The Newtown Bee

The Way We Were Newtown news of 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 years ago, from the archives of The Newtown Bee.August 10, 2001 HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Sylvia Poulin. * * * * *EDITORIAL INK DROPS — A MILESTONE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT: Thirty years ago this summer, Newtown ceased being a small town — at least in one respect. The town dissolved its constabulary and created a police force. There were many fond farewells in August 1971 for Sgt James Costello, who had served for 17 years as the town’s resident state trooper, overseeing a small force of constables keeping the peace in what was already a peaceful town. … Newtown hired its first police chief, former state police captain Louis Marchese, at an annual salary of $13,577.72, and swore in as police officers the men who had been serving the town as constables ... The Newtown Police Department is kicking off its celebration of this milestone anniversary with an exhibit at the Booth Library...It tells its own story in pictures and text and reflects the theme of the department’s celebration — A Proud Tradition. * * * * *The Charter Revision Commission submitted its final report to the town clerk on Thursday and in formally completing its work now has nothing left to do but wait and hope that its work reaches the voters intact. The 11-member board will gather for a picnic next week to celebrate 10 months of serious study of the charter. The fate of its proposed changes to town government, however, is no longer in its hands. It is now up to the Legislative Council to decide what it wants to do, and there are some council members who may opt to kill parts of the report before it reaches the voters. * * * * *Local Boy Scout Edward Wolf, Jr, was presented with the Heroism Award while at Boy Scout Camp Sequassen in Winsted during July. The Boy Scouts of America upon recommendation of the National Court of Honor presented this Heroism Award to Ed for demonstrating heroism and skill in saving or attempting to save a life at minimum risk to self. While vacationing last summer with his family in Lehigh Valley, Ed saved a boy who was whitewater rafting and was caught in the current with a personal flotation device that was too big on him. Ed swam to the boy, pulled him out of the current, and brought him back to shore safely. The boy and his family were visiting from Milan, Italy, and were grateful for Ed’s quick reaction to the situation. * * * * *While on patrol about 10 o’clock Monday morning, police noted something odd at a pond in a gravel mine south of Button Shop Road. A small boat containing oars was adrift on the pond, leading police to believe that someone may have fallen into the pond. Firefighters from Botsford, Newtown Hook & Ladder, and Sandy Hook mounted a search, as did members of Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue. The Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps went to the scene. Nothing was found amiss in the search, said Fire Marshal Bill Halstead. It appears that the boat simply drifted out onto the pond, he said. * * * * *Newtown resident John Wasserman, Jr, division manager for Vector Marketing Corporation’s New England Division, has been inducted in to the company’s corporate Vector/Cutco Hall of Fame in Olean, N.Y., on the strength of generating over $10 million in career office sales. Mr Wasserman, whose Fairfield headquarters office is located at 142 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton, was honored at Vector's recent Northeast Region Summer Sales Conference in Lancaster, Penn. August 6, 1976 EDITORIAL INK DROPS — BRUCE JENNER, AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG MAN: One of the most popular T-shirts seen about the Olympics in Montreal read “FEET, don't fail me now.” The feet didn’t fail, in fact, they carried Bruce Jenner to a new world record total of 8,618 points and a gold medal in the decathlon. The accomplishments of this young man during the ten-event competition thrilled millions of viewers and made him the ninth American to win the decathlon. Bruce Jenner’s triumph not only brought another gold medal and honor to our country, but also carried a special meaning for the people of Newtown. It was in 1968 that Bruce graduated from Newtown High, a popular student and already a proven athlete holding several state titles. His abilities carried him to the Olympics in Munich in 1972 where he placed tenth in the decathlon.* * * * *Robert Northrup, 23, of Hanover Road, spent four days stranded in a wet truck in Colorado, but was able by Tuesday to notify his parents, Mr and Mrs Edgar Northrup, that he had suffered no damage nor injury in the Thompson River flood which broke last weekend with a death toll now approaching 100. Mrs Northrup received a telephone call from her son at 3 pm Tuesday. While the road he was driving on had a six-inch pipe carrying the river under it, the level of the water rose above that of the truck floor and he and his companion had to stay where they were, on their way up to the gorge. * * * * *Framing is almost completed on most of Nunnawauk Meadows, the 40 unit senior citizen housing project sponsored by Newtown Housing for the Elderly Inc. A December residency date is foreseen. At the July 26 meeting of NHE, project progress was reviewed. Some vandalism has occurred at the site off Nunnawauk Road, but the missing items have been replaced. Extra expenses have cropped up with regard to glass, rock and drainage problems in one corner of the site. In addition, several new items, air conditioning and sound wiring in the community building have been added. * * * * *The Legislative Council voted on August 4 to name eight people, four Republicans, three Democrats and one unaffiliate, to the new Charter Revision Commission to consider at least six possible changes in the charter and report back to the council with recommendations by June 1, 1977. The council, at its last meeting, voted to set up an eight member charter revision commission. This week, the Ordinance subcommittee recommended a list of names of people willing and qualified to serve, and a list of six out of a general “laundry list” of 14 items for the commission to investigate. The Ordinance subcommittee report was unanimously accepted. * * * * *The beach of Riverside on Lake Zoar in Sandy Hook remained open this week pending results of a coliform count, according to Newtown Sanitarian John Goett. Last week the Lake Zoar Authority reported that a test of the lake in the area showed a coliform count of 1,500. In Connecticut the recommended limit as safe for swimming is 1,000. Town Health Officer Dr Thomas Draper was on vacation last week. Mr Goett said that he personally wasn't going to take any action about closing the beach since it wasn't his authority. He said Dr Draper, who returned this week, supported his action. Mr Goett ordered another coliform count taken Tuesday and results are expected by week’s end from the State Health Department in Hartford. August 3, 1951 EDITORIAL INK DROPS — TOWN PLAYERS SCORES AGAIN: Surrounded by summer theaters, pop concerts and operettas of professional rank, The Bee cannot let pass last week's presentation of the original operetta “Hutchinson Heyday” without a word of commendation for Newtown's own Town Players. It was an amateur performance well done and thoroughly enjoyed, in spite of the fact that presentation of an original operetta is not an easy assignment ... Several of the numbers were as catchy as Broadway tunes, and quite as well presented. * * * * *Mr and Mrs Allen Northey Jones and daughter, Sally, and Mr and Mrs Paul S. Smith and son, Scudder, were among the parents who attended on Saturday and Sunday the Parents Week-End activities at Camp Agawam, Crescent Lake, Maine, where Stephen Jones and Ted Smith are spending the summer in camp. * * * * *A granddaughter, Mary Alexis Merrill, of Oakland, N.J. is the guest of Mrs John Flanagan of Church Hill Road. Mrs Flanagan returned last Friday from a week’s visit with Dr and Mrs Carroll F. Johnson in Amherst, Mass. Dr Johnson, former Newtown superintendent of schools, is now superintendent of schools in Amherst. * * * * *Dr. Joseph Falardeau, a member of the staff of Fairfield State Hospital and a resident of New Milford, returned last week from St. Vincents Hospital, Bridgeport, where he had undergone an operation. He expects to return to his duties at Fairfield Hospital September 4. August 6, 1926 The warm weather stimulated the trade in beer to such an extent that Salvan Divigarde of Waterbury loaded up a hearse with 36 cases and started to Danbury to help quench the thirst of the Danburyites ... The shrill whistle of the sheriff brought the car to a stop near the residence of Frank Ruffles where Divigarde threw up in his hands and says “It’s beer, sheriff.” Divigarde was arraigned before Justice P. H. McCarthy, Monday evening, where a plea of guilty was entered and he was fined $150 and costs of $64.60 for transporting. * * * * *W. H. Jardine, Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, accompanied by Kurt Grunwald, agricultural engineer, arrived in Newtown, Monday afternoon, to make their friend, Arthur W. Reynolds, a short visit and inspect the Currituck Hill herd of Aberdeen-Angus cattle. It has been erroneously stated in the press that the Secretary came primarily to see a small plot of sugar beets being raised experimentally at Currituck Hill. While Secretary Jardine has been and is greatly interested in sugar beet production and believes it has possibilities in Connecticut, his visit was planned many months ago and was merely a friendly call. * * * * *PICTURES AT BLACKMAN’S: Buck Jones in, “A Man Four Square.” The story is one of a big newly rich ex-rancher, who gives up a life of luxury to help a friend in trouble. When he returns to Arizona, he finds his friend in trouble up to his neck. He performs the brotherly act in true Western style and the film is a corker. A gripping tale of Cupid and cattle rustlers. If you like a rip-roaring western picture, don’t miss “A Man Four Square.” * * * * *Mrs Clarence Baldwin of Hawleyville is showing to her many friends her wonderful display of house plants among which is a wax begonia which stands five feet high and foliage that is four feet wide. August 9, 1901 Do you enjoy a refreshing glass of soda? If so stop at the drug store of S. C. Bull & Co., when in Sandy Hook. * * * * *J. Russell Smith, now of Danbury, is passing a few weeks at Andrew Bristol’s in Chestnut Land, New Milford. Mrs Smith has been visiting at Hawleyville and vicinity. * * * * *William Andrews and family of Oakville were guests over Sunday of Hawley Jennings in Taunton. * * * * *Miss Grace Benedict, who has been visiting her sister, Mrs W.B. Glover, returned to her home at South Salem, N. Y., on Saturday. * * * * *Dea and Mrs Henry M. Smith and Carleton Smith attended service on Sunday morning at the Congregational church in South Britain. * * * * *C. E. Beaman of Bennett’s Bridge has an acre of potatoes which are blossoming for the second time. The field looks very nice and bids fair for a fine crop of potatoes. 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.

James Callery

First Responder Agencies Training Planned, Saturday At Fairfield Hills

Top Of The Mountain

COA Talks About Transportation Services, Revisiting Affordable Housing Discussion

I dont think I've ever seen a letter with so many em dashes. A new high score in Chat GPT?

Newtown Deserves Leaders Who Reflect Our Values And Fight For Our Fair Share

Maybe we should have let Bruce shift the meetings earlier in the day, because clearly he is asleep at the wheel... Only three weeks after his apology and another false promise to do better ... on the night of July 30, Bethel Police, Connecticut State Police K-9 teams, and the Newtown Police Drone Unit were conducting an extensive search in the Saw Mill Road area for a suspect. Residents received no contemporaneous public notice from the First Selectman’s Office. This is exactly the type of situation the town says its emergency communication system exists to address. Newtown’s Emergency Management page states that, together with the Office of the First Selectman, it provides critical public information and warnings about emergency situations. The town’s own CodeRED materials specifically list criminal activity among the examples of alerts residents might receive.

First Selectman Addresses Storm Response

I sincerely appreciate Representatives Mitch Bolinsky and Martin Foncello holding open coffee and conversation hours. Making yourself readily available to listen, answer questions, and hear concerns from the public is the mark of a responsive elected official. Newtown’s previous first selectmen understood this. Dan Rosenthal held “Walk & Talk with the First Selectman” sessions that were open to residents without reservations, and Jeff Capeci held regular “Java with Jeff” conversations. Bruce Walczak ran heavily on responsiveness, transparency, and listening to residents. Yet his answer appears to be “Brews with Bruce” at the Senior Center—a program requiring reservations and, for residents who are not Senior Center members, the purchase of a day pass. That is not meaningful townwide access. It creates a barrier to participation and effectively limits the conversation to one narrow segment of the community. A first selectman should not be waiting behind a paywall, however small, to hear from the public. He should be holding open coffee hours, evening forums, neighborhood walks, and other accessible events where any Newtown resident can participate without registering, joining a particular organization, or paying for admission. Thank you, Mitch and Martin, for showing what genuine constituent outreach looks like. Listening to residents should be more than a campaign promise—it should remain a visible and continuing responsibility after Election Day.

Legislative Coffee & Conversation With Bolinsky And Foncello, August 7

It's a bit ironic. On July 31, 2025, Bruce Walczak wrote that "evasive answers or silence are unacceptable in government." He also promised to respond to constituent inquiries and to "close the loop," even when there wasn't an immediate answer. Two weeks of silence in response to a legitimate question seems difficult to reconcile with that pledge. The standard wasn't set by his critics—it was set by Bruce himself. Just another politician ... say whatever is necessary to get the job. Original letter: https://www.newtownbee.com/07312025/a-commitment-to-responsiveness/

First Selectman Addresses Storm Response

CT primaries are closed to voters not registered with the party's designation. Dems can't vote in Rep. primaries and, vice versa. Unaffiliated and Independent voters cannot vote in them. Keep primaries closed!

Time to Change the Guard

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