May 12, 1989

The town government has a new phone system. A new feature of the new system allows people to call the various departments directly, by dialing 270 and then the four-digit extension for that particular office. The town continues to use SNET equipment for its outside lines, and for its emergency dispatching system (which is expected to be revised by SNET in about six months, so the town can have an Enhanced-911 system for handling emergency calls.)

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Progress on a proposed Newtown teen center is being made slowly but surely, according to Parks and Rec Director Barbara Kasbarian, and she hopes the center can be ready to open by the winter. Several surveys of the old town garage on Church Hill Road, where the center is planned, are nearly complete. The various surveys are required by the Borough Zoning Commission. The biggest parts of the project will involve installing septic and heating systems, said Mrs Kasbarian. The need for a gathering place for Newtown’s teenagers is a well-documented one.

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With each passing week, the Newtown High softball team reaffirms its dominance in the WCC, and the scary thing is that the Lady Indians are getting better with each game. “There are three phases to the game — hitting, pitching, and defense,” said Bob Sveda, the Lady Indian’s coach. “When you play, you want to have at least two. We’re getting all three.”

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Newtown High School Technology Education students brought home 49 prizes from the annual Connecticut Technology Education Association’s Fair, including a Best In Area. That award was earned by Charlie Teyt for his colonial tilt-top cherry occasional table. 50 students entered works in the competition. Charlie Teyt is a fourth year woodworking student who gets a great deal of satisfaction from woodworking.

May 15, 1964

Newtown firefighters turned in a superb job — as did firemen in Monroe and neighboring towns — in last weekend’s prolonged struggle with a series of fires apparently caused by sparks from a locomotive on the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Fire Ranger Philip Barksdale of Redding said there were five major fire centers in the tract from Shelton to the Newtown/Brookfield line, in addition to numerous other fires on both sides of the New Haven tracks. In all, perhaps several hundred acres were burned over. It was a day and night of bone-crushing, hot, weary work amid almost continuous sheets of flames throughout the long fire area. Saturday’s fire was the first general alarm in many years.

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An “Auto show” is now on at Amaral’s Service Station on Main Street, where the new Plymouth “Barracuda” is on display. Its front bucket seats give it a sports car look. With the back seat in its accustomed place, the “Barracuda” seats five; with the back seat folded down, there is a seven-foot-long cargo area.

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Mr and Mrs Keith Randall brought back many memories to old time residents as they made their last mail deliveries on May 8, their retirement day. To add to the nostalgia of the day, Mr and Mrs Randall chose to use the 1930 Model A Ford with a known travel record of 217,000 miles plus, before the speedometer broke. Mrs Randall has served as substitute carrier for the 40 years and six months served by her husband, and was behind the wheel last Friday. When the couple started the route, there were 61 boxes in 14.7 miles. May 8, they completed a 48-mile route with 338 boxes.

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St John’s Episcopal Church in Sandy Hook will observe its centennial anniversary on Saturday, August 8, with activities commencing in the morning and concluding in the evening with a square dance. Numerous committees are at work planning a typical church fair, an antique exhibit, a pageant, an auction, and a barbecued chicken dinner, and finally, “a good old square dance.”

 

May 12, 1939

On Sunday last, the Newtown baseball team, coached by “Jack” McCarthy, made their debut as members of the Pomperaug Valley League by defeating the Woodbury town team by the close score of 6 to 4 in a game played in that town. The locals did themselves proud by defeating the strong Woodbury nine and appeared to be in fine trim for this early in the season.

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To Mrs Parker of the Parker House goes the distinction of being the first in town to fly the official World’s Fair flag, which she unfurled in front of her popular hotel on Tuesday of this week.

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D.N. Beard of Shelton was a caller at The Bee office on Wednesday afternoon. Mr Beard, who has been in the road building business since 1895, will be remembered in Newtown from his work here in 1910 when he constructed a gravel road from the head of Newtown’s Main street to the townline at the foot of Toll Gate Hill. Mr Beard’s first road building job in 1895 was done with three pair of oxen and two dump carts — a far cry from the equipment as used in road building today.

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Corbett & Crowe have installed at their popular and newly renovated drug store in Sandy Hook a luncheonette where coffee, Heinz soups, sandwiches, cake and pies will be served. This new service will fill a real need and is sure to be patronized by the public.

 

May 15, 1914

The Electric Light Co will keep a complete line of Tungsten lights on hand in their Newtown office in Postoffice block. The tungsten light is the new light which gives a very bright light with a small consumption of “juice,” only 1¼ watt per candle power. The Newtown Savings bank are to use the very latest in the lighting of the bank.

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Mrs E.J. Thrall, Sr, was the recipient of a handsome sofa pillow, decorated with military emblems, from Major Edwin A. Strong of Gen Russell Dyer’s staff, United States Army, who made their headquarters at the residence of Mr Thrall, during the war maneuvers in Newtown, two years ago. He had not forgotten the kindness of Mr and Mrs Thrall while in town.

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Contractor T.F. Brew has the frame of the new barn of L.C. Morris raised. The new building will be 24 x 30 with 16-foot posts and basement underneath. A room will be provided in the building for the office of Prindle & Morris.

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A new type of burglar has appeared in Newtown. A number of big rats invaded the Zoar schoolhouse a few nights ago and ate the backs off 20 or 30 books, practically ruining them. Miss Lillis, the efficient teacher, set some traps and captured quite a number of them.