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This week we revisit The Evening Sentinel from December 1988!
“Twins,” the Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito comedy, ruled the box office, taking in $7.7 million.
“Rain Man” was in its first weekend of release this week in 1988. It pulled in $7 million and went on to win Academy Awards for best picture, best director, best original screenplay, and best actor (Dustin Hoffman).
In national news, U.S. President-elect George H.W. Bush nominated former U.S. Sen. John Tower to be his secretary of defense. However, the U.S. Senate rejected the nomination.
Here’s what was happening in the Valley:
Friday, Dec. 16, 1988
Fire Units Respond
DERBY – Firefighters from Derby and Ansonia responded to an alarm from Griffin Hospital Thursday afternoon.
Assistant Fire Chief Phillip Hawks said the alarm was caused by a malfunction in the internal alarm system. Earlier in the day, the same two departments responded to a false alarm from the Derby Nursing Home.
It’s Time To Light Up The Tree
SEYMOUR – An annual tree lighting ceremony at Church of the Good Shepherd will be sponsored by the Catholic Youth Organization Saturday after a vigil Mass at 5 p.m., the Rev. Martin T. Keane, pastor, said.
Parishioners have been asked to bring ornaments to place on the tree during the ceremony. Refreshments will be served in the parish hall after the lighting service. Santa Claus will be on hand to greet children.
Saturday, Dec. 17, 1988
Yule Shoppers Gear Up As Snow Looms
Valley – Valley residents who planned to do their Christmas shopping this weekend may find the going rough if a weather forecast predicting sharp winds and up to six to eight inches of snow today holds true.
Forecasters have said the second big prewinter snowstorm was expected to hit the region later today bringing with it stinging winds. Although actual temperatures will reach the mid-20s, a northeast wind up to 20 mph will make it seem a lot colder.
Shoppers Get Free Parking
ANSONIA – Parking will be free downtown during the remainder of the Christmas shopping season, Chief of Police James J. McGrath announced today.
City parking meters will not be enforced between Dec. 16 and Jan. 7 to facilitate shopping on Main Street and in the downtown area, McGrath said.
Derby To Light Tree For Holiday
DERBY – A Christmas tree lighting ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday in front of City Hall, Mayor Richard A. Grande has announced.
He said Santa Claus is expected to attend the festivities, and will give holiday treats to the children. St. Mary’s Church Choir will be on hand as the tree on the City Hall building will be lit. The public is invited.
Sunday, Dec. 18, 1988
The Sentinel didn’t publish on Sundays!
Monday, Dec. 19, 1988
Burglaries Increase In City
ANSONIA – Burglaries jumped in the city during November, compared to the same month last year.
According to the monthly report prepared by Chief of Police James J. McGrath, 14 burglaries were reported last month. Only three were reported in November of 1987, the report said.
Incidents of vandalism also increased, with 80 reported compared to just 38 last year. Sex offenses increased from one in 1987 to seven. Robberies were up from three to five. Assaults increased from four to five. Larceny increased from 31 incidents to 36 in November. Drug offenses were up from one to four. Weapons offenses were up from none to three.
Family service calls increased from 13 to 26 in November. The number of breach of peace and threatening disputes was the same as last year at 94.
Decorations Stolen
DERBY – Jeffrey Stein of Olivia Street reported some Christmas decorations had been ripped from his house. The house suffered minor damage when the ornaments were torn off.
Housing Project Criticized
DERBY – Board of Aldermen members have expressed concern about some details of a proposed housing project for the elderly on Caroline Street.
At a recent aldermanic meeting at City Hall, board members listened to a presentation of the proposed Caroline Court by an architect, Joseph Migani. An existing building currently designed for 18 units would be renovated and converted into a 39-unit structure.
The proposed project calls for 26, one-bedroom units, nine, two-bedroom units and four efficiencies. Migani stressed that only the elderly would be allowed to live in the facility.
Alderman Gino DiMauro, Jr., said he is concerned about the traffic flow that could be generated from such a project and the lack of an elevator in the proposed complex. Alderman Ron Sill asked that the number of units at least be scaled down.
Legislators Cautioned On Budget Burden
SEYMOUR – First Selectman Robert J. Koskelowski has cautioned Valley legislators against placing an “unfair” burden on taxpayers in dealing with the state’s budget deficit.
State budget officials earlier this week projected an $882 million gap between revenues and expenses in the 1989 – 90 fiscal year.
Koskelowski has written to several Valley legislators of his concerns about possible cuts in state funding to municipalities to cope with the deficit.
“It is unfortunate that the governor (William A. O’Neill) and the last legislative session allowed uncontrolled spending. It is now the taxpayers that have to suffer because of that action,” Koskelowski told the legislators.
He said any cuts in education grants from the state would “totally set back education irreversibly.”
Tuesday, Dec. 20, 1988
Clifford Named To U.S. Panel
ANSONIA – Mayor Thomas P. Clifford III has bee named to Small Cities Council of the National League of Cities, it was announced today.
Clifford, who attended a NLC conference in Boston two weeks ago, was appointed to a steering committee made up of officials from 20 cities across the nation.
“We’ll be reviewing issues face the state and federal government to help insure that smaller communities like Ansonia are not overlooked on the legislative agenda,” Clifford said.
Cops Need More Cash
DERBY – The city’s fiscal woes took a turn for the worse last night as members of the tax board were informed that the police department’s training account was almost depleted.
The tax board met in the City Clerk’s office.
Lt. Charles Corcoran said the account, which is used to pay for training costs and replacement personnel when regular officers are in training, has a balance of about $244.
The department recently hired 10 supernumeraries who require training at a cost of between $7,000 and $9,000 per month for the remaining six months of the fiscal year. In addition, nine supernumeraries claim the city owes them $10,000 in wages they said they earned during training last year.
The shortfall in the training account comes at a bad time because the city has committee all its remaining surplus funds – about $304,000 – to the Board of Education and must still come up with another $6,000 to meet a court-imposed education budget.
Seymour Teens Boost TEAM Drive For Toys
SEYMOUR – The elves in Santa’s workshop can slow down their hectic pace a little this week as they prepare for Christmas, thanks to the generosity of students at Seymour High School who donated more than 450 toys for Valley children.
The junior and senior classes at the school held their second annual Toys for Tots dance Friday in the school gym and a capacity crowd attended. The price of admission to the social was a new, unwrapped toy, valued at at least $4.
“It’s going to be a happy time for a lot of kids who otherwise might have been a little disappointed on Christmas morning, said Anthony F. LoPresti, principal of the high school.
Wednesday, Dec. 21, 1988
SNET Demands Fee To Keep Pay Telephone In Vonetes
ANSONIA – John Tsakonas – owner of Vonetes Brothers on Main Street – couldn’t believe what he was hearing last week when he received a call from a Southern New England Telephone Company representative.
The pay phone that had been hung on the wall in the small luncheonette for the past 83 years was no longer making the company money, the voice said.
“He told me if I wanted to keep it I had to pay $32 a month,” Tsakonas explained. “I refused to pay. I told them to take their phone and shove it.”
The phone had been in the eating establishment since 1905, he said.
While Tsakonas was sorry to part with it, he didn’t think it was worth paying $32 each month to keep it operating.
The phone was removed Monday.
Derby Club Plans Dance On Holiday
DERBY – The A.M. Club will hold its annual New Year’s Eve Ball on Dec. 31.
The menu will include antipasto and macaroni, served family style. A buffet of chicken, potatoes, sausage, mushrooms and roast beef will be available. Coffee and Danish will be provided, beginning at midnight.
Dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m. There will be free hats, noisemakers and party favors. Those attending should bring their own beverage. There will be dancing from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. to the music of the Starlighters that includes a vocalist.
Donation will be $60 per couple.
Seymour Board Ready To Make Switch To Uniform Fiscal Year
SEYMOUR – Because of uncertainty about aid to municipalities in light of a mounting state deficit, the Board of Selectmen Tuesday approved conversion to a uniform fiscal year in 1989.
First Selectman Robert J. Koskelowski told the selectmen at Town Hall that adopting a three-month mini-budget would “buy some time” before having to prepare a 12-month budget.
“There is no way we will have the numbers from the state we will need. If we go to a mini-budget we would then have a better idea of what cuts may be imposed by the administration in Hartford when we put together a 12-months budget,” he said.
Seymour is one of half a dozen municipalities whose fiscal years do not conform to the state’s July 1 to June 30 budget year.
