Augusts 10, 1990

The Borough Zoning Board of Appeals has unanimously approved R. Scudder Smith’s proposal to house an antiques reference library in the former George M. Stuart, Inc Insurance building on Main Street. In 1874, the first town library was installed on the second floor of the building. Today’s town library, the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, sits across the street. The two-story building will be used to house books on antiques and related material which Mr Smith has collected over the years. “There will be very limited use, by appointment only,” he said, and no borrowing.

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A 38-year-old East Haven trucker had an unpleasant surprise, at 9:46 am, Tuesday, August 7, when he was rounding a corner on Route 34 west and lost a full load of lumber off the flatbed of his tractor-trailer truck. He was coming down Route 34 about a half mile from Toddy Hill Road when he heard a loud sound. The next thing he knew, lumber began to slide off the trailer as the safety straps broke with the weight of the wood. Lumber slid across the eastbound lane and shoulder. Newtown Police Officer James Mooney reported breaking a number guard posts and snapping a telephone pole.

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Gus Palmieri, riding his horse, Hunter’s Moon, captured the Foxhunter’s Award last Sunday, at the Fairfield County Hounds Novice Horse Trials at Hundred Acres Farm on Hundred Acres Road. Dressage tests and show jumping were also part of this combined training exercise. It was a casual summer gathering where members of the hunt and area horse enthusiasts had a chance to talk about riding and the upcoming hunter pace season, watch enjoyable competition, see handsome horses in action and pay an occasional visit to a lemonade/berry stand operated by children.

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Escalating gasoline prices attributed to uncertainty in the Middle East are drawing the ire of Connecticut politicians from the governor on down. US Rep John G. Rowland, R-Conn., the GOP’s gubernatorial candidate, accused gas stations of “taking advantage of the situation” and called it “price gouging at its worst.” Rep Rowland said a station he stopped in had raised the price of a gallon of gas from $1.33 to $1.49 in the space of two days.

August 13, 1965

The swimming pool at the home of Dr and Mrs Grossman on Main Street was overflowing Monday with 35 Rotarians. The air above had its share, too, as Ben Blanchard did flying acrobatics. Opening ceremonies, with Ford Cordial leading the singing under water, were not described for this newspaper. Some 60 Rotarians and their families are expected Saturday, August 14, at 1 pm, at the home of Mr and Mrs James Osborne, Jr on Zoar Road, for the Great Yearly Summer Festival. Food, which has been billed variously a clambake, picnic, lobster or steak dinner, will be served at 6 pm.

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Things are looking up, financially, for the Newtown school system. Because of legislation recently passed by the Connecticut General Assembly increasing state per pupil aid, retroactive to the 1964-65 school year, the town will receive $56,170 more than was estimated. An extra $10,240 will be gained because transportation aid includes not only elementary school but also grades nine to 12.

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The Fairfield Hills Hospital has again received accreditation for the customary three years from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, following an evaluation conducted by the commission in June of this year. In the case of Fairfield Hills Hospital, this means the hospital has a competent, qualified medical staff, and well-trained nursing staff and assisting personnel. It shows that there is a capable consulting staff of physicians, and good diagnostic and laboratory facilities.

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Two large fires at the Lake Lillinonah Town Park were set Friday night by the Newtown Hook and Ladder Company with a joint purpose in mind. First, it put an end to the brush piles which were the results of a land clearing project conducted by the Newtown Jaycees, and second, it served as a good drill for the fire company. Extreme caution was taken for the operation, due to the dry conditions of the summer, and water was readily available from the Lake, with the pumper right there.

 

August 9, 1940

The Newtown Athletic Club baseball team routed Roxbury at Pine Grove Park on Sunday by the one-sided score of 21 to 10 in a game that was abundant in hits and errors. It proved to be a field day for the local A.C. players at the plate as they collected twenty-one safe bingies, one of which was a home run by “Cliff” Beardsley. Newtown’s victory and a decision in their favor developing from a protested game with Union City put them in a tie for fourth place with Middlebury, with eight wins against six defeats. As a result, a “rubber game” will be played this Sunday in Middlebury at 3 o’clock to determine which team will be represented in the play-offs.

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A special town meeting will be held at the Edmond Town Hall on this Friday evening, August 9th, at 8 o’clock, for the purpose of taking action upon a proposal for the appointment of a committee of five citizens of the town to cooperate with the State of Connecticut and the United States of America in creating and executing a plan for home defense.

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With all details completed, the committee in charge of the Hawleyville Fire Departments’ annual carnival announce that the affair is to be bigger, better and more lively than ever before. The carnival, which opens on Thursday evening, August 15th, runs each evening for the remainder of the week. The King Street Pioneers will play for dancing each evening, and a loudspeaker system will be installed for use during the carnival.

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“Everybody’s Auction,” held on Friday in the gymnasium of the Edmond Town Hall, proved to be one of the most successful benefit affairs ever held in Newtown, raising the magnificent sum of $2,026.05 for the Red Cross War Relief Fund. The auctioneering started at 1 o’clock, and before Wilton Lackaye brought down his gavel on the final sale, well after midnight, 689 various items had been sold. Many unusually fine items had been donated for the sale, ranging all the way from a set of six signed Hitchcock chairs to the smallest piece of bric-a-brac.

 

August 13, 1915

The concert by the Sandy Hook band, Tuesday night in front of the Newtown Inn, brought out a record-breaking crowd, automobiles being lined up both sides of the street. H.G. Warner, the leader, and his associates, come in for general praise for the excellence of the program presented. A collection was taken among the crowd for the band’s benefit, which netted the neat sum of $20.

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William J. Jackson, who will be 83 years old on October 27, walked from Germantown district in Danbury, Wednesday, calling at The Bee office. From Newtown, he expected to walk to South Britain. We doubt if this exploit in walking can be equaled by many men of his age.

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The third annual tennis tournament on the court of Dr C.H. Peck will begin on Saturday afternoon. This annual event promises to be fully up to the previous events in interest. Dr Peck’s generosity in giving the prizes and use of his grounds is greatly appreciated. The public are invited to attend the matches.

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On Wednesday, Newton M. Curtis placed in the local market, the first peaches from his great orchards, of the Carman variety, and it may be said the peach harvest has now begun. Mr Curtis estimates he will have a crop of 10,000 baskets. After the Carman will come the Belle of Georgia, the Mountain Rose, Champion and the Fox Seedling, the last named being the latest variety, coming in after the Elberta. Curtis Hill, where Mr Curtis’ orchards are located, is just a mile east of the Brick store, Sandy Hook.