This week we take a look back to 1977, when the cult classic film, “Saturday Night Fever” – that became synonymous with the disco era and skyrocketed actor John Travolta to super-stardom – premiered.
The film’s soundtrack, featuring songs by the Bee Gees, became one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time. While disco was king, Debby Boone had the #1 song in the U.S. this week with her pop smash hit “You Light Up My Life.”
Here is what was happening in our Valley!
Thursday, Dec. 8, 1977
Ansonia Faces Pollution Fines
ANSONIA – The city faces penalty fees of $5,000 a week for polluting the air with its incinerator because of a suit filed by the state Department of Environmental Protection.
DEP filed suit against the city Monday in Superior Court, New Haven.
The state agency has asked the court to issue a permanent restraining order against the city to stop the air pollution.
Finnucan Retaining Ansonia’s Counsel
ANSONIA – Corporation Counsel John F. X. Androski will be reappointed as the city’s attorney for another two-year term, Mayor James J. Finnucan said today.
Androski was appointed as corporation counsel in 1975 by former Mayor Michael J. Adanti.
What Tax Board Did In Derby
DERBY – The Board of Apportionment and Taxation at a meeting last night at City Hall took the following action:
*Granted authority to the city treasurer, Edward G. Brickett, to borrow up to $1 million to pay city bills until taxes are paid in October.
*Appropriated $1,616 from the general fund to pay for police department salaries through Dec. 31.
*Appropriated $250 from the general fund to the assessor’s office.
*Appropriated $$3,387 from the general fund to pay for unemployment compensation.
*Appropriated $226 from the general fund to pay for printing and stationery.
Gael Gridders To Be Honored
SHELTON – Shelton High School’s 1977 football team and coaching staff will be honored at a buffet dinner at 1 p.m. Sunday at Actor’s Colony Inn, Seymour.
The Gaels, 3-0, winners of the Shelton-Derby Thanksgiving Day game, will be awarded individual trophies. Senior members will be presented jackets.
Valleyites Get Bomb Threats
VALLEY – Bomb threats, which have plagued Valley schools and businesses in recent weeks, continued Wednesday.
Threats by telephone were received in Seymour and Derby.
In Seymour, three schools were disrupted by bomb threats within a six-minute period Wednesday. Two of the schools were evacuated as a precautionary measure.
Two Ansonia businesses and a Derby restaurant also were called.
Police said that three Seymour stores received similar calls several hours later. Searches were conducted by police in the buildings that received threats, but no bombs were found.
Friday, Dec. 9, 1977
Three Patrolmen Take Oath
ANSONIA – Three more new patrolmen will be sworn in today.
Mayor James J. Finnucan will swear in Paul Macero, David Slezak and Floyd Morey. The three have completed training at the State Police Academy.
Derby Board Bans Massage Parlors
DERBY – The Boad of Aldermen unanimously adopted an ordinance banning massage parlors at its monthly meeting last night in City Hall.
Aldermanic President Eugene A. Skowronski said the ordinance passed last night was designed “to put a freeze on the establishment of massage parlors in Derby.”
Skowronski said “Derby, like many of surrounding communities, is concerned that massage parlors would constitute a nuisance to other property owners.”
Seymour Target Of Obscene Calls
SEYMOUR – Persons living in Seymour are more apt to get an obscene telephone call than residents of any other Valley community.
While most Valley police departments said they received an ‘occasional’ complaint from persons who said they had received an obscene call, Seymour police said they get about two or three such complaints a week.
Chief of Police Kenneth Connors said most of the complaints involved a single call rather than a series. In investigating a complaint about a single call, police are limited in the action they can take, Connors explained, since there is no way to trace a call once it has been completed.
Burglary In Seymour
SEYMOUR – Seymour police are investigating a break at Armand’s Auto Service Station, Route 8, which was reported today by Armand Passerine, owner of the station.
Police said that a scanner, valued at $150, was taken.
This was the second break at the station during the past month. In the first break, tires, batteries and anti-freeze, valued at about $600, were taken.
Police said there were visible signs of a forced entry.
Completes Basic Training
SHELTON – Seaman Richard D. Roog, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Roog of Coram Avenue has completed the basic enlisted course at the Naval Submarine School, Groton, A 1976 graduate of Shelton High School, he joined the Navy after graduation.
Saturday, Dec. 10, 1977
GOP Plans Buffet
ANSONIA – The Republican Town Committee will hold its annual Christmas buffet at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15 at Liberty Hall, May Street. The public has been invited. Tickets are $3. Reservations can be made by calling Jean Barto or Luise Drapeau.
Students Getting Derby Garage
DERBY – An automotive repair garage under construction at the high school will not only be a place for students to learn about cars, but is providing the opportunity for them to understand building construction.
Students watched as concrete was poured yesterday into the foundation molds of a new automotive facility. They, along with industrial arts teachers, were pleased that their days of working under the hood of a car in cold and stormy weather were coming to an end.
The 30×62 foot structure is being built by city workers with materials supplied by Allen Beard of the Derby Sand and Gravel Co. The materials and excavation for the project were supplied at no cost to the city.
Seymour Sends Bills For Car Taxes
SEYMOUR – Tax Collector Norma E. Drummer said that tax bills would be sent next week to taxpayers who registered motor vehicles between Oct. 2, 1976, and June 30, 1977.
Taxes will be due Jan. 1.
Gaels Capture Hoop Jamboree
SHELTON – Shelton’s sharpshooting Gaels were the winners of the annual Valley High School Basketball Jamboree held in Seymour last night.
The Gaels finished 2-0 for the night as they defeated Seymour 40-17 and Emmett O’Brien Regional Vocational Technical High School 45-25 before a full house at Seymour High School gym.
Ansonia, Derby and Seymour were 1-1 and O’Brien 0-2 in the pre-season jamboree.
Monday, Dec. 12, 1977
Nolan Field To Get Lighting
ANSONIA – Softball field lights at Nolan Field will be installed by May with federal community development funds.
The Ansonia Redevelopment Agency awarded a contract last week to L.G. DeFelice Inc., of North Haven, to install the lights at the field, James E. Ryan, agency director, said today.
Ryan said the work would be finished by May. The contract for $32,000 was awarded to DeFelice as the low bidder of the project.
Store Evacuated After Bomb Threat
DERBY – Patrolmen armed with shotguns surrounded Stop ‘n’ Shop Supermarket in the Valley Shopping Center Sunday after a bomb threat was received in connection with an extortion demand.
Police said a caller told the store manager that unless he took the day’s receipts to an abandoned building on Route 34 near the Derby-Orange town line, the store would be blown up.
Police and fire units sealed off the store after all employees and customers had been evacuated. After waiting a reasonable time, it was decided that the call was a hoax, and the store was reopened.
Burst Pipe Closes School Library
SEYMOUR – School officials said today that a pipe that burst in the library at Seymour High School would not lead to an early dismissal.
Anthony F. LoPresti, principal, said that several classrooms and the library were blocked off and not in use today because of the lack of heat in the rooms. He said that classes would not be suspended unless more problems developed with the heating system.
Reporter Given Prize
SEYMOUR – Pauline Lounsbury has been judged the winner of the Story of the Month award for November by The Evening Sentinel.
She won the $25 prize for her exclusive story that the Kerite Co., Seymour, was planning to lay off 50 employees.
Money Taken In Shelton
SHELTON – About $300 was taken over the weekend from a house on David Drive, police said today.
A $100 radio was taken from a car belonging to Richard Wirging of Maple Street, police said. The car was parked in front of his house.
Tuesday, Dec. 13, 1977
Equipment Damaged in Pool Room
ANSONIA – A burglary at C&C Pool Room, Pershing Drive, was being investigated today.
Police said that a patrolman noticed that the pool room had been broken into and that a lock had been forced to gain entry.
Three pinball machines, two pool tables and two bowling machines were damaged, and the money boxes ripped off. There was no estimate of damage or money taken.
Miss Wainwright
ANSONIA – Lisa Ann Wainwright, daughter of Mrs. John Andrum of Golden Rod Drive, has graduated from Barbizon school of Modeling, New Haven.
Pagliaro Picked As All-American
DERBY – John Pagliaro of Derby, Yale University’s record-breaking rusher and scorer, today was named to the 1977 Walter Camp All-America Football Team.
The 24-player team will be honored at the Watler Camp Foundation’s annual awards banquet Feb. 4 in New Haven.
The All-American selections were made by college coaches, athletic directors and sports information directors.
Accepts Position
SHELTON – Walter P. Ziemba, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Watler P. Ziemba of Kneen Street has accepted a position as a criminal research analyst with the state police in Meriden.
He graduated in June from Southern Connecticut State University with a master’s degree in statistics.