If you missed the press release a few weeks ago, allow me to mention now that Ridgefield Theater Barn will celebrate the opening of its 2026-27 season this weekend. A very regional cast and crew is set to offer a production of Disaster! The Musical. Why am I mentioning this within Newtown’s hometown newspaper? Well (a) Ridgefield isn’t a bad ride from Newtown, and (b) two of our own residents have been cast in this show. Ashley McLeod is portraying Sister Mary Downey, an awkward, judgmental nun with a gambling addiction, while Calista Giroux is part of the show’s ensemble. Performances are weekends through October 10 and full details are available at ridgefieldtheaterbarn.org.

Laura Duffy visited the office Tuesday, with photos that she believes show a bobcat spotted in Sandy Hook. The photo is a little grainy because Laura played it safe and stayed away from the big kitty — I would have done the same thing! — but I agree with her based on the size, bobbed tail, and tufted ears of that animal.

Newtown Poet Laureate Lauren Clifford was among those in Cos Cob on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, when she presented her poem “September Serenade.” Friday morning’s ceremony, which honored all victims of the attacks, including those with direct ties to Greenwich, was conducted at Cos Cob Park. Continuing the series of poetry celebrating this country’s Semiquincentennial she has been working on since early last year, Lauren’s new work focused on three Septembers in Connecticut history — 1776, 1781, and 2001. It wove together part of the personal histories of some of those who signed The Declaration of Independence, some who fought in and died at the Battle of Groton, “the heroes of 9/11,” and others. The latest in Lauren’s ongoing “American Mettle” collection, an encore reading of “September Serenade” was done Friday evening. Lauren was a reader during the opening ceremony of the inaugural Bridgeport Tunnel to Towers gala at Testo’s Restaurant & Banquets in Monroe.

Last week I mentioned the incredible 55th wedding anniversary of Sue and Jim Shpunt. This week I offer additional anniversary wishes, to The Garden Club of Newtown! Seventy-five years ago this month, The Garden Club of Newtown officially launched. As noted in this week’s Way We Were, “a regularly constituted garden club for Newtown became a reality on Tuesday of this week when 12 charter members met for an organizational meeting at the home of Mrs Jacob L. Steisel of Old Mill Road.” Mrs Steisel was also elected to serve as the first president of what has become this town’s longest-running garden club. She also provided beverages and desserts to accompany the box lunches provided by each guest for the very special event of September 11, 1951.

Like many other local clubs and organizations, The Garden Club of Newtown is launching its new season this month. Our Enjoy section has a press release, which will also be published on our website over the weekend, with details for the September 22 event planned for the meeting room at C.H. Booth Library.

Tracy Kreizinger Johnson will be able to read all about the garden club’s upcoming program, and everything else included in the paper this week, and for the next 51 weeks, thanks to her recent win of a one-year subscription to The Newtown Bee. Bill Glass took the above photo for us while he was at the September 6 Panacea concert at Dickinson Park, moments after the winning ticket was pulled. On the left is Leslie Ballard, who arranged for the prize. Leslie has done this for a few special events, and we are grateful for her efforts to expand our readership, one person at a time. Welcome to the readership, Tracy!

Clearly it’s election season, based on the growing number of political signs popping up, the growing collection of candidacy letters in The Letter Hive in recent weeks, special events, and other signals that things are heating up in the political realm. If you’d like to give your voting skills an early workout, there is still time to participate in the Third Annual Coolest Thing Made in Connecticut. Connecticut’s largest business association started with 16 products by Constitution State manufacturers this year. They have, since mid-August, been facing off in a single-elimination, bracket-style challenge hosted by CBIA. The final round is currently underway, with The Satellite Propellant Isolation Valve by The Lee Company facing The Santa Claus Brass Button by Waterbury Button Company. Please take a minute or two to visit CBIA.com/coolest-thing to read about the items, each developed in our home state, and then vote for the one that appeals to you before 11:59 pm Monday, September 21. There is no fee to participate, and this year the public can vote once each day. As always, I’m not telling you how to vote; I’m just reminding you to make sure you do vote.

Our littlest Bee, Knox Baggett, is celebrating her second birthday as I wrap up this week’s column. Big sister Violet was having a ball playing with Knox’s birthday balloons this morning. Violet’s long done with that distraction, but maybe there’s still some strings left I can tangle myself in. I’m going to go check on that and see what’s in Knox’s pile of presents while you mark your calendar for this time next week, when it will be time to … read me again.