This week, we take a trip back in time to 1983!
This were the top five songs playing on the radio in the U.S. this week:
1. “Baby, Come To Me” – Patti Austin
2. “Down Under” – Men At Work
3. “Shame On The Moon” – Bob Seger
4. “Stray Cat Strut” – Stray Cats
5. “Africa” – Toto
In race car news, Cale Yarborough, of South Carolina, won the Daytona 500. This was the first time an in-car camera went into the victory lane before a national CBS Sports audience.
Baseball Hall of Famer Fernando Valenzuela wins his salary arbitration of $1 million. The L.A. Dodgers pitcher became the only player in MLB history to win both the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season, as well as leading the Dodgers to a World Series championship.
“Tootsie,” which found actor Dustin Hoffman disguising himself as a woman to play a role on a trashy soap opera, was the top movie on the silver screen.
The Top 10 Baby Names of 1983 were:
Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, Ashley, Sarah, Michael, Chris, Topher, Matthew, David and Joshua
Fun Fact: Austria does not usually allow dual citizenship, but they made a special exception for Arnold “I’ll Be Back” Schwarzenegger in 1983 when he became a U.S. citizen.
Here is what was happening in our Valley, as stolen from the microfilm edition of The Evening Sentinel!
Thursday, Feb. 17, 1983
False Alarms
ANSONIA – Firemen responded to three alarms Thursday, all of which were false.
The first was at 12:47 p.m. at Lincoln-Hayes School on Cottage Avenue. The alarm was triggered by a malfunction in the alarm system, firemen said. The Eagle and Webster Hose companies responded to the alarm.
At 2:13 p.m., the Hilltop, Webster and Eagle Hose Companies were summoned to Emmett O’Brien Regional Vocational Technical School. Firemen said there was a malfunction in a smoke detector.
The Eagle and Webster Hose Companies were called to the corner of Beaver and Central Streets for false alarm at 9:36 p.m.
Police Tighten Jail Security
DERBY – In the wake of an escape from the lockup at police headquarters, police have implemented a new system of checking on prisoners.
Effective immediately, the desk sergeant at headquarters is required to check on all prisoners every hour on the hour. The checks must be signed by the sergeant.
Storm Puts Road Account In The Red
DERBY – The Blizzard of ’83 has left the city’s $20,000 snow removal account depleted, Commissioners of Public Works Richard Korolyshun said today.
The exact cost of the storm has not been calculated, he said, but added that the figure is about $14,600.
Korolyshin will ask the Tax Board for additional snow removal funds at its Feb. 28 meeting.
Chief In Hospital
SEYMOUR – Police Chief Walter M. Trzcinski was admitted to Griffin Hospital Wednesday afternoon. His condition was reported today by a hospital spokesman as fair.
Friday, Feb. 18, 1983
Army Plans Exhibit At Mall
ANSONIA – Mayors of Ansonia, Derby and Shelton will participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the Ansonia Mall for the opening of an exhibit in observance of the Bicentennial of the Purple Heart, being sponsored by the 76th Division of the U.S. Army Reserve.
Two Army trailers, converted into a mobile museum and art gallery, will take visitors on a tour of 200 years of American military history.
The exhibit will be on display at the Mall through Feb. 24 and will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
State Issues City Permit
DERBY – The city received a permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection Thursday to dredge in the Housatonic River off O’Sullivan’s Island.
A federal permit from the Army Corps of Engineers was received by the city two weeks ago.
With the state permit, dredging operations may now continue. The material removed from the river will be used to cover ash as the city’s landfill.
Plan Loses 859 to 496
SEYMOUR – Voters turned down a plan to convert to a state-mandated uniform fiscal year this year by a vote of 859 to 496 in a referendum Thursday.
By almost a two-to-one majority, townspeople rejected a proposal to move an April-to-March fiscal year to the state’s July-to-June budget year with a three-month mini-budget.
First Selectman Francis H. Conroy, Jr. said he was disappointed in the vote. By changing to the state’s fiscal year, Conroy said the Board of Finance would have had more accurate figures from the state about income the town would receive during the year.
Saturday, Feb. 19, 1983
VHD Probes Illness Reports
VALLEY – The Valley Mental Department investigated 11 cases of disease reported to the agency in January.
The VHD reported there were four cases of scarlet fever in Shelton. Not other cases were reported in the Valley.
There were two cases of streptococcal infection, one in Seymour, the other in Shelton.
Bennett Plans Utility Forum
ANSONIA – State Rep. John J. Bennett, 104th District Democrat, said today he would like to conduct a public forum soon on increases in utility bills.
The Ansonia legislator said he has received many complaints from constituents that bills from Northeast Utilities have gone up drastically after the state Department of Public Utility Control granted the company a rate hike.
National Guard Fires Ansonian
ANSONIA – An Ansonia man who filed a $1.1 million suit against the state National Guard has been fired from his job at the Ansonia Armory.
Edward A. Peruta, a civilian administrator at the armory who has held his job for the past several months on the strength of a court order barring the Guard from firing him, was in Hartford Friday, being mustered out.
Peruta lost a decision in federal court Thursday. He had sought to keep the job under a provision of a state statute which provides protection to state employees who expose wrongdoing in government departments.
Derby Escapee Turns Self In
DERBY – An Ansonia man who earlier this week escaped from a Derby police holding cell has turned himself in to authorities.
A police spokesman said the 20-year old turned himself in at police headquarters shortly after 2 p.m. Friday.
The man was being held on breach of peace charges Tuesday when he slipped through a crack in his cell, climbed through a heating duct in the ceiling of a closet and after jumping 14 feet to a pump house, escaped from the building.
The man will be held on escape and criminal mischief charges in addition to the original charge.
Rice Shines For Seymour
SEYMOUR – Seymour High School basketball coach Tom Nelson had nothing but high praise for his Wildcats here last night after they rolled to an 87 – 72 Housatonic League victory over Cheshire’s Rams.
“We played a super game tonight,” he said. “We were real sharp. We did everything we had to do.”
George Rice, Bob LaRowe, Frank Lewis and Joe LoPresti collected double figures, as the Wildcats, snapping a three-game losing streak, improved their overall record to 7 – 9.
Rice hit a game high 26 points – 13 in the fourth period – and pulled down 15 rebounds. He tossed in 10 baskets and converted six of eight free throws.
Sunday, Feb., 20, 1983
The Evening Sentinel Didn’t Publish on Sundays!
Monday, Feb. 21, 1983
Students Draw Prize
ANSONIA – Two members of Ansonia High School’s drafting class last week were named the winner and one of the finalists in a statewide scholastic drafting contest.
That honor is doubly unusual because the two students are the only entrants from public schools to place in the contest. Ans they are the only two women.
Christine Laskowski, a senior, won a $50 prize from the Greater New Haven State Technical College. Jennifer Lane, a junior, was one of five state finalists in the contest.
Police Warn Bus Passers
DERBY – Acting Police Chief Lt. Leo Herbette has warned that the city will get tough on speeders and motorists who pass standing school buses.
In the wake of several complaints, Herbette said this morning that violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent. Radar will be set up various undisclosed locations in the city.
Speeding Charges
SEYMOUR – Twelve motorists were charged with speeding Saturday and Sunday by a radar surveillance patrol unit as police continued a crack down on motorist who exceeded posted speed limits.
Four drivers were charged with speeding on Pearl Street. Seven others were given summons on South Main Street and one on Roosevelt Drive.
Lt. John Olenechuck, Sr. said increased radar surveillance patrols were ordered in response to complaints about motorists exceeding the posted speed limits.
Tuesday, Feb., 22, 1983
Rotary Club To Hear Grid Coach
ANSONIA – The Derby-Shelton Rotary Club will hear Ansonia High School football coach Bill McAllister at noon Thursday at the River Restaurant.
McAllister, rated among the most successful coaches in Connecticut high school annals, will speak on Ansonia’s outstanding football teams year after year.
A graduate of Ansonia High School and Southern Connecticut State College, McAllister was a standout football player for both the Lavendar and the Owls. He captained AHS and SCSC teams. McAllister was head coach at Derby High School for one year before taking over the No. 1 coaching job at Ansonia.
Full-Time Force Sought By Chief
DERBY – Retiring Police Chief Andrew Mancini has called for implementation of a full-time force.
Mancini, who suffered a heart attack last October, and is expected to retire soon, has suggested that the city disband the supernumerary force.
Supernumeraries (part-time officers), which account for 28 of the force’s 50 officers, are paid $4.65 per hour. Most of their work is on the weekends, when about 18 patrolmen replace the regulars. When regulars work on the weekend, they are usually paid time and a half.
Mancini said that although switching to a full-time force would cost the city more, the plan has several advantages. The overall quality of the force would be improved by the plan, he said.
Cub Pack To Celebrate 56th Birthday
DERBY – The Cubs of Pack 3 will celebrate their 56th birthday with a Blue and Gold Banquet Monday at 6:15 p.m. at the Derby Methodist Church.
The oldest Cub Pack in the United States, according to Ed Strang, cubmaster, Pack 3 was organized in 1927 and originally followed the English cubbing program.
In 1930, when American cubbing was started, Pack 3 changed to the American program. Strang, who is also celebrating his 56th year of cubbing, says that of all the cub units started in 1930, only 15 remain active, and to his knowledge, his is the only official cub left over from 1930.
Storm Cost $16,500 In Seymour
SEYMOUR – A storm that dumped about 18 inches of snow on Seymour Feb. 11 cost the Department of Public Works more than $16,500 for snow plowing and removal and sanding operations.
James E. Stevents, public works department foreman, gave the board of Public Works a breakdown of the storm-related expenses Monday at the public works garage.
During the week from Feb. 11 to 18. Stevens said overtime labor costs amounted to $5,015.84. Trucks and drivers hired for snow plowing cost $5,177.50 while trucks and drivers that were hired to remove snow from the downtown area as well as other sections cost $2,667.
About 425 yards of sand were used in sanding operations at a cost of $1,912.50. Other supplies included sand, $1,000; gas, $602.64 and diesel fuel, $210, for a total of $16,585.48.
Police Probe Klan Literature
SEYMOUR – Police are investigating a complaint that copies of The Klansman, a publication of the Ku Klux Klan, were found Monday in several delivery tubes of the Waterbury Republican in the South Main Street area.
A spokesman for the Republican said its personnel were not involved in the distribution of the racist paper and had removed the copies from the tubes.
