‘Kaaren Valenta Day’—

Retirement Recognition Awarded To Bee Editor

“Make new friends, but keep the old; some are silver and the others gold.”

The staff of The Newtown Bee gathered on Thursday, December 30, to honor Associate Editor Kaaren Valenta with a special luncheon and to bid farewell. Truly a dear friend to the people of Newtown and to The Newtown Bee, for nearly 21 years Ms Valenta provided thoughtful and insightful news stories, and became well known and revered about town as the knowledgeable food editor in her early years with the paper.

As the initial contact upon entering the newspaper’s offices, townspeople were greeted cordially by Ms Valenta and directed to the proper source. Her personable associations with numerous town officials and residents made her an invaluable and popular resource at The Bee.

So much so, that at the behest of State Representative Julia Wasserman, with whom Ms Valenta shared a long professional relationship, Governor M. Jodi Rell issued a proclamation declaring December 30 as Kaaren Valenta Day in Connecticut.

“Oh, I just can’t believe it,” was Ms Valenta’s initial reaction to the proclamation, accompanied by the hearty laugh familiar to all who encountered this newspaperwoman, but came as no surprise to those who have had the opportunity to work with her. “I am so honored,” she added, as the reality of  Kaaren Valenta Day sank in.

Ms Valenta is retiring to Florida, where her husband Jerry has recently been employed.

Shannon Hicks and John Voket will share the duties of associate editor at The Newtown Bee. Kendra Bobowick has joined The Bee’s reporting staff.