Straight from the digital files of The Evening Sentinel, courtesy of The Lower Naugatuck Valley History Archives, this week we go back to 1990!
Friday, Oct. 26, 1990
Russo Gets “Excellence In Teaching” Award
ANSONIA – Carl Russo left teaching one year to get a taste of what it was like to work in private industry.
It only took him one day on the job to realize he’d made a big mistake. So, he came back to resume teaching mathematics and physics classes at Ansonia High School.
Russo, who just started his 25th year of teaching, was honored this past weekend by the University of Connecticut when he received an “Excellence in Teaching” award.
“When I left teaching in 1981, the pay scale for teachers was low, and I had to drive a cab for 12 years to supplement my income,” Russo said. “I had a growing family to support, and I also wanted to find out what it was like to work in industry.”
Russo had gotten a job for Burndy Corp. in Norwalk.
“I missed teaching,” he said.
Raiderettes 4th In League Meet
DERBY – Derby High School’s girls’ cross-country team placed fourth in the unofficial team scoring at the Housatonic League Meet held recently at Sheehan High School.
The Red Raiderettes totaled 120 points. Amity captured first place with 16 points. Cheshire finished second with 68, while Shelton placed third at 99. Seymour notched fifth with 141, besting the rest of the 10-team league.
“The girls certainly have shown a great deal of improvement since the early season,” said Derby coach Joe “Muz” Musante. “Considering we are the only Class S school in the league, for us to beat more than half the teams is a tremendous accomplishment. The girls have really come on strong the second half of the season.”
Earns Honors
SEYMOUR – John Henry Chrostowski of Colony Road, son of Thaddeus Chrostowski of Virginia and the late Lillian Hallet Chrostowski, was recently inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society. A graduate of Ansonia High School, he attended Yale University for undergraduate school. He is presently in his fourth year at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
City To Get More Parking
SHELTON – The city is finalizing plans for more parking spaces in the downtown area, according to Jim Ryan, executive director of the Shelton Economic Development Corporation.
Ryan said the construction of surface parking is expected to begin in winter and be completed by next fall.
Three areas along Bridge Street, the old Recovery Room Café, Petrol Plus and Deerfield Meat will hold about 80 parking spaces, which is about 80 percent of what the city needs, according to a study.
Saturday, Oct. 27, 1990
Ansonia’s Lane Is Named NESCAC Player Of Week
ANSONIA – Former Ansonia High School star quarterback James Lane has been selected the New England Small College Athletic Conference’s Offense Player of the Week after masterfully directing Trinity’s Bantams to a convincing 43-15 victory over Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.
Lane, who was near perfect all afternoon, riddled Bates’ defense secondary as he completed 21 of 28 passes for 240 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. The talented junior, who entered the game as the NESCAC’s top-rated passer, improved his standing with a sparkling performance as Trinity moved to 4-1 on the season.
Derbyite Celebrates 90th
DERBY – Emma Bacchiocchi of Derby celebrated her 90th birthday on Oct. 14 with family and friends at a party at Connie’s Family Restaurant in Derby.
Born in Italy, Oct. 15, 1900, she is the wife of the late Frederick Bacchiocchi. A lifelong resident of Derby, she is a member of St. Mary’s Parish.
Area Towns Get Funds To Recycle
VALLEY – Help is on the way for community officials who have been under pressure to find funds for state-mandated recycling programs.
On Friday, the state Bond Commission voted to pump $1.3 million into Valley towns to get them started on recycling.
With landfill areas rapidly filling, the goal of the program is to have towns recycle 25 percent of household materials by the beginning of the year.
Sunday, Oct. 28., 1990
The Evening Sentinel didn’t publish on Sundays.
Monday, Oct. 29, 1990
Graduated
ANSONIA – Terry M. Horbal, M.D., of Hillside Avenue, son on Myron Horbal and the late Julie Z. Horbal, graduated from the University of Texas School of Medicine, San Antonio, in June.
He is currently doing a transitional internship at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, after which he will complete a residency in anesthesiology at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
A graduate of Ansonia High School, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Haven and his master’s in science degree from Texas A&M University.
Chemical Leak
DERBY – Firefighters were called early today to the Derby Nursing Home on Chatfield Street, in response to a false alarm.
Sunday morning, they responded to the Life Touch Studio on Main Street, when a chemical leak caused the alarm to sound. Firemen cleaned up the area with only minor damage. Saturday, they responded to dumpster fire in back of the Service Merchandise store on New Haven Avenue.
Attains List
SEYMOUR – Martin F. Chuck, Jr., son of Martin and Antonia Chuck of Woodcrest Road, has been named to the Dean’s List at Wentworth Institute of Technology, College of Engineering and Technology in Boston, MA. He is a graduate of Seymour High School and Waterbury State Technical College.
St. Vincent de Paul Is Busy At Holidays
SHELTON – The economy in recession and unstable oil prices are bringing more people into contact with organizations like St. Vincent de Paul in Shelton, according to Barbara Samor, co-manager of the organizations Father McKenna Shop.
“The economy is bad. People are getting laid off and more of them than ever are coming to us for food, clothing or furniture,” she said. “For all of last year, we gave out 282 grocery bags. But in September alone, we distributed 100.”
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 1990
Ansonia Man Inspired After Meeting Pope
ANSONIA – There was no awe-inspired hush on Oct. 20 as Pope John Paul II walked into an upper room of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Instead, there was clapping and crying among the nine groups of Polish worshippers who had come to see their religious leader. And in the area taken up by one group of American tourists, Ansonia resident Peter J. Danielczuk says there was cheering.
“You could feel the electricity,” said Danielczuk. “Here we were, standing with the Holy Father, and 99 percent of the people on the tour were there to see him. It was incredible. When he read off all the names of the Polish towns represented in the room, everyone clapped, but when he said we were from the United States, we just let loose and cheered.”
Testimonial
DERBY – A testimonial dinner will be held at 7:30 p.m. today at Rapp’s Grassy Hill Lodge in honor of Jack Ross, Scout Executive of Housatonic Council, Boy Scouts of America, who is leaving to assume leadership of the Cape Cod and the Islands Council, headquartered in Hyannis, MA.
A social hour will be held at 6:30 p.m., with dinner following at 7:30 p.m.
Police Hand Out Safety Lights
SEYMOUR – Seymour Police Officer Edward Konnik presented Bungay School students with safety lights to be used while trick or treating. The lights were given to all students through Grade 3. They were purchased through donations.
Wednesday, Oct. 31, 1990
Halloween Pranks
ANSONIA – Pre-Halloween pranksters kept Ansonia firefighters busy Tuesday night responding to false alarms. Three alarms were sounded from various parts of the city in a period of 35 minutes.
Alarm Malfunctions
DERBY –Fire units were sent to the Cochran Clinic at Griffin Hospital at 6:50 a.m. today when the internal fire alarm sounded. Box 74 was sounded to alert firefighters. Firefighters determined that it was caused by a malfunction in the alarm system.
Seatbelt Crackdown
SEYMOUR – Six motorists were charged with failure to wear seatbelts Sunday and Monday as police began a crackdown on motorists who violate a state law requiring persons to use their seatbelts.
Seymour Lions To Make Annual Halloween Calls
SEYMOUR – Several activities will be offered to Seymour children today to insure a safe observance of Halloween.
The Seymour Lions Club will give away 100 crisp new $1 dollar bills to children who are at home at 9 p.m. today to answer telephone calls the Lions will be making.
The names of the lucky children will be selected at random from among those who signed up in advance at Bungay School, Chatfield School, Anna L LoPresti School the O’Brien Learning Center, Theodore Rogol, chairman of the project, said.
The Halloween telephone calls were started by the Lions Club more than 25 years ago as a way to encourage children to return home early from their trick or treating rounds, Rogol explained.
Boat Stolen
SHELTON – A resident of Algonquin Trail reported that a boat valued at $11,000 was stolen Sunday. The boat was kept in the driveway. Also stolen was the boat trailer, valued at $1,000.
25 Seek Valley Chamber Position
VALLEY – A total of 25 people have applied for the position of president of the Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The one who is chosen will replace Romolo D. Tedeschi, who has been president of the group since it was founded in 1964.
David Rifkin, chairman of the search committee, said the chamber hopes to have the new president installed by the end of the year.
“We’ve gotten a good response from the Valley, the state and other areas of the country,” Rifkin said. “We got one person applying from as far away as Portland, Ore. No one knew how many applications to expect, but I think we got a good turnout.”