With Newtown High School students preparing for the senior prom on April 28, this is a good time to remind parents to send in pictures from the evening to education reporter Eliza Hallabeck, eliza@thebee.com, by noon on Monday, May 1, with students identified from left to right. Pictures submitted will run in the May 5 print edition of the paper, as space allows. Have you heard of prom invitations issued in unusual ways? If you know of a NHS senior asking their date to prom in a novel way, e-mail Eliza with the story and contact information.Cosmopolitan - and then syndicated in several Hearst publications. As if that is not enough, Kate's Key Hyundai blog won second place for corporate/for-profit blogs, written for a local Connecticut Hyundai dealership. "There were a slew of categories, and I entered in a few," Kate tells us, and is proud to be selected. She'll be honored with other writers at a ceremony in May, in Westport.thegardenclubofnewtown@yahoo.com. www.marchforbabies.org/EventInfo/?si=&PersonId=&EventID=18050.Daughter Of Australia, while visiting overseas this summer.

"Way We Were" column readers can breathe a sigh of relief. The mystery child in the rain, featured in the April 14 photo, has been identified. Christine Miller "knew instantly that the photo of the boy in the rain was my brother, Rob Ball," she tells us. "The look on his face is one only he, and now his youngest son, have." Christine guesses Rob may have been at a very wet horse show at Bethel Extension Center or some other town sports event. When she texted a photo of the "Way We Were" to her brother, John, he replied with what Christine says is typical family sarcasm, that it was John, not Rob, in the picture... though John, she notes, has golden brown skin and black curly hair! Thank you, Christine, for your insight into this long-ago photo.

Congratulations to Newtown writer Kate Mayer for her multiple awards from Connecticut Press Club, a writer's organization open to all writers in the state. Kate has won first place awards for her personal blog, "Writing Out Loud," and for her online essay, "Embarrassing Gifts From My Mother-In-Law," first published by

Some bittersweet congratulations go out to Candice Wood, as well, the circulation supervisor at the C.H. Booth Library. Candice is leaving that position this Friday, April 21, to begin an exciting new job and life in Washington, DC. She began volunteering at the library at the age of 12, and has been a staple member of the staff for over 15 years. Candice is known for and appreciated for having always given 110 percent to the library, and she will be sorely missed by her fellow workers and patrons. We wish her the best of luck as she begins her new journey.

This weekend offers plenty of opportunities to forget about the taxing season that has finally passed by - you did remember to file taxes by April 18, right? For one thing, be sure to celebrate our Earth this weekend. Earth Day festivities take place at Newtown Middle School, from 10 am to 4 pm, with lots of educational booths, entertainment, and vendors. This is Newtown's Tenth Anniversary Earth Day Celebration, and it's bound to be fun. See you there!

Sunday afternoon brings family fun at the CVH Animal Sanctuary off of Old Farm Road (noon to 3 pm), and a chance to honor National Poetry Month at the Newtown Cultural Arts' Risk A Verse poetry reading, 2 to 4 pm, at the Newtown Meeting House. I understand there is quite a diverse roster of folks sharing their favorite poems. On your way to either of these events, feel free to drop off donations of books, DVDs, CDs, LPs, and board games at the C.H. Booth Library. Friends of CHB Library is hosting Book Donation Day, and volunteers will be on hand to gratefully accept your donations between noon and 5 pm.

Fresh off a series of wins at The Connecticut Flower & Garden Show in February, members of The Garden Club will present their own standard flower show next week at Newtown Municipal Center. "A Party in The Garden" will be presented in the main corridor of the town's municipal building at 3 Primrose Street, Tuesday through Thursday, April 25-27. Judging will be done Tuesday morning by visiting judges, and then the public can view the show from noon until 9 pm. On Wednesday and Thursday, the show will be open from 9 am until 4:30 pm. Members are planning to celebrate spring with displays and examples of plants and flowers from across the region. There is no admission and since the event will be presented indoors, it will go on rain or shine. For additional information send an e-mail to

The team Newtown Happy Hikers will join the March of Dimes Walk-A-Thon, Sunday, April 30, at Tarrywile Park, 70 Southern Boulevard, Danbury. The 1.5-mile walk starts at 9:30 am, going along Main Street in Danbury. Sign up the day of at the registration booth or online. Contact Eileen Hardiman at 203-258-2113 for more information. The public is welcome. Proceeds benefit March of Dimes. Dogs are welcome. Read more about the event, or make a donation through

Going to France this summer? Maybe you'll catch a book signing by Newtown author Harmony Verna. I hear she'll be squeezing in a signing or two for the French release of her novel,

You don't have to go that far to find a recent release from me. Be sure next week to... Read me again.