December 8, 1989

 

After more than an hour of discussion, members of the Town Hall Board of Managers and Police Commissioners came to an agreement on a solution to the problem at Edmond Town Hall Theatre on Friday nights. The problem refers to the vandalism, consumption of alcohol by minors, and the sale of drugs around the theatre. Officials agreed that the solution was for ETH Theatre to hire a local police officer to work overtime patrolling the area around the theatre as well as other buildings within the area. Board of Managers Chairman Betty Lou Osborne said that her board would decide the specific guidelines of the officer at their next meeting.

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This year, the Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity (SHOP) decided against having an official lighting ceremony for its Christmas tree next to the Sandy Hook Post Office. Normally, SHOP has the ceremony on the Sunday following Thanksgiving. But when SHOP needed to decide whether to hold the event, it still wasn’t certain whether ongoing work would be completed on the little plot of land next to the post office. Recently, bricks were installed along the property and conduits put in for new lights that will be installed.

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Newtown High School was evacuated on the afternoon of December 6, after a fire broke out in the print shop in the basement of the school’s B-Wing. Chief Halstead said the fire started at 1 pm when a dryer — used for purposes such as drying lettering put on T-shirts — was left on after people had finished using it earlier that morning. Nobody was in the classroom at the time.

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Forty students showed up for the Newtown Table Tennis Club’s season-opening meeting December 5. The club, founded two years ago by student Jason Zolov and this year captained by Mike Molnar and Dave Uhrlass, has become very popular. Students play tournaments among themselves on tables set up in the weight room at the high school.

December 11, 1964

 

The look of Christmas has already come to Newtown, the feel of it is in the air, and Santa himself will arrive Saturday, December 19, by helicopter behind the Edmond Town Hall at 11 o’clock. During the afternoon, Santa will tour the town, greeting one and all from his gaily decorated sleigh-station wagon. The Newtown Chamber of Commerce has set up a 30-foot Christmas tree in the Queen Street Shopping Center, another smaller one near the Sandy Hook Post Office, and has assured the jolly visitor that shops and homes will be decorated in true Christmas fashion.

***

The Board of Selectmen request residents of Newtown not to park their cars on streets overnight during snowstorms because it makes plowing difficult and dangerous, both for road crews and for owners’ vehicles. Car owners are asked also not to park on highways during the day if snow is falling or appears imminent.

***

The regular monthly meeting of the Town Players Board of Directors took place in the Hawley Manor Inn on Monday, December 7. The plans for the building of an addition to the playhouse which will provide much-needed storage space, dressing rooms, and a meeting room were unanimously approved. Work on the addition will begin as soon as weather permits.

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Time Magazine for December 4 reports on an invention of Newtown’s Robert E. Fulton, Jr, the “Skyhook,” a do-it-yourself rescue kit, in use first by the Navy and now also by the Army. A package which will float is dropped from a plane. The man on the ground must climb into a special suit it contains, inflate and release a helium-filled balloon attached by a cord to the suit. The balloon gently pulls him off the ground, the plane noses into the line, closing a locking device, and the man can then be pulled into the plane.

 

December 8, 1939

 

Plans for the Christmas Doorway competition in Newtown were completed Tuesday evening, at a meeting of the special committee of the Chamber of Commerce. The competition is divided into two parts, one for decoration of doorways to be judged in daylight, and the other for illuminated decorations to be judged at night. The Chamber is donating a first prize of $5 in each division, with second prizes of $2.50 each. In arranging this event, the Chamber and its committee feel that through it, residents will gain incentive to decorate their houses and thus add to the festive appearance of the town during the holiday season.

***

Newtown’s “Big Bill” Egan received a lot of favorable and much deserved publicity in a feature article by Donald MacGregor in Sunday’s magazine section of the New York Herald-Tribune. Congratulation, Big Bill. You can be sure Newtown is proud of you in your position of General Station Master of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Just remind the Tribune some day how we spell “Newtown,” and we’ll be looking for a visit from you around Christmas time!

***

Recently there appeared on the market a new and unusually efficient solution to the age-old problem of washing fine fabrics and fussy articles, such as sweaters, blankets, etc. A special quality powdered soap called “Sally Lunn.” This soap is put up in small envelopes containing just enough for one washing and is sold in boxes of 52 envelopes for $1. It can be obtained locally at Hawley Manor. It is of particular interest to Newtown people to note that this item is manufactured by Decker Products of Pelham, N.Y., a concern owned and operated by A.F. Decker, a summer resident with a home in Taunton Hills.

***

 

Mr and Mrs H.N. Kirby are making alterations on their home in Taunton district, changing location of their dining room and kitchen. Martin Sealander has the contract for the work. Alfred Penovi is doing the plumbing.

 

December 11, 1914

 

William Gadukas, aged 13, Henry Cavanaugh, aged 17, Joseph King, aged 18, Peter Zabetas, aged 13, James Growedy, aged 20, were arraigned before Justice McCarthy, Wednesday afternoon, at the Brick Building on the charge of train riding. Gadukas was paroled for one year, Zabetas was discharged and Cavanaugh, King and Growedy were fined $2 and cost. The act of trespassing on the railroad property was committed at Hawleyville. They also broke into a car and stole some oranges, but this charge was not pressed.

***

The special borough meeting Thursday morning, warned to consider the question of the lighting of the borough streets by electricity, was called to order. A motion was offered by A.P. Smith that the meeting be adjourned to next Wednesday night in order that Mr Sandes, for the Danbury & Bethel Street Railway Co, might be present. As the Bee understands it, there is no desire on the part of Borough Warden Peck and those favoring street lighting to spring some snap game. If the streets are lighted, it is proposed to cover the entire streets of the Borough.

***

A popular bachelor in Sandy Hook who for several long years, has made a weekly trip on Wednesday night to the neighboring borough on the west, started out Wednesday night in the sleet and snow and rain with a high courage and a bounding heart. For 14 years, the editor has suggested a June wedding, while his friends have made all sorts of suggestions by way of encouraging him to embark on the sea of matrimony. We hadn’t dare print his name right out, but to the first person who will guess his name, the editor will present a round and juicy apple. We will say he is very handsome, a budding politician, and has a fondness for automobiles.

***

 

Owing to the ice storm of Monday and Tuesday, making the traveling almost dangerous, no session of the High School was held. H.N. Tiemann, Sr, and Rev G.T. Sinnott of the High School committee, dispatched the word throughout the various sections of the town.