April 7, 1995

The storm that roared through Newtown this weekend, knocking out power and telephones and dropping temperatures to as low as 18 degrees, caused E-911 lines to fail in the emergency dispatch center at Edmond Town Hall for nearly two hours. Chief of dispatch Jim Crouch said that all of the 911 and PBX telephone lines stopped functioning when a thunderstorm brought wind gusts of more than 60 miles per hour through Newtown at about 2 pm on Tuesday. “Fortunately, the 911 lines at the police department in Town Hall South didn’t fail,” he said. “They sent an officer here — I believe it was John Cole — with a portable radio to relay fire and ambulance calls to us until our 911 lines were restored about two hours later.” For the first few minutes of the crisis, dispatcher Carol Mayhew was alone on duty in the Edmond Town Hall dispatch center. But dispatcher Bob Kick end emergency medical technicians Maria and Chris Sadlier soon arrived to lend assistance.

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This is a column where we try to preserve for whatever authority and expertise we can muster in a week. But on those rare occasions when the topic is weather — particularly April weather — we find ourselves deferring to poets and bards who come closest to grasping the unfathomable. So in a week where temperatures reached into the 60s and dipped into the teens, where clouds descended, unexpected gusts and left just as unexpectedly in a huff, where one morning was sunny, warm, and calm and the afternoon brought gales blowing the rain sideways and the next morning saw flurries, we can say with all our authority and expertise that we don’t know what to make of it, or what to expect next. But we take heart in what one sage (Hal Borland) observed: April is a promise that May is bound to keep.

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After grappling with limbs and branches, workmen trucked a mature, 18-foot tall Japanese red maple 20 miles from 44 Mt Pleasant Road to Ridgefield on a flatbed trailer Tuesday. The crew had come to Andre Velthuizen’s residence on Monday to remove the broad-limbed maple, but found their equipment wasn’t big enough to get the ornamental tree out of the ground. So, they returned Tuesday with the heavy equipment they needed. After excavation with a backhoe, a small army of men were able to pull the tree out of Mr Velthuizen’s front yard, hoist it up with a 45-ton capacity hydraulic crane, and place it on the trailer. Mr Velthuizen explained that he was approached by a firm representing a private property owner who had offered to buy the tree. “It’s a beautiful tree,” he said. He sold the tree to the Ridgefield resident who will use it to landscape his property.

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The month of May is dedicated to Dr Cyrenius H. Booth, the maternal grandfather of Miss Mary E. Hawley. A grand celebration is being held at the Booth Library on Friday, May 12, at 8 pm. The evening’s entertainment will include the following: Katherine Isles, celebrated flutist, will perform with a quartet. Justin Scott, noted author, will give a reading from his latest book, Stone Dust. Dan Cruson, historian, will speak about local history. Tom McMorran, Newtown High School English teacher, will direct a skit performed by his students. Bill Brimmer, local vocalist, will conduct a sing-along accompanied by famed Lenny Manz. Tickets are $10. Reservations are required.

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Trucker Roy Guthrie, III, 33, of Chesapeake, Va., was eastbound on Route 34 near Thomas’s Deli at about 8 am on April 3 in his 1974 Mack tractor trailer truck when a vehicle traveling in front of him stopped without signaling, police said. The truck went into a skid and its cab jackknifed, going over a stone wall. Guthrie was not injured. Police took no enforcement action.

April 3, 1970

Arthur M. Deghenardt, who was seriously injured when his car collided with a school bus in Sandy Hook on March 11, is still listed in critical condition at Danbury Hospital.

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Town road crews plowed and sanded again starting Thursday around 2 am, as snow mixed with rain and sleet covered the roads. As the Bee goes to press the crews were still out clearing up water hazards which were created by the melting snow and slush clogging drainage areas.

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REMINDER Much interest is aroused in the Tag Sale being held Saturday, April 4, by the Newtown Historical Society at the Blackman House on Mt. Pleasant — 11 am to 3 pm. The house furnishings are for sale. These include Victorian and other chairs, tables, rugs, chests, dishes, glass, lamps, beds, baskets, lanterns, books, blankets, linens, mirrors, Wallace Nutting paintings, etc. Come see the house and buy a few bargains! Also come to the society’s next meeting to hear John Wood of Roxbury speak on Connecticut redware on Monday, April 13, at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library at 8 pm.

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Lance Cpl Thomas Parsons, US Marine Corps, returned home last Saturday, March 28, after serving 12 months in De Nang, Vietnam. Thomas is spending a 30-day leave with his parents, Mr and Mrs Jack Parsons of 20 Bonnie Brae Drive.

March 30, 1945

Hallett Abend, who has purchased the Selskar Gunn property in Huntingtown district, was a caller at The Bee office on Thursday morning.

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Rudy Haefele had the misfortune of breaking his nose while playing basketball last Monday evening. The Haefele family are moving to Darien next week, except Betty, who will remain here until school is over

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Be Careful! The countryside is at season when grass fires are the order for the day. We could write a full column about them — what damage they do, the scarcity of manpower in fighting them, the carelessness which usually causes them. Perhaps a full column would help prevent them. We are sure that plain, ordinary CARE on the part of everyone is the real solution. So, be careful!

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There appeared in the “Listening Post” column of The Bridgeport Post, Tuesday, March 27, a letter by George Clark Jr., son of Mr and Mrs George Clark Sr., of Sandy Hook, written from “somewhere in the Pacific” to Rocky Clark, column editor. In his letter George paid tribute to the late Rod Cless as a talented jazz musician. Next Monday night’s edition of “Rock ’n’ Rhythm” on WNAB at 7:30 will be dedicated to the late Rod Cless, prompted by George’s letter.

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Mrs W.M. McKenzie reports that two of her Sacred Lilies of India are now in bloom, and a third will be out in about another week. The older and larger Lily now stands at 55 inches tall. The flower itself measures 28 inches, which makes it 1½ inches longer than last year. Visitors will be welcome at the McKenzie home while the lilies are in bloom.

March 26, 1920

Paul S. Smith, a student at the Worcester Academy, Worcester, Mass. is passing the Easter vacation in Newtown with his parents, Mr and Mrs A.J. Smith.

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Two auto locals from Sandy Hook will motor to Danbury Thursday night, to witness a basketball game between Danbury and Bethel teams.

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The Red Cross workers are always on the job and the lovely spring weather brought out 23 ladies for the regular meeting. As “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” a little gala was planned by Miss C.C. Minor. Luncheon was served at 1 o’clock. It was a jolly crowd who were seated ’round the board and after the soup was served, the following rhymes and jingles were read: Chairman Mitchell, capable and alert, is certainly adept at stitching a skirt, her keen eye and quick work are the limit, and she runs her machine at a mile a minute. Chairman Tiemann, true and tried, objects to buttonholes made on the wrong side; she inspects finished garments and folds them with care, and lately has taken to waving her hair. Knitting chairman, Miss Honan, in knitting needles prefers a bone one, she’s a lenient boss, but firmly believes that every sweater should have two sleeves.

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Frederick Harris expects to move his factory equipment to Providence, R.I. by the last of the week.

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The March meeting of the Men’s club will take place at the Newtown Inn, next Tuesday night, the 30th.

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