If you have managed to miss the news until now, it is not too late to join in on some hometown pride. Father and son singing duo Jim and Sasha Allen auditioned for the newest season of The Voice, the NBC singing competition that began its latest season on Monday. The Newtown duo was featured on the second episode of the new season this past Tuesday night, and they were just wonderful. They performed John Denver’s “Leaving on A Jet Plane,” and had coaches Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande both fighting to work with them. The Allens went with new coach Ariana Grande. Their performance can be seen here: youtube.com/watch?v=ti3Kq1FpOmU. The first few weeks of the new season will continue with at least four more blind audition episodes Mondays and Tuesday evenings at 8 pm. Live performances and voting begins in mid-October. Go Allens!

Congratulations to The 12.14 Foundation, which will receive a $2,705 FY22 Supporting Arts Grant from the Connecticut Office of the Arts. The COA announced the award on September 21. The fiscal year grants will award a total $1,004,459 to 192 Connecticut arts organizations. The 12.14 Foundation, which supports both the NewArts theatrical activities and a companion character development program, was the only Newtown organization to receive a grant in this round of awards.

Speaking of funds, for the month of September 2021, C.H. Booth Library will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $2.50 reusable Community Bag at the Newtown Stop & Shop, 228 South Main Street, as recently shared by the library. The community bag program has been ongoing since May 2019, and has raised funds for multiple Newtown organizations since that time. Among those to benefit have been EverWonder Children’s Museum, Newtown Community Center, and even Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue, who received funds after a month of fundraising at the Southbury Stop & Shop location. The program, according to Stop & Shop’s website, has raised a cumulative total of $1.3 million and supported 4,689 nonprofit groups as of September 20. The supermarket chain also estimates the program has meant 39,921,060 single-use plastic bags were not used.

C.H. Booth Library is also hosting a Fiber Art North East (FANE) Art & Quilt Exhibit through October 31 in its meeting room. This exhibition incorporates three separate FANE Fiber Art & Quilt exhibits with more than 50 works of art, including the Circle Exhibit, Alphabetica: and the Four by Twelve Fiber Art Exhibit. To learn more about FANE see the website fiberartnortheast.com/about-fane.

Newtown School Resource Officer William Chapman, pictured, was spotted by Nico Cuscuna, seen talking with Officer Chapman, adding some paint strokes to the Live Interactive Mural project at Newtown Arts Festival on Sunday, September 19.

Speaking of the Newtown Arts Festival, I understand it was a fantastic weekend and I hope the crowds who attended enjoyed all there was to offer, from the vendors and food to the performances. I am particularly spellbound by this photo of the SOVA Dance and Puppet Theater, this year’s featured performance artist, performing at the festival.

State Representative Tony Scott joined Monroe First Selectman Ken Kellogg to hold a “Legislative Apps” event in Monroe on September 14 for both Monroe and Newtown residents. The conversation focused around the major events of the 2021 state legislative session, including the legalization of marijuana in Connecticut, the enactment of new statewide zoning laws, and the imposition of a mileage fee on heavy trucks. Scott also explained how his work to build strong relationships with other colleagues paid off at the State Capitol. According to a release, Scott said, “I’m always looking out for the best interests of Monroe and Newtown, and where our local interests align with those of other communities, we try to collaborate to find a common ground that benefits everybody. But, in Hartford, circumstances are always changing. The emergency certification process for bills can allow even the longest, most complex legislation to be called for a vote with less than a day’s notice, before the public has even had a chance to read it! That means it’s all the more important to have a strong minority voice in the House chamber to ensure that all towns are not only being represented in policy discussions, but our concerns and hopes are actually being heard.”

Ahead of the next regular legislative session, from February to May next year, Scott encourages constituents in the 112th District to contact him at any time at Tony.Scott@housegop.ct.gov or by calling 860-240-8700. They can also stay up-to-date on bills and future events by signing up for Scott’s email newsletter at RepScott.com.

Does your child have an upcoming birthday? Submit their photo, name, and date of birth for our Birthday Wishes announcement, published weekly in the Education section. The weekly deadline to submit a birthday announcement for a Newtown or Sandy Hook child is Tuesday at noon, and every child submitted for Birthday Wishes has a chance to win a certificate for an ice cream cake from Ferris Acres Creamery. To include your child in “Birthday Wishes,” send name, address, phone number, age, and birthday, along with an original head and shoulders photo to Birthday Wishes, The Newtown Bee, 5 Church Hill Road, Newtown CT 06470, or e-mail information and a JPG photo to eliza@thebee.com. Please send the photo as an attachment to the e-mail. Birth dates must be within one month of submission.

Editor John Voket loves hearing from readers. As the latest member of the Bee Publishing Company staff to sit in the Editor’s chair, one of John’s new responsibilities is coordinating each week’s letters to the editor. On behalf of John, I’d like to remind our readers that the phone number of each letter writer is requested with each submission. They are never published, of course, but it does make the confirmation of each letter go a little faster. Guideline submissions are printed each week, including word limits and other notes; see page A-11 for this week’s letters and those helpful reminders.

Poverty Hollow Road resident Antonio Evertez shared this photo of a bear with The Newtown Bee this week. He wrote on September 19, “This guy just came by to say hello.”

You may not spot me, but I promise I will be roaming Newtown to gather news as long as your promise next week to... Read me again.