This week we take a look back at 1980 when the U.S. men’s hockey team clinched a gold medal at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics by pulling off a stunning, 4-3 victory over the heavy favorite, the Soviet Union. The victory famously became known as the “Miracle on Ice.” Keeping with the Olympic theme, American speed skater Eric Heiden won the Olympic 10,000m in a world record time of 14:28.13 and swept all five speed skating events at Lake Placid, becoming the only athlete to win five gold medals at one Winter Games.
Fun Fact: One of the most recognizable pop culture icons, the Rubik’s Cube, made its international debut. The 3D combination puzzle was invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik and was originally called the Magic Cube. As of January 2024, around 500 million cubes had been sold worldwide, making it the world’s bestselling puzzle game. The Rubik’s Cube was inducted into the U.S. National Toy Hall of Fame in 2014.
Here is what was happening in our Valley!
Saturday, Feb. 23, 1980
City Salaries Rate Low By State Study
ANSONIA – Amidst a controversy over salary increases granted but not yet funded for 30 non-union city employees, Mayor James J. Finnucan today released the results of a 28-page study of department head salaries.
The study was done by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.
The Board of Aldermen granted increases in salaries to 22 full-time and 8 part-time employees. The total cost for a year is $23,000.
Unit Refutes Report Of Lincoln Closing
DERBY – The Board of Education has “no intention” of closing Lincoln School.
That is the gist of a letter that will be sent to the Lincoln School Parent-Teacher Association by John F. Getlien, chairman of the Board of Education.
He dismissed reports of the school closing as “unfounded rumors.”
On Thursday, the Board of Education authorized the chairman to send a letter to the PTA to assure it that the board was not considering closing the Ninth Street school.
Dr. Angelo E. Dirienzo, school superintendent, said he would not recommend the school’s closing because “it would be logistically impossible to put the children in the city’s two other elementary schools.”
Renovation Work To Delay Opening Of Police Station
SEYMOUR – After years of waiting for a new police station, the Police Department will have to wait a bit longer before moving to a new location in the old public works garage.
But no one is complaining since the delay will mean a more complete facility, including a new heating system, lowered ceilings and possibly central air conditioning.
Police Chief Kenneth Connors said his men were pleased officials decided to make additional improvements to the former garage before turning it over to the police.
School Official Fights Red Tape In Truancy
SHELTON – A warrant is being sought for the arrest of a seventh grader’s parents, and the slow-going process is frustrating Thomas E. Tinsley, Jr., director of special education.
Tinsley is seeking the warrant under a state statute entitled Duties of Parents, which accords parents the responsibility of ensuring a child’s education.
Tinsley said the student has not attended classes at the Intermediate School since November. Attendance prior to that included a few partial days.
Sunday, Feb. 24, 1980
The Evening Sentinel Didn’t Publish On Sundays
Monday, Feb. 25, 1980
Suspicious Fire Destroys Trailer
ANSONIA – Police are investigating a suspicious fire that destroyed a construction trailer on High Acres Road Sunday night.
The trailer was owned by a construction company that is building the Ansonia Church of Christ building at the site.
$125 Taken In Robbery
DERBY – The Wawa Food Store, New Haven Avenue, was held up and robbed by a lone bandit at 12:30 a.m. today.
Two employees were in the store when the robber entered. They told police the bandit put a stocking mask over his face, pulled out a small automatic weapon and told them to put money in a paper bag that he handed them.
The employees told police they put about $125 in the bag and the robber left, but not before telling them to get into a back room and not call the police.
Library Offers Use Of Copier
DERBY – Derby Neck Library has purchased a new photo copier for the convenience of patrons and other members of the community, according to Rita McEvoy, librarian.
Copies will cost 10 cents each.
Town Meeting To Adopt Budget
SEYMOUR – A town meeting to adopt a budget for 1980-81 is scheduled this week.
The Board of Finance will recommend a budget of $7,695,950 at a town meeting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Seymour High School auditorium.
The proposed budget is about $622,700 higher than the 1979-80 budget. The selectmen’s budget has been allocated at $2,363,423, about $106,000 more than it received this year. The Board of Education budget of $4,329,022 represents an increase of about $278,000 over the current allocation.
Tuesday, Feb. 26, 1980
He Lays Down Law As Football Coach
ANSONIA – John Sponheimer, a lawyer, a lawmaker and a football coach, believes losing is as important as winning. For Sponheimer, however, losing has never become a habit.
Sponheimer, born and raised in Derby, has strong ties to Ansonia. He maintains his law office a football toss from Jarvis Field. He’s also a two-term Democratic representative from the 103rd District, which includes the towns of Ansonia, Derby and Woodbridge.
Football, Ansonia-style, provides an outlet during fall afternoons. Mondays through Fridays he’s a freshman grid coach and on Saturdays, he joins the staff of Lavender Charger Head Coach Bill McAllister to assist with the varsity.
The Sponheimer won-lost record speaks for itself. He joined the freshman program in 1973 and has never lost more than three games in any one season.
Derby Store Evacuated
DERBY – The Service Merchandise Store at 600 New Haven Ave. was evacuated at 7:51 p.m. Monday when a call was received that a bomb would go off in 10 minutes.
Det. Arthur Fredericks, explosive expert for the police department, was sent to the scene and was in charge when the evacuation took place.
Board To Trim 5 Teaching Jobs
SEYMOUR – The elimination of five teachers in September, cutting back sports and closing the pool at the high school, were among budget cuts supported by the Board of Education Monday.
In addition, there will be no purchases of new equipment for the school system next year and a policy governing the distances students walk to meet buses will be revised.
The measures were among the budget reductions recommended by Dr. Phillip M. Fallon, superintendent, to meet a $231,000 slash by the Board of Finance in a requested school budget of $4,560,062 for 1980-81.
Hope To Present City Budget
SHELTON – Mayor Eugene M. Hope, Jr. will present his budget for the 1980-81 fiscal year at 7:30 p.m. today in City Hall to the Board of Apportionment and Taxation.
Hope today refused to disclose the city’s total projected expenditures.
It is expected, however, that the budget will be between $16.4 and $16.6 million.
The largest request for funds from a department came from the Board of Education, which is seeking $10.9 million. Hope refused to comment on what the board would receive.
Wednesday, Feb. 27, 1980
Donor Gives $15,000 To 5 Hartman Orphans
ANSONIA – An anonymous contributor has donated $15,000 to the five Hartman orphans.
They live on Jackson Street with their grandmother.
The children were orphaned the day after Christmas when their parents were killed in a highway collision near their Florida home.
The Ansonia Police Department set up a savings account for the children at the Connecticut National Bank on Main Street and donations began pouring in soon after the orphans arrived in the city.
The latest contribution brings the total in the account to $33,000.
Nine Cars Sprayed With Paint In The City
ANSONIA – Police today were investigating vandalism on Jewett Street early Tuesday and late Monday in which nine parked cars were sprayed with paint.
At least one of the cars was painted with the letters KKK, police said.
DHS Senior Wins Contest For Speech
DERBY – Anthony DeFeo, a senior at Derby High School, was the winner of the 36th annual Fannie Yudkin Oratorical Contest held at the school Monday.
DeFeo’s topic was “The Constitution, Basis of the American Dream, and the Rights and Responsibilities of the Individual.”
Second prize winner was Kori Orazietti, a junior, who spoke on “The Constitution and Foreign Policy.”
Demonstration Planned
SHELTON – The Shelton Republican Woman’s Club will hold a business meeting at 7:30 p.m. March 3 at Plumb Memorial Library.
Tidmarsh’s Home Bake Shop of Ansonia will conduct a candy-making demonstration. Refreshments will be served.
Thursday, Feb. 28, 1980
Police Department Gets Award
ANSONIA – The city’s police force was honored Wednesday night by the Connecticut Police Commission Association.
The force received the “Patrolmen of the Month Award” for its help in setting up a fund for the Hartman orphans.
The five children, whose parents died in an auto crash in Florida, moved to Ansonia with their grandparents. The fund is up to $33,000.
Gunman Takes $14,000 From Bank In Derby
DERBY – A lone robber, brandishing a handgun and wearing a Halloween-kind of mask, held up the First Bank in the Valley Shopping Center at 2:17 p.m. Wednesday and escaped with $14,000.
The robber is believed to be about six feet tall and to have had an accomplice waiting in a car outside.
The getaway car was found minutes after the crime was committed, its motor still running, in the parking lot at Santangelo Terrace near Valley View.
Patrolman Geroge Kurtyka, first on the scene after police were alerted by a bank alarm, said that personnel of the Connecticut Armored Service told him that they saw a red car speed from the bank, go through the shopping center and turn right onto a little-used road that leads to Valley View.
Kurtyka said that another woman came up to him and gave him the registration of the car. The woman had written the number on the palm of her hand.
Seymour Holds Tax Line Amid Threats Of Cutbacks
SEYMOUR – A budget of $7,695,950 for 1980-81, described by First Selectman Daniel R. Brandon as a “trim” one, was approved 91 to 63 at a four-hour town meeting Wednesday at Seymour High School.
Although allocations for next year were increased almost $623,000 over the 1979-80 budget, an increase in the current tax rate of 26.5 mills will not be required.
Under provisions of a spending-limitation ordinance, the additional spending will be financed with new tax revenue generated from growth in the Grand List and increased state and federal grants.
Administration Criticized
SHELTON – Joseph J. Knapik, a former Republican member of the Board of Education, said Thursday night that Mayor Eugene M. Hope, Jr. failed to keep his campaign promises.
Knapik outlined his objections to the Hope administration’s performance in a handout distributed to Republican Town Committee members at a meeting at Rapp’s Restaurant.
Knapik charged that the administration had failed to maintain streets, that it had severely underbudgeted fuel accounts for emergency vehicles, that it had called detectives to investigate the presence of a reporter at a public meeting and perpetrated antagonism within the party by trying to dump town committee members from the 1st ward.