January 17, 1992

Board of Ethics members voted 6-0 on January 14 to absolve First Selectman Zita McMahon of allegations that she might have violated the town's code of ethics through her authorization of improvements to certain private roads in Riverside. After receiving a complaint from resident Arthur Bennett, the board was reviewing the question of whether Ms McMahon's actions last fall constituted preferential treatment to property owners on the affected roads. But after hearing presentations from Mr Bennett and Ms McMahon as well as statements from several others, it was obvious that board members didn't think there was any basis for a finding of preferential treatment. This issue pertains to paving and chip sealing that Ms McMahon authorized on Underhill and Round Hill Roads and on Dock Street and Waterview Drive.

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Newtowners have a vested interest in attending a hearing on whether or not to close Fairfield Hills Hospital, according to one state mental health department head. "For the people of Newtown, Fairfield Hills is a major source of employment," said Peter Johnson, Region 5 director and acting hospital superintendent. Local workers number 235. The hearing will be January 21 from 6-8 pm at the Plymouth Hall off Mile Hill Road South.

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There is no disputing that telephones are a modern convenience we can't do without. For some of us, they are so important that we install them in our cars and boats and carry them with us when we are working out in the yard so we are never out of touch. But increasingly the telephone is also becoming an inconvenience. Solicitors selling everything form aluminum siding to Zinfandel call to ply their trade, almost always at dinner time. A bored acquaintance calls, for the fourth or fifth time in a day, just to chat when we've got a million other things to do. Then, there are crank callers. Of course we must answer the phone and subject ourselves to all comers because we don't want to miss that important business call or call from a friend or relative. Caller ID deserves a try in Connecticut. Customers should have the opportunity to quickly screen out unwanted phone calls.

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A 32-year-old Fairfield Hills Hospital patient was in stable condition Tuesday, January 14, after he walked in front of a tractor trailer truck on I-84, Friday. "We're very relieved to hear that he had no major head injuries," acting FHH superintendent Peter Johnson said. Paul Miller, a hospital patient since 1988, is being treated at Danbury Hospital for a fractured shin bone and fractured thigh bone. According to a state police report, the incident occurred at 2:14 pm, when Mr Miller was walking in the highway's right shoulder and walked into the path of an eastbound tractor trailer. The truck struck Mr Miller, causing injuries.

January 20, 1967

At 8:05 pm on January 16, a chimney fire was reported at the home of Jim Burns, Woodbine Lane. The Newtown Hook and Ladder company responded. The fire was contained to the chimney without damage to the building. Recall was at 8:40 pm. One January 17 at 1:55 pm, a fire at the home of Mr and Mrs Harrie Wood on Poorhouse Road was reported. The Dodgingtown Fire Company and Newtown Fire Department responded as it was thought that the entire building might become involved. The fire was contained to one bedroom on the second floor. No estimate of loss is available at this time. Actual damage by fire was reported not to be severe, but considerable damage resulted to the contents, due to smoke and heat. Firemen were able to cover furniture on the first floor with tarpaulins to protect from water damage.

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As was reported in last week's issue of The Bee, The Veterans Memorial Building on South Main Street  was destroyed by a disastrous fire on January 12. The remaining charred walls were pushed in at the request of building inspector Early Megin, in the interest of safety. According to a VFW spokesman, the VFW was covered by insurance, but not enough to replace it. However, donations are already coming in from civic-minded people to help in the campaign to erect a larger Veterans Memorial building. The wheels will soon start in motion to find a piece of land to build a larger building.

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Fire, unfortunately, has had more than its share of publicity lately, both in cities and small towns. It is that time of year furnaces run their hardest and chimneys are in constant use. These past ten days in Newtown, volunteer firemen have been busy with several house fires and with the blaze that destroyed the VFW home. In all cases, no serious personal injury resulted. There will probably come a time, however, when we will not be so lucky and a fatality will occur. With this in mind, we would like to suggest one extra measure. Added knowledge about a particular home or building could be provided to volunteer firemen on a file card and kept in the truck. A card of this type could contain information about the location of children's bedrooms, how many staircases, the nearest supply of water, and possibility of any highly combustible materials in the structure.

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Poodles, Puppies, and more Puppies - 10 to choose from - blacks, browns, and silvers, ALL AKC registered Toys and small miniatures. Usually priced from $100-$200. Select them early while they're still young and save money. Now priced from $75.

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Dominic DiGilio of Sandy Hook is a patient at Danbury Hospital, where he was admitted on Tuesday of last week. His friends hope that he will soon be able to return home.

January 16, 1942

Remember - boys in camp and on shipboard whiling away a long evening at a USO House, want books. They need books. Not outdated texts, not musty travel books, or biographies of a century ago; but books of today, the sort yourself want to read. Adventures and mystery stories, westerns, stories of aviation and sports, up-to-date technical and scientific books, good, reliable histories, especially of Europe and the Americas since 1900, popular biographies, current affairs, and books on military subjects.

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All you square dancing fans had better be getting into form for there is to be another old-fashioned Square Dance immediately following Hawley School's final home basketball game of the season played against the Morries team at the Edmond Town Hall on Friday evening, January 23. All visitors are of course welcome to stay and have some fun, too. Music for dancing will be provided by the Ramblin' Rangers of Easton. Soft drinks will be for sale on the sidelines and a hat will be passed during the evening to cover expenses.

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A few years ago, according to an obscure newspaper item, "Tiny fish coming out of water faucets in the Bronx section of New York City" brought complaints from a certain apartment house superintendent. He protested to the city water department that "the faucets had been producing fish for several weeks and his tenants' patience was exhausted." The fish were an inch or two long and not always whole. Many residents resorted to boiling water, and the result was said to be quite a nourishing soup.

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Medicine man: "And folks, remember that I have got something that will change the color of a person's hair overnight." Man in crowd: "Yeah, I've got a son in college too."

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Mrs Robert Fairchild was taken to Bridgeport Hospital Wednesday evening where she will undergo an operation. Dr I.L. Harshbarger is the attending surgeon. Friends wish Mrs Fairchild a speedy recovery.

January 19, 1917

E.C. Platt, the Hawleyville plumber and hardware dealer, received a complete and happy surprise Monday night, in honor of his birthday. They gathered at the residence of Frank Ruffels and about 8:45 pm they descended upon his residence and gave him a genuine surprise. He was presented with a smoking set. Pleasing refreshments were dispensed and a social time enjoyed.

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The item that appeared in one of the Bridgeport papers, regarding the deaths in that city and that flowers were scare in consequence, Mr Reck, of John Reck & Son, 985 Main Street, says is false. Of course taking a city the size of Bridgeport, there are expected that the death rate will increase from year to year. Mr Reck says that all you want to do is to come out to their greenhouse and you will find there a profusion of blossoming plants. The florists are keeping apace with the growing conditions and you will always find in their houses flowers that will make your heart glad, if you love the blossoms the way you should.

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The barn of Mrs Charles Pourchot in Hanover was burned to the ground early Tuesday morning. The origin is unknown. About five tons of hay and farming tools were burned. The building, it is believed, must have been set on fire by a tramp.

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Because of the shortage of paper The Bee this week goes back to its old six column, 16-page form, owing to the noon arrival of a carload of paper, already billed to The Bee Publishing Co. and somewhere on the steel rails between Canada and the United States.

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Lack of exercise in the winter is a frequent cause of constipation. You feel heavy, dull, and listless, your complexion is sallow and pimply, and energy at low ebb. Clean up this condition at once with Dr King's New Life pills, a mild laxative that relieves the congested intestine without griping. A dose before retiring will ensure you a full and easy movement in the morning. 25c at your druggist. -Adv.

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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.