Best wishes to the Reverend Andrea Castner Wyatt, who will be offering her final sermon at Trinity Episcopal Church this weekend. Andrea and her husband Chuck have been in Newtown since early 2020, when she accepted the call to serve as Trinity’s minister. She will begin serving as rector at St Mark’s Episcopal Church in Southborough, Mass. on September 1.

Belated and continued congratulations to Aquila’s Nest Vineyards, which was named by Tasting Table the Best Winery in Connecticut in its recent feature, “The Absolute Best Winery in Every U.S. State.” That announcement was made one day after Connecticut Magazine named the Sandy Hook location Best Vineyard in the state for the second consecutive year. Last week the vineyard announced it had been named the #5 Best Wine Tasting Room in the United States by the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. It was the highest-ranked tasting room in New England and the only winery in the region to earn a place in the national Top 10.

A feature in the July issue of Connecticut Magazine offers a look at a beautiful home in Sandy Hook that has undergone a complete transformation. Kate Osborne and her husband purchased Appleberry Farm in 2020, moving into the space previously lived in and loved by Kate’s father, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Her father was raised in the house; Kate and her sister grew up literally just around the corner, in a home nearly as antique and charismatic as the farmhouse now in its fourth generation of ownership. A full renovation was undertaken on the 18th Century saltbox. The core 2,200-square-foot home had another 7,800 square feet added to it, according to the magazine feature. Kate was hoping it would become the center of family gatherings, and it has already become the seat of a cut flower business she and sister Becky operate. The home has not only become the gathering place for Kate and her family, it has already won awards for its contractor.

Chris Spiller/CDS Contracting LLC won a 2026 AIA Connecticut Alice Washburn Award for Additions/Renovations for his work with Appleberry Farm. Chris also received a Palladio Award, a national honor for outstanding achievement in traditional architecture. Congratulations Chris, and thank you to Kate for allowing a look inside that beautiful home through the photos and features in the statewide magazine.

If you’d like to look inside the building at 8 Simpson Street, you won’t be able to do so August 24-30. The building, home to Newtown Community Center and Newtown Senior Center, will be closed during that stretch for its annual maintenance. The building will reopen Monday, August 31.

In June 1976, the New England wagon train spent a day on the front lawn of Newtown Middle School, Newtown High School was a host site for Connecticut Special Olympics Summer Games, Gordon Fraser Gallery opened at South Main Street, and members and chiefs of all five volunteer fire companies and the Board of Police Commissioners paid tribute to Tommy Anderson with a farewell dinner at the Yankee Drover ahead of the 32-year veteran of Newtown Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 moving out of the area.

You know what else happened that month 50 years ago? Bradley Richardson joined Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company (as it was then called). The former longtime resident was celebrated during Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue’s monthly meeting this week, when cake was served and SHVFR Chief Anthony Capozziello offered a little roasting of his friend and longtime colleague. Over the years Bradley has served as the company's captain, lieutenant, treasurer and, since 2004, Sandy Hook's president. A very full agenda in June and many officers being away for the July meeting (including Bradley) led to the postponement of his recognition. Despite the delay it was still a golden reason for a tip of the hat, especially on the heels of last week’s story by Sam Cross about the local fire companies and the men and women who volunteer their time. We are indeed very lucky to have so many well trained volunteer first responders including, of course, our local ambulance corps and the dive team.

Holy leftovers, is it that time already??! I was surprised to visit C.H. Booth Library’s website on Monday, when the first notice for the 17th annual Newtown Turkey Trot was waiting for me. It wasn’t a prank, either. Early Bird Registration has really opened for the big fundraiser for our library, which will return to the center of town on Thursday, November 26. If you sign up by September 7, entry is just $25 per person whether you do the Thanksgiving morning 2.5K walk or the 5K run. Both will again start from and return to Newtown Middle School. I know of at least one Bee staff member who has registered to earn their stuffing.

Regular readers know there’s a love-hate relationship between me and the Bee dogs. I love living within the historic walls of 5 Church Hill Road. I hate that the canines often have the run of the place as well.

Tuesday morning I received an e-mail reminding me of the fact that August is National Dog Month, “making it the perfect time to spotlight some of the nation’s favorite pets,” the announcement included. The e-mail was tied in to the month-long celebration of all things canine, but I don’t think my young friend Banks Baggett will be receiving special honors any time soon. Just a few hours after that e-mail arrived, I heard from Sports Editor Andy Hutchison, who was looking for a replacement for his lunch after Banks helped herself to the chili Andy had been looking forward to enjoying as his midday nourishment.

I’m not silly enough to take anyone else’s food, especially chili. I haven’t heard if that little adventure caused any issues for Banks’s stomach that night, but I imagine Andy will put his lunch even further out of reach moving forward.

That’s all I have for now. I’m going to start moving toward a new collection of notes and news and hope you’ll remember to come back next week, when it will be time to … read me again.