February 23, 1990

The president of the Newtown Men's Slo-Pitch Softball League is unhappy about the Parks and Recreation Commission's decision last week to ban beer and other alcoholic drinks from town parks. "I think the players in our league will be very disappointed," said longtime president Tony DeCarlo. The commission decided on prohibition in the parks because of complaints last year about loud and abusive behavior by adults drinking after ballgames at Dickinson and Treadwell fields. Mr DeCarlo said he was not notified by parks and recreation about the problems. Mr DeCarlo said that Sunday is the one day a week adults can enjoy the park and that having a beer and socializing after the games has been a tradition for as long as he's been president - 18 years. He said he may ask the commission to lift the ban.

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The Board of Selectmen on February 15 adopted a $13,623,739 budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. This is up $1,860,209 (or 15.8 percent) from the budget year ending June 30. At a separate meeting that night, the Board of Education approved a $22,466,754 budget, an increase of $1,708,666, or 8.2 percent. The Legislative Council will have a public hearing on the two budgets on March 14.

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Newtown police converged at People's Bank on Queen Street Friday afternoon after tellers tipped them off that a man was attempting to pass a stolen and forged check. According to Newtown Detective Robert Tvardzik, the department was alerted to a man at People's Bank who was attempting to cash a stolen and forged check from Stamford. Upon arrival, police located a person identified as George Wilson who was using a phony license and identification to cash the check. After a brief investigation, he was arrested on the above charges.

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When Gregg Simon and Tom Kurosky took over as coaches of the boys' and girls' Newtown Middle School basketball teams two years ago, their plan was to build a program for the future. Now, after only one building season in which they instituted a whole new player selection policy, the two have come out of a pair of outstanding first place seasons smelling like roses. The new brain trust decided to select eight or nine eighth graders, four or five seventh graders, and two sixth graders. This philosophy would leave the team with six or seven kids returning with experience every year.

February 26, 1965

Dr James J. Bingham, 34, of 46 Mt Pleasant Road, apprehended a young man about 9:15 o'clock last Saturday night who had broken a window and was looking into his car. The doctor wrestled briefly with the man and, in the struggle, he was cut twice by a sharp instrument on the right upper arm and right chest, resulting in fairly deep cuts causing about 40 stitches in treatment at Danbury Hospital by Dr Robert Grossman of Main Street, Newtown. The young man broke away and ran northerly parallel to Mt Pleasant Road… going towards Danbury, and disappeared into the darkness. Following the assault, the Newtown Police Department and State Police put about 12 constables and troopers on the case. The incident occurred in the driveway of the doctor's house, next to his office, which is in the same building.

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The Rocking Rooster Square Dance Club held its annual Calico Ball on February 19 in the high school cafeteria. A Calico Ball celebrates the completion of 20 lessons in modern or western style square dancing and the graduation of the class. The guests were greeted by an attractively decorated hall, featuring rocking roosters and a mill with a water wheel turned by running water.

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Approximately 240 people walked in procession Sunday to the hill behind Trinity Episcopal Church, at the corner of Main Street and Church Hill Road, for the ground-breaking ceremonies for Trinity's new parish house. Work for the new building was started Monday. Leading the procession was the choir, the vestry of Trinity Church and guest clergy, including the Rev Edward B. Geyer, Jr, rector of St Luke's New Haven.

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A great deal of interest has been indicated in the building of an outdoor pavilion in the A. Fenn Dickinson Memorial park as announced two weeks ago by the members of the Newtown Parks and Recreation Commission. A number of gifts toward the raising of the $15,000 needed have been received, and to those who sent checks, the commission extends its sincere thanks.

February 23, 1940

Wilbur H. Coy of Main street upheld the tradition of old-fashioned New England hospitality during last week's heavy snowstorm by opening his door in the small hours of Thursday morning to nine half-frozen men of the Danbury and Bethel Gas and Electric Light Company. These men, after completing their job of repairing a break in the lines which had plunged the town into total darkness for three hours earlier in the evening, found themselves stranded here for the night, with both roads to Danbury temporarily blocked by drifts. After attempting in vain to secure lodging elsewhere for the night, the men turned in desperation to the Telephone Office. Mr Coy responded immediately, welcoming them into his own home, where they spent the remaining hours until daylight and cleared roads permitted them to go on their way.

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Mrs Rea Irvin of Taunton district rather gave us a Ripley story the other morning, just after last Wednesday's snow storm had done its worst. She told The Bee Scribe of picking a pansy in her garden on Lincoln's birthday, February 12, and bringing it into the house where it continued to bloom in the usual smiling fashion so characteristic of pansies.

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Fire starting in the chimney of the home owned by Mrs John Flynn in Pine Grove section of Sandy Hook, completely destroyed the four-room bungalow last Friday morning. The truck of the Newtown Fire company, with Albert Knapp driving, responded but was delayed by the snowdrifts piled high by the gale-like winds. They were unable to render any aid, being hampered by a lack of water. The entire house and contents were completely destroyed, a loss estimated at $2,000.

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A.C. Howell of Stony Hill district, Bethel, has reported a real bit of news to The Bee, having seen a flock of Eastern Evening Grosbeaks flying over his home on February 11th. There were 18 birds in the flock, and according to Mr Howell, are rarely seen in this part of the country. In fact, they were last reported here in 1911, coming to New England on an average of once in every 20 years.

 

February 26, 1915

The game of basket ball between Newtown and New Milford was a closely played exhibition and the Newtowns won by rights, 36 to New Milford's 35. The official scores said that this was the right score if they had stopped when he voted them to. However, they did not and the score stood New Milford 39- Newtown 36. The boys played a great game. The New Milford boys were right on their watch and it was a "nip and tuck" game.

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Wednesday night's downpour of rain beat out all meteorological records. Something over three inches of water fell, according to the private records of Weather Observer Richard Carmody. Even this down pour of wet water had no effect upon the young and handsome Sandy Hook druggist, who, a perfect example of the gentleman's fashion plate, stepped out of Stage Driver Hawley's equipage, as he proceeded to board the 5:18 pm train for Bethel. "It beats all," said Observer Carmody to The Bee reporter, with at grin, "how devoted the druggist is to his parents." Police Headquarters, Bethel, Wednesday evening, 8:30 pm. The Newtown druggist has not arrived. Not expected until 2:40 am. Police Headquarters, Danbury, 9:10 pm: "Newtown druggist discovered in Box 88, Balcony front, at the Empress. Seems very happy. Shall I gather him in?" Special dispatch from Sandy Hook: "By no means. Let the good work go on. Your are commended for your painstaking work. Anxieties of local public quieted. Why should not the young be happy?" - [Observer Carmody]

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A verdict of $1,600 damages was awarded the plaintiff in the case of Mortimer Smith of Newtown, against the O'Brien Construction Co., by a jury in the Court of Common Pleas on Thursday last. The jury had the case under consideration about two hours before returning the verdict. Last summer, the O'Brien Company was engaged in the construction of a piece of the new state highway and needing stone, made an agreement with Mr Smith to take the stone from a long stone wall on the Smith farm. How much of the wall the construction company agreed to remove was the point in dispute in the case.

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Improvements are in order in the store of Morris & Shepard. The store interior has been improved with new wall decorations. Carpenters are at work laying a new floor on the piazza on the store front.