Ridgefield’s average teacher salary of more than $42,000 ranked ninth among the 166 school districts in the state the previous year, the May 10, 1990, Ridgefield Press reported. The town with the highest-paid teachers in the state was Westport, at $46,925. The state average was $38,140.
Romeo G. Petroni, a Ridgefield native, was confirmed by both the state House and state Senate as a new Superior Court judge. Petroni was the first Ridgefielder in memory to be named a state judge. He had been Ridgefield’s probate judge for 16 years and had also served as town attorney, state representative, and state senator.
Nearly 39% of the students at Ridgefield High School made the third marking period honor roll.
The selectmen voted unanimously to build a 48-spot parking lot on town-owned Catoonah Street land bordered by the post office, Victoria Gate condominiums, and Ballard Green senior housing. “We need parking,” Michael Rizzo of the Parking Authority told the board. However, though approved, the lot has never been built.
Pinch hitter Steve Conway’s clutch bases-loaded double with two out in the sixth scored a pair of runs to push struggling Ridgefield High past rival Wilton, 10-8, in an FCIAC baseball game.
Three young researchers — Siobhan O’Kane, Kate Cleary and Aisling Hamrogue — were scouring the town, looking for the largest maple trees. The third and fourth graders were friends who loved nature.
Ridgefield Knolls residents were angry because the town stopped using the fire hydrants in their neighborhood. The town had stopped paying the water supplier, Topstone Hydraulic, because the hydrants produced too little water to be of use in a fire. They were covered over so that firemen would know not to use them.
A new magazine was being circulated in Ridgefield, feature writer Lois Street reported. Called “Between the Lines,” it covered many current events. “People really read it,” said the publisher, Kevin Peraino of Blackman Road, age 13, who produced the magazine on his home computer. Peraino went on to become a Newsweek correspondent and an author.
Pizza Hut was planning to open a restaurant on Danbury Road in the next few months. It would be the sixth pizza place in town, but the only chain operation.
50 Years Ago
The voters approved spending $3,225,00 to build a new junior high school on East Ridge and Branchville roads, the May 13, 1965, Press reported. About 150 people took part in the nearly unanimous Town Meeting vote, and three days later, Morganti Inc., the general contractor, began work at the site.
George H. Kellerman, who was assistant principal and administrative intern at Ridgefield High School, was named the first principal of the junior high. Though the new building was not expected to be done until the fall of 1966, Kellerman would run a junior high that existed within the Ridgefield High School building farther north on East Ridge.
Charles Sheeler, a leading American artist of the Precisionist school, died that week at the age of 81. Sheeler lived for about 15 years in the remodeled and expanded Whipstick Schoolhouse at the corner of Nod and Whipstick roads. (His former home was torn down about 15 years ago to make way for a new house.)
Alex Santino and Gino Torcellini were in charge of the firemen’s annual clambake, coming up in a couple weeks and open to the public.
“On Thursday, May 6, Ridgefield High (3-1) met an undefeated Bethel High (4-0),” reported correspondent Chip Landon. “The game, which ended in a 1-0 victory for RHS, was quite amazing.” Mike “Spray” O’Gorman hit a double, and then Rich Dingee hit another, knocking in the only run of the game. Winning pitcher Chipper Bliss struck out five.—J.S.
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