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top of the mountain'

In my nocturnal prowling around town, I've noticed a lot of progress this week

on the building projects on Queen Street and Main Street.

There was quite a scare when fire trucks rushed to the Mary Hawley Inn on

Monday. All the commotion gave me a chance to sneak inside the inn without

being noticed and check the place out. The walls have been painted, carpeting

is being laid, and wood floors are being sanded and finished. I overheard

someone say that the opening date now is set for October.

Looking out a back window of the inn, I could see landscaping crews hard at

work at the library, planting trees and bushes. From the inn, I wandered over

to the shopping center on Queen Street where the Big Y is finally beginning to

look like it just might open this fall after all. My Place restaurant is

getting ready to move into the old post office building soon.

The sewer mains are finally done, and the sewer plant is up and running. All

that's left to do is the hookup for each property in the sewer district. Jan

Andras, the recording secretary for the Water Pollution Control Authority

(WPCA), cringed at last week's sewer assessment meeting when John Valente of

the appraisal company invited the 200 or so people in attendance to call the

first selectman's office with any questions or concerns. You see, Jan is the

executive assistant to the first selectman, and she's the one who answers the

phones there. Sure enough, the phone has been ringing off the hook this week

from residents upset over their sewer assessments.

Gary Fetzer's television program, Dateline Newtown, on Charter Cable's Channel

21 should receive high ratings later this month when his interview with

outgoing First Selectman Bob Cascella airs. The two are slated to sit down in

front of the cameras next week for a Q&A session. Both men are members of the

Board of Selectman but are not seeking re-election this year so the questions

aren't expected to be too controversial.

In fact, Mr Fetzer expects a lot of laughs as the two reminisce about the ups

and downs of Newtown politics.

Russ Melita, Republican first selectman hopeful, and running mate Bill Brimmer

have been hitting the pavement, looking to meet the public in preparation for

the November 4 election. Republicans say the two men have formed a solid team,

but they've run into some problems along the campaign trail. According to Mr

Brimmer, he's having trouble keeping up with his fast-walking running mate.

"He's like the Energizer Bunny," Mr Brimmer said.

Someone sent The Bee this photo of a very awesome cat, but it doesn't live

here (It's a resident of the Bronx Zoo) so it won't qualify for the Spay &

Neuter Association of Newtown's Royal Feline Family Contest.

cat photo here

If you are a cat who believes you are the most beautiful, most elegant, most

prestigious, cutest, funniest or most unusual cat around, you could win a spot

on the royal court (and prizes). Just get your owner to send your photo with a

$5 entry check or money order to the SNAN Cat Contest, 48 Queen Street,

Newtown 06470.

All proceeds from the contest are tax deductible and will be used for the

community services provided by this all-volunteer organization.

The local men's book review group, which calls itself the Cellini Society,

just got back from its annual weekend sojourn, this time to Scott and Nancy

Conover's new place on the Connecticut River in Guilford. Nancy did not stick

around when all the men showed up, however. She went to visit her daughter on

Cape Cod, explaining that "Scott's running a boys' camp."

Lots of furniture, office equipment, and other stuff will be sold this

Saturday, 8:30 am to 2 pm, at a tag sale that the Family Counseling Center is

holding at its former location - 10 Glen Road - where it was located when it

was still called the Family Life Center.

Speaking about the Family Counseling Center, planning has begun already for

the 12th annual Holiday Festival and volunteers are needed to help. This

year's event is scheduled for Sunday, December 7. Maureen Crick is the event

chairman. If you can help - whether it's baking for the Victorian tea room or

working at one of the day's many activities - call the FCC at 426-8103.

If you want to know what's going on around town, be sure to...

Read me again.