April 24, 1992

Part of the price we pay for having cheap, good movies at the Edmond Town Hall is a crush of traffic in the center of town at movie times. Experience has taught us to slow down and slow down as we drive through the thicket of people and cars making their way to the theater. A little bit of patience goes a long way toward ensuring everyone gets to where they are going safely. But there is one hazard that cannot be overcome simply by going slow. On evenings when there is a popular movie at Edmond Town Hall, cars entering Main Street at the monument must make a blind plunge into traffic. Cars parked along the street on the approaches to and in front of the monument block sight lines. Making it onto Main is a matter of daring and hope. A parking prohibition at the intersection would greatly reduce the hazard. It is a precaution that someday may save a life.

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The possible closing of the Sandy Hook post office will be discussed at a public meeting on Wednesday, April 29, at 7 pm in the Middle School auditorium. US Postal Service representatives will talk about the new Newtown Post Office that is being built on Commerce Road, which is scheduled to open October 1. It would replace the current post office on Queen Street. Postal officials are also tentatively proposing the Sandy Hook post office be closed, with its operations consolidated with the Newtown Post Office. If that happens, the new post office would be called Newtown/Sandy Hook post office, with Sandy Hook retaining its separate address and zip code.

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As many residents and patrons of the Newtown General Store may have noticed, the store has changed hands and is undergoing renovations. "We're going to bring it back to the old style," said Donna Spaner, one of the store's three new owners. Along with groceries and ice cream, Ms Spaner plans to expand the deli menu. "The deli is definitely staying," she said. "The ice cream will be homemade fresh daily." According to Ms Spaner the interior will be off white with hunter green trim around the windows, and feature Tiffany lights. Outside there will be carriage lights and flowers, she said.

April 29, 1967

Generous response continues from the people of Newtown to the Hickey-Loughman Fund which has now passed the $600 mark. Including many contributions from sympathetic individuals, the Newtown Fish & Game Club and Couples Club of the Congregational Church have made good-sized gifts from their membership. A car has also been donated and the landlord has canceled the rent for a generous period of time for each family. The Democratic Women's Club is also donating the proceeds from a dance being held Saturday evening. As should be well known in town, the Hickey and Loughman families suffered the loss of husband and father with the death of James Hickey in an auto accident and the death of Patrick Loughman from a heart attack. Through the effort of Arthur Spector, a committee was organized to help the families.

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"In 1965 we pledged to give you an honest administration: to build our town with every tax dollar, giving you a dollar's worth of services and materials, and with carefully drawn plans for orderly growth to fulfill future needs of all our people. What we say in 1967 is that we've had a fair start on these things. Two years is all too short a time for an administration to change over the disruptions of ten years of neglect as we have had." This was the theme of First Selectman Carl Schutz speaking at a coffee klatch at the home of Mrs Gilbert Burns. He reviewed the accomplishments of his administration during the past two years and took issue with Republican allegations concerning road conditions, Selectman's meeting procedures, and taxes. "My opponents have accused me of haphazard government because I haven't had an agenda every Selectman's meeting. There hasn't been an agenda in a Selectman's meeting since the town has been in existence." He spoke of preparation and putting through the $3,950,000 bond issue for the new school. He pointed out that much of the increase in the tax rate this year is the result of that school.

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"Teenage Republicans for Hiney and Rees" will assist at the "Spaghetti Supper with the Candidates" in the Alexandria Room on April 29 from 5 to 8 o'clock. Co-chairmen Mr and Mrs Frank Delucia will be assisted by other members of the ticket. Proceeds will go to the campaign fund and tickets will be available at the door.

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Michael Higgins, who has appeared in the New York Shakespeare Theatre in the role of Macbeth and in television, motion pictures, and other stage presentations during the last 25 years, will be the guest of Mrs Stanley Lucey at Newtown High School on Wednesday, May 3, and will present a capsule version of Macbeth to her English and public speaking classes. Mr Higgins recently spent five months in Washington DC as leading performer in the Arena Theatre.

April 24, 1942

Women of Newtown, attention! You are very specially invited to the Alexandria Room at 2:30 pm on Friday, May 1. Each one of you wants to help in the national effort. This is your chance to learn how you can. Different defense activities will be described in short speeches. The women's mobilization will be explained and discussed. Questions will be answered. And as guests of honor the mothers and wives of all Newtown servicemen are invited to attend. Come and bring your neighbors and their babies. Girls Scouts have volunteered to care for small children in the town hall gymnasium during the meeting.

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There appeared in the Book Review section of The New York Times on Sunday, April 12, a notice of a booklet which The Bee printed for H.H. Honegger of Walnut Tree Hill containing his article of last December on the subject of Vincent van Gogh and his art, as well as replies to the article, all of which appeared in The Bee. Requests have since been received at The Bee from college libraries and interested individuals scattered over the United States, asking for copies of the booklet, all of which adds to the satisfaction enjoyed by The Bee for the excellent piece of printing which has been highly praised by several associates in the printing and publishing business.

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Despite the chilly weather, a close game of baseball was played at Pine Grove Park on Sunday when Jack Leavy's Sandy Hook Club won a 7-inning tilt over Paul Smith's Newtown aggregation, the score at the end of seven innings reading 1-0. This early season classic developed into a sort of pitcher's field day, neither team doing very well at the plate. The low score would indicate mid-season form and as a matter of actual fact there were very few errors despite the lack of practice on the part of some of the "old men."

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Yipee-eeeee - we're off! Nine young people started out with Mr Cullens for four days at his cabin in New Hampshire. Stumbling along in the dark at 5:30 in the morning and our eyes wide awake and everyone raring to go. We piled our baggage into two cars and if there was room left we managed to get into the vehicles. Our first mishap was in Holyoke Mass., a leak in the gas line. Whose car? That's easy - the one Bergie was driving. It seems he's the only one who ever has car trouble. After we got that corked up, off we went again about that cabin in the pines.

April 27, 1917

A cordial invitation is extended to all the young people of Sandy Hook to spend a social evening at the home of the late Mrs E.A. Bennett on Saturday evening, April 28. The ladies on charge will be presiding deaconess of New Haven, Miss Elsie Stowe, Mrs Paul Clarckson of Berkshire and Mrs Clapp of Sandy Hook. A good time is promised all who attend. Come and bring a friend

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At about 6 o'clock Thursday morning there was a freight wreck at a place called Berkshire Junction, between Brookfield Junction and Danbury Junction, caused by a freight train jumping the track. Fortunately no one was injured, Trains were considerably delayed, however.

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Taunton News. Fred Luf has bought a new Ford of James Nichols. Chester P. Northrop has gotten his Ford home from Stepney. David S. Tobias of Bridgeport has been spending a few days with his mother, Mrs C.P. Northrop. Miss Frieda Klinger has been visiting in Taunton.

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Carl Bach, president of the Manufacturer's Iron Foundry of Bridgeport, Robert Fitzroy of 70 Enda Avenue, and F.C.Bruel of the Park City, have been passing a few days at the Newtown Inn. Mr Bach has been enjoying the trout fishing about Newtown. On Tuesday he caught a handsome trout weighing a pound and a half. On Wednesday afternoon it was rumored that Mr Bach had caught a large eel, but the rumor proved incorrect. The gentlemen have been having a good time and say they will come again.

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Town Clerk Pitzschler is registering dogs every day. But it looks as if a number of dog owners would have to pay the extra fee for not registering before May 1. After that date the registration fee will be $2.25 and for a female dog $10.25, so Mr Dog Owner had better hurry to the town clerk's office before it's too late.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.