Ron Ward, candidate for Borough Warden 'Stands Up' for Jewett City Bell Chimes

'Daily Show' coming to hear chimes controversy
by Megan Bard - published by The Day on February 1, 2007

The controversial bell chimes that sound from the belfry of the Jewett City Baptist Church have been heard by a comedy news show on Comedy Central.

Representatives from "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" will be in the borough Thursday to interview a handful of people about the recent request by an atheist group to silence the bells.

First Selectwoman Anne P. Hatfield, resident Ron Ward and Norwich resident William Russell all have confirmed they have been scheduled for interviews throughout the day.

And all have said they’re surprised that the local controversy has piqued the interest of a national audience.

In December the Connecticut chapter of the American Atheists sent a letter to town and borough officials warning them that governments should divest themselves of the chimes that sound from the belfry. In 1995 the town and borough contributed $3,500 to purchase a sound system to play a CD of bell chimes daily and hourly from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. That schedule is now off by 10 minutes because the system has not been updated in about 2 years.

Despite the warning of a potential lawsuit by Russell, an atheist who travels through the borough a couple of times a month, borough residents and officials have stood their ground and refused to silence the chimes.