April 20, 2001

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Richard “Fuzzy” Simon.

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A 12-member jury in Danbury Superior Court this week convicted the gunman in the July 1999 Sandy Hook shooting death of 15-year-old Jason Gowdy, finding the shooter guilty of felony murder and attempted first-degree robbery. On Tuesday, the jurors additionally found gunman Ruperto Lugo, 20, of Stratford guilty of carrying a pistol without a permit and possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle. The jurors acquitted Lugo of conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery.

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Two months ago, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal seemed confident he would receive plenty of replies as more than 200 invitations were sent out to developers to join Newtown’s Fairfield Hills party. But a trip to the mailbox Monday (the due date for RSVPs) turned up empty. No one was interested, not even New Canaan developer Bruce Becker, who at one time was waging an intense campaign to develop Fairfield Hills in partnership with the town.

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A Danbury Superior Court judge this week rejected former police chief James E. Lysaght, Jr’s administrative appeal of his March 2000 firing by the Police Commission, endorsing the Police Commission’s decision to terminate Mr Lysaght for inadequate job performance. In a 17-page decision issued Monday, Judge William Holden ruled, “The court has considered all of the claims advanced by the plaintiff and they are not persuasive. The decision by the [commission] was fully supported by the evidence, and the [commission] did not act illegally, arbitrarily, in abuse of its discretion, or with bad faith or malice.”

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Young Christian Hoffman enjoyed his first fishing experience last Saturday morning at the annual kids’ fishing derby put on by the Newtown Fish & Game Club. The four-year-old Newtown boy was all smiles as he reeled in a catch from the waters of the Dickinson Park pool. The big fishermen are expected to be out in full force this weekend for opening day, the official kick-off to the fishing season.

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A large crowd of people from many different walks of life in Newtown gathered on the steps of Edmond Town Hall last Thursday afternoon to show their support for the town budget. The $72.9 million 2001-2002 budget proposal goes to a referendum next week. Among those on hand were teachers, police, firemen, the ambulance corps, the Board of Education, Legislative Council, Board of Selectmen, youth sports, Parks & Recreation, Support Our Schools, and the Commission on Aging. Even a handful of kids showed up in support of their schools. “We want to demonstrate that there is a significant amount of benefit to this budget,” said First Selectman Herb Rosenthal.

April 16, 1976

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — THIRTY FRUITFUL YEARS: Time has a way of making changes as one year follows another. Certainly the Town of Newtown as we know it today is far different from the small community it was thirty years ago. Yet, as the years pass by, certain intrinsic values prevail and organizations with a real purpose serve townspeople over a continuing and worthwhile course. We have in mind the Boys Social and Athletic Club of Sandy Hook as such an organization, and the couple who started it. It was in April of 1946 when Mr and Mrs Wilton Lackaye saw the need for a club for young boys in Sandy Hook and did something about it. The Bee expresses the gratitude of the entire town for the fine work which Bill Lackaye, ably assisted by his wife, Florence, have done for the hundreds of young boys who have enjoyed and benefited from the club and its activit6ies. In some cases there have been two generations of the same family.

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The contract for construction of the new Rochambeau Bridge over Lake Zoar between Southbury and Newtown has been signed and Department of Transportation chief of construction Philip Stark expects the work subfootings and pile driving for the second span to be underway in a few weeks. Yonkers Construction Company which submitted the low bid for the project, has 45 days to start on the $15,298,000, three year contract.

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Pohtatuck Grange had members of the State Youth Committee as guests Tuesday, April 13. Mrs Phyllis Ostapko, Miss Janet Haller, the past State Prince James Chamberlain and this year’s Prince Duane Millard brought a fine program. Master Margaret White received a tape from Mrs Dorothy Campbell who is living in Sun City, Florida. She is having a busy and happy retirement.

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Volunteers from Newtown Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, under the direction of assistant chief William McCarthy fought an attic and roof fire at the Cogswell residence on Sunset Hill Road on Saturday night. They were assisted by members of the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company who were called in for extra manpower. The first reports first came in around 10 pm as a chimney fire, but when the volunteers arrived on the scene they found the attic and roof involved in fire.

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On April 2 Building Inspector Wayne Smith and deputy Fire Marshal George Lockwood wrote a letter to Superintendent of Schools Dr Albert Brinkman granting extremely limited use of the auditorium at the high school. The use is limited to the stage area only and is specified for a certain purpose, time and conditions. … Mr Smith told The Bee that he has been told the roof has been repaired and that so far it seems not to be leaking. The electrical wiring and lights were all dropped, dried off and repaired also.

April 13, 1951

Mr and Mrs Oliver W. Hull recently returned to their home in Sandy Hook from their winter’s stay at Hawkinsville, Ga., where they were guests at the Brown Hotel. Another member of the Hull family made the trip, John Barrymore, a black and white cat, who is now very happy to be home. Mr Hull reports that he is about ready to plant his garden, featuring his 10-foot corn, hoping this year’s crop will beat last year’s record.

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Announcement was made last Saturday by the State Board of Fisheries and Game of the appointment of former Deputy Game Warden Steve J. Muska, East Windsor, as State Warden in charge of District 4, which comprises Fairfield County. He succeeds Alfred J. Hunyadi of Chestnut Tree Hill, Newtown, who has been recalled to active duty in the Marine Corps. The Muska appointment is for the duration of Mr Hunyadi’s service with the Marines.

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Mr and Mrs William Kimball, former residents of Newtown, spent Saturday, Sunday and Monday at Mrs Roberta Blackman’s on Church Road. They were returning to their home in Dummerston, Vt., from Daytona Beach, Fla., where they spent the winter. They were planning to visit in Bristol and spend three or four days in Hartford on their way home. A number of their old Newtown friends enjoyed the opportunity of seeing them again.

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Pvt. Francis J. Carroll reported back to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. this past week-end after having spent an eight-day furlough at his home in Sandy Hook.

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St. Rose Church was the scene of a pretty wedding Saturday morning at 9 o’clock when Miss Florence M. Kayfus, daughter of Mr and Mrs William J. Kayfus of Botsford Hill, Sandy Hook, became the bride of James Harold Doran, son of Mr and Mrs William A. Doran of Albany, N.Y. Rev Walter R. Conroy, pastor, performed the marriage ceremony and celebrated the nuptial Mass which followed. … Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a two-piece cream colored moire gown, with fitted bodice, full skirt, fitted jacket, long sleeves, pointed at the wrists. Her fingertip veil was attached to a Dutch cap and she carried a white prayer book with orchid marker.

April 16, 1926

EDITORIAL INK DROPS: The other day the editor had a pleasant chat with Thomas Kelly, the veteran Waterbury baker, who conducts a wholesale bakery and eight bakery stores in the Brass City in addition to carrying on three farms in Middlebury. Mr Kelly had just returned from a stay of several months at Miami, Fla. Mr Kelly takes a real interest in the welfare of the farmer at large. Mr Kelly tells the editor the land is being neglected for want of the needed farm hands.

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The Junior class of the Hawley school scored a big success at the Hawley school auditorium, Friday night, when they presented “Daddy,” a comedy in three acts by Lilli Huger Smith. The play was well acted and the comedy vein which ran through all three acts kept the audience in good humor.

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Mr and Mrs Frank H. Johnston returned on Saturday after an enjoyable stay of a week in Philadelphia, Pa., and vicinity

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Miss Adeline Hurd, who recently underwent an operation at Mt Kisco, N.Y., is convalescing nicely and soon will go to the home of her uncle, Dr Coopernail, a celebrated surgeon at Bedford, N.Y.

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Sigfred Allen is building a road side and gas and refreshment station on the south side of the road just east of his residence on Mt Pleasant. He is erecting a building 20x22, and will make it one of the most attractive places of its kind on the road.

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Mrs Northrop, who has resided for a number of years in the John Johnson house owned by W.C. Johnson, has moved to rooms in one of the houses of Mrs John Hubbell.

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Miss Helen Campbell, a registered nurse in Bridgeport, is passing a week with her parents, Mr and Mrs James Campbell.

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Mr and Mrs Thomas Wright and family of New York passed a few days at their Sandy Hook home.

April 19, 1901

H.S. Wilmot of Bridgeport has rented the large and attractive residence of Charles F. Beardsley in Newtown Street for three months from June 15, 1901. This is one of the pleasantest places in the Street and Mr Wilmot is to be congratulated on securing so desirable and attractive summer home.

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Mr and Mrs Sylvester Dibble welcomed a son in their home on Thursday, their first born. The young man is the grandson of Frederick Andrews of Taunton district.

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The Simons place in Taunton district is now occupied by two of the Nichols boys, who are keeping bachelors’ hall.

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Julia Downs, daughter of F.B. Downs of Hawleyville, was committed on Monday last, by Judge of Probate Bradley, to the Industrial School for Girls at Middletown during her minority, upon complaint of First Selectman Morris, whose attention was called to the case by Agent Wadhams of the State Board of Education. Her age was 12 years and she was charged with loitering about places where men congregate. Constable J.H. Blackman took her to Middletown on Monday afternoon.

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Manager Platt, of the E.C. Platt Lumber Co. of Hawleyville, says the lumber business has never been as brisk with him as it is this season. He will furnish the lumber for the hotel Thomas Bray is to build at Lake Waramaug and for the new residence of Selectman L.C. Morris. Mr Platt has just received six car loads of the McCormick mowing and harvesting machines, which shows he has confidence in them.

Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by readers of The Newtown Bee. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.