October 7, 1988

Only one of 11 areas of impact studied by state environmentalists reviewing Newtown’s proposed jail site would be seriously affected by  the project. What’s more, the effects in that area, and all of the others, can be decreased through proper planning and constructing. The state plans to build a $446 million, 400-bed jail on a portion of 114 state-owned acres about a mile from Fairfield Hills Hospital. Legislators, town officials, and grassroots opponents saw copies of the report for the first time Wednesday. They declined to comment until they thoroughly review it with consultants and attorneys.

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As parishioners of St Rose Church well know, traffic at the church can get pretty hairy on Sunday mornings, as well as Saturday afternoons. And since the beginning of the summer, the situation has taken a drastic turn for the worse, because there has not been a traffic officer there to keep things running smoothly. Police Chief Michael DeJoseph explained that the reason there has been no one to direct traffic at the church is because there are no longer any special policemen willing to do the job for the going rate of $7.50 per hour.

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A planning committee has started to gather information about Cyrenius H. Booth library’s needs and goals, in hopes of formulating a long-range plan. The five-person committee met wit invited guests Monday to share some of its findings and concerns. Guests included Schools Superintendent Dr John Reed, Ed Baumert, previous opponent of a library addition, Alice Ramsey, co chairman of the library’s book sale and member of the Legislative Council and Curtiss Clark, managing editor of The Newtown Bee. [John] Warner said a survey of 90 library users revealed that only the top needs are being met: use of popular reading materials and teaching children. Other needs might be of greater priority, but the committee cannot know about them without a broader survey.

October 11, 1963

Eleven of Newtown’s old homes will be open on Saturday, October 19, for the first House Tour, sponsored by the Newtown Historical Society. The tour will be from 10 am to 4 pm, with a buffet luncheon at the Newtown Congregational Church House, served between noon and 2 pm.

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A fun-packed hour of music, dancing  and comedy is promised for the Harvest Festival Variety Show at the Newtown Congregational Church House on Friday, November 1, at 9 pm, and Saturday afternoon, November 2, at 2:30 pm. This is one of several special events for the Festival weekend.

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This is Fire Prevention Week. Reports across the country show a marked rise in the number of fires and the financial loss they create. Newtown is no exception. At the annual town meeting we reported a 14 percent increase in fires over the last year. Many of these fires could have been prevented by using “common sense.”

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More than 155,000 school children will observe National School Lunch Week, October 13 to 19, in keeping with a proclamation by President Kennedy. Nationwide, the school lunch program is a billion-dollar business. So far, our cafeterias are self supporting. They serve an average of 750 student lunches daily, plus 1,000 cartons of milk to students who buy milk only. The school lunch is the best buy there is today, at the price of 30 cents a lunch.

October 7, 1938

Due to the request of many local and out-of-town people, the management of the Pines Inn, located at Newtown on the Bridgeport road, announce that on Thursday evening, October 13, from 6 to 12, a Scandinavian smorgasbord supper will be served. This type of food is becoming more popular each year with the American public and Mr Hansen, the manager of the Pines Inn, has promised an exceptionally fine supper. The price will be one dollar.

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On Wednesday evening a large group of parishioners and members of the vestry of Trinity church, as well as several fellow clergymen from neighboring towns, gathered in the Guild rooms of the church to tender a reception to their new rector and his wife, the Rev and Mrs John W. Mutton. The rooms were gaily decorated for the occasion with a beautiful assortment of gladioli and fall flowers. Ice cream and cake was efficiently served by the ladies of the church.

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The Visiting Nurse Association is again sponsoring the serving of milk and chocolate milk in the local schools. Service started last Monday. It has been found necessary this year to charge the full price of the milk, 3 cents a bottle or 15 cents per week. Parents who can do so, are urged to pay for their children’s milk.

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It is interesting to note that Robert H. Hassard, secretary of the Newtown Chamber of Commerce, has received a request from F.T. Bosman of Bern, Switzerland, for a copy of the Chamber’s pamphlet, “Quaint New England Bids You Come.” Needless to say, a copy has been dispatched to this far distant point.

October 10, 1913

W.C. Turner of Taunton district brought to this office one day, this week, some peanuts grown on his Taunton farm. Mr Turner will have several quarts he has raised.

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A whist party for the benefit of street lighting and village improvements will be held on Friday evening, the 17th. There will be some handsome prizes, including two half barrels of flour, one silver pitcher, two hams, the gift of Joe Knowlton and Egan Brothers of Danbury. This promises to be one of the big events of the year, and the public will have a chance to see the new lights in operation for the first time.

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A number of the young people in Huntingtown district spent Saturday afternoon in the Park City returning by taking the trolley to Long Hill and walking the distance of seven miles to their homes, reaching there between 1 and 2 Sunday morning. When tired of walking they changed the program by running, refreshing themselves in the meantime by tasting of an occasional apple found by the roadside.

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The Newtown railroad station was burglarized, Monday night. The gum vending machines and telephone booths were broken open and several express packages broken into. The thieves entered the station by a window on the west side of the building.