As 1979 became 1980, bringing a new decade but many of the same unsolved problems of the 70’s, it’s traditional for newspapers to talk with the town’s chief executive about the past and the future. But Jack Rosenthal, who’s entering his third term come Monday as Newtown’s first selectman, said inflation colors any discussion about the directions the town will take in coming years.

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A multi-faceted Winter Energy Plan for the current winter has been proposed at a public hearing, and while the public at large wasn’t present to comment, Wednesday’s hearing makes Newtown the first town in the area to propose such a plan. The plan was compiled by Zita McMahon, town grants administrator and the first selectman’s assistant. It includes information on grants and loans primarily available for low income residents and the elderly, lists sources for residents to obtain conservation information; emergency “hot line numbers.”

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The state’s Division of Public Utilities Control, following a request by First Selectman Jack Rosenthal, has agreed to hold an evening session next Wednesday at the request of the Newtown Water Company for a rate increase of approximately 56 per cent, The Bee learned Thursday morning. King Quillan, DPUC spokesperson, said the hearing will convene at 10:30 am as originally planned and will also be continued at 7 pm on January 9 in the lower meeting room of Edmond Town Hall. Mr Rosenthal criticized the morning hearing since its time could exclude customers who might want to attend.

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The Newtown Woman’s Club, long a leading supporter of the Newtown Ambulance Association, has announced a special $500 “emergency” contribution to the association. The special donation was approved unanimously at the annual Christmas luncheon of the Woman’s Club held at the Ridgewood Country Club on December 20.

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The new officers of Hiram Lodge No. 18 AF & AM in Sandy Hook were installed in ceremonies held at the Masonic Temple on Saturday evening December 29. The new Master is R.W. Edwin B. Storrs, past master and past district deputy. The senior warden is George Wheeler, and the junior warden is George E. Wilson, past master.

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Lois H. Gold of Main Street will once again appear before the Borough of Newtown Zoning Commission to request a zone change and amendment to the zoning map of the borough to change the zone of her property from Farming and Residential to Business zone. The application will be heard at a public hearing on Tuesday, January 8, at 8 pm at the Edmond Town Hall. The same request had been made at a public hearing on August 2, 1977 and the application was disapproved by the Borough Zoning Commission in September of that year. The property in question is a two-and-a-half-story frame building and barn on .792 acres on the northeast corner of Church Hill Road and Main Street.

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Today marks the last day of work for Tax Collector Betty Smith, and although she says she’ll miss the town hall and her co-workers, she’s looking forward to not having to get up in the morning and go to work. But most of all, Betty Smith and her husband, Don, are looking forward to setting off in their mobile home to see the United States for the next two years.

JANUARY 7, 1955

Mr Fredrick Rees, appointed by Gov John Lodge to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Judge Walter A. Reynolds, presided as judge of Newtown Town Court on Monday evening of this week for the first time. Judge Rees addressed motor vehicle violators and spectators in the courtroom, reminding them that it was his intention to stress the seriousness of violations of the motor vehicle laws, which he observed, account for the “appalling loss of human lives on our highways.”

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As workmen hacked away at the pile of hardened steel and masonry on the main floor of the Newtown Savings Bank which was the bank’s vault for 45 years, the staff moved out of the familiar cages and offices and carried on the bank’s business this week in the new addition at the rear of the building.

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 Joseph McCormick, vice president of the Connecticut Citizens for the Public Schools, will address citizens of Newtown Tuesday night on the subject “The Problems of Building a New School.” The occasion will be an open meeting of the Newtown Citizens Committee on Education, to be held in the lecture room of the Cyrenius H. Booth Library starting at 8 o’clock.

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 Paul A. Camejo, Jr, eight weeks old, and his father were baptized last Sunday, January 2, in the Newtown Congregational Church. Raul, Jr, is the grandson of Mr and Mrs Charles Hyatt, Sr, of Aunt Park Lane.

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As a token of esteem, the membership of the Sandy Hook Fire Company voted Tuesday to make Joseph Bantle of Glen Road, Sandy Hook, a lifetime member. Mr Bantle has given unselfishly of his time to make the fire house as comfortable and livable as it could possibly be. He has been available at almost anytime to do those things that go for a well regulated fire house. Jack Rosenthal presented the lifetime membership to Mr Bantle on behalf of the fire company.

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Residents of Sandy Hook and vicinity welcomed on Wednesday of this week the return of a pharmacy to the familiar store next to the Sandy Hook Hotel in which the late Martin Corbett and Arthur J. (Doc) Crowe catered to the drug needs of the community for many years. A new management, the partnership of C. Carl Brewer, Miss Kyle Harvard and Raymond E. Coe, has renamed the establishment the Sandy Hook Pharmacy and remodeled the interior in keeping with modern drug store practices.

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The Newtown High School Alumni split with the varsities last Thursday night, December 30, as the high school girls won 35-29 and the boys lost 68-45. The school girls started off early with their scoring and kept ahead of their older sisters during the entire game. Kathleen Milot and Martha Kearns led the winners with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Cappy McMahon, back from a fall term at Springfield College, led the alumnae with 14 points. Joan Milot came next with six points.

 

JANUARY 3, 1930

Some of the young people of the town went up to Francestown, New Hampshire, for winter sport, last Monday, returning on Thursday. Besides Rev and Mrs Paul A. Cullens, there were in attendance Taylor Duncombe, Elliott Brown, Barbara Cutter, Emily Leahy, Fred Seman, Dea Frederick H. Duncombe, Margaret Luf, Frederick Luf, Dean Perry, Anita Coy, Peter Hampton, John Hampton, Albert Strong, Brynold Neustrand, and Edna Wolfe. They stayed at the Bixby Inn and spent their time mountain climbing, skiing, and skating.

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Charles Conger of the Botsford section met with a serious accident one day this week when he fell from a load of hay on to the cement pavement of the state road. Among his injuries were a dislocation of the left shoulder blade, the fracture of two ribs in the back with puncture of the lung, and a comminuted fracture of the right arm and wrist. Dr W.F. Desmond attended him.

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William D. Carson of Sandy Hook and Dwight Sutton of Bethel have just finished wiring and installing electric fixtures in a house owned by Mrs Cribbins, Sandy Hook.

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John Hubbell, an esteemed resident of the Borough, is again quite seriously ill, having been threatened with pneumonia. Miss Bresson, a trained nurse, is assisting in his care.

JANUARY 6, 1905

Mrs Edward Gibson of New York has recently presented the library with two beautiful and useful volumes: Our Native Trees by Harriet L. Keeler and How to Know the Ferns by Frances Theodora Parsons.

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Professor Ross Jewell is the proud owner of an autograph of S.F. Smith, author of America. It was a New Year’s gift from Mrs J.D. Candee of Bridgeport, a daughter of S.F. Smith.

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John Dayton won the turkey raffle for the benefit of the baseball association.

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The teacher in Lake George district, Miss Josephine Wood of Bethel, has resigned her position and the place has been filled by Miss Margaret Keane.

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At a meeting of the School Board Monday night, Miss Anna Block was given a certificate to teach the South Center School, to succeed Miss Mabel Morris, resigned.

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Arthur T. Nettleton, the popular treasurer of the Newtown Savings Bank, passed New Year’s Day with Mr and Mrs George Beers in Danbury.

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Mrs C.S. Russell consulted Dr Betts Sunday afternoon. As a result she returned home minus pain and tooth.

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The milk men had tough work in getting through to the Borden factory Wednesday. The Taunton teams got through about 1 pm, by joining forces, and digging through the drifts.