July 10, 1992

One thing that keeps Newtown rural is its dirt roads, Washbrook Road residents say. They want to see their road remain unpaved despite a subdivision developer's pending road work agreement with the town. "I've lived here for 18 years," Washbrook Road resident John Sandonato told selectmen at a meeting Monday night. "I take my daughter for walks. It's a very nice, peaceful road. I'm in favor of keeping it the way it is." About 20 residents and neighbors from Meadowbrook and Kay Lane echoed that view. Selectmen listened intently before taking up the tentative agreement for road improvements. The town is considering entering into a roadwork agreement with the D'Addario estate for a 14-lot subdivision planned for acreage between Washbrook Road and Meadowbrook and Route 25. Neighbors cited a loss of tranquility, increased traffic, lack of public safety, property loss by the roadside, and loss of use of the road for horse trotting if the dirt road is improved.

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Newtown police and fire officials are investigating a fire which caused more than $5,000 damage to a loading dock at the high school early Monday morning, July 6. Sandy Hook Fire Department and Newtown Hook and Ladder responded to an alarm at Newtown High School at 12:45 am and reportedly discovered a fire on the rear loading dock. According to police, an unknown person or persons set fire to a large pile of recyclable paper awaiting pick-up.

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CEDAR HILL FARMS at 105 South Main Street, Newtown, tore down its old garden center Tuesday, July 7, to make way for a newer larger building. Cedar Hill Farms is owned by Frank Hufner and has operated out of the tiny garden center for the last 25 years. The new building will provide better facilities and more space.

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There will be no food or clothing classes at Newtown High School this year and several parents attended the Bo Education meeting July 7 to oppose the decision. The classes are electives, but often provide a foundation for the students who make a career in culinary arts or the textile industry. Peg Taylor, one of the parents addressing the board, questioned whether they should have eliminated electives that can provide students with career foundations. "These classes have much to offer, but suffer from lack of status. You really have to look at the intrinsic values," she said. Bill and Pat Smith were worried that their daughter would be unable to work other electives into her schedule and would end up with two additional study halls. There had been no plans to eliminate the food or clothing classes until Doris Bernstein, who teaches those classes, retired recently. The board has known for some time that in order to keep within the school budget, one more teaching position would have to be eliminated at the high school.ard of

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Although zoning matters are still unresolved, Gary Kurtz's proposal to build an inn and restaurant at the site of Yankee Drover on Main Street is "dead." "As far as we're concerned, we've pulled our offer from the seller," said Ray Harper, manager of Rosy Tomorrows, a Danbury restaurant owned by Mr Kurtz. Mr Kurtz was not available for comment. Meanwhile, from a zoning standpoint, politics seemed to doom the project at the Borough Zoning Board of Appeals before Kurtz decided to withdraw his option on the property.

July 14, 1967

The second teen-age dance of the Progress Festival is this Friday, July 14, at the Pavilion at 8:30 pm with the Statesboro Blues. The Myth of Reality and the Latecomers will make guest appearances. On July 22 at 2:30 pm the Danbury Chamber Music Ensemble will present selections from Mozart, Carl Stamitz, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, and Gustav Holst. Park stickers are required for any festival event at the park.

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Don Rondo, the recording star who makes his home in Bethel, will be the headliner of "Summer Spectacular" which bows into the Edmond Town Hall for a one night stand on Thursday, July 20. This show, which is being presented by Mack Lathrop in cooperation with the Board of Managers, is designed to bring live talent to town during the summer months, filling the night when there are no movies in the theatre.

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A clique of TV actors scrounge for fresh script ideas in "Nobody Loves An Albatross," the comedy by Ronald Alexander opening this Friday, July 14, at 8:30 pm in the Little Theatre on Orchard Hill Road. Marianne Scanlon, Travers Clement, Bill Purcell, and Gil Aiken rehearse in the final week for the hilarious, behind-the-scenes romp about TV and the cinema. The play runs the last three weekends in July.

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Frequently comment reaches us that much of the character of Newtown is being lost. The comments are made by townspeople who prefer small towns, delight in rural scenery, appreciate open space, and abhor the characteristics of urban centers with their close housing, crowded commercial and industrial centers and the congestion that goes with them. These comments are often followed with the expression of the fervent hope that something can be done about it. The feeling is expressed that the town's salvation lies in the lap of its planning and zoning. Growth is inevitable, and since it must come, the task of keeping Newtown as attractive as possible must be accomplished through a far-sighted planning and improved zoning.

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The Rev Hubertus Van Dijk will be at St Rose of Lima on July 16 to take part in the cooperative mission and Indian and Negro mission Sunday to appeal for the Diocese of Helsinki. He will hear confessions from 7:30 to 8:30 pm, and the second collection will be for his appeal. The Rev Van Dijk is one of the many missionaries from all over the world who will participate in this special mission Sunday.

July 10, 1942

Through the kindness of H.C. Honegger of Walnut Tree Hill, a large USO flag has been displayed for the last several days at The Bee office. It is planned to fly the flag all during Newtown's USO campaign. If the flag stimulates people half as much as it did the Swiss Division of the USO in greater New York, Newtown will go way over its quota. Mr Honegger drove for the Swiss Division, raising more than $14,000 to oversubscribe the $5,000 in most amazing and gratifying fashion.

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As our boys in service come home on furlough, it is most interesting to talk with them about their work and experience. They are doing their part in America's war effort with an amazing willingness and cheerful spirit. Often one of the boys in uniform remarks, however, that the people back home evidently do not seem to fully realize the seriousness of the situation. Folks - it's time we did! There are so many ways we can all help, and whatever we do, we can be sure that the boys in uniform will appreciate it - though they may never know that we have done it. Today's opportunity may never come again.

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The Red Cross canteen wishes to announce that during the month of July it is prepared to can donations of vegetables. These canned food products will be placed with the other foods now held in storage by the local Red Cross Disaster Relief Committee, for use in an emergency. So, if your garden is producing more string beans, tomatoes, or any other vegetable, with the exception of spinach, than you find you are able to cope with yourself, phone members of the canning committee. Vegetables cannot be accepted later than Thursday of any week.

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Miss Maureen Rio, the internationally known dancer, who dashed out to Newtown several years ago to donate her services for a benefit performance for the Young People's Club, at a call from her friends, the Lackayes, who were producing their play, A certain Mr Wink, is expected this weekend in Sandy Hook. Miss Rio and her brother Sonny, will always remember Newtown as the place where they did most of their dance number to no musical accompaniment, owing to the fact that the orchestra stopped playing to watch the act!

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At Mrs Malcolm Spangenberg's fair-within-a-fair, there will be an elephant slide for children to play on. Subscriptions will also be sold on this at ten cents each.

July 13, 1917

Call at the store of Morris and Shepard and investigate the good points of the Perfection oil stove. If you haven't one, you will buy it quickly.

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Bernard Carr of Fordham N.Y., a retired fire captain, is enjoying a sojourn at the Sandy Hook hotel. Edward Carr, his son, Secretary of the United States Service Co., is also in town for a sojourn of a couple weeks.

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Ex-Senator Smith P. Glover continues to gain steadily. He is able to enjoy automobile rides and on pleasant days sits out on the veranda.

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A special movie show will be given at the town hall this week, Saturday evening, when the World Film Corporation will present As in a Looking Glass featuring Kitty Gordon. This play details with realistic and unsparing power the lives of society, men and women of today.

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Last Friday night Miss Mary J. Houlihan had four hens stolen. Sunday night someone saw a car by the side of the road near Carcass Lane and the matter was reported to Constable Thomas Carlson, who went up at once but the birds had flown. Mr Carlson found the print of the man in the earth and saw that he had started toward Ms Houlihan's again, but had been frightened off. Mr Carlson certainly deserves more than an "I thank you" from the order-loving public. Let chicken thieves and turkey thieves beware! Someone is on your track.Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with readers. Images can be e-mailed to kendra@thebee.com, or brought to the office at 5 Church Hill Road to be scanned. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.