursue his favorite hobby — bird watching.

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She’s the shopping center cat, and her name is Alpaca. It was more than a month ago when she first showed up at the Village Shopping Center on Route 25. Collections were taken; cat food was purchased. Furthermore, Alpaca was taken to the Newtown Animal Clinic, where she was treated for malnutrition, given medication for a skin fungus, spayed, and given shots. Alpaca, who is about six years old, sleeps outside in the shopping center, sometimes in a cardboard box that has been put in a breezeway.

June 4, 1965

Dr Willard A. Downie, Newtown superintendent of schools, submitted a letter of resignation to the Board of Education on Tuesday, June 1,effective July 15, 1965. He has been superintendent for the past year. Dr Downie will assume the leadership of Lake Washington School District of Kirkland, Washington, a suburb of Seattle, immediately upon his release. The new position is considered a distinct advancement by the Newtown superintendent. He will move to a district with  8,500 students, 15 schools, a staff of 400 certified personnel, and a $4.1 million budget.

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Acting upon the repeated advice of the state supervisors from the State Department of Public Health in Hartford to clarify fully the program and policy of the Newtown VNA, as a nursing agency and not as a welfare or charity agency, a resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Visiting Nurse Association of Newtown, Inc, at the regular meeting, Tuesday afternoon, June 1, whereby all charity activities sponsored, financed, or engaged in by the local VNA shall be terminated, effective July 1, 1965. As a result of the adoption of this resolution, the dental, milk and hot lunch programs sponsored and financed by the VNA in the local schools shall no longer be the responsibility of the VNA and no further financial assistance shall be given to either of these programs by the VNA with the exception of the payment of all bills and estimates outstanding and approved by the Board of Directors to date.

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In observance of Memorial Day, the sixth grade of Hawley School placed geraniums at the grave of Newtown’s benefactress, Miss Mary Elizabeth Hawley, on Friday, May 29. Miss Hawley was particularly found of red flowers, hence the choice of geraniums. Among the many gifts of Miss Hawley to the town were the entrance gates and memorial vault, as well as a fund for improvements and maintenance of the Village Cemetery.

May 31, 1940

Mrs Ethel Loveland of Stevenson has opened the refreshment stand on Lake Zoar near Stevenson Dam. Mrs Loveland will serve refreshments of all kinds and will have boats to rent. New bathhouses have been erected and the beach improved. The place is known as Zoar Beach, and during the past year many people took advantage of the swimming there. A large picnic ground with tables has been made ready for the use of the public.

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The Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company is to be congratulated on its purchase of land, upon which the members hope to erect a fire house and recreation hall in the not-too-distant future. The Bee hopes that when the building is planned, a suitable structure will be designed — one that will not only properly house fire equipment but also provide a suitable room for meetings and social gatherings. Appearance is also a matter for consideration, as a step in the program of beautification which is sure to be started one of these days, making Sandy Hook with its Pohtatuck brook one of the beauty spots of town.

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The Newtown AC will meet the Mahopac Chiefs on Memorial Day at 3 o’clock at Pine Grove Park in Sandy Hook. This is not a league game. Both teams will put a strong outfit on the field, and the game should be a most interesting one. The starting pitcher will be Ward Mead, a red-headed left-hander, who should show plenty of fire.

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Attractive street signs have recently been placed on his development in South Center, by Frank Strasburger, the signs indicating Meadow Road, Elizabeth street, Queen street, and South Main street.

June 4, 1915

SANDY HOOK MARKET. (AUGER’S OLD STAND.) At the Sandy Hook Market will be found the best the market affords in fresh and Salt Meats, Canned Goods and Vegetables in their season. It is my aim to conduct a first class market. I ask for your patronage. J.H. Blackman, Prop.

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The Fairfield AC ball nine of Danbury will cross bats, Sunday, with the Sandy Hook aggregation in a game at the Knoll, at 3 pm. Delorey, the crack freshman pitcher from Fordham college, will twirl for the visitors. Bradley and Conger will be the battery for the Sandy Hook’s.

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Tax Collector J.F. Houlihan up to June 1 had gathered in about $25,000 in taxes. He reports taxes coming in better than for several years, which is a praiseworthy showing and speaks well for the genial collector.

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A.D. Fairchild was so unfortunate as to lose his favorite horse, “Charlie,” the animal dying after a brief sickness. This horse ought to be truly educated, for a period of five or six years it made daily trips to the Newtown High School, conveying Mr Fairchild’s children to that educational institution with great faithfulness. It is thought that he must have acquired a good knowledge or Geometry, German and the various branches taught in Newtown High School. He also was interested in the social affairs at the school, for he had carried around the young folks as they went after greens to decorate the Town hall for the past five or six commencements.