It’s a long weekend for many folks coming up, but don’t forget to make time for the real reason we get a day of rest this coming Monday: to honor the veterans and servicemen and women currently in our armed forces. The VFW and American Legion are hosting a service Monday, May 28, at 11 am, on the Tinkerfield Road grounds. It’s always a special event, so I hope to see you there.

I’m keeping my paws crossed for the NHS drama club, which has received nominations for the Fourth Annual Connecticut High School Musical Theater Awards in several categories for its spring musical, Sweeney Todd, including Outstanding Production of the Year. Other categories are Jane Matson for Outstanding Direction and Outstanding Musical Direction; Kurt Eckhardt for Outstanding Student Orchestra; Alexandro Aug, Outstanding Leading Female (Mrs Lovett); Taylor Varga, Outstanding Supporting Male (Tobias Ragg); Josh Goldman, Outstanding Ensemble Member (Jonas Fogg); and NHS for Outstanding Lobby Display and Outstanding Chorus. Winners will be announced at a black-tie gala affair June 4, at the Palace Theater in Waterbury. Good luck to all!

Newtown High School just keeps churning out the winners. Chelsea Sayegh, a student in Jolene Swann’s business class, entered the NYFS cinema advertisement contest, focusing on the negative effects of underage drinking, aimed at peers. Chelsea’s ad, about the dangers of drinking and driving in prom season, was chosen from four finalists, and will premiere this Friday, May 25, at Danbury AMC Loews Theatre on Eagle Road. Don’t worry if you can’t fit in a visit to the movies this weekend. Her ad will be featured there for one month. The advertisement will be paid for by a portion of the Partnership for Success Grant that was awarded to NYFS. Congratulations to Chelsea, and I hope that your message is taken to heart by your fellow youth!

Sharon and Jim Roodhuyzen, of 60 Schoolhouse Hill Road, were getting ready to go to work last Friday morning when Cairo, their golden retriever, began growling at something in the back yard. Sharon expected a squirrel or turkey, but was shocked to see a large black bear sauntering toward the house. That’s when Jim grabbed his camera — wisely shooting the photo through the screen — when he brushed against the door, causing the bear to take note of him. They both thought the bear was going for the birdfeeder on the side of the house, but the furry black mammal headed for their deck, where it calmly took a drink from a Tupperware bowl, then headed toward the neighbors. “Knock, knock. Who’s there?”

We know who’s going to win when it’s tortoise vs hare, but when it’s tortoise vs Honda, it is not always such a good outcome for the sure and steady reptile. The PETA Foundation reminds us this week that turtles are active this time of year and that means roads must be crossed. Please check any injured turtle or animal on the roadside, begs the animal advocacy group, and move the animal out of the road and get it to an animal shelter or veterinarian. For information on moving turtles — and other slow moving animals — out of harm’s way, visit www.PETA.org. Be careful when handling turtles, though. In light of a nationwide outbreak, the Department of Public Health is warning residents of the risk that turtles can pass salmonella bacteria to people.

In further wilderness news… Fred the peacock is back home, safe and sound, on a farm in Monroe. Fred, you may recall, found his way into the Lake Drive neighborhood a few weeks ago. He was quite calm around people, but he didn’t have any tags. Fred (née Ralph, according to his owner) escaped from Joe Aversa’s farm in March and though there were occasional sightings, it wasn’t until earlier this month that Fred stayed in place long enough for anyone to figure out where he belonged. After hanging out at the Symes and LaPorta homes, Connie Symes was able to lure the bird into a large dog crate, and when Joe arrived, he was ready for a ride home. Residents had worried about foxes, but “I knew he’d make it because he can fly 40 feet at a time,” Joe told me this week. “He’s doing very well, back in the barn with his family,” Joe also said. Fred will eventually be allowed to roam around the Monroe farm again, said Joe.

A cat that lives at a newspaper gets excited to see young people wanting to follow the calling that has kept The Bee in business since 1877. So I couldn’t be happier to learn that Sydney Russell just received a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University, and to hear that Eddie Small, both Newtowners, received his master of science in journalism from Columbia University this past weekend. Eddie also received a fellowship that will allow him to explore the world of journalism wherever he wants, whenever he wants. I wonder if, in this progressive world where half the people get local news on their smart phone or tablet, these young people will choose a paperless career, or settle in to an ink and paper outfit like we have here?

Those Bee dogs hold a special place in our hearts — the way they bark at customers, the way they sleep on their backs in the front office, and the occasional “oopsie” spots around the building. Rosie is the middle child of our current Bee canine staff, and the golden retriever took part last weekend in Doggie Fun Zone at Cassio Pet-Resort Training Center. The Mt Pleasant Road kennel welcomed Lee Rebalko and his traveling obstacle course for canines for an 11-day stretch that ended this past Tuesday. The doggie exercise event was a special exercise in fundraising. Proceeds from it were divided between The Spay & Neuter Association of Newtown and Danbury Animal Welfare Society. Dogs were shown the way through the course, and could then compete for daily prizes and gift certificates. When Rosie went with her “mom” Sherri Baggett last weekend, she watched a pair of pitbulls race through the course in 11 seconds. She even watched her mom go through the course before it was her turn. Then she looked around, said Sherri, like “You want me to do that?!” Rosie earned a perfect score, reports her proud mother. A perfect zero.

You can score much more than a perfect zero with me, if you promise next week to… Read me again.