Straight from the digital files of The Evening Sentinel, courtesy of The Lower Naugatuck Valley History Archives, this week we take a look back at 1990.
Baseball outfielders Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey Jr. become the first father and son to play on the same team, the Seattle Mariners; the pair hit back-to-back singles in the first inning.
Smoking was banned on all domestic U.S. airline flights in 1990, the cool people were watching Twin Peaks on ABC and wearing parachute pants, just like MC Hammer. Can’t touch that!
Here’s what was happening in our Valley!
Friday, Aug. 31, 1990
Harmless Milk Snake And Plastic Shelter Disappear From Popular Hands-On Display
ANSONIA – Attention city residents: Be on the lookout for a three and half foot long red milk snake who goes by the name “Creamy.”
She was last spotted at the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center insider her Rubbermaid sweater-box home. But as of Aug. 22, both she and her box have disappeared.
Donna Lindgren, director of the center, said that “Creamy” is one of six snakes in the reptile education display for the program entitled “Crictor the Constrictor.”
“Creamy” had been one of the featured attractions of the program, enabling youngster to get hands-on experience with a live snake. However, it appears that the star of the show has been swiped.
Chesler Opposes Regionalization
DERBY – Superintendent of Schols Nathan Chesler said this week he does not believe regionalization or merger with another school district would benefit Derby students or taxpayers.
The regionalization idea has been mentioned by more and more people in recent years as a way to deal with declining enrollment and increased educational costs. Many believe that merging with another Valley district or districts would result in increased educational opportunities at a decreased cost.
But Chesler was adamant in his belief that it is unlikely the cost would decline and said Derby would have much less control of the education of its children.
“Any one school district we would merge with is bigger than we are,” he said. “Therefore, we would be the stepchild in any such arrangement.”
Radar Arrests
SEYMOUR – Four motorists were charged with exceeding the posted speed limits by a radar surveillance patrol unit monitoring traffic Wednesday on Roosevelt Drive, Maple Street and Mountain Road.
Sentinel Gaffe Transforms $220,000 Computer System Into $1 Million Monster
SHELTON – A Sentinel report that the city is seeking to buy a $1 million computer system was a little off.
Seven hundred and eighty thousand dollars off, to be exact.
When Assessor Gloria Kovacs told The Sentinel the city would pay about $1 million for its 1992 re-evaluation of every piece of property within its confines, she also said she and others were hoping that figure would include $220,000 for a new computer system.
Somehow The Sentinel thought her statement meant the computer would cost $1 million – not including the cost of re-evaluation. The blunder cost Kovacs a lot of grief. At a time when the city is facing a serious fiscal crunch, Sentinel readers were outraged at the proposed expenditure of $1 million for a fancy new computer.
The real $1 million proposal included about $780,000 to hire the company that will conduct the re-evaluation and the rest for the computer.
Saturday, Sept. 1, 1990
Weather To Cooperate For The Holiday
VALLEY – Valley residents and people across the country geared up for the Labor Day holiday Monday and got ready to enjoy to the fullest what is considered by many to be the last day of summer.
The season does not officially end until Sept. 23, but Valleyites are using the three-day weekend for a number of outdoor summer activities such as swimming, boating and picnicking. And there should be ideal summer weather to celebrate the holiday weekend. High temperatures will be in the mid-80s today and nice weather will continue through Labor Day.
Proposed 52% Rent Increase Blamed On Rising Costs
ANSONIA – The managing agent of the Beaver Brook Apartments said his proposal to increase the rent of 172 low-and-moderate income housing units about 52 percent is merely a “rent adjustment.”
Vincent D. Celentano said the increase is needed to keep up with rising operating costs.
“We have not had an increase in nine years,” Celentano said. “We should have implemented a rent increase before, but we waited.”
Club 101 Opens To Rave Reviews
DERBY – Nearly 100 enthusiastic teenagers who attended opening night festivities Friday at Club 101 agree it is bound to be successful.
They poured into the newly renovated club within the first hour of its grand opening, which was officially kicked off by a brief ceremony that included Mayor Richard A. Grande and co-owners Michael Carpinello and Mark Michel.
The club features recorded music provided by a number of area disc jockeys, a dance floor with light show capabilities, a juice bar, a game room with pinball and video games supplied by New England Pinball Services of Derby, as well as soda and pizza.
No alcoholic beverages are allowed. The club is open only to 14 to 20-year-olds.
Great Hill Planning Fall Festival
SEYMOUR – The Great Hil United Methodist Church will sponsor its first Fall Festival from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 22.
Booths will feature plants and vegetables, books, a rummage sale, white elephant items and a tag sale. There will be face-painting and storytelling for children, games of skill and pie-eating contest.
Valley Chamber Is Losing Members
SHELTON – The Valley Chamber of Commerce has lost 15 percent of its membership since January, a decline comprising 75 businesses.
In 1989, the Chamber had 500 members, but officials now put the figure at 425. Because those 75 companies are no longer paying dues, the Chamber has taken in about $18,000 less in its expected annual revenue of just over $100,000, Chamber officials said this week.
Sunday, Sept. 2, 1990
The Evening Sentinel didn’t publish on Sundays.
Monday, Sept. 3, 1990
The Evening Sentinel was not published Monday, Labor Day, a legal holiday.
Tuesday, Sept. 4, 1990
Youngsters Flocked To Bible School
ANSONIA – During the last full week of summer vacation, there wasn’t much left to do except get ready for the start of school.
But one group of 70 children between the ages of 3 and 12 attended a very specialized school every day.
It was Vacation Bible School at Christ Church and was sponsored by three ministries in the city.
The children learned songs, made crafts and heard Bible stories from a guest minister.
Merchants Fly Flags To Honor U.S. Troops
DERBY – Motorists passing through downtown may notice the Stars and Stripes being flown along city streets.
Downtown businessmen have agreed to fly Old Glory each day in honor of American troops who have been sent to Saudi Arabia.
The troops are there to guard against a possible attack from Iraq after the Iraqis invaded Kuwait Aug. 2.
Seymour Schools Open Wednesday
SEYMOUR – Full sessions of kindergarten in the Seymour public schools are scheduled for the opening of the 1990-91 school year Wednesday, Superintendent of Schools Eugene A. Coppola said.
All other grades, one through 12, will be on early dismissal schedules for the first three days of classes. A full-day schedule for grades one through 12 will begin Sept. 10.
Wednesday, Sept. 5, 1990
Mayor Seeks To Ban Repair Work On Streets
ANSONIA – Mayor Thomas P. Clifford III is pushing for a city ordinance banning all cars from being repaired at curbsides on city streets or on sidewalks.
“Not only are these cars an eyesore, but their presence on city property can make the city liable,” Clifford said. “I have noticed them on my way to work, and they are not in private yards, they just sit for weeks on the side of the road of curbsides.”
Woman Rescued From Smoky Fire
DERBY – An unconscious woman was pulled from a smoke-filled office at 136 New Haven Ave. by Patrolman Charles Stankye III after a fire broke out about 9 a.m. today.
The fire in the Jupin Realty Co. was quickly controlled by firefighters, with damage estimated at $10,000.
Ruby Jupin, who was in the office at the time the fire started, refused medical treatment, although she was given oxygen at the scene by corpsmen from the Storm Engine Ambulance Corps and a paramedic team from Valley Emergency Medical Services.
Stankye, who is the first assistant fire chief, said the fire appeared to have started in the area of a hot plate.
Jupin’s husband, Zoltan, was covered with soot when firefighters arrived but did not require medical treatment.
Town Hall Returns To 5-Day Week After All
SEYMOUR – The Board of Selectmen reversed its position Tuesday and voted to return Town Hall to a five-day work week rather than continue the four-day week that was in effect during the summer.
Two weeks ago, on the recommendation of First Selectman Robert J. Koskelowski, the board decided to continue with the Friday closings, opening from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday.
Koskelowski said he had proposed continuing the reduced work week at the request of the department heads. But the decision drew loud protests from critics who claimed he wanted the reduced hours to give him more time to campaign for the 105th District seat he is seeking in the November election.
Sunnyside School Gets Rave Reviews At Opening
SHELTON – The opening of the city’s newest school yesterday brought rave reviews from all concerned.
“I am happy to come to Sunnyside because my dad came to this school,” said six-year-old Tom Mills, a second grader.
“I felt scared and nervous and then when I saw some of my old friends and Mrs. Petro from Lafayette, I was happy,” said seven-year-old Diana DiBenedetto, a second grader.
Both the schools’ principal, Ann Petro, and many of its pupils, come from Lafayette School. The remainder were drawn from the Long Hill School district.
“I was a little nervous until the band played at the opening ceremonies,” said six-year-old Alyssa Stine.