Edwin Pearson was on Connecticut Party’s committee in 1990.
“There are a lot of discouraged volunteers,” Ted Peatt said 25 years ago. “We don’t feel we’re being utilized to our fullest.”
The Nov. 15, 1990, Press reported that seven volunteer firefighters attended a selectmen’s meeting to explain why they felt left out. The meeting was called to do a first-year review of the new fire chief, Richard Nagle.
“We need to consider the volunteers a valuable asset to the town,” said First Selectman Sue Manning.
“It’s something I think about every day,” said Chief Nagle, explaining that he was looking for a balance between overtaxing the volunteers — summoning them for every call — and the underuse the volunteers were complaining about.
The stars were out in Georgetown: Gregory Peck, Danny DeVito, Dean Jones, and Penelope Ann Miller were at a news conference at the Gilbert & Bennett wire mill, promoting the fact that the filming of Other People’s Money was about to begin at the old mill. It was to be Peck’s last major role in a movie.
Ridgefield had a new political organization: the Connecticut Party, founded by Gov.-elect Lowell P. Weicker. Gay Story Hamilton and Edwin C. Pearson said they were organizing the first town committee meeting for Nov. 27.
A truckload of artworks disappeared Saturday, canceling the Rotary Club’s planned annual art auction. “The truck with the art never showed up,” said organizer Steven Nissman. “Everything was ready. The auctioneer and people were there, the music was playing.” The truck was later found in Long Island woods; the art was still in it, but the driver — apparently planning to steal the works — had vanished.
Francis P. Moylan, 50-year veteran of the Ridgefield Fire Department, was honored at a testimonial.
Friends of Animals filed a lawsuit against Ridgefielder Mary Lou Sapone, charging she had spied on their organization. They claimed she worked for U.S. Surgical, a company Friends of Animals had vehemently criticized for using anesthetized dogs to demonstrate surgical equipment to salespeople and surgeons. The suit accused Sapone of being an undercover agent who infiltrated Friends of Animals to spy on their “activities, strategies, plans, organizational structure, membership, personalities, and other information of a confidential nature.”
“I think these are some outrageous allegations,” said Sapone.
Barry Finch proposed creating a small equestrian community on his 49 acres off Canterbury Lane. Five houses would be built and all owners would share in a part of Canterbury Tails Farm, a riding establishment with barn, manager’s apartment and 26 acres of trails.
Ridgefield rider Kendra Lodewick was pictured with her horse tackling a jump at a recent clinic given by New Zealand Olympic gold medalist Mark Todd in North Salem.
Though they had no pool in town due to the closing of the Family Y, the RHS girls swim team placed second in the state Class M championship meet. Stars included Jen Riha, Stephanie Boles, Beth Manchester, Danielle Peterson, Teresa Mason, Gretchen Keisling, Susie Stevens, Erica Saltz, and Amanda Kaplan.
The newly formed Ridgefield Area Chapter of the National Charity League was busy helping others under the leadership of Diane Ritter, Gwen Byrd, and others.
Jack Herr received the Kiwanian of the Year Award for his 25 years of service to the Ridgefield Kiwanis Club.
David Strom, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Strom of Rochambeau Avenue, was playing violin with the Norwalk Youth Orchestra.
Ridgefield’s newest pizzeria, Pizza Hut, opened on Saturday on Danbury Road, replacing Friendly Ice Cream’s restaurant, which closed in June.
Tenor Phil Tropea was to sing opera at the library Sunday.
50 years ago
Through 1970, Ridgefield would continue growing at the rate of one new 600-pupil school each year, said a report to the Board of Education, the Nov. 18, 1965, Press said.
With a junior high then under construction and scheduled to open in the fall of 1966, and a fourth elementary school being planned for the fall of 1967, the town would still need another elementary school in 1968 and more secondary school housing in 1969-70, Superintendent Thayer D. Wade told the school board.
Artist Eric Sloane was expected to attend the opening of a showing of his works at the new Hoya Art Gallery at 58 Danbury Road.
The Lions Club planted two 24-foot Douglas fir trees by the new veterans monument at the Community Center.
Henry A. Wallace of South Salem, a vice president under Franklin D. Roosevelt, died at the age of 77. He was an active member of St. Stephen’s Church here.
Stonehenge Shell Service on Route 7, north of Stonehenge Inn, was having a grand opening that included free balloons, lollipops, and 7-Up, extra Triple-S Blue Stamps, and a visit by Mickey the Clown.
Bedient’s on Main Street was having its annual fall sale of General Electric appliances, including an oven “that cleans itself electrically!” for $199; a Filter-Flo top-loading clothes washer, $199; a high-speed clothes dryer, $132; and a 15-cubic-foot, two-door refrigerator-freezer for $298.
“Why are you reading the newspaper when the real news is down at your Plymouth Dealer’s,” said the ad from Rich Chrysler-Plymouth on Danbury Road, featuring the 1966 Plymouth Fury — over 17 feet long, with curved side windows, padded instrument panel, backup lights, windshield washer, outside left rearview mirror, and “a floor console with new gear selector levers.” —J.S.
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