* * *

A rash of vandalism seems to have hit Newtown on recent weekends. On Labor Day night, parking signs were removed from the lot in front of the high school. Two weekends ago, 11 lobby windows at NHS were destroyed with 16 rocks. This past weekend 13 windowpanes were destroyed at Newtown Middle School. One of the latest vandalism efforts was the deliberate torching of the press box at Jenner Field at the high school. Sandy Hook Fire Chief Bill Halstead confirmed the fire was arson.

* * *

The Legislative Council September 21 passed an ordinance establishing itself as the town’s Flood and Erosion Control Board, giving it the power to make flood and erosion control improvements and assess property owners for the cost. The council began considering the ordinance at the request of the Department of Environmental Protection, which made erosion control improvements on the banks of the Housatonic River following flooding in June, 1982.

* * *

Southbury mural artist David Merrill has been working all summer on the plan and design for the mural that will be painted on the stairway wall in the Edmond Town Hall. The artist received unanimous approval to proceed with the mural from the Town Hall Board of Managers earlier this year. The theme of the mural is “Our Heritage is Reflected in the Structures We Build.”

* * *

The bank at the Lake Lillinonah boat launch is eroding and the Parks and Recreation Commission wants to install cement blocks to hold it back. Parks and Rec voted this week to sent the project out to bid and will then ask the Legislative Council for a special appropriation.

* * *

Connecticut will continue to pay one of the highest costs for natural gas in the country this winter unless new congressional legislation is passed this fall. That is the result of the Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition survey conducted this September on winter projections for gas cost and consumption. Earlier this year a National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioner’s study found the cost of gas in Waterbury to be the nation’s highest.

 

September 26, 1958

Nine horses of the Governor’s Horse Guard, enroute from Avon to Ridgefield to appear in Ridgefield’s 250th anniversary parade, were trapped for a time in their van which overturned on Church Hill Road last Friday night. The horses were unharmed but considerably shook up, according to Dr Russell F. Strasburger, Newtown veterinarian, who responded to a call from the scene of the accident.

* * *

A group of prominent Newtown real estate brokers have joined in forming the Newtown Real Estate Board, Inc. Over a period of several years a number of these brokers have seen the importance of forming a Newtown Real Estate Board. They feel that, as a local board, the real estate brokers in Newtown will be able to better serve the best real estate interests of the community.

* * *

Ground was broken for Newtown’s new junior high school this Thursday morning in a brief ceremony at the site adjacent to Newtown High School when town officials and building committee officials gathered with the architect and site developer. The Bridgeport Construction Company of Bridgeport, low bidder at $17,798 for site improvement work, will start operations on Monday, preparing the site for a new school.

* * *

The Newtown Board of Finance recommendations for the annual budget for the fiscal year 1958-59, filed September 16 in the office of the Town Clerk, are announced this week. The total recommended budget amounts of $1,163,818.35, with $550,785.35 for the selectmen’s budget and $613,033 for the Board of Education budget. Only several small reductions were made in the school board requests for a total reduction of $12,365.

* * *

SEASONED FIREPLACE WOOD Cut to measure. Delivered within 10-mile radius of Southbury center. $15 per cord. Tel. Woodbury COngress 4-8415.

* * *

Newtown’s baseball team captured the Danbury City League playoff crown by defeating New Milford, 2-0, Tuesday evening at Lee Field, behind Chuck Botsford who pitched his fourth winning playoff game and third by way of a shutout. Manager Jack Rosenthal had high praise for his pitcher. “Chuck Botsford stands a good chance of winning the most valuable player award in the City League,” he said.

 

September 22, 1933

The increasing attendance at the movie-talkies at the Edmond Town hall speaks volumes for the high class plays Manager Smith is putting on. On Friday and Saturday evenings of this week there is an extra strong attraction booked in “The Power and The Glory” with Spencer Tracy and Colleen Moore as the stars. This is a four-star Jesse L. Laskey production coming to the Edmond Town hall theater from the $2 Gaiety theater in New York.

* * *

A Packard sedan got on fire as it was being driven up Church Hill about 5:30 pm on Tuesday. The flames burst forth from under the hood. The Fire department was notified and the flames were squelched with an extinguisher. The car belonged to F.E. Parkhurst of Wilkes Barre, Pa. Just ahead was another car driven by a daughter. The party went to the Sunset Tavern for the night.

* * *

The Trinity choir school, for boys between the ages of nine and 11 years, will begin its second season of activity on September 23, this Friday afternoon, in the Guild rooms of Trinity church. Boys showing unusual talent will be given the opportunity of joining the famed St Thomas choir school, under the directorship of Dr T. Tertius Noble, organist and master of the choristers of St Thomas’ church, Fifth Avenue, New York City.

* * *

Shrouded in mystery for the past week, the truth behind the worried looks carried upon the countenance of Editor Allison P. Smith, of “the Newtown Bee,” has finally come to light, and the whole town is now talking about, worrying about, and offering condolence and assistance to the genial Editor, who after serving as editor of “The Bee” for more than 40 years, finds himself the victim of designing “friends” who have forced the kindly editor to seek legal assistance to defend himself against false “charges” and vindicate himself forthwith. The whole trouble started when the refreshment fund of Pootatuck Grange ran low, recently, and from the low funds was born a mock trial and dance, which will be given under the auspices of Pootatuck Grange Tuesday night, October 3, at 8 o’clock. Modern and old fashioned dances will make up the dance program, which will follow immediately after the “trial.” The admission including dancing will be 25 cents.

* * *

The members of the Dodgingtown Fire Co, No 1, are perfecting plans for a dance which is to take place at the Fire house on next Thursday evening, September 28. Al Bevans and his old time orchestra will play for the dancing. Dodgingtown boys are well-known for the good time had at their dances.

* * *

A goodly number of people from Newtown and from practically every town in The Bee’s territory are pointing their autos toward Springfield, Mass, this week, where they are attending the Eastern States Exposition, which opened on Sunday and closes on Saturday evening.

 

September 25, 1908

$5,000 PAID ON THE TOWN DEBT AT a meeting of the selectmen on the 12th, the sum of $5,000 was paid on the town debt, which reduces it to $36,500.

* * *

Every reader of this paper should attend the great Danbury Fair, October 6–10, if he possibly can. There is nothing which does a man more good than to mix with other progressive men. And when you go to the Danbury Fair take the wife and the children along. They will find much to interest them, and it will be a source of many hours of pleasure to the whole family to talk over what you saw and heard at the big Fair. The time you lose and the money you spend will all come back within the year, and will bring with them a handsome increase — that is, if you will keep your eye and ears open and put what you learn to practical use.

* * *

PRIZES FOR THE SENIOR CLASS. A good friend of the High school has given $30 to be divided into several portions and awarded as prizes for scholarship to the members of the senior class.

* * *

C.S. Peck, who has had charge of James Lee’s creamery at Hawleyville for the past 12 years, has resigned his position and will move to Brookfield, October 1, where he has purchased a farm. Samuel Canfield, who has had charge of Mr Lee’s creamery at Bethlehem, will take Mr Peck’s place at the Hawleyville creamery.

* * *

Thomas Jackson of Obtuse, who purchased the old McArthur place at Hawleyville about a year ago of Amos Hawley, is erecting a large two and one half story house on the cellar where the house formerly stood, which was burned a few years ago. Mr Jackson is pushing the work on his new house and expects to move into it in about two weeks. Mr Mathison of New York and W.T. Wilmot of Brookfield have been in charge of the work.