July 16, 1993

Prison guards, who charge that Garner Correctional Institution is one of the most dangerous state prisons in which to work, picketed in protest Wednesday in front of the Nunnawauk Road facility. Prison guards were joined by corrections officers from Cheshire, Somers, Enfield, and Bridgeport. The correction officers' protests focus on the "direct supervisional" approach to handling inmates. In that approach, two officers are positioned in a cellblock where they are responsible for about 95 inmates. The guards interact with the prisoners without protective barriers. Guards say the "direct supervision" approach favored by the state Corrections Commissioner Larry Meachum leaves them open to attack by violent prisoners. Corrections officers recently have been the targets of inmate attacks. Department of Corrections officials have said that the direct supervision approach makes for better guard-inmate interaction and fosters prisoner rehabilitation.

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"Anglers and others who visit the upper Housatonic River during the next week may notice dead or dying trout," warned Earnest E. Beckwith, director of the DEP Fisheries Division. "The recent heatwave has caused water temperatures to exceed 80 degrees, a level which is lethal to trout," he explained. The numbers of dead trout are expected to be greatest in the Trout Management area in Cornwall. A significant reduction in the trout population occurred in the summer of 1991 due to high water temperatures. Mr Beckwith said a kill of this magnitude would affect the fishery but the impacts would only be temporary. "We plan on stocking trout this fall and spring of 1994," he said.

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Artist David Ward, an antiques restorer from Essex, spent several hours this week repainting the cast iron eagle in front of the Edmond Town Hall. The statue, which had previously served as a symbol of the former White Eagle Oil Company, had been defaced by vandals who poured reddish paint on it one evening last month. The eagle was purchased by the Town Hall Board of Managers five years ago and installed in front of the building to honor the late Francis Hidu, who served many roles in the operation of the building over many years.

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Two Newtown residents complained to the Parks and Recreation Commission Tuesday about clients in the drug treatment program at Fairfield Hills Hospital using town pools. Residents said they have noticed hospital residents at the pool who are allowed entrance without a pool pass. Residents pay $5 for a daily user pass or $75 for a family seasonal past. Commission Chairman Larry Haskel explained that small groups of clients under supervision are allowed to use the pool because clients paint the Dickinson pool each spring, a job they are not paid for. Clients also work on other recreational projects. Mr Haskel added that the privilege is a gesture of good will on the part of the town since the state allows the town use of six ballfields on Fairfield Hills grounds. He also noted that state hospital clients are considered residents, according to the town attorney.

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The Multicultural Center, 1 Washington Avenue, Sandy Hook, will host an Open Market Day on July 17, 11 am to 3 pm, to include art exhibits, hands-on musical exhibits for children, arts and crafts. Admission is free.

July 19, 1968

BLACKSMITH'S WORD: The Bee continues to get around and enjoy the recommendation of authorities in many fields, to wit: Dear gentlemen: I heard about your Newtown Bee through a blacksmith of mine. I was wondering of you could start sending me copies? Since I don't know what it costs to subscribe you will have to let me know. Sincerely yours, New Canaan Reader. July 10, 1967.

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In accordance with instructions received from the United State Post Office Department on July 16, the Newtown Post Office on Queen Street will suspend window service beginning Saturday, July 27. According to Post Master Al Nichols, mail will come in and go out on the usual Saturday schedule and rural and city deliveries will be made. However, stamps will not be sold and parcel post mailings will not be serviced.

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Newtown voters supported interim First Selectman Timothy B. Treadwell by a vote of 1,899 to 1,159 over his Democratic opponent, Miles Harris, in the special election on Tuesday, July 16. There were no write-in votes. The total vote of 3,058 in this election with one position at stake, that of the town's top official, was 439 votes shy of the total 1967 vote for a complete slate of town officials.

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The Horticulture Club held its usual July outing on Saturday afternoon at the summer place of Mr and Mrs Paul S. Smith on Candlewood Lake. The weather was conducive to swimming, with a cook-out picnic supper followed by games and a lively auction. Doug Martin provided many chuckles as he sold a wide variety of plants and kindred items. Sometimes the auctioneer "imagined" bids, but the unsuspecting bidders never seemed to object, and the club treasury was that much richer. During the afternoon 48 Canadian geese swam by and were coaxed to the dock long enough to enjoy a whole can of Pepperidge Farm gold fish which Jim Laird gladly provided to be tossed to the visitors.

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FHH ACTIVITIES: A flower arranging class for members of the patients' garden club was held at the hospital this week. Members of the Canaan House bridge group were guests at the home of Mrs Harold Ashworth in Woodbury at a bridge luncheon.

July 23, 1943

In these days of food preservation, readers of The Bee will be much interested in the dehydrating machine now in operation at Fairfield State Hospital. Early in the spring , A.M. Porter, assistant professor of vegetable gardening, and Mrs Marion Dakin, University of Connecticut nutritionist, were invited to visit the hospital to discuss dehydration of fruits and vegetables with the staff. At the meeting's conclusion it was definitely decided that the Fairfield State Hospital was interested in dehydration and would either purchase or make a suitable machine for the purpose. An obsolete, discarded collar drying cabinet from the laundry was used as the basis for this machine. Air filters, thermometers, thermostats and automatic valves were "borrowed" or purchased new. The maintenance department, in the meantime, was making internal wooden frames and trays to fit into the steel cabinet. The machine was set up in the main hospital kitchen.

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We suppose it approaches rank insubordination to take issue with so important a personage as the Secretary of the Navy. Yet we do so, disagreeing with Frank Knox in his statement that the war in the Pacific will not be won until 1949. Obviously, we have no grounds for belief in any other date, and the Secretary of the Navy should know whereof he speaks. But we still think he is guessing and making a pessimistic guess at that. Moreover, we think his guess was prompted by a desire to offset the recent favorable war news, believing in that making such a forecast he would be preventing any lessening of the American public in the war effort. It had seemed to us that Mr Knox, up to the recent crystal-gazing, had been quietly and efficiently going about his duties. We hope it was only a slip into the propaganda tactics of the Washington administration, which needs its tons of paper to spread everything but the truth in so many instances.

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Because several volunteer ambulance drivers have been called into the service of or entered defense plants, an appeal is being made for more drivers for the Newtown ambulance. Those who wish to volunteer for this work are asked to be at the Edmond Town Hall on next Sunday morning between 10 and 11 o'clock when A. Fenn Dickinson and John Sedor will be present to instruct them in the handling of the ambulance.

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Friends of "Bob" Stephens, former member of The Bee staff, will be interested to know that he is now seeing service aboard the C.S.S. Charrette, one of the newest of Uncle Sam's destroyers.

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Paul M. Fell, Jr, was tendered a surprise birthday party last Saturday evening by friends and neighbors at his home, Cedar Heights View, Hawleyville. Summer flowers decorated the house and games were enjoyed throughout the evening. Mr Fell was the recipient of many beautiful and useful gifts, and letters wishing him a happy birthday. Dainty refreshments were served later in the evening.

July 19, 1918

Miss Ruth Clarkson of Berkshire, who has been a United States government clerk in the ordinance department for eight months, has resigned her position to accept a more lucrative one. Miss Clarkson will be private secretary for Mr Gesrill, Y.M.C.A. secretary of New York.

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Lightning struck the barn of James Dodd in the river district Wednesday, noon, and set fire to it. An alarm was sent in and some of the firemen went down with a chemical engine but couldn't save the building.

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The many friends of Mrs A.T. Minor will be glad to hear that she is recovering from her illness

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Mr and Mrs Henry Waterman and Miss Maude Waterman of Brooklyn are occupying the bungalow of Miss Mary L. Martin on the Boulevard for the season. They are boarding with Misses Peck.

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What might have been a serious accident occurred to Dwight M. Burr one day last week. He was loading hay at Clarence B. Burr's when the horse started suddenly, throwing Mr Burr backward to the ground. Luckily for him no bones were broken.Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with The Newtown Bee 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.