This is the time of year when most politicians want to be wanted, but I don’t think this is what most pols have in mind.

 Someone was distributing posters around town featuring a photograph of Gov John Rowland, “WANTED For Crimes Against Connecticut.” One of the posters, with accompanying “charges” against the governor, was found at the doorstep of The Bee Monday morning. Another is attached to the town kiosk next to the General Store. (The kiosk, by the way, is leaning a bit and is in dire need of a paint job. It’s a nice idea to have, but it looks a bit dilapidated, particularly as it is nearby the new Edmond Town Hall theater sign.) I wonder whether the reward for the governor’s capture will be enough to bail the state out of its budget woes.

Calling all muggles. October is a magical month, so it follows that tricks will be the treat next Tuesday at 7:30 pm at the Newtown Meeting House when the Newtown Historical Society hosts a performance by the amazing Robert Olsen. Dressed in white pantaloons and blue tailcoat, Mr Olsen will play the part of real-life 19th Century magician Richard Potter. Mr Potter (no relation to Harry that we know of) lived from 1783 to 1835. He delighted his postrevolutionary era audience with his skills as a ventriloquist and hypnotist, and on Tuesday night Mr Olsen will be doing the same. “We had him four years ago and he’s terrific,” said Newtown Historical Society President Gordon Williams. “He takes on the personality of the most famous American magician before Houdini, dresses like him, and then does tricks. He’s funny and charming and magical.” The program, which is free, is geared for an adult audience but is also suitable for children. Refreshments will be served. I wonder if they need a black cat as a prop for the disappearing act?

Like Samuel Clemens, who said “the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated” when his obituary ran in a newspaper in 1897, Joe Grasso was mystified last week when he read that the Joseph Grasso Memorial Scholarship had been awarded at Newtown High School. Joe said that last he checked, he was still here with us. But last year he filled in for 12 weeks at the high school when they needed a band director temporarily, so “maybe they thought that killed me,” he said.

LouAnn Maute, a personal trainer at the Newtown Health and Fitness Club, will be concentrating on pumping up new business for the gym along with the gym’s loyal members now that she and her husband Chuck have taken over the business. The first change they made after taking charge last Friday was to change the name of the place. It is now The Gym At Newtown.

Genevieve N. Witter, of Boggs Hill Road, was the guest of honor at a surprise 85th birthday party at Pasta Gardens on October 5. Attending were her children, Phillip and Joyce Witter of Wentworth, N.H., and Phyllis and Richard Slocum of Newtown, along with eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and friends from Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

Steve Fazzone, owner of the Tree Bears restaurant in Westport, is bringing his cuisine to Newtown. Steve is opening a restaurant, The Compass, in the location that until recently housed G.P. Cheffields on South Main Street.

Each week on television’s Antiques Roadshow, hundreds of people show up with their family treasures and flea market finds to find out if they have something valuable. This week one of them had a sampler that turned out to have been made by a member of the Skidmore family in Newtown in the 18th Century. Value? Somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000.

Judy Volpe of Avance Esthetiques Day Spa is organizing a team for the October 19 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. Bek Meyers also is looking for sponsors and walkers. To reach Judy, call the spa at 270-8911. Bek can be reached at 364-1873.

Ginger Humeston has been doing some walking lately in an unusual pair of shoes. It seems that Ginger was getting ready to go to the Chamber of Commerce picnic at Ashlar and grabbed two shoes from the closet, thinking they were a pair. They were the same style, but not the same color and she didn’t notice until it was too late. Ginger was a good sport about it, however, even allowing this photograph to be taken.

When Mae Schmidle was named as chairman of the committee to decide on a logo for the town’s 300th anniversary in 2005, knowing Mae’s favorite color, Steering Committee member John Martocci quipped, “We know it will be red!”

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, named moderator of the very short, annual town meeting October 6, said, “Thank you for the great, hard-fought honor of being named moderator. I know there are people standing in line for this.” The purpose of the annual meeting is to accept annual reports from town offices. Town Clerk Cindy Simon said her office has already received 24 out of a possible 38 reports.

Now that the railroad bridge on Church Hill Road has been replaced, there haven’t been any truck-bridge collisions. But there are still tie-ups. The Department of Transportation hasn’t put up a new sign indicating the bridge clearance, so many truck drivers are still stopping, backing up, and tying up traffic because they aren’t sure if their rigs will fit.

The boss isn’t sure my oversize column is going to fit this week, so I better stop writing now, but I’ll be back with more next week, so be sure to…

Read me again.