I see that Frances Wengart of Newtown had fun wearing a multicolored tutu, boa, and feather earrings during the 3rd Annual Kennedy Center Autism SpectRUN, September 10. The charity event at Jennings Beach in Fairfield attracted 300 participants and raised $25,000 for the Kennedy Center's Autism Project, and Frances won an award for the most colorful female costume. Way to run!The Bee at 203-426-3141 during the work week, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, and ask for the editor. Story tips can best be distributed among reporters and editors in this manner.The Newtown Bee (keeping staff healthy with flu shots) last week and mentioned he had been to a very well attended debut lecture series at Danbury Hospital, honoring Newtown's Dr Thomas Draper. The speaker was Dr William Doolittle from Yale-New Haven Hospital, speaking on relationships, Dr Grossman tells me. He estimates nearly 100 people from the medical field were in attendance, and is already looking forward to next year's lecture.newtownartscommission.org. There are a number of art events coming up, including the October 18 Garner plays, Mixed Messages, at the 18 Orchard Hill Road Little Theatre.eliza@thebee.com and your child can be entered in a drawing to win a gift certificate for a free cake. The Birthday Cake in The Newtown Bee is a fun (and potentially tasty) way to celebrate your child's birthday.bushnell.org, or calling 860-987-5900 for ticket availability. Her appearance, hosted by The Bushnell and The Connecticut Forum, is scheduled for Thursday, November 16, at 7:30 pm. The Bushnell box office is located at 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford, if you want to stop by in person for tickets.petphotocontest@charlottehelenbaconfoundation.org. There is a $10 entry fee per pet through the donate button at http://charlottehelenbaconfoundation.org/donate. Once all entries to Facebook are uploaded for voting, the top six most "liked" photos by Halloween will win prizes. Good Dogs, Great Listeners & The Dogs of Newtowncvhfoundation.org/event/not-so-spooky-anymore.

As much as we love animals, we aren't always able to note lost and found cats and dogs here. However, this week we had some rather unusual animals at large. A bay mare was found wandering in the Poverty Hollow Road area on Sunday, and as of this writing, had yet to be reunited with her owner. Then on Tuesday, Kevin Boughan's Woodbine Lane yard was visited by this pig. Kevin notified Animal Control, and this little (or not so little: "I'm no livestock expert, but looked 100 pounds easy," Kevin tells me) piggy went all the way home. Is some farmer out there missing his or her stock?

We love to hear from the community about the goings-on about town. The best way to reach us, though, is through our work e-mails (found at newtownbee.com, use the Contact Us tab) rather than our personal e-mails or our personal Facebook pages. When staff is away from the office and not on duty, it's easy for a great story idea to be overlooked when contact is through personal media. You can also call

Dr Bob Grossman visited the office of

After the Passport to Sandy Hook SHOP hop, it seems to me that there was a bit of pub crawling going on in town this past Saturday...

Be sure to keep an eye on the Newtown Cultural Arts Commission website,

Where are all the birthday kids? Send your child's photo, name, age, birth date, and a daytime phone number to

A little bird tells me that autumn is truly here: next week, Tuesday, October 17, is the final Farmers Market at Fairfield Hills. If you have been a regular customer to this plethora of local products all summer, you will surely miss it. If you have put it off for one reason or another, mark your calendar to get some final fall produce next week, and check out the other vendors there.

Tickets for "A Moderated Conversation with Former First Lady Michelle Obama" went on sale to the general public this past Tuesday, October 10. If you'd like to hear the former First Lady speak at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford, it's still worth checking online at

Katie Rose (Crevier) Grigg, NHS Class of 2006, left, and Samantha Kent, NHS Class of 2010, were happy finishers at the Chicago Marathon this past Sunday, October 8. Katie and Samantha were not the only familiar names in the roster of runners: Newtown's speedy Kevin Hoyt also completed the 26-plus-mile race on Sunday. Were there any other Newtown or former Newtown residents in the Chicago field of runners on Sunday?

I've noticed that the CHB Foundation's Facebook page has introduced Charlotte's Pawtacular Pet Photo Contest - a Halloween costume contest for pets. How to enter? Dress your pet in a costume, and send your pet's picture, pet's name, and some fun facts about your pet to

1st Place- $50 gift card to Petco

2nd Place- A Charlotte's Litter collar & leash set

3rd Place- 2 winners- A set of author signed copies of Charlotte's Litter books:

4th Place- 2 winners- A Charlotte's Litter pet bandana

The foundation also notes: "While we love our therapy & celebrity dog friends and your large following, we ask only family pets enter the contest to keep things fair."

More Halloween fun is set for the October CVH Sundays At the Sanctuary. The October 29 program, from noon to 3 pm, at the Old Farm Road location, will feature free workshops on the habitats of night creatures. The first 20 to register will get to build and keep a bat house, and from 1 to 2 pm, Horizon Wings will present a live owl program. To register, visit

With thousands - no exaggeration - of trick or treaters expected to descend upon Main Street on October 31 for Halloween festivities, homeowners on Main Street and nearby streets welcome your help in stocking up on goodies to hand out when the door bells ring. Having enough candy on hand can add up to big bucks. Right now, there is a basket near the undercroft entrance around back of Trinity Episcopal Church where candy donations are being collected, and I understand that the Big Y on Queen Street also has a donation box. Keep your eyes open for other donations drop off points. Candy collected will be distributed to Main Street homeowners prior to Halloween.

I'll be keeping my eyes open for the news about town. Be sure next week to... Read me again.