February 2, 1996

Newtown residents are braced for more snow, rain, and freezing temperatures this weekend, the memory of last week’s storm still fresh in their minds. More than 2-1/2 inches of rain fell in the Danbury area between early morning and afternoon last Saturday. The rain combined with melting snow, overcoming drainage systems and flooding basements. Gusting winds knocked down electrical wires, causing brief power outages.

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Regular customers of the Newtown General Store have had to go elsewhere to get their morning coffee and newspaper ever since the Main Street landmark closed down last Friday. The days of the 99 cent bacon, cheese, and egg sandwich are over. Owner Donna Spaner was forced to close the bright red store’s doors after the State Department of Revenue Services put a lien on the store for $25,000 worth of unpaid sales taxes... Anne Ragusa, attorney for Mrs Spaner, said the store has been on the market and has several interested buyers. The taxes must be paid before the store can be sold.

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Having gained Borough Zoning Commission approval for an expanded and renovated Newtown Shopping Center on Queen Street, The Kasper Group plans to start work on the project in six to eight weeks. The first phase of the project will include construction of a Big Y supermarket, which the developer said he hopes to complete by December.

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Town fire and police officials are investigating an apparent arson that took place after 11 pm Monday in a snowy field off Tunnel Road, near Currituck Road. Fire Marshal George Lockwood said Tuesday that Hawleyville firefighters found an automobile fully engulfed in flames when they responded to the report of a fire. Because damage was so extensive to the small station wagon, Mr Lockwood said he has not been able to identify the make or model of the car.

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The difficulty in obtaining cardboard boxes to store and transport junk mail for recycling has temporarily put a stop to its collection at the town’s recycling center on Ethan Allen Road. The town was forced to stop collecting junk mail shortly after Christmas when it became impossible to find a supply of the 4x4x4-foot sturdy cardboard boxes, which the town had been using to ship the junk mail to the Marcal Paper Company in New Jersey... using two dumpsters and hauling the junk mail to Marcal would cost the town about $1,000 per dumpster... Mr Hurley said the price of cardboard seems to be dropping again, which should solve the problem.

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Since 1975, the number of emergency medical responses by the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps has more than doubled. Despite the increased calls for help, it manpower has remained the same. Nevertheless, the ambulance corps’ dedicated 40-member crew continues to serve Newtown’s residents efficiently, though fully aware that membership must begin to grow in coming years if it is to maintain the same kind of service.

January 29, 1971

We opposed very strongly the action of the Board of Education in seeking to obtain a part of the Boyle property as a site for an elementary school. We were never convinced it was an ideal site (second to the Luf property) and we felt it would be a mistake for the town to institute condemnation proceedings, since the buyers held a valid contract for the purchase of the entire property. Of course the town (at least a small percentage of eligible voters) voted to obtain the property — by condemnation if necessary... With condemnation proceedings getting underway, it appears to us that a long legal battle is destined to take place... We go on record once more, believing that the Board of Education is taking a very foolish course, losing valuable time which could better be used to seek another site and build the much-needed school as quickly as possible.

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An apparent misunderstanding has risen regarding the sale of property on Church Hill Road, which houses Bob’s Hot Dog Stand. The American Oil Station, which is adjacent to the property, has not been sold. Bob’s will be torn down to allow for expansion of the station, which will remain where it is.

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Fairfield Hills Hospital has three Style Shops on the hospital grounds. Two of the shops, in Canaan House and Bridgewater House, are for women patients. The men’s shop is in Kent House. Dresses, coats, suits, jackets, sweaters, and underwear for these shops are always welcome. Particularly needed at all times are articles in the larger sizes.

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Meditation Lecture At Trinity Church: On Thursday, February 4, Newtown residents will have the opportunity of attending an introductory lecture on Transcendental Meditation. This technique was brought to the world 12 years ago by Maharishi and has since blossomed into a worldwide movement... Recently, doctors at the Stamford Research Center and Harvard Medical School have conducted experiments on the psychological effects of TM. Their findings show that during meditation, a state of rest is produced deeper even than that produced by sleep.

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Not all rodeo cowboys come from the West. There are quite a few here in the East, and one of them is at Newtown High School. Senior Pat Kearns has been riding the rodeo circuit here in the East for about a year now and is a member of the Eastern States Rodeo Association, and when he graduates in June he plans to head west and take up the career full time.

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The Board of Education unanimously approved a recommendation by Dr James Boyd, superintendent of schools, that busing be provided for children who walk to the Middle School along Route 202 west of Route 25... The safety of these children was especially questioned because of the mounds of snow that accumulated along the roadsides after plowing, making it necessary for the children to walk in the street... the same conditions occur for the children who live off Currituck, Hanover, Wall, and Laurel Roads, as well as The Boulevard and the State Hospital grounds. Therefore, he also recommended that they have bus transportation, too. Dr Boyd’s recommendation was that the busing be during the typical snow months — from December 1 to March 15, and that these walkers have bus transportation for the remainder of that period this year.

January 25, 1946

James G. Cavanaugh, Jr, WT 1-c, son of Mr and Mrs James G. Cavanaugh, Sr, of Botsford, after more than three years of service in the US Navy, received his honorable discharge on January 6 and has been welcomed back among his Newtown friends, where details of the exploits of his ship, USS Portland, had in part preceded him. This heavy cruiser, nicknamed Sweet P, has a history of making explosive appearances in practically every major battle of the Far Pacific, turning up unexpectedly at widely separated scenes of action.

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The Hawley Girls’ Basketball team had little difficulty with the Morris High School team Tuesday evening, on the Edmond Town Hall court, but the Hawley boys took a licking in the second half by six points, after leading 16-15 at half time. In the girls’ game, Mary Lou Bradley topped the local scorers with six field baskets and two from the 15-foot line... In the boys’ game the top scoring went to Burr Mason with 11 points.

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A disastrous fire swept the recently acquired and remodeled home of Mr and Mrs Charles R. Le Ware, Gray’s Plain district, last Saturday night, shortly after 10 o’clock. The house was totally destroyed... Mr and Mrs Le Ware had retired but a few minutes when they smelled smoke, and found the kitchen, which is an extension of the main house, in flames... After they had fled from the house, Mrs Le Ware returned in an attempt to rescue a pet dog from the kitchen and suffered second degree burns on the soles of her feet. The Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company responded promptly, but with the night winds, found the flames had made considerable progress into the main part of the building... their efforts were directed toward saving the Le Ware outbuildings and nearby buildings of the Eugene M. Peck farm... A haystack in Mr Peck’s barnyard caught fire twice... The explosion of a water tank in the kitchen shortly after the arrival of firefighters spread the flames more widely.

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Claude Smith of Southbury had the misfortune to have his car catch fire, Wednesday afternoon, as he was driving down Church Hill. A fire extinguisher hastily borrowed from The Bee office extinguished the blaze before much damage was done.

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The Newtown Mothers Club is holding a food sale on Saturday, January 26, at 2 o’clock, at the Sandy Hook Library. There will be a wide variety of delicious food stuffs, cakes, cream puffs, and fudge, as well as more substantial fare such as roast chicken, eggs, and even a dressed rabbit.

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People of Newtown are requested to observe that the annual drive for funds for infantile paralysis victims is still in progress and the committee is charge would appreciate contributions being made at the earliest possible date... In Fairfield County, 98 victims of infantile paralysis are receiving financial assistance from the Fairfield County Chapter in the form of hospitalization, medical aid, physiotherapy treatments, orthopedic applications of all sorts, including crutches and wheelchairs.

January 14, 1921

To the Honorable Board of Selectmen: At a recent meeting of the Board of Directors of the Visiting Nurse Association, I was instructed to write you, calling your attention to the lack of proper exits at the Town hall in case of fire. There is always danger of fire where a moving picture machine is used and in case of fire starting in the back of the hall, the only exit is through the cellar, where a door opening out comes in contact with a door opening in... Edith M. Coger, Acting Secretary

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Newtown Congregational Church: A Pageant of the Nativity, given in the evening of December 11, was the most beautiful Christmas service ever held in this church... The church was crowded and I am sure everyone must have felt anew the beauty and wonder of the Bethlehem manger. Neither did we forget Mr Hoover’s “unseen guests” and there was an offering of over $50 for the starving children of Europe.

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The large dairy barn of Isadore Keller at the foot of Whisconier Hill was burned to the ground about 1:30 am Saturday, including seven cows, three calves, and a pair of horses. Mr Keller was in Bridgeport at the time of the fire and when the family was aroused it was impossible to save the livestock. It was one of the most dreadful spectacles that has been witnessed.

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Edward Egan butchered a hog for Jesse A. James last week, which tipped the scales to the tune of 477 pounds. Mr James has the record for raising the heaviest pig in the Hawleyville district and has received the degree of S.A., scientific agriculturist.

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Frank H. Johnston, the new School Supervisor, is stopping at the present at the Newtown Inn. Frank Remis returned on last Thursday, the 6th, from Maine, where he had been spending several days with his parents there. Mrs Seaman M. Mead went to Hartford, Wednesday, as the official delegate from Pootatuck Grange, to attend the sessions of the Connecticut State Grange.

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The Parent-Teachers Association held a very pleasant evening at the Congregational church parlors on last Friday night. This included the men as well as the ladies and about all were present who send children to the Community school, despite the storm of snow.

Your memories are the ones we want to share! Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to editor@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.