Friends Of Edmond Town Hall Invites Everyone To Its First Annual GalaNonprofit group Friends of Edmond Town Hall is planning a “night of fun and entertainment” for its first annual gala.Nonprofit group Friends of Edmond Town Hall is planning a “night of fun and entertainment” for their first annual gala on Saturday, May 4. The event will be held in the Alexandria Room at Edmond Town Hall and run from 7 to 10 pm.The theme for this year is “A Formal Affair” and people are encouraged to dress up in semi-formal cocktail attire.The gala will feature live entertainment, a cash bar, and a photo booth. Award-winning caterer STF Catering, LTD, will serve passed and stationary hors d’oeuvres while Good Old Days Pizza will prepare complimentary signature cocktails and mocktails.There will also be a raffle and live auction, with various prizes such as donation baskets, Pilates classes, a private couple sound bath, 18 holes of golf for four people with carts, a dinner for eight with home service, and much more.Tickets are currently available for $125 at friendsofeth-gala.org. Group discounts are also available.This event has been a long time coming for the Friends, as the funds from the gala will go towards renovating the dressing rooms at Edmond Town Hall. The dressing rooms have been in poor condition for quite some time according to Friends co-chair Julie Brunelle.The furniture that lines the rooms, from the wobbly lights and tables to the worn chairs and carpets, are old and not durable. While a new piece of furniture might rarely get added to try and liven the place up, this just means that the dressing rooms have become a hodgepodge of different and clashing styles over time.To Gala Chair Marcie Albanesi, this creates a poor environment for any artists performing at the theater.“I mean I think the town hall should provide an opportunity to enhance the lives of all the people who live in Newtown and surrounding towns. Whether it be through music or theater or comedy, things that they’re bringing in to entertain the community,” Albanesi said. “You want the dressing rooms to really be enhanced and refreshed, but also functional.”Since these dressing rooms are used by anyone performing at the theater, from local dance and theater companies to comedians and musicians, making the dressing rooms safe, comfortable, and appealing has been a goal of the Friends for a long time.“Obviously the space and the feeling it gives matters. Not just to the people who are coming through the building, but also to the people who are performing there,” Brunelle said. “So I felt like this was an opportunity for the Friends as a nonprofit to say, ‘Okay, how do we really do this and do this right?’”Determined to improve the dressing rooms, Brunelle says that she posted on social media asking for help around a year and a half ago. It was that post that led to her connecting with interior designer Bradley Clayton in what she describes as a “stroke of luck.”Brunelle was initially hesitant since she had no idea who Clayton was. After all, it was important to find the right designer that would respect the age and history of the building. However, after meeting him and one of his team members, everything quickly fell into place.“It was really his enthusiasm that did it for me,” Brunelle said. “I could just tell that this person cares. They didn’t come as a, 'okay fine, I’ll do the job.’ He was enthusiastic even with the tiniest attention to details.”Clayton has been working as an interior designer in Connecticut for the past three years, but he had previously worked as one in Philadelphia for twelve years. Since being in Connecticut, Clayton has worked on various projects, such as the green rooms for Park City Music Hall in Bridgeport.Clayton and his team are working to capture the same design elements and charm that went into founding ETH and bring it into the new era. To that end, Clayton threw himself into researching the history of the building.“When you design, you also have to take in part of its history,” Clayton said. “So many people want to wash those things away and make it modern. And you know, I watched that happen in Philadelphia, where they took these beautiful buildings, took them down and put up these modern cardboard boxes in their place.”The new dressing rooms will have pieces that are designed to be timeless and long-lasting. He and his team aim to honor the style of 1920s and 1930s America in both its color palette and the style of the furniture.“What they chose around thirty years ago were materials that were very industrial and didn’t fit with the charm of the building. It just didn’t have that warmth and felt very out of place. So I think we picked materials that will provide the drama and fit the original whimsy of the building,” Clayton said.The Friends say that if the gala ends up being a success that it will pave the way for more events like it in the future. All funds from the gala and their other events go towards their mission, which is to bring programming and events to the community at Edmond Town Hall while maintaining the building’s historic identity.Gala committee and Friends member Jeff Shpunt is happy to contribute to the event and help support Edmond Town Hall however he can.“Being a lifelong Newtown resident who’s done so many activities at ETH from having birthday parties as a kid to watching dance recitals and movies … it’s great to see the town hall still operating,” said Shpunt. “It’s just something I want to see continue on for my kids and their grandkids. To be able to play a small part in that, it feels good.”For more information on the gala, including sponsorship opportunities and auction items, or to volunteer or support the Friends of Edmond Town Hall, visit friendsofeth.org, email friendsofeth@gmail.com, or call 203-512-9100.Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.Friends of Edmond Town Hall Invite Everyone To Their First Annual Gala Jenna Visca
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Newtown PD To Participate In Next Drug Take Back DayNewtown Police Department and other law enforcement agencies nationwide will be partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration this month for the 26th Drug Take Back Day. On Saturday, April 27, from 10 am until 2 pm, Newtown Police Department and other law enforcement agencies nationwide will be partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for the 26th Drug Take Back Day.The public can visit the department’s headquarters, at 191 South Main Street, and drop off expired, unwanted, and unused prescription medications.The DEA and Newtown Police Department officers will accept tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs.Liquids, including intravenous solutions; syringes and other sharps; and illegal drugs will not be accepted.The service is free and anonymous. No questions will be asked.Drug Take Back Days are conducted twice a year, in April and October.In October 2023 — the most recent Drug Take Back event — there was participation from 4,383 law enforcement agencies, including 94 in Connecticut. More than 599,000 pounds (300-plus tons) of prescription medications were collected among 4,675 collection sites.Cumulatively, 17,900,351 pounds (8,950 tons) of expired, unwanted, and unused prescription medications have been collected since the launch of this program.Newtown Police Department currently does not have a drug drop box in its lobby.Since July 2018, pharmacies in Connecticut have been authorized to dispose of prescription medications. No Newtown pharmacies currently have Drug Drop Boxes; however, local pharmacies will assist customers with the safe disposal of medications.The DEA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also posted instructions for safe disposal for medications in the trash at home. Learn more at DEAtakeback.com.MUST Newtown PD to participate in next Drug Take Back Day, April 27 Story Newtown PD To Participate In Next Drug Take Back DayMUST Newtown PD to participate in next Drug Take Back Day, April 27Cultural Events, NewsNone
Historic Credits For Fairfield Hills Moving Along
The town is still in the process of applying for historic credits for renovating two buildings on the Fairfield Hills Campus.First Selectman Jeff Capeci reported to both the Board of Selectmen on April 1 and the Board of Finance on April 8 that the town’s application for historic credits to allow renovation of two Fairfield Hills campus buildings is “going well.”Capeci said he, Economic and Community Development Director John Voket, Economic Development Commission Chairman Jeffrey Robinson, and representatives from WinnCompanies, the Boston-based developer that will renovate the two buildings, went to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) hearing at the Capitol in late March.“It went very well,” Capeci said.The application was before SHPO as the campus is on the state historic register. SHPO would be the same organization that would review changes should the campus be placed on the federal historic register, according to Stacey Vairo, of Preservation Connecticut.Capeci said that the only concern expressed was from the military, which has a dog training facility on the campus. They were concerned they would not be able to build any new training facilities. However, Capeci said that the approval of the credits would not affect any new building, just disallow demolition of old buildings.Capeci said he invited representatives from the dog training facility to come and speak with him and representatives from Winn Development.If approved, the main change beyond allowing Winn Development to renovate Shelton and Kent houses would be that the town would not be able to demolish any buildings during a certain period of time.The federal process would designate the campus and all buildings currently standing as historically significant, and the town would not be able to demolish any of the buildings during the time the project is being worked on and for five years after, or the federal Parks Service, which would award the historic credits, can “claw back” the money. The current time line from Winn estimates that Kent and Shelton would be renovated by the end of 2025 and the claw back period would end at the end of 2030.Town officials currently believe none of the buildings on the campus are so structurally unsound that they may become compromised before 2030 and need to be demolished.Sources of funds for this project include federal Historic Tax Credits, state Historic Tax Credits, and Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). It is expected that historic tax credits will make up 25% of total project funding.The rest of the project will be paid for by WinnDevelopment, with no cost to the town. The town would sell the buildings to Winn but would lease them the land that the buildings are on.For buildings receiving credit, the exterior space must remain the same and the interior space must still have the same look and feel as the original. For example, a school building would keep the lockers and classroom doors, and may not change the general layout of the building.If the mixed use project moves forward, it is estimated that it will have a $25.3 million positive impact to Town of Newtown’s direct cash flow from now until the demolition bonding payments are completed, over the next 35 years. If the mixed use buildings are renovated, it is estimated that the town will bring in $20,070,555 in revenue, with $31,659,976 in expenses, for a net cash loss of $11,589,420 over those 35 years.If the mixed use buildings are not renovated, it is estimated that the town will bring in $1,612,814 in revenue versus $38,477,451 in expenses, for a net cash loss of $36,864,638.The difference between the two is the $25.3 million positive impact, as the town will see a much smaller cash loss on the Fairfield Hills property with the mixed use buildings. The expenses are mostly in the cost of demolishing the unused buildings, and are estimated to be larger without the mixed use buildings as Kent and Shelton houses would eventually have been demolished as well.The company completed its most recent adaptive reuse project in Connecticut in 2020, when it transformed the former East Haven High School building into mixed-income housing — an effort that earned multiple national awards for development, environmental sustainability, and community impact.In other finance board news, Community Center Director Matt Ariniello came before that board for approval of a $40,000 appropriation for an investigation of damage occurring at the Aquatics Center pool.The pool deck in the Aquatics Center has been developing fissures, and the pool itself has been cracking. While Ariniello determined that the pool itself is not moving, the deck does appear to be shifting and the investigation into why will assist the town in making an insurance claim to CIRMA.Ariniello noted to the BOF that while he did talk about value engineering of the Community Center when discussing the damage to the pool area at a recent Board of Selectmen meeting, there was no evidence yet that anything cut from the project by value engineering had a direct impact on the damage the pool is currently sustaining.The finance board approved the appropriation unanimously. It must still gain the approval of the Legislative Council, which next meets on April 17.Historic Credits For Fairfield Hills Moving Along Jim Taylor
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Melillo Announces Departure To DarienSuperintendent of Schools Chris Melillo is leaving his position in Newtown.Just two weeks before a referendum on a proposed 2024-25 school and municipal budget, Superintendent of Schools Chris Melillo has announced he is leaving his position in Newtown.He has taken a new position, being appointed as the next principal of Ox Ridge Elementary School in Darien during the April 10 Darien Board of Education meeting.Melillo will be leaving his position as Superintendent on June 30, following the end of the school year.Darien Superintendent of Schools Dr Alan Addley announced Wednesday night that he was naming “a colleague” to the position, the superintendent of Newtown Schools, and that Melillo would be “returning to his roots as an elementary school principal.”“He brings a wealth of experience pre-K through K, through graduate,” Addley said.Melillo thanked the Darien Board for the appointment.“I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and doing the work,” said Melillo. “Fostering a thriving educational environment for our students, for our families, for our staff, for our faculty. I can’t wait to hit the ground and start running.”In a letter to the Newtown community issued shortly after the meeting in Darien, Melillo stated that it was “with mixed emotions” that he was resigning.“I want to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to the entire community for your support and collaboration; it has been a privilege serving as your superintendent,” his statement said in part. “Together, we have worked tirelessly to advance the educational goals of our district and ensure that every student receives the quality education they deserve.”Melillo expressed pride in the progress the district made during his tenure, noting “innovative programs” that were implemented.Melillo came to Newtown in June 2022; he was previously an assistant superintendent in Hamden.Board of Education Chairman Alison Plante this morning released a statement expressing her appreciation for Melillo’s service to the students and staff of Newtown schools, and his “impassioned advocacy for our budget ahead of the upcoming referendum.”“His unique contributions helped focus the District on teaching and learning, which has directly benefited our students and educational community,” stated Plante. “We wish him the very best in his future endeavors. As a Board, we are committed to partnering with Mr Melillo to ensure a smooth transition over the coming months.”=====Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.Melillo Announces Departure To Darien Jim Taylor
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COA To Continue Working With Friends Of Newtown Seniors For Local OutreachThe Commission on Aging March 18 hybrid meeting included a visit from a local police officer who offered praise for senior center staff and news of an arrest of an individual charged with assaulting a senior citizen.The Commission on Aging March 18 hybrid meeting included a visit from a local police officer who offered praise for senior center staff and news of an arrest of an individual charged with assaulting a senior citizen. It also included the announcement of one grant received, the hope for a second, and a brief discussion concerning safety procedures at Newtown Senior Center.Newtown Police Department Officer Maryhelen McCarthy addressed the commission during the public comment portion of their meeting. She opened by offering praise for Director of Human Services Natalie Griffith, whose job includes directing Newtown Senior Center.“Natalie and her staff have been wondering, working with the police department and their resources, and we’ve been using them a lot,” she said. McCarthy said she had five cases that Griffith and her resources were assisting with.“If we use her with the resources, they’re not coming back again and again and that’s really our goal, is to get people the help that they need, and her staff has been phenomenal with that,” McCarthy said.There has been talk, she said, of creating or updating cards with names of local organizations and people, and contact information, that would be helpful for people looking for answers.“We can actually, as police, hand out some of these cards,” she said. “A lot of times people don’t need us, they need resources, and they want those direct names, and they want those live people and telephone numbers.”McCarthy said she and Griffith are in preliminary talks about having “a multi-dimensional, fun senior event,” similar to something done about ten years ago, “with several groups that are really important to the senior population.”Newtown PD members have visited Walnut Tree Village several times, she said, to speak informally with residents who may have questions or concerns.“It’s nothing formal, just letting them know they can call me or Natalie if they need to,” McCarthy said.McCarthy also told COA members about an arrest the department made the previous week, when a male was charged with elder abuse, “which is really, really hard to do.”The unnamed male was charged with second degree assault and reckless endangerment due to what they allegedly had done to a resident with dementia in a local nursing home.“This just goes to show you: just because somebody can’t speak on their behalf doesn’t mean that we can’t investigate. If you have family members, or you have friends, and you think something is wrong, absolutely call us, contact us,” she urged the group.The patient’s wife, the nursing director and ombudsman, “everybody there came together. It wasn’t just a police effort. It took the whole village to get this arrest,” she said. “It was a real group effort. The PD could not have succeeded without all these agencies.”McCarthy declined to share too many details, telling the board members that the arrest had “just happened” following a four-month investigation.She reiterated, however, that “things are happening that you may not see every day, but we’re here for you.” She said the commission and those who patronize the senior center have “a great director here, and she’s got a great staff,” referring to Griffith and two senior center assistants who also work at 8 Simpson Street.Director’s ReportGriffith opened her report by announcing more than 60 people attended the St Patrick’s Day event held earlier that day at the senior center. Guests raved about the food, which came from Blue Colony Diner, she said.“Folks really had a good time,” she added.A pool tournament was on the calendar for later that week, and the annual Spring Fling event, coordinated with Newtown Parks & Recreation, was approaching on April 5.“Newtown High School’s Culinary Department will be doing the meal again, and our own Matt Ames will be the DJ and emcee again this year. We’re expecting a bigger turnout than last year, which was the first since COVID and everyone had lots of fun,” she added.An AARO Flagship Grant application was submitted March 6, she reported. Notice of awards will be in mid-May.“I think we put together a very strong application,” she said. Funds will be used, she reminded the commission, to connect the new front patio with the back patio already established, and to add fencing to offer privacy and a safety barrier from the parking lot.Griffith had an appointment to meet with First Selectman Jeff Capeci and Friends of Newtown Seniors President John Boccuzzi Sr later that week concerning the grant possibility through Western CT Area Agency on Aging, she also reported.“We’re hoping for more use and opportunities with the SweetHART bus” if that grant is approved, she said.Putting on her Social Services hat, Griffith offered thanks to community partners who have donated funds to help cover energy assistance needs for residents.“The Connecticut Energy Assistance Program helps residents heat their homes, but we’re seeing funds dissipate quickly now that we’re at the tail end of the energy assistance program,” she said. Newtown Lions Club, The Salvation Army and The Newtown Fund have helped cover some of the gaps.“We appreciate what they do in our community,” she said.Griffith also thanked Women Involved in Newtown for another year of helping with “a really special project that happens every year,” the Easter Baskets Program. Families with small children are identified through Human Services, she said, and WIN fills dozens of baskets through collections and donations through the club.“Today and tomorrow, families identified through this effort are able to pick up an Easter basket for each child from our offices,” she said.Griffith also reminded commissioners that Connecticut’s Renter’s Rebate program opens April 1, when renters who are elderly and/or totally disabled, and whose income does not exceed certain limits, can apply for reimbursement.“Rebates range up to $900 for married couples, up to $700 for single folks, and it’s based on a graduated income scale,” she reminded those at the meeting. Applications are available at the Town’s Human Services office. “If you know of family members, neighbors or friends who would benefit, please help us get the word out that this is something that’s available to our seniors who are renting.”Griffith closed her report by asking for thoughts and suggestions on how to improve the reporting done each month on the number of people who attend senior center events.Nicole Nicholson runs a report through the online portal the senior center uses to track registration for events, Griffith explained. The results, which cover the activities offered and what the participation numbers are, are included each month with Griffith’s written report to the COA.“I’m open to any thoughts on how to improve that reporting,” she said. “I don’t know if these can be more helpful.”Griffith admitted one thing she and her employees “constantly struggle with is not tackling everyone when they come through the door, to get them to swipe in.” For one recent event, she said, 16 people checked in at the front desk, but “there were probably 25 ladies in the room” when Griffith looked in after the program began.“I recognize these aren’t 100% accurate,” she said of the reports. “It’s data, but let me know if you think there is a different way to read this, or if you want to volunteer to be a bodyguard at the door to get people to swipe their cards when they arrive,” she added, drawing laughs.Later in the meeting, Commissioner Claire Theune raised the point again.“If people aren’t swiping in, you’re not aware of who’s in the building,” she said. “I’d like to look into that more carefully. That’s risky.”Griffith agreed.Commissioner Pat Bailey asked if a second card swiping machine could be purchased.“Many people have their cards in their hands to be swiped outside the building, and then they just bypass the machine if there’s a line,” she said. “Would it be possible to install something on the door itself, or another machine, to make sure more people actually sign in?”Griffith said the center may be able to get a second machine to swipe membership cards.Old BusinessAt the invitation of COA Chair Anne Rothstein, Commissioner Judit DeStefano offered a follow-up on an online survey the commission undertook late last year concerning the needs and wishes of the town’s senior population.DeStefano said approximately 25 people responded to the survey, with 65-74 being the average age of those who opted in. She cautioned there was no way to ensure that no one did more than one survey.The survey was an attempt to see if there was a need to bring in UR Community Cares, a Manchester-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that spoke to COA last summer. UR Community Cares was hoping to expand its programming into Newtown.The COA in March decided UR Community Cares and the local Friends of Newtown Seniors, especially the latter’s Chore Services program, were too similar.DeStefano said the impression she received, even from “the pretty small response” to the COA survey, was “the program is already here, and it would be a redundancy” to have UR Community Cares added.FONS Chore Services “seems to be doing better now than it had in the past,” Rothstein agreed. “I would like to let FONS continue with what it’s already doing.”Griffith pointed out FONS was prepared to unveil another offering for local seniors, a program called Newtown Rides.“They already have 10+ volunteer drivers who will help people do errands, visit friends, visit the senior center, and other places in town they need or want to go,” she said.Rothstein said if the WCAAA grant “comes through, that will be more transportation for seniors.“I think we should not consider UR Community Cares. Right now it doesn’t look viable,” she said.Long-Term PlanningCommissioner Barbara Bloom raised long-term planning, and whether there is a need to fit programs into the senior center schedule “when there is a lull during the day.“Now would be a good time to start that, fill in the gaps when the senior center is quiet and try to do more programs,” she suggested.Griffith said there aren’t many times when the center is quiet, however.“While numbers were very low after COVID, I don’t find many days with lulls,” she said. “In fact, we often have to find space for everyone. We’re certainly trying to keep a constant flow.”The center hosts multiple fitness and social programs, and at least one speaker per day if not two, she said.“Between 3 and 4, when we close for the day, is our quieter time, but we’re always open to ideas of what folks want,” she said. =====Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.Commission on Aging March 15 meeting recap Shannon Hicks
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The Value Of Reconnecting With Old Friends: Grammy Award-Winning Violist Mooke To Headline Next Flagpole Radio CaféNewtown music lovers have something big to look forward to this spring. Newtown music lovers will have something big to look forward to this spring. On May 11, Edmond Town Hall will host the next performance of Flagpole Radio Café, a local variety show that blends musical performance with witty comedy.While the event certainly promises to showcase a number of prominent local artists, residents can expect to enjoy a guest performance by Grammy Award-winning violist and composer Martha Mooke, known for her powerful fusion of classical and electronic sound.Mooke told The Newtown Bee this week that she identifies as an “electro-acoustic violist” and a “creative instigator.”As a performer, she shared, one of her main goals is to “help audiences experience the concert in multidimensional ways” and use the opportunity to connect with audiences and inspire them to unlock their own creative potential.“I find it opens up new channels and new ways of broadening the experience,” she related, “when people realize that when they go to a concert it’s not just listening with their ears.”Mooke comes equipped with a traditional classical training and a master’s degree in viola performance from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. After experiencing some work by the innovative jazz violist Jean-Luc Ponty, however, she started to engage seriously with less traditional applications of the instrument.“I discovered that a string instrument could do so much more than just playing Mozart,” she said April 9. “Not that there’s anything wrong with just playing Mozart, but to play jazz, to improvise, to plug into electronics like guitar players do — that opened up a whole new world to me.”These experiences led her to become one of the pioneering players of the electric viola at a time when few artists were experimenting with such an instrument. This uniqueness then captured the interest of the musician and producer Tony Visconti, well known for his work with Marc Bolan and David Bowie.“Tony and I became friends, and then I started doing recording sessions for him, and then I produced a showcase and asked Tony to be the host of it,” she explained. “It was a showcase that was featuring classically-trained musicians that were making music that defied boundaries.”The result of this collaboration was the 2001 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers’ (ASCAP) new music showcase “Thru the Walls,” which went on to earn Mooke the ASCAP Concert Music Award.“Tony invited David Bowie to come to the very first one,” she recalled, “and David came to the show. That’s how I met David Bowie! He came to my show, sat at my table, and heard me play my electric viola with my duo partner who plays the guitar.”According to Mooke, Bowie enjoyed the performance so much he wanted her to form and lead a string quartet to play alongside him at Carnegie Hall for an upcoming Tibet House benefit concert which was being produced by the esteemed composer Philip Glass.“That was the whole beginning of another part of my world,” she said. “I got three other string players together, and we rehearsed a couple of times with David. Philip had a recording studio called Looking Glass in those days. Then we played at Carnegie Hall in 2001 and subsequently played the next two years also with David. We ended up recording on his album Heathen.”Mooke’s list of collaborations extends even further. She has performed alongside Barbra Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, Elton John, and Star Wars in Concert, to name just a few.Apart from her performance work, she works as an artist-clinician for Yamaha and is Eventide Audio’s first ever artist in residence. She also teaches as a full-time professor, directing the Multi-Style Strings program, which she personally founded, at New Jersey City University“I was asked to revitalize the string program,” she recalled. “I actually started as an adjunct just to help rebuild the program, and I put together a proposal. I’m classically trained, but I’m self-taught with improvisation and all the other things I’ve learned along the way. I always wished that there was a program I could go to at school to learn all these tools. It took me 30 or 40 years to self-teach. What if these instruments and all these electronics and the people to teach improvisation and these different styles could be an actual program?”Her Grammy Award came just a few months ago, in February. Mooke won the Grammy for Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album for her electric viola performance on Carla Patullo’s album So She Howls.Newtown residents may wonder what could have motivated Martha to take an interest in our local music scene here in town. The answer is a powerful illustration of the value of connecting with old friends.In a pre-show press release Flagpole Radio Café Producer Martin Blanco shared he and Mooke “knew each other as undergraduate students at SUNY Albany, where she was studying music, I was studying English and Theatre, and we both worked at the Performing Arts Center on campus.“While I regret that we haven’t seen each other in 39 years,” he added, “I am delighted that we will have the opportunity to be reacquainted through the show. I can’t wait to see how she ignites the Edmond Town Hall.”Martha Mooke’s work can be listened to on all major music streaming platforms as well as on her YouTube channel, which can be easily discovered by searching her name. Curious readers should visit her website marthamooke.com or follow her on Instagram at “elecviola” to learn more.The Flagpole Radio Café is scheduled to begin at 7 pm Saturday, May 11, at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street. Tickets are $45 per person and can be purchased online at edmondtownhall.ticketleap.com or flagpoleproductions.org.=====Reporter Owen Tanzer can be reached at owen@thebee.com.Flagpole Radio Cafe-Martha Mooke feature preview Owen Tanzer
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The Way We WereNewtown news of 25 50, 75, 100 and 125 years ago, from the archives of The Newtown Bee. April 16, 1999HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER OF Lisa Franze.* * * * *High winds Tuesday afternoon caused a large tree limb to snap and fall over a utility pole crossarm near 58 Glen Road in Sandy Hook, bringing down a primary electrical line into the street. It also brought down computers, fax machines, cash registers and every other electrical necessity of daily life throughout Sandy Hook Center. The fallen wire caused a small brush fire and an electrical outage that lasted almost five hours in some sections of Sandy Hook. Sandy Hook and Newtown Hook and Ladder firefighters responded to the downed wires and brush fire about 3:15 pm. The electrical cable fell in the vicinity of passing traffic on Glen Road near Shorewood Fine Art Reproductions, Inc.* * * * *Is it ever proper to look a gift horse in the mouth? Perhaps when you smell gas on its breath. Contaminated soil and groundwater from gas tanks excavated four years ago from Fairfield Hills land that now belongs to the town has Newtown’s first selectman asking questions about the state’s “gift” to the town in 1997. Two years ago this week, Newtown accepted a 22.6-acre plot of land from the state at Fairfield Hills along Mile Hill Road. At the time, there were some who were reluctant to accept the property since there was apparently no guarantee that the land was free of pollutants. The land was given to the town by the state, free and clear, but the town has to agree to accept it “as is,” and the state would accept no liability for any pre-existing conditions. At the time, the Legislative Council felt pressure to make a decision to accept the offer quickly before Hartford changed its mind and rescinded the offer.* * * * *Eighth grade students returned recently to Newtown Middle School after an overnight field trip to Gettysburg, Penn. The students took in the lay of the land at the site of the Civil War’s pivotal battle between the north and south. They explored exhibits and museums, and went on the Cemetery Walk at the battlefield. There was even some time left for fun at the Allstar Fun and Sports Complex.* * * * *The Children’s Adventure Center has received a $5,000 educational grant from The Albert W. and Helen C. Meserve Memorial Fund. The center will use the money to set up two smaller learning centers within the two current large classrooms at the center on Riverside Road. The new program is being planned in connection with the 30th anniversary of the center, which was the first local child care center.* * * * *Newtown native Jane Ryan is being featured in the original musical comedy revue Smorgasbord! The comedy opened last week and will continue through May 1 at The Duplex Cabaret Theatre in New York City. … Written and directed by Danbury’s Bradford Blake, Smorgasbord! celebrates the foods we eat and how we eat them through a variety of musical styles, ranging from Noel Coward to Stephen Sondheim. Originally presented last year at Ridgefield Playshop for the Performing Arts, the revue was hailed by local media as “rich in comedy calories.” … Jane Ryan (nee Ferraiuolo) grew up in Newtown and began honing her acting skills with the Country Players of Brookfield at the age of ten. At Newtown High School, she appeared as Nimue in Camelot and as Mrs Higgins in My Fair Lady. … Upon graduation from high school, she was cast in a national tour of Evita. She also toured Europe with West Side Story, and appeared in numerous productions at Candlewood and Paper Mill Playhouses.April 12, 1974Providing Newtown is willing to match the amount, the Federal Bureau of Outdoor Recreation is ready to give $74,368 toward buying Ram’s Pasture on the corner of Routes 25 and 202 for open space. The offer is good until January 1, 1975. By that time, the Town will have to have appropriated the entire purchase price of the property, in order to get the reimbursement from the federal government. … The 12 acre property, currently owned by the Newtown Cemetery Association, has been included in the Conservation Commission’s open space plan since last year. Two houses in bad repair stand on the property. The land is wet, low lying and imperfectly drained by the one pond upon it.* * * * *Liberalized regulations which would open up 610 acres of land owned by the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company to hunters licensed by the state have drawn some opposition from citizens in the towns involved. Under Public Act 73-522, which authorized recreational activities on grounds of public water supply reservoirs, the Hydraulic Company leased to the state last fall a portion of its property in three towns for hunting. Newtown has the largest portion of the land, 345 acres, with 190 acres in Easton and 75 in Redding.* * * * *Newtown schools are overcrowded, and the Board of Education is mulling over the idea of having double sessions somewhere within the system when school opens in the fall of 1974. One of the most talked about ideas is having the Middle School go on double sessions, thus separating grades 5 and 6 from grades 7 and 8, and solving space problems. Although a decision has not been reached on the proposal, it is one which both parents and teachers have mentioned to the Board as being a good idea. The main reason given is that it would alleviate some of the discipline problems which are cropping up in the school or have existed there for some time.* * * * *The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on April 3 in Edmond Town Hall, approved the application of John L. Danise of Mr D’s Italia Pizza and Restaurant to permit the erection of an internally illuminated sign in the restaurant on South Main Street. The Board approved the sign with stipulations “as they felt this was in harmony with the general intent and purposes of the zoning regulations and that the proposed sign would not substantially impair property values in this neighborhood.”* * * * *The Newtown Historical Society — and a great many guests — had the special treat at their meeting on Monday, April 8, of hearing Miss Alice Winchester speak on her, and their, favorite subject, the very wide world of antiques. What a pleasure it is to hear an authority of the top rank speak with the quiet assurance of experience and the charming rather intimate humor that comes from long knowledge and an appreciating eye. On the eve of the Bicentennial, Miss Winchester took her audience back to the startling fact that it was during the tremendously daring exhibitions of the Centennial, that a tentative interest in “antiques” was born, and thence spread like the traditional wild fire, until today it is an addiction.* * * * *The first session of a two-week Senior Intern Program sponsored by Senator Lowell Weicker Jr came to a close on March 22, as 42 senior citizens returned to Connecticut after receiving a firsthand look at their government in action in the nation’s capital. Mrs Nelle B. Dunlop was among those to attend the program.* * * * *The following students are competing this week in the Connecticut Science Fair at Norwalk State Technical College: Theresa Peterman, Diana Rosato, James Dirienzo and Chris Flanagan of St Rose School; Jeff Belanger, Stacy David, Thomas Herb, Chalk Hill School in Monroe; and John Harmon and Jeffrey Millo, Monroe Catholic.April 8, 1949First event on the program at Tuesday evening’s PTA meeting held in the Hawley school was a talk, “Safety on Bicycles,” by State Policeman Thomas V. Dunn of the Ridgefield Barracks. He was introduced by Mrs Alexander McQuillan who conducted the meeting in the absence of the president, L.E. Pelletier. Officer Dunn gave some fundamental rules for safe bicycle rides which included the following: Don’t ride on the road till you know how to ride well. Never ride double, more than one person on a bicycle is dangerous. Keep both hands on the handlebars and don’t carry bundles or other things in your hands. Don’t ride two or three abreast, always go single file. … Officer Dunn emphasized the importance of these rules of the road by saying that there were 194 bicycle accidents in the State of Connecticut in 1948 in which five children were killed.* * * * *Mr and Mrs William Kimball stopped to see friends in Newtown on Wednesday on their way from Florida to their home in Vermont. Mr and Mrs Kimball and family lived for a number of years in the house on Main street now owned by Mr and Mrs Mills Waggoner.* * * * *One hundred and thirty members and guests of the Newtown Fish and Game Club, Preston Beers, president, gathered at the Parker House last Thursday evening for their annual dinner and get-together. As in previous years, ladies were invited and the whole company enjoyed an excellent turkey and ham dinner. Highlight of the evening was the awarding of many substantial, worth-while door prizes. Local merchants had cooperated with the club in helping to provide suitable awards.* * * * *The regular monthly meeting of the Visiting Nurse Association was held in the Edmond Town Hall, Tuesday afternoon, with the president, Mrs Ellis Gladwin, presiding. Various reports were given and Mrs Mortimer Smith was admitted as a member of the board. Miss Kline, visiting nurse, reported that the home nursing course, sponsored by the VNA, is being held at S. John’s Hall every Thursday afternoon from 1 to 3 o’clock. The course is being enjoyed by many.* * * * *At the regular dinner meeting of the Newtown Rotary Club held at the Parker House on Monday evening, Franklin Macgregor of West street was the guest speaker. Mr Macgregor gave the group an eye-witness account of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As a bombardier, Mr Macgregor was a member of the 509th Composite Group, a B-59 group of 15 planes of the 20th Air Force, trained at Wendover Field, Utah, for these particular missions. He spoke of the far-reaching effects of the atom bomb, its tremendous power of destruction and horrifying results, and stressed the necessity of settling international disputes by peaceful means. A World Federalist, he pointed out the importance of obtaining an effective international control of war as our only means of survival.April 4, 1924EDITORIAL INK DROPS: We are sorry to see the unsightly billboards increasing along our state highways. We hope the coming Legislature will tackle the subject and eventually put them out of existence. The greatest advertising firm in the world, the Standard Oil Co, has waked up on this question. In an attempt to start a coast-wide movement for the removal of outdoor advertising signs along highways the Standard Oil this week began wrecking and burning 1600 of them in the Northwest, hoping its example would be followed by other corporations. Many of the signs are electrically lighted and very expensive, but they are all going to the fiery pyres wherever their presence destroys scenery. Last year the Forest Service removed all advertising matter from highways within national forests. Realizing the value of natural scenery along the highways traveled by thousands of tourists, the Northwest states are unanimous in the desire to keep them free from distracting and self glorifying sign boards. Many Northwest towns have passed ordinances compelling signs in the corporate limits to be place twenty feet from the street lines.* * * * *The young blizzard which struck Newtown about 4 pm, Tuesday, increased with fury all the evening and by morning there were 10 to 12 inches of snow on the level, with many country roads drifted full. Louis Lovell responded to three calls from autoists stuck on Mt Pleasant, and the Liberty Garage was also called to the same section to help autoists stuck in snowbanks. W.C. Johnson, foreman of the local highway force, was right on desk and Frank Goodsell started out with the big truck and plow and kept at it through the night, and when the average citizen looked out in the morning he found the state roads clear for any traffic.* * * * *In spite of the raging storm of Tuesday night, about 40 people came out at the meeting of the Church Forum at the Congregational church, when Superintendent of State Police Robert Hurley was the speaker. For about an hour Mr Hurley held the closest attention of his hearers, his address bubbling over with humor. Mr Hurley was accompanied by Attorney Single of the State police department. The hostesses of the evening, Mrs Beers and Mrs Sanford Mead, served hot cocoa and crackers.* * * * *Herbert H. Cutler, the efficient and popular postmaster at Sandy Hook, tendered his resignation on Thursday last and will retire from the position as soon as an acting postmaster is named by the department. Mr Cutler has conducted the office to the satisfaction of the public and there is general regret throughout the Hook that he is to retire. He will take a position with S. Curtis & Son, the box manufacturers, of Berkshire. A petition for the appointment of Mrs Nellie E. Tucker as his successor has been circulated and very generally signed by the patrons and business people of Sandy Hook. Mrs Tucker has been connected with the office as assistant for 20 years and is well qualified for the important post.April 14, 1899I.P. Blackman in the Glen has a bicycle he would like to sell as he expects to get a chainless. The bicycle is in good condition and is very strong to stand the rough riding over our country roads. Anyone wishing such a wheel would do well to see Mr Blackman at once, as it can be bought very easily.* * * * *The New York Belting & Packing Co shipped from their factory here another nice elevator order of belting amounting to a car load. These were going to Duluth, Minn. There were no unusual long rolls of belting, this time, but one of the belts was a bucket belt 52 inches wide, 7 ply, 305 feet long, which was one of the widest and heaviest bucket belts they have ever made. The other belts were 44 and 40 wide, 4 ply carrier belts, and 22 inch 5 ply bucket belts.* * * * *The report is current that Mr and Mrs Lawrence Taylor are soon to leave Botsford, Mr Taylor having secured a desirable position in New York City. While wishing Mr and Mrs Taylor success in their future welfare, Botsford people feel that they cannot be spared from that community.* * * * *Martin Winton took advantage of the law on fishing, April 1, and caught a 14-ounce trout.* * * * *Edward Pillsbury, with his team, has been busy drawing ties for Charles Winton in Zoar. This week he moves his family to Shelton into his new house, which has been lately painted and put in readiness for his occupancy.* * * * *Senator Whitlock of Derby, Postmaster Gaylord of Ansonia and Mr Long of Phoenix Bridge Co are among those who have been in town recently after the festive trout. They stopped at the Grand Central.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 Newtown Bee readers. 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.way we were Story way we wereway we were_210Features, Way We WereNone
Dozens Enjoy Night Out With ‘Bridesmaids’ Movie Event At Edmond Town Hall Pitched as the “must attend girls night of the year,” dozens of guests responded to the invitation for a Bridesmaids movie event at Edmond Town Hall Friday, April 5.Pitched as the “must attend girls night of the year,” dozens of guests responded to the invitation for a Bridesmaids movie event at Edmond Town Hall Friday, April 5.The event was designed to have people round up their friends for a fun night out and enjoy various activities themed around the hit 2011 comedy film.Edmond Town Hall Business Manager Lauren DiMartino was super thrilled, she said, to have an event that would “bring the community together.”“One of our goals at Edmond Town Hall is to continue bringing fun, different types of entertainment and programs, more than just music and movies. Because we’re always trying to bring in multiple types of events, we thought this would be really fun,” DiMartino said. “And it turned out to be a full ladies night, so I’m really excited.”ETH staff made the event special by going all out with preparations. Anyone entering through the front doors of the building were greeted by the light of a cocktail bar to their right. There were several drinks available from beer to wine, including the speciality Pink Prosecco Margarita, a cocktail made with tequila, lime, pink lemonade, and other ingredients.People were also lining up at the concessions for other snacks such as popcorn, pretzels, and candy. Pink and purple lights showered the town hall as the crowd cheered and hollered all night long. Nearly everyone in attendance was wearing dresses in the spirit of the movie, with many sporting similar outfits to match with their “girl squad.”The event was hosted by Newtown Stage Co Founder Ryan Loucks with some additional help from his wife Erin Loucks. Donned in a top hat and golden suit, Ryan moved the event from one activity to the next.Each activity was paired with its own prize, such as a three-night stay in Punta Cana and spa gift baskets, courtesy of the event’s title sponsor Expedia Cruises and its supporting sponsors Jasmine Bridal and Julie Allen Bridals.The night kicked off with Bridesmaids-based trivia and transitioned into a bouquet catch, only to get crazier from there. Everyone sang karaoke and some competed to see who had the craziest bridesmaid story, with the highlight of the night being a special four category costume contest.The crowd could vote for who wore the ugliest bridesmaid dress, who had the craziest walk of shame, who could pull off their best Melissa McCarthy impression, and who had the most enthusiastic bridal party.The night was topped off with a screening of Bridesmaids, the movie that brought everyone out in the first place.DiMartino, who was amazed by the turnout, feels as though the community support is what drives all these different events to the town hall.“I think we’re passionate about the opportunities that we have, whether it’s music or comedy. And when we get people that tell us how much fun they’ve had and that they love what we do, to me that’s very … that’s what makes me continue,” DiMartino said. “It makes me so happy because we’ve worked so hard over the past few years, and that people are really seeing what we do here and really enjoying it.”Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.Residents Enjoy Night Out With “Bridesmaids” Movie Event At Edmond Town Hal Jenna Visca
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Friends Of Edmond Town Hall Invites Everyone To Its First Annual GalaNonprofit group Friends of Edmond Town Hall is planning a “night of fun and entertainment” for its first annual gala.Nonprofit group Friends of Edmond Town Hall is planning a “night of fun and entertainment” for their first annual gala on Saturday, May 4. The event will be held in the Alexandria Room at Edmond Town Hall and run from 7 to 10 pm.The theme for this year is “A Formal Affair” and people are encouraged to dress up in semi-formal cocktail attire.The gala will feature live entertainment, a cash bar, and a photo booth. Award-winning caterer STF Catering, LTD, will serve passed and stationary hors d’oeuvres while Good Old Days Pizza will prepare complimentary signature cocktails and mocktails.There will also be a raffle and live auction, with various prizes such as donation baskets, Pilates classes, a private couple sound bath, 18 holes of golf for four people with carts, a dinner for eight with home service, and much more.Tickets are currently available for $125 at friendsofeth-gala.org. Group discounts are also available.This event has been a long time coming for the Friends, as the funds from the gala will go towards renovating the dressing rooms at Edmond Town Hall. The dressing rooms have been in poor condition for quite some time according to Friends co-chair Julie Brunelle.The furniture that lines the rooms, from the wobbly lights and tables to the worn chairs and carpets, are old and not durable. While a new piece of furniture might rarely get added to try and liven the place up, this just means that the dressing rooms have become a hodgepodge of different and clashing styles over time.To Gala Chair Marcie Albanesi, this creates a poor environment for any artists performing at the theater.“I mean I think the town hall should provide an opportunity to enhance the lives of all the people who live in Newtown and surrounding towns. Whether it be through music or theater or comedy, things that they’re bringing in to entertain the community,” Albanesi said. “You want the dressing rooms to really be enhanced and refreshed, but also functional.”Since these dressing rooms are used by anyone performing at the theater, from local dance and theater companies to comedians and musicians, making the dressing rooms safe, comfortable, and appealing has been a goal of the Friends for a long time.“Obviously the space and the feeling it gives matters. Not just to the people who are coming through the building, but also to the people who are performing there,” Brunelle said. “So I felt like this was an opportunity for the Friends as a nonprofit to say, ‘Okay, how do we really do this and do this right?’”Determined to improve the dressing rooms, Brunelle says that she posted on social media asking for help around a year and a half ago. It was that post that led to her connecting with interior designer Bradley Clayton in what she describes as a “stroke of luck.”Brunelle was initially hesitant since she had no idea who Clayton was. After all, it was important to find the right designer that would respect the age and history of the building. However, after meeting him and one of his team members, everything quickly fell into place.“It was really his enthusiasm that did it for me,” Brunelle said. “I could just tell that this person cares. They didn’t come as a, 'okay fine, I’ll do the job.’ He was enthusiastic even with the tiniest attention to details.”Clayton has been working as an interior designer in Connecticut for the past three years, but he had previously worked as one in Philadelphia for twelve years. Since being in Connecticut, Clayton has worked on various projects, such as the green rooms for Park City Music Hall in Bridgeport.Clayton and his team are working to capture the same design elements and charm that went into founding ETH and bring it into the new era. To that end, Clayton threw himself into researching the history of the building.“When you design, you also have to take in part of its history,” Clayton said. “So many people want to wash those things away and make it modern. And you know, I watched that happen in Philadelphia, where they took these beautiful buildings, took them down and put up these modern cardboard boxes in their place.”The new dressing rooms will have pieces that are designed to be timeless and long-lasting. He and his team aim to honor the style of 1920s and 1930s America in both its color palette and the style of the furniture.“What they chose around thirty years ago were materials that were very industrial and didn’t fit with the charm of the building. It just didn’t have that warmth and felt very out of place. So I think we picked materials that will provide the drama and fit the original whimsy of the building,” Clayton said.The Friends say that if the gala ends up being a success that it will pave the way for more events like it in the future. All funds from the gala and their other events go towards their mission, which is to bring programming and events to the community at Edmond Town Hall while maintaining the building’s historic identity.Gala committee and Friends member Jeff Shpunt is happy to contribute to the event and help support Edmond Town Hall however he can.“Being a lifelong Newtown resident who’s done so many activities at ETH from having birthday parties as a kid to watching dance recitals and movies … it’s great to see the town hall still operating,” said Shpunt. “It’s just something I want to see continue on for my kids and their grandkids. To be able to play a small part in that, it feels good.”For more information on the gala, including sponsorship opportunities and auction items, or to volunteer or support the Friends of Edmond Town Hall, visit friendsofeth.org, email friendsofeth@gmail.com, or call 203-512-9100.Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.Friends of Edmond Town Hall Invite Everyone To Their First Annual Gala Jenna Visca
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Top of the MountainNewtown news and notes, told from the point of view of a cat named Mountain. Cats and dogs don’t always play well together, but when one goes down, we all want to take care of each other. Last week Newtown Police K9 Aris suffered a life-threatening emergency while preparing for a training day. His handler, K9 Officer Felicia Figol, quickly transported him to Newtown Veterinary Specialists where Aris received emergency surgery for gastric dilation and volvulus, a condition found in large chested dogs where their stomach becomes twisted. This condition causes bloating and can cause eventual disintegration of stomach tissue and decay of other organs. It is often fatal for dogs in less than an hour and can be extremely painful for the animal. It sounds terrifying! Fortunately, the staff at NVS performed life-saving surgery, and Aris is now more than midway through the two-week recovery period he needs to take before he can return to full-time patrol work. I also know from experience that convalescing can get boring. If you’d like to join me in perking up the spirits of my canine friend, cards and letters can be sent to Officer Figol and K9 Aris c/o Newtown Police Department, 191 South Main Street, Newtown CT 06470. Officer Figol has promised, according to a post last week on the PD’s Facebook page, to read to Aris every letter sent to him.The Police Department does have a K9 program fund to support the non-budgeted items in its K9 program. If you’d like to make a donation to this fund to support K9 Aris’s surgical expenses and recovery contact the PD Records Division to donate by phone (203-426-8541), or make checks payable to Town of Newtown, with Police K-9 Fund in the memo line, and send them to same address above.We had another surprise visitor in our office this week. Two weeks ago it was Judd Schollin, a distant cousin of Co-Publisher Sherri Smith Baggett, with his family in tow. This Tuesday morning it was John “Chris” Stefanko Jr, son of a local Sandy Hook contractor-builder who did work on the original Hook & Ladder firehouse, worked with Newtown Historical Society on the restoration of the original Middle Gate School after it was moved from its first home to its current one on Cold Spring Road, and the first pavilion at Dickinson Park, all in the mid- to late-1960s. John Sr also handled the major expansion on our Church Hill Road office building in the mid-1950s. That project more than doubled our office space, and gave it the look most people are familiar with today.John Jr stopped in to place an ad in the paper, but ended up visiting for nearly 30 minutes and we enjoyed every moment of it. He had great memories, he said, of our publisher, R. Scudder Smith, as well as Scudder’s father and his predecessor, Paul S. Smith. He and Sherri had a few good laughs during the visit, and we enjoyed the time he was here.The annual Newtown Historical Society Spring Fundraising Tag Sale will be presented next month, and you can help. The sale itself is planned for Saturday, June 1, from 10 am until 2 pm (rain date June 2). Shopping the event will be one way to help the historical society raise funds toward the maintenance of its headquarters, The Matthew Curtiss House. The other way to help is to donate items for the sale. Antiques, collectibles, and general tag sale items will be received at The Matthew Curtiss House, 44 Main Street on Friday, May 31, (where the sale will also be conducted the following day). There’s just a 90-minute window of opportunity, from 2:30-4 pm; donations should not be left before or after that time. Furniture, kitchen items, décor, tools, vintage and antique treasures are all suggestions. Organizers do not want clothing, shoes, stuffed animals, or pillows.Newtown students in grades 5-12 have just a few more weeks to enter a new competition being hosted by our Office of the Registrar of Voters. Jenna Visca had a full story back in February about the “I Voted” Sticker Design Contest, and now I just want to offer a reminder that entries are due May 1. Young artists should contact LeReine Frampton or Erica Canfield at the Registrar’s office (registrar.of.voters@newtown.ct.gov or 203-270-4250) before that date, however, if they’d like to enter because there is a template that needs to be used for all designs. One winner will be chosen from each age group and the winning artwork will be featured on 2-inch stickers to be distributed to voters at the polls for all elections taking place in Newtown in 2024.Another reminder this week, this one ahead of Earth Day and Arbor Day: Newtown Lions Club has something special planned this year. Local readers who would like a tree or two to plant are invited to contact current Newtown Lions Club President Andrew Iorio at misteri_1999@yahoo.com. Available varieties are white oak, white dogwood and Japanese maple. These are saplings, approximately 18 inches tall. Andrew says they’ll be great trees, they just need to be protected from mowing and trampling for a couple of years. They come with burlap root bags so all you need is a hole to put them in.Did you know … According to The National Arbor Day Foundation, office workers with a view of trees report significantly less stress and more satisfaction.Returning to the local Lions for just another minute, the club’s 2024 Great Pootatuck River Duck Race is planned for Saturday, June 8, from 11 am until 3 pm in Sandy Hook Center. The activities will be centered around Heritage Park, behind Foundry Kitchen & Tavern and Sandy Hook Café at 7 Glen Road. Raffle tickets will remain $5 each and while sales opened last weekend, in-person weekend sales will launch this weekend. Newtown Lions Club member Steve Stolfi recently told me that opening weekend sales (April 12-13) are planned at Dunkin’ Donuts, 6 Queen Street; Hawleyville Wine & Liquor, 23 Barnabas Road; Tractor Supply Company, 116 South Main Street; and Yankee Wine & Spirits, 6 Queen Street. Sales will continue through June 7 at local businesses and online via newtownlions.org.Last week we shared the great news of a $49,999 grant received by Real Food CT from the State Department of Agriculture. In looking around at the local nonprofit’s recent work, it was additionally impressive to learn that last year’s milestones included two Real Food CT production gardens, eight Young Farmer interns trained on agricultural skills, 150 volunteers helping feed neighbors in need, 20 Farm Surplus partners, 15 recipient organizations, and 30,000 pounds of fresh produce donated. I’d say the state made a very good choice in selecting Sean Fitzgerald’s organization for some of those funds. If you’d like to get involved this season (and beyond), visit realfoodct.org or contact Sean at sean@realfoodct.org or 917-575-6811.New Heights Baptist Church is planning a Service Saturday on May 4. The Main Street-based community of faith will have groups heading out to do yard work including trimming, leaf and stick cleanup, and even spreading mulch (provided by homeowner). Local readers looking for a hand with these tasks are invited to send a note to outreach@nhnewtown.church for more details. Organizers promise no strings attached. They’re just looking forward to serving the community.Mary Hawley Public Service Award nominations are still open until May 1. Created to honor Newtown’s beloved benefactress, the award was established late last year to promote volunteerism by recognizing an individual who, through lengthy and exceptional public service to Newtown, best represents the selfless commitment and spirit of its namesake. The recipient will be selected in June and their name will be the first to grace a new plaque at Edmond Town Hall — one of Mary’s gifts to this town, and named in honor of her great-grandfather. They will also receive a personalized memento to commemorate the achievement and Newtown Savings Bank will donate $1,000 to a Newtown-based nonprofit of the recipient’s choosing. Nomination forms are at C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street; Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street; and Newtown Community Center, 8 Simpson Street. They can also be found online at surveymonkey.com/r/3JXSJKT.I know there are a few windows at 5 Church Hill Road that look out over a tree or two. I’m going to go test that nugget of information I shared earlier from the Arbor Day Foundation and see how long it takes to feel less stressful with that view. I’ll let you know how that goes if you promise to come back again next week to … read me again.Top of the Mountain Story Top of the MountainFeaturesNone
Murphys Make It A Family Affair On The Sacred Heart Basketball Court Mike, Jamie, Liam, and Braden Murphy all have significant roles with the Pioneer basketball program.While it might not be uncommon for a parent to coach his or her son or daughter, and perhaps only a bit unusual for a sibling or father-son coaching connection, or even for a husband-wife coaching tandem, having all of these in place at the university level — all at the same school no less — is another story.Never mind the Final Four, there is a Newtown Murphy Four at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. Mike Murphy is the head coach of SHU’s women’s club team and is joined on the bench by both his son Liam and wife Jamie. What’s more, Liam’s brother Braden is a practice player for the SHU Division I women’s team, which won the Northeast Conference for the second year in a row and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Braden had the opportunity to travel with the team to South Carolina. Braden had an opportunity to meet members of the South Carolina squad which went on to capture the National Championship on April 7.You may have heard of March Madness, the postseason tournament time that spills over into April each year, but at SHU perhaps the phrase Murphy Madness would be more appropriate.“I am very lucky to coach with my son and have my wife be involved as well. It is really awesome,” Mike said. “I get to coach with my son, my wife is involved with some practices and is at all games, it is a family atmosphere. The players and university are amazing — could not be happier with this opportunity.”Mike and Jamie saw their lives cross paths through basketball when they both played four years at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y. Jamie was in the second Hall of Fame Induction Class at Mount Saint Mary; she is the No. 2 all-time scorer in women’s program history. During games at SHU she talks with players, offers advice, and determines areas to improve.This is Mike’s second season with the SHU club team. Last year the Pioneers went 17-5, won its league and lost to the University of Massachusetts in the New England Regional semifinals. The team’s highest ranking was No. 2 and it finished the season ranked No. 11.The squad surpassed its win total of a year ago, won its league and played in the New England Regionals in Boston during the first weekend of April. Ranked No. 12 in the preseason poll, the Pioneers got as high as No. 5 this season.The head coach is extremely pleased with the success the Pioneers have had, especially given the loss of key graduates last year. “We lost six seniors who set the tone for the program and this year returning players have kept it going,” he said.“We’ve had success but, more importantly, we’ve been able to work with some young individuals who love the game,” Mike said.Mike has more than 25 years of coaching experience, including several with high school teams, including Immaculate of Danbury — where both of his sons played — and nine seasons at the youth level.Liam is an assistant coach. He helps develop practice plans, scouting reports, individual improvement with players, and game preparation among his responsibilities. Having the chance to direct a team alongside his dad is a unique opportunity.“It’s really cool. Growing up he coached all of my games. I couldn’t ask for anyone better to coach with,” Liam said.Liam said the family members do bring their coaching minds home with them and give each other input about areas in which the team is doing well or needs to improve, and that it is nice to have three different perspectives.It has become increasingly common for women’s basketball programs to use male students as practice players in an attempt to push the women more in their game preparation, Mike said.“It’s a lot of fun,” said Braden, an SHU business major, adding that the team has been welcoming and he has built many friendships through this experience. The coaches scout opposing teams and Braden’s role varies from pregame to pregame as he simulates various types of opponents such as long-range shooters or those who drive to the basket, for example.What’s even more is that Mike’s brother Matt coaches the Newtown High School boys’ team and his daughters Shea and Moira, along with his son Keenan, now a senior at South Carolina, played for NHS. Mike and Matt also run the Murphy Basketball Camp for girls and boys each summer. Basketball has run in the Murphy family for years; in 1998 Mike and Matt took over the camp started by their dad.“Its fun. When you grow up in a basketball family you look forward to March,” Braden said.Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.Murphy SHU Basketball Connection Andy Hutchison
Story Murphys Make It A Family Affair On The Sacred Heart Basketball CourtMurphy SHU Basketball ConnectionFeatured Slider, SportsNone
Hawk Laxmen Bounce Back From Opener During Character-Building Stretch Of Games Newtown offense turns it on with a ten-goal outburst against rival Weston.Newtown High School’s boys’ lacrosse team followed up a 5-1 loss to visiting Fairfield Warde in the April 6 season opener with an impressive 10-4 victory at defending South-West Conference Champion Weston on April 9.“Great team win. Our players bought into our adjustments from game one and worked so hard — I am very proud of them,” Coach Tony Fitti said. “Our attention to detail allowed ourselves to generate scoring opportunities. We dodged hard, found space, and played very unselfishly assisting on eight out of ten goals. Our defense clamped down and gave our offense a ton of confidence. Our bench was incredible — they gave us a ton of energy from the opening faceoff.”Marty Dunn scored a hat-trick, freshman Nick Stockwell — who scored against Warde in his first varsity action — netted a pair of tallies and had an assist, and Marcus Gerace logged a goal and four assists.Goaltender Blake Ballard made eight saves. Brady Macey had six ground balls, Fisher Stites five ground balls, and Cole Stockwell and Asher Williams both recorded five ground ball scoops.Following Thursday’s visit from Bethel the Hawks host Masuk of Monroe Saturday, April 13, at 6 pm.“We have a really tough stretch. We play three very good conference teams in a row. It’s a gauntlet — it’s a good start. It’s going to teach us a lot about ourselves,” said Fitti, adding that this is a character-building start to the season.Newtown retained much of its defense from last year’s State Tournament-qualifying squad which won its opening round state game against Warde. That strong D helped make this season’s opener/rematch with Warde a low-scoring contest.“We rely on them a lot. We put a lot on them as coaches,” Fitti said.Specifically, the Hawks implemented a man-to-man defensive strategy in which the three midfielders do not help the back line but instead cover their men off ball on the defensive half of the field, Fitti said.“Basically, we play a high-level college style defense and leave our long poles on a defensive island and ask them to play their matchup straight up. We do not give them help from the other three players, which allows those three to take care of their responsibilities,” the coach explained. “If they get beat there is no one to back them up but the goalie.”Fitti likened the strategy to that of man-to-man cornerback defense with no safety help.Long pole defenders Macey, Cole Stockwell, and J.J. Haddick, along with newcomer and defensive midfielder Brady Brosius, stepped up and limited Warde’s chances, particularly in the second half when the Mustangs mustered just one goal.Freshman Luke Gagnon took faceoffs admirably and had some success in his first varsity effort, helping the Hawks gain possession and keeping them in the game.The new-look offense struggled in part due to the physical nature of this penalty-filled tilt. Both teams were a bit too rough at times and each defense was up to the repeated challenge of killing of roughing, slashing, and holding, and delay of game penalties.Macey collected five ground balls, Gerace had four ground ball scoops, and Kyle Ruddy had a trio of grounders. Ballard made some big saves to keep the game within reach.Nick Stockwell, Ruddy, Gerace, Andrew Bradley, Sean Reilly, Gavin Doyle, and Charlie Massett were among players to set up some good chances in the second half but were denied.The Hawks entered the season looking to find offense from a variety of players after graduating a bulk of its offensive production from a year ago. Fitti noted, following the Warde game, that “you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole” and said it is up to the coaches to get the most out of the players on the field and come up with plays that maximize Newtown’s chances to put the ball into the net.After the performance against Weston it appears that in addition to its stellar defense Newtown is well on its way to making the pieces fit together nicely on the offensive side of things, too.Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.NHS Boys Lacrosse Andy Hutchison
Story Hawk Laxmen Bounce Back From Opener During Character-Building Stretch Of GamesNHS Boys Lacrosse_116SportsNone
Girls’ Lacrosse Team Finding Its Way Early This Season Hawks win two then fall in close one against SWC foe Weston.Newtown High School’s girls’ lacrosse team opened the season with a pair of contests against strong nonconference squads and prevailed in both, following up a come-from-behind 11-10 victory over host Conard of West Hartford on April 2 with a 7-4 win over visiting Glastonbury in an afternoon clash at Blue & Gold Stadium on April 6.The Nighthawks, defending South-West Conference Champions, may be off to a winning start but they certainly have had to overcome a lot in the early going and the coaches say they have a long way to go.Against Conard on a rainy and cold day the Hawks had a tough time getting possession on draws and when they did were unable to capitalize in the first half. Conard took advantage of an early yellow card against Newtown and scored three quick goals. Before the Hawks knew it they were in a 9-0 hole at halftime.“One of our strongest defenders recently had a season-ending injury and we are trying to fill her spot which is a big spot to fill,” said Maura Fletcher, co-head coach along with Steph Suhoza, referring to defensive standout Jenna Lagan. “We are getting girls up to speed but it will be a process and the defense needs some time to trust the unit. We will get there.”“The whole team has really stepped up” Suhoza said of filling a significant void left by Lagan. “We have attackers coming in, Natalie McLean moved from attack to mid and Jen Socci moved from mid to defense. It has been a whole team effort and they are all working hard everyday to get better.”The Hawks are also adjusting to a change in rules that coaches certainly can take advantage of from game to game.“This is the first year we are playing quarters and I really like it. It allows us to get a two-minute rest/time-out between quarters that we have never had before. It also allows us more access to both offense and defense,” said Fletcher, whose teams in the past were limited to only the halftime break in addition to a pair of time-outs to give players a breather and/or work on strategy.In the opening-day comeback, Brooke Bulkley scored the first goal in the third quarter to make it 9-1 before standout Summer Harrell took over. “A huge relief when that goal was scored. I just knew it was the start of a run. Summer Harrell took control of the game and scored eight straight. That’s why she is a USA Lacrosse All American player,” Fletcher said.Natalie McLean scored to put the Nighthawks in front 10-9 and the Hawks held the lead with possession with four minutes to go before Conard pressure forced a turnover.“It was disappointing because we know how to handle pressure — first-game jitters. Conard tied it up and got possession on the next draw. Defense, and (goaltender) Alexa Manfredonia specifically, bailed us out on the defensive end,” said Fletcher, noting that Manfredonia made four huge stops and the defense came up with the loose balls.“We were able to clear the ball and Natalie McLean was fouled with seconds to go. Calm, cool and collected, she put the ball in the back of the net with no time left on the clock,” Fletcher said of her execution on a free position shot with the game on the line.As dramatic and exciting of a win as this was, Fletcher would like to see the team improve to a point such a substantial comeback and thrilling finish are not necessary.“It was an eye-opening opener,” Fletcher said. “Luckily we came out on top, but we have a way to go to beat teams on our schedule. Despite this weather, we have been working hard every day. We will get there. We have high hopes and we have the personnel.”Newtown made things a bit easier on itself against Glastonbury.“Our defense performance really held it together and secured the win for us,” Suhoza said.Yellow cards called against NHS put the Hawks a player down for most of the first half, putting pressure on the defense, but Suhoza noted that the D “responded well in the face of adversity.”Suhoza pointed out that the attack players also played a key role in Newtown’s defensive success.“The attack really supported the defense in helping slow the ball down in transition and even resulted in several turnovers. The draw circle had a great day winning more possessions, anchored by Brooke Bulkley. We still look to focus on valuing possession and hitting the back of the net as well as building further upon our defense end,” Suhoza added.It took a while for Newtown to get the scoring going thanks to a combination of solid Glastonbury defense/goaltending and some near-misses, including a shot attempt that went off the cross bar. Finally, Bulkley gave NHS a 1-0 lead with 2:53 to play in the opening quarter. Harrell added a goal with just 30 seconds left in the opening stanza.When all was said and done, Manfredonia made five saves. Bulkley netted two goals and a pair of assists, Jules Battaglia scored two goals, Rachael Albrecht had a goal and an assist, Harrell scored and had an assist, McLean also found the back of the net.The Hawks had their first taste of defeat in their first game against a South-West Conference foe, falling 5-4 to visiting Weston on April 9. Manfredonia came up with nine saves in this defensive battle. Abby Ihlefeld, Mo Murphy, Kayla Locke, and Ella Macey stood out in the back. Newtown struggled with possession, Suhoza said.Harrell had two goals and an assist, Ava Mitchell scored and had an assist, and Battaglia netted a goal.“Offensively, we had a tough time against their zone tonight,” Fletcher said after the game. “Something we will work on moving forward. If we don’t win, we learn. On a positive note we really reduced our fouls, we turned over the ball a lot in transition, but unfortunately just couldn’t capitalize.”The Hawks will be home Friday, April 12, to take on Cheshire at 6 pm. It is also the 15 For Life Foundation game.Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.NHS Girls Lacrosse Andy Hutchison
Story Girls’ Lacrosse Team Finding Its Way Early This SeasonNHS Girls Lacrosse_155SportsNone
Another Game Decided In Final Frame Nighthawk Softball Team Wins Again Hawks score twice in seventh inning to edge host Fairfield Warde in another nail-biter.Another game. More last-inning dramatics.Newtown High School’s softball team, early this campaign, has made sure to keep fans on the edges of their seats.The Nighthawks followed up a 1-0 loss to Trumbull with a 7-6 walk-off win over St Joseph of Trumbull, then went on the road and edged Fairfield Warde 5-3 in yet another clash with an FCIAC team, on April 9. This game was even 3-3 in the seventh inning before the Nighthawks scored twice and held on.Maddie Thoesen worked a walk and eventually scored the go-ahead run on a Warde miscue. Bri Pellicone had a key double, stolen base, and scored an insurance run on a wild pitch.It was another lengthy contest. Much like the St Joes matchup that lasted about two hours and 20 minutes, this one took a while.“It was another tough one. The girls continue to grind and I think they have proven again their determination to win,” Coach Megan Goyda said. “Our defense is really what won the game for us. Maddie on the mound really held us together and Julia Berry made some phenomenal plays in right field — but overall it was a solid defensive game. This game lasted two-and-a-half hours. To stay locked in for that long and earn a win is very tough but they did it.”Warde struck first with a run in the second inning of this see-saw game. After Newtown tied things in the third the host Mustangs went ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth only to see the Hawks reclaim the lead, 3-2, with a pair in the top half of the next frame. Warde evened the score in the sixth setting the stage for the final-inning heroics.Addy Cordova had two doubles as part of her three-hit performance, Pellicone and Sophia Caruso also had doubles. Berry, Thoesen, and Lila Accousti also had hits. Cordova and Thoesen each drove in runs and three of the Hawk runs were unearned thanks to a pair of Warde errors. Berry, Pellicone, and Thoesen all had stolen bases.From the pitcher’s circle, Thoesen allowed seven hits, two earned runs, walked two, and struck out seven.Newtown, following games against Shepaug Valley and Joel Barlow of Redding Wednesday and Thursday will host Waterford Saturday, April 13 at noon.Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.NHS Softball Andy Hutchison
Story Another Game Decided In Final Frame AsNighthawk Softball Team Wins AgainNHS Softball_151SportsNone
NHS Track And Field Teams Begin Season Newtown High's girls' and boys' runners, throwers, and jumpers are off to a nice start.The Newtown High School girls’ and boys’ track and field teams began the season with the girls visiting Joel Barlow of Redding on April 8 and the boys at Bethel the next day.The girls defeated Barlow 81-69, Bethel 92-58, and Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport 147-3.Newtown’s 4x800 relay team of Keira Budge, Leah Morris, Grace Lyons, and Clara D’Amico placed first with a state qualifying time of 10:07.Ella Hall and Lyons both qualified for states in the 100. Hall qualified for states in the 200 as well and Abby Manka hit South-West Conference qualifying with a PR in the 200. The 4x100 took second place and qualified for states.Lyons hit a PR in the 400, breaking 60 seconds to take first place.Aashni Shetty went undefeated for the meet taking first in 100 meter hurdles, 300 hurdles, earning a PR in long jump and triple jump, resetting her own school record with a 34-11. Amanda Reyes will join Shetty at SWC in 100 hurdles and Violet Asante-Abash qualified for states in long jump.Budge took first place in the 1600 qualifying for states helping to pace freshman Ana Morris in her first race as a Nighthawk; Morris also qualified.Morris took first place in the 800 with an SWC standard time of 2:35.Isabella Walder had a busy first meet. She had a standout performance in high jump with a state qualifying jump of 4-10.Throws saw strong performances from Izzy Khazadian, Reyes, Faith Weir, Kaylin Brisette, and Francesca Glazer.NHS pole vault went against the two top vaulters in state and claimed the third, fifth, and sixth spots. Ashley Cote, Bridget Gioffe, and Lola Kessler all qualified for SWC and Kessler reached states with a 9-6.On the boys’ side, Dominic Simpri won the high jump with a leap of 5-10. Orion Lowery is a freshman who ran 4:48 in the 1600. “Exceptional as far as freshmen go. He is currently the fastest freshman in the SWC. And ranked third in the state,” Coach Charlie Taubl said.The 4x100 relay won with an impressive opener. “Aydyn Gonzalez, Hayden Bobowick, Elias Brady, and Gabriel Appiah is a very experienced group of runners who is looking to fight for an SWC win,” their coach said. “Jack Chappa is a new but impactful athlete getting second place in the discus throw.”NHS Track Story NHS Track And Field Teams Begin SeasonNHS Sports RecapSportsNone
Self-guided tour with paved path embellished with an array of poems by local writers displayed on signs, observing National Poetry Month, presented by C.H. Booth Library, full map of path and poetry locations available online (chboothlibrary.org); 203-426-4533.
C.H. Booth Library (John Angel Art Alcove, third floor), 25 Main Street
Third exhibition of works by the Newtown resident and right-handed carpenter who suffered a stroke one year ago, and has since taught himself how to paint and do wood burning with his left hand, through April 29; 203-426-4533.
A national traveling exhibit that focuses on exoplanets and space exploration, learn about exoplanets and NASA’s search for habitable planets through hands-on, multimedia kiosks and activities spread throughout all three floors of the library, through late May; 203-426-4533.
Young adults from the Newtown Community Partnership transition program (NCP) in collaboration with the Better Day Café at the Newtown Community Center will be selling snacks and baked goods, including homemade dog treats, on the first floor across from the meeting room; 203-426-4533.
Annual exhibition hosted by The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown featuring original works in watercolor, acrylic, pastel, graphics, mixed media, printmaking and sculpture, on view to May 24; scanart.org.
Design a spaceship and try to dock it safely using a rope, a buddy, and no hands, program recommended for ages 7-14, registration required; 203-426-4533, chboothlibrary.org.
C.H. Booth Library (chbMakers’ Corner), 25 Main Street
Grades 7-12 are invited to explore the captivating world of Warhammer 40k, learn how to paint miniature figures, strategize, and engage in thrilling tabletop battles from a longtime 40k player, no previous Warhammer experience necessary, all materials provided, registration required; 203-426-4533.
C.H. Booth Library (Periodicals Room), 25 Main Street
Spend some time with the Exceptional Sidekick furry friends who are trained therapy dogs, they will be happy to offer you comfort and a wagging tail, all ages are welcome, please register in advance; 203-426-4533, chboothlibrary.org.
Through medieval art, this talk will sketch out the life of Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone of Assisi, nicknamed Francis, a major focus will be his connection to nature, especially animals, registration required; 203-426-4533.
$2.65 million per every week? That is insane amount of money for population of less than 30k people! Newtown needs to stop this and cut the budget! Vote NO!
$2.65 million per every week? That is insane amount of money for population of less than 30k people! Newtown needs to stop this and cut the budget! Vote NO!
The main access to the property is off Main Street near Johnny cake. Lots of sight lines. Honestly, throw a stop light in there and it will slow highway traffic using Main street when 84 backs up.
