Congresswoman Ella T. Grasso of Windsor Locks, proving true the predictions of an impressive victory, soundly trounced Republican challenger Robert H. Steele in Tuesday’s election to become Connecticut’s first woman Governor—and the first woman governor to be elected in her own right in US history. Senator Abraham Ribicoff, Democrat, gained a third six-year term by burying James H. Brannen, III, Republican state legislator from Colchester, by over 300,000 votes. Unofficial returns show Sen Ribicoff with 679,795 votes; Mr Brannen, a black airline pilot, with 365,212; and George Wallace Party contender Arthur Capozzi with 18,173. Mrs Grasso carried the state with 631,382 to Mr Steele’s 431,142 and Thomas Pallone’s (GWP) 15,251. The 55 year-old Democratic Governor-elect, who has served as a state legislator in addition to being a former Secretary of the State and U.S. Representative from the 6th District, carried the majority of area towns.

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One big story in the local elections was that Democrat John Anderson, challenger in the 106th Assembly District, upset nine term Republican State Representative Sarah Frances Curtis to become the first Democratic representative from the district since 1948, when John Holian won. The other was that Republican Benjamin B. Blanchard was reelected Judge of Probate. The 40 year old Mr Anderson of Rock Ridge Road, Newtown, carried Newtown by 3,178 votes to 2,590 for Mrs Curtis and 86 for George Wallace Party contender Joseph Seeley of Redding.

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Meeting in executive session on Monday, November 4, the Board of Police Commissioners decided to turn down the request of the Police Department union for additional men. Officer Richard Stook, president of the Newtown local, said that he was informed on Wednesday, November 6, by George McLachlan, chairman of the board, that, though the board would like to see more men, in the best interest of the town at this point they are not needed. Officer Stook also reported Mr McLachlan as saying that the board is still looking out for the best interests of the policemen. Currently, the police union is engaged in negotiations with the Town on the subjects of manpower and pensions. The request for more men will be part of the discussion between the union, which is part of NAGE, the National Association of Government Employees, and Joseph Bogdan, the town’s negotiator.

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Newtown voters on Tuesday, by a variety of margins, accepted the proposals for changes in the Newtown charter presented by the selectmen after development by a nine-member Charter Revision Commission chaired by Atty Robert Hall. The proposal to create an 18-member town council, elected from districts to replace the Board of Finance and become a continuing legislative body to enact town ordinances, was accepted by a vote of 2,584 to 2,018 opposed. The proposal to create the office of financial director appointed for an indefinite term to conduct the town’s fiscal affairs now carried out by a town treasurer and controller was accepted 2,491 to 1,945 opposed.

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A large green and white tent is now filling the front yard of the Matthew Curtiss House, the home of the Newtown Historical Society on Main Street, signifying a beginning of Fall Festival Days. This two-day event will begin at 7 pm on Friday evening, November 8, with a wine party, preview of an art show and a silent auction, all to be held in both the tent and in the house behind it. The wine party, with the wines being furnished by the Brotherhood Winery of Washingtonville, N.Y., is open to both members of the Society and the general public and admission is either free for two people through the purchase of five raffle tickets at one dollar each or a donation of one dollar per head at the door.

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An organizational meeting for the purpose of forming an American Legion Post will be held Tuesday evening, November 12, at the Edmond Town Hall, at 7:30 pm. In the latter part of September, the National American Legion conducted a survey in Newtown, which resulted in a request by National American Legion Commander James Wagonseller of Ohio that the Department of Connecticut form an American Legion Post locally.

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The Newtown Zoning Board of Appeals heard a request for two variances by the Town of Newtown on Wednesday evening, November 6, regarding the proposed site of a new town garage. The site, 7.35 acres, located on the corner of Ethan Allen Road (leading into the landfill) and South Main Street, is in an M-2 industrial zone which has a setback of 150 feet from the street lines. The town wants to locate the building 100 feet from Route 25 and 75 feet from Ethan Allen Road. Town Counsel Paul Pollock spoke for the town in the application and told the ZBA members the setback variances are necessary due to the topography of the land.

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The 5th and 6th Congressional District candidates who received the support of Newtown’s voters went on to win the elections district-wide. Republican Ronald A. Sarasin won his second term over his opponent William A. Ratchford, in the 5th District contest. In the 6th, Toby Moffett swept into victory over Pat Piscopo.

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NOVEMBER 11, 1949

 

American Art Week, by no means a local institution but an observance celebrated throughout the country each November, once again served to remind Newtown residents that a surprising number of neighbors are first-rate painters. The exhibit now current at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library is the eighth in a series, a large and comfortable show and about as complete as it could be. The opinion of most visitors is that it is the best show yet, a prejudice that seems entirely justified. Exhibitors of previous years are represented, plus many new ones – and thus the purposes of Art Week are admirably served. If this special observance in the United States has done anything, other than to unearth some excellent work, it has been an agent in destroying the once popular conception that art is pretty unique and therefore suspect. It encourages the unknown to prop his canvas up alongside those of artists whose reputations are established. The result may be uneven but it’s rarely dull.

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The Newtown Ambulance Association is issuing a call for carpenters, helpers and stone masons to help in the building of the new ambulance garage at the Newtown fire house in the rear of Edmond Town Hall this Sunday morning at 9 o’clock. The work is partly done and the Ambulance Drivers Corps would like to finish the job this Sunday.

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Marking American Education Week in Newtown, an unusually large number of parents have visited the schools during the week and attended the tea given by the teachers at Hawley School on Tuesday. The school faculty has also brought the schools to the townspeople. Mrs Frances Goodsell, vocational guidance teacher at Hawley High School, and William Prahl, seventh grade teacher, spoke before the Pohtatuck Grange meeting on Tuesday evening, and before the Lions Club on Wednesday.

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The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer will be shown at the Edmond Town Hall next Thursday, November 17, under the auspices of the Lions Club. There will be two showings of the picture, which stars Cary Grant and Myrna Loy, one at 7 pm and another at 9. The admission will be 50 cents, tax included. Proceeds from the movie will be used to buy portable sectional bleachers for Hawley School.

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The Bee learned that this fall’s unusual weather has extended, not only from Main Street to Toll Gate Hill, but even to Zoar district where Principal and Mrs Carl LeGrow have also been picking raspberries in their garden. Three quarts, no less, which might mean better gardeners in Zoar or more unusual weather – we are not prepared to say which.

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The officers of the Drivers Corps of the Newtown Ambulance Association were re-elected at the annual meeting of the Corps held last Friday evening at the Edmond Town Hall. They are: chief driver, John McMahon; assistant chief driver, William Honan, Jr.; secretary, Harold Bassett; and treasurer, Dominic Digilio.

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NOVEMBER 7, 1924

The annual meeting of the Community Workers was held in the parlor of the Congregational Church on Tuesday afternoon, November 4. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year. President, Mrs F.H. Mitchell; Acting Vice President, Mrs A.J. Smith; Secretary, Mrs A.B. Blakeman; Treasurer, Mrs L.C. Morris. The work of the Community Workers covers both local and outside charities.

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Rev and Mrs G.H. Ekins and Mr and Mrs O.S. Stoddard motored to New York Tuesday afternoon and got the election returns in the great metropolis.

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The local democracy may be said to have been fairly stunned by the smashing defeat handed out to them by the Republicans at Tuesday’s election, when Cooledge carried this democratic stronghold by 137. Lt. Gov Bingham for governor defeated Charles G. Morris by 42 votes.